The Genesis spacecraft’s collector plates shattered when the ship crashed in the Utah desert. Photo by Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Nov. 8, 2004 -- Some of this week's stories:

Despite crash, solar wind samples salvageable

The ignoble end of the Genesis spacecraft — which failed to deploy a parachute on its return to earth and drilled into the Utah desert at 193 miles per hour — made lots of headlines. Although the impact smashed the spacecraft, most of the scientific payload can be salvaged, say scientists at Argonne who are eagerly awaiting samples from space.

"The mission may have been a PR failure, but it wasn't a scientific failure," said Wallis Calaway, a member of the scientific team at Argonne designated to perform analysis of the spacecraft's payload. "All those samples did get back to earth, and we'll be able to analyze them." The Argonne team includes group leader Mike Pellin, Jerry Moore, Mike Savina, Igor Veryovkin and Calaway (all MSD), and visiting scientists Emil Tripa of the University of Chicago.

The Genesis spacecraft was designed to collect material from the sun and return it to the earth. Launched Aug. 8, 2001, the spacecraft traveled about 1.5 million kilometers to a gravitational balance point where it hovered between the earth and the sun. The tiny spacecraft exposed several round collector disks made of extremely pure silicon and other

materials to the solar wind — a million-mile-per-hour rush of ions (atoms stripped of one or more electrons) blasted from the sun's outer layers into space. Some of those ions embedded themselves in the array of saucer-sized collector disks; the total amount collected weigh as much as a few grains of salt. After being exposed for varying lengths of time, each disk retracted into a sealed container inside the spacecraft. After more than a year of sampling, the spacecraft headed back to earth to give scientists a pure, unadulterated sample of solar wind and clues to the origin of the sun and the planets that orbit it.

Even a parachute-slowed landing might have damaged the delicate disks. NASA recruited a team of helicopter pilots — veterans of Hollywood action pictures — to gently snare the spacecraft from midair as it descended toward the ground under a parachute, using an 18-foot hook. The chopper would then slowly lower the spacecraft to the ground.

"NASA's PR people thought it was a really good idea to talk about the mid-air capture, and play up the role of the Hollywood stunt pilots," Calaway said. "In a sense, they were right. Newspapers across the country picked it up. But when the 'chutes didn't open, the public considered the mission a failure." Photos of the wreckage sitting in its impact crater made front pages worldwide.

Despite appearances, much if not all of the analysis will continue, Calaway said. The first challenge will be contamination. When the spacecraft struck the ground, it split open, allowing air and desert dust into what was supposed to be a sealed container.

Ironically, when the collector plates were being developed, the same Argonne team destined to conduct analysis on the samples was called upon to verify that the supplier's disks were free from contamination and met the project requirements for purity.

"The collector plates were loaded into the spacecraft in a clean room, using lots of care to avoid contamination," Calaway said. "During the analysis, we could be sure that anything new in the samples could be identified as coming from the solar wind."

Now the challenge will be gathering good data from disks that were contaminated anyway. The team should be able to meet the challenge, using a mass spectrometer specifically built to analyze these samples.

At the Advanced Analytical Instrument Facility, funded by NASA for this project, samples will be placed in a vacuum chamber. An ion or laser beam will be used to bring the material into a gas phase. Lasers will photoionize specific elements in the gas, then accelerate them through a mass spectrometer. The spectrometer will reveal which elements and isotopes are present, and in what quantities.

"Solar wind particles are probably embedded 50-100 nanometers under the surface of the collector material," Calaway said. "That's important because we can distinguish between what's inside the collector material from the contamination on the surface. That's a real advantage to our type of analysis."

Another challenge will be the condition of the collector material. Most of the collector disks were made of brittle materials, like silicon wafers — the same material used to manufacture computer chips. These plates shattered on impact, leaving researchers with thousands of shards, most less than a centimeter (about half an inch) across.

"Our instrument was capable of using samples that are even smaller than that," Calaway said. "It was important to NASA that we don't consume a lot of this material in the analysis. These samples were collected further away from the earth than any other, so they're going to be treated just like moon rocks."

