US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has recently formulated a national standard for digitization and compression of gray-scale fingerprint images. Fingerprints are scanned at a spatial resolution of 500 dots per inch, with 8 bits of gray-scale resolution. The compression algorithm for the resulting digital images is based on adaptive uniform scalar quantization of a discrete wavelet transform subband decomposition (wavelet/scalar quantization method). The FBI standard produces archival-quality images at compression ratios of around 15 to 1 and will allow the current database of paper fingerprint cards to be replaced by digital imagery. The compression standard specifies a class of potential encoders and a universal decoder with sufficient generality to reconstruct compressed images produced by any compliant encoder, allowing flexibility for future improvements in encoder technology. A compliance testing program is also being implemented to ensure high standards of image quality and interchangeability of data between different implementations.

Over the past 10 years, the Hanford Site has been transitioning from nuclear materials production to Site cleanup operations. High-level waste characterization at the Hanford Site provides data to support present waste processing operations, tank safety programs, and future waste disposal programs. Quality elements in the high-level waste characterization program will be presented by following a sample through the data quality objective, sampling, laboratory analysis and data review process. Transition from production to cleanup has resulted in changes in quality systems and program; the changes, as well as other issues in these quality programs, will be described. Laboratory assessment through quality control and performance evaluation programs will be described, and data assessments in the laboratory and final reporting in the tank characterization reports will be discussed.

This plan has been developed by Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC), and its subcontractors ICF Kaiser Hanford (ICF KH) and BCS Richland, Inc. (BCSR), at the direction of the US Department of Energy (DOE), Richland Operations Office (RL). WHC and its subcontractors are hereafter referred to as the Maintenance and Operations (M and O) Contractor. The plan identifies actions involving the M and O Contractor that are critical to (1) prepare for a smooth transition to the Project Hanford Management Contractor (PHMC), and (2) support and assist the PHMC and RL in achieving transition as planned, with no or minimal impact to ongoing baseline activities. The plan is structured around two primary phases. The first is the pre-award phase, which started in mid-February 1996 and is currently scheduled to be completed on June 1, 1996, at which time the contract is currently planned to be awarded. The second is the follow-on four-month post-award phase from June 1, 1996, until October 1, 1996. Considering the magnitude and complexity of the scope of work being transitioned, completion in four months will require significant effort by all parties. To better ensure success, the M and O Contractor has developed a pre-award phase that is …

This document summarizes the sampling activities for tank 241-BX-109. This report contains tables of the analytical results on total organic compounds and total inorganic compounds in the radioactive wastes. Tank 241-BX-109 has not been on a Watch List.