High Energy Nuclear Collisions

Highlights of the results from ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions at CERN-SPS are reviewed. In particular, I discuss how the experimental results indicate that a collective strongly interacting system has been produced, and what are the implications towards the Quark Gluon Plasma. The physical ideas behind measuring certain observables are introduced. The future program of high energy nuclear collisions at BNL-RHIC and CERN-LHC/ALICE is also briefly discussed.

Event-by-event fluctuations in perturbative QCD + saturation + hydro model: pinning down QCD matter shear viscosity in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions

We introduce an event-by-event perturbative-QCD + saturation + hydro ("EKRT") framework for ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions, where we compute the produced fluctuating QCD-matter energy densities from next-to-leading order perturbative QCD using a saturation conjecture to control soft particle production, and describe the space-time evolution of the QCD matter with dissipative fluid dynamics, event by event. We perform a simultaneous comparison of the centrality dependence of hadronic multiplicities, transverse momentum spectra, and flow coefficients of the azimuth-angle asymmetries, against the LHC and RHIC measurements. We compare also the computed event-by-event probability distrib…

Transverse energy from minijets in ultrarelativistic nuclear collisions: a next-to-leading order analysis

We compute in next-to-leading order (NLO) perturbative QCD the amount of transverse energy produced into a rapidity region $\Delta Y$ of a nuclear collision from partons created in the few-GeV subcollisions. The NLO formulation assumes collinear factorization and is based on the subtraction method. We first study the results as a function of the minimum transverse momentum scale and define and determine the associated $K$-factors. The dependence of the NLO results on the scale choice and on the size of $\Delta Y$ is also studied. The calculations are performed for GRV94 and CTEQ5 sets of parton distributions. Also the effect of nuclear shadowing to the NLO results is investigated. The main …

A perturbative QCD analysis of charged-particle distributions in hadronic and nuclear collisions

We compute the distributions of charged particles at large transverse momenta in $p\bar p(p)$, $pA$ and $AA$ collisions in the framework of perturbative QCD, by using collinear factorization and the modern PDFs and fragmentation functions. At the highest cms-energies the shape of the spectra measured in $p\bar p(p)$ collisions at large $q_T$ can be well explained. The difference between the data and the lowest-order computation is quantified in terms of a constant $K$-factor for each energy. The $K$-factor is found to systematically decrease with growing $\sqrt s$. Also a lower limit for the partonic transverse momentum, $p_0$, is extracted for each $\sqrt s$ based on the comparison with th…

In-beam spectroscopy of $^{253,254}$No

In-beam conversion electron spectroscopy experiments have been performed on the transfermium nuclei 253,254No using the conversion electron spectrometer SACRED in nearly collinear geometry in conjunction with the gas-filled separator RITU at the University of Jyvaskyla. The experimental setup is discussed and the spectra are compared to Monte Carlo simulations. The implications for the ground-state configuration of 253No are discussed.

Next-to-leading order perturbative QCD predictions for exclusive J/ψ photoproduction in oxygen-oxygen and lead-lead collisions at energies available at the CERN Large Hadron Collider

We present predictions for the cross sections of coherent J/ψ photoproduction in lead-lead and oxygen-oxygen ultraperipheral collisions (UPCs) as a function of the J/ψ rapidity at the LHC in the framework of collinear factorization at next-to-leading order (NLO) in perturbative QCD. Taking generalized parton distribution functions in their forward limit and using the EPPS21, nNNPDF3.0, and nCTEQ15WZSIH nuclear parton distribution functions, we update our recent results for Pb-Pb collisions, make detailed predictions for O-O collisions for several beam energy configurations, and examine the ratio of O-O and Pb-Pb UPC cross sections. We show that the latter observable allows one to significan…

