Expanding Access to Microfluidic Fittings

WINTER • 2006/2007

A QUARTERLY RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE VOLUME 8, NO.4

Expanding access to microfluidic fittings

Riddle of the desert glass

Understanding ‘metallic water’ SANDIA TECHNOLOGY

What is Sandia Technology (ISSN: 1547-5190) is a quarterly magazine published by Sandia National Laboratories. Sandia’s world-class science, technology, and Sandia is a multiprogram engineering and science engineering work defines the Labs’ value to the laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed nation. These capabilities must remain on the Martin company, for the Department of Energy. With cutting edge, because the security of the U.S. main facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and depends directly upon them. Sandia’s Laboratory Livermore, California, Sandia has broad-based research Directed Research and Development (LDRD) and development responsibilities for nuclear weapons, Program provides the flexibility to invest in long- arms control, energy, the environment, economic term, high-risk, and potentially high-payoff competitiveness, and other areas of importance to the research and development that stretches the needs of the nation. The Laboratories’ principal mis- Labs’ science and technology capabilities. sion is to support national defense policies by ensuring LDRD supports Sandia’s four primary that the nuclear weapon stockpile meets the highest strategic business objectives: nuclear weapons; standards of safety, reliability, security, use control, and energy resources and nonproliferation; military performance. For more information on Sandia, defense systems and assessments; and see our website at www.sandia.gov homeland security and defense. LDRD also promotes creative and innovative research To request additional copies or to subscribe, contact: and development by funding projects that are Michelle Fleming discretionary, short term, and often high risk, Media Relations and Communications Department attracting exceptional research talent from across MS 0165 many disciplines. Sandia National Laboratories When the logo appears in this issue, it P.O. Box 5800 indicates that at some state in the history of the Albuquerque, NM 87185-0165 technology or program, funding played a Voice: (505) 844-4902 critical role. Fax: (505) 844-1392 E-mail: [email protected]

Sandia Technology Staff: Laboratory Directed Research & Development Program Manager: Henry Westrich Media Relations and Communications Department Manager: Chris Miller Editors: Will Keener, Sherri Mostaghni On the Cover: Sandia National Laboratories Writing: Nancy Garcia, Chris Burroughs, Neal Singer, Ron Renzi of Sandia’s Advanced Concepts and Micro- Mike Janes, Michael Padilla, Mark Boslough, systems Engineering department examines a microfluidic multiport selector valve. Story begins on page 2. Stephanie Holinka (Photo by Jeff Shaw) Sandia National Laboratories Photography: Randy J. Montoya, Bill Doty, Mark Boslough, Jeff Shaw Design: Michael Vittitow Sandia National Laboratories Winter Issue 2006/2007 SANDIA TECHNOLOGY FROM THE TABLE OF Editor Contents

Dear Readers,

Whether it’s sniffing baseball fans at an Oakland A’s game for chemicals of interest, Expanding researcher access protecting oil and gas infrastructure, under- 2 to microfluidic fittings standing the physics of water in extremely high temperature and pressure regimes, or searching for the explanation of the origins of Homeland Security chief the mysterious Libyan Desert Glass, Sandia 5 dedicates new center researchers are at it again. This issue highlights the scope of our work. We’re extending technology to one of Solving the riddle America’s leading agribusiness corporations 6 of the desert glass to help develop seeds that will grow crops that can be more readily converted to energy. We’re working with NASA on a new idea for Applying high-performance the satellites of tomorrow. We’re illuminating 9 computing to a scientific the workings of solid-state lighting at a new mystery national center. And we’ve dedicated an important new facility to help the Department of Homeland Security better prepare for Understanding ‘metallic water’ terrorist attacks or natural disasters. 10 Finally, a request that you give us the benefit of your opinion, please! Attached to Solar tower testing this issue (or at the online address listed on 12 supports NASA plan the form) is a brief survey. We’d love to get your name and address information up to date, added, or deleted, as appropriate. More Sandia – Monsanto Company importantly, we’d love to hear your ideas about 14 announce cooperative our publication’s relevance to your own work. agreement We promise to read and consider it all!

Will Keener Detect-to-warn system Editor 16 offers lifesaving capability

Keeping oil and gas 19 control systems safe

DOE selects Sandia Labs as 20 Solid-State Lighting Center

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Necessity was the mother of invention for a recently licensed suite of microfluidic fittings, manifolds, and interconnects that allows researchers and engineers to configure their own analytical devices and potentially form Expanding researcher access integrated systems for to microfluidic fittings myriad applications. Story by Nancy Garcia The suite . . . has become much used in the last three or four years.

Inventor Ron Renzi in his lab with an integrated biotoxin analysis system with an automated sample preparation front end. (Photo by Jeff Shaw)

