The relationship between charge transport and mechanical properties of alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers (SAM) on Au(111) films has been investigated using an atomic force microscope with a conductive tip. Molecular tilts induced by the pressure applied by the tip cause stepwise increases in film conductivity. A decay constant {beta} = 0.57 {+-} 0.03 {angstrom}{sup -1} was found for the current passing through the film as a function of tip-substrate separation due to this molecular tilt. This is significantly smaller than the value of {approx} 1 {angstrom}{sup -1} found when the separation is changed by changing the length of the alkanethiol molecules. Calculations indicate that for isolated dithiol molecules S-bonded to hollow sites, the junction conductance does not vary significantly as a function of molecular tilt. The impact of S-Au bonding on SAM conductance is discussed.

The path towards realizing peta-scale computing isincreasingly dependent on building supercomputers with unprecedentednumbers of processors. To prevent the interconnect from dominating theoverall cost of these ultra-scale systems, there is a critical need forhigh-performance network solutions whose costs scale linearly with systemsize. This work makes several unique contributions towards attaining thatgoal. First, we conduct one of the broadest studies to date of high-endapplication communication requirements, whose computational methodsinclude: finite-difference, lattice-bolzmann, particle in cell, sparselinear algebra, particle mesh ewald, and FFT-based solvers. Toefficiently collect this data, we use the IPM (Integrated PerformanceMonitoring) profiling layer to gather detailed messaging statistics withminimal impact to code performance. Using the derived communicationcharacterizations, we next present fit-trees interconnects, a novelapproach for designing network infrastructure at a fraction of thecomponent cost of traditional fat-tree solutions. Finally, we propose theHybrid Flexibly Assignable Switch Topology (HFAST) infrastructure, whichuses both passive (circuit) and active (packet) commodity switchcomponents to dynamically reconfigure interconnects to suit thetopological requirements of scientific applications. Overall ourexploration leads to a promising directions for practically addressingthe interconnect requirements of future peta-scale systems.

A search for lepton flavor violating decays of a {tau} to a lighter-mass charged lepton and an {omega} vector meson is performed using 384.1 fb{sup -1} of e{sup +}e{sup -} annihilation data collected with the BABAR detector at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center PEP-II storage ring. No signal is found, and the upper limits on the branching ratios are determined to be {beta}({tau}{sup {+-}} {yields} e{sup {+-}}{omega}) < 1.1 x 10{sup -7} and {beta}({tau}{sup {+-}} {yields} {mu}{sup {+-}}{omega}) < 1.0 x 10{sup -7} at 90% confidence level.

The case of {gamma}-ray absorption due to photon-photon pair production of jet photons in the external photon environments, such as the accretion disk and the broad-line region radiation fields, of {gamma}-ray--loud active galactic nuclei (AGNs) that exhibit strong emission lines is considered. I demonstrate that this 'local opacity,' if detected, will almost unavoidably be redshift-dependent in the sub-TeV range. This introduces nonnegligible biases and complicates approaches for studying the evolution of the extragalactic background light with contemporary GeV instruments such as the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST ), where the {gamma}-ray horizon is probed by means of statistical analysis of absorption features (e.g., the Fazio-Stecker relation) in AGN spectra at various redshifts. It particularly applies to strong-line quasars, where external photon fields are potentially involved in {gamma}-ray production.

We present an analysis which shows that the ranges of space and time scales spanned by a system are not invariant under the Lorentz transformation. This implies the existence of a frame of reference which minimizes an aggregate measure of the range of space and time scales. Such a frame is derived for example cases: free electron laser, laser-plasma accelerator, and particle beam interacting with electron clouds. Implications for experimental, theoretical and numerical studies are discussed. The most immediate relevance is the reduction by orders of magnitude in computer simulation run times for such systems.

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Mixing depth is an important quantity in the determination of air pollution concentrations. Fireweather forecasts depend strongly on estimates of the mixing depth as a means of determining the altitude and dilution (ventilation rates) of smoke plumes. The Savannah River United States Forest Service (USFS) routinely conducts prescribed fires at the Savannah River Site (SRS), a heavily wooded Department of Energy (DOE) facility located in southwest South Carolina. For many years, the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) has provided forecasts of weather conditions in support of the fire program, including an estimated mixing depth using potential temperature and turbulence change with height at a given location. This paper examines trends in the average estimated mixing depth daily maximum at the SRS over an extended period of time (4.75 years) derived from numerical atmospheric simulations using two versions of the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS). This allows for differences to be seen between the model versions, as well as trends on a multi-year time frame. In addition, comparisons of predicted mixing depth for individual days in which special balloon soundings were released are also discussed.

