12 GeV Upgrade

A Note on Safety
12 GeV-related installation activities have increased in all the experimental halls. With much of the required disassembly of base equipment completed, the landscape in the halls has changed. With these changes comes a need to increase safety awareness when working in these facilities. One of the best ways to increase your awareness is to perform an onsite, pre-task walk-through to become familiar with any infrastructure changes that could pose a potential risk.

Physics

In Hall B, an important milestone was achieved last week with the completion of the CLAS decommissioning effort. The removal of the north clam shell as the last remaining major structure was completed Friday. With this, Hall B is ready for modification of the forward carriage and of the space frame. The modifications are needed for the installation of the new CLAS12 detector systems and magnets.

2012 Thesis Prize Nomination Deadline Nears
The deadline for a complete nomination package for the best JLab-related thesis is Feb. 1. Theses completed during the last quarter of 2011 and calendar year 2012 are eligible. Criteria that will be considered for evaluation include quality of the written thesis, contribution of student to work, impact of work, and service to JLab physics. All materials must be emailed to Lorelei Chopard. For further information on this item and the User Group in general, visit the Users Group wiki.

Free-Electron Laser

Continued good progress has been made toward making the Virginia funds available for the buncher and cryomodule. George Neil attended the Department of Energy Workshop on Laser Technology for Accelerators.

Engineering

The mechanical Vacuum and Installation group has been working on many tasks in support of the Long Shutdown. The following is a short list of work that has been completed or is in progress.

Installation has either completed or almost completed the work on:

• east spreader and west recombiner dipoles and quadrupole girders,
• west spreader floor-to-ceiling stands,
• the Hall D tagger door, and
• beam pipe fabrication for the injector region and east recombiner.

Installation has also begun the dipole and girder work in the west spreader and work on the low conductivity water system in the east recombiner and east spreader.

Vacuum has:

• completed girder rebuilds for the east spreader and west spreader,
• cleaned and leak checked vacuum chambers for septa magnets,
• assisted in the cryomodule pump downs and valve change-outs,
• assisted with Hall D solenoid vacuum support, and
• assisted with Hall A Compton beamline de-installation, cleaning, leak checking, and some re-assembly.

Additionally, the Vacuum and Installation group has provided support for cryogenic maintenance, penetration maintenance, power supply LCW repairs, FEL maintenance and 6 GeV accelerator maintenance. The majority of the shunt resistor plates are mounted. Termination for the revised 20-amp quadrupoles are progressing on time. One final note from mechanical is that four of the eight new ZA septum magnets that will be installed in the spreader/recombiner regions are onsite. One of the ZA's has been installed in the southeast recombiner. A second ZA is currently undergoing testing and magnetic measuring.

Environment, Safety, Health and Quality

Visually Impaired Driving
This is the time of year when many of us go out to find our vehicles or JLab golf carts covered in dew, frost or ice in the morning. While it seems like you can save some time by clearing just a small space on the windshield, you will lose time and money and risk potential injury should your visually impaired driving lead to a collision.

Golf carts and vehicles with windshields, side curtains or windows obscured by dew, ice or frost are not safe for JLab streets. Always take the time to completely clear the windshields and side curtains on golf carts or all the windows of any vehicle.

Announcements

Big Game Tailgate Celebration in Quark Cafe on Thursday, Jan. 31
Support your team and enjoy tailgate favorites at lunch in the Quark Cafe, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Vote for your favorite team by choosing the California Club sandwich or the Maryland Crab Melt. Or celebrate the game with a neutral chicken nacho dish or vegetarian chili. The cafeteria will also offer additional lunch fare; for details, see the weekly menu.

Tornado Warning Siren Test Set for Friday Morning
JLab's tornado warning siren will undergo its monthly operational test Friday, Feb. 1, at 10 a.m. 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.

New SOTR Training Feb. 1
A training session (GEN 020) for new Subcontracting Officer's Technical Representatives (SOTRs) will take place on Friday, Feb. 1, 8 a.m.- 12 noon in Room 428 of the Applied Research Center. Anyone tasked to serve as a SOTR on any project at JLab is required to attend this training. Space is limited. To register, contact Betty Beeler, x6999, by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31. Anyone with questions regarding this training or the SOTR certification process may call Kathleen Jones at x5139 or Mitch Laney at x5338.

Dog-Friendly Landscaping Tips and Therapy Dog Class
Do you think your dog has what it takes to become a therapy dog? Or does your dog dig up your freshly planted pansies every chance he gets? Join the JAG Dog Training Club on Friday, Feb. 8, for a lunchtime meeting to find out about these two contradictions! Michael Andruczyk, Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension Agent, will give a lunchtime talk on "Gardening with Dogs." After Mr. Andruczyk's talk, the JAG Dog Training Club will pass out information on the upcoming Canine Good Citizen/Therapy Dog class, which will begin in mid-February. Bring a bag lunch and join us in the BEAMS classrooms, Support Service Center Rooms 72A/B at noon. For more information, contact Joyce Miller, x7163 or Brian Kross, x7022.

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.

Dana Cochran and Michael Haddox-Schatz correctly guessed the location for Jan. 23. Honorable mentions go to Marcy Stutzman and Dick Owen. Check out the Tracking Thomas webpage for a better view of his last location and this week's new mystery photo.

JLab Calendar of Events

Feb. 2: Virginia Regional High School Science Bowl
Feb. 11: Safety Shoe vendor onsite
Feb. 25: Safety Shoe vendor onsite
March 2: Virginia regional Middle School Science Bowl
March 5: Science Series: Guesstimating
March 17-19: C-REX Workshop