Physicists Discuss First Results from Inner Layers of LHC

Issued: Mon, 07 Jun 2010 14:13:00 BST

Physicists Discuss First Results from Inner Layers of LHC

Physicists from the world’s leading particle physics collider experiments are gathering on Loch Lomond, near Glasgow, Scotland, this week. The physicists are meeting to discuss the first performance results from the high precision inner detector layers of the Large Hadron Collider, the new particle accelerator at CERN, and other projects.
The physicists are meeting for the 19th International workshop on Vertex detectors, organised this year by the University of Glasgow’s particle physics group. Attendance is by invite only and includes representatives from all the LHC experiments, and physicists from Europe, North and South America and Japan.
Dr Chris Parkes, chair of the International Organising Committee and Reader at the University of Glasgow, said “We are delighted to welcome physicists from all the leading collider experiments to the meeting. We have heard about the first performance of all the LHC experiments from the first couple of months of high energy running. Resolutions down to four millionths of a metre on the particle hits have been shown in this meeting.” 
Dr Lars Eklund, chair of the Local Organising Committee and Researcher on the LHCb experiment at the University of Glasgow, said “These detectors provide the most precise points on the particle tracks, and are critical to the aims of the LHC in understanding the differences between matter and anti-matter or searching for new particles”.
The meeting is discusing the precise particle-tracking detectors that surround the proton-proton collision point inside the LHC experiments, and other similar projects in the USA and Japan. These detectors pinpoint the passage of particles in the detectors at an accuracy of a few millionths of a metre. The meeting is also discussing potential future advancements in the field and the applications of these detectors outisde particle physics. One half-day was dedicated to discussions of the applications of the technology in medical imaging and security applications – including uses to replace x-ray film in hospitals, and for screening cargo at ports. 

Science Contacts
Dr Chris Parkes, c.parkes@physics.gla.ac.uk – chair of the international organising committee
Dr Lars Eklund, l.eklund@physics.gla.ac.uk – chair of the local organising committee

Further Information

www.vertex2010.physics.gla.ac.uk -  workshop web site, including full list of participants

The workshop is sponsored by the Scottish University Physics Alliance (SUPA).