The Super-FRS project at GSI

The GSI projectile fragment separator FRS has demonstrated with many pioneering experiments the research potential of in-flight separators at relativistic energies. Although the present facility has contributed much to the progress in the field of nuclear structure physics, major improvements are desirable in the future. The characteristics of the proposed next-generation facility at GSI, the Super-FRS, will be presented and compared to other projects. The Super-FRS is a large-acceptance superconducting fragment separator followed by different experimental branches including a combination with a new storage-cooler ring system. This system consists of a collector ring (CR) and a new experimental storage ring (NESR), which allow precision mass and lifetime measurements as well as in-ring reaction studies. The NESR can be operated in combination with an electron ring to measure electron scattering with exotic nuclei. This electron heavy-ion collider will open up new fields for nuclear structure research. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.