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The spectroscopic properties of low-lying octupole states, previously proposed to be candidates for isovector (mixed-symmetry) states, were investigated in 95 Mo( n th , γ ) and 143 Nd( n th , γ ) thermal neutron capture reactions. The experiments used eight Clover detectors that made up the central ring of the EXILL setup and the high thermal neutron flux of the research reactor at ILL. These measurements allowed a determination of branching ratios and multipole mixing ratios for the transitions of interest connecting the isovector candidate and the lowest-lying J π = 3 − 1 state, the octupole phonon. Furthermore, for 144 Nd the lifetime of the third excited 3 − 3 level was remeasured using the Gamma-Ray Induced Doppler-shift method to be τ = 31 +10 −25 . While calculations in the Quasi-particle Phonon Model indicate that the 3 − 3 state in 144 Nd remains a good candidate for an isovector state, a simple model approach indicates that for 96 Mo the isovector state must be higher in energy than the proposed 3 − 2 candidate at 3178 keV.

The Graph Model for Conflict Resolution (GMCR) is a flexible model and has been widely used for describing and analyzing conflicts. Stability analysis is used in the GMCR to determine possible solutions for the conflict. Several solution concepts have been proposed which accommodate different decision makers’ (DMs) behavior. Some of them are: Nash, General Metarationality (GMR) and Sequential Stability (SEQ). For a state to be Nash stable for a DM, such DM cannot move to a more preferred state in a single step. For GMR and SEQ, while considering moving to a more preferred state, the DM foresees whether the opponent can react leading the conflict to a state not preferred to the current one. What differs GMR and SEQ is that, in SEQ the opponent’s move simultaneously sanctions the focal DM and benefits the opponent. We show, by means of an example, that there are situations in which the opponent’s reaction is implausible in the sense that it involves the opponent leaving an SEQ stable state for him. In order to avoid that problem, we propose new solution concepts for the GMCR, called Higher-order Sequential Stabilities, and explore their relation with other solution concepts commonly used in the GMCR.

Shell structure and magic numbers in atomic nuclei were generally explained by pioneering work that introduced a strong spin-orbit interaction to the nuclear shell model potential. However, knowledge of nuclear forces and the mechanisms governing the structure of nuclei, in particular far from stability, is still incomplete. In nuclei with equal neutron and proton numbers (N = Z), enhanced correlations arise between neutrons and protons (two distinct types of fermions) that occupy orbitals with the same quantum numbers. Such correlations have been predicted to favour an unusual type of nuclear superfluidity, termed isoscalar neutron-proton pairing, in addition to normal isovector pairing. Despite many experimental efforts, these predictions have not been confirmed. Here we report the experimental observation of excited states in the N = Z = 46 nucleus (92)Pd. Gamma rays emitted following the (58)Ni((36)Ar,2n)(92)Pd fusion-evaporation reaction were identified using a combination of state-of-the-art high-resolution γ-ray, charged-particle and neutron detector systems. Our results reveal evidence for a spin-aligned, isoscalar neutron-proton coupling scheme, different from the previous prediction. We suggest that this coupling scheme replaces normal superfluidity (characterized by seniority coupling) in the ground and low-lying excited states of the heaviest N = Z nuclei. Such strong, isoscalar neutron-proton correlations would have a considerable impact on the nuclear level structure and possibly influence the dynamics of rapid proton capture in stellar nucleosynthesis.

Within the EXILL campaign a large and efficient cluster of Ge-detectors was installed around a very well collimated neutron beam. This has allowed to carry out rather complete spectroscopic studies close to the line of stability using the (n,γ) reaction. Neutron rich isotopes were produced by neutron induced fission and prompt spectroscopy was carried out. The isotope selection in this setup was based on a partially known level scheme and the use of triple coincidences. The latter is limiting the statistical sensitivity in the case of weak production yields. Based on the experiences of these campaigns we are currently developing a new setup: FIPPS (FIssion Product Prompt Spectroscopy). This setup combines a collimated neutron beam, a highly efficient cluster of Ge detectors, a gas filled magnet and auxiliary detectors. The presence of the gas filled magnet will allow us to identify fission products directly and should give access to a new quality of studies if compared to the EXILL campaign. The EXILL campaign and the FIPPS project are presented.

