Edinburgh Nuclear Physics Consolidated Grant 2024-27

爱丁堡核物理综合赠款 2024-27

• 批准号: ST/Y000293/1
• 负责人: Marialuisa Aliotta
• 金额: $ 186.07万
• 依托单位: University of Edinburgh
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2024 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ST%2FY000293%2F1
• 关键词: Edinburgh; Nuclear; Physics; Consolidated; Grant

Our research program seeks to answer key open questions on the origin of the elements in stars, the processes responsible for stellar explosions, and the behaviour of nuclei at the limits of existence.The experimental study of astrophysical reactions and nuclear properties requires cutting-edge instrumentation and suitable facilities for stable-, neutron-, and radioactive ion beams, as well as ion traps and decay spectrometers. The Group is uniquely well placed to exploit these capabilities at world-leading laboratories and has a strong track record in developing innovative instrumentation to match the unique requirements of different reaction- and nuclear properties studies. Over the coming grant period we will initiate a program of reaction studies at the LUNA underground facility to investigate the origin of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen isotopes in first-generation stars and to explore alternative neutron sources for the early synthesis of heavy elements. Also at LUNA, we will exploit the recent installation of a new 3.5MV accelerator to investigate open questions on the core metallicity of the Sun, carbon fusion in massive stars, and neutron source reactions for the slow-neutron capture process. At the n_TOF (CERN) neutron beam facility, we will lead a rich program of neutron-induced reaction measurements, for example to explore the origin of radioactive 40K, believed to be responsible for heat generation in rocky exoplanets, elucidate the origin of rare pre-solar stardust grains with peculiar abundances of Si and S isotopes, and study the destruction of the cosmic gamma ray emitter 26Al in massive stars. We plan challenging neutron activation measurements on radioactive samples to help explain abundances of certain metal poor stars, and the origin of nature's rarest isotope 180mTa. Also at CERN, we plan to improve on our previous investigations of 44Ti-destruction to shed light on the final stages of supernovae explosions of massive stars. Storage rings will provide game-changing opportunities to study reactions with radioactive isotopes relevant to explosive astrophysical scenarios, by delivering both increased beam purity and intensities otherwise unavailable anywhere else in the world. At the Experimental Storage Ring at GSI we will explore the origin of some light p-nuclei, whose abundances are consistently underproduced by stellar models of core-collapse and type Ia supernovae. The Group has approved experiments to exploit the recently commissioned Edinburgh-built CARME detection system at the CRYRING storage ring to study key reactions of novae explosions. With beamtime already approved at TRIUMF we will investigate reactions involved in the production of 18F, a main cosmic-ray emitter from novae, and in the break-out from the Hot-CNO cycle in X-ray bursts.The Group has developed state of the art ion traps and radioactive decay detection systems to investigate masses and decay properties of exotic nuclei across wide areas of the nuclear landscape. Over the grant period, we will lead a program of high-precision mass measurements of neutron-rich light nuclei near closed shells as unique testbeds for modern nuclear theories. Further mass measurements of neutron-rich heavy nuclei will provide constraints to explosive nucleosynthesis in the r-process. Such studies will be complemented at RIKEN by decay measurements of nuclei in the rare-earth region by exploiting unique experimental capabilities including the Edinburgh-built AIDA device.Mass measurements near the proton-drip line will shed light on the limits of nuclear binding, while proton and alpha decay studies at Argonne will offer unique insights into the effect of nuclear shape on quantum tunnelling rates. With novel ion trapping devices developed in Edinburgh we will investigate exotic decay modes and radioactive molecules with potential for physics beyond the standard model and medical applications.

我们的研究计划旨在回答关于恒星中元素的起源、导致恒星爆炸的过程以及核在存在极限时的行为的关键悬而未决的问题。天体物理反应和核性质的实验研究需要尖端的仪器和合适的设施，用于稳定、中子和放射性离子束，以及离子陷阱和衰变光谱仪。该集团在利用世界领先实验室的这些能力方面具有得天独厚的优势，并在开发创新仪器以满足不同反应和核性质研究的独特要求方面拥有良好的记录。在即将到来的赠款期间，我们将在露娜地下设施启动一项反应研究计划，以调查第一代恒星中碳、氮和氧同位素的来源，并探索用于早期合成重元素的替代中子源。同样在露娜，我们将利用最近安装的一台新的3.5 MV加速器来研究关于太阳核心金属丰度、大质量恒星中的碳聚变以及慢中子俘获过程的中子源反应的公开问题。在n_TOF(欧洲核子研究中心)中子束装置上，我们将领导一项丰富的中子诱导反应测量计划，例如探索放射性40K的起源，据信它是岩石系外行星产生热量的原因，阐明罕见的太阳前星尘颗粒的起源，具有特殊丰度的硅和S同位素，以及研究宇宙伽马射线发射器26Al在大质量恒星中的破坏。我们计划挑战放射性样品的中子激活测量，以帮助解释某些贫金属星的丰度，以及自然界最稀有的180mTa同位素的来源。同样在欧洲核子研究中心，我们计划改进我们之前对44Ti破坏的研究，以揭示大质量恒星超新星爆炸的最后阶段。存储环将提供改变游戏规则的机会，通过提供更高的束流纯度和强度，研究与爆炸性天体物理场景相关的放射性同位素的反应，否则在世界其他任何地方都无法获得。在GSI的实验存储环上，我们将探索一些轻p核的起源，它们的丰度一直低于核心塌缩和Ia型超新星的恒星模型。该小组已经批准了利用最近委托爱丁堡在CRYRING存储环建造的Carme探测系统来研究新星爆炸的关键反应的实验。在TRIUMF已经批准了束流时间的情况下，我们将调查新星产生的主要宇宙射线发射体18F的产生以及X射线爆发中热CNO循环的爆发所涉及的反应。该小组开发了最先进的离子陷阱和放射性衰变探测系统，以调查广泛的核景观中奇异核的质量和衰变特性。在授权期内，我们将领导一项高精度测量闭合壳层附近富中子轻核的计划，作为现代核理论的独特试验台。对富含中子的重核的进一步质量测量将对r过程中的爆炸性核合成提供限制。这些研究将通过利用独特的实验能力，包括爱丁堡建造的AIDA设备，在RIKEN通过对稀土区域中的原子核的衰变测量来补充。质子滴线附近的质量测量将揭示核结合的极限，而阿贡的质子和阿尔法衰变研究将为核形状对量子隧穿速率的影响提供独特的见解。利用爱丁堡开发的新型离子俘获装置，我们将研究奇异的衰变模式和具有超越标准模型和医学应用的潜在物理意义的放射性分子。