History
After graduating from University College Cork, David did a PhD in plasma physics at the JET tokamak in Culham. He joined ASTeC in 2006 and initially carried out tracking studies for Fixed Field Alternating-gradient accelerators (FFAs). Along with the rest of the group, he moved to ISIS in 2016.
David was a core member of the team that commissioned the novel EMMA non-scaling FFA (2010-2012). His work focused on correcting the orbit distortion found in this machine. The experimental results, which successfully demonstrated rapid acceleration in this FFA was reported in a Nature Physics paper.
Subsequently David worked on the neutrino factory design study - mainly on the FFA and storage ring design. He also participated in the PAMELA study which aimed to develop a hadron therapy facility using FFAs.
More recently David has worked on the design study for a future neutron spallation source and on a non-neutral plasma trap (called IBEX) to study accelerator physics in a tabletop device.
Skills
His main area of expertise is in beam dynamics and in the development of tracking codes. David gained a range of experimental skills in the course of commissioning the IBEX Paul trap.
Current research interests
- Design study of a future spallation neutron and muon source to succeed ISIS.
- Participating in beam physics studies at FFAs worldwide (e.g. at KURNS, Osaka, Japan).
- General beam dynamics study of FFA accelerators.
- Code developments for beam physics.
- Development of a non-neutral trap for beam physics studies.
Dr David Kelliher's publications.
