Systems testing of a free hg jet system for use in a high-power target experiment

The design and operational testing of a mercury jet delivery system is presented. The equipment is part of the Mercury Intense Target (MERIT) Experiment, which is a proof-of-principle experiment to be conducted at CERN in the summer of 2007 to determine the feasibility of using an unconstrained jet of mercury as a target in a Neutrino Factory or Muon Collider. The Hg system is capable of producing a 1 cm diameter, 20 m/s jet of Hg inside a high-field solenoid magnet. A high-speed optical diagnostic system allows observation of the interaction of the jet with a 24 GeV proton beam. Performance of the Hg system will be presented, along with results of integrated systems testing without a beam.