Fast-neutron induced background in LaBr3:Ce detectors

The response of a scintillation detector with a cylindrical 1.5-inch LaBr3:Ce crystal to incident neutrons has been measured in the energy range En = 2-12 MeV. Neutrons were produced by proton irradiation of a Li target at Ep = 5-14.6 MeV with pulsed proton beams. Using the time-of-flight information between target and detector, energy spectra of the LaBr3:Ce detector resulting from fast neutron interactions have been obtained at 4 different neutron energies. Neutron-induced gamma rays emitted by the LaBr3:Ce crystal were also measured in a nearby Ge detector at the lowest proton beam energy. In addition, we obtained data for neutron irradiation of a large-volume high-purity Ge detector and of a NE-213 liquid scintillator detector, both serving as monitor detectors in the experiment. Monte-Carlo type simulations for neutron interactions in the liquid scintillator, the Ge and LaBr3:Ce crystals have been performed and compared with measured data. Good agreement being obtained with the data, we present the results of simulations to predict the response of LaBr3:Ce detectors for a range of crystal sizes to neutron irradiation in the energy range En = 0.5-10 MeVComment: 28 pages, 10 figures, 4 Table

Women Scientists Who Made Nuclear Astrophysics

Female role models reduce the impact on women of stereotype threat, i.e., of being at risk of conforming to a negative stereotype about one's social, gender, or racial group [1,2]. This can lead women scientists to underperform or to leave their scientific career because of negative stereotypes such as, not being as talented or as interested in science as men. Sadly, history rarely provides role models for women scientists; instead, it often renders these women invisible [3]. In response to this situation, we present a selection of twelve outstanding women who helped to develop nuclear astrophysics

Investigation of chirality in the case of 102Rh

Excited states in 102Rh were populated in the fusion-evaporation reaction 94Zr(11B, 3n)102Rh at a beam energy of 36 MeV using the INGA spectrometer at IUAC, New Delhi. The angular correlations and the electromagnetic character of some of the gamma-ray transitions observed were investigated in details. A new chiral candidate sister band was found. Lifetimes of exited states in 102Rh were measured using the Doppler-shift attenuation technique and the derived reduced transition probabilities are compared to the predictions of the Two Quasiparticles Plus Triaxial Rotor model

Women Scientists Who Made Nuclear Astrophysics

Female role models reduce the impact on women of stereotype threat, i.e., of being at risk of conforming to a negative stereotype about one's social, gender, or racial group. This can lead women scientists to underperform or to leave their scientific career because of negative stereotypes such as, not being as talented or as interested in science as men. Sadly, history rarely provides role models for women scientists; instead, it often renders these women invisible. In response to this situation, we present a selection of twelve outstanding women who helped to develop nuclear astrophysics

Nuclear structure studies in mirror nuclei

The nuclear structure of the A=31 and A=47 mirror couples produced by two fusion evaporation reactions has been elaborated, utilizing the Doppler-shift attenuation method. Excited states in 31P and 31S were populated using the 1p and 1n exit channels, respectively, of the reaction 20Ne + 12C, while in 47Cr and 47V couple excited states were populated based on 28Si + 28Si reaction, as products of 2an and 2ap exit channels. The A=31 mirror couple was studied utilizing Piave-Alpi accelerator of the Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro with GASP multidetector array and for A=47 one - with the EUROBALL array using XTU Tandem also in Legnaro. In both cases the lifetime measurements in mirror couples at the same experiment open possibilities for investigations of isospin symmetry. Determined B(E1) strengths in the mirror nuclei 31P and 31S allow to extract the isoscalar component, which can reach up to 24% of the isovector one. The B(E1) values can be modeled by the Equation of motion method. In the case of A=47 mirror couple, the quadrupole moments can be described by shell-model calculations

145Ba^{145}\mathrm{Ba} β−{{\beta}}^{{-}} decay: Excited states and half-lives in neutron-rich 145La^{145}\mathrm{La}

International audienceBackground: Neutron-rich nuclei in the A≈140–160 mass region provide valuable information on nuclear structure such as quadrupole- and octupole-shape coexistence and the evolution of the collectivity. These nuclei have also a nuclear engineering interest because they contribute to the total decay heat after a fission burst. The information concerning La145 is very limited.Purpose: The study of low-spin states in La145 will provide a more detailed level scheme and enable the determination of the half-lives of the excited states.Methods: Low-spin excited states in La145 have been investigated from the Ba145β− decay. The Ba145 nuclei were directly produced by photofission in the ALTO facility or obtained from the β− decay of Cs145 also produced by photofission. Gamma spectroscopy and fast-timing techniques were used.Results: A new level scheme was proposed including 67 excited levels up to about 3 MeV and 164 transitions. Half-lives in the few-nanosecond range were measured for the first excited states. Configurations for levels up to ≈600 keV were discussed.Conclusions: The available information on the low-spin states of La145 has been modified and considerably extended. The analysis of the properties of the first excited states, such as excitation energies, decay modes, log ft values, reduced transition probabilities, and Weisskopf hindrance factors, has enabled the identification of the first members of the bands corresponding to the g7/2, d5/2, and h11/2 proton configurations

Production of lanthanide molecular ion beams by fluorination technique

International audienc

Examples of dynamic chirality in nuclei

In many cases the chirality was almost observed but the transition probabilities are different. This fact is clearly seen in the cases of 134Pr and 102Rh. In the case of chirality, the yrast and the side bands should be nearly degenerate. In the angular momentum region where chirality sets, the B(E2) values of the electromagnetic transitions deexciting analog states of the chiral twin bands should be almost equal. Correspondingly the B(M1) values should exhibit staggering. Our lifetime measurements in the cases of 134Pr and 102Rh and the theoretical analysis do not support static chirality. Chirality has mainly a dynamical character in both nuclei. In the present paper, we compare our results with the results for other chiral candidate nuclei, which fulfill static chirality conditions

Spectroscopy of the odd-odd chiral candidate nucleus 102Rh

Excited states in 102Rh were populated in the fusion-evaporation reaction 94Zr(11B, 3n)102Rh at a beam energy of 36 MeV, using the INGA spectrometer at IUAC, New Delhi. The angular correlations and the electromagnetic character of some of the 03B3-ray transitions observed in 102Rh were investigated in detail. A new candidate for achiral twin band was identified in 102Rh for the first time

Lifetime measurements in mass regions A=100 and A=130 as a test for chirality in nuclear systems

Two odd-odd nuclei from the A ~ 100 and A ~ 130 regions, namely 102Rh and 134Pr have been studied in search for chiral doublet bands via 94Zr(11B,3n)102Rh and 119Sn(19F,4n)134Pr reactions, respectively. Two nearly degenerate bands built on the πg9/2 ⊗ vh11/2 configuration have been identified in 102Rh and on the πg11/2 ⊗ vh11/2 configuration for 134Pr. Lifetimes of excited nuclear states were measured using Dopplershift attenuation method and recoil distance Doppler-shift method. The deexciting gamma rays were registered by the Indian National Gamma Array for 102Rh and using the EUROBALL IV detector array with an inner Bismuth Germanate (BGO) ball for 134Pr, respectively. Polarization and angular correlation measurements have been performed to establish the spin and parity assignments for these bands. The derived reduced transition probabilities are compared to the predicitons of the two quasiparticles + triaxial rotor and interacting boson fermion-fermion models