Members of the PAC for Nuclear Physics Independent members Christian Beck * - IPHC, Strasbourg, France Jan Dobeš- NPI, Řež, Czech Republic Yuri Gaponov- RRC «Kurchatov Iinstitute», Moscow,Russia Walter Greiner- FIAS, Frankfurt am Main,Germany Nathalia Janeva- INRNE, Sofia, Bulgaria Sigurd Hofmann * * - GSI, Darmstadt, Germany Vladimir Ostashko * - INR,Kiev, Ukraine Claude Petitjean- PSI, Villigen, Switzerland Adam Sobiczewski - INS, Warsaw, Poland Emanuele Vardaci- UN, Naples, Italy Oliver Zimmer * -ILL, Grenoble, France * new Member of PAC * * is not present at this meeting

Ex officio members from JINR Sergey Dmitriev- Director, FLNR Mikhail Itkis- Vice-Director, JINR Aloiz Kovalik- Deputy Director, DLNP Valeriy Shvetsov- Deputy Director, FLNP Nikolay Skobelev- Scientific Secretary of the PAC Victor Voronov- Director, BLTP Petr Zrelov- Deputy Director, LIT Expert Zeblon Vilakazi-Director iTemba LABS, South Africa

Tentative agenda ( 19–20 June 2008) Reports and recommendations on the themes and projects to be completed in 2008 Consideration of new projects Status of the IREN project Status of the CATALYSIS experiment Poster presentations of new results and proposals by young scientists in the field of nuclear physics research Scientific reports Information about the NICA project

Implementation of the recommendations of the previous PAC meeting Walter Greiner

Preamble The PAC is pleased to learn about the decision of the Committee of Plenipotentiaries to increase the JINR budget by 24% in The PAC notes with interest the plan being considered by the Institute Directorate together with the Russian Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute” concerning the establishment of a JINR- based International Nanotechnology Centre of the Member States. Heavy-ion physics at low and high energy addresses fundamental problems which require research for several decades. Important applications for practical life and society are exemplary demonstrated by tumor therapy with heavy-ion and proton beams.

Activities of the JINR University Centre The PAC took note of the information about the activities of the JINR University Centre in The PAC highly appreciates the successful implementation of the Educational Programme pursued by the Centre. The motivation, education, and attraction of young people for modern science are of vital importance for the future of the Institute. The utmost care and development of and very active involvement in the education and training process should be a permanent task for the JINR laboratories and research groups. Comment- Dmitry Fursaev

Project IREN The PAC heard a status report on the project IREN. The PAC recognizes the efforts by FLNP to resolve the problems arisen by the damage of the SLAC 5045 klystron which entailed the delay in the project realization. Due to this, the PAC ’ s recommendations of April 2007 on the completion of the first stage of IREN project and on the closure of the theme “ Construction of the IREN facility ” ( /2007) have not been fulfilled. The FLNP Directorate reported the work schedule for 2008 which should be completed by electron beam extraction to the non-multiplying target and by immediate start-up of the experimental programme of applied research. The parameters of the IREN facility (Phase I) could permit performing accurate measurements of the neutron cross section addressed to astrophysics and medical applications.

Recommendation. The PAC supports the decision of the JINR Directorate to extend the theme “ Construction of the IREN facility ” for 2008 with first priority and looks forward to achieving the expected results in the current year. The Scientific Council highly appreciates the strong emphasis being placed by the directorates of JINR and its laboratories on the operation and development of the JINR basic facilities. The Scientific Council looks forward to achieving the expected results on the completion of the first stage of IREN project in the current year. The parameters of the IREN facility (Phase I) could permit performing accurate measurements of the neutron cross section addressed to astrophysics and medical applications. Comment- Valeriy Shvetsov

Proposal of a new project “ Deep underwater muon and neutrino detector at Lake Baikal (project BAIKAL) ”. The PAC heard with great interest the presentation of the BAIKAL project, which aims at increasing the participation of DLNP in many respects including the preparation of the next- generation 1 km 3 detector. The BAIKAL detector is now, together with AMANDA, the world ’ s largest detector for high- energy neutrino beams coming from the universe or which are generated by annihilation processes of dark matter. Recommendation. The PAC considers the BAIKAL project to be of great importance for the neutrino programme of DLNP and recommends its approval with high priority.

The Scientific Council supports the PAC’s recommendation on the new project “Deep underwater muon and neutrino detector at Lake Baikal (project BAIKAL)”, which aims at increasing the participation of DLNP in many respects including the preparation of the next-generation 1 km3 detector. It considers this activity to be potentially of great importance for the neutrino programme of DLNP, and requests from the PAC a report on its competitiveness in the general world context. Comment- Aloiz Kovalik

Spectroscopy of heavy nuclei at FLNR The PAC recommends that the proposed upgrade of the VASSILISSA separator be started in Comment- Sergey Dmitriev

Main experiments planned at FLNR in 2008 The PAC approves the FLNR programme of scientific research in heavy-ion physics planned for It supports the continuation of the traditional trends in the studies carried out at the Laboratory, in particular the investigations of properties of transfermium elements, chemical properties of superheavy elements, light exotic nuclei near and beyond the drip line and the development of the accelerators and main experimental set-ups of the Laboratory. The PAC appreciates the results of the U400M cyclotron upgrade performed in 2007, which is essential for the acceleration of low-energy beams at this facility. Assembling the new experimental set-ups at the cyclotron U400M will ensure non – stop experiments to study superheavy elements during the modernization of U400 expected at the end of The PAC notes the importance of short – term experiments searching for new phenomena, especially in the field of producing new elements, proposed by scientists.

Recommendations. The PAC notes that the further development of the DRIBs project, in particular the forthcoming modernization of the U400 cyclotron, is important for realization of the scientific plans of the Flerov Laboratory. The PAC recommends that the experimental programme of the Laboratory proposed for the period 2008 – 2009 be fully implemented. The PAC recommends focusing the efforts on mounting and commissioning the experimental set-ups which are important for the future studies of transfermium elements at the Laboratory. Concentrating financial resources on the full completion of the parts necessary for the accelerator systems to start the modernization of the U400 cyclotron at the end of 2009 is also recommended.

The Scientific Council appreciates the results of the U400M cyclotron upgrade performed in 2007, which is essential for the acceleration of low-energy beams at this facility. Assembling the new experimental set-ups at the cyclotron U400M will ensure non-stop experiments to study superheavy elements during the modernization of U400 expected at the end of Comment- Sergey Dmitriev

Adjustment of priorities in the JINR Nuclear Physics Programme for 2008 – 2010 The PAC took note of the report, presented by M. Itkis, and supports the priorities in the JINR Nuclear Physics Programme proposed by him in accordance with the main provisions of the updated JINR road map for the period for 2008 – The Scientific Council appreciates the efforts of the Directorate towards optimization of the JINR partnership programme with research laboratories of the Member States and other countries, as well as international scientific research organizations, based on their enhanced involvement in the research activities at Dubna and on attraction of investments for the development of the JINR basic facilities

The Scientific Council recognizes the great potential of JINR in many scientific areas, and appreciates the efforts of the Directorate and Laboratories in developing facilities in Dubna. The Scientific Council stresses the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between JINR's in-house facilities and its collaborations with other laboratories.

Thank you for your attention !