12 GeV Upgrade

The first sector of the preshower calorimeter for CLAS12 is complete and has been tested successfully with cosmic rays. Stacking of lead sheets and scintillator bars threaded with wavelength-shifting fibers is also complete for the second sector and has been started for the third. Two of the CLAS12 region 3 wire chamber sectors are being strung at JLab. The fifth wire chamber sector for region 2 is underway at Old Dominion University, and the third region 1 chamber is being strung at Idaho State University. High voltage and readout boards are being added to wire chamber sectors that are strung, and cosmic ray testing is underway. The first complete module of the silicon vertex tracker barrel detector has been undergoing testing for two months, and layout improvements in the readout circuitry are being implemented.

Physics

Hall A is in a production mode this week, taking physics data for the g2p experiment at 2.2 GeV and completing a significant fraction of its momenta scan for this energy. Next week, Hall A will go to its first special energy for the g2p/gep runs and start its second scan.

Q-weak continued taking production data in Hall C using the liquid hydrogen target and an aluminum target for background determination. With the linac energy change, the collaboration is taking a set of low-current tracking measurements at 877 MeV. These measurements are in preparation for making a measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry of the Nucleon to Delta transition.

Accelerator

The week began with Halls A and C receiving beam and Hall B in Restricted Access to allow for replacement of the HDIce target with a new version manufactured in the Test Lab. On Monday, a faulty compressor in Hall A caused a fire alarm, interrupting beam delivery to the hall during repairs. The next day, the dump dehumidifier in Hall C failed, causing it to compromise the VESDA (Very Early Smoke Detection) system. This interrupted Hall C beam until it was fixed. By Tuesday evening, problems in both halls were resolved and beam operation was restored. While repairs were being conducted, the accelerator took advantage of some parasitic beam studies time to conduct model calibration tests in the arcs. All halls were up and receiving beam through an uneventful weekend.

Free-Electron Laser

The machine was run for several internal and external users this week and got good data in laser deposition, non-thermal ablation, and measurements of coherent synchrotron emission effects on the electron microbunches. The FEL team started some measurements on new infrared mirrors.

Facilities Management and Logistics

JLab will hold an Open House on May 19. In preparation for that event, the lab will conduct a sitewide cleanup May 7-11. The cleanup will involve all divisions and all employees. All managers are responsible for ensuring the participation of their individual staffs. The cleanup is not optional; Everyone is expected to participate.

The goal is to clean up individual work areas, as well as to remove scrap wood, cardboard, metals and other excess items that may have piled up over time both indoors and out. During the clean up, be careful not to mix recyclables. In other words, wood scrap goes into a wood dumpster, recyclable metals in their dumpster, and paper and other permissible recyclable office waste goes into the paper dumpster.  If you will need a dumpster or other equipment to clean your area, contact Carl Iannacone, x5430, or Bill Brisiel, x7233.

The cleanup also will be an excellent time to identify excess equipment or furniture. You can contact the Property Office at x6270 for removal of these items.

JLab Calendar of Events

April 11: Teachers Science Night at JLab
April 15-19: Beam Instrumentation Workshop
April 23: Safety Shoe vendor onsite
April 25: JAG Run-A-Round
April 30: FLUKA Training Course

Environment, Safety, Health and Quality

Critters and Insects
With the unusual early spring weather, reports indicate that mosquitoes and other insect populations will be early and numerous. Other types of insects will also start moving out into warmer areas. Additionally, with recent renovations and building changes that have disturbed many normal hiding places, insects and other critters may migrate to areas onsite that they have not inhabited before.
 
These factors may increase the likelihood that any one of us can encounter insects, such as hornets, wasps, ticks or bees, or even larger animals, such as feral cats, raccoons, snakes, woodchucks and Canada geese. It is best to avoid insects that bite or sting and leave the wildlife alone. If you are bitten or attacked, report it immediately to Occupational Medicine, x7539.
 
When you encounter insect nests or larger animals that need to be removed from your work area or equipment, call either Mike Lewellen at x7169 or Facilities Management and Logistics at x7400 to report what you observe and the exact location. JLab has a professional service that will handle the situation safely and properly. Let's all – people and critters – have a safe spring and summer.

Computing and Networking Infrastructure

The CNI group is planning a maintenance period on Tuesday, April 17, 5-7 p.m. During this time, updated software applications will be pushed out, and Windows and Linux patches will be released. Windows terminal servers will be rebooted to apply the latest patches and updated applications. More information on these tasks is available in the announcements below. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the IT Division Helpdesk, x7155.

Software Application Update on Windows
During the maintenance period on Tuesday, April 17, the CNI group will push out updated versions of some common applications on Windows. New versions of Firefox, Thunderbird, Java Runtime Environment, Adobe Flash Player, Adobe Shockwave Player, Flash plugins and Adobe Reader will be pushed out to all Windows desktops and terminal servers. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the IT Division Helpdesk, x7155.

Delivery of Windows and Linux Patches
During the maintenance period on Tuesday, April 17, the CNI group will release updates to all Windows and Linux desktops and non-critical servers. Plan on rebooting your desktop systems on Wednesday. April 18, to finalize the installation of these patches. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the IT Division Helpdesk, x7155.

Announcements

JAG Run-A-Round Registration Open
Strap on those running shoes for the 27th annual JAG Run-A-Round on Wednesday, April 25, 3 - 6 p.m. JLab staff, users, students, full-time contractors and immediate family members are invited to participate. Staff and users who participate in the run or volunteer can receive a free 2012 JLab T-shirt. The event will begin in front of CEBAF Center at 3 p.m. with the debut of the 2012 T-shirt. The run/walk will start promptly at 3:15 p.m. and cover a 2.2 kilometer (~1.36 mile) course. Food and beverages, music and the awards presentations will follow the race. Online registration is open through 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 24. Participants must be registered to be eligible for event awards. Register or check out additional information on the JAG webpage.

Help Make the Run-A-Round a Success: Volunteer!
Sign up now for one of the last open volunteer positions. The success of this event depends heavily on participation and volunteer support. All volunteers will receive a free 2012 JLab T-shirt. Volunteering is a great way to meet new faces, catch up with colleagues and co-workers and enjoy the afternoon. A brief volunteer meeting will be held in on Tuesday, April 24, at 3 p.m. in CEBAF Center room F113. Volunteer sign-up is available on the JAG webpage.

William & Mary Hosts Public Colloquium Today
The College of William & Mary is hosting "Atoms for Peace: A Physics and Applied Science Colloquium" today in Small Hall, Room 110 at 3:30 p.m. The two-part colloquium features two speakers. Victor Reis, senior advisor in DOE's Office of the Undersecretary for Science, will discuss the Sputnik and Apollo missions from a strategic planning perspective and review several DOE programs. The Hon. Lawrence Scheinman, distinguished professor at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies, will present "Challenges and Opportunities for Nuclear Power in a post-Fukushima World."

Tracking Thomas at JLab
Little Thomas is visiting all corners of the JLab campus. If you can identify his location this week, email Kandice Carter with your guess. Guesses are accepted through Friday.

Congratulations this week go to Kevin Banks and Narciso Gomez, who were the first to correctly identify the April 4 location. Honorable mentions go to Sam Holben, Casey Heck, Mike Mayer and Robert Martin. Check out the Tracking Thomas webpage for a better view of his last location and this week's new mystery photo.