β-decay of 130

5 pages, 2 tables, 3 figures.--PACS nrs.: 23.40.Hc; 27.20.+n.The beta decay of O-13 has been studied at the IGISOL facility of the Jyvaskyla accelerator centre (Finland). By developing a low-energy isotope-separated beam of O-13 and using a modern segmented charged-particle detector array an improved measurement of the delayed proton spectrum was possible. Protons with energy up to more than 12 MeV are measured and the corresponding log(ft) values extracted. A revised decay scheme is constructed. The connection to molecular states and the shell model is discussed.This work was supported by the Academy of Finland under the Finnish Centre of Excellence Programme 2000–2005 (Project No. 44875, Nuclear and Condensed Matter Physics Programme at JYFL), by the European Union Fifth Framework Programme “Improving Human Potential - Access to Research Infrastructure” contract no. HPRI-CT-1999-00044, by the Spanish CICYT Agency under Project number FPA2002-04181-C04-02, and by the EU-RI3 (Integrated Infrastructure Initiative) under contract no 506065.Peer reviewe

Study of beta-delayed 3-body and 5-body breakup channels observed in the decay of ^11Li

The beta-delayed charged particle emission from ^11Li has been studied with emphasis on the three-body n+alpha+^6He and five-body 2alpha+3n channels from the 10.59 and 18.15 MeV states in ^11Be. Monte Carlo simulations using an R-matrix formalism lead to the conclusion that the ^AHe resonance states play a significant role in the break-up of these states. The results exclude an earlier assumption of a phase-space description of the break-up process of the 18.15 MeV state. Evidence for extra sequential decay paths is found for both states.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures. Submitted to Nuclear Physics

Shell evolution approaching the N=20 island of inversion : Structure of 26Na

The levels in 26Na with single particle character have been observed for the first time using the d(25Na, pγ) reaction at 5 MeV/nucleon. The measured excitation energies and the deduced spectroscopic factors are in good overall agreement with (0+1)hω shell model calculations performed in a complete spsdfp basis and incorporating a reduction in the N=20 gap. Notably, the 1p3/2 neutron configuration was found to play an enhanced role in the structure of the low-lying negative parity states in 26Na, compared to the isotone 28Al. Thus, the lowering of the 1p3/2 orbital relative to the 0f7/2 occurring in the neighbouring Z=10 and 12 nuclei - 25,27Ne and 27,29Mg - is seen also to occur at Z=11 and further strengthens the constraints on the modelling of the transition into the island of inversion

Single-particle structure of neutron-rich Sr isotopes via 2H(94,95,96Sr,p)^2H(^94,95,96Sr, p) reactions

Background: The region around neutron number N=60 in the neutron-rich Sr and Zr nuclei is one of the most dramatic examples of a ground-state shape transition from (near) spherical below N=60 to strongly deformed shapes in the heavier isotopes. Purpose: The single-particle structure of Sr95-97 approaching the ground-state shape transition at Sr98 has been investigated via single-neutron transfer reactions using the (d,p) reaction in inverse kinematics. These reactions selectively populate states with a large overlap of the projectile ground state coupled to a neutron in a single-particle orbital. Method: Radioactive Sr94,95,96 nuclei with energies of 5.5 AMeV were used to bombard a CD2, where D denotes H2, target. Recoiling light charged particles and γ rays were detected using a quasi-4π silicon strip detector array and a 12-element Ge array. The excitation energy of states populated was reconstructed employing the missing mass method combined with γ-ray tagging and differential cross sections for final states were extracted. Results: A reaction model analysis of the angular distributions allowed for firm spin assignments to be made for the low-lying 352, 556, and 681 keV excited states in Sr95 and a constraint has been placed on the spin of the higher-lying 1666 keV state. Angular distributions have been extracted for ten states populated in the H2(Sr95,p)Sr96 reaction, and constraints have been provided for the spins and parities of several final states. Additionally, the 0, 167, and 522 keV states in Sr97 were populated through the H2(Sr96,p) reaction. Spectroscopic factors for all three reactions were extracted. Conclusions: Results are compared to shell-model calculations in several model spaces and the structure of low-lying states in Sr94 and Sr95 is well described. The spectroscopic strength of the 0+ and 2+ states in Sr96 is significantly more fragmented than predicted. The spectroscopic factors for the H2(Sr96,p)Sr97 reaction suggest that the two lowest-lying excited states have significant overlap with the weakly deformed ground state of Sr96, but the ground state of Sr97 has a different structure

A direct measurement of the 17O(α,γ)21Ne reaction in inverse kinematics and its impact on heavy element production

