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13 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Beta-Decay Half-Lives beyond 54 Ca: A Systematic Survey of Decay Properties Approaching the Neutron Dripline

In an experiment performed at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) using the FRIB Decay Station initiator, 15 new half-lives of isotopes near 54 Ca were measured. A new method of extracting lifetimes from experimental data, taking into account the unknown 𝛽-delayed neutron emission branches of very neutron-rich nuclei, was developed to enable systematic uncertainty analysis. The experiment observed a dramatic change in the half-life systematics for the isotopes with neutron number 𝑁 = 34. Beyond 𝑁 = 34, the decline of nuclear lifetime is much slower, leading to longer than anticipated lifetimes for near-dripline nuclei. State-of-the-art shell-model calculations can explain the experimental results, revealing the imprint of shell effects and the need for modification of single-particle neutron states. In conclusion, the results from a newly developed quasiparticle random phase approximation model with potential for making global predictions were also tested against the experimental results and good agreement was found.

Physics - Nuclear physics and radiation physics↗
DOE OSTI2025

Simulations of neutron unbound physics for Geant4

The study of neutron unbound systems via the invariant mass technique is the primary focus of the MoNA Collaboration, which built and operates the Modular Neutron Array (MoNA) and the Large multi-Institutional Scintillator Array (LISA) at FRIB. Advancements in nuclear structure from theory and experiment along the neutron dripline have presented opportunities to understand the nature of unbound systems in higher mass nuclei. The GEometry ANd Tracking (Geant4) platform has been used in high-energy and nuclear physics to simulate particle interactions with as much detail as the user desires. Geant4 currently does not have a physics class to simulate neutron unbound systems. Given the advancement of accelerator facilities and active searches along the neutron dripline, detailed simulations to study the breakup of neutron unbound systems, are necessary. Furthermore, the implementation of the breakup of neutron unbound systems in Geant4 will be presented.

Neutron dripline↗
DOE OSTI2020

Chiral three-nucleon force and continuum for dripline nuclei and beyond

Three-nucleon force and continuum play important roles in reproducing the properties of atomic nuclei around driplines. Therefore it is valuable to build up a theoretical framework where both effects can be taken into account to solve the nuclear Schrödinger equation. To this end, in this letter, we have expressed the chiral three-nucleon force within the continuum Berggren representation, so that bound, resonant and continuum states can be treated on an equal footing in the complex-momentum space. To reduce the model dimension and computational cost, the three-nucleon force is truncated at the normal-ordered two-body level and limited in the sd-shell model space, with the residual three-body term being neglected. We choose neutron-rich oxygen isotopes as the test ground because they have been well studied experimentally, with the neutron dripline determined. The calculations have been carried out within the Gamow shell model. The quality of our results in reproducing the properties of oxygen isotopes around the neutron dripline shows the relevance of the interplay between three-nucleon force and the coupling to continuum states. We also analyze the role played by the chiral three-nucleon force, by dissecting the contributions of the 2π exchange, 1π exchange and contact terms.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Laser spectroscopy for the study of exotic nuclei

Investigation into the properties and structure of unstable nuclei far from stability is a key avenue of research in modern nuclear physics. These efforts are motivated by the continual observation of unexpected structure phenomena in nuclei with unusual proton-to-neutron ratios. In recent decades, laser spectroscopy techniques have made significant contributions in our understanding of exotic nuclei in different mass regions encompassing almost the entire nuclear chart. This is achieved through determining multiple fundamental properties of nuclear ground and isomeric states, such as nuclear spins, magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole moments and charge radii, via the measurement of hyperfine structures and isotope shifts in the atomic or ionic spectra of the nuclei of interest. These properties offer prominent tests of recently developed state-of-the-art nuclear theory and help to stimulate new developments in improving the many-body methods and nucleon–nucleon interactions at the core of these models. With the aim of exploring more exotic short-lived nuclei located ever closer to the proton and neutron driplines, laser spectroscopy techniques, with their continuous technological developments towards higher resolution and higher sensitivity, are extensively employed at current- and next-generation radioactive ion beam facilities worldwide. Ongoing efforts in parallel promise to improve the availability of these even more exotic species at next-generation facilities. Very recently, an innovative application of laser spectroscopy on molecules containing short-lived nuclei has been demonstrated offering additional opportunities for several fields of research, e.g. fundamental symmetry studies and astrophysics. Here, in this review, the basic nuclear properties measurable with laser spectroscopy will be introduced. How these observables are associated with nuclear structure and nucleon–nucleon interactions will be discussed. Following this, a general overview of different laser spectroscopy methods will be given with particular emphasis on technical advancements reported in recent years. The main focus of this article is to review the numerous highlights that have resulted from studying exotic nuclei in different mass regions with laser spectroscopy techniques since the last edition in this series. Finally, the challenges facing the field in addition to future opportunities will be discussed.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Unbound spectra of neutron-rich oxygen isotopes predicted by the Gamow shell model

