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L. V. Grigorenko

Publications and source records attributed to L. V. Grigorenko.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Ground State Decay of the Three-Proton Emitter $^{17}$Na Reveals Isospin Symmetry Breaking

The spectrum of the exotic three-proton (3p) emitter $^{17}$Na has been studied by detecting all in-flight decay products. Derived from the measured angular correlations $^{14}$O+p+p+p, a resonant peak has been discovered at the 3p-decay energy of 2.24($^{+0.17}_{-0.25}$) MeV, which likely corresponds to the $^{17}$Na ground state. This decay energy value is significantly smaller than the previous experimental upper limit. Our measured $^{14}$O-p correlations stemming from the ground state decay have been quantitatively described by a sequential 1p-2p emission from a $^{17}$Na resonance via the intermediate $^{16}$Ne ground state, which allowed to derive the upper limit of $^{17}$Na ground-state width of 0.6 MeV. A dramatic systematic decrease in the mirror energy differences of mirror nuclei pairs has been observed at almost all 3p emitters with known proton separation energy (such as $^{31}$K, $^{20}$Al, and $^{17}$Na), in sharp contrast to the behavior in less exotic nuclei. Such a lowering effect indicates a general trend in evolution of nuclear structure for light to medium mass nuclei beyond the proton drip line, which is often associated with strong isospin symmetry breaking.

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Correlation studies of the $^{7}$He excited states

The unbound nucleus $^{7}$He was recently studied in the $^2$H($^{6}$He,$^1$H)$^{7}$He reaction at 29 $A\,$MeV beam energy in Ref.[M.S. Golovkov et al., Phys. Rev. C 109, L061602 (2024)]. The excitation spectrum of $^{7}$He was measured up to $E_T=8$ MeV ($E_T$ is energy above the $^{6}$He-$n$ threshold). Angular distribution for the $^{6}$He-$n$ decay of the $^{7}$He $3/2^-$ ground state can be explained by a strong spin alignment induced by a reaction mechanism. The correlation information for the higher-lying $^{7}$He excitations is available as backward-forward asymmetry for the $^{6}$He-$n$ decay in the $^{7}$He frame. The asymmetry function has an expressed energy profile which may be explained by using quite restrictive assumptions about structure of $^{7}$He excitations or/and peculiarities of the reaction mechanism. In the analysis of [M.S. Golovkov et al., Phys. Rev. C 109, L061602 (2024)] the observation the $s_{1/2}$ state in $^{7}$He is declared with $E_r \approx 2.0$ MeV. Our work is based on the same $^{7}$He data. However, the data analysis was improved and also the data interpretation is substantiated with the detailed PWBA reaction studies and coupled-channel calculations of the $^{7}$He continuous spectrum. The idea of the $s_{1/2}$ resonant state with $E_r \approx 2.0$ is rejected. In addition, the position of the $1/2^-$ state in $^{7}$He is confined to the interval $E_r=2.2-3.0$ MeV, with ``preferred'' value 2.6 MeV. There is indication on the second $3/2^-$ state in the data with $E_r \sim 4.5$ MeV and with the lower resonance energy limit $E_r \gtrsim 3.5$ MeV. Importance and prospects of more detailed correlation studies of $^{7}$He continuum are discussed.

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Neutron versus proton scattering on exotic nuclei: the $^9$He example

Neutron scattering on exotic nuclides is a class of processes which can not be studied directly now and in any observable future. Resonance proton scattering of exotic nuclide on a thick target in inverse kinematics can be used to infer the properties of the low-energy neutron scattering of this nuclide assuming the isobaric symmetry. However, the results of such resonance proton scattering reactions are so far analyzed in theoretical approaches (optical, R-matrix models), which are missing important aspects of isospin dynamics, isospin violation in continuum and threshold dynamics. The isospin conserving coupled-channel model (ICM) is proposed, which provides a more reliable basis for understanding of such experimental studies. Qualitatively different phase shifts for the $^{8}$He+$p$ $T=5/2$ and $T=3/2$ resonances are predicted by ICM with quite unusual profile for the $T=5/2$ states. Alternative interpretation of the existing $^{8}$He+$p$ data is proposed. The observable properties of the $T=5/2$ resonances may be strongly affected by the isobaric-partner $T=3/2$ states. Crucial importance of studies of the neutron-emission channel for disentangling this possible influence is demonstrated.

