Accelerator shielding experts meet at CERN

Fifteen years after its first CERN edition, the Shielding Aspects of Accelerator, Targets and Irradiation Facility (SATIF) conference was held again here from 2-4 June. Now at its 10th edition, SATIF10 brought together experts from all over the world to discuss issues related to the shielding techniques. They set out the scene for an improved collaboration and discussed novel shielding solutions.

 

This was the most attended meeting of the series with more than 65 participants from 34 institutions and 14 countries. “We welcomed experts from many different laboratories around the world. We come from different contexts but we face similar problems. In this year’s session, among other things, we discussed ways for improving the effectiveness of calculations versus real data, as well as experimental solutions to investigate the damage that radiation produces on various materials and the electronics”, says Marco Silari, Chair of the conference and member of the DGS/RP group.

The programme included six sessions for a total of 44 talks. “The local organization of the workshop required quite a big effort that involved members of the DGS/RP group as well as a contribution from the EN/STI group, with financial support from the CERN Directorate”, says Marco Silari. “The talks and the discussions were all very valuable. For the first time we included presentations about the damage induced by different types of radiation to the electronics installed near the accelerator components. In this field, we face the impossibility of direct measurements, which generates different and confusing experimental data. However, we also observe that predictions relevant for material properties are becoming more and more essential for future projects. We are thinking of setting up a dedicated session about these topics at the next conference”.

The objectives of SATIF10 included promoting the exchange of information, identifying the areas where international cooperation can be fruitful, and recommend actions to support the need for international work on theoretical models, experimental work and benchmarking. “We have achieved our goals”, confirms Marco Silari. “The book of proceeding will soon be made available to all the participants thus keeping the momentum of the conference. We are also thinking of producing an Accelerator Shielding Handbook, but this is a topic for the future meeting, which will be held in Japan in about two years”.


For more information about SATIF10, please visit: http://www.cern.ch/SATIF-10

by CERN Bulletin