RUI: Studies of Unstable Neutron-Rich Nuclei and Interdisciplinary Applications of Nuclear Physics with Undergraduates

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The Hope College Nuclear Group will continue its study of neutron-rich unstable nuclei near the drip-line with the Modular Neutron Array (MoNA) at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) and will continue to apply a variety of nuclear techniques (e.g. Particle Induced X-Ray Emission, Rutherford BackScattering, Nuclear Reaction Analysis, and Ion Beam Induced Luminescence) to a range of interdisciplinary questions with the Hope Ion Beam Analysis Laboratory. This proposal will support two faculty in these efforts, each of which will include undergraduate researchers in all aspects of the research.The Nuclear Group will investigate unstable neutron-rich nuclei to refine the theoretical understanding of the nuclear shell model. This will involve measurements of excited states and ground states of unstable nuclei created at the NSCL and measured with the MoNA-LISA/Sweeper system. The Nuclear Group, as part of the overall program, will supervise the construction of Large-area multi-Institutional Scintillator Array (LISA) by 12 undergraduate institutions in the MoNA Collaboration (MRI:PHY-0922794). The interdisciplinary portion of the proposed research will examine metalloprotein stoichiometry (deposited on mylar foils), forensic characterization of layered automotive paints and automotive glass fragments, and luminescence studies of feldspars and carbonates. On-going analysis of previous experiments and development projects will continue. Interdisciplinary collaborative efforts will also continue with other Hope researchers (electropolymer characterization, superconductor and electrodeposited thin film stoichiometry) and groups outside Hope College (metal contamination in sediments, provenance of river sediment, detector characterization, and aerosol measurements). All of these initiatives are not only important for the specific science result they yield, but for possible far-reaching impact on the analytical techniques used in many areas.