The activity concentration of Cesium-137 ({sup 137}Cs) and naturally-occurring Polonium-210 ({sup 210}Po) were measured in the muscle tissue, kidney and liver of Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) and bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) collected by native hunters from the Bering Sea. The mean {sup 137}Cs concentrations in muscle, liver and kidney of Pacific walrus were 0.07, 0.09 and 0.07 Bq kg{sup -1} (N= 5, wet weight), respectively, and 0.17, 0.10, and 0.17 Bq kg{sup -1} (N=2, wet weight), respectively, in bearded seal. In general, {sup 137}Cs tissue concentrations are significantly lower than those previously reported for mammals from other regions. By comparison, {sup 210}Po activity concentrations appear to be higher than those reported elsewhere but a larger variation. The mean {sup 210}Po concentration in the muscle tissue, liver and kidney of Pacific walrus (N=5, wet weight) were 28.7, 189, and 174 Bq kg{sup -1}, respectively. This compares with {sup 210}Po concentration values (N=2, wet weight) of 27, 207, and 68 Bq kg{sup -1} measured in the muscle tissue, liver and kidney, of bearded seal, respectively. Estimated bioaccumulation factors--as defined by the radionuclide concentration ratio between the target tissue to that in sea water--were two to three orders of magnitude higher for …

Measurements on hydrate-bearing laboratory and field samplesare necessary in order to provide realistic bounds on parameters used innumerically modeling the production of natural gas from hydrate-bearingreservoirs. The needed parameters include thermal conductivity,permeability, relative permeability-saturation(s) relationships, andcapillary pressure-saturation(s) relationships. We have developed atechnique to make hydrate-bearing samples ranging in scale from coreplug-size to core-size in the laboratory to facilitate making thesemeasurements. In addition to pressure and temperature measurements, weuse x-ray computed tomography scanning to provide high-resolution dataproviding insights on processes occurring in our samples. Several methodsare available to make gas hydrates in the laboratory, and we expect thatthe method used to make the hydrate will impact the behavior of thehydrate sample, and the parameters measured.

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Understanding the behavior of fractures and subsurface damage in the processes used during optic fabrication plays a key role in determining the final quality of the optical surface finish. During the early stages of surface preparation, brittle grinding processes induce fractures at or near an optical surface whose range can extend from depths of a few mm to hundreds of mm depending upon the process and tooling being employed. Controlling the occurrence, structure, and propagation of these sites during subsequent grinding and polishing operations is highly desirable if one wishes to obtain high-quality surfaces that are free of such artifacts. Over the past year, our team has made significant strides in developing a diagnostic technique that combines magnetorheological finishing (MRF) and scanning optical microscopy to measure and characterize subsurface damage in optical materials. The technique takes advantage of the unique nature of MRF to polish a prescribed large-area wedge into the optical surface without propagating existing damage or introducing new damage. The polished wedge is then analyzed to quantify subsurface damage as a function of depth from the original surface. Large-area measurement using scanning optical microscopy provides for improved accuracy and reliability over methods such as the COM ball-dimple technique. …

We demonstrated dense, non-columnar growth of thick Mo films by moving the substrates in and out of the plasma thus allowing the surface reconstruction and by interrupting the growth with Si layers. The multilayers made this way have very smooth surface, about 1.3 nm rms high spatial frequency roughness, while also maintaining the periodicity of a reflective coating. These preliminary results hint that the surface reconstruction is an important physical process that controls the growth mechanisms. Further studies, combined with theoretical modeling, are essential to further our knowledge on how to predict and control desired microstructure for different materials.

The addition of chromium and molybdenum to nickel creates alloys with exceptional corrosion resistance in a diverse range of environments. This study examines the complementary roles of Cr and Mo in Ni alloy passivation. Four nickel alloys with varying amounts of chromium and molybdenum were studied in 1 molar salt solutions over a broad pH range. The passive corrosion and breakdown behavior of the alloys suggests that chromium is the primary element influencing general corrosion resistance. The breakdown potential was nearly independent of molybdenum content, while the repassivation potential is strongly dependant on the molybdenum content. This indicates that chromium plays a strong role in maintaining the passivity of the alloy, while molybdenum acts to stabilize the passive film after a localized breakdown event.

Work is underway at LLNL to design and build a high-brightness mono-energetic source for fast neutron imaging. The approach being pursued will use a 7-MeV deuterium linac for producing high-energy neutrons via a D(d,n){sup 3}He reaction. To achieve a high-brightness neutron source, a windowless rotating aperture gas cell approach is being employed. Using a series of close-tolerance rotor and stator plates, a differential pumping assembly was designed and built that contains up to 3 atmospheres of deuterium gas in a 40-mm-long gas cell. Rarefaction of the gas due to beam-induced heating will be addressed by rapidly moving the gas across the beam channel in a cross flow tube. The design and fabrication process was guided by extensive 3D modeling of the hydrodynamic gas flow and structural dynamics of the assembly. Summaries of the modeling results, the fabrication of the rotating aperture system, and initial measurements of gas leakage are presented.

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For better understanding and characterization of non-diffusive transport occurring in the NSTX tokamak edge plasma, we performed extensive simulations of NSTX edge plasmas with the multi-fluid two-dimensional UEDGE code by using realistic model for impurity sputtering sources and hybrid model for anomalous cross-field transport. Our cross-field transport model incorporates the effects of non-diffusive intermittent transport by introducing anomalous convective velocities whose spatial profile is adjusted for each ion charge state to match available experimental data. The research in 2002-2005 financial years was focused on the following areas: (i) development of capabilities for UEDGE simulation of NSTX spectroscopy data (i.e., the 3D real-geometry postprocessor UEDGE tools for comparison between UEDGE and experimental data), (ii) simulation of multi-diagnostic data from NSTX with UEDGE, (iii) study of anomalous cross-field convective transport of impurity ions, (iv) analysis of divertor plasma opacity to resonance radiation, and (v) study the effects of ballooning-like anomalous cross-field transport and spherical-torus magnetic configuration on parallel plasma flows in the SOL.

The purpose of this partial closure report is to inform the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) of the status of final closure of the Area 514 Treatment and Storage Facility (Area 514) and fulfill the DTSC requirements to proceed with the implementation of the interim action. Area 514 is located at the Livermore main site of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). LLNL is owned by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and operated jointly by DOE and the University of California. LLNL received its permit to operate hazardous waste facilities from DTSC in 1997. The hazardous waste treatment and storage operations of Area 514 were transferred to a newly constructed complex, the Decontamination and Waste Treatment Facility (DWTF), in 2003. Once the DWTF was operational, the final closure of Area 514 began in accordance with the DTSC-approved closure plan in June 2004. Abri Environmental Engineering, Inc., was retained by LLNL to observe the A514 closure process and prepare this partial closure report and certification. Prior to closure, the configuration of the Area 514 Treatment and Storage Facility consisted of Building 514, the Area 514-1 Container Storage and Treatment unit, the Area 514-2 Container Storage Unit (CSU), the Area 514-3 …

To augment steady-state design calculations, dynamic models of three offgas systems that will be used in the Waste Treatment Plant now under construction at the Hanford Site were developed using Aspen Custom Modeler{trademark}. The offgas systems modeled were those for the High Level Waste (HLW) melters, Low Activity Waste (LAW) melters and HLW Pulse Jet Ventilation (PJV) system. The models do not include offgas chemistry but only consider the two major species in the offgas stream which are air and water vapor. This is sufficient to perform material and energy balance calculations that accurately show the dynamic behavior of gas pressure, temperature, humidity and flow throughout the systems. The models are structured to perform pressure drop calculations across the various unit operations using a combination of standard engineering calculations and empirical data based correlations for specific pieces of equipment. The models include process controllers, gas ducting, control valves, exhaust fans and the offgas treatment equipment. The models were successfully used to analyze a large number of operating scenarios including both normal and off-normal conditions.

The document is just a short report on the conference.

We determined the cation distribution and ordering of Si, Al and Fe on the tetrahedral sites of a monoclinic low-sanidine from Itrongay, Madagascar, by combined neutron- and X-ray single-crystal diffraction. The cation distribution was determined by means of a simultaneous refinement using neutron- and X-ray data, as well as by combining scattering densities obtained from separate refinements with chemical data from a microprobe experiment. The two methods give the same results and show that Fe is fully ordered on T1, whereas Al shows a high degree of disorder. Based on this and previously published temperature-dependent X-ray data, we conclude that it is preferential ordering of Fe on T1 even at high temperature, rather than a high diffusion kinetics of Fe, which causes this asymmetry in ordering behavior between Al and Fe. The preferential ordering of Fe3+ relative to Al3+ in T1 is consistent with its 25 percent larger ionic radius.

