council & community news

instruments, including the the heads up lander, have been checked and the team, which also includes performed as expected. UK researchers from the University scientists are involved in three of Leicester and the Mullard of the seven instruments on the Space Science Laboratory. The mission’s orbiter component. Open University is also • The Mullard Space Science responsible for a key instrument Laboratory and Rutherford – the gas analysis package. Appleton Laboratory are involved with ASPERA, the Mars Exploration energetic neutral atoms Rovers follow analyser, which will look at has now been how the solar wind erodes joined by two NASA Mars the Martian . Exploration Rovers launched on • University Colleges London 10 June and 7 July. This mission and the Open University are seeks to determine the history involved with HRSC, the of climate and water at two high-resolution stereo colour sites on Mars where conditions Mars Express may have once been favourable to life. Once on Mars, each heads for the red planet rover will navigate itself around obstacles as it drives across the he European Space undergo a delicate but crucial imager, which will image the martian surface. TAgency’s Mars Express operation – releasing the launch entire planet in colour. space probe (Frontiers 16, p.19) clamps fixing the Mars lander, • University College London, Mars Rover was launched aboard a Soyuz to the spacecraft Queen Mary University of rocket from the Baikonur during the launch so that it was London and the University of Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on not affected by the launch are involved with 2 June. The probe deployed its vibrations. The release was a key MARSIS, the subsurface solar panels successfully and step, necessary so that Beagle 2 sounding /altimeter, performed manoeuvres to put it can be ejected when the which will search for water in a trajectory that will take it to spacecraft arrives at Mars. beneath the surface of Mars. Mars by late December. The spacecraft is now well on The UK leads the Beagle 2 The spacecraft also had to its way to Mars. The various lander project. Colin Pillinger of

Birthday New Council members executive chairman of the nneila Sargent and George National Research Council. She Serco Group. Through Honours AGray have been appointed will provide an international Serco, he has many years of wo PPARC-supported to the PPARC Council, replacing perspective to PPARC Council. experience of working with the Tscientists were recognised Ian Ritchie and Andy Lawrence. Dr Gray has been appointed and in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Professor Sargent has been for 2 years. He was chairman the European Southern Honours List. Brian Foster appointed for four years. She is of NPL Management Ltd (the Observatory, and more (right), who is a member of Professor of Astronomy at the operating company for the recently with CERN. He is the PPARC Council, received California Institute of National Physical Laboratory) currently a member of the an OBE for services to particle Technology (Caltech), director from 1995 to 2002, and was Cabinet Office Security Vetting research, while Colin of the Owens Valley Radio also chairman of Regus plc and Appeals Panel. Pillinger (left) was awarded a Observatory and director of CBE for services to the Caltech/JPL Interferometry higher education Science Centre. She has been and to science. President of the American Astronomical Society and chaired NASA’s Space Science 25 Advisory Committee as well as serving on many advisory George committees to the National Anneila Sargent Gray Science Foundation and the Norman Seeff community news

he new extension to the The Science Minister Lord Sainsbury UK’s unique underground T is briefed by dark matter researcher facility to detect dark matter in Neil Spooner (left) and Bob Boucher the Universe, situated in the (Sheffield Vice-Chancellor) Boulby salt mine in Yorkshire, was officially opened by Lord interacting massive particles – Sainsbury at the end of April. which may account for the The Science Minister gamely observed anomalous motions donned the requisite luminous of stars and galaxies in orange miner’s overalls and terms of the extra gravity cumbersome safety gear before supplied by the WIMPs’ descending the 1100 metres to invisible mass (Frontiers 12, look around the refurbished p.5, 13, p.21). laboratory. The laboratory has been upgraded with a £3.1 million grant from the New laboratory Department of Trade and Industry’s Joint Infrastructure facilities opened at Boulby Fund (JIF) which has also funded a new service building The sensitive equipment, with a hot, sticky fog of salt Sheffield and Edinburgh, on the surface. The new area which is designed to detect (potash) particles that prickle Rutherford Appleton will eventually house more signals from elusive subatomic the face. The mine actually Laboratory, and Imperial sensitive versions of the particles which could make up stretches for 5 kilometres under College London, as well as experiments, and possibly other most of the Universe’s mass is the North Sea. international participants) projects that would benefit housed in a specially designed In striking contrast, the regularly check the operation from a subterranean location area at the bottom of the laboratories themselves are and the data coming from the that protects them from cosmic working mine. Before reaching clean, bright areas with good three world-leading dark matter rays and other background the laboratory, you have to pass ventilation. Here, members of experiments – NAIAD, ZEPLIN 1 radiation. along a series of rather the UK Dark Matter and DRIFT. These are trying to Nina Hall intimidating dark tunnels filled Collaboration (Universities of detect WIMPs – weakly Royal re-birth for the

