4 S&TR January/February 1999 LeadingLeading thethe BesBestt Carl Haussmann helped to revolutionize nuclear warhead design, build Livermore’s renowned program, and create an environment conducive to world-class research.

CIENTIST, manager, and self- S proclaimed “meddler,” Carl Haussmann made an indelible impression on generations of Livermore employees. In an age of increasing specialization and narrowing focus, Haussmann made lasting and creative contributions to a variety of programs, including weapons, , and site planning. In times of constrained funding when it was difficult to see beyond the next fiscal year, Haussmann could seemingly see decades ahead. Indeed, some say his most important gift was his visionary leadership. It was with fond remembrance that Laboratory employees honored Carl Haussmann’s passing last year and his 45 years of service to the nation and the institution he loved. U.S. Army Captain Carl Haussmann arrived in 1953 as the Laboratory’s second military research associate with the standard assignment to acquire in- depth exposure to nuclear weapons and other defense-related programs. Haussmann already possessed

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exceptional skills and experience—a submarine-launched ballistic missile characteristically unintimidated by the solid academic background in physics; brought the Laboratory the special challenge. “Polaris gave us a goal and a experience as a nuclear weapons attention of the top managers of the high-priority one at that,” he recalled later. supervisor at Sandia Base, New Department of Defense and the Atomic “Carl had great respect for his brilliant Mexico, and Killeen Base, Texas; and Energy Commission (AEC). cohorts at the Lab,” says longtime member of the team that helped The Polaris story began in 1956 at a colleague Lyle Cox, “yet he believed he Princeton University’s John Wheeler much-publicized meeting held at could add to their strengths as a leader, calculate the explosive power of the Woods Hole, Massachusetts. U.S. Navy and he took pride in leading them” first hydrogen bomb. Not surprisingly, representatives told Los Alamos and (Figure 3). Indeed, during the Polaris Haussmann was assigned to the Livermore weapons experts that their development effort, Haussmann Livermore thermonuclear test program, planned ballistic missile–launching demonstrated an ability to recognize and where he quickly became, in the words submarines required a much smaller act on the big picture, says former of former Livermore Director Roger and lighter warhead than was currently Livermore Director John Nuckolls. Batzel, “a major spark plug for the available. , who Nuckolls also notes that Haussmann was entire weapons program” (Figure 1). represented Livermore, boldly a wonderful complement to top By 1956, Haussmann was already in projected that Livermore could develop Livermore creative theoreticians because management, and Livermore had small thermonuclear warheads to be “he could turn great ideas into reality.” proven itself with several nuclear carried by a solid-fueled missile. Livermore’s teams of extraordinary explosives designs successfully tested Haussmann’s group was assigned thermonuclear and fission weapons in Nevada and the Pacific (Figure 2). the task of fulfilling Teller’s pledge to experts tapped the nation’s growing Subsequently, the breakthrough designs the Navy, pursuing what some had computer resources (see the box on p. 8) for the Polaris warhead for the first deemed impossible. Haussmann was to successfully reduce the size of strategic warheads while maintaining the required explosive power. In a note to Laboratory Figure 1. Carl Haussmann quickly Director Bruce Tarter, Haussmann established himself as one of the most discussed the high-profile project: “We respected leaders in Livermore’s worked our way toward Edward Teller’s weapons program. technical and time-scale goals, utilizing

Figure 2. Haussmann traveled to the Pacific for key Livermore tests. Pictured are Haussmann (fourth from the right) with visiting University of California Regents and key Livermore managers such as E. O. Lawrence (to the left of Haussmann) and Herb York (second from right), at the time Livermore’s Director.

