================================================================
J-PARC Project Newsletter
No.33, July 2008
Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex under construction
jointly by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and
the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK)
http://j-parc.jp/index-e.html
================================================================
HEADLINES AND CONTENTS
1. [Overview]
TWO MAJOR MILESTONES MARKED IN MAY !!!
MAIN RING CIRCULATION, RF CAPTURE AND EXTRACTION
HIGH QUALITY NEUTRON BEAMS
INDUSTRIAL COUNCIL FORMED IN MAY
NEW ARRANGEMENT FOR THE OPERATION OF THE NEUTRON FACILITY
USERS STEERING COMMITTEE
J-PARC OPEN HOUSE
2. [Accelerator Division]
BEAM COMMISSIONING OF MR AND MLF WAS STARTED
3. [Nuclear and Particle Physics Division]
SWITCH YARD BEAM LINE COMPLETE AND THE INSTALLATION IN
THE HADRON HALL STARTED
4. [Materials and Life Science Division]
THE FIRST NEUTRON PRODUCTION WAS RECORDED ON MAY 30
AT J-PARC SPALLATION PULSE NEUTRON SOURCE (JSNS)
IN THE SERIES OF BEAM COMMISSIONING, IT WAS DEMONSTRATED
THAT PERFORMANCES OF JSNS ARE HIGH ENOUGH AS DESIGN
SPECIFICATION. THE FIRST CALL FOR PROPOSAL IS NOW OPEN
5. [Nuclear Transmutation Section]
LEAD BISMUTH IS USEFUL OR HARMFUL?
6. [Safety Division]
THE 4TH RADIATION SAFETY COMMITTEE OF J-PARC MET ON MAY 1ST
7. [Announcement of Symposia and Meetings]
8. [Editorial Note]
-----------------------------------------------------------
1. [Overview] by Shoji NAGAMIYA
-----------------------------------------------------------
TWO MAJOR MILESTONES MARKED IN MAY !!!
At the end of May, two major milestones were marked in J-PARC:
a successful beam circulation, with RF capture and extraction, in the
50 GeV Main Ring (May 22) and a successful production of neutron
beams at the Materials and Life Science Experimental Hall (May 30).
They were reported partially in a previous special issue of this
Newsletter. Highlights are described again in what follows.
MAIN RING CIRCULATION, RF CAPTURE AND EXTRACTION
An effort to extract the beam from the 3 GeV ring to the 50 GeV
ring started during the week of May 19th. On the 20th, a circulation
of the beam in the 50 GeV ring was successfully achieved. Later, on
May 22nd, the beam was captured by the RF and, then, extracted
outside the ring.
During the test period in May and June, the beam energy remained
as 3 GeV (no accelerations). This was a "planned" action. The
acceleration of the beam to 30 GeV is scheduled in December of this
year.
The entire team was satisfied by the test results that have been
obtained in May and June, since we were able to confirm that many
different elements from upstream to downstream of the accelerator
system worked very successfully, though they are extremely complex.
HIGH QUALITY NEUTRON BEAMS
Another exciting news in May and June is a very successful
production of high-quality neutron beams. Many test experiments were
performed in June.
The trial to deliver the beam to the Materials and Life
Experimental Hall started during the week of May 26th. On May 30th,
the first neutron beam was obtained. A clear neutron time-of-flight
spectrum was observed, the shape of which turned out to be identical
to that expected from theoretical calculations. On the same day, a
few detectors already measured extremely clean Bragg diffraction
peaks for different materials.
Most important point that was confirmed during the test period
was that three types of neutrons moderators worked almost perfectly.
The observed neutron spectra were the same as those expected from
complicated theoretical calculations. Furthermore, the shape of each
observed peak from Bragg reflection is symmetric in the spectrum
shape, whereas the previous observation at KEK-KENS showed a
significant tail structure toward one side of the peak (the longer
time side). For example,the Beamline-08 Detector demonstrated that
the observed peak resolution was 0.035% and the spectrum does not have
any tails on both sides of the peak. This result shows that J-PARC
performance in terms of wavelength resolution is by a factor of 10
better than that obtained at the KEK-KENS.
