National Laboratory

Detecting Brain Waves With Atomic Vapor

A typical SQUID unit employed for magnetoencephalography. Courtesy/NIST

NIST News:

It’s really hard to hear what the brain is saying. Neural impulses — currents of ions moving through channels between the brain’s 100 billion neurons at a potential of about 0.1 volt — produce magnetic fields in the range of a trillionth of a tesla, about a 100 million times weaker than Earth’s magnetic field.

That electrical activity can be detected by electrodes placed on the scalp, or directly into the brain, that measure the difference in voltage between different points. That method, however, Read More

Mars Rover’s Laser Can Now Target Rocks All By Itself

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover autonomously selects some targets for the laser and telescopic camera of its ChemCam instrument. For example, on-board software analyzed the Navcam image at left, chose the target indicated with a yellow dot, and pointed ChemCam for laser shots and the image at right. Courtesy NASA
 

LANL News:

New software is enabling ChemCam, the laser spectrometer on NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover, to select rock targets autonomously—the first time autonomous target selection is available for an instrument of this kind on any robotic planetary mission. Developed jointly Read More

WIPP Update: Backup Power Installed For WIPP EOC

WIPP News:
 
The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant’s (WIPP) Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will soon have guaranteed operation in the event of a power outage.
 
A 1,250-kilowatt diesel generator is being installed at the Skeen-Whitlock Building, the location of the EOC. The generator is designed to automatically start when a disruption in power is detected. While the primary purpose of the generator is to ensure emergency response capabilities for the EOC in the event of a power loss, the generator will also power the entire building.
Read More

Amazing Opportunity For Española Teen Center’s ‘Team Intergalactic’

Members of Española YMCA Teen Center’s “Team Intergalactic” were extremely fortunate to be able to spend an afternoon with Dr. Roger Wiens, the ChemCam/SuperCam Principal Investigator of the Mars Rover, at the Bradbury Museum in Los Alamos. Dr. Wiens educated the group on the design and function of the Mars Rover, to include internal and external working parts. The teens enjoyed their time and wealth of information shared by Dr. Wiens. The team would like to thank Dr. Wiens for his time and Janelle Vigil-Maestas from the LANL Program office for coordinating this special opportunity.
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Nuclear Watch New Mexico Seeks To Invalidate New Cleanup Order For LANL

DOE News:

Nuclear Watch New Mexico amended its complaint against the U.S. Department of Energy and Los Alamos National Security, LLC, which alleges 12 cleanup violations of the 2005 Consent Order issued by the New Mexico Environment Department for Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL).

The amendment is asking the federal court to invalidate the recently issued Consent Order because the Department did not hold a formal public hearing as required by federal and state hazardous waste laws and regulations.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is the owner of LANL, and the Los Alamos National Security,

Read More

Teens Learn About Mars Rover From Roger Wiens

Team Intergalactic checks out a Mars Rover exhibit at the Bradbury Science Museum. Courtesy photo
 
YMCA News:

Members of Española YMCA Teen Center’s “Team Intergalactic” spent an afternoon with Dr. Roger Wiens, the ChemCam/SuperCam principal investigator of the Mars Rover, at the Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos.

Dr. Wiens educated the group on the design and function of the Mars Rover, to include internal and external working parts. The teens enjoyed their time and wealth of information shared by Dr. Wiens, a YMCA representative said.

The team expressed its thanks to Dr. Wiens Read More

McMillan: Workforce Turnover At Lab Bodes Well For Community

Laboratory Director Charlie McMillan, right, Kim Davis Lebak, NNSA Los Alamos Field Office manager and Douglas Hintze, DOE/EM Los Alamos Field Office manager, listen to a comment from an audience member during Tuesday’s Regional Community Leaders update. Courtesy/LANL

Brittany Baker, center, of Los Alamos’ Business Systems Solution Center, along with Alex Ortiz, left, of the Plasma Theory and Applications group and Sam Biggs of the Weapons Test Engineering group, all spoke at Tuesday’s Regional Community Leaders update. All three are Northern New Mexico Read More

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