PhD project: Production of proton-rich heavy elements in supernovae
Project description
Around 1% of heavy elements cannot be produced by neutron-capture reactions, these are so-called p-nuclei and reside on the proton-rich side of β-stability. Most of these isotopes are thought to be produced in the supernovae environment following a series of photo-neutron disintegration reactions. However, certain isotopes are found with anomalously high abundances (~ 2 orders of magnitude) and an alternate process involving a neutrino driven wind, following core collapse, have been suggested. Experiments to study key hydrogen and helium burning reactions with unstable proton-rich isotopes, are being conducted at the new HIE-ISOLDE radioactive beams facility, CERN, and on the new CRYRING heavy ion storage ring at the GSI laboratory, Germany to address these issues using detection system developed by the Edinburgh NP group.
Project supervisors
- Professor Claudia Lederer-Woods (School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Edinburgh)
- Professor Phil Woods (School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Edinburgh)
The project supervisors welcome informal enquiries about this project.
Find out more about this research area
The links below summarise our research in the area(s) relevant to this project:
- Find out more about Nuclear Astrophysics.
- Find out more about Nuclear Physics.
- Find out more about the Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics.
What next?
- Find out how to apply for our PhD degrees.
- Find out about fees and funding and studentship opportunities.
- View and complete the application form (on the main University website).
- Find out how to contact us for more information.