Experimental groups are now very excited by having very high-
quality beams at the J-PARC. In December when the facility is
expected to be open to general users, the proton beam power is
expected to be about 100 kW.
INDUSTRIAL COUNCIL FORMED IN MAY
In May the Industrial Council for J-PARC, in order to accelerate
the usage of the J-PARC by industries, was formed. Mr. T. Imai, who
used to be the President of the Federation of Economic Organizations
of Japan, was named as the first President of this Council. About 50
companies already joined this Council.
When this Council was formed in May, a Symposium was also held.
There, many company members together with members of the Diet joined
the meeting.
NEW ARRANGEMENT FOR THE OPERATION OF THE NEUTRON FACILITY
For some days and months, the J-PARC Center appealed the
Government on the creation of a new mechanism that can cover
"operational budget" of the J-PARC, since the regular operational
budget does not increase at both KEK and JAEA.
The Government started to consider a new scheme for J-PARC,
which is presently used for the operation of SPring-8. Since this
scheme can be applied primarily to applied sciences, the scheme is
going to be applied to the neutron facility at J-PARC.
The Review Committee was formed inside the Government, to
discuss this new proposal. The final recommendation by the Committee
was created in July. It recommends strongly to support this new
scheme for the neutron facility. This is a very encouraging news to us.
USERS STEERING COMMITTEE
The J-PARC Roadmap after the completion of the Phase 1 is
currently discussed actively at the Users Steering Committee. At the
first meeting, the priorities inside individual communities were
presented and discussed. In the second meeting, held in June, the
cost and urgency were presented from individual communities and they
were discussed. In the fall, a possible scenario for the entire J-PARC,
based on the priority and urgency form each community, will be
discussed. A draft for the entire J-PARC Roadmap will be created
sometime in the late fall.
J-PARC OPEN HOUSE
On August 10th, the second Sunday in August, the entire J-PARC
facilities will be opened for public. The J-PARC Center decided to hold
the Open House once a year, in order to show the J-PARC to local
inhabitants and any other visitors. Free public transportation is
available from/to the JR Tokai Station to/from the J-PARC site.
-----------------------------------------------------------
2. [Accelerator Division] by Ainosuke ANDO
-----------------------------------------------------------
BEAM COMMISSIONING OF MR AND MLF WAS STARTED
The beam commissioning of MR (50GeV Main Ring synchrotron)
was started on May 19th, 2008. MR was operated at the injection energy
of 3 GeV according to the construction schedule. The 3 GeV proton
beam from RCS (3GeV Rapid Cycling Synchrotron) was injected and
stored for 1000 turns in MR, then extracted to the injection dump on
May 22nd, and the beam storage for 1-second was succeeded on the
next day. The official inspection for the 3 GeV operation of MR was
passed on June 19th, and the certification will be published soon.
The one-bunch-beam operation was employed in the initial stage of
commissioning for easy and steady beam manipulation although the
RF harmonic number is 9. The typical stored beam was 5.0E^11
protons per bunch with the repetition of 0.27 Hz. The tune survey
was roughly performed and showed that the stable area in tune
diagram may be not enough for high intensity without resonance
correction. The next stage of commissioning will start in this
December after the full installation of the extraction devices except
for the feedback system for spill control. The 30 GeV proton beam will
be extracted to the abort dump for accelerator tuning and to the
hadron beam line for commissioning of the primary beam transport and
the secondary beam lines. The painting injection test of RCS was
started in May and resulted in good agreement with the calculation
about the transverse phase space control. The reduction of charge
density, which is the key issue to obtain high intensity beam, is
achieved by the increases of the transverse emittance in both
horizontal and vertical planes. The test showed an increase from
about 40 pi mm-mrad. to 90 pi mm-mrad. by changing injection
positions and angles at the charge exchange foil. This is just the
first trial toward high intensity and there remain many problems
about beam losses to be overcome in succeeding tuning. (The design
goal is 216 pi mm-mrad. and tuning to get 200 pi mm-mrad. is under
way). The Linac has been stably and steadily servicing H- beam to
RCS. The peak current was 5 mA for precise machine tuning of RCS,
MR and MLF (Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility),
and was 30 mA for the trial of high intensity for RCS and MLF.
