This report discusses the alternating gradient synchrotron at Brookhaven National Laboratory and provides a preliminary discussion on experiences to date and experiments in progress.

Human iron metabolism has been extensively studied in the past twenty-five years with the radioisotopes iron⁵⁵ and iron⁵⁹. Before the availability of the whole body counter, however, iron absorption studies were performed by the indirect methods of fecal assay of unabsorbed radioiron, and estimation of red cell incorporation of absorbed tracer. The few long-term excretion studies performed required numerous assumptions, since human iron excretion was less well understood. Whole body counting provides a simple and accurate method of measuring the total body retention of administrative tracer iron⁵⁹, thus making absorption and subsequent excretion determinations possible with a single radioiron study. The energetic gamma emissions of iron⁵⁹ permit ready external detection with small quantities of isotope, Normal radioiron distribution is uniform throughout the circulating red cell mass and thus minimize geometry influences on the counting efficiency, 0nly the 45.1 day half-life of iron⁵⁹ limits long term iron turnover studies. Measurements of iron⁵⁹ absorption and long-term body turnover have been under way at Brookhaven National Laboratory for over two years. The present paper outlines some of the results of these studies, and discusses some implications of the method.

The efficiency of multiple traversal targets is defined as the probability that a proton dies by making a nuclear collision in the target rather than by hitting the limit of the synchrotron aperture. The efficiencies of Be, Al, Cu, and Pb targets are shown for 15 and 30-Bev protons in the Brooknaven AGS. Beryllium was found to be the most efficient. (M.C.G.)

The object of this report is to acquaint the operator with the operational and technical aspects of the beam current integrator as well as the theory of the system operation. The design and operation of a beam current integrator are described, and the theory of operation is discussed. The instrument has two channels. The console channel is designed to measure the accumulation of charge received by a target during a period of a day no matter what the range used in the experimenter's channel. An analysis indicated that this unit will measure the accumulation of charge by a target to an accuracy of 0.1215% assuming that the constant error due to shorting the integrating capacitor is accounted for. The instrument is ranged to handle from 0.5 to 500 mu a of beam current. (M.C.G.)