Re-evaluating the Thermonuclear Reaction Rate for the 18F(p,alpha)15O Reaction

By Alex Carroll
B.S. Astrophysics and Applied Mathematics, Class of 2017

I worked with Dr. Carl Brune to re-analyze the results from an experiment by Adremi Adekola (Ohio University Ph.D., 2009), on the thermonuclear reaction rate for the 18F(p,alpha)15O reaction. This process is important for the generation of energy and radioactivity in nova outburst. I re-evaluated these results in light of new complimentary experimental information obtained in a different experiment.

I trained under the direction of Devin Jacobs, an engineer at the Edwards Accelerator Lab and learned a lot about how to use computers and computer science to work with large sets of data. I also learned a lot about particle accelerators and what they do.

Alex Carroll – Intern with Dr. Carl Brune – sophomore at Ohio University – College of Arts & Sciences – astrophysics and applied mathematics major