Weekly Briefs Archives

Jefferson Lab Weekly Briefs April 4, 2012

Jefferson Lab Weekly Briefs
April 4, 2012

12 GeV Upgrade

Installation of the new coldboxes for Central Helium Liquefier-2 has begun by the vendor representative. The C100-1 and C100-2 cryomodules continue to be used for beam operations; refinement of the control of the radiofrequency fields is making good progress. Testing of the fifth new cryomodule is underway in the Cryomodule Test Facility. The procurement process for the re-bid of the box power supplies (for the large dipoles in the beam transport system) is underway. While this will delay delivery relative to the earlier plan, we do not presently project any impact on the commissioning schedule. Manufacturing of the new stripline-design beam position monitor cans is underway.

Physics

Hall A recovered from the septum incident and locked up the hall on Tuesday to accept beam delivery. After an initial period of optics calibrations and tests of low-current beam instrumentation, the hall began production data-taking on Thursday for the g2p experiment. The hall ran smoothly all weekend.

In Hall C, the Q-weak experiment continued data taking on liquid hydrogen with the 180 microamp beam. Maintenance activities included replacing the power supply for the Moller polarimeter's superconducting solenoid and repairing a slow water leak internal to the Qtor power supply.

Last Chance to Submit Nominations for Assistantship
JLab is seeking candidates for a research assistantship to provide an opportunity for a minority undergraduate student to work on projects that are part of the lab’s research program or directly related to the scientific or engineering aspects of the research program. This assistantship is funded by the JSA Initiatives Fund Program and will provide funds to support the student at the university during the 2012 - 2013 academic year. Nominations are due April 6 and must be submitted by the faculty sponsor before the student may apply. Faculty sponsors may obtain more information and submit their nomination online.

Accelerator

The week started with a maintenance day, which included a search for the reason for bad optics in the five-pass setup. A faulty control card for a focusing quadrupole was determined to be the source and was replaced. On Thursday, Hall B was successfully set up for five-pass beam. Filament power supply boards caused some problems with the radiofrequency amplifiers. Double peaking in Hall C data prompted several attempts to adjust the timing of the accelerating cavities to correct. Orbit drifting in the injector caused the vacuum valves to shut. The orbit was corrected and beam ran fine into the weekend. The week ended with a third fire alarm, this time in Hall C, that was due to mist coming out of a de-humidifier machine. Halls A, B and C took beam for several days in a row without any major incidents, then while Hall B was working on their target, Halls A and C continued receiving continuous wave beam on varying targets. The gun cathode was re-activated, and new injector serial communications were installed for the injector beam current monitors.

Free-Electron Laser

The FEL team continued with extensive beam operations last week, performing a number of electron beam and optics measurements for the Office of Naval Research. Extended second shift beam operations successfully delivered terahertz and infrared beam to outside users looking at insulator-metal transition and enhanced molecular resonance absorption. Engineering work on the new gun continues, as does engineering for upgrades of the cryomodule to be installed in zone FL03 late next fall.

Center for Theoretical and Computational Physics

Extracting information about hadron resonances from lattice QCD calculations involves measurement of the discrete spectrum of states in a finite-size box. As a first step toward this, Theory Center members have extracted the non-resonant elastic scattering phase shift for two pions with isospin 2 in both S- and D-waves. A detailed determination of the energy dependence follows from the use of a number of novel lattice field theory techniques, and the result of a weak repulsive interaction is in line with experimental data.

Engineering

The Machine Shop has processed 166 job requests since Feb. 20. It is presently manufacturing or continuing to manufacture:
  • CLAS12 high threshold Cerenkov counter mold mirror facet block 2 assembly for HALL B and the mirror assembly fixture
  • 170 dipole-lengthening shims for the 12 GeV Upgrade
  • Assorted components for diagnostic devices, insertion devices; harp/super harp assemblies
  • Hall A target system for APEX: the downstream extension APEX assembly
  • Two prototype stripline beam position monitors
  • The shop is in the process of rearranging machinery in order to set up a radiological area in support of the modification of one-meter magnets for the 12 GeV Upgrade. No interruption in customer service should occur.

Facilities Management and Logistics

JLab Gets New Street, Building and Informational Signs
JLab now has new street, building and informational signs. The new street signs should make it easier for visitors, vendors and new staff and users to make their way around the lab and will present a more uniform, recognizable appearance. The old blue signs and temporary PVC-pipe signs are being removed as the new signs are installed. Some important changes taking place with the arrival of the new signs include:
  • JLab's main entrance on Jefferson Ave. has been changed to Lawrence Drive. Lawrence Drive is now the entire JLab access road that parallels Jefferson Ave. It intersects with Jefferson Ave. on the south end and intersects Hogan Drive on the north; Onnes Drive does not exist.
  • The connector roads that have been unofficially referred to as the North and South Connector Roads have been officially named Pauli Drive and Kelvin Drive, respectively, and now have street signs.
  • The VARC, Building 28, has been renamed the Support Service Center.

