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At least 127 records · Page 7

Equilibrium core modeling of a pebble bed reactor similar to the Xe-100 with SCALE

As the nuclear industry moves towards licensing and constructing advanced reactors, new attention has been focused on the advanced reactor designs that have past operational experience, such as pebble-bed high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (PB-HTGRs). Pebble-bed reactor designs have many advantages, such as their higher operating temperatures and online refueling capabilities. However, high-fidelity computational modeling of pebble-bed reactor designs, from reactor startup to operation at equilibrium, is more challenging compared to conventionally fueled reactors due to the continuous movement of the fuel pebbles through the reactor during operation. In previous work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the SCALE Leap-In method for Cores at Equilibrium (SLICE) was developed around tools within the SCALE code system. This iterative method can effectively generate pebble-bed reactor zone-wise fuel inventories at equilibrium core operation within a reasonable computational time. The objective of this work was to further verify the ORNL SLICE method and to investigate the impact of considering temperature profiles during the application of the method. The SLICE method was applied to a modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor design based upon publicly available design specifications of the Xe-100 pebble-bed reactor. Upon comparing the results from the SLICE method to published literature, the differences in the eigenvalue k effective were on the order of several hundred pcm (percent millirho). To investigate one possible cause of these differences, a study looking at the sensitivity of the full-core equilibrium k effective and discharge nuclide inventory to temperature was performed by developing equilibrium cores of two additional temperature profiles. From this temperature study, differences on the order of hundreds of pcm for the full-core equilibrium k effective , and up to 15% difference for the discharge inventories were found. In conclusion, these results indicated the strong dependence on temperature that needs to be considered for future work in equilibrium modeling of PB-HTGRs.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Operation of helium sub-atmospheric multistage cryogenic centrifugal compressor trains: Part 2 – Transient modeling and pump-down path selection

Low-pressure conditions required for operation of helium cryogenic systems below the normal boiling point (i.e. 4.2 K) are established through a transient process, commonly referred to as ‘pump-down’. This process is defined as the transition from pressures above atmospheric conditions to the saturation pressure which corresponds to a specified operational temperature. The FRIB 2 K system consists of five cryogenic centrifugal compressors which are operated in series. Historically, the pump-down process path has been established through empirical methods and system operator experience. Investigation into the pump-down process at FRIB aimed to develop a pump-down methodology which relies on theoretical model predictions rather than empirically developed process paths. Ensuring stable operation during the pump-down process involved application of a centrifugal compressor performance prediction model, which is described in Part 1 of this paper. Compressor performance maps can be directly used to evaluate the stability of a selected pump-down path and anticipate the overall reliability of the selected path. In conjunction with the compressor performance maps, a system pressure model was developed to estimate the transient pressure response during the pump-down process. Lastly, an explicit equation was developed to establish a mass flow rate profile for the pump-down process. Implementation of the presented methodology (including the developed models) allows for the system operator to determine a continuous pump-down path which maintains compressor stability while conforming to overall system capabilities. Altogether, the methodology presented has resulted in simplification of transient pump-down operations and increased the reliability, stability and efficiency of the pump-down process.

Compressor train control↗

Design and Commissioning of a Deuterium-Tritium Gas Delivery System for Muon Catalyzed Fusion in a Diamond Anvil Cell

We report the design, commissioning, and operation of deuterium-deuterium (DD) and deuterium-tritium (DT) gas delivery systems developed to load a diamond anvil cell (DAC) beam target for muon-catalyzed fusion (muCF). The DAC approach enables DT fuel to be compressed to GPa pressures at more than twice the liquid density and heated from cryogenic temperatures through 500 K, opening access to a substantially expanded parameter range for muCF kinetics and yield measurements. In this approach, DT is cryo-condensed to a liquid in a minichamber and then compressed in the DAC using a helium-driven pneumatic membrane, achieving high pressures in a millimeter-scale DT sample volume. A DD gas delivery system was designed and used to validate the experimental apparatus, measure the gas quantities needed for filling, develop operational experience, and collect kinetics and yield data with DD targets. The DT gas delivery system adds tritium-specific capabilities for inventory minimization, secondary containment, and activity monitoring. The DT system integrates depleted uranium storage beds and a liquid helium cryogenic condenser used for pressure building and cryopumping. High-purity delivery is provided by a rapid-response palladium permeator. The system is housed in a helium-atmosphere glovebox held at negative pressure with continuous cleanup. We present the process and instrumentation design, a failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), and data from the experiment's in situ Raman spectrometer, which provides direct confirmation of target loading and composition through the optically clear diamond anvils. The 2024 and 2025 DT campaigns achieved repeatable target fills and operation with no measurable tritium releases to the stack, demonstrating safe, high-purity DT loading at novel density-temperature conditions for muCF studies.