The accelerator commissioning for MLF and MR was coordinated
at the central control room (CCR). The daily reports of study
summary are open at
http://is.j-parc.jp/ctrl/jkwww/accsts/li/LinacStudySummary.html.
The underground water has still been leaking into the RCS tunnel and
caused a breakdown of one cable contact for the power feed of
a quadrupole magnet in May. This problem is under careful observation.
3 GeV beam operation stopped from June 22 due to a failure of the
RCS power supply for the Bending Magnets. The short to the earth
was found at a secondary winding of the transformer in one current
rectifier for the initial charging of AC excitation. The corresponding
diode was also broken. All transformers of the same type will be
replaced in this summer.
-----------------------------------------------------------
3. [Nuclear and Particle Physics Division]
by J. Imazato, T. Tsukamoto and H. Miyatake
-----------------------------------------------------------
SWITCH YARD BEAM LINE COMPLETE AND THE INSTALLATION IN
THE HADRON HALL STARTED
The first part of the Hadron Experimental Facility, which is the
extraction primary beam line in the switch yard, has recently been
successfully tested with its 39 magnet simultaneous excitation after
power wiring, cooling-water connection and the installation of the
interlock system. In the first week of June, a smooth operation of
the total system could be confirmed in a 6-hour continuous run.
Now the switch yard is ready for accepting the first beam in December.
The beamline installation in the Hadron Hall is proceeding. Several
magnets with chimney structure in the primary line have been put at
their positions. A huge vacuum vessel, so-called pentagon, to contain
several beamline components just after the production target T1
has been installed at the position. This vacuums tank enables a
system which is free from the problem of heat deposit in the
downstream vacuum pipe. Careful measurements of evacuation
characteristics and the deformation had been done before, showing
sufficiently good and safe performance of the system. The first
element put in the vessel, the first bending magnet of the secondary
line K1.8 with an indirect cooling of mineral insulation coils (MIC) was
also completed on the hall floor and has recently been tested.
The cooling method was proven to be O.K. The magnet will be installed
soon in the vacuum vessel together with other elements such as the
shielding blocks and a collimator. It is aimed that the upstream part of
the K1.8 channel should be completed by the first beam in December to
form the K1.8-BR beamline.
The construction of the beam dump started also. The core of the dump
is a stack of 2m x1m x 25 cm copper blocks covered by steel shielding
blocks. The blocks will be installed soon. The primary beamline should
be ready for accepting the first beam in December.
The Hadron Hall will be located in a radiation control zone surrounded
by
a fence. The operation as the zone has recently been started. Now
workes have to carry a radiation monitor to enter the area and realizes
the
start of beam and experiments in the near future.
CONSTRUCTION OF NEUTRINO FACILITY
10 superconducting magnet doublets out of 14 doublets in total were
installed in the tunnel and pressurizing examination has been
done successfully. Tanks for cryogenic system were installed in
the NU1 yard.
Assembling the beam Dump (BD) core modules was finished and 14
modules are ready to accept beams, starting in July.
Mock-up of BD is being build to test the assembly work.
The full set of the third horn was assembled at KEK in Tsukuba,
with the prototype horn to debug the remote handling system for
installation and maintenance. The horn operation test with this setup
was finished in the middle of June. Assembling test of the target system
and the first horn will be done in August.
The magnet for the near detector ND280 was installed in the
Neutrino Monitor (NM) pit, of which weight is more than 900t.
NU1 became available for equipment installation and a helium
compressor for cryogenic system was installed. Installation of the
control/data acquisition/monitor system for the neutrino beam line
was started in June.
FIRST ACCELERATION OF RADIOACTIVE INDIUM AND BARIUM
ISOTOPES AT TOKAI RADIOACTIVE ION ACCELERATOR
COMPLEX (TRIAC)
Radioactive and singly charged heavy-ions, 123In (half-life 6 sec)
and 143Ba (14 sec) were produced by proton-induced fissions of uranium,
and were converted to multi-charged 123In (q=16) and 143Ba (q=20) ions
by a charge breeder, which is an 18GHz electron cyclotron resonance
(ECR) ion source, for post acceleration. The radioactive beams with
the intensities of 10000/sec were successfully accelerated up to
178 keV/nucleon at TRIAC facility. These beams will be used for
experimental subjects of material science and nuclear astrophysics.
