A systematic analysis of the observed reduced widths obtained in relativistic heavy ion fragmentation reactions is used to develop a phenomenological parametrization of these data. The parametrization is simple, accurate, and completely general in applicability.

Two neutrino double-beta decay half-lives for transitions to first $2_1^{+}$ excited states have been calculated in the framework of a second-quasirandom phase approximation procedure for the following nuclei: ${}_{}{}^{76}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ge}$, ${}_{}{}^{82}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Se}$, ${}_{}{}^{110}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Pd}$, ${}_{}{}^{116}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Cd}$, ${}_{}{}^{128,130}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Te}$, and ${}_{}{}^{136}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Xe}$. It was found that the corresponding decay rates are only weakly dependent on the ${\mathit{g}}_{\mathit{p}\mathit{p}}$ parameter. Our calculations indicate as the most favorable cases ${}_{}{}^{82}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Se}$, ${}_{}{}^{116}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Cd}$, and ${}_{}{}^{136}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Xe}$ for which these half-lives are of the order of ${10}^{23}$ yr.

It is demonstrated that the complex scaling method can be used in practical calculations to localize three-body resonances. Our model example emphasizes the fact that in three-body systems several essentially different asymptotic behaviors can appear. We show that the possibility of these different asymptotic configurations can lead to an apparent, resonance-like structure in the three-body continuum.

We study the relative difference E(q) of elastic scattering differential cross sections as function of the momentum transfer q. Applied to neighboring nuclei incident on the same target, it yields qualitative information on the relative changes of matter distributions in an almost model independent way. Variations of the radius and of the surface thickness produce radically different pattern for E(q). The method is well suited at medium and high energies. In the absence of data of sufficient quality, we consider ${}_{}{}^{11}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$ and ${}_{}{}^{11}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Li}$ elastic scattering on ${}_{}{}^{12}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$ at about 60 MeV/nucleon incident energy for illustrative purpose.

Contrary to what is claimed by Aguiar, Barbosa, Souza, and de Oliveira [Phys. Rev. C 47, 2396 (1993)] the inclusion of thermal fluctuations does not help to distinguish between different macroscopic fusion models when calculating fusion barriers of very heavy systems, if the latest version of the surface friction model is used.

This is a reply to the preceding Comment.

We examine the assertion that elastic data for ${}_{}{}^6{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Li}$ scattering at 210 and 318 MeV can be reproduced by a folding model using the M3Y interaction without any need for renormalization. We find this claim to be confusing, because the prescription used for knockon exchange differs from that usually regarded as part of the M3Y model, and unjustified because we find that the optimum fits to the data do require a reduction of about 30% in the strength of the M3Y interaction. The use of the M3Y model is reviewed briefly.

The Comment addresses a long standing problem concerning folding model calculations for the elastic scattering of ${}_{}{}^6{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Li}$ ions. We agree that the low-energy form of M3Y potential for the knockon exchange recommended by the authors of the Comment does require a normalization of ∼0.7 for the real folded potential. However, the prescription used in our paper, which better reflects the phenomenology of higher-energy nucleon scattering, gives results that are consistent with a normalization of unity.

Excitation energy depositions in the reactions of 40A MeV ${}_{}{}^{40}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ar}$ with ${}_{}{}^{232}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Th}$ have been determined from measurements of neutron multiplicities in coincidence with mass identified heavy reaction products. For the most central collisions the derived excitation energies of 880 MeV are 200–300 MeV above previous estimates and in excellent agreement with momentum transfer systematics. Heavy evaporation residues are observed for these collisions indicating apparent dynamic delays in the fission channel of (1–5)×${10}^{\mathrm{-}20}$ s. While a massive-transfer simulation incorporating preequilibrium emission is in generally good agreement with the experimental results evidence is also found for strongly damped collisions.

The two-neutron transfer reaction ${}_{}{}^{147}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Sm}$(p,t${)}^{145}$Sm was studied at ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{p}}$=26 MeV. Angular distributions were measured for ${\mathrm{\theta }}_{\mathrm{lab}}$=5°–50°. The strength of the two neutron monopole pairing phonon⊗particle configuration (${\mathit{n}}_{\mathrm{-}}$=1,${\mathit{n}}_{+}$=1)⊗ν2${\mathit{f}}_{7/2}$ is identified in odd mass ${}_{}{}^{145}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Sm}$ and is found to be quasi-uniformly spread in two narrow groups of as many as 8+5=13 states. This unexpected large fragmentation is compared with the one in the core nucleus ${}_{}{}^{144}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Sm}$ and with that from its isotone ${}_{}{}^{143}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Nd}$ where the monopole pairing vibration is less fragmented. The couplings with other excitation modes are extracted.

We analyze the angular distribution of target-associated slow particles in high-energy nuclear interactions, in terms of scaled factorial moments (SFMs). A power-law type behavior of SFMs, popularly known as ‘‘intermittency,’’ is a diagnostic indicator of possible dynamical phenomenon in multiparticle production and multifragmentation processes in high-energy physics. Our data of target associated slow particles reveal similar type of increase in SFMs with decreasing bin width of the angular distribution. The new observation thus contradicts the existing concept of evaporation model that the ‘‘statistical equilibrium’’ is reached before the emission of fragmented particles from residual target nuclei at high-energy nuclear interactions.

