Science Blog on UCSD-TV

Science Blog Has Moved

2010-05-11T15:22:00.000-07:00

The UCSD-TV Science Blog now lives in its new location at:

science.myucsd.tv

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Hunting the Higgs: The Rediscovery of Physics

2010-04-15T22:19:00.000-07:00

I had titled the last blog pedal to the metal, but as a tyro impressed by the gargantuan machine and counter intuitive contrasts of scales - I really had no idea. Yes, the CMS logged hundreds of thousands of p-p collisions in a day or two. But they were a bit like Saturday afternoon slow pitch, or in deference to my Mentor in this endeavor - backyard bowling practice - as compared to fast yorkers and googlys at the Cricket World Cup.

Man-on-the-scene Matt LeBourgeios on March 30, 2010

As explained to me by our man-on-the-scene Matt LeBourgeois, the last week or so was only preparation for what Vivek calls "The Rediscovery of Physics". Even though my occasional visits to the LHC status page showed 7TeV beams and what looked to me like a lot of luminosity (they were, and there was), there were a lot of not-so-subtle nuances to what was going on. Last week or so was the beam operators; the people responsible for injecting protons into the 27 kilometer race track and providing focused, stable and energetic beams tuning their instrument to perfection.

The line traces the 27 kilometer track of the LHC on the French - Swiss countryside...

As Matt related, the operators maintain that what they provided in that first week or so was not intense enough for "discovery physics"; that is, really compelling huge numbers of protons to collide - but it was exciting enough for our young Ahab (I'll get to that in a later blog) to whet his appetite.

Actually, it was the opportunity CMS needed to tune its instrument, doing among other things something called timing scans, which has to do with setting the triggers on the CMS. This is the realm where Matt works, where he is one of many monitoring all sorts of different parameters and data involved with timing to make sure things are working, or for working out problems when they arise. In his typically gracious manner he calls himself “just a pawn.” I’ll maintain whatever one does on this job is going to mean something pretty darn important one day. Anyway, as Vivek explained, the CMS is like a 100 million pixel camera. The catch, as Matt pointed out, is that each pixel has its own shutter, here in his own words: "the point of the timing scan is to sync the 100 megapixels of the camera. Instead of thinking of having to hit one camera button to take a snap shot, think of it as each 'pixel' has its own button, and these timing scans ensure that we are hitting all 100 million buttons at once." Whew! I can only assume if that doesn't happen, the resulting "picture" lacks focus.

So CMS now has the shutters timed and the beam operators are really putting the pedal to the metal. The latest from Vivek is "...now squeezing the beams like hell - so more rapidfire collisions". What? Vivek explained that the beams that collided on March 30 were something like the diameter of a hair, now the operators are tuning the beams to be something much thinner (?!!)- with the same number of protons in the beams. They're focusing and concentrating the beams. Why? Same number, smaller space = greater density = greater luminosity. Vivek has a vivid description of those less focused March 30th beams in this video clip.

Another way to put it is like shooting two shotguns at each other - you get two bunches of shot, each with 10 to the 11th pellets (that's like, oh, a hundred billion pellets in each), flying towards each other in the hope that some of the pellets hit directly head-on with all their momentum going into their mutual deconstruction. The more concentrated the shot pattern, the better the odds of collisions. So when the operators can provide focused, stable beams, then people like Vivek and Matt and their colleagues can really do their work - which is PHYSICS; and the operators can post messages like "enjoy the collisions" and "physics beams" on the LHC status page here. Now I've simplified, and probably to the horror of physicists out there, over-simplified this. Be certain, there are a lot of precise and very specific protocols involving terms like beta-star and picobarns that indicate the level of performance and quantity of data the physicists are getting - very strict parameters that are adhered to, because remember-they're working with things we can't see, have never seen before, and whose existence we can only infer, albeit very precisely and with great certainty, but only through the evidence they leave behind.

So what is that evidence? Well in the energy range - or mass - (remember it ALL boils down to this - E=mc2) in which the LHC will be looking for the next year or so, the signature of a Higgs boson of about the mass of an entire gold atom (which is about 185 GeV!), will be the remains of two W bosons. And that - which Matt and Vivek and a few thousand others will be looking for - will be events that show specific combinations of electrons, muons, or electrons and muons AND their corresponding neutrino counterparts, which show up only as a precise amount of missing energy - something called Missing Transverse Energy. If the event shows all three of those parameters to an exceedingly high degree of certainty, then it will get some interest, and Vivek, Matt and a world of physicists will pore over it. The catch is, one event won't be telling. They need several such events, enough to satisfy something called 5 sigma criterion - I know you all know what that indicates, sorry I'm playing catch up, but for those like me, it is a term describing a statistical certainty to a level of less than one fault in a billion. In other words, there is only less than a 1-in-a-billion chance that they're wrong. So you need a lot of incontrovertible events, and to get several such events...you need thousands, millions and ok I'll hyperbolize, (but I have a feeling it isn't really hyperbole) - probably billions of p-p collisions to get those events. Just to add another twist, as Matt told me the other day, W boson production, without the creation of a Higgs first is almost a hundred times more likely to occur. So there will be a lot of W bosons that show up WITHOUT evidence for Higgs....hence, collisions, collisions, collisions, "squeeze the hell" out of those beams. And then there are the usual gremlins encountered with complex systems. Vivek recently showed me how one such event looked interesting, but one of the parameters was due to an instrumental glitch - so, "close but no cigar" and into the trash with that one....so, collisions, collisions, collisions.

