LBL Currents -- March 3, 1995


Table of Contents

Two teams confirm existence of elusive top quark

By Lynn Yarris, LCYarris@LBL.gov

Scientists have declared that the top quark, the last of the six quarks predicted by the Standard Model of particle physics and one of the fundamental building blocks of matter, has been discovered. Both of the main experimental groups at Fermilab's Tevatron collider--the Collider Detector Facility (CDF) and the D-Zero (D0) group--have independently observed the production and decay of what for nearly two decades had been the crucial missing piece in the scientific picture of matter.

"This is one of the ten most important accomplishments in this century in this field," said Tom Trippe, a physicist in LBL's Physics Division (PD) and a member of the D0 group, in a story reported in the March 1 San Francisco Chronicle.

"We were quite confident we had it last April but we were being conservative in our claims," said Lina Galtieri, a PD physicist who leads LBL participation in the CDF group, which announced the first evidence of the top quark last April (see Currents, April 29, 1994 ). At that time, the CDF group said it had a strong case for the top quark but lacked enough data to claim discovery.

Since then, the CDF and D0 groups have tripled the amount of data collected. Details of the experiments were presented during a March 2 symposium at Fermilab and papers have been submitted to Physical Review Letters. The top quark is reported to have about the same mass as an atom of gold, or about 200 times the mass of a proton, making it by far the heaviest elementary particle ever observed.

Top quarks exist only for an instant before decaying into a bottom quark and a W boson, which means those created at the birth of the universe are long gone. Even the Tevatron, the most powerful collider in the world, has difficulty creating top quarks. It is estimated that one pair of top quarks is produced for every 10 billion proton-antiproton collisions. According to the Standard Model, however, the existence of the top quark at creation was necessary along with the other five types of quarks. The only types that have since survived in nature are the up and the down quarks, the pair that make up the protons and neutrons in the nuclei of all the known atoms in the universe.

Nearly a thousand scientists from around the world took part in the CDF and the D0 experiments; LBL researchers made vital contributions to both collaborations. Physicists and engineers at LBL designed a sophisticated microchip for the Silicon Vertex Detector, an extremely high-resolution instrument at the heart of the CDF detector system that enabled precise identification and tracking of bottom quarks, one of the top quark's signature decay products. The CDF's Hadronic End Calorimeter was also built at LBL.

The D0 group at LBL, which is led by Ron Madaras, was responsible for designing, building, testing, and commissioning two critical components of the D0 detector array: the Electromagnetic End Calorimeter, which identifies and measures the energies of electrons; and the Vertex Detector, which detects the tracks left by charged particles.

Later this month, the CDF & D0 groups at LBL will present seminars on their findings.


George Smoot wins Lawrence Award

By Jeffery Kahn, JBKahn@LBL.gov

George Smoot, who discovered the ancient seeds that grew into the galaxies and superclusters of galaxies that populate today's universe, has been named one of eight winners of the 1994 E.O. Lawrence Award by Secretary of Energy Hazel O'Leary.

Smoot, an astrophysicist in LBL's Physics Division and professor of physics at UC Berkeley, is the 23rd LBL recipient of the award. Inaugurated in 1959, the Lawrence Award honors the memory of LBL founder Ernest Orlando Lawrence. It includes a gold medal and $10,000.

"Because Lawrence was a remarkable experimental physicist, this is a particularly great honor," Smoot said of the award. "This work would not have been possible without the tradition of excellence established by Lawrence, the support of the lab leadership, and in particular, Bob Cahn (Physics Division Director).

Smoot won in the category of physics for his work on the cosmic microwave background, the faint afterglow left over from the Big Bang. He was cited "for his leadership in the remarkably accurate measurements of the variations in the cosmic microwave background radiation, thus clarifying our understanding of the early history of the universe, the distribution of dark matter, and the formation of stars and galaxies."

The cosmic background radiation was first detected in 1964 by Nobel Prize winners Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson. While doing satellite communications experiments, the pair encountered interference, a hiss that was remarkably uniform no matter which direction in the sky their antenna was pointed. This microwave noise--which had a temperature of 2.7 degrees kelvin--turned out to be the relic radiant heat from the primeval fireball.

From that date, researchers began looking for tiny fluctuations in this radiation. If these irregularities existed, then over the billions of years since the Big Bang, gravity would have magnified them into the stars and galaxies we observe today. If they did not exist, then the Big Bang theory of the origin of our universe was off base.

In 1976, Smoot was a key member of the team that discovered what was called "the dipole anisotropy" of the cosmic microwave background. This established that the Milky Way is not only expanding along with the rest of the universe, but, surprisingly, is moving at its own peculiar velocity at more than a million miles per hour.

According to the Lawrence Award citation, "Knowledge of this velocity has allowed cosmologists to make one of the best estimates of the mass density of the universe. This estimate makes a very strong case for the existence of more matter in the universe than can be accounted for by ordinary matter, helping to make the case for unusual forms of dark matter."

Two years earlier, Smoot had submitted a satellite proposal to NASA to measure and map the cosmic microwave background. The satellite was launched in 1989, and in April 1992, Smoot's team announced they had found what had evaded scientists for 28 years.

The team displayed images that mapped the unevenness in the microwave sky. The sky maps record a time about 300,000 years after the Big Bang, the earliest pictures we have of the universe. They show regions that vary in temperature and density by one part in 100,000. These irregular regions represent the seeds of creation.

Since then, the findings have been confirmed by several groups including a December 1992 confirmation by an MIT and Goddard Space Flight Center experimental team.

Smoot, whose quest consumed 20 years, was born in Florida in 1945. He attended MIT, earning a bachelor's degree in mathematics and physics and a doctorate in physics. In 1971, he came to LBL, joining the team of Nobel Prize winner Luis Alvarez, and began a career in cosmology.

Other winners of 1994 Lawrence Awards are Michael Campbell and John Lindl from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (National Security); Gregory Kubas from Los Alamos National Laboratory (Chemistry); Edward Larsen from the University of Michigan (Nuclear Technology); Gerald Ludtka from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Materials Research); John Till from Radiological Assessments Corp. (Environmental Science and Technology); and John Boice from the National Cancer Institute (Life Sciences). The awards will be presented in Washington, D.C., at a date to be announced.

