Aiming at number 9: CASPAR targets fluorine in new science run

The Compact Accelerator System for Performing Astrophysical Research (CASPAR) recently restarted with a new target—fluorine, the ninth element on the periodic table. This experiment aims to recreate the conditions inside stars to study how elements are formed. Fluorine is a key building block in the process, and it can help elemental production escape the CNO cycle, which can stop the formation of heavier elements. The experiment is conducted at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF), where CASPAR recreates the heat and pressure inside stars. The process involved a year and a half of trial and error, including making a fluorine-based target.

• "I find the hands-on stuff really interesting. There is a lot of joy in doing something where you can see the results of what you've done," Zimmer said.
• CASPAR helps understand the stellar environment, including what elements are produced, how they are produced, and the energy they produce.
• The experiment aims to educate the next generation of astrophysicists and nuclear physicists.

The experiment's data run is the culmination of two years of work. The experiment team, infrastructure team, and laboratory custodians have worked hard to get the Ross Campus ready for the experiment. The work at CASPAR supports the symbiotic relationship between observation, experiment, and theory. The experiment is part of a broader effort to understand how elements form in stars, which has an impact on astrophysics.

The experiment is part of a larger effort to understand how elements form in stars, including the formation of heavier elements like calcium. The experiment has no shortage of work in the coming years to unravel processes that made the elements—and, in turn, made us all.

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