TESLA Brochure - ACFA Joint Linear Collider Physics and Detector ...

Left• Head-on collision:When an electron
and a positron smash into each other
at maximum speed,they annihilate each
other in a burst of pure energy which
can give rise to new elementary particles.
neously gives rise to the different elementary particles.
Assuming that supersymmetry governs the
physical world, the particles should be created in
accordance with its principles.Such experiments allow
physicists to recreate and investigate the conditions
that must have prevailed at the birth of the
cosmos. Proceeding from this basis, it then becomes
possible to trace the development that led
to the present state of matter, which consists of
electrons and two types of quark.
If the theory of supersymmetry is correct, there
must be a whole series of additional types of particles.
In fact, the inventory of nature must be twice
as large as previously believed. According to our
present knowledge,all the particles were present in
the very early phases of the universe—none was
preferred over any of the others. Some of the predicted
particles might still exist, having remained
undiscovered until today. Such particles would constitute
a form of matter possessing properties completely
different to those of the “everyday” matter
we are familiar with. They would not form atoms,
and thus would not make up organisms, planets
and stars.This type of matter would be invisible and
able to penetrate our bodies unnoticed. Astronomical
observations already suggest that the universe
contains much more matter than the stars, planets
and cosmic clouds can account for. Supersymmetry
could thus provide an explanation for this additional,invisible,“dark
matter.”
For supersymmetry to be valid, the highly energetic
“fireballs” generated in
an accelerator must spontaneously
give rise to these new
particles.Once created in this way,they would leave
clear traces in the accelerator’s detectors.If nature’s
inventory really is twice as large as previously assumed,
many different types of these new particles
must exist. Identifying and investigating them all
represents a fascinating, if complex, challenge,
which TESLA is ideally suited to handle. In fact, recent
theoretical studies show that the experimental
conditions offered by such a facility are essential
if supersymmetry is to be quantitatively confirmed
or refuted. In the latter case, they will help us develop
an alternative theory.
Getting up to speed:Electromagnetic fields
accelerate the electrons in the superconducting
linear accelerator to close to
the speed of light.
With TESLA to the
birth of the universe
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