12 GeV Upgrade

The 12 GeV Accelerator Team is making good progress on its Project Engineering Design (PED), with the cryomodule PED somewhat ahead of schedule. The new digital board for the Low-Level Radio Frequency (LLRF) controls has been completed and is undergoing testing. The Beam Transport Team has completed the final design of the quadrupoles and three of the designs for the spread/recombiner dipoles. The Cryogenics Team is on cost and ahead of schedule on its design work. All the teams have started discussions with the JLab procurement staff regarding Advanced Procurement Plans for the planned major contracts to be awarded in FY09.   

The DOE Office of Engineering Construction Management (OECM) is holding a review at JLab this week entitled "Earned Value Management System (EVMS) Validation Review." The goal of this review is to provide certification of the Jefferson Science Associates (JSA) EVMS system, and data from the 12 GeV Upgrade project will provide the principal material to demonstrate compliance with the ANSI/EIA-748 EVMS guidelines. Contractor EVMS certification is also a requirement for project baselining or start of construction. The 15-person review committee will hold sessions all week with a review close-out scheduled on Friday afternoon.

Physics

In Hall C, the GeP experiment is continuing to take production data, currently measuring polarization transfer in elastic electron-proton scattering at Q²=2.5 GeV², with a beam energy of 1.87 GeV. During the Thanksgiving shutdown, additional shielding was installed on the GeP electronics bunker and the High Momentum Spectrometer. This shielding has helped reduce radiation-induced crashes of the high-voltage and data acquisition systems.

Accelerator

This one-week period was especially productive for the accelerator, with 288 hours of beam delivery divided among the three experimental halls. When an energy change on Nov. 26 was added in as well as a Central Helium Liquefier trip on Nov. 28 (8+ hours to recover the accelerator back to continuous wave beam delivery), the accelerator performed extremely well. The only major repair was a fix of an underground chilled water leak.

Free-Electron Laser (FEL)

FEL staff is very close to being able to high-voltage process the gun. While the Personnel Safety System is being completed, shielding blocks are in place and temporary interlocks for personnel safety are being used.

Theory Center

Theory Center users from Florida State University and Argonne National Laboratory have recently completed a model calculation of the spectrum of baryons containing one or more beauty and/or charm quarks,arXiv:0711.2492 [nucl-th]. They find that the model reproduces the known charmed and beauty baryons quite well, including the first baryons containing quarks from all three quark families recently discovered at Fermilab. The model also predicts masses for baryons containing more than one heavy quark, although only one unconfirmed candidate exists in this sector.

JLab Calendar of Events

Dec. 6: Lunchtime Holiday Pie Tasting at the Quark Cafe
Dec. 8: Children's Holiday Party
Dec. 10: PAC 33 Proposals due
Dec. 11: Users Group Board of Directors meeting
Dec. 11: CD-2 Celebration, CEBAF Center, 3:30-5 p.m.
Dec. 13: Quark Cafe Holiday Lunch Buffet
Dec. 24-Jan. 1: Holidays/Shutdown Days
Jan. 11: APS April Meeting Abstract Submission Deadline
Jan 14-18: PAC 33

Environment, Safety, Health & Quality

According to the National Safety Council, hitting an object (person, vehicle, etc.) while driving in reverse is a leading cause of vehicle property damage accidents. As we are busy with holiday shopping and running errands, many of us will be backing our personal vehicles in heavily congested parking lots and garages. Please keep these safety suggestions on vehicle backing in mind to greatly reduce your chance of a serious accident:

• Plan ahead and avoid backing whenever possible.
• Never back a vehicle when the rear windows are obscured or blocked by items that keep you from visually seeing the path you want to take.
• Once behind the wheel, with the engine running and the vehicle in reverse, check the path again.
• Check the mirrors or turn around while backing.

Fermilab Drill Bit Lessons Learned
Fermilab recently experienced three serious drill bit-related injuries in a single week. The first injury involved the laceration of a worker's forearm when a piece of brass seized on a drill bit in a drill press and spun around. Followup revealed the worker had previously used twist drill bits for use on hard metals. Twist bits with flattened cutting edges or half-round bits are preferred for softer metals like brass and copper, since these bits are less likely to grab softer materials.

In the second injury, tiny metal slivers entered a worker's palm as he inserted a drill bit into a drill. To prevent injuries like this, it is important to wipe all debris from drill bits after use with a clean cloth or disposable tissue; a spray cleaner or mild oil can be used as necessary. In the third case, a worker lacerated his index finger when a screwdriver drill bit slipped off of a drywall screw. This type of accident can be avoided by using a bit equipped with a magnetic holder and sleeve. For additional information on drill bit use in either hand tools or machine tools, consult JLab ES&H Manual Chapters: Chapter 6120, Hand and Power Tools and ES&H Manual Chapter 6121, Machine Tools.

Computing and Networking Infrastructure

'Tis the season for E-Card Scams
The holidays are here again, and with them come the yearly flood of electronic greeting card scams. As popular as eCards are with your brother Phil and your Aunt Lucy, they're even more popular with Internet fraudsters, as several JLab computer account holders have recently learned firsthand. Cybersecurity staff report that several JLab computer users have already fallen victim to fake e-cards containing computer viruses.

Announcements

Shredding Service Visit
The JLab document disposal vendor will be at the VARC (bldg. 28) on Wed., Dec. 12 to shred JLab/JSA, LLC documents and working papers (non-records) that require shredding before disposal. Those with papers for shredding must visit VARC Room 53 to gain access to the shredding collection bin. Only paper may be shredded. Binders and plastic covers must be removed before paper goes into the collection bin. The bin has a limited capacity. For more info, shredding times, or for shredding large amounts of paper, contact Mike Lewellen at x7169.

Children's Holiday Party Volunteers Needed
Join the fun at the Children's Holiday Party. Santa's helpers are needed, as well as craft and snack attendants. Please visit the Children's Holiday Party volunteer page to sign up.

JLab Children's Holiday Party
The JLab Children's Holiday Party is set for Saturday, Dec. 8, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the CEBAF Center lobby. All children of Lab employees, contractors and users are invited. The JAG is planning crafts, snacks and a visit from Santa Claus. Each family is asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy donation for Toys for Tots. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Toys for Tots Drive Underway
As in years’ past, JLab is participating in the U.S. Marine Corps’ annual Toys for Tots toy drive. Bring in your donation of new, unwrapped toys for children ages 1-12 by 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7. Local marines will pick up the toys during the children's holiday party on Saturday, Dec. 8. Marked drop boxes are located near the main entrances of CEBAF Center, VARC, ARC, Test Lab and the MCC. For information, visit the Toys for Tots website.

Ready, Set, Decorate!
JAG is also sponsoring a Holiday Office Door/Cubicle Decorating Contest. Prizes will be awarded for the Best Decorated, Most Original Decoration, and the Silliest. All employees, Users and contractors with an office or cubicle may enter the contest. To enter, e-mail JAG Chair Dave Williams at williamd@jlab.org by 5 p.m. Dec. 14. Include your name(s), building number and office/cube location. For more information, visit the JAG website.

JLab's Safety Numbers
77 Days since Last Recordable Accident
(JLab Record: 319)
396 Days since Last Lost Workday Accident
(JLab Record: 455)