The parameterization of the magnitude and the energy dependence of the E1 gamma-ray strength function for the calculation of neutron- and proton-induced capture cross sections and capture gamma-ray spectra is investigated. The energy-dependent Breit-Wigner (EDBW) is reparameterized incorporating a more general expression for the Breit-Wigner line shape. Evaluation of the reparameterized E1 gamma-ray strength function is discussed. (WHK)

One cannot expect measurements alone to supply all of the neutron-induced activation cross-section data required by the fission reactor, fusion reactor, and nuclear weapons development communities, given the wide ranges of incident neutron energies, the great variety of possible reaction types leading to activation, and targets both stable and unstable. Therefore, the evaluator must look to nuclear model calculations and systematics to aid in fulfilling these cross-section data needs. This review presents some of the recent developments and improvements in the prediction of neutron activation cross sections, with specific emphasis on the use of empirical and semiempirical methods. Since such systematics require much less nuclear informaion as input and much less computational time than do the multistep Hauser-Feshbach codes, they can often provide certain cross-section data at a sufficient level of accuracy within a minimum amount of time. The cross-section information that these systematics can and cannot provide and those cases in which they can be used most reliably are discussed.

It has often been reported that, in mass regions corresponding to peaks in the neutron strength function, nonstatistical mechanisms contribute a significant or even major portion of the average radiation width in the beginning of the resonance region. This could severely limit the possibility of calculating caputure cross sections for targets where experimental data are lacking, because such direct effects are sensitive to the detailed nuclear level structure in the daughter nucleus. The reaction /sup 98/Mo+n was examined for neutrons in the 1 keV to 3 MeV energy range, because this case is often cited as one of the clearest examples of valence neutron capture effects. Preliminary calculations are presented which suggest that these nonstatistical effects rapidly disappear when measurements from even a small number of resonances are averaged.

The function, J(x,y), which has appeared frequently in analytical solutions of a variety of technical problems, is described and its applications briefly reviewed. Two detailed examples of applications are given. Tabulations of functions related to J(x,y) are listed, and relationships of J(x,y) to these functions are stated. Methods of computation of J(x,y), suitable for use with digital computers, are described.

Six indices are presented for linear compartment systems that quantify the probable pathways of matter or energy transfer, the likelihood of recurrence if the model contains feedback loops, and the number of steps (transfers) through the system. General examples are used to illustrate how these indices can simplify the comparison of complex systems or organisms in unrelated systems.

A series of six shallow temperature-gradient holes were drilled for Sunoco Energy Development Company in Panther Canyon, Pershing County, Nevada during the period March 24 through June 15, 1981. A proposed intermediate-depth gradient hole was spud but abandoned after encountering unresolvable drilling problems. The locations of these holes are shown on figure 1. This report summarizes the results of the Panther Canyon project.

The purpose of contract No. E(49-18)2368 (EX-76-S-01-2368) was to develop a means for measuring coal reactivities at practical gasification conditions, to make measurements of coal reactivities on several coal chars, and to develop correlations relating coal gasification rates to measurable parameters. These goals have been achieved. A novel Hanging Reactor Thermobalance was developed under the present contract. This unique instrument provides a completely new method for measurement of gas/solid reaction rate data at practical process conditions of temperature, pressure, gas phase composition and fluid mechanical regime. In addition to coal gasification studies the new device will be useful in other energy related studies, i.e., shale oil pyrolysis and hot stack gas cleanup. The instrument was used to study the CO/sub 2/ gasification of Montana Rosebud char and Illinois No. 6 coal. A careful modelling study was made. The observed reaction rate vs. time (and conversion) data were correlated with a physically realistic model using only measurable parameters.

The design of a cryogenic helium pump for circulating liquid helium in a magnet and the design of a test loop for measuring the pump performance in terms of mass flow vs pump head at various pump speeds are described. A commercial cryogenic helium pump was tested successfully. Despite flaws in the demountable connections, the piston pump itself has performed satisfactorily. A helium pump of this type is suitable for the use of flowing supercritical helium through Internally Cooled Superconductor (ICS) magnets. It has pumped supercritical helium up to 7.5 atm with a pump head up to 2.8 atm. The maximum mass flow rate obtained was about 16 g/s. Performance of the pump was degraded at lower pumping speeds. (LCL)

Appendices containing data on uranium availability to accompany a report on U.S. uranium resources in the Durango Quandragle, Colorado.

