NSS Spring 2019.Indd
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PHOTOBOMB ▼ The accelerators at the Dual-Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test (DARHT) facility produce intense, high-energy electron beams that generate radiographs (x-rays) of nuclear-type explosions. These images help validate computer simulations of nuclear weapon performance. Photo: Michael Pierce IN THIS ISSUE 2 Letters: Innovation National security depends on pioneering scientists and engineers who respond to challenges with new, o en-surprising, ideas. 4 Abstracts: Notes and news from around the Lab Director om Mason takes the helm at Los Alamos, the Laboratory 2 4 wins eight “Oscars of Invention”, and more. FEATURES 10 Faces of innovation: Meet 10 seven scientists and engineers whose 24 groundbreaking ideas, experiments, and data have big implications for national security. 24 Beyond Trinity: 75 years of weapons advances In addition to creating the world’s rst nuclear device, Los Alamos has made nuclear weapons more e ective, safe, and speci c to military needs. 34 Additive manufacturing: The power of powder At the Laboratory’s Sigma Complex, metal components are created with powder, layer by layer, to 34 withstand extreme environments. 44 Analysis: The science of policy ree members of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) share their thoughts on innovation and how having a science background is important for shaping policy. 44 46 Being Essential: The need for speed Je rey Luehring is all about parts —weapons parts for his job in materials management and boat parts for the jet boat he drag races. 48 Accolades: e distinguished 46 achievements of Los Alamos employees. 49 Looking Back: A scuba diver explores the wreckage of the USS Arkansas, which ABOUT THE COVER: was sunk during the 1946 Baker test of Technical Area 3—the administrative 49 Operation Crossroads. hub of Los Alamos National Laboratory—is where innovation happens in support of the Lab’s national security mission. LETTERS MASTHEAD EDITOR Whitney Spivey ART DIRECTOR Brenda Fleming STORY EDITOR Eileen Patterson WRITERS Katharine Coggeshall, INNOVATION Kris Fronzak, Cristina Olds, NATIONAL SECURITY depends on Octavio Ramos, Justin Warner PHOTOGRAPHER Michael Pierce pioneering scientists and engineers DESIGNERS Sarah Tasseff, who respond to challenges with new, Evan Wells COPY EDITOR Amy Elder often-surprising, ideas. EDITORIAL ADVISORS Jeremy Best, David Clark, challenges and successes of Jonathan Ventura pioneering new technologies— such as Scorpius, a linear National Security Science highlights induction accelerator that will work in the weapons and other take x-rays (radiographs) of national security programs at the late stages of implosion Los Alamos National Laboratory. experiments at the Nevada Current and archived issues of the National Security Site (NNSS). magazine are available at Innovation, of course, also lanl.gov/nss. NSS is unclassi ed builds on previous discoveries. and supported by the Lab’s O ce “Beyond Trinity: 75 Years of of Nuclear and Military A airs. To BY BOB WEBSTER Weapons Advances” (p. 24) subscribe, email DEPUTY DIRECTOR, WEAPONS reminds us that Los Alamos [email protected], or designed the rst call 505-667-4106. “THERE IS NO PLACE nuclear test (Trinity) FOR DOGMA IN LA-UR-19-21474 and then traces SCIENCE,” Robert Los Alamos National Laboratory, an the progressive Oppenheimer, the rst a rmative action/equal opportunity breakthroughs that Laboratory director, employer, is operated by Triad National made nuclear weapons Security, LLC, for the National told Life magazine in not only more e ective Nuclear Security Administration for 1949. “ e scientist is the U.S. Department of Energy under but also safer and free, and must be free, contract 89233218CNA000001. better maintained. to ask any question, to Today, Los Alamos doubt any assertion, to NSS STAFF SPOTLIGHT stewards the stockpiled variants seek for any evidence, to correct ▼ of the B61, W76, W78, and W88 any errors.” nuclear weapons and is updating Seventy years later, the W76, W88, and B61 to Oppenheimer’s words still ensure that these weapons ring true, and Los Alamos remain safe, secure, and reliable. remains a hotbed of creative As part of this modernization, thinking and innovation. From Los Alamos is considering new Frederick Reines’ Nobel Prize materials and manufacturing in physics to the Laboratory’s techniques. On p. 34, “Additive collective 153 R&D 100 Awards, Editor Whitney Spivey Manufacturing: e Power of stands in front of the Los Alamos is world renowned Sedan Crater at the Powder” examines how complex NNSS. The 320-foot- for pushing the boundaries of metal components are created deep crater was formed science and engineering. when a nuclear test with powder, layer by layer—a device was detonated underground on July 6, is issue of National Security kind of 3D printing. 