We describe several experiments performed at the LLNL Site 300 firing range and on the LLNL 1/3 scale gun to investigate the deceleration of small projectiles (l {approx} 3-5 [mm]) in low-density foam ({rho} {approx} 0.08-0.32 [g/cm{sup 3}]). The experiments at the firing range researched a passive velocity diagnostic based on Faraday's law of induction, while experiments on the 1/3 scale gun investigated the effects of varying projectile surface area, projectile shape, and foam density on the drag coefficient c{sub d}. Analysis shows that the velocity diagnostic has an uncertainty on the order of 1 percent for projectiles with velocity v {approx} 0.8-1.2 [km/s]. The 1/3 scale gun experiments, dubbed the Krispy Kreme series, included nine shots considering the combinations of 3 projectile surface areas with 3 target densities. The experiments used Tantalum square surface area block projectiles (with an initial velocity v{sub 0} {approx} 1.2 [km/s], a common thickness T = 2.67 [mm], and square side lengths of 3, 4, and 5 [mm]) decelerating in polyurethane foams (with densities {rho}{sub f} of 0.08, 0.16 and 0.32 [g/cm{sup 3}]). Standard fluid models of the Krispy Kreme experiments predict Reynolds numbers Re {approx} 10{sup 5} - 10{sup 6}, Mach numbers Ma …

The 100-N Area Innovative Treatment and Remediation Demonstration (ITRD) identified phyto¬remediation as a potential technology both for the removal of 90Sr from the soil of the riparian zone and as a filter for groundwater along the Columbia River. Recent greenhouse and growth chamber studies have demonstrated the viability of phytoextraction to remove 90Sr from this area’s soil/water; in conjunction with monitored natural attenuation and an apatite barrier the process would make an effective treatment for remediation of the 100-N Area 90Sr plume. All activities associated with the 100-NR-1 and 100-NR-2 Operable Units of the Hanford 100-N Area have had, and continue to have, significant regulatory and stakeholder participation. Beginning in 1998 with the ITRD process, presentations to the ITRD TAG were heavily attended by EPA, Washington State Department of Ecology, and stakeholders. In addition, three workshops have been held to receive regulatory and stakeholder feedback on monitored natural attenuation, the apatite barrier, and phytoremediation; these were held in Richland in August 2003, December 2004, and August 2005. The apatite injection treatability test plan (DOE 2005) describes phytoremediation as a technology to be evaluated during the March 2008 evaluation milestone as described in the Tri-Party Agreement change request (M-16-06-01 Change Control …

This Annual report summarizes the research performed from 17 April 2005 through 16 April 2006. Major portions of the research in several of the project's current eight tasks have been completed. We have successfully developed the meteorological inputs using the best possible modeling configurations, resulting in improved representation of atmospheric processes. The development of the variable-grid-resolution emissions model, SMOKE-VGR, is also completed. The development of the MAQSIP-VGR has been completed and a test run was performed to ensure the functionality of this air quality model. We have incorporated new emission data base to update the offshore emissions. However, we have faced some bottleneck problems in the testing the integrity of the new database. For this reason, we have asked for a no cost extension of this project to tackle these scientific problems. Thus, the project is on a one-year delay schedule. During the reporting period, we solved all problems related to the new emission database. We are ready to move to developing the final product, implementation and testing of the variable grid technology into the Community Multiscale Air Quality Model (CMAQ) to develop the CMAQ-VGR. During the upcoming months we will perform the first CMAQ-VGR simulations over the Houston-Galveston region …

X-ray absorption imaging experiments and measurements of inflow and outflow distribution provide quantitative and vistial evidence for capillary diversion around a drift and a drift-shadow effect. Test cells were constructed from volcanic tuff with either in-plane (one fracture parallel to the face of the test cell) or multi-fracture (with a grid of fractures perpendicular to the test cell) systems. Tracer solutions were dripped in the fractures at ports along the top of the test cell. Discharge along the bottom boundary and in the drift was monitored. Variables included flow rate and fracture aperture. X-ray absorption imaging allowed for visualization of flow paths through the system. Evidence for capillary diversion and drift shadow include: (1) very small (< 1 %,of inflow in most cases) measured discharge into the drift, (2) discharge less than expected under the drift and discharge greater than expected just beyond the drift, and (3) visualization of the tracer-solution flow path from above the drift, around the drift, and shedding beyond the drift. However, tracer was also observed in a natural fracture under the drift in one system. It is unclear whether these high concentrations are due to diversion around the drift and back under the drift or …

