The LHC is preparing to restart at almost double the collision energy of its previous run. The new energy will allow physicists to check previously untestable theories and explore new frontiers in particle physics.
When the LHC is on, counter-rotating beams of particles will be made to collide at four interaction points 100 meters underground, around which sit the huge detectors ALICE, ATLAS, CMS and LHCb.
In the video below, engineers and technicians prepare these four detectors to receive the showers of particles that will be created in collisions at energies of 13 trillion electronvolts.
The giant endcaps of the ATLAS detector are back in position and the wheels of the CMS detector are moving it back into its “closed” configuration. The huge red door of the ALICE experiment is closed up ready for restart, and the access door to the LHC tunnel is sealed with concrete blocks.
A version of this article was published by CERN.
LHC restart timeline
February 2015
The Large Hadron Collider is now cooled to nearly its operational temperature.
A first set of superconducting magnets has passed the test and is ready for the Large Hadron Collider to restart in spring.
Engineers and technicians have begun to close experiments in preparation for the next run.
March 2015
The Large Hadron Collider has overcome a technical hurdle and could restart as early as next week.
April 2015
The Large Hadron Collider has circulated the first protons, ending a two-year shutdown.
The Large Hadron Collider accelerated protons to the fastest speed ever attained on Earth.
May 2015
LHC sees first low-energy collisions
The Large Hadron Collider broke its own record again in 13-trillion-electronvolt test collisions.
June 2015
Data collection has officially begun at the Large Hadron Collider.