In the meantime, as the operators keep perfecting their craft, "squeezing the hell" out of the beams, with the p-p events occurring at an ever accelerating rate, Vivek and company are happy to do what Vivek describes as "Rediscovering Physics". It isn't just an idle exercise or coincidence of smashing protons. As of the Ides of April Vivek explained that the LHC has “discovered” every major particle revealed in the 20th century, up to about 1983, when Carlo Rubbia discovered the the W and Z bosons. Or that is - it has rediscovered them, and this is important why?

This is a new instrument, a new machine, and as Vivek explained, if you don't see what you already know about with this machine, then you may have a problem with your instrument, and basically, you can't trust the results....So now, working at heretofore unattained energy the LHC has tallied a gamut of fundamental particles, starting with the pi mesons of 1947. Their discovery bolstered the existence of Up and Down quarks. Oh, and the LHC attained this in the first 15 minutes of operation at 7TeV. Then it was the Strange (50's) and Charm quarks of the 70's and on and on. As of this writing they're still in the hunt for the last few particles - variations of the Z boson, a hunt which might end at any moment the way they're smashing zillions of protons (my hyperbole). Even for a naive eye the data is totally convincing, you'll be able see it soon when it is published and when you do, I think you'll agree it's waaaay 5 sigma. And that's a good thing. The LHC is seeing what it is supposed to be seeing - so when new things show up - those electron-neutrino (elnu), muon-neutrino (munu), MTE (Missing Transverse Energy) triptychs of data - Vivek and friends will know it isn't a phantom - but instead, perhaps, the sign of the holy grail, the great white whale, or as it has been called - the god particle.....Bonne Chasse mes amis!

Hunting the Higgs - scenes from March 30, 2010 - it's pedal to the metal

2010-04-02T12:48:00.000-07:00

First of all, we are grateful for Matt LeBourgeois who recorded all this unique and singular footage, more of which you will see in UCSDTV's chronicle of his and Vivek Sharma's experiences during the first year of the Higgs search. Matt got it good, where the rest of the media can't....

Just moments after the first 7TeV proton collision ever recorded occurs in the Compact Muon Solenoid detector - for which Vivek directs the Higgs search, Matt caught Vivek's comments as the first record of the event appeared.

Now that the big press event has subsided, and the terms LHC, CERN and Geneva fade as our attentions are prodded to such things as Ricky Martin's personal life, the economic recovery and improving relations with China (unless you're Google)-all issues with varying degrees of import; the real work for thousands of scientists begins. As Vivek so prosaically put just moments after viewing the record of the very first 7TeV proton collisions ever created "...the events are beautiful, the detector is working like a dream....you know, it's taken twenty, twenty-five years to build and this is what it is for, finally, the baby is delivered, now it has to grow...".

And they are quickly exhorting their baby to take its steps and grow. Shortly after the champagne corks were gathered up and the press hit "send" to file their media, Vivek's cohorts in this huge endeavor slowly, or not so slowly, started putting the pedal to the metal. Still basking in the excitement, Vivek hints at what the next steps for their baby would be:

And as later reported by Vivek, on the very same day the CMS recorded more than 500,000 p-p (proton-proton) collisions in just a few hours. And on Wednesday and Thursday of this auspicious week, they accumulated more than four million collisions at 7TeV, with plans to increase the collision rate by orders of magnitude in the next weeks. Baby steps indeed....

So just what are we looking at in this video? Vivek explains in response to a presumably UK journalist:

Their baby - our baby - has started the marathon, and we'll be pacing alongside with Vivek and Matt. Keep checking back, and don't forget to use your iPhones and browsers to take a peek at LHC status, and in a way, take part, however vicariously, as we venture on into this new epoch of understanding that started just a few days ago.

New Project - The Dawn of a New Era: Hunting the Higgs

2010-03-30T09:39:00.000-07:00

The Dawn of a New Era

These are the first things I looked at when I awoke this morning.

First release images of 7TeV collisions in the CMS detector, March 30,2010

Apologies folks, but I can't resist the tendency to the poetic. It's an irresistible force. Yes, they look like hieroglyphs, or something truly alien, or perhaps just colorful scribbles, and it is certain the naysayers and luddites will proffer a plethora of snarky remarks. And in all honesty, I could tell you very little about what the traces show - but for one thing.

These are a record of something utterly new, heretofore unknown, and never before seen in the entire history of what we collectively call ourselves - the human race.

We are truly at the dawn of a new era. Not just for physics, but perhaps for everything we understand.

How can one make such a bold, perhaps foolhardy statement?

Keep in mind a passel of physicists with tons of graphite in a field house at the University of Chicago some 60-odd years ago. Or even earlier in the 1850's, when an English tinkerer moved a magnet over some coiled wire. Those are just a couple of things that changed the world forever - and made our world what it is.

Now we - humanity - are looking deep into the pieces of the bits of shards of atoms and beyond into who-knows-where. Just like Fermi at Pile 1 and Faraday in his study, and all the rest who knew not what they were looking at, except that what they were looking at was new.

So the statement is not so bold, or foolhardy. It is in fact, certainty.

UCSD-TV will be chronicling the advent of this journey as we provide a unique perspective through the exploits of UCSD Professor of Physics Vivek Sharma and his graduate student, Matt LeBourgeois. Here is a preview of material we recorded just days before the start of the journey.

More will be coming as the collisions continue and the journey proceeds.

