Neutrons
used to examine priceless Harvard gold specimen
A rare
gold specimen called the "Ram's Horn. Harvard photo.
Scientists
at a premier U.S. laboratory have helped to unravel some of the mysteries about
a rare gold specimen discovered at a Colorado mine more than 130 years ago.
Officials at Harvard University's mineral museum were anxious
for Los Alamos National Laboratory's assistance in understanding more about the
structure of the specimen of wire gold, which looks as if it were formed by
twisting together a bunch of thin strands of gold.
The 263-gram specimen is named the Ram's Horn, and Harvard officials
have said it is the finest known example of its kind. No scientific studies
previously had been published on the internal nature of the specimen. Its
density rendered low-energy X-rays and other diagnostics ineffective, and
scientists were prevented from using invasive methods like slicing into the
specimen because that would have damaged it. (Full story)
Also from the Associated Press this week:
Los
Alamos Labs Seeking Bids on New Supercomputer
Los Alamos
National Laboratory has put out a request for proposals for a new
supercomputer.
The Los Alamos Monitor reports one of the nation's premier
nuclear labs announced recently it is seeking bids on a supercomputer dubbed
"Crossroads." Like the supercomputer the lab has now,
"Trinity," Crossroads will be put to work helping to maintain the
nation's nuclear stockpile.
Supercomputers employed by the U.S. Department of Energy often
are used to test, through computer simulation, the components of nuclear
weapons in the stockpile as well as the weapon's power and capabilities. (Full story)
Modeling
natural disasters to strengthen power grids
A
simulation tool helps identify options to
shore up
power grids. Courtesy photo.
Over the
past 13 years, more than 20 major hurricanes and snowstorms struck electric
power grids and triggered outages across the United States. Every blackout left
hundreds of thousands of people in the dark for several days. These power cuts
disrupted daily life, threatened peoples’ safety and wellbeing, and caused
millions of dollars in economic losses.
So how can we minimize the impacts of power disruptions and keep
the lights on when extreme natural hazards happen? Part of the answer may lie
in computer models that simulate the impact of hazards on power grids, and
recommend specific upgrades that electric utility companies can implement to
strengthen and protect their grids from potential future damage.
To address the need to reinforce power grids, scientists at Los
Alamos National Laboratory have developed a simulation tool for utility
companies. This research was funded by the Smart Grid R&D program within
the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Electricity (OE). It is one of
more than 80 projects in the Grid Modernization Laboratory Consortium funded by
the Department of Energy. The agency is investing in those projects to spur the
research and development of computer tools that can support resiliency of power
distribution systems in the U.S. (Full story)
Can
quantum key distribution secure the grid?
Researchers
from Oak Ridge and Los Alamos National Laboratories are working with EPB, a
Chattanooga, Tenn.-based utility and telecommunications company, to see if
quantum key distribution (QKD) can secure and sync communication among the nation’s
electricity suppliers.
Currently, energy grid communications are unencrypted or, at
best, using public-key infrastructure, making the networks vulnerable to
man-in-the-middle attacks, according to a December 2018 Los Alamos
presentation.
As the electric grid is modernized and more data is moved
online, secure communications among utilities is paramount. (Full story)
Building
the Bomb Part 1: History of Los Alamos National Lab 
KAGS was granted
exclusive access to the birthplace of the atomic bomb, the Los Alamos National
Lab in New Mexico. Part one of this series looks at the lab's history. (Full story)
