Pile Engineering reports on: metal deformation studies, status of group I metal, flow laboratory activities, boroscope inspection details, pile control details, elimination of silica feed, controlled exposure temperature for graphite samples, naval fuel test channel, strength of masonite at elevated temperatures, carbon dioxide pile temperature, H pile graphite temperature, sampling of pile graphite, special pile motion measurements, pile expansion, far side restraining clamps, vortical thimble thermocouples, and boiling studies. The Physical Chemistry Group reports on: pile annealing studies, thermal annealing studies, empty process tube temperature, X- ray line broadening, X-ray diffraction studies, the CSF program, the WSF program, and higher temperature exposures.

This report covers work done by the Physical Chemistry Group and the Pile Engineering Groups. Subjects covered are as follows: metal exposure details; slug corrosion details; pile control -- thimble removal study; Van Stone flange corrosion details; process tube corrosion details; carbon dioxide experiment; graphite sampling; special pile measurements; routine pile measurements; 105 technical laboratories; P-10; boiling studies; pile annealing studies; gas tube experiment; thermal conductivity and electrical resistivity; x-ray diffraction studies; and stored energy.

This report discusses progress made by the Physical Chemistry Group and Pile Engineering Groups. Topics covered are as follows: x-ray studies--tube bore mining; physical expansion of capsule exposures; special capsule exposures; pile annealing; thermal conductivity and pile annealing; total stored energy; Sykes stored energy method; slug corrosion rate; effect of pressure drop on slug corrosion; exposure of P-10 fuel slugs; slug corrosion weight loss variables; vertical safety rod thimble corrosion; front tube corrosion; magnesium corrosion program; thimble corrosion program; horizontal thimble removal; metal exposure production tests; special pile measurements; carbon dioxide; H pile power level increase; vertical thimble temperature; graphite core samples; nine tube mock-up; and required header pressure.

This monthly report details the 100 Area technical activities of the Physics Group for the month of May 1950.

A summary of work is presented from the 234-5 Development Group, September 1, 1950, with regard to the feasibility of transferring the plutonium processing solution, without evaporation, to the Purification Building. Critical factors identified were the concentration of the nitric acid and temperature.

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A preliminary hybrid 1A flowsheet in which the extraction section operates substantially acid while the scrub section is acid deficient is presented. The effects of added nitric acid on the performance of the acid deficient 1A flowsheet are considered, and the need for control of the entering stream acidities in such flowsheets is evaluated. Data on batch-countercurrent decontamination and plutonium recovery are included. (J.R.D.)

A series of experiments on exposure of man and rats to tritium gas (HT) or tritiated water (HTO) are reported. In one human experiment 3 millicuries of HTO was administered in 200 milliliters of water by ingestion. Absorption into the blood stream was linear with time and complete in about 45 minutes. Body water turnover was measured over a period of six days by weighing all food and fluid intake and all excretory output. For four days water turnover was kept near normal (2.7 liters per day). During the last two days water turnover was increased to 12.8 liters per day. Tritium excretion rates was determined on eight other human subjects in which water turnover in which measured less precisely. The biological half-life of HTO in nine human subjects varied from 9 to 14 days on ad libitum and was reduced to 2 1/2 days in one subject on high water intake. The tritium activity in sweat, expired water vapor, septum and urine was found to be essentially the same as that in water from the blood. Rats were continually exposed to various concentrations of tritium in inspired air (0.000001 to 0.03 microcuries per ml) for periods up to 145 …

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Fission product distribution, fission product activities, and decontamination factors are terms of general usage in the Chemical Development Section. Specific values for some of these terms have been based upon data procured several years ago. In many cases more accurate basic numbers are now available. This report sets forth in tabular form detailed information on fission product activities as a function of decay time for certain conditions. It attempts to quality the use of the theoretical curie as a unit of activity to a unit having a more direct practical significance, the ``countable curie.``

This memorandum concerns the relative activities of Argon 41 and Nitrogen 16 in the pile gas composed of 95 percent carbon dioxide and 5 percent air. The memorandum is dated November 16, 1950. (JL)

In this report ten cases of acute radiation syndrome are described resulting from two accidents occurring at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory of unique nature involving fissionable material. These cases are described in considerable detail. The report comprises ten sections. This volume, part II of the report, is comprised of sections entitled: (1) the Biological Basis for the Clinical Response seen in the Acute radiation Syndrome, (2) Clinical Signs and Symptoms, (3) Discussion of Hematological Findings, (4) Chemistry of the Blood and Urine, (5) Discussion of Pathological Findings, and (6) Reconsiderations of the Calculated Radiation Doses in Terms of the Observed Biological Response of the Patients. This report was prepared primarily for the clinician who is interested in radiation injuries and therefore emphasis has been placed on the correlation of clinical and pathological changes with the type of cytogenetic change known to be produced by ionizing radiation.

This paper presents the requirements of a nuclear amplifier of short resolving time, designed to accept pulses of widely varying amplitudes. Data are given which show that a proportional ionization chamber loaded with a 1,000-ohm resistor develops pulses of 0.5 microsecond duration and several volts amplitude. Results indicate that seven basic requirements are imposed on the amplifier when counting soft beta and gamma radiation in the presence of alpha particles, without absorbers. It should, (1) have a fast recovery time, (2) have a relatively good low frequency response, (3) accept pulses of widely varying heights without developing spurious pulsed, (4) have a limiting output stage, (5) preserve the inherently short rise time of the chamber, (6) minimize pulse integration, and (7) have sufficient gain to detect the weak pulses well below the chamber voltage at which continuous discharge takes place. The results obtained with an amplifier which meets these requirements is described. A formula is derived which indicates that redesign of the proportional ionization chamber might eliminate the need for an amplifier. This may be possible if the radioactive particles are collimated parallel to the collecting electrode.

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A solution of Pu was prepared for use in a re-investigation of the present 49 titration method. Three 500 microliter portions of the sample were dried and ignited to PuO{sub 2}. From the weight of the residue and the impurity analysis, the concentration, in g/l, of the solution was found to be 222.2, 221.5, and 222.5; average of 222.0. The six samples submitted to the control laboratory in Bldg. 231 were reported as: 219.3, 223.6, 221.5, 220.9, 222.3, and 228.2 (re-run 229.3); average of 222.6 g/l. The 234-5 Laboratory reported: 228.2, 233.3, 220.2, 236.1, 225.2 (re-run 220.6), and 227.9; average of 227.3 g/l. Since the standardization was carried out on April 13, the 231 Lab received its samples on May 11, and the 234-5 Lab received their samples on May 23, a correction for increase in concentration due to decomposition of the water by alpha particles and evaporation was calculated. It was determined that the results reported by the 231 Lab were very consistent (except for one determination) and that the average value agreed with the gravimetric determination. The average results from the 234-5 Lab are 2% higher than the gravimetric results. Further studies are being made on the chemical …

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Atomized U powder was produced by forming an electric arc between two U electrodes in an inert atmosphere and sending a high velocity stream of inert gas through the arc. Uranium particles obtained by this method were of spherical shape; smaller particles contained mostly small grains, and larger particles wore characterizcd by larger grains. The particles were ductile and could be hotpressed to a compact of high density. The temporary equipment used for those preliminary tests on atomization was not adequate to control particle size. Suggestions for the production of atomized U powder of controllable quality are included. (arth)

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Quarterly progress report of the unclassified sections at Brookhaven National Laboratory providing updates about research and findings.

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The recent production and identification of isotopes of elements with atomic numbers up to six higher than the target element through bombardment with hexapositive 120-Mev carbon ions made it seem worthwhile to apply this technique to the transuranium region. Accordingly, small pieces of natural uranium metal (about 0.5 mil thick and 205 cm by 0.6 cm area) were irradiated in the internal carbon ion beam in the Berkeley 60-inch cyclotron. Following the irradiations, the uranium was dissolved in dilute hydrochloric acid containing hydrogen peroxide and a transplutonium fraction was isolated through the use of lanthanum fluoride, and lanthanum hydroxide precipitation steps followed by the ion exchange adsorption column procedure in which concentrated hydrochloric acid is used to separate the tripositive actinide elements from the rare earth elements. The transplutonium fractions in hydrochloric acid were evaporated as weightless films on platinum plates which were placed in the ionization chamber of the 48 channel pulse analyzer apparatus in order to measure the yield and energies of any alpha-particles which might be present. In the best experiment at about one hour after the end of the 90-minute bombardment, some 50 disintegrations per minute of the distinctive 7.1-Mev alpha-particles of Cf{sup 244} were observed …

Since the end of the war when the long-lived isotope of carbon, C{sup 14} became available a new tool has been applied in the study of photosynthesis. Because of the interest evoked by the tracer method, research in all areas of photosynthesis has expanded. There have been reviews on various aspects of photosynthesis such as the primary photochemical reaction, quantum efficiency products, and comparative biochemistry, many discussions of which were included in the monograph of The American Society of Plant Physiologists, ''Photosynthesis in Plants''.

Uranium is recovered as an aqueous solution of uranyl nitrate and nitric acid in both the tributyl phosphate metal recovery process and the Redox separation process. The streams are designated as RCU and IIIEU in the respective processes. For metal recovery these streams are combined. The purpose of the nitric removal operation is to minimize equipment corrosion and to restrict contamination of the final uranium oxide with corrosion products which might be formed in the elevated temperature reactor employed for the decomposition of uranyl nitrate to the oxide. Because of the large quantities of uranium being processed it is desirable to conduct the concentration of the combined RCU and IIIEU streams in a continuous type process to reduce the operating and fixed charges. Determination of the physical and chemical properties of the dilute aqueous uranyl nitrate -- nitric acid system, as it progresses toward an essentially nitric acid free concentrated state, is necessary to define the optimum operating conditions.