The Bragg Institute Program Advisory Committee met today to assess the 131 neutron-beam and deuteration proposals submitted by 27 November 2009, requesting 669 days of beam time.
For the first time, the committee also considered chemical-deuteration proposals. 1 program and 79 experiments were recommended for approval, with beam time allocations as follows: 61 days on Echidna, 59 days on Wombat, 100 days on Kowari, 73 days on Koala, and 63 days on Quokka.
The variation in time allocated is due in part to the existing backlog on the instruments from previous rounds. Taipan proposals have been put in rank order by scientific merit, but the beam-time allocation will have to await our submission of the operating license to our nuclear regulator ARPANSA.
Decision letters concerning the beam-time allocation will be sent in the next few weeks. These experiments will be scheduled for dates commencing in April 2010.
Three committee members who have served since the PAC's inception are stepping down after this meeting: Calum Drummond (chair - CSIRO); Valerie Linton (U. of Adelaide); and Hugh O'Neill (Australian National University). We thank Calum, Valerie and Hugh for their insight, wisdom and help over the last 3 years.
The next proposal round closes on 7 May 2010, for beam time between October 2010 and March 2011.
Published: 02/02/2010