| 1. |
- Ballan, M., et al.
(författare)
-
Nuclear physics midterm plan at Legnaro National Laboratories (LNL)
- 2023
-
Ingår i: European Physical Journal Plus. - 2190-5444. ; 138:8, s. 3-26
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The next years will see the completion of the radioactive ion beam facility SPES (Selective Production of Exotic Species) and the upgrade of the accelerators complex at Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare – Legnaro National Laboratories (LNL) opening up new possibilities in the fields of nuclear structure, nuclear dynamics, nuclear astrophysics, and applications. The nuclear physics community has organised a workshop to discuss the new physics opportunities that will be possible in the near future by employing state-of-the-art detection systems. A detailed discussion of the outcome from the workshop is presented in this report.
|
|
| 2. |
- Agudo, I., et al.
(författare)
-
Panning for gold, but finding helium: Discovery of the ultra-stripped supernova SN 2019wxt from gravitational-wave follow-up observations
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 675
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present the results from multi-wavelength observations of a transient discovered during an intensive follow-up campaign of S191213g, a gravitational wave (GW) event reported by the LIGO-Virgo Collaboration as a possible binary neutron star merger in a low latency search. This search yielded SN 2019wxt, a young transient in a galaxy whose sky position (in the 80% GW contour) and distance (∼150 Mpc) were plausibly compatible with the localisation uncertainty of the GW event. Initially, the transienta's tightly constrained age, its relatively faint peak magnitude (Mi ∼ -16.7 mag), and the r-band decline rate of ∼1 mag per 5 days appeared suggestive of a compact binary merger. However, SN 2019wxt spectroscopically resembled a type Ib supernova, and analysis of the optical-near-infrared evolution rapidly led to the conclusion that while it could not be associated with S191213g, it nevertheless represented an extreme outcome of stellar evolution. By modelling the light curve, we estimated an ejecta mass of only ∼0.1 M·, with 56Ni comprising ∼20% of this. We were broadly able to reproduce its spectral evolution with a composition dominated by helium and oxygen, with trace amounts of calcium. We considered various progenitor channels that could give rise to the observed properties of SN 2019wxt and concluded that an ultra-stripped origin in a binary system is the most likely explanation. Disentangling genuine electromagnetic counterparts to GW events from transients such as SN 2019wxt soon after discovery is challenging: in a bid to characterise this level of contamination, we estimated the rate of events with a volumetric rate density comparable to that of SN 2019wxt and found that around one such event per week can occur within the typical GW localisation area of O4 alerts out to a luminosity distance of 500 Mpc, beyond which it would become fainter than the typical depth of current electromagnetic follow-up campaigns.
|
|
| 3. |
- Alcayne, V., et al.
(författare)
-
A segmented total energy detector (sTED) for (n, gamma) cross section measurements at n_TOF EAR2
- 2023
-
Ingår i: 15TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NUCLEAR DATA FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, ND2022. - : EDP Sciences.
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The neutron time-of-flight facility n_TOF is characterised by its high instantaneous neutron intensity, high resolution and broad neutron energy spectra, specially conceived for neutron-induced reaction cross section measurements. Two Time-Of-Flight (TOR) experimental areas are available at the facility: experimental area 1 (EAR1), located at the end of the 185 m horizontal flight path from the spallation target, and experimental area 2 (EAR2), placed at 20 m from the target in the vertical direction. The neutron fluence in EAR2 is similar to 300 times more intense than in EARL in the relevant time-of-flight window. EAR2 was designed to carry out challenging cross-section measurements with low mass samples (approximately 1 mg), reactions with small cross-sections or/and highly radioactive samples. The high instantaneous fluence of EAR2 results in high counting rates that challenge the existing capture systems. Therefore, the sTED detector has been designed to mitigate these effects. In 2021, a dedicated campaign was done validating the performance of the detector up to at least 300 keV neutron energy. After this campaign, the detector has been used to perform various capture cross section measurements at n_TOF EAR2.
|
|
| 4. |
- Stamati, M. E., et al.
(författare)
-
The n_TOF NEAR Station Commissioning and first physics case
- 2023
-
Ingår i: 15TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NUCLEAR DATA FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, ND2022. - : EDP Sciences.
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The NEAR Station is a new experimental area developed at the n_TOF Facility at CERN. The activation station of NEAR underwent a characterization of the beam following the installation of the new n_TOF Spallation Target. The commissioning of the neutron beam comprises a set of simulations made with the FLUKA code and experimental verification. The experimental determination of the neutron spectrum was made using activation techniques with three separate set-ups. Two set-ups were based on the Multi-foil Activation technique (MAM-1 and MAM-2), and the third set-up relied on the process of neutron moderation and activation of a single material (ANTILoPE). The three set-ups are presented. Also the present plans and future perspectives of the activation station of NEAR are discussed.
|
|
| 5. |
- Garcia-Infantes, F., et al.
(författare)
-
First high resolution measurement of neutron capture resonances in Yb-176 at the n_TOF CERN facility.
- 2023
-
Ingår i: 15TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NUCLEAR DATA FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, ND2022. - : EDP Sciences.
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Several international agencies recommend the study of new routes and new facilities for producing radioisotopes with application to nuclear medicine. Lu-177 is a versatile radioisotope used for therapy and diagnosis (theranostics) of cancer with good success in neuroendocrine tumours that is being studied to be applied to a wider range of tumours. Lu-177 is produced in few nuclear reactors mainly by the neutron capture on Lu-176. However, it could be produced at high -intensity accelerator-based neutron facilities. The energy of the neutrons in accelerator-based neutron facilities is higher than in thermal reactors. Thus, experimental data on the Yb-176(n,(sic)) cross-section in the eV and keV region are mandatory to calculate accurately the production of Yb-177, which beta decays to 177Lu. At present, there are not experimental data available from thermal to 3 keV of the Yb-176(n,(sic)) cross-section. In addition, there is no data in the resolved resonance region (RRR). This contribution shows the first results of the Yb-176 capture measurement performed at the n_TOF facility at CERN.
|
|
| 6. |
- Mucciola, R., et al.
