This report deals with the formation of oriented layers of an oxide which form during oxidation without any evident relationship to the parent and underlying metal. It is offered without explanation or proposed mechanism.

"The purpose of this specification is to describe a procedure for preparation of pure BF3 gas, suitable for use in BF3 proportional neutron counters."

Recent instrumental developments and theoretical speculation have indicated a need for more information concerning the excited electronic states of polyatomic molecules and ions in the elucidation of mass spectra. A theoretical description of these states is necessary for the proper interpretation of existing data and in laying a firm basis for the planning of future experiments. For the above reasons the energies of a number of the excited electronic states of methane have been calculated in a approximate fashion and the results applied to a discussion of the behavior of the methane ion.

There is at present a large collection of data giving the relative abundances of ions formed when molecules, especially hydrocarbons, are bombard with electrons and collected as positives ions in a mass spectrometer. This data per se gives us little insight into the kinetic processes occurring until it is combined with thermodynamic data and subject to a theoretical treatment based upon an assumed model for the kinetic processes taking place in the mass spectrometer. In accordance with our desire to learn more about these kinetic processes and in this way to shed some light on problems of molecular structure we have continued to explore the possible kinetic paths which propane ions take during their decomposition, with special reference to the effect of the substitution of deuterium for hydrogen.

"For a central station reactor power plant of the sodium-graphite type, two designs have been investigated. The first operates as a converter using slightly enriched uranium fuel and produces 150 electrical megawatts. The second operates as a thermal breeder using a U233-Th alloy fuel and produces 300 electrical megawatts. Consideration has also been given to the problem associated with the design and operation of the Sodium Reactor Experiment. All work related to the plutonium plus power sodium-graphite pilot plant, which was undertaken at an earlier date, has been completed."

This report summarizes the test work done to evaluate the column ion exchange process for extraction or uranium from Grants acid leach liquors.

A program of bench scale leaching and ion exchange testing for the recovery of uranium from liquors produced by leaching Utex ore (Monticello Stockpile 28) was conducted at Monticello, Utah from July 1953 to April 1954.

A series of pilot plant runs were made on the Jackpile ore, Jackpile mixed blend, Jackpile-Poison Valley blend, and Jackpile-Arrowhead blend.

Uranium extraction of 95% has been obtained from samples of Temple Mountain ore by a cyclic test procedure in which the new feed was not roasted. This procedure involved acid leaching the ore, flotation and roasting of the carbonaceous material, and acid leaching the roaster calcine.

A laboratory scale test was devised to determine the relative physical stability of ion exchange resins designed for use in the resin-in-pulp process. The test was applied to four samples of resins.

Leach liquors produced from Utex ore by cold leaching, hot leaching and pugging proved amenable to the ion exchange process. In addition, a resin-in-pulp system was operated using the Lucite Winchester sells on Utex pulp produced by cold leaching.

Paths of trip points of Mach reflections produced by 0.5-oz pentolite detonations have been observed for various burst heights. The slopes, Y, at points on the curved path are found to vary from values of Y predicted from plane shock wave data. This discrepancy is attributed to the shock strength conditions at the early inception of the Mach reflection, which later influence the triple point equilibrium, and in lesser degree to radius of curvature effects.

When a one-half ounce spherical charge of high explosive is detonated over a flat plane bounded by a 5 degree incline, the type of phenomenon encountered depends on the distance from ground zero to a beginning of the incline. If this distance is 48" the wave assumes a smooth contour on the plane. Detailed investigation of the shock velocity above the plane reveals that there is a pressure gradient along the shock front for a considerable region which replaces the usual triple point.