| Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is part of the National Nuclear
Security Administration within the U.S. Department of Energy. Tests involving explosives are often performed at
LLNL's Site 300.
LLNL, which has used both a 15 kJ, 100 µs MegaSun system and argon candles, has found the MegaSun to be a preferable
alternative in tests involving explosives. Three key reasons:
| > | Quality of lighting: The MegaSun
provides lighting from several directions, resulting in higher-quality images that reveal more detail. |
| > | Large light output: LLNL tests
verified the irradiance produced by the MegaSun is equivalent to an argon candle and illuminates approximately
five times the area. |
| > | Reusability: Unlike argon candles,
MegaSun lamps can be reused dozens of times if not destroyed by an explosive test. |
As a result, Site 300 has not used argon candles since July 2003.
In photos taken with the MegaSun (not pictured), four lamps surrounding a convex specularly reflecting object provided
superior illumination and images.
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