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At least 73 records · Page 4

A flexible linear diffusion acceleration to k-eigenvalue neutron transport with SN discontinuous finite element method

In this paper, we derive a flexible linear diffusion acceleration (LDA) for k-eigenvalue neutron transport discretized with discontinuous finite element method (DFEM) and discrete ordinates(SN). This LDA is based on our two pieces of previous works: the flexible non linear diffusion acceleration (NDA) for DFEM-SN and LDA for k-eigenvalue neutron transport using pre-conditioned Jacobian-free Newton-Krylov with self-adjoint angular flux (SAAF), continuous finite element method(CFEM), and SN. We point out the differences between LDA and NDA for DFEM-SN and the difference between DFEM-SN and SAAF-CFEM-SN for LDA. Numerical tests are presented to compare the convergence behaviour of NDA and LDA. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Time-Resolved Beam Position Measurements for the Scorpius Multipulse Linear Induction Accelerator

Beam position monitors (BPMs) provide time-resolved measurements of the current and centroid position of high-current electron beams in linear induction accelerators (LIAs). One of the types of detectors used in BPMs is the B-dot loop, which generates a signal from the EMF due to the time varying magnetic flux through the loop. If some of the boundaries of the loop are composed of thick metal walls with finite conductivity, the resulting signal must be corrected for the magnetic field diffusion into the metal. The theoretically predicted flux due to diffusion is in remarkable agreement with experimental measurements. Although accurate BPM measurements of beam current require correction of magnetic field diffusion, accurate measurement of beam position requires no correction. In this note, we present a theoretical derivation and the experimental validation of this result.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Resonant Emittance Mixing of Flat Beams in Plasma Accelerators

Linear colliders rely on high-quality flat beams to achieve the desired event rate while avoiding potentially deleterious beamstrahlung effects. Here, we show that flat beams in plasma accelerators can be subject to quality degradation due to emittance mixing. This effect occurs when the beam particles' betatron oscillations in a nonlinearly coupled wakefield become resonant in the horizontal and vertical planes. Emittance mixing can lead to a substantial decrease of the luminosity, the main quantity determining the event rate. In some cases, the use of laser drivers or flat particle beam drivers may decrease the fraction of resonant particles and, hence, mitigate emittance deterioration.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Megavolt bremsstrahlung measurements from linear induction accelerators demonstrate possible use as a FLASH radiotherapy source to reduce acute toxicity

Abstract Recent studies indicate better efficacy and healthy tissue sparing with high dose-rate FLASH radiotherapy (FLASH-RT) cancer treatment. This technique delivers a prompt high radiation dose rather than fractional doses over time. While some suggest thresholds of > 40 Gy s −1 with a maximal effect at > 100 Gy s −1 , accumulated evidence shows that instantaneous dose-rate and irradiation time are critical. Mechanisms are still debated, but toxicity is minimized while inducing apoptosis in malignant tissue. Delivery technologies to date show that a capability gap exists with clinic scale, broad area, deep penetrating, high dose rate systems. Based on these trends, if FLASH-RT is adopted, it may become a dominant approach except in the least technologically advanced countries. The linear induction accelerator (LIA) developed for high instantaneous and high average dose-rate, species independent charged particle acceleration, has yet to be considered for this application. We review the status of LIA technology, explore the physics of bremsstrahlung-converter-target interactions and our work on stabilizing the electron beam. While the gradient of the LIA is low, we present our preliminary work to improve the gradient by an order of magnitude, presenting a point design for a multibeam FLASH-RT system using a single accelerator for application to conformal FLASH-RT.

42 ENGINEERING↗

1972713

Energy-frontier particle accelerators are among the most exciting, complex, challenging, and expensive research instruments performing high precision measurements confirming the fundamentals of the physics and broadening new research horizons. Currently the highest energy machines (under design or commissioned), from multi-GeV to several TeV, (ILC, FCC, CLIC) capable of searching for the most basic building blocks of matter are either driven by circular or linear accelerators [1-6]. Here (see also [7,8]) we suggest a novel design of circular-linear accelerator based on the merging of the weakly emitting, low-energy storage rings and energy recovery linear accelerators. To enable the operation of such a system and in particular the energy recovery from spent, high-intensity beams the use of the dual-axis asymmetric cavities is suggested. Merging circular and linear systems, and applications of dual axes cavities, aims to resolve both scientific and societal challenges. The merge of the systems will allow: 1) maintain high beam quality, high luminosity, and high energy efficiency; 2) offer a ?flexible? energy management via ?separation? of the collider and storage rings operations; 3) attract private partners via use of the storage rings to drive the next generation of the photon factories. The concept presented can be potentially used to reach ultimate energy frontiers in high-energy physics as well as to drive next generation light sources. We note that the numbers which will be presented are for illustration purpose and can be improved further.

