Energy levels and branching ratios for the rp-process nucleus ${}^{25}\mathrm{Si}$ were determined from the reactions ${}^9\mathrm{Be}({}^{26}\mathrm{Si},{}^{25}\mathrm{Si})X$ and ${}^9\mathrm{Be}({}^{25}\mathrm{Al},{}^{25}\mathrm{Si})X$ using in-beam $\gamma$-ray spectroscopy with both high-efficiency and high-resolution detector arrays. Proton-unbound states at 3695(14) and 3802(11) keV were identified and assigned tentative spins and parities based on comparison to theory and the mirror nucleus. The ${}^{24}\mathrm{Al}(\mathit{p},\gamma ){}^{25}\mathrm{Si}$ reaction rate was calculated using the experimental states and states from charge-dependent USDA and USDB shell-model calculations with downward shifts of the $1s_{1/2}$ proton orbital to account for the observed Thomas-Ehrman shift, leading to a factor of 10–100 increase in rate for the temperature region of 0.22 GK as compared to a previous calculation. These shifts may be applicable to neighboring nuclei, impacting the proton capture rates in this region of the chart.

The photoproduction of $\omega$ mesons off the proton has been studied in the reaction $\gamma p\to p\omega$ using the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) and the frozen-spin target in Hall B at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. For the first time, the target asymmetry $T$ has been measured in photoproduction from the decay $\omega \to {\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-}{\pi }^0$, using a transversely polarized target with energies ranging from just above the reaction threshold up to 2.8 GeV. Significant nonzero values are observed for these asymmetries, reaching about 30–40% in the third-resonance region. New measurements for the photon-beam asymmetry $\mathrm{\Sigma }$ are also presented, which agree well with previous CLAS results and extend the world database up to 2.1 GeV. These data and additional $\omega$ photoproduction observables from CLAS were included in a partial-wave analysis within the Bonn-Gatchina framework. Significant contributions from $s$-channel resonance production were found in addition to $t$-channel exchange processes.

The $J^{\pi }=0^{\pm }$ continuum structures in ${}^4\mathrm{He}$ are investigated by using an ab initio reaction theory with the microscopic $R$-matrix method. In the $E_x\ge \sim 20$ MeV excitation energy region of ${}^4\mathrm{He}$, the continuum states are mainly described by the $t+p$, $h+n$, and $d+d$ channels. The $J^{\pi }=0^{\pm }$ elastic phase shifts of the $t+p$ and $h+n$ channels show an apparently resonant behavior which might indicate the existence of excited $0_3^{+}$ and $0_2^{-}$ resonance states of ${}^4\mathrm{He}$ above the known $0_2^{+}$ and $0_1^{-}$ ones. However, the corresponding $0_3^{+}$ and $0_2^{-}$ resonances have not been observed yet, although an experimental candidate with a large decay width is reported for $0_2^{-}$. In this paper, by analyzing the $J^{\pi }=0^{\pm }S$ matrices, we discuss why the observation of these states is unlikely.

We study nuclear multipole resonances in the framework of the random-phase approximation by using the chiral potential ${\mathrm{NNLO}}_{\text{sat}}$. This potential includes two- and three-body terms that have been simultaneously optimized to low-energy nucleon-nucleon scattering data and selected nuclear structure data. Our main focuses have been the isoscalar monopole, isovector dipole, and isoscalar quadrupole resonances of the closed-shell nuclei, ${}^4\mathrm{He}$, ${}^{16,22,24}\mathrm{O}$, and ${}^{40,48}\mathrm{Ca}$. These resonance modes have been widely observed in experiment. In addition, we use a renormalized chiral potential $V_{\text{low-}k}$, based on the ${\mathrm{N}}^3\mathrm{LO}$ two-body potential by Entem and Machleidt [Phys. Rev. C 68, 041001 (2011)]. This introduces a dependency on the cutoff parameter used in the normalization procedure as reported in previous works by other groups. While ${\mathrm{NNLO}}_{\text{sat}}$ can reasonably reproduce observed multipole resonances, it is not possible to find a single cutoff parameter for the $V_{\text{low-}k}$ potential that simultaneously describes the different types of resonance modes. The sensitivity to the cutoff parameter can be explained by missing induced three-body forces in the calculations. Our results for neutron-rich ${}^{22,24}\mathrm{O}$ show a mixing nature of isoscalar and isovector resonances in the dipole channel at low energies. We predict that ${}^{22}\mathrm{O}$ and ${}^{24}\mathrm{O}$ have low-energy isoscalar quadrupole resonances at energies lower than 5 MeV.

