An efficient, scalable, parallel algorithm for treating contacts in solid mechanics has been applied to interactions between particles in smooth particle hydrodynamics (SPH). The algorithm uses three different decompositions within a single timestep: (1) a static FE-decomposition of mesh elements; (2) a dynamic SPH-decomposition of SPH particles; (3) and a dynamic contact-decomposition of contact nodes and SPH particles. The overhead cost of such a scheme is the cost of moving mesh and particle data between the decompositions. This cost turns out to be small in practice, leading to a highly load-balanced decomposition in which to perform each of the three major computational states within a timestep.

A technique for modeling level structures of odd-odd nuclei has been used to construct sets of discrete states with energies in the range 0 to 1.5 MeV for several nuclei in the rare-earth and actinide regions. The accuracy of the modeling technique was determined by comparison with experimental data. Examination was made of what effect the use of these new, more complete sets of discrete states has on the calculation of level densities, total reaction cross sections, and isomer ratios. 9 refs.

Copper ions for the 2005 run [1] of the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) are accelerated in the Tandem, Booster and AGS prior to injection into RHIC. The setup and performance of these accelerators with copper are reviewed in this paper.

We have investigated problems associated with inferring cross sections for neutron reactions on unstable nuclei in the mass-90 region from charged-particle reactions on nearby stable targets. We conclude that effects due to precompound evaporation, isospin, and multiple reaction paths severely limit the circumstances under which charged-particle studies may be directly and easily converted to neutron cross sections of useful accuracy. 4 refs., 2 figs.

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A technique based on discrete energy levels rather than energy level densities is presented for nuclear reaction calculations. The validity of the technique is demonstrated via theoretical and experimental agreement for cross sections, isomer-ratios and gamma-ray strength functions. 50 refs., 7 figs. (WRF)

A brief review is given of some recent developments in the fields of optical model potentials; level densities; and statistical model, precompound, and direct reaction codes and calculations. Significant developments have occurred in all of these fields since the 1977 Conference on Neutron Cross Sections, which will greatly enhance the ability to calculate high-energy neutron-induced reaction cross sections in the next few years. 11 figures, 3 tables.

Nanoporous sol-gel based films are finding a wide variety of uses including gas separations and supports for heterogeneous catalysts. The films can be formed by spin or dip coating, followed by relatively low temperature annealing. The authors used several types of these films as coatings on the Pd alloy thin film sensors they had previously fabricated and studied. The sol-gel films have little effect on the sensing response to H{sub 2} alone. However, in the presence of other gases, the nanoporous film modifies the sensor behavior in several beneficial ways. (1) They have shown that the sol-gel coated sensors were only slightly poisoned by high concentrations of H{sub 2}S while uncoated sensors showed moderate to severe poisoning effects. (2) For a given partial pressure of H{sub 2}, the signal from the sensor is modified by the presence of O{sub 2} and other oxidizing gases.

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This article discusses K-shell x-ray production cross sections of Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Se, Rb, Sr, and Y for 0.5- to 2.5-MeV alpha particles.

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The RHIC 2003 Physics Run [1] required collisions between gold ions and deuterons. The injector necessarily had to deliver adequate quality (transverse and longitudinal emittance) and quantity of both species. For gold this was a continuing evolution from past work [2]. For deuterons it was new territory. For the filling of the RHIC the injector not only had to deliver quality beams but also had to switch between these species quickly. This paper details the collider requirements and our success in meeting these. Some details of the configurations employed are given.

The RHIC spin program requires 2 x 10{sup 11} proton/bunch with 70% polarization. As the injector to RHIC, AGS is the bottleneck for preserving polarization: there is no space for a full snake to overcome numerous depolarizing resonances. An ac dipole and a partial snake have been used to preserve beam polarization in the past few years. Two helical snakes have been built and installed in the AGS. With careful setup of optics at injection and along the ramp, this combination can eliminate all depolarizing resonances encountered during acceleration. This paper presents the setup and preliminary results.

