Research Program of the Reaction Mechanisms Group
Production cross-section measurements
Experimental program to determine the isotopic production cross sections of residual nuclei in relativistic nuclear collisions. These experiments are relevant for the planning of new generation radioactive-beam facilities and for the design of accelerator-driven subcritical nuclear reactors. For more details, see here.
Nuclear-reaction studies of projectile fragmentation
Research program to study specific aspects of relativistic heavy-ion collisions. These experiments are relevant for the understanding of the mechanisms involved in peripheral nuclear collisions. For more details, see here.
Secondary-reaction studies
Experimental program to study specific features of nuclear reactions with radioactive projectiles. Secondary reactions allow to study the N-over-Z degree of freedom. For more details, see here.
Fission of exotic nuclei
Experimental program to determine the fission properties of exotic nuclei by use of secondary beams. This is the beginning of a new generation of fission studies to explore shell effects at large deformation. For more details, see here.
Dissipation in nuclear fission
Experimental program to determine the viscosity of heated nuclear matter from the characteristics of fission. Projectile fragments from peripheral heavy-ion collisions are highly excited with small shape distortions and low angular momenta. These are ideal conditions to study dissipative phenomena in nuclear fission. For more details, see here.
Properties of highly excited nuclei - Isospin thermometer
The study of the properties of nuclear matter with extreme N/Z ratio has come into the focus of recent research activities due to its importance for the understanding of supernova explosions and the stability of neutron stars. Experimental signatures of thermal instability of highly excited nuclei are found in the isotopic distribution of heavy fragmentation products. The limiting temperature has been determined by the isospin thermometer. This instability might be related to the liquid-gas phase transition in nuclei. For more details, see here.
Nuclear equation of state
The equation of state of nuclear matter, expressing its response to temperature, density and pressure, belongs to the key topics of nuclear physics. Besides nuclear-physics aspects it touches on important questions in astrophysics and cosmology, e.g., the dynamics of supernova explosions, the stability of neutron stars under gravitational pressure and the nature of matter that existed in the early universe. Precise measurements of the longitudinal momentum distributions of projectile residues are performed by our group, in order to extract information on the nuclear mean field far from normal conditions. For more details, see here.
Nuclear-reaction models
Improving and developing models to describe all stages of spallation reactions and peripheral fragmentation reactions. The development of improved nuclear models goes in line with the accumulation of new data. The most realistic modelling of fission is one of the important subjects of our efforts. For more details, see here.
Results of our research activities are documented in different publications.