This monthly report details Physics Department 100 Area technical activities for the month of April 1947.

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In order to further understand the nature of changes which occur in the fingers of persons occupationally exposed to radiation a series of experiments were performed on human subjects generally using x-rays at 130 KV potential, 20 ma and at a distance of 10 cm. Doses ranged from 200-600 r. Fourteen subjects were patients being treated by x-rays or radium for other purposes. The other subject was a staff member who occasionally prepared radium plaques containing 130 mgm of radium. Counts were made of the number of vessels in the terminal row of a measured area of the nail fold. In no case was there any detectable change in the nail fold area within 15 minutes of treatment. Observations were continued for up to 56 days and changes observed included hyperemia, pigmentation, erythemia, and some transitory changes in vascular structure of the affected area. A recommendation for continued studies is made.

This report details events of importance reported by the Hanford Operations Office for the week ending May 18, 1949.

The reaction C{sup 12} (p,pn)C{sup 11} which has been studied by McMillan, Chubb and Miller for energies up to 100 Mev is an example of a reaction whose high energy behavior cannot be explained by a compound nucleus process. The purpose of the study was to investigate this reaction at the high resolution possible with the Berkeley linear accelerator near the excitation threshold. The excitation curve was obtained by stacking specially molded polystyrene (composition C{sub n}H{sub n}) foils of high uniformity and bombarding them in the proton beam. The resultant activity was then counted on a Geiger counter in standard geometry. The resultant curve is shown in Figure 1. An immediately evident feature is the sharp threshold of the reaction. The second derivative curve, illustrated in Figure 2, of the excitation shows an RMS width of 270 kV, the theoretical straggling width due to the foils of 170 kv, and the remaining width in accordance with the energy spread of approximately {+-} 100 kv half width of the linear accelerator. The data therefore are compatible with a sharp threshold for this reaction. This curve, incidentally, furnishes independent evidence as to the energy homogeneity of the linear accelerator beam.

This document details activities at the Hanford Works during the month of July 1948. (JL)

This technical progress letter contains reports from six Technical Department divisions at the Hanford Engineer Works for February 9, through February 15, 1947. The six reporting divisions are: 100 Areas, 300 Area, 200 Areas, Chemical Development, Laboratories, and Statistical Studies.

The mean heat capacity of a sample of powdered beryllium carbide, a possible moderator material for a nuclear reactor, was determined as a function of temperature. A thin-walled stainless steel capsule containing the material was heated in an electric furnace and dropped into a water calorimeter. The following linear equation for mean heat capacity over the temperature range 50 f C-T f C as a function of temperature, T, was derived from the data by the method of least squares: C/sub p/ = 0.299 + 2.16 x 10/sup -4/ T f C el temperatures 0.005 cal gm/sup -1/( f C)/sup -1/. The numerical value of C/sub p/ expressed by this equation is also equal to the mean heat capacity in Btu lb/sup -1/( f F)/sup -1/. (auth)

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This progress report discusses activities at the P Division for the month of November 1948. All piles operated at 275 megawatts (MW) throughout the month except for outages listed under Area Activities in this report and except that F Pile operated at a reduced level during the first half of the month. This operation at reduced level was incident to the leaking process tube reported last month. A total of 81.4 tons of metal was discharged from the piles during the month. The 300 Area canned a total of 150 tons of acceptable slugs during the month to establish a new production record. On November 29 the operating schedule for the Melt Plant was changed from a three-shift to a two-shift, six-day week schedule. The backlog of material largely had been worked off and the new schedule is adequate for processing the current accumulation of scrap.

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Topics discussed included scope of work by the Kellex Corporation; Redox Production Plant procurement; bearing capacity of soils and other site characterization for the Redox Production Plant site; purchase of Moyno pumps; scope drawing schedules; 68% nitric acid requirements for the process; pump development for the Redox Production Plant; vessel specifications; Design basis letters on electrical distribution, steam distribution, raw and filtered water distribution, and railroads. The report includes a letter on materials of construction for 202-S building equipment.

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It has been found that warped slugs which produce ``non-seats`` segregated after the centrifuging operation by use of a suitable gauge. The slugs which do not pass the gauge are quenched in water and set aside for later recovery. The purpose of this test was to determine if the rejected slugs could be straightened, degreased and recanned by dipping them directly in the bronze and then through the subsequent steps. One hundred and twenty-nine slugs rejected by the warp gauge were straightened, degreased and recanned by dipping directly into the bronze bath, Eleven non-seats and one Al-Si spill over were rejected at the canning pot.The above procedure is recommended as a possible means of treating slugs rejected in the canning operation because of wrap.

This report contains work summaries for the week of May 18th, 1944 at the Hanford Atomic Products Operation. Canning, stack gas disposal, and graphite testing are discussed. (JL)

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This report summarizes the contamination observed at the Hanford Works and vicinity for the period October, November, and December, 1947. Trend charts showing trend of contamination for the various sampling locations are only included where a true trend can be established for the three month period; a thorough analysis of all trends will be considered in detail in the annual report from this section. The report is divided into the following topic sections: Meteorological -- dissolving data; beta contamination in the air and the radiation levels in air; alpha and beta contamination in the Columbia River; beta contamination in the rain and snow; alpha and beta contamination in drinking water; beta contamination on vegetation; and alpha and beta contamination in Hanford Wastes. An appraisal and review of all the results is considered in detail for each section. Statistical analysis is used whenever possible to determine significant values and differences in levels of contamination measured.

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