Last week at the Joint Institute for nuclear research, that is located in Dubna, was a very significant event. 27-28 June there was held the session of the Bureau of the Department of physiology and fundamental medicine of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Scientists discussed the issues related to the safety of the astronauts future interplanetary missions.

The session, in addition to the representatives of the Russian Academy of Sciences, was also attended by representatives of the Institute of higher nervous activity and neurophysiology RAS, Russian Federation state research center Institute for biomedical problems of RAS and the JINR. According to the organizers of this event, is on the territory of the Institute was the first time.

What made physicists, biologists, physiologists and physicians to interrupt their vacations, defer current research and to gather together in one of the most beautiful cities of Russia? Actually, discussing very important issues, such as the action of heavy charged particles to high energies in the structure and function of the Central nervous system and visual receptors of living organisms. This research (which, incidentally, is already long enough nuclear physicists and biologists spend together), will help to make forecasts about the risk of the impact of heavy particles, which in space anyway, on the human body for interplanetary flights.

The high level discussion of these issues is evidenced by the fact that the session was attended by six full members and eight corresponding members of the RAS. The session was held under the chairmanship of academicians of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Viktor Matveyev, Director of the joint Institute for nuclear research, Anatoly Grigoriev, the Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Yuriy Natochina, academician-Secretary of the Department of physiology and fundamental medicine of RAS. During the event were presented eight scientific reports on the proposed themes, which gave rise to a very lively scientific debate.

But why is so important and famous guests took it JINR? The fact that the biological experiments at accelerators of charged particles of this Institute are held for more than fifty years. Once, when our country had just entered the era of space conquest, academicians A. Century Lebedinsky, centuries Parin and O. G. Gazenko suggested in JINR and a number of experiments to determine the biological effectiveness of high-energy protons. As a result, on the basis of these experiments were created system of radiation protection, which could ensure the safety of the first cosmonauts.

Since this is the traditional cooperation of physicists and biologists is not interrupted. Furthermore, on the horizon appeared a new perspective. And they are linked with the creation in JINR unique Collider NICA (Nuclotron-based Ion Collider fAcility). Let me remind you that this word is consonant with the name of the goddess of victory, called accelerator of heavy ions, it is being constructed on the basis of already existing at JINR Nuclotron (installation designed to produce beams of heavy ions with the energy up to 6 GeV / nucleon, proton, as well as polarized deuteron - nuclei of hydrogen isotopes deuterium). The construction of the accelerator is in full swing, and it is planned that by 2015 it will enter into operation.

What tasks can be solved with the help of the Collider NICA, told all those present at the session during a special excursions on the Nuclotron Deputy Director of the Laboratory of high energy physics, JINR Professor Gregory Trubnikov:

"In order to understand how it will work NICA, let's first look at what is happening at the Nuclotron. This accelerated beams, consisting of heavy ions is what we call large nuclei of different atoms, for example, gold, iron, or xenon. These particles are accelerated to a few GeV / nucleon and are directed towards each other. The meaning here is that the collision occurred, and heavy ions broke up into its constituent particles. That's why the energy is not as large as, for example, on a TANK - engine speeds simply, figuratively speaking, "will" friend of skozi other and will not break up.

NICA will be a useful addition to the Nuclotron - heavy ions, which will be pre-overclocked it, then "go" to the new Collider, the perimeter of which is equal 503 meters, and the collision will occur there. The result will be to try to get this state of matter, as the quark-gluon plasma in the mixed phase.

Why do we need it? First of all,to answer one of the fundamental questions of the universe - namely, how to have evolved universe. According to theoretical approaches, immediately after the Big Bang formed the quark-gluon plasma. It is, as the name implies, was composed of quarks and gluons - particles, which are currently not found in the free state. From quarks make up the protons and neutrons that make up any substance, and other baryons. Gluons are responsible for the interaction of quarks.

Now, if you try to divide the baryon individual quarks, nothing will come of it - each separated from the rother" quark immediately forms themselves "companion" and again will make him a baryon. However, in the first seconds after the Big Bang quarks and gluons existed in free form. And at some point they began to stick together, forming a baryons, including neutrons by protons. It is called the mixed phase - when in the middle of the quark-puhovoi plasma began to appear other particles.

Our first priority, which is solved using the new Collider, the restoration of the mixed phase of quark-puhovoi plasma. This will allow you to determine the conditions under which the transition from free quarks to the proton and the neutron. And perhaps we will finally understand the problem of asymmetry of the Universe - that is why particles in the end, had more than antiparticles.

However, research on the NICA will have practical significance. I am sure that it will help to unravel the secret of the structure of neutron stars, which, in the view of theorists, consist of the quark-puhovoi plasma. Well, these objects, as you know, are the most powerful sources of energy in the Universe. If the structure is experimentally found, then it will be possible to create such an energy source on Earth, and this is very urgent task. In addition, the new Collider will help our fellow biologists in their research on the effect of the particles on living organisms".

On the question of the correspondent "Pravdino" about what it will be studies, Director of the laboratory of radiation biology JINR the corresponding member of RAS Evgeny Krasavin explained that, first of all, this is all that concerns the reaction of a living organism on the irradiation of various particles:

"In General, we are interested in the acceleration of nuclei of iron in the range of 300-500 MeV per nucleon. Why? In fact, in the depths of galaxies born many heavy nuclei, they dispersed to different energies, but most often it is this range. Crews of interplanetary ships, such as those that will fly to Mars, somehow have to face them.

Now we still cannot imagine how these nuclei will affect the human body. But it is already clear that for the Central nervous system this impact can be very dangerous. Experiments with animals have shown that long-term exposure to these kernels have changed behavioral responses. For example, suffers from long-term memory. It is possible that similar changes may occur and astronauts. That is to Mars, the crew, suppose reached, and that's why it was all forgotten.

Of course, you need to develop a system of protection from the impact. But before they develop, you need to understand what is and what it is we want to protect, that is, to assess the extent and nature of the impact. And this can only be done in experiments at accelerators - there are the same conditions as in space.

We have already held a series of experiments with various objects - human cells in culture, yeast, rats. There are interesting results - for example, it was found that irradiation of different types of particles in cells respond not the same, this reflects differences in the speed and DNA repair mechanisms. Start a new accelerator will provide new opportunities for the experiment, and, accordingly, new discoveries".

So, although to an interplanetary flight is still far, it is already underway. This was vividly illustrated papers presented at the visiting session of the Bureau of the Department of physiology and fundamental medicine of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Therefore, future space explorers can worry about their safety scientists take care now...