Oliver C. Gorton
Postdoctoral researcher at Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory
Nuclear Data and Theory Group // Nuclear and Chemical Science
Division
gorton3@llnl.gov
Github
Google
Scholar
ORC ID: 0000-0003-3643-9640
Research interests
Theoretical and computational methods of nuclear physics: my work
follows the needs of nuclear astrophysics and nuclear technology, two
fields which probe the limits of our understanding of matter in
neutron-rich environments.
Nuclear structure and reactions: beta-delayed neutron
emission, integration of nuclear shell-model and Hauser-Feshbach
reaction theory.
Applications in related fields: the search for dark matter,
nuclear data and evaluations, uncertainty quantification, machine
learning, high-performance computing.
Research experience
- Postdoctoral Researcher, Nuclear Data and Theory group (April 2024 -
present)
- Developing shell model methods to improve nuclear structure and
reaction theory of fission fragments and r-process nuclei
- LLNL ACT
Scholar, Strategic Deterrence (2022 – 2024)
- New predictive capability for reaction and decay properties of
fission fragments
- Defended PhD at LLNL
- Glenn T. Seaborg Institute (GTSI) Summer Intern, Seaborg Institute (Summer
2021)
- High Energy Density Physics Intern, Strategic Deterrence (Summer
2020)
- High Energy Density Physics Intern, Strategic Deterrence (Summer
2019)
- High Energy Density Physics Intern, Strategic Deterrence (Summer
2018)
Journal papers
- Weak
Entanglement Approximation for Nuclear Structure
O. C. Gorton and C. W. Johnson
Phys. Rev. C 110, 034305 (2024) | arXiv:2406.10120
- Proton-neutron
entanglement in the nuclear shell model
C. W. Johnson and O. C. Gorton
Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics 50 (4) 045110
(2023) | arXiv:2210.14338
- dmscatter: A
Fast Program for WIMP-Nucleus Scattering
O. Gorton, C. Johnson, C. Jiao, J. Nikoleyczik
Computer Physics Communications 284, 108597 (2023) | arXiv:2209.09187
- Cross sections
for neutron-induced reactions from surrogate data: Reexamining the
Weisskopf-Ewing approximation for (n,n’) and (n,2n) reactions
O. C. Gorton and J. E. Escher
Physical Review C: Nuclear Physics 107 (4), 044612 (2023) | arXiv:2102.03452
- Measurements
of proton capture in the A=100-110 mass region: Constraints of the
111In(gamma,p)/(gamma,n) branching point relevant to the
gamma-process
O. Olivas-Gomez, A. Simon, O. Gorton, J. E. Escher et al.
Physical Review C: Nuclear Physics 102 (5), 055806 (2020)
Conference proceedings
- A Problem in
the Statistical Description of Beta-Delayed Neutron Emission
O. Gorton, C. Johnson, and J. Escher
EPJ Web of Conferences 284, 03013 (2023) | arXiv:2210.05904
- Improving
nuclear data evaluations with predictive reaction theory and indirect
measurements
J. Escher, K. Bergstrom, E. Chimanski, O. Gorton, E. J. In, M. Kruse, S.
Peru, C. Pruitt, R. Rahman, E. Shinkle, A. Thapa, W. Younes
EPJ Web of Conferences 284, 03012 (2023) | arXiv:2304:10034
- Neutron
capture cross sections from surrogate reaction data and theory:
connecting the pieces with a Markov-Chain Monte Carlo approach
O. Gorton and J. E. Escher
Springer Proceedings in Physics, vol 254, pages 229-231 (2021)
| arXiv:1905:03055
Education
Awards and support
Codes
Languages: Modern Fortran, Python (numpy, scipy, MPI4py,
multiprocessing, emcee), Bash, C++
Technologies: Experienced: MPI, openMP, git; Novice: CUDA, RAJA
Machines: Borax, Quartz in LC, LLNL
facility
Primary developer of:
dmscatter [Repository]
A fast Fortran code for WIMP-nucleus form factors and differential event
rate spectra. Modern Fortran with Python interface. OpenMP
parallel.