The dynamical cluster decay model is employed to investigate the decay of ${}^{265}\mathrm{Db}^{*}$ and ${}^{267}\mathrm{Db}^{*}$ nuclei, formed in the ${}^{27}\mathrm{Al}+{}^{238}\mathrm{U}$, ${}^{18}\mathrm{O}+{}^{249}\mathrm{Bk}$, and ${}^{19}\mathrm{F}+{}^{248}\mathrm{Cm}$ hot fusion reactions at energies around the Coulomb barrier. First, the fission dynamics of the ${}^{27}\mathrm{Al}+{}^{238}\mathrm{U}$ reaction is explored by investigating the fragmentation and preformation yield of the reaction. The symmetric mass distribution of the fission fragments is observed for ${}^{265}\mathrm{Db}^{*}$ nucleus, when static ${\beta }_{2i}$ deformations are used within hot optimum orientation approach. However, the mass split gets broaden for the use of ${\beta }_{2i}$-dynamical hot configuration of the fragments and becomes clearly asymmetric for the cold-static-deformed approach. Within the application of cold orientations of fragments, a new fission channel is observed at mass asymmetry $\eta =0.29$. In addition to ${}^{238}\mathrm{U}$-induced reaction, the work is carried out to address the fission and neutron evaporation cross sections of ${}^{267}\mathrm{Db}^{*}$ nucleus formed via ${}^{19}\mathrm{F}+{}^{248}\mathrm{Cm}$ and ${}^{18}\mathrm{O}+{}^{249}\mathrm{Bk}$ reactions, besides a comprehensive analysis of fusion and capture processes. Higher fusion cross sections and compound nucleus formation probabilities ($P_{\mathrm{CN}}$) are obtained for the ${}^{18}\mathrm{O}+{}^{249}\mathrm{Bk}$ reaction, as larger mass asymmetry in the entrance channel leads to reduced Coulomb factor. Finally, the role of sticking ($I_S$) and nonsticking ($I_{\mathrm{NS}}$) moments of inertia is analyzed for the $4n$ and $5n$ channels of ${}^{267}\mathrm{Db}^{*}$ nuclear system.

We study proton-lead collisions with a new model for the Fock states of the incoming proton. The number of collisions that the proton experiences selects the appropriate Fock state of the proton, which generates a multiple of $pp$-like rapidity distributions. We take as input the $pp$ maximum entropy distributions, shifting the respective center-of-mass rapidities and reducing the available energies. A comparison with existing data at 5 TeV is made, and results for 8 TeV are presented. We also explore the high multiplicity data in this model.

Prompted by the simple proportional relation between critical temperature for pairing transition and pairing gap at zero temperature, we investigate the relation between critical temperature for shape transition and ground-state deformation by taking even-even ${}^{286-304}\mathrm{Cm}$ isotopes as examples. The finite-temperature axially deformed covariant density functional theory with BCS pairing correlation is used. Since the Cm isotopes are the newly proposed nuclei with octupole correlations, we studied in detail the free energy surface, the Nilsson single-particle (s.p.) levels, and the components of s.p. levels near the Fermi level in ${}^{292}\mathrm{Cm}$. Through this study, the formation of octupole equilibrium is understood by the contribution coming from the octupole driving pairs with $\mathrm{\Omega }[N,n_z,m_l]$ and $\mathrm{\Omega }[N+1,n_z\pm 3,m_l]$ for single-particle levels near the Fermi surfaces as it provides a good manifestation of the octupole correlation. Furthermore, the systematics of deformations, pairing gaps, and the specific heat as functions of temperature for even-even ${}^{286-304}\mathrm{Cm}$ isotopes are discussed. Similar to the relation between the critical pairing transition temperature and the pairing gap at zero temperature $T_c=0.6\mathrm{\Delta }\left(0\right)$, a proportional relation between the critical shape transition temperature and the deformation at zero temperature $T_c=6.6\beta \left(0\right)$ is found for both octupole shape transition and quadrupole shape transition for the isotopes considered.

Background: The Agassi model [D. Agassi, Nucl. Phys. A 116, 49 (1968)] is an extension of the Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick (LMG) model [H. J. Lipkin, N. Meshkov, and A. J. Glick, Nucl. Phys. 62, 188 (1965)] that incorporates the pairing interaction. It is a schematic model that describes the interplay between particle-hole and pair correlations. It was proposed in the 1960s by D. Agassi as a model to simulate the properties of the quadrupole plus pairing model.

