The Los Alamos Computing Facility during the Manhattan Project

TL;DR

This paper details the history and technological significance of the Los Alamos computing facility during WWII, emphasizing its advanced IBM punch card machines and the complex problems they addressed.

Contribution

It provides a historical account of the Los Alamos computing facility's operations and technological advancements during the Manhattan Project.

Findings

Los Alamos had one of the most advanced PCAM facilities during WWII.

The facility handled complex problems using IBM punch card machines.

The article highlights the historical importance of computing technology in wartime research.

Abstract

This article describes the history of the computing facility at Los Alamos during the Manhattan Project, 1944 to 1946. The hand computations are briefly discussed, but the focus is on the IBM Punch Card Accounting Machines (PCAM). During WWII the Los Alamos facility was one of most advanced PCAM facilities both in the machines and in the problems being solved.