I. Pohjalainen

Prominent bump in the two-neutron separation energies of neutron-rich lanthanum isotopes revealed by high-precision mass spectrometry

A. Jaries [1,2], M. Stryjczyk [1], A. Kankainen [1], T. Eronen [1], O. Beliuskina [1], T. Dickel [3,4], M. Flayol [5], Z. Ge [1,3], M. Hukkanen [1,5], M. Mougeot [1], S. Nikas [1], I. Pohjalainen [1], A. Raggio [1], M. Reponen [1], J. Ruotsalainen [1], V. Virtanen [1]

Abstract

We report on high-precision atomic mass measurements of $^{148\text{-}153}$La and $^{151}$Ce performed with the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap using the Phase-Imaging Ion-Cyclotron-Resonance technique. The masses of $^{152,153}$La were experimentally determined for the first time. We confirm the sharp kink in the two-neutron separation energies at the neutron number ${N=93}$ in the cerium (${Z=58}$) isotopic chain. Our precision mass measurements of the most exotic neutron-rich lanthanum (${Z=57}$) isotopes reveal a sudden increase in two-neutron separation energies from ${N=92}$ to ${N=93}$. Unlike in the cerium isotopic chain, the kink is not sharp but extends to ${N=94}$ forming a prominent bump. The gain in energy is about 0.4 MeV, making it one of the strongest changes in two-neutron separation energies over the whole chart of nuclides, away from nuclear shell closures. The results call for further studies to elucidate the structure of neutron-rich lanthanum isotopes.

Probing the N=104 midshell region for the r process via precision mass spectrometry of neutron-rich rare-earth isotopes with the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap

A. Jaries [1,2], S. Nikas [1], A. Kankainen [1], T. Eronen [1], O. Beliuskina [1], T. Dickel [3,4], M. Flayol [5], Z. Ge [1,3], M. Hukkanen [1,5], M. Mougeot [1], I. Pohjalainen [1], A. Raggio [1], M. Reponen [1], J. Ruotsalainen [1], M. Stryjczyk [1], V. Virtanen [1]

Abstract

We have performed high-precision mass measurements of neutron-rich rare-earth Tb, Dy and Ho isotopes using the Phase-Imaging Ion-Cyclotron-Resonance technique at the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap. We report on the first experimentally determined mass values for $^{169}$Tb, $^{170}$Dy and $^{171}$Dy, as well as the first high-precision mass measurements of $^{169}$Dy and $^{169\text{-}171}$Ho. For $^{170}$Ho, the two long-lived ground and isomeric states were resolved and their mass measured, yielding an isomer excitation energy of $E_\text{exc}=150.8(54)$~keV. In addition, we have performed independent crosschecks of previous Penning-trap values obtained for $^{167\text{,} 168}$Tb and $^{167\text{,} 168}$Dy. We have extended the systematics of two-neutron separation energies to the neutron midshell at $N=104$ in all of the studied isotopic chains. Our updated and new mass measurements provide better mass-related constraints for the neutron-capture reaction rates relevant to the astrophysical rapid neutron capture (r) process. The r-process abundances calculated with the new mass values seem to produce a steeper minimum at A=170 and differ by around 15-30\% from the abundances computed with the Atomic Mass Evaluation 2020 values.

Isomeric states of fission fragments explored via Penning trap mass spectrometry at IGISOL

A. Jaries [1], M. Stryjczyk [1], A. Kankainen [1], L. Al Ayoubi [1,2], O. Beliuskina [1], L. Canete [1], R. P. de Groote, C. Delafosse [1], P. Delahaye [3], T. Eronen [1], M. Flayol [4], Z. Ge [5,1], S. Geldhof [1], W. Gins [1], M. Hukkanen [1,4], P. Imgram [6], D. Kahl, J. Kostensalo [8,1], S. Kujanpää, D. Kumar [5,1], I. D. Moore, M. Mougeot [1], D. A. Nesterenko, S. Nikas [1], D. Patel [9,1], H. Penttilä, D. Pitman-Weymouth [10], I. Pohjalainen [1], A. Raggio [1], M. Ramalho [1], M. Reponen [1], S. Rinta-Antila [1], A. de Roubin [1,4], J. Ruotsalainen [1,9], P. C. Srivastava, J. Suhonen [1,11], M. Vilen [1], V. Virtanen [1], A. Zadvornaya [1]

