Browsing by Author "Brits, C. P."

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Nuclear level densities and γ-ray strength functions of 180,181,182Ta
    (American Physical Society, 2019) Brits, C. P.; Malatji, K. L.; Wiedeking, M.; Kheswa, B. V.; Goriely, S.; Garrote, F. L. Bello; Bleuel, D. L.; Giacoppo, F.; Gorgen, A.; Guttormsen, M.; Hadynska-Klek, K.; Hagen, T. W.; Hilaire, S.; Ingeberg, V. W.; Klintefjord, H. Jia M.; Larsen, A. C.; Majola, S. N. T.; Papka, P.; Peru, S.; Qi, B.; Renstrom, T.; Rose, S. J.; Sahin, E.; Siem, S.; Tveten, G. M.; Zeiser, F.
    Particle-γ coincidence experiments were performed at the Oslo Cyclotron Laboratory with the ¹⁸¹Ta(d,X) and ¹⁸¹Ta(³He,X) reactions to measure the nuclear level densities (NLDs) and γ-ray strength functions (γSFs) of ¹⁸⁰,¹⁸¹,¹⁸²Ta using the Oslo method. The back-shifted Fermi-gas, constant temperature plus Fermi gas, and Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov plus combinatorial models were used for the absolute normalizations of the experimental NLDs at the neutron separation energies. The NLDs and γSFs are used to calculate the corresponding ¹⁸¹Ta(n,γ) cross sections and these are compared to results from other techniques. The energy region of the scissors resonance strength is investigated and from the data and comparison to prior work it is concluded that the scissors strength splits into two distinct parts. This splitting may allow for the determination of triaxiality and a γ deformation of 14.9˚±1.8˚ was determined for ¹⁸¹Ta.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Re-estimation of 180Ta nucleosynthesis in light of newly constrained reaction rates
    (Elsevier, 2019-03-12) Malatji, K. L.; Wiedeking, M.; Goriely, S.; Brits, C. P.; Kheswa, B. V.; Bello Garrote, F. L.; Bleuel, D. L.; Giacoppo, F.; Gorgen, A.; Guttormsen, M.; Hadynska-Klek, K.; Hagen, T. W.; Ingeberg, V. W.; Klintefjord, M.; Larsen, A. C.; Papka, P.; Renstrom, T.; Sahin, E.; Siem, S.; Siess, L.; Tveten, G. M.; Zeiser, F.
    Recent measurements of the nuclear level densities and γ-ray strength functions below the neutron thresholds in 180,181,182Ta are used as input in the nuclear reaction code TALYS. These experimental average quantities are utilized in the calculations of the 179,180,181Ta radiative neutron capture cross sections. From the latter, astrophysical Maxwellian-averaged (n, γ) cross sections (MACS) and reaction rates are extracted, which in turn are used in large astrophysical network calculations to probe the production mechanism of 180Ta. These calculations are performed for two scenarios, the s-process production of 180,181Ta in Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars and the p-process nucleosynthesis of 180Tamin Type-II supernovae. Based on the results from this work, the s-process in stellar evolution is considered negligible in the production of 180Tamwhereas 181Ta is partially produced by AGB stars. The new measurements strongly constrain the production and destruction rates of 180Tamat p-process temperatures and confirm significant production of nature’s rarest stable isotope 180Tamby the p-process.