Study of structure and nuclear reactions induced by exotic nuclei

• Grant number: 19/08344-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: January 01, 2022
• End date: June 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Nuclear Physics
• Agreement: Texas A&M University
• Mobility Program: SPRINT - Projetos de pesquisa - Mobilidade
• Principal Investigator: Valdir Guimarães
• Grantee: Valdir Guimarães
• Principal researcher abroad: Grigory Rogachev
• Institution abroad: Texas A&M University, United States
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física (IF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 16/17612-7 - Dynamics of many-body systems IV, AP.TEM

Abstract

Halo and cluster structure in nuclei are among the most exciting phenomena of contemporary nuclear physics. Some light proton and neutron-rich nuclei such as 6He, 8B, 10C, 11Li, 11Be, 15C and 17F, can exhibit large radial extension and exotic structures in which the valence nucleons extend outside the binding potential. The possibility of producing radioactive beams out of these nuclei offers new and unique opportunities for research in the frontier field of nuclear physics. The low binding energy and strong cluster configuration in these nuclei would produce a decoupling between the valence particle and the core nucleus, which give rise to an increase of the fusion, breakup and/or transfer probability in the total reaction cross-section. Understanding the dynamics of nuclear reactions induced by exotic, weekly bound nuclei is still a challenge for both theorists and experimentalists. To address these issues we are planning to perform experiments induced by radioactive projectiles at Texas A&M (TAMU) with the MARS recoil separator as well as at São Paulo (IFUSP) with the RIBRAS system. We have already performed the 8B+208Pb and 10C+208Pb elastic scattering experiment at TAMU and we are planning to measure the breakup and transfer reactions of these systems. We have also performed a direct measurement of 8B+40Ar fusion using the recently commissioned Texas Active Target (TexAT) detector. We plan to also measure the fusion of Lithium isotopes 6Li, 7Li, 8Li, 9Li with 40Ar using TexAT. These measurements, performed with identical setup, will highlight the influence of valence neutrons on fusion. In São Paulo we are planning to perform the 10Be+p resonant elastic scattering measurement that is of interest for astrophysics. (AU)