New Dynamic Compressor Sector to Study Materials at Extreme Conditions

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September 26, 2016 | Originally published by Date Line: September 26 on

A new, first-of-its-kind-worldwide research capability will help unravel the mysteries of material behavior at extreme conditions and short time scales in support of the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA’s) vital national security missions. NNSA, the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Argonne National Laboratory and Washington State University (WSU) will dedicate the new Dynamic Compression Sector (DCS) in a ceremony hosted by WSU this week. DCS is a new installation located at Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source (APS), a DOE Office of Science User Facility near Chicago, Ill.

“DCS is an exciting and visionary undertaking that adds a national security capability to an existing DOE laboratory,” said acting Deputy Administrator for NNSA’s Defense Programs Phil Calbos. “Work at DCS will lead to discovery-class science and address important materials issues for the Stockpile Stewardship Program.”

DCS is funded by NNSA and is managed as a partnership between WSU and APS. DCS will help address challenges related to the nation’s energy and national security needs, understand the structure of planetary interiors and help make new, lightweight materials for industrial, aerospace and automotive applications.