German electron synchrotron

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The German electron synchrotron DESY (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron) in Hamburg is a centre for research into the structure of matter. DESY offers a powerful high-energy accelerator, the hadron electron ring facility HERA (Hadron-Elektron-Ring-Anlage) The underground HERA tunnel has a circumference of 6,336 metres and accommodates two superimposed storage rings. At two points, the particles accelerated to high energies are directed towards each other. During these collisions, new particles are generated allowing statements on the structure of matter. DESY uses the double ring storage DORIS and the accelerator PETRA (Positron-Elektron-Tandem-Ring-Anlage) as intense synchrotron radiation sources for a broad spectrum of tests with electromagnetic radiation. The experiments are co-ordinated, prepared and carried out by the synchrotron radiation laboratory in Hamburg HASYLAB (Hamburger Synchrotronstrahlungslabor). With international co-operation, DESY is planning the future project TESLA, a 33 kilometre long supraconducting electron-positron linear collider. 3,400 scientists from 35 nations are involved in the DESY experiments.