DOE FY 2000 Budget Request: High Energy and Nuclear Physics

FYI #14 provided an overview of the FY 2000 budget request for the Department of Energy. Below are excerpts from DOE’s “Budget Highlights” document, describing details of the request for the High Energy Physics and Nuclear Physics programs. Both programs would receive small increases which do not keep pace with inflation. High Energy Physics will see increased operation of the Fermilab Main Injector and the B-Factory at SLAC, offset in part by transfer of Alternating Gradient Synchrotron operations to Nuclear Physics. Also within Nuclear Physics, FY 2000 will be the first year of operation for the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. (FYI #16 will include excerpts for Basic Energy Sciences and Fusion Energy Sciences).

HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS REQUEST: $697.1 million; up 0.8 percent

“The FY 2000 budget request for High Energy Physics (HEP) is $697.1 million, an increase of $5.5 million over FY 1999 [funding of $691.6 million]. The U.S. finalized negotiations for involvement of DOE and NSF in the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) project in December 1997. Funding for the LHC increases from $65.0 million in FY 1999 to $70.0 million in FY 2000, with the majority of the increase for detector fabrication.

“The FY 2000 HEP budget is largely driven by new facilities coming on line. At Fermilab, funding increases [FY 1999 $283.3 million; FY 2000 $291.8 million] primarily to support the initial operation of the recently completed Fermi Main Injector (29 weeks) with the upgraded CDF and D-Zero detectors. Fermilab’s budget includes funding to keep the Neutrinos at the Main Injector (NuMI) construction project [FY 1999 $14.3 million; FY 2000 $22.0 million], and the Wilson Hall Safety Improvements project [FY 1999 $6.7 million; FY 2000 $4.7 million] on schedule. Funding increases at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) [FY 1999 $145.0 million; FY 2000 $150.2 million] primarily for the first year operation of the B-Factory with its BaBar detector (39 weeks); SLAC research on the next generation accelerator concepts is reduced by $5.0 million. The SLAC budget includes initial construction of the SLAC Research Office Building in FY 2000 [TEC $7.2 million; FY 2000 $2.0 million]. At Brookhaven National Laboratory funding for HEP decreases [FY 1999 $53.4 million; FY 2000 $32.8 million] as the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS) is transferred to the Nuclear Physics program for use as the injector to the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC); the AGS operates for 8 weeks in FY 2000 vs. 14 weeks in FY 1999, with primary operation of the accelerator funded by Nuclear Physics. Funding for research by universities and other laboratories also increases [FY 1999 $101.3 million; FY 2000 $113.2 million], including a 3.5 percent over inflation increase to university based research in response to a recent advisory committee recommendation. The budget also includes $2.9 million for new science education activities directed at providing opportunities for pre-college teachers, and for visits by Faculty/Student Science Teams to DOE laboratories.”

NUCLEAR PHYSICS REQUEST: $342.9 million; up 1.3 percent

“The FY 2000 request for Nuclear Physics is $342.9 million, an increase of $4.5 million over FY 1999 [funding of $338.5 million]. The Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF) will continue operation at 4,500 hours, and deliver continuous beam (at differing energies and currents) to all three experimental halls [FY 1999 $70.3 million; FY 2000 $73.7 million]. In accordance with guidance from the Nuclear Sciences Advisory Committee, Bates at MIT [FY 1999 $15.4 million; FY 2000 $4.0 million] will cease operations at the end of FY 1999; the FY 2000 funds will be used for decontamination and decommissioning and support of some scientists; fabrication of the Bates BLAST detector is discontinued.* [See note below.] Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) construction will be completed on schedule in FY 1999 [FY 1999 $16.6 million; FY 2000 $0], and it is scheduled for 33 weeks of operation in FY 2000 [FY 1999 $92.7 million; FY 2000 $118.5 million]; operation of the AGS is funded by Nuclear Physics in FY 2000. The Radioactive Ion Beam facility at Oak Ridge continues operation at a level of 2,400 hours ($14.7 million). Nuclear Theory continues at $15.8 million. The budget also includes $1.0 million for new science education activities including funding for visits by Faculty/Student Science Teams to DOE Laboratories.”

*Since this FYI was first written, DOE announced plans to amend its request for Nuclear Physics in order to continue operation of the Bates Laboratory at MIT and complete the BLAST detector. See FYI #19 for more information on this issue.