Resolution Testing of the Notre Dame Enge Split-Pole Spectrograph Focal Plane Detector

Study of nuclear structure for astrophysics demands high precision to indirectly determine certain nuclear reaction rates, because uncertain measurements cause imprecise calculations of these reaction rates. Notre Dame has acquired an Enge split-pole spectrograph which can be used to precisely measure nuclear level energies by magnetically separating and focusing particles onto the focal plane detector based on their momentum. This high-precision spectrometer provides a means to ascertain astrophysical reaction rates, providing a deeper understanding of nuclear processes in astrophysical environments. To full harness this machine's capabilities, the current commissioning phase is focused on ensuring precise position measurements from the focal plane detector which requires determining inherent resolution of the electronics by analyzing histograms of pulser data. Future tests include using a collimated alpha source to provide a more realistic determination of the detector's resolution. Presently, the analysis of the Notre Dame spectrograph's test results is in progress. Analysis of the pulser data and future plans will be presented.