Physics Department - Extern RSS Feeds

Computer Security: Pay per vulnerability

Remember CERN’s WhiteHat Challenge, in which we gave people outside CERN permission to hack into the Organization as long as they abided by a short set of rules and in which CERN trained its own staff and users in penetration testing and vulnerability scanning? While our “Day of the open firewall” to ease the life of penetration testes was of course only an April Fool’s hoax, we are still and seriously aiming to bring vulnerability scanning and penetration testing to the next (professional) level…

Actually, vulnerabilities lurk everywhere. In the operating system of your desktop PC, laptop or smartphone; in the software programs you run; in the applications and code you develop; in the web pages, web frameworks and web servers you use. Critical for assessing the risk of each vulnerability is the exploitability: can an attacker gain direct benefit from that vulnerability for their evil deed? Which hurdles need to be overcome beforehand? In that sense, computing services directly connected or visible to the internet are the most risky, as each potential vulnerability can be directly exploited by attackers (who are legion on the internet). Hence, it is essential that this attack sphere – all servers with openings in CERN’s outer perimeter firewall towards the internet – is as protected as possible and all known vulnerabilities are eradicated. That’s why CERN created the WhiteHat Challenge giving computer science and IT security students as well as interested CERN staff and users the chance to hack into CERN.

Now, in order to be even more thorough and delve even deeper, in order to find more (sophisticated) vulnerabilities, and just in time for the 2024 spring clean, the Computer Security team decided to tap into a larger pool of professionals and engage with ethical hackers and launched a three (and a half) staged approach towards improving the security of CERN’s Internet presence and beyond. Subject to ground rules, code of ethics, and scoping, the hackers are permitted to penetrate into CERN’s infrastructure (as outlined in the contractual scope and ethically without causing any damage) in order to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses:

1. In this first stage, we aim at a broad vulnerability scanning by external professionals of the whole Internet presence of CERN (and by an eager internal student in parallel) in order to identify the “low hanging fruits” (if any) and get them fixed;
2. Afterwards, during the second stage, an in-depth penetration testing of key and core services performed by ethical hackers shall verify that our protective means are solid and robust, and that more complex attack vectors yield into nothing;
3. Once stages 1 and 2 are terminated, and all findings are mitigated, the Computer Security Team will team up with a larger group of ethical hackers through a so-called “Bug Bounty Program”, like HackerOne or BugBountySwitzerland.

While the costs for the first two stages are free of charge and covered by a flat budget provided by CERN’s Computer Security Team, the third one shall be “paid per vulnerability found” ─ the so-called “Bug Bounty” as outlined in the contract ─ by the owner of the corresponding vulnerable system. It is this Bounty which creates an incentive for an ethical hacker reporting first a finding as each finding supports their living: For example 100 CHF for identifying an easy cross-site scripting problem; 500 CHF for obtaining root access to a server; 1000 CHF for finding credentials that allow them to move laterally towards other internal services; 5000 CHF for compromising a service that allows them to configure other services (like Puppet, Git, LDAP or Active Directory).

However, that Bounty also creates an incentive for you! Like the shared responsibility for computer security at CERN, the Bug Bounty costs will also be shared, and shall be born by your (group’s or departmental) budget if you own, manage or run a computing resource, service, system, device or website that is found by an ethical Bug Bounty hacker to be vulnerable or weak, and if that finding is linked to negligence of general security standards (bad programming practices, unpatched systems, suboptimal handling of secrets and passwords, nit using CERN’s Single Sign-On etc.), … Time for incentive to get it right from the beginning! It’s up to you whether you are ready to pay any incurring costs of vulnerable resources found by an ethical hacker, or to invest a bit more in getting your system and service, your devices and websites up to general standards. The CERN Computer Security Team is happy to help you with this.

