Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013
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Have a safe day!

Tuesday, Oct. 1

11 a.m.
Academic Lecture Series - One West
Speaker: Lee Roberts, Boston University
Title: Evolution of Precision Experiments

3:30 p.m.
DIRECTOR'S COFFEE BREAK - 2nd Flr X-Over

THERE WILL BE NO ACCELERATOR PHYSICS AND TECHNOLOGY SEMINAR THIS WEEK

Wednesday, Oct. 2

11 a.m.
Particle Astrophysics Seminar (NOTE DATE AND TIME) - WH6W
Speaker: Wei Xue, ICTP, Trieste
Title: Fermi Bubbles Under Dark Matter Scrutiny

3:30 p.m.
DIRECTOR'S COFFEE BREAK - 2nd Flr X-Over

THERE WILL BE NO FERMILAB COLLOQUIUM THIS WEEK

4 p.m.
Joint Experimental-Theoretical Seminar (NOTE DATE) - One West
Speaker: Guennadi Borissov, Lancaster University
Title: Matter-Antimatter Differences Using Muons: DZero Result on Anomalous Dimuon Charge Asymmetry Using Full Tevatron Data Set

Click here for NALCAL,
a weekly calendar with links to additional information.

Ongoing and upcoming conferences at Fermilab

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Take Five

Weather
Weather Mostly clear
83°/55°

Extended forecast
Weather at Fermilab

Current Security Status

Secon Level 3

Current Flag Status

Flags at full staff

Wilson Hall Cafe

Tuesday, Oct. 1

- Breakfast: All-American breakfast
- Breakfast: bacon, egg and cheese bagel
- Tuna melt
- Smart cuisine: pork tenderloin with raspberry sauce
- Chicken pot pie
- Gourmet chicken salad croissant
- Kiwi and pecan chicken salad
- Green pork chili
- Chef's choice soup
- Assorted pizza by the slice

Wilson Hall Cafe menu

Chez Leon

Wednesday, Oct. 2
Lunch
- Black-bean soup with dark rum and orange zest
- Quesadillas with tomatillo salsa and salsa fresco
- Fudge pie with ancho chili

Friday, Oct. 4
Dinner
Closed

Saturday, Oct. 5
Dinner
- Beet, cabbage and mushroom borscht
- Phyllo-wrapped beef croustades
- Baby spinach with scallions and lemon
- Coffee ice cream with Baileys Irish cream

Chez Leon menu
Call x3524 to make your reservation.

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From symmetry

Physics computing innovation benefits multitude

Millions around the world, both scientists and non-scientists, use Scientific Linux, an operating system developed for particle physics. Photo: Reidar Hahn

When a handful of developers at Fermilab modified a computer operating system for use in particle physics, they had no idea their creation would eventually be used by millions inside and outside of science.

Today's version of the system, called Scientific Linux, runs on computers around the world: at top universities, national laboratories and even in low Earth orbit on the International Space Station. An alternative to Windows or Mac, it has attracted the attention of people from a variety of fields. For example, at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where the majority of the campus grid is running Scientific Linux, students in fields as diverse as statistics, chemical engineering, economics and avian research use the operating system.

Lauren Michael, a research computing facilitator at UW-Madison's Center for High Throughput Computing, calls Scientific Linux a powerful tool "enabling researchers from all disciplines."

When Fermilab Lead Scientific Linux Developer Connie Sieh started the development of the first iteration of the system in 1997, though, she was just looking for cheaper hardware.

In the early 1990s, Fermilab scientists used proprietary operating systems from companies such as IBM and SGI, Sieh says. But in 1997, as personal computers became more commonplace, Linux and other free operating systems did, too — for everyday people and, especially, scientists.

So when a computing-heavy project came up at Fermilab, Sieh opted to replace the more expensive IBM and SGI hardware and the software that came with those machines. The new software she decided on was a version of Linux distributed by software company RedHat Inc., mostly because it was free and had the option to be installed in batches, which would save a ton of time. At the same time, RedHat's Linux was simple enough for scientists to install at their desktops on their own. The computing project, running on Linux, was successful, so the laboratory kept using it.

Read more

Sarah Witman

Photo of the Day

Minimalist perspective

A less viewed perspective of Wilson Hall and Ramsey Auditorium. Photo: Elliott McCrory, AD
Accelerator Update

Accelerator update, Sept. 30

Linac and Booster
AD personnel performed Booster kicker work. Tuning and short studies were performed as needed.

Main Injector/NuMI
Between Sept. 23 and Sept. 30, the Main Injector provided 155 hours of proton beam to the NuMI target for the production of neutrinos for MINERvA, MINOS and NOvA. The machine delivered an integrated intensity of 6.56 x 1018.

Recycler
AD personnel investigated an aperture restriction in the Recycler. Further studies are on hold until an access is made to look into the beam pipe in the MI-30 area.

