Study Sheds Light on Ancestry of Milky Way

From its orbit around Earth, the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) captured this edge-on view of our Milky Way galaxy in infrared light. Image courtesy of NASA. (Click on image for larger version.)

by Jennifer Yauck

Our Milky Way Galaxy and its nearby dwarf galaxies may be cosmological neighbors, but are they also relatives?

Conventional scientific wisdom says yes, with modern models suggesting that the Milky Way formed from the merger of thousands of dwarf galaxies like those that still surround our galaxy today. But now, a new study has cast doubt on this notion by demonstrating a difference between the chemical make-up of the Milky Way and its dwarf neighbors, a finding that suggests they are actually of different descent.

An international group of scientists from nine institutions used the Very Large Telescope in Chile to survey more than 2,000 giant stars in the nearby Fornax, Sculptor, Sextans and Carina dwarf galaxies. Using a spectrograph mounted on the telescope, the team measured the ratio of iron to hydrogen for each star and compared their observations to those from stars in the Milky Way's halo, or outer region. Read more...

SLAC Welcomes
Aundra Richards

by Kelen Tuttle

(Photo - Aundra Richards) A warm welcome to Aundra Richards, SLAC's new Acting Site Manager. Richards is also the Manager for the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) Site Office, and will be at SLAC Monday through Thursday each week.

The Site Office provides field management of SLAC for the Office of Science. The Site Office reports directly to the Office of Science and provides an on-site presence for implementation of programs and projects, as well as institutional management of the DOE-Stanford University-SLAC Management and Operations Contract.

After earning a Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Arts in History from the University of Santa Clara in Santa Clara, California, Richards began her career with the U.S. DOE Oakland Operations Office in 1979 as an intern Contract Specialist in the Procurement Division. Over the years, she rose through the ranks and held the position of Director of Contracts when the office closed in 2004. Before joining LBNL as Site Manager, Aundra completed special assignment details for DOE Headquarters in the Office of Field Management, and with the National Nuclear Security Administration as Associate Administrator for Management and Administration.

Welcome, Aundra!

Tree Planting Ceremony to Remember R. Yeager

by Doug Kreitz

A Coastal Oak will be planted at SLAC next week to honor the memory of Rick Yeager.

Richard P. ("Rick") Yeager, SLAC's Security Manager in the Business Services Division for fourteen years, passed away in September after a courageous fight with cancer.

All of Yeager's friends and coworkers are invited to attend the dedication ceremony of a Coastal Oak tree and memorial plaque to honor his memory.

The event will take place on Wednesday, November 29th, at noon at the Sector 6 Picnic Area. Rick's wife, Kathy, and his daughter, Jeannie, will also attend.

For more information, please contact Doug Kreitz.

symmetry:
ILC Cryogenics

by Kurt Riesselmann

The proposed International Linear Collider will use 16,000 superconducting cavities made of niobium, and scientists around the world are working on the cryogenic system needed to keep the cavities cool. Read more...

Events (see all | submit)

November 27: (4:15 p.m.) Colloquium: High Performance Neural Prostheses
November 28: (12:00 p.m.) WIS Seminar: Antartica 2.0. Where Did All the Ice Go?
November 28: (12:30 p.m.) Experimental Seminar: Discovery of Sigma_b

Access (see all)

Announcements
(see all | submit)

Lab Announcements

Safety Orientation for Non-SLAC Employees (SON) now online

Community Bulletin Board

Cool the Planet: Tip #3 from Cool Families

News (see all | submit)

Massive Machine to Crack Tiny Nut The Age
Instant Expert: Brilliant Minds Forecast the Next 50 Years New Scientist
Gordon Steps Up to House Science Post Science
Nations Sign Nuclear Fusion Reactor Pact PhysOrg.com

View online at http://today.slac.stanford.edu/.

