A stainless steel sphere was heated to temperatures over 1000/sup 0/F and wind tunnel tested to obtain drag data. The tests were in conjunction with ERDA's Nuclear Power Supply Satellite Program. The purpose of the tests was to provide information on the drag characteristics of the sphere while it is heated so that terminal velocities can be calculated and impact behavior of the fuel spheres predicted. Results of the tests are presented. (TFD)

Progress is reported in the development of procedures for the evaluation of low-temperature radiogenically-derived geothermal resources in the eastern United States utilizing geological geochemical, and geophysical data. An optimum site for geothermal development in the tectonically stable eastern United States will probably be associated with crustal igneous rocks containing relatively high concentrations of radiogenic heat-producing elements buried beneath an insulating blanket of sediments of low thermal conductivity. Evaluation of plutonic rocks exposed in the Piedmont will aid in the interpretation of gravity and magnetic data for the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Initial results of determination of heat generation from surface samples in South Caroline are encouraging, especially if granitic igneous rocks of similar heat generation can be found beneath sedimentary insulation. Continues logging of existing wells in Coastal Plain sediments supports earlier conclusion that these sediments do behave as efficient sedimentary insulators. Higher temperatures appear to be reached at shallower depths for wells drilled in Coastal Plain sediments in the vicinity of the Georgetown, South Carolina gravity law. Detailed structural mapping in the vicinity of the warm springs in northwestern Virginia has confirmed structural control of the warm springs, and has revealed the existence of kink bands. The kink bands could …

The history of radiation protection before World War II is treated as a case study of interactions between science, medicine, and technology. The fundamental concerns include the following: are how medical and technical decisions with social impacts are made under conditions of uncertainty; how social pressures are brought to bear on the development of science, medicine, and technology; what it means for medicine or technology to be scientific; why professional groups seek international cooperation; and the roles various professionals and organizations play in controlling the harmful side effects of science, medicine, and technology. These questions are addressed in the specific context of protection from the biological effects of x-rays and radium in medical use.

A machine readable data base has been created by the Regional Information Group, Regional and Urban Studies Section, Energy Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, to provide documentation for the energy, environmental, and socioeconomic data bases and associated software maintained at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This document is produced yearly by the Regional Information Group to describe the contents and organization of this data base.

The literature of the Health Physics Division is documented. The bibliography contains open literature publications, report literature, and special literature. An author index and separate listings of theses and patents are included. (HLW)

Literature reviews indicate that existing information is incomplete, often contradictory, and of questionable value for the prediction and assessment of ultimate impact from fusion-associated activation products and other chemical releases. It is still uncertain which structural materials will be used in the blanket and first wall of fusion power plants. However, niobium, vanadium, vanadium-chromium alloy, vanadium-titanium alloy, sintered aluminum product, and stainless steel have been suggested. The activation products of principal concern will be the longer-lived isotopes of /sup 26/Al, /sup 49/V, /sup 51/Cr, /sup 54/Mn, /sup 55/Fe, /sup 58/Co, /sup 60/Co, /sup 93/Nb, and /sup 94/Nb. Lithium released to the environment either during the mining cycle, from power plant operation or accident, may be in the form of a number of compound types varying in solubility and affinity for biological organisms. The effects of a severe liquid metal fire or explosion involving Na or K will vary according to inherent abiotic and biotic features of the affected site. Saline, saline-alkaline, and sodic soils of arid lands would be particularly susceptible to alkaline stress. Beryllium released to the environment during the mining cycle or reactor accident situation could be in the form of a number of compound types. Adverse effects …

Over 80 participants representing 50 organizations met to discuss the report, Industrial Thermal Insulation--An Assessment, ORNL/TM-5283. Presentations on the performance of available materials, economic considerations, and measurement problems were followed by discussion. A final wrap-up session concluded that the report was valuable in pointing the direction for needed effort in the area, confirmed the indicated actions needed to further industrial application of insulation, and called for future meetings to continue the dialogue between the various facets of the industry.

None

This report provides information on political developments in Northern Ireland

This report contains the results of the toxicological evaluation part of the project entitled, ''Direct Contact Liquid-Liquid Heat Exchangers for Solar Heated and Cooled Buildings.'' Obviously any liquid otherwise suitable for use in such a device should be subjected to a toxicological evaluation. 34 liquids (24 denser than water, 10 less dense) have physical and chemical properties that would make them suitable for use in such a device. In addition to the complexity involved in selecting the most promising liquids from the standpoint of their chemical and physical properties is added the additional difficulty of also considering their toxicological properties. Some of the physical and chemical properties of these liquids are listed. The liquids are listed in alphabetical order within groups, the denser than water liquids are listed first followed by those liquids less dense than water.

