LEP - the lord of the collider rings at CERN 1980 - 2000

Viac o knihe

Housed by a 4 m diameter tunnel with a 27 km circumference, the Large Electron-Positron Collider (LEP) was one of the most sophisticated scientific instruments ever created. Located at CERN near Geneva, it was built between 1983 and 1989 and operated until 2000, providing high precision measurements that supported the standard model of particle physics. The author, who served as director-general of CERN during LEP's construction, vividly recounts the complex decision-making and technical challenges involved, particularly in constructing the tunnel, a significant geo- and civil engineering feat. He also reflects on the fruitful scientific research period that followed and the tough decision to close LEP when the discovery of the Higgs boson seemed imminent. Dismantled in 2000, the tunnel was repurposed for the next generation machine, the more powerful Large Hadron Collider (LHC), which was designed as an upgrade from LEP and became operational as this account was being finalized. This narrative offers an insider's perspective on the remarkable machine and the contributions of thousands of scientists and engineers worldwide, highlighting their collective efforts in advancing knowledge in particle physics.