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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Plastic scintillation detectors for time-of-flight mass measurements

Fast timing detectors are an essential element in the experimental setup for time-of-flight (ToF) mass measurements of unstable nuclei. We have upgraded the scintillator detectors used in experiments at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) by increasing the number of photomultiplier tubes that read out their light signals to four per detector, and characterized them in a test experiment with 48 Ca beam at the NSCL. The new detectors achieved a time resolution (σ) of 7.5 ps. We systematically investigated different factors that affect their timing performance. In addition, we evaluated the ability of positioning the hitting points on the scintillator using the timing information and obtained a resolution (σ) below 1 mm for well-defined beam spots.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Precision Mass Measurements Reveal Low Neutron Pairing in Tin beyond 𝑁=82 and Its Impact on Stellar Nucleosynthesis

We present a study on neutron-rich tin (𝑍 =50) isotopes beyond the doubly closed shell of 𝑁 = 82 through high-precision mass measurements, including the first-ever measurements of the masses of 136 Sn, 137 Sn, and 138 Sn isotopes. These measurements enhance our understanding of the nuclear structure and astrophysical nucleosynthesis in this previously unexplored region. The new mass data are used for evaluation of the final abundances of mass numbers 𝐴 =135 and 137 in 𝑟-process network calculations. Our findings reveal a notable change in the empirical pairing gap for tin isotopes beyond the 𝑁 = 82 closed shell and a shift in the two-neutron-separation energy slope compared to heavier elements above the shell closure. A new set of ab initio calculations effectively describes these observed trends.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Antenna arrays for neutrino mass measurements with cyclotron radiation emission spectroscopy

Cyclotron Radiation Emission Spectroscopy (CRES) is a technique for precision measurements of kinetic energies of charged particles, pioneered by the Project 8 experiment to measure the neutrino mass using the tritium end-point method. It was recently employed for the first time to measure the molecular tritium spectrum and place a limit on the neutrino mass using a cubic-centimeter-scale detector. Future direct neutrino mass experiments are developing the technique to overcome the systematic and statistical limitations of current detectors. Here, this paper describes one such approach, namely the use of antenna arrays for CRES in free space. Phenomenology, detector design, simulation, and performance estimates are discussed, culminating with an example design with a projected sensitivity of 𝑚 𝛽 < ⁢0.04 eV/𝑐 2 . Prototype antenna array measurements are also shown for a demonstrator-scale setup as a benchmark for the simulation. By consolidating these results, this paper serves as a comprehensive reference for the development and performance of antenna arrays for CRES.

Physics - Nuclear physics and radiation physics↗
DOE OSTI2022

High-precision mass measurement of Si 24 and a refined determination of the r p process at the A = 22 waiting point

We report a high-precision mass measurement of 24 Si, performed with the Low Energy Beam and Ion Trap (LEBIT) facility at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory. The atomic mass excess, 10 753.8 (37) keV, is a factor of 5 more precise than previous results. This substantially reduces the uncertainty of the 23 Al(p ,γ) 24 Si reaction rate, which is a key part of the rapid proton capture (rp) process powering type I x-ray bursts. Furthermore, the updated rate constrains the onset temperature of the (α,p) process at the 22 Mg waiting point to a precision of 9%.

20 ≤ A ≤ 38↗
DOE OSTI2020

Exploring the mass surface near the rare-earth abundance peak via precision mass measurements at JYFLTRAP

The JYFLTRAP double Penning trap at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line facility has been used to measure the atomic masses of 13 neutron-rich rare-earth isotopes. Eight of the nuclides, 161 Pm, 163 Sm, 164,165 Eu, 167 Gd, and 165,167,168 Tb, were measured for the first time. The systematics of the mass surface has been studied via one- and two-neutron separation energies as well as neutron pairing-gap and shell-gap energies. The proton-neutron pairing strength has also been investigated. Furthermore, the impact of the new mass values on the astrophysical rapid neutron capture process has been studied. The calculated abundance distribution results in a better agreement with the solar abundance pattern near the top of the rare-earth abundance peak at around A≈165.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Precise mass measurements of A = 133 isobars with the Canadian Penning Trap: Resolving the Q β − anomaly at 133Te

