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We review recent progress and motivate the need for further developments in nuclear optical potentials that are widely used in the theoretical analysis of nucleon elastic scattering and reaction cross sections. In regions of the nuclear chart away from stability, which represent a frontier in nuclear science over the coming decade and which will be probed at new rare-isotope beam facilities worldwide, there is a targeted need to quantify and reduce theoretical reaction model uncertainties, especially with respect to nuclear optical potentials. We first describe the primary physics motivations for an improved description of nuclear reactions involving short-lived isotopes, focusing on its benefits for fundamental science discoveries and applications to medicine, energy, and security. We then outline the various methods in use today to build optical potentials starting from phenomenological, microscopic, and ab initio methods, highlighting in particular the strengths and weaknesses of each approach. We then discuss publicly-available tools and resources facilitating the propagation of recent progresses in the field to practitioners. Finally, we provide a set of open challenges and recommendations for the field to advance the fundamental science goals of nuclear reaction studies in the rare-isotope beam era., Comment: This paper is the outcome of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams Theory Alliance (FRIB - TA) topical program "Optical Potentials in Nuclear Physics" held in March 2022 at FRIB. Its content is non-exhaustive, was chosen by the participants and reflects their efforts related to optical potentials

The neutron-capture reaction plays a critical role in the synthesis of the elements in stars and is important for societal applications including nuclear power generation and stockpile-stewardship science. However, it is difficult-if not impossible-to directly measure neutron capture cross sections for the exotic, short-lived nuclei that participate in these processes. In this Letter we demonstrate a new technique which can be used to indirectly determine neutron-capture cross sections for exotic systems. This technique makes use of the (d,p) transfer reaction, which has long been used as a tool to study the structure of nuclei. Recent advances in reaction theory, together with data collected using this reaction, enable the determination of neutron-capture cross sections for short-lived nuclei. A benchmark study of the ^{95}Mo(d,p) reaction is presented, which illustrates the approach and provides guidance for future applications of the method with short-lived isotopes produced at rare isotope accelerators.

The main goal of the test measurement was to determine the feasibility of the {sup 243}Am(p,t) reaction as a surrogate for {sup 240}Am(n,f). No data cross section data exists for neutron induced reactions on {sup 240}Am; the half-life of this isotope is only 2.1 days making direct measurements difficult, if not impossible. The 48-hour experiment was conducted using the STARS/LIBERACE experimental facility located at the 88 Inch Cyclotron at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in August 2011. A description of the experiment and results is given. The beam energy was initially chosen to be 39 MeV in order to measure an equivalent neutron energy range from 0 to 20 MeV. However, the proton beam was not stopped in the farady cup and the beam was deposited in the surrounding shielding material. The shielding material was not conductive, and a beam current, needed for proper tuning of the beam as well as experimental monitoring, could not be read. If the {sup 240}Am(n,f) surrogate experiment is to be run at LBNL, simple modifications to the beam collection site will need to be made. The beam energy was reduced to 29 MeV, which was within an energy regime of prior experiments and tuning conditionsmore » at STARS/LIBERACE. At this energy, the beam current was successfully tuned and measured. At 29 MeV, data was collected with both the {sup 243}Am and {sup 238}U targets. An example particle identification plot is shown in Fig. 1. The triton-fission coincidence rate for the {sup 243}Am target and {sup 238}U target were measured. Coincidence rates of 0.0233(1) cps and 0.150(6) cps were observed for the {sup 243}Am and {sup 238}U targets, respectively. The difference in count rate is largely attributed to the available target material - the {sup 238}U target contains approximately 7 times more atoms than the {sup 243}Am. A proton beam current of {approx}0.7 nA was used for measurements on both targets. Assuming a full experimental run under similar conditions, an estimate for the run time needed was made. Figure 2 shows the number of days needed as a function of acceptable uncertainty for a measurement of 1-20 MeV equivalent neutron energy, binned into 200 keV increments. A 5% measurement will take 3 days for U, but 20 days for Am. It may be difficult to be the sole user of the LBNL cyclotron, or another facility, for such an extended period. However, a 10% measurement will take 19 hours for U, and 5 days for Am. Such a run period is more reasonable and will allow for the first ever measurement of the {sup 240}Am(n,f) cross section. We also anticipate 40% more beam time being available at Texas A&M Cyclotron Institute compared to LBNL in FY2012. The increased amount of beam time will allow us to accumulate better statistics then what would have been available at LBNL.« less

Stockpile stewardship requires the description of weapons performance without resorting to underground nuclear testing. In the earlier tests, selected isotopes were used as detectors, and recovered after irradiation. Aspects of nuclear device performance were inferred by comparing the measured isotopic ratios to those predicted from simulations. The reaction flows that produce the final isotopic distributions proceed through regions of the nuclear chart that include unstable nuclei. Presently, improved nuclear data input is required to reanalyze prior tests and to certify the stockpile's reliability and safety. Many important cross sections are unknown, as is shown in the example of the Yttrium reaction network (Figure 1). The relevant reactions include (n,2n), (n,n'), (n,gamma), (n,p) and other charged-particle emitting reactions. The cross sections have to be calculated or inferred from indirect measurements. In both cases, reliable optical models that are valid a few nucleons away from stability are needed. The UNEDF Nuclear Reaction activities address this need by combining nuclear-structure input from UNEDF structure calculations with modern reaction theory and large-scale computational capabilities to develop microscopic nucleon-nucleus optical potentials that can be extrapolated to unstable nuclei. In addition, the reaction calculation tools and optical models developed in this context are proving valuable for planning and interpreting indirect (surrogate) measurements of the required cross sections.

