Tag: Long Shutdown 3
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Beyond the LHC: CERN’s Beams Keep Science Moving
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) may have entered Long Shutdown 3 (LS3), but across the rest of CERN’s accelerator complex operations remain as busy as ever. The LHC injector chain continues to provide proton beams for a broad range of users, including the ELENA antiproton community, the East and North Area experiments and the n_TOF
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Efficiency meets environmental responsibility: commissioning CERN’s primary CO₂ cooling circuit
The ATLAS and CMS detectors require ultra-low, stable temperatures to protect their sensitive electronics. Traditional cooling systems rely on synthetic refrigerants like hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which, while effective, have a global warming potential thousands of times greater than CO₂. Seeking a sustainable alternative, CERN has turned to CO₂ itself – a natural refrigerant with a far
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Coordinating activities at CERN: preparing your work to manage concurrent activities safely
As outlined in our June article, CERN has a coordination structure in place to manage and oversee concurrent activities, including for the demanding LS3 period ahead. Clearly defined activities, announced in advance, are essential to allow teams and coordinators to optimise safety for everyone. The preparation phase is fundamental: 1. Before starting any activity 2.
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Accelerator Report: Pushing the LHC towards HiLumi LHC conditions… and cut!
The final weeks of Run 3 for the LHC have been among the busiest of its entire operational period. With physics production successfully completed on 14 June, the machine entered a two-week programme dedicated to studies with high-intensity beams, followed by a quench campaign. These activities were scheduled after the completion of the physics programme
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Organising and coordinating activities during LS3: a shared responsibility
LS3 is set to be a busy period for CERN, with a wide range of activities taking place across the accelerators, experiments and buildings on the site – from construction, maintenance and upgrades, to consolidation and installation work, transport operations, tests and more. When these interventions overlap, the risks associated with concurrent activities increase. To
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Accelerator Report: An important upgrade to the PS radiofrequency system and a heavy ion run in full swing
In a particle accelerator, radiofrequency (RF) systems are among the crucial components that make beam production possible. While magnets guide the particles around the ring, RF systems provide the beam with its longitudinal structure: they accelerate it, keep it captured in bunches, shape it, split it, rotate it and ensure synchronisation for transfer to the
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LS3 Safety Spotlight: be road safe
As CERN prepares for LS3, road safety – one of the nine newly approved CERN Safety Fundamentals – is more critical than ever. Increased traffic, movement of equipment and a higher density of people and vehicles across the site raise the risk of accidents. In 2024 and 2025, there were 210 reported road safety incidents
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Save the date! CERN Safety Day – 4 June: keeping ourselves and each other safe
Every day at CERN, we all face a variety of risks, from potential trips and falls to activity-specific hazards. Safety starts with you. On 4 June, join the HSE Department and collaborating teams at Restaurant 1 and in the Main Building for an interactive CERN Safety Day. Discover hands-on demonstrations on many topics, spanning electrical
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HiLumi LHC: CERN’s full-scale test stand enters the powering phase
With the start of electrical powering, the Inner Triplet String is now entering a new phase of commissioning. This phase will be carried out progressively and will culminate in the powering of the whole installation this summer