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K. Yoshida

Publications and source records attributed to K. Yoshida.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Direct Measurement of the Cosmic-Ray Helium Spectrum from 40 GeV to 250 TeV with the Calorimetric Electron Telescope on the International Space Station

We present the results of a direct measurement of the cosmic-ray helium spectrum with the CALET instrument in operation on the International Space Station since 2015. The observation period covered by this analysis spans from October 13, 2015 to April 30, 2022 (2392 days). The very wide dynamic range of CALET allowed to collect helium data over a large energy interval, from ~40 GeV to ~250 TeV, for the first time with a single instrument in Low Earth Orbit. The measured spectrum shows evidence of a deviation of the flux from a single power-law by more than 8$σ$ with a progressive spectral hardening from a few hundred GeV to a few tens of TeV. This result is consistent with the data reported by space instruments including PAMELA, AMS-02, DAMPE and balloon instruments including CREAM. At higher energy we report the onset of a softening of the helium spectrum around 30 TeV (total kinetic energy). Though affected by large uncertainties in the highest energy bins, the observation of a flux reduction turns out to be consistent with the most recent results of DAMPE. A Double Broken Power Law (DBPL) is found to fit simultaneously both spectral features: the hardening (at lower energy) and the softening (at higher energy). A measurement of the proton to helium flux ratio in the energy range from 60 GeV/n to about 60 TeV/n is also presented, using the CALET proton flux recently updated with higher statistics.

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Multiple Mechanisms in Proton-Induced Nucleon Removal at $\sim$100 MeV/Nucleon

We report on the first proton-induced single proton- and neutron-removal reactions from the neutron-deficient $^{14}$O nucleus with large Fermi-surface asymmetry $S_n-S_p$ = 18.6 MeV at $\sim$100 MeV/nucleon, a widely used energy regime for rare-isotope studies. The measured inclusive cross sections and parallel momentum distributions of the $^{13}$N and $^{13}$O residues are compared to the state-of-the-art reaction models, with nuclear structure inputs from many-body shell-model calculations. Our results provide the first quantitative contributions of multiple reaction mechanisms including the quasifree knockout, inelastic scattering and nucleon transfer processes. It is shown that the inelastic scattering and nucleon transfer, usually neglected at such energy regime, contribute about 50% and 30% to the loosely bound proton and deeply bound neutron removal, respectively. These multiple reaction mechanisms should be considered in analyses of inclusive one-nucleon removal cross sections measured at intermediate energies for quantitative investigation of single-particle strengths and correlations in atomic nuclei.

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Electron wave functions in beta-decay formulas revisited (II): Completion including recoil-order and induced currents

We present complete formulas of the allowed and first-forbidden transitions of the nuclear beta decay taking into account the recoil-order and induced currents up to the next-to-leading order (NLO). The longitudinal part of the vector current is cleared away by the use of the conservation of the vector current for the multipole operators of the natural-parity transitions, which makes the effect of the meson exchange current for the vector current as small as possible. The formula is transparent enough to be applied to various beta-decay processes. As a numerical demonstration, we apply our formulas to the beta decay of a neutron-rich nucleus $^{160}$Sn. We find that the NLO corrections amount to 10--20\% of the total decay rate, whereas the induced currents alter the rate at most 5\%.

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Cosmic-ray Boron Flux Measured from 8.4 GeV$/n$ to 3.8 TeV$/n$ with the Calorimetric Electron Telescope on the International Space Station