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The valves have been “ I t’s the only time at Sandia I’ve seen Microthruster development tested for more than anything propagate like this,” says inven- 1.2 million cycles, tor Ron Renzi, a Sandia microsystems One example of an application is the engineering researcher. “It’s amazing how -funded microthruster develop- demonstrating a well-received these technologies have ment, where designs are being explored for been.” The tool set he’s referring to, a kind using propellants in nanosatellites. These robustness that of micro-plumbing set, was developed by a small satellites can be used for communi- enables creation of Sandia team, simply because nothing else cations, surveillance, or networking. The was available. fittings allow different configurations to reliable autonomous The suite was developed during the be tested, so that mixing an oxidizer to systems in the field. initial stages of a MicroChemLab Labora- increase thrust can be investigated. Liquid tory Directed Research and Development propellants are moved using electrokinetic – Yolanda Fintschenko Grand Challenge program, Renzi pumping, in which an electric field causes manager, Microfluidics Department says, when he could not find commercially flow of a liquid in a packed bed. The flow available components to easily form fluidic reaches the closed end of a capillary and seals in small spaces. MicroChemLab was drives a reverse, pressure-driven flow that designed to enhance traditional wet-bench can be tailored to the application by alter- chemical analysis of such threats as trace ing the size of particles in the packed bed. explosives and biotoxins by rapidly and Several patents have been issued or portably separating samples on chips under applied for with the assistance of Sandia’s an applied voltage. Scott Ferko, a coinventor of the patented With the help of Art Pontau, senior one-piece ferrule. Patents awarded so far manager of the Materials and Energy include those associated with compression Sciences group, and Jim Wilhelm, who manifolds, microvalves, and high-pressure handled the licensing agreement, the fittings. The fitting is capable of withstand- fittings were licensed late last year to ing pressures up to 40,000 psi and can be LabSmith, a Livermore, California-based used in smaller versions of the standard hardware company formed by former benchtop analytical tool, liquid chromatog- Sandia researchers Eric Cummings and raphy systems requiring 10,000 psi. Kirsten Pace. The microvalves include a multiport Working on the initial MicroChemLab selector valve that has been continuously project eight years ago with Mark Claud- improved over the last two years and is Closer look at Sandia’s biotoxin nic and Tom Raber, the team developed now frequently and reliably employed in analysis and sampling system. the first component, called CapTite— a microflow and nanoflow systems. one-piece ferruled fitting with thread con- “The valves have been tested for more nections for sealing to thin, flexible capil- than 1.2 million cycles, demonstrating a laries. This solved the problem of getting robustness that enables creation of reliable fluids to microchannels on chips in a way autonomous systems in the field,” says that prevents troublesome leaks or bubbles. Yolanda Fintschenko, manager of Sandia’s The next year, manifolds and interfaces Microfluidics department. The fittings that provide consistent fluid connections are also being used to enable selective with simple and accurate alignment were concentrators. developed. Sandia researchers have improved upon using this well-known force phenomenon

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(termed dielectrophoresis) by placing and employ a common breadboard and insulating obstacles within microchannels, control architecture. and the associated electrodes outside in “Researchers can grab the components, reservoirs. The insulating posts, arrayed in draw a flow schematic, integrate and the middle of the microchannel, constrict assemble the parts in hours instead of the electric field and create an electrical days, weeks, or months,” Renzi says. “We field gradient that gives rise to the par- want to take the chemist away from the ticle separation. This approach is much problem and not be doing wet chemistry easier to fabricate (using injection-molded out in the field.” polymers) than the previous glass-based Renzi is also lead engineer on a team approach. Some believe this technology, incorporating the fittings and other en- known as iDEP (for insulator-based abling technologies into the BioBriefcase dielectrophoresis), could revolutionize project, an environmental monitoring biological sample preparation. iDEP collaboration with Lawrence Livermore technology is currently the focus of a National Laboratory. The Department of cooperative research and development Homeland Security-sponsored project agreement with Lockheed Martin Corp. calls for a compact broad-spectrum bioagent detector that autonomously Nanotechnology applications collects, prepares, and analyzes samples using three techniques in a portable unit In New Mexico, these tools are en- complete with a system to archive samples abling a discovery platform for mechani- for further analysis. cal testing, optical interrogation, electronic Another DHS-funded project using this manipulation, and measurement at the suite of microfluidic tools is the Enhanced Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies. Bioaerosol Detection project. Besides San- Researchers envision applications in medi- dia, it includes Lawrence Livermore, Oak cal, defense, and similar fields. Ridge, Pacific Northwest, and Los Alamos This multiport selector One medical diagnostic application is national laboratories, as well as Yale valve is one example of a a small portable device that within min- University and the Army Research Labo- Sandia-developed utes could screen saliva for markers of ratory. The prototype is a selective aerosol microfluidic component. (Photo by Jeff Shaw) periodontal disease and blood samples for collector and fluorescence spectrometer early indicators of heart disease. Funded under investigation for potential use as a by the National Institutes of Health, this low-false-alarm-rate early warning sensor. effort includes collaborators at the Univer- “The technologies have propagated sity of Michigan’s schools of dentistry and through different programs,” Renzi says, engineering, as well as the Cornell Uni- “not all of which they were invented for.” versity’s applied and engineering physics This is likely to continue as the field of program. microfluidics and its applications evolves. “The initial investment blossomed into a real success story, and a fundamental strong element of that was the engineering,” Renzi says. “It’s gone a long way. Media contact: Mike Janes . . . We have great science here, and we (925) 294-2447, [email protected] also have great engineering to enable the science.” More than 20 second-generation Technical Contact: Ron Renzi MicroChemLab boxes relying on these (925) 294-3606, [email protected] technologies are currently used in Sandia programs. The components are modular 4 SANDIA TECHNOLOGY NEWSNOTES Homeland Security chief dedicates new center Department of Homeland Security Secre- During the 2006 hurricane season, NISAC tary Michael Chertoff dedicated a new National analyzed regions vulnerable to hurricane Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center damage so that data on key population issues, (NISAC) at Sandia in September. impacts of infrastructure disruptions, and Chertoff, members of the New Mexico con- economic consequences could be quickly gressional delegation, and other officials were available to impacted communities in the event briefed on NISAC’s technical contributions to of an actual emergency. the nation’s homeland security and saw dem- NISAC is the first facility built at a DOE onstrations of several technologies. site using DHS funding and illustrates the NISAC is a partnership between Los increasing importance of Sandia’s nonnuclear Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia under research and development. DHS is currently the DHS. It was established six years ago to working with priority projects, including integrate the laboratories’ expertise in model- radiological and nuclear countermeasures, ing and simulation of complex systems to explosives detection, chemical and biological examine both natural and manmade sensors, and facility protection efforts. infrastructure national security issues. These capabilities aid decision makers in preparedness, consequence and risk analysis, Media Contact: Stephanie Holinka policy analysis, investment and mitigation (505) 284-9227, [email protected] planning, education and training, and provide near-real-time assistance to crisis-response NISAC website: http://www.sandia.gov/mission/ organizations. homeland/programs/critical/nisac.html

