Nobel Prize Recognizes Particle Physicists, Notes Key BaBar Finding

Nobel laureates Yoichiro Nambu of the U.S. (left), and Makoto Kobayashi (center) and Toshihide Maskawa of Japan. (Photo from the Nobel Foundation.)

by David Harris

The 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to Yoichiro Nambu "for the discovery of the mechanism of spontaneous broken symmetry in subatomic physics," and to Makoto Kobayashi and Toshihide Maskawa "for the discovery of the origin of the broken symmetry which predicts the existence of at least three families of quarks in nature."

The Nobel Foundation's press release includes explicit mention of SLAC's BaBar experiment because it helped confirm one of the key predictions by Kobayashi and Maskawa.

BaBar has studied in detail the phenomenon of CP violation, which is partly responsible for the imbalance between matter and antimatter observed in the universe. CP violation had been observed in particles called kaons or K mesons in 1964. However, it wasn't until Kobayashi and Maskawa developed their theoretical approach in 1972 that the phenomenon could be explained. However, Kobayashi and Maskawa's approach required a third generation of quarks. Experiments conducted soon after this prediction found evidence of the third generation. (The first generation includes the up and down quarks, the second has the strange and charm, and the third consists of the top and bottom.) Read more...

Fall Protection

by Jim Healy

Paul Miller trains in harness use and rescue. (Photo by Rich Jones. Click for larger image)

At SLAC, many situations require working high above the floor, beyond the reach of a ladder. Fall protection for this work may include a barrier or railing, but also typically involves a full-body harness, an anchor and a lanyard.

Several SLAC safety coordinators and Department of Energy Site Office staff attended a course in fall protection to brush-up on evaluation, planning and execution of Elevated Surface Work Plans. Attendees learned how to size a harness as well as which harness to use for a given task. The hands-on workshop included a chance to don a harness and "fall" for practice rescues. Those who completed the course are ready to provide guidance for others in the lab, and to perform required biannual inspections.

If you have any questions or concerns about fall protection please contact a Fall Protection Competent Person and consult the Environment, Safety and Health manual, Chapter 45: Fall Protection.

(Paul Miller (left) and Behzad Bozorg-Chambi (right) practice harness use. Photo courtesy of Jim Healy. Photo by Rich Jones. Click for larger image)

Jochen Schneider Receives Order of Merit

by Shawne Workman

Jochen Schneider is awarded the Order of Merit by German President Horst Köhler. (Photo courtesy of the Bundesbildestelle des Presse und Informationsamtes der Bundesregierung.
Click for larger image.)

SLAC division leader Jochen Schneider was recognized by the president of Germany for his contributions to light source science. In the ceremony yesterday—the 18th anniversary of German reunification—President Horst Köhler decorated 43 German citizens, including Schneider, with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The award recognizes Schneider, who joined SLAC in June as director of experimental facilities for the Linac Coherent Light Source, as a leading synchrotron radiation scientist, and celebrates his contributions as director of research at the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, or DESY, in Hamburg. The award announcement cites Schneider's key role in turning DESY into a leading center for photon science. Among his accomplishments, Schneider helped to launch the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser project, scheduled to begin commissioning in 2013. Schneider is credited with helping DESY to evolve into an internationally leading and interdisciplinary research center, while keeping a focus on encouraging young scientists.

"Congratulations on an honor well-earned," said SLAC Director Persis Drell. "SLAC is very fortunate to have a light source scientist of this caliber guiding the LCLS toward its first experimental results."

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Oct 9 (4:00 p.m.) SLAC Accelerator Seminar: RF Breakdown in Magnetic Fields
Oct 15 (1:30 p.m.) AIS: Robert Wagner presents Development of the Cherekov Camera

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Particle Physics Celebrates Nobel BBC News
Large Hadron Collider Broke Down Because of Bad Soldering on a Single Connection Telegraph.co.uk

