| 1. |
- Doornenbal, P., et al.
(författare)
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RISING: Gamma‐ray Spectroscopy with Radioactive Beams at GSI
- 2007
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Ingår i: AIP Conference Proceedings. - : AIP. - 0094-243X. - 9780735413283 ; 891, s. 99-107
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Rare Isotope Spectroscopic INvestigation at GSI (RISING) project is a major pan‐European collaboration. Its physics aims are the studies of exotic nuclear matter with abnormal proton‐to‐neutron ratios compared with naturally occurring isotopes. RISING combines the FRagment Separator (FRS) which allows relativistic energies and projectile fragmentation reactions with EUROBALL Ge Cluster detectors for γ spectroscopic research. The RISING setup can be used in two different configurations. Either the nuclei of interest are investigated after being stopped or the heavy ions hit a secondary target at relativistic energies and the thereby occurring excitations are studied. For the latter case, MINIBALL Ge detectors and the HECTOR array are used in addition. Example achievements of the Fast Beam setup are presented and compared to various shell model calculations, while for the Stopped Beam setup initial results are shown.
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| 2. |
- Kmiecik, M., et al.
(författare)
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Spin-alignment and g-factor Measurement of the I=12+ Isomer in 192Pb Produced in the Relativistic-energy Fragmentation of a 238U Beam
- 2010
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Ingår i: European Physical Journal A. Hadrons and Nuclei. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1434-6001. ; 45:2, s. 153-158
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The feasibility of measuring g-factors using the TDPAD method applied to high-energy, heavy fragmentation products is explored. The 2623 keV I-pi = 12(+) isomer in Pb-192 with tau = 1.57 mu s has been produced using the fragmentation of a 1 A GeV U-238 beam. The results presented demonstrate for the first time that such heavy nuclei produced in a fragmentation reaction with a relativistic beam are sufficiently well spin-aligned. Moreover, the rather large value of the alignment, 28(10)% of the maximum possible, is preserved during the separation process allowing the determination of magnetic moments. The measured values of the lifetime, tau = 1.54(9) mu s, and the g-factor, g = -0.175(20), agree with the results of previous investigations using fusion-evaporation reactions.
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| 3. |
- Neyens, G., et al.
(författare)
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g-Factor Measurements on Relativistic Isomeric Beams Produced by Fragmentation and U-fission: The g-RISING Project at GSI
- 2007
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Ingår i: Acta Physica Polonica. Series B: Elementary Particle Physics, Nuclear Physics, Statistical Physics, Theory of Relativity, Field Theory. - 0587-4254. ; 38:4, s. 1237-1247
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Within the RISING (Rare ISotope INvestigations @ GSI) Collaboration at GSI, g factor measurements have been performed on isomeric states in neutron-rich isotopes approaching Sn-132 and in the neutron deficient Pb-region (the g-RISING campaign). We present the experimental technique and some typical aspects related to such studies on relativistic beams selected with the FRS fragment separator. First results are presented for the (19/2(+)) 4.5 mu s isomeric state in Sn-127, which has been produced by means of fission of a relativistic U-238 beam on the one hand, and by the fragmentation of a relativistic Xe-136 beam on the other hand. Spin-alignment has been observed in both reactions. It was the first time that spin-alignment has been established in a relativistic fission reaction.
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| 4. |
- Agirre, Jon, et al.
(författare)
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The CCP4 suite: integrative software for macromolecular crystallography
- 2023
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Ingår i: Acta Crystallographica Section D. - : INT UNION CRYSTALLOGRAPHY. - 2059-7983. ; 79, s. 449-461
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Collaborative Computational Project No. 4 (CCP4) is a UK-led international collective with a mission to develop, test, distribute and promote software for macromolecular crystallography. The CCP4 suite is a multiplatform collection of programs brought together by familiar execution routines, a set of common libraries and graphical interfaces. The CCP4 suite has experienced several considerable changes since its last reference article, involving new infrastructure, original programs and graphical interfaces. This article, which is intended as a general literature citation for the use of the CCP4 software suite in structure determination, will guide the reader through such transformations, offering a general overview of the new features and outlining future developments. As such, it aims to highlight the individual programs that comprise the suite and to provide the latest references to them for perusal by crystallographers around the world.
