"Two-proton radioactivity as a tool of nuclear structure"
Bertram Blank, CEN Bordeaux-Gradignan
(id #168)
Seminar: NoPoster: No
Invited talk: Yes
Two-proton radioactivity is the latest nuclear decay mode discovered. It consists of the emission
of a pair of protons from a nuclear ground state. According to the definition by V. Goldanskii
who was the first to discuss this new type of radioactivity extensively, one-proton radioactivity
is not allowed to be an open decay channel for two-proton radioactivity (2p) candidates.
In pioneering experiments at GANIL and GSI, this new radioactivity was discovered in 2002 and
meanwhile $^{45}$Fe and $^{54}$Zn are established 2p emitters, with a possible third nucleus, $^{48}$Ni, for
which one event was most likely observed. These results allowed a detailed comparison with the
theoretical models available and showed that, at the level of precision of the experimental
data and of the predictive power of the models, nice agreement was obtained.
The latest step in the investigation of 2p radioactivity was the use of time-projection chambers to
study the decay dynamics via measurements of the individual proton energies and the relative
proton-proton emission angle. A first experiment at GANIL and a high-statistics experiment
performed at MSU on $^{45}$Fe allowed to gain first insides into the decay characteristics by comparison
with a three-body model. Meanwhile $^{54}$Zn has also been studied with a TPC at GANIL.
The present talk will review the experimental results on ground-state two-proton radioactivity and
compare these results with theoretical predictions. Future studies and the possible discovery of new
2p emitters will be discussed.
of a pair of protons from a nuclear ground state. According to the definition by V. Goldanskii
who was the first to discuss this new type of radioactivity extensively, one-proton radioactivity
is not allowed to be an open decay channel for two-proton radioactivity (2p) candidates.
In pioneering experiments at GANIL and GSI, this new radioactivity was discovered in 2002 and
meanwhile $^{45}$Fe and $^{54}$Zn are established 2p emitters, with a possible third nucleus, $^{48}$Ni, for
which one event was most likely observed. These results allowed a detailed comparison with the
theoretical models available and showed that, at the level of precision of the experimental
data and of the predictive power of the models, nice agreement was obtained.
The latest step in the investigation of 2p radioactivity was the use of time-projection chambers to
study the decay dynamics via measurements of the individual proton energies and the relative
proton-proton emission angle. A first experiment at GANIL and a high-statistics experiment
performed at MSU on $^{45}$Fe allowed to gain first insides into the decay characteristics by comparison
with a three-body model. Meanwhile $^{54}$Zn has also been studied with a TPC at GANIL.
The present talk will review the experimental results on ground-state two-proton radioactivity and
compare these results with theoretical predictions. Future studies and the possible discovery of new
2p emitters will be discussed.
