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An accelerator day (24 hours) begins at 2300 and ends at 2259. This period is separated into three distinct shifts:
- Owl Shift (2300-0700)
- Day Shift (0700-1500)
- Swing Shift (1500-2300)
Each MCC Control Room crew consists of a Crew Chief (the senior member of the team) and two or three operators. Shifts for the operators and the Crew Chiefs are staggered. The Operations crew comes in an hour later than the Crew Chiefs (0000, 0800, 1600). When a new crew comes in, it is necessary for the outgoing team to "turnover" the machine. "Turnover" or "passdown" involves explaining the current status of the accelerator as well as events that have happened during the last shift. Typically, this information exchange lasts approximately 15 to 20 minutes, during which requests by the halls may be postponed.