Progress made by the Low-Cost Solar Array Project during the period August through November 1979, is described. Progress on project analysis and integration; technology development in silicon material, large-area sheet silicon, and encapsulation; production process and equipment development; engineering, and operations, and the steps taken to integrate these efforts are detailed. A report on the Project Integration Meeting held December 5-6, 1979, including copies of the visual materials used, is presented.

During this reporting period, the primary activity has been to develop microprocessor control of the crystal growth process and to develop and demonstrate the accelerated crystal growth program. Accelerated recharging of the quartz crucible by the RF melting of polycrystalline silicon feed rods was deemphasized by JPL primarily due to the unavailability of suitable quality feed rods at an effective economical price. The development of the cold crucible program as an alternative method of crucible recharging was continued, but at a lower priority. Work continued on the accelerated crystal growth program. Crystal growth runs were made utilizing the water cooled work coil previously used in the RF polycrystalline silicon rod melting program. Accelerated growth rates were demonstrated but an oxide build-up on the cold surface of the work coil, resulting in heavy flaking and consequent falling of oxide into the melt, resulted in abandoning this approach and redesigning, evaluating, and demonstrating an alternative heat sink arrangement. All necessary parts were received for the cold crucible premelter and system was assembled and interfaced to the multiturn high voltage RF power supply.

This report summarizes the progress of the government-sponsored project directed towards increasing gas production from the low permeability gas sands of the western United States. The planning activities for the multi-well experiment continued in May. Bartlesville Energy Technology Center continued formation evaluation and reservoir simulation studies. Lawrence Livermore Laboratory continued calculations of fracturing near interfaces. Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory focused work on the permanent magnet system for NMR logging. Results of the 3-D Seismic Reflection Survey were presented by Sandia Laboratories. Production and injection experiments continued for the Colorado Interstate Gas Company Miller No. 1 and Sprague No. 1 wells. The DOE Well Test Facility was transported to Las Vegas for repairs and modifications. In situ testing continued at the Nevada Test Site for the Sandia Mineback program.

Twelve steam reforming catalysts were evaluated using an autothermal reforming screening unit. Duplicate tests were run with two samples to determine test variability. The samples tested contained either base metals, precious metals, or combinations of base and precious metals. The test was capable of distinguishing among samples where gross variations in composition are the main factor; for example, catalysts containing 2% by weight precious metals are more active than catalysts containing 15% by weight nickel. The results show a decrease in hydrocarbon breakthrough as the weight of nickel charged to the constant volume reactor increases. A commercial nickel catalyst, G90C, appears slightly better than some Engelhard prepared samples of equal nickel concentrations due to the higher density of G90C. Visual observation of the used catalysts show that samples containing only precious metals (Pt/Rh) did not coke during the run. The samples containing only base metals (nickel, cobalt) were coked and were magnetic. Samples containing 14.5% nickel by weight with 0.5% precious metals by weight added were not coked, were not magnetic, and had a blue colored core as compared to the black core of the virgin samples. Some speculation about deactivation mechanisms based on these observations are made.

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The NOL large-scale gap test has been modeled numerically using the LASL reactive hydrodynamics code 2DE with Forest Fire burn rates. The model gives good agreement between calculated and experimental critical gap values for VTQ-2 and Composition B. The calibration of peak pressure in the gap versus gap length has been obtained from these calculations, and is in good agreement with the published experimental curve. The two-dimensional nature of the gap test is evident from the curvature of the shock wave in the gap and test sample, and from the observed distance of run to detonation in the test samples.

Electronic band structure calculations are used to interpret the optical spectra of the cubic Sc, Y and La hydride systems. Self-consistent band calculations of ScH/sub 2/ and YH/sub 2/ were carried out. The respective joint densities of states are computed and compared to the dielectric functions determined from the optical measurements. Additional calculations were performed in which the Fermi level or band gap energies are rigidly shifted by a small energy increment. These calculations are then used to simulate the derivative structure in thermomodulation spectra and relate the origin of experimental interband features to the calculated energy bands. While good systematic agreement is obtained for several spectral features, the origin of low-energy interband transitions in YH/sub 2/ cannot be explained by these calculated bands. A lattice-size-dependent premature occupation of octahedral sites by hydrogen atoms in the fcc metal lattice is suggested to account for this discrepancy. Various non-self-consistent calculations are used to examine the effect of such a premature occupation. Measurements of the optical absorptivity of LaH/sub x/ with 1.6 < x < 2.9 are presented which, as expected, indicate a more premature occupation of the octahedral sites in the larger LaH/sub 2/ lattice. These experimental results also suggest that, …

