Minutes from ISOLDE Physics Group meeting, 18th May 2016.

No comments to the minutes from the previous PG meeting: 

Please read the minutes.

Technical news:

ISOLDE:     

• Since Wednesday, FC (RC2.BFC0900) reads a negative value of 5 nA. If this is due to contamination, this is quite a lot.
  
  • A possible hotspot will be investigated.
    • In case of contamination, this could affect clean beams after this point (IDS…).
• PLEASE: when removing or changing cables on the timing control setup in the old control room make a note in the logbook and inform operators. 
  
  • Cables to the tape station were found to have been removed.
• Nitrogen batteries (for venting the target system) were found empty. The system has various leaks.
• GPS:
  
  • Was running rare earth beams for Medical and SSP collections until Thursday.
  • A short run of 7Be
    • By mistake the target was overheated for 1 hour releasing the Be.
    • Collection started soon after once the lasers were tuned and ran until Saturday.
  • Now there is a Sn target installed for SSP collections.
    • The proton scan had to be redone and re-checked.

• HRS:
  
  • Was running smoothly with a Calcium Oxide target for IDS, 16-N beam until Tuesday.
    • HT went down a few times, but was restored by reset.
    • Friday night the magnet reported an error. Was cured after a few power cycles.
      • This is perhaps related to a NMR probe problem – to be followed up.
    • Tuesday HRS valve in RC4 suddenly closed and power supplies were off.
      • All was fine again after a reset.
  • Now HRS has a ZrO target installed for TAS.
  • RFQ: There is a huge disparity between the transmission of stable Ar and radioactive Ar. This open question will be investigated by Tim.
    • The behaviour was confirmed by the tape station.

• RILIS:
  
  • Was running Be on the GPS.
  • The Blaze laser is at the company for repair (still has warranty).
    • Needs to be back before Bi-run.
    • Will not affect Mn and In runs.
  • Now setting up for Mn-run.
• REX/HIE:
  
  • The damaged 9-gap amplifier is still being investigated.
  • The Cryo-module 1 has been realigned – showed some deviations after the transport.

Physics:

• Medical and SSP collections on GPS.
  
  • The target performed very well
  • Shipping of medical isotopes to Risø, PSI and Finland went well.
  • Problems with chemistry were finally understood and the studies for therapy and imaging were possible.
• 7Be collection was successful on GPS.
  
  • A 1 GBq source was produced for n_TOF and 0.7 MBq for ILL.
    • The Be target was empty Saturday morning – perhaps due to the mistake in over-heating.
• The CaO target on HRS performed very well and it was a smooth run.
  
  • 16N experiment could be completed.
    • The results will be complementary to results from KVI – investigating the branching ratio.

• TAS-experiment will start this week taking 68,70Se beams from HRS.
  
  • Will look at the entire gamma cascade.
  • Of interest for nuclear astrophysics – will investigate the role of electron capture in the decay.  
• SSP collecting Cd-beams for PAC on GPS.
  
  • On the first night there were some starting problems due to low yields, but is looking good now.

Safety:

• ISOLDE:
  
  • Hot transport: The 7Be target going back to ISR. A Be sample made by U Koester goes to 179 before shipping to ILL.
  • Today there will be a meeting regarding the time delay of re-entering ISOLDE.
    • Delay should now be 3 min, not 10 min.  
• Training/Access
  
  • The hands-on trainings are once per week on Tuesdays.
  • Training from 2014 is still valid for access, a period of  3 years is considered.
  • More info on accessing/training will be listed on the ISOLDE homepage.

• VISITS:                 
  
  • Thursday: 40 German students. Covered in terms of guides.
  • Friday:  24 Singaporean students. Need one more guide.

AOB:

• CERN Relay run, 19^th May:
  
  • Please, the running team “HIE-speed ISOLDE” will need support to complete the run. 
• ENSAR2:
  
  • Please send in the ENSAR2 Excel sheet form to Jenny before arriving to ISOLDE/CERN.
    • List all the people coming to your experiment at ISOLDE, not only those who are applying for support.
      • Support will be given to newcomers and young scientists; this is in keeping with the rules of transnational access, to promote new users.

• 275:
  
  • De-classification completed except for the mezzanine/platform.
    • This will involve moving around the stuff to access the floor etc. 
    • If there is especially fragile material there, please make sure that it is clearly labelled.
• ISOLDE seminar
  
  • There is currently no speaker for the 25^th of May. Please contact Stephan if you want to give a talk or know someone that could.

The next ISOLDE PG meeting will be held on 25. May 2016 followed by a seminar “TBD”.

Minutes taken by ~TEM