FROM FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH TO APPLICATIONS
Applications of ion beam research
Research with heavy ions has led to diverse applications and technological
innovations in the past. The most spectacular example is the development
of a new tumor therapy employing precision ion beams, which is presently
being tested with most promising results.
As in the past, the proposed facility, too, will push forward new developments,
some of which will eventually lead to specific applications. At present one can discern
several areas for such applications.
New probes and techniques for Solid State Physics and Materials Research
Radioactive atoms are being used very successfully as probes to study processes
and the properties of materials. The FAIR-facility will enable the use
of new radioactive probes for such studies and, when necessary, make them
available as isotopically pure secondary beams. The high energy of the secondary
beams also results in new possibilities in other areas. One can implant
the probes through thick walls - in high-pressure cells, for example - and
in this way study material properties under extreme conditions.
Radiobiological risk assessments for manned space missions
In manned space missions, astronauts are exposed to high levels of radiation,
and this will particularly be the case in the planned extended-duration
flights to Mars. Little is thus far known about the radiobiological effect
of the high-energy components of cosmic radiation. Even when the particle
fluxes at these high energies decrease drastically, secondary reactions
in the walls of the spacecraft and particle showers resulting from them
can add significantly to the overall exposure. With the beam energies available
at the proposed facility, these effects can be studied, and the risks they
pose to astronauts assessed.
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Test equipment for satellites or spacecraft components
During their missions, satellites and spacecraft are exposed to cosmic
radiation, especially high-energy protons, helium nuclei and other heavy
ions up to and including iron. This can lead to the corruption of information
or permanent damage in electronic chips and, in extreme cases, jeopardize
the entire mission. Accelerator systems make it possible to simulate cosmic
radiation. The FAIR-facility allows us to examine not only individual components
but also whole systems, including satellites or spacecraft components, and
to do so throughout the relevant energy range of cosmic radiation.
Studies on the creation of fusion plasmas through inertial confinement
The high-intensity ion pulses delivered by the new accelerator complex enable scientists to
create hot, dense plasmas. In addition to its significance for basic research, this phenomenon also
carries a long-term interest for its possible applications. For example, this research could indicate new
ways of achieving the fusion of hydrogen into helium in the laboratory and for harnessing this process
so as to supply energy in the distant future. Together with the high-energy/high-power laser PHELIX
currently installed at GSI, the proposed accelerator facility creates ideal experimental conditions for
research into the basic physics aspects of inertial confinement fusion. |
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