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We measured the $\beta$-delayed neutron emission from $^{25}$F for the first time at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). Using combined neutron and $\gamma$-ray detector systems of the FRIB Decay Station Initiator (FDSi), we observed $\beta$-decay transitions populating neutron unbound states between 4.2 and 8 MeV in $^{25}$Ne. The experimental results led to the revision of the $\beta$-decay half-life and $\beta$-delayed neutron-emission probability of $^{25}$F. The $\beta$-decay strength distribution of $^{25}$F extracted from the data agrees with the shell-model predictions using the USDB and SDPF-M effective interactions. This result indicates that the spherical neutron $N = 16$ shell gap persists in $^{25}$F and $^{25}$Ne., Comment: 7 pages

The availability of high-intensity, heavy-ion beams coupled to sensitive, large solid-angleacceptance spectrometers has enabled a detailed examination of the fission fragments produced in induced-fission reactions. The abrasion-fission process involves the formation of projectile-like prefragments in violent nuclear collisions at relative energies in excess of 100 MeV/u. At intermediate energies below this threshold, experiments suggest a change in the prefragment kinematic qualities. Information regarding the influence of this transitional phase upon the evolution of nuclei approaching the point of scission is scarce. In this article, data are presented for over 200 nuclei from nickel to palladium produced in abrasion-fission reactions of a 80 MeV/u 238U beam. Cross sections were obtained following yield measurements performed for the principal charge states of the identified fission fragments and a detailed analysis of the ion transmission. A full kinematic analysis of the fission fragments has been performed using the LISE++ software package, where the trajectory of an ion passing through a spectrometer can be reconstructed based upon measurements at the focal plane. The results obtained at the S800 spectrograph are compared with predictions obtained with a three-fission progenitor (3EER) model. Systematic studies of fission-fragment properties continue to provide a valuable experimental benchmark for theoretical efforts directed toward describing this complex decay channel, that is important in the context of planning experiments to explore the neutron-rich region of the nuclear chart at rare-isotope beam facilities., Comment: 14 pages, 18 figures

A High Rigidity Spectrometer (HRS) has been designed for experiments at the Facility for Rare-Isotope Beams (FRIB) at Michigan State University (MSU). The HRS will allow experiments to be performed with the most exotic neutron-rich isotopes at high beam energies ($\gtrsim$100MeV/u). The HRS consists of an analysis beamline called the High-Transmission Beamline (HTBL) and the spectrometer proper called the Spectrometer Section. The maximum magnetic rigidity of the HRS is 8Tm, which corresponds to the rigidities at which rare-isotope beams are optimally produced at FRIB. The resolving power, angular acceptance, and momentum acceptance are set to match the anticipated scientific program. An ion-optical design developed for the HRS is described in detail, along with the specifications of the associated magnet and detector systems., Comment: 24 pages, 26 figures, 6 tables

The systematic study of fission fragment yields under different initial conditions provides a valuable experimental benchmark for fission models that aim to understand this complex decay channel and to predict reaction product yields. Inverse kinematics coupled to the use of a high-resolution spectrometer is shown to be a powerful tool to identify and measure the inclusive isotopic yields of fission fragments. In-flight fusion fission was used to produce secondary beams of neutron-rich isotopes in the collision of a 238U beam at 24 MeV/u with 9Be and 12C targets at GANIL using the LISE3 fragment-separator. Unique A,Z,q identification of fission products was attained with the dE-TKE-Brho-ToF measurement technique. Mass, and atomic number distributions are reported for the two reactions that show the importance of different reaction mechanisms for these two targets., Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, 4 tables

