NSL front page news in South Bend Tribune
NSL hosts Boy Scout badge workshop
JINA-CEE has continued a successful initiative to help Boy Scouts earn their Nuclear Science Merit badges at ISNAP. 18 scouts attended a workshop on January 20th with their parents. Graduate student Bryce Frentz served as Merit Badge Counselor and was joined by two Notre Dame physics majors in leading the activities
University of Michigan uses neutrons at Notre Dame to interrogate materials for nuclear nonproliferation studies
The University of Michigan's Applied Nuclear Science Group, led by Professor Igor Jovanovic, visited the University of Notre Dame last week to perform a series of experiments using the FN Tandem accelerator. The experiments centered around the acceleration of deuterons into a boron-11 target, which produces unique high-energy neutrons and gamma-rays. This reaction was in turn used as a mixed-particle interrogation source in conjunction with a variety of detection systems, including organic, inorganic, and semi-conductor detectors.
Aprahamian receives recognition from President of Armenia
Ani Aprahamian, the Frank M. Freimann Professor of Physics, and Yuri Oganessian, chairman of the international scientistic board of the Alikhanian National Science Laboratory met with the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan on November 6. Aprahamian and Oganessian were invited to attend the World Conference in Yerevan. The Armenian President was highly appreciative of their continued contribution to physics and mathematics progression as well as educating the next generation of future scientists. To read the full article, please click here…
Chinese Academy of Sciences hosts JINA R-matrix workshop
As part of continued support for the JINA R-matrix code AZURE2, a workshop was held at the Institute of Modern Physics (Chinese Academy of Sciences) in Lanzhou, China from September 18th to 22nd. Dr. James deBoer presented lectures and tutorials that emphasized the practical use of the code.
FN Low-Energy injection beamline upgrade completed
The goal of this Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) grant was to modify the low energy injection system of the FN tandem electrostatic accelerator of the Nuclear Science Laboratory (NSL) at the University of Notre Dame (ND) to provide higher mass resolution necessary for improved isotopic selectivity at isotopic masses beyond sulfur and chlorine.
CASPAR featured in Notre Dame Magazine
CASPAR researchers Daniel Robertson and Michael Wiescher have been featured in the Autumn 2017 issue of the Notre Dame Magazine written by Dr. Kenneth Garcia '08 about his personal experience of going underground in the Homestake Mine of South Dakota where CASPAR is located. The online version of the article can be found here…
NSL Faculty Retreat held at Fernwood
The NSL faculty retreat for 2017 took place at Fernwood Botanical Garden in Niles, MI on August 26. The group discussed current issues and strategic short-term and long-range plans on scientific focuses and resources for the Nuclear Science Laboratory.…
Matta Ph.D. Thesis published on Springer Theses
The Ph. D. thesis of Dr. James Matta, titled "Exotic Nuclear Excitations: The Transverse Wobbling Mode in 135Pr" has been published as a book by the well-known science publisher Springer under the "Springer Theses" series.
CASPAR featured in WIRED magazine
The Compact Accelerator System for Performing Astrophysical Research (CASPAR) is featured in the science section of WIRED magazine.
Notre Dame team recognized for part in award winning research
The National Nuclear Security Administration's Office of International Nuclear Safeguards presented this year's Joule Award "in recognition of outstanding contributions made for transferring: 19F(α,n) Na Cross Section for Uranium Enrichment to international partners." The Versatile Array of Neutron Detectors at Low Energy, also known as VANDLE, array of plastic scintillators, developed with Stewardship Science Academic Alliances funds, was critical to the success of this project.
Opening ceremony for CASPAR takes place at SURF
The Compact Accelerator System for Performing Astrophysical Research (CASPAR) recently reached a huge milestone with the delivery of first beam to target. This marks a significant step in the creation and operation of the first U.S. deep underground accelerator laboratory.
Physics Graduate Students Perform Demo for ND Day's Live Broadcast
Three graduate students (Adam Clark, Austin Nelson, and Craig Reingold) of ISNAP participated in this year’s Notre Dame Day live broadcast on April 23rd to gain votes for the Graduate Physics Society (GPS). During the broadcast, the students of the GPS performed a physics demo in which they used a sledgehammer to smash a cinder block on the chest of the broadcast host and Notre Dame alumni Vic Lombardi. This is a classic physics demonstration that illustrates the concepts pressure, inertia, and the conservation of energy.…
Simon research recognized in the special edition of Journal of Physics G: Emerging Leaders
Professor Ann Simon's paper “Impact of the α optical model potential on the γ-process nucleosynthesis” investigates the impact of the nuclear properties on the γ-process nucleosynthesis. γ-process is a nucleosynthesis scenario responsible for production of proton-rich isotopes of heavy nuclei. Since the reaction network that describe the γ-process is based on model predictions of the rates of all the reactions involved (only in few cases these can be measured directly) understanding of the impact of the current models of the nuclear properties is important for constraining the predictions of the network calculations. In this work, the analysis focused on the α-optical model potential; future work will investigate impact of other parameters, e.g. γ-strength function.
Sensharma selected to NSF sponsored training program in Reilly Center
Nuclear graduate student, Nirupama Sensharma has been selected to the 2017 cohort of the NSF-sponsored training program Social Responsibilities of Researchers (SRR) in the Reilly Center.
Peaslee Research Links Flourine to Fast Food
Professor Graham Peaslee's research paper titled “Fluorinated Compounds in U.S. Fast Food Packaging” has received national attention after the first 2 weeks of its published release on February 1 in Environmental and Science Technology Letters…
Notre Dame Nuclear Graduate Students Attend JINA-CEE Workshop in China
In December 2016, four graduate students from the NSL traveled to Shanghai, China to participate in the joint CNA/JINA-CEE Winter School on Nuclear Astrophysics. The focus of the school was to enhance international collaborations among young researchers from nuclear physics, astrophysics, and astronomical observations.
Recent improvements for exotic beam experiments at TwinSol
The Twin Solenoid (TwinSol) exotic beam separator was the first facility dedicated to exotic beam production in the U.S. Recent improvements will greatly enhance its ability to provide high-quality exotic beams for nuclear physics and astrophysics research.
Wiescher receives 2017 Heraeus Visiting Professor Award
Michael Wiescher, Director of the Nuclear Science Laboratory is the recipient of the 2017 Heraeus Visiting Professor Award of the Johann Wolfgang von Goethe University of Frankfurt, Germany.
Move of TwinSol Magnet
TwinSol group adjusted the position of their second solenoid in order to provide improved radioactive beams to their new target location.
Shamrock Series brings Notre Dame scientists to Alamo City
On November 11, the Notre Dame College of Science hosted the “Let’s Have a Moment of Science” outreach event in San Antonio, as part of the Shamrock Series which attracted about 1,200 middle schools students from around the city. Twenty-four representatives from different STEM fields at Notre Dame performed educational demonstrations at the event.
Wiescher gives an invited talk on Arthur Hass at 2nd International Conference on the History of Physics
Michael Wiescher, Freimann Professor of Physics and director of the Nuclear Science Laboratory, gave an invited talk at the 2nd International Conference on the History of Physics in Pöllau, Austria, on the topic of the “Life and Cosmologies of Arthur Erich Haas”.
Girl Scout Workshop: Getting to Know Nuclear to be held on November 19
On November 19, ISNAP and JINA-CEE will be hosting a Girl Scout Workshop: Getting to Know Nuclear, allowing scouts to earn a badge created for the Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana Michiana.