Grant: Subatomic Physics Envelope - Major Resources Support Program

This grant is to support the operating costs of the new SNOLAB facility, the construction of which was made possible through awards totalling $65M from the CFI, the Province of Ontario, NOHFC, and FedNor. The core physics program is to investigate the properties of neutrinos and their role in the formation and structure of the Universe, to search for "dark matter", to observe cataclysmic supernovae explosions, and to probe the inner workings of the sun and the earth. SNOLAB experiments aim to determine the properties of the elusive neutrinos, and probe how they fit in the standard model of particle physics. Other experiments will search for dark matter. It is now clear that 95% of the content of the Universe is in forms completely unknown to us. Dark matter may exist as massive particles, left over relics from the big-bang. Neutrinos can also be used as a probe into the inner workings of the earth. By observing neutrinos from radioactive decay in the earth, we can learn something of the poorly understood heat production processes. In addition to astroparticle physics pursuits, the facility can support other research programs. Two current examples are seismicity research far away from the earth's surface where reflections can disturb the signals and a feasibility study for a precise measurement of the gravitational constant. SNOLAB will build on the success of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) and will allow Canadian physicists to remain at the forefront of the field of astroparticle physics. SNOLAB will be the deepest and cleanest facility on the planet when it becomes operational. It will be staffed by a highly experienced technical staff accustomed to working on complex detectors deep underground in a clean-room environment. This grant will support the salaries of SNOLAB personnel and the operational costs of the laboratory. It does not intend to support the direct costs of the experiments. These resources will enable us to operate the world's premier facility of its kind. Canadian physicists will lead this scientific renaissance and a new generation of Highly Qualified Personnel will be trained in frontier science and technology at SNOLAB.