Preparations are underway at the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN) for the restart of the Large Hadron Collider, the largest and most powerful particle accelerator in the world. Unlike household devices that can be included instantly, the launch of the collider requires several weeks of thorough preparation.
Every year, engineers and physicists at CERN restart the collider and its experiments to ensure the accuracy of data on particle clashes and to investigate the mysteries of the universe. The Collider pushes protons to the highest energy levels, creating new particles for study in experiments such as ATLAS.
During the winter months, the collider and its experiments are temporarily shut down for maintenance and energy saving. In the spring, preparation for the new data collection season begins. Technical specialists restart the accelerator while physicists get ready for experiments to collect data from particles created by the collider.
The first step in the preparation process is testing detectors using cosmic rays, providing a natural source for checking detector functionality. The next step involves using controlled subatomic bursts created by directing protons to the collimator, generating a stream of particles along the accelerator pipeline.
This particle stream enables the synchronization and proper functioning of all detectors in the ATLAS experiment to be checked. Additional testing is done using muons for calibration purposes, as they pass through calorimeter detectors to provide accurate data collection.
By the end of March, a test is conducted where protons graze the collimator, producing muons that help calibrate the detectors. Once all tests are completed, the Large Hadron Collider is ready for operation.
The collider accelerates protons to their maximum energy levels and initiates collisions, marking the start of a new data collection season after about ten weeks of testing. This paves the way for new scientific discoveries and a deeper understanding of the universe.