29 research outputs found
Evidence for Shape Co-existence at medium spin in 76Rb
Four previously known rotational bands in 76Rb have been extended to moderate
spins using the Gammasphere and Microball gamma ray and charged particle
detector arrays and the 40Ca(40Ca,3pn) reaction at a beam energy of 165 MeV.
The properties of two of the negative-parity bands can only readily be
interpreted in terms of the highly successful Cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky model
calculations if they have the same configuration in terms of the number of g9/2
particles, but they result from different nuclear shapes (one near-oblate and
the other near-prolate). These data appear to constitute a unique example of
shape co-existing structures at medium spins.Comment: Accepted for publication in Physics Letters
Evidence for a spin-aligned neutron-proton paired phase from the level structure of Pd
The general phenomenon of shell structure in atomic nuclei has been
understood since the pioneering work of Goeppert-Mayer, Haxel, Jensen and
Suess.They realized that the experimental evidence for nuclear magic numbers
could be explained by introducing a strong spin-orbit interaction in the
nuclear shell model potential. However, our detailed knowledge of nuclear
forces and the mechanisms governing the structure of nuclei, in particular far
from stability, is still incomplete. In nuclei with equal neutron and proton
numbers (), the unique nature of the atomic nucleus as an object
composed of two distinct types of fermions can be expressed as enhanced
correlations arising between neutrons and protons occupying orbitals with the
same quantum numbers. Such correlations have been predicted to favor a new type
of nuclear superfluidity; isoscalar neutron-proton pairing, in addition to
normal isovector pairing (see Fig. 1). Despite many experimental efforts these
predictions have not been confirmed. Here, we report on the first observation
of excited states in nucleus Pd. Gamma rays emitted
following the Ni(Ar,2)Pd fusion-evaporation reaction
were identified using a combination of state-of-the-art high-resolution
{\gamma}-ray, charged-particle and neutron detector systems. Our results reveal
evidence for a spin-aligned, isoscalar neutron-proton coupling scheme,
different from the previous prediction. We suggest that this coupling scheme
replaces normal superfluidity (characterized by seniority coupling) in the
ground and low-lying excited states of the heaviest N = Z nuclei. The strong
isoscalar neutron- proton correlations in these nuclei are predicted to
have a considerable impact on their level structures, and to influence the
dynamics of the stellar rapid proton capture nucleosynthesis process.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figure
Probing the three shapes in ¹⁸⁶Pb using in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy
This measurement represents the first observation of a non-yrast band in the ¹⁸⁶Pb nucleus by employing the Recoil-Decay Tagging (RDT) technique. Previously known yrast levels have been confirmed and the band is extended up to level Iπ = (16⁺)
Evidence for oblate structure in Pb186
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe
Investigation of nuclear collectivity in the neutron mid-shell nucleus 186 Pb
For the first time, non-yrast structures of the neutron mid-shell nucleus Pb186 have been identified in an in-beam I -ray spectroscopy measurement using the recoil-decay tagging technique. The yrast band has been tentatively extended up to IÏ€=20+, re
Investigation of nuclear collectivity in the neutron mid-shell nucleus Pb186
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe