| NUCLEAR PHYSICS |
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| Half-life predictions for superheavy nuclei |
Scientific discoveries result in many, very often unexpected, benefits for the mankind. Although the contemporary nuclear physics deals with numerous interesting topics, there are still many opened questions. The best way to discover the laws of Nature is to perform extensive theoretical and experimental studies at extreme conditions. Such investigations are severe tests of theoretical models, which are the formulations of the present knowledge or the working hypothesis about the subject. Researchers investigate exotic nuclei far from stability, as well as nuclei with high angular momenta, large deformations, and high temperatures.
One of the best examples of the physics at the extremes is our theoretical investigation of superheavy elements with large both proton and neutron numbers. Another important subject is the dynamics of nucleus-nucleus collisions at energies ranging from very low, important for the astrophysical processes, through relativistic, providing information on thermodynamics of nuclear matter, to ultrarelativistic, which might lead to new forms of the matter, such as quark-gluon plasma. Also, the structure and interactions of various reaction products obtained in low-energy heavy-ion collisions and atomic effects in very strong electromagnetic fields which occur in heavy-ion collisions are studied. Furthermore, theory of fusion is being developed aiming at the discovery of new isotopes of known elements, as well as superheavy elements with new properties.
The research is conducted in collaboration with leading laboratories throughout the world.
| PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES |
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Fragment of the WASA detector in Uppsala
built by a team of engineers and technicians of IPJ P-VI High Energy Physics Department |
Elementary particle physics deals with the fundamental questions on the structure and functioning of our world: What are the basic building blocks of matter? What kind of forces act between them? Experimental groups at our Institute take active part in the collaboration with big research centers, mainly CERN - the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (located in Switzerland). Experimenters study the structure of the nucleon with muon beams, look in electron-positron collisions for fundamental Higgs particle - presumably generating all other particle masses, and actively pursue preparations for next generation experiments at the future Large Hadron Collider. A group of physicists studies cosmic radiation, analyzing spectra and content of particles bombarding Earth and coming from outer space.
| PLASMA PHYSICS AND TECHNOLOGY |
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| One of the laboratory sets for plasma physics research |
| PHYSICS OF THE COSMIC RADIATION |
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Animation based on Józef Chełmoński's 1849-1914
painting entitled BOCIANY (STORKS) |
Activities of the P-VII Department are focused on theoretical and experimental studies of cosmic radiation. Cascades of particles produced within the Earth atmosphere by cosmic rays of energies exceeding those obtained in accelerators are registered by wide-area networks of detectors. The main goal of these studies is to find astrophysical sources of such rays and to determine physical processes responsible for accelerating particles to such high energies.
Recently we have started deploying a network of cosmic ray detectors in Lodz high schools (the Roland Maze project). In 2004 ten schools are to be equipped.
| ASTROPARTICLE PHYSICS |
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| The "Pi of the Sky" apparatus and a meteor trace (blown by wind) registered by it. |
Prototype "Pi of the Sky" apparatus for monitoring light bursts possibly originating in extra-galactic explosions have been built in Poland by co-operating teams from IPJ, Polish Academy of Sciences Theoretical Physics Center, Institute of Experimental Physics of the Warsaw University, and Institute of Electronic Systems of the Warsaw Technical University. Since July 2004 the apparatus has been observing the sky at the Las Campanas range in Chile.
| ELECTRONICS AND DETECTORS |
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The silicon microstrip detector for
the beam line of COSY accelerator in Juelich assembled and tested at the Institute. |
Both the basic research and the applications of the methods of subatomic physics in various fields of science require specialized equipment. The Institute is involved in the development and characterization of different nuclear radiation detectors and electronics. Active research and expertises in the field of new scintillating techniques and semiconductor detectors are addressed to international scientific centers and European nuclear industry. Moreover, specialized electronics for high-energy physics experiments at CERN and the equipment for the nuclear spectrometry are developed.