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| 5. |
- Brasseur, Z., et al.
(författare)
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Measurement report: Introduction to the HyICE-2018 campaign for measurements of ice-nucleating particles and instrument inter-comparison in the Hyytiala boreal forest
- 2022
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1680-7316 .- 1680-7324. ; 22:8, s. 5117-5145
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The formation of ice particles in Earth's atmosphere strongly influences the dynamics and optical properties of clouds and their impacts on the climate system. Ice formation in clouds is often triggered heterogeneously by ice-nucleating particles (INPs) that represent a very low number of particles in the atmosphere. To date, many sources of INPs, such as mineral and soil dust, have been investigated and identified in the low and mid latitudes. Although less is known about the sources of ice nucleation at high latitudes, efforts have been made to identify the sources of INPs in the Arctic and boreal environments. In this study, we investigate the INP emission potential from high-latitude boreal forests in the mixed-phase cloud regime. We introduce the HyICE-2018 measurement campaign conducted in the boreal forest of Hyytiala, Finland, between February and June 2018. The campaign utilized the infrastructure of the Station for Measuring Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations (SMEAR) II, with additional INP instruments, including the Portable Ice Nucleation Chamber I and II (PINC and PINCii), the SPectrometer for Ice Nuclei (SPIN), the Portable Ice Nucleation Experiment (PINE), the Ice Nucleation SpEctrometer of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (INSEKT) and the Microlitre Nucleation by Immersed Particle Instrument (mu L-NIPI), used to quantify the INP concentrations and sources in the boreal environment. In this contribution, we describe the measurement infrastructure and operating procedures during HyICE-2018, and we report results from specific time periods where INP instruments were run in parallel for inter-comparison purposes. Our results show that the suite of instruments deployed during HyICE-2018 reports consistent results and therefore lays the foundation for forthcoming results to be considered holistically. In addition, we compare measured INP concentrations to INP parameterizations, and we observe good agreement with the Tobo et al. (2013) parameterization developed from measurements conducted in a ponderosa pine forest ecosystem in Colorado, USA.
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| 6. |
- Lozeva, R. L., et al.
(författare)
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New sub-us Isomers in 125Sn, 127Sn, 129Sn and Isomer Systematics of 124-130Sn
- 2008
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Ingår i: Physical Review C (Nuclear Physics). - 0556-2813. ; 77:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- New sub-mu s isomers have been observed in the neutron-rich Sn isotopes. Sn-125,Sn-127,Sn-129 nuclei have been produced in a relativistic fission reaction of U-238 on a Be-9 target at 750 A.MeV and by the fragmentation of Xe-136 at 600 A.MeV populating high-spin yrast states. In addition to the already known mu s isomers, three new ones with sub-mu s half-lives have been observed. These yrast isomers are the high-spin members of the nu(d(3/2)(-1)h(11/2)(-2)) and nu h(11/2)(-n), seniority v = 3 multiplets leading to isomeric (23/2(+)) and (27/2(-)) states, respectively. Added to the already known 19/2(+)mu s isomers in this region the current work completes the systematic information of neutron-hole excitations toward the filling of the last h(11/2) orbital at N = 82. The results are discussed in the framework of state-of-the-art shell-model calculations using realistic interactions.
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| 7. |
- Pietri, S., et al.
(författare)
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First Results from the Stopped Beam Isomer RISING Campaign at GSI
- 2007
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Ingår i: Acta Physica Polonica. Series B: Elementary Particle Physics, Nuclear Physics, Statistical Physics, Theory of Relativity, Field Theory. - 0587-4254. ; 38:4, s. 1255-1264
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The first results from a series of experiments focused on the study of the internal structure of nuclei at the extremes of N:Z ratio using isomer spectroscopy are reported. These experiments represent the first of the Stopped Beam section of the Rare Isotopes Investigations at GSI (RISING) project. Exotic nuclei were synthesized using relativistic projectile fragmentation of similar to 500 -> 1000 MeV/u beams of Ag-107, Pb-208, Xe-136 and Ni-58, or fission of 750 MeV/u U-238 provided by the SIS synchrotron at GSI. A detailed description of the RISING stopped beam set up is given, together with a report of the performance of the associated gamma-ray spectrometer array. Selected results of the first experimental campaign are presented together with a discussion on the use of isomeric spectroscopy to study GeV range nuclear fragmentation. Details on future research plans of this collaboration are also outlined.
