197 research outputs found
Experimental Investigations and Technical Design for The Time-OF-Flight Detectors in the CR at FAIR
Does Particulate Air Pollution Contribute to Infant Death? A Systematic Review
There is now substantial evidence that both short- and long-term increases in ambient air pollution are associated with increased mortality and morbidity in adults and children. Children’s health is particularly vulnerable to environmental pollution, and infant mortality is still a major contributor to childhood mortality. In this systematic review we summarize and evaluate the current level of epidemiologic evidence of an association between particulate air pollution and infant mortality. We identified relevant publications using database searches with a comprehensive list of search terms and other established search methods. We included articles in the review according to specified inclusion criteria. Fifteen studies met our inclusion criteria. Evidence of an association between particulate air pollution and infant mortality in general was inconsistent, being reported from locations with largely comparable pollution levels. There was some evidence that the strength of association with particulate matter differed by subgroups of infant mortality. It was more consistent for post-neonatal mortality due to respiratory causes and sudden infant death syndrome. Differential findings for various mortality subgroups within studies suggest a stronger association of particulate air pollution with some causes of infant death. Research is needed to confirm and clarify these links, using the most appropriate methodologies for exposure assessment and control of confounders
Nuclear Physics Experiments with Ion Storage Rings
In the last two decades a number of nuclear structure and astrophysics
experiments were performed at heavy-ion storage rings employing unique
experimental conditions offered by such machines. Furthermore, building on the
experience gained at the two facilities presently in operation, several new
storage ring projects were launched worldwide. This contribution is intended to
provide a brief review of the fast growing field of nuclear structure and
astrophysics research at storage rings.Comment: XVIth International Conference on Electro-Magnetic Isotope Separators
and Techniques Related to their Applications, December 2--7, 2012 at Matsue,
Japa
Schottky mass measurements of heavy neutron-rich nuclides in the element range 70\leZ \le79 at the ESR
Storage-ring mass spectrometry was applied to neutron-rich Au
projectile fragments. Masses of Lu, Hf, Ta,
W, and Re nuclei were measured for the first time. The
uncertainty of previously known masses of W and Os nuclei
was improved. Observed irregularities on the smooth two-neutron separation
energies for Hf and W isotopes are linked to the collectivity phenomena in the
corresponding nuclei.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, 2 table
\b{eta}-delayed three-proton decay of 31Ar
The beta decay of 31Ar, produced by fragmentation of a 36Ar beam at 880
MeV/nucleon, was investigated. Identified ions of 31Ar were stopped in a
gaseous time projection chamber with optical readout allowing to record decay
events with emission of protons. In addition to \b{eta}-delayed emission of one
and two protons we have clearly observed the beta-delayed three-proton branch.
The branching ratio for this channel in 31Ar is found to be 0.07(2)%.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Physical Rev.
Observation of Non-Exponential Orbital Electron Capture Decays of Hydrogen-Like Pr and Pm Ions
We report on time-modulated two-body weak decays observed in the orbital
electron capture of hydrogen-like Pr and Pm
ions coasting in an ion storage ring. Using non-destructive single ion,
time-resolved Schottky mass spectrometry we found that the expected exponential
decay is modulated in time with a modulation period of about 7 seconds for both
systems. Tentatively this observation is attributed to the coherent
superposition of finite mass eigenstates of the electron neutrinos from the
weak decay into a two-body final state.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure
Direct observation of long-lived isomers in Bi
Long-lived isomers in 212Bi have been studied following 238U projectile
fragmentation at 670 MeV per nucleon. The fragmentation products were injected
as highly charged ions into the GSI storage ring, giving access to masses and
half-lives. While the excitation energy of the first isomer of 212Bi was
confirmed, the second isomer was observed at 1478(30) keV, in contrast to the
previously accepted value of >1910 keV. It was also found to have an extended
Lorentz-corrected in-ring halflife >30 min, compared to 7.0(3) min for the
neutral atom. Both the energy and half-life differences can be understood as
being due a substantial, though previously unrecognised, internal decay branch
for neutral atoms. Earlier shell-model calculations are now found to give good
agreement with the isomer excitation energy. Furthermore, these and new
calculations predict the existence of states at slightly higher energy that
could facilitate isomer de-excitation studies.Comment: published in PRL 110, 12250
High-resolution measurement of the time-modulated orbital electron capture and of the decay of hydrogen-like Pm ions
The periodic time modulations, found recently in the two-body orbital
electron-capture (EC) decay of both, hydrogen-like Pr and
Pm ions, with periods near to 7s and amplitudes of about 20%,
were re-investigated for the case of Pm by using a 245 MHz
resonator cavity with a much improved sensitivity and time resolution. We
observed that the exponential EC decay is modulated with a period s, in accordance with a modulation period s as obtained
from simultaneous observations with a capacitive pick-up, employed also in the
previous experiments. The modulation amplitudes amount to and
for the 245 MHz resonator and the capacitive pick-up,
respectively. These new results corroborate for both detectors {\it exactly}
our previous findings of modulation periods near to 7s, though with {\it
distinctly smaller} amplitudes. Also the three-body decays have been
analyzed. For a supposed modulation period near to 7s we found an amplitude , compatible with and in agreement with the preliminary
result of our previous experiment. These observations could
point at weak interaction as origin of the observed 7s-modulation of the EC
decay. Furthermore, the data suggest that interference terms occur in the
two-body EC decay, although the neutrinos are not directly observed.Comment: In memoriam of Prof. Paul Kienle, 9 pages, 1 table, 5 figures Phys.
Lett. B (2013) onlin
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