Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013
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Have a safe day!

Tuesday, Dec. 10

11 a.m.
Academic Lecture Series - One West
Speaker: Scott Dodelson
Title: Evidence for Dark Matter from the Cosmos

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

4 p.m.
Accelerator Physics and Technology Seminar - One West
Speaker: Igor Meshkov, Joint Institute of Nuclear Research
Title: NICA Project Development at JINR

Wednesday, Dec. 11

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

THERE WILL BE NO FERMILAB COLLOQUIUM THIS WEEK

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Weather Chance of snow
18°/11°

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Weather at Fermilab

Current Security Status

Secon Level 3

Current Flag Status

Flags at full staff

Wilson Hall Cafe

Tuesday, Dec. 10

- Breakfast: All-American breakfast
- Breakfast: bacon, egg and cheese bagel
- Ranch chicken breast sandwich
- Smart cuisine: pork piccata with lemon sauce
- Liver and onions
- California and turkey panino
- Taco salad
- Minnesota chicken and rice soup
- Chef's choice soup

Wilson Hall Cafe menu

Chez Leon

Wednesday, Dec. 11
Lunch
- Stuffed cabbage
- Mashed potatoes
- German chocolate cake

Saturday, Dec. 14
Dinner
Guest chef: Grace Leonard
- Assortment of small plates, tapas style

Chez Leon menu
Call x3524 to make your reservation.

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Feature

Mu2e superconducting cable prototype successful

Vito Lombardo and Giorgio Ambrosio lead the development of the Mu2e transport solenoid. In a recent test, the prototype superconducting cable for the solenoid met every benchmark. Photo: Reidar Hahn

Last month, members of the Technical Division conducted final tests on the first batch of prototype superconducting cable for the proposed Mu2e experiment. The cable met every prescribed benchmark, carrying over 6,800 amps of electrical current — well above its design current — at 4.2 Kelvin in a magnetic field of 5 Tesla.

This aluminum-clad niobium-titanium superconductor is a critical component of one of Mu2e's three magnets, the transport solenoid. As the name implies, the transport solenoid will help transport a beam of muons from its production source to the detector, where scientists will study the particle interactions.

"This prototype conductor is an important part of our transport solenoid magnet program," said Giorgio Ambrosio, who is in charge of the transport solenoid design and development. "We know that no superconducting magnet is better than its conductor."

Having met this milestone ahead of schedule, members of the Superconducting Materials and Magnet Systems departments will march ahead with the other three superconducting cable prototypes for Mu2e: one for the production solenoid and two for the detector solenoid. They plan to complete the cable prototyping stage in a few months' time.

"Scheduling is quite tight and really adds to the complexity of this project," said Vito Lombardo, who is leading the Mu2e superconductor effort.

Coordinating its global development adds yet another layer of complexity: Fermilab designed the cable, and a company in Japan manufactured the prototype. The manufacturer shipped niobium-titanium strands to a business in the United States for cabling. It was then sent back to Japan for the aluminum cladding and finally delivered to Fermilab for final testing. Fermilab will eventually send the cable to Italy to be wound into a prototype magnet.

The prototype cable is a considerable three kilometers long. Ultimately, the Mu2e experiment will make use of more than 70 kilometers of superconducting cable for its magnet systems.

"It's going to be a gigantic effort down the road. We have partners and vendors scattered globally, and Fermilab serves as a hub for the whole process," Lombardo said.

"We monitored the whole development process from start to finish. Every step of the way, we've had samples sent to us and tested," said Mike Lamm, who leads the Mu2e solenoid development in the Magnet Systems Department. "Vito's is a big logistical job. It's absolutely critical to the success of the magnets that these conductors work."

So far, the Mu2e magnets appear to be on track.

Leah Hesla

This shows a cross section of the Mu2e transport solenoid superconducting cable prototype. Photo: Reidar Hahn
Photo of the Day

Last look at fall in Chicagoland

The not-so-distant city of Chicago rises over fall's gorgeous colors. This photo was taken late last month from Wilson Hall. Photo: Marty Murphy, AD
In the News

Saturday mornings are for physics at Fermilab

From The Beacon-News, Dec. 8, 2013

When 17-year-old Luis Cepeda began attending Saturday Morning Physics in early October at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, he had very little exposure to physics.

