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 foram estudados os níveis excitados do 193Ir produzidos a partir do decaimento β do 193Os (T1/2 ~ 30h). Para a obtenção das amostras radioativas, ~ 5mg de Ósmio metálico (99% enriquecido em 192Os) foram irradiados no reator IEA-R1, sob um fluxo de nêutrons da ordem de 1012cm2 s1 e depois analisadas, empregando-se a técnica de espectroscopia γ simples (unidimensional) com espectrômetro γ de alta resolução, bem como as técnicas de espectroscopia de coincidência γγ e de correlação angular direcional γγ (θ) usando um sistema de aquisição multiparamétrica composto por 4 detectores HPGe. A partir destes dados, foi possível adicionar 28 transições a este esquema de decaimento, 11 das quais já eram conhecidas de outros estudos envolvendo reações nucleares, além de 17 observadas pela primeira vez. Também foram acrescentados 8 níveis excitados ao esquema de decaimento, sendo 3 conhecidos por outras reações e 5 completamente novos. Além disso, foi possível confirmar a suspeita encontrada na literatura de que os níveis a 848,93keV e 849,093keV são o mesmo, além de confirmar a existência de um nível excitado a 806,9keV. A análise de correlação angular direcional permitiu a definição do spin de do nível excitado a 874kev (5/2+), além de propor uma probabilidade de 79% do nível a 1078keV ter spin 5/2, e de restringir as possibilidades de spin para o nível novo a 960keV para duas (1/2 ou 3/2). Também foi possível determinar a razão de mistura multipolar (δLn+1/Ln) para 43 transições, sendo 19 pela primeira vez e praticamente todas as restantes com precisão melhor que a encontrada na literatura. Finalmente, foi feita uma tentativa de compreender o núcleo através de um modelo teórico, o qual reproduziu muito bem o estado fundamental e os dois primeiros estados excitados do 193Ir. / In this work, the excited levels of 193Ir populated by the β decay of 193Os (T1/2 30h) were investigated. For that purpose, 5mg samples of 99%-enriched 192Os were irradiated under a thermal neutron flux of 1012s1 and then analysed both using single gamma spectroscopy and a 4-detector multiparametric acquisition facility, which provided data for both a γγ coincidence analysis and a directional angular correlation γγ (θ) study. From these data, 28 transitions were added to this decay scheme, 11 of which were previously known from nuclear reactions and 17 observed for the first time. Eight excited levels were also added to the decay scheme, 3 of which were known from nuclear reaction studies the remaining 5 are suggested for the first time. Moreover, it was possible to confirm suspicions found in reference that the levels at 848.93keV and 849.093keV are indeed the same; it was also possible to confirm the existence of an excited level at 806.9keV, which had been inferred, but not experimentally confirmed in β decay studies to date. The angular correlation analysis allowed for the definition of the spin of the excited level at 874keV as 5/2+; moreover, the results showed a 79% probability that the spin of the 1078keV level is 5/2, and also restricted the spin possibilities for the new excited level at 960keV to two values (1/2 or 3/2). It was also possible to measure the multipolarity mixing ratio (δLn+1/Ln) for 43 transitions 19 of them for the first time and most of the others with a better precision than previously known. Finally, an attempt was made to understand the low-lying levels structure for this nucleus using a theoretical model, which reproduced the ground state and the two lowest-lying excited levels in 193Ir.

