The LENA group laboratory conducts experimental programs on the structure and spectroscopy of the nucleus in extreme states, following three research axes:
• the structure of exotic nuclei with neutron halos or skins, low energy resonances, modifications of the standard shell structure,
• shapes and deformations of nuclei, which may have very different shapes in the vicinity of their ground state,
• and the spectroscopy of very heavy nuclei (region of transfermium nuclei and beyond).
The LENA Nuclear Structure Theory Group develops models that aim to extend our understanding of the emergence of nuclear phenomena based on theories of low-energy nuclear interactions. In particular, the scope is to develop a complete interpretation of the experimental results on the nuclear chart by carrying out ab initio calculations.
Exotic nuclei are studied by induced nuclear reactions using stable beams (GANIL, Jyväskylä, Legnaro) or radioactive beams (SPIRAL1 at GANIL, RIBF at RIKEN’s Nishina Center in Japan, GSI Darmstadt). IRFU is a key player in the construction of the SPIRAL2 machine at GANIL, and is developing, or participating in the development of, the instruments needed for its experiments: the AGATA gamma spectrometer, the S3 spectrometer with its SIRIUS focal plane detector, the COCOTIER liquid hydrogen target, the SEASON detector.
