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.

The central goal of DOE`s Ocean Margin Program (OMP) has been to determine whether continental shelves are quantitatively significant in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and isolating it via burial in sediments or exporting it to the open ocean. The overall objective of this work within OMP was to develop an instrument package to measure the large aggregate population of particles in the shelf/slope environment at a rate sufficient to integrate the observed particle distributions into the coupled physical and biogeochemical models necessary to understand the shelf and slope as a system. Pursuant to this the authors have developed a video and optical instrument package (LAPS: Large Aggregate Profiling System) and assembled the computer and software methods to routinely measure a wide spectrum of the large aggregate population of particles in the shelf/slope environment. This particle population, encompassing the `marine snow` size particles (dia. > 0.5 mm), is thought to be the major pathway of material flux in the ocean. The instrument package collects aggregate abundance and size spectrum data using two video camera/strobe subsystems with a third subsystem collecting CTD, beam attenuation and fluorescence data. Additionally, measurements of particle flux were made with sediment traps deployed on the …

This is the final report of a one-year, Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project at the Los Alamos national Laboratory (LANL). The overall goal of the project was to evaluate the performance of Los Alamos technology in selected geothermal fields, to adapt the technology to the existing industry infrastructure where necessary, and to facilitate its application through demonstration and communication. The primary specific objective was to identify, collaborate, and partner with geothermal energy- producing companies in an evaluation of the application of Los Alamos microseismic mapping technology for locating fracture permeability in producing geothermal fields.

This paper reports on new and surprising experimental data for catalytic film gas sensing resistors coated with nanoporous sol-gel films to impart selectivity and durability to the sensor structure. This work is the result of attempts to build selectivity and reactivity to the surface of a sensor by modifying it with a series of sol-gel layers. The initial sol-gel SiO{sub 2} layer applied to the sensor surprisingly showed enhanced O{sub 2} interaction with H{sub 2} and reduced susceptibility to poisons such as H{sub 2}S.

This report summarizes a preliminary design study to explore the plausibility of using pulse tube refrigeration to cool instruments in a hot down-hole environment. The original motivation was to maintain Dave Reagor`s high-temperature superconducting electronics at 75 K, but the study has evolved to include three target design criteria: cooling at 30 C in a 300 C environment, cooling at 75 K in a 50 C environment, cooling at both 75 K and 30 C in a 250 C environment. These specific temperatures were chosen arbitrarily, as representative of what is possible. The primary goals are low cost, reliability, and small package diameter. Pulse-tube refrigeration is a rapidly growing sub-field of cryogenic refrigeration. The pulse tube refrigerator has recently become the simplest, cheapest, most rugged and reliable low-power cryocooler. The authors expect this technology will be applicable downhole because of the ratio of hot to cold temperatures (in absolute units, such as Kelvin) of interest in deep drilling is comparable to the ratios routinely achieved with cryogenic pulse-tube refrigerators.

Video footage from The Black Academy of Arts and Letters recorded during the 20th anniversary season event entitled "Black Preaching in the Literary Tradition" held on March 1st, 1997. The footage shows the second half of the event including various pastor speakers on the poetical and metaphoric language in the Bible and sermons. The video begins with pastor Wright Lassiter of Saint John Missionary Baptist Church. The event covers the influence of the Bible and its literary style on the spirituality of the black community.

Because of their commercial availability in bulk single crystal form, the 6H- and 4H- polytypes of SiC are gaining importance for high-power, high-temperature, and high-frequency device applications. Selective area doping is a crucial processing step in integrated circuit manufacturing. In Si technology, selective area doping is accomplished by thermal diffusion or ion-implantation. Because of the low diffusion coefficients of most impurities in SiC, ion implantation is indispensable in SiC device manufacturing. In this paper the authors present their results on donor, acceptor, and compensation implants in 6H-SiC.

The latest ion-implantation results on SiC are presented. The authors have performed nitrogen and phosphorus (N/P) co-implantations to obtain very high n-type carrier concentrations, Si and C bombardments for compensating n-type SiC, and V-implantation for compensating p-type SiC. They have also performed N and Al implantations directly into V-doped semi-insulating 6H-SiC substrates. Vertical p-n junction diodes were made by selective area N, P, and N/P implantations into p-type epitaxial layers grown on 6H-SiC substrates.

