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May 22, 2015
Image above: Test collisions continue today at 13 TeV in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) to prepare the detectors ALICE, ATLAS, CMS, LHCb, LHCf, MOEDAL and TOTEM for data-taking, planned for early June (Image: LHC).
Last night, protons collided in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at the record-breaking energy of 13 TeV for the first time. These test collisions were to set up systems that protect the machine and detectors from particles that stray from the edges of the beam.
Image above: Protons collide at 13 TeV sending showers of particles through the ALICE detector (Image: ALICE).
A key part of the process was the set-up of the collimators. These devices which absorb stray particles were adjusted in colliding-beam conditions. This set-up will give the accelerator team the data they need to ensure that the LHC magnets and detectors are fully protected.
Image above: Protons collide at 13 TeV sending showers of particles through the CMS detector (Image: CMS).
Today the tests continue. Colliding beams will stay in the LHC for several hours. The LHC Operations team will continue to monitor beam quality and optimisation of the set-up.
Image above: Protons collide at 13 TeV sending showers of particles through the ATLAS detector (Image: ATLAS).
This is an important part of the process that will allow the experimental teams running the detectors ALICE, ATLAS, CMS, LHCb, LHCf, MOEDAL and TOTEM to switch on their experiments fully. Data taking and the start of the LHC's second run is planned for early June
Image above: Protons collide at 13 TeV sending showers of particles through the LHCb detector (Image: LHCb).
Image above: Protons collide at 13 TeV sending showers of particles through the TOTEM detector (Image: TOTEM).
Note:
CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is one of the world’s largest and most respected centres for scientific research. Its business is fundamental physics, finding out what the Universe is made of and how it works. At CERN, the world’s largest and most complex scientific instruments are used to study the basic constituents of matter — the fundamental particles. By studying what happens when these particles collide, physicists learn about the laws of Nature.
The instruments used at CERN are particle accelerators and detectors. Accelerators boost beams of particles to high energies before they are made to collide with each other or with stationary targets. Detectors observe and record the results of these collisions.
Founded in 1954, the CERN Laboratory sits astride the Franco–Swiss border near Geneva. It was one of Europe’s first joint ventures and now has 22 Member States.
Related article:
Protons set to collide at 13 TeV to prepare for physics: http://home.web.cern.ch/about/updates/2015/05/protons-set-collide-13-tev-prepare-physics
Related links:
Large Hadron Collider (LHC): http://home.web.cern.ch/topics/large-hadron-collider
ALICE experiments: http://home.web.cern.ch/about/experiments/alice
ATLAS experiments: http://home.web.cern.ch/about/experiments/atlas
CMS experiments: http://home.web.cern.ch/about/experiments/cms
LHCf experiments: http://home.web.cern.ch/about/experiments/lhcf
MOEDAL experiments: http://home.web.cern.ch/about/experiments/moedal
TOTEM experiments: http://home.web.cern.ch/about/experiments/totem
Follow the experiments on Twitter for updates:
@ALICE Experiment: https://twitter.com/ALICEexperiment
@ATLAS Experiment: https://twitter.com/ATLASexperiment
@CMS Experiment: https://twitter.com/CMSexperiment
@LHCb Experiment: https://twitter.com/LHCbExperiment
For more information about the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), visit: http://home.web.cern.ch/
Images (mentioned), Text, Credits: CERN/Cian O'Luanaigh.
Best regards, Orbiter.ch
