October 25, 2006
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| The smallest of four huge steel rings is secured in preparation for the trip to Jefferson Laboratory as the crane turns its attention the next. |
The IUCF construction group recently sent four steel rings, each weighing up to 50 tons – the equivalent of a Boeing DC-9 - on their way from Bloomington, IN to Newport News, VA. The 100-foot long trucks, one for each ring, arrived at the Indiana University Memorial Stadium parking lot on October 24, 2006. Jeff Self and Kyle Blackwell headed up the the construction group that refurbished the rings as well as other components that were obtained from the MEGA /LASS Superconducting Solenoid at Los Alamos. The rings are now destined to be used in the GlueX superconducting magnet at Jefferson Laboratory.
The GlueX project is a collaboration of more than 100 researchers from 24 institutions in the US, Russia, Australia, Canada, Poland, and Scotland. The IU physicists of the GlueX experimental team are headed by Alex Dzierba and Adam Szcepaniac, with computational support from Geoffrey Fox. The international team of physicists will analyze the data collected from GlueX using a theory called QCD, or quantum chromodynamics, in an effort to understand what holds the atomic nucleus together. Alex describes the purpose of the experiment as “looking for a so-called “new kind of matter” called exotic mesons.” The completed project will cost more than $100 million with most of the funds coming from the National Science Foundation.
The technical staff at IUCF often supports international science by constructing or rehabilitating devices intended for use in research experiments outside of Indiana. Because of the expertise accumulated at IUCF over the last 30 years, including projects such as building radiation machines and detectors, IUCF has enjoyed a close relationship with the Physics Department at IU. IUCF seemed the obvious choice for refurbishing and refitting the superconducting magnet. Work on the 250 ton magnet, including the rings just loaded onto trucks, took over two years to complete.
For more information, a Quick Time or Windows Media Player format movie of magnet loading, visit http://www.gluex.org/.
