Extension of the MLF 2013B Call for Proposals Deadline

30 May 2013

As a result of the radiation contamination and discharge accident that occurred at the Hadron Experimental Facility of J-PARC on 23 May 2013, all the accelerators and experimental facilities at J-PARC have been shut down until further notice.

A full investigation of the circumstances surrounding the accident is now underway along with a complete review of safety practices and situation response procedures at all J-PARC facilities including the MLF.

All of us at J-PARC recognize that restoring public trust in the facility is the top priority at this time and we are making every effort towards this goal. In view of the present situation, however, we expect that the current shutdown will continue for some time.

Prior to the forced shutdown, the 2013B Call for Proposals for neutron and muon beamlines at the MLF had been announced and the deadline for submissions set for 7 June 2013.

In the present circumstances, however, it is unclear when operations at J-PARC might resume and, as a result, the current process of proposal submission, review and approval cannot proceed as scheduled.

Consequently, it has been decided that until such time as the future operating schedule becomes clearer, the deadline for the current round of proposal submissions should be extended indefinitely.

We will continue to keep you updated on developments and appreciate your patience until circumstances allow us to set a new deadline date.

I apologize for the inconvenience and disruption that these events will cause to our user community and thank you for your understanding and ongoing support.

Masatoshi Arai
Head
Materials and Life Science Division
J-PARC Center