Energy Secretary O'Leary said of the recipients, "The results of these winners' work clearly demonstrate the contributions that basic and applied research make to our Nation, to our economy, to our health and safety, and to our understanding of the universe around us."


LBL to host Molecular Design Institute

By Lynn Yarris, LCYarris@LBL.gov

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) has selected LBL to create and host one of two Molecular Design Institutes, an initiative spearheaded by Mark Alper and colleagues in the Materials Sciences Division. The Laboratory has been awarded an initial grant of $735,000 and is scheduled to receive an additional $6 million later this year. Georgia Tech was selected as the other host, for which it will receive $490,000 and $4 million, respectively.

The purpose of the Molecular Design Institute (MDI) is to combine the efforts of chemists, biochemists, and physicists for the atomic-scale design, synthesis, processing, and characterization of new molecules and materials. Potential areas of application include electronics, photonics, sensors, catalysts, and a wide variety of novel materials and coatings.

LBL will establish its MDI in collaboration with five universities and four private companies, which, with the Laboratory, formed a consortium and put together an MDI proposal for the ONR grant. The other members of the consortium include UC Berkeley, UCLA, Cal-Tech, Penn State, Rice University, IBM Almaden, AT&T Bell Labs, Motorola, and Intel.

In a released statement announcing the grants, ONR said, "The intention of these awards (to LBL and Georgia Tech) is to exploit recent advances in the atomic and molecular level of understanding materials synthesis and processing in order to develop superior approaches to new material structures."

Paul Alivisatos, a chemist with LBL's Materials Science Division and professor in UCB's Chemistry Department, has been named scientific director of the new institute.


Update on Washington: Shank sees opportunities for LBL

By Jeffery Kahn, JBKahn@LBL.gov

Intensive debate is taking place in Washington, D.C., about how to reform the Department of Energy and how to cut its budget. For the moment, however, says LBL Director Charles Shank, the Laboratory's total budget for next year looks as though it will be roughly the same as it is currently.

Updating employees during a February 23 town meeting, Shank said the changes under discussion are so vast and so volatile that no one can know the outcome. Although there is great uncertainty, Shank said there are also specific opportunities from which LBL could benefit.

The Clinton Administration has submitted its budget proposal to Congress. It calls for a $219.1 million total DOE budget for LBL for the 1996 fiscal year as compared to $227 million for the current year. The operating budget--which excludes construction funds, such as money for the Human Genome Laboratory in 1995--is $182 million in both 1995 and 1996.

DOE has proposed a "Scientific Facilities Initiative" that would increase funding for a number of major user facilities by $100 million. Shank said Congress appears to be receptive to the initiative.

Testifying last week before the House Science Committee's Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, Shank said he and other national laboratory directors made the case for the initiative. The federal government has invested billions in building these facilities but due to a dearth of operating funds, is not able to use them full time.

"We are now operating the Advanced Light Source (ALS) at only 56 percent of its potential," Shank said. "Likewise the 88-Inch Cyclotron and the National Center for Electron Microscopy (NCEM) are not able to accommodate all those in line to use them. Increasing the operating budget of DOE scientific facilities should be a priority."

Under the initiative, the ALS' FY96 budget would be $29.9 million, an increase of $8.7 million. NCEM's budget would jump to $3.6 million, an increase of $1 million, and the 88-Inch Cyclotron's budget would climb to $10.4 million, up $1.7 million.

Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) wants to cut $1 billion from the combined FY96 budget requests of DOE, EPA, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Questioning Martha Krebs, the head of DOE's Office of Energy Research, Rohrabacher asked her to list her budget priorities. Krebs testified that the Scientific Facilities Initiative was a major priority.

While some programs could see increases, Shank said Congress is intent on cutting overall spending. Within DOE, fusion programs are under heavy attack. Other programs that could be cut include environmental restoration programs and energy efficiency programs.

Concurrent with the changes being discussed by Congress, DOE itself is attempting to restructure the department. Shank is one of three national laboratory directors who serve on the steering committee of the DOE restructuring effort, and will be in Washington working on this project in the coming week.

Terming this an opportunity, Shank said DOE's Galvin Report could provide a blueprint for making DOE less bureaucratic and more efficient. Because Congress wants immediate action, Shank said it is possible that DOE may announce changes to the organization as early as May. More dramatic reengineering would come later. n


In Memoriam: Joachim Michael Nitschke

Joachim Michael (Mike) Nitschke, a senior staff scientist in the Nuclear Science Division, died on February 24 after an illness of several months. A long-time resident of Berkeley, he was 56.

Nitschke was born in Berlin, Germany, on the eve of World War II. His father fought with the Resistance movement against Adolph Hitler, and was tried and executed by the Nazis when his son was six years old.

Nitschke first came to LBL (then Lawrence Radiation Laboratory) in 1966 as a graduate student on a fellowship from the German government. Working with Earl Hyde, he studied the decay schemes of radioactive nuclei and discovered several new nuclides.

He then began work on the HILAC (Heavy Ion Linear Accelerator) with Al Ghiorso. There he designed a new type of on-line mass spectrometer; this work later became the basis for a thesis when he returned to Germany to complete his doctorate at the Technische Hochschule in Braunschweig.

He spent two years at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique in Orsay, France, then returned to LBL in 1971 to assist in the modification of the HILAC into the SuperHILAC. With the accelerator completed, he began to explore its use for experimental purposes. He was a member of the research team that discovered isotope 263106 in 1974.

Nitschke led a distinguished research effort during the 1980s with OASIS (On-line Apparatus for SuperHILAC Isotope Separation), an on-line mass separator. He then devised a Total Absorption Spectrometer (TAS) to measure decay energies and thus define masses. After the decommissioning of the SuperHILAC in 1991, TAS was moved to the UNILAC at GSI in Germany, where the work will be continued by his collaborators.

