arXiv subjects

Ashok Kumar Jain

Publications and source records attributed to Ashok Kumar Jain.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Review of magnetic- and antimagnetic-rotational structures in nuclei

This work is an update of the 2000 publication of magnetic-rotational bands by Amita et al. [1], followed by an unpublished update of 2006 [2], and reviews detailed experimental data extracted from original publications for 228 magnetic-rotational (MR or Shears) structures spread over 117 nuclides, and 40 antimagnetic-rotational (AMR) structures in 28 nuclei, with a brief commentary about each band. Many of these nuclei are located at or near the semi-magic nucleon numbers, mostly for protons. For example, 88 MR bands are currently known for the Pb (Z=82) nuclei, and 29 AMR band in Pd, Cd and In nuclei. It is interesting that the proton magic numbers appear to play a major role in the MR phenomenon, which seems less well understood. A brief discussion of the salient features of the MR and AMR bands and their theoretical interpretation has been presented in the present review. The tables contain gamma-ray energies, associated level energies with spins and parities, level lifetimes, B(M1), B(E2), and B(M1)/B(E2) ratios and probable spherical quasiparticle configurations. We find that many bands claimed in the literature as MR and AMR bands still have tentative assignments, as level lifetimes, thus B(M1) and B(E2) values, for a large number of MR and AMR bands, which can potentially provide critical criteria for firm identification of such structures, are lacking. Additionally, theoretical model calculations for many of these bands, which could provide insight for a better description of nuclear structure, are also lacking in literature. While this review is mainly based on original research articles, nuclear structure databases ENSDF [3], XUNDL [4], and NSR [5] have been consulted for completeness. The literature cut-off date March 31, 2025.

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arXiv2024

Nuclear Isomers at the Extremes of their Properties

The longer-lived excited nuclear states, referred as nuclear isomers, exist due to the hindered decays owing to their peculiar nucleonic structural surroundings. Some of these conditions, being exceptionally rare and limited to achieve, elevate certain isomers to the status of extreme and unusual isomers among their kin. For example, the $E5$ coupling of single-particle orbitals is rare and so are $E5$ decaying isomers. This review delves into some of such remarkable isomers scattered across the nuclear landscape while highlighting the possibilities to find more of them. Unique properties of some of them, harbor the potential for transformative applications in medicine and energy. An exciting example is that of the lowest energy isomer known so far in $^{229}$Th, which may help realize the dream of an ultra-precise nuclear clock in the coming decade. These isomers also offer an insight into the extremes of nuclear structure associated with them, which leads to their unusual status in energy, half-life, spin etc. The review attempts to highlight isomers with high-multipolarities, high-spins, high-energies, longest half-lives, extremely low energy, etc. A lack of theoretical understanding of the decay rates, half-lives and moments of these isomers is also pointed out.

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arXiv2022

Atlas of Nuclear Isomers -- Second Edition

We present an updated version of the 2015-Atlas of Nuclear Isomers \cite{jain2015}, compiling and evaluating experimental data for the isomers with half-life $\ge 10$ $\it{ns}$, together with their spectroscopic properties such as excitation-energies, half-lives, decay modes, spins and parities, energies and multipolarities of isomeric transitions, along with the relevant original references in literature. The current version of Atlas presents many re-evaluated half-lives as compared to the 2015 edition, where values were referred to Nuclear Data Sheets publications, when no new data existed. The ENSDF database \cite{Ensdf}, together with the XUNDL \cite{Xundl} and the NUBASE2020 \cite{Kondev2021} databases have been consulted for completeness, yet, data from original papers from journals were considered in the present evaluation, and the NSR bibliographic database \cite{Nsr} has been searched to ensure that this work is as complete and current as possible. Several useful systematic features of nuclear isomers covered in this Atlas have been discussed. Literature cutoff date for the extraction of data is October 31, 2022.

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arXiv2022

A puzzle on isomeric configurations in and around $N=126$ closed shell

The puzzle of finding consistent nuclear configurations for explaining both the decay probabilities and moments of the ${9/2}^-$, ${8}^+$ and ${21/2}^-$ isomers in and around $N=126$ closed shell has been approached in the generalized seniority scheme. Though $h_{9/2}$ is the dominant orbital near Fermi energy, the role of configuration mixing from the surrounding $f_{7/2}$ and $i_{13/2}$ orbitals is found to be very important for the consistent explanation of all the isomeric properties such as the $B(E2)$ rates, $Q-$moments and $g-$factors. The structural behavior of the closed shell $N=126$ isotonic isomers turns out to be very similar to the $N=124$ and $N=128$ isotonic isomers which have two neutron-holes and two neutron-particles, respectively. This is due to the pairing symmetries of nuclear many-body Hamiltonian. As a confirmation, the microscopic shell model occupancies are also calculated for these isomers in $N=126$ chain which support the generalized seniority results. Additional arguments using the systematics of odd-proton ${9/2}^-$ states in Tl ($Z=81$), Bi ($Z=83$), At ($Z=85$) and Fr ($Z=87$) isotopes are also presented.