Koukina, Elena [Acceleron Fusion]↗

Monitoring Methods for Early Detection of Inadvertent Fission Product Release at the Advanced Test Reactor

Isotope effluent data obtained during three instances of experiment failures at the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) are analyzed to provide an overview of the methods used to detect initial signs of unintended fission product release. The data is contextualized with the operational experience, including means of identification and subsequent mitigation strategies, gained during these events. General trends as well as variations in isotopic behavior between the three failures are explored. Background on the Real Time Monitor, a High Purity Germanium detector, and other fission product monitoring systems utilized at the Advanced Test Reactor is also provided. The presented analysis was used to establish administrative action levels which are currently utilized by ATR for early detection of experiment fission product release. Early identification provides time to make programmatic decisions before approaching safety and environmental limits.

21 - SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLAN↗

Phase II Development of the Surveillance Test Articles to Improve the Design, Fabrication, and Testing

Advanced reactors, such as the molten salt reactor (MSR), require materials that will withstand harsher environments than the materials used for lower temperature water reactors. Materials used in MSR construction need not only withstand elevated temperature, temperature cycling, and neutron radiation, but must be able to withstand the corrosive molten salt environment. Significant materials research has been driven by the materials needs of the MSR due to the harsh environment and the material data requirements to support licensing. Limited operation experience with MSRs has made this challenging work. Information is very limited on materials degradation due to irradiation, molten salt corrosion, elevated temperature, and the resulting fatigue, creep, and creep-fatigue loading during operation. While efforts are underway to better understand the effects of this harsh environment on construction materials, the Advanced Reactors Technologies (ART) Program has been working to develop materials surveillance test articles that could be used in a materials surveillance program and allow for the collection of information on the materials degradation during plant operation and could support timely licensing of these advanced reactors.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

3D high-fidelity automated neutronics guided optimization of fusion blanket designs

The compact Fusion Pilot Plant (FPP) is defined in the recent National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report as the next step of fusion energy demonstration with a $50$ MWe peak net electricity production, $Q_e$ greater than $1$, and at least $3$ hours of continuous operation. This fusion pilot plant will be a test bed enabling materials, designs, and fuel management assessment, and it will represent an engineering challenge because of its high-fusion power and compact design targets. Previous reactor data is limited to experiments operating in different design space ranges. Therefore, design iterations and assessments should rely on high-fidelity first-principle theoretical and computational models. The high-fidelity integrated modeling of the plasma is a fundamental part of fusion energy research. However, the whole device modeling is often neglected, utilizing low-fidelity, system-level analysis. Recently, the need for high-fidelity multi-physics modeling was recognized, resulting in a selection of integrated tools. Further, autonomous design optimization requires a streamlined framework that perturbs the design point, reruns the analysis, and examines the outputs. However, high-fidelity analysis requires complex geometry specification that is difficult to perturb. This work presents the parametric CAD generation tool TRACER and a new neutronic workflow. TRACER allows the perturbation of the geometry representation, creating geometry files ready for further analysis. The streamlined neutronic workflow allows efficient and accurate calculations. The two new tools coupled together were used to perform a 3D high-fidelity multi-objective, multi-input optimization of an "ARC Class" compact tokamak design. The workflow was driven by an optimization driver for full automation.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Assessment of Nuclear Sensors and Instrumentation Maturity in Advanced Nuclear Reactors

