Facility for Rare Isotope Beams

This photo from November 11, 2016, shows the construction of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams.

The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) will be a new scientific accelerator facility for nuclear science, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE-SC), Michigan State University (MSU), and the State of Michigan. Under construction on the MSU campus and to be operated by MSU as a DOE-SC national user facility, FRIB will provide intense beams of rare isotopes (that is, short-lived atomic nuclei not normally found on Earth). FRIB will enable scientists to make discoveries about the properties of rare isotopes to advance knowledge in nuclear physics, nuclear astrophysics, fundamental interactions of nuclei, and applications of rare isotopes for society. Construction of the FRIB conventional facilities began in March 2014 and technical construction began in October 2014. FRIB is baselined at a total project cost of $730M and for completion in June 2022; the project team is managing to early completion in fiscal year 2021.^[1]

FRIB is expected to provide research opportunities for an international community of university and laboratory scientists, postdoctoral associates, and graduate students. FRIB will provide researchers with the technical capabilities to study the properties of rare isotopes, and to put this knowledge to use in various applications, including in materials science, nuclear medicine, and the fundamental understanding of nuclear material important to nuclear weapons stockpile stewardship. More than 20 working groups specializing in experimental equipment and scientific topics have been organized through the FRIB Users Organization.^[2]

DOE-SC determined that the establishment of a Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) is a high priority for the future of U.S. nuclear science research. This determination and supporting rationale are reflected in the DOE/National Science Foundation Nuclear Science Advisory Committee’s 2007 Long Range Plan and the 2003 DOE report, "Facilities for the Future of Science: A Twenty-Year Outlook.”^[3][4]

Developments

FRIB marked the official start of civil construction with a groundbreaking ceremony March 17, 2014. In attendance were representatives from the Michigan delegation, State of Michigan, Michigan State University, and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science. Technical construction started in October 2014, following a CD-3b approval by DOE-SC.

On February 25, 2014 the board of the Michigan Strategic Fund^[5] met at Michigan State University and approved nearly $91 million to support the construction of FRIB.^[6]

Following the passage of the FY2014 appropriation, DOE-SC issued a notice to proceed on January 22, 2014, allowing the start of civil construction.^[7]

January 18, 2014 the appropriations bill passed both houses of congress. Prior to this, Senators Levin and Stabenow announced their support to fully fund FRIB with $55 million and authorize construction to begin this year.^[8]

On August 1, 2013, DOE-SC approved the project baseline (CD-2) and the start of civil construction (CD-3a), pending a notice to proceed. Civil construction could not start under the continuing appropriations resolution, which disallowed new construction starts.^[9]

The project earned Critical Decision 1 (CD-1) approval in September 2010 which established a preferred alternative and the associated established cost and schedule ranges.^[10]

DOE-SC announced the selection of Michigan State University to design and establish FRIB on December 11, 2008 after a rigorous merit review process including a written application, oral presentations, and site visits.^[11]

Notes

References

• Eugenie Samuel Reich (2011-08-30). "Isotope factory accelerates". Nature. 
• Lori Higgins (2011-01-18). "Nuclear research has MSU beaming". Detroit Free Press. 
• Marisa Schultz (2008-12-12). "MSU awarded $550M isotope lab". Detroit News. 
• Adrian Cho (2008-12-11). "Michigan State Picked for Half-Billion-Dollar Accelerator". Science. 

External links

• Facility for Rare Isotope Beams project
• FRIB Users Organization