LSND strengthens evidence for neutrino
oscillations
A collaboration of university scientists and researchers working at the Laboratory has published the final paper from the Liquid Scintillator Neutrino Detector (LSND) experiment. The results, based on six years of data collection, strengthen previously published but controversial LSND results and provide further evidence of neutrino oscillation and mass.
The LSND data, collected from 1993 to 1998, suggest that muon anti-neutrinos oscillate into electron anti-neutrinos. Combined with other data on neutrino oscillations, the results indicate that neutrinos represent roughly one percent or more of the universe's total mass.
The LSND results, which were published in Physical Review D on Saturday (Dec. 1), are based on data collected at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) accelerator, an intense source of low energy neutrinos. During the collection period from 1993-1998, LANSCE delivered 180 trillion-billion (180,000,000,000,000,000,000,000) protons to the LSND target. The LSND detector is a tank filled with 167 tons of liquid scintillator consisting of mineral oil (baby oil) and 14 pounds of organic scintillator. This oil/scintillator mixture allowed the detection of both Cerenkov light and scintillation light via 1,220 light sensitive tubes and provided excellent particle identification.
An independent experiment is required to prove whether the excess of events observed by LSND is indeed due to neutrino oscillations. The MiniBooNE experiment, which is currently under construction at Fermilab in Illinois, is designed to provide a definitive test of the LSND neutrino oscillation results, and if the results are verified, will make a precision measurement of the oscillation parameters.
Neutrino oscillations have also been employed to explain the apparent deficit of solar electron-neutrinos and atmospheric muon-neutrinos. The solar and atmospheric experiments have been confirmed by other experiments, while the LSND signal is uncomfirmed. Scientists, however, find it difficult to explain the solar, atmospheric, and LSND results using only the three known neutrino types or flavors, which cause the LSND results to be controversial. These flavors are the electron, muon and tau neutrinos. It has been hypothesized that some unknown new phenomenon -- such as a fourth 'sterile' neutrino with a much weaker interaction with matter than normal neutrinos or large extra dimensions with different neutrino masses -- might explain the data. Such new phenomena would have an enormous impact on the standard model of particle physics and would have very broad implications for future research in the fields of nuclear physics, high-energy physics, and astrophysics.
The LSND collaboration consists of physicists from the Laboratory, University of Alabama, University of California, Riverside, UC, San Diego, UC, Santa Barbara, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Indiana University, Louisiana State University, Southern University and Temple University.
--Todd Hanson
Laboratory issues contracts to Northern
New Mexico businesses for logging, tree thinning efforts
The Laboratory's Procurement (BUS-5) Office recently awarded two contracts to Northern New Mexico businesses for work as part of the Lab's Cerro Grande Rehabilitation Project.
T.C. Co. of Hernandez was awarded a contract valued at $1.7 million for thinning of piñon and juniper trees at Technical areas 36, 39 and 68. Terry Conley is the owner of T.C. Co.
T.C. Co. will use a hydrostatic brush cutter to grind cut trees into a mulch, which remains on site where the trees were cut, explained Stephen Mee, program manager of the Cerro Grande Rehabilitation Project Office.
Hurd Brothers Logging in Chama was awarded a $1.1 million contract for logging and thinning ponderosa pine trees around Technical areas 11, 16 and 28. Andrew Hurd is the general partner of Hurd Brothers.
According to Mee, some of the trees burned in the fire are being thinned to reduce fuel loading and meet fuel mitigation goals in defensible space and fuel breaks around key Laboratory buildings and structures. He also said unburned trees are growing in dense, overcrowded conditions, therefore, it is necessary to thin these trees to mitigate fuels and reduce the potential for another catastrophic fire.
"As a result of the fire, we have many areas around the Laboratory where tree thinning is required," said Robert Holder of BUS-5.
Mee said thinned trees 8 inches in diameter and greater will be sold to lumber mills in Northern New Mexico. Logs between 3 and 8 inches in diameter will be cut and given away free of charge as firewood. Individuals interested in obtaining firewood can write to firewood@lanl.gov by electronic mail and provide their name and address.
Work by both companies is expected to begin before the end
of the year and be completed next summer, said Mee.
Holder said the Laboratory issued competitive bids for this fire
rehabilitation work. "The company was very instrumental in
saying 'I can do this for so much an acre, and I feel very strongly
that I can do this in a very productive fashion,' " Holder
said of T.C. Co.
"These are local small businesses in Northern New Mexico," Holder said. "These two businesses won their respective contracts on a best price, best value competitive basis," said Holder.
Holder said both companies are Historically Underutilized Business zone certified and both worked closely with BUS-5 and the Laboratory's Small Business Program Office (BUS-SBO) to achieve HUB zone certification.
"The HUB zone contracting program is designed to stimulate economic development in urban and rural areas by creating federal contracting opportunities for small businesses," Carlos Chacon of SBO said.
Small businesses in so-called HUB zones must, among other things, have 35 percent of their workforce residing in the area where the business is located; be located in a historically underutilized business zone where unemployment is high and family median income is below federal guidelines; must be considered a small business under traditional federal Small Business Administration guidelines; and must be locally owned by at least one U.S. citizen. The businesses also must maintain their principal business offices in the designated HUB zone area.
Chacon said once a business has been HUB zone certified they are eligible to participate in HUB zone procurements with the Laboratory and other federal agencies.
"These contracts demonstrate the Lab's continued interest in small businesses in the community," said Chacon of SBO. "We are always looking for purchasing opportunities in Northern New Mexico and are working with Lab personnel who make purchases for their organization to stress the benefits of purchasing locally whenever possible."
For additional information about Lab small business outreach efforts, call 7-4410 or write to sbo@lanl.gov by electronic mail.
--Steve Sandoval
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DOE's Gurule takes new assignment David Gurule, right, the Department of Energy's Los Alamos Area Office manager, chats with Jim Holt, Laboratory associate director for operations, at a reception for Gurule last Thursday at the DOE Los Alamos Area Office. Gurule is taking a new assignment in DOE's Albuquerque Area Office. Corey Cruz will be acting Los Alamos Area Office manager. Photo by LeRoy N. Sanchez, Public Affairs |
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Temporary parking permits good through Jan. 31, 2002
The Security and Safeguards (S) Division recently issued a master management memo regarding temporary parking permits for private vehicles. The memo includes information on how to obtain a new permit. To read the full memo, click here.
Decking the halls at Technical Area 55
Lab's Holiday Drive is underway
Carol Algire, left, of Nuclear Materials Information Management (NMT-3), joined Sophie Vigil, center, of the NMT Division Office and Debbi Wersonick of the Community Relations (CRO) Office in setting up the Lab's Holiday Drive and angel tags display/collection area in the Access Center at Technical Area 55. The holiday drive collects new toys, clothing and non-perishable food items for Northern New Mexico residents. The toy and clothing drive runs through Dec. 14 and food items will be collected until Dec. 18. For more information, see the Nov. 27 Daily Newsbulletin. Photo by LeRoy N. Sanchez, Public Affairs
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