Search

Laser-driven neutron sources are routinely produced by the interaction of laser-accelerated protons with a converter. They present complementary characteristics to those of conventional accelerator-based neutron sources (e.g. short pulse durations, enabling novel applications like radiography). We present here results from an experiment aimed at performing a global characterization of the neutrons produced using the Titan laser at the Jupiter Laser Facility (Livermore, USA), where protons were accelerated from 23 $\mathrm {\mu }$ m thick plastic targets and directed onto a LiF converter to produce neutrons. For this purpose, several diagnostics were used to measure these neutron emissions, such as CR-39, activation foils, time-of-flight detectors and direct measurement of $^7{\rm Be}$ residual activity in the LiF converters. The use of these different, independently operating diagnostics enables comparison of the various measurements performed to provide a robust characterization. These measurements led to a neutron yield of $2.0\times 10^{9}$ neutrons per shot with a modest angular dependence, close to that simulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise spectroscopic information on the fast neutron induced fission of the 238U(n,f) reaction was recently gained using a new technique which involved coupling of the Miniball high resolution y-ray spectrometer and the LICORNE directional neutron source. The experiment allowed measurement of the isotopic fission yields for around 40 even-even nuclei at an incident neutron energy of around 2 MeV where yield data are very sparse. In addition spectroscopic information on very neutron-rich fission products was obtained. Results were compared to models, both the JEFF-3.1.1 data base and the GEF code, and large discrepancies for the S1 fission mode in the Sn/Mo isotope pair were discovered. This suggests that current models are overestimating the role played by spherical shell effects in fast neutron induced fission. In late 2017 and 2018 the nu-ball hybrid spectrometer will be constructed at the IPN Orsay to perform further experimental investigations with directional neutrons coupled to a powerful hybrid Ge/LaBr3 detector array. This will open up new possibilities for measurements of fission yields for fast-neutron-induced fission using the spectroscopic technique and will be complimentary to other methods being developed.

Recent progress in the development of novel organic scintillators necessitates modern characterization capabilities. As the primary means of energy deposition by neutrons in these materials is n-p elastic scattering, knowledge of the proton light yield is paramount. This work establishes a new model-independent method to continuously measure the proton light yield in organic scintillators over a broad energy range. Using a deuteron breakup neutron source at the 88-in. Cyclotron at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and an array of organic scintillators, the proton light yield of EJ-301 and EJ-309, commercially available organic liquid scintillators from Eljen Technology, was measured via a double time-of-flight technique. The light yield was determined using a kinematically over-constrained system in the proton energy range of 1–20 MeV. The effect of the pulse integration length on the magnitude and shape of the proton light yield relation was also explored. This work enables accurate simulation of the performance of advanced neutron detectors and supports the development of next-generation neutron imaging systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The γ-strength functions and level densities of 73,74Ge have been extracted from particle-γ coincidence data using the Oslo method. In addition the γ-strength function of 74Ge above the neutron separation threshold, Sn = 10.196 MeV has been extracted from photoneutron measurements. When combined, these two experiments give a γ-strength function covering the energy range of ∼1-13 MeV for 74Ge. This thorough investigation of 74Ge is a part of an international campaign to study the previously reported low energy enhancement in this mass region in the γ-strength function from ∼3MeV towards lower γ energies. The obtained data show that both 73,74Ge display an increase in strength at low γ energies.

The properties of the excited states of gold isotopes were investigated at the Oslo Cyclotron Laboratory. This study is important for the understanding of neutron capture rates in astrophysical plasmas relevant for heavy element nucleosynthesys.

