The NUMEN Project @ LNS: Status and Perspectives

The NUMEN project aims at accessing experimentally driven information on Nuclear Matrix Elements (NME) involved in the half-life of the neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ), by high-accuracy measurements of the cross sections of Heavy Ion (HI) induced Double Charge Exchange (DCE) reactions. Particular attention is given to the (18O,18Ne) and (20Ne,20O) reactions as tools for β+β+ and β-β- decays, respectively. First evidence about the possibility to get quantitative information about NME from experiments is found for both kind of reactions. In the experiments, performed at INFN -Laboratory Nazionali del Sud (LNS) in Catania, the beams are accelerated by the Superconducting Cyclotron (CS) and the reaction products are detected the MAGNEX magnetic spectrometer. The measured cross sections are challengingly low, limiting the present exploration to few selected isotopes of interest in the context of typically low-yield experimental runs. A major upgrade of the LNS facility is foreseen in order to increase the experimental yield of at least two orders of magnitude, thus making feasible a systematic study of all the cases of interest. Frontiers technologies are going to be developed, to this purpose, for the accelerator and the detection systems. In parallel, advanced theoretical models will be developed in order to extract the nuclear structure information from the measured cross sections

20Ne+76Ge elastic and inelastic scattering at 306 MeV

Background: Double charge exchange (DCE) nuclear reactions have recently attracted much interest as tools to provide experimentally driven information about nuclear matrix elements of interest in the context of neutrinoless double- β decay. In this framework, a good description of the reaction mechanism and a complete knowledge of the initial and final-state interactions are mandatory. Presently, not enough is known about the details of the optical potentials and nuclear response to isospin operators for many of the projectile-target systems proposed for future DCE studies. Among these, the 20 Ne + 76 Ge DCE reaction is particularly relevant due to its connection with 76 Ge double- β decay. Purpose: We intend to characterize the initial-state interaction for the 20 Ne + 76 Ge reactions at 306 MeV bombarding energy and determine the optical potential and the role of the couplings between elastic channel and inelastic transitions to the first low-lying excited states. Methods: We determine the experimental elastic and inelastic scattering cross-section angular distributions, compare the theoretical predictions by adopting different models of optical potentials with the experimental data, and evaluate the coupling effect through the comparison of the distorted-wave Born approximation calculations with the coupled channels ones. Results: Optical models fail to describe the elastic angular distribution above the grazing angle ( ≈ 9.4 ∘ ). A correction in the geometry to effectively account for deformation of the involved nuclear systems improves the agreement up to about 14 ∘ . Coupled channels effects are crucial to obtain good agreement at large angles in the elastic scattering cross section. Conclusions: The analysis of elastic and inelastic scattering data turned out to be a powerful tool to explore the initial and final-state interactions in heavy-ion nuclear reactions at high transferred momenta.European Research Council (ERC) de la Unión Europea. Programa de investigación e innovación Horizonte 2020. 714625 y 654002Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España y Fondos FEDER. FIS2017-88410-

Multichannel experimental and theoretical constraints for the 116 Cd ( 20 Ne , 20 F ) 116 In charge exchange reaction at 306 MeV

Background: Charge-exchange (CE) reactions offer a major opportunity to excite nuclear isovector modes, providing important clues about the nuclear interaction in the medium. Moreover, double charge-exchange reactions are proving to be a tempting tool to access nuclear transition matrix elements (NMEs) related to double beta-decay processes. The latter are also of crucial importance to extract neutrino properties from the half-life of the hypothetical neutrinoless double beta decay and to search for physics beyond the standard model. Purpose: Through a multichannel experimental analysis and a consistent theoretical approach of the 116 Cd ( 20 Ne , 20 F ) 116 In single charge-exchange (SCE) reaction at 306 MeV, we aim at disentangling from the experimental cross section the contribution of the competing mechanisms associated with second- or higher-order sequential transfer and/or inelastic processes. Methods: We measured excitation energy spectra and absolute cross sections for elastic + inelastic, one-proton transfer and SCE channels by using the MAGNEX large acceptance magnetic spectrometer to detect the ejectiles. For the first two channels, we also extracted the experimental cross-section angular distributions. The experimental data are compared with theoretical predictions obtained by performing two-step distorted-wave Born approximation and coupled reaction channel calculations. We employ spectroscopic amplitudes for single-particle transitions derived within a large-scale shell-model approach and different optical potentials for modeling the initial- and the final-state interactions. Results: The present study significantly mitigates the possible model dependence existing in the description of these complex reaction mechanisms thanks to the satisfactory reproduction of several channels at once. In particular, our work demonstrates that the two-step transfer mechanisms produce a non-negligible contribution to the total cross section of the 116 Cd ( 20 Ne , 20 F ) 116 In reaction channel, although a relevant fraction is still missing, being ascribable to the direct SCE mechanism, which is not addressed here. Conclusions: Our analysis provides a careful estimation of the sequential transfer processes which are competing with the direct SCE mechanism for the heavy ion reaction under investigation. The study suggests that the direct SCE should play an important role among the mechanisms populating the final channel. Nevertheless, the analysis of the higher-order processes considered here is mandatory to isolate the direct SCE process contribution and approach structure information on the corresponding NME from the reaction cross section. The description of the latter process and the competition between the two mechanisms deserves further investigation.Consejo Europeo de Investigación (ERC).Horizonte 2020-714625Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España y el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)-FIS2017-88410-P y FIS2014-53448-C2-1-PDirección General de Asuntos del Personal Académico de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México -DGAPA-UNAM IN107820 y AG101120Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología de México-CONACyT 314857Fundación de Apoyo a la Investigación del Estado de São Paulo de Brasil-FAPESP. 2019/07767-1Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Brasil-INCT-FNA 464898/2014-

