Search

Direct lifetime measurements via gamma -gamma coincidences using a fast timing detector array consisting of LaBr3(Ce) scintillators has been applied to determine the lifetime of low-lying states in the semimagic (N = 50) nucleus Ru-94. The experiment was carried out as the first in a series of "FAIR-0" experiments with the DESPEC experimental setup at the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR). Excited states in Ru-94 were populated primarily via the beta-delayed proton emission of Pd-95 nuclei, produced in the projectile fragmentation of an 850 MeV/nucleon Xe-124 beam impinging on a 4 g/cm(2) Be-9 target. While the deduced E2 strength for the 2(+) -> 0(+) transition in the yrast cascade follows the expected behavior for conserved seniority symmetry, the intermediate 4(+) -> 2(+) transition exhibits a drastic enhancement of transition strength in comparison with pure-seniority model predictions as well as standard shell model predictions in the f pg proton hole space with respect to doubly magic Sn-100. The anomalous behavior is ascribed to a subtle interference between the wave function of the lowest seniority v = 2, I-pi = 4(+) state and that of a close-lying v = 4 state that exhibits partial dynamic symmetry. In addition, the observed strongly prohibitive 6(+) -> 4(+) transition can be attributed to the same mechanism but with a destructive interference. It is noted that such effects may provide stringent tests of the nucleon-nucleon interactions employed in state-of-the-art theoretical model calculations.

The characteristics and performance of an annular parallel plate avalanche counter (APPAC) developed for performing heavy ion nuclear physics experiments are presented. The main motive of developing this detector system is to perform Coulomb excitation (Coulex) experiments using particle– γ coincidence technique. The Coulex measurements are performed with APPAC and clover germanium detectors. The APPAC has a two electrode geometry and provides information about the scattering angles of the reaction products, which along with their velocity and/or energy information is used for correcting Doppler energy shift of γ -ray events coming from the in-flight decay of reaction products. The detector has an active area of ∼ 410 cm2 and provides scattering angle information in two coordinates namely polar angle θ and azimuthal angle ϕ . The ϕ resolution is fixed at 22.5°, and the θ resolution for the present experimental configuration is about 0.6°. Average rise times of the signals after amplification was observed to be 5 ns. During the experiments, the detector could handle heavy ion count rates of about 25 x 104 pps without any deterioration in the quality of signals.

Physics letters / B 816, 136183 (2021). doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2021.136183, Published by North-Holland Publ., Amsterdam

6 pags., 4 figs., The γ-ray emission from the nuclei Fe following Coulomb excitation at bombarding energy of 400-440 AMeV was measured with special focus on E1 transitions in the energy region 4-8 MeV. The unstable neutron-rich nuclei Fe were produced at the FAIR-GSI laboratories and selected with the FRS spectrometer. The γ decay was detected with AGATA. From the measured γ-ray spectra the summed E1 strength is extracted and compared to microscopic quasi-particle phonon model calculations. The trend of the E1 strength with increasing neutron number is found to be fairly well reproduced with calculations that assume a rather complex structure of the 1 states (three-phonon states) inducing a strong fragmentation of the E1 nuclear response below the neutron binding energy., This work was partially supported by INFN (Italy) and STFC (UK), the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet, VR 2010-147, 2011-5253, and 2016-3969), BMBF NuSTAR-AGATA 05P18RDFN9 and BMBF NuSTAR 05P18RDFN1. The project was co-funded by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Program for RTD (2007-2013) under the Capacities Program (Contract Number 262010, ENSAR). This work was par-tially supported by the Ministry of Science, and Generalitat Valenciana, Spain, under the Grants SEV-2014-0398, FPA2017-84756-C4, PROMETEO/2019/005 and by the EU FEDER funds.

Physics letters / B 820, 136591 (2021). doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2021.136591, Published by North-Holland Publ., Amsterdam

The neutron-rich isotopes 211;213Tl, beyond the N = 126 shell-closure, have been studied for the first time in isomer γ-ray decay, exploiting the fragmentation of a primary uranium beam at the FRS-RISING (FRagment Separator-Rare ISotopes INvestigation at GSI) setup at GSI. The observed isomeric states in 211;213Tl show a deviation from the seniority-like scheme of 209Tl. The possible interpretation of the data is discussed on the basis of energy-level systematics and shell-model calculations.

