Nuclear structure and reactions: theory and experiment
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Surrey
Department Name: Nuclear and Radiation Physics
Abstract
Nuclear physics research is at the dawn of a new era. For almost a hundred years, atomic nuclei have been probed by collisions between stable beams and stable targets, with just a small number of radioactive isotopes being available. There has been steady progress over the past 20 years in the development of beams of radioactive isotopes. Now it is becoming possible to generate intense beams of a wide range of short-lived isotopes, so-called 'radioactive beams', and thus vastly to expand the scope of experimental nuclear research. For example, it is becoming possible to study in the laboratory a range of nuclear reactions that take place in exploding stars. Thereby, we will be able to understand how the chemical elements that we find on Earth were formed and distributed through the Universe. At the core of its experimental research, the Surrey group is participating strongly in the development of two European radioactive-beam facilities: FAIR at GSI, Darmstadt, Germany, and SPIRAL at GANIL, Caen, France. While we are contributing to substantial technical developments at these facilities, the present grant request is focused on the exploitation of the capabilities that are already becoming available. To achieve our physics objectives, we also need to use several different facilities, including stable-isotope accelerators, since these can provide complementary capabilities. Experimental progress is intimately linked with theory, where novel and practical approaches are a hallmark of the Surrey group. In the world-wide development of nuclear physics, there is a close connection between theory, experiment, and radiation detection techniques. A key feature of the Surrey group, unique within the UK, is our strength in all three of these areas. Our science goals are aligned with current STFC strategy for nuclear physics. We wish to understand the boundaries of nuclear existence, i.e. the limiting conditions that enable neutrons and protons to bind together to form nuclei. Under such conditions, the nuclear system is in a delicate state and shows unusual phenomena. It is very sensitive to the properties of the nuclear force. For example, weakly bound neutrons can orbit their parent nucleus at remarkably large distances. This is already known, and the Surrey group made key contributions to this knowledge. What is unknown is whether, and to what extent, the neutrons and protons can show different collective behaviours. Also unknown, for most elements, is how many neutrons can bind to a given number of protons. We need a more sophisticated understanding of the nuclear force, and this needs experimental information about these delicate nuclei to test our theoretical ideas and models. We also need better radiation detectors (more sensitive and more efficient) to make best use of the new radioactive beams. Therefore, theory, experiment, and detector developments go hand-in-hand as we push forward towards the nuclear limits. Our principal motivation is the basic science, and we contribute to the world sum of knowledge and understanding. Nevertheless, there are more-tangible benefits. For example, our radiation-detector advances are most likely to be incorporated in medical diagnosis and treatment. In addition, we provide an excellent training environment for our research students and staff, many of whom go on to work in the nuclear power and radiation protection industries, helping to fill the current skills gap. On a more adventurous note, our special interest in nuclear isomers (energy traps) could lead to novel energy applications. Furthermore, we have a keen interest in sharing our specialist knowledge with a wide audience, and we already have an enviable track record with the media.
Organisations
Publications
Al-Dahan N
(2009)
Nuclear structure "southeast" of Pb 208 : Isomeric states in Hg 208 and Tl 209
in Physical Review C
Al-Dahan N.
(2009)
ISOMERIC STATES IN
208Hg AND
209Tl POPULATED IN FRAGMENTATION OF
238U
in ACTA PHYSICA POLONICA B
Al-Sulaiti H
(2010)
A preliminary report on the determination of natural radioactivity levels of the State of Qatar using high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Al-Sulaiti H
(2011)
Determination of the natural radioactivity in Qatarian building materials using high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Al-Sulaiti L
(2010)
Water equivalence of various materials for clinical proton dosimetry by experiment and Monte Carlo simulation
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Algora A
(2011)
Improvements on Decay Heat Summation Calculations by Means of Total Absorption Gamma-ray Spectroscopy Measurements
in Journal of the Korean Physical Society
Algora A
(2010)
Reactor decay heat in 239Pu: solving the ? discrepancy in the 4-3000-s cooling period.
in Physical review letters
Algora A.
