The ATLAS Experiment is one of four major experiments on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. Our goal is to understand the fundamental components of nature and the forces that govern their interactions. The accelerator and detectors are shut down for the next few years, in order to upgrade for Run 3, starting in 2021.
Here are some images I took recently while underground in the experimental cavern.
View of ventilation and service ducts in one of the access shafts.
View of the muon Spectrometer Big Wheels located below an access shaft.
Muon Drift Tubes on 26m diameter Big Wheel.
Close up of the tubes, which are aligned to sub-millimetre precision.
Services in the cavern.
More services.
Why do I take photographs every time I visit the detector? The 46m long and 26m tall device is arguably the most complex scientific instrument ever constructed. It was built and is operated by a collaboration of more than 5000 people from around the globe, some from countries that have been or are currently in conflict. From my point of view, it is beautiful in every aspect.
If you have any questions about any part of our work, from the physics, to the technology, to the efforts of international collaboration, just add it to the comments. I'll do what I can to answer them.