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and other officials dedicated the new National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center at Sandia in September.

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The mysterious glass “yellow- green jewels that have smooth surfaces sculpted by the Solving the riddle incessant wind.” of the desert glass Story and photos by Mark Boslough

I t was in 1932 that British explorers in explosion of an asteroid or comet that Model-A Fords first visited this area of knocked down nearly a thousand square western Egypt, where they discovered a miles of trees in Siberia. I stayed an extra mysterious yellow-green glass scattered day to attend a meeting about the desert across the surface. Ever since, Libyan glass, where I argued that similar — but Desert Glass has fascinated scientists, who larger — atmospheric explosions could have dreamed up all sorts of ideas about create fireballs that would be large and hot how it could have formed. It’s too silica- enough to fuse surface materials to glass, rich to be volcanic. In some ways it re- much like the first atomic explosion gener- sembles the tektites generated by the high ated green glass at the Trinity site in 1945. pressures associated with asteroid impacts. That observation is the starting point of a King Tut connection scientific debate that became the subject of the documentary filmed for National Shortly after that workshop, one of Geographic and BBC. the Italian organizers made a discovery I was chosen to participate in the role that raised public interest in the subject. of a dissenter from the preferred explana- Vincenzo de Michele visited the Egyptian tion that the glass was formed by direct Museum in Cairo, and noticed that one of shock-melting by a crater-forming asteroid King Tutankhamun’s jeweled breastplates impact. I had stumbled into the debate contained a carved scarab that looked by accident in 1996, when I attended a suspiciously like a piece of the glass. A conference on the subject of the 1908 simple optical measurement confirmed the 6 SANDIA TECHNOLOGY

Speeding across the match in 1998. The connection of a cata- the glass is 29 million years old). Did I vast expanse of strophic explosion with the treasures of want to be part of this? ancient Egypt became a sure-fire formula Fortunately, I was assured by other Sahara desert sand in for a documentary. scientists that this would be a legitimate a four-wheel drive documentary that would focus on natural explanations for this enigmatic glass. In vehicle was not February, I found myself in Cairo with something Sandia’s Dr. de Michele, getting a firsthand look at King Tut’s glass scarab and preparing for Mark Boslough had nine days in the desert. thought to put on his Great Sand Sea calendar when he planned this year’s Our jumping-off point was the Bahariya Oasis, a large valley of villages and adobe activities. He never- houses. After the 300-kilometer drive on a two-lane highway through the lifeless theless found himself desert, the irrigated fields were startlingly — with other scien- green — the last green we would see for some time. tists and a British film Leaving the road, we embark on a crew— examining an 1,000-km voyage across the Great Sand Sea. Despite the lack of water, that name enigmatic silica glass Last December, when I was first asked by is apt. Like mariners, we don’t follow a that has survived for the producer to be interviewed, I was a lit- specified route. We are guided by the sun, tle skeptical. After all, television is known compasses, dead-reckoning, and (like 29 million years. more for sensationalism than for scientific modern sailors) GPS. If the dunes are the accuracy, and the King Tut connection had swells of the open ocean, our first day’s fueled pseudoscientific speculation on the trip is an excursion though a field of ice- web. One website even presents fanciful bergs. Towering monuments, hoodoos, and “Evidence for Ancient Atomic War,” mak- mesas of stark white limestone provide a ing the case that Egyptians had detonated maze through which we meander, opening nuclear weapons (but ignoring the fact that up to a featureless flat sand plain.