18 O -induced single-nucleon transfer reactions on 40 Ca at 15.3 A MeV within a multichannel analysis

Background: Nucleon transfer reactions are selective tools for nuclear physics investigations. The theoretical and computational limits affecting in the past their data analysis could be nowadays surmounted thanks to the advent of methods with refined approximations and constraints, even when heavy-ion collisions are considered. Purpose: Modern microscopic calculations of heavy-ion-induced transfer reactions combined with precise experimental data offer the chance for accurately testing different reaction models as well as the nuclear structure description of the involved nuclear states. Method: Single proton and neutron transfer reactions were measured with the MAGNEX magnetic spectrometer for the 18 O + 40 Ca system at 15.3 A MeV. Excitation energy spectra and angular differential cross section distributions were extracted. The experimental results are compared with theoretical calculations performed in distorted wave and coupled channel Born approximation. The use of a coupled channel equivalent polarization potential to effectively describe the coupling effects affecting the initial state interaction is also considered. Spectroscopic amplitudes derived from a large-scale shell model with appropriate interactions adapted for the involved nuclei are employed. Results: Our theoretical calculations are in good agreement with experimental data, without the need for any scaling factor, validating the adopted reaction and nuclear structure parameters. Moreover, under the present experimental conditions, a weak dependence of the obtained results on the choice of the reaction models was observed. Conclusions: The good agreement between experimental and theoretical results validates the reliability of the parameter sets entering the calculations. They are extracted from or tested in complementary analyses of other reaction channels under the same experimental conditions. Such a multichannel approach represents the best option to pursue a solid, comprehensive, and model-independent description of the single-nucleon transfer reactions. The successful description of the present one-nucleon transfer data is also propaedeutic to the accurate assessment, under the same theoretical description, of higher-order transfer processes, like the sequential nucleon transfer mechanisms which are in competition with the direct charge exchange reactions.European Research Council (ERC) Horizon 2020 714625Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Brasil. 464898/2014-5Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa no Estado de Rio de Janeiro y Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa de Sao Paulo. 2019/07767-1Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades de España y Fondos FEDER. FIS2017-88410-

Spectroscopy of high-lying resonances in 9 Be by the measurement of ( p , p ), ( p , d ), and ( p , α ) reactions with a radioactive 8 Li beam

We measured the 8 Li ( p , p ) 8 Li , 8 Li ( p , d ) 7 Li , and 8 Li ( p , α ) 5 He reactions at low energies using the thick target inverse kinematics method, with a polyethylene [ CH 2 ] n target and a radioactive 8 Li beam available at the Radioactive Ion Beams in Brazil facility of São Paulo. By measuring simultaneously several reaction channels ( p , p ) , ( p , d ) , and ( p , α ) , the still uncertain high-lying resonances of 9 Be , close to the proton threshold, can be studied and their parameters, such as energy, width, and spin parity can be more reliably determined. The experimental excitation functions of the reactions 8 Li ( p , p ) 8 Li , 8 Li ( p , d ) 7 Li , and 8 Li ( p , α ) 5 He were analyzed using the R -matrix theory, which allows us to infer the properties of the resonances. Multichannel R -matrix analysis provides evidence for a significant clustering in the ( p , d ) channel. The experimental data and the multichannel R -matrix analysis will be presented.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo. Brasil. (FAPESP) 2011/15904-7, 2013/22100-7 y 2016/21434-7VI Plan Propio de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla. España. (2017–2018

Recent results on heavy-ion direct reactions of interest for 0νββ decay at INFN - LNS

Neutrinoless double beta decay of nuclei, if observed, would have important implications on fundamental physics. In particular it would give access to the effective neutrino mass. In order to extract such information from 0νββ decay half-life measurements, the knowledge of the Nuclear Matrix Elements (NME) is of utmost importance. In this context the NUMEN and the NURE projects aim to extract information on the NME by measuring cross sections of Double Charge Exchange reactions in selected systems which are expected to spontaneously decay via 0νββ. In this work an overview of the experimental challenges that NUMEN is facing in order to perform the experiments with accelerated beams and the research and development activity for the planned upgrade of the INFN-LNS facilities is reported.Consejo Europeo de Investigación (ERC), Fondo Europeo Programa de investigación e innovación Horizonte 2020 de la Unión n.º 714625)

Understanding the mechanisms of nuclear collisions: A complete study of the 10 B + 120 Sn reaction

