Searches for Exotic Interactions Using Neutrons

Slow neutrons possess several advantageous properties which make them useful probes for a variety of exotic interactions, including some that can form at least some components of the dark matter of interest for this issue of Symmetry. We discuss the relevant neutron properties, describe some of the recent work that has been done along these lines using neutron experiments mainly with cold and ultra-cold neutrons, and outline some interesting and exciting opportunities which can be pursued using resonant epithermal neutron interactions in heavy nuclei.

Existence and nonexistence in the liquid drop model

We revisit the liquid drop model with a general Riesz potential. Our new result is the existence of minimizers for the conjectured optimal range of parameters. We also prove a conditional uniqueness of minimizers and a nonexistence result for heavy nuclei.

Alpha decay half-lives of superheavy nuclei 104 ≤ Z ≤ 125

In order to describe scattering, fusion, fission and ground state masses, Krappe and collaborators developed unified nuclear potential, by generalizing liquid drop model. They have incorporated phenomenological parameters accounting for the attractive force between two separated fragments. One of the phenomenological parameters involved in this model is the range of folded Yukawa function, which accounts for surface diffuseness of the potential and short range attractive interaction. The role of range of folding function of Yukawa-plus-exponential potential is analyzed for alpha decay of heavy and superheavy nuclei. Significant effect of this function is noted in preformation probability which improves the accuracy of half-lives of alpha decay. Half-lives for alpha decay are better obtained for two values of the range of folding function 0.54 and 0.8[Formula: see text]fm for heavy and superheavy mass regions, respectively. The study confirms the associated shell structure [Formula: see text] in heavy nuclei and [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] in superheavy nuclei. The calculations are extended to predict the half-lives of superheavy nuclei with [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] which are not yet synthesized experimentally.

Chronicle of the discovery of the back-bending phenomenon in atomic nuclei: a personal recollection 50 years on

A chronicle describing the historical context and the development of ideas and experiments leading to the discovery of the back-bending phenomenon in rapidly rotating atomic nuclei some 50 years ago is presented. The moment of inertia of some atomic nuclei increases anomalously at a certain rotational frequency, revealing important clues to our understanding of nuclear structure. I highlight the decisive interactions and contacts between experimentalists and theorists, which created the right environment, allowing for the revelation of an undetected phenomenon in Nature. Finally, I reflect on the key points allowing for the discovery and particularly point to the importance of systematic surveys, which in this case investigated the energy levels in heavy nuclei of a large sample of elements, as well as to the accuracy of the measurements of the ground state levels made at the time.

Recalculated Viola-Seaborg Coefficients for Partial Alpha Half-lives Based on AME2016

In this paper, the systematics for obtaining the Viola-Seaborg formula (VSF) for logarithmic partial alpha half-lives (Tα1/2) have been undertaken based on the NUBASE2016 evaluation. The constants Az and Bz in Geiger-Nuttal law for determination of Tα1/2 , are obtained using gs-gs transitions data, of even-even nuclei for two sets of nuclei with Z = 84 - 102 and Z = 86 - 98 with N > 126. The Viola-Seaborg co-efficients are determined for both the sets. The obtained parameters for both sets are tested on even-even nuclei for Z ranging from 104 - 118 and it is observed that first set parameters fare better. This formula for estimating α-decay half-lives of heavy nuclei can be extrapolated to predict those of super-heavy nuclei. The logarithmic half-lives Tα1/2 obtained for isotopes of Z = 121 and 122 using current modified VSF (AME2016) are compared with those obtained from theoretical considerations using Coulomb and proximity potential model (CPPM) and observed to be much larger. They are also much larger than those obtained from the previous coefficients based on AME2003 data.