J. M. Allmond

Sub-barrier fusion enhancement with radioactive 134Te

The fusion cross sections of radioactive 134Te + 40Ca were measured at energies above and below the Coulomb barrier. The evaporation residues produced in the reaction were detected in a zero-degree ionization chamber providing high efficiency for inverse kinematics. Both coupled-channel calculations and comparison with similar Sn + Ca systems indicate an increased sub-barrier fusion probability that is correlated with the presence of positive Q-value neutron transfer channels. In comparison, the measured fusion excitation functions of 130Te + 58,64Ni, which have positive Q-value neutron transfer channels, were accurately reproduced by coupled-channel calculations including only inelastic excitations. The results demonstrate that the coupling of transfer channels can lead to enhanced sub-barrier fusion but this is not directly correlated with positive Q-value neutron transfer channels in all cases.

Shape coexistence and the role of axial asymmetry in 72Ge

Abstract The quadrupole collectivity of low-lying states and the anomalous behavior of the 0 2 + and 2 3 + levels in 72Ge are investigated via projectile multi-step Coulomb excitation with GRETINA and CHICO-2. A total of forty six E2 and M1 matrix elements connecting fourteen low-lying levels were determined using the least-squares search code, gosia . Evidence for triaxiality and shape coexistence, based on the model-independent shape invariants deduced from the Kumar–Cline sum rule, is presented. These are interpreted using a simple two-state mixing model as well as multi-state mixing calculations carried out within the framework of the triaxial rotor model. The results represent a significant milestone towards the understanding of the unusual structure of this nucleus.

Observation of γ vibrations and alignments built on non-ground-state configurations in Dy156

The exact nature of the lowest Kπ=2+ rotational bands in all deformed nuclei remains obscure. Traditionally they are assumed to be collective vibrations of the nuclear shape in the γ degree of freedom perpendicular to the nuclear symmetry axis. Very few such γ bands have been traced past the usual backbending rotational alignments of high-j nucleons. We have investigated the structure of positive-parity bands in the N=90 nucleus Dy156, using the Nd148(C12,4n)Dy156 reaction at 65 MeV, observing the resulting γ-ray transitions with the Gammasphere array. The even- and odd-spin members of the Kπ=2+γ band are observed up to 32+ and 31+, respectively. This rotational band faithfully tracks the ground-state configuration to the highest spins. The members of a possible γ vibration built on the aligned yrast S band are observed up to spins 28+ and 27+. An even-spin positive-parity band, observed up to spin 24+, is a candidate for an aligned S band built on the seniority-zero configuration of the 0+2 state at 676 keV. The crossing of this band with the 0+2 band is at ℏωc=0.28(1)MeV and is consistent with the configuration of the 0+2 band not producing any blocking of the monopole pairing.

High-precision B(E2) measurements of semi-magic Ni 58,60,62,64 by Coulomb excitation

J. M. Allmond,1 B. A. Brown,2,3 A. E. Stuchbery,4 A. Galindo-Uribarri,5,6 E. Padilla-Rodal,7 D. C. Radford,5 J. C. Batchelder,8 M. E. Howard,9 J. F. Liang,5 B. Manning,9 R. L. Varner,5 and C.-H. Yu5 1JINPA, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA 2National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA 3Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA 4Department of Nuclear Physics, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200, Australia 5Physics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA 6Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA 7Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, UNAM, AP 70-543, 04510 Mexico, D.F., Mexico 8UNIRIB, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA 9Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903, USA (Received 13 May 2014; revised manuscript received 7 August 2014; published 15 September 2014)

Relative {sup 235}U(n,{gamma}) and (n,f) cross sections from {sup 235}U(d,p{gamma}) and (d,pf)

Author(s): Allmond, J.M. | Abstract: The internal surrogate ratio method allows for the determination of an unknown cross section, such as (n,y), relative to a better-known cross section, such as (n,f), by measuring the relative exitchannel probabilities of a surrogate reaction that proceeds through the same compound nucleus. The validity of the internal surrogate ratio method is tested by comparing the relative gamma and fission exit-channel probabilities of a 236U* compound nucleus, formed in the 235U(d,p) reaction, to the known 235U(n,y) and (n,f) cross sections. A model-independent method for measuring the gamma-channel yield is presented and used. PACS numbers: 24.87.+y, 24.75.+i, 24.50.+g, 25.85.Ge

