Nuclear Physics Consolidated Grant 21-24 - University of York
Lead Research Organisation:
University of York
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
The York Nuclear Physics Group is firmly positioned as one of the leading groups worldwide having recently expanded to a full complement of 14 academics with broad and connected research programmes encompassing hadron physics, nuclear structure, nuclear astrophysics, nuclear theory and applications-focussed work. Nuclear physics is one of the principal areas of research in the Department of Physics at York, where the group represents about 25% of the academic staff, and enjoys the strong support of the Department and the University in its continued development. The group carries out research in theoretical nuclear physics, as well as experimental nuclear physics which it conducts at leading facilities in Europe, North America and Japan. This consolidated grant will support the group's activities in the period 2021-2024.
To explain the context of our research, we have to describe the system we are working on - the atomic nucleus. The atoms forming our visible universe each contain an atomic nucleus, comprised of light (up, down) quarks which manifest as the familiar three-quark groupings of protons and neutrons (together known as nucleons) in a many-body quantum mechanical system. There are many open questions regarding how these nucleons arrange themselves in the nucleus: What happens when the nucleons overlap in violent collisions? Are the strong forces between nucleons the same for different combinations (pn and pp)? What is the role of three-nucleon forces? Do heavy nuclei have a "neutron skin"? These are all topics that our research will address through theoretical developments and an ambitious experimental programme at a wide range of facilities worldwide.
The range of nuclei we observe today, from light to heavy elements, was created by nuclear reactions within stars and by the violent collisions of dense stellar objects such as neutron stars. Our research addresses fundamental gaps in our knowledge of the nuclear reactions forming these nuclei in stars by reproducing these reactions here on earth, in the laboratory. We are also probing the underlying nuclear science of neutron stars. There is a lot to learn about neutron stars, it is not even established what is inside! Our group will lead investigations into the exciting possibility that a new form of matter, a hexaquark containing six quarks, could play a pivotal role.
At even smaller distance scales, we will also challenge the question of where the mass of the nucleus comes from. We know this arises from the masses of the constituent protons and neutrons. However only ~2% of this comes from the mass of the three quarks making up the nucleon. Exploring this murky quantum world through experiments at world-leading facilities will cast more light on the origins of mass.
To explain the context of our research, we have to describe the system we are working on - the atomic nucleus. The atoms forming our visible universe each contain an atomic nucleus, comprised of light (up, down) quarks which manifest as the familiar three-quark groupings of protons and neutrons (together known as nucleons) in a many-body quantum mechanical system. There are many open questions regarding how these nucleons arrange themselves in the nucleus: What happens when the nucleons overlap in violent collisions? Are the strong forces between nucleons the same for different combinations (pn and pp)? What is the role of three-nucleon forces? Do heavy nuclei have a "neutron skin"? These are all topics that our research will address through theoretical developments and an ambitious experimental programme at a wide range of facilities worldwide.
The range of nuclei we observe today, from light to heavy elements, was created by nuclear reactions within stars and by the violent collisions of dense stellar objects such as neutron stars. Our research addresses fundamental gaps in our knowledge of the nuclear reactions forming these nuclei in stars by reproducing these reactions here on earth, in the laboratory. We are also probing the underlying nuclear science of neutron stars. There is a lot to learn about neutron stars, it is not even established what is inside! Our group will lead investigations into the exciting possibility that a new form of matter, a hexaquark containing six quarks, could play a pivotal role.
At even smaller distance scales, we will also challenge the question of where the mass of the nucleus comes from. We know this arises from the masses of the constituent protons and neutrons. However only ~2% of this comes from the mass of the three quarks making up the nucleon. Exploring this murky quantum world through experiments at world-leading facilities will cast more light on the origins of mass.
Planned Impact
Our nuclear physics group has a strong record in generating impact in two main areas: developing detectors for societal applications and in public engagement. This is explained more fully in the Pathways to Impact document forming part of this grant application. We expect our impact to grow strongly under the next consolidated grant. The areas we can generate impact are broad and wide-ranging:
- For homeland security, we have developed a hand-held gamma-ray detector which our industrial partner, Kromek, transformed into a wearable device called the D3S. This has been an extremely important produce for Kromek and received an order for 10,000 units from the US government. We continue to develop and improve the underlying technology.
