TRIUMF
Encyclopedia
TRIUMF is Canada’s national laboratory for particle
and nuclear physics
. Its headquarters are located on the south campus of the University of British Columbia
in Vancouver
, British Columbia
. TRIUMF houses the world's largest cyclotron
, source of 500 MeV protons, which was named an IEEE Milestone in 2010. Its research program focuses on probing the structure of origins of matter and in advancing isotopes for science and medicine.
TRIUMF's vision is to lead in science, leverage Canadian university research, connect Canada to the world, and create social and economic growth. Its mission is to make discoveries that address the most compelling questions in particle physics, nuclear physics, nuclear medicine
, and materials science
. As well, TRIUMF wishes to be on the forefront for advancing particle accelerator
and detection technologies, while transferring knowledge and training highly skilled personnel to commercialize research for the economic, social, environmental and health benefit of all Canadians.
There are over 450 scientists, engineers, and staff performing research on the TRIUMF site. The lab attracts over 1000 national and international researchers every year and provides advanced research facilities and opportunities to 150 students and postdoctoral fellows each year. In addition to the on site program, TRIUMF serves as a key broker for Canada in global research in particle, nuclear, and accelerator
physics.
TRIUMF has generated over $1B in economic impact activity over the last decade. TRIUMF has over 50 international agreements for collaborative scientific research.
As part of the subatomic physics community, TRIUMF scientists participate with university-based physicists in developing and implementing the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
’s (NSERC) long-range plan for subatomic physics. TRIUMF uses these community-based plans, which discuss the long-term objectives of the field, to develop its own priorities. TRIUMF’s decisions about what projects to undertake are also guided by its policy of supporting only those projects that have been independently peer reviewed and endorsed by the international scientific community.
A main strength of TRIUMF is that it has a range of resources – both human and hardware. University-based researchers want to work with TRIUMF because these resources are not available at their home institutions. Scientists at TRIUMF become key points of contact for the research, and this helps foster collaborative partnerships among Canadian researchers and their international colleagues.
Asteroid 14959 TRIUMF
is named in honour of the laboratory.
, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Victoria
in order to meet research needs that no single university could provide. Shortly after this the University of Alberta
joined the TRIUMF consortium, and the full name was dropped as TRIUMF currently has 17 member universities from across Canada
.
Since its inception as a local university facility, TRIUMF has evolved into a national laboratory while still maintaining strong ties to the research programs of Canadian universities. The science program has expanded from nuclear physics to include particle physics, molecular and materials science, nuclear medicine, and accelerator research.
John Warren - 1968-1971
Reginald Richardson - 1971-1976
Jack Sample - 1976-1981
Erich Vogt - 1981-1994
Alan Astbury - 1994-2001
Alan Shotter - 2001-2007
Nigel S Lockyer - 2007-Present
1968 - John Warren becomes first director of TRIUMF
1969 - TRIUMF holds opening ceremony
1970 - Ground-breaking ceremony
1971 - Cyclotron assembly begins, Reginald Richardson becomes director of TRIUMF
1974 - Cyclotron produces its first beam
1975 - Proton science program initiated, first polarized proton beam, first μSR experiment at TRIUMF
1976 - Pierre Elliot Trudeau's official dedication, Dr. Erich Vogt becomes an Officer of the Order of Canada, Jack Sample becomes director of TRIUMF
1977 - Medium resolution spectrometer MRS in operation, first Ph.Ds using TRIUMF beams
1978 - Neutron activation analysis started, AECL/Nordion agreement for medical isotope production, first production of Iodine-123 on Beamline 4A for distribution in Canada
1979 - First new pion/muon beamline M13, pion cancer therapy program initiated
1980 - PET camera construction begins (2nd in Canada), TPC built to study rare decas (1st used in an experiment)
1981 - KAON Factory studies initiated, Erich Vogt becomes director of TRIUMF
1982 - Isotope pipeline to UBC hospital installed, completion of n-p and p-p program, AECL Commercial Products ships first isotopes from TRIUMF
1983 - PET dedicated by the Queen, first commercial cyclotron on site, first isotope separation on-line (ISOL) study
1985 - First purpose-built Surface Muon channel, NSERC funds HERA beamline at the DESY Lab in Germany
1986 - Contribution to 50 MeV beamline to HERA on behalf of Canada
1987 - Yamasaki awarded Imperial Medal (μSR cited), TISOL facility produces first radioactive beam,
University of Manitoba and Université de Montréal become associate members, TRIUMF becomes Canada's national meson facility
1988 - EBCO makes first 30 MeV medical cyclotron, KAON Factory project-definition study funded, University of Toronto becomes an associate member
1989 - NRC adds Tech Transfer to TRIUMF mandate, University of Regina becomes an associate member
1990 - TR-30 installed, ISACI(isotope accelerator) design begins
1991 - Bucky Balls
studied by μSR, Second arm spectrometer SASP completed
1992 - Rob Kiefl wins Herzberg Medal for MuSR studies, TISOL Red Giant 12C(α,γ)
1993 - Atom trapping begins at TRIUMF, TR-13 medical cyclotron installed
1994 - Alan Astbury becomes director of TRIUMF, ATLAS and LHC involvement at CERN initiated
1995 - Ocular melanoma treatment begins, TRINAT first traps atoms, HERMES detector components to HERA, commercial radiation effect testing with protons begin
1996 - BaBar central wire chamber construction approved
1997 - ISAC-I civil construction begins, TWIST approved, SNO involvement begins, DRAGON experiment proposed
1998 - First beam from ISAC-I, Carleton University and Queens University become associate members, BaBar central wire chamber delivered, NSERC funds DRAGON
1999 - World's highest proton beam current ISOL (isotope online) facility, lifetime measurements of 37-K at ISAC, TRIUMF becomes Canada's National Laboratory for Particle and Nuclear Physics
2000 - Carleton University becomes a full member, McMaster University becomes an associate member, ISAC-II approved, ISAC-I accelerates first stable beam, CSI awarded for new PET
, 8π spectrometer moved to TRIUMF
2001 - ISAC first accelerated rare-isotopes, first ISAC-I PRL, TUDA and DRAGON commissioned
2002 - Initial TIGRESS funding, TITAN development begins
2003 - University of Guelph becomes associate member, ISAC-II building opened, LHC magnets delivered to Geneva, Switzerland, ATLAS Tier-1 first CPUs received
2004 - University of Toronto becomes a full member, Saint Mary's University becomes an associate member, Seaborg Award to Don Fleming for pioneering work in muonium, charge radius of 11Li measured, T2K collaboration with J-PARC begins, Synergy Award for collaboration between TRIUMF and Nordion
2005 - 100th patient treated for ocular melanoma, TUDA 21Na(ρ,ρ’)21Na results published, Jean-Michel Poutissou awarded Legion of Honour (France), first muon decay results from TWIST experiment
2006 - DRAGON 26Al(ρ,γ)27Si results published
2007 - Université de Montréal becomes a full member, Synergy Award for collaboration between TRIUMF and D-PACE, Nigel Lockyer becomes director of TRIUMF, first ISAC-II experiment 11Li(ρ,t)9Li measurement with MAYA, mass measurement of 11Li (shortest-lived and lightest ion ever measured in Penning trap)
2008 - TUDA measurement of 18F(ρ,α)15O , TRIUMF forms AAPS (Advanced Applied Physics Solutions) with CECR
Research and development partnership with VECC Laboratory, Kolkata, India begins, Mass measurement of 6He (lightest ever so measured>
2009 - TIGRESS fully operational, new Nordion/TRIUMF radio-chemistry R&D initiative, TWIST obtains final results on muon decay, M9 beam line upgrade completed
2010 - ARIEL (Advanced Rare IsotopE Laboratory) project begins, first actinide target at ISAC
, University of Guelph
, University of Manitoba
, Université de Montréal
, Simon Fraser University, Queen's University
, University of Toronto
, University of Victoria, and York University
. The associate universities consist of the University of Calgary
, McMaster University
, University of Northern British Columbia
, University of Regina
, Saint Mary's University
, and the University of Winnipeg
.
