From nuclei to stars

Description

From nuclei to stars

The goal of this lecture is to give students an understanding of experimental nuclear physics, its tools, and to enable them to know how to reach the intimate characteristics of the atomic nucleus through experimentation. It visits experimentally the nuclear chart, from the valley of stability to the most exotic nuclei. It will be illustrated by examples coming from scientific publications, and by large research programs on accelerators for radioactive beams, stable beams at strong intensity (SPIRAL II, RIA, EURISOL, ...) and specific state of the art instruments (AGATA, GRETA, S3...).

Compétences visées

•    Applying knowledge in physics

•    Apply methods from mathematics and digital technology

•    Produce a critical analysis, with hindsight and perspective

•    Interact with colleagues in physics and other disciplines

•    Develop and manage an experimental project, including digital aspects

•    Operate an experimental device, including digital aspects, from use to data analysis

•    Take on responsibilities in a team working on an experimental project

•    Communicate in writing and orally, including in English

•    Respect ethical, professional and environmental principles in the practice of physics

•    Good understanding of experimental methods in nuclear physics

•    Ability to understand experimental scientific publications

Modalités d'organisation et de suivi

The course is based on support slides and a dynamic explanation aimed at immersing students in nuclear physics experiments. The 2-hour integrated course sessions include course chapters, results from scientific publications, and explanations of “how to do”.

The knowledge assessment is conducted through a oral test based on

     - Study of a scientific article

     - Questions on the lecture.

Syllabus

The lecture starts with a discussion on the nuclear scale, the strong force properties, and some historical experiments that led us to the discovery of the atomic nucleus and its constituents.

The nuclear binding energy is then discussed on the basis of the state of the art of mass measurement. The single particle scheme will be discussed and we will see how systematics of first 2+ states enable to probe the shell closures even for very exotic nuclei.

We will then study nuclear deformation and its consequence on nuclear structure and spectroscopic properties. Naturally we will then discuss collective and individual rotation and the associated consequence of high spin.

In a further part of the lecture, we will discuss the cross sections and reaction dynamics. How to probe experimentally the Coulomb barrier.

We will then see how nuclear structure will be probed by alpha and gamma spectroscopy.

The selection rules will be discussed with the determination of spin and parity of nuclear states. We will see how to determine the magnetic moment or the deformation of nuclei. We will discuss on several examples the interplay between nuclear modeling and experimental results and their complementarity.

The last chapter will be devoted to Stellar nucleosynthesis, life and death of a star, importance of exotic nuclei for nuclear astrophysics.

Bibliographie

Nuclear structure Bohr & Mottelson

Introductory Nuclear Physics K.S. Krane

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