0000000001174083
AUTHOR
Paul L. Reeder
The neutron long counter NERO for studies of neutron emission in the r-process
Abstract The neutron long counter NERO was built at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL), Michigan State University, for measuring β -delayed neutron-emission probabilities. The detector was designed to work in conjunction with a β -delay implantation station, so that β decays and β -delayed neutrons emitted from implanted nuclei can be measured simultaneously. The high efficiency of about 40%, for the range of energies of interest, along with the small background, are crucial for measuring β -delayed neutron emission branchings for neutron-rich r-process nuclei produced as low intensity fragmentation beams in in-flight separator facilities.
Half-Life of the Doubly Magicr-Process NucleusN78i
Nuclei with magic numbers serve as important benchmarks in nuclear theory. In addition, neutron-rich nuclei play an important role in the astrophysical rapid neutron-capture process (r process). 78Ni is the only doubly magic nucleus that is also an important waiting point in the r process, and serves as a major bottleneck in the synthesis of heavier elements. The half-life of 78Ni has been experimentally deduced for the first time at the Coupled Cyclotron Facility of the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory at Michigan State University, and was found to be 110(+100)(-60) ms. In the same experiment, a first half-life was deduced for 77Ni of 128(+27)(-33) ms, and more precise half-li…