rince Charles visited Jodrell The Prince of Wales was operational life of only 10 PBank Observatory at the end shown the new telescope years. “The fact that it is of April to commemorate the control and observing rooms, still in constant use, and ‘re-birth’ of the Lovell Telescope and was told about the work of now better than at any following its major upgrade the Observatory by its Director, time in its history, is a funded by the Joint , and Peter truly magnificent Infrastructure Fund (JIF) and Wilkinson and Philip Diamond. achievement!,” he said. administered by PPARC. He also met teachers and Having seen the The £2.5 million upgrade saw students from the Catholic telescope at close the total replacement of the High School in Chester who quarters, Prince Charles surface and the installation of a were making observations with took part in the opening new, high-precision, drive one of the smaller telescopes. ceremony. He was system. Together, they will The Observatory has helped welcomed by Manchester allow it to operate over a the school in its successful University’s Chancellor,

four-times greater range of bid to become a specialist Anna Ford, and made an Prince Charles at Jodrell Bank with Director frequencies so enabling Science College. in-depth speech in reply to Andrew Lyne (right) and Sir exciting new science to be A highlight of his visit was that by the Vice-Chancellor carried out. It will also be able meeting Sir Bernard Lovell, who Sir Martin Harris. Following his relayed over the public address to play a significantly greater inspired the building of the unveiling of a commemorative system to signal the end of 26 role in the 217-kilometre telescope some 50 years ago. plaque, his final act was to what had been a great event in MERLIN array and the European He told the Prince that when initiate a move of the telescope the life of the Observatory. VLBI (Very Large Baseline completed in 1957 it had been to the B0329+54 whose Ian Morison Interferometer) network. expected to have an 0.7 second-period pulses were E-mail: [email protected] Philip Williams 1939 – 2003

he solar-terrestrial physics Tcommunity was saddened Gemini Observatory/GMOS-S Commissioning Team Hubble Heritage Team/STScI/AURA/NASA to learn of the sudden death in The galaxy group HCG87 imaged with GMOS-S (left) compared with a similar image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope Cardiff of Professor Phil Williams at the age of 64. Images from new After an early scientific career constellation Capricornus. in radioastronomy, Phil Williams Gemini spectrograph Further upgrades to GMOS- was appointed to the staff of the South are planned including an University of Wales, Aberystwyth rival view from space Integral Field Unit (IFU), as for in 1967. He quickly became emini’s second multi- During commissioning, the GMOS-North, and they will interested in incoherent scatter Gobject spectrograph, new imaging spectrograph, begin commissioning in early radar, being involved in early GMOS-South, capable of without the help of adaptive 2004 (Frontiers 14, p.7). Built by work on developing the obtaining hundreds of spectra optics, captured images of the University of Durham, it technique. He made significant in one ‘snapshot,’ has just astronomical objects, which are uses more than 1000 optical contributions to solar-terrestrial finished undergoing among the sharpest ever taken fibres, tipped at each end with physics, and played key roles in commissioning on the 8-metre from the ground. The image microscopic lenses, to dissect an establishing and directing the Gemini South Telescope at reveals remarkable details, object under study. This gives EISCAT project (see p.16). Cerro Pachón, Chile. The twin previously seen only with the GMOS a 3-D view of the target, Phil spent several years in telescopes, Gemini North on Hubble Space Telescope, of the in which each pixel in the image Scandinavia on secondment as Hawaii and Gemini South, now Hickson Compact Group 87 is replaced by a spectrum. This Assistant Director of the EISCAT have identical general-purpose (HCG87). This is a diverse innovation allows GMOS-South Scientific Association and optical instruments, both group of galaxies located to make detailed maps of, for pioneered the use of the facility constructed by a UK-Canadian about 400 million light years example, the motion of stars to study the solar wind. collaboration (Frontiers 12, p.4). away in the direction of the and gas in galaxies. Phil also had a long interest in Welsh politics, playing an influential role in the leadership First light for the group of Plaid Cymru for several decades. He was elected to the Liverpool Telescope first National Assembly of Wales in 1999, and as a member for South-East Wales he quickly The Dumbbell Nebula made his mark, being named (M76) – one the first Welsh Politician of the Year in images obtained by the Liverpool 2000. He chose not to seek Telescope (inset) re-election last month and had been planning to take up a more active involvement in he Liverpool Telescope, the to requests for observations and designed, constructed and scientific research. The solar- Tworld’s largest fully robotic data, putting the UK at the commissioned by Telescope terrestrial physics community telescope, is ready for scientific forefront of studying transient Technologies Ltd, a subsidiary will miss Phil’s outgoing operations, following the formal phenomena such as supernovae company of JMU. enthusiasm and will wish to signing of agreements in May and gamma-ray bursts. Forty per cent of observing extend sympathy to his wife to site and operate it on La The PPARC-supported time will be available to UK Ann and their two children Palma at the IAC. It took its first telescope is owned by the astronomers, with a further and families. 27 images in August. Astrophysics Research Institute 5 per cent going to schools. Sue Horne The 2-metre optical telescope (ARI) of Liverpool John Moores Michael Bode E-mail: [email protected] will be able to respond rapidly University (JMU), and was E-mail: [email protected] community news

