DOE FY 2002 Request: Physics Programs

The budget that DOE sent to Congress last week is in the process of being amended. The High Energy Physics request will be $5.0 million less than shown in the current budget document. This $5.0 million, and additional reductions totaling $5.0 million from other Science program requests, will be shifted to the Fusion Energy Sciences request.

The amended High Energy Physics budget would increase 0.6%, or $4.1 million, from $712.0 million to $716.1 million.

Language from the budget document follows. All amounts are in millions of dollars. Note that this language does NOT account for the amendment:

“The focus of the program is related to the ‘windows of opportunity’ in finding the Higgs Boson (Fermilab) and on CP violation (SLAC) to explore the preponderance of matter over antimatter. HEP will continue its participation in the Large Hadron Collider project, but at a reduced level as agreed to by CERN. Construction funding is reduced with completion of two projects in FY 2001 and another nearing completion in FY 2002.”

The document continues: “Funding for Research and Technology (FY 2001 $242.9; FY 2002 $247.9) increases by $5.0 million primarily to support research and future facility upgrades at Fermilab (related to the search for the Higgs Boson) (FY 2001 $33.4; FY 2002 $35.1), and at SLAC (for CP violation investigations) (FY 2001 $34.4; FY 2002 $36.6). University R&D declines by $5.6 million (FY 2001 $110.9; FY 2002 $105.3). Other changes, including a transfer of SBIR funds (+$6.5) net to +$6.7 million.”

Also: “High Energy Physics Facilities (FY 2001 $436.8; FY 2002 $456.8) focuses on enhanced operations of Fermilab and SLAC. Fermilab (FY 2001 $211.4; FY 2002 $244.7) will operate for 22 weeks in FY 2001 and 39 weeks in FY 2002 as it increases its search for the Higgs Boson. Fermilab funding includes continued fabrication of the MINOS Detector (FY 2001 $15.0; FY 2002 $18.0) for the Neutrinos at the Main Injector (NuMI) project, and other facility improvement projects. SLAC (FY 2001 $116.4; FY 2002 $125.1) will operate for 34 weeks in FY 2001 and 35 weeks in FY 2002, concentrating on CP violation investigations. SLAC funding includes a $2.5 increase for GLAST, a joint DOE/NASA effort to study cosmic radiation from a satellite. Funding for the Large Hadron Collider declines to a level agreed upon by CERN (FY 2001 $58.9; FY 2002 $49.0). Other changes, including a transfer of SBIR funds to Research and Technology (-$6.5) net to -$12.1 million.”

Finally: “Construction funding decreases at Fermilab with completion of the Wilson Hall Safety Improvements project in FY 2001 (-$4.2) and completion of funding for the NuMI project in FY 2002 (FY 2001 $22.9; FY 2002 $11.4). At SLAC the SLAC Research Office Building is completed in FY 2001 (-$5.2).”

The amendment does not affect the Nuclear Physics request. The budget document states (all numbers are in millions of dollars):

“The Nuclear Physics budget, unchanged from FY 2001, is $360.5 million. All research and facility operations activities are continued below FY 2001 levels, including research and operation of the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF) and the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC).”

The document continues: “Medium Energy Nuclear Physics (FY 2001 $118.6; FY 2002 $118.0) reflects a reduction for completion of the MIT BLAST detector (FY 2001 $1.2; FY 2002 $0); this and other small savings are used to maintain operation of the MIT Bates accelerator (13 weeks in FY 2001 and 14 weeks in FY 2002) and the TJNAF (27 weeks in FY 2001 and 26 weeks in FY 2002) at near FY 2001 levels.”

Also: “Heavy Ion Nuclear Physics (FY2001 $155.8; FY 2002 $156.3) primarily funds research and operations of RHIC. Total BNL funding for RHIC, which will operate 27 weeks in FY 2001 and 20 weeks in FY 2002, increases by $1.0 million (FY 2001 $113.6; FY 2002 $114.6) while university research declines from FY 2001 (FY 2001 $12.0; FY 2002 $11.5).”

In addition: “Low Energy Nuclear Physics (FY 2001 $62.7; FY 2002 $62.7) has no change in funding but has minor reallocations between research and facility operations. The facilities funded by this subprogram will have relatively stable budgets but reduced operating times (HRIBF-14 weeks in FY 2001 and 13 weeks in FY 2002; ATLAS - 34 weeks in FY 2001 and 23 weeks in FY 2002; 88-inch Cyclotron 33 weeks in FY 2001 and 27 weeks in FY 2002). R&D and preconceptual design for the Rare Isotope Accelerator (RIA) continues (FY 2001 $2.8; FY 2002 $3.0).”

