Structure effects in Ne-20+Pb-208 quasi-elastic scattering

Preliminary results of an analysis of experiments devoted to a study of the sensitivity of the 20Ne + 208Pb quasi-elastic angular distributions at two near-barrier energies and the previously measured corresponding barrier distribution to the value of the nuclear quadrupole deformation length of 20Ne are reported

Are the weak channels really weak?

The transfer probabilities for 20Ne + 90Zr and 20Ne + 92Zr at energies near the Coulomb barrier were measured. This quantity turned out to be very similar for both Zr isotopes and does not explain the observed differences in the barrier height distributions for these systems

Quadrupole collectivity in Ca 42 from low-energy Coulomb excitation with AGATA

A Coulomb-excitation experiment to study electromagnetic properties of Ca42 was performed using a 170-MeV calcium beam from the TANDEM XPU facility at INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro. γ rays from excited states in Ca42 were measured with the AGATA spectrometer. The magnitudes and relative signs of ten E2 matrix elements coupling six low-lying states in Ca42, including the diagonal E2 matrix elements of 21+ and 22+ states, were determined using the least-squares code gosia. The obtained set of reduced E2 matrix elements was analyzed using the quadrupole sum rule method and yielded overall quadrupole deformation for 01,2+ and 21,2+ states, as well as triaxiality for 01,2+ states, establishing the coexistence of a weakly deformed ground-state band and highly deformed slightly triaxial sideband in Ca42. The experimental results were compared with the state-of-the-art large-scale shell-model and beyond-mean-field calculations, which reproduce well the general picture of shape coexistence in Ca42

Superdeformed and Triaxial States in Ca 42

Shape parameters of a weakly deformed ground-state band and highly deformed slightly triaxial sideband in ^{42}Ca were determined from E2 matrix elements measured in the first low-energy Coulomb excitation experiment performed with AGATA. The picture of two coexisting structures is well reproduced by new state-of-the-art large-scale shell model and beyond-mean-field calculations. Experimental evidence for superdeformation of the band built on 0_{2}^{+} has been obtained and the role of triaxiality in the A∼40 mass region is discussed. Furthermore, the potential of Coulomb excitation as a tool to study superdeformation has been demonstrated for the first time

The proton beam energy measurement by a time-of-flight method

A simple TOF equipment for cyclotron protons beam energy measurement was constructed. For short distance of 165 cm between capacitive pick-up probes, the accuracy of proton beam energy is below 1% for mean beam currents above 200 nA and within the energy range 20 30 MeV

Barrier height distributions – the influence of weak channels

The barrier distributions for the 20Ne+58,60,61Ni systems were experimentally determined. In the 58Ni case one observes a distinct “structure” in the distribution (two peaks) which is partially damped for 60Ni and completely smoothed out for 61Ni. It seems that smoothing is caused by non-collective excitations of the target nuclei

Lifetimes and side-feeding population of the yrast band levels in

Lifetimes of yrast levels with spins I π = 23/2--43/2- in 131La populated in the 122Sn(14N, 5n) reaction at a beam energy of 70MeV are measured by the Doppler Shift Attenuation method. A model of side-feeding population is presented. The model parameters are determined in an experiment based on the lineshape of γ-transitions from two highest spin levels and from the intensity distribution along the yrast band. The properties of the h 11/2 band in 131La are compared with the theoretical predictions obtained in the framework of the Core-Quasi-Particle Coupling and the self-consistent Total Routhian Surface models

Examination of the influence of transfer channels on the barrier height distribution: Scattering of 20Ne on 58Ni, 60Ni, and 61Ni at near-barrier energies

Background: It was suggested that the shape of the barrier height distribution can be determined not only by strong reaction channels (collective excitations) but also by weak channels such as transfers and/or noncollective excitations. Purpose: The study of the barrier height distributions for the 20Ne + 58,60,61Ni systems requires information on transfer cross sections at near-barrier energies. Methods: A measurement of the cross sections for various transfer channels at a backward angle (142 degrees), at a near-barrier energy was performed. Identification of products was based on time-of-flight and E-E methods. A measurement of the angular distribution of α stripping in the 20Ne + 61Ni system was performed using a gas E-E telescope. Results: For all three systems studied: 20Ne + 58Ni, 60Ni, and 61Ni total (sum of all transfer channels) cross sections are similar and dominated by α stripping. Conclusions: The results, as well as coupled reaction channel calculations, suggest that transfer is not responsible for smoothing the barrier height distribution in 20Ne + 61Ni, supporting the hypothesis that barrier distribution shapes are influenced by noncollective excitations.peerReviewe

E2 transition probabilities in the decoupled band of the

Lifetimes of the yrast levels with spins I π = 23/2− to 39/2− in 129La produced via the 120Sn(14N, 5n) reaction at a beam energy of 77MeV have been measured by the Doppler shift attenuation method. The properties of the studied levels belonging to the πh11/2 band were compared with the theoretical predictions obtained in the framework of the core quasi-particle coupling model. It is suggested that the rigid-rotor model used to describe the cores is too simplified as the even-even nuclei from the A ∼ 130 region are susceptible to shape deformation. Reasonable agreement was obtained with the phenomenological cores based on the experimental data of 128Ba