arXiv subjects

H. Utsunomiya

Publications and source records attributed to H. Utsunomiya.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Statistical and non-statistical $γ$-decay properties of $^{64}$Zn

We present a study on the $γ$-decay properties of $^{64}$Zn using the Oslo method on $^{64}$Zn($p,p^\prime γ$) data combined with $^{64}$Zn$(γ,n)$ cross-section measurements at the NewSUBARU facility. With the Oslo method, we have measured the $γ$-ray strength function ($γ$SF) and the nuclear level density (NLD) below the neutron threshold. We observe that the NLD trend in the quasi-continuum region of $^{64}$Zn is best characterized by a constant-temperature-like model. %with temperature parameter $T_{\rm CT}=1.21(5)$ MeV. Surprisingly, we find that $γ$-ray transitions from the quasi-continuum decaying directly to the $0^+$ ground state seem to be strongly hindered with a hindrance factor of $κ\approx 0.5$, which could be an indication of non-statistical effects in the ground-state decay due to, \textit{e.g.}, differences in nuclear shapes. For $γ$ energies above the neutron separation energy, the NewSUBARU ($γ, n$) data set probes a significant part of the giant dipole resonance. Furthermore, we find that the Oslo-method $γ$SF shows a rather smooth behavior, with a clear low-energy enhancement (LEE) for $E_γ < 4$ MeV.

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arXiv2025

Photoneutron reactions on gold in the giant dipole resonance region: reaction cross sections and average kinetic energies of $(γ,\,xn)$ photoneutrons

In this work, we present new data on the $^{197}$Au photoneutron reactions in and above the giant dipole resonance region, obtained by using 8 to 39~MeV quasi-monochromatic $γ$-ray beams produced at the NewSUBARU facility in Japan and a high-and-flat efficiency neutron detection system. We report absolute cross sections and mean photoneutron energies for the $^{197}$Au$(γ,\,inX)$ reactions with $i$~=~1 to 4. The photoabsorption cross section was obtained as the sum of the $(γ,\,inX)$ reaction cross sections. The giant dipole resonance parameter values were obtained by fitting the experimental photoabsorption cross sections. The present photoabsorption cross sections are in good agreement with the Saclay results of Veyssiere~\emph{et al.}. Thus, our study does not support the recommendation of Berman~\emph{et al.} of lowering the Saclay photoabsorption cross sections by 8$\%$. We observed a non-statistical high-energy neutron emission in the $(γ,\,n)$ reaction in the low-energy region between $S_n$ and 10~MeV. The present results are compared with data from the literature and statistical model calculations performed with the TALYS and EMPIRE codes.

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arXiv2024

Photoneutron cross section measurements on $^{208}$Pb in the Giant Dipole Resonance region

Photoneutron reactions on $^{208}$Pb in the Giant Dipole Resonance energy region have been investigated at the $γ$-ray beam line of the NewSUBARU facility in Japan. The measurements made use of quasi-monochromatic laser Compton backscattering $γ$-ray beams in a broad energy range, from the neutron threshold up to 38 MeV, and of a flat-efficiency moderated $^3$He neutron detection system along with associated neutron-multiplicity sorting methods. We report absolute cross sections and mean photoneutron energies for the $^{208}$Pb$(γ,\,inX)$ reactions with $i$~=~1 to 4. The fine structure present in the $^{208}$Pb$(γ,\,n)$ cross sections at incident energies lower than 13~MeV has been observed. The photoabsorption cross section has been obtained as the sum of the $(γ,\,inX)$ reaction cross sections. By reproducing the measured ring-ratio values at excitation energies below the two neutron separation energy, we were able to extract estimations on the $^{208}$Pb$(γ,\,n)$ photoneutron energy spectra and on the partial photoneutron cross sections for leaving the residual $^{207}$Pb in its ground and first two excited states. The present results are compared with data from the literature and statistical model calculations.

