arXiv subjects

Y. Kasamatsu

Publications and source records attributed to Y. Kasamatsu.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Direct measurement of the in-medium $η^{\prime}$ mass spectrum through the $γγ$ decay channel

We measured the invariant mass of the $η^{\prime}(958)$ meson through the $η^{\prime}\toγγ$ decay channel to search for possible character change of $η^{\prime}$ in a nuclear medium. The measured invariant-mass spectra were analyzed by fitting realistic spectral functions. An enhancement was observed in the lower tail of the $η^{\prime}$ mass peak for low-momentum ($P_{γγ} < 1$~$\mathrm{GeV/c}$) events. Three statistical methods were applied to assess the significance of the enhancement. All methods yield a statistical significance above 3.7$σ$. The spectral fitting indicates a mass reduction of $57.5^{+~5.7}_{-27.8}$~$\mathrm{MeV/c}^{2}$. Our result provides the first evidence for an in-medium spectral modification of the $η^{\prime}$ meson obtained through a direct measurement of its invariant mass.

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arXiv2026

Chemical effects on nuclear decay of $^{235}$U isomer in the uranyl form

The nucleus of uranium-235 ($^{235}$U) possesses an exceptionally low-energy isomeric state, $^{235m}$U. Unlike most radioactive nuclides, whose nuclear-decay half-lives are constant, the half-life of $^{235m}$U varies with its chemical environment$^{1,2}$ owing to interactions with outer-shell electrons in the internal-conversion (IC) process. However, the mechanism underlying this half-life variation, particularly the role of molecular bonding beyond simple electron-density effects$^{1,2}$, remains unresolved. Here, we investigate variations in the half-lives of $^{235m}$U and the corresponding IC-electron energy spectra for uranyl (UO2$^{2+}$) compounds with different halide ligands. The half-lives of $^{235m}$U are measured to be 25.32(4), 26.05(8), 25.84(3), and 25.44(3) min for uranyl fluoride, chloride, bromide, and iodide, respectively, indicating that the half-life increases with increasing ligand electronegativity, with the exception of uranyl fluoride. The shortest half-life observed for uranyl fluoride is attributed to the smallest number of 6p electrons occupying bonding orbitals, as indicated by the IC-electron energy spectra and quantum chemical calculations. This work provides the first observation of a significant variation in a nuclear decay process driven by changes in molecular orbital formation, paving the way toward a deeper understanding of interactions between a nucleus and electrons involved in chemical bonding.

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arXiv2026

Comprehensive measurement of $η^\prime$ photoproduction off the proton at $E_γ< 2.4$ $\mathrm{GeV}$

For the spectroscopy of nucleon resonances at the total energies from the $η^\prime$-meson production threshold to $2.32$ $\mathrm{GeV}$, photon beam asymmetries of the reaction $γp \to η^\prime p$ were measured together with total and differential cross sections by analyzing the two decay modes $η^\prime \to γγ$ and $π^0 π^0 η$. New constraints for amplitude decomposition were given by the first-time result of photon beam asymmetries at $E_γ> 1.84$ $\mathrm{GeV}$ and the most precise data of differential cross sections to date at extremely backward $η^\prime$ angles. The possibility of a larger coupling constant of the $η^\prime$-nucleon system to the $N(2250)$ resonance was implied in the partial wave analyses using the present data.

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arXiv2022

Differential cross sections and photon beam asymmetries of $η$ photoproduction on the proton at $E_γ$ = 1.3-2.4 GeV

We have carried out exclusive measurements for the photoproduction of an $η$ meson from a proton target with an egg-shaped calorimeter made of BGO crystals (BGOegg) and forward charged-particle detectors at the SPring-8 LEPS2 beamline. The differential cross sections and photon beam asymmetries of the $γp \to ηp$ reaction are measured in a center-of-mass energy ($W$) range of $1.82$-$2.32$ GeV and a polar angle range of $-1.0 < \cos{θ^η_{\mathrm{c.m.}}} < 0.6$. The reaction is identified by selecting a proton and two $γ$'s produced by an $η$-meson decay. The kinematic fit method was employed to select the reaction candidate with the confidence level larger than $1$\%. A bump structure at $W$ = $2.0$-$2.3$ GeV in the differential cross section is confirmed at extremely backward $η$ polar angles, where the existing data are inconsistent with each other. This bump structure is likely associated with high-spin resonances that couple with $s\bar{s}$ quarks. The results of the photon beam asymmetries in a wide $η$ polar angle range are new for the photon beam energies exceeding $2.1$ GeV. These results are not reproduced by the existing partial wave analyses. They provide an additional constraint to nucleon resonance studies at high energies.