We present the measurement of the energy dependence of the boron flux in cosmic rays and its ratio to the carbon flux \textcolor{black}{in an energy interval from 8.4 GeV$/n$ to 3.8 TeV$/n$} based on the data collected by the CALorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET) during $\sim 6.4$ years of operation on the International Space Station. An update of the energy spectrum of carbon is also presented with an increase in statistics over our previous measurement. The observed boron flux shows a spectral hardening at the same transition energy $E_0 \sim 200$ GeV$/n$ of the C spectrum, though B and C fluxes have different energy dependences. The spectral index of the B spectrum is found to be $γ= -3.047\pm0.024$ in the interval $25 < E < 200$ GeV$/n$. The B spectrum hardens by $Δγ_B=0.25\pm0.12$, while the best fit value for the spectral variation of C is $Δγ_C=0.19\pm0.03$. The B/C flux ratio is compatible with a hardening of $0.09\pm0.05$, though a single power-law energy dependence cannot be ruled out given the current statistical uncertainties. A break in the B/C ratio energy dependence would support the recent AMS-02 observations that secondary cosmic rays exhibit a stronger hardening than primary ones. We also perform a fit to the B/C ratio with a leaky-box model of the cosmic-ray propagation in the Galaxy in order to probe a possible residual value $λ_0$ of the mean escape path length $λ$ at high energy. We find that our B/C data are compatible with a non-zero value of $λ_0$, which can be interpreted as the column density of matter that cosmic rays cross within the acceleration region.

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Observation of Spectral Structures in the Flux of Cosmic-Ray Protons from 50 GeV to 60 TeV with the Calorimetric Electron Telescope on the International Space Station

A precise measurement of the cosmic-ray proton spectrum with the Calorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET) is presented in the energy interval from 50 GeV to 60 TeV, and the observation of a softening of the spectrum above 10 TeV is reported. The analysis is based on the data collected during $\sim$6.2 years of smooth operations aboard the International Space Station and covers a broader energy range with respect to the previous proton flux measurement by CALET, with an increase of the available statistics by a factor of $\sim$2.2. Above a few hundred GeV we confirm our previous observation of a progressive spectral hardening with a higher significance (more than 20 sigma). In the multi-TeV region we observe a second spectral feature with a softening around 10 TeV and a spectral index change from =2.6 to -2.9 consistently, within the errors, with the shape of the spectrum reported by DAMPE. We apply a simultaneous fit of the proton differential spectrum which well reproduces the gradual change of the spectral index encompassing the lower energy power-law regime and the two spectral features observed at higher energies.

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CALET Search for electromagnetic counterparts of gravitational waves during the LIGO/Virgo O3 run

The CALorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET) on the International Space Station (ISS) consists of a high-energy cosmic ray CALorimeter (CAL) and a lower-energy CALET Gamma ray Burst Monitor (CGBM). CAL is sensitive to electrons up to 20 TeV, cosmic ray nuclei from Z = 1 through Z $\sim$ 40, and gamma rays over the range 1 GeV - 10 TeV. CGBM observes gamma rays from 7 keV to 20 MeV. The combined CAL-CGBM instrument has conducted a search for gamma ray bursts (GRBs) since Oct. 2015. We report here on the results of a search for X-ray/gamma ray counterparts to gravitational wave events reported during the LIGO/Virgo observing run O3. No events have been detected that pass all acceptance criteria. We describe the components, performance, and triggering algorithms of the CGBM - the two Hard X-ray Monitors (HXM) consisting of LaBr$_{3}$(Ce) scintillators sensitive to 7 keV to 1 MeV gamma rays and a Soft Gamma ray Monitor (SGM) BGO scintillator sensitive to 40 keV to 20 MeV - and the high-energy CAL consisting of a CHarge-Detection module (CHD), IMaging Calorimeter (IMC), and fully active Total Absorption Calorimeter (TASC). The analysis procedure is described and upper limits to the time-averaged fluxes are presented.

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Quantum-Enhanced Heat Engine Based on Superabsorption

We propose a quantum-enhanced heat engine with entanglement. The key feature of our scheme is superabsorption, which facilitates enhanced energy absorption by entangled qubits. Whereas a conventional engine with $N$ separable qubits provides power with a scaling of $P = Θ(N)$, our engine uses superabsorption to provide power with a quantum scaling of $P = Θ(N^2)$. This quantum heat engine also exhibits a scaling advantage over classical ones composed of $N$-particle Langevin systems. Our work elucidates the quantum properties allowing for the enhancement of performance.