The neutron time-of-flight (nTOF) diagnostics used to characterize implosions at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) has necessitated the development of novel scintillators that exhibit a rapid temporal response and high light yield. One such material, a bibenzyl-stilbene mixed single-crystal organic scintillator grown in a 99.5:0.5 ratio in solution, has become the standard scintillator used for nTOF diagnostics at NIF. The prompt fluorescence lifetime and relative light yield as a function of proton energy were determined to calibrate this material as a neutron detector. The temporal evolution of the intensity of the prompt fluorescent response was modeled using first-order reaction kinetics and the prompt fluorescence decay constant was determined to be 2.46±0.01 (fit)±0.13 (systematic) ns. The relative response of the bibenzyl-stilbene mixed crystal generated by recoiling protons was measured, and results were analyzed using Birks' relation to quantify the non-radiative quenching of excitation energy in the scintillator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have recently successfully demonstrated a new technique for production and study of many of the most exotic neutron-rich nuclei at moderate spins. LICORNE, a newly developed directional inverse-kinematic fast neutron source at the IPN Orsay, was coupled to the MINIBALL high resolution γ-ray spectrometer to study nuclei the furthest from stability using the 238U(n, ƒ) reaction. This reaction and 232Th(n, ƒ) are the most neutron-rich fission production mechanisms achievable and can be used to simultaneously populate hundreds of neutron-rich nuclei up to spins of ~ 16 h. High selectivity in the experiment was achieved via triple γ-ray coincidences and the use of a 400 ns period pulsed neutron beam, a technique which is unavailable to other population mechanisms such as 235U(nth, ƒ) and 252Cf(SF). The pulsing allows time correlations to be exploited to separate delayed γ rays from isomeric states in the hundreds of nuclei produced, which are then used to cleanly select a particular nucleus and its exotic binary partners. In the recent experiment, several physics cases are simultaneously addressed such as shape coexistence, the evolution of shell closures far from stability, and the spectroscopy of nuclei in the r-process path near N = 82. Preliminary physics results on anomalies in the 238U(n, ƒ) fission yields and the structure of the 138Te and 100Sr nuclei will soon be published. A future project, v-ball, to couple LICORNE with a hybrid escape-suppressed spectrometer to refine further the technique and achieve a large increase in the observational limit is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An enhanced probability for low-energy γ-emission (upbend, Eγ <3 MeV) at high excitation energies has been observed for several light and medium-mass nuclei close to the valley of stability. Also the M1 scissors mode seen in deformed nuclei increases the γ-decay probability for low-energy γ-rays (Eγ ≈ 2-3 MeV). These phenomena, if present in neutron-rich nuclei, have the potential to increase radiative neutron-capture rates relevant for the r-process. The experimental and theoretical status of the upbend is discussed, and preliminary calculations of (n, γ ) reaction rates for neutronrich, mid-mass nuclei including the scissors mode are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas-filled capsules imploded with indirect drive on the National Ignition Facility have been employed as symmetry surrogates for cryogenic-layered ignition capsules and to explore interfacial mix. Plastic capsules containing deuterated layers and filled with tritium gas provide a direct mea-sure of mix of ablator into the gas fuel. Other plastic capsules have employed DT or D³He gas fill. We present the results of two-dimensional simulations of gas-filled capsule implosions with known degradation sources represented as in modeling of inertial confinement fusion ignition designs; these are time-dependent drive asymmetry, the capsule support tent, roughness at material interfa-ces, and prescribed gas-ablator interface mix. Unlike the case of cryogenic-layered implosions, many observables of gas-filled implosions are in reasonable agreement with predictions of these simulations. Yields of TT and DT neutrons as well as other x-ray and nuclear diagnostics are matched for CD-layered implosions. Yields of DT-filled capsules are over-predicted by factors of I.4-2, while D³He capsule yields are matched, as well as other metrics for both capsule types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Progress toward ignition at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) has been focused on furthering the understanding of implosion performance. Implosion performance depends on the capsule fuel shape, on higher mode asymmetries that may cause hydrodynamic instabilities to quench ignition, on time-dependent asymmetries introduced by the hohlraum target, and on ablator performance. Significant findings in each of these four areas is reported. These investigations have led to improved in-flight capsule shape, a demonstration that a capsule robust to mix can generate high levels of neutrons (7.7 × 1014), hohlraum modifications that should ultimately provide improved beam propagation and better laser coupling, and fielding of capsules with high-density carbon (HDC) ablators. A capsule just fielded with a HDC ablator and