We have investigated the interaction of U(VI) and Np(V) actinide ions with cementitious materials that are relevant to nuclear waste repositories using X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS) Spectroscopy. The actinide ions were individually loaded onto untreated as well as hydrothermally treated cements. The mixtures were then equilibrated at varying pH's for a period of approximately 6 months. In all cases uranium was introduced in the form of aqueous uranyl ion, UO{sub 2}{sup 2+}, and was observed to remain in this form based on the Near Edge (XANES) spectra. The uranium samples show evidence of interactions with both treated and untreated cements at all pH's, with uranyl interacting with the cement mineral phases (i.e., SiO{sub 2}) through an inner-sphere mechanism where oxygen atoms in the equatorial plane of the uranyl ion are shared with the mineral surface. In contact with the hydrothermally treated cement, the uranyl ions are also observed to form oligomeric species, proving that hydrothermal treatment of the concrete has a significant effect on the structural bonding characteristics of uranyl on the concrete. Neptunium was introduced as the neptunyl ion, NpO{sub 2}{sup +}, and was observed to undergo a reduction from Np(V) to Np(IV). Percent reduction was calculated from …

The parametric grid capability of the Knowledge Base (KBase) provides an efficient robust way to store and access interpolatable information that is needed to monitor the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. To meet both the accuracy and performance requirements of operational monitoring systems, we use an approach which combines the error estimation of kriging with the speed and robustness of Natural Neighbor Interpolation. The method involves three basic steps: data preparation, data storage, and data access. In past presentations we have discussed in detail the first step. In this paper we focus on the latter two, describing in detail the type of information which must be stored and the interface used to retrieve parametric grid data from the Knowledge Base. Once data have been properly prepared, the information (tessellation and associated value surfaces) needed to support the interface functionality, can be entered into the KBase. The primary types of parametric grid data that must be stored include (1) generic header information; (2) base model, station, and phase names and associated ID's used to construct surface identifiers; (3) surface accounting information; (4) tessellation accounting information; (5) mesh data for each tessellation; (6) correction data defined for each surface at each node …

Data authentication is required for certification of sensor stations in the International Monitoring System (IMS). Authentication capability has been previously demonstrated for continuous waveform stations (seismic and infrasound). This paper addresses data surety for the radionuclide stations in the IMS, in particular the Radionuclide Aerosol Sampler/Analyzer (RASA) system developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). Radionuclide stations communicate data by electronic mail using formats defined in IMS 1.0, Formats and Protocols for Messages. An open message authentication standard exists, called S/MIME (Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions), which has been proposed for use with all IMS radionuclide station message communications. This standard specifies adding a digital signature and public key certificate as a MIME attachment to the e-mail message. It is advantageous because it allows authentication to be added to all IMS 1.0 messages in a standard format and is commercially supported in e-mail software. For command and control, the RASA system uses a networked Graphical User Interface (GUI) based upon Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) communications, which requires special authentication procedures. The authors have modified the RASA system to meet CTBTO authentication guidelines, using a FORTEZZA card for authentication functions. They demonstrated signing radionuclide data messages at the RASA, then …

Our original ignition ''point designs'' (circa 1992) for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) were made energetically conservative to provide margin for uncertainties in laser absorption, x-ray conversion efficiency and hohlraum-capsule coupling. Since that time, extensive experiments on Nova and Omega and their related analysis indicate that NIF coupling efficiency may be almost ''as good as we could hope for''. Given close agreement between experiment and theory/modeling, we can credibly explore target enhancements which couple more of NIF's energy to an ignition capsule. We find that 3-4X increases in absorbed capsule energy appear possible, providing a potentially more robust target and {approx}10X increase in capsule yield.

Mines at regional distances are expected to be continuing sources of small, ambiguous events which must be correctly identified as part of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) monitoring process. Many of these events are small enough that they are only seen by one or two stations, so locating them by traditional methods maybe impossible or at best leads to poorly resolved parameters. To further complicate matters, these events have parametric characteristics (explosive sources, shallow depths) which make them difficult to identify as definite non-nuclear events using traditional discrimination methods. Fortunately, explosions from the same mines tend to have similar waveforms, making it possible to identify an unknown event by comparison with characteristic archived events that have been associated with specific mines. In this study we examine the use of hierarchical cluster methods to identify groups of similar events. These methods produce dendrograms, which are tree-like structures showing the relationships between entities. Hierarchical methods are well-suited to use for event clustering because they are well documented, easy to implement, computationally cheap enough to run multiple times for a given data set, and because these methods produce results which can be readily interpreted. To aid in determining the proper threshold value for …

Superpolished optical flats with high spatial frequency roughness below 0.1 nm have been commercially available for years. However, it is much more difficult to obtain figured optics of similar quality. We have obtained and tested the finish of figured optics from different vendors by atomic force microscopy and optical profilometry and have investigated how the substrate quality can be improved by the deposition of thin films. We have determined the growth parameters of several thin-film structures. From these parameters we can determine how the surface topography of a coated mirror differs from that of the substrate, select the best thin-film structure, and predict the possible improvement. Keywords: Smoothing films, multilayer coatings, finish of mirror substrates

The Hanford Site was the first Department of Energy (DOE) complex to recycle excess software rather than dispose of it in the landfill. This plan, which took over a year to complete, was reviewed for potential legal conflicts, which could arise from recycling rather than disposal of software. It was determined that recycling was an approved method of destruction and therefore did not conflict with any of the licensing agreements that Hanford had with the software manufacturers. The Hanford Recycling Program Coordinator combined efforts with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to recycle all Hanford software through a single contract, which went out for bid in January 1995. It was awarded to GreenDisk, Inc. located in Woodinville Washington and implemented in March 1995. The contract was later re-bid and awarded to EcoDisWGreenDisk in December 1998. The new contract included materials such as; software manuals, diskettes, tyvek wrapping, cardboard & paperboard packaging, compact disks (CDs), videotapes, reel-to-reel tapes, magnetic tapes, audio tapes, and many other types of media.

The 0-1 multiple knapsack problem appears in many domains from financial portfolio management to cargo ship stowing. Methods for solving it range from approximate algorithms, such as greedy algorithms, to exact algorithms, such as branch and bound. Approximate algorithms have no bounds on how poorly they perform and exact algorithms can suffer from exponential time and space complexities with large data sets. This paper introduces a market model based on agent decomposition and market auctions for approximating the 0-1 multiple knapsack problem, and an algorithm that implements the model (M(x)). M(x) traverses the solution space rather than getting caught in a local maximum, overcoming an inherent problem of many greedy algorithms. The use of agents ensures that infeasible solutions are not considered while traversing the solution space and that traversal of the solution space is not just random, but is also directed. M(x) is compared to a bound and bound algorithm (BB) and a simple greedy algorithm with a random shuffle (G(x)). The results suggest that M(x) is a good algorithm for approximating the 0-1 Multiple Knapsack problem. M(x) almost always found solutions that were close to optimal in a fraction of the time it took BB to run and …

Certain radionuclide ions (e.g., TcO{sub 4}{sup 16}) exhibit unusually strong Affinities toward the polymer-rich phase in aqueous biphase systems generated by combinations of salt solutions with polymers such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(propylene glycol) (PPG). Thus, aqueous polymer phases could potentially be used to selectively extract these ions during pretreatment of radioactive tank wastes at Hanford. To help develop a fundamental understanding of the interactions between various ions and polymers in aqueous solution, interaction enthalpies between sodium perrhenate and a random copolymer of PEG and PPG (UCON-50) were measured by microcalorimetric titration. An entropy compensation effect was observed in this system in which changes in enthalpic interactions were balanced by entropy changes such that the interaction free energy remained constant and approximately equal to zero.

Radiation environments characteristic of those encountered during the low-temperature foot pulse and subsequent higher-temperature early-step pulses (without the foot pulse) required for indirect-drive ICF ignition on the National ignition Facility have been produced in hohlraums driven by x-rays from a z-pinch. These environments provide a platform to better understand the dynamics of full-scale NIF hohlraums, ablator material, and capsules prior to NIF completion. Radiation temperature, plasma fill, and wall motion of these hohlraums are discussed.

Argonne National Laboratory is developing a process for the conditioning of spent nuclear fuel to prepare the material for final disposal. Two waste streams will result from the treatment process, a stainless steel based form and a ceramic based form. The ceramic waste form will be enclosed in a stainless steel container. In order to assess the performance of the ceramic waste form in a repository two factors must be examined, the surface area increases caused by waste form cracking and any ceramic/canister interactions that may release toxic material. The results indicate that the surface area increases are less than the High Level Waste glass and any toxic releases are below regulatory limits.

Shock-recovery experiments have been performed on Berea Sandstone under dry and water-saturated conditions using a single-stage light-gas gun. Stress levels in the range between 3.1 and 9.8 GPa were achieved by impacting projectiles in a recovery fixture. The microstructural damage of the shocked samples were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser particle analysis and X-ray computed micro tomography (XCMT). The dry samples show strongly and irregularly fragmented quartz grains with an considerably reduced porosity. In contrast, the water-saturated specimens have less grain damage and higher porosity. The water in the pores distributes the stresses which reduce the contact force between the grains during the shock compression. The dynamic fragmentation of the grain-grain interactions was modeled by explicitly treating the grain-pore structure using the Smooth Particle Hydrodynamic (SPH) computational method. This is a continuum Lagrangian gridless approach that features particles.

Long term performance requirements for a geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste are based on assumptions concerning water use and subsequent deaths from cancer due to ingesting water contaminated with radio isotopes ten thousand years in the future. This paper argues that the assumptions underlying these requirements are faulty for a number of reasons. First, in light of the inevitable technological progress, including efficient desalination of water, over the next ten thousand years, it is inconceivable that a future society would drill for water near a repository. Second, even today we would not use water without testing its purity. Third, today many types of cancer are curable, and with the rapid progress in medical technology in general, and the prevention and treatment of cancer in particular, it is improbable that cancer caused by ingesting contaminated water will be a sign&ant killer in the far future. This paper reviews the performance requirements for geological repositories and comments on the difficulties in proving compliance in the face of inherent uncertainties. The already tiny long-term risk posed by a geologic repository is presented and contrasted with contemporary every day risks. A number of examples of technological progress, including cancer treatments, …

Progress continues on many fronts of experimental testing of electroweak symmetry breaking. Updates were presented on LEP, SLC, Brookhaven g-2 ring, Tevatron Collider, HERA, CESR and Tevatron neutrino experiments. Perhaps most exciting is the Higgs search at LEP2, complementing the indirect constraints. However, the standard model with one Higgs doublet remains viable.

The notion of formalized music implies that a musical composition can be described in mathematical terms. In this article we explore some formal aspects of music and propose a framework for an abstract approach.

The new muon (g - 2) experiment is now fully operational The goal of the experiment is to obtain a relative error on (g - 2) of {+-}O.35 ppm to measure the electroweak contribution for the first time, and to observe, or place stringent limits on physics beyond the standard model which can contribute to (g - 2). A brief status report is presented.

Numerous sites in the United States and around the world are contaminated with depleted uranium (DU) in various forms. A prevalent form is fragmented DU originating from various scientific tests involving high explosives and DU during weapon-development programs, at firing practice ranges, or in war theaters where DU was used in armor-piercing projectiles. The contamination at these sites is typically very heterogeneous, with discrete, visually identifiable DU fragments mixed with native soil. The bulk-averaged DU activity is quite low, whereas DU fragments, which are distinct from the soil matrix, have much higher specific activity. DU is best known as a dark metal that is nearly twice as dense as lead, but DU in the environment readily weathers (oxidizes) to a distinctive bright yellow color that is quite visible. While the specific activity (amount of radioactivity per mass of soil) of DU is relatively low and presents only a minor radiological hazard, the fact that DU is radioactive and visually identifiable makes it desirable to remove the DU ''contamination'' from the environment. The typical approach to conducting this DU remediation is to use radiation-detection instruments to identify the contaminant and then to separate it from the adjacent soil, packaging it for …

Historically, x-ray research has been propelled by the existence of urgent and compelling scientific questions and the push of powerful and exquisite source technology. These two factors have gone hand in hand since Rontgen discovered x-rays. Here we review the progress being made with existing third-generation synchrotron-radiation light sources and the prospects for a fourth-generation light source with dramatically improved laser-like beam characteristics. The central technology for high-brilliance x-ray beams is the x-ray undulator, a series of alternating-pole magnets situated above and below the particle beam. When the particle beam is oscillated by the alternating magnetic fields, a set of. interacting and interfering wave fronts is produced, which leads to an x-ray beam with extraordinary properties. Third-generation sources of light in the hard x-ray range have been constructed at three principal facilities: the European Synchrotrons Radiation Facility (ESRF) in France; the Super Photon Ring 8-GeV (or Spring-8) in Japan; and the Advanced Photon Source (APS) in the US. Undulator technology is also used on a number of low-energy machines for radiation in the ultraviolet and soft x-ray regimes. At the APS, these devices exceed all of our original expectations for beam brilliance, tunability, spectral range, and operational flexibility. Shown in …

Three basic core material types for sandwich structure applications are studied. The three two-dimensional pattern types are: honeycomb, triangular cells, and a new configuration involving star type cells. The specific critical properties of stiffness and strength type are identified and studied, both theoretically and experimentally.

Application of the new low-temperature-design rules of the ITER Structural Design Criteria (ISDC) is illustrated by considering copper alloys that, according to recent data, are particularly prone to irradiation embrittlement at relatively low fluences at certain temperatures, Allowable stresses are derived and the impact of the embrittlement on allowable surface heat flux of a simple first-wall/limiter design is demonstrated. High-temperature-design rules of ISDC are applied to EVOLVE (Evaporation Of Lithium and Vapor Extraction), a blanket design concept currently being investigated under the U.S. APEX (Advanced Power Extraction) program. One version of this concept envisions the use of a series of parallel tungsten tubes (first-wall) that are cooled internally by lithium vapor, typically. at 1200 C. A single tungsten first-wall tube is considered for thermal and stress analyses by finite-element method.

On Nov. 1, 1999, Sandia National Laboratories celebrates its 50th birthday. Although Sandia has its roots in the World War II-era Manhattan Project, Sandia began operating as a separate nuclear weapons engineering laboratory under the management of AT&T on Nov. 1, 1949. Today the lab employs more than 7,000 people at its two sites in Albuquerque and Livermore, California, and has research and development missions in national security, energy and environmental technologies, and U.S. economic competitiveness. Lockheed Martin Corporation operates Sandia for the US. Department of Energy.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has developed a Portable Data Acquisition (DAQ) System that is basically a laboratory-scale of Program Logic Control (PLC). This DAQ system can obtain signals from numerous sensors (e.g., pH, level, pressure, flow meters), open and close valves, and turn on and off pumps. The data can then be saved on a spreadsheet or displayed as a graph/indicator in real-time on a computer screen. The whole DAQ system was designed to be portable so that it could sit on a bench top during laboratory-scale treatability studies, or moved out into the field during larger studies. This DAQ system is also fairly simple to use. All that is required is some working knowledge of LabVIEW 4.1, and how to properly wire the process equipment. The DAQ system has been used during treatability studies on cesium precipitation, controlled hydrolysis of water- reactive wastes, and other waste treatment studies that enable LLNL to comply with the Federal Facility Compliance Act (FFCAct). Improved data acquisition allows the study to be better monitored, and therefore better controlled, and can be used to determine the results of the treatment study more effectively. This also contributes to the design of larger treatment processes.

Currently three imaging spectrometer architectures, tunable filter, dispersive, and Fourier transform, are viable for imaging the universe in three dimensions. There are domains of greatest utility for each of these architectures. The optimum choice among the various alternative architectures is dependent on the nature of the desired observations, the maturity of the relevant technology, and the character of the backgrounds. The domain appropriate for each of the alternatives is delineated; both for instruments having ideal performance as well as for instrumentation based on currently available technology. The environment and science objectives for the Next Generation Space Telescope will be used as a specific representative case to provide a basis for comparison of the various alternatives.

The authors have demonstrated a functional Pnp heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) using InGaAsN. The metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOCVD) grown Al{sub 0.3}Ga{sub 0.7}As/In{sub 0.03}Ga{sub 0.97}As{sub 0.99}N{sub 0.01} HBT takes advantage of the narrower bandgap energy (E{sub g} = 1.25eV) of In{sub 0.03}Ga{sub 0.97}As{sub 0.99}N{sub 0.01}, which is lattice matched to GaAs. Compared with the Al{sub 0.3}Ga{sub 0.7}As/GaAs material system, the Al{sub 0.3}Ga{sub 0.7}As/In{sub 0.03}Ga{sub 0.97}As{sub 0.99}N{sub 0.01} material system has a larger conduction band offset, while the valence band offset remains comparable. This characteristic band alignment is very suitable for Pnp HBT applications. The device's peak current gain is 23 and it has a turn on voltage of 0.77V, which is 0.25V lower than in a comparable Pnp Al{sub 0.3}Ga{sub 0.7}As/GaAs HBT.