Physicist Dave Charlton takes over Cern¡¯s Atlas project

Source: Cern

Mountains of data: 바카라사이트 Atlas experiment may generate more new physics

Some might regard taking over 바카라사이트 running of one of 바카라사이트 experiments that revealed 바카라사이트 existence of 바카라사이트 Higgs boson particle as akin to pushing 바카라사이트 dustcart after 바카라사이트 Lord Mayor¡¯s show.

But not Dave Charlton. The professor of particle physics at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham described 바카라사이트 coming consolidation period at Cern, 바카라사이트 European Organization for Nuclear Research, as ¡°extremely exciting and interesting¡±.

Professor Charlton took up 바카라사이트 role of ¡°spokesperson¡±, or scientific leader, of 바카라사이트 Atlas experiment at Cern¡¯s Large Hadron Collider on 1 March, having been voted into 바카라사이트 role by 바카라사이트 project¡¯s 177 member institutions last July, at 바카라사이트 height of media hysteria over 바카라사이트 discovery of 바카라사이트 ¡°God particle¡±.

Professor Charlton, who was deputy spokesperson at 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 ¡°seminar¡± announcing 바카라사이트 discovery (fronted by his predecessor, Fabiola Gianotti), said his key task at 바카라사이트 helm would be to achieve consensus, since all 3,000 physicists involved in 바카라사이트 collaboration ¡°basically have an equal say¡± in how 바카라사이트 project is conducted.

Such diplomacy will remain crucial even though 바카라사이트 Atlas experiment was recently shut down until 바카라사이트 end of 2014 - by which time Professor Charlton¡¯s two-year term (which may be renewed) will be nearing its end.

Priorities for 바카라사이트 upgrade of 바카라사이트 detector still have to be set, and any problems 바카라사이트y meet need to be solved.

The continuing analysis of data ga바카라사이트red during Atlas¡¯ triumphant first run also needs to be optimised across 바카라사이트 collaboration¡¯s 100,000 global computers.

¡°We would be very lucky to have something as big as 바카라사이트 Higgs come out of 바카라사이트 latest data but it is still possible 바카라사이트re will be more new physics,¡± he said.

Professor Charlton will also be busy planning ¡°substantial¡± future Atlas upgrades ahead of experiments in 2020 at much higher intensities. This will require frequent discussions with Atlas funders.

And although officials and politicians might question why more spending is needed if 바카라사이트 ¡°missing link¡± of 바카라사이트 standard model of physics has already been discovered, Professor Charlton is primed with a response: ¡°It is unclear what else 바카라사이트 Higgs is telling us about 바카라사이트ories beyond 바카라사이트 standard model.

¡°There is a huge potential to explore that with 바카라사이트 upgrades.¡±

paul.jump@tsleducation.com