Edward Teller Medal winners named
The Edward Teller Medal recognizes pioneering research and leadership in inertial fusion sciences and applications. This year's two winners will each receive a $1000.00 cash award and a minted sterling silver medal, bearing the likeness of Dr. Teller.
The awards will be presented September 10, 2003 at the Third International Conference on Inertial Fusion Sciences and Applications (IFSA2003) in Monterey, California, where four hundred scientists and engineers from all parts of the world will compare notes on the latest research in inertial fusion (http://www.llnl.gov/nif/ifsa03/). The conference, sponsored by the University of California, is organized by seven U.S. inertial fusion laboratories: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratory, General Atomics, University of Rochester Institute of Laser Energetics, Naval Research Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
The Edward Teller Medal is named in honor of Dr. Edward Teller, distinguished physicist, Director Emeritus of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Senior Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution. Dr. Teller is recognized worldwide as a pioneer in inertial fusion sciences. The award has been granted to twenty scientists from ten countries in previous years. It is now under the auspices of the ANS Fusion Energy Division and will be given biannually at the IFSA conferences.
Hideaki Takabe, Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University*, is recognized for his pioneering work on laser-plasma interactions, atomic physics, and hydrodynamic instabilities of laser implosions. He was responsible, over a fifteen-year period, for development of the ILESTA code, which is used in Japan like LASNEX is in the United States to design and analyze laser-plasma experiments, and to design inertial fusion targets. Prof. Takabe is widely known for his seminal work on laser plasma ablative stabilization of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth. The "Takabe formula" for this process is in world-wide use by physicists and target designers. Prof. Takabe also extended the knowledge of plasma physics and high-energy density physics to astrophysics through collaborations studying the dynamics of supernova 1987A explosion. These collaborations led to the concept of "Laboratory Astrophysics" in which many aspects of astrophysical computational models can be tested in small-scale laboratory experiments. He is now working as Councilor of JPS (Japan Physical Society) to activate AAPPS (Association of Asia Pacific Physical Societies; www.aapps.org) as the world-third pole following APS and EPS.
Laurance J. Suter, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory**, is recognized for his seminal work on almost all aspects of laser hohlraum physics. Over the past twenty years, he has become widely known as one of the world's leading experts on laser hohlraum physics, with contributions on many topics, including x-ray conversion and drive in hohlraums, symmetry control, the impact of pulse shaping on capsule implosion, and development of a wide variety of experimental techniques to verify and improve the computational models. Dr. Suter's work demonstrated the understanding and control of laser hohlraum physics necessary to obtain approval to build the National Ignition Facility. His recent work shows how to further improve the efficiency and yield of potential NIF ignition experiments, making them even more valuable in the development of high gain IFE targets. His work on hohlraum x-ray physics has also led to the development of novel high efficiency x-ray sources for a variety of other applications.
Nominations for the Edward Teller Medal are widely solicited, and nominees need not be members of the ANS. Twenty-three scientists were nominated for this year's medals. Nominees remain eligible for two ballots. A selection committee that was comprised of past Edward Teller Medal winners narrowed the field of candidates to two individuals. The ANS Fusion Energy Division approved the recommended recipients.
* More information can be obtained from Prof. Takabe at takabe@ile.osaka-u.ac.jp.
** More information can be obtained from Bob Hirschfeld, Media Relations, LLNL 925-422-2379, hirschfeld2@llnl.gov or from Dr. Laurance Suter at suter1@llnl.gov.
** More information can be obtained from Bob Hirschfeld, Media Relations, LLNL 925-422-2379, hirschfeld2@llnl.gov or from Dr. Laurance Suter at suter1@llnl.gov.
