Study of nuclear reactions at an ISL facility

Researchers are entering an exciting period of nuclear science. As discussed in the previous ISL open-quotes white paperclose quotes the severe constraints imposed by using stable beams, (i.e. those which typically have N ∼ Z, are in the g.s., have zero or low spin, and are close to spherical) can be removed by the use of unstable nuclear beams (RIB/RNB). Thus in many ways, researchers are starting a new in nuclear physics. Obviously they do not want to just repeat 80 years of nuclear science but, instead, should concentrate on the new information that can be realized using RIB/RNB. Although study of reactions related to nuclear astrophysics will certainly play a significant role at ISL, nuclear astrophysics alone should not dictate the operating parameters. It now appears that much of the needed astrophysics-related data can be obtained from high-energy RIB/RNB reactions. As an example breakup information can be used in lieu of low energy (p,γ) or (n,γ) data. Also some of the most significant results may well come in non-astrophysics related experiments. (Of course, almost all of nuclear science is related to astrophysics in some way)