CERN Accelerating science

Article
Title NEAR: A New Station to Study Neutron-Induced Reactions of Astrophysical Interest at CERN-n_TOF
Author(s) Gervino, Gianpiero (Turin U. ; INFN, Turin) ; Aberle, Oliver (CERN) ; Bernardes, Ana-Paula (CERN) ; Colonna, Nicola (INFN, Bari) ; Cristallo, Sergio (Collurania Teramo Observ.) ; Diakaki, Maria (Natl. Tech. U., Athens) ; Fiore, Salvatore (ENEA, Frascati ; INFN, Rome) ; Manna, Alice (CERN ; Bologna U. ; INFN, Bologna) ; Massimi, Cristian (Bologna U. ; INFN, Bologna) ; Mastinu, Pierfrancesco (INFN, Legnaro) ; Mengoni, Alberto (CERN ; INFN, Bologna ; ENEA, Frascati) ; Mucciola, Riccardo (INFN, Perugia ; Perugia U.) ; Musacchio González, Elizabeth (INFN, Legnaro) ; Patronis, Nikolas (CERN ; Ioannina U.) ; Stamati, Elisso (CERN ; Ioannina U.) ; Vaz, Pedro ; Vlastou, Rosa
Publication 2022
Number of pages 15
In: Universe 8 (2022) 255
DOI 10.3390/universe8050255
Subject category Detectors and Experimental Techniques ; Astrophysics and Astronomy ; Nuclear Physics - Experiment
Accelerator/Facility, Experiment CERN PS ; nTOF
Abstract We present NEAR, a new experimental area at the CERN-n_TOF facility and a possible setup for cross section measurements of interest to nuclear astrophysics. This was recently realized with the aim of performing spectral-averaged neutron-capture cross section measurements by means of the activation technique. The recently commissioned NEAR station at n_TOF is now ready for the physics program, which includes a preliminary benchmark of the proposed idea. Based on the results obtained by dedicated Monte Carlo simulations and calculation, a suitable filtering of the neutron beam is expected to enable measurements of Maxwellian Averaged Cross Section (MACS) at different temperatures. To validate the feasibility of these studies we plan to start the measurement campaign by irradiating several isotopes whose MACS at different temperatures have recently been or are planned to be determined with high accuracy at n_TOF, as a function of energy in the two time-of-flight measurement stations. For instance, the physical cases of $^{88}$Sr(n,), $^{89}$Y(n,), $^{94}$Zr(n,) and $^{64}$Ni(n,) are discussed. As the neutron capture on $^{89}$Y produces a pure -decay emitter, we plan to test the possibility to perform activation measurements on such class of isotopes as well. The expected results of these measurements would open the way to challenging measurements of MACS by the activation technique at n_TOF, for rare and/or exotic isotopes of interest for nuclear astrophysics.
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 Journalen skapades 2022-06-19, och modifierades senast 2022-06-19


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