| 1. |
- Holl, Matthias, 1986, et al.
(author)
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Border of the island of inversion: Unbound states in Ne-29
- 2022
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In: Physical Review C. - 2469-9985 .- 2469-9993. ; 105:3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The nucleus Ne-29 is situated at the border of the island of inversion. Despite significant efforts, no bound low-lying intruder f(7/2) state, which would place Ne-29 firmly inside the island of inversion, has yet been observed. Here, the first investigation of unbound states of Ne-29 is reported. The states were populated in Ne-30(p, pn) and Na-30(p, 2p) reactions at a beam energy of around 230 MeV/nucleon, and analyzed in terms of their resonance properties, partial cross sections, and momentum distributions. The momentum distributions are compared to calculations using the eikonal, direct reaction model, allowing assignments for the observed states. The lowest lying resonance at an excitation energy of 1.48(4) MeV shows clear signs of a significant l = 3 component, giving first evidence for f(7/2) single particle strength in Ne-29. The excitation energies and strengths of the observed states are compared to shell-model calculations using the SDPF-U-MIX interaction.
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| 2. |
- Revel, A., et al.
(author)
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Extending the Southern Shore of the Island of Inversion to F-28
- 2020
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In: Physical Review Letters. - 1079-7114 .- 0031-9007. ; 124:15
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Detailed spectroscopy of the neutron-unbound nucleus F-28 has been performed for the first time following proton/neutron removal from Ne-29/F-29 beams at energies around 230 MeV=nucleon. The invariant-mass spectra were reconstructed for both the F-27((*)) + n and F-26((*)) + 2n coincidences and revealed a series of well-defined resonances. A near-threshold state was observed in both reactions and is identified as the F-28 ground state, with S-n(F-28) = -199(6) keV, while analysis of the 2n decay channel allowed a considerably improved S-n(F-27) = 1620(60) keV to be deduced. Comparison with shell-model predictions and eikonal-model reaction calculations have allowed spin-parity assignments to be proposed for some of the lower-lying levels of F-28. Importantly, in the case of the ground state, the reconstructed F-27 + n momentum distribution following neutron removal from F-29 indicates that it arises mainly from the 1p(3/2) neutron intruder configuration. This demonstrates that the island of inversion around N = 20 includes F-28, and most probably F-29, and suggests that O-28 is not doubly magic.
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| 3. |
- Valiente-Dobón, J.J., et al.
(author)
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Manifestation of the Berry phase in the atomic nucleus 213Pb
- 2021
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In: Physics Letters B. - : Elsevier BV. - 0370-2693. ; 816
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The neutron-rich 213Pb isotope was produced in the fragmentation of a primary 1 GeV A 238U beam, separated in FRS in mass and atomic number, and then implanted for isomer decay γ-ray spectroscopy with the RISING setup at GSI. A newly observed isomer and its measured decay properties indicate that states in 213Pb are characterized by the seniority quantum number that counts the nucleons not in pairs coupled to angular momentum J=0. The conservation of seniority is a consequence of a geometric phase associated with particle-hole conjugation, which becomes observable in semi-magic nuclei where nucleons half-fill the valence shell. The γ-ray spectroscopic observables in 213Pb are thus found to be driven by two mechanisms, particle-hole conjugation and seniority conservation, which are intertwined through a Berry phase.
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| 4. |
- Zago, L., et al.
(author)
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High-spin states in 212Po above the α-decaying (18+) isomer
- 2022
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In: Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics. - : Elsevier BV. - 0370-2693. ; 834
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The nucleus 212Po has been produced through the fragmentation of a 238U primary beam at 1 GeV/nucleon at GSI, separated with the FRagment Separator, FRS, and studied via isomer γ-decay spectroscopy with the RISING setup. Two delayed previously unknown γ rays have been observed. One has been attributed to the E3 decay of a 21− isomeric state feeding the α-emitting 45-s (18+) high-spin isomer. The other γ-ray line has been assigned to the decay of a higher-lying 23+ metastable state. These are the first observations of high-spin states above the 212Po (18+) isomer, by virtue of the selectivity obtained via ion-by-ion identification of 238U fragmentation products. Comparison with shell-model calculations points to shortfalls in the nuclear interactions involving high-j proton and neutron orbitals, to which the region around Z∼100 is sensitive.
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| 5. |
- Heil, M., et al.