The Gamow shell model has shown to efficiently describe weakly bound and unbound nuclear systems, as internucleon correlations and continuum coupling are both taken into account in this model. In the present work, we study neutron-dripline oxygen isotopes. It is hereby demonstrated that the presence of continuum coupling is important for the description of oxygen isotopes at dripline, and especially to assess the eventual bound or unbound character of 28 O. Our results suggest that the ground state of 28 O is weakly unbound and is similar to the narrow resonant 26 O ground state. Predictions of weakly bound and resonance excited states in 24–26 O are also provided. The asymptotes of the studied many-body states are analyzed via one-body densities, whereby the different radial properties of well bound, loosely bound, resonance states are clearly depicted.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2025

Structure of odd-mass Ne, Na, and Mg nuclei

The island of inversion is a region of neutron-rich nuclei around 31 Na that are deformed in their ground states. In this region, less is known about the energy levels of odd-mass nuclei, how they evolve with increasing neutron numbers, and how they can be organized into rotational bands. We perform ab initio coupled-cluster calculations of spectra in odd-mass Ne, Na, and Mg nuclei based on an interaction of chiral effective field theory. In conclusion, our results confirm some tentative spin and parity assignments, predict the structure of nuclei near the neutron dripline, and inform us about rotational bands in this region of the nuclear table.

20 ≤ A ≤ 38↗
DOE OSTI2023

Probing proton cross-shell excitations through the two-neutron removal from 38 Ca

Bound states of the neutron-deficient, near-dripline nucleus 36 Ca were populated in two-neutron removal from the ground state of 38 Ca, a direct reaction sensitive to the single-particle configurations and couplings of the removed neutrons in the projectile wave function. Final-state exclusive cross sections for the formation of 36 Ca and the corresponding longitudinal momentum distributions, both determined through the combination of particle and γ-ray spectroscopy, are compared to predictions combining eikonal reaction theory and shell-model two-nucleon amplitudes from the USDB, USDC, and ZBM2 effective interactions. The final-state cross-section ratio σ($2$$^{+}_{1}$) / σ (0 + ) shows particular sensitivity and is approximately reproduced only with the two-nucleon amplitudes from the ZBM2 effective interaction that includes proton cross-shell excitations into the pf shell. Characterizing the proton pf-shell occupancy locally and schematically, an increase of the sd – pf shell gap by 250 keV yields an improved description of this cross-section ratio and simultaneously enables a reproduction of the B(E2;$0$$^{+}_{1}$ → $2$$^{+}_{1}$) excitation strength of 36 Ca. Furthermore, this highlights an important aspect if a new shell-model effective interaction for the region was to be developed on the quest to model the neutron-deficient Ca isotopes and surrounding nuclei whose structure is impacted by proton cross-shell excitations.

20 ≤ A ≤ 38↗
DOE OSTI2020

Charge radii of exotic neon and magnesium isotopes

We compute the charge radii and ground-state energies of even-mass neon and magnesium isotopes from neutron number N = 8 to the dripline. Our calculations are based on nucleon-nucleon and three-nucleon potentials from chiral effective field theory that include Δ isobars. These potentials yield an accurate saturation point and symmetry energy of nuclear matter. We use the coupled-cluster method and start from an axially symmetric reference state. Binding energies and two-neutron separation energies largely agree with data, and the dripline in neon is accurate. The computed charge radii are accurate for many isotopes where data exist. Finer details, such as isotope shifts, however, are not accurately reproduced. These chiral potentials indicate a subshell closure at N = 14 for the radii (but not for two-neutron separation energies) and a decrease in charge radii at N = 8 (observed in neon and predicted for magnesium). Furthermore, they yield a continued increase of charge radii as neutrons are added beyond N = 14 yet underestimate the large increase at N = 20 in magnesium.

20 ≤ A ≤ 38↗
DOE OSTI2020

Neutron-rich calcium isotopes within realistic Gamow shell model calculations with continuum coupling

Based on the realistic nuclear force of the high-precision CD-Bonn potential, we have performed comprehensive calculations for neutron-rich calcium isotopes using the Gamow shell model (GSM) which includes resonance and continuum. The realistic GSM calculations produce well binding energies, one- and two-neutron separation energies, predicting that 57 Ca is the heaviest bound odd isotope and 70 Ca is the dripline nucleus. Resonant states are predicted, which provides useful information for future experiments on particle emissions in neutron-rich calcium isotopes. Shell evolutions in the calcium chain around neutron numbers $\textit{N}$ = 32, 34, and 40 are understood by calculating effective single-particle energies, the excitation energies of the first 2 + states and two-neutron separation energies. The calculations support shell closures at 52 Ca ($\textit{N}$ = 32) and 54 Ca ($\textit{N}$ = 34) but show a weakening of shell closure at 60 Ca ($\textit{N}$ = 40). Finally, the possible shell closure at 70 Ca ($\textit{N}$ = 50) is predicted.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Spectroscopic factors in dripline nuclei