_________

Do you want to learn more about computer security incidents and issues at CERN? Follow our Monthly Report. For further information, questions or help, check our website or contact us at Computer.Security@cern.ch.

anschaef Wed, 04/24/2024 - 12:15 Byline Computer Security team Publication Date Wed, 04/24/2024 - 12:11

CERN's edge AI data analysis techniques used to detect marine plastic pollution

Earth Observation (EO) and particle physics research have more in common than you might think. In both environments, whether capturing fleeting particle collisions or detecting transient traces of ocean plastics, rapid and accurate data analysis is paramount.

On this Earth Day, as we reflect on our responsibility to reduce plastics for the benefit of our society and all life on our planet, we are excited to present a new EU project, Edge SpAIce. It applies CERN’s cutting-edge AI technology to monitor the Earth’s ecosystems from space in order to detect and track plastic pollution in our oceans.

“In particle physics, the trigger system plays a critical role by swiftly determining which data from the particle detector should be retained, given that only a small fraction of the 40 million collision snapshots taken each second can be recorded. As the data influx at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has grown significantly over the years, physicists and computer scientists are continually innovating to upgrade this process - and this is where AI technology comes in,” says Sioni Summers, a CERN physicist working on the CMS experiment at the LHC, who is supervising this work.

Edge SpAIce is a collaborative endeavour involving CERN, EnduroSat (BG) and NTU Athens (GR) and coordinated by AGENIUM Space. Its aim is to develop a specially designed on-board system for satellites that will make it possible to acquire and process high-resolution pictures using a DNN (Deep Neural Network). The system will use the “edge AI” approach, in which data is processed in near real-time directly on the satellite, mirroring the efficient filtering of LHC data in particle detectors at CERN. This means that it is not necessary to transmit all of the captured data back to Earth but only the relevant information - in this case, the presence of marine plastic litter. The system will also be deployed on FPGA hardware developed in Europe, which will improve competitiveness. This could open the door for a whole new market for EO services and applications.

As modern life increasingly relies on technology, the solution that the project offers adeptly addresses the growing demand for data processing and the rapid expansion of EO satellites. By eliminating the need for heavy processing in Earth-based data centres, it not only reduces the carbon footprint but also helps to relieve the burden on these facilities. The innovative approach holds potential for broader applications in domains such as agriculture, urban planning, disaster relief and climate change. Additionally, this technology will provide environmental scientists and policymakers with invaluable data for targeted clean-up operations. It will advance our understanding of plastic pollution patterns, thereby enhancing our capacity to address environmental challenges effectively.

“AGENIUM Space is thrilled to have found synergies with CERN in developing innovative solutions for our planet’s future,” said Dr Andis Dembovskis, a business development executive with AGENIUM Space.

The Edge SpAIce project exemplifies how creative thinking by partners across diverse fields can lead to a collaborative knowledge transfer project that tackles major societal challenges. To discover how other CERN knowledge transfer and innovation projects are making a positive impact on the environment, please visit: https://kt.cern/environment

ptraczyk Mon, 04/22/2024 - 16:28 Byline Marzena Lapka Publication Date Mon, 04/22/2024 - 16:23

Nature Physics, Published online: 22 April 2024; doi:10.1038/s41567-024-02487-z

Controlling orbital magnetic moments for applications can be difficult. Now local probes of a kagome material, TbV6Sn6, demonstrate how the spin Berry curvature can produce a large orbital Zeeman effect that can be tuned with a magnetic field.

Nature Physics, Published online: 22 April 2024; doi:10.1038/s41567-024-02476-2

Manipulation of the quantum-metric structure to produce topological phenomena has rarely been studied. Now, flexible control of the quantum-metric structure is demonstrated in a topological chiral antiferromagnet at room temperature.

Nature Physics, Published online: 22 April 2024; doi:10.1038/s41567-024-02483-3

Connecting two superfluid reservoirs leads to both particle and entropy flow between the systems. Now, a direct measurement of the entropy current and production in ultracold quantum gases reveals how superfluidity enhances entropy transport.

Nature Physics, Published online: 19 April 2024; doi:10.1038/s41567-024-02461-9

Electron capture in 163Ho can be used to determine the electron neutrino mass. The Q value of this process is crucial for the evaluation of the systematic uncertainty in such a measurement, and a 50-fold improvement is now reported.

