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Starting from the first observation of the halo phenomenon 20 years ago, more and more neutron-rich light nuclei were observed. The study of unstable nuclear systems beyond the dripline is a relatively new branch of nuclear physics. In the present work, the results of an experiment at GSI (Darmstadt) with relativistic beams of the halo nuclei 8He, 11Li and 14Be with energies of 240, 280 and 305 MeV/nucleon, respectively, impinging on a liquid hydrogen target are discussed. Neutron/proton knockout reactions lead to the formation of unbound systems, followed by their immediate decay. The experimental setup, consisting of the neutron detector LAND, the dipole spectrometer ALADIN and different types of tracking detectors, allows the reconstruction of the momentum vectors of all reaction products measured in coincidence. The properties of unbound nuclei are investigated by reconstructing the relative-energy spectra as well as by studying the angular correlations between the reaction products. The observed systems are 9He, 10He, 10Li, 12Li and 13Li. The isotopes 12Li and 13Li are observed for the first time. They are produced in the 1H(14Be, 2pn)12Li and 1H(14Be, 2p)13Li knockout reactions. The obtained relative-energy spectrum of 12Li is described as a single virtual s-state with a scattering length of as = -22;13.7(1.6) fm. The spectrum of 13Li is interpreted as a resonance at an energy of Er = 1.47(13) MeV and a width of Gamma ~ 2 MeV superimposed on a broad correlated background distribution. The isotope 10Li is observed after one-neutron knockout from the halo nucleus 11Li. The obtained relative-energy spectrum is described by a low-lying virtual s-state with a scattering length as = -22.4(4.8) fm and a p-wave resonance with Er = 0.566(14) MeV and Gamma = 0.548(30) MeV, in agreement with previous experiments. The observation of the nucleus 8He in coincidence with one or two neutrons, as a result of proton knockout from 11Li, allows to reconstruct the relative-energy spectra for the heavy helium isotopes, 9He and 10He. The low-energy part of the 9He spectrum is described by a virtual s-state with a scattering length as = -3.16(78) fm. In addition, two resonance states with l 6= 0 at energies of 1.33(8) and 2.4 MeV are observed. For the 10He spectrum, two interpretations are possible. It can be interpreted as a superposition of a narrow resonance at 1.42(10) MeV and a broad correlated background distribution. Alternatively, the spectrum is being well described by two resonances at energies of 1.54(11) and 3.99(26) MeV. Additionally, three-body energy and angular correlations in 10He and 13Li nuclei at the region of the ground state (0 < ECnn < 3 MeV) are studied, providing information about structure of these unbound nuclear systems.
Within the present work, photodissociation reactions on 100Mo, 93Mo and 92Mo isotopes were studied by means of the Coulomb dissociation method at the LAND setup at GSI. Experimental data on these isotopes are important to explain the problem of the underproduction of the lighter p-nuclei - 92; 94Mo - within the models of the p-process nucleosynthesis. The reaction rates used in the nucleosynthesis calculations are usually obtained within the framework of the statistical model. In order to verify the model predictions and reduce the uncertainties, experimental measurements of the reaction cross sections are required. In particular, the data on (γ,n) reactions are of interest, since these reactions were shown to dominate the p-process flow in the molybdenum mass region.
As a result of the analysis of the present experiment, integrated Coulomb excitation cross sections of the 100Mo(γ,n), 100Mo(γ,2n), 93Mo(γ,n) and 92Mo(γ,n) reactions were determined. The measurement of the 93Mo isotope is particularly important, since this nucleus is unstable, and the corresponding cross section has not been measured before.
It should be emphasized that Coulomb dissociation is a unique tool to study photoninduced reactions on unstable nuclei, which is especially relevant in the context of nucleosynthesis network calculations. However, because of to the complexity of the data analysis procedure and a number of model assumptions that are required in order to extract the Coulomb excitation cross section from the data, one of the main aspects of this thesis was to verify the method by comparing the results with the previously published data obtained with real photon beams. Integrated cross sections of the 100Mo(γ,n) and 100Mo(γ,2n) reactions were directly compared to the data by Beil et al., obtained at Saclay with photons from positron annihilation, while an indirect comparison could be performed with a recent photoactivation measurement by Erhard and co-workers. A reasonable agreement was observed for the 1n channel: a scaling factor of 0.8 ± 0.1 between our result and Beil et al. data is consistent with the scaling factor of 0.89±0.09 reported by Erhard et al. between their data and Beil et al. data. Both results are in agreement with the scaling factor of 0.85 ± 0.03 recommended by Berman et al. for the data measured at Saclay on nuclei in the respective mass region. A somewhat lower factor of 0.61 ± 0.09 between the present data and Beil et al. data was obtained for the 2n channel. The discrepancy might be explained by both the substantial efficiency correction that has to be applied to the LAND data in the two-neutron case, as well as by an insufficiently accurate assumption that the Saclay neutron detector efficiency is energy- and multiplicity- independent.
