46th session, PAC for Particle Physics Information on the Resolution of the 120th session of the JINR Scientific Council (September 2016) and on the decisions of the JINR Committee of Plenipotentiaries (November 2016)  46th session, PAC for Particle Physics 

120th session of the Scientific Council The 120th session of the JINR Scientific Council took place on 22–23 September 2016. It was chaired by JINR Director V. Matveev and co-chaired by Professor M. Waligórski (INP, Kraków, Poland).

120th session of the Scientific Council Agenda Director’s report (V. Matveev) Final Draft of the Seven-Year Plan for the Development of JINR for 2017–2023 (N. Russakovich) Progress reports: NICA (V. Kekelidze), SHE Factory (S. Dmitriev) Recommendations of the PACs (A. Cheplakov, F. Piquemal, O. Belov) Memberships of the PACs (M. Itkis) Reports by young scientists as recommended by the PACs (L. Kolupaeva, P. Nekhoroshkov, E. Zhabitskaya). Scientific reports: “Latest results of the ALICE experiment and detector upgrade plans” (P. Giubellino), “Nuclear planetology: space experiments and recent results” (I. Mitrofanov) Awards and prizes (V. Matveev)

120th session of the Scientific Council RESOLUTION General considerations The Scientific Council took note of the comprehensive report presented by JINR Director V. Matveev, covering such issues as the decisions of the latest session of the JINR Committee of Plenipotentiaries (April 2016), implementation of the recommendations of the 119th session of the Scientific Council (February 2016), the status of the JINR priority projects, recent results of research activities, international cooperation, and some organizational issues.

120th session of the Scientific Council RESOLUTION General considerations The Scientific Council congratulated the JINR Directorate for having signed the Agreement with the Government of the Russian Federation concerning a dedicated support of the Russian Federation for the construction and exploitation of the NICA complex as an international megaproject to be realized in the territory of Russia. The Scientific Council congratulated the Institute for its international recognition in the discovery of new superheavy elements through the proposed naming of the elements Moscovium and Oganesson.

120th session of the Scientific Council RESOLUTION General considerations The Scientific Council congratulated Professor V. Matveev on his re-election as Director of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research for another term of five years and wished him much success in leading this international centre and developing an efficient strategy for its sustainable development in the long-term future.

120th session of the Scientific Council RESOLUTION Recommendations on the Draft Seven-Year Plan for the Development of JINR for 2017–2023 The Scientific Council took note of the final Draft of the Seven-Year Plan for the Development of JINR for 2017–2023 presented by Chief Scientific Secretary N. Russakovich, and expressed an opinion that the plan is well balanced and clearly reflects the uniqueness of JINR as a multidisciplinary research centre. The Scientific Council appreciated the efforts towards integration of JINR’s new and updated facilities (NICA, SHE Factory, Baikal-GVD, IBR-2) into the European and worldwide research infrastructures. The Scientific Council recommended that the JINR Finance Committee and Committee of Plenipotentiaries approve the presented seven-year plan, with an understanding that it will be updated on a year-by-year basis with the actual situation taken into account. Attracting and educating young personnel, especially for running the SHE Factory and the NICA complex, is extremely important. The Scientific Council encouraged the JINR Directorate to take all appropriate measures in this direction.

120th session of the Scientific Council RESOLUTION Recommendations on the NICA project The Scientific Council took note of the report “Progress of the NICA project” presented by VBLHEP Director V. Kekelidze and expressed satisfaction with the dynamic and comprehensive efforts being taken on this flagship project of JINR. The Scientific Council appreciated the progress in developing the Nuclotron-NICA accelerator complex, including the commissioning of the new fore-injector of the LU-20 linear accelerator, the installation and testing of the linear accelerator HILac, and the testing of the new polarized source. At the same time, the Scientific Council expressed concern about the delay in manufacturing the superconducting magnets and encouraged intensified work to eliminate it.

