First application of the Oslo method in inverse kinematics

Abstract

AbstractThe $$\gamma $$γ-ray strength function ($$\gamma $$γSF) and nuclear level density (NLD) have been extracted for the first time from inverse kinematic reactions with the Oslo method. This novel technique allows measurements of these properties across a wide range of previously inaccessible nuclei. Proton–$$\gamma $$γ coincidence events from the $$\mathrm {d}(^{86}\mathrm {Kr}, \mathrm {p}\gamma )^{87}\mathrm {Kr}$$d(86Kr,pγ)87Kr reaction were measured at iThemba LABS and the $$\gamma $$γSF and NLD in $$^{87}\mathrm {Kr}$$87Kr was obtained. The low-energy region of the $$\gamma $$γSF is compared to shell-model calculations, which suggest this region to be dominated by M1 strength. The $$\gamma $$γSF and NLD are used as input parameters to Hauser–Feshbach calculations to constrain $$(\mathrm {n},\gamma )$$(n,γ) cross sections of nuclei using the TALYS reaction code. These results are compared to $$^{86}\mathrm {Kr}(n,\gamma )$$86Kr(n,γ) data from direct measurements.