Measuring the Isoscalar Giant Monopole Resonance in ⁷⁰Ni with the S800 Spectrometer

The evolution of the giant monopole resonance as a function of isospin is important for constraining the nuclear equation-of-state, which has implications for understanding the nature of bulk nuclear matter and the size of neutron stars. In order to track this evolution in the medium-mass region, we have performed a measurement to measure the isoscalar giant monopole resonance (ISGMR) in ⁷⁰Ni using inelastic alpha scattering. The helium target was provided by the Active-Target Time Projection Chamber which was coupled with the S800 spectrometer at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory. The use of the S800 allowed us to tag Ni isotope recoils of interest after the excitation of the ISGMR, greatly reducing the background from elastic scattering. The effectiveness and the challenges of this method will be presented as well as future efforts to measure the ISGMR in heavier nuclei.