Hunt for dark matter: CERN wants to build a giant 91 km collision for 2040
FCC artistic representation, Proton-Protton. © Pixelrise/Cern
The European Council for Nuclear Research Particle Collision (CERN), alias Large Hadron Collider, or LHC for intimate, is the global flagship of structures capable of hitting electrons and protons at phenomenal speeds. In 2012, it even made it possible to demonstrate the existence of the fundamental Higgs boson (and brout-blas, should we add), even though legendary physicists such as Stephen Hawking had announced that he would never be detected. Located in the Franco-Swiss border region, not far from Geneva, it was put into service in 2008.
A expert report, engineers and physicistsdated March 31, established the upcoming feasibility of an even larger collision, baptized for the moment future circular collision (FCC), a beautiful baby, 91 km long instead of the “small” 27 km of the LHC.
Approximate locations to Geneva from LHC (blue) and FCC (red). © Wikipedia Commons
Why an even larger particle collision? To characterize dark matter, of course!
CERN Super Proton Synchrotron Synchrotron section. © Cern
This giant particle collision should therefore be more than three times the size of the current LHC and be buried about 200 m deep. To understand the scientific needs of an even more powerful machine, it is necessary to briefly explain its operation. The gigantic tubes that roam the basements are used to confine particles, electrons, positrons or protons-proteins, on very precise trajectories thanks to intense magnetic fields. The particles then reach speeds very close to that of light in the void.
The CMS is a detector installed on the LHC ring. He explores many areas of physics, ranging from the search for the Higgs boson to that of other dimensions, including the quest for particles that can constitute dark matter. © Cern
When a proton meets another proton at 99.9 % of the said speed, both disintegrate, leaving behind a wreath of particles. The higher their speed, the more considerable the energies at stake, not to say Dantesques. In fact, they perfectly reproduce the first moments of the universe, just after the Big Bang. It is by monitoring with ultra-preccosed instruments which types of particles are issued, their management in particular, that physicists manage to understand the deep cogs of the universe and its nature.
It is believed for example that with certain energy levels, the famous and elusive black matter could show the tip of its nose, as the Higgs boson had betrayed its presence in 2012.
This small ball of orange virtual hair is the report of an Atlas type collision experience. © Cern
Today, for the Proton-Protton collisions, the LHC reaches energies of the order of 14 TEV (Téra-Électron-Volt). The FCC, with its ring three times larger, could be around 100 TEV. Beware of protons without a seat belt!
In about 25 years, the FCC should do wonders (but not create a black hole)
The FCC project would be financially feasible, according to the report. It would cost 15 billion euros and create an equivalent jobs/year of 800,000, that is to say that over this 12-year period, the economic impact would be equivalent to that of 800,000 people working on a year-yes, it is an astonishing way of counting.
A famous controversy was born once with attempted trials against the CERN, suspected, according to some, of being able to generate a black hole capable of engulfing the earth. Unfortunately for these announcers of Apocalypse, all the complaints were rejected and our blue planet is still there. Recall that to achieve such a feat, an accelerator would have to have about the size of the earth, precisely … In short, we are not yet in the joke of the truck which transports holes, drops one, retreats to pick it up and falls into it.
In 2040, the electron-positron collision (creating other heavier particles) could enter service, while its Proton-Protton side will have to wait much more, in 2070. To those who, like us, could be frustrated by so much waiting, the CERN makes a historical recall: “The LHC scientific proposal was presented in 1984. It took 10 years for the project to be approved and 25 years for the magnets to be developed and installed. A collision is a company carried out on a generation.”
What international consortium?
CERN is certainly a European organization, but it concerns 75 scientific institutes distributed in 30 countries. China has a lot of fun so that this future collision, the largest in the world, is built on its territory. A priorisuch will not be the case and the future large flagship of particle physics should remain on – or rather under – European soil. And “It's really good”as the Belgian singer Arno would have said.
