Evidence of dynamical dipole excitation in the fusion-evaporation of the 40Ca +152Sm heavy system

The excitation of the dynamical dipole mode along the fusion path was investigated for the first time in the formation of a heavy compound nucleus in the A ∼ 190 mass region. The compound nucleus was formed at identical conditions of excitation energy and spin from two entrance channels: the charge-asymmetric 40 Ca + 152 Sm and the nearly charge-symmetric 48 Ca + 144 Sm at E lab = 11 and 10.1 MeV / nucleon, respectively. High-energy γ rays and light charged particles were measured in coincidence with evaporation residues by means of the MEDEA multidetector array (Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Italy) coupled to four parallel plate avalanche counters. The charged particle multiplicity spectra and angular distributions were used to pin down the average excitation energy, the average mass, and the average charge of the compound nucleus. The γ -ray multiplicity spectrum and angular distribution related to the nearly charge-symmetric channel were employed to obtain new data on the giant dipole resonance in the compound nucleus. The dynamical dipole mode excitation in the charge-asymmetric channel was evidenced, in a model-independent way, by comparing the γ -ray multiplicity spectra and angular distributions of the two entrance channels with each other. Calculations of the dynamical dipole mode in the 40 Ca + 152 Sm channel, based on a collective bremsstrahlung analysis of the reaction dynamics, are presented. Possible interesting implications in the superheavy-element quest are discussed

Investigation of the dynamical dipole mode in the 192Pb mass region

The dynamical dipole mode was investigated in the mass region of the 192Pb compound nucleus, by using the 40Ca + 152Sm and 48Ca + 144Sm reactions at E lab=11 and 10.1 MeV/nucleon, respectively. Both fusion-evaporation and fission events were studied simultaneously for the first time. Our results show that the dynamical dipole mode survives in reactions involving heavier nuclei than those studied previously, however, its yield is lower than that expected within BNV calculations

Pre-equilibrium GDR in a heavy composite system

The excitation of the Dynamical Dipole mode along the fusion path was investigated for the first time in the formation of a heavy composite system in the A~190 mass region, in fusion-evaporation and fission events. The composite system was formed at identical conditions of excitation energy and spin from two reactions with different charge asymmetry: the charge asymmetric 40Ca + 152Sm and the nearly charge symmetric 48Ca + 144Sm at E lab =11 and 10.1 MeV/nucleon, respectively. In this paper, we report the results on fusion evaporation events and the preliminary analysis on fission channel

The influence of the 2-neutron elastic transfer on the fusion of 42Ca + 40Ca

Strong coupling to a single channel with zero Q-value is predicted to produce a characteristic fusion barrier distribution with two peaks, one on each side of the original uncoupled Coulomb barrier. In practical cases, only coupling to an elastic transfer channel may produce such a distribution which, however, has never been observed sofar, probably because low-lying surface vibrations usually have a dominant role, and this may obscure the two-peak structure. The case of the two-neutron (2n) elastic transfer in 42Ca + 40Ca is particularly attractive, because of the relatively rigid nature of the two nuclei. We have measured the fusion excitation function of this system using the 42Ca beam of the XTU Tandem of LNL on a thin 40Ca target enriched to 99.96% in mass 40. Cross sections have been measured down to 641 mb. The extracted barrier distribution shows clearly two main peaks. We have performed preliminary CC calculations where the 2+ coupling strengths have been taken from the literature and the schematic 2n pair transfer form factor has been used, with a deformation length \u3b4t= 0.39 fm. The excitation function is well reproduced by the calculation including the 2n transfer channel. However, including the octupole excitations destroys the agreement

Fusion hindrance and quadrupole collectivity in collisions of A 3c 50 nuclei: The case of 48Ti + 58Fe

The fusion excitation function of 48Ti + 58Fe has been measured in a wide energy range around the Coulomb barrier, covering 6 orders of magnitude of the cross sections. We present here the preliminary results of this experiment, and a full comparison with the near-by system 58Ni + 54Fe where evidence of fusion hindrance shows up at relatively high cross sections. The sub-barrier cross sections of 48Ti + 58Fe are much larger than those of 58Ni + 54Fe. Significant differences are also observed in the logarithmic derivatives, astro-physical S-factors and fusion barrier distributions. The influence of low-energy nuclear structure on all these trends is pointed out and commented. Coupled-channels calculations using a Woods-Saxon potential are able to reproduce the experimental results for 48Ti + 58Fe. The logarithmic derivative of the excitation function is very nicely fit, and no evidence of hindrance is observed down to around 1 \u3bcb. The fusion barrier distribution is rather wide, flat and structureless. It is only in qualitative agreement with the calculated distribution

