| ■ J-PARC News - June 2015 (Issue #122) |
| ●Announcement of First Measurement Results on the Muon Anti-Neutrino Disappearance Phenomenon (May 18) |
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| The T2K (Tokai to Kamioka) experiment group announced the first measurement results on the muon anti-neutrino disappearance phenomenon at a physics seminar held at the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK). In the T2K experiment, operation was carried out in the muon anti-neutrino beam mode from May of last year to the end of May this year, and when oscillation analysis was conducted for the muon anti-neutrino disappearance mode using data obtained up to March, it was found that a world record precision was attained at a value of sin2θ23 for the muon anti-neutrino oscillation probability parameter, and that the oscillation parameters of the neutrino and anti-neutrino matched within the error range. These results were also reported on June 1-6 at the T2K Collaboration Meeting held at Tokai Village. Almost 200 people involved in the T2K experiment (including about 160 from overseas) participated in the meeting, and in addition to reports on the latest data analysis results, there was also a lively exchange of views on topics such as how to proceed with future analysis and the best approach to beam operation. |
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| In research to elucidate the cause of degradation of superconducting conductors used in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), Dr. Tsutomu Henmi of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has conceived of a degradation mechanism different from those previously proposed. In addition, in experiments using TAKUMI at J-PARC's Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF), it has been demonstrated that the primary cause of performance degradation is the proposed mechanism. Based on these results, measures to prevent degradation of conductor performance have been proposed, and in part because of this major contribution to improving the design of the superconducting conductors of ITER, Dr. Henmi was awarded the 2014 Masaji Yoshikawa Prize for Fusion Energy in 2014. For more information on TAKUMI, please see J-PARC News No. 54 (September 2009) and No. 70 (January 2011). |
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| An IAC relating to BL22 "RADEN" of the MLF was held at the Ibaraki Quantum Beam Research Center. The committee was chaired by Dr. Eberhard. Lehmann of the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland, and attended by six committee members from both inside and outside Japan. The committee discussed the design and operation of RADEN. The launch of the project received high marks from the committee, in particular for installation of the beamline over a short construction period and utilization of RADEN. On the other hand, the committee also expressed its views regarding the future, on topics such as collaborative use with X rays, and neutron flux. |
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| An international conference on neutron wavelength-dependent imaging technologies, applications and related topics was held at the Ibaraki Prefectural Cultural Center Annex (Mito City), and was attended by 55 participants (including 25 from overseas). This was a significant conference, with presentations on the situation at J-PARC, overseas neutron experimental facilities and systems, measurement techniques, related equipment, software, applied research and other topics. The BL22 "RADEN" newly constructed in the MLF of J-PARC was evaluated highly as a system with particularly great promise for the future. At the end of the workshop, participants visited J-PARC, and viewed the neutron instruments. |
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| (1) At the Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF), the construction of the new neutron beamline BL06 VIN ROSE (Village of neutron resonance spin echo spectrometers) is under way. In addition, an S line is being installed at the muon experiment area in the experimental hall #1 of the MLF. |
| (2) In the Cryogenics Section, a safety check was carried out on operation of the helium gas emergency release system, as part of quench testing of the superconducting MRI electromagnet to be installed in a muon beam line of the Muon Experimental area in MLF |
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| The T2K neutrino experiment being carried out at J-PARC and other facilities is an international collaborative experiment in which 11 countries are participating. A Collaboration Meeting was held at the beginning of June in Tokai Village, and was attended by about 160 foreign researchers. In addition, to enable cultural interaction with these researchers, a class for experiencing the tea ceremony was held on June 5 at the KEK Tokai Dormitory with the cooperation of the Tokai-mura International Center. The participants were 15 researchers from overseas, and after viewing the teacher's mastery of the art, the participants partook of tea that they themselves brewed. It was an enjoyable cultural experience for everyone. |
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| At J-PARC, we are launching a quarterly magazine (8 pages total) in the hope of generating broader interest and understanding, particularly among the young people who will carry forward the next generation, regarding J-PARC's world-class, cutting-edge facilities and research. The 2015 Summer issue was recently published as a first preparatory issue, so be sure to take a look. http://j-parc.jp/picture/2015/06/magazine_201506.pdf#zoom=100 |
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