Large Hadron Collider aces pre-launch testing
Summary
In a tunnel under the Franco-Swiss border, the world's most powerful particle accelerator passed its final test run before its full-fledged attempt on September 10.
Topics
Pre-initiation testing of the Large Hadron Collider has now been completed, ahead of the particle accelerator's official launch on September 10.
The second and final test of the Large Hadron Collider's (LHC's) beam synchronization systems took place on Friday evening in a tunnel under the Franco-Swiss border, according to a Monday statement from the European Organization for Nuclear Research (Cern). The successful test involved pushing "a few particles… down the transfer line from the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) accelerator to the LHC", then steering them "counterclockwise about 3km around the LHC", the statement said.
Synchronisation between the SPS and the LHC to within a fraction of a nanosecond is crucial to the LHC project, which will involve sending particle beams around the 27km-long circular tunnel at unprecedented energies, then smashing them into each other.
"Thanks to a fantastic team, both the clockwise and counterclockwise tests went without a hitch," said the LHC project leader, Lyn Evans. "We look forward to a resounding success when we make our first attempt to send a beam all the way around the LHC."
Cern's scientists hope that the LHC project will reveal the elusive 'Higgs boson', a hypothetical particle whose assumed existence underpins much of current physics theory. Other previously unobserved particle types may also make an appearance.
The first attempt to send a full beam around the LHC, at an energy of 0.45TeV (teraelectronvolts), will take place on 10 September. Cern hopes to get particle beams colliding at 5TeV by the end of the year.
All the technical details of the LHC's design and construction are available to read for free online, courtesy of the Journal of Instrumentation.
Talkback Most Recent of 22 Talkback(s)
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frgough26th Aug 2008 -
RE: Large Hadron Collider aces pre-launch testing
Ahhh, this is just awesome news. I'm so glad the Europeans are picking up the ball on High Energy Particle Physics, as Bush seems hell-bent on catastrophizing particle physics research here in the US, just as he has obliterated federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research. No doubt for "moral" and religious reasons. Personally I hope CERN brings the Russians on board as well.
podstolom26th Aug 2008 -
Moron!
"...just as he has obliterated federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research. No doubt for "moral" and religious reasons."
Yeah, Hitler was a "leader" in Eugenics "research" too. Some things just *ought not to be done*! The ends do not justify the means. Age-old classical ethics principles seem to have been forgotten lately. Hitler was motivated by power, among other things. What on earth is *your* excuse???
techboy_z26th Aug 2008 -
No Sir...You Are!
guess what...there are no ends or means to justify...
Here's a newsflash for ya here buddy...
Stem Cell Research DOES NOT EQUAL Killing Babies
Stem cells can be found in the umbilical cord POST BIRTH
And while we're on the subject of Hitler, as bad as that man was, we'd know nothing (or at least be 50 years back) about the human body...so uhh...YEAH in that case despite the fact that the end did not justify the means that is a serious benefit that otherwise would nevr have happened...
hate me...whatever
benblush@...26th Aug 2008 -
Good points!
I agree.. limits based on religion should not be considered in scientific debate.
Ethically, there is nothing wrong with using stem cells from babies who were aborted and if it will help pay for the abortion.. even better.
Sometimes the US just fails.
Been_Done_Before26th Aug 2008 -
rileinc26th Aug 2008 -
RE: Large Hadron Collider aces pre-launch testing
Thank God you posted! For a minute, I thought that no one would provide a post to politicize this issue. But fortunately you were there to make this about American politics.
casey.sheridan26th Aug 2008 -
ron.cleaver@...26th Aug 2008 -
RE: re's
In the pre-dawn light of such an amazing scientific achievement, four out of five posts here are about politics. I weep for mankind.
I can't wait for the full testing to begin. The torrent (if you'll pardon the pun) of discoveries that will flood the new Grid network promise to redefine or solidfy so many questions and theories. The E8 theory is the one I'm really excited to see some experimental evidence for.
Artifex3326th Aug 2008 -
That's because science requires thought...
...unlike politics :\
Anyway I can't wait to find out if the LHC makes strangelets or runaway black holes that destroy the earth.
I'm not worried though. For one, I doubt the strangelet theory though because there is no evidence of strangelet stars and their should be if they existed. As for the black holes I'm trusting Steven Hawking's, Hawking radiation theory. It makes a lot of sense especially in terms of entropy and the apparent finite lifespan of all things natural.
T1Oracle26th Aug 2008 -
RE: Large Hadron Collider aces pre-launch testing
God I hate registering...Artifex3326th Aug 2008 -
RE: Large Hadron Collider aces pre-launch testing
I personally wouldn't give a hoot about American politics if funding proposals wern't so tightly intertwined with political influence as to how, where, and to what extent good (be it expensive)science is done in this country. No money for particle physics (cf Dec 07 budget cuts) but billions and trillions for wasteful and worthless undeclared Terror Wars.
And as for religion, I am anxiously awaiting the LHC to reveal the emergence of God incarnate, manifest as Peter Higgs. What's the upper limit on the "God Particle's" mass? About 250 GeV as I understand the theory behind the Higgs mechanism.podstolom26th Aug 2008 -
RE: Large Hadron Collider aces pre-launch testing
Light the match! The world shall BURN!
nospam@...26th Aug 2008 -
RE: Large Hadron Collider aces pre-launch testing
Are you aware of the safety controversy? I can summarize the history of events...
Former Nuclear Safety Officer Walter L. Wagner discovered flaws with CERN's safety arguments. He believes that the Large Hadron Collider could create dangerous particles that might destroy Earth, so he filed a law suit to require proof of safety. [1]
In response, CERN scientists created a safety report in 2008 that argues no real chance of danger. [2]
After review, German Astrophysicist Dr. Rainer Plaga argues that CERN's new report does not prove safety. Dr. Plaga proposes that CERN follow additional safety procedures to help reduce the danger, including proceeding slowly. [3]
On August 14th, CERN's Dr. Jonathan Ellis stated that there is no real danger and they will not proceed slowly, the will begin collisions in a few weeks. [4]
Another German scientist, Professor Dr. Otto E. R?ssler theorizes that if micro black holes are created in the Large Hadron Collider, they could grow large enough to destroy Earth in just years or decades. [5]
Dr. R?ssler requests that an emergency safety conference be held before collisions begin. He is due to meet Swiss President Pascal Couchepin to discuss safety concerns.
[1] http://www.lhcdefense.org/lhc_legal.php US Federal Lawsuit Filings - Walter L. Wagner
[2] http://public.web.cern.ch/public/en/lhc/Safety-en.html The safety of the LHC, Web Site - CERN
[3] http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/arxiv/pdf/0808/0808.1415v1.pdf On the potential catastrophic risk from metastable quantum-black holes produced at particle colliders - Rainer Plaga Rebuttal
[4] http://www.lhcfacts.org/?p=72 CERN?s Dr. Ellis tells only half of the story - JTankers
[5] http://www.wissensnavigator.com/documents/spiritualottoeroessler.pdf A Rational and Moral and Spiritual Dilemma - Otto E. Rōssler Safety Counter Arguments
jim_tank@...27th Aug 2008 -
It's insane.
Even with Physics 101 you can conclude that a submolecular particle without a mass CANNOT GENERATE ENOUGH GRAVITY to attract a single coin and of course it's impossible to generate enough gravity to create a black hole. No matter, even joining all the masses of the solar system, it's not enough to create a black hole.
Sorry but the Newton law of gravity is still valid, there are some variant for this law (for example, sub-molecular gravity) but yet it's valid.
magallanes4th Sep 2008
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