LHC Update

There was a meeting that took place on Nov. 25 between the CERN management, the LHC project managements, and the various experimental groups. Below is a summary of the current LHC repairs:

- A lot of progress has been made in developing diagnostic procedures (calorimetry) and tools to make sure that no other bad splices are 'hidden' in the machine.
- Moving out of magnets affected by the incident has started. It is foreseen to remove 39 dipoles, including 6 (3 at each side) in a buffer zone. These magnets should not be affected but will be re-tested just to confirm that the limits of the affected region are understood. 14 SSS quadrupoles will also be moved out.
- All magnets to be brought to the surface should be out before the Christmas shutdown. By then 20 dipoles should already be back in the machine. The plan is to install the first dipole (from the set of spares) already this week.
- The test bench (for cold testing) is a limiting factor. Capacity to be ramped up after connection of 18 kW plant (now 6 kW) in February 2009.
- Last magnet should be back in end of March 2009; whole machine cold again beginning of July. This means optimistically: first beam in the machine end of July.
- Many activities are going on in parallel in the tunnel, but are not (and should not come) on the critical path (work on flanges, relief valves, cabling).
- Point of concern of experiments: access conditions in experimental caverns and service caverns. Is being looked into by/with Safety Commission (SC).

So things are still on track from the initial estimate on when the LHC might be back up and running. Fingers crossed!

Zz.