Nuclear Physics. The Societal Impact – A project for Greece?

Abstract

Answers to some of the most important questions that our world is facing out, will come from interdisciplinary efforts in medicine, energy and climate. These are involving contributions from fundamental research and in particular from nuclear physics and associated techniques. From the different types of radiation used in hospitals to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), nuclear physics and its associated technologies that is accelerators and superconducting magnets are omnipresent. The development of new radioisotope production techniques, therapy of certain cancers with ions and hadron therapy or high field MRI are among the subjects undergoing rapid development. Furthermore, archaeometry and many other societal applications are also benefited from the techniques of nuclear physics. My presentation in the 6th workshop of the Hellenic Institute of Nuclear Physics (HINP) was focused on the links between fundamental research and society and was partially inspired by an article I have published in 2020 on this subject [1]. In the last part of my presentation, I have brushed up the situation concerning the construction of low energy accelerator facilities worldwide. The construction of new accelerator installations is going through a flourishing period in particular in Europe with the construction of new accelerators dedicated to fundamental research in Nuclear Physics, to neutron production and to societal applications. This favourable climate could motivate the Hellenic nuclear physics community to design a new accelerator facility dedicated to fundamental research, neutron production and to the multiple applications of nuclear physics techniques to societal problems. Its construction could benefit from European funds and technical contributions from many European countries like France or Italy.