A Proposal to the ISOLDE and Neutron Time-of-Flight Experiments

We propose to perform a proof-of-principle test of a target station suitable for a Neutrino Factory or Muon Collider source using a 24-GeV proton beam incident on a target consisting of a free mercury jet that is inside a 15-T capture solenoid magnet. This test could be performed in the TT2A tunnel of the nTOF proton line (upstream of the spallation target). The tests would require only … 100 fast-extracted pulses of full PS intensity, delivered in a pulse-on-demand mode of operation over about 2 weeks. The main piece of apparatus is the LN2-precooled, 15-T copper magnet of total volume slightly over 1 m3 with a 15-cm-diameter warm bore. The principle diagnostic is a high-speed optical camera. The mercury jet is part of a closed mercury loop that includes an insert into the bore of the magnet.