Deep excursion beyond the proton dripline. II. Toward the limits of existence of nuclear structure

TL;DR

This paper explores the limits of nuclear existence for argon and chlorine isotopes beyond the proton dripline, using models and proposing experimental methods to study their decay properties and stability.

Contribution

It predicts the nuclear limits for Ar and Cl isotopes and suggests experimental approaches with the new EXPERT setup to study their decay modes.

Findings

$^{26}$Ar and $^{25}$Cl are the lightest long-lived isotopes.

Deviations from systematics observed in $^{28,29}$Cl and $^{29,30}$Ar are theoretically supported.

Synergy effects in decay measurements can be achieved with the EXPERT setup.

Abstract

Prospects of experimental studies of argon and chlorine isotopes located far beyond the proton dripline are studied by using systematics and cluster models. The deviations from the widespread systematics observed in $^{28,29}$Cl and $^{29,30}$Ar have been theoretically substantiated, and analogous deviations predicted for the lighter chlorine and argon isotopes. The limits of nuclear structure existence are predicted for Ar and Cl isotopic chains, with $^{26}$Ar and $^{25}$Cl found to be the lightest sufficiently long-living nuclear systems. By simultaneous measurements of protons and $\gamma$-rays following decays of such systems as well as their $\beta$-delayed emission, an interesting synergy effect may be achieved, which is demonstrated by the example of $^{30}$Cl and $^{31}$Ar ground state studies. Such synergy effect may be provided by the new EXPERT setup (EXotic Particle Emission and Radioactivity by Tracking), being operated inside the fragment separator and spectrometer facility at GSI, Darmstadt.