Prominent nuclear scientists from across the globe converged on ANU last week for the biennial meeting of the International Network of Nuclear Structure and Decay Data Evaluators.

This is the first time the meeting has been held in the southern hemisphere, and participants came from as far afield as Bucharest in Romania, Kolkata, India, and United States. The focus of the meeting was on the bible of nuclear data, the Evaluated Nuclear Structure File, which is used for basic nuclear science and applications worldwide. 

“We were delighted to be chosen to host such a significant meeting and welcome such an important group to the Research School,” said Director of the Research School of Physics, Professor Tim Senden.

The meeting was organised by Dr Paraskevi Dimitriou from the IAEA and hosted by Associate Professor Tibor Kibédi and Professor Andrew Stuchbery from the Department of Nuclear Physics and Accelerator Applications (NPAA). 

“Our academics play a crucial role in the upkeep and development of this important global resource,” said Professor Stuchbery, who is the head of the NPAA Department.

The ANU joined the network in 2002, represented by Associate Professor Kibédi, contributing with the development of a theoretical conversion coefficient data base, BrIcc (https://bricc.anu.edu.au), and more recently with a new atomic radiation data base, BrIccEmis, which is essential for the development of targeted cancer therapy based on Auger electrons. 

The ANU is a participant in a new IAEA initiative to provide critical nuclear data for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) responsible for monitoring nuclear weapon test activities worldwide.

The development of BrIcc started in 2002 and BrIccEmis in 2009, led by Associate Professor Kibédi, with Professor Stuchbery as a major collaborator. Throughout the databases’ development, contributions were made by many students:  Kalman Robertson (honours), Boon Lee (honours and PhD), Tomas Eriksen (PhD), Bryan Tee (honours and PhD), Jackson Dowie (honours and PhD). The team’s publications (Nuc. Instr. and Meth., Atomic Data and Nuclear Data Tables,  Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics) attracted more than 1200 citations. 

Much of Australia’s nuclear physics research is conducted at the ANU Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility, the Canberra landmark well-known for its 15-story white tower on the lake shore.

Financial support was provided from the RSPhys Emeritus fund. Special thanks go to Petra Rickman, who helped to run the meeting very smoothly.