Moderate

Robert Waldron, right, the Department of Energy's director of the Office of Research and Engineering, presents a project achievement award to Laboratory Director John Browne for the accomplishments of the Multispectral Thermal Imager satellite recently in the J. Robert Oppenheimer Study Center at Technical Area 3. Looking on from left to right are Terry Hawkins, Nonproliferation and International Security (NIS) Division director, Don Cobb, associate Laboratory director for Threat Reduction, and Paul Weber, Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES) Division leader.  Photo by LeRoy N. Sanchez, Public Affairs

Lab's MTI team recognized by Department of Energy

The Los Alamos team for the Multispectral Thermal Imager satellite (MTI) gathered for a special award recently from Robert Waldron, the Department of Energy's director of the Office of Research and Engineering.

The Multispectral Thermal Imager is a space-based research and development project sponsored by the DOE Office of Nonproliferation and National Security. MTI's primary objective is to demonstrate advanced multispectral and thermal imaging, image processing, and associated technologies for earth science and national security applications.

The etched-glass award was originally intended to be given at the MTI Symposium held last March, but "Fed Ex broke it in transit," said Tim Murphy, acting manager for the Nonproliferation and International Security Division (NIS) research and development program office. Waldron made special trips to Los Alamos, Savannah River Site and Sandia National Laboratories to present the new awards honoring the MTI teams.

In presenting the Los Alamos award, Waldron said, "Watching MTI launch was like watching a child leaving home to go out into the world. You remember when it was young, and view its departure with a mix of concern and confidence." The confidence was of course well founded - the satellite has performed well and met all of its design goals, he noted.

MTI's design is based on detailed physics-based modeling and analysis performed at Los Alamos, engineering by Sandia, and with major industrial partners including Ball Aerospace, TRW, Santa Barbara Research Corp., and Hughes Danbury Optical Systems. The satellite's instrument package was calibrated at Los Alamos, its system was integrated at Sandia, and it flew into orbit aboard an Orbital Sciences Corporation Taurus rocket, funded by the U.S. Air Force, from Vandenberg Air Force Base.

By combining multispectral and thermal imaging with advanced calibration techniques, simultaneous atmospheric measurements, and advanced modeling and analytic methods, MTI demonstrates a powerful space-based technology to support current and future treaty-monitoring systems.

Civilian applications will be useful in developing future Department of Defense operations support and targeting systems. Civilian applications of MTI include support of the Global Change Research Program, hazardous waste site characterization and surveying, resource exploration and crop health and yield assessment. John Szymanski of Space and Remote Sensing Sciences (NIS-2) is the current project lead.

Among the images of great interest to researchers in environmental fields are the series MTI has captured of the erupting Mexican volcano, Popocatepetl, shown here in false color to highlight key features. MTI, imaging across 15 spectral bands, when the human eye catches only 3, brings new information to light in areas of the environment and nonproliferation research. Image courtesy of Space and Remote Sensing Sciences (NIS-2)

Be wary of bears on Lab property Personnel with Emergency Management and Response (S-8) are urging employees to be aware that bears are foraging for food on Laboratory property. Employees have reported seeing several black bears in wilderness areas of the Lab in recent weeks, and authorities recently captured and relocated one hungry bruin who was snacking in trash dumpsters in Technical Area 16. "Because of the potential for conflict and injury if humans and bears come into contact, we're urging Lab employees to do whatever they can to avoid bears during the coming weeks," said Manny L'Esperance of S-8, who also is a reserve officer for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. "A bear encounter can be dangerous. The best strategy for humans to adopt is avoidance. Stay out of areas where bears may be present and do everything possible to reduce artificial food supplies, such as garbage, that may attract bears to human-inhabited areas." Hungry bears are on the prowl for food as hibernation time draws near. The animals are doing everything they can to load up on calories that will sustain them through the winter after they hibernate in mid-to-late October. Bears must consume thousands of calories a day throughout the coming weeks in order to build up fat reserves that will allow them to survive in their dens through the winter. This means the ravenous creatures will eat most anything they can get their paws on - hummingbird feeder juice, fruit from backyard trees and morsels discarded by humans. Once bears locate a promising food source, they'll stay in the area until it disappears. A late-spring frost this year decimated acorn supplies in the region, so bears are coming into human-populated areas to search for food. Bears have been spotted in some canyon areas on Lab property where employees hike or jog during off hours. In addition, local residents have reported dozens of bear sightings, including at least one report of a bear with cubs, to authorities throughout the last several weeks. "An encounter with a mother bear with cubs can be especially dangerous for people because the mother sow will attack if she thinks her cubs are in danger," L'Esperance said. "The best thing for people to do if they encounter a bear in the wilderness is to back away. In addition, if people make noise while they're in wilderness areas, they'll alert bears to their presence. Bears mostly are solitary creatures that avoid contact with humans." During the day most bears rest in canyon bottoms or shady areas where temperatures are cool. They prefer to feed at night. L'Esperance said Lab personnel can do several things to reduce the chances of turning their work areas or residences into bear smorgasbords: People should avoid discarding food refuse in outside trash receptacles whenever possible, or deposit that type of refuse in bear-proof trash containers. Bird enthusiasts should take hummingbird feeders inside at night; bears enjoy sugary liquids. Hikers and picnickers should pack out all trash they generate from wilderness areas. And most of all, people should not try to tempt bears into an area for photo sessions or entertainment by purposely leaving food out. As the old saying goes, "a fed bear is a dead bear," because manmade food sources cause animals to abandon natural food sources in favor of the easier-to-come-by artificial ones. Most human-fed bears become nuisances or threats to human populations and often must be destroyed by Game and Fish officers, L'Esperance said. Lab employees can report bear sightings to James Biggs or Leslie Hansen of Ecology (ESH-20) by calling 5-5714 or 7-9873, respectively. Biggs, Hansen and others in ESH-20 are keeping a log of wildlife activity on Lab property in order to study how external factors, such as Lab operations or the recent Cerro Grande Fire, affect animal habitat and behavior. If an employee encounters a menacing bear or a bear that is destroying property, they should report it immediately to S-8 by calling 7-6211. If attacked by a black bear - an extremely rare and unlikely occurrence - people should fight vigorously. Kicking, punching and shrieking all can help drive a bear away. If people encounter an aggressive bear, they should leave the area as quickly as possible and report the incident to authorities. --James E. Rickman