Areas covered are: optical and dielectric properties of hexamethyl-phosphoric triamide; photoemission from uv irradiated liquids; photon and photoelectron mean free paths in liquids; properties of Kapton films; and uv transmission of polycyclic organic molecules. (GHT)

Soil and water samples in and around the Long Valley geothermal area, Mono County, California, were collected and analyzed for helium by means of a modified mass spectrometer leak detector to see what relationship helium concentrations might have to geothermal features of the area, and to previously studied mercury anomalies in the area. Anomalously high concentrations of helium occurred over part of a major Sierra Nevada frontal fault and over other faults outside of the caldera. Anomalously low concentrations of helium occurred in several areas of high mercury concentrations, which were also areas of hydrothermal alteration. Quantities of helium exsolved from water samples did not fit any pattern.

Information is presented concerning bundle geometry with wrapped and bare rods; LMFBR outlet plenum flow mixing; and theoretical determination of local temperature fields in LMFBR fuel rod bundles.

Objective is to design synthesize, and evaluate cyclic and polycyclic host organic compounds for their abilities to complex and lipophilize guest metal ions, their complexes, and their clusters. Host organic compounds consist of strategically placed solvating, coordinating, and ion-pairing sites tied together by covalent bonds through hydrocarbon units around cavities shaped to be occupied by guest metal ions or by metal ions plus their ligands. Specificity in complexation is sought by matching the following properties of host and guest: cavity and metal ion sizes; geometric arrangements of binding sites; number of binding sites; character of binding sites; and valences. During this period, hemispherands based on an aryloxy or cyclic urea unit, spherands based on aryloxyl units only, and their complexes with alkali metals and alkaline earths were investigated. An attempt to separate /sup 6/Li and /sup 7/Li by gel permeation chromatography of lithiospherium chloride failed. (DLC)

A precision gas chromatograph, coupled to a quadrupole mass spectrometer and an on-line computer, was used to study the fractionation on Porasil A of the /sup 32/S//sup 34/S isotopic pair in a variety of sulfur-containing molecules. Carbonyl sulfide (COS) yielded an average ..cap alpha.. value of 1.00074 +- 0.00017 (standard deviation) for the temperature range 25/sup 0/C to 75/sup 0/C. The carbon disulfide (CS/sub 2/) value was 1.00069 +- 0.00023 for the range 53/sup 0/C to 103/sup 0/C, and that for sulfur dioxide (SO/sub 2/) was 1.00090 +- 0.00018 for the range 62/sup 0/C to 112/sup 0/C. Differential thermodynamic data have been reported. A Porapak Q column showed no fractionation of this isotopic pair in these three molecules.

Studies in support of in-situ gasification involved experiments in bench-scale combustors where three parameters were varied independently: initial fuel bed temperature, applied air flow and water vapor influx rate. Methods for measuring the thermal conductivity of solids at high temperatures were evaluated and measurements of the thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity were made over a temperature range for several samples of coke. (LTN)

The following samples were found to be mutagenic for strains TA1538, TA98 and TA100 Salmonella typhimurium: ETTM-10, ETTM-11, ETTM-15, ETTM-16, and ETTM-17. ETTM-13 was marginally mutagenic for TA1537. ETTM-14 was slightly mutagenic for TA1537, TA1538, and TA98. Mutagenicity by all samples was demonstrated only in the presence of hepatic enzyme extracts (S9) which provided metabolic activation. ETTM-11 was shown to be the most mutagenic sample assayed thus far; specific activity was 2.79 x 10/sup 4/ TA98 revertants/mg sample. Fractionation by serial extractions with increasingly polar organic solvents was done at least 2 x with ETTM-10, ETTM-11, ETTM-15, ETTM-16 and ETTM-17. For some samples highly mutagenic fractions were observed.

Two telluric profiles made near Vulcan Hot Springs are presented and described.

Progress of the government-sponsored projects during June 1980, that are directed towards increasing gas production from the low permeability gas sands of the western United States, is summarized. Northwest Exploration declined use of their site for the multi-well experiment; additional sites are being contemplated. Experiments began at Bartlesville Energy Technology Center designed to examine fracture closure and crushing strength of bauxite. At Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, work is progressing on the code to calculate fluid motion in an expanding propagation crack.

