Josh
Metzler
Hope
College
Dr. Pealsee, Dr.
DeYoung,Dr. Mader (Nuclear Group)
Supported by
NSF-RUI
This summer, I was afforded the
opportunity to participate in research in nuclear physics. The major project
that I worked on was analyzing data from an experiment done at Michigan State
University in which a krypton beam was collided with gold targets, with data
collected at different beam energies. Data was collected using the 4pi mini-ball
detector array, along with a mini-wall for better resolution at forward angles.
I spent some time learning to program in FORTRAN, and much of the remaining
time in actual analysis of the data.
Some of the analysis that I performed
included work on calibrating the detectors to determine particle energies
and resolving different particle charges, obtaining even some isotopic
resolution. The main thrust of my research in the near future will be looking
at isotopic ratios in an attempt to learn something about nuclear temperatures
just before break up.
metzlerj@hope.edu