Low-energy fission investigated in reactions of 750 AMeV 238U-ions with Pb and Be targets

Charge distributions of fragments from low energy nuclear fission are investigated in reactions of highly fissile238U projectiles at relativistic energies (750 A·MeV) with a heavy (Pb) and a light (Be) target. The fully stripped fission fragments are separated by the Fragment Separator (FRS). Their high kinetic energies in the laboratory system allow the identification of all atomic numbers by using Multiple-Sampling Ionization Chambers (MUSIC). The elemental distributions of fragments observed at larger magnetic rigidities than the238U projectiles show asymmetric break-up and odd-even effects. They indicate a low energy fission process, induced mainly by dissociation in the electro-magneti…

THE R-PROCESS: SUPERNOVAE AND OTHER SOURCES OF THE HEAVIEST ELEMENTS

Rapid neutron capture in stellar explosions is responsible for the heaviest elements in nature, up to Th , U and beyond. This nucleosynthesis process, the r-process, is unique in the sense that a combination of nuclear physics far from stability (masses, half-lives, neutron-capture and photodisintegration, neutron-induced and beta-delayed fission and last but not least neutrino-nucleus interactions) is intimately linked to ejecta from astrophysical explosions (core collapse supernovae or other neutron star related events). The astrophysics and nuclear physics involved still harbor many uncertainties, either in the extrapolation of nuclear properties far beyond present experimental explorat…

Beta decay of $^{56}$Cu

AbstractThe proton-rich isotope 56 Cu was produced at the GSI On-Line Mass Separator by means ofthe 28 Si( 32 S, p3n) fusion–evaporation reaction. Its β -decay properties were studied by detecting β -delayed γ rays and protons. A half-life of 93± 3 ms was determined for 56 Cu. Compared to theprevious work, six new γ rays and three new levels were assigned to the daughter nucleus 56 Ni. Themeasured Gamow–Teller strength values for five 56 Ni levels are compared toshell-model predictions.  2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PACS: 21.10.-k; 23.40.-s; 21.60.Cs; 27.40.+zKeywords: R ADIOACTIVITY 56 Cu ( β + ) [from 28 Si( 32 S, p3n)]; Measured E γ , I ; Deduced β -intensity and β -st…

Dispersion of longitudinal momentum distributions induced in fragmentation reactions

On the basis of systematic measurements of fragmentation reactions, which provide a detailed overview on the velocity distributions of residual nuclei, an improved description of the kinematical properties of the fragmentation residues is established. This work is dedicated to the fluctuations of their momentum distributions. In contrast to previous investigations, limited to close-to-projectile fragments, we extended our study to the entire production range, down to the lightest observed fragments. In this context, beside the contribution of abrasion and evaporation processes, we considered the effect of the thermal break-up on the width of the momentum distributions. Using approximated th…

Few-neutron removal from238U at relativistic energies

As part of a comprehensive study of uranium fragmentation at relativistic energies at the GSI projectile fragment separator, FRS, inclusive neutron-removal cross sections have been measured for severalxn channels at projectile energies of 600 and 950A MeV using targets of Al, Cu and Pb. The variation of the experimental cross sections with target nuclear charge is used to disentangle nuclear and electromagnetic contributions. The electromagnetic cross sections agree surprisingly well with a simple harmonic oscillator calculation of giant dipole resonances based on measured photonuclear cross sections and do not require an extra enhancement of the two-phonon giant dipole excitation as conclu…

Isomer Spectroscopy in90216Th126and the Magicity of92218U126

Excited states in (216)Th were investigated via prompt and delayed gamma decays and the recoil-decay tagging method. The decay schemes of the I(pi) = (8+), t(1/2) = 128(8) micros, the I(pi) = (11-), t(1/2) = 615(55) ns, and the I(pi) = (14+), t(1/2) > or = 130 ns isomers were established. The configuration pi h(9/2)f(7/2) is assigned to the I(pi) = (8+) isomer, which implies that the h(9/2) and f(7/2) states are nearly degenerate. This is ascribed to increased binding of the f(7/2) orbital by its coupling to a low-lying I(pi) = (3-) state at E(x) = 1687 keV. The role of octupole and pairing correlations for a Z = 92 shell closure prediction is discussed on the basis of shell model calculati…