- In medical imaging, we have developed a new (patented) approach to PET imaging, which we call quantum-entangled PET imaging (or QET). This has the potential to revolutionise PET imaging in the future and to make it easier and more affordable. We are working (under a GCRF project) with two historically-disadvantaged universities in South Africa to investigate how this could be realised to the benefit of people in developing countries.
- For nuclear decommissioning, we developed a pipeline inspection probe based on flexible silicon detector technology which we have patented and are exploiting with relevant industry.
- We work on a whole range of other application areas focussing on our key skills in radiation detection in areas including: borehole logging, mining, PET isotope production and PET isotope assay.
- In public engagement, we have achieved strong recognition for our "Binding blocks" project which engages with schoolchildren and the general public, to build a Table of the Isotopes to scale out of lego bricks. This has reached large numbers of KS5 pupils already with great success and in the next consolidated grant, we have a well-developed plan to translate this impact to the earlier KS3 and KS4.
- For homeland security, we have developed a hand-held gamma-ray detector which our industrial partner, Kromek, transformed into a wearable device called the D3S. This has been an extremely important produce for Kromek and received an order for 10,000 units from the US government. We continue to develop and improve the underlying technology.
- In medical imaging, we have developed a new (patented) approach to PET imaging, which we call quantum-entangled PET imaging (or QET). This has the potential to revolutionise PET imaging in the future and to make it easier and more affordable. We are working (under a GCRF project) with two historically-disadvantaged universities in South Africa to investigate how this could be realised to the benefit of people in developing countries.
- For nuclear decommissioning, we developed a pipeline inspection probe based on flexible silicon detector technology which we have patented and are exploiting with relevant industry.
- We work on a whole range of other application areas focussing on our key skills in radiation detection in areas including: borehole logging, mining, PET isotope production and PET isotope assay.
- In public engagement, we have achieved strong recognition for our "Binding blocks" project which engages with schoolchildren and the general public, to build a Table of the Isotopes to scale out of lego bricks. This has reached large numbers of KS5 pupils already with great success and in the next consolidated grant, we have a well-developed plan to translate this impact to the earlier KS3 and KS4.
Organisations
- University of York (Lead Research Organisation)
- Brookhaven National Laboratory (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW (Collaboration)
- University of Basel (Collaboration)
- IPN Orsay - Nuclear structure (Collaboration)
- National Institute for Nuclear Physics (Collaboration)
- JLab (Collaboration)
- Ruhr University Bochum (Collaboration)
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) (Collaboration)
- University of Bonn (Collaboration)
- Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz (Collaboration)
- Khon Kaen University (Collaboration)
Publications
Korover I
(2023)
Observation of large missing-momentum ( e , e ' p ) cross-section scaling and the onset of correlated-pair dominance in nuclei
in Physical Review C
Paul S
(2023)
Alignment of the CLAS12 central hybrid tracker with a Kalman Filter
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Bonnard J
(2023)
Nuclear DFT electromagnetic moments in heavy deformed open-shell odd nuclei
in Physics Letters B
Chakraborty S
(2023)
Performance study of novel micro-Resistive WELL (µ-RWELL) detector in different gas mixtures
in Journal of Instrumentation
Bock F
(2023)
Design and simulated performance of calorimetry systems for the ECCE detector at the electron ion collider
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Bashkanov M
(2023)
On Sequential Single-Pion Production in Double-Pionic Fusion
Wimmer K
(2023)
Isospin symmetry in the $T = 1, A = 62$ triplet
Bashkanov M
(2023)
First measurement of polarisation transfer C x ' n in deuteron photodisintegration
in Physics Letters B
Diehl S
(2023)
First Measurement of Hard Exclusive p^{-}?^{++} Electroproduction Beam-Spin Asymmetries off the Proton.
