The atomic nucleus and natural radiation, whether of cosmic or terrestrial origin, are among the most traditional subjects of study that can be found at the Institute. IFUNAM has a long tradition in the development of theoretical nuclear physics. It is also at IFUNAM where the development of particle accelerators and nuclear technology at the national level is forged.
An ambitious experimental research program is currently being developed in two laboratories with accelerators (LEMA and 5.5). Nuclear astrophysics, dynamics of nuclear reactions and nuclear structure are the topics addressed here. The high precision experiments required for the study of the weak interaction with neutrons between slow and very cold, as well as the experiments involving ion beams that cannot be produced in our laboratories are based abroad. Radiation of cosmic origin remains an important endeavor: the study of very energetic gamma rays (HAWC), the search for antinuclei with a spectrometer in space (AMS), radiographs with muons of pyramids and volcanoes, and international collaborations in laboratories under underground ground (SNOLAB). Cosmogenic radioactive nuclei (14C, 10Be, 26Al and others) have been very useful in the development of a wide variety of both fundamental and interdisciplinary topics and we have the only laboratory in Latin America (LEMA) capable of providing results in this field . The study and use of radiation of terrestrial origin, radon among others, also continues to be an object of our interest.
