Los Alamos Press Highlights

IBM and White House to deploy supercomputer power to fight coronavirus outbreak

Covid-19, CDC image.

IBM is partnering with the White House to make a vast amount of supercomputing power available to help researchers stop the spreading coronavirus pandemic, according to the Trump administration.

Other partners in the new consortium include NASA, MIT, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, Argonne National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories, and the National Science Foundation. (Full Story)

Sandia, LANL help hunt for vaccine

Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory are playing roles in the search for a vaccine and other medications to halt the spread of COVID-19.

Although the labs are known more for their nuclear energy and nuclear weapons research, they’ve already been involved in the design of medications. Los Alamos has been involved with cancer research.

“This taps into an effort already underway in the industry and academia,” said Irene Qualters, Los Alamos associate director for simulation and computation. (Full Story)

DoE expands on role of COVID-19 Supercomputing Consortium

Supercomputer installation at Los Alamos, LANL photo.

Key government partners so far include Argonne National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, National Science Foundation, and NASA. Among industry partners are IBM, HPE, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Microsoft. A few examples from academia include MIT, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Chicago, and Northwestern University. (Full Story)

LANL limits onsite operations consistent with CDC; State

While Los Alamos National Laboratory is not closed, the Lab is limiting onsite operations consistent with guidance from the CDC and the State of New Mexico. The vast majority of LANL employees are working from home. Onsite, the Lab is maintaining a minimum staff to support limited, key national security activities that the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has deemed mission-essential. This is a view of a LANL parking lot showing a reduction in the normally high number of vehicles.  (Full Story)

Tunable microwave reflector could be the next-generation antenna

Spatio-temporally modulated metasurface reflector, LANL graphic.

Engineers at Los Alamos National Laboratory are reinventing the mirror, at least for microwaves. Their invention could replace the familiar satellite dishes and microwave horns seen on rooftops and cell towers with flat panels that are compact, versatile and better adapted for modern communications.

“Our new reflectors offer lightweight, low-profile alternatives to conventional antennas. This is a potential boon for satellites, where minimizing weight and size is crucial,” says Abul Azad, of the MPA-CINT group at Los Alamos National Laboratory.  (Full Story)

Also from Space Daily

New law paves way for labs’ technology to reach marketplace

A new state law may pave the way for more technology being developed at New Mexico’s national laboratories to make their way to the commercial market.

It could also pave the way for more companies licensing technology from Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory, according to Jackie Kerby Moore, manager of technology and economic development at Sandia.

“We hope it will draw more companies to the labs,” Kerby Moore said. “We’re excited about the opportunities for job creation.” (Full Story)

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