RUI - Vibrational Structure of the Gd Isotopes

这个项目旨在解决我们对原子核的理解中一个长期存在的问题。形变核中的低洼激发，K=0+带的性质在场中仍然是个谜。这项工作的重点是寻找钆同位素的振动激发。测量将在肯塔基大学加速器设施（UKY）进行，分析将在资助期间的三个夏天在圣母大学（ND）的结构与核天体物理研究所（ISNAP）进行，并在学年期间在威斯康星大学拉克罗斯分校（UW-L）进行。UW-L小组将在此期间建立、运行和分析一系列（n,n'gamma）实验。为了让学生们为今年的暑期工作做好准备，威斯康星大学洛杉矶分校核科学小组将在学年期间专注于探测器工作和分析。研究结果将通过PI和本科生研究人员的出版物和会议报告广泛传播。该项目的主要影响是促进教与学，同时扩展科学创新和理解。这个项目的所有方面都将在与威斯康星大学洛杉矶分校本科生的合作环境中完成。该项目将支持一项本科生研究计划，该计划以教授严格的分析原则为基础，并让大一或大二的本科生参与研究。早期参与为学生提供了足够的时间来发展高级技能，并参与从实验设计到在会议和出版物上传播的多个研究阶段。UW-L Nuclear Group致力于迅速培养本科研究人员的独立意识。我们的目标是继续从事相关的、可能具有变革性的科学，这些科学被科学界作为一个整体所重视，同时将学生从被动的课堂学习者转变为主动的研究者，因为他们对自己的特定研究负责。这是通过定期的小组会议和频繁的个人计划会议来完成的，但随后允许学生独立使用现代仪器进行工作。因此，他们学习计划、运行实验、分析、建模和沟通技巧。经验表明，本科研究提高了学生的教育，更好地为学生的研究生工作或在工业或学术界的各种科学事业做好准备。

This project aims to address a persistent question in our understanding of atomic nuclei. The nature of low-lying excitations, K=0+ bands in deformed nuclei remain enigmatic in the field. The effort focuses on the search for vibrational excitations in the Gadolinium isotopes. Measurements will be conducted at the University of Kentucky Accelerator Facility (UKY), and analysis will be performed at the Institute for Structure & Nuclear Astrophysics (ISNAP) at the University of Notre Dame (ND) during the three summers of the duration of the grant period and at the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse (UW-L) during the academic year. The UW-L group will set-up, run, and analyze a series of (n,n'gamma) experiments during this time. To prepare the students for this summer work, the UW-L Nuclear Science Group will concentrate on detector work and analysis during the academic year. The results will be broadly disseminated through publications and conference presentations by the PI and undergraduate researchers. The primary broader impact of this project is to promote teaching and learning, while extending scientific innovation and understanding. All aspects of this project will be completed in a collaborative environment with UW-L undergraduates. The project will support an undergraduate research program that has a mentoring plan based on teaching rigorous analytical principles and on engaging undergraduates in research as freshmen or sophomores. Early engagement provides students with adequate time to develop advanced skills and participate in multiple stages of research, from experimental design to dissemination at conferences and in publications. The UW-L Nuclear Group strives to quickly develop a sense of independence in the undergraduate researcher. The goal is to continue to do relevant, potentially transformative science that is valued by the scientific community as a whole and simultaneously to transform the students from passive classroom learners to active researchers as they take responsibility for their particular research. This is accomplished by having regular group meetings and frequent individual planning meetings but then allowing the students to work independently with modern instrumentation. As a result, they learn planning, running experiments, analysis, modeling, and communication skills. Experience shows that undergraduate research enhances a student's education and better prepares the student for graduate work or for a wide variety of science careers in either industry or academia.