Oliver C. Gorton

ACT Award scholar at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Ph.D. in Computational Science (Computational Nuclear Physics)

ogorton@sdsu.edu
Github
Google Scholar
ORC ID: 0000-0003-3643-9640

Research interests

Nuclear structure and reactions: beta-delayed neutron emission, integration of nuclear shell-model and Hauser-Feshbach (statistical) reactions. Applications in related fields: the search for dark matter, nuclear data and evaluations, uncertainty quantification, machine learning, high-performance computing.

Education

Training and schools

Awards and support

Research experience

Nuclear reactions, data, and theory at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (2018 – Present)

Nuclear structure and applications at San Diego State University (2016 – Present)

Intersection of nuclear physics and quantum chemistry at UC, Irvine (2019-20 academic year)

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:

Journal papers

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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

Contributed talks

  1. 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)
  2. 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)
  3. 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)
  4. 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)
  5. 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)
  6. Nuclear Physics for WIMPs
    O. Gorton and C. W. Johnson
    Talk at SDSU SIAM Student Chapter Summer Colloquium Series, (San Diego, July 2021)
  7. 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)
  8. Can we get rid of the theorists?
    O. Gorton and J. E. Escher
    Talk at LLNL Summer Slam (Livermore, August 2020)
  9. 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)
  10. 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)
  11. 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

  1. Proton and Neutron Approximate Shell Model: Factorization-based Importance Truncation
    O. Gorton, C. Johnson, J. Escher
    Poster at Nuclear Structure Conference (Berkeley, June 2022)
  2. Sensitivity Study of the Surrogate Method
    O. Gorton and J. E. Escher
    Poster at LLNL Student Poster Symposium (Livermore, August 2019)
  3. Temperature and Entropy in the Nuclear Shell Model
    O. Gorton and C. W. Johnson
    Poster at SDSU ACCESS event (San Diego, April 2019)
  4. Proton Neutron Interacting Shell Model: Order of Magnitude Reduction for Medium Mass Nuclei
    O. Gorton and C. Johnson
    Poster at SDSU annual research symposium (San Diego, March 2019)
  5. Neutron capture cross subsections from surrogate reaction data and theory: connecting the pieces with a Markov-Chain Monte Carlo approach
    O. Gorton and J. E. Escher
    Poster at Compound Nuclear Reactions conference CNR18 (Berkeley, September 2018)

Teaching