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arXiv2024

Giant Dipole Resonance photofission and photoneutron reactions in $^{238}$U and $^{232}$Th

New measurements of photofission and photoneutron reactions on $^{238}$U and $^{232}$Th in the Giant Dipole Resonance (GDR) energy region have been performed at the laser Compton-scattering $γ$-ray source of the NewSUBARU synchrotron radiation facility using a high-and-flat efficiency moderated $^3$He detection array. The neutron-multiplicity sorting of high-multiplicity fission neutron coincidence events has been performed using a dedicated energy dependent, multiple firing statistical treatment. The photoneutron $(γ,\,in)$ with $i$~=~1~--~3 and photofission $(γ,\,F)$ reactions have been discriminated by considering a Gaussian distribution of prompt-fission-neutron (PFN) multiplicities predicted by the theory of evaporation in sequential neutron emission from excited fission fragments. We report experimental $(γ,\,n)$, $(γ,\,2n)$, $(γ,\,3n)$ and $(γ,\,F)$ cross sections, average energies of PFNs and of $(γ,\,in)$ photoneutrons, as well as the mean number of PFNs per fission act and the width of the PFNs multiplicity distribution. Based on these primary experimental results and combined with reasonable assumptions, we extract also the first- and second-chance fission contributions. The new experimental results are compared with statistical-model calculations performed with the EMPIRE-3.2 Malta and TALYS-1.964 codes on the present data and with prompt fission emission calculations obtained with the Los Alamos model in the frame of the most probable fragmentation approach with and without sequential emission.

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arXiv2023

Photodisintegration Cross Section of $^4$He in the Giant Dipole Resonance Energy Region

We simultaneously measured the $^4$He($γ, n$)$^3$He and $^4$He($γ, p$)$^3$H reactions in the energy range around the giant dipole resonance. A quasi-monoenergetic photon beam produced via the laser Compton scattering technique was irradiated on the active-target time-projection chamber filled with helium gas, and trajectories of charged decay particles emitted from $^4$He were measured. Our data suggest that the $^4$He($γ, n$)$^3$He and $^4$He($γ, p$)$^3$H cross sections peak around 26 MeV. This result contradicts the previous experimental data reported by Shima et al. but is consistent with other experimental results.

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arXiv2023

Photoneutron emission cross sections for $^{13}$C

Photoneutron emission cross sections were measured for $^{13}$C below $2n$ threshold using quasi-monochromatic $γ$-ray beams produced in laser Compton-scattering at the NewSUBARU synchrotron radiation facility. The data show fine structures in the low-energy tail of the giant-dipole resonance; the integrated strength of the fine structure below 18~MeV is intermediate among the past measurements with bremsstrahlung and the positron annihilation $γ$ rays. We compare the photoneutron emission data with the {\sf TALYS} statistical model calculation implemented with the simple modified Lorentzian model of $E1$ and $M1$ strengths. We also compare the total photoabsorption cross sections for $^{13}$C with the shell model and antisymmetrized molecular dynamics calculations as well as the statistical model calculation. We further investigate the consistency between the present photoneutron emission and the reverse $^{12}$C(n,$γ$) cross sections through their corresponding astrophysical rate.

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arXiv2023

New experimental constraint on the $^{185}$W($n,γ$)$^{186}$W cross section

In this work, we present new data on the $^{182,183,184}$W($γ,n$) cross sections, utilizing a quasi-monochromatic photon beam produced at the NewSUBARU synchrotron radiation facility. Further, we have extracted the nuclear level density and $γ$-ray strength function of $^{186}$W from data on the $^{186}$W($α,α^\primeγ$)$^{186}$W reaction measured at the Oslo Cyclotron Laboratory. Combining previous measurements on the $^{186}$W($γ,n$) cross section with our new $^{182,183,184}$W($γ,n$) and ($α,α^\primeγ$)$^{186}$W data sets, we have deduced the $^{186}$W $γ$-ray strength function in the range of $1 < E_γ< 6$ MeV and $7 < E_γ< 14$ MeV. Our data are used to extract the level density and $γ$-ray strength functions needed as input to the nuclear-reaction code \textsf{TALYS}, providing an indirect, experimental constraint for the $^{185}$W($n,γ$)$^{186}$W cross section and reaction rate. Compared to the recommended Maxwellian-averaged cross section (MACS) in the KADoNiS-1.0 data base, our results are on average lower for the relevant energy range $k_B T \in [5,100]$ keV, and we provide a smaller uncertainty for the MACS. The theoretical values of Bao \textit{et al.} and the cross section experimentally constrained on photoneutron data of Sonnabend \textit{et al.} are significantly higher than our result. The lower value by Mohr \textit{et al.} is in very good agreement with our deduced MACS. Our new results could have implications for the $s$-process and in particular the predicted $s$-process production of $^{186,187}$Os nuclei.

