[Neutron] J-PARC Newsletter #30

[arai (J-PARC)]

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J-PARC Project Newsletter

_______ No.30 , October 2007_______

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

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HEADLINES AND CONTENTS

1. <<Overview>>

NEW ROLE FOR THE USERS CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE.
FOLLOW UP OF THE BUDGET REQUEST FOR JFY2008.
RESPONSE TO THE THIRD REVIEW ON J-PARC BY THE GOVERNMENT
COMMITTEE.
OFFICE SPACE IN FRONT OF JAEA.
NEW TRUSTEES WERE APPOINTED AT JAEA.
PROGRESS IN THE ACCELERATOR DEVELOPMENT.

2. <<Accelerator Group>>

THE RCS STARTED THE BEAM COMMISSIONING AS SCHEDULED

3. <<Control Group>>

INTERLOCK SYSTEMS ARE READY FOR THE BEAM COMMISSIONING OF THE RCS

4. <<Neutron Science Group >>
(Materials & Life Science Experimental Facility Group)

ACHIEVEMENT OF THE MAXIMUM FLOW RATE OF 50m^3/hr IN THE MERCURY
CIRCULATION TEST OF THE TARGET SYSTEM.

A LARGE VACUUM SCATTERING CHAMBER ( 22m^3) FOR 4SEASONS WAS
CARRIED IN THE MLF FACILITY

5. <<Nuclear Transmutation Group>>

LIQUID LEAD BISMUTH PUMPED OUT FROM JLBL-1 AND INSUFFICIENT
RELIABILITY OF NUCLEAR DATA ON MA FOR ADS - FR DESIGNS

6. <<Radiation Safety Group>>

APPLICATION FOR 50 GeV SYNCHROTRON OPERATION LICENSE SUBMITTED
TO MEXT

7. <<Announcement of Symposia and Meetings>>

8. <<Editorial Note>>


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1. <<Overview>> By Shoji NAGAMIYA
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 NEW ROLE FOR THE USERS CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE.

     During the summer time, active discussions were held on the issue
of how to include the voice from the communities in the master plan of
J-PARC after the start of J-PARC operation. In each community
discussions were held. The high energy physics committee proposed to
create a new committee under the J-PARC Council to discuss this issue.

     After extensive discussions among the communities, the final
conclusion is to conduct this type of discussion at the existing User
Consultative Committee, by adding a new function to this committee.

     Selection of new committee members is underway. After the members
are solicited ( which will occur by the end of October ), this
committee will start discussions of a grand design ( master plan ) of
the J-PARC after its completion in 2008.

 FOLLOW UP OF THE BUDGET REQUEST FOR JFY2008.

     After we submitted our budget request to the funding agency, the
Ministry of Education, etc. and Technology ( MEXT ) sent almost
our full budget request to the Finance Department at the end of August.
Presently, the review at the Finance Department is underway. This
year an oral presentation to the Council of Science and Technology
Policy (CSTP) was not held for J-PARC, since this CSTP ranked the
J-PARC at "A" last year.

     On the other hand, the above news does not mean that our budget
status for JFY2008 is smooth. Instead, a significant and severe
evaluation will be made within a month or so. The final answer will be
given at the end of December. Since we requested a significant
increase in the operational budget for the next year, the funding
agency is presently working very hard to accommodate out request.

 RESPONSE TO THE THIRD REVIEW ON J-PARC BY THE GOVERNMENT
 COMMITTEE.

     As described in the previous Newsletter, a long review on the
J-PARC by the Government Committee was held. The J-PARC Center read
its report carefully and started to list action items. For example,
the J-PARC Center must start to prepare a detailed plan for the usage
of the neutron and muon beam lines. The J-PARC also has to start a
reevaluation of a long-term operational budget. The J-PARC Center
created many working groups to discuss action items in response to
the Committee report.

 OFFICE SPACE IN FRONT OF JAEA.

     The Local Government, Ibaraki Prefecture, is now working very
hard to prepare a new office space for users of J-PARC in front of
the JAEA campus. The floor plan is under discussion. If everything
goes well, a large office space will be available from the end of
2008. More news will come in a later issue of this Newsletter.

 NEW TRUSTEES WERE APPOINTED AT JAEA.

     On October 1st a few trustees were replaced by new members.
Among them, the J-PARC related persons are as follows: Dr. H. Yokomizo
is now responsible to J-PARC and Dr. S. Okada is responsible to the
Quantum Beam Directorate that includes the neutron research at J-PARC.

 PROGRESS IN THE ACCELERATOR DEVELOPMENT.

     The most important highlight during the last month is an
impressive development of the accelerator. The accelerator group is
now trying to inject beams from the Linac to 3 GeV. At around the time
when this Newsletter is published, the injection of the beams might
have already succeeded. For details, see the article written by
Y. Yamazaki in this Newsletter.


