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S. H. Mthembu

Publications and source records attributed to S. H. Mthembu.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

Statistical properties of $^{133}$Xe and the $^{132}$Xe$(n,γ)$ cross section

$^{133}$Xe is an interesting case for plasma physics to explore nuclear excitation by electron capture, as the process can be studied using statistical properties of $^{133}$Xe. In this work we present results on $^{133}$Xe from the inverse-Oslo method where we extract the nuclear level density and the $γ$-strength function, which is used to calculate the (n,$γ$) cross section on $^{132}$Xe. The $γ$-strength function of $^{133}$Xe can constrain the estimated decay rate from nuclear excitation by electron capture. The $\mathrm{d}(^{132}\mathrm{Xe},\mathrm{p})^{132}\mathrm{Xe}$ reaction was used to create the compound nucleus $^{133}$Xe, which was recorded with an annular particle telescope and a scintillator array consisting of \la and BGO-shielded HPGe Clover detectors. With the inverse-Oslo method, it is possible to study nuclei that are impossible or unable to manufacture targets from, short lived isotopes, or as in this work, noble gases. We present the extracted nuclear level density, and $γ$-strength function for $^{133}$Xe, along with shell-model calculations of the statistical properties of $^{133}$Xe. These are the first statistical properties extracted below 6 MeV for any xenon isotope. We constrain the $^{132}$Xe(n,$γ$) $^{133}$Xe cross section and reaction rate using the TALYS reaction code.

nucl-ex↗

First candidates for γ vibrational bands built on the [505]11/2- neutron orbital in odd-A Dy isotopes

Rotational structures have been measured using the Jurogam II and GAMMASPHERE arrays at low spin following the 155Gd(α,2n)157Dy and 148Nd(12C, 5n)155Dy reactions at 25 and 65 MeV, respectively. We report high-K bands, which are conjectured to be the first candidates of a Kπ= 2+ γ vibrational band, built on the [505]11/2- neutron orbital, in both odd-A 155, 157Dy isotopes. The coupling of the first excited K=0+ states or the so-called \b{eta} vibrational bands at 661 and 676 keV in 154Dy and 156Dy to the [505]11/2- orbital, to produce a Kπ=11/2- band, was not observed in both 155Dy and 157Dy, respectively. The implication of these findings on the interpretation of the first excited 0+ states in the core nuclei 154Dy and 156Dy are also discussed.

nucl-ex↗