120th session of the Scientific Council RESOLUTION Recommendations on the NICA project The Scientific Council recognized the efforts of the BM@N collaboration towards testing and commissioning new detector subsystems, in particular GEM-based tracking detectors for the development of a state-of-the-art apparatus. It welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the participation of the CBM STS group in construction of four wide-aperture silicon stations for the BM@N detector. The Scientific Council also welcomed the signing of the agreement between the MPD collaboration and participants from China for placing an order to manufacture the electromagnetic calorimeter modules. It appreciated the implementation of contracts for manufacturing the MPD superconducting magnet and congratulated the collaboration management on ensuring good progress of work on this very important element.

120th session of the Scientific Council RESOLUTION The Scientific Council took note of the report “Status of the Factory of Superheavy Elements (SHE) and its future prospects” presented by FLNR Director S. Dmitriev. The Scientific Council appreciated the high pace of construction of the Factory’s experimental building, noted with satisfaction the beginning of installation work for the DC-280 cyclotron in accordance with the schedule proposed by the FLNR Directorate, and supported the proposed programme of first experiments planned at the SHE Factory in 2018–2019. The Scientific Council recommended that the JINR and FLNR Directorates give special attention to the timely completion of the construction of the SHE Factory and to the installation and commissioning of the DC-280 accelerator and of instrumentation (gas-filled separator and pre-separator for chemical studies), which will allow first experiments at the Factory to begin. Given the high priority of the SHE Factory under construction, the Scientific Council recommended that the JINR Directorate ensure full support for the execution of work towards the successful launch and further development of the Factory. Recommendations on the SHE Factory .

120th session of the Scientific Council RESOLUTION Recommendations in connection with the PACs The Scientific Council concurred with the recommendations on issues of particle physics, nuclear physics, and condensed matter physics taken at the sessions in June and July 2016, as reported at this session by A. Cheplakov, Scientific Secretary of the PAC for Particle Physics) F. Piquemal, member of the PAC for Nuclear Physics, and O. Belov, Scientific Secretary of the PAC for Condensed Matter Physics. These recommendations are documented in detail in the PAC minutes.

120th session of the Scientific Council RESOLUTION Recommendations in connection with the PACs The Scientific Council thanked the PACs for the comprehensive discussions of the Draft Seven-Year Plan for the Development of JINR and for their important remarks and suggestions. The Scientific Council welcomed the current preparation by the JINR Directorate, with participation of the PACs, of an update of the Regulation for the JINR Programme Advisory Committees and of methods for the evaluation of projects submitted to the PACs, and requested the final version of the Regulation for approval at the next session. The Scientific Council appreciated the preparatory steps being taken by the JINR Directorate in establishing a PAC for Nuclear Methods in Biology and Medicine.

120th session of the Scientific Council RESOLUTION Memberships of the PACs As proposed by the JINR Directorate, the Scientific Council appointed N. Kardjilov (HZB ME, Berlin, Germany) as a new member of the PAC for Condensed Matter Physics for a term of three years and thanked E. Burzo for his successful work as a member of this PAC.

120th session of the Scientific Council RESOLUTION Scientific reports by young scientists The Scientific Council appreciated the following reports by young scientists, which were selected by the PACs for presentation at this session: – “Matter effect in neutrino oscillations for the NOvA experiment” – “Anthropogenic effects on the coastal phytoplankton studied by neutron activation analysis” –“Analysis of small-angle synchrotron X-ray scattering experimental data from vesicular systems by means of the parallel asynchronous differential evolution method”

120th session of the Scientific Council RESOLUTION Scientific reports by young scientists The Scientific Council thanked the speakers: L. Kolupaeva (DLNP), P. Nekhoroshkov (FLNP), E. Zhabitskaya (LIT), welcoming similar reports in the future.

120th session of the Scientific Council RESOLUTION Invited reports The Scientific Council highly appreciated the reports: – “Latest results of the ALICE experiment and detector upgrade plans” – “Nuclear planetology: space experiments and recent results and thanked the speakers Professors P. Giubellino (CERN) and I. Mitrofanov (Space Research Institute. Moscow) for their excellent presentations.

120th session of the Scientific Council RESOLUTION Awards and prizes The Scientific Council endorsed the proposal of the JINR Directorate to award the title “Honorary Doctor of JINR” to Professor F. Dydak (Austria), in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the advancement of science and the education of young scientists. The Scientific Council approved the Jury’s recommendations on the award of the V. Dzhelepov Prize to Professor Ju. Budagov (JINR) for the development and construction of a unique laser metrology system for measuring the angular oscillation of the Earth’s surface.