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Nobel Prize Recognizes Particle Physicists, Notes Key BaBar Finding Nobel laureates Yoichiro Nambu of the U.S. (left), and Makoto Kobayashi (center) and Toshihide Maskawa of Japan. (Photo from the Nobel Foundation.) by David Harris The 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to Yoichiro Nambu "for the discovery of the mechanism of spontaneous broken symmetry in subatomic physics," and to Makoto Kobayashi and Toshihide Maskawa "for the discovery of the origin of the broken symmetry which predicts the existence of at least three families of quarks in nature." The Nobel Foundation's press release includes explicit mention of SLAC's BaBar experiment because it helped confirm one of the key predictions by Kobayashi and Maskawa. BaBar has studied in detail the phenomenon of CP violation, which is partly responsible for the imbalance between matter and antimatter observed in the universe. CP violation had been observed in particles called kaons or K mesons in 1964. However, it wasn't until Kobayashi and Maskawa developed their theoretical approach in 1972 that the phenomenon could be explained. However, Kobayashi and Maskawa's approach required a third generation of quarks. Experiments conducted soon after this prediction found evidence of the third generation. (The first generation includes the up and down quarks, the second has the strange and charm, and the third consists of the top and bottom.) Read more...

Fall Protection by Jim Healy Paul Miller trains in harness use and rescue. (Photo by Rich Jones. Click for larger image) At SLAC, many situations require working high above the floor, beyond the reach of a ladder. Fall protection for this work may include a barrier or railing, but also typically involves a full-body harness, an anchor and a lanyard. Several SLAC safety coordinators and Department of Energy Site Office staff attended a course in fall protection to brush-up on evaluation, planning and execution of Elevated Surface Work Plans. Attendees learned how to size a harness as well as which harness to use for a given task. The hands-on workshop included a chance to don a harness and "fall" for practice rescues. Those who completed the course are ready to provide guidance for others in the lab, and to perform required biannual inspections. If you have any questions or concerns about fall protection please contact a Fall Protection Competent Person and consult the Environment, Safety and Health manual, Chapter 45: Fall Protection. (Paul Miller (left) and Behzad Bozorg-Chambi (right) practice harness use. Photo courtesy of Jim Healy. Photo by Rich Jones. Click for larger image)	Jochen Schneider Receives Order of Merit by Shawne Workman Jochen Schneider is awarded the Order of Merit by German President Horst Köhler. (Photo courtesy of the Bundesbildestelle des Presse und Informationsamtes der Bundesregierung. Click for larger image.) SLAC division leader Jochen Schneider was recognized by the president of Germany for his contributions to light source science. In the ceremony yesterday—the 18th anniversary of German reunification—President Horst Köhler decorated 43 German citizens, including Schneider, with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. The award recognizes Schneider, who joined SLAC in June as director of experimental facilities for the Linac Coherent Light Source, as a leading synchrotron radiation scientist, and celebrates his contributions as director of research at the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, or DESY, in Hamburg. The award announcement cites Schneider's key role in turning DESY into a leading center for photon science. Among his accomplishments, Schneider helped to launch the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser project, scheduled to begin commissioning in 2013. Schneider is credited with helping DESY to evolve into an internationally leading and interdisciplinary research center, while keeping a focus on encouraging young scientists. "Congratulations on an honor well-earned," said SLAC Director Persis Drell. "SLAC is very fortunate to have a light source scientist of this caliber guiding the LCLS toward its first experimental results."	Events Oct 8 (12:30 p.m.) SASS: Chihway Chang Presents LSST - Shoot a Movie in the Sky Oct 9 (4:00 p.m.) SLAC Accelerator Seminar: RF Breakdown in Magnetic Fields Oct 15 (1:30 p.m.) AIS: Robert Wagner presents Development of the Cherekov Camera Access (see all) Bldg 40 and 84 Parking Lots Closed Sidewalk Project from South Target Road to Bldg 33 PEP Ring Road and Alpine Gate Closed Announcements (see all \| submit) Lab Announcements Plumbing in B034 repaired Community Bulletin Board HIP Class Today: Sounder Sleep System Faculty Staff Help Center: October 2008 Workshop and Groups News (submit) Particle Physics Celebrates Nobel BBC News Large Hadron Collider Broke Down Because of Bad Soldering on a Single Connection Telegraph.co.uk
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<% Response.AddHeader "Last-modified", getArticleDate() 'Response.AddHeader "Last-modified","Mon, 01 Sep 1997 01:03:33 GMT" 'Monday, December 06, 2010 %> View online at http://today.slac.stanford.edu/