2023-07-28 18:18:33
– CERN’s Large Hadron Collider down
The centre’s largest particle accelerator has been shut down for ten days following an electrical incident.
Published: 07.28.2023, 8:18 p.m.
CERN’s largest particle accelerator is down.
CERN
CERN’s largest particle accelerator has been out of order for more than ten days. In question, a tree fell on a power line near Morges, announces the RTS. The shock triggered its safety system, which stopped the cooling of the helium in one of its tubes, an expert explained on the radio.
Consequence: a significant pressure caused a hole of one millimeter in the tube, itself causing a malfunction of the magnets present in the system, essential to operate the Large Hadron Collider.
However, identifying and repairing the fault will take time, probably several weeks. The restart of the LHC will take place at the beginning of September, not without consequences for research. Half of the data that was to be collected cannot be, says the expert interviewed by RTS. The winter break will therefore be shorter in order to compensate for this lack.
Chloe Dethurens has been a journalist for the Geneva section since 2019. She has been writing for the Tribune de Genève since 2007. More info
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