Progress is reported on the following research projects: the molecular basis of disease resistance; synthesis of phytoalexins by plants; host-pathogen interactions; structure and function of primary cell walls; and production of galactanase by Bacillus subtilis. (HLW)

Risk-benefit analysis has been implicitly practiced whenever decision-makers are confronted with decisions involving risks to life, health, or to the environment. Various methodologies have been developed to evaluate relevant criteria and to aid in assessing the impacts of alternative projects. Among these have been cost-benefit analysis, which has been widely used for project evaluation. However, in many cases it has been difficult to assign dollar costs to those criteria involving risks and benefits which are not now assigned explicit monetary values in our economic system. Hence, risk-benefit analysis has evolved to become more than merely an extension of cost-benefit analysis, and many methods have been applied to examine the trade-offs between risks and benefits. In addition, new scientific and statistical techniques have been developed for assessing current and future risks. The 950 references included in this bibliography are meant to suggest the breadth of those methodologies which have been applied to decisions involving risk.

This report outlines and discusses the major Federal statutes which can act as constraints and incentives to the various types of energy resource developments and their resulting impacts. While state and local legislation and other political and institutional factors may create more immediate constraints and incentives regarding the location of energy developments, Federal legislation can supersede state and local powers and often sets a precedent for similar state legislation. This study examines institutional barriers and incentives to energy development and investigate potential management strategies for energy impacts, deals with the first layer of constraints--Federal legislation. For this discussion, constraints and incentives are the laws and resulting policies and guidelines that limit and/or encourage certain development policies and actions. These laws set parameters along several dimensions within which all development actions must occur. The dimensions, which are the sectors of the Regional Assessment Program are (1) air quality, (2) water quality, (3) bioproductivity, (4) land use, (5) economics/energy, and (6) community development (social/demographic/psychological issues). This report has been organized along the six dimensions. The characteristics of the Pacific Northwest region and of the energy development/production process are described. A general overview of the Federal legislative constraints and incentives, including some discussion …

Progress is reported in the following areas: PCRV development, studies on structural materials, fission product technology studies, kernel migration and irradiated fuel chemistry, coolant chemistry (steam-graphite reactions), fuel qualification, and characterization and standardization of graphite.

The report is to the Energy Research and Development Administration on accomplishments of the Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory geochemistry and physical oceanography groups during the 1975-1976 funding period on grant E(11-1)2185. Goals are to obtain detailed, quantitative knowledge of the rates of mixing within coastal waters of the New York Bight and across the continental slope and the exchange of water masses and species transported within them between shelf and Atlantic Ocean waters. The research is aimed at understanding the chemical, physical, and biological processes which control the origin, dispersal, and fate of particulate matter and trace metals, and to ultimately model the impact of energy related pollutants on the continental shelf.

Mammalian cells containing different multiples of the diploid chromosome set were created through drug induction and cell fusion. In all cell strains used the chromosome number was determined from metaphase spreads, as well as from DNA content and cell size. The survival of cells as a function of radiation dose was determined for cell lines with differing chromosome complements at 37/sup 0/C, 4/sup 0/C, in hypertonic media, while frozen, and with increasing levels of incorporated IUdR. Survival of frozen diploid and hypotetraploid Chinese hamster cells was determined following varying numbers of decays of incorporated /sup 3/HTdR and /sup 125/IUdR. The percent of reproductively viable cells following irradiation is a function of the cell ploidy, i.e., the number of haploid sets of chromosomes contained in the cell genome. At 37/sup 0/C and in hypertonic media, the Chinese hamster cells of progressively higher ploidies are increasingly sensitive to irradiation. As the number of chromosomes per unit cell volume increases the radiosensitivity increases. Both trends suggest interaction between chromosomes as an important cause of cell death.

Separate abstracts were prepared for six sections of the report. (CH)

The radiological and chemical toxicity of plutonium and uranium to the developing embryos of fish was investigated using eggs from carp, Cyprinus carpio, and fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas. Freshly fertilized eggs were developed in solutions containing high specific activity /sup 238/Pu or /sup 232/U or low specific activity /sup 244/Pu, /sup 235/U, or /sup 238/U. Quantitative tests to determine the penetration of these elements through the chorion indicated that plutonium accumulated in the contents of carp eggs reaching a maximum concentration factor of approximately 3.0 at hatching. Autoradiographs of 16 ..mu.. egg sections showed that plutonium was uniformly distributed in the egg volume. Uranium localized in the yolk material, and the concentration factor in the yolk sac remained constant during development at approximately 3.3. Doses from /sup 238/Pu which affected hatchability of the eggs were estimated to be 1.6 x 10/sup 4/ rads and 9.7 x 10/sup 3/ rads for C. carpio and P. promelas, respectively; doses from /sup 232/U were 1.3 x 10/sup 4/ rads for C. carpio and 2.7 x 10/sup 3/ rads for P. promelas. A greater number of abnormal larvae than in control groups was produced by /sup 238/Pu doses of 4.3 x 10/sup 3/ rads …

