Dirt, giant holes evidence of neutrino program upgrades

Construction on areas near MI-10, MI-39 and MI-60 are part of the neutrino upgrade to the Main Injector.

The shutdown has accelerated upgrades to Fermilab’s neutrino program.

Three building sites are currently under construction as part of the $4.7 million Main Injector Neutrino Upgrade Project: new service buildings near MI-10 and MI-39 as well as a building addition to house electrical equipment at MI-60. This work will support future neutrino experiments at Fermilab. The work at MI-39 also represents the first step in boosting the beam power from 400kw to 700kw for the NOvA project.

“Other than the Grid Computing Center, this is the first big construction project in the last few years, and the first big accelerator project since NuMI was built in 2004,” said Ron Foutch, FESS/Engineering MINU construction coordinator.

This summer was the first opportunity to make the neutrino upgrades to the Main Injector, which required time during an extended shutdown.

The upgrades allow for testing prior to NOvA’s installation, said Elaine McCluskey, project manager in the AD projects group.

The components installed at each of the three construction sites will also benefit other neutrino projects that will use power from the NuMI neutrino beam.

The construction project at MI-39 will be the most beneficial in the near term. The project will include a small building that will support a gap-clearing kicker string, a series of magnets that will help to prevent beam losses in the Main Injector tunnel.

To complete the project, excavation crews dug down to within 5 feet of the top of the Main Injector tunnel at the two new service building sites – MI-14 and MI-39. Once AD employees secured the section of the tunnel underneath the digging area, they exposed the top of the Main Injector tunnel.  Crews drilled 12 12-inch-diameter holes at MI-39 and 18 12-inch diameter holes at MI-14 into the tunnel ceiling to install the conduits and other utilities.

AD and ES&H employees monitored the construction to ensure safety. They blanketed magnets to reduce exposure to excavation crews and drill experts, and monitored soil removed in excavation and caught and monitored water for contamination.

Once finished, crews filled the hole using a flowable fill concrete substance. The buildings will be constructed this fall and ready by the end of the year.

“This is the first accelerator hardware we’ve built that was destined for the NOvA project,” said Paul Derwent, AD associate project manager for NOvA. “To be able to see a physical thing is nice.”

-- Rhianna Wisniewski

Rap music seminar at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. All welcome.

Funky49, a rapper from Tampa, Florida, has writen a rap about Fermilab. He will perform it on Tuesday, August 11 at 4 p.m. in One West.

Fermilab might get a little funky on Tuesday afternoon. As part of an Office of Communication seminar on the use of rap music in science communication, rapper Funky49, a science rapper from Tampa, Florida, will perform his newly written Fermilab rap in One West at 4 p.m.

Millions of viewers have learned the basics of CERN's Large Hadron Collider on YouTube from a rap video produced by science writer Katie McAlpine, aka Alpine Kat. Now it's Fermilab's turn.

"I've heard the Fermilab rap and it sounds like something that you'd hear on the radio," said Ben Kilminster, who found Funky49 and asked him to commission a Fermilab rap.

Funky49 will also give a presentation on using rap for science outreach. The rapper produced an album, the Rapbassador, to promote Tampa's Museum of Science and Industry. Lyrics to the Fermilab rap are available on the Rapbassador Web site.

"I contacted him and asked if he'd be interested, and he said that he would consider it his patriotic duty," Kilminster said.

Funky49 will spend the week at Fermilab filming a video for his rap. He will also join The Drug Sniffing Dogs, a Fermilab band, for a performance at 7 p.m. at the Users' Center on Friday, August 14.

Classes, events and discounts for August

Editor's note: This is the first of monthly articles highlighting upcoming classes, events, clubs and discounts from the Recreation Department. Check back on the third Friday of every month for the upcoming month's information.

Summer is almost over, but that doesn't mean it is time to give up on your fitness. Fitness classes are starting now:

• Kyuki Do: Now through Sept. 9 from 5-6 p.m. on Wednesdays. Classes take place at the Recreation Facility, and the session costs: $55.
• Muscle toning: Now through Sept. 29 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Recreation Facility. Class session cost: $77.
• Yoga: Aug. 11-Sept. 29 from 12-1 p.m. on Tuesdays in Ramsey Auditorium. The eight-week class session costs $85.

The Recreation Department will also host a free Tai Chi open house from 12:15-12:45 p.m. and 4:45-5:15 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 24, in the Recreation Facility.

This month, the Recreation Department will also sponsor two events:

• American Cancer Society Open House: Wednesday, Aug. 12, from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. in the Wilson Hall Atrium. The ACS will offer cancer prevention education, screening recommendations and services and programs for cancer patients and their families.
• Lunch and Learn: Skeletal conditions in the work place: Wednesday, Aug. 26, chiropractor Greg Markley will lecture on conditions such as shoulder and neck pain and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Employees and users can also contact the Recreation Department to take advantage of special discounts, including:

• Great America tickets
• Renaissance Fair
• Wisconsin Dells coupon books
• Raging Waves Waterpark
• Thai Village Restaurant: $7 lunch set offered. Menus are available in the Recreation Office or online.