Studies of coexisting nuclear shapes in exotic lead isotopes

Student: Adrian Montes Plaza
Supervisor: Rolf-Dietmar Herzberg

The project is aimed at improving our understanding of collective phenomena in exotic nuclei. Nuclei exist in a variety of shapes, such as spherical, oblate, prolate or pear shaped. The study of these shapes and in particular their coexistence in the same nucleus can provide a wealth of information on nuclear structure and enhance our understanding of how nucleons are arranged within the nucleus.

Several techniques exist which allow us to study these phenomena. One of the most powerful, is the simultaneous study of γ rays and internal conversion electrons. The state-of-the-art SAGE spectrometer was built to perform such studies at the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyväskylä, an internationally recognized large-scale research infrastructure. Further optimisation will be supported for the spectrometer to increase its efficiency and combine it with the newly-built MARA separator. SAGE will be used combined to MARA to study shape coexistence in 190Pb.

The project will take place at the Universities of Liverpool and Jyväskylä allowing to work in an established, dynamic international team of researchers. Adrian will be able to participate in other experimental activities within the groups including experiments in other international laboratories, such as the ISOLDE facility at CERN.