In 1989, Nitschke developed a concept for the construction of a combination of accelerators that would be able to accelerate radioactive beams with high intensities, and address important problems in astrophysics and nuclear physics. His concept, christened ISL for IsoSpin Laboratory, was recently recommended for inclusion in the 10-year plan being developed by the national Nuclear Science Advisory Council (NSAC).

Nitschke was a significant contributor to the NSD's Low Energy Program. He was a gifted teacher who often participated in mentoring programs. In 1992, he was honored for his substantial contributions to nuclear physics by election to Fellowship in the American Physical Society.

In addition to his career in nuclear science, Nitschke was an exceptional athlete. He competed on the West German rowing team in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and was an expert board sailor. He was also an accomplished pianist and opera singer.

Nitschke was a benefactor of many environmental and educational organizations, among them Sierra Club, Cousteau Society, Krishnamurti Foundation of America, and California Academy of Sciences. A scholarship fund for college-level students is being established in his memory. Details will be announced at a later date.


In Memoriam: Michael Rhea

Long-time consultant to LBL, Michael Rhea of Michael Rhea and Associates, was killed in a small-aircraft accident on January 3. He is survived by his wife, Lori, and his 13-year-old son, David.

Rhea's involvement with LBL's In-House Energy Management section and the Maintenance and Operations group to implement energy efficiency projects dated back to 1987. According to IHEM's Geoffrey Bell, Rheas' work resulted in significant energy savings for LBL. "The Laboratory owes Michael our gratitude and appreciation for all of the insightful, studious, and thoroughly professional services rendered over past years," Bell said. "Everyone who knew Michael well agrees that it was always a pleasure to work with him."

A college savings fund is being established for Rhea's son David. If you are interested in helping, please make your check payable to Lori Rhea and forward it to Geoffrey Bell, M.S. B90G, before Friday, March 17. Call X4626 for more information.


Dial 1 for long distance at LBL

It is now mandatory to dial 1 for long distance calling from the Laboratory. LBL's ICS telephone system no longer automatically inserts the 1 for long-distance calls. For more information, contact the ICS Service Center, X7997.


N e w s W i r e

UC RESPONSE TO GALVIN:

The University of California was generally favorable in its preliminary response to the recommendations of the Galvin Report, noting that several are already embodied in the current UC-DOE laboratory management contract. In a letter to Secretary of Energy Hazel O'Leary, UC President Jack Peltason said, "We believe implementation of many of the recommendations would further strengthen the effective partnership between the University and the Department of Energy in managing the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory." Peltason did urge, however, that subsequent examinations of laboratory "governance options" include "a specific review of the merits of maintaining strong laboratory-university linkages and of the unique contributions that not-for-profit contractors make to the national laboratory complex."

NEWSWEEK LOOKS AT THE INTERNET:

The February 27 issue of Newsweek was devoted to taking a long hard look at the current state of the computer age. Under the title "Technomania: The Hype and the Hope," the issue explored the impacts on American society of new developments in the so-called information revolution. LBL's own Van Jacobson was featured in a photo with Steve Deering of the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center as co-inventor of the Multicast Backbone or "MBone"--software that efficiently routes videoconferences over the Internet (see Currents, Dec. 9, 1994). Former LBL computer-sleuth Cliff Stoll was the author of another article in the issue entitled "The Internet? Bah!" in which he argued that cyberspace is not and never will be nirvana. In response to the notion that electronic publishing will soon replace books, Stoll wrote, "You can't tote your laptop to the beach."

AAAS ELECTS NEW HEAD; SCIENCE GETS NEW EDITOR:

The American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world's largest general scientific organization, has elected as its next president Jane Lubchenco, a MacArthur Fellow and Distinguished Professor of Zoology at Oregon State University. She succeeds UC Irvine's Francisco Ayala who has become the new chairman of the AAAS board of directors. Lubchenco is the eighth woman to be elected president of AAAS. The organization has also named a new editor-in-chief of its magazine, Science. The selection of Dr. Floyd Bloom, a neurologist with the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif., caps a year-long search following the retirement of former editor Daniel Koshland Jr.

IN PRINT:

The February 10th edition of Science features a report by Nancy Boudreau, Carolyn J. Sympson, and Mina Bissell of the Life Sciences Division, with Zena Werb of UCSF, entitled "Suppression of ICE and Apoptosis in Mammary Epithelial Cells by Extracellular Matrix." It appears that cells have to make a choice between differentiation, growth and apoptosis (programmed cell death) in order for normal tissues to function properly. When this decision making becomes aberrant, the cells could become cancerous. The article describes how extracellular matrix (the mass of fibrous and globular proteins that surround the cell) or ECM, and specifically laminin, an important component of ECM, suppress apoptosis of breast cells in tissue culture and in vivo. The breast cells in transgenic mice that were designed with the capacity to destroy ECM in vivo began to die. It appears that ECM regulates the activity and the level of a "death" gene referred to as ICE. The researchers showed that ECM is an important regulator of tissue-specific genes. These new results establish ECM as a central switch for life/death/cancer decisions. A second article on the subject, "From Laminin to Lamin: Regulation of Tissue-specific Gene Expression by ECM, written by Boudreau, Connie Myers and Bissell, appears in the January 1995 issue of Trends in Cell Biology.


San Francisco school wins LBL-hosted Science Bowl

By Diane LaMacchia, DMLaMacchia@LBL.gov

Lowell High School of San Francisco won LBL's fifth annual Regional Science Bowl in a close contest here last Saturday. The team will now go on to the national competition.

The Lowell team beat last year's winner, Homestead High of Cupertino. Third place went to Casa Grande of Petaluma, and fourth to St. Vincente's, also of Petaluma. Science and math whizzes from 12 other Bay Area high schools participated in the annual event.

Sponsored by DOE, Saturday's competition at LBL was one of 44 regional bowls taking place all across the country. LBL scientists, students, and administrative staff, as well as staff from DOE Oakland, participated in the event.

The Bay Area winner--Lowell--now travels to Washington, D.C., to take part in the National Science Bowl, which is co-sponsored by DOE and the Cray Research Foundation.

The regional winner two years ago--Albany High School--went on to take the top prize in the national championships. Last year, the regional winner was Homestead High of Cupertino; the national champion was Westminster School of Atlanta, Georgia.

The format of the Science Bowl is similar to that of the college bowls popular on television in the 1960s. Four-member teams take turns meeting head-to-head in a series of question-and-answer sessions. Questions are taken from a variety of subject areas including astronomy, biology, earth sciences, physics, chemistry, mathematics and computer sciences.

High schools competing this year were: Andrew P Hill (San Jose); Bridgemont (San Francisco); Casa Grande (Petaluma); De Anza (Richmond); Encinal (Alameda); Homestead (Cupertino); Lowell (San Francisco); Miramonte (Orinda); North Marin (Novato); Oakland High (Oakland); St. Ignatius (San Francisco); St. Joseph (Alameda); St. Mary's (Berkeley); St. Vincent (Petaluma); Terra Linda (San Rafael); and Urban School (San Francisco).


CAPTION -- Members of the winning Lowell High team include (front row) Joseph Luk, Willa Auyeung, Jason Zemansky, and Paul Lujan, with (back row) Marty Damagala of DOE-Oakland, who presented the trophy, and Lowell High coach Ray Hill.


Comments sought on UC President selection

Sandy Vinson, a Lawrence Livermore Lab staff member on special assignment to UC's Laboratory Administration Office (LAO), has been appointed to the Staff Advisory Committee for a new president of the UC system. President Jack W. Peltason announced in January that he would retire as of October 1.

The advisory committee represents staff throughout the University system; Vinson is the lab representative. The committee has been asked to comment on selection criteria set by the Board of Regents, suggest leadership qualities required for the position, and suggest any candidates who would be appropriate for the position.

Vinson invites all lab employees to forward their comments to her by March 3, preferably by e-mail at Sandy.Vinson@ucop.edu. You also may reach her by phone at 987-9064 or by fax at 839-3831. She also welcomes comments and candidate suggestions beyond the preferred March 3 date; for maximum effect, however, she should receive comments on criteria by then.

On March 6, the group will meet with the UC Regents search committee. The full Board will act on any proposed revisions to the criteria at its March 16-17 business meeting in Los Angeles.


EH&S Division managers hone public presentation skills

By Mike Wooldridge, MAWooldrige@LBL.gov

Scientists and staff versed in the intricacies of environmental engineering received engineering training of a more social nature recently.

In February, 15 Environment, Health and Safety Division managers honed their presentation skills at the first of two workshops designed to improve LBL's communication with the public on such issues as environmental clean-up and general risks from Laboratory operations. The first workshop focused on holding effective public meetings.

EH&S managers are often on the front lines in emergencies at LBL because of their responsibility for Lab safety. "It was my concern for my people to be prepared to deal with both unanticipated and planned contact with the press and the public," said EH&S Division Director David McGraw. "With the training, we'll be better prepared to talk with the community."

The workshop covered all aspects of effective public communication: the importance of having a dry run (practice session), when and when not to use visuals such as viewgraphs, and how to follow up with the community after a meeting.

In role-playing sessions, groups took on hypothetical emergencies at Lab sites such as the National Tritium Labeling Facility and the Hazardous Waste Handling Facility.

Participants were also put in front of the video camera for short impromptu speeches, which were reviewed and critiqued. "The exercises are a good chance for the managers to see how they come across when presenting technical material," said McGraw.

The workshops are an extension of the Environmental Restoration Program Community Relations Plan, a report drafted in preparation for the new Hazardous Waste Handling Facility. The report sets guidelines for public participation in the Lab's management of hazardous waste. Environmental specialists from ICF Kaiser Engineers, who helped draft the communications plan, are also organizing the workshops.

"People are recognizing that interfacing with the public is more and more important," said ICF Kaiser's Polly Quick. "They are discovering that there is not one best way to communicate. Every environmental project is different, and every community is different."

EH&S managers will attend a second workshop in April on communicating effectively with the media.

If you are interested in receiving communications training for your staff, contact Shaun Fennessey at X5122.


CAPTION -- Shaun Fennessey of Community Relations discusses public meeting strategies with Jack Bartley, Jack Salazar, Pat Thorson, and Mona Bernstein of the EH&S Division. EH&S recently held the first of two communications workshops for managers.


March EH&S Class Schedule

Date	Course	Time	Location

3/7 Crane/Hoist (Level 1) Training for Incidental 8 a.m.-noon 70-191 Operators (EHS 211)

3/7 First Aid (EHS 116) 8 a.m.-noon 48-109

3/7 & 9 Radiation Protection - Radiological Worker I 8 a.m.-noon 66-316 (EHS 430) - both days

3/8 Ergonomics for Computer Users (EHS 060) 9:30-11:30 a.m. 2-300F

3/9 Adult CPR (EHS 123) 9 a.m.-noon 48-109

3/9 Machine Tool Safeguarding (EHS 245) 10 a.m.-noon 90-2063

3/13 Lockout/Tagout Training (EHS 256) 9 a.m.-noon 90-4133

3/14 Pressure Safety/Compressed Gases (EHS 230) 8 a.m.-noon 90-4133

3/14 Laser Safety (EHS 280) 9:30-11:45 a.m. 90-2063

3/14 Medical/Biohazardous Waste Training (EHS 730) 10-11:30 a.m. 62-203

3/15 & 17 EH&S Roles & Responsibilities for Supervisors 8:30 a.m.-noon 66-316 (in research setting; EHS 025)

3/15 Fire Extinguisher Use (EHS 530) 2-3:30 p.m. 48-109

3/16 Accident Reporting/Investigation (EHS 815) 10 a.m.-noon 90-2063

3/16 Forklift Truck Safety (EHS 225) 1:30-3 p.m. 90-3132

3/21 Building Emergency Team Training (EHS 154) 9-11:30 a.m. 48-109

3/21 Introduction To Environment, Health & Safety 1:30-4 p.m. 66-Aud. at LBL (EHS 010)

3/22 Back Injury Prevention (EHS 053) 10-11:30 a.m. 48-109

3/29 Adult CPR (EHS 123) 1-4 p.m. 48-109

Pre-registration is required for all courses except Introduction to Environment, Health & Safety at LBL (EHS 10). Call X6554 to register for: CPR, First Aid, Fire Extinguisher Use, Earthquake Safety, and Building Emergency Team Training. Call X6612 or send a fax with your name, extension and employee number to X6608 to pre-register for all other EH&S courses.


