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Elementary particle physics reflects the human quest to understand the basic building blocks of nature and the rules that govern the physical world. This quest has led not only to critical scientific advancements and technology breakthroughs, but also to the development of essential technologies enabling new medical treatments, productive techniques in manufacturing, and enhanced capabilities in quantum computing, as well as ancillary benefits such as the precursor to the World Wide Web, which was created to manage the enormous data flows at CERN.
At the request of the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation, this report explores long-term goals and future ambitions for particle physics. Elementary Particle Physics: The Higgs and Beyond presents a bold 40-year vision for the field and highlights critical actions necessary to make this vision reality. The recommendations of this report will guide support and investments to maintain U.S. leadership in particle physics and move the field forward.
98 pages
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8.5 x 11
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ISBN Paperback: 0-309-73277-8
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-73278-6
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/28839
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Elementary Particle Physics: The Higgs and Beyond. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Radio Regulations are an internationally agreed treaty that regulates use of the radio spectrum. The regulations consist of more than 2,500 pages of individual articles, appendices, and resolutions. The rapidly evolving nature of radiocommunications technologies, applications, and needs demands that these regulations be updated. However, the large, complex, and intertwined nature of radio spectrum usage necessitates that such updates be very carefully considered, and typically incremental in nature. To enact such updates, the ITU convenes World Radio Communication Conferences (WRCs), currently held every 4 years, with specific agenda items considering targeted changes to the regulations. During the years leading up to each WRC, the agenda items are subject to detailed study at the national and international level, with careful consideration given to the implications of each proposed change to potentially affected uses of the radio spectrum. This report is intended as a resource for those involved in the 2027 WRC and its precursor meetings in the coming years. It provides not only a summary of the scientific uses of the regions of the spectrum that may be affected by each agenda item (either directly or indirectly through out-of-band or harmonic emissions), but also carefully considers recommendations regarding appropriate measures to protect those uses.
220 pages
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6 x 9
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ISBN Paperback: 0-309-73178-X
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-73179-8
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/28596
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Views of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on Agenda Items at Issue at the World Radiocommunication Conference 2027. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Quantum networks are at the center of recent advances in quantum information, communication, and computation. These networks can be used to simulate complex materials and study the emergence of order in many-body systems. To explore new capabilities on the frontiers of engineered coherent matter that these systems might provide, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Condensed Matter and Materials Research Committee held a hybrid in-person and online workshop in Washington, DC on October 3, 2024. The workshop reviewed the rapidly emerging implementations of these systems and their relation to fundamental problems and applications in condensed matter physics, materials science, and quantum information. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussion of the workshop.
110 pages
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ISBN Paperback: 0-309-73474-6
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-73475-4
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/29052
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Frontiers of Engineered Coherent Matter and Systems: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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High magnetic fields are a vital tool in many areas of science and technology that impact our everyday lives. Magnetic resonance imaging enables a wide range of medical diagnostics and research, while nuclear magnetic resonance is critical for drug discovery research and more. High magnetic fields are an essential component to many proposed fusion energy reactors and are necessary to push the boundaries towards the development of new quantum technologies and semiconductors.
At the request of the National Science Foundation, the National Academies organized a study to identify scientific opportunities and key applications for high-magnetic-field science and technology for the next decade and beyond. This report explores the current state and future prospects for high-magnetic-field technologies and recommends actions to support the workforce, facilities, magnet development, and critical materials access necessary to promote U.S. innovation.
194 pages
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ISBN Paperback: 0-309-72177-6
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-72178-4
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/27830
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2024. The Current Status and Future Direction of High-Magnetic-Field Science and Technology in the United States. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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One of the major challenges in materials science today is developing materials that can survive and function in extreme environments, such as the high-radiation environments found in a fission or fusion reactor or the ultra-high temperature experienced by a hypervelocity vessel or a spacecraft traveling through Earths atmosphere on its return to the planets surface. What is needed to discover such materials was the topic of a 2-day workshop held at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on October 5-6, 2022. That workshop, titled Materials in Extreme Environments: New Monitoring Tools and Data-Driven Approaches, brought together an international collection of experts on the testing and measurement of materials in extreme environments and on discovering and developing new materials. This Proceedings of a Workshop recaps the presentations and discussions that took place during the 2 days of the workshop.
76 pages
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ISBN Paperback: 0-309-70226-7
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-70227-5
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26983
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Frontiers in Data Analytics and Monitoring Tools for Extreme Materials: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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We live in a time of extraordinary discovery and progress in astronomy and astrophysics. The next decade will transform our understanding of the universe and humanity's place in it. Every decade the U.S. agencies that provide primary federal funding for astronomy and astrophysics request a survey to assess the status of, and opportunities for the Nation's efforts to forward our understanding of the cosmos. Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s identifies the most compelling science goals and presents an ambitious program of ground- and space-based activities for future investment in the next decade and beyond. The decadal survey identifies three important science themes for the next decade aimed at investigating Earth-like extrasolar planets, the most energetic processes in the universe, and the evolution of galaxies. The Astro2020 report also recommends critical near-term actions to support the foundations of the profession as well as the technologies and tools needed to carry out the science.
