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STFC Particle Physics

@PPD_STFC

We design, build and operate detectors worldwide, analyse data and support the UK particle physics community. @STFC_Matters @UKRI_News

 Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
ppd.stfc.ac.uk/
Joined April 2018
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Have you ever wondered about what working in a world-class science organization looks like? Do you want to know if the vast world of particle physics is the right career for you?🧑‍🔬 Here’s what excites our staff about studying the fundamental constituents of nature! ⚛️💫
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At PPD, collaboration with the wider HEP community are very important. From open days and educational school visits to presentations at conferences, PPD actively participates in a variety of HEP community events. This #HEPhighlights post showcases the largest of these efforts.
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This year @CERN celebrated its 70th anniversary. PPD commemorated this milestone with celebrations in Edinburgh as well as presenting the UK’s recent and historical contributions to the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology.
PPD staff member explaining the LHC VR display to conference attendee, In the foreground, parts of our display table can be seen. RAL developed ATLAS readout electronics are present on the table.

ALT PPD staff member explaining the LHC VR display to conference attendee, In the foreground, parts of our display table can be seen. RAL developed ATLAS readout electronics are present on the table.

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The World Wide Web is an example of a ground-breaking invention that stemmed from particle physics, originally invented to help @CERN members exchange data more easily? Check out this article which explores its origins and @RAL's early adoption⏩ bit.ly/4iLZUbK
Screenshot of RAL's website from 1993.

ALT Screenshot of RAL's website from 1993.

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PhD studentships now open at PPD! Join the UK’s center for experimental physics, conducting research in world-class facilities. We have projects for physics undergrads from Queen Mary's UoL, Bristol, Manchester, Oxford, UCL and Royal Holloway ⏩ bit.ly/3ZCyGvB
Poster advertising PhD studentships. 'Interested in a PhD?' is on a background consisting of ATLAS end ca toroids, particle collision and CMS silicon tracker

ALT Poster advertising PhD studentships. 'Interested in a PhD?' is on a background consisting of ATLAS end ca toroids, particle collision and CMS silicon tracker

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Having looked at experimental results, we turn our attention to the experiments themselves. Follow this thread, to see what PPD has been doing this past year to advance experiments in preparation for the HL-LHC. #HEPHighlights
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PPD is assembling and testing components of the inner tracker detector for the HL-LHC, with prototypes completed and work ongoing. The HL-LHC will generate immense collision data. PPD develops hardware and software for the trigger systems that filter and select key events.
ATLAS Upgrade collage. Top half from left to right shows a pixel module, equipment used to test the pixel module and a silicon stave being assembled. Bottom half from left to right shows glue deposition on the pixel module half ring. Next two display module placement in half ring. Final picture is a completed half ring prototype.

ALT ATLAS Upgrade collage. Top half from left to right shows a pixel module, equipment used to test the pixel module and a silicon stave being assembled. Bottom half from left to right shows glue deposition on the pixel module half ring. Next two display module placement in half ring. Final picture is a completed half ring prototype.

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For this thread of #HEPHighlights, we look back upon a great year of physics results within all domains of particle physics. This thread will look at impactful experimental results, of which PPD has substantially contributed.
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MICE experiment was hosted at RAL from 2009 – 2019, its aim was to showcase ionization cooling. A new analysis was published this year, with a novel selective sampling algorithm being employed to provide greater detail of cooling performance. Read more ⏩bit.ly/MICEh
MICE apparatus just prior to beam line entry: Shielding obscures much of the apparatus

ALT MICE apparatus just prior to beam line entry: Shielding obscures much of the apparatus

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What a year it has been for #physics @CERN! Lets kick off the #HEPhighlights campaign with a detailed look into the LHC's productive 2024 run.
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Energy and luminosity are both key to collider performance. The LHC accelerates protons to 13.7 TeV. Integrated luminosity, proportional to the number of events observed, must be maximised to analyse rare and interesting events.
LHC written on the beampipe within the tunnel at CERN

ALT LHC written on the beampipe within the tunnel at CERN

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We put a magnifying glass to science in the #STFCinContext campaign. Stay tuned as over the next few months, this account will explore the philosophical underpinnings of particle physics!
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (@RutherfordApLab) profile pictureRutherford Appleton Laboratory@RutherfordApLab5 Dec 2024
Science is linked to the Humanities in more ways than we may think. Join us as we explore the Humanities behind Science through our #STFCinContext campaign! Keep track of upcoming #STFCinContext projects from STFC's different departments here: linktr.ee/stfcincontext
This graphic features 2 magnifying glasses and grey footprints intertwining with the text. There are also 5 mascots that are the theta symbol, a paint pallet, a fossil, a book and the globe, all with eyes.

