Wanpeng Tan
Associate Research Professor, Department of Physics & Astronomy
Research Interests
My current research has focused mainly on nuclear astrophysics, i.e., various nuclear processes in stars, and experimental technologies in nuclear physics. In addition, I am also interested in a different yet related topic on theoretical development and nuclear experimental tests of the mirror matter theory I have recently proposed.
Carbon and oxygen burning reactions, such as 12C+12C, 12C+16O, and 16O+16O are believed to be critical for late stellar burning phases. I have led various experimental work and developments related to measurement of these reaction rates that have been carried out at University of Notre Dame. In particular, 12C+12C and 12C+16O fusion experiments with SAND (a silicon detector array) have been conducted at the high-intensity St. ANA accelerator with particle-gamma coincidence and differential thick-target techniques.
ICEBall, as a device for detection of internal conversion electrons, was moved from Yale University to the Nuclear Science Laboratory (NSL) at Notre Dame. I have played a major role in upgrading various components of this Si(Li) detector array for measuring conversion electrons in coincidence with gamma rays. The new system fIREBAll (fInternal conveRsion Electron Ball Array) will be used for studies of the nature of 0+ states in deformed nuclei, the role of cluster states in light nuclei for stellar evolution, and testing of ab-initio theoretical model predictions as the only conversion electron-γ-ray coincidence device in the USA.
Education
B.S. Beijing University, 1994
M.S. Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 1997
Ph.D. Michigan State University, 2002
Publications
“Kaon Oscillations and Baryon Asymmetry of the Universe”, Wanpeng Tan, Phys. Rev. D 100, 063537 (2019)
“Neutron Oscillations for Solving Neutron Lifetime and Dark Matter Puzzles”, Wanpeng Tan, Phys. Lett. B 797, 134921 (2019)
“Experimental measurement of 12C+16O fusion at stellar energies”, X. Fang, W. P. Tan, M. Beard, R. J. deBoer, G. Gilardy, H. Jung, Q. Liu, S. Lyons, D. Robertson, K. Setoodehnia, C. Seymour, E. Stech, B. Vande Kolk, M. Wiescher, R. T. deSouza, S. Hudan, V. Singh, X. D. Tang, and E. Uberseder, Phys. Rev. C 96, 045804 (2017)
“15O(α,γ)19Ne Breakout Reaction and Impact on X-Ray Bursts”, W. P. Tan, J. L. Fisker, J. Görres, M. Couder, and M. Wiescher, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 242503 (Editors’ Suggestion) (2007)
“Lifetime of the astrophysically important 4.03 MeV state in 19Ne”, W. P. Tan, J. Görres, J. Daly, M. Couder, A. Couture, H. Y. Lee, E. Stech, E. Strandberg, C. Ugalde, and M. Wiescher, Phys. Rev. C 72, 041302(R) (2005)