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The Redshaw Penning trap group at Central Michigan University focuses
on high-precision mass measurements using ions in a Penning trap.
We use these measurements to precisely determine Q values (the energy released)
for radioactive decays. These measurements help to answer fundamental questions
related to neutrino physics, such as
What is the mass of the neutrino?
Is the neutrino a Majorana or Dirac particle?
Do sterile neutrinos exist?
They also help improve our understanding and description of rare decay processes
such as highly-forbidden decays and ultra-low Q value decays.
The research takes place at national user facilities, such as LEBIT at NSCL/FRIB
and CPT at Argonne National Lab, and at CMU where we are building an ultra-high
precision Penning trap, CHIP-TRAP.