12 GeV Upgrade
Progress continues on the detector construction for the Hall B CLAS12 spectrometer. The fourth sector of the preshower calorimeter is complete, and the stacking of lead sheets and scintillator bars threaded with wavelength-shifting fibers is half-completed for the fifth sector. The sixth and last wire chamber sector for Region 2 has been completed at Old Dominion University, the third and fourth Region 1 chambers have been strung at Idaho State University, and the second pair of Region 3 chambers is being strung at JLab. Most of the approximately one dozen items of tooling for assembling the modules of the silicon vertex tracker barrel have been built and sent to Fermilab, where the sensor modules will be put together and wire-bonded. All the mirror substrates are built for the high threshold Cerenkov counter. Assembly of the forward time-of-flight 1-b slats has passed the half-way point at the University of South Carolina. Construction of tooling for winding the prototype coil for the torus magnet has started at Fermilab. The contract for the solenoid magnet has been awarded, with a vendor meeting set for late December.
Physics
2013 Postdoctoral Research Prize Deadline Nears
The basis for picking the top candidate includes a record of accomplishment in physics, a planned high-impact JLab physics program, proposed use of the research grant, and promise of further accomplishments in the JLab research fields in the future. All entries must be emailed to Lorelei Chopard by Jan. 4. For more information, visit the Users Group wiki.
2013 Outstanding Nuclear Physicist Award Deadline Nears
The JSA Programs Committee established the Outstanding Nuclear Physicist Award to recognize individuals who have made outstanding and sustained contributions, including technical achievements, to experimental and/or theoretical research related to the nuclear physics program at JLab. Nomination packages are due by Jan. 11.
Free-Electron Laser
Work is proceeding on the new gun, as well as upgrades to the existing beamlines. The FEL team successfully produced the first ball structure of the new gun. The existing gun was processed to high voltage in preparation for operation in January.
Center for Theoretical and Computational Physics
A new global QCD analysis of parton distribution functions has been performed by the CTEQ-JLab (CJ) collaboration, including target mass and higher twist corrections needed for the description of deep inelastic scattering data at large x and low Q2 and nuclear corrections for deuterium targets. The new "CJ12" distributions correspond to three different models for the nuclear effects and provide a more realistic uncertainty range for the down quark distribution, in particular, compared with previous fits. A user interface for utilizing the distributions is provided at the CJ website.
Engineering
The Installation group has accomplished the following during the past few weeks:
- installed 70 percent of the east spreader dipoles and girders;
- installed the west recombiner floor-to-ceiling stands;
- installed the west spreader floor and ceiling plates;
- completed building the Hall D Tagger shield wall; and
- completed the low conductivity water piping in the east recombiner.
The Vacuum group has completed all the girder rebuilds for the east and west recombiners and spreaders, as well as the injection chicane and has installed the injection line beam pipes.
Both the installation and vacuum groups worked to fabricate, clean and leak check the new east recombiner beam pipes. Other activities for installation and vacuum have been supporting others with transfer line alignment, cryogenics maintenance, penetration repairs, PEPPo experiment material moves, magnet refurbishment, and 6 GeV accelerator maintenance.
JLab Calendar of Events
Dec. 17: Safety Shoe vendor onsite
Dec. 20: Quark Cafe's Holiday Bake Sale
Dec. 24-Jan. 1: Winter Holidays and Shutdown Days - JLab closed
Jan. 7: Safety Shoe vendor onsite
Jan. 10: Tidewater Regional Fire Academy Graduation
Jan. 21: Martin Luther King Day holiday - JLab closed |
Environment, Safety, Health and Quality
GFCI Pigtails and Their Use
GFCI is short for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter; it is a device to protect people from electrical shock. Most modern homes have these built into specific parts of the house circuitry. At JLab, when people use extension cords (or other temporary power sources) to supply power to tools/equipment during construction, remodeling, maintenance, repair or demolition of buildings, structures or equipment, a separate short cable (i.e. pig tail) with a built-in GFCI is used. The pigtail GFCI is to ensure that workers will be protected from an electrical shock hazard. This is not to supersede proper grounded circuits, but it is an important adjunct to counter unexpected events. The proper location for the GFCI pigtail is at the end closest to the wall power source. Placing the GFCI here provides protection to both the extension cord and the equipment that is powered by the cord. GFCI pigtails are available through the JLab stockroom.
Computing and Networking Infrastructure Group
CNI Maintenance Day Set for Tuesday, Dec. 18, 5-7 p.m.
The CNI Group is planning a maintenance period on Tuesday, Dec. 18, 5-7 p.m. During this time, a network switch in the SSC building will be rebooted. Thus, the east side of the SSC will be without networking for about 15 minutes. Plan your work accordingly. Also, software updates to Firefox and Thunderbird and Windows and Linux patches will all be released. Plan on rebooting your system after the patches are installed. The Indico system will also be upgraded to a newer version and will be unavailable during the maintenance window. Finally, if you manage the patch installations on your system, please ensure that all patches have been installed and the system is rebooted prior to leaving for the holiday break. If you have any questions or concerns about this maintenance period, contact the IT Division Helpdesk, x7155.
Announcements
Limited Cafeteria Service on Friday, Dec. 21
Necessary plumbing maintenance planned for the holiday break is requiring limited Quark Cafe service on Friday, Dec. 21. On Friday morning, the cafe will be open 7-10 a.m. with a limited breakfast menu. Grab-and-go items will be available for purchase, including Dunkin' Donuts. The usual beverages, including espresso, will also be available. The hot line will be closed. The cafe will not be open for lunch. For more information, see the posted announcement.
A Cookie for Your Thoughts, Dec. 12-13
The Quark Cafe staff is conducting a survey, Dec. 12-13, to assess the JLab community's feelings about a range of cafeteria services. Fill out a survey, express your opinion and receive a free cookie. The survey form will be available in the cafeteria during lunch time on Wednesday, Dec. 12 and during breakfast and lunch on Thursday, Dec. 13.
Personal Dosimeter Change Out Set for Dec. 17
JLab's semi-annual personal dosimeter change out will take place mid-afternoon on Monday, Dec. 17. This includes the dosimeters of all JLab staff, users and subcontractors. If you need to use your dosimeter during the change out period on Dec. 17, you may exchange it that morning in the Radiation Control Dosimetry Office in Bldg. 52B, Room 4, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. If you have questions, please contact Becky Mosbrucker, x7236.
General Access RWP Available for Signature
The new Revised General Access RWP is now available. If you have a radiation badge, be sure to review and sign the document before Dec. 31. If you have any questions regarding this new Revised General Access RWP, contact Becky Mosbrucker, x7236.
Annual Open Enrollment for TIAA-CREF 401(k) GSRA Ends Friday, Dec. 14
The 2012 TIAA-CREF 401(k) GSRA Annual Enrollment will allow you to increase, decrease or opt out of the 401(k) GSRA plan. Employees who do not enter the system by Friday at 5 p.m. will be automatically enrolled in the default employee five percent contribution plan that is based on your current salary. If you have any questions, contact Treva Ferguson, x7291, or Doug Roeder, x7576.
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 Narciso Gomez and Harry Fanning, who were the first to correctly identify the location for Dec. 5. Honorable mentions go to Doug Higinbotham, Anna Shabalina, Steve Suhring and Ron Bartek. Check out the Tracking Thomas webpage for a better view of his last location and this week's new mystery photo. |
