Measurements of α-decay half-lives at GSI

Abstract

One of the major problems in nuclear astrophysics concerns the estimation of electron screening effects on nuclear reaction rates. We have proposed investigating the electron screening effects of nuclear systems which decay via α-particles, using fragmented beams at relativistic energies produced at the present GSI FRS-ESR facility. By looking at the modification of the half-lives and Qα-value of highly charged emitters, we expect to estimate the electron screening energies.