Recommendations of the Programme Advisory Committee for Condensed Matter Physics 20th meeting, April 2004 Wojciech Nawrocik JINR Scientific Council, 3-4 June 2004

The PAC heard with interest V.Zhabitsky presentation of the 95 th JINR Scientific Council Resolutions and on decisions of the Committee of Plenipotentiaries JINR March In respons to its previous recommendation, the PAC was informed by A. Ruzaev about the planned parameters of funding the scientific programme „Condensed Matter Physics”and about the actual expenditure during and plans for 2004.

The PAC expresses concern that the condensed matter research has not been fully funded in accordance with the 16% share of the JINR budget approved following the recommendation of the JINR Scientific Council. As a result, some of the important activities did not get proper financial support.

The PAC received very positive information that the financing of the IBR-2 modernization in 2003 was realized in full accordance with the order signed by the JINR Director. This allowed partial recovery of the debt created during previous years. The PAC understands that the financial plan for the IBR-2 modernization and exploitation for the year 2004 approved by the JINR Director will be fulfilled unconditionally.

The PAC congratulates V. Ananiev and FLNP staff on the successful completion of important stages of the IBR-2 modernization programme: the manufacturing and testing of the new movable reflector and the delivery of new fuel elements. The PAC shares the concern expressed in the report by V. Ananiev about the serious staff problem to operate IBR-2 safely and reliably in the future. The PAC asks the JINR Directorate to take all necessary measures to guarantee that, in view of envisaged completion of the IBR-2 modernization in 2010, there should be a team which will be able to operate the reactor during the next 20 years.

The PAC members appreciated the visit to the IBR-2 reactor during this meeting to get acquainted with the ongoing assembly of the new movable reflector MR-3 and to visit several just modernized neutron spectrometers.

The PAC approves the general lines for the user policy at IBR-2 presented by N. Popa. The PAC looks forward to being informed annually by the FLNP Head of Condensed Matter Division about implementation of the user policy and its important highlights.

The PAC discussed the instrumentation developments proposed within the theme “Neutron Investigations of the Structure and Dynamics of Condensed Matter” ( /2008). The PAC takes note of the information about the further development of the REMUR spectrometer and expresses its hope that, after the completion of the upgrade, REMUR will be among the most advanced and competitive instruments in the field of reflectometry with polarized neutrons.

B. Savenko presented a proposal for the new neutron spectrometer DN-6 for studies of micro samples under high pressure. The PAC was positively impressed about the scientific prospects of a potential relocation of DN-6.

The IBR-2 as a neutron source for science is very specific. It is so called long pulse neutron source with very high total flux. This option (with the width of pulse up to 1000 ms) was not still realized at spallation sources, though it is planning. As a result, at the IBR-2 there is less or no problem with intensity if experiment does not require high TOF resolution, such as small angle scattering, reflectometry, single crystal diffraction. Our best results are from these topics and also such experiments as high pressure with small samples and real time studies of irreversible processes. The problem of high resolution for powder diffraction has been overcame with the help Fourier technique.

The PAC heard with interest the excellent report “Cluster states of fullerenes in solutions” by M. Avdeev who presented the new SANS results in this field of research. The PAC heard with interest the report “Molecular dynamics simulations of the influence of disease-related amino acid mutations in biophysical structures” presented by Kh. Kholmurodov. The PAC notes the importance of the studies in molecular biology carried out at JINR.

The PAC takes note of the status report on the „Nuclotron medical beam line” presented by J. Ružička. The PAC notes the scientific and social importance of the studies in the field of cancer treatment and encourages the JINR Directorate to provide these activities with appropriate funding. A coordination of the various activities in medicine and biology at JINR is also recommended.

The PAC takes note of the letter of intent for the new theme “Mathematical support of experimental and theoretical studies conducted by JINR”, presented by G. Adam, and invites the authors to present a full proposal with accent on condensed matter studies at the next session.