Developing the NNSS Critical Skills in Accelerator Science and Beam Physics

Project # 23-137 | Year 1 of 1

Trevor Burris, Showera Haque, Evan Scott, Zach Shaw, Piotr Wiewior, Sean Breckling

Nevada National Security Sites (NNSS)
_{This work was done by Mission Support and Test Services, LLC, under Contract No. DE-NA0003624 with the U.S. Department of Energy, the NNSA Office of Defense Programs, and supported by the Site-Directed Research and Development Program. DOE/NV/03624–1887.}

Abstract

This feasibility study identified common areas of interest between the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) and the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) National Accelerator Laboratory to inform Project 24-092. The intent of Project 24-092 is to develop NNSS critical skills in accelerator science and beam physics by collaborating with and leveraging the knowledge of our SLAC colleagues.

Background

The NNSS Chief Scientist evaluated post-doctoral fellow staff conversion rates at multiple national laboratories and discovered that the post-doctoral program at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory had the lowest. Therefore, an NNSS-SLAC collaboration offers post-doctoral fellows a pipeline into the NNSS. The NNSS has a history of supporting accelerators around the complex, e.g. Flash X-Ray Radiography (FXR, facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory), Dual Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test (DARHT, facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory), Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSE); however, the roles have always been limited in scope and complexity. The role the NNSS plays in supporting accelerators is about to change with the arrival of the Scorpius Linear Induction Accelerator (LIA) that is being developed by the Advanced Sources and Diagnostics (ASD) Project. The NNSS is expected to operate and maintain Scorpius after the Advanced Sources and Detectors (ASD) Project ends. This feasibility study informs FY 2024 Project 24-092 of ways the NNSS can develop critical skills needed to operate and maintain the Scorpius Accelerator by working with and leveraging a collaboration with the SLAC. Additionally, the NNSS will be responsible for achieving final operating capability for the Scorpius Accelerator and will continue supporting accelerators across the weapons complex.

Technical Approach

The NNSS has a history of supporting accelerators around the complex (e.g., FXR, DARHT, LANSE). However, the roles have always been limited in scope and complexity. The role the NNSS plays in supporting accelerators is about to change with the arrival of the Scorpius Accelerator. The NNSS is expected to operate and maintain Scorpius after the ASD Project ends. This feasibility study informs FY 2024 Project 24-092 of ways the NNSS can develop critical skills needed to operate and maintain the Scorpius Accelerator by working with and leveraging a collaboration with the SLAC. Additionally, the NNSS will be responsible for achieving final operating capability for the Scorpius Accelerator and will continue supporting accelerators across the weapons complex.

This feasibility study funded planning efforts and travel. Planning began with four meetings between nine members of the NNSS technical staff to develop scope boundaries (or topics of interest) for the collaboration between NNSS and SLAC for Project 24-092.

Results and Technical Accomplishments

The results of this Feasibility Study enabled the NNSS to better plan Project 24-092.

Conclusions and Path Forward

The path forward for this project is the Strategic Initiative project 24-092 in FY 2024.

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