Decay and in-beam studies of neutron-deficient Po and Ra isotopes at JYFL

Abstract

An extensive program to study the production, decay properties, and nuclear structure of very neutron-deficient polonium and radium nuclei is underway at the Department of Physics, University of Jyvaskyla, Finland (JYFL). The main tools used in these studies are the gas-filled recoil separator RITU and various germanium gamma-ray arrays. In the course of these studies, among others the following new isotopes have been produced: Ra-204, Ra-203, and Ra-202. Isomeric alpha decaying states have been discovered in Ra-203 and Po-191. Fine structure in the decay of Po-192 to the oblate and prolate band heads in Pb-188 has been observed. In-beam gamma-ray spectra have been, for the first time, measured for Po-192, Ra-206, Ra-208, and Ra-210. Development of collectivity in nuclei in the Po-Ra region and the systematics of reduced alpha widths will be discussed.