Richard Azuma

Adjunct Professor,
Nuclear Physics

Research Interests

The study of nuclear structure of the low and medium mass nuclei has been a central component of Prof. Azuma's research for many years. Much of this research relies on the study of radiative proton and alpha capture to resonant states and to the direct capture process. These studies coincided with and contributed to the relatively recent resurgence in the field of nuclear astrophysics. In particular, contributions were made to the understanding of both big-bang nucleosynthesis and the C-N-O cycle. Attention has been recently focused on helium burning in massive stars, the so-called ‘C12 alpha-gamma' problem. This problem has yet to be fully resolved, and will be a focus of continuing studies. Much of the above work has been done in close collaboration with Profs. M. Wiescher and J. Goerres of this department. This collaboration is ongoing.

Other current research includes studies of the nuclear structure of nuclei far from the region of stability, and of nucleosynthesis induced by reactions on radioactive targets. These studies are performed with the DRAGON and TUDA facilities at the TRIUMF laboratory in Vancouver, Canada.

In order to facilitate the above studies, and particularly to provide a consistent method for the extraction of the relevant nuclear parameters from the experimental data, an international collaboration has been set up between Notre Dame, Karlsruhe, and the University of Toronto to develop a comprehensive R-matrix code for the analysis. This work is being performed under the auspices of JINA.

Selected Publications

“21Na(p, g )22Mg Reaction and Oxygen-Neon Novae,” S. Bishop, R.E. Azuma, J.M. D'Auria, et. al Phys. Rev. Lett. 90 , Number 16 (2003).

“Elastic alpha C-12 scattering and the ¹²C(a,g) ¹⁶O E2 S factor,” P. Tischhauser, R.E. Azuma, L. Buchmann, R. Detwiler, U. Giesen, J. Görres, M. Heil, J. Hinnefeld, F. Kappeler, J.J. Kolata, H. Schatz, A. Shotter, E. Stech, S. Vouzoukas, and M. Wiescher, Phys. Rev. Lett. 88 , 072501 (2002).

“Constraints on the low-energy E1 cross section of ¹²C (a,g) ¹⁶O from the beta-delayed alpha spectrum of N-16,” R.E. Azuma, L. Buchmann, F.C. Barker, C.A. Barnes, J.M. D'Auria, M. Dombsky, U. Giesen, K.P. Jackson, J.D. King, R.G. Korteling, P. McNeely, J. Powell, G. Roy, J. Vincent, T.R. Wang, S.S.M. Wong, and P.R. Wrean, Phys. Rev. C56 , 1655 (1997).

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