The skeletal structure of aerogel is determined before, during, and after the gel is formed. Supercritical drying of aerogel largely preserves the pore structure that is determined near the time of gelation. To better understand these gel formation mechanisms we carried out measurements of the time evolution of light scattering in a series of gels prepared without conventional acid or base catalysis. Instead, ultraviolet light was used to catalyze the formation of silica gels made from the hydrolysis of tetraethylorthosilicate and partly prehydrolyzed tetraethylorthosilicate in ethanol. Time evolution of light scattering provides information regarding the rate and geometrical nature of the assembly of the primary silica particles formed in the sol. UV-catalyzed gels show volumetric growth typical of acid-catalyzed gels, except when UV exposure is discontinued at the gel point, where gels then show linear chain formation typical of base-catalyzed gels. Long term UV exposure leads to coarsening of the pore network, a decrease in the clarity of the aerogel, and an increase in the surface area of the aerogel. Additionally, UV exposure up to the gel point leads to increased crystallinity in the final aerogel.

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Radio-frequency (RF) driven ion sources are being developed in Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) for sealed-accelerator-tube neutron generator applications. By using a 2.5-cm-diameter RF-driven multicusp source and a computer designed 100 keV accelerator column, peak extractable hydrogen current exceeding 1 A from a 3-mm-diameter aperture, together with H{sup +} yields over 94% have been achieved. These experimental findings together with recent moderator design will enable one to develop compact 14 MeV neutron generators based on the D-T fusion reaction. In this new neutron generator, the ion source, the accelerator and the target are all housed in a sealed metal container without pumping. With a 120 keV and 1 A deuteron beam, it is estimated that a treatment time of {approx} 45 minutes is needed for boron neutron capture therapy.

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Lockheed Martin Hanford Corporation is developing and implementing an integrated technical baseline for cleaning up environmental contamination at the Hanford Site in Washington State. The Hanford Site is located in Washington State and has been referred to as one of the largest Environmental Cleanup challenges in the US. It became contaminated with radioactive and dangerous wastes during the 40+ years it was being used to produce weapons grade plutonium in support of the US nuclear weapons program (See Figure 1). The US Department of Energy (US DOE) is responsible for cleanup of the Hanford Site with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) both providing regulatory oversight. The US DOE, EPA and Ecology entered into an agreement in 1989 (Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order, commonly referred to as the Tri-Party Agreement) that provides the framework for cleanup of the Hanford Site. However, since the inception of the Tri-Party Agreement, there have been numerous changes due to technical issues, funding issues, and priority changes within the cleanup mission. As a result, progress on the definition and execution of the cleanup work has been slower than anticipated and has resulted in some false starts, …

The Ultra Compact Synchrotron (UCS), proposed for UCLA, is a compact 1.5 GeV electron light source with superconducting magnets to produce X rays with a critical energy of about 10 keV. The design physical length (cold length) for the dipole is 418 mm. The synchrotron requires that a uniform field be produced in a region that is 180 mm wide by 40 mm high by about 380 mm long. The end regions of the dipole should be short compared to the overall length of the dipole field region. A Vobly H type of dipole was selected for the synchrotron bending magnets. In order for each dipole to bend a 1.5 GeV electron beam 30 degrees, the central induction must be in the range of 6.4 to 6.9 T (depending on the dipole magnetic length). The pole width for the dipole was set so that over 90% of the X rays generated by the magnet can be extracted. The three dimensional field calculations were done using TOSCA. This report shows that a Vobly type of dipole will behave magnetically as a conventional water cooled iron dominated dipole. The uniformity of the integrated magnetic field can be controlled by varying the current …

A prototype, Nb{sub 3}Sn superconducting magnet, utilizing a racetrack coil design has been built and tested. This magnet represents the first step in a recently implemented program to develop a high field, accelerator quality magnet. This magnet was constructed with coils wound from conductor developed for the ITER project, limiting the magnet to a field of 6-7 Tesla. Subsequent magnets in the program will utilize improved conductor, culminating in a magnet design capable of producing fields approaching 15 Tesla. The simple geometry is more suitable for the use of brittle superconductors necessary to eventually reach high field levels. In addition, fewer and simpler parts are used in fabricating these coils compared with the more conventional cosine theta cross section coils. The general fabrication steps, mechanical design and quench performance are discussed.

Concepts are examined for the measurement of luminosity, beam-beam separation and transverse beam shape and size using the high flux of forward neutral particles produced at the low {beta}* (high luminosity) interaction points (IP's) of the LHC. At design luminosity 10{sup 34} cm{sup -2}sec{sup -1} the flux of neutrals striking the neutral beam absorbers (TAN) in front of the D2 beam separation dipoles is high enough ({approx} 8 neutrons per bunch crossing with mean energy 2.3 TeV) to allow measurement of luminosity with 1% precision in {approx} 1.8 x 10{sup 3} bunch crossings and measurement of beam-beam separation at the collision point with 0.1{sigma}* precision in {approx} 3 x 10{sup 4} bunch crossings. An Argon ionization chamber placed near the shower maximum {approx} 22 cm inside the Cu neutral beam absorber is analyzed as a possible detector. Background effects due to beam-gas interactions, beam-halo scraping, beam crossing angle modulation and transverse drift of the IP are estimated and found to be small compared to the anticipated signals. Extending these concepts to the front quadrupole absorber (TAS) and segmenting the ionization chambers into four quadrants allows additional measurements of the beam-beam crossing angle and the transverse position of the IP.

