KWSN Orbiting Fortress

[PhastPhred]

World's Biggest Atom Smasher Crashes

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=5834338



Transformer glitch shuts down world's largest atom smasher, but not reported for a week
By ALEXANDER G. HIGGINS Associated Press Writer
GENEVA September 18, 2008 (AP) The Associated Press

The world's largest particle collider malfunctioned within hours of its launch to great fanfare, but its operator didn't report the problem for a week.

In a statement Thursday, the European Organization for Nuclear Research reported for the first time that a 30-ton transformer that cools part of the collider broke, forcing physicists to stop using the atom smasher just a day after starting it up last week.

The faulty transformer has been replaced and the ring in the 17-mile circular tunnel under the Swiss-French border has been cooled back down to near zero on the Kelvin scale — minus 459.67 degrees Fahrenheit — the most efficient operating temperature, said a statement by CERN, as the organization is known.

When the transformer malfunctioned, operating temperatures rose from below 2 Kelvin to 4.5 Kelvin — extraordinarily cold by most standards, but warmer than the normal operating temperature.

Also in the news...

Large Hadron Collider's Hacker Infiltration Highlights Vulnerabilities

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=5804254&page=1

Experts Say Hackers' Intention Was to Prove Collider's Computers Not Impenetrable
By BRANDON KEIM
Sept. 15, 2008

Though the Large Hadron Collider's infiltration by hackers did not disrupt the historic project, experts warn that its computer systems are vulnerable -- though at least their exploitation won't destroy Earth. Shortly after physicists activated the Collider on Wednesday, hackers identifying themselves as Group 2600 of the Greek Security Team accessed computers connected to the Compact Muon Solenoid detector, one of four key subsystems responsible for monitoring the collisions of protons speeding around the 18-mile track near Geneva, Switzerland.
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[PhastPhred]

Maybe this was s'posed to be posted in Science News And Discussion...

Sorry...

I'm a fifty-something newbie...


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[Sir Papa Smurph]

they were saying on NPR and BBC that 2 TONS of liquid helium leaked into the corridor surrounding the collider.
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a.k.a. Licentious of Borg.........Resistance Really is Futile.......
and a Really Hoopy Frood who always knows where his Towel is...

[Ercewee]

Fixing the transformer was 'easy'. They had a 30 ton spare lying around.

However now the next problem, a Helium leak sounds a bit more serious.

I presume they will have plenty of problems before they reach smooth operations.
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50.110 144.300 432.200 1296.200 2320.200 10368.200

[mohrorless]

A helium leak? Were they all talking in high pitched voices?
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Fetch me the Holy Hand Grenade!




Keeper of the Unending keg of PGGBs
Taunter in Training
Campaign Manager for Sir Shrubbery



Plus

[Son Goku]

Actually, I think the next problem will be the PR fiasco of having sat on the report for a week without the operator having notified someone. And at a point where they need more funding (reported on the LHC website when some clamor for more WUs; that Garfield will take some time to launch due to shortness of funds); problems that go unreported until well after the fact can make many a potential investor go kinda skitish....

[Ercewee]