Considerable information useful in nuclear waste storage can be gained by studying the conditions of uranium ore deposit formation. Further information can be gained by comparing the chemistry of uranium to nuclear fission products and other radionuclides of concern to nuclear waste disposal. Redox state appears to be the most important variable in controlling uranium solubility, especially at near neutral pH, which is characteristic of most ground water. This is probably also true of neptunium, plutonium, and technetium. Further, redox conditions that immobilize uranium should immobilize these elements. The mechanisms that have produced uranium ore bodies in the Earth's crust are somewhat less clear. At the temperatures of hydrothermal uranium deposits, equilibrium models are probably adequate, aqueous uranium (VI) being reduced and precipitated by interaction with ferrous-iron-bearing oxides and silicates. In lower temperature roll-type uranium deposits, overall equilibrium may not have been achieved. The involvement of sulfate-reducing bacteria in ore-body formation has been postulated, but is uncertain. Reduced sulfur species do, however, appear to be involved in much of the low temperature uranium precipitation. Assessment of the possibility of uranium transport in natural ground water is complicated because the system is generally not in overall equilibrium. For this reason, Eh …

This report details the results of research on the matrix encapsulation of high level wastes at PML over the past few years. The demonstrations and tests described were designed to illustrate how the waste materials are effected when encapsulated in an inert matrix. Candidate materials evaluated for potential use as matrices for encapslation of pelletized ceramics or glass marbles were categorized into four groups: metals, glasses, ceramics, and graphite. Two processing techniques, casting and hot pressing, were investigated as the most promising methods of formation or densification of the matrices. The major results reported deal with the development aspects. However, chemical durability tests (leach tests) of the matrix materials themselves and matrix-waste form composites are also reported. Matrix waste forms can provide a low porosity, waste-free barrier resulting in increased leach protection, higher impact strength and improved thermal conductivity compared to unencapsulated glass or ceramic waste materials. Glass marbles encapsulated in a lead matrix offer the most significant improvement in waste form stability of all combinations evaluated. This form represents a readily demonstrable process that provides high thermal conductivity, mechanical shock resistance, radiation shielding and increased chemical durability through both a chemical passivation mechanism and as a physical barrier. Other …

Logistical functions that are normally associated with US underground coal mining are investigated and analyzed. These functions imply all activities and services that support the producing sections of the mine. The report provides a better understanding of how these functions impact coal production in terms of time, cost, and safety. Major underground logistics activities are analyzed and include: transportation and personnel, supplies and equipment; transportation of coal and rock; electrical distribution and communications systems; water handling; hydraulics; and ventilation systems. Recommended areas for future research are identified and prioritized.

The computational physics group is ivolved in several areas of fusion research. One main area is the application of multidimensional Fokker-Planck, transport and combined Fokker-Planck/transport codes to both toroidal and mirror devices. Another major area is the investigation of linear and nonlinear resistive magnetohydrodynamics in two and three dimensions, with applications to all types of fusion devices. The MHD work is often coupled with the task of numerically generating equilibria which model experimental devices. In addition to these computational physics studies, investigations of more efficient numerical algorithms are being carried out.

In this report the current state of waste package development for high level waste, transuranic waste, and spent fuel in the US and abroad has been assessed. Specifically, reviewed are recent and on-going research on various waste forms, container materials and backfills and tentatively identified those which are likely to perform most satisfactorily in the repository environment. Radiation effects on the waste package components have been reviewed and the magnitude of these effects has been identified. Areas requiring further research have been identified. The important variables affecting radionuclide release from the waste package have been described and an evaluation of regulatory criteria for high level waste and spent fuel is presented. Finally, for spent fuel, high level, and TRU waste, components which could be used to construct a waste package having potential to meet NRC performance requirements have been described and identified.

A 200- to 500-..mu..A source of 70- to 90-MeV protons would be a valuable asset to the nuclear medicine program. A linear accelerator (linac) can achieve this performance, and it can be extended to even higher energies and currents. Variable energy and current options are available. A 70-MeV linac is described, based on recent innovations in linear accelerator technology; it would be 27.3 m long and cost approx. $6 million. By operating the radio-frequency (rf) power system at a level necessary to produce a 500-..mu..A beam current, the cost of power deposited in the radioisotope-production target is comparable with existing cyclotrons. If the rf-power system is operated at full power, the same accelerator is capable of producing an 1140-..mu..A beam, and the cost per beam watt on the target is less than half that of comparable cyclotrons.

The Office of Basic Energy Sciences (OBES) supports long-range, basic research in those areas of the geosciences which are relevant to the nation's energy needs. The objective of the Geoscience program is to develop a quantitative and predictive understanding of geological, geophysical and geochemical structures and processes in the solid earth and in solar-terrestrial relationships. This understanding is to assure an effective knowledge base for energy resource recognition, evaluation and utilization in an environmentally acceptable manner. The work is carried out primarily in DOE laboratories and in universities, although some is conducted by other federal agencies and by the National Academy of Sciences. Principal areas of interest include: Geology, Geophysics, and Earth Dynamics; Geochemistry; Energy Resource Recognition, Evaluation and Utilization; Hydrologic and Marine Sciences; and Solar-Terrestrial/Atmospheric Interactions.

