NICA

NICA. The Nuclotron-based Ion Collider fAcility is a major international accelerator complex under construction at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia. Its primary mission is to explore the phase diagram of strongly interacting matter, specifically to study the properties of the quark–gluon plasma and the search for signs of a possible first-order phase transition and the critical point. The facility is designed to collide heavy ions like gold or bismuth, as well as polarized protons and deuterons, at energies optimal for creating high-baryon-density matter.

Overview

The NICA project is constructed on the site of the existing Nuclotron accelerator at the JINR laboratory. The complex integrates several key components: a new heavy-ion source, a chain of linear and circular booster accelerators, and the main collider ring housed in the same tunnel as the existing Nuclotron. This infrastructure will enable experiments in both collider mode and fixed-target mode, utilizing the extracted beams from the Booster synchrotron. The project also includes two major detector systems: the Multi-Purpose Detector for collider experiments and the Spin Physics Detector dedicated to studies with polarized beams.

Scientific goals and design

The central scientific goal is to investigate nuclear matter at extreme temperatures and densities, recreating conditions similar to those microseconds after the Big Bang or possibly existing in the cores of neutron stars. The accelerator complex is engineered to provide collisions at center-of-mass energies ranging from 4 to 11 GeV per nucleon pair, a region where theoretical models predict the maximum net baryon density will be achieved. Key design features include two injection chains, a 503-meter circumference collider ring with two interaction points, and advanced cryogenics. The Multi-Purpose Detector is optimized for tracking charged particles, measuring electromagnetic calorimetry, and detecting hadrons to study event-by-event fluctuations and collective flow phenomena.

International collaboration

NICA is a flagship megascience project fostering extensive global cooperation. The collaboration involves hundreds of scientists and engineers from over 30 countries, including institutions from Germany, Italy, France, South Africa, and many members of the JINR bloc such as Armenia, Belarus, and Czech Republic. Major contributing partners include the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt, which shares scientific expertise from the FAIR project, and CERN, which has provided technical components. The collaboration is formalized under the MPD Collaboration and the SPD Collaboration, which oversee the construction and future research programs of the respective detectors.

Current status and timeline

As of the mid-2020s, the construction of the NICA complex is in an advanced stage. The Booster synchrotron has been commissioned and achieved its design parameters. The assembly of the main collider ring in the tunnel is complete, with installation of magnetic and vacuum systems ongoing. The first beams were circulated in the collider in 2023, marking a significant milestone. The timeline projects the start of physics runs with the Multi-Purpose Detector by 2025, beginning with lighter ions and progressing to full heavy-ion collision studies. Commissioning of the Spin Physics Detector is scheduled for a later phase, following the initial collider operations.

Potential discoveries and impact

The experiments at NICA have the potential to revolutionize understanding of the strong interaction and the structure of nuclear matter. A primary objective is the empirical mapping of the QCD phase diagram, with a focused search for the hypothetical critical point. Discoveries could include new forms of matter like a mixed phase of quarks and hadrons, and provide crucial data on the equation of state relevant to astrophysics and neutron star modeling. The facility will also offer a unique program in spin physics, probing the gluon contributions to proton spin. Success would cement the role of Dubna as a world-leading center for nuclear physics and accelerator technology.

Category:Particle accelerators Category:Nuclear physics Category:Research institutes in Russia