M. Wiedeking

Observation of Large Scissors Resonance Strength in Actinides

The orbital M1 scissors resonance has been measured for the first time in the quasicontinuum of actinides. Particle-γ coincidences are recorded with deuteron and (3)He-induced reactions on (232)Th. The residual nuclei (231,232,233)Th and (232,233) Pa show an unexpectedly strong integrated strength of B(M1)=11-15μ(n)(2) in the E(γ)=1.0-3.5 MeV region. The increased γ-decay probability in actinides due to scissors resonance is important for cross-section calculations for future fuel cycles of fast nuclear reactors and may also have an impact on stellar nucleosynthesis.

Constant-temperature level densities in the quasicontinuum of Th and U isotopes

Particle-gamma coincidences have been measured to obtain gamma-ray spectra as a function of excitation energy for 231-233Th and 237-239U. The level densities, which were extracted using the Oslo method, show a constant temperature behavior. The isotopes display very similar temperatures in the quasi-continuum, however, the even-odd isotopes reveal a constant entropy increase Delta S compared to their even-even neighbors. The entropy excess depends on available orbitals for the last unpaired valence neutron of the heated nuclear system. Also, experimental microcanonical temperature and heat capacity have been extracted. Several poles in the heat capacity curve support the idea that an almost continuous melting of Cooper pairs is responsible for the constant-temperature behavior.

Characterizing time decay of bibenzyl scintillator using time correlated single photon counting.

The time decay of several scintillation materials has been measured using the time correlated single photon counting method and a new organic crystal with a highly suppressed delayed light has been identified. Results comparing the light decay of the bibenzyl crystal with a xylene based detector, which is currently installed at National Ignition Facility will be presented.

Transitional

The level densities and γ-ray strength functions of 105 ,106,111,112Cd have been extracted from particle-γ coincidence data using the Oslo method. The level densities are in very good agreement with known levels at low excitation energy. The γ-ray strength functions display no strong enhancement for low γ energies. However, more low-energy strength is apparent for 105,106Cd than for 111,112Cd. For γ energies above ≈4 MeV, there is evidence for some extra strength, similar to what has been previously observed for the Sn isotopes. The origin of this extra strength is unclear; it might be due to E1 and M1 transitions originating from neutron skin oscillations or the spin-flip resonance, respectively.

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We investigated the U238(d,p) reaction as a surrogate for the n+U238 reaction. For this purpose we measured for the first time the γ-decay and fission probabilities of U∗239 simultaneously and compared them to the corresponding neutron-induced data. We present the details of the procedure to infer the decay probabilities, as well as a thorough uncertainty analysis, including parameter correlations. Calculations based on the continuum-discretized coupled-channels method and the distorted-wave Born approximation (DWBA) were used to correct our data from detected protons originating from elastic and inelastic deuteron breakup. In the region where fission and γ emission compete, the corrected fission probability is in agreement with neutron-induced data, whereas the γ-decay probability is much higher than the neutron-induced data. We have performed calculations of the decay probabilities with the statistical model and of the average angular momentum populated in the U238(d,p) reaction with the DWBA to interpret these results.

strength in Cd isotopes

Excited states in 20O were populated in the reaction 10Be(14C,alpha) at Florida State University (FSU). Charged particles were detected with a particle telescope consisting of 4 annularly segmented Si surface barrier detectors and gamma radiation was detected with the FSU gamma detector array. Five new states were observed below 6 MeV from the alpha-gamma and alpha-gamma-gamma coincidence data. Shell model calculations suggest that most of the newly observed states are core-excited 1p-1h excitations across the N=Z=8 shell gap. Comparisons between experimental data and calculations for the neutron-rich O and F isotopes imply a steady reduction of the p-sd shell gap as neutrons are added.

Investigation of the U238(d,p) surrogate reaction via the simultaneous measurement of γ-decay and fission probabilities

Author(s): Renstrom, T; Nyhus, HT; Utsunomiya, H; Schwengner, R; Goriely, S; Larsen, AC; Filipescu, DM; Gheorghe, I; Bernstein, LA; Bleuel, DL; Glodariu, T; Gorgen, A; Guttormsen, M; Hagen, TW; Kheswa, BV; Lui, YW; Negi, D; Ruud, IE; Shima, T; Siem, S; Takahisa, K; Tesileanu, O; Tornyi, TG; Tveten, GM; Wiedeking, M | Abstract:

p-sd Shell Gap Reduction in Neutron-Rich Systems and Cross-Shell Excitations in ^2^0O

Author(s): Renstrom, T; Nyhus, HT; Utsunomiya, H; Schwengner, R; Goriely, S; Larsen, AC; Filipescu, DM; Gheorghe, I; Bernstein, LA; Bleuel, DL; Glodariu, T; Gorgen, A; Guttormsen, M; Hagen, TW; Kheswa, BV; Lui, YW; Negi, D; Ruud, IE; Shima, T; Siem, S; Takahisa, K; Tesileanu, O; Tornyi, TG; Tveten, GM; Wiedeking, M | Abstract:

Low-energy enhancement in theγ-ray strength functions ofGe73,74

The fusion-evaporation reaction

Low-energy enhancement in the γ-ray strength functions of 73,74Ge

^{9}\mathrm{Be}