Dr Suzie Sheehy

Abstract:

Accelerator physics is often viewed as a difficult subject to communicate to schools and the public. The Accelerate! project, initiated in the UK in 2008, engages audiences with accelerator physics through a 45-minute live, interactive demonstration show, using basic physics demonstrations to explain the science of particle accelerators and what they are used for. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive from all areas and demand for the show is very high, with over 3000 students involved in the first year of running. The program is also contributing to the science communication skills of physics graduate students. I discuss how to portray basic accelerator concepts through easy to access demonstrations and initial results of audience evaluation of the show.

Abstract:

A novel nonlinear, nonscaling FFAG ring has been designed for proton and ion acceleration [1]. It can be used for proton and carbon therapy as well as a proton driver for various facilities such as a high intensity neutrino factory. The machine has novel features including variable energy extraction and a high repetition rate of about 1 kHz. Taking as an example the PAMELA proton ring, under study at the John Adams Institute in Oxford, we present results of an error study. A calculation of alignment tolerance is made, in which the effects of translational misalignments of the triplet magnets are included. The effect of misalignments on the dynamic aperture of the machine is investigated.

Abstract:

EMMA - the Electron Model of Many Applications - is to be built at the STFC Daresbury Laboratory in the UK and will be the first non-scaling FFAG ever constructed. The purpose of EMMA is to study beam dynamics in such an accelerator. The EMMA orbit correction scheme must deal with two characteristics of a non-scaling FFAG: i.e. the lack of a well defined reference orbit and the variation with momentum of the phase advance. In this study we present a novel orbit correction scheme that avoids the former problem by instead aiming to maximise both the symmetry of the orbit and the physical aperture of the beam. The latter problem is dealt with by optimising the corrector strengths over the energy range.

Abstract:

PAMELA (Particle Accelerator for MEdicaL Applications) employs novel non-scaling Fixed Field Alternating Gradient (ns-FFAG) technology in the development of a proton and C6+ particle therapy facility. One of the challenges of this design is the acceleration of high energy C6+ in a lattice which enables high flexibility and reliability for treatments, yet remains minimal in size and complexity. Discussed here is the carbon 6+ lattice solution in terms of both design and performance.

Abstract:

The status of PAMELA (Particle Accelerator for MEdical Applications) - an accelerator for proton and light ion therapy using a non-scaling FFAG (ns-FFAG) accelerator - is reviewed and discussed.