The Wide Reach of Nuclear Physics at LANL

Los Alamos National Laboratory’s mission is to solve national security challenges through scientific excellence. Many of these applications are deeply rooted in techniques from experimental nuclear physics. A world-leading program in nuclear data measurements exists at the Los Alamos Neutron Science CEnter (LANSCE), where new techniques are being explored to answer questions relevant to the defense programs. The applications for nuclear physics extend beyond these nuclear data measurements, reaching far into many of the core missions of the laboratory. These range from production of medical radioisotopes to testing of nuclear reactors for space missions, from development of passive and active nuclear detection for nonproliferation to detection of nuclear detonations from space for treaty verification. A number of these programs will be discussed as opportunities to showcase the techniques and skill sets that can be leveraged to other fields.