John Rohrer (in back) and Bruce Zabransky (both PHY) were instrumental in the effort to add mobility to Gammasphere, the world’s most sensitive gamma-ray detector. The 20-ton instrument can now be moved across the experiment hall floor in Building 203, adding flexibility for users. Rohrer and Zabransky received Pacesetter Awards for their work.

Sept. 13, 2004 -- Some of this week's stories:

Gammasphere's new mobility adds flexibility

By Dave Jacqué

Gammasphere, the world's most sensitive gamma-ray detector, is already a seasoned traveler, having crossed the United States from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to Argonne by truck. Now the 20-ton instrument has gone truly mobile and can be moved around the experiment hall in Argonne-East's Building 203 to meet the needs of physicists.

Previously, Gammasphere was rooted to a spot between an instrument called the Fragment Mass Analyzer (FMA) and a beamline from ATLAS, the Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System. Now, with a couple of days' work, Gammasphere can be moved about 20 feet across the floor to a different beamline.

"The ability to move Gammasphere gives the user community a substantial amount of flexibility," said Kim Lister (PHY), who leads the Physics's Division Low Energy Research Group. "Gammasphere can be an impediment to some kinds of experiments that require the FMA, and vice-versa."

"The things we're looking for with the FMA are so exotic, they may be produced only once every couple of hours," Lister said. "And you can't just crank up the beam intensity to make more, as that would probably damage the sensitive Gammasphere detectors."

Moving Gammasphere away from the FMA also allows experimenters to use new kinds of auxilliary detectors in conjunction with the device, or make existing instruments easier to use. For example, Gammasphere was recently used in combination with the Compact Heavy Ion Counter, or CHICO. Designed and built by researchers at the University of Rochester's Nuclear Structure Research Laboratory specifically for use with Gammasphere, CHICO sat in the center of Gammasphere to measure the mass and scattering angles of heavy ions while Gammasphere sought out the gamma rays they emitted. In Gammasphere's previous position, wedged between a concrete wall and the FMA, the skills of a contortionist were required to install and adjust CHICO. In the new location, CHICO was accessible from almost any angle.

Mechanical Engineer Bruce Zabransky and Chief Technician John Rohrer (both PHY) conducted much of the planning and preparation for Gammasphere's first trek across the experiment hall. Planning for the first move included building an exact scale model of the experiment hall floor, and the obstacles Gammasphere had to avoid. A forest of data cables and liquid-nitrogen lines had to be disconnected, and without these lifelines, the relocation team had only a few hours to move Gammasphere. If the detector's germanium crystals are allowed to warm above a certain point, Gammasphere loses a significant level of its energy resolution and selectivity for rare events.

"The only remedy is to anneal the detectors, which involves taking them all out and baking them in our annealing factory," Lister said. "The whole process would take about three months."

Rolling on heavy-duty industrial casters across a steel-plate "dance floor" that provided a smooth rolling surface, Gammasphere made its way 20 feet to a new location in front of the old APEX beamline. The move required about eight hours and a crew of 20 to complete.

Lister said Gammasphere will probably move across the experiment hall once a year or so. The scheduling will depend on the needs of the user community.

Gammasphere's efficiency and high resolution will be a major asset for research with the proposed Rare Isotope Accelerator (RIA) should it be built at Argonne-East. RIA will enable broad-based physics research with intense, high-quality energetic beams of short-lived isotopes of all chemical elements from the very lightest to the very heaviest. The isotopes will be available over a range of energies, from thousands of electron volts per particle for radioactive decay studies and trapping, through millions of electron volts (MeV) for astrophysics, to tens of MeV for reactions studies and hundreds of MeV for fast fragment physics. Gammasphere is optimized for the lower energy studies, where it will remain an important tool.

Gammasphere's unique sensitivity will enhance research in several of RIA's target areas, Lister said, so it's likely to move from beamline to beamline once or twice a year at RIA just as it now does at ATLAS.

What is gammasphere?

Gammasphere is the world's most powerful spectrometer for nuclear structure research, and is especially good at collecting gamma-ray data following the fusion of heavy ions.

Gammasphere was built by a consortium of scientists from national laboratories and many universities.

The project was coordinated by scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where the device was first assembled. It consists of 110 high-purity germanium detectors, each about the size of a coffee cup, in a spherical arrangement.

Beams of ions from the Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System, or ATLAS, are directed at targets (usually a thin metal film). Nuclei from the beam fuse with those in the target, producing highly excited, much heavier nuclei. Gammasphere detects gamma rays — high-energy light particles — emitted from the excited nuclei as they spin and cool.

Gammasphere first moved from Lawrence Berkeley to Argonne in the fall of 1997 and returned to Argonne again in 2003. At Argonne, Gammasphere research has centered on studying nuclei far from stability.

More information about Gammasphere is online.

