The 350th RIBF Nuclear Physics Seminar: Dr. Mathis Wiedeking, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

by Dr Mathis Wiedeking (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

Tuesday 13 Oct 2026, 13:30 → 16:30 Asia/Tokyo

RIBF Hall (Wako, Saitama)

Title: 

From Accelerator-Driven Experiments to Stars: The Role of the Nuclear Quasi-Continuum

Lecturer: Dr. Mathis Wiedeking

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA

Understanding how atomic nuclei absorb and emit γ radiation is of central importance to nuclear physics, nuclear astrophysics and applications. Over the past decade, we have focused on developing and applying innovative experimental and analytical methods to study the nuclear quasi-continuum, with particular emphasis on photon strength functions (PSF) and nuclear level densities (NLD). These quantities are key inputs for modeling reaction rates within the Hauser-Feshbach statistical framework, which in turn supports nucleosynthesis calculations in stellar and explosive astrophysical environments, as well as a wide range of applied modeling efforts from medical isotope production and nuclear energy to nonproliferation and national security.

 

In this seminar, I will present an overview of recent advances in PSF and NLD measurements, including extensions to the Oslo Method, as well as newly established techniques such as the Shape Method. These analytical approaches enable the systematic and consistent extraction of statistical nuclear properties across wide regions of the nuclear chart. I will highlight how these efforts have contributed to studies of i-process and p-process nucleosynthesis.

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231 and by the US Nuclear Data Program.

 Zoom link:

https://riken-jp.zoom.us/j/96577967679?pwd=YmgrOW9pTmNhUkIvODFycEdRSUpuQT09