W. Galster

Louvain-Edinburgh Detector Array (LEDA): a silicon detector array for use with radioactive nuclear beams

We discuss the design and implementation of the Louvain-Edinburgh Detector Array: a charged particle detector array composed of silicon-strip detectors which is used for the study of nuclear astrophysics and nuclear physics using radioactive nuclear beams at the Louvain-1a-Neuve radioactive nuclear beam facility

A Direct Measurement of the F-18(p,Alpha)o-15 Reaction

The cross section for the F-18(p,alpha) O-15 reaction has been obtained in reverse kinematics (F-18 beam on CH2 target) between 550 and 740 keV above threshold, i.e. in a region of astrophysical interest. The reaction yield is dominated by a wide resonant state whose spin, parity, total width and partial widths were deduced from the analysis of the alpha-particle and elastic proton data.

Information about the 12C(α,γ)16O reaction from the β-delayed proton decay of 17Ne

We are studying the β-delayed proton decay of 17Ne with the goal of determining the E2 part of the 12C(α,γ)16O cross section at energies relevant to helium burning in stars. We have determined branching ratios for proton and α-decay for states in 17F from 8.08 to 11.193 MeV. In addition, we have observed the break-up of the isobaric analogue state (IAS) at 11.193 MeV into three particles via two channels: proton decay to the 9.59 MeV state in 16O which breaks up into an α-particle plus 12C; and α-decay to the 2.365 MeV state in 13N which breaks up into a proton plus 12C. This is the first reported observation of the decay of the IAS to the 1− state in 16O at 9.59 MeV.

Long range absorption in the scattering of 6He on 208Pb and 197Au at 27 MeV

Quasi-elastic scattering of 6He at E_lab=27 MeV from 197Au has been measured in the angular range of 6-72 degrees in the laboratory system employing LEDA and LAMP detection systems. These data, along with previously analysed data of 6He + 208Pb at the same energy, are analyzed using Optical Model calculations. The role of Coulomb dipole polarizability has been investigated. Large imaginary diffuseness parameters are required to fit the data. This result is an evidence for long range absorption mechanisms in 6He induced reactions. Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, minor corrections. To appear in Nucl. Phys. A

Elastic 2n-transfer in the 4He(6He,6He)4He scattering

The elastic scattering He-4(He-6,He-6)He-4 has been investigated at center-of-mass energies of 11.6 and 15.9 MeV. Differential cross sections are determined using a post-accelerated He-6 (T-1/2 = 0.807 s) beam in the center-of-mass angular range between 50 and 140 degrees. The comparison of the measured data with calculations using a double folding potential shows evidence for the 2n-transfer process in the He-4(He-6,He-6)He-4 elastic scattering

Two proton emission induced via a resonance reaction

A radioactive beam of N-13 ions was used to bombard a (CH2)(n) target in order to populate a narrow resonance at 7.77 MeV in O-14. A weak two proton decay branch was observed with a width of 125 +/- 20 eV which occurs predominantly by a sequential mechanism. A limit for He-2 emission of Gamma(2He) < 6 eV is compared with calculations.

Performance of the ARES recoil separator for (p, γ) reaction measurements

In Louvain-la-Neuve, the Astrophysics REcoil Separator (ARES), was installed to measure (p,γ) reactions of astrophysical interest induced by radioactive beams. ARES was coupled to the CYCLONE44 cyclotron. First tests performed with an 19F stable beam, i.e., the H(19F,20Ne)γ reaction, are reported.

MICRON-CT USING PIXE WITH MICRO-BEAMS

We developed a micron-CT consisting of micro-beam system and X-ray CCD camera (Hamamatsu photonics C8800X), whose element size is 8μm×8μm and a total number of image elements 1000×1000 gives an image size of 8mm×8mm. The sample is placed in a tube of a small diameter, which is rotated by a stepping motor. The transmission data through the sample are taken with characteristic Ti-K-X-rays (4.558 keV) produced by 3MeV proton and α particle micro-beams. After image reconstruction using an iteration method, 3D-images of small objects namely, hair and small ants were obtained with a spatial resolution of ~5μm. It is expected that our micron-CT can provide cross sectional images of in-vivo cellular samples with high resolution and can be applied to a wide range of research in biology and medicine.

The 18F(p,α) reaction and its astrophysical implications

F-18 radioactive beams were used to measure the F-18(p,alpha) reaction in the c.m. energy ranges of 265-535 keV and 550-740 keV. In each case, a resonant level was clearly detected, of which the resonant strength and some other properties were deduced. The astrophysical reaction rate was calculated down to the novae peak temperature. Consequences for the hot CNO cycles were drawn

Excitation-energy and Spin Dependence of the Giant-dipole Resonance At Finite Temperature

In order to investigate the evolution of the GDR from low to high excitation energies, a series of experiments, in which high energy gamma-rays were measured in heavy ion fusion reactions, have been performed at JAERI and at RIKEN. It has been confirmed that the width of the GDR increases rapidly for Ex greater-than-or-equal-to 100 MeV and our previously introduced GAMMA(E(x)) can explain the data well for 80 less-than-or-equal-to E(x) less-than-or-equal-to 120 MeV. The limiting temperature of the nucleus for existing of the GDR has been deduced for A approximately 70, 105 and 130. The GDR seems to disappear at the temperature of about a quarter of the resonance energy.