Primary Intelligence Asset

1123798

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INTEL

Executive Summary

This document describes a joint project between Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories using the 'Z Machine' to conduct high-energy experiments on plutonium. It focuses on the logistical and safety procedures for managing and transporting the radioactive waste generated by these tests for eventual disposal.
Analysis Confidence: High
ST_CODE: 10552E

System Metadata

Source ID

DOC-LANL_SNL

Process Date

2/3/2026

Integrity Hash

SHA256-q040ljcncs...

Indexer Status

COMPLETE

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INVESTIGATIVE ANALYSIS

Layman's Executive Summary

This document describes a joint project between Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories using the 'Z Machine' to conduct high-energy experiments on plutonium. It focuses on the logistical and safety procedures for managing and transporting the radioactive waste generated by these tests for eventual disposal.

Document Origin

The document was authored by a collaborative team from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Weston Solutions Inc., and Raytheon KTech. It was presented at the Waste Management Symposia 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Research Purpose

The research was conducted to establish a regulatory and logistical framework for the Plutonium Isentropic Compression Experiments (Pu-ICE). It specifically addresses how to characterize, certify, and transport transuranic waste from Sandia's Z machine back to Los Alamos for final disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

Relevancy Analysis

" The document is highly relevant to the study of high-energy density physics and 'black programs' as it details the operational logistics of the Z Machine, a primary facility for fusion research and nuclear stockpile stewardship. The involvement of Raytheon KTech and the specific technical parameters of the Z Machine (350 terawatts, 26 million amps) highlight the extreme-environment testing capabilities available to the U.S. defense and energy complex, which are often central to advanced aerospace and propulsion research. "

Extracted Verifiable Claims

  • › In 2006, SNL and LANL signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) defining experiments involving plutonium (Pu) in the Z machine.
  • › The Z machine at Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico is capable of performing 200 experiments a year using electrical currents of approximately 26 million amps.
  • › The Z machine reaches peak X-ray emissions of 350 terawatts with an energy output of 2.7 megajoules.
  • › Five Pu experiments were completed between 2006 and 2010, with up to 20 more planned through 2016.
  • › The experimental containment vessel used in Pu-ICE becomes transuranic (TRU) waste after the experiment and is considered a LANL waste stream.

Technical Contribution

This document provides an unclassified look at the inter-laboratory Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) and the specific waste-stream protocols required to sustain advanced nuclear material testing at the Z Machine.

FORENSIC_TRANSCRIPT_LOG

Transcript

Page 1 of 3

INTRODUCTION

LA-UR- Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. A Q Los Alamos N ATIONAL LABORATORY ---EST.1943 --- Title: A Journey From Sandia To Los Alamos - 12465 Author(s): K. K. Goyal, Los Alamos National Laboratory B.J. Humphrey, Weston Solutions Inc. J.W. Gluth, Raytheon KTech T . J. Krause, Weston Solutions Inc. M.L. Kiefer, Sandia National Laboratory S. Haynes, Sandia National Laboratory Intended for: Waste Management Symposia 2012 Phoenix, Arizona February 26, 2012 Los Alamos National Laboratory, an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, is operated by the Los Alamos National Security, LLC for the National Nuclear Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy under contract DE-ACS2-06NA2S396. By acceptance of this article, the publisher recognizes that the U.S. Government retains a nonexclusive, royalty-free license to publish or reproduce the published form of this contribution, or to allow others to do so, for U.S. Government purposes. Los Alamos National Laboratory requests that the publisher identify this article as work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy. Los Alamos National Laboratory strongly supports academic freedom and a researcher's right to publish; as an institution, however, the Laboratory does not endorse the viewpoint of a publication or guarantee its technical correctness. Form 836 (7/06) WM2012, February 26 - March 1, 2012, Phoenix, Arizona, USA