3 December 2009
The research program at High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) is facing a grave possibility of a severe budget cut, as recommended by the recently issued Public Budget Review by Japanese government. This affects Japanese renowned research programs including the ones hosted by KEK, such as elementary particle physics and related fields in astrophysics, material and life sciences. More than 260 universities and laboratories attend these programs. I would like to take this opportunity to explain to you what KEK is doing to enhance its research and education programs, and also would like to solicit your opinions. Science has played a crucial role in our society, contributing to our understanding of the world around us, and supplying knowledge bases to develop innovative technologies. The Japanese science community has made remarkable contributions to this effort. This is clearly seen in the Nobel Prize-winning works by Yukawa and Tomonaga in the past, and by Nambu, Kobayashi, Maskawa and Shimomura in 2008. These achievements have only been possible through public understanding of the importance of basic research and the support by our government. KEK is an "Inter-University Research Institute" that supports research programs with an emphasis of advanced, large-scale particle accelerators as the primary research platform. KEK has engaged in a wide range of research activities, such as the studies of the missing antimatter and the neutrino mass, the search for new materials for industrial applications, the structural protein analysis of influenza virus, the development of catalyst to be used for clean automobile engines, and others. KEK hosts around 6,000 visiting scientists annually from more than 160 universities and 100 laboratories, as well as 1,000 scientists from more than 50 countries. KEK is one of the major accelerator laboratories in the world to host global-scale, collaborative research programs in accelerator related science. KEK also provides more than 5,000 young students annually from elementary, mid-high and high schools as well as from colleges and universities with opportunities to acquaint themselves with the cutting edge research environment at the leading particle accelerators. KEK’s accelerator has provided the experimental confirmation of the Nobel Prize-winning Kobayashi-Maskawa theory, which continues to inspire young generations. It is a place for future scientists and engineers to get hands-on experience with the ongoing science by attending lectures and trying experiments. These experiences stimulate their interests in science, and help them think about their career. Needless to say, the wise use of funding and time available is our responsibility of utmost importance. It is particularly so in the difficult economic situation that we all face now. Unfortunately, the public review of the Japanese national budget in November, 2009 resulted in a recommendation that the "Special Educational and Research Fund" is to be significantly reduced. This funding accounts for more than 50% of the KEK's annual budget. If this reduction happens as per the recommendation, scientists at and around KEK would lose the research opportunities and a major outflow of research talent to overseas might ensue. Future recovery from this set-back could easily take years, and require greater amount of budget than the amount cut next year. Neglect of the importance of fundamental research could result in a long-term stagnation of our national competitiveness. We do our best to serve scientists from across the nation and around the world, to carry out the high-quality research programs with cutting-edge technologies by maintaining the world-class research facilities. We would like to hear your thoughts on our research programs. Please use the form below to tell us that you think by December 10.
Category:
Around the World | Tagged:
Japan, Japan budget, KEK
25 November 2009
Particle beams are once again circulating in the world
Category: Uncategorized | Tagged:
CERN, LHC
25 November 2009
Today the LHC circulated two beams simultaneously for the first time, allowing the operators to test the synchronization of the beams and giving the experiments their first chance to look for proton-proton collisions. With just one bunch of particles circulating in each direction, the beams can be made to cross in up to two places in the ring. From early in the afternoon, the beams were made to cross at points 1 and 5, home to the ATLAS and CMS detectors, both of which were on the look out for collisions. Later, beams crossed at points 2 and 8, ALICE and LHCb.
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Feature | Tagged:
CERN, LHC
19 November 2009
The Quantum Beam Project, a year–old project to study and utilise the quantum nature of particle beams at KEK, is developing a commercial version of a new affordable, compact X–ray source. The aim of the project is to develop a compact and high-quality particle source for broad commercial use in medicine, life science, information technology, nanotechnology, and quantum science. The project's name, Quantum Beam, refers to beams of particles like neutrons, photons, and ions, which exhibit quantum mechanical behaviours, and the unique feature of the project is to take advantage of this nature to promote the technology transfer of an affordable compact X–ray source to hospitals and research institutions.
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Feature | Tagged:
KEK, X-ray source
12 November 2009
When you plan to move and try to find helpers, they often ask: to which floor? If the DESY people working in the detector lab would depend on the help of friends, they would have difficulties to find volunteers because the answer would be: seventh floor! Everything has to be transported from the ground floor to deep down underground. The HEP groups' detector lab moves from hall 5 to HERA hall west. In order to make room the electronics hut of the still present HERA-B detector was dismantled.
Category:
Around the World | Tagged:
DESY, HERA
5 November 2009
Fermilab has passed another major milestone on the road to becoming an expert in superconducting radio frequency technology.
Category:
Around the World | Tagged:
Fermilab, New Muon Laboratory, SRF cryogenics
29 October 2009
From 7 to 18 September China hosted the Fourth International Accelerator School for Linear Colliders in Beijing at Huairou. Among 69 students from 21 countries, there were 29 students from Asia, including 15 Chinese students. Since 2005, Chinese PhD students majoring in ILC-related topics are increasing steadily, ranging from global beam dynamics, final focus, superconducting technology (such as superconducting cavity, coupler, and cryostat), positron source, damping ring, and so forth.
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Around the World | Tagged:
China, LC school, linear collider school
15 October 2009
Since beginning his career in 1986, SLAC senior scientist and project manager for FACET Andrei Seryi has worked at five labs in three countries, with the last 10 years at SLAC. In this decade, Seryi has led international collaborations to design and build linear accelerator experimental facilities, all while continuing his accelerator research and design projects at SLAC.
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Feature | Tagged:
ATF2, SLAC
15 October 2009
What do you visualise when you are asked about a sensor? There are many sensors around us. For example, CCDs (Charge Coupled Device), which is the basis of today’s digital camera, and the technology for this year's Nobel Prize in Physics are also sensors. Thus, sensors are absolutely necessary devices for our daily life and also important technologies for the International Liner Collider. In the last years, many new sensors have been developed for the ILC, one of them being pixel sensors using Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) technology for particle detectors, under development at KEK’s Detector Technology Project Office. This sensor is expected to serve as one of the alternatives for particle sensors used in such parts as the silicon vertex detector.
Category:
Around the World | Tagged:
CMOS, detector R&D, KEK, monolithic pixel detector, pixel sensors, sensor, silicon-on-insulator, SOI technology
8 October 2009
Scientists at Kyoto university are testing a new type of thermal sensor for superconducting cavities on the vertical test for ILC at the Superconducting radiofrequency Test Facility (STF) at KEK. This sensor is under development by a Kyoto-KEK collaboration The team is developing this new device to address issues in the components of the sensor – tangled wires and resistors. At STF, a carbon resistor is used for vertical testing of nine-cell cavities. They have already installed 350 sensors on the outer surface of the nine-cell cavity, and 700 lead wires were needed to connect both ends of sensors through cryogenic area and outside, in order to measure the temperature. “For a shorter developing time, I have chosen carbon resistor which is technologically proven in the past superconducting cavity R&D. This structure is simple, not so sophisticated.” said Yasuchika 'Kirk' Yamamoto, the scientist at KEK who designed the present system. When the cavity is being tested, it is cooled to 2 kelvins, and has to stay at that temperature as much as possible. In general, it is best to use the smallest possible number of lead wires to prevent heat invasion to the cryogenic area. “The current system needs too many lead wires, and the production of the carbon resistor has been discontinued, we thought we should develop a new thermal sensor to replace it,” he said.
Category:
Around the World | Tagged:
KEK, STF, thermal sensors, vertical test
