(See Interacting with the MCR for training and policies on interacting with the Main Control Room (MCR.)
- To receive beam, the MT6 enclosures need to be searched and interlocked. The experiment can call the main control room (MCR) (x3721) to request a Search & Secure as soon as they have completed their installation and have a list of trained CALs. This is somewhat independent of the ORC process. It is a good idea to be reasonably certain you won’t need to open up the enclosures again for a while.
- Once an ORC is obtained, the experiment is free to actually request beam.
- A call to the MCR will start the chain of events resulting in beam. The MCR operators are responsible for all beam on site, including NuMI, BooNE, and other fixed target experiments. There is a wide range of experience within the group. (The operator answering the phone might have been working there 20 years or just 1 week.) Patience and good communication techniques are highly recommended and appreciated. (For a tour of the MCR contact the FTBF coordinator.) The operators will want to know the following information when requesting beam:
- Desired energy
- Desired particle and charge
- Desired number of counts on MT6SC1 (This is the number of particles per spill on the scintillator paddle at the entrance to MT6.1)
- The MCR will call back once they have established beam to make sure you are satisfied with it or to see if it needs further adjustment. The establishing process usually takes 20 minutes. If adjustments need to be made at some later time, you can call them back.
- The experiment control room MUST be manned whenever the experiment is requesting beam. Someone must always be in the control room while beam is being delivered. This is so the MCR can contact the group for information and ensure the test apparatus is not accidentally damaged by the beam. You can leave the facility unattended, but you MUST ensure the beam is stopped during that time. Please plan your shifts accordingly. There are restrooms, modest kitchen facilities and enough space for many people to work simultaneously, see facility infrastructure.
- Monitor the beam using the beam profile monitors, found on ACNET page S45, and other parameters found on page S60. For more information on using ACNET pages and devices, see our ACNET webpage.
- If the position of the beam needs adjusting, call the MCR and let them know what the final position should be (centered, left of center, right of center, etc.) on which SWICs.
- Once you are happy with the beam and your data collection, it is a good idea to save or print a picture of the beam profiles so you know what it should look like every time you request beam from the MCR.