Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/05/03
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]This past Monday I was fortunate enough to accompany my daughter on a class field trip to the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC). SLAC was constructed in the early 1960s and has, over the past decades, been the locus of big science experiments that have garnered 3 nobel prizes in physics; the discovery of quarks (which occurred in the late 1960s with the prize awarded in the 1990s, and, more recently, the discovery of two antimatter elements whose names totally escaped me). As we took the tour, the physicist guiding us saw me avidly shooting away at the class and asked if I wanted to step inside and take a shot looking down the 2 mile stretch that is the length of the accelerator. I had time for two quick shots, one of which is posted here: http://www.leica-gallery.net/rgacpa/image-44818.html I tried to level the frame (as you can tell by the steel girder at the right) but obviously wasn't in the center of the runway looking down the 2 miles of the accelerator; thus the horizon distortion. This shot was obviously hand held and, with a yellow filter on, somewhat limited in the depth of field I could achieve. I believe it was shot at about 1/30. New TX400+1. The canister you see on the left of the photo with the word "Caution" is a device used to kick the electrons and positrons along the accelerator (currently SLAC concentrates on antimatter experiments which basically smash matter [electrons] and antimatter [positrons] together to see what happens). There are 250 of these devices, each one being the equivalent of 63,000 home microwave ovens (our guide explained that these devices were basically big microwave ovens). There is a constant clicking/buzzing in the accelerator unit which is each of these units firing approximately 32 times/sec, kicking the particles along down the accelerator. The actual accelerator is about 30 feet underground, bolted to bedrock. We weren't allowed down there. Though this photo certainly is no winner, I just found the whole experience awsome and thought some of you may be interested. Besides, since I don't get to write a report for the teacher, this is the next best thing ;-) Any of you who get to visit the SF Bay area should try to arrange a tour at SLAC. It was truly one of those never-forget moments for a layperson like myself. Hope you enjoyed the report! Bob Adler Palo Alto, CA - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html