'A series of subcritical noise measurements were performed on fresh and spent University of Missouri Research Reactor fuel assemblies. These experimental measurements were performed for the purposes of providing benchmark quality data for validating transport theory computer codes and nuclear cross-section data used to perform criticality safety analyses for highly enriched, uranium-aluminum Material Test Reactor fuel assemblies. A mechanical test rig was designed and built to hold up to four fuel assemblies and neutron detectors in a subcritical array. The rig provided researchers with the ability to evaluate the reactivity effects of variable fuel/detector spacing, fuel rotation, and insertion of metal reflector plates into the lattice.'

Wave induced flows can produce radially sheared velocity profiles that can in turn stabilize drift wave turbulence and improve plasma confinement. A second-order kinetic theory is developed in one-dimensional slab geometry to treat radio frequency (RF)-driven plasma flows. The Vlasov equation is solved to second order in the RF electric field. Moments of the second-order distribution function give time-averaged expressions for the heating rate, the wave kinetic flux, and the RF force exerted on the plasma. On the collisional or transport time scale, the RF force in the poloidal direction is balanced by neoclassical viscosity, and the force in the radial direction is balanced direction by ambipolar electric fields. Comparison is made with previous theories which have relied on incompressible fluid approximations. Very substantial differences are seen in situations involving the Ion Bernstein Wave, a compressional wave.

Spin-valve films of structure NiFeCo/Co/Cu/NiFeCo(Co)/FeMn/Cu were deposited on Si substrates by DC planetary magnetron sputtering techniques. The influence of base pressure, P{sub b}, on spin-valve properties was studied by varying P{sub b} over two decades from 3 x 10{sup -8} to 7 x 10{sup -6} Torr. The GMR ratio show a slight increase with increasing P{sub b} until a large decrease occurs at P{sub b} > 3.3 x 10{sup -6} Torr. Exchange bias field and blocking temperature remain constant in the base pressure range between 3 x 10{sup -8} and 5 x 10{sup -7} Torr before a large reduction begins. An upper bound base pressure, {sup u}P{sub b} {approx} 5 x 10{sup -7} Torr, is noted from the data, above which significant performance modification begins. The degradation in exchange bias field and blocking temperature, in particular, in spin-valve films using a NiFeCo pinned layer, is the result of deterioration in the crystallographic texture and can be understood due to the contamination both at the ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic interface and in the bulk of FeMn layer.

A human simulation environment, the Virtual Human (VH), is under development at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Virtual Human connects three-dimensional (3D) anatomical models of the body with dynamic physiological models to investigate a wide range of human biological and physical responses to stimuli. We have utilized the Java programming language to develop a flexible user interface to the VH. The Java prototype interface has been designed to display dynamic results from selected physiological models, with user control of the initial model parameters and ability to steer the simulation as it is proceeding. Taking advantage of Java�s Remote Method Invocation (RMI) features, the interface runs as a Java client that connects to a Java RMI server process running on a remote server machine. The RMI server can couple to physiological models written in Java, or in other programming languages, including C and FORTRAN. Future versions of the interface will be linked to 3D anatomical models of the human body to complete the development of the VH.

The purposes of this paper are to (1) discuss the necessity for conducting accelerated life testing (ALT) in the early stages of developing new photovoltaic (PV) technologies, (2) elucidate the crucial importance for combining ALT with real-time testing (RTT) in terrestrial environments for promising PV technologies for the 21st century, and (3) outline the essential steps for making a service lifetime prediction (SLP) for any PV technology. The specific objectives are to (a) illustrate the essential need for ALT of complete, encapsulated multilayer PV devices, (b) indicate the typical causes of degradation in PV stacks, (c) elucidate the complexity associated with quantifying the durability of the devices, (d) explain the major elements that constitute a generic SLP methodology, (e) show how the introduction of the SLP methodology in the early stages of new device development can reduce the cost of technology development, and (f) outline the procedure for combining the results of ALT and RTT, establishing degradation mechanisms, using sufficient numbers of samples, and applying the SLP methodology to produce a SLP for existing or new PV technologies.

LiNi{sub 0.8}Co{sub 0.2}O{sub 2} and LiNiO{sub 2} have been characterized in-situ XRD. LiNi{sub 0.8}Co{sub 0.2}O{sub 2} does not undergo a monoclinic phase transformation but remains a hexagonal lattice throughout the entire charging cycle. It is hypothesized that Co-doping may help stabilize the hexagonal structure.

In this paper numerical simulations of Mach 10 air flow over a hollow cylinder flare are presented in comparison with recent experimental results. The numerical study is performed using a Direct Simulation Monte Carlo code and the experimental results were obtained in the ONERA R5Ch wind tunnel. The flow phenomena involved include shock wave boundary layer interaction in hypersonic laminar flow. An analysis of the requirements on the grid resolution, number of particle simulators and run time is performed. Measured and calculated surface properties including pressure and heat transfer are compared.

