This interview was originally done for November issue of the “ILC Tsushin”, the Japanese newsletter for non-scientific readers. It has been hectic days for Makoto Kobayashi, Professor emeritus at KEK, since 7 October, the announcement of 2008 Nobel Prize in physics. Now that one month has passed, Kobayashi finally gets to settle down a little […]
Pixel collaboration
R&D on monolithic and vertically integrated pixel detectors
Micro Magic 3D-layout of the 3-tier Fermilab Vertical Integrated Pixel (VIP) chip. Plans are taking shape to form a new group to coordinate and stimulate R&D on monolithic and vertically integrated pixel detectors for scientific applications in high-energy physics and beyond. In a joint message, the directorates of CERN, KEK and Fermilab have offered their […]
From SLAC Today: ICFA Sharpens Focus on the Energy Frontier
“Particle physics is at a crossroads,” said Chairperson Albrecht Wagner of the International Committee for Future Accelerators, in the opening moments of the ninth ICFA Seminar last Tuesday in Kavli Auditorium. “The Standard Model stands triumphant,” Wagner said, “yet incomplete.” Evidence from past and present particle accelerators supports the Standard Model of the fundamental particles […]
Linear collider collaborations meet
Project manager Marc Ross reports from CERN
The ILC-CLIC (International Linear Collider – Compact Linear Collider Study) collaboration was started earlier this year at CERN. It consists of five working groups which are led by conveners from both projects. Collaboration mandates and activities were defined with an eye toward this autumn’s workshops: the CLIC08 workshop, held at CERN from 14 to 17 […]
A tunnel for (module) dummies
The XFEL mock-up tunnel helps scientists practice for the real thing
It feels like the real accelerator tunnel, but it’s only building 71 at DESY in Hamburg. It’s basically a tube made of concrete, 51 metres long and 5.20 metres in diameter. One accelerator module hangs from the top of the tube, water pipes, cable trays and ventilation ducts are installed and other accelerator parts stand […]
From Jefferson Lab News: ILC Electron Source Gets Help from JLab
With the activation of the LHC, or Large Hadron Collider, some particle physicists are now looking forward to the next big machine. For many, that’s the International Linear Collider. The ILC aims to break new ground in particle physics by slamming a beam of electrons into a beam of the electron’s alter ego: the positron. […]
Asian ILC researchers gathered in Korea
From 29 to 30 September, the second Asia ILC R&D Seminar was held at Kyungpook National University (KNU) in Korea with help from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Core University Program and the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation. This workshop aimed to review the progress of R&D for the ILC accelerator in […]
Higgs makes for exotic couples
Today's issue features a guest essay by James Wells, a theorist working at CERN who specialises in physics beyond the Standard Model.
Much of the history of particle physics has been devoted almost exclusively to finding out what our bodies are made of. We first learned about protons and electrons and neutrons because they constitute the matter that makes up our bodies, and we learned of photons (light) because it interacts with our bodies when we see. […]
World beam test tour at Fermilab
The International Linear Collider requires a detector with excellent performance to fully exploit its physics potential. In order to meet this challenge, significant improvements in the calorimetric performance are needed compared to previous generations of detectors, and new technologies and techniques are being developed. To test those technologies and techniques with particle beams, scientists are […]
Accelerator community communicates
On Wednesday, 24 September, KEK held a symposium entitled “Starting up the world’s most powerful accelerators: LHC and J-PARC” in Tokyo. This symposium was the second one in a series of symposiums aiming for gaining more understanding of accelerator science. The main audience of this symposium was the industry. “We would like to place an […]