Isomer ratios and mean angular momenta of photonuclear reaction products

Isomer ratios and mean angular momenta are obtained both for photofission products of 237Np, 238U and for nuclei 122,120m,gSb and 117m,gIn. Photonuclear reactions 121Sb(γ,n)120m,gSb, 123Sb(γ,n)122m,gSb, 118Sn(γ,p)117m,gIn were studied in the last cases. The technique of gamma-ray spectrometry for isomeric ratio determination was used. Target nuclei were irradiated by bremsstrahlung spectrum of microtron M-30. Comparison of isomer ratios calculated by Empire II code with experimental data was performed. Effects of the nuclear structure model parameters on values of isomer ratios are discussedДосліджено ізомерні відношення та визначено середні кутові моменти для продуктів фотоділення ядер 238U і 237Np, а також виміряні ізомерні відношення для ядер 120,122m,gSb и 117m,gIn в реакціях (γ,n) та (γ,p). Опромінення проводилося гальмівними γ-квантами мікротрону М-30 з максимальною енергією спектру 16 та 15 МеВ. Досліджено залежності ізомерних відношень від кутових моментів збуджених ядер з використанням програми Empire II для розрахунку характеристик ядерних реакцій.Измерены изомерные отношения и извлечены средние угловые моменты для продуктов фотоделения ядер 238U и 237Np, а также измерены изомерные отношения для ядер 120,122m,gSb и 117m,gIn в реакциях (γ,n) и (γ,p). Облучение проводилось тормозными γ-квантами микротрона М-30 с максимальной энергией спектра 16 и 15 МэВ. Исследованы зависимости изомерных отношений от угловых моментов возбужденных ядер с использованием программы Empire II для расчета характеристик ядерных реакций

The use of selected monochromatic X-rays to induce a cascade of gamma transitions from the 31-year nuclear isomer to the 4 second isomeric state of Hf-178

The Hf-178m2 nuclear spin isomer stores 2.45 MeV of energy for a half life of 31 years. Unperturbed, such nuclei radiate away the stored energy through the emission of gamma photons from electromagnetic (EM) transitions occurring within the nuclei. It has been shown that the irradiation of samples containing such nuclei with pulsed X-rays can accelerate the rate of the EM transitions by relaxing the selection rules upon changes of angular momenta. To date, most work has been done with incident X-ray energies between 9 and 10 keV, and in such cases the acceleration of the rate of gamma emission is immediate. Reported here is a channel for deexcitation excited by more energetic X-rays that results in a cascade of gamma transitions that includes a 4 second statistical time lag. This more protracted release of the energy stored in samples of the Hf-178m2 nuclear isomers encourages consideration of potential mechanical and thermal applications

Gamma-ray transitions induced in nuclear spin isomers by X-rays

Because of the high density of energy storage and the large cross section for its release there is considerable significance of the triggering of induced gamma emission from nuclear spin isomers to efforts to develop intense sources of short-wavelength radiation. The work reported here describes the current experimental focus and results recently obtained