12 GeV Upgrade

The Central Helium Liquefier (CHL) Building Addition contractor is installing the electrical ductbanks under the floor slab. These electrical ductbanks are concrete-encased conduits to provide 4160V and 480V power and control wiring to the CHL#2 compressors. The compressors and wiring will be installed by the JLab Cryogenics Group following the Building Addition construction. The CHL#1 cooling towers are slated for replacement as part of ongoing infrastructure work. The 12 GeV, Facilities and Cryogenics Groups are reviewing the feasibility of combining the CHL#1 and #2 cooling towers to provide lower life-cycle costs.

With the receipt of the land disturbance permit from the City of Newport News, the Hall D construction contractor mobilized and started clearing trees. The undeveloped road adjacent to the Residence Facility will be used for access until the construction entrance off the public access road, Canon Boulevard, is built. A revised Traffic Signal Plan for the construction entrance has been submitted to the City of Newport News for approval.

Accelerator

The accelerator was running well with low trip rates. The day shift on May 19 was spent on beam studies. The insulating vacuum pump of zone 1L06 failed, and the faulty pump was replaced. On Thursday, the wafer of gun2 was reactivated to boost the quantum efficiency, and some radiofrequency (RF) cavities were recovered. There were no major issues during the holiday weekend.

Free-Electron Laser (FEL)

The contract for the FEL ultraviolet effort with the Air Force Research Laboratory was signed this week. That allowed FEL staffers to install the final bend chamber and to place it under vacuum. The low-conductivity water cooling line is expected to be completed after several delays due to rain interference. A pressure test was planned for Tuesday.

Theory Center

A new Theory Center paper <arXiv:0905.4120 [hep-lat]> calculates bottom-hadron masses using lattice QCD with 2+1 flavors of dynamical quarks in the static limit for the bottom quark. The result for the mass of the recently discovered Ω_b is consistent with the recent CDF measurement at Fermilab and in disagreement with the previously reported D0 result. The mass for the as-yet-unobserved Ξ_b particle is also predicted to be 5955(27) MeV.

JLab's Safety Numbers

142 Days since Last Recordable Accident (JLab record: 331)
259 Days since Last Lost Workday Accident (JLab record: 676)

JLab Calendar of Events

May 28: Safety Shoe Vender onsite
June 1-19: HUGS 2009
June 2-4: 53nd Annual Materials Management Workshop
June 8-10: Users Group Workshop and Annual Meeting
July 1: Popular due date for physics award applications
July 3: JLab closed for Independence Day

Summer Education Calendar
June 1-19: HUGS 2009 - Hampton University Graduate Students
May 26-July 31: SULI - Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship
May 26 - July 31: REU - Research Experience for Undergraduates
June 18 - July 31: HSSHP - High School Summer Honors Program
July 7 - 31: DOE ACTS - Academies Creating Teacher Scientists

Environment, Safety, Health & Quality

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.  There are multiple things you can do to safeguard your home and family, some of which are listed on the Virginia Department of Emergency Website.  Additionally, Virginia has established a Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday from May 25 to May 31. Some of the items that may be purchased exempt of the Retail Sales and Use Tax are listed here.

Jefferson Lab's policy on hurricane preparation and decision making is listed in Chapter 3510 of the ES&H Manual and contains guidelines on responsibilities, media outlets for employee notification, adjustment of operating hours and recovery after the event.

Computing and Networking Infrastructure

IT Helpdesk Summer Hours
Starting on June 1, the IT Division Helpdesk will be open from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with a 30-minute break during lunch from 12-12:30 p.m. It will revert back to morning-only hours at the end of the summer.

Announcements

Timely Timesheets Aid Salary Adjustment Process
In order for Payroll to begin processing the salary adjustments, it is imperative that employee timesheets for the May 16-31 and June 1-15 timesheet periods be completed and received in Finance by the set deadlines. Employee timesheets are always due at the end of the employee's last work day of the timesheet period. If employees are absent, supervisors are responsible for completing the employees' timesheets by this same deadline. Supervisor and Project Manager approvals on the timesheets are always due no later than 2 p.m. on the first work day following the last day of the timesheet period. Thank you for your assistance.

Watch for Construction Traffic Entering/Exiting JLab
Construction traffic is using Hogan and the access road on the east side of the Residence Facility to access the Hall D construction area. Please be alert to slow-moving or oversized construction vehicles moving in and out of the area. Use caution when driving through the intersection of Hogan and Rattley Road just east of the Residence Facility. Please obey all traffic signs.

JLab Walking Trail Changes to Stay Out of Construction Area
Walking around or through the Hall D construction area is prohibited. Facilities Management and Logistics has mapped out a new Walking Trail to provide the lab community with walking options and keeping walkers away from construction zones. Only authorized individuals are permitted in construction zones. Walkers and joggers are asked to check out the new Walking Trail and alternative walking options posted online.

Virginia’s Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday
All Virginians should take steps to prepare their families for any emergency by getting an emergency supply kit, making an emergency plan and staying informed about the hazards that could affect their area. Detailed instructions for getting ready for emergencies are online. The General Assembly established an annual sales tax holiday to ease the cost of creating an emergency supply kit. From May 25-31, the purchase of certain items is exempt from the Commonwealth’s sales and use taxes. Customers may use manufacturer’s coupons to lower the price of an item so that it will qualify for the $60 or $1,000 price cap. Items include bottled water, flashlights, battery-powered radios, batteries and first aid kits. The entire list of tax-free items is available online.