Speaker
Abstract content <br> (Max 300 words)
Proton inelastic scattering measurements have been performed at iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator Based Sciences, using the state-of-the-art K600 Magnetic Spectrometer. This is one of the only two facilities in the world with a unique capability of high energy-resolution measurements at medium energies. The 200 MeV proton beams were delivered by the Separated Sector Cyclotron (SSC). As a result, fine structure has been observed in the region of the Isoscalar Giant Quadrupole Resonance (ISGQR) in five stable even-even neodymium (from spherical to highly deformed) target nuclei, namely, 142Nd, 144Nd, 146Nd, 148Nd and 150Nd. Nuclei with mass number A ≈ 150 and neutron number N ≈ 90 are particularly of special interest since they occupy that region of the nuclide chart wherein the onset of permanent prolate deformation occurs. The stable even-even neodymium (Z = 60) isotopes have been chosen in the present study in order to investigate the influence of the onset of deformation on the excitation energy spectra in the ISGQR region (9 ≤ Ex ≤ 15 MeV), since they extend from the semi-magic N = 82 nucleus (142Nd) to the permanently deformed N = 90 (150Nd) nucleus. In order to enhance the ISGQR in the excitation energy spectra measured, a Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) background subtraction was carried out. A comparison of the resonance widths extracted shows a systematic broadening of the ISGQR, moving from spherical to highly deformed nuclei as has already been observed for the Isovector Giant Dipole Resonance (IVGDR) excited by &gamma-capture. Energy scales were extracted for the resonance region using the Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) technique. Another important further step which has been conducted is the extraction of 2+ nuclear level densities from the fine structure in the region of the ISGQR. Experimental details, data extraction and analysis techniques, together with preliminary results will be presented.
Apply to be<br> considered for a student <br> award (Yes / No)?
No
Would you like to <br> submit a short paper <br> for the Conference <br> Proceedings (Yes / No)?
No
Level for award<br> (Hons, MSc, <br> PhD)?
PhD
Main supervisor (name and email)<br>and his / her institution
Prof. John Carter
John.Carter@wits.ac.za
University of the Witwatersrand