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“The first bits of glass Our Egyptian outfitter, his French part- Just before we reach the site of the glass, we find are yellow- ner, and the local drivers and crew make the dunes become linear — unbroken this trip several times every year. They plot parallel ranges running north-south for hun- green jewels that their GPS tracks on satellite images down- dreds of kilometers. Here we must carefully have smooth surfaces loaded from the web. They never repeat the pick our crossings, and then we run at high same route, but offset their trips by enough speed southward in the corridors between sculpted by the inces- distance that they explore parts of the desert the dunes, the “freeways” that have been sant wind. We hold that have never been crossed before. used by nomads for centuries (as evidenced by 100-year-old camel skeletons). them up to the sun Bedouin-style tea On our third day after leaving the last to see how the light road, our maps tell us we are within the February in the Sahara is cool, and the area where glass has been found. We stop to refracts and scatters.” wind blows so hard on the Great Sand Sea look. There are pieces of sandstone every- that it can be hazy like a marine fog. Our where, and no plants in sight. It looks strik- meals here are accompanied with sugar- ingly like the surface of Mars, and sand sifts saturated tea brewed Bedouin-style over an underfoot. The first bits of glass we find open flame of apricot wood carried from the are yellow-green jewels that have smooth orchards of Bahariya. surfaces sculpted by the incessant wind. We To the southwest, the rolling sand builds hold them up to the sun to see how the light to great dunes and the sea rises. Vehicles refracts and scatters. This is probably what frequently get stuck and have to be rescued the Pharaohs did with their piece, and the Sandia’s Mark Boslough in western Egypt. He approached by digging and driving them up special alu- Neolithic people before them. the assignment with some healthy minum ramps. It takes a special sailor’s eye Nine days of geologic exploration and skepticism, but now believes the to distinguish between a safe hard surface discussion bore fruit. You get to know your effort bore some scientific fruit. and the treacherous soft sand, especially colleagues well during long days driving and long nights in camp. Everyone figures out the strengths and weaknesses in one another’s ideas. It would be premature to claim that we solved the mystery, but new friendships and collaborations have emerged, and renewed interest in this scientific mystery has energized debate over this unique glass.

Media Contact: Michael Padilla (505) 284-5325, [email protected] at 100 kilometers/hour. Arabic, French, and English conversations crackle over the Technical Contact: Mark Boslough radio, and throbbing Egyptian music plays (505) 845-8851, [email protected] on the driver’s iPod.

8 SANDIA TECHNOLOGY Applying high-performance computing to a scientific mystery

Red Storm simulated the airburst While most natural glasses are volcanic in and rapid quenching to form the Libyan Desert and impact of a 120-meter diam- origin, rare exceptions are tektites, formed by Glass. eter stony asteroid, shown in this shock melting associated with hypervelocity Although the risk to humans for such an sequence. Meteoric vapor mixes impacts of comets or asteroids. The Libyan impact is remote, it is not negligible, Boslough with the atmosphere to form an Desert Glass falls into neither of these catego- notes. The precise probability of such an event opaque fireball with a temperature of thousands of degrees. The hot ries and has baffled scientists since its 1932 and its consequences are difficult to calculate, vapor cloud expands to a diameter discovery. but research on large aerial bursts is forcing of 10 km within seconds, still in Sandia physicist Mark Boslough’s study of risk assessment to recognize and account for contact with the surface. the 1994 collision of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 these large natural processes. with Jupiter provided an opportunity to model a hypervelocity atmospheric impact. Along with observation of the actual event, the model provided insights that provided a likely scenario for the formation of the Libyan Desert Glass. How did the glass Using Sandia’s Red Storm supercomputer, Boslough and his team ran a three-dimension- form? Boslough, al simulation, using huge amounts of memory working with Sandia’s and processing power. The simulation supports the hypothesis that the glass was formed Red Storm computer, by radiative heating and ablation of sandstone and alluvium near the “ground zero” of a 100- offered a simulation megaton or larger explosion caused by the that suggests one breakup of a comet or asteroid. The shock-physics simulations show a 120- possible solution: an meter-diameter asteroid entering the atmosphere at a speed of 20 kilometers/second and asteriod airburst. breaking apart just before hitting the ground. The fireball generated by the explosion remains in contact with the Earth’s surface at Expedition camp was set up in “corridor B” in the temperatures exceeding the melting tempera- southern part of the Great Sand Sea, within the area ture of quartz for more than 20 seconds. The of Libyan Desert Glass. The corridors — made up fireball and the air speed behind the blast of relatively recent gravels and separated by linear wave (hundreds of meters per second during dunes — have long provided travel routes in this the 20 seconds) are consistent with melting remote area. 9 SANDIA TECHNOLOGY Understanding ‘metallic water’ Thunderbird super- A new computational model developed computer simula- at Sandia alters significantly the theoretical diagram used to understand water at extreme tions by two Sandia temperatures and pressures and expands the researchers have known range of water’s electrical conductivity, according to Labs’ researchers Mike Desjarlais significantly altered and Thomas Mattsson. the theoretical The Sandia work shows that phase boundaries for “metallic water” — water with its electrons diagram universally able to migrate like a metal’s — should be low- used by scientists ered from 7,000 to 4,000 kelvin and from 250 to 100 gigapascals of pressure. A phase boundary to understand the describes conditions at which materials change characteristics of state. An example would be water changing to steam or ice. In this instance, water in its pure water at extreme state — an electrical insulator — becomes a temperatures and conductor. One ramification of the lowered boundary pressures. is revision of astronomy calculations of the The surprising re- strength of the magnetic cores of gas-giant planets like Neptune. Because the planet’s tem- sults were not the peratures and pressures lie partly in the revised intent of Sandia sector, electrically conducting water probably The electrically conducting coinvestigators contributes to Neptune’s structure of metallic water magnetic field. occurs at a more accessible Thomas Mattsson The recent calcula- part of the water phase tions — published in diagram than formerly and Mike Desjarlais. thought. Here, a snapshot Physical Review Letters from a computer simulation last summer and pre- demonstrates the atomic sented at the 12th Inter- disorder. Red spheres are national Workshop on hydrogen atoms, white the Physics of Non-Ideal spheres are oxygen atoms, and the electron density Plasmas, held in Darm- from a partially occupied stadt, Germany — agree electron state responsible with experimental for the conductivity is measurements in research shown in gold. led by Peter Celliers of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

