. 24/7 Space News .
TIME AND SPACE
Renovations lead to big improvement at Nuclear Astrophysics Lab
by Staff Writers
Washington DC (SPX) Aug 09, 2018

The nuclear reactions that form stars are often accompanied by astronomically high amounts of energy, a challenge for nuclear astrophysicists trying to study these reactions; the chances of re-creating such a spark are unfathomably low. However, after renovations to its accelerator, one laboratory reported record-breaking performance. Following six years of upgrades to the Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source at the Laboratory for Experimental Nuclear Astrophysics, researchers report improved results, discussed in Review of Scientific Instruments. In this image, more than 2 kilowatts of proton beam impinging on the water-cooled, tungsten-reinforced beam stop at the end of the ECRIS acceleration column, as seen through its viewing portal.

In nature, the nuclear reactions that form stars are often accompanied by astronomically high amounts of energy, sometimes over billions of years. This presents a challenge for nuclear astrophysicists trying to study these reactions in a controlled, low-energy laboratory setting. The chances of re-creating such a spark without bombarding targets with high-intensity beams are unfathomably low. However, after recent renovations to its accelerator, one laboratory reported record-breaking performance.

Following six years of upgrades to the Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source (ECRIS) at the Laboratory for Experimental Nuclear Astrophysics, a member of the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, researchers from the University of North Carolina report improved results. In Review of Scientific Instruments, from AIP Publishing, the group focused on the system's acceleration column and microwave system, making it safer and yielding better high-voltage source stability and signal-to-background ratio.

"What a lot of people don't realize is that there isn't really anything that exists on the market for this that we can just buy," said Andrew Cooper, an author on the paper and one of the lead designers behind the project. "Rather than pay millions of dollars [for upgrades], we approached it as a challenge."

As the previous ECRIS was pushed to its limits, overheating caused the glue between joints in the system to melt, instigating a vacuum problem. Protons would then ionize residual gas and release electrons that emit harmful bremsstrahlung radiation during experiments.

The researchers started designing the upgrades in 2012 with help from other groups including Duke University and Neutron Therapeutics. The authors first obtained data from the improved system in 2015 and have since made additional upgrades.

The upgrades included incorporating a compression design and O-ring seals to ensure an adequate vacuum. Parallel resistance channels of chilled, deionized water cool the system and allow it to produce a voltage gradient. Meanwhile, alternating transverse magnetic field sections internally placed along the length of the column catch errant electrons and eliminate bremsstrahlung radiation.

A higher-power pulsed microwave system and an axially adjustable beam extraction system enable beam pulsing synchronized with collection devices. This has allowed the group to increase the proton beam intensity to a record-setting 3.5 milliamps without damaging targets. Moreover, this new system has decreased the amount of environmental background interference from sources like space radiation.

"Our accelerator is pretty unique in many ways," Cooper said. "We've shown a clever way to remove background without building a system underground."

Next up, Cooper and his colleagues seek to further explore features of the system, including how tuning parameters affect beam emittance and intensity, with the goal of achieving a target beam intensity of 10 milliamps.

Research Report: "Development of a variable-energy, high-intensity, pulsed-mode ion source for low-energy nuclear astrophysics studies,"


Related Links
American Institute of Physics
Understanding Time and Space


Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly


paypal only
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal


TIME AND SPACE
Demon in the details of quantum thermodynamics
St. Louis MO (SPX) Jul 30, 2018
Thermodynamics is one of the most human of scientific enterprises, according to Kater Murch, associate professor of physics in Arts and Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. "It has to do with our fascination of fire and our laziness," he said. "How can we get fire" - or heat - "to do work for us?" Now, Murch and colleagues have taken that most human enterprise down to the intangible quantum scale - that of ultra low temperatures and microscopic systems - and discovered that, as in ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

TIME AND SPACE
Samsung to invest billions in new tech to drive fresh growth

Engine flaw delays Boeing test of crew capsule to 2019

Crewed Missions Beyond LEO

Space tourism economics - financing and regulating trips to the final frontier

TIME AND SPACE
NASA Selects US Firms to Provide Commercial Suborbital Flight Services

Space-X forced to push back test launch dates

NASA certifies Russia's RD-180 rocket engines for manned flights

SpaceX launches, lands rocket in challenging conditions

TIME AND SPACE
Scientists looking for ways to grow crops on Red Planet

Mars makes closest approach to Earth in 15 years

Evidence of subsurface Martian liquid water bolstered

Life on Mars: Japan astronaut dreams after lake discovery

TIME AND SPACE
China developing in-orbit satellite transport vehicle

PRSS-1 Satellite in Good Condition

China readying for space station era: Yang Liwei

China launches new space science program

TIME AND SPACE
Seventh set of Iridium NEXT satellites performing well during pre-operational testing

Telesat signs consortium deal with Thales and SSL new LEO constellation

Thales and SSL form consortium to further design and develop Telesat's LEO constellation

We'll soon have ten times more satellites in orbit - here's what that means

TIME AND SPACE
A new classification of symmetry groups in crystal space proposed by Russian scientists

Lasers write better anodes

Better way found to determine the integrity of metals

Recycling provides manufacturers with real competitive and economic advantages

TIME AND SPACE
NASA's TESS spacecraft starts science operations

How Can You Tell If That ET Story Is Real

WSU researcher sees possibility of moon life

X-ray Data May Be First Evidence of a Star Devouring a Planet

TIME AND SPACE
High-Altitude Jovian Clouds

'Ribbon' wraps up mystery of Jupiter's magnetic equator

The True Colors of Pluto and Charon

Radiation Maps of Jupiter's Moon Europa: Key to Future Missions









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.