0000000000073294
AUTHOR
R. Palit
Dipole excitations of neutron-proton asymmetric nuclei
Dipole excitations of unstable short-lived nuclei has been investigated experimentally by utilizing the electromagnetic-excitation process with high-energy secondary beams. From an exclusive measurement of the neutron-decay channels, differential cross sections with respect to excitation energy, which are directly related to the photo-absorption cross section and accordingly to the dipole-strength function, have been derived. Light neutron-rich nuclei in the mass range fromA = 11 toA = 23 with mass-over-charge ratios up toA/Z≈ 2.8 have been investigated systematically. Much in contrast to stable nuclei, low-lying dipole excitations well below the giant dipole resonance region have been obse…
Effects of one valence proton on seniority and angular momentum of neutrons in neutron-rich Sb51122–131 isotopes
Background: Levels fulfilling the seniority scheme and relevant isomers are commonly observed features in semimagic nuclei; for example, in Sn isotopes (Z=50). Seniority isomers in Sn, with dominantly pure neutron configurations, directly probe the underlying neutron-neutron (νν) interaction. Furthermore, an addition of a valence proton particle or hole, through neutron-proton (νπ) interaction, affects the neutron seniority as well as the angular momentum. Purpose: Benchmark the reproducibility of the experimental observables, like the excitation energies (EX) and the reduced electric-quadrupole transition probabilities [B(E2)], with the results obtained from shell-model interactions for ne…
Measurement of the Dipole Polarizability of the Unstable Neutron-Rich NucleusNi68
The E1 strength distribution in Ni68 has been investigated using Coulomb excitation in inverse kinematics at the RB3-LAND setup and by measuring the invariant mass in the one- and two-neutron decay channels. The giant dipole resonance and a low-lying peak (pygmy dipole resonance) have been observed at 17.1(2) and 9.55(17) MeV, respectively. The measured dipole polarizability is compared to relativistic random phase approximation calculations yielding a neutron-skin thickness of 0.17(2) fm. A method and analysis applicable to neutron-rich nuclei has been developed, allowing for a precise determination of neutron skins in nuclei as a function of neutron excess.
Exclusive measurement of breakup reactions with the one-neutron halo nucleus11Be
Electromagnetic and nuclear inelastic scattering of the halo nucleus ${}^{11}\mathrm{Be}$ have been investigated by a measurement of the one-neutron removal channel, utilizing a secondary ${}^{11}\mathrm{Be}$ beam with an energy of 520 MeV/nucleon impinging on lead and carbon targets. All decay products, i.e., ${}^{10}\mathrm{Be}$ fragments, neutrons, and $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays have been detected in coincidence. Partial cross sections for the population of ground and excited states in ${}^{10}\mathrm{Be}$ were determined for nuclear diffractive breakup as well as for electromagnetically induced breakup. The partial cross sections for ground-state transitions have been differentiated fur…
Lithium isotopes beyond the drip line
The unbound isotopes 10Li, 12Li and 13Li have been observed after nucleon-knockout reactions at relativistic energies with 11Li and 14Be beams impinging on a liquid hydrogen target. The channels , and were analysed in the ALADIN-LAND setup at GSI. The 10Li data confirm earlier findings, while the 12Li and 13Li nuclei were observed for the first time. The relative-energy spectrum shows that the ground state of 12Li can be described as a virtual s-state with a scattering length of -13.7(1.6) fm. A broad energy spectrum was found for the channel. Based on the assumption that the relative-energy spectrum is dominated by a correlated background presumably stemming from initial correlations in th…
Evidence for Pygmy and Giant Dipole Resonances inSn130andSn132
The dipole strength distribution above the one-neutron separation energy was measured in the unstable $^{130}\mathrm{Sn}$ and the double-magic $^{132}\mathrm{Sn}$ isotopes. The results were deduced from Coulomb dissociation of secondary Sn beams with energies around $500\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MeV}/\mathrm{\text{nucleon}}$, produced by in-flight fission of a primary $^{238}\mathrm{U}$ beam. In addition to the giant dipole resonance, a resonancelike structure (``pygmy resonance'') is observed at a lower excitation energy around 10 MeV exhausting a few percent of the isovector $E1$ energy-weighted sum rule. The results are discussed in the context of a predicted new dipole mode of excess neut…
Dipole response of neutron-rich Sn isotopes
The neutron-rich isotopes 129–133Sn were studied in a Coulomb excitation experiment at about 500 AMeV using the FRS-LAND setup at GSI. From the exclusive measurement of all projectile-like particles following the excitation and decay of the projectile in a high-Z target, the energy differential cross section can be extracted. At these beam energies dipole transitions are dominating, and within the semi-classical approach the Coulomb excitation cross sections can be transformed into photoabsorption cross sections. In contrast to stable Sn nuclei, a substantial fraction of dipole strength is observed at energies below the giant dipole resonance (GDR). For 130Sn and 132Sn this strength is loca…
Coulomb excitation of exotic nuclei at the R3B-LAND setup
Exotic Ni isotopes have been measured at the R3B-LAND setup at GSI in Darmstadt, using Coulomb excitation in inverse kinematics at beam energies around 500 MeV/u. As the experimental setup allows kinematically complete measurements, the excitation energy was reconstructed using the invariant mass method. The GDR and additional low-lying strength have been observed in 68Ni, the latter exhausting 4.1(1.9)% of the E1 energy-weighted sum rule. Also, the branching ratio for the non-statistical decay of the excited 68Ni nuclei was measured and amounts to 24(4)%.