(BCCA), Nordion and other university faculties relying on radio-tracers from TRIUMF for their research. This division is also responsible for the design, installation, operation and maintenance of components, systems and subsystems for the radioisotope production and processing facilities for tracers to be used in research projects both at TRIUMF and at other laboratories.
A number of key committees also fall within the oversight of the Office of the Director: the Experimental Evaluation Committees; the Policy and Planning Advisory Committee; and the Safety Management Committee.
The accelerating process takes approximately 0.3 ms before the proton achieves three-quarters the speed of light. The success of TRIUMF’s programs depends on the ability to deliver protons from the cyclotron reliably. Typically, the cyclotron, although over 35 years old, averages an up-time of greater than 90% (2000–2007), with the 15-year average just under 90%. Typically the beam is delivered for about 5,000 hours per year with one major (three month) and one minor (one month) maintenance periods. The cyclotron beam properties and capabilities have improved over the years as a result of systems upgrades. The fundamental infrastructure providing the magnetic and electrical fields and the RF resonators
as well as the vacuum vessel remain sound and will serve TRIUMF for many more years. In order to maintain and improve the accelerator facilities, TRIUMF has an ongoing refurbishment program that replaces old and obsolete equipment. This strategy has allowed TRIUMF to maintain the availability of the extracted beam steady at more than 90%.
use magnetic rather than electrostatic focusing and steering elements.
Beamline 1A (BL1A) can deliver 180 to 500 MeV protons to two target systems. The beam power ranges from 50 to 75 kW. The first target, T1, services three experimental channels. The second target, T2, services two μSR experimental channels. Downstream of T2 is a 500 MeV facility used to produce strontium isotopes for medical-imaging generators as well as the Thermal Neutron Facility (TNF).
Beamline 1B separates off BL1 at the edge of the cyclotron vault and provides international users with the Proton Irradiation Facility (PIF) that is used for radiation testing of electronic circuits, for example, mimicking space radiation for testing computer chips.
Beamline 2A (BL2A) is capable of providing 475 to 500 MeV proton beams at up to 50 kW to the ISAC target facility that produces rare-isotope ion beams for a host of Canadian and international experiments.
Beamline 2C (BL2C) is used for the Proton Therapy Program to treat choroidal melanomas (eye tumours) and proton irradiation to produce strontium isotopes, which are chemically processed and then used for medical imaging generators. This beam line also has the flexibility to provide protons of lower energy for PIF users. The energy range for this line is 70 to 120 MeV.
Beamline 4 North (BL4N) expected completion 2017), will be a new 500 MeV beamline used for the proposed expansion of ISAC with a specialized actinide target.
. Between ISAC-I and ISAC-II, many experiments can be completed.
A microscope used to examine the behaviour of atomic nuclear produced, which are collected at the centre of 8pi where they undergo radioactive decay. The main component of the 8pi spectrometer are the Hyper-pure Germanium detectors used to observe gamma rays emitted from excited states of daughter nuclei. http://www.triumf.info/wiki/tigwiki/index.php/8pi
The Detector of Recoils And Gammas Of Nuclear Reactions (DRAGON) is an apparatus designed to measure the rates of nuclear reactions important in astrophysics, particularly reactions that made the elements around us; the nucleosynthesis reactions which occur in the explosives environments of nova, supernova, and x-ray bursters. http://dragon.triumf.ca/home.html
The Collinear Fast-Beam Laser Spectroscopy (CFBS) experiment at TRIUMF is designed to exploit the high beam-intensity and radioisotope-production capability of TRIUMF’s ISAC facility, as well as modern ion-trap beam-cooling techniques, in order to measure the hyperfine energy levels and isotope shifts of short-lived isotopes using laser spectroscopy. http://www.triumf.ca/laser-spectroscopy
TRIUMF’s Ion Trap for Atomic and Nuclear Science (TITAN) measures the mass of short-lived isotopes with high precision. Radioactive isotopes from ISAC are sent to TITAN to undergo cooling, charge-breeding and trapping. The entire process occurs in about 10 milliseconds, allowing radioactive isotopes with short half lives to be studied. http://titan.triumf.ca/
TRINAT, TRIUMF’s Neutral Atom Trap, holds a cluster of neutral atoms suspended in a very small space, in high vacuum, allowing for the study of decay products of radioactive atoms. http://trshare.triumf.ca/~trinat/website/trinat_exp
The ElectroMagnetic Mass Analyzer (EMMA) (completion date 2012) is a recoil mass spectrometer for TRIUMF's ISAC-II facility. ISAC-II will provide intense beams of radioactive ions with masses up to 150 atomic mass units to international scientists studying nuclear structure and nuclear astrophysics. The energies of these beams will depend on the specific nuclei being accelerated, but typical top speeds will range from 10-20% of the speed of light. http://davids.triumf.ca/emma.htm
Formerly known as the Chalk River/Laval array, HERACLES consists of 150 scintillators detectors covering almost 4-pi. It was used in over a dozen of experiments in the last ten years for multi-fragmentation studies at intermediate energies (10 to 100 MeV/A). http://legacyweb.triumf.ca/tug/agm2000/HERACLES.html
The TRIUMF-ISAC Gamma-Ray Escape Suppressed Spectrometer (TIGRESS) is a state-of-the art new gamma-ray spectrometer designed for a broad program of nuclear physics research with the accelerated radioactive ion beams provided by the ISAC-II superconducting linear accelerator. http://tigress.triumf.ca/
A general purpose facility for studying nuclear reactions of astrophysical significance with solid state detectors
.http://tuda.triumf.ca
An ionization chamber
with full track reconstruction capabilities for studying reactions of astrophysical importance.http://tactic.triumf.ca
TRIUMF's Doppler Shift Lifetimes facility, which is an experimental setup for the measurement of the lifetimes of excited states of nuclei.http://davids.triumf.ca/dsl.htm
at the Large Hadron Collider
(LHC) at CERN
uses proton-proton collisions at the highest energy ever achieved in the laboratory to look for the Higgs Boson
, the particle central to the current model of how subatomic particles attain mass. ATLAS will also search for phenomena “beyond the standard model” of particle physics such as supersymmetry
, extra dimensions, and quark compositeness. The ATLAS detector will observe the particles emerging from the roughly 900 million proton-proton collisions per second and, although fast electronics will filter the events so that only those most likely to be of interest will be recorded, ATLAS will produce 3.5-5.0 petabytes of data per year (one petabyte is one million gigabytes). In addition, secondary data sets will be produced that could double the amount of data produced.
In order to analyze this enormous amount of information, CERN is coordinating an international network of large high-performance computing centres that are linked by “grid” tools so that they act as one huge system. This network is called the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid (WLCG). The Canadian Tier-1 Data Centre, located at TRIUMF, works with nine of the other ATLAS Tier-1 centres in the world to process the raw data produced by the experiment. In addition, Tier-2 centres located in universities, both in Canada and abroad, are used to further process the results of the Tier-1 analysis and extract groundbreaking physics results from the data. The Tier-2 centres will also be the primary sites for computer simulations of ATLAS, which is an integral part of the data analysis.
are created with their spins lined up in the same direction. When these beams are shot into a material, the muons’ spins precess (wobble like a top) around the local magnetic fields in the material. The unstable muons soon decay into positrons; since these antielectrons
tend to be emitted in the direction of the muons’ spin, μSR scientists can examine how the internal magnetic fields of different materials have affected the muons’ spins by observing the directions in which the positrons are emitted.
(NMR) in which the nuclear spin precession signal is detected through the beta decay of a radioactive nucleus. The central question to be studied is how the local electronic and magnetic properties near an interface or surface of new materials (e.g,. a high Tc superconductor) differ from those of the bulk.
TRIUMF’s detector group consists of the detector facility with expertise and tools for the design and construction of the electronic signal processing systems that are vital for the acquisition of large volumes of data from modern detectors.
or PET imaging, a technique whereby tiny amounts of radioactive nuclei known as radioisotopes are combined with certain bio-molecules and injected into the body. The biomolecules can be “traced” by imaging the decay products (two photons produced by the decay of the radioactive nucleus via the emission of a positron) outside the body. PET allows the concentration of positron-labeled compounds to be determined quantitatively in space and time within the living body. PET is more sensitive than any other human imaging method, such as MRI
or CT, and has now become the “gold standard” for the detection of cancer.
The PET program facilities at TRIUMF include cyclotron systems for the production of radioisotopes and chemistry labs for the synthesis of radiopharmaceuticals. TRIUMF currently uses the TR-13 medical cyclotron and target systems for the production of 18F, 11C, and 13N. Radiopharmaceutical production facilities include the small modular clean room at the cyclotron for the synthesis of FDG for BCCA as well as three chemistry annex labs for production and development of radiopharmaceuticals used in brain research and other programs at UBC. In addition, another lab room has equipment to carry out quality control tests on all PET radiopharmaceuticals used in humans and animals.
TRIUMF and UBC have developed a joint program with the Pacific Parkinson’s Research Centre (PPRC) that is committed to the study of central nervous system disorders. Approximately 80% of the studies are related to Parkinson’s disease, and the remainder are related to mood disorders and Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to shared equipment and methodology, this joint approach fosters a greater collaboration between the disciplines and permits researchers to explore problems of major importance, such as depression in Parkinson's disease, in more effective ways. The program has a long record of exploring the origins, progression, and therapies of the disease as well as the complications arising from therapy using molecular imaging as the primary tool.
The Functional Imaging Program at the BCCA is a collaboration among the agency, TRIUMF, UBC, and the BC Children’s Hospital. Capital acquired through the BC Provincial Health Services Authority Emerging Technologies Fund allowed purchase of the province’s first hybrid PET/CT scanner in 2004. The clinical PET/CT program, located at BCCA’s Vancouver Centre, was enabled by TRIUMF supplying 18F, the positron emitting radionuclide used in production of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). FDG, as a marker of glucose metabolism, is the tracer used in oncologic PET imaging, a diagnostic study which has become a standard of care in the management of many cancer types.
These TRIUMF facilities, PIF & NIF, have since become recognized as premier test sites for space-radiation effects using protons and, with the capability of using these protons to produce a neutron-energy spectrum similar to that found at aircraft altitudes and at ground level, testing with neutrons is also possible. A large fraction of the proton users are Canadian space-related companies such as MDA Corporation, while neutron use is primarily by international companies for avionics, microelectronics and communications equipment, such as The Boeing Company
or Cisco Systems, Inc
.
Additionally, one of the beamlines is used for the cancer treatment of ocular melanoma
at the Proton Therapy Centre which is operated in conjunction with the BC Cancer Agency and the UBC Department of Ophthalmology. Before proton treatment became available, the most common course of action was removal of the eye. Other possible treatments included surgical removal of the tumour (which has severe limitations), or implanting a radioactive disk on the wall of the eye under the tumour for some days. These alternatives were unsuitable for large tumours, and could damage sensitive parts of the eye, often resulting in loss of vision. After proton therapy, however, patients can retain useful vision. The protons enter the eye at a carefully controlled energy, and come to rest at a precise, predictable distance inside. They deposit their energy of motion (kinetic energy) in a very narrow layer, destroying living cells in that layer. Because the beam of protons is so concentrated and deposits its energy so predictably, we can successfully destroy a tumour while better preserving the other nearby parts of the eye.
end cap calorimeters
for the ATLAS detector. As well TRIUMF was involved in the construction and procurement of several magnets and power supplies for the LHC itself. The resulting accelerator contributions were a necessary part of the Canadian investment in the project. TRIUMF is also home to the ATLAS-Canada Data Centre, funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation. This centre will pre-process the raw data from the experiment prior to analysis by Canadian and foreign researchers. It will also provide domestic detector experts access to raw data for detailed calibration and monitoring.
(Tokai
-to-Kamioka
) neutrino
oscillation experiment in Japan
. TRIUMF is involved in constructing a time projection chamber
and fine-grained detectors composed of plastic scintillators for the T2K near detector, to measure the properties of the neutrino beam at its production site in Tokai before it travels 295km to Kamioka, over which distance neutrino oscillations are expected to take place.
Any qualified scientist can join the users group. The group's interests are looked after by an elected committee (TRIUMF Users' Executive Committee or TUEC). Part of TUEC's responsibilities is to organize meetings on behalf of the membership were necessary. At least one meeting, the annual general meeting (AGM), is held each year near the beginning of December. A link to the TUG website is listed in the external links below.
Particle physics
Particle physics is a branch of physics that studies the existence and interactions of particles that are the constituents of what is usually referred to as matter or radiation. In current understanding, particles are excitations of quantum fields and interact following their dynamics...
and nuclear physics
Nuclear physics
Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of atomic nuclei. The most commonly known applications of nuclear physics are nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons technology, but the research has provided application in many fields, including those...
. Its headquarters are located on the south campus of the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. TRIUMF houses the world's largest cyclotron
Cyclotron
In technology, a cyclotron is a type of particle accelerator. In physics, the cyclotron frequency or gyrofrequency is the frequency of a charged particle moving perpendicularly to the direction of a uniform magnetic field, i.e. a magnetic field of constant magnitude and direction...
, source of 500 MeV protons, which was named an IEEE Milestone in 2010. Its research program focuses on probing the structure of origins of matter and in advancing isotopes for science and medicine.
TRIUMF's vision is to lead in science, leverage Canadian university research, connect Canada to the world, and create social and economic growth. Its mission is to make discoveries that address the most compelling questions in particle physics, nuclear physics, nuclear medicine
Nuclear medicine
In nuclear medicine procedures, elemental radionuclides are combined with other elements to form chemical compounds, or else combined with existing pharmaceutical compounds, to form radiopharmaceuticals. These radiopharmaceuticals, once administered to the patient, can localize to specific organs...