You can follow along with near real-time views of LHC and CMS status, as well as see collision images here. You can even put it on your iPhone....like, as my daughter is apt to remind me, the "inner" (or some might say not-so-inner) nerd in me did...

Another interesting blog to glimpse a different perspective of the journey is here, provided by CMS e-commentators Darin Acosta, Dave Barney and Lindsey Gray. A lot of it may as well be runes or Sanskrit to most of us - we'll work on translating as much of it as we can as this project evolves, but I'm fascinated by it because it is a unique chronicle of what is a wholly new, and certain to be, fantastic journey.

New Project - Hunting the Higgs

2010-03-11T14:20:00.000-08:00

March 29, 2010. Within a few hours, while you sleep soundly, the most energetic particle collisions ever produced by humans will occur half-way around the world. Scheduled for the morning of March 30,2010, Geneva time, two beams of protons each at an energy of 3.5 trillion electron volts will be directed to slam head on into each other at about 99.99999999 percent of the speed of light. And Science on UCSDTV is there, following along with UCSD Professor of Physics Vivek Sharma and one of his graduate students, Matt LeBourgeois. While Vivek is half-way around the world at CERN, he is only one of 24 UCSD physicists, including Frank Weurthwein, who are working on the project.

Vivek is the Director of Higgs Research for the CMS detector on the LHC, the Large Hadron Collider. That means he coordinates a huge international team of the world's top physicists, researchers and technicians to conduct a search for the only fundamental particle in the standard model of particle physics that has not yet been detected. It is often referred to as 'the god particle'. Why? It is postulated that this 'god particle' - less poetically the Higgs Boson, is the particle that confers the property of mass to everything - from fundamental particles like quarks on up to you and me, and, well, everything. It also has all sorts of other implications we'll get into as this project evolves.

So, what is the CMS you ask? Steel yourself for an anagram-a-palooza rivaled only by the likes of NASA. The CMS is The Compact Muon Solenoid. That will be explained in later posts - but essentially it is a 100 million channel "camera" that can output "pictures" or record events on the order of fractions of microseconds, a bit faster than your digital snippy-snap, as innumerable fundamental particles spray off of innumerable proton collisions occurring each fraction of a fraction of a second.

Here's a sneak preview of some early footage for the project we recorded using remote connectivity with VoIP, iPhones, laptops and home video cameras.

You'll never see the CMS Center this quiet after March 30,2010

And even more cool, you can follow the status of the CMS detector, the LHC, and see photos of the CMS, here. And when they have the data - images of the most energetic particle collisions ever created.

Here's a little bit of information on what you might see on one of the pages. I'm still working on getting it figured out, and it's kind of fun to explore. We'll take it slowly so we don't get paralyzed by alien information overload. On the LHC status page you'll sometimes see three values across the top: Energy, I(B1) in blue and I(B2) in red. Energy is how energetic each beam is. And I is intensity of each beam. So when you see 3500GeV for energy, that's 3.5 Trillion Electron Volts - the most energetic beams ever created. When the two 3.5TeV beams collide, that's 7TeV put into that collision, enough to blast protons and hopefully top quarks apart into their many varied constituent fundamental particles - and as is hoped and envisioned, we'll see the telltale signature of the Higgs Boson.

Now don't despair if all this rarefied physics is confusing. It is, but only because it's new. Hey, I'm right along with you on this. If you don't know what the words LHC, Higgs or CERN mean, stay with UCSD Science blog and we'll be working to get you up to speed on what could, and should, prove to be a watershed in our understanding of well, in a way....everything. Pretty soon this will all be as familiar as air and water.

Programs to Watch: TeacherTECH and Building it Better

2010-03-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

TeacherTECH: Earthquake Teaching Tools

The next program in our new series TeacherTECH, from the San Diego Supercomputer Center airs Wednesday March 24 and features the irrepressible Debi Kilb, Science Director of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Visualization Center. Debi's specialties are the underlying physics of earthquakes, and getting other people really enthused about it. She's going to show you many readily accessible sources on the internet where you can find a wide range of information on seismic activity, both in the past and as it happens. And don't miss physics guru Phil Blanco's TeacherTECH presentation on Newton's Laws and Gravity on March 31. Visit UCSDTV's TeacherTECH page for other programs in the series, and more resources and information from the presenters.

Building It Better

In keeping with the theme of seismicity, Debi's TeacherTECH presentation is followed by Building It Better, a chronicle of the most massive outdoor real-time seismic test ever conducted. You'll get an inside view of the western hemisphere's largest shake-table at UC San Diego’s Jacobs School of Engineering’s Englekirk Structural Engineering Center. The shake table is the only of its kind in North America, and you'll see the amazing ingenuity and technology that is required to conduct a test of this scale.

Latest Project: Seismic Testing for a Renewable Future

2010-03-09T14:45:00.001-08:00

We’ve embarked on a new program that chronicles the seismic testing of a wind turbine conducted at UC San Diego’s Jacobs School of Engineering’s Englekirk Structural Engineering Center – home of the western hemisphere’s largest outdoor shake table. California will be expanding the use of wind generation, and as we all know, California is one of the most seismically active regions in the nation. It is the first time a turbine has been tested in this manner and will provide a wealth of information for design and deployment of wind turbines for our renewable future. We caught the turbine being subjected to forces two-and-a-half times greater than the Northridge earthquake, and we’ll be getting an inside look at a working wind farm and how this research will help advance wind power – keep watching and you’ll see the results.