A quarterly report on the medium-energy physics program at LAMPF is given. Topics covered include: (1) engineering support; (2) accelerator support; (3) accelerator systems development; (4) injector systems; (5) electronic instrumentation and computer systems; (6) accelerator operations; (7) experimental areas; (8) beam line development; (9) large-spectrometer systems; (10) research; (11) nuclear chemistry; (12) practical applications of LAMPF; and (13) management. (PMA)

The High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR) utilizes the thorium-uranium fuel cycle. Fully enriched uranium fissile material and thorium fertile material are used in the initial reactor core and for makeup fuel in the recycle core loadings. Bred /sup 233/U and unburned /sup 235/U fissile materials are recovered from spent fuel elements, refabricated into recycle fuel elements, and used as part of the recycle core loading along with the makeup fuel elements. A typical HTGR employs a 4-yr fuel cycle with approximately one-fourth of the core discharged and reloaded annually. The fuel element composition, including heavy metals, impurity nuclides, fission products, and activation products, has been calculated for discharged spent fuel elements and for reload fresh fuel and recycle fuel elements for each cycle over the life of a typical HTGR. Fuel element compositions are presented for the conditions of equilibrium recycle. Data describing compositions for individual reloads throughout the reactor life are available in a detailed volume upon request. Fuel element block flow data have been compiled based on a forecast HTGR market. Annual block flows are presented for each type of fuel element discharged from the reactors for reprocessing and for refabrication.

Brief summaries are given of research activities in the areas of high energy physics, basic and applied energy science, and life sciences. Support activities and administrative data are also briefly reviewed.

An Environmental Impact Directory System (EIDS) was proposed as a method for a computerized search of the widely distributed data files and models pertaining to energy-related environmental effects. To define the scope and content of the system, an example was prepared for the case of geothermal energy. The resulting sub-directory is known as GEIDs (Geothermal Environmental Impact Directory System). In preparing or reviewing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), the user may employ GEIDS as an extensive checklist to make sure he has taken into account all predictable impacts at any level of severity.

This is the first in a series of reports evaluating environmental control technologies applicable to the coal-to-electricity process. The technologies are described and evaluated from an engineering and cost perspective based upon the best available information obtained from utility experience and development work in progress. Environmental control regulations and the health effects of pollutants are also reviewed. Emphasis is placed primarily upon technologies that are now in use. For SO/sub 2/ control, these include the use of low sulfur coal, cleaned coal, or flue-gas desulfurization systems. Electrostatic precipitators and fabric filters used for the control of particulate matter are analyzed, and combustion modifications for NO/sub x/ control are described. In each area, advanced technologies still in the development stage are described briefly and evaluated on the basis of current knowledge. Fluidized-bed combustion (FBC) is a near-term technology that is discussed extensively in the report. The potential for control of SO/sub 2/ and NO/sub x/ emissions by use of FBC is analyzed, as are the resulting solid waste disposal problems, cost estimates, and its potential applicability to electric utility systems. Volume II presents the detailed technology analyses complete with reference citations. This same material is given in condensed form in Volume …

An assessment of the safety and feasibility of ultimate storage of radioactive wastes produced at the Savannah River Plant (SRP) in horizontal tunnels excavated in the bedrock beneath the plant site is presented. Results indicate that a cavern with an excavated volume of 130 million gallons could contain 80 million gallons of concentrated radioactive SRP wastes with minimal risks if the cavern is located in the impermeable Triassic Basin underlying the Savannah River site. The cavern could be placed so that it would lie wholly within the boundaries of the plantsite. The document summarizes the general geological, hydrological, and chemical knowledge of the geological structures beneath the plantsite; develops evaluation guidelines; and utilizes mathematical models to conduct risk analyses. The risk models are developed from known soil and salt solution mechanics; from past, present, and future geological behavior of the onsite rock formations; and from known waste handling technology. The greatest risk is assessed to exist during transfer of the radioactive wastes to the cavern. When the cavern is filled and sealed, further population risks are asessed to be very low.