A short description of AGATA
AGATA (Advanced Gamma Tracking Array) is a research and development project with the aim of building a 4π gamma-ray spectrometer of the next generation. It will be used in experiments utilizing both intense stable and radioactive heavy-ion beams, to study the structure of atomic nuclei as a function of angular momentum, isospin, and temperature at the limits of their stability.
AGATA is based on the principle of gamma-ray tracking, which is made possible by the advent of segmented high-purity germanium crystals, advanced digital electronics, and pulse-shape analysis. By using these technologies, the precise energy and 3D position of each of the interaction points of the Compton scattered gamma rays will be determined. Sophisticated gamma-ray tracking algorithms will be used to reconstruct the full energy and the first interaction point of the gamma rays that hit the spectrometer.
The full AGATA spectrometer will consist of an array of 180 large (9.0 cm length, 8.0 cm circular diameter) encapsulated high-purity germanium crystals. The crystals are tapered with a hexaconical shape (hexagonal in the front, circular in the rear) and they are segmented electrically in 6x6 segments.
The AGATA collaboration consists currently of several hundred scientists, engineers, and students from more than 45 research institutes in 12 different European countries: Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Finland. France, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, UK.
For further information see the primary AGATA web site.
