36 research outputs found
Modification of nuclear transitions in stellar plasma by electronic processes: K-isomers in 176Lu and 180Ta under s-process conditions
The influence of the stellar plasma on the production and destruction of
K-isomers is studied for the examples 176Lu and 180Ta. Individual
electromagnetic transitions are enhanced predominantly by nuclear excitation by
electron capture, whereas the other mechanisms of electron scattering and
nuclear excitation by electron transition give only minor contributions. It is
found that individual transitions can be enhanced significantly for low
transition energies below 100 keV. Transitions with higher energies above 200
keV are practically not affected. Although one low-energy transition in 180Ta
is enhanced by up to a factor of 10, the stellar transition rates from low-K to
high-K states via so-called intermediate states in 176Lu and 180Ta do not
change significantly under s-process conditions. The s-process nucleosynthesis
of 176Lu and 180Ta remains essentially unchanged.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, Phys. Rev. C, accepte
Properties of the 5- state at 839 keV in 176Lu and the s-process branching at A = 176
The s-process branching at mass number A = 176 depends on the coupling
between the high-K ground state and a low-lying low-K isomer in 176Lu. This
coupling is based on electromagnetic transitions via intermediate states at
higher energies. The properties of the lowest experimentally confirmed
intermediate state at 839 keV are reviewed, and the transition rate between
low-K and high-K states under stellar conditions is calculated on the basis of
new experimental data for the 839 keV state. Properties of further candidates
for intermediate states are briefly analyzed. It is found that the coupling
between the high-K ground state and the low-K isomer in 176Lu is at least one
order of magnitude stronger than previously assumed leading to crucial
consequences for the interpretation of the 176Lu/176Hf pair as an s-process
thermometer.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Gamma spectrometry in the ITWG CMX-4 exercise
Low enriched uranium samples of unknown origin were analyzed by 16 laboratories in the context of a Collaborative Materials Exercise (CMX), organized by the Nuclear Forensics International Technical Working Group (ITWG). The purpose was to compare and prioritize nuclear forensic methods and techniques, and to evaluate attribution capabilities among participants. This paper gives a snapshot of the gamma spectrometric capabilities of the participating laboratories and summarizes the results achieved by gamma spectrometry
Characterization of PuBe nuetron sources by calorimetry and neutron assay
In order to support and refine in-field NDA methods developed for the assay of PuBe sources the heat power of a set of such sources is measured by a heat-flow calorimeter. The Pu isotopic composition of the sources was determined by gamma spectrometry. By combining these two measurements the Pu mass of the sources was determined. In addition, the actual neutron output of the sources was also measured using a calibrated neutron coincidence counter.
The measurement campaign resulted in a set of well-characterized PuBe sources, which can be used as secondary standard calibration sources.JRC.E.8-Nuclear securit