A membrane consisting of multiwall carbon nanotubes embedded in a silicon nitride matrix was fabricated for fluid mechanics studies on the nanometer scale. Characterization by tracer diffusion and scanning electron microscopy suggests that the membrane is free of large voids. An upper limit to the diffusive flux of D{sub 2}O of 2.4x10-{sup 8} mole/m{sup 2}-s was determined, indicating extremely slow transport. By contrast, hydrodynamic calculations of water flow across a nanotube membrane of similar specifications predict a much higher molar flux of 1.91 mole/m{sup 2}-s, suggesting that the nanotubes produced possess a 'bamboo' morphology. The carbon nanotube membranes were used to make nanoporous silicon nitride membranes, fabricated by sacrificial removal of the carbon. Nitrogen flow measurements on these structures give a membrane permeance of 4.7x10{sup -4} mole/m{sup 2}-s-Pa at a pore density of 4x10{sup 10} cm{sup -2}. Using a Knudsen diffusion model, the average pore size of this membrane is estimated to be 66 nm, which agrees well with TEM observations of the multiwall carbon nanotube outer diameter. These membranes are a robust platform for the study of confined molecular transport, with applications inseparations and chemical sensing.

We have developed and characterized a mixer to study the reaction kinetics of protein folding on a microsecond timescale. The mixer uses hydrodynamic focusing of pressure-driven flow in a microfluidic channel to reduce diffusion times as first demonstrated by Knight et al.[1]. Features of the mixer include 1 {micro}s mixing times, sample consumptions of order 1 nl/s, loading sample volumes on the order of microliters, and the ability to manufacture in fused silica for compatibility with most spectroscopic methods.

A new experiment has begun that builds upon the successful Staged Electron Laser Acceleration (STELLA) experiment, which demonstrated high-trapping efficiency and narrow energy spread in a staged laser-driven accelerator. STELLA was based upon inverse free electron lasers (IFEL); the new experiment, called STELLA-LW, is based upon laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA). The first phase of STELLA-LW will be to demonstrate LWFA in a capillary discharge driven by the Brookhaven National Laboratory Accelerator Test Facility (ATF) terawatt CO{sub 2} laser beam. This will be the first time LWFA is conducted at 10.6-{micro}m laser wavelength. It will also be operating in an interesting pseudo-resonant regime where the laser pulse length is too long for resonant LWFA, but too short for self-modulated LWFA. Analysis has shown that in pseudo-resonant LWFA, pulse-steepening effects occur on the laser pulse that permits generation of strong wakefields. Various approaches are being explored for the capillary discharge including polypropylene and hydrogen-filled capillaries. Planned diagnostics for the experiment include coherent Thomson scattering (CTS) to detect the wakefield generation. This will be one of the first times CTS is used on a capillary discharge.

X-ray backlighting is a powerful tool for diagnosing a large variety of high-energy-density phenomena. Traditional area backlighting techniques used at Nova and Omega cannot be extended efficiently to NIF-scale. New, more efficient backlighting sources and techniques are required and have begun to show promising results. These include a backlit-pinhole point projection technique, pinhole and slit arrays, distributed polychromatic sources, and picket fence backlighters. In parallel, there have been developments in improving the data SNR and hence quality by switching from film to CCD-based recording media and by removing the fixed-pattern noise of MCP-based cameras.

Direct measurement of the coherence time of a high-intensity laser beam (600 ps, 10{sup 14} W.cm{sup -2}) after plasma propagation is achieved using a Michelson interferometer. Through plasma of interest for indirect-drive fusion (0.1 x n{sub c}, 1 mm long), a large decrease of the coherence time is observed, from 100 ps to {approx} 10 ps, induced by the interaction between the intense beam and the plasma. This decrease is even stronger as the light is scattered at larger angles from the initial beam angular distribution and as the plasma density is increased. The results coincide with trends observed in recent numerical simulations.

