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Mount an experiment at TRIUMF

Before an experiment can be mounted at TRIUMF, it must be evaluated, approved and granted beam time. These processes are described in TSOP-07, "Approval of Experiments". Please note that TSOP-07 is currently being revised and the procedures described below may change as a result. TRIUMF’s Science Division requires that detailed information regarding the preparation and running of experiments be provided as part of formal experimental proposal. TRIUMF has three Experimental Evaluation Committees (EEC) to evaluate such proposals in the fields of Subatomic Physics (SAPEEC), Molecular and Materials Science (MMSEEC), and Life Sciences (LSPEC). Calls for proposals are typically issued twice a year for consideration at EEC meetings in mid-summer and early December. Announcements of upcoming EEC meetings and calls for proposals can be found on TRIUMF's Experimental Progam web site.

Propose an experiment

  • Obtain an experiment number
  • Submit the experimental proposal to the EEC
  • Present the proposal before the EEC for questioning

Proposals to the EEC are submitted electronically. Before submitting a proposal, an experiment number must be obtained from the Science Division office. After obtaining an experiment number, a User ID and password for the web-based submission system can be obtained (if you don't already have one) from the MIS group within TRIUMF Admin Computing.

Web-based forms are used to submit overview information and certain technical details; however, a detailed statement of the proposed research is still required. A template and uploading instructions are available on the EEC submission web site. For experiments using existing facilities, a description of the scientific aspects of the experiment may be sufficient. For those using new facilities or new experimental setups at existing facilities, detailed technical information will be required. A list of facilities and services coordinators is available on the TRIUMF contacts page.

Once a proposal is submitted, usually 3-4 weeks in advance of the EEC meeting, it is forwarded to the EEC members and TRIUMF staff for review. In general, the technical feasibility of a proposal will be reviewed prior to the EEC meeting so that the review results are available at the time of the meeting. EEC reviewers or TRIUMF staff may contact the spokesperson or a designate for additional information during this time. Any information that can be provided will aid the review process and increase the likelihood of an experiment being deemed feasible.

At the time of the EEC meeting, the spokesperson or a designate will be expected to present a (typically) 15—20 minute talk on the scientific and technical aspects of the proposal and field any questions that may arise. This will be scheduled in advance and may be carried out remotely, if necessary. This is a spokesperson’s last opportunity to address any concerns about scientific merit or feasibility before the EEC renders its decision.

It should be noted that the Subatomic Physics EEC currently uses a two-stage process:

Stage 1: Physics approval

The EEC will consider experiments on the basis of scientific merit. Those experiments deemed to be of merit will be granted Stage 1 approval to run and assigned a scientific priority based on their importance as judged by the EEC.

Stage 2: Beam allocation

At the time a proposal requesting Stage 2 approval is submitted, TRIUMF staff will evaluate experiments on the basis of technical feasibility – beam availability, equipment availability, safety, etc. The EEC will only consider experiments for Stage 2 approval and the allocation of beam time if they are determined to be feasible to start within a two-year period. If Stage 2 approval is granted by the EEC, the committee will recommend the number of shifts that should be allocated. As the total amount of beam time to be allocated is limited, Stage 2 approval may be withheld on the basis of scientific priority. Normally the scientific priority would not change during the Stage 2 beam allocation process; however, the EEC's reserve the right to change priorities in light of new developments and changing circumstances. Stage 2 approval will remain valid for a two-year period. If no beam is granted to an experiment during that period, the experiment would be required to submit a report to the EEC requesting that the Stage 2 beam allocation be maintained.

For many experiments, and especially those using existing experimental facilities, Stage 1 and Stage 2 approval could be granted at the same EEC meeting. Experiments with both Stage 1 physics approval and a Stage 2 beam allocation are considered “active.” Those with Stage 1 approval but lacking the Stage 2 beam allocation remain on record, but are considered “pending” rather than active. In such a case, the spokesperson would be expected either to revise his/her proposal appropriately and seek Stage 2 approval at a subsequent EEC meeting or to abandon the experiment. Experiments for which Stage 2 approval is not sought in a timely fashion, or which have been granted Stage 2 approval but for which beam time is not sought within a two-year period, may be deemed “closed.”

Request beam time

  • Submit a request for beam time
  • Submit a Safety Analysis Report for review

Unlike many labs, TRIUMF does not schedule experiments on an ongoing basis. Instead, several months’ worth of experiments, spanning a single running period, are scheduled at one time. There are typically two running periods each year, one from April through early September and a second from late September through December. A call for requests for beam time is generally issued by the Science Division 8—10 weeks prior to the start of a running period. Calls for requests for beam time can be found on TRIUMF's Experimental Progam web site.

