Nuclear Astrophysics with Stable and Radioactive Ion Beams

Speaker: Ragandeep Singh Sidhu

Speaker Affiliation: University of Edinburgh

Abstract: The elements we see around us today, including the ones we are made up of, continue to be forged by nuclear fusion reactions in stars and some were first produced as early as the primordial Big Bang [1]. Understanding these processes necessitates conducting experiments at very low energies, similar to those occurring in stars under quiescent conditions (i.e. non-explosive), and employing beams of radioactive nuclei to investigate reactions in explosive events, such as supernovae, which involve unstable isotopes not naturally found on Earth.

In this contribution, I will be presenting the current status and recent results of the experiments which were performed using stable and radioactive heavy-ion beams at storage rings [2] in GSI, Germany. Moreover, the talk will give an overview of the stable beam experiments conducted underground at the Laboratory for Underground Nuclear Astrophysics (LUNA) [3], Italy.

References:
[1] E. M. Burbidge et al., Reviews of Modern Physics 29, 547 (1957).
[2] M. Steck et al., Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics 115, 103811 (2020).
[3] C. Broggini et al., Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics 98, 55 (2018).

Bio: Ragandeep currently holds the position of Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Edinburgh, while also serving as a guest scientist at the Max Planck Institute of Nuclear Physics and the GSI Laboratory in Germany. His academic journey culminated in a Ph.D. in Physics from Heidelberg University, Germany, which he completed in 2021.

His academic pursuits center around Experimental Nuclear Astrophysics, with a primary focus on studying fundamental nuclear properties, such as nuclear masses and half-lives, as well as nuclear reactions occurring within stars. He is particularly intrigued by the complex processes involved in the synthesis of chemical elements across diverse stellar environments, ranging from quiescent stars like our Sun to dynamic events like novae, supernovae, and X-ray bursts.

To explore these phenomena, Sidhu conduct experiments at renowned international laboratories, including GSI/FAIR in Germany, HZDR in Germany, LNGS in Italy, and ANL in the United States. These experiments utilize both stable and unstable nuclear beams to simulate astrophysical conditions relevant to quiescent and explosive scenarios. By meticulously studying the reactions under these controlled laboratory conditions, he aims to unravel the intricacies of nucleosynthesis processes and enhance our understanding of the origin, abundance, and distribution of elements throughout the universe.