The amazing world of nuclei... from the Hoyle state to nuclear molecules
Event details
Binding Blocks Nuclear Physics Masterclass
We often imagine the nucleus of an atom as a sphere, a mix of protons and neutrons. In fact the majority of nuclei are not spherical, but deformed like a rugby ball. The shape of the nucleus can also change depending on the amount of internal energy, and different structures are possible within the same nucleus. As the nucleus becomes excited or heated up, the protons and neutrons can rearrange and cluster together into alpha particles or other sub-nuclei producing, for example, "nuclear molecules". In this talk, Prof. Tzany Kokalova Wheldon and Dr Stuart Pirrie will introduce the nuclear chart and exotic nuclear shapes, before exploring a very special state in carbon-12: the so-called "Hoyle state". This particular state is vitally important for the formation of elements in stars (nucleosynthesis) and explains how carbon-based life, including all life on Earth, can exist! Tzany and Stuart will describe how this state was discovered and how experimental nuclear physics continues to give us new insights into our Universe.
This webinar is part of a series of four webinars for the Binding Blocks Nuclear Physics Masterclass.
About the speakers
Professor Tzany Kokalova Wheldon is a lecturer and researcher in nuclear physics at the University of Birmingham, where her research focuses on exotic nuclei and nuclear astrophysics. She is the Director of the University of Birmingham’s Positron Imaging Centre and she was named in the 2020 Timewise Power 50 awards: a roll call of 50 powerful executives in the UK who also work part-time or flexibly.
Dr Stuart Pirrie is a lecturer and researcher at the University of Birmingham. His research focuses on experimental low-energy physics.