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Fast-rotating N = 151 isotones 245 Pu, 247 Cm and 249 Cf have been studied through inelastic excitation and transfer reactions with radioactive targets. While all have a ground-state band built on a ν j 15 / 2 [ 734 ] 9 / 2 − Nilsson configuration, new excited bands have also been observed in each isotone. These odd- N excited bands allow a comparison of the alignment behavior for two different configurations, where the ν j 15 / 2 alignment is either blocked or allowed. The effect of higher order deformations is explored through cranking calculations, which help clarify the elusive nature of ν j 15 / 2 alignments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A 71Ga(3He, t)71Ge charge-exchange experiment was performed to extract with high precision the Gamow–Teller (GT) transition strengths to the three lowest-lying states in 71Ge, i.e., the ground state , the 175 keV and the 500 keV excited states. These are the relevant states, which are populated via a charged-current reaction induced by neutrinos from reactor-produced 51Cr and 37Ar sources. A precise measurement of the GT transition strengths is an important input into the calibration of the SAGE and GALLEX solar neutrino detectors and addresses a long-standing discrepancy between the measured and evaluated capture rates from the 51Cr and 37Ar neutrino calibration sources, which has recently spawned new ideas about unconventional neutrino properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: First experimental evidence for a high-spin isomer () in 97Cd, a waiting point in the astrophysical rapid proton capture process, is presented. The data were obtained in β-decay studies at NSCL using the new RF Fragment Separator system and detecting β-delayed protons and β-delayed γ rays. Decays from ground and isomeric states were disentangled, and proton emission branches were determined for the first time. We find half-lives of 1.10(8) s and 3.8(2) s, and β-delayed proton emission branches of 12(2)% and 25(4)% were deduced for the ground and isomeric states, respectively. With these results, the nuclear data needed to determine an rp-process contribution to the unknown origin of solar 96Ru are in place. When the new data are included in astrophysical rp-process calculations, one finds that an rp-process origin of 96Ru is unlikely. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]