Friday, September 25, 2020

 

The quantum butterfly non-effect


Illustration from SciAm.

The butterfly effect is well accepted in our everyday world, where classical physics describes systems above the atomic scale. But in the submicroscopic world where quantum mechanics reigns, different—and very strange—rules apply. Does the butterfly effect still hold true? If not, what happens instead?

As we describe in a peer-reviewed article in Physical Review Letters, we explored this facet of quantum mechanics when we were developing a novel method to protect quantum information. Exploiting the property of quantum entanglement induced by a complex evolution, we wanted to put qubits (quantum bits) into a state where they would be immune to damage.

The authors: Nikolai Sinitsyn is a theoretical physicist in the Theoretical Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Bin Yan is a postdoc in the Center for Nonlinear Studies at the Laboratory. (Full story)




Up to 15 inches of sea-level rise from ice sheets by 2100

Antarctic melt model, LANL image.

Los Alamos National Laboratory, working with three dozen other institutions from around the world, has helped to create the most accurate prediction of how melting ice in Antarctica and Greenland will contribute to global sea-level rise.

The six-year effort, called the Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project (ISMIP6), found that by the year 2100, sea levels could rise by as much as 15 inches, from melting of the ice sheets alone. This is in addition to 5 to 26 inches of sea-level rise expected to come from ocean thermal expansion, the melting of mountain glaciers around the world, and changes in storage of water on land. (Full story)

 Also from the Los Alamos Reporter



Los Alamos’ Gary Grider argues efficiency in HPC is king

Gary Grider with the Trinity Supercomputer, LANL photo.

This interview is with Gary Grider, leader of the High Performance Computing (HPC) Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory. As Division Leader, Gary is responsible for all aspects of high performance computing technologies and deployment at Los Alamos. Additionally, Gary is responsible for managing the R&D portfolio keeping the new technology pipeline full to provide solutions to problems in the lab’s HPC environment, through funding of university and industry partners. Gary also helps manage the U.S. government investments in data management, mass storage, and IO. Gary has 26 granted patents, with 17 pending in the data storage area and has been working in HPC and HPC-related storage since 1984. (Full story)

 

  



Phil Tubesing awarded Los Alamos National Laboratory’s 2020 Global Security Medal

Phil Tubesing, LANL photo.

Philip K. “Phil” Tubesing is the 2020 awardee of Los Alamos National Laboratory’s prestigious Global Security Medal, which recognizes the exceptional achievements of active or recently retired employees who have made significant contributions to the Laboratory’s global security mission.

“Phil’s leadership and technical expertise in weapons and nuclear nonproliferation have had a tremendous impact on the Laboratory’s global security work,” said Thom Mason, Laboratory director. “He is not only a technical expert on actinide processes, but he has consistently demonstrated a unique ability to apply his expertise to a variety of global security programs at the national and international levels." (Full story)


 

Also from the Reporter this week:

Rod Borup named 2020 Electrochemical Society Fellow

Rod Borup, LANL photo.

Rod Borup, of Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Materials Synthesis and Integrated Devices group, has been named a 2020 Electrochemical Society (ECS) Fellow. The distinction recognizes advanced individual technological contributions in electrochemical and solid-state science and technology and service to the society.

“Rod is one of the Laboratory’s distinguished leaders in chemistry and materials as applied to energy applications. His recognition as an Electrochemical Society Fellow is a significant honor that he deeply deserves,” said Toni Taylor, associate laboratory director for Physical Sciences. (Full story)

 

 

 

 

Nathan Moody to share in 2021 IEEE particle accelerator award

Nathan Moody, LANL photo.

 Nathan Moody of Los Alamos National Laboratory is a co-winner of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society (NPSS) 2021 Particle Accelerator Science and Technology (PAST) Award.

“We’re very excited about Nathan Moody’s recognition with the 2021 PAST Award, which is testament to his leadership, and Nathan’s and his colleagues’ technical achievements,” said John Sarrao, deputy director for Science, Technology, and Engineering at Los Alamos. “We also look forward to watching his future accomplishments on behalf of the Laboratory and the accelerator community." (Full story)