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arXiv2022

PANDORA project: photo-nuclear reactions below $A=60$

Photo-nuclear reactions of light nuclei below a mass of $A=60$ are studied experimentally and theoretically by the PANDORA (Photo-Absorption of Nuclei and Decay Observation for Reactions in Astrophysics) project. Two experimental methods, virtual-photon excitation by proton scattering and real-photo absorption by a high-brilliance gamma-ray beam produced by laser Compton scattering, will be applied to measure the photo-absorption cross sections and the decay branching ratio of each decay channel as a function of the photon energy. Several nuclear models, e.g. anti-symmetrized molecular dynamics, mean-field type models, a large-scale shell model, and ab initio models, will be employed to predict the photo-nuclear reactions. The uncertainty in the model predictions will be evaluated from the discrepancies between the model predictions and the experimental data. The data and the predictions will be implemented in a general reaction calculation code TALYS . The results will be applied to the simulation of the photo-disintegration process of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays in inter-galactic propagation.

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arXiv2022

p-process chaser detector in $n$-$γ$ coincidences

We propose two types of neutron-$γ_1$-$γ_2$ triple coincidence detectors (not constructed) to chase gamma transitions to produce p-nuclei following the neutron emission in the $(γ, n)$ reaction. Neutrons are detected with 24 $^3$He counters embedded in a polyethylene moderator in Type I detector and with 6 liquid scintillation detectors in Type II detector, respectively. $γ$ rays are detected with two high-purity germanium detectors and four LaBr$_3$(Ce) detectors. The detector which is referred to as p-process chaser detector is used to search for mediating states in $^{180}$Ta through which the isomeric and ground states in $^{180}$Ta are thermalized in the p-process. A search is made for both resonant states and unresolved states in high nuclear-level-density domain.

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arXiv2019

Reference Database for Photon Strength Functions

Photon strength functions describing the average response of the nucleus to an electromagnetic probe are key input information in the theoretical modelling of nuclear reactions. Consequently they are important for a wide range of fields such as nuclear structure, nuclear astrophysics, medical isotope production, fission and fusion reactor technologies. They are also sources of information for widely used reaction libraries such as the IAEA Reference Input Parameter Library and evaluated data files such as EGAF. In the past two decades, the amount of reaction gamma-ray data measured to determine photon strength functions has grown rapidly. Different experimental techniques have led to discrepant results and users are faced with the dilemma which (if any) of the divergent data to adopt. We report on a coordinated effort to compile and assess the existing experimental data on photon strength functions from the giant dipole resonance region to energies below the neutron separation energy. The assessment of the discrepant data at energies around or below the neutron separation energy has been possible only in a few cases where adequate information on the model-dependent analysis and estimation of uncertainties was available. In the giant dipole resonance region, we adopt the recommendations of the new IAEA photonuclear data library. We also present global empirical and semi-microscopic models that describe the photon strength functions in the entire energy region and reproduce reasonably well most of the experimental data. The compiled experimental photon strengths and recommended model calculations are available from the PSF database hosted at the IAEA (URL:www-nds.iaea.org/PSFdatabase).

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arXiv2019

$γ$-ray Strength Function for Barium Isotopes

Photoneutron cross sections were measured for $^{137}$Ba and $^{138}$Ba at energies below two-neutron threshold using quasi-monochromatic $γ$-ray beams produced in laser Compton-scattering at the NewSUBARU synchrotron radiation facility. The photoneutron data are used to constrain the $γ$-ray strength function on the basis of the Hartree-Fock-Bogolyubov plus quasi-particle random phase approximation using the Gogny D1M interaction. Supplementing the experimentally constrained $γ$-ray strength function with the zero-limit E1 and M1 contributions which are unique to the deexcitation mode, we discuss radiative neutron capture cross sections relevant to the s-process nucleosynthesis of barium isotopes in the vicinity of the neutron magic number 82.

