Updated at 11 a.m.
Mountain lion struck by vehicle Monday on Pajarito Road
Runners, hikers should use caution when encountering wildlife
A mountain lion was struck by a motor vehicle Monday morning on Pajarito Road in the Technical Area 50-TA-66 area. The injured lion moved off the road and into the brush. People in this area need to know that an injured animal is more dangerous than usual and should plan their outdoor activities accordingly.
The area in and around the Laboratory has always been home to mountain lions and a host of other large wildlife species such as bears. Ecology (ESH-20) has published a general notice about mountain and black bear encounters. It can be found on the ESH-20 Web page at http://www.esh.lanl.gov/~esh20/encounters.shtml online (Adobe Acrobat Reader required).
Generally, if Lab workers encounter mountain lions or black bears they shouldn't run or turn their backs on the animal. They should back away slowly and remain calm. Returning to a safe place, such as a vehicle or building is advised.
Lab workers should call 911 if atttacked and in need of medical attention. Mountain lions or bears that become a nuisance should be reported to ESH-20 at 7-0730. Workers who feel immediately threatened by a mountain lion or black bear should contact Emergency Management and Response (S-8) at 7-6211.
Multispectral Thermal Imager satellite captures New York images The Multispectral Thermal Imager (MTI) satellite, a joint Los Alamos, Sandia National Laboratories and Savannah River Site project, acquired imagery of the New York City area, on mid-day Sept. 12, the day after the World Trade Center incident. The satellite continues to collect images. Using information spanning 15 spectral bands, the data analysis
team from Space and Remote Sensing Sciences (NIS-2) and Space
Data Systems (NIS-3) is mapping the debris field and measuring
the temperatures of the hotspots according to project leader
John Szymanski of NIS-2. The team also hopes to measure some
constituents of the smoke plume. Los Alamos is receiving data from the satellite at the Laboratory's Data Processing and Analysis Center in building 287 at Technical Area 3. There the team processes MTI data into images and begins scientific analysis and distribution of data products to civilian and government research partners. The Multispectral Thermal Imager is a space-based research and development project sponsored by the Department of Energy's Office of Nonproliferation and National Security. MTI's primary objective is to demonstrate advanced multispectral and thermal imaging, image processing, and associated technologies for national security and earth science applications. To gather its image data, MTI looks through a 36-centimeter aperture and uses a bank of three sensor chip assemblies, each carrying 15 arrays of cryogenically cooled detectors. The arrays provide MTI with nearly 17,000 tiny detectors, each no larger than the tip of a pencil. The 510-pound instrument is designed to be self-correcting in its data gathering, adjusting for the effects of clouds, water vapor, and airborne particles present in each image of the ground. Such corrections ensure that data analysts have full information about the factors affecting images, exactly as they are captured. The satellite also carries a high-energy X-ray spectrometer sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Czech Republic's Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences and developed by Space Devices Ltd., also of the Czech Republic. This instrument will collect data needed to better understand a rare type of solar flare associated with high-energy particle storms that can endanger astronauts and damage space equipment. The project's three-year mission objectives are to advance the state-of-the-art in multispectral and thermal imaging, image processing and associated technologies, and to better understand the utility of these technologies. Data from the satellite are received at a ground station at Sandia, then transmitted to the Data Processing and Analysis Center at the Laboratory. MTI's design is based on detailed physics-based modeling and analysis performed at Los Alamos, engineering by Sandia National Laboratories, 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. To view photos, click here. --Nancy Ambrosiano Book fair in Fuller Lodge today kicks off 2002 United Way campaign Book fair continues this week at Los Alamos Research Park The Laboratory's United Way campaign kicks off with a book fair from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. today in Fuller Lodge downtown. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the United Way. The band Estilo, composed of Lab employees, will play at the event and food will be available. Those attending the book fair also can make pledges at that time and obtain information from United Way agencies. The book fair continues from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday on the second floor of the Research Park, across the street from the Otowi Building at Technical Area 3. There will be signs posted giving directions to the book fair. University of California Laboratory employees will receive pledge cards for making contributions to this year's campaign in their mailboxes this week. Employees who don't receive pledge cards by Oct. 1, should contact Josephine Arellano in the Community Relations (CRO) Office at 7-2194. For more information, questions or comments on the Lab's 2002 United Way campaign, write to unitedway@lanl.gov by electronic mail, or go to the United Way Web sites at http://www.lanl.gov/orgs/cr/unitedway/index.shtml or www.uwsfc.org online.
Author-historian Torres speaks on Hispanic New Mexico Tuesday at the Laboratory As part of the Laboratory's observance of Hispanic Heritage Month, Taos author-historian Larry Torres will speak at noon Tuesday about Hispanic New Mexico. His talk, "A Panoramic view of Hispanic New Mexico: Heroes of Yesterday and Today," delves into the role Hispanics have played in the American Southwest from 1540 to present day," is in the Physics Building Auditorium at Technical Area 3 and is open to all Laboratory workers. Torres teaches at the University of New Mexico Taos campus. He also writes a column for the Taos News weekly newspaper and has authored several books. National Hispanic Heritage Month is Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. The Laboratory's Hispanic Diversity Working Group and the Diversity (DVO) Office are sponsors of Hispanic Heritage Month at the Lab. The theme of this year's observance is "Paving the Way for Future Generations." For more information, see the Sept. 11 Daily Newsbulletin. MentorNet call for mentors MentorNet is an online mentoring program which pairs community
college, undergraduate and graduate women in engineering, related
sciences and technologies, and math with engineers and scientists
working in industry and national labs. MentorNet mentors who
were involved with last year's program reported spending an average
of 20 minutes per week while gaining personal satisfaction and
skills from guiding future colleagues. To view memo, click
here.
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