2021FRIB/NSCL Graduate Brochure

Christopher Wrede
Associate Professor of Physics
Experimental Nuclear Astrophysics
Selected Publications
Low-energy 23 Al β-delayed proton decay and
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Na destruction in novae, M. Friedman et al.,
Phys. Rev. C 101, 052802(R) (2020)
GADGET: a Gaseous Detector with Germanium
Tagging, M. Friedman et al., Nucl. Instrum
Methods Phys. Res., Sect. A 940, 93 (2019)
Doppler Broadening in 20 Mg(β p γ) 19 Ne Decay,
B. E. Glassman, D. Perez-Loureiro, C. Wrede et
al., Phys. Rev. C 99, 065801 (2019)
New portal to the 15 O(α, γ) 19 Ne resonance
triggering CNO-cycle breakout, C. Wrede et
al., Phys. Rev. C 96, 032801(R) (2017)
β-delayed γ decay of 26 P: Possible evidence of
a proton halo, D. Perez-Loureiro, C. Wrede et
al., Phys. Rev. C 93, 064320 (2016)
Isospin Mixing Reveals 30 P(p, γ)31S Resonance
Affecting Nova Nucleosynthesis, M.B. Bennett,
C. Wrede et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 102502 (2016
MSc, Physics,
Simon Fraser University,
2003
MS, M. Phil., Physics
Yale University
2006
PhD, Physics,
Yale University,
2008
Joined NSCL in
August 2011
wrede@nscl.msu.edu
Atomic nuclei play an important role in the evolution of
matter in our universe. For many problems in astrophysics,
cosmology, and particle physics, the detailed properties of
atomic nuclei provide essential inputs to the solutions.
Our group’s research focuses on studying nuclei
experimentally to probe fundamental questions about
our universe. For example, we measure nuclear reactions,
decays, and masses in the laboratory to learn about the
reactions that power exploding stars or affect their synthesis
of chemical elements. Similar experiments can contribute to
searches for physics beyond the standard model of particle
physics. In some cases we can use these low energy nuclear
physics techniques to directly measure the reactions that
occur in stars or to directly search for new physics.
In the near future, our group’s program at NSCL and FRIB
will be focused on measuring the beta decays of protonrich
nuclides. With these experiments, we hope to constrain
the nuclear structure details that are most influential on
photodisintegration in supernovae and the explosive
burning of hydrogen and helium on the surfaces of accreting
compact stars such as white dwarfs and neutron stars.
Similar experiments can allow us to test hypotheses that
could explain the origins of dark matter in the universe or to
better constrain the effects of isospin-symmetry breaking
in nuclei on tests of the unitarity of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-
Maskawa matrix, a cornerstone of the standard model.
The Gaseous Detector with Germanium Tagging (GADGET) prior to
an NSCL experiment to determine the isotopic ratios expected in
microscopic grains of stardust.
Students in our group have opportunities to propose,
prepare, execute, analyze, and interpret nuclear-physics
experiments at NSCL/FRIB, to publish the results in leading
scientific journals, and to present the results at national and
international conferences.
KEYWORDS
Nuclear Astrophysics | Thermonuclear Reaction Rates
Fundamental Symmetries | Beta Decay
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