Subscribe to the gold package and get unlimited access to Shamra Academy
Register a new userPrecise measurement of the thermal and stellar $^{54}$Fe($n, gamma$)$^{55}$Fe cross sections via AMS
130
0
0.0
(
0
)
Ask ChatGPT about the research
No Arabic abstract
The detection of long-lived radionuclides through ultra-sensitive single atom counting via accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) offers opportunities for precise measurements of neutron capture cross sections, e.g. for nuclear astrophysics. The technique represents a truly complementary approach, completely independent of previous experimental methods. The potential of this technique is highlighted at the example of the $^{54}$Fe($n, gamma$)$^{55}$Fe reaction. Following a series of irradiations with neutrons from cold and thermal to keV energies, the produced long-lived $^{55}$Fe nuclei ($t_{1/2}=2.744(9)$ yr) were analyzed at the Vienna Environmental Research Accelerator (VERA). A reproducibility of about 1% could be achieved for the detection of $^{55}$Fe, yielding cross section uncertainties of less than 3%. Thus, the new data can serve as anchor points to time-of-flight experiments. We report significantly improved neutron capture cross sections at thermal energy ($sigma_{th}=2.30pm0.07$ b) as well as for a quasi-Maxwellian spectrum of $kT=25$ keV ($sigma=30.3pm1.2$ mb) and for $E_n=481pm53$ keV ($sigma= 6.01pm0.23$ mb). The new experimental cross sections have been used to deduce improved Maxwellian average cross sections in the temperature regime of the common $s$-process scenarios. The astrophysical impact is discussed using stellar models for low-mass AGB stars.
rate research
Read More
Gamma-ray production cross section excitation functions have been measured for $30$, $42$, $54$ and $66$ MeV proton beams accelerated onto targets of astrophysical interest, $^{nat}$C, C + O (Mylar), $^{nat}$Mg, $^{nat}$Si and $^{56}$Fe, at the Sector Separated Cyclotron (SSC) of iThemba LABS (near Cape Town, South Africa). The AFRODITE array equipped with 8 Compton suppressed HPGe clover detectors was used to record $gamma$-ray data. For known, intense $gamma$-ray lines the previously reported experimental data measured up to $E_{p}simeq$ $25$ MeV at the Washington and Orsay tandem accelerators were extended to higher proton energies. Our experimental data for the last 3 targets are reported here and discussed with respect to previous data and the Murphy textit{et al.} compilation [ApJS 183, 142 (2009)], as well as to predictions of the nuclear reaction code TALYS. The overall agreement between theory and experiment obtained in first-approach calculations using default input parameters of TALYS has been appreciably improved by using modified optical model potential (OMP), deformation, and level density parameters. The OMP parameters have been extracted from theoretical fits to available experimental elastic/inelastic nucleon scattering angular distribution data by means of the coupled-channels reaction code OPTMAN. Experimental data for several new $gamma$-ray lines are also reported and discussed. The astrophysical implications of our results are emphasised.
50% of the heavy element abundances are produced via slow neutron capture reactions in different stellar scenarios. The underlying nucleosynthesis models need the input of neutron capture cross sections. One of the fundamental signatures for active nucleosynthesis in our galaxy is the observation of long-lived radioactive isotopes, such as $^{60}$Fe with a half-life of $2.60times10^6$ yr. To reproduce this $gamma$-activity in the universe, the nucleosynthesis of $^{60}$Fe has to be understood reliably. A $^{60}$Fe sample produced at the Paul-Scherrer-Institut was activated with thermal and epithermal neutrons at the research reactor at the Johannes Gutenberg-Universitat Mainz. The thermal neutron capture cross section has been measured for the first time to $sigma_{text{th}}=0.226 (^{+0.044}_{-0.049})$ b. An upper limit of $sigma_{text{RI}} < 0.50$ b could be determined for the resonance integral. An extrapolation towards the astrophysicaly interesting energy regime between $kT$=10 keV and 100 keV illustrates that the s-wave part of the direct capture component can be neglected.
The $^{58}$Ni$(n,gamma)^{59}$Ni cross section was measured with a combination of the activation technique and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). The neutron activations were performed at the Karlsruhe 3.7 MV Van de Graaff accelerator using the quasi-stellar neutron spectrum at $kT=25$ keV produced by the $^7$Li($p,n$)$^7$Be reaction. The subsequent AMS measurements were carried out at the 14 MV tandem accelerator of the Maier-Leibnitz-Laboratory in Garching using the Gas-filled Analyzing Magnet System (GAMS). Three individual samples were measured, yielding a Maxwellian-averaged cross section at $kT=30$ keV of $langlesigmarangle_{30text{keV}}$= 30.4 (23)$^{syst}$(9)$^{stat}$ mbarn. This value is slightly lower than two recently published measurements using the time-of-flight (TOF) method, but agrees within the uncertainties. Our new results also resolve the large discrepancy between older TOF measurements and our previous value.
The 62Ni(n,gamma)63Ni(t_1/2=100+-2 yrs) reaction plays an important role in the control of the flow path of the slow neutron-capture (s-) nucleosynthesis process. We have measured for the first time the total cross section of this reaction for a quasi-Maxwellian (kT = 25 keV) neutron flux. The measurement was performed by fast-neutron activation, combined with accelerator mass spectrometry to detect directly the 63Ni product nuclei. The experimental value of 28.4+-2.8 mb, fairly consistent with a recent theoretical estimate, affects the calculated net yield of 62Ni itself and the whole distribution of nuclei with 62<A <90 produced by the weak s-process in massive stars.
The cross section of the $^{62}$Ni($n,gamma$) reaction was measured with the time-of-flight technique at the neutron time-of-flight facility n_TOF at CERN. Capture kernels of 42 resonances were analyzed up to 200~keV neutron energy and Maxwellian averaged cross sections (MACS) from $kT=5-100$ keV were calculated. With a total uncertainty of 4.5%, the stellar cross section is in excellent agreement with the the KADoNiS compilation at $kT=30$ keV, while being systematically lower up to a factor of 1.6 at higher stellar temperatures. The cross section of the $^{63}$Ni($n,gamma$) reaction was measured for the first time at n_TOF. We determined unresolved cross sections from 10 to 270 keV with a systematic uncertainty of 17%. These results provide fundamental constraints on $s$-process production of heavier species, especially the production of Cu in massive stars, which serve as the dominant source of Cu in the solar system.
Log in to be able to interact and post comments
comments
Fetching comments
Sign in to be able to follow your search criteria