A second important topic of the present thesis is the investigation of the efficiency of the CsI gamma detector. The calorimetric information that it delivers is essential to reconstruct the energy-differential cross section from the present measurement. The data taken with the gamma calibration sources shortly after the experiment were used for the investigation. In addition, a test experiment in refined conditions was conducted within the framework of this thesis. Numerous GEANT3 simulations of the detector were performed in order to understand various aspects of its performance. As a result, the efficiency of the detector was determined to be approximately a factor of 2 lower than the efficiency expected from the simulation. This result is consistent with several independent investigations, which were performed using different methods. At the same time, a remarkable agreement between the simulated and experimental data was achieved under assumption that the inefficiency of the detector is explained by the loss of data from a number of crystals, which are randomly chosen in each event according to their averaged performance ratio (the ”on-off” effect). The reasons for the observed malfunction are yet not fully clear. Regardless of the exact reason, in the present conditions a deconvolution of the measured data from the CsI response is not possible. Consequently, within the framework of this thesis, the results are presented in terms of integrated cross sections. A search for alternative methods of data interpretation, allowing to extract energy-differential information out of the available data, in currently ongoing.
In the more recent experiments at the LAND setup, where the Crystal Ball gamma detector was used as a calorimeter, the reconstruction of the energy-differential cross section with a reasonable resolution was already shown to be feasible. It means that, even considering the uncertainties of the present experiment of the order of 10%, the uncertainties of the statistical model predictions, which are on average estimated to be within a factor of 1.5-2, can already be constrained.
The analysis of the present experiment is still in progress. As a next step, Coulomb excitation cross section for 94Mo will be obtained. The 94Mo(γ,n) reaction cannot be studied by photoactivation, since the life time of the daughter nucleus is too long (4000 y). At the same time, this reaction plays a key role in the p-process nucleosynthesis.
The future of the LAND setup - the R3B setup1 at FAIR2 - will take advantage of a three orders of magnitude higher intensity of the radioactive beams [85], as well as of a completely new detector system. High-resolution measurements of the energy-differential cross sections will be possible for exotic nuclei, which were never accessible in the laboratory before. Such measurements will open great opportunities for nuclear astrophysics, allowing to obtain high-quality experimental data even for regions of the nuclear chart where the statistical model calculations are not applicable.
This work derives the value of the neutron capture cross section of 60Fe at the energy of kT = 25 meV. Iron plays an important role in stellar nucleosynthesis, because it is a seed material for the s-process, a neutron capture process in which the elements between iron and bismuth are synthesized.
To determine the thermal neutron cross section of 60Fe, an iron sample produced in the framework of the ERAWAST1 program at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland was irradiated at the research reactor TRIGA2 at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany. Before the irradiation, the number of 60Fe particles in the sample was calculated using the decay scheme of 60Fe. There were (8.207 ± 0:066 stat 0:298 syst) * 10 14 60Fe particles in the sample.
The irradiation of the sample took place in May 2012. The counting of the reaction product, 61Fe, was undertaken using a HPGe detector located in a laboratory at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz. Knowing the number of 60Fe particles in the sample, the number of produced 61Fe particles and the neutron flux from the reactor, the thermal neutron capture cross section of ρth60Fe = (0.203 ± 0:021 stat 0:024 syst) b could be determined.
The determination of the thermal neutron capture cross section at the energy of kT = 25 meV constitutes to the first at this energy. There was already a measurement of the neutron capture cross section of 60Fe at the energy of kT = 25 keV in Karlsruhe in Germany. The result of the measurement was 25 keV = (9.9 ± 2:8 syst 1:4 stat) mb and was published in the year 2009 [14].
Adding datapoints for the cross section at different energies improves extarpolation and helps verification of theoretical models for elemental synthesis. For this reason, a measurement of the 60Fe neutron capture cross section at the energy of kT = 90 keV is planned at Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany.
Having the neutron capture cross section of 60Fe at the energy of kT = 25 keV measured in the year 2009 in Karlsruhe [14], at the energy of kT = 25 meV measured in May 2012 at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz and at the planned energy of kT = 90 keV at Goethe University Frankfurt, there will be three points for the extrapolation of the values for the neutron capture cross section of 60Fe. This will lead to a significant reduction in uncertainty with respect to existing theoretical discrepancies.
