The performance of the Los Alamos Proton Storage Ring

Conference · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6796590

Lawrence, G P

The Proton Storage Ring (PSR) now in operation at Los Alamos is a high-current accumulator that generates intense 800-MeV proton pulses for driving the Los Alamos Neutron Scattering Center (LANSCE) spallation source. The ring compresses up to 1000-..mu..s-long macropulses from the LAMPF linac into 250-ns bunches and ejects them to a neutron-production target, providing an output optimized for thermal-neutron-scattering research. The design pulse rate and peak pulse intensity of PSR are 12 Hz and 5.2 . 10/sup 13/ protons per pulse (ppp), yielding 100 ..mu..A average current when full performance is reached. This paper summarizes commissioning results and operational experience in the two years since first beam. The PSR has operated in production at average currents up to 30 ..mu..A and has reached a peak intensity of 3.4 . 10/sup 13/ ppp. These achievements represents 30% and 65% of the design objectives. Higher current production has been inhibited by beam losses during accumulation and extraction. Therefore, experiments to understand loss mechanisms have occupied a large fraction of the commissioning effort. Correction of an extraction-channel aperture restriction identified late in 1986 should dramatically reduce extraction losses, which will permit higher current production in 1987. Beam tests in the 10/sup 13/-ppp range have indicated the presence of a collective instability tentatively identified as transverse. However, by suitable parameter adjustments, the instability threshold can be pushed above the top charge-level attainable with the existing H /sup -/ source.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 6796590
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-87-873; CONF-870302-34; ON: DE87007491
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
430400* -- Particle Accelerators-- Storage Rings
BEAM BUNCHING
BEAM DYNAMICS
BEAM EXTRACTION
BEAM INJECTION
BEAM MONITORING
BEAMS
BETATRON OSCILLATIONS
INSTABILITY
LIFETIME
MONITORING
NUCLEON BEAMS
OPERATION
OSCILLATIONS
PARTICLE BEAMS
PARTICLE LOSSES
PERFORMANCE
PROTON BEAMS
STORAGE RINGS