Metric notes

LBL is on its way toward reaching its goal of complete conversion to the metric system within the next few years. Several new projects are presently being implemented using metric. For example, the new Human Genome Laboratory (Bldg. 84) and the Bldg. 72 addition are designed in metric. The Facilities Department is meeting the challenge of preparing maintenance plans for these metric buildings.


Annual returns for 403(b) and 401(a) accounts

Effective Jan. 31, 1995*

Equity 3.27%

Bond <14.34%>

Multi-Asset 0.75%

Money Market 4.43%

Savings 6.67%

Insurance Company Contract 7.87%

* Past performance does not guarantee future results


Currents online edition

The full text of each edition of Currents is published electronically on the World Wide Web at the following URL: http://www.lbl.gov/Publications/Currents/Currents.html. To set up your computer to access the World Wide Web, call the Mac and PC Support Group at X6858.


Calendar of Events -- March 6 to 17

Calendar items may be sent via e-mail to currents_calendar@lbl.gov, Fax to X6641, or Lab mail to Bldg. 65B. The deadline is 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

6 m o n d a y

THEORETICAL PHYSICS SEMINAR

"Topological Methods in String Theories: Sequel" will be presented by Hirosi Ooguri of the Theory Group at 2:30 p.m. in 430 Birge.

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING COLLOQUIUM

"Decomposition and Reduction of NOx over Rare-Earth Oxides" will be discussed by M. Albert Vannice of Pennsylvania State University, at 4 p.m. in Pitzer Auditorium, Latimer Hall. Refreshments on the Terrace at 3:30 p.m.

PHYSICS COLLOQUIUM

"The Great Crash of Comet Shoemaker Levy-9 with Jupiter" will be presented by Imke de Pater of the UCB Astronomy Department at 4:30 p.m. in 1 LeConte. Tea at 4 p.m. in 375 LeConte.

7 t u e s d a y

EH&S CLASSES

Crane/Hoist (Level 1) Training for Incidental Operators (EHS 211), 8 a.m.-noon, Bldg. 70-191. Call X6612 to register.

First Aid (EHS 116), 8 a.m.-noon, Bldg. 48-109. Call X6554 to register.

Radiation Protection - Radiological Worker I (EHS 430), 8 a.m.-noon, Bldg. 66-316 (March 7 and 9). Call X6612 to register.

LIFE SCIENCES DIVISION SEMINAR

"Mutation Analysis of the Fibronectin Gene Transcription in Liver" will be presented by Alberto R. Kornblihtt of Ingebi-Conicet, Argentina, at 4 p.m. in the Bldg. 66 Auditorium.

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING SEMINAR

"Chemical Vapor Deposition of Diamond--The Quest for Mechanistic Understanding" will be discussed by Michael Frenklach of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, at 4 p.m. in 3110 Etcheverry Hall.

8 w e d n e s d a y

EH&S CLASS

Ergonomics for Computer Users (EHS 060), 9:30-11:30 a.m., Bldg. 2-300F. Call X6612 to register.

SURFACE/CATALYSIS SCIENCE SEMINAR

"Theory of CO Oxidation on Pt Alloy Electrodes" will be presented by A.B. Anderson of Case Western Reserve University at 11 a.m. in Bldg. 66-316.

TOASTMASTERS

Join us to Build confidence and learn to effectively organize and present your ideas in a friendly, supportive atmosphere, 12:10-1 p.m., Bldg. 2-100.

NUCLEAR SCIENCE DIVISION SEMINAR

Experimental searches for new forms of strange matter will be discussed by Carsten Greiner of Duke University at 2 p.m. in Bldg. 70A-3377.

9 t h u r s d a y

EH&S CLASSES

Adult Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR; EHS 123), 9 a.m.-noon, Bldg. 48-109. Call X6554 to register.

Machine Tool Safeguarding (EHS 245), 10 a.m.-noon, Bldg. 90-2063. Call X6612 to register.

SURFACE/CATALYSIS SCIENCE SEMINAR

"Use of Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy in Studies of Corrosion Phenomena" will be presented by Thomas Devine of UCB and LBL at 1:30 p.m. in the Bldg. 66 Auditorium.

ASTRONOMY COLLOQUIUM

"Learning to Live in a Low Density Universe" will be discussed by Jim Peoples of Princeton/Cf PA at 3:30 p.m. in 2 LeConte; tea at 3 p.m. in 661 Campbell.

MATERIALS SCIENCE SEMINAR

"Structure and Stability of Oxide Films in Aqueous Environments" will be presented by Alison Davenport of Brookhaven National Laboratory from 4-5 p.m. in 105 Northgate.

PHYSICS DIVISION RESEARCH PROGRESS MEETING

"Tools for Building Virtual Laboratories" will be discussed by Stu Loken at 4 p.m. in Bldg. 50A-5132. Refreshments at 3:40 p.m.

10 f r i d a y

CENTER FOR BEAM PHYSICS SEMINAR

"Coupled Bunch Instabilities and Feedback at the ALS and PEP II" will be presented by Glen Lambertson at 10:30 a.m. in the Bldg. 71 conference room.

BIOMECHANICAL ENGINEERING SEMINAR SERIES

"Intelligent control of exercise machines" will be discussed by Perry Li, graduate student in the UCB Department of Mechanical Engineering, from 1-2 p.m. in 3110 Etcheverry Hall. Refreshments at 1 p.m.

PHYSICS DIVISION RESEARCH PROGRESS MEETING

"Observation of Top Quark Production at the Tevatron" will be presented by Weiming Yao of LBL/CDF at 2 p.m. in the Bldg. 50 Auditorium. Refreshments at 1:40 p.m.

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT SEMINAR

"Laser Diagnostic of Technical Combustion Processes" will be presented by Jurgen Wolfrum of the Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Heidelberg, Germany, at 4 p.m. in 3110 Etcheverry Hall.

13 m o n d a y

EH&S CLASS

Lockout/Tagout Training (EHS 256), 9 a.m.-noon, Bldg. 90-4133. Call X6612 to register.

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING COLLOQUIUM

"Strategies for Activating Enzymes in Gaseous and Supercritical Phases" will be discussed by Alan J. Russell of the Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department of the University of Pittsburgh at 4 p.m. in Pitzer Auditorium, Latimer Hall; refreshments on the Terrace at 3:30 p.m.

14 t u e s d a y

EH&S CLASSES

Pressure Safety/Compressed Gases (EHS 230), 8 a.m.-noon, Bldg. 90-4133. Call X6612 to register.

Laser Safety (EHS 280), 9:30-11:45 a.m., Bldg. 90-2063. Call X6612 to register.

Medical/Biohazardous Waste Training (EHS 730), 10-11:30 a.m., Bldg. 62-203. Call X6612 to register.

15 w e d n e s d a y

EH&S CLASSES

Roles & Responsibilities for Supervisors (in research settings; EHS 025), 8:30 a.m.-noon, Bldg. 66-316 (March 15 & 17). Call X6612 to register.

Fire Extinguisher Use (EHS 530), 2-3:30 p.m., Bldg. 48-109. Call X6554 to register.

CHEMICAL DYNAMICS SEMINAR

"New Quantum Results in Non-Adiabatic Molecular Dynamics" will be presented by Vladimir Osherov, Institute of Chemical Physics, Moscow, 2 p.m., 425 Latimer Hall.

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING SEMINAR

"A New Approach to the Dynamics of Essentially Nonlinear Particulate Media" will be presented by V.Nesterenko

of UC San Diego and Lavrentyev Institute of Hydrodynamics, Novosibirsk, at 4 p.m. in 3110 Etcheverry Hall.

16 t h u r s d a y

EH&S CLASSES

Accident Reporting/Investigation (EHS 815), 10 a.m.-noon, Bldg. 90-2063. Call X6612 to register.

Forklift Truck Safety (EHS 225), 1:30-3 p.m., Bldg. 90-3132. Call X6612 to register.

SURFACE/CATALYSIS SCIENCE SEMINAR

"Nanomechanics and Nanotribology" will be discussed by O. Marti of the University of Ulm (Germany) at 1:30 p.m. in the Bldg. 66 Auditorium.

ASTRONOMY COLLOQUIUM

"Mining Globular Star Cluster with HST" will be presented by Adrienne Cool of the UCB Astronomy Department at 3:30 p.m. in 2 LeConte; tea at 3 p.m. in 661 Campbell.

MATERIALS SCIENCE SEMINAR

"Deformation Behavior of Nanocrystalline Metals" will be discussed by Julia Weertman of Northwestern University from 4-5 p.m. in 105 Northgate.

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING SEMINAR

"Combination of Laser Diagnostics and Computer Simulation for the Investigation of Combustion Processes" will be discussed by Jurgen Warnatz of the Heidelberg University Institute of Combustion Technology, Stuttgart University, at 4 p.m. in 3110 Etcheverry Hall.

17 f r i d a y

OPEN CALENDAR


Dining Center Menu for March 6-10

monday

Sadie's Early Bird: Cinn-raisin French toast w/coffee $2.60

Soup of the Day: Old-fashioned bean reg. $1.35 lg. $1.95

Bistro Fare: Chicken Diane w/wild rice pilaf & peas $3.95

Passports: South of the Border a la carte

Sadie's Grill: Jumbo chili dog w/fries $2.95

tuesday

Sadie's Early Bird: Eggs Benedict & coffee $2.95

Soup of the Day: Lentil vegetable reg. $1.35 lg. $1.95

Bistro Fare: Vegetarian lasagna w/broccoli $3.95

Passports: South of the Border

Sadie's Grill: Cheddar cheeseburger & fries $3.25

wednesday

Sadie's Early Bird: Biscuit & gravy w/eggs $2.60

Soup of the Day: Country potato w/bacon reg. $1.35 lg. $1.95

Bistro Fare: Chicken curry over rice w/spring vegetables in masala $3.95

Passports: South of the Border a la carte

Sadie's Grill: Turkey sloppy Joe w/fries $3.25

thursday

Sadie's Early Bird: Big blueberry pancakes $2.05

Soup of the Day: Manhattan clam chowder reg. $1.35 lg. $1.95

Bistro Fare: Tempura fried fish w/fries & creamy coleslaw $3.95

Sadie's Grill: Santa Fe chicken sandwich w/spicy fries $3.75

friday

Sadie's Early Bird: Ham scramble $2.60

Soup of the Day: Chicken mulligatawny reg. $1.35 lg. $1.95

Bistro Fare: Pasta Piatti $3.95

Passports: No South of the Border today

Sadie's Grill: Ribeye steak sandwich w/fries or rings $3.95


F l e a M a r k e t

Flea Market ads may be sent via e-mail to fleamarket@lbl.gov, Fax to X6641, or Lab mail to Bldg. 65B. The deadline is 5 p.m. Friday.

AUTOS/SUPPLIES

'66 DODGE pickup, has some new & rebuilt parts, needs front end work, 60K orig. mi., strong engine, body fair, $500/bo. David, 525-4470

'68 MUSTANG, 289 cu. in., blue/green, 1 owner, $4500. Ethyl, 526-2351

'69 NISSAN Patrol, 63K mi., 4-ton winch, 242 cu. in. strait 6 cyl., new tires, rims, clutch, brakes, $3000/bo. Julie, X6261, 769-7028

'80 AUDI 5000 Turbo sedan, 120K mi., gd cond., $1000. Ed, X4544, 526-1260

'85 KAWASAKI Ninja 600, red/white, 28K mi., $1200/bo. Steve, X7625, 540-7242

'88 DAIHATSU Charade, 67K mi., runs great, $2000/bo. Carin, 528-1657

'88 PONTIAC LeMans, 2-dr, a/t, a/c, am/fm stereo cass., 82K mi., new tires, $2900/bo. Anke, X4125, 559-9155