Finally: “Nuclear Theory (FY 2001 $23.4; FY 2002 $23.5) will continue theoretical research and the Nuclear Data program at the FY 2001 funding level.”

The BES budget would increase 1.3%, or $13.0 million, from $991.7 million to $1,004.7 million. It would not be affected by the budget amendment.

The budget document states (all numbers are in millions of dollars):

“Most of the increase in BES is related to construction: Funding for the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), a world-class facility for neutron scattering, increases from $258.9 million in FY 2001 to $276.3 million in FY 2002; and new funding of $4.0 million is requested for plant engineering and design for Nanoscale Science Research Centers. Research and facility operations is funded at or slightly below FY 2001 levels, and small increases are offset by a transfer of funding for the High Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR) (-$15.3) to the Office of Environmental Management.”

The document continues: “Materials Sciences (FY 2001 $443.2; FY 2002 $434.4): In FY 2002 responsibility for the High Flux Beam Reactor at BNL is transferred to the Office of Environment Management for surveillance and decommissioning (- $15.3). Some of the HFBR funds made available will support increases for neutron and x-ray scattering at three existing facilities and the new Spallation Neutron Source (FY 2001 $31.2; FY 2002 $36.3). The High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) Beam Tube project at ORNL was completed in FY 2001 (FY 2001 $1.2, FY 2002 $0) and provides access for six additional experiments at higher flux; acquisition of new and upgraded neutron scattering instruments for HFIR are initiated (FY 2001 $0; FY 2002 $2.0). Project related costs for the Spallation Neutron Source are reduced according to schedule (FY 2001 $19.1; FY 2002 $15.1). Other changes net to +$4.5 million.”

Also: “Chemical Sciences (FY 2001 $216.5; FY 2002 $218.7) maintains research and facility operations funding at near FY 2001 levels. There is a small increase in operations of the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (FY 2001 $16.8; FY 2002 $17 .8) and the High Flux Isotope Reactor at ORNL (FY 2001 $28.8; FY 2002 $30.1).”

In addition: “Engineering and Geosciences (FY 2001 $39.8; FY 2002 $38.9) and Biosciences (FY 2001 $33.2; FY 2002 $32.4) have small funding reductions.”

Finally: “Construction (FY 2001 $258.9; FY 2002 $280.3): Funding for the SNS (FY 2001 $258.9; FY 2002 $276.3) increases by $17.4 million as planned. New plant engineering and design funds of $4.0 million are requested for Nanoscale Science Research Centers.”

The proposed budget amendment, by shifting $10.0 million from other requests within the Science account, would enable this budget to remain level at $248.5 million.

The budget document states (all numbers are in millions of dollars): “The budget will continue funding for three subprograms: Science will focus on Tokamak and alternative concept experiments, theory, and general plasma science; Facility Operations will fund operation of the 3 primary fusion facilities and will continue decontamination and decommissioning of the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor; and Enabling R&D will fund removal of recoverable tritium from the Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) facility at LANL.”

The document continues: “Science (FY 2001 $136.3; FY 2002 $133.4) will continue research at DIII-D, National Spherical Tokamak Experiment (NSTX), and the Alcator C-Mod and through international collaboration. To absorb part of the FES reduction [note: this is pre-amendment language] experimental plasma research in tokamaks and alternative concepts is reduced by $1.5 million (FY 2001 $31.5; FY 2002 $30.0). Inertial Fusion Energy research (FY 2001 $13.8; FY 2002 $13.2) and Theory (FY 2001 $27.3; FY 2002 $26.0) also decline. Other changes net to +$0.6 million.”

In addition: “Facility Operations: (FY 2001 $77.9; FY 2002 $72.0) The DIII-D at General Atomics in San Diego will operate 17 weeks in FY 2001 and 14 weeks in FY 2002 (FY 2001 $29.3; FY 2002 $26.7); the Alcator C-Mod at MIT will operate 12 weeks in FY 2001 and 8 weeks in FY 2002 (FY 2001 $10.6; FY 2002 $9.6); the National Spherical Tokamak Experiment at Princeton will operate 15 weeks in FY 2001 and 11 weeks in FY 2002 (FY 2001 $14.4; FY 2002 $13.2). Funding for the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) decontamination and decommissioning (FY 2001 $19.0; FY 2002 $18.0) should bring the project to completion. Other changes net to -$0.1.”

Finally: “Enabling R&D: (FY 2001 $34.3; FY 2002 $33.1) Funding for the Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) (FY 2001 $2.2; FY 2002 $3.3) increases to reduce the tritium inventory in preparation for transfer of this excess facility to Environmental Management (+$1.1). This is offset by minor reductions and transfer of SBIR/STTR to the Science subprogram (-$2.3).”