Is he here yet? Lab scientists keep tabs on Santa

Contact: Steve Sandoval, steves@lanl.gov, (505) 665-9206 (04-098)

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., Dec. 22, 2004 -- Los Alamos National Laboratory's Space Data Systems group is keeping an eye out for the jolly old man in the red suit, Santa Claus. Beginning at 6 a.m., Thursday, (Dec. 24), Los Alamos scientists will track Santa on his whirlwind travels around the world, and give hourly updates via its Web site at http://santa.lanl.gov online on Santa's progress toward Northern New Mexico.

Kids of all ages also can keep track of Santa by listening to hourly reports on radio station KRSN, AM 1490.

"We expect Santa to arrive to Northern New Mexico around midnight, Mountain Standard Time on Christmas Eve," said Los Alamos' Diane Roussel-Dupré. "Basically, we expect that he will be busy chasing midnight in all locations around the world as he makes his deliveries to the good girls and boys."

Laboratory space scientists will use satellite tracking dishes located in Los Alamos and Fairbanks, Alaska, to monitor Santa's progress as he races around the world delivering presents and goodies to children everywhere. In addition, Los Alamos scientists will keep an eye on St. Nick with sensors on the ALEXIS and FORTE satellites, and the U.S. Air Force with its nine tracking stations around the world also will help monitor the sleigh and its eight tiny reindeer.

"We like to think of our efforts as another way to help spread glad tidings," Roussel-Dupré said. "This is our present to the communities of Northern New Mexico."

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy and works in partnership with NNSA's Sandia and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories to support NNSA in its mission.

Los Alamos enhances global security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, developing technical solutions to reduce the threat of weapons of mass destruction and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health and national security concerns.

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