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The University of Maryland Electron Ring (UMER) is a compact experiment that will be used to study the fundamental properties of space-charge dominated beams. Because of the small physical dimensions and weak fields involved, maintaining the beam's orbit is a difficult challenge. Accurate characterization of the magnets, careful alignment, and an effective control system are all critical to the project's success. In this report, the key challenges are outlined and the procedures that will be implemented to address them are explained. Existing portions of the system are described, and future plans are evaluated with computer simulation.

A detailed understanding of the physics of space-charge dominated beams is vital for many advanced accelerators that desire to achieve high beam intensity. In that regard, low-energy, high-intensity electron beams provide an excellent model system. The University of Maryland Electron ring (UMER), currently under construction, has been designed to study the physics of space-charge dominated beams with extreme intensity in a strong focusing lattice with dispersion. The tune shift in UMER will be more than an order of magnitude greater than exiting synchrotrons and rings. The 10-keV, 100 mA, UMER beam has a generalized perveance in the range of 0.0015, and a tune shift of 0.9. Though compact (11-m in circumference), UMER is a very complex device, with over 140 focusing and bending magnets. We report on the unique design features of this research facility, the beam physics to be investigated, and early experimental results.