--- title: Minutes of the PS & SPS User Meeting --- # PS-SPS Users Meeting for Week 41 held on October 10th 2024 Coordinator for this week: E.Barbara Holzer :::danger SPS proton beam will stop on **Thursday 31th October in the morning**. The last users have one additional night of beam! ::: :::info * **Updated user schedule v3.4.0 on October 2nd** * Submission period for **beam requests for 2025** is closing October 21st. * Q&A session to be organised for next week. * **DRAFT Injector schedule for 2025** is available here: https://edms.cern.ch/document/3057281/latest * AD/ELENA is installing a new beam line for antiproton / H- test beam called TELMAX. Call for beam requests for the TELMAX beamline for 2024 and 2025 is expected to go out soon. ::: ## News from the PS & SPS Physics Coordinator E.B. Holzer, M.R. Jäkel * 2024 injector schedule released [EDMS 2872566](https://edms.cern.ch/document/2872566/2.0) 2024 approved LHC schedule [EDMS 2872429](https://edms.cern.ch/document/2872429/2.0) :::info **Proton Run 2024** * AD/ELENA Physics Stop Monday 02.12.2024 * SPS NA Physics Stop protons Thursday 31.10.2024 * PS EA Physics Stop protons Wednesday 27.11.2024 **Ion Run 2024** * SPS NA Physics Start 4.11.2024 Stop Pb ions Monday 2.12.2024 (6h) * NA : Week 45-47 high energy * NA : Week 48 low energy (no LHC running) * PS EA Physics Start 6.11.2024 (tbd) Stop Pb ions Monday 2.12.2024 (6h) * CHIMERA: 13.11-2.12 ::: Reminder: Beam time exceeding the limits of 2 weeks PS beam time and 1 week SPS beam time per year need the approval of one of these CERN committees: SPSC, LHCC, DRDC, INTC, RB or IEFC. Consider joining a DRD collaboration, if you require more beam time. **Target intensities:** See below or via [ASM](https://asm.cern.ch/experimental-area/experiments) (accessible from within the CERN network). ### News from the Facilities Operations Meeting (FOM) **Upcoming SPS MDs next weeks :** https://be-dep-ea.web.cern.ch/content/md-planning-north-area Dedicated SPS MDs - if not anounced differently - are taking place from 8:00 to 18:00 * Week 40: Wednesday dedicated SPS Pb commissioning (no MD, no beam to NA) * Week 41: * Wednesday dedicated SPS MD: Spill studies + octupole folding (extraction needed to primary targets only for half day) * Thursday dedicated SPS Pb commissioning * Week 42: Wednesday dedicated SPS Pb commissioning * Week 43: Wednesday dedicated SPS Pb commissioning * Week 44: Tuesday (!) and Wednesday dedicated SPS Pb commissioning * **Proton beam stops on Thursday (!) morning** ## PS Machine Report (A. Lasheen)  - Good availability of 95.2% (Thu-to-Thu) - Hardware issues - Main downtime due to RF cavities requiring beam stops for intervention in the ring (Saturday, Tuesday, Wednesday) on short notice (added constraints on spare systems due to ion commissioning). - Injection kicker for p+ chain fault following power glitch on Thu morning - Main activities - Continuation of work on double TOF - Sorting issues with extraction kicker - Beam size on target for both bunches to be checked - Incompatible with EAST cycle placed before the double TOF until YETS (extraction timing issue) - Continuation of the work on TOF steering and interlocking on brightness - Preparation of cycles for EAST ion run (flexible beam flux and energy). Work ongoing to make settings manageable by operations. ## SPS Machine Report (P. Arrutia) - Availability (Thu-Thu): FT 91%, LHC 96.8%, AWAKE 96.8% - Smooth week, no major faults **Main activities** - Yesterday: dedicated MDs - work on FT beams: spill quality and beam loss optimisation. - work on hysteresis compensation. - Today: dedicated ion commissioning -> no protons in parallel - **Point to discuss**: during LHC filling, is it worth providing protons to NA? - Next week (Monday/Tuesday): preparation for LHC MD block - Monday parallel MD moved to Wk 45 to free up space. - **Proposed plan, next week (to be confirmed)**: - Monday until 2pm: physics (AWAKE, FT) - Monday from 2pm into the night: LHC MD prep - Tuesday: - if everything OK during Monday prep -> physics only (AWAKE, FT) - else, final adjustments for LHC MD block. ## Safety (A. Schouten) - Lifting in East Area - General reminders PPE and ISIEC next week. ## n_ToF (M.Bacak, A.Manna, P.M.Milazzo) Smooth data taking on: - EAR1: 12C(n, lcp) measurement - + in parallel test of a telescope for the measurement of energy of recoil protons by means of the time-of-flight technique - EAR2: 40K(n, p), 40K(n, α) measurements - NEAR: study of neutron flux with a diamond detector  The proton recoil telescope. High intensity protons beam is scheduled up to the end of the 2024 campaign (to verify the possibility to have in 2025 this increased intensity as the standard one).  