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several successive FBM [Fleet Ballistic critically important to the stability of until the end of the Cold War, Missile] payload iterations, ever the nuclear deterrent,” says Nuckolls. Livermore scientists and engineers introducing better materials. The “Submarines could not be destroyed by worked to assure the nation’s stockpile introduction of the (conceptually) a first strike; Polaris provided a secure with increasingly sophisticated tests at penultimate design . . . did not receive second-strike force.” The design the Nevada Test Site, new generations instantaneous approval. I remember improvements reflected in the Polaris of diagnostic instruments, and computer Harold Brown saying ‘It takes more warhead were adopted in most codes running on ever-more powerful than a French curve and a compass to subsequent U.S. strategic nuclear supercomputers. design a warhead.’” weapons (Figure 4). The innovative Livermore design From 1962 to 1968, Haussmann Shining a Light on Lasers for Polaris was first validated in 1958 served as associate director of the Haussmann’s notable tenure as a during Operation Hardtack in the Pacific, Laboratory’s new Military Applications weapons program manager was only a few months before nuclear testing Program, the interface between matched by his enormous contributions was halted by an international Livermore’s design and engineering as associate director for Laser Programs moratorium. Nuckolls notes that the final divisions and the military services. “In (1971 to 1975). During this period, he design even surpassed Teller’s bold this role, Haussmann was also built up the program and provided it promise to the Navy. extremely successful,” Nuckolls says. with strong direction (Figure 5) and In 1960, the first Polaris submarine The early contributions of top managers. armed with warheads designed at Haussmann and others at Livermore set It is no exaggeration that Haussmann Livermore took to sea, ahead of the a solid course for future Livermore created the milieu within which two far- most optimistic schedule. “Polaris was weapon designs. Over the next decades, reaching decisions were made in the

Figure 3. Haussmann took great pride in managing and leading Livermore physicists, including some of the best theoretical minds. From the left are physicists Dick Adelman, Haussmann, Jim Frank, and Mel Harrison.

Figure 4. The first test of the Navy’s Polaris submarine- launched missile in 1960. Livermore’s breakthrough design for the Polaris warhead is largely credited with helping to discourage a Soviet first strike.

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1970s: the choice of solid-state lasers new program. Both had already been for Livermore’s laser fusion program responsible for advanced laser research, and the atomic vapor method for laser at the Naval Research Laboratory and separation of isotopes, particularly Hughes Aircraft, respectively. uranium, for use in weapons and Says Nuckolls, “I’m sure plants. These two Haussmann thought that one of the options proved in the long run to be by most important things he did was far the most effective, both technically bringing in John Emmett to lead the and economically. laser program.” With Haussmann’s Almost since the first laser flashed in assistance, a diverse group of highly 1960, Livermore had been exploring the qualified newcomers was recruited, so potential of lasers, looking primarily at that by 1974, some 260 personnel were their application to weapons and other working in Livermore’s laser program. military uses. By the late 1960s and According to Bill Krupke, “From the early 1970s, scientists in the burgeoning beginning, Haussmann was committed laser field were studying different types to creating an entire program, not just of lasers for producing energy from to building a laser. He wanted laser fusion. Livermore’s laser effort to be all- In 1971, Laboratory Director encompassing, to include theorists, Figure 5. Haussmann shown in the mid- Michael May asked Haussmann to take computational modelers, facility 1970s with a , one of the charge of the Laboratory’s fragmented designers, testing engineers, as well as technologies for the . laser efforts. With that request, May diagnostics experts. He felt that the end played to Haussmann’s strong suit as a users of the facility should be involved visionary and “big-picture guy” who in Shiva’s development so that all scientists that delivering the laser energy enjoyed making things happen quickly parties would share a common to the target at shorter wavelengths was and effectively. commitment to its success.” extremely important. Haussmann moved swiftly to focus Nuckolls recalls that Haussmann With this requirement in mind, in Livermore’s laser work. With a few equated that success with achieving 1972 Livermore selected the phone calls and visits to the head of extremely difficult fusion goals. -doped glass (Nd:glass) the AEC’s Division of Military Haussmann brought together in one laser for its inertial confinement fusion Application, he committed Livermore place experts from throughout the program. The Nd:glass laser had the to building Shiva, the first large laser Laboratory to complement new hires shortest wavelength at 1,050 nanometers fusion facility in the country. for the design, development, and (nm), the potential for frequency Haussmann sought out James construction of the new laser. Having doubling to produce even shorter Schlesinger, head of the powerful diverse disciplines “live together,” a wavelengths, and by far the greatest AEC, who agreed to support the method inspired by E. O. Lawrence’s ability to produce high peak power. development of lasers. Lasers were multidisciplinary team approach to the Livermore’s earliest lasers for still experimental, but the scientific management of big science projects, experimentation, community and a few well-informed proved effective for getting the laser developed under Haussmann’s national leaders recognized the role program up and running quickly and leadership, were Janus, Cyclops, and that lasers could play in research onto a very successful track. Argus, each producing higher and higher germane to nuclear weapons. Focusing on Shorter Wavelengths. peak power and output energy. All of Committing to a huge project such as Various types of lasers were being these lasers operated at a 1,050-nm Shiva was only part of the big picture. studied by the early 1970s for inertial wavelength. But experimentation with Livermore needed to expand its staff of confinement fusion: carbon dioxide, the more powerful indicated laser experts if it was going to deliver neodymium glass, hydrogen fluoride, that even a 1,050-nm wavelength was on Shiva. After an audit of laser and atomic iodine lasers. Basic not short enough to produce effective expertise around the country, considerations of physics, implosions. So researchers at the Haussmann brought in John Emmett coupled with Livermore computer University of Rochester developed the and Bill Krupke to define and run the calculations, indicated to Laboratory way to efficiently convert 1,050-nm

