Progress of the Felsenkeller shallow-underground accelerator for nuclear astrophysics

TL;DR

This paper reviews the development of the Felsenkeller underground accelerator, a 5 MV facility designed to advance nuclear astrophysics research through low-background experiments with high-current ion beams.

Contribution

It presents the status and expected capabilities of the new underground accelerator, enhancing experimental sensitivity for astrophysical nuclear reactions.

Findings

Construction is on schedule for completion in August 2017.

The accelerator will deliver 50 μA beams of key ions for astrophysics.

It will enable unprecedented sensitivity in nuclear reaction measurements.

Abstract

Low-background experiments with stable ion beams are an important tool for putting the model of stellar hydrogen, helium, and carbon burning on a solid experimental foundation. The pioneering work in this regard has been done by the LUNA collaboration at Gran Sasso, using a 0.4 MV accelerator. In the present contribution, the status of the project for a higher-energy underground accelerator is reviewed. Two tunnels of the Felsenkeller underground site in Dresden, Germany, are currently being refurbished for the installation of a 5 MV high-current Pelletron accelerator. Construction work is on schedule and expected to complete in August 2017. The accelerator will provide intense, 50 uA, beams of 1H+, 4He+, and 12C+ ions, enabling research on astrophysically relevant nuclear reactions with unprecedented sensitivity.