NUCLEAR PHYSICS DIVISION

Domestic nuclear physics was initiated and formed at Radium Institute. At the turn of 20-s G.A. Gamov created the theory of atomic nucleus alpha decay, in 1937 L.V. Mysovskiy and I.V. Kourchatov launched a cyclotron, which was the first in Europe. In 1940 K.A. Petrzhak and G.N. Flerov discovered the phenomenon of spontaneous uranium fission. The Institute was the place, where there were grounded domestic neutron physics, fission physics, gamma-ray flaw detection. K.K. Aglintsev and K.A. Petrzhak created the basis for domestic dosimetry and radiation metrology. B.S. Gelepov, N.A. Perfilov, and other scientists carried into effect pioneer researches in the field of nuclear physics. In the sequel the main lines of scientific activity consisted in fundamental and applied researches in the field of atomic nucleus physics and in realization of works to cover the requirements of Soviet atomic industry.

Radium Institute was involved in the works in the region of Chernobyl NPP immediately after the accident. Institute's experts actively participated in realization of emergency and post-emergency investigations just at the 4-th unit and in 30-km area. Comprehensive nuclear-physical, radiochemical, and geochemical researches formed a basis for evaluations of radiation and criticality safety, and for development of measures to eliminate aftereffects of the accident.

Basic grounds of the Institute, located in Saint-Petersburg are provided with modern equipment to assure prospective and applied works in the field of nuclear physics. Among this equipment there are accelerators of charged particles, neutron generators, installations to measure nuclear-physics constants, bench stands for adjustment of methods for nuclear fuel burn-up non-destructive inspection, installations for radionuclides recovery.

Nuclear physics division consists of the following laboratories:

• Laboratory of neutron physics
• Laboratory of cyclotronic radiopharmaceuticals
• Laboratory of applied physics
• Laboratory of new scientific and research projects in nuclear physics