Acta physica Polonica / B 51(3), 829 (2020). doi:10.5506/APhysPolB.51.829, Published by Inst. of Physics, Jagellonian Univ., Cracow

International audience; Isomeric states in isotopes in the vicinity of doubly-magic 208Pb were populatedfollowing reactions of a relativistic 208Pb primary beam impinging on a9Be fragmentation target. Secondary beams of 198,200,202,206Pb and 206Hg wereisotopically separated and implanted in a passive stopper positioned in thefocal plane of the GSI Fragment Separator. Delayed γ rays were detected withthe Advanced Gamma Tracking Array (AGATA). Decay schemes were reevaluatedand interpreted with shell-model calculations. The momentumdependentpopulation of isomeric states in the two-nucleon hole nuclei206Pb/206Hg was found to differ from the population of multi neutron-holeisomeric states in 198,200,202Pb.

Background: Fission has been found to be a dominating mode of deexcitation in heavy-ion induced reactions at high excitation energies. The phenomenon of heavy-ion induced fission has been extensively investigated with highly fissile actinide nuclei, yet there is a dearth of comprehensive understanding of underlying dynamics, particularly in the below actinide region and at low excitation energies.Purpose: Prime objective of this work is to study different aspects of heavy-ion induced fission ensuing from the evolution of composite system formed via complete and/or incomplete fusion in the $^{12}\mathrm{C}+^{169}\mathrm{Tm}$ system at low incident energies, i.e., ${E}_{\mathrm{lab}}\ensuremath{\approx}6.4$, 6.9, and 7.4 $A$ MeV, as well as to understand charge and mass distributions of fission fragments.Method: The recoil-catcher activation technique followed by offline $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ spectroscopy was used to measure production cross sections of fission-like events. The evaporation residues were identified by their characteristic $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays and vetted by the decay-curve analysis. Charge and mass distributions of fission-like events were studied to obtain dispersion parameters of fission fragments.Results: In the present work, 26 fission-like events ($32\ensuremath{\le}Z\ensuremath{\le}49$) were identified at different excitation energies. The mass distribution of fission fragments is found to be broad and symmetric, manifesting their production via compound nuclear processes. The dispersion parameters of fission fragments obtained from the analysis of mass and isotopic yield distributions are found to be in good accord with the reported values obtained for different fissioning systems. A self-consistent approach was employed to determine the isobaric yield distribution.Conclusions: The present work suggests that fission is one of the competing modes of deexcitation of complete and/or incomplete fusion composites at low excitation energies, i.e., ${E}^{*}\ensuremath{\approx}57$, 63, and 69 MeV, where evaporation of light nuclear particle(s) and/or $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays are assumed to be the sole contributors. A single peaked broad Gaussian mass dispersion curve has corroborated the absence of any noncompound nuclear fission at the studied energies.

D. Ralet et al. -- 11 pags., 10 figs., 3 tabs., Background: In the neutron-rich A≈100 mass region, rapid shape changes as a function of nucleon number as well as coexistence of prolate, oblate, and triaxial shapes are predicted by various theoretical models. Lifetime measurements of excited levels in the molybdenum isotopes allow the determination of transitional quadrupole moments, which in turn provides structural information regarding the predicted shape change. Purpose: The present paper reports on the experimental setup, the method that allowed one to measure the lifetimes of excited states in even-even molybdenum isotopes from mass A=100 up to mass A=108, and the results that were obtained. Method: The isotopes of interest were populated by secondary knock-out reaction of neutron-rich nuclei separated and identified by the GSI fragment separator at relativistic beam energies and detected by the sensitive PreSPEC-AGATA experimental setup. The latter included the Lund-York-Cologne calorimeter for identification, tracking, and velocity measurement of ejectiles, and AGATA, an array of position sensitive segmented HPGe detectors, used to determine the interaction positions of the γ ray enabling a precise Doppler correction. The lifetimes were determined with a relativistic version of the Doppler-shift-attenuation method using the systematic shift of the energy after Doppler correction of a γ-ray transition with a known energy. This relativistic Doppler-shift-attenuation method allowed the determination of mean lifetimes from 2 to 250 ps. Results: Even-even molybdenum isotopes from mass A=100 to A=108 were studied. The decays of the low-lying states in the ground-state band were observed. In particular, two mean lifetimes were measured for the first time: τ=29.7-9.1+11.3 ps for the 4+ state of Mo108 and τ=3.2-0.7+0.7 ps for the 6+ state of Mo102. Conclusions: The reduced transition strengths B(E2), calculated from lifetimes measured in this experiment, compared to beyond-mean-field calculations, indicate a gradual shape transition in the chain of molybdenum isotopes when going from A=100 to A=108 with a maximum reached at N=64. The transition probabilities decrease for Mo108 which may be related to its well-pronounced triaxial shape indicated by the calculations., This work was supported by the BMBF under Grants No. 05P09RDFN4, No. 05P12RDFN8, and No. 05P12PKFNE and by the LOEWE center HIC for FAIR. Part of this work was supported by the P2IO excellence center. This work was also supported by the European Community FP7–Capacities, ENSAR Contract No. 262010, by the Swedish Research Council under Contracts No. 2010-147, No. 2010-3694, No. 2011-5253, No. 2011-6127, and No. 2014-5558, by the IN2P3- GSI No. 02-42 collaboration, by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and by MINECO, Spain, under Grant No. FPA2014-57196-C5, and Generalitat Valenciana, Spain, under Grant No. PROMETEOII/2014/019

