The Trump official plans to reduce the team responsible for critical atomic measurement data

The National Institute for American Standards and Technology (NIST) is discussing plans to eliminate a full team responsible for publishing and preserving critical atomic measurement data in the coming weeks, such as Trump administration Continue her efforts Reducing the American Federal ManpowerAccording to an email on March 18, it was sent to dozens of external scientists. The data concerned supports advanced scientific research all over the world in areas such as The manufacture of semi -conductors and Nuclear fusion.

“We were recently informed that unless there is a major change in plans to reorganize the federal government, it will be legally necessary for the Nist’s mission,” said the group’s leader, Yuri Ralchenko,.

Ralchenko pointed out that atomic spectral analysis has been used to discover many new external planets and develop strong new diagnostic techniques, among other applications. “Unfortunately, the story of the atomic spectral analysis in NIST is approaching its end,” he wrote.

In response to a request for comment from WIRE, Ralchenko said he was not allowed to talk about budget and management issues and referred questions to NIST Public Affairs Department. NIST and Mother’s Agency, the Ministry of Commerce, did not respond to requests for comment.

The atomic spectral analysis group studies how to absorb or emit atoms, allowing researchers to determine the elements in a specific sample. Then he collects and updates those accounts in Atomic spectra databaseCatalog for information and spectral measurements in the industry that play an important role in areas such as astronomy, astronomical physics and medicine. In a blog post published last week Highlighting the importance From the database, NIST said it is receiving an average of 70,000 research requests all over the world every month.

Evgeny Stambulchik, the chief research scientist at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel who started a Seam To collect signatures from other researchers and members of the public who oppose discounts to the atomic spectral analysis team. The petition is currently more than 1700 signatures.

Stambulchik, which is specialized in plasma spectral analysis, says atomic spectral analysis is essentially the only tool that can be used to explain distant organisms in space, such as Those who were observed Through strong James Web telescope. He adds: It is also the only tool to investigate “the issue in temperatures up to tens of one million degrees,” he adds, such as the nuclear fusion reactor.

The other plasma physicia said at an American institution, which asked not to disclose their identity because they are not authorized to speak to the media, who said they were using these data daily to build reliable models to design future fusion reactors. “The loss of the reliable data source would hinder the private integration companies,” they explain.

The American scientist says that the data provided by the NIST atomic spectroscopy group is useful for researchers and engineers in multiple fields. They say: “This type of data carefully sponsored, this group has provided reliable systems like GPS and stone printing.” It is this type of strict science and engineering that maintains our bridges and our strength. This is not “move quickly and break things.”