Purpose: The aim of this work is to extend a previous study by Davis and Heiss [J. Phys. G: Nucl. Phys. 12, 805 (1986)] generalizing the Agassi model and analyze in detail the phase diagram of the model as well as the different regions with coexistence of several phases.

Method: We solve the model Hamiltonian through the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) approximation, introducing two variational parameters that play the role of order parameters. We also compare the HFB calculations with the exact ones.

Results: We obtain the phase diagram of the model and classify the order of the different quantum phase transitions appearing in the diagram. The phase diagram presents broad regions where several phases, up to three, coexist. Moreover, there is also a line and a point where four and five phases are degenerated, respectively.

Conclusions: The phase diagram of the extended Agassi model presents a rich variety of phases. Phase coexistence is present in extended areas of the parameter space. The model could be an important tool for benchmarking novel many-body approximations.

Background: Energy density functional methods provide a generic framework to compute properties of atomic nuclei starting from models of nuclear potentials and the rules of quantum mechanics. Until now, the overwhelming majority of functionals have been constructed either from empirical nuclear potentials such as the Skyrme or Gogny forces, or from systematic gradient-like expansions in the spirit of the density functional theory for atoms.

Purpose: We seek to obtain a usable form of the nuclear energy density functional that is rooted in the modern theory of nuclear forces. We thus consider a functional obtained from the density matrix expansion of local nuclear potentials from chiral effective field theory. We propose a parametrization of this functional carefully calibrated and validated on selected ground-state properties that is suitable for large-scale calculations of nuclear properties.

Methods: Our energy functional comprises two main components. The first component is a non-local functional of the density and corresponds to the direct part (Hartree term) of the expectation value of local chiral potentials on a Slater determinant. Contributions to the mean field and the energy of this term are computed by expanding the spatial, finite-range components of the chiral potential onto Gaussian functions. The second component is a local functional of the density and is obtained by applying the density matrix expansion to the exchange part (Fock term) of the expectation value of the local chiral potential. We apply the UNEDF2 optimization protocol to determine the coupling constants of this energy functional.

Results: We obtain a set of microscopically constrained functionals for local chiral potentials from leading order up to next-to-next-to-leading order with and without three-body forces and contributions from $\mathrm{\Delta }$ excitations. These functionals are validated on the calculation of nuclear and neutron matter, nuclear mass tables, single-particle shell structure in closed-shell nuclei, and the fission barrier of ${}^{\text{240}}\mathrm{Pu}$. Quantitatively, they perform noticeably better than the more phenomenological Skyrme functionals.

Conclusions: The inclusion of higher-order terms in the chiral perturbation expansion seems to produce a systematic improvement in predicting nuclear binding energies while the impact on other observables is not really significant. This result is especially promising since all the fits have been performed at the single-reference level of the energy density functional approach, where important collective correlations such as center-of-mass correction, rotational correction, or zero-point vibrational energies have not been taken into account yet.

The distorted-wave theory of $A(d,p)B$ reactions, widely used to analyze experimental data, is based on a Hamiltonian that includes only two-nucleon interactions. However, numerous studies of few-nucleon systems and many modern developments in nuclear structure theory show the importance of the three-nucleon ($3N$) force. The purpose of this paper is to study the contribution of the $3N$ force of the simplest possible form to the $A(d,p)B$ reaction amplitude. This contribution is given by a new term that accounts for the interaction of the neutron and proton in the incoming deuteron with one of the target nucleons. This term involves a new type of nuclear matrix elements containing an infinite number of target excitations in addition to the main part associated with the traditional overlap function between $A$ and $B$. The nuclear matrix elements are calculated for double-closed shell targets within a mean field theory where target excitations are shown to be equivalent to exchanges between valence and core nucleons. These matrix elements can be readily incorporated into available reaction codes if the $3N$ interaction has a spin-independent zero-range form. Distorted-wave calculations are presented for a contact $3N$ force with the volume integral fixed by the chiral effective field theory at the next-to-next-to-leading order. For this particular choice, the $3N$ contribution is noticeable, especially at high deuteron incident energies. No $3N$ effects are seen for incident energies below the Coulomb barrier. The finite range can significantly affect the $3N$ contribution to the $(d,p)$ cross sections. Finite-range studies require new formal developments and, therefore, their contribution is preliminarily assessed within the plane-wave Born approximation, together with sensitivity to the choice of the deuteron model.

