FY14 LDRD Annual Report (Pdf)
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About the Cover The primary emphasis of the LDRD Program is high-risk, high-reward research that creates innovative technical solutions for some of our nation’s most difficult challenges in national and energy security. The cover shows several images from LDRD projects devoted to stockpile stewardship, advanced materials and manufacturing, high-performance computing, energy and climate, and bioscience and biosecurity. The large image in the middle is a simulation of multiple simultaneous physical phenomena of multiple materials depicted with software used to study the behavior of shocked materials and resulting fluid dynamics (LDRD project 14-SI-002). This capability underpins both energy and national security research, as well as computational foundations for a new breed of multiphysics codes being developed for emerging supercomputer architectures. The smaller simulation on top depicts a molten pool from the laser melting of small stainless-steel powder particles barely visible to the naked eye, for a project examining accelerated certification of additively manufactured metals (13-SI-002). The middle background across the front and back covers shows printed human microscopic vessels used to distribute oxygen and nutrients through several layers of tissue, enabling models for measuring the response to unknown chemical and biological agents (14-ERD-005). Finally, along the top and bottom are images of novel fracture-material capsules for use in hydraulic fracturing for natural gas and geothermal production that increase efficiency while minimizing environmental impacts (13-ERD-029). UCRL-TR-113717-14 Available to DOE and DOE contractors from the Office of Scientific and Technical Information P.O. Box 62, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 Prices available from (423) 576-8401 or http://apollo.osti.gov/bridge/ Available to the public from the National Technical Information Service U.S. Department of Commerce 5285 Port Royal Rd. Springfield, VA 22161 http://www.ntis.gov/ or Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Technical Information Department Digital Library http://www.llnl.gov/tid/Library.html Disclaimer This document was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government, Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. Acknowledgments The Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program extends its sincere appreciation to the principal investigators of fiscal year 2014 projects for providing the content of the annual report. The program also thanks the following members of the Laboratory Directed Research and Development Office for their many contributions to this publication: Barbara Jackson, administrator; Steve McNamara, computer specialist; Kathy Villela, resource manager; and Kristen Croteau, business manager. Scientific Editors Rokaya Al-Ayat, Eric Gard Publication Editors Jeffrey Sketchley, Ann Parker Art Director and Production Kitty Madison, Pam Williams LDRD FY2014 ANNUAL REPORT i Science and Technology on a Mission The Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program was conceived as a bold initiative to ensure that we maintain our scientific and technical vitality. Scientific and technical risk are essential attributes of an LDRD portfolio that expands Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s capability to serve our national security missions. Our ongoing investments in LDRD continue to deliver long-term rewards for the Laboratory and the nation, supporting the full spectrum of national security interests encompassed by the missions of the Laboratory, the Department of Energy, and the National Nuclear Security Administration. Many of Livermore’s programs trace their roots to research thrusts that began under LDRD sponsorship. By keeping the Laboratory at the forefront of research, maintaining and enhancing our core competencies, building new capabilities, and reaching beyond the immediate challenges toward the future, the LDRD Program enables us to pursue cutting-edge science and technology and deliver solutions for the nation’s most challenging security issues. William H. Goldstein, Director The LDRD Program is the largest single source of internal investment in our future. For fiscal year 2014, the LDRD Program supported 147 projects with an allocation of $78.2M. These projects were selected through an extensive peer-review process to ensure the highest scientific quality and mission relevance. The LDRD projects are consistent with the Laboratory’s strategic plan and impact the Laboratory in four distinct ways: • Attracting and retaining the best and the brightest workforce by conducting world-class science, technology, and engineering • Maintaining our competency in those core areas where our missions mandate that we must be the best, and evolving these competencies as our missions change—these core competency areas are consistent with the science, technology, and engineering foundations as defined in the Laboratory’s strategic plan • Developing capabilities in focus areas, guided by the strategic plan, where we have chosen to build or expand our expertise to meet our strategic vision • Looking beyond the immediate programs to future national security challenges The LDRD Program is a success story. Our projects continue to win national recognition for excellence through prestigious awards, papers published in peer-reviewed journals, and patents granted. With its reputation for sponsoring innovative projects, the LDRD Program is not only a major vehicle for attracting and retaining the best and the brightest technical staff, but for establishing collaborations with universities, industry, and other scientific and research institutions. By keeping the Laboratory at the forefront of science and technology, the LDRD Program enables us to meet our mission challenges, especially those of national security in an evolving global context. ii LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY Contents Overview About Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory .................................................................................................................................................................2 About Laboratory Directed Research and Development ...................................................................................................................................................2 About the FY2014 Laboratory Directed Research and Development Annual Report ..................................................................................................3 Highlights of Accomplishments for the Fiscal Year ...............................................................................................................................................................4 Awards and Recognition.............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 16 Program Metrics.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 34 Program Mission ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 36 Program Structure .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 37 Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Novel Rare Earth Permanent Magnets, Scott McCall (12-ERD-013) ............................................................................................................................. 44 A Scalable Topological Quantum Device, George Chapline (12-ERD-027)................................................................................................................ 46 Dynamically Tunable Nanometer-Scale Materials: From Atomic-Scale Processes to Macroscopic Properties, Juergen Biener (12-ERD-035) .................................................................................... 48 Accelerated Certification for Additively Manufactured Metals,Wayne King (13-SI-002) ...................................................................................... 51 A Three-Dimensional Radioisotope Battery, Rebecca Nikolic (13-ERD-004) ...........................................................................................................