Single-nucleon knockout reaction studies of the proton-dripline nuclei 9 C and 13 O suggest an appreciable suppression of spectroscopic factors. In this work, we calculate the one-neutron and one-proton spectroscopic factors for the mirror pair 9 C – 9 Li and 13 O using two variants of the continuum shell model: the complex-energy Gamow shell model and the real-energy shell model embedded in the continuum. Furthermore, our results indicate that the continuum effects strongly suppress the spectroscopic factors of well-bound orbits in the dripline systems but have less impact on the spectroscopic factors of weakly bound states.

6 ≤ A ≤ 19↗
DOE OSTI2022

The roles of three-nucleon force and continuum coupling in mirror symmetry breaking of oxygen mass region

With both three-nucleon force and continuum coupling included, we have developed a self-consistent ab initio Gamow shell model within the Gamow Hartree-Fock (GHF) basis obtained by the realistic interaction itself. With the chiral two-nucleon N 3 LO and three-nucleon N 2 LO interactions, the Gamow shell model has been applied to the mirror systems of Z = 8 neutron-rich isotopes and N = 8 proton-rich isotones, giving good agreements with data in binding energies, dripline positions and excitation spectra. The GHF calculated that the 0 ds/2 , 1 S1/2 and 1 p3/2 orbitals are resonances. The resonance states and their interplay with nonresonant continua play a crucial role in the descriptions of nuclei around driplines. Excitation spectra and Thomas-Ehrman shifts observed can be better described when both three-nucleon force and continuum coupling are considered in calculations. The three-nucleon force and continuum coupling produce a combined effect on the Thomas-Ehrman shift, e.g., for the 1/2 + resonance level of 19Na. The calculations help the understandings of related nuclear astrophysical processes.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2025

In-beam 𝛾-ray spectroscopy toward the proton dripline: The curious case of 32 Ar

High-resolution in-beam 𝛾-ray spectroscopy was used to study excited states of the neutron-deficient nucleus 32 Ar populated in fast-beam induced four- and six-nucleon removal reactions from 36,38 Ca. One new 𝛾-ray transition and indications for an additional two were found, allowing for a glimpse at the level scheme beyond the 2$^{+}_{1}$ state. The nature of the new 1900⁢(4)-keV transition is discussed in the context of the known energy spectrum of the mirror nucleus 32 Si and shell-model calculations using the FSU and SDPF-M cross-shell effective interactions. Its resulting parent state at 3767⁢(5)⁢keV, more than 1.3 MeV above the proton separation energy, is tentatively assigned to have mixed 𝑠⁢𝑑-shell and 2p-2h character. It might either be the mirror of the 𝐽 𝜋 = 2$^{+}_{2}$ state of 32 Si at 4230.8⁢(8)⁢keV, but with a decay branch favoring a transition to the 2$^{+}_{2}$ over the ground state, or the mirror of the 4983.9⁢(11)-keV state with quantum numbers 0 + . Furthermore, the resulting mirror-energy differences of −473⁢(5) and −1218⁢(5)⁢keV are both sizable when compared to systematics; in the latter case the result would, in fact, be among the largest reported to date in the nuclear chart or suggest the potential existence of an additional, hitherto unidentified, low-lying 0 + state of 32 Si.

20 ≤ A ≤ 38↗
DOE OSTI2023

Level structures of 56,58 Ca cast doubt on a doubly magic 60 Ca

Gamma decays were observed in 56 Ca and 58 Ca following quasi-free one-proton knockout reactions from 57,59 Sc beams at ≈200 MeV/nucleon. For 56 Ca, a γ ray transition was measured to be 1456(12) keV, while for 58 Ca an indication for a transition was observed at 1115(34) keV. Both transitions were tentatively assigned as the $2^{+}_{1}\rightarrow0^{+}_{gs}$ decays, and were compared to results from ab initio and conventional shell-model approaches. A shell-model calculation in a wide model space with a marginally modified effective nucleon-nucleon interaction depicts excellent agreement with experiment for $2^{+}_{1}$ level energies, two-neutron separation energies, and reaction cross sections, corroborating the formation of a new nuclear shell above the N = 34 shell. Its constituents, the 0$f$ 5/2 and 0$g$ 9/2 orbitals, are almost degenerate. This degeneracy precludes the possibility for a doubly magic 60 Ca and potentially drives the dripline of Ca isotopes to 70 Ca or even beyond.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