Consolidated nuclear physics grant 2011
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Liverpool
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
The majority of the visible mass of the universe is made up of atomic nuclei that lie at the centre of the atom. Nuclear physics seeks to answer fundamental questions such as: 'What are the limits of nuclear existence, at the proton drip-line and for the heaviest masses?'; 'How do simple patterns emerge in complex nuclei?'; 'Can nuclei be described in terms of our understanding of the underlying fundamental interactions?'; 'What is the equation-of-state of nuclear matter, including compact matter in neutron stars?'; 'How does the ordering of quantum states change in extremely unstable nuclei?; 'Are there new forms of structure and symmetry at the limits of nuclear existence?'. The aim of this research proposal is to try to answer these questions. 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. We will study the heaviest nuclei that can be made in the laboratory and determine their properties which will allow better predictions to be made for the 'superheavies'. For lighter nuclei we will explore in the region of the proton and neutron drip lines, which are the borders between bound and unbound nuclei. We will determine more precisely than ever before the location of these drip lines. Nuclei beyond the proton drip line have so much electrical charge that they are highly unstable and try to achieve greater stability through the process of proton emission. We will investigate how nuclear behaviour is affected when protons become unbound. For these exotic systems we will also explore how the nucleus prefers to rearrange its shape, which can be a sphere, rugby ball, pear, etc. and how it stores its energy among the possible degrees of freedom. We will also investigate how the properties of these nuclei develop as we make them spin faster and faster. We will try to determine the precise nature of ultra high spin states in heavy nuclei, just before the nucleus breaks up due to fission. We will study whether a nucleon looks the same when it is inside the nucleus or when it is in free space. By violently removing the nucleon from the nucleus in a nuclear reaction at high energies and measuring its properties, we can investigate to what extent the nucleon 'feels' the influence of its neighbouring nucleons, whether it is correlated with them. Such information tells us about the nuclear force inside the nucleus at different inter-nucleon distances. Nuclear matter can exist in different phases, analogous to the solid, liquid, gas and plasma phases in ordinary substances. By varying the temperature, density, pressure and isospin asymmetry (the relative number of neutrons and protons in the matter), nuclear matter can undergo a transition from one phase to another. The thermodynamic properties of the matter and its phase transitions can be summarised by the equation of state. By colliding nuclei together at high energies, we will study how nuclear matter behaves as the isospin asymmetry and density vary. Such information is not only important for nuclear physics but also to understand neutron stars and other compact astrophysical objects. This programme of research will employ a large variety of experimental methods to probe many aspects of nuclear structure and the phases of strongly interacting matter, mostly using instrumentation that we have constructed at several world-leading accelerator laboratories. The work will require a series of related experiments at a range of facilities in order for us to gain an insight into the answers to the questions posed above. These experiments will help theorists to refine and test their calculations that have attempted to predict the properties of nuclei and the phases of strongly interacting matter, often with widely differing results. The resolution of this problem will help us to describe complex many-body nuclear systems.
Organisations
- University of Liverpool (Lead Research Organisation)
- Lund University (Collaboration)
- GSI (Collaboration)
- University of Cologne (Collaboration)
- University of Leuven (Collaboration)
- Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung (Collaboration)
- University of Jyväskylä (Collaboration)
- Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres (Collaboration)
- European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) (Collaboration)
- Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz (Collaboration)
- Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (Collaboration)
Publications
Adam J
(2015)
Coherent ? 0 photoproduction in ultra-peripheral Pb-Pb collisions at s N N = 2.76 $$ \sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=2.76 $$ TeV
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Adam J
(2015)
Coherent ?(2S) photo-production in ultra-peripheral Pb Pb collisions at s NN = 2.76 TeV
in Physics Letters B
Grahn T
(2016)
Collective 2+ 1 excitations in 206Po and 208,210Rn
in The European Physical Journal A
Davis-Merry T
(2015)
Collective excitations in the transitional nuclei Re 163 and Re 165
in Physical Review C
Gaffney L
(2015)
Collectivity in the light radon nuclei measured directly via Coulomb excitation
in Physical Review C
Scheck M
(2011)
Combined in-beam electron and ? -ray spectroscopy of Hg 184 , 186
in Physical Review C
Konki J
(2013)
Combined in-beam gamma-ray and conversion electron spectroscopy with radioactive ion beams Simulations of a silicon detector for the SPEDE spectrometer
in EPJ Web of Conferences
Carroll R
(2015)
Competing Decay Modes of a High-spin Isomer in the Proton-unbound Nucleus $^{158}$Ta
in Acta Physica Polonica B
Moon S
(2011)
Compton imaging with AGATA and SmartPET for DESPEC
in Journal of Instrumentation
Marganiec J
(2016)
Coulomb and nuclear excitations of narrow resonances in 17Ne
in Physics Letters B
Description | Evidence for nuclear pear-shapes and relevance to understanding matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe |
Exploitation Route | Used by research groups looking for atomic Electric Dipole Moments, that help to constrain the Standard Model |
Sectors | Other |
URL | http://ns.ph.liv.ac.uk/pab/profile/Outreach.htm |
Description | Public understanding of nuclear pear shapes |
First Year Of Impact | 2013 |
Sector | Other |
Impact Types | Societal |
Description | ALICE Collaboration |
Organisation | European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) |
Department | ALICE Collaboration |
Country | Switzerland |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Data analysis of LHC data from Run1 and Run2 (heavy-flavour physics working group). ITS upgrade project: Monte Carlo simulations, construction of modules and staves for the Outer Barrel. Supervision of UG and PhD student projects. Meetings of ALICE-UK research groups (Univ. of Birmingham, Univ. of Liverpool, STFC Daresbury). Presentations at conferences, meetings and workshops. |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to beam time, data, GRID and other CERN infrastructure and resources, ALICE collaboration international network etc. |
Impact | Publications. Training of UG and PhD students and research staff. Invitations to speak at meetings, workshops, conferences. |
Start Year | 2012 |
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 publications |
Description | MINIBALL collaboration |
Organisation | European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) |