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arXiv2021

Generalized seniority isomers in and around $Z=82$ closed shell: a survey of Hg, Pb and Po isotopes

In this paper, we investigate the generalized seniority scheme and the validity of Generalized Seniority Schmidt Model in and around the $Z=82$ semi-magic region. A consistently same multi-j configuration is used to explain all the nuclear spectroscopic properties such as $g-$factors, $Q-$moments and $B(E2)$ trends for the ${13/2}^+$, ${12}^+$ and ${33/2}^+$ isomers in all the three Hg, Pb and Po isotopic chains. The inverted parabolic $B(E2)$ trends for the first $2^+$ states in Hg, Pb and Po isotopes are also explained using the generalized seniority scheme. A comparison with the experimental data is presented, wherever possible, and future possibilities are suggested.

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arXiv2019

A generalized seniority approach to the prediction of spectroscopic factors in odd-mass Sn isotopes

We present a study of the spectroscopic factors for the (d,p) stripping reactions to the ${11/2}^-$ states in the chain of odd-mass Sn (A = 115 - 131) isotopes by using a multi-j generalized seniority approach. The results are in line with realistic shell model calculations and explain the experimental trend quite well. The multi-j configuration used in these calculations is consistent with earlier calculations for moments etc., and therefore, lends credence to the generalized seniority interpretation. To the best of our knowledge, this work presents the first calculation of spectroscopic factors from such an approach.

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arXiv2019

Evolution of nuclear structure in and around Z=50 closed shell: Generalized Seniority in Cd, Sn and Te isotopes

We study the quadrupole moments and the B(E2; $2^+ \rightarrow 0^+$) values for the ${11/2}^-$ states and the first $2^+$ states, respectively, by using a multi-j generalized seniority approach in the Cd (Z = 48), Sn (Z = 50) and Te (Z = 52) isotopic chains. The g-factor trends have also been discussed. Although, Cd and Te isotopes represent two-proton hole and two-proton particle systems, thus involving both kind of particles (protons and neutrons) in contrast to Sn (Z = 50) where only neutrons play a role, we find that a similar model based on neutron valence space alone is able to explain nearly all the gross features and trends. This paper represents the first attempt to test the validity of the generalized seniority scheme away from the semi-magic region and appears to be surprisingly successful. The linearly varying quadrupole moments in Cd, Sn and Te isotopes, are described by using a consistent multi-j configuration. The asymmetric double-hump behavior of B(E2) values in Cd and Te isotopes are understood in a manner identical to that of Sn isotopes by using the generalized seniority scheme for the first time. No shell quenching is supported in the calculations; hence, the neutron magic numbers, N = 50 and N = 82, remain robust in these isotopic chains.

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arXiv2019

Parallel tale of seniority isomers in 130Cd and 206Hg: Testing the robustness of magic numbers

The neutron-rich nuclei 130Cd and 206Hg, so important in the astrophysical processes, may also be useful in tracking the evolution of nuclear shell gaps as one traverses the neutron-rich region. The high spin 8+ isomer in 130Cd and the 10+ isomer in 206Hg turn out to be the lampposts, which may shed light on the shell gaps and validity of the seniority scheme in the neutron-rich systems. We explore the robustness of the N=82 and N=126 magic numbers in the neutron-rich 130Cd and 206Hg nuclides, respectively. A parallel between the two nuclides in terms of the high-spin isomers allows us to investigate these waiting-point nuclei, which have limited experimental data, by using the concept of seniority as the stepping stone. In this paper, we report large scale shell model calculations by using the available realistic effective interactions derived from the Charge Dependent Bonn potential through the renormalized G matrix. We also explore if any change in the interaction is also required to consistently explain both the level structures as well the B(E2) values. A structural similarity between the 8+ isomer in 130Cd and the 10+ isomer in 206Hg is noticed due to goodness of seniority. They are found to possess a maximally aligned, seniority v = 2 configuration from their respective intruder orbits. No shell quenching seems to be needed for the seniority isomers in these nuclei. Therefore, N=82 and 126 appear to be very robust magic numbers even in the neutron-rich region.

