Proton-ion collisions: Behind the scenes of a hybrid interaction
Thursday, September 27, 2012 - 08:02
in Physics & Chemistry
Protons to the right, ions to the left: the basic principle of proton-ion collisions at the LHC might seem straightforward. However, this is an almost unprecedented mode of collider operation, certainly unique at the energy provided by the LHC. In addition to being a remarkable technical achievement, this interaction between a proton and an ion can potentially contribute a lot to the understanding of the properties of matter in its primordial state.