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Background: The chain of Sm isotopes exhibits a wide range of nuclear shapes and collective behavior. While the onset of deformation for N > 82 has been well studied both experimentally and theoretically, fundamental data is lacking for some Sm isotopes with N < 82. Purpose: Electromagnetic transition rates represent a sensitive test of theoretical nuclear structure models. Lifetime measurements are furthermore complementary to Coulomb excitation experiments, and the two methods together can give access to spectroscopic quadrupole moments. Method: The lifetime of the 2 + 1 state in 140 Sm was measured with the recoil-distance Doppler shift technique using the reaction 124 Te(20 Ne, 4n) 140 Sm at 82 MeV. Theoretical calculations were performed based on a mapped collective Hamiltonian in five quadrupole coordinates (5DCH) and the Gogny D1S interaction. Results: The lifetime of the 2 + 1 state in 140 Sm was found to be 9.1(6) ps, corresponding to a B(E2; 2 + 1 → 0 + 1) value of 51(4) Weisskopf units. The theoretical calculations are in very good agreement with the experimental result. Conclusions: The B(E2; 2 + 1 → 0 + 1) value for 140 Sm fits smoothly into the systematic trend for the chain of Sm isotopes. The new beyond-mean field calculations are able to correctly describe the onset of collectivity in the Sm isotopes below the N = 82 shell closure for the first time.

International audienceThe N=52 Ga83 β decay was studied at ALTO. The radioactive 83 Ga beam was produced through the ISOL photofission technique and collected on a movable tape for the measurement of γ -ray emission following β decay. While β -delayed neutron emission has been measured to be 56–85% of the decay path, in this experiment an unexpected high-energy 5–9 MeV γ -ray yield of 16(4)% was observed, coming from states several MeVs above the neutron separation threshold. This result is compared with cutting-edge QRPA calculations, which show that when neutrons deeply bound in the core of the nucleus decay into protons via a Gamow–Teller transition, they give rise to a dipolar oscillation of nuclear matter in the nucleus. This leads to large electromagnetic transition probabilities which can compete with neutron emission, thus affecting the β -decay path. This process is enhanced by an excess of neutrons on the nuclear surface and may thus be a common feature for very neutron-rich isotopes, challenging the present understanding of decay properties of exotic nuclei

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