Scientists Repurpose MRI Magnet for New Discoveries
Runaway1956 writes:
Scientists repurpose MRI magnet for new discoveries:
A limiting factor in modern physics experiments is the precision at which scientists can measure important values, such as the magnetic field within a detector. Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory and their collaborators have developed a unique facility to calibrate field measurement devices and test their limits inside powerful magnetic fields.
The facility features a solenoid magnet from a former magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner originally housed at a San Francisco hospital. The magnet produces a maximum field of 4 Tesla-over 400 times the strength of a refrigerator magnet. Its large opening, originally intended to hold a patient during an MRI scan, gives scientists ample space to position devices and machinery inside the magnetic field. The field produced by the magnet is also exceptionally uniform and stable, a requirement for calibrating measurement devices to the ultrahigh precision necessary for many particle and nuclear physics experiments.
"We have worked with several researchers, at Argonne and from other institutions, that need a strong magnetic field and large bore to test their research," said Peter Winter, physicist and group leader in Argonne's High Energy Physics division. "Scientists bring their devices and electronics, and we provide our magnet, expertise and infrastructure to help automate the processes and ensure the success of the tests."
The team is seeking new users to continue to broaden the facility's application portfolio.
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