The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) will be a world-leading laboratory for the study of nuclear structure, reactions and astrophysics. Experiments with intense beams of rare isotopes produced at FRIB will guide us toward a comprehensive description of nuclei, elucidate the origin of the elements in the cosmos, help provide an understanding of matter in neutron stars, and establish the scientific foundation for innovative applications of nuclear science to society. FRIB will be essential for gaining access to key regions of the nuclear chart, where the measured nuclear properties will challenge established concepts, and highlight shortcomings and needed modifications to current theory. Conversely, nuclear theory will play a critical role in providing the intellectual framework for the science at FRIB, and will provide invaluable guidance to FRIB's experimental programs. This article overviews the broad scope of the FRIB theory effort, which reaches beyond the traditional fields of nuclear structure and reactions, and nuclear astrophysics, to explore exciting interdisciplinary boundaries with other areas. \keywords{Nuclear Structure and Reactions. Nuclear Astrophysics. Fundamental Interactions. High Performance Computing. Rare Isotopes. Radioactive Beams., Comment: 20 pages, 7 figures

We have measured the production rates and production cross sections for a variety of radioactive isotopes which were produced from 124Xe, 48Ca, and 238U beams at an energy of 345 MeV/nucleon using the BigRIPS separator at the RIKEN Nishina Center RI Beam Factory (RIBF). Proton-rich isotopes with atomic numbers Z = 40 to 52 and neutron-rich isotopes with Z = 5 to 16 were produced by projectile fragmentation of the 124Xe and 48Ca beam on Be targets, respectively. Neutron-rich isotopes with Z = 20 to 59 were produced by in-flight fission of the 238U beam, in which both Be and Pb were used as production targets. The measured production rates and production cross sections were compared with those of the LISE++ calculations, and overall fairly good agreement has been obtained. Furthermore, in the measurements with the 124Xe beam, we have discovered four new isotopes on the proton-drip line, 85,86Ru and 81,82Mo, and obtained the clear evidence that 103Sb is particle unbound with an upper limit of 49 ns for the half-life. The measurements of projectile-fragment momentum distributions have been also performed with the 124Xe beam, in which the low-momentum tails of the distributions have been measured for the first time at the energy of 345 MeV/nucleon.

Production cross sections for neutron-rich nuclei from the fragmentation of a 82Se beam at 139 MeV/u were measured. The longitudinal momentum distributions of 126 neutron-rich isotopes of elements 11 <= Z <= 32 were scanned using an experimental approach of varying the target thickness. Production cross sections with beryllium and tungsten targets were determined for a large number of nuclei including several isotopes first observed in this work. These are the most neutron-rich nuclides of the elements 22 <= Z <= 25 (64Ti, 67V, 69Cr, 72Mn). One event was registered consistent with 70Cr, and another one with 75Fe. The production cross sections are correlated with Qg systematics to reveal trends in the data. The results presented here confirm our previous result from a similar measurement using a 76Ge beam, and can be explained with a shell model that predicts a subshell closure at N = 34 around Z = 20. This is demonstrated by systematic trends and calculations with the Abrasion-Ablation model that are sensitive to separation energies., Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, accepted to Phys.Rev.C

Inverse kinematics coupled to a high-resolution spectrometer is used to investigate the isotopic yields of fission fragments produced in reactions between a 238U beam at 24 MeV/u and 9Be and 12C targets. Mass, atomic number and isotopic distributions are reported for the two reactions. These informations give access to the neutron excess and the isotopic distribution widths, which together with the atomic-number and mass distributions are used to investigate the fusion-fission dynamics., Comment: Submitted to PRC

A search for isomeric gamma-decays among fission fragments from 345 MeV/nucleon 238U has been performed at the RIKEN Nishina Center RI Beam Factory. Fission fragments were selected and identified using the superconducting in-flight separator BigRIPS and were implanted in an aluminum stopper. Delayed gamma-rays were detected using three clover-type high-purity germanium detectors located at the focal plane within a time window of 20 microseconds following the implantation. We identified a total of 54 microsecond isomers with half-lives of ~0.1 - 10 microseconds, including discovery of 18 new isomers in very neutron-rich nuclei: 59Tim, 90Asm, 92Sem, 93Sem, 94Brm, 95Brm, 96Brm, 97Rbm, 108Nbm, 109Mom, 117Rum, 119Rum, 120Rhm, 122Rhm, 121Pdm, 124Pdm, 124Agm and 126Agm, and obtained a wealth of spectroscopic information such as half-lives, gamma-ray energies, gamma-ray relative intensities and gamma-gamma coincidences over a wide range of neutron-rich exotic nuclei. Proposed level schemes are presented for 59Tim, 82Gam, 92Brm, 94Brm, 95Brm, 97Rbm, 98Rbm, 108Nbm, 108Zrm, 109Mom, 117Rum, 119Rum, 120Rhm, 122Rhm, 121Pdm, 124Agm and 125Agm, based on the obtained spectroscopic information and the systematics in neighboring nuclei. Nature of the nuclear isomerism is discussed in relation to evolution of nuclear structure.