An investigation of Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) based noise filtering algorithm has been carried out on a mirror signal from a two fold germanium clover detector. EMD technique can decompose linear as well as nonlinear and chaotic signals with a precise frequency resolution. It allows to decompose the preamplifier signal (charge pulse) on an event-by-event basis. The filtering algorithm provides the information about the Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs) mainly dominated by the noise. It preserves the signal information and separates the overriding noise oscillations from the signals. The identification of noise structure is based on the frequency distributions of different IMFs. The preamplifier noise components which distort the azimuthal co-ordinates information have been extracted on the basis of the correlation between the different IMFs and the mirror signal. The correlation studies have been carried out both in frequency and time domain. The extracted correlation coefficient provides an important information regarding the pulse shape of the γ-ray interaction in the detector. A comparison between the EMD based and state-of-the-art wavelet based denoising techniques has also been made and discussed. It has been observed that the fractional noise strength distribution varies with the position of the collimated gamma-ray source. Above trend has been reproduced by both the denoising techniques.

The main objective of the Advanced GAmma Tracking Array (AGATA) is the investigation of the structure of exotic nuclei at the new generation of RIB facilities. As part of the preparatory phase for FAIR-NUSTAR, AGATA is going to be installed at the FRS fragmentation facility of the GSI centre for an experimental campaign to be performed in 2012 and 2013. Owing to its γ - ray tracking capabilities and the envisaged enhancement in resolving power, a series of in-flight γ - ray spectroscopy experiments are being planned. The present work describes the conceptual design of this first implementation of AGATA at GSI-FRS, and provides information about the expected performance figures. According to the characteristics of each particular experiment, it is foreseen that the target–array distance is adjusted in order to achieve the optimum compromise between detection efficiency and energy resolution, or to cover an specific angular range of the emitted electromagnetic radiation. Thus, a comprehensive Monte Carlo study of the detection sensitivity in terms of photopeak efficiency, resolution and peak-to-total ratio, as a function of the target–array distance is presented. Several configurations have been investigated, and MC-calculations indicate that a remarkable enhancement in resolving power can be achieved when double-cluster AGATA detectors are developed and implemented. Several experimental effects are also investigated. This concerns the impact of passive materials between the target and the array, the angular distribution of the detection efficiency and the influence of target thickness effects and transition lifetimes in the attainable detection sensitivity. A short overview on half-life measurements via lineshape effects utilizing AGATA is also presented.

International audience; To investigate the systematics of mixed-symmetry states in N=52 isotones, a relativistic Coulomb excitation experiment was performed during the PreSPEC campaign at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung to determine E2 transition strengths to 2+ states of the radioactive nucleus $^{88}$Kr. Absolute transition rates could be measured towards the first and third 2+ states. For the latter a mixed-symmetry character is suggested on the basis of the indication for a strong M1 transition to the fully symmetric 21+ state, extending the knowledge of the N=52 isotones below Z=40. A comparison with the proton-neutron interacting boson model and shell-model predictions is made and supports the assignment.

