The 23Mg(pγ)24Al and 26Al(pγ)27Si astrophysical reactions are expected to be of considerable importance in the nucleosynthesis of A≥20 nuclei in classical novae. Previous studies have indicated that both reactions are dominated by resonant capture to excited states, above the proton-emission thresholds, in the proton-rich nuclei 24Al and 27Si, respectively. Consequently, by determining the nuclear properties of such resonant states it is possible to estimate the 23Mg(pγ)24Al and 26Al(pγ)27Si stellar reaction rates. In this thesis work, excited states in 24Al and 27Si were populated via the 10B(16O, 2n) and 12C(16O, n) heavy-ion fusion-evaporation reactions, respectively. The beams of 16O ions were produced by the Argonne Tandem Linear Accelerator System and prompt electromagnetic radiation was detected using the GAMMASPHERE detector array, which, in the case of the 24Al experiment, was used in coincidence with recoil selection provided by the Argonne Fragment Mass Analyzer. The two γray spectroscopy studies performed in this work allowed level structure determinations below the respective proton-emission thresholds of 24Al and 27Si nuclei, with improved precision on previous work. In addition to this, these studies also allowed a determination of the nuclear properties of proton-unbound astrophysically important γ decaying states, which, in turn, were used to re-evaluate the 23Mg(pγ)24Al and 26Al(pγ)27Si stellar reaction rates. The improved precision of the level energies and unambiguous assignments of resonant states has reduced the relative uncertainties in both the 23Mg(pγ)24Al and 26Al(pγ)27Si stellar reaction rates, constraining the production of A≥20 nuclei in classical novae.

Os núcleos, ímpar-ímpar ANTPOT. 132,134 La foram estudados através de técnicas de espectroscopia em linha de reações tipo (HI, xn). Foram usados feixes de ANTPOT. 10,11 B(40-48 MeV) e ANTPOT. 14 N (55 MeV) em alvos de ANTPOT. 128,128 Te e ANTPOT. 122 Sn no acelerador Pelletron. Foi observada uma banda rotacional, presumidamente sobre a configuração h IND. 11/2 e h IND. 11/2 em cada um dos isótopos, mostrando valores de \"signature splitting\" moderados. No ANTPOT. 132 La uma outra banda foi observada essencialmente sem \"signature splitting\". Os resultados são comparados com as previsões do \"Cranking Shell Model\" triaxial. A relação entre triaxialidade e \"signature splitting\" na região de transição A ~ 130 é discutida. / The odd-odd nuclei 132,134La were studied by means of in-beam -ray spectroscopy techniques, using (HI, xn) reactions with 10,11B (40-48 MeV), 14N (55 MeV) beams on 128,128Te and 122 Sn targets. A band, probably based on the h11/2 and h11/2 configuration, was observed in each La isotope showing moderate signature splitting. Another band was observed in 132La with essentially no signature splitting. The results are compared with the triaxial Cranking Shell Model predictions. The relation between triaxiality and signature splitting in the A ~ 130 transitional mass region is discussed.

Os núcleos, ímpar-ímpar ANTPOT. 132,134 La foram estudados através de técnicas de espectroscopia em linha de reações tipo (HI, xn). Foram usados feixes de ANTPOT. 10,11 B(40-48 MeV) e ANTPOT. 14 N (55 MeV) em alvos de ANTPOT. 128,128 Te e ANTPOT. 122 Sn no acelerador Pelletron. Foi observada uma banda rotacional, presumidamente sobre a configuração h IND. 11/2 e h IND. 11/2 em cada um dos isótopos, mostrando valores de \"signature splitting\" moderados. No ANTPOT. 132 La uma outra banda foi observada essencialmente sem \"signature splitting\". Os resultados são comparados com as previsões do \"Cranking Shell Model\" triaxial. A relação entre triaxialidade e \"signature splitting\" na região de transição A ~ 130 é discutida. / The odd-odd nuclei 132,134La were studied by means of in-beam -ray spectroscopy techniques, using (HI, xn) reactions with 10,11B (40-48 MeV), 14N (55 MeV) beams on 128,128Te and 122 Sn targets. A band, probably based on the h11/2 and h11/2 configuration, was observed in each La isotope showing moderate signature splitting. Another band was observed in 132La with essentially no signature splitting. The results are compared with the triaxial Cranking Shell Model predictions. The relation between triaxiality and signature splitting in the A ~ 130 transitional mass region is discussed.

