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Show ira.es Hill ,NS,DE: AFB, Utah 84056-582- 4 www.hiNtoptimes.com 63 No. 5, February 5, 2004 Vol. hilltop.pahill.af.mil scan tells whale of a tale Hill CT by Beth Young Hfop Pegs 2 0 77mes staff Although located hundreds of miles from the nearest ocean, technology at Hill may help unlock the mysteries of how whales use and are affected by sound. Computed Tomography equipment, normally used to scan Minuteman missile parts to detect cracks, voids or separations, was recently used for something much different to scan a baby fin whale's head. The frozen whale head arrived by FedEx from Sea World in San Diego, accompanied by Dr. Ted Cranford, San Diego State University Department of Biology adjunct professor of research, and Megan McKenna, research assistant and graduate student. "Currently, I am working on a project to investigate the sound in large whales with a group impact of of colleagues from Scripps Institution of Oceanography," Dr. Cranford said. The scan would be impossible to perform in a medical CT scan machine because of the animal's massive size a full grown fin whale is the length of two school buses end to end, explained Dr. Cranford. "I feel very fortunate because I didn't realize these resources were (at Hill AFB) and I only found out by doing a lot of phone calling," Dr. Cranford said. The purpose of the scan is to create a model of the whale's head. To accomplish this monumental task, the whale's head, which is packaged in about six feet of cardboard tubing, normally used to form freeway columns, is loaded onto the machine. As the machine scans the tube, it will also move it, creating about 600 horizontal, computer image slices of the head. The scans, which were done over the course of two days, will be used to create a model. The fact that Hill is able to share its technology with outside agencies is mandated by congress. This policy not only provides unique technology to those who would otherwise not have had access to it, but also the fees charged to use the equipment can benefit the Air Force. "I think we, as part of the Air Force, are committed to sharing unique technologies with the outside world. That has been Hill's policy for the last four or five years and they have invested quite a bit to be able to do that," said Sal Juarez, and computed Industrial Services Division missile tomography chief. "In this particular case, it's great that Hill can do something environmentally beneficial." Because this is the first scan ever of a fin whale the second largest species of whale on earth the information will be incredibly valuable. This scan alone will greatly increase what is known about the anatomy of large whales. "It is important to make the point that we are getting information about the geometry of the whale the shapes of the whale. If we wanted to know what was in there we would just cut (the whale) open. However, as soon as you begin to cut things open, you lose the geometry things begin to slump and get out of position," Dr. Cranford said. "We don't have any doubt that what we are going to end up with is going to be great, because there aren't any studies of the geometry of (this type of whale) ; everything (from the scan) is brand 500-poun- d, i high-intensi- Firs fttfrcys Page 2 three-dimension- Mlafcu iiiiiiO) Uhf will Page 3 liurcYCiiiSiit Page 4 . "9 : OWMMM. IVWIMIWMmimmmpmm III yp lll X-ra- y Page 5 Ceccrsl-- g a Frrl"'l Page 7 fit(s if''''- cllns:s ti:b Page 9 CE::;ls!r.s In wr s:iYlsa Page 10 CZZT.tZt Page 11 While this is the first scan of a fin whale, Dr. Cranford has done others of marine mammals that use sonar for navigation, to find food and to communicate, such as dolphins and even a beaked whale. These scans were done as part of his work with the Office of Naval Research in the search for better sonar for the Navy. "Our initial and primary goal with Dr. Cranford's work was twofold," said Dr. Robert Gisiner, Office of Naval Research program officer. "One: the desire to 'capture nature's secrets' for manmade sonars that would work as well as dolphin sonar, and two: the desire to understand the great diversity of sound M and computed tomography completed scans were used to created a three dimensional model, above, to study the animal's anatomy. -- 1 1 See Whale, page 4 DoD programs opening employee exit doors 'Shaping' means some can go early Thousands offered thousands to leave made through local military personnel by Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample flights by March 12. Air Force Personnel Center Public American Forces Press Service More than 16,000 additional people Affairs enlisted and 3,900 officers -WASHINGTON Up to 25,000 RANDOLPH AFB, Texas (AFPN) currently projected to leave will be 'Defense Department civilians may be There is good news for thousands of allowed out to help the service return eligible for thousands of dollars in sepairmen considering leaving active duty to its authorized active-dut- y force size aration pay through an prowho thought they couldn't because of by Sept. 30, 2005. The goal is to get gram. within authorized end strength while The program is part of the 2004 National existing service obligations. An effort dubbed "force shaping" is avoiding "extreme measures" that "wreak Defense Authorization Act. On Dec. 30, Ginger Groeber, deputy opening the exit doors to officers and havoc" with mission and morale, offienlisted servicemembers in select career cials said. undersecretary of defense for civilian Active-dut- y fields and year groups by waiving some airmen wanting to transpersonnel policy, allocated 25,000 buyactive-dutservice commitments prefer to the Reserve or Guard will be able outs to defense components to pay eliviously incurred for events like govern- to apply for a waiver of an active-dut- y gible departing employees up to $25,000 ment-funded education, permanent service commitment regardless of their if they choose to leave their jobs early. career field. She said the program is available for changes of station and promotion. Force shaping includes opportunities "We're a total force, and for our active-dut- y permanent hires, which includes workd to transition to the Air Force Reserve airmen who would like to separate ers not on appointments or Air National Guard, and can relieve early and still retain a connection to their such as temporary appointments or those serAir Force, the Palace Chase program with a specified end date to their employsome people of their active-dut- y vice commitments. provides the perfect vehicle to preserve ment, and is available to both appropriRules for leaving active duty early will operational capability while reducing ated and nonappropriated fund personnel. active-dutend strength," said Maj. Gen. be the least restrictive for anyone wantThe program has no age limitation, ing to transfer to the Guard or Reserve John Speigel, the Air Force's director but workers must have worked for the of personnel policy at the Pentagon. Defense Department for at least 12 through the Palace Chase program. "We're focusing a big part of our efforts months before accepting a buyout They Some bonus payback requirements there because it keeps (servicemem- - must also be U.S. citizens. Miss Groemay also be waived, officials said. g ber said. Applications for any of the U See Military, page 8 Not all workers will get the $25,000 early release programs must be by Maj. John J. Thomas early-buyo- ut PCS 13 y time-limite- y Parks African American History Month Photos by Beth Young Using a Computed Tomography machine located at Hill more than 600 CT images were produced of a fin whale's head. Color changes In the images indicate higher and lower density, such as the ear section indicated by dark blue. Using a crane, Sal Juarez, missile chief, loads the whale head on to the CT machine, left, with the help of radiographic inspectors Randy Huber and Tom Vandenburg. The new." Chs?.3 : j al 3-- D Process V ty force-shapin- maximum payment, she said. The buyout is the lesser of $25,000 or what the employee would receive in severance pay. Miss Groeber said the program's pri- mary beneficiaries are employees who work at facilities the Defense Depart- ment expects to close, or at locations where there is a change in the military mission. She said that while the buyout will help DoD to minimize its work force at commands and organizations that are downsizing or restructuring, it also may allow the department to offer a substantial sum of money to workers forced out of their jobs through the separation process. The deputy undersecretary added that the buyout comes at an important time, especially with the next round of base realignment and closures expected to begin in 2005. Miss Groeber said buyouts were very effective in the 1990s, when the gov eminent closed several bases and installations, providing a more and human alternative to reductions in force Employees interested in buyouts should contact their component " civilian personnel offices. j cost-effecti- W |