Pulsed Power Technology at Sandia National Laboratories

Time-exposure photograph of electrical flashover arcs produced over the surface of the water in the accelerator tank as a byproduct of Z operation. These flashovers are much like strokes of lightning

Contact Information

For Radiation Effects please contact Tom Laub
twlaub@sandia.gov
(505) 844-9142

For Pulsed Power please contact Ken Struve kwstruv@sandia.gov
(505) 845-7483

The Science of Extreme Environments Research Institute (SEERI) is a program that recruits students for summer and year-round intern positions within Sandia National Laboratories. The intent of this program is to expose students to the interesting and challenging work at Sandia with the goal of encouraging further study and future careers in the fields of pulsed power engineering, high energy density sciences, and radiation effects sciences.

Objectives

Develop pool of well-trained scientists and engineers to support research in the areas of pulsed power, radiation effects, and high energy density science in support of the nation's stockpile stewardship mission and the military systems and satellites that are resistant to nuclear and radiation environments.
Lay foundation for the next generation of scientists in the above areas.
Keep Sandia Laboratories close to leading edge science and engineering at universities.

Applications

Nuclear survivability and hardness testing
Soft x-rays for stockpile stewardship studies
Z-pinch-driven soft x-ray sources
Light-ion- and z-pinch-driven inertial confinement fusion (ICF)
Diagnostics for ignition implosions
Laser ICF
Microwave technologies
Mechanical and electrical response of systems to radiation
Satellites in space radiation environments
Coupled electron-photon particle radiation transport
Validation of physics codes
Physics Code Development

Greatest strengths of SEERI program according to participating student interns:

Flexible research opportunities
Opportunity to do challenging and interesting work that contributes to Sandia’s research program
The presence of someone to talk with about my field of career opportunities
Possibility of financial support for further education
Ability to put classroom theory into workplace use
Information on different projects that are occurring around Sandia that I didn’t know of otherwise
Hands-on research and data collection experience
Opportunity to learn theoretical background and see it in practice
Real-world, mechanical engineering, and business experience

Elements of the SEERI Program

Pictures: selected photographs of students involved in SEERI

Information for Managers: criteria, what a proposal should include, how funding is used, targeted universities

SEERI Students: See what present and past graduates of the SEERI program have to say

Publications: All the SEERI Publications by Students

Pulsed Power Technology & Radiation Effects Science

Science of Extreme Environments Research Institute (SEERI)

Pulsed Power Technology &
Radiation Effects Science