New approach to the Topical Plan of Research of the JINR N. Russakovich 23/11/2006

Funding of JINR in Budget (planned for 2005): 37,776 k$ Income: 36,729 k$ (97%) Expenditure: 35,459 k$ (95%) 97 % 45 %

Reasons for improvements The Topical Plan has been significantly overloaded last years. Too much of topics have been recommended for implementation by PAC’s and Scientific Council, mainly due to the absence of clear guidance from budgetary limitations (56 topics in total). This resulted in chronicle under- financing of some projects and consequently to decreasing actuality of those projects and/or continuous extension of their “lifetime” The Topical Plan has been significantly overloaded last years. Too much of topics have been recommended for implementation by PAC’s and Scientific Council, mainly due to the absence of clear guidance from budgetary limitations (56 topics in total). This resulted in chronicle under- financing of some projects and consequently to decreasing actuality of those projects and/or continuous extension of their “lifetime” The “traditional” Topical Plan, although been updated on the yearly basis, doesn’t contain clear “milestones” which could be followed up, even in case of all requested resources provided in due time The “traditional” Topical Plan, although been updated on the yearly basis, doesn’t contain clear “milestones” which could be followed up, even in case of all requested resources provided in due time

Reasons for improvements (2) Substantial part of the budget (about 0,8 M$) has been (and still is) allocated every year as “Grants of Plenipotentiaries” of Member States and “Joint Programs” between JINR and Member States, what practically leads to the more or less “flat” distribution of those resources between topics, with no strong correlation with priorities established by PAC’s and SC Substantial part of the budget (about 0,8 M$) has been (and still is) allocated every year as “Grants of Plenipotentiaries” of Member States and “Joint Programs” between JINR and Member States, what practically leads to the more or less “flat” distribution of those resources between topics, with no strong correlation with priorities established by PAC’s and SC Continuous deficit of resources motivated some JINR’s researchers to find additional jobs, external contracts etc, while keeping permanent positions at JINR and consuming infrastructure resources Continuous deficit of resources motivated some JINR’s researchers to find additional jobs, external contracts etc, while keeping permanent positions at JINR and consuming infrastructure resources

Guidance's from JINR directorate to Laboratories Directorates and Project Leaders The assessment of the significance of research themes and projects should be based on the strategic plan (road map) of JINR’s development. The assessment of the significance of research themes and projects should be based on the strategic plan (road map) of JINR’s development. The topical plan should include only those themes and projects, which can be fully and timely financed from the JINR budget. The 3-years plan of research including clear milestones is required for each theme/project. Also the 3-years cost profiles, coordinated with collaborating organizations, are obligatory. The topical plan should include only those themes and projects, which can be fully and timely financed from the JINR budget. The 3-years plan of research including clear milestones is required for each theme/project. Also the 3-years cost profiles, coordinated with collaborating organizations, are obligatory.

Guidance's from JINR directorate to Laboratories Directorates and Project Leaders (2) Research projects with a small number of participants from JINR (less than 5 “full-time equivalent”/FTE) and/or with a low level of financing from the JINR budget (less than 5 KUSD/FTE per year) as a rule, are not included to the Topical Plan. The Directors of the Institute Laboratories will be given the opportunity to use up to 10% of their respective laboratory budget under the corresponding budgetary items for supporting low-cost activities of promising nature, with a simplified procedure for the approval of projects. “Merging” of several projects in order to reduce the (total) number of projects in the Topical Plan is not accepted. Research projects with a small number of participants from JINR (less than 5 “full-time equivalent”/FTE) and/or with a low level of financing from the JINR budget (less than 5 KUSD/FTE per year) as a rule, are not included to the Topical Plan. The Directors of the Institute Laboratories will be given the opportunity to use up to 10% of their respective laboratory budget under the corresponding budgetary items for supporting low-cost activities of promising nature, with a simplified procedure for the approval of projects. “Merging” of several projects in order to reduce the (total) number of projects in the Topical Plan is not accepted.

Guidance's from JINR directorate to Laboratories Directorates and Project Leaders (3) Projects of construction (upgrade) of basic facilities should be submitted in the form of schedules indicating the scope of work, terms of execution and cost estimates. In planning several options for such projects, the assumed decision- making points should be emphasized. The exploitation costs are specified in a separate category. Projects of construction (upgrade) of basic facilities should be submitted in the form of schedules indicating the scope of work, terms of execution and cost estimates. In planning several options for such projects, the assumed decision- making points should be emphasized. The exploitation costs are specified in a separate category. The administrative and financial management of themes and projects by persons after reaching 65 years of age will not be allowable beginning The administrative and financial management of themes and projects by persons after reaching 65 years of age will not be allowable beginning The support of innovative projects from the JINR budget is allowable for a term of not more than one year, subsequently – only from non-budgetary sources. The support of innovative projects from the JINR budget is allowable for a term of not more than one year, subsequently – only from non-budgetary sources.

Experiments with the Solenoidal Tracker at the Collider of Relativistic Nuclei and Polarized Protons RHIC (JINR's participation in the STAR project) R. Lednicky Brazil (San Paulo, USP), Czech Republic (Prague, CU; Liberec, TUL; Rez, NRI; Turnov, ``COMPAS'') France (Nantes, SUBATECH) India (Jaipur, Univ.), Russia (Moscow, MEPhI; ITEP; Protvino, IHEP), USA (Argonne, ANL; Berkeley, Berkeley Lab; Baltimore, JHU; Detroit, WSU; Houston, Rice Univ; Los Angeles, UCLA; New Haven, Yale Univ.; Seattle, UW}; Upton, BNL). In the framework of the project dedicated to the STAR experiment carried out at the RHIC collider at BNL, physicists of the Laboratory of particle physics (STAR sector, NEOSTAR) are involved into the experimental study of the properties of nuclear matter in the conditions of extremely high density and temperature in order to find a signature of deconfinement and possible phase transitions in the collisions of heavy nuclei with S=(65–200) GeV. Also a study of partonic structure functions of nuclei and nucleons in collisions of polarized RHIC beams is being performed. The obtained results will find a wide application in theoretical and experimental research at JINR, CERN and other scientific centers of the world.

Activity Funding in k$ (materials, visits, contracts) Study of the spectrum of thermal photons in AuAu and dAu collisions at the energy of 200 GeV in order to obtain estimates of the temperature of a nuclear fireball Measurement of the ratio of inclusive spectra of gamma quanta emitted in AuAu and dAu collisions. 2. Study of the spectrum of thermal photons in AuAu and dAu collisions at the energy of 200 GeV in order to obtain estimates of the temperature of a nuclear fireball Measurement of the absolute values of photon yield in the energy range 40 – 160 MeV 3. Study of the processes of suppression of heavy quark yield in central AuAu, dAu and pp collisions in the energy range of 65 – 200 GeV Total : Total in 2007 — 2009: 120.0