Konoplev, I.↗

Initial Steps Towards a Clinical FLASH Radiotherapy System: Pediatric Whole Brain Irradiation with 40 MeV Electrons at FLASH Dose Rates

In this work, we investigated the delivery of a clinically acceptable pediatric whole brain radiotherapy plan at FLASH dose rates using two lateral opposing 40-MeV electron beams produced by a practically realizable linear accelerator system. The EGSnrc Monte Carlo software modules, BEAMnrc and DOSXYZnrc, were used to generate whole brain radiotherapy plans for a pediatric patient using two lateral opposing 40-MeV electron beams. Electron beam phase space files were simulated using a model of a diverging beam with a diameter of 10 cm at 50 cm SAD (defined at brain midline). The electron beams were collimated using a 10-cm-thick block composed of 5 cm of aluminum oxide and 5 cm of tungsten. For comparison, a 6-MV photon plan was calculated with the Varian AAA algorithm. Electron beam parameters were based on a novel linear accelerator designed for the PHASER system and powered by a commercial 6-MW klystron. Calculations of the linear accelerator's performance indicated an average beam current of at least 6.25 µA, providing a dose rate of 115 Gy/s at isocenter, high enough for cognition-sparing FLASH effects. The electron plan was less homogenous with a homogeneity index of 0.133 compared to the photon plan's index of 0.087. Overall, the dosimetric characteristics of the 40-MeV electron plan were suitable for treatment. In conclusion, Monte Carlo simulations performed in this work indicate that two lateral opposing 40-MeV electron beams can be used for pediatric whole brain irradiation at FLASH dose rates of >115 Gy/s and serve as motivation for a practical clinical FLASH radiotherapy system, which can be implemented in the near future.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

Initial conditions for simulations of beam physics in linear induction accelerators

Flash radiography of hydrodynamic experiments driven by high explosives is a well-known diagnostic technique in use at many laboratories. At Los Alamos, the DualAxis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test (DARHT) facility two linear induction electron accelerators (LIAs) make the bremsstrahlung radiographic source spots for point projection radiographs from orthogonal views. A new LIA, called Scorpius, is presently under development to advance this technology. To better understand electron-beam physics in these LIAs, numerical simulations are frequently performed with the objective of improving the radiography. At Los Alamos we frequently use the TRAK ray-trace and LSP particle-in-cell (PIC) codes to simulate the injector, and the XTR and LAMDA envelope/centroid codes along with LSP to simulate transport of the accelerated beam through the LIAs. The LIA simulations need the injected beam parameters as initial conditions for calculating beam transport and stability. The determination of these initial conditions is the topic of this note.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Correct Initial Conditions for Simulations of Beam Physics in Linear Induction Accelerators

Flash radiography of hydrodynamic experiments driven by high explosives is a well-known diagnostic technique in use at many laboratories. At Los Alamos, the Dual Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test (DARHT) facility two linear induction electron accelerators (LIAs) make the bremsstrahlung radiographic source spots for point projection radiographs from orthogonal views. A new LIA, called Scorpius, is presently under development to advance this technology. To better understand electron-beam physics in these LIAs, numerical simulations are frequently performed with the objective of improving the radiography. At Los Alamos we frequently use the TRAK ray-trace and LSP particle-in-cell (PIC) codes to simulate the injector, and the XTR and LAMDA envelope/centroid codes along with LSP to simulate transport of the accelerated beam through the LIAs. The LIA simulations need the injected beam parameters as initial conditions for calculating beam transport and stability. The determination of these initial conditions is the topic of this note.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Cost-efficiency enhancement of X- and Ku-band split waveguides for industrial accelerators

Compact microwave electron linear accelerators must operate at high frequencies in order to maintain tight SWaP (size, weight, and power) requirements, set by modern applications. Currently, the frequencies are practically limited to X- and Ku-bands because of the availability of MW-class magnetrons, required to achieve beam energies of several MeV, and tight fabrication tolerances. The latter is associated with micron-level accuracy and further waveguide frequency tuning process, both increasing its costs dramatically. By implying a novel split structure fabrication approach, it is possible to relax these tolerances to the values of 10–20 μm and eliminate the tuning step, greatly reducing their total costs. Finally, this paper presents the results of microwave measurements of split X- and Ku-band accelerating structures of different types and discusses the benefits of our fabrication approach.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Technology development for modern SRF accelerators