, and materials science
Materials science
Materials science is an interdisciplinary field applying the properties of matter to various areas of science and engineering. This scientific field investigates the relationship between the structure of materials at atomic or molecular scales and their macroscopic properties. It incorporates...
. As well, TRIUMF wishes to be on the forefront for advancing particle accelerator
Particle accelerator
A particle accelerator is a device that uses electromagnetic fields to propel charged particles to high speeds and to contain them in well-defined beams. An ordinary CRT television set is a simple form of accelerator. There are two basic types: electrostatic and oscillating field accelerators.In...
and detection technologies, while transferring knowledge and training highly skilled personnel to commercialize research for the economic, social, environmental and health benefit of all Canadians.
There are over 450 scientists, engineers, and staff performing research on the TRIUMF site. The lab attracts over 1000 national and international researchers every year and provides advanced research facilities and opportunities to 150 students and postdoctoral fellows each year. In addition to the on site program, TRIUMF serves as a key broker for Canada in global research in particle, nuclear, and accelerator
Accelerator physics
Accelerator physics deals with the problems of building and operating particle accelerators.The experiments conducted with particle accelerators are not regarded as part of accelerator physics. These belong to particle physics, nuclear physics, condensed matter physics, materials physics, etc...
physics.
TRIUMF has generated over $1B in economic impact activity over the last decade. TRIUMF has over 50 international agreements for collaborative scientific research.
As part of the subatomic physics community, TRIUMF scientists participate with university-based physicists in developing and implementing the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada is a Canadian government agency that provides grants for research in the natural sciences and in engineering. Its mandate is to promote and assist research....
’s (NSERC) long-range plan for subatomic physics. TRIUMF uses these community-based plans, which discuss the long-term objectives of the field, to develop its own priorities. TRIUMF’s decisions about what projects to undertake are also guided by its policy of supporting only those projects that have been independently peer reviewed and endorsed by the international scientific community.
A main strength of TRIUMF is that it has a range of resources – both human and hardware. University-based researchers want to work with TRIUMF because these resources are not available at their home institutions. Scientists at TRIUMF become key points of contact for the research, and this helps foster collaborative partnerships among Canadian researchers and their international colleagues.
Asteroid 14959 TRIUMF
14959 TRIUMF
14959 TRIUMF is a main-belt asteroid discovered on May 9, 1996 by Spacewatch at Kitt Peak.- External links :*...
is named in honour of the laboratory.
History
TRIUMF, formerly abbreviated from TRI-University Meson Facility, was founded in 1968 by Simon Fraser UniversitySimon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Victoria
University of Victoria
The University of Victoria, often referred to as UVic, is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It is a research intensive university located in Saanich and Oak Bay, about northeast of downtown Victoria. The University's annual enrollment is about 20,000 students...
in order to meet research needs that no single university could provide. Shortly after this the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
joined the TRIUMF consortium, and the full name was dropped as TRIUMF currently has 17 member universities from across Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Former Directors
Since its inception, TRIUMF has had seven directors overseeing its operations.John Warren - 1968-1971
Reginald Richardson - 1971-1976
Jack Sample - 1976-1981
Erich Vogt - 1981-1994
Alan Astbury - 1994-2001
Alan Shotter - 2001-2007
Nigel S Lockyer - 2007-Present
Historic Timeline
1965 - BC nuclear physicists agree on meson facility1968 - John Warren becomes first director of TRIUMF
1969 - TRIUMF holds opening ceremony
1970 - Ground-breaking ceremony
1971 - Cyclotron assembly begins, Reginald Richardson becomes director of TRIUMF
1974 - Cyclotron produces its first beam
1975 - Proton science program initiated, first polarized proton beam, first μSR experiment at TRIUMF
1976 - Pierre Elliot Trudeau's official dedication, Dr. Erich Vogt becomes an Officer of the Order of Canada, Jack Sample becomes director of TRIUMF
1977 - Medium resolution spectrometer MRS in operation, first Ph.Ds using TRIUMF beams
1978 - Neutron activation analysis started, AECL/Nordion agreement for medical isotope production, first production of Iodine-123 on Beamline 4A for distribution in Canada
1979 - First new pion/muon beamline M13, pion cancer therapy program initiated
1980 - PET camera construction begins (2nd in Canada), TPC built to study rare decas (1st used in an experiment)
1981 - KAON Factory studies initiated, Erich Vogt becomes director of TRIUMF
1982 - Isotope pipeline to UBC hospital installed, completion of n-p and p-p program, AECL Commercial Products ships first isotopes from TRIUMF
1983 - PET dedicated by the Queen, first commercial cyclotron on site, first isotope separation on-line (ISOL) study
1985 - First purpose-built Surface Muon channel, NSERC funds HERA beamline at the DESY Lab in Germany
1986 - Contribution to 50 MeV beamline to HERA on behalf of Canada
1987 - Yamasaki awarded Imperial Medal (μSR cited), TISOL facility produces first radioactive beam,
University of Manitoba and Université de Montréal become associate members, TRIUMF becomes Canada's national meson facility
1988 - EBCO makes first 30 MeV medical cyclotron, KAON Factory project-definition study funded, University of Toronto becomes an associate member
1989 - NRC adds Tech Transfer to TRIUMF mandate, University of Regina becomes an associate member
1990 - TR-30 installed, ISACI(isotope accelerator) design begins
1991 - Bucky Balls
Fullerene
A fullerene is any molecule composed entirely of carbon, in the form of a hollow sphere, ellipsoid, or tube. Spherical fullerenes are also called buckyballs, and they resemble the balls used in association football. Cylindrical ones are called carbon nanotubes or buckytubes...
studied by μSR, Second arm spectrometer SASP completed
1992 - Rob Kiefl wins Herzberg Medal for MuSR studies, TISOL Red Giant 12C(α,γ)
1993 - Atom trapping begins at TRIUMF, TR-13 medical cyclotron installed
1994 - Alan Astbury becomes director of TRIUMF, ATLAS and LHC involvement at CERN initiated
1995 - Ocular melanoma treatment begins, TRINAT first traps atoms, HERMES detector components to HERA, commercial radiation effect testing with protons begin
1996 - BaBar central wire chamber construction approved
1997 - ISAC-I civil construction begins, TWIST approved, SNO involvement begins, DRAGON experiment proposed
1998 - First beam from ISAC-I, Carleton University and Queens University become associate members, BaBar central wire chamber delivered, NSERC funds DRAGON
1999 - World's highest proton beam current ISOL (isotope online) facility, lifetime measurements of 37-K at ISAC, TRIUMF becomes Canada's National Laboratory for Particle and Nuclear Physics
2000 - Carleton University becomes a full member, McMaster University becomes an associate member, ISAC-II approved, ISAC-I accelerates first stable beam, CSI awarded for new PET
Positron emission tomography
Positron emission tomography is nuclear medicine imaging technique that produces a three-dimensional image or picture of functional processes in the body. The system detects pairs of gamma rays emitted indirectly by a positron-emitting radionuclide , which is introduced into the body on a...
