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D. N. Basu

Publications and source records attributed to D. N. Basu.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Photonuclear reactions of actinide and pre-actinide nuclei at intermediate energies

Photonuclear reaction is described with an approach based on the quasideuteron nuclear photoabsorption model followed by the process of competition between light particle evaporation and fission for the excited nucleus. Thus fission process is considered as a decay mode. The evaporation-fission process of the compound nucleus is simulated in a Monte-Carlo framework. Photofission reaction cross sections are analysed in a systematic manner in the energy range $\sim$~50-70 MeV for the actinides $^{232}$Th, $^{233}$U, $^{235}$U, $^{238}$U and $^{237}$Np and the pre-actinide nuclei $^{208}$Pb and $^{209}$Bi. The study reproduces satisfactorily well the available experimental data of photofission cross sections at energies $\sim$~50-70 MeV and the increasing trend of nuclear fissility with the fissility parameter $Z^2/A$ for the actinides and pre-actinides at intermediate energies [$\sim$~20-140 MeV].

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Quantum tunneling in ^{277}112 and its alpha-decay chain

The $α$-decay half lives of nuclei in the decay from element $^{277}112$ are calculated in a WKB framework using DDM3Y interaction and experimental Q-values. Theoretical estimation of half lives in the same quantum tunneling model, using Q-values from the mass formula of Muntian-Hofmann-Patyk-Sobiczewski, are also presented. Calculated results furnish corroborating evidence for the experimental findings at RIKEN and GSI. Certain discrepancies indicate necessity of a better mass formula. Further experimental data with higher statistics would also be useful.

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Isospin asymmetry in nuclei and nuclear symmetry energy

The volume and surface symmetry parts of the nuclear symmetry energy and other coefficients of the liquid droplet model are determined from the measured atomic masses by the maximum likelihood estimator. The volume symmetry energy coefficient extracted from finite nuclei provides a constraint on the nuclear symmetry energy. This approach also yields the neutron skin of a finite nucleus through its relationship with the volume and surface symmetry terms and the Coulomb energy coefficient. The description of nuclear matter from the isoscalar and isovector components of the density dependent M3Y effective interaction provide a value of the symmetry energy that is consistent with the empirical value of the symmetry energy extracted from measured atomic masses and with other modern theoretical descriptions of nuclear matter.

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Predictions of Alpha Decay Half lives of Heavy and Superheavy Elements

Theoretical estimates for the lifetimes of several isotopes of heavy elements with Z=102-120 are presented by calculating the quantum mechanical tunneling probability in a WKB framework and using microscopic nucleus-nucleus potential obtained by folding the densities of interacting nuclei with the DDM3Y effective nuclear interaction. The $α$-decay half lives calculated in this formalism using the experimental $Q$-values are in good agreement over a wide range of experimental data. Half lives are also calculated using $Q$-values extracted from two mass formulae. The Viola-Seaborg-Sobiczewski (VSS) estimates of $α$-decay half lives with the same $Q$-values are presented for comparison. The half life calculations are found to be quite sensitive to the choice of $Q$-values. Comparison with the experimental data delineates the inadequacies of older mass predictions in the domain of heavy and superheavy elements as compared to the newer one by Muntian-Hofmann-Patyk-Sobiczewski, and highlights necessity of a more accurate mass formula which can predict $Q$-values with even higher precision.

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Alpha decay chains from element 113

Theoretical estimates of $α$-decay half lives of several nuclei in the decay from element 113 are presented. Calculations in a WKB framework using DDM3Y interaction and experimental Q-values are in good agreement with the experimental data. Half life calculations are found to be quite sensitive to the Q-values and angular momenta transfers. Calculated decay lifetime decreases, owing to more penetrability as well as thinner barrier, as Q-value increases. Deviations to this predominant behaviour observed in some recent experimental data may be attributed to non zero spin-parities in some cases.

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High density behaviour of nuclear symmetry energy

Role of the isospin asymmetry in nuclei and neutron stars, with an emphasis on the density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy, is discussed. The symmetry energy is obtained using the isoscalar as well as isovector components of the density dependent M3Y effective interaction. The constants of density dependence of the effective interaction are obtained by reproducing the saturation energy per nucleon and the saturation density of spin and isospin symmetric cold infinite nuclear matter. Implications for the density dependence of the symmetry energy in case of a neutron star are discussed, and also possible constraints on the density dependence obtained from finite nuclei are compared.