Collector plates were exposed to the solar wind for varying lengths of time, so different solar wind conditions could be analyzed. Scientists hoped to see if there were any changes in the composition of the solar wind during the sun's quiescent phases and during solar flares when the solar wind increases in intensity. In the wake of the crash, determining which disk was which would be impossible — except for a bit of foresight in the design.

Each silicon wafer was manufactured with a different thickness, just in case the helicopter-pickup scheme didn't work and the spacecraft hit the ground hard enough to shatter them. Although the spacecraft hit the ground much harder than was anticipated, the wafer shards can still be sorted by thickness, telling scientists which disks they came from.

However, decontamination and sorting will take some time. The Argonne team was hoping to have samples to analyze by the end of 2004; it might be several additional months before the first sample arrives at the laboratory.

In the meantime, the team is looking forward to the return of another spacecraft, the Stardust mission, in January 2006. Stardust flew within 236 kilometers of Comet Wild 2 on Jan. 2, 2004, and captured thousands of particles from the comet in a collector made of aerogel (a type of extremely light glass foam). During its four-year journey to the comet, it also exposed an aerogel collector to collect interstellar dust samples. Scientists hope to learn more about comets, believed to be the most unchanged, pristine bodies in the solar system, and interstellar dust. This dust consists of most of the known elements and includes complex carbon structures. Their exact origin remains a mystery, but scientists think they are linked to young stars.

Since the aerogel collectors are less brittle than silicon, helicopters won't be needed — just a working parachute.

Reed, Wiggins receive award for safety response

By Raquel Harper

Johnny Reed and Kenneth Wiggins (both PFS) have received Argonne-East Quality and Safety Recognition (QASR) Awards for their immediate response to exposed asbestos and Gilsulate on excavated pipes.

Both Reed and Wiggins were working on the replacement of old piping near Building 362 when they discovered the potentially hazardous material.

"There was so much dust in the air. I didn't know what it was, but I knew it wasn't dirt, and it just didn't look good," said Wiggins.

They became aware of the asbestos escaping out of the partially deteriorated pipes and stopped the excavation work immediately.

"I just knew there was something very wrong," said Reed, "This could have been a big problem."

Later, Gilsulate, a granular powder used for insulation, was also encountered. Without delay, Reed notified technical staff while Wiggins alerted management.

"I knew I needed to alert management right away, because if it was asbestos or Gilsulate, those working on the excavation could be in danger. I just didn't want anyone to get harmed," said Wiggins.

Long-term exposure to asbestos could increase the risk of lung cancer and other chronic lung ailments. When asbestos is disturbed or damaged it releases small, odorless and tasteless fibers into the air. Construction workers may be at risk with repeated inhalation of these fibers.

Gilsulate, another tasteless and odorless compound, may also be harmful. Working near the compound usually requires the use of respirators.

Reed and Wiggins were commended at the Oct. 5 Management Council meetingfor their prompt actions that ultimately benefited the safety of their co-workers. Both received certificates and lunch tickets for two at their choice of the Argonne Guest House or the Building 213 Cafeteria. Their names will also be added to the QASR Award winners' plaque.

The QASR Award recognizes employees' contribution to safety and quality at the laboratory. To nominate an employee, contact Adam Cohen at acohen@anl.gov.

Lab director receives DOE Gold Award

Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham presented the Secretary's Gold Award to eight current and former directors of Department of Energy national laboratories, including Argonne Director Hermann Grunder. The award is the Energy Department's highest honorary award and includes a plaque with citation, a medallion and a rosette.

"I'm proud to recognize the people whose hard work and dedication contribute so much to the Department of Energy's vital missions," Abraham said. "The incredible work done in the laboratories is made possible by the strong, steady and responsible leadership of these directors."

Grunder's award recognized his outstanding leadership in support of Department of Energy missions at Argonne and as former director of the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility.

"Under his direction, Argonne has attracted world class scientists to its staff, greatly strengthened its ties with other laboratories and the faculty at the University of Chicago and is developing new facilities in fields as varied as nanoscience and biology," Abraham said. "Argonne research has been recognized by earning 10 R&D 100 Awards over the last three years. Argonne's operation of user facilities has been highly laudable."