The discrepancy between shell-model calculations and intermediate-energy Coulomb excitation measurements in 46Ar still stands as an unsolved puzzle in understanding the N = 28 shell evolution. This phenomenon has significant relevance considering the remarkable achievements of the shell model and the SDPF-U interaction in the region which is able to predict the fading of the N = 28 shell gap in neutron-rich 44S. Recent measurements narrowed down this discrepancy to an overestimation of the proton amplitude to the quadrupole transition matrix element. The current work aims to propose a different perspective on the puzzle, by studying a direct proton-transfer reaction on 46Ar as a means to directly probe the proton wavefunction of the ground state this isotope. By measuring the amount of l = 0 transfer to the ground state (1/2+) of 47K with respect to the l = 2 to the first excited state (3/2+), we aim to gain insight into the ground state proton wavefunction of 46Ar. We will present a brief description of the experiment performed at the SPIRAL1 facility in GANIL (France). The experimental apparatus allowed a full reconstruction of the two-body reaction thanks to the combination of AGATA, VAMOS, MUGAST, CATS2, and HECTOR.

Experimental access to full isotopic fragment distributions is very important to determine the features of the fission process. However, the isotopic identification of fission fragments has been, in the past, partial and scarce. A solution based on the use of inverse kinematics to study transfer-induced fission of exotic actinides was carried out at GANIL, resulting in the first experiment accessing the full identification of a collection of fissioning systems and their corresponding fission fragment distribution. In these experiments, a 238U beam at 6.14 AMeV impinged on a carbon target to produce fissioning systems from U to Am by transfer reactions, and Cf by fusion reactions. Isotopic fission yields of 250Cf, 244Cm, 240Pu, 239Np and 238U are presented in this work. With this information, the average number of neutrons as a function of the atomic number of the fragments is calculated, which reflects the impact of nuclear structure around Z=50, N=80 on the production of fission fragments. The characteristics of the Super Long, Standard I, Standard II, and Standard III fission channels were extracted from fits of the fragment yields for different ranges of excitation energy. The position and contribution of the fission channels as function of excitation energy are presented.

Transfer- and fusion-induced fission in inverse kinematics was proven to be a powerful tool to investigate nuclear fission, widening the information of the fission fragments and the access to unstable fissioning systems with respect to other experimental approaches. An experimental campaign for fission investigation has being carried out at GANIL with this technique since 2008. In these experiments, a beam of 238U, accelerated to 6.1 MeV/u, impinges on a 12C target. Fissioning systems from U to Cf are populated through transfer and fusion reactions, with excitation energies that range from few MeV up to 46 MeV. The use of inverse kinematics, the SPIDER telescope, and the VAMOS spectrometer permitted the characterization of the fissioning system in terms of mass, nuclear charge, and excitation energy, and the isotopic identification of the full fragment distribution. The neutron excess, the total neutron multiplicity, and the even-odd staggering in the nuclear charge of fission fragments are presented as a function of the excitation energy of the fissioning system. Structure effects are observed at Z∼50 and Z∼55, where their impact evolves with the excitation energy.

. A new experimental setup to measure prompt-delayed γ -ray coincidences from isotopically identified fission fragments, over a wide time range of 100ns-200μ s, is presented. The fission fragments were isotopically identified, on an event-by-event basis, using the VAMOS++ large acceptance spectrometer. The prompt γ rays emitted at the target position and corresponding delayed γ rays emitted at the focal plane of the spectrometer were detected using, respectively, thirty two crystals of the AGATA γ -ray tracking array and seven EXOGAM HPGe Clover detectors. Fission fragments produced in fusion and transfer-induced fission reactions, using a 238 U beam at an energy of 6.2 MeV/u impinging on a 9 Be target, were used to characterize and qualify the performance of the detection system.

The feasibility of retrieving accurate fission observables with a Ge-detector array around a fissile target placed in a cold neutron beam was tested. In three measurement campaigns performed at ILL with the EXILL setup, 235U and 241Pu targets were placed in the high flux cold neutron beam available at the PF1B neutron guide. Gamma-rays following fission were detected by an array of 16 Ge detectors. In the following study, part of data was analyzed as a proof of principle. A set of yields belonging to the Kr-Ba pair were extracted using a gamma-gamma coincidence technique. Preliminary results were compared to the predictions of two phenomenological models: GEF and FIFRELIN.

At the PF1B cold neutron beam line at the Institut Laue Langevin, the EXILL array consisting of EXOGAM, GASP and ILL-Clover detectors was used to perform (n,γ) measurements at very high coincidence rates. About ten different reactions were measured in autumn 2012 using a highly collimated cold neutron beam. In spring 2013, the EXOGAM array was combined with 16 LaBr3(Ce) scintillators in the EXILL&FATIMA campaign for the measurement of lifetimes using the generalised centroid difference method. We report on the properties of the set-ups and present first results from both campaigns.