Search results for "Electron capture"
showing 10 items of 90 documents
Electron capture on116In and implications for nuclear structure related to double-βdecay
2013
The electron capture decay branch of ${}^{116}$In has been measured to be $[2.46\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.44(\mathrm{stat}.)\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.39(\mathrm{syst}.)]\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ using Penning trap-assisted decay spectroscopy. The corresponding Gamow-Teller transition strength is shown to be compatible with the most recent value extracted from the $(p,n)$ charge-exchange reaction, providing a resolution to longstanding discrepancies. This transition can now be used as a reliable benchmark for nuclear-structure calculations of the matrix element for the neutrinoless double-$\ensuremath{\beta}$ decay of ${}^{116}$Cd and other nuclides.
A novel experimental system for the KDK measurement of the 40K decay scheme relevant for rare event searches
2020
Potassium-40 ($^{40}$K) is a long-lived, naturally occurring radioactive isotope. The decay products are prominent backgrounds for many rare event searches, including those involving NaI-based scintillators. $^{40}$K also plays a role in geochronological dating techniques. The branching ratio of the electron capture directly to the ground state of argon-40 has never been measured, which can cause difficulty in interpreting certain results or can lead to lack of precision depending on the field and analysis technique. The KDK (Potassium (K) Decay (DK)) collaboration is measuring this decay. A composite method has a silicon drift detector with an enriched, thermally deposited $^{40}$K source …
β-decay study of150Er,152Yb, and156Yb: Candidates for a monoenergetic neutrino beam facility
2011
The beta decays of ^{150}Er, ^{152}Yb, and ^{156}Yb nuclei are investigated using the total absorption spectroscopy technique. These nuclei can be considered possible candidates for forming the beam of a monoenergetic neutrino beam facility based on the electron capture (EC) decay of radioactive nuclei. Our measurements confirm that for the cases studied, the EC decay proceeds mainly to a single state in the daughter nucleus.
Wien filter for cooled low-energy radioactive ion beams
2002
A Wien filter for cooled radioactive ion beams has been designed at Ion Guide Isotope Separator On Line technique (IGISOL). The purpose of such device is to eliminate doubly charged ions from the mass separated singly charged ions, based on q=+2→q=+1 charge exchange process in an ion cooler. The performance of the Wien filter has been tested off-line with a discharge ion source as well as on-line with a radioactive beam. The electron capture process of cooled q=+2 ions has been investigated in a radiofrequency quadrupole ion cooler with varying partial pressures of nitrogen. Also, the superasymmetric fission production yields of 68<A<78 nuclei have been deduced.
Qvalue and half-life of double-electron capture in184Os
2012
The observation of neutrinoless double-beta transitionswould reveal physics beyond the Standard Model, asit would establish neutrinos to be Majorana particles,which implies a violation of the lepton number conserva-tion. Experiments searching for these transitions have fo-cused on the detection of neutrinoless double-beta decay(0 ) rather than neutrinoless double-electron capture(0). One reason among others is in general the sig-ni cantly shorter half-life of the 0 process. However,in the case of neutrinoless double-electron capture, thetransition is expected to be resonantly enhanced if theinitial and the nal state of the transition are degeneratein energy [1{3].In this work, we inves…
Resonant enhancement of neutrinoless double-electron capture in 152Gd.
2010
In the search for the nuclide with the largest probability for neutrinoless double-electron capture, we have determined the ${Q}_{ϵϵ}$ value between the ground states of $^{152}\mathrm{Gd}$ and $^{152}\mathrm{Sm}$ by Penning-trap mass-ratio measurements. The new ${Q}_{ϵϵ}$ value of 55.70(18) keV results in a half-life of ${10}^{26}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{yr}$ for a 1 eV neutrino mass. With this smallest half-life among known $0\ensuremath{\nu}ϵϵ$ transitions, $^{152}\mathrm{Gd}$ is a promising candidate for the search for neutrinoless double-electron capture.
A Monochromatic Neutrino Beam to Obtain U(e3) and the CP Phase
2007
The goal for future neutrino facilities is the determination of the [Ue3] mixing and CP violation in neutrino oscillations. This will require precision experiments with a very intense neutrino source. The future experiments such as T2K, NOVA and Double CHOOZ will measure the [Ue3] mixing. In order to explore CP violation, we present a novel method to create a monochromatic neutrino beam based on the recent discovery of nuclei that decay fast through electron capture in a superallowed Gamow-Teller transition. The boost of such radioactive ions will generate an intense monochromatic directional neutrino beam when decaying at high energy in a storage ring with long straight sections. We show t…
Physics potential of beta/EC beams in regard to CP violation in neutrino oscillations
2007
The goal for future neutrino facilities is the determination of the [Ue3] mixing and CP violation in neutrino oscillations. This will require precision experiments with a very intense neutrino source. With this objective the creation of neutrino beams from the radioactive decay of boosted ions by the SPS of CERN from either beta or electron capture transitions has been propossed. We discuss the capabilities of such facilities as a function of the energy of the boost and the baseline for the detector. We conclude that the SPS upgrade to 1000 GeV is crucial to have a better sensitivity to CP violation if it is accompanied by a longer baseline. We compare the physics potential for two differen…
Energy dependence of CP-violation reach for monochromatic neutrino beam
2008
The ultimate goal for future neutrino facilities is the determination of CP violation in neutrino oscillations. Besides $| U(e3) | \ne 0$, this will require precision experiments with a very intense neutrino source and energy control. With this objective in mind, the creation of monochromatic neutrino beams from the electron capture decay of boosted ions by the SPS of CERN has been proposed. We discuss the capabilities of such a facility as a function of the energy of the boost and the baseline for the detector. We compare the physics potential for two different configurations: I) $\gamma=90$ and $\gamma=195$ (maximum achievable at present SPS) to Frejus; II) $\gamma=195$ and $\gamma=440$ (…
Rare weak decays and nuclear structure
2014
Abstract. Weak interactions cause the atomic nuclei to decay via beta and double beta decays. Double beta decays are extremely rare since they are weak-interaction processes of the second order. Also (single) beta decays can be extremely rare. This can be caused by either a large di ff erence between the spins of the initial and final state (the so-called “forbidden” beta decays) or an extremely small Q value (decay energy) of the decay. All these cases are discussed in this article, and particular emphasis is given to the neutrino- less double electron capture on the double beta side of decays. peerReviewed