Nuclear Structure and Reactions: Theory and Experiment
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Surrey
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
Nuclear physics research is undergoing a transformation. For 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. Now, building on steady progress over the past 20 years, it is at last becoming possible to generate intense beams of a wide range of short-lived isotopes, so-called 'radioactive beams'. This enables us vastly to expand the scope of experimental nuclear research. For example, it is now realistic to plan 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 our experimental research is our strong participation at leading European radioactive-beam facilities: FAIR at GSI, Darmstadt, Germany; SPIRAL at GANIL, Caen, France; and ISOLDE at CERN, Geneva, Switzerland. While we are now contributing, or planning to contribute, to substantial technical developments at these facilities, the present grant request is focused on the exploitation of the capabilities that are now becoming available. To achieve our physics objectives, we also need to use other 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. A key and unique feature (within the UK) of our group is our blend of theoretical and experimental capability. Our science goals are aligned with current STFC strategy for nuclear physics, as expressed in detail through the Nuclear Physics Advisory Panel. 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 our 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. It is features such as these that determine how stars explode. So, we need a more sophisticated understanding of the nuclear force, and we need experimental information about nuclei with unusual combinations of neutrons and protons to test our theoretical ideas and models. Therefore, theory and experiment go hand-in-hand as we push forward towards the nuclear limits. An overview of nuclear binding reveals that about one half of predicted nuclei have never been observed, and the vast majority of this unknown territory involves nuclei with an excess of neutrons. The focus of our activity addresses this 'neutron-rich' territory, exploiting the new capabilities with radioactive beams. Our principal motivation is the basic science, and we contribute strongly to the world sum of knowledge and understanding. Nevertheless, there are more-tangible benefits. For example, our radiation-detector advances can 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 industry, 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
Caballero-Folch R
(2014)
ß-decay and ß-delayed Neutron Emission Measurements at GSI-FRS Beyond N = 126 , for r-process Nucleosynthesis
in Nuclear Data Sheets
Caballero-Folch R
(2016)
First Measurement of Several ß-Delayed Neutron Emitting Isotopes Beyond N=126.
in Physical review letters
Caesar C
(2013)
Beyond the neutron drip line: The unbound oxygen isotopes 25 O and 26 O
in Physical Review C
Calinescu S
(2014)
Study of the Neutron-rich Isotope $^{46}$Ar Through Intermediate Energy Coulomb Excitation
in Acta Physica Polonica B
Capel P
(2013)
The ratio method: A new tool to study one-neutron halo nuclei
in Physical Review C
Capel P
(2014)
The ratio method: a new way to look at halo nuclei
in EPJ Web of Conferences
Carbone A
(2014)
Correlated density-dependent chiral forces for infinite-matter calculations within the Green's function approach
in Physical Review C
Carbone A
(2014)
Tensor force effects and high-momentum components in the nuclear symmetry energy
in The European Physical Journal A
Carbone A
(2013)
Self-consistent Green's functions formalism with three-body interactions
in Physical Review C
Carbone A
(2013)
Symmetric nuclear matter with chiral three-nucleon forces in the self-consistent Green's functions approach
in Physical Review C
Catford W
(2015)
Structure of $^{26}$Na via a Novel Technique Using ($d,p\gamma $) with a Radioactive $^{25}$Na Beam
in Acta Physica Polonica B
Cerizza G
(2016)
Structure of Sn 107 studied through single-neutron knockout reactions
in Physical Review C
Chakraborty S
(2014)
Ground-state configuration of neutron-rich Aluminum isotopes through Coulomb Breakup
in EPJ Web of Conferences
Chen F
(2012)
Residual interactions and the K -mixing-induced fast decay of the three-quasiparticle isomer in 171 Tm
in Physical Review C
Chen F
(2013)
Mixing effects on K -forbidden transition rates from the 6 + isomers in the N = 104 isotones
in Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics
Chen L
(2012)
New results on mass measurements of stored neutron-rich nuclides in the element range from Pt to U with the FRS-ESR facility at
in Nuclear Physics A
Chen L
(2013)
Direct observation of long-lived isomers in 212Bi.