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arXiv2019

Generalized Seniority Schmidt Model and the g-factors in Semi-magic Nuclei

We have recently applied the generalized seniority approach successfully to explain the B(E1)/B(E2)/B(E3) properties of the semi-magic nuclei. In the present paper, we extend this approach to the Schmidt model as Generalized Seniority Schmidt Model and calculate the g-factors of the various seniority states in the semi-magic nuclei. We find that the magnetic moments and the g-factors do show a particle number independent behavior in multi-j configurations, as expected in the seniority scheme. The calculated results explain the experimental trends quite well. We find that the g-factors of all the seniority states arising from a given multi-j configuration for identical nucleons is equal to the g-factor of the seniority $v = 1$ state from that configuration. Also, the g-factors are found to be a sensitive probe for fixing the multi-j configuration, which are fully consistent with the configurations assigned to explain the B(EL) properties in our previous works. We are also able to make definite predictions for many cases.

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arXiv2019

Empirical Evidence of Isospin Memory in Compound Nuclear Fission

We present empirical evidence of isospin dependence in the compound nuclear fission cross-sections and fission widths, which suggests that the compound nucleus (CN) possibly retains the memory of the isospin when it is formed. We examine the idea, first proposed by Yadrovsky [1], for three pairs of reactions where experimental data of fission cross section at various excitation energies are available. One of the pairs of reactions is the same as used by Yadrovsky i.e. $^{209}$Bi($p$, f) and $^{206}$Pb($α$, f) leading to the CN $^{210}$Po but with an improved experimental data set. The other two pairs of reaction sets are, $^{185}$Re($p$, f) and $^{182}$W($α$, f) leading to the CN $^{186}$Os and, $^{205}$Tl($p$, f) and $^{202}$Hg($α$, f) leading to the CN $^{206}$Pb. An observable difference between the fission branching ratios in two different isospin states suggests that the CN seems to remember its isospin at the point of formation. This possibility is further supported by another method, where additional empirical evidence for four CN, viz. $^{210}$Po, $^{209}$Bi, $^{207}$Bi, and $^{198}$Hg, is obtained from the experimental data in Zhukova et al. [2]. Further, the data also suggest a possible new signature of the weakening of CN process and gradual transition to non-compound processes as the energy rises. Fresh experimental efforts as proposed, are required to confirm these findings.

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arXiv2018

Role of isospin and its conservation in neutron-rich fission fragments

Following upon our earlier paper [1] containing some initial results, we present detailed discussion and complete results in this paper, which provide the first direct evidence for the validity of isospin as a nearly good quantum number in neutron-rich systems. The evidence comes from the reproduction of the general features of the partition-wise relative yields of neutron-rich fission fragments produced in two heavy-ion induced fusion fission reactions, namely $^{208}$Pb ($^{18}$O, f) and $^{238}$U ($^{18}$O, f), by using the concept of isospin conservation. To fix the isospin values and use the isospin algebra, we invoke what we term as Kelson's conjectures. We present a consistent scheme for isospin assignments based on these considerations. Our calculated results confirm that isospin behaves as an approximately good quantum number in neutron-rich systems, in this case, the fission fragments.

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arXiv2018

Test of Isospin Conservation in Thermal Neutron-induced Fission of $^{245}$Cm

We have, recently, shown that the general trends of partition-wise fission fragment mass distribution in heavy ion (HI) induced compound nuclear (CN) fission of heavy nuclei can be reproduced reasonably well by using the concept of isospin conservation, hence providing a direct evidence of isospin conservation in neutron-rich systems [1, 2, 3, 4]. In this paper, we test the concept of isospin conservation to reproduce the fission fragment mass distribution emerging from thermal neutron-induced CN fission reaction, 245Cm(nth, f). As earlier, we use Kelson's conjectures [5] to assign isospin to neutron-rich fragments emitted in fission, which suggest the formation of fission fragments in Isobaric Analog states (IAS). We calculate the relative yields of neutron-rich fragments using the concept of isospin conservation and basic isospin algebra. The calculated results reproduce quite well the experimentally known partition wise mass distributions. This highlights the usefulness of isospin as an approximately good quantum number in neutron-rich nuclei. This also allows us to predict the fragment distribution of the most symmetric Cd-Cd partition and the heavier mass fragment distributions, both not measured so far.

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arXiv2018

Isospin Conservation in Neutron Rich Systems of Heavy Nuclei

It is generally believed that isospin would diminish in its importance as we go towards heavy mass region due to isospin mixing caused by the growing Coulomb forces. However, it was realized quite early that isospin could become an important and useful quantum number for all nuclei including heavy nuclei due to neutron richness of the systems~\cite{robson}. Lane and Soper~\cite{lane} also showed in a theoretical calculation that isospin indeed remains quite good in heavy mass neutron rich systems. In this paper, we present isospin based calculations~\cite{jain,swati} for the fission fragment distributions obtained from heavy-ion fusion fission reactions. We discuss in detail the procedure adopted to assign the isospin values and the role of neutron multiplicity data in obtaining the total fission fragment distributions. We show that the observed fragment distributions can be reproduced rather reasonably well by the calculations based on the idea of conservation of isospin. This is probably the very first direct experimental evidence of the validity of isospin in heavy nuclei, which arises largely due to the neutron-rich nature of heavy nuclei and their fragments. This result may eventually become useful for the theories of nuclear fission and also in other practical applications.

