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Hafner, G. et al, & Algora, A. (2021). First lifetime investigations of N > 82 iodine isotopes: The quest for collectivity. Phys. Rev. C, 104(1), 014316–18pp.
Abstract: We report on spectroscopic information and lifetime measurements in the neutron-rich I-135,I-137,I-139 isotopes. This is the first lifetime data on iodine isotopes beyond N = 82. Excited states were populated in fast neutron-induced fission of U-238 at the ALTO facility of IJCLab with the LICORNE neutron source and detected using the hybrid nu-ball spectrometer. The level schemes of the I-135,I-137,I-139 isotopes are revised in terms of excited states with up to maximum spin-parity of (33/2(+)), populated for the first time in fast neutron-induced fission. We provide first results on the lifetimes of the (9/2(1)(+)) and (13/2(1)(+)) states in I-137 and I-139, and the (17/2(1)(+)) state in 137I. In addition, we give upper lifetime limits for the (11/2(1)(+)) states in I135-139, the (15/2(1)(+)) state in I-137, the (17/2(1)(+)) state in I-139, and reexamine the (29/2(1)(+)) state in I-137. The isomeric data in I-13(5) are reinvestigated, such as the previously known (15/2(1)(+)) and (23/21) isomers with T-1/2 of 1.64(14) and 4.6(7) ns, respectively, as obtained in this work. The new spectroscopic information is compared to that from spontaneous or thermal-neutron induced fission and discussed in the context of large scale shell-model (LSSM) calculations for the region beyond Sn-132, indicating the behavior of collectivity for the three valence-proton iodine chain with N = 82, 84, 86.
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Jin, S. Y. et al, & Algora, A. (2021). Spectroscopy of Cd-98 by two-nucleon removal from In-100. Phys. Rev. C, 104(2), 024302–6pp.
Abstract: Low-lying states of Cd-98 have been populated by the two-nucleon removal reaction (In-100, Cd-98+gamma) and studied using in-beam gamma-ray spectroscopy at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory at RIKEN. Two new gamma transitions were identified and assigned as decays from a previously unknown state. This state is suggested to be based on a pi 1g(/9/2)(-1)2p(1/2)(-2) configuration with J(pi) = 5(-). The present observation extends the systematics of the excitation energies of the first 5(-) state in N = 50 isotones toward Sn-100. The determined energy of the 5(- )state in Cd-98 continues a smooth trend along the N = 50 isotones. The systematics are compared with shell-model calculations in different model spaces. Good agreement is achieved when considering a model space consisting of the pi(1f(5/2), 2p(3/2), 2p(1/2), 1g(9/2)) orbitals. The calculations with a smaller model space omitting the orbitals below the Z = 38 subshell could not reproduce the experimental energy difference between the ground and first 5(-) states in N = 50 isotones, because proton excitations across Z = 38 subshell yield a large amount of correlation energy that lowers the ground states.
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IDS Collaboration(Andel, B. et al), Algora, A., & Nacher, E. (2021). New beta-decaying state in Bi-214. Phys. Rev. C, 104(5), 054301–13pp.
Abstract: A new beta-decaying state in Bi-214 has been identified at the ISOLDE Decay Station at the CERN-ISOLDE facility. A preferred I-pi = (8(-)) assignment was suggested for this state based on the beta-decay feeding pattern to levels in Po-214 and shell-model calculations. The half-life of the I-pi = (8) state was deduced to be T-1/2 = 9.39(10) min. The deexcitation of the levels populated in Po-214 by the beta decay of this state was investigated via gamma-gamma coincidences and a number of new levels and transitions was identified. Shell-model calculations for excited states in Bi-214 and Po-214 were performed using two different effective interactions: the H208 and the modified Kuo-Herling particle interaction. Both calculations agree on the interpretation of the new beta-decaying state as an I-pi = 8 – isomer and allow for tentative assignment of shell-model states to several high-spin states in Po-214.
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Orrigo, S. E. A. et al, Rubio, B., Gelletly, W., Aguilera, P., Algora, A., Morales, A. I., et al. (2021). beta decay of the very neutron-deficient Ge-60 and Ge-62 nuclei. Phys. Rev. C, 103(1), 014324–12pp.
