1st report from the LHC performance workshop

Yesterday, 6 February, the LHC Performance workshop 2012 kicked off in a very chilly Chamonix (-12 degrees C in town at midday, nearer -30 on the top of Les Grand Montets). The first day was devoted to a critical review of 2011.

2011 was a very good year for the machine and its experiments but the first day of the Workshop focused on examining the performance and identifying possible improvements to critical systems such as beam instrumentation and machine protection. The high-intensity beams that LHC managed to collide last year have sparked a number of issues around the ring including beam-induced heating of some hardware, and problematic vacuum spikes. Present understanding of these problems was presented and possible solutions discussed.

The immediate aim is to maximize the performance of the 2012 run with one eye on the more distant future. 

by Bulletin's correspondent from Chamonix