William Atkins
Sunday, 31 May 2009 21:49
Science -
Energy
Page 1 of 2
The world’s largest and most energetic laser system was just dedicated on Friday, May 29, 2009, at the U.S. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The mission of the National Ignition Facility is to better national security, provide breakthroughs in astrophysics, and create fusion energy.
The news release “
Dedication of world’s largest laser marks the dawn of a new era” from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (
LLNL) states that the new laser-based inertial confinement fusion research device is called the National Ignition Facility (NIF) laser system.
The NIF “
… consists of 192 laser beams that will focus nearly two million joules of energy and create temperatures and pressures that exist in the cores of stars and giant planets. By harnessing the massive power generated by its lasers, NIF will be able to create conditions and conduct a wide range of experiments never before possible on earth.”
The LLNL website states,
"Let there be light."
The NIF lab is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
The laser system with the Livermore, California-based facility uses powerful lasers to heat and compress hydrogen fuel so that it eventually causes a nuclear fusion reaction to take place.
The scientists working at the NIF lab hope to create a single 500 terawatt (TW) controlled explosion of radiation (light) that reaches the target from numerous directions at the same time.
The NIF has a threefold mission: national security, astrophysics research, and fusion energy. Read more on page two.
