What Would Happen if LHC Beam Impinged On Someone/Something?

[entropydave]

Hello everyone,
Ummm... question that I was asked by one of my children which i just cannot answer...
With the LHC running with a beam of highly accelerated protons whizzing around... what would be the effect if they were able to impinge on someone (or something).
Seeing as they are moving so close to the speed of light, there must be considerable energy in them thar beams... would it punch a hole? Burn? Or simply largely pass right through?


sorry for naive question!

thanks

 

[Cleonis]

With the LHC running with a beam of highly accelerated protons whizzing around... what would be the effect if they were able to impinge on someone (or something).

The russion researcher Anatoly Bugorski had an accident during which a proton beam went through his head. Miraculously, he survived. His personality and mental abilities remained intact. Due to nerve damage part of his face is paralyzed.

In an article about Sovjet nuclear research in general Anatoly Bugorski's case is recounted, and Bugorski is quoted, telling about his accident and how he is doing.
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/5.12/science.html"

 

[entropydave]

The russion researcher Anatoly Bugorski had an accident during which a proton beam went through his head. Miraculously, he survived. His personality and mental abilities remained intact. Due to nerve damage part of his face is paralyzed.

In an article about Sovjet nuclear research in general Anatoly Bugorski's case is recounted, and Bugorski is quoted, telling about his accident and how he is doing.
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/5.12/science.html"

That is seriously grievous! Poor guy. Thanks for the link

 

[Vanadium 50]

The beam is interlocked and in vacuum, so there's no way to get at the beam. However, the stored energy is many megajoules, which would be deposited in whatever stopped it. One megajoule is roughly the energy in a stick of dynamite.