arXiv subjects

I. J. Thompson

Publications and source records attributed to I. J. Thompson.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2002

Excitation modes of $^{11}$Li at E$_x \sim$ 1.3 MeV from proton collisions

The cross section for p-$^{11}$Li inelastic scattering at 68 MeV/u is evaluated using the Multiple Scattering expansion of the total Transition amplitude (MST) formalism, and compared with the breakup in the shakeoff approximation. Three different potential models for $^{11}$Li are used to calculate the $^{11}$Li(p,p$'$) continuum excitations, and all show peaks below 3 MeV of excitation energy, both in resonant and some non-resonant channels. In the most realistic model of $^{11}$Li, there is a strong dipole contribution associated with attractive but not a fully-fledged resonant phase shifts, and some evidence for a J$_{nn}^π= 0_2^+$ resonant contribution. These together form a pronounced peak at around 1--2 MeV excitation, in agreement with experiment, and this supports the use of the MST as an adequate formalism to study excited modes of two-neutron nuclear halos.

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arXiv2002

(^{8})B breakup in elastic and transfer reactions

We have studied the transfer reaction $^{14}$N($^7$Be,$^8$B)$^{13}$C at (\mathrm{E}_{\mathrm{lab}}=84) MeV, paying special attention to the effects of the coupling to the continuum in the exit channel. Using the Continuum Discretized Coupled Channels (CDCC) formalism, we find that these effects are important for the description of the elastic scattering observables. However, for the transfer process, differences between the predictions of the differential cross section within the Distorted Wave Born Approximation (DWBA) and the CDCC-Born approximation (CDCC-BA) are found to be negligible. This result supports the use of the DWBA method as a reliable tool to extract the $S_{17}(0)$ factor in this case.

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arXiv2001

Two-proton events in the 17F(p,2p)16O reaction

In a recent experimental study (Gomez del Campo et al, PRL 86, 43 (2001)) of the reaction 17F(p,2p)16O, two-proton events were measured from excitations near a 1-, E*=6.15 MeV state in 18Ne. We calculate by means of R-matrix theory the resonant two-proton production cross section and branching ratios. We conclude that it is unlikely that two-proton production via population of the 1- state is sufficient to explain the observed two-proton events. Alternative sources of such events are discussed.

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arXiv2001

Breakup of $^{9}$Be on $^{209}$Bi above and near the Coulomb barrier as a molecular single-particle effect: its influence on complete fusion and scattering

The breakup of the $^{9}$Be projectile on the $^{209}$Bi target at bombarding energies above and near the Coulomb barrier is studied in the adiabatic two-center shell model approach. The effect of $^{9}$Be$% \to $n$+2α$ breakup channel on complete fusion, elastic and inelastic cross sections is investigated. Results show that the breakup of the projectile $^{9}$Be could be due to a molecular single-particle effect shortly before the colliding nuclei reach the Coulomb barrier.

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arXiv2001

Effect of continuum couplings in fusion of halo $^{11}$Be on $^{208}$Pb around the Coulomb barrier

The effect of continuum couplings in the fusion of the halo nucleus $^{11}$Be on $^{208}$Pb around the Coulomb barrier is studied using a three-body model within a coupled discretised continuum channels (CDCC) formalism. We investigate in particular the role of continuum-continuum couplings. These are found to hinder total, complete and incomplete fusion processes. Couplings to the projectile $1p_{1/2}$ bound excited state redistribute the complete and incomplete fusion cross sections, but the total fusion cross section remains nearly constant. Results show that continuum-continuum couplings enhance the irreversibility of breakup and reduce the flux that penetrates the Coulomb barrier. Converged total fusion cross sections agree with the experimental ones for energies around the Coulomb barrier, but underestimate those for energies well above the Coulomb barrier.

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arXiv2001

Elastic scattering and breakup of 17^F at 10 MeV/nucleon

Angular distributions of fluorine and oxygen produced from 170 MeV 17^F incident on 208^Pb were measured. The elastic scattering data are in good agreement with optical model calculations using a double-folding potential and parameters similar to those obtained from 16^O+208^Pb. A large yield of oxygen was observed near θ_lab=36 deg. It is reproduced fairly well by a calculation of the (17^F,16^O) breakup, which is dominated by one-proton stripping reactions. The discrepancy between our previous coincidence measurement and theoretical predictions was resolved by including core absorption in the present calculation.

