Future Circular Collider (hadron)
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| Future Circular Collider (hadron) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Future Circular Collider (hadron) |
| Caption | Conceptual layout of a high-energy hadron collider ring |
| Type | Particle collider |
| Location | Canton of Geneva area |
| Operator | CERN |
| Status | Proposed |
| Circumference | ~100 km (proposed) |
| Energy | 100 TeV (center-of-mass, design goal) |
| First proposal | 2013 (European Strategy for Particle Physics discussions) |
Future Circular Collider (hadron) The Future Circular Collider (hadron) is a proposed next-generation CERN particle accelerator design intended to succeed the Large Hadron Collider and extend hadron collision energies to the 100 TeV scale. The project is part of longer-term plans discussed in the European Strategy for Particle Physics and has been studied in coordination with institutions such as the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP), Fermilab, and national laboratories across France and Switzerland.
Overview
The design study was developed by the Future Circular Collider Study team convened after the European Strategy for Particle Physics update, building on lessons from the Large Hadron Collider, the Super Proton Synchrotron, and concepts from the Very Large Hadron Collider proposals. The scheme envisions a ring of roughly 100 km in circumference connecting sites near Geneva and surrounding regions, integrating technologies tested at FERMILAB, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, DESY, and KEK. The project aligns with strategic roadmaps from the European Commission, the International Committee for Future Accelerators, and national funding agencies such as the Science and Technology Facilities Council.
Design and Technical Specifications
Technical studies propose superconducting magnets using niobium–tin conductor technology inspired by developments at Brookhaven National Laboratory and CERN magnet R&D groups, with dipole fields in the 16–20 tesla range similar to demonstrators from LBNL collaborations. RF systems draw on experience from the Compact Linear Collider and High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider projects while cryogenic infrastructure adapts designs from the Large Electron–Positron Collider era. Injector chains conceptually reuse and upgrade facilities such as the Proton Synchrotron and Super Proton Synchrotron, with potential interfaces to European XFEL and superconducting linac prototypes tested at PSI. Vacuum, beam instrumentation, and collimation systems reflect lessons from the Tevatron, LEP, and ALICE, ATLAS, CMS, and LHCb experiments.
Physics Goals and Research Potential
The hadron collider aims to probe physics beyond the Standard Model by exploring energy scales relevant to supersymmetry, dark matter mediators, and mechanisms of electroweak symmetry breaking beyond the Higgs boson sector discovered at ATLAS and CMS. Precision measurements of Higgs properties would extend work begun at LEP and continued at the International Linear Collider proposals, testing scenarios motivated by grand unified theory frameworks and extra dimensions inspired by string-theory constructions. The facility could search for rare processes examined by collaborations like Belle II and LHCb while providing inputs to cosmological models studied by teams at CERN Theory, Max Planck Institute for Physics, and the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe.
Site, Infrastructure, and Civil Engineering
Civil engineering scenarios consider bore tunneling and surface facilities across the Canton of Geneva, Haute-Savoie, and neighboring regions, engaging contractors and consultants experienced on projects such as the Gotthard Base Tunnel and the Channel Tunnel. Geological surveys reference strata mapped by the Swiss Seismological Service and planning coordination with Swiss and French authorities including the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (France). Surface campuses would host detector caverns akin to those built for CMS and ATLAS, with utility integration modeled after energy grids serving CERN and regional power providers involved with ITER infrastructure planning.
Cost, Funding, and Timeline
Cost estimates have been compared to historical budgets of megascience projects such as International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, James Webb Space Telescope, and the Large Hadron Collider upgrade programs; funding discussions involve the European Union, the European Investment Bank, national science ministries, and multilateral partnerships including China National Nuclear Corporation-linked agencies and the United States Department of Energy. Timeframes proposed in white papers and strategy reviews indicate staged construction following R&D, with possible commissioning in the 2040s contingent on approvals similar to those required for ITER and international projects like SKA. Governance options consider cost-sharing models employed by European Space Agency and the Human Genome Project consortia.
Environmental, Safety, and Radiological Considerations
Environmental impact assessments would mirror processes used for the Large Hadron Collider and large tunneling projects such as the Alpine Rhine Valley initiatives, engaging regulatory bodies including the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment and French Environment and Energy Management Agency. Radiological safety protocols draw on standards from the International Atomic Energy Agency and operational experience at CERN accelerators, including activation, waste management, and decommissioning planning informed by lessons from Tevatron and LEP closure activities. Emergency response coordination would involve regional civil protection authorities and occupational safety frameworks comparable to those at EUROfusion facilities.
International Collaboration and Governance
Governance models discussed reference organizational structures from CERN, the European Southern Observatory, and the European Space Agency, proposing an international treaty or agreement to define contributions, in-kind support, and intellectual property arrangements akin to ITER and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory collaborations. Scientific oversight would assemble representation from national laboratories including CEA Saclay, INFN, CNRS, and agencies from Japan, United States, China, and Russia while involving professional societies such as the European Physical Society and advisory bodies like the International Committee for Future Accelerators to coordinate peer review, access policies, and long-term strategy.