Live, Life, and Love at CERN (Part 5)
CERN Restaurant view from the top floor of CERN Main Building.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Geneva, Switzerland | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/125sec | f/18 | ISO200 | Full Manual | Manual Exposure
Tour of the CERN was the never-forgotten exclusive tour inside the experiments chamber. It was something that I would not get everywhere except at CERN.
In this article, I will share about the tour I have joined during my stay at CERN. The Tour of The CERN was arranged by committee exclusively for CERN Summer Student. The tour was divided into several parts depends on the number of CERN facilities that can be visited during that summer. Because of the limited number of seat for each part of the tour, the summer student must reserve their place on the first-come-first-served basis. Eventually, I could visit three out of four CERN’s biggest particle detector: ATLAS, CMS, and LHCb.
“Tour of the CERN completed my experience at CERN! Superb!”
The Cross Section of ATLAS Particle Detector at CERN. The image was taken during the construction of the ATLAS.
©ATLAS Experiment
Visiting CERN’s Largest Particle Detector : ATLAS
The first tour was to visit ATLAS cavern where the biggest and largest particle detector in the world was built. ATLAS is located near the Globe of Science and Innovation. It is also located near the SR-1 building where I have used to work before. ATLAS (A Toroidal LHC ApparatuS) is one of the seven particle detector experiments (one out of four big particle detector) at CERN.
As the biggest and largest particle detector at CERN, it has 46 metres long and 25 metres in diameter. It weighs approximately 7000 tonnes. The electronics are so advanced and are inter-connected using 3000 km of cable. ATLAS collaboration involves roughly 3,000 physicists from over 175 institutions in 38 countries. Together with CMS, ATLAS involved in the discovery of a particle consistent with the Higgs boson in July 2012.
Close-up Image of ATLAS Particle Detector. It is so huge, I cannot get full image of it.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Geneva, Switzerland | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/25sec | f/7.1 | ISO3200 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
ATLAS Control Center Room. It is where the serious and happiness take place.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Geneva, Switzerland | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/30sec | f7.1 | ISO640 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
ATLAS Level-1 Electronics and Triggers (if I haven’t forgotten).
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Frankfurt, Germany | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/30sec | f/7.1 | ISO2000 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
Large Banner in a scale of 1:1 showing the cross-section of CERN’s heaviest particle detector, the Compact Muon Solenoid.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Cessy, France | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/125sec | f/4.0 | ISO500 | Shutter Priority | Auto Exposure
Visiting CERN’s Heaviest Particle Detector : CMS
The second tour was to visit CMS cavern. CMS (compact muon solenoid) is one of two large general-purpose particle detector at CERN beside ATLAS. CMS is the heaviest particle detector at CERN. CMS is located in its cavern at Cessy, France. In terms of size, CMS is 21.6m long, 15m in diameter, and weighs about 14000 tonnes hence the name “compact”. There are approximately 3800 people from 199 scientific institutes and 43 countries work at CMS.
The sign at intersection shows the direction to CERN LHC Point 5 – CMS
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Cessy, France | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/640sec | f/7.1 | ISO100 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
CMS Control and Command Center.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Cessy, France | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/125sec | f3.5 | ISO1600 | Shutter Priority | Auto Exposure
Large monitor shows CERN Information Panel for Point 5 – CMS
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Cessy, France | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/125sec | f/11 | ISO1600 | Shutter Priority | Auto Exposure
My photograph in front of the 1:1 scale banner of CMS. It is so huge!
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Cessy, France | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/125sec | f/7.1 | ISO1600 | Shutter Priority | Auto Exposure
Close-up image of CMS inner core.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Cessy, France | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/40sec | f4.0 | ISO1600 | Shutter Priority | Auto Exposure
I and my friend were photographed in front of the inner core of CMS detector.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Cessy, France | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/40sec | f/5.0 | ISO1600 | Shutter Priority | Auto Exposure
I am in front of the LHCb particle detector.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Ferney-Voltaire, France | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/25sec | f/7.1 | ISO3200 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
Visiting CERN’s beautiful detector : LHCb
The third tour was to visit LHCb. Unlike ATLAS and CMS that have their cavern newly built, the LHCb is located in the same cavern as DELPHI which has been decommissioned after the experiment of LEP is stopped. LHCb (Large Hadron Collider beauty) is located in Ferney-Voltaire, France at CERN LHC Point 8. The detector is 4500 tonnes weight and specially designed to record B-Mesons decay. There are approximately 840 people representing 60 scientific institutes from 16 countries build and operate this detector.
The LHCb detector is different compared to other LHC experiments such as ATLAS and CMS. While the others surround the entire collision point with layers of sub-detectors just like an onion, the LHCb detector stretches for 20m along the beam pipe. Its sub-detectors stacked behind each other like books on a shelf. This structure of the detector is based on the behavior of B-Mesons when they are formed from proton collisions.
LHCb Panic Button! You can shutdown the entire experiment just pushing that red button.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Ferney-Voltaire, France | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/30sec | f/7.1 | ISO1250 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
The decomissioned DELPHI particle detector from LEP experiment is now shown for exhibition in the same cavern as LHCb.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Ferney-Voltaire, France | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/25sec | f7.1 | ISO3200 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
LHCb Level-1 Electronics and Triggers room.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Ferney-Voltaire, France | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/40sec | f/7.1 | ISO1600 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
I am in front of ALPHA and ASACUSA experiments on CERN Antiproton Decelerator facility.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Geneva, Switzerland | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/10sec | f/7.1 | ISO400 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure | Internal Flash On
Visiting CERN’s Antimatter Facility : ALPHA, ASACUSA, ATRAP
So, I went back to CERN Meyrin site to visit its Antiproton Decelerator (AD) facilities. The Antiproton is an “antimatter” of a proton, so some people said that it is an antimatter facility to make it sounds cool. The Antiproton Decelerator facilities house some experiment collaboration. The decelerated antiprotons are ejected to one of the several connected experiments. At that time of my visit, I saw ALPHA, ASACUSA, and ATRAP experiments were being conducted on that facility.