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arXiv2018

g-factor calculations from the generalized seniority approach

The generalized seniority approach proposed by us to understand the B(E1)/B(E2)/B(E3) properties of semi-magic nuclei has been widely successful in the explanation of the same and has led to an expansion in the scope of seniority isomers. In the present paper, we apply the generalized seniority scheme to understand the behavior of g-factors in semi-magic nuclei. We find that the magnetic moment and the gfactors do show a particle number independent behavior as expected and the understanding is consistent with the explanation of transition probabilities.

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arXiv2017

$Δv=2$ seniority changing transitions in yrast $3^-$ states and B(E3) systematics of Sn isotopes

We show for the first time that the generalized seniority scheme explains reasonably well the $B(E3)$ systematics for the $(0^+ \rightarrow 3_1^-)$ transitions in the Sn-isotopes, which are odd-tensor $E3$ transitions connecting different seniority states ($Δv = 2$). Additionally, we also present Large Scale Shell Model (LSSM) calculations to support our interpretation. The generalized seniority scheme points to the octupole character of these $3^-$ states in Sn isotopes.

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arXiv2017

Goodness of Isospin in Neutron Rich Systems from the Fission Fragment Distribution

We present the results of our calculations for the relative yields of neutron-rich fission fragments emitted in $^{208}$Pb ($^{18}$O, fission) reaction by using the concept of the conservation of isospin and compare with the experimental data. We take into account a range of isospin values allowed by the isospin algebra and assume that the fission fragments are formed in Isobaric Analog States. We also take into account the neutron multiplicity data for various neutron-emission channels in each partition, and use them to obtain the weight factors in calculating the yields. We then calculate the relative yields of the fission fragments. Our calculated results are able to reproduce the experimental trends reasonably well. This is the first direct evidence of the isospin conservation in neutron-rich systems and may prove a very useful tool in their studies.

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arXiv2017

Goodness of Generalized Seniority in Semi-magic Nuclei

Symmetry plays an important role in understanding the nuclear structure properties from the rotation of a nucleus to the spin, parity and isospin of nuclear states. This simplifies the complexity of the nuclear problems in one way or the other. Seniority is also a well known quantum number which arises due to the symmetry in the pairing interaction of nuclei. We present empirical as well as theoretical evidences based on decay rates which support the goodness of seniority at higher spins as well as in nrich or, n-deficient nuclei. We find that the generalized seniority governs the identical trends of high-spin isomers in different semi-magic chains, where different set of nucleon orbitals from different valence spaces are involved.

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arXiv2016

B(E2) anomaly in $6^+$ isomers of $^{134-138}$Sn isotopes and neutron single-particle energies beyond N=82

Isomeric studies in neutron-rich nuclei present a powerful tool to explore the structure at the nuclear extremes. We recently used the shell model calculations with Renormalized Charge Depen- dent Bonn (RCDB) effective interaction to calculate the properties of the $6^+$ seniority isomers in $^{134-138}$Sn in an attempt to resolve the anomalous B(E2) behavior of the $6^+$ isomer in $^{136}$Sn [Phys. Rev. C 91, 024321 (2015)]. We further explore these isomers by using the generalized seniority scheme for multi-j orbitals recently presented by us [Phys. Lett. B 753, 122 (2016)]; the B(E2) values so calculated reproduce the experimental data quite well, including the anomaly at $^{136}$Sn confirming the generalized seniority nature of the $6^+$ isomers. We then use the generalized seniority guided Large Scale Shell Model (LSSM) calculations, along with the latest single particle energies from Jones et al : [Nature (London) 465, 454 (2010)] and Allmond et al : [Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 172701 (2014)] to estimate more accurate location of i$_{13/2}$ neutron orbital in the extreme neutron rich N = 82-126 region. This entails a new sub-shell closure at N = 112 due to the higher location of i$_{13/2}$ neutron orbital, also consistent with the choice of orbitals in the generalized seniority scheme. However, a small reduction in the f$_{7/2}$ two-body matrix elements is still required in the LSSM calculations to reproduce the experimental level energies as well as the transition probabilities in $^{134-138}$Sn isotopes in a consistent way.

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