628 pages
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ISBN Paperback: 0-309-46734-9
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-46766-7
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26141
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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High energy density (HED) science has critical applications for society from fusion energy to sustaining the US nuclear deterrent, while also contributing to broader scientific questions such as understanding planets and their origins.
The next decade of HED science will be instrumental to growing our understanding and in the development of new technologies and processes. Fundamental Research in High Energy Density Science identifies key challenges and science questions for the field for the coming decade and proposes ways to address them.
148 pages
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ISBN Paperback: 0-309-69414-0
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-69415-9
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26728
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Fundamental Research in High Energy Density Science. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Recent discoveries and emerging technologies in astronomy and astrophysics have sparked transformative new endeavors to understand the universe and our place in it. This booklet presents an ambitious vision for exploring the cosmos over the next decade and beyond. It outlines the investments needed to cultivate and sustain the people who drive innovation and discovery, the tools to carry out the science, and the research insights that will expand humanity's horizons.
28 pages
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10 x 7
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ISBN Ebook: 0-309-70173-2
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26933
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s: Highlights of a Decadal Survey. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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This report reviews Federal Communications Commission order FCC 20-48, which authorized Ligado Networks LLC to operate a low-power terrestrial radio network adjacent to the Global Positioning System (GPS) frequency band. It considers how best to evaluate harmful interference to civilian and defense users of GPS, the potential for harmful interference to GPS users and DOD activities, and the effectiveness and feasibility of the mitigation measures proposed in the FCC order.
116 pages
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ISBN Paperback: 0-309-69007-2
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-69008-0
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26611
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Analysis of Potential Interference Issues Related to FCC Order 20-48. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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The Roman Space Telescope will measurably advance knowledge of dark energy and exoplanet demographics. Locally, it will likely enhance understanding of the structure and substructure of the Milky Way and nearby galaxies, including a census of the predicted but elusive ultra-faint dwarf galaxies. At high redshift, it can provide information on the topology of reionization and the abundance of sources like active galactic nuclei and pair-instability supernovae. With a wavelength range of 0.48-2.3 μm, the Roman Wide Field Imager has the largest etendue of any existing or planned optical/infrared space observatory. The coronagraph technology demonstration instrument will pioneer new capabilities that will be the basis for future instruments capable of directly detecting and characterizing Earth-like planets around nearby stars. If the technology demonstration is successful, observations with the coronagraph could make substantial advances in the study of planetary and disk systems.
At the request of NASA, this report reviews the Roman Space Telescope science program to set the appropriate mix of survey time devoted to the three Core Community Surveys (which address the weak lensing, baryon acoustic oscillations, supernovae, and microlensing programs in NWNH) relative to guest investigator-led observing programs during the primary 5-year mission.
40 pages
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ISBN Ebook: 0-309-69451-5
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26740
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Roman Space Telescope Observing Time Allocation Principles: Report Series—Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Biological physics, or the physics of living systems, has emerged fully as a field of physics, alongside more traditional fields of astrophysics and cosmology, atomic, molecular and optical physics, condensed matter physics, nuclear physics, particle physics, and plasma physics. This new field brings the physicist's style of inquiry to bear on the beautiful phenomena of life. The enormous range of phenomena encountered in living systems - phenomena that often have no analog or precedent in the inanimate world - means that the intellectual agenda of biological physics is exceptionally broad, even by the ambitious standards of physics.
Physics of Life is the first decadal survey of this field, as part of a broader decadal survey of physics. This report communicates the importance of biological physics research; addresses what must be done to realize the promise of this new field; and provides guidance for informed decisions about funding, workforce, and research directions.
370 pages
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ISBN Paperback: 0-309-27400-1
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-27401-X
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26403
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Physics of Life. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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On May 18-19, 2021, the Condensed Matter and Materials Research Committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a public workshop to examine the frontiers of research on moiré quantum matter. Participants at the workshop discussed the challenges and possibilities that this new material presents. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussion of the workshop.
126 pages
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ISBN Paperback: 0-309-08440-7
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-68943-0
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26594
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Frontiers in Synthetic Moiré Quantum Matter: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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The radio frequency spectrum is a limited resource for which there is an ever-increasing demand from an expansive range of applications - all the way from commercial, such as mobile phones, to scientific, such as hurricane monitoring from space. Since radio waves do not stop at national borders, international regulation is necessary to ensure effective use of the radio spectrum for all parties. Use of the radio spectrum is regulated internationally by the Radio Regulations (RR), an international treaty. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has as its mission the facilitation of the efficient and interference-free use of the radio spectrum. Every 2 to 5 years, the ITU convenes a World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) to review and revise the international RR. Changes to the RR are formulated through proposals to the conference according to Agenda Items, which are agreed on at the previous WRC.
At the request of the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, this report provides guidance to U.S. spectrum managers and policymakers as they prepare for the 2023 WRC to protect the scientific exploration of Earth and the universe using the radio spectrum. This report identifies the 2023 agenda items of relevance to U.S. radio astronomers and Earth remote sensing researchers, along with proposed agenda items for the 2027 WRC.
