This report follows the radiochemical study of fission and spallation products produced by bombardment of U-235 with 18- to 16-Mev helium ions and of the spallation products produced by 8- to 23-Mev deuteron bombardments of Np-237.

At high excitation energies, competition of proton and c-particle emission with neutron emission becomes important. For low excitation, the competition between Y-emission, neutron emission, and fission should be taken into account. To aid in the evaluation of this competition an experiment has been performed to measure the number and energy spectrum of the protons and c-particles emitted in the high energy bombardment of uranium with protons, deuterons, and c-particles.

From introduction: "This report is an attempt to examine, semiquantitavely, the way the competition between neutron emission and fission varies for heavy nuclei as a function of nuclear type and excitation energy. Many of the ideas herein are the results of discussions with R. H. Goeckermann and W. Heckrotte of the University of California Radiation Laboratory."

A survey of reactors believed to be suited for most effect competition with conventionally fueled power plants in the continental USA. Basic design data are summarized for a light-water-moderated boiling reactor and aqueous homogeneous reactors.

A short review of the field of internal conversions. Isomeric transitions teach us many details of nuclear structure. In these studies electromagnetic theory is considered as a "tool". It is a quite quantitative tool in the case of "internal conversion" - a phenomenon which has been widely studied for many years. Internal conversion takes place in competition with γ-ray emission: a fraction of the nuclei in excited states decay by γ-ray emission, the remaining fraction by transferring the energy to K, or L, etc. electrons in the atomic shell. Thus the lifetime of an excited nuclear state depends on the internal conversion coefficient. As internal conversion must be expected to depend on the details of the electronic environment, the lifetime of an isomeric state depends on the state of chemical combination of the isomer - as was recently shown explicitly in one case, that of Te-99m(6hr.).

When deaerated solutions of KNO2 at their natural pH are irradiated with γ- or x-rays, the main initial reaction is a formation of hydrogen and hydrogen peroxide. As peroxide builds up, a radiation-induced reaction between nitrite and peroxide sets in, which results in the formation of nitrate. This reaction is slower the higher the nitrite concentration. The kinetics of the nitrite-peroxide reaction were studied in detail by the irradiation of synthetic mixtures, and the results were satisfactorily explained by a free radical mechanism. The main feature of the mechanism is a competition between H2O2 and NO2- for reaction with H atoms generated in the water. The yield for H-atom formation is found to be 2.4 per 100 ev. The initial yield of peroxide in the pure nitrite solutions is greater than the yield of hydrogen, and decreases with increasing nitrite concentration, at concentrations below 0.002M. The effect of nitrite on the initial peroxide yield is qualitatively similar to the effect of bromide reported by Sworski. In nitrite solutions containing oxygen, an immediate nitrite oxidation occurs on irradiation, with a yield which increases with increasing ratio of the concentration of nitrite to that of oxygen.

The effects of competition between resonances of different isotopes were investigated. Flux and reaction rate calculations on a Pu/sup 239/-- U/sup 238/ system revealed that U/sup 238/ exhibits both self-shielding and interference effects, the latter becoming noticeable at enrichment of a few per cent. Gold activation was also found to be depressed by the presence of U, but was insensitive at low enrichment values, Investigation of the Pu/sup 239/ resonance integral showed an asymmetric effect involving both interference between potential and resonant scattering and interference with resonance absorption in another isotope. The interference scattering arising in each resonance level had a notable effect on the average change in the Doppler coefficient. (D.C.W.)

Progress report on programs in target research and in accelerator research.

The following report is meant to be used as a guide for planning and interpreting future distribution experiments of tubanyl salts between organic solvents and aqueous solutions.

Report discussing the effects of thermal diffusion length and certain details in the design of light water moderated reactors and their effect on reactivity.

Certain aspects of mating behavior in two different types of Drosophila melanogaster females (Basc and Bv) and wildtype males (Samarkand) have been investigated and compared.

Progress report on biological studies of radiation effects, metabolic properties of various materials, health chemistry, health physics.

Technical report outlining the effects of chromosomal abnormalities in tetraploid Argentine flint maize pollination, and subsequent generations.

The "absolute" containment of ions in the DCX magnetic mirror field resulting from the cylindrical symmetry of the field is discussed. The regions of confinement in space and momentum are plotted for 300 Kev deuterons.

The pion-pion interaction is of great theoretical importance and must be understood before the other and more familiar interactions can be systematically analyzed. Therefore, various experiments to verify the existence of a P resonance in the w w system are proposed.

Report discussing studies regarding properties of the zirconium-uranium epsilon phase related to stability and existence range. Data showing this phase's thermodynamic stability is presented as well as the zirconium-uranium constitutional diagram. Oxygen and nitrogen effects on zirconium-uranium alloys and epsilon-phase alloys is included as well as ternary zirconium-uranium-oxygen diagrams.

"This report presents some of the theory of operation of the Mirror Machine, and summarizes the experimental work which has been carried out...The modus operandi of the Mirror Machine is to create, heat and control a high temperature plasma by means of externally generating magnetic fields."

A report which investigates the effect of irradiation on the thermal conductivity of uranium. Thermal-conductivity measurements are made on clad uranium specimens prior to irradiation.

This report discusses studies revealing the tensile properties, hot hardness, and heat treatment characteristics of uranium alloys with added aluminum or zirconium.

Report discussing the reaction of uranium with pure water. The reaction was followed by using a method of measuring hydrogen evolution.

A report which provides information about the McBrain-Bakr sorption balance that is used to study vapor phase sorption of iodine by active carbons and to calculate the surface areas of the carbons.

Report discussing the progress of various projects at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory during the period from March to May 1955.

The system pentaether-uranyl nitrate-nitric acid-water has been studied in the liquid-liquid region, Aqueous solutions containing 0.0M to 8.2M nitric acid and 0.0M to 2.3M uranyl nitrate were equilibrated with pentaether, and the effects of nitric acid concentration, uranyl nitrate concentration and temperature are discussed. Phase diagrams for the system are presented and approximate delta-H values are given.

The following report is a general monthly progress report conducted by the radiation laboratory of the University of California discussing experimental physics, theoretical physics, the MTA target physics program, accelerator construction and operation, biology and medicine, and a plant and equipment report. The period being covered is January 15, 1954 to February 15, 1954.