Distribuições angulares associadas ao espalhamento inelástico de dêuterons de 13,0 MeV em ANTPOT. 104,106,108,110. Pd foram obtidas utilizando o sistemas Pelletron-Espectrógrafo Magnético Enge com detecção em placas de emulsão nuclear no plano focal. A Análise da Interferência Nuclear Coulombiana (INC) associada ao espalhamento inelástico com dêuterons, projéteis que interagem isoescalarmente com o núcleo, na excitação do primeiro estado quadrupolar, foi realizada na descrição DWBA-DOMP utilizando potenciais ópticos globais. O ajuste das previsões sobre as distribuições angulares experimentais foi realizado pela minimização do X POT. 2 através do método interativo de Gauss, permitindo a extração dos parâmetros correlacionados: delta POT. N IND. 2, comprimento de deformação de carga nuclear e C= delta POT. N IND. 2/delta POT. N IND. 2, razão entre os comprimentos de deformação de carga e nuclear. Testes estatísticos através da simulação de Monte Carlo de 5000 novos conjuntos de dados comprovaram a qualidade da metodologia aplicada. Os valores extraídos da probabilidade reduzida de transição isoescalar B (IS2) e da razão B(E2)/B(IS2) no presente trabalho são inéditos e permitem uma análise da evolução da coletividade ao longo da cadeia de Pd. Os resultados obtidos indicam para o ANTPOT. 106 Pd e ANTPOT. 110 Pd deformações de carga e massa iguais, conforme usualmente proposto, ao contrário dos 104, 108Pd, onde existem indícios de uma maior contribuição dos prótons em relação aos nêutrons. Comparando os núcleos estudados no presente com resultados de medidas de INC em espalhamentos inelásticos com projéteis de características isoescalares, na região de A 100 medidos em São Paulo, considerando os isótonos medidos, o ANTPOT. 104 Pd, da mesma maneira que seu isótono ANTPOT. 102 Ru, apresenta na primeira excitação quadrupolar uma maior contribuição de prótons em relação aos nêutrons. ) O ANTPOT. 106 Pd entretanto revela uma possível diluição desse comportamento não homogêneo, em contraste com o seu isótono ANTPOT. 104 Ru para o qual salienta-se uma maior contribuição dos prótons. Acompanhando a evolução dos valores experimentais da razão B(E2)/B(IS2) , verifica-se que para os isótopos pares de Ru há um crescimento quando N aumenta, enquanto o comportamento é diferenciado para os isótopos pares de Pd. Os valores da razão B(E2)/B(IS2) variam de cerca de 1,1 e POT. 2(ANTPOT. 106,110 Pd e ANTPOT. 100 Ru), a e POT. 2 para o modelo coletivo homogêneo. Dentro deste contexto conclui-se que os nêutrons devem ser responsáveis por alguns efeitos importantes fora da interpretação do modelo coletivo simples. / Angular distributions for the inelastic scattering of 13.0 MeV deuterons on ANTPOT.104, 106, 108, 110 Pd were measured with the Pelletron-Enge-Spectrograph facility using as detectors nuclear emulsion plates on the focal plane. A Coulomb-Nuclear Interference (CNI) analysis was applied to the inelastic scattering of deuterons, an isoscalar projectile, to the first quadrupolar excitation, employing the DWBA-DOMP description, under well-established global optical parameters. The fit of the predicted cross sections to the experimental data through the X POT.2 minimization, using the iterative method of Gauss, allowed for the extraction of the correlated parameters, delta POT.N IND.2, the mass deformation lengths. Statistical tests, through a Monte Carlo simulation of 5000 new data sets, validated the method employed. The values of B(IS2) and of the ratios B(E2)/B(IS2) obtained in the present work have not been reported before and allow to follow the evolution of the collectivity throughout the Pd chain. For ANTPOT.104, 108 Pd, the results reveal a non-homogeneous behavior, with an enhanced contribution of the protons relative to the neutrons, while a less pronounced effect is found for ANTPOT.106, 110 Pd. Comparing the nuclei studied in the present work with the nucleus formerly investigated by the São Paulo group in the A ~ 100 region with the CNI methodology through the inelastic scattering of isoscalar projectiles, considering the isotones, the nucleus ANTPOT.102 Ru (isotone of ANTPOT.104 Pd) also shows a more important contribution of protons than of neutrons to the first quadrupolar excitation. However, its neighbor. ANTPOT.104 Ru, presents a rather strong non-homogeneous behavior, also in favor of the protons, in contrast to that of its isotone, ANTPOT.106 Pd. Following the evolution of B(E2)/B(IS2) ratios along the isotopic chains, for the even Ru isotopes there is a growth as N increases, while for the even Pd isotopes a different behavior emerges. The values of the B(E2)/B(IS2) ratio vary from around 1.1 e POT.2 (ANTPOT.106, 110 Pd and ANTPOT.100 Ru) to approximately 1.6 e POT.2 (ANTPOT.104 Ru), in contrary to the expectation of the B(E2)/B(IS2) ~1 predicted by the homogeneous collective model. These facts pointed out that, in this mass region, neutrons may be responsible for some interesting effects outside the simple collective interpretation.

La physique à la drip-line offre l'opportunité d'étudier les noyaux à la limite du paysage couvert par la physique nucléaire, où l'addition de nouveaux protons et neutrons ne peut plus être supportée. A l'approche de la drip-line, la structure même des noyaux se trouve modifiée par rapport aux plus stables. Les fermetures de couches classiques disparaissent et de nouveaux phénomènes surgissent, tels que la clusterisation et les halos. Dans ce travail, nous avons revisité la spectroscopie du noyau non-lié 10He par l'intermédiaire d'une réaction de transfert d'un proton 11Li(d,3He) à 50 AMeV étudiée par la méthode de masse manquante. Pour ce faire, nous avons utilisé le détecteur MUST2 sur la ligne RIPS du RIKEN Nishina center. La partie expérimentale de ce travail repose sur un dispositif novateur utilisant des détecteurs de silicium très fins. Pour la première fois, la mise en oeuvre de ces derniers en conjonction avec des détecteurs sensibles en position de haute granularité a été démontrée. L'approche par réaction de transfert conduit à des résultats très clairs sur la position du premier état résonant du 10He, trouvé dans ce travail à 1.4(3) MeV, en accord avec la plupart des précédents travaux expérimentaux. L'obtention pour la première fois d'un facteur spectroscopique permet de nous renseigner sur la nature du recouvrement <10He|11Li>, trouvé égale à 0.13(6).