, 8π spectrometer moved to TRIUMF
2001 - ISAC first accelerated rare-isotopes, first ISAC-I PRL, TUDA and DRAGON commissioned
2002 - Initial TIGRESS funding, TITAN development begins
2003 - University of Guelph becomes associate member, ISAC-II building opened, LHC magnets delivered to Geneva, Switzerland, ATLAS Tier-1 first CPUs received
2004 - University of Toronto becomes a full member, Saint Mary's University becomes an associate member, Seaborg Award to Don Fleming for pioneering work in muonium, charge radius of 11Li measured, T2K collaboration with J-PARC begins, Synergy Award for collaboration between TRIUMF and Nordion
2005 - 100th patient treated for ocular melanoma, TUDA 21Na(ρ,ρ’)21Na results published, Jean-Michel Poutissou awarded Legion of Honour (France), first muon decay results from TWIST experiment
2006 - DRAGON 26Al(ρ,γ)27Si results published
2007 - Université de Montréal becomes a full member, Synergy Award for collaboration between TRIUMF and D-PACE, Nigel Lockyer becomes director of TRIUMF, first ISAC-II experiment 11Li(ρ,t)9Li measurement with MAYA, mass measurement of 11Li (shortest-lived and lightest ion ever measured in Penning trap)
2008 - TUDA measurement of 18F(ρ,α)15O , TRIUMF forms AAPS (Advanced Applied Physics Solutions) with CECR
Research and development partnership with VECC Laboratory, Kolkata, India begins, Mass measurement of 6He (lightest ever so measured>
2009 - TIGRESS fully operational, new Nordion/TRIUMF radio-chemistry R&D initiative, TWIST obtains final results on muon decay, M9 beam line upgrade completed
2010 - ARIEL (Advanced Rare IsotopE Laboratory) project begins, first actinide target at ISAC
Canadian University Partners
TRIUMF's consortium has 11 full member universities and 6 associate member universities. The Board of Management, which has representation from the Canadian university members, guides the overall direction of the laboratory. The member universities consist of the University of Alberta, the University of British Columbia, Carleton UniversityCarleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
, University of Guelph
University of Guelph
The University of Guelph, also known as U of G, is a comprehensive public research university in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1964 after the amalgamation of Ontario Agricultural College, the Macdonald Institute, and the Ontario Veterinary College...
, University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
, Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
, Simon Fraser University, Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
, University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, University of Victoria, and York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
. The associate universities consist of the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
, McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
, University of Northern British Columbia
University of Northern British Columbia
The University of Northern British Columbia is a small, primarily undergraduate university whose main campus is in Prince George, British Columbia. UNBC also has regional campuses in the northern British Columbia cities of Prince Rupert, Terrace, Quesnel, and Fort St. John...
, University of Regina
University of Regina
The University of Regina is a public research university located in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Founded in 1911 as a private denominational high school of the Methodist Church of Canada, it began an association with the University of Saskatchewan as a junior college in 1925, and was disaffiliated...
, Saint Mary's University
Saint Mary's University
St. Mary's University is the name of several universities:In Canada:*St...
, and the University of Winnipeg
University of Winnipeg
The University of Winnipeg is a public university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada that offers undergraduate faculties of art, business and economics, education, science and theology as well as graduate programs. The U of W's founding colleges were Manitoba College and Wesley College, which merged...
.
Organizational Structure
TRIUMF is organized to optimally meet its objectives while maintaining accountability, quality, and effectiveness. The facility has separate divisions, most of which focus on varying aspects of research.Accelerator Division
The Accelerator Division has operational, maintenance, and required upgrade responsibility for all of the 500 MeV Cyclotron, ISAC, and TR-13 facilities. The division also has responsibility for the design, construction, and commissioning of future accelerators on-site, and it provides support for external accelerator projects.Engineering Division
The Engineering Division has general responsibilities for the engineering, design and fabrication of mechanical, structural and electronic components. The division also has responsibility for electrical and mechanical services and site maintenance.Science Division
The Science Division is responsible for scheduling experiments approved by the Experimental Evaluation Committee (EEC). The division is also responsibility for the design, installation, operation and maintenance of components, systems and subsystems for all experimental operations at the TRIUMF site. Lastly, it is also responsible for the coordination of infrastructure support for external programs.Nuclear Medicine Division
The Nuclear Medicine Division is responsible for the support of projects approved by the Life Science Projects Evaluation Committee (LSPEC) and provides support for collaborations with the Pacific Parkinson’s Research Centre (PPRC), BC Cancer AgencyBC Cancer Agency
The BC Cancer Agency is part of the Provincial Health Services Authority in British Columbia, Canada.-Mission:The Agency has a three-part mission:* To reduce the incidence of cancer.* To reduce the mortality rate of people with cancer....
(BCCA), Nordion and other university faculties relying on radio-tracers from TRIUMF for their research. This division is also responsible for the design, installation, operation and maintenance of components, systems and subsystems for the radioisotope production and processing facilities for tracers to be used in research projects both at TRIUMF and at other laboratories.
Office of the Director
The Director has general oversight responsibilities for the following administrative departments: accounting and finance; environmental health and safety; general administration and security; human resources; procurement; quality assurance; strategic planning; communications and outreach; and supply chain management. Additional oversight is given to the Applied Technology Group consisting of several work teams including Isotope Production, Cyclotron Operations, and Technical Support. This group focuses on the production of radioactive isotopes for use by Nordion, a global life sciences company that provides products and services that are used in the development of drugs and diagnosis and treatment of disease.A number of key committees also fall within the oversight of the Office of the Director: the Experimental Evaluation Committees; the Policy and Planning Advisory Committee; and the Safety Management Committee.
TRIUMF's Experiments
TRIUMF actively applies the expertise developed for subatomic physics to other areas of research, to the recruitment and training of the next generation of technology leaders, and to the generation of entrepreneurial opportunities. Areas for expansion beyond subatomic physics have been carefully chosen so that TRIUMF’s unique capabilities can help resolve additional important science questions and provide health and economic advantages to Canadians. Thus, the core program of nuclear, particle, and accelerator physics has expanded to cover key niche areas in life sciences and molecular and materials science. Consequently the TRIUMF research program has become interdisciplinary with cross-fertilization among different areas of the program.Main Cyclotron and Proton Beam Lines
At the heart of TRIUMF is the 500 MeV cyclotron that produces the primary proton beams. A large fraction of the TRIUMF program relies on these beams, including the ISAC, the Centre for Molecular and Materials Science programs in μSR and β-NMR, and the Proton Treatment Facility. The operation of the main cyclotron has enabled TRIUMF to acquire the expertise to operate the three medical cyclotrons for Nordion and the TR-13 medical cyclotron used to produce medical isotopes, and assist companies to exploit commercial opportunities for the sale of cyclotron and other accelerator technologies.The 500 MeV Cyclotron
TRIUMF produces negatively charged hydrogen ions (H⁻: 1 proton, 2 electrons) from an ion source. The ions are transported through an evacuated electrostatic beam line containing elements to focus and steer the beam over 60m to the cyclotron. The 500 MeV (million electron volts) variable energy cyclotron accelerates these ions with a high frequency alternating electric field and uses a massive six-sector magnet to confine the beam in an outward spiral trajectory. Inserting a very thin graphite extraction foil strips, or removes, the electrons from the H⁻ ion while allowing the proton to pass through. The proton, because it is a positively charged particle, is deflected in the outward direction due to the magnetic field and is directed to a proton beam line.The accelerating process takes approximately 0.3 ms before the proton achieves three-quarters the speed of light. The success of TRIUMF’s programs depends on the ability to deliver protons from the cyclotron reliably. Typically, the cyclotron, although over 35 years old, averages an up-time of greater than 90% (2000–2007), with the 15-year average just under 90%. Typically the beam is delivered for about 5,000 hours per year with one major (three month) and one minor (one month) maintenance periods. The cyclotron beam properties and capabilities have improved over the years as a result of systems upgrades. The fundamental infrastructure providing the magnetic and electrical fields and the RF resonators
Resonator
A resonator is a device or system that exhibits resonance or resonant behavior, that is, it naturally oscillates at some frequencies, called its resonant frequencies, with greater amplitude than at others. The oscillations in a resonator can be either electromagnetic or mechanical...
