Japan STA Fellowship: Measurement of Beta-Decay Rates of r-Process and Other Exotic Neutron-Rich Nuclei

0101488法米亚诺该奖项支持俄亥俄州立大学迈克尔·法米亚诺获得为期两年的科技署(STA)博士后奖学金。他将在日本崎玉的理化学研究所(RIKEN)与谷形伊索教授一起进行研究。法米亚诺博士将研究r过程和其他奇异的丰中子核的β衰减率的测量。这项拟议的工作涉及围绕快速中子捕获过程的实验和理论努力，该过程被认为是恒星和行星中重元素的来源。他将进行复杂的r过程计算，其中他将把他对激发态β衰变的预测插入到最先进的r过程代码中，以观察激发态衰变半衰期对r过程丰度预测的影响。这项研究将解决r过程核合成计算公式中的一个长期存在的问题。然后，这些发现将允许将计算出的速率合并到更复杂的r-过程模型中，并对这些计算进行实验验证。可能会对该领域做出有用的贡献，获奖者接触到新的研究环境将是智力上的刺激。拟议的工作将受益于与日本主办实验室的合作，法米亚诺博士将在那里获得必要的实验系统、设备和专业知识。

0101488FamianoThis award supports a two-year Science and Technology Agency (STA) Postdoctoral Fellowship for Michael Famiano of Ohio State University. He will be undertaking his research with Professor Isao Tanihata at the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN) in Saitama, Japan. Dr. Famiano will be researching the measurement of beta-decay rates of r-process and other exotic neutron-rich nuclei. The proposed work involves both experimental and theoretical efforts surrounding the rapid-neutron capture process, which is believed to be the source of heavy elements in stars and planets. He will be carrying out sophisticated r-process calculations in which he will insert his predictions for excited state beta-decays into a state-of-the-art r-process code to observe the impact of the excited state decay half-lives on the r-process abundance predictions. The research will result in solving a longstanding problem in the formulation of r-process nucleosynthesis calculations. The findings will then allow the incorporation of the calculated rates into more elaborate r-process models, and the experimental verification of these calculations. Useful contributions to the field are likely, and the exposure of the awardee to a new research setting will be intellectually stimulating. The proposed work will benefit through collaboration with the Japanese host laboratory, where Dr. Famiano will have access to the necessary experimental systems, equipment and expertise.