Half-life of the doubly magic r-process nucleus 78Ni -: art. no. 112501

Nuclei with magic numbers serve as important benchmarks in nuclear theory. In addition, neutron-rich nuclei play an important role in the astrophysical rapid neutron-capture process (r process). Ni-78 is the only doubly magic nucleus that is also an important waiting point in the r process, and serves as a major bottleneck in the synthesis of heavier elements. The half-life of Ni-78 has been experimentally deduced for the first time at the Coupled Cyclotron Facility of the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory at Michigan State University, and was found to be 110(-60)(+100) ms. In the same experiment, a first half-life was deduced for Ni-77 of 128(-33)(+27) ms, and more precise half-lives were deduced for Ni-75 and Ni-76 of 344(-24)(+20) ms and 238(-18)(+15) ms, respectively.