Research starts with PhD students

Chapter 77: Public Results, This Research Is Really a Headache

After the calculations in the deputy computing room were finished, it was already past seven in the evening.

Zhang Shuo went to find Agostini, and together they recorded the results, as well as some data from the hyperon decay analysis experiment.

After that, they went to the booked hotel to rest amidst their excited discussion.

The others also left.

Tan Zhiming and Yu Fei did not "get off work". They took a car back to the Experimental Physics Center together, discussing today's events along the way.

"There must be something wrong with the algorithm," Tan Zhiming said with certainty. "Agostini made a mistake at the CHEP meeting."

Yu Fei nodded and said, "This algorithm must be very complicated, and there may be more than one error. I watched the conference video, and most people couldn't understand what Agostini was explaining..."

He added, “I don’t understand it either. The algorithm logic is too complicated.”

“Complexity makes mistakes more likely!”

With Yu Fei's supplement, Tan Zhiming became more confident. He didn't believe at all that the experimental signal conversion method was ineffective for discovering the baryon cp signal.

Under this premise, if there is no problem with the logic of the algorithm, then there is a problem with the algorithm itself.

Agostini's mistakes are proof that geniuses are not always right. As for Zhang Shuo, he was not even considered by Tan Zhiming.

Zhang Shuo is an algorithm talent, but he does not understand physics or the complexity of the transformation of hyperon decay signals.

Perhaps, he didn't even understand the various parameters of hyperon decay, so it was naturally impossible for him to know what was wrong with the algorithm.

Tan Zhiming continued, "They have analyzed the results and will make the information public next."

"If I'm not mistaken, the results will be published at the high energy physics conference in July."

“When the time comes, we will also attend.”

He thought for a moment and said, "When we attend the meeting, invite a few researchers in the group who are proficient in algorithms. It doesn't matter if they are younger. We need to find the problems in the report."

……

The next afternoon, Agskini couldn't wait to leave.

Because he bought the ticket at the last minute, he couldn't get a direct flight to Europe. He bought a ticket to New Delhi, and then had to transfer twice before returning to Sweden.

The entire journey lasted 36 hours, which was definitely a very long journey.

Agostini didn't want to wait another week for a flight. He couldn't wait to go back and analyze the data. "I just want to find more interesting results now."

"That would be much more interesting than waiting here..."

Kalvaher said, "We must return as quickly as possible. The faster the better."

"Once we get back to the data center, we will immediately apply for a large computer to analyze the data from the hyperon decay measurements."

"We still have the permission now. If it's any later, the CP team will probably revoke our permission, and it will be difficult to get the data again."

"why?"

Agostini didn't understand for a moment, but after thinking for a while, he suddenly realized, "Yes, Francesco will be jealous of me!"

"I asked him to do research with me, but he refused. Now that we have completed the research, he will definitely regret it..."

Kalvahe looked at Zhang Shuo and expressed his feelings by spreading his hands.

Zhang Shuo smiled and said, "You are right to go back."

"Go back as soon as possible, analyze it as soon as possible, and submit it to ICHEP, right?"

"When the time comes, we will make a report together."

……

Zhang Shuo sent Agostini and his group on the plane, and then flew back to Sudong City.

He had just returned to Soochow University when he was visited by a large group of people from the School of Physics, including two academicians of physics.
Zhou Gang and Yang Haifeng.

Yang Haifeng is an academician in his early sixties. He is one of the few scholars in China who is engaged in research in theoretical physics. His main fields are quantum field theory and particle physics theory. He has also achieved very remarkable results in the standard model and weak current experimental analysis.

More than 20 years ago, Yang Haifeng participated in a large-scale particle collision experiment of nuclear organization.

Later, he worked in the particle physics research team - CMS collaboration.

At the same time, he also served as the head of the domestic CMS cooperation group. He just stepped down from this position last year, but he is still a core figure in the domestic CMS cooperation group.

People from the School of Physics came to ask about algorithms.

The news of the computing center's analysis could not be kept secret at all. In just two days, all the scholars in the field of physics in China knew about it.

Zhang Shuo confirmed the authenticity of the news. "When our algorithm analyzed the data, the output results fluctuated, indicating that the CP violation of baryons was hidden in the signal output by the experiment."

"This is a study that Agostini and I completed together, but we can only say that we are confident in the algorithm and the results. We cannot confirm it now because the data analyzed is still very small, and the algorithm itself needs to be reported in detail."

People in the School of Physics immediately started talking about it. "It's true. When I first heard the news, I thought it was fake."

“This kind of research is unthinkable.”

"How dare you..."

"If the research is successful, will the CP group be disbanded? I heard they are preparing to expand."

Yang Haifeng came closer and asked, "Have you decided where to give your report?"

"ICHEP in July." Zhang Shuo said.

ICHEP, which has an extra 'I' than CHEP, is actually a completely different conference.

CHEP, the correct full name should be 'ICHEPNC', International-Conference-on-High-Energy-Physics-and-Nuclear-Computing, which translates to 'Conference on High Energy Physics and Nuclear Physics Computing'.

The conference originally focused on nuclear-physics computing, but later the nuclear-physics content was removed and it became the Conference on High Energy Physics Computing, still abbreviated as CHEP.

ICHEP, International-Conference-on-High-Energy-Physics, is a pure high-energy physics conference. Its main content is particle physics research, with the study of the standard model of particles as its main content.

The CMS cooperation groups of various universities and research institutions will send teams or representatives to participate in ICHEP.

