US ATLAS Operations: Empowering US Universities for Discoveries at the Energy Frontier

美国阿特拉斯行动计划旨在通过一个平衡的计划为美国大学科学家提供独特的大型强子对撞机科学机会，该计划包括：(1)与美国建造的探测器子系统的维护和操作有关的技术努力，这对于详细了解探测器的物理结果至关重要；(2)维护和完善软件、计算和物理分析支持，这对于使美国大学的科学家充分开发大型强子对撞机的物理潜力至关重要，部分是通过在美国建立大学二级计算中心和扩大现有的全球资源网络；(3)探测器升级的研发计划，以在大型强子对撞机预期的长期运行期间最大限度地提高物理输出，并保持美国在基于加速器的粒子物理学方面的智力领先地位；以及(4)强有力的教育和推广计划。ATLAS合作由来自34个国家的151个研究所组成，正在完成欧洲核子研究中心大型强子对撞机(LHC)的ATLAS探测器的建造，并准备在2007年获取初步数据。在NSF的支持下，美国阿特拉斯的34个机构为ATLAS探测器的建设做出了重大而独特的贡献，并继续为ATLAS计算和软件计划以及探测器在CERN投入使用时的运行前任务提供关键支持。智力优点：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的一些最深刻的问题：质量的物理起源是什么？超对称粒子真的存在吗？它们会揭示暗物质的本质吗？时空有额外的空间维度吗？对这些问题的回答将在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看法方面取得重大进展。这是一个粒子物理研究人员拥有异常令人信服的迹象的时候，这些迹象表明，大型强子对撞机将采取的步骤，导致碰撞能量超过现有设施可用的能量，将导致特别重要的发现，对广泛的基础科学领域产生影响。该计划建立在调查大型强子对撞机将获得的能源制度的特别有力的科学证据上，并受益于国际社会提供主要投资的计划。美国国家科学基金会与美国能源部合作，在ATLAS探测器的建造和操作中承担了非常重要的一部分，这一大胆的倡议为美国科学家打开了这个机会。广泛的影响：这项提议将增强研究、教育和Beyond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，这可能会带来重大的经济影响，我们的学生将走在使用这些新技术的前沿。NSF-ATLAS小组继续扩大其教育和外联方案，特别侧重于高中教师和学生(与QuarkNet密切协调)，并向代表性不足的人群进行外联。我们计划加强和扩大我们在ATLAS数据获取准备阶段的外展工作，包括计划帮助在非洲建立一个计算中心，作为我们不断扩大的全球网格设施网络的一部分。这个网站将提供一个平台，在这个平台上发起一个基于网格的非洲推广计划。从几年后开始，大型强子对撞机将成为培养下一代物理学家的主要加速器项目。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。

The U.S. ATLAS Operations Program aims to provide U.S. university scientists with access to the uniqueLHC science opportunities through a balanced program that encompasses: (1) the technical effortassociated with maintenance and operation of the U.S.-built detector subsystems, essential in achieving adetailed understanding of the detector for physics results; (2) the maintenance and refinement of software,computing and physics analysis support, critical in allowing scientists at U.S. universities to fully exploitthe physics potential of the LHC, in part through the establishment of university-based Tier 2 computingcenters in the U.S. and the expansion of the existing worldwide grid of resources; (3) an R&D programfor detector upgrades, to maximize the physics output during the long period of running expected for theLHC and maintain U.S. intellectual leadership in accelerator-based particle physics; and (4) a strongeducation and outreach program. The ATLAS collaboration, consisting of 151 institutes from 34countries, is completing construction of the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) atCERN, and preparing for initial data taking in 2007. The 34 institutions of U.S. ATLAS, with the supportof NSF, have made major and unique contributions to the construction of the ATLAS detector, andcontinue to provide critical support for the ATLAS computing and software program, and pre-operationstasks as the detector is commissioned at CERN.Intellectual Merit: The goal of the U.S. ATLAS Operations Program is to empower U.S. physicists toaddress some of the most profound questions in particle physics today: what is the physical origin ofmass? Do supersymmetric particles exist and will they shed light on the nature of dark matter? Doesspace-time have extra spatial dimensions? Answers to these questions would provide a major advancetoward completing a unified view of the particles in nature, the forces with which particles interact, andtheir role in the past and future of our universe. This is a time when particle physics researchers haveunusually compelling indications that the step to be taken by the LHC, leading to collision energies farbeyond those available at existing facilities, will lead to especially important discoveries withimplications over a broad field of fundamental science. This program rests on the especially strongscientific case for investigating the energy regime that will be accessed by the LHC, and benefits from aprogram in which the international community is providing a major part of the investment. The boldinitiative of the NSF, in partnership with the DOE, to carry out a very significant portion of theconstruction and operations of the ATLAS detector has opened up this opportunity for U.S. scientists.Broader Impacts: This proposal will enhance the computing infrastructure for research, education andbeyond. The LHC computing requirements are driving a paradigm shift towards global computing withpotentially significant economic impacts, and our students will be at the forefront in using these newtechnologies. NSF-ATLAS groups continue to expand their education and outreach programs, with aparticular focus on high school teachers and students (closely coordinated with QuarkNet), and onoutreach to under-represented populations. We plan on strengthening and expanding our outreach effortsin the run-up to ATLAS data taking, including plans to help establish a computing center in Africa as partof our expanding network of worldwide grid facilities. This site will provide a platform on which tolaunch a program of Grid-based outreach in Africa. Starting in a few years the LHC will be the majoraccelerator-based program in which to train the next generation of physicists. Support for R&D activitieswill lay the groundwork for new technologies that might be adopted by other fields.