Nuclear Data Sheets for A = 215,219,223,227,231

Abstract

The evaluator presents in this publication spectroscopic data and level schemes from radioactive decay and nuclear reaction studies for all nuclei with mass numbers A=215, 219, 223, 227, and 231. Nuclei with mass number A=215 have spherical shape, and their nuclear structure have been interpreted in terms of the shell model. Nuclei with mass number A=219 belong to a transitional region with spherical, quadrupole, and possibly octupole deformations; those with mass numbers A=223 and 227 belong to a newly studied region of coexisting quadrupole with possible octupole deformations; and nuclei with mass number A=231 essentially have quadrupole deformation. Highlights of this publication are given below: A recent study of the 206Pb( 13C,4nγ) reaction (1998St24) has extended up to Jπ=61/2+ the previously known level scheme from 208Pb( 13C,6nγ) (1988Fu10,1983Lo16). This study has provided a new interpretation for all the spectroscopic data above the 2247--keV (Jπ=29/2--) level in 215Ra. A new isotope, 219U (42 μs), which was identified with the recoil separator VASSILISSA (1994Ye08,1994AnZY,1993An07), has been included in this evaluation. The first 223Rn β-- decay scheme (1992Ku03) and a significantly improved measurement of 227Ac α decay (1995Sh03) are presented here. A level scheme of 223Fr has been constructed on the basis of these studies, where most of the levels below 600 keV have been assigned to parity doublet bands and interpreted in terms of the reflection--asymmetric rotor model. This evaluation includes the first level structures of 227Fr and 227Th. Levels in 227Fr are from 227Rn β-- decay (1997Ku20); those in 227Th, are from 231U α decay, from 227Pa electron--capture decay, and from 226Ra(α,3nγ) (1997Mu08,1995Li04,1998Ma83). A study of the β-- decay of a mass--separated source of 231Fr has produced the first level scheme of 231Ra (2001Fr05). The only published data (1994Br36,1996Le01) on the electron--capture decay of 231U have provided much information on the level structure of 231Pa. Studies on 232Th(p,2nγ) and Coulomb Excitation of 231Pa (1996Le01,1999Wu05), which have complemented the existing spectroscopic data from these reactions, have suggested the possibility of weak octupole correlations in 231Pa. A new isotope of plutonium, 231Pu (1999La14), has been included in this evaluation.