U.S. ATLAS Operations Program: Empowering University Physicists to make Discoveries at the Energy Frontier

ATLAS合作由来自38个国家的174个机构组成，在欧洲核子研究中心的大型强子对撞机(LHC)完成了大型多用途ATLAS探测器的建造，并于2010年开始收集碰撞光束的数据。美国地图集的44个机构在国家科学基金会的支持下，为探测器的建造和初步运行以及软件和计算程序的开发做出了重大和独特的贡献。这使美国物理学家能够为物理分析和相关出版物做出重大贡献。美国阿特拉斯作战计划旨在为(1)美国制造的探测器子系统的维护和操作；(2)软件和计算的维护和持续开发；以及(3)探测器升级的研发计划，以适应加速器性能的改进，提供必要的技术支持。该计划的另一个组成部分是提供强有力的教育和外展努力。智力优势：美国阿特拉斯行动计划的目标是使美国物理学家能够解决当今粒子物理学中一些最深刻的问题：质量的物理起源是什么？超对称粒子存在吗？它们与暗物质有关吗？时空有额外的空间维度吗？对这些问题的回答将为完成对自然界中的粒子、粒子与之相互作用的力以及它们在我们宇宙的过去和未来中所扮演的角色的统一观点提供重大进展。在这个时候，粒子物理研究人员有令人信服的迹象表明，碰撞能量远远超过现有设施的大型强子对撞机将带来特别重要的发现，其影响涉及广泛的基础科学领域。更广泛的影响：这项提议将增强研究、教育和其他领域的计算基础设施。大型强子对撞机的计算需求正在推动向全球计算的范式转变，这可能会产生重大的经济影响，我们的学生将走在使用这些新技术的前沿。NSF-ATLAS团体继续扩大他们的教育和外联计划，特别关注高中教师和学生，并向代表性不足的人群进行外联。我们计划在ATLAS数据获取期间扩大我们的外展努力，包括全球网格设施网络。大型强子对撞机是以加速器为基础的主要项目，下一代物理学家正在接受培训。对研发活动的支持将为其他领域可能采用的新技术奠定基础，并培养我们的研究生和本科生。对于美国物理学家来说，要站在物理发现的前沿，美国在实验的科学操作阶段继续保持领先地位是至关重要的。

The ATLAS collaboration, consisting of 174 institutions from 38 countries, completed construction of the large multi-purpose ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN and began data collection with colliding beams in 2010. The 44 institutions of U.S. ATLAS, with the support of NSF, made major and unique contributions to the construction and initial operation of the detector, and to the software and computing program development. This is enabling U.S. physicists to contribute significantly to physics analysis and associated publications. The U.S. ATLAS Operations Program aims to provide the necessary technical support for (1) the maintenance and operation of the U.S.-built detector subsystems;(2) the maintenance and ongoing development of software and computing, and (3), an R&D program for detector upgrades to accommodate accelerator performance improvements . Another component of the program is to provide a strong education and outreach effort. Intellectual Merit: The goal of the U.S. ATLAS Operations Program is to empower U.S. physicists to address some of the most profound questions in particle physics today: what is the physical origin of mass? Do supersymmetric particles exist and are they associated with dark matter? Does space-time have extra spatial dimensions? Answers to these questions would provide a major advance toward completing a unified view of the particles in nature, the forces with which particles interact, and their role in the past and future of our universe. This is a time when particle physics researchers have compelling indications that the LHC, with collision energies far beyond those available at existing facilities, will lead to especially important discoveries with implications over a broad field of fundamental science. Broader Impacts: This proposal will enhance the computing infrastructure for research, education and beyond. The LHC computing requirements are driving a paradigm shift towards global computing with potentially significant economic impacts, and our students will be at the forefront in using these new technologies. NSF-ATLAS groups continue to expand their education and outreach programs, with a particular focus on high school teachers and students and on outreach to under-represented populations. We plan on expanding our outreach efforts during ATLAS data taking, including the network of worldwide grid facilities. The LHC is the major accelerator-based program in which the next generation of physicists is being trained. Support for R&D activities will lay the groundwork for new technologies that might be adopted by other fields as well as train our graduate and undergraduate students. For U.S. physicists to be at the forefront of the physics discoveries, it is vital that the U.S. continue to be a leading participant in the scientific operational phase of the experiment.