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arXiv2001

Electromagnetic Dissociation of 8B and the Rate of the 7Be(p,gamma)8B Reaction in the Sun

In an effort to better determine the 7Be(p,gamma)8B reaction rate, we have performed inclusive and exclusive measurements of the Coulomb dissociation of 8B. The former was a study of longitudinal momentum distributions of 7Be fragments emitted in the Coulomb breakup of intermediate energy 8B beams on Pb and Ag targets. Analysis of these data yielded the E2 contribution to the breakup cross section. In the exclusive measurement, we determined the cross section for the Coulomb breakup of 8B on Pb at low relative energies in order to infer the astrophysical S factor for the 7Be(p,gamma)8B reaction. Interpreting the measurements with 1st-order perturbation theory, we obtained SE2/SE1 = 4.7 (+ 2.0,- 1.3) times 10^-4 at Erel = 0.6 MeV, and S17(0) = 17.8 (+ 1.4,- 1.2) eV b. Semiclassical 1st-order perturbation theory and fully quantum mechanical continuum-discretized coupled channels analyses yield nearly identical results for the E1 strength relevant to solar neutrino flux calculations, suggesting that theoretical reaction mechanism uncertainties need not limit the precision of Coulomb breakup determinations of the 7Be(p,gamma)8B S factor. A recommended value of S17(0) based on a weighted average of this and other measurements is presented.

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arXiv2000

Calculations of three-body observables in ^8B breakup

We discuss calculations of three-body observables for the breakup of ^8B on a ^{58}Ni target at low energy using the coupled discretised continuum channels approach. Calculations of both the angular distribution of the ^7Be fragments and their energy distributions are compared with those measured at several laboratory angles. In these observables there is interference between the breakup amplitudes from different spin-parity excitations of the projectile. The resulting angle and the energy distributions reveal the importance of the higher-order continuum state couplings for an understanding of the measurements.

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arXiv1999

Breakup of $^8$B and the $^7$Be($p,γ)^8$B reaction

The calculated rate of events in some of the existing solar neutrino detectors is directly proportional to the rate of the $^7$Be($p,γ)^8$B reaction measured in the laboratory at low energies. However, the low-energy cross sections of this reaction are quite uncertain as various measurements differ from each other by 30-40 %. The Coulomb dissociation process which reverses the radiative capture by the dissociation of $^8$B in the Coulomb field of a target, provides an alternate way of accessing this reaction. While this method has several advantages (like large breakup cross sections and flexibility in the kinematics), the difficulties arise from the possible interference by the nuclear interactions, uncertainties in the contributions of the various multipoles and the higher order effects, which should be considered carefully. We review the progress made so far in the experimental measurements and theoretical analysis of the breakup of $^8$B and discuss the current status of the low-energy cross sections (or the astrophysical $S$-factor) of the $^7$Be($p,γ)^8$B reaction extracted therefrom. The future directions of the experimental and theoretical investigations are also suggested.

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arXiv1999

Coupled-channels analysis of the $^{\bf 16}$O+$^{\bf 208}$Pb fusion barrier distribution

Analyses using simplified coupled-channels models have been unable to describe the shape of the previously measured fusion barrier distribution for the doubly magic $^{16}$O+$^{208}$Pb system. This problem was investigated by re-measuring the fission excitation function for $^{16}$O+$^{208}$Pb with improved accuracy and performing more exact coupled-channels calculations, avoiding the constant-coupling and first-order coupling approximations often used in simplified analyses. Couplings to the single- and 2-phonon states of $^{208}$Pb, correctly taking into account the excitation energy and the phonon character of these states, particle transfers, and the effects of varying the diffuseness of the nuclear potential, were all explored. However, in contrast to other recent analyses of precise fusion data, no satisfactory simultaneous description of the shape of the experimental barrier distribution and the fusion cross-sections for $^{16}$O+$^{208}$Pb was obtained.

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arXiv1999

Uncertainties in extracting $S_{17}$ from transfers

The transfer reaction $^7{\rm Be(d,n)}^8{\rm B}$ is modelled for the recent low experimental energies using the DWBA. Tests of the validity of the ANC method for the extraction of the $S_{17}$ astrophysical factor are performed. We show that a peripheral assumption is no longer accurate for center of mass energies greater than approximately 15 MeV. In all cases we found that core deformation and/or excitation effects to be small as long as the optical potential for the entrance channel is not strongly surface peaked. Multistep corrections to the DWBA were found to be small. We also emphasize that the lack of knowledge of the optical potentials for the entrance and outgoing channels induces severe uncertainties in the extracted $S_{17}$ astrophysical factor.