In the last decade, 97% of the worldwide commercial nuclear reactors connected to the grid were Light Water Reactors (LWRs). LWRs are expected to stay the dominant type of nuclear reactors for the next few decades. Reliable and redundant safety systems are required in nuclear reactors to ensure safe operation and shutdown in abnormal conditions. These safety systems are actuated by the signals obtained from several sensors and instrumentation in and out of the reactor core. Research and Development (R&D) in advanced sensors and instrumentation has gained extra attention, particularly following the accident at the Three Mile Island Unit-2 (TMI-2). In LWRs, these sensors and instrumentation have shown a high level of maturity with long operating experience. Ensuring the compatibility of these sensors and instrumentation with advanced nuclear reactors (Generation IV) is necessary, particularly with the expected expansion of the nuclear industry in the next few decades. Nuclear Sensor and instrumentation technologies used in the current generation of LWRs were investigated. The compatibility of these technologies with advanced reactors was assessed by comparing the advanced reactors' environments with those of the currently operating reactors. In addition to that, the needed R&D for such technologies was highlighted. In comparison with the LWRs environment, it was shown that advanced reactor environments are expected to experience elevated temperatures, a fast neutron spectrum, and a harsh corrosion environment. It was demonstrated that R&D is required mainly for fixed in-core nuclear sensors and instrumentation, while it is not a priority for ex-core nuclear sensors and instrumentation.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Characterization of Silicon Photomultiplier Photon Detection Efficiency at Liquid Nitrogen Temperature

The detection of individual photons at cryogenic temperatures is of interest to many experiments searching for physics beyond the Standard Model. Silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) are often deployed in liquid argon or liquid xenon to detect scintillation light either directly or after it has been wavelength-shifted. Maximizing the photon detection efficiency (PDE) of the SiPMs used in these experiments optimizes the sensitivity to new physics; however, the PDEs of commercial SiPMs, although well known at room temperature, are not well characterized at the cryogenic temperatures at which many experiments operate them. Here we present results from an experimental setup that measures the photon detection efficiencies of silicon photomultipliers at liquid nitrogen temperature, 77 K. Results from a KETEK PM3325-WB-D0 and a Hamamatsu S13360-3050CS silicon photomultiplier — of R&D interest to the LEGEND experiment — exhibit a decrease in photon detection efficiency greater than 20% at liquid nitrogen temperature relative to room temperature for 562 nm light.

Cryogenic detectors↗

MiniDAQ-3: Providing concurrent independent subdetector data-taking on CMS production DAQ resources

The data acquisition (DAQ) of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at CERN, collects data for events accepted by the Level-1 Trigger from the different detector systems and assembles them in an event builder prior to making them available for further selection in the High Level Trigger, and finally storing the selected events for offline analysis. In addition to the central DAQ providing global acquisition functionality, several separate, so-called “MiniDAQ” setups allow operating independent data acquisition runs using an arbitrary subset of the CMS subdetectors. During Run 2 of the LHC, MiniDAQ setups were running their event builder and High Level Trigger applications on dedicated resources, separate from those used for the central DAQ. This cleanly separated MiniDAQ setups from the central DAQ system, but also meant limited throughput and a fixed number of possible MiniDAQ setups. In Run 3, MiniDAQ-3 setups share production resources with the new central DAQ system, allowing each setup to operate at the maximum Level-1 rate thanks to the reuse of the resources and network bandwidth. Configuration management tools had to be significantly extended to support the synchronization of the DAQ configurations needed for the various setups. We report on the new configuration management features and on the first year of operational experience with the new MiniDAQ-3 system.

