X. W. Ma

Mass Measurement of 45Cr and Its Impact on the Ca-Sc Cycle in X-Ray Bursts

Masses of neutron-deficient 58Ni projectile fragments have been measured at the HIRFL-CSR facility in Lanzhou, China employing the isochronous mass spectrometry technique. Masses of a series of short-lived Tz = –3/2 nuclides including the 45Cr nucleus have been measured with a relative uncertainty of about 10–6-10–7. The new 45Cr mass turned out to be essential for modeling the astrophysical rp-process. In particular, we find that the formation of the predicted Ca-Sc cycle in X-ray bursts can be excluded.

High-resolution measurement of the time-modulated orbital electron capture and of the β+ decay of hydrogen-like 142Pm60+ ions

Abstract The periodic time modulations, found recently in the two-body orbital electron capture (EC) decay of both, hydrogen-like 140Pr58+ and 142Pm60+ ions, with periods near to 7 s and amplitudes of about 20%, were re-investigated for the case of 142Pm60+ by using a 245 MHz resonator cavity with a much improved sensitivity and time resolution. We observed that the exponential EC decay is modulated with a period T = 7.11 ( 11 ) s , in accordance with a modulation period T = 7.12 ( 11 ) s as obtained from simultaneous observations with a capacitive pick-up, employed also in the previous experiments. The modulation amplitudes amount to a R = 0.107 ( 24 ) and a P = 0.134 ( 27 ) for the 245 MHz resonator and the capacitive pick-up, respectively. These new results corroborate for both detectors exactly our previous findings of modulation periods near to 7 s , though with distinctly smaller amplitudes. Also the three-body β + decays have been analyzed. For a supposed modulation period near to 7 s we found an amplitude a = 0.027 ( 27 ) , compatible with a = 0 and in agreement with the preliminary result a = 0.030 ( 30 ) of our previous experiment. These observations could point at weak interaction as origin of the observed 7 s -modulation of the EC decay. Furthermore, the data suggest that interference terms occur in the two-body EC decay, although the neutrinos are not directly observed.

Identification of the Lowest T =2, Jπ =0+ Isobaric Analog State in 52Co and Its Impact on the Understanding of β-Decay Properties of52Ni

Masses of ^{52g,52m}Co were measured for the first time with an accuracy of ∼10u2009u2009keV, an unprecedented precision reached for short-lived nuclei in the isochronous mass spectrometry. Combining our results with the previous β-γ measurements of ^{52}Ni, the T=2, J^{π}=0^{+} isobaric analog state (IAS) in ^{52}Co was newly assigned, questioning the conventional identification of IASs from the β-delayed proton emissions. Using our energy of the IAS in ^{52}Co, the masses of the T=2 multiplet fit well into the isobaric multiplet mass equation. We find that the IAS in ^{52}Co decays predominantly via γ transitions while the proton emission is negligibly small. According to our large-scale shell model calculations, this phenomenon has been interpreted to be due to very low isospin mixing in the IAS.

Neutron beam tests of CsI(Na) and CaF2(Eu) crystals for dark matter direct search

Abstract In recent decades, inorganic crystals have been widely used in dark matter direct search experiments. To contribute to the understanding of the capabilities of CsI(Na) and CaF2(Eu) crystals, a mono-energetic neutron beam is utilized to study the properties of nuclear recoils, which are expected to be similar to signals of dark matter direct detection. The quenching factor of nuclear recoils in CsI(Na) and CaF2Eu, as well as an improved discrimination factor between nuclear recoils and γ backgrounds in CsI(Na), are reported.

Half-life measurements of highly charged radionuclides

In recent years several measurements of the orbital electron capture half-lives of few-electron ions have been carried out employing the storage ring ESR at GSI. Hydrogen-like and helium-like 140Pr and 142Pm as well as hydrogen-like 122I were studied. Half-lives of the corresponding fully ionized nuclides provide the three-body β+ decay constants.

First isochronous mass measurements with two time-of-flight detectors at CSRe

Isochronous mass spectrometry (IMS) established in heavy-ion storage rings has proven to be a powerful tool for mass measurements of short-lived nuclides. In IMS, the revolution times of stored ions should be independent of their velocity spread. However, this isochronous condition is fulfilled only in the first order and in a small range of revolution times. To correct for non-isochronicity, an additional measure of the velocity or magnetic rigidity of each stored ion is required. For this purpose two new time-of-flight (TOF) detectors were installed in one of the straight sections of the experimental cooler storage ring in Lanzhou. It is expected that the resolving power of the IMS will significantly be improved with such a double-TOF arrangement. The double-TOF system was tested in a recent experiment with the Kr-78 fragments. Some of the experimental results are presented in this contribution.

Test of IMME in fp shell via direct mass measurements of TZ = -3/2 nuclides

Isochronous mass spectrometry has been applied to neutron-deficient Ni-58 projectile fragments at the HIRFL-CSR facility in Lanzhou, China. Masses of four short-lived T-z = -3/2 nuclides Ti-41, Cr-45, Fe-49, and Ni-53 have been measured with a precision of 20 - 40 keV. The new mass data enabled for the first time to test the isobaric multiplet mass equation (IMME) in fp-shell nuclei. We observed that the IMME is inconsistent with the generally accepted quadratic form for the A = 53, T = 3/2 quartet. We performed full space shell model calculations and compared them with the new experimental results. The main results were published in Y.H. Zhang et al., Physical Review Letters 109 (2012). Here we give details on the experiment and data analysis as well as summarize the main findings.

Highly ionized spectra of the transition sulfur

The spectrum of highly ionized sulfur, S X-S XIII, has been observed in the wavelength range 190-400 A. A beam-foil method has been used. Thirty-one lines representing the transition 2s-2p have been identified, of which eight lines are new and are now accurately measured. Analysis of the spectra was based on theoretical results and other experimental data.

Mass Measurements of Proton‐rich Nuclides at the Cooler Storage Ring at IMP

Recent results and progress of mass measurements of proton‐rich nuclei using isochronous mass spectrometry (IMS) are reported. The nuclei under investigation were produced via fragmentation of relativistic energy heavy ions of 78Kr and 58Ni. After in‐flight separation by the fragment separator RIBLL‐2, the nuclei were injected and stored in the experimental storage ring CSRe, and their masses were determined from measurements of the revolution times. The impact of these measurements on the stellar nucleosynthesis in the rp‐process is discussed.

ONE AND TWO ELECTRON TRANSITIONS IN ENERGETIC ION AND HELIUM COLLISIONS

Abstract The single ionization (SI) and double ionization (DI), single and double ionization accompanying one electron loss (SS) of the projectile and the single and double electron capture of the projectile from target atom are investigated for 2.0–8.0 MeV Na q + –He and C1 q + –He collisions. The cross-section ratio of the double ionization (DI) to that of the SI, the ratio of SS+DI to SS+SI, and ratio of double capture (DC) cross-section to that of single capture (SC), are measured by means of time-of-flight technique. The velocity and charge state dependences of the measured cross-section ratios are studied and discussed. The obtained capture cross-section ratios are compared with the theoretical calculations using the classical over-barrier model.