Radiative capture reactions in light nuclei

Abstract

The experimental investigations to be described in this thesis are concerned with the class of nuclear reactions in which electromagnetic radiation is emitted subsequent to the capture of a bombarding proton by a light nucleus (A<32). Radiative proton capture reactions form a useful method of studying the spectroscopy of nuclear levels and permit the examination of nuclear structure over a wide range of excitation energies. In the past, however,m this approach has not been pursued to the same extent as other methods of nuclear spectroscopy such as the study of beta decay or reactions involving the emission of heavy particles. This has been mainly because of technical difficulties in the detection of y-rays. (First paragraph of Introduction.)