Scientists from around the world will present new findings in nuclear physics at the Fall Meeting of the American Physical Society’s Division of Nuclear Physics. The meeting will be held virtually and in person at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana Oct. 27-30.
A Hybrid Format
The meeting will have both online and in person components. Virtual attendees will be able to access all sessions via Zoom.
Scientific Program
Browse a selection of featured talks below or explore the scientific program in its entirety. All times are in U.S. Central Standard Time.
Press Registration
News media with valid APS press credentials may attend the online meeting at no cost. In-person attendance is subject to registration fees. To request press credentials, visit APS’ online press room. News media can register for the online meeting by emailing media@aps.org. Registration will remain open throughout the meeting.
Health and Safety Guidelines
APS will no longer verify vaccination status or test results. All attendees are expected to obtain a negative COVID test before the meeting and monitor their personal health during the meeting. If an attendee does not feel well for any reason or tests positive for COVID-19, they are responsible for refraining from all in-person proceedings. Please read APS’ health and safety guidelines for complete details.
Featured Talks
Simulations of Neutron Stars Mergers Suggest the Events May Hold Clues About Quark Matter Formation
October 28, 8:54 a.m. CST, Celestin C and online
New models of binary neutron-star mergers, or collisions between two neutron stars, indicate that quark matter likely exists in the center of these cosmological objects. Quark matter is thought to form under extreme densities, like that within neutron stars, which are the ultra-dense remains of exploded supergiant stars. Here, Grant Matthews and colleagues spotlight a unique signature in gravitational waves that was observed during a simulation of such mergers under specific conditions. The signature reinforces the probability that quark matter exists and may be detected within these stars and emphasizes the value of studying their collisions.
Scientists Discover How Neutrino Stars’ Magnetic Fields Direct Neutron Emissions
Oct. 28, 9:06 a.m. CST, Celestin C and online
The first insights on how neutron stars’ magnetic fields affect their neutrino emissions challenge what was previously known about this process. These emissions were previously thought to head in every direction at the same rate, like how a lightbulb emits light. But new findings by Michael Famiano and colleagues suggest that the stars’ magnetic fields steer specific amounts of neutrinos in distinct directions, similar to how a laser projects concentrated light. The scientists suggest their work could enhance knowledge about astrophysical phenomena like X-ray bursts, massive stars’ life cycles and the history of the Milky Way.
Unstable Atoms’ Magnetic Fields Rely on a Single Proton Once Nucleus Reaches 82 Neutrons
Oct. 29, 11:06 a.m. CST, Celestin G and online
Laser measurements of radioactive nuclei reveal that at a “magic number” of neutrons the magnetic field becomes controlled by a single proton within the nucleus. The magnetic field of unstable nuclei originates from the way the many protons and neutrons orbit within their nuclei. Now, Adam Vernon and colleagues explain how this behavior changes once a radioactive nucleus with one unpaired proton acquires 82 neutrons. Their research shows that when this threshold is reached in radioactive isotopes, the atomic magnetic field solely originates from the single proton’s motion. The experiment and its insights highlight how studying exceptionally simple nuclei spurs discoveries about physical dynamics of nuclei as a whole.
Experiment Answers Half-Century Old Question About Nuclear Reaction’s Importance During Stars’ Carbon Formation
Oct. 29, 2:24 p.m. CST, Celestin G and online
A specific nuclear reaction, called neutron-upscattering, that takes place during carbon formation in stars is far less important than it was thought to be for the past 50 years. Here, Jack Bishop and colleagues discuss how they fired high-energy neutrons at a new type of advanced detector with increased sensitivity to reevaluate the role that neutron-upscattering plays in the stellar decay of excited carbon-12. When compared with past models, these experimental results indicate that neutron-upscattering is notably less necessary than theorized in carbon production. The findings answer a 50-year-old question about how stars burn.
Researchers Show How to Find the Sodium Content for Cosmic Globular Clusters
Oct. 30, 11:06 a.m. CST, Celestin C and online
An investigation examines how sodium is destroyed and turned into magnesium in globular clusters, or millions of stars gravity-bound in the cosmos. Here, Kaixin Song and colleagues present how they used spectroscopy to explore the abundance of sodium in stellar environments and its rate of destruction into magnesium — a factor that they joke could impact the taste of alien cooking. The methodology can be applied to learn more about nucleosynthesis for the other many elements lurking within cosmic globular clusters.
About the Division of Nuclear Physics
The American Physical Society’s Division of Nuclear Physics was established in 1966. It is the professional home for scientists and educators who study fundamental problems related to the nature of matter. Nuclear scientists probe the properties of nuclei and nuclear matter and the interactions of their ultimate constituents — quarks and gluons.
About the American Physical Society
The American Physical Society is a nonprofit membership organization working to advance and diffuse the knowledge of physics through its outstanding research journals, scientific meetings and education, outreach, advocacy and international activities. APS represents more than 50,000 members, including physicists in academia, national laboratories and industry in the United States and throughout the world.
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