ACA gears up for fall drive

"Caring is Sharing" is the slogan of the 2004 Argonne Combined Appeal (ACA) campaign that will run throughout the month of October.

"Since 1977," said ACA Co-Chair Cheryl Drugan (IPD), "Argonne employees have shown that they care by sharing part of their income to fund medical research and to assist people in need through the ACA." Last year, employees pledged $420,000.

This year employees will have the opportunity to contribute to 20 agencies — 17 specific health and welfare groups such as the American Heart Association, and three "umbrella" organizations such as the United Way that distribute money to worthy causes.

To help employees make their decisions about donations, representatives from the ACA agencies will answer questions in the Building 213 Cafeteria lobby during lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the weeks of Sept. 20 and 27. Updated lists of representatives can be found on the Argonne Today Web site.

Co-Chair Carol Quinn (HR) said the ACA Steering Committee chose "2,004 in 2004" as the 2004 campaign goal. "We're hoping that 2,004 employees will contribute to the campaign," she remarked. "Last year, 1,757 employees contributed to the drive."

Employees will receive ACA packets at the end of September and are requested to return them even if they choose not to participate. More information on ACA and a list of coordinators can be found on the ACA web page.

The ACA is teaming up with the Argonne Club to hold an Oktoberfest kickoff event Sept. 30 in the Building 617 Exchange Club. Watch for more details in Argonne Today.

'Africaribe' joins ANL-E Hispanic Heritage celebration

To celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, the Argonne Hispanic/Latino Club will host performances at Argonne-East by Africaribe and the Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater from Northeastern Illinois University.

Africaribe will perform Wednesday, Sept. 15, from noon to 1 p.m., in the Building 362 Auditorium. The six performers specialize in the traditional music and songs of Puerto Rico and other countries of the Caribbean, and will describe the history and culture of these countries. (Sones de Mexico were unable to perform on that date.)
     The Ensemble Espaņol Spanish Dance Theater from Northeastern Illinois University will perform Thursday, Sept. 30, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Advanced Photon Source Auditorium. The ensemble has "Professional-in-Resident" status and is one of the leading proponents of Spanish dance in the world.

Child Center
offers holiday
help for parents

The Argonne Child Development Center will hold "Discovery Days" for children whose parents must work on school holidays.

Discovery Days are for children who have entered kindergarten through 12 years of age and are held in Argonne-East's Building 951 (the Recreation Building in Argonne Park) from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tuition is $37 per day, and $180 per week. Children are served two snacks and lunch.

Pre-registration will be accepted this year, and is first-come, first-served. Up to 30 children can be accommodated per day. Once registered for a day, parents will be charged the tuition whether or not the child attends.

For a registration form, visit the Child Development Center or contact the center at ext. 2-9601 or childcare@anl.gov.

Discovery Days during the 2004-2005 school year will include:

Monday, Oct. 11 - Columbus Day

Thursday, Nov. 11- Veterans Day

Wednesday, Nov. 24 - Day before Thanksgiving

Friday, Nov. 26 - Day after Thanksgiving

Monday, Dec. 20 - Christmas Break

Dec. 21 - 23, and Dec. 27- 30 Christmas Break

Monday, Jan. 17 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Monday, Feb. 21 - President's Day

Monday, March 7 - Casmir Pulaski Day

Friday, March 25, March 28-April 1 - Spring/Easter Break

Greenhouse gas from nuclear, renewables topic of talk

Gerald L. Kulcinski, associate dean for research for the College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will examine "Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Nuclear and Renewable Power Plants" at a Director's Special Colloquium Friday, Sept. 24, at Argonne-East's Building 362 Auditorium. Kulcinski's talk will begin at 2 p.m.

Kulcinski is also the Grainger professor of nuclear engineering and director of the Fusion Technology Institute. His current research interests lie with the assessment of technological and environmental aspects of the production of electricity from renewable, fossil and nuclear energy sources.

Mössbauer spectroscopy at Argonne is forum topic

Catherine Westfall (OTD) will speak on "The Big and Little of Fifty Years of Mössbauer Spectroscopy at Argonne" at the next First Friday Forum meeting, Friday, Sept. 24.

The talk will begin at 12:15 p.m. in Argonne-East's Building 203, Room A114.

Westfall, the Argonne National Laboratory historian, will focus on Argonne's research program in Mössbauer Spectrocopy. She will explain how the Mössbauer effect was discovered in the 1950s in Germany and how the international scientific community came to understand it.

Her talk will also spotlight key episodes at Argonne in the 1960s through the present, examining Mössbauer spectroscopy as practiced on a small scale with radioactive sources and as practiced on a much larger scale at the Advanced Photon Source.

The First Friday Forum is an informal gathering of Argonne women usually held on the first Friday of each month. The group explores career and gender issues related to women. Meetings are open to all Argonne and U.S. Department of Energy employees.

