Identification of gamma rays from Au-172 and alpha decays of Au-172, Ir-168, and Re-164
The low-lying structures of the extremely neutron-deficient nuclei 106Te, 107Te, 110Xe, 170Ir and 172Au have been investigated experimentally. Prompt gamma rays emitted in fusion-evaporation reactions were detected by the Jurogam HPGe array. The gamma rays were assigned to specific reaction channels using the recoil-decay tagging technique provided by the gas-filled separator RITU and the GREAT focal-plane spectrometer. The experimental set-up and the technique used to extract the information from the experimental data are described in detail. Results were interpreted in terms of the nuclear shell model and Total Routhian Surface calculations. In addition, decay studies on 170Ir, 172Au and 164Re led to the discovery of new alpha-decay branches in these nuclei.

title: Spectroscopy of Ho-144 using recoil-isomer tagging
abstract: Excited states in the proton-unbound odd-odd nucleus {sup 144}Ho have been populated using the {sup 92}Mo({sup 54}Fe,pn){sup 144}Ho reaction and studied using the recoil-isomer-tagging technique. The alignment properties and signature splitting of the rotational band above the I{sup p}i=(8{sup +}){sup 144m}Ho isomer have been analyzed and the isomer confirmed to have a pih{sub 11/2} x nuh{sub 11/2} two-quasiparticle configuration. The configuration-constrained blocking method has been used to calculate the shapes of the ground and isomeric states, which are both predicted to have triaxial nuclear shapes with |gamma|approx =24 deg.

title: Gamma-ray spectroscopy at the limits: first observation of rotational bands in 255Lr.
abstract: The rotational band structure of 255Lr has been investigated using advanced in-beam gamma-ray spectroscopic techniques. To date, 255Lr is the heaviest nucleus to be studied in this manner. One rotational band has been unambiguously observed and strong evidence for a second rotational structure was found. The structures are tentatively assigned to be based on the 1/2-[521] and 7/2-[514] Nilsson states, consistent with assignments from recently obtained alpha decay data. The experimental rotational band dynamic moment of inertia is used to test self-consistent mean-field calculations using the Skyrme SLy4 interaction and a density-dependent pairing force.

title: alpha decay of Re159 and proton emission from Ta155

title: Identification of the Kpi=8- rotational band in 138Gd

title: High-K four-quasiparticle states in Gd-138
abstract: States above the known K(pi) = 8(-) 6 mu s isomer in (138)Gd have been populated with the (106)Cd((36)Ar,2p2n) reaction at a beam energy of 180 MeV at the University of Jyvaskyla, Finland. The recoil-isomer tagging technique was utilized to correlate delayed gamma-ray decays, detected in the GREAT focal plane spectrometer, with prompt decays measured in the JUROGAM II spectrometer at the target position. The lifetime of the K(pi) = 8(-) isomeric state has been remeasured as 6.2(2) mu s. Two high-lying strongly coupled bands have been established with K(pi) >= 12(-). Potential-energy surface calculations, in conjunction with g factor measurements, reveal that they are built upon four-quasiparticle structures comprising two-quasineutron plus two-quasiproton configurations. The short half-life or lack of hindrance for the decays from these four-quasiparticle band-head states is reasoned to be a consequence of increased triaxial deformation and mixing due to the high density of states relative to the lower two-quasiparticle 6-mu s isomeric state.

title: Azimuthal charged-particle correlations and possible local strong parity violation.
abstract: Parity-odd domains, corresponding to nontrivial topological solutions of the QCD vacuum, might be created during relativistic heavy-ion collisions. These domains are predicted to lead to charge separation of quarks along the system's orbital momentum axis. We investigate a three-particle azimuthal correlator which is a P even observable, but directly sensitive to the charge separation effect. We report measurements of charged hadrons near center-of-mass rapidity with this observable in Au + Au and Cu + Cu collisions at square root of s(NN) = 200 GeV using the STAR detector. A signal consistent with several expectations from the theory is detected. We discuss possible contributions from other effects that are not related to parity violation.

title: Overview of the status and strangeness capabilities of STAR
abstract: STAR is a large-acceptance spectrometer capable of precision measurements of a wide variety of strange particles. We discuss the STAR detector, its configuration during the first two years of RHIC operation, and its initial performance for Au + Au collisions. The expected performance for strangeness physics and initial data on strange particle reconstruction in Au + Au collisions are presented.

title: Charged-particle multiplicity measurement in proton–proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=0.9$ and 2.36 TeV with ALICE at LHC
abstract: Charged-particle production was studied in proton–proton collisions collected at the LHC with the ALICE detector at centre-of-mass energies 0.9 TeV and 2.36 TeV in the pseudorapidity range |η|<1.4. In the central region (|η|<0.5), at 0.9 TeV, we measure charged-particle pseudorapidity density $\mathrm{d}N_{\mathrm{ch}}/\mathrm{d}\eta=3.02\pm 0.01(\mathit{stat.})^{+0.08}_{-0.05}(\mathit{syst.})$ for inelastic interactions, and $\mathrm{d}N_{\mathrm{ch}}/\mathrm{d}\eta=3.58\pm0.01(\mathit{stat.})^{+0.12}_{-0.12}(\mathit{syst.})$ for non-single-diffractive interactions. At 2.36 TeV, we find $\mathrm{d}N_{\mathrm{ch}}/\mathrm{d}\eta=3.77\pm0.01(\mathit{stat.})^{+0.25}_{-0.12}(\mathit{syst.})$ for inelastic, and $\mathrm{d}N_{\mathrm{ch}}/\mathrm{d}\eta=4.43\pm0.01(\mathit{stat.})^{+0.17}_{-0.12}(\mathit{syst.})$ for non-single-diffractive collisions. The relative increase in charged-particle multiplicity from the lower to higher energy is $24.7\%\pm0.5\%(\mathit{stat.})^{+5.7}_{-2.8}\%(\mathit{syst.})$ for inelastic and $23.7\%\pm0.5\%(\mathit{stat.})^{+4.6}_{-1.1}\%(\mathit{syst.})$ for non-single-diffractive interactions. This increase is consistent with that reported by the CMS collaboration for non-single-diffractive events and larger than that found by a number of commonly used models. The multiplicity distribution was measured in different pseudorapidity intervals and studied in terms of KNO variables at both energies. The results are compared to proton–antiproton data and to model predictions.

title: Alignment of the ALICE inner tracking system with cosmic-ray tracks
abstract: ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) experiment devoted to investigating the strongly interacting matter created in nucleus-nucleus collisions at the LHC energies. The ALICE ITS, Inner Tracking System, consists of six cylindrical layers of silicon detectors with three different technologies; in the outward direction: two layers of pixel detectors, two layers each of drift, and strip detectors. The number of parameters to be determined in the spatial alignment of the 2198 sensor modules of the ITS is about 13,000. The target alignment precision is well below 10 mu m in some cases (pixels). The sources of alignment information include survey measurements, and the reconstructed tracks from cosmic rays and from proton-proton collisions. The main track-based alignment method uses the Millepede global approach. An iterative local method was developed and used as well. We present the results obtained for the ITS alignment using about 10(5) charged tracks from cosmic rays that have been collected during summer 2008, with the ALICE solenoidal magnet switched off.

title: Transverse momentum correlations and minijet dissipation in Au-Au collisions at s(NN)**(1/2)-GeV