W. Lau

Generation of scaled protogalactic seed magnetic fields in laser-produced shock waves

The standard model for the origin of galactic magnetic fields is through the amplification of seed fields via dynamo or turbulent processes to the level consistent with present observations. Although other mechanisms may also operate, currents from misaligned pressure and temperature gradients (the Biermann battery process) inevitably accompany the formation of galaxies in the absence of a primordial field. Driven by geometrical asymmetries in shocks associated with the collapse of protogalactic structures, the Biermann battery is believed to generate tiny seed fields to a level of about 10−21 gauss (refs 7, 8). With the advent of high-power laser systems in the past two decades, a new area of research has opened in which, using simple scaling relations, astrophysical environments can effectively be reproduced in the laboratory. Here we report the results of an experiment that produced seed magnetic fields by the Biermann battery effect. We show that these results can be scaled to the intergalactic medium, where turbulence, acting on timescales of around 700 million years, can amplify the seed fields sufficiently to affect galaxy evolution.

The mechanical and thermal design for the MICE focusing solenoid magnet system

The focusing solenoids for MICE surround energy absorbers that are used to reduce the transverse momentum of the muon beam that is being cooled within MICE. The focusing solenoids will have a warm-bore diameter of 470 mm. Within this bore is a flask of liquid hydrogen or a room temperature beryllium absorber. The focusing solenoid consists of two coils wound with a copper matrix Nb-Ti conductor originally designed for MRI magnets. The two coils have separate leads, so that they may be operated at the same polarity or at opposite polarity. The focusing magnet is designed so that it can be cooled with a pair of 1.5 W (at 4.2 K) coolers. The MICE cooling channel has three focusing magnets with their absorbers. The three focusing magnets will be hooked together in series for a circuit stored-energy of about 9.0 MJ. Quench protection for the focusing magnets is discussed. This report presents the mechanical and thermal design parameters for this magnet, including the results of finite element calculations of mechanical forces and heat flow in the magnet cold mass.

The LCFIVertex package: vertexing, flavour tagging and vertex charge reconstruction with an ILC vertex detector

The precision measurements envisaged at the International Linear Collider (ILC) depend on excellent instrumentation and reconstruction software. The correct identification of heavy flavour jets, placing unprecedented requirements on the quality of the vertex detector, will be central for the ILC programme. This paper describes the LCFIVertex software, which provides tools for vertex finding and for identification of the flavour and charge of the leading hadron in heavy flavour jets. These tools are essential for the ongoing optimisation of the vertex detector design for linear colliders such as the ILC. The paper describes the algorithms implemented in the LCFIVertex package as well as the scope of the code and its performance for a typical vertex detector design.

The mechanical and thermal design for the MICE coupling solenoid magnet

The MICE coupling solenoids surround the RF cavities that are used to increase the longitudinal momentum of the muon beam that is being cooled within MICE. The coupling solenoids will have a warm-bore diameter of 1394 mm. This is the warm bore that is around the 200 MHz RF cavities. The coupling solenoid is a single superconducting coil fabricated from a copper matrix Nb-Ti conductor originally designed for MRI magnets. A single coupling magnet is designed so that it can be cooled with a single 1.5 W (at 4.2 K) cooler. The MICE cooling channel has two of these solenoids, which will be hooked together in series, for a magnet circuit with a total stored-energy of the order of 12.8 MJ. Quench protection for the coupling coils is discussed. This report also presents the mechanical and thermal design parameters for this magnet, including the results of finite element calculations of mechanical forces and heat flow in the magnet cold mass.

The Design Parameters for the MICE Tracker Solenoid

The first superconducting magnets to be installed in the union ionization cooling experiment (MICE) will be the tracker solenoids. The tracker solenoid module is a five coil superconducting solenoid with a 400 mm diameter warm bore that is used to provide a 4 T magnetic field for the experiment tracker module. Three of the coils are used to produce a uniform field (up to 4 T with better than 1 percent uniformity) in a region that is 300 mm in diameter and 1000 mm long. The other two coils are used to match the muon beam into the MICE cooling channel. Two 2.94-meter long superconducting tracker solenoid modules have been ordered for MICE. The tracker solenoid will be cooled using two-coolers that produce 1.5 W each at 4.2 K. The magnet system is described. The decisions that drive the magnet design will be discussed in this report.

