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Physical and Life Sciences
Andean glaciers reacted in unison with polar ice in changing climate
For the first time, scientists have shown that glaciers in the tropical Andes mountains have been in sync with polar ice extent in Antarctica and the Arctic for nearly a million years. New research by an international team, including Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientist Christine Y. Chen, records glacier movement in the Southern Hemisphere that dates…
LUX-ZEPLIN Dark Matter Detector at Sanford Underground Research Facility delivers its first result
Deep below the Black Hills of South Dakota in the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF), an innovative and uniquely sensitive dark matter detector — the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment, led by Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (Berkeley Lab) — has passed a check-out phase of startup operations and delivered its first results. In a paper posted online today on the experiment…
3D printing allows for faster charging and higher-energy-density lithium-ion batteries
The next generations of lithium-ion batteries require higher energy and power densities at a lower cost. Current battery manufacturing, based on slurry casting and coating, is struggling to further improve these key metrics. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is partnering with Ampcera Inc. to develop solvent-free Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) additive…
Breaking the strongest chemical bonds with laser shock compression
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists recently obtained high-precision thermodynamic data on warm dense nitrogen at extreme conditions that could lead to a better understanding of the interiors of celestial objects like white dwarfs and exoplanets. The team, which includes researchers from the University of California, Berkeley and the University of…
Two LLNL scientists earn E.O. Lawrence Award
Two Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists are recipients of the prestigious 2021 E.O. Lawrence Award that recognizes mid-career U.S. scientists and engineers for exceptional scientific, technical and engineering achievements related to the broad missions of the Department of Energy (DOE) and its programs. Jennifer Pett-Ridge was recognized for her…
Physics-based cryptocurrency transmits energy (not just information) through blockchain
Researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have devised a physics-based cryptocurrency that links electrical energy and blockchain technologies in a new way. This new blockchain concept, dubbed “E-Stablecoin,” could allow electricity to be transmitted between users who are spread around the world, without the need for interconnecting wires or a grid…
DOE honors three early-career Lab scientists
Three scientists from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) are recipients of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science Early Career Research Program award. Mimi Yung, John Despotopulos and Timofey Frolov are among 83 awardees receiving the recognition. Under the program, typical awards for DOE national laboratory staff are $500,000 per year for five years…
Short Wavelengths Yield Big Dividends
Collaborative research and development focused on the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) end of the spectrum has resulted in state-of-the-art, multilayer reflective optics used for space exploration, manufacturing microchips, and more.
Additive Manufacturing Brings New Possibilities for Transparent Ceramics
Having developed several transparent ceramics for radiation detection applications for the Department of Homeland Security and the Stockpile Stewardship Program, Lawrence Livermore recently leveraged its unique additive manufacturing resources and capabilities to develop transparent ceramics with properties not previously available for use as laser materials.
The ACES in Our Hand
The Adaptive Computing Environment and Simulations (ACES) project will advance fissile materials production models and reduce risk of nuclear proliferation.
Going beyond Mother Nature’s molecules to target radioactive metals
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists and collaborators at Penn State University are improving natural molecules that would help target specific radioactive elements that are found in nuclear waste or used in nuclear medicine. Even the most effective molecules found in nature, which underwent billions of years of evolution, can still be improved for non…
With better algal forecasts comes safer water
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists and collaborators have used a new technique to better forecast the level of algal toxins that accumulate in Lake Erie every year. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are global phenomena and, in freshwater lakes and reservoirs, are caused by cyanobacteria of the genus Microcystis that produce microcystins, a suite of amino…
Laser-based ultrasound detects defect-producing features in metal 3D printing
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers have developed a new all-optical ultrasound technique capable of performing on-demand characterization of melt tracks and detecting formation of defects in a popular metal 3D printing process. In a paper published by Scientific Reports, Lab researchers propose a diagnostic using surface acoustic waves (SAW),…
LLNL partners with city of Livermore to reduce carbon emissions
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the city of Livermore to collaborate on advancing climate action in Livermore and build community-wide resilience to climate change impacts. The city’s Climate Action Plan (CAP), anticipated to be adopted by the Livermore City Council this summer, will create a roadmap to…
Scientists study superheavy elements for extraction methods
Advancing superheavy-element chemistry—the study of elements with an atomic number greater than 103—is a challenging task because of their scarce production rates and relatively short half-lives (i.e., less than 1 minute for most), thus requiring studies to be performed at the atom-at-a-time scale. The properties of these elements are linked to the physics and chemistry at…
Space weather satellite includes LLNL-developed optics
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) successfully launched the GOES-T space weather satellite on March 1, 2022. The satellite’s solar ultraviolet imager (SUVI)—an instrument used to record full-disk images at 6 extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelengths every few minutes and from a single telescope…
The Simple Cloud-Resolving E3SM Atmosphere Model (SCREAM)
Numerical models are a critical tool for predicting Earth’s future climate conditions due to the complex and inter-related processes controlling weather. While simulating the whole planet imposes severe computational challenges, global coverage is nonetheless necessary as local behavior propagates rapidly to distant areas of the globe. To solve these challenges, Peter…
Speeding up detection of climate change response to emission reductions
If humans decrease their greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere, how quickly would we detect a slowdown in global warming? In a recent study published in Nature Communications, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) climate scientist Mark Zelinka and collaborators developed a novel approach to more quickly see the temperature response to strong emissions…
LLNL garners 'A' grade in OPCW environmental test
Even after taking highly stressful exams in college, grades can still be important. Just ask researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL) Forensic Science Center (FSC). Every fall, chemists and other researchers from the FSC spend two weeks of long days undertaking the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) environmental proficiency…
Americans move to more solar and wind power in 2021
The national economy is reenergizing, quite literally. In 2021, Americans used 5% more energy than in 2020, according to the most recent energy flow charts released by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Each year, LLNL releases flow charts that illustrate the nation's consumption and use of energy. In 2021, Americans used 97.3 quads (quadrillion BTU) of energy,…
