Topic: LHC Physics Begins!

[sam]

Just after 1 pm European time today, the LHC at CERN collided two beams of protons with a total center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV (seven trillion electron volts), three and a half times more energy than the proton-antiproton collisions at the Tevatron at Fermilab, and far greater than the 2.4 TeV achieved by the LHC in December 2009. This milestone clearly marks the beginning, at long last, of the first major physics run of the new accelerator.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2010/03/30/lhc-physics-begins/

[Simon]

[Rik]

Any idea what kind of insulation they use on the cables, Sam?

[Clive]

Let's hope it stays up and running this time.   

[Rodders]

That's nothing!  My Proton collided with a motor-cycle in 2007.

[Rik]

I bet you weren't going at 99.9% of the speed of light. Or maybe you were...

[Rodders]

I was actually about six miles away at the time it happened.  It was during a period of particularly grim weather and we came back to find that three-quarters-of-a-ton of enormous Honda bike, owned by the bonehead in the flat upstairs, had been picked up by the wind and slung into the side of my motor.  There wasn't a scratch on his stucking fupid bike, while the Proton was a write-off.  There's got to be something wrong with a bloke who goes out and puts a cover over a bike during a 80 mph gale.

Since I'd opted for a no-frills policy, Churchill put it down to an 'Act of God'.  They valued the car at £500; I had a £300 excess; they paid out £200.  I've not used them since.

Six weeks later, Churchill sent me a 'Customer Satisfaction' questionnaire.  Yes I did.

[Rik]

 

Did you try to sue the bike owner?

[sam]

Any idea what kind of insulation they use on the cables, Sam?

Actually no idea. I'd have expected it was pretty thick though. I found this interesting though:
http://accelconf.web.cern.ch/accelconf/e08/papers/wepd007.pdf

[Rik]

I was thinking thick too...

[sam]

I guess probably not too either... dont want it too bulky, just depends on the attenuation of the noise - wonder if its off the shelf or not.. might have to make some enquiries - really would want to avoid any cross-talk.

[Rik]

If you find anything, I'd be interested, Sam. As you say, they won't want it too bulky, but for those voltages, normal insulation materials would end up being very thick.