SHiP sets sail to explore the hidden sector

The SHiP (Search for Hidden Particles) collaboration was in high spirits at its annual meeting this week. Its project to develop a large detector and target to be installed in one of the underground caverns of the accelerator complex has been accepted by the CERN Research Board. Thus, SHiP plans to sail to explore the hidden sector in 2031. Scientists hope to capture particles that interact very feebly with ordinary matter – so feebly, in fact, that they have not yet been detected.

This group of hypothetical particles includes dark photons, axions and axion-like particles, heavy neutral leptons and others. These particles, which could be among the dark matter, particles, are predicted by several theoretical models that extend beyond the Standard Model, the current theory describing elementary particles and the forces that unite them.

Although very solid, the Standard Model does not explain certain phenomena. The particles predicted by the Model – in other words, the ordinary matter that we know – account for just 5% of the Universe. The rest is thought to be unknown matter and energy, which scientists refer to as dark matter and dark energy. Their effects can be observed in the Universe, but their nature is a mystery that a growing number of experiments are trying to uncover.

This is where SHiP comes in. The idea is simple: the more particles that are produced, the greater the chances of finding feebly interacting particles. A high-intensity proton beam from the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) accelerator will be repeatedly sent to a target, a large metal block, producing a vast number of particles. Among them, scientists hope to find particles from the hidden sector. Thanks to the very high beam intensity, SHiP will be more sensitive than the existing experiments.

Another special feature of SHiP is that its detectors will be placed several tens of metres away from the target in order to detect relatively long-lived particles and eliminate “background noise”, in other words, particles such as muons that could interfere with the detection of long-lived particles. The experiment is equipped with a magnet system to divert the flow of muons and a large 50 m-long chamber in which the particles of interest can decay into known particles.

The experiment therefore complements the large LHC experiments, whose detectors surround the collision point and are unable to study the feebly interacting particles that travel several tens of metres before transforming. Theoretical models predict that the lower their mass and the weaker their coupling (the intensity of the interaction), the longer the lifetime of these particles. SHiP will therefore be sensitive to particles with relatively low masses.

In their journey through the detector, these particles could either disintegrate into known particles or collide with an atom of ordinary matter, which would also produce particles. The SHiP detectors have been designed to detect their signals.

Beyond the hypothetical dark-matter particles, SHiP will also study neutrinos which, despite being known particles of the Standard Model, are difficult to intercept and still hold many mysteries.

The target and the experiment will be installed in an existing underground cavern at CERN and supplied by a beam line from the SPS, CERN’s second largest accelerator, which supplies several experiments and pre-accelerates particles for the LHC.

The target is a complex device that is more like a beam dump than a conventional fixed target. Under study for several years, it is a 1.5-metre-thick block made of several different metals in order to produce the specific particles required by SHiP and fitted with a cooling and shielding system.

Part of the SHiP collaboration during its annual meeting, which was held at CERN this week. (Image: Marina Cavazza/CERN)

 

cmenard Thu, 04/18/2024 - 16:35 Byline Corinne Pralavorio Publication Date Fri, 04/19/2024 - 14:05

Blazing trails: CMS cavern evacuation paves the way for future safety design Typical evacuation route and signage in the LHC tunnel. (Image: CERN)

CERN strives for excellence in safety matters, with a commitment to continuous improvement in the field. Emergency preparedness is a priority for the Organization as it is a key element in its aim to protect both people participating in its activities and its installations. In this context, regular evacuation exercises of all accelerator and experimental areas are a regulatory requirement and part of the CERN-wide safety objectives.

On a warm, sunny day in February 2024, 48 people were going about their daily work in the CMS cavern, unaware that an evacuation exercise, which had been carefully planned for several months, was about to take place. Such exercises are crucial for facility users and rescue teams to gain familiarity with emergency procedures in various contexts and settings. When the alarm sounded, all 48 people reacted calmly, reaching the assembly point quickly and safely. It was a pleasing result for CMS and, apart from the important lessons learned from the exercise, additional data was gathered to improve not only evacuation procedures but also the design of installations in order to make emergency plans even more effective.