Masses of 238U projectile fragments have been measured with time-resolved Schottky Mass Spectrometry (SMS) at the FRS-ESR facility at GSI. The exotic nuclei were created in the production target at the entrance of the fragment separator FRS, spatially separated in flight and injected into the storage-cooler ring ESR at about 70% light velocity. This means the ions were mainly bare or carried only a few electrons, e.g., the population of Li-like ions was below 1% for Pt fragments. Accurate newmass values of 33 neutron-rich, stored exotic nuclei in the element range from platinum to uranium have been obtained for the first time. In total more than 150 nuclides including references with well-known masses have been covered in this large-area SMS measurement. A novel data analysis has been applied which reduces the systematic errors by taking into account the velocity profile of the cooler electrons and the residual ion-optical dispersion in this part of the storage ring. The experiment, the data analysis, and the mass values are presented. The experimental data are compared with theoretical predictions demonstrating systematic deviations of up to 1500 keV from modern mass models.

The design, R&D, and testing of a new plastic-scintillator detector for Time-of-Flight measurements with relativistic heavy-ion beams are presented. A design approach using 32 independent precise timing measurements of the same physical event is followed. This is different from the conventional scheme, which aims at two or four high-precision measurements. A circular, 27 cm in diameter, BC-420 plastic-scintillator sheet is read-out by 32 photomultiplier tubes in order to achieve an intrinsic detector resolution on the order of 10 ps root mean square.

238U projectile fragments have been created at the entrance of the fragment separator FRS, spatially separated in flight within 0.45 μs and injected into the storage-cooler ring ESR at 7.9 Tm corresponding to about 70% light velocity. Accurate new mass values and lifetime information of the stored exotic nuclei in the element range from platinum to uranium have been obtained with single-particle Schottky spectrometry. In this experiment the new isotopes of 236Ac, 224At, 221Po, 222Po, and 213Tl were discovered. The isotopes were unambiguously identified and their masses measured. In addition, the time-correlated data have provided information on the lifetime of the new nuclides. The discovery of isotopes along with accurate mass measurement has been achieved for the first time at the FRS-ESR facility. The results will contribute to the knowledge of the decay products from the r-process nuclei and enable a crucial test of the predictive power of modern nuclear mass and half-life models.

The lineshapes and peak position of Doppler corrected γ -ray spectra from in-beam experiments at relativistic energies are investigated with respect to the intrinsic energy resolution of the employed detectors, the particles’ velocities, and the photons’ emission angle uncertainties at the moment of γ -ray emission. The uncertainties in velocity and photon emission angle are dependent on the lifetime of the excited state. The impact of these two observables on the lineshape and energy resolution are studied for the RISING γ -spectrometer by means of simulations and experimental results from a two-step fragmentation experiment at ≈ 200 MeV / u . Potential use of the distinct lineshape for lifetime determination is demonstrated for measured γ -ray transitions.

In the present work, the onset and strength of incomplete fusion were studied in terms of various entrance channel parameters. Excitation functions for individual evaporation residues were measured in the 12C+169Tm system at energies from 5 to 7.5AMeV, and analysed in the framework of the statistical model code PACE-IV to deduce the fraction of incomplete fusion. It was found that the probability of incomplete fusion increases with the incident energy as well as with the mass asymmetry of interacting partners for individual projectiles. Moreover, the critical value of the input angular momentum (lcrit) obtained from the experimental cross sections was compared with that calculated using the Wilczynski formula and a slight difference has been found. © 2018 Jagellonian University. All rights reserved., Science and Engineering Research Board, One of the authors, P.P.S., acknowledges the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), India, for a Young Scientist research award, reference No. YSS/2014/000250.

Nuclear structure spectroscopy studies at GSI recently gained increased momentum within a broad international community with the installation of the Rare Isotopes Spectroscopic INvestigation at GSI (RISING) project. A wide range of physical phenomena has been addressed by high-resolution in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy experiments with radioactive beams. Relativistic radioactive beams are implanted and their subsequent γ and β decay is investigated. Within this "stopped beam campaign" germanium detectors were arranged in a close geometry around the passive stopper or an array of DSSSD detectors. The exceptionally high γ-ray efficiency of that configuration made it possible to identify decays of excited or ground states of nuclei which have not been observed before. The results discussed here include the astrophysically relevant shell structure of N =82 isotones, N = Z nuclei around 54 Ni , and proton drip-line nuclei below 100 Sn . The experimental data are compared to the results of large scale shell-model calculations using various sets of realistic residual two-body interaction.