INTERNATIONAL

Expanding international collaboration at

the La Palma Observatory programmes and projects. With this new agreement, Spain and growing number of gains nearly 10 per cent of the telescopes, combining the available telescope time at ING. efforts of many European In return, the financial countries. Most notably, under contribution from the IAC current construction are the offsets cost savings required 17-metre MAGIC telescope from the UK side. Moreover, the which is designed to detect IAC is constructing a world-class so-called Cherenkov light from infrared spectrograph for the Representatives of PPARC, IAC and the NWO sign a new agreement for the ING cosmic radiation, and the William Herschel Telescope he Isaac Newton Group of partner enterprise when the 10.4-metre GRANTECAN, which will be offered to all its Ttelescopes (ING) is a PPARC Astrophysics Institute of the which upon completion will be users, thus enhancing the organisation responsible for Canary Islands (IAC) joined the the largest common-user optical telescope’s scientific capability. running three telescopes on the international effort. On 6 May, and infrared telescope in the With this agreement, ING has island of La Palma in Spain, the the new agreement was signed world. Spain, and specifically found a new balance with its largest of which is the 4.2-metre in the IAC on Tenerife by the IAC, are taking a leading three partners that will bring William Herschel Telescope. Francisco Sanchez for the IAC, role in the latter project. scientific benefits for all Until now, ING has been a joint Richard Wade for PPARC, and Our new tripartite astronomers as well as new effort between the UK and the Annejet Meijler for the NWO. relationship between the UK, opportunities for collaborations Dutch national science funding The IAC is responsible for the The Netherlands and Spain with our Spanish colleagues. agency NWO. However, last operation of the Observatory holds the prospect of future Rene Rutten spring, the ING became a three- site, which now hosts a large collaborations in scientific E-mail: [email protected]

for dropping the Lander News from ESA onto it gently. Also under discussion are the precise y now, I hope, scientists and Darmstadt tested many possible routing and timeline to Bengineers of the Rosetta scenarios, with various comets. interception, with regard to mission have learned to spell Although Comet Churyumov- opportunities for inspecting Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Gerasimenko soon emerged as Main Belt asteroids on the way. That’s the name of our new a promising candidate, not target comet, announced at the much was known about it. Rosetta launch-date

end of May. When misgivings Following its discovery in 1969, The baseline itinerary now calls Rolando Ligustri/CAST 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko about the Ariane 5 launcher by Klim Churyumov and for a launch in February 2004, forced the cancellation of the Svetlana Gerasimenko working followed by swingbys of Earth As for the Ariane 5 launcher, intended January 2003 launch at Alma Ata in Kazakhstan, it and Mars, and Rosetta closing we are satisfied with the towards Comet Wirtanen, an attracted little attention. with the comet in November reliability of the version urgent re-think followed. Happily, we were able to 2014. The mission nominally intended for Rosetta. The Comets don’t stand still while arrange for fresh inspections of finishes about 5 months after reason for the failure of a more you hesitate. the comet by the Hubble Space Churyumov-Gerasimenko powerful version, in December Our comet-chaser Rosetta Telescope and the European makes its closest approach to the 2002, is now understood and was conceived to use a series of Southern Observatory’s Very in August 2015. Altogether, being rectified. We hope that planetary swingbys to put itself Large Telescope in Chile, before the postponement adds more during next year it will be flying into the same course around confirming the choice of target. than 2 years to what was already successfully. In principle it could the Sun as a selected short- With an elongated nucleus a long-drawn-out project, and send Rosetta to Churyumov- period comet. It can then go about 5 kilometres long and increases the number of team Gerasimenko by the same into orbit around the comet for 3 kilometres wide, Churyumov- members who will be past their rendezvous date, with a later 28 many months, and drop a Gerasimenko is more massive retirement ages before the end launch, but we are minded to lander on the surface. Our than Wirtanen. We have to of it. That is not a trivial stay with the version we know. colleagues at the European reconsider our manoeuvres near problem for the participating John Ellwood Space Operations Centre in the comet and the procedure universities and institutes. E-mail: [email protected] News from CERN official inauguration of the underground cavern for the n 10-12 December 2003, tomorrow. Parallel sessions will laboratory’s ATLAS experiment. Othe first phase of the examine science’s future As the first new experimental World Summit on the contributions to information cavern to be handed over to Information Society (WSIS) will and communication issues in CERN by civil engineering take place in Geneva. The aim the areas of education, contractors for the Laboratory’s is to bring together key healthcare, environmental next generation of experiments, stakeholders to discuss how stewardship, economic this represents an important best to use new information development and enabling milestone. technologies, such as the technologies. RSIS provides a During the ceremony, Internet, for the benefit of meeting place for scientists, President Couchepin all. The International policy-makers and stakeholders announced an early 50th Telecommunications Union to share and form their vision of birthday present from the under the patronage of UN the developing information Swiss Confederation to CERN. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is society. Its conclusions will be Switzerland has decided to offer organising WSIS. The second discussed at a ministerial round the Laboratory the ‘Palais de phase will take place in Tunis table on science hosted by l’Equilibre’, a landmark building in 2005. UNESCO at the Summit itself. designed by Geneva architects The RSIS conference is on 8-9 for Switzerland’s 2002 national December. Participation will be exhibition. The building will be by invitation and is limited to transformed into an exhibition around 400. However, anyone and networking centre. who feels they have something James Gillies Pascal Couchepin The information society was to contribute can do so via a E-mail: james [email protected] made possible by scientific series of online forums Palais de l’Equilibre advances, and many of its accessible through the enabling technologies were conference website: developed to further science. http://cern.ch/rsis The World Wide Web, for example, was invented at CERN Fiftieth anniversary to enable scientists from Fifty years ago, at the sixth different countries to work meeting of the CERN Council together. For these reasons, on 29 June to 1 July 1953, science has a vital role to play at representatives of the 12 WSIS. Four of the world’s founding Member States signed leading scientific organisations, the Organisation’s convention, CERN, the International Council paving the way for the for Science (ICSU), the Third establishment of the world’s World Academy of Science leading fundamental physics (TWAS), and UNESCO have research institution. Today, teamed up to organise a major CERN numbers 20 European CERN in Guinness conference on the Role of Member States, with several Book of Records for Science in the Information countries from beyond the Society (RSIS) as a side event to European region participating data-transfer speed the Summit. The conference in the Laboratory’s world-class will take advantage of CERN’s research programme. CERN CERN shares a new entry in the Guinness Book of Records with location close to Geneva to play officially came into existence on the California Institite of Technology, the Los Alamos National a full role. 29 September 1954, when the Laboratory and the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center for a Through an examination of convention was ratified. Fiftieth new Internet2 land-speed record set using the current how science provides the basis Anniversary celebrations will standard Internet Protocol IPv4. The team achieved a sustained for today’s information society, kick off in March next year, with rate of 2.38 gigabits per second for more than an hour and of the continuing role for the launch of a commemorative between CERN and California.The same team has since set science, the conference will stamp in Switzerland. another new record, this time with the next-generation 29 provide a model for the Pascal Couchepin, President Internet Protocol IPv6. They achieved 983 megabits per technological underpinning of of the Swiss Confederation, second for more than 1 hour between CERN and Chicago, the information society of visited CERN on 4 June for the equivalent to transferring a full CD every 5.6 seconds. community news

