Hydrodynamic calculations of 20-TeV beam interactions with the SSC beam dump

The 300 μs, 400 MJ SSC proton beam must be contained when extracted to the external beam dump. The current design for the SSC beam dump can tolerate the heat load produced if the beam is deflected into a raster scan over the face of the dump. If the high frequency deflecting magnet were to fail, the beam would scan a single strip across the dump face resulting in higher local energy deposition. This could vaporize some material and lead to high pressures. Since the beam duration is comparable to the characteristic time of expected hydrodynamic motions, we have combined the static energy deposition capability of the MARS computer code with the two- and three-dimensional hydrodynamics of the MESA and SPHINX codes. EOS data suggest an energy deposition threshold of 15 kJ/g, below which hydrodynamic effects are minimal. Above this our 2D calculations show a hole boring rate of 7 cm/μs for the nominal beam, and pressures of a few kbar. Scanning the nominal beam faster than 0.08 cm/μs should minimize hydrodynamic effects. 3D calculations support this