The subject of this thesis aimed at a better understanding of the spectacular X-ray burst. The most likely astrophysical site is a very dense neutron star, which accretes H/He-rich matter from a close companion. While falling towards the neutron star, the matter is heated up and a thermonuclear runaway is ignited. The exact description of this process is dominated by the properties of a few proton-rich radioactive isotopes, which have a low interaction probability, hence a high abundance.
The topic of this thesis was therefore an investigation of the short-lived, proton-rich isotopes 31Cl and 32Ar. The Coulomb dissociation method is the modern technique of choice. Excitations with energies up to 20 MeV can be induced by the Lorentz contracted Coulomb field of a lead target. At the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH in Darmstadt, Germany, a Ar beam was accelerated to an energy of 825 AMeV and fragmented in a beryllium target. The fragment separator was used to select the desired isotopes with a remaining energy of 650 AMeV. They were subsequently directed onto a 208 Pb target in the ALAND/LAND setup. The measurement was performed in inverse kinematics. All reaction products were detected and inclusive and exclusive measurements of the respective Coulomb dissociation cross sections were possible.
During the analysis of the experiment, it was possible to extract the energy-differential excitation spectrum of 31Cl, and to constrain astrophysically important parameters for the time-reversed 30S(p,γ)31Cl reaction. A single resonance at 0.443(37) MeV dominates the stellar reaction rate, which was also deduced and compared to previous calculations.
The integrated Coulomb dissociation cross section of this resonance was determined to 15(6) mb. The astrophysically important one- and two-proton emission channels were analyzed for 32Ar and energy-differential excitation spectra could be derived. The integrated Coulomb dissociation cross section for two proton emission were determined with two different techniques. The inclusive measurement yields a cross section of 214(29stat)(20sys) mb, whereas the exclusive reconstruction results in a cross section of 226(14stat)(23sys) mb. Both results are in very good agreement. The Coulomb dissociation cross section for the one-proton emission channel is extracted solely from the exclusive measurement and is 54(8stat)(6sys) mb.
Furthermore, the development of the Low Energy Neutron detector Array (LENA) for the upcoming R3B setup is described. The detector will be utilized in charge-exchange reactions to detect the low-energy recoil neutrons from (p,n)-type reactions. These reaction studies are of particular importance in the astrophysical context and can be used to constrain half lifes under stellar conditions. In the frame of this work, prototypes of the detector were built and successfully commissioned in several international laboratories.
The analysis was supported by detailed simulations of the detection characteristics.
Diese Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit dem Aufbau und der Kalibrierung eines Neutronendetektorarrays für niedrige Energien (Low Energy Neutron detector Array, kurz „LENA“) am kommenden R³B-Aufbau (Reactions with Relativistic Radioactive Beams) am FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) an der GSI in Darmstadt. Die Detektion niederenergetischer Neutronen im Bereich von 100 keV bis 1 MeV ist nötig, um Ladungsaustauschreaktionen, speziell (p,n)-Reaktionen in inverser Kinematik zu untersuchen. In diesem Energiebereich ist die Detektion äußerst schwierig, da Methoden für thermische als auch hochenergetische (100 MeV bis 1 GeV) Neutronen versagen. Neben dem Aufbau des Detektors wird die Bedeutung des Experiments für die nukleare Astrophysik verdeutlicht. Der theoretische Teil dieser Arbeit legt Grundlagen zum Verständnis für den Nachweis von Neutronen, die Funktionsweise des LENA-Detektors und den damit nachweisbaren Kernreaktionen. Des Weiteren wurde eine Simulation des Detektors mit GEANT4 (GEometry And Tracking), einer C++ orientierten Plattform für Simulationen von Wechselwirkungen von Detektormaterial mit Teilchen, durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse wurden zur Auswertung von Messungen, die im Rahmen einer Strahlzeit im März 2011 an der Physikalisch Technischen Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Braunschweig durchgeführt wurden, herangezogen. Ziel der Arbeit ist es, die Effizienz des Detektors zu bestimmen.
Mithilfe einer (n,γ)-Aktivierung von Germanium am Forschungsreaktor TRIGA in Mainz wurde zum einen in Hinblick auf zukünftige Experiment an der NIF eine Sensitivitätsstudie durchgeführt. Zum anderen wurden die thermischen Neutroneneinfangquerschnitte von 74Ge und 76Ge jeweils für den Einfang in den Isomer- und Grundzustand gemessen, um die Abweichungen der Daten von [Hol93] und [Mug06] zu klären. Zusätzlich wurden die Halbwertszeiten der betrachteten radioaktiven Ge-Isotope bestimmt.
Asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars are initially low and intermediate mass stars undergoing recurrent hydrogen and helium shell burning. During the advanced stage of stellar evolution AGB stars follow after the helium core burning ceased and are located in the AGB of the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram. One characteristic is their ability of element synthesis, especially carbon and nitrogen, which they eject in large amounts into the interstellar medium. But AGB stars also feature a slow-neutron capture process called s-process which forms approximately 50 % of all elements between Fe and Bi. The initial mass function emphasizes the importance of the synthesized ejecta of AGB stars since they are much more abundant than massive stars. Therefore, the abundance evolution of many elements in the universe is drastically affected by AGB stars. In order to understand chemical evolution in the universe their behavior must be known since their first appearance. In previous times less heavy elements were produced and available. Hence AGB stars with lower heavy element content, which means lower metallicity, must be investigated. They appear to behave substantially differently than stars of higher metallicity. Another issue is that AGB stars have mass-dependent characteristics from which follows a division into low-mass, massive and super AGB stars. Super AGB stars have the most open issues due to their large masses and initial mass boundaries that separate them from massive stars. Due to large spectroscopic surveys in the last years, many low metallicity stars have been analyzed. These findings make it necessary to complement those studies through stellar modeling. This work makes a step in this direction. The AGB star masses under investigation are 1M⊙, 1.65M⊙, 2M⊙, 3M⊙, 4M⊙, 5M⊙, 6M⊙ and 7M⊙ which include low-mass, massive and super AGB stars. Metallicities of Z = 6 x 10 exp-3 and Z = 1 x 10 exp-4 (for comparison, solar Z ~ 0.02) were chosen. These results are an extension of already available data, covering solar and half-solar metallicity, but without super AGB stars. Therefore physics input includes mainly well-established approaches rather than new theories. New physical approaches are included due to the low metallicity which makes the results a unique set of models. Additionally, extensive s-process network calculations lead to production factors of all included elements and isotopes. The s-process signatures of those stars were analyzed. The stellar evolution simulations presented in this work have been utilized for rate and especially sensitivity studies. One approach done was to analyze s-process branchings at 95Zr and 85Kr for stars at 3M⊙ with Z = 1 x 10 exp-2 and Z = 1 x 10 exp-3 respectively.
Der langsame Neutronen-Einfangprozess (s-Prozess) ist weitgehend verstanden und erforscht. Dies liegt vor allem daran, dass er im Gegensatz zu r- und p- Prozess hauptsächlich an stabilen Nukliden abläuft. Auch ist die Anzahl relevanter Reaktionen (Netzwerk) vergleichsweise klein.
Dennoch gibt es im s-Prozess viele ungeklärte Fragen. Eine dieser Fragen ist die Häufigkeitsverteilung von 86Kr in Staubkörnern von Meteoriten. Mit bisherigen Berechnungen und Simulationen dieser Szenarien konnte die Häufigkeitsverteilung von 86Kr jedoch nicht erklärt werden.
In dieser Arbeit werden die besonderen Eigenschaften von 85Kr, insbesondere sein Isomerzustand, vorgestellt und genauer untersucht. Die Häufigkeitsverteilung von 86Kr im s-Prozess wird entscheidend durch die Eigenschaften 85Kr beeinflusst. Mit den gewonnenen Daten aus dieser Arbeit wurde eine erste Simulation erstellt, die einen möglichenWeg aufzeigt, das Rätsel um die Häufigkeitsverteilung zu lösen.
The 35 neutron deficient nuclides known as the p nuclei are sysnthesized mainly in the so-called γ process. Taking place in explosive supernova events, the existing seed distribution from prior nucleosynthesis is altered by photodisintegration reactions of the types (γ,n), (γ,p) and (γ,α).
The bulk of reaction rates needed in network calculations of the γ process are predicted by the Hauser-Feshbach Model. When using this theory, the largest uncertainties stem from the interaction between charged particles and nuclei described by optical model potentials.
An improvement of these potentials can be achieved by comparison to measured cross section data. However, because of the low energies of interest for nuclear astrophysics and the resulting low cross sections, suitable data are scarce.
This thesis extends the corresponding database by measurement of the reactions 165Ho(α, n), 166Er(α, n), 169Tm(p,n) and 175Lu(p,n) using the activation technique. While not particularly important for the γ process, the selected (α,n) and (p,n) reactions exhibit nearly exclusive sensitivity to the α- or proton-nucleus potential, respectively. Therefore, the results presented here are well suited to test and improve the predictive power of currently available parameterizations of these potentials