(2009)
Practical applications of the total absorption technique
in REVISTA MEXICANA DE FISICA
Alkhomashi N
(2009)
ß - -delayed spectroscopy of neutron-rich tantalum nuclei: Shape evolution in neutron-rich tungsten isotopes
in Physical Review C
Alkhomashi N.
(2009)
beta(-)-DELAYED AND ISOMER SPECTROSCOPY OF NEUTRON-RICH Ta AND W ISOTOPES
in ACTA PHYSICA POLONICA B
Antonov A
(2011)
The electron-ion scattering experiment ELISe at the International Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR)-A conceptual design study
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
ASSIÉ M
(2011)
NEUTRON CORRELATIONS IN 6 He VIEWED THROUGH NUCLEAR BREAK-UP
in Modern Physics Letters A
Assié M
(2009)
Neutron correlations in 6He viewed through nuclear break-up
in The European Physical Journal A
Atanasova L
(2010)
g -factor measurements at RISING: The cases of \chem{ {}^{127}Sn} and \chem{ {}^{128}Sn}
in EPL (Europhysics Letters)
Bacelar A. M. Denis
(2009)
ANGULAR MOMENTUM POPULATION IN FRAGMENTATION REACTIONS
in ACTA PHYSICA POLONICA B
Banu A
(2011)
Structure of 23 Al from the one-proton breakup reaction and astrophysical implications
in Physical Review C
Bazin D
(2009)
Mechanisms in knockout reactions.
in Physical review letters
Beck C
(2009)
Binary reaction decays from Mg 24 + C 12
in Physical Review C
Benzoni G
(2010)
Study of collisions of the radioactive 24Ne beam at 7.9 MeV/u on 208Pb
in The European Physical Journal A
Berant Z
(2009)
g factor of the 2 1 + state of Hf 172
in Physical Review C
Bianco L
(2010)
Discovery of 157W and 161Os
in Physics Letters B
Blank B
(2016)
New neutron-deficient isotopes from Kr 78 fragmentation
in Physical Review C
Boutachkov P
(2011)
High-spin isomers in 96 Ag: Excitations across the Z = 38 and Z = 50 , N = 50 closed shells
in Physical Review C
Briz J
(2015)
Shape study of the N = Z nucleus Kr 72 via ß decay
in Physical Review C
Brock T
(2010)
Observation of a new high-spin isomer in Pd 94
in Physical Review C
Bruce A
(2010)
Shape coexistence and isomeric states in neutron-rich Tc 112 and Tc 113
in Physical Review C
Caballero-Folch R
(2018)
First determination of ß -delayed multiple neutron emission beyond A = 100 through direct neutron measurement: The P 2 n value of Sb 136
in Physical Review C
Caballero-Folch R
(2017)
ß -decay half-lives and ß -delayed neutron emission probabilities for several isotopes of Au, Hg, Tl, Pb, and Bi, beyond N = 126
in Physical Review C
Capel P
(2011)
One-neutron halo structure by the ratio method
in Physics Letters B
Catford W
(2010)
Migration of Nuclear Shell Gaps Studied in the d ( Ne 24 , p ? ) Ne 25 Reaction
in Physical Review Letters
Chen L
(2009)
Schottky mass measurement of the 208Hg isotope: implication for the proton-neutron interaction strength around doubly magic 208Pb.
