Significant progress in plasma confinement and temperature has been achieved in the 2XIIB facility at Livermore. These encouraging results, and their theoretical corroboration, have provided a firm basis for the design of a new generation of magnetic mirror experiments, adding support to the mirror concept of a fusion reactor. Two new mirror experiments have been proposed to succeed the currently operating 2XIIB facility. The first of these called TMX (Tandem Mirror Experiment) has been approved and is currently under construction. TMX is designed to utilize the intrinsic positive plasma potential of two strong, and relatively small, minimum B mirror cells to enhance the confinement of a much larger, magnetically weaker, centrally-located mirror cell. The second facility, MFTF (Mirror Fusion Test Facility), is currently in preliminary design with line item approval anticipated for FY 78. MFTF is designed primarily to exploit the experimental and theoretical results derived from 2XIIB. Beyond that, MFTF will develop the technology for the transition from the present small mirror experiments to large steady-state devices such as the mirror FERF/FTR. The sheer magnitude of the plasma volume, magnetic field, neutral beam power, and vacuum pumping capacity, particularly in the case of MFTF, has placed new and exciting …

The prototype surface examination station for the Fuels and Materials Examination Facility (FMEF) will use closed circuit television (CCTV) for routine modes of operation along with a nuclear periscope for special examination needs. The CCTV and the nuclear periscope were evaluated against prescribed station requirements and compared in a side-by-side demonstration. A quantitative evaluation of their outputs showed that both systems were capable of meeting surface anomaly detection requirements. The CCTV system was superior in its ability to collect, suppress and present data into a more useful form for the experimenters.

Separate abstracts were prepared for the five papers presented. (WHK)

Accurate simulation of high density target implosion requires material properties (ionization, pressure, energy, opacity, and transport coefficients) at densities where bound electrons are significantly perturbed by neighboring atoms. In the LASNEX code, this data is supplied by tables and/or calculated from a Stromgren model for ionization equilibrium. Improvements have been made in this model which aim at assuring thermodynamic consistency and obtaining better agreement with more elaborate calculations. Arbitrary degeneracy is allowed for the free electrons. Consistent Coulomb contributions to pressure and continuum lowering are obtained. A new pressure ionization scheme merges bound electrons into the continuum as a smooth function of density and the corresponding contribution to pressure is calculated. Results are shown for aluminum.

A neutron-detection system has been assembled to provide both spatial and energy information from the neutrons produced in advanced fusion experiments. Techniques described are applicable to experiments where the neutron pulse is on the order of one-second duration. The system gives spatial resolution of about 1 cm at distances of 1 to 2 m and energy resolution of 0.6 MeV at 14 MeV. In all cases, pulse-shape discrimination is used to distinguish neutrons from gamma rays.

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Experimental evidence is presented of a steepened electron density profile near critical density obtained from studying the time-integrated scattered light from targets illuminated by linearly polarized, 1.06 ..mu.. light. Both 10 ..mu.. thick disks and DT-filled glass microshells were irradiated by light focused by f/1 or f/2.5 lenses in one and two-beam experiments, respectively. From the dependence of the asymmetry of the scattered light about the beam axis upon the scattering angle, we infer scale lengths on the order of one micron. Scale lengths have also been deduced from measurements on the polarization state of the reflected light. Both analytic and numerical results are presented to show how the polarization state varies with the incidence angle and the scale length.

The targets used for the creation of laser produced plasmas often contain sodium, silicon and other period 3 elements. Temperature and density information can be inferred from detailed study of the characteristic radiation from these elements. The resolution capabilities of crystal spectrographs designed to look at such target radiation are discussed. Data from several types of spectrographs are compared. The fine structure of the hydrogen and helium-like silicon lines are used to illustrate spectrograph resolution. A spectrograph for examining weak characteristic radiation near 1 keV due to plasma which has been compressed with a spherical irradiation system is discussed.

Experimental evidence is presented of a steepened electron density profile near critical density obtained from studying the time-integrated scattered light from targets illuminated by linearly polarized, 1.06 ..mu.. light. Both 10 ..mu.. thick disks and DT-filled glass microshells were irradiated by light focused by f/1 or f/2.5 lenses in one and two-beam experiments, respectively. From the dependence of the asymmetry of the scattered light about the beam axis upon the scattering angle, scale lengths on the order of one micron are inferred. Scale lengths have also been deduced from measurements on the polarization state of the reflected light. Both analytic and numerical results are presented to show how the polarization state varies with the incidence angle and the scale length.

There are four known geothermal resource areas in the Imperial Valley that have a combined potential of over 4,000 megawatts of electrical energy for 25 years. The water resources available to support geothermal energy development are imported Colorado River water, agricultural waste waters, Salton Sea water, and ground water. In addition, geothermal power plants can produce their own cooling water in the form of steam condensate. Nevertheless, the relatively high water requirements of geothermal facilities along with a series of real and potential constraints may cause water supply dilemmas involving both the acquisition and use of cooling water. Important constraints are institutional policies, water supply costs, technical problems, and impacts upon the Salton Sea. These constraints and related dilemmas are examined in light of relevant information on the valley's water resources, geothermal resources and energy technologies, cooling water requirements, and water supply options.

The current interest in fast ions has prompted the design of a new time-of-flight ion spectrometer which measures the high energy ions from a laser produced plasma. A magnet was used to separate the ions from the intense background of electrons, x-rays and scattered light. The design of the instrument is wide band so that ions with energies 0.03 to 3000 keV/amu can be measured. Results from target experiments on the LLL ARGUS laser facility will be presented. The fast ion spectrum is dovetailed with the spectrum of the slower ions collected by Faraday cups and thus provides a measurement for the total energy carried by ions. The charge to mass ratio of the ions can be calculated from the spectrometer output.

Specifications, operation, characteristics, cost, and experience with the NAL 15-ft bubble chamber are described. Beam availability and some experimental proposals are discussed. (WHK)

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