Mass measurements provide important information concerning nuclear structure. This work presents results from the pioneering Penning trap spectrometer Isoltrap at CERN-ISOLDE. High-precision mass measurements of neutron-rich manganese (58−66Mn) and krypton isotopes (96,97Kr) are presented, of which the 66Mn and 96,97Kr masses are measured for the first time. In particular, the mass of 97Kr was measured using the preparation trap and required the definition of a new fit function. In the case of the manganese isotopes, the N = 40 shell closure is addressed. The two-neutron-separation energies calculated from the new masses show no shell closure at N = 40 but give an estimation of the proton-neutron interaction (around 0.5 MeV) responsible for the increase of collectivity and nuclear deformation in this mass region. The new krypton masses show behavior in sharp contrast with heavier neighbors where sudden and intense deformation is present, interpreted as the establishment of a nuclear quantum shape/phase transition critical-point boundary. The new masses confirm findings from nuclear mean-square charge-radius measurements up to N = 60 but are at variance with conclusions from recent gamma-ray spectroscopy. Another part of this work was the design of new decay spectroscopy system behind the Isoltrap mass spectrometer. The beam purity achievable with Isoltrap will allow decay studies with and detection coupled to a tape-station. This system has been mounted and commissioned with the radioactive beam 80Rb.

Super heavy nuclei provide opportunities to study nuclear structure near three simultaneous limits: in charge Z, spin I and excitation energy E∗. These nuclei exist only because of a fission barrier, created by shell effects. It is therefore important to determine the fission barrier and its spin dependence Bf(I), which gives information on the shell energy Eshell(I). Theoretical calculations predict different fission barrier heights from Bf(I = 0) = 6.8 MeV for a macro-microscopic model to 8.7 MeV for Density Functional Theory calculations using the Gogny or Skyrme interactions. Hence, a measurement of Bf provides a test for theories.To investigate the fission barrier, an established method is to measure the rise of fission with excitation energy, characterized by the ratio of decay widths Γfission/Γtotal, using transfer reactions. However, for heavy elements such as 254No, there is no suitable target for a transfer reaction. We therefore rely on the complementary decay widths ratio Γγ/Γfission and its spin dependence, deduced from the entry distribution (I, E∗).Measurements of the gamma-ray multiplicity and total energy for 254No have been performed with beam energies of 219 and 223 MeV in the reaction 208Pb(48Ca,2n) at ATLAS (Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System). The 254No gamma rays were detected using the Gammasphere array as a calorimeter - as well as the usual high resolution γ-ray detector. Coincidences with evaporation residues at the Fragment Mass Analyzer focal plane separated 254No gamma rays from those from fission fragments, which are > 10^6 more intense. From this measurement, the entry distribution - i.e. the initial distribution of I and E∗ - is constructed. Each point (I,E∗) of the entry distribution is a point where gamma decay wins over fission and, therefore, gives information on the fission barrier.The measured entry distributions show an increase in the maximum spin and excitation energy from 219 to 223 MeV of beam energy. The distributions show a saturation of E∗ for high spins. The saturation is attributed to the fact that, as E∗ increases above the saddle, Γfission rapidly dominates. The resulting truncation of the entry distribution at high E∗ allows a determination of the fission barrier height.The experimental entry distributions are also compared with entry distributions calculated with decay cascade codes which take into account the full nucleus formation process, including the capture process and the subsequent survival probability as a function of E∗ and I. We used the KEWPIE2 and NRV codes to simulate the entry distribution.

