Measuring the violence of a thermal explosion of a cased explosive is important for evaluating safety issues of explosive devices in fires. A sympathetic initiation scenario was studied here where a 9.0 cm diameter by 2.5 cm thick disc of PBX 9501 donor charge encased in a 304 stainless steel assembly was heated on top and bottom flat surfaces until it thermally exploded. The initial heating rate at the metal/explosive interface was 5 C per minute until it reaches 170 C; then this temperature is held for 35 minutes to allow temperature equilibration to within a few degrees throughout the explosive. The heating resumed at a rate of 1 C per minute until the PBX 9501 donor thermally exploded. A PBX 9501 acceptor charge with carbon resistor and manganin foil pressure gauges inserted at various depths was placed at a 10 cm standoff distance from the donor charge's top steel cover plate. Piezoelectric arrival time pins were placed in front of the acceptor surface to measure the velocity and shape of the impacting plate. The stainless steel cover plate of the donor charge had a nominal velocity of 0.55 {+-} 0.04 mm/{micro}s upon impact and was non-symmetrically warped. The impact …

The objective of the ''Local Integration of the National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center with Cities'' (LINC) program is to demonstrate the capability for providing local government agencies with an advanced operational atmospheric plume prediction capability, which can be seamlessly integrated with appropriate federal agency support for homeland security applications. LINC is a Domestic Demonstration and Application Program (DDAP) funded by the Chemical and Biological National Security Program (CBNP), which is part of the Department of Energy's (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). LINC will make use of capabilities that have been developed the CBNP, and integrated into the National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center (NARAC) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). NARAC tools services will be provided to pilot study cities and counties to map plumes from terrorism threats. Support to these local agencies will include training and customized support for exercises, special events, and general emergencies. NARAC provides tools and services that map the probable spread of hazardous material which have been accidentally or intentionally released into the atmosphere. Primarily supported by the DOE, NARAC is a national support and resource center for planning, real-time assessment and detailed studies of incidents involving a wide variety of hazards, including radiological, chemical, …

This paper focuses on the design consideration, fabrication processes and preliminary testing of the stretchable micro-electrode array. We are developing an implantable, stretchable micro-electrode array using polymer-based microfabrication techniques. The device will serve as the interface between an electronic imaging system and the human eye, directly stimulating retinal neurons via thin film conducting traces and electroplated electrodes. The metal features are embedded within a thin ({approx}50 micron) substrate fabricated using poly (dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), a biocompatible elastomeric material that has very low water permeability. The conformable nature of PDMS is critical for ensuring uniform contact with the curved surface of the retina. To fabricate the device, we developed unique processes for metalizing PDMS to produce robust traces capable of maintaining conductivity when stretched (5%, SD 1.5), and for selectively passivating the conductive elements. An in situ measurement of residual strain in the PDMS during curing reveals a tensile strain of 10%, explaining the stretchable nature of the thin metalized devices.

We report deflagration rate measurements on PBXN-109 (RDWAVHTPB) and Composition B (RXDTTNThrvax) at pressures from 1,500-100,000 psi (10-700 MPa). This was done with the LLNL High Pressure Strand Burner, in which embedded wires are used to record the time-of-arrival of the burn front in the cylindrical sample as a function of pressure. The propellant samples are 6.4 mm in diameter and 6.4 mm long, with burn wires inserted between samples. Burning on the cylindrical surface is inhibited with an epoxy or polyurethane layer. With this direct measurement we do not have to account for product gas equation of state or heat losses in the system, and the burn wires allow detection of irregular burning. We report deflagration results for PBXN-109 as received, and also after it has been damaged by heating. The burn behavior of pristine PBXN-109 is very regular, and exhibits a reduction in pressure exponent from 1.32 to 0.85 at pressures above 20,000 psi (135 MPa). When PBXN-109 is thermally damaged by heating to 170-180 C, the deflagration rate is increased by more than a factor of 10. This appears to be a physical effect, as the faster burning may be explained by an increase in surface area. …

ALE3D simulations are presented for the thermal explosion of PBXN-109 (RDX, AI, HTPB, DOA) in support of an effort by the U. S. Navy and Department of Energy (DOE) to validate computational models. The U.S. Navy is performing benchmark tests for the slow cookoff of PBXN-109 in a sealed tube. Candidate models are being tested using the ALE3D code, which can simulate the coupled thermal, mechanical, and chemical behavior during heating, ignition, and explosion. The strength behavior of the solid constituents is represented by a Steinberg-Guinan model while polynomial and gamma-law expressions are used for the Equation Of State (EOS) for the solid and gas species, respectively. A void model is employed to represent the air in gaps. ALE3D model 'parameters are specified using measurements of thermal and mechanical properties including thermal expansion, heat capacity, shear modulus, and bulk modulus. A standard three-step chemical kinetics model is used during the thermal ramp, and a pressure-dependent burn front model is employed during the rapid expansion. Parameters for the three-step kinetics model are specified using measurements of the One-Dimensional-Time-to-Explosion (ODTX), while measurements for burn rate of pristine and thermally damaged material are employed to determine parameters in the burn front model. Results …

