CERN Trip

Writes Krish Thakrar (L6)

Having recently covered fundamental forces, particle physics, and nuclear physics, we were well-placed to be able to indulge in the practical applications and in-depth research that the Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire (CERN) facility provided. The trip consisted of two eventful days, the details of which are described below.

Friday 31st May:

After having made our way to Heathrow, we assembled as a group and prepared for the relatively short journey of one-and-a-half hours to Geneva. Upon arrival, a tram ride and a brief walk through the immaculate streets of Geneva took us to the hostel in which we stayed for the duration of the trip. After finding our bearings, we started our trip with a scenic stroll alongside the beautiful Lake Geneva, overlooked by the Alps. This trail brought us to an incredibly well preserved museum, housing the transformative devices of recent times, representing strides of innovation in both engineering and physics alike. The day continued with a slightly unexpected, yet amazingly insightful outing to the International Red-Cross and Red-Crescent Museum. The history of war-time aid was displayed in a captivating manner- with artefacts speaking volumes as to the life-changing work that the Red-Cross/Crescent has been involved in. A nourishing meal and a trip to the local chocolate shop saw the end of the first day.

Saturday 1st June:

With the main event on this day, an early start allowed for ample time to make our way over to the CERN research facility, at which we were stopped in our tracks by the sheer magnitude of the ATLAS detector. Our day at CERN began with the formulation and experimentation of our own cloud chambers, simulating conditions observed in the very first particle detector. This workshop provided grounds for further exploration of the nature of particle detectors, which was well supplemented by time in the interactive visitor centres. In these, scale models and demonstrations of key principles which were used in the construction of particle accelerators and detectors were on display. These devices and machinery fused our theoretical knowledge with real applications of physics.

After lunch in the physicists' cafeteria, we then started a guided tour through older equipment, which were once integral, ground-breaking components of the CERN facility. The tour commenced with a close-up view of CERN's first particle accelerator- the 600MeV Synchrocyclotron, and its corresponding control centre. Having traversed over the French-Swiss border, our tour progressed to take us to my favourite facility within CERN- The Antimatter Factory. This houses the infrastructure to cater for protons moving at near to the speed of light, and collisions with an Iridium target, releasing energy and new particles, such as antiprotons. We were then given the opportunity to inspect a crucial element of the lineup of the CERN accelerators, the first of which was Linac2 (Linear Accelerator 2). With a few more site visits, our day out at CERN seemingly drew to a close. Little did we know that the day was far from over! Our final event of the trip saw an evening of traditional Swiss dining, in which we indulged in a three-course meal. The cheese fondue (accompanied with live Swiss music) was of particular note! With our bellies full, we got some rest, ready for the next day of travel.