A leading hypothesis to explain abrupt climate change during the last glacial cycle calls on fluctuations in the margin of the North American Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS), which may have routed freshwater between the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) and North Atlantic, affecting North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) variability and regional climate. Paired measurements of {delta}O and Mg/Ca of foraminiferal calcite from GOM sediments reveal five episodes of LIS meltwater input from 28-45 thousand years ago (ka) that do not match the millennial-scale Dansgaard-Oeschger (D/O) warmings recorded in Greenland ice. We suggest that summer melting of the LIS may occur during Antarctic warming and likely contributed to sea-level variability during Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3).

A reaction pathway is explored in which two cyclopenta groups combine on the zigzag edge of a graphene layer. The process is initiated by H addition to a five-membered ring, followed by opening of that ring and the formation of a six-membered ring adjacent to another five-membered ring. The elementary steps of the migration pathway are analyzed using density functional theory to examine the region of the potential energy surface associated with the pathway. The calculations are performed on a substrate modeled by the zigzag edge of tetracene. Based on the obtained energetics, the dynamics of the system are analyzed by solving the energy transfer master equations. The results indicate energetic and reaction-rate similarity between the cyclopenta combination and migration reactions. Also examined in the present study are desorption rates of migrating cyclopenta rings which are found to be comparable to cyclopenta ring migration.

Calculations have been performed for postulated transients in the Critical Facility at the Tajoura Nuclear Research Center (TNRC) in Libya. These calculations have been performed at the request of staff of the Renewable Energy and Water Desalinization Research Center (REWDRC) who are performing similar calculations. The transients considered were established during a working meeting between ANL and REWDRC staff on October 1-2, 2005 and subsequent email correspondence. Calculations were performed for the current high-enriched uranium (HEU) core and the proposed low-enriched uranium (LEU) core. These calculations have been performed independently from those being performed by REWDRC and serve as one step in the verification process.

Monte Carlo methods are frequently used for neutron and radiation transport. These methods have several advantages, such as relative ease of programming and dealing with complex meshes. Disadvantages include long run times and statistical noise. Monte Carlo photon transport calculations also often suffer from inaccuracies in matter temperature due to the lack of implicitness. In this paper we discuss the Monte Carlo algorithm as it is applied to neutron and photon transport, detail the differences between neutron and photon Monte Carlo, and give an overview of the ways the numerical method has been modified to deal with issues that arise in photon Monte Carlo simulations.

A key component for the accelerated implementation and operation of the Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF) is the recovery of Tank 48H. Tank 48H is a type IIIA tank with a maximum capacity of 1.3 million gallons. The material on the Tank 48H internal tank surfaces is estimated to have a total volume of approximately 115 gallons consisting of mostly water soluble solids with approximately 20 wt% insoluble solids (33 Kg TPB). This film is assumed to be readily removable. The material on the internal equipment/surfaces of Tank 48H is presumed to be easily removed by slurry pump operation. For Tank 49H, the slurry pumps were operated almost continuously for approximately 6 months after which time the tank was inspected and the film was found to be removed. The major components of the Tank 49H film were soluble solids--Na{sub 3}H(CO){sub 2}, Al(OH){sub 3}, NaTPB, NaNO{sub 3} and NaNO{sub 2}. Although the Tank 48H film is expected to be primarily soluble solids, it may not behave the same as the Tank 49H film. Depending on when the Recycle material or inhibited water can be added to Tank 48H, the tank may not be allowed to agitate for this same amount of …

We have recently implemented polarization smoothing (PS) on one quad of the NIF laser. Specially cut KDP and DKDP crystals at 420 x 420 mm sizes were used to scramble the incident 351 nm laser polarization over the beam aperture. The intensity contrast deduced from the measured focal spot images for one of the NIF beams is in very good agreement with the expected contrast. KDP and DKDP crystals are known to produce considerable amount of transverse stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) when irradiated with large beams at {approx}1-2 GW/cm2. In order to measure the transverse SRS, we attached optical fibers on the side of one of the PS crystals. The KDP PS crystal showed > 1 J/cm2 side scattered SRS at irradiances of 1.2 GW/cm2. The DKDP (70% deuteration level) PS crystal showed significantly less SRS. Detailed analysis of the SRS scattering in the PS crystal is in progress.

