Total and partial cross sections of the $^{112}$Sn($alpha,gamma$)$^{116}$Te reaction measured via in-beam $gamma$-ray spectroscopy

An extended database of experimental data is needed to address uncertainties of the nuclear-physics input parameters for Hauser-Feshbach calculations. Especially $alpha$+nucleus optical model potentials at low energies are not well known. The in-beam technique with an array of high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors was successfully applied to the measurement of absolute cross sections of an ($alpha$,$gamma$) reaction on a heavy nucleus at sub-Coulomb energies. The total and partial cross-section values were measured by means of in-beam $gamma$-ray spectroscopy. Total and partial cross sections were measured at four different $alpha$-particle energies from $E_alpha = 10.5$ MeV to $E_alpha = 12$ MeV. The measured total cross-section values are in excellent agreement with previous results obtained with the activation technique, which proves the validity of the applied method. The experimental data was compared to Hauser-Feshbach calculations using the nuclear reaction code TALYS. A modified version of the semi-microscopic $alpha$+nucleus optical model potential OMP 3, as well as modified proton and $gamma$ widths, are needed in order to obtain a good agreement between experimental data and theory. It is found, that a model using a local modification of the nuclear-physics input parameters simultaneously reproduces total cross sections of the $^{112}$Sn($alpha$,$gamma$) and $^{112}$Sn($alpha$,p) reactions. The measurement of partial cross sections turns out to be very important in this case in order to apply the correct $gamma$-ray strength function in the Hauser-Feshbach calculations. The model also reproduces cross-section values of $alpha$-induced reactions on $^{106}$Cd, as well as of ($alpha$,n) reactions on $^{115,116}$Sn, hinting at a more global character of the obtained nuclear-physics input.

Timing of five millisecond pulsars discovered in the PALFA survey

We present the discovery of five millisecond pulsars (MSPs) from the PALFA Galactic plane survey using Arecibo. Four of these (PSRs J0557+1551, J1850+0244, J1902+0300, and J1943+2210) are binary pulsars whose companions are likely white dwarfs, and one (PSR J1905+0453) is isolated. Phase-coherent timing solutions, ranging from $sim$1 to $sim$3 years in length, and based on observations from the Jodrell Bank and Arecibo telescopes, provide precise determinations of spin, orbital, and astrometric parameters. All five pulsars have large dispersion measures ($>100$ pc cm$^{-3}$, within the top 20% of all known Galactic field MSPs) and are faint (1.4 GHz flux density < 0.1 mJy, within the faintest 5% of all known Galactic field MSPs), illustrating PALFAs ability to find increasingly faint, distant MSPs in the Galactic plane. In particular, PSR J1850+0244 has a dispersion measure of 540 pc cm$^{-3}$, the highest of all known MSPs. Such distant, faint MSPs are important input for accurately modeling the total Galactic MSP population.

Measurement of the 187Re({alpha},n)190Ir reaction cross section at sub-Coulomb energies using the Cologne Clover Counting Setup

Uncertainties in adopted models of particle+nucleus optical-model potentials directly influence the accuracy in the theoretical predictions of reaction rates as they are needed for reaction-network calculations in, for instance, {gamma}-process nucleosynthesis. The improvement of the {alpha}+nucleus optical-model potential is hampered by the lack of experimental data at astrophysically relevant energies especially for heavier nuclei. Measuring the Re187({alpha},n)Ir190 reaction cross section at sub-Coulomb energies extends the scarce experimental data available in this mass region and helps understanding the energy dependence of the imaginary part of the {alpha}+nucleus optical-model potential at low energies. Applying the activation method, after the irradiation of natural rhenium targets with {alpha}-particle energies of 12.4 to 14.1 MeV, the reaction yield and thus the reaction cross section were determined via {gamma}-ray spectroscopy by using the Cologne Clover Counting Setup and the method of {gamma}{gamma} coincidences. Cross-section values at five energies close to the astrophysically relevant energy region were measured. Statistical model calculations revealed discrepancies between the experimental values and predictions based on widely used {alpha}+nucleus optical-model potentials. However, an excellent reproduction of the measured cross-section values could be achieved from calculations based on the so-called Sauerwein-Rauscher {alpha}+nucleus optical-model potential. The results obtained indicate that the energy dependence of the imaginary part of the {alpha}+nucleus optical-model potential can be described by an exponential decrease. Successful reproductions of measured cross sections at low energies for {alpha}-induced reactions in the mass range 141{leq}A{leq}187 confirm the global character of the Sauerwein-Rauscher potential.

A shallow though extensive H2 2.12 micron imaging survey of Taurus-Auriga-Perseus: I. NGC1333, L1455, L1448 and B1

We discuss wide-field near-IR imaging of the NGC1333, L1448, L1455 and B1 star forming regions in Perseus. The observations have been extracted from a much larger narrow-band imaging survey of the Taurus-Auriga-Perseus complex. These H2 2.12 micron observations are complemented by broad-band K imaging, mid-IR imaging and photometry from the Spitzer Space Telescope, and published submillimetre CO J=3-2 maps of high-velocity molecular outflows. We detect and label 85 H2 features and associate these with 26 molecular outflows. Three are parsec-scale flows, with a mean flow lobe length exceeding 11.5 arcmin. 37 (44%) of the detected H2 features are associated with a known Herbig-Haro object, while 72 (46%) of catalogued HH objects are detected in H2 emission. Embedded Spitzer sources are identified for all but two of the 26 molecular outflows. These candidate outflow sources all have high near-to-mid-IR spectral indices (mean value of alpha ~ 1.4) as well as red IRAC 3.6-4.5 micron and IRAC/MIPS 4.5-24.0 micron colours: 80% have [3.6]-[4.5] > 1.0 and [4.5]-[24] > 1.5. These criteria - high alpha and red [4.5]-[24] and [3.6]-[4.5] colours - are powerful discriminants when searching for molecular outflow sources. However, we find no correlation between alpha and flow length or opening angle, and the outflows appear randomly orientated in each region. The more massive clouds are associated with a greater number of outflows, which suggests that the star formation efficiency is roughly the same in each region.