Summary: "Criticality was considered impossible in any contingency encountered in practice under either of the following conditions which include no safety factor: (a) In any isolated cylinder not more than 5 in. in disruptor, if the total amount of U235 present does not exceed 7.5 Eg. (b) In an isolated vessel of any shape and size, if the total amount of U235 present does not exceed 880 g. An "isolated" vessel is one which does not "see" more than 0.1 [...] other vessels containing fissionable material."

The following report discusses ohmic characteristics in resistors, including methods for determining the polarization characteristics of high megohm resistors that may determine the suitability of these resistors for spectrometric measurements.

At the request of 234-5 Development, studies of a system for controlling plutonium powder transfer were undertaken by Process Equipment Development. This report presents details of equipment designed to fulfill requirements and proposes equipment for installation on additional Hot Button Line prototypes.

Numerous articles have recently been published on nuclear pulse height analyses. This report describes an approach to the problem using existing scaling equipment (scale of 1024) as building blocks in a multi-channel pulse height analyzer.

The statistical theory of pressure broadening is developed for any interaction law in which the potential energy is inversely proportional to some power of the distance between the molecules, including cases in which the forces change sign. This note is intended to prove two propositions: A. When a spectral line is broadened by single impacts of perturbing molecules and the half-width of the line is delta infinity, the statistical theory of broadening is applicable provided delta infinity . R >> 1. In this criterion T is a time comparable to the interval in which the perturbed traverses a distance equal to the impact parameter. B. Far in the wings of a line the statistical theory is always applicable.

The radiolytic decomposition of tributyl phosphate has been show by burr to product gases, acids, and polymers. the acids that are formed can limit the usefulness of tributyl phosphate for the processing of radioactive materials. The study of acid formation on radiolysis therefor becomes important to us for the understanding of the mechanism of acid formation, the influence of added materials and the effect of the structure of organo- phosphorous compounds. Samples of purified esters have been irradiated in the ORNL cobalt source. Conclusions: (1) The formation of acid from tributyl phosphate during irradiation with cobalt gamma rays involves a mechanism that is not a primary step. Evidence has been obtained for a secondary reaction that is minimized by the presence of certain compounds. (2) Toluene acting as an inhibitor for radiolytic formation of acid may indicate the usefulness of an aromatic hydrocarbon diluent in processing. (3) The aromatic hydrocarbon, when phenyl, was not effective when it was part of the molecule. (4) First tests revealed that dibutyl butyl-phosphonate produced less acid the TBP and may warrant further consideration for process application.