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output to 532- and 355-nm wavelengths, The Bet on Supercomputing that Paid Off a technology adopted for Livermore’s laser in 1984 (Figure 6). From his earliest days at Livermore, to Haussmann’s conviction that the At about the same time that Carl Haussmann was instrumental in capabilities of the early machines would Livermore made its solid-state laser obtaining and applying ever-more grow rapidly and serve as increasingly decision, the scientific community was powerful computers for nuclear weapon important tools for weapons designers. exploring ideas for separating isotopes design efforts. Former colleagues say the “Working on the thermonuclear with lasers. Livermore focused its source of Haussmann’s confidence in weapons program for the first decade, I attention primarily on uranium and computers as an essential tool was almost had a need and an opportunity to plutonium because of the relatively high certainly his work with physicist John vigorously support both a good stable of cost of these isotopes and their Wheeler at Princeton University. As part supercomputers and numerical modeling,” relevance to Laboratory missions. of Operation Matterhorn, Haussmann did Haussmann later said. “I always made thermonuclear calculations on the sure we had the money to get the Livermore researchers ultimately precommercial version of the Univac, a maximum quantity and quality of those selected the atomic vapor method using machine designed by famed physicist John computers in that era. Betting on a pumped by a copper vapor Van Neumann. supercomputers and supercomputer laser to selectively excite, photoionize, Not surprisingly, Livermore weapons utilization has never let me down.” and separate isotopes of choice. managers first assigned Haussmann to During the first decades, Livermore John Emmett, who succeeded work on thermonuclear explosion helped advance the nation’s fledgling Haussmann as associate director of calculations for early Livermore warhead computer industry by contracting for and Laser Programs in 1975, recalls, “Carl designs, using the Laboratory’s two card- purchasing the most advanced machines. was willing to let go, but he was programmed calculators. Group leader The computers supplied by manufacturers always there when I needed him. He Chuck Leith found Haussmann a “quick were often acquired early in their was a unique person at Livermore. He learner and very energetic.” Shortly after development and had little support his arrival, Lawrence Livermore’s first software. As a result, Livermore became was committed to creating the future supercomputer, the Univac-1, was expert in software development, from and made it possible for younger delivered, and Haussmann performed numerical approximation algorithms to people to carry the organization calculations using that machine as well operating systems. forward. What finer mentor could a (see figure below). Even after Haussmann left the person expect to have?” Haussmann helped to develop codes as weapons program in the late 1960s, he well as use them to verify new weapon had a strong influence on the Meddling with a License designs. Judged by today’s standards, the supercomputer industry. He helped lead After leaving the laser program, early codes were crude, in part because the development of the S-1 supercomputer Haussmann was named as one of two they were one dimensional; Haussmann for the Navy in the 1980s, a machine that associate directors at large, a position often found it necessary to extrapolate incorporated several advances. An he likened later to having “a license to computer data with both intuition and hand outgrowth of the program was SCALD calculations. (Structured Computer-Aided Logic meddle.” His zeal for landscaping, Former Laboratory Director John Design), a graphics-based program to which made him famous as Livermore’s Nuckolls says, “Carl was a great champion drastically reduce the time to design Father of the Trees, was part of a larger of the supercomputer. We became known computers. The program has been used vision of changing the former military as the ‘computer lab’ in the early days.” successfully by several Silicon Valley base into a campuslike environment Much of that reputation can be attributed computer firms. more amenable to research excellence. According to Chuck Meier, a Livermore retiree who worked closely The Laboratory’s first supercomputer, the with Haussmann, “He said that an Univac-1, arrived in 1953 and was improved site would provide a more immediately put to use performing efficient working environment as well thermonuclear explosion calculations. as give it a more aesthetic quality that would be more conducive to attracting and retaining top employees.” With Director May’s approval, Haussmann commissioned the landscape