as well as the vacuum vessel remain sound and will serve TRIUMF for many more years. In order to maintain and improve the accelerator facilities, TRIUMF has an ongoing refurbishment program that replaces old and obsolete equipment. This strategy has allowed TRIUMF to maintain the availability of the extracted beam steady at more than 90%.
The Four Proton Beamlines
TRIUMF has four independent extraction probes with various sizes of foils to provide protons simultaneously to up to four beam lines. Because of the high energy of the proton beam, these beamlinesBeamline
In particle physics, a beamline is the line in a linear accelerator along which a beam of particles travels. It may also refer to the line of travel within a bending section such as a storage ring or cyclotron, or an external beam extracted from a cyclic accelerator.In materials science, physics,...
use magnetic rather than electrostatic focusing and steering elements.
Beamline 1A (BL1A) can deliver 180 to 500 MeV protons to two target systems. The beam power ranges from 50 to 75 kW. The first target, T1, services three experimental channels. The second target, T2, services two μSR experimental channels. Downstream of T2 is a 500 MeV facility used to produce strontium isotopes for medical-imaging generators as well as the Thermal Neutron Facility (TNF).
Beamline 1B separates off BL1 at the edge of the cyclotron vault and provides international users with the Proton Irradiation Facility (PIF) that is used for radiation testing of electronic circuits, for example, mimicking space radiation for testing computer chips.
Beamline 2A (BL2A) is capable of providing 475 to 500 MeV proton beams at up to 50 kW to the ISAC target facility that produces rare-isotope ion beams for a host of Canadian and international experiments.
Beamline 2C (BL2C) is used for the Proton Therapy Program to treat choroidal melanomas (eye tumours) and proton irradiation to produce strontium isotopes, which are chemically processed and then used for medical imaging generators. This beam line also has the flexibility to provide protons of lower energy for PIF users. The energy range for this line is 70 to 120 MeV.
Beamline 4 North (BL4N) expected completion 2017), will be a new 500 MeV beamline used for the proposed expansion of ISAC with a specialized actinide target.
ISAC Facilities for Rare-Isotope Beams
The ISAC facility produces and uses heavy ion beams to produce short-lived isotopes for study. A proton beam from the main accelerator is used to produce beams of exotic isotopes which are further accelerated using linear accelerators. Several experiments study the properties and structure of these exotic isotopes along with their nucleosynthesisNucleosynthesis
Nucleosynthesis is the process of creating new atomic nuclei from pre-existing nucleons . It is thought that the primordial nucleons themselves were formed from the quark–gluon plasma from the Big Bang as it cooled below two trillion degrees...
. Between ISAC-I and ISAC-II, many experiments can be completed.
ISAC-I Facility
In the ISAC-I facility, 500 MeV protons at up to 100 μA can be steered onto one of two production targets to produce radioactive isotopes. The isotopes pass through a heated tube to a source where they are ionized, accelerated off the source’s high-voltage platform at up to 60 kV and sent through a mass separator to select the ion beam of choice. The beam is transported in the low-energy beam transport (LEBT) electrostatic beam line and sent via a switch-yard to either the low-energy experimental area or to a series of room-temperature accelerating structures to the ISAC-I medium-energy experimental area. Experiments at ISAC-I include:8π Spectrometer
A microscope used to examine the behaviour of atomic nuclear produced, which are collected at the centre of 8pi where they undergo radioactive decay. The main component of the 8pi spectrometer are the Hyper-pure Germanium detectors used to observe gamma rays emitted from excited states of daughter nuclei. http://www.triumf.info/wiki/tigwiki/index.php/8pi
DRAGON
The Detector of Recoils And Gammas Of Nuclear Reactions (DRAGON) is an apparatus designed to measure the rates of nuclear reactions important in astrophysics, particularly reactions that made the elements around us; the nucleosynthesis reactions which occur in the explosives environments of nova, supernova, and x-ray bursters. http://dragon.triumf.ca/home.html
Laser Spectroscopy
The Collinear Fast-Beam Laser Spectroscopy (CFBS) experiment at TRIUMF is designed to exploit the high beam-intensity and radioisotope-production capability of TRIUMF’s ISAC facility, as well as modern ion-trap beam-cooling techniques, in order to measure the hyperfine energy levels and isotope shifts of short-lived isotopes using laser spectroscopy. http://www.triumf.ca/laser-spectroscopy
TITAN
TRIUMF’s Ion Trap for Atomic and Nuclear Science (TITAN) measures the mass of short-lived isotopes with high precision. Radioactive isotopes from ISAC are sent to TITAN to undergo cooling, charge-breeding and trapping. The entire process occurs in about 10 milliseconds, allowing radioactive isotopes with short half lives to be studied. http://titan.triumf.ca/
TRINAT
TRINAT, TRIUMF’s Neutral Atom Trap, holds a cluster of neutral atoms suspended in a very small space, in high vacuum, allowing for the study of decay products of radioactive atoms. http://trshare.triumf.ca/~trinat/website/trinat_exp
ISAC-II Facility
The rare-isotope beams produced in the ISAC-II facility are transported in the low-energy beam transport (LEBT) electrostatic beam line and sent via a switch-yard to either the low-energy experimental area or to a series of room-temperature accelerating structures in the ISAC-I medium-energy experimental area. For high-energy delivery, the drift tube linac (DTL) beam is deflected north along an S-bend transfer line to the ISAC-II superconducting linear accelerator (SC-linac) for acceleration above the Coulomb barrier (5-11 MeV/u). TRIUMF began developing superconducting accelerator technology in 2001 and is now a leader in the field with a demonstrated accelerating gradient (at low beta) significantly above other operating facilities. Experiments at ISAC-II include:EMMA
The ElectroMagnetic Mass Analyzer (EMMA) (completion date 2012) is a recoil mass spectrometer for TRIUMF's ISAC-II facility. ISAC-II will provide intense beams of radioactive ions with masses up to 150 atomic mass units to international scientists studying nuclear structure and nuclear astrophysics. The energies of these beams will depend on the specific nuclei being accelerated, but typical top speeds will range from 10-20% of the speed of light. http://davids.triumf.ca/emma.htm
HERACLES
Formerly known as the Chalk River/Laval array, HERACLES consists of 150 scintillators detectors covering almost 4-pi. It was used in over a dozen of experiments in the last ten years for multi-fragmentation studies at intermediate energies (10 to 100 MeV/A). http://legacyweb.triumf.ca/tug/agm2000/HERACLES.html
TIGRESS
The TRIUMF-ISAC Gamma-Ray Escape Suppressed Spectrometer (TIGRESS) is a state-of-the art new gamma-ray spectrometer designed for a broad program of nuclear physics research with the accelerated radioactive ion beams provided by the ISAC-II superconducting linear accelerator. http://tigress.triumf.ca/
TUDA
A general purpose facility for studying nuclear reactions of astrophysical significance with solid state detectors
Semiconductor detector
This article is about particle detectors. For information about semiconductor detectors in radio, see Diode#Semiconductor_diodes, rectifier, detector and cat's-whisker detector....