INDUSTRY News from ESO PPARC KITE Images of the star Club launched HIC 59206 before (left) and after the esearchers, industrialists and and provide a focal point for MACAO system was switched on – R government representatives PPARC-funded researchers, which resolved it met in May for the launch industry, government into a binary system of PPARC’s Knowledge, departments and other research Innovation, Technology and sector organisations. ow that the UK has joined across industry to ESO and Enterprise Club – the PPARC The morning session clearly Nthe European Southern ALMA, let them know about KITE Club – at the Queen highlighted the common vision Observatory (ESO), UK industry, forthcoming contracts and Elizabeth II Conference Centre between PPARC, HEFCE (Higher as well as astronomers, procurement procedures, and in London. Education Funding Council for are set to benefit from new meet key project personnel. The KITE Club aims to bring a England) and the DTI opportunities. In particular, UK Ian Stagg, PPARCs Industrial single identity to all of PPARC’s (Department for Trade and companies can compete for Liaison Officer anticipates a technology development, Industry). Delegates heard an contracts related to the trade mission to ESO this and business and partnership introduction to PPARC’s construction of the Atacama autumn. (Further information activities, providing various knowledge-transfer strategy Large Millimetre Array (ALMA), can be obtained from Ian, tel: opportunities to network, from the Chief Executive Ian which will be the world’s 01208 851581; e-mail: identify new partnerships, Halliday, then David Hendon, largest telescope – a network [email protected].) share best practice and explore Director Communications and of 64, 12-metre telescopes in In the meantime, the HARPS enterprise. The Club will bring Information Industries, at the the Chilean desert. Contracts spectrograph (High Accuracy greater coherence and visibility DTI, gave the welcome address. cover, for example, adaptive Radial velocity Planet Searcher) for PPARC’s technology and Peter Fletcher followed optics, radiofrequency was successfully installed on knowledge-transfer programme, describing the essence of the systems, electrical and the 3.6-metre telescope at the PPARC KITE Club while John communications, software and ESO La Silla Observatory this Sutton of the Small Business computer technology, spring. It is optimised to detect Service gave an update on DTI cryogenics and engineering. by measuring innovation and business There is also the possibility of accurate (radial) velocity participating in construction – measurements with an the largest contracts will be for unequalled precision of Starting up in business the antennas. 1 metre per second. Companies will also be able A new adaptive optics with PPARC technology to bid for work on existing facility, Multi Application telescope instruments and Curvature Adaptive Optics ith all the talk of several questions should be infrastructure, and further (MACAO), also achieved first Wstock-market slumps answered: opportunities will eventually light at KUEYEN, one of the and difficult trading conditions, * Is there a global, growing become available for the next four 8.2-metre VLT Unit it’s hard to remember that we market for the product? generation of large, ground- Telescopes at the Paranal now have the best conditions for * Is the product or service a based optical telescopes, Observatory (Chile). A similar starting companies based upon compelling purchase when for example, the 100-metre system will be installed at each technology developed in the compared with competitors? Over-Whelmingly Large of the other three VLT course of scientific research. * Should the idea be developed Telescope (OWL). telescopes. MACAO will allow More Government initiatives as a manufacturing company, PPARC and ESO organised a the VLT telescopes to see are in place than ever before, a licence or a partnership? seminar this summer to celestial objects, 100 times and venture-finance providers * Is there strong, protected introduce representatives from fainter than now. are starting to seek new intellectual property? opportunities. Whilst our core * Does the inventor have the activity is scientific research, ambition to build a business PPARC encourages the formation and the ability to form a of spinout companies that create strong management team? value for the UK economy. Of course, many researchers Several such companies have would rather develop the idea, 30 been established over the past with other managers running the few years and more are in the business, and return to further process of formation. academic research. This model is Before starting a new business, now well recognised by