A message-passing version of the PAGOSA shock-wave physics code has been developed at Sandia National Laboratories for multiple-instruction, multiple-data stream (MIMD) computers. PAGOSA is an explicit, Eulerian code for modeling the three-dimensional, high-speed hydrodynamic flow of fluids and the dynamic deformation of solids under high rates of strain. It was originally developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory for the single-instruction, multiple-data (SIMD) Connection Machine parallel computers. The performance of Sandia`s message-passing version of PAGOSA has been measured on two MIMD machines, the nCUBE 2 and the Intel Paragon XP/S. No special efforts were made to optimize the code for either machine. The measured scaled speedup (computational time for a single computational node divided by the computational time per node for fixed computational load) and grind time (computational time per cell per time step) show that the MIMD PAGOSA code scales linearly with the number of computational nodes used on a variety of problems, including the simulation of shaped-charge jets perforating an oil well casing. Scaled parallel efficiencies for MIMD PAGOSA are greater than 0.70 when the available memory per node is filled (or nearly filled) on hundreds to a thousand or more computational nodes on these two machines, indicating that …

The Grayburg Formation (middle Guadalupian) is a major producing interval in the Permian Basin and has yielded more than 2.5 billion barrels of oil in West Texas. Grayburg reservoirs have produced, on average, less than 30 percent of their original oil in place and are undergoing secondary and tertiary recovery. Efficient design of such enhanced recovery programs dictates improved geological models to better understand and predict reservoir heterogeneity imposed by depositional and diagenetic controls. The Grayburg records mixed carbonate-siliciclastic sedimentation on shallow-water platforms that rimmed the Delaware and Midland Basins. Grayburg outcrops in the Guadalupe and Brokeoff Mountains region on the northwest margin of the Delaware Basin present an opportunity to construct a detailed, three-dimensional image of the stratigraphic and facies architecture. This model can be applied towards improved description and characterization of heterogeneity in analogous Grayburg reservoirs. Four orders of stratigraphic hierarchy are recognized in the Grayburg Formation. The Grayburg represents a long-term composite sequence composed of four high-frequency sequences (HFS 1-4). Each HFS contains several composite cycles comprising two or more cycles that define intermediate-scale transgressive-regressive successions. Cycles are the smallest scale upward-shoaling vertical facies successions that can be recognized and correlated across various facies tracts. Cycles thus …

The catalytic hydrogenation of coal and model solvents using dispersed or supported catalysts at different pressures has been the focus of several recent studies at PETC. The effectiveness of these catalysts has been studied in coal liquefaction and coal-oil coprocessing. Coal-oil coprocessing involves the co-reaction of coal and petroleum-derived oil or resid. The results of these studies have indicated that both dispersed and supported catalysts are effective in these systems at elevated H{sub 2} pressures ({approximately}2,500 psig). Attempts to reduce pressure indicated that a combination of catalyst concentration and solvent quality could be used to compensate for reductions in H{sub 2} pressure. Comparison of the coal and coprocessing systems reveals many similarities in the catalytic requirements for both systems. Both hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis activities are required and the reactive environments are similar. Also, the use of catalysts in the two systems shares problems with similar types of inhibitors and poisons. The logical extension of this is that it may be reasonable to expect similar trends in catalyst activity for both systems. In fact, many of the catalysts selected for coal liquefaction were selected based on their effectiveness in petroleum systems. This study investigates the use of supported and dispersed coal …

The goal of the proposed National Spallation Neutron Source (NSNS) is to provide a short pulse proton beam of about 0.5 {mu}s with average beam power of 1 MW. To achieve such purpose, a proton storage ring operated at 60 Hz with 1 x 10{sup 14} protons per pulse at 1 GeV is required. The Accumulator Ring (AR) receives 1 msec long H{sup {minus}} beam bunches of 28 mA from a 1 GeV linac. Scope and design performance goals of the AR are presented, other possible technological choices and design options considered, but not adopted, are also briefly reviewed.

Since the discovery of piezoresistivity in silicon in the mid 1950s, silicon-based pressure sensors have been widely produced. Micromachining technology has greatly benefited from the success of the integrated circuits industry, burrowing materials, processes, and toolsets. Because of this, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are now poised to capture large segments of existing sensor markets and to catalyze the development of new markets. Given the emerging importance of MEMS, it is instructive to review the history of micromachined pressure sensors, and to examine new developments in the field. Pressure sensors will be the focus of this paper, starting from metal diaphragm sensors with bonded silicon strain gauges, and moving to present developments of surface-micromachined, optical, resonant, and smart pressure sensors. Considerations for diaphragm design will be discussed in detail, as well as additional considerations for capacitive and piezoresistive devices.