Putting the collar on marauding bears Researchers in Ecology (ESH-20) hope tracking collars and genetic identification tags will help them better understand the behavior of vagabond bears. Animal behaviorists for years have yearned to learn more about what happens to so-called nuisance bears - the ones who wreak havoc on human-populated areas as they search for food - after they are trapped and subsequently relocated into new habitats well away from their usual stomping grounds. With assistance from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, wildlife biologists James Biggs, Leslie Hansen and others in ESH-20 are hoping to gain insight into the fate of banished bruins. When bears become troublesome to humans, they typically are trapped by Game and Fish officials. After capture, officials usually haul the bears away, sometimes for hundreds of miles, and release them into new areas. Animal behaviorists traditionally have held that relocation can be a death sentence for many bears, since they often are released into the existing territory of another bear. Territory disputes can lead to fights, and fights can lead to death or injury for an interloping bear. What's more, sometimes relocated bears are run out of their new territory by existing bears, and the relocated bear ends up going back to the human-inhabited area where it started. Game and Fish officials often have no choice but to destroy recidivist nuisance bears. Biggs, Hansen and others are working with Game and Fish officials to place radio tracking collars on bears captured in the Los Alamos County vicinity. The collars show the scientists and others where bears go after they are released back into the wild. The researchers have been able to place collars on several bears captured in the area so far. In addition, ESH-20 personnel, in collaboration with Jonathan Longmire and Heather Alexander of the Biosiciences (B) Division, take blood samples and mouth cells from the captured animals. The blood gives insight into whether the animals are infected with any diseases or parasites, and the mouth cells - collected by swabbing the inside of a bear's mouth - give each bear a unique genetic fingerprint and code. The researchers attach a tag to each bear and the tag number is cross-referenced to the animal's genetic identification. The radio collars provide very accurate information about a bear's location, so researchers will be able to see whether a bear is adapting to its new territory or fleeing. In addition, the tracking collars can give the researchers insight into whether bears are avoiding certain areas - such as those affected by the Cerro Grande Fire or Laboratory operations. Biggs and others began their cooperative study with the Game and Fish Department this year, and hope to continue the study. "Data from this effort eventually may help Game and Fish officials develop the best strategies possible for their bear relocation efforts, and may help the Laboratory better understand how its operations affect wild animal species," said Biggs. "It also should give us some insight into how major forest fires affect the natural balance and how long those effects continue. We are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with the department of Game and Fish, and we look forward to continuing this and other collaborations in the future." --James E. Rickman

Los Alamos News Letter The latest Los Alamos News Letter is scheduled to hit newsstands and mailboxes today. Laboratory Director John Browne goes over the highlights of his recent all-hands meeting in the Director's News section. The cover features a story on "The Magnetic Universe," about researchers in the Applied Physics (X) and Theoretical (T) divisions working on the question, "Where did all that black-hole energy go? " There also is a feature on the Hertz Foundation Fellows and students who work at the Laboratory. Drive Safely Work Week Sept. 10-14 is highlighted and employees are given "Thoughts for the Road" tips to improve driving practices. Employees can access the LANL Newsletter at http://www.lanl.gov/worldview/news/lanl_archive.shtml online, or get additional copies at the bright blue distribution boxes. If your organization is receiving too many or not enough, please call the mailroom at 7-4166.

