An Accelerator for the Future
The LHC will take over from LEP in 2005. This new generation particle collider will allow some 5000 physicists from all over the world to study the mysteries of matter and let them "see" back to the start of the Universe.
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The extensive use of state-of-the-art technologies such as superconductivity has allowed a considerable increase in performance while at the same time reducing power consumption.
The LHC schedule is: R&D phase: 1985 - 1995 Construction Period: 1995 - 2005 Running: 2005 > 2020
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This string of prototype LHC magnets was used to test the new accelerator’s cryogenic systems.
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The LHC makes maximum use of the LEP tunnel and CERN’s existing accelerator complex. It will be housed in the LEP tunnel (27 kilometres in circumference and 100 metres underground) which sits astride the Franco-Swiss border close to Geneva. The two beams of protons, or heavy ions, go in opposite directions inside two ultra-high vacuum tubes which cross at four places. It is at these intersection points that the detectors of the experiments, ALICE, ATLAS, CMS and LHCb will observe collisions.
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The LHC represents 5000 man years of engineering effort from CERN and its collaborating institutes.