Research
Highlights...
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ORNL's
Horning helps find peaceful use for Pu.
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| Number 87 |
August 13, 2001 |
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Quantum
cryptography reaches for the sky
Building
on previous successes in quantum cryptography, Los
Alamos National Laboratory researchers have developed a transportable,
self-contained cryptographic communication system that uses bits
of light to send encrypted data keys through the air for distances
of up to six miles. The free-space system is capable of continuous,
automated operation in both daylight and darkness. The current
six-mile distance horizontally is roughly equivalent to the amount
of atmospheric interference that would be encountered in transmissions
between the Earth's surface and a satellite. The system is intended
to serve as a model for a highly secure global satellite communication
system.
[Todd
A. Hanson, 505-665-2085,
tahanson@lanl.gov]
Material
spins hope for quantum computing
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| Scott
Chambers, a PNNL senior chief scientist, created a thin-film
semiconductor material that is magnetic at room temperature
in the molecular beam epitaxy lab shown here. |
While the future
of quantum computing offers the potential for substantially
greater data storage and faster processing speeds, its advancement
has been limited by the absence of certain critically important
materials - in particular, a semiconductor that is magnetic
at room temperature. Now, scientists at DOE's Pacific
Northwest National Laboratory, using a special synthesis
technique, have created a thin-film
semiconductor material made of titanium, oxygen and cobalt
that has superior magnetic properties at room temperature. In
collaboration with scientists at IBM, they showed that the materials
required for quantum computing and the emerging area of spintronics
likely can be obtained.
[Staci Maloof,
509/372-6313,
staci.Maloof@pnl.gov]
Mysterious
mercury may come from trash
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| Steve
Lindberg measures fluxes of stable mercury isotopes from
soils in Canada's Experimental Lakes Area. |
Thousands of landfills
around the nation may be serving as bioreactors, turning the
inorganic mercury in discarded items into methylated—or
organic-mercury. Researchers at DOE's Oak
Ridge National Laboratory believe this could help explain
the elevated levels of methylmercury detected in rain at remote
lakes in the upper midwest. A likely significant amount of methylated
mercury, which is far more toxic than inorganic mercury, is
being produced
in landfills as they reduce waste by generating methane.
The inorganic mercury is converted by bacteria in the landfill
to form dimethylmercury, which is then emitted to the atmosphere
and later deposited on the earth's surface.
[Ron
Walli, 865/576-0226,
wallira@ornl.gov]
NETL looks
for answers in the sky
A research aircraft
from the University of Maryland's
Department of Meteorology has collected upper-level air-quality
data (ozone, carbon monoxide, SO2,
temperature, etc.) upwind and downwind of Pittsburgh to support
research on airborne fine particulate matter (PM2.5) at DOE's
National Energy Technology
Laboratory. The flights occurred during high-haze "events,"
which coincided with high-PM2.5 events. The data will be compared
with similar upper-air information previously collected on a
"clear air" day, and with ground-based information gathered
continuously at five NETL-supported monitoring stations, including
one manned by NETL's Office of Science & Technology, in and
around Western Pennsylvania. This air-quality data will assist
in the subsequent identification of PM2.5 source regions.
NREL
and Ford work together for cool cars
At DOE's National
Renewable Energy Laboratory, Center for Transportation
Technologies and Systems researchers met with a representative
of Ford's Climate Control Advanced Technology Group to discuss
potential collaborations related to thermal comfort engineering
in automobiles. Ford earlier donated two Lincoln Navigators
to NREL for research on solar reflective windows, reflective
shades, ventilation systems, and reflective body coatings.
The team is writing a vehicle testing weather corrector model
to simulate vehicle testing during changeable weather. The
Navigators are being tested outside on the NREL campus during
weather that may vary from extremely hot and dry to severe
thunderstorms to cool and breezy-all within a given 24-hour
period.
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ORNL's
Horning helps find
peaceful use for Pu
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| Tammra
Horning |
What
was once weapons-grade plutonium stocked by former Cold War
antagonists is being experimentally consumed in nuclear reactors—and
thus rendered useless for weapons of mass destruction. DOE's
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
has had a leading role in making this complex but enormously
beneficial undertaking happen.
ORNL
nuclear engineer Tammra Horning took a lead role in the joint
venture between the United States, Russia and Canada, called
the Parallex project. The project, one of several concepts being
considered, demonstrates the feasibility of converting US and
Russian surplus plutonium into mixed-oxide, or MOX, fuel for
Canadian nuclear reactors.
"The
main goal is to turn the plutonium into something that is not
attractive for weapons," Tammra says. "Making electricity while
we're doing it is an added benefit to the public."
As could
be expected, bringing off such an ambitious project takes much
careful planning.
"It
involves a large range of activities from the technical aspects
of making nuclear reactor fuel with weapons plutonium, to export
controls, transportation, political issues and public education,"
says Horning. "
The
Russians pointed out to me that this was the first time weapons
plutonium had been shipped outside of Russia. It was very significant
to them," Tammra says.
Horning
has learned that foreign cultures really aren't so different—that
people once on opposite sides of the Cold War have many common
values and concerns.
"In
Russia, things appeared to be done very differently at first
glance, but when you step back you see many of the same constraints
we have, such as bureaucracy, security and funding. It's been
very interesting to work with colleagues from other countries
who have different cultures and language, but then find that
we have many things in common," she says.
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