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Population of tetraneutron continuum in reactions of $^{8}$He on deuterium

Search for the population of the low-energy continuum of a tetraneutron system was performed for reactions of the $^{8}$He beam on a deuterium target. These studies are based on the data [I.A. Muzalevskii \textit{et al.}, Phys.\ Rev.\ C \textbf{103}, 044313 (2021)], previously used for the studies of $^{7}$H and $^{6}$H in the $^2\text{H}(^8\text{He},{^3\text{He}})^{7}$H and $^2\text{H}(^8\text{He},{^4\text{He}})^{6}$H reactions. Evidence for a hump in the $^4$n continuum at $3.5 \pm 0.7$ and $3.2 \pm 0.8$ MeV was observed in the $^2$H($^8$He,$^6$Li)$^4$n and $^2$H($^8$He,$^3$He)$^7$H$\rightarrow ^3$H+$^4$n reactions, respectively. The observed statistics is quite low (6 events and up to 40 events) corresponding to very low cross sections of few microbarns or tens of microbarns. The background conditions for the $^2$H($^8$He,$^6$Li)$^4$n reaction are shown to be good, favoring the physical nature of the observed events. The $^2$H($^8$He,$^3$He)$^7$H$\rightarrow ^3$H+$^4$n process transforms to the $^2$H($^8$He,$^6$Li$^{\ast})^4n$ reaction in the limit of the highest $^7$H decay energies. The population of the low-energy region in the $^{4}$n spectrum is found to be perfectly correlated with the population of the lowest $^{6}$Li state in the $^{3}$He+$^{3}$H continuum with $E^*=18$ MeV. Theoretical calculations of $^{8}$He in a five-body $α$+$4n$ and of $^{4}$n in a four-body hyperspherical models are presented. The $^{8}$He wave function is shown to contain strong specific correlations, which may give rise to very low-energy structures in tetraneutron continuum in extreme-peripheral reaction scenarios.

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Mirror Symmetry Breaking Disclosed in the Decay of Three-Proton Emitter 20Al

The previously-unknown nucleus 20Al has been observed for the first time by detecting its in-flight decays. Tracking trajectories of all decay products with silicon micro-strip detectors allowed for a conclusion that 20Al is unbound with respect to three-proton (3p) emission. The 3p-decay energy of 20Al ground state has been determined to be 1.93(+0.11,-0.09) MeV through a detailed study of angular correlations of its decay products, 17Ne+p+p+p. This value is much smaller in comparison with the predictions inferred from the isospin symmetry by using the known energy of its mirror nucleus 20N, which indicates a possible mirror symmetry violation in the structure of 3p emitters. Such an isospin symmetry breaking is supported by the calculations of the continuum embedded theoretical frameworks, describing the observed 20Al ground state as an 1p s-wave state with a spin-parity of 1-, which contradicts to the spin-parity (2-) of the 20N ground state. The 20Al ground state decays by sequential 1p-2p emission via intermediate ground state of 19Mg, which is the first observed case of daughter two-proton radioactivity following 1p decay of the parent state.

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Observation and spectroscopy of proton-unbound nucleus $^{21}$Al

We report on the observation of previously-unknown isotope $^{21}$Al, the first unbound aluminum isotope located beyond the proton dripline. The $^{21}$Al nucleus decays by one-proton (1p) emission, and its in-flight decays were detected by tracking trajectories of all decay products with micro-strip silicon detectors. The 1p-emission processes were studied by analyses of the measured angular correlations of decay products $^{20}$Mg+p. The 1p-decay energies of ground and low-lying excited states of $^{21}$Al, its mass excess and proton separation energy value $S_p$=$-1.1(1)$ MeV were determined.