This exercise was part of a pilot collaboration between CMS Safety, the HSE Fire Safety Engineering (FSE) team and the Fire Safety Engineering division of Lund University in Sweden, which took this opportunity to maximise the usefulness of the evacuation to study human behaviour in emergency situations.

Comprising reports by undercover observers, questionnaires and footage from security cameras (used in full compliance with Operational Circular No. 11 to ensure anonymity), the data collected provides many useful insights into evacuation dynamics, occupant characteristics and perceptions of safety procedures.

This information is essential for the design of and emergency planning for subterranean experimental areas. As opposed to the design of buildings located above ground, which follows national safety standards, the design of underground areas relies extensively on computer modelling. Using various parameters, it is possible to simulate human behaviours in the event of an emergency to predict the effectiveness of a real-life evacuation.

In this pilot study, the Lund and FSE teams will use the CMS evacuation data to identify unique human behaviours observed in emergencies in complex underground environments. This will expand the current knowledge base and help build a database of specific input parameters to fine-tune and/or validate existing evacuation models.

Ultimately, this methodology will be instrumental not only to improve CERN’s emergency response in the caverns, but also to influence the safety design across current and future complex facilities, at CERN and beyond.

anschaef Tue, 04/16/2024 - 23:45 Byline CMS collaboration HSE unit Publication Date Wed, 04/17/2024 - 08:43

CERN donates computing equipment to South Africa

On 9 April 2024, a ceremony at CERN marked the donation of computing equipment to the Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa. The ceremony was attended by Mr. Curtis Singo, Political and Economic Counsellor at the South Africa Embassy in Bern, Joachim Mnich, CERN’s director for Research and Computing, and Bob Jones, deputy head of CERN’s IT department.

On this occasion, 21 servers and 4 network switches were sent to the Tshwane University of Technology, where the equipment will be used to support academic and research projects.

CERN regularly donates computing equipment that no longer meets its highly specific requirements but is still more than adequate for less demanding environments. To date, more than 2500 servers and 150 network switches have been donated by CERN to countries and international organisations, namely Algeria, Bulgaria, Ecuador, Egypt, Ghana, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Palestine, Pakistan, the Philippines, Senegal, Serbia, Jordan, Lebanon and now South Africa.

If you are a publicly funded research organisation, you can request computing equipment from CERN.

anschaef Tue, 04/16/2024 - 23:21 Byline Marina Banjac Publication Date Tue, 04/16/2024 - 23:20

Fabiola Gianotti receives the 2024 prize from the “Fondation pour Genève” (Image: Fondation pour Genève)

The Fondation pour Genève will be presenting its 30th prize to Fabiola Gianotti, CERN Director-General, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to Geneva’s international reputation.

“I am extremely honoured to receive the Fondation pour Genève Prize. The development of science and technology, openness, collaboration across borders and the education of young people are fundamental values at CERN, which are also deeply rooted in international Geneva. The fact that these values, which are so dear to me, are being recognised is a particularly touching moment for me,” declared Fabiola Gianotti.

The award ceremony is open to everyone and will take place on Monday 13 May 2024 at 6.30 pm at the Victoria Hall in Geneva. To register, click here.

More information on the Fondation pour Genève website.

anschaef Tue, 04/16/2024 - 23:08 Publication Date Wed, 04/17/2024 - 10:05

Handover at the CERN Ombud’s Office

The CERN Ombud’s Office was established in 2010 to provide the entire CERN community with support in resolving conflicts informally, in a consensual and impartial manner. Since then, several Ombuds have held the position, which is now firmly anchored at the Laboratory. On 1 May, Marie-Luce Falipou, the fifth CERN Ombud, will take up her duties. She takes over from Laure Esteveny, who has been in the role since April 2021 and is taking early retirement.

As they prepared for the handover, Laure and Marie-Luce agreed to answer the Bulletin team’s questions.

