STFC , Accelerator Review Panel Report
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Accelerator Review Report 2014 Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary ....................................................................................................... 2 2. Background .................................................................................................................... 3 3. Review Process ............................................................................................................. 3 3.1 Review Panel .......................................................................................................... 4 3.2 Meetings of the panel .............................................................................................. 4 3.3 Areas of review discussions .................................................................................... 4 3.4 Information gathering .............................................................................................. 5 4. Review ........................................................................................................................... 5 4.1 Overview of the current accelerator programme ..................................................... 5 4.2 Governance ............................................................................................................ 7 4.3 Neutron Sources ................................................................................................... 11 4.4 Synchrotron Light Sources .................................................................................... 18 4.5 Free Electron Lasers ............................................................................................. 24 4.6 High Energy Lepton Machines .............................................................................. 31 4.7 High Energy Hadron Machines ............................................................................. 36 4.8 Novel and Plasma Accelerators ............................................................................ 39 4.9 Underpinning Technologies, gaps and overlaps .................................................... 46 4.10 Global Challenges, Impact and Skills .................................................................... 51 4.11 Optimal Accelerator Programme ........................................................................... 57 5. Concluding Remarks on the Programme ..................................................................... 62 Appendix 1. STFC Accelerator Review Panel Biographies ............................................. 63 Appendix 2. STFC Accelerator Review Terms of Reference .......................................... 66 Appendix 3. Review Data Collecting .............................................................................. 70 Appendix 4. STFC Accelerator Review Proforma Template ........................................... 71 Appendix 5. Glossary ..................................................................................................... 80 Page 1 of 81 1. Executive Summary 1. Accelerator science is a core component of the STFC programme underpinning much of what the organisation does. Accelerators have played a central role in many of the major discoveries made in particle and nuclear physics over the past century, and continue to provide the bedrock on which these fields rest. At the same time accelerators have developed into essential tools for discovery throughout science and engineering as a result of the development of techniques relying upon the diffraction, scattering and spectroscopy of beams of neutrons and X-rays. The development, construction and operation of accelerator-based neutron and light sources is therefore a major aspect of the STFC mission. 2. UK accelerator science has grown quickly from an extremely low level in recent years as a result of targeted strategic investment by STFC coupled with strong support from the wider science community. This rapid growth has created a strong and diverse programme encompassing world-leading research in a broad range of areas. The accelerator landscape is likely to evolve rapidly over the next decade and it is important that the UK programme develops in an appropriate manner in response to changing national and international priorities. With this in mind, the 2013 STFC Programmatic Review recommended1 that a focussed review of the STFC accelerator science programme be conducted which could assist in the development of a strategic plan for future investment. This report summarises the findings of that review. 3. The review sought input from a wide variety of stakeholders in the form of standardised pro-forma questionnaires and resource tables. The submissions to the review were synthesised by an ad hoc review panel of accelerator experts and facility users to produce a report that provides a narrative overview of the breadth and scope of the current accelerator programme. The report is intended to enable STFC Science Board (SB) 2 to develop a high level accelerator strategy and to guide the Accelerator Strategy Board (ASB) 3 as it develops a more detailed strategy and prioritised roadmap for the field. 4. The report focuses on accelerator R&D support for the wider STFC programme, including light sources, neutron sources and high energy particle and nuclear physics machines, as well as the development of novel accelerator techniques. Particular consideration is also given to the governance of the accelerator programme, the provision of essential underpinning technologies and the ability of the programme to deliver economic and societal impact through the development of industrial applications and the provision of training and skilled people. The optimum accelerator programme is considered, including the balance of the programme, its strengths and weaknesses, and how it might best respond to opportunities and threats. 1 STFC Programmatic Review 2013, recommendation R26. 2 http://www.stfc.ac.uk/696.aspx 3 http://www.stfc.ac.uk/703.aspx Page 2 of 81 5. The report makes a number of observations and provides recommendations to STFC, ASB and other stakeholders, with a view to developing and supporting an optimum programme best suited to the needs of the STFC science community and users of the STFC’s large facilities. 6. A key observation is that the breadth of the newly developed accelerator programme has allowed different research groups, in particular in the Cockcroft Institute (CI), the John Adams Institute (JAI), ASTeC4 and the UK large facilities, to develop differing portfolios of skills and technical strengths. This diversity allows the UK to make important contributions to many areas of accelerator science, however it also means that the skills required to design and build future accelerator facilities are distributed across a variety of groups. The report therefore recommends that the UK’s centres of accelerator excellence should be encouraged to collaborate closely to deliver the skills and technologies required by future accelerator projects in a coherent way. 7. A further key observation is that potential benefits from commercialisation and spin- out of accelerator R&D must be maximised. The report has highlighted a broad range of technologies which have potential commercial application or which could provide significant societal benefits. Examples include the application of proton accelerators for radiation oncology, the use of Terahertz and X-ray radiation sources for security scanning and the use of accelerator driven sub-critical reactors for energy production. More prominence must be given to developing these and other applications. 2. Background 8. The panel was created to review the accelerator programme and provide information on the breadth and scope of the STFC’s current accelerator R&D portfolio. The review’s prime driver is to underpin the development of the STFC accelerator landscape and strategy. The panel’s report will go to SB for comment and development of a high-level accelerator strategy, taking into account information from parallel reviews on neutron and photon activities. The ASB will then establish a more detailed accelerator strategy and prioritised roadmap based on the findings in the review report and high-level strategic direction from SB. 3. Review Process 9. This review is part of the periodic consideration of the accelerator landscape in the UK and the STFC’s accelerator programme. It seeks to understand the breadth and scope of the STFC’s current UK accelerator science programme and related activities and what needs to be in place to meet strategic goals. This included engagement and leadership involving scientists in all fields of accelerator R&D activities and the training of excellent scientists to ensure the UK continues to have access to, and influence over, the development of future world class accelerator facilities. 4 Accelerator Science and Technology Centre Page 3 of 81 10. This review does not formulate the STFC’s accelerator strategy. Instead, together with additional input (e.g. proton, neutron & photon strategies), it will feed into the STFC’s over-arching accelerator strategy development needed by mid-2015 in time for specific project and institute reviews. It comments on the current fit of the STFC’s accelerator investments with its science programme and facility needs. It highlights areas of expertise and strengths, as well as areas of need. Finally it makes recommendations to the ASB and SB. 3.1 Review Panel 11. This review panel included representatives from across the accelerator and facility communities5;