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Study of Proton and Deuteron Pickup Reactions 2H(10Be,3He)9Li an 2H(10Be,4He)8Li with 44 A MeV 10Be Radioactive Beam at ACCULINNA-2 Fragment Separator

The proton and deuteron pickup reactions 2H(10Be,3He)9Li and 2H(10Be,4He)8Li radioactive beam produced by the new fragment separator ACCULINNA-2 at FLNR, JINR\@. These measurements were initially motivated as test reactions intended for the elucidation of results obtained in the study of the extremely neutron-rich 7H and 6H systems created in the 2H(10Be,3He)9Li and 2H(10Be,4He)8Li reactions using the same setup. In the 2H(10Be,3He)9Li reaction the 9Li ground-state ($3/2^-$) and its first excited state (2.69MeV, $1/2^-$) were identified in the low-energy region of its excitation spectrum. The differential cross sections for the 9Li g.~s.) population were extracted at forward center-of-mass angles ($3^\circ-13^\circ$) and compared with the FRESCO calculations. Spectroscopic factor of $\sim 1.7$, derived by a model for the 10Be$ = p +$9Li(g.s.) clustering was found in accord with the experimental data. The energy spectrum of 8Li populated in the 2H(10Be,4He)8Li reaction shows the strong peak which corresponds to excitation of the second excited state of 8Li (2.25 MeV, $3^+$). The fact that the ground and the first excited states of 8Li were not observed is fully consistent with Shell-Model calculations carried out for the 10Be g.\,s. and 8Li level structure applying momentum selection rules.

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Detector array for the $^7$H nucleus multi-neutron decay study

Setup fitting the requirements for the detailed study of the five-body decay of the 7H nucleus obtained as a result of the proton transfer from the 8He projectiles to the deuterium target nuclei is being built at the radioactive beam line of ACCULINNA-2 separator in the G.N. Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions. Described here is the assembly of 100 BC-404 plastic scintillators, intended for neutron detection, the annular Si detector telescope for the 3He recoils, and the detector array providing the $ΔE$-$E$-TOF registration of 3H nuclei emitted at the 7H decay. Results obtained by the Monte Carlo simulations made for the energy values and flight passes of all these particles are given together with the luminosity expected for the discussed experiments.

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The $^{6}$H states studied in the $^2\text{He}(^8\text{He},^4\text{He})$ reaction and evidence of extremely correlated character of the $^{5}$H ground state

The extremely neutron-rich system $^{6}$H was studied in the direct $^2\text{H}(^8\text{He},{^4\text{He}})^{6}$H transfer reaction with a $26 A$ MeV secondary $^{8}$He beam. The measured missing mass spectrum shows a broad bump at $\sim 4-8$ MeV above the $^3$H+$3n$ decay threshold. This bump can be interpreted as a broad resonant state in $^{6}$H at $6.8(5)$ MeV. The population cross section of such a presumably $p$-wave state (or may be few overlapping states) in the energy range from 4 to 8 MeV is $dσ/dΩ_{\text{c.m.}} \simeq 190^{+40}_{-80}$ $μ$b/sr in the angular range $5^{\circ}<θ_{\text{c.m.}}<16^{\circ}$. The obtained missing mass spectrum is practically free of the $^{6}$H events below 3.5 MeV ($dσ/dΩ_{\text{c.m.}} \lesssim 5$ $μ$b/sr in the same angular range). The steep rise of the $^{6}$H missing mass spectrum at $\sim 3$ MeV allows to derive the lower limit for the possible resonant-state energy in $^{6}$H to be $4.5(3)$ MeV. According to the paring energy estimates, such a $4.5(3)$ MeV resonance is a realistic candidate for the $^{6}$H ground state (g.s.). The obtained results confirm that the decay mechanism of the $^{7}$H g.s.\ (located at 2.2 MeV above the $^{3}$H+$4n$ threshold) is the "true" (or simultaneous) $4n$ emission. The resonance energy profiles and the momentum distributions of fragments of the sequential $^{6}$H$ \,\rightarrow \, ^5$H(g.s.)+$n\, \rightarrow \, ^3$H+$3n$ decay were analyzed by the theoretically-updated direct four-body-decay and sequential-emission mechanisms. The measured momentum distributions of the $^{3}$H fragments in the $^{6}$H rest frame indicate very strong "dineutron-type" correlations in the $^{5}$H ground state decay.

