Cesr-c* - a Frontier Machine for Qcd and Weak Decay Physics in the Charm Region

We present a plan for conversion of the Cornell Electron Storage Ring, CESR, to a high luminosity source which will increase the world data set in the range 3<Ecm<5 GeV by factors of 20 to 100 in the next four years. Accelerator physics issues related to high luminosity operation in this energy range have been examined in detail, both in computational and experimental programs. We discuss results from these studies. Beam damping will be enhanced by ~18 m of 2.1 T wigglers. The effect of these wigglers on beam dynamics in a high luminosity storage ring with pretzel orbits is significant. We present calculations and measurements elucidating these effects, many of which are present in proposed linear collider damping rings. We also describe the design of the superferric wigglers and tests on a full size prototype unit.