1962, and displaced 12 Science magazine highlights million tons of earth. Ten years ago, 3D printing just a handful of the innovative Today, underground of weapons parts would have testing is prohibited, people and technologies that have but scientists are been science ction. Ten years put—and keep—Los Alamos on finding new ways to from now, who knows what better understand the map. how nuclear weapons technology we’ll be using? ( e perform. Turn to On p. 21, physicist Katie Mussack three NNSA o cials interviewed p. 12 to learn more about Scorpius, an de nes innovation as “slow, on p. 44 have some ideas about innovative project at that.) One thing is certain, NNSS that will help steady progress that builds to one researchers "see," thing that people notice.” She however: Los Alamos will using radiographs, what happens to plutonium in and her colleagues, pro led in remain central to the safety and the late stages of a “ e Faces of Innovation,” share security of the United States. ★ nuclear implosion. › 2 ‹ SPRING 2019 COMMUNITY ▼ BY THE EMPLOYEE GIVING CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 2018 COMMUNITY $2.9 MILLION RAISED FOR NONPROFITS GIVING Maintaining a good relationship with Northern New Mexico is essential to the success of the Laboratory’s national security mission. 1,017 BACKPACKS FILLED WITH In his rst all-employee meeting, Laboratory SCHOOL SUPPLIES Director om Mason explained how the DONATED DURING THE BACK TO SCHOOL DRIVE 272 Lab’s national security mission is served by EMPLOYEES excellent operations and community relations. VOLUNTEERED “We’ve got to be excellent in nuclear FOR A TOTAL OF security; that’s why we’re here,” he said. “ at means we have to design, produce, and $440,000 3,543 HOURS certify current and future nuclear weapons RAISED DURING THE OF STEM EDUCATION LOS ALAMOS EMPLOYEES’ TIME IN THE COMMUNITY and reduce global nuclear threats. at’s our SCHOLARSHIP FUND LAESF primary reason for existence—not the only ANNUAL CAMPAIGN 240 FROZEN TURKEYS thing we do, but we’d better be best in class donated on Bring Your Turkey to Work day at that. We also have to deliver the scienti c discoveries and technical breakthroughs that support those missions.” 988 “It’s not enough to be great at those things,” GIFTS DISTRIBUTED DURING THE he continued. “In fact you can’t be great at HOLIDAY GIFT those things unless you’re not also excellent in DRIVE mission operations: able to sustain operations that are reliable and responsive to mission needs. If a facility is shut down, by de nition, it’s not going to be delivering on those nuclear security missions.” “And nally, we have to be excellent in our relationships with the community because 142 if we lose their con dence and trust, we NEW MEXICO STUDENTS AWARDED LAESF SCHOLARSHIPS TOTALING $712,950 will actually lose the ability to operate, and we’ll lose the support we need to get our job done. So we’ve got to sustain and enhance ■ Pictured below: Scott Crooker from the Laboratory’s National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Los Alamos’ partnerships with the community demonstrates magnetic principles to students from Santa Fe Indian School during a STEM all across Northern New Mexico.” ★ mentoring event. SPRING 2019 › 3 ‹ ABSTRACTS INFOGRAPHIC ▼ THE INTERSECTION Where science and culture converge in Northern New Mexico—and beyond. QUOTED ▼ The success we’ve achieved on the W76-1 is a testament to our ability across the Nuclear Security Enterprise to deliver on commitments to the Department of Defense, Congress, and the American people.” —NNSA Administrator Lisa Gordon-Hagerty on the completion of the W76-1 Life Extension Program (LEP), which was completed under budget and ahead of schedule in January 2018. e W76-1 is a refurbished W76 warhead, which is a Los Alamos–designed, submarine-launched ballistic missile system rst introduced into the stockpile for the U.S. Navy in 1978. is LEP has strengthened the safety and security of the United States by extending the warhead’s service life. ★ ■ Photo: U.S. Navy › 4 ‹ SPRING 2019 COMPUTING ▼ MOVING UP The Lab’s Trinity supercomputer is now ranked sixth in the world. e Department of Energy has ve supercomputers ranked in the top 10 of best-performing supercomputers in the world. e Laboratory’s Trinity machine MILITARY comes in at No. 6 on that list, up one spot from last year. ▼ “Trinity, a Cray XC40 system operated by Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, improved its performance to 20.2 peta ops, THANK YOU enough to move it up one position to the No. 6 spot,” according to TOP500, Two Air Force bases host visitors which compiles the list. from Los Alamos. Trinity arrived at Los Alamos in 2015, covers approximately 5,200 square feet Los Alamos National Laboratory thanks of oor space, and was the rst platform large and fast enough to accommodate Malmstrom Air Force Base and Minot nely resolved 3D calculations for full-scale, end-to-end weapons calculations. Air Force Base for hosting Laboratory Complex 3D simulations of nuclear detonations are required for supporting the personnel in November 2018.