CERN, Pentaquark - Current Affairs Questions and Answers

ANSWER: 16^th Jan 2017

Explanation:
India has become an associate member of CERN w.e.f 16th Jan 2017 with the Indian government completing internal approval procedures. This is based on agreement signed with CERN in Nov 2016.

On Nov 21, 2016, Sekhar Basu, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and DAE secretary signed the agreement. CERN DG Fabiola Gianotti was the other signatory.

As an associate member, India will have total access to all data generated in CERN. Prior to this, India could get data only from experiments it was participating in.

India can participate in all experiments now and choose which ones it wants to participate in.

Indian industry will also be entitled to bid for CERN contracts, which will allow it to work in areas of advanced technology.

“Make in India” will get a boost due to CERN. Indian scientists will become eligible for staff appointments.

It will enhance the participation of young scientists and engineers in operation and maintenance of various CERN projects.

India has to pay about INR 40 crore a year as an Associate member.

India has been actively involved in CERN’s scientific activities for over 50 years.

LHC accelerator and ALICE and CMS experiments, as well as to accelerator R&D projects are some projects where Indians scientists have participated.

In 1991, India and CERN signed a Cooperation Agreement.

It was setting priorities for scientific and technical cooperation.

India and CERN have signed several other protocols since then.

India’s involvement in CERN began in the 1960s with researchers from the TIFR participating in experiments at CERN.

In the 1990s scientists from Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore too got involved in CERN experiment.

India was granted Observer status to the CERN Council in 2002.

CERN: Know More

• The CERN convention was signed in 1953.
• It was signed by the 12 founding state.
• Currently, CERN has 22 member states.
• Besides India, Turkey, Pakistan, Ukraine are Associate members.
• Serbia and Cyprus are associate members in the pre-stage to membership.

ANSWER: Both of the above

Explanation:
India on 21^st Nov became an associate member of the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, the world’s largest nuclear and physics particle lab

• The agreement was signed by DAE Secretary and Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission, Sekhar Basu and CERN DG Dr. Fabiola Gianotti
• In 2015, the Union Cabinet approved the proposal for India officially entering the Geneva based body following which the CERN Council accepted India has an associate member
• India has observer status till Sept 2016 when CERN Council adopted the resolution upgrading its position
• Three major activities in the lab- acceleration, detection and computing are areas where Indian scientists excel
• An associate membership of CERN will enhance participation of young scientists and engineers in various CERN projects
• Indian industries will also participate directly in CERN projects; industries can now bag contracts for specified requirement of CERN
• After becoming an associate member, India also contributes certain money for research activities
• Annual contribution of 11.5m Swiss Franc from Indian government to CERN involves the associate membership
• Membership comes at a time when criticism within the scientific community over the delay in India accepting the membership
• Pakistan was an associate member since 2014
• The organisation is the world’s largest nuclear and particle physics lab where scientists and engineers have probed the fundamental structure of the Universe using sophisticated scientific instruments and advanced computing systems
• CERN currently has 22 member states, 4 associate member states and observer status is given to 4 states and 3 International organisations

ANSWER: Protons collided at the record breaking energy of 13 TeV

Explanation:
Scientists at Cern in Switzerland achieved test collisions between protons - the ‘hearts’ of atoms - at 13 tera-electron volts (TeV) for the first time.