The nuclear symmetry energy, the density dependent term of the nuclear equation of state (EOS), governs important properties of neutron stars and dense nuclear matter. At present, it is largely unconstrained in the supra-saturation density region. This dissertation concerns the design and construction of the SpiRIT Time Projection Chamber (SpiRIT-TPC) at Michigan State University as part of an international collaborations to constrain the symmetry energy at supra-saturation density. The SpiRIT-TPC has been constructed during the dissertation and transported to Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory (RIBF) at RIKEN, Japan where it will be used in conjunction with the SAMURAI Spectrometer. The detector will measure yield ratios for pions and other light charged particles produced in central collisions of neutron-rich heavy ions such as 132Sn + 124Sn. The dissertation describes the design and solutions to the problem presented by the measurement. This also compares some of the initial fast measurement of the TPC to calculation of the performance characteristics.
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