Abstract

The masses of $^{84}$Br, $^{105}$Mo, $^{115,119,121}$Pd, $^{122}$Ag, $^{127,129}$In, $^{132}$Sb and their respective isomeric states have been measured with the JYFLTRAP Penning trap mass spectrometer using the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance technique. The excitation energies of the isomeric states in $^{132}$Sb and $^{119}$Pd were experimentally determined for the first time, while for $^{84}$Br, $^{115}$Pd and $^{127,129}$In, the precision of the mass values was substantially improved. In $^{105}$Mo and $^{121}$Pd there were no signs of a long-lived isomeric state. The ground-state measurements of $^{119}$Pd and $^{122}$Ag indicated that both are significantly more bound than the literature values. For $^{122}$Ag, there was no indication of a proposed third long-lived state. The results for the $N=49$ nucleus $^{84}$Br and isomers close to doubly magic $^{132}$Sn have been compared to the shell-model and the microscopic quasiparticle-phonon model calculations.

Long-sought isomer turns out to be the ground state of $^{76}$Cu

L. Canete, S. Giraud, A. Kankainen, B. Bastin, F. Nowacki, P. Ascher, T. Eronen, V. Girard Alcindor, A. Jokinen, A. Khanam, I. D. Moore, D. Nesterenko, F. De Oliveira, H. Penttilä, C. Petrone, I. Pohjalainen, A. De Roubin [1], V. Rubchenyaa [1], M. Vilen [1], J. Äystö

Abstract

Isomers close to the doubly magic nucleus $^{78}$Ni ($Z=28$, $N=50$) provide essential information on the shell evolution and shape coexistence far from stability. The existence of a long-lived isomeric state in $^{76}$Cu has been debated for a long time. We have performed high-precision mass measurements of $^{76}$Cu with the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap mass spectrometer at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line facility and confirm the existence of such a isomeric state with an excitation energy $E_x=64.8(25)$ keV. Based on the ratio of detected ground- and isomeric-state ions as a function of time, we show that the isomer is the shorter-living state previously considered as the ground state of $^{76}$Cu. The result can potentially change the conclusions made in previous works related to the spin-parity and charge radius of the $^{76}$Cu ground state. Additionally, the new $^{76}$Cu$(n,γ)$ reaction $Q$-value has an impact on the astrophysical rapid neutron-capture process.

High-precision Penning-trap mass measurements of Cd and In isotopes at JYFLTRAP remove the fluctuations in the two-neutron separation energies

A. Jaries [1], M. Stryjczyk [1], A. Kankainen [1], L. Al Ayoubi [1,2], O. Beliuskina [1], P. Delahaye [3], T. Eronen [1], M. Flayol [4], Z. Ge [5,1], W. Gins [1], M. Hukkanen [1,4], D. Kahl [1], S. Kujanpää, D. Kumar [5,1], I. D. Moore, M. Mougeot [1], D. A. Nesterenko, S. Nikas [1], H. Penttilä, D. Pitman-Weymouth [7], I. Pohjalainen [1], A. Raggio [1], W. Rattanasakuldilok [1], A. de Roubin [4], J. Ruotsalainen [1], V. Virtanen [1]

Abstract

We report on the first direct mass measurements of the $^{118,119}$Cd and $^{117-119}$In isotopes performed at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line facility using the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap mass spectrometer. The masses of $^{117}$In and $^{118}$Cd isotopes are in agreement with the literature, while $^{118,119}$In and $^{119}$Cd differ from literature by 49, 13 and 85 keV (6.1, 1.9 and 2.1 standard deviations), respectively. The excitation energy of the $^{118}$In first isomeric state, $E_x = 40.3(25)$ keV, was determined for the first time. The updated mass values removed the fluctuations observed in the two-neutron separation energies and lead to a smoother linear decrease of both isotopic chains. The $\log(ft)$ value for the $^{118}$Cd decay is also found to increase from 3.93(6) to 4.089(8). The reported results indicate an absence of significant structural changes around $N=70$.

