Use of the Spallation Neutron Source for Heavy Ion Fusion Beam Dynamic Studies: Proceedings of a Workshop Held at Cosener's House, Abingdon

摘要

In recent years, growing activity in the USA, Europe and Japan has been aimed at establishing the feasibility of the Heavy Ion Fusion (HIF) concept. In this premise, intense accelerated beams of heavy ions would be used to compress and ignite small target pellets containing thermonuclear fuel. The problems involved in designing suitable accelerator drivers for HIF have been discussed at a series of Workshops, the last one being held at Berkeley in late 1979. The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) under construction at the Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory incorporates a proton synchrotron whose injection energy is approximately 70 MeV. In July 1980, it was pointed out that this machine could be used as a storage ring for 70 MeV protons; and that, with the addition of extra RF equipment, these particles could be compressed longitudinally in the ring. Used in this mode, the SNS synchrotron could provide realistic simulation of the beam dynamics in heavy ion storage ring drivers, including space-charge effects - mainly because the ion velocity is close to that of 70 MeV protons. This workshop evaluates the proposal in detail.