Summer Students were observing the Antiproton Decelerator (AD) facilities at CERN.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Geneva, Switzerland | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/30sec | f/7.1 | ISO1600 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
Some of the experiment collaborations at CERN Antiproton Decelerator facility.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Geneva, Switzerland | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/30sec | f7.1 | ISO2000 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
The CERN Antiproton Decelerator (AD) facilities at CERN Meyrin Site, Geneva.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Geneva, Switzerland | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/40sec | f/7.1 | ISO1600 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
The Radioactive Ion Beam facility (ISOLDE) building in CERN Meyrin Site, Geneva-Switzerland.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Geneva, Switzerland | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/160sec | f/20 | ISO400 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
Visiting CERN’s Radioactive Ion Beam Facility : ISOLDE
The next facility that I visited was ISOLDE. ISOLDE (Isotope Separator On-Line Detector) is located at CERN Meyrin site, near the Proton-Synchrotron Booster (PSB). It is operated by the ISOLDE collaboration which consists of CERN and 17 countries across the globe. The facility is dedicated to the production of a large variety of radioactive ion beams. They will be used for many different experiments in the fields of nuclear and atomic physics, solid-state physics, materials science and life sciences.
ISOLDE Control Center Room
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Geneva, Switzerland | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/160sec | f/3.5 | ISO2500 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
Inside ISOLDE facility. I have to warn you, too much cable on the floor there! Be careful not to step on the cable.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Geneva, Switzerland | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/250sec | f3.5 | ISO2500 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
Two engineers were talking each other during operating the instruments at ISOLDE facility.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Geneva, Switzerland | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/25sec | f/4.5 | ISO800 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
The SM18 Cryogenic Test Facility at CERN
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Prévessin-Moëns, France | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/250sec | f/20 | ISO400 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
Visiting CERN’s Cryogenic Test Facility : SM18
The next one to be visited is something cool, literally cool. One of the important components of the LHC is the superconducting magnet. Therefore, CERN has built its own test facility for the superconducting magnet called SM18. The SM18 facility at CERN is a world’s leading magnet test facility for testing magnets and instrumentation. The test facility can provide low temperature (1.9 K up to 80 K) and up to high currents (20 kA). It is located near Prévessin-Moëns, France.
The tour guide explained everything about LHC and its detector prior our tour to SM18.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Prévessin-Moëns, France | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/50sec | f/3.5 | ISO3200 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
I am in front of superconducting magnet test bench at SM18.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Prévessin-Moëns, France | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/100sec | f5.0 | ISO3200 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
One of the LHC Magnet for exhibition at CERN SM18 Cryogenic Test Facilities
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Prévessin-Moëns, France | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/125sec | f/5.0 | ISO3200 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
Building 513 hosts CERN Tier-0 data center as a part of Worldwide LHC Computing Grid.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Geneva, Switzerland | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/800sec | f/7.1 | ISO100 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
Visiting CERN’s Data Center : Building 513
The last facility that I visited was the CERN Data Center or Computer Center building. As the experiments generate petabytes of data, it is crucial for CERN to have this vast Data Center. Moreover, CERN is an international laboratory which responsible for distributing the experiment data across the globe. Therefore, every scientist and researcher can participate in the research by analyzing the data remotely. The building 513 hosts CERN’s Tier-0 data center. The Tier-0 responsible for storing the raw data, first pass reconstruction, and distribution of raw data to the Tier 1s. It also responsible for reprocessing of data during LHC down-times.
CERN called its data center as Worldwide LHC Computing Grid (WLCG). The WLCG is a global collaboration of computer centers which consists of four layers tiers data center. It was launched in 2002 to provide a resource to store, distribute and analyze the 15 petabytes of data generated every year by the LHC. It now links thousands of computers and storage systems in over 170 centers across 41 countries. The grids serve a community of over 8000 physicists with near real-time access to LHC data. The Grid gives users the power to process, analyze and in some cases to store LHC data.
Large LCD Panel shows CERN WLCG status around the globe. It is very big computing infrastructures.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Geneva, Switzerland | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/30sec | f/7.1 | ISO320 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
The server rack that host Tier-0 CERN Data Center.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Geneva, Switzerland | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/30sec | f7.1 | ISO500 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
Beside the data center itself, there is also a museum that shows the history of computer hardware from time-to-time.
©2014 Bagus Hanindhito | Geneva, Switzerland | Canon EOS 60D | EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II | 1/30sec | f/7.1 | ISO3200 | Aperture Priority | Auto Exposure
On the next article, I will talk about the workshop for Summer Student that is exciting! Hope to see you around :).
to be continued…
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Live, Life, and Love at CERN (Part 7 – Conclusion)
It was the end of my stay at CERN. I felt that the last two months went by so fast than usual that I was sad to leave CERN too early. I wished I could stay longer here. If not, I hoped someday I would come back here to do my next challenging research project.
Live, Life, and Love at CERN (Part 6)
Participating in some workshops held by CERN added up my experience and knowledge. It becomes “a must” during my stay at CERN.
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