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We have studied the decay pattern of the $J^{\pi} = 1_{4742~\mathrm{keV}}^{-}$ state of $^{88}$Sr to probe its quadrupole-octupole coupled two-phonon structure. In particular, a unique fingerprint to prove the two-phonon nature is the $E2$ decay strength of the $1_{4742~\mathrm{keV}}^{-} \to 3_{1}^{-}$ transition into the one-octupole-phonon state. $\gamma$-ray spectroscopy was performed after the $\beta$-decay of $^{88}$Rb to obtain the necessary sensitivity for this weak-intensity decay branch. Sufficient amounts of $^{88}$Rb (T$_{1/2}$ = 17.8 min) were produced by neutron activation of natural Rb in the TR IGA Mark II reactor. The results show that the $B(E2)$ value of the $1_{4742~\mathrm{keV}}^{-} \to 3_{1}^{-}$ transition is equal to the $B(E2)$ of the $2_{1}^{+} \to 0_{1}^{+}$ transition, directly demonstrating the quadrupole-octupole coupled two-phonon nature of the $1^-$ state. A comparison of the results with energy-density functional plus quasiparticle-phonon model calculations shows rema rkable agreement, corroborating this assignment.

Photo-nuclear reactions of light nuclei below a mass of $A=60$ are studied experimentally and theoretically by the PANDORA (Photo-Absorption of Nuclei and Decay Observation for Reactions in Astrophysics) project. Two experimental methods, virtual-photon excitation by proton scattering and real-photo absorption by a high-brilliance gamma-ray beam produced by laser Compton scattering, will be applied to measure the photo-absorption cross sections and the decay branching ratio of each decay channel as a function of the photon energy. Several nuclear models, e.g. anti-symmetrized molecular dynamics, mean-field type models, a large-scale shell model, and ab initio models, will be employed to predict the photo-nuclear reactions. The uncertainty in the model predictions will be evaluated from the discrepancies between the model predictions and the experimental data. The data and the predictions will be implemented in a general reaction calculation code TALYS . The results will be applied to the simulation of the photo-disintegration process of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays in inter-galactic propagation.

New experimental data on the neutron single-particle character of the Pygmy Dipole Resonance (PDR) in $^{208}$Pb are presented. They were obtained from $(d,p)$ and resonant proton scattering experiments performed at the Q3D spectrograph of the Maier-Leibnitz Laboratory in Garching, Germany. The new data are compared to the large suite of complementary, experimental data available for $^{208}$Pb and establish $(d,p)$ as an additional, valuable, experimental probe to study the PDR and its collectivity. Besides the single-particle character of the states, different features of the strength distributions are discussed and compared to Large-Scale-Shell-Model (LSSM) and energy-density functional (EDF) plus Quasiparticle-Phonon Model (QPM) theoretical approaches to elucidate the microscopic structure of the PDR in $^{208}$Pb., Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures

Second-order processes in physics is a research topic focusing attention from several fields worldwide including, for example, non-linear quantum electrodynamics with high-power lasers, neutrinoless double-$\beta$ decay, and stimulated atomic two-photon transitions. For the electromagnetic nuclear interaction, the observation of the competitive double-$\gamma$ decay from $^{137\mathrm{m}}$Ba has opened up the nuclear structure field for detailed investigation of second-order processes through the manifestation of off-diagonal nuclear polarizability. Here we confirm this observation with an $8.7\sigma$ significance, and an improved value on the double-photon versus single-photon branching ratio as $2.62\times10^{-6}(30)$. Our results, however, contradict the conclusions from the original experiment, where the decay was interpreted to be dominated by a quadrupole-quadrupole component. Here, we find a substantial enhancement in the energy distribution consistent with a dominating octupole-dipole character and a rather small quadrupole-quadrupole element in the decay, hindered due to an evolution of the internal nuclear structure. The implied strongly hindered double-photon branching in $^{137\mathrm{m}}$Ba opens up the possibility of the double-photon branching as a feasible tool for nuclear-structure studies on off-diagonal polarizability in nuclei where this hindrance is not present., Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, 2 tabels

