The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) has begun disconnecting sections of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) to replace critical magnets. This upgrade is part of the High-Luminosity LHC (HiLumi LHC) project. The new superconducting magnets will increase the collider's luminosity, leading to more particle collisions.
Crews cut the first magnet interconnection on September 7, marking the formal start of the replacement operation. CERN Director-General Mark Thomson visited LHC Point 1, the location of the ATLAS experiment, to acknowledge the milestone. The third long shutdown (LS3) period will facilitate this work.
The LHC, a 27-kilometer-long particle accelerator, uses thousands of magnets to control particle beams. Inner triplets, groups of three quadrupole magnets, focus particle beams before they collide within detectors. Tighter beam compression increases the chance of collisions, which is crucial for collecting more data.
The new inner triplets utilize niobium-tin superconducting coils, a significant technological advancement. These coils can generate magnetic fields up to 11.3 tesla, approximately 40% stronger than the current niobium-titanium magnets. This increased strength will allow for a higher collision rate, particularly for the ATLAS and Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiments.
Twenty-eight superconducting magnets, including the inner triplets, are slated for removal from sections around the ATLAS and CMS experiments. The first new quadrupole magnet is expected to be installed in the tunnel by early 2029. In total, 16 cryostats and 28 cryo-assemblies will be installed.
While the A Large Ion Collider Experiment (ALICE) and LHCb experiments operate differently and do not require the same instantaneous luminosity increase, their existing inner triplets will also be upgraded. This ensures all experiments benefit from the overall luminosity enhancement.
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