We report the measurement of the lifetime of the tau lepton. This measurement was made using the HRS spectrometer at PEP, operating at 29 GeV. The 3 prong decay vertices were measured using a four layer tubular cell vertex chamber. The lifetime of the tau was determined to be tau/sub tau/ = .28 +- .02 +- .02 ps. 7 refs., 3 figs.

Subsidence and settlement are phenomena that are much more destructive than generally thought. In shallow land burials they may lead to cracking of the overburden and eventual exposure and escape of waste material. The primary causes are consolidation and cave-ins. Laboratory studies performed at Los Alamos permit us to predict settlement caused by consolidation or natural compaction of the crushed tuff overburden. We have also investigated the shear failure characteristics of crushed tuff that may lead to subsidence. Examples of expected settlement and subsidence are calculated based on the known geotechnical characteristics of crushed tuff. The same thing is done for bentonite/tuff mixes because some field experiments were performed using this additive (bentonite) to reduce the hydraulic conductivity of the crushed tuff. Remedial actions, i.e., means to limit the amount of settlement, are discussed. We finally discuss our field experiment, which studies the influence of subsidence on layered systems in general and on biobarriers in particular. The share of the produced cavities is compared with cavities produced by idealized voids in an idealized environment. Study of root penetration at subsidence sites gives us an indication of the remaining degree of integrity. 30 refs., 24 figs., 19 tabs.

An unusually wet season permitted us to test the integrity of our biobarrier installed in the improved or modified plots in our integrated system. Although the modified plots had a reduced water-holding capacity, they delivered leachate only at the drain installed above the biobarrier, demonstrating once more that the biobarrier is behaving successfully as a capillary barrier in rerouting the subsurface flow around the tuff beneath the biobarrier. As a result of vertical water flow impedance, more water was made available to plot vegetation, enhancing its growth dramatically. The capillary barrier theory was backed up by the tensiometer results showing saturation at the upper biobarrier interface. 11 refs., 19 figs

Types 304L, 316L, and 321 austenitic stainless steel and Incoloy 825 are being considered as candidate container materials for emplacing high-level waste in a tuff repository. The stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of these materials under simulated tuff repository conditions was evaluated by using the notched C-ring method. The tests were conducted in boiling synthetic groundwater as well as in the steam/air phase above the boiling solutions. All specimens were in contact with crushed Topopah Spring tuff. The investigation showed that microcracks are frequently observed after testing as a result of stress corrosion cracking or intergranular attack. Results showing changes in water chemistry during test are also presented.

This manual presents guidelines for software standards which were developed so that software project-development teams and management involved in approving the software could have a generalized view of all phases in the software production procedure and the steps involved in completing each phase. Guidelines are presented for six phases of software development: project definition, building a user interface, designing software, writing code, testing code, and preparing software documentation. The discussions for each phase include examples illustrating the recommended guidelines. 45 refs. (DWL)

The objective of this program is to develop a synthesis gas conversion catalyst with higher selectivity to liquid fuels, while maintaining catalytic activity and stability at least equivalent relative to state-of-the-art precipitated iron catalysts. Hydrocarbon cutoff hypothesis and developmental needs for a ruthenium catalyst with low light ends selectivity were investigated during this quarter. Hydrocarbon product distribution was Anderson-Schulz-Flory up to a carbon number of 250 and cutoff did not occur with a titania-supported catalyst containing ruthenium particles smaller than 20[Angstrom]. It was found that an alumina-supported catalyst with 1% (by weight) ruthenium in the form of 50[Angstrom] to 100[Angstrom] metal particles was initially about half as active (by catalyst volume) and made one quarter of the amount of C[sub 1][minus]C[sub 4] light end products relative to the Sasol precipitated iron catalyst.

The objective of this program is to develop a synthesis gas conversion catalyst with higher selectivity to liquid fuels, while maintaining catalytic activity and stability at least equivalent relative to state-of-the-art precipitated iron catalysts. During this quarter, the emphasis in the program has been the investigation of the hydrocarbon cutoff hypothesis with supported ruthenium catalysts. An alumina-supported catalyst with smaller than 20[Angstrom] ruthenium particles was tested under conditions of maximal water gas shift activity. During this test more than 90% of the water made in the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction was converted to H[sub 2]. However, the extent of ruthenium metal agglomeration was not reduced. Accordingly, it was not possible to conclude whether hydrocarbon cutoff occurs with smaller than 20[Angstrom] ruthenium particles on [gamma]-alumina. A ruthenium catalyst prepared on Y-type zeolite had 20[Angstrom] or smaller ruthenium particles according to STEM examination and a 15[Angstrom] average ruthenium metal particle size according to EXAFS examination. The ruthenium metal particle size was stable during the test with this catalyst. The hydrocarbon product distribution was Anderson-Schulz-Flory with no cutoff up to a carbon number of 160. A well-dispersed titania-supported ruthenium catalyst is going to be evaluated during the next quarter in order to determine whether …