We report precision mass measurements of 133 Sb 133g,m Te, and 133g,m I, produced at CARIBU at Argonne National Laboratory's ATLAS facility and measured using the Canadian Penning Trap mass spectrometer. These masses clarify an anomaly in the 133 Te β-decay. The masses reported in the 2020 Atomic Mass Evaluation (M. Wang et al., 2021) produce Q B - ( 133 Te)=2920(6) keV; however, the highest-lying 133 I level populated in this decay is observed at E i = 2935.83(15) keV, resulting in an anomalous Q$^i_B-$ = -16(6)keV. Our new measurements give Q B - ( 133 Te)=2934.8(11) keV, a factor of five more precise, yielding Q$^i_B$ = -1.0(12) keV, a 3σ shift from the previous results. This resolves this anomaly, but indicates further anomalies in our understanding of the structure of this isotope.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Exploring isospin symmetry breaking in exotic nuclei: High-precision mass measurement of 23 Si and shell-model calculations of 𝑇 = 5/2 nuclei

Here, we present a high-precision mass measurement of the proton-rich nucleus 23 Si, performed with the LEBIT Penning trap at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) utilizing the time-of-flight ion cyclotron resonance (TOF-ICR) technique. We determined a mass excess of 23362.9(5.8) keV, which agrees with a recent storage-ring measurement from the experimental Cooler-Storage Ring (CSRe) in Lanzhou but has a factor of 20 improved precision 23 Si is hence the nucleus with the most precisely known mass among all nuclei with an isospin projection of 𝑇 𝑧 = −5/2. We performed shell-model calculations with the USDC and USDCm Hamiltonians to study binding energy differences and Thomas-Ehrmann shifts in mirror systems with an isospin up to 𝑇 = 5/2. Our experimental result and other recently reported masses of neutron-deficient sd-shell nuclei agree well with the theoretical predictions, demonstrating that isospin symmetry breaking in sd-shell nuclei—even at high isospin values—is well described by modern shell-model calculations.

20 ≤ A ≤ 38↗
DOE OSTI2025

Precise mass measurement of the longest odd-odd chain of nuclei with 1+ ground states

Precise mass measurements of the ground and isomeric states of the odd-odd Rh108,110,112,114,116 were performed using the Canadian Penning Trap at Argonne National Laboratory, showing good agreement with recent JYFLTRAP measurements. A new possible isomeric state of Rh114 was also observed. These isotopes are part of the longest odd-odd chain of identical ground-state spin-parity assignment of 1+, spanning Rh104–118, despite being in a region of deformation. Realistic phenomenological mean-field calculations using the “universal” Wood-Saxon Hamiltonian were performed, which explained this phenomenon for the first time. In addition, multiquasiparticle blocking calculations were performed to study the configuration of low-lying states in the odd-odd Rh nuclei, elucidating anomalous isomeric yield ratio observed for Rh114.

Liu, B↗
DOE OSTI2025

Astrophysical significance of the isomer 119⁢𝑚 Ag demonstrated through a direct mass measurement

Here, the abundance of elements heavier than iron produced via the astrophysical rapid-neutron-capture process depends sensitively on the atomic mass of the involved nuclei as well as the behavior of a few special types of nuclear isomers called “astromers.” High-precision mass measurements of 119 Cd and 119 Ag and their respective isomeric states have been performed with the phase-imaging ion cyclotron resonance (PI-ICR) method with a precision of 𝛿⁢𝑚/𝑚 ≈ 10 −8 using the Canadian Penning trap. The ground-state mass excess, as well as the excitation energy, agrees with recent Penning trap measurements from JYFLTRAP. Network calculations using these new measurements have revealed that, contrary to previous expectations, 119⁢𝑚 Ag behaves as an astromer, which significantly affects the population of 119 Ag .