When Things Get Small Sweeps at Emmy Awards

2006-06-03T14:16:00.000-07:00

(Press Release) LA JOLLA, CA – It’s true that UCSD-TV’s When Things Get Small a program that takes a comical look at nanoscience and features a world-renowned physicist playing a wacky version of himself on-screen, falls outside the expectations of mainstream science-for-television fare. Nevertheless, this unusual approach to explaining important science concepts to the public was recognized Saturday with a total of five Emmy Awards –- in every category it was nominated.

Recipients of this prestigious award from the Pacific Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences included UCSD physicist Ivan Schuller and UCSD-TV producer Rich Wargo in the Health/Science Program category, UCSD-La Jolla Playhouse MFA alumnus Adam Smith in the On-Camera Talent/Performer category, Matt Alioto in the Photography category, Michael Shea and David Bouzan in the Animation/Graphic Design category, and Peter Kreklow in the category of Lighting Direction. The award-winners were on-hand to accept their statuettes at the ceremony held Saturday, June 3 at the Omni Hotel in downtown San Diego.

UCSD-TV will re-broadcast “When Things Get Small” this Sunday, June 11 at 7:30 p.m. and again on June 28 at 8:30 p.m. The program can also be viewed “on-demand,” as a video podcast, or on Google Video at http://www.ucsd.tv/getsmall, and is also available for sale.

“When Things Get Small” uses a variety of comic inventions and special effects to take viewers on a comically corny romp into the real-life quest to create the smallest magnet ever known. Host Adam Smith travels alongside physicist Ivan Schuller, visiting locations ranging from Petco Park to a steaming hot tub to make sense of several important “nano” concepts. UC president Robert Dynes and Major League Baseball’s San Diego Padres owner John Moores also drop by for cameo appearances.

“When Things Get Small” was funded in part by the National Science Foundation, and produced by UCSD-TV in partnership with the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2) and the UCSD Division of Physical Sciences.

“When Things Get Small” is the first in the ‘When Things Get…” series, produced by Not Too Serious Labs, the creative collaboration of UCSD-TV producer Rich Wargo and physicist Ivan Schuller. Not Too Serious Labs’ mission is to make science funny and entertaining so you end up learning while you’re laughing. The duo is planning its next production “When Things Get Big,” a comical exploration of the gigantic machines used to investigate matter.

The purpose of the Emmy Awards is to recognize outstanding achievements in television by conferring annual awards of merit in the Pacific Southwest region. The Pacific Southwest region includes San Diego County and the television markets of Bakersfield, Oxnard, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Santa Maria, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Behind-The-Scenes Photos from the Emmy Awards


UCSD-TV's "When Things Get Small" Emmy winners display their statuettes (l to r) David Bouzan (Animation/Graphic Design), Matt Alioto (Photography), Adam Smith (On-Camera Talent/Performer), producers Ivan Schuller and Rich Wargo (Health/Science Program), and Peter Kreklow (Lighting Direction).


The creative team behind the award-winning "When Things Get Small" included producer Rich Wargo (l), host Adam Smith (center) and producer/star Ivan Schuller (r).


The big screen says it all during the Emmy Awards ceremony in San Diego on June 3, 2006.

When Things Get Small Makes Comical Sense of "Nano"

2005-11-10T14:21:00.000-08:00

LA JOLLA, November 10, 2005--Nano is today's "buzz" word, popping up in almost any exchange or news report about the future of technology. But what exactly does this word mean? UCSD-TV's new half-hour program "When Things Get Small," premiering November 30 at 8PM, addresses these and other questions about the field by taking viewers of all ages on an irreverent, madcap, comically corny romp into the real-life quest to create the smallest magnet ever known. Funded by the National Science Foundation, and produced by UCSD-TV in partnership with Calit2, When Things Get Small was created by Not Too Serious Labs, the creative collaboration of Rich Wargo, science producer for UCSD-TV, and renowned UCSD physicist Ivan Schuller.

The half-hour program addresses several important "nano" concepts with entertaining effects, humor and comic invention, and illustrates answers to such questions as How small is nano? What happens when things get small? And, how do you make things small? With special appearances by UC President Robert Dynes and Padres owner John Moores (disguised as a peanut-seller at Petco Park), the program is a departure from typical science-for-television fare.

Early feedback on the program has been overwhelmingly positive. An invitation-only sneak preview audience screened the program at the October 28 opening celebration of UCSD's Calit2 building. Guests laughed and learned and the program elicited enthusiastic responses: "Entertaining and interesting," "I keep wondering what nano is and I found the answer today," and "It's 'Good Eats' for sciences," commented another viewer, referring to a popular Food Network program.

"The preview response is very encouraging," commented Rich Wargo, UCSD-TV science producer. "In developing the program, we found research indicating that people actually learn better when humor is involved. So there is a method, not just madness here, and it seems to be working." Wargo continued, "But commenting about all that is boring and pretentious - just enjoy the show. As one of our muses once said: 'That's All Folks!'"

"This program is a terrific example of the blending of science and entertainment, " stated Larry Smarr, Director of Calit2, who screened the film at the October 28 sneak preview. "It fits wonderfully with Calit2's mission of helping the public understand what research organizations like ours are doing and how it might impact their lives."

For more information about "When Things Get Small," including additional air dates, behind the scenes photos, or to view the program and the "making of" special on-demand, visit www.ucsd.tv/getsmall.