in Physical review letters
Pereira-López X
(2023)
In-beam $$\gamma $$-ray spectroscopy of $$^{94}$$Ag
in The European Physical Journal A
Bashkanov M
(2023)
Neutron polarisation transfer, C x ' , in p+ photoproduction off the proton, d ( ? ? , n ? p + ) n s p e c
in Physics Letters B
Briscoe A
(2023)
Decay spectroscopy at the two-proton drip line: Radioactivity of the new nuclides 160Os and 156W
in Physics Letters B
Bentley M
(2023)
Agata: in-beam spectroscopy with relativistic beams
in The European Physical Journal A
Kim C
(2023)
Measurement of the helicity asymmetry $${\mathbb {E}}$$ for the $$\vec {\gamma }\vec {p} \rightarrow p \pi ^0$$ reaction in the resonance region The CLAS Collaboration
in The European Physical Journal A
Cubiss J
(2023)
Deformation versus Sphericity in the Ground States of the Lightest Gold Isotopes
in Physical Review Letters
Tian Y
(2023)
Exclusive p - electroproduction off the neutron in deuterium in the resonance region
in Physical Review C
Van Hulse C
(2023)
Evaluation of longitudinal double-spin asymmetry measurements in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering from the proton for the ECCE detector design
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Bylinkin A
(2023)
Detector requirements and simulation results for the EIC exclusive, diffractive and tagging physics program using the ECCE detector concept
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Nies L
(2023)
Isomeric Excitation Energy for ^{99}In^{m} from Mass Spectrometry Reveals Constant Trend Next to Doubly Magic ^{100}Sn.
in Physical review letters
Li X
(2023)
Exclusive J/ ? detection and physics with ECCE
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Chetry T
(2023)
First Measurement of ? Electroproduction off Nuclei in the Current and Target Fragmentation Regions
in Physical Review Letters
Kim A
(2024)
Beam spin asymmetry measurements of deeply virtual p0 production with CLAS12
in Physics Letters B
Celi M
(2024)
Destabilization of high-mass neutron stars by the emergence of d * -hexaquarks
in Physical Review D
De Groote R
(2024)
Measurements of binding energies and electromagnetic moments of silver isotopes - A complementary benchmark of density functional theory
in Physics Letters B
Bashkanov M
(2024)
Dibaryons and where to find them
in Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics
Description | Elucidating Neutron Star Composition From Cutting-edge Hadron Physics (International Exchanges With Khon Kaen Thailand) |
Amount | £46,383 (GBP) |
Funding ID | IES\R3\203149 |
Organisation | The Royal Society |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2021 |
End | 02/2023 |
Description | Elucidating the fundamental nature of hadrons with Particle Identification Detector |
Amount | £35,394 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/W005433/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2022 |
End | 03/2022 |
Description | A2 collaboration (Crystal Ball, Mainz[Germany]) |
Organisation | Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1) Analysis of the data 2) Detector maintenance and running (shift) 3) Construction of new detector components (Start construction of new polarymeter and particle identification detector as proposed in grant application) |
Collaborator Contribution | Detector maintenance, calibration, accelerator maintenance, target maintenance |
Impact | 1) New insight into nuclear and particle physics. 2) High quality polarisation measurements 3) Baryon spectroscopy |
Description | A2 collaboration (Crystal Ball, Mainz[Germany]) |
Organisation | National Institute for Nuclear Physics |
Department | National Institute for Nuclear Physics - Pavia |
Country | Italy |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1) Analysis of the data 2) Detector maintenance and running (shift) 3) Construction of new detector components (Start construction of new polarymeter and particle identification detector as proposed in grant application) |
Collaborator Contribution | Detector maintenance, calibration, accelerator maintenance, target maintenance |
Impact | 1) New insight into nuclear and particle physics. 2) High quality polarisation measurements 3) Baryon spectroscopy |
Description | A2 collaboration (Crystal Ball, Mainz[Germany]) |
Organisation | Ruhr University Bochum |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1) Analysis of the data 2) Detector maintenance and running (shift) 3) Construction of new detector components (Start construction of new polarymeter and particle identification detector as proposed in grant application) |
Collaborator Contribution | Detector maintenance, calibration, accelerator maintenance, target maintenance |
Impact | 1) New insight into nuclear and particle physics. 2) High quality polarisation measurements 3) Baryon spectroscopy |
Description | A2 collaboration (Crystal Ball, Mainz[Germany]) |