The Bulletin: Laure, what drove you to become Ombud?

Laure: I began my career as Ombud in 2021, after 35 years working in different departments of the Organization. I was attracted by the human side of the role, and I haven’t been disappointed. I’m extremely happy to have been able to serve out my career as CERN Ombud. It’s very rewarding to help people to overcome a conflict.

The Bulletin: What do you need to succeed in this role?

Laure: When they take up their duties, all new CERN Ombuds follow the training courses run by the International Ombuds Association (IAO) and also receive training in mediation. This is clearly essential, but the skills I acquired throughout my career at CERN have also been invaluable. You need to have good analytical skills and be very thorough to succeed in this role.

Pierre Gildemyn, my predecessor, also supported me a lot. He was always available to answer my questions and shared his own experience as Ombud with me. I, in turn, am available for Marie-Luce; I will be delighted to help her. I would also urge her to turn to the IAO for support and to all the professional ombud networks, especially that of the United Nations and Related International Organizations (UNARIO) – ombuds are very good at supporting each other.

The Bulletin: Have you encountered any difficulties?

Laure: The role of Ombud is very rewarding on the human level. If I had to name a difficulty, I would say that the isolation that inevitably comes with the role is not always easy to cope with. In addition, by definition, the Ombud is only exposed to problematic situations in which people are suffering – to the “Dark Side of the Force” – which can sometimes be a heavy burden.

The Bulletin: Marie-Luce, what brought you to this role?

Marie-Luce: I’ve known Pierre and Laure for a long time, and I’ve seen them thrive in the role of Ombud, for which they developed a real passion. It’s a privilege to be the next to take on this role.

I’ve spent my whole career at CERN, 35 years now, in the Human Resources department. I’ve held various positions, notably HRA (human resources adviser) for 13 years, so I’m very familiar with the workplace culture. I’ve also been trained in active listening – skills that will certainly be very useful in my new position. For me, becoming Ombud is really a natural evolution, even if the role is of course unique.

The Bulletin: You take up your duties on 1 May, but you don’t become Ombud overnight, I imagine?

Marie-Luce: Indeed, I’ll take the necessary time to prepare myself for this new role, which is really something out of the ordinary and something with which I need to familiarise myself. I’m aware of the importance and the impact that the Ombud can have, and I’m humbled and grateful to accept this responsibility.

Le Bulletin: As the new Ombud, what message would you like to send to the CERN community?

Marie-Luce: I want people to know that the Ombud’s office is a safe, calm place where they will be listened to in confidence and understood. The Ombud is there to serve all members of the CERN community, regardless of their role in the Organization. Questions, problems and conflicts are part and parcel of life, including in the workplace. Finding the best way to handle them can make a big difference, and that’s where the Ombud can help.

The Bulletin: Any final words?

Marie-Luce: I’d like to say a big thank you to Laure for sharing her experience with me and for offering me her support; it’s a precious resource to have someone experienced to turn to.

Laure: Thank you to all those who placed their trust in me, and I wish Marie-Luce all the best!

The Bulletin: A big thank you to you both!

_____

The Ombud is available from Monday to Friday in office B500/1-004 on the Meyrin site. To make an appointment, in person or online, contact the Ombud at ombuds@cern.ch.

More information can be found on the Ombud’s website: https://ombuds.web.cern.ch

anschaef Tue, 04/16/2024 - 22:37 Byline Internal Communication Publication Date Tue, 04/16/2024 - 22:31

Accelerator Report: The LHC is well ahead of schedule

Almost the whole accelerator complex is now in “physics mode”, routinely delivering the various types of beam to the different physics facilities and experiments. Notably, the intensity ramp-up in the LHC is progressing remarkably well.

In particular, I am happy to start this report with the good news that, thanks to the excellent availability of the accelerator complex and the hard work of the LHC teams and experts, the LHC is now 12 days ahead of schedule, yielding a direct gain of integrated luminosity and thus physics and boding well for the 2024 run.