Rivero, F. [University of Notre Dame, IN (United S↗
DOE OSTI2023

Precise mass measurements of radioactive nuclides for astrophysics

Much of astrophysics is fueled by nuclear physics with observables, such as energy output and elements produced, that are heavily dependent on the masses of the nuclides. A mass precision of at least 50 keV/c 2 for many rare nuclides is needed to adequately discriminate models that explain the observables. In recent decades, the development of new facilities and mass-measurement techniques has made available a wealth of precise and accurate mass data. Further, the new data, in combination with novel codes and models, has greatly enhanced the understanding of astrophysical processes in the universe, but much is still to be learned.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Precision Mass Measurements of Neutron-Rich Scandium Isotopes Refine the Evolution of N = 32 and N = 34 Shell Closures

In this work, we report high-precision mass measurements of 50–55 Sc isotopes performed at the LEBIT facility at NSCL and at the TITAN facility at TRIUMF. Our results provide a substantial reduction of their uncertainties and indicate significant deviations, up to 0.7 MeV, from the previously recommended mass values for 53–55 Sc. The results of this work provide an important update to the description of emerging closed-shell phenomena at neutron numbers N = 32 and N = 34 above proton-magic Z = 20. In particular, they finally enable a complete and precise characterization of the trends in ground state binding energies along the N = 32 isotone, confirming that the empirical neutron shell gap energies peak at the doubly magic 52 Ca. Moreover, our data, combined with other recent measurements, do not support the existence of a closed neutron shell in 55 Sc at N = 34. The results were compared to predictions from both ab initio and phenomenological nuclear theories, which all had success describing N = 32 neutron shell gap energies but were highly disparate in the description of the N = 34 isotone.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Mapping the N = 40 island of inversion: Precision mass measurements of neutron-rich Fe isotopes

Nuclear properties across the chart of nuclides are key to improving and validating our understanding of the strong interaction in nuclear physics. Here we present high-precision mass measurements of neutron-rich Fe isotopes performed at the TITAN facility. The multiple-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MR-ToF-MS), achieving a resolving power greater than 600000 for the first time, enabled the measurement of 63–70 Fe, including first-time high-precision direct measurements (δm/m ≈ 10 -7 ) of 68–70 Fe, as well as the discovery of a long-lived isomeric state in 69 Fe. These measurements are accompanied by both mean-field and ab initio calculations using the most recent realizations which enable theoretical assignment of the spin-parities of the 69 Fe ground and isomeric states. Together with mean-field calculations of quadrupole deformation parameters for the Fe isotope chain, these results benchmark a maximum of deformation in the N = 40 island of inversion in Fe and shed light on trends in level densities indicated in the newly refined mass surface.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Mass measurements of 99–101 In challenge ab initio nuclear theory of the nuclide 100 Sn

The tin isotope 100 Sn is of singular interest for nuclear structure due to its closed-shell proton and neutron configurations. It is also the heaviest nucleus comprising protons and neutrons in equal numbers—a feature that enhances the contribution of the short-range proton–neutron pairing interaction and strongly influences its decay via the weak interaction. Decay studies in the region of 100 Sn have attempted to prove its doubly magic character but few have studied it from an ab initio theoretical perspective, and none of these has addressed the odd-proton neighbours, which are inherently more difficult to describe but crucial for a complete test of nuclear forces. Here we present direct mass measurements of the exotic odd-proton nuclide 100 In, the beta-decay daughter of 100 Sn, and of 99 In, with one proton less than 100 Sn. We use advanced mass spectrometry techniques to measure 99 In, which is produced at a rate of only a few ions per second, and to resolve the ground and isomeric states in 101 In. The experimental results are compared with ab initio many-body calculations. The 100-fold improvement in precision of the 100 In mass value highlights a discrepancy in the atomic-mass values of 100 Sn deduced from recent beta-decay results.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

The effect of selection – a tale of cluster mass measurement bias induced by correlation and projection

ABSTRACT Cosmology analyses using galaxy clusters by the Dark Energy Survey have recently uncovered an issue of a previously unknown selection effect affecting weak-lensing mass estimates. In this letter, we use the Illustris-TNG simulation to demonstrate that selecting on galaxy counts induces a selection effect because of projection and correlation between different observables. We compute the weak-lensing-like projected mass estimations of dark matter haloes and examine their projected subhalo counts. In the two-dimensional (2D) projected space, haloes that are measured as more massive than truth have higher subhalo counts. Thus, projection along the line of sight creates cluster observables that are correlated with cluster mass measurement deviations, which in turn creates a mass measurement bias when the clusters are selected by this correlated observable. We demonstrate that the bias is predicted in a forward model using the observable-mass measurement correlation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