0000000000880513
AUTHOR
J.c. Hardy
QValues of the SuperallowedβEmittersAlm26,Sc42, andV46and Their Impact onVudand the Unitarity of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa Matrix
The $\ensuremath{\beta}$-decay ${Q}_{\mathrm{EC}}$ values of the superallowed beta emitters $^{26}\mathrm{Al}^{m}$, $^{42}\mathrm{Sc}$, and $^{46}\mathrm{V}$ have been measured with a Penning trap to a relative precision of better than $8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}$. Our result for $^{46}\mathrm{V}$, 7052.72(31) keV, confirms a recent measurement that differed from the previously accepted reaction-based ${Q}_{\mathrm{EC}}$ value. However, our results for $^{26}\mathrm{Al}^{m}$ and $^{42}\mathrm{Sc}$, 4232.83(13) keV and 6426.13(21) keV, are consistent with previous reaction-based values. By eliminating the possibility of a systematic difference between the two t…
Decay spectroscopy for nuclear astrophysics: β- and β-delayed proton decay
In several radiative proton capture reactions important in novae and XRBs, the resonant parts play the capital role. We use decay spectroscopy techniques to find these resonances and study their properties. We have developed techniques to measure beta- and beta-delayed proton decay of sd-shell, proton-rich nuclei produced and separated with the MARS recoil spectrometer of Texas A&M University. The short-lived radioactive species are produced in-flight, separated, then slowed down (from about 40 MeV/u) and implanted in the middle of very thin Si detectors. This allows us to measure protons with energies as low as 200 keV from nuclei with lifetimes of 100 ms or less. At the same time we measu…
QECvalues of the superallowedβemittersC10,Ar34,Ca38, andV46
The ${Q}_{\mathrm{EC}}$ values of the superallowed ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{+}$ emitters $^{10}\mathrm{C}$, $^{34}\mathrm{Ar}$, $^{38}\mathrm{Ca}$, and $^{46}\mathrm{V}$ have been measured with the JYFLTRAP Penning-trap mass spectrometer to be 3648.12(8), 6061.83(8), 6612.12(7), and 7052.44(10) keV, respectively. All four values are substantially improved in precision over previous results. Of the well-known superallowed emitters, only $^{14}\mathrm{O}$ has yet to have had its ${Q}_{\mathrm{EC}}$ value measured with a Penning trap.
Studies of astrophysically interesting nucleus23Al
We have studied the β-delayed proton decay of 23Al with a novel detector setup at the focal plane of the MARS separator at the Texas A&M University to resolve existing controversies about the proton branching of the IAS in 23Mg and to determine the absolute proton branchings by combining our results to the latest βγ-decay data. We have made also a high precision mass measurement of the ground state of 23Al to establish more accurate proton separation energy of 23Al. Here the description of the used techniques along with preliminary results of the experiments are given.
QEC value of the superallowed β emitter Sc42
Precise measurements of superallowed ${0}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{0}^{+}$ $\ensuremath{\beta}$ decay presently provide the most precise value for the weak mixing amplitude ${V}_{u\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}d}$. As the largest element of the CKM matrix, ${V}_{u\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}d}$ is a critical piece of the Standard Model of the electroweak interaction. The new, precise Penning-trap mass measurement of the decay energy for the superallowed transition in ${}^{42}$Sc opens the door for a much more precise $f\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}t$ value determination if its half-life can be measured more precisely as well.