Prime Minister Tony Blair Opens New Centre for Physics Research

The Prime Minister Tony Blair opened The Ogden Centre for Fundamental
Physics at the University of Durham today [Friday 18th October 2002]. The
multi-million pound science complex will create a world-leading centre of
excellence in fundamental physics, combining research into the building
blocks of the universe and the large scale structure of the universe,
coupled with a mission to inspire a new generation of young scientists.

The Prime Minister stated that scientific research was not only of vital
importance to expanding our knowledge and driving the economy but also of
equal importance in enthusing young people to follow a career in science and
technology.

The Ogden Centre provides state-of-the-art accommodation for two scientific
teams comprising The Institute for Computational Cosmology [ICC] and The
Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology [IPPP], each working at the
forefront of research at opposite ends of the known physical scale.

At one extreme, the Institute for Computational Cosmology (ICC) probes the
past, present and possible future development of the universe using a huge
combination of galaxy surveys and powerful supercomputer simulations. At the
other extreme, the Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology (IPPP) deals
with the tantalisingly minuscule landscape of the sub-atomic world of
electrons and quarks, providing a bridge between theory and experiment.

The new facility is also the base for a Public Understanding of Science and
Technology project, funded by the UK’s strategic science investment agency
The Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC). It draws on the
research work of the Centre to develop new teaching materials for schools
and stimulate young people to aspire to be the scientists of tomorrow.

Commenting on the new centre Prof. Ian Halliday, CEO of PPARC said,” The
centre provides a major opportunity to strengthen and expand UK research in
fundamental physics. The large investment by the university, Dr. Peter Ogden
and the government is to be applauded.” Halliday added,” The government’s
strategy to expand research funding and put it on the road to sustainability
is clearly visible here today – keeping this generation of scientists at the
forefront of their field and inspiring a new generation in our schools.”

At the opening Tony Blair met Ogden Centre staff, research students, and
pupils from Spennymoor Comprehensive school in his own constituency, who are
helping to develop the pilot programme of the Understanding Science project.
The Prime Minister also joined staff and guests in viewing a special
3D-video simulation of a developing universe.

Background notes

The three functions of the Centre reflect the interests of the man after
whom it is named. Dr Peter Ogden was inspired by his own physics teacher at
school to read the subject at Durham University. He obtained his BSc and PhD
degrees before co-founding a very successful business, Computacenter Ltd
(where he was Chairman from 1981-1998). When he sold his business he
established the Ogden Trust which now supports a wide range of educational
projects.

Peter Ogden and the Trust are the principal private donors towards the cost
of the Centre. Additional funding has been provided through JIF [Joint
Infrastructure Fund sponsored by the DTI, The Wellcome Trust and HEFCE), The
University of Durham, and JREI (the Joint Research Equipment Initiative).
The Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council [PPARC] provide ongoing
support. More than 1 million came from Sun Microsystems, providers of a new
supercomputer that performs massive calculations at the rate of 456 billion
arithmetic operations per second.

The Centre is housed in a dedicated building adjacent to the University of
Durham Physics Department.

The ICC
The research programme of the Institute for Computational Cosmology (ICC)
encompasses all aspects of cosmology, from the birth of the first objects in
the Universe, to the physics of galaxy formation. Its long-term goals are to
understand the origin of structure in the Universe, to establish the
identity and properties of the dark matter that dominates the mass density
of the Universe, and to relate theoretical predictions to astronomical
observations.

Director Professor Carlos Frenk explains: “The ICC’s mission is to arrive at
a physical understanding of how our universe works by using powerful
supercomputer simulations to interpret astronomical data. The supercomputer
is programmed with the basic laws of Physics (such as gravity) and fed the
initial conditions that prevailed shortly after the Big Bang. The
supercomputer then calculates a virtual universe, which can be compared with
the real one on the basis of observations of galaxies, quasars and
structures in the cosmic web. The comparison identifies the likely nature of
fundamental cosmic properties including the identity of the dark matter and
the long-term fate of our universe”.

Researchers at the ICC engage both in collecting astronomical data and in
developing the physical theory required to interpret the data. In
particular, ICC members have played a leading role in the analysis of the
groundbreaking `Anglo-Australian 2-degree field survey’ of 250,000 galaxies.
They have also pioneered the development of cosmological simulations to
track the evolution of dark matter and gas in the universe and its eventual
coagulation into galaxies and other cosmic structures. ICC researchers have
extensively explored the current paradigm for the origin of cosmological
structure, the cold dark matter theory.

The ICC is the UK base of the ‘Virgo Consortium’, an international
collaboration involving around 25 researchers in Britain, Germany, Canada
and the USA, which is responsible for many leading contributions to
computational cosmology.

The ICC houses a multi-national research group of about 30 people. Its
engine room is the 1.4 million ‘Cosmology Machine’, one of the most
powerful supercomputers for academic research in Britain and one of the
fastest in Europe. Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt switched on
the Cosmology Machine in July 2002. The Cosmology Machine takes data from
billions of observations about the behaviour of stars, gases and the
mysterious dark matter throughout the universe and then calculates, at ultra
high speeds, how galaxies and solar systems evolved. By testing different
theories of cosmic evolution it can simulate virtual universes to test which
ideas come closest to explaining the real universe.

At its heart is an integrated cluster of 128 Ultra-Sparc111 processors and a
24-processor SunFire. It has a total of 112Gbytes of RAM and 7 Terabytes of
data storage [a Terabyte is more than a million, million bytes]. This is
equivalent of nearly 11,000 CD-ROMS. The Cosmology Machine can perform 10
billion arithmetic operations per second, equivalent to about a million
years of continuous calculation by a numerate individual. Or, alternatively,
if all the Earth’s six billion inhabitants were proficient at arithmetic it
would take them about two hours to carry out the same number of operations
that the supercomputer can carry out in a single second.