In this paper, we present SMKA18 analysis, which is a first attempt to extract the set of next-to-next-leading-order (NNLO) spin-dependent parton distribution functions (spin-dependent PDFs) and their uncertainties determined through the Laplace transform technique and Jacobi polynomial approach. Using the Laplace transformations, we present an analytical solution for the spin-dependent Dokshitzer-Gribov-Lipatov-Altarelli-Parisi evolution equations at NNLO approximation. The results are extracted using a wide range of proton $g_1^p(x,Q^2)$, neutron $g_1^n(x,Q^2)$, and deuteron $g_1^d(x,Q^2)$ spin-dependent structure functions data set including the most recent high-precision measurements from COMPASS16 experiments at CERN, which are playing an increasingly important role in global spin-dependent fits. The careful estimations of uncertainties have been done using the standard Hessian error propagation. We will compare our results with the available spin-dependent inclusive deep inelastic scattering data set and other results for the spin-dependent PDFs in literature. The results obtained for the spin-dependent PDFs as well as spin-dependent structure functions are clearly explained both in the small and large values of $x$.

We study the effects of repulsive four-body interactions of $\alpha$ particles on nuclear $\alpha$-particle condensates in heavy self-conjugate nuclei using a semianalytic approach, and find that the repulsive four-body interactions could decrease the critical number of $\alpha$ particles, beyond which quasistable $\alpha$-particle condensate states can no longer exist, even if these four-body interactions make only tiny contributions to the total energy of the Hoyle-like state of ${}^{16}\mathrm{O}$. Explicitly, we study eight benchmark parameter sets, and find that the critical number $N_{\text{cr}}$ decreases by $|\mathrm{\Delta }{N}_{\text{cr}}|\sim 1–4$ from $N_{\text{cr}}\sim 11$ with vanishing four-body interactions. We also discuss the effects of four-body interactions on energies and radii of $\alpha$-particle condensates. Our study can be useful for future experiments to study $\alpha$-particle condensates in heavy self-conjugate nuclei. Also, the experimental determination of $N_{\text{cr}}$ will eventually help establish a better understanding on the $\alpha$-particle interactions, especially the four-body interactions.

Recently reported nuclear spins and moments of neutron-rich Zn isotopes measured at ISOLDE-CERN [C. Wraith et al., Phys. Lett. B 771, 385 (2017)] show an uncommon behavior of the isomeric state in ${}^{73}\mathrm{Zn}$. Additional details relating to the measurement and analysis of the ${}^{73m}\mathrm{Zn}$ hyperfine structure are addressed here to further support its spin-parity assignment $5/2^{+}$ and to estimate its half-life. A systematic investigation of this $5/2^{+}$ isomer indicates that significant collectivity appears due to proton/neutron $E2$ excitations across the proton $Z$ = 28 and neutron $N$ = 50 shell gaps. This is confirmed by the good agreement of the observed quadrupole moments with large scale Monte Carlo shell model calculations. In addition, potential energy surface calculations in combination with T plots reveal a triaxial shape for this isomeric state.

A set of high-resolution zero-degree inelastic proton scattering data on ${}^{24}\mathrm{Mg}$, ${}^{28}\mathrm{Si}$, ${}^{32}\mathrm{S}$, and ${}^{40}\mathrm{Ca}$ provides new insight into the long-standing puzzle of the origin of fragmentation of the giant dipole resonance (GDR) in $sd$-shell nuclei. Understanding is achieved by comparison with random phase approximation calculations for deformed nuclei using for the first time a realistic nucleon-nucleon interaction derived from the Argonne V18 potential with the unitary correlation operator method and supplemented by a phenomenological three-nucleon contact interaction. A wavelet analysis allows one to extract significant scales both in the data and calculations characterizing the fine structure of the GDR. The fair agreement for scales in the range of a few hundred keV supports the surmise that the fine structure arises from ground-state deformation driven by $\alpha$ clustering.

Super-heavy nuclei of interest for the forthcoming synthesis of the isotopes with $Z=119$, 120 are investigated. One of the very interesting latest experiments was performed at the velocity filter SHIP (GSI Darmstadt) trying to produce ${}^{299}120$ in a fusion reaction ${}^{248}\mathrm{Cm}({}^{54}\mathrm{Cr},3\mathrm{n}){}^{299}120$. We report calculations of $\alpha$-decay half-lives using four models: AKRA (Akrawy), ASAF (analytical superasymmetric fission), UNIV (universal formula), and semFIS (semi-empirical formula based on fission theory). The released energy, $Q$, is calculated using the theoretical model of atomic masses, WS4. For ${}^{92,94}\mathrm{Sr}$ cluster radioactivity of ${}^{300,302}120$ we predict a branching ratio relative to $\alpha$ decay of $-0.10$ and 0.49, respectively, meaning that it is worth trying to detect such kinds of decay modes in competition with $\alpha$ decay.