Background: Reactions involving exotic and stable weakly bound nuclei have been extensively studied in recent years. Although several models have been successfully used to explain particular reaction outcomes, the answers to many questions remain elusive. In previous works, we presented elastic, inelastic, and transfer angular distributions for the 10B + 120Sn system measured at ELab = 31.5, 33.0, 35.0, and 37.5 MeV. The data set was analyzed through coupled reaction channels calculations in the context of the double-folding São Paulo potential. Purpose: We investigate nuclear reaction mechanisms for systems involving weakly bound projectiles. Method: Angular distributions for several nuclear reaction processes were measured for the 10B + 120Sn system at ELab = 39.70 MeV. Results: The new data set involves angular distributions for elastic scattering, projectile and target inelastic excitations, one-neutron pickup transfer, one-proton stripping transfer, deuteron pickup transfer, and 3,4 He stripping transfer. We have also observed 10Be nuclei. The effect of the couplings to some nonelastic states on the angular distributions is discussed. Conclusion: The theoretical calculations within the coupled reaction channels formalism provide an overall good agreement with the corresponding inelastic, one-neutron stripping, one-proton pickup, one-deuteron pickup, and 3 He stripping transfer data. However, to improve the description of the elastic scattering angular distribution, the inclusion of additional channels in the coupling scheme might be necessary.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) 2018/09998-8, 2019/07767-1, 2019/05769-7 y 2017/05660-0;Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) 304056/2019-7, 302160/2018-3 y 306433/2017- 6Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia-Física Nuclear e Aplicações (INCT-FNA) 464898/2014-5Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades de España. PGC2018-096994-B-C21Ministerio de Economía de España y Competitividad y fondos FEDER. FIS2017-88410-

Investigation of the reaction mechanisms for 10 B + 197 Au at near-barrier energies

The 10 B + 197 Au reaction has been investigated through cross-section measurements for different channels, such as quasielastic and elastic scattering, inelastic excitation of low-lying 197 Au states, and one-neutron pickup and one-proton stripping transfer reactions. Experimental angular distributions were obtained for 20 bombardment energies around the Coulomb barrier: 38 ≤ E l a b ≤ 61 MeV . Coupled reaction channels calculations have been performed in the context of the double-folding São Paulo potential, and details of the data analysis are discussed along the paper. In general, the theoretical calculations provide a satisfactory description of the data.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) 2018/09998-8 y 2017/05660-0,Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico de Brasil (CNPq) 407096/2017-5 y 306433/2017-6Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia: Física Nuclear de Brasil (INCT-FNA) 464898/2014-5Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades de España. PGC2018-096994-B-C21Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España, Fondo de Desarrollo Regional de la Unión Europea (FEDER) FIS2017-88410-PPrograma de investigación e innovación Horizonte 2020 de la Unión Europea.654002Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina (CONICET) PIP00786COFondo para la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica de Argentina (FONCYT) PICT-2017-408

Investigation of the fusion process for B 10 + Au 197 at near-barrier energies

In a previous work, we presented data for the B10+Au197 system, corresponding to quasielastic and elastic scattering, Au197 inelastic excitation, and one neutron pickup transfer, measuring the angular distribution of scattered beam-like ejectiles at several energies around the Coulomb barrier. In this paper, we present data for the fusion process of the same system, at several energies around the Coulomb barrier, as well as new data for one neutron pickup and stripping transfer. In this case, we detected offline γ rays stemming from the β-delayed decay chain of fusion-evaporation residues and heavy transfer products. As in our previous work, we analyzed this data set with coupled reaction channels calculations using the São Paulo potential. We show that the coupling to the one neutron transfer channel is quite important to describe the fusion data at the sub-barrier energy region. We also provide a comparison of the experimental fusion cross sections obtained for B10+Au197 with data for several other systems involving the same target nucleus.Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET, Argentina) PIP00786COFondo para la Investigacin Cientfica y Tecnolgica (FONCYT, Argentina) PICT-2017-4088Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP, Brazil) 2018/09998-8, 2019/07767-1, 2019/05769-7Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, Brazil) 302160/2018-3, 304056/2019-7Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades PGC2018-096994-B-C2

Elastic scattering, inelastic excitation, and neutron transfer for Li 7 + Sn 120 at energies around the Coulomb barrier

Experimental angular distributions for the 7 Li + 120 Sn elastic and inelastic (projectile and target excitations) scattering, and for the neutron stripping reaction, have been obtained at E LAB = 20, 22, 24, and 26 MeV, covering an energy range around the Coulomb barrier ( V (LAB) B ≈ 21 . 4 MeV). Coupled channel and coupled reaction channel calculations were performed and both describe satisfactorily the experimental data sets. The 1 2 − state 7 Li inelastic excitation (using a rotational model), as well as the projectile coupling to the continuum ( α plus a tritium particle) play a fundamental role on the proper description of elastic, inelastic, and transfer channels. Couplings to the one-neutron stripping channel do not significantly affect the theoretical elastic scattering angular distributions. The spectroscopic amplitudes of the transfer channel were obtained through a shell model calculation. The theoretical angular distributions for the one-neutron stripping reaction agreed with the experimental data