Electromagnetic Moments of Radioactive 136Te and the Emergence of Collectivity 2p ⊕ 2n outside of Double-Magic 132Sn

Radioactive ^{136}Te has two valence protons and two valence neutrons outside of the ^{132}Sn double shell closure, providing a simple laboratory for exploring the emergence of collectivity and nucleon-nucleon interactions. Coulomb excitation of ^{136}Te on a titanium target was utilized to determine an extensive set of electromagnetic moments for the three lowest-lying states, including B(E2;0_{1}^{+}→2_{1}^{+}), Q(2_{1}^{+}), and g(2_{1}^{+}). The results indicate that the first-excited state, 2_{1}^{+}, composed of the simple 2p⊕2n system, is prolate deformed, and its wave function is dominated by excited valence neutron configurations, but not to the extent previously suggested. It is demonstrated that extreme sensitivity of g(2_{1}^{+}) to the proton and neutron contributions to the wave function provides unique insight into the nature of emerging collectivity, and g(2_{1}^{+}) was used to differentiate among several state-of-the-art theoretical calculations. Our results are best described by the most recent shell model calculations.

N = 90 region: The decays of Eu 152 m , g to Sm 152

The decays of {152m,g}Eu to 152Sm have been studied by gamma-ray spectroscopy using the 8pi Spectrometer, an array of 20 Compton-suppressed Ge detectors. Very weak gamma-decay branches in 152Sm were investigated through gamma-gamma coincidence spectroscopy. All possible E2 transitions between states below 1550 keV with transition energies > 130 keV are observed, including the previously unobserved 2^+_3 to 0^+_2 401 keV transition. The results, combined with existing lifetime data, provide a number of new or revised E2 transition strengths which are critical for clarifying the collective structure of 152Sm and the N=90 isotones.

First observation of low-energy γ-ray enhancement in the rare-earth region

Here, the γ-ray strength function and level density in the quasi-continuum of 151,153Sm have been measured using bismuth germanate shielded Ge clover detectors of the STARLiTeR system. The Compton shields allow an extraction of the γ strength down to unprecedentedly low γ energies of ≈ 500 keV. For the first time an enhanced low-energy γ-ray strength has been observed in the rare-earth region. In addition, for the first time both the upbend and the well-known scissors resonance have been observed simultaneously for the same nucleus. Hauser-Feshbach calculations show that this strength enhancement at low γ energies could have an impact of 2 3 orders of magnitude on the (n, γ) reaction rates for r-process nucleosynthesis.

Recent Direct Reaction Experimental Studies with Radioactive Tin Beams

Direct reaction techniques are powerful tools to study the single-particle nature of nuclei. Performing direct reactions on short-lived nuclei requires radioactive ion beams produced either via fragmentation or the Isotope Separation OnLine (ISOL) method. Some of the most interesting regions to study with direct reactions are close to the magic numbers where changes in shell structure can be tracked. These changes can impact the final abundances of explosive nucleosynthesis. The structure of the chain of tin isotopes is strongly influenced by the Z = 50 proton shell closure, as well as the neutron shell closures lying in the neutron-rich, N = 82, and neutron-deficient, N = 50, regions. Here, we present two examples of direct reactions on exotic tin isotopes. The first uses a one-neutron transfer reaction and a low-energy reaccelerated ISOL beam to study states in Sn-131 from across the N = 82 shell closure. The second example utilizes a one-neutron knockout reaction on fragmentation beams of neutron-deficient Sn-106,108Sn. In conclusion, In both cases, measurements of γ rays in coincidence with charged particles proved to be invaluable.

Surrogate Reactions in the Actinide Region

Over the past three years we have studied various surrogate reactions (d,p), ({sup 3}He,t), ({alpha},{alpha}{prime}) on several uranium isotopes {sup 234}U, {sup 235}U, {sup 236}U, and {sup 238}U. An overview of the STARS/LIBERACE surrogate research program as it pertains to the actinides is discussed. A summary of results to date will be presented along with a discussion of experimental difficulties encountered in surrogate experiments and future research directions.