Accessing the last r-process abundance peak at the N=126 Factory through high precision mass measurements

The rapid neutron capture process (r-process) is responsible for the production of almost half of the natural elements heavier than iron. In order to obtain reliable calculations of r-process abundances for the models of neutron star merger and other potential astrophysical sites, precise and accurate information about neutron-rich isotopes, including their masses, is needed. In order to access the neutron-rich nuclei around the N=126 region to study the last and least explored r-process abundance peak, the future N=126 Factory is under construction at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). The N=126 Factory uses multi-nucleon transfer reactions to produce neutron-rich nuclei coming out close to the grazing angle. The products can be efficiently collected, separated and delivered to experiments for further study with the beam manipulation techniques developed for CARIBU, using the gas catcher, magnetic separator, RFQ cooler-buncher and Notre Dame multi-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MR-TOF).

The status of the N=126 Factory, commissioning results of the Notre Dame MR-TOF before installation as well as the future mass measurement plan at the N=126 Factory using Canadian Penning Trap will be presented.