In a recent study published in the journal Physical Review C, a team of researchers led by Dr. Magdalena Markova from the University of Oslo, along with collaborators from various institutions including the University of Cologne, the University of Liège, and the University of Milan, explored the statistical properties of the neutron-deficient isotope Indium-109 (109In). This research holds implications for understanding nuclear reactions relevant to the energy sector, particularly in the context of astrophysical processes and nuclear technologies.
The study focused on extracting the nuclear level density (NLD) and the gamma-ray strength function (GSF) of 109In for the first time. These properties were obtained using data from the 106Cd(α,pγ)109In reaction, employing a combination of the Oslo and shape methods. The results showed that the NLD and GSF of 109In are consistent with those of neighboring Cadmium (Cd) and Tin (Sn) nuclei. However, they revealed substantial discrepancies with currently available model predictions.
One notable finding was that, unlike earlier observations in neighboring isotopic chains, 109In does not exhibit any significant enhancement of the dipole strength near the neutron separation energy. To interpret this feature, the researchers performed random-phase time-blocking approximation calculations for 109In and the neighboring 110Sn and 112Sn nuclei.
The experimental data were also used to estimate cross sections and rates of the radiative neutron- and proton-capture reactions, 108In(n,γ)109In and 108Cd(p,γ)109In, respectively, using the reaction code TALYS. The (p,γ) cross section obtained from this study was found to be in excellent agreement with direct measurements over a wide range of proton energies. However, the (n,γ) cross section demonstrated notable deviations from predictions in the JINA REACLIB library.
The new results on the statistical properties of 109In provide valuable constraints that may help address the problem of large model uncertainties compromising the accuracy of astrophysical p-process simulations. These findings are crucial for improving our understanding of nuclear reactions, which can have practical applications in various fields, including nuclear energy production, nuclear waste management, and astrophysical modeling.
The research was published in Physical Review C, a peer-reviewed journal that covers a wide range of topics in nuclear physics. The study highlights the importance of experimental data in refining theoretical models and improving our understanding of nuclear processes, which are essential for advancing nuclear technologies and energy solutions.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.