Department | ISOLDE Radioactive Ion Beam Facility |
Country | Switzerland |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Expertise on Coulomb Excitation analysis, spokespersons of 2 active ISOLDE experiments |
Impact | several publications |
Description | MINIBALL collaboration |
Organisation | Lund University |
Department | Department of Physics |
Country | Sweden |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Expertise on Coulomb Excitation analysis, spokespersons of 2 active ISOLDE experiments |
Impact | several publications |
Description | MINIBALL collaboration |
Organisation | University of Cologne |
Department | Department of Physics |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Expertise on Coulomb Excitation analysis, spokespersons of 2 active ISOLDE experiments |
Impact | several publications |
Description | MINIBALL collaboration |
Organisation | University of Leuven |
Department | Department of Physics and Astronomy |
Country | Belgium |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Expertise on Coulomb Excitation analysis, spokespersons of 2 active ISOLDE experiments |
Impact | several publications |
Description | R3B Collaboration (NUSTAR) |
Organisation | Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research |
Department | Nuclear Structure, Astrophysics and Reactions |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Collaborative research/experiments. Leadership in design and construction of detection systems (e.g. Si Tracker and associated EDAQ). Data analysis and monte carlo simulations (supervision of PhD students), scientific input (experimental proposals, authorship of publications...). Manpower (technical and research staff, PhD students) for construction of equipment and running experiments.. Presentations at collaboration meetings, workshops, conferences. |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to research large-scale facility and beam time, technical support, PhD students and research staff, etc. T. Aumann spokesperson of R3B collaboration. |
Impact | Publications. PhD theses (S. Paschalis, J. Taylor). Training of PhD students and research staff. Invitations to speak at meetings, workshops, conferences. Project leadership of Si tracker (NUSTAR-UK project grant). |
Description | R3B Collaboration (NUSTAR) |
Organisation | Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Collaborative research/experiments. Leadership in design and construction of detection systems (e.g. Si Tracker and associated EDAQ). Data analysis and monte carlo simulations (supervision of PhD students), scientific input (experimental proposals, authorship of publications...). Manpower (technical and research staff, PhD students) for construction of equipment and running experiments.. Presentations at collaboration meetings, workshops, conferences. |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to research large-scale facility and beam time, technical support, PhD students and research staff, etc. T. Aumann spokesperson of R3B collaboration. |
Impact | Publications. PhD theses (S. Paschalis, J. Taylor). Training of PhD students and research staff. Invitations to speak at meetings, workshops, conferences. Project leadership of Si tracker (NUSTAR-UK project grant). |
Description | R3B Collaboration (NUSTAR) |
Organisation | Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres |
Department | GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Collaborative research/experiments. Leadership in design and construction of detection systems (e.g. Si Tracker and associated EDAQ). Data analysis and monte carlo simulations (supervision of PhD students), scientific input (experimental proposals, authorship of publications...). Manpower (technical and research staff, PhD students) for construction of equipment and running experiments.. Presentations at collaboration meetings, workshops, conferences. |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to research large-scale facility and beam time, technical support, PhD students and research staff, etc. T. Aumann spokesperson of R3B collaboration. |
Impact | Publications. PhD theses (S. Paschalis, J. Taylor). Training of PhD students and research staff. Invitations to speak at meetings, workshops, conferences. Project leadership of Si tracker (NUSTAR-UK project grant). |
Description | TASCA Collaboration |
Organisation | GSI |
Department | KP |
Country | Ireland |
Sector | Public |
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 | 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 | 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 |
Department | Institute for Nuclear Chemistry |
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 |
Description | BBC Atom |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Scientific Advisor to the BBC "Atom" Series presented by Jim Al-Khalili Greater public awareness of Superheavy Element Research |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008,2013 |
Description | IOP School Grants Scheme |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Type Of Presentation | Workshop Facilitator |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Funding awarded to Frodsham CE Primary school to visit Jodrell Bank Observatory. I was the scientific partner for this grant who initiated the idea, helped formulate the funding request and took part in the visit with year 4 children. Difficult to quantify. Hopefully help broaden the provision of the science curriculum in this primary school and develop taste for physics/astrophysics in young children. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Media Publicity |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | See http://ns.ph.liv.ac.uk/pab/profile/Outreach.htm see http://ns.ph.liv.ac.uk/pab/ExpProgWebPage/Pear-nuclei-press.htm |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Nuclear Physics Master Class |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | About 10-20 six-formers attended practical activities and presentations over a number of days, including discussions in the Q&A part of the presentations. None, it is hoped that the activities raise the awareness of the impact of Nuclear Physics on daily life. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012,2013,2014 |
Description | Nuclear Physics Masterclasses |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Workshop Facilitator |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | About 20 six-formers attend practical activities in the new Canberra Laboratory at the Univ. of Liverpool award-winning CTL facilities and presentations over a number of days, including discussions in the Q&A part of the presentations. I was the academic lead scientist for these masterclasses since 2012. Difficult to quantify. Hopefully help attract students to study Physics at University and develop awareness of Nuclear Physics impact on everyday life. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012,2013,2014 |
Description | Women in Physics Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Invited Talk at Women in Physics (WiP) workshops, organised by the Physics Outreach Group of the University of Liverpool for girls in year 12 of high school, taking AS and/or A2 courses in Physics. Difficult to quantify. Hopefully help attract students to study Physics at University and develop awareness of Nuclear Physics impact on everyday life. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012,2013,2014 |