CNGS, CERN Neutrinos to Gran Sasso, Five Years of Running a 500 Kilowatt Neutrino Beam Facility at CERN

The CNGS facility (CERN Neutrinos to Gran Sasso) aims at directly detecting muon to tau neutrino oscillations. An intense muon-neutrino beam (1017 muon-neutrinos/day) is generated at CERN and directed over 732 km towards the Gran Sasso National Laboratory, LNGS, in Italy, where two large and complex detectors, OPERA and ICARUS, are located. The CNGS facility started with the physics program in 2008 and delivered until the end of the physics run in 2012 more than 81% of the approved protons on target (22.5·1019 pot). An overview of the performance and experience gained in operating this 500 kW neutrino beam facility is described. Major events since the commissioning of the facility in 2006 are summarized. Highlights on the CNGS beam performance are given.