arXiv subjects

P. von Neumann-Cosel

Publications and source records attributed to P. von Neumann-Cosel.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

Search for weak M1 transitions in $^{48}$Ca with inelastic proton scattering

The spinflip M1 resonance in the doubly magic nucleus $^{48}$Ca, dominated by a single transition, serves as a reference case for the quenching of spin-isospin modes in nuclei. The aim of the present work is a search for weak M1 transitions in $^{48}$Ca with a high-resolution (p,p') experiment at 295 MeV and forward angles including 0 degree and a comparison to results from a similar study using backward-angle electron scattering at low momentum transfers in order to estimate their contribution to the total B(M1) strength. M1 cross sections of individual peaks in the spectra are deduced with a multipole decomposition analysis. The corresponding reduced B(M1) transition strengths are extracted following the approach outlined in J. Birkhan et al., Phys. Rev. C 93, 041302(R) (2016). In total, 29 peaks containing a M1 contribution are found in the excitation energy region 7 - 13 MeV. The resulting B(M1) strength distribution compares well to the electron scattering results considering different factors limiting the sensitivity in both experiments and the enhanced importance of mechanisms breaking the proportionality of nuclear cross sections and electromagnetic matrix elements for weak transitions as studied here. The total strength of 1.19(6) $μ_N^2$ deduced assuming a non-quenched isoscalar part of the (p,p') cross sections agrees with the (e,e') result of 1.21(13) $μ_N^2$. A binwise analysis above 10 MeV provides an upper limit of 1.62(23) $μ_N^2$. The present results confirm that weak transitions contribute about 25% to the total B(M1) strength in $^{48}$Ca and the quenching factors of GT and spin-M1 strength are comparable in fp-shell nuclei. Thus, the role of of meson exchange currents seems to be neglible, in contrast to sd-shell nuclei.

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arXiv2016

Gamma strength function and level density of $^{208}$Pb from forward-angle proton scattering at 295 MeV

Gamma strength functions (GSFs) and level densities (LDs) are essential ingredients of statistical nuclear reaction theory with many applications in astrophysics, reactor design, and waste transmutation. The aim of the present work is a test of systematic parametrizations of the GSF recommended by the RIPL-3 data base for the case of $^{208}$Pb. The upward GSF and LD in $^{208}$Pb are compared to gamma decay data from an Oslo-type experiment to examine the validity of the Brink-Axel (BA) hypothesis. The E1 and M1 parts of the total GSF are determined from high-resolution forward angle inelastic proton scattering data taken at 295 MeV at RCNP, Osaka, Japan. The total LD in $^{208}$Pb is derived from the $1^-$ LD extracted with a fluctuation analysis in the energy region of the isovector giant dipole resonance. The E1 GSF is compared to parametrizations recommended by the RIPL-3 data base showing systematic deficiencies of all models in the energy region around neutron threshold. The new data for the poorly known spinflip M1 resonance call for a substantial revision of the model suggested in RIPL-3. The total GSF derived from the present data is larger in the PDR energy region than the Oslo data but the strong fluctuations due to the low LD resulting from the double shell closure of $^{208}$Pb prevent a conclusion on a possible violation of the BA hypothesis. Using the parameters suggested by RIPL-3 for a description of the LD in $^{208}$Pb with the back-shifted Fermi gas model, remarkable agreement between the two experiments spanning a wide excitation energy range is obtained. Systematic parametrizations of the E1 and M1 GSF parts need to be reconsidered at low excitation energies. The good agreement of LD provides an independent confirmation of the approach underlying the decomposition of GSF and LDs in Oslo-type experiments.

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arXiv2016

Study of the pd(dp) -> 3He pi pi reactions close to threshold

New experimental data on the pd -> 3He pi+ pi- reaction obtained with the COSY-MOMO detector below the three-pion threshold are presented. The reaction was also studied in inverse kinematics with a deuteron beam and the higher counting rates achieved were especially important at low excess energies. The comparison of these data with inclusive pd -> 3He+X rates allowed estimates also to be made of pi0 pi0 production. The results confirm our earlier findings that close to threshold there is no enhancement at low excitation energies in the pi+ pi- system, where the data seem largely suppressed compared to phase space. Possible explanations for this behavior, such as strong p- waves in the pi+pi- -system or the influence of two-step processes, are explored.

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arXiv2016

First Measurement of Collectivity of Coexisting Shapes based on Type II Shell Evolution: The Case of $^{96}$Zr

Background: Type II shell evolution has recently been identified as a microscopic cause for nuclear shape coexistence. Purpose: Establish a low-lying rotational band in 96-Zr. Methods: High-resolution inelastic electron scattering and a relative analysis of transition strengths are used. Results: The B(E2; 0_1^+ -> 2_2^+) value is measured and electromagnetic decay strengths of the secdond 2^+ state are deduced. Conclusions: Shape coexistence is established for 96-Zr. Type II shell evolution provides a systematic and quantitative mechanism to understand deformation at low excitation energies.

