Search

The degree of collectivity of the Pygmy Dipole Resonance (PDR) is an open question. Recently, Ries {\it et al.} have suggested the onset of the PDR beyond $N=28$ based on the observation of a significant $E1$ strength increase in the Cr isotopes and proposed that the PDR has its origin in a few-nucleon effect. Earlier, Inakura {\it et al.} had predicted by performing systematic calculations using the random-phase approximation (RPA) with the Skyrme functional SkM* that the $E1$ strength of the PDR strongly depends on the position of the Fermi level and that it displays a clear correlation with the occupation of orbits with orbital angular momenta less than $3\hbar$ $(l \leq 2)$. To further investigate the microscopic structures causing the possible formation of a PDR beyond the $N=28$ neutron shell closure, we performed a $^{61}$Ni$(d,p){}^{62}$Ni experiment at the John D. Fox Superconducting Linear Accelerator Laboratory of Florida State University. To determine the angular momentum transfer populating possible $J^{\pi} = 1^-$ states and other excited states of ${}^{62}$Ni, angular distributions and associated single-neutron transfer cross sections were measured with the Super-Enge Split-Pole Spectrograph. A number of $J^{\pi} = 1^-$ states were observed below the neutron-separation threshold after being populated through $l=2$ angular momentum transfers. A comparison to available $(\gamma,\gamma')$ data for ${}^{58,60}$Ni provides evidence that the $B(E1)$ strength shifts further down in energy. The $(d,p)$ data clearly prove that $l=0$ strength, i.e., the neutron $(2p_{3/2})^{-1}(3s_{1/2})^{+1}$ one-particle-one-hole configuration plays only a minor role for $1^-$ states below the neutron-separation threshold in ${}^{62}$Ni., Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review C

Background: Detailed information on the low-lying dipole response in atomic nuclei along isotonic or isotopic chains is well suited to systematically investigate the structure and evolution of the Pygmy Dipole Resonance (PDR). Moreover, the dipole strength below and around the neutron separation energy Sn has impact on statistical model calculations for nucleosynthesis processes. Purpose: The photon strength function (PSF) of 87 Rb, which is directly connected to the photoabsorption cross section, is a crucial input for statistical model calculations constraining the Maxwellian-averaged cross section (MACS) of the neutron capture of the unstable s-process branching-point nucleus 86 Rb. Within this work, the photoabsorption cross section is investigated. Methods: The photoabsorption cross section of the N = 50 nucleus 87 Rb was determined from photon-scattering experiments via the Nuclear Resonance Fluorescence (NRF) technique. Bremsstrahlung beams at the γELBE facility in conjunction with monoenergetic photon beams at the HIGS facility were used to determine the integrated cross sections Is of isolated states as well as the averaged cross section as function of the excitation energy. Decays to the ground state were disentangled from decays to first low-lying excited states. Statistical and experimental approaches for the γ-decay properties at various excitation energies were applied. The linearly polarized photon beams at HIGS provide information on the ratio of electric and magnetic type of radiation. Results: Within this work, more than 200 ground-state decays and associated levels in 87Rb were identified. Moreover, transitions below the sensitivity limit of the state-by-state analysis were taken into account via a statistical approach from the bremsstrahlung data as well as model-independently from the HIGS data. The photoabsorption cross sections at various excitation energies were determined. The dipole response between 6 and 10 MeV of 87 Rb is in agreement with assuming contributions of electric multipolarity, only. Conclusions: The photoabsorption cross section of 87Rb does not contradict with the trend of decreasing E1 strength with increasing proton number along the N = 50 isotonic chain but might also be associated with a constant trend. The experimental γ decay at various excitation energies of the HIGS data supports the statistical approach but does not provide a stringent proof due to the limited sensitivity in the decay channels. The additional E1 strength observed in the present experiments significantly enhances the MACSs compared to recent microscopic D1M HFB+QRPA calculations only. Moreover, theoretical estimations provided by the KADoN iS project could be significantly improved.

Background: The term Pygmy Dipole Resonance (PDR) denotes electric dipole excitations below and around the neutron separation threshold. It may be important, e.g., for the nucleosynthesis of heavy nuclei or the symmetry energy in the Equation of State (EoS). For a deeper understanding of the PDR systematic studies are essential. Purpose: The tin isotopic chain is a well-suited candidate to investigate the systematics of the PDR and the (g,g') reactions on 112,116,120,124Sn have already been measured in experiments using bremsstrahlung. It was claimed that the extracted electric dipole transition strengths of these isotopes increase with increasing neutron-to-proton ratio with the exception of 120 Sn. Furthermore, previous results from elastic photon scattering experiments on 120Sn are in disagreement with corresponding (p,p') Coulomb excitation data. To examine this discrepancy an additional high-sensitivity bremsstrahlung experiment on 120Sn was performed. Method: The Nuclear Resonance Fluorescence (NRF) method is used which bases on real photon scattering. The bremsstrahlung experiment presented in this work was performed with a maximum energy of E = 9.5 MeV at the gELBE facility at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR). Besides a state-to-state analysis, the quasi-continuum was investigated as well. Results: Above Ex = 4 MeV 236 dipole transitions were clearly identified and 168 of those were observed for the first time. Assuming that all analyzed transitions have electric dipole character the summed electric dipole strength equals B(E1) = 374(35) e2 fm2 (0.54(5) % of the TRK sum rule) for transitions from 4 MeV to Sn = 9.1 MeV. This is an enhancement of a factor 2.3 compared to the previously published 120Sn(g,g') results. Especially, the observation of many weaker transitions in the state-to-state analysis lead to this increase. The photo-absorption cross sections deduced from the quasi-continuum analysis are about two times higher than the results of the (p,p') experiment. Conclusion: The newly extracted summed B(E1) value of the state-to-state analysis is larger than those of 112,116Sn and smaller than that of 124 Sn. The difference between the present (g,g') data and the results of the inelastic proton scattering experiment above 6.3 MeV is still striking. The deviation may be explained by unobserved decay branchings and unresolved strength. Up to now, there is no explanation for the discrepancy between the extracted photo-absorption cross sections of the analysis of the quasi-continuum and the (p,p') measurement. Additional experiments may shed light on this deviation.