National Security Science Winter 2021

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national security science

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Winter 2021

The plutonium issue

IN THIS ISSUE

Photobomb
Photobomb
During a November 2020 experiment at the Nevada National Security Site, researchers detonated a 14-sided device that resulted in a spiked fireball and pyramidal shock wave.Read Nowabout the article: Photobomb
Abstracts
Major milestones for the W88
After a nearly 10-year update, the warhead is stockpile-bound.Read Nowabout the article: Major milestones for the W88
Better measurements for better physics
Upgrades at Weapons Neutron Research Facility enable new levels of precision.Read Nowabout the article: Better measurements for better physics
Ask an associate director
Dave Eyler, associate Laboratory director for Weapons Production, answers three questions.Read Nowabout the article: Ask an associate director
A laser focus on safety
Optical detonators will be less susceptible to accidental detonation.Read Nowabout the article: A laser focus on safety
Building a better balloon
Scientists are on the cusp of solving an age-old engineering problem.Read Nowabout the article: Building a better balloon
Biofuel beta
Fossil fuels are increasingly blended with biofuels—and getting the ratios just right requires technology developed by three national laboratories.Read Nowabout the article: Biofuel beta
The pressure’s on
Better understanding how materials behave in extreme conditions might unlock secrets of the universe.Read Nowabout the article: The pressure’s on
Remembering Lawrence Johnston
The inventor of the exploding bridgewire detonator was the only person to witness the detonation of the world’s first three atomic bombs.Read Nowabout the article: Remembering Lawrence Johnston
Tower power
A new drop test capability helps ensure high explosives safety.Read Nowabout the article: Tower power
Aging gracefully
A recent study reveals robust performance in aged detonator explosives.Read Nowabout the article: Aging gracefully
An unconventional wedding venue
The crater formed by a 104 kiloton-yield nuclear test provided the backdrop for a Los Alamos couple’s wedding.Read Nowabout the article: An unconventional wedding venue
Analyzing the Arkansas
The battleship sank during a nuclear test—but how exactly?Read Nowabout the article: Analyzing the Arkansas
Harnessing star power
In August, the National Ignition Facility became one step closer to the holy grail of clean energy: fusion.Read Nowabout the article: Harnessing star power
Features
Atomic number 94
The element plutonium was discovered only 81 years ago, but its impact on the world has been monumental.Read Nowabout the article: Atomic number 94
Seminal publications in plutonium history
These papers made monumental advances in plutonium research.Read Nowabout the article: Seminal publications in plutonium history
Pit production explained
Los Alamos National Laboratory’s pit production mission is underway. But what does that mean? And why is Los Alamos the place for this work?Read Nowabout the article: Pit production explained
Weapons surveillance
Careful inspection of nuclear weapons in the stockpile ensures their safety, reliability, and performance.Read Nowabout the article: Weapons surveillance
Who invented the first plutonium pit?
New documents from Los Alamos National Laboratory help clarify the role of theoretical physicist Robert Christy.Read Nowabout the article: Who invented the first plutonium pit?
Faster pit analysis
Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy will help characterize pits quickly and accurately.Read Nowabout the article: Faster pit analysis
Knowledge transfer
Former Rocky Flats employees bring decades of experience to Los Alamos.Read Nowabout the article: Knowledge transfer
Launching partnerships
Collaborating with private companies allows Los Alamos National Laboratory to launch payloads more affordably, more conveniently, and more often than ever before.Read Nowabout the article: Launching partnerships
Analysis
Not your average Zoom meeting
U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm virtually visited Los Alamos to give kudos and encouragement to the Laboratory workforce.Read Nowabout the article: Not your average Zoom meeting
Being essential
What’s shaking?
Whether she’s studying earthquakes at work or logging miles on her bike, geologist Liz Miller is on the move.Read Nowabout the article: What’s shaking?
Then & now
Then & now
Los Alamos’ Dual-Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test facility Read Nowabout the article: Then & now