12 GeV Upgrade

The first of two new coldboxes for the new Central Helium Liquefier, CHL2, has been shipped. The C100-1 and C100-2 cryomodules continue to be used for beam operations; as of Feb. 27, they were operating at 85 Megavolts and 80 MV. All 10 cavity strings for the new cryomodules have been completed. Adjustments to the FY12 work plan continue in response to the reduction in FY12 funding relative to the baseline funding profile.

Physics

In Hall A, staffers are reasonably optimistic that the hall can start taking beam and taking data this week on the g2p experiment, possibly Wednesday night. There are a number of fairly straightforward jobs that need to be completed, including beamline instrumentation, vacuum system and target work.

In Hall C, the Q-weak experiment continued taking production data with the hydrogen target.

JSA/JLab Graduate Fellowship Program
JSA, LLC, is now accepting applications for the 2012-2013 JSA/JLab Graduate Fellowship Program. More information and an application can be found on the JSA, LLC website. The application deadline is March 9.

JSA/JLab Sabbatical Support Program
JSA is now accepting applications for the 2012-2013 academic year JSA/JLab Sabbatical Support Program. More information and an application can be found on the JSA, LLC website. The application deadline is March 9.

Accelerator

Hall B switched from photon running on the HDIce target to electron running. Hall C continued to receive 180 microamps throughout the week. Beam studies were carried out during which the operations staff and Electrical Engineering Systems group technicians received training on C100 operation. Accelerator operations staffers continue to push C100 gradients to higher levels. C100 radiofrequency zone operation continues to give data in parallel with physics operation. A vacuum valve problem resulted in several hours of lost beamtime, while low-conductivity water repairs on the cooling tower also resulted in a short down. Problems with the machine protective system resulted in the loss of an entire shift of beamtime on Friday. Repairs by the Safety Systems group allowed good beam transmission through the weekend.

Free-Electron Laser

FEL staffers continued bringing the beam back up this week on swing shift with success in getting the beam around as far as re-injection to energy recovery. The injector setup appears robust but may need minor adjustments once the team begins lasing. Staffers also had good progress getting the ultraviolet wiggler chamber installed in the beamline during day shift. The team will continue the installation of the chamber diagnostic hardware next week and will also work on re-establishing infrared lasing. Disassembly of the Admiral cryomodule was initiated for cavity reprocessing.

Center for Theoretical and Computational Physics

A new paper investigates the singlet channels of nucleon-nucleon scattering in the framework of chiral effective field theory. It is argued that the rather large regularization dependence at leading order requires a subleading short-range force to appear at one order lower than two-pion exchange - the subleading long-range force. Interestingly, this eventually leads to a power counting scheme for the singlet channels that resembles that of the pionless theory, in which pion exchanges are "integrated out."

JLab Calendar of Events

March 3: Virginia Regional Middle School Science Bowl
March 5-9: International ICFA Workshop on Future Light Sources
March 12: Safety Shoe vendor onsite
March 12-19: Workshop on Confinement Physics

Environment, Safety, Health and Quality

Safety By the Numbers
There are several different numbering systems used onsite for safety and health information postings. These numbers alert you to the magnitude of the potential danger. The two most often seen onsite are Oxygen Deficiency Hazard signs and the chemical hazard labels that consist of red, yellow and blue diamonds on or near chemical containers. Other hazard warning/rating number systems onsite include the laser safety classification system and risk ranking for a Task Hazard Analysis. They use zero (or one) through four.
 
As one would expect, a zero is effectively little or no hazard, while a four indicates the most hazardous outcome or situation. Since each warning system has similar, but slightly different descriptions, it's imperative that you be aware of what the numbers convey for those systems that you encounter during your duties at JLab. This information is freely available in the ES&H Manual. Alternatively, you can ask your ESH&Q professional for a quick review.

