Z Machine at Sandia Labs

Sandia Labs' Z machine is the largest laboratory source of x-rays in the world. For the few nanoseconds of a Z Machine test, its electrical output equals the output of 50x the electrical generating stations of all the power plants on earth.

The Z Machine complex encompasses an area roughly the size of a major college basketball arena.

Originally created to validate nuclear weapons models, the Z Machine is also considered a "dark horse" in the race for viable fusion energy production.

After the famous "arcs and sparks" photo of Z (a photo no longer possible after its refurbishment), this is a fast-motion video of workers completing Z's recent refurbishment.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• ZMachine
• Z
• Machine
• Sandia
• National
• Laboratories
• pulsed
• power
• snadia

[sqgl]

I am confused. How can Sandia produce such a sohpisticated machine and yet the youtube video is so low-tech and lame?

[pastageek]

Man that is one sexy piece of physics lab.

[filmmonk]

Wikipedia has details on the "Zmachine" It has very extensive capabilities such as reaching 3.6 billion °F , and the future plans of fusion and energy output of 1 petawatt (roughly the output 2,700 Nuclear power plants)

I agree the video does no justice to the awesome stuff going on there right now.

[BamPistolwhip]

not such a hot video, I wanted to actually know something about the machine

[q123477]

I think that it is only used for X-RAYS.

[StrategicAirCommand]

That's awsome!! I grew up on KAFB back in 84-87 on Argus Loop next to Kirtland Elemantary School where I went and with the AFWL not far from my neighbor hood. I remember that Sandia Labs was on the other side of the base not far from the National Atomic Museum. I miss Kirtland so bad!