The main goal of this measurement is to determine the {sup 242}Am(n,f) and {sup 241}Am(n,f) cross sections via the surrogate {sup 243}Am. Gamma-ray data was also collected for the purpose of measuring the (n,2n) cross-sections. The experiment was conducted using the STARS/LIBERACE experimental facility located at the 88 Inch Cyclotron at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory the first week of February 2011. A description of the experiment and status of the data analysis follow.

Improved neutron‐capture γ‐ray spectra, not only of interest to the nuclear structure and reactions communities, are needed in a variety of applied and non‐proliferation programs. This requires an evaluation of the existing experimental capture‐γ data. Elemental neutron‐capture data taken from direct measurements at the Budapest Reactor have been used to collate the Evaluated Gamma‐ray Activation File, a database of capture γ‐ray cross sections. These cross sections are then compared to Monte Carlo simulations of γ‐ray emission following the thermal neutron‐capture process using the statistical‐decay code DICEBOX. The aim of this procedure is to obtain the total radiative neutron‐capture cross section and confidently increase the number of levels and γ rays that can be assigned to a given isotope in the neutron data libraries. To achieve these goals and provide as complete information as possible in the neutron data libraries, it is also necessary to remain current with recent advances in nuclear structur...

The Surrogate nuclear reactions method, an indirect approach for determining cross sections for compound-nuclear reactions involving difficult-to-measure targets, is reviewed. Focusing on cross sections for neutron-induced reactions on actinides, we review the successes of past and present applications of the method and assess its uncertainties and limitations. The approximations used in the analyses of most experiments work reasonably well for (n,f) cross sections for neutron energies above 1-2 MeV, but lead to discrepancies for low-energy (n,f) reactions, as well as for (n,{gamma}) applications. Correcting for some of the effects neglected in the approximate analyses leads to improved (n,f) results. We outline steps that will further improve the accuracy and reliability of the Surrogate method and extend its applicability to reactions that cannot be approached with the present implementation of the method.

This document contains a comprehensive literature review in support of the theoretical assessment of the {sup 178m2}Hf de-excitation, as well as a rigorous description of controlled energy release from an isomeric nuclear state.

In a Surrogate reaction a compound nucleus is produced via a direct reaction (pickup, stripping, or inelastic scattering). For a proper application of the Surrogate approach it is necessary to predict the resulting angular momentum and parity distribution in the compound nucleus. A model for determining these distributions is developed for the case of inelastic alpha scattering off a spherical nucleus. The focus is on obtaining a first, simple description of the direct-reaction process that produces the compound nucleus and on providing the basis for a more complete treatment of the problem. The approximations employed in the present description are discussed and the extensions required for a more rigorous treatment of the problem are outlined. To illustrate the formalism, an application to {sup 90}Zr({alpha},{alpha}{prime}){sup 90}Zr* is presented.

An ab-initio calculation of the optical potential for neutron-nucleus scattering has been performed by explicitly coupling the elastic channel to all the particle-hole (p-h) excitation states in the target. These p-h states may be regarded as doorway states through which the flux flows to more complicated configurations, and (in the end) to long-lived compound nucleus resonances. The random-phase approximation (RPA) provides the linear combinations of p-h states that include the residual interactions within the target, and we show preliminary results for elastic flux loss using both p-h and RPA descriptions of target excitations.

Research carried out in the framework of the LDRD project ''Surrogate Nuclear Reactions and the Origin of the Heavy Elements'' (04-ERD-057) is summarized. The project was designed to address the challenge of determining cross sections for nuclear reactions involving unstable targets, with a particular emphasis on reactions that play a key role in the production of the elements between Iron and Uranium. This report reviews the motivation for the research, introduces the approach employed to address the problem, and summarizes the resulting scientific insights, technical findings, and related accomplishments.

We present the one-step theory of neutron-pickup transfer reactions with {sup 3}He projectiles on {sup 235}U and {sup 238}U. We find all the neutron eigenstates in a deformed potential, and use those in a given energy range for ({sup 3}He, {alpha}) DWBA pickup calculations to find the spin and parity distributions of the residual target nuclei. A simple smoothing convolution is used to take into account the spreading width of the single-neutron hole states into the more complicated compound nuclear states. We assume that the initial target is an even-even rotor, but can take into account spectator neutrons outside such a rotor by recombining their spin and parity at the end of the calculations.

Cross sections for compound-nuclear reactions are required for many applications. The surrogate nuclear reactions method provides an indirect approach for determining cross sections for reactions on unstable isotopes, which are difficult or impossible to measure otherwise. Current implementations of the method provide useful cross sections for (n,f) reactions, but need to be improved upon for applications to capture reactions.

Endocrine disorders affecting the elderly present a continuing challenge to the clinician. Often confused with normal age-related changes or age-prevalent disease, disorders such as thyrotoxicosis, hyperglycemia, and hypercalcemia often go undetected until late in their course, if at all. Non-specific and atypical presentations make the diagnosis even more difficult and a low threshold for obtaining laboratory testing is advised. Thyrotoxicosis may present with only anorexia, weight loss, and cardiac dysfunction. Hyperglycemia often remains undetected; long-term sequelae, however, may impair function and result in problems such as neuropathy, postural instability, and nephropathy--conditions often dismissed as consequences of old age. Hypercalcemia may not present with the classic findings of renal colic, GI pathology, and skeletal disease. An acute confusional state with or without volume depletion appears to be a more frequent presentation during later life.

Certain accidents tend to be more common in elderly patients. Others are common among the general population and include the elderly in their numbers. These include accidents involving fire, carbon monoxide, food and medications, water, restraints, motor vehicles, and those in the workplace. This article reviews such accidents and discusses basic measures of prevention in which the attentive and comprehensive clinician may play a pivotal role.