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Proton Synchrotron Division and Machine Proton Synchrotron Division records, PS and MPS
Identity Statement | Context | Content and Structure | Conditions of access and use | Allied materials | Description control | Database
Identity statement [Top]
Reference code(s)
CERN-ARCH-PS-01-1-001 to CERN-ARCH-PS-13-02
Title
Proton Synchrotron Division (PS) and Machine Proton Synchrotron Division (MPS)
Date(s)
January 1952 - December 2001
Level of description
Sub-fonds
Extent of the unit of description
269 boxes, 30 linear metres
Context [Top]
Name of creator
PS and MPS Division, CERN
Administrative history
The Proton Synchrotron (PS) is one of the oldest of CERN's accelerators. It was commissioned in 1959 and has been running continuously ever since. The PS has been modified considerably since then, adapting it to the ever increasing complexity of CERN's accelerator system. The PS Division has also seen a lot of changes :
PS Division PS Machine (MPS) Division PS Machine (MPS) Division Nuclear Physics Apparatus (NPA) Division PS Machine (MPS) Division Nuclear Physics Apparatus (NPA) Division Synchrotron Injector (SI) PS Machine (MPS) Division Synchrotron Injector (SI) PS Machine (MPS) Division PS Machine (MPS) Division PS Division
Between 1966 and 1976 CERN Divisions were grouped into Departments.
Click on : PS Historical Chart
For more detail on the group in PS Division, see : List of PS Groups
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Allardyce Brian, Divisional Planning Officer (DPO)
Content and structure [Top]
Scope and content
With a diameter of 200 metres and reaching a final energy of 28 GeV, the Proton Synchrotron (PS) was for a while the most powerful accelerator in the world.
Today the PS complex can accelerate all stable and electrically charged particles (electrons, protons), their antiparticles (positrons, antiprotons), and different kinds of heavy ions (oxygen, sulfur, or even lead).
The first stage of acceleration happens in a linear accelerator (Linac), and each type of particle has its own. This is because of their very different masses.
Then all particle beams pass through the PS machine itself. Each acceleration cycle takes 2.4 seconds, and the PS control systems are so versatile that different particle beams can be dealt with on each successive cycle. The beams are then injected into the bigger rings for further acceleration (SPS, LEP or - in future - LHC). Proton beams from the PS complex are also used for physics experiments (ISOLDE, East Hall) or for the production of antiprotons (Antiproton Decelerator).
This collection includes reports, minutes, notes, specifications and memoranda classified by alphabetical order of groups and by year .
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information
Nothing was destroyed.
Accruals
Further accruals are expected.
System of arrangement
The original order has been preserved. For purposes of cataloguing the files have been described according to the plan bellow :
- Internal reports were classified by group until 1976, then by year.
- Notes are classified by group with a additional information at the end of the reference number to indicate minutes (Min.), technical notes (Tech.), specifications (Spec.) or informations (Info.).
PS first reports, Jun 1952 to Oct 1953 PS authors reports, Jan 1952 to Oct 1960 PS internal reports by groups, Aug 1952 to Dec 2002 PS minutes by groups, Oct 1958 to Oct 1992 PS notes by groups, Nov 1956 to Dec 2001 PS technical notes by groups, Feb 1968 to Nov 1992 PS specifications by groups, Oct 1957 to Sep 1991 PS memorandum by groups, Oct 1959 to Sep 1989 PS information and installation notes, Jan 1971 to May 1986 PS committees, Sep 1954 to Sep 1986 PS technical board, Feb 1987 to Oct 1989 PS Initial Cooling Experiment (ICE), Dec 1976 to Jul 1979 PS working notes, running in, news, Jun 1952 to Jul 1992 J B Adams collection, Jun 1952 to Dec 1987 PS Miscellaneous, Jun 1952 to Feb 1961 Group leaders', staff, Machine Areas Committee, and other committees 1953 to 1989 Files of C. Germain 1952 to 1988 Magnet steel, etc 1953 to 1978 Theory of accelerators 1964 to 1965 Machine schedules, magnet blocks, etc 1960 to 1975 LEAR (Low Energy Antiproton Ring) and AA (Antiproton Accumulator) running news and group correspondence 1979 to 1987 Files of H. Koziol 1970 to 1990
Conditions of access and use [Top]
Conditions governing access
See file level description and the CERN operational circular No 3: rules applicable to archival material and archiving at CERN.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright is retained by CERN, no reproduction without permission.
Language / scripts of material
Most of the material is written in French or English
Finding aids
Listed to file level in the CERN Archive database.
Description control [Top]
Archivist's note
Description prepared by Sandrine Reyes
Date(s) of description: Geneva, the 17th April 2002, Revised 2007.
Identity Statement | Context | Content and Structure | Conditions of access and use | Allied materials | Description control | Database