The N/Z, or ratio of neutron to proton, degree of freedom may be used to study intermediate energy nuclear collisions to give information about the origin of emitted collision fragments. Establishing under what conditions the onset of N/Z equilibrium occurs will give a better understanding of the physics of the equation of state through the use of simulation codes. If the nuclear equation of state can be elucidated in terms of the N/Z dependent component and how the N/Z dependent component varies with density, then the equilibrium ratio of protons to neutrons inside high density neutron stars can be inferred, allowing for prediction of cooling rates and supernovae mechanisms. In the current study, isotopic and isobaric ratios at thetalab=40o with cuts of 10% and 20% most central events, respectively, are studied for their N/Z equilibration signals. Light charged particles, or LCPs, are found to be emitted from systems which have not yet fully N/Z combined; the fragments with A=3 are emitted from the least equilibrated systems. Intermediate mass fragments, or IMFs, are seen to be emitted by N/Z equilibrated sources, within statistical error bars. The N/Z tracer method is used with ratios of isotopes and isobars to see how the amount of nuclear stopping or N/Z mixing changes as a function of the centrality of the event. The N/Z observable is used to reinvestigate earlier findings of the isotope and isobar ratio observables and shows the progression (or lack of it, in some cases) of the N/Z equilibration. This observable has proven to be a clear and sensitive tool to use when considering the differences in N/Z mixing of the systems at two energies.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / The 9Be - 9B isospin doublet carries fundamental significance for both nuclear structure and nuclear astrophysics studies. The first excited 1/2+ state in 9Be is already well established. However, its isobaric analogue 1/2+ state in 9B has not been unambigously determined yet. Theoretically, two popular descriptions of the 9Bnucleus either use a cluster model with two unbound alpha particles held together by a covalent proton or using the shell model, as a 8Be core + proton in the sd shell. An experimental determination of the excitation energy of the first 1/2+ state in 9B will provide valuable information in validating the theoretical model that adequately describes such light unbound nuclei. Further, it will also provide a robust test of mirror (isospin) symmetry violations via measurements of mirror energy differences in the doublet. Although there have been several experimental attempts to characterize the first 1/2+ state in 9B several discrepancies still exist in reported values of the excitation energies. This thesis describes an experiment performed at iThemba LABS using the 9Be(3He,t)9B reaction to address the above issue. As a byproduct, the thesis also describes an additional determination of the excitation energy of the second J-pi = 1/2+, T = 3/2 state in 9B from the same experiment. This was performed in order to resolve a discrepancy related to the excitation energy of this state. The consequence of this measurement related to Isobaric Multiplet Mass Equation (IMME) for the excited T = 3/2, A = 9 quartet is discussed briefly.

Dresden, Techn. Univ., Diss., 2004.

<p> In this thesis, we are concerned with the outstanding problem of overbinding of a ^ particle in the spin-isospin saturated nuclear medium. The suppression effect in nuclear matter due to the repulsive core has been examined carefully and the single-particle-energy spectrum of the ^ particle is then derived. The two-channel formalism which takes account of the Σ^ conversion explicitly is used to study the binding of ^ in nuclear matter and in ^He5. With phenomenological ^N interactions which fit the low energy scattering data, it is shown that in this formalism the experimental binding energy of ^He5 can be reproduced.</p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Neste trabalho é apresentado um modelo algébrico para o cálculo de energias de ligação de núcleos pesados com N = Z baseado nas versões invariantes por isospin do Modelo de Bósons interatuantes (IBM). Com a utilização de uma interação adequada para a descrição dos modos isoescalar e isovetorial do emparelhamento nuclear adicionada àquelas interações que descrevem globalmente uma dada região de massa, foram ajustados os parâmetros da hamiltoniana e calculados núcleos com N = Z ao longo das camadas sd e pf. Deste modo, pôde-se fazer algumas predições, para suas massas do estado fundamental e para estados excitados, que oferecem um desafio às novas gerações de feixes radiativos que estão por vir. / In this work we present an algebraic model for calculating the binding energies of heavy nuclei with the same number of protons and neutrons which is based in the isospin invariant versions of the Interacting Boson Model (IBM). With an adequate interaction for the description of the isoscalar and isovector pairing modes of the residual nuclear interaction added to those terms responsible for the bulk properties of a given mass region, we have fitted the parameters of our algebraic Hamiltonian and have calculated nuclei with N=Z along the sd and pf shells. Therefore we were able to make some predictions, for their ground state masses as well as for the excited states, which offer a challenge to the new generations of radioactive nuclear beams.

Neste trabalho é apresentado um modelo algébrico para o cálculo de energias de ligação de núcleos pesados com N = Z baseado nas versões invariantes por isospin do Modelo de Bósons interatuantes (IBM). Com a utilização de uma interação adequada para a descrição dos modos isoescalar e isovetorial do emparelhamento nuclear adicionada àquelas interações que descrevem globalmente uma dada região de massa, foram ajustados os parâmetros da hamiltoniana e calculados núcleos com N = Z ao longo das camadas sd e pf. Deste modo, pôde-se fazer algumas predições, para suas massas do estado fundamental e para estados excitados, que oferecem um desafio às novas gerações de feixes radiativos que estão por vir. / In this work we present an algebraic model for calculating the binding energies of heavy nuclei with the same number of protons and neutrons which is based in the isospin invariant versions of the Interacting Boson Model (IBM). With an adequate interaction for the description of the isoscalar and isovector pairing modes of the residual nuclear interaction added to those terms responsible for the bulk properties of a given mass region, we have fitted the parameters of our algebraic Hamiltonian and have calculated nuclei with N=Z along the sd and pf shells. Therefore we were able to make some predictions, for their ground state masses as well as for the excited states, which offer a challenge to the new generations of radioactive nuclear beams.

The high-spin states of the nucleus 64Ge have been investigated using the GASP and the EUROBALL arrays of high-purity germanium detectors. In order to achieve the required experimental sensitivity, special selecting devices were used, namely a highly efficient array of liquid scintillators to detect neutrons and the ISIS Si-ball to detect light charged particles, which has been developed in the present work. A detailed decay scheme for 64Ge has been deduced, assigning spins and parities to the levels through a Directional Correlation from Oriented states analysis, an Angular Distribution analysis and a Polarization Correlation from Oriented states analysis. The character of an intense 1665 keV transition, previously reported as a stretched electric dipole with a small multipole mixing ratio, has been established as an electric dipole with a large multipole mixing ratio. The electric dipole strength has been measured using EUROBALL coupled to an early implementation of the EUCLIDES Si-ball and with the Koln plunger device, allowing an experimental estimate of the isospin mixing probability in 64Ge.

Depuis les années 1930, on sait que le noyau des atomes est composé de deux types de particules: les protons et les neutrons. Ces deux particules sont très similaires: d'une part le neutron est subtilement plus lourd (un pour mille) que le proton et d'autre part le proton porte une charge électrique positive tandis que le neutron est neutre. La petite différence de masse entre le neutron et le proton fourni l'énergie suffisante pour autoriser désintégration où un neutron se désintègre en un proton en émettant un électron et un anti-neutrino électronique. Aussi, le fait que le proton ne se désintègre pas assure la stabilité de l'atome d'hydrogène. De plus, on sait empiriquement que les paramètres de la désintégration déterminent la composition des noyaux d'atomes stables plus lourds que l'hydrogène. Il est donc raisonnable de penser que si la différence de masse entre le neutron et le proton était de signe opposé ou seulement légèrement différente, l'Univers visible serait surement très différent de celui que l'on connait. Il est donc essentiel de comprendre l'origine de cette différence de masse à partir des principes premiers de la physique. C'est à ce problème, et à des problèmes liés à celui-ci, qu'essaye de répondre ce travail. Dans la compréhension actuelle de la physique, les neutrons et les protons sont des particules composées de particules élémentaires appelées quark up (symbole u) et quark down (symbole d). Le proton est un état lié uud et le neutron est un état lié udd. Les quarks up et down sont deux particules similaires: elles sont toutes deux légères (de l'ordre de quelques MeV) et leurs charges électriques sont différentes. / .