The neutron-rich N = 126 nucleus Au-205 has been populated following the relativistic energy projectile fragmentation of E/A = 1 GeV Pb-208, and studied via charged-particle decay spectroscopy. An internal decay with a transition energy of 907(5) keV and a half-life of T-1/2 = 6(2) s has been identified through the observation of the corresponding K and L internal conversion electron lines. The 907 keV energy level corresponds to the pi h(11/2)(-1) proton-hole state and decays both internally into the pi d(3/2)(-1) ground-state and via beta decay into Hg-205. The obtained data provides information on the evolution of single-proton hole energies which are vital inputs of shell model descriptions for nuclei around the Pb-208(82)126 doubly magic core. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An active stopper for the RISING project at GSI has been developed for beta-decay studies and conversion electron spectroscopy following projectile fragmentation/fission reactions. This system employs six double-sided silicon strip detectors in the final focal plane of the GSI FRagment Separator (FRS) to detect both the fragment implantations and their subsequent charged-particle (alpha, beta, p) decays. The wide range of energy response required (150keV up to several GeVs) was covered by the use of a logarithmic preamplifier. Measurements with a Bi-207 conversion electron source yielded an energy resolution of 20 keV at electron energies of similar to 1 MeV and a detection threshold of 150 keV. The response to the implantation of 400 AMeV Xe-136 ions in the active stopper is also discussed in the present paper. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved., This work is supported by EPRSC (UK) and EURONS (EU Contract number 506065). Work partially supported by Spanish MEC, Grants FPA2005-03993 and FPA2005-00732. A.A. recognizes partial support of the Ramon y Cajal program.

This paper outlines some of the physics opportunities available with the GSI RISING active stopper and presents preliminary results from an experiment aimed at performing beta-delayed gamma-ray spectroscopic studies in heavy-neutron-rich nuclei produced following the projectile fragmentation of a 1 GeV per nucleon 208 Pb primary beam. The energy response of the silicon active stopping detector for both heavy secondary fragments and beta-particles is demonstrated and preliminary results on the decays of neutron-rich Tantalum ( Ta ) to Tungsten ( W ) isotopes are presented as examples of the potential of this technique to allow new structural studies in hitherto experimentally unreachable heavy, neutron-rich nuclei. The resulting spectral information inferred from excited states in the tungsten daughter nuclei are compared with results from axially symmetric Hartree–Fock calculations of the nuclear shape and suggest a change in ground state structure for the N = 116 isotone 190 W compared to the lighter isotopes of this element.

The first 2+ states in 134Ce and 136Nd and the second 2+ state in 136Nd were populated by Coulomb excitation at relativistic energies, and γ-rays were measured using the RISING setup at GSI. For 134Ce an indication of the excitation to the second 2+ state was observed. This experiment performed for the first time Coulomb excitation to second 2+ states with rare isotope beams at relativistic energies. For 136Nd the B ( E 2 ; 2 1 + → 0 + ) , B ( E 2 ; 2 2 + → 0 + ) , and B ( E 2 ; 2 2 + → 2 1 + ) values relative to the previously known B ( E 2 ; 2 1 + → 0 + ) value for 134Ce are determined as 81(10), 11(3) and 180(92) W.u., respectively. The results are discussed in the framework of geometrical models that indicate pronounced γ-softness in these nuclei.

The preliminary results from the RISING Stopped Beam Isomer Campaign are presented, with specific focus on results of the initial experiment to investigate isomeric decays along the N=Z line around A similar to 80-90 following the projectile fragmentation of a Ag-107 primary beam at an energy of 750 MeV per nucleon. A description of the technical aspects behind the design of the RISING array is presented, together with evidence for previously unreported isomeric decays in Tc-87,Tc-88 and the N=Z nuclei Nb-82(41) and Tc-86(43).

The first excited 2+2+ state of 36Ca has been identified by its γ -decay, exploiting the two-step fragmentation technique at the FRS-RISING setup at GSI. This is the heaviest Tz=−2Tz=−2 nucleus in the Segré chart in which a γ-decay of an excited state has been observed. A stable beam of 40Ca at View the MathML source420AMeV impinged on a primary 9Be target. Out of the secondary beam of fragmentation products, 37Ca was separated by the FRS and struck on a second 9Be target at the final focus of the FRS. The energy for the View the MathML source21+ decay of 36Ca was determined to be 3015(16) keV, which is 276 keV lower than in its T=2T=2 mirror 36S. This mirror energy difference (MED) is discussed in the framework of shell model calculations using a 16O core, the sd shell isospin symmetric interaction USD and experimental single-particle energies from 17O and 17F. The results show that the MED within the sd shell provide a sensitive test for the evolution of the N , Z=14,16Z=14,16 subshell gaps towards the driplines. Especially the N , Z=16Z=16 gap is determined by Thomas–Ehrman shift in the A=17A=17, T=1/2T=1/2 isospin doublet, while Coulomb effects are found to have marginal influence. ispartof: Physics Letters B vol:647 issue:4 pages:237-242 status: published

