Science with the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams
Bradley
Sherrill
Facility
for Rare Isotope Beams
Michigan
State University
A quest of
experimental nuclear science is to gain access to all possible combinations of
neutrons and protons that can form an atom. Certain combinations highlight
particular aspects of the nuclear many body problem,
and provide the insight needed to develop nuclear theory. The overarching
scientific goal is to develop comprehensive models of nuclei and nuclear
interactions, and relate these to their underlying QCD fundamentals. A dramatic next step for the field will be
the construction of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams. When completed by
2020, it will produce most of the astrophysically
interesting isotopes needed to understand element formation in the universe,
and allow specific, key measurements of nuclear properties needed for progress
in nuclear theory. The talk will provide an overview of the facility and its
science. The advances in accelerator science and engineering that make a next
generation facility like FRIB possible will be highlighted.