ECT* Doctoral Training Programme 2010
April 12 - June 11

Nuclear structure and nuclear astrophysics with radioactive ion beams

Nuclear processes play an essential role in understanding the visible universe. The synthesis of heavy elements, the physics of stellar explosions, the understanding of compact objects like white dwarfs or neutron stars, or the thermonuclear explosions on their surfaces seen as novae or X-ray bursters are some of the key questions in nuclear astrophysics that involve unstable nuclei up to the limits of stability. This programme will provide an introduction to modern theory of nuclear structure, the experimental means of investigating it, and the implications for open questions in astrophysics. As the exploration of the internal dynamical degrees of freedom and structure of exotic nuclei is mainly based on scattering experiments, some emphasis will be placed on the analysis of scattering and reaction cross sections and the theoretical tools used to relate these observables to the structure of nuclei.

Students will have ample opportunity to interact with the lectures outside the formal lecture period and in addition ECT* staff will be on hand to assist in tutorials and problem sessions. Students will have access to the computing facilities of ECT* and will be given the time and opportunity to continue work on their PhD project.