Aims. This paper describes the Heterodyne Instrument for the Far-Infrared (HIFI) that was launched onboard ESA's Herschel Space Observatory in May 2009. Methods. The instrument is a set of 7 heterodyne receivers that are electronically tuneable, covering 480−1250 GHz with SIS mixers and the 1410−1910 GHz range with hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixers. The local oscillator (LO) subsystem comprises a Ka-band synthesizer followed by 14 chains of frequency multipliers and 2 chains for each frequency band. A pair of auto-correlators and a pair of acousto-optical spectrometers process the two IF signals from the dual-polarization, single-pixel front-ends to provide instantaneous frequency coverage of 2 × 4 GHz, with a set of resolutions (125 kHz to 1 MHz) that are better than 0.1 km s −1 . Results. After a successful qualification and a pre-launch TB/TV test program, the flight instrument is now in-orbit and completed successfully the commissioning and performance verification phase. The in-orbit performance of the receivers matches the pre-launch sensitivities. We also report on the in-orbit performance of the receivers and some first results of HIFI's operations.

The prediction of cross sections for nuclei far off stability is crucial in the field of nuclear astrophysics. We calculate direct neutron capture on the even-even isotopes 124−145 Sn and 208−238 Pb with energy levels, masses, and nuclear density distributions taken from different nuclear-structure models. The utilized structure models are a Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov model, a relativistic mean field theory, and a macroscopic-microscopic model based on the finite-range droplet model and a folded-Yukawa single-particle potential. Due to the differences in the resulting neutron separation and level energies, the investigated models yield capture cross sections sometimes differing by orders * Permanent address: P. Moller

A series of measurements have been performed at KVI to obtain the vector analyzing power A(y) of the (2)H(p-->,pd) reaction as a function of incident beam energy at energies of 120, 135, 150, and 170 MeV. For all these measurements, a range of theta(c.m.) from 30 degrees to 170 degrees has been covered. The purpose of these investigations is to observe possible spin-dependent effects beyond two-nucleon forces. When compared to the predictions of Faddeev calculations, based on two-nucleon forces only, significant deviations are observed at all energies and at center-of-mass angles between 70 degrees and 130 degrees. The addition of present-day three-nucleon forces does not improve the description of the data, demonstrating the still insufficient understanding of the properties of three-nucleon systems.

New vector analyzing-power data on p-->+d elastic scattering at E(p) = 150 and 190 MeV have been measured. These are presented together with existing data and with recent d-->+p vector and tensor analyzing power data at E(d) = 270 MeV. The strong negative extremum of both vector analyzing powers A(p)(y) and A(d)(y) at straight theta(c.m.) approximately 80 degrees -120 degrees is underestimated by Faddeev calculations using modern NN forces. Inclusion of the Tucson-Melbourne 3N force shifts the minima upwards, but with conflicting results for A(p)(y), and leading to a good description for A(d)(y). An A(p)(y) puzzle, previously thought to exist at energies E(N)

The measurement of exclusive deuteron-proton breakup for kinematics covering a large fraction of the available phase space has been performed using 130 MeV deuteron beam. High precision fivefold cross section data in 38 kinematical configurations have been compared to predictions of modern nuclear forces. To this aim the three-nucleon ͑3N͒ Faddeev equations have been solved rigorously using the nucleon-nucleon (NN) potentials AV18, charge-dependent Bonn, Nijm I, and Nijm II alone, and combining them with the 2-exchange Tucson-Melbourne three-nucleon force (TM 3NF) and with its modified version TM99, more consistent with chiral symmetry. The AV18 potential was also combined with the Urbana IX 3NF. Global comparison of the measured cross sections to pairwise NN force predictions only and with 3NF's included clearly reveals the presence of 3NF effects. Our study demonstrates the usefulness of the kinematically complete breakup reaction studied in the full phase space to search for 3NF effects.