Elena Irene GERACI

Elena Geraci graduated in Physics, cum laude, at the University of Catania, with a dissertation in Nuclear Physics, on 23 July 1996.
She obtained the PhD cum laude in Physics with a dissertation in Nuclear Physics on 24 January 2002 at University of Catania.

From 1/07/2008 she is Lecturer in Nuclear Physics at the University of Catania (Department of Physics and Astronomy E. Majorana).

Previously, she has been temporary researcher at the Department of Physics of the University of Bologna (2002-2005), and temporary researcher at the INFN of Bologna (2005-2008).

She has been associated at the Laboratori Nazionali del Sud dell'Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) (1996-2001), at the Bologna Unit of INFN (2002-2008), and she is currently associated at the Catania Unit of INFN (from July 2008).

From 2013 to 2018 she has received a courtesy appointment as a visiting research scholar in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ, USA).

Dr Geraci has carried and carries out her research activities mainly in the field of Experimental Nuclear Physics with heavy ions in the Fermi energies regime. She has been involved in several experiments at INFN Laboratories in Catania and in Legnaro (PD) (the Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (LNS), Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro (LNL) of INFN).

Currently Dr Geraci is a member of NEWCHIM collaboration, which aims to study the isospin dependence of reaction mechanisms, cluster structures in exotic nuclei and the equation of state of nuclear matter, using CHIMERA and FARCOS experimental apparata. She is one of the authors in more than 200 papers and conference proceedings. She gave several talks and presented posters at International and National Conferences. She has been spokesperson for experiment at LNS.

Dr Geraci is one of the authors in more than 200 scientific publications. in the following the most recent and significant publications.

