Author: V. Bocean

Institution: Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

Co-Author:

The Geodetic Aspect of the Fermilab Main Injector Project

Abstract:

The Fermilab Main Injector is a new 150 GeV accelerator of 3319.419 m circumference currently built at Fermilab to replace the existing Main Ring, while improving its performance, with the purpose of enhancing significantly both the collider and fixed target program. Dictated by the magnitude of the project, and considering that exact spatial geometric relationship between the planes of the FMI and the existing Tevatron represents a critical designed requirement, the geodetic principles have governed the surveying and alignment processes pertaining to the Main Injector. Due to the stringent alignment accuracy requirements with respect to the designed closed orbit (transverse direction better than 0.25 mm over the 128 m range of a betatron wave length), and circumference closure criteria (less than 10 mm), particular care has been taken especially in the design and the implementation of the geodetic control systems for this project.

This paper summarizes the concepts, the methodology, the implementation, and the results of the geodetic surveying efforts made in order to achieve the absolute tolerances and the circumference requirements for the Fermilab Main Injector.