Nuclear Physics Seminar with Garrett King and Nicolas Dronchi

"Predictions of Electroweak Observables in Light Nuclei" presented by Garrett King from Washington University in St. Louis

Recently, quantum Monte Carlo calculations of weak observables using the Norfolk interaction - a high-quality local chiral interaction containing two- and three-nucleon forces - and its consistent many-body electroweak currents have been validated against experimental data for beta decay and muon capture. In this talk, I discuss predictions of the 6He beta decay spectrum and A=6 neutrinoless double beta decay matrix elements using the Norfolk interaction and electroweak currents. Using the eight Norfolk model classes, we can estimate the uncertainty on these observables arising due to different choices in constructing the chiral interaction.

"Measurement of B(E2↑) for 36Ca" presented by Nicolas Dronchi from Washington University in St. Louis

In a pair of experiments, the B(E2; 2+1 -> 0+g.s) was measured for 36Ca. The first experiment measured a cross section for the Coulomb excitation of a 36Ca beam where only gamma decays were detected. The second experiment measured the branching ratio required as a correction to this cross section because the 2+1 state of 36Ca is above the proton separation energy. The measured B(E2) value significantly differs from that previously employed in an astrophysical calculation. This B(E2) is useful in x-ray burst simulations where 34Ar sits at a waiting point which is sensitive to the 35K(p,γ)36Ca reaction rate.