From purpose and study: The Durango Quadrangle, southwest Colorado (Fig. 1), was evaluated to identify geologic units and to delineate areas that exhibit characteristics favorable for uranium deposits. Geologic environments were evaluated to a depth of 1500 m based on recognition criteria (Mickle and Mathews, eds., 1978) prepared for the National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) program. A favorable environment, as defined for this program, is an environment that could contain at least 100 tons U308 in deposits with an average grade no less than 100 ppm U308 . Environments that did not meet the NURE criteria were categorized as unfavorable. Some of the subsurface and several areas of restricted access were categorized as unevaluated because insufficient data exist for proper evaluation.

None

The conclusions of this report are: (1) There is a weakly defined thermal anomaly within the area examined by temperature-gradient holes in the Santiam Pass area. This is a relict anomaly showing differences in permeability between the High Cascades and Western Cascades areas, more than a fundamental difference in shallow crustal temperatures. (2) The anomaly as defined by the 60 F isotherms at 400 feet follows a north-south trend immediately westward of the Cascade axis in the boundary region. It is clear that all holes spudded into High Cascades rocks result in isothermal and reversal gradients. Holes spudded in Western Cascades rocks result in positive gradients. (3) Cold groundwater flow influences and masks temperature gradients in the High Cascades to a depth of at least 700 feet, especially eastward from the major north-south trending faults. Pleistocene and Holocene rocks are very permeable aquifers. (4) Shallow gradient drilling in the lowlands westward of the faults provides more interpretable information than shallow drilling in the cold-water recharge zones. Topographic and climatological effects can be filtered out of the temperature gradient results. (5) The thermal anomaly seems to have 2 centers: one in the Belknap-Foley area, and one northward in the Sand Mountain …

The relative importance of lateral and vertical mixing in the interior of the oceans cannot be reliably determined from conventional oceanographic measurements, nor from observations of fallout radionuclides. It is suggested that the problem could be most effectively studied by an experiment in which a large quantity of a suitable tracer was deliberately released in deep water, and its subsequent dispersion was followed for at least one year. The feasibility of such an experiment is examined. It is concluded that it is indeed feasible, and that helium-3 would be the most suitable tracer, with tritium as a possible alternative. About 30 g f Helium-3 would be needed for each release. Such a quantity may be dissoled in about 1 m/sup 3/ of water at pressures greater than 500 dbar, is easily available, and would cost about $100K. Concentrations would have fallen to unmeasurable levels by the time the patch had spread sufficiently to interfere with measurements of natural or radiogenic helium-3. The patch would need to be marked with dusters of neutrally buoyant floats in order that its movement may be followed. It is estimated that it would be around 1000 km across after one year, and anything from a …

Three experiments are described in which H/sup -/ or D/sup -/ ions have been produced by backscattering from surfaces coated with alkali metals: (1) Backscattering of H/sup -/ and D/sup -/ produced by 0.15- to 4-keV/nucleus H/sub 2//sup +/, H/sub 3//sup +/, D/sub 2//sup +/, and D/sub 3//sup +/ bombarding clean targets of Cs, Rb, K, Na, and Li. For each target, the H/sup -/ and D/sup -/ yields were maximized at incident energies between 300 and 1200 eV/nucleus and always at a lower incident energy for H than for D on a given target. At any given incident energy, both the H/sup -/ and D/sup -/ yields decreased in going from Cs to Li in the order given above. (2) A Mo surface was bombarded by a low-energy flux of H atoms produced in a tungsten furnace. As the surface work function was reduced by evaporating Cs onto the target, a small fraction (10/sup -9/) of the incident hydrogen atoms was observed as backscattered H/sup -/ ions. (3) Surfaces of Mo, W, Pt, Ni, Cu, Re, Ta, and Pd were bombarded by hydrogen ions produced in a discharge. Two classes of H/sup -/ ions were observed when Cs was …

The Hydrogen-via-Electricity (HvE) concept is the prospective use of hydrogen fuel, produced electrolytically from the electric utility grid, as a means of responding to conventional fuels shortages. This report makes available the two sets of comments and critiques of this concept solicited from the Government/Government contractor group and from the electric utility companies.

The hot dry rock (HDR) site selection and resource evaluation team has been assessing roughly 24 sites within the USA as candidates for development of a second HDR geothermal system. Potential sites examined fall broadly into three categories according to the nature of their thermal anomalies: (1) Quaternary magmahydrothermal (volcanic or igneous) systems such as The Geysers-Clear Lake region, California; (2) regional thermal anomalies of tectonic origin such as the Basin and Range Province of the Southwest; and (3) pre-Quaternary plutonic and metamorphic complexes such as the Conway Granite, New Hampshire. Although sites with both electrical generation and direct use potential have been considered, efforts were concentrated on electrical sites. Criteria for a successful HDR electrical generation site utilizing current technology require temperatures greater than or equal to 200/sup 0/C, depths less than or equal to 5/km, and impermeable reservoir rocks. Sites with these characteristics only exist in the western USA. The significance of other criteria such as environmental issues, water rights, public visability, and pre-existing power networks have not yet been evaluated.