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arXiv2016

Electromagnetic M1 transition strengths from inelastic proton scattering: The cases of 48Ca and 208Pb

Inelastic proton scattering at energies of a few hundred MeV and extreme forward angles selectively excites the isovector spin-flip M1 (IVSM1) resonance. A method based on isospin symmetry is presented to extract its electromagnetic transition strength from the (p,p') cross sections. It is applied to 48Ca, a key case for an interpretation of the quenching phenomenon of the spin-isospin response, and leads to a M1 strength consistent with an older (e,e') experiment excluding the almost two times larger value from a recent (γ,n) experiment. Good agreement with electromagnetic probes is observed in 208Pb suggesting the possibility to extract systematic information on the IVSM1 resonance in heavy nuclei.

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arXiv2015

Dipole polarizability of 120Sn and nuclear energy density functionals

The electric dipole strength distribution in 120Sn between 5 and 22 MeV has been determined at RCNP Osaka from a polarization transfer analysis of proton inelastic scattering at E_0 = 295 MeV and forward angles including 0°. Combined with photoabsorption data an electric dipole polarizability α_D(120Sn) = 8.93(36) fm^3 is extracted. The dipole polarizability as isovector observable par excellence carries direct information on the nuclear symmetry energy and its density dependence. The correlation of the new value with the well established α_D(208Pb) serves as a test of its prediction by nuclear energy density functionals (EDFs). Models based on modern Skyrme interactions describe the data fairly well while most calculations based on relativistic Hamiltonians cannot.

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arXiv2015

Low-energy electric dipole response in 120Sn

The electric dipole strength in 120Sn has been extracted from proton inelastic scattering experiments at E_p = 295 MeV and at forward angles including 0 degree. Below neutron threshoild it differs from the results of a 120Sn(gamma,gamma') experiment and peaks at an excitation energy of 8.3 MeV. The total strength corresponds to 2.3(2)% of the energy-weighted sum rule and is more than three times larger than what is observed with the (gamma,gamma') reaction. This implies a strong fragmentation of the E1 strength and/or small ground state branching ratios of the excited 1- states.

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arXiv2014

Low-energy dipole strength in 112,120Sn

The 112,120Sn(gamma,gamma') reactions below the neutron separation energies have been studied at the superconducting Darmstadt electron linear accelerator S-DALINAC for different endpoint energies of the incident bremsstrahlung spectrum. Dipole strength distributions are extracted for 112Sn up to 9.5 MeV and for 120Sn up to 9.1 MeV. A concentration of dipole excitations is observed between 5 and 8 MeV in both nuclei. Missing strength due to unobserved decays to excited states is estimated in a statistical model. A fluctuation analysis is applied to the photon scattering spectra to extract the amount of the unresolved strength hidden in background due to fragmentation. The strength distributions are discussed within different model approaches such as the quasiparticle-phonon model and the relativistic time blocking approximation allowing for an inclusion of complex configurations beyond the initial particle-hole states. While a satisfactory description of the fragmentation can be achieved for sufficently large model spaces, the predicted centroids and total electric dipole strengths for stable tin isotopes strongly depend on the assumptions about the underlying mean field.

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arXiv2014

Fine structure of the isovector giant dipole resonance in 208Pb: Characteristic scales and level densities

The IVGDR in 208Pb has been measured with high energy resolution with the (p,p') reaction under extreme forward angles and shows considerable fine structure. Characteristic scales are extracted from the spectra with a wavelet analysis based on continuous wavelet transforms. Comparison with corresponding analyses of B(E1) strength distributions from microscopic model calculations in the framework of the QPM and relativistic RPA allow to identify giant resonance decay mechanisms responsible for the fine structure. The level density of 1- states can be related to local fluctuations of the cross sections in the energy region of the IVGDR. The magnitude of the fluctuations is determined by the autocorrelation function. Scales in the fine structure of the IVGDR in 208Pb are found at 80, 130, 220, 430, 640, 960 keV, and at 1.75 MeV. The values of the most prominent scales can be reasonably well reproduced by the microscopic calculations although they generally yield a smaller number of scales. In both models the major scales are already present at the one-particle one-hole level indicating Landau damping as a dominant mechanism responsible for the fine structure of the IVGDR in contrast to the isoscalar giant quadrupole resonance, where fine structure arises from the coupling to low-lying surface vibrations. The inclusion of complex configurations in the calculations changes the E1 strength distributions but the impact on the wavelet power spectra and characteristic scales is limited. The level density of 1- states is extracted in the excitation energy range 9-12.5 MeV and compared to a variety of phenomenological and microscopic models. The back-shifted Fermi gas model parameterization of Rauscher et al., Phys. Rev. C 56, 1613 (1997) describes the level-density data well, while other phenomeological and microscopic approaches fail to reproduce absolute values or the energy dependence or both.

