US Navy reposted this
Dr. Frank Narducci, Chair of the NPS Department of Physics, and U.S. Navy Cmdr. Jens Berdahl, a doctoral student through the Permanent Military Professor program, are on track to bring the institution’s new atomic fountain online for experimentation in quantum sensing supporting precision navigation and timekeeping. The exceptionally precise atomic-based instrument is slated to be complete in 2025, and will be the largest of its kind in the world. “If we’re talking about taking this technology out into the field, we don’t have the luxury of taking a tall instrument out and putting it in the ground and letting it record for 24 hours, then move it two feet to record another 24 hours,” Narducci said. “We would like to do this on operationally-relevant timescales.” This is precisely what Berdahl is conducting his Ph.D. work on. “Having a grounding in quantum mechanics and how we might use these technologies in the field – its capabilities and constraints – is everything for the leaders who are coming through NPS and moving on to different acquisition jobs, engineering or duty officers,” said Berdahl. “They have to understand what this environment in the future might look like, and that includes all the technologies that might be available.” Quantum science is one of 14 Critical Defense Technology Areas identified by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD R&E), which also funds the DURIP program. The Office of Naval Research (ONR) oversees the Navy’s portion of DURIP grants and competitively awards proposals to universities conducting high-quality, relevant research addressing naval-unique needs. When complete, Narducci says the atomic fountain will be completely automated for both on-site and virtual access configurable via a web-based interface able to connect with the Naval Research and Development Establishment (NR&DE) among other potential partners. • Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/gCbJAwNJ • More about physics at NPS: https://lnkd.in/gP-5r9a US Navy | United States Marine Corps | Office of Naval Research | U.S. Naval Research Laboratory | Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering #quantum #quantumsensing #research #researchanddevelopment #emergingtech