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The High-Energy-Density Science collaboration at the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (HED@FAIR) will utilize the World’s highest intensity relativistic beams of heavy nuclei to uniquely create and investigate highly energetic and dense-plasma states of cubic millimeter sized matter for durations of approximately 100 ns. Four principal themes of research have been identified by the HED@FAIR collaboration: Properties of materials driven to extreme conditions of pressure and temperatures, Shocked matter and material equation of state (EOS), Basic properties of strongly-coupled plasma and warm dense matter, and Nuclear photonics with a focus on the excitation of nuclear processes in plasmas, laser-driven particle acceleration, and neutron production. Collaboration research will develop over the next decade as the FAIR project is completed and the heavy ion beam and experimental capabilities evolve. The so-called "FAIR Phase 0" experiments officially began in 2018 to test the components and detectors prepared for FAIR. The HEDM Phase-0 research effort will utilize the existing and enhanced GSI infrastructure of the SIS-18 synchrotron coupled with the PHELIX laser. The FAIR experimental program, presently scheduled to begin in 2025, will commence the use of the SIS-100 synchrotron coupled with new experimental and diagnostic infrastructure to realize the envisaged unique HEDM research program.

GSI Scientific Report 2014 - GSI Report 2015-1

GSI Scientific Report 2014 - GSI Report 2015-1

GSI Scientific Report 2013 - GSI Report 2014-1

A new design for heavy-ion beam driven isentropic compression experiments is suggested and analysed. The proposed setup utilises long stopping ranges and the variable focal spot geometry of the high-energy uranium beams delivered at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum f��r Schwerionenforschung and Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research accelerator facilities in Darmstadt, Germany, to produce a planar ramp loading of various samples. In such experiments, the predicted high pressure amplitudes (\unit[$, Submitted to Phys. Rev. Letters on 2009-FEB-05

The charged particle community is looking for techniques exploiting proton interactions instead of X-ray absorption for creating images of human tissue. Due to multiple Coulomb scattering inside the measured object it has shown to be highly non-trivial to achieve sufficient spatial resolution. We present imaging of biological tissue with a proton microscope. This device relies on magnetic optics, distinguishing it from most published proton imaging methods. For these methods reducing the data acquisition time to a clinically acceptable level has turned out to be challenging. In a proton microscope, data acquisition and processing are much simpler. This device even allows imaging in real time. The primary medical application will be image guidance in proton radiosurgery. Proton images demonstrating the potential for this application are presented. Tomographic reconstructions are included to raise awareness of the possibility of high-resolution proton tomography using magneto-optics.

Protons having energies in the GeV range have been proposed as an alternative to Bragg-peak hadron therapy. This strategy reduces lateral scattering and overcomes uncertainties of particle range and relative biological effectiveness. GeV protons could additionally be used for targeting in image guided stereotactic radiosurgery. We experimentally demonstrated the potential of GeV protons for imaging of biological samples using E=0.8 GeV protons and the pRad setup at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). In this setup, a system of magnetic lenses creates a point-to-point mapping from object to detector. This mapping compensates image blur due to lateral scattering inside the imaged (biological) object. We produced 2-dim proton radiographs of biological samples, an anthropomorphic phantom and performed simple dosimetry. High resolution tomographic reconstructions were derived from the 2-dim proton radiographs. Our experiment was performed within the framework of the PANTERA (Proton Therapy and Radiography) project. In the future, the proton microscope PRIOR (Proton Microscope for FAIR) located in the FAIR facility (Darmstadt), will focus on optimizing the technique for imaging of lesions implanted in animals and couple the irradiation with standard radiotherapy.

FAIR with its intense beams of ions and antiprotons provides outstanding and worldwide unique experimental conditions for extreme matter research in atomic and plasma physics and for application oriented research in biophysics, medical physics and materials science. The associated research programs comprise interaction of matter with highest electromagnetic fields, properties of plasmas and of solid matter under extreme pressure, density, and temperature conditions, simulation of galactic cosmic radiation, research in nanoscience and charged particle radiotherapy. A broad variety of APPA-dedicated facilities including experimental stations, storage rings, and traps, equipped with most sophisticated instrumentation will allow the APPA community to tackle new challenges. The worldwide most intense source of slow antiprotons will expand the scope of APPA related research to the exciting field of antimatter.