Predictions for 5.023 TeV Pb+Pb collisions at the LHC

We compute predictions for various low-transverse-momentum bulk observables in $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 5.023$ TeV Pb+Pb collisions at the LHC from the event-by-event next-to-leading-order perturbative-QCD + saturation + viscous hydrodynamics ("EKRT") model. In particular, we consider the centrality dependence of charged hadron multiplicity, flow coefficients of the azimuth-angle asymmetries and correlations of event-plane angles. The centrality dependencies of the studied observables are predicted to be very similar to those at 2.76 TeV, and the magnitudes of the flow coefficients and event-plane angle correlations are predicted to be close to those at 2.76 TeV. The flow coefficients may, however,…

Predictions for Cold Nuclear Matter Effects in $p+$Pb Collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}} = 8.16$ TeV

Predictions for cold nuclear matter effects on charged hadrons, identified light hadrons, quarkonium and heavy flavor hadrons, Drell-Yan dileptons, jets, photons, gauge bosons and top quarks produced in $p+$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}} = 8.16$ TeV are compiled and, where possible, compared to each other. Predictions of the normalized ratios of $p+$Pb to $p+p$ cross sections are also presented for most of the observables, providing new insights into the expected role of cold nuclear matter effects. In particular, the role of nuclear parton distribution functions on particle production can now be probed over a wider range of phase space than ever before.

Hard probes in heavy ion collisions at the lhc: pdfs, shadowing and pa collisions

This manuscript is the outcome of the subgroup ``PDFs, shadowing and $pA$ collisions'' from the CERN workshop ``Hard Probes in Heavy Ion Collisions at the LHC''. In addition to the experimental parameters for $pA$ collisions at the LHC, the issues discussed are factorization in nuclear collisions, nuclear parton distributions (nPDFs), hard probes as the benchmark tests of factorization in $pA$ collisions at the LHC, and semi-hard probes as observables with potentially large nuclear effects. Also, novel QCD phenomena in $pA$ collisions at the LHC are considered. The importance of the $pA$ program at the LHC is emphasized.

Collective structure of the neutron-rich nuclei, 110Ru and 112Ru

Abstract The collective structure of 110 Ru and 112 Ru has been studied at the IGISOL facility through the beta decay of 110 Tc and 112 Tc. Neutron-rich technetium isotopes were produced by the 238 U(p, f) reaction at 20 MeV bombarding energy. The new isotope 112 Tc was found to decay with a half-life of 280(30) ms. The observed energies of the 2 + and 4 + ground state band levels in 108,110,112 Ru are almost the same. However, a steady energy decrease of the proposed gamma band head is observed with increasing neutron number, suggesting importance of triaxiality in these nuclei. In fact, only in 192 Os the second 2 + state has been observed at lower excitation than in 112 Ru. The static de…

Beta-delayed particle emission of 36K

Abstract 36 Ar targets of 19 μg cm 2 thickness were made by a sandwich technique in which a 70 nm layer of Al was evaporated onto the implanted Al surface between five successive implantations of 36 Ar ions. The sources of 36 K were prepared by depositing the recoil atoms from the 36 Ar(p, n) 36 K reaction by means of a helium jet onto a fast transport tape. The measured delayed particle spectra revealed 11 proton groups (0.5 MeV E p E α 36 K. Total proton and α-particle branching ratios were measured to be 4.8 × 10 −4 and 3 × 10 −5 , respectively. Partial level widths and reduced proton and α-particle transition widths were determined for several individual levels with the aid of additiona…

Deep learning for flow observables in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions

We train a deep convolutional neural network to predict hydrodynamic results for flow coefficients, average transverse momenta and charged particle multiplicities in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions from the initial energy density profiles. We show that the neural network can be trained accurately enough so that it can reliably predict the hydrodynamic results for the flow coefficients and, remarkably, also their correlations like normalized symmetric cumulants, mixed harmonic cumulants and flow-transverse-momentum correlations. At the same time the required computational time decreases by several orders of magnitude. To demonstrate the advantage of the significantly reduced computati…

Fine structure in -decay and shape coexistence in

Excited states in populated in the -decay of have been identified through -particle-conversion electron coincidences. The level scheme has been interpreted using a configuration mixing calculation, providing estimates of the mixing matrix elements, mixing amplitudes and the energies of unperturbed and unobserved levels.