filled with DT gas generated a preliminary record level of neutrons at 1.6 × 1015, or 5 kJ of energy. Future plans include further improvements to fuel shape and hohlraum performance, fielding robust capsules at higher laser power and energy, and tuning the HDC capsule. A capsule with a nanocrystalline diamond (HDC) ablator on a DT ice layer will be fielded at NIF later this year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed simulation-based model of the June 2011 National Ignition Campaign cryogenic DT experiments is presented. The model is based on integrated hohlraum-capsule simulations that utilize the best available models for the hohlraum wall, ablator, and DT equations of state and opacities. The calculated radiation drive was adjusted by changing the input laser power to match the experimentally measured shock speeds, shock merger times, peak implosion velocity, and bangtime. The crossbeam energy transfer model was tuned to match the measured time-dependent symmetry. Mid-mode mix was included by directly modeling the ablator and ice surface perturbations up to mode 60. Simulated experimental values were extracted from the simulation and compared against the experiment. Although by design the model is able to reproduce the 1D in-flight implosion parameters and low-mode asymmetries, it is not able to accurately predict the measured and inferred stagnation properties and levels of mix. In particular, the measured yields were 15%-40% of the calculated yields, and the inferred stagnation pressure is about 3 times lower than simulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first inertial confinement fusion implosion experiments with equimolar deuterium-tritium thermonuclear fuel have been performed on the National Ignition Facility. These experiments use 0.17 mg of fuel with the potential for ignition and significant fusion yield conditions. The thermonuclear fuel has been fielded as a cryogenic layer on the inside of a spherical plastic capsule that is mounted in the center of a cylindrical gold hohlraum. Heating the hohlraum with 192 laser beams for a total laser energy of 1.6 MJ produces a soft x-ray field with 300 eV temperature. The ablation pressure produced by the radiation field compresses the initially 2.2-mm diameter capsule by a factor of 30 to a spherical dense fuel shell that surrounds a central hot-spot plasma of 50 μm diameter. While an extensive set of x-ray and neutron diagnostics has been applied to characterize hot spot formation from the x-ray emission and 14.1 MeV deuterium-tritium primary fusion neutrons, thermonuclear fuel assembly is studied by measuring the down-scattered neutrons with energies in the range of 10 to 12 MeV. X-ray and neutron imaging of the compressed core and fuel indicate a fuel thickness of (14 ± 3) μm, which combined with magnetic recoil spectrometer measurements of the fuel areal density of (1 ± 0.09) g cm-2 result in fuel densities approaching 600 g cm-3. The fuel surrounds a hot-spot plasma with average ion temperatures of (3.5 ± 0.1) keV that is measured with neutron time of flight spectra. The hot-spot plasma produces a total fusion neutron yield of 1015 that is measured with the magnetic recoil spectrometer and nuclear activation diagnostics that indicate a 14.1 MeV yield of (7.5±0.1)×1014 which is 70% to 75% of the total fusion yield due to the high areal density. Gamma ray measurements provide the duration of nuclear activity of (170 ± 30) ps. These indirect-drive implosions result in the highest areal densities and neutron yields achieved on laser facilities to date. This achievement is the result of the first hohlraum and capsule tuning experiments where the stagnation pressures have been systematically increased by more than a factor of 10 by fielding low-entropy implosions through the control of radiation symmetry, small hot electron production, and proper shock timing. The stagnation pressure is above 100 Gbars resulting in high Lawson-type confinement parameters of Pτ ≃ 10 atm s. Comparisons with radiation-hydrodynamic simulations indicate that the pressure is within a factor of three required for reaching ignition and high yield. This will be the focus of future higher-velocity implosions that will employ additional optimizations of hohlraum, capsule and laser pulse shape conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ignition requires precisely controlled, high convergence implosions to assemble a dense shell of deuterium-tritium (DT) fuel with ρR>∼1 g/cm2 surrounding a 10 keV hot spot with ρR ∼ 0.3 g/cm2. A working definition of ignition has been a yield of ∼1 MJ. At this yield the α-particle energy deposited in the fuel would have been ∼200 kJ, which is already ∼10 × more than the kinetic energy of a typical implosion. The National Ignition Campaign includes low yield implosions with dudded fuel layers to study and optimize the hydrodynamic assembly of the fuel in a diagnostics rich environment. The fuel is a mixture of tritium-hydrogen-deuterium (THD) with a density equivalent to DT. The fraction of D can be adjusted to control the neutron yield. Yields of ∼1014-15 14 MeV (primary) neutrons are adequate to diagnose the hot spot as well as the dense fuel properties via down scattering of the primary neutrons. X-ray imaging diagnostics can function in this low yield environment providing additional information about the assembled fuel either by imaging the photons emitted by the hot central plasma, or