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The effort began with a look at a specific molecular simulation program on Sandia’s problem. “We were trying to understand Thunderbird supercomputer that included conditions at [a powerful Sandia accelerator “warm” electrons instead of unrealistic known as] Z,” says Mattsson, a theo- “cold” ones, says Desjarlais. retical physicist, “but the problems are so advanced that they linked to Molecular modeling code other branches of science.” Desjarlais extended a molecular modeling Z renovation code, written in Austria, to model electrical conductivity, and Mattsson developed a Sandia’s Z accelerator has model for ionic conductivity based on cal- been undergoing an extensive culations of hydrogen diffusion. An accurate renovation that will increase the description of water requires this combined machine’s pulse from 20 to 26 mil- treatment of electronic and ionic conductivity. lion amps — a 30 percent boost. The As it turns out, the newly discovered re- question to researchers: How will water gime will not adversely affect Sandia’s water This view of Neptune, from behave, subjected to these more extreme switches on the renovated Z machine. But NASA’s Voyager spacecraft, conditions? water switches not yet designed for future shows its blue-green The power Z emits in X-rays when it upgrades may require the more accurate atmosphere. fires is equivalent to many times the entire understanding of the phases of water discov- world’s generation of electricity — but only ered by the researchers. for a few nanoseconds. The machine creates high temperatures and pressures in water because of the 20-million-amp electrical pulses it sends through a row of water switches. Right: This more recent First, the water acts as an insulator, restrain- phase-diagram of water in the ing the incoming electric charge. Then, high energy-density regime overcome by the buildup, water transmits the (temperature on the left-hand axis and pressure along the pulse, shortening it from microseconds to bottom) also shows a calcu- approximately 100 nanoseconds. This com- lated Neptune isentrope (blue pression in time is a key element of what line.) The isentrope shows makes the Z accelerator so powerful. conditions and phases moving The concern was that the Z refurbish- deeper into the planet and was drawn by Nadine Nettelman, a ment might go beyond the ability of a water Because of Z’s success in provoking graduate student with Profes- switch to function as designed and carry fusion neutrons from deuterium pellets, it sor Ronald Redmer, Rostock the required current, says Keith Matzen, is thought of as a possible (if dark-horse) University, Rostock, Germany. director of Sandia’s Pulsed Power Sciences contender in the race for high-yield con- Center. “More efficient, larger machines may trolled nuclear fusion, which would provide run into a limit and their switches not meet essentially unlimited power to humanity. Z design requirements. So the question is: how is more immediately useful for U.S. defense does a water switch really work from first purposes — data from its firing is used to principles?” validate physics models in computer simula- One aspect of this knowledge is to model tions to certify the safety and reliability of Technical Contact: Thomas Mattsson water to get a better understanding of its the nuclear weapons stockpile. (505) 844-9215, [email protected] behavior under these extreme conditions, he says. Mattsson and Desjarlais first found Media Contact: Neal Singer deviations from the standard water-phase di- (505) 845-7078, [email protected] agram when they ran an advanced quantum 11 SANDIA TECHNOLOGY

The skies south of Albuquerque offered Solar tower testing a bright surprise in early September supports NASA plan when NASA’s Marshall Space Flight N ASA tests at Sandia’s National Solar Thermal Test Facility south of Albuquer- Center conducted que, New Mexico, in September produced experiments for its dramatic bright light, smoke, some flames, and provided information crucial to the In-Space Propulsion next generation of spacecraft. Technology Project. Using a specially built fixture to hold samples of new ablative materials, re- Sandia and NASA searchers from Marshall Space Flight tested materials Center, located in Huntsville, Alabama, mounted the test materials on special arms under extreme atop the lab’s 200-foot solar tower and temperatures for new exposed them to concentrated solar radiation. The materials scorched in the test advanced thermal were samples of heat shields that NASA plans to use as a new advanced thermal protection systems protection system in future spacecraft for for aerocapture flight aerocapture flight maneuvers. Aerocapture is a nearly fuel-free maneuvers. maneuver that uses a planet’s atmosphere Artist concept of a spacecraft using aerocapture to enter an orbit around Mars. to capture a spacecraft and place it in its (Image courtesy of NASA) desired orbit. Analogous to a rock skipped across a lake, a spacecraft arriving at a dis- tant planet plunges into the planet’s atmo- analogy is the huge amount of friction this sphere, which slows the craft and changes maneuver creates in an atmosphere: hence its trajectory into an elliptical orbit. A key the material tests at 3,500 degrees F at the difference between the rock-on-the-lake solar tower.

NASA’s test took place at Sandia’s National Solar Thermal Test Facil- ity, where solar thermal components and systems are developed, researched, and tested. (Photo by Randy Montoya)

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The solar tower used its 212 computer- allowed him to test 2-foot by 2-foot panels controlled mirrors, called heliostats, to of material, subjecting the sample to the track the sun and focus sunlight on the tar- intense heat of 1,500 suns. “We wanted to get, simulating the high heat encountered make sure it doesn’t debond — that’s the during an aerocapture maneuver. purpose of this,” Congdon said, noting the “It’s worked beautifully,” said Bill charred test panel was still in one piece Congdon, manager of the ARA Abla- after a blast of heat. tives Laboratory, the Colorado-based If the concept can be proven effective manufacturer of the advanced materials it can save almost half of the mass usually for NASA. The structure created on the taken up in a spacecraft by fuel, according tower high above the New Mexico desert to NASA estimates.

