SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Research laboratory in Menlo Park, California
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is a research center near Menlo Park, California, that occupies a sprawling site between the hills of the San Francisco Bay area. The linear accelerator runs underground for several kilometers, connecting different experiment halls where equipment for particle physics and photon research stands.
Stanford University founded the laboratory in 1962 as the first facility of its kind for high-energy particle physics in the United States. Over the decades, several fundamental discoveries were made here that expanded understanding of atomic structure.
The name is an acronym for Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, the original designation that remains in common use. Researchers from around the world visit the facility to work together on projects that contribute to international exchange in physics.
Visitors need to register in advance for guided tours that take them through outdoor areas and some accessible research zones. The visit requires closed-toe shoes and can last several hours depending on the selected route.
The accelerator's underground tunnel is so straight that small correction magnets along its length must compensate for the curvature of the Earth. On clear days, visitors can see the San Francisco Bay coastline from the grounds, even though most of the research work happens deep below the surface.
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