The Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) experimental collaboration is committed to studying high energy particle collisions at the world's highest energy particle accelerator. The goal is to discover the identity and properties of the particles that make up the universe and to understand the forces and interactions among those particles. Three stories tall, the CDF detector weighs 5,000 tons and is crammed with the intricate circuitry for 100,000 electronic channels of information. Image courtesy of Fermilab.

Oct. 30 , 2006 -- Some of this week's stories:

Argonne physicists contribute to major discovery at Fermilab

Scientists of the Collider Detector Facility ( CDF ) collaboration at the Department of Energy's Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory announced Sept. 25 that they have met the exacting standard to claim discovery of unimaginably rapid transitions between matter and antimatter: three trillion oscillations per second.

CDF is an international experiment of 700 physicists from 61 institutions and 13 countries, including several members of Argonne's High Energy Physics Division: Larry Nodulman, Karen Byrum, Tom LeCompte, James Proudfoot, Steve Kuhlmann, Bob Blair, Bob Wagner, Barry Wicklund, and former postdocs Masa Tanaka and Bill Ashmanskas.

The recent observation of B s (pronounced “B sub s”) mixing — spontaneous transitions between the B s particle and antiparticle “bottom-strange” mesons — is the first major discovery at the Tevatron in Run II, said Wicklund.

It has been known for more than 40 years that very special species of subatomic particles can make spontaneous transitions between matter and antimatter, but it took careful planning for the CDF Run II detector to make the new discovery possible, he said. The detector and trigger systems were extensively upgraded in 1995-2000, and B s mixing was one of the main drivers in the design. As a result, CDF has the unique ability to trigger directly on the type of particle decays needed for a precision measurement.

LeCompte, Tanaka, Ashmanskas and Wicklund had leadership roles in the CDF B physics and trigger groups from 1998-2005, when the B s strategy was defined, refined and brought to a successful conclusion. The other members of the Argonne group had important roles in other areas, including electroweak, top and QCD physics. In addition, the Argonne group made major contributions to the electron and muon detector upgrades and to detector operations that were essential for the overall CDF program, including B physics.

“ CDF is a large collaboration, and many groups contributed to the final result,” Wicklund said. “We have had B s mixing in our sights for over a decade, and it is very satisfying to finally see a clear signal.”

The CDF discovery of B s mixing marks the final chapter in a 20-year history of experimental searches. The importance of the B s mixing measurement lies in the fact that the oscillation frequency is one of two exceptionally clean experimental probes of the underlying mechanism for CP violation. The other is the asymmetry parameter sin2b measured at the B factories. Together, these two measurements tightly constrain the Standard Model predictions for matter-antimatter asymmetry in a variety of phenomena. If the B s oscillation rate had turned out to be significantly different from the CDF result, that could have exposed inconsistency in the Standard Model explanation for CP violation, requiring new mechanisms such as supersymmetry. However, so far the Standard Model alone is sufficient to explain CP violation in the quark sector, and its predictive power has been greatly strengthened by the mixing measurement.

The experimenters acquired their data between February 2002 and January 2006, an operating period known as Tevatron Run II, where tens of trillions of proton-antiproton collisions were produced at the world's highest-energy particle accelerator. The results have been submitted in a paper to Physical Review Letters . CDF published an earlier paper describing preliminary evidence for B s mixing in the Run II data. However, in the new analysis they have achieved the standard for a discovery in the field of particle physics, where the probability for a mistake must be proven to be less than about one in 100 million.

The research was supported by DOE , the National Science Foundation, and a number of international funding agencies.

Three Chemical Engineering employees receive QASR award

Andrea Cipriani

Javier Figueroa, Andrew Jansen and Jody Rodgers (all CMT ) were presented with the Argonne's Quality and Safety Recognition ( QASR ) award for their work in making several of the Chemical Engineering Division's laboratories cleaner, safer and more environmentally friendly.

Many chemicals and materials had accumulated in the Chemical Engineering Division's laboratories throughout years of staff and program changes. Figueroa, Jansen and Rodgers identified and appropriately disposed of a multitude of unusable supplies in three different laboratories.

The trio voluntarily dedicated their time and energy, while meeting their own research deadlines, disposing of the old chemicals before they became a health or environmental hazard. Thanks to their efforts, the laboratories are cleaner, safer and have more space for current and upcoming projects.

Figueroa, Jansen and Rodgers received the QASR award at the Oct. 4 Management Council Meeting. They received a certificate of recognition and two lunch tickets to the Argonne Guest House or the Building 213 Cafeteria. Their names will appear on a plaque honoring all QASR Award winners.

The QASR Award recognizes employees' contribution to safety and quality at the laboratory. Nominations for the QASR can be sent to EQO Director Bob McCook at mccook@anl.gov.