by active probing of the dense shell by a separate high energy short pulse flash. The planned use of these targets and diagnostics to assess and optimize the assembly of the fuel and how this relates to the predicted performance of DT targets is described. It is found that a good predictor of DT target performance is the THD measurable parameter, Experimental Ignition Threshold Factor, ITFX ∼ Y × dsf 2.3, where Y is the measured neutron yield between 13 and 15 MeV, and dsf is the down scattered neutron fraction defined as the ratio of neutrons between 10 and 12 MeV and those between 13 and 15 MeV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-fluence neutron spectrum produced by the National Ignition Facility (NIF) provides an opportunity to measure the activation of materials by fast-spectrum neutrons. A new large-volume gas-cell diagnostic has been designed and qualified to measure the activation of gaseous substances at the NIF. This in-chamber diagnostic is recoverable, reusable and has been successfully fielded. Data from the qualification of the diagnostic have been used to benchmark an Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code simulation describing the downscattered neutron spectrum seen by the gas cell. We present early results from the use of this diagnostic to measure the activation of natXe and discuss future work to study the strength of interactions between plasma and nuclei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residual gold nuclei were produced via neutron transfer at multiple energies using a 130-MeV 13C beam incident on a stacked-foil target consisting of alternating layers of 197Au and 27Al. Production cross sections, over an energy range of 56 to 129 MeV, for seven gold isotopes and two gold isomers were determined through activation analysis. By using the Wilczyński binary transfer model with a modified version of the recoil formula and a standard evaporation model, we were able to reproduce the isotopic production cross sections at high beam energy, with some disagreement at lower beam energies. This limiting angular momentum model does not predict the transfer of sufficient angular momentum to reproduce the observed isomeric populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory includes a precision laser system now capable of delivering 1.8 MJ at 500 TW of 0.35-μm light to a target. NIF has been operational since March 2009. A variety of experiments have been completed in support of NIF's mission areas: national security, fundamental science, and inertial fusion energy. NIF capabilities and infrastructure are in place to support its missions with nearly 60 X-ray, optical, and nuclear diagnostic systems. A primary goal of the National Ignition Campaign (NIC) on the NIF was to implode a low-Z capsule filled with ∼0.2 mg of deuterium-tritium (DT) fuel via laser indirect-drive inertial confinement fusion and demonstrate fusion ignition and propagating thermonuclear burn with a net energy gain of ∼5-10 (fusion yield/input laser energy). This requires assembling the DT fuel into a dense shell of ∼1000 g/cm3 with an areal density (ρR) of ∼1.5 g/cm2, surrounding a lower density hot spot with a temperature of ∼10 keV and a ρR ∼0.3 g/cm2, or approximately an α-particle range. Achieving these conditions demand precise control of laser and target parameters to allow a low adiabat, high convergence implosion with low ablator fuel mix. We have demonstrated implosion and compressed fuel conditions at ∼80-90% for most point design values independently, but not at the same time. The nuclear yield is a factor of ∼3-10× below the simulated values and a similar factor below the alpha dominated regime. This paper will discuss the experimental trends, the possible causes of the degraded performance (the off-set from the simulations), and the plan to understand and resolve the underlying physics issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutron yields are measured at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) by an extensive suite of neutron activation diagnostics. Neutrons interact with materials whose reaction cross sections threshold just below the fusion neutron production energy, providing an accurate measure of primary unscattered neutrons without contribution from lower-energy scattered neutrons. Indium samples are mounted on diagnostic instrument manipulators in the NIF target chamber, 25-50 cm from the source, to measure 2.45 MeV deuterium-deuterium fusion neutrons through the 115In(n,n')115m In reaction. Outside the chamber, zirconium and copper are used to measure 14 MeV deuterium-tritium fusion neutrons via 90Zr(n,2n), 63Cu(n,2n), and 65Cu(n,2n) reactions. An array of 16 zirconium samples are located on port covers around the chamber to measure relative yield anisotropies, providing a global map of fuel areal density variation. Neutron yields are routinely measured with activation to an accuracy of 7% and are in excellent agreement both with each other and with neutron time-of-flight and magnetic recoil spectrometer measurements. Relative areal density anisotropies can be measured to a precision of less than 3%. These measurements reveal apparent bulk fuel velocities as high as 200 km/s in addition to large areal density variations between the pole and equator of the compressed fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The NIF neutron activation diagnostic suite relies on removable activation samples, leading