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Experimental Nuclear Physics Lab
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A lab that creates atomic nuclei with accelerators to explore the origin of the elements.
AboutAbout the lab
From atomic nuclei to how the universe came to be
The Experimental Nuclear Physics Lab creates atomic nuclei with accelerators and studies their properties experimentally.
An atomic nucleus is a many-body system of protons and neutrons, and the nature of the strong force (nuclear force) that binds them together has still not been fully understood, even more than 100 years after the discovery of the nucleus.
Pursuing the question "How did our universe come to be?" from the side of atomic nuclei, the lab investigates the synthesis of new elements and the processes by which elements are born in the universe.
Experiments are carried out at Kyushu University's accelerator and also at off-campus accelerator facilities such as RIKEN.
Key terms
- nuclear force
- The strong force that holds protons and neutrons together as an atomic nucleus. It determines the shape and stability of nuclei
- triple-alpha reaction
- A reaction in which three helium nuclei combine to form carbon. It takes place inside stars
- exotic nucleus
- A nucleus whose ratio of protons to neutrons is strongly skewed from that of naturally occurring stable nuclei
NewsLab news
A master's student won a poster award at the Toptier-CNS Summer School 2026
A paper by master's and doctoral students and the associate professor, among others, was published in NIM A
A master's student received an Excellent Presentation Award for a master's thesis
A master's student won a poster presentation award at the 14th SSRI Workshop
A discovery of a new type of nuclear fission, from joint research with the Japan Atomic Energy Agency and others, was published in Physical Review C
ResearchResearch themes
Centered on experimental studies of nuclear and hadron many-body systems, the lab covers everything from the synthesis of new elements to nucleosynthesis in the universe and the development of the instruments used for it. Following a "one person, one project" principle, graduate students lead experiments at Kyushu University and at off-campus accelerator facilities.
*Illustrative imageInvestigating the nuclear force and nuclear response
Using "spin" as a clue, the lab explores the nature of the nuclear force that lies behind the diversity shown by atomic nuclei. By comparing proton scattering inside nuclei with that in vacuum, it approaches the question of where the mass of matter comes from.
*Illustrative imageSynthesis of new elements and new nuclei
How far does the periodic table go? In joint research with more than 10 institutions in Japan and abroad, including RIKEN and Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the US, the lab aims to discover elements 119 and 120 in the eighth period.
*Illustrative imageThe origin of elements in the universe
How were the elements in today's universe born? Through accelerator experiments, the lab measures nuclear masses and excitation levels and precisely determines quantities such as the reaction rate of the triple-alpha reaction, which produces carbon inside stars.
*Illustrative imageStructure of exotic nuclei
The lab uses accelerators to artificially create exotic nuclei, whose ratio of protons to neutrons differs greatly from that of stable nuclei. From searches for resonance states and measurements of spin and electromagnetic moments, it looks for clues to how elements are created.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Experimental Nuclear Physics Lab are faculty, technical staff, students in the doctoral and master's programs, and fourth-year undergraduates in the special research student program.As of 2026
- ProfessorTomotsugu Wakasa
- ProfessorSatoshi Sakaguchi
- Associate ProfessorTakashi Teranishi
- Associate ProfessorYuichi Ichikawa
- Associate ProfessorMasaomi Tanaka
- Assistant ProfessorMiki Fukudome
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Report an errorAbout the images
For images provided to us or used with permission, the source is listed on each line. Wikimedia Commons images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab (they are cropped). Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Tandem accelerator at Kyushu University” 九州大学 実験核物理研究室 / 提供：九州大学 実験核物理研究室 (cropped)
- Investigating the nuclear force and nuclear response: “Horseshoe magnet metal shavings (top)” Maciej J. Mrowinski / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Synthesis of new elements and new nuclei: “Bismuth crystal macro1” Daniel George, Eucled Design / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- The origin of elements in the universe: “Crab Nebula” NASA, ESA, J. Hester and A. Loll (Arizona State University) / Public domain (cropped)
- Structure of exotic nuclei: “NuclideMap small preview” The viewer / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Theoretical Nuclear Physics Lab): “The Crab Nebula (weic2326a)” NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, T. Temim (Princeton University) / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Experimental Particle Physics Lab): “CMS Higgs-event” Lucas Taylor / CERN / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Theoretical Physics of Particle Systems Lab): “Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB)” ESA and the Planck Collaboration / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Fundamental Complex Matter Lab): “Moscow State University granular material” Artyom Svetlov / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
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