Commissioning and running of sPHENIX

[Jamie Nagle <jamie.nagle AT colorado.edu>]

Hello sPHENIXians,

This week marks the start of cryo-week #24 (out of 19 + 6 + 2 = 27), and the last week of proton-proton physics data taking.   The pp beam goes until 8 am on Monday, September 30, 2024.     sPHENIX will celebrate a successful proton-proton campaign with a party on Monday, September 30, 2024 from 5-7 pm out at 1008.   See details in a separate email sent to this list.   That is followed by 3 weeks of AuAu, i.e. ending at 8 am on Monday, October 21, 2024.     

Over the last week sPHENIX has been taking data with high efficiency and sampling the entire luminosity with rare physics triggers and nearly 30% of minimum bias collisions via streaming/extended readout of the tracking detectors.    At the start of last week, the MVTX flow issue was finally resolved after almost six days - thanks to Cameron, Rob, and many others.    The graph below summarizes our current integrated luminosity in three categories.    Note that for the open heavy flavor streaming data,  sPHENIX has now reached over 50% of the original BUP goal!    

The AuAu startup needs to be carefully choreographed.      There will be access to the IR for sPHENIX on Monday, September 30, 2024 and potentially for part of Tuesday.     The first overnight store might be Wednesday evening.    All detectors will be back to expert control and we will need MBD, ZDC, DAQ experts available for timing in the ADC systems etc.     The start of checks with the silicon detectors and TPC will be done with 6x6 bunch stores, and in complete coordination with experts.     These checks might start on Friday, October 4 - Monday, October 7, 2024; however, we will need to be flexible depending on machine development.   It will be very fun!

Below are the links to the weekly RHIC Coordination meeting presentations from sPHENIX and C-AD.  

https://indico.bnl.gov/event/20768/contributions/97047/attachments/57499/98719/sPHENIXRunCoordinator_RHICCoordinationMeeting2024_09242024.pdf

https://indico.bnl.gov/event/20768/contributions/97046/attachments/57496/98716/RHIC_Coordination_Meeting_XXXIV.pdf

Lastly, welcome to our last proton-proton data taking sPHENIX shift crew (picture below) and the new Period Coordinator Cameron Dean (picture below).   Extra thanks to our outgoing Period Coordinator Martin Purschke!

Sincerely,

Jamie

sPHENIX Run Coordinator 2024

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|| James L. Nagle   
|| Professor of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder

|| EMAIL:   jamie.nagle AT colorado.edu
|| SKYPE:  jamie-nagle        
|| WEB:      http://spot.colorado.edu/~naglej 
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