The electric quadrupole response in $^{112,114}$Sn isotopes is investigated by energy-density functional (EDF) and three-phonon quasiparticle-phonon model (QPM) theory with special emphasis on 2$^+$ excitations located above the first collective quadrupole state and below 5 MeV. Additional quadrupole strength clustering as a sequence of states similar to the recently observed pygmy quadrupole resonance in $^{124}$Sn is found. The spectral distributions and transition densities of these 2$^+$ states show special features being compatible with oscillations of a neutron skin against the isospin-symmetric nuclear core. Furthermore, two new ($p$, $p' \gamma$) Doppler-shift attenuation (DSA) coincidence experiments were performed at the SONIC@HORUS setup. Quadrupole states with excitation energies up to 4.2 MeV were populated in $^{112,114}$Sn. Lifetimes and branching ratios were measured allowing for the determination of the reduced quadrupole transition strengths to the ground state. A stringent comparison of the new data to EDF+QPM theory in $^{112}$Sn and $^{114}$Sn isotopes hints at the occurrence of a low-energy quadrupole mode of unique character which could be interpreted as pygmy quadrupole resonance., Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, 1 table

A high-resolution study of the electromagnetic response of $^{206}$Pb below the neutron separation energy is performed using a ($\vec{\gamma}$,$\gamma'$) experiment at the HI$\vec{\gamma}$S facility. Nuclear resonance fluorescence with 100% linearly polarized photon beams is used to measure spins, parities, branching ratios, and decay widths of excited states in $^{206}$Pb from $4.9$ to $8.1$MeV. The extracted $\Sigma$$B$(E1)$\uparrow$ and $\Sigma$$B$(M1)$\uparrow$ values for the total electric and magnetic dipole strength below the neutron separation energy are 0.9$\pm$0.2e$^2$fm$^2$ and 8.3$\pm$2.0$\mu_{N}^2$, respectively. These measurements are found to be in very good agreement with the predictions from an energy-density functional (EDF) plus quasiparticle phonon model (QPM). Such a detailed theoretical analysis allows to separate the pygmy dipole resonance from both the tail of the giant dipole resonance and multi-phonon excitations. Combined with earlier photonuclear experiments above the neutron separation energy, one extracts a value for the electric dipole polarizability of $^{206}$Pb of $\alpha_{D}\!=\!122\pm10$mb/MeV. When compared to predictions from both the EDF+QPM and accurately calibrated relativistic EDFs, one deduces a range for the neutron-skin thickness of $R_{\rm skin}^{206}\!=\!0.12$-$0.19$fm and a corresponding range for the slope of the symmetry energy of $L\!=\!48$-$60$MeV. This newly obtained information is also used to estimate the Maxwellian-averaged radiative cross section $^{205}$Pb(n,$\gamma$)$^{206}$Pb at 30keV to be $\sigma\!=\!130\!\pm\!25$mb. The astrophysical impact of this measurement--on both the s-process in stellar nucleosynthesis and on the equation of state of neutron-rich matter--is discussed., Comment: 8 pages and 4 figures. Manuscript accepted for publication in Physics Letters B

Background: Two-phonon excitations originating from the coupling of two collective one-phonon states are of great interest in nuclear structure physics. One possibility to generate low-lying $E1$ excitations is the coupling of quadrupole and octupole phonons. Purpose: In this work, the $\gamma$-decay behavior of candidates for the $(2_1^+\otimes 3_1^-)_{1^-}$ state in the doubly-magic nucleus $^{40}$Ca and in the heavier and semi-magic nucleus $^{140}$Ce is investigated. Methods: $(\vec{\gamma},\gamma')$ experiments have been carried out at the High Intensity $\gamma$-ray Source (HI${\gamma}$S) facility in combination with the high-efficiency $\gamma$-ray spectroscopy setup $\gamma^3$ consisting of HPGe and LaBr$_3$ detectors. The setup enables the acquisition of $\gamma$-$\gamma$ coincidence data and, hence, the detection of direct decay paths. Results: In addition to the known ground-state decays, for $^{40}$Ca the decay into the $3^-_1$ state was observed, while for $^{140}$Ce the direct decays into the $2^+_1$ and the $0^+_2$ state were detected. The experimentally deduced transition strengths and excitation energies are compared to theoretical calculations in the framework of EDF theory plus QPM approach and systematically analyzed for $N=82$ isotones. In addition, negative parities for two $J=1$ states in $^{44}$Ca were deduced simultaneously. Conclusions: The experimental findings together with the theoretical calculations support the two-phonon character of the $1^-_1$ excitation in the light-to-medium-mass nucleus $^{40}$Ca as well as in the stable even-even $N=82$ nuclei., Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, as accepted in Phys. Rev. C

The 112,120Sn(gamma,gamma') reactions below the neutron separation energies have been studied at the superconducting Darmstadt electron linear accelerator S-DALINAC for different endpoint energies of the incident bremsstrahlung spectrum. Dipole strength distributions are extracted for 112Sn up to 9.5 MeV and for 120Sn up to 9.1 MeV. A concentration of dipole excitations is observed between 5 and 8 MeV in both nuclei. Missing strength due to unobserved decays to excited states is estimated in a statistical model. A fluctuation analysis is applied to the photon scattering spectra to extract the amount of the unresolved strength hidden in background due to fragmentation. The strength distributions are discussed within different model approaches such as the quasiparticle-phonon model and the relativistic time blocking approximation allowing for an inclusion of complex configurations beyond the initial particle-hole states. While a satisfactory description of the fragmentation can be achieved for sufficently large model spaces, the predicted centroids and total electric dipole strengths for stable tin isotopes strongly depend on the assumptions about the underlying mean field., Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures, revised version, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. C

We have carried out photodisintegration cross-section measurements on 86Kr using monoenergetic photon beams ranging from the neutron separation energy, S_n = 9.86 MeV, to 13 MeV. We combine our experimental 86Kr(g,n)85Kr cross section with results from our recent 86Kr(g,g') measurement below the neutron separation energy to obtain the complete nuclear dipole response of 86Kr. The new experimental information is used to predict the neutron capture cross section of 85Kr, an important branching point nucleus on the abundance flow path during s-process nucleosynthesis. Our new and more precise 85Kr(n,g)86Kr cross section allows to produce more precise predictions of the 86Kr abundance from s-process models. In particular, we find that the models of the s-process in asymptotic giant branch stars of mass < 1.5 Msun, where the 13C neutron source burns convectively rather than radiatively, represent a possible solution for the highest 86Kr/82Kr ratios observed in meteoritic stardust SiC grains., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure, accepted for publication on Physical Review Letters

Systematic studies of dipole and other multipole excitations in stable and exotic nuclei are discussed theoretically. Exploring the relation of the strengths of low-energy dipole and quadrupole pygmy resonances to the thickness of the neutron (proton) skin a close connection between static and dynamic properties of the nucleus is observed. The fine structure of low-energy dipole strength in 138Ba nucleus is revealed from E1 and spin-flip M1 strengths distributions., Comment: A Talk given at the Int. Symposium 'Forefronts of Researches in Exotic Nuclear Structures - Niigata2010 -', 1-4 March, 2010, Tokamachi, Niigata, Japan; to be published in a volume of Modern Physics Letters A (MPLA).

The electric quadrupole response is investigated theoretically by HFB and QPM calculations along the Sn isotopic chain with special emphasis on excitations above the first collective state and below the particle threshold. Depending on the asymmetry, additional strength clustering as a group of states similar to the known PDR mode is found. The spectral distributions and electric response functions are discussed. The transition densities of these Pygmy Quadrupole Resonances (PQR) states are closely related to the neutron excess and showing special features being compatible with an oscillation of the neutron skin against the nuclear core. These features may indicate a new nuclear quadrupole mode connected to the skin configuration., Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, updated figures

We present recent investigations on dipole and quadrupole excitations in spherical skin nuclei, particular exploring their connection to the thickness of the neutron skin. Our theoretical method relies on density functional theory, which provides us with a proper link between nuclear many-body theory of the nuclear ground state and its phenomenological description. For the calculation of the nuclear excited states we apply QPM theory. A new quadrupole mode related to pygmy quadrupole resonance (PQR) in tin isotopes is suggested., Comment: Conference proceedings of the Thirteenth International Symposium on Capture Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy and Related Topics, Cologne (Germany) 2008, to be published by AIP

The $^{112,120}$Sn$(\gamma,\gamma')$ reactions have been studied at the S-DALINAC. Electric dipole (E1) strength distributions have been determined including contributions from unresolved strength extracted by a fluctuation analysis. Together with available data on $^{116,124}$Sn, an experimental systematics of the pygmy dipole resonance (PDR) in stable even-mass tin isotopes is established. The PDR centroid excitation energies and summed strengths are in reasonable agreement with quasiparticle-phonon model calculations based on a nonrelativistic description of the mean field but disagree with relativistic quasiparticle random-phase approximation predictions., Comment: submitted to Phys. Lett. B

The dipole response of the N=50 nucleus 90Zr was studied in photon-scattering experiments at the electron linear accelerator ELBE with bremsstrahlung produced at kinetic electron energies of 7.9, 9.0, and 13.2 MeV. We identified 189 levels up to an excitation energy of 12.9 MeV. Statistical methods were applied to estimate intensities of inelastic transitions and to correct the intensities of the ground-state transitions for their branching ratios. In this way we derived the photoabsorption cross section up to the neutron-separation energy. This cross section matches well the photoabsorption cross section obtained from (gamma,n) data and thus provides information about the extension of the dipole-strength distribution toward energies below the neutron-separation energy. An enhancement of E1 strength has been found in the range of 6 MeV to 11 MeV. Calculations within the framework of the quasiparticle-phonon model ascribe this strength to a vibration of the excessive neutrons against the N = Z neutron-proton core, giving rise to a pygmy dipole resonance., Comment: 27 pages, 15 figures, to be published in PRC

The evolution of the low-energy electromagnetic dipole response with the neutron excess is investigated along the Sn isotopic chain within an approach incorporating Hartree-Fock-Bogoljubov (HFB) and multi-phonon Quasiparticle-Phonon-Model (QPM) theory. General aspects of the relationship of nuclear skins and dipole sum rules are discussed. Neutron and proton transition densities serve to identify the Pygmy Dipole Resonance (PDR) as a generic mode of excitation. The PDR is distinct from the GDR by its own characteristic pattern given by a mixture of isoscalar and isovector components. Results for the $^{100}$Sn-$^{132}$Sn isotopes and the several N=82 isotones are presented. In the heavy Sn-isotopes the PDR excitations are closely related to the thickness of the neutron skin. Approaching $^{100}$Sn a gradual change from a neutron to a proton skin is found and the character of the PDR is changed correspondingly. A delicate balance between Coulomb and strong interaction effects is found. The fragmentation of the PDR strength in $^{124}$Sn is investigated by multi-phonon calculations. Recent measurements of the dipole response in $^{130,132}$Sn are well reproduced., Comment: 41 pages, 10 figures, PRC

Low-energy dipole excitations have been investigated theoretically in N=50, several N=82 isotones and the Z=50 Sn isotopes. For this purpose a method incorporating both HFB and multi-phonon QPM theory is applied. A concentration of one-phonon dipole strength located below the neutron emission threshold has been calculated in these nuclei. The analysis of the corresponding neutron and proton dipole transition densities allows to assign a genuine pattern to the low-energy excitations and making them distinct from the conventional GDR modes. Analyzing also the QRPA wave functions of the states we can identify these excitations as Pygmy Dipole Resonance (PDR) modes, recently studied also in Sn and N=82 nuclei. The results for N=50 are exploratory for an experimental project designed for the bremsstrahlung facility at the ELBE accelerator., Comment: Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics III Conference, 26 - 31 March 2007, Forschungszentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Germany

The evolution of the PDR strength with the neutron excess is investigated in Sn isotopic and N=82 isotonic chains with regard to its possible connection with the neutron skin thickness. For this purpose a recently proposed method incorporating both HFB and multi-phonon QPM theory is applied. Analysis of the corresponding neutron and proton dipole transition densities is presented., Comment: International Workshop on Nuclear Physics 28th Course - Radioactive Beams, Nuclear Dynamics and Astrophysics, Ettore Majorana Center for Scientific Culture

Dipole excitations in neutron-rich nuclei below the neutron threshold are investigated. The method is based on Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) and Quasiparticle-Phonon Model (QPM) theory. Of our special interest are the properties of the low-lying 1- Pygmy Resonance and the two-phonon quadrupole-octupole 1- states in Sn-isotopes including exploratory investigations for the experimentally unknown mass regions. In particular we investigate the evolution of the dipole strength function with the neutron excess. The use of HFB mean-field potentials and s.p. energies is found to provide a reliable extrapolation into the region off stability., Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, Proceedings of the International Conference on Collective Motion in Nuclei Under Extreme Conditions (COMEX1), Paris, France, 10-13 June 2003

Dipole excitations below the neutron threshold in neutron rich Sn isotopes are studied theoretically in the Quasiparticle-Phonon Model with HFB single particle input. Of special interest are the low-lying two-phonon 1- states and the Pygmy Dipole Resonance (PDR). The evolution of low-energy dipole excitations with neutron excess is investigated over the Sn isotopic chain including the experimentally unknown regions close to 132Sn. A dependence of the PDR strengths and centroid energies on the neutron skin thickness is found. Despite significant multi-phonon contributions to mean energies and transition strengths, the PDR states retain their one-phonon character. The fragmentation pattern is reduced with increasing neutron excess towards the N=82 shell closure which will be of advantage for future experimental work., Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures

We study the effect of a direct Giant Dipole Resonance ($GDR$) excitation in intermediate dinuclear systems with exotic shape and charge distributions formed in charge asymmetric fusion entrance channels. A related enhancement of the $GDR$ gamma yield in the evaporation cascade of the fused nucleus is expected. The dynamical origin of such $GDR$ extra strength will show up in a characteristic anisotropy of the dipole gamma-emission. A fully microscopic analysis of the fusion dynamics is performed with quantitative predictions of the $GDR$ photon yield based on a dynamics- statistics coupling model. In particular we focus our attention on the energy and mass dependence of the effect. We suggest a series of new experiments, in particular some optimal entrance channel conditions. We stress the importance of using the new available radioactive beams., Comment: 20 pages (Latex), 14 Postscript figures

The value of an isomeric ratio (IR) in N=81 isotones ($^{137}$Ba, $^{139}$Ce, $^{141}$Nd and $^{143}$Sm) is studied by means of the ($\gamma, n)$ reaction. This quantity measures a probability to populate the isomeric state in respect to the ground state population. In ($\gamma, n)$ reactions, the giant dipole resonance (GDR) is excited and after its decay by a neutron emission, the nucleus has an excitation energy of a few MeV. The forthcoming $\gamma$ decay by direct or cascade transitions deexcites the nucleus into an isomeric or ground state. It has been observed experimentally that the IR for $^{137}$Ba and $ ^{139}$Ce equals about 0.13 while in two heavier isotones it is even less than half the size. To explain this effect, the structure of the excited states in the energy region up to 6.5 MeV has been calculated within the Quasiparticle Phonon Model. Many states are found connected to the ground and isomeric states by $E1$, $E2$ and $M1$ transitions. The single-particle component of the wave function is responsible for the large values of the transitions. The calculated value of the isomeric ratio is in very good agreement with the experimental data for all isotones. A slightly different value of maximum energy with which the nuclei rest after neutron decay of the GDR is responsible for the reported effect of the A-dependence of the IR., Comment: 16 pages, 4 Figs