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Last week’s announcement that the National Ignition Facility had achieved another record laser output shows how far Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has advanced the technology of high power lasers.
According to some, the superlatives are breathtaking. At 500 trillion watts, the laser delivered 1,000 times more power than the United States uses at any instant. At 1.85 million joules, its energy output is now 100 times higher than any other laser can produce on a regular basis.
More subtle features of the experiment revealed the kinds of precise control that creates a firm foundation for future research. For example, total laser energy was within one percent of intended. Energy was distributed uniformly, to within one percent, among the laser’s 192 beams.
Praise for the accomplishment came in from experts in the field. Richard Petrasso, senior research scientist and division head of high energy density physics at MIT, called it an “extraordinary accomplishment.”
Raymond Jeanloz of UC-Berkeley declared it a “breakthrough” that will create “incredible new opportunities in studying materials at extreme conditions.”
While congratulations were flowing, the achievement also underscored other features of what scientists have to deal with at the absolute forefront of laser technology. For one thing, the capabilities of the 192-beam laser are so advanced that its experiments are carrying scientists into new regimes of science and technology.
For another, the laser’s optical components are constantly being stressed to the edge of failure, so that major experiments often require repair or replacement of expensive parts before another experiment can take place.
For a third, the huge laser can be a target for those envious of its budget or simply ignorant of how difficult its groundbreaking path is.
Scientists have learned aftermonths of steady and sometimes sensational progress in pushing laser performance, it has turned out to be far more difficult than expected to achieve a goal that some anticipated would be reached by now. That goal is imploding a small fusion target symmetrically to achieve the super-energy burst known as ignition. The result can be compared to what happens on a scale millions of times larger in thermonuclear bombs when the energy of a fission explosion sets off a more powerful fusion explosion.
The absence of ignition in NIF experiments to date, coupled with the inability of sophisticated computer programs to predict how certain experiments would turn out, has led some critics to charge that the Livermore ignition program is overfunded and that future resources should be diverted to other goals and even other laboratories.
In early May, sounding as if it were discussing an engineering project rather than advanced research, the House Appropriations Committee worried that NIF’s “considerable costs will not have been warranted” if it does not achieve ignition by September 30, the end of the federal fiscal year.
Absent proof of ignition, it recommended “a lower, though still robust, level of experimental activity on the NIF” in the following fiscal year.
Later that month, in a tone that seemed to demand that research breakthroughs take place according to schedule, the House Armed Services Committee recommended that NIF’s ignition research budget for next year be cut by $30 million from the requested $84 million budget unless NIF achieves ignition by September 30.
Further, the committee went on to call for appropriating no more than half the funding for Livermore ignition R&D until ignition is achieved or the responsible federal administrator explains how to achieve it – a restriction that would specifically not apply to Sandia or the University of Rochester, whose research programs in some respects compete with Livermore.
Perhaps to strengthen its case that there had been undue delay in reaching ignition, the committee made the inaccurate claim that NIF had become “fully operational” in 2009. In fact, it only reached full operational capacity in March of this year, firing all 192 beams slightly above design capacity and with the even distribution of energy that is needed for ignition experiments.
Three local congressional representatives, all California Democrats, have been kinder to NIF, recognizing the basic research and national defense contributions that the laser has made to date, as well as the difficulty it faces in operating at the extreme technical frontier.
John Garamendi, who represents the Livermore area, urged patience as the Lab tries to achieve ignition. “Science doesn't always follow the timelines of mankind. We would be centuries behind if we gave up after every scientific hiccup," he said.
Jerry McNerney, who represents Pleasanton, said he is concerned that changing congressional guidance could “reduce the time and resources spent on achieving fusion. . . . The recent high-energy shots that operated at 500 trillion watts are extremely encouraging. We must not lose focus in the wake of such progress.”
Zoe Lofgren, whose 16th District includes San Jose, also points to recent announcements of laser achievements. Like McNerney, she is a member of the Energy and Environment subcommittee of the House Science, Space and Technology committee – an assignment that makes Livermore Laboratory programs a matter of interest.
Lofgren notes that a recent National Academy of Science review found that the ignition research has “made extraordinary progress” even though it has not attained its ultimate goal. In a televised exchange, she and Presidential science advisor John Holdren agreed that NIF ignition research is valuable and should continue.
She made similarly supportive remarks earlier this month in a discussion with two other congressional representatives, Rodney Freylinghausen (R-N.J.) and Peter Visclosky (D-Ind.) In an interview with the Independent, she also said that she believes there is a congressional consensus on the importance of continuing both basic and fusion energy research with NIF.
The issue of using NIF for fusion energy research raises hackles in some quarters, not least because its reason for being has always been nuclear weapons research. In the absence of nuclear testing, NIF comes closer than any other instrument to creating the conditions present in an exploding thermonuclear warhead.
Beyond its primary purpose, NIF is many other things as well, including a tool for astrophysics research and for exploring fusion energy concepts.
Many think the Laboratory has seriously over-promoted the system’s energy potential, which could not be realized without new generations of lasers, targets and energy extraction systems.
However, in issuing last week’s announcement about the high power laser shot, the Laboratory first emphasized the system’s application to nuclear stockpile maintenance. It then mentioned basic studies like astrophysics, while energy potential was listed third.