(author)
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A new Time-of-flight detector for the R 3 B setup
- 2022
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In: European Physical Journal A. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1434-601X .- 1434-6001. ; 58:12
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present the design, prototype developments and test results of the new time-of-flight detector (ToFD) which is part of the R3B experimental setup at GSI and FAIR, Darmstadt, Germany. The ToFD detector is able to detect heavy-ion residues of all charges at relativistic energies with a relative energy precision σΔE/ ΔE of up to 1% and a time precision of up to 14 ps (sigma). Together with an elaborate particle-tracking system, the full identification of relativistic ions from hydrogen up to uranium in mass and nuclear charge is possible.
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| 6. |
- Duer, M., et al.
(author)
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Observation of a correlated free four-neutron system
- 2022
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 606:7915
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A long-standing question in nuclear physics is whether chargeless nuclear systems can exist. To our knowledge, only neutron stars represent near-pure neutron systems, where neutrons are squeezed together by the gravitational force to very high densities. The experimental search for isolated multi-neutron systems has been an ongoing quest for several decades(1), with a particular focus on the four-neutron system called the tetraneutron, resulting in only a few indications of its existence so far(2-4), leaving the tetraneutron an elusive nuclear system for six decades. Here we report on the observation of a resonance-like structure near threshold in the four-neutron system that is consistent with a quasi-bound tetraneutron state existing for a very short time. The measured energy and width of this state provide a key benchmark for our understanding of the nuclear force. The use of an experimental approach based on a knockout reaction at large momentum transfer with a radioactive high-energy He-8 beam was key.
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| 7. |
- Browne, F., et al.
(author)
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Pairing Forces Govern Population of Doubly Magic Ca-54 from Direct Reactions
- 2021
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In: Physical Review Letters. - : American Physical Society (APS). - 0031-9007 .- 1079-7114. ; 126:25
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Direct proton-knockout reactions of Sc-55 at similar to 220 MeV/nucleon were studied at the RIKEN Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory. Populated states of Ca-54 were investigated through -ray and invariant-mass spectroscopy. Level energies were calculated from the nuclear shell model employing a phenomenological intemucleon interaction. Theoretical cross sections to states were calculated from distorted-wave impulse approximation estimates multiplied by the shell model spectroscopic factors, which describe the wave function overlap of the Sc-55 ground state with states in Ca-54. Despite the calculations showing a significant amplitude of excited neutron configurations in the ground-state of Sc-55, valence proton removals populated predominantly the ground state of Ca-54. This counterintuitive result is attributed to pairing effects leading to a dominance of the ground-state spectroscopic factor. Owing to the ubiquity of the pairing interaction, this argument should be generally applicable to direct knockout reactions from odd-even to even-even nuclei.
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| 8. |
- Kasliwal, Mansi M., et al.
(author)
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Kilonova Luminosity Function Constraints Based on Zwicky Transient Facility Searches for 13 Neutron Star Merger Triggers during O3
- 2020
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In: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 905:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present a systematic search for optical counterparts to 13 gravitational wave (GW) triggers involving at least one neutron star during LIGO/Virgo's third observing run (O3). We searched binary neutron star (BNS) and neutron star black hole (NSBH) merger localizations with the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) and undertook follow-up with the Global Relay of Observatories Watching Transients Happen (GROWTH) collaboration. The GW triggers had a median localization area of 4480 deg(2), a median distance of 267 Mpc, and false-alarm rates ranging from 1.5 to 10(-25) yr(-1). The ZTF coverage in the g and r bands had a median enclosed probability of 39%, median depth of 20.8 mag, and median time lag between merger and the start of observations of 1.5 hr. The O3 follow-up by the GROWTH team comprised 340 UltraViolet/Optical/InfraRed (UVOIR) photometric points, 64 OIR spectra, and three radio images using 17 different telescopes. We find no promising kilonovae (radioactivity-powered counterparts), and we show how to convert the upper limits to constrain the underlying kilonova luminosity function. Initially, we assume that all GW triggers are bona fide astrophysical events regardless of false-alarm rate and that kilonovae accompanying BNS and NSBH mergers are drawn from a common population; later, we relax these assumptions. Assuming that all kilonovae are at least as luminous as the discovery magnitude of GW170817 (-16.1 mag), we calculate that our joint probability of detecting zero kilonovae is only 4.2%. If we assume that all kilonovae are brighter than -16.6 mag (the extrapolated peak magnitude of GW170817) and fade at a rate of 1 mag day(-1) (similar to GW170817), the joint probability of zero detections is 7%. If we separate the NSBH and BNS populations based on the online classifications, the joint probability of zero detections, assuming all kilonovae are brighter than -16.6 mag, is 9.7% for NSBH and 7.9% for BNS mergers. Moreover, no more than <57% (<89%) of putative kilonovae could be brighter than -16.6 mag assuming flat evolution (fading by 1 mag day(-1)) at the 90% confidence level. If we further take into account the online terrestrial probability for each GW trigger, we find that no more than <68% of putative kilonovae could be brighter than -16.6 mag. Comparing to model grids, we find that some kilonovae must have M-ej M, X-lan > 10(-4), or > 30 degrees to be consistent with our limits. We look forward to searches in the fourth GW observing run; even 17 neutron star mergers with only 50% coverage to a depth of -16 mag would constrain the maximum fraction of bright kilonovae to <25%.