in Physical review letters
CLÉMENT E
(2012)
EXPERIMENTAL MEASUREMENT OF THE DEFORMATION THROUGH THE ELECTROMAGNETIC PROBE: SHAPE COEXISTENCE IN EXOTIC KR AND SR ISOTOPES
in International Journal of Modern Physics E
Colomer F
(2016)
Extension of the ratio method to low energy
in Physical Review C
Cunningham E
(2013)
Effect of spin-spin interactions on nucleon-nucleus scattering
in Physical Review C
Cáceres L
(2009)
Spherical proton-neutron structure of isomeric states in Cd 128
in Physical Review C
Daugas J
(2010)
Low-lying isomeric levels in Cu 75
in Physical Review C
Deo A
(2010)
Structures of Po 201 and Rn 205 from EC/ ß + -decay studies
in Physical Review C
Diaz-Torres A
(2010)
Modelling incomplete fusion dynamics of weakly bound nuclei at near-barrier energies
in Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics
Diaz-Torres A
(2010)
Absence of decoherence in the complex-potential approach to nuclear scattering
in Physical Review C
Diaz-Torres A
(2010)
Coupled-channels density-matrix approach to low-energy nuclear collision dynamics: A technique for quantifying quantum decoherence effects on reaction observables
in Physical Review C
Diaz-Torres A
(2011)
PLATYPUS: A code for reaction dynamics of weakly-bound nuclei at near-barrier energies within a classical dynamical model
in Computer Physics Communications
Diget C
(2011)
SHARC: Silicon Highly-segmented Array for Reactions and Coulex used in conjunction with the TIGRESS ?-ray spectrometer
in Journal of Instrumentation
DiJulio D
(2011)
Electromagnetic properties of vibrational bands in 170Er
in The European Physical Journal A
Doornenbal P
(2010)
Lifetime effects for high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy at relativistic energies and their implications for the RISING spectrometer
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Fallon P
(2010)
Two-proton knockout from Mg 32 : Intruder amplitudes in Ne 30 and implications for the binding of F 29 , 31
in Physical Review C
Farnea E
(2010)
Conceptual design and Monte Carlo simulations of the AGATA array
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Farrelly G. F.
(2009)
REVISION OF THE K-ISOMER IN
190W
116
in ACTA PHYSICA POLONICA B
Fernández-Domínguez B
(2011)
Emergence of the N = 16 shell gap in O 21
in Physical Review C
Fomichev A. S.
(2010)
THE SUGGESTED NEW FRAGMENT SEPARATOR ACCULINNA-2
in ACTA PHYSICA POLONICA B
| Description | We have advanced the following areas: understanding the limits of the nuclear landscape, especially the neutron-rich limits; understanding and exploiting the reactions needed to reach the limits; studying and understanding novel structures observed on approaching the limits; engaging fully with the international community of nuclear physicists; disseminating results through leading journals and conferences; providing excellent training. |
| Exploitation Route | The main beneficiaries of this work will be the national and international nuclear physics communities. In addition, the expected results on shell structure and isomeric states will also be of significant interest to the nuclear-astrophysics and isomer-application communities. We have an active involvement and information exchange with both these nuclear structure 'user' communities. The isomer work also links closely to the atomic physics community, in particular through the study of highly charged ions stored in rings and traps. Our theoretical methods will be of interest to the condensed-matter community, especially in relation to pairing condensates. The work on detector development has wide potential applications for medical diagnosis and treatment. The research will also provide manpower trained to a high level (PhDs and PDRAs with a deep understanding of radiation physics and sensor technologies) who may subsequently be employed in many different areas, such as national security, the nuclear power industries, environmental monitoring and control, and medical physics. |
| Sectors | Education,Energy,Environment,Healthcare,Security and Diplomacy |
| Description | No specific non-academic impact has yet become material. |
| Description | IKC Funding dependent on several activities including STFC project |
| Amount | £350,901 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Department | Ultraprecision and Structured Surfaces |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2010 |
| End | 01/2012 |
| Title | stitching software |
| Description | A new method of stitching interferometer data together in the presence of substantial lateral and rotational misalignments of the data-sets. This makes the invention uniquely applicable to on-machine metrology. The software can be provided to third parties in complied or encrypted form. |
| IP Reference | |
| Protection | Protection Not Required |
| Year Protection Granted | |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | A stitching solution amenable to use on non-precise positioning systems including polishing machines. Solves two critical metrology issues testing E-ELT segments. |
| Description | AWE |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Type Of Presentation | Workshop Facilitator |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Scientific understanding helps with future planning |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008,2009,2010 |