Speaker
Description
We review the physics opportunities [1] which are offered by a next generation and multi-purpose fixed-target program exploiting the LHC beams in order to study $pp$, $pd$ and $pA$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} \sim 115$ GeV as well as Pb$p$ and Pb$A$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} \sim 72$ GeV. These opportunities span spin, heavy-ion, nucleon-structure and astroparticle physics.
We propose two possible implementations, namely with an internal (polarised) gas target or with a "splitted" beam by a bent crystal which both provide typical instantaneous luminosities [1,2] for $pp$ and $pA$ collisions which surpass that of RHIC by more than 3 orders of magnitude and are comparable to those of the LHC collider mode.
We also discuss our most recent figures of merit [3,4,5] based on two already existing detector set-ups, the LHCb and the ALICE detectors.
