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New proton emitter 188At implies an interaction unprecedented in heavy nuclei

Author

Listed:
  • Henna Kokkonen

    (University of Jyväskylä)

  • Kalle Auranen

    (University of Jyväskylä)

  • Pooja Siwach

    (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory)

  • Paramasivan Arumugam

    (Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee)

  • Andrew D. Briscoe

    (University of Liverpool)

  • Sarah Eeckhaudt

    (University of Jyväskylä)

  • Lidia S. Ferreira

    (Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Rovisco Pais)

  • Tuomas Grahn

    (University of Jyväskylä)

  • Paul T. Greenlees

    (University of Jyväskylä)

  • Pete Jones

    (University of Jyväskylä
    iThemba LABS)

  • Rauno Julin

    (University of Jyväskylä)

  • Sakari Juutinen

    (University of Jyväskylä)

  • Matti Leino

    (University of Jyväskylä)

  • Ari-Pekka Leppänen

    (University of Jyväskylä
    Joint Research Centre)

  • Enrico Maglione

    (Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Rovisco Pais)

  • Markus Nyman

    (University of Jyväskylä
    PL55)

  • Robert D. Page

    (University of Liverpool)

  • Janne Pakarinen

    (University of Jyväskylä)

  • Panu Rahkila

    (University of Jyväskylä)

  • Jan Sarén

    (University of Jyväskylä)

  • Catherine Scholey

    (University of Jyväskylä
    MTC Limited)

  • Juha Sorri

    (University of Jyväskylä
    Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority - STUK)

  • Juha Uusitalo

    (University of Jyväskylä)

  • Martin Venhart

    (University of Jyväskylä
    Slovak Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

We report the discovery of a new atomic nucleus 188At, which is the heaviest proton-emitting isotope known to date. The new activity was observed through the 107Ag(84Sr, 3n)188At fusion-evaporation reaction using the focal-plane spectrometer of the gas-filled recoil separator in the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. To fully interpret the experimental data, we have expanded the non-adiabatic quasiparticle model to treat nuclei in the beyond-lead region. The description reproduced the measured decay rate and pointed towards emission from an extremely prolate-deformed state with a dominant s1/2 proton component in the wave function. The Thomas-Ehrman shift can be enhanced in low angular momentum states, but such effects have not been observed in heavy nuclei. The single-proton separation energy of 188At deviates from that extrapolated from the systematics, which can be interpreted as the first evidence of this effect in heavy nuclei.

Suggested Citation

  • Henna Kokkonen & Kalle Auranen & Pooja Siwach & Paramasivan Arumugam & Andrew D. Briscoe & Sarah Eeckhaudt & Lidia S. Ferreira & Tuomas Grahn & Paul T. Greenlees & Pete Jones & Rauno Julin & Sakari Ju, 2025. "New proton emitter 188At implies an interaction unprecedented in heavy nuclei," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-6, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-60259-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60259-6
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