Sandia’s John Kelton prepares samples of NASA’s advanced ablative heat shield materials for a test atop the 200-foot solar tower. The materials are designed to shed heat by thermal consumption of their outer layers as the shielded spacecraft maneuvers within planetary atmospheres. (Photo by Randy Montoya)

Cheryl Ghanbari, test engineer at the large objects under such intense heat, solar tower, subjected the shield materials said Bonnie James, technology manager to their high temperature flight environ- of aerocapture propulsion technology ment, by controlling exposure duration at Marshall. The project had evaluated using preprogrammed heliostate move- thermal test facilities all over the country, ments. Intensity was controlled by varying but said that it was difficult to find facili- the number of heliostats used for each ties that could test things “larger than a test. The Sandia team monitored radiation coupon,” a much smaller sample than this flux, the intensity of solar energy, using a test required. radiometer that is exposed before and after “This is a very unique facility with each test. very unique capabilities,” James said. Ablation gases rise from a Researchers have conducted more than material as it is superheated by a 100 similar tests on samples ranging from beam from Sandia’s solar tower. (Photo by Randy Montoya) 5-inch-diameter pucks to the current 24- Media Contact: Stephanie Holinka inch square samples during the past three (505) 284-9227, [email protected] years. Sandia’s facility is the only place in the For more information: country where NASA can test relatively www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news 13 SANDIA TECHNOLOGY

Sandia - Monsanto Company announce cooperative agreement

R esearchers at Sandia National Labo- will apply Sandia’s patented imaging tech- ratories and Monsanto Company, based in nology to aid in the study of plant tissue Creve Coeur, Missouri, have announced samples of interest to Monsanto, the first a three-year research collaboration that is agriculture company to make use of this Sandia’s imaging expected to play a role in both organiza- cutting-edge approach. tions’ interests in biology and bioenergy. Hyperspectral imaging is an advanced equipment offers the Monsanto Company is a leading global scanning technology that provides signifi- possibility of better provider of technology-based solutions cantly more information on a subject of and agricultural products that improve interest than other scanning technologies understanding farm productivity and food quality. The commercially available today by detecting ways to convert arrangement is aimed at aligning Sandia’s microscopic images using a continuous capabilities in bioanalytical imaging and spectrum of light. cellulose-containing analysis with Monsanto’s research in The shared goal for the partners is to biomass into developing new seed-based products for identify components and struc- farmers that may be able to produce more ture of plants — includ- transportation fuel. ethanol per bushel. ing grasses, trees, corn, Sandia’s equipment “offers a unique soybeans, and other imaging capability,” said Grant Heffelfin- crops — that can most ger, senior manager of the labs Molecular easily be converted to and Computational Biosciences group. liquid transportation The tool offers the possibility of better fuels. Monsanto’s crop For more information on Monsanto: understanding ways to convert cellulose- analytics research www.monsanto.com containing biomasss into transportation program has re- fuel, he said. cently played a role Technical Contact: Grant Heffelfinger The research, which falls under a in discovering new (505) 845-7801, [email protected] larger, “umbrella” cooperative research products for farm- and development agreement (CRADA), ers, including corn Media Contact: Mike Janes (925) 294-2447, [email protected] will initially focus on hyperspectral fluo- hybrids that offer rescence imaging and spectral analysis. more ethanol output Researchers from the two organizations per bushel and soy- 14 SANDIA TECHNOLOGY

This first use of the bean varieties that produce more nutritious oils for consumers. cutting-edge “Seeking out new and innovative sci- hyperspectral imag- entific tools is an important part of how we bring forward new technologies for the ing and analysis farmer,” said Pradip Das, director of Crop technology by Analytics for Monsanto. “This collaboration provides Monsanto with a new opportunity an agricultural com- to further augment our existing crop analyt- pany will support a ics program, offering our researchers another way to better understand genomic profiles joint goal — how to for seed and trait development.” The tool identify and will save Monsanto labor, cost, and time, Ancillary research focusing on the pho- Das said. tosynthetic properties of various plants and develop grains with Sandia researchers in New Mexico will microbes, for instance, will add to the labo- the highest poten- investigate, develop, and further advance the ratory’s growing expertise in understanding hyperspectral imaging technology and analy- the conversion of sunlight to sugars, relevant tial of conversion to sis methods and capabilities for agricultural not only to the production of new fuels from transportation fuels. product discovery and development. biomass but also essential to the global “A strategic relationship with Monsanto carbon cycle and carbon sequestration. makes sense on many levels and will bolster Recent biotechnology endeavors at our collective long-term objectives in bio- Sandia have focused on developing and energy and biofuels,” said Terry Michalske, applying biotechnologies to identify early director of Sandia’s Biological and Energy signs of infectious diseases through protein Sciences Center. He noted that researchers interactions and biomarkers at the single cell at Sandia’s Combustion Research Facility in and whole organism scale. Sandia is also California could eventually benefit from the planning a key role in a multilab/university CRADA by gaining experience with agri- effort to bring a DOE-funded bioresearch cultural samples that have bioenergy/biofuel facility to the San Francisco Bay Area. applications and uses. Sandia researchers Michael Sinclair (foreground) and David Haaland prepare a hyperspectral confocal micro- scope for measurement of a biological specimen. (Photo by Randy Montoya)

