In previous publications, we presented evidence for the importance of spin in determining capture and evaporation residue cross sections in the synthesis of heavy nuclei. We extend the previous calculations which dealt with nuclei where ZCN is less than 110 to the region of ZCN = 111-118. We deduce a new systematics of the fusion probability for these reactions
The clustering of nucleons in nuclei is a widespread but elusive phenomenon for study. Here, we wish to highlight the variety of theoretical approaches, and demonstrate how they are mutually supportive and complementary. On the experimental side, we describe recent advances in the study of the classic cluster nucleus 24Mg. Also, recent studies of clustering in nuclei approaching the neutron drip line are described. In the region near N/Z=2, both theory and experiment now suggest that multi-centre cluster structure is important, in particular for the very neutron rich beryllium isotopes.
The evolution of the N=50 gap is analyzed as a function of the occupation of the proton f5/2 and p3/2 orbits. It is based on experimental atomic masses, using three different methods of one or two-neutron separation energies of ground or isomeric states. We show that the effect of correlations, which is maximized at Z=32 could be misleading with respect to the determination of the size of the shell gap, especially when using the method with two-neutron separation energies. From the methods that are the least perturbed by correlations, we estimate the N=50 spherical shell gap in 78Ni. Whether 78Ni would be a rigid spherical or deformed nucleus is discussed in comparison with other nuclei in which similar nucleon-nucleon forces are at play.
The nuclear shell structure, which originates in the nearly independent motion of nucleons in an average potential, provides an important guide for our understanding of nuclear structure and the underlying nuclear forces. Its most remarkable fingerprint is the existence of the so-called `magic numbers of protons and neutrons associated with extra stability. Although the introduction of a phenomenological spin-orbit (SO) coupling force in 1949 helped explain the nuclear magic numbers, its origins are still open questions. Here, we present experimental evidence for the smallest SO-originated magic number (subshell closure) at the proton number 6 in 13-20C obtained from systematic analysis of point-proton distribution radii, electromagnetic transition rates and atomic masses of light nuclei. Performing ab initio calculations on 14,15C, we show that the observed proton distribution radii and subshell closure can be explained by the state-of-the-art nuclear theory with chiral nucleon-nucleon and three-nucleon forces, which are rooted in the quantum chromodynamics.
We have extracted 565 neutron spectroscopic factors of sd and fp shell nuclei by systematically analyzing more than 2000 measured (d,p) angular distributions. We are able to compare 125 of the extracted spectroscopic factors to values predicted by large-basis shell-model calculations and evaluate the accuracies of spectroscopic factors predicted by different shell-model interactions in these regions. We find that the spectroscopic factors predicted for most excited states of sd-shell nuclei using the latest USDB or USDA interactions agree with the experimental values. For fp shell nuclei, the inability of the current models to account for the core excitation and fragmentation of the states leads to considerable discrepancies. In particular, the agreement between data and shell-model predictions for Ni isotopes is not better than a factor of two using either the GXPF1A or the XT interaction.
Presence of closed proton and/or neutron shells causes deviation from macroscopic properties of nuclei which are understood in terms of the liquid drop model. It is important to investigate experimentally the stabilizing effects of shell closure, if any, against fission. This work aims to investigate probable effects of proton shell ($Z = 82$) closure in the compound nucleus, in enhancing survival probability of the evaporation residues formed in heavy ion-induced fusion-fission reactions. Evaporation residue cross sections have been measured for the reactions $^{19}$F+$^{180}$Hf, $^{19}$F+$^{181}$Ta and $^{19}$F+$^{182}$W from $simeq9%$ below to $simeq42%$ above the Coulomb barrier, leading to formation of compound nuclei with same number of neutrons ($N = 118$) but different number of protons across $Z = 82$. Measured excitation functions have been compared with statistical model calculation, in which reduced dissipation coefficient is the only adjustable parameter. Evaporation residue cross section, normalized by capture cross section, is found to decrease gradually with increasing fissility of the compound nucleus. Measured evaporation residue cross sections require inclusion of nuclear viscosity in the model calculations. Reduced dissipation coefficient in the range of 1textendash3 $times$ $10^{21}$ s$^{-1}$ reproduces the data quite well. No abrupt enhancement of evaporation residue cross sections has been observed in the reaction forming compound nucleus with $Z = 82$. Thus, this work does not find enhanced stabilizing effects of $Z = 82$ shell closure against fission in the compound nucleus. One may attempt to measure cross sections of individual exit channels for further confirmation of our observation.