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Large Hadron Collider: how it works

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The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) - the world’s largest particle accelerator, which was developed by physicists from all over the world – is again being readied for start-up, a year after an accident put it out of order.

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© © CERN

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) - the world’s largest particle accelerator, which was developed by physicists from all over the world – is again being readied for start-up, a year after an accident put it out of order.

Large Hadron Collider: how it works - Sputnik International
1/16

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) - the world’s largest particle accelerator, which was developed by physicists from all over the world – is again being readied for start-up, a year after an accident put it out of order.

© © CERN

The Large Hadron Collider, built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) with the help of several thousand scientists from 85 countries, accelerates protons to an energy of 7 teraelectron-Volts (TeV).

Large Hadron Collider: how it works - Sputnik International
2/16

The Large Hadron Collider, built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) with the help of several thousand scientists from 85 countries, accelerates protons to an energy of 7 teraelectron-Volts (TeV).

© © CERN

At four points along the collider ring, bunches of protons will collide to generate a multitude of particles and radiation to be registered by means of detectors.

Large Hadron Collider: how it works - Sputnik International
3/16

At four points along the collider ring, bunches of protons will collide to generate a multitude of particles and radiation to be registered by means of detectors.

© © CERN

Two of these – ATLAS and CMS – are general-purpose devices, while the other two, ALICE and LHCb, are specialized.

Large Hadron Collider: how it works - Sputnik International
4/16

Two of these – ATLAS and CMS – are general-purpose devices, while the other two, ALICE and LHCb, are specialized.

© © CERN

ATLAS is the largest such detector in history.

Large Hadron Collider: how it works - Sputnik International
5/16

ATLAS is the largest such detector in history.

© © CERN

In tandem with CMS it can help researchers to detect traces of the Higgs boson, a hypothesized particle that, according to the current theories, explains the existence of mass in elementary particles. Searching for this particle is considered one of the central tasks of the whole project.

Large Hadron Collider: how it works - Sputnik International
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In tandem with CMS it can help researchers to detect traces of the Higgs boson, a hypothesized particle that, according to the current theories, explains the existence of mass in elementary particles. Searching for this particle is considered one of the central tasks of the whole project.

© © CERN

The detector ALICE is expected to record another experiment – that involving collisions of lead nuclei accelerated on the collider.

Large Hadron Collider: how it works - Sputnik International
7/16

The detector ALICE is expected to record another experiment – that involving collisions of lead nuclei accelerated on the collider.

© © CERN

These collisions, scientists believe, will help them to learn more about the so-called quark-gluon plasma – the state of matter immediately after the Big Bang.

Large Hadron Collider: how it works - Sputnik International
8/16

These collisions, scientists believe, will help them to learn more about the so-called quark-gluon plasma – the state of matter immediately after the Big Bang.

© © CERN

LHCb is necessary to study asymmetry between matter and anti-matter by examining interactions between particles containing so-called b-quarks.

Large Hadron Collider: how it works - Sputnik International
9/16

LHCb is necessary to study asymmetry between matter and anti-matter by examining interactions between particles containing so-called b-quarks.

© Maximilien Brice © CERN

The scientists hope to come up with an answer to the question “Why there is no anti-matter in the observable universe?”

Large Hadron Collider: how it works - Sputnik International
10/16

The scientists hope to come up with an answer to the question “Why there is no anti-matter in the observable universe?”

© Maximilien Brice © CERN

The idea of building the LHC was first conceived in 1984. But official approval did not follow until 10 years later.

Large Hadron Collider: how it works - Sputnik International
11/16

The idea of building the LHC was first conceived in 1984. But official approval did not follow until 10 years later.

© Maximilien Brice © CERN

The construction of the LHC started in 2001, when another accelerator – the Large Electron-Positron Collider (LEPC) – completed its operation.

Large Hadron Collider: how it works - Sputnik International
12/16

The construction of the LHC started in 2001, when another accelerator – the Large Electron-Positron Collider (LEPC) – completed its operation.

© Claudia Marcelloni © CERN

In the fall of 2008, the Large Hadron Collider was shut down because of an accident a few days after launch.

Large Hadron Collider: how it works - Sputnik International
13/16

In the fall of 2008, the Large Hadron Collider was shut down because of an accident a few days after launch.

© Roy Langstaff © CERN

A defective high-resistance electrical contact caused the magnets to lose their superconducting properties and the cooling system to break down.

Large Hadron Collider: how it works - Sputnik International
14/16

A defective high-resistance electrical contact caused the magnets to lose their superconducting properties and the cooling system to break down.

© Maximilien Brice © CERN

Several tons of liquid helium were released into the collider tunnel, deforming the pipes of the cooling system and the channels where particles were circulating.

Large Hadron Collider: how it works - Sputnik International
15/16

Several tons of liquid helium were released into the collider tunnel, deforming the pipes of the cooling system and the channels where particles were circulating.

© Maximilien Brice, Claudia Marcelloni © CERN

Repair and upgrade work took more than a year.

Large Hadron Collider: how it works - Sputnik International
16/16

Repair and upgrade work took more than a year.

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