JRO Physics » Posts in 'Particle Physics' category
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Problems at the LHC

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Posted in Particle Physics, Physics experiments, Physics in the News by JRowing
September 21, 2008
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A log entry written by the current LHC co-ordinator at 11:27 am CET (10:27 am BST) states that there has been a “massive quench” in sector 3–4. Quenches occur when superfluid helium in the magnets rises above its operating temperature of 1.9 K, and can be caused, for example, when a proton beam veers off course.

According to the entry, firefighters were dispatched to that area of the tunnel. It also says that the vacuum in that part of the beam pipe was lost.

The latest thinking is that they will have to allow the LHC to warm up, repair it, and cool it down again. A delay of up to two months!

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Big Bang Day!

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Posted in Particle Physics, Physics experiments, Physics in the News by jrowing
September 1, 2008
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Radio 4 are hosting a special day in honor of the LHC firing up at CERN on the 10th of this month. As I covered in a post (and podcast) earlier this is a pretty big, in fact the experiment is one of the most complex and significant of modern times - and one that raises a lot of questions!

Andrew Marr will host a special day of programmes and report throughout the day live from the Control Room at CERN.

There’s a list of programmes HERE, alternatively, find out more at The Big Bang Day website