15 SANDIA TECHNOLOGY Detect-to-warn system offers lifesaving capability Scientists from Sandia pondered whether their detection equipment could catch a whiff of a terrorist chemical attack in a morass of other smells. They found out by field testing the equipment at McAfee Coliseum B aseball fans cheering on their beloved different chemicals using multiple overlap- while the Oakland A’s Oakland A’s in a summer homestand may ping detection technologies and live video. have been happy about the team’s play, but “The beauty of this system is that it can battled the Detroit the best news for those visitors to McAfee be packaged and set up at a venue within Tigers and Los Coliseum didn’t take place on the field a day’s notice, without having to sacrifice and couldn’t be noticed by even the most any of the robustness or features required Angeles Angels. observant spectators. by such a sophisticated system,” said Wu. Despite the mélange Through late June and early July, “The bottom line is that it can help emer- researchers from Sandia National Labora- gency responders save more lives in the of cigar smoke, after- tories in Livermore, California — roughly event of a terrorist attack.” shave, hairspray, and 30 minutes east of the A’s home at McAfee SNIFFER can detect a variety of Coliseum — tested the Sensing Nodes chemical warfare agents as well as the ambient odors from Informing and Facilitating Fast Emer- more common toxic industrial chemicals. the surrounding in- gency Response (SNIFFER) during a The SNIFFER platform will also readily series of games. The system, which can be accept other types of detectors, such as dustrial neighborhood packaged and deployed locally within 24 those that sense radiological material. As and Interstate 880, hours, was developed for the Department a “detect-to-warn” system, said Wu, the of Homeland Security and is designed to aim of SNIFFER is to alert emergency the result was provide swift yet effective protection at responders to a chemical release early on successful. high-profile events. and enable evacuations or other timely The research verdict: “It was very clean response measures to minimize casualties. based on what we were expecting,” said Ben Wu, a chemical engineer at Sandia who Detection and surveillance mix serves as project manager for SNIFFER. SNIFFER is designed to provide broad, A 2004 version of SNIFFER (then high-confidence coverage of more than 40 reported in Sandia Technology as Sen- 16 SANDIA TECHNOLOGY

sor Management Architecture) used just While indoor spaces concentrate smells one “node,” a box laden with electronic and chemicals, such as floor waxes and components, detectors, and communica- cleansers, homeland security officials tions equipment, and just two detectors. wanted to learn about open-air venues The SNIFFER system has matured to the — especially those used for special events, point that eight nodes, totaling some 64 detectors, were networked in and around McAfee Stadium during the Oakland deployment. The detectors, said Wu, use a variety of technologies and capabilities in order to counter any attempts by outside forces or terrorists to tamper with the system, and simply to avoid having to rely too heavily on any one detector. Detectors are placed strategically and, depending on wind trajectory and other environmental variables, might even be placed outside a venue’s physical boundaries. The system also incorporates video surveillance cameras, which serve both to confirm the findings of the detection equipment and to keep a lookout for illicit attempts to damage or alter any system components. In designing and testing the SNIFFER system for DHS, said Wu, the main ob- stacle has been in dealing with the plethora of “background noise” common in or near SNIFFER is designed to provide quick yet effective large venues — one reason why Sandia’s protection at high-profile events. team appreciated McAfee Coliseum management allowing a multigame test deploy- such as the Super Bowl and the Olympics. ment there. The goal over the next few years is to “You simply can’t reproduce in a build a network of chemical sensors that laboratory the kind of real-world environ- require little attention but can sniff an ment in which SNIFFER is meant to be Chemical detection dangerous chemicals in time to quickly system can detect chemical deployed,” Wu said. warn venue operators to activate emer- warfare agents as well as gency response measures. common toxic chemicals. Special events In addition to the deployment at McAfee Coliseum, Sandia evaluated In a typical sports venue such as SNIFFER during a 10-week stint at McAfee, he said, detectors must try to Sandia’s Livermore site and at a brief Media Contact: Mike Janes differentiate between authentic chemical deployment at San Francisco International (925) 294-2447, [email protected] releases and cigarette smoke, automobile Airport in early 2005. emissions, perfumes, odors from popcorn Technical Contact: Ben Wu machines, hamburger stands, and hot (925) 294-2015, [email protected] dog vendors. 17 SANDIA TECHNOLOGY Keeping oil and gas control systems safe

LOGIIC team members Bryan Richardson and Weston S andia has taken the role as the lead LOGIIC was funded by the Department Henry, standing, demonstrate national lab in Project LOGIIC. The of Homeland Security’s Science and Tech- the project’s monitoring solu- project, Linking the Oil and Gas Industry nology Directorate. The program brought tion hosted at Sandia’s Center to Improve Cyber Security, was created together 14 organizations to identify ways for Control Systems Security. to keep U.S. oil and gas control systems to reduce cyber vulnerabilities in process (Photo by Randy Montoya) safe and secure, and to help minimize the control and SCADA (Supervisory Control chance that a cyber attack could severely And Data Acquisition) systems. The goal damage or cripple America’s oil and gas of the project was to identify new types infrastructure. of security sensors for process control The concern: An attack by viruses, networks. worms or other forms of cyber terrorism Sandia worked with project partners to on oil and gas industry process control create a simulation test bed and apply this networks and related systems could environment to counter potential threats to destabilize energy industry supply capa- the oil and gas industry using hypotheti- bilities and negatively impact the national cal attack scenarios. Sandia researchers economy. created two real-time models of control 18 SANDIA TECHNOLOGY

