Nuclear Astrophysics
Nuclear astrophysics contributes to understanding the origin of the elements in the universe. This goal is closely linked to the search for the structure and dynamics of the various astrophysical objects and the processes that produce them.
Not surprisingly, nuclear astrophysics combines many disciplines. The deeper understanding of the mysteries of the universe gained through astronomical observations and astrophysical modeling contributes directly to advances in nuclear physics, and vice versa. To date, however, it is the insufficient knowledge and uncertainties of the nuclear constituents that limit the desired progress.
This is where FAIR comes in. In the so-called RIB facility, nuclei can be artificially produced in order to better understand them. This often involves developing and using novel techniques and instrumentation to study the properties of the nuclei produced.
The unique combination at FAIR - high-energy beams from SIS100, the identification of secondary beams by the SuperFragment Separator, and the potentials of the storage rings make it possible, in some cases for the first time, to push the frontier of knowledge deeper into the unexplored regions of the nuclear map.