Written by Mike Lamont
Mike Lamont is the Director of Accelerators and Technology
what's new? * From 29 January to 1 February, the Chamonix 2024 workshop upheld its long tradition of promoting open and collaborative discussions within the physics and accelerator communities at CERN. This year has seen a major shift with the more prominent inclusion of the injector complex, and recognition of its critical role in shaping future research endeavours. The Chamonix discussions focused on three main areas: maximizing the remaining years of the third round; the High Lumens LHC (HL-LHC), preparations for long shutdown 3 and operations in operation 4; And a look to the future and the proposed Future Circular Collider (FCC).
analysis performance At the CERN accelerator complex, speakers noted the impressive progress to date, examined limitations in the LHC and injector and discussed improvements for optimal performance in upcoming operations. It is difficult to do justice to the enormous technical effort put in by all the systems, processes, and technical infrastructure teams that support the exploitation of the pool. Machine Availability It emerged as a critical topic, recognized as crucial to both maximizing the potential of existing facilities and ensuring the success of HL-LHC. Bug tracking, dedicated maintenance efforts and targeted infrastructure improvements throughout the complex were highlighted as key contributors to achieving and maintaining optimal uptime.
as HL-LHC The project is moving into full series production, and the technical challenges associated with magnets, cold energy and the cancer cavity are being addressed. Looking back Long Shutdown 3 (LS3),Potential limitations are already being targeted now, for example, ,cloud mitigation measures are scheduled to be deployed in LS3. The transition to the high-brightness era will involve a massive program of work requiring careful preparation and a well-coordinated effort across the complex during Phase III, which will see the deployment of the HL-LHC, large-scale integration efforts and other upgrades such as the one planned for the ECN3 cavern in CERN's northern region.
The breadth and depth of physics in which it is performed CERN facilities It's very cool, and the Chamonix workshop has confirmed the high demand from experimentalists in all fields. The unique capabilities of ISOLDE, n_TOF, AD-ELENA and the Eastern and Northern regions were recognized. The Nordic region, for example, provides protons, hadrons, electrons and ion beams for R&D in detectors and experiments, the CERN neutrino platform and irradiation facilities, and has more than 2,000 users.
The vision for these facilities for the coming decades is diverse, innovative and well-motivated from a physics perspective. The potential for long-term exploitation and full utilization of the capabilities of the LHC and other facilities is significant, requiring continued support and development.
In the longer term, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) is exploring the possible construction of the reactor Federal Communications Commission With a dedicated feasibility study that has just released its mid-term report – a summary of which was presented in Chamonix and will be presented to the CERN community on 13 February. This initiative is accompanied by research and development work on key accelerator technologies. The physics case for FCC-ee has been well presented to an audience of mostly non-particle physicists, concluding that the FCC is the only proposed collider that covers every major area in the field – electroweak, QCD, flavor, Higgs, and the search for phenomena beyond scope of physics. The Standard Model – Deep into the paradigm shift.
Sustainability This was another focus of the Chamonix workshop. Building and operating environmentally conscious future facilities is a top priority, and full life cycle analyzes will be undertaken of any options to help ensure a low carbon future.
Interesting times, lots to do. As former CERN Director General Herwig Schober put it in 1983: “So it is clear that for some time to come there will be interesting work to do, and I doubt whether accelerator experts will find themselves without a job.”
* Excerpt from the poem “The Poem of Old Ladies” by François Villon.