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Applications of the dynamical generator coordinate method to quadrupole excitations

We apply the dynamical generator coordinate method (DGCM) with a conjugate momentum to a nuclear collective excitation. To this end, we first discuss how to construct a numerically workable scheme of the DGCM for a general one-body operator. We then apply the DGCM to the quadrupole vibration of $^{16}$O using the Gogny D1S interaction. We show that both the ground state energy and the excitation energies are lowered as compared to the conventional GCM with the same number of basis functions. We also compute the sum rule values for the quadrupole and monopole operators, and show that the DGCM yields more consistent results than the conventional GCM to the values from the double commutator. These results imply that the conjugate momentum is an important and relevant degree of freedom in collective motions.

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Direct Measurement of the Nickel Spectrum in Cosmic Rays in the Energy Range from 8.8 GeV/n to 240 GeV/n with CALET on the International Space Station

The relative abundance of cosmic ray nickel nuclei with respect to iron is by far larger than for all other trans-iron elements, therefore it provides a favorable opportunity for a low background measurement of its spectrum. Since nickel, as well as iron, is one of the most stable nuclei, the nickel energy spectrum and its relative abundance with respect to iron provide important information to estimate the abundances at the cosmic ray source and to model the Galactic propagation of heavy nuclei. However, only a few direct measurements of cosmic-ray nickel at energy larger than $ \sim$ 3 GeV/n are available at present in the literature and they are affected by strong limitations in both energy reach and statistics. In this paper we present a measurement of the differential energy spectrum of nickel in the energy range from 8.8 to 240 GeV/n, carried out with unprecedented precision by the Calorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET) in operation on the International Space Station since 2015. The CALET instrument can identify individual nuclear species via a measurement of their electric charge with a dynamic range extending far beyond iron (up to atomic number $ Z $ = 40). The particle's energy is measured by a homogeneous calorimeter (1.2 proton interaction lengths, 27 radiation lengths) preceded by a thin imaging section (3 radiation lengths) providing tracking and energy sampling. This paper follows our previous measurement of the iron spectrum [O. Adriani et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 241101 (2021).], and it extends our investigation on the energy dependence of the spectral index of heavy elements. It reports the analysis of nickel data collected from November 2015 to May 2021 and a detailed assessment of the systematic uncertainties. In the region from 20 to 240 GeV$ /n $ our present data are compatible within the errors with a single power law with spectral index $ -2.51 \pm 0.07 $.

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Microscopic description of cluster decays based on the generator coordinate method

\noindent\textbf{Background:} While many phenomenological models for nuclear fission have been developed, a microscopic understanding of fission has remained one of the most challenging problems in nuclear physics. \noindent\textbf{Purpose:} We investigate an applicability of the generator coordinate method (GCM) as a microscopic theory for cluster radioactivities of heavy nuclei, which can be regarded as a fission with large mass asymmetry, that is, a phenomenon in between fission and $α$-decays. \noindent\textbf{Methods:} Based on the Gamow theory, we evaluate the preformation probability of a cluster with GCM while the penetrability of the Coulomb barrier is estimated with a potential model. To this end, we employ Skyrme interactions and solve the one-dimensional Hill-Wheeler equation with the mass octupole field. We also take into account the dynamical effects of the pairing correlation using BCS wavefunctions constructed with an increased strength of the pairing interaction. \noindent\textbf{Results:} We apply this scheme to the cluster decay of $^{222}$Ra, i.e., $^{222}$Ra$\to^{14}$C+$^{208}$Pb, to show that the experimental decay rate can be reproduced within about two order of magnitude. We also briefly discuss the cluster radioactivities of the $^{228}$Th and $^{232}$U nuclei. For these actinide nuclei, we find that the present calculations reproduce the decay rates with the same order of magnitude and within two or three order of magnitude, respectively. \noindent\textbf{Conclusions:} The method presented in this paper provides a promising way to describe microscopically cluster decays of heavy nuclei.

