Advanced seminar, WS09/10

Abstract

Abstract

The nuclear mass differs from the constituent masses by the binding energy and, thus, reflects all interactions within the nucleus. Therefore, high-precision mass data play an important role, e.g. in nuclear structure studies as well as in astrophysical calculations of the process responsible for the creation of heavy elements. Whereas the neutron-deficient side of the nuclear chart has already been quite well investigated, most of the interesting neutron-rich nuclides are still not available for experiments. Before future radioactive beam facilities will provide access to nuclides involved in the rapid-neutron capture process (r-process), the research reactor TRIGA Mainz can be used for first experiments pushing away from the valley of stability towards the r-process path.
The double-Penning trap mass spectrometer TRIGA-TRAP has been recently installed as a part of the TRIGA-SPEC project to perform high-precision mass measurements on neutron-rich fission products. In addition, samples of actinoid elements will be investigated as well. Recently, the first direct mass measurement on ²⁴¹Am has been performed at TRIGA-TRAP. Together with the three nobelium isotopes ^252-254No investigated last year at SHIPTRAP (GSI) these are the very first direct mass measurements on elements above uranium. TRIGA-TRAP can provide new anchor points and test the presently accepted mass values for the actinoides. Besides the measurement program, new detection techniques like a non-destructive ion detection with single-ion sensitivity will be developed and tested.