Coring of Well R-109 (Washington County, Ohio) was accomplished in August 1976. A total of 25 samples were collected. Hydrocarbon gas analyses indicate that higher chain hydrocarbon gases (C/sub 2/-C/sub 5/) make up a significant portion of total hydrocarbons in the shales, but methane is still the dominant single gas. Distinct relationships exist between the carbon and hydrocarbon gas contents, showing increase in hydrocarbon gas contents with increasing carbon. Similar relationships between hydrogen and hydrocarbon gas contents exist, though they are not as pronounced. Gas contents appear not to be related to the bulk densities in any quantitative manner, though organic contents (carbon and hydrogen) seem to be related to bulk density values much more clearly. R-109 shales are virtually impermeable to gases and other fluids, as attempted helium gas permeability measurements indicated extremely small (< 10/sup -12/ Darcy) permeability values.

Progress is reported on the following: the firewood demand survey, the firewood suppliers survey; firewood management assistance; and marketing mechanism analysis. (MHR)

The design of an apparatus which will allow direct detection of stable fractional elementary charges if present on matter at the level of 10/sup -24/ per nucleon is described in detail. This method depends upon production of a highly uniform and parallel stream of conductive spheres which are charge analyzed by passage through a static electric deflecting field. 6 references.

The specification defines the Brayton Isotope Power System (BIPS) standards and characteristics for electrical power generation required to be maintained at utilizing equipments power-input terminals during generation and distribution.

The possibility of burning advanced fusion fuels in a tandem mirror is considered for a catalyzed DD cycle, in which the T and /sup 3/He reaction products from DD burn in both the solenoid and plugs are reinjected for complete burnup: 3D ..-->.. p + /sup 4/He + n + 21.6 MeV. Classical radial transport of the /sup 4/He ash determines the steady state alpha fraction in the solenoid. Synchrotron radiation losses are minimized at high beta, such that charged particle fusion power recovered in a direct converter exceeds radiation losses by a factor greater than two. An overall system Q = 4.5 is found for one reaction example but the power output is large (3 GE(e) net) due to the low power density in the solenoid. Optimizing recirculating power cost (Q) against plug/solenoid density ratio (power density) should result in much smaller reactor size and cost.

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The effectiveness of quadrupole vs. solenoidal focusing in suppressing the image displacement instability in linear induction electron accelerators is discussed. A brief explanation of the instability is presented; a criterion is derived for the magnitude of the solenoidal magnetic field required to suppress the instability. Two quadrupole arrangements are treated, and criteria derived for the magnitude of the pole-face field required to suppress the instability. For one arrangement the required pole-face field is less than one-half the required solenoidal field, suggesting that quadrupole focusing may have a practical advantage.

A large cryogenic tensile test apparatus has been constructed at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL) as part of the Nb/sub 3/Sn conductor program. This equipment was designed so that mechanical measurements can be made at 300, 77, or 4.2 K and critical current can be measured under simulated operating conditions as a function of the strain on large, prototype conductors for fusion magnets. The maximum operating parameters of the machine are load = 2.23 x 10/sup 5/ N, magnetic field = 12 T, and conductor current = 10 kA. Some of the unique features of this equipment are described and preliminary mechanical and superconducting data on sample Nb/sub 3/Sn conductors discussed.

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During Phase I of this program (concluded in October of 1976), economic analyses and experimental work were carried out on the fluidized-bed zinc reduction of SiCl/sub 4/ and on several modifications of the iodide process (SiI/sub 4/ decomposition or reduction) which led to the selection of the fluidized-bed zinc reduction of SiCl/sub 4/ as a promising candidate for supplying low-cost solar- or semiconductor-grade silicon. Phase II of the program, which is described, has as its objective, designing an experimental facility (tentative 25 MT Si/year capacity) and carrying out an experimental program to support the design effort. Updates of plant and production cost estimates at the 1000 MT/year level are to be made based on the design experience.