Investigating Nuclear Structure with Fast Neutrons

肯塔基大学加速器实验室的研究项目集中在核谱学和中子引发的反应方面的及时课题。这项工作的很大一部分是利用几乎单能的快中子，并依赖于我们开发的辐射探测能力。我们的广泛研究包括几个前沿领域的精选研究：与双β衰变和中微子质量有关的核结构，正在经历形状转变的核，集体核激发的衰变，形变的核结构和形状共存，支持基本对称性搜索的核结构贡献。确定飞秒范围内的核能级寿命为许多此类研究提供了至关重要的信息。我们还继续开展特别适合我们实验室现有能力的其他项目，与其他机构的同事合作研究是我们计划的重要组成部分。本科生、研究生和研究生水平的教育仍然是我们实验室所有活动的纽带，毕业生是训练有素的核科学家，能够为满足我们的国家需求做出重要贡献。为学生提供支持性的专业体验是我们计划的一个持续的、至关重要的组成部分，学生们热情地参与其他设施的实验、科学会议和专业协会的活动。在像我们这样的小型加速器实验室进行研究，允许学生亲身体验，这些年轻的科学家每天都会得到指导。多年来，我们实验室的研究设施一直向非授予博士学位的机构的学生和教职员工以及来自其他研究型大学、国家实验室和核相关行业的科学家开放。在我们实验室进行的研究直接有助于解决国家需要的领域，如国土安全和先进核反应堆的设计，并将继续这样做。利用我们的加速器和研究设备的政府和工业合作伙伴的活动很好地代表了这些应用。例如，与业界同事的合作研究改进了基于中子探测的行李检查爆炸物和非法药物的方法，我们实验室获得的数据已被用于评估直接储能设备。在每一种情况下，我们实验室的独特能力都是选择我们的设施进行这项工作的重要考虑因素。

The research program at the University of Kentucky Accelerator Laboratory focuses on timely topics in nuclear spectroscopy and neutron-induced reactions. Much of this work utilizes nearly monoenergetic fast neutrons and is reliant on the radiation detection capabilities we have developed. Our broad-based research includes selected studies in several forefront areas: nuclear structure relevant to double-beta decay and the mass of the neutrino, nuclei undergoing shape transitions, the decays of collective nuclear excitations, deformed nuclear structures and shape coexistence, nuclear structure contributions in support of searches for fundamental symmetries. The determination of nuclear level lifetimes in the femtosecond regime provides crucial information in many of these investigations. Additional projects that are particularly appropriate to the capabilities available in our laboratory are pursued, and collaborative research with colleagues from other institutions is a vital component of our program.Education at the undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate levels continues as the nexus of all activities in our laboratory, and graduates are trained nuclear scientists who are capable of making important contributions in meeting our national needs. Providing a supportive professional experience for students is an ongoing, vital component of our program, and students enthusiastically participate in experiments at other facilities, scientific conferences, and the activities of professional societies. Research at a small accelerator laboratory, such as ours, permits hands-on experience for students, and these young scientists are mentored on a daily basis. For many years, the research facilities of our laboratory have been made available to students and faculty from non-doctoral-granting institutions, as well as scientists from other research universities, national laboratories, and nuclear-related industry. Research performed in our laboratory has contributed directly to addressing areas of national need, such as homeland security and the design of advanced nuclear reactors, and will continue to do so. These applications are well represented by the activities of government and industrial partners who utilize our accelerator and research equipment. For example, collaborative studies with colleagues from industry have led to improved neutron-detection-based methods for the inspection of luggage for explosives and illegal drugs, and data obtained in our laboratory has been used to evaluate direct energy-storage devices. In each case, the unique capabilities of our laboratory were important considerations in the selection of our facility for this work.