PANASh [Not yet released]
Proton and neutron approximate shell model code providing advanced basis
truncation scheme for nuclei away from stability. MPI and openMP hybrid
parallel.
COMMCAS [Not yet released]
Computational Model Monte Carlo Sampler: Uncertainty quantification
framework originally designed for Hauser-Feshbach statistical decay
codes, now provides generic data-fitting, uncertainty quantification,
and neural-network-emulation tools for physics codes. MPI and
multiprocessing parallel.
Wigner [Repository]
A library of functions for computation of Wigner 3-j, 6-j and 9-j
symbols, written in modern Fortran.
Contributed talks
- Missing
gammas: beta-delayed neutron emission of Rb-94
O. Gorton, C. Johnson, J. Escher
Talk at APS April 2024 Meeting (Sacramento, April 2024)
- Gamma-ray
strength functions using approximate shell model calculations
O. Gorton, C. Johnson, J. Escher
Talk at T3 “Taking the Temperature” Workshop on Statistical Nuclear
Physics for Astrophysics and Applications (Ohio University, August
2023)
- Nuclear
Shell Model to the Rescue: Efforts to Resolve a Mystery in Beta Delayed
Neutron Emission
O. Gorton, C. Johnson, J. Escher
Talk at APS Division of Nuclear Physics Fall 2022 Meeting (New Orleans,
October 2022)
- Crisis in
Beta-Delayed Neutron Emission: Shell Model to the Rescue
O. Gorton, C. Johnson, J. Escher
Talk at Nuclear Data Conference (Sacramento – virtual, July 2022)
- DMFortFactor: A
Fast and Accessible for Computing WIMP-Nucleus-Scattering
Event-Rates
O. Gorton, C. Johnson, C. Jiao
Talk at DNP21 APS Conference (Boston – virtual, October 2021)
- Better
MCMC for Nuclear Data using emcee and B-DJINN
O. C. Gorton, J. E. Escher, K. O. Bergstrom, M. K. Kruse
Talk at LLNL Summer Slam (Livermore, August 2021)
- Nuclear
Physics for WIMPs
O. Gorton and C. W. Johnson
Talk at SDSU SIAM Student Chapter Summer Colloquium Series, (San Diego,
July 2021)
- Cross
subsections for neutron reactions from surrogate measurements:
Revisiting the Weisskopf-Ewing approximation
O. Gorton and J. E. Escher
Talk at DNP20 APS Conference (New Orleans – virtual, October 2020)
- Can we
get rid of the theorists?
O. Gorton and J. E. Escher
Talk at LLNL Summer Slam (Livermore, August 2020)
- Big
Picture and Background for Nuclear-Electronic Orbital (NEO) Approach:
Calculating Mixed Nucleon-Electron Wave Functions
O. Gorton
Seminar for the Furche Group, Chemistry Department, UC Irvine (Irvine,
March 2020)
- Indirect
measurements of nuclear cross subsections: tempering experimental
results with theory
O. Gorton and J. E. Escher
Seminar for HEDP Intern Exit Talk (Livermore, September 2019)
- A Markov
Chain Monte Carlo Tool for Hauser-Feshbach Codes
O. Gorton and J.E. Escher
Seminar for HEDP Intern Exit Talk (Livermore, August 2018)
Posters
Training and schools
- Attended “FIESTA
2024” , Fission Experiments and Theoretical Advances (FIESTA) is a
fission-focused school and workshop.
- Attended “FRIB-TA
Summer School: A practical walk-through formal scattering theory”,
2021
Lectures and hands on exercises in low-energy nuclear scattering
theory
- Attended “Agile Development Practices and Tools: A Guided Tour”,
2020
Collaborative source control using git, GitHub, and git workflows.
- Attended “Technical Writing Workshop” at LLNL, 2019
Teaching
- Graduate Teaching Associate for intro physics lab courses (2016 -
2020)
San Diego State University, Department of Physics