A. Lopez-Martens

GABRIELA: A new detector array for γ-ray and conversion electron spectroscopy of transfermium elements

With the aid of the Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation package a new detection system has been designed for the focal plane of the recoil separator VASSILISSA situated at the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, JINR, Dubna. GABRIELA (Gamma Alpha Beta Recoil Investigations with the ELectromagnetic Analyser VASSILISSA) has been optimised to detect the arrival of reaction products and their subsequent radioactive decays involving the emission of α- and β-particles, fission fragments, γ- and X-rays and conversion electrons. The new detector system is described and the results of the first commissioning experiments are presented.

Relative spins and excitation energies of superdeformed bands in {sup 190}Hg: Further evidence for octupole vibration

An experiment using the Eurogam phase II {gamma}-ray spectrometer confirms the existence of an excited superdeformed (SD) band in {sup 190}Hg and its very unusual decay into the lowest SD band over 3--4 transitions. The energies of the transitions linking the two SD bands have been firmly established, and their angular distributions are consistent with a dipole character. Comparisons with calculations using random-phase approximation indicate that the excited SD band can be interpreted as an octupole-vibrational structure.

Gabriela setup for nuclear spectroscopy of the transfermium element isotopes at the VASSILISSA separator

The JINR (Dubna)-IN2P3 (France) Collaboration project aimed at the α, β γ, spectroscopy of the transfermium element isotopes using heavy-ion beams of the U-400 cyclotron and the modernized recoil separator VASSILISSA was launched at Dubna. During the first full-scale experiment in September–October 2004, nobelium and lawrencium isotopes produced in the 48Ca + 207,208Pb → 255,256No* and 48Ca + 209Bi → 257Lr* reactions were studied.

Development of the Experimental Setup Dedicated for Alpha, Gamma and Electron Spectroscopy of Heavy Nuclei at FLNR JINR

Various types of reactions and identification techniques were applied in the investigation of formation cross sections and decay properties of transuranium elements. The fusion—evaporation reactions with heavy targets, recoil—separation techniques and identification of nuclei by the parent—daughter generic coincidences with the known daughter‐nuclei after implantation into position—sensitive detectors were the most successful tools for production and identification of the heaviest elements known presently. This technique may be further improved and presently it may be very promising for the identification of new elements, search for new isotopes and measurement of new decay data for the known nuclei.At the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions (JINR, Dubna), investigations of the complete fusion reactions leading to the synthesis of heavy and superheavy nuclei with the use of heavy ion beams from a powerful U400 cyclotron have been an important part of the experimental program. It is planned to upgrade U...

On-line conversion electron measurements with a magnetic guide in heavy-ion-induced reactions

Abstract A practical description of a solenoidal electron guide and its adaptation on-line with heavy-ion accelerators is given. This includes details concerning the use of silicon detectors and a new preamplifier circuit. Examples of low-energy spectra obtained in γ-electron coincidence measurements carried out at the SARA and VIVITRON facilities, respectively, are shown and commented. Some conclusions are drawn from the experiments.

Confirmation of the existence of a superdeformed rotational band in192Pb

A controversy has arisen over the existence, or not, of a superdeformed rotational band in192Pb. We have carried out an experiment using the168Er(3OSi, 6n)192Pb reaction at 159 MeV and have observed the coincidentγ rays in the EUROGAM 2 spectrometer. We confirm the original result of Henry et al. that a superdeformed band exists in192Pb.

Two-Particle Separation Energies in the Superdeformed Well

The location of nuclear closed shells, as evidenced through discontinuities in binding energy and one- and two-particle separation energy systematics, remains one of the simplest tests of global nuclear models. How shell gaps evolve, whether with increasing mass, increasing neutron:proton ratio or increasing deformation, is still uncertain, and it has recently been suggested that one must go beyond a static meanfield picture to include the effects of dynamic fluctuations in the nuclear shape even in the ground state. The identification of key properties which may distinguish between competing approaches is thus vital. Comparison of the binding energies of superdeformed nuclei in the A ≈ 190 region shows that two-proton separation energies are higher in the superdeformed state than in the normal state, despite the probably lower Coulomb barrier and lower total binding energy. Possible reasons for this difference are discussed. This somewhat counterintuitive result provides a critical test for global nuclear models.

On‐line separator for γ‐spectroscopic studies at FLNR JINR

A JINR — IN2P3 collaboration project named “GABRIELA” aimed at the nuclear spectroscopy of transfermium elements using the recoil separator VASSILISSA was launched in 2004 at JINR in Dubna. In the close future the FLNR cyclotron U400M will go through a major upgrade with the goal to deliver heavy ion beams at the energy close to the Coulomb barrier in a new experimental area. Here we report about R&D of the new separator for spectroscopic studies which we plan to install at the beam of the modernized accelerator and which will allow to realize new possibilities of the GABRIELA project.

Charged particle feeding of hyperdeformed nuclei in the A=118?126 region

A breakthrough was recently obtained in the analysis of the so-called Hyper-Long-HyperDeformed (HLHD) experiment made at the EUROBALL-IV γ-detector array (EB). The 64Ni + 64Ni ⇒ 128Ba* fusion reaction was studied at Ebeam = 255 and 261 MeV, reaching the highest angular momentum that the compound nuclei can accommodate. To date no discrete HD rotational bands have been identified. However, rotational patterns in the form of ridge-structures in three-dimensional (3D) rotational mapped spectra are identified with dynamic moments of inertia J(2) ranging from 71 to 1112 MeV-1 in 12 different nuclei selected by charged particle- and/or γ-gating. The four nuclei, 118Te, 124Cs, 125Cs and 124Xe found with moment of inertia J(2)≥100 2 MeV-1, are most likely hyperdeformed, the remaining nuclei with smaller values of J(2), are considered to be superdeformed, in qualitative agreement with recent theoretical calculations.

On the association of toroidal and axial magnetic fields for conversion electron spectroscopy

Abstract The properties corresponding to the addition of a convergent toroidal magnetic lens between the source and the solenoidal field of an electron-guide are calculated and experimentally tested on a non-optimized present system. The conditions necessary to fully exploit this original association are deduced from this first implementation. It is possible to obtain an improved efficiency on a large energy range, together with a large β+ rejection and an increase of the solid angle freed for a complementary γ-detection.