Fusion of 40Ca + 96Zr revisited: Transfer couplings and hindrance far below the barrier

The sub-barrier fusion excitation function of 40Ca + 96Zr has been measured down to cross sections 432.4 \u3bcb, i.e. two orders of magnitude smaller than obtained in a previous experiment, where the subbarrier fusion of this system was found to be greatly enhanced with respect to 40Ca + 90Zr, and the need of coupling to transfer channels was suggested relying on coupled-channels calculations. The purpose of this work has been to investigate the behavior of 40Ca + 96Zr fusion far below the barrier, thereby disentangling the elusive interplay of effects due to inelastic couplings, transfer couplings and, possibly, the appearance of the fusion hindrance. The smooth trend of the excitation function has been found to continue, and the logarithmic slope increases very slowly. No indication of hindrance shows up, and a comparison with 40Ca + 96 is illuminating in this respect. A new CC analysis of the complete excitation function has been performed, including explicitly one- and two-nucleon Q > 0 transfer channels. Such transfer couplings bring significant cross section enhancements, even at the level of a few \u3bcb. Locating the hindrance threshold, if any, in 40Ca + 96 would require challenging measurements of cross sections in the sub-\u3bcb range

Osmium Catalyst for the Borrowing Hydrogen Methodology: α-Alkylation of Arylacetonitriles and Methyl Ketones

Complex [Os(η6-p-cymene)(OH)(IPr)]OTf is an efficient catalyst precursor for the α-alkylation of arylacetonitriles and methyl ketones with alcohols, which works with turnover frequencies between 675 and 176 h–1 for nitriles and between 194 and 28 h–1 for ketones.Financial support from the Spanish MINECO [Projects CTQ2007-65218/BQU, CTQ2011-23459, CTQ2011-24165, and Consolider Ingenio 2010 (CSD2007-00006)], the DGA (E35), Generalitat Valenciana (PROMETEO/2009/039 and FEDER), and the European Social Fund (FSE) is acknowledged

Fusion ofSi28+Si28,30: Different trends at sub-barrier energies

Background: The fusion excitation function of the system Si-28 + Si-28 at energies near and below the Coulomb barrier is known only down to similar or equal to 15 mb. This precludes any information on both coupling effects on sub-barrier cross sections and the possible appearance of hindrance. For Si-28 + Si-30 even if the fusion cross section is measured down to similar or equal to 50 mu b, the evidence of hindrance is marginal. Both systems have positive fusion Q values. While Si-28 has a deformed oblate shape, Si-30 is spherical. Purpose: We investigate 1. the possible influence of the different structure of the two Si isotopes on the fusion excitation functions in the deep sub-barrier region and 2. whether hindrance exists in the Si + Si systems and whether it is strong enough to generate an S-factor maximum, thus allowing a comparison with lighter heavy-ion systems of astrophysical interest. Methods: Si-28 beams from the XTU Tandem accelerator of the INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro were used. The setup was based on an electrostatic beam separator, and fusion evaporation residues (ER) were detected at very forward angles. Angular distributions of ER were measured. Results: Fusion cross sections of Si-28 + Si-28 have been obtained down to similar or equal to 600 nb. The slope of the excitation function has a clear irregularity below the barrier, but no indication of a S-factor maximum is found. For Si-28 + Si-30 the previous data have been confirmed and two smaller cross sections have been measured down to similar or equal to 4 mu b. The trend of the S-factor reinforces the previous weak evidence of hindrance. Conclusions: The sub-barrier cross sections for Si-28 + Si-28 are overestimated by coupled-channels calculations based on a standard Woods-Saxon potential, except for the lowest energies. Calculations using the M3Y+repulsion potential are adjusted to fit the Si-28 + Si-28 and the existing Si-30 + Si-30 data. An additional weak imaginary potential (probably simulating the effect of the oblate Si-28 deformation) is required to fit the low-energy trend of Si-28 + Si-28. The parameters of these calculations are applied to predict the ion-ion potential for Si-28 + Si-30. Its cross sections are well reproduced by also including one-and successive two-neutron transfer channels, besides the low-lying surface excitations