Gold Awards were also presented to William Madia, former director of the Pacific Northwest and Oak Ridge national laboratories; John Marburger, former director of Brookhaven National Laboratory; Lura Powell, former director of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; Charles Shank, former director of the E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Bruce Tartar, director emeritus of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; Richard Truly, director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory; and Fermilab Director Michael Witherell.

Electrical `hot work' resumes under new guidance

Work on energized electrical systems — "hot work" — was temporarily halted at Argonne-East Oct. 15 in the wake of a severe accident at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC).

On Oct. 11, a SLAC contract worker was installing a small circuit breaker next to a 480-volt electrical panel when an "arc flash" unexpectedly shot out between the panel and the breaker cabinet, igniting his clothes and throwing him backward.

The worker, who was not wearing the proper personal protective equipment for the arc flash hazard, remains in serious condition at a local burn unit and will likely require months of hospitalization.

Since calling a halt to all electrical hot work, Argonne's Electrical Safety Committee has met almost daily to update the laboratory's electrical safety program to be consistent with the requirements of National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard 70E, which covers electrical safety in the workplace. The first step has been to develop and disseminate guidance on the conduct of electrical hot work. Interim guidance was sent to all division directors and department heads Oct. 18 and Oct. 22, and most hot work has resumed at the laboratory, with new procedures in place.

All electrical hot work, including verification of locked-out, tagged-out circuits, must be evaluated per the interim guidance, which is posted online. Hot work permits or safe-work procedures must be revised and approved by an authorized reviewer, and electrical workers must have all the personal protective equipment required by NFPA 70E before conducting work.

Training offered

Up to 700 Argonne-East workers will require training in the NFPA 70E standard, said Mike McNatt (EQO). Training has been scheduled for Nov. 9-12. Procedures for enrolling in these classes, and additional future classes, will be announced in Argonne Today and Argonne News .

"Each division should determine which of their workers they need to send to the training," McNatt said. "Employees have to understand the hazards of electrical work and the proper use of personal protective equipment."

A memo that outlines the procedure to prioritize employees for training has been distributed to division directors and department heads

For more information, contact Mike McNatt (EQO) at ext. 2-7149.

`Arc flash' can reach 5,000 F.

Arc flash is an electric current that passes through air when insulation or isolation between electrified conductors is no longer sufficient to withstand the applied voltage.

A 10,000-amp arc at 480 volts releases about the same energy as eight sticks of dynamite and can reach more than 5,000 degrees F. Concentrated radiant energy explodes outward from the electrical equipment, spreading hot gases and molten metal that can cause death or severe burns. The pressure waves can damage hearing or brain function and the flash can damage eyesight. The fast-moving pressure wave also can propel loose pieces of equipment, metal tools and other objects, injuring anyone standing nearby.

Between five and 10 times a day, an arc flash explosion occurs in electric equipment somewhere in the United States that sends a victim to a special burn center.

Management corner

By Gary Winner, Emergency Management Officer

Argonne employees can help support the anti-terrorism efforts of the Illinois Terrorism Task Force and the federal Joint Terrorism Task Forces led by the FBI. Suspicious behavior or events might signal the possibility of terrorist activities, and employees who see any of the activities listed below — whether on, near or off the Argonne site — should call the Joint Terrorism Task Force at (312) 431-1333 or dial 911 (on- or off-site).

Surveillance: Unusual use of video cameras, cameras or maps. A person with binoculars looking up into the trees is probably a birdwatcher; someone examining a bridge and taking notes may be planning a terrorist act.

Suspicious questions: The public's curiosity about Argonne is understandable — it's an interesting place. But if the questions begin to make you uncomfortable ("Which buildings hold radioactive materials?" "How many security guards are there overnight?"), pick up the phone.

Security tests: attempts to penetrate or test the site's physical security, like climbing fences or sneaking through the gates.

Acquiring supplies: An attacker might attempt to purchase or steal explosives, weapons, dangerous chemicals, uniforms, access cards, passwords, keys or ID for a facility or event.

Dry runs: Be prepared to report anyone who does not appear to belong in a workplace, neighborhood, business or near an event or facility that might be a target.

Deploying assets: Abandoned vehicles or stockpiles of suspicious materials — the sudden appearance of a stack of boxes in an unusual place, for example — may indicate terrorist activity.

Medical plans, flexible accounts can be changed

Open enrollment for Argonne's medical plans and flexible spending accounts will be held through Friday, Nov. 19.

Employees should read the open enrollment cover letter carefully: it provides information on changes in rates, plans and enrollment in flexible spending accounts. Employees wishing to participate in the flexible spending accounts for 2005 must enroll during open enrollment.

All open enrollment transactions must be completed on-line. An Argonne login ID and password must be used to access the site. Employees who do not have computer access can use the machines in the Employee Benefits Conference Room in Building 201; representatives will be available for assistance.

Ask the Directorate

Q. What process does CIGNA use to add or delete providers from their PPO network?

A. CIGNA is involved in active recruitment of providers in order to maintain a number of quality doctors in the network. Providers can also contact CIGNA if they are interested in joining the network, and employees can nominate a provider to CIGNA for consideration in adding a provider to the CIGNA network.

To help ensure access to the highest quality of care for members, CIGNA uses its own national credentialing standards to screen providers. CIGNA will collect and verify each provider's credentials during initial credentialing and again at re-credentialing. Some credentialing steps involve verifying information, such as making sure the provider is in good standing on the medical staff at the provider's primary hospital, checking its state medical license and professional liability coverage, reviewing the provider's malpractice and work history, and investigating gaps in its work history.  CIGNA's Provider Contracting area makes the decision to accept or reject the provider and notifies the provider of the decision in writing.  

CIGNA may terminate a provider's contract situations such as a provider's failure to maintain necessary licenses, admitting privileges or liability coverage.  A provider may also initiate termination of the contract with CIGNA.

If providers have questions or concerns on items such as contract issues or reimbursement charges, they should contact CIGNA's Provider Relations Group.

Employees can call CIGNA's toll-free number if they have questions on plan coverage, the status of their claim or questions about an in-network provider.

New book collects essays on Enrico Fermi

By Joe Harmon

Fermi age, Fermi constant, Fermi-Dirac gas, Fermi energy, Fermi hole, fermion, Fermi selection rules, Fermi statistics, fermium…

“No serious student can enter physics without finding the name Fermi everywhere.” These are the words of James W. Cronin, editor of “Fermi Remembered,” a collection of essays recently published by the University of Chicago Press .

To commemorate the centennial of Fermi's birth in 2001, the University of Chicago sponsored a symposium emphasizing 1945-54, the postwar years when he was a physics professor there. Speakers included Fermi's faculty colleagues, students and friends. Such a stellar group who knew Fermi will likely never be assembled again. “Fermi Remembered” is the permanent record of that historic occasion, along with some new material added by Cronin.

The University of Chicago is offering Argonne employees a 40 percent discount on “Fermi Remembered.” The $45 book is available for $31.50, including shipping.   All orders must be prepaid using a Visa, Master Card or check.   To order, call 773-702-7000 or send a request by mail to: University of Chicago Press , 11030 S. Langley Ave. , Chicago , IL 60628 .

Cronin himself was a graduate student in physics during the Fermi years at Chicago and is now professor emeritus and a Nobel Prize laureate. Reflecting on the preparation of this volume, Cronin said, “We all knew Fermi and his civility towards all he interacted with. I put the material together to get a more complete picture of the man. What may stand out is his deep concern that civilization would be able to handle the menace of nuclear weapons without disaster.”

Contributors of personal reminiscences to Fermi Remembered include seven Nobel laureates in physics, as well as former Argonne associate division director Roger Hildebrand. Along with essays on Fermi's life and scientific legacy are historic photographs of Fermi with famous colleagues. Also reproduced are some manually typed letters and handwritten notes that give a heightened sense of Fermi's life and times.

