PLANNING FOR THE INTERNATIONAL LINEAR COLLIDER – Mission and Organization

 

The worldwide elementary particle physics community has reached the strong consensus that the next scientific step is to build a sub-TeV electron-positron linear collider (LC).  The LC is an essential tool for exploring the scientific landscape for the next decades and for understanding the fundamental quantum nature of the universe, including dark energy, dark matter, possible extra dimensions and perhaps other undiscovered principles.  The discoveries that will be made at both the LC and the CERN LHC will significantly enhance their respective programs by providing each other direction on how to best understand and explore the new physics.

 

Understanding Matter, Energy, Space and Time: The Case for the LC

Worldwide Study of the Physics and Detectors for the Future LC

ICFA Statement on the LC

Meetings of Funding Agencies to discuss the status and funding prospects for an LC at 0.5 – 1 TeV:

April 6, 2004, London, UK

July 30, 2003, London, UK

 

U.S. DOE Office of Science, Strategic Plan (2004)

Facilities for the Future of Science, 20-Year Outlook (2003)

Report of the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board’s Task Force on the Future of Science Programs at DOE (2003)

"The Science Ahead, The Way to Discovery, The High-Energy Physics Advisory Panel Long Range Plan for U.S. High Energy Physics in the 21st century” (approved by HEPAP, January 28, 2002)

 

 

A number of international, regional and domestic organizations are already involved with the linear collider. [Link to Figure with thumbnail image.]

 

 

 

 

These existing committees and organizations must gradually evolve towards a truly international organization capable of implementing the design and eventually the construction of the project.  The pre-construction plan endorsed by the ILCSC is based on creating a Global Design Initiative (GDI)  that will be in operation for about five years. During this period, the GDI will evolve through two sequential phases.

 

The Phase-I organization of the GDI [Pop up the upper figure?] is a modest evolution from the present structure.  It should exist for about 1–2 years.  It is intended to be formed expeditiously by keeping the present operating and budget authorities of all participating national organizations intact and connected to their current funding agencies.  The ILCSC will create a Central Team with a Director and a small staff, located at a site at an existing laboratory.

 

The largest set of technical activities to be carried out and coordinated by the Central Team in Phase I will be to develop the R&D for subsystems, the technology transfer procedures for industrialization, the construction and testing of prototypes, and the development of plans for conventional facilities and generic infrastructure needed to support the eventual machine operation and physical research.  The major deliverables that will mark the end of Phase I will be the completion of an international proposal consisting of a conceptual design report (CDR), a plan and estimate of costs and schedule needed to complete the fully engineered design discussed below, and a first rough estimate of the cost and schedule needed to construct and commission the facility.

 

Phase II of the GDI [Pop up the lower figure?] will last for 2–3 years, or up to the point when construction of the project is to begin.  The main deliverables for Phase II will be an extensive Engineering Design Report, initially site-independent, and a formal proposal to build the linear collider that can be submitted to all interested, participating countries.