The high frequency behavior of the bulk modulus of fluid-saturated rock can be obtained from a double-porosity constitutive model, which is a direct conceptual extension of Biot's (1941) constitutive equations and which provides additional stiffening due to unrelaxed induced pore pressures in the soft porosity phase. Modeling the stiffening of the shear modulus at high frequency requires an effective medium average over the unequal induced pore pressures in cracks of different orientations. The implicit assumptions are that pore fluid equilibration does not occur between cracks of different orientations and between cracks and porous matrix. The correspondence between the constitutive equations of Berryman and Wang (1995) and Mavko and Jizba (1991) is explicitly noted.

Calibration of the 470-Ohm carbon resistor gauge is desired in the low stress region up to 1 GPa. A split-Hopkinson pressure bar, drop tower apparatus, gas pressure chamber, and gas gun have been used to perform the calibration experiments. The gauge behavior at elevated temperature was also investigated by heating the resistors to 200 C at atmospheric pressure while observing the resistance change. The motivation for this calibration work arises from the desire to increase the number of data points in the low stress regime to better establish the accuracy and precision of the gauge. Details of the various calibration arrangements and the results are discussed and compared to calibration curves fit to previously published calibration data. It was found that in most cases, the data from this work fit the calibration curves fit to previously published data rather well.

As part of the US Army Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) program the density distributions of six samples of class 1 RDX were measured using the density gradient technique. This technique was used in an attempt to distinguish between RDX crystallized by a French manufacturer (designated insensitive or IRDX) from RDX manufactured at Holston Army Ammunition Plant (HAAP), the current source of RDX for Department of Defense (DoD). Two samples from different lots of French IRDX had an average density of 1.7958 {+-} 0.0008 g/cc. The theoretical density of a perfect RDX crystal is 1.806 g/cc. This yields 99.43% of the theoretical maximum density (TMD). For two HAAP RDX lots the average density was 1.786 {+-} 0.002 g/cc, only 98.89% TMD. Several other techniques were used for preliminary characterization of one lot of French IRDX and two lot of HAAP RDX. Light scattering, SEM and polarized optical microscopy (POM) showed that SNPE and Holston RDX had the appropriate particle size distribution for Class 1 RDX. High performance liquid chromatography showed quantities of HMX in HAAP RDX. French IRDX also showed a 1.1 C higher melting point compared to HAAP RDX in the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) consistent with no melting point …

A scalable fiber laser approach is described based on phase-locking multiple gain cores in an antiguided structure. The waveguide is comprised of periodic sequences of gain- and no-gain-loaded segments having uniform index, within the cladding region. Initial experimental results are presented.

A semi-quantitative map based on a series of spatially resolved X-ray diffraction (SRXRD) scans shows the progression of the ferrite ({delta})/austenite ({gamma}) phase balance throughout the HAZ during GTA welding of a 2205 duplex stainless steel (DSS). This map shows an unexpected decrease in the ferrite fraction on heating, followed by a recovery to the original ferrite fraction on cooling at locations within the HAZ. Even though such behavior is supported by thermodynamic calculations, it has not been confirmed by either experimental methods or have the kinetics been evaluated. Both Gleeble thermal simulations and time resolved x-ray diffraction measurements on spot welds in the 2205 DSS provide further evidence for this rather low-temperature transformation. On the other hand, calculations of the diffusion of alloying elements across the 6/y interface under a variety of conditions shed no further light on the driving force for this transformation. Further work on the mechanisms and driving forces for this transformation is on-going.

Laboratory experiments on wave propagation through saturated and partially saturated porous media have often been conducted on porous cylinders that were initially fully saturated and then allowed to dry while continuing to acquire data on the wave behavior. Since it is known that drying typically progresses from the outside to the inside, a sensible physical model of this process is concentric cylinders having different saturation levels--the simplest example being a fully dry outer cylindrical shell together with a fully wet inner cylinder. We use this model to formulate the equations for wave dispersion in porous cylinders for patchy saturation (i.e., drainage) conditions. In addition to multiple modes of propagation obtained numerically from these dispersion relations, we find two distinct analytical expressions for torsional wave modes.

