Synchrophasotron - what is it: definition, principle of operation, application

Technology in the USSR developed rapidly. What is only the launch of the first artificial satellite of the Earth, which the whole world was watching. Few people know that in the same 1957 in the USSR earned (that is, it was not just completed and put into operation, namely launched) synchrophasotron. This word denotes an installation for dispersal of elementary particles. Practically everyone today heard about the Large Hadron Collider - it is a more new and improved version of the device described in this article.

What is a synchrophasotron? What is it for?

This installation is a largeaccelerator of elementary particles (protons), which allows us to more deeply explore the microcosm, as well as the interaction of these same particles with each other. The method of study is very simple: break the protons into small parts and see what is inside. Everything sounds simple, but breaking a proton is an extremely difficult task, the solution of which required the construction of such a huge structure. Here, on a special tunnel, the particles are accelerated to enormous speeds and then directed to the target. After hitting it, they fly into small pieces. The nearest "colleague" of the synchrophasotron, the Large Hadron Collider, acts approximately the same way, only there the particles are accelerated in opposite directions and strike not against a standing target, but collide with each other.

Now you understand a little what it is -synchrophasotron. It was believed that the installation would make a scientific breakthrough in the field of microcosm research. In turn, this will open up new elements and ways to obtain cheap energy sources. Ideally, they wanted to discover elements that outperformed enriched uranium in efficiency and are thus less harmful and easier to dispose of.

Military applications

It should be noted that this installation was createdfor the implementation of a scientific and technical breakthrough, but its goals were not only peaceful. In many respects, the scientific and technical breakthrough is due to the arms race. Synchrophasotron was created under the stamp "Top Secret", and its development and construction were carried out as part of the creation of the atomic bomb. It was assumed that the device would create a perfect theory of nuclear forces, but everything was not so simple. Even today, this theory is lacking, although technological progress has advanced far ahead.

What is synchrophasotron in simple words?

If you generalize and speak in clear language? A synchrophasotron is an installation where protons can be accelerated to a high speed. It consists of a looped tube with a vacuum inside and powerful electromagnets that prevent the protons from moving chaotically. When the protons reach their maximum speed, their flow is directed to a special target. Striking against it, the protons fly into small pieces. Scientists can see traces of flying fragments in a special bubble chamber, and on these tracks they analyze the nature of the particles themselves.

The bubble chamber is a little outdateddevice for fixing traces of protons. Today, more accurate radars are used in such installations, giving more information about the motion of proton fragments.

Despite the simple principle of synchrophasotron itselfthis installation is highly technological, and its creation is possible only with sufficient level of technical and scientific development, which, of course, the USSR possessed. If we give an analogy, then an ordinary microscope is the device whose purpose coincides with the purpose of the synchrophasotron. Both devices allow you to explore the microcosm, only the latter allows you to "dig deeper" and has a somewhat unique method of investigation.

In detail

Above, the operation of the device in simple terms was described. Of course, the principle of the synchrophasotron is more complex. The point is that in order to accelerate particles to high velocities, it is necessary to provide a potential difference of hundreds of billions of volts. This is impossible even at the current stage of technology development, not to mention the previous one.

Therefore, it was decided to disperse particlesgradually and drive them around for a long time. On each circle, the protons were energized. As a result of the passage of millions of revolutions, it was possible to gain the required speed, after which they were sent to the target.

This is the principle used in the synchrophasotron. First, the particles moved slowly along the tunnel. On each lap they fell on the so-called acceleration intervals, where they received an additional charge of energy and gained speed. These acceleration sections are capacitors whose frequency of voltage is equal to the frequency of proton transmission along the ring. That is, the particles hit the acceleration section with a negative charge, at which time the voltage increased sharply, which gave them speed. If the particles hit the acceleration area with a positive charge, then their motion slows down. And this is a positive feature, because because of her, the whole bunch of protons moved at the same speed.

And so it was repeated millions of times, and when the particlesthey acquired the required speed, they were sent to a special target, about which they were broken. After a group of scientists studied the results of a collision of particles. That's the way the synchrophasotron worked.

The role of magnets

It is known that in this huge machine on accelerationparticles, powerful electromagnets were also used. People mistakenly believe that they were used to disperse protons, but this is not so. Particles were accelerated by means of special condensers (acceleration sections), and the magnets only held the protons in a strictly defined trajectory. Without them, the sequential motion of a beam of elementary particles would be impossible. And the high power of electromagnets is explained by the large mass of protons at high speed.

What problems did the scientists face?

One of the main problems in creating thisinstallation was precisely in the dispersal of particles. Of course, they could be given acceleration on each lap, but with acceleration their mass became higher. At a speed of movement close to the speed of light (as we know, nothing can move faster than the speed of light), their mass became huge, which made it difficult to keep them in a circular orbit. From the school program we know that the radius of motion of elements in a magnetic field is inversely proportional to their mass, so with increasing proton mass, it was necessary to increase the radius and use large strong magnets. Such laws of physics severely limit the possibilities for research. By the way, they can also explain why the synchrophasotron turned out to be so huge. The larger the tunnel, the larger the magnets can be set to create a strong magnetic field to hold the desired direction of proton motion.

The second problem is the loss of energy during the movement. Particles, when circling, radiate energy (lose it). Consequently, when moving at speed, part of the energy evaporates, and, the higher the speed of motion, the higher the loss. Sooner or later the moment comes when the values ​​of the radiated and received energy are compared, which makes it impossible to further accelerate the particles. Consequently, there are needs for large capacities.

We can say that we now more accurately understand that this is a synchrophasotron. But what exactly did the scientists achieve during the tests?

What research was carried out?

Naturally, this installation did not workwithout a trace. And although they expected more serious results from her, some studies proved to be extremely useful. In particular, scientists studied the properties of accelerated deuterons, interactions of heavy ions with targets, developed a more efficient technology for recycling spent uranium-238. And although for the average person all these results have little to say about, in the scientific sphere their significance can not be overestimated.

Applying Results

The results of the synchrophasotrontests are used even today. In particular, they are used in the construction of nuclear power plants, are used in the creation of space rockets, robotics and sophisticated equipment. Undoubtedly, the contribution to the science and technical progress of this project is quite large. Some results are also applied in the military sphere. And although scientists failed to discover new elements that could be used to create new atomic bombs, in fact no one knows whether it is true or not. It is possible that the population is hiding some of the results, because it is worth considering that this project was implemented under the stamp "Top Secret."

Conclusion

Now you understand that this is a synchrophasotron, andwhat is its role in the scientific and technical progress of the USSR. Even today such installations are actively used in many countries, but there are already more advanced versions - Nuclotrons. The Large Hadron Collider is, perhaps, the best implementation of the synchrophasotron idea today. The application of this setup allows scientists to more accurately cognize the microcosm by colliding two beams of protons moving at enormous speeds.

As for the current state of the Soviet synchrophasotron, it was converted into an electron accelerator. Now he works at FIAN.