“Without monitoring, systems used for refinery and pipeline The monitoring system developed in operations. LOGIIC is based on the latest commer- it’s difficult to detect Ben Cook, project lead for Sandia, said cial enterprise detection and correlation cyber adversaries, LOGIIC brought together government, technologies adapted to monitor control asset owners, vendors, and the research networks, providing asset owners with who might be community to protect the critical infra- dramatically improved awareness,” Cook attempting to structure. A key element of LOGIIC’s said. public-private partnership model was the To test LOGIIC’s monitoring capabili- compromise leadership role it gave to industry partners ties, Sandia researchers came up with five critical system — in this case the oil and gas asset own- vulnerability scenarios based on cyber ers — to define the technical problem and compromises commonly used in the components.” manage the project towards a successful hacker community. Ray Parks, who led – Ben Cook outcome. the development of the scenarios, used his LOGIIC project leader “Current control system operators have background as a member of Sandia’s cyber limited situational awareness,” he said. red team, which has performed numerous “In LOGIIC, industry leaders chose to vulnerability assessments of oil and gas focus the partnership team’s initial work and other critical infrastructure facilities. on addressing their concern that control LOGIIC included experts in homeland networks aren’t monitored for cyber security, oil and gas, security research, security technology, and process control technology. Project results were shared this fall at the LOGIIC Summit in Houston, Texas. The meeting showcased results and pro- moted the partnership model as a template for future public-private partnerships to improve infrastructure security. A field test of the LOGIIC solution is planned.

Media Contact: Michael Padilla (505) 284-5325, [email protected]

The LOGIIC website: www.logiic.org

intrusions as is routinely done on business networks. Without monitoring, it’s difficult to detect cyber adversaries, who might be attempting to compromise critical system components.

19 SANDIA TECHNOLOGY NEWSNOTES DOE selects Sandia Labs as Solid-State Lighting Center Sandia National Laboratories is the new and help maintain the U.S. economy’s strong home of the National Laboratory record of global leadership in growth and jobs Center for Solid-State Lighting creation.” Research and Development. U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman said he hoped the U.S. Department of Energy tens of thousands of high-paying jobs that will (DOE) Secretary Samuel emerge in this budding industry in the next few W. Bodman made the years will stay in the U.S., rather than go over- announcement at a seas. “It makes sense that this research will be news conference at done right here at Sandia, where scientists Sandia’s International are already hard at work developing this Programs Building in technology.” October. U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici praised DOE for Sandia will conduct making the investment in solid-state lighting vital solid-state lighting research. He said there are many ways the research and coordinate nation can address the issue of the over- related research efforts at sev- consumption of crude oil from overseas. He eral other national laboratories. predicted a bright future for solid-state lighting. DOE will provide funding of $5 million “There will be spin-offs” from this research, he The mixture of light from for seven research projects in solid-state said, and the labs involved will find “the longest LEDs of multiple colors lighting, including $2.6 million for four Sandia waiting list they’ve ever seen” for partners from creates white light with a high projects, Bodman said. The funding comes industry and academia eager to collaborate on color rendering quality. from DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and research projects. Renewable Energy. Courtesy of “The research will be conducted at the Fred Schubert, RPI new nanotechnology centers at our national laboratories,” Bodman said, including the just dedicated Sandia/Los Alamos Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT). “This is part of nearly $20 million we are committing this year to support research and development efforts in this rapidly emerging technology.” Bodman laid out the case for investment in solid-state lighting R&D, noting that 18 percent of all U.S. energy generated — valued at $55 billion — goes to lighting homes, offices, and factories. “We believe a set of revolutionary new technologies, called solid-state lighting, Technical Contact: Jerry Simmons offers excellent prospects for meeting our (505) 844-8402, [email protected] future lighting needs in a less costly, more efficient way than today’s incandescent and even Jerry Simmons, left, senior manager of Sandia’s Media Contact: Chris Burroughs fluorescent fixtures,” Bodman said. Energy Sciences Department briefs visitors, includ- (505) 844-0948, [email protected] ing DOE Secretary Samuel Bodman. Shortly after, “We also believe that solid-state lighting Bodman announced that the Center for Integrated presents an excellent opportunity for the U.S. Nanotechnologies at Sandia is the new home of the to assume a leadership role in an emerging National Laboratory Center for Solid-State Lighting industry that can generate thousands of high- Research and Development. paying, high-quality jobs in the years ahead (Photo by Randy Montoya) 20 Changing the world one technology at a time.

Sandia works closely with industry, small businesses, universi- ties, and government agencies to bring new technologies to the marketplace.

We have been transferring technology to external partners for more than three decades, especially where such agreements benefit Sandia’s primary mission of securing a peaceful and free world through technology. Discover how you can leverage the resources of a national laboratory for your benefit.

There are many ways to partner with Sandia. To find out more about Sandia’s programs, visit: www.sandia.gov www.sandia.gov/bus-ops/partnerships Sandia is an equal opportunity employer. We maintain a drug-free workplace. “The initial investment blossomed into a real success story, and a fundamental strong element of that was the engineering. It’s gone a long way. . . . We have great science here, and we also have great engineering to enable the science. More than 20 second-generation MicroChem- Lab boxes relying on these technologies are currently used in Sandia programs.”

Ron Renzi, Sandia microsystems engineer

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