Amoiridis, Vassileios↗

Sensitive Resources Assessment and Forest Analysis for the Proposed Versatile Test Reactor, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is a leading institution in advanced materials, supercomputing, neutrons, and nuclear science. As a research laboratory managed by UT-Battelle, LLC for DOE, ORNL has national priorities in energy, security, and scientific discovery that necessitate facility improvements and expansions. DOE is also committed to environmental stewardship. The laboratory is located on the ~32,000-acre (~13,000-ha) Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR), much of which is categorized as a National Environmental Research Park (NERP) and a state Wildlife Management Area. DOE works with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), US Department of Agriculture, and other agencies to serve as an effective steward of the ORR. Accordingly, project managers must conform to environmental regulations, agreements, and policies at the federal, state, and institutional levels. Per 40 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) 1508.14, potential effects on research and science education also represent potential effects of federal actions on the NERP, and impacts on, e.g., deer harvest, must be considered on the Oak Ridge Wildlife Management Area when other aspects of the human environment are affected. The United States currently has no fast neutron testing capability to support advanced nuclear research and development. The proposed Versatile Test Reactor (VTR) will take advantage of current investments by the US government and private industry in nuclear reactors to expedite the design and construction process, using proven technology to create a world-class scientific infrastructure. The VTR will take advantage of fast neutrons provided by this proven technology, along with a capability to rapidly insert, conduct, and remove state-of-the-art experiments. An advantage of the VTR is that it can support future innovations in experimental capabilities without modifying the facility. The VTR will support progress in a variety of science and technology areas, including testing and qualification of advanced reactor fuels; testing and qualification of innovative structural materials; testing of innovative components and instruments; validation of advanced modeling and simulation tools; and versatility for future technical missions. Through proven technology, the VTR can take advantage of existing reactor designs and operating experience to reduce the risk, cost, and time for design and construction. The top available resources of DOE laboratories, industry, and universities will be used to expedite reactor design and construction toward developing the scientific infrastructure that affords a strong testing capability that can be sustained over many years. This report summarizes current knowledge of natural and cultural resources primarily within the VTR construction area. At the time of this report, the proposed VTR site design includes a construction area of ~150.4 acres (~69.9 ha), which contains an ~51.3-acre (~20.8-ha) operations area, located within forested natural areas of the ORR. The primary goal of the work presented here was to evaluate potential effects on sensitive resources that might result from development and construction activities associated with VTR. In addition to on-the-ground surveys during spring and summer 2020 by the ORNL Natural Resources Management Program and Aquatic Ecology Group staff, this report makes use of historical (pre-1995) and contemporary (1995 to present) data from additional confirmed sources (e.g., TDEC). Likewise, forest conditions were compiled from a 2011 forest inventory and supplemented with limited ground observations in 2020. The individuals who obtained and compiled the data presented here are familiar with and routinely assess sensitive resources on the ORR. Anyone who references this report must consider that the timing of surveys did not permit a complete delineation of the resources that will be affected. If the VTR project proceeds, additional surveys will be required to account for the seasonal patterns of various threatened and endangered species. Data deficiencies and potential resources that likely went undetected are indicated where possible. Accordingly, this report should facilitate more environmentally sound decisions during planning and 2 development of the VTR site, provide a foundation for further assessment of sensitive and cultural resources, and help project managers better address regulatory guidance and DOE policies on sustainable development in compliance with, for example, the US Endangered Species Act (ESA), Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), Tennessee Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act of 1985, Tennessee Nongame and Endangered or Threatened Wildlife Species Conservation Act of 1974, several federal and state regulations regarding aquatic resource protection, and site-specific policies as outlined in various ORR management plans developed by ORNL and TWRA for DOE.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

805 Stepped Plan Project Description

The 805 MHz system utilizes 1.25 MW class klystron amplifiers. The Solid-State Amplifier (SSA) technology has been utilized in the SC accelerator technology, but more powerful sources are needed for use in the NC accelerator facilities such as LASNCE. The SSA topologies that are widely used need to be scaled and tested for reliability and operation in a high impact accelerator facility, such as the 805 MHz SCCL in Los Alamos. Operational experience with high power SSA needs to be assessed prior to installation of an SSA unit at LANSCE. The RFE group at LANSCE is looking for collaboration in the development of the Solid-State Amplifier.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Design and Prototyping of Advanced Control Systems for Advanced Reactors Operating in the Future Electric Grid (Final Report)

Despite its significant advantages as a baseload, low-carbon energy source, the U.S. nuclear power industry has faced increasing difficulties in maintaining economic competitiveness in a rapidly evolving energy market. The economic conditions faced by the current fleet of nuclear power plants (NPPs) in the U.S. deregulated electricity market require a concerted effort to mitigate specific cost factors. Many units are struggling to stay competitive, and some premature shutdowns have occurred. Besides, in response to the large penetration of renewable energy sources, the role of nuclear power plants as pure baseload units needs to be reconsidered. Based on these experiences, operational flexibility is considered a fundamental requirement for the next generation of nuclear reactors to be competitive in the future energy market. The deployment of advanced reactors capable of operating within a new power grid paradigm, known as the Integrated Energy System (IES) was investigated. This approach combines new reactor designs with Thermal Energy Storage (TES) technologies, allowing the nuclear reactor to maintain a steady power output without the need for constant adjustments in response to load demand fluctuations. With this configuration, the reactor operates as a baseload unit, experiencing only very gradual power transients, while the energy storage facility within the power conversion cycle acts as a peaking unit.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Experience With Machine Protection Systems At PIP2IT

