Zach Meisel
The Physics & Astronomy Colloquium Series presents Zach Meisel of University of Notre Dame on “From drip-line to drip-line: Nuclear astrophysics in the laboratory” on Tuesday, Jan. 26, at 4:10 p.m. in Walter 245.
Abstract: Nuclear astrophysics aims to answer fundamental questions about our universe: What is the origin of the elements? What is the nature of ultradense matter at low temperatures? How does nuclear energy generation influence astronomical observables? Answering these questions requires an understanding of nuclides across the nuclear landscape, from the valley of beta-stability out to the extremes where protons and neutrons ‘drip’ out of nuclei. Modern developments in experimental techniques have enabled the study of a majority of these nuclides in the laboratory. This presentation will focus on recent advances in understanding the proton-rich and neutron-rich nuclides which play a critical role in determining the composition of the outer layers of neutron stars, ultradense remnants of massive stellar explosions, as well as the origin of the elements from zinc to tin. The special role that stable and radioactive ion beam facilities will play to make further progress in each of these areas will also be briefly discussed.
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