NSF Award
2110218
The origin of the elements remains one of the most important questions in science today. Closely tied to this are questions of stellar burning and the characteristics of dense nuclear matter. This award will support research that addresses these questions directly. Specifically, this work addresses how heavy elements were formed and the dense nuclear environment involved in those processes. The experimental work of this program will help determine the density and momentum dependence of how neutrons and protons bind together to form nuclei beyond normal nuclear density and should help to resolve discrepancies between various theoretical calculations. Data collected will also help constrain what we know about the formation of heavy elements and heating of neutron star crusts. The measurements of the fission barriers of lead isotopes will initiate a larger program to measure the fission barriers of exotic nuclei far from stability. The PIs will provide direct training to both undergraduate and graduate students in a wide range of skills and techniques, which will prepare the students for challenging and important careers in STEM fields.<br/><br/><br/>The main objectives addressed by the proposed work are: (1) Continue research to improve constraints on the momentum and density dependence of the equation of state of neutron stars at FRIB, (2) Establish a program to measure fission barriers of exotic nuclei using a newly developed method of identifying exotic beams, (3) Continue the group’s ongoing mass measurement program in the FRIB era to explore the evolution of nuclear masses relevant to the r-process near the N∼70 subshell with new experiments and detector enhancements, (4) Pursue a student-run experiment to measure radiative capture cross sections of the heaviest p nucleus, 196Hg, (5) Improve the scientific outreach program through public talks on nuclear astrophysics to Jr. High students.<br/><br/>This award addresses and advances the goals of the Windows on the Universe Big Idea.<br/><br/>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
