Spectroscopy of Superheavy Nuclei: The SAGE spectrometer
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Liverpool
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
The majority of the mass of the universe is made up of atomic nuclei that lie at the centre of the atom. Nuclei contain positively charged protons and electrically neutral neutrons. The lightest known nucleus is that of hydrogen that contains just one proton but no one yet knows how heavy a nucleus can be; in other words, just how many neutrons and protons can be made to bind together. The aim of this proposal is to address this question by studying the heaviest nuclei that can be made in the laboratory. These nuclei are extremely difficult to create and study. The heaviest man-made elements today (unnamed as yet) have as many as 116 protons, but have been produced in tiny quantities of a few atoms only. Both protons and neutrons are held together by the strong nuclear force but protons are repelled from each other because of their electric charge. The nuclear force has an extremely short range, affecting nearest neighbours only, so that, as more and more protons are added to a nucleus the electrostatic repulsion will eventually become stronger than the nuclear binding forces and the nucleus will become unstable. The neutrons and protons will no longer stick together. This should happen for nuclei beyond uranium, which has 92 protons but the existence of heavier species comes about because of the internal structure within the nuclei. Just as noble gases owe their inert chemical behaviour to a specific arrangement of electrons that has extra stability, so certain 'magic' proton and neutron numbers also enhance nuclear stability. This project is concerned with a detailed study of the underlying mechanisms that yield this extra stability and allow 'superheavy' nuclei to exist. The main focus of this work will be on nuclei around nobelium with 102 protons, approximately halfway between the well-studied nuclei around uranium and the frontier of superheavy elements. Here spectroscopic methods can be used to gain detailed insights into the shape of the nucleus and the b
Publications
Herzberg R
(2011)
Spectroscopy of actinide and transactinide nuclei
in Radiochimica Acta
Herzberg R
(2008)
In-beam and decay spectroscopy of transfermium nuclei
in Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics
Seliverstov M
(2013)
Charge radii of odd-A 191-211Po isotopes
in Physics Letters B
Procter M
(2013)
Proton emission from an oblate nucleus 151Lu
in Physics Letters B
Wady P
(2015)
High-spin states beyond the proton drip-line: Quasiparticle alignments in 113 Cs
in Physics Letters B
Smallcombe J
(2014)
Experimental investigation of the 0 2 + band in Sm 154 as a ß-vibrational band
in Physics Letters B
Ketelhut S
(2009)
Gamma-ray spectroscopy at the limits: first observation of rotational bands in 255Lr.
in Physical review letters
Carroll RJ
(2014)
Blurring the boundaries: decays of multiparticle isomers at the proton drip line.
in Physical review letters
Greenlees PT
(2012)
Shell-structure and pairing interaction in superheavy nuclei: rotational properties of the z=104 nucleus (256)rf.
in Physical review letters
Grodner E
(2014)
Hindered Gamow-Teller decay to the odd-odd N=Z (62)Ga: absence of proton-neutron T=0 condensate in A=62.
in Physical review letters
Description | GREAT collaboration |
Organisation | University of Jyvaskyla |
Department | Department of Physics |
Country | Finland |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Constructed GREAT spectrometer and TDR DAQ system. Spokesperson of many experiments. |
Collaborator Contribution | facility |
Impact | 24 outputs |
Description | TASCA Collaboration |
Organisation | Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung |
Department | Nuclear Physics (Superheavy Elements) |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Parts of the detection system, Manpower, Data Analysis, Monte Carlo Simulation, Intellectual Input |
Collaborator Contribution | Technical Support for Experiment |
Impact | Confirmation of Element 114 and New isotope 277Hs (Duellmann et al, PRL 104 2010 252701) Spectroscopy of 253No (Anderson et al, NIMA622 2010 164) |
Start Year | 2006 |
Description | TASCA Collaboration |
Organisation | Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres |
Department | Helmholtz Institute Mainz |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Parts of the detection system, Manpower, Data Analysis, Monte Carlo Simulation, Intellectual Input |
Collaborator Contribution | Technical Support for Experiment |
Impact | Confirmation of Element 114 and New isotope 277Hs (Duellmann et al, PRL 104 2010 252701) Spectroscopy of 253No (Anderson et al, NIMA622 2010 164) |
Start Year | 2006 |
Description | TASCA Collaboration |
Organisation | Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Parts of the detection system, Manpower, Data Analysis, Monte Carlo Simulation, Intellectual Input |
Collaborator Contribution | Technical Support for Experiment |
Impact | Confirmation of Element 114 and New isotope 277Hs (Duellmann et al, PRL 104 2010 252701) Spectroscopy of 253No (Anderson et al, NIMA622 2010 164) |
Start Year | 2006 |