ALT This graphic features 2 magnifying glasses and grey footprints intertwining with the text. There are also 5 mascots that are the theta symbol, a paint pallet, a fossil, a book and the globe, all with eyes.

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Today is the first post of #HEPhighlights As the year winds to a close, we look back upon a year of scientific results, technological innovation, HEP collaboration and community events. Stay tuned, for in the lead up to the New Year, we reflect the progress made within UK HEP.
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The annual UK HEP forum has concluded, this year it focused on sustainability within a wide range of topics. Discussions included environmental policy, advances in detector and accelerator technology as well as extensive insights into computing and AI.
Cozener's House, Abingdon. Venue for the UK HEP forum

ALT Cozener's House, Abingdon. Venue for the UK HEP forum

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Amid the discussion of climate change, the forum also had sessions on recent study and innovations within high energy physics. These fascinating talks can be found here under proceedings heading conference.ippp.dur.ac.uk/ev…
Presentation of a talk titled GridPP Towards NetZero Computing. Link can be found to full talk in the post

ALT Presentation of a talk titled GridPP Towards NetZero Computing. Link can be found to full talk in the post

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Yesterday, marked the anniversary of this iconic photograph, depicting John Adams holding an empty vodka bottle, drunk in celebration of the Proton Synchrotron (PS) reaching 24 GeV. The PS briefly held the title of 'Worlds most powerful accelerator'
John Adams holding empty bottle of vodka

ALT John Adams holding empty bottle of vodka

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Shortly after @CERN's inception, work to build the proton synchrotron began. Eminent scientists from @RutherfordApLab, especially group head John Adams were integral in addressing the technical challenges from its ambitious design. Learn more in bit.ly/CERN70
PS in 1959

ALT PS in 1959

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#OTD in 1902 Eugene Wigner was born. 🎊 A brilliant physicist who established the basis of quantum mechanics through his work in the theory of symmetries. Beyond physics, he would publish philosophical essays authoring the famous Wigner's friend paradox.
Nobel Prize recipient: Eugene Wigner. Courtesy of Argonne National Laboratory Flickr account

ALT Nobel Prize recipient: Eugene Wigner. Courtesy of Argonne National Laboratory Flickr account

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Celebrating Sir Joseph Rotblat this international science and peace week. A prominent nuclear physicist who left the Manhattan Project on conscience grounds. Rotblat vehemently opposed nuclear weapons, with his studies helping in disarmament.
Head and Shoulders of Joseph Rotblat. Courtesy of American Institute of Physics

ALT Head and Shoulders of Joseph Rotblat. Courtesy of American Institute of Physics

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Ground-breaking work into nuclear fission earned him a position at Liverpool University. His studies here coincided with the outbreak of war in 1939. His talent was recognised and he was employed by the British government for atomic research, later joining the Manhattan Project.
Diagram showing the basic process of nuclear fission. Photo: Adapted, original from University Physics,​ OpenStax

ALT Diagram showing the basic process of nuclear fission. Photo: Adapted, original from University Physics,​ OpenStax

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#OTD in 1878 pioneering physicist Lise Meitner was born! Despite the immense hardships as a woman within male dominated academia she lead a remarkable career, co-discovering nuclear fission ⚛ Her achievements are explored in this article ➡ orlo.uk/MyFaF
Lise Meitner was the first female university professor in Germany. Here she is depicted smiling and removing 1 of 2 gloves. Image is provided by University of Vienna under persons section

ALT Lise Meitner was the first female university professor in Germany. Here she is depicted smiling and removing 1 of 2 gloves. Image is provided by University of Vienna under persons section

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Today is the first day of International Science and Peace week 🌈 This post focuses on a great example, the founding of CERN. This organisation bridged the gap between nationalities, uniting laboratories to conduct non military research. youtube.com/watch?v=ISJ4SRng…
Picture of CERN member state flags 2014. Image credit: Maximilien Brice, CERN

ALT Picture of CERN member state flags 2014. Image credit: Maximilien Brice, CERN

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In 1954, 12 member states would sign a treaty bringing CERN into existence Countries that had been at war just 10 years earlier were now united with a common desire to unveil the innermost secrets of the atom. Read about the UK during CERN's founding ➡ bit.ly/CERN70
First CERN council session 1952. Large group of people dressed in formal attire are sitting on 2 separate table, conversing with one another.

ALT First CERN council session 1952. Large group of people dressed in formal attire are sitting on 2 separate table, conversing with one another.

