E7: Particle Physics and Technology Working Group
Working Group Convenors:
Session
Schedule with links to talks
Mid-Term
Summary Talk
Final
Summary Talk
HEPAP
LRP Subpanel Talk (PPT)
Link
to NPSS Technology Lectures & School
Particle physics has often been the driver of progress in technologies
that are the key to advances in other scientific fields, in industry and
eventually commerce. Examples of past decades range from cryogenic vacuum
systems and superconducting wire and magnet technology to the invention
of the World Wide Web. At other times, although not directly the generator
of new technologies, our field has sparked progress by pushing new technologies
to meet the needs of our next-generation experiments or numerically intensive
theoretical investigations. Recent examples include high-precision radiation-tolerant
particle detectors like silicon pixels that are now finding applications
in the field of medical imaging as fast, low-exposure alternatives to x-ray
films; compact high-speed electronics capable of acquiring and processing
vast floods of data; high-gradient linear accelerators for electron-positron
colliders that may form the basis for the future development of x-ray free
electron lasers of super-high instantaneous brilliance; petabyte-scale
analysis challenges of current and next generation collider experiments
and the plans to meet these needs through the development of "Data Grids."
Astrophysics has joined particle physics in this role through new programs
such as large-scale sky surveys, precise measurements of cosmological parameters,
and simulation of astrophysical processes. The scale, complexity and duration
of ongoing and future programs have forced new approaches to the development
of software by large and distributed collaborations, and have benefitted
from the application of new statistical and algorithmic approaches from
applied mathematics. These changes have resulted in the adoption of new
programming models and tools and have led to a major role by computing
professionals (software engineers) in experiments and advanced computation.
Charge:
This working group should review leading-edge technologies recently developed
(or in need of development) for new experiments and theoretical or computational
investigations. Developments related to particle detectors, accelerators,
online data acquisition systems, offline data analysis systems and networked
"Grid" systems, or other areas, should be examined for their impact on
experimental, theoretical, and computational investigations in particle
physics. Technologies developed, or to be developed, within particle physics
should be examined for their potential impact on society. The group should
also review the demands for computer science expertise and software engineering
in the current and future programs. It should comment on:
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1. The technology advances developed or enhanced by research in particle
physics
over the past 20 -- 30 years.
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2. Key problems and areas in particle detection technology, accelerator
technology, information technology, and advanced algorithms for further
developments that are vital for progress in our field.
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3. Areas of opportunity in the above fields where particle physics may
play a principal role in fostering progress in key technologies important
to scientific research and/or society at large.
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4. Areas where new developments in other fields may directly benefit particle
physics over the next several years.
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5. Promising areas for common developments among experiments, and between
particle physics and other fields, that could be of great mutual benefit.
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6. The changing role of computing professionals in our field and the need
of physicists to enhance their knowledge of modern computing approaches
and tools.
The working group should aim at formulating a plan for further development
and improved exploitation of such technologies, to the mutual benefit of
our field and society at large. It should estimate the scope, structure,
manpower and other resources that will be required to make such a plan
effective.
Organization:
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email distribution list of the
working group
Archive:
http://www.snowmass2001.org/e7/index.html was last updated
July 2, 2001 by Wesley Smith