Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

RHIC Operational

Posted by michael on from the don't-be-too-proud-of-this-technological-terror-you've-constructed dept.

Stephen Adler/John Lajoie writes "No, the universe did not implode! Nor did we destroy the vacuum. But some very nice science will begin with the advent of collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, just completed and colliding beams, at Brookhaven National Lab on Long Island NY. Check out the first nice pictures of exploding mini-bang. (And by the way, the lab is using linux boxes up the wazoo to analyze all this data. up to 60 megabytes a second over a 40 week running period each year from now until the government stops funding this collider.)"

8 comments

  1. RHIC Web Site by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    They should have linked to the RHIC web site: www.rhic.bnl.gov.

  2. Pictures by Ka0s64 · · Score: 1

    The pictures are very interesting to those interested in quark plasma imaging, but otherwise most likely just look like a screen saver, oh well. Nice to see some good results though.

    --
    --C:\DOS C:\DOS\RUN RUN\DOS\RUN
    1. Re:Pictures by AtomicClock · · Score: 1

      Actually, the good folks at PHENIX computing (PHENIX is the "big" detector at RHIC, web addy at http://www.phenix.bnl.gov) are thinking about making a "RHIC@home" type screen saver, a la SETI, where participating geeks can analyze collision data on their spare time. The limiting factor being, of course, would we have interested participants?

  3. Powered by VA Linux! by LoonXTall · · Score: 1

    The Linux computers in question are 148 VA Linux 501's in 8 racks, all black. And they're planning on getting more. Then they'll probably be mandating ear protection in that room; with 148 fans, the noise is already up to half-shouting-to-be-heard.


    -- LoonXTall
    --

    ~~~LXT~~~
    Life is like a computer program: anything that can't happen, will.

    1. Re:Powered by VA Linux! by DaveHowe · · Score: 2

      The Linux computers in question are 148 VA Linux 501's in 8 racks, all black. And they're planning on getting more.
      Then they'll probably be mandating ear protection in that room; with 148 fans, the noise is already up to half-shouting-to-be-heard.
      Hmm. maybe they should be looking at some of the pump-cooled systems then - they are much more effective than fans in confined quarters, and much, much quieter.
      --

      --
      -=DaveHowe=-
    2. Re:Powered by VA Linux! by LoonXTall · · Score: 1

      maybe they should be looking at some of the pump-cooled systems then

      Good idea... the Riken supercomputer (doing QCD at 600 Mflops) is liquid-cooled. Too bad I can't pass it on... I was only there for a week.


      -- LoonXTall
      --

      ~~~LXT~~~
      Life is like a computer program: anything that can't happen, will.

  4. Or maybe... by CentrX · · Score: 1

    We're not in a real universe at all and our creators wouldn't let their masterpiece die?

    Chris Hagar

    --

    "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance." - Thomas Jefferson
  5. Do I smell a conspiracy here? by tofus · · Score: 1

    RHIC...mmm... Didn't that stand for some high-tech form of mind-control called 'Radio-Hypnotic Intercerebral Control'? I bet that so-called 'Heavy Ion Colliding' is only a coverup! But who asks me?!?