Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory



Shown is a graphic depicting the newest elements on the peiodic table, Flerovium - element 114 with the symbol Fl, and Livermorium - element 116, with the symbol Lv.

Livermorium

Scientists of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)-Dubna collaboration proposed the names as Flerovium for element 114, with the symbol Fl, and Livermorium for element 116, with the symbol Lv, in 2011.


Twenty summers of nuclear forensics and actinide science 

September 20, 2017

On August 5, 2017, LLNL's longstanding program for training the next generation of actinide scientists bid farewell to its 20th class.


Armando Alcaraz of the Forensic Science Center prepares to analyze samples for the presence of Chemical Weapons Convention–related compounds using a triple quadrupole gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry instrument.

Forensic Science Center earns seventh consecutive OPCW ‘A’ grade 

March 7, 2017

Since first achieving accreditation in 2003, Lawrence Livermore’s Forensic Science Center (FSC) is one of just two U.S. laboratories accredited by the OPCW.


An independent compound chondrule consisting of barred olivine and porphyritic olivine section in the meteorite NWA 2372 CK4. Image courtesy of John Kashuba.

Laboratory researchers find Earth composed of different materials than primitive meteorites 

September 15, 2016

Scientists from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have found that, contrary to popular belief, the Earth is not comprised of the same material found in primitive meteorites (also known as chondrites).


Illustration of element 117. Kwei-Yu Chu/LLNL

Lawrence Livermore credited with discovery of elements 115, 117 and 118 

December 31, 2015

The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) has confirmed that Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists and international collaborators have officially discovered elements 115, 117 and 118.


Photomultiplier tubes can pick up the tiniest bursts of lights when a particle interacts with xenon atoms as part of the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) dark matter experiment at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF). Photo courtesy of SURF.

New results from experimental facility deepen understanding of dark matter 

December 29, 2015

The Large Underground Xenon (LUX) dark matter experiment, which operates nearly a mile underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in the Black Hills of South Dakota, has already proven itself to be the most sensitive dark matter detector in the world. Now, a new set of calibration techniques employed by LUX scientists has further improved its sensitivity.


Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientist Les Nakae, front, shows off a liquid scintillator detector for measuring neutrons and gamma rays with nanosecond timing, which requires the new theoretical formulations detailed in a recent research paper. Photo by Julie Russell/LLNL.

Researchers develop a new mathematical tool for analyzing and evaluating nuclear material 

December 21, 2015

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists have created a new method for detecting and analyzing fission chains to assess and evaluate nuclear material.


Lab researchers have shown that manganese plays a strong role in plant debris decomposition in forest ecosystems.

Lab-Johns Hopkins team tapped to work on possible NASA effort to explore asteroid 

November 4, 2015

TwoPLS scientists are part of a scientific team that has been chosen as one of five finalists for a possible NASA Discovery Program mission.


PLS scientists were part of an international team that discovered five new nuclei: U 218, Np 219, Bk 233, Am 223 and Am 229.

Lab scientists discover five new nuclei  

October 27, 2015

Lawrence Livermore scientists, in conjunction with international researchers, have discovered five new atomic nuclei to be added the chart of nuclides.


Lab researchers have shown that manganese plays a strong role in plant debris decomposition in forest ecosystems.

Plant debris decomposition tied to manganese 

September 28, 2015

The decomposition of plant debris (litter) is a fundamental process that regulates the release of nutrients for plant growth and the formation of soil organic matter in forest ecosystems.


A 3D map illustrates the large-scale distribution of dark matter, reconstructed from measurements of weak gravitational lensing by using the Hubble Space Telescope.

New 'stealth dark matter' theory may explain mystery of the universe's missing mass 

September 24, 2015

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists have come up with a new theory that may identify why dark matter has evaded direct detection in Earth-based experiments.


Researchers have identified a unique chemical signature left by the earliest stars in the universe with the first direct measurement under stellar conditions of an important nuclear reaction.

First stars in the universe left a unique signature 

June 29, 2015

Determining the chemical abundance pattern left by the earliest stars in the universe is no easy feat. A Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientist is helping to do just that.


Nuclear Counting Facility staffers (from left) Todd Wooddy, Phil Torretto and Michaele Kashgarian place a NIF diagnostic sample in a sample changer for gamma-ray analysis. Photo by Julie Russell/LLNL.

Supplying the 'life-blood' of science 

May 28, 2015

The Nuclear Counting Facility (NCF) leverages its well-shielded, low-background environment to accurately measure nuclear materials for the National ignition Facility (NIF) and a variety of other Laboratory programs.


Roger Sandoval assembles solid radiochemical collection (SRC) diagnostics in the NIF Target Diagnostics Factory. SRC diagnostics are solid surfaces that capture activation products from the target after the shot.

Providing data for nuclear detectives 

March 2, 2015

Fans of the popular TV series "CSI" know that the forensics experts who investigate crime scenes are looking for answers to three key questions: "Who did it; how did they do it; and can we stop them from doing it again?"


Shown is a top-down view of the LLNL-designed and built copper photomultiplier tube mounting structure, which is a key component of the LUX detector.

LLNL scientists assist in building detector to search for elusive dark matter material 

November 15, 2012

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researchers are making key contributions to a physics experiment that will look for one of nature's most elusive particles, "dark matter," using a tank nearly a mile underground beneath the Black Hills of South Dakota.


PLS chemists Rachel Lindvall (left) and Amy Gaffney (right) analyzed Japan air particulate samples for uranium and plutonium isotopic composition with Nu Plasma HR™, a multicollector, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. .

Livermore responds to crisis in post-earth quake Japan 

January 27, 2012

For several months in 2011, Livermore scientists contributed to the Nation's response to the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant complex in Japan.