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arXiv2014

B(E2) strength ratio of one-phonon 2+ states of 94Zr from electron scattering at low momentum transfer

Background: The B(E2) transition strength to the 2+_2 state in 94Zr was initially reported to be larger by a factor of 1.63 than the one to the 2+_1 state from lifetime measurements with the Doppler-shift attenuation method (DSAM) using the (n,n'gamma) reaction [E. Elhami et al., Phys. Rev. C 75, 011301(R) (2007)]. This surprising behavior was recently revised in a new measurement by the same group using the same experimental technique leading to a ratio below unity as expected in vibrational nuclei. Purpose: The goal is an independent determination of the ratio of B(E2) strengths for the transitions to the 2+_(1,2) states of 94Zr with inelastic electron scattering. Method: The relative population of the 2+_(1,2) states in (e,e') reactions was measured at the SDALINAC in a momentum transfer range q = 0.17 - 0.51 fm^(-1) and analyzed in plane-wave Born approximation with the method described in A. Scheikh Obeid et al., Phys. Rev. C 87, 014337 (2013). Results: The extracted B(E2) strength ratio of 0.789(43) between the excitation of the 2+_1 and 2+_2 states of 94Zr is consistent with but more precise than the latest (n,n'gamma) experiment. Using the B(E2) transition strength to the first excited state from the literature a value of 3.9(9) W.u. is deduced for the B(E2; 2+_2 -> 0+_1) transition. Conclusions: The electron scattering result independently confirms the latest interpretation of the different (n,n'gamma) results for the transition to the 2+_2 state in 94Zr.

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arXiv2014

Properties of the first excited state of 9Be derived from (gamma,n) and (e,e') reactions

Properties of the first excited state of the nucleus 9Be are discussed based on recent (e,e') and (gamma,n) experiments. The parameters of an R-matrix analysis of different data sets are consistent with a resonance rather than a virtual state predicted by some model calculations. The energy and the width of the resonance are deduced. Their values are rather similar for all data sets, and the energy proves to be negative. It is argued that the disagreement between the extracted B(E1) values may stem from different ways of integration of the resonance. If corrected, fair agreement between the (e,e') and one of the (gamma,n) data sets is found. A recent (gamma,n) experiment at the HIgS facility exhibits larger cross sections close to the neutron threshold which remain to be explained.

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arXiv2013

Electric dipole response of 208Pb from proton inelastic scattering: constraints on neutron skin thickness and symmetry energy

The electric dipole (E1) response of 208Pb has been precisely determined by measuring Coulomb excitation induced by proton scattering at very forward angles. The electric dipole polarizability, defined as inverse energy-weighted sum rule of the E1 strength, has been extracted as 20.1+-0.6 fm^3. The data can be used to constrain the neutron skin thickness of 208Pb to 0.168(+-0.009)_expt(+-0.013)_theo(+-0.021)_est fm, where the subscript "expt" refers to the experimental uncertainty, "theor" to the theoretical confidence band and "est" to the uncertainty associated with the estimation of the symmetry energy at the saturation density. In addition, a constraint band has been extracted in the plane of the symmetry energy (J) and its slope parameter (L) at the saturation density.

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arXiv2013

E2 strengths and transition radii difference of one-phonon 2+ states of 92Zr from electron scattering at low momentum transfer

Background: Mixed-symmetry 2+ states in vibrational nuclei are characterized by a sign change between dominant proton and neutron valence-shell components with respect to the fully symmetric 2+ state. The sign can be measured by a decomposition of proton and neutron transition radii with a combination of inelastic electron and hadron scattering [C. Walz et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 062501 (2011)]. For the case of 92Zr, a difference could be experimentally established for the neutron components, while about equal proton transition radii were indicated by the data. Method: Differential cross sections for the excitation of one-phonon 2+ and 3- states in 92Zr have been measured with the (e,e') reaction at the S-DALINAC in a momentum transfer range q = 0.3-0.6 fm^(-1). Results: Transition strengths B(E2;2+_1 -> 0+_1) = 6.18(23), B(E2; 2+_2 -> 0+_1) = 3.31(10) and B(E3; 3-_1 -> 0+_1) = 18.4(11) Weisskopf units are determined from a comparison of the experimental cross sections to quasiparticle-phonon model (QPM) calculations. It is shown that a model-independent plane wave Born approximation (PWBA) analysis can fix the ratio of B(E2) transition strengths to the 2+_(1,2) states with a precision of about 1%. The method furthermore allows to extract their proton transition radii difference. With the present data -0.12(51) fm is obtained. Conclusions: Electron scattering at low momentum transfers can provide information on transition radii differences of one-phonon 2+ states even in heavy nuclei. Proton transition radii for the 2+_(1,2) states in 92Zr are found to be identical within uncertainties. The g.s. transition probability for the mixed-symmetry state can be determined with high precision limited only by the available experimental information on the B(E2; 2+_1 -> 0+_1) value.