Record NIF Achievement Reflects Complex Research Environment - The Independent: News
According to some, the superlatives are breathtaking. At 500 trillion watts, the laser delivered 1,000 times more power than the United States uses at any instant. At 1.85 million joules, its energy output is now 100 times higher than any other laser can produce on a regular basis.
More subtle features of the experiment revealed the kinds of precise control that creates a firm foundation for future research. For example, total laser energy was within one percent of intended. Energy was distributed uniformly, to within one percent, among the laser’s 192 beams.
Praise for the accomplishment came in from experts in the field. Richard Petrasso, senior research scientist and division head of high energy density physics at MIT, called it an “extraordinary accomplishment.”
Raymond Jeanloz of UC-Berkeley declared it a “breakthrough” that will create “incredible new opportunities in studying materials at extreme conditions.”
While congratulations were flowing, the achievement also underscored other features of what scientists have to deal with at the absolute forefront of laser technology. For one thing, the capabilities of the 192-beam laser are so advanced that its experiments are carrying scientists into new regimes of science and technology.
For another, the laser’s optical components are constantly being stressed to the edge of failure, so that major experiments often require repair or replacement of expensive parts before another experiment can take place.
For a third, the huge laser can be a target for those envious of its budget or simply ignorant of how difficult its groundbreaking path is.
Scientists have learned aftermonths of steady and sometimes sensational progress in pushing laser performance, it has turned out to be far more difficult than expected to achieve a goal that some anticipated would be reached by now. That goal is imploding a small fusion target symmetrically to achieve the super-energy burst known as ignition. The result can be compared to what happens on a scale millions of times larger in thermonuclear bombs when the energy of a fission explosion sets off a more powerful fusion explosion.
The absence of ignition in NIF experiments to date, coupled with the inability of sophisticated computer programs to predict how certain experiments would turn out, has led some critics to charge that the Livermore ignition program is overfunded and that future resources should be diverted to other goals and even other laboratories.
In early May, sounding as if it were discussing an engineering project rather than advanced research, the House Appropriations Committee worried that NIF’s “considerable costs will not have been warranted” if it does not achieve ignition by September 30, the end of the federal fiscal year.
Absent proof of ignition, it recommended “a lower, though still robust, level of experimental activity on the NIF” in the following fiscal year.
Later that month, in a tone that seemed to demand that research breakthroughs take place according to schedule, the House Armed Services Committee recommended that NIF’s ignition research budget for next year be cut by $30 million from the requested $84 million budget unless NIF achieves ignition by September 30.
Further, the committee went on to call for appropriating no more than half the funding for Livermore ignition R&D until ignition is achieved or the responsible federal administrator explains how to achieve it – a restriction that would specifically not apply to Sandia or the University of Rochester, whose research programs in some respects compete with Livermore.
Perhaps to strengthen its case that there had been undue delay in reaching ignition, the committee made the inaccurate claim that NIF had become “fully operational” in 2009. In fact, it only reached full operational capacity in March of this year, firing all 192 beams slightly above design capacity and with the even distribution of energy that is needed for ignition experiments.
Three local congressional representatives, all California Democrats, have been kinder to NIF, recognizing the basic research and national defense contributions that the laser has made to date, as well as the difficulty it faces in operating at the extreme technical frontier.
John Garamendi, who represents the Livermore area, urged patience as the Lab tries to achieve ignition. “Science doesn't always follow the timelines of mankind. We would be centuries behind if we gave up after every scientific hiccup," he said.
Jerry McNerney, who represents Pleasanton, said he is concerned that changing congressional guidance could “reduce the time and resources spent on achieving fusion. . . . The recent high-energy shots that operated at 500 trillion watts are extremely encouraging. We must not lose focus in the wake of such progress.”
Zoe Lofgren, whose 16th District includes San Jose, also points to recent announcements of laser achievements. Like McNerney, she is a member of the Energy and Environment subcommittee of the House Science, Space and Technology committee – an assignment that makes Livermore Laboratory programs a matter of interest.
Lofgren notes that a recent National Academy of Science review found that the ignition research has “made extraordinary progress” even though it has not attained its ultimate goal. In a televised exchange, she and Presidential science advisor John Holdren agreed that NIF ignition research is valuable and should continue.
She made similarly supportive remarks earlier this month in a discussion with two other congressional representatives, Rodney Freylinghausen (R-N.J.) and Peter Visclosky (D-Ind.) In an interview with the Independent, she also said that she believes there is a congressional consensus on the importance of continuing both basic and fusion energy research with NIF.
The issue of using NIF for fusion energy research raises hackles in some quarters, not least because its reason for being has always been nuclear weapons research. In the absence of nuclear testing, NIF comes closer than any other instrument to creating the conditions present in an exploding thermonuclear warhead.
Beyond its primary purpose, NIF is many other things as well, including a tool for astrophysics research and for exploring fusion energy concepts.
Many think the Laboratory has seriously over-promoted the system’s energy potential, which could not be realized without new generations of lasers, targets and energy extraction systems.
However, in issuing last week’s announcement about the high power laser shot, the Laboratory first emphasized the system’s application to nuclear stockpile maintenance. It then mentioned basic studies like astrophysics, while energy potential was listed third.
Record NIF Achievement Reflects Complex Research Environment - The Independent: News
