Jose Alonso
SUSEL
Abstract:
Re-opening of the Homestake mine is proceeding at a good clip. Since the mine was closed and the pumps turned off in 2002, water has risen to the 4550 foot level (feet below the "collar" or surface level). We have now established a pump chain, and for the past week have been pumping water to the surface, running it through our recommissioned water treatment plant, and discharging it into the local creek. It will be several months before the 4850 L is available to begin setting up LUX, the first physics experiment to be mounted. This is the first of several "Early Implementation Program" experiments we are planning on setting up; others include fabrication facilities for Majorana, and various geology, microbiology, and hydrology baseline-characterization studies.