arXiv subjects

M. Hukkanen

Publications and source records attributed to M. Hukkanen.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2023

$β^-$ decay $Q$-value measurement of $^{136}$Cs and its implications to neutrino studies

The $β^-$ decay $Q$-value of $^{136}$Cs ($J^π= 5^+$, $t_{1/2} \approx 13$~days) was measured with the JYFLTRAP Penning trap setup at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line (IGISOL) facility of the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. The mono-isotopic samples required in the measurements were prepared with a new scheme utilised for the cleaning, based on the coupling of dipolar excitation with Ramsey's method of time-separated oscillatory fields and the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance (PI-ICR) technique. The $Q$ value is determined to be 2536.83(45) keV, which is $\sim$4 times more precise and 11.4(20) keV ($\sim$ 6$σ$) smaller than the adopted value in the most recent Atomic Mass Evaluation AME2020. The daughter, $^{136}$Ba, has a 4$^+$ state at 2544.481(24) keV and a $3^-$ state at 2532.653(23) keV, both of which can potentially be ultralow $Q$-value end-states for the $^{136}$Cs decay. With our new ground-to-ground state $Q$ value, the decay energies to these two states become -7.65(45) keV and 4.18(45) keV, respectively. The former is confirmed to be negative at the level of $\sim$ 17$σ$, which verifies that this transition is not a suitable candidate for neutrino mass determination. On the other hand, the slightly negative $Q$ value makes this transition an interesting candidate for the study of virtual $β$-$γ$ transitions. The decay to the 3$^{-}$ state is validated to have a positive low $Q$ value which makes it a viable candidate for neutrino mass determination. For this transition, we obtained a shell-model-based half-life estimate of $2.1_{-0.8}^{+1.6}\times10^{12}$ yr.

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arXiv2022

Odd-odd neutron-rich rhodium isotopes studied with the double Penning trap JYFLTRAP

Precision mass measurements of neutron-rich rhodium isotopes have been performed at the JYFLTRAP Penning trap mass spectrometer at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line (IGISOL) facility. We report results on ground- and isomeric-state masses in $^{110,112,114,116,118}$Rh and the very first mass measurement of $^{120}$Rh. The isomeric states were separated and measured for the first time using the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance (PI-ICR) technique. For $^{112}$Rh, we also report new half-lives for both the ground state and the isomer. The results are compared to theoretical predictions using the BSkG1 mass model and discussed in terms of triaxial deformation.

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arXiv2022

Direct determination of the excitation energy of quasi-stable isomer $^{180m}$Ta

$^{180m}$Ta is a naturally abundant quasi-stable nuclide and the longest-lived nuclear isomer known to date. It is of interest for, among others, the search for dark matter, for the development of a gamma laser and for astrophysics. So far, its excitation energy has not been measured directly but has been based on an evaluation of available nuclear reaction data. We have determined the excitation energy of this isomer with high accuracy using the Penning-trap mass spectrometer JYFLTRAP. The determined mass difference between the ground and isomeric states of $^{180}$Ta yields an excitation energy of 76.79(55) keV for $^{180m}$Ta. This is the first direct measurement of the excitation energy and provides a better accuracy than the previous evaluation value, 75.3(14) keV.

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arXiv2022

Direct determination of the atomic mass difference of the pairs $^{76}$As-$^{76}$Se and $^{155}$Tb-$^{155}$Gd rules out $^{76}$As and $^{155}$Tb as possible candidates for electron (anti)neutrino mass measurements

The first direct determination of the ground-state-to-ground-state $Q$ values of the $β^-$ decay $^{76}$As $\rightarrow$ $^{76}$Se and the electron-capture decay $^{155}$Tb $\rightarrow$ $^{155}$Gd was performed utilizing the double Penning trap mass spectrometer JYFLTRAP. By measuring the atomic mass difference of the decay pairs via the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance (PI-ICR) technique, the $Q$ values of $^{76}$As $\rightarrow$ $^{76}$Se and $^{155}$Tb $\rightarrow$ $^{155}$Gd were determined to be 2959.265(74) keV and 814.94(18) keV, respectively. The precision was increased relative to earlier measurements by factors of 12 and 57, respectively. The new $Q$ values are 1.33 keV and 5 keV lower compared to the values adopted in the most recent Atomic Mass Evaluation 2020. With the newly determined ground-state-to-ground-state $Q$ values combined with the excitation energy from $γ$-ray spectroscopy, the $Q$ values for ground-state-to-excited-state transitions $^{76}$As (ground state) $\rightarrow$ $^{76}$Se$^*$ (2968.4(7) keV) and $^{155}$Tb (ground state) $\rightarrow$ $^{155}$Gd$^*$ (815.731(3) keV) were derived to be -9.13(70) keV and -0.79(18) keV. Thus we have confirmed that both of the $β^{-}$-decay and EC-decay candidate transitions are energetically forbidden at a level of at least 4$σ$, thus definitely excluding these two cases from the list of potential candidates for the search of low-$Q$-value $β^-$ or EC decays to determine the electron-(anti)neutrino mass.