A study of preionization techniques has been performed in ZT-40M at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The results of this study and the techniques routinely utilized to preionize the plasma in this device are presented. A simple theoretical model involving drift motion of the electrons in the inhomogeneous toroidal field B/sub phi/ present during breakdown is examined. This model is shown to offer a conceptual explanation for the breakdown limits in ZT-40M. This simple theory appears to indicate that the preionization system produces photoelectrons locally at the wall as opposed to acting as a volume source of electrons.

Theoretical and experimental studies of degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) by three different mechanisms are presented. These are the nonlinear index of refraction of a lossless, Kerr-like medium, the saturable absorption of a resonant optical transition, and the formation of a free-carrier grating.

Equity Management Corporation proposes (1) to build about 30 condominiums at the present site of the Yucca Lodge, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico and (2) to heat the condominiums with the natural thermal waters that discharge from the property. To do so the corporation must satisfy the rules and regulations of four state and federal agencies. To satisfy some of the data requirements of these agencies and to provide basic data on the geohydrology of the area this report provides the results of a field inventory of the springs and wells within one mile of the lodge. Table 1 summarizes the data for eight springs and three sites where springs once issued. Table 2 summarizes the data on forty-four operable wells and thirty wells that are unusable in their present condition. Appendices list (1) wells presumed to be in the area but not located during field inspection and (2) wells that could be in the area, but were found to be beyond the one-mile radius. Temperature and specific conductance of the water show only minor variation within the recognized hot-water.

The Salmon River basin within the study area occupies an area of approximately 13,000 square miles in central Idaho. Geologic units in the basin are igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks; however, granitic rocks of the Idaho batholith are predominant. Water from thermal springs ranges in temperature from 20.5/sup 0/ to 94.0/sup 0/ Celsius. The waters are slightly alkaline and are generally a sodium carbonate or bicarbonate type. Dissolved-solids concentrations are variable and range from 103 to 839 milligrams per liter. Estimated reservoir temperatures determined from the silicic acid-corrected silica, sodium-potassium-calcium, and sulfate-water isotope geothermometers range from 30/sup 0/ to 184/sup 0/ Celsius. Tritium concentrations in sampled thermal waters are near zero and indicate the waters are at least 100 years old. Stable-isotope data indicate it is unlikely that a single hot-water reservoir supplies hot springs in the basin. Thermal springs discharged at least 15,800 acre-feet of water in 1980. Associated convective heat flux is 2.7 x 10/sup 7/ calories per second.

The growth of the energy sector in the energy-rich but water-restricted Western US has presented a potential conflict with the irrigated agricultural sector. This study measures the direct impacts on farm income and employment resulting from the transfer of water from agriculture to energy in two specific geographical areas - the Green and Upper Yellowstone River Basins. We used a linear programming model to evaluate the impacts of reduced water supplies. Through the use of regional multipliers, we expanded our analysis to include regional impacts. Volume I provides the major analysis of these impacts. Volume II provides further technical data.

The method of characteristics is used to solve radiation transport problems with induced Compton scattering effects included. The methods used to date have only addressed problems in which either induced Compton scattering is ignored, or problems in which linear scattering is ignored. Also, problems which include both induced Compton scattering and spatial effects have not been considered previously. The introduction of induced scattering into the radiation transport equation results in a quadratic nonlinearity. Methods are developed to solve problems in which both linear and nonlinear Compton scattering are important. Solutions to scattering problems are found for a variety of initial photon energy distributions.

Computer simulation of low frequency electromagnetic (LFEM) digital data acquisition in the presence of natural field noise demonstrates several important limitations and considerations. Without the use of a remote reference noise removal scheme it is difficult to obtain an adequate ratio of signal to noise below 0.1 Hz for frequency domain processing and below 0.3 Hz base frequency for time domain processing for a typical source-receiver configuration. A digital high-pass filter substantially facilitates rejection of natural field noise above these frequencies but, at lower frequencies where much longer stacking times are required, it becomes ineffective. Use of a remote reference to subtract natural field noise extends these low-frequency limits a decade, but this technique is limited by the resolution and dynamic range of the instrumentation. Gathering data in short segments so that natural field drift can be offset for each segment allows a higher gain setting to minimize dynamic range problems.

A large three-zone crystallizer system was constructed and successfully operated for growing KH/sub 2/PO/sub 4/ single crystals. Under conditions of constant crystallization temperature and supersaturation, growth rates exceding 5 mm per day were demonstrated for KH/sub 2/PO/sub 4/ crystals of 5 x 5 cm cross section. The optical quality of these crystals was equivalent to that of crystals grown at rates presently considered as state-of-the-art (approx. 1 mm/day). Sample crystals were supplied for comparison testing. The three-zone system appears to be ideally suitable for growth of large-diameter KH/sub 2/PO/sub 4/ crystals for the Laser Fusion Program.

