Design of beam optics and radiation protection concept for NA60+ heavy-ion experiment at CERN

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment, 2023-02, Vol.1047, p.167887, Article 167887
• Main Authors: Gerbershagen, A., Ahdida, C., Bernhard, J., Clerc, V., Girod, S., Scomparin, E., Usai, G., Vincke, H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Beam physics; CERN North Area; Fixed target experiment; Ion beams; NA60; Radiation protection
• ISSN: 0168-9002; 1872-9576
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2022.167887

NA60+ is a fixed target experiment proposed in the framework of the Physics Beyond Colliders programme at CERN. It aims to precisely measure the hard and electromagnetic probes in nuclear collisions. Initially proposed for the underground cavern ECN3 with very high beam intensities, the experiment now foresees a location in the EHN1 surface hall which was shown to have a limited impact on the physics performance in spite of a significant reduction of beam intensity and detector size. The potential installation and operation of the experiment with the ion beams from the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) has been examined regarding detector integration, beam physics, radiation protection and shielding requirements. The integration of the experiment is considered feasible, but would require a significant reconfiguration of the existing hall infrastructure with regards to shielding and layout.