We illustrate preliminary results obtained through Monte Carlo (HERWIG) and detector (ATLFAST) simulations of the H{sup {+-}} {yields} {tau}{sup {+-}}{nu}{sub {tau}} signature of charged Higgs bosons with masses comparable to that of the top quark.

For low T, multifilamentary conductors like NbTi and Nb{sub 3}Sn, the V-I transition to the normal state is typically quantified by the parameter, n, defined by ({rho}/{rho}{sub c})= (I/I{sub c}){sup n}. For NbTi, this parameterization has been very useful in the development of high Jc wires, where the n-value is regarded as an index of the filament quality. In copper-matrix wires with undistorted filaments, the n-value at 5T is {approx} 40-60, and drops monotonically with increasing field. However, n can vary significantly in conductors with higher resistivity matrices and those with a low copper fraction. Usually high n-values are associated with unstable resistive behavior and premature quenching. The n-value in NbTi Rutherford cables, when compared to that in the wires is useful in evaluating cabling degradation of the critical current due to compaction at the edges of the cable. In Nb{sub 3}Sn wires, n-value has been a less useful tool, since often the resistive transition shows small voltages {approx} a few {mu}V prior to quenching. However, in ''well behaved'' wires, n is {approx} 30-40 at 12T and also shows a monotonic behavior with field. Strain induced I{sub c} degradation in these wires is usually associated with lower n-values. For high …

Plate impact experiments were performed on B270 glass in order to measure the properties of post-failure wave material. The initial failure wave velocity is 1.27 km/s . After the material is released, the failure wave velocity drops to 0.65 km/s. At a stress of 6.72 GPa, the sound speed in the failed material is 4.97 km/s (compare to 5.79 km/s in the intact material) with a density comparable to the predicted shock value. At a stress of 0.26 GPa, the average sound speed in the failed material is 3.55 km/s, and the density drops to 65% of the intact value. The spall strength of the failed material is greater than 0.14 GPa.

Diabetes is a disease that affects over 16 million people in the USA at a cost of 100 billion dollars annually. The ability to regulate insulin delivery in people with Type 1 diabetes is imperative as is the need to manage glucose levels in all people with this disease. Our current method for monitoring glucose is a (FDA approved) minimally invasive enzymatic sensor that can measure glucose levels in vivo for three days. We are focused on developing a noninvasive implantable glucose sensor that will be interrogated by an external device. The material must be robust, easy to process, biocompatible and resistant to biofouling. In this Presentation we will discuss the development of a new polymeric matrix that can recognize physiological levels of glucose in vitro using fluorescent spectroscopy.

We make remarks on the Maximum Entropy Method (MEM) for studies of the spectral function of hadronic correlators in finite temperature lattice QCD. We discuss the virtues and subtlety of MEM in the cases that one does not have enough number of data points such as at finite temperature. Taking these points into account, we suggest several tests which one should examine to keep the reliability for the results, and also apply them using mock and lattice QCD data.

In a new mode of measurement, the amplitude of a tearing mode rotating at frequencies of up to tens of KHz has been obtained using the spectral features of high frequency MSE data. A formulation has been developed to calculate the pitch angle oscillations associated with these instabilities, from the MSE spectrum. Density fluctuations can be simultaneously obtained from MSE measurements if the intensity response to density variation can be calibrated. Examples of observations are given and detection limits are explored.

This paper briefly reviews activities and research related to children and educational environments. The increasing prevalence and role of information and communications technology in the lives of children as well as the incidence of back pain and heavy loads children carry in back packs are raising concerns around the world. Out of this concern an International Ergonomics Association Technical Committee has been formed. A survey was sent to Ergonomics for Children and Educational Environments membership and those who have communicated through the committee. The results are compiled to describe a cross-section of international efforts to address the health and the future of children.

