Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Confining quarks

Physicists propose new method to confine quarks, which could reveal why matter has mass. The strong force, a fundamental force of nature, is believed to be responsible for this property. By exploring quark confinement, researchers hope to gain insights into the structure of the universe.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 14, 2022

Revealing the mysteries of the universe under the skin of an atomic nucleus

A breakthrough computer model from Chalmers University of Technology reveals the properties of an atomic nucleus, providing insights into the strong force that governs neutron star behavior. The model predicts a surprisingly thin neutron skin, which could lead to increased understanding of heavy element creation in neutron stars.

SourceChalmers University of Technology·JournalNature Physics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateOct 12, 2022

Particles pick pair partners differently in small nuclei

A high-precision experiment reveals that protons and neutrons in small nuclei prefer to pair up with others of the same kind more often than expected. The study provides new details about short-distance interactions between particles and may impact results from experiments seeking to tease out further nuclear structure details.

SourceDOE/Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 31, 2022

Nuclear magic trick

An international team of researchers found that destructive quantum interference suppresses transition between superdeformed and spherical ground states in calcium-40 nuclei. This work may help explain nucleosynthesis processes and the remarkable stability of magic nuclei.

SourceOsaka University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 21, 2022

MARATHON measures mirror nuclei

The MARATHON experiment has accessed new details about the particles that build our universe by comparing mirror nuclei helium-3 and tritium. The results provided a precise determination of the ratio of proton/neutron structure function ratios, offering new insights into the internal structures of protons and neutrons.

SourceDOE/Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 31, 2022

Visualizing the invisible

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a new model to aid interpretation of atomic resolution molecular images. The Z-correlated molecular model accurately fits imaging data and helps chemists analyze electron microscope images without theoretical calculations.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 28, 2022

The tetra-neutron – experiment finds evidence for a long-sought particle comprising four neutrons

Physicists at Technical University of Munich discover potential existence of tetra-neutron, a bound state of four neutrons, which could significantly alter our understanding of nuclear forces. The experiment's results suggest a half-life of 450 seconds and stability comparable to the neutron.

SourceTechnical University of Munich (TUM)·JournalPhysics Letters B·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 10, 2021

How long does a neutron live?

Physicists have made the most precise measurement yet of a neutron's lifetime, revealing that it lives 14.629 minutes with an uncertainty of 0.005 minutes. This result brings scientists closer to understanding why two previous methods disagree and could provide evidence for new physics.

SourceCalifornia Institute of Technology·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateOct 13, 2021

Atomic nuclei and leptons: milestone in the calculation of cross sections

A team of researchers has successfully computed how atomic nuclei of Calcium behave in collisions with electrons, achieving precise theoretical predictions relevant to future neutrino experiments. The new ab initio method allows for the description of scattering on nuclei and leptons, even for heavy elements like Calcium.

SourceJohannes Gutenberg Universitaet Mainz·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 10, 2021

Atomic nuclei in the quantum swing

Researchers have successfully controlled quantum jumps in atomic nuclei using X-ray light, enabling ultra-precise atomic clocks and potentially powerful nuclear batteries. The technique requires precise control of high-energy X-ray pulses to manipulate quantum dynamics.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalNature·DateFeb 19, 2021

X-ray imaging of atomic nuclei

Researchers successfully image atomic nuclei in three materials using a new microscopy type called ANXRI, which combines aberration-corrected STEM and EDS. The accuracy of ANXRI reaches 1 pm, allowing for adjustable individual imaged sizes of atomic nuclei.

SourceScience China Press·JournalScience China Materials·DateMay 13, 2020

Scientist confirm a new 'magic number' for neutrons

Researchers at RIKEN have confirmed that atomic nuclei with 34 neutrons are more stable than expected, exhibiting strong shell closure. This finding demonstrates that 34 is a 'magic number', a set of numbers where the shells are completely filled and the nucleus exhibits unique properties.

SourceRIKEN·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateOct 24, 2019

Statement by Jefferson Lab, Brookhaven Lab and the EIC users community on National Academy of Sciences electron-ion collider report

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report concludes that an EIC is essential to answering fundamental questions about the building blocks of matter. The collider will enable unique scientific discoveries with implications for particle physics, astrophysics, and other fields.

Probing nobelium with laser light

Researchers successfully measured the optical excitation of atomic levels in nobelium isotopes using laser spectroscopy. The results confirm that nobelium nuclei are deformed like an American football, with a lower charge density in their center than at their surface.

SourceHelmholtz Association·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJun 27, 2018

Freeing electrons to better trap them

Researchers at UNIGE and MBI successfully place an electron in a dual state, neither free nor bound, and regulate its electronic structure. They also discover that high-intensity lasers can amplify light, enabling new possibilities for intense laser propagation in gases.

SourceUniversité de Genève·JournalNature Physics·DateApr 16, 2018

Unresolved puzzles in exotic nuclei

Unstable atomic nuclei like Helium-8 and Lithium-8 can be investigated through beta decay and detection of decay products. The author discusses available experimental data and models applied to 'exotic' nuclei, revealing unresolved puzzles in the connection between microscopic structure and observable quantities.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal A·DateMar 27, 2018

Exotic state of matter: An atom full of atoms

Scientists have created a new state of matter called Rydberg polarons, where an electron orbits a nucleus at a great distance while many other atoms are bound inside the orbit. The electrons' path is only slightly influenced by neutral atoms, resulting in a weak bond between the Rydberg atom and the surrounding atoms.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateFeb 26, 2018