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Mass measurements of As, Se and Br nuclei and their implication on the proton-neutron interaction strength towards the N=Z line

Mass measurements of the $^{69}$As, $^{70,71}$Se and $^{71}$Br isotopes, produced via fragmentation of a $^{124}$Xe primary beam at the FRS at GSI, have been performed with the multiple-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MR-TOF-MS) of the FRS Ion Catcher with an unprecedented mass resolving power of almost 1,000,000. For the $^{69}$As isotope, this is the first direct mass measurement. A mass uncertainty of 22 keV was achieved with only 10 events. For the $^{70}$Se isotope, a mass uncertainty of 2.6 keV was obtained, corresponding to a relative accuracy of $δ$m/m = 4.0$\times 10^{-8}$, with less than 500 events. The masses of the $^{71}$Se and $^{71}$Br isotopes were measured with an uncertainty of 23 and 16 keV, respectively. Our results for the $^{70,71}$Se and $^{71}$Br isotopes agree with the 2016 Atomic Mass Evaluation, and our result for the $^{69}$As isotope resolves the discrepancy between previous indirect measurements. We measured also the mass of $^{14}$N$^{15}$N$^{40}$Ar (A=69) with a relative accuracy of $δ$m/m = 1.7$\times 10^{-8}$, the highest yet achieved with a MR-TOF-MS. Our results show that the measured restrengthening of the proton-neutron interaction ($δ$V$_{pn}$) for odd-odd nuclei at the N=Z line above Z=29 (recently extended to Z=37) is hardly evident at N-Z=2, and not evident at N-Z=4. Nevertheless, detailed structure of $δ$V$_{pn}$ along the N-Z=2 and N-Z=4 lines, confirmed by our mass measurements, may provide a hint regarding the ongoing $\approx$500 keV discrepancy in the mass value of the $^{70}$Br isotope, which prevents including it in the world average of ${Ft}$-value for superallowed 0$^+\rightarrow$ 0$^+$ $β$ decays. The reported work sets the stage for mass measurements with the FRS Ion Catcher of nuclei at and beyond the N=Z line in the same region of the nuclear chart, including the $^{70}$Br isotope.

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Resonant states in $^{7}$H. I. Experimental studies of the $^2$H($^8$He,$^3$He) reaction

The extremely neutron-rich system $^{7}$H was studied in the direct $^2$H($^8$He,$^3$He)$^7$H transfer reaction with a 26 AMeV secondary $^{8}$He beam [Bezbakh et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 124 (2020) 022502]. The missing mass spectrum and center-of-mass (c.m.) angular distributions of $^{7}$H, as well as the momentum distribution of the $^{3}$H fragment in the $^{7}$H frame, were constructed. In addition to the investigation reported in Ref. [Bezbakh et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 124 (2020) 022502], we carried out another experiment with the same beam but a modified setup, which was cross-checked by the study of the $^2$H($^{10}$Be,$^3$He$)^{9}$Li reaction. A solid experimental evidence is provided that two resonant states of $^{7}$H are located in its spectrum at 2.2(5) and 5.5(3) MeV relative to the $^3$H+4$n$ decay threshold. Also, there are indications that the resonant states at 7.5(3) and 11.0(3) MeV are present in the measured $^{7}$H spectrum. Based on the energy and angular distributions, obtained for the studied $^2$H($^8$He,$^3$He)$^7$H reaction, the weakly populated 2.2(5) MeV peak is ascribed to the $^7$H ground state. It is highly plausible that the firmly ascertained 5.5(3) MeV state is the $5/2^+$ member of the $^7$H excitation $5/2^+$-$3/2^+$ doublet, built on the $2^+$ configuration of valence neutrons. The supposed 7.5 MeV state can be another member of this doublet, which could not be resolved in Ref. [Bezbakh et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 124 (2020) 022502]. Consequently, the two doublet members appeared in the spectrum of $^{7}$H in [Bezbakh et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 124 (2020) 022502] as a single broad 6.5 MeV peak.

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Asymptotic normalization coefficient method for two-proton radiative capture

The method of asymptotic normalization coefficients is a standard approach for studies of two-body non-resonant radiative capture processes in nuclear astrophysics. This method suggests a fully analytical description of the radiative capture cross section in the low-energy region of the astrophysical interest. We demonstrate how this method can be generalized to the case of three-body $2p$ radiative captures. It was found that an essential feature of this process is the highly correlated nature of the capture. This reflects the complexity of three-body Coulomb continuum problem. Radiative capture $^{15}$O+$p$+$p \rightarrow ^{\,17}$Ne+$γ$ is considered as an illustration.