A. Wendt et al. ; 1 pag. ; PACS number(s): 21.10.Hw, 23.20.Js, 25.70.De, 27.30.+t, 99.10.Fg

We have studied the β decay of the Tz=−1, f7/2 shell nuclei Ni54, Fe50, Cr46, and Ti42 produced in fragmentation reactions. The proton separation energies in the daughter Tz=0 nuclei are relatively large (≈4–5 MeV) so studies of the γ rays are essential. The experiments were performed at GSI as part of the Stopped-beam campaign with the RISING setup consisting of 15 Euroball Cluster Ge detectors. From the newly obtained high precision β-decay half-lives, excitation energies, and β branching ratios, we were able to extract Fermi and Gamow-Teller transition strengths in these β decays. With these improved results it was possible to compare in detail the Gamow-Teller (GT) transition strengths observed in beta decay including a sensitivity limit with the strengths of the Tz=+1 to Tz=0 transitions derived from high resolution (3He,t) reactions on the mirror target nuclei at RCNP, Osaka. The accumulated B(GT) strength obtained from both experiments looks very similar although the charge exchange reaction provides information on a broader energy range. Using the “merged analysis” one can obtain a full picture of the B(GT) over the full Qβ range. Looking at the individual transitions some differences are observed, especially for the weak transitions. Their possible origins are discussed. (Less)

International audience; 206Hg was populated in the fragmentation of an E∕A = 1 GeV 208Pb beam at GSI. It was part of a campaign to study nuclei around 208Pb via relativistic Coulomb excitation. The observation of the known isomeric states confirmed the identification of the fragmentation products. The isomeric decays were also used to prove that the correlations between beam identification detectors and the AGATA γ-ray tracking array worked properly and that the tracking efficiency was independent of the time relative to the prompt flash.

An in-beam study of the transfermium nucleus 252No has been performed using the JUROSPHERE II array of germanium detectors coupled to the gas-filled recoil separator RITU. A new technique of recoil-fission tagging was used to extract tagged γ-ray data. Having significant spontaneous fission and α-decay branches, 252No is an ideal candidate for a comparative study. In a similar manner to α-decay tagging the fission events can be used to obtain γ-ray data. The recoil-fission tagged γ-ray spectrum showed a similar structure to the α-decay tagged γ-ray spectrum. By comparing the α-tagged and fission-tagged spectra and decay curves, it was shown that the spontaneous fission originates from the same initial state as the α decay. This extension of the tagging method allows in-beam spectroscopic data to be obtained from heavy nuclei with significant spontaneous-fission branches.

A novel Calorimeter Telescope (CATE) is employed in the fast beam Rare Isotope Investigations at GSI (RISING) g-campaign with relativistic energies at the Fragment Separator (FRS) at GSI. CATE consists of nine modular Si2CsIðTlÞ detector telescopes for position

The population of metastable states produced in relativistic-energy fragmentation of a U-238 beam has been measured. For states with angular momentum greater than or similar to 20h, a much higher population than expected has been observed. By introducing a collective component to the generation of angular momentum the experimental data can be understood. This is the first time that a collective degree of freedom has be shown to play a major role in such high-energy collisions. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An experiment utilizing a double fragmentation reaction was performed to study isobaric analogue states in A similar to 50 nuclei approaching the proton drip-line. gamma-ray spectroscopy will be used to identify excited states in the neutron-deficient nuclei produced in the second fragmentation reaction. Excited state level schemes will be obtained, through comparison with states in their well-known mirror partners, along with information on Coulomb effects through measurements of the Coulomb energy differences between isobaric analogue excited states. The validity of isospin symmetry for nuclei approaching the proton drip-line can also be investigated and the information gained will aid in testing and improving fp shell model calculations. The analysis of the collected data is at a preliminary stage and current status of this work is reported.

A newly developed CAlorimeter TElescope (CATE) is employed in the fast beam RISING γ-campaign with relativistic energies at the FRS at GSI. CATE consists of nine Si-CsI(Tl) detector telescopes for position and ΔE - E measurements. It registers the scattering angle and identifies the charge (Z) and the mass (A) of exotic heavy ions produced after secondary fragmentation or Coulomb excitation.

The FRS-RISING set-up at GSI uses secondary radioactive beams at relativistic energies for nuclear structure studies. At GSI the fragmentation or fission of stable primary beams up to 238U provide secondary beams with suffcient intensity to perform γ-ray spectroscopy. The RISING set-up is described and results of the first RISING campaign are presented. New experimental methods at relativistic energies are being investigated. Future experiments focus on state-of-the art nuclear structure physics covering exotic nuclei all over the nuclear chart.

The first excited 2 + states in 54,56,58Cr were populated by Coulomb excitation at relativistic energies and γ rays were measured using the RISING setup at GSI. For 56Cr and 58Cr the B ( E2 , 2 1 + → 0 + ) values relative to the previously known B ( E 2 ) value for 54Cr are determined as 8.7(3.0) and 14.8(4.2) W.u., respectively. The results are consistent with a subshell closure at neutron number N = 32 which was already indicated by the higher energy of the 2 1 + state in 56Cr. Recent large-scale shell model calculations using effective interactions reproduce the trend in the excitation energies, but fail to account for the minimum in the B ( E 2 ) values at N = 32 .

Experiments have been performed for studying quaternary fission (QF) in spontaneous fission of 252Cf, on the one hand, and for the neutron-induced fission reactions 233, 235U(nth, f ), on the other hand. In this higher-multiplicity fission mode, by definition, four charged products appear in the final state. In other words, as a generalization of the ternary-fission process, not only one but two light charged particles (LCPs) are accompanying the splitting of an actinide nucleus into the customary pair of fission fragments. In the two sets of measurements, which have used quite different approaches, the yields of several QF reactions with α-particles and tritons as the LCPs have been determined and the corresponding kinetic-energy distributions of the α-particles measured. The QF process can appear in two basically different ways: i) the simultaneous creation of two LCPs in the act of fission (“true” QF) and ii) via a fast sequential decay of a single but particle-unstable LCP in common ternary fission (“pseudo” QF). Experimentally the two varieties of QF have been distinguished by exploiting the different patterns of angular correlations between the two outgoing LCPs. The experiments described in the present paper are the first to demonstrate that both types of reactions, true and pseudo QF, occur with quite comparable probabilities. As a new result also, the kinetic-energy distributions related to the two processes have been shown to be significantly different. For all QF reactions which could be explored, the yields for 252Cf(sf) were found to be roughly by an order of magnitude larger than the yields found in the 233U(nth, f ) and 235U(nth, f ) reactions. An interesting by-product has been the measurement of yields of excited LCPs which allows to deduce nuclear temperatures at scission by comparison to the respective yields in the ground state.

The Rare ISotopes INvestigation at GSI project combines the former EUROBALL Ge-Cluster detectors, the MINIBALL Ge detectors, BaF2--HECTOR detectors, and the fragment separator at GSI for high-resolution in-beam gamma-ray spectroscopy measurements with radioactive beams. These secondary beams produced at relativistic energies are used for Coulomb excitation or secondary fragmentation experiments in order to explore the nuclear structure of the projectiles or projectile like nuclei by measuring de-excitation photons. The newly designed detector array is described and the performance characteristics are given. Moreover, particularities of the experimental technique are discussed.

The new ΔE/E detection system, calorimeter telescope (CATE), for charge and mass determination of heavy ions at high energies (⩾100 MeV/n) has been designed. CATE, a calorimeter telescope will consist of position sensitive Si detectors for ΔE determination and scintillators, readout by either PIN diode or PMT, for total-E determination. Different scintillation detectors were tested with 130Sn, 186Pb, 197Au and 238U beams of (100–300) MeV/n ion energy. By properly selecting the beam species from the FRS and applying position corrections, an energy resolution of ≃0.5% FWHM was observed. The corresponding mass resolution of 1/200 is adequate for employment of CATE in the Fast Beam RISING campaign at GSI.

In recent years (1996-2001) the recoil-decay tagging technique has been employed with great success at the Department of Physics of the University of Jyvaskyla. Various arrays of germanium detectors have been coupled to the RITU gas-filled separator in order to study nuclei far from stability. An overview of the physics studied with these arrays, along with discussion of technical development of the RITU separator, is presented. Even with a comparatively modest array of germanium detectors it has been possible to study nuclei produced with cross-sections as low as 200 nb.