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arXiv1999

Coulomb and nuclear breakup of $^8$B

The cross sections for the ($^8$B,$^7$Be-$p$) breakup reaction on $^{58}$Ni and $^{208}$Pb targets at the beam energies of 25.8 MeV and 415 MeV have been calculated within a one-step prior-form distorted-wave Born approximation. The relative contributions of Coulomb and nuclear breakup of dipole and quadrupole multipolarities as well as their interference have been determined. The nuclear breakup contributions are found to be substantial in the angular distributions of the $^7$Be fragment for angles in the range of 30$^\circ$ - 80$^\circ$ at 25.8 MeV beam energy. The Coulomb-nuclear interference terms make the dipole cross section larger than that of quadrupole even at this low beam energy. However, at the incident energy of 415 MeV, these effects are almost negligible in the angular distributions of the ($^7$Be-p) coincidence cross sections at angles below 4$^\circ$.

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arXiv1999

Multi-step effects in subcoulomb breakup

Following earlier one-step calculations, we explore the contributions of multi-step effects for the breakup of low energy $^8$B on $^{58}$Ni and $^{208}$Pb within a coupled discretised continuum channels (CDCC) formalism. The Coulomb multi-step differential cross section is significantly reduced for all angles, the largest effect being the destructive interference of nuclear couplings. The nuclear peak, at around $80^\circ$ in the one-step calculation for $^{58}$Ni, virtually disappears.

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arXiv1998

Structure Effects on Coulomb Dissociation of $^8$B

Coulomb Dissociation provides an alternative method for determining the radiative capture cross sections at astrophysically relevant low relative energies. For the breakup of $^8$B on $^{58}$Ni, we calculate the total Coulomb Dissociation cross section and the angular distribution for E1, E2 and M1. Our calculations are performed first within the standard first order semiclassical theory of Coulomb Excitation, including the correct three body kinematics, and later including the projectile-target nuclear interactions.

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arXiv1998

Nuclear Interference effects in 8B sub-Coulomb breakup

The breakup of $^8$B on $^{58}$Ni below the Coulomb barrier was measured recently with the aim of determining the Coulomb breakup components. We reexamine this reaction, and perform one step quantum-mechanical calculations that include E1, E2 and nuclear contributions. We show that the nuclear contribution is by no means negligible at the intermediate angular range where data was taken. Our results indicate that, for an accurate description of this reaction, Coulomb E1, E2 and nuclear processes all have to be taken into account.

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arXiv1998

Low-energy photodisintegration of 9Be and alpha + alpha + n <-> 9Be + gamma reactions at astrophysical conditions

A semi-microscopic model for the low-energy photodisintegration of the 9Be nucleus is constructed, and the experimental data are analyzed with its help. The older radioactive isotope data are supported by this analysis. The theoretical photodisintegration cross section is derived. The astrophysical rates for the reaction alpha + alpha + n -> 9Be + gamma and the reverse photodisintegration of 9Be are calculated. The new reaction rate for alpha + alpha + n -> 9Be + gamma is compared with previous estimations.

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arXiv1997

Effects of core degrees of freedom in the low energy $^7$Be$(p,γ)^8$B reaction

Quadrupole and octupole couplings to all bound states of $^7$Be are included in describing the capture reaction $^7$Be$(p,γ)^8$B. We verify, contrary to what we had initially stated, that the energy behaviour of the Astrophysical S-factor in the energy range of interest is not significantly sensitive to the core couplings in the g.s. (g.s.) of $^8$B although its overall magnitude is shifted. We find there is some sensitivity to the various deformation models when introducing the nuclear interaction for calculating the scattering states. The various deformation models predict quite different contributions to the quadrupole and magnetic moments but in order to compare with the data the quadrupole and magnetic moment of $^7$Be need to be measured.

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arXiv1997

Probing the Structure of Halo Nuclei

Our understanding of halo nuclei has so far relied on high-energy scattering and reactions, but a number of uncertainties remain. I discuss in general terms the new range of observables which will be measured by experiments around the Coulomb barrier, and how some details of the reaction mechanisms still need to be clarified.

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