September 4, 2008 | 3 comments

What Happens to Particle Accelerators After They Are Shut Down?

Radioactivity limits the potential for recycling, except for one infamous particle smasher that never saw the light of day

By Prachi Patel-Predd   

 

John Seeman, head of accelerator systems at SLAC, said half a dozen labs have requested components of the PEP-II collider, which created particles called B mesons for studying the disappearance of antimatter after the big bang. The Frascati National Laboratory in Italy is a major contender. Researchers there have proposed a more powerful version of the PEP-II experiment to the Italian government and could use almost all the PEP-II's equipment, Seeman says. Fermilab has also requested some of PEP-II's magnets for a new machine that would make high-energy proton beams for neutrino research. (When energized protons crash into beryllium targets, they create short-lived pions that decay into neutrinos.)

Fermilab intends to reuse most of the Tevatron's parts for making neutrinos, including a booster accelerator that prepared protons for entry into the main Tevatron ring, which measures 3.9 miles (6.3 kilometers) in circumference. Fermilab's deputy director, Young Kee Kim, says that the lab wants to keep the main ring in working order in hopes of reusing it for future experiments.

For the SSC, particle research was never in the stars. The state of Texas auctioned off the linear accelerator equipment in 1996 to a Denton, Tex.–based company for the bargain price of $5 million—the book value for the unused parts was over $20 million, Courtney says. Trace Life Sciences inherited the accelerator when it acquired that company in 2003.

Trace now uses the linac to accelerate a beam of protons to 32.8-mega-electron volts (3.28 million eV) and bombard up to five different targets simultaneously for different isotopes. Bombarding thallium with protons at 29 mega-electron volts (MeV) yields the isotope lead 201, which decays to form thallium 201—used in diagnosing myocardial infarctions, or heart attacks. Iodine 123 and copper 64 are used for medical imaging such as in PET scans. Graphite pieces placed in front of the 32.8 MeV beam slow the protons to the energies required for different isotopes.

The company hopes to bring online two additional accelerator stages—designed to boost protons to 50- and 70-MeV—that were not stored properly after the SSC shut down and fell into disrepair. Trace might then begin providing specialty medical isotopes such as strontium 82 and iron 52, both used in PET scans, which are currently available only from government labs.

There are advantages to working with scavenged parts from a futuristic particle accelerator that at its peak employed thousands of workers. For one thing, customer service is a breeze. When Courtney needs technical advice, all he has to do is call one of the national labs, he says, where researchers who worked on the parts are happy to offer their services.



Read Comments (3) | Post a comment < Prev 1 2


Share
Propeller    Digg!  Reddit delicious  Fark 
Slashdot    RT @sciam What Happens to Particle Accelerators After They Are Shut Down?Twitter Review it on NewsTrust 
sharebar end

You Might Also Like


Discuss This Article


Click here to submit your comment.

VIEW:

2,573 characters remaining
 
  Email me when someone responds to this discussion.
 

risk free issue 

Sciam - cover Email:
Name:
Address:
Address 2:
City:
State:  
spacer




Editor's Pick

  • Adapting to the Freshwater CrisisForward-thinking experts are getting a better handle on the growing global water shortage and coming up with innovative approaches to ensuring the security, safety and sustainability of this resource

Newsletter

Basic Science Newsletter

Get weekly coverage delivered to your inbox


 Podcasts

  • 60-Second Earth     RSS  · iTunes The Jellyfish Menace
    click to enable

    Download

  • 60-Second Science     RSS  · iTunes Plants Share Light If Neighbor Is Related
    click to enable

    Download





ADVERTISEMENT
 
 


Also on Scientific American


© 1996-2009 Scientific American Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
ADVERTISEMENT