Production cross sections for neutron-rich nuclei from the fragmentation of a 82Se beam at 139 MeV/u were measured. The longitudinal momentum distributions of 122 neutron-rich isotopes of elements $11 \le Z \le 32$ were determined by varying the target thickness. Production cross sections with beryllium and tungsten targets were determined for a large number of nuclei including several isotopes first observed in this work. These are the most neutron-rich nuclides of the elements $22 \le Z \le 25$ (64Ti, 67V, 69Cr, 72Mn). One event was registered consistent with 70Cr, and another one with 75Fe. A one-body Qg systematics is used to describe the production cross sections based on thermal evaporation from excited prefragments. The current results confirm those of our previous experiment with a 76Ge beam: enhanced production cross sections for neutron-rich fragments near Z=20., Comment: Talk given at the 11th International Conference on Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions (NN2012), San Antonio, Texas, USA, May 27-June 1, 2012. To appear in the NN2012 Proceedings in Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS)

Production cross sections for neutron-rich nuclei from the fragmentation of a 76Ge beam at 132 MeV/u were measured. The longitudinal momentum distributions of 34 neutron-rich isotopes of elements 13 <= Z <= 27 were scanned using a novel experimental approach of varying the target thickness. Production cross sections with beryllium and tungsten targets were determined for a large number of nuclei including 15 isotopes first observed in this work. These are the most neutron-rich nuclides of the elements 17 <= Z <= 25 (50Cl, 53Ar, 55,56K, 57,58Ca, 59,60,61Sc, 62,63Ti, 65,66V, 68Cr,70Mn). A one-body Qg systematics is used to describe the production cross sections based on thermal evaporation from excited prefragments. Some of the fragments near 58Ca show anomalously large production cross sections., Comment: accepted for publication in Phys.Rev.C

The results of measurements of the production of neutron-rich nuclei by the fragmentation of a 76-Ge beam are presented. The cross sections were measured for a large range of nuclei including fifteen new isotopes that are the most neutron-rich nuclides of the elements chlorine to manganese (50-Cl, 53-Ar, 55,56-K, 57,58-Ca, 59,60,61-Sc, 62,63-Ti, 65,66-V, 68-Cr, 70-Mn). The enhanced cross sections of several new nuclei relative to a simple thermal evaporation framework, previously shown to describe similar production cross sections, indicates that nuclei in the region around 62-Ti might be more stable than predicted by current mass models and could be an indication of a new island of inversion similar to that centered on 31-Na., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, to be published in Physical Review Letters, 2009

The results of measurements of the production of neutron-rich nuclei by the fragmentation of a 48Ca beam at 142 MeV/u are presented. Evidence was found for the production of a new isotope that is the most neutron-rich silicon nuclide, 44Si, in a net neutron pick-up process. A simple systematic framework was found to describe the production cross sections based on thermal evaporation from excited prefragments that allows extrapolation to other weak reaction products., Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, 1 table; corrected figures 1, 3 & 4, corrected typos, updated bibliography

