sPHENIX is a new detector at RHIC.

[David Morrison <morrison AT bnl.gov>]

Thanks to Ross Corliss for the notes!


Dave Morrison Collaboration News
====================
News from 6/27 meeting with ALD Berndt Mueller:

    MVTX review coming up very quickly, but aspects of it still in
motion. How will it be connected with the sPHENIX project?  Looking at
best way to procure the staves from CERN - important not to lose
attention of those experts.  BNL and DOE want to make this happen,
still looking at how to implement.

Want the MVTX project under the $5M ceiling so that DOE ONP can handle
itz.  Still need to figure out how to define 'MVTX' to keep it in that
range -- what should count as infrastructure etc?

Software and computing review on June 18.  Report has been sent to ALD
(hoping to preview the report for fact checking before it is
considered final -- did not see before it was transmitted)

Draft run plan available at indico.bnl.gov/event/4788.  Please go read
it.  Comments due by COB July 4.

Proposals from institutions looking to join have been digested.  IB
meeting will happen soon to vote on that.

MVTX review scheduled for July 19-20.  Rehearsal will occur July 9.
Considered a "Director's Review", chaired by Dave Lynn, BNL. (more on
this later)

National Academy of Science report on EIC science case should be
available soon (well-spread rumor). Tight-lipped so far.  pre-CDR
report (~800 pages!) focuses on eRHIC machine design, not detectors.

sPHENIX is updating sPHENIX/EIC letter of intent (due end of
september)

John Haggerty Project News (sitting in for Ed)
====================

TPC 'wagon wheel' design review: procurement readiness review (PRR)
for key structural element that house the GEM det. array. (supports
all electronics and gas ports etc).  Design by John Cozzolino.  Expect
to place this order very soon.  TPC prototype at Fermilab test beam
until July 7.  'One signature away' from operating it in the beam.
FEE SAMPA chips see 80ns shaping time very feasible.  Shorter time
more 'technical risk'.


Transmitted revised CD-1/CD-3a docs to BNL (responds to questions from
review) revised funding profile moves 3M from FY22 to FY20 to deal
with contingency shortfall.  Increased CD-3A request from 4.4 -> 5.8M
for full LLP orders for some EMCal materials (fibers and powders)
earlier.  Gives more flexibility, doesn't change overall total project
cost.  Some other changes to risk registry, etc.

DOE and BNL seem very enthusiastic about MVTX. Proj. organization
being negotiated between BNL, LANL, LBNL, and MIT concept: Get staves
and RUs early to keep ALICE production going.  $1M to purchase all.
installation, integration, commissioning will be moved to 2.x project
(responsible for integration of the rest of the detector as
well. lower overhead, so good to fold in there) rest of MVTX built in
a new "3.x" project. Project file will be imported into P6.  Expect
this will take some months.  Director's review on 19-20 ----
Pre-review/practice/rehearsal on July 9 hoping to finalize
arrangements for this over the weekend!

Memoranda of Agreement with C-AD complete on some fronts, still in
progress on others (Magnet).  Need some sort of agreement with the lab
re: computing.  But perhaps MOA with RCF is not the right format for
that? some discussion.

HCAL (MEgan and GSU group, Mike LEnz) developing the tile tester, to
provide to vendor for testing as tiles are produced.  making sure the
cosmic peak stays steady over repeated measurements.

"Up next"
MVTX:
1) prep for review
2) figure out how we organize
3) how to bring effort to bear to solve technical problems (fit into
15" diam hole!)
first sector of Flex Return steel arrives in Sept.
More reviews to support long-lead procurements.

