Galaxy Clusters Shine New Light on Dark Energy

Dark energy, which is responsible for the accelerated expansion of the universe, holds the key to understanding the evolution of the universe following the Big Bang. (Image: NASA WMAP)

by Catherine Meyers

Scientists' murky understanding of dark energy may have just gotten a little clearer, thanks to recent work by a team of researchers that includes KIPAC astrophysicist Neelima Sehgal. The team used observations from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope, or ACT, in the Chilean Andes to more narrowly define the properties of dark energy, that enigmatic entity that's thought to make up approximately 70 percent of the mass-energy of the universe and is pushing space apart. The team's results are summarized online on the ArXiv.

Scientists have struggled to come up with a satisfactory explanation for the nature of dark energy ever since astronomical observations in 1998 first suggested its existence. Astronomers were surprised to discover that the universe's expansion was accelerating, a fact that could be explained only by a previously unknown source of energy. Read more...

SLAC Public Lectures Now Online

by Brad Plummer and Stephanie Weitzenkamp

The SLAC Communications Office and Information Management and Portal Solutions (formerly InfoMedia Solutions) are happy to announce the launch of the SLAC Public Lecture Series online archive. All SLAC public lectures that have ever taken place—with the exception of the November 30 lecture, which is in process—are now viewable online. The archive is available from the SLAC Public Lecture Series home page under Past Lectures in the left-hand menu.

Phase II of the project will involve posting not only new public lectures as they happen, but also selected SLAC Monday colloquia. Video for the most recent colloquium is in the works now!

Property Control Honor Roll

by Leslie Normandin

It's that time of year. This fall, the inventory for equipment over $5000 and for sensitive property for fiscal year 2010 was reported to the Department of Energy.

Good news first: SLAC exceeded the lab's Performance Evaluation and Management Plan for the inventory of equipment valued at more than $5000. The bad news is SLAC really needs to work on improving the sensitive property inventory. This past fiscal year a large number of computers either could not be located on inventory or were reported missing to Site Security. Remember, if your laptop or desktop computer goes missing you need to immediately report it to SLAC Site Security (x2551). Take extra precautions and lock your laptop when it's not in use. Especially watch your laptop when travelling. Read more...

SLAC Logo Sweatshirts: 50 Percent Discount for the Holidays

(Photo courtesy Kari Horwath.)

by Kari Horwath

The Stanford Guest House Gift Shop has partnered with the Friends of the Linear Accelerator, or FOLA, to offer an incredible deal—just in time for the holidays.

Buy one crewneck sweatshirt at regular price and receive 50 percent off additional crewneck sweatshirts. There is no limit to the number of discounted sweatshirts you can purchase. So stop by the Guest House right away; they have a huge selection of sweatshirts in a variety of colors and sizes. Read more...

Events

Today (12:30 p.m.) Combined Theory and Experimental Seminar: Broken S(3) Symmetry in Flavor Physics
Today (1:30 p.m.) Theory Seminar: Monte-Carlo Event Generation in the LHC Era

Access (see all)

Announcements
(see all | submit)

Lab Announcements

Community Bulletin Board

Training (see all | register)

Lab Training

Calendar
Registration

Today (8:00 a.m.)
Asbestos Worker Annual Training

Upcoming Workshops & Classes

Jan 10 (1:30 p.m.) Project Mgmt Training I, Session One
Jan 20 (1:30 p.m.) Project Mgmt Training I, Session Two

News (submit)

Newfound Planet Stirs Old Debate Science News
Progress toward an Antihydrogen Beam Physics
Quark-gluon Mania Returns to CERN Physicsworld

<% 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/.

Galaxy Clusters Shine New Light on Dark Energy Dark energy, which is responsible for the accelerated expansion of the universe, holds the key to understanding the evolution of the universe following the Big Bang. (Image: NASA WMAP) by Catherine Meyers Scientists' murky understanding of dark energy may have just gotten a little clearer, thanks to recent work by a team of researchers that includes KIPAC astrophysicist Neelima Sehgal. The team used observations from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope, or ACT, in the Chilean Andes to more narrowly define the properties of dark energy, that enigmatic entity that's thought to make up approximately 70 percent of the mass-energy of the universe and is pushing space apart. The team's results are summarized online on the ArXiv. Scientists have struggled to come up with a satisfactory explanation for the nature of dark energy ever since astronomical observations in 1998 first suggested its existence. Astronomers were surprised to discover that the universe's expansion was accelerating, a fact that could be explained only by a previously unknown source of energy. Read more... SLAC Public Lectures Now Online by Brad Plummer and Stephanie Weitzenkamp The SLAC Communications Office and Information Management and Portal Solutions (formerly InfoMedia Solutions) are happy to announce the launch of the SLAC Public Lecture Series online archive. All SLAC public lectures that have ever taken place—with the exception of the November 30 lecture, which is in process—are now viewable online. The archive is available from the SLAC Public Lecture Series home page under Past Lectures in the left-hand menu. Phase II of the project will involve posting not only new public lectures as they happen, but also selected SLAC Monday colloquia. Video for the most recent colloquium is in the works now! Property Control Honor Roll by Leslie Normandin It's that time of year. This fall, the inventory for equipment over $5000 and for sensitive property for fiscal year 2010 was reported to the Department of Energy. Good news first: SLAC exceeded the lab's Performance Evaluation and Management Plan for the inventory of equipment valued at more than $5000. The bad news is SLAC really needs to work on improving the sensitive property inventory. This past fiscal year a large number of computers either could not be located on inventory or were reported missing to Site Security. Remember, if your laptop or desktop computer goes missing you need to immediately report it to SLAC Site Security (x2551). Take extra precautions and lock your laptop when it's not in use. Especially watch your laptop when travelling. Read more... SLAC Logo Sweatshirts: 50 Percent Discount for the Holidays (Photo courtesy Kari Horwath.) by Kari Horwath The Stanford Guest House Gift Shop has partnered with the Friends of the Linear Accelerator, or FOLA, to offer an incredible deal—just in time for the holidays. Buy one crewneck sweatshirt at regular price and receive 50 percent off additional crewneck sweatshirts. There is no limit to the number of discounted sweatshirts you can purchase. So stop by the Guest House right away; they have a huge selection of sweatshirts in a variety of colors and sizes. Read more...	Events Today (12:30 p.m.) Combined Theory and Experimental Seminar: Broken S(3) Symmetry in Flavor Physics Today (1:30 p.m.) Theory Seminar: Monte-Carlo Event Generation in the LHC Era Access (see all) Driveway Access at Bldgs. 28, 26 Loop Road Closure Parking Lot A Construction RSB Project Info and Updates Announcements (see all \| submit) Lab Announcements Director's Work Group Meetings Dec 6-8 Payroll Calendar Year-End Reminders Community Bulletin Board Family Giving Tree Drive Second Harvest Food Drive SLAC Holiday Party Dec. 15 Training (see all \| register) Lab Training Calendar Registration Today (8:00 a.m.) Asbestos Worker Annual Training Upcoming Workshops & Classes Jan 10 (1:30 p.m.) Project Mgmt Training I, Session One Jan 20 (1:30 p.m.) Project Mgmt Training I, Session Two News (submit) Newfound Planet Stirs Old Debate Science News Progress toward an Antihydrogen Beam Physics Quark-gluon Mania Returns to CERN Physicsworld
	Flea Market Linear Café Menu Employee Milestones Search the Archives Subscribe non-SLAC e-mail Send Us Your Feedback

<% 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/.