C. Rubbia

Small-angle proton-proton elastic scattering at very high energies (460 GeV2 < s < 2900 GeV2)☆

Abstract We have investigated the above processes at the CERN Intersecting Storage Rings (ISR). Results show a marked change of the slope parameter b ( t , s ) = (d/d t ) ln (d σ /d t ) around − t ≈ 0.10 GeV 2 . The s − and t − dependence of b ( t , s ) have been observed over the interval 460 GeV 2 s 2 and 0.02 GeV 2 t 2 .

Experimental determination of the energy generated in nuclear cascades by a high energy beam

An already existing, sub-critical arrangement made of natural uranium and water moderator has been exposed to a low intensity (≈ 109 ppp) proton beam from CERN-PS at several kinetic energies from 600 MeV to 2.75 GeV. The energy delivered by the hadronic cascade induced by the beam in the device has been measured by the temperature rise of small sampling blocks of uranium located in several different positions inside the device and counting the fissions in thin probe foils of natural uranium. We find typically G ≈ 30 in reasonable agreement with calculations, where G is the ratio of the energy produced in the device to the energy delivered by the beam. This result opens the way to the realisation of the so-called Energy Amplifier, a practical device to produce energy from thorium or depleted uranium targets exposed to an intense high energy proton beam. Results show that the optimal kinetic is ≥ 1 GeV, below which G decreases but is still acceptable in the energy range explored

A high gain energy amplifier operated with fast neutrons

The basic concept and the main practical considerations of an Energy Amplifier (EA) have been exhaustively described in Ref. . Here the concept of the EA is further explored and additional schemes are described which offer a higher gain, a larger maximum power density and an extended burn‐up. All these benefits stem from the use of fast neutrons, instead of thermal or epithermal ones, which was the case in Ref. . The higher gain is due both to a more efficient high energy target configuration and to a larger, practical value of the multiplication factor. The higher power density results from the higher permissible neutron flux, which in turn is related to the reduced rate of 233Pa neutron captures (which, as is well known, suppress the formation of the fissile 233U fuel) and the much smaller k variations after switch‐off due to 233Pa decays for a given burn‐up rate. Finally a longer integrated burn‐up is made possible by reduced capture rate by fission fragments of fast neutrons. In practice a 20 MW proto...

A STUDY OF IONIZATION ELECTRONS DRIFTING OVER LARGE DISTANCES IN LIQUID ARGON

Abstract We have measured the lifetime of electrons drifting in liquid argon using a gridded ionization chamber with a drift gap of 153 mm. The electrons were produced by the passage of cosmic rays through the chamber. We find a best fit for the electron lifetime τ at 5 V/cm of 9.2 ms (with 13.2 > τ > 7.1 ms at 95% CL). This value is consistent with all the data below 15 V/cm. This corresponds to an impurity concentration ρ = 0.03 ppb oxygen equivalent. The attenuation length calculated from the above lifetime is 18 m for a field of 1 kV/cm. The liquid remained in the chamber for 14 weeks with no recirculation system and suffered no noticeable deterioration with respect to the lifetime or the pulse height. The low field mobility μ 0 has been measured for fields up to 150 V/cm and we find a value of 545 ± 4 cm 2 V −1 s −1 which is consistent with measurements by other authors. The electron yield as a function of the electric field strength has been measured down to 3 V/cm. The results seem to indicate the need for a modification of the geminate recombination theory.

Performance of a uranium/tetramethylpentane electromagnetic calorimeter

Abstract A calorimeter, consisting of uranium plates and thin liquid ionization chambers filled with tetramethylpentane (TMP) at room temperature, has been tested using electrons between 10 and 70 GeV. The essential characteristics of the liquid are discussed, including measurements of the free electron lifetime. Results on uniformity, linearity and energy resolution are described and some information on the response to hadrons has been obtained. A single TMP box containing four electrodes and a TMP position detector for electromagnetic showers have also been tested.

OBSERVATION OF A DIFFRACTION MINIMUM IN THE PROTON-PROTON ELASTIC SCATTERING AT THE ISR

Abstract We have investigated the pp elastic scattering at the CERN Intersecting Storage Rings (ISR). We report results for centre-of-mass scattering angles between 30 and 100 mrad and for centre-of-mass energies of 23.5,30.7, 44.9 and 53 GeV. The elastic differential cross-section shows a diffraction-like shape with a sharp minimum at about t = −1.4 GeV 2 .

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in the LEP tunnel

After the remarkable start-up of LEP, the installation of a Large Hadron Collider, LHC, in the LEP tunnel will open a new era for the High Energy Physics. This report summarizes the main LHC parameters and subsytems and describes the more recent studies and developments.

Scintillation efficiency of nuclear recoil in liquid xenon

Abstract We present the results of a test done with a Liquid Xenon (LXe) detector for “Dark Matter” search, exposed to a neutron beam to produce nuclear recoil events simulating those which would be generated by WIMPs elastic scattering. The aim of the experiment was to measure directly the scintillation efficiency of nuclear recoil. The nuclear recoil considered in the test was in the tens of keV range. The ratio of measured visible energy over the true recoil energy was evaluated to be about 20%, in good agreement with the theoretical predictions.

Experimental verification of neutron phenomenology in lead and transmutation by adiabatic resonance crossing in accelerator driven systems

Energy and space distributions of spallation neutrons (from 2.5 and 3.57 GeV/c CERN proton beams) slowing down in a 3.3 x 3.3 x 3 m3 lead volume and neutron capture rates on long-lived fission fragments 99 Tc and 129 I demonstrate that Adiabatic Resonance Crossing (ARC) can be used to eliminate efficiently such nuclear waste and validate innovative simulation.

A Realistic Plutonium Elimination Scheme With Fast Energy Amplifiers and Thorium-Plutonium Fuel

In a previous report [1] we have presented the conceptual design of a subcritical device designed for energy amplification (production). The present note further explores the possibilities of the Energy Amplifier (EA) in the field of the incineration of unwanted actinide “waste” from Nuclear Power Reactors (PWR) and from the disassembly of Military Weapons.