Nuclear physics news from the Southern Hemisphere
Jeudi 29 mars 2018 11:00
- Duree : 1 heure
Lieu : Seminar Room 7/8 - ILL 1, 71 avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble
Orateur : Luna PELLEGRI (University of the Witwatersrand, 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Braamfontein 2000, Johannesburg, South Africa)
The identification of the r-process nucleosynthesis sites and the specific conditions in which the r process takes place are still among the most longstanding mysteries of nuclear astrophysics. A big piece of the puzzle was added on August 2017 when the first observation of two neutron stars merging was detected (GW170817). The discovery of an electromagnetic counterpart to the gravitational-wave source represents the first opportunity to detect a sample of freshly synthesized r-process elements. This phenomenon represents a remarkable opportunity to make major progresses in multiple fields of physics including nuclear physics. Indeed, if at present one possible site of the rprocess has been identified there are still a lot of uncertainties of the nuclear physics inputs, like the neutron capture cross sections, which must be addressed.
iThemba LABS, South Africa is trying to contribute to this understating with a project to increase the γ-ray detection efficiency currently present in the laboratory. This project will result in the extension of the γ-ray detector array AFRODITE, up to 17 HPGe clover detectors, and in the construction of the African LaBr3:Ce Array, an array of 23 large volume LaBr3:Ce. These arrays can be coupled to the K600 magnetic spectrometer and silicon detector arrays for γ-particle coincidence measurements. This unique setup will allow for a new generation of experiments with a much-increased efficiency for detecting γ decay compared to arrays currently available worldwide.
The scientific research program for the K600+ALBA/AFRODITE project covers experiments from nuclear structure to nuclear astrophysics. Among these the study of the Pygmy Dipole Resonance (PDR), the low energy part of the electric dipole strength, in deformed nuclei is of particular interest.
An overview on the main nuclear physics investigations and on the projects on which iThemba LABS is focused will be given.
Contact : tellier@ill.fr
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