Odd-odd neutron-rich rhodium isotopes studied with the double Penning trap JYFLTRAP

M. Hukkanen [1,2], W. Ryssens [3], P. Ascher [2], M. Bender, T. Eronen [1,2], S. Grévy, A. Kankainen [1], M. Stryjczyk [1], L. Al Ayoubi [1,5], S. Ayet [6], O. Beliuskina [1], C. Delafosse [1], W. Gins [1], M. Gerbaux [2], A. Husson [2], A. Jokinen [1], D. A. Nesterenko, I. Pohjalainen [1], M. Reponen [1], S. Rinta-Antila [1], A. de Roubin [1,7], A. P. Weaver

Abstract

Precision mass measurements of neutron-rich rhodium isotopes have been performed at the JYFLTRAP Penning trap mass spectrometer at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line (IGISOL) facility. We report results on ground- and isomeric-state masses in $^{110,112,114,116,118}$Rh and the very first mass measurement of $^{120}$Rh. The isomeric states were separated and measured for the first time using the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance (PI-ICR) technique. For $^{112}$Rh, we also report new half-lives for both the ground state and the isomer. The results are compared to theoretical predictions using the BSkG1 mass model and discussed in terms of triaxial deformation.

Novel Penning-trap techniques reveal isomeric states in $^{128}$In and $^{130}$In for the first time

D. A. Nesterenko, A. Kankainen, J. Kostensalo, C. R. Nobs, A. M. Bruce, O. Beliuskina, L. Canete, T. Eronen, E. R. Gamba, S. Geldhof, R. de Groote, A. Jokinen, J. Kurpeta, I. D. Moore, L. Morrison, Zs. Podolyák, I. Pohjalainen [1], S. Rinta-Antila [1], A. de Roubin [1], M. Rudigier [1], J. Suhonen [1], M. Vilén, V. Virtanen [1], J. Äystö

Abstract

Isomeric states in $^{128}$In and $^{130}$In have been studied with the JYFLTRAP Penning trap at the IGISOL facility. By employing novel ion manipulation techniques, different states were separated and masses of six beta-decaying states were measured. JYFLTRAP was also used to select the ions of interest for identification at a post-trap decay spectroscopy station. A new beta-decaying high-spin isomer feeding the $15^-$ isomer in $^{128}$Sn has been discovered in $^{128}$In at $1797.6(20)$ keV. Shell-model calculations employing a CD-Bonn potential re-normalized with the perturbative G-matrix approach suggest this new isomer to be a $16^+$ spin-trap isomer. In $^{130}$In, the lowest-lying $(10^-)$ isomeric state at $58.6(82)$ keV was resolved for the first time using the phase-imaging ion cyclotron resonance technique. The energy difference between the $10^-$ and $1^-$ states in $^{130}$In, stemming from parallel/antiparallel coupling of $(π0g_{9/2}^{-1})\otimes(ν0h_{11/2}^{-1})$, has been found to be around 200 keV lower than predicted by the shell model. Precise information on the energies of the excited states determined in this work is crucial for producing new improved effective interactions for the nuclear shell model description of nuclei near $^{132}$Sn.

Total absorption $γ$-ray spectroscopy of the $β$-delayed neutron emitters $^{137}$I and $^{95}$Rb

V. Guadilla, J. L. Tain, A. Algora, J. Agramunt, D. Jordan, M. Monserrate, A. Montaner-Pizá, E. Nácher, S. E. A. Orrigo [1], B. Rubio [1], E. Valencia [1], M. Estienne [2], M. Fallot [2], L. Le Meur [2], J. A. Briz [2], A. Cucoanes [2], A. Porta [2], T. Shiba [2], A. -A. Zakari-Issoufou [2], A. A. Sonzogni [3], J. Äystö, T. Eronen, D. Gorelov, J. Hakala, A. Jokinen, A. Kankainen, V. S. Kolhinen, J. Koponen, I. D. Moore, H. Penttilä, I. Pohjalainen [4], J. Reinikainen [4], M. Reponen [4], S. Rinta-Antila [4], K. Rytkönen, V. Sonnenschein [4], A. Voss [4], L. M. Fraile [5], V. Vedia [5], E. Ganioğlu, W. Gelletly [6], M. Lebois [7], J. N. Wilson [7], T. Martinez [8]