.http://tuda.triumf.ca
TACTIC
An ionization chamber
Particle detector
In experimental and applied particle physics, nuclear physics, and nuclear engineering, a particle detector, also known as a radiation detector, is a device used to detect, track, and/or identify high-energy particles, such as those produced by nuclear decay, cosmic radiation, or reactions in a...
with full track reconstruction capabilities for studying reactions of astrophysical importance.http://tactic.triumf.ca
DSL
TRIUMF's Doppler Shift Lifetimes facility, which is an experimental setup for the measurement of the lifetimes of excited states of nuclei.http://davids.triumf.ca/dsl.htm
ATLAS Canadian Tier-1 Data Centre
The ATLAS experimentATLAS experiment
ATLAS is one of the six particle detector experiments constructed at the Large Hadron Collider , a new particle accelerator at the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland...
at the Large Hadron Collider
Large Hadron Collider
The Large Hadron Collider is the world's largest and highest-energy particle accelerator. It is expected to address some of the most fundamental questions of physics, advancing the understanding of the deepest laws of nature....
(LHC) at CERN
CERN
The European Organization for Nuclear Research , known as CERN , is an international organization whose purpose is to operate the world's largest particle physics laboratory, which is situated in the northwest suburbs of Geneva on the Franco–Swiss border...
uses proton-proton collisions at the highest energy ever achieved in the laboratory to look for the Higgs Boson
Higgs boson
The Higgs boson is a hypothetical massive elementary particle that is predicted to exist by the Standard Model of particle physics. Its existence is postulated as a means of resolving inconsistencies in the Standard Model...
, the particle central to the current model of how subatomic particles attain mass. ATLAS will also search for phenomena “beyond the standard model” of particle physics such as supersymmetry
Supersymmetry
In particle physics, supersymmetry is a symmetry that relates elementary particles of one spin to other particles that differ by half a unit of spin and are known as superpartners...
, extra dimensions, and quark compositeness. The ATLAS detector will observe the particles emerging from the roughly 900 million proton-proton collisions per second and, although fast electronics will filter the events so that only those most likely to be of interest will be recorded, ATLAS will produce 3.5-5.0 petabytes of data per year (one petabyte is one million gigabytes). In addition, secondary data sets will be produced that could double the amount of data produced.
In order to analyze this enormous amount of information, CERN is coordinating an international network of large high-performance computing centres that are linked by “grid” tools so that they act as one huge system. This network is called the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid (WLCG). The Canadian Tier-1 Data Centre, located at TRIUMF, works with nine of the other ATLAS Tier-1 centres in the world to process the raw data produced by the experiment. In addition, Tier-2 centres located in universities, both in Canada and abroad, are used to further process the results of the Tier-1 analysis and extract groundbreaking physics results from the data. The Tier-2 centres will also be the primary sites for computer simulations of ATLAS, which is an integral part of the data analysis.
Centre for Molecular and Materials Science
TRIUMF uses subatomic particles as probes of materials structure at the Centre for Molecular and Materials Science (CMMS). The chief techniques are μSR and β-NMR.μSR
Scientists at TRIUMF are using a technique called μSR, which has become a unique and powerful probe to peer into and gain a deeper understanding of what goes on inside materials like semiconductors, magnets and superconductors. Beams of positive muonsMuon
The muon |mu]] used to represent it) is an elementary particle similar to the electron, with a unitary negative electric charge and a spin of ½. Together with the electron, the tau, and the three neutrinos, it is classified as a lepton...
are created with their spins lined up in the same direction. When these beams are shot into a material, the muons’ spins precess (wobble like a top) around the local magnetic fields in the material. The unstable muons soon decay into positrons; since these antielectrons
Positron
The positron or antielectron is the antiparticle or the antimatter counterpart of the electron. The positron has an electric charge of +1e, a spin of ½, and has the same mass as an electron...
tend to be emitted in the direction of the muons’ spin, μSR scientists can examine how the internal magnetic fields of different materials have affected the muons’ spins by observing the directions in which the positrons are emitted.
β-NMR
β detected NMR is an exotic form of nuclear magnetic resonanceNuclear magnetic resonance
Nuclear magnetic resonance is a physical phenomenon in which magnetic nuclei in a magnetic field absorb and re-emit electromagnetic radiation...
(NMR) in which the nuclear spin precession signal is detected through the beta decay of a radioactive nucleus. The central question to be studied is how the local electronic and magnetic properties near an interface or surface of new materials (e.g,. a high Tc superconductor) differ from those of the bulk.
Laboratory for Advanced Detector Development
TRIUMF contributes to the design, development, and construction of advanced detectors for diverse applications. The roots of this activity lie in the development of detectors for particle and nuclear physics, but the activities have expanded over time to support advanced detector development for molecular and materials sciences and nuclear medicine. TRIUMF has a long history of collaborating with researchers at Canadian universities in the design and construction of various state-of-the-art detector systems as Canadian contributions to experiments both at TRIUMF and at foreign laboratories. In addition to the TRIUMF detector group, the laboratory has expert designers, engineers, and technicians who are fully engaged in this enterprise.TRIUMF’s detector group consists of the detector facility with expertise and tools for the design and construction of the electronic signal processing systems that are vital for the acquisition of large volumes of data from modern detectors.
Nuclear Medicine Laboratories
The core of the TRIUMF nuclear medicine program is Positron Emission TomographyPositron emission tomography
Positron emission tomography is nuclear medicine imaging technique that produces a three-dimensional image or picture of functional processes in the body. The system detects pairs of gamma rays emitted indirectly by a positron-emitting radionuclide , which is introduced into the body on a...
or PET imaging, a technique whereby tiny amounts of radioactive nuclei known as radioisotopes are combined with certain bio-molecules and injected into the body. The biomolecules can be “traced” by imaging the decay products (two photons produced by the decay of the radioactive nucleus via the emission of a positron) outside the body. PET allows the concentration of positron-labeled compounds to be determined quantitatively in space and time within the living body. PET is more sensitive than any other human imaging method, such as MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear magnetic resonance imaging , or magnetic resonance tomography is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to visualize detailed internal structures...
or CT, and has now become the “gold standard” for the detection of cancer.
The PET program facilities at TRIUMF include cyclotron systems for the production of radioisotopes and chemistry labs for the synthesis of radiopharmaceuticals. TRIUMF currently uses the TR-13 medical cyclotron and target systems for the production of 18F, 11C, and 13N. Radiopharmaceutical production facilities include the small modular clean room at the cyclotron for the synthesis of FDG for BCCA as well as three chemistry annex labs for production and development of radiopharmaceuticals used in brain research and other programs at UBC. In addition, another lab room has equipment to carry out quality control tests on all PET radiopharmaceuticals used in humans and animals.