Fermi inspired many physics students by his clear explanations of complex problems, wrote a steady stream of important scientific papers, helped establish the University of Chicago as the place for the study of high-energy physics, and — as infrequently as possible — served on committees. After hours he liked to swim, ski and throw parties in which his one strict rule was “No shop talk.”

According to Cronin, Fermi has a special connection to Argonne because his “ development of the self-sustained fission reaction is what created Argonne . And after the war he and colleagues made great use of the neutron beams from the lab's reactors while waiting for the Chicago cyclotron.”

Fermi died from stomach cancer in 1954. He faced death with the same courage and dignity he displayed during the course of his too-short life. In a biographical essay that opens ­“Fermi Remembered” Emilio Segrè summed up his scientific life in the following words: “He gave to science all he had and with him disappeared the last universal physicist in the tradition of the great men of the 19th century, when it was still possible for a single person to reach the highest summits, both in theory and experiment, and to dominate all fields of physics.” Anyone curious about why Segrè's compliment rings true will want to read this excellent collection.

Discount offered to employees

The University of Chicago is offering Argonne employees a 40 percent discount on “Fermi Remembered.” The $45 book is available for $31.50, including shipping.   All orders must be prepaid using a Visa, Master Card or check.   To order, call 773-702-7000 or send a request by mail to: University of Chicago Press , 11030 S. Langley Ave. , Chicago , IL 60628 .

Calendar

The laboratory's retirement vendors will send representatives to Argonne-East during November.

To schedule an appointment, call the number listed.

Fidelity — Tuesday, Nov. 9, and Tuesday, Nov. 23. Call the appointment desk at (800) 642-7131.

TIAA-CREF — Thursday, Nov. 9, and Wednesday, Nov. 10. Call the appointment desk at (800) 842-2005 or visit www.tiaa-cref/moc.

Prudential — Wednesday, Nov. 17. Call Cheryl at the appointment desk at (630) 285-8876.

Tickets for Breakfast with Santa, Argonne Club's annual holiday party, will be sold at lunchtime in Argonne-East's Building 213 Cafeteria beginning Monday, Nov. 15. Breakfast with Santa will be held Saturday, Dec. 4, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Tickets cost $3 each.  Tickets need to be purchased for each individual wishing to chat with Santa.

Breakfast and lunch items will be available for purchase, and there will be entertainment and activities.

Recycling companies will provide recycling information Monday, Nov. 15, in Argonne-East's Building 213 Cafeteria from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Garment Recovery, Groen Waste/Illinois Recycling, Illinois Recyclers Association, Our Earth and Solvent Systems will provide information on their products and services.

Contact Barb Markenas (PFS-WMO) ext. 2-8306 for additional information about recycling at Argonne-East.

Handcrafted items will be offered for sale at the Argonne Arts and Craft Club's annual holiday craft bazaar Thursday, Nov. 18, in Argonne-East's Building 212, Room A157, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Anyone interested in participating in the bazaar can contact Valerie Gaines (IPD) at ext. 2-5610.

RIA draft bid specs released; state lends support

The Energy Department recently released a draft document outlining bid specifications to build and host the Rare Isotope Accelerator (RIA), a $1 billion facility for nuclear physics research. Argonne and Michigan State University are the leading candidates for hosting the facility.

The 300-page draft document indicates bidders likely will have to submit their final proposals by the end of the year, although federal officials could push that timeline back when a final request for proposals is released. A response to the draft request for proposals was due Oct. 25.

Under the current schedule, the project is expected to be awarded in early 2005. RIA is one of the top priorities of the Department of Energy's 20-year science facility plan.

If built at Argonne, part of the Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System, or ATLAS, could be incorporated into the system, saving millions of dollars in construction costs. Argonne is also pioneering many of the technologies needed for RIA, from liquid targets able to withstand intense ion beams to "gas-catcher cells" that will slow the rare isotopes to a stop so they can be re-accelerated at uniform energies.

More information about RIA is online.

State support

The State of Illinois has launched a coordinated campaign to help Argonne win its site selection bid for RIA. 

"It is critical that the public and private sectors in Illinois work together to support Argonne as the location for this important new facility," said Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.  "To help ensure this necessary support, I have asked Jack Lavin, director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, to spearhead a public-private task force with Argonne Director Dr. Hermann Grunder and University of Chicago President Dr. Don Randel to bring RIA to Illinois where it belongs."