Neutrons and photons are characteristically emitted during the nuclear fission process when a deformed, neutron-rich nucleus divides into two fragments that then deexcite. During deexcitation, neutrons are emitted first, followed by photons; this process gives rise to correlated emissions. Few data exist on event-by-event neutron-photon correlation. In this work, ${}^{252}\mathrm{Cf}\left(\mathrm{s}\mathrm{f}\right)$ neutron and photon correlations were measured with an array of 45 liquid organic scintillation detectors and a fission chamber. The measured correlations are compared with MCPNX-PoliMi simulations using the built-in model and two event-by-event fission models, CGMF and FREYA, which predict correlations in prompt emissions from fission. Experimental results suggest weak neutron-photon competition during fragment deexcitation.

Background: The formation and decay of the ${}^{220}\mathrm{Th}^{*}$ compound nucleus (CN) formed via some entrance channels $\left({}^{16}\mathrm{O}+{}^{204}\mathrm{Pb},{}^{40}\mathrm{Ar}+{}^{180}\mathrm{Hf},{}^{48}\mathrm{Ca}+{}^{172}\mathrm{Yb},{}^{82}\mathrm{Se}+{}^{138}\mathrm{Ba}\right)$ at near barrier energies has been studied within the dynamical cluster-decay model (DCM) [Hemdeep et al. Phys. Rev. C 95, 014609 (2017)], for quadrupole deformations $\left({\beta }_{2i}\right)$ and “optimum” orientations $\left({\theta }^{\mathrm{opt}}\right)$ of the two nuclei or decay fragments lying in the same plane (coplanar nuclei, $\mathrm{\Phi }=0^{\circ })$.

Purpose: We aim to investigate the role of higher-multipole deformations, the octupole $\left({\beta }_{3i}\right)$ and hexadecupole $\left({\beta }_{4i}\right)$, and “compact” orientations $\left({\theta }_{ci}\right)$ together with the noncoplanarity degree of freedom $\left({\mathrm{\Phi }}_c\right)$ in the noncompound nucleus (nCN) cross section, already observed in the above mentioned study with quadrupole deformations $\left({\beta }_{2i}\right)$ alone, the $\mathrm{\Phi }=0^{\circ }$ case.

Methods: The dynamical cluster-decay model (DCM), based on the quantum mechanical fragmentation theory (QMFT), is used to analyze the decay channel cross sections ${\sigma }_{xn}$ for various experimentally studied entrance channels. The parameter $R_a$ (equivalently, the neck length $\mathrm{\Delta }R$ in $R_a=R_1+R_2+\mathrm{\Delta }R)$, which fixes both the preformation and penetration paths, is used to best fit both unobserved $\left(1n,2n\right)$ and observed $(3n$–$5n)$ decay channel cross sections, keeping the root-mean-square (r.m.s) deviation to the minimum, which allows us to predict the nCN effects, if any, and fusion-fission (ff) cross sections in various reactions at different CN excitation energies $E^{*}$.

Results: For the decay of CN ${}^{220}\mathrm{Th}^{*}$, the mass fragmentation potential $V(A_i)$ and preformation yields $P_0(A_i)$ show an asymmetric fission mass distribution, in agreement with one observed in experiments, independent of adding or not adding $\left({\beta }_{3i},{\beta }_{4i}\right)$, and irrespective of large changes (by 36° and 34°), respectively, in “compact” orientations ${\theta }_{ci}$ and noncoplanarity ${\mathrm{\Phi }}_c$, and also in the potential energy surface $V(A_i)$ in light mass $(1n$–$5n)$ decays. Whereas the $3n$- and $5n$-decay channels fit nearly exactly, i.e., they are always the pure CN decays, the $4n$-decay channel shows the presence of large $\left(\sim 95\%\right)$ nCN content whose magnitude in every case remains the same within $<1\%$ and hence does not get modified, in contrast to our earlier studies of other CN. Also, the near constancy of best fitted $R_a\left(\equiv \mathrm{\Delta }R\right)$ with $E^{*}$, and with an upper limiting value for reactions with magic nuclei as reaction partner(s), independent of the entrance channel nuclei, allows us to predict the decay channel cross sections ${\sigma }_{xn},x=3–5$ for ${}^{16}\mathrm{O}+{}^{204}\mathrm{Pb}$ reaction, whose sum $\left(={\sum }_3^5{\sigma }_{xn}\right)$ fits the observed ${\sigma }_{\mathrm{ER}}$ data nicely. Also, the variations of CN fusion/formation probability $P_{CN}$ and survival probability $P_{\mathrm{surv}}$ follow the required systematic behavior, giving credence to our DCM analysis.