The first stable beams of 2024 in the LHC were initially scheduled for 8 April, but the teams working on the LHC beam commissioning managed to be ready earlier and declared first stable beams at 18.25 on 5 April, three days ahead of the official schedule. The first stable beams also mark the start of a period of intensity ramp-up interleaved with the completion of the final commissioning steps.

These final steps include the scrubbing of the LHC vacuum chamber to reduce the production of electron clouds that negatively impact the beam quality and put a strain on the cryogenics system. Usually, the scrubbing lasts two days, but this year an extra day was added since a new injection kicker and two TDIS (target dump injection systems) were installed during the YETS (the new TDIS replace the ones at Points 2 and 8 that suffered vacuum leaks in 2023). The scrubbing run was nevertheless completed in only 36 hours, resulting in another gain in the schedule.

The LHC availability during the recent intensity ramp-up was 85%, including stable beams for about 35% of the time, and the experts very efficiently signed off the checklists at each intensity step. This is why we are now about 12 days ahead of schedule, colliding beams of 1200 bunches and already producing a meaningful level of luminosity for physics. The next step is 1800 bunches, which, if all goes well, might be achieved before the end of this week.

On Tuesday, 16 April, at the end of the afternoon, the first 1.5 fb-1 of integrated luminosity was collected. More than 90 fb-1 are expected for 2024. (Image: CERN)

Meanwhile, the injectors are providing the experiment facilities with beams for physics. The PS was the first to routinely provide beams for physics to the East Area, on 22 March, and n_TOF followed suit on 25 March. ISOLDE, located behind the PS Booster, started physics on 8 April. The SPS fixed-target physics in the North Area started on 10 April. On 15 April, the AWAKE facility located behind the SPS started the first of five two-week proton runs scheduled for 2024. The next in line is the Antimatter factory: the AD and ELENA decelerators should start providing the experiments with antiprotons for physics on 22 April.

The 2024 run has been extended by four weeks, until 25 November, for the LHC, and by five weeks, until 2 December, for the injectors. The YETS will start later this year, which will allow more physics to be done in 2024.

anschaef Tue, 04/16/2024 - 22:27 Byline Rende Steerenberg Publication Date Tue, 04/16/2024 - 22:10

Nature Physics, Published online: 16 April 2024; doi:10.1038/s41567-024-02485-1

Quantum sensing at the megabar frontier

Nature Physics, Published online: 16 April 2024; doi:10.1038/s41567-024-02484-2

Naturally superconducting

Nature Physics, Published online: 16 April 2024; doi:10.1038/s41567-024-02470-8

Bart Verberck uses the musical cent as a pretext to touch on some of the intricacies of musical tuning systems.

Nature Physics, Published online: 16 April 2024; doi:10.1038/s41567-024-02488-y

Eighty years on from the publication of Erwin Schrödinger’s interdisciplinary analysis on the origin of order in living organisms — What is Life? — we look at how physicists and biologists are approaching the topic today.

Nature Physics, Published online: 16 April 2024; doi:10.1038/s41567-024-02468-2

Experience of nature can drive its protection

Mitigating the environmental impact of CERN procurement

Every year, CERN spends some 500 MCHF on goods and services to build, maintain and operate its infrastructure to fulfil its scientific objectives. These purchases not only come at a financial cost, but also have an impact on the environment through the indirect emissions arising from their procurement. In 2023, CERN reported its procurement-related indirect emissions in the CERN Environment Report for the first time. These amounted to 98 030 tCO2e and 104 974 tCO2e in 2021 and 2022 respectively. To put this in context, this represents more than 90% of CERN’s total indirect emissions, the rest being attributed to personnel mobility, duty travel and catering, and just over 30% of CERN’s total emissions.

CERN strives to be a model for environmentally responsible research by taking action on its most impactful domains, including energy and water consumption and emissions, and setting objectives to minimise its environmental footprint. Adopting measures to positively influence procurement-related emissions is a priority for which a comprehensive strategy has been set out that will commit CERN, its suppliers and each and every one of us to making conscious decisions when purchasing goods or services.