White Mountain Wins Emmy

2005-06-20T14:28:00.000-07:00

(Press Release) La Jolla--In the Shadow of White Mountain received a prestigious Emmy award for Best Documentary by the Pacific Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The program's producer, Rich Wargo of UCSD-TV, accepted the award at the 31st Annual Pacific Southwest Emmy Awards ceremony held on June 18, 2005 at the Omni San Diego Hotel.

In addition to the Emmy recognition, "In the Shadow of White Mountain" was recently honored with a "Certificate for Creative Excellence" by the United States International Film and Video Festival's 38th Annual Awards competition. In early 2005, the documentary received a bronze Telly Award, an international competition honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions.

"These awards represent the hard work of everyone involved in the program," says Wargo. "The White Mountain research station and the people who work there are truly a special part of my life, and I hope we can share their passion and my special fondness for this place--as well as some dispassionate science--with the audience."

Nearly three years in the making and featuring the distinctive voice of narrator Peter Coyote, "In the Shadow of White Mountain" tells the many stories of the White Mountain Research Station (WMRS), a biological field station with both the highest research lab and the highest Internet node in North America. The hour-long documentary includes segments ranging from the extreme hibernation of White Mountain's squirrels to what the evolution of the Willow Beetle can tell us about climate change. The program was made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation through its Divisions of Biological Infrastructure and Elementary, Secondary and Informal Science Education. More information about the program, including photos, a look behind-the-scenes of the production, and links to view the program "on-demand," visit http://www.ucsd.tv/whitemountain.

The purpose of the Emmy Awards is to recognize outstanding achievements in television by conferring annual awards of merit in the Pacific Southwest region. The Pacific Southwest region includes San Diego County and the television markets of Bakersfield, Oxnard, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Santa Maria, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada.

White Mountain Wins International Award

2005-05-06T14:23:00.000-07:00

(Press Release) SAN DIEGO--The University of California, San Diego Television (UCSD-TV) documentary In the Shadow of White Mountain was recognized with a "Certificate for Creative Excellence" by the International Film and Video Festival's 38th Annual Awards competition. Selected from over 1,300 entries from 30 countries, this third place award in the Sciences, Research, and Exploration category is the second for this documentary and its producer, UCSD-TV's Rich Wargo. In early 2005, the documentary was honored with a bronze Telly Award, an international competition honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions.

Nearly three years in the making, "In the Shadow of White Mountain" made its television debut in November 2004 on UCSD-TV, the broadcast television station based on the UC San Diego campus, and also aired nationally on University of California Television (UCTV), the UC systemwide satellite channel. Funding for the program was made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) through its Divisions of Biological Infrastructure and Elementary, Secondary and Informal Science Education.

Featuring the distinctive voice of narrator Peter Coyote, "In the Shadow of White Mountain" tells the many stories of UC's White Mountain Research Station (WMRS), a biological field station with both the highest research lab and the highest Internet node in North America. The diversity of research that takes place at WMRS is reflected in the hour-long documentary, which includes segments ranging from the extreme hibernation of White Mountain's squirrels to what the evolution of the Willow Beetle can tell us about climate change. More information on the program, including exclusive behind the scenes photos, producer's notes, and links to additional resources, can be found at http://www.ucsd.tv/whitemountain/.

White Mountain Documentary Premieres November 17

2004-10-27T14:26:00.000-07:00

(Press Release) LA JOLLA, CA, October 27, 2004--See just what it means to study life on the edge at the University of California's White Mountain Research Station (WMRS) when In the Shadow of White Mountain makes its television debut Wednesday, November 17 at 8:00PM. The evening's expedition continues at 9:00PM with programs profiling two sites within the University's renowned Natural Reserve System (NRS). Viewers who miss the November 17th "White Mountain" premiere can catch repeated airings the following Mondays at 10:00PM and Wednesday at 8:00PM. Each repeat broadcast will be coupled with a new set of NRS profiles, giving viewers an inside look at the work being done to uncover California's many scientific secrets.

Featuring the distinctive voice of narrator Peter Coyote, "In the Shadow of White Mountain" tells the many stories of this unique resource for science, a biological field station with both the highest research lab and the highest Internet node in North America. WMRS provides unprecedented access to a host of environmental conditions, animals, and vegetation, and is yielding a vital understanding of change, from physiology to climate, from the oldest known living organism, to a short-lived beetle, and what this understanding means for all.

Nearly three years in the making, "In the Shadow of White Mountain" was produced by UCSD-TV, the broadcast television station based on the UC San Diego campus. Funding was made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) as part of the organization's effort to increase public awareness and appreciation of NSF supported science, such as WMRS' remote monitoring of field data on a real-time basis using the Internet, and a new molecular biology laboratory used for a variety of biological investigations, including the Sierra Bighorn Sheep Recovery program.

In addition to sharing this scenic research location with the public, the program's producers hope to convey a deeper understanding of what locations such as White Mountain contribute to science and our lives. "This beautiful place is a unique resource for science, and by extension, for us all," said UCSD-TV producer/director Rich Wargo. "Environments such as White Mountain play a critical role in our understanding of the changing world in which we live, and I hope our viewers will come away with an appreciation for the work being done here by many fields of science."

Peter Coyote, Emmy Award-winning narrator, noted actor, award-winning author, and seasoned environmental advocate, provided the voiceover narration for "In the Shadow of White Mountain," illuminating how the research conducted at the WMRS continues to help us understand what is happening to our changing world, and what that may mean to our future. Of the narration Coyote said, "I love this--this is a fascinating story, it's very interesting, and it's challenging."