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High precision studies of soft dipole mode in two-neutron halo nuclei: $^{6}$He case

The "soft dipole" E1 strength function is calculated for the transition from the $^{6}$He $0^+$ ground state to the $1^-$ continuum $^{4}$He+$n$+$n$. The calculations were performed within the hyperspherical harmonics formalism. The sensitivity of the results to the $^{6}$He ground state structure and to final state interactions, are analyzed. The large-basis calculations show the reliably converged results for soft dipole strength function and for momentum correlations of the $^{6}\mbox{He} \rightarrow \, ^{4}$He+$n$+$n$ dissociation products. Transition mechanisms are analyzed based on the momentum correlations. The comparison with experimental data is provided.

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Three-body vs. dineutron approach to two-neutron radiative capture in $^{6}$He

The low-energy behavior of the strength function for the $1^-$ soft dipole excitation in $^{6}$He is studied theoretically. Use of very large basis sizes and well-grounded extrapolation procedures allows to move to energies as small as 1 keV, at which the low-energy asymptotic behavior of the E1 strength function seems to be achieved. It is found that the low-energy behavior of the strength function is well described in the effective three-body "dynamical dineutron model". The astrophysical rate for the $α$+$n$+$n \rightarrow ^6$He+$γ$ is calculated. Comparison with the previous calculations is performed.

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Studies of quasiclassical approach applicability to true three-body decays

Within the hyperspherical harmonics approach the three-body problem is reduced to a motion of one effective particle in a "strongly deformed" field, which is described in coupled-channel formalism. This method is especially suited to studies of phenomena characterized by genuine three-body dynamics, e.g. Borromean haloes and true three-body decays. The reduction of the hyperspherical equations set to a single-channel Schrödinger equation provides the basis for the use of the standard quasiclassical expression for calculations of widths for true three-body decays. We demonstrate that the quasiclassical approach by itself is quite precise in application to typical profiles of the three-body effective potentials. However, the reduction to single-channel formalism leads to significant overestimation of the two-proton width $Γ_{2p}$. This is demonstrated by the example of the $^{17}$Ne first excited $3/2^-$ state decay, questioning, however, the applicability of such an approximation in general.

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Observation of the $^7$H excited state

The $^7$H system was populated in the $^2$H($^8$He,$^3$He)$^7$H reaction with a 26 AMeV $^8$He beam. The $^{7}$H missing mass energy spectrum, the $^{3}$H energy and angular distributions in the $^7$H decay frame were reconstructed. The $^7$H missing mass spectrum shows a peak which can be interpreted either as unresolved $5/2^+$ and $3/2^+$ doublet or one of these states at 6.5(5) MeV. The data also provide indications on the $1/2^+$ ground state of $^7$H located at 2.0(5) MeV with quite a low population cross section of $\sim 10$ $μ$b/sr within angular range $θ_{\text{cm}} \simeq 6^{\circ} - 30^{\circ}$.

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Pauli-principle driven correlations in four-neutron nuclear decays

Mechanism of simultaneous non-sequential four-neutron ($4n$) emission (or `true' $4n$-decay) has been considered in phenomenological five-body approach. This approach is analogous to the model of the direct decay to the continuum often applied to $2n$- and $2p$-decays. It is demonstrated that $4n$-decay fragments should have specific energy and angular correlations reflecting strong spatial correlations of `valence' nucleons orbiting in their $4n$-precursors. Due to the Pauli exclusion principle, the valence neutrons are pushed to the symmetry-allowed configurations in the $4n$-precursor structure, which causes a `Pauli focusing' effect. Prospects of the observation of the Pauli focusing have been considered for the $4n$-precursors $^7$H and $^{28}$O. Fingerprints of their nuclear structure or/and decay dynamics are predicted.

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Towards the Limits of Existence of Nuclear Structure: Observation and First spectroscopy of the Isotope $^{31}$K by measuring its three-proton Decay

The most-remote from stability isotope $^{31}$K, which is located four atomic mass units beyond the proton drip line, has been observed. It is unbound in respect to three-proton (${3p}$) emission, and its decays have been detected in flight by measuring trajectories of all decay products using micro-strip detectors. The $3p$-emission processes have been studied by means of angular correlations $^{28}$S+3$p$ and the respective decay vertexes. The energies of the previously-unknown ground and excited states of $^{31}$K have been determined. This provides its $3p$ separation-energy value $S_{3p}$ of $-4.6(2)$ MeV. Upper half-life limits of 10 ps of the observed $^{31}$K states have been derived from distributions of the measured decay vertexes.

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