Nuclear level density and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mi>γ</mi></math>-ray strength function of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mmultiscripts><mi>Zr</mi><mprescripts></mprescripts><none></none><mn>97</mn></mmultiscripts></math>

A. Sebastian; M. K. Smith; A. Spyrou; H. C. Berg; D. L. Bleuel; C. Dembski; P. DeYoung; P. Giuliani; E. C. Good; S. N. Liddick; S. Lyons; D. Muecher; T. H. Ogunbeku; J. Owens-Fryar; A. L. Richard; D. Santiago-Gonzalez; G. Savard; A. Sweet; A. Tsantiri; S. Uthayakumaar

doi:10.1103/bmw2-h889

Nuclear level density and $γ$ -ray strength function of ${}^{97}{Zr}$

A. Sebastian^1,2, M. K. Smith ¹, A. Spyrou^1,2, H. C. Berg ^1,2, D. L. Bleuel ³, C. Dembski ^1,2,4, P. DeYoung ⁵, P. Giuliani ¹, E. C. Good ¹ et al.

S. N. Liddick^1,6, S. Lyons⁷, D. Muecher⁸, T. H. Ogunbeku^3,9, J. Owens-Fryar ^1,2, A. L. Richard ^1,3,10, D. Santiago-Gonzalez ¹¹, G. Savard ¹¹, A. Sweet³, A. Tsantiri ^1,2,12, and S. Uthayakumaar ¹

¹Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
²Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
³Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550, USA
⁴University of Notre Dame, Holy Cross Drive, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
⁵Hope College, 141 East 12th Street, Holland, Michigan 49423, USA
⁶Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
⁷Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 3335 Innovation Boulevard, Richland, Washington 99354, USA
⁸Institute for Nuclear Physics, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
⁹Department of Physics and Astronomy, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762, USA
¹⁰Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701, USA
¹¹Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Lemont, Illinois 60439, USA
¹²University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, Canada S4S 0A2

PDF

Phys. Rev. C 114, 025802 – Published 10 August, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/bmw2-h889

Abstract

In this work, we use the $β$ -Oslo method to investigate the nuclear level density and $γ$ -ray strength function of ${}^{97}{Zr}$ . The measurement was performed using the Summing NaI detector at Argonne National Laboratory. The nucleus of interest was populated via the $β$ decay of ${}^{97}Y$ . The extracted $γ$ -ray strength function exhibits a clear low-energy enhancement. The evolution of this low-energy enhancement in neutron-rich isotopes is of particular interest due to its potential impact on ( $n, γ$ ) reaction rates. We also use the extracted nuclear level density and $γ$ -ray strength function to determine the ${}^{96}{Zr} (n, γ) {}^{97}{Zr}$ reaction cross section, which reasonably agrees with the existing direct measurements. This agreement provides further support for the $β$ -Oslo method as a reliable approach for estimating neutron-capture reaction rates, especially for nuclei where direct measurements are not available.

Physical Review C

Export citation

Export citation

Nuclear level density and $γ$ -ray strength function of ${}^{97}{Zr}$

Abstract

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Authorization Required

Other Options

References (Subscription Required)

Outline

Information

Filter

Filter

Article Lookup

Enter a citation

Nuclear level density and γ-ray strength function of Zr97

Abstract

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Authorization Required

Log in via your institution

Log in via APS Member Subscription

Other Options

References (Subscription Required)

Nuclear level density and $γ$ -ray strength function of ${}^{97}{Zr}$