The facility is aimed to promote high quality accelerator based interdisciplinary research in pure and applied sciences like nuclear physics, materials science, biology, medical physics, environmental science, agriculture and geology among others. University Grants Commission (UGC) is funding the project for which land will be provided by MSU.
Professor emeritus with UGC and former chairman and coordinator of the Center of Advance Studies in Physics at Panjab University, Chandigarh, Professor I M Govil will be visiting MSU for two days to study the feasibility of land where the facility can come up.
"We will be showing professor Govil the land available with us at Sama in the city and at Water Resources Engineering & Management Institute (WREMI) at our Samiala campus. If found feasible, the nuclear accelerator facility will come up at either of the locations, if not our university will approach Gujarat government seeking land for this facility," dean of MSU's faculty of science professor Nikhil Desai told mediapersons on Friday.
During his visit, professor Govil will deliver a talk on the proposed nuclear accelerator and its application on multidisciplinary field.
It is meant to set up a dedicated fast neutron beam facility for interdisciplinary research using neutrons, to carry out environmental pollution work using Proton Induced X-Ray Emission (PIXE) and Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) techniques, to support R&D activities, to provide skilled manpower for neutrons related work as per future need of the nuclear energy sector of the country and to enhance the teaching program and to provide exposure and hands on training on accelerator based research activities to young students.
"Since 1970s, through the Indo-US pact large numbers of small energy nuclear accelerators were installed at number of places in the country. Later on, Variable Energy Cyclotron Accelerator at Kolkata came into existence for light ion acceleration. After that, two heavy ion high energy nuclear accelerators were set up at the Inter University Accelerator Centre, New Delhi, and another at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre -- the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research," said professor N L Singh from MSU's department of physics.
"Government of India is now planning to set up five nuclear accelerators in five states including Gujarat. For Gujarat, MSU has been selected for setting up this facility. UGC will be providing all the funding for this facility which will cater to the need of accelerator in this region (Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh)," said Singh.
Once the facility becomes functional, students from Gujarat will not have to approach centres based in metros.
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