120th session of the Scientific Council RESOLUTION Awards and prizes The Scientific Council congratulated Professor G. Bellini (Italy) on receiving the B. Pontecorvo Prize and appreciated his scientific report “The impact of the Borexino results on neutrino and solar physics”.  

120th session of the Scientific Council RESOLUTION Awards and prizes The Scientific Council congratulated the winners of JINR annual prizes for best papers in the fields of scientific research, instruments and methods, and applied research, who received diplomas at this session.  

120th session of the Scientific Council RESOLUTION Election of the FLNR Director The Scientific Council agreed with the proposal made by JINR Director V. Matveev to postpone the election of the Director of the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, previously announced for February 2017, by one and a half or two years. The final decision for a new election date will be taken at the 122nd session of the Scientific Council in September 2017.

Session of the JINR Committee of Plenipotentiaries (CP) A regular session of the Committee of Plenipotentiaries of the Governments of the JINR Member States was held in Kraków, Poland, on 21–22 November 2016. It was chaired by the Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria, L. Kostov.

CP Session (November 2016) Agenda Recommendations of the 120th session of the JINR Scientific Council (September 2016). Brief overview of the results of JINR activities in 2016 and plans for 2017. Main directions of the strategic development of JINR for 2017–2023 (V. Matveev) Seven-year plan for the development of JINR for 2017–2023 (N. Russakovich) Draft budget for the year 2017, draft contributions of the Member States for the years 2018, 2019, and 2020 (S. Dotsenko) Results of the meeting of the JINR Finance Committee held on 18–19 November 2016 (S. Harizanova) Results of the audit of the JINR financial activities for the year 2015 (D. Korsakov) Procedure for implementing the CP’s decision on the suspension of memberships at JINR of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and of the Republic of Uzbekistan (N. Russakovich) Status of JINR’s major research projects and their future prospects (G. Trubnikov) Kraków synchrotron SOLARIS (M. Stankiewicz)

CP Session (November 2016) DECISIONS Director’s report Regarding the report presented by JINR Director V. Matveev, the Committee of Plenipotentiaries took note of the following: – the recommendations of the 120th session of the JINR Scientific Council; – the information presented by the JINR Directorate on work towards attaining the goals of the current Seven-year plan and towards implementing the recommendations of the Finance Committee and the decisions of the Committee of Plenipotentiaries; – the preliminary results of implementing the JINR Plan of Research and International Cooperation in 2016 as well as the main directions of the strategic development of JINR for the years 2017–2023; – the information about current work to update the “Regulation for the JINR staff”.

CP Session (November 2016) DECISIONS Director’s report The Committee of Plenipotentiaries approved: – the recommendations of the 119th and 120th sessions of the Scientific Council and the JINR Topical Plan of Research and International Cooperation for 2017; – the Seven-year plan for the development of JINR for 2017–2023 endorsed by the Scientific Council and by the Finance Committee.

CP Session (November 2016) DECISIONS Director’s report The Committee of Plenipotentiaries endorsed: – the efforts undertaken by the JINR Directorate towards integration of JINR’s new and upgraded facilities (NICA, SHE Factory, Baikal-GVD, IBR-2 and spectrometer complex, MICC) into the European and worldwide research infrastructures; – the signature of the Agreement dated 2 June 2016 between the Government of the Russian Federation and JINR on the construction and exploitation of the NICA complex of superconducting rings for heavy-ion colliding beams; – the work by the JINR Directorate for the organization of implementation of this Agreement as well as the “Regulation for the implementation of projects for construction of large international research facilities of mega-science class at JINR”; – the “Regulation for the Supervisory Board of the NICA complex project”, the initial membership of the Supervisory Board and its decisions taken on 20 November 2016.

