Nuclear Physics Consolidated Grant

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The majority of the visible mass of the universe is made up of atomic nuclei that lie at the centre of atoms. Nuclear physics seeks to answer fundamental questions such as: "How do the laws of physics work when driven to the extremes? What are the fundamental constituents and fabric of the universe and how do they interact? How did the universe begin and how is it evolving? What is the nature of nuclear and hadronic matter?" The aim of our research is to study and measure the properties of atomic nuclei and hot nuclear matter as a route to answering these fundamental questions. Our research is built around our expertise in instrumentation and exploits the large investments previously made into detectors, data acquisition and experimental methods. Such instruments include the ALICE inner tracker detector aimed at the study of the most exotic state of matter known, the quark-gluon plasma; the advanced gamma-ray tracking array AGATA exploring nuclei at the extremes of spin and isospin; and the solenoidal spectrometer ISOL-SRS studying the role of individual nucleons in complex exotic nuclei. We will study the evolution of nuclear shapes and structure following changes in proton and neutron numbers and their influence on the formation of atoms, right up to the heaviest man-made elements. We will study exotic nuclei that determine the composition of elements found on earth and in the universe, and what ultimately determines the limits of proton and neutron number that can be bound into an atomic nucleus. We will also study the collisions of heavy ions at nearly the speed of light where conditions close to the big bang can be replicated.Throughout this ambitious experimental programme we will continue to share our technical expertise to support all groups in the UK via our core of specialist cross-community engineers in the pursuit of their own research priorities, and play active roles in large experimental facilities around the globe, such as CERN in Switzerland and France or FAIR in Germany.