The MACAO system support activities, and finally, Adrian Hill provided information on the Higher Education Innovation Fund. Overall, this session demonstrated that PPARC is in the mainstream of the national knowledge-transfer about KITE Club membership agenda and that the KITE Club and a registration form, are is the correct vehicle to keep available on the KITE Club us there. web pages www.pparc.ac. Delegates were able to uk/In/Lettr/KITE.asp network and share information This is your club! So if you have as well as view the many posters any comments, in particular any and exhibits during lunch. Many suggestions for future activities business cards were exchanged or events, please contact and ideas discussed, and we Susan Lansdowne, PPARC hope to see new partnerships Business and Partnership develop as a result. The Schemes Manager, e-mail: afternoon session provided a [email protected] deeper insight into PPARC or tel: 01793 442056. business and partnership funding opportunities. A series of case studies presented by award holders highlighted Seminar on how to form a spinout company schemes such as PIPSS, Faraday Partnerships and Enterprise n July, the PPARC KITE Club coordinator, discussed whether personal account of his business Fellowships. Iheld a seminar in which setting up a spinout company experience and the importance A full programme including experts provided invaluable or licensing was the best route of negotiation. links to the Powerpoint advice on the dos and don’ts of to exploiting ideas, and the This kind of excellent advice presentations, plus details setting up a spinout company importance of protecting is now available via such KITE to commercialise technology intellectual property, while club initiatives and contacts, so ideas. Speakers included Ian Nathan Hill explained about the make good use of them! Ritchie, a non-executive vital role of marketing and director of Scottish Enterprise putting together a team universities and venture-finance and a former PPARC Council with broad commercial providers, who can help in the member, and finance expert expertise. Terry Swainbank search for managers to work Grant Hawthorne, who of the Rainbow Seed Fund alongside the inventors. explained how to attract and Andrew Wettern of So what of Government investors’ attention with the UCL Ventures described support? PPARC is running right business plan, and the how funds available to seminars on commercialising difference between venture researchers operated, and technology at CERN and two capitalists and ‘angel’ investors. ex-radioastronomer, now 1-day practical spinout John Attard, the PPARC industry entrepreneur, Anthony formation seminars in London and CERN technology-transfer Winter gave a fascinating Speakers Ian Ritchie (left) and John Attard at the spinout seminar and Edinburgh. Researchers in the UK universities have access to substantial seed funds for In any new venture, it is are also available from PPARC, spinout company are also market assessment and important to develop a business offering a year’s salary and available from university prototype development through plan. This may seem an business-school training. technology-transfer offices. the University Challenge funds. intimidating proposition, but The PPARC Industry Please contact Nathan Hill, Staff of CERN, CCLRC and help in this area is also available. Coordinator team has PPARC Industry Coordinator, UKATC may now access the The Research Councils operate considerable experience in the e-mail: [email protected]; tel: £4-million Rainbow Seed Fund, a Business Plan Competition, development of new businesses, 01223 422405, for confidential in which PPARC is an associate which incorporates training, and can provide assistance, support. For information on the member. PPARC industry funds and students are encouraged help in finding partners and Rainbow Seed Fund, visit: 31 such as PIPSS may also be to attend a week-long signposting to other resources. www.rainbowseedfund.com and applied to technology entrepreneurial skills training Advice and support for those for other support from PPARC visit: development for spinouts. course. Enterprise Fellowships considering the formation of a www.pparc.ac.uk/In/intro.asp community news