Radiocarbon calibration curves are essential for converting radiocarbon dated chronologies to the calendar timescale. Prior to the 1980's numerous differently derived calibration curves based on radiocarbon ages of known age material were in use, resulting in ''apples and oranges'' comparisons between various records (Klein et al., 1982), further complicated by until then unappreciated inter-laboratory variations (International Study Group, 1982). The solution was to produce an internationally-agreed calibration curve based on carefully screened data with updates at 4-6 year intervals (Klein et al., 1982; Stuiver and Reimer, 1986; Stuiver and Reimer, 1993; Stuiver et al., 1998). The IntCal working group has continued this tradition with the active participation of researchers who produced the records that were considered for incorporation into the current, internationally-ratified calibration curves, IntCal04, SHCal04, and Marine04, for Northern Hemisphere terrestrial, Southern Hemisphere terrestrial, and marine samples, respectively (Reimer et al., 2004; Hughen et al., 2004; McCormac et al., 2004). Fairbanks et al. (2005), accompanied by a more technical paper, Chiu et al. (2005), and an introductory comment, Adkins (2005), recently published a ''calibration curve spanning 0-50,000 years''. Fairbanks et al. (2005) and Chiu et al. (2005) have made a significant contribution to the database on which the IntCal04 …

We report on the first demonstration of imaging microstructures with soft x-ray microscopy operating in reflection geometry. X-ray microscopy in reflection mode combines the high resolution available with x-ray optics, the ability to image thick samples, and to directly image surfaces and interfaces. Future experiments with this geometry will include tuning the incident angle to obtain depth resolution. In combination with XMCD as magnetic contrast mechanism this mode will allow studies of deep buried magnetic interfaces.

Performance assessment of the Yucca Mountain unsaturated zone (UZ) as the site for an underground repository of high-level radioactive waste relies on the crucial assumption that water percolation processes in the unsaturated zone can be approximated as a steady-state condition. Justification of such an assumption is based on temporal damping effects of several geological units within the unsaturated tuff formation. In particular, the nonwelded tuff of the Painbrush Group (PTn unit) at Yucca Mountain, because of its highly porous physical properties, has been conceptualized to have a significant capacity for temporally damping transient percolation fluxes. The objective of this study is to investigate these damping effects, using a three-dimensional (3-D) mountain-scale model as well as several one-dimensional (1-D) models. The 3-D model incorporates a wide variety of the updated field data for the highly heterogeneous unsaturated formation at Yucca Mountain. The model is first run to steady state and calibrated using field-measured data and then transient pulse infiltrations are applied to the model top boundary. Subsequent changes in percolation fluxes at the bottom of and within the PTn unit are examined under episodic infiltration boundary conditions. The 1-D model is used to examine the long-term response of the flow system …

We describe an exploratory optical design for the Narrow Field InfraRed Adaptive Optics (AO) System (NFIRAOS) Petite, a proposed adaptive optics system for the Thirty Meter Telescope Project. NFIRAOS will feed infrared spectrograph and wide-field imaging instruments with a diffraction limited beam. The adaptive optics system will require multi-guidestar tomographic wavefront sensing and multi-conjugate AO correction. The NFIRAOS Petite design specifications include two small 60 mm diameter deformable mirrors (DM's) used in a woofer/tweeter or multiconjugate arrangement. At least one DM would be a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) DM. The AO system would correct a 10 to 30 arcsec diameter science field as well as laser guide stars (LGS's) located within a 60 arcsec diameter field and low-order or tip/tilt natural guide stars (NGS's) within a 60 arcsec diameter field. The WFS's are located downstream of the DM's so that they can be operated in true closed-loop, which is not necessarily a given in extremely large telescope adaptive optics design. The WFS's include adjustable corrector elements which correct the static aberrations of the AO relay due to field position and LGS distance height.

This Soil Management Plan applies to all activities conducted under the auspices of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Oak Ridge Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) that involve soil disturbance and potential management of waste soil. The plan was prepared under the direction of the Y-12 Environmental Compliance Department of the Environment, Safety, and Health Division. Soil disturbances related to maintenance activities, utility and building construction projects, or demolition projects fall within the purview of the plan. This Soil Management Plan represents an integrated, visually oriented, planning and information resource tool for decision making involving excavation or disturbance of soil at Y-12. This Soil Management Plan addresses three primary elements. (1) Regulatory and programmatic requirements for management of soil based on the location of a soil disturbance project and/or the regulatory classification of any contaminants that may be present (Chap. 2). Five general regulatory or programmatic classifications of soil are recognized to be potentially present at Y-12; soil may fall under one or more these classifications: (a) Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) pursuant to the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) Federal Facilities Agreement; (b) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); (c) RCRA 3004(u) solid waste managements units pursuant …