Academic interests
The nuclear physics group at the University of Oslo has developed a method that allows for the simultaneous extraction of two important nuclear decay properties: the nuclear level density, i.e. the number of nuclear quantum states per unit of energy and the gamma strength function, related to the probability of electromagnetic decay for a particular gamma energy [1-4]. These two properties are of great importance in nuclear physics: not only they can give insight into nuclear structure, but they can also be used to constrain neutron capture cross sections, i.e. to estimate the probability of neutron capture in systems such as nuclear reactors or stellar environments [5,6].
As part of the Oslo group, I am applying the Oslo method to extract the nuclear level density and gamma strength function of medium mass nuclei. In addition, I am using these properties to constrain neutron capture cross sections relevant in nuclear astrophysics. I am especially interested in the study of gamma resonances and the upbend or low-energy (<3 MeV) enhancement of the gamma strength [7-9], which can highly increase the neutron-capture cross-sections applied to heavy-element nucleosynthesis calculations and determination of elemental abundances [6,10].
[1] M. Guttormsen et al., Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A 374, 371 (1996).
[2] M. Guttormsen et al., Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A 255, 518 (1987).
[3] A. Schiller et al., Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A 447 498 (2000).
[4] A. C. Larsen et al., Phys. Rev. C 83, 034315 (2011).
[5] A. Bohr and B. Mottelson, Nuclear Structure, Benjamin, New York, 1969, Vol. I.
[6] A. C. Larsen and S. Goriely, Phys. Rev. C 82, 014318 (2010).
[7] A. Voinov et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 142504 (2004).
[8] M. Guttormsen et al., Phys. Rev. C 71, 044307 (2005).
[9] A. C. Larsen et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 242504 (2013).
[10] I. Daoutidis and S. Goriely, Phys. Rev. C 86, 034328 (2012).
Courses taught
- Fall 2015 Problem session/colloquium teacher in FYS5920
- Fall 2015 OCL project teacher in FYS3180
- Fall 2014 Problem session teacher in FYS3520
Background
2013 - 2014 Master in Subatomic Physics, focused on Nuclear Physics, University of Oslo, Dept. of Nuclear and Energy Physics.
- Master thesis: “Average decay properties in the quasi-continuum of 65Ni and neighbouring nuclei”.
2012 - 2013 Education Abroad Programme UCEAP, Physics, University of California at Berkeley.
- Collaborations in the Nuclear Engineering Dept.: independent study on statistical properties of nuclear matter. Scintillator characterization. Participation in experiments.
- Undergraduate and graduate courses in Physics, Nuclear Engineering and Materials Science majors
2008 - 2013 Bachelor and graduate studies in Physics (Five-years programme), University Complutense of Madrid.
- Graduate studies focused on theoretical and condensed matter physics.
Awards
-
2012 Scholarship UCM-University of California for the UCEAP exchange programme at UC Berkeley in Physics.
-
2008 - 2010 Academic year Excellence Scholarship for University Students from the Community of Madrid.