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Studies of pear-shaped nuclei using accelerated radioactive beams

Author

Listed:
  • L. P. Gaffney

    (Oliver Lodge Laboratory, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZE, UK)

  • P. A. Butler

    (Oliver Lodge Laboratory, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZE, UK)

  • M. Scheck

    (Oliver Lodge Laboratory, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZE, UK
    Institut für Kernphysik, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt D-64289, Germany)

  • A. B. Hayes

    (University of Rochester)

  • F. Wenander

    (ISOLDE, CERN (Organisation Européenne pour la Recherche Nucléaire), Geneva CH-1211, Switzerland)

  • M. Albers

    (Institut für Kernphysik, Universität zu Köln, Köln D-50937, Germany)

  • B. Bastin

    (GANIL (Grand Accélérateur National d’Ions Lourds), Caen, BP 55027, F-14076, France)

  • C. Bauer

    (Institut für Kernphysik, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt D-64289, Germany)

  • A. Blazhev

    (Institut für Kernphysik, Universität zu Köln, Köln D-50937, Germany)

  • S. Bönig

    (Institut für Kernphysik, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt D-64289, Germany)

  • N. Bree

    (Instituut voor Kern- en Stralingsfysica, KU Leuven, Leuven B-3001, Belgium)

  • J. Cederkäll

    (Lund University, LundPO Box 118, 221 00, Sweden)

  • T. Chupp

    (University of Michigan)

  • D. Cline

    (University of Rochester)

  • T. E. Cocolios

    (ISOLDE, CERN (Organisation Européenne pour la Recherche Nucléaire), Geneva CH-1211, Switzerland)

  • T. Davinson

    (School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JZ, UK)

  • H. De Witte

    (Instituut voor Kern- en Stralingsfysica, KU Leuven, Leuven B-3001, Belgium)

  • J. Diriken

    (Instituut voor Kern- en Stralingsfysica, KU Leuven, Leuven B-3001, Belgium
    SC•CEN (Studiecentrum voor Kernenergie - Centre d’Etude de l’énergie Nucléaire), Mol B-2400, Belgium)

  • T. Grahn

    (University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä FI-40014, Finland, and Helsinki Institute of Physics, PO Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland)

  • A. Herzan

    (University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä FI-40014, Finland, and Helsinki Institute of Physics, PO Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland)

  • M. Huyse

    (Instituut voor Kern- en Stralingsfysica, KU Leuven, Leuven B-3001, Belgium)

  • D. G. Jenkins

    (University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK)

  • D. T. Joss

    (Oliver Lodge Laboratory, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZE, UK)

  • N. Kesteloot

    (Instituut voor Kern- en Stralingsfysica, KU Leuven, Leuven B-3001, Belgium
    SC•CEN (Studiecentrum voor Kernenergie - Centre d’Etude de l’énergie Nucléaire), Mol B-2400, Belgium)

  • J. Konki

    (University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä FI-40014, Finland, and Helsinki Institute of Physics, PO Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland)

  • M. Kowalczyk

    (Heavy Ion Laboratory, University of Warsaw, Warsaw 02-093, Poland)

  • Th. Kröll

    (Institut für Kernphysik, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt D-64289, Germany)

  • E. Kwan

    (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory)

  • R. Lutter

    (Maier-Leibnitz-Laboratorium, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität and Technische Universität München, Garching D-85748, Germany)

  • K. Moschner

    (Institut für Kernphysik, Universität zu Köln, Köln D-50937, Germany)

  • P. Napiorkowski

    (Heavy Ion Laboratory, University of Warsaw, Warsaw 02-093, Poland)

  • J. Pakarinen

    (ISOLDE, CERN (Organisation Européenne pour la Recherche Nucléaire), Geneva CH-1211, Switzerland
    University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä FI-40014, Finland, and Helsinki Institute of Physics, PO Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland)