Energy Dept. accelerates fuel cell R&D

Argonne will receive $8.1 million over four years for fuel cell research under a program announced Oct. 24 by U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman.

“The Department of Energy is committed to breaking our addiction to oil by creating a diverse portfolio of clean, affordable and domestically produced energy choices,” Bodman said. “We expect hydrogen to play an integral role in our energy portfolio and we are eager to see hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on the road in the near future.”

DOE is providing $100 million to fund 25 hydrogen research and development projects in support of the Advanced Energy Initiative, aimed at reducing the nation's dependence on foreign sources of energy through the research, development and deployment of transformational new clean energy technologies. These projects seek to overcome cost and durability barriers associated with hydrogen fuel cells.

Argonne has been selected for a $5.4 million project on catalysts and a $1 million project on stack design. Argonne will also be a subcontractor on two awards with 3M and Los Alamos National Laboratory, for an additional $1.7 million.

Secretary Bodman made the announcement while speaking to the Council on Competitiveness and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

Fuel cells use hydrogen and oxygen to create electricity, with only water and heat as byproducts. They can power small portable devices and provide heat and electricity to buildings, and they can be used to power vehicles, with two to three times the efficiency of traditional internal combustion technologies. Fuel cells are currently more expensive than internal combustion engines, however, and have difficulty maintaining performance over the full useful life of the system.

Library improves information access tools

The Argonne Research Library's new resources are making scientific and technical information easier to locate.

• Web of Science coverage has been extended ten additional years, back to 1974. Web of Science provides seamless access to multidisciplinary information from about 8,700 of the most prestigious, high-impact research journals, with links to many electronic full-text journal articles.

• Science magazine coverage now extends back to 1880. Science is one of the world's leading sources for original scientific research, global news and scientific commentary.

• The Inorganic Crystal Structure Database ( ICSD ) is available on the library's Web site, through the “Properties” link under the “Find It!” menu. The ICSD contains all information published since 1913 on inorganic crystal structures — including atomic coordinates — for pure elements, minerals, metals and intermetallic compounds.

Visit the Argonne Research Library at www.aim.anl.gov to use these and other valuable scientific and technical resources.

Arts at Argonne's 19th season under way; families, friends, public welcome

Arts at Argonne's 19th season of chamber music got under way Oct. 21 with a showcase program of piano virtuoso Rosario Andino. Four more concerts are planned for the 2006-2007 series.

Arts at Argonne is the laboratory's cultural arts program featuring internationally known artists, presented in a comfortable, intimate auditorium. A reception follows every performance, giving patrons — and aspiring musicians — a chance to meet the performers and discuss their music. Dinners are available before and after each performance at the nearby Argonne Guest House.

Concerts are open to the public, and employees are encouraged to invite their families, friends and neighbors to the performances. Tickets are $25; children 16 and under are $10. Non-employees need to register prior to the event and show a valid photo ID to enter the laboratory site. Registration takes a single phone call, fax or e-mail message (see instructions below).

Arts at Argonne is partially supported by The University of Chicago and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

Upcoming concerts include:

• Prazak String Quartet — Sunday, Nov. 12, at 3 p.m. Formed in 1972, the Prazak Quartet quickly secured top prizes from prestigious competitions, including Evian and the Prague International Competition. They perform regularly on major stages throughout Europe, North America, Japan and Australia, earning critical acclaim for their technical mastery and expressive lyricism. Their recordings have garnered numerous international awards, including the Grand Prix International du Disque and the Diapason d'Or.

• Altenberg Trio Vienna — Saturday, Feb. 10, 2007, at 8 p.m. Since its “official” debut during the Salzburg Mozart Week (January 1994), the Altenberg Trio Wien – one of the few full-time piano trios in the world of chamber music – has in more than 900 performances earned the reputation of one of the most daring and consistent ensembles in this category. The players — Claus-Christian Schuster, Alexander Gebert and Amiram Ganz — have impressive individual reputations in chamber music circles and take great pride in remaining faithful to the style and tradition of the “Viennese sound.”

• Stephen Marchionda , guitar — Saturday, March 17, 2007, at 8 p.m. Regarded as one of the finest international guitarists of his generation, Stephan Marchionda is top prize winner at several international competitions. He is continually developing an already vast reservoir of solo concert music, as well as an impressive repertoire for concerta and chamber music.

• Tapestry , vocal ensemble — Saturday, May 12, 2007, at 8 p.m. Tapestry, a Boston-based ensemble of women's voices, was founded in 1995. The trademark of the ensemble is combining medieval repertory and contemporary compositions in bold, conceptual programs. They are renowned for their emotionally charged performances, their impeccably delivered harmony and their effortless, complex counterpoint.

All concerts will be held in the Building 402 Auditorium.

Visitor registration

Non-employees (including family members) need a visitor pass, which can be obtained by pre-registering via:

• phone (630-252-3751) during regular business hours (Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.)

