E. F. Jones

New cold and ultra hot binary and cold ternary spontaneous fission modes for 252Cf and new band structures with gammasphere

Abstract Prompt γ-γ-γ and x-γ-γ coincidence studies following the spontaneous fission of 252Cf were carried out first at Oak Ridge then at Gammasphere first with 36 and later with 72 Ge and two x-ray detectors and a long x-ray-γ coincidence experiment at Idaho. Many new cases of correlated pairs in cold (zero neutron emission) binary fission are observed and for the first time the heavier correlated pairs are identified in ternary fission where the third partners are α, 6He (or α2n), 10Be and, tentatively, 14C. Theoretical calculations were carried out of the relative yields of cold binary and ternary fission. There is reasonable agreement between the relative theoretical and experimental yields. New level structures and isotopes include new octupole deformations, identical bands and other structures. Stable octupole deformation is now observed in N=86, 140Xe, 142Ba and 144Ba and 143Ba, 148Ba and to higher spin in 144Ba. The 142–146Ba data provide the first evidence for the predicted disappearance of stable octupole deformation at high spins from band crossings. Identical yrast bands are observed with widely different neutron and proton numbers in 98,100Sr, 108,110Ru, 112,116Pd, 144,146Ba, 152,154,156Nd, 156Sm, 160Gd and a new type of shifted identical bands in 156,158,160Sm as well as the first identical octupole bands in 142,144Ba. Other new level structures are found. Yields and neutron multiplicities were measured directly for SrNd, ZrCe, MoBa, RuXe, and PdTe correlated pairs. A new ultra hot fission mode was discovered going via only 108Mo144Ba, 107Mo145Ba, and/or 106Mo146Ba pairs where one or more of 44,145,146Ba are hyperdeformed at scission with 3:1 axis ratio.

Observation of a vh{sub 11/2} pair alignment in neutron-rich {sup 118}Pd

The yrast band was significantly extended to 14{sup +} and the {gamma} band to 5{sup +} in neutron-rich {sup 118}Pd by measuring the {gamma}-{gamma}-{gamma} coincidences emitted from the spontaneous fission of {sup 252}Cf with Gammasphere. The first band crossing was observed in the yrast band in {sup 118}Pd at a frequency of {Dirac_h}{omega}{approx}0.36 MeV at the starting point of the backbending, which is similar to that found in {sup 112-116}Pd. The first bandbending in the yrast cascade in {sup 118}Pd is interpreted to be built on a two h{sub 11/2} neutron configuration based on its similarity to the yrast bands in even-even {sup 112-116}Pd. Our result indicates {sup 118}Pd still maintains a prolate shape. The quasineutron Routhian calculations indicate a lower crossing frequency for the h{sub 11/2} level.

Possible octupole correlation in {sup 147}Pr and {pi}h{sub 11/2} bands in {sup 149,151}Pr

Neutron-rich {sup 147,149,151}Pr nuclei, produced in the spontaneous fission of {sup 252}Cf, were studied using the Gammasphere array. Possible parity doublets in {sup 147}Pr with N=88 and {pi}h{sub 11/2} bands in {sup 149,151}Pr are proposed. These new data on the level structures of odd Pr isotopes suggest that octupole correlations may also be present in the neutron-rich {sub 59}{sup 147}Pr{sub 88} nucleus such as those observed in {sub 58}{sup 146}Ce{sub 88}, and also that the h{sub 11/2} bands in the {sup 149,151}Pr track in energy the yrast bands in {sup 148,150}Ce. The backbending related to the breaking of the neutron i{sub 13/2} pair is observed at {Dirac_h}{omega}{approx}0.27 (MeV) for the proton h{sub 11/2} band of {sup 149}Pr.

Observation of Rotational Bands in Neutron-Rich 106Mo Nucleus

The rotational bands up to a spin of 16 in the neutron-rich 106Mo nucleus have been investigated by measuring high-fold prompt γ-ray coincidence events following spontaneous fission of 252Cf with a Gammasphere detector array. The ground-state band, the one-phonon and two-phonon γ-vibrational bands, as well as a quasi-particle band have been confirmed and expanded. The other four collective rotational bands, three proposed as two-quasi-particle bands and one proposed as a β-vibrational band, have been newly observed. The characteristics of these collective bands and the possible configurations for the quasi-particle bands are discussed.

Collective Bands in Neutron-Rich 104Mo Nucleus

Levels in the neutron-rich 104Mo nucleus have been investigated by observing prompt γ-rays from the spontaneous fission of 252Cf with the Gammasphere detector array. The ground-state band, the one-phone and the two-phone γ-vibrational bands as well as a quasiparticle band have been confirmed and expanded with spin up to 14. Other two side bands probably built on new quasiparticle states are identified. The possible configurations for the quasiparticle bands are discussed. Two of the quasiparticle bands show larger moments of inertia and may have pair-free characteristics. The levels of the ground-state band, the one-phonon γ-band and the two-phonon γ-band calculated from a general collective model are in close agreement with the experimental data. PACS: 21. 10. Re, 23. 20. Lv, 27. 60. +j, 25. 85. Ca

Collective Bands in 104,106,108Mo

We have used our analysis of γ-γ-γ data (5.7 × 1011 triples and higher folds) taken with Gammasphere from prompt γ rays emitted in the spontaneous fission of 252Cf to study the collective bands in 104,106,108Mo. The one-phonon and two-phonon γ-vibrational bands and known two-quasiparticle bands in neutron-rich 104,106Mo were extended to higher spins. The one-and two-phonon γ-vibrational bands have remarkably close energies for transitions from the same spin states and identical moments of inertia. Several new bands are observed and are proposed as quasiparticle bands in 104,106Mo, along with the first β-type vibrational band in 106Mo. The quasiparticle bands have essentially constant moments of inertia near the rigid-body value that indicate blocking of the pairing interaction. Candidates for chiral doublet bands in 106Mo are strong. These are the first reported chiral vibrational bands in an even-even nucleus.

Identical and shifted identical bands

SummarySpontaneous fission of252Cm was studied with 72 large Compton suppressed Ge detectors in Gammasphere. New isotopes160Sm and162Gd were identified. Through X-ray-γ and γ-γ-γ coincidence measurements, level energies were established to spins 14+ to 20+ in152, 154, 15660Nd92, 94, 96156, 158, 16062Sm94, 96, 98 and160, 16264Gd96, 98. These nuclei exhibit a remarkable variety of identical bands and bands where the energies and moments of inertia are shifted by the same constant amounts for every spin state from 2+ to 12+ for various combinations of nuclei differing by 2n, 4n, 2p, 4p and α.

Identification of {sup 162}Gd and a new type of identical bands

From γ-γ-γ coincidence measurements in spontaneous fission of 252Cf, level energies were established to spins 14+ to 20+ in many neutron-rich nuclei. New isotope 162Gd was identified. Yrast bands of 152,154,156Nd, 156,158,160Sm, and 160,162Gd exhibit near-identical transition energies and moments of inertia (MOI) shifted by the same constant amounts for every spin state from 2+ to 12+ or 14+ for nuclei differing by 2n, 4n, 2p, 4p, α, α+2p, and α+2n. These shifted identical bands (SIB) are a new phenomenon. Analysis of all known even-even proton- to neutron-rich nuclei from Ba(Z=56) to Os(Z=76) reveal no SIB for proton-rich nuclei and few cases of SIB for the most neutron-rich pairs around N=98–102 separated by 2n and 2p.

A new phenomenon - shifted identical bands

Abstract From spontaneous fission data in the prompt γ-ray emission of 252 Cf, the isotopes 162 Gd and 160 Sm were identified and the level schemes of 160 Gd and 158 Sm were extended. From over 700 comparisons of even-even yrast bands from Xe to Os separated by 2n, 2p, α, 4n, 4p, 2α, α+2n, α+2p, 2n-2p, and other cases, from the ground state to 8 + and sometimes as high as 18 + , 55 ground state shifted identical bands (SIB) and 4 identical bands (IB) were found. After the shift, these SIBs are seen to be more identical than previously known IBs and are not correlated with (N p N n )(N p N n )′, β 2 β′ 2 , E(4 + )/E(2 + ), saturation of collectivity, or with the variation in the ground band - s band interaction strength. They are seen only in well-deformed stable to most neutron rich nuclei from Nd to Hf, and are not seen in γ bands.

A new phenomenon—shifted identical bands and new region of stable octupole deformation

SummaryFrom γ-γ-γ coincidence measurements in the spontaneous fission of252Cf, level energies were established for spins 14+ to 20+ in many neutron-rich nuclei. New isotopes160Sm and162Gd were identified. The yrast bands of152,154,156Nd,156,158,160Sm, and160,162Gd exhibit remarkably near-identical transition energies and moments of inertia which are shifted by the same constant amounts for every spin state from 2+ to 12+ or 14+ for nuclei differing by 2n, 4n, 2p, 4p, α, α+2p, and α+2n. These shifted identical bands (SIB) are a new phenomenon. Analysis of all known even-even proton- to neutron-rich nuclei from Ba (Z = 56) to Os (Z = 76) reveal no SIB for proton-rich nuclei and only a few additional cases of SIB for the most neutron-rich pairs aroundN = 98–102 separated by 2n and 2p. The levels in8107Mo were extended and levels in109Mo identified for the first time.Conversion coefficient measurements and level patterns help establish a new region of stable octupole deformation for107,109Mo withN = 65, 67, associated with theν(d5/2-h11/2) orbitals. This is the first region based on only one pair of orbitals.