I report on the scientific aspects of my US/USSR Interacademy Exchange Visit to the Soviet Union. My research was conducted at three different institutes: the Lebedev Physical Institute in Moscow, the Leningrad Nuclear Physics Institute in Gatchina, and the Yerevan Physics Institute in Soviet Armenia. I included relevant information about the Soviet educational system, salaries of Soviet physicists, work habits and research activities at the three institutes, and the relevance of that research to work going on in the United States. 18 refs.

We present results from experiments directed toward increasing the degree of transverse coherence in x-ray laser beams. We have concentrated on the neon-like yttrium (Z=39) collisionally-pumped x-ray laser as the test system for these studies because of its unique combination of brightness, monochromaticity, and high-reflectivity optics availability. Attempts at improving laser performance using proximate feedback optics failed. Modest success has been found to date in ``double foil`` experiments, involving two x-ray lasers spatially separated by 29 cm and shot sequentially in an ``oscillator-amplifier`` configuration.

Since 1974 the neutrino processes mediated by neutral currents have been a part of supernova (SN) modeling calculations. In this report only present day SN calculations will be discussed. First I will give brief description of the SN computer model and an outline of the explosion process as depicted by that model. Then I will discuss the role weak neutral current (WNC) processes play in this explosion process. Finally, I will discus inelastic scattering of tau neutrinos by heavy elements in WNC or Earth as a mechanism for measuring the mass of tau neutrino.

This paper describes the operational experience in drying brines generated at a radioactive wastewater treatment facility. The brines are composed of aqueous ammonium sulfate/sodium sulfate and aqueous sodium nitrate/sodium sulfate, The brine feeds receive pretreatment to preclude dryer bridging and fouling. The dryer products are a distillate and a powder. The dryer is a vertical thin film type consisting of a steam heated cylinder with rotor. Maintenance on the dryer has been minimal. Although many operability problems have had to be overcome, dryer performance can now be said to be highly reliable.

The authors have measured the ion yields for helium and neon ionized by 120 femtosecond, 614 nanometer laser pulses with intensities up to 10{sup 16} watts per square centimeter. They have found that the He II and Ne II data exhibit features incompatible with standard nonresonant sequential ionization. These features reduce the usefulness of optical field ionization for monitoring laser intensity. For the experiment, they expect dynamic resonances to have little effect on the ionization, and they attribute the features to nonsequential ionization based on the simultaneous saturation of the features and the singly ionized charge states.

The technique of laser-induced ablation of thin films from glass slide substrates has been investigated as a candidate vapor target production method for studies of both tunneling-driven x-ray/xuv recombination lasers and relativistic propagation using intense, ultra-short laser pulses. It is shown by simultaneous two-wavelength interferometry that particle densities of order 10{sup 19}/cm{sup 3} are readily achieved and that some intrinsic ionization accompanies the plume formation. Absorption measurements with both 100 picosecond and 125 femtosecond pulses are consistent with observed edge velocities near 10{sup 6} cm/sec. The level of ionization driven by the intense 125 femtosecond laser pulse has been coarsely estimated. Averaged estimates from spectral blue shifting of spectra transmitted through the plume are consistently lower than those obtained from evaluation of saturation intensity thresholds based on the sequential nonresonant optical field ionization (OFI) process.

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has developed a mobile field laboratory for remote measurement of atmospheric processes and observables that are important in global climate change, dispersal of hazardous materials, and atmospheric pollution. Specific observables of interest are water vapor, trace gases, aerosol size and density, wind, and temperature. The goal is to study atmospheric processes continuously for extended periods in remote field locations. This laboratory has just reached field ready status with sensors for aerosol and trace gas measurement based on established techniques. A development program is underway to enhance the sensor suite with several new techniques and instruments that are expected to significantly extend the state of the art in remote trace gas analysis. The new sensors will be incorporated into the lab during the next two years.

This engineering note documents the calculations of Kelly Dixon, used to determine the maximum allowable set pressure for the argon dewar low relief valve, tag number PSV620A, Anderson Greenwood Type 526J. The original setting was 16 psig. This value was chosen in order to protect against cryostat overpressurization by the source dewar (see D0 Engineering Note 115), however, the following calculations will show that the set pressure can be raised to approximately 18.5 psig, which would result in a faster filling of the cryostat, along with a higher level of liquid argon. Three other engineering notes were revised to reflect the change in set pressure according to this note. They are notes 115, 219, and 263.

The hydrologic pathways of four bottomland hardwood wetland sites were investigated at the SRS. They included a recently restored but disturbed system, two disturbed systems, and an undisturbed system. Water table elevations were significantly higher in reference sites then disturbed sites. Hydrologic budgets were developed. The reference site had higher evapotranspiration, but higher interflow and input from the uplands. Lower water tables may be the result of geomorphic changes on the disturbed areas.

