LANL Uses IDL to Analyze Neutron Scattering Data
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Customer Challenge
Los Alamos National Laboratory's Lujan school needed a data visualization and analysis solution that was flexible enough to meet the needs of their neutron scattering experiments.
Solution Achieved
Los Alamos National Laboratory's Lujan school uses the world's most powerful proton linear accelerators to conduct basic and applied research. These and other neutron scattering instruments produce large datasets which require a flexible and robust programming and analysis solution. Neutron scattering is relevant to a wide variety of science ranging from protein crystallography to condensed matter physics Each year, The Lujan Center hosts a week-long forum called the Winter Neutron Scattering School for applicants from around the world to learn how to conduct and interpret the results of neutron scattering experiments. These students require a useful tool visualize and extract information from the enormous datasets produced in experiments.
The School participants used world-class scattering instruments like PHAROS, SMARTS, HIPPO, NPDF and LQD to obtain scattering data from carefully chosen samples that illustrated the power of the technique. Once data are collected, they frequently use IDL® to quickly and efficiently perform analysis. In experiments, the data from a pulsed neutron source is tagged by a time of arrival at the detector and the angle of the scattering relative to the incident beam of neutrons. The large datasets range from 100 – 1000 Mbytes. Once the experiment was concluded, students were taught how to mine data, extracting different cuts and surfaces and manipulating raw data to obtain scientifically meaningful results. Says one scientist, “IDL is an excellent choice for such interactive manipulation of the data”
End users and programmers appreciate IDL’s flexibility and broad functionality. IDL provides real-time feedback of neutron scattering data, helping individuals focus further research efforts. One Lujan researcher said, “IDL provides a better understanding of the data. It also allows us the capability to send code with the recently acquired data obtained by visiting users doing experiments on our systems”: Another commented that “The calibration routines such as the Matrix Calculus are valuable, and since IDL is rich in features, it allows for a lot of flexibility.” In addition to the custom suite of procedures to analyze data from the PHAROS and FDS instruments, IDL is also used to analyze neutron reflectometry data on the SPEAR instrument. “IDL creates beautiful graphics that you can’t get any other way.”
Key Benefits
- Students and researchers can now manage, visualize and interpret large datasets from their unique hardware.
- IDL is a quick and efficient solution. Students learn to customize routines quickly.
- IDL is flexible and has broad functionality, providing real-time feedback of data.