After the big bang, most of the normal matter in the universe consisted of hydrogen and helium, with only trace amounts of lithium, beryllium and boron. All the rest was cooked up by thermonuclear fusion in stellar cores and spewed into the void when stars exploded. Scientists are working with sophisticated computer models of stellar flameout to ferret out the details of how the other members of the periodic table came to be. But they require information that can only be obtained using beams of unstable nuclei. [Contact: Michael Smith]
HEALTH Organ lifesaver . . .
Using a tiny wireless sensor developed at ORNL, doctors will know in minutes instead of hours if an organ is getting adequate blood flow after transplant or reconstructive surgery. Conventional methods for assessing circulation involve invasive procedures or time-consuming and expensive laboratory testing. In some cases, by the time doctors realize there isn't adequate blood flow to an organ or tissue, irreversible damage has already occurred. ORNL, working with the University of Pittsburgh and Texas A&M, is developing an implantable sensor and micro-instrumentation that would provide real-time information by transmitting data to a nearby receiver. Early testing using laboratory rats has provided encouraging results. [Contact: Nance Ericson]
HOMELAND SECURITY -- Portable radiation analysis . . .
First responders, customs inspectors and law enforcement personnel may soon have a new instrument to detect radioactive material at airports, border crossings and ports. The HotSpotter, developed by researchers at the Y-12 National Security Complex and ORNL, detects gamma and neutron radiation and analyzes the data in just seconds. As a result, if the HotSpotter alarm sounds, inspectors know instantly the isotope involved and what action they need to take. The handheld battery-powered unit, designed with cost in mind, can be assembled for less than $2,000. Much of this cost saving is the result of using off-the-shelf components and a Y-12 patented technology that enables the gamma ray detector also to detect neutrons, thus eliminating the need for a second detector within the instrument. [Contact: Zane Bell]
PHYSICS Magic nuclei x 2 . . .
Researchers at ORNL are for the first time probing the storied "doubly magic" nuclei -- rare and elusive isotopes that are prized for the rigid, closed shells of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. Because these isotopes often exist for only a second and have previously existed in beams containing other elements that overwhelm them, they have been out of the reach of nuclear physicists. Discoveries at ORNL's Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility, boosted by a chance encounter with the element sulfur, are enabling the researchers to measure the "doubly magic" nuclei. [Contact: David Radford]
To arrange for an interview with any of these researchers, please contact Cindy Lundy of Communications and Community Outreach at (865) 574-1642; lundycr@ornl.gov