Protons received ## East Area Beam Status (L. Nevay) On call phone number: **67500** T09: Good operation. Installation of WCTE ongoing. No beam to T09 until Monday at least. To be confirmed after the safety clearance. T10: Good operation. T11: Good operation. ## East Area Users Tour de Table ### T8 Main: IRRAD/CHARM (F. Ravotti / S. Fiore) In week 40, POT above the reference intensity for T8 (2.4e16 p/w, see plot below). The TID generated by the CHARM target was lower than the baseline, due to thick samples in IRRAD (actual numbers being checked). The centering of the T8 beam, both on the horizontal and vertical plane was particularly good ~> 95-96% for both axis. It was not possible to have an ion MD on Wednesday night.  On Tuesday afternoon we used a couple of hours to perform a calibration of the beam instrumentaton (XSEC and BPMs) with the low intensity beam (EAST_LI with ~1E10 pps range) and we experiences issues with our user trigger signals in T8 when the double TOF was located next to the EAST_T8 in the CPS (see below where the sharp spill-to-spill variations of the red signal are an artefact due to incorrect triggers) - See also previos PS report from Alex.  Yesterday in IRRAD there were no significant activities: experiments are ongoing or cooling down waiting to be removed. All the long term experiments continue while the short one are done durign the week using the IRRAD1 shuttle system . In CHARM we exchanged users: SY-EPC out, ATLAS in, BE-CEM continuing. ### T9 Outgoing Main: STRAW TRACKER (Please Put Your Name Here) ### T9 Incoming Main: WCTE (Week 42) (M. Hartz, A. Konaka) The WCTE has begun its installation into the T9 beam area. Yesterday, floor shielding blocks were removed in order to connect the water system pipes to the lines in the underground gallery. The WCTE water tank was also lifted into the T9 beam area. Today, the populated detector structure will be lifted into the tank, the structure position will be surveyed and the lid to the tank will be installed. We aim to finish the installation of WCTE equipment by Monday, October 14 so that inspections and acceptance testing of the tank can begin. From initial beam, we will operate in the low momentum configuration.  ### T10 Outgoing Parallel: RE7 GAMMA MEV (M. Nicola Mazziotta) Smooth operation with high data taking efficiency. Many thanks to all beam people. ### T10 Outgoing Main: ALICE RICH (M. Nicola Mazziotta) Smooth operation with high data taking efficiency. Many thanks to all beam people. This is a plot of the T10 area temperature as a function of the time in the last two weeks (different color referes to different sensor position). The drops are due to the opening of the 157 gate.  ### T10 Main: ALICE MUON ID (Antonio Paz, Yael Vasquez) Yesterday, the platform installation was completed. We thank all the transport personnel for their help with this task. Tasks completed * Security check * Tests modules istallation * Patrol and software courses To be done * Aligment of triggers and modules * Scans and tests without absorber (muons and hadrons) * Measurements with absorber from tomorrow (muons and hadrons) * Absorber installation from tomorrow at 10 AM ### T10 Incoming Main: ALICE TIMING (Week 42) (M. Colocci) - Installation next Wed. Oct 16th and ISIEC form submitted ### T11 Main: CLOUD (Please Put Your Name Here) --- ## AWAKE (M. Bergamaschi) Week 40: | | M | T | W | Th | F | S | S | | ------------------------ | --- | ---- | ------ | -------- | --- | --- | --- | | SPS extractions to AWAKE | 546 | 1477 | PB com | Paral MD | 884 | 946 | 915 | | Hours of beam to AWAKE | 3.6 | 9.8 | PB com | Paral MD | 7.4 | 6.2 | 5.6 | | Hours requested | 5 | 11 | PB com | Paral MD | 9.5 | 8.5 | 8 | Detailed program: * Monday: Plasma and proton checks, access in the afternoon to modify some diagnostics at the same time of LHC MD at injection (would mean limited beam to AWAKE) * Tuesday: Acceleration studies at plasma density 1e14 1/cc * Wednesday: PB commissioning SPS, access calibration of PLD, * Thursday: long parallel SPS, access for spectrometer fix * Friday: Acceleration studies at plasma density 7e14 1/cc, PS issue in the morning causing extraction losses to AWAKE * Saturday: Acceleration studies at plasma density 7e14 1/cc, PS cavity issue