The diversity of research that takes place at WMRS is reflected in the hour-long documentary, which includes segments about the endangered Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep; the amazing survival of the ancient Bristlecone Pine Tree; the extreme hibernation of White Mountain's squirrels; the evolution of the Willow Beetle and what it tells us about climate change; and how extreme altitude effects equines, known for their incredible aerobic performance. For more information on "In the Shadow of White Mountain," including exclusive behind the scenes photos, producer's notes, and links to additional resources, visit http://www.ucsd.tv/whitemountain/.

With each November airing of "In the Shadow of White Mountain," UCSD-TV will air additional programs about UC's NRS sites, as well as two operated by Stanford University. The month's schedule follows:

Wednesday, November 17

8:00PM In the Shadow of White Mountain

9:00PM Hastings Reserve--Tour this biological field station in the Santa Lucia Mountain range in Monterey County.

9:30PM The Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve--Situated on the Big Sur Coast, this reserve provides a spectacular location to study nature.

Monday, November 22

10:00PM In the Shadow of White Mountain

11:00PM James Reserve--Located in Southern California's San Jacinto Mountains, this reserve uses technology to gain insight into the natural world.

11:30PM Sedgwick Reserve--At this site near Santa Barbara, researchers explore the microorganisms that support California's ecosystems, and work to preserve the disappearing oak woodlands and restore native grasslands.

Wednesday, November 24

8:00PM In the Shadow of White Mountain

9:00PM Coal Oil Point Reserve--This reserve near the UC Santa Barbara campus protects a variety of coastal and estuarine habitats and hosts thousands of visiting migratory birds.

9:30PM Sedgwick Reserve

Monday, November 29

10:00PM In the Shadow of White Mountain

11:00PM Jasper Ridge Preserve--Owned and operated by Stanford University, this Central California site yields studies of the potential effects of global climate change.

11:30PM Hopkins Marine Station--Located on the Monterey Peninsula, this Stanford University-run research and educational facility is the first marine laboratory established on the American Pacific coast (in 1892).

The White Mountain Research Station (WMRS) is a multicampus research unit (MRU) of the University of California Office of Research, with a campus office located at UC San Diego. The station includes a base facility (Owens Valley Lab; elevation 4000') located in the high desert near the town of Bishop, as well as three facilities in the White Mountains: a montane station at Crooked Creek (elev. 10,200'), an alpine station at Barcroft (elev. 12,500'), and a remote high alpine lab on the summit of White Mountain Peak (elev. 14,250'). The combination of facilities, high elevation, year-round access, and dry air make the station uniquely valuable for scientific study and educational purposes. More information can be found at http://www.wmrs.edu/

The University of California's Natural Reserve System (NRS) contributes to the understanding and wise management of the Earth and its natural systems by supporting university-level teaching, research, and public service at protected natural areas throughout California. The NRS is the largest university-operated system of natural reserves in the world. Visit http://www.nrs.ucop.edu for more information.

Coyote Howls as In the Shadow of White Mountain Enters Final Phase of Production

2004-10-15T15:54:00.000-07:00

(Press Release) Peter Coyote, Emmy Award winning narrator, noted actor, award-winning author (Pushcart Prize; Pushcart Prize Overview) and seasoned environmental advocate recently performed the narration for In the Shadow of White Mountain.

"Well it certainly was not a howl, but a very mellow and expertly interpreted reading performance" said Producer / Director Rich Wargo of the recent narration recording for In the Shadow of White Mountain. "...and he did put his heart into it, something rare and precious anytime, but especially in the oft-jaded world of production. He's definitely one-of-a-kind," added Wargo.

As well as his extensive acting, writing and advocacy, Coyote served on the California State Arts Council, which enjoyed unmatched success during his tenure as director.

Well known for his roles (E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial, Erin Brockovich, Cross Creek) as well as his recognizable voice, he has narrated many environmentally-focused productions and takes his commitment to the environment seriously, making hands-on contributions to grass-roots efforts at preservation in many locales, from the Mattole and Salmon Rivers in the north, to the Anza desert.

Coyote brought this passion and interest in our world and environmental issues to bear on the narration of In the Shadow of White Mountain, and illuminates this narrative of how science at the White Mountain Research Station continues to help us clearly understand what is happening to our changing world, and what that may mean to our future.

Of the narration Coyote said, "I love this--this is a fascinating story, it's very interesting, and it's challenging."

Producer-Director Rich Wargo said of the opportunity to work with Coyote, "I knew going into the session that not only Peter's extraordinary voice talent, but his keen intellect would make an immeasurable contribution to the program. I was familiar with his range as an actor, and knowing that he was recognized with one of the most influential awards in American writing, I knew that he was not just our voice--but that he could be the heart of the program too. However during the session it became evident I had underestimated. I was floored with his grasp of issues and his personal involvement in such issues. Truly a man of action--not just words. We enjoyed many discussions of the science at White Mountain, about which he had an almost innate understanding. I think you'll find that this understanding and his unaffected sincerity will resonate in the program."

Having recently completed the final location taping for the program that included yet another journey to the 14,246' summit while covering material about a new environmental observatory to be located there, In the Shadow of White Mountain now enters its final phase of post-production.

Frank Powell (l), Director of White Mountain Research Station, and Rich Wargo, Producer/Director of In the Shadow of White Mountain discuss the script at the summit. Note the gloves and warm clothing during the first week of August on a calm, clear, sunny day!

