The Large Hadron Collider ( LHC ) is often visit the atom smasher but in realism , it does n’t smash atoms together . It is used to smash protons and lead lens nucleus together , but not atoms per se . But last hebdomad , thing changed . The LHC was used to accelerate a lead corpuscle with all but one of its electron removed .
The chore is far from simple but it is important to test the terminus ad quem of what can be achieved with the LHC . The team hopes that by accelerating ions they can make da Gamma rays gumptious enough to create other particle . This challenging end is still far into the future but the test on July 25 was a very important one .
“ We ’re investigating novel ideas of how we could broaden the present CERN inquiry curriculum and base , ” Michaela Schaumann , an LHC Engineer , said in astatement . “ regain out what ’s potential is the first step . ”
The first test trial involved 24 bunches of “ atoms ” being injected into a low - energy stable beam for about an hour . The squad stir the ray of light to its maximal possible energy in the LHC and kept it stable for about two moment before it was ejected into the arrangement ’s beam dump . The 2nd run , with just six clump , was kept stable for two hours .
“ It ’s really easy to unintentionally divest off the electron , ” explained Schaumann . “ When that happens , the karyon crashes into the wall of the ray pipe because its care is no longer sync with the LHC ’s charismatic field . If too many particle go off trend , the LHC automatically dumps the beam . Our main priority is to protect the LHC and its magnets . ”
This gamma - ray factory would do work in the undermentioned elbow room . The atoms would be dissipate by a laser exciting an electron , and this electron would eventually decay back to its original orbital , re - let out a photon . However , since the atoms are moving nigh to the speeding of spark , the emitted photons get an energy boost , cause them to become Vasco da Gamma re .
The LHC smashes protons for about half the year and some four weeks are dedicated to atomic nuclei collisions . There have been tests with other beams , such as xenon nuclei . The Super Proton Synchrotron , which is one of the other accelerator pedal at CERN , was previously tested using lead ion collision like these .