requiring an access * Sunday: : Acceleration studies at plasma density 7e14 1/cc, SPS mains down + LHC fill + SPS cavity issue 1,5h no beam to AWAKE Program: Continue with physics program LHC MD preparation starting on Monday, maybe also on Tuesday. It will affect AWAKE. ## North Area Beam Status (L. Nevay) On call phone number: **67500** Target sharing, also in [ASM](https://asm.cern.ch/experimental-area/experiments) (accessible from within the CERN network) | T2 | T4 | T10 | T6 | Date | Week | | --- | --- | --- | --- | ------ | ---- | | 30 | 40 | 21 | 150 | 09.10. | 41 | H2: Good operation. Inspection of collimator XCSH.021.045 being organised. H4/H6/H8/P42/K12: Good operation. M2: Good operation. Beam to be checked today after the Pb commissioning. High intensity hadron test scheduled with RP for tomorrow at 10:00. H6/H8 returned to positive beams yesterday. ## North Area Users Tour de Table ### P42-K12: #### NA62 (A.Antonelli) smooth data taking after MD ### M2: #### Outgoing Main: MUONE (Carlo Ferrari) difficult run due to hardware and firmware issues. Compared to the 2023 run we added various modules on various tracking stations (also PS, different from 2S) and two scintillators. One of the modules did not turn on and we had noise problems (apparently connected to the CAEN power supply, to be investigated) The firmware is all new, to create an event building that contains the various detectors (various tracking stations, scintillators, calorimeter). In the future it will be easy to add the BMS stations. To overcome the instability problems of the ethernet connection for data transfer (a problem still present), a Serenity board with two FPGAs was installed. The structure with two FPGAs allows to avoid the re-configuration of the tracking modules and provides the computing resources for the on-line selection of events to be saved (identification of elastic events). A first version of trigger for the on-line selection has been tested. Unfortunately it was not possible to complete the synchronization of the calorimeter. From the data analysis carried out in these days, it has been verified that the delay of the data provided by the FC7 of the calorimeter is over 2 us. This big delay was not expected by the DAQ staff who were not ready and could not solve the problem in time. In conclusion we can say that we are almost ready for the long physics run of 2025. #### Main: AMBER (Josef Novy) Installation of detectors is progressing well. The CEDARS are already in place, and we're currently working on installing the SciFis. Preparations for the LMM prototype are also underway. This afternoon, we have a safety visit, and we are planning the first beam test for this evening. Tomorrow, we'll proceed with a high-intensity test. Over the weekend, we will commission the spectrometer, followed by data-taking with the 190 GeV beam. ### H2: #### Outgoing Main: LHCB ECAL (L. Martinazzoli) Intense but successful data taking period. Tested several prototypes of Shashlik and SpaCal for the upgrade II of the LHCb ECAL, studying the spatial variation of the response as well as their timing properties. Excellent beam conditions through the whole time, and constructive collaboration with the H4 users for wobbling parameters. Thanks a lot to the beam experts for the support over these past 2 weeks! #### Main: FASER PRESHOWER (Please Put Your Name Here) #### Incoming Main: NA61 SHINE (Week 42) (Piotr Podlaski) * two weeks of hadrons and 4 weeks of ions ahead of us * rough plan for hadrons: * calibrate our hadron calorimeter (80GeV/c) * $\pi^\pm$+C @ 158 GeV/c data taking: we will need both polarities! * needded infrastructure (hadrons): * CEDAR-N * 2 additional DWCs * Next: wait for Pb and take open charm data and data with fragmented Pb (last week) ### H4: #### Main: SND (Gerardo Vasquez) **SETUP 1** Successfull first week of Data taking with Setup 1, ECAL shashlik, with low energies [50-150] e-. Thanks Bastien! **SETUP 2** **SND@LHC ECAL type**: Understanding of shower profile, tagging and energy reconstruction with different X_0 Yesterday, installation of new setup with current ECAL of SND at Ti18. Safety visit at 4pm.  Same Beam counters on the line, TOF detector on DESY Table, and SciFi ECAL on concrete blocks. Need to change of targets on Friday 2pm and Monday 2pm. If we change on Friday we need time with high energy electrons before we change the wobbling. We might need to ask to keep our high energy electron until Saturday morning. :::info Plan: - High energy electrons from Thursday afternoon AND Friday [100-350] GeV.