Selected Aspects in the Structure of Beta-Delayed Particle Spectra

Some weak beta-delayed particle emitters in the Tz = -3/2, -1, -1/2, +1/2 and +5/2 series are reviewed. Selected features of the delayed particle emission are discussed in terms of experimental delayed particle data and (p, γ), (p, p') and (p, n) reaction data. Experimental beta transition strengths are compared with the existing complete shell-model calculations for the sd-shell nuclei. The effect of the Gamow-Teller giant resonance on the structure of the delayed particle spectra is considered. The correlation between the widths of two decay channels, protons and alpha particles, and the preceeding beta decay is studied in the case of the 40Sc decay.

Decay of24Al and24Almto γ-Ray and α-Particle Emitting States in24Mg

The level structure of 24Mg and decay properties of 129 ms 24Alm and 2.07 s 24Al have been investigated by means of γ-ray and particle spectroscopy. The energy and intensity of the isomeric transition were measured to be 425.8 ± 0.1 keV and (82.5 ± 3.0)%, respectively. The isomer was observed to decay via a super-allowed transition with a log ft value of 3.51 ± 0.04 to its 1+, 9965.2 ± 1.5 keV analog state in 24Mg. In addition, decay to seven particle-emitting levels and four levels depopulated by γ-ray emission were observed. In the decay of 2.07 s 24Al a new delayed α-particle group with an energy 3.04 MeV and three new γ-transitions were observed. More accurate values than those reported…

Structure of rotational bands in 253No

In-beam gamma-ray and conversion electron spectroscopic studies have been performed on the 253 No nucleus. A strongly coupled rotational band has been identified and the improved statistics allows an assignment of the band structure as built on the $\ensuremath 9/2^-[734]_{\nu}$ ground state. The results agree with previously known transition energies but disagree with the tentative structural assignments made in earlier work.

Production of transverse energy from minijets in next-to-leading order perturbative QCD

We compute in next-to-leading order (NLO) perturbative QCD the transverse energy carried into the central rapidity unit of hadron or nuclear collisions by the partons freed in the few-GeV subcollisions. The formulation is based on a rapidity window and a measurement function of a new type. The behaviour of the NLO results as a function of the minimum transverse momentum and as a function of the scale choice is studied. The NLO results are found to be stable relative to the leading-order ones even in the few-GeV domain.

The EPPS16 nuclear PDFs

We report on EPPS16 - the first analysis of NLO nuclear PDFs where LHC p-Pb data (Z, W, dijets) have been directly used as a constraint. In comparison to our previous fit EPS09, also data from neutrino-nucleus deeply-inelastic scattering and pion-nucleus Drell-Yan process are now included. Much of the theory framework has also been updated from EPS09, including a consistent treatment of heavy quarks in deeply-inelastic scattering. However, the most notable change is that we no longer assume flavour-blind nuclear modifications for valence and sea quarks. This significantly reduces the theoretical bias. All the analysed data are well reproduced and the analysis thereby supports the validity o…

Status report of the SARA IGISOL used in the study of the 238U(α 40 MeV, ƒ) reaction

Abstract A new ion guide isotope separator on-line (IGISOL), operating with the SARA facility, has been constructed. Using the 238U(α 40 MeV, ƒ) reaction to produce very neutron-rich radioisotopes, all mass chains from A = 96 to 122 have been scanned by conventional methods of nuclear spectroscopy. Provided the stopping volume is separated from the primary beam, it has been proved that the yield is nearly proportional to the He pressure. In addition to the usual advantages (quasi-independence from physical and chemical properties of elements), this makes IGISOL a powerful technique for high energy recoil products. During the experiments the boundary of known neutron-rich nuclei was reached …

