The long-lived γ-ray isotopes observed in core-collapse supernovae remnants are direct signatures of the nucleosynthesis processes that occurred during the explosion. However, interpreting these signatures to understand the explosion dynamics requires precise nuclear physics input. Recent sensitivity studies have identified the ¹³N(α,p)¹⁶O reaction as a major nuclear uncertainty affecting the...
Mass spectrometry plays an important role in many fields of physics research such as nuclear astrophysics, nuclear structure, and fundamental symmetries. Precise knowledge of masses is critical to these studies. For example, a relative mass precision of ≤10^-8 is required to probe the Standard Model and beyond. This level of precision with radioactive species has been achieved only with...
The FrPNC collaboration is working toward a campaign of atomic parity non-conservation (APNC) measurements in francium to study the weak nuclear force. Weak interactions between atomic electrons and nucleons make it possible for electric dipole (E1) transitions to occur between atomic S states. As the heaviest alkali atom, Fr has a higher sensitivity to APNC because the effect scales with...
A muon bound in the 1S state of a hydrogen-like ion can decay into an electron and a pair of neutrinos. For small nuclear charge Z, Überall (1960) predicted a suppression of the total rate relative to the free-muon width, 1−Γ/Γ0≃(αZ)^2/2, α≃1/137. The first all-orders numerical calculation in αZ (Watanabe et al., 1993) reported for oxygen (Z=8) Γ/Γ0=0.994, in tension with Überall’s analytic...
Now famous as quantum computers, ion traps were already recognized (with the 1989 Nobel Prize) as superior instruments for precision measurements, made possible by long-term observation of their stored quarry.
The use of ion traps for measuring nuclear binding energies at on-line radioactive beam facilities (first CERN-ISOLDE, later TRIUMF-ISAC) has now brought improved topographical...
A new array of Si(Li) detectors is under development for conversion electron spectroscopy in combination with the GRIFFIN decay spectrometer at TRIUMF-ISAC. Internal conversion coefficients play a crucial role in studying electromagnetic transitions in nuclei as they assist in the assignment of spin and parity of excited nuclear states. In addition, the direct observation of L=0, E0,...
This presentation will show ongoing R&D of the new ultra cold neutron detectors. These detectors, filled with He3 at 15 mbar and CF4 to atmospheric pressure, detects neutrons via capture on He3. The resulting proton and triton deposit energy in the CF4, producing scintillation light. These detectors will be used to measure the neutron electric dipole moment (nEDM) by TRIUMF Ultracold Advanced...
The slow neutron capture process (s-process) creates almost half of the elements heavier than iron in the universe. One of the most important neutron sources for the s-process is the $^{22}Ne(\alpha, n)^{25}Mg$ reaction, which competes with the $^{22}Ne(\alpha, \gamma)^{26}Mg$ reaction. The current nuclear data for these reactions show great discrepancies. Thus, in order to understand the...
KDK and KDK+ research is focused on measuring the rare decays of Potassium-40
(40K). The KDK experiment recently recorded the first experimental measurement
of 40K electron capture decay directly to the ground state of 40Ar. KDK+ will follow
this with an experiment aimed at obtaining a refined experimental decay constant
for the β+ decay in 40K as the currently accepted value is in tension...
Have you ever wondered how all the elements we find here on Earth and in the universe were created? Nearly all naturally occurring elements are produced via nuclear reactions in the interiors of the stars. Half of the elements heavier than iron are synthesized in the slow neutron capture process$~$($s$-process), which occurs mainly in two astrophysical sites: asymptotic giant branch$~$(AGB)...