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A current focus of our weapon headspace sampling work is the interpretation of the volatile chemical signatures that we are collecting. To help validate our interpretation we have been developing a laboratory-based material aging capability to simulate material decomposition chemistries identified. Key to establishing this capability has been the development of an automated approach to process, analyze, and quantify arrays of material combinations as a function of time and temperature. Our initial approach involves monitoring the formation and migration of volatile compounds produced when a material decomposes. This approach is advantageous in that it is nondestructive and provides a direct comparison with our weapon headspace surveillance initiative. Nevertheless, this approach requires us to identify volatile material residue and decomposition byproducts that are not typically monitored and reported in material aging studies. Similar to our weapon monitoring method, our principle laboratory-based method involves static headspace collection by solid phase microextraction (SPME) followed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). SPME is a sorbent collection technique that is ideally suited for preconcentration and delivery of trace gas-phase compounds for analysis by GC. When combined with MS, detection limits are routinely in the low- and sub-ppb ranges, even for semivolatile and polar compounds. To automate …

We present preliminary results of the analysis of 5 years of MACHO data on the Galactic bulge microlensing events with clump giants as sources. This class of events allows one to obtain robust conclusions because relatively bright clump stars are not strongly affected by blending. We discuss: (1) the selection of ''giant'' events, (2) the distribution of event durations, (3) the anomalous character of event durations and optical depth in the MACHO field 104 centered on (l,b) = (3{sup o}.1,-3{sup o}.0). We report the preliminary average optical depth of {tau} = (2.0 {+-} 0.4) x10{sup -6} (internal) at (l,b) = (3{sup o}.9, -3{sup o}.8), and present a map of the spatial distribution of the optical depth. When field 104 is removed from the sample, the optical depth drops to {tau} = (1.4 {+-} 0.3) x 10{sup -6}, which is in excellent agreement with infrared-based models of the central Galactic region.

Achieving public acceptance has become a central issue in discussions regarding the future of nuclear power and associated nuclear activities. Effective public communication and public participation are often put forward as the key building blocks in garnering public acceptance. A recent international workshop in Finland provided insights into other features that might also be important to building and sustaining public confidence in nuclear activities. The workshop was held in Finland in close cooperation with Finnish stakeholders. This was most appropriate because of the recent successes in achieving positive decisions at the municipal, governmental, and Parliamentary levels, allowing the Finnish high-level radioactive waste repository program to proceed, including the identification and approval of a proposed candidate repository site. Much of the workshop discussion appropriately focused on the roles of public participation and public communications in building public confidence. It was clear that well constructed and implemented programs of public involvement and communication and a sense of fairness were essential in building the extent of public confidence needed to allow the repository program in Finland to proceed. It was also clear that there were a number of other elements beyond public involvement that contributed substantially to the success in Finland to date. …

A new small-scale Detonation Profile Test (DPT) is being developed to investigate aging effects on the detonation behavior of insensitive high explosives. The experiment involves initiating a small LX-17 cylindrical charge (12.7-19.1 mm diameter x 25.4-33 mm long) and measuring the velocity and curvature of the emerging detonation wave using a streak camera. Results for 12.7 mm diameter unconfined LX-17 charges show detonation velocity in the range between 6.79 and 7.06 km/s for parts up to 33 mm long. Since LX-17 can not sustain detonation at less than 7.3 km/s, these waves were definitely failing. Experiments with confined 12.7 mm diameter and unconfined 19.1 mm diameter samples showed wave velocities in the range of 7.4-7.6 km/s, values approaching steady state conditions at infinite diameter. Experiments with unconfined 19.1 mm diameter specimens are expected to provide reproducible and useful range of detonation parameters suitable for studying aging effects.

Engineers and water resource professionals are challenged with protecting facilities from flood events within environmental resource protection, regulatory, and economic constraints. One case in point is the Arroyo Las Positas (ALP), an intermittent stream that traverses the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in Livermore, California. Increased runoff from post-drought rainfall, upstream development, and new perennial discharges from LLNL activities have resulted in increased dry weather flows and wetland vegetation. These new conditions have recently begun to provide improved habitat for the federally threatened California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii; CRLF), but the additional vegetation diminishes the channel's drainage capacity and increases flood risk. When LLNL proposed to re-grade the channel to reestablish the 100-year flood capacity, traditional dredging practices were no longer being advocated by environmental regulatory agencies. LLNL therefore designed a desilting maintenance plan to protect LLNL facility areas from flooding, while minimizing impacts to wetland resources and habitat. The result was a combination of structural upland improvements and the ALP Five Year Maintenance Plan (Maintenance Plan), which includes phased desilting in segments so that the entire ALP is desilted after five years. A unique feature of the Maintenance Plan is the variable length of the segments designed to …

Plutonium gamma-ray data analysis, in the 100-keV region, using MGA has been improved to overcome the original maximum limit of 2% {sup 238}Pu relative plutonium content in a sample in order perform an analysis. MGA analysis results of elevated {sup 238}Pu samples are compared to the results from mass spectrometry.

