Jefferson Lab Weekly Briefs February 19, 2014

Jefferson Lab Weekly Briefs
February 19, 2014

12 GeV Upgrade

The silicon photomultipliers for the Hall D Barrel Calorimeter (BCAL) have been mounted on the light guides. The final parts of the BCAL cooling system are being added in preparation for temperature stabilization tests. The BCAL light monitoring system, built by the University of Athens, is being exercised. Cables are being run to the electronics located in racks below the solenoid magnet. The lead-glass Forward Calorimeter (FCAL), which sits downstream of the BCAL, is having its readout electronics and light monitoring system tested.

The Forward Drift Chamber (FDC) has had its readout cabling added, and it has just had a successful trial insertion into the bore of the BCAL. Work has started to complete FDC electronics installation and then checkout with counter gas and high voltage. The Central Drift Chamber is having preamps added and is being tested section by section prior to being moved to Hall D next month.

One of the two planes of the Time-Of-Flight wall built by Florida State University has been assembled onto the support frame at Jefferson Lab. A source of thin diamond crystals has been found for use just upstream of the tagger magnet as radiators of the bremsstrahlung photons used in Hall D. The resulting scattered electrons from this radiator target will be detected in the tagger hodoscope and tagger microscope, which are being assembled by staff at The Catholic University of America and the University of Connecticut, respectively.

The tagger magnet has been tested and field-mapped at the planned operating field. Installation of front-end electronics, data acquisition electronics, online computers and trigger electronics to render all the above equipment ‘live’ is proceeding apace, as is installation of needed infrastructure such as cable race, racks, power transformers and distribution, chilled water distribution and the gas distribution system. The bundles of fibers use to transport trigger information and data variously between Hall D floor, counting house and online archiving are on order and being installed.

Physics

Jefferson Lab Published Journal Articles, Feb. 10 - 16

  • C.D. Bass, et al. "A portable cryostat for the cold transfer of polarized solid HD targets: HDice-I." Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A 727 107 (2014).
  • R.B. Wiringa, et al. "Nucleon and nucleon-pair momentum distributions in A ≤ 12 nuclei." Phys. Rev. C 89 024305 (2014).
  • R. Carcasses Quevedo, J.L. Goity and R.C. Trinchero. "QCD condensates and holographic Wilson loops for asymptotically AdS spaces." Phys. Rev. D 89 036004 (2014).

Remember to submit your papers for approval to the Jefferson Lab Publications database.

Apply Now for the JSA/JLab Graduate Fellowship Program
JSA will award fellowships to qualified doctoral students at SURA member universities for research related to the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab) in Newport News, Va. Each fellowship will provide the awardee's home institution with a $10,000 stipend (~half of a normal academic year research assistant stipend). Application materials are due by March 5. For more information, see the website or contact Elizabeth Lawson.

Center for Theoretical and Computational Physics

A new global analysis of electron-deuteron quasielastic (QE) scattering data has been performed using a formalism that was previously applied to deep-inelastic electron-deuteron scattering. The analysis studied the dependence of the QE cross sections on the deuteron wave function and the off-shell extrapolation of the elastic electron-nucleon cross sections, which show particular sensitivity at large values of the Bjorken-x variable. The excellent overall agreement with data over a large range of energies and scattering angles suggests a limited need for effects beyond the impulse approximation, with the possible exception of the very high-x or very low-energy regions, where short-distance effects or scattering from non-nucleonic constituents in the deuteron may become more relevant.

JLab Calendar of Events

Feb. 20-22: GlueX Collaboration Meeting
Feb. 21-22: Hall C Collaboration Meeting
Feb. 24-27 Radiation Control Department Peer Review
March 1: Va. Regional Middle School Science Bowl
March 5-8: CLAS Collaboration Meeting
March 13-15: Q-weak Collaboration Meeting
March 17: Safety Shoe Vendor onsite
March 17-21: EIC14 Workshop
 

Environment, Safety, Health and Quality

Tornado Preparedness
Tornadoes are probably not high on the list of weather concerns for most Virginia residents, but they are more frequent than you might expect. If a tornado were approaching, would you know the warning signs? According to the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, if you see any of these signs you should take immediate action:

  • Strong, persistent rotation in the base of a cloud;
  • Whirling dust or debris on the ground under a cloud base (tornadoes sometimes have no visible funnel);
  • Hail or heavy rain followed by dead calm or a fast, intense wind shift;
  • Loud, continuous roar or rumble, which doesn't fade in a few seconds like thunder;
  • At night, small and bright blue-green to white flashes at ground level (these lights are power lines being snapped by very strong wind, maybe a tornado); or
  • Persistent lowering of the cloud base.

Remember, the safest place during a tornado is typically a building's basement away from any windows. If there is no basement, go to a windowless interior room such as a closet, bathroom or interior hall on the lowest level of the building. Here at Jefferson Lab, ES&H Manual Chapter 3510 Appendix T3 Tornado Response Procedure describes the appropriate steps to take if you should hear the lab's tornado siren or receive an alert on your pager, VOIP phone or email. If you aren't familiar with the severe wind "take cover" areas in buildings you frequently enter, take a moment to look over the building evacuation maps here or posted in those buildings.

