Properties of the WASA pellet target and a stored intermediate-energy beam

Experimental data from the pd → He 3 η reaction close to threshold have been used to investigate time-dependent properties of the WASA pellet target and the stored beam of 892.8 MeV protons in the CELSIUS accelerator. The detection of 3He ions in solid-state detectors provides an excellent almost background free trigger for η production. Pellet interactions with the surrounding material and with the beam lead to evaporation of deuterium gas into the beam pipe. Approximately 30% of the registered η decay events are due to interactions in deuterium gas outside the pellets. Due to beam–target interaction the beam is transversely heated and appears to acquire a component of a slightly lower energy.