Support for Access to High Energy Physics Facilities

实验高能物理几乎完全由位于世界各地的少数设施的大型国际合作进行。多伦多大学目前正在参与世界上最引人注目的两项新实验，即欧洲核子研究中心大型强子对撞机的ATLAS实验，该实验将在全新的能量尺度上研究物理学，以及日本的T2K实验，该实验将提供标准模型中微子部分的精确测量。此外，我们还参与与未来加速器相关的研发，研究电子直线加速器的超导RF腔的设计，建造和测试。维持现有和未来的研究工作所需的基础设施是巨大的。例如，大型强子对撞机实验将产生大量数据，这导致了一种网格计算模型，在这种模型中，数据将在世界各地的计算机中心之间分发。这些中心的规模各不相同，被称为0级（欧洲核子研究中心）、1级（全世界有10个，其中一个位于TRIUMF）、2级和3级。加拿大将有两个第二级中心，最大的一个主要设在多伦多大学，作为通过原住民基金资助的SciNet计算设施的一部分。目前正在购买和安装这一设施。然而，几年来，我们在以前的CFI竞赛中资助了一个500 CPU的Linux集群，从2004年起，我们雇用了一个由MFA资助的人负责管理这个集群的科学使用，以支持各个实验组。此人在SciNet设施的设计中发挥了关键作用，预计将继续这种程度的参与。此外，我们目前还支持一名高能物理工程师，他在集团对ATLAS和T2K的硬件贡献中发挥了关键作用。至少在最初的T2K运行期间需要他的专业知识，并且获得他的技能也是我们ATLAS升级和超导RF腔研发计划的重要组成部分。此外，恢复仪器技术人员的位置是至关重要的，我们在这些领域的工作的继续。

Experimental high-energy physics is almost entirely carried out by large international collaborations based at a very few facilities located around the world. The University of Toronto is currently involved in two of the most high-profile new experiments in the world, the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider, which will study physics at an entirely new energy scale, and the T2K experiment in Japan, which will provide precision measurements in the neutrino sector of the Standard Model. Additionally, we are involved with R&D related to future accelerators, with research on the design, construction and testing of superconducting RF cavities for an electron linear accelerator. The infrastructure needed to maintain both existing and future research efforts is substantial. For instance, the large volumes of data that will be produced by the LHC experiments have lead to a grid computing model in which data will be distributed amongst computer centres around the world. These centres are of different sizes, referred to as Tier-0 (at CERN), Tier-1 (there are 10 around the world, with one located at TRIUMF), Tier-2 and Tier-3. There will be two Tier-2 centres in Canada, with the largest situated mainly at the University of Toronto, as part of the SciNet computing facilities funded through the CFI. The purchase and installation of this facility is now in progress. However, for some years we have had a 500-cpu Linux cluster financed in a previous CFI competition, and since 2004 we have employed an MFA-funded person responsible for managing the scientific use of this cluster, in support of the various experimental groups. This person has played a key role in the design of the SciNet facility, and is expect to continue this level of involvement. Additionally we currently support a High-Energy Physics Engineer, who has played key roles in the group's hardware contributions to both ATLAS and T2K. His expertise will be needed during at least the initial T2K running, and access to his skills also forms an important part of our plans for R&D on ATLAS upgrades and superconducting RF cavities. In addition, reinstating an Instrumentation Technologist position is crucial to the continuation of our work in these fields.