Intermediate energy nuclear physics at the MIT-Bates linear accelerator center

The MIT-Bates linear accelerator center is a University-based laboratory carrying out frontier research in electromagnetic nuclear physics. The research program is focussed on the flavor structure, charge distribution, shape, size and polarizability of the nucleon; the spin and electromagnetic structure of light nuclei; and the origin of the elements. The Bates research program has three central thrusts: the SAMPLE experiments to probe the flavor structure of the proton using parity-violating electron scattering at back angles; the OOPS (out-of-plane spectrometer system) program which uses out-of-plane detection to probe nucleon and few-body nuclear structure; and the BLAST (Bates large acceptance spectrometer toroid) program which will use a new spectrometer under construction to measure electron scattering from internal gas targets in the south hall ring.