Stepped-up development of accelerator mass spectrometry method for the detection of ^(60)Fe with the HI-13 tandem accelerator

The Moon provides a unique environment for investigating nearby astrophysical events such as supernovae.Lunar samples retain valuable information from these events,via detectable long-lived“fingerprint”radionuclides such as^(60)Fe.In this work,we stepped up the development of an accelerator mass spectrometry(AMS)method for detecting^(60)Fe using the HI-13tandem accelerator at the China Institute of Atomic Energy(CIAE).Since interferences could not be sufficiently removed solely with the existing magnetic systems of the tandem accelerator and the following Q3D magnetic spectrograph,a Wien filter with a maximum voltage of±60 kV and a maximum magnetic field of 0.3 T was installed after the accelerator magnetic systems to lower the detection background for the low abundance nuclide^(60)Fe.A 1μm thick Si_(3)N_(4) foil was installed in front of the Q3D as an energy degrader.For particle detection,a multi-anode gas ionization chamber was mounted at the center of the focal plane of the spectrograph.Finally,an^(60)Fe sample with an abundance of 1.125×10^(-10)was used to test the new AMS system.These results indicate that^(60)Fe can be clearly distinguished from the isobar^(60)Ni.The sensitivity was assessed to be better than 4.3×10^(-14)based on blank sample measurements lasting 5.8 h,and the sensitivity could,in principle,be expected to be approximately 2.5×10^(-15)when the data were accumulated for 100 h,which is feasible for future lunar sample measurements because the main contaminants were sufficiently separated.

Novel thick-target inverse kinematics method for the astrophysical ^(12)C+^(12)C fusion reaction

The ^(12)C+^(12)C fusion is one of the most important reactions in modern nuclear astrophysics.The trend and magnitude of the reaction rate within the Gamow window strongly influence various astrophysical processes.However,direct measurement of this reaction is extremely difficult,which makes it necessary to develop indirect methods.In this study,the ^(23)Na+p reaction system was used to study the compound nucleus ^(24)Mg.We employed a thick-target inverse kinematics method combined with the-charged-particle coincidence technique to measure the proton andexit channels of ^(24)Mg.Technical details of the ^(23)Na+p thick-target inverse kinematics experiment and analysis are presented herein.

First proof-of-principle experiment with the post-accelerated isotope separator on-line beam at BRIF:measurement of the angular distribution of ^(23)Na+^(40)Ca elastic scattering

The reaction dynamics of exotic nuclei near the drip line is one of the main research topics of current interest.Elastic scattering is a useful probe for investigating the size and surface diffuseness of exotic nuclei.The development of rare isotope accelerators offers opportunities for such studies.To date,many relevant measurements have been performed at accelerators using the projectile fragmentation technique,while the measurements at accelerators using isotope separator on-line(ISOL)systems are still quite scarce.In this work,we present the first proof-of-principle experiment with a post-accelerated ISOL beam at the Beijing Radioactive Ion Beam Facility(BRIF)by measuring the angular distribution of elastic scattering for the stable nucleus^(23)Na from the doubly magic nucleus^(40)Ca at energies above the Coulomb barrier.The angular distribution measured by a silicon strip detector array in a scattering chamber using the ISOL beam at BRIF is in good agreement with that measured by the high-precision Q3 D magnetic spectrograph using the nonISOL beam at nearly the same energy.This work provides useful background for making BRIF a powerful tool for the investigation of the reaction dynamics of exotic nuclei.

Study on γ-ray source from the resonant reaction ^19F(p,αγ)^16O at Ep=340 keV

High energyγ-ray can be used in many fields,such as nuclear resonant fluorescence,nuclear medicine imaging.One of the methods to generate high-energyγ-ray is nuclear resonant reaction.The 19F(p,αγ)16O reaction was used to generate 6.13-MeVγ-ray in this work.The angular distribution of 6.13-MeVγ-ray was measured by six LaBr3 detectors.The thick-target yield curve of 6.13-MeVγ-ray had been measured.The maximum yield was determined to be(1.85±0.01)×10^-8γ/proton,which was measured by HPGe detector and LaBr3 detector.The absolute efficiency of all the detectors was calibrated using 60Co and 27Al(p,γ)^28Si reaction at Ep=992 keV.The cross section and total resonant width of the reaction were determined to be 95.1±1.0 mb(1 b=10^-24 cm^2)andΓCM=2.21±0.22 keV,respectively.

Lifetime measurements in 138Nd

Lifetimes of the 2_(1)^(+),4_(1)^(+),7_(2)^(-),10_(2)^(+),12_(2)^(+),and 14_(1)^(+) states in 138 Nd populated via the 123 Sb(19 F,4n)138 Nd fusion–evaporation reaction were measured with the recoil distance Doppler shift technique in combination with the differential decay curve method.The B(E2;2_(1)^(+)→0_(1)^(+))value fit well with the systematic trend in the Nd isotope chain and Grodzins rule,which proved that 138Nd is a transitional nucleus.

Cross-section measurement for the ^(93)Nb(n,2n)^(92g)Nb reaction at the neutron energy of 14.6 MeV by the AMS method

The cross-section for the 93Nb（n, 2n）92gNb reaction has been measured at the neutron energy of 14.6 MeV using neutron activation and accelerator mass spectrometry （AMS） determination of the long-lived product nuclide 92gNb. The neutron energy was generated from the D＋T neutron source at the China Institute of Atomic Energy （CIAE）. The neutron flux was monitored by measuring the activity of 92mNb produced in the competing reaction channel of 93Nb（n, 2n）92mNb. At the neutron energy of 14.6 MeV, the 93Nb（n, 2n）92gNb reaction cross-section of （736±220） mb was obtained for the first time.