It is well-established that the organization of nuclear components influences gene expression processes, yet little is known about the mechanisms that contribute to the spatial co-ordination of nuclear activities. The salivary gland cells of Chironomus tentans provide a suitable model system for studying gene expression in situ, as they allow for direct visualization of the synthesis, processing and export of a specific protein-coding transcript, the Balbiani ring (BR) pre-mRNA, in a nuclear environment in which chromatin and non-chromatin structures can easily be distinguished. The RNAbinding protein Hrp65 has been identified in this model system as a protein associated with non-chromatin nucleoplasmic fibers, referred to as connecting fibers (CFs). The CFs associate with BR RNP particles in the nucleoplasm, suggesting that Hrp65 is involved in mRNA biogenesis at the post-transcriptional level. However, the function of Hrp65 is not known, nor is the function or the composition of CFs. In the work described in this thesis, we have identified by yeast two-hybrid screening and characterized different proteins that bind to Hrp65. These proteins include a novel hnRNP protein in C. tentans named Hrp59, various isoforms of Hrp65, the splicing- and mRNA export factor HEL/UAP56, and a RING-domain protein of unknown function. Immuno-electron microscopy experiments showed that Hrp59 and HEL are present in CFs, and in larger structures in the nucleoplasm of C. tentans salivary gland cells. Hrp59 is a C. tentans homologue of human hnRNP M, and it associates cotranscriptionally with a subset of pre-mRNAs, including its own transcript, in a manner that does not depend quantitatively on the amount of synthesized RNA. Hrp59 accompanies the BR pre-mRNA from the gene to the nuclear envelope, and is released from the BR mRNA at the nuclear pore complex. We have identified the preferred RNA targets of Hrp59 in Drosophila cells, and we have shown that Hrp59 binds preferentially to exonic splicing enhancer sequences. Hrp65 self-associates through an evolutionarily conserved domain that can also mediate heterodimerization of Hrp65 homologues. Different isoforms of Hrp65 interact with each other in all possible combinations, and Hrp65 can oligomerize into complexes of at least six molecules. The interaction between different Hrp65 isoforms is crucial for their intracellular localization, and we have discovered a mechanism by which Hrp65-2 is imported into the nucleus through binding to Hrp65-1. Hrp65 binds to HEL/UAP56 in C. tentans cells. We have analyzed the distribution of the two proteins on polytene chromosomes and in the nucleoplasm of salivary gland cells, and our results suggest that Hrp65 and HEL become associated during posttranscriptional gene expression events. HEL binds to the BR pre-mRNP cotranscriptionally, and incorporation of HEL into the pre-mRNP does not depend on the location of introns along the BR pre-mRNA. HEL accompanies the BR mRNP to the nuclear pore and is released from the BR mRNP during translocation into the cytoplasm.

The N=88 nuclei lie in a transitional region of the nuclear chart. Collective structure and nuclear deformation for this region is commonly occurring. Previously, some of the nuclei having 88 neutrons have been well studied, e.g., 148Nd, 150Sm, 152Gd, 154Dy; however, 156Er has not. To be able to understand the nuclei in this region one needs to extract all the systematics of these deformed nuclei and the relations between them. The structure of 156Er is the main focus in this thesis and the work seeks understanding of the N=88 nuclei and systematics among them. To accomplish this task, 156Tm to 156Er beta decay was studied. Many new levels and gamma transitions have been added to the existing scheme. The significance for detailed decay scheme studies far from stability is also discussed.

The 7σ discrepancy between the charge radius of the proton as extracted from electronic hydrogen to the determination from muonic hydrogen, coined the proton ``radius puzzle", challenges our understanding of physics based on the standard model. High-precision measurements have been conducted on muonic deuterium to study whether the discrepancy with ordinary atoms persists or varies with mass number. For the success of this experimental campaign accurate theoretical calculations of the nuclear structure corrections in muonic deuterium (μD) are required. In this work we contributed by accurately and precisely calculating them using state-of-the-art nuclear potentials derived from chiral effective field theory. We performed a multipole expansion of the electromagnetic operator and accounted for Coulomb, relativistic and finite-nucleon-size corrections. Our determinations will impact the accuracy of the experimental program. / October 2015

Nuclei at closed shells tend to be spherical and are well-described by the shell model, while those between closed shells are deformed and better described by collective models. The nuclei which are in transitional regions between spherical and deformed may be studied to gain insight into the nature of this transition. The stable isotopes of zirconium and xenon span such transitional regions and are the subject of this dissertation. Gamma-ray spectroscopy following inelastic neutron scattering has been performed on the stable isotopes of Zr as well as 132,134Xe at the University of Kentucky Accelerator Laboratory. Level lifetimes have been measured using the Doppler-shift attenuation method, which allow the determination of transition probabilities that are of utmost importance in elucidating the structure of these nuclei. The lifetime measurements were the focus of the study of the Zr isotopes. Previously measured level lifetimes in 94Zr by our group were called into question by recent electron scattering experiments. This motivated a re-measurement of these lifetimes and led to a study of the role of the chemical properties of the scattering samples employed in the measurements. Various Zr-containing compounds were characterized with powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy and were employed as scattering samples. These studies revealed the impact of using amorphous materials and those composed of small particles as scattering samples on the resulting lifetimes, and has important implications for future lifetime measurements employing the Doppler-shift attenuation method. For the xenon experiments, highly enriched (>99.9%) 132Xe and 134Xe gases were converted to solid 132XeF2 and 134XeF2, and were used as scattering samples. The xenon isotopes have not been particularly well-studied as elemental targets are gases under ambient conditions, which introduces difficulties into the measurements. Much new information was obtained for these nuclei, including the placement of many new transitions and levels, and measurement of many new level lifetimes, allowing the determination of reduced transition probabilities. This additional information provided important insight into the structure of these two transitional nuclei.