The PIP-II Injector Test 1 PIP2IT facility accelerator was assembled in multiple stages in 2014 $-$ 2021 to test concepts and components of the future PIPII linac that is being constructed at Fermilab. In its final configuration, PIP2IT accelerated a 0.55 ms x 20 Hz x 2 mA H$-$ beam to 16 MeV. To protect elements of the beam line, a Machine Protection System MPS was implemented and commissioned. The beam was interrupted faster than 10$\mu$s when excessive beam loss was detected. The paper describes the MPS architecture, methods of the loss detection, procedure of the beam interruption, and operational experience at PIP2IT.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Research to Develop Flood Barrier Testing Strategies for Nuclear Power Plants

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has developed regulations regarding the siting and design of nuclear power plants (NPPs) that are aimed at addressing various natural hazards, including flooding. Flood barriers are designed to prevent water from entering NPP areas containing structures, systems, and components (SSCs) important to safety. The barriers are used at NPPs along with drains, sumps, pumps, valves, plugs, and site grading as part of the plant flood protection features that protect SSCs from experiencing external or internal flooding and mitigate the effects of flooding on NPP operations. The performance of flood protection features, including flood barriers at NPPs, has been an ongoing concern. Domestic and international operational experience provides clear indications that flood barrier performance has significant safety implications, especially for aging NPPs. The observed deficiencies show that flood barriers should be designed and installed properly, then adequately tested, inspected, and maintained in order to ensure that they perform their intended functions during flooding events. Here, this paper reviews available information related to flood barriers employed at U.S. NPPs and provides an overview and categorization of NPP flood barriers. It identifies potential domestic and international flood barrier testing facilities, including operating and decommissioned U.S. NPPs. Finally, this paper presents the technical and logistical considerations that should be made when developing specific testing strategies and protocols for flood barriers, such as the selection of flood barriers, test locations, testing approach, performance criteria, and testing parameters.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Cosmic Ray Background Rejection with Wire-Cell LArTPC Event Reconstruction in the MicroBooNE Detector

For a large liquid-argon time-projection chamber (LArTPC) operating on or near the Earth’s surface to detect neutrino interactions, the rejection of cosmogenic background is a critical and challenging task because of the large cosmic-ray flux and the long drift time of the time-projection chamber. We introduce a superior cosmic background rejection procedure based on the Wire-Cell three-dimensional (3D) event reconstruction for LArTPCs. From an initial 1:20 000 neutrino to cosmic-ray background ratio, we demonstrate these tools on data from the MicroBooNE experiment and create a high-performance generic neutrino event selection with a cosmic contamination of 14.9% (9.7%) for a visible energy region greater than O(200) MeV. The neutrino interaction selection efficiency is 80.4% and 87.6% for inclusive ν μ charged-current and ν e charged-current interactions, respectively. Here, this significantly improved performance compared with existing reconstruction algorithms marks a major milestone toward reaching the scientific goals of LArTPC neutrino oscillation experiments operating near the Earth’s surface.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Advances in physics understanding of high poloidal beta regime toward steady-state operation of CFETR

