Relativistic nuclear physics

During the last decade relativistic nuclear physics has become one of the main research areas of the JINR. At present, the synchrophasotron is the world's only accelerator suitable to bring light nuclei to energies of 5 GeV per nucleon. Physical motivation and objectives are explained. The experimental basis of the Laboratory of High Energies for investigating relativistic nucleon-nucleon collisions is described. Some experimental results are discussed. In interpreting the cumulative effect and other results obtained at the JINR it becomes evident that degrees of freedom of quarks are of importance in the energy range achievable with the synchrophasotron