Where to From Here: Science Committee Reviews High Energy Physics

“The high energy physics program in the United States is at a critical juncture.” -- Roberto D. Peccei, Past Chairman of APS Division of Particle and Fields

On January 26, the House Subcommittee on Science held a three hour hearing on the future of high energy physics research in the United States. Following in the wake of last year’s termination of the SSC, there was general agreement among most hearing witnesses that the United States should participate with CERN in the construction of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) or its detectors.

The future of the program is now being assessed by a subpanel of the Department of Energy’s High Energy Physics Advisory Panel. HEPAP chairman Stanley G. Wojcicki testified that the subpanel, chaired by Sidney Drell, will issue its report in May. The American Physical Society’s Division of Particle and Fields has also established a series of working groups which will issue a report in about a year. Its past chairman, Roberto Peccei, testified, as did Fermilab’s Director, John Peoples; Frank S. Merritt of the Enrico Fermi Institute; and John Gibbons, Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Subcommittee chairman Rick Boucher (D-Virginia) acknowledged that the SSC’s termination “is a watershed in this Nation’s commitment to supporting big science, and has thrown the field of high energy physics into turmoil.” He continued, “we must assume that in future years, the high energy physics budget will have level funding, adjusted, if at all, for inflation only,” perhaps leading to consolidation of existing facilities to free up money for new construction. Sharing the dias with Boucher was Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-New York), a major SSC foe, who gave assurances that “we are united, I am sure, in our determination to maintain a vital U.S. effort in particle physics.” Boehlert had kind words about U.S. participation with CERN in constructing the LHC. Much less enthusiastic about the LHC was Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), a strong SSC proponent.

First to testify was OSTP Director Gibbons who stated, “The most logical and current steps for the U.S. program in high energy physics are: (1) to complete in timely fashion the Fermilab Main Injector Upgrade and the Stanford B-Factory; (2) to provide full operational funding for these facilities once they are completed, in order to achieve the most and best physics research; and (3) to plan for U.S. participation in an international consortium to build and operate 21st century accelerator facilities needed to push forward the high energy physics frontier.” Gibbons did not cite CERN in his written testimony. Also testifying was Martha Krebs, DOE’s Director of Energy Research who spoke of a “vision for the future” which could include the LHC or the High Energy Linear Collider (also known as the Next Linear Collider.)

The panel of physicists was in general agreement that the U.S. should explore participation in the LHC, which would cost around $500 million (or more) over ten years. All indicated that this would benefit both CERN and the U.S. high energy physics program. Peoples indicated that CERN is approximately $500 million short of what is needed to construct the facility and its detectors. Of more immediate concern is assuring that U.S. base program funding to operate existing and planned facilities will be sufficient during the remainder of this decade. This funding, and a $500 million CERN contribution, would require a 10 percent increase in the high energy physics program budget. While this is small compared to the SSC, it is nevertheless significant under current federal budget constraints.