Study Sheds Light on Ancestry of Milky Way From its orbit around Earth, the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) captured this edge-on view of our Milky Way galaxy in infrared light. Image courtesy of NASA. (Click on image for larger version.) by Jennifer Yauck Our Milky Way Galaxy and its nearby dwarf galaxies may be cosmological neighbors, but are they also relatives? Conventional scientific wisdom says yes, with modern models suggesting that the Milky Way formed from the merger of thousands of dwarf galaxies like those that still surround our galaxy today. But now, a new study has cast doubt on this notion by demonstrating a difference between the chemical make-up of the Milky Way and its dwarf neighbors, a finding that suggests they are actually of different descent. An international group of scientists from nine institutions used the Very Large Telescope in Chile to survey more than 2,000 giant stars in the nearby Fornax, Sculptor, Sextans and Carina dwarf galaxies. Using a spectrograph mounted on the telescope, the team measured the ratio of iron to hydrogen for each star and compared their observations to those from stars in the Milky Way's halo, or outer region. Read more...

SLAC Welcomes Aundra Richards by Kelen Tuttle A warm welcome to Aundra Richards, SLAC's new Acting Site Manager. Richards is also the Manager for the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) Site Office, and will be at SLAC Monday through Thursday each week. The Site Office provides field management of SLAC for the Office of Science. The Site Office reports directly to the Office of Science and provides an on-site presence for implementation of programs and projects, as well as institutional management of the DOE-Stanford University-SLAC Management and Operations Contract. After earning a Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Arts in History from the University of Santa Clara in Santa Clara, California, Richards began her career with the U.S. DOE Oakland Operations Office in 1979 as an intern Contract Specialist in the Procurement Division. Over the years, she rose through the ranks and held the position of Director of Contracts when the office closed in 2004. Before joining LBNL as Site Manager, Aundra completed special assignment details for DOE Headquarters in the Office of Field Management, and with the National Nuclear Security Administration as Associate Administrator for Management and Administration. Welcome, Aundra!	Tree Planting Ceremony to Remember R. Yeager by Doug Kreitz A Coastal Oak will be planted at SLAC next week to honor the memory of Rick Yeager. Richard P. ("Rick") Yeager, SLAC's Security Manager in the Business Services Division for fourteen years, passed away in September after a courageous fight with cancer. All of Yeager's friends and coworkers are invited to attend the dedication ceremony of a Coastal Oak tree and memorial plaque to honor his memory. The event will take place on Wednesday, November 29th, at noon at the Sector 6 Picnic Area. Rick's wife, Kathy, and his daughter, Jeannie, will also attend. For more information, please contact Doug Kreitz. symmetry: ILC Cryogenics by Kurt Riesselmann The proposed International Linear Collider will use 16,000 superconducting cavities made of niobium, and scientists around the world are working on the cryogenic system needed to keep the cavities cool. Read more...	Events (see all \| submit) November 27: (4:15 p.m.) Colloquium: High Performance Neural Prostheses November 28: (12:00 p.m.) WIS Seminar: Antartica 2.0. Where Did All the Ice Go? November 28: (12:30 p.m.) Experimental Seminar: Discovery of Sigma_b Access (see all) South Gallery Road temporarily closed between Sector 20 & 21 Building 40 Construction Bldg 084 GLAST ISOC Facility Construction Bldg 084 Parking Spaces Closure Alpine Gate & PEP Ring Road Closed Gates 17 & 30 Open 24-7 Research Yard Bisected Announcements (see all \| submit) Lab Announcements Safety Orientation for Non-SLAC Employees (SON) now online Community Bulletin Board Cool the Planet: Tip #3 from Cool Families News (see all \| submit) Massive Machine to Crack Tiny Nut The Age Instant Expert: Brilliant Minds Forecast the Next 50 Years New Scientist Gordon Steps Up to House Science Post Science Nations Sign Nuclear Fusion Reactor Pact PhysOrg.com
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View online at http://today.slac.stanford.edu/.


	Wednesday - November 22, 2006