Nuclear Structure Astrophysics and Reactions (NuSTAR) at FAIR
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Liverpool
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
Nuclear physics is being revolutionised by the development of new radioactive ion beam (RIB) accelerator facilities. The UK nuclear physics community has decided that the principal focus of its efforts will be the largest European facility, the FAIR (Facility for Anti-proton and Ion Research) complex being built in Darmstadt, Germany at the site of the present GSI. FAIR will provide unique opportunities in the fields of hadron-, nuclear-, atomic-, and laser physics, and applications. FAIR is to be built by an international consortium and will provide capabilities unmatched worldwide. It will be able to produce intense beams of all stable chemical elements up to uranium with energies in the range of 1 to 30 GeV per nucleon and also anti-protons. Beams of short-lived radioactive species will be generated in fragmentation/spallation and fission reactions. Such an in-flight facility has the advantages of being able to provide any isotope independently of the chemical properties of the element and the production process is fast, resulting in beams of the shortest-lived, and hence most exotic, nuclei. FAIR will be unique among the in-flight facilities in several ways: (i) experiments can be carried out with RIBs at high energies up to 2 GeV per nucleon; (ii) it will provide the purest radioactive beams for heavy nuclei; (iii) it will be the only facility in the world to have storage rings enabling a new and unique generation of experiments. NuSTAR (Nuclear Structure, Astrophysics and Reactions) is an 'umbrella' collaboration of >800 scientists from 146 institutions in 36 countries (Nov. 2007) focussing on nuclear physics experiments. It comprises nine different collaborations based around state-of-the art detector systems with the common aim to exploit the beams of short-lived radioactive species to study how the properties of nuclei and nuclear matter vary over a wide range of isospin, angular momentum, temperature and density. It will provide data on nuclear many-body systems under extreme conditions. The ultimate goal is to find a unified description of the properties of nuclei and nuclear matter. NuSTAR will be the first major project to realize the potential of the new accelerator facility and, in addition, some of its projects will benefit during the construction phase from the increased beam intensity from the ongoing upgrade to the existing accelerators which will be completed by 2009. NuSTAR will allow the UK Nuclear Physics Community to address many of the key questions in Nuclear Structure and Nuclear Astrophysics, outlined in the recent UK Nuclear Physics Strategy document. In particular the successful completion of the construction phase will permit the following fundamental questions to be considered: - What are the limits of nuclear existence? Where does the neutron-dripline lie? - Do new forms of collective motion occur far from the valley of nuclear stability? - Are there new forms of nuclear matter in very loosely bound nuclear systems? - How does the ordering of quantum states, with all of its consequent implications for nuclear structure and reactions, alter in highly dilute or neutron-rich matter? - Do symmetries seen in near-stable nuclei also appear far from stability and do we observe new symmetries? - How are the elements and isotopes found in the Universe formed? - Where are the sites of the r-process(es) of nucleosynthesis? - What is the nuclear equation of state for neutron stars? The present grant request is to support the UK involvement in NuSTAR at FAIR. Although there are 9 experimental collaborations in NuSTAR, the UK community has decided to concentrate its efforts on the six in which it has a scientific lead and where it can use its technical excellence and experience. It is planned that by 2013 we will be ready to fully utilise the range of beams available at FAIR and to continue our excellence and leadership in the area of nuclear structure physics and astrophysics.
Organisations
- University of Liverpool, United Kingdom (Lead Research Organisation)
- Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (Collaboration)
- Advanced Gamma Tracking Array (AGATA) Collaboration Council (Collaboration)
- Michigan State University, United States (Collaboration)
- Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres (Collaboration)
- RIKEN, Japan (Collaboration)
Publications

Akkoyun S
(2012)
AGATA-Advanced GAmma Tracking Array
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

Altstadt S
(2014)
13,14B(n, ?) via Coulomb Dissociation for Nucleosynthesis towards the r-Process
in Nuclear Data Sheets

Antonov A
(2011)
The electron-ion scattering experiment ELISe at the International Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR)-A conceptual design study
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

Atar L
(2018)
Quasifree ( p , 2 p ) Reactions on Oxygen Isotopes: Observation of Isospin Independence of the Reduced Single-Particle Strength
in Physical Review Letters

Borri M
(2016)
Detector production for the R3B Si-tracker
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

Caesar C
(2013)
Beyond the neutron drip line: The unbound oxygen isotopes 25 O and 26 O
in Physical Review C

Chakraborty S
(2017)
Ground-state configuration of neutron-rich Al 35 via Coulomb breakup
in Physical Review C

Colosimo S
(2015)
Characterisation of two AGATA asymmetric high purity germanium capsules
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

Datta U
(2016)
Direct experimental evidence for a multiparticle-hole ground state configuration of deformed Mg 33
in Physical Review C

Díaz Fernández P
(2018)
Quasifree ( p , p N ) scattering of light neutron-rich nuclei near N = 14
in Physical Review C
Description | Design, prototyping and construction of the Silicon Tracker for the R3B experiment at GSI/FAIR, including a new custom ASIC. |
Exploitation Route | - Other Nuclear Physics projects (e.g. ISOL) will benefit from the developments for the R3B Silicon Tracker. - Such tracking devices could be of interest for beam tracking at medical facilities e.g. proton therapy or heavy-ion therapy. |
Sectors | Education,Healthcare |
Description | AGATA collaboration |
Organisation | Advanced Gamma Tracking Array (AGATA) Collaboration Council |
Country | Global |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Supply of detectors and instrumentation. Leadership role in detectors, electronics and mechanical structures |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners supply detectors and instrumentation and lead aspects of the programme. |
Impact | Array of detectors for use at all European Laboratories including the HISPEC experiment in NUSTAR |
Description | ASY-EOS Collaboration |
Organisation | Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres |
Department | GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Collaborative research/experiments. Data analysis and monte carlo simulations (supervision of PhD students and PDRA), scientific input (experimental proposals, authorship of publications...). Manpower (research staff, PhD students) for running experiments. Presentations at collaboration meetings, workshops, conferences. |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to research large-scale facility and beam time, instrumentation for experiments, technical support, PhD students and research staff, etc. |
Impact | Publications. PhD theses (P. Wu, S. Gannon in progress). Training of PhD students and research staff. Invitations to speak at meetings, workshops, conferences. |
Start Year | 2006 |
Description | R3B Collaboration (NUSTAR) |
Organisation | Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research |
Department | Nuclear Structure, Astrophysics and Reactions |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Collaborative research/experiments. Leadership in design and construction of detection systems (e.g. Si Tracker and associated EDAQ). Data analysis and monte carlo simulations (supervision of PhD students), scientific input (experimental proposals, authorship of publications...). Manpower (technical and research staff, PhD students) for construction of equipment and running experiments.. Presentations at collaboration meetings, workshops, conferences. |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to research large-scale facility and beam time, instrumentation for experiments, technical support, PhD students and research staff, etc. T. Aumann spokesperson of R3B collaboration. |
Impact | Publications. PhD theses (S. Paschalis, J. Taylor). Training of PhD students and research staff. Invitations to speak at meetings, workshops, conferences. Project leadership of Si tracker (NUSTAR-UK project grant). |
Description | R3B Collaboration (NUSTAR) |
Organisation | Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Collaborative research/experiments. Leadership in design and construction of detection systems (e.g. Si Tracker and associated EDAQ). Data analysis and monte carlo simulations (supervision of PhD students), scientific input (experimental proposals, authorship of publications...). Manpower (technical and research staff, PhD students) for construction of equipment and running experiments.. Presentations at collaboration meetings, workshops, conferences. |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to research large-scale facility and beam time, instrumentation for experiments, technical support, PhD students and research staff, etc. T. Aumann spokesperson of R3B collaboration. |
Impact | Publications. PhD theses (S. Paschalis, J. Taylor). Training of PhD students and research staff. Invitations to speak at meetings, workshops, conferences. Project leadership of Si tracker (NUSTAR-UK project grant). |
Description | R3B Collaboration (NUSTAR) |
Organisation | Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres |
Department | GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Collaborative research/experiments. Leadership in design and construction of detection systems (e.g. Si Tracker and associated EDAQ). Data analysis and monte carlo simulations (supervision of PhD students), scientific input (experimental proposals, authorship of publications...). Manpower (technical and research staff, PhD students) for construction of equipment and running experiments.. Presentations at collaboration meetings, workshops, conferences. |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to research large-scale facility and beam time, instrumentation for experiments, technical support, PhD students and research staff, etc. T. Aumann spokesperson of R3B collaboration. |
Impact | Publications. PhD theses (S. Paschalis, J. Taylor). Training of PhD students and research staff. Invitations to speak at meetings, workshops, conferences. Project leadership of Si tracker (NUSTAR-UK project grant). |
Description | SAMURAI Collaboration |
Organisation | Michigan State University |
Department | National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Collaborative research/experiments. Data analysis and monte carlo simulations (supervision of PhD student), scientific input (experimental proposals, authorship of publications...). Manpower (research staff, PhD student) for construction of TPC and running experiments. Presentations at collaboration meetings, workshops, conferences. |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to research large-scale facility and beam time, instrumentation for experiments, technical support, PhD students and research staff, etc. |
Impact | Publications. PhD thesis in progress (W. Powell). Training of PhD student and research staff. Invitations to speak at meetings, workshops, conferences. Funding from RIKEN-Univ Liverpool agreement for PhD studentship. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | SAMURAI Collaboration |
Organisation | RIKEN |
Department | RIKEN-Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science |
Country | Japan |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Collaborative research/experiments. Data analysis and monte carlo simulations (supervision of PhD student), scientific input (experimental proposals, authorship of publications...). Manpower (research staff, PhD student) for construction of TPC and running experiments. Presentations at collaboration meetings, workshops, conferences. |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to research large-scale facility and beam time, instrumentation for experiments, technical support, PhD students and research staff, etc. |
Impact | Publications. PhD thesis in progress (W. Powell). Training of PhD student and research staff. Invitations to speak at meetings, workshops, conferences. Funding from RIKEN-Univ Liverpool agreement for PhD studentship. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | IOP School Grants Scheme |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Type Of Presentation | Workshop Facilitator |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Funding awarded to Frodsham CE Primary school to visit Jodrell Bank Observatory. I was the scientific partner for this grant who initiated the idea, helped formulate the funding request and took part in the visit with year 4 children. Difficult to quantify. Hopefully help broaden the provision of the science curriculum in this primary school and develop taste for physics/astrophysics in young children. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Nuclear Physics Masterclasses |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Workshop Facilitator |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | About 20 six-formers attend practical activities in the new Canberra Laboratory at the Univ. of Liverpool award-winning CTL facilities and presentations over a number of days, including discussions in the Q&A part of the presentations. I was the academic lead scientist for these masterclasses since 2012. Difficult to quantify. Hopefully help attract students to study Physics at University and develop awareness of Nuclear Physics impact on everyday life. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012,2013,2014 |
Description | Women in Physics Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Invited Talk at Women in Physics (WiP) workshops, organised by the Physics Outreach Group of the University of Liverpool for girls in year 12 of high school, taking AS and/or A2 courses in Physics. Difficult to quantify. Hopefully help attract students to study Physics at University and develop awareness of Nuclear Physics impact on everyday life. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012,2013,2014 |