EDUCATION

UK businesses Academy for gifted children

benefit from CERN PPARC officials visited Deborah Eyre, director of the new National technology Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth in June hilst CERN is best commercialisation seminars Wknown for its pursuit of for CERN staff and visitors. he Academy is targeting with the Faulkes and Liverpool fundamental knowledge These have so far focused Tgifted children, as there is Telescopes for schools, joint about the building blocks of on evaluating the potential less provision for them than for work with the ‘Excellence in the Universe, there are many of technology, business talented youth (for example, in Cities’ programme for inner-city examples of its technologies partnerships and the music). It runs summer schools schools, ‘space schools’, and becoming commercially formation of spinout and shorter outreach events, collaboration with the Pupil useful. CERN technologies are companies. and is very interested in adding Researcher Initiative. PPARC of value to industry because • We have received the first programmes in ‘big science’. publications will be offered free particle physics experiments PIPSS applications with Young people – roughly the top to Academy members. We will demand ever-higher levels of CERN as the academic 5 per cent – can be nominated be glad to put Academy staff in technical performance. Current partner, and involving to become Academy members touch with interested areas of interest include: UK companies. by their school, parents, or by researchers. • Non-evaporable getters for • Three technology surveys themselves. The current age “We aim to engage some of improving the pumping in the field of information range is 11-16, with 16-19 the UK’s best young minds with speed of vacuum systems; technology (these are year-olds being added next the big sciences, both for the • High-speed imaging available for download from year, and primary school renewal of the PPARC research cameras for optical testing the PPARC website). youngsters after that. An issue community and for wider and inspection; • Two industry briefings – is that very bright youngsters recruitment into UK science and • ChemicalVia – a new one on vacuum technology like continuous intellectual engineering,” said Robin Clegg, method to make high- and the other on e-business challenge, and can drop out head of PPARC’s Science and density microvias on software available from of subjects like science. Society programme. printed circuit boards with CERN. Projects discussed with The Academy’s website is at reduced requirement for • Several companies have Professor Eyre included www.warwick.ac.uk/gifted capital equipment; visited CERN in order to masterclasses at CERN, the For further information contact • OpenLab – an open be briefed on specific Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Robin Clegg, e-mail: industrial collaboration, technologies. and Jodrell Bank, collaboration [email protected] giving companies access to • Support for a CERN spinout the development of new- company. generation data ‘Grids’ for As a result of this activity, high-volume data the number of companies management. dealing with CERN as a source The appointment of a UK of technology is increasing Technology Transfer every month. Coordinator for CERN in To find out more about working September 2002 was enabled with CERN, please visit the with the support of a grant PPARC Industry website at from the UK’s Office of www.pparc.ac.uk/In/cerntt.asp, Science and Technology. Since the CERN technology database then, we have seen the at www.cern.ch/ttdb, or contact following highlights: Nathan Hill, e-mail: • We have started a series [email protected] of technology tel: 01223 422405.

The large spiral galaxy Messier 81 in the constellation Ursa Major (the Great Bear) in which school students are hunting for the tell-tale signs of novae. The image is 32 a composite of three separate images in different colours taken specifically for this project with the telescopes of the Isaac Newton Group, La Palma Bristol particle physicists offer portable cosmic-ray detector Physics on Stage 3

he University of viewed directly by eye he third European festival event’s success is the coming T Bristol Particle under low-level room light Tof physics teaching will together of 300 physics Physics Group now has conditions or via video take place at ESTEC, the teachers from 22 countries a portable cosmic-ray imaging with a CCD research centre of the and the resulting exchange of detector which camera. It reveals the European Space Agency in ideas and approaches to researchers are presence of cosmic-ray the Netherlands, during the teaching. Some of these ideas welcome to borrow muons and electrons; it European Science Week, 8-15 have been showcased in the for giving talks and can also be used to view November 2003. It is UK at the ASE annual meeting demonstrations to particles produced by a organised by EIROforum, a and at other events for schools and public radioactive source. consortium of seven of teachers. events. The device is a hand- The detector was purchased Europe’s major international There will be 30 delegates held particle-tracking detector in part by a PPARC PUS Small research organisations. from the UK at the event and, based on scintillating-glass, Award. There is a small fund The theme of this year’s at the time of writing, they fibre-optic plate technology. It available for travel, so please event is ‘Physics and life’, are being chosen from the list is housed in a light-tight box contact me if you would like to emphasising the increasing of applications received. The and is powered by a 9-volt make use of it. links between physics and the UK National Steering battery. The output screen of Kate Mackay, e-mail: life sciences. In a year which Committee represents the image intensifier can be [email protected] sees the anniversary of the teachers’ organisations, unravelling of the DNA professional bodies and SPEAKERS FOR SCHOOLS molecule by physicists Francis research councils (including Bristol particle physicists are also willing to give talks to schools: Crick and James Watson, it is PPARC which is providing Helen Heath ([email protected]) appropriate to use these links support for the Committee). Small is beautiful: a look at size from us to the proton in the classroom to motivate For more information about Probing the proton: the ZEUS experiment at HERA and enthuse students. As in the event, please contact the The basic building blocks of matter and how they were discovered previous years, Physics on UK coordinator, Kerry Parker Hunting the Higgs: the Large Hadron Collider at CERN Stage will feature an exciting (e-mail: [email protected]). Vincent Smith ([email protected]) range of demonstrations, Andrew Morrison, e-mail: Quarks and leptons: the Standard Model of Elementary Particle Physics presentations and a fair in [email protected] Relativity and the twin paradox which teachers from across Wave particle duality: is the electron there when you are not looking? Europe can display and share Matter and antimatter their work. In many ways, Kate Mackay ([email protected]) however, the key to the Cosmic-ray studies

