An environmental sampling and drilling mud sampling program was conducted during the drilling operations of Continental Scientific Drilling Program (CSDP) core hole VC-2B, Valles caldera, New Mexico. A suite of four springs and creeks in the Sulphur Springs area were monitored on a regular basis to ensure that the VC-2B drilling program was having no environmental impact on water quality. In addition, a regional survey of springs in and around the Jemez Mountains was conducted to provide background data for the environmental monitoring. A drilling mud monitoring program was conducted during the operations to help identify major fluid entries in the core hole. 32 refs., 14 figs., 7 tabs.

The Earth Science Laboratory of the University of Utah Research Institute has been involved in research in geothermal exploration and development for the past eleven years. Our work has resulted in the publication of nearly 500 reports, which are listed in this document. Over the years, we have collected drill chip and core samples from more than 180 drill holes in geothermal areas, and most of these samples are available to others for research, exploration and similar purposes. We hope that scientists and engineers involved in industrial geothermal development will find our technology transfer and service efforts helpful.

Highlights of the Chemical Technology (CMT) Division's activities during 1989 are presented. In this period, CMT conducted research and development in the following areas: (1) electrochemical technology, including high-performance batteries (mainly lithium/iron sulfide and sodium/metal chloride), aqueous batteries (lead-acid and nickel/iron), and advanced fuel cells with molten carbonate and solid oxide electrolytes; (2) coal utilization, including the heat and seed recovery technology for coal-fired magnetohydrodynamics plants and the technology for fluidized-bed combustion; (3) method, for recovery of energy from municipal waste and techniques for treatment of hazardous organic waste; (4) nuclear technology related to a process for separating and recovering transuranic elements from nuclear waste and for producing 99Mo from low-enriched uranium targets, the recovery processes for discharged fuel and the uranium blanket in a sodium-cooled fast reactor (the Integral Fast Reactor), and waste management; and (5) physical chemistry of selected materials in environments simulating those of fission and fusion energy systems.

Highlights of the Chemical Technology (CMT) Division's activities during 1989 are presented. In this period, CMT conducted research and development in the following areas: (1) electrochemical technology, including high-performance batteries (mainly lithium/iron sulfide and sodium/metal chloride), aqueous batteries (lead-acid and nickel/iron), and advanced fuel cells with molten carbonate and solid oxide electrolytes: (2) coal utilization, including the heat and seed recovery technology for coal-fired magnetohydrodynamics plants and the technology for fluidized-bed combustion; (3) methods for recovery of energy from municipal waste and techniques for treatment of hazardous organic waste; (4) nuclear technology related to a process for separating and recovering transuranic elements from nuclear waste and for producing {sup 99}Mo from low-enriched uranium targets, the recovery processes for discharged fuel and the uranium blanket in a sodium-cooled fast reactor (the Integral Fast Reactor), and waste management; and (5) physical chemistry of selected materials in environments simulating those of fission and fusion energy systems. The Division also has a program in basic chemistry research in the areas of fluid catalysis for converting small molecules to desired products; materials chemistry for superconducting oxides and associated and ordered solutions at high temperatures; interfacial processes of importance to corrosion science, high-temperature superconductivity, and catalysis; …

A four day review to assess the status of target physics of inertial confinement fusion was held at US Department of Energy (DOE) Headquarters on November 14--17, 1988. This review completes the current series of reviews of the inertial fusion program elements to assess the status of the data base for a decision to proceed with the proposed Laboratory Microfusion Facility (LMF) that is being planned. In addition to target physics, the program elements that have been reviewed previously include the driver technology development for KrF and solid-state lasers, and the light-on beam pulsed power system. This series of reviews was undertaken for internal DOE assessment in anticipation of the ICF program review mandated by the Congress in 1988 to be completed in 1990 to assess the significance and implications of the progress that has been realized in the laboratory and the underground Halite/Centurion experiments. For this target physics review, both the direct and the indirect drive approaches were considered. The principal issues addressed in this review were: Is the present target physics data base adequate for a decision to proceed with design and construction of LMF now as opposed to continue planning activities at this time What specific additional …

In this document, masses of the STAR-C power system and an optimized out-of-core thermionic reactor (OTR) power system versus power level are investigated. The impacts of key system parameters on system performance are also addressed. The STAR-C is mass competitive below about 15 kWe, but at higher power levels the scalability is relatively poor. An optimized OR is the least massive space nuclear power system below 25 kWe, and scales well to 50 kWe. The system parameters that have a significant impact on the scalability of the STAR-C are core thermal flux, thermionic converter efficiency, and core length to diameter ratio. The emissivity of the core surface is shown to be a relatively unimportant parameter. For an optimized OR power system, the most significant system parameter is the maximum allowable fuel temperature. It is also shown that if advanced radiation-hardened electronics are used in the satellite payload, a very large mass savings is realized. 10 refs., 23 figs., 7 tabs.