How nuclear weapons are sparking a digital revolution
Researchers say we’ve reached a technological turning point like the one that transformed pipeline processors into massively parallel machines two decades ago. It can’t come soon enough for nuclear weapons scientists and researchers. John Sarrao oversees some 700 nuclear weapons researchers as associate director for theory, simulation and computation at Los Alamos. He says scientists already have problems that only an exascale computer can solve.Bob Webster, who runs Los Alamos’ weapons program, says real-life testing had made it comparatively easy to study bombs at the right temperature, density, pressure and more. So even with computer-only blasts, they’d need physical experiments — including explosives and multibillion-dollar laser facilities — to feed real numbers into their simulations, and to use as a check on their results. (Full Story)
Bird population plummets in piñon forests pummeled by climate change
Pinyon Jays help piñon forest regenerate, photo from Audubon.On a June day in the piñon pine and juniper woodlands that lace the Pajarito Plateau in northern New Mexico, the only sound is the hot breeze wending through the trees and the occasional twitter of a Bewick’s Wren or House Finch. Fifteen years ago at this time of year, these mesas and canyons were alive with a raucous chorus of birdsong. But that was before the pines began to die.
Many wildlife species—including Pinyon and other jays, Clark’s Nutcrackers, Wild Turkeys, squirrels, and bears—gorge on piñons’ nutritious pine nuts, and little is known about how these die-offs affect them. New research published in Biological Conservation from scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) suggests that birds, at least, are not faring well in these parched woodlands. (Full Story)
Also from PhysOrg
Laser ‘license plate’ could improve identification of cubesats
Prototype device developed at Los Alamos, LANL photo.A technology using a tiny laser tracker could help resolve one of the major challenges involved with the launching of cubesats: identifying individual satellites after their deployment.
"Cubesats are being launched in larger and larger groups, and, for most cubesat operators, they have no way of telling which object is theirs immediately after launch," said Rebecca Holmes of Los Alamos National Laboratory. She noted there are other cases where it can be difficult to identify an individual cubesat, such as a lapse in tracking or an unexpected orbital change. (Full Story)
Two Los Alamos scientists named American Geophysical Union Fellows
S. Peter Gary and Geoffrey D. Reeves, LANL photos.
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) named two Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists fellows in recognition of their leadership and excellence in Earth and space sciences.
Geoffrey D. Reeves and S. Peter Gary are among 62 new fellows who will be honored at AGU’s annual conference in December in Washington, D.C. Only 0.1 percent of AGU’s 60,000-plus member scientists are named fellows each year, according to the international organization. (Full Story)
Also from the Daily Post this week:
Los Alamos National Laboratory scholarship winners
2018 Scholarship winners honored during an Aug. 8 reception at the LANL Foundation.Northern New Mexico Tribal Business Scholarships support Native students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business-related fields. Regional College/Returning Student (RCRS) Scholarships are awarded to nontraditional students seeking a two-year degree or certification after a significant gap in formal education.
The first Abiquiú Land Grant – Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Scholarship winner was also honored during the reception. This new award is specifically designated for descendants of an Abiquiú Land Grant family pursuing a bachelor's degree, two-year degree or professional certificate in any field of study. (Full Story)
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