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Equation of state for isospin asymmetric nuclear matter using Lane potential

A mean field calculation for obtaining the equation of state (EOS) for symmetric nuclear matter from a density dependent M3Y interaction supplemented by a zero-range potential is described. The energy per nucleon is minimized to obtain the ground state of symmetric nuclear matter. The saturation energy per nucleon used for nuclear matter calculations is determined from the co-efficient of the volume term of Bethe-Weizsäcker mass formula which is evaluated by fitting the recent experimental and estimated atomic mass excesses from Audi-Wapstra-Thibault atomic mass table by minimizing the mean square deviation. The constants of density dependence of the effective interaction are obtained by reproducing the saturation energy per nucleon and the saturation density of spin and isospin symmetric cold infinite nuclear matter. The EOS of symmetric nuclear matter, thus obtained, provide reasonably good estimate of nuclear incompressibility. Once the consants of density dependence are determined, EOS for asymmetric nuclear matter is calculated by adding to the isoscalar part, the isovector component of the M3Y interaction that do not contribute to the EOS of symmetric nuclear matter. These EOS are then used to calculate the pressure, the energy density and the velocity of sound in symmetric as well as isospin asymmetric nuclear matter.

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Nuclear matter properties with the re-evaluated coefficients of liquid drop model

The coefficients of the volume, surface, coulomb, asymmetry and pairing energy terms of the semiempirical liquid drop model mass formula have been determined by furnishing best fit to the observed mass excesses. Slightly different sets of the weighting parameters for liquid drop model mass formula have been obtained from minimizations of chisquare and mean square deviation. The most recent experimental and estimated mass excesses from Audi-Wapstra-Thibault atomic mass table have been used for the least square fitting procedure. Equation of state, nuclear incompressibility, nuclear mean free path and the most stable nuclei for corresponding atomic numbers, all are in good agreement with the experimental results.

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Charged and neutral hyperonic effects on the driplines

Modification of neutron and proton driplines by the capture of strange hyperon(s) by normal nuclei has been investigated. A generalised mass formula (BWMH) based on the strangeness dependent extended liquid drop model is used to calculate the binding energy of normal nuclei as well as strange hypernuclei. The neutron (Sn) and proton (Sp) separation energies of all hypernuclei with neutral hyperons Lambda, double Lambda or charged hyperons Cascade(-), Theta(+) inside are calculated using BWMH mass formula. The normal neutron and proton driplines get modified due to the addition of the hyperon(s)(Lambda, double Lambda, Cascade(-), Theta(+) etc.) to the core of normal nuclei. The hypernuclei containing the charged hyperon(s) like those with neutral hyperon(s) have similar nucleon separation energies like core nuclei if proton number instead of net charge is used in the symmetry term. Due to the effect of opposite charges present in Theta(+) and Cascade(-), hyperons their corresponding driplines get separated from each other. All the hyperons modify mean field potential due to strong hyperon-nucleon coupling. Addition of a single charged hyperon in normal nuclei affects the entire proton drip line more prominently than that by neutral hyperon. The neutral hyperonic effect on proton dripline is significant for lighter nuclei than for heavier ones whereas both the charged as well as neutral hyperons affect almost the entire neutron dripline.

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A Mass Formula from Light to Hypernuclei

Simultaneous description of ordinary and hypernuclei masses by a single mass formula has been a great challenge in nuclear physics. Hyperon-separation energies of about forty Lambda($Λ$), three Lambda-Lambda($ΛΛ$), one Sigma($Σ$) and seven Cascade($Ξ$) hypernuclei have been experimentally found. Many of these nuclei are of light masses. We prescribe a new mass formula, called BWMH, which describes the normal and hypernuclei on the same footing. It is based on the modified-Bethe-Weizsäcker mass formula (BWM). BWM is basically an extension of the Bethe-Weizsäcker mass formula (BW) for light nuclei. The parameters of BWM were optimized by fitting about 3000 normal nuclei available recently. The original Bethe-Weizsäcker mass formula (BW) was designed for medium and heavy mass nuclei and it fails for light nuclei. Two earlier works on hypernuclei based on this BW show some limitations. The BWMH gives improved agreement with the experimental data for the line of stability, one-neutron separation energy versus neutron number spectra of normal nuclei, and the hyperon-separation energies from hypernuclei. The drip lines are modified for addition of a $Λ$ hyperon in a normal nucleus.

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Generalized mass formula for non-strange and hyper nuclei with SU(6) symmetry breaking

A simultaneous description of non-strange nuclei and hypernuclei is provided by a single mass formula inspired by the spin-flavour SU(6) symmetry breaking. This formula is used to estimate the hyperon binding energies of Lambda, double Lambda, Sigma, Cascade and Theta hypernuclei. The results are found to be in good agreement with the available experimental data on 'bound' nuclei and relativistic as well as quark mean field calculations. This mass formula is useful to estimate binding energies over a wide range of masses including the light mass nuclei. It is not applicable for repulsive potential.

