dimensions volume 03 of particle physics symmetryA joint Fermilab/SLAC publication issue 08/09 oct/nov 06 symmetry | volume 03 | issue 08/09 | oct/nov 06 dimensions of particle physics symmetryA joint Fermilab/SLAC publication On the Cover Every particle physics laboratory makes room for visiting scientists from around the world, and almost all particle physicists need a home away from home on a regular basis. Accommodations, such as these at Fermilab, tend toward the austere, but then so do the lifestyles of physicist travelers. Photos: Sandbox Studio Office of Science U.S. Department of Energy 3 Commentary: InterAction Collaboration 26 Deconstruction: ILC Cryogenics “In the months and years ahead, the majority of The proposed International Linear Collider will journalists who tell the story of 21st-century parti- use 16,000 superconducting cavities made cle physics will do an excellent job. From time of niobium, and scientists around the world are to time, inevitably, they will get it wrong—at least working on the cryogenic system needed to as we see it. A true test of our character is how keep the cavities cool. we react to this level of media coverage.” 28 Gallery: Quark Park 4 Signal to Background A new sculpture garden created in a vacant Lightning strikes; rainy-day roof rehab; right on downtown lot in Princeton, New Jersey, Quark time; taking care of business, lyrically; ‘critters’ Park wants its visitors “to have a moment of as safety monitors; big jump needed to be top- enjoyment, a glimpse of beauty, and a sense of cited; letters. the dimensions of contemporary science.” 10 Close Quarters 32 Essay: Joe Willie During their visits at other labs, physicists learn “How does a high school in upstate New York that it’s a small world after all, especially when become a hot spot for monitoring the correla- they stay in no-frills dorms. The lab life helps tion between cosmic rays and solar flares? The build professional networks and long-lasting story goes back to a flier…about an outreach friendships across the planet. program called QuarkNet in the spring of 2000.” 16 Catching neutrinos in China ibc Logbook: Cosmic Microwave Background The first particle physics experiment with lead- John Mather and George Smoot shared the 2006 ership almost equally split between China Nobel Prize for experiments on board of the and the United States would be located deep COBE satellite. It took Mather’s experiment only beneath the mountains of Southern China, nine minutes to record enough data to confirm looking for neutrino interactions. the big-bang theory. 22 The European Strategy for Particle Physics bc 60 Seconds: Acceleration of Particles The CERN Council Strategy Group has presented Imagine a surfer riding a wave. If the surfer pad- its recommendations in particle physics, focusing dles at the right speed and gets on a wave at on a policy for Europe to “maintain and strengthen the right time, the surfer will be accelerated to its central position” in the field. the speed of the wave. from the editor Emerging particle physics in China Traditionally, the big five particle physics laboratories have been Fermilab and SLAC in the United States, CERN in Switzerland, DESY in Germany, and KEK in Japan. However, a changing world economy is bringing new players into the game. China, in particular, is currently investing rapidly in basic science research, including particle physics. During my recent trip to Beijing, I was impressed by the Institute of High Energy Physics’ dedication to building a rich, long-term particle physics research program. The Chinese realize that they must grow their program over time through domestic investments and international collaboration. One such collaboration is described in this issue of symmetry. If funded, the Daya Bay neutrino experiment would be a world-class experiment led by Chinese and US physicists, and the largest scientific collaboration ever between these two countries. Domestically, new facilities at IHEP will make a significant contribution to particle physics, commensurate with a relatively young program. Meanwhile, expatriate scientists are beginning to return to China to work in an expanding research effort. More foreign scientists are visiting China, and the Americans and Europeans with whom I spoke were all enthusiastic about working on the new Chinese experiments. Support for basic science in China is currently very strong. During conver- sations, I was astounded to hear that ex-scientists and engineers make up about two thirds of the Chinese government. I am sure this is helping drive investment in basic research, but that interest in science is also reflected in many other ways. The English-language Chinese newspaper available in the guest house at IHEP featured a research science story on the front page every day I was there, something unheard of in US newspapers. Chinese particle physics research is going through a rapid transition, leading to a more elaborate and serious program. Leading