Abstract

The decays of the $β$-delayed neutron emitters $^{137}$I and $^{95}$Rb have been studied with the total absorption $γ$-ray spectroscopy technique. The purity of the beams provided by the JYFLTRAP Penning trap at the ion guide isotope separator on-line facility in Jyväskylä allowed us to carry out a campaign of isotopically pure measurements with the decay total absorption $γ$-ray spectrometer, a segmented detector composed of eighteen NaI(Tl) modules. The contamination coming from the interaction of neutrons with the spectrometer has been carefully studied, and we have tested the use of time differences between prompt $γ$-rays and delayed neutron interactions to eliminate this source of contamination. Due to the sensitivity of our spectrometer, we have found a significant amount of $β$-intensity to states above the neutron separation energy that de-excite by $γ$-rays, comparable to the neutron emission probability. The competition between $γ$ de-excitation and neutron emission has been compared with Hauser-Feshbach calculations, and it can be understood as a nuclear structure effect. In addition, we have studied the impact of the $β$-intensity distributions determined in this work on reactor decay heat and reactor antineutrino spectrum summation calculations. The robustness of our results is demonstrated by a thorough study of uncertainties, and with the reproduction of the spectra of the individual modules and the module-multiplicity gated spectra. This work represents the state-of-the-art of our analysis methodology for segmented total absorption spectrometers.

Total absorption $γ$-ray spectroscopy of niobium isomers

V. Guadilla [1], A. Algora [1,2], J. L. Tain [1], J. Agramunt [1,3], J. Äystö, J. A. Briz [4], A. Cucoanes [4], T. Eronen [3], M. Estienne [4], M. Fallot [4], L. M. Fraile [5,6], E. Ganioğlu, W. Gelletly [7], D. Gorelov [3], J. Hakala [3], A. Jokinen [3], D. Jordan [1], A. Kankainen [3], V. Kolhinen [3], J. Koponen [3], M. Lebois [8], L. Le Meur [4], T. Martinez [9], M. Monserrate [1], A. Montaner-Pizá, I. Moore [3,10], E. Nácher, S. E. A. Orrigo [1,3], H. Penttilä, I. Pohjalainen [3], A. Porta [4], J. Reinikainen [3], M. Reponen [3], S. Rinta-Antila [3], B. Rubio [1,3], K. Rytkönen, P. Sarriguren [10], T. Shiba [4], V. Sonnenschein [3], A. A. Sonzogni [11], E. Valencia [1], V. Vedia [5], A. Voss [3], J. N. Wilson [8], A. -A. Zakari-Issoufou [4]

Abstract

The $β$ intensity distributions of the decays of $^{100\text{gs},100\text{m}}$Nb and $^{102\text{gs},102\text{m}}$Nb have been determined using the Total Absorption $γ$-Ray Spectroscopy technique. The JYFLTRAP double Penning trap system was employed to disentangle the isomeric states involved, lying very close in energy, in a campaign of challenging measurements performed with the Decay Total Absorption $γ$-ray Spectrometer at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line facility in Jyväskylä. The low-spin isomeric state of each niobium case was populated through the decay of the zirconium parent, that was treated as a contaminant. We have applied a method to extract this contamination, and additionally we have obtained $β$ intensity distributions for these zirconium decays. The $β$-strength distributions evaluated with these results were compared with calculations in quasiparticle random-phase approximation, suggesting a prolate configuration for the ground states of $^{100,102}$Zr. The footprint of the Pandemonium effect was found when comparing our results for the analyses of the niobium isotopes with previous decay data. The $β$-intensities of the decay of $^{102\text{m}}$Nb were obtained for the first time. A careful evaluation of the uncertainties was carried out, and the consistency of our results was validated taking advantage of the segmentation of our spectrometer. The final results were used as input in reactor summation calculations. A large impact on antineutrino spectrum calculations was already reported and here we detail the significant impact on decay heat calculations.

A new off-line ion source facility at IGISOL

M. Vilén, L. Canete, B. Cheal, A. Giatzoglou, R. de Groote, A. de Roubin, T. Eronen, S. Geldhof, A. Jokinen, A. Kankainen, I. D. Moore, D. A. Nesterenko, H. Penttilä, I. Pohjalainen [1], M. Reponen [1], S. Rinta-Antila [1]

Abstract

An off-line ion source station has been commissioned at the IGISOL (Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line) facility. It offers the infrastructure needed to produce stable ion beams from three off-line ion sources in parallel with the radioactive ion beams produced from the IGISOL target chamber. This has resulted in improved feasibility for new experiments by offering reference ions for Penning-trap mass measurements, laser spectroscopy and atom trap experiments.