Timeline for Will the Large Hadron Collider "explode" if the power is turned up too high?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
16 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 15, 2017 at 16:11 | comment | added | Aron | @Jules This answer also makes it sound like being bit by a relativistic beam of protons is decidedly explosive combination. Thus, sticking your head into the beam would not only kill you, but blow your head clean off, rather than being completely survivable. | |
| Mar 15, 2017 at 15:55 | comment | added | Aron | @Jules. But that wasn't the question. There is no doubt that the synchrotron can store lots of energy. Also there is the potential for all of that energy to be released in a short space of time. The question was, could you keep pumping energy into a synchrotron until it fails explosively. | |
| Mar 15, 2017 at 13:15 | comment | added | Jules | @Aron I would say this answer directly addresses the question. MartinBeckett mentions that, yes, there is enough energy buildup in the LHC for measures to be put in place to mitigate damage which could be caused by a "runaway" particle beam -- in the form of a massive graphite-and-concrete block. This is meant to contain up to 350MJ of energy. A magnet failure in the main ring would likely deal heavy damage to the collider structure itself as well as its surroundings. | |
| Mar 15, 2017 at 4:43 | comment | added | Aron | All very true. But I feel unrelated to the actual question. Can you damage the LHC by turning it up to 11. Which I would say not. The limits of the LHC come from the synchrotron radation. Its like saying, "Could I create a tsunami by turning on the tap/facet too high?". The answer is, no. The water would leak away from your sink before you build up enough water for a tsunami. | |
| S Mar 15, 2017 at 0:02 | history | suggested | Pete Oakey | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
typo-fixes and added a link to MegaJoule
|
| Mar 14, 2017 at 23:54 | review | Suggested edits | |||
| S Mar 15, 2017 at 0:02 | |||||
| Mar 14, 2017 at 19:38 | comment | added | Jules |
like a high-intensity beam of relativistic protons through a superconducting magnet is my new favourite simile.
|
|
| Mar 14, 2017 at 12:49 | comment | added | PlasmaHH | It should be noted that the beam dump is not just a safety mechanism but integral part of an experiment run: the used low luminosity beam is disposed of therein. | |
| S Mar 14, 2017 at 4:16 | history | mod moved comments to chat | |||
| S Mar 14, 2017 at 4:16 | comment | added | rob♦ | Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat. | |
| Mar 14, 2017 at 3:06 | history | edited | Martin Beckett | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
added 179 characters in body
|
| Mar 13, 2017 at 0:49 | history | edited | Martin Beckett | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
deleted 518 characters in body
|
| Mar 12, 2017 at 21:20 | history | edited | Martin Beckett | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
added 520 characters in body
|
| Mar 12, 2017 at 20:39 | vote | accept | Michael Lee | ||
| Mar 12, 2017 at 20:22 | history | edited | Martin Beckett | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
added 335 characters in body
|
| Mar 12, 2017 at 20:15 | history | answered | Martin Beckett | CC BY-SA 3.0 |