This report summarizes the findings of an experimental program conducted to support the modeling of the crush behavior of triaxial braid carbon fiber composites. The matrix material as well as braided panels and tubes were characterized in order to determine material properties, to assess failure modes, and to provide a test bed for new analytical and numerical tools developed specifically for braided composites. The matrix material selected by the ACC was an epoxy vinyl ester (Ashland Hetron 922). Tensile tests were used to compare two formulations-one used by the ACC and one recommended by the resin supplier. The latter was a faster reacting system and gelled in one-third the time of the ACC formulation. Both formulations had an average elongation at failure that was only half of the resin supplier's reported value. Only one specimen of each type came close to the reported elongation value and it was shown that failure invariably initiated at both surface and internal defects. Overall, the tensile properties of the two formulations were nearly identical, but those of the ACC system were more consistent. The properties of the ACC matrix formulation were measured in tension, shear, and compression and the average properties obtained in these …

The Chemical Technology Division (CMT) is one of eight engineering research divisions within Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), one of the U.S. government's oldest and largest research laboratories. The University of Chicago oversees the laboratory on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Argonne's mission is to conduct basic scientific research, to operate national scientific facilities, to enhance the nation's energy resources, and to develop better ways to manage environmental problems. Argonne has the further responsibility of strengthening the nation's technology base through developing industrial technology and transferring that technology to industry. The Chemical Technology Division is a diverse early-stage engineering organization, specializing in the treatment of spent nuclear fuel, development of advanced power sources, and management of both high- and low-level nuclear wastes. Although this work is often indistinguishable from basic research, our efforts are directed toward the practical devices and processes that are covered by ANL's mission. Additionally, the Division operates the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, which provides a broad range of analytical services to ANL and other organizations. The Division is multi-disciplinary. Its people have formal training as ceramists; physicists; material scientists; electrical, mechanical, chemical, and nuclear engineers; and chemists. They have experience working in academia, urban planning, …

We have used selective AlGaAs oxidation, dry-etching, and high-gain semiconductor laser simulation to create new in-plane lasers with interconnecting passive waveguides for use in high-density photonic circuits and future integration of photonics with electronics. Selective oxidation and doping of semiconductor heterostructures have made vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) into the world's most efficient low-power lasers. We apply oxidation technology to improve edge-emitting lasers and photonic-crystal waveguides, making them suitable for monolithic integrated microsystems. Two types of lasers are investigated: (1) a ridge laser with resonant coupling to an output waveguide; (2) a selectively-oxidized laser with a low active volume and potentially sub-milliAmp threshold current. Emphasis is on development of high-performance lasers suited for monolithic integration with photonic circuit elements.

Historic accounts and recent observations of Pacific lampreys (Lampetra tridentata) at mainstem Columbia River dams indicate the number of Pacific lampreys migrating upriver has decreased dramatically over the last 60 years. Consequently, state, federal, and tribal governments have recently expressed concern for this species. Little is known about the biological and ecological characteristics of habitats suitable for upstream migrating Pacific lampreys. If rehabilitation efforts are to be done effectively and efficiently, we must gain knowledge of factors limiting survival and reproduction of Pacific lampreys. From data gathered in the first year of this project, we can for the first time, describe the timing, extent, and patterns of movements for Pacific lampreys. We have tested methods and gained information that will allow us to refine our objectives and approach in future work. Knowledge of behavior, timing, and the resulting quantification of habitat use will provide a means to assess the suitability of overwintering and spawning habitats and allow the establishment of goals for recovery projects. Further research is necessary, including multiple years of data collection, tracking of movement patterns through the spawning season, and more rigorously examining habitat use.

The control of magnetic islands is a crucial issue in designing Stellarators. Islands are associated with resonant radial magnetic fields at rational rotational-transform surfaces and can lead to chaos and poor plasma confinement. In this article, we show that variations in the resonant fields of a full-pressure stellarator equilibrium can be related to variations in the boundary via a coupling matrix, and inversion of this matrix determines a boundary modification for which the island content is significantly reduced. The numerical procedure is described and the results of island optimization are presented. Equilibria with islands are computed using the Princeton Iterative Equilibrium Solver, and resonant radial fields are calculated via construction of quadratic-flux-minimizing surfaces. A design candidate for the National Compact Stellarator Experiment [Phys. Plasmas 8, 2001], which has a large island, is used to illustrate the technique. Small variations in the boundary shape are used to reduce island size and to reverse the phase of a major island chain.

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