We present a set of new characteristic frequencies associated with accretion disks around compact objects. These frequencies arise from persistent rotating patterns in the disk that are finite in radial extent and driven purely by the gravity of the central body. Their existence depends on general relativistic corrections to orbital motion and, if observed, could be used to probe the strong gravity region around a black hole. We also discuss a possible connection to the puzzle of quasi-periodic oscillations.

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This project had two major tasks: Task 1. The construction of a new air/helium facility to collect detailed measurements of Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) mixing at high Atwood number, and the distribution of these data to LLNL, LANL, and Alliance members for code validation and design purposes. Task 2. The collection of initial condition data from the new Air/Helium facility, for use with validation of RT simulation codes at LLNL and LANL. This report describes work done in the last twelve (12) months of the project, and also contains a summary of the complete work done over the three (3) life of the project. As of April 1, 2006, the air/helium facility (Task 1) is now complete and extensive testing and validation of diagnostics has been performed. Initial condition studies (Task 2) is also comp lete. Detailed experiments with air/helium with Atwood numbers up to 0.1 have been completed, and Atwood numbers of 0.25. Within the last three (3) months we have been able to successfully run the facility at Atwood numbers of 0.5. The progress matches the project plan, as does the budget. We have finished the initial condition studies using the water channel, and this work has been accepted for …

Ni-base alloys were considered for the Prometheus space reactor pressure vessel with operational parameters of {approx}900 K for 15 years and fluences up to 160 x 10{sup 20} n/cm{sup 2} (E > 0.1 MeV). This paper reviews the effects of irradiation on the behavior of Ni-base alloys and shows that radiation-induced swelling and creep are minor considerations compared to significant embrittlement with neutron exposure. While the mechanism responsible for radiation-induced embrittlement is not fully understood, it is likely a combination of helium embrittlement and solute segregation that can be highly dependent on the alloy composition and exposure conditions. Transmutation calculations show that detrimental helium levels would be expected at the end of life for the inner safety rod vessel (thimble) and possibly the outer pressure vessel, primarily from high energy (E > 1 MeV) n,{alpha} reactions with {sup 58}Ni. Helium from {sup 10}B is significant only for the outer vessel due to the proximity of the outer vessel to the BeO control elements. Recommendations for further assessments of the material behavior and methods to minimize the effects of radiation damage through alloy design are provided.

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The European Union (EU) experienced significant changes in 2004 as it enlarged from 15 to 25 members and continued work on a new constitutional treaty to institute internal reforms and further EU political integration. In 2005, the EU is expected to build on these efforts and seek to implement several recent foreign policy and defense initiatives. This report describes the current status of the EU’s “constitution,” EU enlargement, the EU’s evolving foreign and defense policies, and possible implications for U.S.-EU relations.

This report provides answers to key questions related to the European Union (EU). It describes the EU’s evolution, its governing institutions, trade policy, and efforts to forge common foreign and defense policies. The report also addresses the EU-U.S. and EU-NATO relationships.

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The United States and Europe share a long and intertwined history. Both sides of the Atlantic face a common set of international concerns, have few other comparable partners and share a deep economic relationship. Nevertheless, numerous foreign policy and trade conflicts have seriously challenged U.S.-European relations in recent years. This report examines the current state of the transatlantic relationship and key issues that may have implications for U.S. interests during the second session of the 109th Congress. It will be updated as events warrant. Also see CRS Report RL32577, The United States and Europe: Possible Options for U.S. Policy, by Kristin Archick.