CP Session (November 2016) DECISIONS Seven-year plan for 2017–2023 Further concerning the Seven-year plan for the development of JINR for 2017–2023” presented in detail by JINR Chief Scientific Secretary N. Russakovich, the Committee of Plenipotentiaries : – recognized the large amount of work accomplished by the JINR Directorate to prepare the draft text of the Seven-year plan for the development of JINR for 2017–2023 and to organize its discussions at meetings of the Programme Advisory Committees and at sessions of the Scientific Council; – noted that the draft budget plan of JINR for 2017–2023 ensures the implementation of the Institute’s development plan for the next seven-year period, including the development of JINR’s scientific and experimental base, engineering and social infrastructure, as well as a competitive level of staff salaries.

CP Session (November 2016) DECISIONS Financial issues Financial issues were reported by S. Dotsenko, Chief Accountant of JINR, S. Harizanova, Chief Accountant of the Nuclear Regulatory Agency of Bulgaria, and by D. Korsakov, Director of JINR’s new audit company “Korsakov and Partners” .

CP Session (November 2016) DECISIONS Financial issues Concerning the report by S. Dotsenko, the Committee of Plenipotentiaries: – approved the JINR budget for the year 2017 with the total expenditure amounting to US$206.32 million and the scale of contributions of the Member States for this year; – approved the sums of contributions of the Member States for 2017 and the payment of contribution arrears of the Member States in this year; – determined the provisional volumes of the JINR budget in income and expenditure for the year 2018 amounting to US$205.98 million, for the year 2019 amounting to US$205.81 million, for the year 2020 amounting to US$208.76 million as well as the provisional sums of the Member States’ contributions for the years 2018, 2019, and 2020; – decided to compensate JINR’s budget deficit in 2017, arising from the unpaid contributions of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and of the Republic of Uzbekistan, at the expense of other incomes and revenues of the JINR budget; – allowed the JINR Directorate to index the salary and tariff parts of the compensation package of the staff members, taking into account the possibilities afforded by the JINR budget in 2017, in accordance with the JINR Collective Bargaining Agreement for 2014–2017.

CP Session (November 2016) DECISIONS Financial issues Concerning the report by S. Harizanova, the Committee of Plenipotentiaries: – approved the Protocol of the meeting of the Finance Committee held on 18–19 November 2016; – approved the “Financial Rules of JINR”; – decided to set up a Working group of representatives of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Poland, Ukraine and of the JINR Directorate to develop proposals for the redemption of Ukraine’s arrears in the payment of its contributions to the JINR budget; – requested the Plenipotentiaries of the JINR Member States which have arrears on contributions to the JINR budget to take urgent measures for their payment.

CP Session (November 2016) DECISIONS Financial issues Concerning the report by D. Korsakov, the Committee of Plenipotentiaries: – approved the auditors’ report concerning the financial activities of JINR examined for 2015; – took note of the plan of measures concerning the audit of the JINR financial activities for 2015 and commissioned the JINR Directorate to prepare comments to the auditors’ report by the next CP session; – approved the Accounting report of JINR for the year 2015.

CP Session (November 2016) DECISIONS Membership issues Regarding the report “Procedure for implementing the CP’s decision on the suspension of memberships at JINR of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and of the Republic of Uzbekistan” presented by JINR Chief Scientific Secretary N. Russakovich, the Committee of Plenipotentiaries resolved: – to approve the “Procedure for implementing the CP’s decision on the suspension of memberships at JINR of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and of the Republic of Uzbekistan”. – in the event that full participation of the Democratic People’s Republic and of the Republic of Uzbekistan in JINR has not been resumed until the year 2020, to consider the issue of memberships of these states in JINR.

CP Session (November 2016) DECISIONS Scientific reports The Committee of Plenipotentiaries appreciated the following scientific reports presented at this session:   – “Status of JINR’s major research projects and their future prospects” by G. Trubnikov, Vice- Director of JINR, and – “Kraków synchrotron SOLARIS” by M. Stankiewicz, Director of Poland’s National Synchrotron Radiation Centre SOLARIS.  

CP Session (November 2016) DECISIONS Appreciation The Committee of Plenipotentiaries expressed gratitude to the organizers, in particular to the Plenipotentiary of the Government of the Republic of Poland, Professor M. Waligórski, for the high-quality preparation and conduct of this session in Kraków.

Thank you for your attention.