Pure electric monopole (E0) transitions between spin-zero states are considered sensitive probes of changes in nuclear structure. The observation and characterisation of E0 transitions is particularly important to understand the existence of quantum states with very different deformation close to the ground sate of atomic nuclei. E0 transitions only proceed with the emission of conversion electrons or electron-positron pairs and are difficult to detect in the presence of the high flux of gamma-rays and conversion electrons.

This project is aiming to develop a new high sensitivity conversion electron spectrometer combining the ANU Superconducting solenoid with a high resolution semi-conductor detector. A combination of experiments, involving radioactive sources and nuclear reactions, as well as Monte Carlo simulations will be used to characterise the new spectrometer.

An interest in nuclear and computational physics.