During the slow neutron capture process in massive stars, reactions on light elements can both produce and absorb neutrons thereby influencing the final heavy element abundances. At low metallicities, the high neutron capture rate of 16O can inhibit s-process nucleosynthesis unless the neutrons are recycled via the 17O(α,n)20Ne reaction. The efficiency of this neutron recycling is determined by competition between the 17O(α,n)20Ne and 17O(α,γ)21Ne reactions. While some experimental data are available on the former reaction, no data exist for the radiative capture channel at the relevant astrophysical energies. The 17O(α,γ)21Ne reaction has been studied directly using the DRAGON recoil separator at the TRIUMF Laboratory. The reaction cross section has been determined at energies between 0.6 and 1.6 MeV Ecm, reaching into the Gamow window for core helium burning for the first time. Resonance strengths for resonances at 0.63, 0.721, 0.81 and 1.122 MeV Ecm have been extracted. The experimentally based reaction rate calculated represents a lower limit, but suggests that significant s-process nucleosynthesis occurs in low metallicity massive stars

Breakup channels for C12 triple-α continuum states

The triple-α-particle breakup of states in the triple-α continuum of C12 has been investigated by way of coincident detection of all three α particles of the breakup. The states have been fed in the β decay of N12 and B12, and the α particles measured using a setup that covers all of the triple-α phase space. Contributions from the breakup through the Be8(0+) ground state as well as other channels-interpreted as breakup through excited energies in Be8-have been identified. Spins and parities of C12 triple-α continuum states are deduced from the measured phase-space distributions for breakup through Be8 above the ground state by comparison to a fully symmetrized sequential R-matrix description of the breakup. At around 10 MeV in C12, the breakup is found to be dominated by 0+ strength breaking up through the ghost of the Be8(0+) ground state with L=0 angular momentum between the first emitted α particle and the intermediate Be8 nucleus. For C12 energies above the 12.7 MeV 1+ state, however, L=2 breakup of a C12 2+ state through the Be8(2+) excited state dominates. Furthermore, the possibility of a 2+ excited state in the 9-12 MeV region of C12 is investigated. © 2009 The American Physical Society.Supported by the Academy of Finland under the Finnish Center of Excellence Programme 2000–2005 (Project No. 44875, Nuclear and Condensed Matter Physics Programme at JYFL); by the European Union Fifth Framework Programme “Improving Human Potential—Access to Research Infrastructure,” Contract No. HPRI-CT-1999-00044; by the Spanish CICYT Agency under project number FPA2007-62170 and the MICINN Consolider project CSD2007-00042; and by the EU-RI3 (Integgrated Infrastructure Initiative) under Contract No. 506065.Peer Reviewe

Improved limit on direct α decay of the Hoyle state

The current evaluation of the triple-α reaction rate assumes that the α decay of the 7.65 MeV, 0 + state in C12, commonly known as the Hoyle state, proceeds sequentially via the ground state of Be8. This assumption is challenged by the recent identification of two direct α-decay branches with a combined branching ratio of 17(5)%. If correct, this would imply a corresponding reduction in the triple-α reaction rate with important astrophysical consequences. We have used the B11(He3,d) reaction to populate the Hoyle state and measured the decay to three α particles in complete kinematics. We find no evidence for direct α-decay branches, and hence our data do not support a revision of the triple-α reaction rate. We obtain an upper limit of 5×10 -3 on the direct α decay of the Hoyle state at 95% C.L., which is 1 order of magnitude better than a previous upper limit. © 2012 American Physical Society.Support of the Spanish CICYT Research Grants No. FPA2009-07387 and No. FPA2010-17142 and the MICINN Consolider Project No. CSD 2007-00042 as well as the support of the European Union VI Framework through RII3-EURONS/JRA4-DLEP(Contract No. 506065). O. S. K. acknowledges support from the Villum Kann Rasmussen Foundation.Peer Reviewe

Properties of 12C resonances determined from the 10B(3He, p alpha alpha alpha) and 11B(3He,d alpha alpha alpha) reactions studied in complete kinematics

We have used the 10B(3He,p¿¿¿) reaction at 4.9 MeV and the 11B(3He,d¿¿¿) reaction at 8.5 MeV to determine the energy, width, and decay mechanism of resonances in 12C above the triple-¿ threshold up to 21 MeV in excitation energy. Comparison with various models has allowed us to estimate the degree of clustering of the states studied. © 2012 American Physical Society.Support by the Spanish Research Grant FPA2009-07387 and Consolider Project CSD2007-00042, by the European Union Sixth Framework through RII3- EURONS/ JRA4-DLEP (Contract No. 506065). Support of the CSIC I3P program cofinanced by the European Social Fund, and the support of the US Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Physics, under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357. O.S.K. Support from the Villum Kann Rasmussen Foundation.Peer Reviewe