The whole world behind the LHC

The LHC Board, which includes representatives of the non-Member State organisations directly involved in the construction of the LHC accelerator and representatives of CERN, held its fourth meeting on Monday 21 May 2001.
From left to right: 1st row, A. Yamamoto (KEK, Japan), P. Pfund (FNAL, United States), L. Maiani (CERN Director-General), L. Evans (LHC Project Leader), F. Dupont (IN2P3, France), D.D. Bhawalkar (CAT, India) ; 2nd row, P. Brossier (CEA, France), N. Tyurin (IHEP, Russia), A. Skrinsky (BINP, Russia), A. Astbury (TRIUMF, Canada), P. Lebrun (LHC Division Leader, CERN); 3rd row, T. Taylor (Deputy Division Leader LHC Division, CERN), A. Shotter (TRIUMF, Canada), P. Bryant (LHC, CERN), K. Hübner (Director for Accelerators, CERN), J. van der Boon (Director of Administration, CERN).

Although Canada, the United States, India, Japan and the Russian Federation are not members of CERN, they are all playing an active part in the construction of the LHC through important technical and financial contributions. On 21 May, representatives of these non-Member States assembled at the Laboratory together with representatives of CERN for the fourth annual meeting of the LHC Board, a forum for the exchange of information and coordination of work on the LHC machine. One of CERN's Member States, France, is also represented for its special technical contribution as a Host State.
LHC Project Leader Lyn Evans reviewed the progress of the LHC and announced the commissioning schedule, which foresees the accelerator's completion by the end of 2005 and a first beam circulating in February 2006. First collisions are planned for April 2006 and the first physics run could start at the beginning of August 2006 (see box).
Having received this information, representatives from the non-Member States gave progress reports on their various contributions, the fruits of which can already be clearly seen at CERN! Since 1996, Russia has been producing conventional magnets for the proton transfer lines from the SPS to the LHC. Nearly all the magnets have been delivered, with the last ones scheduled to arrive later this year. Part of the Canadian contribution is also nearing completion - Canadian teams have been upgrading the PS complex for its role as the LHC injector.
The United States and Japan are supplying quadrupole magnets for the 'low b' insertions, which focus the beams on either side of the experiments. These sections are being produced in a collaboration between the United States, Japan and CERN, which is supplying components. Both America and Japan are also making sizeable contributions through the supply of basic materials such as special steels and superconducting cable. Finally, India is producing the coils for the superconducting sextupole and decapole corrector magnets. India is also manufacturing jacks for magnets and electronic equipment. France's special contribution relates to the design of the short straight sections, including the cryogenic system.