The glorious past and present of the Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics

That day everyone was met with music and champagne in the Cultural Centre “Mir” on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics. FLNP veterans and employees, guests from other laboratories and JINR Departments, partner institutes of Russia and other countries were fully involved in the festive atmosphere.

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There were stands with a photo exhibition (made by the JINR Scientific Information Department headed by B.M.Starchenko with the use of archive photos of FLNP and JINR) that represented experimental base development of FLNP, research fields, sport and social events connected with the Laboratory. Next to these stands, FLNP veterans, former colleagues met to recall their youth. Young employees checked their knowledge of FLNP history and physics in the brain ring in the Small Hall of the Cultural Centre. The hall of the first floor was decorated with colourful map boards with issues of the laboratory’s wall newspaper “Neutron” that attracted attention of the audience. The brain ring, hall decoration, a laser show that opened the ceremony in the Grand Hall and brilliant host duet of Levon Oganezov and Stanislav Alexandrov were provided by the “Nikitin team” company.

“Thanks everyone who have come to celebrate with us our anniversary,”- FLNP Direcotr V.N.Shvetsov opened the solemn meeting. “60 years is not a small age both, for a person and organization. These 60 years spent along with JINR came down to history thanks to discoveries and scientific results.”

V.N.Shvetsov in his words noted significant stages of FLNP history and its researchers responsible for the Laboratory’s achievements. He ended his performance with the following words: “Our Laboratory is to exist for a long time. I am sure that we will live this long term happily and will generate results of the world level significance. Thank you all for your work.”

“It’s a great pleasure for me to greet FLNP employees,” JINR Vice Director M.G. Itkis started. “The Laboratory passed a long successful path having virtually become a large-scale institute in which three scientific fields are developing. As for various kinds of research in the field of condensed matter physics, FLNP is the only laboratory of JINR that conducts an intense user policy. In the field of nuclear physics we launched a discussion of the IREN project in 1990s, and I hope that it will achieve its design parameters. The third research field of FLNP is life sciences, neutron activation analyses in which a talented scientist M.V.Frontasieva with her numerous young colleagues are involved. Thanks to their efforts our Institute is responsible for the European ecological programme.

Most importantly we have a reactor that allows us to look forward. I have no doubt that scientists will offer the facility project of the same high standard as IBR-2. In the 1990s, difficult work was carried out in short terms and with limited budget on reactor’s modernization. This work would have been impossible without V.D.Ananiev. On behalf of JINR Directorate, I express deep gratitude to the FLNP staff for scientific achievements, for everything carried out by the Laboratory, for such number of your researchers among the staff. This is a truly international laboratory. Wish you many years of successful work! ”

V.L.Aksenov, Assistant of President of the National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, reminded that ITEP and PNPI have been friends with FLNP from its very establishment. He spoke on two landmarks of the FLNP life that played the ultimate role in its development at large: discovery of ultracold neutrons in 1968 and time-of-light neutron diffractometry four years earlier, it is a method widely used nowadays throughout the world. Its development greatly influenced creation of new neutron sources in the world. “I’m sure FLNP has promising future, new discoveries lie in store for us.”

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The Plenipotentiary of Romania in JINR F.Buzatu wholeheartedly congratulated the FLNP staff and expressed his hope on further successful cooperation. Plenipotentiary of Mongolia in JINR S.Daava noted that there are many Mongol employees particularly in FLNP. It means that this laboratory plays a significant role in training Mongol scientific and engineering-technical staff. As a present for the Laboratory S.Daava gave a figure of a camel that just like a neutron is able to overcome long distances. “I wish all FLNP employees pass a long way in the depths of matter and make new discoveries!”

I.Wilhelm, Honorary Professor of Charles University in Prague, visited FLNP for the first time 10 years ago. “The Laboratory gave us a lot not only in connection with physics, but it also taught us to conduct experiments and interpret their results. We met new colleagues and friends here, and we still keep these professional contacts. FLNP follows traditions established by great authorities. I wish everyone success and good health.” P.Geltenbort (the Institute Laue-Langevin, France) pointed out that 60 years does not mean to be old, and creation of a new neutron source is a brilliant idea that can be implemented by excellent FLNP specialists. Having congratulated colleagues on the Laboratory’s anniversary, he made a present not to them but for himself – he made a selfie with FLNP Director V.N.Shvetsov at the anniversary scene. V.Navrotsik (Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland) highly appreciated FLNP achievements and its developing infrastructure: “Scientific contacts of Poland with FLNP started long ago, and they are preserved now. Krakow, Warsaw, Lodz, Poznan are the Polish towns that participate in this cooperation. Hundreds of our employees and students had experience of work in the Laboratory. Recalling FLNP leaders we want to thank them for knowledge they imparted to us.”

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Almost 30 years ago, I.T.Tretyakov (NIKIET, Moscow) got acquainted with FLNP: “Once I heard in NIKIET that we have special relations with Dubna, and it was true. We develop research reactors, 25 reactors were constructed according to our projects, but IBR-2 – is a special one. I hope our joint work with a new Neutron Source will continue and our scientific directions will coincide.” A.V.Lopatov (Vice Director General of NIKIET) added: “Each project – IREN, the Subcritical Assembly at Dubna (SAD), IBR-2 modernization – greatly differ from each other. This desire to think forward, to think about science for next generations is delightful!”

A.I.Kurbakow extended congratulations on behalf of his colleagues from PNPI (Gatchina): “In present conditions of neutron “hunger” in Russia you are very welcoming hosts. I wish you not to lose your merit positions, to develop and self-improve further. Our Department of Nuclear Physics was established three years after FLNP, and we have always followed its example.”

D.Tonev (INRNE, Bulgaria): “FLNP for us is an international laboratory with world level results. On the other hand, it is the territory where Bulgarian employees feel welcomed.”

At the end of the festive part of celebration, FLNP founders and veterans were invited to the scene: N.P.Antsupov, A.M.Balagurov, A.A.Belyakov, T.K.Bushueva, L.V.Edunov, V.M.Krylov, N.A.Malysheva, I.Natkants, Ts.Panteleev, A.B.Popov, O.D.Prokofiev, V.G.Simkin, A.V.Strelkov, G.A.Sukhomlinov, V.I.Furman, E.P.Shabalina, E.I.Sharapov.

The final chord of the concert was Igor Butman and his jazz orchestra’s performance. The programme of the performance included, according to maestro, jazz and non-jazz classics. It was brightly performed by virtuoso soloists and received ovation from the audience.

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Olga Tarantina, JINR Weekly Newspaper
Photos by Elena Puzynina and Igor Lapenko