In 1996, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) proposed an oxidant delivery technique involving injection and recirculation of the oxidant solution into a contaminated aquifer through multiple horizontal and vertical wells. This technique would be applicable to saturated, hydraulically conductive formations. In the spring of 1997, the Department of Energy (DOE) at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) agreed to collaborate with the DOE`s Subsurface Contaminants Focus Area to conduct a field-scale treatability study using in situ chemical oxidation through recirculation (ISCOR). PORTS agreed to support the demonstration at the X-701B site where the technology can potentially be used to remediate TCE-contaminated groundwater and sediments. The ISCOR field demonstration took advantage of existing infrastructure and extensive site characterization data generated from previous field demonstrations at X-701B. The field test was implemented using a pair of previously installed horizontal wells that transect an area of DNAPL contamination. Groundwater was extracted from one horizontal well, pumped to an existing pump and treat facility, dosed with KMnO{sub 4}, and re-injected into a parallel horizontal well approximately 90 ft away. The field demonstration lasted approximately one month. Treatment effectiveness was determined by comparing contaminant levels in pre-treatment, during, and post-treatment groundwater samples and …

A Task Force, comprising eight US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and two Agreement State program staff members, developed the guidance contained in this report. This report describes a systematic approach for effectively managing radiation safety programs at medical facilities. This is accomplished by defining and emphasizing the roles of an institution`s executive management, radiation safety committee, and radiation safety officer. Various aspects of program management are discussed and guidance is offered on selecting the radiation safety officer, determining adequate resources for the program, using such contractual services as consultants and service companies, conducting audits, and establishing the roles of authorized users and supervised individuals; NRC`s reporting and notification requirements are discussed, and a general description is given of how NRC`s licensing, inspection and enforcement programs work.

This is the final report for a three-year, Laboratory-Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The principal goal of this project was to investigate the speciation of lead in the environment at LANL and to determine the feasibility of using thermal remediation methods to immobilize lead in the environment. Lead occurs as pyromorphite [Pb(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}(Cl, OH)], cerussite (PbCO{sub 3}) and galena (PbS) in vapor-phase-altered Bandelier Tuff samples. LANL soils primarily contain cerussite and PbO. Thermal remediation experiments at high temperatures (up to 400 C) suggest that thermal immobilization of highly-reactive Pb compounds in the environment may be feasible, but that this technique is not optimal for more refractory lead phases such as cerussite and PbO.

This final report describes activities carried out in support of a demonstration of a hydrogen powered vehicle fleet and construction of a solar powered hydrogen generation system. The hydrogen generation system was permitted for construction, constructed, and permitted for operation. It is not connected to the utility grid, either for electrolytic generation of hydrogen or for compression of the gas. Operation results from ideal and cloudy days are presented. The report also describes the achievement of licensing permits for their hydrogen powered trucks in California, safety assessments of the trucks, performance data, and information on emissions measurements which demonstrate performance better than the Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle levels.

Geothermal, or ground-source, heat pumps (GHP) are much more efficient than air-source units such as conventional air conditioners. A major obstacle to their use is the relatively high initial cost of installing the heat-exchange loops into the ground. In an effort to identify drivers which influence installation cost, a number of site visits were made during 1996 to assess the state-of-the-art in drilling for GHP loop installation. As an aid to quantifying the effect of various drilling-process improvements, we constructed a spread-sheet based on estimated time and material costs for all the activities required in a typical loop-field installation. By substituting different (improved) values into specific activity costs, the effect on total project costs can be easily seen. This report contains brief descriptions of the site visits, key points learned during the visits, copies of the spread-sheet, recommendations for further work, and sample results from sensitivity analysis using the spread-sheet.