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| 8. |
- Atanasova, L., et al.
(författare)
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g-factor Measurements at RISING: The Cases of 127Sn and 128Sn
- 2010
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Ingår i: Europhysics Letters. - : IOP Publishing. - 0295-5075. ; 91:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report on g-factor measurements of the 19/2(+) T-1/2 = 4.5(3) mu s isomer in Sn-127 and the 10(+) T-1/2 = 2.69(23) mu s isomer in Sn-128. These isomers were produced and spin-aligned in relativistic heavy-ion fragmentation at GSI and were selected and separated by the GSI fragment separator ( FRS). The gamma-rays of the isomeric decay were detected by the RISING gamma-ray spectrometer. The method of time-differential perturbed angular distributions was utilized. The measured g-factors, g(19/2(+); Sn-127) =-0.17(2) and g(10(+); Sn-128)=-0.20(4), are compared with shell model calculations. The measured g-factors confirm the predominantly nu h(11/2)(-2) and nu(s(1/2)(-1) h(11/2)(-2)) character of the 10(+) and 19/2(-) isomers in Sn-128 and Sn-127, respectively. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the method for similar measurements in exotic neutron-rich nuclei. Copyright (C) EPLA, 2010
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| 9. |
- Lederman, J. S., et al.
(författare)
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International collaborative follow-up investigation of graduating high school students' understandings of the nature of scientific inquiry : is progress Being made?
- 2021
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Ingår i: International Journal of Science Education. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0950-0693 .- 1464-5289. ; 43:7, s. 991-1016
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Understandings of the nature of scientific inquiry (NOSI), as opposed to engaging students in inquiry learning experiences, are included in science education reform documents around the world. However, little is known about what students have learned about NOSI during their pre-college school years. The purpose of this large-scale follow-up international project (i.e. 32 countries and regions, spanning six continents and including 3917 students for the high school sample) was to collect data on what exiting high school students have learned about NOSI. Additionally, the study investigated changes in 12th grade students' NOSI understandings compared to seventh grade (i.e. 20 countries and regions) students' understandings from a prior investigation [Lederman et al. (2019). An international collaborative investigation of beginning seventh grade students' understandings of scientific inquiry: Establishing a baseline. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 56(4), 486-515. ]. This study documents and discusses graduating high school students' understandings and compares their understandings to seventh grade students' understandings of the same aspects of scientific inquiry for each country. It is important to note that collecting data from each of the 130+ countries globally was not feasible. Similarly, it was not possible to collect data from every region of each country. A concerted effort was made, however, to provide a relatively representative picture of each country and the world.
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| 10. |
- Regan, P. H., et al.
(författare)
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First Results from the Stopped RISING Campaign at GSI: The Mapping of Isomeric Decays in Highly Exotic Nuclei
- 2007
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Ingår i: AIP Conference Proceedings. - : AIP. - 0094-243X. - 9780735413283 ; 899, s. 19-22
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The first results from the Stopped Beam RISING experimental campaign performed at the GSI laboratory in Darmstadt, Germany, are presented. RISING (Rare ISotope INvestigations at GSI) constitutes a major new experimental program in European nuclear structure physics research aimed at using relativistic‐energy, projectile‐fragmentation reactions to study nuclei with exotic proton‐to‐neutron ratios. This paper introduces the physics aims of the Stopped RISING collaboration and presents some technical details and initial results from experiments using the RISING array to study decays from metastable nuclear states in both proton and neutron‐rich nuclei.
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| 11. |
- Rudolph, Dirk, et al.
