Report of the annual conference on weights and measures, hosted by the U.S. National Bureau of Standards in Washington D.C. It includes conference proceedings, a list of attendees, information about committees and officers, and other reports or commentaries discussed at the meetings.

Introduction: "This is the tenth letter report on ARF Project C 127, entitled "Preliminary Studies of Scavenging Systems Related to Radioactive Fallout." This report covers the period from October 1 to December 1, 1959."

This report follows investigations of methods for sealing the ends of stainless steel-uranium oxide fuel pins with the objective to develop an end-capping method that would give consistently good-quality closures in production.

This report follows a study that was aimed at the collection of experimental data needed to estimate the maximum safe temperatures and dispersed UO2 contents for MoSi2--UO2 fuel elements exposed to air.

Abstract: "Two parallel wires close together with an arc between them form a hairpin-type of current configuration which should magnetically propel the plasma of the arc. By the time-of-flight measurements with probes it has been demonstrated that directed translational energies of 290 ev can be imparted to deuterons in a plasma produced by a high-current pulsed arc at the tips of two titanium wires loaded with deuterium. It is believed that three deuterons are actually magnetically propelled."

Abstract: "The self-consistent equations have been found for a plasma which lies in a mainly unidirectional magnetic field, which has a circular symmetry and which has a harmonic variation in the direction of the magnetic field. The equations have been solved in two cases, 1) where the harmonic variation of the field is finite and the plasma is weak, and 2) where the plasma is strong but the harmonic variation of the field is weak. The configurations thus found can form an important starting point for calculations of the stability of plasmas."

From purpose and scope: Diamond drill exploration of the Lukachukai district was undertaken to find minable bodies of uranium ore and to determine whether sufficient reserves were present to warrant construction of a local mill. A minimum of 30,000 feet and a maximum of 50,000 feet of drilling were assigned to block out ore in the discovery area, Mesa I (pl. 1.). It was anticipated that some of the footage might be used to test Mesa II should the area become accessible. With access to Mesas II and IV subsequently provided by roads constructed by F. A. Sitton, Inc., and access to Mesa III furnished by a road constructed by the Atomic Energy Commission, the area available for drilling was eventually increased by some three and a half times. With no increase in allotted footage, the hole density was correspondingly decreased,

Introduction: This is the fifth of a series of reports covering technical progress on the research and development program being performed in connection with the design of the Pathfinder Atomic Power Plant.

The following report summarizes the results of the laboratory-scale work and pilot-plant scale work of a salt-batch composition that reduces the hydrogen pickup by uranium rods during the beta heat treatment, and the study of the influence of humidity over the salt bath on hydrogen pickup.

Abstract: "In a study of the preparation and properties of delta-phase zirconium hydride it was found that large, sound bodies of the hydride can be prepared by direct combination of the elements if the rate of the reaction is retarded by limiting the supply of available hydrogen. Specimens up to 1-in. diameter were prepared using this technique. Because delta phase zirconium hydride does not readily form eutectics with iron-and nickel-base alloys below 1800 F these materials may be utilized for clodding the hydride. Delta-phase zirconium hydride is unaffected by exposure to liquid NaK or to nitrogen gas at temperatures below 1000 F. The hot hardness of delta-phase zirconium hydrid is about 130 kg per mm-2 at room temperature and 40 kg per mm-2 at 1500 F. The mean coefficient of thermal expansion (68 to 1337 F) is 6.5 x 10^-6 per deg F. The thermal conductivity varies from 5.7 Btu/(ft)(hr)(F) at 300 F to 5.1 Btu/(ft)(hr)(F) at 1300 F."

From introduction: "This report deals with a part of the research and development studies which preceded the manufacture of fuel elements for the Gas Cooled Reactor Experiment (GCRE)." The studies evaluate the effects of varying the type and size of UO2 particles, stainless steel matrix powders, blending procedures, compacting pressures, sintering times, temperatures and atmospheres, roll-cladding temperatures and reduction rates, total cold reduction, and heat-treating times and temperatures has been made for UO2 stainless steel dispersion fuel elements."

The following report follows the procedures to compact blends of uranium tetrafluoride and magnesium, describing how lubrication of the compact effects the outcome of the blends.

The following report follows an experimental study that was made on the mass transport of chromium in polythermal inconel-fluoride fuel systems, followed by the technique of adding radioactive chromium-51 to the system as either CrF3 in the salt or as elemental chromium in the solid phase.

Theory of operation and test results are given for a resistance type of liquid metal level instrument. The voltage across a steel rod in the tank is amplified by a magnetic amplifier and indicated by a milliammeter. Temperature compensation is provided for tank temperatures up to 1000 F.

A report discussing uranium occurrences at the Moonlight Mine and Granite Point Claims.

The following report discusses neutron sources in reactors, discussing general conditions of the study using a flux reactor.

Abstract: "Two cases are considered. In Case I, the reactor water velocity is optimized to obtain a minimum annual cost (including amortization and operating costs) for the cooling system along. The optimum velocity for a 310 megawatt reactor is calculated to be ~25 feet per second, compared to the present design value of 30 feet per second. In Case II, the velocity which will give the minimum cost of product under the assumptions of varying power and production rate is found to be in the range from ~25 to ~40 feet per second, depending on the assumptions with respect to the variation of total investment in the reactor complex with design production capacity."

The following report follows an investigation comparing "staggered" and "spit-flow" air cooling systems.

Geological investigations report of the North Wash Mining distinct of the Henry Mountains in Utah.

This investigation was made to determine whether a diamond drilling program is warranted in the search for ore, and to provide basic data to guide such drilling.

A report discussing exploratory diamond drilling in the Posey and Markey localities.

A number of pipetting aids are commercially available which obviate the necessity of filling pipets by oral suction. Most of the commercially available devices involve fitting the pipet into a soft tight fitting bushing and filling by means of either a piston or a rubber bulb. The pipet is then emptied by means of a valve control which permits, it is claimed, a dispensing accuracy of 0.1mL. It is at once apparent that the probable error (10% for a 1 mL. pipet) is considerably greater than is permissible for great precision. In practice these devices are found to be awkward and after a period of use tend to become even more so due to corrosion of the valve and aging of the rubber bushing and rubber bulbs.

The basic scheme for processing power reactor fuels at Hanford includes the removal of inert endfittings ("hardware") from the active sections of the fuels. Within Hanford Laboratories, research and development studies have been in progress on various types of saws which might be used for hardware cutoff. In the initial phase of the program, high-speed saws were investigated; more recently, studies on low speed saws have been conducted. This report summarizes the high speed saw studies and includes information on abrasive wheels, diamond wheels and metal "friction" blades which cut by actually melting metal ahead of the saw blade. At the completion of the low speed saw testing program currently in progress, basic saw types will be compared and the saw type to be included in the reprocessing complex will be selected.

This study was initiated to determine the minimum safety requirements for safe anchorage of electric pole lines. The objectives were to investigate the suitability of manufactured concrete pole line anchors for use at the Hanford Atomic Products Operation, to design a concrete anchor slug of optimum shape and size for manufacture, to determine by field tests the resistance pullout of the concrete anchor when buried at various depths under the most favorable condition, and to develop a safe design load for the anchors at various depths of burial and angle of pull based on test results.