With the Owens Valley and The Sierra Nevada range as a backdrop, Powell is taped by the UCSD-TV crew.

The final weeks of production will include the creation of interpretive graphics and the process of "sweetening" the sound track with music and natural location sound (for an interesting perspective on sound in the White Mountains, see producer's notes)--and of course the addition of Peter Coyote's heartfelt narration.

A keyframe from an animation test to depict Beringia, better known as the Pleistocene land-bridge that connected North America and Asia during the last ice-age.

An Extraordinary Land, by Rich Wargo

2004-10-01T14:08:00.000-07:00

Working in the White Mountains is extraordinary in a number of ways. Some you can't avoid, like the demands of working in thin air, and the not-so-subtle effects you experience as you suddenly realize that you aren't at sea-level.

Some experiences are subtle, demanding patient and passive observation, like the incredible silence that you almost don't notice--but once you do, is almost other-worldly.

Other experiences are more assertive with one's senses. For one, the White Mountains are one of the most visually stunning settings anywhere. The whole ensemble of color, light, shadows and textures seems somehow accentuated. Scuttling clouds create an ever-changing mosaic that flows over the rolling landscape. At the height of midday the sky is a searing blue that darkens to a deep azure zenith set firmly in space. At dusk, the mountains bathe in alpenglow and the sunset reflects off of clouds that seem close enough to touch.

Clouds leave an ever-changing pattern on the slopes of White Mountain.

Yes, on a clear day, the sky is that blue at the higher altitudes in the White Mountains. When looking at the zenith, you feel like you are looking right into outer space.

A Sierra Wave above the Sierras as seen from White Mountain.
(Photo: Joe Szewczak)

Another extraordinary aspect of these mountains is the relationship of earth and sky. Except on very rare occasions the thin air here is much more clear than in any more urban setting, making for grand and distant vistas--and one can truly see the dome of the sky set upon an endless horizon.

The view looking north from the summit of White Mountain. In the distant foreground is the Pelissier plateau, an expanse of alpine tundra above 13,000. The view extends on towards Reno, Nevada.
(Photo: Joe Szewczak)

From the summit of White Mountain or some other lofty vantage point, all the world seems below you, and for thousands and thousands of square miles around you much of it actually is. Your vision extends for hundreds of miles, across entire states, and for hundreds of miles you get the impression of a thin slice of earth and a huge arc of sky above, dominating most of what your eyes take in.

The view northeast, across Pelissier flat and on into Nevada.
(Photo: Joe Szewczak)

The penumbral shadow of White Mountain as it extends east into Nevada at sunset. The shadow above is cause by a cloud above the summit.
(Photo: Joe Szewczak)

Hopefully we have captured some of this, and In the Shadow of White Mountain will give viewers a sense of these stunning vistas. But one thing the program will never capture is an equally compelling quality of this special landscape--a sense of its timelessness. For that you must come and visit one of this environment's most notable inhabitants, the Bristlecone Pine.

RW 10/04

Scenes From White Mountain

2004-09-15T16:04:00.000-07:00

UCSD-TV Science producer Rich Wargo took his first trip to the White Mountain Research Station near Bishop, California on the first day of spring 2002, barely outrunning a snowstorm that hammered the high altitude station with 2 feet of snow in whiteout conditions. With such an auspicious start, it's no surprise that In the Shadow of White Mountain has become one of UCSD-TV's most eagerly anticipated new programs for the new year.

Scenic Photos
Research Photos
Production Photos

Scenic Photos (click thumbnail to enlarge)

Sunset over the Sierras as seen from the Owens Valley Laboratory

The imposing east slope of White Mountain

Skypilots near the summit of White Mountain

A "Sierra Wave" in the White Mountain sky. This spectacular sight occurs when a cold front approaches California from the northwest, and the westerly airflow increases over the Sierra crest.

A "Sierra Wave" as seen from Barcroft station. Photo: Joe Szewczak

A relic Bristlecone Pine. For more about relic Bristlecones read "Wisdom from the Ancients" in "Stories from White Mountain". Photo: Joe Szewczak

The penumbral shadow of White Mountain as it extends east into Nevada at sunset. The shadow above is cause by a cloud above the summit. Photo: Joe Szewczak

Research Photos (click thumbnail to enlarge)

Researches prepare mules for their participation in tests measuring high altitude performance.

A UC Davis research group unloads equipment in preparation for a week of physical testing at high altitudes.

These sheep, frequently seen on the tortuous jeep trail up the west slope of the White Mountains, live in the White and Inyo mountains and are actually genetically distinct from the endangered Sierra Bighorn sheep that inhabit the Sierra Nevada range, only a few miles to the west across Owens valley.

Shoveling out the SnoCat.

The SnoCat, the quickest mode of transport in and out of the research station during the winter months - which sometimes extend from October to May. White Mountain is the tallest peak, Mt. Barcroft (13,040) is the peak to the left. Photo: Joe Szewczak

A researcher approaches the summit of White Mountain in January. The roof of the summit facility can be seen peeking above the ridge at upper left. Photo: Joe Szewczak

Production Photos (click thumbnail to enlarge)

Cameraman Gil Barba Jr. using the camera jib at the Owens River near Owens Valley Laboratory

Happy crew at the summit - L to R White Mountain Research Station Associate Director John Smiley with his trusty companion Pulguero, Mike Weber, Matt Alioto, Rich Wargo and White Mountain Research Station Director Frank Powell

Directing an interview at the summit of White Mountain

Rich Wargo prepares a shot in Pine Creek.

