Conveners
Neutron Physics and Science Communication
- Humbelani Edzani Ratsibi (NECSA)
A neutron star is one of the possible end states of a massive star. It is compressed by gravity and stabilized by the nuclear degeneracy pressure. Despite its name, the composition of these objects is not exactly known. However, from the inferred densities, neutrons will most likely compose a significant fraction of the star’s interior. While all neutron stars are expected to have a...
Relatively to the atomic constituents’ counterparts, the neutron is singular as it is sensitive to the four fundamental interactions: strong, weak, electromagnetic, and gravitational. This multi-sensitivity makes neutron wave-matter optics a particularly versatile tool for testing quantum mechanics specifically and fundamental physics concepts in general. The lifetime of a free neutron defined...