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| 9. |
- Ho, Anna Y. Q., et al.
(author)
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SN 2020bvc : A Broad-line Type Ic Supernova with a Double-peaked Optical Light Curve and a Luminous X-Ray and Radio Counterpart
- 2020
-
In: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 902:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present optical, radio, and X-ray observations of SN 2020bvc (=ASASSN-20bs, ZTF 20aalxlis), a nearby (z = 0.0252; d.=.114Mpc) broad-line (BL) Type Ic supernova (SN) and the first double-peaked Ic-BL discovered without a gamma-ray burst (GRB) trigger. Our observations show that SN 2020bvc shares several properties in common with the Ic-BL SN 2006aj, which was associated with the low-luminosity gamma-ray burst (LLGRB) 060218. First, the 10 GHz radio luminosity (L-radio approximate to 10(37) erg s(-1)) is brighter than ordinary core-collapse SNe but fainter than LLGRB SNe such as SN 1998bw (associated with LLGRB 980425). We model our VLA observations (spanning 13-43 days) as synchrotron emission from a mildly relativistic (v greater than or similar to 0.3c) forward shock. Second, with Swift and Chandra, we detect X-ray emission (L-X approximate to 10(41) erg s(-1)) that is not naturally explained as inverse Compton emission or part of the same synchrotron spectrum as the radio emission. Third, high-cadence (6x night(-1)) data from the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) show a double-peaked optical light curve, the first peak from shock cooling of extended low-mass material (mass M-e < 10(-2) M-circle dot at radius R-e > 10(12) cm) and the second peak from the radioactive decay of 56Ni. SN 2020bvc is the first double-peaked Ic-BL SN discovered without a GRB trigger, so it is noteworthy that it shows X-ray and radio emission similar to LLGRB SNe. For four of the five other nearby (z less than or similar to 0.05) Ic-BL SNe with ZTF high-cadence data, we rule out a first peak like that seen in SN 2006aj and SN 2020bvc, i.e., that lasts approximate to 1 day.and reaches a peak luminosity M approximate to -18. Follow-up X-ray and radio observations of Ic-BL SNe with well-sampled early optical light curves will establish whether double-peaked optical light curves are indeed predictive of LLGRB-like X-ray and radio emission.
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| 10. |
- Andreoni, Igor, et al.
(author)
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Target-of-opportunity Observations of Gravitational-wave Events with Vera C. Rubin Observatory
- 2022
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In: Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0067-0049 .- 1538-4365. ; 260:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The discovery of the electromagnetic counterpart to the binary neutron star (NS) merger GW170817 has opened the era of gravitational-wave multimessenger astronomy. Rapid identification of the optical/infrared kilonova enabled a precise localization of the source, which paved the way to deep multiwavelength follow-up and its myriad of related science results. Fully exploiting this new territory of exploration requires the acquisition of electromagnetic data from samples of NS mergers and other gravitational-wave sources. After GW170817, the frontier is now to map the diversity of kilonova properties and provide more stringent constraints on the Hubble constant, and enable new tests of fundamental physics. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time can play a key role in this field in the 2020s, when an improved network of gravitational-wave detectors is expected to reach a sensitivity that will enable the discovery of a high rate of merger events involving NSs (∼tens per year) out to distances of several hundred megaparsecs. We design comprehensive target-of-opportunity observing strategies for follow-up of gravitational-wave triggers that will make the Rubin Observatory the premier instrument for discovery and early characterization of NS and other compact-object mergers, and yet unknown classes of gravitational-wave events.
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