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TALENT: Training in Advanced Low Energy Nuclear Theory
Training the next generation of nuclear physicists
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Course 6: Theory for exploring nuclear reaction experiments

The second TALENT course on Theory for exploring nuclear reaction experiments was held at FRIB on the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing, MI from June 3 to 21, 2019. The principal lecturers were Carl Brune, James DeBoer, Charlotte Elster, and Sofia Quaglioni. See the course webpage for lecture and exercise materials.

Overview

As existing and upcoming radioactive ion beam facilities promise unprecedented access to a vast new array of exotic phenomena, reliable reaction theory is essential to establish a solid connection between measured reaction observables and the underlying nuclear structure, and ultimately to arrive at a complete understanding of nuclei and their role in the cosmos. Recent years have witnessed exciting progress in arriving at a more fundamental description of nuclear reactions, in which underlying many-body problem is solved exactly at small reaction energies using nuclear degrees of freedom. Once the energy becomes larger, many-body degrees of freedom proliferate while the reaction time often decreases (direct reactions). In those case it is more economic to concentrate on few relevant degrees of freedom and treat those exactly while projecting out most others.

While phenomenological approaches and standard approximated methods based on a few degrees of freedom continue to play an essential role in modeling nuclear reaction data, recent years have witnessed exciting progress in arriving at a more fundamental description of nuclear reactions. Many-body reaction methods rooted in the underlying theory of quantum chromodynamics are emerging and starting to describe reactions involving the lightest nuclei. Efforts are under way to forge connections between these more fundamental many-body descriptions and the phenomenological and direct reaction approaches.

Students participating in the course will be introduced to modern methods of describing nuclear reactions, develop an understanding of approximation methods employed in reducing the many-body reaction problem to a more manageable task, and will gain hands-on experience with describing nuclear reaction data. In particular, this advanced course will be focused on:

  • Microscopic (or, calculable) and phenomenological R-matrix theory for the description of continuum scattering and reaction observables; and
  • Coupled channels methods and other tools for interpreting direct reactions.

Pre-Requisites

Prospective student participants will be expected to already have some experience in programming and be familiar with data manipulation and graphical utilities, etc. A good foundation in both standard mathematical methods for scientists and practitioner knowledge of intermediate level (advanced undergraduate/graduate) quantum mechanics and quantum scattering theory is important. Students who have not already studied the above formally will be expected to study suggested pre-course material in advance of the course.

The first TALENT course on Theory for exploring nuclear reaction experiments was delivered by Filomena Nunes (Michigan State University), Pierre Descovement (ULB, Brussels), Antonio Moro (University of Sevilla), Jeff Tostevin and Edward Simpson (University of Surrey). It took place at GANIL, Caen, France, from July 1st to July 20, 2013. Visit the course webpage for materials.

This advanced course focused on:

  • direct reaction theory and methods and their applications
  • reactions of light and heavy-ions from low (near-Coulomb barrier) energies through intermediate and relativistic energies (of 100 MeV/nucleon and greater).

Exposure to this range of systems will introduce both specific and more generic methods and approximations used in modelling and interpreting nuclear collisions and direct reactions - allowing participants to develop an experience of using both the concepts and associated codes for selected reaction problems – exploiting and consolidating understanding of the more formal taught elements. Full details of the course materials, the slides of the lectures, the course exercises, the student project proposals, and all supplementary information can be found by following the appropriate tabs at the interim course website at this link: Course 6 details.

The target groups are: Master of Science and PhD students and early post- doctoral researchers, both experimentalists and theorists. More experienced researchers may apply, but will be considered only on a fully-self-supported basis if numbers and space permit. The maximum number of participants will be 25, at most 20 of which can receive local support. Processing and selection of students will be managed in agreement with the University of Caen and GANIL.

Prospective student participants will be expected to already have some experience in programming and be familiar with data manipulation and graphical utilities, etc. A good foundation in both standard mathematical methods for scientists and a practitioners knowledge of intermediate level (advanced undergraduate/postgraduate) quantum mechanics and quantum scattering theory is important. Students who have not already studied the above formally will be expected to study suggested pre-course materials in advance of the course.

The organizers of this course were:

  • Jeff Tostevin (University of Surrey) j.tostevin at surrey.ac.uk
  • Francesca Gulminelli (University of Caen Basse Normadie) gulminelli at lpccaen.in2p3.fr
  • Filomena Nunes (Michigan State University) nunes at nscl.msu.edu
  • Marek Płoszajczak (GANIL) ploszajczak at ganil.fr

The financial support for this Talent course from GANIL, the CNRS, and the City of Caen is very gratefully appreciated and acknowledged.