The gigantic facility, manufactured by Sun Microsystems and supplied by
Esteem Systems plc, was installed at Durham with the help of 652,000.00
from the Joint Research Equipment Initiative [JREI]. The JREI was set up by
the DTI’s Office of Science and Technology, The Higher Education Funding
Council for England [HEFCE] and, in this particular instance, The Particle
Physics and Astronomy Research Council [PPARC].

The IPPP

The Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology (IPPP) fosters world-class
research in particle physics phenomenology – the bridge between theory and
experiment – in the study of the building blocks of matter in the Universe
[the fundamental particles] and how they interact through the fundamental
forces. Following a review of competitive bids from UK institutes by a panel
of international experts the IPPP was established in June 2000 with funding
of 7M by PPARC and 5M by the University of Durham.

Director Professor James Stirling explains: “Particle Physics Phenomenology
is the bridge between theory and experiment in the study of the building
blocks of matter in the Universe – the fundamental particles – and how they
interact through the fundamental forces. Phenomenologists play the dual role
of revealing aspects of theory that can be tested by experiment, while at
the same time helping their experimental colleagues to see the implications
of their measurements in the search for new fundamental laws. The formation
of the Institute enables the UK to maximise the benefit from existing
investment in major experimental laboratories around the world.”

The IPPP currently has around fifty members, including postgraduate students
and support staff. One of the main goals of the IPPP is to provide a forum
for interaction between UK particle physics experimentalists and theorists,
co-ordinating common interests and future research through discussion
meetings, workshops and conferences. An extensive visitor programme brings
international researchers to Durham all year round.

The research activity of the IPPP covers a wide range of topics in particle
physics phenomenology, from precision calculations within the ‘Standard
Model’ to more speculative work on possible `theories of everything’, with
the emphasis on the implications for current and future particle physics
experiments. The research programme is closely aligned with that of the UK
experimental community. Recent workshops have focused on physics topics
relevant to HERA, the Tevatron, the LHC and a future Linear Collider. One of
the key areas of study relates to the search for the Higgs boson. IPPP
researchers are actively involved in ongoing national and international
studies to assess and refine the discovery possibilities at the LHC and the
Linear Collider.

Earlier this year, the IPPP sponsored and co-organised the first
international conference on ‘String Phenomenology’, held in Oxford, at which
the implications for experiment of the leading candidate for a theory of
everything – string theory – were addressed. While much of the work of the
IPPP focuses on physics relevant to present and future high-energy particle
colliders, there is also a strong emphasis on non-accelerator and
astroparticle physics. Neutrino physics has a high profile within the
Institute, through ongoing work on developing theories that incorporate
neutrino masses and mixing, and exploring their cosmological implications.
Finally, studies of theories ‘Beyond the Standard Model’ reveal possible
candidates for the dark matter in the universe, and form a natural bridge
between the work of the IPPP and ICC.

Public Outreach

The goal of this project is to develop a public outreach programme in
astronomy and particle physics in the North of England. Its primary target
is 11-16 year old school children and their teachers. The focus is on
exploring the origin of the Universe, the properties of the fundamental
particles and the nature of the dark matter. The project builds upon the
work of the Ogden Centre and The UK Dark Matter Collaboration, which is
based in the Boulby potash mine near Whitby.

The programme is constructed around five key activities:

1. The development of innovative teaching packs.
2. The delivery of Masterclasses in particle physics and astronomy.
3. Establishing the first regional Faulkes Telescope Centre in the UK.
4. School visits.
5. Teacher support sessions.

Contacts

Keith Seacroft
Head of Public Relations
University of Durham
Telephone: 0191 374 2947
Email: keith.seacroft@durham.ac.uk
Web site: www.durham.ac.uk

Peter Barratt
PPARC Head of Communications
Tel: 01793 442025
Mobile: 07879 602899
Email: peter.barratt@pparc.ac.uk
Web Site: www.pparc.ac.uk

IPPP Contacts:

Prof. James Stirling, Director IPPP
Tel: 0191 374 2169
Email: w.j.stirling@durham.ac.uk

Higgs searches:
Georg Weiglein (Georg.Weiglein@durham.ac.uk) Tel: 0191 374 1641
Alan Martin (A.D.Martin@durham.ac.uk) Tel: 0191 374 2162

Collider Physics:
Nigel Glover (E.W.N.Glover@durham.ac.uk) Tel: 0191 374 3802

String Phenomenology:
Steve Abel (S.A.Abel@durham.ac.uk) Tel: 0191 374 2349/4614

Neutrino Physics:
Sacha Davidson (Sacha.Davidson@durham.ac.uk) Tel: 0191 374 2157

ICC contacts
Prof. Carlos Frenk, Director ICC
Tel: 0191 374 2141
Email: c.s.frenk@durham.ac.uk

PPARC

The Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) is the UK’s
strategic science investment agency. It funds research, education and public
understanding in four broad areas of science – particle physics, astronomy,
cosmology and space science.

PPARC is government funded and provides research grants and studentships to
scientists in British universities, gives researchers access to world-class
facilities and funds the UK membership of international bodies such as the
European Organisation for Nuclear Research, CERN, the European Southern
Observatory and the European Space Agency. It also contributes money for the
UK telescopes overseas on La Palma, Hawaii, Australia and in Chile, the UK
Astronomy Technology Centre at the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh and the
MERLIN/VLBI National Facility.