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The authors present a study of the decays {bar B}{sup 0} {yields} D{sup (*)0}{bar K}{sup (*)0} using a sample of 226 million {Upsilon}(4S) {yields} B{bar B} decays collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy e{sup +}e{sup -} collider at SLAC. They report evidence for the decay of B{sup 0} and {bar B}{sup 0} mesons to the D*{sup 0}K{sub S}{sup 0} final state with an average branching fraction {Beta}({bar B}{sup 0} {yields} D*{sup 0} {bar K}{sup 0}) {triple_bond} {Beta}({bar B}{sup 0} {yields} D*{sup 0} {bar K}{sup 0}) + {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} D*{sup 0}K{sup 0})/2 = (3.6 {+-} 1.2 {+-} 0.3) x 10{sup -5}.

From a sample of 232 million {Upsilon}(4S) {yields} B{bar B} events collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II B Factory in 1999-2004, they measure the B{sup -} {yields} D{sup 0} K*{sup -}(892) decay branching fraction using events where the K*{sup -} is reconstructed in the K{sub S}{sup 0}{pi}{sup -} mode and the D{sup 0} in the K{sup -}{pi}{sup +}, K{sup -}{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup 0}, and K{sup -}{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -} channels: {Beta}(B{sup -} {yields} D{sup 0}K*{sup -}(892)) = (5.29 {+-} 0.30 (stat) {+-} 0.34 (syst)) x 10{sup -4}.

We present measurements of the flavor-changing neutral current decays B {yields} K{ell}{sup +}{ell}{sup -} and B {yields} K*{ell}{sup +}{ell}{sup -}, where {ell}{sup +}{ell}{sup -} is either an e{sup +}e{sup -} or {mu}{sup +}{mu}{sup -} pair. The data sample comprises 229 x 10{sup 6} {Upsilon}(4S) {yields} B{bar B} decays collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II e{sup +}e{sup -} storage ring. Flavor-changing neutral current decays are highly suppressed in the Standard Model and their predicted properties could be significantly modified by new physics at the electroweak scale. We measure the branching fractions {Beta}(B {yields} K{ell}{sup +}{ell}{sup -}) = (0.34 {+-} 0.07 {+-} 0.02) x 10{sup -6}, {Beta}(B {yields} K*{ell}{sup +}{ell}{sup -}) = (0.78{sub -0.17}{sup +0.19} {+-} 0.11) x 10{sup -6}, the direct CP asymmetries of these decays, and the relative abundances of decays to electrons and muons. For two regions in {ell}{sup +}{ell}{sup -} mass, above and below m{sub J/{psi}}, we measure partial branching fractions and the forward-backward angular asymmetry of the lepton pair. In these same regions we also measure the K* longitudinal polarization in B {yields} K*{ell}{sup +}{ell}{sup -} decays. Upper limits are obtained for the lepton flavor-violating decays B {yields} Ke{mu} and B {yields} K*e{mu}. All measurements …

The authors report the observation of decays B{sup 0} {yields} D{sub s}{sup (*)+} {pi}{sup -} and B{sup 0} {yields} D{sub s}{sup (*)-} K{sup +} in a sample of 230 x 10{sup 6} {Upsilon}(4S) {yields} B{bar B} events recorded with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy e{sup +}e{sup -} storage ring. They measure the branching fractions {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} D{sub s}{sup +}{pi}{sup -}) = (1.3 {+-} 0.3(stat) {+-} 0.2(syst)) x 10{sup -5}, {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} D{sub s}{sup -}K{sup +}) = (2.5 {+-} 0.4(stat) {+-} 0.4(syst)) x 10{sup -5}, {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} D*{sub s}{sup +} {pi}{sup -}) = (2.8 {+-} 0.6(stat) {+-} 0.5 (syst)) x 10{sup -5}, and {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} D*{sub s}{sup -} K{sup +}) = (2.0 {+-} 0.5(stat) {+-} 0.4(syst)) x 10{sup -5}. The significance of the measurements to differ from zero are 5, 9, 6, and 5 standard deviations, respectively.