Experiments at the Loss-of-Fluid Test Facility (LOFT), beginning with experiment L6-8 (Anticipated Transient Experiment), will use a core equipped with several pressurized fuel rods. Because some of the tests may produce temperature and pressure conditions which could conceivably burst a number of rods, a nondestructive method for burst detection is needed. Acoustic emission monitoring of a number of tests of small zircaloy tubing samples, each with internal gas volume similar to that of an actual fuel rod, showed this technique to be feasible and warranting further investigation. Burst signal amplitudes at room temperature and even at temperatures in excess of 1144/sup 0/K (1600/sup 0/F) (in tests run as part of another program) were 30 to 40 dB above background noise levels.

Introduction of a non-sinusoidal deformation can enhance the efficacy of modular coils for generating magnetic fields with a built-in rotational transform. Techniques are developed that provide an understanding of how specific deformations affect the harmonic content of the magnetic field and thus the properties of the vacuum configuration. This provides an optimization procedure for coil design.

A study of the heat transfer and fluid flow processes governing heat rejection to the surface layer and energy extraction from the storage zone has been carried out. The literature available on this and other related problems was studied in detail to determine the nature of the recirculating flows that arise and the effect they might have on the stability of the gradient layer. Simplified analytical models were considered to determine the governing parameters and their effect on the performance and efficiency of the solar pond. Estimates of the surface temperature rise and the increase in evaporation caused by heat rejection were made. Two flow configurations, end-to-end and top-to-bottom, were considered for every extraction and the spread of the flow in the storage zone was studied. It was found that the limited penetration of the top-to-bottom configuration restricts its satisfactory operation to small ponds. The experimental modeling of the flows under study was considered in terms of the governing parameters and it was found that the top-to-bottom configuration cannot be uniquely modeled. The choice of these parameters for a full-size pond is also discussed.

Separate abstracts were prepared for the 32 reports of this volume which describes progress on biomedical and health effects research conducted at Battelle PNL in 1981. (KRM)

Recent experiments on small-p/sub T/ hadron production in pp collisions have shed new light on the apparent violation of the universality ansatz that the multiplicity dispersion in hadron-hadron collisions is much larger than that in e/sup +/e/sup -/ collisions. We present a model based on the universality ansatz, among other things. This model reproduces qualitatively the hadron multiplicity distributions in pp collisions over a wide range of energies. Within our framework, this essentially resolves the discrepancy stated above. In our approach the universality ansatz is also found to be applicable to the diffractive component events. This is supported by the inclusive x-distribution data having various specified number of prongs in the final states.

A multiplicity sorter for the latest Los Alamos National Laboratory version of shift-register coincidence electronics is described. The multiplicity information taken from the coincidence-gate up-down counter is decoded and gated onto the output lines by prompt real-plus-accidental (R+A) and delayed accidental (A) strobes. Multiplicities of 0-7 and greater than or equal to 8 are sorted for both the R+A and A gates.

An evaluation of high-resolution geophysical techniques which can be used to characterize a nulcear waste disposal site is being conducted by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) at the request of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commisson (NRC). LLNL is involved in research work aimed at evaluating the current capabilities and limitations of geophysical methods used for site selection. This report provides a brief overview of the capabilities and limitations associated with this technology and explains how our work addresses some of the present limitations. We are examining both seismic and electromagnetic techniques to obtain high-resolution information. We are also assessing the usefulness of geotomography in mapping fracture zones remotely. Finally, we are collecting core samples from a site in an effort to assess the capability of correlating such geophysical data with parameters of interest such as fracture continuity, orientation, and fracture density.

Carson Elementary School and Wind River Middle School are located in Carson, Washington, adjacent to the Wind River. Both schools are operated by the Stevenson-Carson School District. Carson Elementary, comprised of 49,000 square feet, was constructed in several phases beginning in 1951. The construction is variable, but is characterized by large expanses of single glass and uninsulated masonry areas. An oil fired steam boiler supplies a variety of terminal equipment. Wind River Middle School was built in 1972 and, as a result, exhibits much greater insulation levels. The 38,000 square foot structure is heated entirely by an electric resistance terminal reheat system. Carson Hot Springs Resort, located approximately one half mile from the schools, exhibits temperatures of 124/sup 0/F. In addition, geological work is in progress to better define the local geothermal resource. The feasibility of geothermal use at the school for space heating purposes is examined.

Interpretation of Tuscarora geothermal area model results has suggested that low resistivity zones on two dipole-dipole lines and possibly a third are related to thermal fluids. These two-dimensional models have delineated what appear to be aquifers within the valley sediments and the Tertiary volcanics. Structural breaks noted at the surface by geologic mapping are also evident in the interpretive models. The area southeast of the hot springs in Hot Creek is poorly delineated by the current dipole-dipole coverage, yet this appears to be the most promising prospect area based upon the available data coverage. Exploratory drilling is currently moving in this direction. Perhaps additional dipole-dipole lines could aid in the selection of future drill sites.