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In our matter-dominated Universe, the observation of new processes showing matter-antimatter asymmetry allows scientists to test their theories and, possibly, to explore new territories. The LHCb collaboration has recently observed matter-antimatter asymmetries in the decays of the B0s meson, which thus becomes the fourth particle known to present such behaviour.
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On 8 April, the first SMACC (Superconducting Magnets and Circuits Consolidation) teams began work in the LHC tunnel. They are responsible for opening the interconnects between the magnets, laying the groundwork for the series of operations that will be performed by the team riding the ‘consolidation train’.
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It seems that every year is an important year for CERN, and this year is no exception. The LHC’s first long shutdown (LS1) is, of course, the focus of activities, but 2013 is also an opportunity for us to showcase our facilities to the public, to the media, to decision makers and to our neighbours. I’m aware that the number of visitors coming to CERN is already breaking records, and I’d like to thank everyone for the efforts you are making to accommodate them while the LS1 work is going on.
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In the LHC tunnel, the first underground activities of the SMACC (Superconducting Magnet And Circuit Consolidation) project have begun. In sector 5-6, the opening of the W bellows, which form the outer shell around the circuit connections between each of the cryo-magnets, is underway.
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Imagine: an accelerator unbound by length; one that can bring a beam up to the TeV level in just a few hundred metres. Sounds like a dream? Perhaps not for long. At CERN’s Proton Driven Plasma Wakefield Acceleration Experiment (AWAKE), physicists may soon be working to bring this contemporary fairy-tale to life.
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On 16 April, the TE-VSC team began identifying and repairing the LHC’s faulty radiofrequency fingers. Their main tool: an “RF ball” that will be – quite literally – blown through the beam pipe.
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Electrical quality assurance testing (ELQA) of the LHC’s superconducting circuits is currently underway in sector 3-4 of the machine. The rigorous examination by the ELQA team covers secondary circuits as well as the main magnets.
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High-intensity pulsed neutron fields are produced at particle accelerators such as CERN’s PS and LHC. The efficient detection of this stray pulsed radiation is technically difficult and standard detectors show strong limitations when measuring such fields. A new test performed at the HiRadMat facility has recently shed light on the performance of various neutron detectors exposed to extreme conditions.
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This week, CERN received the latest new transformers for the SPS. Stored in pairs in 24-tonne steel containers, these transformers will replace the old models, which have been in place since 1981.
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Yesterday (18 April), CERN celebrated the World Day for Safety and Health at Work. This event was organised by the Safety Unit of the BE Department, the HSE Unit, the Medical Service and the Fire Brigade for the third year running.
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On April Fools' Day, CERN Quantum Diaries blogger Pauline Gagnon held a giveaway of microscopic proportion. Up for grabs? Ten Higgs bosons, courtesy of CERN. Pauline announced the winners last week; let's see what they'll really be getting in the mail...
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Do you recall the early virus attacks in the early 2000s? “Blaster”, “I love you” and “Slammer” were attacking the pretty much unprotected Microsoft Windows operating system.
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Although around a hundred cases a year are reported to the Ombuds, several issues may still not be disclosed due to employee silence*. The deliberate withholding of concerns, escalating misunderstandings or genuine conflicts can impede the global process of learning and development of a better respectful organizational workplace environment, and prevent the detection and correction of acts violating the CERN Code of Conduct.
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You are probably already using PressDisplay to read newspapers online, but for those of you who are not yet aware of this service, PressDisplay is an online portal where you can browse and read online articles from more than 1,900 newspapers from 95 countries, as soon as they are published.
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