The neutron transfer in a very heavy asymmetric nuclear system, in 206 Pb + 118 Sn has been measured using particle- $\gamma$ coincidence techniques with position-sensitive detectors, 5 EUROBALL-Cluster detectors (EB) and the Heidelberg-Darmstadt NaI-CRYSTAL BALL (CB). The fragments are identified via the known $\gamma$ -decays of the lowest excited states using the high resolution of EB. Using the unique feature of the set-up with the CB, transfer to well-defined final channels with known quantum numbers is selected using the high-efficiency multiplicity filter of the CB with no second $\gamma$ -ray, i.e. without feeding. The enhancement in the two-neutron transfer is deduced, for population of the low-lying super-fluid 2 + states in 120 Sn and 116 Sn, while the 2n-transition remains in the ground state for the recoiling 20X Pb-nuclei. Large enhancements up to EF $\simeq 10^3$ are observed. This is the first observation of neutron pair-transfer enhancement for a heavy nuclear binary system with superfluid properties with experimentally separated levels.

At energies below the Coulomb barrier, neutron transfer and Coulomb excitation have been measured in a very heavy asymmetric nuclear system, in 206Pb + 118Sn. These are semi-magic nuclei showing super-fluid properties. Particle-γ coincidence techniques using 5 Euroball Cluster detectors (EB), combined in a set-up with the Heidelberg-Darmstadt NaI Crystal Ball (CB), have been used. Position-sensitive detectors allowed the observation of scattering processes covering angles from 110 up to 150 degrees. The fragments are identified via the known γ-decays of the lowest excited states using the high resolution of EB. Using the unique feature of the set-up with the CB, transfer to well-defined final channels with known quantum numbers is selected using the high-efficiency multiplicity filter of the CB with no second γ-ray, i.e. without feeding. The data are analysed using the semi-classical approach and transfer probabilities are obtained. Coulomb excitation has been analysed using known transition probabilities. The enhancement is deduced for the two-neutron transfer populating the low-lying super-fluid 2+ states in 120Sn and 116Sn, while the 2n transition remains in the ground state for the 20NPb nuclei. Large enhancements up to EF ≃ 103 are observed. This is the first observation of neutron pair transfer enhancement for a heavy nuclear binary system with super-fluid properties with experimentally separated levels. The calculations with microscopic 2-neutron wave functions, with configuration mixing over six shell model configurations and using the coupled reaction channels approach, reproduce well the observed probabilities and the enhancement.

In-beam conversion electron spectroscopy experiments have been performed on the transfermium nuclei 253, 254No using the conversion electron spectrometer SACRED in nearly collinear geometry in conjunction with the gas-filled separator RITU at the University of Jyvaskyla. The experimental setup is discussed and the spectra are compared to Monte Carlo simulations. The implications for the ground-state configuration of 253No are discussed.

Reduced transition strengths of the deexciting transitions from the first two excited states in 33Ar were measured in a relativistic Coulomb excitation experiment at the GSI Helmholtz center. The radioactive ion beam was produced by fragmentation of a primary 36Ar beam on a 9Be target followed by the selection of the reaction product of interest via the GSI Fragment Separator. The 33Ar beam hit a secondary 197Au target with an energy of approximately 145 MeV/nucleon. An array of high-purity germanium cluster detectors and large-volume BaF2 scintillator detectors were employed for γ -ray spectroscopy at the secondary target position. The Lund-York-Cologne Calorimeter was used to track the outgoing ions and to identify the nuclear reaction channels. For the two lowest energy excited states of 33Ar the reduced transition strengths have been determined. With these first results the Tz = −3/2 nucleus 33Ar is now, together with 21Na (Tz = −1/2), the only neutron-deficient odd-A sd shell nucleus in which experimental transition strengths are available. The experimental values are compared to results of shell-model calculations which describe simultaneously mirror-energy differences and transition-strength values of mirror pairs in the sd shell in a consistent way

The structure of the neutron-rich bismuth isotope 217Bi has been studied for the first time. The fragmentation of a primary 238U beam at the FRS-RISING setup at GSI was exploited to perform γ-decay spectroscopy, since μs isomeric states were expected in this nucleus. Gamma rays following the decay of a t1/2=3 μs isomer were observed, allowing one to establish the low-lying structure of 217Bi. The level energies and the reduced electric quadrupole transition probability B(E2) from the isomeric state are compared to large-scale shell-model calculations.