The objective of this program is to develop a synthesis gas conversion catalyst selective to gasoline or diesel range fuel via application of a micelle technique for preparing specific site supported ruthenium particles. The current emphasis is to investigate hydrocarbon cutoff principle and to apply it for developing selective catalysts. During this quarter, micelle technique was further improved and 1 ruthenium particle:l reverse micelle limit was approached by careful control of catalyst synthesis conditions. Accordingly, it became possible to synthesize supported particles that closely meet the size and composition targets originally set. This improved technique was applied to synthesis of chemically modified ruthenium catalysts. Some of the chemically modified ruthenium catalysts will be evaluated later in the program. We previously reported that 40--60 [Angstrom] ruthenium particles prepared on [gamma]-alumina do not result in hydrocarbon cutoff. We could not determine then whether smaller ruthenium particles result in hydrocarbon cutoff because these particles agglomerated via ruthenium carbonyl formation during the course of a 6--10 day test. We have recently evaluated a catalyst with 20--40 [Angstrom] ruthenium particles prepared on [gamma]-alumina by carefully analyzing products initially made during the test prior to substantial ruthenium agglomeration. We concluded that cutoff is not effected by …

The objective of this program is to develop a synthesis gas conversion catalyst with improved selectivity to gasoline or diesel range fuel via application of a micelle technique for preparing novel supported catalysts with specific size ruthenium particles. The major emphasis is to investigate hydrocarbon cutoff principle and to apply it for developing selective catalysts. We previously reported that cutoff is not effected with 40--60 [Angstrom] and 20--40 [Angstrom] ruthenium particles on [gamma]-Al[sub 2]O[sub 3]. We recently tested a catalyst with <20 [Angstrom] ruthenium particles. Well dispersed ruthenium in that catalyst extensively agglomerated to larger particles even during the course of a short test despite the high H[sub 2]:CO ratio used. Therefore, we could not conclude whether cutoff is effected with <20 [Angstrom] ruthenium particles. We are going to continue to evaluate the effect of operational conditions and also evaluate the effect of modifiers on ruthenium agglomeration. A catalyst with <20 [Angstrom] ruthenium particles will be evaluated to investigate occurrence of cutoff, after no agglomeration conditions are identified. We are now proposing to conduct, parallel to the main approach, a second research approach which will aim at developing a ruthenium catalyst with substantially lower light ends selectivity while maintaining at …

We consider finite temperature effects upon theories with extra dimensions compactified via vacuum stress energy (Casimir) effects. For sufficiently high temperature, a static configuration for the internal space is impossible. At somewhat lower temperatures, there is an instability due to thermal fluctuations of radius of the compact dimensions. For both cases, the Universe can evolve to a de Sitter-like expansion of all dimensions. Stability to late times constrains the initial entropy of the universe. 28 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.

We show that compactifications of theories with extra dimensions are unstable if due to monopole configurations of an antisymmetric tensor field balanced against one-loop Casimir corrections. In the case of ten dimensional supergravity, it is possible, at least for a portion of the phase space, to achieve a stable compactification without fine-tuning by including the contribution of fermionic condensates to the monopole configurations. 23 refs., 2 figs.

We discuss the thermodynamics of higher dimensional black holes with particular emphasis on a new class of spinning black holes which, due to the increased number of Casimir invariants, have additional spin degrees of freedom. In suitable limits, analytic solutions in arbitrary dimensions are presented for their temperature, entropy, and specific heat. In 5 + 1 and 9 + 1 dimensions, more general forms for these quantities are given. It is shown that the specific heat for a higher dimensional black hole is negative definite if it has only one non-zero spin parameter, regardless of the value of this parameter. We also consider equilibrium configurations with both massless particles and massive string modes. 16 refs., 3 figs.

High quality TRISCO-coated UCO and ThO{sub 2} particles with reference MHTGR dimensions were produced in a coating campaign in August and September 1986 for irradiation tests. The heavy metal contamination and the defect levels were below the limits established for the MHTGR fuel. Over 9 kg of uranium in UCO and 30 kg of thorium in ThO{sub 2} were TRISCO-coated in 4 fissile and 3 fertile batches in the 240mm Development Coater. These coated fuel particles will be used to produce fuel rods for testing in the irradiation validation tests to be conducted in capsules HRB-19, -20 and -21 on the DOE Fuel and Fission Product Technology Program. 3 refs., 6 figs., 6 tabs.

Analyzing powers and spin transfer coefficients which describe the elastic scattering of polarized protons from a polarized deuteron target have been measured. The energy of the proton beam was 800 MeV and data were taken at laboratory scattering angles of 7, 11, 14, and 16.5 degrees. One analyzing power was also measured at 180 degrees. Three linearly independent orientations of the beam polarization were used and the target was polarized parallel and antiparallel to the direction of the beam momentum. The data were taken with the high resolution spectrometer at the Los Alamos Meson Physics Facility (experiment 685). The results are compared with multiple scattering predictions based on Dirac representations of the nucleon-nucleon scattering matrices. 27 refs., 28 figs., 4 tabs.

