Scientists recreate cosmic reactions to unlock astronomical mysteries at FRIB

A team of FRIB scientific users completed the first experiment using SOLARIS, the SOLenoid spectrometer Apparatus for ReactIon Studies, in the Active-Target Time-Projection Chamber (AT-TPC) mode. SOLARIS will allow pivotal insights into heavy elements, or elements with very large numbers of protons and neutrons. The experiments will give scientists a closer look at how exploding stars create the world’s heaviest elements.

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) developed SOLARIS, a dual-mode spectrometer for a broad range of reactions studies at FRIB using reaccelerated beams. Ben Kay, an experimental nuclear-structure physicist at ANL, is the SOLARIS lead.

Read the ANL article here.

Read the FRIB article here.