They are fabulous, is how the French professor Gerard Mourou
\ndescribed the Romanian scientists. Considered a leading figure in contemporary
\nphysics, he is the initiator of a European project called ELI, whose main
\npillar, ELI Nuclear Physics, is being built in the form of the world’s most
\npowerful laser at the Nuclear Physics Institute in M\u0103gurele, near
\nBucharest. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
In 2012, the European Commission approved 180 million euros to
\nfinance the building of this laser. Total costs will amount to 356 million
\neuros, making the project the largest scientific project to be carried out in
\nRomania. Similar projects, albeit on a smaller scale, will be implemented in
\nHungary and the Czech Republic. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
ELI-Nuclear Physics will function as a European lab that will
\nclosely study issues from a wide range of scientific areas, from fundamental
\nphysics to nuclear physics and from astrophysics to applications in the
\nmaterial and life sciences. Other applications will focus on treating cancer,
\nidentifying radioactive substances and testing electronic circuits from
\nsatellites. Experts say the applications of this project are also useful in the
\ncase of radioactive waste accumulated in time, offering solutions that could
\nprevent ecological disasters such as the one at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power
\nplant in 2011. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The director of the Nuclear Physics Institute in M\u0103gurele,
\nNicolae Zamfir, says the project, which has to be finalised in 3 years’ time,
\nis on schedule. Professor Gerard Mourou supported the idea of choosing Romania as
\nthe host of this ambitious form of scientific cooperation among EU member
\nstates. Specialists say there had been many advantages to choosing the
\nInstitute in M\u0103gurele as the host of the world’s most powerful laser. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The first laser was unveiled here as early as 1962. Five years
\nearlier, M\u0103gurele had seen the launch of Romania’s first research reactor and
\nits first cyclotron, which is a particle accelerator. The production of
\nradioisotopes, one of the aims of ELI-Nuclear Physics project, is an activity
\nthat the institute has been carrying out since 1974. At the time, the institute
\nwas equipped with a tandem accelerator and a unit for processing radioactive
\nwaste. In 2000, a multi-purpose irradiation centre opened in M\u0103gurele
\nin cooperation with other European countries. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
A physicist by training, the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis said
\nhe was looking forward to the launch of the M\u0103gurele laser in
\n2018. The president also believes this project could motivate Romanian
\nresearchers now working abroad to return to their home country.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
(Translated by: L. Simion; edited by: C. Mateescu)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The worlds most powerful laser will be unveiled in M\u0103gurele, a small town near Bucharest in a few years time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":105,"featured_media":66319,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[37738],"tags":[38238,31048,31051],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-66318","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-today-in-the-news","tag-eli-nuclear-physics","tag-laser","tag-magurele"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n