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Particle detectors
Intermediate
Tracking and calorimetry reconstruct collisions.
Layered devices: tracker (curved paths in B give momentum), calorimeters (energy), muon chambers and particle ID. Software reconstructs collisions from billions of readouts.
CMS is 14,000 tonnes.
Triggers pick 1 in a million events.
In more detail
Particle detectors identify and measure particles by tracking their paths, energies and charges. Layers of tracking, calorimeters and muon chambers work together.
Real-world uses
- Detectors in colliders record particle tracks for analysis.
- Cosmic ray detectors study particles from space.
- Particle detectors such as ATLAS and CMS measure the tracks, energies and momenta of the particles from collisions.
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Frequently asked questions
How are particles identified?
By their ionisation, energy deposits and how they bend in magnetic fields.
What is a calorimeter?
A detector that measures the energy of particles by absorbing them.
What is a calorimeter?
A detector that measures the energy of particles by absorbing them and recording the resulting shower.
Related topics in Particle Physics & Cosmology
Feynman diagrams · Particle accelerators · Large Hadron Collider · Neutrino oscillations · CP violation · Matter–antimatter asymmetry