1994 EPS LARGE FACILITIES IN PHYSICS CONFERENCE ICHIA, in nuclear physics (see page 175 for descriptions). Other bodies, including some international ones, have been set up by go vernments and research organizations (e.g., Many Challenges Lie Ahead ESF, EUPRO, ESTA, the OECD Mega science Forum, the UNESCO-PAC, and the Reformating the EPS Large Facilities in Physics Conference led to a thorough appraisal G7 Carnegie Group). Finally, one has the in Lausanne last month of the main issues facilities must address. Maurice Jacob, who International Union of Pure and Applied co-chaired the conference (the 5th in the series), summarises some general impressions. Physics (IUPAP), the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) and various Physics relies increasingly on large faci percomputing and control systems. Then scientific academies at the national, Euro lities. They serve many external users in came nuclear physics, synchrotron radiation pean and regional (third-world) levels. Most providing rather special, and sometimes sources, free-electron lasers and high mag operate as consultative bodies for govern unique, experimental possibilities. In Eu netic fields, followed by neutron sources, ments and funding agencies, and some rope, these facilities have now taken on an fusion and plasma research, and astrophy respond to specific requests for studies. international character, even those initially sics with its ground-based installations and They clearly bear witness to the present realized in the framework of a national prog satellites studies. There was also a report Interest of government in planning so-called ramme. Their planning, construction and on the detection of gravitational waves on “heavy” science, and the need to achieve as exploitation almost always require interna the ground and in space and a review of much concertation as possible. tional discussion and often some form of large underground (underwater) facilities in international collaboration in identifying po physics and astrophysics. Finally, the status Implications of Spreading Wider tential users; the increasing capital cost and of ion-storage cooler rings, muon beams Whereas the emphasis was clearly on the size of the user constituency both drive and laser facilities was reviewed. Europe, the conference presented a excel an international approach. Speakers kindly agreed not to focus on lent world-wide view of the present and fore It is therefore natural that the EPS takes a the facility close to their own hearts but seen role of large facilities in physics. Inter strong interest in large facilities. EPS con rather to review in a global way the large national large facilities have long been a ferences on large facilities in physics have facility issue in their field. And while the way of life in some domains, but they ac been held every few years. The fifth in the emphasis was naturally placed on Europe, count for an increasing share of activity in series, in Lausanne on 12-14 September issues were addressed In a world-wide per traditional “small” science fields such as 1994, brought together about 170 partici spective with particular attention given to condensed matter physics and even atomic pants (a few more than was originally plan Japanese programmes. The point-of-view of physics, where large facilities such as syn ned). The conferences aim to review in pa the users was expressed more openly than chrotron light sources and neutron sources rallel present and planned large facilities so on previous conferences in the series by start questioning any clear dichotomy bet that participants can grasp what is happen inviting several speakers to talk on behalf of ween small- and large-scale science. While ing and being prepared in the different fields the physics community at large and, In par small research groups working on their own of physics. Insofar as they attract many ticular, on behalf of users. Finally, three have a recent brilliant past and clearly much laboratory directors and senior members of round-table discussions each debated for potential for the future, large facilities be research organizations and funding agen about two hours the main questions of ge come necessary almost everywhere to cies, the conferences also provide an excel neral interest to the research community. In address key research aspects which cannot lent forum for discussions. troductory remarks by leading experts were be pursued otherwise. In some domains, While physicists often tend to focus on followed by a lively and fruitful exchange of detectors have already also become large their own field, funding agencies operate views. facilities in their own right. In others, they according to sum rules which increasingly The conference aimed to make the par remain small, but for how long? Funding impose a global view. Some fields have ticipants aware of the many committees and agencies are having to recognize the ex long-established mechanisms for selecting discussion or advisory bodies that are pre panding need for large facilities. At the which large facilities should be built In the sently heavily engaged in prospective stu same time, the wider demand will imply framework of an International co-operation dies of large facilities. Some of these bodies increasing co-ordination between different or collaboration. Others are relatively new at originated from the research community fields since specific projects will often have this process, but even they have now to shift itself and among those with an international to be staggered in time, especially at the from a national to an international approach. character one finds in particular ECFA and national level. Each domain of physics has therefore ICFA, In particle physics, and NuPECC and The conference not only brought forward something, and often much, to much information but also provi learn from others. So although the ded some clear indication about physics questions being addres what was best, and what had to sed were clearly presented, the be done. Take, for instance, the conference dealt more with the organization of large facilities: general strategy of research than international research organiza with new developments. tions such as CERN and the European Space Agency provide Objectives Modernised one type of model; international The traditional role of the con research laboratories such as the ference has been to review the European Synchrotron Radiation many large facilities in the different Facility provide another. On the fields of physics, particularly new question of cost per user: the cost facilities and those being consi sometimes appears to be high for dered for the future. In Lausanne, a large facility since the capital this was done through plenary investment and the operating bud talks, grouped according to diffe get are combined. On the other rent domains, that emphasized hand, a large facility increases physics programmes as opposed competitivity and diminishes re to technical aspects. In particle dundancy and the need for many physics, the reviews centred on small-scale installations. But they present and planned develop Fig. 1 — Norbert Kroó, the President of EPS, opening the 1994 imply travel costs. The confe ments in Europe, the United Large Facilities in Physics Conference. With him are (from the left), rence effectively invited EPS to States and Asia and questions Herwig Schopper, Pierre Ducrey (Rector of the University of Lau clarify with hard facts the cost of relating to data transmission, su sanne), and Maurice Jacob. physicists in different fields.
