Calculation for the excitation functions of the 93Nb(p, n)93Mom, 93Nb(p, αn)89Zr, and 93Nb(p, np plus pn)92Nbm reactions

Statistical model calculation has been carried out for the excitation functions of the Nb-93(p, n)Mo-93(m), Nb-93(p, alpha n)Zr-89, and Nb-93(p, np + pn)Nb-92(m) reactions up to a 20-MeV proton energy range using global reaction parameters. The results are compared and discussed with reported measurements. The calculation for the excitation function of the Nb-93(p, n)Mo-93(m) reaction can only match the measured magnitudes of cross sections if we postulate the existence of two energy levels with spin-parity values of 19/2(+) and 17/2(-) lying immediately above the 2.425 MeV (21/2(+)) isomeric state. The existence of the hypothetical levels has been discussed in the light of reported shell-model calculations.