[Shms_users] October Newsletter

[Garth Huber]

                       SHMS-HMS Users Group Newsletter
                       -------------------------------
                                October 2010

Newsletter edited by: Garth Huber

SHMS-HMS User's Board
---------------------
We would like to thank Peter Monaghan and Charles Perdrisat for their service
on the User Board last year.  We especially appreciate that Peter edited most
of the newsletters circulated in the last 12 months.

If you have any comments or suggestions on issues of relevance for the
SHMS-HMS, or if you have news that you would like to contribute to future
issues of this news letter, please contact any SHMS-HMS User's Board Member:
   John Arrington         johna at anl.gov
   Donal Day              dbd at virginia.edu
   Tanja Horn             hornt at jlab.org
   Garth Huber            huberg at uregina.ca
   Mark Jones             jones at jlab.org
   Ioana Niculescu        ioana at jlab.org

SHMS Project Update
-------------------
Last month's Lehman Review for Hall C went very well, with no recommendations
at all for Hall C.  The main recommendations dealt with the silicon strip
detector for Hall B, and the GlueX solendoid.

Things are also proceeding well on SHMS procurement.  The SHMS Dipole contract
was recently issued to Sigma-Phi, and the SHMS Power Supply contracts were
issued to Danphysik.  The SHMS Quadrupole contracts are also under final
review.

SHMS Detectors Working Group
----------------------------
The NSF has awarded a Major Research Initiative (MRI) for the "Development of a
Complete Kaon Detection System for Hall C at 12 GeV".  This grant funds the
construction of an aerogel detector for the SHMS.  It will provide the required
kaon identification for a suite of experiments with the underlying scientific
objective of studying quarks through exclusive and semi-inclusive
reactions.  The detector will be built by a collaboration of researchers led by
the Catholic University of America.  It will also include the University of
South Carolina, Mississippi State University, Florida International University,
and as non-funded partners the Jefferson Laboratory and the Yerevan Physics
Institute.

Peter Monaghan is working to find new vendors for the SHMS drift chamber
boards.  He has a new design where the boards are again single piece, but now
narrower, so that they fit within the standard 40" jig width.  This involves
placing some traces closer together but should not cause a problem.  Hampton
has also agreed to build new HMS drift chambers, from regular Hall C operating
funds.  There is no design yet, but materials for the HMS chambers will be
bundled with SHMS chamber materials orders.

Abdullah Ahmidouch has received approval from NSF to proceed with quartz
detector procurement for the SHMS.

SHMS Software Working Group
---------------------------
Gabriel Niculescu is heading up the development of a C++/Root based analyzer.
He is working with Simon Zhamkachyan to get a full version of the calorimeter
software implemented in the HANA framework to serve as a test model for the
other detectors.  Volunteers are still needed.  Those who are interested in
working on the 12 GeV software development should contact either Gabi
(gabriel at jlab.org) or John Arrington (johna at anl.gov).

For more information, please see the Software Wiki at:
    http://hallcweb.jlab.org/wiki/index.php/Hall_c_soft_main

SHMS Commissioning Plan
-----------------------
After the next PAC, most SHMS experiments will have received their scientific
ratings and final beamtime allocations.  Therefore, it is appropriate to start
thinking about the SHMS commissioning plan.  Sometime in 2011, we would like to
identify a small number (3-4) of SHMS experiments which might make good
commissioning experiments.  We are expecting to have an initial discussion on
SHMS commissioning at the January workshop.  Co-spokespersons of SHMS
experiments will also be contacted in 2011 for their views .  If you have some
specific ideas, please contact Steve Wood or any User's Board member.

2011 Hall C Summer Workshop
---------------------------
The SHMS-HMS User's Board has agreed to take over the organization of the 2011
Hall C Summer Workshop.  If tradition is followed, the workshop would be held
in conjunction with the summer PAC, but this is not a requirement.  Attendance
for the August 27, 2010 Workshop was poor, so we would like to know your
preferences for the workshop date.  Also, please let us know if you have a
physics theme that we should consider.

Useful Weblinks
---------------
Hall C Ph.D. Theses:   http://www1.jlab.org/ul/generic_reports/thesis.cfm
Hall C Home Page:      http://www.jlab.org/Hall-C/
Hall C Wiki:           https://hallcweb.jlab.org/wiki/
SHMS-HMS Users Group:
http://www.jlab.org/Hall-C/upgrade/shms_users_group.html
Hall C 12 GeV Upgrade: http://www.jlab.org/Hall-C/upgrade/