Stanford Linear Accelerator

1. Stanford Linear Accelerator High Energy Physics – particle physics Photon (X-ray) science Astrophysics and Cosmology

2. Particle or High Energy physics • to understand the basic constituents of matter • and the interactions between them --in answering these questions we are probing deeply into the workings of the Universe

3. Why high energy? 1. Energy is inversely proportional to wavelength Wavelength defines resolution --scale at which we can see 2. High energy allows us to produce new (more massive) particle types

4. Particle Physics Experiments • BaBar –the B factory at SLAC experiment completed, data still being analyzed • ATLAS @LHC –“Large Hadron Collider” at CERN (Switzerland) science will start 2009 • ILC –the international linear collider --a plan (and a hope) for the future

5. Particle detectors • a multilayered set of components (each layer has its own technologies and experts) • detect and identify all particles produced in a collision • measure as accurately as possible the momentum and energy of each particle www2.slac.stanford.edu/vvc/detectors.html

6. Particle Physics • B Factory –BaBar Detector studying the difference in the laws of physics for matter and antimatter

7. BaBar Collaboration

8. Matter and antimatter in the Universe Laws of physics for matter and antimatter are very similar Universe contains lots of matter, very little antimatter How did that come about?

9. ATLAS @LHC • One of two very large detectors for experiments at LHC • Particle physicists hope for all kinds of discoveries with this machine Higgs particle ? Super-partner particles??? Indications of new dimensions of space????????

10. Accelerator Physics • Design, build, and run forefront accelerators • New acceleration technologies • Improvements in efficiency and reliability of existing technologies A science in its own right! Also a set of very challenging engineering problems.

11. International Linear Collider • SLAC accelerator physicists play some key roles in project • Small group at SLAC working on possible detector design • R&D is a priority of the field, decision if and where to build ~2010 (after first LHC rersults) http://www.linearcollider.org/cms/

12. Photon Science -- SSRL • Synchrotron radiation lab uses x-rays for science at atomic and molecular scales

13. Accelerators as X-ray sources • Basic concept – when fast moving electrons are deflected by magnets they radiate photons • Synchrotron radiation –bending magnets in storage ring (synchrotron) • Wigglers and undulators – additional magnets placed along straight section to “wiggle” the beam to make x-ray photons

14. X rays probe all kinds of science Materials Science Surface physics Structure of Biological macromolecules Trace elements in environment And more -- over 300 experiments each year –users from all around the world http://www-ssrl.slac.stanford.edu/

15. PULSE –photon ultra-fast laser science and engineering • Sub-picosecond x-ray pulses, & short pulse lasers to probe fast processes pump-probe experiments watch how excited states change in time

16. LCLS –X-ray laser • A new facility for ultra-fast science construction almost done http://www-ssrl.slac.stanford.edu/lcls/science.html

17. Astrophysics -- KIPAC • Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology experiments and theory http://www-group.slac.stanford.edu/kipac/

18. Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology • Astronomy –observing and cataloguing the objects • Astrophysics—providing physical models for what produces the observed phenomena • “Particle Astrophysics” –that part of astrophysics where the phenomena are dominantly particle physics effects • Cosmology –providing a physical model for the evolution of the universe

19. Some Particle Astrophysics questions • What is dark matter? • What produces the highest energy cosmic rays? X-rays? • How do supernova explosions produce neutrinos? • What causes the expansion of the Universe to be speeding up? (or what is dark energy?)

20. GLAST Gamma Ray Large Area Space Telescope launched June 11 2008 detector built at SLAC Turns on tomorrow! http://www-glast.sonoma.edu/science/what.html

21. LSST Large Synoptic Survey telescope Under design –telescope to be built in Chile SLAC will compete to build camera --largest ever digital camera 3.2 gigapixels! http://www.lsst.org/lsst_home.shtml

22. Challenges for all this science Invention of new devices Precision engineering and control Making sense of large quantities of data Simulations Theory