1. A.Pagano et al., "Nuclear neck-density determination at Fermi energy with CHIMERA detector", European Physical Journal A 56, (2020) 102
2. P. Russotto et al., "Dynamical versus statistical production of Intermediate Mass Fragments at Fermi Energies,  European Physical Journal A 56, (2020) 12
3. L. Acosta et al., "The FARCOS detection system: The first application in a real experiment" , 2019 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, NSS/MIC 2019, 9060013
4. T. Cap, "Competition between dynamical and sequential reaction channels in 197 Au+ 197 Au collisions at a bombarding energy of 23A MEV", Acta Physica Polonica B 50(3),501
5. S. Pirrone et al., “Isospin influence on fragments production in 78Kr+40Ca- and 86Kr+48Ca collisions at 10 MeV/nucleon”, European Physical Journal A 55, (2019) 22 
6. E.V. Pagano et al., “Measurements of pulse shape discrimination with EJ 299-33 plastic scintillator using heavy ion reaction,” Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A 905, (2018) 47 
7. E.V. Pagano et al., “Pulse shape discrimination of plastic scintillator EJ 299-33 with radioactive sources,” Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A 889, (2018) 83 
8. T. Cap et al., “Determination of impact parameters in aligned breakup of projectile-like fragments in197Au +197Au collisions at 23AMeV”, ACTA PHYSICA POLONICA B, Vol. 47 (2016) 983 
9. R. Najman et al., “Investigation of the freeze-out configuration in the197Au +197Au reaction at 23 AMeV”, ACTA PHYSICA POLONICA B, Vol. 47 (2016) 975 
10. B. Borderie et al., “Probing clustering in excited alpha-conjugate nuclei” PHYSICS LETTERS B, Vol. 755 (2016) 475  
11. R. Najman et al.,” Freeze-out configuration properties in the +197Au 197Au reaction at 23 A MeV”, PHYSICAL REVIEW C, vol. 92 (2015) 064614 
12. M. Papa et al., ”Dipolar degrees of freedom and isospin equilibration processes in heavy ion collisions” PHYSICAL REVIEW C, vol. 91 (2015), 041601 
13. P. Russotto et al., ”Production cross sections for intermediate mass fragments from dynamical and statistical decay of projectile-like fragments in sn 124 + ni 64 and sn 112 + ni 58 collisions at 35 A MeV”, PHYSICAL REVIEW C, vol. 91 (2015) 014610 
14. M. Bruno et al.,”GARFIELD plus RCo digital upgrade: A modern set-up for mass and charge identification of heavy-ion reaction products”, THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL. A, vol. 49 (2013) 128  
15. E. De Filippo et al., ”Correlations between emission timescale of fragments and isospin dynamics in Sn-124+Ni-64 and Sn-112+Ni-58 reactions at 35A MeV” PHYSICAL REVIEW C, vol. 86 (2012) 014610 
16. G. Cardella et al.,”Effects of neutron richness on the behavior of nuclear systems at intermediate energies” PHYSICAL REVIEW. C, vol. 85 (2012) 064609 
17. M. D'Agostino et al.,” Towards an understanding of staggering effects in dissipative binary collisions”. NUCLEAR PHYSICS A, vol.875 (2012) 139 
18. I. Lombardo et al.,”Even-odd effects in Z and N distributions of fragments emitted at intermediate energies” PHYSICAL REVIEW. C, vol. 84 (2011) 024613 
19. Ad. R. Raduta et al., “Evidence for alpha-particle condensation in nuclei from the Hoyle state deexcitation” PHYSICS LETTERS B, vol. 705 (2011) 65 
20. M. D'Agostino et al., “Reaction mechanisms and staggering in S+Ni collisions”, NUCLEAR PHYSICS A, vol. 861 (2011) 47 
21. E. De Filippo et al., “Slowing down of fast electrons as probe for charging and decharging dynamics of ion-irradiated insulators”, PHYSICAL REVIEW A, vol. 83 (2011) 064901 
22. E. De Filippo et al., “Charging of insulators by multiply-charged-ion impact probed by slowing down of fast binary-encounter electrons”, PHYSICAL REVIEW A, vol. 82 (2010) 062901 
23. I. Lombardo et al., “Dynamical and thermodynamical properties of incomplete fusion events at 25 mev/nucleon”,. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MODERN PHYSICS E, vol. 19, (2010) 1170 
24. I Lombardo et al., “Isospin dependence of physical observables in Incomplete Fusion reactions at 25 MeV/nucleon”. NUCLEAR PHYSICS. A, vol. 834 (2010) p. 458c 
25. Z. Sun et al., “Isospin diffusion and equilibration for Sn+Sn collisions at E/A=35 MeV”, PHYSICAL REVIEW. C, vol. 82 (2010) p. 051603 
26. K. Schmidt et al., “Light fragments production and isospin dependences in Sn+Ni and Sn+Al central collisions at 25 mev/a and 35 mev/a from REVERSE/Isospin experiments”, ACTA PHYSICA POLONICA B, vol. 41, p. 387 
27. I. Lombardo et al., “Isospin transport effects in nuclear reactions at 25 MeV/nucleon”, PHYSICAL REVIEW. C, vol. 82 (2010) 014608 
28. J. Wilczynski et al., “Observation of fast collinear partitioning of the Au197 + Au197 system into three and four fragments of comparable size”. PHYSICAL REVIEW. C, vol. 81 (2010) p. 024605 
29. F. Amorini et al., “Study of exotic beams induced reactions in the region of 11Be with CHIMERA”. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MODERN PHYSICS E, vol. 19,(2010) 1096 
30. P. Russotto et al.,” Strong enhancement of dynamical emission of heavy fragments in the neutron-rich Sn124+Ni64 reaction at 35A MeV” PHYSICAL REVIEW. C, vol. 81,(2010) p. 064605 
31. J. Wilczynski et al.,”Aligned breakup of heavy nuclear systems as a new type of deep inelastic collisions at small impact parameters”. PHYSICAL REVIEW. C , vol. 81, (2010) 06760 
32. A. Corsi et al., “Dynamical dipole as a probe of isospin dynamics” Acta Physica Polonica B Vol. 40 (2009) 581 
33. E. De Filippo et al., “Dynamical signals in fragmentation reactions: time scale determination from three fragments correlations by using the 4pi chimera multidetector” Acta Physica Polonica B Vol. 40 (2009) 1199 
34. F. Amorini et al., “Isospin Dependence of Incomplete Fusion Reactions at 25 MeV/Nucleon”, Physical Review Letters 102 (2009)  
35. J. De Sanctis et al., “Classification of the impact parameter in nucleus–nucleus collisions by a support vector machine method” Journal of Physics G, Nuclear and Particle Physics 36 (2009) 015101  
36. A. Corsi et al., “Excitation of the dynamical dipole in the charge asymmetric reaction 16O + 116Sn”, Physics Letters B Vol.679 (2009) 197-202 
37. L. Bardelli et al., “Influence of crystal-orientation effects on pulse-shape-based identification of heavy-ions stopped in silicon detectors”, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, Vol.605 (2009) 353-358 