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On the Experimental Identification of Spin-Parities and Single-Particle Configurations in $^{257}$No and Its $α$-Decay Daughter $^{253}$Fm

Recently measured lifetimes of the favored $α$ decays from $^{257}$No have been calculated using the quantum mechanical tunneling within WKB approximation using microscopic nuclear potentials. Results obtained assuming previously assigned (ambiguous) parent spin of $\frac{7^+}{2}$ and newly assigned configuration $\frac{3^+}{2}$ [622] have been compared. Hindrance factors for the favored decays have also been compared with the calculated hindrances using higher angular momenta transfers. Although the calculations substantiate the findings, yet it makes the spin-parity assignment of $\frac{3^+}{2}$ for the ground state of $^{257}$No less definite.

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Alpha decay half-lives of new superheavy elements

The lifetimes of $α$ decays of the recently produced isotopes of the elements 112, 114, 116 and the element $^{294}118$ and of some decay products have been calculated theoretically within the WKB approximation using microscopic $α$-nucleus interaction potentials. These nuclear potentials have been obtained by folding the densities of the $α$ and the daughter nuclei with the M3Y effective interaction, supplemented by a zero-range pseudo-potential for exchange along with the density dependence. Spherical charge distributions have been used for calculating the Coulomb interaction potentials. These calculations provide reasonable estimates for the observed $α$ decay lifetimes and thus provide reliable predictions for other superheavies.

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Half lives of spherical proton emitters using density dependent M3Y interaction

The proton radioactivity lifetimes of spherical proton emitters from the ground and the isomeric states are calculated using the microscopic nucleon-nucleus interaction potentials. The daughter nuclei density distributions are folded with a realistic density dependent M3Y effective interaction supplemented by a zero-range pseudo-potential. The density dependence parameters of the interaction are extracted from the nuclear matter calculations. The saturation energy per nucleon used for nuclear matter calculations is determined from the co-efficient of the volume term of Bethe-Weizsacker mass formula which is evaluated by fitting the recent experimental and estimated atomic mass excesses from Audi-Wapstra-Thibault atomic mass table by minimizing the mean square deviation. The quantum mechanical tunneling probability is calculated within the WKB approximation. Spherical charge distributions are used for calculating the Coulomb interaction potentials. These calculations provide good estimates for the observed proton radioactivity lifetimes.

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Folding model analysis of proton radioactivity of spherical proton emitters

Half lives of the decays of spherical nuclei away from proton drip line by proton emissions are estimated theoretically. The quantum mechanical tunneling probability is calculated within the WKB approximation. Microscopic proton-nucleus interaction potentials are obtained by single folding the densities of the daughter nuclei with M3Y effective interaction supplemented by a zero-range pseudo-potential for exchange along with the density dependence. Strengths of the M3Y interaction are extracted by fitting its matrix elements in an oscillator basis to those elements of the G-matrix obtained with the Reid-Elliott soft-core nucleon-nucleon interaction. Parameters of the density dependence are obtained from the nuclear matter calculations. Spherical charge distributions are used for calculating the Coulomb interaction potentials. These calculations provide reasonable estimates for the observed proton radioactivity lifetimes of proton rich nuclei for proton emissions from 26 ground and isomeric states of spherical proton emitters.

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Modified Bethe-Weizsacker mass formula with isotonic shift and new driplines

Nuclear masses are calculated using the modified Bethe-Weizsacker mass formula in which the isotonic shifts have been incorporated. The results are compared with the improved liquid drop model with isotonic shift. Mass excesses predicted by this method compares well with the microscopic-macroscopic model while being much more simple. The neutron and proton drip lines have been predicted using this modified Bethe-Weizsacker mass formula with isotonic shifts.

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Initiative in Nuclear Theory at the Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre

We recall the path breaking contributions of the nuclear theory group of the Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, Kolkata. From a beginning of just one person in 1970s, the group has steadily developed into a leading group in the country today, with seminal contributions to almost the entire range of nuclear physics, viz., low energy nuclear reactions, nuclear structure, deep inelastic collisions, fission, liquid to gas phase transitions, nuclear matter, equation of state, mass formulae, neutron stars, relativistic heavy ion collisions, medium modification of hadron properties, quark gluon plasma, and cosmology of early universe.

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Folding model analysis of proton scattering from mirror nuclei $^{18}$Ne and $^{18}$O

The elastic and inelastic scattering of protons from mirror nuclei $^{18}$Ne and $^{18}$O are studied in a folding model approach. For comparison, two different effective interactions are folded with Hartree-Fock densities to obtain the nuclear interaction potentials. Both of them provide equivalent descriptions to the data and the deformation parameters extracted from inelastic scattering are reasonable. The density dependence parameters obtained from nuclear matter calculations and used for present analysis also provide a good estimate for the nuclear mean free path. The present formalism unifies radioactivity, nuclear matter and nuclear scattering.

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