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Background: Asymmetric fission is known to occur in two regions, the actinides and sub-lead, and is dependent on the fissioning system excitation energy. Experimental evidence in the sub-lead region show that this mode is surprisingly persistent with increasing energy and its origin is not fully understood. Purpose: To experimentally study the fusion-fission reaction of $^{215}$Fr at moderate excitation energy and determine previously unknown independent fission yields and other properties. Method: The compound nucleus was formed in the reaction $^{18}$O + $^{197}$Au. The prompt gamma-rays emitted during the reaction were measured with the high efficiency and high granularity $\nu$-ball2 spectrometer. Independent fission yields of even-even nuclei were determined by detecting triple-gamma cascades in the fission fragments. Results: The observed yields, although dominated by a symmetric peak, show maxima for heavy fragment of $Z \approx 54-56$, which is consistent with the known results in the actinide region but unexpected for the nuclide of interest, and at the studied excitation energy. Conclusions: The mode of asymmetric fission is present even at relatively high excitation energies in the system studied. This observation matches experimental findings in the sub-lead region, contrary to the actinides, and so far there is no well-developed explanation of this phenomenon.

Reliable neutron-induced reaction cross sections of unstable nuclei are essential for nuclear astrophysics and applications but their direct measurement is often impossible. The surrogate-reaction method is one of the most promising alternatives to access these cross sections. In this work, we successfully applied the surrogate-reaction method to infer for the first time both the neutron-induced fission and radiative-capture cross sections of 239Pu in a consistent manner from a single measurement. This was achieved by combining simultaneously-measured fission and gamma-emission probabilities for the 240Pu(4He,4He') surrogate reaction with a calculation of the angular-momentum and parity distributions populated in this reaction. While other experiments measure the probabilities for some selected gamma-ray transitions, we measure the gamma-emission probability. This enlarges the applicability of the surrogate-reaction method., Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures

Absolute measurements of neutron flux are an essential prerequisite of neutron-induced cross section measurements, neutron beam lines characterization and dosimetric investigations. A new gaseous detector has been developed for measurements of 0.2 to 2 MeV neutron flux based on proton-recoil process. The detector, consisting of two segmented ionization chambers read by Micromegas technology, has beed conceived to provide quasi-absolute neutron flux measurements with an accuracy of \simeq3%. The gas pressure flexibility makes the telescope non sensitive to {\gamma} and electrons background, and therefore advantageous over semi-conductor materials as a neutron flux instrument. The adjustable gas pressure and H-sample thickness, the use of Micromegas technology and the tracking capabilities allows the detection of neutrons on a large dynamical range and down to 200 keV with a good rejection of scattered neutron events and random background, Comment: 11 figures, 26 pages

Fission and gamma-emission probabilities induced by transfer or inelastic scattering reactions with light projectile nuclei are very valuable quantities for constraining the models that describe the de-excitation of heavy nuclei. We have developed an experimental set-up that allows us to simultaneously measure fission and gamma-emission probabilities. The measurement of the gamma-emission probability at excitation energies where the fission channel is open is challenging due to the intense background of gamma rays emitted by the fission fragments. We discuss the procedure to subtract such a background and the constraints that this subtraction and other experimental conditions put on the set up. We show that our set-up complies with these constraints., Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures

We investigated the 238U(d,p) reaction as a surrogate for the n + 238U reaction. For this purpose we measured for the first time the gamma-decay and fission probabilities of 239U* simultaneously and compared them to the corresponding neutron-induced data. We present the details of the procedure to infer the decay probabilities, as well as a thorough uncertainty analysis, including parameter correlations. Calculations based on the continuum-discretized coupled-channels and distorted-wave Born approximations were used to correct our data from detected protons originating from elastic and inelastic deuteron breakup. In the region where the fission and gamma-decay probabilities compete, the corrected fission probability is in agreement with neutron-induced data, whereas the gamma-decay probability is much higher than the neutron-induced data. The performed statistical-model calculations are not able to explain these results., Comment: Includes modifications due to referee remarks