Abstract: We report here the results of a study of the beta decay of the proton-rich Ge isotopes, Ge-60 and Ge-62, produced in an experiment at the RIKEN Nishina Center. We have improved our knowledge of the half-lives of Ge-62 [73.5(1) ms] and Ge-60 [25.0(3) ms] and its daughter nucleus, Ga-60 [69.4(2) ms]. We measured individual beta-delayed proton and gamma emissions and their related branching ratios. Decay schemes and absolute Fermi and Gamow-Teller transition strengths have been determined. The mass excesses of the nuclei under study have been deduced. A total beta-delayed proton-emission branching ratio of 67(3)% has been obtained for Ge-60. New information has been obtained on the energy levels populated in Ga-60 and on the 1/2(-) excited state in the beta p daughter Zn-59. We extracted a ground state-to-ground state feeding of 85.3(3)% for the decay of Ge-62. Eight new y lines have been added to the deexcitation of levels populated in the Ga-62 daughter.
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Dombos, A. C. et al, & Algora, A. (2021). Total absorption spectroscopy of the beta decay of Zr-101,102 and Tc-109. Phys. Rev. C, 103(2), 025810–20pp.
Abstract: The beta decay of Zr-101,Zr-102 and Tc-109 was studied using the technique of total absorption spectroscopy. The experiment was performed at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory using the Summing NaI(Tl) (SuN) detector in the first-ever application of total absorption spectroscopy with a fast beam produced via projectile fragmentation. The beta-decay feeding intensity and Gamow-Teller transition strength distributions were extracted for these three decays. The extracted distributions were compared to three different quasiparticle random-phase approximation (QRPA) models based on different mean-field potentials. A comparison with calculations from one of the QRPA models was performed to learn about the ground-state shape of the parent nucleus. For Zr-101 and Zr-102, calculations assuming a pure shape configuration (oblate or prolate) were not able to reproduce the extracted distributions. These results may indicate that some type of mixture between oblate and prolate shapes is necessary to reproduce the extracted distributions. For Tc-109, a comparison of the extracted distributions with QRPA calculations suggests a dominant oblate configuration. The other two QRPA models are commonly used to provide beta-decay properties in r-process network calculations. This work shows the importance of making comparisons between the experimental and theoretical beta-decay distributions, rather than just half-lives and beta-delayed neutron emission probabilities, as close to the r-process path as possible.
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Gombas, J., DeYoung, P. A., Spyrou, A., Dombos, A. C., Algora, A., Baumann, T., et al. (2021). beta-decay feeding intensity distributions for Nb-103,Nb-104m. Phys. Rev. C, 103(3), 035803–8pp.
Abstract: The beta decays of Nb-103,Nb-104m were studied with the Summing NaI(Tl) (SuN) detector at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory. The beta-decay feeding intensity distribution I-beta(E) for each isotope was extracted by measuring gamma rays in coincidence with an emitted electron. The I-beta(E) was extracted via the total absorption spectroscopy technique. The I-beta(E) for each nucleus was compared to predictions made by the quasiparticle random-phase approximation (QRPA) model which is commonly used to calculate beta-decay properties for astrophysical applications. The main goal was to provide experimental data for neutron-rich nuclei, relevant to the astrophysical r process. In addition, the extracted beta-decay feeding intensity distributions can lead to a better understanding of nuclear structure in a region of rapid structure changes around A = 100. Finally, experimental data for Nb-104m are also of interest to antineutrino studies of nuclear reactors.
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Guadilla, V. et al, Tain, J. L., Algora, A., Agramunt, J., Jordan, D., Monserrate, M., et al. (2020). Determination of beta-decay ground state feeding of nuclei of importance for reactor applications. Phys. Rev. C, 102(6), 064304–12pp.
Abstract: In beta-decay studies the determination of the decay probability to the ground state (g.s.) of the daughter nucleus often suffers from large systematic errors. The difficulty of the measurement is related to the absence of associated delayed gamma-ray emission. In this work we revisit the 4 pi gamma – beta method proposed by Greenwood and collaborators in the 1990s, which has the potential to overcome some of the experimental difficulties. Our interest is driven by the need to determine accurately the beta-intensity distributions of fission products that contribute significantly to the reactor decay heat and to the antineutrinos emitted by reactors. A number of such decays have large g.s. branches. The method is relevant for nuclear structure studies as well. Pertinent formulas are revised and extended to the special case of beta-delayed neutron emitters, and the robustness of the method is demonstrated with synthetic data. We apply it to a number of measured decays that serve as test cases and discuss the features of the method. Finally, we obtain g.s. feeding intensities with reduced uncertainty for four relevant decays that will allow future improvements in antineutrino spectrum and decay heat calculations using the summation method.