Nuclear Quark and Gluon Distributions in Coordinate Space

In coordinate space, quark and gluon distributions of the nucleon are defined as correlation functions involving two field operators separated by a light-cone distance $y^+ = 2l$. We study the nuclear modifications of these distributions. The largest effect is a strong depletion of parton distributions (shadowing) at large longitudinal distances, which starts for all parton species at $l=2$ fm, i.e. at the average nucleon-nucleon separation in nuclei. On the other hand, the nuclear radius does not play a significant role. At $l \lsim 1$ fm, nuclear modifications of parton distributions are small. The intrinsic structure of individual nucleons is evidently not very much affected by nuclear b…

Nuclear parton distributions in coordinate space

Studies of Weak Beta-Delayed Protons Emitted in the Decay of Odd-Z, Tz = -3/2 Nuclei

Radioactive decay of Tz = - 3/2 nuclides, 27P and 31Cl, predicted to be weak β-delayed proton precursors, have been looked for. Two proton groups having energies of 989 ± 15 and 1528 ± 20 keV and a half-life of 150 ± 25 ms were associated with the decay of 31Cl. The search for 27P is still under way, but the first qualitative results are briefly discussed.

Fine structure in Po α-decay and shape coexistence in Pb

Abstract Excited Jπ=0+ states in 188 Pb populated in the α-decay of 192 Po have been identified through α-particle/conversion electron coincidences. α-particle energies and branching ratios have been measured, and hindrance factors deduced. The level scheme has been fitted using a configuration mixing calculation, providing estimates of the mixing matrix elements, mixing amplitudes and the energies of unperturbed and unobserved levels.

EPPS16 - First nuclear PDFs to include LHC data

We present results of our recent EPPS16 global analysis of NLO nuclear parton distribution functions (nPDFs). For the first time, dijet and heavy gauge boson production data from LHC proton-lead collisions have been included in a global fit. Especially, the CMS dijets play an important role in constraining the nuclear effects in gluon distributions. With the inclusion of also neutrino-nucleus deeply-inelastic scattering and pion-nucleus Drell-Yan data and a proper treatment of isospin-corrected data, we were able to free the flavor dependence of the valence and sea quark nuclear modifications for the first time. This gives us less biased, yet larger, flavor by flavor uncertainty estimates. …

Predictions for low-pTand high-pThadron spectra in nearly central Pb+Pb collisions atsNN=5.5TeV tested atsNN=130and 200 GeV

We study the hadron spectra in nearly central $A+A$ collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in a broad transverse momentum range. We cover the low-${p}_{T}$ spectra using longitudinally boost-invariant hydrodynamics with initial energy and net-baryon number densities from the perturbative QCD (pQCD)+saturation model. Buildup of the transverse flow and sensitivity of the spectra to a single decoupling temperature ${T}_{\mathrm{dec}}$ are studied. Comparison with RHIC data at $\sqrt{{s}_{\mathit{NN}}}=130$ and 200 GeV suggests a rather high value ${T}_{\mathrm{dec}}=150$ MeV. The high-${p}_{T}$ spectra are computed using factorized pQCD cro…

Probing intruder structures in lead nuclei

In-beam γ-ray spectroscopy measurements provide important information on coexisting normal and intruder configurations in lead nuclei. However, in these experiments the yrast states are preferentially populated so that in many cases nothing is known about non-yrast states that are essential for obtaining a fuller understanding. Complementary experiments designed to study fine structure in the a decays of polonium nuclei have led to the discovery of low-spin non-yrast states in the daughter lead nuclei, while higher-spin states can be identified through the γ decays of isomeric states. The α-decay studies have the additional benefit of allowing information on configuration mixing in the polo…

Recoil-isomer tagging techniques at RITU

Techniques have been developed to study isomeric states in nuclei with the use of RITU (gas filled separator) at the University of Jyvaskyla. The first was the recoil-isomer tagging technique initially, utilised by D.M. Cullen to study the K π = 8− isomeric state in 138Gd [1]. The juro-sphere array was employed in conjunction with ritu and a focal plane array which consisted of several Compton-suppressed Germanium detectors, placed in close geometry around a multi wire proportional counter (mwpc) and a silicon strip detector used for the implantation of recoiling nuclei. This technique correlates prompt and delayed γ-ray transitions across isomeric states and identifies the lifetime of the …

