AOT & LANSCE Focus: Proton Radiography Facility

Technical Report · Fri Jun 14 04:00:00 EDT 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1083846· OSTI ID:1083846

Kippen, Karen E. ^[1]; Fulton, Robert D. ^[1]; Brown, Eric ^[1]; Buttler, William T. ^[1]; Clarke, Amy J. ^[1]; Kwiatkowski, Kris K. ^[1]; Mariam, Fesseha G. ^[1]; Merrill, Frank E. ^[1]; Morris, Christopher ^[1]; Olson, Russell T. ^[1]; Zellner, Michael ^[2]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
2. Army Research Lab., Adelphi, MD (United States)

Invented at Los Alamos National Laboratory, proton radiography (pRad) at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) employs a high-energy proton beam to image the properties and behavior of materials under a variety of conditions. The penetrating power of high-energy protons, like that of x-rays, makes them an excellent probe of a wide range of materials under extreme pressures, strains, and strain rates. The invention of proton radiography is the direct result of the synergy between the Laboratory’s defense mission and basic science research scientists and supports the Laboratory’s national security science mission as well as provides for fundamental science discoveries. This new capability has revolutionized dynamic materials science at Los Alamos, providing a new window for the study of shock physics, materials damage, and high explosives science. The Proton Radiograpy Facility, a national user facility, has performed more than 500 dynamic experiments in support of the Weapons program, Global Security, and other customers since it was commissioned more than a decade ago. This information helps Los Alamos maintain the reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile. The pRad capability is primarily supported by the NNSA Science Campaigns.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC52-06NA25396
• OSTI ID: 1083846
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--13-24376
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE