Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics
Since its discovery, research has evolved into the study of the nucleus as a complex system governed by the strong interaction, with the aim of exploring the properties of the matter that permeates our Universe. This is achieved by analyzing possible ways of fusing or fragmenting nuclei during nuclear collisions and/or forming exotic radioactive elements or studying particle systems generated during high-energy collisions. Today, nuclear physics research spans a very broad spectrum of energies, investigating topics ranging from the mechanisms that govern stellar evolution to the conditions of the universe a few seconds after the Big Bang. Modern nuclear physics encompasses many areas beyond the direct study of the nucleus, including matter-antimatter experiments, distribution of quarks within nucleons, and nuclear properties from a multi-body mesoscopic perspective.
Staff
Full Professors: Silvia Monica Lenzi, Francesca Soramel
Associate Professors: Antonio Caciolli, Lorenzo Fortunato, Piero Giubilato, Marcello Lunardon, Serena Mattiazzo, Marco Mazzocco, Daniele Mengoni, Giovanna Montagnoli, Sandra Moretto, Francesco Recchia,
Assistant Professors: Denise Piatti, Fernando Scarlassara
Post-doc
Davide Chiappara, Sara Pigliapoco, Marta Polettini, Jakub Skowronski, Steffen Turkat
PhD students
Filippo Angelini, Riccardo Biasissi, Chiara Bonini, Giuseppe Andreetta, Sara Carollo, Raquel Nicolas, Caterina Pantouvakis, Elia Pilotto, Damiano Stramaccioni, Chuntai Wu, Luca Zago
External collaborators
Pablo Aguilera, Federico Antinori, Dino Bazzacco, Carlo Broggini, Andrea Dainese, Daniele Fabris, Himanshu. Sharma, Franco Galtarossa, Roberto Menegazzo, Xinye Peng, Kseniia Rezynkina, Andrea Rossi, Ravindra Singh, Rosario Turrisi ,
Research activities
Phase transitions of nuclear matter and hadronic dynamics
Phase transitions of nuclear matter and hadronic dynamics investigate changes in the state of nuclear matter and the interactions among hadrons. Key experiments like ALICE at CERN, the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), and the proposed Na60+ are pivotal in this research. ALICE examines high-energy heavy-ion collisions to understand quark-gluon plasma, a state of matter present just after the Big Bang. The EIC, being developed in the United States, will probe the internal structure of nucleons and the dynamics of strong interactions. Na60+ will study meson production and hadronic interactions in heavy-ion collisions. These experiments are crucial for deepening our understanding of the fundamental processes governing the universe.
Contacts: Piero Giubilato, Serena Mattiazzo, Marcello Lunardon, Francesca Soramel
Website: ALIPD, EIC, Na60+
Nuclear Structure and Dynamics of Reactions
L'indagine dei nuclei instabili ha rivelato molti fenomeni interessanti ai limiti delle driplines neutroniche e protoniche. I nuclei, sia stabili che radioattivi, possono mostrare configurazioni uniche come strutture simili a molecole, dove le particelle sono legate attraverso lo scambio di nucleoni, e arrangiamenti in cluster. Lo sfruttamento di fasci di ioni radioattivi post-accelerati offre un'opportunità unica per l’esplorazione della struttura e delle reazioni di questi nuclei esotici. Questi metodi permettono di studiare le loro proprietà in ambienti controllati, offrendo preziose informazioni sul comportamento della materia in condizioni estreme.
Contacts : Silvia M. Lenzi, Marco Mazzocco, Daniele Mengoni, Giovanna Montagnoli, Francesco Recchia
Website : GAMMA@LNL, GRIT, SPES
Nuclear Astrophysics
Astrophysics relies on both direct and indirect methods to study the nuclear reactions that drive stellar phenomena and element formation. The LUNA (Laboratory for Underground Nuclear Astrophysics) at Laboratory INFN Gran Sasso investigates rare reactions by using a cosmic radiation-free environment. AsFiN (AstroFisica Nucleare) employs the Trojan Horse Method to study these reactions indirectly, crucial for understanding light nuclei formation, stellar fusion, and supernovae. Precise capture cross-sections from gamma-ray , particle spectroscopy and solenoidal spectrometers using radioactive ion beams improve nucleosynthesis models, addressing fundamental astrophysical questions about element formation and stellar evolution.
Contacts : Antonio Caciolli, Marco Mazzocco, Daniele Mengoni, Denise Piatti, Francesco Recchia
Website : LUNA, nuclear astrophysics
Nuclear physics applications
The LARAMED Laboratory of Radioisotopes for Medicine stands at the forefront of innovation in nuclear medicine, synergizing with the ISOLPHARM project to revolutionize medical isotopes. With a focus on producing high-purity radionuclides crucial for diagnosis and therapy, LARAMED leverages the Isotope Separation On-Line (ISOL) technique. This cutting-edge accelerator-based method, currently deployed at the Legnaro National Laboratories of the National Institute for Nuclear Physics, forms the backbone of ISOLPHARM's mission. By harnessing the SPES Radioactive Ion Beams (RIBs), ISOLPHARM aims to generate top-tier radioisotopes tailored for radiopharmaceutical applications. Together, LARAMED and ISOLPHARM propel the frontier of healthcare, delivering precision and efficacy in medical treatments worldwide.
Contacts : Marcello Lunardon, Sandra Moretto
Website : ISOLPHARM, LARAMED