The initial task force members include U.S. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Senator Peter Fitzgerald (R-Ill.), U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-Ill.), Northwestern University President Henry S. Bienen, AFL-CIO President Margaret Blackshere, Chicago Federation of Labor President Dennis Gannon, Argonne Director Hermann Grunder, Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago President R. Eden Martin, Northern Illinois University President John G. Peters, University of Chicago President Don M. Randel, Illinois Coalition Chairman Samuel K. Skinner and University of Illinois President James J. Stukel.

Service Awards

Service Awards for October include:

35 Years

Cynthia L. Hijuelos (PFS).

30 Years

Jimmy W. Blaylock (ENT), Yoon I. Chang (OTD), Nahed Guirguis (NE), Danny D. Hagan (FAC), Daniel G. Legnini (XFD), Richard D. McKnight (NE), Vernon A. Pahnke, Jr. (MSD), Jang Y. Park (ET), David P. Peterson (ER), Robert W. Schaefer (NT), Albert E. Smith (EA), George F. Vandegrift, III (CMT).

25 Years

Denis D. Gapsevic (PFS), Charles G. Gettemy (IPD), Donald G. Glenn, Jr. (FAC), Lawrence B. Harding (CHM), Barbara D. Hill (NPS).

20 Years

Kevin F. Hays (NPS), Charles A. Kurtz (XFD), Brian Kent Lundell (FAC), Lynda Soderholm (CHM), David M. Tiede (CHM).

15 Years

Lauren E. Ambrose (ES), Jeffrey S. Dyszczakowski (PFS), Dawn R. Ferrazzi (PFS), Carla R. Fisera (PFS), George A. Goeppner (ASD), Patricia E. Hollopeter (IPD), Joseph A. Ingraffia (OCF), Joseph H. Kilar (CIS), Mary E. Lipowski (PFS), Gregory M. Markovich (ASD), Hugh A. Mossell (PFS), Deborah J. Myers (CMT), Robert Ristrem (FAC), John A. Stillman (NE), Pamela J. Sydelko (DIS), E. Shirlene Tomchak (FAC), Jug M. Uppal (PFS), Tim A. Westfall (CIS), John M. Wozniak (PFS).

10 Years

Mary M. Arellano (PFS), Ella M. Cavett (PFS), Edward Cherbak (CIS), David A. Donkers (ASD), Cheryl J. Giacomi (ASD), Steven Jones (AOD), James A. Kuiper ((EA), Shelly X. Li (ENT), Carole Onik (OTD), John Rohrer (PHY), Robert M. Tessmer (FAC).

5 Years

Igor Aronson (MSD), Quentin B. Hasse (IPNS), Mary Jo Koldenhoven (OTT), James C. Liljegren (DIS), David P. McGann (ET), Debra A. Morrison (PHY), Burt A. Muckleroy (FAC), Rita L. Osment (FAC), Peter N. Ostroumov (PHY), Oliver A. Schmidt (XFD), Chun-xi Wang (ASD), Charles E. Whiteford (IPNS), Yong Yan (ET).

Retirees

Peter J. Bertoncini (CIS) retired Sept. 30 with 34 years of service.

Virgil D. Dimick (NT) retired Sept. 30 with 34 years of service.

Brent J. Hill (ENT) retired Aug. 31 with 15 years of service.

Thomas MacKey (CIS) retired Sept. 9 with 30 years of service.

Michael M. Michlik (NT) retired Sept. 30 with 13 years of service.

William R. Mosby (NT) retired Aug. 31 with 13 years of service.

Ralph C. Niemann (IPNS) retired Sept. 30 with 33 years of service.

Francis C. Simpson (FAC) retired Sept. 17 with 30 years of service.

Wayne W. Stevens (FAC) retired Aug. 31 with 26 years of service.

Lee C. Teng (ASD) retired Sept. 30 with 30 years of service.

Eugene J. Wesolowski (CMT) retired Sept. 17 with 26 years of service.