In the high field magnet program at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, accelerator magnet prototypes are designed with epoxy impregnated niobium-tin and niobium-titanium superconductor. Accurate mechanical property values are essential for magnet mechanical design and prediction of conductor performance. Two key mean property values are measured on coil samples: modulus of elasticity (Young's modulus) and mean thermal contraction. Measurements are made in compression and are conducted in three orthogonal directions. Modulus of elasticity measurements are currently conducted at room temperature and the mean thermal contraction is measured from room temperature to liquid nitrogen temperature. Room temperature values are compared with values estimated using the individual coil components.

For high energy physics applications superconducting cables are subjected to large stresses and high magnetic fields during service. It is essential to know how these cables perform in these operating conditions. A loading fixture capable of applying loads of up to 700 kN has been developed by NHMFL for LBNL. This fixture permits uniform loading of straight cables over a 122 mm length in a split-pair solenoid in fields up to 12 T at 4.2 K. The first results from this system for Rutherford cables of internal-tin and modified jelly roll strand of Nb{sub 3}Sn produced by IGC and TWC showed that little permanent degradation occurs up to 210 MPa. However, the cable made from internal-tin strand showed a 40% reduction in K{sub c} at 11T and 210 MPa while a dable made from modified jelly roll material showed only a 15% reduction in I{sub c} at 11T and 185 MPa.

Generalized geologic province information and data on house construction were used to predict indoor radon concentrations in New Hampshire (NH). A mixed-effects regression model was used to predict the geometric mean (GM) short-term radon concentrations in 259 NH towns. Bayesian methods were used to avoid over-fitting and to minimize the effects of small sample variation within towns. Data from a random survey of short-term radon measurements, individual residence building characteristics, along with geologic unit information, and average surface radium concentration by town, were variables used in the model. Predicted town GM short-term indoor radon concentrations for detached houses with usable basements range from 34 Bq/m{sup 3} (1 pCi/l) to 558 Bq/m{sup 3} (15 pCi/l), with uncertainties of about 30%. A geologic province consisting of glacial deposits and marine sediments, was associated with significantly elevated radon levels, after adjustment for radium concentration, and building type. Validation and interpretation of results are discussed.

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The ¹H(e,e'K⁺)Lambda reaction was studied as a function of the squared four-momentum transfer, Q², and the virtual photon polarizations. The Q² dependence of the sigma-L/sigma-T ratio differs significantly from current theoretical predictions. This, combined with the precision of the measurement, implies a need for revision of existing calculations.

Theoretical considerations and empirical data suggest that existing technologies and procedures can improve indoor environments in a manner that significantly increases productivity and health. Existing literature contains moderate to strong evidence that characteristics of buildings and indoor environments significantly influence rates of respiratory disease, allergy and asthma symptoms, sick building symptoms, and worker performance. While there is considerable uncertainty in our estimates of the magnitudes of productivity gains that may be obtained by providing better indoor environments, the projected gains are very large. For the U.S., we estimate potential annual savings and productivity gains of $6 to $19 billion from reduced respiratory disease, $1 to $4 billion from reduced allergies and asthma, $10 to $20 billion from reduced sick building syndrome symptoms, and $12 to $125 billion from direct improvements in worker performance that are unrelated to health. In two example calculations, the potential financial benefits of improving indoor environments exceed costs by a factor of 8 and 14. Productivity gains that are quantified and demonstrated could serve as a strong stimulus for energy efficiency measures that simultaneously improve the indoor environment.

The (e,e'p) reaction was studies on targets of C, Fe, and Au at momentum transfers squared Q{sup 2} of 0.6, 1.3, 1.8 and 3.3 GeV{sup 2} in a region of kinematics dominated by quasifree electron-proton scattering. Missing energy and missing momentum distributions are reasonably well described by plane wave impulse approximation calculations with Q{sup 2} and A dependent corrections that measure the attenuation of the final state protons.