Estados Nucleares isoméricos são estados que decaem com vidas-médias longas ( T1/2 > 10 ns) e revelam, em geral, uma grande mudança no momento angular no seu decaimento, um pequeno elemento de matriz ou uma baixa energia de transição. Através da medida da vida-média de estados nucleares é possível obter informações sobre a função de onda desse estado, representando um teste rigoroso para modelos nucleares. Neste trabalho foi utilizado um sistema desenvolvido no Laboratório Aberto de Física Nuclear (LAFN) da Universidade de São Paulo chamado SIStema para Medida de Estados Isoméricos (SISMEI), que utiliza coincidência atrasada entre partículas evaporadas numa reação nuclear e raios gama emitidos pelo estado isomérico. O SISMEI consiste de cintiladores plásticos para detecção das partículas, detectores de germânio hiperpuro (HPGe) e iodeto de sódio (NaI(Tl)) para raios gama, associados a uma eletrônica de coincidência, instalado no acelerador Pelletron (8UD) do LAFN. Neste trabalho, realizou-se um experimento para medir o estado isomérico 7(-) (E = 1229,87(4) keV) do 68Ga. A tomada de dados durou cerca de 80 horas com uma taxa de eventos de aproximadamente 80000 contagens por hora. O resultado obtido foi T 1/2 = 60, 8(11) ns, que é compatível com os resultados experimentais de outros trabalhos, porém, mais preciso. A estrutura desse núcleo foi calculada através do Modelo de Camadas em Larga Escala considerando-se duas interações residuais diferentes FPG e JUN45; os resultados foram comparados entre si, juntamente com os valores obtidos em outros trabalhos. Os cálculos realizados com o Modelo de Camadas reproduziram relativamente bem a energia e a ordem dos estados excitados do 68Ga, a interação FPG conseguiu descrever melhor a probabilidade de transição quadrupolar elétrica B(E2) diretamente ligada à vida-média do estado. / Isomeric nuclear states are nuclear states which decay with long lifetimes (T1/2 > 10 ns); their study generally reveals, a large change in angular momentum in its decay, a small matrix element or a small transition energy. By measuring lifetimes of isomeric states it is possible to obtain information about this states wave function, being a robust test for nuclear models. In this work, a system developed at the Laboratório Aberto de Fsica Nuclear (LAFN) of University of São Paulo called System for the Measurement of Isomeric States (SISMEI) was utilized. Delayed coincidence between evaporated particles in a nuclear reaction and the delayed gamma-rays emitted from the isomeric state was used to measure lifetimes. SISMEI is composed of plastic scintillators for particle detection, hiperpure germanium detectors (HPGe) and sodium iodide (NaI(Tl)) for gamma-ray detection, coupled to a coincidence system, located on 30A beam line of the Pelletron (8UD) accelerator - LAFN. In the present work, an experiment to measure the 7 (-) (E = 1229.87(4) keV) isomeric state of 68Ga was performed. The experiment took about 80 hours with an event rate of about 80000 counts per second. The measured value was T 1/2 = 60.8(11) ns, which is compatible, but more accurate, with experimental results of other authors. The nuclear structure of this nucleus was calculated with the Large Scale Shell Model by using two different residual interactions FPG and JUN45; the results were compared with the known values. The structure calculated with LSSM described the energy states and the order of excited states relatively well; the FPG interaction was capable to describe better the quadrupolar electrical transition probability B(E2), which is direct related to predicting the state lifetime.