38. R. Planeta et al., “Centrality dependence of isospin effect signatures in 124Sn+64Ni and 112Sn+58Ni reactions” Physical Review C 77 (2008) 014610 
39. I. Skwira-Chalot et al., “Fast Ternary and Quaternary Breakup of the 197Au+197Au System in Collisions at 15 MeV/nucleon “, Physical Review Letters 101 (2008) 262701  
40. M. Papa et al., “Dynamical multi-breakup processes in the 124Sn+64Ni system at 35 MeV/nucleon”, Physical Review C 75 (2007) 054616 
41. E. Geraci et al., “Isotope analysis in central heavy ion collisions at intermediate energies”, The European Physical Journal, Special Topics 150, (2007) 21–22 
42. O. Wieland et al., "Damping mechanism of the Giand Dipole Resonance in hot nuclei with A=130" Acta Physica Polonica B Vol. 38 (2007) 1447-1453 
43. R. Planeta et al., “Isospin effects studied with the chimera detector at 35 MeV/nucleon” Acta Physica Polonica, B 73 (2006) 183-191 
44. O. Wieland et al., “Giant Dipole Resonance in the Hot and Thermalized 132Ce Nucleus: Damping of Collective Modes at Finite Temperature”, Physical Review Letters 97 (2006) 012501 
45. A. Moroni et al., “The Ring Counter(RCo): a high resolution IC-Si-CsI(Tl) device for heavy ion reaction studies at 10-30 AMeV”, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A 556 (2006) 516 
46. P. Russotto et al., "Dynamical fission in the Sn+Ni interaction at 35A MeV", International Journal of Modern Physics E, 15 (2006) 410-416 
47. M. Alderighi et al., “Particle identification via pulse shape analysis for large-area silicon detectors of the CHIMERA array”, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science vol. 52 (2005) 1624 
48. O. Wieland et al., “The gamma-decay of the GDR in highly excited Ce nuclei”. Journal Of Physics. G, Nuclear And Particle Physics, vol. 31 (2005) 1973 - 1977 
49. E. De Filippo et al., “Isoscaling in neck fragmentation ” Acta Physica Polonica B 37 (2006) 199-205  
50. F. Camera et al., “GDR in Hot Nuclei: New Measurements”, Acta Physica Polonica B 36 (2005) 1145 
51. F. Gramegna et al., “Light Charged Particle Emission and the Giant Dipole resonance in Ce Nucleus”, Acta Physica Polonica B 36 (2005) 1155 
52. J. Wilczynski et al., “How to calibrate the time scale of emission of intermediate mass fragments”, International Journal of Modern Physics E 14 (2005) 353 
53. E. De Filippo et al., “Dynamical fission in 124Sn + 64Ni collision at 35 AMeV”, Physical Review C 71 (2005) 064604 
54. E. De Filippo et al., “Time sequence and time scale of intermediate mass fragment emission”, Physical Review C 71 (2005) 044602 
55. M. D Agostino et al., “Nuclear Liquid-Gas Phase Transition: Experimental Signals”, Nuclear Physics A 749 (2005) 55 
56. M. Alderighi et al., “CHIMERA data acquisition via digital sampling” Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science Vol. 51 (4) (2004) 1475 
57. M. Alderighi et al., “Pulse shape method applied to silicon detectors of CHIMERA array” Nuclear Physics A 734 (2004) E88 
58. E. Geraci et al., “Isotope correlations as a probe for freeze-out characterization: central 124Sn+64Ni, 112Sn+58Ni collisions”, Nuclear Physics A 734 (2004) 524 
59. A. Pagano et al., “Fragmentation studies with the CHIMERA detector at LNS in Catania: recent progress”, Nuclear Physics A 734 ( 2004) 504 
60. E. Geraci et al., “Isoscaling in central 124Sn+64Ni, 112Sn+58Ni collisions at 35 AMeV”, Nuclear Physics A 732 (2004) 173 
61. F. Gramegna et al., “New Perspectives for Studies of Reaction Mechanism at Low-medium Energies” Acta Physica Polonica B 34 (2003) 2353 
62. M. Alderighi et al., “CHIMERA Data Acquisition and Computational System Using DSP-Based VME Modules” IEEE Trans. Nucl. Science, 49 (2002) 432 
63. M. Alderighi et al., “Particle identification method in the CsI(Tl) scintillator used for the CHIMERA 4pi detector”, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A 489 (2002) 257 
64. N. Le Neindre et al., “Mass and charge identification of fragments detected with the CHIMERA Silicon-CsI(Tl) telescopes” Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A 490 (2002) 251 
65. M. Alderighi et al., “Automatic analysis of CHIMERA experimental data by means of a hierarchical pre-attentive neural system”. Computer Physics Communications, Vol. 140/1-2 (2001) 13 
66. M. Alderighi et al., “A spatial density analysis technique for the automatic classification of 4pi detector data” IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science Vol. 48 (2001) 385 
67. G. Lanzano et al., “Absolute Cross Sections for Fast Electron Ejection by Swift Highly Charged Ions and Evidence for Fermi Shuttle Acceleration” Physica Scripta T92 (2001) 68 
68. S. Pirrone et al., “Fusion and competing processes in the 32S+12C reaction at E(32S)=19.5 MeV/nucleon” Physical Review C 64 (2001) 024610 
69. E. Geraci et al., “Sequential Fission Decay induced by transfer reactions at the Coulomb Barrier” Physical Review C 64 (2001) 034609 
70. G. Lanzano et al., “Ejection of fast electrons following the impact of 45 MeV/u 58Niq+ (q=19.28) on solid-foil targets”, Physical Review A 63 (2001) 032702 
71. A. Pagano et al., “Physics with the CHIMERA detector at LNS in Catania: the REVERSE experiment”, Nuclear Physics A 681 (1-4) (2001) 331 
72. F. Porto et al., “Status and perspectives of the 4pi charged particles multidetector CHIMERA” Acta Physica Polonica B 31(2000) 1489 
73. S. Aiello et al., “The enhanced data acquisition system for the 4pi detector CHIMERA” IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science Vol 47 n°2 (2000) 114 
74. S. Aiello et al., “The on-line computational and control system for the 4pi detector CHIMERA” IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science Vol 47 n°2 (2000) 196 
75. G. Lanzano et al., “Fast electron production at intermediate energies: evidence for Fermi shuttle acceleration and for deviations from simple relativistic kinematics.” Physics Review Letter Vol. 83 (22) (1999) 4518 
76. M. D'Agostino et al., “Thermodynamical features of multifragmentation in peripheral Au + Au collisions at 35 A MeV”, Nuclear Physics A 650 (3) (1999) 329 
77. S. Aiello et al., “Plasma effects for heavy ions in implanted silicon detectors” Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A 427 (1999) 510 

