Gee Bartram
About
My research project
Isomeric and beta decays in Osmium-202 and Iridium-203This project aims to probe around the magic neutron number N=126. Isotopes with proton and neutron numbers close to magic numbers are important for understanding nuclear structure and testing nuclear shell model predictions. Isomeric states in Osmium-202 and Iridium-203 allow us to measure internal gamma decays and beta particle decays. This experiment will be performed at GSI, Darmstadt, Germany in the spring of 2022.
Supervisors
This project aims to probe around the magic neutron number N=126. Isotopes with proton and neutron numbers close to magic numbers are important for understanding nuclear structure and testing nuclear shell model predictions. Isomeric states in Osmium-202 and Iridium-203 allow us to measure internal gamma decays and beta particle decays. This experiment will be performed at GSI, Darmstadt, Germany in the spring of 2022.
Publications
This study reports on the first cross section measurements for the 94Sr(α, n) 97Zr and 86Kr(α, n) 89Sr reactions. In particular, our measurement of 94Sr(α, n) 97Zr is the first weak r-process reaction cross-section obtained using a radioactive ion beam. This experiment was enabled by the use of novel solid helium targets, comprised of silicon thin films with high helium incorporation obtained via a sputtering technique. Yield measurements were performed at center-of mass energies of 10.4 and 9.0 MeV for the 86Kr(α, n) 89Sr reaction, and 9.9 MeV for 94Sr(α, n) 97Zr, extending into the respective Gamow energy windows for a temperature of 5 GK. Reactions were uniquely identified by prompt γ rays detected in coincidence with heavy ions selected by a recoil mass spectrometer. The obtained cross sections are smaller than predicted for both reactions. In the case of 94Sr(α, n) 97Zr, the reaction rate found here is lowered by an order of magnitude at temperatures below 5 GK, which is expected to impact the predicted abundance of ruthenium, a signature wear-process element.