* - Hadrons over Weekend (After high e- run) - Monday run with low energy electrons and hadrons. ::: Thanks to Nikos/Bastian for preparing our beam files. #### Incoming Main: CMS ECAL (Week 42) (Chiara Amendola) * 5x5 channels readout unit, equipped with very-front-end to back-end electronics  * will use electrons 40 to 250 GeV, and pions with high rate, preferably below 200 GeV * w.r.t. the initial plan, the program is lighter - we communicated we can be over with our slot already on 25th of october * installation over the past week, got safety clearance on Tu 8th of October ### H6: #### Outgoing Main: DRD6 RADiCAL (James Wetzel, Alexi Mestvirishvili) The Run was very successful, thanks to the strong support of the SPS team and H6 beam coordination. A total sample of 17M Triggers were recorded with a negative (electron) beam. The RADiCAL module was composed of alternating layers pf W Tungsten absorber and LYSO:Ce scintillation tiles, read out with WLS capillaries containing WLS filaments (either DSB1 and J2 or LuAG:Ce and J2), with the filaments positioned in the region of EM shower max. The RADiCAL module had four locations for the DSB1 or LuAG:Ce filaments) and a central location that was instrumented with J2 filament. The DSB1 is noted for its fast decay time, wheres the LuAG:Ce is noted for its radiation resistance. J2, with intermediate decay time characteristics, was used in the central position, which required the use of narrower diameter WLS filament, which we had available in J2. The photosensors were SiPM, read out with differential high gain amplification (for timing measurement) and low gain amplification (for position measurement). The beam test incorporated a wide range of tests of custom front end electronics cards, combined with CAEN waveform digitization. Of this sample, roughly half will be fully analyized for phyics characteristics: for timing resolution and shower position resolution measurements. The primary wavelength shifters were DSB1 and J2. With these filaments at EM shower max the following data sets were recorded for further analysis: At beam energies of 75, 100 and 125 GeV, 1.53M triggers at each energy. At a beam energy of 50 GeV, 1.59M triggers. At a beam energy of 25 GeV, 1.08M triggers. At a beam energy of 10 GeV, 510K triggers. At a beam energy of 5 GeV, 120K triggers. Once these primary data sets were collected, the waveshifters were then switched from DSB1/J2 to LuAG:Ce/J2. As of the time of this writing, approximately 1.5M triggers at 125 GeV beam energy have been collected for data analysis using the LuAG:Ce/J2 combination. These data will be analyzed comparatively with the primary DSB1/J2 combination. #### Main: ATLAS AFP TOF (Tomas Komarek) - Using no beam today to continue setting up - Some issues with small movement table to be resolved (mainly the control PC) - [Andre commenting] power supply replaced, horizontal stage replaced, network connection to be fixed after the next meeting has finished... - Setup safety check scheduled for 16:00 #### Parallel: ATLAS HGTD (Stefano Manzoni) -Setup done in half a day and safety passed on Wednesday afternoon -The data taking plan of this week is to test two hybrids composed by irradiated LGADS and not irradiated ALTIROCA (which is the preproduction ASIC for HGTD) -Expecting short accesses every 2/3 days #### Incoming Main: ATLAS ITK PIXEL (Week 42) (Andre Rummler) We are currently planning three batches of irradiated samples at different angles. Batches will be mixed between single and quad chips, hence the secondary cooling system will be installed from the beginning on. Two new modules have arrived from irradiation at KIT, were RP received and transported until next week. The usual beam conditions (rate limitation Mimosa26 based telescopes) are needed, potentially wider beam to accomodate AFP in H6B. ISIEC has been submitted and safety visit requested for 1700 on Wednesday. #### Incoming Parallel: AIDAINNOVA WP6 (Week 42) (Please Put Your Name Here) ### H8: #### Outgoing Main: BI XBPF (Mark Kirschbaum, Mark McLean) The data-taking period was highly successful and productive. We primarily utilized the beam during the day and handed it over to ATLAS during the evenings, nights, and mornings. The availability of the “high-intensity” beam was particularly beneficial, enabling us to complete all planned measurements within the allocated time. A substantial amount of data was