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arXiv2021

SPring-8 LEPS2 beamline: A facility to produce a multi-GeV photon beam via laser Compton scattering

We have constructed a new laser-Compton-scattering facility, called the LEPS2 beamline, at the 8-GeV electron storage ring, SPring-8. This facility provides a linearly polarized photon beam in a tagged energy range of 1.3--2.4 GeV. Thanks to a small divergence of the low-emittance storage-ring electrons, the tagged photon beam has a size (sigma) suppressed to about 4 mm even after it travels about 130 m to the experimental building that is independent of the storage ring building and contains large detector systems. This beamline is designed to achieve a photon beam intensity higher than that of the first laser-Compton-scattering beamline at SPring-8 by adopting the simultaneous injection of up to four high-power laser beams and increasing a transmittance for the long photon-beam path up to about 77%. The new beamline is under operation for hadron photoproduction experiments.

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arXiv2020

Search for $η'$ bound nuclei in the $^{12}{\rm C}(γ,p)$ reaction with simultaneous detection of decay products

We measured missing mass spectrum of the $^{12}{\rm C}(γ,p)$ reaction for the first time in coincidence with potential decay products from $η'$ bound nuclei. We tagged an ($η+p$) pair associated with the $η'N\toηN$ process in a nucleus. After applying kinematical selections to reduce backgrounds, no signal events were observed in the bound-state region. An upper limit of the signal cross section in the opening angle $\cosθ^{ηp}_{lab}<-0.9$ was obtained to be 2.2 nb/sr at the 90$\%$ confidence level. It is compared with theoretical cross sections, whose normalization ambiguity is suppressed by measuring a quasifree $η'$ production rate. Our results indicate a small branching fraction of the $η'N\toηN$ process and/or a shallow $η'$-nucleus potential.

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arXiv2017

Nuclear resonant scattering experiment with fast time response: new scheme for observation of $^{229\rm m}$Th radiative decay

Nuclear resonant excitation of the 29.19-keV level in $^{229}$Th with high-brilliance synchrotron- radiation and detection of its decay signal, are proposed with the aim of populating the extremely low-energy isomeric state of $^{229}$Th.The proposed experiment, known as nuclear resonant scattering (NRS), has the merit of being free from uncertainties about the isomer level energy. However, it requires higher time resolution and shorter tail in the response function of the detector than that of conventional NRS experiments because of the short lifetime of the 29.19-keV state. We have fabricated an X-ray detector system which has a time resolution of 56 ps and a shorter tail function than the previously reported one. We have demonstrated an NRS experiment with the 26.27-keV nuclear level of $^{201}$Hg for feasibility assessment of the $^{229}$Th experiment. The NRS signal is clearly distinct from the prompt electronic scattering signal by the implemented detector system. The half-life of the 26.27-keV state of $^{201}$Hg is determined as 629 $\pm$ 18 ps which is better precision by a factor three than that reported to date.

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arXiv2009

Decay Properties of $^{266}$Bh and $^{262}$Db Produced in the $^{248}$Cm + $^{23}$Na Reaction

Decay properties of an isotope $^{266}$Bh and its daughter nucleus $^{262}$Db produced by the $^{248}$Cm($^{23}$Na, 5\textit{n}) reaction were studied by using a gas-filled recoil separator coupled with a position-sensitive semiconductor detector. $^{266}$Bh was clearly identified from the correlation of the known nuclide, $^{262}$Db. The obtained decay properties of $^{266}$Bh and $^{262}$Db are consistent with those observed in the $^{278}$113 chain, which provided further confirmation of the discovery of $^{278}$113.

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