An informational fact sheet about the energy-cost benefits of a whole house fan, installation tips, and selection criteria.

Successional changes in carbon sequestration across a forested chronosequence were studied. Forest floor carbon increases rapidly during succession and later decreasing in mature areas. The composition of the forest floor carbon differed significantly among successional stages. Herbaceous material declined from 74% to less than 1% where as woody foliage increased. Carbon content in the soil increased over the sequence by a factor of four.

Breeding birds were studied in the Pen Branch riparian corridor following site preparation using herbicides and burning to control willow and improve access for planting. Compared with control strips, treated areas supported a greater richness and abundance of breeding birds. The community composition was representative of early successional bottomland forests.

Nearly half of the US utility-owned steam electric generating capacity is cooled by once-through cooling systems. These plants withdraw cooling water primarily from surface water bodies. Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act requires that the location, design, construction, and capacity of cooling water intake structures reflect the best technology available (BTA) for minimizing adverse environmental impacts. At present, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not yet promulgated applicable implementing regulations governing intake structures; however, the Agency is required by a Consent Decree to develop such regulations. EPA has presented a draft tiered regulatory framework approach that, depending on site-specific factors, may impose various regulatory burdens on affected utilities. Potential new requirements could range from compiling and submitting existing data to demonstrate that existing conditions at each unit represent BTA to retrofitting plants with closed-cycle cooling systems (primarily cooling towers). If the final regulations require installation of cooling towers or implementation of other costly plant modifications, utilities may elect to close some generating units rather than invest the finds necessary to upgrade them to meet the Section 316(b) requirements. Potentially, some regions of the country may then have a higher proportion of closed units than others, leading to a …

We present three preliminary results from SLD on B decays: an inclusive search for the process b {r_arrow} s gluon, a measurement of the branching ratio for the process B {r_arrow} D{bar D}X, and measurements of the charged and neutral B lifetimes. All three measurements make use of the excellent vertexing efficiency and resolution of the CCD Vertex Detector and the first two make use of the excellent particle identification capability of the Cherenkov Ring Imaging Detector. The b {r_arrow} sg analysis searches for an enhancement of high momentum charged kaons produced in B decays. Within the context of a simple, Jetset-inspired model of b {r_arrow} sg, a limit of B(b {r_arrow} sg) < 7.6% is obtained. The B(B {r_arrow} D{bar D}X) analysis reconstructs two secondary vertices and uses identified charged kaons to determine which of these came from charm decays. The result of the analysis is B(B {r_arrow} D{bar D}X) = (16.2 {+-} 1.9 {+-} 4.2)%. The results of the lifetime analysis are: {tau}{sub B{sup +}} = 1.686 {+-} 0.025 {+-} 0.042 ps, {tau}{sub B{sup 0}} = 1.589 {+-} 0.026 {+-} 0.055 ps and {tau}{sub B{sup +}}/{tau}{sub B{sup 0}} = 1.061 {+-} 0.031/0.029 {+-} 0.027.

This presentation covers the strategy and analysis of an experiment to characterize a gas tungsten arc welding process. The experiment combined four uncontrolled noise factors and four controlled process parameters. A nontraditional response surface design was employed. Multiple responses were modeled. Optimal settings for the process parameters to successfully weld the widest range of the pertinent product features were identified. Thus, the process was made ''robust'' against ''noise'' factors. Comparisons are made between the experimental and analytical approach taken versus the Taguchi style of experimentation and analysis. This comparison is mainly done with respect to the information gained, such as product design criteria, incoming material specifications, and process adjustments for nonconforming material.

Value Engineering (VE) is a problem solving methodology that has been used in manufacturing and construction industries for fifty years to improve products, systems and projects while reducing unnecessary cost. A Process Waste Assessment (PWA) is a newly developed methodology designed to characterize waste streams and identify opportunities to reduce or eliminate waste generation. The VE and PWA methodologies are compared to show their general similarities and specific differences, and to suggest how VE can be woven into the PWA methodology. Further, the roles of the VE and PWA team leaders and their training are compared; suggestions are made to help enable the PWA team leader to more effectively lead a group-centered creative process. Examples of how VE has been used in hazardous and radioactive waste minimization and pollution prevention projects are presented, also.

Value Engineering (VE) and Computer-Aided Design (CAD) can be used synergistically to reduce costs and improve facilities designs. The cost and schedule impacts of implementing alternative design ideas developed by VE teams can be greatly reduced when the drawings have been produced with interactive CAD systems. To better understand the interrelationship between VE and CAD, the fundamentals of the VE process are explained; and example of a VE proposal is described and the way CAD drawings facilitated its implementation is illustrated.