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The National Quantum Computing Center (NQCC) building has officially opened at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory! Learn all about quantum computing and the NQCC in the latest medium article 📷 orlo.uk/8vaGb
Recently unveiled National Quantum Computing Centre. Opened at Harwell Campus last Friday (on date of posting)

ALT Recently unveiled National Quantum Computing Centre. Opened at Harwell Campus last Friday (on date of posting)

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This is a milestone worth celebrating for physicists, as quantum computing can trace its origins to the work conducted by early theoretical physicists. Physics and quantum computing still have significant overlap, its hoped it can be exploited for use within future experiments.
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Today is #darkmatterday! 🌌 #Darkmatter is thought to account for 85% of the mass of the universe, with Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) being the most favoured theoretical model. Many experiments have been designed to detect this mysterious particle.
LUX-ZEPLIN is an example of an experiment hunting for WIMPs. This picture depicts LZ’s central detector, the time projection chamber, in a surface lab clean room before delivery underground. Image credit: Matthew Kapust, Sanford Underground Laboratory

ALT LUX-ZEPLIN is an example of an experiment hunting for WIMPs. This picture depicts LZ’s central detector, the time projection chamber, in a surface lab clean room before delivery underground. Image credit: Matthew Kapust, Sanford Underground Laboratory

LUX-ZEPLIN cryostat. A major contribution delivered from STFC PPD. Image credit: Matt Kapust Sanford Underground research facility

ALT LUX-ZEPLIN cryostat. A major contribution delivered from STFC PPD. Image credit: Matt Kapust Sanford Underground research facility

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Explore STFC’s contribution to help search for these elusive WIMPs, with recent work conducted at the @BoulbyUndergroundLaboratory that is setting the stage for a next generation dark matter detector ⏩ orlo.uk/GNRN1
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Heard of #DarkMatter but do not know what exactly it is? How do scientists know it is there? How do scientists ever hope to find this missing mass? In the lead up to #DarkMatterDay, refresh your knowledge with the plethora of available resources we have at PPD.
White text on a background of cosmic radiation.

ALT White text on a background of cosmic radiation.

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For an excellent overview of dark matter read orlo.uk/awDRQ Watch ▶️ orlo.uk/Q4SCN for an insight into dark matter detector material searches. Plenty more, from comics to complex explanations, are available on Medium and PPD news tab.
Image from STFC Particle Physics (@PPD_STFC)
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This 'jigsaw piece' resembles ATLAS end cap toroid designed at @RutherfordApLab in 1997. This gigantic magnet would possess an unusual grooved structure that allowed it to fit snugly in the barrel toroid These interleaved magnets maximised the magnetic field used to bend muons
ATLAS end cap toroid (2006): Man standing at the bottom of the 10m by 5m magnet to showcase its scale.

ALT ATLAS end cap toroid (2006): Man standing at the bottom of the 10m by 5m magnet to showcase its scale.

ATLAS end cap toroid being transported for assembly.

ALT ATLAS end cap toroid being transported for assembly.

Final ATLAS end cap toroid magnet being lowered into experimental cavern. Image credit: CERN document server.

ALT Final ATLAS end cap toroid magnet being lowered into experimental cavern. Image credit: CERN document server.

Central Laser Facility (@CLF_STFC) profile pictureCentral Laser Facility@CLF_STFC24 Oct 2024
Specifically designed to fit together like a jigsaw, the gantry that’s part of the HiLUX upgrade has just been installed in the rooms where Ultra A used to be. 🧩✨
Laser optics table (chunky black table with a metallic top) sits below a set of metallic scaffolding - the gantry.

ALT Laser optics table (chunky black table with a metallic top) sits below a set of metallic scaffolding - the gantry.

Laser optics table protected by plastic and card sits below a set of metallic scaffolding - the gantry.

ALT Laser optics table protected by plastic and card sits below a set of metallic scaffolding - the gantry.

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#ThrowbackThursday to 11th November 1966, over 150 guests visited RAL to attend the Variable Energy Cyclotron’s (VEC) inauguration ceremony. One journalist touted the new particle accelerator as ‘the most versatile of its kind within Western Europe’.
Beam handling system of the VEC. Displayed here are the focusing quadrupole magnets and beam measurement equipment.

ALT Beam handling system of the VEC. Displayed here are the focusing quadrupole magnets and beam measurement equipment.

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Designed and constructed at @RutherfordApLab, the VEC was capable of accelerating proton beams to 50 MeV. Novel design features meant with some adjustments it was able to accelerate different ions across a range of energies.
Construction of the VEC building in 1962 at Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE) now Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

ALT Construction of the VEC building in 1962 at Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE) now Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

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