Descripción del proyecto
Los procesos de captura de neutrones podrían ayudar a descifrar la formación de elementos pesados
Desentrañar los procesos cósmicos responsables de la formación de los elementos es el objetivo último de la astrofísica nuclear. El proyecto gRESONANT, financiado por el Consejo Europeo de Investigación, aborda el gran reto de comprender la nucleosíntesis de elementos pesados y pretende desvelar el impacto de los efectos pasados por alto de la estructura nuclear en los procesos de captura de neutrones. Al explorar las resonancias de desintegración gamma de baja energía en núcleos ricos en neutrones y superpesados, el proyecto gRESONANT podría mejorar la comprensión de las tasas de captura de neutrones astrofísicos. Las actividades propuestas abrirán una nueva vía de investigación, ya que no existen datos sobre la resonancia gamma de baja energía en núcleos ricos en neutrones y superpesados. El proyecto gRESONANT permitirá realizar estimaciones más precisas de secciones transversales de captura de neutrones desconocidas, lo que dará lugar a avances significativos en astrofísica nuclear.
Objetivo
THE GRAND CHALLENGE: The “Holy Grail” of nuclear astrophysics is to understand the astrophysical processes responsible for the formation of the elements. A particularly challenging part is the description of the heavy-element nucleosynthesis. The only way to build the majority of these heavy nuclides is via neutron-capture processes. Unaccounted-for nuclear structure effects may drastically change these rates.
MAIN HYPOTHESIS: Nuclear low-energy gamma-decay resonances at high excitation energies will enhance the astrophysical neutron-capture reaction rates.
NOVEL APPROACH: This proposal is, for the first time, addressing the M1 scissors resonance in deformed, neutron-rich nuclei and superheavy elements. A new experimental technique will be developed to determine the electromagnetic nature of the unexpected upbend enhancement. Further, s-process branch points for the Re-Os cosmochronology will be studied for the first time with the Oslo method.
OBJECTIVES:
1) Measure s-process branch point nuclei with the Oslo method
2) Radioactive-beam experiments for neutron-rich nuclei searching for the low-energy upbend and the M1 scissors resonance
3) Develop new experimental technique to identify the upbend’s electromagnetic nature
4) Superheavy-element experiments looking for the M1 scissors resonance
POTENTIAL IMPACT IN THE RESEARCH FIELD: This proposal will trigger a new direction of research, as there are no data on the low-energy gamma resonances neither on neutron-rich nor superheavy nuclei. Their presence may have profound implications for the astrophysical neutron-capture rates. Developing a new experimental technique to determine the electromagnetic character of the upbend is crucial to distinguish between two competing explanations of this phenomenon. Unknown neutron-capture cross sections will be estimated with a much better precision than prior to this project, and lead to a major leap forward in the field of nuclear astrophysics.
Ámbito científico
- natural sciencesphysical sciencestheoretical physicsparticle physicsparticle accelerator
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomystellar astronomyneutron stars
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyphysical cosmologybig bang
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyastrophysics
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomystellar astronomysupernova
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
ERC-STG - Starting GrantInstitución de acogida
0313 Oslo
Noruega