Organisation | University of Basel |
Country | Switzerland |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1) Analysis of the data 2) Detector maintenance and running (shift) 3) Construction of new detector components (Start construction of new polarymeter and particle identification detector as proposed in grant application) |
Collaborator Contribution | Detector maintenance, calibration, accelerator maintenance, target maintenance |
Impact | 1) New insight into nuclear and particle physics. 2) High quality polarisation measurements 3) Baryon spectroscopy |
Description | A2 collaboration (Crystal Ball, Mainz[Germany]) |
Organisation | University of Bonn |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1) Analysis of the data 2) Detector maintenance and running (shift) 3) Construction of new detector components (Start construction of new polarymeter and particle identification detector as proposed in grant application) |
Collaborator Contribution | Detector maintenance, calibration, accelerator maintenance, target maintenance |
Impact | 1) New insight into nuclear and particle physics. 2) High quality polarisation measurements 3) Baryon spectroscopy |
Description | A2 collaboration (Crystal Ball, Mainz[Germany]) |
Organisation | University of Glasgow |
Department | Physics and Astronomy Department |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1) Analysis of the data 2) Detector maintenance and running (shift) 3) Construction of new detector components (Start construction of new polarymeter and particle identification detector as proposed in grant application) |
Collaborator Contribution | Detector maintenance, calibration, accelerator maintenance, target maintenance |
Impact | 1) New insight into nuclear and particle physics. 2) High quality polarisation measurements 3) Baryon spectroscopy |
Description | DRAGON |
Organisation | Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) |
Department | TRIUMF Isotope Separator and Accelerator (ISAC) |
Country | Canada |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Contributed manpower and experimental proposals. |
Collaborator Contribution | Running of the DRAGON recoil separator and manpower for experiments. |
Impact | All publications in portfolio involving experimental measurements at the DRAGON recoil separator |
Description | EIC UG |
Organisation | Brookhaven National Laboratory |
Department | RIKEN-BNL Research Center |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Simulations and design of the future EIC collider |
Collaborator Contribution | New detector simulations, polarised detector development, polarimeter studies |
Impact | new development of polarised detectors |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Elucidating Neutron Star Composition From Cutting-edge Hadron Physics (International Exchanges With Khon Kaen Thailand) |
Organisation | Khon Kaen University |
Country | Thailand |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Project 1417720: Elucidating Neutron Star Composition From Cutting-edge Hadron Physics (International Exchanges With Khon Kaen Thailand) new collaboration to implant our data on dibaryons into theoretical description of hexaquarks with subsequent use of them in a neutron star EOS studies. |
Collaborator Contribution | Providing experimental data and guiding theoretical calculations |
Impact | grant Project 1417720: Elucidating Neutron Star Composition From Cutting-edge Hadron Physics (International Exchanges With Khon Kaen Thailand) from Royal society. Publication is on its way |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Hall-B (Clas, Clas-12, [JLab, USA]) |
Organisation | JLab |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | 1) Data analysis 2) Simulations 3) Construction of new detector components |
Collaborator Contribution | 1) Data analysis 2) Simulations 3) Construction of new detector components |
Impact | 1) New spectroscopy data 2) Baryon and meson spectroscopy 3) high-energy photon beams |
Description | Orsay Split-pole |
Organisation | IPN Orsay - Nuclear structure |
Country | France |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Silicon detectors, data acquisition, manpower |
Collaborator Contribution | Experimental equipment, access to beam time and technical support, manpower |
Impact | Publications. |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | Musical performance based on the excitation spectrum of the nucleon at Herschel bicentennial event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Around 70 people attended a concert as part of the Herschel bi-centennial event in York. Collaborated with Music department to create music using a scale based on the excitation spectrum of the nucleon "Naomi Perera: Hydrogen for solo flute and drone" |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://yorkfestivalofideas.com/2022/calendar/william-herschel/ |