  • M. Pfeiffer

    (Institut für Kernphysik, Universität zu Köln, Köln D-50937, Germany)

  • D. Radeck

    (Institut für Kernphysik, Universität zu Köln, Köln D-50937, Germany)

  • P. Reiter

    (Institut für Kernphysik, Universität zu Köln, Köln D-50937, Germany)

  • K. Reynders

    (Instituut voor Kern- en Stralingsfysica, KU Leuven, Leuven B-3001, Belgium)

  • S. V. Rigby

    (Oliver Lodge Laboratory, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZE, UK)

  • L. M. Robledo

    (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid 28049, Spain)

  • M. Rudigier

    (Institut für Kernphysik, Universität zu Köln, Köln D-50937, Germany)

  • S. Sambi

    (Instituut voor Kern- en Stralingsfysica, KU Leuven, Leuven B-3001, Belgium)

  • M. Seidlitz

    (Institut für Kernphysik, Universität zu Köln, Köln D-50937, Germany)

  • B. Siebeck

    (Institut für Kernphysik, Universität zu Köln, Köln D-50937, Germany)

  • T. Stora

    (ISOLDE, CERN (Organisation Européenne pour la Recherche Nucléaire), Geneva CH-1211, Switzerland)

  • P. Thoele

    (Institut für Kernphysik, Universität zu Köln, Köln D-50937, Germany)

  • P. Van Duppen

    (Instituut voor Kern- en Stralingsfysica, KU Leuven, Leuven B-3001, Belgium)

  • M. J. Vermeulen

    (University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK)

  • M. von Schmid

    (Institut für Kernphysik, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt D-64289, Germany)

  • D. Voulot

    (ISOLDE, CERN (Organisation Européenne pour la Recherche Nucléaire), Geneva CH-1211, Switzerland)

  • N. Warr

    (Institut für Kernphysik, Universität zu Köln, Köln D-50937, Germany)

  • K. Wimmer

    (Technische Universität München, Garching D-85748, Germany)

  • K. Wrzosek-Lipska

    (Instituut voor Kern- en Stralingsfysica, KU Leuven, Leuven B-3001, Belgium
    Heavy Ion Laboratory, University of Warsaw, Warsaw 02-093, Poland)

  • C. Y. Wu

    (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory)

  • M. Zielinska

    (Heavy Ion Laboratory, University of Warsaw, Warsaw 02-093, Poland
    DSM/IRFU/SPhN, CEA Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette F-91191, France)

Abstract

There is strong circumstantial evidence that certain heavy, unstable atomic nuclei are ‘octupole deformed’, that is, distorted into a pear shape. This contrasts with the more prevalent rugby-ball shape of nuclei with reflection-symmetric, quadrupole deformations. The elusive octupole deformed nuclei are of importance for nuclear structure theory, and also in searches for physics beyond the standard model; any measurable electric-dipole moment (a signature of the latter) is expected to be amplified in such nuclei. Here we determine electric octupole transition strengths (a direct measure of octupole correlations) for short-lived isotopes of radon and radium. Coulomb excitation experiments were performed using accelerated beams of heavy, radioactive ions. Our data on 220Rn and 224Ra show clear evidence for stronger octupole deformation in the latter. The results enable discrimination between differing theoretical approaches to octupole correlations, and help to constrain suitable candidates for experimental studies of atomic electric-dipole moments that might reveal extensions to the standard model.

Suggested Citation

  • L. P. Gaffney & P. A. Butler & M. Scheck & A. B. Hayes & F. Wenander & M. Albers & B. Bastin & C. Bauer & A. Blazhev & S. Bönig & N. Bree & J. Cederkäll & T. Chupp & D. Cline & T. E. Cocolios & T. Dav, 2013. "Studies of pear-shaped nuclei using accelerated radioactive beams," Nature, Nature, vol. 497(7448), pages 199-204, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:497:y:2013:i:7448:d:10.1038_nature12073
    DOI: 10.1038/nature12073
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