αdecay of the new isotope206Ac

The new neutron-deficient nuclide {sup 206}Ac was produced by bombarding a {sup 175}Lu target with 5.5 MeV/nucleon {sup 36}Ar ions. The evaporation residues were separated in flight by a gas-filled separator and subsequently identified by the {alpha}-{alpha} position and time correlation method. {sup 206}Ac was found to have two {alpha} particle emitting isomeric levels with half-lives of (22{sub {minus}5}{sup +9}) ms and (33{sub {minus}9}{sup +22}) ms, and with {alpha} particle energies of (7790{plus_minus}30) keV and (7750{plus_minus}20) keV, respectively. The former isomer is tentatively assigned to a J{sup {pi}}=3{sup +} level and the latter to a J{sup {pi}}=10{sup {minus}} level, both …

The Large Hadron–Electron Collider at the HL-LHC

The Large Hadron-Electron Collider (LHeC) is designed to move the field of deep inelastic scattering (DIS) to the energy and intensity frontier of particle physics. Exploiting energy-recovery technology, it collides a novel, intense electron beam with a proton or ion beam from the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC). The accelerator and interaction region are designed for concurrent electron-proton and proton-proton operations. This report represents an update to the LHeC's conceptual design report (CDR), published in 2012. It comprises new results on the parton structure of the proton and heavier nuclei, QCD dynamics, and electroweak and top-quark physics. It is shown how the LH…

Enhancement of charm quark production due to nonlinear corrections to the DGLAP equations

We have studied how parton distributions based on the inclusion of nonlinear scale evolution and constraints from HERA data affect charm production in $pp$ collisions at center-of-mass energies of 5.5, 8.8 and 14 TeV. We find that, while the resulting enhancement can be substantial, it is very sensitive to the charm quark mass and the scale entering the parton densities and the strong coupling constant.

Identification of low-lying proton-based intruder states in189–193Pb

Low-lying proton-based intruder states have been observed in the odd-mass isotopes Pb-189,Pb-191,Pb-193 in experiments at the RITU gas-filled recoil separator. The identification has been performed ...

Alpha decay of the new isotopes207, 208Ac

Two new neutron-deficient isotopes207,208Ac have been produced in fusion reactions with 5.2–5.6 MeV/nucleon40Ar ions on175Lu and identified on the basis of genetic correlations. The fusion evaporation products were separated on-line using a gas-filled magnetic recoil separator. The alpha energy and half-life of208Ac were determined to be (7572±15) keV and (95 −16 +24 ) ms, respectively. A new alpha line with a half-life of (25 −5 +9 ) ms and an energy of (7758±20) keV is assigned to the decay of an isomeric state in208Ac. Another new activity with a half-life of (22 −9 +40 ) ms and an alpha energy of (7712±25) keV is assigned to207Ac.

Lower limits for E_T and N_ch from pQCD & hydrodynamics at the central rapidity unit in central Au-Au collisions at RHIC

Final state average transverse energy and charged particle multiplicity at the central rapidity unit of central Au-Au collisions at RHIC are studied within a framework of lowest order perturbative QCD and Bjorken's hydrodynamical picture. In particular, effects of initial minijet production and the $pdV$ work during the subsequent evolution of the QGP are investigated. Nuclear shadowing effects are included in a consistent manner, and the dependence of the results on the minijet transverse momentum cut-off parameter $p_0$ is shown.

