Asturian talent that accelerates at CERN - The New Spain

class=”autor” Vicente Montes, Geneva (especially NEW SPAIN submitted) From seven o’clock the road main running through the facilities of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) outside Geneva (Switzerland), supports as intense as any city traffic: trucks, vehicles of workers and dozens of white cars with anagram center. The most important particle research dawns on the planet covered in ice and fog Geneva freezes causing a “orbayu” of snow. But the important activity occurs one hundred meters underground, where the answers to the questions of the universe seek: what is intimately composed matter we know, what is the mysterious dark matter that represents a quarter of the cosmos and that intuits analyzing the rotation of galaxies, and what happened in the moments before the Big Bang so that nature behaves the way you perceive? Thousands of physicists, engineers and technicians worldwide (of which approximately 500 are Spanish and among them are several Asturian) work in an institution in 2014 who turns sixty years of life and that is a whole paradigm of what science means : peaceful cooperation between countries, pursuit of knowledge, rigor to detail and open-generation technology to society. Two examples: the “world wide web” which allows internet pages that flood, was born in a office building No. 2 center, thanks to CERN more efficient appliances are built to detect cancer

.Under the floor

CERN, even crossing the French border, runs the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), a huge canal surrounded by superconducting electromagnets ultracold directing protons along a circumference of 27 kilometers. This is a huge engineering work to achieve pinpoint accuracy and collision of these particles present in the atomic nucleus. Everything is calculated to obsession. “Even the slight gravitational influence that the moon exerts on the ground was measured at sea and causes tides,” he says José Miguel Jiménez, a native of Granada department and head of vacuum at CERN. In January will be appointed head of the collider technology. Any small disturbance in the dizzying route packets carried by the proton accelerator must be estimated. One of the stories told in the CERN has to do with the previous accelerator, LEP. Periodically, at a certain time, the beam suffered a very slight disturbance. A technician noticed that the cause was an electrical effect associated with the passage of the French high speed train, a mile away.

particle accelerator allows protons collide at various points of the ring, where four huge detectors that bear the names of CMS, ATLAS, LHCb and ALICE. In all cases there is a significant Spanish participation not only scientific but also technological. The particle science Spanish live their golden moment: “Never before have we been in a major discovery of the Higgs boson,” explains Antonio Valencia Pich, Professor of Theoretical Physics at the Institute of Corpuscular Physics, University of Valencia. He leads the CPAN, a body that brings together all the Spanish research centers in particle physics, nuclear and astroparticle. The program that constitute this network is allowed to become extinct and although the Government is committed to continue funding research into particles in Spain (already formed a special commission) financial uncertainty at a time so sweet cause concern. “Struggling to reach the position we have, and particle physics, if you’re not here, the better you do something else,” says ATLAS detector at the imposing, 45 meters long and 25 high. Numerous researchers trained in Spanish universities choose to link to institutions in other countries to continue working at CERN.

Two

Asturian constitute an example of “brain drain”: Bárbara Álvarez González of Oviedo and Gijon Rebeca Gonzalez Suarez. Both work for years at CERN and in the detectors they found the Higgs boson: ATLAS and CMS, respectively. Both were formed at the University of Oviedo, but today are linked to American universities. Rebeca Gonzalez proudly displays the great experiment CMS is already linked to that in 2008 when he performed his thesis precisely on the detection of the Higgs boson. I continued to work in Geneva, but now with the Free University of Brussels, and now stands by the University of Nebraska. “There is a large community of Spanish at CERN, we remain communicated through a mailing list and always stay or eat together”, says while behind maintenance on the detector are provided.

Bárbara Álvarez González receives NEW SPAIN in an office building 40 at CERN using the group of High Energy Physics of the University of Oviedo, in which it was formed. Work on the analysis of collisions that occur in the ATLAS detector but under the cloak of Michigan State University. This Asturian scientific and participated in the search for the Higgs boson in another major global accelerators: the Tevatron at Fermilab, west of Chicago. At that time it was not possible to find the elusive particle by energy constraints accelerator. “The Higgs boson is not seen in the detectors, because it decays very quickly, but what we see is the result of this disintegration,” he explains to a blackboard on which details how to identify the different particles in a detector.