We address the question whether the ILC can resolve the LHC Inverse Problem within the framework of the MSSM. We examine 242 points in the MSSM parameter space which were generated at random and were found to give indistinguishable signatures at the LHC. After a realistic simulation including full Standard Model backgrounds and a fast detector simulation, we find that roughly only one third of these scenarios lead to visible signatures of some kind with a significance {ge} 5 at the ILC with {radical}s = 500 GeV. Furthermore, we examine these points in parameter space pairwise and find that only one third of the pairs are distinguishable at the ILC at 5{sigma}.

This paper reports measurements of processes: e{sup +}e{sup -} {yields} {gamma}K{sup 0}{sub s}K{sup {+-}}{pi}{sup {+-}}, e{sup +}e{sup -} {yields} {gamma}K{sup +}K{sup -}{pi}{sup 0}, e{sup +}e{sup -} {yields} {gamma}{phi}{eta} and e{sup +}e{sup -} {yields} {gamma}{phi}{pi}{sup 0}. The initial state radiated photon allows to cover the hadronic final state in the energy range from thresholds up to {approx} 4.6 GeV. The overall size of the data sample analyzed is 232 fb{sup -1}, collected by the BABAR detector running at the PEP-II e{sup +}e{sup -} storage ring. From the Dalitz plot analysis of the K{sup 0}{sub s}K{sup {+-}}{pi}{sup {+-}} final state, moduli and relative phase of the isoscalar and the isovector components of the e{sup +}e{sup -} {yields} KK*(892) cross section are determined. Parameters of {phi} and {rho} recurrences are also measured, using a global fitting procedure which exploits the interconnection among amplitudes, moduli and phases of the e{sup +}e{sup -} {yields}K{sup 0}{sub s}K{sup {+-}}{pi}{sup {+-}}, K{sup +}K{sup -}{pi}{sup 0}, {phi}{eta} final states. The cross section for the OZI-forbidden process e{sup +}e{sup -} {yields} {phi}{pi}{sup 0} and the J/{psi} branching fractions to KK*(892) and K{sup +}K{sup -}{eta} are also measured.

This paper measures the sample to sample variation in the light yield non-proportionality of NaI:Tl, and so explores whether this is an invariant characteristic of the material or whether it is dependent on the chemical and physical properties of tested sample. In this work we report on the electron response of nine crystals of NaI(Tl), differing in shape, volume, age, manufacturer and quality. The non-proportionality has been measured at the SLYNCI facility in the energy range between 3.5 to 460 keV. The Scintillation Light Yield Non-proportionality Characterization Instrument (SLYNCI) is a next generation Compton Coincidence device, explicitly designed to study the 'non-proportionality' of the electron response in scintillators and the contribution of this effect to the intrinsic energy resolution. We also discuss the gamma response, x-ray excited emission spectra and decay times for the nine crystals, in order to provide a complete characterization of their physical properties and determine whether the mechanism of scintillation varies between samples.

A vitrification technology utilizing a lanthanide borosilicate (LaBS) glass appears to be a viable option for the disposition of excess weapons-useable plutonium that is not suitable for processing into mixed oxide (MOX) fuel. A significant effort to develop a glass formulation and vitrification process to immobilize plutonium was completed in the mid-1990s. The LaBS glass formulation was found to be capable of immobilizing in excess of 10 wt % Pu and to be tolerant of a range of impurities. To confirm the results of previous testing with surrogate Pu feeds containing impurities, four glass compositions were selected for fabrication with actual plutonium oxide and impurities. The four compositions represented extremes in impurity type and concentration. The homogeneity and durability of these four compositions were measured. The homogeneity of the glasses was evaluated using x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS). The XRD results indicated that the glasses were amorphous with no evidence of crystalline species in the glass. The SEM/EDS analyses did show the presence of some undissolved PuO{sub 2} material. The EDS spectra indicated that some of the PuO{sub 2} crystals also contained hafnium oxide. The SEM/EDS analyses showed that there were no …

Hanford's Transuranic (TRU) Program is responsible for certifying contact-handled (CH) TRU waste and shipping the certified waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Hanford's CH TRU waste includes material that is in retrievable storage as well as above ground storage, and newly generated waste. Certifying a typical container entails retrieving and then characterizing it (Real-Time Radiography, Non-Destructive Assay, and Head Space Gas Sampling), validating records (data review and reconciliation), and designating the container for a payload. The certified payload is then shipped to WIPP. Systems modeling and analysis techniques were applied to Hanford's TRU Program to help streamline the certification process and increase shipping rates.