Cluster computing has emerged as a defacto standard in parallel computing over the last decade. Now, researchers have begun to use clustered, shared-memory multiprocessors (SMPs) to attack some of the largest and most complex scientific calculations in the world today [2, 1], running them on the world's largest machines including the US DOE ASCI platforms: Red, Blue Mountain, Blue Pacific, and White. MPI has been the predominant programming model for clusters [3]; however, as users move to ''wider'' SMPs, the combination of MPI and threads has a ''natural fit'' to the underlying system design: use MPI for managing parallelism between SMPs and threads for parallelism within one SMP. OpenMP is emerging as a leading contender for managing parallelism within an SMP. OpenMP and MPI offer their users very different characteristics. Developed for different memory models, they fill diametrically opposed needs for parallel programming. OpenMP was made for shared memory systems, while MPI was made for distributed memory systems. OpenMP was designed for explicit parallelism and implicit data movement, while MPI was designed for explicit data movement and implicit parallelism. This difference in focus gives the two parallel programming frameworks very different usage characteristics. But these complementary usage characteristics make the …

Monochromator is a very important and precise instrument used in beam lines at synchrotron radiation facilities. We need to know if there is actual thermal distortion on gratings resulting in the degradation of the monochromator resolution. We need to know the characteristics of the grating rotation. It is possible to make a simple but precise in-situ distortion monitoring and rotation angle test of the grating by use of a precise pencil beam angle monitor. We have made preliminary measurements on a monochrometer grating of an undulator beam line X1B at Brookhaven National Laboratory. We monitored a small amount of angle variation on the grating. We detected 1.7 {micro}rad backlash (P-V) of the grating controlling system.

Externally dispersed interferometry (EDI) is a technique for enhancing the performance of spectrographs for wide bandwidth high resolution spectroscopy and Doppler radial velocimetry. By placing a small angle-independent interferometer near the slit of a spectrograph, periodic fiducials are embedded on the recorded spectrum. The multiplication of the stellar spectrum times the sinusoidal fiducial net creates a moir{acute e} pattern, which manifests high detailed spectral information heterodyned down to detectably low spatial frequencies. The latter can more accurately survive the blurring, distortions and CCD Nyquist limitations of the spectrograph. Hence lower resolution spectrographs can be used to perform high resolution spectroscopy and radial velocimetry. Previous demonstrations of {approx}2.5x resolution boost used an interferometer having a single fixed delay. We report new data indicating {approx}6x Gaussian resolution boost (140,000 from a spectrograph with 25,000 native resolving power), taken by using multiple exposures at widely different interferometer delays.

In order to obtain formulas providing estimates for elastic constants of random polycrystals of laminates, some known rigorous bounds of Peselnick, Meister, and Watt are first simplified. Then, some new self-consistent estimates are formulated based on the resulting analytical structure of these bounds. A numerical study is made, assuming first that the internal structure (i.e., the laminated grain structure) is not known, and then that it is known. The purpose of this aspect of the study is to attempt to quantify the differences in the predictions of properties of the same system being modeled when such internal structure of the composite medium and spatial correlation information is and is not available.

With two degenerate quarks, the chiral condensate exhibits a jump as the quark masses pass through zero. I discuss how this single transition splits into two Ising like transitions when the quarks are made non-degenerate. The order parameter is the expectation of the neutral pion field. The transitions represent long distance coherent phenomena occurring without the Dirac operator having vanishingly small eigenvalues.

An alternative approach is described to evaluate the statistical nature of the breakup of shaped charge liners. Experimental data from ductile and brittle copper jets are analyzed in terms of velocity gradient, deviation of {Delta}V from linearity, R/S analysis, and the Hurst exponent within the coupled map lattice model. One-dimensional simulations containing 600 zones of equal mass and using distinctly different force-displacement curves are generated to simulate ductile and brittle behavior. A particle separates from the stretching jet when an element of material reaches the failure criterion. A simple model of a stretching rod using brittle, semi-brittle, and ductile force-displacement curves is in agreement with the experimental results for the Hurst exponent and the phase portraits and indicates that breakup is a correlated phenomenon.