Europhys. News 25 (1994) 163 When the cost of a fair-sized facility Fig. 2 — Herwig Schopper, the conference was of the order of 50 MSFR or less, pro chairman, with R.M. Bonnet (on the left), ponents could work at obtaining approval Director of the European Space Agency’s and funding by following specific local rules. Science Programme. In addressing the ope The rules for new facilities are now very ning ceremony of the Large Facilities in Phy different, for in order to be competitive and sics Conference, Professor Schopper saw to explore new ground they cost up to the main challenges as being: 500 MSFR, and sometimes much more. - to adjust to the fact that more and more Assuming clear scientific needs, approval fields in physics need facilities: - to make the best use of resources as they can only be envisaged if there is a suffi are under pressure ; ciently large constituency of potential users, - to find new ways to co-ordinate as the need which in Europe at least, nearly always for more international cooperation makes requires international collaboration. So it is political procedures more difficult. important to have concertation and advisory structures which can assess the needs and strength and the apparent health of “heavy” ever, is that funds saved on large facilities the sizes of potential user communities and physics in Europe, and that this was reflec will not be transferred to small-scale formulate recommendations. The confe ted by the conference. Such strength is science, but will be lost to basic research. rence highlighted the increasing number of important because, sadly, the end of the With such issues in mind, participants were advisory bodies, and their members learnt cold war which could have resulted in in made aware of the challenges that lie much about each other. creasing support for heavy science appears ahead, and of the sometimes very different Some participants from outside Europe instead to have prompted an increasing ways they are being approached. openly expressed recognition of the questioning of its value. What is clear, how-
Hubert Curien opened the EPS Large Facilities in Physics Conference in Lausanne (12-14 September 1994) by describing the difficult, but not insurmountable, realities that promoters and users of facilities must face. There Should Be No Illusions Our reflection on the significance of facili facilities are substantial (close to 10% of ties in physics comes at an appropriate time GDP in most industrialised countries). In because the European Synchrotron Radia large countries such as the USA there even tion Facility in Grenoble recently held its offi tends to be specific committees for given Hubert Curien. cial inauguration. The source works beauti fields (e.g., the US Department of Energy’s fully and represents a remarkable success High-Energy Physics Advisory Committee). Physics Advisory Council and in the field of for our continent. We are also in the final Regional bodies may exist and a good space activities, the coordinating body for stages of deciding upon the Large Hadron example is the European Science Founda the 1992 International Space Year has now Collider (LHC) at CERN. Discussions are tion that initiated and piloted the discussions evolved into the Space Agency Forum. coming to an end; all involved understand that led to the creation of the ESRF. Finally, that we need such a machine and that we some global structures have emerged. I Difficulties Remain need to make a rapid decision. shall mention three. The Organization for Nonetheless, there remain certain difficul In discussing large facilities one should Economic Co-operation and Development ties as regards large science. We should first say what they are. A quantitative defini (OECD) Megascience Forum started from look at the causes and come up with propo tion in terms of say the part of the national an idea of Allan Bromley, the Scientific sals to remedy the situation. I shall consider science budget that is spent on a certain Adviser to a former US President. He two fields, namely space science and par facility is possible. But the amount depends thought that the OECD was a good place to ticle physics. The first does not entirely con very much on the size of the country, so a promote discussions: decisions could not be cern physics, but there is much involved. reasonable criterion could be to say that a taken but analysis and recommendations There has been a dramatic change since facility is considered as large if it needs say were possible, as in a true forum. He was the end of the cold war period when Europe 0.5% of the annual science budget. confident that the OECD could handle the was very much an adjunct to the US and But there are other — essentially qualita task because it was heavily involved in very the USSR. Few now care about the space tive — criteria. One is the need for consulta respected country-by-country assessments station: no political conquests are needed tion. If a facility has a significant size it will of science. The Forum has held expert and few scientists would have been involved generally be discussed by various ministers meetings and made recommendations in in experiments in the station. Some scien within a country. There is also a need for a several fields. I am less enthusiastic about tists naturally think that with the same pluriannual programme: money is required its plenary sessions (which unfortunately money one could do many other things. The not only for construction but also to run a cannot be avoided) where the “rule of problem is that one will never have the facility. The problem here is that most coun inverse proportionality” seems to be the same money; if money is not spent in one tries have annual budgets while a facility case (the less one has to say, the longer it field in science, there is no hope of transfer has to have a commitment for a long period. takes to say it). UNESCO has created a ring it to another. The pots simply do not However, this internationalisation may help to stabilise a situation as it tends to per ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS suade governments to continue funding. The 1994 EPS Large Facilities in Physics conference benefitted greatly from the help of Structures at All Levels Professor C. Joseph and Mrs. B. Rothen of the University of Lausanne who took charge of There has been a blossoming of interest the local arrangements. The EPS nature of the conference was stressed by having the these last few years in discussing facilities. organizing committee composed of representatives of EPS Divisions and Interdivisional At the national level, almost all medium Groups. The Society also received much advice and help from The Physical Society of sized countries now have a forum where Japan and from The American Physical Society. Thanks to the generous support of the facilities are analysed. For instance, in my European Commission, the Divisions and Groups were able to sponsor several young par country (France) a committee for large ticipants; other support from various organizations was used for participants from central instruments looks at all instruments across and eastern Europe and from the former Soviet Union. The proceedings, to be published several fields. This is understandable be early in 1995 by World Scientific, will include the review talks and summaries of the round cause public-sector investments in large table discussions.
164 Europhys. News 25 (1994)