Like proposals, requests for beam time are submitted electronically. Because of the limited number of shifts available during each running period, it is not always possible to accommodate every experiment for which beam time is requested. While the scientific priorities set by the EEC serve as a guide, final scheduling decisions may depend on other factors such as target or equipment availability.

Safety approval is required before an experiment can take beam. To streamline the submission process, a Safety Analysis Report (SAR) should be submitted as part of the request for beam time. These reports should be submitted directly to TRIUMF's Science Division and will be reviewed by TRIUMF staff. In many cases, the written report will be sufficient for review and approval; however, in certain cases it may be necessary to schedule a formal review with the spokesperson or a designate. Once an experiment is approved, a Safety Review Completion Document will be prepared by TRIUMF staff. Having safety reports in hand prior to scheduling helps TRIUMF ensure that experiments can be carried out in a timely fashion.

The safety review process is described in TRIUMF Safety Note 3.2.1, "Safety Approval for Experiments at TRIUMF" (PDF, 131 KB). Information on the preparation of Safety Analysis Reports is available in TSN 3.3.1, "Guidelines for Preparing a Safety Report for Experiments at TRIUMF" (PDF, 134 KB).

Run an experiment

  • Prepare the experiment facility
  • Prepare the experiment equipment
  • Submit technical information to the Beam Delivery group (ISAC only at this time)
  • Meet with Beam Delivery to establish a run plan (ISAC only at this time)
  • Submit a Beam Properties Request to Operations (ISAC or Cyclotron, as appropriate)

Experimenters should prepare to be on site in advance of their experiment. If it involves a standing setup at an existing facility, a few days may be sufficient to ensure devices are tested and calibrated prior to running. For new setups or facilities, several weeks’ presence may be required. This should be arranged with the facility coordinator and any local collaborators.

Access to on-site resources may be needed for either facility infrastructure or experiment-specific equipment. Such access requires advance notice to facilitate the engineering processes described in TSOP-06, "Engineering Design, Manufacture and Assembly". TRIUMF's Quality Management System (QMS) dictates that these be documented and executed according to defined procedures. The following forms may be required:

For ISAC experiments, representatives from TRIUMF’s Beam Delivery Group will meet with the spokesperson and/or designates approximately two weeks prior to an experiment to discuss beam requirements and assist with detailed run planning. Despite the lab’s best efforts, downtime – for maintenance, target changes, etc. – that was not foreseen during the scheduling process may be required during the course of a run. The Group will identify potential interruptions so that the experimenters can plan accordingly. A liaison will also be assigned at this point to assist the spokesperson and designates. Documents generated during this process – technical overviews, run plans, detailed scheduling calendars, etc. – are maintained on TRIUMF's documents server. Links are available here.

In the days before an experiment, a Beam Properties Request (BPR) will be required by Operations. This is essentially the license to run – without a BPR, no beam will be delivered to an experiment. It should be noted that safety approval is required at this point. This will take the form of a TRIUMF Safety Review Completion Document prepared by a representative of TRIUMF's Environment Health and Safety group and signed by the head of Science Division (or a designate). The BPR is required 24 hours in advance. Links to blank forms are available here.

During the run, the spokesperson (or a designate) is expected to serve as the main point of contact for the experiment. If a beam liaison has been assigned, he/she will serve as the primary contact for Operations and the lab. It is important that there be a single, well-defined line of communication between the experiment and TRIUMF. In the absence of a liaison, direct communication between the spokesperson and Operations is encouraged; however, the liaison will still attempt to stay abreast of the experiment’s progress and intervene as necessary. The spokesperson or a designate will report on any operational or beam delivery issues at the weekly lab-wide beam delivery meeting (Tuesdays, 10:00 in the Auditorium). Participation in this meeting is expected, even if no problems have been encountered. For experiments at ISAC, the spokesperson or a designate will also be expected to discuss the experiment and its progress at the fortnightly ISAC Science Forum (Wednesdays, 15:15 in the ISAC-II Conference Room).

Once the experiment is complete, it is the users’ responsibility to ensure all data are properly backed up. Experiments should be dismounted as promptly as possible to allow preparations for following experiments to begin. Experimenters should prepare to remain on site while this work is done. For standing setups, a few days may be sufficient for final calibrations and background checks. If equipment is to be torn down (or torn down and prepared for shipping), several weeks may be required. As with mounting an experiment, the dismounting of equipment or electronics should be arranged with the facility coordinator and any local collaborators. For ISAC experiments, representatives from the Beam Delivery Group will meet with the spokesperson and/or designates for a post-experiment discussion of beam delivery or other issues that may have arisen.

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