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Blueprint for Next-Generation Particle Collider Unveiled at CERN
GENEVA – Scientists at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, have revealed plans for a significantly larger successor to the Large Hadron Collider, the world’s premier atom smasher. This proposed Future Circular Collider aims to probe the universe’s deepest mysteries and potentially revolutionize our understanding of particle physics.
Future Circular Collider: A Leap in Physics Research
The comprehensive plans for the Future Circular Collider (FCC), a colossal 91-kilometer (56.5-mile) ring straddling the French-Swiss border and extending beneath Lake Geneva, were made public late Monday. This detailed study culminates approximately a decade of development at CERN.
Project Details and Timeline
The extensive report outlines crucial aspects of the project, including the intended trajectory, environmental considerations, scientific objectives, and projected expenses. Independent experts will assess the proposal before CERN’s 22 member nations, primarily European with the inclusion of Israel, make a definitive decision in 2028. If approved, construction is slated to commence in the mid-2040s, with an estimated budget of 14 billion Swiss francs (around $16 billion).
Scientific Potential and Technological Advancements
CERN officials emphasize the potential for groundbreaking scientific discoveries that could spur innovation across various technological fields. Areas such as cryogenics, superconducting magnets, and vacuum technologies are expected to see advancements that could benefit society at large. Experts outside of CERN highlight the immense value in gaining deeper insights into the Higgs boson, the elusive particle pivotal in explaining how matter formed in the aftermath of the Big Bang.
Expert Perspectives on the FCC
Dave Toback, a physics and astronomy professor at Texas A&M University, commented on the project’s significance. “This set of reports represents an important milestone in the process, but a full sense of the likelihood of it being brought to fruition will only be known through careful studies by scientists, engineers and others, including politicians who must make difficult decisions at time when uncertainty rules the day,” Toback stated via email.
Toback, who has no direct involvement with the FCC study and previously worked at the Fermilab Tevatron collider in the U.S. before its shutdown in 2011, added that the new collider “provides an exciting opportunity for the particle physics community, and indeed all of physics, on the world stage.”
Building Upon the Legacy of the Large Hadron Collider
For approximately ten years, leading researchers at CERN have been developing plans for a successor to the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The LHC, a 27-kilometer (17-mile) underground tunnel housing a network of powerful magnets, accelerates particles to velocities approaching the speed of light before colliding them.
Unlocking Further Mysteries of the Universe
Research conducted at the LHC particle collider in 2013 confirmed the existence of the Higgs boson. This discovery was a cornerstone in the standard model of particle physics, a framework that elucidates some of the fundamental forces governing the universe.
Exploring Design Scenarios for Enhanced Energy
CERN scientists, engineers, and collaborators involved in the study evaluated over 100 potential configurations for the next-generation collider. They ultimately proposed the 91-kilometer circumference design, positioned at an average depth of 200 meters (656 feet). CERN indicated the tunnel diameter would be approximately 5 meters (16 feet).
Arnaud Marsollier, a CERN spokesperson, explained the drive for increased power. “Ultimately what we would like to do is a collider which will come up with ten times more energy than what we have today,” Marsollier stated. “When you have more energy, then you can create particles that are heavier.”
Improving Precision in Higgs Boson Studies
A larger collider would also significantly enhance the precision with which scientists can investigate the characteristics of the Higgs boson. Marsollier noted that our current understanding of the Higgs boson is somewhat “blurry,” and the FCC aims to provide a much clearer picture.