Fig 3: Uchaf - Ffoto o fi ar ben Tryfan, ar ger 1km dros lefel y môr. Gwaelod - Ffoto o waelod yr Wyddfa yn Eryri. Es i yr ben yn 1hr 40m gan Pyg! Hoffwn i cerdded y Gymru 3000au un diwrnod.
Abstract
In collision events, fermions may spontaneously radiate a boson, which can either be reabsorbed or emitted. These pro- cesses are radiative corrections which, in superposition with their leading order counterpart, results in corrections to cross- sections proportional to $\log(\frac{s}{a^2})\log(\frac{s}{b^2})$, where $s$ is the centre of mass energy squared, and $a,b$ are often related to the masses of the particles involved or an infrared (IR) regulator. This study derives these corrections in quantum electrodynamics and the electroweak theory. We find that the corrections are generally of the aforementioned form. We find that in the quantum electrodynamic case, these are IR divergent, but cancel under the scrutiny of an inclusive cross-section. In the electroweak case, we find only a partial cancellation, however the residual is IR finite, so does not pose an offence to experimental calcu- lations.
OPTICS - Technical Assistant (Dalton Cumbrian Facility)
The Dalton Cumbrian Facility is home to a pair of ion beam accelerators, DAFNE (Dalton Accelerato for Nuclear Experiments) and Baby. I have been involved with projects at the facility regarding the production of medical isotopes. For instance, one involvement has led me to produce a new Python package for generating nuclear test data - AtomForge. This is currently not available to the public, however it has the capabilities to interact with the UAEA Medical Isotope Browser, as well as their NDS (Nuclear Data Services). My Python package has the ability to automate queries to the website, as well as predict the decay of products produced in an irradiation by the accelerator, using a bespoke numerical method with variable timestepping to control error. The decay calculation can fully evaluate all decay steps until stability is reached. Finally, the program can create a gamma-spec of the state at any point in time. There are a number of other functions that help with usability.
Overview
The MIRaCLE (Manchester Inhomogeneous Radiation Chemistry by Linear Expansion) research group at the University of Manchester (Department of Mathematics, Department of Chemistry, Dalton Cumbrian Facility) are investigating methods to solve the reaction diffusion equation by methods of linear expansion. I have been involved in this project as an intern, assisting with the investigation of the radiolysis of water due to ion beam interactions. We have simulated the chemical stage interactions of high energy protons with water, as well as many chemical and physicochemical stage interactions of electrons with water.
UK National Ion Beam Centre User Day 2024
Abstract
The effectiveness of using a lead-lined 1950s fridge as a nuclear bomb shelter in the year 1957 was investigated via Monte-Carlo simulation of the radiation produced and numerical modelling of the internal temperature distribution of the fridge. By analysing the transport of gamma radiation through various media, it was found that to have a survival rate of greater than 50% following exposure to the gamma-ray dose, the fridge must be 4.23 kilometers away from the epicentre of the average Nuclear bomb used in 1957. It was also found that a human in a fridge would have to be 1.90 kilometers away for the duration of a 40 second explosion not to suffer likely-lethal burns.
Abstract
Algorithms in quantum computing are threatening the security of classical key distribution protocols such as RSA. Quantum key distribution protocols that have been proved effective as secure replacements can be expensive to build and configure. We explore the fidelity and efficacy of the BB84 and B92 protocols by calculating the probability of transmission of a single photon through affordable apparatus from experimental data. These values prompt 25,000 simulations of transmission. We find that BB84 and B92 are effective protocols, and with simple calibration methods, provide effective bit-rates of $270 \pm 77$ kbps and $192 \pm 60$ kbps respectively. This is sufficiently fast to replace RSA-2048, thereby maintaining decentralisation in private communication in a post-quantum internet.
Radiation Chemistry Automation
Please see the recent DCF newsletter , on page 4 and 5, for a brief overview of the project.
The documentation for my software can be found here and you can download my software here.
Abstract
By using an appropriate approximation for the equation of state for the interior fluid in compact stars, their structural equations can be solved using numerical methods to find their radii and masses. These structural equations arise from the necessity for hydrostatic equilibrium to hold in order for these stars to exist stably. The boundary conditions required to solve these differential equations are the central pressure in the star and the mass in the centre ($\sim 0$ kg). Solutions for the radius and mass as a function of central pressure were found for both white dwarfs (briefly) and neutron stars (in detail). We show the radii and mass functions for neutron stars, including general relativistic corrections and treating the interior structure as an ideal gas of neutrons. This model assumes neutron stars are comprised of neutrons only, and so an extension is also included which includes electrons and protons in this model. Both models predict that the most massive stable neutron star has a mass of $1.41 \times 10^{30}$ kg ($0.702 M_{\odot}$).