(författare)
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Exciting Isomers from the First Stopped-beam RISING Campaign
- 2007
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Ingår i: The European Physical Journal. Special Topics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1951-6355 .- 1951-6401. ; 150, s. 173-176
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- First results are reported from a major new initiative of experiments, which focus on nuclear structure studies at extreme isospin values by means of isomer spectroscopy. The experiments represent the first part of the so-called stopped-beam campaign within the Rare ISotope INvestigations at GSI (RISING) project. Time-correlated gamma decays from individually identified nuclear species have been measured, allowing the clean identification of isomeric decays in a wide range of exotic nuclei both at the proton drip-line and in heavy, neutron-rich systems. An overview of the experimental technique will be given, together with the performance of the new germanium detector array and future research plans for the collaboration.
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| 12. |
- Podolyak, Zs., et al.
(författare)
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Isomeric Decay Studies Around 204Pt and 148Tb
- 2007
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Ingår i: The European Physical Journal. Special Topics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1951-6355 .- 1951-6401. ; 150, s. 165-168
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Relativistic energy projectile fragmentation of Pb-208 has been used to produce a range of exotic nuclei. The nuclei of interest were studied by detecting delayed gamma rays following the decay of isomeric states. Experimental information on the excited states of the neutron-rich N = 126 nucleus, Pt-204, following internal decay of two isomeric states, was obtained for the first time. In addition, decays from the previously reported isomeric I=27h and I=(49/2)h states in Tb-148 and Gd-147, respectively, have been observed. These isomeric decays represent the highest spin discrete states observed to date following a projectile fragmentation reaction, and opens further the possibility of doing 'high-spin physics' using this technique.
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| 13. |
- Ralet, D., et al.
(författare)
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Evidence of octupole-phonons at high spin in Pb-207
- 2019
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Ingår i: Physics Letters B. - : ELSEVIER. - 0370-2693 .- 1873-2445. ; 797
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A lifetime measurement of the 19/2(-) state in Pb-207 has been performed using the Recoil Distance Doppler-Shift (RDDS) method. The nuclei of interest were produced in multi-nucleon transfer reactions induced by a Pb-208 beam impinging on a Mo-100 enriched target. The beam-like nuclei were detected and identified in terms of their atomic mass number in the VAMOS++ spectrometer while the prompt gamma rays were detected by the AGATA tracking array. The measured large reduced transition probability B(E3, 19/2(-) -> 13/2(+)) = 40(8) W.u. is the first indication of the octupole phonon at high spin in Pb-207. An analysis in terms of a particle-octupole-vibration coupling model indicates that the measured B(E3) value in Pb-207 is compatible with the contributions from single-phonon and single particle E3 as well as E3 strength arising from the double-octupole-phonon 6(+) state, all adding coherently. A crucial aspect of the coupling model, namely the strong mixing between single-hole and the phonon-hole states, is confirmed in a realistic shell-model calculation. Crown Copyright (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier B.V.
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| 14. |
- Regan, P. H., et al.
(författare)
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Isomer Spectroscopy Using Relativistic Projectile Fragmentation at the N=Z Line for A~80-90
- 2007
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Ingår i: Nuclear Physics, Section A. - : Elsevier BV. - 0375-9474. ; 787:1-4, s. 491-498
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The preliminary results from the RISING Stopped Beam Isomer Campaign are presented, with specific focus on results of the initial experiment to investigate isomeric decays along the N=Z line around A similar to 80-90 following the projectile fragmentation of a Ag-107 primary beam at an energy of 750 MeV per nucleon. A description of the technical aspects behind the design of the RISING array is presented, together with evidence for previously unreported isomeric decays in Tc-87,Tc-88 and the N=Z nuclei Nb-82(41) and Tc-86(43).
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| 15. |
- Vuorinen, V., et al.
