Powerful Gamma-Ray Detector Ready to Reveal Nuclear Mysteries Worldwide
The Gamma-Ray Energy Tracking Array (GRETA), a cutting-edge nuclear physics detector system, has been completed by researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). This groundbreaking device is expected to be 10 to 100 times more sensitive than previous nuclear science experiments [1][2][4][5].
GRETA is a next-generation nuclear detector designed for precise measurements of atomic nuclei. It employs multiple high-purity germanium crystals arranged in a spherical geometry to detect the energy and 3D trajectories of gamma rays produced during nuclear decays.
The exceptional precision of GRETA allows it to capture half a million gamma rays per second and reconstruct their paths in three dimensions. This improvement in gamma-ray spectroscopy provides detailed "fingerprints" of rare isotopes produced in nuclear reactions, enabling researchers to study the structure and behavior of atomic nuclei in much greater detail than before [1].
With GRETA, scientists will explore nuclear phenomena such as the formation of heavy elements in stars, test the limits of nuclear stability, and create and probe hundreds of new isotopes. Additionally, GRETA's real-time study of nuclear interactions, when used with particle beams at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB), will revolutionise nuclear structure research [1].
GRETA is a collaborative effort led by Berkeley Lab, involving Michigan State University, Argonne National Laboratory, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Once installed at FRIB, it will provide key insights that can impact fields ranging from fundamental physics to medical imaging and fusion energy development [1][2][4][5].
Each module of GRETA contains four ultra-pure germanium crystals, tapered into hexagonal shapes, and cooled to about minus 300 degrees Fahrenheit cryogenic temperatures for optimal performance. The new system will increase the count of germanium detector modules from 12 to 30, completing a full sphere around the target and improving detection efficiency [1].
GRETA's new electronics can handle up to 50,000 signals per second from each crystal, while its dedicated computing cluster processes up to 480,000 gamma-ray interactions per second in real time. The aluminum frame holding the modules is engineered with extreme precision, aligned within one millionth of an inch, to ensure perfect reassembly when opened for target changes [1].
GRETA may serve as the first platform for DELERIA, a high-speed data streaming system capable of transferring experimental results over DOE's ESNet network to supercomputing facilities for near-instant analysis [1]. During testing, GRETA exceeded its target, reaching 511,000 interactions per second [1].
Paul Fallon, GRETA's project director, said that the goal was to make the best high-resolution, high-efficiency gamma-ray detector possible to answer big questions about the nature of matter and fundamental forces [1]. With GRETA, we are one step closer to unlocking the mysteries of the atomic nucleus and advancing our understanding of the universe.
References: [1] Berkeley Lab, GRETA, https://www.lbl.gov/science-articles/gamma-ray-energy-tracking-array-greata-completed [2] MSUToday, GRETA, the world’s most sensitive gamma-ray detector, is coming to MSU, https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2021/greata-the-worlds-most-sensitive-gamma-ray-detector-is-coming-to-msu [4] Argonne National Laboratory, GRETA, https://www.anl.gov/article/greata-worlds-most-sensitive-gamma-ray-detector-arrives-berkeley-lab [5] Oak Ridge National Laboratory, GRETA, https://www.ornl.gov/news/worlds-most-sensitive-gamma-ray-detector-greata-arrives-berkeley-lab
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