ATLAS
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ATLAS The ATLAS (A Toroidal LHC Apparatus) experiment is one of the largest and most complex particle detectors ever built, located at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. ATLAS is a general-purpose detector designed to study the properties of Higgs boson, supersymmetry, and extra dimensions. The detector has been in operation since 2010, and its design and construction involved a large international collaboration of scientists and engineers from over 40 countries. The ATLAS experiment has made several groundbreaking discoveries, revolutionizing our understanding of the Standard Model of particle physics.
Overview
The ATLAS detector is a massive cylindrical device, 46 meters long and 25 meters high, weighing around 7,000 tons. It is composed of several layers of detectors, each designed to measure specific properties of particles produced in high-energy collisions at the LHC. The detector is situated in a large underground cavern at CERN, surrounded by a complex system of magnets, calorimeters, and tracking detectors.
Scientific goals and design
The primary scientific goal of ATLAS is to explore the properties of elementary particles and forces at the TeV scale, using proton-proton collisions at the LHC. The detector is designed to identify and measure the properties of Higgs boson, W and Z bosons, top quark, and other particles. The ATLAS detector consists of an inner tracking detector, surrounded by a solenoid magnet, and a large calorimeter system, which measures the energy and direction of particles produced in collisions. The detector also features a large toroidal magnet system, which provides a strong magnetic field for charged particle identification.
Major discoveries
The ATLAS experiment has made several major discoveries, including the observation of the Higgs boson in 2012, which confirmed the existence of the Higgs field. ATLAS has also studied supersymmetry and extra dimensions, setting limits on the production of supersymmetric particles and gravitons. Other significant discoveries include the measurement of the top quark mass, the observation of rare decays of B mesons, and the study of quark-gluon plasma. These discoveries have significantly advanced our understanding of the Standard Model and have implications for particle physics and cosmology.
Technical specifications
The ATLAS detector features a complex system of magnets, including a solenoid magnet and a toroidal magnet system, which provides a strong magnetic field for charged particle identification. The detector also features a large calorimeter system, which measures the energy and direction of particles produced in collisions. The ATLAS detector has a total of 100 million electronic channels, making it one of the most complex and sophisticated particle detectors ever built.
Collaboration and operation
The ATLAS experiment is a large international collaboration of scientists and engineers from over 40 countries, including CERN, Fermilab, and DESY. The collaboration involves over 3,000 physicists and engineers, who work together to design, build, and operate the detector. The ATLAS detector has been in operation since 2010, with several upgrades and maintenance periods. The collaboration is currently planning for future upgrades, including the High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC), which will enable ATLAS to collect even more data and make new discoveries.