Elliptic flow in nuclear collisions at ultrarelativistic energies available at the CERN Large Hadron Collider

We use perfect-fluid hydrodynamical model to predict the elliptic flow coefficients in $\mathrm{Pb}+\mathrm{Pb}$ collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The initial state for the hydrodynamical calculation for central $A+A$ collisions is obtained from the perturbative QCD $+$ saturation model. The centrality dependence of the initial state is modeled by the optical Glauber model. We show that the baseline results obtained from the framework are in good agreement with the data from the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider and show predictions for the ${p}_{T}$ spectra and elliptic flow of pions in $\mathrm{Pb}+\mathrm{Pb}$ collisions at the LHC. Also mass and multiplicity effects are discu…

First observation of the beta decay of117Pd and the discovery of a new isotope119Pd

In this paper we wish to report the first direct observations of the beta decays of117Pd and of a new isotope119Pd. The measuredβ-half-life is 4.3±0.3 s for117Pd. For119Pd, the existence of two beta-decaying states with the same half-life but of opposite parity cannot be excluded. The measured half-life for119Pd is 0.92±0.13 s. The observed beta half-lifes are in good agreement with the QRPA predictions. The observed level structure of117Ag and119Ag are discussed in the frame of the level systematics of the known odd Ag isotopes closer to stability.

Exclusive J/ψ photoproduction in ultraperipheral Pb+Pb collisions at the CERN Large Hadron Collider calculated at next-to-leading order perturbative QCD

We present the first next-to-leading-order (NLO) perturbative QCD (pQCD) study of rapidity-differential cross sections of coherent exclusive photoproduction of J/ψ mesons in heavy-ion ultraperipheral collisions (UPCs) at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC), dσ/dy(Pb+Pb→Pb+J/ψ+Pb). For this, we account for the photon-nucleon NLO cross sections at the forward limit, the t dependence using a standard nuclear form factor, and the photon fluxes of the colliding nuclei. Approximating the generalized parton distributions with their forward-limit parton distribution functions (PDFs), we quantify the NLO contributions in the cross sections, show that the real part of the amplitude and quark-PDF con…

Hindered (Δl=0) Alpha Decay and Shape Staggering in191Po

Two $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-decaying isomeric states were observed in ${}^{191}\mathrm{Po}$ with ${E}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}7334(10)\mathrm{keV}$ and $\mathrm{T}{}_{1/2}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}22(1)\mathrm{ms}$ for ${}^{191g}\mathrm{Po}$ and $\mathrm{E}{}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}7378(10)\mathrm{keV}$ and $\mathrm{T}{}_{1/2}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}98(8)\mathrm{ms}$ for ${}^{191m}\mathrm{Po}$. Evidence was found for fine-structure decay to excited levels in the ${}^{187}\mathrm{Pb}$ daughter nucleus. The tentative interpretation of these new lev…

Isotopic product distributions in the near symmetric mass region in proton induced fission ofU238

We have studied fission product yields using 19.8 MeV proton induced fission of a thin $^{238}\mathrm{U}$ target and the on-line mass separator IGISOL. The nonselectivity of the separation method used with respect to Z has allowed accurate determination of the yields of symmetric fission for the first time. The cumulative yields for the elements from Z=40 (Zr) up to Z=47 (Ag) have been determined from the beta- and gamma-radioactivity measurements. The independent fission product yield distributions for elements Tc, Ru, and Rh are obtained from the experimental data. An improved theoretical model for calculating mass and independent yields is described and applied. It is found that the char…

Gamow-Teller decay of 118Pd and of the new isotope 120Pd

Abstract With the use of the proton-induced fission of 238 U and the ion guide-fed on-line mass separation, even- A isotopes of palladium with high neutron excess were studied by means of γ-ray and conversion-electron spectroscopy. The decay of 118 Pd was reinvestigated in detail, and evidence for the new isotope 120 Pd, with a half-life T 1 2 = 0.5 ± 0.1 s , was found. As established for 118 Pd and tentatively shown for 120 Pd, the β-decay of these two isotopes proceeds mainly through 0 + → 1 + Gamow-Teller transitions with log ft values between 4.2 and 4.7. The strength of individual transitions has been compared with the predictions of the shell-correction model with a deformed Woods-Sax…

Flow correlations from a hydrodynamics model with dynamical freeze-out and initial conditions based on perturbative QCD and saturation