Seventy five percent of natural latex rubber gloves used in laboratories at the Savannah River Site are not reused. A cost analysis performed by the SRS Procurement Department determined that a net savings of $1,092,210 could be achieved annually by recycling latex rubber gloves. The Materials Technology Section, at the request of the Procurement Department, examined some mechanical and chemical properties of latex rubber gloves manufactured by Ansell Edmont, which had been purchased by the site specifications for protective clothing. It also examined mechanical properties of re-cycled gloves purchased by specifications and of {open_quotes}off the shelf{close_quotes} gloves manufactured by North Brothers Company. Finally, water vapor transmission studies, simulating tritium permeation, were performed on gloves from both manufacturers. These studies were performed to determine whether latex rubber gloves can be recycled or whether using only new, unwashed gloves is required in areas where tritium exposure is a possibility. The results of these studies indicate that the acceptable glove characteristics, required in the WSRC Manual 5Q1.11, Protective Clothing Specifications, are not adversely affected after washing and drying the gloves manufactured by Ansell Edmont for seven cycles. Results also indicate that natural latex rubber gloves manufactured by North Brothers comply with most of …

Multi-layer laminate metal composites (LMCs) containing equal volume percent of Al 5182 and Al 6090--25 Vol.% SiC{sub p} were made. The laminates were prepared by hot pressing alternate layers to a fourth of initial height at 450C in argon gas atmosphere. Some laminates were warm rolled by repeatedly heating to 450C and rolling. The large plastic deformation ensured good bonding between layers. Tensile properties, fracture toughness, and damping capacity of these deformation-bonded laminates were measured. Surface descaling prior to lamination enhanced the tensile properties and toughness substantially. Post-lamination T6 heat treatment increased tensile yield and flow stress and reduced the ductility. Interfaces and dissimilar properties of the component materials enhanced the damping capacity. Yield and tensile strengths were slightly lower than values calculated from rule-of-averages based on the component materials. Toughness and damping capacity were, on the other hand, far superior to those of component materials. Ductility of the laminates was increased as the layer thickness was reduced.

A process for fabricating superconducting composite wire by the steps of placing a superconductive precursor admixture capable of undergoing a self propagating combustion in stoichiometric amounts sufficient to form a superconductive product within a metal tube, sealing one end of said tube, igniting said superconductive precursor admixture whereby said superconductive precursor admixture endburns along the length of the admixture, and cross-section reducing said tube at a rate substantially equal to the rate of burning of said superconductive precursor admixture and at a point substantially planar with the burnfront of the superconductive precursor mixture, whereby a clad superconductive product is formed in situ, the product characterized as superconductive without a subsequent sintering stage, is disclosed.

Various treatments were applied to control overstory willow in the riparian area of the Pen Branch system in order to determine the effects of competition control on seedling survival and growth. Four species, bald cypress, water tupelo, green ash, and swamp chestnut oak, were planted under four levels of willow canopy (intact, 60% removal, 100% removal with herbicide, 100% with mechanical). Species were more important in determining survival than treatment. Bald cypress and green ash survived best. The willow canopy appeared to provide minor benefits during the first two years.

Micro-topographic variations in carbon storage and their spatial distribution with respect to vegetation were studied in the Pen Branch system as well as intermediate and late successional forests. Overall measurements of above-ground biomass, soil carbon, and stand structure indicate rapid convergence with the patterns in late successional forests. Micro-site differences were small.

A fact sheet explaining the technology and benefits of energy efficient residential construction using the ''whole building'' approach.

This analysis is prepared by the Mined Geologic Disposal System (MGDS) Waste Package Development Department (WPDD) in response to a request received via a QAP-3-12 Design Input Data Request (Reference 5.1) from Waste Acceptance, Storage, & Transportation (WAST) Design (formerly MRSMPC Design). This design analysis is an answer to the Design Input Data Request to provide: Specific requirements for long-term criticality control. The time period for long-term criticality control requirements encompass the time phases of operations (pre-closure), containment (first 1,000 years post-closure), and isolation (the time period beyond the containment phase, at least to 10,000 years post-closure). The purpose and objective of this analysis is to provide specific long-term disposal criticality control requirements for the Multi-Purpose Canister (MPC) Subsystem Design Procurement Specification (DPS), so as to not preclude MPC compatibility with disposal in the MGDS.(References 5.2, 5.3, and 5.4) The response is stated in Section 8 herein and will be available for transmittal as an attachment to a QAP-3-12 Design Input Data Transmittal.