Phone seminar to give tips on care for aging parents

"Caring for Your Aging Parents" will be the topic of a telephone seminar by CIGNA Behavioral Health Wednesday, Sept. 22, at 11 a.m.

The seminar will provide information on:

Determining an aging parent's needs and wishes

Decisions about living arrangements

Legal, medical and financial planning

Remembering the human element

Pre-registration is online. Call-in numbers will be provided in a confirmation e-mail, and handouts will be available on the registration site.

Recorded playback is available for five days at (888) 348-4629 (passcode: 190025). For more information, call ext. 2-2817.

Upcoming telephone seminars will include:

"Your Attitude: Learned Optimism," by Deborah Shapiro. Wednesday, Oct. 20.

"Conquering the Winter Blues," by Robert Talbot. Wednesday, Nov. 17.

Newcomers Assistance Office moves

The Newcomers Assistance Office has joined the Division of Educational Programs and moved to Argonne-East's Building 223, Room M176.

The office will continue its work in helping newcomers to the United States and Argonne. The office offers information about apartments, locating furniture, shopping, events in and around Chicago and conversational English. Monthly coffee mornings are held in visitor's homes for those accompanying visiting scientists.

For more information, call ext. 2-8647 or visit the office, which is open Mondays from 3-5 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Guest House chef to hold cooking class

Argonne Guest House Executive Chef Chris Kaminski will present a cooking class on "Favorite Dishes for Home" Thursday, Sept. 23, at Argonne-East's Guest House Restaurant.

Kaminski will prepare braised brisket of beef, fried hummus salad, garlic-crusted salmon, lemon sage roasted chicken and chocolate mousse mud pie. Participants will taste the results.

Class size is limited. Cost is $25 per person, cash, check or charge, due at registration. Register by Friday, Sept. 17, in person at the Guest House, or mail checks to Kathy, Building 460.

For more information, call ext. 5-2006.

No lunch at Guest House Sept. 13-15

The Argonne Guest House Restaurant will be closed for lunch Sept. 13-15 due to special functions being held there.

Normal lunch hours will resume Thursday, Sept. 16.

Screenings, information available at Health Fair 2004

"Health Fair 2004" will be held at Argonne-East Tuesday, Sept. 14, giving employees a chance to interact with representatives from the laboratory's health-care vendors and companies providing health care services.

The Health Fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Building 213 Cafeteria.

Services include chair massage, body fat measurement, computerized spinal test, carbon monoxide testing, cardiovascular and diabetes screening (for a nominal charge), information on exercise programs and more.

The Health Fair is sponsored by Human Resources.

Travel health tips

"Health Information for Airline and International Travel" will be the topic of a talk at Argonne-East Tuesday, Sept. 21, by Sena Blumensaadt of the Centers for Disease Control Quarantine Station at O'Hare Airport.

Blumensaadt will discuss ways travelers can protect themselves from infectious diseases while traveling and CDC recommendations for vaccinations and other protective measures that can be taken prior to traveling. She will also discuss signs and symptoms of illness that might occur after travelers return home.

The free, one-hour talk will begin at noon in the Building 213 Cafeteria, Dining Rooms A and B. For more information, call ext. 2-2803.

HR classes

"Fitness for Duty" (HR226) — This course provides supervisors with an awareness of their responsibilities and the support they can receive from other Argonne groups when dealing with fitness for duty situations. Thursday, Sept. 23, 1-5 p.m., in Argonne-East's 401, Room E1100.

An enrollment form is online, or contact a Training Management System representative. Call Betty Iwan (HR) on ext. 2-3410 for more information.

Argonne News will be published every other week

Due to the success of the Argonne Today e-mail broadcast, combined with an effort to reduce costs, Argonne News will be published every two weeks starting with the Sept. 27 issue.

Employees should check the Argonne News Web site (www.anl.gov/news.html) often for updates. News items and seminars will be posted to the Web site as they are received, and listed in the Argonne Today e-mail broadcast the day they occur.

The Argonne News publishing schedule through the end of the calendar year will be:

Sept. 27 (deadline Monday, Sept. 20, at 5 p.m.)

Oct. 11 (deadline Monday, Oct. 4, at 5 p.m.)

Oct. 25 (deadline Monday, Oct. 18, at 5 p.m.)

Nov. 8 (deadline Monday, Nov. 1, at 5 p.m.)

Nov. 22 (deadline Monday, Nov. 15, at 5 p.m.)

Dec. 6 (deadline Monday, Nov. 29, at 5 p.m.)

Questions about
Social Security
can be answered

A Social Security representative will be available to meet with employees in Argonne-East's Human Resources office in Building 201 Wednesday, Sept. 15, from 8 a.m. to noon.

The representative will be able to help with earnings posting problems and answer general questions about the Social Security program. He can also take applications for lost or stolen Social Security cards, replacement Social Security cards or corrected cards due to name changes.

To schedule a meeting, call ext. 2-2989.