This is the seventeenth quarterly report on our echelle project, as numbered above. Our work this quarter has to some extent been directed towards the Spectroscopy Symposium held at Argonne National Laboratory on February 15, 16, and 17. This report consists principally of brief abstracts of the two papers given at this meeting. Progress since the last quarterly report included completion of the echelle comparator calibration, and the successful production and photographing of the desired spectra of praseodymium and erbium in strong magnetic fields. Considerable interest was aroused by these papers, not only because rare earth spectra are being analyzed, but because of the general applicability of our experimental techniques in producing the spectra.

This technical report represents a brief survey of work by this project on the effects of ultraviolet radiation (UV) on certain of the photochemical and metabolic properties of rhubarb chard and sugar beet (Beta vulgaris). These plants were selected for this work because for some years they have been used as sources of chloroplasts for Hill reaction studies in this laboratory. Some of this work has appeared as a brief paper.

Sixty-two references, some annotated, were taken from foreign literature to determine the status of work done in this area of metallurgy during 1958 and 1959. The references are grouped into two categories: references pertinent to the subject and general metallurgical references on metallic fuels.

The problem of a blast wave propagating through an inhomogeneous atmosphere is set up for computation by the CRC LORA. Previous treatments of this problem have used various simplifying assumptions such as that of purely radial flow. Since, however, pressure gradients in this situation will not in general be in the direction of rays from the blast center, non-radial flow will exist, and there is reason to believe that for large distances this effect will play a prominent role. Therefore, a program was set up for the numerical calculation (on the CRCLORA) of the propagation of a blast wave from a ground burse with altitude effects and possible tangential flow taken into account. With initial conditions known, the program is designed to give the pressure, density, radial and tangential flow velocities after successive time intervals at 16 equally spaced positions on each of 16 straight rays emanating from the point of burst. These positions are shifted with time to keep up with the shock front. Rehmeyer's and Van Neumann's method is used to handle the discontinuous shock front. In this method an artificial viscosity term is introduced in the the equations of motion in order to smooth out the discontinuity, …

The progress report covers the work carried out during the first year 1958-59 in the department of metallurgy at M.I.T. under the supervision of Professors John T. Norton and Robert E. Ogilvie. A brief summary of the work that has been completed and in some cases still continuing is given. The work has been listed under the following general headings: (1) Diffusion studies in the uranium-niobium system, (2) X-ray detection of cladding defects, (3) Precision X-ray stress analysis of uranium and zirconium, (4) Magnetic studies of Fe3O3 single crystals, (5) Crystal structure studies of yttrium compounds, (6) Structural relationships in ZrFe2-ZrCr2 system.

The potential to kinetic energy conversion process in the lower stratosphere is evaluated using adiabatically derived vertical velocities for the North American region for a five-day period. Preliminary results suggest the possibility that on the average the kinetic energy of stratospheric motions may not result from a conversion of potential energy within the stratosphere. The further implication is that stratospheric motions are mechanically driven by the motions in the adjacent layers of the atmosphere.

A membrane demineralizer has been tested in a pressurized loop. The loop water resistivity was maintained in the 1-2 megohm range by ionized solid transfer in the demineralizer. The size and power requirement of the unit tested per gpm flow through the unit, were 2.3 cu ft and 100 watts. In view of the fact that present designed could reduce the size and required maintenance, further studies may be warranted.

A stainless steel autoclave for superheated water corrosion test was installed and "conditioned". Tests were begun to investigate the feasibility of densifying slip cast stainless steel by means of liquid phase sintering. Attempts to prepare tubular fuel elements by vacuum forming were resumed. Although thick-walled vacuum formed casting have been sintered on the aluminum mandrels without cracking, this has not yet been accomplished with the think sections of interest.