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A First Glimpse at the Shell Structure beyond $^{54}$Ca: Spectroscopy of $^{55}$K, $^{55}$Ca, and $^{57}$Ca

States in the $N=35$ and 37 isotopes $^{55,57}$Ca have been populated by direct proton-induced nucleon removal reactions from $^{56,58}$Sc and $^{56}$Ca beams at the RIBF. In addition, the $(p,2p)$ quasi-free single-proton removal reaction from $^{56}$Ca was studied. Excited states in $^{55}$K, $^{55}$Ca, and $^{57}$Ca were established for the first time via in-beam $γ$-ray spectroscopy. Results for the proton and neutron removal reactions from $^{56}$Ca to states in $^{55}$K and $^{55}$Ca for the level energies, excited state lifetimes, and exclusive cross sections agree well with state-of-the-art theoretical calculations using different approaches. The observation of a short-lived state in $^{57}$Ca suggests a transition in the calcium isotopic chain from single-particle dominated states at $N=35$ to collective excitations at $N=37$.

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First application of dispersive optical model to ($p$,$2p$) analysis within distorted wave impulse approximation framework

Both ($e$,$e'p$) and ($p$,$2p$) reactions have been performed to study the proton single-particle character of nuclear states with its related spectroscopic factor. Recently, the dispersive optical model (DOM) was applied to the ($e$,$e'p$) analysis revealing that the traditional treatment of the single-particle overlap function, distorted waves, and nonlocality must be further improved to achieve quantitative nuclear spectroscopy. We apply the DOM wave functions to the traditional ($p$,$2p$) analysis and investigate the consistency of the DOM spectroscopic factor that describes the ($e$,$e'p$) cross section with the result of the ($p$,$2p$) analysis. Additionally, we make a comparison with a phenomenological single-particle wave function and optical potential. Uncertainty arising from a choice of $p$-$p$ interaction is also investigated. We implement the DOM wave functions to the distorted wave impulse approximation (DWIA) framework for ($p$,$2p$) reactions. DOM + DWIA analysis on $^{40}$Ca($p$,$2p$)$^{39}$K data generates a proton $0d_{3/2}$ spectroscopic factor of 0.560, which is meaningfully smaller than the DOM value of 0.71 shown to be consistent with the ($e$,$e'p$) analysis. Uncertainties arising from choices of single-particle wave function, optical potential, and $p$-$p$ interaction do not explain this inconsistency. The inconsistency in the spectroscopic factor suggests there is urgent need for improving the description of $p$-$p$ scattering in a nucleus and the resulting in-medium interaction with corresponding implications for the analysis of this reaction in inverse kinematics.

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Charge-changing cross sections for $^{42\textrm{--}51}$Ca and effect of charged-particle evaporation induced by neutron removal reaction

Charge-changing cross sections $σ_\mathrm{CC}$ for $^{42\textrm{--}51}$Ca on a carbon target at around 280~MeV/nucleon have been measured. The measured $σ_\mathrm{CC}$ values differ significantly from the previously developed calculations based on the Glauber model. However, through introduction of the charged-particle evaporation effect induced by the neutron-removal reaction in addition to the Glauber-model calculation, experimental $σ_\mathrm{CC}$ values on $^{12}$C at around 300~MeV/nucleon for nuclides from C to Fe isotopes are all reproduced with approximately 1\% accuracy. This proposed model systematically reproduces $σ_\mathrm{CC}$ data without phenomenological corrections, and can also explain experimental $σ_\mathrm{CC}$ values obtained in other energy regions.

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Role of triaxiality in deformed halo nuclei

It is known that nuclear deformation plays an important role in inducing the halo structure in neutron-rich nuclei by mixing several angular momentum components. While previous theoretical studies on this problem in the literature assume axially symmetric deformation, we here consider non-axially symmetric deformations. With triaxial deformation, the $Ω$ quantum number is admixed in a single-particle wave function, where $Ω$ is the projection of the single-particle angular momentum on the symmetric axis, and the halo structure may arise even when it is absent with the axially symmetric deformation. In this way, the area of halo nuclei may be extended when triaxial deformation is considered. We demonstrate this idea using a deformed Woods-Saxon potential for nuclei with neutron number N=13 and 43.