The Sound of Silence, by Rich Wargo

2004-09-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

In film and video production there is something called the "noise floor". It is literally the sound of silence. Except that it isn't really silence, it's that little bit of sound left after the assistant director has called "quiet on the set!" and everyone on the set or location becomes perfectly still and silent. In some places, like a city street, the "noise floor" is a din, while on the best sound stages you can hear a grip's stomach growling across the stage. But everywhere there is always some tiny intrusion of sound. Whether it is the barely perceptible sixty cycle hum of a light high in the studio rigging, or the far off murmur of an engine--there is always something that the indiscriminate sensitivity of the microphone picks up--except in the White Mountains.

In much of the Whites there is virtually no noise floor. Nothing. And in a sense it is truly deafening. It is an eerie sensation, as if a burden of our modern reality is lifted from your whole being and you suddenly become aware of the presence of a different world. One's ears strain to pick up some sound, and when conditions are so silent, one is usually rewarded with only the silent hush of a gentle breath of wind, or the sound of your own blood coursing through your ears as your body works to capture every bit of precious oxygen it can at this altitude.

Even in the process of reviewing tapes for editing, I often found myself double-checking to make sure the headphones were plugged in or that the tape was running, because between statements from the interviewee, or calls from a distant Clark's Nutcracker that were inadvertently recorded, there wasn't the usual signal of an indistinct murmur of sound anywhere on the tapes.

I don't exactly know why this is so. For one thing you are pretty far removed from the onslaughts of all those things technological that like to make noise, however faint. Another is that the air is thin and dry--there is just less material for sound waves to travel in. And except for communicating danger or territory the animals here are fairly elusive. There isn't usually the gleeful din of birdsong typical of other mountain habitats, or even the occasional nighttime wail of a coyote. But one thing is certain--it is a quiet I have never heard anywhere else, even far out at sea. It is also something that the program will never be able to re-create for you, for wherever you will be when you see In the Shadow of White Mountain will surely be noisier. The sound of silence there is something that you must experience for yourself, and is an experience that shouldn't be missed.

RW 9/04

The Big White Blind

2004-09-01T16:24:00.000-07:00

As biologist John Wehausen explained, one of the Sierra Bighorn Sheep's chief protective measures is their incredible vision. That helped to make taping Sierra Bighorns one of the most challenging episodes of this production.

He theorizes that they take a regular visual inventory of their surroundings, checking what the visual landscape looks like every few moments, and then focusing on any changes with intense scrutiny, making sure that they have the upper hand in access to an escape route before once again feeling secure in their surroundings, or fleeing.

A herd watches intently as their picture is taken.

While this made approach challenging, this actually seemed to work in our favor once the sheep felt secure with our presence. The tactic was to approach slowly, letting the sheep see you from afar, and then watching to gauge their reaction as you moved closer. However, the method of employing this strategy might seem a little strange in the annals of wildlife photography.

That's because this approach is not executed with camouflage or even particular stealth. We didn't creep and crawl, attempting to become one with the rocks, as a Wolfgang Bayer or an Iain Douglas-Hamilton, famed for their African wildlife documentaries extraordinaire may have done.

Nor did we work from a blind, well, not a blind per se--we used a vehicle, a big white official-looking truck. Now I don't think Wolfgang or Iain used this method in filming their most elusive quarry--perhaps they did, maybe that was their secret. But somehow I don't think so...

John Wehausen gets into The Big White Blind.

As John pointed out, the sheep seem less concerned with a vehicle than they are with a bi-ped animal that moves slowly. He figures humans look more like something that might be moving like a predator than a vehicle does.

So, we would approach slowly in a truck. First "glassing" them at the bottom of the hill, where they were sure to have seen us. The key was to let them see us and make sure we didn't restrict their avenue of escape. If too close, we would drive right by them slowly, to a distance at which the sheep felt safe with our presence. Once within range we would let the sheep become aware and secure with our presence, and their access to escape--which is basically straight up--then I could get close enough and tape with the use of an extreme telephoto lens. Of course the "Big White Blind" approach is only possible in a place like Pine Creek, where a road serves an old tungsten mine.

Producer Rich Wargo taping at Pine Creek

We used the "Big White Blind" approach due to constraints, and avoided grueling treks into the high country because on the occasions that we did trek with crew and equipment we were unsuccessful. This is not unusual because as John was apt to note, there had been more than one occasion where he would spend days on his own employing the best of his stealthy and well practiced tracking and stalking skills and never see a single sheep where he knew they were from all the evidence he would find, including a radio collar he was tracking--only to be greeted upon his exit by untrained tourists who would relate stories of the half-dozen magnificent rams they came upon standing right next to the trail, just up around the bend, nonchalantly watching the strange two-legged beasts gawk at them.

John Wehausen glassing...

...and radiotracking.

As you will see in In the Shadow of White Mountain, we employed the "Big White Blind" approach to some success. In Pine Creek, under the imposing shadow of Mt. Tom, the sheep were coming down to the winter range where the first tufts of new growth were starting to show at this lower elevation. This is the range that provides pregnant ewes and new kids important nutrition that they need after scratching by through the long winter. It is also the range that brings them into harm's way from mountain lions, which as In the Shadow of White Mountain explains, may be the consequence of large-scale ecosystem change caused by human influence.

Photos courtesy of Frank Green and John Wehausen.