THE 4TH TRIAC PROGRAM ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS HELD
The 4th TRIAC program advisory committees were held on February
at KEK and on June at JAEA, respectively. Committees approved seven
experimental programs including three new proposals. These programs
will be performed in FY2007 and FY2008.
-----------------------------------------------------------
4. [Materials and Life Science Division] by Yujiro IKEDA
-----------------------------------------------------------
THE FIRST NEUTRON PRODUCTION WAS RECORDED ON MAY 30
AT J-PARC SPALLATION PULSE NEUTRON SOURCE (JSNS)
IN THE SERIES OF BEAM COMMISSIONING, IT WAS DEMONSTRATED
THAT PERFORMANCES OF JSNS ARE HIGH ENOUGH AS DESIGN
SPECIFICATION. THE FIRST CALL FOR PROPOSAL IS NOW OPEN
1. Neutron Source
On May 30, 2008 at 14:25, it was a memorial instance for the
J-PARC neutron facility, JSNS. We have finally got the first neutrons
in J-PARC after 7-year construction.
The off-beam commissioning has been completed to accept proton
beam on the mercury target at JSNS, and the controlled areas were set
on 14th of May. 30th of May is the Memorial Day for JSNS. At 10:15 AM,
3-GeV proton beam transport facility (3NBT) succeeded in transporting
the proton beam extracted from 3-GeV rapid cycling synchrotron
（RCS） to the mercury target in MLF which was located about 300 m
from 3-GeV RCS. The beam transport was confirmed with nine
current transformers (beam intensity monitors) installed in the 3NBT
line. At 2:25 PM, the first neutron by the proton-beam induced
spallation reaction was produced successfully at a spallation neutron
source in the Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF).
Several trillions of protons were accelerated up to about 97 % of the
velocity of light by the 3 GeV Synchrotron, and a bunch of the
high-energy
protons was introduced in the MLF for the first time. The protons
induced spallation reactions actually at the center of the mercury
neutron
target. Finally, success of the first neutron production was confirmed
by
observing several tens of thousands of neutrons per 1 cm2 in an
experimental hall at 14 m apart from the center of the neutron source.
2. Neutron Measurement
We have got a very reasonable spectrum of neutrons as expected,
and we confirmed that the proton accelerators, the neutron target
and the moderator systems are working coherently. We have also
confirmed the pulse peak width for the high resolution diffractometer
viewing the poisoned decoupled moderator has the expected resolution,
the world best resolution as a neutron diffractometer.
Five instruments, a high resolution powder diffractometer, a
protein
diffractometer, a high intensity powder diffractometer, a neutron
cross-section measurement instrument and neutron source
characterization instrument were commissioned by testing characters
of incoming neutron flux/spectrum, detector systems, data acquisition
software/hardware systems. Although the achievement of them is not
perfect, but most of them are working as we expected.
3. Detector and Device Development
A prototype of two dimensional scintillator detector system with
wavelength shifting fiber read out for the protein crystal
diffractometer
(i-BIX) has been tested during the commissioning, giving a reasonable
performances.
4. Muon science
The primary proton beam line components prepared by the muon group
functioned as expected during the commissioning period.
The decay muon beam line together with two experimental areas is now
under construction. All beam line elements including quadrupole
magnets,
bending magnets, slit boxes, beam blockers, and pulse kickers have been
installed in their respective positions. Nearly all vacuum beam pipes
have been connected. Coolant water connections to the magnets are
completed, and the electrical cabling has started. We are hoping to get
first muon beam from the target in September.
5. Call for Proposal for The First User Program in 2008
A call for proposal of MLF use in this fiscal year is now open in
the Web site.
(https://gamusha1.j-parc.jp/j-pas/auth/menu.jsp)
Four neutron instruments of J-PARC, and two of Ibaraki-prefecture
are available for the user access. In addition to the neutron
instruments,
a Decay/surface muon channel is also open for users in this call.