Primary-residue production cross sections and kinetic energies in 1AGeV 208Pb on deuteron reactions

Abstract The production cross sections and the kinematical properties of primary residual nuclei have been studied in the reaction 208 Pb(1  A  GeV)+d. Isotopic distributions were measured for all elements from titanium ( Z =22) to lead ( Z =82). The measured kinematical properties of the residues were also used to disentangle the relevant reaction mechanisms, spallation–evaporation and spallation–fission. The fragment separator FRS at GSI, Darmstadt, was used to separate and identify the reaction products. The measured quantities are important for the design and planning of future radioactive-beam facilities and accelerator-driven systems. The measured data of the present work are comprehe…

β decay of the nuclei 60Ga (Tz=−1), 62Ga, and 70Br (Tz=0)

Experimental study of fragmentation products in the reactions112Sn+112Snand124Sn+124Snat 1AGeV

Production cross sections and longitudinal velocity distributions of the projectilelike residues produced in the reactions ${}^{112}\text{Sn}+{}^{112}\text{Sn}$ and ${}^{124}\text{Sn}+{}^{124}\text{Sn}$, both at an incident beam energy of 1$A$ GeV, were measured with the high-resolution magnetic spectrometer, the Fragment Separator of GSI. For both reactions the characteristics of the velocity distributions and nuclide production cross sections were determined for residues with atomic number $Z\ensuremath{\ge}10$. A comparison of the results of the two reactions is presented.

First spatial isotopic separation of relativistic uranium projectile fragments

Abstract Spatial isotopic separation of relativistic uranium projectile fragments has been achieved for the first time. The fragments were produced in peripheral nuclear collisions and spatially separated in-flight with the fragment separator FRS at GSI. A two-fold magnetic-rigidity analysis was applied exploiting the atomic energy loss in specially shaped matter placed in the dispersive central focal plane. Systematic investigations with relativistic projectiles ranging from oxygen up to uranium demonstrate that the FRS is a universal and powerful facility for the production and in-flight separation of monoisotopic, exotic secondary beams of all elements up to Z = 92. This achievement has …

Study of short-lived tin isotopes with a laser ion source

A chemically selective laser ion source based on resonance ionization of atoms in a hot cavity has been applied for the study of short-lived silver isotopes at CERN/ ISOLDE. Silver atoms were ionized by two resonant excitations and final laser ionization into the continuum. Decay properties of the neutron-rich isotopes121–127Ag were studied with a neutron long-counter and aβ-detector.

Influence of Collective Surface Motion on the Threshold Behavior of Nuclear Fusion

Fusion excitation functions for the systems $^{40}\mathrm{Ar}$+$^{112,116,122}\mathrm{Sn}$ and $^{40}\mathrm{Ar}$+$^{144,148,154}\mathrm{Sm}$ have been determined, covering cross sections ranging from several hundred millibarns down to the microbarn level. The data are interpreted with a fusion model that includes fluctuations of the barrier with an amplitude that is shown to be correlated with the collective surface properties of the nuclei. There is no need to assume an additional enhanced tunneling process.

The electronion scattering experiment ELISe at the International Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) - A conceptual design study

The electronion scattering experiment ELISe is part of the installations envisaged at the new experimental storage ring at the International Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) in Darmstadt, Germany. It offers an unique opportunity to use electrons as probe in investigations of the structure of exotic nuclei. The conceptual design and the scientific challenges of ELISe are presented. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experiments on Fission Dynamics with Relativistic Heavy-ion Beams

[Abstract] At GSI, Darmstadt, an experimental program on fission with relativistic heavy-ion beams is in progress. A large range of excitation energies, combined with low angular momentum and small shape distortion is accessible. Full nuclide identification of the reaction residues is achieved by applying inverse kinematics. The nuclide production and the kinematics of fission fragments from a variety of primordial and radioactive projectiles reveal new insight into the influence of shell effects and dissipation on the fission process. The present contribution gives an overview on the experimental methods, the experimental results and the prospects for future progress.