126 pages
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ISBN Paperback: 0-309-30714-7
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-30717-1
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26080
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Views of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on Agenda Items at Issue at the World Radiocommunication Conference 2023. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Fusion energy offers the prospect of addressing the nation's energy needs and contributing to the transition to a low-carbon emission electrical generation infrastructure. Technology and research results from U.S. investments in the major fusion burning plasma experiment known as ITER, coupled with a strong foundation of research funded by the Department of Energy (DOE), position the United States to begin planning for its first fusion pilot plant. Strong interest from the private sector is an additional motivating factor, as the process of decarbonizing and modernizing the nation's electric infrastructure accelerates and companies seek to lead the way.
At the request of DOE, Bringing Fusion to the U.S. Grid builds upon the work of the 2019 report Final Report of the Committee on a Strategic Plan for U.S. Burning Plasma Research to identify the key goals and innovations - independent of confinement concept - that are needed to support the development of a U.S. fusion pilot plant that can serve as a model for producing electricity at the lowest possible capital cost.
124 pages
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ISBN Paperback: 0-309-68538-9
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-68539-7
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/25991
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Bringing Fusion to the U.S. Grid. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Current von Neumann style computing is energy inefficient and bandwidth limited as information is physically shuttled via electrons between processor, short term non-volatile memory, and long-term storage. Biologically inspired neuromorphic computing, with its inherent autonomous learning capabilities and much lower power requirements based on analog processing, is seen as an avenue for overcoming these limitations. The development of nanoelectronic "memory resistors", or memristors, is essential to neuromorphic architectures as they allow logic-based elements for information processing to be combined directly with nonvolatile memory for efficient emulation of neurons and synapses found in the brain. Memristors are typically composed of a switchable material with nonlinear hysteretic behavior sandwiched between two conducting encoding elements. The design, dynamic control, scaling and fundamental understanding of these materials is essential for establishing memristive devices.
To explore the state-of-the-art in the materials fundamentally underlying memristor technologies: their science, their mechanisms and their functional imperatives to realize neuromorphic computing machines, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Board on Physics and Astronomy convened a workshop on February 28, 2020. This publication summarizes the presentation and discussion of the workshop.
102 pages
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ISBN Paperback: 0-309-68319-X
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-68320-3
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/25938
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Frontiers in Memristive Materials for Neuromorphic Processing Applications: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Plasma Science and Engineering transforms fundamental scientific research into powerful societal applications, from materials processing and healthcare to forecasting space weather. Plasma Science: Enabling Technology, Sustainability, Security and Exploration discusses the importance of plasma research, identifies important grand challenges for the next decade, and makes recommendations on funding and workforce.
This publication will help federal agencies, policymakers, and academic leadership understand the importance of plasma research and make informed decisions about plasma science funding, workforce, and research directions.
432 pages
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ISBN Paperback: 0-309-67760-2
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-67761-0
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/25802
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Plasma Science: Enabling Technology, Sustainability, Security, and Exploration. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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The field of atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) science underpins many technologies and continues to progress at an exciting pace for both scientific discoveries and technological innovations. AMO physics studies the fundamental building blocks of functioning matter to help advance the understanding of the universe. It is a foundational discipline within the physical sciences, relating to atoms and their constituents, to molecules, and to light at the quantum level. AMO physics combines fundamental research with practical application, coupling fundamental scientific discovery to rapidly evolving technological advances, innovation and commercialization. Due to the wide-reaching intellectual, societal, and economical impact of AMO, it is important to review recent advances and future opportunities in AMO physics.
Manipulating Quantum Systems: An Assessment of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics in the United States assesses opportunities in AMO science and technology over the coming decade. Key topics in this report include tools made of light; emerging phenomena from few- to many-body systems; the foundations of quantum information science and technologies; quantum dynamics in the time and frequency domains; precision and the nature of the universe, and the broader impact of AMO science.
314 pages
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ISBN Paperback: 0-309-49951-8
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-49952-6
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/25613
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Manipulating Quantum Systems: An Assessment of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics in the United States. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Thermal transport and energy conversion has remained an active field for at least 200 years, with numerous opportunities for discoveries and new applications. Recently, experiments have advanced researchers' understanding of basic physics, and how new discoveries might translate into applications in energy, materials, quantum technologies, and other areas.
The National Academies convened a workshop on April 11, 2019 to identify and assess the frontier of current research in the field of thermal transport and energy conversion. Discussions involved topics related to thermal transport and quasi-particle hydrodynamics, thermal transport beyond the quasiparticle paradigm, the thermal hall effect from neutral spin excitations in frustrated quantum magnets, quantization of the thermal hall conductivity at small hall angles, and thermal spin transport, including spin-seebeck and magnon drag effects. These topics were strategically selected with the goal of uncovering key challenges, opportunities, and issues in order to guide future efforts and investments to advance the field. This publication offers a condensed summary of the discussions and presentations from the workshop, which was unclassified and open to the public.
58 pages
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ISBN Ebook: 0-309-49671-3
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/25549
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Frontiers in Thermal Transport and Energy Conversion: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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