Experimental and modeling investigations of the high βp scenarios on the DIII-D and EAST tokamaks show advantages in high energy confinement, avoidance of n = 1 MHD, and core-edge integration with reduced heat flux, making this scenario an attractive option for CFETR steady-state operation. Experiments show that plasmas with high confinement and high density can be achieved with neutral beam injection on DIII-D (β p ~ 2.2, β N ~ 3.5, f BS ~ 50%, f Gw ~ 1.0, H 98y2 ~ 1.5) and pure RF power on EAST (β P ~ 2.0, β N ~ 1.6, f BS ~ 50%, f Gw ~ 0.8, H 98y2 > 1.3). By tailoring the current density profile, a q-profile with local (off-axis) negative shear is achieved that yields improved confinement and MHD stability. Transport analysis and simulation suggest that the combination of high density gradient and high Shafranov shift allows turbulence stabilization and higher confinement. Using on-axis ECH injection, tungsten accumulation is avoided on EAST, and this is reproduced in modeling. Reduced heat flux (by >40%) and maintenance of high core confinement is achieved with active feedback control of the radiated divertor, an important result for long pulse operation in tokamaks. In conclusion, the improved physics understanding and validated modeling tools are used to design a 1GW steady-state scenario for CFETR.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Recent Experience with the CMS Data Management System

The CMS[1] experiment manages a large-scale data infrastructure, currently handling over 200 PB of disk and 500 PB of tape storage and transferring more than 1 PB of data per day on average between various WLCG[2] sites. Utilizing Rucio[3] for high-level data management, FTS[4] for data transfers, and a variety of storage and network technologies at the sites, CMS confronts inevitable challenges due to the system’s growing scale and evolving nature. Key challenges include managing transfer and storage failures, optimizing data distribution across different storages based on production and analysis needs, implementing necessary technology upgrades and migrations, and efficiently handling user requests. The data management team has established comprehensive monitoring to supervise this system and has successfully addressed many of these challenges. The team’s efforts aim to ensure data availability and protection, minimize failures and manual interventions, maximize transfer throughput and resource utilization, and provide reliable user support. This paper details the operational experience of CMS with its data management system in recent years, focusing on the encountered challenges, the effective strategies employed to overcome them and the ongoing challenges as we prepare for future demands.

Öztürk, Hasan [CERN]↗

A Novel Measurement of the Anomalous Muon Spin Precession Frequency in the Muon $g-2$ Experiment at Fermilab

The Muon $g-2$ Experiment operated at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL, or Fermilab) between 2018 and 2023 to produce the world's most precise measurement of the muon's \textit{anomalous magnetic moment}, $a_\mu = \frac{g_\mu - 2}{2}$, which expresses the relative deviation in the muon's $g$-factor from a baseline theoretical expectation that $g_\mu = 2$. In the Standard Model of particle physics, $g_\mu > 2$ and hence $a_\mu > 0$ by a calculable amount that depends on all possible interactions between the muon and all other fundamental particles, including any potentially undiscovered interactions beyond the Standard Model. For this reason, measurements of the electron anomaly $a_e$ and later the muon anomaly $a_\mu$ have helped guide the development of the Standard Model since the inception of quantum field theory, and the measured value of $a_\mu$ provides a valuable constraint for new hypotheses that extend the Standard Model. As of 2006, the leading measurement and Standard Model prediction for $a_\mu$ exhibited tension at the level of about three standard deviations, motivating an improved measurement at Fermilab that could test the tension more precisely. The experiment functions by storing a polarized beam of $\mu^+$ in a uniform magnetic field, which simultaneously induces circular motion and spin precession. As the stored muons undergo the Michel decay $\mu^+ \to e^+ + \nu_e + \bar{\nu}_\mu$, mediated by the parity-violating weak interaction, the rest-frame $e^+$ emission direction is correlated with the parent $\mu^+$ spin orientation. Boosting into the laboratory frame encodes this correlation in the decay $e^+$ energy, which is higher when the emission (i.e. $\mu^+$ spin direction) is aligned with the $\mu^+$ momentum, and lower when opposite. Detectors then count the rate of high-energy decay $e^+$, which modulates at the difference between the $\mu^+$ revolution and spin precession frequencies. This observed frequency, called the \textit{anomalous spin precession frequency} $\omega_a$, is directly proportional to $a_\mu$. The extraction of $\omega_a$ proceeds by fitting the time spectrum of detected $e^+$, which requires precise modeling of the $\omega_a$ oscillation as well as any perturbations from beam dynamics and detector acceptance. Using the $\omega_a$ analysis presented in this work, based on Runs 4 -- 6 of the Muon $g-2$ Experiment at Fermilab, we find that $a_\mu = 0.001\,165\,920\,738(162)$ with a relative uncertainty of 139 parts per billion.

Barrett, Tyler [Cornell U.]↗