Measurement of the92,93,94,100Mo(γ,n) reactions by Coulomb Dissociation
6th Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics Conference (NPA), Lisbon, Portugal, 19 May 2013 - 24 May 2013; Journal of physics / Conference Series 665, 012034 (2016). doi:10.1088/1742-6596/665/1/012034
Coulomb breakup of psd-shell neutron-rich nuclei
Inelastic scattering of loosely bound nuclei by Coulomb interaction at intermediate energies (400?600 MeV/nucleon) has been utilized as a spectroscopic tool for exotic nuclei. The observed electromagnetic dipole (E1) strength above the one neutron threshold of neutron-rich C, Be, B and O isotopes can be explained by a non-resonant transition of a neutron into the continuum. The shape of these strength distributions reflects properties of the wavefunction of the released neutron in the nucleus and hence ground-state properties of these isotopes. Neutron capture cross-sections such as for the 14C(n,?) 15C reaction which are of astrophysical relevance can be deduced indirectly.
Coulomb breakup of 23O
Abstract The ground-state structure of the near-drip-line nucleus 23O has been investigated in a one-neutron Coulomb breakup reaction. Differential cross sections d σ / d E * for electromagnetic excitation of 23O projectiles (422 MeV/nucleon) incident on a lead target have been obtained from the measurement of the momenta of all breakup products including γ rays. The analysis of the deduced dipole-transition probability into the continuum infers a 2 s 1 / 2 ⊗ O 22 ( 0 + ) ground state configuration with a spectroscopic factor of 0.77(10) and thus a ground-state spin I π ( O 23 ) = 1 / 2 + , resolving earlier conflicting experimental findings. Final-state interaction is of significant influe…
Target dependence in the study of collective modes in stable and exotic Ni nuclei
The appearance of the pygmy-dipole-resonance is a recently observed phenomenon that can be related to neutron-matter properties. Its study can be a tool to determine the nuclear symmetry-energy parameters and thus can contribute constraining neutron star models. We present the ( γ,n ) cross sections for different Ni isotopes obtained from a measurement in inverse kinematics at about 500 MeV/u in the LAND reaction setup at GSI. The question of the disentanglement of the Coulomb and nuclear contributions is addressed.
Fragmentation of exotic oxygen isotopes
Abrasion-ablation models and the empirical EPAX parametrization of projectile fragmentation are described. Their cross section predictions are compared to recent data of the fragmentation of secondary beams of neutron-rich, unstable 19,20,21O isotopes at beam energies near 600 MeV/nucleon as well as data for stable 17,18O beams.
Nuclear symmetry energy and neutron skins derived from pygmy dipole resonances
By exploiting Coulomb dissociation of high-energy radioactive beams of the neutron-rich nuclei $^{129\ensuremath{-}132}\mathrm{Sn}$ and $^{133,134}\mathrm{Sb}$, their dipole-strength distributions have been measured. A sizable fraction of ``pygmy'' dipole strength, energetically located below the giant dipole resonance, is observed in all of these nuclei. A comparison with available pygmy resonance data in stable nuclei ($^{208}\mathrm{Pb}$ and $N=82$ isotones) indicates a trend of strength increasing with the proton-to-neutron asymmetry. On theoretical grounds, employing the RQRPA approach, a one-to-one correlation is found between the pygmy strength and parameters describing the density d…
Effects of one valence proton on seniority and angular momentum of neutrons in neutron-rich $^{122-131}$Sb$_{51}$ isotopes
The neutron-rich $^{122-131}$Sb isotopes were produced as fission fragments in the reaction $^{9}$Be($^{238}$U,~f) with 6.2 MeV/u beam energy. An unique setup, consisting of AGATA, VAMOS++ and EXOGAM detectors, was used which enabled the prompt-delayed gamma-ray ($\gamma$) spectroscopy of fission fragments in the time range of 100 ns - 200 $\mu$s. New isomers, prompt and delayed transitions were established in the even-A $^{122-130}$Sb isotopes. In the odd-A $^{123-131}$Sb isotopes, new prompt and delayed $\gamma$-ray transitions were identified, in addition to the confirmation of the previously known isomers. The half-lives of the isomeric states and the $B(E2)$ transition probabilities of…
Investigation of the Dipole Response in Exotic Nuclei – Experiments at the LAND-R$^3$B Setup
We present experimental results on the electromagnetic excitation of neutron-rich nickel isotopes, making use of the (RB)-B-3-LAND setup at GSI. Exotic beams were produced at approximately 500 MeV/u and their reactions were studied in inverse kinematics. Integral cross sections for Ni-58 are discussed and compared to previous data, providing a validation of our experimental method. The El excitation-energy distribution of the unstable Ni-68 is presented as well, showing an excess in cross section in the 1n decay channel when compared only with a typical Giant Dipole Resonance.