The pile physics group reports on reactivity power coefficients from the production test No. 105-248-P, the water leak in B pile, graphite properties, xenon equations from the B pile shutdown of March 1946, and reactivity balance. The experimental physics group headed by J.M. West reports on graphite testing, the P-11 project, and shielding. The experimental physics group headed by E.B. Montgomery reports on diffusion length measurements in the DR and H piles. (GHH)

Samples from a single drilling made at Arco, Idaho were submitted to determine the adsorptive capacity of soil at Arco, Idaho for radioactive elements.

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The attenuation of electro-statically and electro-magnetically shielded rooms in the ``E,`` ``R,`` ``I,`` and ``T`` Buildings was measured so that corrective measure could be taken if the attenuation was found to be low. If remedial measures could not be taken, the shortcomings of the rooms would be known. Also, the men making the measurements should oversee construction and correct errors at the time. The work was performed by measuring the attenuation at spot frequencies over the range of from 150 kilocycles to 1280 megacycles with suitable equipment mounted in small rubber-tried trucks. The attenuation was determined by ``before and after`` shielding and/or ``door open and door closed`` measurements after installation of copper shielding. In general, attenuation in the frequency range of approximately 10 to 150 mc. was good and was of the order expected. At frequencies in the range of 150 mc. to 1280 mc., the attenuation curve was more erratic; that is, at certain frequencies a severe loss of attenuation was noted, while at others, the attenuation was very good. This was mainly due to poor or faulty seals around doors and pass windows. These poor seals existed in the ``T,`` ``E,`` and ``I`` Buildings because the doors were …

This report details events of importance reported by the Hanford Operations Office for the week ending April 20, 1949.

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The objectives in producing neutron sources are to produce uniform products of as high efficiencies as possible from the neutron yielding elements and to do this in the safest manner. The purpose of the present work was to improve the methods of preparing sources and at the same time increase the types of sources available. Lithium, sodium, and their compounds were chosen because the neutron fluxes and energies are low, thus making the experimental work less hazardous to the operator. Also, the elements are quite reactive, so that techniques which are successful with them can be easily adapted to other materials. Solvents for polonium, ways of mixing polonium and target, neutron yields, reproducibility, decay of the sources, means of recovering polonium, and materials for containers, were investigated.

This document is a March 1949 Ad Interim Report from the Mound Laboratory on the solution chemistry of polonium. A consideration of the valences of the elements of the Group VI-A would indicate that the oxidation states of -2, 2, 4, and 6 might be expected for polonium. From the decrease in stability of the hydrides of these elements with increase in atomic number, one would expect that the compound H{sub 2} Po would be very unstable and that the oxidation state of -2 would not occur in solution. Furthermore, the stability of the oxidation state +6 as well as the stability of the highest oxidation state of a given element decreases as the atomic number increases in Group VI-A and Period VI respectively. For these reasons, the oxidation state +6 for polonium would be expected to occur only in a strongly oxidizing medium. The +4 state would be expected to be stable. The work discussed herein indicates that polonium exists as PoO{sup ++} in a nonoxidizing or reducing medium.

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