The spallation residues produced in the bombardment of 56}Fe at 1.5, 1.0, 0.75, 0.5 and 0.3 A GeV on a liquid-hydrogen target have been measured using the reverse kinematics technique and the Fragment Separator at GSI (Darmstadt). This technique has permitted the full identification in charge and mass of all isotopes produced with cross-sections larger than 10^{-2} mb down to Z=8. Their individual production cross-sections and recoil velocities at the five energies are presented. Production cross-sections are compared to previously existing data and to empirical parametric formulas, often used in cosmic-ray astrophysics. The experimental data are also extensively compared to different combinations of intra-nuclear cascade and de-excitation models. It is shown that the yields of the lightest isotopes cannot be accounted for by standard evaporation models. The GEMINI model, which includes an asymmetric fission decay mode, gives an overall good agreement with the data. These experimental data can be directly used for the estimation of composition modifications and damages in materials containing iron in spallation sources. They are also useful for improving high precision cosmic-ray measurements., Comment: Submited to Phys. Rev. C (10/2006)

In an experiment performed at the LISE3 facility of GANIL, we studied the decay of 22Al produced by the fragmentation of a 36Ar primary beam. A beta-decay half-life of 91.1 +- 0.5 ms was measured. The beta-delayed one- and two-proton emission as well as beta-alpha and beta-delayed gamma decays were measured and allowed us to establish a partial decay scheme for this nucleus. New levels were determined in the daughter nucleus 22Mg. The comparison with model calculations strongly favours a spin-parity of 4+ for the ground state of 22Al.

The production of light and intermediate-mass nuclides formed in the reaction 1H+238U at 1 GeV was measured at the Fragment Separator (FRS) at GSI, Darmstadt. The experiment was performed in inverse kinematics, shooting a 1 A GeV 238U beam on a thin liquid-hydrogen target. 254 isotopes of all elements in the range from Z=7 to Z=37 were unambiguously identified, and the velocity distributions of the produced nuclides were determined with high precision. The results show that the nuclides are produced in a very asymmetric binary decay of heavy nuclei originating from the spallation of uranium. All the features of the produced nuclides merge with the characteristics of the fission products as their mass increases., Comment: 40 pages, 16 figures, 3 tables

The production cross sections of fragmentation-evaporation residues in the reaction Pb+p at 500A MeV have been measured using the inverse-kinematics method and the FRS spectrometer (GSI). Fragments were identified in nuclear charge using ionisation chambers. The mass identification was performed event-by-event using the B-rho - TOF - Delta-E technique. Although partially-unresolved ionic charge states induced an ambiguity on the mass of some heavy fragments, production rates could be obtained with a high accuracy by systematically accounting for the polluting ionic charge states. The contribution of multiple reactions in the target was subtracted using a new, partly self-consistent code. The isobaric distributions are found to have a shape very close to the one observed in experiments at higher energy. Kinematic properties of the fragments were also measured. The total and the isotopic cross sections, including charge-pickup cross sections, are in good agreement with previous measurements. The data are discussed in the light of previous spallation measurements, especially on lead at 1 GeV.

The $\beta$-decay properties of the neutron-deficient nuclei $^{25}$Si and $^{26}$P have been investigated at the GANIL/LISE3 facility by means of charged-particle and $\gamma$-ray spectroscopy. The decay schemes obtained and the Gamow-Teller strength distributions are compared to shell-model calculations based on the USD interaction. B(GT) values derived from the absolute measurement of the $\beta$-decay branching ratios give rise to a quenching factor of the Gamow-Teller strength of 0.6. A precise half-life of 43.7 (6) ms was determined for $^{26}$P, the $\beta$- (2)p decay mode of which is described.

Spallation residues and fission fragments from 1A GeV 238U projectiles irradiating a liquid hydrogen target were investigated by using the FRagment Separator at GSI for magnetic selection of reaction products including ray-tracing, energy-loss and time-of-flight techniques. The longitudinal-momentum spectra of identified fragments were analysed, and evaporation residues and fission fragments could be separated. For 1385 nuclides, production cross-sections covering 3 orders of magnitude with a mean accuracy of 15%, velocities in the U-rest frame and kinetic energies were determined. In the reaction all elements from uranium to nitrogen were found, each with a large number of isotopes., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures

Fission fragments from 1 A GeV 238U projectiles irradiating a hydrogen target were investigated by using the fragment separator FRS for magnetic selection of reaction products including ray-tracing and DE-ToF techniques. The momentum spectra of 733 identified fragments were analysed to provide isotopic production cross sections, fission-fragment velocities and recoil momenta of the fissioning parent nuclei. Besides their general relevance, these quantities are also demanded for applications. Calculations and simulations with codes commonly used and recently developed or improved are compared to the data., Comment: 60 pages, 21 figures, 4 tables, 2 appendices (15 pages)

