Application of new photonic methods for precision spectroscopy of stored highly-charged ions

The central goal of the project is to significantly increase our knowlege about the physics of extremely strong or critical electromagnetic fields. Such fields are only accessible in experiments with the heaviest highly charged few-electron systems (Z~92). Ions with one, two, three, or four electrons play a particular role since the variation of the ion charge state allows one to disentangle the various strong-filed effects arising from quantum electrodynamics (QED), relativity, electron correlation, and the interaction with the atomic nucleus. Within the present project, related experiments will be carried out at the GSI/FAIR storage rings. At the same time, the further development of methods and instruments will pursued in order to facilitate the exploitation of the full potential of the FAIR installations for future studies of the physics of extreme electromagnetic fields.