School students discover new exploding stars

upils recently got a chance runaway thermonuclear Royal Institution, the 400 school light years) agreed very Pto carry out some real explosions on the surface of students from 100 schools favourably with estimates made astronomy, working with staff white dwarfs as it sucks material across the UK were told that by totally different methods. of the National Schools’ from a companion star. A nova they had discovered four The project will continue with Observatory (a PPARC-funded is up to 100,000 times more previously unknown novae in observations from the newly project) and using data luminous than the Sun. In our M81. In addition, using these commissioned Liverpool gathered specifically for them own Milky Way, about three observations combined with Telescope (see p.27). by astronomers using the Isaac novae of this type are observations of novae in M31 Further information can be Newton and Jacobus Kapteyn discovered every year. We think (gathered as part of PPARC obtained from: Andrew Newsam, telescopes on La Palma in the there are many more, but these research student Matt Darnley’s National Schools’ Observatory Canary Islands. go undiscovered partly because PhD work at Liverpool John (e-mail: [email protected]; The aim of the project, called dust clouds in the disc of our Moores University), we tel: 0151 231 2905) and ‘Excitement of Science’, was to Galaxy obscure our view. determined the distance to Michael Bode, Liverpool John 33 discover exploding stars – Observing other galaxies can M81 ‘live’ with the students. Moores University (e-mail: novae – in the galaxy Messier reveal many more novae. The value derived (3.6 [email protected]; 81. Novae are caused by At an event in June at the megaparsecs, or 11.7 million tel: 0151 231 2920 community news

SCIENCE AND SOCIETY DIARY

8-12 September British Association Festival of Taking their science to Parliament Science, Salford (University College London), 11 September The PPARC-funded Sara-Madge Wynn (University Opening of Liverpool Semi- researchers who conductor Centre took part (in front of Liverpool) and Sarah Dunkin of the Houses of (Rutherford Appleton 16 September Parliament). Left to Laboratory and University Space Science Workshop, right: Sarah Institute of Physics, London Dunkin, Jon College London). Couchman, The researchers said they 22 September Angela Wyatt, enjoyed the experience: Galileo Spacecraft will be crashed Glen White and “It was interesting having to into Jupiter Sara-Madge Wynn explain my research to a non-

4-10 October Frank Dumbleton specialist public audience for World Space Week n March, young scientists present posters, meet their local the first time,” said Glen White. 10 October Isupported by PPARC got a MPs and network with a wider We hope that more Closing date, PPARC Small chance to present their research scientific community. researchers in the PPARC Awards, autumn round to MPs during an event called This year’s event attracted science area will be encouraged 3-9 November ‘Taking Science to Parliament’ more than 150 participants and to take part in next year’s event. European Science and at the House of Commons. 40 MPs. Five researchers from Further details can be found on Technology Week Organised by SET (Science, the PPARC science area took the SET for Europe website: 8-15 November Engineering and Technology) part – four particle physicists www.setforeurope.org, or from Physics on Stage, ESTEC, for Britain – and now in its fifth and one planetary scientist – Eric Wharton, e-mail: Noordwijk, The Netherlands year – it invites researchers Glen White (Queen Mary, [email protected]. 8-9 December between the ages of 21 and 35 University of London), Jon Gill Ormrod The Role of Science in the from across the disciplines to Couchman and Angela Wyatt E-mail: [email protected] Information Society, CERN

