Proposals for experiments are made at CERN and have to go through the correct channels in order to be approved. One of the last steps in the process is to submit the proposal to an appropriate CERN Scientific Committee. The committees will discuss the proposal and then pass on their recommendations to the Research Board (previously the Nuclear Physics Research Committee) for the final decision. Proposals approved become part of the CERN experimental programme.[1]
In 1960, John Adams, the Director General, created three committees to manage experiments for each bubble chamber experimental technique used at CERN.[2] These replaced the previous Advisory and Bubble Chamber committees.[3] At the end of the bubble chamber period, the system was again changed and based on machine, rather than experimental technique. The committees were changed and merged in order to accommodate to this.[4][1][5] Since then, the committees have changed based on the creation and decommissioning of facilities and accelerators.[1]
Current committees
edit| Title | Current Chair | Date Established | Description | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISOLDE and Neutron Time-of-Flight Experiments Committee (INTC)[6] | Marek Pfutzner | August 1999 | Evaluates experiment proposals for the ISOLDE facility and n_TOF facility. Initially referred to as ISTC, but changed to INTC in 2000. | Database |
| Large Hadron Collider Committee (LHCC)[7] | Frank Simon | March 1992 | Evaluates experiment proposals for LHC, and reviews the World LHC Computing Grid (WLCG) and detector R&D projects. | Database |
| Research Board (RB)[8] | Fabiola Gianotti (CERN Director General) | 1976 | Makes decisions on recommendations made by all CERN Experimental Committees. Also decides on accelerator schedules and "Recognised Experiments" requests. | Database |
| Super Proton Synchrotron and Proton Synchrotron Committee (SPSC) - 2nd Period[9] | Jordan Nash | 1989 | Review requests from experimental teams considering the accelerator availability and physics interest. | Database |
Past committees
edit| Title | Date Established | Date Ended | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advisory Committee (AC) | June 1957 | 1960 | Advised the Director-General on the utilisation of the accelerators by Member State visiting teams. Taken over by three new experimental committees. |
| Detector Research and Development Committee (DRDC) | July 1990 | January 1995 | Evaluated all proposals for detector R&D. Taken over by LHCC and SPSC. |
| Electronic Experiments Committee (EEC)[10] | March 1961 | 1976 | Examined proposals for experiments concerning electronics at the Proton Synchrotron (PS). Often referred to as Physics I Committee (PH-I-COM). Merged with TCC to become PSC. |
| Emulsion Experiment Committee (EmC)[10] | 1961 | 1976 | Examined proposals for experiments concerning emulsion experiments. Merged with NSC to form PH-III-COM, which then become the SCC. |
| ISOLDE Committee (ISC) | 1991 | 1999 | Reviewed proposals for ISOLDE experiments. Become the ISTC (INTC). |
| Intersecting Storage Rings Committee (ISRC) | 1968 | January 1984 | Evaluated proposals for experiments using the Intersecting Storage Rings (ISR). Disassembled after the ISR were closed down. |
| Large Electron Position Committee (LEPC) | 1982 | November 2000 | Reviewed proposals for experiments at the LEP accelerator. Disassembled after LEP was decommissioned. |
| Nuclear Physics Research Committee (NPRC)[10] | 1961 | 1976 | Took recommendations from the committees and decided on the experimental programmes for the facilities. Regularly reviewed the current experiments. Replaced by the RB. |
| Nuclear Structure Committee (NSC) | 1964 | 1966 | Decided on proposals for nuclear structure research experiments and provided coordination for nuclear structure groups using the Synchro-Cyclotron (SC). Merged with the EmC to form the PH-III-COM. |
| Proton Synchrotron Committee (PSC)[11][12] | 1976 | 1978 | Examined experimental proposals using the PS. Merged with the SCC to form the PSCC. |
| Proton Synchrotron and Synchro-Cyclotron Committee (PSCC) | 1978 | 1990 | Reviewed experimental proposals concerning the PS and SC. Split into the ISC, LEAR and SPSC when the SC shut down. |
| Synchro-Cyclotron Committee (SCC))[11][12] | 1976 | 1977 | Renamed from the PH-III-COM. Evaluated experimental proposals for the SC. Merged with PSC to form the PSCC. |
| Super Proton Synchrotron Committee (SPSC) - 1st Period | 1973 | 1990 | Evaluated experimental proposals regarding use of the Super Proton Synchrotron. Transferred to the SPSLC. |
| Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) and Low Energy Antiproton Ring (LEAR) Committee (SPSLC) | 1990 | 1997 | Examined experiment requests based on the availability of the accelerators and the physics interest of the proposals. Reverted to previous name (SPSC) when LEAR was decommissioned. |
| Track Chamber Committee (TPC)[10] | 1961 | 1976 | Examined proposals for experiments concerning track chamber experiments. Commonly known as PH-II-COM. Merged with EEC to become the PSC. |
References
edit- ^ a b c "CERN Scientific Committees | CERN Scientific Information Service (SIS)". scientific-info.cern. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
- ^ Galison, Peter (Oct 1997). Image and Logic: A Material Culture of Microphysics. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-27917-6.
- ^ Hermann, A.; Krige, J. (1987). History of CERN, II: Volume II - Building and Running the Laboratory, 1954-1965. Elsevier Science. ISBN 978-0-444-88207-3.
- ^ Stafford, Godfrey Harry (Dec 1986). "John Bertram Adams, 24 May 1920 - 3 March 1984". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. 32: 1–34. doi:10.1098/rsbm.1986.0001. ISSN 0080-4606. S2CID 72330820.
- ^ "Archives of Nuclear Physics Division, NP | CERN Scientific Information Service (SIS)". library.cern. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
- ^ "ISOLDE and Neutron Time-of-Flight Experiments Committee (INTC) | Scientific Committees". committees.web.cern.ch. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
- ^ "LHC Experiments Committee (LHCC) | Scientific Committees". committees.web.cern.ch. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
- ^ "Research Board | Scientific Committees". committees.web.cern.ch. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
- ^ "SPS and PS Experiments Committee (SPSC) | Scientific Committees". committees.web.cern.ch. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
- ^ a b c d "Structure de l'Organisation". CERN Courrier. 7 (3): 49–52. March 1967.
- ^ a b Hermann, Armin; European Organization for Nuclear Research; CERN, eds. (2000). The history of CERN. Vol. 2: Building and running the laboratory, 1954 - 1965. Vol. 2 (2. impression ed.). Amsterdam: North-Holland. ISBN 978-0-444-88207-3.
- ^ a b Krige, John (18 December 1996). History of CERN. CERN. Amsterdam Oxford: North-Holland. ISBN 978-0-444-89655-1.