Twenty-four monitoring wells were drilled and completed in December 1994 as part of a water and mass balance study for the shallow perched aquifer in the Mortandad Canyon alluvium and in the lower part of Ten-Site Canyon. The wells penetrated the alluvium containing the aquifer and were completed into the top of the weathered tuff. Twelve of these wells encountered the Tshirege Member (Cooing Unit 1 g) of the Bandelier Tuff below the canyon alluvium, while ten wells made contact with the Cerro Toledo interval, which lies between the Tshirege and Otowi Members of the Bandelier Tuff. The remaining two wells were completed into the alluvium above the weathered tuff contact. These wells provide access for continuous water level measurement and water sampling. Data from these new wells will be used to determine changes in alluvial aquifer water storage, water quality sampling, and estimation of seepage into the unsaturated Bandelier Tuff below the alluvium. This report documents drilling activities and well completion logs for the water and mass balance study. These wells also provide critical new data for fourteen north-south vertical cross-sections constructed for the canyon alluvium.

Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) of semiconductor heterostructures for advanced electronic and opto-electronic devices requires precise control of the surface composition and strain. The development of advanced in situ diagnostics for real-time monitoring and process control of strain and composition would enhance the yield, reliability and process flexibility of material grown by MBE and benefit leading-edge programs in microelectronics and photonics. The authors have developed a real-time laser-based technique to measure the evolution of stress in epitaxial films during growth by monitoring the change in the wafer curvature. Research has focused on the evolution of stress during the epitaxial growth of Si{sub x}Ge{sub 1{minus}x} alloys on Si(001) substrates. Initial studies have observed the onset and kinetics of strain relaxation during the growth of heteroepitaxial layers. The technique has also been used to measure the segregation of Ge to the surface during alloy growth with monolayer sensitivity, an order of magnitude better resolution than post-growth characterization. In addition, creation of a 2-dimensional array of parallel beams allows rapid surface profiling of the film stress that can be used to monitor process uniformity.

The National Spallation Neutron Source Accumulator Ring will require large aperture dipole magnets, strong focusing quadrupole magnets, and smaller low field dipole, quadrupole, and sextupole correcting magnets. All of the magnets will provide a fixed magnetic field throughout the accumulator`s fill/storage/extraction cycle. Similar fixed field magnets will also be provided for the beam transport systems. Because of the high intensity in the accumulator, the magnets must be designed with high tolerances for optimum field quality and for the high radiation environment which may be present at the injection/extraction areas, near the collimators, and near the target area. Field specifications and field plots are presented as well as planned fabrication methods and procedures, cooling system design, support, and installation.

CPA - Cost and Performance Analysis - is a prototype integration of existing PC-based cost and performance analysis tools: ACEIT (Automated Cost Estimating Integrated Tools) and ASSESS (Analytic System and Software for Evaluating Safeguards and Security). ACE is an existing DOD PC-based tool that supports cost analysis over the full life cycle of a system; that is, the cost to procure, operate, maintain and retire the system and all of its components. ASSESS is an existing DOE PC-based tool for analysis of performance of physical protection systems. Through CPA, the cost and performance data are collected into Excel workbooks, making the data readily available to analysts and decision makers in both tabular and graphical formats and at both the system and subsystem levels. The structure of the cost spreadsheets incorporates an activity-based approach to cost estimation. Activity-based costing (ABC) is an accounting philosophy used by industry to trace direct and indirect costs to the products or services of a business unit. By tracing costs through security sensors and procedures and then mapping the contributions of the various sensors and procedures to system effectiveness, the CPA architecture can provide security managers with information critical for both operational and strategic decisions. The …

For more than three decades, Mortandad Canyon has been the primary release area of treated liquid radioactive waste from the Los Alamos National Laboratory (Laboratory). In this survey, six water samples and seven stream sediment samples collected in Mortandad Canyon were analyzed by thermal ionization mass spectrometry to determine the plutonium and uranium activity levels and atom ratios. By measuring the {sup 240}Pu/{sup 239}Pu atom ratios, the Laboratory plutonium component was evaluated relative to that from global fallout. Measurements of the relative abundance of {sup 235}U and {sup 236}U were also used to identify non-natural components. The survey results indicate that the Laboratory plutonium and uranium concentrations in waters and sediments decrease relatively rapidly with distance downstream from the major industrial sources. Plutonium concentrations in shallow alluvial groundwater decrease by approximately 1,000-fold along a 3,000-ft distance. At the Laboratory downstream boundary, total plutonium and uranium concentrations were generally within regional background ranges previously reported. Laboratory-derived plutonium is readily distinguished from global fallout in on-site waters and sediments. The isotopic ratio data indicate off-site migration of trace levels of Laboratory plutonium in stream sediments to distances approximately two miles downstream of the Laboratory boundary.

Semi-weekly newspaper from Clifton, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.