In CERN, researchers handle to rework lead into gold | EUROtoday

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HASU cern, the Alice collaboration, which operates one of many 4 massive LHC detectors (essentially the most highly effective particle accelerator on the planet), skilled a phenomenon that will have made alchemists of the Middle Ages dream: the transformation of lead into gold. A transmutation which isn’t the fruit of any magic components however that of very actual bodily processes, noticed throughout collisions of very excessive power lead ions, within the largest accelerator of particles on the planet.

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When two lead nuclei 208 – the most typical type of lead with 82 protons and 126 neutrons – intersect at speeds near that of sunshine with out moving into frontal collision, they generate extraordinarily highly effective electromagnetic fields by which they work together at a distance. This phenomenon, known as “ulrapheric collision”, causes the electromagnetic dissociation of lead nuclei and a modification of their atomic construction.

The expertise performed at CERN made it attainable to know the way it occurred. During ultraperipheral collisions, lead nuclei can eject particles, together with protons. However, the lack of a number of of those particles exactly transforms a chemical aspect into one other. Thus, when a lead nucleus (atomic quantity 82) loses precisely three protons, it turns into a gold nucleus (atomic quantity 79)!

A complicated measurement

The researchers measured that this lead transformation into gold happens with a remarkably excessive frequency throughout these ulupperic collisions, nearly as usually as direct collisions between lead nuclei. A shocking discovery which reveals that this transmutation is finally uncommon or distinctive, beneath these excessive circumstances.

To handle to measure this phenomenon exactly, the researchers used particular devices known as “calorimeters to zero degrees”. These ultrasensible detectors are put in greater than 100 meters from the purpose the place the particle beams intersect, a strategic place which permits them to seize the power swept away by neutrons and protons ejected ahead throughout collisions.Read too Why the CERN needs a brand new large particle accelerator

The evaluation of the information has revealed that the alerts of the protons have distinct traits of these of neutrons. The power peaks equivalent to the protons are a lot wider than these of neutrons. It is this significant distinction which made it attainable to establish with precision the occasions the place lead nuclei particularly lose three protons to alter in gold.

Concrete implications

If the alchemists sought to rework lead into gold basically to complement themselves, this contemporary transmutation has a purely scientific curiosity. It sheds gentle on the electromagnetic processes that happen throughout heavy ion collisions and helps perceive the interactions between very excessive power particles.

The examine reveals that round 29 picograms (1 picogram = 10⁻¹² Gramme) of gold have been produced in LHC between 2015 and 2018. To symbolize this infinitesimal amount, it could be essential to function this well-known particle accelerator for greater than a billion years to provide a single gram of gold! Jewelers can due to this fact sleep quietly, however the symbolism stays robust: the dream of medieval alchemists is finally realized by trendy physics, even when it is just on the microscopic scale.


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But this discovery goes far past scientific curiosity. These transmutation processes have sensible penalties on the very functioning of the accelerator: every time a lead nucleus turns into gold or one other aspect, it’s one much less particle within the preliminary beam. This phenomenon steadily decreases the depth of the beams and due to this fact reduces the effectiveness of collisions over time.

These exact measures will due to this fact assist higher anticipate this degradation and optimize the functioning of the LHC and future particle collisionrs, whereas deepening our understanding of the elemental interactions of matter.


https://www.lepoint.fr/science/au-cern-les-chercheurs-reussissent-a-transformer-le-plomb-en-or-15-05-2025-2589645_25.php

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