March 1, 1984, was the 30th anniversary of the Bravo thermonuclear test that resulted in the accidental exposure of the populations of Rongelap and Utirik atolls to radioactive fallout. The chronicling of the medical events resulting from that exposure is continued in this report, which covers the period from January 1983 through December 1984. An updated listing of all relevant publications from the Medical Department Brookhaven National Laboratory, is presented in the Reference Section. Thirty years of observation continue to show no detectable increase in mortality in the exposed population as a result of that exposure. The survival curves of the high-exposure Rongelap group, the low-exposure Utirik population, and an unexposed group of Rongelap people matched by age and sex to the exposed Rongelap group in 1957 continue to be similar. 89 refs., 2 figs., 6 tabs.

Report detailing the plan for vocational education in Texas from 1987 onwards. In reaction to the oil and agriculture industries facing economic hardship, vocational education to diversify the state's economic prospects for the future became a priority in this report.

This report presents results of an analytical study on hydrological transport of a radionuclide released from sources of finite areal extent into a planar fracture. The purposes of this work are to predict the space-time-dependent concentrations of a radionuclide which is released from multiple-patch (or area) sources and transported by advection and transverse dispersion in a planar fracture and by molecular diffusion in rock matrix, and to investigate the effects of transverse dispersion in the fracture. 5 refs., 14 figs.

Research conducted as part of the Comprehensive Cooling Water Study (CCWS) has elucidated many factors that are important to fish population and community dynamics in a variety of habitats on the Savannah River Plant (SRP). Information gained from these studies is useful in predicting fish responses to SRP operations. The overall objective of the CCWS was (1) to determine the environmental effects of SRP cooling water withdrawals and discharges and (2) to determine the significance of the cooling water impacts on the environment. The purpose of this study was to: (1) examine the effects of thermal plumes on anadromous and resident fishes, including overwintering effects, in the SRP swamp and associated tributary streams; (2) assess fish spawning and locate nursery grounds on the SRP; (3) examine the level of use of the SRP by spawning fish from the Savannah River, this objective was shared with the Savannah River Laboratory, E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company; and (4) determine impacts of cooling-water discharges on fish population and community attributes. Five studies were designed to address the above topics. The specific objectives and a summary of the findings of each study are presented.

Modeling of glass degradation based on sound geochemical principles appears to be possible with revisions to EQ3/6. Realistic source terms for several repository scenarios may be generated with such a model. One scenario which appears very likely and which is also amenable to modeling using EQ3/6 is that in which an intact but perforated canister holds water in contact with waste glass. The water overflows continuously or periodically, allowing radionuclides to come in contact with repository rock. This isolated-type scenario will be the first realistic modeling effort because it limits complex interactions between rock and glass. However, EQ3/6 modeling should be possible even for very complicated scenarios if sufficient experimental data are available on rates and thermodynamics. This will be the limiting factor in progress toward modeling the complete system.

A bounce-averaged Monte Carlo operator is presented that simulates bounce-averaged perturbative Lorentz pitch angle scattering of particles in toroidal plasmas, in particular a tokamak. In conjunction with bounce-averaged expressions for the deterministic motion, this operator allows a quick and inexpensive simulation on time scales long compared to a bounce time. An analytically tractable model of transport due to toroidal magnetic field ripple is described.

A report on a program that was started at the San Antonio State Hospital for young adults with severe chronic mental illness to help them to become as successful as possible.

Research performed at LAMPF during 1985 is reported in the areas of: nuclear and particle physics; atomic and molecular physics; materials science; radiation-effects studies; biomedical research and instrumentation; nuclear chemistry; radioisotope production; and physics theory. Also reported are the status of LAMPF-II, facility development work, and accelerator operations. (LEW)

This technical note (TN) reports on the development of a zero-order ASPEN (Advanced System for Process Engineering) model for the fluidized-bed retort/combustion of an eastern oil shale. The objective of the work described was to identify data needs and to create a structure for future, more definitive models. New Albany shale was the initial reference eastern shale at the Department of Energy (DOE)/Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC). A literature search on this shale was conducted to find the physical property data required for the ASPEN model. This TN discusses the types of missing or incomplete data, the process being modeled, and how process variables are affected by varying input parameters. The TN also presents recommendations for increasing the reliability of the simulation. 12 refs., 3 figs., 5 tabs.

An experimental and analytical investigation of the strength of a fine-grained graphite, H440, under combined mechanical and thermal stress is described. Small sample laboratory tests were carried out to establish a mechanical property data base from which statistical parameters could be determined and then used in finite element codes for predicting failure probabilities of large graphite structural components under load. The theory was applied to graphite rings under an imposed thermal stress from a heat flux applied to the inner surface of the rings and under mechhanical stress caused by diametrically opposed concentrated loads applied to the outer surface of the rings. Rings of H440 graphite were fabricated in two sizes and tested to the combined thermal and mechanical loadings. From the results of theory and the experiments, a design rule for combining mechanical and thermal stress in graphite structural components is proposed.