Speaker
Description
A major focus of our group over the past decade has been the study of the continuum structure of p-rich light nuclei using the invariant-mass technique. This effort has led to the discovery of 7 new isotopes beyond (sometime well beyond) the proton drip line. Just as important are the finding of new resonances in previously known nuclei and parameter determination, or refinement, of resonances already known. Some of the more interesting results (e.g. finding of several near threshold states, fission of 16O, and fixing 0+2, and the rotational band built on it, in 10C) will be mentioned. This effort also prompted us to form a collaboration to resolve the 55-year old question of the cross section for nucleon induced inelastic deexcitation of the Hoyle state, a path parallel to EM decay. In the process of executing this program, we appreciated that we can offer a qualifier to the worn adage in quantum mechanical barrier penetration that the action (the forbidden momentum-distance area of a potential, made unit less by dividing by hbar) cannot be decomposed to inform on the shape of the barrier traversed.