JLab Calendar of Events

April 5: Seminar: Women in Physics
April 9: JLab Safety Shoe vendor onsite
April 11: JLab Colloquium and Public Lecture - Ani Aprahamian
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

Resolving ES&H Concerns
To ensure the welfare and productivity of its workforce, JLab has several mechanisms for employees, or anyone who comes into contact with the lab, to report issues potentially affecting the safety of workers, visitors, lab neighbors or the environment without fear of retaliation or reprisal. ES&H Manual Chapter 2310 lists a variety of mechanisms for resolving and reporting ES&H concerns and for preventing similar concerns from occurring in the future. Here is a list of the options you have for resolving an ES&H concern:
  • If possible, resolve the ES&H concern yourself;
  • If you are unable to resolve the concern yourself, refer the concern to your supervisor and management chain using the mechanisms outlined here;
  • You may also consult your Safety Warden, Division Safety Officer, your representative to the Worker Safety Committee, or contact an ESH&Q staff member directly for any ES&H concerns you may have;
  • If you would like to remain anonymous, or if you feel that it is more appropriate, use JLab’s Employee Concerns Program;
  • If one or more of the above steps have not resulted in resolution of the concern, or if you feel that it is more appropriate, you may also use the formal DOE Employee Concerns Management System hotline at 800-676-3267; or use DOE's Differing Professional Opinion process through the form found in DOE Order 442.2.
Once your concern has been addressed, communicate any lessons learned to your staff, co-workers, supervisors and your Division Lessons Learned Coordinator. ES&H Manual Chapter 2310 offers more information on concern resolution.

Announcements

Heavy Traffic at CEBAF Center Circle Midday on April 5
A JLab Physics Fest, a two-hour field trip for students, is scheduled for 10 a.m. - noon in the CEBAF Center auditorium on Thursday. As students depart, their buses converge on the CEBAF Center Circle, which can temporarily block westbound traffic on Kelvin Drive (formerly the South Connector Road). All JLab roads are no passing zones; therefore, westbound vehicles must stop and wait for the bus traffic to move completely into the circle before proceeding. To avoid this potential traffic delay, use Hadron Drive to Rattley Road or to Pauli Drive (formerly the North Connector Road) to leave the lab on Physics Fest days. More information, and a calendar of upcoming Physics Fests, is available online.

Tornado Warning Siren Test Set for Noon Friday
JLab's tornado warning siren will undergo its monthly operational test at noon on Friday, April 6. Don't respond to the siren; this is a test of the siren system and not a personnel response exercise. Individuals planning to be in the Central Materials Storage Area while the siren is being tested must have with them and wear hearing protection. More information can be found in the all-staff memo and in the On Target newsletter.

JLab in the News
In case you missed it, JLab has been mentioned prominently in some recent stories by trade and mainstream media. Click the headlines to read what's being said about JLab and its research: Physicists Hunt for Dark Forces; GlueX project marks major milestone; Physicists Measure the Skin of a Nucleus; and Device built at ODU to crack nature's code takes ride.

Seminar on Women in Physics Offered April 5
Elizabeth Simmons, theoretical physicist and Dean of Lyman Briggs College at Michigan State University, will offer insights into Women in Physics in the U.S.: Numbers, Challenges and Solutions, in a seminar sponsored by Human Resources. The seminar is open to all and will take place in the CEBAF Center auditorium on Thursday, April 5 at 3 p.m. Simmons has garnered many awards and distinctions, and is the February 2012 APS CSWP Woman Physicist of the Month, a AAAS Fellow, and an APS Fellow.

Volunteers Needed for May 19 JLab Open House
JLab's Open House is just around the corner, and this year's event, themed "Passport to Science," will be bigger than ever. Volunteers of all types provide the public with a safe, fun and educational experience. Sign up now through April 16. Hourly employees will be paid, with advance approval from his/her supervisor. Each volunteer will receive a T-shirt to wear for the Open House. When signing up, be prepared to provide your T-shirt size and your cell phone number. There will be mandatory volunteer briefings. Volunteers leading tours or staffing displays or activities for specific programs or locations should consult with that area's volunteer coordinator. Area volunteer coordinators are listed on the web sign-up page. Direct general-event volunteer questions to Tina Menefee, x5490, cell 768-4030.

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 Maurizio Ungaro and Samika Hawkins, who were the first to correctly identify the March 28 location. Honorable mentions go to Doug Higinbotham, Michael Haddox-Schatz, Dan Moore, Rob Mahurin, Anusha Liyanage, Andrea Celentano, Lori Zukerman, Annie Tran, Brian Agor and Subashini De Silva. Check out the Tracking Thomas webpage for a better view of his last location and this week's new mystery photo.

 

Wed, 04/04/2012 - 15:00