Study of possible dangerous events produced during heavy ion collisions at the LHC

by Jean Iliopoulos (Laboratoire de Physique théorique de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris)

Friday 15 Mar 2002, 16:30 → 17:30 Europe/Zurich

500/1-001 - Main Auditorium (CERN)

The LHC will be the highest energy accelerator ever built. Among the many exciting phenomena expected to occur as a result of this high energy, some will hopefully point to new directions in our understanding of the structure of matter. Concerns have been expressed however that other phenomena may be potentially dangerous. This presentation summarises the conclusions of a comprehensive study of this issue. The processes considered include the formation of strange, negatively charged, stable matter (stranglets), as well as the production of more exotic objects such as monopoles and mini black holes. Using data from cosmic rays, astrophysics, as well as from RHIC, we conclude that heavy ion collisions at the LHC do not pose any conceivable threat.

Organiser(s): Yiota Foka, Guy Paic and Urs Wiedemann / EP Division

Note: Report of the LHC safety study group

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