Isabel Fernández, computing Siero, spent twenty years in Geneva

High Energy Group at the University of Oviedo is the reference to a handful of physical Asturian that way into one of the most thrilling investigations of all time. Professor Javier Cuevas is responsible for the experimental part of this group and has been the link with CERN for many Asturian prosiguiesen there iniciasen training or research career. “The Spaniard CMS working group on the analysis of the data emerging from the collisions. The objective is to try to discover new physics, and with that we refer to events as detection of the Higgs boson, which happened last year, or look for supersymmetry, which will be in 2015. Contribute in a lot of activities that help the experiment to work properly, “explains González Isidro Caballero, a professor at the University of Oviedo and the High Energy group.

crisis and budgetary constraints also affect scientists dedicated to particle physics. “We are about to cross a red line,” admits Antonio Pich, responsible for the CPAN network. “Affects us, not just to fund research groups, but to build the experiments. There is some risk, “says Isidro Gonzalez. “The Spanish institutions have contributed significantly in these experiments, were not spectators but active part” added to highlight that “Spanish companies have built key parts of the LHC, which means they have a strong technological position, because it is making unique items for a unique instrument in the world. ” In fact, he says, Asturias was the second region most benefited by contracts to companies. These contracts constitute much of the economic return to the funding provided by the 20 member states. Maybe scientists are the most visible part of CERN, but not alone: ??”In addition to scientists there are engineers, IT and administration staff are Spanish and work contracted by CERN, because they have the value required by the level of demand this center, “says the physicist Leon Asturian origin.

Spanish scientists emphasize the importance of the Spanish commitment to the European center is established and not subject to fluctuations. “Being here requires convincing institutions and other countries that you can do well, and that requires a constant funding, continuous presence, stability and reliability for CERN trust that you will respond to the challenges raised by you,” Isidro González added.

Sierens, Isabel Fernández González, a native of Hevia, opened the doors of the Asturian CERN computer. Reached the center twenty years ago, to make his final thesis project through the Polytechnic University of Madrid. He had gone to form the capital of Spain since the early 90s there were no studies in Asturias Superior Computer Engineering. Ended up working for CERN’s general services, which are the opposite of the scientific paradigm: if the physical look dazzling discoveries, managers of the administrative machinery of the CERN pursued the opposite: go unnoticed, be transparent. “We are currently working to create a” service desk “so that users have a single interface that allows them to reach a simple and effective with all the services that CERN should lend way,” he explains. The goal is that any problem a researcher at CERN can be resolved with a call, whether it relates to a complication in transportation or loss of a key. Such services, like a 24-hour assistance, are common in business information technology. “What is new is using it in the general services”, explains Isabel Fernandez.

is that CERN is not only a huge laboratory is a small town. “We housekeeping services, transportation, medical, fire, and everything should work transparently for physicists to work,” says Asturias. An innovative example: CERN has a fleet of vehicles that are available to staff. It is provided free of charge and can be picked up and be anywhere in the middle. There is a similar service with bikes, more oriented to students in summer. Should only pay a deposit at first and then can use any bike you are on site

friendship eventually became a partnership and a scholarship program for Asturian computer at CERN. The ties that bind Isabel González and Victor Gonzalez, a professor at the Polytechnic School in Gijón, Asturias have allowed computer come to CERN to work on collaborative projects of up to three years. “We have had dozens of Asturias software engineers who have come to work with different projects, I think it is a job opportunity after finishing their studies, especially in an environment like this.” Married with two daughters, living in a French village on the Swiss border. And although life has made there, fail to return to the rental Asturias: “It always comes back,” he says with a smile

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Carmen Álvarez Pérez, 26 Oviedo, Asturias is another face in the administration center. Work in HR and after completing his studies he spent the summer as a student. You now have a contract “fellow” for three years. Your responsibility is to have about the contract management tools and pages of work. “At CERN there are about 2,500 employees and more than 11,000 scientists from around the world who use its infrastructure, users whom we call” he explains. Back to work in Asturias is not yet on the horizon, “CERN is a great opportunity to work in every way,” says

