Final LHC Synchronisation Test a Success
26 Aug 2008 04:00 PM
CERN has announced the success of the second and final test of the Large Hadron Collider’s (LHC) beam synchronization systems which will allow the LHC operations team to inject the first beam into the LHC. This paves the way for the first attempt to circulate a beam around the machine on the 10th September 2008 and from there to the commissioning of the world’s biggest physics experiment. The LHC will answer some of the biggest mysteries of the Universe by searching for evidence for dark matter, extra dimensions, supersymmetry and the mechanism that gives mass to some particles but not others.
On Friday evening 22 August, a single bunch of a few particles travelled down the transfer line from the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) accelerator to the LHC. After a period of optimization, one bunch was kicked up from the transfer line into the LHC beam pipe and steered counter-clockwise about 3 kilometres around the LHC.
“Thanks to a fantastic team, both the clock-wise and counter-clockwise tests went without a hitch. We look forward to a resounding success when we make our first attempt to send a beam all the way around the LHC,” said Lyn Evans, LHC Project Leader.
Both the anti-clockwise and clockwise tests are part of the preparations to ready the LHC, the world’s most powerful particle accelerator, for the eventual acceleration and collision of two beams at an energy of 5 TeV per beam. This unprecedented event is foreseen to take place by end 2008.
Upcoming events marking LHC start-up:
10 September: The first attempt to circulate a beam in the LHC will be made on 10 September at the injection energy of 450 GeV (0.45 TeV). This historical event will be webcast through http://webcast.cern.ch, and distributed through the Eurovision network. See http://www.cern.ch/lhc-first-beam for further details.
An event in London ‘the Big Bang Breakfast’ following the live action from CERN will be open to media, an invitation will follow in the coming days.
3 October: CERN will host the LHC Grid Fest, a celebration of the LHC Computing Grid, a global computing grid designed to handle 15 million gigabytes of LHC-related data every year. The day will feature presentations, demonstrations, tours of the CERN Computer Centre and more. See www.cern.ch/lcg/lhcgridfest for more details.
21 October: CERN will host the Official Inauguration of the LHC with representatives of CERN member and observer States. No accreditation as yet.
Contact
information:
CERN James Gillies, Tel. +41 22 76 74101, James.Gillies@cern.ch
Julia Maddock, Tel +44 1793 442094, Julia.maddock@stfc.ac.uk
Julia Short, Tel +44 1793 442012, Julia.short@stfc.ac.uk
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The Science and Technology Facilities Council ensures the UK retains its leading place on the world stage by delivering world-class science; accessing and hosting international facilities; developing innovative technologies; and increasing the socio-economic impact of its research through effective knowledge exchange partnerships.
The Council has a broad science portfolio including Astronomy, Particle Physics, Particle Astrophysics, Nuclear Physics, Space Science, Synchrotron Radiation, Neutron Sources and High Power Lasers. In addition the Council manages and operates three internationally renowned laboratories:
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The Council distributes public money from the Government to support scientific research. Between 2008 and 2009 we will invest approximately £787 million.