The University of Michigan Spin Physics Center focuses on studies of spin effects in high-P^2 proton-proton elastic and inelastic scattering. These polarized scattering experiments use the world-class solid and jet polarized proton targets, which are developed, upgraded and tested at the Center. The 12 T/ 0.3 K Michigan Ultra-cold Jet obtained a record density of about 1012 spin-polarized hydrogen atoms per cm3.
The Center also led the development of the world's first accelerated polarized beams at the 12 GeV Argonne ZGS (in 1973) and then at the 28 GeV Brookhaven AGS. The Center led pioneering experiments at the IUCF Cooler Ring from 1988 until its 2003 shutdown, which developed and tested Siberian snakes and Spin-flippers, which are now used to accelerate, store and use high energy polarized proton beams. It is now continuing these polarized accelerator experiment at the 3 GeV COSY storage ring at the Forshungszentrum Jülich in Jülich Germany.
The Center also leads the International SPIN Collaboration, which earlier designed polarized proton beam capability for: the SSC, Fermilab's Tevatron, and DESY's HERA; it recently developed, installed and commissioned a Spin-flipper for MIT-Bates' 1 GeV polarized electron storage ring.
The NEPTUN-A 400 GeV to 3 TeV polarized elastic experiment is now in standby status along with IHEP-Protvino's huge UNK accelerator-storage-ring near Moscow. The RAMPEX polarized inclusive experiment is now running at IHEP's 70 GeV U-70 proton accelerator. The Center is also actively involved in the HERMES polarized inclusive e-p fixed-target experiment at HERA.
A 70 GeV very-large-P^ 2 polarized elastic proton- proton scattering experiment (SPIN@U-70) was approved, installed and had 3 test runs at IHEP's U-70. However, the experiment was suspended in 2002 due to the suspension of the US/Russian Peaceful use of Atomic Energy Agreement. The Spin Physics Center then submitted a Letter of Intent for a similar experiment at the 50 GeV J-PARC proton accelerator now being built in Tokai Japan. This LoI received first stage approval in Fall 2003.
Spin Physics Center