We extend the applicability of the hydrodynamics, perturbative QCD and saturation -based EKRT (Eskola-Kajantie-Ruuskanen-Tuominen) framework for ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions to peripheral collisions by introducing dynamical freeze-out conditions. As a new ingredient compared to the previous EKRT computations we also introduce a non-zero bulk viscosity. We compute various hadronic observables and flow correlations, including normalized symmetric cumulants, mixed harmonic cumulants and flow-transverse momentum correlations, and compare them against measurements from the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). We demonstrate that the inclu…

Low-lying shears bands in very light odd—odd Bi isotopes

The concept of magnetic rotation in nuclei was introduced to explain the observed regular bands with enhanced M1 transitions and weak or absent E2 crossover transitions in nearly spherical nuclei around 198Pb [1]. These bands can be described by the coupling of high-j proton and neutron configurations to a total spin tilted at an angle of ~ 45° with respect to the symmetry axis. As the proton and neutron spins align with increasing excitation energy, a sequence of ΔI = 1 levels of fixed parity (“shears band”) is formed [2].

β-decay of 113Rh and the observation of 113mPd : Isomer systematics in odd-A palladium isotopes

Abstract Decay of 113Rh to the levels of 113Pd was studied at the IGISOL-facility by means of β-, γ- and conversion-electron spectroscopy. The level scheme of 113Pd was constructed using 33 gamma transitions on the basis of observed γγ-coincidence relations and half-life analysis. A β-decay half-life of (2.80±0.12) s was measured for 113Rh. A new 9 − 2 isomeric state with (0.3 ± 0.1) s half-life and excitation energy 81.3 keV was discovered in 113Pd. This state and the other recently observed low-lying 9 − 2 or 11 − 2 isomeric states in 115,117Pd isotopes are directly populated in proton-induced fission. The decay of these isomers is unusually strongly hindered compared with Weisskopf estim…

Exclusive heavy vector meson photoproduction on nuclei in NLO perturbative QCD

We make predictions for the cross section of coherent $J/\psi$ photoproduction in Pb-Pb and O-O ultraperipheral collisions (UPCs) at the LHC as a function of the $J/\psi$ rapidity $y$ in the framework of collinear factorization and next-to-leading order (NLO) perturbative QCD. We quantify the strong scale dependence and significant uncertainties due to nuclear PDFs and show that our approach provides a reasonable description of the LHC data on coherent $J/\psi$ photoproduction in Pb-Pb UPCs. We demonstrate that these uncertainties are reduced by approximately a factor of 10 in the scaled ratio of the O-O and Pb-Pb UPC cross sections. Our analysis indicates the dominance of the quark contrib…

Multiplicities andpTspectra in ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions from a next-to-leading order improved perturbative QCD+saturation+hydrodynamics model

We bring the EKRT framework, which combines perturbative QCD (pQCD) minijet production with gluon saturation and hydrodynamics, to next-to-leading order (NLO) in pQCD as rigorously as possible. We chart the model uncertainties, and study the viability and predictive power of the model in the light of the RHIC and LHC measurements in central $A+A$ collisions. In particular, we introduce a new set of measurement functions to define the infrared- and collinear-safe minijet transverse energy, ${E}_{T}$, in terms of which we formulate the saturation. We update the framework with the EPS09 NLO nuclear parton distributions (nPDFs), and study the propagation of the nPDF uncertainties into the compu…

Scale evolution of nuclear parton distributions

Using the NMC and E665 nuclear structure function ratios $F_2^A/F_2^D$ and $F_2^A/F_2^{C}$ from deep inelastic lepton-nucleus collisions, and the E772 Drell--Yan dilepton cross sections from proton-nucleus collisions, and incorporating baryon number and momentum sum rules, we determine nuclear parton distributions at an initial scale $Q_0^2$. With these distributions, we study QCD scale evolution of nuclear parton densities. The emphasis is on small values of $x$, especially on scale dependence of nuclear shadowing. As the main result, we show that a consistent picture can be obtained within the leading twist DGLAP evolution, and in particular, that the calculated $Q^2$ dependence of $F_2^{…

