This report discusses the two-stage light-gas gun which was developed by the Super-High-Altitude Research Project (SHARP) is a step toward realizing a launcher that can do this at a fraction of the cost of rockets. The SHARP gun is different from other two-stage designs because it is larger and its launch and pump tube are joined at right angles. This configuration allows the launch tube to point at any angle toward the sky while the pump tube remains horizontal. We have demonstrated that this gun can fire projectiles when the launch tube is in the horizontal position. Dr. Michael M. May who was the Laboratory`s fifth Director (1965--71) and is now a Director Emeritus. Under his directorship, the groundwork was laid for the Laboratory`s Energy Program, environmental science programs, and Laser Program. May remains active in research on arms control, nonproliferation, and cooperative security, and he is doing research and teaching at UC San Diego and at Stanford University. As part of the Laboratory`s 40th anniversary celebration, May was invited to lecture on his views of the changing world and the role of LLNL. In 1992, he participated in an influential National Academy of Sciences study on the reduction of …

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory was established in 1952 to do research on nuclear weapons and magnetic fusion energy. Since then, other major programs have been added, including technology transfer, laser science, biology and biotechnology, environmental research and remediation, arms control and nonproliferation, advanced defense technology, and applied energy technology. These programs in turn require research in basic scientific disciplines including chemistry, and materials science, computing science and technology, engineering and physics. This review highlights two R&D 100 award winning research topics: (1) The world`s fastest digitizer which captures 30 ps transient electrical events, and (2) the MACHO camera system which fully exploits the power of large format digital imagers and integrates into one package the taking and analysis of images at a prodigious rate and the storage and archiving of extensive amounts of data. (GHH)

This issue highlights the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory`s 1993 accomplishments in our mission areas and core programs: economic competitiveness, national security, energy, the environment, lasers, biology and biotechnology, engineering, physics, chemistry, materials science, computers and computing, and science and math education. Secondary topics include: nonproliferation, arms control, international security, environmental remediation, and waste management.

This monthly report of research activities at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory highlights three different research programs. First, the Forensic Science Center supports a broad range of analytical techniques that focus on detecting and analyzing chemical, biological, and nuclear species. Analyses are useful in the areas of nonproliferation, counterterrorism, and law enforcement. Second, starting in 1977, the laboratory initiated a series of studies to understand a high incidence of melanoma among employees. Continued study shows that mortality from this disease has decreased from the levels seen in the 1980`s. Third, to help coordinate the laboratory`s diverse research projects that can provide better healthcare tools to the public, the lab is creating the new Center for Healthcare Technologies.

For the 40-plus years of the Cold War, both the United States and the Soviet Union built up nuclear stockpiles of tens of thousands of weapons. Now, as the Cold War has ended and tensions between the superpowers have subsided, the US faces the task of significantly reducing its nuclear arsenal. Many thousands of nuclear weapons are being removed from the stockpile as a result of recent treaties and unilateral decisions. This issue of Energy and Technology Review describes the Laboratory`s role in the nation`s effort to dismantle these weapons safely and rapidly. The dismantlement of the United States` nuclear weapons takes place at the Department of Energy`s Pantex facility near Amarillo, Texas. The first article in this issue summarizes the Laboratory`s involvement in dismantling Livermore-designed nuclear weapons. LLNL (like Los Alamos) has responsibility for the weapons it designed, from design concept to retirement. In the past, the responsibilities ended when the weapon was retired from the stockpile. Now however, the role has been extended to include dismantlement. The second article reports on an incident that occurred in November 1992, in which the pit of a W48 warhead cracked during dismantlement. The Laboratory was called upon to handle the pit …

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory was established in 1952 to do research on nuclear weapons and magnetic fusion energy. Since then, we other major programs have been added including laser fusion, and laser isotope separation, biomedical and environmental science, strategic defense and applied energy technology. These programs, in turn, require research in basic scientific disciplines, including chemistry and materials science, computer science and technology, engineering and physics. In this issue, Herald Brown, the Laboratory`s third director and now counselor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, reminisces about his years at Livermore and comments about the Laboratory`s role in the future. Also an article on visualizing dynamic systems in three dimensions is presented. Researchers can use our interactive algorithms to translate massive quantities of numerical data into visual form and can assign the visual markers of their choice to represent three- dimensional phenomena in a two-dimensional setting, such as a monitor screen. Major work has been done in the visualization of climate modeling, but the algorithms can be used for visualizing virtually any phenomena.

Two articles are included: the industrial computing initiative, and artificial hip joints (applying weapons expertise to medical technology). Three research highlights (briefs) are included: KEN project (face recognition), modeling groundwater flow and chemical migration, and gas and oil national information infrastructure.