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not just an opportunity for scientists, engineers and computer scientists. So is for businesses. They know well the Asturian Duro Felguera and Asturfeito, for example. The first was responsible for the construction of more than 361 vacuum chambers and a hundred service modules for the line that supplies the gas and liquid helium cools. He also built parts of the ATLAS detector. The Nortemecánica avilesina supplied to CERN beams and supports for large experiments. The Asturfeito company began their collaboration in 2000 with the center, and that was the key that opened up a whole business that is now one of the leaders: the supply of equipment for scientific facilities. “That was not a high-volume contract, but served to introduce us to the wheel. Now we have projects on five continents, working for NASA, for facilities in Japan and stayed at the ALMA radio telescope big project, “explains Belarmino Feito. “It is a sector with high standards and high quality control,” says the entrepreneur, but believed to be a clear business opportunity for Spanish companies, which are not low cost, so it is worth Flag quality and research.

Rolf Heuer, director of CERN, is a tall, white-haired guy nearby and speaking with a German-sounding English. Displaying pride that has led to the institution receiving the “Prince of Asturias” prize for the discovery of the Higgs boson with theorists who predicted its existence. “The award is now in my office, but soon install a showcase for everyone who works at CERN can see it,” he explains. The Spaniard award relieves small thorn left to the center because it was not included in the Nobel prize, yes there have been theoretical physicists Peter Higgs and François Englert. “Everyone knows that CERN was there,” Heuer said with a smile.

His last visit to Spain, to receive the “Prince” award, he made a double satisfaction. The first, the award itself and passing through Asturias, which has engraved in the mind: “I remember everything, since you arrive and are greeted at the ceremony with all those bagpipes. It’s something that surprised me: Asturias never imagined that I was so full of bagpipes, “says a questions NEW SPAIN. “But that the special atmosphere (surrounding the award) is added. The ceremony was very nice. It was a memorable event, “he adds.

The second came

satisfaction after meeting with Spanish Economy Minister Luis de Guindos, after receiving the award. From that meeting came a commitment to pay Spain 77 million euros to be due to delays in the payment of their contribution to CERN. In all, Spain will contribute in 2014 110 million euros, in addition to the 75 to 35 million annually should pay for the country as a member of the institution. The assignment of each member state is determined by its gross domestic product, and Spain must contribute 8.5 percent of the annual budget of CERN. “There tend to be optimistic, but in this respect I am,” says the director of CERN, who stresses the importance of the Spanish scientific contribution. “Of course, the crisis has not affected their brains,” he jokes.
CERN is now immersed in a stop that allows you to check each team and make adjustments to the detectors. From 2015 the great accelerator to get going again, increasing the range of energy and encouraging greater number of collisions per second. It will be time to venture into new frontiers of physics and check one of the theories that try to explain subatomic reality: supersymmetry

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“The search for Higgs was like looking for a needle in a thousand haystacks” says Luis Alvarez-Gaume, one of the most important theoretical physicists of Spain, who headed the theoretical division of CERN. “Experimental physicists have done a fascinating job in one of the most difficult steps that have been made in the history of mankind,” he admits.

The LHC will delve

from 2015 on marshland. He will try to find out if supersymmetric particles which provide theories, for “elder brothers” of the known particles, are the explanation for dark matter. Also let you guess if the Higgs mechanism is linked to other current questions: dark energy, which causes the universe to expand at an ever increasing rate. Another major challenge will be to find an answer to why the universe is basically composed of matter and not antimatter, when it seems logical to think that the Big Bang matter and antimatter must be generated evenly. “We’re not sure if the universe is stable or metastable if tomorrow could disintegrate. Apparently not, so you better keep paying mortgages, “Alvarez-Gaume jokes
What is clear is that CERN has more than fulfilled its slogan.” Accelerating science “. After the Higgs particle physics is launched to conquer uncharted space, full of questions. This is an exciting adventure in which Spain and scientists can continue to play an important role. The medium-term challenge is already on the table: Rolf Heuer has invited experts to weigh the construction of an even larger accelerator will have a circumference of up to 100 kilometers. Will be how to get closer and closer to the origin of all, the fiery and strange universe that occurred immediately after the Big Bang and became the current laws following a man growing understanding but which is find meaning.

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