Progress on the RF Coupling Coil Module Design for the Mice Channel

We describe the progress on the design of the RF coupling coil (RFCC) module for the international Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment (MICE) at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) in the UK. The MICE cooling channel design consists of one SFOFO cell that is similar to that of the US Study-II of a neutrino factory. The MICE RFCC module comprises a superconducting solenoid, mounted around four normal conducting 201.25-MHz RF cavities. Each cavity has a pair of thin curved beryllium windows to close the conventional open beam irises, which allows for independent control of the phase in each cavity and for the RF power to be fed separately. The coil package that surrounds the RF cavities is mounted on a vacuum vessel. The RF vacuum is shared between the cavities and the vacuum vessel around the cavities such that there is no differential pressure on the thin beryllium windows. This paper discusses the design progress of the RFCC module and the fabrication progress of a prototype 201.25-MHz cavity.

Progress on the Coupling Coil for the Mice Channel

This report describes the progress on the coupling magnet for the international Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment (MICE). MICE consists of two cells of a SFOFO cooling channel that is similar to that studied in the level 2 study of a neutrino factory. The MICE RF coupling coil module (RFCC module) consists of a 1.56 m diameter superconducting solenoid, mounted around four cells of conventional 201.25 MHz closed RF cavities. This report discusses the progress that has been made on the superconducting coupling coil that is around the center of the RF coupling module. This report describes the process by which one would cool the coupling coil using a single small 4 K cooler. In addition, the coupling magnet power system and quench protection system are also described.

The Effect of Magnetic Field on the Position of HTS Leads and the Cooler in the Services Tower of the MICE Focusing Magnet

The MICE focusing solenoids have three 4 K coolers (two for the superconducting magnet and one for the liquid absorber) and four HTS leads that feed the current to the focusing coils. The focusing solenoids produce large radial external fields when they operate with the polarity of the two coils in opposition (the gradient or flip mode). When the MICE focusing coils operate at the same polarity (the solenoid or non-flip mode), the fields are much smaller and parallel to the axis of the solenoid. The worst-case magnetic field affects the selection of the cooler and the HTS leads. This magnetic field can also determine the height of the service towers that house the three coolers and the four HTS leads. This paper shows the criteria used for Cooler selection, HTS lead selection, and the position of both the cooler and leads with respect to the solenoid axis of rotation.

Design study for the KMOS spectrograph module

We present the results of a design study for the spectrograph module for KMOS - a cryogenic near-infrared multi-object spectrograph being developed as a second generation instrument for the VLT by a consortium of UK and German institutes. KMOS will consist of 24 deployable integral field units feeding three identical spectrograph units via image slicers. The spectrographs are designed to provide a resolving power greater than 3000, so as to provide adequate OH avoidance, whilst covering one of the J, H or K bands within a single exposure. We present the opto-mechanical layout of the spectrographs, together with an analysis of the impact of the image quality (and PSF uniformity) on the accuracy of sky background subtraction within each IFUs field of view.

Progress on the Design and Fabrication of the MICE Focusing Magnets

The Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment (MICE) focusing solenoid magnets focus the muon beam within the MICE cooling channel on a liquid or solid absorber that is within the warm bore of solenoid. The focusing magnet has a warm bore of 470 mm. This magnet consists of two coils 210-mm long that is separated by an aluminum mandrel that is 200 mm long. Each of the coils has its own leads. The coils may be operated in either the non-flip mode (solenoid mode with both coils at the same polarity) or the flip mode (quadrupole focusing mode where both coils are at opposite polarity). This report describes the focusing solenoid magnet design that will be built by the vendor. The progress on the construction of the first of the focusing magnets will also be discussed in this report. Ultimately three of these magnets will be built. These magnets will be cooled using a pair 1.5 W (at 4.2 K) pulse tube coolers.