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architecture firm of Royston, Hanamoto, Energy Commission’s Materials Testing parcels of land that were shaped Beck & Abey to develop a long-range Accelerator (MTA). In the early years, differently enough to allow flexibility site master plan, later known as the groups of employees were housed close for future development. The roads also Royston Plan. together in existing barracks and other eliminated many intersections and The Royston Plan provided the basis facilities, to promote communication provided better access to buildings for an orderly development of the site. and unity of mission. As the Laboratory while reducing driving distances. The plan demonstrated an grew, new facilities were built in The plan also advocated using plants understanding of Livermore’s needs and north–south, east–west blocks adjacent and trees for aesthetics; to define wants by posing, among other to previously developed areas. The spaces, such as pedestrian and bicycle questions, this rhetorical one: “Should a result: dense overdevelopment along the paths, parking lots, and groups of great laboratory continue to be southwest perimeter of the site and a buildings; and to provide shade, dust controlled by a road system and flying grid design with poor traffic flow and control, and protection against wind and field adapted for training aviators in dead-end streets, all compounded by glare. Haussmann was passionate about World War II?” security area barriers. increasing the number of trees on site. Before the founding of the The Royston Plan replaced the grid He brought in some from his own yard, Laboratory in 1952, the site had been a system with a curvilinear design based and one year, he got the California ranch, then a naval air station, and then on a loop road system (Figure 7). The Conservation Corps to plant some three the proposed location of the Atomic loop roads partitioned the site into large hundred trees throughout the site.

(a) (b)

(c) (d) Figure 6. Carl Haussmann’s dynamic leadership of Livermore’s laser program gave rise to an organization that has produced a series of ever larger and more powerful lasers. (a) The one-beam Cyclops laser was built in 1975. (b) The two-beam was completed in 1976. (c) The 20-beam Shiva laser was completed in 1977. (d) In 1984, the 10-beam Nova laser, which is 10 times more powerful than Shiva, became the world’s largest and most powerful laser. Early in the next century, Nova will be replaced by the 192-beam National Ignition Facility, currently under construction.

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(a) (b)

(c) Figure 7. (a) The grid plan of the early Laboratory was a holdover from the site’s days as a naval air station. (b) The Royston Plan provided flexible, basic guidelines for development. (c) This recent aerial photograph of the Laboratory reveals how the Royston Plan’s curvilinear layout has produced a campuslike setting.

