Grant: Subatomic Physics Envelope - Research Tools and Instruments

The detector installation of T2K is under way to be ready for the physics run in December 2009 or January 2010. The Canadian T2K group contributes to three near detectors: the time projection chambers (TPCs), fine grained detectors (FGDs), and optical transition radiation beam monitor (OTR), supported by a three-year NSERC grant awarded in April 2006. The OTR was successfully completed in April 2009, and two TPC's and both FGD's were successfully installed in October 2009. The remaining TPC is in final assembly at TRIUMF and scheduled to be installed in the middle of December, in time for the physics run. In this grant request, we request the cost to complete the detector construction. From F2010, stable data taking running is expected and it is important to have spares for critical components. The T2K collaboration cannot afford losing the OTR during the beam operation. Just before the May beam time, we have lost the OTR signal due to a readout board failure. If it were the camera system, we would have serious trouble. During the cosmic ray test in August, we lost some FGD front-end electronics boards during an unscheduled power trip in the summer of 2009. In this proposal, we would purchase spare power supply for which we have no spare. The installation costs in Japan have been underestimated due to the lack of on-site technical people, and the users are expected to pay for the surveying, crane work, piping, cabling, and other contractor work. The impact was amplified by a rapid surge in the value of Japanese yen. The UA1 magnet installation, which has been covered by the construction common fund, experienced a cost overrun due to this. The T2K collaboration requested a cost-to-completion fund of 338kyen per author, which translates to 8,450kyen (Cdn$102k) for Canada, which is also requested in this grant request.