During experiments and theoretical exchanges, there are occasional moments to take time out and visitthe places where we work, such as Darmstadt in Germany (above) and Vancouver in Canada (below).

Experimenters: Zsolt Podolyak, Paddy Regan, Wilton Catford, Bill Gelletly (emeritus) and Phil WalkerTheorists: Jim Al-Khalili, Carlo Barbieri, Ron Johnson (emeritus), Paul Stevenson, Jeff Tostevin and Arnau Rios HuguetAt any time we have about 20-25 PhD students, plus several postdocs, split evenly between theory and experiment.

In both experimental and theoretical nuclear physics, the Surrey groupis strongly engaged internationally. Both geographically and in terms ofthe nuclei that we study, our interests are spread widely across the map.

Our main experimental bases are at 2 of the world’s leading laboratoriesfor radioactive beams, at GSI/FAIR in Germany and GANIL/SPIRAL inFrance. Colour code for the world map: red= strong experimental links, yellow = Theory and Experiment links, purple = strong theory link.

Both the theorists and experimentalists study halo nuclei and other light nuclei at thelimits of nuclear existence, including experiments at GANIL and SPIRAL2 in Francewhere beams of these shortlived radioactive species can be made and studied. Thereis also a strong collaboration with the NSCL at Michigan State University in the USA.

A big emphasis is placed by the Surrey group on experiments performed at GSI in Germany, using the large synchrotron to accelerate uranium nuclei to 0.90c and then tear them apart infragmentation reactions. The reaction products include many new and exotic nuclei. At GSI andin the new FAIR facility currently under construction, the Surrey theorists have leading roles inexplaining the reaction mechanisms and understanding the results in terms of nuclear structure.

Above: the maps show Surrey’s main collaborating laboratories around the world (lines are 0 and 35 latitude)Below: the Segre chart of the nuclides, highlighting regions of particular current interest to the Surrey researchers

That buzz, when you know thatyour thesis experiment worked.