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arXiv2019

IAEA Photonuclear Data Library 2019

Photo-induced reaction cross section data are of importance for a variety of current or emerging applications, such as radiation shielding design and radiation transport analyses, calculations of absorbed dose in the human body during radiotherapy, physics and technology of fission reactors (influence of photo-reactions on neutron balance) and fusion reactors (plasma diagnostics and shielding), activation analyses, safeguards and inspection technologies, nuclear waste transmutation, medical isotope production and astrophysical applications. Since the release of the IAEA Photonuclear Data Library in 1999 however, new experimental data as well as new methods to assess the reliability of experimental cross sections have become available. Theoretical models and input parameters used to evaluate photo-induced reactions have improved significantly over the years. In addition, new measurements of partial photoneutron cross sections using mono-energetic photon beams and advanced neutron detection systems have been performed allowing for the validation of the evaluations and assessments of the experimental data. Furthermore, technological advances have led to the construction of new and more powerful gamma-beam facilities, therefore new data needs are emerging. We report our coordinated efforts to address these data needs and present the results of the new evaluations of more than 200 nuclides included in the new updated IAEA Photonuclear Data Library, where the photon energy goes up to 200 MeV. We discuss the new assessment method and make recommendations to the user community in cases where the experimental data are discrepant and the assessments disagree. In addition, in the absence of experimental data, we present model predictions for photo-induced reaction cross section on nuclides of potential interest to medical radioisotope production.

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arXiv2018

The $γ$-ray strength function for Thallium isotopes relevant to the $^{205}$Pb - $^{205}$Tl chronometry

Photoneutron cross sections were measured for $^{203}$Tl and $^{205}$Tl at energies between the one- and two-neutron thresholds using quasi-monochromatic $γ$-ray beams produced in laser Compton-scattering at the NewSUBARU synchrotron radiation facility. Our new measurement results in cross sections significantly different from the previously reported bremsstrahlung experiment, leading to rather different GDR parameters, in particular to lower GDR peak energies and higher peak cross sections. The photoneutron data are used to constrain the $γ$-ray strength function on the basis of the Hartree-Fock-Bogolyubov plus quasi-particle random phase approximation using the Gogny D1M interaction. Supplementing the experimentally constrained $γ$-ray strength function with the zero-limit E1 and M1 contributions for the de-excitation mode, we estimate the Maxwellian-averaged cross section for the s-process branching-point nucleus $^{204}$Tl in the context of the $^{205}$Pb - $^{205}$Tl chronometry.

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arXiv2018

Photoneutron cross sections for Ni isotopes: Toward understanding $(n,γ)$ cross sections relevant to the weak s-process nucleosynthesis

Photoneutron cross sections were measured for $^{58}$Ni, $^{60}$Ni, $^{61}$Ni, and $^{64}$Ni at energies between the one-neutron and two-neutron thresholds using quasi-monochromatic $γ$-ray beams produced in laser Compton-scattering at the NewSUBARU synchrotron radiation facility. The new photoneutron data are used to extract the $γ$-ray strength function above the neutron threshold complementing the information obtained by the Oslo method below the threshold. We discuss radiative neutron capture cross sections and the Maxwellian-averaged cross sections for Ni isotopes including $^{63}$Ni, a branching point nucleus along the weak s-process path. The cross sections are calculated with the experimentally constrained $γ$-ray strength functions from the Hartree-Fock-Bogolyubov plus quasi-particle-random phase approximation based on the Gogny D1M interaction for both $E1$ and $M1$ components and supplemented with the $M1$ upbend.

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arXiv2018

Experimental $γ$-decay strength in $^{59, 60}$Ni compared with microscopic calculations

Nuclear level densities and $γ$-ray strength functions have been extracted for $^{59, 60}\rm{Ni}$, using the Oslo method on data sets from the $^{60}$Ni($^{3}$He,$^{3}$He$^{\prime}γ$)$^{60}$Ni and $^{60}$Ni($^{3}$He,$αγ$)$^{59}$Ni reactions. Above the neutron separation energy, S$_n$, we have measured the $γ$-ray strength functions for $^{61}$Ni and $^{60}$Ni in photoneutron experiments. The low-energy part of the $^{59,60}$Ni $γ$-ray strength functions show an increase for decreasing $γ$ energies. The experimental $γ$-ray strength functions are compared with $M1$ $γ$-ray strength functions calculated within the shell model. The $E1$ $γ$-ray strength function of $^{60}$Ni has been calculated using the QTBA framework. The QTBA calculations describe the data above $E_γ\approx$ 7 MeV, while the shell-model calculations agree qualitatively with the low energy part of the $γ$-ray strength function. Hence, we give a plausible explanation of the observed shape of the $γ$-decay strength.