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Gerst, R. B. et al, & Algora, A. (2020). Prompt and delayed gamma spectroscopy of neutron-rich Kr-94 and observation of a new isomer. Phys. Rev. C, 102(6), 064323–8pp.
Abstract: Prompt and delayed gamma-ray spectroscopy of the neutron-rich Kr-94 was performed, as part of the fission campaign at the ALTO facility of the IPN Orsay, using the fast-neutron-induced fission reaction U-238(n, f) in combination with the nu-Ball array, a novel hybrid gamma spectrometer for energy and lifetime measurements. Several new yrast and nonyrast transitions were observed for the first time, extending the previously known level scheme. Additionally, we report on the observation of a new short-lived isomer at 3444 keV with a half-life of 32(3) ns. The analysis of the Nilsson orbitals obtained from Gogny cranked Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov calculations suggests a (9(-)) spin and an oblate deformation for this isomer corresponding to a two-quasineutron state, indicating an isomeric structure very similar to that of the neighboring isotones Sr-96 and Se-92.
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Phong, V. H. et al, Agramunt, J., Algora, A., Domingo-Pardo, C., Morales, A. I., Tain, J. L., et al. (2019). Observation of a μs isomer in In-134(49)85: Proton-neutron coupling “southeast” of Sn-132(50)82. Phys. Rev. C, 100(1), 011302–6pp.
Abstract: We report on the observation of a microsecond isomeric state in the single-proton-hole, three-neutron-particle nucleus In-134. The nuclei of interest were produced by in-flight fission of a U-238 beam at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory at RIKEN. The isomer depopulates through a gamma ray of energy 56.7(1) keV and with a half-life of T-1/2 = 3.5(4) μs. Based on the comparison with shell-model calculations, we interpret the isomer as the I-pi = 5(-) member of the pi 0g(9/2)(-1) circle times nu 1f(7/2)(3) multiplet, decaying to the I-pi = 7(-) ground state with a reduced-transition probability of B(E2; 5(-) -> 7(-)) = 0.53(6) W.u. Observation of this isomer, and lack of evidence in the current work for a I-pi = 5(-) isomer decay in In-132, provides a benchmark of the proton-neutron interaction in the region of the nuclear chart “southeast” of Sn-132, where experimental information on excited states is sparse.
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Guadilla, V., Algora, A., Tain, J. L., Agramunt, J., Jordan, D., Monserrate, M., et al. (2019). Total absorption gamma-ray spectroscopy of niobium isomers. Phys. Rev. C, 100(2), 024311–15pp.
Abstract: The beta-intensity distributions of the decays of Nb-100gs,Nb-100m and Nb-102gs,Nb-102m have been determined using the total absorption gamma-ray spectroscopy technique. The JYFLTRAP double Penning trap system was employed in a campaign of challenging measurements performed with the decay total absorption gamma-ray spectrometer at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line facility in Jyvaskyla. Different strategies were applied to disentangle the isomeric states involved, lying very close in energy. The low-spin component of each niobium case was populated through the decay of the zirconium parent, which was treated as a contaminant. We have applied a method to extract this contamination, and additionally we have obtained beta-intensity distributions for these zirconium decays. The beta-strength distributions evaluated with these results were compared with calculations in a quasiparticle random-phase approximation, suggesting a prolate configuration for the ground states of Zr-100,Zr-102. The footprint of the Pandemonium effect was found when comparing our results for the analyses of the niobium isotopes with previous decay data. The beta-intensities of the decay of Nb-102m, for which there were no previous data, were obtained. A careful evaluation of the uncertainties was carried out, and the consistency of our results was validated taking advantage of the segmentation of our spectrometer. The final results were used as input in reactor summation calculations. A large impact on antineutrino spectrum calculations was already reported, and here we detail the significant impact on decay heat calculations.
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