Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have signed a Memorandum of Agreement to "collaborate as a Heavy Ion Fusion Virtual National Laboratory (VNL)."

The collaboration will include "the conduct of heavy ion driver development and related topics in the common pursuit of Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE), and to promote more rapid progress in the development of heavy ion drivers through technical management integration of the Laboratories' scientific staff, equipment, and experimental facilities."

The agreement does not cover research on IFE target design, power plant chamber development, materials and target fabrication/injection R&D, which will "be carried out in a separate Inertial Fusion technology program for both laser and ion approaches to IFE."

The agreement states that "this framework may be extended later to other participating organizations in the HIF-VNL through their petition to do so and by mutual agreement of the Parties."

Roger Bangerter (LBNL) is Director of the HIF-VNL. Ronald Davidson (PPPL) and Grant Logan (LLNL) are the Deputy Directors. Victor Karpenko is System Engineer. Other responsible managers include John Barnard (LLNL), Physics Design of the Integrated Research Experiment; Peter Seidl (LBNL) for the High Current Experiment; Joe Kwan (LBNL) for Ion Sources and Injectors; and Alex Freidman (LLNL) for Accelerator Modeling.

The VNL will have an Oversight Board appointed by the respective Laboratory Directors and a Program Advisory Committee, reporting to the Oversight Board.

For further information, contact Roger Bangerter (bangerter@lbl.gov).