The production of heavy nuclides from the spallation-evaporation reaction of 238U induced by 1 GeV protons was studied in inverse kinematics. The evaporation residues from tungsten to uranium were identified in-flight in mass and atomic number. Their production cross-sections and their momentum distributions were determined. The data are compared with empirical systematics. A comparison with previous results from the spallation of 208Pb and 197Au reveals the strong influence of fission in the spallation of 238U., Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures, background information at http://www-wnt.gsi.de/kschmidt/

In an experiment at the SISSI-LISE3 facility of GANIL, the decay of the proton drip-line nucleus Fe45 has been studied after projectile fragmentation of a Ni58 primary beam at 75 MeV/nucleon impinging on a natural nickel target. Fragment-implantation events have been correlated with radioactive decay events in a 16x16 pixel silicon strip detector on an event-by-event basis. The decay-energy spectrum of Fe45 implants shows a distinct peak at (1.06+/-0.04)MeV with a half-life of T1/2 = (4.7+3.4-1.4)ms. None of the events in this peak is in coincidence with beta particles which were searched for in a detector next to the implantation detector. For a longer correlation interval, daughter decays of the two-proton daughter Cr43 can be observed after Fe45 implantation. The decay energy for Fe45 agrees nicely with several theoretical predictions for two-proton emission. Barrier-penetration calculations slightly favour a di-proton emission picture over an emission of two individual protons and point thus to a He2 emission mode., Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, sumitted to PRL

In an experiment at the SISSI/LISE3 facility of GANIL, the most proton-rich zinc isotopes 55,56Zn have been observed for the first time. The experiment was performed using a high-intensity 58Ni beam at 74.5 MeV/nucleon impinging on a nickel target. The identification of 55,56Zn opens the way to 54Zn, a good candidate for two-proton radioactivity according to theoretical predictions., Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in Eur. Phys. J. A

Decay studies of very neutron-deficient nuclei ranging from 39Ti to 49Ni have been performed during a projectile fragmentation experiment at the GANIL/LISE3 separator. For all nuclei studied in this work, 39,40Ti, 42,43Cr, 46Mn, 45,46,47Fe and 49Ni, half-lives and decay spectra have been measured. In a few cases, gamma coincidence measurements helped to successfully identify the initial and final states of transitions. In these cases, partial decay scheme are proposed. For the most exotic isotopes, 39Ti, 42Cr, 45Fe and 49Ni, which are candidates for two-proton radioactivity from the ground state, no clear evidence of this process is seen in our spectra and we conclude rather on a delayed particle decay., Comment: 12 pages, 15 figures, submitted for publication in Eur. Phys. J. A

Spallation residues produced in 1 GeV per nucleon $^{208}$Pb on proton reactions have been studied using the FRagment Separator facility at GSI. Isotopic produc- tion cross-sections of elements from $_{61}$Pm to $_{82}$Pb have been measured down to 0.1 mb with a high accuracy. The recoil kinetic energies of the produced fragments were also determined. The obtained cross-sections agree with most of the few existing gamma-spectroscopy data. Data are compared with different intra nuclear-cascade and evaporation-fission models. Drastic deviations were found for a standard code used in technical applications., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett. Revised version May 12, 2000

The paper reports on the first observation of doubly-magic Nickel-48 in an experimental at the SISSI/LISE3 facility of GANIL. Four Nickel-48 isotopes were identified. In addition, roughly 100 Nickel-49, 50 Iron-45, and 290 Chromium-42 isotopes were observed. This opens the possibility to search for two-proton emission from these nuclei., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett

We have measured the Coulomb dissociation of 8B into 7Be and proton at 254 MeV/nucleon using a large-acceptance focusing spectrometer. The astrophysical S17 factor for the 7Be(p,gamma)8B reaction at E{c.m.} = 0.25-2.78 MeV is deduced yielding S17(0)=20.6 \pm 1.2 (exp.) \pm 1.0 (theo.) eV-b. This result agrees with the presently adopted zero-energy S17 factor obtained in direct-reaction measurements and with the results of other Coulomb-dissociation studies performed at 46.5 and 51.2 MeV/nucleon., Comment: paper to be published in Phys. Rev. Lett. 3 figures. New Version fixes formatting problems with the figures only. There are no other changes