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2. <<Accelerator Group>> by Yoshishige YAMAZAKI
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 THE RCS STARTED THE BEAM COMMISSIONING AS SCHEDULED

     We are now at one of the most exciting times in the project.
Exactly as scheduled, we started the beam commissioning of the 3-GeV
Rapid-Cycling Synchrotron ( RCS ) in the run starting September 10th.
All of the accelerator components of the RCS were ready by that time,
although the two ceramic vacuum chambers had some problems at the last
moment. One of them was repaired, while the other can be used for the
time being, that is, during the low beam current stage. The linac was
again in operation and the beam was successfully transported from the
linac to the RCS on October 2nd. During that time, one incident
happened at the charge-exchange foil system. The gate valve was
abnormally closed and did not detect the remaining foil-replacement
system, which was broken in the incident. While this system is under
repair, we resumed the beam commissioning as follows. First, the
H-minus beam was transported to the H-0 dump located at the injection
section of the RCS on October 4th without the broken foil system, well
simulating the behavior of the H-minus beam. Then, making use of the
two week scheduled shut down, the foil with fixed support system
instead of the broken replacing mechanism will be installed, and the
charge-exchange injection to the RCS will be tested in the run
starting on October 22nd. In parallel with the ongoing beam tests,
the foil-replacement system will be repaired for beam power increase.


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3. <<Control Group>> by Noboru YAMAMOTO
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 INTERLOCK SYSTEMS ARE READY FOR THE BEAM COMMISSIONING OF THE RCS

     PPS ( Personnel Protection System ) is an interlock system to
protect a person from radiation hazard during the accelerator
operation. Prior to the beam commissioning of the RCS ( 3GeV Rapid
Cycling Synchrotron ), the PPS of the RCS has been integrated during
the shutdown period this summer with that of the Linac, which is
already in operation since last year. This interlock system was
inspected by the authority on September 5 and 6, and permission was
issued for the radiation controlled area and the beam commissioning of
the RCS. The controlled area was set on Sep. 25 as scheduled. The MPS
( Machine Protection System ) is another interlock system for the
prevention of unexpected beam loss and troubles of the accelerator
components. The MPS of the RCS needs to handle thousands of signals
from the accelerator components. The proper operation of the MPS was
confirmed by the start of the beam commissioning on Oct. 1. Consoles
have been set up in the RCS timing equipment room for the beam
commissioning of the RCS. The software development is being focused
for data acquisition of the beam instruments of the RCS.


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4. <<Neutron Science Group>> by Yujiro IKEDA
(Materials & Life Science Experimental Facility Group)
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 ACHIEVEMENT OF THE MAXIMUM FLOW RATE OF 50m^3/hr IN THE MERCURY
 CIRCULATION TEST OF THE TARGET SYSTEM.
 A LARGE VACUUM SCATTERING CHAMBER ( 22m^3) FOR 4SEASONS WAS
 CARRIED IN THE MLF FACILITY

     1) Neutron Source Facility Construction and Test
     For the proton beam transport from the 3GeV synchrotron to the
MLF facility, all the beam line components have been aligned within
±0.1mm precision, assuring the readiness requirements for beam
acceptance. Also, in an integrated test with the 3GeV synchrotron on
August 19, 2007, all systems for the beam transport, e.g. beam
monitors, diagnostics, electric power system, water cooling system,
and vacuum system, have satisfied the design specifications.
     After installation of the mercury target system, we have started
the functional tests for system. Each step of the remote handling
movement for the target container exchange has been demonstrated to
operate as designed. In the mercury circulation test, we have achieved
the maximum flow rate of 50m^3/hr, and demonstrated continuous
operation for 12 hrs with a normal operation condition of 41m^3/hr.
     The airtight confinement of the target station with ceiling
shield blocks was achieved by putting silicon filler into gaps. We
have also started a demonstration test of the remote handling
procedure for the moderators and reflector exchange.

     2) Neutron Instrumentation
     Construction is underway on the IBARAKI Materials Design
Diffractometer ( BL20 ), Super High Resolution Powder Diffractometer
( BL08,~100m length ) and 4D Space Access Neutron Spectrometer
( 4SEASONS, BL01). A vacuum scattering chamber ( 22m^3 ) for 4SEASONS
was moved into the MLF facility.
     Development of data analysis software for inelastic neutron
scattering was started between JAEA and a Korean group ( HANARO ).
Development of pulsed high magnetic fields equipment was started
mainly by the Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University by
Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research. The power supply was moved into
the MLF facility. Characteristic experiments of a mortar shield
including boron carbide, which is thought to have better absorbing
properties than prior shielding, is proceeding with a private company.
     The application of licensing for radiation protection for the
neutron scattering instruments ( IBARAKI Biological Crystal
Diffractometer ( Ibaraki pref. ), IBARAKI Materials Design
Diffractometer ( Ibaraki pref. ), 4D Space Access Neutron Spectrometer
( JAEA ), Nuclear Engineering Instrument ( Hokkaido University ), Super
High Resolution Powder Diffractometer ( KEK ), Test Beam Line
( NOBORU, JAEA ), Engineering Diffractometer ( JAEA ), Cold-Neutron
Double-Disk Chopper Spectrometer ( JAEA ) is proceeding for the first
beam of May, 2008. Versatile High Intensity Total Diffractometer to
study hydrogen storage alloys was funded by the New Energy Development
Organization(NEDO). It is a program of five years from 2007.

