The structure of low-lying 1− states in 90,94Zr from (α,α′γ) and (p,p′γ) reactions

Abstract

The low-lying dipole strength was investigated in ^90,94_Zr via the (p,p′γ) reaction at 80 MeV and via the (α,α′γ) reaction at 130 MeV. These experiments were performed at the Research Center for Nuclear Physics (Osaka University) and made combined use of the high-resolution magnetic spectrometer Grand Raiden and the CAGRA HPGe gamma array. The comparison of our results with existing (γ,γ′) reaction data shows differences in the excitation patterns. In the present experimental conditions, in fact, both α and p probes are exciting the investigated 1− states mainly through the short-range nuclear force, expected to favour the population of surface excitations. Distorted Wave Born Approximation (DWBA) calculations were made using form factors built assuming specific transition densities, characterized by a strong neutron component at the nuclear surface and based on Random Phase Approximation (RPA). A combined analysis of the (α,α′γ) and (p,p′γ) data was performed to investigate the isoscalar character of the 1− states in ^90,94Zr. Although an overall general consistency was obtained in the studied energy intervals, not all (p,p′γ) cross sections were well reproduced using the isoscalar strength deduced from (α,α′γ) data. This might suggest that the mixing of isoscalar and isovector components and the degree of collectivity are not the same for all the 1− states studied.