in Physical review letters
Cieplicka N
(2014)
Angular Distributions of $\gamma $ Rays from $^{210}$Bi Produced in $^{208}$Pb+$^{208}$Pb Deep-inelastic Reactions
in Acta Physica Polonica B
Cipollone A
(2013)
Isotopic chains around oxygen from evolved chiral two- and three-nucleon interactions.
in Physical review letters
Cipollone A
(2015)
Chiral three-nucleon forces and the evolution of correlations along the oxygen isotopic chain
in Physical Review C
Cocolios T
(2013)
The Collinear Resonance Ionization Spectroscopy (CRIS) experimental setup at CERN-ISOLDE
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms
Collins SM
(2015)
Direct measurement of the half-life of (223)Ra.
in Applied radiation and isotopes : including data, instrumentation and methods for use in agriculture, industry and medicine
Collins SM
(2015)
The half-life of ²²7Th by direct and indirect measurements.
in Applied radiation and isotopes : including data, instrumentation and methods for use in agriculture, industry and medicine
Collins SM
(2015)
Precise measurements of the absolute ?-ray emission probabilities of (223)Ra and decay progeny in equilibrium.
in Applied radiation and isotopes : including data, instrumentation and methods for use in agriculture, industry and medicine
Collins SM
(2018)
Investigation of ?-? coincidence counting using the National Nuclear Array (NANA) as a primary standard.
in Applied radiation and isotopes : including data, instrumentation and methods for use in agriculture, industry and medicine
Colomer F
(2016)
Extension of the ratio method to low energy
in Physical Review C
Crawford H
(2014)
Shell and shape evolution at N = 28 : The Mg 40 ground state
in Physical Review C
Crawford H
(2017)
Unexpected distribution of ? 1 f 7 / 2 strength in Ca 49
in Physical Review C
Cunningham E
(2013)
Effect of spin-spin interactions on nucleon-nucleus scattering
in Physical Review C
Cáceres L
(2012)
In-beam spectroscopic studies of the 44 S nucleus
in Physical Review C
Cáceres L
(2015)
Nuclear structure studies of F 24
in Physical Review C
Daniel T
(2017)
? -ray spectroscopy of low-lying excited states and shape competition in Os 194
in Physical Review C
Datta U
(2016)
Direct experimental evidence for a multiparticle-hole ground state configuration of deformed Mg 33
in Physical Review C
Davies PJ
(2013)
Mirror energy differences at large isospin studied through direct two-nucleon knockout.
in Physical review letters
De Roubin A
(2017)
Nuclear deformation in the A ˜ 100 region: Comparison between new masses and mean-field predictions
in Physical Review C
Debenham D
(2016)
Spectroscopy of Kr 70 and isospin symmetry in the T = 1 f p g shell nuclei
in Physical Review C
Denis Bacelar A
(2013)
The population of metastable states as a probe of relativistic-energy fragmentation reactions
in Physics Letters B
Ding D
(2016)
Pairing in high-density neutron matter including short- and long-range correlations
in Physical Review C
Dracoulis GD
(2016)
Review of metastable states in heavy nuclei.
in Reports on progress in physics. Physical Society (Great Britain)
Dutra M
(2012)
Skyrme interaction and nuclear matter constraints
in Physical Review C
Fernández-Domínguez B
(2015)
Spectroscopic study of the exotic nucleus P 25
in Physical Review C
Flavigny F
(2013)
Limited asymmetry dependence of correlations from single nucleon transfer.
in Physical review letters
Fracasso S
(2012)
Unrestricted Skyrme-tensor time-dependent Hartree-Fock model and its application to the nuclear response from spherical to triaxial nuclei
in Physical Review C
Freer M
(2012)
Resonances in 11 C observed in the 4 He( 7 Be , a ) 7 Be and 4 He( 7 Be , p ) 10 B reactions
in Physical Review C
Fujita Y
(2016)
The $T_{z} = \pm 1 \to 0$ and $\pm 2 \to \pm 1$ Mirror Gamow--Teller Transitions in $pf$-shell Nuclei
in Acta Physica Polonica B
Gade A
(2016)
Single-particle structure at N = 29 : The structure of Ar 47 and first spectroscopy of S 45
in Physical Review C
Gade A
(2016)
One-neutron pickup into Ca 49 : Bound neutron g 9 / 2 spectroscopic strength at N = 29
in Physical Review C
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. |