Experimental tests of the Brink-Axel hypothesis relating gamma strength functions (GSF) deduced from absorption and emission experiments are discussed. High-resolution inelastic proton scattering at energies of a few hundred MeV and at very forwrd angles including $0^circ$ presents a new approach to test the validity of the BA hypothesis in the energy region of the pygmy dipole resonance. Such data not only provide the GSF but also the level density and thus permit an independent test of their model-dependent decomposition in the Oslo method.
The validity of the Brink-Axel hypothesis, which is especially important for numerous astrophysical calculations, is addressed for 116,120,124Sn below the neutron separation energy by means of three independent experimental methods. The $gamma$-ray strength functions (GSFs) extracted from primary $gamma$-decay spectra following charged-particle reactions with the Oslo method and with the Shape method demonstrate excellent agreement with those deduced from forward-angle inelastic proton scattering at relativistic beam energies. In addition, the GSFs are shown to be independent of excitation energies and spins of the initial and final states. The results provide the most comprehensive test of the generalized Brink-Axel hypothesis in heavy nuclei so far, demonstrating its applicability in the energy region of the pygmy dipole resonance.
The gamma strength function and level density of 1- states in 96Mo have been extracted from a high-resolution study of the (p,p) reaction at 295 MeV and extreme forward angles. By comparison with compound nucleus $gamma$ decay experiments, this allows a test of the generalized Brink-Axel hypothesis in the energy region of the Pygmy Dipole Resonance. The Brink-Axel hypothesis is commonly assumed in astrophysical reaction network calculations and states that the gamma strength function in nuclei is independent of the structure of initial and final state. The present results validiate the Brink-Axel hypothesis for 96Mo and provide independent confirmation of the methods used to separate gamma strength function and level density in $gamma$ decay experiments.
The gamma-strength functions and level densities in the quasi-continuum of 147;149Sm isotopes have been extracted from particle-coincidences using the Oslo method. The nuclei of interest were populated via (p,d) reactions on pure 148;150Sm targets and the reaction products were recorded by the Hyperion array. An upbend in the low-energy region of the gSF has been observed. The systematic analysis of the gSF for a range of Sm isotopes highlights the interplay between scissors mode and the upbend. Shell-model calculations show reasonable agreement with the experimental gSFs and confirm the correspondence between the upbend and scissors mode.
Neutron-capture reactions on very neutron-rich nuclei are essential for heavy-element nucleosynthesis through the rapid neutron-capture process, now shown to take place in neutron-star merger events. For these exotic nuclei, radiative neutron capture is extremely sensitive to their $gamma$-emission probability at very low $gamma$ energies. In this work, we present measurements of the $gamma$-decay strength of $^{70}$Ni over the wide range $1.3 leq E_{gamma} leq 8 $ MeV. A significant enhancement is found in the $gamma$-decay strength for transitions with $E_gamma < 3$ MeV. At present, this is the most neutron-rich nucleus displaying this feature, proving that this phenomenon is not restricted to stable nuclei. We have performed $E1$-strength calculations within the quasiparticle time-blocking approximation, which describe our data above $E_gamma simeq 5$ MeV very well. Moreover, large-scale shell-model calculations indicate an $M1$ nature of the low-energy $gamma$ strength. This turns out to be remarkably robust with respect to the choice of interaction, truncation and model space, and we predict its presence in the whole isotopic chain, in particular the neutron-rich $^{72,74,76}mathrm{Ni}$.
The scandium isotopes 44,45Sc have been studied with the 45Sc(3He,alpha gamma)44Sc and 45Sc(3He,3He gamma)45Sc reactions, respectively. The nuclear level densities and gamma-ray strength functions have been extracted using the Oslo method. The experimental level densities are compared to calculated level densities obtained from a microscopic model based on BCS quasiparticles within the Nilsson level scheme. This model also gives information about the parity distribution and the number of broken Cooper pairs as a function of excitation energy. The experimental gamma-ray strength functions are compared to theoretical models of the E1, M1, and E2 strength, and to data from (gamma,n) and (gamma,p) experiments. The strength functions show an enhancement at low gamma energies that cannot be explained by the present, standard models.