sPHENIX is a new detector at RHIC.

[Megan Connors <meganeconnors AT gmail.com>]

Dear all,

Below is the text of an updated message that Abhay sent to the PAC and spokespeople today regarding the RHIC run plans. Rosi and Ron will continue to keep you updated regarding shift schedules for sPHENIX as we learn more.

Best,

-Megan and Jin

Hi John and Experimental Spokespeople:

 

Some of you may already know the details but here is a quick update

 

Last Friday, the short to ground in the RHIC Blue Ring was localized to a region just inside (~12 inches) the DX magnet.  Repairs and welding work were initiated and will continue for another week.  The present schedule has subsequent cooldown to 4K starting 8 May and concluding 20 May with final electrical tests at 4K on 20 May.   In the injector complex, beam operations for NSRL and the BLIP (isotope program) continue.

 

I am now assuming we will try our best to make up for the time by not halting for summer weeks (July 1 – Aug 18). This statement has two caveats 1) that we assume we have enough funds from FY25 to do this, 2) the summer electricity cost of operation for BNL while RHIC and NSLS-II operate.  About item (1): I hope to learn soon. About Item (2): this is a lab-wide issue. I am learning but it is a somewhat new territory for me.

 

I will keep you informed.

 

Cheers, Abhay

On Mon, Apr 21, 2025 at 11:34 PM Megan Connors <meganeconnors AT gmail.com> wrote:

Dear all,

I am forwarding a message from the ALD regarding the run plan, PAC meetings and ASE.

Best,

Megan 

---

From: Deshpande, Abhay <abhay AT bnl.gov>
Sent: Monday, April 21, 2025 10:54:59 PM
To: Rosi Reed <rosijreed AT lehigh.edu>; Lee, Jeong-Hun <jhlee AT bnl.gov>; Ruan, Lijuan <ruan AT bnl.gov>; Frank Geurts <geurts AT rice.edu>; Huang, Jin <jhuang AT bnl.gov>; Megan Elizabeth Connors <mconnors AT gsu.edu>; John Harris <john.harris AT yale.edu>
Cc: Dunlop, James C <dunlop AT bnl.gov>; Fischer, Wolfram <wfischer AT bnl.gov>; Denisov, Dmitri <denisovd AT bnl.gov>; Immel, Christine <cimmel AT bnl.gov>
Subject: RHIC status and evolving plans

 

Dear Rosi, JH, Frank, Jin, Lijuan, Megan, and John H. (PAC)

I am writing to update you on the latest on RHIC. Some of you may know this already, but I want to get everyone on the same page.

 

The blue main magnet return bus short was located in the 4 o’clock sector.  The cryogenic warmup of half the blue ring and half the yellow ring was completed and two sections of the blue 4 o’clock triplet have been opened. The next step is to open the splice cans that house the main return bus.  At that point, the RHIC power supply group will perform inspections and conduct additional diagnostics to pinpoint the specific location of the short and determine how to best repair it. The team is working tirelessly to execute this complex work, safely and carefully. Based on the present schedule, the work, including cooling back down to 4K is expected to be complete by May 22^nd.  This schedule may change as the work progresses. 

 

Meanwhile, the experiments remain ready to take data and polarized proton beam development work has been taking place in the AGS; and NSRL and BLIP operations continue to operate as scheduled.

 

Because of the delay I am going start focusing on running through the summer. If you recall, July 1 to August 18^th was planned to be a “Summer Break” in RHIC operations for the following reasons:

[1] history of inefficient RHIC operations during the summer’s heat and humidity, 

[2] electricity costs to BNL during summer and 

[3] strain of a long continuous run on people taking shifts (both RHIC operators and experimenters).

Given the current circumstance, we may not have the luxury to be concerned about [3]. Wolfram and Michiko think that we may be able to deal with [1] with the ~2.5 times larger cooling capacity we planned for this run. I have start discussions on item [2] with the senior management.

 

Not knowing actual FY25 and (even preliminary) FY26 President’s budget pose a difficult impediment in planning operation in the Fall/Winter 2025. Once we know these numbers (particularly President’s FY26 budget) DOE will come up with a guidance for our FY26 operations budget. Based on this, I will initiate (if needed) the necessary steps towards a emergency short extension of the ASE, beyond December 31, 2025. I emphasize, this could only be initiated after we know the operational guidance for FY26. Current expectation of knowing the FY26 President’s budget is late May 2025 or early June 2025. I will keep you informed.

 

In view of all this, we will have a short (a couple hours) mini-PAC meeting on June 17^th – the same day it was planned earlier but a very short one. Assuming the run goes well starting in late May, I am thinking of having a longer (remote) PAC in the second half of July 2025.

 

Just thought I inform you. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

Cheers, Abhay

(cc: Wolfram and Jamie)

 

Abhay Deshpande

Associate Laboratory Director (interim) Nuclear and Particle Physics &

EIC Science Director

Brookhaven National Laboratory

Email: abhay AT bnl.gov

Phone: + 1 (631) 344-8783

 

SUNY Distinguished Professor

Director, Center for Frontiers in Nuclear Science (CFNS)

Stony Brook University