This paper presents the experimental results of the third and final phase of a cookoff model validation effort. In this phase of the work, two generic Heavy Wall Penetrators (HWP) were tested in two heating orientations. Temperature and strain gage data were collected over the entire test period. Predictions for time and temperature of reaction were made prior to release of the live data. Predictions were comparable to the measured values and were highly dependent on the established boundary conditions. Both HWP tests failed at a weld located near the aft closure of the device. More than 90 percent of unreacted explosive was recovered in the end heated experiment and less than 30 percent recovered in the side heated test.

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This paper reviews the current state of the art for measuring liquid metal densities. Conventional high precision techniques for use below 2000K as well as new techniques for more extreme temperatures are addressed. Pertinent data, which have appeared since the last critical reviews, for elemental metals are discussed.

It is well recognized that half the countries in the world will face significant fresh water shortages in the next 20 years, due largely to growing populations and increased agricultural and industrial demands. These shortages will significantly limit economic growth, decrease the quality of life and human health for billions of people, and could potentially lead to violence and conflict over securing scarce supplies of water. These concerns are not limited to the water-poor countries, of course, as many parts of China and the US face similar problems. Such problems can be exacerbated by fluctuating imbalances between need and supply, poor management practices, and pollution. The future is one that will require significant scientific and technological advances in conservation, preservation, and movement of fresh water, as well as in the development of new or alternative supplies. As an example, these issues are discussed in terms of California, and a case study related to the scientific issues associated with a groundwater banking project in Southern California is provided.

We report on the development of an accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) system for the measurement of actinides at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. This AMS system is centered on a recently completed heavy isotope beam line that was designed particularly for high sensitivity, robust, high-throughput measurements of actinide concentrations and isotopic ratios. A fast isotope switching capability has been incorporated in the system, allowing flexibility in isotope selection and for the quasi-continuous normalization to a reference isotope spike. Initially, our utilization of the heavy isotope system has concentrated on the measurement of Pu isotopes. Under current operating conditions, background levels equivalent to {approx}1 x 10{sup 5} atoms are observed during routine {sup 239}Pu and {sup 240}Pu measurements. Measurements of samples containing {approx}10{sup 13} {sup 238}U atoms demonstrate that the system provides a {sup 238}U rejection factor during {sup 239}Pu measurements of {approx}10{sup 7}. Measurements of known materials, combined with results from an externally organized inter-comparison program, indicate that our {sup 239}Pu measurements are accurate and precise down to the {micro}Bq level ({approx}10{sup 6} atoms). Recently, we have investigated the performance of our heavy isotope AMS system in measurements of {sup 237}Np and {sup 236}U. Results of these investigations are discussed. The …

An adaptive optical system used to correct horizontal beam propagation paths has been demonstrated. This system utilizes an interferometric wave-front sensor and a large-actuator-number MEMS-based spatial light modulator to correct the aberrations incurred by the beam after propagation along the path. Horizontal path correction presents a severe challenge to adaptive optics systems due to the short atmospheric transverse coherence length and the high degree of scintillation incurred by laser propagation along these paths. Unlike wave-front sensors that detect phase gradients, however, the interferometric wave-front sensor measures the wrapped phase directly. Because the system operates with nearly monochromatic light and uses a segmented spatial light modulator, it does not require that the phase be unwrapped to provide a correction and it also does not require a global reconstruction of the wave-front to determine the phase as required by gradient detecting wave-front sensors. As a result, issues with branch points are eliminated. Because the atmospheric probe beam is mixed with a large amplitude reference beam, it can be made to operate in a photon noise limited regime making its performance relatively unaffected by scintillation. The MEMS-based spatial light modulator in the system contains 1024 pixels and is controlled to speeds in excess …