Minutes from ISOLDE Physics Group meeting, 13th July 2016.

No comments to the minutes from the previous PG meeting: 

Please read the minutes.

Technical news:

• NOTE: Do not turn off the HT in the control panel. if turn-off completely it takes 45 min to power up again. Only use the stand-by button.
  
  • The “turn off” control button is not needed for the USERS and will soon be removed.
• AUTO-tuner / beam optimiser: Please, when using the programme, add some range restrictions to element values, as the programme can make the values move to extreme. This results in a tuned beam to the setup, but can be quite hard to diagnose along the way e.g. seeing the beam in scanners etc.
• The HRS MAIN beam gate was found to be closed by the manual switch in old control room.
  
  • Please note such an event in the logbook! USERS lost 1h determining the problem. 

ISOLDE:     

• HRS:
  
  • On Thursday the 90 deg separator magnet had problems, which were solved with a power reset.
  • The RFQ/ISCOOL has some problems, which are being investigated by Pascal.
    • The fuse on an amplifier keeps blowing.
    • A big box of replacement fuses has been put in place in order to keep running until the problem has been cured/understood.
    • An intervention is planned.   
  • Due to communication problems the proton scan was performed on the target, but should only had been on the convertor.
    • Clearer instructions will be implemented in the future to avoid this misunderstanding.
    • In spite of this happening, it did not cause problems.
  • During the proton scan a double peak was observed (has also been observed before) for 142Cs.
    • The cause must be the saturation of the detector.
• GPS:
  
  • GPS is running on He-beams for IDS. 8He using the new neutron detector which has been constructed by Miguel.

Earlier in the week there were various target tests from the C-nanotube unit Boron beams were injected into the trap of REX to check for break-up.            

• RILIS:
  
  • Was running Sn after Bi.
  • For the first time used in all 4 lasers in the on-call mode.
    • This operation went smooth.
  • Now setting up Radium on HRS – the yields looks promising for CRIS.

• REX/HIE:
  
  • EBIS is working fine.
  • The 7-gap amplifier has been included in the security chain of interlocks.
  • The 9-gap now turns off when power is too high (safety).
  • Status of the cool-down: LHe is in the cavities, but the controls are very sensitive and unstable – the cause is still unknown and the system really has to be monitored.
  • It has now been noted that the superconducting solenoid could have a short circuit
    • An investigation is in progress and a conclusion is still pending, but more information should be available in a few days.
      • This could affect the schedule of the HIE ISOLDE run. Additional low energy physics runs, could be possible. More will be known soon.
    • In the case that the module would need to be removed.
      • This will affect the beam transmission.   

• Target:
  
  • The yields from the reused nano-UCx target were good.  
  • The target for Cd-beam is in good shape.

Physics:

• COLLAPS:            
  
  • They measured all the way out to 134Sn.
    • Got the data they wanted.
    • Yields were acceptable, although 135,136Sn were not seen.
• He-Run:
  
  • The run is smooth and stable. They got good data. The new neutron detector has been running well.  
• CRIS:
  
  • They will run next and want to measure the hyperfine structures of Radium.

Safety:

• INSPECTIONS:
  
  • There were two inspections last week – one for visits and one for b 170.
    • No major problems were pointed out.
• ACCESS:
  
  • The 3 min delay could be removed – but is still being discussed.
  • Please, do not leave ISOLDE through the big green gate!
    • An alarm is activated every time the gate opens and the video camera is investigated.
• VISITS:
  
  • There will be 24 teachers visiting on Thursday.

AOB:

• Control room:
  
  • Temporary air-conditioning has been installed.  
• GLM:
  
  • The background activity was found to be a bit high.
    • It was discussed that this could be due to contamination in the stable 40-Argon beam going to IDS. With a half life of some days.

• ENSAR2:
  
  • The next ENSAR2 request has been sent out.
  • When applying for ENSAR – Please list all the users and shift for the experiment.

• 508-detector room:
  
  • A swimming pool would be nice with this warm weather – but not when the pool is in the detector room and the water is coming from the air-condition unit!
    • Tickets have been made to solve this ASAP.

Minutes taken by ~TEM