Chinese scien- tists acknowledge that it will take perhaps 15 years or more to reach the upper tier of global particle physics programs, but they will make valuable contributions in selected areas before then. The international community should support and include China: Its programs will enhance the global par- ticle physics effort and bring rewards beyond the scientific results. David Harris, Editor-in-chief Symmetry Editor-in-Chief Publishers Print Design and Production PO Box 500 David Harris Neil Calder, SLAC Sandbox Studio MS 206 650 926 8580 Judy Jackson, FNAL Chicago, Illinois Batavia Illinois 60510 USA Executive Editor Contributing Editors Art Director Mike Perricone Roberta Antolini, LNGS Michael Branigan 630 840 3351 telephone Peter Barratt, PPARC 630 840 8780 fax Managing Editor Stefano Bianco, LNF Designers www.symmetrymagazine.org Kurt Riesselmann Reid Edwards, LBNL Aaron Grant Anilou Price [email protected] Catherine Foster, ANL Staff Writers Tara Kennedy Elizabeth Clements James Gillies, CERN (c) 2006 symmetry All rights Silvia Giromini, LNF reserved Brad Plummer Web Design and Production Heather Rock Woods Jacky Hutchinson, RAL Xeno Media symmetry (ISSN 1931-8367) Siri Steiner Youhei Morita, KEK Hinsdale, Illinois is published 10 times per year Kelen Tuttle Marcello Pavan, TRIUMF by Fermi National Accelerator Mona Rowe, BNL Web Architect Laboratory and Stanford Interns Perrine Royole-Degieux, IN2P3 Kevin Munday Ben Berger Yuri Ryabov, IHEP Protvino Linear Accelerator Center, 06 | oct/nov symmetry | volume 03 issue 08/09 Rachel Courtland Yves Sacquin, CEA-Saclay Web Design funded by the US Department Karen Acklin of Energy Office of Science. Dave Mosher Boris Starchenko, JINR D.A. Venton Maury Tigner, LEPP Alex Tarasiewicz Jacques Visser, NIKHEF Web Programmer Linda Ware, JLab Mike Acklin Ute Wilhelmsen, DESY Tongzhou Xu, IHEP Beijing Photographic Services Fermilab Visual Media symmetry Services 2 commentary: interaction collaboration The media have a central role in telling the story of research in particle physics. We need to put aside our differences and keep our eyes on the big picture if we are to make the most of this vast resource, say members of the InterAction collaboration. Particle physics and the press These are exciting times for particle physics, and the world’s press are taking notice. As the Large Hadron Collider prepares to begin operations, as the International Linear Collider becomes an ever more clearly defined project, as programs for neutrino physics and astrophysics flourish, and most of all as long-awaited discoveries reveal the secrets of the universe, our friends in InterAction collaboration members met in Hamburg recently with other particle physics communicators. the media will share the adventure. Their stories Photo courtesy of the InterAction collaboration. and articles, TV programs, blogs, and podcasts will inform and inspire others with the spirit of excitement that particle physicists are feeling admiration for all projects and experiments that at the start of the 21st century. lead to discovery—or one that begrudges The journalists who tell our story will have every word of praise for others’ work. Without wildly varying backgrounds, skills, and points of fail, the media will pick up on our tone. So view. Their pieces will cover the spectrum of will our colleagues, our students, scientists in science journalism. They will define and describe; other disciplines, and we ourselves. It will be compare and contrast; make judgments and part of what defines the kind of field that we are. express opinions; and praise and criticize. Writing Competition will always exist, and this is a in language that is accessible to their readers, good thing. People care passionately about their they will at times seem wanting in their grasp of work. Of course they want to see it recognized, scientific subtleties. Sometimes they will appear and defend it if it is unfairly criticized. But we to lack appreciation for something that we care have everything to gain by maintaining perspec- deeply about; occasionally they may even give tive. There will be hundreds of stories during more credit than we deserve. the years ahead. Today’s lukewarm review will be It is accepted wisdom that the press almost tomorrow’s encomium—and vice versa. We always get it wrong. Actually, in our experience, should take them all in our stride, because we ultimately they get it just about right. In the months are in this together for the long haul. We all and years ahead, the majority of journalists who want to discover how the universe works. It’s a tell the story of 21st-century particle physics will big universe with room, and credit, enough for do an excellent job. From time to time, inevitably, everyone. they will get it wrong—at least as we see it. A true test of our character as a field is how we react to This article is being published simultaneously in the October issues of symmetry and CERN Courier (www.cerncourier.com).