to operational inefficiencies and a fundamental lower limit on the half-life of the activated product that can be observed. A neutron diagnostic system measuring activation of permanently installed samples could remove these limitations and significantly enhance overall neutron diagnostic capabilities. The physics and engineering aspects of two proposed systems are considered: one measuring the 89Zr/89mZr isomer ratio in the existing Zr activation medium and the other using potassium zirconate as the activation medium. Both proposed systems could improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the current system by at least a factor of 5 and would allow independent measurement of fusion core velocity and fuel areal density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A magnetic recoil spectrometer (MRS) has been installed and extensively used on OMEGA and the National Ignition Facility (NIF) for measurements of the absolute neutron spectrum from inertial confinement fusion implosions. From the neutron spectrum measured with the MRS, many critical implosion parameters are determined including the primary DT neutron yield, the ion temperature, and the down-scattered neutron yield. As the MRS detection efficiency is determined from first principles, the absolute DT neutron yield is obtained without cross-calibration to other techniques. The MRS primary DT neutron measurements at OMEGA and the NIF are shown to be in excellent agreement with previously established yield diagnostics on OMEGA, and with the newly commissioned nuclear activation diagnostics on the NIF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DT neutron yield (Yn), ion temperature (Ti), and down-scatter ratio (dsr) determined from measured neutron spectra are essential metrics for diagnosing the performance of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) implosions at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). A suite of neutron-time-of-flight (nTOF) spectrometers and a magnetic recoil spectrometer (MRS) have been implemented in different locations around the NIF target chamber, providing good implosion coverage and the complementarity required for reliable measurements of Yn, Ti, and dsr. From the measured dsr value, an areal density (ρR) is determined through the relationship ρRtot (g/cm2) = (20.4 ± 0.6) × dsr10-12 MeV. The proportionality constant is determined considering implosion geometry, neutron attenuation, and energy range used for the dsr measurement. To ensure high accuracy in the measurements, a series of commissioning experiments using exploding pushers have been used for in situ calibration of the as-built spectrometers, which are now performing to the required accuracy. Recent data obtained with the MRS and nTOFs indicate that the implosion performance of cryogenically layered DT implosions, characterized by the experimental ignition threshold factor (ITFx), which is a function of dsr (or fuel ρR) and Yn, has improved almost two orders of magnitude since the first shot in September, 2010. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A DT neutron yield diagnostic based on the reactions, 63Cu(n,2n)62Cu(β+) and 65Cu(n,2n) 64 Cu(β+), has been fielded at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The induced copper activity is measured using a NaI γ-γ coincidence system. Uncertainties in the 14-MeV DT yield measurements are on the order of 7% to 8%. In addition to measuring yield, the ratio of activities induced in two, well-separated copper samples are used to measure the relative anisotropy of the fuel ρR to uncertainties as low as 5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The level densities of 74,76Ge nuclei are studied with 68,70Zn(7Li,Xp) reactions. Proton evaporation spectra are measured at backward angles in a wide energy region, from about 2 to 25 MeV. The analysis of spectra allows for the testing of level density models used in modern reaction codes for practical cross-section calculations. Our results show that at excitation energies above the discrete level region, all level density models tested in this work overestimate the level densities that are needed to reproduce proton spectra from these reactions. The Gilbert and Cameron model, which includes the constant-temperature energy dependence of the level density, shows the best agreement with experiment, however, its parameters need to be adjusted to reflect the observed reduction of the level density at higher excitation energies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The level density and γ -ray strength function (γ SF) of 243Pu have been measured in the quasicontinuum using the Oslo method. Excited states in 243Pu were populated using the 242Pu(d,p) reaction. The level density closely follows the constant-temperature level density formula for excitation energies above the pairing gap. The γ SF displays a double-humped resonance at low energy as also seen in previous investigations of actinide isotopes. The structure is interpreted as the scissors resonance and has a centroid of ωSR = 2.42(5) MeV and a total strength of BSR = 10.1(15) μ²N, which is in excellent agreement with sum-rule estimates. The measured level density and γ SF were used to calculate the 242Pu(n,γ ) cross section in a neutron energy range for which there were previously no measured data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forty-six decay chains, assigned to the decay of 