Measurements of Gamma Rays from $^7Be$ Inelastic Scattering

Ab-initio methods have been successful in describing the structure of light nuclei using realistic nucleon-nucleon interactions, but more experimental data is needed in the light unstable nuclei region. No-core configuration interaction calculations have made predictions for the M1 and a lower limit for the E2 electromagnetic transition strengths of the decay of the first excited state of $^7Be$ where the latter has never before been measured. To measure the E2 transition strength, a Coulomb Excitation experiment was performed using TwinSol at the University of Notre Dame. A beam of $^7Be$ ions were scattered off a gold target, and gamma rays from inelastically scattered ions were detected using clover Ge detectors. Preliminary results for the E2 transition strength and its comparison to the no-core configuration interaction approach will be shown. Extensions of this experimental method to other light unstable nuclei will be discussed.