As reported in the previous Progress Report (December 16, 1959) a stock solution of Th 230 was prepared from pitchblende. Pulse height analysis of this solution indicated the presence of only Th 230 (93%), Th 227 (5%), Th 232 (1%), and Th 228 (1%). This solution was used to make up synthetic thorium solution of various concentration. These synthetic solutions were analyzed to establish a chemical yield for the procedure. Neither the precision nor the chemical yield of the procedure were considered to be satisfactory. In the next report period, we hope to complete the testing of the thorium procedure, both with regard to chemical yield and precision, as well as to determine decontamination factor from radium, uranium, and polonium. To do this, pure solutions of polonium, radium, and uranium will be prepared. The polonium and radium will be processed from pitchblende while the uranium will be made by purifying reagent grade uranyl nitrate.

Thorium Procedure: As was mentioned in the last report, ammonium nitrate was substituted for ferric nitrate as a salting agent. Also, the acidity of the nitrate solution was reduced from 3.0 molar to 0.5 molar. the revised thorium procedure is described in the report. Radium Procedure: Work has ben initiated on the procedure of Petrow, Nietzel and DeSesa (Winchester Procedure) to determine if the procedure is suitable for very low level concentrations of radium.

Applications of radioisotopes in the preparation of labeled drugs are reviewed. Among the applications described are the preparation of carbon-14- labeled cardiac glycosides, and the biosyinthesis of carbon-14-labeled digitoxin, morphine, colchicine, atropine, podophyllotoxin, and nicotine. The fate and metabolism of many of these drugs were traced. Radiochemical procedures were developed for the synthesis of pure compounds of pharmacological interest labeled with carbon-14, sulfur-35, and tritium. Investigations were made on the phenomena of drug penetration into the central nervous system. Publications during the period are listed. (C.H.)

SNAP II is the designation for a nuclear auxiliary power unit, designed primarily for utilization in the WS117L satellite vehicle. The SNAP II system consists of a reactor heat source, a mercury Rankine engine, and an alternator. Dynamic analysis of the power conversion system was conducted utilizing a comprehensive analog computer simulation. Feasibility of a parasitic load control for numerous system disturbances was demonstrated. This analysis was performed under a subcontract to to Atomics International as part of the Atomic Energy Commission Contract No. AT(11-1)-GEN-8.

A sequential method is described for the determination of strontium- 89, strontium-90, barium-140, and tungsten185 in rain water samples. A comparison is made of data on radioactivity in individual rain samples and in monthly pot samples. Data are included on the total strontiuro-90 fall-out collected in steep walled stainless steel pots during the period. Results are compared with cumulative data for 1958 end 1959. (C.H.)

The report covers work performed during the period December 1, 1959 through December 31, 1959. The general objectives of the program of "Studies of Reactor Containment" are to accomplish theoretical and experimental investigations of the loads to which external containment structures for nuclear reactors are subjected in the vent of a violent incident at the reactor core, the evaluation of methods of reducing that loading, and the study of the response of and design criteria for external containment structures as a result of such loading. Progress of technical effort during the report period is summarized for each of the eight tasks of the program..

The kinetics of transformation of zirconium binary alloys is being pursued. Mechanical property variation as a function of transformation if also being investigated. Zirconium-tin and zirconium-titanium alloys transform very rapidly when quenched from the beta field. These alloys have, generally speaking, been demonstrated to be not amenable to heat treatment in the normal sense of the word. Eutectoid alloys, principally zirconium-molybdenum alloys, have shown a definite response to heat treatment in terms of mechanical property variation. An embrittling agent, probably "omega" phase, is suspect at this time for the brittleness observed in certain molybdenum alloys and the very high hardness levels reached in other alloys such as zirconium-niobium and zirconium-thorium. Work to establish the existence of omega phase is in progress and, it is hoped, suggestions for avoiding the brittle condition associated with it will be forthcoming.

The overall scope of the program encompasses both research into the physical parameters involved in the collection of airborne radioactive particles and the development, fabrication and calibration of balloon-borne sampling equipment to enable the precise determination of stratospheric particle concentration and particle size distribution.