Conclusions: With the inclusion of higher-multipole deformations and “compact” noncoplanarity degree of freedom $\left({\mathrm{\Phi }}_c\ne 0\right)$, the results of our above-mentioned earlier study, using quadrupole deformation $\left({\beta }_{2i}\right)$ alone for coplanar $({\mathrm{\Phi }}_c=0)$ nuclei, remain the same; i.e., of the measured $3n$–$5n$ decay channels of CN ${}^{220}\mathrm{Th}^{*}$, the $3n$ and $5n$ decays are always pure CN decays and the $4n$ decay is mainly of nCN content ${\sigma }_{n\mathrm{CN}}$, whose magnitude also remains constant (within $<1\%)$ under all approximations. Furthermore, the upper limiting value of the linear dependence of first turning point $R_a$ on $E^{*}$ is shown to be a better choice for predicting the decay channel cross sections ${\sigma }_{xn}$ for reactions like ${}^{16}\mathrm{O}+{}^{204}\mathrm{Pb}$ using magic nuclei, whose experimental determination will be a good test of our model.

Background: The ${}^{22}\mathrm{Ne}(\alpha ,n){}^{25}\mathrm{Mg}$ reaction is an important source of neutrons for the $s$-process. Direct measurement of this reaction and the competing ${}^{22}\mathrm{Ne}(\alpha ,\gamma ){}^{26}\mathrm{Mg}$ reaction are challenging due to the gaseous nature of both reactants, the low cross section and the experimental challenges of detecting neutrons and high-energy $\gamma$ rays. Detailed knowledge of the resonance properties enables the rates to be constrained for $s$-process models.

Purpose: Previous experimental studies have demonstrated a lack of agreement in both the number and excitation energy of levels in ${}^{26}\mathrm{Mg}$. To try to resolve the disagreement between different experiments, proton and deuteron inelastic scattering from ${}^{26}\mathrm{Mg}$ have been used to identify excited states.

Method: Proton and deuteron beams from the tandem accelerator at the Maier-Leibnitz Laboratorium at Garching, Munich, were incident upon enriched ${}^{26}\mathrm{MgO}$ targets. Scattered particles were momentum-analyzed in the Q3D magnetic spectrograph and detected at the focal plane.

Results: Reassignments of states around $E_x=10.8\text{–}10.83$ MeV in ${}^{26}\mathrm{Mg}$ suggested in previous works have been confirmed. In addition, new states in ${}^{26}\mathrm{Mg}$ have been observed, two below and two above the neutron threshold. Up to six additional states above the neutron threshold may have been observed compared to experimental studies of neutron reactions on ${}^{25}\mathrm{Mg}$, but some or all of these states may be due to ${}^{24}\mathrm{Mg}$ contamination in the target. Finally, inconsistencies between measured resonance strengths and some previously accepted $J^{\pi }$ assignments of excited ${}^{26}\mathrm{Mg}$ states have been noted.

Conclusion: There are still a large number of nuclear properties in ${}^{26}\mathrm{Mg}$ that have yet to be determined and levels that are, at present, not included in calculations of the reaction rates. In addition, some inconsistencies between existing nuclear data exist that must be resolved in order for the reaction rates to be properly calculated.

Evidence for chiral doublet bands has been observed for the first time in the even-even nucleus ${}^{136}\mathrm{Nd}$. One chiral band was firmly established. Four other candidates for chiral bands were also identified, which can contribute to the realization of the multiple pairs of chiral doublet bands ($\mathrm{M}\chi \mathrm{D}$) phenomenon. The observed bands are investigated by the constrained and tilted axis cranking covariant density functional theory (TAC-CDFT). Possible configurations have been explored. The experimental energy spectra, angular momenta, and $B\left(M1\right)/B\left(E2\right)$ values for the assigned configurations are globally reproduced by TAC-CDFT. Calculated results support the chiral interpretation of the observed bands, which correspond to shapes with maximum triaxiality induced by different multiquasiparticle configurations in ${}^{136}\mathrm{Nd}$.