288115, were produced using the 243Am)(48,3n)288115 reaction at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 88-in. cyclotron. The resulting series of α decays were studied using α-photon and α-x-ray spectroscopies. Multiple α-photon coincidences were observed in the element 115 decay chain members, particularly in the third- and fourth-generation decays (presumed to be 280Rg and 276Mt, respectively). Upon combining these data with those from 22 288115 decay chains observed in a similar experiment, updated level schemes in 276Mt and 272Bh (populated by the α decay of 280Rg and 276Mt, respectively) are proposed. Photons were observed in the energy range expected for K x rays coincident with the α decay of both 280Rg and 276Mt. However, Compton scattering of higher-energy γ rays and discrete transitions are present in the K x-ray region preventing a definitive Z identification to be made based on observation of characteristic K x-ray energies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The average electromagnetic dipole response of levels in the quasicontinuum of 197,198Au has been measured using (³He,³He') and (d,p) reactions. The extracted y-ray strength functions have been normalized according to three model assumptions for the nuclear spin distribution. An enhancement in the energy region Eγ = 3.0-6.5 MeV is observed for both isotopes. The EI component of such excess of strength is studied in detail for 198Au and is interpreted as the pygmy dipole resonance with an energy centroid of 5.9(1) MeV and exhausts about 1% of the total integrated strength. The pygmy dipole resonance is shown to have a significant impact on the calculated 197Au(n,γ)198Au cross section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nuclear level densities of 194-196Pt and 197,198Au below the neutron separation energy have been measured using transfer and scattering reactions. All the level density distributions follow the constant-temperature description. Each group of isotopes is characterized by the same temperature above the energy threshold corresponding to the breaking of the first Cooper pair. A constant entropy excess ΔS = 1.9kB and 1.1kB is observed in 195Pt and 198Au with respect to 196Pt and 197Au, respectively, giving information on the available single-particle level space for the last unpaired valence neutron. The breaking of nucleon Cooper pairs is revealed by sequential peaks in the microcanonical caloric curve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-spin single quasineutron levels in 153Gd and 157Gd have been studied following the 154Gd(p,d-ɣ)153Gd and 158Gd(p,d-ɣ)157Gd reactions. A combined Si telescope and high-purity germanium array was utilized, allowing d-ɣ and d-ɣ-ɣ coincidence measurements. Almost all of the established low-excitation-energy, low-spin structures were confirmed in both 153Gd and 157Gd. Several new levels and numerous new ɣ rays are observed in both nuclei, particularly for Ex≥1 MeV. Residual effects of a neutron subshell closure at N=64 are observed in the form of a large excitation energy gap in the single quasineutron level schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiation-driven, low-adiabat, cryogenic DT layered plastic capsule implosions were carried out on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) to study the sensitivity of performance to peak power and drive duration. An implosion with extended drive and at reduced peak power of 350 TW achieved the highest compression with fuel areal density of ~1.3±0.1 g/cm², representing a significant step from previously measured ~1.0 g/cm² toward a goal of 1.5 g/cm². Future experiments will focus on understanding and mitigating hydrodynamic instabilities and mix, and improving symmetry required to reach the threshold for thermonuclear ignition on NIF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Odd-mass gadolinium isotopes around N = 90 were populated by the (p,d) reaction, utilizing 25-MeV protons, resulting in population of low-spin quasineutron states at energies near and below the Fermi surface. Systematics of the single quasineutron levels populated are presented. A large excitation energy gap is observed between levels originating from the 2d3/2, 1ft 11/2, and 3j1/2 spherical parents (above the N = 64 gap), and the 2(below the gap), indicating that the spherical shell model level spacing is maintained at least to moderate deformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutron time-of-flight spectra from inertial confinement fusion experiments with tritium-filled targets have been measured at the National Ignition Facility. These spectra represent a significant improvement in energy resolution and statistics over previous measurements, and afford the first definitive observation of a peak resulting from sequential decay through the ground state of 5He at low reaction energies Ec.m.