Switchyard
AD personnel worked on the MI-52 Septa system and worked on extraction and beamline tuning.

Fixed-target area: Test Beam Facility
AD personnel worked on delivering beam to the Meson Test experiments in the FTBF. They also worked to understand issues with the MI-52 Septa system.

Fixed-target area: SeaQuest
Experts installed magnets and connecting instrumentation in preparation for the startup of the SeaQuest experiment later in October.

View the AD Operations Department schedule.

In the News

Meet Fermilab's new director

From Physics Today, Sept. 26, 2013

If it hadn't been for one of his university physics professors, Nigel Lockyer might now be a civil servant or a businessman instead of a particle physicist and the new director of Fermilab. After his junior year at York University in Toronto, Lockyer worked for the Ontario ministry of industry and tourism. His job was to advise engineers who came to the government with technical questions about their companies.

He enjoyed the work, and he had an offer to stay on; he was also considering going for an MBA. But when the professor got wind of his plans, says Lockyer, "he twisted my arm and said, 'This is not you. You should be going into physics. You are not going to get rich, but you'll enjoy it.' After that, everything just followed."

Read more

Director's Corner

Organizational changes

Fermilab Director
Nigel Lockyer

As you are aware, our Chief Operating Officer Jack Anderson will be leaving Fermilab; his last day will be Friday, Oct. 4. In his 14 months here, Jack has performed admirably as COO and associate laboratory director (ALD) for operations. He made considerable progress in moving the laboratory forward, most notably in the contractor assurance and project management areas. I wish him well in his new position as deputy director for operations at Brookhaven National Laboratory.

As many of you heard me say during my first week at Fermilab, organizational changes will be necessary to best position our lab to meet its future challenges. The first step in this reorganization takes place this Friday, when two individuals will separately step into the COO and ALD for operations positions.

I have appointed Vicky White as the laboratory's COO. In this new position, which she has agreed to serve through mid-2014, Vicky will further develop the Strategic Lab Agenda, lead the Contractor Assurance System, work closely with our partners in the Department of Energy and support key laboratory operations initiatives. She will facilitate and integrate all of the mission support activities to ensure effective and efficient laboratory operations. In the near term, Vicky will also continue in her current position as chief information officer and ALD for computing.

Randy Ortgiesen will become the new ALD for operations. He will lead the lab's day-to-day operations, managing the Business Services Section, Facilities Engineering Services Section and the Workforce Development and Resources Section. In the near term, Randy will also continue to serve in his current position as head of FESS.

I have selected both Vicky and Randy for these new roles based on their broad and deep knowledge of laboratory operations and DOE interfaces in critical mission support areas, as well as their demonstrated leadership and management abilities. They will work closely together to ensure a smooth transition for the laboratory's operations and our partners. Please join me in congratulating Vicky and Randy on their new positions, and give them your full support throughout this important transition period.

Video of the Day

Chirping minks

Two minks squeak at Timothy Chapman, FS, during his bike ride along B Road near the Feynman Computing Center. Just before this video was shot, the minks' mother had whisked two of her four kits out of the street. The mother didn't immediately return for these two, so Chapman carried one out of harm's way. The other scampered off but is believed to be safe. View the 13-second video, and turn up the volume to hear the baby minks. Video: Timothy Chapman, FS
Construction Update

PXIE ion source moved into place at CMTF cave

The PXIE ion source is now installed in the cave at CMTF. The ion source is the silver box sitting on the aluminum frame in the center of the picture. Photo: Jerry Leibfritz, AD

The ion source for PXIE was recently installed in the test cave located in the CMTF building. PXIE is an R&D program in which a test accelerator will replicate the front-end portion of a future high-intensity proton accelerator. PXIE is being constructed at the CMTF building, inside of a 150-foot-long concrete shielding cave.

Over the past year, workers have assembled the cave using shield blocks and have put into place the infrastructure required to operate the ion source. This includes electrical racks, cable trays, a power distribution system, high-voltage power supplies and a water-cooling system. The ion source, which can deliver up to 15 mA (H- ions) at 30 kV, was purchased from D-Pace Inc. in Canada and extensively tested at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, one of the PXIE collaboration partners. This spring, it was brought to Fermilab for installation at CMTF and is expected to be ready for commissioning in early December.

Announcements

Today's New Announcements

Flu vaccination information

eBook of note at the Fermilab Library

Accelerate to a Healthy Lifestyle

Fermilab Photo Club members exhibit application deadline - today

Scottish country dancing Tuesday evenings at Kuhn Barn starting today

International folk dancing Thursday evenings at Kuhn Barn starting Oct. 3

Power Writing Workshop offered Oct. 24

Writing for Results: Email and More class offered Dec. 11

SPIE digital library online trial at Fermilab

NALWO "English Conversation" mornings

Indoor soccer now on Tuesdays and Thursdays

Basketball open gym on Wednesdays