Liquid helium’s curious properties help scientists focus on cavity defects.
Heat waves aren’t always a bad thing. For scientists working on accelerator cavities, they provide a simple way to locate hard-to-see surface defects, which can turn an otherwise superconducting cavity into a dud. Cornell University’s second-sound detection system homes in on a cavity defect, such as a pit hiding in the cavity wall, by tracking […]
Laboratories in the US begin to take a serious look at hydroforming as a method for creating ILC-type cavities.
Researchers in the US may soon be pumping their cavities into shape. Last year Fermilab scientists put out a call to industrial companies to propose a procedure for hydroforming ILC-type cavities. They hope that by next year, the selected company will provide Fermilab with three hydroformed nine-cell cavities for testing. “Hydroforming’s a good idea whose […]
Natural disasters have not deterred KEK from looking to the future of the ILC
Almost four weeks have passed since the worst disaster that has ever hit northeast Japan. KEK has been evaluating damage to its facilities and buildings and is planning to release the official disaster report soon. Recovery activities that do not require much electricity consumption have begun already as KEK employees work to return operations to […]
March is particle hunting season for more than 8,000 students who participated in the International Hands on Particle Physics Masterclasses. As the Large Hadron Collider is about to again start colliding protons, 130 universities and laboratories in 24 research institutes around the world open their doors and invite high school students to become particle physicists […]
Scientists compete for an audience’s approval by giving clear, fun and to-the-point presentations on topics in particle physics.
Applause-o-meters don’t lie. The 90-decibel-level reading of claps and cheers from the Eugene, Oregon audience indicated that the first-ever physics slam in the US was a hit. On 22 March, five physicists carried out an assignment to explain in plain and engaging language a topic in particle physics – in only twelve minutes. After all […]
KEK employees survey the damage to their laboratory after enduring the biggest earthquake in Japan's history
As many people in the world already know, Japan is currently dealing with its worst disaster: Japan’s biggest earthquake on record and the fourth largest in history. Thousands of lives have been lost. Tens of thousands people are forced to evacuate and live without basic necessities. Hundreds of thousands are still missing. KEK laboratory in […]
The earthquake takes its toll on one of KEK's hallmark experiments
A huge 9.0-magnitude earthquake descended on us at about 14:46 on 11 March 2011 Japan standard time. The ATF (accelerator test facility) was operating for ATF2 beam-tuning and we were going to have a background study for the interaction point beam size monitor. Some of us, including me, were working in the electronics hut of […]
First there was the Photowalk. Next up was the competition. Then came the calendar, and now there are the exhibits. Starting Feb. 11, photography exhibits will open in Asia, Europe and North America to showcase images from the first Global Particle Physics Photowalk. Exhibits will open on Feb. 11 at CERN in Switzerland, Fermilab in […]
Lately, scientific communities are in need of higher-energy light particles. To do this, scientists are extending the existing technology of undulator magnets, or undulators. The device uses magnets to wiggle a particle beam into giving up light, which can then be used for a whole host of scientific applications. “Undulators are specialised beasts,” said Elizabeth […]