Computing and Networking Infrastructure

Computer User Audit Is Underway
The annual Computer User Account Audit is now underway. All supervisors and sponsors of users with computer accounts at Jefferson Lab are required to review and re-authorize these accounts. This audit is a critical part of maintaining an appropriate level of cyber security at Jefferson Lab. If you sponsor someone with a computer user account at Jefferson Lab, you should have received an email on Feb. 17 with information on how to complete your user audit. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this audit, contact Jessica A. Perry, x7262.

Announcements

A Cookie for Your Thoughts!
The Quark Cafe staff is conducting a survey, Feb. 26 - 27, to assess the Jefferson Lab 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 on Wednesday, Feb. 26, and during breakfast and lunch on Thursday, Feb. 27.

2014 Annual T-Shirt Design Contest Is Underway
Will your design be immortalized in a Jefferson Lab T-shirt? Jefferson Lab's Annual T-shirt Design Contest is underway! Entries are due before close of business on March 21. Each submission should include a front (pocket) and back design. "Jefferson Lab," "DOE," "JSA, LLC," and "2014" must be included in the design. Resubmission of previous non-winning designs is welcome. To enter, submit your design, username, division and telephone (contact) number to Mary Jo Bailey, x7277, Mail Stop 6B. Soon, the JAG webpage will feature more information and a complete list of rules and submission requirements. The lab community will vote on designs March 26-April 4.

Mark Your Calendar: Jefferson Lab to Host Open House on May 17
Accelerating Discovery is the theme for the Jefferson Lab Open House to be held Saturday, May 17. Open House provides the public with the opportunity to explore the world-class research being conducted at the lab, to talk with staff and users, and to visit some of the lab’s research and support areas. The event will include exhibits, demonstrations, lectures, tours and hands-on activities for all ages! The event will take place, rain or shine, from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. on May 17. (No admittance after 2 p.m.) There will be no admission fee, and parking will be free. The lab holds an open house every two years; the last one was held in May 2012. For more information, visit the website or email.

Jefferson Lab Benefits Open Enrollment Is Underway
The 2014 Benefits Open Enrollment continues through Feb. 26. This is the time of the season for you to review and, if necessary, modify your benefits options. If you are not changing benefits, not selecting a medical option outside of the default health plan, and do not enroll in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), you do not need to re-enroll. Your current benefit elections will remain on file and be effective for the April 2014 - March 2015 benefit year. You will need to re-enroll through the Employee Self Service (ESS) System if you plan:

  • To make changes to your current benefit elections;
  • To participate for the first time in a Medical Care or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account Plan; or
  • To continue your enrollment in a Medical Care or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account.

Help Keep CEBAF Clean
Accelerator Operations is getting ready to finish the CEBAF tunnel housekeeping work that began late in 2013. Tunnel housekeeping is being planned to take place from 8:30 to 11:45 a.m. each day, Feb. 24-27. Volunteers will be needed to help in dusting off and wiping down components inside the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility and sweeping the tunnel floor. To sign up and for more information, see the all-hands email.

Jefferson Lab Golf League Forming for Season - Sign Up Now
Jefferson Lab golfers, and those who would like to be, are invited to join the Jefferson Lab Golf League for the 2014 season. The golf league season extends from early April to September, with tee-times at a local course starting at 4 p.m. If you're interested in joining, subscribe to the golf mailing list by sending an email to this address. Additional information will also be posted to the league's web page. The sign up period will extend through February, with an organizational meeting tentatively planned for the first week of March. If you want to play this season but have not yet found a team, contact David Griffith to be added to the list of available players. 

TIAA-CREF Individual Counseling Available by Appointment
TIAA-CREF will be offering additional Individual Counseling Sessions in March and April. The consultant will be available to discuss how to help you achieve your financial goals by investing in financial solutions such as mutual funds, brokerage, life insurance and annuities. Sessions will be offered on Friday, March 14 and Friday, April 25, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. in Support Service Center Room 21. To schedule an appointment with a TIAA-CREF Individual Consultant to discuss your plan and options for managing your retirement savings, call TIAA-CREF at (800) 732-8353, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.- 8 p.m. (ET).

Tracking Thomas at Jefferson Lab
Little Thomas is visiting all corners of the Jefferson Lab campus. If you can identify his location this week, email Kandice Carter with your guess. Guesses are accepted through Friday.

Pashupati Dhakal correctly guessed the location for Feb. 12. Honorable mentions go to Harry Fanning and Ryan Bodenstein. Check out Tracking Thomas on flickr for a better view of his last location and this week's new mystery photo.

 

JLab Weekly Briefs is an ongoing publication providing information on the status of safety, accelerator operations, experiments, free-electron laser, reviews, upcoming activities and special events. Deadline for submission is every Tuesday by 10 a.m. Submit new items to: Public Affairs or contact Kandice Carter at x7263.