GRETA: World's most powerful detector to decode nuclear 'fingerprints

The Gamma-Ray Energy Tracking Array (GRETA) is the world’s most powerful detector designed to study atomic nuclei by tracking gamma rays with 10 to 100 times greater sensitivity than previous instruments. Developed by a team led by the US Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, GRETA consists of 30 ultra-pure germanium detector modules arranged in a spherical array, cooled to about -300°F for maximum sensitivity. By using particle beams to create unstable nuclei that emit gamma rays as they stabilize, GRETA captures the unique “fingerprints” of isotopes, enabling scientists to explore fundamental questions about nuclear structure, element formation in stars, and the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe. GRETA builds on its predecessor, GRETINA, by expanding the detector array and incorporating advanced electronics and computing systems. Argonne National Laboratory contributed a crucial trigger system to efficiently process the vast data generated, while artificial intelligence is being applied to enhance gamma-ray path reconstruction. The detector recently demonstrated the