Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Finding new answers with the nuclear clock

Researchers aim to create a nuclear clock using thorium isotopes, which could increase measurement accuracy by a factor of 3. The project uses light with orbital angular momentum to excite the nucleus, emitting photons that can be detected. This technology has the potential to answer fundamental questions in physics and astronomy.

Giving particle detectors a boost

Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory have developed a nanocryotron, a prototype for an on-off switch that can amplify weak electrical signals from tiny particles in collider experiments. The device could help facilitate the operation of new particle colliders and improve the accuracy of observations.

SourceDOE/Argonne National Laboratory·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateMar 11, 2024

The new system allows to look at phenomena that occur in special “topological” materials by video recording the motion of pendula

The study reveals insights into topological materials by visualizing the motion of coupled pendula, reproducing behaviors of electrons in periodic systems. The researchers directly measure Bloch oscillations and Zener tunneling phenomena, previously impossible to observe in quantum systems.

SourceTel-Aviv University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 7, 2024

New nuclei can help shape our understanding of fundamental science on Earth and in the cosmos

A team of researchers has successfully created five new isotopes at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, bringing the stars closer to Earth. These isotopes, known as thulium-182, thulium-183, ytterbium-186, ytterbium-187 and lutetium-190, represent a significant milestone in nuclear science and offer new opportunities for experimentation.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 15, 2024

Greetings from the island of enhanced stability: The quest for the limit of the periodic table

Experts summarize the current state of knowledge and challenges in creating superheavy elements. The 'island of enhanced stability' is confirmed experimentally, but its size and location remain unknown. Breakthrough results have been obtained on production, nuclear structure, and chemical properties.

SourceGSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH·JournalNature Reviews Physics·TypeMeta-analysis·DateFeb 13, 2024

Scientists create effective ‘spark plug’ for direct-drive inertial confinement fusion experiments

Researchers from the University of Rochester's Laboratory for Laser Energetics demonstrated an effective 'spark plug' for direct-drive methods of inertial confinement fusion (ICF), achieving a plasma hot enough to initiate fusion reactions. The successful experiments use the OMEGA laser system, with the goal of eventually producing fus...

SourceUniversity of Rochester·JournalNature Physics·DateFeb 5, 2024

France's National Center for Scientific Research and U.S. Department of Energy sign 'Statement of Interest' on EIC collaboration

The EIC is a unique facility that will collide high-energy polarized electrons with protons or heavier ions, revealing the structure and properties of atomic nuclei. France's National Center for Scientific Research and U.S. Department of Energy have signed a Statement of Interest to strengthen their joint interest in advancing fundamen...

Correlation between neutron pairs observed in helium-8 nuclei

A research team led by Associate Professor Wataru Horiuchi and Professor Naoyuki Itagaki from Osaka Metropolitan University successfully demonstrated the existence of dineutron-dineutron clusters in helium-8 nuclei. Their findings provide new insights into the binding forms of neutrons and shed light on the origins of elements around us.

SourceOsaka Metropolitan University·JournalPhysical Review C·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 2, 2023

Helium nuclei research advances our understanding of cosmic ray origin and propagation

The CALET team, including researchers from Waseda University, found that cosmic ray helium particles follow a Double Broken Power Law, indicating spectral hardening and softening in high-energy ranges. This deviation from expected power-law distribution suggests unique sources or mechanisms accelerating and propagating helium nuclei.

SourceWaseda University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeObservational study·DateMay 25, 2023

Teasing strange matter from the ordinary

Researchers have made the first-ever observations of how lambda particles, a form of strange matter, are produced by a specific process called semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering (SIDIS). The study reveals that diquarks, pairs of quarks and gluons, can march through atomic nuclei, contributing to the formation of lambdas.

SourceDOE/Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 18, 2023

MSU to refurbish world’s first superconducting cyclotron for chip testing

The MSU facility will provide several thousand additional hours of chip testing capacity annually, addressing the US national shortfall in advanced microelectronics testing. The K500 cyclotron will be used to test electronic components for space-based applications where levels of ionizing radiation are higher than at Earth's surface.

Cooking up plasmas with microwaves

Researchers at Kyoto University have successfully created stable plasmas using microwaves, a key step towards harnessing nuclear fusion's massive energy potential. The team identified three crucial steps in plasma production and used Heliotron J to generate the dense plasmas.

SourceKyoto University·JournalProblems of Atomic Science and Technology·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 28, 2023

Better simulations of neutron scattering

Researchers developed a new 'next-event estimator' (NEE) called eTLE to increase Tripoli-4¹'s precision using Monte Carlo simulations. The approach improves accuracy in predicting neutron scattering in crystalline media, paving the way for more accurate predictions in nuclear reactors.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal Plus·DateMar 17, 2023

Atoms slow down more within colder blackbody radiation

Atoms encounter high frictional forces when moving towards blackbody radiation at lower temperatures, a phenomenon known as blackbody friction force (BBFF). This effect is particularly strong at lower temperatures and could impact atomic clocks, interferometers, and other high-precision experiments.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal D·DateFeb 20, 2023