John Lajoie  NSF MRI For Inner HCAL
====================

Currently uninstrumented Al frame in place of iHCAL -- complicated
impact on sphenix physics (from 'descoping' exercise) options to
recover: maybe some contingency funds to partially instrument?  maybe
NSF MRI (Major Research Instrumentation) award?  Cost determined by
scope.  Reminder that MRI awards are limited per institution (1 @>$1M
and 2@ <$1M) as well, so lots of internal and external competition.
Need to have a clear deliverable, physics-wise, that iHCAL enables.
want to get a consortium.  bnl would join but receive no money (just
see their support).  Details about what fraction of the budget the
universities can take on and how cost sharing kicks in.  (some student
support?  Some faculty salary?)  interest in making sure grads and
undergrads are involved in project.  next round of MRI solicitations
in January.  Internal competitions in Sept/Oct/Nov, varies by
university.  Time-scale : finish 'guts' by Sept of this year.

options:

        just instrument aluminum frame?  add scint. tiles and
electronics into existing frame (1.2-1.4M$ 450k$ electronics, $650k
tiles.  IF it could be pushed down under $1M request (cost sharing),
then easier to get through university competition, and easier to get
through NSF -- only against nuc. physics.  Above 1M across entire
foundation scope) to get the whole iHCAL back, would neeed >3.2M$ to
get the ss310 frame, plus electronics costs.

intend to manufacture iHcal aluminum frame at universities.  Frame
assembly sites could also instrument, test, and calibrate iHcal
sectors as they come out. (lots of possible student/tech involvement).
But other possibilities exist.

physics arguments for ihcal:
CD-1 studies from Songkyo Lee.  withouts ihcal, gama+jet calibration
does not improve resolution.  instrumented steel does best, but
aluminum also does well (better baseline, and more improvement from
calibration) 'low hanging fruit' is to instrument the existing
aluminum.  took calibrated pp response, assume auau can be calibrated
as well as pp.  fold effect into fluctuations in underlying event.  At
larger jet cone radius, the UE swamps much of the gain from
instrumentation.  More clear gains at smaller radius.

Are there particular conditions in HI where the gain is clear?
additional EM/H shower discrimination? -- not very useful for
electrons after existing E/p cut in tracking.  iHcal in triggering?
maybe help in electrons?  difficult to see where this would be useful.
Maybe higher-pt electrons from charm and beauty decays? (J. Nagle)
maybe a role for pi0 and neutron+antineutrons? (Edward) maybe
fragmentation function studies?  Needs focused questions before we can
answer those questions.

Everyone is welcome to join consortium -- want actively engaged
institutions.  don't let the cost-sharing scare you.

Some disussion of other simulation work on triggering on lower-energy
electrons.  Need to see how these are useful to physics.

Ming Liu MVTX Review preparation
====================

8+2 items on the charge list.  "To evaluate the maturity of the design
of the sPHENICX pixel detector, MVTX, and the readiness for
procurement of the staves and readout units.  He lists talks that
respond to this, and some thought about possible talks (ALICE ITS
status?  MVX mechanical design?  Carbon structure and det. assembly?)
Rehearsal on July 9.  WRiting supporting documents on QA, based on
EMCal QA plan template.  Draft should be available week of July 9.
Going to make a task force on simulation.  Personnel change -- Ross
Corliss (taking minutes) taking over from Bob Redwine to lead MIT
Bates efforts, Research Scientist with many years experience working
with Bates engineers, recently joined MIT heavy ion group

Mickey Chiu INTT MVTX interference update:
====================

As of May 10, conflicts still exist between support cone and INTT.
understanding improved, but: HDI cable can't be extended, aluminum
feedthrough can't be moved, etc.  Walt is reducing cone radius by
converting power connections to passthroughs at the patch.  (next
INTT/MVTX meeting at 2pm today EST) Cone cannot be moved in z, so
trying to reduce the radius of the patch panel -- mashing some of the
connector patches together as feedthrough instead.  gains are somewhat
smaller than originally expected -- will know more this afternoon.
other possible gains: maybe some room between wall and rail, maybe
move connectors of INTT, maybe reducing support cone of MVTX, maybe
reduce a layer of one of the detectors?


-- 
David Morrison  Brookhaven National Laboratory  phone: 631-344-5840
                Physics Department, Bldg 510 C    fax: 631-344-3253
                          Upton, NY 11973-5000  email: dave AT bnl.gov