Department of Energy FY 2012 Congressional ... - The FIRE Place

• Received an R&D 100 award from R&D magazine, for LANL research activities that led to
the development of a new way to make a type of explosive that is both insensitive and
environmentally friendly.
• Accomplished significant progress in the area of static high pressure including: measurement
of the strength of vanadium up to pressures approaching a megabar, studies of thermal effects
on the EOS of plutonium at moderate pressures, measurement of the melt curve of tin using
designer anvil resistive heating and conductivity diagnostic, and measurements of the EOS
change in plutonium due to artificial aging.
• Made progress preparing for the first plutonium shot on the refurbished Z; the shot was made
November 18, 2010.
• Provided a significant body of experimental data using Z on materials of interest, including the
strength of beryllium and tantalum.
Advanced Radiography
• Published Bayesian Interference Engine (BIE) analysis of scatter rejection of DARHT I
“Bucky grid” and completed BIE analysis of DARHT I error propagation.
• Built and installed four out of five-camera array for DARHT II. The first camera was fielded
on the first dual axis hydro at DARHT.
• Utilized the first module of the continuous imager (MOXIE) on a pRad experiment. This
device won a R&D 100 award from R&D Magazine in FY 2010.
• Maintained operational readiness of the Cygnus radiographic system and optimized the VISAR
(Velocity Interferometer System for Any Reflector) diagnostics by reducing the noise and increasing
the light efficiency by a factor of three.
Secondary Assessment Technologies
• Executed the first NIF experiments for the stockpile stewardship mission.
• Demonstrated the ability to calculate system output with Uncertainty Quantification within
predefined ranges of data.
• Conducted four joint experiments on Z to provide data in support of a major energy balance
milestone.
• Resolved, by working in a collaborative effort between LLNL and LANL, a long-standing
discrepancy in simulations of secondary performance. This resolution provides the basis for future
LEP options and improves confidence in stockpile assessments.
Major Outyear Priorities and Assumptions
The outyear requirements for the Science Campaign total $1,632,912,000 for FY 2013 through FY 2016.
The Science Campaign will improve predictive capability by FY 2020. The major steps on this path
include: fundamental multi-phase Pu EOS and constitutive properties models for primary implosions by
FY 2012; models for full primary operation by FY 2015; and models of full secondary performance by
FY 2018. Current outyear projections for Advanced Certification are based on present understanding of
future stockpile certification needs. This is particularly focused on developing methodologies and data
for certification of improved surety options. This effort will require additional subcritical experiments.
Weapons Activities/
Science Campaign Page 85
FY 2012 Congressional Budget