A senior in East Aurora High School's magnet program, Cepeda had just started taking physics in high school and heard about Fermilab's program from his teacher. He liked physics so far and wanted to take more difficult classes that weren't being offered at his school.

Read more

Special Announcement

Special seminar Thursday

Fermilab's Steve Holmes and Andreas Kronfeld will provide a preview of their presentations for next week's P5 meeting this Thursday at 4 p.m. in Ramsey Auditorium.

Fermilab scientist Gina Rameika will introduce the seminar and will summarize the Fermilab plan that was presented at the first November P5 meeting. Holmes will discuss PIP-II and the plan for developing a megawatt beam for LBNE while laying a platform for the longer-term future. Kronfeld will provide an overview of physics opportunities with high-intensity proton beams.

All Fermilab staff and users are invited to attend.

From symmetry

Reading in the Higgs era

Science writer Mike Perricone presents his favorite books on particle physics and a recommended reading list for the LHC/Higgs era (2008 to the present). Image: Sandbox Studio

It's been two decades and thousands of popular science books since particle physicist and former Fermilab director Leon Lederman first served up science on wry in The God Particle, his contemplation on the subatomic particles and forces that make up the fundamental building blocks of nature. Lederman's devilish moniker for the elusive Higgs boson might have rubbed some scientists the wrong way, but the catchy name for the then-theoretical boson has proved a useful hook for science writers, editors and readers.

In 2008, the Large Hadron Collider turned on its particle beams for the first time. Four years later, scientists working on the LHC inaugurated a new era of particle physics with the announcement of the discovery of the Higgs particle. With the 2013 Nobel Prize in physics going to Peter Higgs and Francois Englert for originally theorizing the particle, the circle seems complete — except for the numerous questions that remain about the Higgs particle and its potential connections to dark matter, dark energy and other parts of the microcosm.

With the LHC shut down until 2015 for upgrades, now is the ideal time to catch up on reading the new and noteworthy literature of the LHC/Higgs era (2008 to the present).

Read more

Mike Perricone

In Brief

Transition of medical plans to Blue Cross Blue Shield

In October, Fermilab announced that the medical plans offered through Cigna will transition to Blue Cross Blue Shield on Jan. 1, 2014. As stated in the annual enrollment materials, there are no plan design changes to the medical or the prescription drug coverage. Beginning Jan. 1, PPO and PPO Premium plan participants move to the Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO network and Prime Therapeutics for prescription drug coverage. To determine if your provider is in the BCBS PPO network, visit www.bcbsil.com or call BCBS customer service at 1-800-548-1686.

Blue Cross Blue Shield identification cards will arrive by the end of next week. The cards will arrive in a plain white envelope. Please be sure to watch your mail for the identification cards.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield card is for both medical and prescription drug coverage. If you have family coverage, two cards will be issued, both with the employee's name. If you need additional ID cards, call BCBS customer service at 1-800-548-1686.

Mail order service
If you or a family member currently uses the mail order service through Cigna Tel-Drug, go to the employee benefits website, and follow the steps there to make the mail-order transition to BCBS. For additional questions, call 1-877-357-7463.

Specialty drug service
If you or a family member currently uses the specialty drug service, contact Prime Therapeutics Specialty Pharmacy unit at 1-877-627-6337 in order to set up the specialty drug service. View this flier for more details from Prime Specialty regarding the specialty drug service.

Please feel free to contact the Benefits Office at benefitsoffice@fnal.gov with questions.

Announcements

Certified Administrative Professional Study Group reg. deadline - today

Preventing Diabetes Lunch & Learn - Dec. 11

Fermilab Family Holiday Party - Dec. 11

Wilson Hall Super Science Stocking Stuffer Sale - Dec. 11-12

Fermilab Arts Series: Jingle Babes: Four Bitchin' Babes - Dec. 14

Scottish country dancing Tuesday evenings in Kuhn Barn - until Dec. 17

Revised submission date for the Take Five 2013 Challenge - Dec. 18

Wilson Street entrance closed

Cashier's Office closed during holidays

Box office moves to the mezzanine

Strength Training by Bod Squad

International folk dancing meets Thursday evenings in Kuhn Barn

Abri Credit Union – rake in the savings