Relativistic heavy ion collider

The design parameters of the Heavy Ion Collider have been established during the past few years and have been found to be well within the reach of available technology. The magnetic system R and D has resulted in dipole models that meet the required performance specification with substantial margin. Continuing R and D in the coming year will develop quadrupole and sextpole models required in the main arcs and will lead to a string test including all components prior to full scale construction. A construction period of four years is foreseen for competition of the collider. Because of the many facilities already in place at BNL, including injector, tunnel, refrigerator and experimental hails, a cost to completion on the order of S200 M is estimated. The unique physics potential of this facility is widely recognized, and its timely completion will lead to new perspectives and understandings of the fundamental properties of matter in regimes not accessible by other existing or planned facilities