≲100  keV. To describe the spectrum, we have developed an R-matrix model that accounts for interferences from fermion symmetry and intermediate states, and show these effects to be non-negligible. We also find the spectrum can be described by sequential decay through ℓ=1 states in 5He, which differs from previous interpretations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intermediate-energy Coulomb excitation measurements are performed on the N ≥ 40 neutron-rich nuclei 66,68Fe and 64Cr. The reduced transition matrix elements providing a direct measure of the quadrupole collectivity B(E2;21+ → 01+) are determined for the first time in 68Fe42 and 64Cr40 and confirm a previous recoil distance method lifetime measurement in 66Fe40. The results are compared to state-of-the-art large-scale shell-model calculations within the full fpgd neutron orbital model space using the Lenzi-Nowacki-Poves-Sieja effective interaction and confirm the results of the calculations that show these nuclei are well deformed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-spin, high-excitation energy states in 88Y have been studied using the 89Y(p,dy) reaction. For this experiment a 25 MeV proton beam was incident upon a monoisotopic 89YY target. A silicon telescope array was used to detect deuterons, and coincident y rays were detected using a germanium clover array. Most of the known low-excitation-energy low-spin states populated strongly via the (p. d) reaction mechanism are confirmed. Two states are seen for the first time and seven new transitions, including one which bypasses the two low-lying isomeric states, are observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surrogate nuclear reaction method is being applied in many efforts to indirectly determine neutron-induced reaction cross sections on short-lived isotopes. This technique aims to extract accurate (n,y) cross sections from measured decay properties of the compound nucleus of interest (created using a different reaction). The advantages and limitations of a method that identifies the y-ray decay channel by detecting any high-energy ("statistical") y ray emitted during the relaxation of the compound nucleus were investigated. Data collected using the Silicon Telescope Array for Reaction Studies and Livermore-Berkeley Array for Collaborative Experiments silicon and germanium detector arrays were used to study the decay of excited gadolinium nuclei following inelastic proton scattering. In many cases, this method of identifying the y-ray decay channel can simplify the experimental data collection and greatly improve the detection efficiency for y-ray cascades. The results show sensitivity to angular-momentum differences between the surrogate reaction and the desired (n,y) reaction similar to an analysis performed using low-lying discrete transitions even when ratios of cross sections are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 92Mo(n, γ) cross section was obtained using both the absolute surrogate approach and surrogate ratio method (SRM), relative to the 94Mo(n, y) cross section, in an equivalent neutron energy range of 80 to 890 keV. Excited 93Mo and 95Mo nuclei were populated using the 92Mo(d, p) and 94Mo(rf, p) reactions, respectively. Both discrete and statistical tagging approaches were employed to identify the γ-decay channel and were examined in terms of their sensitivity to the initial angular momentum population distribution. The absolute surrogate 92Mo(n, γ) cross sections disagree with evaluated neutron capture cross section data by as much as a factor of 4, whereas the results obtained using the SRM trend more favorably with the evaluated result. Experimental results suggest that discrete and statistical tagging approaches may sample different contributions of the γ cascade for near-spherical nuclei. This work uses the surrogate method in the determination of neutron capture cross sections on spherical and quasispherical nuclei in the mass-90 region and provides a possible pathway to extend the SRM to a broader mass range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last several years, the surrogate reaction technique has been successfully employed to extract (n,f) and (n,γ) cross sections in the actinide region to a precision of ∼ 5% and ∼20%, respectively. However, attempts to apply the technique in the rare earth region have shown large (factors of 2-3) discrepancies between the directly measured (n,γ) and extracted surrogate cross sections. One possible origin of this discrepancy lies in differences between the initial spin-parity population distribution in the neutron induced and surrogate reactions. To address this issue, the angular momentum transfer to the high excitation energy quasicontinuum region in Gd nuclei has been investigated. The (p,d) and (p,t) reactions on 154,158Gd at a beam energy of 25 MeV were utilized. Assuming a single dominant angular momentum transfer component, the measured angular distribution for the (p,d) reactions is well reproduced by distorted-wave Born approximation (DWBA) calculations for AL = 4 h transfer, whereas the (p,t) reactions are better characterized by AL = 5 h. A linear combination of DWBA calculations, weighted according to a distribution of L transfers (peaking around Ai = 4--5 h), is in excellent agreement with the experimental angular distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new experimental technique is presented using proton-y-y correlations from '"Mofd, pf5Mo reactions which allows for the model-independent extraction of the photon strength function at various excitation energies using primary y-ray decay from the quasicontinuum to individual low-lying levels. Detected particle energies provide the entrance excitation energies into the residual nucleus while y-ray transitions from low-lying levels specify the discrete states being fed. Results strongly support the existence of the previously reported low-energy enhancement in the photon strength function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]