TRIUMF and UBC have developed a joint program with the Pacific Parkinson’s Research Centre (PPRC) that is committed to the study of central nervous system disorders. Approximately 80% of the studies are related to Parkinson’s disease, and the remainder are related to mood disorders and Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to shared equipment and methodology, this joint approach fosters a greater collaboration between the disciplines and permits researchers to explore problems of major importance, such as depression in Parkinson's disease, in more effective ways. The program has a long record of exploring the origins, progression, and therapies of the disease as well as the complications arising from therapy using molecular imaging as the primary tool.
The Functional Imaging Program at the BCCA is a collaboration among the agency, TRIUMF, UBC, and the BC Children’s Hospital. Capital acquired through the BC Provincial Health Services Authority Emerging Technologies Fund allowed purchase of the province’s first hybrid PET/CT scanner in 2004. The clinical PET/CT program, located at BCCA’s Vancouver Centre, was enabled by TRIUMF supplying 18F, the positron emitting radionuclide used in production of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). FDG, as a marker of glucose metabolism, is the tracer used in oncologic PET imaging, a diagnostic study which has become a standard of care in the management of many cancer types.
Proton and Neutron Irradiation Facilities
Beginning in 1995, TRIUMF has built up several beamlines that provide low-intensity, energetic proton and neutron beams to simulate radiation exposures either in space or terrestrial environments. Even at low intensity, several minutes of exposure in these beams can correspond to years of operation in space, air, or ground so that accelerated testing of electronics can be carried out.These TRIUMF facilities, PIF & NIF, have since become recognized as premier test sites for space-radiation effects using protons and, with the capability of using these protons to produce a neutron-energy spectrum similar to that found at aircraft altitudes and at ground level, testing with neutrons is also possible. A large fraction of the proton users are Canadian space-related companies such as MDA Corporation, while neutron use is primarily by international companies for avionics, microelectronics and communications equipment, such as The Boeing Company
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
or Cisco Systems, Inc
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Jose, California, United States, that designs and sells consumer electronics, networking, voice, and communications technology and services. Cisco has more than 70,000 employees and annual revenue of US$...
.
Additionally, one of the beamlines is used for the cancer treatment of ocular melanoma
Uveal melanoma
Uveal melanoma is a cancer of the eye involving the iris, ciliary body, or choroid . Tumors arise from the pigment cells that reside within the uvea giving color to the eye...
at the Proton Therapy Centre which is operated in conjunction with the BC Cancer Agency and the UBC Department of Ophthalmology. Before proton treatment became available, the most common course of action was removal of the eye. Other possible treatments included surgical removal of the tumour (which has severe limitations), or implanting a radioactive disk on the wall of the eye under the tumour for some days. These alternatives were unsuitable for large tumours, and could damage sensitive parts of the eye, often resulting in loss of vision. After proton therapy, however, patients can retain useful vision. The protons enter the eye at a carefully controlled energy, and come to rest at a precise, predictable distance inside. They deposit their energy of motion (kinetic energy) in a very narrow layer, destroying living cells in that layer. Because the beam of protons is so concentrated and deposits its energy so predictably, we can successfully destroy a tumour while better preserving the other nearby parts of the eye.
External Programs
TRIUMF is also involved in the development and construction of detectors and equipment for larger particle physics experiments located all over the world.Large Hadron Collider
TRIUMF accelerator physicists had unique expertise for the design and construction of critical parts of the accelerator, such as assembling the liquid argonArgon
Argon is a chemical element represented by the symbol Ar. Argon has atomic number 18 and is the third element in group 18 of the periodic table . Argon is the third most common gas in the Earth's atmosphere, at 0.93%, making it more common than carbon dioxide...
end cap calorimeters
Calorimeter
A calorimeter is a device used for calorimetry, the science of measuring the heat of chemical reactions or physical changes as well as heat capacity. Differential scanning calorimeters, isothermal microcalorimeters, titration calorimeters and accelerated rate calorimeters are among the most common...
for the ATLAS detector. As well TRIUMF was involved in the construction and procurement of several magnets and power supplies for the LHC itself. The resulting accelerator contributions were a necessary part of the Canadian investment in the project. TRIUMF is also home to the ATLAS-Canada Data Centre, funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation. This centre will pre-process the raw data from the experiment prior to analysis by Canadian and foreign researchers. It will also provide domestic detector experts access to raw data for detailed calibration and monitoring.
T2K
TRIUMF is part of the T2KT2K
T2K is a particle physics experiment that is a collaboration between several countries, including Japan, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Korea, Poland, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, the United States, and the United Kingdom...
(Tokai
Tokai, Ibaraki
is a village located in Naka District, Ibaraki, Japan. It is approximately 120 km north of Tokyo, Japan on the Pacific coast.As of 1 January 2005, the village has an estimated population of 35,467 and a population density of 946.29 persons per km²...
-to-Kamioka
Kamioka Observatory
The is a neutrino physics laboratory located underground in the Mozumi Mine of the Kamioka Mining and Smelting Co. near the Kamioka section of the city of Hida in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. A set of groundbreaking neutrino experiments have taken place at the observatory over the past two decades...
) neutrino
Neutrino
A neutrino is an electrically neutral, weakly interacting elementary subatomic particle with a half-integer spin, chirality and a disputed but small non-zero mass. It is able to pass through ordinary matter almost unaffected...
oscillation experiment in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. TRIUMF is involved in constructing a time projection chamber
Time projection chamber
In physics, a time projection chamber is a particle detector invented by David R. Nygren, an American physicist, at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in the late 1970s...
and fine-grained detectors composed of plastic scintillators for the T2K near detector, to measure the properties of the neutrino beam at its production site in Tokai before it travels 295km to Kamioka, over which distance neutrino oscillations are expected to take place.
TRIUMF Users' Group
The TRIUMF Users Group (TUG) is an international community of scientists and engineers with a special interest in the use of the TRIUMF facility. Its purpose is:- to provide a formal means for exchange of information relating to the development and use of the facility;
- to advise members of the entire TRIUMF organization of projects and facilities available;
- to provide an entity responsive to the representations of its members for offering advice and counsel to the TRIUMF management on operating policy and facilities.
Any qualified scientist can join the users group. The group's interests are looked after by an elected committee (TRIUMF Users' Executive Committee or TUEC). Part of TUEC's responsibilities is to organize meetings on behalf of the membership were necessary. At least one meeting, the annual general meeting (AGM), is held each year near the beginning of December. A link to the TUG website is listed in the external links below.
See also
- Canadian government scientific research organizationsCanadian government scientific research organizationsExpenditures by federal and provincial organizations on scientific research and development accounted for about 10% of all such spending in Canada in 2006...
- Canadian university scientific research organizationsCanadian university scientific research organizationsExpenditures by Canadian universities on scientific research and development accounted for about 40% of all spending on scientific research and development in Canada in 2006....
- Canadian industrial research and development organizationsCanadian industrial research and development organizationsExpenditures by Canadian corporations on research and development accounted for about 50% of all spending on scientific research and development in Canada in 2007....