'90 JEEP Cherokee Ltd, white w/beige lthr int., V6 4.0L w/tow package, all options, 75K mi. (mostly hwy), well-maintained, incl. Motorola flip cell. phone w/holder, ext. ant., $14,000. John, 549-0635

'91 ACURA Integra GS, 4-dr, 5-spd, blk, lthr, 51K fwy mi., $11,700. Ed, X4290, 933-4719

SEAT covers, Australian sheepskin, cust. made for BMW front seats, gd cond., $200 for pair. Max, X4022

CAR/VANPOOL

RIDER wanted, Mon.-Fri., lv. Vacaville/Fairfield area about 5:30 a.m., lv. lab 3:30 p.m., must have car for 4 people. Mark, X4671, 707/448-7979

LOST

Labsystems Finnpipette multichannel pipetter from Applied Scientific, poss. mis-delivered. Yvonne, X7742

FOUND

UMBRELLA, black "Christian Dior," w/lthr handle, in Bldg. 50F. X6771

KEYS, incl. key to 50B-102, in parking lot at Y-curve below Bldg. 46. X6771

WANTED

BIKE, inexpensive old hulk, for around town. Geoff, X5377

CAT, Maine coon, kitten to young adult, for household pet, not show. Dennis, X4702, 528-6540

CAMPER shell for '84 Toyota short-bed stand. cab, pref. fiberglass, white. Jennie, X6944, 841-6316

MACINTOSH, old & cheap. X4061

DINING set, used, desk, table, chairs, lamps, futon, other household items. Diana, X4978, 644-9844

S-PLUS (StatSci's statistical analysis program) users. Tony, X4926

VCR tape rewinder, Beta format. Sherry, X6972, 415/564-7881

MISCELLANEOUS

BIKE, '84 Univega Nuovo Sport, 19" frame, 12-spd, recently completely overhauled, w/Kryptonite lock, $100/bo; Denon CD DCD-800 single disk player, needs some work, new $330, $35; old pressed wood bkshlf, Scand. designs type (6 ft h x 2.5 ft w x 1 ft d), white, needs paint, $10; papier-mache pinata, multicolored, gd for kid's party, $10/bo. Jon, X5974, 841-9638

BIKE, men's 21-spd 26" Giant Iguana, mint cond., $225/bo. Sally, X5327

BIKE, Miyata ltwt 12-spd road, black, 20" frame, w/lock, $135. Dennis, X4702

BIKE, 21" Miyata touring w/rack, Suntour ARX grupo, 15-spd, $175/bo; stair stepping machine w/side rails $75/bo. Marc, X4500, or Maggie, 834-2775 (msg.)

CAPTAIN'S chest bed, 3 drawers, gd cond., $50. 549-0510

CHESTBED, full size, incl. mattress, $300/bo; bkshelves, w/w/o cupboards, $75 & up; computer desk $25; 2 director's chairs $5 ea.; Brother sewing machine $50/bo; men's 10-spd bike $40/bo. Carin, 528-1657

COUCH, new contemp. blue/white striped, $150; 2 contemp. armless chairs, blue/white/gold geometric design, $100; brass & glass coffee & end table $75; women's golf set $50. Thom, X6390, 707/746-5192

COUCH, blue w/tan dots, like new, $150; Casio Synthesizer, full size keybd, all features, $120. Jim, X4823, 527-9102

CRIB, white, w/mattress, sheets, extras, exc. cond., $150. Steve, X7702, or Suzanna, 643-0269 days, 655-6616 eves

FURNITURE, Thomasville hdwd bdrm set, Mediter. motif,
9-drawer dresser w/mirrors, 2 end tables, king frame w/hdbd, orig. $3400, Simmons Beauty Rest Cal. king mattress & boxspring, 2 yrs old, orig. $700, moving quickly, all for $300/bo. Doug, X4933, 658-9928

FUTON, like new, spotless lt beige cover, lt varn. wd frame, queen, 1st qual., $125/bo. X4221, 935-2285 eves

FUTON, queen, w/cover & frame, $100; kitch. table w/2 chairs $50; VCR $80; 2 nightstands, $25, $30; 2 vacuum cleaners, $30, $80; 2 folding chairs $3 ea. Anke, X4125, 559-9155

INFANT carrier (snugli), Gerry, exc. cond. $10; baby bathtub, like new, $10; infant bouncer chair $5. 527-0693

MATTRESS, king, new, $50. Stefan, X4823, 527-7546

PIANO, 1913 Kranich & Bach "Cabinet Grand" upright, needs some work, bo. X5771, 724-4635

PIANO, Hobart Cable 1906 upright grand, mahogany case, gd cond., $800. Cheryl, 228-1131

RANGE, '86 Corning glass top electric, model R30JB, 4-burner w/stand. oven, clock, mustard yellow color, equiv. to GE JBP-75, $75/bo. Greg, X7706

SCANNER, Radio Shack Pro-34 UHF/VHF program. w/charger $100; Panasonic cell. phone, many features, orig. $450, now $200; Canon E65 Camcorder w/2 batteries, charger, car charger, $500. Fred, X6068, 526-3259

SKI boots, Nordica, size 9.5, men's, exc. cond., $250 new, $50. Grazyna, X7128, 524-8373

SKI equip., new Rossignol STS slalom carbon, 180 cm, used 3x, w/look bindings, $250; ladies Raichle FlexonPro boots, size 7, $150; new Volkl Targa R 200 cm skis w/look bindings, $300; men's new in box Raichle Flexon comp, ceramic liner boots, 7.5, $250; exc. cond. Emily, X7979

SKI tickets, $5 discount all-day adult, at Kirkwood, gd til 5/15. Pepi, X6502

SKI tickets, Squaw Valley discount. Paul, X4192, 215-5708

SKIS, Epoke Ellesmere x-c, 192 cm, & bindings, like new, $55; Viking pumper airpot, auto. vacuum thermos, 1/2-gal., never used, $5; push lawn mower, $15; REI fiberfill summer sleeping bag, $20; 6-ft. inflatable whale w/handles, never used, $5. Linda, X4817, 236-6331

TELESCOPES, refracting telescope parts, 80mm Jaeger's objective lens in aluminum cell & matching 4-ft tube, never used, in orig. packaging, $250 new, $200/bo. 4.25" F-10 Newtonian reflector telescope, homemade w/Coulter optics, simple pipe-thread altazimuth mounting, needs to be attached to a tripod, also needs eyepiece, $65/bo. Both for $170/bo. Jon, X5974, 841-9638

TV w/VCR, RCA 13" color, 8 mos old, $200; futon w/cover, full size, 1 mo. old, $50. Eric, X5150, 848-0612 aft. 4:30 p.m.

