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Esoteric science…

lee-brennan
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Esoteric science…

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  1. University of Surrey Nuclear Physics Research GroupNuclear theory group (2 Professors (Al-Khalili & Tostevin) ; 2 Senior Lecturers (Stevenson & Barbieri), 1 STFC Rutherford fellow (Rios); 1 Senior Research Fellow (Timofeyuk). Reaction and structure theory, including intensive computational, super cluster work. Supported by 1 PDRA.Nuclear experimentalist (Profs. Catford, Podolyak, Regan* & Walker, STFC Rutherford Fellow (Lotay*) all work on nuclear structure & nuclear reaction (astro)physics and instrumentation development. Supported by 2 PDRAs* joint positions within AIR Division at NPL.Fundamental research based on synthesis and structure studies of exotic isotopes and evolution of nuclear structure as function of changing proton and neutron number & parameters such as angular momentum (spin) and binding energy (temperature).Expertise in gamma-ray and charged particle spectroscopy, nuclear data evaluation and interpretation and ‘big data’ co-incidence analysis.Supported mainly via STFC consolidated grant (~£2M recently renewed for 2015-19)

  2. Esoteric science… How were the elements formed ? What do atomic nuclei ‘look like’ ? Make the first identification of new isotopes of elements. Why do this ? It’s really interesting and exciting frontline science. It tries to answer some of the most fundamental questions. It’s challenging and exciting and requires developments of innovative instrumentation and analysis techniques..

  3. Some Physics Questions from the STFC Nuclear Physics Advisory Panel • What are the limits of nuclear existence? • Can atomic nuclei be described in terms of our understanding of the • underlying fundamental interactions? • How does the ordering of quantum states change in unstable nuclei? • Are there new forms of structure at the limits of nuclear existence? • How, and where, were the heavy elements synthesised? • How do nuclear reactions influence the evolution of massive stars, and how do they contribute to observed elemental abundances?

  4. e.g., A=100 Lines of constant A=Z+N are called ‘isobars’. Most energetically stable nuclei in the middle, More exotic, unstable nuclei at the edges…. ‘Nuclei = combinations of protons (Z) and neutrons (N). Chart of the Nuclides = a ‘2-D’ periodic table…… <300 of the (Z,N) combinations are radioactively stable and make up’everyday’ atoms. ~7,000 other combinations are unstable nuclei…..we will try to study these….

  5. Lots of Surrey-led nuclear physics research currently going on..

  6. The RISING array @ GSI (105 germanium detectors) The World’s most powerful gamma-ray microscope for the measurement of new quantum transitions in radioactive nuclei.

  7. A recent example…. Use of the Surrey-led RISING and Si Active Stopper for the first ID and measurements in the heaviest Gold, Lead and Bismuth isotopes. Provides world unique data for precision tests of nuclear structure models & input for explosive nucleosynthesiscalculations. Work at the GSI facility in Darmstadt, Germany. …Part of the NUSTAR (Nuclear Structure, Astrophysics and Reactions) collaboration which is a major part of the future $1B FAIR (Facility For Anti-Proton and Ion Research) Centre due to open in 2019.

  8. The Surrey group also uses gamma-ray spectroscopy expertise developed in fundamental research for measurements of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORMs) in environmental samples to establish baseline radioactivity levels. This is important for nuclear waste monitoring and related to the NPL Radioactivity Group’s work on the production of accurate reference standards for important radionuclides (such as Neptunium-236) to be used in nuclear-fuel waste assay.

  9. Ongoing development of new instruments for radioactivity measurement…..

  10. The Future:FATIMA for DESPEC • FATIMA = FAstTIMingArray = State of the art gamma-ray detection array for precision measurements of nuclear structure in the most exotic and rare nuclei. Part of the ~ £8M STFC NUSTAR project grant (runs 2012-16). • Good energy resolution(better than 3% at 1 MeV). • Good detection efficiency (between than 5% Full-energy peak at 1 MeV). • Excellent timing qualities (approaching 100 picoseconds). • Use to measure lifetimes of excited nuclear states & provide precision tests of theories of nuclear structure, uses a fully-digitised Data Acquisition System. • Collaboration with NPL (Radioactivity group) through NMO project on ‘Nuclear Data’ (Judge, Jerome, Regan et al.,) on parallel development of NPL-based array for use in traceable radioactive standards and traceability to the Bq.

  11. Facility for Anti-Proton and Ion Research (FAIR) $1Bn Pan-European nuclear research centre Under constructed at the current GSI site, (nr Darmstadt, Germany), due in ~2019. Will bring many currently ‘theoretical nuclear species’ into experimental reach for the first time.

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