Underpinning this strategy, the Environmentally Responsible Procurement Policy was approved by the Enlarged Directorate in June 2023. Anchored in the principle of embedding environmental responsibility where appropriate throughout all phases of the procurement process, the Policy commits the Organization to environmentally responsible procurement and to achieving sustainable results both internally and throughout its supply chains, integrating relevant best practices in its processes, measuring their impact, and communicating with and raising the awareness of all stakeholders.

In December 2023, the Enlarged Directorate approved the implementation of the Policy, effective from 1 January 2024. This entails a one-year kick-off phase to identify suitable areas for policy implementation, including a comprehensive awareness-raising programme with tailored training for technical officers and workshops for the departments focusing on their purchasing activities.

Additionally, pilot projects will help evaluate the integration of environmental criteria into market surveys and invitations to tender. Procurement officers will have access to a supplier sustainability due diligence tool and guidelines outlining best practices. These resources will equip them with the knowledge they need to assess suppliers based on their sustainability efforts.

Furthermore, a supplier engagement programme will be launched in order to foster discussions on sustainability within our supply chains, aiming to collaborate with and encourage suppliers to adopt sustainable practices.

Overall, this comprehensive implementation plan is designed to ensure a smooth transition towards policy compliance and create a sustainable framework for all stakeholders involved. Successful implementation will depend on all actors in CERN’s supply chains challenging our choices and decisions, from CERN’s IPT department, to CERN personnel involved in purchasing, to the suppliers themselves spanning our 23 Member and 11 Associate Member States, while continuing to strive for balanced returns.

According to Chris Hartley, Head of the IPT Department: “It is of great importance that we have established an Environmentally Responsible Procurement Policy for CERN. All CERN stakeholders want to see CERN continue to minimise its environmental impact. This Policy, underpinned by our progressive commitment to responsible sourcing, waste reduction and supplier engagement, will contribute to a more sustainable future.”

ndinmore Mon, 04/15/2024 - 16:39 Byline IPT department Publication Date Mon, 04/15/2024 - 16:35

Nature Physics, Published online: 15 April 2024; doi:10.1038/s41567-024-02473-5

When photons impinge on a material, free electrons can be created by the photoelectric effect. The emitted electron current usually fluctuates with Poisson statistics, but if squeezed quantum light is applied, the electrons bunch up.

ProtoDUNE’s argon filling underway

CERN’s Neutrino Platform houses a prototype of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) known as ProtoDUNE, which is designed to test and validate the technologies that will be applied to the construction of the DUNE experiment in the United States.

Recently, ProtoDUNE has entered a pivotal stage: the filling of one of its two particle detectors with liquid argon. Filling such a detector takes almost two months, as the chamber is gigantic – almost the size of a three-storey building. ProtoDUNE’s second detector will be filled in the autumn.

ProtoDUNE will use the proton beam from the Super Proton Synchrotron to test the detecting of charged particles. This argon-filled detector will be crucial to test the detector response for the next era of neutrino research. Liquid argon is used in DUNE due to its inert nature, which provides a clean environment for precise measurements. When a neutrino interacts with argon, it produces charged particles that ionise the atoms, allowing scientists to detect and study neutrino interactions. Additionally, liquid argon's density and high scintillation light yield enhance the detection of these interactions, making it an ideal medium for neutrino experiments.

Interestingly, the interior of the partially filled detector now appears green instead of its usual golden colour. This is because when the regular LED light is reflected inside the metal cryostat, the light travels through the liquid argon and the wavelength of the photons is shifted, producing a visible green effect.

The DUNE far detector, which will be roughly 20 times bigger than protoDUNE, is being built in the United States. DUNE will send a beam of neutrinos from Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) near Chicago, Illinois, over a distance of more than 1300 kilometres through the Earth to neutrino detectors located 1.5 km underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Sanford, South Dakota.

Watch a short time-lapse video of protoDUNE being filled with liquid argon:

ckrishna Fri, 04/12/2024 - 10:15 Byline Chetna Krishna Publication Date Fri, 04/12/2024 - 10:30