     3) Neutron Device Development
     As for the neutron scintillator detectors for the engineering
diffractometer in J-PARC, which is developed under collaboration
with ISIS, a novel method to connect PMTs to the main
body of the detector was tested from the viewpoint of optical and
electric shielding. The overall design for the detector was drafted
and manufacturing of the first detector has been started. A
two-dimensional position sensitive gas detector using a micro-pixel
detection head was tested at a californium-252 neutron source
facility. The developed detector system exhibited a spatial resolution
of about 2mm with a gas pressure of 4.5 atm helium with 0.5 atm CF4.
     A load-lock chamber which allows the deposition chamber to be
kept at high vacuum and assure high quality of neutron mirrors, has
been installed on the large scale ion beam sputtering instrument. This
equipment allows for shorter deposition and the production rate can be
increased. NiC/Ti supermirrors with large critical angles of m=3, 4,
and 6 and large area of 40cm x 10cm have been successfully deposited.
The reflectivities of the supermirrors ( Si substrates ) are 0.87,
0.80 and 0.43 at each critical angle. The installation and alignment
plan of neutron guide tubes is being studied for the design of the
neutron guide jackets.


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5. <<Nuclear Transmutation Group>>by Kenji Kikuchi
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 LIQUID LEAD BISMUTH PUMPED OUT FROM JLBL-1 AND INSUFFICIENT
 RELIABILITY OF NUCLEAR DATA ON MA FOR ADS - FR DESIGNS

     As for the lead bismuth eutectic spallation target development, a
liquid lead bismuth in the material corrosion loop ( JLBL-1: JAEA Lead
Bismuth Loop-1 ) was evacuated from the loop and solidified in the
pans successfully in order to prepare sampling for examining the
diluted main elements from the steel after eighteen thousand hours
run. Chemical analyses will quantify dissolved and precipitated
impurities in lead bismuth. Hitherto precipitated elements or mass
transfer in the circulating closed loop was reported but more
comprehensive data will be shown. As for the Transmutation Physics
Experimental Facility ( TEF-P ), the effectiveness of critical and
subcritical experiments using minor actinide fuels are being
investigated in terms of the design accuracy of accelerator-driven
systems ( ADS ) and fast reactors ( FR ) for the transmutation of
long-lived radioactive wastes. The integral validation of the nuclear
data of minor actinides ( MA ) seems necessary for both ADS and FR
because of the insufficient reliability of nuclear data.


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6. <<Radiation Safety Group>> by Taichi MIURA and Hiroshi NAKASHIMA
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 APPLICATION FOR 50 GeV SYNCHROTRON OPERATION LICENSE SUBMITTED
 TO MEXT

     Applications for licenses of the 50 GeV synchrotron operation and
the Materials and Life Science Facility ( MLF ) were submitted to the
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
( MEXT ) on September 27, 2007. For these applications and the
regulations on protection from radiation hazards of J-PARC, the 9th
Safety Deliberative Committee on Radiation Safety of J-PARC and the
3rd Radiation Safety Committee of J-PARC met to discuss the radiation
safety scheme, on July 30. Before the submission, these applications
were approved by the Tokai-Village Municipal and Ibaraki Prefecture
Governments on September 20.
     After receiving the license for 3GeV synchrotron operation on
June 29, the approval for the operation was also granted from the
local governments on July 30. Together with this license, other
applications: LINAC power increase, radiation controlled areas for
radioactive materials in the neutron, muon, hadron, and neutrino beam line
facilities, were also granted.
     Before accelerating beam in the 3GeV synchrotron, an inspection
by the Nuclear Safety Technology Center ( NUSTEC ) was conducted on
September 5 and 6, and the certificate was issued. The beam
acceleration is ready now at any time from the point of view of the
operation license.

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7. Announcement of Symposia and Meetings
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Neutron Target Technology Advisory Committee (NTAC)
27-29 February 2008

International Advisory Committee (IAC)
3-4 March 2008

The First J-PARC International Symposium
International Symposium on Pulsed Neutron and Muon Sciences (IPS 08)
March 5-7, 2008
Contact: H Takada, K Nakajima
e-mail: IPS08 at ml.j-parc.jp


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8. <<Editorial Note>>
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Editorial Board:
Masatoshi ARAI (chair): masatoshi.arai at j-parc.jp
Yujiro IKEDA: yujiro.ikeda at jaea.go.jp
Nobuo OUCHI: nobuo.ouchi at jaea.go.jp
Shinya SAWADA: shinya.sawada at kek.jp
Toshifumi TSUKAMOTO toshifumi.tsukamoto at kek.jp
English Editor: Dick Mischke mischke at triumf.ca

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