FEL Vault Is Now a Radiologically Controlled Area (RCA)
This is a reminder of the status change of the FEL vault. Commensurate with operating electron beam in the vault, it is now a Radiologically Controlled Area (RCA) when accessible. This posting level requires all personnel entering the area to be radiation worker trained and have dosimetry (or be escorted appropriately). As always, all materials that have resided within the vault while the accelerator is operating must be surveyed for release by RadCon.

Also, remember that if you will be bringing visitors onsite to tour the FEL vault, they must have temporary dosimetry. A self-reading pocket dosimeter may be issued to the visitor for this purpose. Visit the Radiation Control department trailer, 52B, to obtain dosimetry and fill out the Visitor Information Sheet. If you have a large tour (more than five visitors), you must contact Michelle Lechman in the Public Affairs Office, x7617. Keep in mind that Public Affairs is not able to support general tour requests until after the Open House on May 19.

Announcements

Ends Today: JLab's 2012 Benefits Open Enrollment
Visit the Human Resources Benefits page for a wealth of information on the 2012 benefits offerings for open enrollment, including comparison charts, summaries and full program descriptions. Important details about changes to medical benefits can be found here. Don't forget: You must access the ESS before COB today to select another medical option outside of the medical plan default; to make changes to your current benefit elections; to participate in a Medical Care or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account Plan.

United Airlines and Continental Airlines Merge Systems
If you are flying on either of these airlines during the next couple of weeks, hope for the best, but anticipate something less. Should a problem occur with your online check-in, or if your reservation, seat assignment or frequent flyer number is missing from your record, or other problems, contact CI Travel immediately, at 757-269-7269 during work hours or at 1-800-876-4992 after hours. Use Agent ID: VPD.

Annual T-Shirt Contest is Underway!
The Jefferson Activities Group is seeking entries for the annual JLab T-shirt design contest. Entries due by March 12. For design requirements and rules, visit the JAG webpage.

Excess Furniture Wish List
With the impending movement of staffers to new office space in the Technology and Engineering Development Building, a number of furniture items will become available through Freestock. If you are looking for items for your workspace, send an email with an item description and your contact information to Lawrence Ferbee to be placed on a "wish list" for items that become available.

Golf Car Rain Coats Available in Freestock
Want better visibility on rainy days in your golf cart? Rain Coats, advanced water repellent coatings for the plastic windshields on golf carts, is now available in Freestock. Quantity is limited, so get some for your cart today.

ORNL Announces Opening of Guest House
Travelers to Oak Ridge National Laboratory or UT-Battelle meetings can now stay at the new Guest House located on campus near the Spallation Neutron Source office building with easy access to the SNS cafeteria. Reservations can be made at the $91 government (Fed Room) rate by contacting CI Travel or online. There is also a special academic rate for students and college faculty ($76) and an extended stay rate of $69/night.

Travel Guidance Q&A on the JLab Website
As a JLab business traveler, you need to check the new updates on the Travel Guidance Q&A page. Do you have questions about getting paid if you upgrade your seat on an airline or whether you can get advance reimbursement for a registration fee you paid on your personal credit card? If so, this section of the Travel website can be valuable to you. If you have a question that is not answered there, contact Carol Kinsey, x7519.

JLab Cafeteria to Be Busy After 12:30 p.m., March 5-9
Anticipate large crowds in the Quark Cafe and limited cafeteria and lobby seating space daily Monday through Friday, March 5-9 after 12:30 p.m. That is when the International ICFA Workshop on Future Light Sources will break daily for lunch. More than 150 individuals will participate in sessions in the CEBAF Center auditorium and associated CEBAF Center conference rooms.

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 Katherine Myers, John Leckey, Wouter Deconinck and Joshua Magee, who were the first to correctly identify the Feb. 22 location. Honorable mentions go to Bryan Moffit, Rob Mahurin, Joshua Hoskins and David Armstrong. Check out the Tracking Thomas webpage for a better view of his last location and this week's new mystery photo.