Physics Faculty Receive DOE Award to Study Nuclear Properties

Professors of physics Grant Mathews, Stefan Frauendorf, and Mark Caprio have received a 3-year Department of Energy award, totaling $570,000 for their research on "Nuclear Properties at Extreme Density, Temperature, Spin, and Isospin".

This proposal involves theoretical investigations which will reveal the properties of nuclear matter and individual nuclei in both astrophysical and laboratory environments with extreme temperature, density, angular momentum, or large excesses of neutrons or protons. The astrophysical investigations include the development of computer models for hot big bang, the formation of galaxies, the deep interiors of massive stars, the explosions of stars in supernovae, and the high-density environments around neutron stars and black holes. The nuclear studies will explore the collective and quantum many-body structure of exotic atomic nuclei. These studies will help to clarify the origin and evolution of the universe and the elements, along with pointing the way to new experiments for the next generation of nuclear heavy-ion accelerators that seek to find new exotic isotopes and new forms of nuclear matter.

10/15/2010