• fax (630-252-6720)

• E-mail to smorss@anl.gov.

Combined appeal pledges can be renewed online

The electronic system for the October Argonne Combined Appeal Renewal Drive is now available. It is accessible by logging into the Inside Argonne Web page, selecting the “Personal Info” tab, clicking on “My Payroll” and then selecting the Argonne Combined Appeal link on the left-hand side. More specific instructions are available at: http://inside.anl.gov/community/aca/fall_2006.html. The renewal system will be available throughout the month of October.

If no action is taken, contributions will continue at the previously selected level until the next campaign in May, 2007.

With the change from an October to May Argonne Combined Appeal campaign month, employees should note they are entering a pledge for an interim time period of November 2006 until June 2007 when deductions from the next regular campaign drive in May 2007 will take effect. The schedule change was made to move the campaign away from the busy fiscal year transition.

More information about the Argonne Combined Appeal is available at: http://inside.anl.gov/community/aca/.

Credit union seeks director candidates

The Argonne Credit Union is looking for volunteers to join its board of directors. All ACU members in good standing are encouraged to apply.

Directors represent their fellow members and have a voice in setting policy and approving plans and budgets. Application packets are available at all Argonne Credit Union locations and will be accepted through Nov. 17.

For more information, contact the nominating committee chairperson Phil Wilt at ext. 2-3969 or wilt@phy.anl.gov.

Argonne setting the pace in ‘Change a Light' campaign

Argonne is setting a glowing example in the U.S. Department of Energy's “Change a Light” campaign, leading Office of Science sites with more than 600 pledges and easily surpassing the laboratory's goal of 250.

“Ultimately the steps we as an Argonne community have taken will have a significant impact on our environment,” said Gwendolyn Allen-Morrison, Argonne's Energy Manager. “We can be proud that so many people in our community have committed to do their part.”

Federal and contractor employees in the Office of Science have made the largest commitment among all DOE organizations, including those with many more employees, said DOE 's Arnold Edelman, who is coordinating the campaign for the Office of Science.

“If all 11 of the Office of Science sites could even come close to Argonne's pledges we will greatly exceed our goal of 2,744 pledges,” Edelman said.

The program encourages the use of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in the home. CFLs provide high-quality light while requiring less energy and lasting longer than typical incandescent bulbs. Energy Star qualified CFLs use 66 percent less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and last up to 10 times longer. Replacing a 100-watt incandescent with a 32-watt CFL can save at least $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.

Through Nov. 30, individuals can pledge to “Change One Lamp” at DOE's Energy Star Web site. Argonne employees taking the pledge should select the laboratory from the pull-down list and enter their “anl.gov” e-mail address. The Web site also has a printable discount coupon for CFL bulbs, and rebate offers from lighting manufacturers.

Online open enrollment begins Nov. 1

Open enrollment for Argonne's medical plans, student verification and flexible spending accounts will be held Nov. 1 - 22. Read the open enrollment cover letter carefully as it provides information on changes in the rates, plans, enrollment in flexible spending accounts ( FSA s) and student verification. Employees with e-mail should have received their open enrollment information by e-mail. Employees without e-mail will receive paper copies of the open enrollment information. Employees who do not receive their materials should contact Marge Vaught ( HR ) at mvaught@anl.gov or ext. 2-2985. Remember, employees wishing to participate in the FSA for 2007 must enroll during open enrollment.

All open enrollment transactions must be completed on-line. The open enrollment Web site can be reached at www.inside.anl.gov. An Argonne login ID and password must be used to access the site. Contact the CIS help desk at ext. 2-9999, option 2 for assistance with passwords. Employees who do not have access to a computer can use the machines in the Benefits Conference Room in Building 201; representatives will be available for assistance.

Student verification required for medical plans

During open enrollment, employees must go online to verify student status if their dependent child is turning ages 19, 20, 21, 22 or 23 in 2007. If employees don't verify student status and their dependent child is in one of the ages listed, the child will lose medical, dental and prescription drug benefits as of Jan. 1, 2007. Online student verification is required even if employees do not change medical plan options. HR will no longer send reminders for employees who do not verify the status of their dependent(s) online.

To complete student verification, log into Inside Argonne at www.inside.anl.gov, then:

• Select the Personal Info tab

• Select the My Benefits tab

• Select Health Benefits from the left menu

• Select Verify Full-time Student Status and complete requested information

• Click Save

In addition to Argonne's student verification, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois ( BCBSIL ) will send out student certification forms twice per year. Employees are required to respond to each of these inquiries and return the form to BCBSIL at the address provided on the bottom of the form. Delays in responding could result in a lapse of medical coverage for dependents.

For more information about student verification, contact Fran Perri ( HR ) at fperr@anl.gov or ext. 2-2989. Employees without computer access may use computers available in the Benefits Conference Room 1A-26 in Building 201.