Yang Haifeng nodded and said, "ICHEP, I will also participate, we will go together then."

"However, I don't know whether I should hope for success or failure in your research..." He shook his head, "If your research succeeds, Academician Tan's CP group will definitely be affected."

"Internationally, many teams and scholars will also be affected."

He then sighed, "Sometimes, science is like this. During the research process, no one knows whether it is right or wrong."

……

After seeing off the people from the School of Physics, Zhang Shuo received good news.

"Annals of Mathematics" accepted Luo Yongjun's paper and confirmed that it will be published in the next issue.

"He must have cut in line!"

Luo Yongjun said happily, "There are too many papers submitted to the Annals of Mathematics. Even if they are approved, they are usually published one, two or three issues later. Some papers are even delayed for a year."

“This shows that our research has been taken seriously!”

The Annals of Mathematics does attach great importance to papers. The Monge-Ampere equation is an important topic in the field of partial differential equations, and every research progress will attract international attention.

Last year, the Annals of Mathematics published a research result on the Monge-Ampere equation. Unexpectedly, another one was accepted this year. It is still a smoothness proof, and the research breakthrough is still the requirement of reducing the smoothness of the solution. Moreover, the breakthrough is based on the research of last year's paper.

This breakthrough is critical.

If the smoothness requirement for solving the Monge-Ampere equation is compared to a cave, decades ago, the cave was full of potholes and filled with rocks that took up space.

Professor Chen from the University of Science and Technology's research cleared out the rocks that were taking up space in the cave, making the cave appear more spacious and the space inside the cave larger.

The research completed by Luo Yongjun and Zhang Shuo was to chisel another small hole in the wall.

Although only a small hole was chiseled, because it was chiseled out on the wall of the cave, other holes can be chiseled out in a similar way, which will allow the space inside the cave to continue to expand.

That’s what research is all about.

This kind of pioneering research will naturally be taken seriously. The reply email from the Journal of Mathematics stated that the reviewer's evaluation was "a huge progress in the Monge-Ampere equation."

Luo Yongjun stared at the words and was about to fly with excitement. "Do you know who the reviewer is? Orkov from the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. He is a top figure in the field of partial differential equations. It is said that he can win the Gauss Prize next year!"

"Really? That's pretty impressive."

Zhang Shuo had never heard of this name, but from Luo Yongjun's tone he knew that the other party was indeed very powerful.

In the field of partial differential equations, there are many "unknown" top mathematicians. They do not have well-known research results, but their results, when accumulated, have played a very important role in promoting the research and development of partial differential equations.

Orkov, apparently, is one of them.

Zhang Shuo was also very happy that his paper was approved. After all, it was a top achievement in pure mathematics, but his happiness was overshadowed by Luo Yongjun.

How excited is Luo Yongjun?

Just look at the conversation with Liu Chengjie and you will know.

"Liu Chengjie, this is good. I understand all the papers, even though there is only one."

"You haven't found the direction yet? It doesn't matter, you've done a great job!"

"You explained it very well just now. You didn't get to the core point, but it's okay."

Zhang Shuo felt like a kindergarten teacher coaxing a child. It didn't matter whether the child was right or wrong. What was important was to find something worthy of praise.

Liu Chengjie was frightened by the praise. He approached Zhang Shuo and asked, "Teacher Luo is mocking me, right?"

“Did I do that badly?”

"I tried very hard and read papers almost every day, but it was too difficult..."

He was almost about to cry.

This continued for the next few days. Luo Yongjun did not publicly announce that his paper had been accepted by the Annals of Mathematics, but his excitement and joy were evident in his actions and expressions. One could tell from the smile on his face that something good must have happened.

Luo Yongjun also became very free, even free enough to go to various places to find people to chat with.

For example, the school’s science and technology department.

He would visit the Science and Technology Department every day, and it was said that he would talk to Deputy Director Gao Ming.

He would also go to the second floor of the administrative building to have a word with his arch-enemy Yao Song.

Before, Luo Yongjun and Yao Song had never spoken to each other, mainly because of the project funding issue. Yao Song only approved a pitiful 20,000 yuan in funding, which was a complete humiliation to him.

He went to see the vice-principal and got an extra 10,000 yuan.

Later, Luo Yongjun stopped talking to Yao Song, partly out of guilt, because he didn't believe that his research could be completed.

Now that the research is completed, my mindset is naturally different.

Luo Yongjun came to Yao Song and talked about the project funding issue. "How much subsidy will the college give for projects that are approved for scientific funds?"

"Depending on the situation? What is the situation this year?"

"Where's Jie Qing?"

"I'm not even 44 yet, and a half to be exact, how come I don't have a chance? Besides, you don't care if I have a chance or not, I just want to know how much subsidy the college will give me!"

Yao Song was dizzy from the question. He rubbed his forehead vigorously and said, "Luo Yongjun, don't argue with me. I really have something to do and I have to go to a meeting soon. You are talking about your doctoral student!"

"Zhang Shuo? What meeting?" Luo Yongjun asked immediately.

"You do not know?"

"There's a school meeting, how can I know..."

Yao Song pointed to the computer screen and said, "Look for yourself. There are few reports in China, but there are a lot of news internationally."

"The school needs to discuss how to express its position. This research is really a headache..."

Luo Yongjun leaned over to take a closer look.

The above is a news content -

The Agostini team at the Nuclear Organization Data Center announced that their research in collaboration with Zhang Shuo of Soochow University confirmed that the signal conversion method used in the hyperon decay experiment is invalid for studying the baryon CP violation signal.

(End of this chapter)