Table of Contents
How does the LHC collect data?
What data to record? Collisions in the LHC generate particles that often decay in complex ways into even more particles. Electronic circuits record the passage of each particle through a detector as a series of electronic signals, and send the data to the CERN Data Centre for digital reconstruction.
What are they trying to discover at the LHC?
The LHC will probe the limits of physics theory, possibly turning up evidence for the elusive Higgs boson or uncovering the nature of mysterious “dark matter” that is thought to dominate the cosmos. The non-discovery of the Higgs would be as profound as its discovery, potentially revolutionizing physics.
What are the main goals of the LHC?
The LHC’s goal is to allow physicists to test the predictions of different theories of particle physics, including measuring the properties of the Higgs boson searching for the large family of new particles predicted by supersymmetric theories, and other unresolved questions in particle physics.
What is trigger system?
In particle physics, a trigger is a system that uses criteria to rapidly decide which events in a particle detector to keep when only a small fraction of the total can be recorded. Trigger systems are necessary due to real-world limitations in computing power, data storage capacity and rates.
What happens at the LHC?
The LHC accelerates two thin beams of atomic particles travelling in opposite directions around the 27km collider, each about 2mm across (small enough to pass through the zero on a 20p piece). The layers nearest to the collision point are designed to very precisely track the movement of charged particles.
Has the LHC discovered supersymmetry?
The Large Hadron Collider was explicitly designed to hunt for signs of supersymmetry by finding evidence for supersymmetric particle partners in the collision debris. After years of searching and loads of accumulated data from countless collisions, there is no sign of any supersymmetric particle.
What is the LHC doing now?
The hadron collider has now discovered 59 new hadrons. These include the tetraquarks most recently discovered, but also new mesons and baryons. All these new particles contain heavy quarks such as “charm” and “bottom”. These hadrons are interesting to study.
What does the trigger mechanism do?
A trigger is a mechanism that actuates the function of a ranged weapon such as a firearm, airgun, crossbow, or speargun. A small amount of energy applied to the trigger leads to the release of much more energy.