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arXiv2021

$^{159}$Dy electron-capture: a strong new candidate for neutrino mass determination

{ The ground-state to ground-state electron-capture $Q$ value of $^{159}$Dy ($3/2^-$) has been measured directly utilizing the double Penning trap mass spectrometer JYFLTRAP. A value of 364.73(19)~keV was obtained from a measurement of the cyclotron frequency ratio of the decay parent $^{159}$Dy and the decay daughter $^{159}$Tb ions using the novel phase-imaging ion-cyclotron resonance technique. The $Q$ values for allowed Gamow-Teller transition to $5/2^-$ and the third-forbidden unique transition to $11/2^+$ state with excitation energies of 363.5449(14)~keV and 362.050(40)~keV in $^{159}$Tb were determined to be 1.18(19) keV and 2.68(19) keV, respectively. The high-precision $Q$ value of transition $3/2^-\to 5/2^-$ from this work, revealing itself as the lowest electron-capture $Q$ value, is utilized to unambiguously characterise all the possible lines that are present in its electron capture spectrum. { We performed atomic many-body calculations for both transitions to determine electron-capture probabilities from various atomic orbitals, and found an order of magnitude enhancement in the event rates near the end-point of energy spectrum in the transition to the $5/2^-$ nuclear excited state, which can become very interesting once the experimental challenges of identifying decays into excited states are overcome. The transition to the $11/2^+$ state is strongly suppressed and found unsuitable for measuring the neutrino mass. These results show that the electron capture in the $^{159}$Dy atom, going to the $5/2^-$ state of the $^{159}$Tb nucleus, %\textcolor{red} {is a new candidate which may open the way to determine the electron-neutrino mass in the sub-eV region by studying EC. Further experimental feasibility studies, including coincidence measurements with realistic detectors, will be of great interest.} }

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arXiv2021

Direct measurement of the mass difference of $^{72}$As-$^{72}$Ge rules out $^{72}$As as a promising $β$-decay candidate to determine the neutrino mass

We report the first direct determination of the ground-state to ground-state electron-capture $Q$-value for the $^{72}$As to $^{72}$Ge decay by measuring their atomic mass difference utilizing the double Penning trap mass spectrometer, JYFLTRAP. The $Q$-value was measured to be 4343.596(75)~keV, which is more than a 50-fold improvement in precision compared to the value in the most recent Atomic Mass Evaluation 2020. Furthermore, the new $Q$-value was found to be 12.4(40)~keV (3.1 $σ$) lower. With the significant reduction of the uncertainty of the ground-state to ground-state $Q$-value value combined with the level scheme of $^{72}$Ge from $γ$-ray spectroscopy, we confirm that the five potential ultra-low $Q$-value ${β^{+}}$-decay or electron capture transitions are energetically forbidden, thus precluding all the transitions as possible candidates for the electron neutrino mass determination. However, the discovery of small negative $Q$-values opens up the possibility to use $^{72}$As for the study of virtual $β$-$γ$ transitions.

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arXiv2020

High-precision mass measurement of $^{168}$Yb for verification of nonlinear isotope shift

The absolute mass value of $^{168}$Yb has been directly determined with the JYFLTRAP Penning trap mass spectrometer at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line (IGISOL) facility. A more precise value of the mass of $^{168}$Yb is needed to extract possible signatures of beyond standard model physics from high-precision isotope shift measurements of Yb atomic transition frequencies. The measured mass-excess value, ME($^{168}$Yb) = $-$61579.846(94) keV, is 12 times more precise and deviates from the Atomic Mass Evaluation 2016 value by 1.7$σ$. The impact on precision isotope shift studies of the stable Yb isotopes is discussed.

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arXiv2019

Measurement of the $2^+\rightarrow 0^+$ ground-state transition in the $β$ decay of $^{20}$F

We report the first detection of the second-forbidden, non-unique, $2^+\rightarrow 0^+$, ground-state transition in the $β$ decay of $^{20}$F. A low-energy, mass-separated $^{20}\rm{F}^+$ beam produced at the IGISOL facility in Jyväskylä, Finland, was implanted in a thin carbon foil and the $β$ spectrum measured using a magnetic transporter and a plastic-scintillator detector. The $β$-decay branching ratio inferred from the measurement is $b_β = [ 0.41\pm 0.08\textrm{(stat)}\pm 0.07\textrm{(sys)}] \times 10^{-5}$ corresponding to $\log ft = 10.89(11)$, making this one of the strongest second-forbidden, non-unique $β$ transitions ever measured. The experimental result is supported by shell-model calculations and has significant implications for the final evolution of stars that develop degenerate oxygen-neon cores. Using the new experimental data, we argue that the astrophysical electron-capture rate on $^{20}$Ne is now known to within better than 25% at the relevant temperatures and densities.

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arXiv2019

Discovery of an Exceptionally Strong $β$-Decay Transition of $^{20}$F and Implications for the Fate of Intermediate-Mass Stars

A significant fraction of stars between 7-11 solar masses are thought to become supernovae, but the explosion mechanism is unclear. The answer depends critically on the rate of electron capture on $^{20}$Ne in the degenerate oxygen-neon stellar core. However, due to the unknown strength of the transition between the ground states of $^{20}$Ne and $^{20}$F, it has not previously been possible to fully constrain the rate. By measuring the transition, we have established that its strength is exceptionally large and enhances the capture rate by several orders of magnitude. This has a decisive impact on the evolution of the core, increasing the likelihood that the star is (partially) disrupted by a thermonuclear explosion rather than collapsing to form a neutron star. Importantly, our measurement resolves the last remaining nuclear physics uncertainty in the final evolution of degenerate oxygen-neon stellar cores, allowing future studies to address the critical role of convection, which at present is poorly understood.

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