RUI - Research with Undergraduates on Rare-Earth Nuclei

可见宇宙在很大程度上由由中子和质子组成的原子核组成，这些原子核由各种形状的中子和质子组成，这些原子核是通过燃烧恒星甚至爆炸天文事件而产生的。原子核及其构型是由物质的基本核性质决定的，确定这些性质可以更好地理解已知和即将知道的原子核是如何存在的。研究原子核性质的一种方法是对核系统进行激发和去激发。该奖项支持的研究将集中在分析变形原子核中量子态的寿命，以更好地了解原子核集体相互作用的方式。更具体地说，这些实验将使用撞击到原子核上的中子束来激发它，然后检测散射的中子和原子核去激发时释放出的能量。该项目还将通过积极邀请本科生参与威斯康星大学拉克罗斯分校(UWL)的研究，为培养下一代科学家做出贡献。变形原子核中K^{pi}=0带的低激发性质仍然是该领域的谜团。该项目致力于利用(n，n‘-伽马)反应在形变原子核中寻找振动激发。威斯康星大学拉克罗斯核科学小组还将在本学年在当地的一个小型实验室进行探测器开发。结果将通过出版物和国际和平研究所和本科生研究人员的会议报告广泛传播。

The visible universe is heavily composed of nuclei made up of neutrons and protons in a wide range of configurations born through the burning of stars and even explosive astronomical events. The nuclei and their configurations are determined by the underlying nuclear properties of matter, and determining those properties allows better understanding of how the known and soon to be known nuclei came to exist. One way to study the properties of nuclei is by exciting and de-exciting the nuclear system. This award supports research that will focus on analyzing the lifetimes of the quantum states in deformed nuclei to better understand the way nuclei interact collectively. More specifically, the experiments will use beams of neutrons that impinge on a nucleus to excite it, and then detect the scattered neutron and the energy that is given off when the nucleus de-excites. This project will also contribute to training the next generation of scientists by actively engaging undergraduate students in research at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse (UWL).The nature of low-lying excitations, K^{pi} = 0+ bands in deformed nuclei remain enigmatic in the field. This project focuses on the search for vibrational excitations in deformed nuclei, using the (n,n' gamma) reaction. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Nuclear Science Group will also conduct detector development during the academic year in a small local laboratory. The results will be broadly disseminated through publications and conference presentations by the PI and undergraduate researchers.