PhD project: Underground measurements of key nuclear astrophysics reactions
Project description
Non-explosive stellar evolution is maintained by thermonuclear reactions between (mostly) stable nuclei. As these reactions proceed by quantum tunnelling, their experimental investigation in terrestrial laboratories is severely hampered by extremely low cross sections. Often, the only possibility to measure such cross sections directly at the energies of astrophysical interest rests in carrying out measurements underground. LUNA (Laboratory Underground for Nuclear Astrophysics), under the Gran Sasso massif in Italy, is currently the only facility in the world were these measurements can be made.
The student working on this project will have the opportunity to be involved in all the stages required for the measurement of a key low-energy nuclear reaction, including target preparation, experiment setup, beam tuning, data taking, data analysis and interpretation. The project is offered to a student with a strong academic background, a high degree of independence, and the aspiration to work within an international collaboration. Good data analysis and programming skills are desirable.
Project supervisor
- Professor Marialuisa Aliotta (School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Edinburgh)
The project supervisor welcomes 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.