Safety and reliability in glovebox operations can be significantly improved and waste packaging efficiencies can be increased by inserting flexible, lightweight, high capacity HEPA filters into the walls of plastic sheet barriers. This HEPA filter/barrier technology can be adapted to a wide variety of applications: disposable waste bags, protective environmental barriers for electronic equipment, single or multiple use glovebag assemblies, flexible glovebox wall elements, and room partitions. These reliable and inexpensive filtered barriers have many uses in fields such as radioactive waste processing, HVAC filter changeout, vapor or grit blasting, asbestos cleanup, pharmaceutical, medical, biological, and electronic equipment containment. The applications can result in significant cost savings, improved operational reliability and safety, and total waste volume reduction. This technology was developed at the Argonne National Laboratory-West (ANL-W) in 1993 and has been used at ANL-W since then at the TRU Waste Characterization Chamber Gloveboxes. Another 1998 AGS Conference paper titled "TRU Waste Characterization Gloveboxes", presented by Mr. David Duncan of ANL-W, describes these boxes.

One of the current unsolved problems in human factors is the difficulty in acquiring information from lessons learned and data collected among human performance analysts in different domains. There are several common concerns and generally accepted issues of importance for human factors, psychology and industry analysts of performance and safety. Among these are the need to incorporate lessons learned in design, to carefully consider implementation of new designs and automation, and the need to reduce human performance-based contributions to risk. In spite of shared concerns, there are several roadblocks to widespread sharing of data and lessons learned from operating experience and simulation, including the fact that very few publicly accessible data bases exist (Gertman & Blackman, 1994, and Kirwan, 1997). There is a need to draw together analysts and analytic methodologies to comprise a centralized source of data with sufficient detail to be meaningful while ensuring source anonymity. We propose that a generic source of performance data and a multi-domain data store may provide the first steps toward cooperative performance modeling and analysis across industries.

In support of data quality objectives for the INEEL Stored Waste Examination Pilot Plant (SWEPP) a series of 208-liter (55-gallon) waste drums containing inorganic sludge have been sampled and destructively analyzed. The drums were non-destructively assayed by the SWEPP PAN system and the SWEPP Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (SGRS) prior to sampling. This paper reports some of the conclusions from the destructive versus NDA comparisons, and additionally presents the results of an on-going effort to use the destructive analyses to validate absolute efficiency curves calculated using Monte-Carlo and analytical modeling for the SGRS. Destructive analysis results are available from radiochemical assay of 128 sludge-containing drums. The content codes represented are CC001 (42 items), CC002 (8), CC007 (48), CC800 (16), CC803 (3), and CC807 (11.) Each drum had two full-length vertical cores removed from designated radial positions. The entire length of each core was composited and submitted for analysis. All of the core composites were analyzed radiochemically for Am-241, Pu-239/240, and Pu-238, and by inductively-coupled mass spectrometry (ICPMS) for U-235 and U-238. Not only have the destructive analysis results been useful in documenting the performance of both the SGRS and the PAN system, but also have allowed the determination of certain absolute counting …

Anisotropic properties of sheet materials can be determined by measuring the propagation of Lamb waves in different directions. Electromagnetic acoustic transduction and laser ultrasonic methods provide noncontacting approaches that are often desired for application to industrial and processing environments. This paper describes a laser imaging approach utilizing the adaptive property of photorefractive materials to produce a real-time measurement of the antisymmetric Lamb wave mode in all directions simultaneously. Continuous excitation is employed enabling the data to be recorded and displayed by a CCD camera. Analysis of the image produces a direct quantitative determination of the phase velocity in all directions showing plate anisotropy in the plane. Many optical techniques for measuring ultrasonic motion at surfaces have been developed for use in applications such as vibration measurement and laser ultrasonics. Most of these methods have similar sensitivities and are based on time domain processing using homodyne, Fabry-Perot [1], and, more recently, photorefractive interferometry [2]. Generally, the methods described above do not allow measurement at more than one surface point simultaneously, requiring multiple beam movements and scanning in order to produce images of surface ultrasonic motion over a large area. Electronic speckle interferometry, including shearography, does provide images directly of vibrations over …

Regulatory agencies governing the disposal of nuclear waste require that the waste be appropriately characterized prior to disposition. The most important aspect of the characterization process, establishing radionuclide content, is often achieved by nondestructive assay (NDA). For NDA systems to be approved for use in these applications, measurement uncertainty must be established. Standard “propagation of errors” methods provide a good starting point for considering the uncertainty analysis of NDA systems for nuclear waste. However, as compared with other applications (e.g., nuclear material accountability), using NDA systems for nuclear waste measurements presents some unique challenges. These challenges, stemming primarily from the diverse nature of the waste materials encountered, carry over into the uncertainty analysis as well. This paper reviews performance measures appropriate for the assessment of NDA uncertainty, describes characteristics of nuclear waste measurements that contribute to difficulties in assessing uncertainty, and outlines some statistics based methods for incorporating variability in waste characteristics in an uncertainty analysis.

New experiments using an array of high purity germanium detectors and fast liquid scintillation detectors has been performed to observe the radiation emitted from the induced fission of 235U with a beam of thermal neutrons. The experiment was performed at the Argonne National Laboratory Intense Pulsed Neutron Source. Preliminary observations of the data are presented. A nondestructive analysis system for the characterization of DOE spent nuclear fuel based on these new data is presented.