Beta decay of 108Mo and of neighbouring even Mo-isotopes

Abstract A combination of the proton-induced fission of 238 U and the on-line mass separation based on the ion-guide technique has been applied in the study of neutron-rich Mo-isotopes. The decays of 106,108 Mo have been studied by using gamma-, beta-, X-ray and conversion-electron spectroscopy. The decay scheme of 106 Mo has been revised and a beta-decay half-life of 8.73(12) s has been measured for this nucleus. A beta-decay half-life of 1.09(2) s and a decay energy of 5120(40) keV have been measured for 108 Mo. The decay scheme of 108 Mo has been constructed and altogether 29 new transitions have been placed in the decay scheme. The beta-decay strengths of 102,104,106,108 Mo have been de…

Heavy ions at the Future Circular Collider

The Future Circular Collider (FCC) Study is aimed at assessing the physics potential and the technical feasibility of a new collider with centre-of-mass energies, in the hadron-hadron collision mode, seven times larger than the nominal LHC energies. Operating such machine with heavy ions is an option that is being considered in the accelerator design studies. It would provide, for example, Pb-Pb and p-Pb collisions at sqrt{s_NN} = 39 and 63 TeV, respectively, per nucleon-nucleon collision, with integrated luminosities above 30 nb^-1 per month for Pb-Pb. This is a report by the working group on heavy-ion physics of the FCC Study. First ideas on the physics opportunities with heavy ions at th…

Nuclear isomers in superheavy elements as stepping stones towards the island of stability

The stability of an atomic nucleus is determined by the outcome of a tug-of-war between the attractive strong nuclear force and the repulsive electrostatic force between the protons in the nucleus. If 100 protons and about 150 neutrons or more are assembled into a nucleus, the repulsion usually becomes dominant and causes the nucleus to fission. For certain 'magic numbers' of protons and neutrons this repulsion can be overcome and the nucleus stabilized. In particular an 'island of stability' is predicted beyond the actinides, where long-lived or even stable superheavy elements can exist, but its precise limits are unknown. Experiments can help determine where this island lies, however. Spe…

αdecay studies of very neutron-deficient francium and radium isotopes

Very neutron-deficient francium and radium isotopes have been produced in fusion evaporation reactions using $^{63}\mathrm{Cu}$ and $^{65}\mathrm{Cu}$ ions on $^{141}\mathrm{Pr}$ targets and $^{36}\mathrm{Ar}$ ions on $^{170}\mathrm{Yb}$ targets. The gas-filled recoil separator RITU was employed to collect the fusion products and to separate them from the scattered beam. The activities were implanted into a position-sensitive silicon detector after passing through a gas-counter system. The isotopes were identified using spatial and time correlations between the implants and decays. Two new \ensuremath{\alpha} decaying radium isotopes, $^{201}\mathrm{Ra}$ and $^{202}\mathrm{Ra}$, were identi…

Four decades of subatomic physics : essays in honour of professor of theoretical physics Pentti Vesa Ruuskanen on the occasion of his retirement 31 December 2006

Beta decay of 40Sc to proton and alpha-particle unbound states in 40Ca

Delayed charged particle emission associated with the precursor nuclide 40Sc was studied by use of the He-jet technique. Altogether 40 proton groups (1.0 MeV < Ep < 3.7 MeV) and 21 α-particle groups (2.0 MeV < Eα < 4.6 MeV) were observed. Total proton and α-particle branching ratios were measured to be (4.4±0.7) × 10−3 and (0.17±0.05) × 10−3, respectively. Association of the delayed particle emitting levels with the levels observed in resonance reaction studies is discussed. The fact that the most prominent α-particle groups do not have a counterpart in resonance reaction data suggests collectivity or a cluster configuration for the emitting levels. Log ft values (upper limits) for β+ trans…