NSCL is a world-class user facility dedicated to experimental nuclear science in order to understand the structure of, forces inside of and all aspects of the nucleus. In order to accomplish this task, the lab makes use of the latest developments in accelerator technology produced by our highly talented Accelerator Physics and Engineering Department. To help make sense of the data collected and to help inform the designing and choosing of experiments, we also lean heavily on our growing Theory Department. With a good understanding of the theory behind the nuclear physics and of how the Coupled Cyclotron Facility runs, the LISE++ group is able to simulate the rare isotope production process and estimate how many of any given isotope the lab should be able to produce for an experiment. The technology that allows us to complete these experiments and the knowledge gleaned from them has many uses and applications outside of the laboratory. But one of the strongest ties is to the creation and ongoing phenomena of the cosmos, which is why we work closely with nuclear astrophysicists in mufti-instituional collaborations such as the Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics (JINA).
To learn more about the specific fields and experimental techniques that our faculty engage in, please visit our Faculty Research Areas page.