Evidence for shape coexistence in 52Cr through conversion-electron and pairconversion spectroscopy

Electric monopole (E0) transitions are a highly sensitive probe of the charge distribution of an atomic nucleus. A large E0 transition strength (ρ2(E0)) is a clear indicator of nuclear shape coexistence. In the region between doubly magic 40Ca and 56Ni, E0 transitions have never been observed in the Ti or Cr isotopes, nor in the heavier iron isotopes (56,58Fe). We have performed the first measurements of the E0 transitions in 52Cr via conversion-electron and pair-conversion spectroscopy using the Super-e spectrometer at the Australian National University Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility. We present the first spectra obtained for 52Cr, including the first observation of the E0 transition from the first-excited 0+ state in 52Cr, in both electron-positron pairs and conversion-electron spectroscopy. The preliminary values for the E0 strength in the 1531keV 2+ → 2+ transition in 52Cr is ρ2(E0) � 103 = 470(190), and for the 1728-keV 23+ → 21+ transition, it is ρ2(E0) 103 = 1800(1200). The large E0 strengths observed are consistent with shape coexistence in this region. However, despite the relatively precise observation of the conversion-electron and electron-positron pair intensities, the E0 strengths have large uncertainties. More precise determinations of relevant spectroscopic quantities, such as the state lifetimes and transition mixing ratios for mixed M1 + E2 transitions, are needed to determine the E0 strength more precisely.This research was supported in part by the Australian Research Council grant numbers DP140102986 and DP170101673, and was partially supported by the International Joint Research Promotion Program of Osaka University and JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP17H02893. This work is also based on the research supported partly by National Research Foundation of South Africa (118645, 90741). J.T.H.D., A.A., B.J.C., M.S.M.G., T.J.G., B.P.M., and B.P.E.T. acknowledge support of the Australian Government Research Training Program. Support for the ANU Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility operations through the Australian National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy program is acknowledged

Proton pencil beam kernels as extracted from Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2016ENGLISH ABSTRACT : The contribution of primary protons, secondary protons, heavy recoil ions, and other secondary particles to the total energy deposited in water by a proton pencil beam (in the therapeutic energy regime) has been investigated using the Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation toolkit. Simulation results have been compared with those calculated using dose distribution functions of the analytical beamlet model of Ulmer et al., which is currently used in the commercial proton treatment-planning package EclipseTM. Optimized settings for a robust, accurate, and computationally inexpensive Geant4 simulations have also been proposed.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING :Monte Carlo simulasies is gedoen met Geant4 om die primêre protone, sekondêre protone, swaar terugslag-ione en ander sekondêre deeltjies se bydraes te bepaal tot die energie wat deur 'n dun protonbundel in water gedeponeer word. Hierdie ondersoek is uitgevoer vir protone in die terapeutiese energiegebied. Die resultate wat vekrei is van die Monte Carlo simulasies is vergelyk met dosisverspreidings wat breken is venaf die analitiese dun-bundel model van Ulmer et al. Dié model word tans gebruik in die EclipseTM stelsel, wat 'n kommersiële beplanningsisteem vir protonterapie is. Verstellings word ook verskaf wat verseker dat die Geant4 simulasies geoptimaliseer is in terme van robuustheid, akkuraatheid en berekeningspoed

Electron spectrometer for electric monopole (E0) transition studies in nuclei

The study of electric monopole (E0) transitions between two 0+ states is important because the monopole strength carries vital information about the nuclear structure due to its direct link with the mean squared charge radius r2 and quadrupole deformation parameter β. Therefore, the measurement of internal conversion electrons (ICE) or internal pair formation (IPF) is crucial for E0 transition studies. Transitions between 0+ states do not change angular momentum. Hence, single-photon emission is forbidden, but can decay by conversion electrons or pair formation and two-photon emission which is mostly negligible. In order to implement E0 studies at iThemba LABS, an electron spectrometer that uses a solenoidal magnetic field acting as a lens and a Si(Li) detector has been refurbished and characterized using calibration sources of ICE. Figures of merit have been extracted and compared with simulations. The spectrometer coupled with an array of LaBr3:Ce detectors and Low Energy Photon Spectrometers (LEPS) was successfully implemented for in-beam experiments. Measurements of internal conversion coefficients (ICC) and monopole strengths extracted from in-beam measurements of 72As, 72Ge, and 72Se are presented