Polarized proton beam has been accelerated and stored at 100 GeV in Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) to study spin effects in the hadronic reactions. The essential equipment includes four Siberian snakes and eight spin rotators in two RHIC rings, a partial snake in the AGS, fast relative polarimeters, and ac dipoles in the AGS and RHIC. This paper summarizes the performance of RHIC as a polarized proton collider and of AGS as the injector to RHIC.

Brookhaven's AGS Booster has been modified to deliver slow extracted beam to a new beam line, the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL). This facility was constructed in collaboration with NASA for the purpose of performing radiation effect studies for the NASA space program. The design of the resonant extraction system has been described in [1]. A more detailed description, which includes predictions of the slow extracted beam time structure has been described in [2]. In this report we will present results of the system commissioning and performance.

The control system for the Nova laser must operate reliably in a harsh pulse power environment and satisfy requirements of technical functionality, flexibility, maintainability and operability. It is composed of four fundamental subsystems: Power Conditioning, Alignment, Laser Diagnostics, and Target Diagnostics, together with a fifth, unifying subsystem called Central Controls. The system architecture utilizes a collection of distributed microcomputers, minicomputers, and components interconnected through high speed fiber optic communications systems. The design objectives, development strategy and architecture of the overall control system and each of its four fundamental subsystems are discussed. Specific hardware and software developments in several areas are also covered.

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Residual stress in YBCO films on Ag and Hastelloy C substrates was determined by using 3-D optical interferometry and laser scanning to measure the change in curvature radius before and after film deposition. The residual stress was obtained by appropriate analysis of curvature measurements. Consistent with residual thermal stress calculations based on the thermal expansion coefficient mismatch between the substrates and YBCO film, the measured residual stress in the YBCO film on Hastelloy C substrate was tensile, while it was compressive on the Ag substrate. The stress values measured by the two techniques were generally in good agreement, suggesting that optical interferometry and laser scanning have promise for measuring residual stresses in thin films.

Questions concerning the Environmental Qualification (EQ) of electrical equipment used in commercial nuclear power plants have recently become the subject of significant interest to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Initial questions centered on whether compliance with the EQ requirements for older plants were adequate to support plant operation beyond 40 years. After subsequent investigation, the NRC Staff concluded that questions related to the differences in EQ requirements between older and newer plants constitute a potential generic issue which should be evaluated for backfit, independent of license renewal activities. EQ testing of electric cables was performed by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) under contract to the NRC in support of license renewal activities. Results showed that some of the environmentally qualified cables either failed or exhibited marginal insulation resistance after a simulated plant life of 20 years during accident simulation. This indicated that the EQ process for some electric cables may be non-conservative. These results raised questions regarding the EQ process including the bases for conclusions about the qualified life of components based upon artificial aging prior to testing.

A model for H/sup -/, D/sup -/ production by energetic particles reflecting from metal surfaces is discussed. The model employs the energy and angular distribution data derived from the Marlowe code. The model is applied to particles incident normally upon Cs, Ni, and Cs/Ni surfaces.

A variety of elemental foils have been activated by neutron fluence from TFTR under conditions with the DT neutron yield per shot ranging from 10{sup 12} to over 10{sup 18}, and with the DT/(DD+DT) neutron ratio varying from 0.5% (from triton burnup) to unity. Linear response over this large dynamic range is obtained by reducing the mass of the foils and increasing the cooling time, all while accepting greatly improved counting statistics. Effects on background gamma-ray lines from foil-capsule-material contaminants. and the resulting lower limits on activation foil mass, have been determined. DT neutron yields from dosimetry standard reactions on aluminum, chromium, iron, nickel, zirconium, and indium are in agreement within the {plus_minus}9% (one-sigma,) accuracy of the measurements: also agreeing are yields from silicon foils using the ACTL library cross-section. While the ENDF/B-V library has too low a cross-section. Preliminary results from a variety of other threshold reactions are presented. Use of the {sup 115}In(n,n) {sup 115m}In reaction (0.42 times as sensitive to DT neutrons as DD neutrons) in conjunction with pure-DT reactions allows a determination of the DT/(DD+DT) ratio in trace tritium or low-power tritium beam experiments.