Half-Life Systematics across theN=126Shell Closure: Role of First-Forbidden Transitions in theβDecay of Heavy Neutron-Rich Nuclei

This Letter reports on a systematic study of β-decay half-lives of neutron-rich nuclei around doubly magic Pb208. The lifetimes of the 126-neutron shell isotone Pt204 and the neighboring Ir200-202, Pt203, Au204 are presented together with other 19 half-lives measured during the "stopped beam" campaign of the rare isotope investigations at GSI collaboration. The results constrain the main nuclear theories used in calculations of r-process nucleosynthesis. Predictions based on a statistical macroscopic description of the first-forbidden β strength reveal significant deviations for most of the nuclei with N<126. In contrast, theories including a fully microscopic treatment of allowed and first…

The Role of Fission in the r-process

We have developed a full set of fission rates that include spontaneous fission, neutron-induced fission, beta-delayed fission and, neutrino-induced fission, that are supplemented with realistic distributions of fission yields. Using this new input data we have carried out r-process calculations assuming adiabatic expansions that mimic the conditions achieved in the supernova neutrino driven wind. We have explored the sensitivity of the final abundances to different mass models. The resulting abundance distribution turns out to be very sensitive to the strength of the N = 82 shell gap far from stability. Mass models with a strong shell gap converge to an r-process distribution that is indepe…

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.

Transfer reactions in inverse kinematics, an experimental approach for fission investigations

Inelastic and multi-nucleon transfer reactions between a $^{238}$U beam, accelerated at 6.14 MeV/u, and a $^{12}$C target were used for the production of neutron-rich, fissioning systems from U to Cm. A Si telescope, devoted to the detection of the target-like nuclei, provided a characterization of the fissioning systems in atomic and mass numbers, as well as in excitation energy. Cross-sections, angular and excitation-energy distributions were measured for the inelastic and transfer channels. Possible excitations of the target-like nuclei were experimentally investigated for the first time, by means of g -ray measurements. The decays from the first excited states of $^{12}$C, $^{11}$B and …

The Super-FRS Project at GSI

The GSI projectile fragment separator FRS has demonstrated with many pioneering experiments the research potential of in-flight separators at relativistic energies. Although the present facility has contributed much to the progress in the field of nuclear structure physics, major improvements are desirable in the future. The characteristics of the proposed next-generation facility at GSI, the Super-FRS, will be presented and compared to other projects. The Super-FRS is a large-acceptance superconducting fragment separator followed by different experimental branches including a combination with a new storage-cooler ring system. This system consists of a collector ring (CR) and a new experime…

Production of very neutron-deficient isotopes near Sn via reactions involving light-particle and cluster emission

Abstract The production of very neutron-deficient isotopes near 100Sn has been investigated by using on-line mass separation of evaporation residues produced by heavy-ion induced complete-fusion reactions. We measured the cross sections for 99Cd, 100In, 101Sn and 102In via 58Ni+58Ni fusion reactions followed by cluster emission, and via 58Ni+50Cr fusion reactions accompanied by evaporation of protons, neutrons or α particles. Both types of reactions yield similar cross sections for the production of exotic nuclei near 100Sn. The data are discussed in comparison with results obtained from statistical-model calculations.

Attempts to Produce Superheavy Elements by Fusion ofCa48withCm248in the Bombarding Energy Range of 4.5-5.2 MeV/u

A search for superheavy elements was made in bombardments of $^{248}\mathrm{Cm}$ with $^{48}\mathrm{Ca}$ ions performed at projectile energies close to the interaction barrier in order to keep the excitation energy of the compound nucleus $Z=116$, $A=296$ as low as possible. No evidence for superheavy nuclei was obtained in a half-life region from 1 \ensuremath{\mu}s to 10 yr with a production cross section greater than ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}34}$ to ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}35}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$.