NSD Programs

Low Energy Nuclear Physics

Deputy Director for Low Energy Nuclear Science:
Volker Koch

The low-energy nuclear physics program focuses on the study and understanding of nuclear properties under extreme conditions and uses nuclei as a quantum system to test fundamental symmetries, in particular, to understand the weak interaction. It utilizes several state-of-the art instruments that were developed within the Nuclear Science Division’s low-energy program (e.g., Gammasphere, BGS, neutral atom traps) and continues to lead important future developments. The concept of gamma-ray tracking has made major progress and we recently have received CD1 for the GRETINA project. The development of the VENUS ECR source is well on track demonstrating our leadership role in ECR ion source technology. The 88-Inch Cyclotron supported much of this research and provided the necessary wide range of ion beams, from hydrogen to uranium, over a wide range of energies and intensities.

The past year (2004) was the first where the Cyclotron operated under its new mission as a facility for local research and for radiation effects studies. Without the obligations associated previously with a national user facility we have the opportunity to focus our science program towards the physics questions which will be addressed by the proposed new facilities – RIA and the underground laboratory. In order to maximize the scientific opportunities of this new mission, we have initiated a new program on particle-gamma spectroscopy. This effort is based on a collaboration of the local structure and reactions groups together with the group from Livermore. In spite of the necessary adjustments to accommodate our new mission, our research program has been very productive during the past year (see highlights by following group links). The NSD low-energy program is well positioned to contribute significantly to the national low-energy nuclear science program, as outlined in the 2002 NSAC long range plan.

• Heavy Element and Nuclear Chemistry
  Group Leader: Professor Heino Nitsche
• Nuclear Reactions
  Group Leader: Professor Luciano Moretto
• Weak Interactions Group
  Group Leader: Professor Stuart Freedman
• Nuclear Structure
  Group Leaders: Roderick Clark and Augusto Macchiavelli
• Exotic Nuclei
  Group Leader: Professor Joseph Cerny
• Nuclear Data Evaluation
  Group Leader: Coral Baglin

• 88-Inch Cyclotron
• Nuclear Theory
• Low Energy Nuclear Physics
• Relativistic Nuclear Collisions
• Institute of Nuclear and Particle Astrophysics

NSD Construction Projects:

• GRETINA
• ICECUBE