Dr Geraci carries out her research activities as a member of the NEWCHIM collaboration, which aims at studying the properties of nuclei in extreme conditions of density and temperature, as well as investigating isospin dependence of the reaction mechanisms, using CHIMERA and FARCOS as experimental apparata at INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (Catania)

In particular, the features of Chimera multidetector, characterized by an almost total coverage of the solid angle with very low identification thresholds and charge and mass identifications for the vast majority of the reaction products, with stable and unstable beams, allow to study:

- Thermodynamical properties of systems with mass A+100 uma, formed in central collisions

- Dynamics and thermodynamics on the EOS symmetry energy

- Isospin effect in formation and decay mechanisms for Compound nuclei

-Dynamical effects in nuclear reactions

-Dynamical fission

-Structure of weekly bound light nuclei

Recently she has joined the international collaboration  NUSTAR-R3B, aimed at realizing experiments to be performed with radioactive beams at relativistic energies at GSI  (Darmstadt, Germania).

Representative of Physics and Astronomy Department for Terza Missione (public engagement, Spin off, school counseling) 

Member of the University Commitee of  Terza Missione of Universita' degli Studi di Catania 

Secretary of  Scuola di Specializzazione in Fisica Medica (Master in Medical Physics) at Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia “E. Majorana” (dal 2019)

Member of the local organizing committee di FATA 2019 "FAst Timing Applications for Nuclear physics and Medical imaging” Acireale, Catania, September 3-5, 2019.

TEACHING ACTIVITIES

AA 2019-2020:

- Heavy Ion Physics (2 CFU), C.d.L Magistrale in Physics, LM-17

- Physics of the enviroment, module of "Metodologie Fisiche e Chimiche per l'ambiente", Bachelor Degree  in "Pianificazione e tutela del territorio e del paesaggio", L21 (Di3A)

-Tecniche di Misure Nucleari, course for the second-year students of Scuola di Specializzazione in Fisica Medica (Master in Medical Physics)

-Physics, Bachelor Degree in "Scienze Biologiche", L21

AA 2018-19:

-Lab Assistant for Laboratorio di Fisica I, (A-L), bachelor's degree in Physics, L30

-Tecniche di Misure Nucleari, course for the second-year students of   Scuola di Specializzazione in Fisica Medica (Master in Medical Physics)

-Member of the teaching committee for  “Heavy Ion Physics”, Master degree  in Physics, LM-17