Analytical expressions for three P-wave attenuation mechanisms in rocks are given and numerically-compared. The mechanisms are: (1) Biot loss, in which flow occurs at the scale of the wavelength between the peaks and troughs of a P wave; (2) squirt loss, in which flow occurs at the grain scale between microcracks the grains and the adjacent pores; and (3) mesoscopic loss, in which flow occurs at intermediate scales between the various lithological bodies that are present in an averaging volume of earth material. Each mechanism is of importance over different frequency bands. Typically, Biot loss is only important at the highest of ultrasonic frequencies (> 1 MHz), squirt-loss (when it occurs) is important in the range of 10 kHz to 1 MHz, while mesoscale loss dominates at the lower frequencies (<10 kHz) employed in seismology.

TATB containing explosives tend to permanently expand as their temperatures are increased or thermally cycled, a phenomenon known as ''ratchet-growth.'' Several mechanisms as to the cause of the non-reversible growth have been proposed, and are taken up here using various different modeling techniques. High-level quantum chemistry calculations have been used in parameterization of a classical potential function suitable for atomistic simulations of TATB. The quantum-chemistry-based force field for TATB was validated by comparing condensed phase properties obtained from molecular dynamics simulations with available experimental data. No permanent growth was manifest at the molecular level. Dissipative particle dynamics simulations were carried out in order to study the geometric packing effects on the mesoscopic scale, similar to the scales representative of Ultrafine. No permanent growth was identified when only simple packing effects were considered in the TATB model. However, non-reversible growth was displayed when crystal fracture capabilities were incorporated in the model, suggesting that crystal fracture induced by the anisotropic volume expansion of TATB is the root cause for the permanent growth seen in TATB containing explosives.

This paper discusses the field-scale design and associated laboratory experiments for a new groundwater remediation system that combines palladium-catalyzed hydrodehalogenation with the use of dual horizontal-flow treatment wells (HFTWs). Palladium (Pd) catalysts can treat a wide range of halogenated compounds, often completely and rapidly dehalogenating them. The HFTW system recirculates water within the treatment zone and provides the opportunity for multiple treatment passes, thereby enhancing contaminant removal. The combined Pd/HFTW system is scheduled to go on line in mid-2002 at Edwards Air Force Base in southeastern California, with groundwater contaminated with 0.5 to 1.5 mg/L of trichloroethylene (TCE). Laboratory work, performed in conjunction with the field-scale design, provided reaction rates for field-scale design and information on long-term catalyst behavior. The apparent first-order reaction rate constant for TCE was 0.43/min, corresponding to a half-life of 1.6 min. Over the long term (1 to 2 months), the reaction rate decreased, indicating catalyst deactivation. The data show three distinct deactivation rates: a slow rate of 0.03/day over approximately the first month, followed by faster deactivation at 0.16 to 0.19/day. The final, fastest deactivation (0.55/day) was attributed to an artifact of the laboratory setup, which caused unnaturally high sulfide concentrations through bacterial reduction of …

Thin films of Ti-Cr-Al-O are produced for use as an electrical resistor material. The films are rf sputter deposited from ceramic targets using a reactive working gas mixture of Ar and O{sub 2}. Vertical resistivity values from 10{sup 4} to 10{sup 10} Ohm-cm are measured for Ti-Cr-Al-O films. The film resistivity can be design selected through control of the target composition and the deposition parameters. The Ti-Cr-Al-O thin film resistor is found to be thermally stable unlike other metal-oxide films.

Femtosecond laser ablation shows promise in machining energetic materials into desired shapes with minimal thermal and mechanical effects to the remaining material. We will discuss the physical effects associated with machining energetic materials and assemblies containing energetic materials, based on experimental results. Interaction of ultra-short laser pulses with matter will produce high temperature plasma at high-pressure which results in the ablation of material. In the case of energetic material, which includes high explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics, this ablation process must be accomplished without coupling energy into the energetic material. Experiments were conducted in order to characterize and better understand the phenomena of femtosecond laser pulse ablation on a variety of explosives and propellants. Experimental data will be presented for laser fluence thresholds, machining rates, cutting depths and surface quality of the cuts.

A model-based detection scheme is developed to passively monitor an ocean acoustic environment along with its associated variations. The technique employs an embedded model-based processor and a reference model in a sequential likelihood detection scheme. The monitor is therefore called a sequential reference detector. The underlying theory for the design is developed and discussed in detail.