Constructing CMS

25 July 2001

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While the sad sight of detectors being dismantled can be seen at some sites at the CERN laboratory near Geneva, visitors to the area have an opportunity to watch as a large new detector is put together. The Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) is one of the two general purpose detectors being built for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the machine that will supersede the Large Electron Positron collider (LEP). In this recent image, the outer shell of the vacuum tank has been inserted into the central yoke of the CMS detector, which is formed from huge rings of iron, seen here painted red. Each ring is about 15.8 m high (see the person near the bottom centre, and here for a larger view). The LHC is scheduled for completion in 2005, and in the meantime visitors to CERN can watch the assembly of CMS from a visitor centre, while those who are unable to visit can view the progress via a webcam.

Credit: CERN

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