The nuclear structme of 17Ne and 13O has been studied by the 20Ne(3He,6He)17Ne and 16O(3He,6He)13O reactions at 70 MeV and 80 MeV, respectively. Fifteen levels were identified, and angular distributions have been measured for nine of these levels in 17Ne, while for 13O eighteen levels were identified, but angular distributions were obtained for only ten levels. The observed transferred angular momentum dependence of these angular distributions allowed spin-parity assignments. The T= 3/2 quartet analog states in mass A=17 have been completed for six levels. The results of the isobaric multiplet mass equation analysis show a slight linear dependence of the b and c coefficients on the excitation energy. It was found that the coefficients for the positive parity states do not follow the systematics of the negative parity states. The absolute values of the b and c coefficients are larger for the positive parity states. An analysis in terms of Coulomb energy displacement indicates a possible configuration mixing or core polarization effect in these states. The d coefficient also has a large deviation from zero, only for the positive parity states indicating a possible expansion of the radial wavefunction or some isospin symmetry breaking effects. Further detailed theoretical interpretation of these effects may bring valuable information about the configuration and structure of these states. The leveis in 13O were measured with good energy resolution, and thus, it was possible to identify the first excited state unambiguously. However, if one identifies this state as the analog of the known first excited state in the mirror nucleus 13B, this leads to one of the largest level shifts known in literature. / The nuclear structme of 17Ne and 13O has been studied by the 20Ne(3He,6He)17Ne and 16O(3He,6He)13O reactions at 70 MeV and 80 MeV, respectively. Fifteen levels were identified, and angular distributions have been measured for nine of these levels in 17Ne, while for 13O eighteen levels were identified, but angular distributions were obtained for only ten levels. The observed transferred angular momentum dependence of these angular distributions allowed spin-parity assignments. The T= 3/2 quartet analog states in mass A=17 have been completed for six levels. The results of the isobaric multiplet mass equation analysis show a slight linear dependence of the b and c coefficients on the excitation energy. It was found that the coefficients for the positive parity states do not follow the systematics of the negative parity states. The absolute values of the b and c coefficients are larger for the positive parity states. An analysis in terms of Coulomb energy displacement indicates a possible configuration mixing or core polarization effect in these states. The d coefficient also has a large deviation from zero, only for the positive parity states indicating a possible expansion of the radial wavefunction or some isospin symmetry breaking effects. Further detailed theoretical interpretation of these effects may bring valuable information about the configuration and structure of these states. The leveis in 13O were measured with good energy resolution, and thus, it was possible to identify the first excited state unambiguously. However, if one identifies this state as the analog of the known first excited state in the mirror nucleus 13B, this leads to one of the largest level shifts known in literature.

The nuclear structme of 17Ne and 13O has been studied by the 20Ne(3He,6He)17Ne and 16O(3He,6He)13O reactions at 70 MeV and 80 MeV, respectively. Fifteen levels were identified, and angular distributions have been measured for nine of these levels in 17Ne, while for 13O eighteen levels were identified, but angular distributions were obtained for only ten levels. The observed transferred angular momentum dependence of these angular distributions allowed spin-parity assignments. The T= 3/2 quartet analog states in mass A=17 have been completed for six levels. The results of the isobaric multiplet mass equation analysis show a slight linear dependence of the b and c coefficients on the excitation energy. It was found that the coefficients for the positive parity states do not follow the systematics of the negative parity states. The absolute values of the b and c coefficients are larger for the positive parity states. An analysis in terms of Coulomb energy displacement indicates a possible configuration mixing or core polarization effect in these states. The d coefficient also has a large deviation from zero, only for the positive parity states indicating a possible expansion of the radial wavefunction or some isospin symmetry breaking effects. Further detailed theoretical interpretation of these effects may bring valuable information about the configuration and structure of these states. The leveis in 13O were measured with good energy resolution, and thus, it was possible to identify the first excited state unambiguously. However, if one identifies this state as the analog of the known first excited state in the mirror nucleus 13B, this leads to one of the largest level shifts known in literature. / The nuclear structme of 17Ne and 13O has been studied by the 20Ne(3He,6He)17Ne and 16O(3He,6He)13O reactions at 70 MeV and 80 MeV, respectively. Fifteen levels were identified, and angular distributions have been measured for nine of these levels in 17Ne, while for 13O eighteen levels were identified, but angular distributions were obtained for only ten levels. The observed transferred angular momentum dependence of these angular distributions allowed spin-parity assignments. The T= 3/2 quartet analog states in mass A=17 have been completed for six levels. The results of the isobaric multiplet mass equation analysis show a slight linear dependence of the b and c coefficients on the excitation energy. It was found that the coefficients for the positive parity states do not follow the systematics of the negative parity states. The absolute values of the b and c coefficients are larger for the positive parity states. An analysis in terms of Coulomb energy displacement indicates a possible configuration mixing or core polarization effect in these states. The d coefficient also has a large deviation from zero, only for the positive parity states indicating a possible expansion of the radial wavefunction or some isospin symmetry breaking effects. Further detailed theoretical interpretation of these effects may bring valuable information about the configuration and structure of these states. The leveis in 13O were measured with good energy resolution, and thus, it was possible to identify the first excited state unambiguously. However, if one identifies this state as the analog of the known first excited state in the mirror nucleus 13B, this leads to one of the largest level shifts known in literature.