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Measurement of the Iron Spectrum in Cosmic Rays from 10 GeV$/n$ to 2.0 TeV$/n$ with the Calorimetric Electron Telescope on the International Space Station

The Calorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET), in operation on the International Space Station since 2015, collected a large sample of cosmic-ray iron over a wide energy interval. In this Letter a measurement of the iron spectrum is presented in the range of kinetic energy per nucleon from 10 GeV$/n$ to 2.0 TeV$/n$ allowing the inclusion of iron in the list of elements studied with unprecedented precision by space-borne instruments. The measurement is based on observations carried out from January 2016 to May 2020. The CALET instrument can identify individual nuclear species via a measurement of their electric charge with a dynamic range extending far beyond iron (up to atomic number $Z$ = 40). The energy is measured by a homogeneous calorimeter with a total equivalent thickness of 1.2 proton interaction lengths preceded by a thin (3 radiation lengths) imaging section providing tracking and energy sampling. The analysis of the data and the detailed assessment of systematic uncertainties are described and results are compared with the findings of previous experiments. The observed differential spectrum is consistent within the errors with previous experiments. In the region from 50 GeV$/n$ to 2 TeV$/n$ our present data are compatible with a single power law with spectral index -2.60 $\pm$ 0.03.

astro-ph.HE↗

Beta-decay formulas revisited (I): Gamow--Teller and spin-dipole contributions to allowed and first-forbidden transitions

We propose formulas of the nuclear beta-decay rate that are useful in a practical calculation. The decay rate is determined by the product of the lepton and hadron current densities. A widely used formula relies upon the fact that the low-energy lepton wave functions in a nucleus can be well approximated by a constant and linear to the radius for the $s$-wave and $p$-wave wave functions, respectively. We find, however, the deviation from such a simple approximation is evident for heavy nuclei with large $Z$ by numerically solving the Dirac equation. In our proposed formulas, the neutrino wave function is treated exactly as a plane wave, while the electron wave function is obtained by iteratively solving the integral equation, thus we can control the uncertainty of the approximate wave function. The leading-order approximation gives a formula equivalent to the conventional one and overestimates the decay rate. We demonstrate that the next-to-leading-order formula reproduces well the exact result for a schematic transition density as well as a microscopic one obtained by a nuclear energy-density functional method.

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Quasi-free Neutron Knockout Reaction Reveals a Small $s$-orbital Component in the Borromean Nucleus $^{17}$B

A kinematically complete quasi-free $(p,pn)$ experiment in inverse kinematics was performed to study the structure of the Borromean nucleus $^{17}$B, which had long been considered to have neutron halo. By analyzing the momentum distributions and exclusive cross sections, we obtained the spectroscopic factors for $1s_{1/2}$ and $0d_{5/2}$ orbitals, and a surprisingly small percentage of 9(2)$\%$ was determined for $1s_{1/2}$. Our finding of such a small $1s_{1/2}$ component and the halo features reported in prior experiments can be explained by the deformed relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov theory in continuum, revealing a definite but not dominant neutron halo in $^{17}$B. The present work gives the smallest $s$- or $p$-orbital component among known nuclei exhibiting halo features, and implies that the dominant occupation of $s$ or $p$ orbitals is not a prerequisite for the occurrence of neutron halo.

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Generator coordinate method with a conjugate momentum: application to the particle number projection

We discuss an extension of the generator coordinate method (GCM) by taking simultaneously a collective coordinate and its conjugate momentum as generator coordinates. To this end, we follow the idea of the dynamical GCM (DGCM) proposed by Goeke and Reinhard. We first show that the DGCM method can be regarded as an extension of the double projection method for the center of mass motion. As an application of DGCM, we then investigate the particle number projection, for which we not only carry out an integral over the gauge angle as in the usual particle number projection but also take a linear superposition of BCS states which have different mean particle numbers. We show that the ground state energy is significantly lowered by such effect, especially for magic nuclei for which the pairing gap is zero in the BCS approximation. This suggests that the present method makes a good alternative to the variation after projection (VAP) method, as the method is much simpler than the VAP.

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