collected to evaluate the efficiency and performance of potential XSCI Wavelength-Shifting replacement prototypes. Preliminary results for the efficiency are highly encouraging. The XBPF data acquisition process was carried out smoothly, with all necessary data successfully recorded. Detailed analysis of this data will follow after the run. Demonstrated first acquisition of PMT signals with the prototype "Experimental Areas VME Platform", the electronics which will replace the existing BI readout boards during LS3. Was able to put the signals from two scintillator paddles into coincidence, and acquire synchronously with the beam timing. Thanks to Maarten and ATLAS TILECAL for the good collaboration. #### Outgoing Parallel: ATLAS TILECAL (Giulio Usai, Tigran Mkrtchyan) Apologies for Missing the meeting. Here is a short note. This (short) week of parallel use on H8 with BI XBPF run very smoothly and successfully. Thanks Mark Kirschbaum for the good collaboration and patience. We mostly use the evening and night for data taking with reduced shift capacity and continue test and integration activities during the day while Mark was scanning his setup. The special woobling settings (-300 GeV ) was very appealing to extend our physics program further to HE. We recorded electrons and hadrons at 200/ and ~300 GeV/c and muons at 300 GeV/c. Thanks a lot to Maarteen for preparing the files on a short notice. The electron purity at 288 GeV seems great, not to much at 200, but we should be able to select electrons offline, We plan to be back in 2025 for a single campaign of maybe 2W. Perhaps will be great to have a parasitic/parallel time ahead of that with a user upstream like during this week. Thanks again to ALL personnel of the SPS and NA for their help, professionality and kindness that make always the TB experience worth and enriching, particularly for young collaborators. Here one online monitoring plot, showing the responce at 288 GeV with a clear electron peak.  #### Main: ATS XCET (M. van Dijk, J. Buesa Orgaz) First night of operation went very smoothly! Static pressure test successfully completed, loss of 130mbar of helium at 15 bar, over 2h45m. Not perfect, but very acceptable for duration of this test!  A first scan of the presure in the prototype XCET shows that we have to do some work still on the settings of the electronics, will investigate over the day and implement early evening. Many thanks to the EA team for the excellent work on the installation, and to the BI colleages (Inaki, Wilfried) for the help with setting everything up! #### Parallel STI and Incoming Parallel UA9 (Week 42): (Francesca Galluccio) 2 goniometers were mounted yesterday; the second one is on for the first time. The tracker is being reassembled right now. With no interruptions we should be ready for the safety check at 15:30. #### Incoming Main: LHCB (Week 42) (L. Martinazzoli) Week 42: dedicated to simple tests of the set-up and ancillary equipments. The local VELO team will take care of it. No stringent requests on the beam. Installation will probably take place later than Wednesday Week 43: core of the program. Planning to use the telescope to test several devices. High-intensity runs possibly needed (already discussed with parallels and beam expert). #### Incoming Parallel: LHCB (Week 42) (Please Put Your Name Here) ## Parasitic Users #### H6: ATLAS MALTA (Please Put Your Name Here) #### H8: STRAW TRACKER RD (Please Put Your Name Here) #### H8: Incoming SELDOM (Week 42) (S. Cesare) Planning to install one or two layers of a new module based on VELO technologies (FE + readout) that will be installed in a Roman Pot in LHC IR3 next year. Mechanical support based on the upper part of ALFA Roman Pot, without being in vacuum, but with the use of Vacuum-Feedthrough board and Opto and Power Board as in the final setup. Total weight around 25 kg, to be mounted on top of the orange table already present in PP168. Goals: test the full readout chain and mechanical structure in operational condition. No specific requirements on beam rate and dimensions. #### H6: Incoming ATLAS AFP TOF (Week 42) (Please Put Your Name Here) ## TELMAX Zone, AD hall: #### Incoming PAX (Week 42) (Nancy Hupin) ISIEC scheduled for 18th October 9am. Will run until end of beam time in Elena this year. ISD document is planned with EP safety for operation after the initial 3 weeks. --- ## AoB _Minutes by the respective speakers, edited by E. B. Holzer, M. Jäkel, T. Shulha, and M. Schwinzerl_