Breakdown of the Z=8 shell closure in unbound 12O and its mirror symmetry

Phys Rev Lett. 2009 Oct 9;103(15):152503. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.152503. Epub 2009 Oct 9.

Abstract

An excited state in the proton-rich unbound nucleus 12O was identified at 1.8(4) MeV via missing-mass spectroscopy with the 14O(p,t) reaction at 51 AMeV. The spin-parity of the state was determined to be 0+ or 2+ by comparing the measured differential cross sections with distorted-wave calculations. The lowered location of the excited state in 12O indicates the breakdown of the major shell closure at Z=8 near the proton drip line. This demonstrates the persistence of mirror symmetry in the disappearance of the magic number 8 between 12O and its mirror partner 12Be.