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PC-based multichannel analyzer Tukan 8k |
| See a separate analyzer page | |
| See a view of the analyzer acquisition screen |
| ACCELERATOR PHYSICS |
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Isochronous C-30 cyclotron
(30 MeV proton energy) |
Accelerators – i.e. apparatus for increasing velocity and relativistic mass of charged particles – are sources of particle beams in a broad energy range (at present the maximum energy may reach 200 GeV for electrons and 1TeV for protons). They may also generate secondary beams (photons, neutrons). Accelerators appeared as tools for fundamental research in nuclear physics, but their usefulness was extended into research in high-energy physics, solid-state physics etc., as well as in chemistry, biology, ecology etc. Apart from fundamental research, accelerators have numerous applications in industry, material technology, medical therapy (oncology, neurology, cardiology), sterilization of medical utensils, isotope production, environmental protection, preservation of agricultural products, and many others. Future nuclear power plants may possibly use next generation accelerators as sources of intense neutron beams for excitation of sub-critical reactors.
Our Institute has many-year-long tradition of developing linear and cyclic accelerators for research and applications (mainly to cancer therapy). Compact C-30 cyclotron has been built and deployed in Świerk center. Our experts participated in construction of heavy-ion cyclotron U-200 P in Warsaw. The ZdAJ production unit of our Institute (Establishment for Nuclear Equipment) is among the few manufacturers offering medical linear electron accelerators and auxiliary equipment for therapeutical treatment lines.
In the field of accelerator physics our Institute cooperates (among others) with DESY, INFN, and CERN.
| RADIATION MEDICAL PHYSICS |
Applications of nuclear physics in medicine are among the most useful for the mankind. Its methods are used in diagnostics and therapy of some very serious illnesses, like cancer.
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"Photon Needle" set for brachytherapy of brain
tumors based on a highly specialized X-ray tube |
| MATERIALS RESEARCH |
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"Lech" electrostatic accelerator
(Van de Graaff-type) |
Nuclear physics methods are also very helpful in accurate measurements of purity of various materials, modification of properties of various substances, and even in production of materials earlier not known. Our Institute has instrumentation necessary to perform trace analyses of impurities in surface layers of various materials (e.g. "Lech" accelerator shown nearby).
| EDUCATION, POPULARIZATION |
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A physics lecture given by a member of staff of the
IPJ Training and Consulting Department |
Department of Training and Consulting arranges systematic courses of radiation physics for high-schools, teachers and university students. In addition, it conducts trainings in the fields of radiological safety and risks connected with ionizing radiation. Department accepts yearly about 5000 high-school pupils for whom a special laboratory of atomic and nuclear physics was also organized. Independently, in the Department’s building an exhibition „Radioactive wastes: problems, solutions” was arranged and is permanently open to the public.
The Department’s staff is engaged in the scientific activity, mainly in
application of nuclear methods to the electronic structure of condensed matter studies.
Mikołaj Kopernik Astronomy Center of Polish Academy of Sciences, Theoretic Physics Center of Polish Academy of Sciences and Soltan Institute for Nuclear Studies invite high school teachers and students to
discover by own hands
| ZdAJ ESTABLISHMENT FOR NUCLEAR EQUIPMENT |
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The ZdAJ Establishment for Nuclear Equipment is a production unit of the Institute. It specializes in linear electron accelerator design and manufacturing. The accelerators are used mainly in medicine (oncology), some also in industrial radiography and for food preservation. Over 22 systems manufactured in ZdAJ have been installed in Polish hospitals for the last ten years, 8 have been exported. ZdAJ produces also mammographs, simulators, therapeutic tables, automatic shielding doors, radiation shields and computerized teletherapy treatment 3D planning systems as well as is a supplier of detectors of ionizing radiation utilized in isotope thickness gauges, humidity gauges, balances, spectrometric systems etc. |
"Co-line" medical accelerator
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| Institute Offers |