Detail information can be taken from J-PARC home page
（http://j-parc.jp/)
-----------------------------------------------------------
5. [Nuclear Transmutation Section] by Kenji KIKUCHI
-----------------------------------------------------------
LEAD BISMUTH IS USEFUL OR HARMFUL?
Materials corrosion test showed that grain boundary controlled
stainless steels(GBS) reduced a reduction of plate thickness by
more than 50% comparative with non-controlled one. It is found
that GBS materials had a function to suppress damage along
grain boundaries in liquid lead bismuth. Materials were provided
by Tohoku University.
Topical day on compatibility of structural materials with heavy
liquid metals was held at the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre,
SCK CEK,last April. Lead bismuth application for the future
energy system in Japan was presented as well as in US and EU.
Follow-up works after lead-bismuth spallation-target irradiation
(MEGAPIE) are being started. Reference specimens were
delivered from PSI to JAEA and other organizations in order to
secure test quality before conducting mechanical tests of
specimens irradiated at 580 MeV proton under lead bismuth flow.
-----------------------------------------------------------
6. [Safety Division]
by Minoru TAKASAKI, Taichi MIURA and Hiroshi NAKASHIMA
-----------------------------------------------------------
THE 4TH RADIATION SAFETY COMMITTEE OF J-PARC MET ON MAY 1ST
The 4th Radiation Safety Committee of J-PARC (the 10th Safety
Deliberative Committee on Radiation Safety of J-PARC) met on May 1st,
2008, to discuss the application of Hadron Experimental Facility,
changes in the application of Materials and Life Science Experimental
Facility (MLF) and 50GeV Main Ring Synchrotron (MR), revision of Inner
Rules for the Prevention of Radiation Hazards, its Detailed Regulations,
the revision of the manual for accelerator operation, and the
establishment of the manual for MLF operation; all these items were
finally approved in the Committee. Prior to this committee, a review
meeting for the radiation safety, of which members were consisted of
J-PARC staffs, discussed and approved these items on April, 23, 2008.
All these backgrounds and the installation of radiation control areas
of these facilities were explained to the Ibaraki prefecture government
and the Tokai-mura municipal government. The application for the
operation of MR and MLF was granted by the Ministry of Education,
Culture,
Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) on April 30. The inspection of
MR before and during the operation was successfully conducted by the
Nuclear Safety Technology Center (NUSTEC) from May 7 through May 9 and
June 19, respectively. The application of Hadron Experimental Facility
is schedule to be submitted in the beginning of July. A test version of
the general safety guidelines at J-PARC has been completed and employed
for the education at the Users Office. English translations of three
provisions, a guideline and a manual are expected to be completed in
the beginning of July.
-----------------------------------------------------------
7. [Announcement of Symposia and Meetings]
-----------------------------------------------------------
9th International Workshop on Spallation Materials Technology
(IWSMT9) will be held this October. Circulation can be down-
loaded at conference and meeting web site of J-PARC.
http://j-parc.jp/en/workshop/workshop081019.html
-----------------------------------------------------------
8. [Editorial Note]
-----------------------------------------------------------
In case you do not wish to receive this Newsletter in the future,
please send an email to news-l-ctl@ml.j-parc.jp
and simply write one sentence in the body of the message as
unsubscribe
If you wish to receive, write one sentence in the body of the message as
subscribe
You can get a help with a sentence of "help" in the body.
Information on the project can be also obtained at the Web site:
http://j-parc.jp/index-e.html
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Editorial Board:
Masatoshi ARAI (chair): masatoshi.arai@j-parc.jp
Yujiro IKEDA: ikeda.yujiro@jaea.go.jp
Nobuo OUCHI: ouchi.nobuo@jaea.go.jp
Shinya SAWADA: shinya.sawada@kek.jp
Toshifumi TSUKAMOTO toshifumi.tsukamoto@kek.jp
English Editor: Dick MISCHKE mischke@triumf.ca
Secretary: Chikako KAIBARA kaibara.chikako@jaea.go.jp
++++++++++++++++End of Letter+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++