Superconducting RF (SRF) linear accelerators are widely used for scientific application. Challenges, status, breakthroughs and progress in SRF technology for accelerator application are discussed.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Femtosecond multimodal imaging with a laser-driven X-ray source

Laser-plasma accelerators are compact linear accelerators based on the interaction of high-power lasers with plasma to form accelerating structures up to 1000 times smaller than standard radiofrequency cavities, and they come with an embedded X-ray source, namely betatron source, with unique properties: small source size and femtosecond pulse duration. A still unexplored possibility to exploit the betatron source comes from combining it with imaging methods able to encode multiple information like transmission and phase into a single-shot acquisition approach. In this work, we combine edge illumination-beam tracking (EI-BT) with a betatron X-ray source and present the demonstration of multimodal imaging (transmission, refraction, and scattering) with a compact light source down to the femtosecond timescale. The advantage of EI-BT is that it allows multimodal X-ray imaging technique, granting access to transmission, refraction and scattering signals from standard low-coherence laboratory X-ray sources in a single shot.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Upgrading Fermilab’s accelerator control system with ACORN

The Fermilab Accelerator Complex is the largest national user facility in the Office of High Energy Physics (DOE/HEP) program and the only national user facility operating at Fermilab. Fermilab serves as the host to the Long Baseline Neutrino Facility/Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (LBNF/DUNE), the laboratory’s flagship project for neutrino science that is under construction. LBNF/DUNE will be powered by megawatt beams from an upgraded accelerator, the Proton Improvement Plan II (PIP-II) that will replace the laboratory’s aging linear accelerator with a new one based on superconducting radio-frequency cavities. The Accelerator Controls Operations Research Network (ACORN) Project will support LBNF/DUNE and PIP-II by modernizing the accelerator control system. The project is at the conceptual design phase and looking to achieve Critical Decision 1 (CD-1) later this year. The scope and structure of the project will be presented, along with an overview of how that has changed in the past year. Current design and technology choices will be shared. Specific challenges facing the project will be addressed, along with current thinking on solutions.

Roehrig, Christian [Fermilab]↗

Experimental longitudinal emittance manipulation using laser-based photoionization in the Fermilab Linac

A series of simulations and beam studies were conducted at Fermilab’s linear accelerator to evaluate the effectiveness of longitudinal emittance control via laser-induced photoionization. While similar laser techniques have been employed at Fermilab to enhance injection and extraction efficiency into the Booster, the work presented here focuses on extending these methods to bunch-by-bunch manipulation. This approach utilizes fine-scale correction of the H- bunches’ longitudinal spatial distribution. In theory, loosely confined particles in longitudinal phase space contribute to emittance growth during acceleration. By selectively removing these outlying particles through laser scraping (H- + γ → H + e-), this growth can be reduced. This report presents experimental results from both symmetric and asymmetric longitudinal scraping of H⁻ bunches in the Fermilab linac, which were subsequently injected into Booster, and evaluates the broader applicability of this method for future high-intensity accelerator operations.

Landon, Parker [Boston U.; Fermilab]↗

Concept of circular-linear energy recovery accelerator to probe the energy frontier

Energy-frontier accelerators provide powerful tools performing high precision measurements confirming the fundamentals of the physics and broadening new research horizons. Such machines are either driven by circular or linear accelerators. The circular machines, having the centre-of-mass (CM) energy values reaching 200 GeV (for leptons) and above, experience beam energy loss and quality dilution, for example, due to synchrotron radiation, limiting the overall CM energy achievable and requiring a constant energy top-up to compensate the loss and the beam quality dilution. Linear colliders overcome these limitations, while the finite capabilities of generating high average current beams limits the luminosity. This is partially compensated by the quality of the colliding beams. In this work, we suggest a novel design of circular-linear accelerator based on the merging of the “non-emitting”, low-energy storage rings and energy recovery linear accelerators. We suggest using the recently considered dual-axis asymmetric cavities to enable the operation of such a system, and in particular the energy recovery from spent, high-intensity beams. The machine considered, under the scope of the SNOWMASS-2021 initiative, can be potentially used to reach ultimate energy frontiers in high-energy physics as well as to drive next generation light sources. The merging of circular and linear systems, and applications of dual axes cavities, should allow the maintaining of high beam quality, high luminosity, and high energy efficiency, while offering a flexible energy management and opening clear opportunity for reducing the running cost. We note that the numbers shown in the paper are for illustration purpose and can be improved further.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