Orbital electron capture by the nucleus

The theory of nuclear electron capture is reviewed in the light of current understanding of weak interactions. Experimental methods and results regarding capture probabilities, capture ratios, and EC/Beta(+) ratios are summarized. Radiative electron capture is discussed, including both theory and experiment. Atomic wave function overlap and electron exchange effects are covered, as are atomic transitions that accompany nuclear electron capture. Tables are provided to assist the reader in determining quantities of interest for specific cases

Nonradiative Electronic Deexcitation Time Scales in Metal Clusters

The life-times due to Auger-electron emission for a hole on a deep electronic shell of neutral and charged sodium clusters are studied for different sizes. We consider spherical clusters and calculate the Auger-transition probabilities using the energy levels and wave functions calculated in the Local-Density-Approximation (LDA). We obtain that Auger emission processes are energetically not allowed for neutral and positively charged sodium clusters. In general, the Auger probabilities in small Na$_N^-$ clusters are remarkably different from the atomic ones and exhibit a rich size dependence. The Auger decay times of most of the cluster sizes studied are orders of magnitude larger than in atoms and might be comparable with typical fragmentation times.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Weak Transitions in A=6 and 7 Nuclei

The $^6$He beta decay and $^7$Be electron capture processes are studied using variational Monte Carlo wave functions, derived from a realistic Hamiltonian consisting of the Argonne $v_{18}$ two-nucleon and Urbana-IX three-nucleon interactions. The model for the nuclear weak axial current includes one- and two-body operators with the strength of the leading two-body term--associated with $\Delta$-isobar excitation of the nucleon--adjusted to reproduce the Gamow-Teller matrix element in tritium $\beta$-decay. The measured half-life of $^6$. He is under-predicted by theory by $\simeq$ 8%, while that of $^7$Be for decay into the ground and first excited states of $^7$Li is over-predicted by $\simeq$ 9%. However, the experimentally known branching ratio for these latter processes is in good agreement with the calculated value. Two-body axial current contributions lead to a $\simeq$ 1.7% (4.4%) increase in the value of the Gamow-Teller matrix element of $^6$He ($^7$Be), obtained with one-body currents only, and slightly worsen (appreciably improve) the agreement between the calculated and measured half-life. Corrections due to retardation effects associated with the finite lepton momentum transfers involved in the decays, as well as contributions of suppressed transitions induced by the weak vector charge and axial current operators, have also been calculated and found to be negligible.Comment: 23 pages 8 tables. submitted to Phys. Rev.

Full pf shell study of A = 47 and A = 49 nuclei

Complete diagonalizations in the pf major shell, lead to very good agreement with the experimental data (level schemes, transitions rates, and static moments) for the A=47 and A=49 isotopes of Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, and Mn. Gamow-Teller and M1 strength functions are calculated. The necessary monopole modifications to the realistic interactions are shown to be critically tested by the spectroscopic factors for one particle transfer from 48Ca, reproduced in detail by the calculations. The collective behaviour of 47Ti, and of the mirror pairs 47V-47Cr and 49Cr-49Mn is found to follow at low spins the particle plus rotor model. It is then analysed in terms of the approximate quasi-SU(3) symmetry, for which some new results are given.Comment: 30 Pages, RevTeX and epsf.sty, 23 figures included. Postscript version available at http://www.ft.uam.es/~gabriel/a47-49.ps.g

The event generator DECAY4 for simulation of double beta processes and decay of radioactive nuclei

The computer code DECAY4 is developed to generate initial energy, time and angular distributions of particles emitted in radioactive decays of nuclides and nuclear (atomic) deexcitations. Data for description of nuclear and atomic decay schemes are taken from the ENSDF and EADL database libraries. The examples of use of the DECAY4 code in several underground experiments are described.Comment: 8 pages, 1 fi

A Full PFPF Shell Model Study of a~=~48 Nuclei

Exact diagonalizations with a minimally modified realistic force lead to detailed agreement with measured level schemes and electromagnetic transitions in $^{48}$Ca, $^{48}$Sc, $^{48}$Ti, $^{48}$V, $^{48}$Cr and $^{48}$Mn. Gamow-Teller strength functions are systematically calculated and reproduce the data to within the standard quenching factor. Their fine structure indicates that fragmentation makes much strength unobservable. As a by-product, the calculations suggest a microscopic description of the onset of rotational motion. The spectroscopic quality of the results provides strong arguments in favour of the general validity of monopole corrected realistic forces, which is discussed.Comment: 30 pages, LaTeX with epsf.sty, 14 Postscript figures included and compressed using uufiles. Completely new version of previous preprint nucl-th/9307001. FTUAM-93/01, CRN/PT 93-3

Atomic X-ray Spectroscopy of Accreting Black Holes

Current astrophysical research suggests that the most persistently luminous objects in the Universe are powered by the flow of matter through accretion disks onto black holes. Accretion disk systems are observed to emit copious radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum, each energy band providing access to rather distinct regimes of physical conditions and geometric scale. X-ray emission probes the innermost regions of the accretion disk, where relativistic effects prevail. While this has been known for decades, it also has been acknowledged that inferring physical conditions in the relativistic regime from the behavior of the X-ray continuum is problematic and not satisfactorily constraining. With the discovery in the 1990s of iron X-ray lines bearing signatures of relativistic distortion came the hope that such emission would more firmly constrain models of disk accretion near black holes, as well as provide observational criteria by which to test general relativity in the strong field limit. Here we provide an introduction to this phenomenon. While the presentation is intended to be primarily tutorial in nature, we aim also to acquaint the reader with trends in current research. To achieve these ends, we present the basic applications of general relativity that pertain to X-ray spectroscopic observations of black hole accretion disk systems, focusing on the Schwarzschild and Kerr solutions to the Einstein field equations. To this we add treatments of the fundamental concepts associated with the theoretical and modeling aspects of accretion disks, as well as relevant topics from observational and theoretical X-ray spectroscopy.Comment: 63 pages, 21 figures, Einstein Centennial Review Article, Canadian Journal of Physics, in pres