(författare)
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Modelling aerosol transport and virus exposure with numerical simulations in relation to SARS-CoV-2 transmission by inhalation indoors
- 2020
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Ingår i: Safety Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0925-7535. ; 130
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We provide research findings on the physics of aerosol and droplet dispersion relevant to the hypothesized aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2 during the current pandemic. We utilize physics-based modeling at different levels of complexity, along with previous literature on coronaviruses, to investigate the possibility of airborne transmission. The previous literature, our 0D-3D simulations by various physics-based models, and theoretical calculations, indicate that the typical size range of speech and cough originated droplets (d⩽20μm) allows lingering in the air for O(1h) so that they could be inhaled. Consistent with the previous literature, numerical evidence on the rapid drying process of even large droplets, up to sizes O(100μm), into droplet nuclei/aerosols is provided. Based on the literature and the public media sources, we provide evidence that the individuals, who have been tested positive on COVID-19, could have been exposed to aerosols/droplet nuclei by inhaling them in significant numbers e.g. O(100). By 3D scale-resolving computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, we give various examples on the transport and dilution of aerosols (d⩽20μm) over distances O(10m) in generic environments. We study susceptible and infected individuals in generic public places by Monte-Carlo modelling. The developed model takes into account the locally varying aerosol concentration levels which the susceptible accumulate via inhalation. The introduced concept, ’exposure time’ to virus containing aerosols is proposed to complement the traditional ’safety distance’ thinking. We show that the exposure time to inhale O(100) aerosols could range from O(1s) to O(1min) or even to O(1h) depending on the situation. The Monte-Carlo simulations, along with the theory, provide clear quantitative insight to the exposure time in different public indoor environments.
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| 16. |
- Rudolph, Dirk, et al.
(författare)
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Isospin Symmetry and Proton Decay: Identification of the 10+ Isomer in 54Ni
- 2008
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Ingår i: Physical Review C (Nuclear Physics). - 0556-2813. ; 78:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The gamma decays from an isomeric 10+ state at 6457 keV in the nucleus 54Ni have been identified using the GSI fragment separator in conjunction with the RISING Ge-detector array. The state is interpreted as the isobaric analog of the 6527-keV 10+ isomer in 54Fe. The results are discussed in terms of isospin-dependent shell-model calculations. Clear evidence is presented for a discrete l = 5 proton decay branch into the first excited 9/2- state of the daughter 53Co. This decay is the first of its kind observed following projectile fragmentation reactions.
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| 17. |
- Hoischen, Robert, et al.
(författare)
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Isomeric Mirror States as Probes for Effective Charges in the Lower pf Shell
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics. - : IOP Publishing. - 0954-3899 .- 1361-6471. ; 38:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Following the fragmentation of a 550 MeV u(-1)primary beam of Ni-58, time-and energy-correlated gamma decays from isomeric states in neutron-deficient nuclei in the 1f(7/2) shell have been identified using the GSI fragment separator in combination with the RISING Ge-detector array. The results on isomers in the mirror pairs Ti-43(22)21-Sc-43(21)22 (I-pi = 3/2(+) and 19/2(-)), Cr-45(24)21-Sc-45(21)24 (I-pi = 3/2(+)) and V-45(23)22-Ti-45(22)23 (I-pi = 3/2(-)) are discussed in the framework of large scale pf and sdpf shell-model calculations, the former in conjunction with isospin symmetry breaking effects with emphasis on effective charges.
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| 18. |
- Rudolph, Dirk, et al.
(författare)
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Evidence for an Isomeric 3/2- State in 53Co
- 2008
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Ingår i: European Physical Journal A. Hadrons and Nuclei. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1434-6001. ; 36:2, s. 131-138
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The fragmentation of a 550MeV/u primary beam of Ni-58 on a Be-9 target has been used to measure time-and energy-correlated gamma decays following the implantation of event-by-event discriminated secondary fragments into a Be-9 stopper plate. A new isomeric gamma decay with T-1/2 = 14(6 4) ns and E-gamma = 646.2(2) keV is observed and attributed to the decay of the yrast 3/2-state in Co-53(27)26. This short-lived isomeric state has been populated by means of nuclear reactions during the stopping process of the secondary fragments. The experimental findings are discussed in the framework of large-scale spherical shell model calculations in conjunction with isospin symmetry-breaking residual interactions for the A = 53, Tz = +/- 1/2 mirror nuclei Co-53 and Fe-53.
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| 19. |
- Atanasova, Aleksandrina, et al.
