Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope Spots Most Extreme Gamma-Ray Blast Ever

GRB 080916C's X-ray afterglow appears orange and yellow in this view that merges images from Swift's UltraViolet/Optical and X-ray telescopes. (Image courtesy NASA/Swift/Stefan Immler.)

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory news release

With the greatest total energy, the fastest motions, and the highest-energy initial emissions ever before seen, a gamma-ray burst recently observed by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope is one for the record books. The spectacular blast, which also raises new questions about gamma-ray bursts, was discovered by the FGST's Large Area Telescope, a collaboration among NASA, the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science and international partners.

"Burst emissions at these energies are still poorly understood, and Fermi is giving us the tools to figure them out," says Large Area Telescope Principal Investigator Peter Michelson, a Stanford University physics professor affiliated with the DOE's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.

The explosion, designated GRB 080916C, occurred at 7:13 p.m. EDT September 15 (after midnight GMT, Sept. 16) in the constellation Carina. FGST's other instrument, the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor, simultaneously recorded the event. Together, the two instruments provide a view of the blast's gamma-ray emission from energies ranging from 3,000 to more than 5 billion times that of visible light. Read more...

Retirement Q&A Tuesday

by Robbie DeBastiani

Stanford Benefits recently sent SLAC staff members a letter announcing changes to the retirement investment options. For more information, including the reasons why Stanford Benefits is making the changes, and for open question and answer time, all staff are invited to attend a retirement presentation on Tuesday, February 24, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. in Kavli Auditorium.

SLAC Today Event Submissions Two Clicks Away

by Shawne Workman

Do you have a SLAC-related seminar or conference coming up that might be of interest to others in the SLAC community? Please let us know; SLAC Today event postings are easy and fast to submit for anyone with a SLAC Windows login. Enter your event dates and text through this online form.

Events

Feb 24 (7:30 p.m.) Public Lecture: Anders Nilsson, "Water: The Strangest Liquid"
Feb 25 (12:00 p.m.) WIS Seminar: Understanding, Limiting & Responding to Climate Change

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Announcements
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Lab Announcements

New Publication: ES&H Chapter 28, Incident Investigation

Community Bulletin Board

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Today (9:00 a.m.) Safety Awareness for R&D
Feb 25 (10:00 a.m.) Hazardous Waste Management Refresher

News (submit)

X-ray Vision Reveals Intergalactic Medium ScienceNOW
Gravitational Lensing: Astronomers Harness Einstein’s Telescope Science Daily
Science Wins $21 Billion Boost as Stimulus Package Becomes Law Science

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

Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope Spots Most Extreme Gamma-Ray Blast Ever GRB 080916C's X-ray afterglow appears orange and yellow in this view that merges images from Swift's UltraViolet/Optical and X-ray telescopes. (Image courtesy NASA/Swift/Stefan Immler.) SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory news release With the greatest total energy, the fastest motions, and the highest-energy initial emissions ever before seen, a gamma-ray burst recently observed by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope is one for the record books. The spectacular blast, which also raises new questions about gamma-ray bursts, was discovered by the FGST's Large Area Telescope, a collaboration among NASA, the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science and international partners. "Burst emissions at these energies are still poorly understood, and Fermi is giving us the tools to figure them out," says Large Area Telescope Principal Investigator Peter Michelson, a Stanford University physics professor affiliated with the DOE's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. The explosion, designated GRB 080916C, occurred at 7:13 p.m. EDT September 15 (after midnight GMT, Sept. 16) in the constellation Carina. FGST's other instrument, the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor, simultaneously recorded the event. Together, the two instruments provide a view of the blast's gamma-ray emission from energies ranging from 3,000 to more than 5 billion times that of visible light. Read more... Retirement Q&A Tuesday by Robbie DeBastiani Stanford Benefits recently sent SLAC staff members a letter announcing changes to the retirement investment options. For more information, including the reasons why Stanford Benefits is making the changes, and for open question and answer time, all staff are invited to attend a retirement presentation on Tuesday, February 24, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. in Kavli Auditorium. SLAC Today Event Submissions Two Clicks Away by Shawne Workman Do you have a SLAC-related seminar or conference coming up that might be of interest to others in the SLAC community? Please let us know; SLAC Today event postings are easy and fast to submit for anyone with a SLAC Windows login. Enter your event dates and text through this online form.	Events Feb 24 (7:30 p.m.) Public Lecture: Anders Nilsson, "Water: The Strangest Liquid" Feb 25 (12:00 p.m.) WIS Seminar: Understanding, Limiting & Responding to Climate Change Access (see all) Cooling Tower 101 Replacement Bldg 40 and 84 Parking Lots Closed Announcements (see all \| submit) Lab Announcements New Publication: ES&H Chapter 28, Incident Investigation Community Bulletin Board Upcoming IT Services Technology Training Classes on Campus Stanford Bookstore Sale Training (see all \| register) Today (9:00 a.m.) Safety Awareness for R&D Feb 25 (10:00 a.m.) Hazardous Waste Management Refresher News (submit) X-ray Vision Reveals Intergalactic Medium ScienceNOW Gravitational Lensing: Astronomers Harness Einstein’s Telescope Science Daily Science Wins $21 Billion Boost as Stimulus Package Becomes Law Science
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