• A.O. Sidorin, N.N. Agapov, A.V. Eliseev, V. Karpinsky, H.G. Khodzhibagiyan, A.D. Kovalenko, G.L. Kuznetsov, I.N. Meshkov, V.A. Mikhaylov, V. Monchinsky, A.V. Smirnov, G.V. Trubnikov, B. Vasilishin
  JINR, Dubna, Moscow Region
• A.V. Butenko
  JINR/LHE, Moscow

The main goal of the Nuclotron booster construction are following: accumulation up to 4·10⁺⁹ Au³²⁺ ions; acceleration of the ions up to energy of 600 MeV/u that is sufficient for stripping of the ions to the bare nucleus state; simplification of the requirements to the vacuum conditions in the Nuclotron; forming of the required beam emittance at the energy of 100 MeV/u with electron cooling system. The features of this booster, the requirement to the main synchrotron systems and their parameters are presented.

• A.O. Sidorin, N.N. Agapov, V. Batin, A.V. Butenko, D.E. Donets, A.V. Eliseev, A. Govorov, V. Karpinsky, V.D. Kekelidze, H.G. Khodzhibagiyan, A. Kirichenko, O.S. Kozlov, I.N. Meshkov, V.A. Mikhaylov, V. Monchinsky, S. Romanov, V. Shevtsov, A.N. Sissakian, I. Slepnev, V. Slepnev, G.V. Trubnikov, B. Vasilishin, V. Volkov
  JINR, Dubna, Moscow Region
• V. Alexandrov
  BINP SB RAS, Protvino, Moscow Region
• O.I. Brovko, A.D. Kovalenko
  JINR/LHE, Moscow

The 'Nuclotron-M' project started in 2007 is considered as the key point of the first stage of the NICA/MPD project. General goal of the 'Nuclotron-M' project is to prepare all the systems of the Nuclotron for its long and reliable operation as a part of the NICA collider injection chain. Additionally the project realization will increase the Nuclotron ability for realization of its current experimental program. Results of the last runs of the Nuclotron operation are presented.

• A.O. Sidorin, A.V. Butenko, E.D. Donets, E.E. Donets, V.V. Fimushkin, A. Govorov, V. Kobets, I.N. Meshkov, V. Monchinsky, G.V. Trubnikov
  JINR, Dubna, Moscow Region
• A. Belov
  RAS/INR, Moscow
• O.K. Belyaev, Yu.A. Budanov, A.P. Maltsev, I.A. Zvonarev
  IHEP Protvino, Protvino, Moscow Region
• V.V. Kapin
  MEPhI, Moscow

The injector complex of the NICA facility consists of existing Alvarez-type linac LU-20 and new heavy ion linac HILac. The LU-20 is under modernization now, the HILac will be constructed during coming years. Parameters of the accelerators are presented.

• A.O. Sidorin, O.S. Kozlov, I.N. Meshkov, V.A. Mikhaylov, G.V. Trubnikov
  JINR, Dubna, Moscow Region
• V.A. Lebedev, S. Nagaitsev
  Fermilab, Batavia
• Y. Senichev
  FZJ, Jülich

Main element of the NICA facility is the collider equipped with stochastic and electron cooling systems to provide experiment with heavy ions like Au, Pb or U at energy from 1 to 4.5 GeV/u with average luminosity of the level of 10²⁷ cm^-2 s^-1. The possible lattices providing the required parameters are discussed.

• A.O. Sidorin, I.N. Meshkov, G.V. Trubnikov
  JINR, Dubna, Moscow Region
• A.D. Kovalenko
  JINR/LHE, Moscow

The Nuclotron-based Ion Collider fAcility (NICA) is the new accelerator complex being constructed at JINR aimed to provide collider experiments with heavy ions up to uranium at the center of mass energy from 4 to 11 GeV/u. It includes 6 Mev/u linac, 600 MeV/u booster, upgraded SC synchrotron Nuclotron and collider consisting of two SC rings, which provide average luminosity of the level of 10²⁷cm^-2s^-1.

• V. Kamerdzhiev, J. Dietrich
  FZJ, Jülich
• C. Böhme
  UniDo/IBS, Dortmund
• T. Giacomini
  GSI, Darmstadt
• A.G. Kobets, I.N. Meshkov, A.Yu. Rudakov, A.O. Sidorin
  JINR, Dubna, Moscow Region

To study electron cooling in a synchrotron nondestructive methods only are suitable. The ionization profile monitor (IPM) delivers real-time data in both transverse planes allowing detailed analysis of beam profile evolution in COSY. First attempts to use scintillation of residual gas (SPM) to measure beam profiles were very promising. Beam diagnostics based on recombination is usually used to optimize electron cooling of protons (H0-diagnostics). However, it is not available when cooling antiprotons. So the IPM and possibly the SPM are vital for electron cooling optimization in the HESR ring. The new beam instrumentation at COSY is introduced and its relevance for the new 2 MeV electron cooler project and the HESR are discussed. Results of beam studies performed during electron cooling beam times at COSY are presented.