Isospin Symmetry at High Spin Studied via Nucleon Knockout from Isomeric States.

One-neutron knockout reactions have been performed on a beam of radioactive ^{53}Co in a high-spin isomeric state. The analysis is shown to yield a highly selective population of high-spin states in an exotic nucleus with a significant cross section, and hence represents a technique that is applicable to the planned new generation of fragmentation-based radioactive beam facilities. Additionally, the relative cross sections among the excited states can be predicted to a high level of accuracy when reliable shell-model input is available. The work has resulted in a new level scheme, up to the 11^{+} band-termination state, of the proton-rich nucleus ^{52}Co (Z=27, N=25). This has in turn enabled a study of mirror energy differences in the A=52 odd-odd mirror nuclei, interpreted in terms of isospin-nonconserving (INC) forces in nuclei. The analysis demonstrates the importance of using a full set of J-dependent INC terms to explain the experimental observations.

23Na(α,p)26Mg Reaction Rate at Astrophysically Relevant Energies.

The production of 26Al in massive stars is sensitive to the 23Na(α,p)26Mg cross section. Recent experimental data suggest the currently recommended cross sections are underestimated by a factor of ∼40. We present here differential cross sections for the 23Na(α,p)26Mg reaction measured in the energy range E(c.m.)=1.7-2.5 MeV. Concurrent measurements of Rutherford scattering provide absolute normalizations that are independent of variations in target properties. Angular distributions are measured for both p0 and p1 permitting the determination of total cross sections. The results show no significant deviation from the statistical model calculations upon which the recommended rates are based. We therefore retain the previous recommendation without the increase in cross section and resulting stellar reaction rates by a factor of 40, impacting the 26Al yield from massive stars by more than a factor of 3.

Mirror energy differences at large isospin studied through direct two-nucleon knockout.

The first spectroscopy of excited states in 52Ni (T(z)=-2) and 51Co (T(z)=-3/2) has been obtained using the highly selective two-neutron knockout reaction. Mirror energy differences between isobaric analogue states in these nuclei and their mirror partners are interpreted in terms of isospin nonconserving effects. A comparison between large-scale shell-model calculations and data provides the most compelling evidence to date that both electromagnetic and an additional isospin nonconserving interactions for J=2 couplings, of unknown origin, are required to obtain good agreement.

Improved limit on direct α decay of the Hoyle state.

The current evaluation of the triple-α reaction rate assumes that the α decay of the 7.65 MeV, 0+ state in 12C, commonly known as the Hoyle state, proceeds sequentially via the ground state of 8Be. This assumption is challenged by the recent identification of two direct α-decay branches with a combined branching ratio of 17(5)%. If correct, this would imply a corresponding reduction in the triple-α reaction rate with important astrophysical consequences. We have used the 11B(3He,d) reaction to populate the Hoyle state and measured the decay to three α particles in complete kinematics. We find no evidence for direct α-decay branches, and hence our data do not support a revision of the triple-α reaction rate. We obtain an upper limit of 5×10(-3) on the direct α decay of the Hoyle state at 95% C.L., which is 1 order of magnitude better than a previous upper limit.

34P(7Li,7Be+γ) reaction at 100A MeV in inverse kinematics.

We report on the first successful extraction of a ß+ Gamow-Teller strength distribution from a radioactive isotope in an intermediate-energy charge-exchange experiment in inverse kinematics. The (7Li,7Be+γ(429 keV)) reaction at 100A MeV was used to measure Gamow-Teller transition strengths from 34P to states in 34Si. The results show that little mixing occurs between sd and pf shell configurations for the low-lying 0+ and 2+ states even though 34Si neighbors the island of inversion and low-lying 2ℏω intruder states exist. Shell-model calculations in the sdpf model space are consistent with these findings.

In-beam gamma-ray spectroscopy of very neutron-rich nuclei: excited states in 46S and 48Ar.

We report on the first in-beam gamma-ray spectroscopy study of the very neutron-rich nucleus 46S. The N=30 isotones 46S and 48Ar were produced in a novel way in two steps that both necessarily involve nucleon exchange and neutron pickup reactions 9Be(48Ca,48K)X followed by 9Be(48K,48Ar+gamma)X at 85.7 MeV/u midtarget energy and 9Be(48Ca,46Cl)X followed by 9Be(46Cl,46S+gamma)X at 87.0 MeV/u midtarget energy, respectively. The results are compared to large-scale shell-model calculations in the sd-pf shell using the SDPF-NR effective interaction and Z-dependent modifications.