Studies nuclear fission and the properties of exotic radioactive nuclides, especially neutron-rich fission fragments. Fission measurements include neutron induced fission cross sections, fission fragment distributions and isomer yield ratios. Measured nuclear properties include masses, Q-values, half-lives and beta-delayed neutron emission probabilities. The research is carried out at the Fragment Separator (FRS) Ion Catcher at GSI, Darmstadt, and at the Soreq Applied Research Accelerator Facility (SARAF), the high power accelerator at Soreq NRC, Yavne. These measurements provide crucial input for expanding nuclear structure models away from the valley of stability, generating reliable astrophysical models of the rapid neutron capture process (r-process) for nucleo-synthesis of elements heavier than iron, and improving models for the operation of nuclear reactors.
Research achievements include: development and demonstration of a novel method for measuring simultaneously masses (including isomer excitations), half-lives and decay branching ratios of exotic nuclei by using an Ion Catcher. Quantitative revelation that SARAF properties will enable the construction of a world-competitive exotic nuclide facility in Israel based on neutron induced fission.
Future directions include: detailed design and construction of the exotic nuclide facility at SARAF, gamma and neutron induced fission experiments on trans-uranium isotopes at SARAF, new measurements of exotic isotope properties at GSI and the future FAIR, new data on spontaneous fission at the GSI Ion Catcher, demonstration of a new measurement method and first results for multi-nucleon-transfer reactions of stable and unstable isotopes at GSI and at JYFL in Finland.