(författare)
-
Neutron capture and total cross-section measurements on Mo-94'95'96 at n_TOF and GELINA
- 2023
-
Ingår i: 15th International Conference on Nuclear Data for Science and Technology, ND2022. - : EDP Sciences.
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Capture and total cross section measurements for 94'95'96 MO have been performed at the neutron time -of-flight facilities, n_TOF at CERN and GELINA at JRC-Geel. The measurements were performed using isotopically enriched samples with an enrichment above 95% for each of the (94'95'96)M0 isotopes. The capture measurements were performed at n_TOF using C6D6 detectors and a new sTED detector. The transmission measurements were performed at a 10 m station of GELINA using a Li-6 glass neutron detector. Preliminary results of these measurements are presented.
|
|
| 7. |
- Pavon-Rodriguez, J. A., et al.
(författare)
-
Characterisation of the n_TOF 20 m beam line at CERN with the new spallation target
- 2023
-
Ingår i: 15TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NUCLEAR DATA FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, ND2022. - : EDP Sciences.
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The n_TOF facility hosts CERN's pulsed neutron source, comprising two beam lines of different flight paths and one activation station. It is based on a proton beam delivered by the PS accelerator impinging on a lead spallation target. During Long Shutdown 2 (LS2) at CERN (2019-2021), a major upgrade of the spallation target was carried out in order to optimize the performances of the neutron beam. Therefore, the characteristics of n_TOF two experimental areas were investigated in detail. In this work, the focus is on the second experimental area (EAR2), located 20 m above the spallation target. Preliminary results of the neutron energy distribution and beam line energy resolution are presented, compared to previous experimental campaigns and Monte Carlo simulations with the FLUKA code. Moreover, preliminary results of the spatial beam profile measurements are shown.
|
|
| 8. |
- Massimi, C., et al.
(författare)
-
Neutron-induced cross section measurements
- 2023
-
Ingår i: EPJ Web of Conferences. - : EDP Sciences. - 2100-014X. ; 279
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Neutron-induced cross sections represent the main nuclear input to models of stellar and Big-Bang nucleosynthesis. While (n,γ) reactions are relevant for the formation of elements heavier than iron, (n,p) and (n,α) reactions can play an important role in specific cases. The time-of-flight method is routinely used at n_TOF to experimentally determine the cross section data. In addition, recent upgrades of the facility will allow the use of activation techniques as well, possibly opening the way to a systematic study of neutron interaction with radioactive isotopes. In the last 20 years n_TOF has provided a large amount of experimental data for Nuclear Astrophysics. Our plan is to carry on challenging measurements and produce nuclear data in the next decades as well.
|
|
| 9. |
- Patronis, N., et al.
(författare)
-
Status report of the n_TOF facility after the 2nd CERN long shutdown period
- 2023
-
Ingår i: EPJ TECHNIQUES AND INSTRUMENTATION. - : Springer Nature. - 2195-7045. ; 10
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- During the second long shutdown period of the CERN accelerator complex (LS2, 2019-2021), several upgrade activities took place at the n_TOF facility. The most important have been the replacement of the spallation target with a next generation nitrogen-cooled lead target. Additionally, a new experimental area, at a very short distance from the target assembly (the NEAR Station) was established. In this paper, the core commissioning actions of the new installations are described. The improvement in the n_TOF infrastructure was accompanied by several detector development projects. All these upgrade actions are discussed, focusing mostly on the future perspectives of the n_TOF facility. Furthermore, some indicative current and future measurements are briefly reported.
|
|
| 10. |
- Balibrea-Correa, J., et al.
(författare)
-
First measurement of the 94Nb(n,γ) cross section at the CERN n_TOF facility
- 2023
-
Ingår i: EPJ Web of Conferences. - : EDP Sciences. - 2100-014X. ; 279
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- One of the crucial ingredients for the improvement of stellar models is the accurate knowledge of neutron capture cross-sections for the different isotopes involved in the s-,r- and i- processes. These measurements can shed light on existing discrepancies between observed and predicted isotopic abundances and help to constrain the physical conditions where these reactions take place along different stages of stellar evolution.In the particular case of the radioactive 94Nb, the 94Nb(n,γ) cross-section could play a role in the determination of the s-process production of 94Mo in AGB stars, which presently cannot be reproduced by state-of-the-art stellar models. There are no previous 94Nb(n,γ) experimental data for the resolved and unresolved resonance regions mainly due to the difficulties in producing highquality samples and also due to limitations in conventional detection systems commonly used in time-of-flight experiments.Motivated by this situation, a first measurement of the 94Nb(n,γ) reaction was carried out at CERN n_TOF, thereby exploiting the high luminosity of the EAR2 area in combination with a new detection system of small-volume C6D6-detectors and a high quality 94Nb-sample. The latter was based on hyper-pure 93Nb material activated at the high-flux reactor of ILL-Grenoble. An innovative ring-configuration detection system in close geometry around the capture sample allowed us to significantly enhance the signal-to-background ratio. This set-up was supplemented with two conventional C6D6-detectors and a highresolution LaCl3(Ce)-detector, which will be employed for addressing reliably systematic effects and uncertainties.At the current status of the data analysis, 18 resonance in 94Nb+n have been observed for the first time in the neutron energy range from thermal up to 10 keV.
|
|
