Superdeformed and Triaxial States in ^{42}Ca

Shape parameters of a weakly deformed ground-state band and highly deformed slightly triaxial sideband in ^{42}Ca were determined from E2 matrix elements measured in the first low-energy Coulomb excitation experiment performed with AGATA. The picture of two coexisting structures is well reproduced by new state-of-the-art large-scale shell model and beyond-mean-field calculations. Experimental evidence for superdeformation of the band built on 0_{2}^{+} has been obtained and the role of triaxiality in the A∼40 mass region is discussed. Furthermore, the potential of Coulomb excitation as a tool to study superdeformation has been demonstrated for the first time.

Measurement of radioactivity levels and assessment of radioactivity hazards of soil samples in Karaman, Turkey

In this study, the levels of the natural and artificial radioactivity in soil samples collected from surrounding of Karaman in Turkey were measured. Activity concentrations of the concerned radionuclides were determined by gamma-ray spectrometry using a high-purity germanium detector with a relative efficiency of 40 % at 1.332 MeV. The results obtained for the (238)U series ((226)Ra, (214)Pb and (214)Bi), (232)Th series ((228)Ac), (40)K and fission product (137)Cs are discussed. To evaluate the radiological hazard of radioactivity in samples, the radium equivalent activity (Raeq), the absorbed dose rate (D), the annual effective dose and the external (Hex) and internal hazard index (Hin) were calculated and presented in comparison with the data collected from different areas in the world and Turkey.