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CHARGE TO THE COMMITTEE
Professor Frederick Gilman
Chair, HEPAP
Carnegie-Mellon University
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
October 22, 2003
Dear Professor Gilman:
Recent scientific discoveries at the energy frontier and in the far reaches of the universe have redefined the scientific landscape for
cosmology, astrophysics and high energy physics, and revealed new and compelling mysteries. We are writing to ask the High Energy
Physics Advisory Panel (HEPAP) to take the lead in producing a report which will illuminate the issues, and provide the funding and science
policy agencies with a clear picture of the connected, complementary experimental approaches to the truly exciting scientific questions of this
century. The report should elucidate how the questions being asked in particle physics overlap with those being asked by other communities.
Further, we are particularly interested in the role that accelerators will play in addressing the important questions and the complementary
roles played by other experimental techniques.
We request that HEPAP form a committee that will write a report identifying and addressing the key questions now faced by high energy
physics, particle astrophysics and cosmology:
- What are the general methods and technologies that can answer these questions, and what is the particular contribution made by particle
accelerators?
- What is the current status of scientific efforts in these areas and what are the near-term prospects for advances?
- Explain the connections between various approaches to this research. How can the results from one type of investigation impact the
science of another experiment ? For example, discuss the interrelation of searches for dark matter.
The membership of the committee should be drawn broadly from the communities in particle physics, nuclear physics, cosmology,
astrophysics and related fields that are actively involved in this science and can give independent advice on the relative strengths of the
various approaches considered. We would like a brief report which encompasses the most important scientific questions and addresses the
issues outlined above in a summary fashion. We recognize that, given the complexity of interconnections between fields, further studies may
be needed to give a more complete picture of these evolving areas. We appreciate your advice on the appropriate “next steps” to follow-up
on your report.
We look forward to the creation of this committee in the near future. We would like to have a status report on the work of the committee by
the end of 2003, with a final report to HEPAP early in 2004. We wish you success in this challenging and important endeavor.
Sincerely,
Raymond L. Orbach
Director
Office of Science U.S. Department of Energy
Michael Turner
Assistant Director
Mathematical and Physical Sciences
National Science Foundation
cc: Ben Weakley, SC-4
Robin Staffin, SC-20
Bruce Strauss, SC-20
Joseph Dehmer, NSF
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