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arXiv2018

The gamma-ray strength function of $^{89}$Y and $^{90}$Y

In this work, we present new data on the $^{89}$Y($γ$,n) cross section studied with a quasi-monochromatic photon beam produced at the NewSUBARU synchrotron radiation facility in Japan contributing torwards resolving a long standing discrepancy between existing measurements of this cross section. Results for $γ$-ray strength function below threshold obtained by applying the Oslo method to $^{89}$Y($p,p'γ$)$^{89}$Y coincidences combined with the $^{89}$Y($γ$,n) data this providing experimental data for the $γ$-ray strength function of $^{89}$Y for $γ$ energies in the range of $\approx 1.6$ Mev to $\approx$ 20 MeV. A low-energy enhancement is seen for $γ$-rays below $\approx 2.5$ MeV. Shell-model calculations indicate that this feature is caused by strong, low-energy $M1$ transitions at high excitation energies. The nuclear level density and $γ$-ray strength function have been extracted from $^{89}$Y($d,p γ$)$^{90}$Y coincidences using the Oslo method. Using the ($γ,n$) and ($d,pγ$) data as experimental constraints, we have calculated the $^{89}$Y($n,γ$)$^{90}$Y cross section with the TALYS reaction code. Our results have been compared with directly measured (n,$γ$) cross sections and evaluations. The $N=50$ isotope $^{89}$Y is an important bottleneck in the s-process and the magnitude of the $^{89}$Y(n,$γ)$ cross section is key to understanding how s-process stars produce heavy isotopes.

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arXiv2018

Verification of detailed balance for $γ$ absorption and emission in Dy isotopes

The photo-neutron cross sections of $^{162,163}\rm{Dy}$ have been measured for the first time in an energy region from the neutron threshold ($S_n$) up to $\approx$ $13$~MeV. The ($γ$,n) reaction was induced with quasi-monochromatic laser Compton-scattered $γ$ rays, produced at the NewSUBARU laboratory. The corresponding $γ$-ray strength functions ($γ$SF) have been calculated from the photo-neutron cross sections. The data are compared to reanalyzed $γ$SFs of $^{160-164}\rm{Dy}$, which are measured below $S_n$. The excellent agreement with the photo-neutron data at $S_n$ confirms the principle of detailed balance. Thus, a complete $γ$SF is established covering in total the energy region of 1 MeV $\leq$ E$_γ$ $\leq$ 13 MeV. These mid-shell well-deformed dysprosium isotopes all show scissors resonances with very similar structures. We find that our data predict the same integrated scissors strength as ($γ,γ^\prime$) data when integrated over the same energy range, which shows that the scissors mode very likely is consistent with the generalized Brink hypothesis. Finally, using the $γ$SFs as input in the reaction code TALYS, we have deduced radiative neutron-capture cross sections and compared them to direct measurements. We find a very good agreement within the uncertainties, which gives further support to the experimentally determined $γ$SFs.

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arXiv2017

Quasicontinuum $γ$-decay of $^{91,92}$Zr: benchmarking indirect ($n,γ$) cross section measurements for the $s$-process

Nuclear level densities (NLDs) and $γ$-ray strength functions ($γ$SFs) have been extracted from particle-$γ$ coincidences of the $^{92}$Zr($p,p' γ$)$^{92}$Zr and $^{92}$Zr($p,d γ$)$^{91}$Zr reactions using the Oslo method. The new $^{91,92}$Zr $γ$SF data, combined with photonuclear cross sections, cover the whole energy range from $E_γ \approx 1.5$~MeV up to the giant dipole resonance at $E_γ \approx 17$~MeV. The wide-range $γ$SF data display structures at $E_γ \approx 9.5$~MeV, compatible with a superposition of the spin-flip $M1$ resonance and a pygmy $E1$ resonance. Furthermore, the $γ$SF shows a minimum at $E_γ \approx 2-3$~MeV and an increase at lower $γ$-ray energies. The experimentally constrained NLDs and $γ$SFs are shown to reproduce known ($n, γ$) and Maxwellian-averaged cross sections for $^{91,92}$Zr using the {\sf TALYS} reaction code, thus serving as a benchmark for this indirect method of estimating ($n, γ$) cross sections for Zr isotopes.

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