At the new Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, Virginia, a beam of electrons moving at close to the speed of light slams into a target material, causing particles to scatter. By studying the speed, direction and energy of the scattered particles, scientists can learn more about quarks, the particles that make up protons and neutrons. Using superconducting radiofrequency technology, the accelerator tunnel pushes the electron beam to higher and higher energies. The beam is then aimed at a target material, such as gold or hydrogen, housed in an experiment hall. The beam can be split for use by three simultaneous experiments in the end halls.
Special equipment records the interactions between the incoming electrons and the targets.
Operated by Southeastern Universities Research Association, Inc. for DOE's Office of Energy Research, the facility will be used primarily for basic research in nuclear physics. The experiments performed are chosen from written proposals submitted by scientists from the United States and abroad and reviewed twice a year by the Program Advisory Committee. The committee makes recommendations to the laboratory director, who decides which studies will be chosen. Currently, over 3 years of beam time are scheduled. Ions of these elements, particularly strontium, are important constituents in DOE's hazardous wastes.