Estados Nucleares isoméricos são estados que decaem com vidas-médias longas ( T1/2 > 10 ns) e revelam, em geral, uma grande mudança no momento angular no seu decaimento, um pequeno elemento de matriz ou uma baixa energia de transição. Através da medida da vida-média de estados nucleares é possível obter informações sobre a função de onda desse estado, representando um teste rigoroso para modelos nucleares. Neste trabalho foi utilizado um sistema desenvolvido no Laboratório Aberto de Física Nuclear (LAFN) da Universidade de São Paulo chamado SIStema para Medida de Estados Isoméricos (SISMEI), que utiliza coincidência atrasada entre partículas evaporadas numa reação nuclear e raios gama emitidos pelo estado isomérico. O SISMEI consiste de cintiladores plásticos para detecção das partículas, detectores de germânio hiperpuro (HPGe) e iodeto de sódio (NaI(Tl)) para raios gama, associados a uma eletrônica de coincidência, instalado no acelerador Pelletron (8UD) do LAFN. Neste trabalho, realizou-se um experimento para medir o estado isomérico 7(-) (E = 1229,87(4) keV) do 68Ga. A tomada de dados durou cerca de 80 horas com uma taxa de eventos de aproximadamente 80000 contagens por hora. O resultado obtido foi T 1/2 = 60, 8(11) ns, que é compatível com os resultados experimentais de outros trabalhos, porém, mais preciso. A estrutura desse núcleo foi calculada através do Modelo de Camadas em Larga Escala considerando-se duas interações residuais diferentes FPG e JUN45; os resultados foram comparados entre si, juntamente com os valores obtidos em outros trabalhos. Os cálculos realizados com o Modelo de Camadas reproduziram relativamente bem a energia e a ordem dos estados excitados do 68Ga, a interação FPG conseguiu descrever melhor a probabilidade de transição quadrupolar elétrica B(E2) diretamente ligada à vida-média do estado. / Isomeric nuclear states are nuclear states which decay with long lifetimes (T1/2 > 10 ns); their study generally reveals, a large change in angular momentum in its decay, a small matrix element or a small transition energy. By measuring lifetimes of isomeric states it is possible to obtain information about this states wave function, being a robust test for nuclear models. In this work, a system developed at the Laboratório Aberto de Fsica Nuclear (LAFN) of University of São Paulo called System for the Measurement of Isomeric States (SISMEI) was utilized. Delayed coincidence between evaporated particles in a nuclear reaction and the delayed gamma-rays emitted from the isomeric state was used to measure lifetimes. SISMEI is composed of plastic scintillators for particle detection, hiperpure germanium detectors (HPGe) and sodium iodide (NaI(Tl)) for gamma-ray detection, coupled to a coincidence system, located on 30A beam line of the Pelletron (8UD) accelerator - LAFN. In the present work, an experiment to measure the 7 (-) (E = 1229.87(4) keV) isomeric state of 68Ga was performed. The experiment took about 80 hours with an event rate of about 80000 counts per second. The measured value was T 1/2 = 60.8(11) ns, which is compatible, but more accurate, with experimental results of other authors. The nuclear structure of this nucleus was calculated with the Large Scale Shell Model by using two different residual interactions FPG and JUN45; the results were compared with the known values. The structure calculated with LSSM described the energy states and the order of excited states relatively well; the FPG interaction was capable to describe better the quadrupolar electrical transition probability B(E2), which is direct related to predicting the state lifetime.

Les réactions de fusion-évaporation et de transfert de nucléons entre ions lourds à des énergies proches de la barrière de Coulomb jouent un rôle essentiel dans l’étude de la structure nucléaire et des mécanismes de réaction. Dans le cadre de cette thèse, deux expériences de fusion-évaporation et de transfert de nucléons ont été réalisées au Laboratoire National de Legnaro en Italie : 40Ca+58Ni et 40Ca+64Ni. Dans une première expérience, les sections efficaces de fusion de 40Ca+58,64Ni ont été mesurées à des énergies au-dessus et en dessous de la barrière de Coulomb et ont été interprétées à l’aide de calculs en voies couplées et Hartree-Fock dépendants du temps (TDHF). Les résultats montrent l’importance de l’excitation à un phonon octupolaire dans le noyau 40Ca et les excitations à un phonon quadripolaire dans les noyaux 58Ni et 64Ni, ainsi que l’importance des voies de transfert de nucléons dans le système riche en neutrons 40Ca+64Ni. Dans une expérience complémentaire, les probabilités de transfert de nucléons de 40Ca+58,64Ni ont été mesurées dans le même domaine d’énergie que l’expérience précédente et ont été interprétées en effectuant des calculs TDHF+BCS. Les résultats confirment l’importance des voies de transfert de nucléons dans 40Ca+64Ni. Une description conjointe des probabilités de transfert de nucléons et des sections efficaces de fusion a été réalisée pour les deux réactions étudiées en utilisant une approche en voies couplées. / Heavy-ion fusion-evaporation and nucleon transfer reactions at energies close to the Coulomb barrier play an essential role in the study of nuclear structure and reaction dynamics. In the framework of this PhD thesis, two fusion-evaporation and nucleon transfer experiments have been performed at the Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro in Italy : 40Ca+58Ni and 40Ca+64Ni. In a first experiment, fusion cross sections for 40Ca+58,64Ni have been measured from above to below the Coulomb barrier and have been interpreted by means of coupled-channels and Time-Dependent Hartree-Fock (TDHF) calculations. The results show the importance of the one-phonon octupole excitation in the 40Ca nucleus and the one-phonon quadrupole excitations in the 58Ni and 64Ni nuclei, as well as the importance of the nucleon transfer channels in the neutron-rich system 40Ca+64Ni. In a complementary experiment, nucleon transfer probabilities for 40Ca+58,64Ni have been measured in the same energy region as the previous experiment and have been interpreted by performing TDHF+BCS calculations. The results confirm the importance of nucleon transfer channels in 40Ca+64Ni. A simultaneous description of the nucleon transfer probabilities and the fusion cross sections has been performed for both reactions, using a coupled-channels approach.