Beta-delayed particle decay of Ne-17

The beta-delayed particle decay of Ne-17 has been studied via proton-gamma coincidences, time-of-flight measurements and the "ratio-cut technique", allowing cleanly-separated proton and alpha-particle spectra to be obtained. A complete set of proton and branching ratios for the decay of 14 excited states in F-17 to the ground and excited states of O-16 and N-13 has been determined and branching ratios for the beta decay of Ne-17 to these states have been deduced. From the branching ratios, f(A)t values and reduced Gamow-Teller matrix elements were calculated; no indication of isospin mixing in the isobaric analog state in F-17 was observed. From the measurement of proton-gamma angular correlations, combined with the selection rules for an allowed,6 decay, we obtain J(pi) for states at 8.436 and 9.450 MeV and 3(-)/2 for the state at 10.030 MeV in F-17. Probabilities for the beta-delayed palpha decay to C-12 through the tails of the subthreshold 7.117 and 6.917 MeV states in O-16 have been calculated and the feasibility of using such decays to provide information about the rates for the El and E2 components of the C-12(alpha, gamma)O-16 reaction is discussed. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B. V.