Gas stopping is becoming the method of choice for converting beams of rare isotopes obtained via projectile fragmentation and in-flight separation into low-energy beams. These beams allow ISOL-type experiments, such as mass measurements with traps or laser spectroscopy, to be performed with projectile fragmentation products. Current gas stopper systems for high-energy beams are based on linear gas cells filled with 0.1-1 bar of helium. While already used successfully for experiments, it was found that space charge effects induced by the ionization of the helium atoms during the stopping process pose a limit on the maximum beam rate that can be used. Furthermore, the extraction time of stopped ions from these devices can exceed 100 ms causing substantial decay losses for very short-lived isotopes. To avoid these limitations, a new type of gas stopper is being developed at the NSCL/MSU. The new system is based on a cyclotron-type magnet with a stopping chamber filled with Helium buffer gas at low pressure. RF-guiding techniques are used to extract the ions. The space charge effects are considerably reduced by the large volume and due to a separation between the stopping region and the region of highest ionization. Cyclotron gas stopper systems of different sizes and with different magnetic field strengths and field shapes are presently investigated., Comment: Proceedings of the TCP06 conference, accepted in Hyp. Int

The single-particle structure of $^{57}$Ni and level structure of $^{56}$Ni were investigated with the \mbox{$^{9}$Be ($^{57} $Ni,$^{56}$Ni+$\gamma$)$\it{X}$} reaction at 73 MeV/nucleon. An inclusive cross section of 41.4(12) mb was obtained for the reaction, compared to a theoretical prediction of 85.4 mb, hence only 48(2)% of the theoretical cross section is exhausted. This reduction in the observed spectroscopic strength is consistent with that found for lighter well-bound nuclei. One-neutron removal spectroscopic factors of 0.58(11) to the ground state and 3.7(2) to all excited states of $^{56}$Ni were deduced., Comment: Phys. Rev. C, accepted

Electron capture and beta decay play important roles in the evolution of pre-supernovae stars and their eventual core collapse. These rates are normally predicted through shell-model calculations. Experimentally determined strength distributions from charge-exchange reactions are needed to test modern shell-model calculations. We report on the measurement of the Gamow-Teller strength distribution in 58Co from the 58Ni(t,3He) reaction with a secondary triton beam of an intensity of ~10^6 pps at 115 MeV/nucleon and a resolution of \~250 keV. Previous measurements with the 58Ni(n,p) and the 58Ni(d,2He) reactions were inconsistent with each other. Our results support the latter. We also compare the results to predictions of large-scale shell model calculations using the KB3G and GXPF1 interactions and investigate the impact of differences between the various experiments and theories in terms of the weak rates in the stellar environment. Finally, the systematic uncertainties in the normalization of the strength distribution extracted from 58Ni(3He,t) are described and turn out to be non-negligible due to large interferences between the dL=0, dS=1 Gamow-Teller amplitude and the dL=2, dS=1 amplitude., Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures

Charge-exchange reactions are an important tool for determining weak-interaction rates. They provide stringent tests for nuclear structure models necessary for modeling astrophysical environments such as neutron stars and core-collapse supernovae. In anticipation of (t,3He) experiments at 115 MeV/nucleon on nuclei of relevance (A~40-120) in the late evolution of stars, it is shown via a study of the 26Mg(t,3He) reaction that this probe is an accurate tool for extracting Gamow-Teller transition strengths. To do so, the data are complemented by results from the 26Mg(3He,t) reaction at 140 MeV/nucleon which allows for a comparison of T=2 analog states excited via the mirror reactions. Extracted Gamow-Teller strengths from 26Mg(t,3He) and 26Mg(3He,t) are compared with those from 26Mg(d,2He) and 26Mg(p,n) studies, respectively. A good correspondence is found, indicating probe-independence of the strength extraction. Furthermore, we test shell-model calculations using the new USD-05B interaction in the sd-model space and show that it reproduces the experimental Gamow-Teller strength distributions well. A second goal of this work is to improve the understanding of the (t,3He) and (3He,t) reaction mechanisms at intermediate energies since detailed studies are scarce. The Distorted-Wave Born Approximation is employed, taking into account the composite structures of the 3He and triton particles. The reaction model provides the means to explain systematic uncertainties at the 10-20% level in the extraction of Gamow-Teller strengths as being due to interference between Gamow-Teller dL=0, dS=1 and dL=2, dS=1 amplitudes that both contribute to transitions from 0+ to 1+ states., Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures

The $^{32}$Cl(p,$\gamma$)$^{33}$Ar reaction rate is of potential importance in the rp-process powering type I X-ray bursts. Recently Clement et al. \cite{CBB04} presented new data on excitation energies for low lying proton unbound states in $^{33}$Ar obtained with a new method developed at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory. We use their data, together with a direct capture model and a USD shell model calculation to derive a new reaction rate for use in astrophysical model calculations. In particular, we take into account capture on the first excited state in $^{32}$Cl, and also present a realistic estimate of the remaining uncertainties. We find that the $^{32}$Cl(p,$\gamma$)$^{33}$Ar reaction rate is dominated entirely by capture on the first excited state in $^{32}$Cl over the whole temperature range relevant in X-ray bursts. In the temperature range from 0.2 to 1 GK the rate is up to a factor of 70 larger than the previously recommended rate based on shell model calculations only. The uncertainty is now reduced from up to a factor of 1000 to a factor of 3 at 0.3-0.7 GK and a factor of 6 at 1.5 GK., Comment: To be published in Phys. Rev. C

We analyze the elastic scattering of protons on a 4n system. This was used as part of the detection technique of a recent experiment [1] to search for the 4n (tetraneutron) as a bound particle. We show that it is unlikely that this process alone could yield the events reported in ref. [1], unless the 4n has an anomalously large backward elastic scattering amplitude., Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. C

In an effort to better determine the 7Be(p,gamma)8B reaction rate, we have performed inclusive and exclusive measurements of the Coulomb dissociation of 8B. The former was a study of longitudinal momentum distributions of 7Be fragments emitted in the Coulomb breakup of intermediate energy 8B beams on Pb and Ag targets. Analysis of these data yielded the E2 contribution to the breakup cross section. In the exclusive measurement, we determined the cross section for the Coulomb breakup of 8B on Pb at low relative energies in order to infer the astrophysical S factor for the 7Be(p,gamma)8B reaction. Interpreting the measurements with 1st-order perturbation theory, we obtained SE2/SE1 = 4.7 (+ 2.0,- 1.3) times 10^-4 at Erel = 0.6 MeV, and S17(0) = 17.8 (+ 1.4,- 1.2) eV b. Semiclassical 1st-order perturbation theory and fully quantum mechanical continuum-discretized coupled channels analyses yield nearly identical results for the E1 strength relevant to solar neutrino flux calculations, suggesting that theoretical reaction mechanism uncertainties need not limit the precision of Coulomb breakup determinations of the 7Be(p,gamma)8B S factor. A recommended value of S17(0) based on a weighted average of this and other measurements is presented.

A kinematically complete measurement was made of the Coulomb dissociation of 8B nuclei on a Pb target at 83 MeV/nucleon. The cross section was measured at low relative energies in order to infer the astrophysical S factor for the 7Be(p,gamma)8B reaction. A first-order perturbation theory analysis of the reaction dynamics including E1, E2, and M1 transitions was employed to extract the E1 strength relevant to neutrino-producing reactions in the solar interior. By fitting the measured cross section from Erel = 130 keV to 400 keV, we find S17(0) = 17.8 (+1.4, -1.2) eV b.

The single-nucleon knockout reactions 9Be(14B, 13B + gamma)X and 197Au(14B, 13B + gamma)X, at an incident energy of 60 MeV per nucleon, have been used to probe the structure of 14B and of the core fragment 13B. A dominant 2s configuration is deduced for the neutron in the ground state of 14B. The longitudinal momentum distribution for this state is consistent with "neutron halo" structure. Spin assignments for 13B excited states at 3.48 and 3.68 MeV are proposed based on the observed spectroscopic factors for one-neutron removal., Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. C

In an effort to understand the implications of Coulomb dissociation experiments for the determination of the 7Be(p,gamma)8B reaction rate, longitudinal momentum distributions of 7Be fragments produced in the Coulomb dissociation of 44 and 81 MeV/nucleon 8B beams on a Pb target were measured. These distributions are characterized by asymmetries interpreted as the result of interference between E1 and E2 transition amplitudes in the Coulomb breakup. At the lower beam energy, both the asymmetries and the measured cross sections are well reproduced by perturbation theory calculations, allowing a determination of the E2 strength., Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures