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Here we present new information on the shape evolution of the very neutron-rich ^{92,94}Se nuclei from an isomer-decay spectroscopy experiment at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory at RIKEN. High-resolution germanium detectors were used to identify delayed γ rays emitted following the decay of their isomers. New transitions are reported extending the previously known level schemes. The isomeric levels are interpreted as originating from high-K quasineutron states with an oblate deformation of β∼0.25, with the high-K state in ^{94}Se being metastable and K hindered. Following this, ^{94}Se is the lowest-mass neutron-rich nucleus known to date with such a substantial K hindrance. Furthermore, it is the first observation of an oblate K isomer in a deformed nucleus. This opens up the possibility for a new region of K isomers at low Z and at oblate deformation, involving the same neutron orbitals as the prolate orbitals within the classic Z∼72 deformed hafnium region. From an interpretation of the level scheme guided by theoretical calculations, an oblate deformation is also suggested for the ^{94}Se_{60} ground-state band.

Spectroscopic factors of neutron-hole and proton-hole states in ^{131}Sn and ^{131}In, respectively, were measured using one-nucleon removal reactions from doubly magic ^{132}Sn at relativistic energies. For ^{131}In, a 2910(50)-keV γ ray was observed for the first time and tentatively assigned to a decay from a 5/2^{-} state at 3275(50) keV to the known 1/2^{-} level at 365 keV. The spectroscopic factors determined for this new excited state and three other single-hole states provide first evidence for a strong fragmentation of single-hole strength in ^{131}Sn and ^{131}In. The experimental results are compared to theoretical calculations based on the relativistic particle-vibration coupling model and to experimental information for single-hole states in the stable doubly magic nucleus ^{208}Pb.

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.192501.

Atomic nuclei are finite quantum systems composed of two distinct types of fermion--protons and neutrons. In a manner similar to that of electrons orbiting in an atom, protons and neutrons in a nucleus form shell structures. In the case of stable, naturally occurring nuclei, large energy gaps exist between shells that fill completely when the proton or neutron number is equal to 2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 82 or 126 (ref. 1). Away from stability, however, these so-called 'magic numbers' are known to evolve in systems with a large imbalance of protons and neutrons. Although some of the standard shell closures can disappear, new ones are known to appear. Studies aiming to identify and understand such behaviour are of major importance in the field of experimental and theoretical nuclear physics. Here we report a spectroscopic study of the neutron-rich nucleus (54)Ca (a bound system composed of 20 protons and 34 neutrons) using proton knockout reactions involving fast radioactive projectiles. The results highlight the doubly magic nature of (54)Ca and provide direct experimental evidence for the onset of a sizable subshell closure at neutron number 34 in isotopes far from stability.

Yrast and near-yrast states in 30 Al and 30 Si have been populated to high spin with the O 18 + C 14 fusion–evaporation reaction in inverse kinematics. The level schemes for these two isobars have been extended up to J ∼ 9 ℏ at 9.4 and 15.5 MeV, respectively. Their decay schemes indicate that cross-shell excitations dominate at high spin, where negative-parity structures exist. Positive-parity states are compared to the results of shell-model calculations using the USD, USDA, and USDB effective interactions. The negative-parity levels are compared to predictions of the WBP interaction and the recently-developed WBP-a Hamiltonian, by allowing 1p–1h excitations to fp -shell orbitals. The results suggest that single-neutron excitations to the 0 f 7 / 2 orbital play a significant role at high spin.

Zhu, S. Janssens, R. V. F. Fornal, B. Freeman, S. J. Honma, M. Broda, R. Carpenter, M. P. Deacon, A. N. Kay, B. P. Kondev, F. G. Krolas, W. Kozemczak, J. Larabee, A. Lauritsen, T. Liddick, S. N. Lister, C. J. Mantica, P. F. Otsuka, T. Pawlat, T. Robinson, A. Seweryniak, D. Smith, J. F. Steppenbeck, D. Tomlin, B. E. Wrzesinski, J. Wang, X.

The low-lying structure of the neutron-rich nucleus (50)Ar has been investigated at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory using in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy with (9)Be((54)Ca,(50)Ar+γ)X, (9)Be((55)Sc,(50)Ar+γ)X, and (9)Be((56)Ti,(50)Ar+γ)X multinucleon removal reactions at ∼220 MeV/u. A γ-ray peak at 1178(18) keV is reported and assigned as the transition from the first 2(+) state to the 0(+) ground state. A weaker, tentative line at 1582(38) keV is suggested as the 4(1)(+)→2(1)(+) transition. The experimental results are compared to large-scale shell-model calculations performed in the sdpf model space using the SDPF-MU effective interaction with modifications based on recent experimental data for exotic calcium and potassium isotopes. The modified Hamiltonian provides a satisfactory description of the new experimental results for (50)Ar and, more generally, reproduces the energy systematics of low-lying states in neutron-rich Ar isotopes rather well. The shell-model calculations indicate that the N=32 subshell gap in (50)Ar is similar in magnitude to those in (52)Ca and (54)Ti and, notably, predict an N=34 subshell closure in (52)Ar that is larger than the one recently reported in (54)Ca.

Gamma-ray transitions have been observed in the proton-emitting $N=Z+2$ (${T}_{z}=1$) isotope ${}^{112}$Cs. The transitions have been unambiguously assigned to ${}^{112}$Cs by correlation with the characteristic proton decay, using the method of recoil-decay tagging with mass selection. The measured proton-decay energy and half-life are ${E}_{p}=810(5)$ keV and ${T}_{1/2}=470(50)$ $\ensuremath{\mu}$s, respectively, which are consistent with previous measurements. Five $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray transitions have been observed which appear to form a rotational sequence. The energy differences between excited states in the sequence are consistent with an assignment as the favored signature of the $\ensuremath{\nu}({h}_{11/2})\ensuremath{\bigotimes}\ensuremath{\pi}({h}_{11/2})$ structure. Tentative evidence for fine structure in the ${}^{112}$Cs proton decay is also observed.

The low-lying states in ¹⁰⁶Zr and ¹⁰⁸Zr have been investigated by means of β-γ and isomer spectroscopy at the radioactive isotope beam factory (RIBF), respectively. A new isomer with a half-life of 620 ± 150 ns has been identified in ¹⁰⁸Zr. For the sequence of even-even Zr isotopes, the excitation energies of the first 2⁺ states reach a minimum at N = 64 and gradually increase as the neutron number increases up to N = 68, suggesting a deformed subshell closure at N = 64. The deformed ground state of ¹⁰⁸Zr indicates that a spherical subshell gap predicted at N = 70 is not large enough to change the ground state of ¹⁰⁸Zr to the spherical shape. The possibility of a tetrahedral shape isomer in ¹⁰⁸Zr is also discussed.

Excited states in {sup 30}Mg have been populated to {approx}6{h_bar} and 5 MeV excitation energy with the {sup 14}C({sup 18}O,2p) reaction. Firm spin assignments for states with J>2{h_bar} have been made in this nucleus. The level scheme is compared to shell-model calculations using the Universal sd effective interaction and the Monte Carlo shell model method. Calculations employing a full sd model space fail to reproduce the observed levels. The results indicate that excitations across the N=20 gap are required at relatively low excitation energy to achieve a description of the data. The incorporation of the f{sub 7/2} and p{sub 3/2} orbitals into the model space gives improved results but indicate the need for further refinement of the models to reproduce the observed spectra.

Lifetimes of low-lying excited states of the neutron-rich $^{44,46}\mathrm{Ar}$ nuclei, populated via multinucleon transfer reactions, are measured by means of the differential recoil distance Doppler shift method. The extracted electromagnetic transition probabilities are compared with previous intermediate-energy Coulomb-excitation measurements and with large-scale shell-model calculations. The increase in the deduced $B$($E2;{2}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{0}^{+}$) transition probability from $^{44}\mathrm{Ar}$ to the closed-shell nucleus $^{46}\mathrm{Ar}$ contradicts the earlier results of Coulomb-excitation experiments. Shell-model calculations using different effective interactions agree with the new measured values.

Excited states in the neutron-rich isotopes $^{57\ensuremath{-}60}\mathrm{Mn}$ have been studied with fusion-evaporation reactions induced by $^{48}\mathrm{Ca}$ beams at $130$ MeV on $^{13,14}\mathrm{C}$ targets. Level schemes have been deduced reaching spins of $~16\ensuremath{\hbar}$ and $~27\ensuremath{\hbar}/2$ in the odd-odd and odd-even isotopes, respectively. States with natural parity within an $\mathit{fp}$ model space are compared to the predictions of large-scale shell-model calculations using the recently developed GXPF1A effective interaction. Quasirotational structures are evident in all of the isotopes and are discussed in terms of the deformation-driving potential of the $\ensuremath{\nu}1{g}_{9/2}$ intruder orbital. It is apparent that an enlarged model space, incorporating at least the $1{g}_{9/2}$ intruder state, is necessary to reproduce the observed experimental systematics in a more satisfactory manner.

Gamma rays from {sup 52}Ti have been studied with Gammasphere and the Fragment Mass Analyzer using reactions induced by a {sup 48}Ca beam on a {sup 9}Be target. The data have been used in combination with information from deep-inelastic reactions of {sup 48}Ca beams on a thick {sup 238}U target at an energy about 25% above the Coulomb barrier. The {sup 52}Ti level scheme was expanded considerably, and the lifetimes of some of the identified states were determined for the first time. The excitation of two protons and two neutrons outside the {sup 48}Ca core provide new tests of effective interactions in the full pf-shell model space. The positive-parity states in {sup 52}Ti were compared to theoretical predictions obtained with the GXPF1A, FPD6, and KB3G effective interactions. The comparisons favor, to a degree, the results computed with the GXPF1A interaction.

The lifetimes of the first excited states of nuclei around the doubly‐magic nucleus 48Ca have been determined using a novel method that combines the Recoil Distance Doppler Shift (RDDS) method with the CLARA‐PRISMA spectrometers. This is the first time such a method is applied to measure lifetimes of neutron‐rich nuclei populated via a multinucleon transfer reaction. This novel method and some preliminary results on lifetimes are presented.