A study of the ${}_{}{}^{12}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$${(}^{12}$C, 3α${)}^{12}$C reaction has been performed in order to determine the magnitude of the process by which the 7.65 MeV, $0_2^{+}$, state in ${}_{}{}^{12}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$ breaks up directly into three alpha particles, in contrast to the sequential decay through ${}_{}{}^8{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Be}$. The strength of this decay channel has important implications for the production rate of ${}_{}{}^{12}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$ in stellar nucleosynthesis. The present measurement indicates that the contribution of this decay process to the alpha width, ${\mathrm{\Gamma }}_{\mathrm{\alpha }}$, of this state is less than 4%.

The masses of ${}_{}{}^{18}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ne}$, and of the ${}_{}{}^{14}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{O}$ first excited state that dominates the astrophysical ${}_{}{}^{13}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{N}$(p,γ) reaction rate, were measured using the ${}_{}{}^{16}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{O}$${(}^3$He,n) and ${}_{}{}^{12}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$${(}^3$He,n) reactions. We found mass excesses of 5316.8±1.5 keV for the ${}_{}{}^{18}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ne}$ ground state and 13163.4±2.0 keV for the first excited state of ${}_{}{}^{14}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{O}$. The ${}_{}{}^{14}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{O}$ mass corresponds to an ${}_{}{}^{13}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{N}$(p,γ) resonance energy of 528.8±2.0 keV. This is consistent with the result from a recent ${}_{}{}^{13}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{N}$+p study, but disagrees with the previously accepted value. Implications for the thermonuclear ${}_{}{}^{13}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{N}$(p,γ) rate are discussed.

All known structures in the collective medium and heavy odd-A nuclei, based on the unique parity orbitals ${\mathit{g}}_{9/2}$, ${\mathit{h}}_{11/2}$, and ${\mathit{i}}_{13/2}$, are collected and correlations between the energies within both the favored and unfavored quasibands are analyzed. A first startling result is that irrespective of the nature of the odd particle and the shell model orbital, for most of the nondeformed nuclei the energies within these quasibands, show a universal behavior of an anharmonic vibrator with a constant anharmonicity, identical with that found for the even-even nuclei. Second, the rapid transition between the anharmonic vibrator and the rotor regimes, which takes place in the even-even nuclei, is accompanied, in the adjacent odd-A nuclei, by an equally rapid transition from the anharmonic vibrator to the strong coupling regime.

The chiral expansion of the off-shell πN amplitude suggests that the s-wave interaction with the nucleus of spacelike pions is appreciably repulsive. This has important consequences for the weak hadronic nuclear current, which are discussed here.

The roles of ΛN-ΣN coupling in Λ hypernuclei and of ΛΛ-ΞN coupling in ΛΛ hypernuclei are addressed. Suppression of ΛN-ΣN coupling in ${}_{\mathrm{\Lambda }}{}^4{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{H}$ and ${}_{\mathrm{\Lambda }}{}^4{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{He}$ due to Pauli blocking is reviewed, and its role in the A=4 level ordering is summarized. Its relation to the ordering of the ${}_{\mathrm{\Lambda }}{}^{10}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{B}$ levels and the missing $2^{\mathrm{-}}$→$1^{\mathrm{-}}$γ is explored. Suppression of ΛΛ-ΞN coupling in ${}_{\mathrm{\Lambda }\mathrm{\Lambda }}{}^6{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{He}$ is hypothesized, and measurement of ${}_{\mathrm{\Lambda }\mathrm{\Lambda }}{}^4{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{H}$ is recommended to investigate the full ΛΛ-ΞN interaction.

We have calculated the E1 and E2 contributions to the low-energy ${}_{}{}^8{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{B}$${+}^{208}$Pb→p${+}^7$Be${+}^{208}$Pb Coulomb dissociation cross sections using the kinematics of a recent experiment at RIKEN. Using a potential model description of the ${}_{}{}^7{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Be}$(p,γ${)}^8$B reaction, we find that the E2 contributions cannot a priori be ignored in the analysis of the data. Its inclusion reduces the extracted ${}_{}{}^7{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Be}$(p,γ${)}^8$B S factor at solar energies by about 25%.

It is demonstrated that the intrinsic widths incorporating correlations in conjunction with dynamical contributions give better agreement with experiments for collisions in the energy range of 200A MeV to 2A GeV than using only intrinsic widths without correlations. The sensitivity of the intrinsic width decreases with increasing projectile mass. A simple recipe for calculating intrinsic width with correlations is presented.

With an improved Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck model, the deformation energy surfaces in reactions leading to the formation of toroidal and bubble nuclei are examined for central ${}_{}{}^{92}{}_{}{}^{}$Mo${+}^{92}$Mo collisions. We found that the potential maximum, or the fragmentation barrier, occurs at times close to the times when these exotic shapes are formed. However, due to the dynamics of large amplitude compression and expansion, the fragmentation barriers are significantly higher than those estimated from the liquid-drop models.