Trump Administrator plans to shorten the team responsible for critical nuclear measurement measurement data

The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIS) discusses plans to remove an entire team responsible for posting and maintaining critical atoms measurement in the coming weeks, such as Trump Administration continues to efforts to Reduce US federal workforceAccording to an email on March 18, sent to dozens of external scientists. The data in question is at the heart of advanced research worldwide in fields such as semiconductor and nuclear synthesisS

“We have recently been informed that unless there is a major change in the federal government plans for reorganization, the entire atomic spectroscopy group will be released in a few weeks, more special, as our work is not considered legal for the NIS mission,” writes Yuri Ralchenko.

Ralchenko noted that atomic spectroscopy has been used to detect many new exoplanets and develop powerful new diagnostic techniques, among other applications. “Unfortunately, the history of atomic spectroscopy in Nist is over,” he writes.

In response to a request for a comment from Wired, Ralchenko said he was not allowed to speak on budget and management issues and refer questions to the NIS Public Affairs Division. Nist and his parent agency, the Ministry of Trade, did not respond to requests for comment.

The atomic spectroscopy group examines how atoms absorb or emit light, allowing researchers to identify the elements present in a sample. Then collects and updates these calculations in Database of nuclear spectraA catalog of industry leading information and measurements of spectroscopy, which plays a crucial role in areas such as astronomy, astrophysics and medicine. In a blog post published last week highlighting the importance From the database, Nist said it receives an average of 70,000 search requests around the world each month.

“It’s really hard to overestimate the importance of this data,” says Evgeny Stambulchik, a senior scientist for research at the Weisman Institute of Science in Israel, which launched a Petition Signatures from other researchers and public members who oppose the abbreviations of the atomic spectroscopy team. Currently, the petition has over 1700 signatures.

Istanbulchik, whose specialty is plasma spectroscopy, says that atomic spectroscopy is essentially the only instrument that can be used to interpret remote objects in space, such as those observed From the powerful telescope James Web. It is also the only tool for studying “matter at temperatures reaching tens of million degrees,” he adds, such as a nuclear reactor.

Another plasma physicist at an American institution who asked to remain anonymous, as they were not authorized to talk to the media, they said they were using this data daily to build reliable models to design future synthesis reactors. “The loss of this reliable source of data would prevent private synthesis companies,” they explain.

The American scientist says that the data provided by the group of Nist atomic spectroscopy is useful for researchers and engineers in many areas. “The type of carefully cure data that this group provides reliable systems such as GPS and lithography,” they say. “It is this kind of strict science and engineering that maintains our bridges and our strength. It does not move quickly and breaks things up.”