Former colleagues recall how complex had carpeting on its office adjoining both Lawrence Livermore Haussmann urged resource managers to floors, a first for the Laboratory. Even and the neighboring Sandia National “fence off” landscaping money within more radical was the space planning Laboratories. He also persuaded project budgets, because he knew that notion successfully advocated by Laboratory management to fund once project managers started running Haussmann and other associate landscaping of the buffer zone on the low on funds, the first thing they would directors. They wanted space designed Laboratory’s west side to match that defer would be trees. “Take that money in a way that would cause people to of the housing development across away before they get their hands on it,” bump into each other; the impromptu the street. he’d tell them. Today, thanks to encounters would promote Haussmann and the Royston Plan, communication and idea-sharing. Fostering Talent and Programs employees enjoy a tree-studded, As the Laboratory grew, One of Haussmann’s final campuslike environment throughout Haussmann recognized that the town accomplishments was mentoring the most of the Laboratory (Figure 8). around it was growing as well. In young scientists in the Laboratory’s response to projections made by fabled O Program, a group dedicated to Using Land, Buying More Livermore city planners, he realized advanced defense research and The construction of the Shiva–Nova that Laboratory capabilities and development. In time, this “merry laser complex in the north-central security could be compromised by new band,” as he referred to them, built a portion of the site was consistent with housing developments, so he urged the program funded with tens of millions of the Royston Plan’s recommendation of purchase of buffer land. He was dollars a year. Haussmann’s presence siting new facilities away from the instrumental in working with the was felt throughout O Program, yet it crowded southwest corner of the Department of Energy and Congress to was never dominating. Laboratory. Perhaps that move spurred secure funds to purchase the hundreds Edward English, who was a part of other improvements as well. The new of acres needed for a buffer zone this program in the late 1970s,

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Figure 8. Haussmann’s love of trees led to a site Figure 9. The “brain” of a Brilliant Pebble spacecraft was to be a high-performance shaded by approximately ten thousand trees of computer system, its “eyes” a collection of target-tracking video cameras, and its over 50 species. “legs” an agile propulsion system for intercepting a ballistic missile or other target.

remembers how Haussmann saw to it release his nervous energy during encouragement, and development of that everyone was well prepared for many long meetings by tearing new ideas in science and technology to making presentations. English says, Styrofoam coffee cups into creative serve the national interest. “You were schooled in ‘Viewgraph designs, even as he was helping to —Arnie Heller, with Katie Walter and 101,’ and then he would open the focus attention on important points. Gloria Wilt doors and let you walk through to After Haussmann’s retirement in make all your points to the senior 1988, the spacecraft aspect of Brilliant military officers.” Pebbles continued, changing course to Key Words: Argus laser, atomic vapor Haussmann worked with O Program become a major new research program. laser isotope separation (AVLIS), copper vapor lasers, Cyclops laser, diode-pumped researchers to develop technologies for The work generated considerable solid-state laser, inertial confinement fusion the Defense Advanced Research national recognition for the Clementine (ICF), , loop road system, Projects Agency. The results were spacecraft and continues today, with the Materials Testing Accelerator (MTA), advanced computer chips, the S-1 creation of microsatellites for space Military Research Associates, Nd:glass supercomputer for the Navy, and the exploration and defense. English says (neodymium-doped glass) laser, Nevada Test Site, Nova laser, O Program, Operation beginning of projects for the fledgling that the microsatellites are “just like Hardtack, Operation Matterhorn, Polaris, Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) Carl—compact, energetic, functional, Royston Plan, S-1 supercomputer, SCALD organization. Haussmann also and bound to capture the imagination.” (Structured Computer-Aided Logic Design), communicated with senior military It is easy to forget today the early Shiva laser, site planning, solid-state lasers, officers and members of Congress to role and large part Carl Haussmann Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), Woods Hole, Univac. provide information needed to help played in so many Livermore build the consensus for the Brilliant programs. His contributions can still be Pebbles program of nonnuclear defense seen, however, in the Laboratory’s spacecraft (Figure 9). English continuing technical successes and its For further information contact remembers how Haussmann would commitment to the expression, Lyle Cox (925) 422-4858 ([email protected]).

U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory