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First results from LHC Run 2 presented in Vienna

The world particle physics community convened in Vienna from July 22-29 for the 2015 European Physical Society Conference on High Energy Physics, where the latest results in the field were presented and discussed, including the first results from Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. This was...

IceCube sees highest-energy neutrino ever found

On August 4, scientists working on the IceCube neutrino experiment at the South Pole reported the observation of a neutrino event that had an energy of more than 2000 trillion electron volts, making it the highest energy neutrino event ever found. The event offers scientists the best hope yet that...

UCLA scientists use large particle accelerator to visualize properties of nanoscale electronic materials

Using the large TRIUMF cyclotron in Vancouver, British Columbia, UCLA researchers have developed a new method to visualize topological insulators, a class of materials that could lead to improved performance in spintronics, at the nanoscale. The new method is the first use of beta-detected nuclear magnetic resonance to study the...

Nonmagnetic elements form unique magnet

Scientists at Rice University combined titanium and gold to make an itinerant antiferromagnetic metal, TiAu, from nonmagnetic constituent elements. While the uses for this particular magnet have yet to be determined, this discovery could enhance the scientific understanding of magnetism.

CERN’s LHCb experiment reports observation of exotic pentaquark particles

On July 14, the LHCb experiment at CERN's Large Hadron Collider reported the discovery of a class of particles known as pentaquarks, which are composed of four quarks and an antiquark. The collaboration has submitted a paper reporting these findings to the journal Physical Review Letters.

Fermilab’s flagship accelerator sets world record

On July 8, scientists announced that the US Department of Energy's Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab, CSA CSM) set a world record for the most powerful high-energy particle beam for neutrino experiments: a sustained 521-kilowatt beam generated by the Main Injector particle accelerator. More than 1,000 physicists from around the...

Latest in Defining Cryogenics

Liquid Hydrogen

Hydrogen becomes a liquid at 20K and 1 bar. Liquid hydrogen (LH2) is an important substance in industry, transportation and research. Industrial uses of hydrogen include applications in the electronics, glass, chemical and metal processing fields. In these applications, the hydrogen is generally used as a room temperature gas but...

Superconducting Radiofrequency Cavities

Superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities represent an important application of cryogenics and superconductivity. SRF cavities are a technology for accelerating charged particle beams via the transfer of radiofrequency (RF) energy to the beams via resonant structures. As such, they are frequently found in large particle accelerators used for scientific research....

Thermal Radiation Shields

Actively cooled thermal radiation shields are a common feature of cryostats whose lowest temperature is less than 77K. These shields, which typically operate at temperatures between that of LN2 and 40K, block thermal radiation from higher temperatures from reaching lower temperature cryogenic components or fluids. Since the heat radiated from...

Latest in Cryo Central

Magnets

From “Superconductivity: Present and Future Applications” by the Coalition for the Commercial Application of Superconductors. Particle physics uses accelerators to recreate the conditions of the early universe in an attempt to piece together the complex puzzle of how we got to where we are today. These huge machines are used...

Energy Storage

From “Superconductivity: Present and Future Applications” by the Coalition for the Commercial Application of Superconductors. With power lines increasingly congested and prone to instability, strategic injection of brief bursts of real power can play a crucial role in maintaining grid reliability. Small-scale Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) systems, based on...

Astronomy

ASTRONOMY IN SPACE by Peter V. Mason, retired, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Visiting Associate, California Institute of Technology. Pmason@alumni.caltech.edu In thinking about the reasons to perform astronomy in space, we first consider the effect of the earth’s atmosphere. On a scale of decreasing energy, gamma rays, cosmic rays, X-rays and...

Cryocoolers

What is a Cryocooler? A mechanism that can extract heat from an object (cooler) and by doing so draw its temperature down below approximately 150 Kelvin (cryo). — (Courtesy Dr. Willy Gully) What is the difference between a Cryocooler and a Cryostat? A cryostat is any device designed to maintain...

Latest in Ask the Experts

An Issue of Pressure and Flow Rate in a Supply Tank

Please help solve this problem: A supply tank requires a vaporizer to generate sufficient pressure to pump stored fluid up into a vehicle or tank. The available head is limited as the tank level falls and it is important to minimize the system pressure drop to maintain the desired flow...

Using MLI on VJ Line Joints or Cryo Storage Tanks

When installing Multi Layer Insulation (MLI) blankets on VJ line joints or cryo storage tanks should they be wrapped and tied down tight or loose? These are usually pre-cut to size. Also should they have an access hole at the point of where the molecular sieve is installed to help...

Separated layers of ice over a pipe

I want to know that why there are different layers of ice over a pipe carrying a cryogenic fluid, each layer separated with clear marks / lines? What do these layers signify?

Using nitrogen as a cryogen

Is it possible to achieve -200˚C using nitrogen as a cryogen?

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