Monitoring and evaluation of Viking Lander 1 power system data continued. The RTG series power range as measured at the PCDA was 65 to 67 watts at finroot temperatures between 280/sup 0/F and 310/sup 0/F. The Mars Lander performance history of Viking 1 include both the minimum and maximum data for each of the SOL days. Final available power system data for Viking Lander 2 are shown. Typical SOL day cycles for mission day 1193 are presented. The RTG series power ranged from 69 to 70 watts at finroot temperatures between 270/sup 0/F and 300/sup 0/F. The Mars Lander performance history for Viking 2 is shown. Power system performance data for Pioneer 10 and Pioneer Saturn (initially designated Pioneer 11) were monitored through the reporting period. After adjusting for the telemetry characteristics, the estimated RTG system net power was 114 watts for both Pioneer 10 and Pioneer Saturn.

This bibliography presents reports released to the public between January 1, 1979, and December 31, 1979, by personnel of the US Geological Survey. Reports include information on underground nuclear testing and waste management projects at the NTS (Nevada Test Site) and radioactive waste projects at the WIPP (Waste Isolation Pilot Plant) site, New Mexico. Reports on Project Dribble, Tatum Dome, Mississippi, previously prepared as administrative reports and released to the public as 474-series reports during 1979 are also included in this bibliography.

The following conclusions are recorded: The road base mixes in which quartz silica was substituted for the pulverized coal fly ash gave compressive strengths similar to those using the pulverized coal fly ash. The compressive strengths of road base mixes using recently produced AFB residue were of the same order of magnitude as those obtained in 1977, although the data covers a broad range of test results. Briquettes, produced from a number of trial mixes, show promise as a synthetic aggregate. Expansive grout mixes of slurry consistency achieve satisfactory compressive strengths in seven days. Sections of the test strips in Canton, Ohio show minimal expansion.

Two types of robust estimates of location, psi-compromised M-estimates and gap-compromised estimates, are discussed and compared via a simulation. The relationships between the two types of estimators are seen to depend on both the sample size and the underlying distribution of the data. 11 figures, 6 tables.

Effects of substrate laser glass on the damage threshold and adhesion of dielectric films has been studied in order to improve the damage threshold. The study is divided into two parts: the first part dealing with four types of laser glass, LSG-91H silicate, LHG-8 phosphate, P-1 phosphate and LHG-10 fluorophosphate; the second part dealing with twenty-six glasses with systematically modified compositions in three glass systems, silicate, phosphate and fluorophosphate.

This is the first quarterly report on the efforts to evaluate the feasibility of excavating coal and overburden from surface mines using impact breakers. The initial stages of the project are devoted to a literature search, equipment selection, test site selection, and conceptual test system design. Hence, this report details the progress made in these areas; the next quarter will see the finalization of Phase I. Included as appendices to this report are FMA internal reports on the individual mines visited. These reports are the basis of the test site selection, and have been censored here to remove data the mine operators deemed as confidential.

Dual source, Se and CuInSe/sub 2/, coevaporation and flash evaporation of stoichiometric CuInSe/sub 2/ powder were investigated to develop a process of fabricating large area CdS/CuInSe/sub 2/ heterojunction solar cells. CuInSe/sub 2/ was seen to decompose upon evaporation, producing layered films in the dual source system. Annealing of these films and alternative dual sources have been considered. Single phase p type films have been produced but no devices have been made from such films. Flash evaporation circumvents the decomposition problem, and if one bakes the powder to obtain a small Cu excess as well as getting a Se excess in the film, p type CuInSe/sub 2/ films can be obtained. A 1% efficient device of 6 cm/sup 2/ area was made using a flash evaporated CuInSe/sub 2/ film. Annealing studies and measurements of spatial uniformity of this device are reported.

The Tennessee Division of Geology under contract to the Morgantown Energy Technology Center of the US Department of Energy has drilled eight NX coreholes in eastern Tennessee. The coring program was designed to retrieve continuous cores for a detailed study of the character of the Chattanooga Shale. The geophysical wire-line logging of the NX drill holes was performed by the US Geological Survey. The lithologic and wire-line log data in conjunction with two seismic surveys will be used to evaluate the hydrocarbon potential of the Chattanooga Shale in northeastern Tennessee. The purpose of this report is to present a detailed lithologic description and gamma-ray log of the Tennessee Division of Geology and US Department of Energy cored drill holes no. 4 and 5 (TDG-DOE no. 4 and no. 5). In spite of the overlap, no distinct marker beds were found to facilitate a positive correlation between the two cores. Reconstruction of the total Chattanooga section was based on detailed field mapping of the uppermost dark-gray shale below the base of the Grainger Formation and the projection of the beds. The total thickness of the Chattanooga Shale at the coring locations is estimated to be 1650 to 1700 ft.