Proposal for continuation of generic high power target studies

Executive summary Over recent years, a significant amount of expertise in the design, construction and operation of targets for high power proton accelerators has been developed in the UK, largely funded by STFC. This has evolved mainly from work on ISIS target stations 1 and 2, the Neutrino Factory, neutrino superbeam facilities such as T2K and design studies for Accelerator Driven Sub-critical Reactors and the ESS. This proposal has two main objectives. The first is to bring together the different groups that have done this work into a single entity, thereby creating a World-leading high power target group in the UK. The second is to utilise the experience and skills of the group created to study, in a generic manner, targets for a variety of applications. The applications to be studied range from fundamental physics, through neutron spallation to a number in the STFC Grand Challenge areas. They are:  Upgrades to the ISIS target stations in line with potential upgrades to the accelerators and contributions to the development of the target for the European Spallation Source.  A study of the target and beam window for an Accelerator Driven Sub-critical Reactor as part of a Design Study being run by Jacob Engineering Group, the ADTR project.  The design and tests of solid and liquid lithium targets for the production of thermal and epi-thermal neutrons for three applications. These are Boron Neutron Capture Therapy, a possible therapy for treating currently incurable cancers, the production of molybdenum 99 as a source of technetium 99, the most commonly used radioactive tracer in medicine, and scanning cargo containers for shielded nuclear material.  The design of targets for possible future neutrino superbeam projects in Europe, Japan and the US.  Completion of work on a solid target option for a Neutrino Factory and the demonstration that this is a viable alternative to the current liquid mercury baseline.  The design of targets for possible muon to electron conversion experiments in Japan and the US. In addition, it is planned to develop generic tools for high power target development and operation and to continue studies of a novel powder jet target technology. Each of the targets is beyond the state-of-the-art, but many of the issues that must be solved for them are very similar, allowing a generic approach to the work. Further, the team being created here has a broad range of skills, …