Commissioning the GTA accelerator
The Ground Test Accelerator (GTA) is supported by the Strategic Defense command as part of their Neutral Particle Beam (NPB) program. Neutral particles have the advantage that in space they are unaffected by the earth's magnetic field and travel in straight lines unless they enter the earth's atmosphere and become charged by stripping. Heavy particles are difficult to stop and can probe the interior of space vehicles; hence, NPB can function as a discriminator between warheads and decoys. We are using GTA to resolve the physics and engineering issues related to accelerating, focusing, and steering a high-brightness, high-current H{sup -} beam and then neutralizing it. Our immediate goal is to produce a 24-MeV, 50mA device with a 2% duty factor.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOD; Department of Defense, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 7161701
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-92-2716; CONF-9208109-21; ON: DE92040234
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 16. international LINAC conference, Ottawa (Canada), 23-28 Aug 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Final safety analysis report for the Ground Test Accelerator (GTA), Phase 2
Final safety analysis report for the Ground Test Accelerator (GTA), Phase 2
Related Subjects
43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
DIRECTED-ENERGY WEAPONS
LINEAR ACCELERATORS
BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE
CONTROL SYSTEMS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
HYDROGEN 1 MINUS BEAMS
PARTICLE BEAMS
POWER SYSTEMS
TESTING
ACCELERATORS
BEAMS
ION BEAMS
NATIONAL DEFENSE
WEAPONS
450500* - Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense- Strategic Defense Initiative- (1990-)
430100 - Particle Accelerators- Design
Development
& Operation