Alzheimer's Memory Walk is Saturday in White Rock

The 2001 Memory Walk and run to raise money for Alzheimer's disease is Saturday at Piñon Park in White Rock. The walk is the only nationwide fundraising event for the illness.

Money raised is used to support local programs and services for persons with Alzheimer's disease, their caregivers and their families, and to support research on the disease by the National Institutes of Health, said Jerry Bower, one of the event organizers.

The Memory Walk is a Laboratory sanctioned activity.

The 5-kilometer (3.2 miles) run and 3-kilometer walk begins at 8:15 a.m. There is a $20 entrance fee, which entitles participants to a t-shirt and one raffle ticket and refreshments.

There are age group awards and participants can purchase additional raffle tickets the day of the walk; they are $1 or $5 for six tickets.

There also will be a 1-kilometer fun run for children ages 6 and under and ages 7 to 12, starting at 8:30 a.m. The sign up fee for this event is $10 and all participants receive a t-shirt.

Registration forms are available at the Wellness Center (ESH-2) at Technical Area 3, the Los Alamos Family YMCA downtown, Los Alamos county senior centers and from members of the Atomic City Roadrunners.

Alzheimer's is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain; it is the most common form of dementia. Some 4 million Americans have it and 19 million Americans say they have a family member with Alzheimer's disease, according to statistics from the National Alzheimer's Association.

The Alzheimer's Association also offers these statistics about the disease

• There is no known cure; 14 million Americans will have Alzheimer's by the middle of the 21st century unless a cure or prevention is found
• Alzheimer's is the fourth leading cause of death among adults
• The average lifetime cost of an Alzheimer's patient is $174,000; neither Medicare nor private health insurance covers the long-term type of care most Alzheimer's patients need. Alzheimer's patients don't belong in nursing homes
• A person with Alzheimer's disease can live from three to 20 years or more from the onset of symptoms
• There is a 25 percent chance that a person over age 65 will contract Alzheimer's; 50 percent for someone 85 and older
• Alzheimer's disease is the third most expensive disease in the United States after heart disease and cancer.

The New Mexico chapter of National Alzheimer's Association phone number is (505) 266-4473 or 1-800-777-8155. The National Alzheimer's Association toll free number is 1-800-272-3900.

A number of support groups have been formed for families affected by the disease. In Los Alamos, call 662-7549; in Santa Fe, call 982-5906, 471-2400 or 984-8313; in Española, call 753-5846; and in Taos, call 758-2300.

Questions about Alzheimer's disease also can be sent to webmaster@alz.org by electronic mail. More information about Alzheimer's disease also can be found at http://www.nm-alzheimers.org or http://www.pslgroup.com/ALZHEIMER.HTM online.

For more information about the Alzheimer's Memory Walk, call Kirk Meekin of Industrial Hygiene and Safety (ESH-5) at 5-3503, Bower at 662-7549 or Nan Meekin at 661-7138.

--Steve Sandoval

Parking to be limited in areas around Occupational Medicine Clinic at TA-3 The north parking lot immediately adjacent to the Occupational Medicine Clinic (Technical Area 3, SM409) is closed to parking and pedestrian traffic through Friday, Sept. 21 while roof repair activities are underway. Limited parking for patients only is available at the main entrance to the clinic. Laboratory workers shouldn't park in the ESH-2 parking lots unless as a visitor with specific business in the clinic. For more information, call 7-7251.

On today's bulletin board
Commuter's Corner | Parking areas around TA-3 | Parking shuttle routes (pdf) or jpeg
West Road open Work Wear New Mexico at Lab on Friday Fidelity Investments at Laboratory on Sept. 11-13 Computer Corner news Senior Scientist & Engineering Institute final call for nominations Ski area work party on Sept. 8 Found: sunglasses/goggles Found: necklace ESD to sponsor Microsoft Visio presentation Lost: black oval/round eyeglasses Family Resource Center hours are expanding Lost: set of keys Lost: a set of keys West to deliver Stanislaw Ulam memorial lectures in Santa Fe Diversity training	September classes at the Wellness Center Open house Sept. 6 for IM-2 classrooms in the Research Park TIG news Workshop on managing across organizational boundaries on Sept. 6 Family Strengths Network classes Research Library announces enhancements to Science Server YMCA enrolling for jujitsu classes Meltdown outdoor climbing event set for Sept. 29 Laboratory Counsel reception area temporarily closed Registration for master's degree programs via Distance Learning currently underway Procurement Web page has questions and answers about fiscal year end purchasing Volunteer opportunities Purchasing guidelines deadline approaches Employees leaving Lab must attend termination presentation

L O S  A L A M O S  N A T I O N A L   L A B O R A T O R Y Operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration, of the US Department of Energy. Newsbulletin - Copyright © UC 2001 - Disclaimer