Helmut Braun
Big PIG, Supervisor, Friend
& Colleague!!!
Chris Bee – CPPM & CERN
Big PIG
 In NA9 EMC – Helmut was the “BIG PIG”
 The undisputed leader and visionary of the PIG
(Particle Identification Group)
 The system comprised:
 3 Threshold Gas Cerenkov counters: C0 (neo(neo-pentane),
C1(nitrogen) & C2 (neon)
 1 Aerogel Cerenkov: CA
 1 Time of Flight system: TF
 Helmut was in particular the architect, installer,
commissioner and physical defender (see later) of C0
A student on NA9
 I came to CERN first as a Lancaster Graduate student in 1980
 Joined the PIG group working on the nitrogen Cerenkov C1
 In agreement with my boss, Terry Sloan, Helmut became my
effective supervisor at CERN, and I worked closely together with
his Wuppertal students Manfred & Heiner
 Other notable PIGS: Ian Bird,
Bird, Guy Coignet
Coignet,, John Coughlan, ,
Joerg Gayler
Gayler,, Philippe Heusse
Heusse,, Francois Montanet
Montanet,, Mark
Schneegans,, Sarah Wheeler
Schneegans
 I learnt a lot – and fast – I had no choice! Helmut lived and
worked at 100km/h!!
 He gave his graduate students patience, unfailing support &
encouragement as well as being an exceptional teacher
 His infectious laugh was inspiring – and useful to warn young
students in advance when he was approaching your office!!!
Braun vs. Osborne
 A wellwell-remembered incident when I was on EMC
 C0 – filled with “deadly” neoneo-pentane was a
permanent safely worry in particular in the event of
fire
 2 gas exhaust emptying systems were installed
 A slow one: few minutes - no damage used for
planned gas extraction
 A fast one: about a minute but some internal damage
unavoidable to C0 –for emergencies
Braun vs. Osborne
 I was on night shift with shift leader Tony Osborne
 EMC s/w
s/w chief (together with Gottfried Kellner
Kellner)) & latterly
of IT
 Helmut was the onon-call PIG
 The fire alarm went off, Tony called Helmut who arrived
rapidly
 Tony (not known for his mild disposition…) was
desperate to hit the C0 „red” button to action the
emergency emptying
 Helmut was desperate not to have “his” C0 destroyed
Braun vs. Osborne
 A pitch battle ensued in the counting room with YT
observing - Helmut prevailed & saved C0
 The Pompiers arrived to declare a false alarm
 Tony announced: “I was wrong, I was wrong.
Helmut, you‟re a f****** hero”!!!
A Good Friend & Colleague
 Helmut was always full of life, jokes, smiles & good
humour
 He was always keen to instigate trips to
 Café Abbe (for a fondue)
 Café de l‟Aviation (for a Super Caravelle – or in latter
times an A380.!!!)
 Some downtown bar
 What counted for him most was enjoying good
company and good humour
A Good Friend & Colleague
 It was a pleasure and an honour to have studied
under, worked with, and enjoyed the great
friendship of Helmut
 He was an exceptional man & an exceptional
physicist
 I have received many messages from exex-colleagues
from EMC days expressing similar sentiments
 He is sorely missed by physics, ATLAS & all his
colleagues & friends but his resonant laugh will
always echo around the corridors of B40!!!
Helmut Braun
A Thinking Man
A Social Man
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