VIDEO recorder, Panasonic (RCA) 2-spd vhs, older model, no remote, gd cond., $25. Ron, 526-6328

WASHER, Kenmore apt size, exc. cond., $100; 1907 counter top gas stove, 4 burners & oven, apt size, exc. cond., $950. 549-1876 eves

WINDOW, 12x5 ft, alum. frame, gd cond., bo. George, X7269

HOUSING

BERKELEY, furn. rm in priv. house w/sep. entrance, priv. bth, garden view, kitch./laund. privileges, walk to LHS, $495/mo. 549-0510

BERKELEY, furn. rm in 5-bdrm house, share w/2 others, nr Claremont Hotel on La Plaza Dr. (Domingo/Ashby), wash./dry., deck, yd, $400. 655-7627 aft. 2 p.m., or wknds

BERKELEY, 3-bdrm, 2.5-bth lg. older house (1739 Carleton St.), lg. mod. kitch., hdwd flrs, frpl, priv. yd & garden, nr downtown BART, walk to campus, avail. 6/1-8/15, $1200/mo.+utils. Don or Eva, 843-1213

BERKELEY, semi-furn. studio w/tiny yd, wd flrs, sunny kitch., 10-min. walk to UC/LBL shuttle, avail. 3/15, $505/mo. 540-0385

BERKELEY, semi-furn. 1-bdrm apt avail. 3/15, parking & small yd, 15-min. walk to UC/LBL shuttle, $525/mo. 548-9869

BERKELEY hills, furn. 2.5-bdrm 2.5-bth house, avail. 9/95-6/96, $800/mo.+dep. 642-3577

BERKELEY hills, studio apt, edge of Tilden Pk, views, decks, parking, semi-furn, w-w carpet, mod. kitch., dishwash., lg. bth, quiet st., priv. entrance, alarm, nr 65/67 buses, no smok., 1 person only, no pets, $700/mo. Evan, X6784, 525-7655

NORTH Berkeley, furn. rm in 2-bdrm duplex, walk to shops/shuttle, short-term, $150/wk, $450/mo. Ellen, X5062, 559-8340

EL CERRITO, furn. or unfurn. rm in priv. home, sep. entrance, priv. bth, share lvng rm, dining rm, kitch., wash./dry., tel. hook-up, bay view, nr transp./shopping, 6 mi. to UC/LBL, non-smok., $450/mo. incl. utils. Conway, 233-7997, 527-7898

KENSINGTON, unfurn. studio garden apt nr Grizzly Peak Blvd, $570/mo.+sec. dep. Sally, 620-0860

OAKLAND, Lakeshore, lg. 1-bdrm 1-bth upstairs unit in duplex, eat-in kitch. w/ hdwd flrs, all elec. appliances, laundry fac., most utils & stack parking, walk to shops, $675/mo. Margie, 339-3329

OAKLAND, 2-bdrm top-floor flat, Adam's Point, walk to BART & Grand Ave, pref. non-smoker(s), avail. 3/1, $750+dep., incl. util. 268-0674

OAKLAND hills, furn., 2+bdrm 2-bth house, June-Sept. (poss. extension), SF view, lg. priv. yd w/deck, play structure & sep. guest rm/office, nr Redwood & Joaquin Miller parks, $1700/mo. Robin or Greg, 530-6399

PIEDMONT, unfurn. rm in house, share w/2 prof. women, quiet, non-smok., wash./dry., frpl, view, $410+util. Jill or Debbie, 655-1560 eves

PINOLE, Tara Hills, 3-bdrm 2-bth house, some bay view, $950/mo. 724-9450

WANTED: 2-room or lg. studio apt, if poss. furn., April-Oct., for visting prof. Helmut Zacharias, Univ. of Essen, 45 117 Essen, Germany, fax 49 201 183 2120

WANTED: 3+bdrm house to rent in quiet hills location, pref. bay view. 524-9655

WANTED: Berk. house for visiting prof. & family from Paris for Aug., xchnge poss. Fred, X4892

WANTED: 3-bdrm house or apt for visiting French scientists, mid-June to end July or Aug. Fred, X4892

VACATION

HIGH Sierras, 4-bdrm cabin, wash./dry., deck, frpl., for wks or wknds, on Hwy 49, x-c skiing, ice- or normal fishing, snowmobiling, swimming, hiking, canoeing, etc. Jane, 642-3475, 849-4096

REAL ESTATE

NORTH Berkeley, 4-bdrm 2-bth house, hdwd flrs, remodelled bths & kitch., nr park, swimming pool, cafe & gourmet shopping. Doug, X6626, 526-4644

FOR FREE

DRYER, Maytag elec., exc. cond. 549-1876 eves


Currents

Published weekly by the Public Information Department for the employees and retirees of Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory

EDITOR: Mary Bodvarsson, X4014
mgbodvarsson@lbl.gov

STAFF WRITERS:
Jeffery Kahn, X4019
Diane LaMacchia, X4015
Mike Wooldridge, X6249
Lynn Yarris, X5375

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT:
Brennan Kreller, X6566

PRODUCTION:
Alice Ramirez

FLEA MARKET/CALENDAR:
Mary Padilla, X5771
currents_calendar@lbl.gov
fleamarket@lbl.gov

Public Information Department
LBL, MS 65 (Bldg. 65B)
One Cyclotron Rd.
Berkeley, CA 94720
Tel: (510) 486-5771 Fax: (510) 486-6641

LBL is managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy.