The zero degree excitation function for ({pi}{sup +}, {pi}{sup -}) is calculated for pion energies of 300 to 1400 MeV assuming a sequential mechanism. The cross section around 1225 MeV is 10{sup 4} smaller than at 800 MeV. Experiments at this energy should be ideal for searches for effects due to exchange currents, and other non-conventional mechanisms. 15 refs.

A computer simulation code has been developed and validated at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to predict the performance of a railgun electromagnetic accelerator. The code, called MAGRAC (MAGnetic Railgun ACcelerator), models the performance of a railgun driven by a magnetic flux compression current generator (MFCG). The MAGRAC code employs a time-step solution of the nonlinear time-varying element railgun circuit to determine rail currents. From the rail currents, the projectile acceleration, velocity, and position is found. The MAGRAC code was validated through a series of eight railgun tests conducted jointly with the Los Alamos Scientific National Laboratory. This paper describes the formulation of the MAGRAC railgun model and compares the predicted current waveforms with those obtained from full-scale experiments.

Two key experiments in nuclear physics will be discussed in order to illustrate the advantages of the internal target method and demonstrate the power of polarization techniques in electron scattering studies. The progress of internal target experiments will be discussed and the technology of internal polarized target development will be reviewed. 43 refs., 11 figs.

To study the reaction of water vapor with uranium, we have exposed clean liquid uranium surfaces to H/sub 2/O under UHV conditions. We have measured the surface concentration of oxygen as a function of exposure, and determined the maximum attainable surface oxygen concentration X/sub 0//sup s/ as a function of temperature. We have used these measurements to estimate, close to the melting point, the solubility of oxygen (X/sub 0//sup b/, < 10/sup -4/) and its surface segregation coefficient ..beta../sup s/(> 10/sup 3/). 8 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.

Two x- and gamma-ray systems were recently installed at-line in gloveboxes and will measure Pu solution concentrations from 5 to 105 g/L. These NDA technique, developed and refined over the past decade, are now used domestically and internationally for nuclear material process monitoring and accountability needs. In off- and at-line installations, they can measure solution concentrations to 0.2%. The K-XRFA systems use a transmission source to correct for solution density. The gamma-ray systems use peaks from 59- to 208-keV to determine solution concentrations and relative isotopics. A Pu check source monitors system stability. These two NDA techniques can be combined to form a new, NDA measurement methodology. With the instrument located outside of a glovebox, both relative Pu isotopics and absolute Pu abundances of a sample located inside a glovebox can be measured. The new technique works with either single or dual source excitation; the former for a detector 6 to 20 cm away with no geometric corrections needed; the latter requires geometric corrections or source movement if the sample cannot be measured at the calibration distance. 4 refs., 7 figs., 2 tabs.

With the demonstration of large current densities extracted from hydrogen-discharge-type negative ion sources there has been a new emphasis directed toward the further development of these volume-type sources. Along with this emphasis has been a rapid increase in our understanding of the underlying atomic processes that occur in hydrogen-negative-ion discharges, together with a rapid evolution of the geometric configuration of these ion sources. An account of the development of the atomic processes in negative hydrogen discharges has been given in a recent review. Here we shall emphasize these atomic developments as they bear on the tandem high-density ion-source configuration. 32 refs., 10 figs.

Corrections to the naive prediction for the inclusive semihadronic decay rate of the /tau/ lepton contain several surprises: electroweak corrections are significant, nonperturbative QCD corrections can be treated systematically, and the order ed /sub s/T perturbative QCD corrections are enormous. The possibility of precise theoretical predictions of the decay rate is discussed. 10 refs.

The Spent Fuel Test-Climax (SFT-C) is a test of dry geologic storage of spent nuclear reactor fuel. The SFT-C is located at a depth of 420 m in the Climax granitic stock at the Nevada Test Site. Eleven canisters of spent commercial PWR fuel assemblies are to be stored for 3 to 5 years. Additional heat is supplied by electrical heaters, and more than 800 channels of technical information are being recorded. The measurements include rock temperature, rock displacement and stress, joint motion, and monitoring of the ventilation air volume, temperature, and dewpoint.

At the two previous heavy ion fusion symposia, researchers from Livermore presented their best estimates of target energy gain. The results presented at Tokyo differed significantly from those presented at Darmstadt. The Livermore estimates were again revised for this symposium. The new estimates are given in an accompanying paper by Lindl et al. and in additional detail in this paper. The new estimates are similar to the results presented at Darmstadt. The implications of the new results are discussed.

We present an updated set of gain curves for radiation driven ion beam targets. The improved target performance calculated with nuclear spin polarized fuel will also be discussed. We discuss the conditions required for efficient conversion to x-rays of ion beam energy. These requirements are compared with those obtained for lasers. Recent results on symmetry requirements for direct drive ion beam targets are presented.