The AGATA Project

For decades, the study of the gamma-ray decay from quantal states of the atomic nucleus has played a pivotal role in discovering and elucidating a wide range of phenomena. Each major technical advance in gamma-ray detection devices has resulted in significant new insights into the structure of nuclei. To date, these advances have culminated in the construction of 4π arrays of escape-suppressed spectrometers. The global consensus of opinion is that the next major step in γ-ray spectroscopy involves abandoning the concept of a physical suppression shield and achieving the ultimate goal of a 4π Ge ball using the technique of γ-ray energy tracking in electrically segmented Ge crystals. The resulting spectrometer will have an unparalleled level of detection power for nuclear electromagnetic radiation. Its sensitivity for selecting the weakest signals from exotic nuclear events will be enhanced by a factor of up to 1000 relative to its predecessors. It will have an unprecedented angular resolution making it ideally suited for high-energy resolution even at recoil velocities up to 50% of the velocity of light. Therefore, it is ideally suited to be used in conjunction with the new generation of radioactive beam accelerators or existing stable beam facilities. In Europe, a collaboration has been established to construct a 4π tracking spectrometer called AGATA (advanced gamma tracking array). This collaboration has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the first phase of the project to perform the research and development necessary to finalize the technology for gamma-ray tracking and hence fully specify the full 4π spectrometer. The status of this first phase of the AGATA project will be reported