Bravo PEP-II and BABAR!

The B Factory—PEP-II and BABAR—is "enjoying" a welcome four-week "rest" after a highly successful first leg of Run 5. The second leg will commence on November 11, 2005 and run through to late Summer 2006. By then, BABAR expects to have doubled the total data sample logged from late 1999 to the Summer of 2004.

In its last week of running before the current shutdown, PEP-II flexed its mighty muscles and broke performance record after performance record. Ever thirsty for more data, BABAR scooped up every event that PEP-II delivered, likewise breaking its all-time records. Sensing the impending shutdown, on October 8 and 9, PEP-II broke through the peak luminosity barrier of 10³⁴ cm^-1 sec^-1 on three separate occasions. Not to be outdone, BABAR logged data on each of the three historic occasions. In achieving 10³⁴ cm^-1 sec^-1, PEP-II set a world record for stored positron current of 2.995 amps! In that same week, both PEP-II and BABAR broke their all-time single shift and 24-hour integrated luminosity records. PEP-II was designed to deliver 120 pb^-1 per day (and that was considered highly optimistic)—on October 7th, it delivered 728 pb^-1! With each new high-water mark, the excitement in the two control rooms was electric; never before have I seen so many beaming faces at the daily 8am meeting as on Monday October 10th. What a spectacular birthday present it was for me!

You might have imagined that the protracted post-accident shutdown and the once-in-forty-three-year, three-day power outage shortly after turn-on would have dampened the spirits and enthusiasm of the SLAC staff. But the tremendous achievements of the B Factory. are testament to the fortitude, dedication, talent and pride of the SLAC staff. Congratulations to you all—those in the PEP-II group, the BABAR Group, Linac and PEP-II Operations, the extensive engineering and technical staff that maintain the facility. In a very real sense, everyone at SLAC owns this victory and you should each feel pride at these achievements. And I know that you are not done with setting new standards—I look forward with excitement to November 11 when we once again commence operations.

While BABAR adds more fresh data to its stockpile, the collaboration keeps pumping out new and often surprising, results on the data logged through Summer 2004. So far this year, they have published over 60 journal articles – remarkably that is more than one publication per week! Never before have I witnessed such an outpouring of high energy physics results, all of it of outstanding quality, including several new discoveries. With twice the data anticipated by next Summer, we can look forward to yet another round of new revelations.

Bravo PEP-II and BABAR!