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arXiv2012

Pygmy dipole resonance in 208Pb

Scattering of protons of several hundred MeV is a promising new spectroscopic tool for the study of electric dipole strength in nuclei. A case study of 208Pb shows that at very forward angles J^pi = 1- states are strongly populated via Coulomb excitation. A separation from nuclear excitation of other modes is achieved by a multipole decomposition analysis of the experimental cross sections based on theoretical angular distributions calculated within the quasiparticle-phonon model. The B(E1) transition strength distribution is extracted for excitation energies up to 9 MeV, i.e., in the region of the so-called pygmy dipole resonance (PDR). The Coulomb-nuclear interference shows sensitivity to the underlying structure of the E1 transitions, which allows for the first time an experimental extraction of the electromagnetic transition strength and the energy centroid of the PDR.

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arXiv2011

Level density of 2+ states in 40Ca from high energy-resolution (p,p') experiments

The level density of 2+ states in 40Ca has been extracted in the energy region of the isoscalar giant quadrupole resonance (ISGQR) from a fluctuation analysis of high energy-resolution p,p') data taken at incident energies of 200 MeV at the K600 magnetic spectrometer of iThemba LABS, South Africa. Quasi-free scattering cross sections were calculated to estimate their role as a background contribution to the spectra and found to be small. The shape of the background was determined from the discrete wavelet transform of the spectra using a biorthogonal wavelet function normalized at the lowest particle separation threshold. The experimental results are compared to widely used phenomenological and microscopic models.

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arXiv2011

Complete electric dipole response and the neutron skin in 208Pb

A benchmark experiment on 208Pb shows that polarized proton inelastic scattering at very forward angles including 0° is a powerful tool for high-resolution studies of electric dipole (E1) and spin magnetic dipole (M1) modes in nuclei over a broad excitation energy range to test up-to-date nuclear models. The extracted E1 polarizability leads to a neutron skin thickness r_skin = 0.156+0.025-0.021 fm in 208Pb derived within a mean-field model [Phys. Rev. C 81, 051303 (2010)], thereby constraining the symmetry energy and its density dependence, relevant to the description of neutron stars.

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arXiv2011

Fine structure of the isoscalar giant quadrupole resonance in 40Ca due to Landau damping?

The fragmentation of the Isoscalar Giant Quadrupole Resonance (ISGQR) in 40Ca has been investigated in high energy-resolution experiments using proton inelastic scattering at E_p = 200 MeV. Fine structure is observed in the region of the ISGQR and its characteristic energy scales are extracted from the experimental data by means of a wavelet analysis. The experimental scales are well described by Random Phase Approximation (RPA) and second-RPA calculations with an effective interaction derived from a realistic nucleon-nucleon interaction by the Unitary Correlation Operator Method (UCOM). In these results characteristic scales are already present at the mean-field level pointing to their origination in Landau damping, in contrast to the findings in heavier nuclei and also to SRPA calculations for 40Ca based on phenomenological effective interactions, where fine structure is explained by the coupling to two-particle two-hole (2p-2h) states.

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arXiv2010

Resonance parameters of the first 1/2+ state in 9Be and astrophysical implications

Spectra of the 9Be(e,e') reaction have been measured at the S-DALINAC at an electron energy E_0 = 73 MeV and scattering angles of 93° and 141° with high energy resolution up to excitation energies E_x = 8 MeV. The astrophysically relevant resonance parameters of the first excited 1/2+ state of 9Be have been extracted in a one-level approximation of R-matrix theory resulting in a resonance energy E_R = 1.748(6) MeV and width Gamma_R = 274(8) keV in good agreement with the latest 9Be(gamma,n) experiment but with considerably improved uncertainties. However, the reduced B(E1) transition strength deduced from an extrapolation of the (e,e') data to the photon point is a factor of two smaller. Implications of the new results for a possible production of 12C in neutron-rich astrophysical scenarios are discussed.

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