25 December Beagle 2 lands on Mars Shocking physics in Plymouth January Launch of NASA Swift mission The largest ever science exhibition in Devon and Cornwall was recently organised by the University of Plymouth – helped by support from a PPARC Small Award January Stardust comet flyby into the Universe around us. A distinguishes between matter January central aspect was the continual and antimatter, and the NA48 Faulkes North Telescope presence of many academics, experiment at CERN to study operational students and technicians who this phenomenon. This 8-10 January could answer questions and provoked a great deal of Association of Science Educators interact with visitors. This factor discussion. As well as lunchtime meeting, Reading University was crucial to the exhibition’s lectures at the Museum to success. The enthusiasm of the support the week, the Institute interpreters ensured that the of Physics national schools exhibition was truly interactive. lecture, ‘Fantastic plastic’ by eird worlds – the Shocking physics received Averil McDonald, took place at ‘Winteractive and exciting more than 5000 visitors the University and was very well face of science’, held in the including primary and received. The first week of the spring at the Plymouth City Department of Mechanical and secondary school groups. exhibition was also used to Museum and Art Gallery, was a Marine Engineering, and the Visitors were excited to use the launch the Science and great success. The themes were: Department of Communication equipment and to engage with Engineering Ambassadors ‘Robots on the move’, ‘Earth, air and Electronic Engineering. It the science. The week was scheme in Devon and Cornwall. and water’, ‘Marine worlds’, displayed the entire Particle additionally supported by a The Minister for Science, Lord ‘Awesome Earth’, ‘Shocking Physics Exhibition Project (PPEP) well-attended evening ‘sciBAr’ Sainsbury, visited the exhibition physics’ and ‘Bugs alive’. – a series of demonstration in a town-centre cafe on and was also given a preview ‘Shocking physics’ was projects funded by PPARC. The ‘What’s the matter with anti- of some of the physics week 34 organised by the University’s hands-on contents ranged matter?’ This was presented by exhibits at the University of Particle Theory Group in the across much of physics to Alan Walker from PPEP, who Plymouth. Department of Mathematics demonstrate its use in the real talked about an important Martin Lavelle, e-mail: and Statistics together with the world and the insights it gives effect called CP-violation which [email protected] Is your research AlphaGalileo goes independent interesting? Although a UK company, the promotion bodies in Finland, r more important, might service works closely with France, Germany, Greece, Othe media think it’s Europe’s research community. Portugal, Spain, Sweden, interesting? As PPARC’s The AlphaGalileo Supervisory Switzerland and the UK, has community press officer, I’m Council, consisting of provided the service’s funding. happy to advise you on how representatives from supporting For information about the to publicise your results or nations, and key research and AlphaGalileo Foundation, milestones. If you think there’s media organisations across please contact: an interesting angle that would n April, the AlphaGalileo Europe, provides strategic Peter Green, Chief Executive appeal to a wider audience Iservice, Europe’s Internet press advice to the Foundation. The E-mail: (trade, general public, children, centre for research in science Supervisory Council is chaired [email protected] local media), please get in and the arts, and originally by Ulrich Breuer from Germany. Website: www.alphagalileo.org touch and I’ll suggest the most started by PPARC, moved from AlphaGalileo was created by appropriate kind of promotion the BA (The British Association the UK’s research councils led and how to time your publicity. for the Advancement of by PPARC. On its launch by Lord I can also edit or write a press Science) to independent Sainsbury, the UK Minister for release for you. I regularly visit operation as a not-for-profit Science, in September 1998, Royal research groups, so please let me company limited by guarantee the service transferred to the Astronomical know if a visit would be useful. – the AlphaGalileo Foundation. BA. Until 2001, AlphaGalileo Society meetings Remember, the more PPARC Under its new structure, was funded by the governments science we bring to the attention the AlphaGalileo Foundation of France, Germany and the Meetings are open to all. The of the world at large, the more continues to provide a service UK, with additional support meetings are held in Burlington future scientists we can ‘turn on’ for the European research area, by the Wellcome Trust. For the House, Piccadilly, London. – and the higher profile we have bringing the excitement and past 2 years the European a Society of Antiquaries Lecture when bidding for funds. significance of European Commission, in collaboration Theatre Julia Maddock, e-mail: research to the world’s media. with research and science b Geological Society Lecture [email protected] Theatre

10 October PARTICLE THEORY //webwatch> Ordinary meeting Paul Davies (The 2004 Gerald Here are some good introductory Whitrow Lecture)a The Particle Adventure websites for learning more about the Specialist Discussion meetings http://particleadventure.org building blocks of the Universe Redshift surveysa /particleadventure/ Identifying the open-closed field line boundary in magnetospheric Reflections on Matter An introduction to Stanford Linear and ionospheric data setsb http://perso.club-internet.fr/ Particle Physics Accelerator Center 14 November molaire1/e_index.html http://hepwww.rl.ac.uk/Pub Virtual Visitor Center Ordinary meetinga /Phil/ppintro/ppintro.html Theory Specialist Discussion meetings Why do physicists www2.slac.stanford.edu/vvc/ want to study Searching for the theory.html Gamma-ray bursts at the launch particles? building blocks of of SWIFTb http://public.web.cern.ch/ matter QCD made simple Planetary volcanisma public/about/why/why.html www-ed.fnal.gov/projects/ www.aip.org/pt/vol-53/ 12 December exhibits/searching/ iss-8/p22.html Enquiring Minds Ordinary meeting The science of matter, Fun site with An Introduction to Anneila Sargent – The formation of space and time dancing quarks Lattice QCD planetary systems (The 2003 George Darwin Lecture)a www.fnal.gov/pub/inquiring http://Quarkdance.org www.physics.gla.ac.uk/ppt/ Specialist Discussion meetings /matter/index.html ResInter/LattIntro/ Antimatter: Mirror of From the Interstellar Medium to Big Bang Science the Universe The Official String Stars and Planetsa 35 http://hepwww.rl.ac.uk/pub http://livefromcern.web.cern Theory Web Site Twenty-two years of EISCAT: a /bigbang/part1.html .ch/livefromcern/antimatter/ http://superstringtheory.com/ meeting in memory of P. J. S. Williamsb