Speaker
Description
T. W. Seakamela1,3, S. H. Connell1 , B. V. Kheswa2, M. Wiedeking3,12, V. W. Ingeberg4, K. L. Malatji3,6, S. Siem4, H. C. Berg4, A. Avaa3,8, D. L. Bleuel5, C. P. Brits3,6, J. W. Brummer 3,6, T. S. Dinoko10, M. Guttormsen4, P. Jones3, A. C. Larsen4, J. E. Midtbø4, L. Msebi3,7, S. H. Mthembu3,9, G. ONeil7, J. Ndayishimye3, L. Pellegri3,8, O. Shirinda3,6, F. Zeiser4, B. R. Zikhali3,7, D. Negi11
1Department of Engineering, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa, 2Department of Physics, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, 55 Beit Str, Doornfontein, Johannesburg, 2028, South Africa, 3iThemba LABS, P.O. Box 722, Somerset West, 7129, South Africa, 4Department of Physics, University of Oslo, N-0316 Oslo, Norway, 5Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California, 94550-9234, USA, 6Department of Physics, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa, 7Department of Physics, University of the Western Cape, P/B X17 Bellville 7535, South Africa , 8School of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, 9Department of Physics, University of Zululand, Private Bag X1001,KwaDlangezwa 3886, South Africa 10NMISA, Meiring Naude Rd, Pretoria, 0184, South Africa, 11Department of Nuclear and Atomic Physics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai 400005, India, 12School of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2000.
E-mail: {"mailto:teffoseakamela@gmail.com"}
Abstract. A significant set of experimental studies over the years have revealed the presence of a Low-Energy Enhancement (LEE) in the Gamma Strength Function (GSF) in many light-to-medium as well as in some rare-earth nuclei [1,2,3,4 and references therein]. The GSF and the Nuclear level density (NLD) are critical input parameters in calculations of nuclear reaction rates within Hauser-Feshbach formalism. It has been shown that the existence of this LEE can enhance astrophysical r-process reaction rates, by up to several orders of magnitude [5] for the neutron-rich nuclei. This would be very significant for models of nucleosynthesis hence; it should be investigated further. Furthermore, experimental data on the LEE is non-existent for noble gas isotopes, such as 133Xe due to the difficulty to produce suitable targets.
To search for the LEE in the 133Xe nucleus, the 132Xe (d,p) reactions conducted at iThemba LABS, with beam energy of 530 MeV. The AFRODITE and ALBA arrays were used to measure the gamma-rays in coincidence with a silicon particle telescope which were used to measure the charged particles from the reactions. At the time of the experiments the array consisted of eight high resolution germanium, six large volume and six small volume LaBr3(Ce) detectors and two S2 silicon strip detectors, particle-gamma-gamma events were extracted and are being used obtain the GSF of 133Xe using the Ratio Method [6].
[1] A. C. Larsen et al., J. Phys. G: Nucl. Part. Phys. 44, 064005 (2017).
[2] M. D. Jones et al., Phys Rev. C 97, 024327 (2018).
[3] J. E. Midtbø, et. al., Phys. Rev. C 98, 064321 (2018).
[4] V. W Ingberg et al., Eur. Phys. J. A 56, 68 (2020).
[5] A. C. Larsen and S. Goriely, Phys. Rev. C 82, 014318 (2010).
[6] M. Wiedeking et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 108.162503 (2012).
Apply to be considered for a student ; award (Yes / No)?
No
Level for award;(Hons, MSc, PhD, N/A)?
PhD
