Persistent success of the orbiting cluster model of heavy-ion resonances

The orbiting cluster model is applied to the basic presently available data on resonances in heavy-ion-induced reactions. The model is shown to correctly predict the presence of resonances and give a good overall agreement with the measured resonance energies

Optimizing performances of CsI(Tl) crystals with a photodiode readout

Tests are described concerning the performances of CsI(Tl) crystals. Particular care was dedicated to the study of the light production and collection of the crystals, that appear to be significantly a⁄ected both by the choice of the wrapping materials and by the details of the binding technique. A functional relation between the light pulse height and the coupling of the crystal#photodiode system was deduced. Finally, the influence of this coupling on the energy resolution of the detector is discussed. ( 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved

A new algorithm for automatic photopeak searches

A new, "quantum mechanical" algorithm is proposed for automatic photopeak location in gamma-ray spectra from semiconductor and scintillator detectors.Comment: 9 pages, LaTex, without figures. Sample program and figures (by FAX) can be sent on reques

Astrophysical Rates for Explosive Nucleosynthesis: Stellar and Laboratory Rates for Exotic Nuclei

A selected overview of stellar effects and reaction mechanisms with relevance to the prediction of astrophysical reaction rates far off stability is provided.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures (contining 2 subfigures each); Proceedings of 10th Intl. Conference on Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions, Beijing, China, August 2009; to appear in Nuclear Physics

Measurement of the neutron capture cross sections of 233U, 237Np, 240,242Pu, 241,243Am and 245Cm with a total absorption calorimeter at n_TOF

Proposal: Measurement of the neutron capture cross sections of 233U, 237Np, 240,242Pu, 241,243Am and 245Cm with a Total Absorption Calorimeter at n_TOFAccurate and reliable neutron capture cross section data for actinides are necessary for the proper design, safety regulation and precise performance assessment of transmutation devices such as Fast Critical Reactors or Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS). The goal of this proposal is the measurement of the neutron capture cross sections of 233U, 237Np, 240,242Pu, 241,243Am and 245Cm at n_TOF with an accuracy of 5%. 233U plays an essential role in the Th fuel cycle, which has been proposed as a safer and cleaner alternative to the U fuel cycle. The capture cross sections of 237Np, 240,242Pu, 241,243Am and 245Cm play a key role in the design and optimization of a strategy for the Nuclear Waste Transmutation. A high accuracy can be achieved at n_TOF in such measurements due to a combination of features unique in the world: high instantaneous neutron fluence and excellent energy resolution of the facility, innovative Data Acquisition System based on flash ADCs and the use of a high performance Total Absorption Calorimeter as a detection device.Postprint (published version

Evidence of non-statistical structures in the elastic and inelastic scattering of58Ni+58Ni and58Ni+62Ni and intermediate dinuclear states

Excitation functions and angular distributions of58Ni+58Ni and58Ni+62Ni scattering at energies just above the Coulomb barrier have been measured aroundθcm=90° in energy stepsΔEcm=0.25 MeV fromEcm ⋍ 110 MeV toEcm ⋍ 120 MeV for58Ni+58Ni and fromEcm ⋍ 110 MeV toEcm ⋍ 118 MeV for58Ni+62Ni. Evidence for structure of non-statistical character has been found in the angle-summed excitation functions; this evidence is corroborated by the analysis of the angular distributions. This is the first time that non-statistical structure in elastic and inelastic scattering is reported with high confidence level for this mass and excitation energy ranges. Attempts are presented to understand the nature of this structure, including the presence of intermediate dinuclear states and virtual states in a potential well

Application of Photon Strength Functions to (n,g ) measurements with the n_TOF TAC

The neutron capture cross section measurements at the CERN n_TOF facility are performed using a new detection system, the segmented Total Absorption Calorimeter (TAC). All measurements are performed in reference to the well known Au σ(n,γ). The accuracy of the measurements depends on the accuracy of the TAC detection efficiency, which is calculated by means of Monte Carlo simulations. In this MC simulation photon strength functions and level densities play a major role as ingredients used for the generation of primary events, that is the electromagnetic cascades following the (n,γ) process. We have calculated the TAC detection efficiency for the case of Au (n,γ) by adjusting the photon strength functions of Au so that the simulation reproduces the experimental data. Both the MC method and the uncertainty of the results are discussed

GARFIELD + RCo Digital Upgrade: a Modern Set-up for Mass and Charge Identification of Heavy Ion Reaction Products

An upgraded GARFIELD + Ring Counter (RCo) apparatus is presented with improved performances as far as electronics and detectors are concerned. On one side fast sampling digital read out has been extended to all detectors, allowing for an important simplification of the signal processing chain together with an enriched extracted information. On the other side a relevant improvement has been made in the forward part of the setup (RCo): an increased granularity of the CsI(Tl) crystals and a higher homogeneity in the silicon detector resistivity. The renewed performances of the GARFIELD + RCo array make it suitable for nuclear reaction measurements both with stable and with Radioactive Ion Beams (RIB), like the ones foreseen for the SPES facility, where the Physics of Isospin can be studied.Comment: 13 pages, 19 figures - paper submitted to Eur. Phys. J.

Measurements of fission cross sections of actinides

A measurement of the neutron induced fission cross sections of 237Np, 241,243Am and of 245Cm is proposed for the n_TOF neutron beam. Two sets of fission detectors will be used: one based on PPAC counters and another based on a fast ionization chamber (FIC). A total of 5E18 protons are requested for the entire fission measurement campaign.Postprint (author's final draft