The authors present the first measurement of {Upsilon}(4S) decays to {pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -} {Upsilon}(1S) and {pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -} {Upsilon}(2S) based on a sample of 230 x 10{sup 6} {Upsilon}(4S) mesons collected with the BABAR detector. They measure the product branching fractions {Beta}({Upsilon}(4S) {yields} {pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -} {Upsilon}(1S)) x {Beta}({Upsilon}(1S) {yields} {mu}{sup +}{mu}{sup -}) = (2.23 {+-} 0.25{sub stat} {+-} 0.27{sub sys}) x 10{sup -6} and {Beta}({Upsilon}(4S) {yields} {pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -}{Upsilon}(2S)) x {Beta}({Upsilon}(2S) {yields} {mu}{sup +}{mu}{sup -}) = (1.69 {+-} 0.26{sub stat} {+-} 0.20{sub sys}) x 10{sup -6}, from which they derive the partial widths {Lambda}({Upsilon}(4S) {yields} {pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -} {Upsilon}(1S)) = (1.8 {+-} 0.4) keV and {Lambda}({Upsilon}(4S) {yields} {pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -}{Upsilon}(2S)) = (2.7 {+-} 0.8) keV.

We search for the charmed pentaquark candidate reported by the H1 collaboration, the {Theta}{sub c}(3100){sup o}, in e{sup +}e{sup -} interactions at a center-of-mass (c.m.) energy of 10.58 GeV, using 124 fb{sup -1} of data recorded with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II e{sup +}e{sup -} facility at SLAC. We find no evidence for such a state in the same pD*{sup -} decay mode reported by H1, and we set limits on its production cross section times branching fraction into pD*{sup -} as a function of c.m. momentum. The corresponding limit on its total rate per e{sup +}e{sup -} {yields} q{bar q} event, times branching fraction, is about three orders of magnitude lower than rates measured for the charmed {Lambda}{sub c} and {Sigma}{sub c} baryons in such events.

A search for the decay of the {tau} lepton to five charged and two neutral pions is performed using data collected by the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy e{sup +}e{sup -} collider. The analysis uses 232 fb{sup -1} of data at center-of-mass energies on or near the {Upsilon}(4S) resonance. We observe 10 events with an expected background of 6.5{sub -1.4}{sup +2.0} events. In the absence of a signal, we set the limit on the branching ratio {Beta}({tau}{sup -} {yields} 3{pi}{sup -}2{pi}{sup +}2{pi}{sup 0}{nu}{sub {tau}}) < 3.4 x 10{sup -6} at the 90% confidence level. This is a significant improvement over the previously established limit. In addition, we search for the decay mode {tau}{sup -} {yields} 2{omega}{pi}{sup -}{nu}{sub {tau}}. We observe 1 event with an expected background of 0.4{sub -0.4}{sup +1.0} events and calculate the upper limit {Beta}({tau}{sup -} {yields} 2{omega}{pi}{sup -}{nu}{sub {tau}}) < 5.4 x 10{sup -7} at the 90% confidence level. This is the first upper limit for this mode.

We report on a study of the decay {bar B}{sup 0} {yields} D*{sup +}{omega}{pi}{sup -} with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II B-factory at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. Based on a sample of 232 million B{bar B} decays, we measure the branching fraction {Beta}({bar B}{sup 0} {yields} D*{sup +}{omega}{pi}{sup -}) = (2.88 {+-} 0.21(stat.) {+-} 0.31(syst.)) x 10{sup -3}. We study the invariant mass spectrum of the {omega}{pi}{sup -} system in this decay. This spectrum is in good agreement with expectations based on factorization and the measured spectrum in {tau}{sup -} {yields} {omega}{pi}{sup -} {nu}{sub {tau}}. We also measure the polarization of the D*{sup +} as a function of the {omega}{pi}{sup -} mass. In the mass region 1.1 to 1.9 GeV we measure the fraction of longitudinal polarization of the D*{sup +} to be {Lambda}{sub L}/{Lambda} = 0.654 {+-} 0.042(stat.) {+-} 0.016(syst.). This is in agreement with the expectations from heavy-quark effective theory and factorization assuming that the decay proceeds as {bar B}{sup 0} {yields} D*{sup +}{rho}(1450), {rho}(1450) {yields} {omega}{pi}{sup -}.