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Dr.
Pancella’s research is in the area of Nuclear Physics. He uses experimental
techniques to get information about the force which holds nuclei together,
the strongest force known in the universe. Experiments
in this field require the use of large particle accelerators, and are always
performed in collaboration with teams of other scientists. Pancella’s work
has most often been performed at the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility
(www.iucf.indiana.edu) using an accelerator called the “Cooler”. The Cooler
has provided very high-quality beams of protons and deuterons, with the
capability of spin polarizing these ions. In addition, his group has developed
the capability of using polarized hydrogen and deuterium targets in this
beam, allowing the study of the complete spin dependence of the strong
nuclear force in what has been called the intermediate energy range (up
to about 450 MeV proton lab kinetic energy). Two
of the most interesting recent results involve production of the neutral
pion. The PINTEX group (Polarized INternal Target EXperiments) delivered
the first cross section measurements for neutral pion production from proton-proton
collisions very near threshold, then was able to extend those measurements
to higher energies (maintaining the separation of individual partial waves)
using spin dependence. The initial measurements created a flurry of activity
in theoretical circles when the measured cross section turned out to be
5-8 times larger than expected. The Cooler-CSB group (Charge Symmetry Breaking)
succeeded in observing the “forbidden” process whereby an alpha particle
and a neutral pion are produced in collisions between deuterons. It is
hoped that this latter measurement will provide a deeper insight into the
role of conservation laws in the strong force, and perhaps a glimpse of
how quarks manifest themselves in nuclear processes. Paul Pancella
Click to link to the
Physics Department at WMU
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