We investigated a method for monitoring a typical large storage vault for unauthorized removal of plutonium. The method is based on the assumption that the neutron field in a vault produced by a particular geometric configuration of bulk plutonium remains constant in time and space as long as the configuration is undisturbed. To observe such a neutron field, we installed an array of 25 neutron detectors in the ceiling of a plutonium storage vault at Argonne National Laboratory West. Each neutron detector provided an independent spatial measurement of the vault neutron field. Data collected by each detector were processed to determine whether statistically significant changes had occurred in the neutron field. Continuous observation experiments measured the long-term stability of the system. Removal experiments were performed in which known quantities of plutonium were removed from the vault. Both types of experiments demonstrated that the neutron monitoring system can detect removal or addition of bulk plutonium (11% /sup 240/Pu) whose mass is as small as 0.04% of the total inventory.

The ISABELLE proton accelerator uses over one thousand superconducting magnets to guide the particle beams in two circular rings, 3.8 km in circumference. Prior to their installation in the tunnel all magnets must be tested and measured at their 3.8 K operating temperature. This paper describes the refrigeration system, called MAGCOOL, to accomplish this task.

Six chemistry and three nondestructive assay (NDA) measurements have been made to provide information on the /sup 235/U content of twelve standards cut from a cylinder of uranium-aluminum alloy to be used in calibrating the /sup 252/Cf shuffler. These data have been evaluated to produce a set of uranium mass estimates and associated uncertainties for the standards by means of least squares techniques. Longitudinal fluctuation in uranium density is modeled, both by linear splines and by polynomials, and the two methods are compared. Also, a method is given for assessing the accuracy of the measurement uncertainties initially provided.

Recognizing thermal energy storage as potentially critical to the successful commercialization of solar thermal power systems, the Department of Energy (DOE) has established a comprehensive and aggressive thermal energy storage technology development program. Of the fluids proposed for heat transfer and energy storage molten nitrate salts offer significant economic advantages. The nitrate salt of most interest is a binary mixture of NaNO/sub 3/ and KNO/sub 3/. Although nitrate/nitrite mixtures have been used for decades as heat transfer and heat treatment fluids the use has been at temperatures of about 450/sup 0/C and lower. In solar thermal power systems the salts will experience a temperature range of 350 to 600/sup 0/C. Because central receiver applications place more rigorous demands and higher temperatures on nitrate salts a comprehensive experimental program has been developed to examine what effects, if any, the new demands and temperatures have on the salts. The experiments include corrosion testing, environmental cracking of containment materials, and determinations of physical properties and decomposition mechanisms. This report details the work done at Sandia National Laboratories in each area listed. In addition, summaries of the experimental programs at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of New York, EIC Laboratories, Inc., and the …

This preliminary reconnaissance survey is intended to: develop a first estimate as to the potential number, location and characteristics of small-scale (50 kW to 15 MW) hydroelectric sites in Nevada; provide a compilation of various Federal and state laws and regulations, including tax and financing regulations, that affect small-scale hydroelectric development and provide information on sources of small-scale hydroelectric generation hardware and consultants/ contractors who do small scale hydroelectric work. The entire survey has been conducted in the office working with various available data bases. The site survey and site evaluation methods used are described, and data are tabulated on the flow, power potential, predicted capital expenditures required, etc. for 61 potential sites with measured flows and for 77 sites with derived flows. A map showing potential site locations is included. (LCL)

A modification of the currently operating Calutron, magnetron, and modified duoPIGatron negative ion source is proposed. The modification should improve gas efficiency by more than an order of magnitude in the Calutron, by a factor of 5 in the magnetron, and by a factor of 2 in the duoPIGatron.

The facilities used by the Los Alamos Explosives Technology group to study the shock-induced decomposition of high explosives are described.

Neutral beams for magnetic fusion reactors are at an early stage of development, and require considerable effort to make them into the large, reliable, and efficient systems needed for future power plants. To optimize their performance to establish specific goals for component development, systematic analysis of the beamlines is essential. Three ion source characteristics are discussed: arc-cathode life, gas efficiency, and beam divergence, and their significance in a high-energy neutral-beam system is evaluated.