(författare)
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Digital nomadism as temporal privilege
- 2022
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Ingår i: The Routledge Handbook of Digital Consumption. - London : Routledge. - 9781000644616 - 9781032329604 ; , s. 22-34
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- That time is a valuable commodity in our contemporary society preoccupied with productivity and the speed afforded by digital technologies is well established in the marketing literature. Two streams of literature have emerged: one associating status with lack of time and busyness and the other linking status to the ability to enjoy slowness. How consumers’ perceptions of time unfold beyond a fast-slow binary, however, is not well understood. In this chapter, we draw from an interpretive exploration of digital nomadism as a liquid lifestyle enabled by the digital marketplace and introduce the notion of temporal privilege as a marker of status based on a perception of time abundance and time sovereignty. We demonstrate that temporal privilege is achieved through (1) rejection of productivity orientations and (2) projection of temporal control. We thus highlight an emergent way to signal status that revolves neither around slowness nor busyness, but around the ability to circumvent binary temporal rhythms to gain an abundance of free time. This is perceived as a form of temporal privilege. We contribute to the ongoing debate on time as status by introducing temporal status as a new form of distinction in the context of liquidity and digitalization.
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| 20. |
- Dzhambov, Angel M., et al.
(författare)
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Residential greenspace is associated with mental health via intertwined capacity-building and capacity-restoring pathways
- 2019
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Ingår i: Environmental Research. - : ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE. - 0013-9351 .- 1096-0953. ; 178
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Experiences afforded by natural settings promote health by helping people to build new adaptive capacities and to restore existing capacities. The aim of this study was to examine relations among restorative experience, mindfulness, rumination and psychological resilience in pathways linking residential greenspace to anxiety and depression symptoms.Methods: We sampled 529 university students residing in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Residential greenspace was measured in terms of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and tree cover density for different buffer sizes. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were measured with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (7-item) and Patient Health Questionnaire (9-item), respectively. The following mediators were assessed by self-report: perceived greenspace, restorative quality of the neighborhood, dispositional mindfulness, rumination, and psychological resilience. Structural equation modelling techniques were used to test the theoretically-indicated relations among the variables.Results: Across different buffer sizes, higher greenspace was consistently associated with reduced scores on the anxiety and depression scales. This effect was partially mediated via several pathways. Specifically, higher NDVI500-m was associated with higher perceived greenspace, and in turn, with higher restorative quality, and then with higher mindfulness, lower rumination, and greater resilience to stress, and consequently, with better mental health.Conclusions: Our findings affirm the potential of greenspace for building psychological resilience and promoting health by offsetting dysfunctional rumination and facilitating mindfulness as components of intertwined capacity-building and capacity-restoring pathways.
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| 21. |
- Jaitner, Annika, et al.
(författare)
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Smoking during pregnancy and its effect on placental weight: a Mendelian randomization study.
- 2024
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Ingår i: BMC pregnancy and childbirth. - 1471-2393. ; 24:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The causal relationship between maternal smoking in pregnancy and reduced offspring birth weight is well established and is likely due to impaired placental function. However, observational studies have given conflicting results on the association between smoking and placental weight. We aimed to estimate the causal effect of newly pregnant mothers quitting smoking on their placental weight at the time of delivery.We used one-sample Mendelian randomization, drawing data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) (N=690 to 804) and the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) (N=4267 to 4606). The sample size depends on the smoking definition used for different analyses. The analysis was performed in pre-pregnancy smokers only, due to the specific role of the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1051730 (CHRNA5 - CHRNA3 - CHRNB4) in affecting smoking cessation but not initiation.Fixed effect meta-analysis showed a 182g [95%CI: 29,335] higher placental weight for pre-pregnancy smoking mothers who continued smoking at the beginning of pregnancy, compared with those who stopped smoking. Using the number of cigarettes smoked per day in the first trimester as the exposure, the causal effect on placental weight was 11g [95%CI: 1,21] per cigarette per day. Similarly, smoking at the end of pregnancy was causally associated with higher placental weight. Using the residuals of birth weight regressed on placental weight as the outcome, we showed evidence of lower offspring birth weight relative to the placental weight, both for continuing smoking at the start of pregnancy as well as continuing smoking throughout pregnancy (change in z-score birth weight adjusted for z-score placental weight: -0.8 [95%CI: -1.6,-0.1]).Our results suggest that continued smoking during pregnancy causes higher placental weights.
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