Investigations into several areas of research have been undertaken to address the performance limitations of the toroid analyzer. The Simion 3D6 (2) ion optics simulation program was used to determine whether the potential well minimum of the toroid trapping field is in the physical center of the trap electrode structure. The results (Figures 1) indicate that the minimum of the potential well is shifted towards the inner ring electrode by an amount approximately equal to 10% of the r0 dimension. A simulation of the standard 3D ion trap under similar conditions was performed as a control. In this case, the ions settle to the minimum of the potential well at a point that is coincident with the physical center (both radial and axial) of the trapping electrodes. It is proposed that by using simulation programs, a set of new analyzer electrodes can be fashioned that will correct for the non- linear fields introduced by curving the substantially quadrupolar field about the toroid axis in order to provide a trapping field similar to the 3D ion trap cross- section. A new toroid electrode geometry has been devised to allow the use of channel- tron style detectors in place of the more …

In May 1998, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) as being in compliance with applicable long-term regulations governing the permanent disposal of spent nuclear fuel, high-level, and transuranic radioactive wastes. The WIPP is the first deep geologic repository in the US to have successfully demonstrated regulatory compliance with long-term radioactive waste disposal requirements. The first disposal of TRU waste at WIPP occurred on March 26, 1999. Many of the lessons learned during the WIPP Project's transition from site characterization and experimental research to the preparation of a successful application may be of general interest to other repository programs. During a four-year period (1992 to 1996), the WIPP team [including the DOE Carlsbad Area Office (CAO), the science advisor to CAO, Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), and the management and operating contractor of the WIPP site, Westinghouse Electric Corporation (WID)] met its aggressive schedule for submitting the application without compromising the integrity of the scientific basis for the long-term safety of the repository. Strong leadership of the CAO-SNL-WID team was essential. Within SNL, a mature and robust performance assessment (PA) allowed prioritization of remaining scientific activities with respect to their …

In Run 2 at the Tevatron, the upgraded CDF and D0 experiments will have greatly improved sensitivity in the search for the Higgs bosons of the Standard Model and minimal supersymmetry. In the past year the Higgs Working Group of the Tevatron Run 2 SUSY/Higgs Workshop has estimated the discovery and exclusion reach for the Higgs, combining all possible search channels and utilizing all the upgraded features of both detectors. The results give strong motivation to continue the next run of the Tevatron into Run 3, with an eventual goal of up to 20 fb^-1 or more delivered per experiment.

'Engineers at the Savannah River Technology Center have designed, built, and installed a fully automated small field-of-view, lens-coupled, digital radiography imaging system. The system is installed in one of the Savannah River Site''s production facilities to be used for the evaluation of production components. Custom software routines developed for the system automatically acquire, enhance, and diagnostically evaluate critical geometric features of various components that have been captured radiographically. Resolution of the digital radiograms and accuracy of the acquired measurements approaches 0.001 inches. To date, there has been zero deviation in measurement repeatability. The automated image acquisition methodology will be discussed, unique enhancement algorithms will be explained, and the automated routines for measuring the critical component features will be presented. An additional feature discussed is the independent nature of the modular software components, which allows images to be automatically acquired, processed, and evaluated by the computer in the background, while the operator reviews other images on the monitor. System components were also a key in gaining the required image resolution. System factors such as scintillator selection, x-ray source energy, optical components and layout, as well as geometric unsharpness issues are considered in the paper. Finally the paper examines the numerous quality …

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An important test of the hypothesis that Martian meteorite ALH84001 contains fossil remnants of an ancient Martian biota is the thermal history of the carbonate rosettes associated with the proposed biomarkers. If carbonates formed at temperatures over {approximately} 110 C (the limit for terrestrial life), it is unlikely that these minerals are associated with a terrestrial-like biota.

The Radiological Assessment System for Consequence AnaLysis, Version 3.0 (RASCAL 3.0) is the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission�s (NRC) main computational tool for use during radiological emergencies. RASCAL estimates doses from radiological accidents for comparison with Protective Action Guides and acute health effects thresholds. It includes six computational tools: ST-Dose, FM-Dose, Decay, BackCalc, UF6Plume, and MetProc. ST-Dose computes time-dependent nuclide release rates, atmospheric transport, radiological decay, and doses. FM-Dose computes doses from environmental concentrations of nuclides. Decay computes radiological decay and daughter in-growth. BackCalc estimates a distribution of possible release rates from field measurements. UF6Plume computes uranium exposures and HF concentrations from a UF6 release. MetProc prepares meteorological data for use by ST-Dose and UF6Plume.

The Measurement Applications and Development Group at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has collected and analyzed data with the purpose of evaluating the in-situ detection capabilities of common hand-held detectors for depleted uranium ({sup 238}U) in soil. Measurements were collected with one each of the following detectors: a FIDLER operated in a gross (full spectrum) mode, a FIDLER operated in a spectrum specific (windowed) mode, a 1.25'' x 1.5'' cylindrical NaI detector operated with a gross count rate system, and both open and closed-window pancake-type detectors. Representative samples were then collected at the same location and later analyzed at an ORNL laboratory. This report presents a correlation between the measurements and the soil concentration results and should be helpful to anyone interested in estimating measurement sensitivities for depleted uranium in soil.

Irradiation hardening is an issue of practical importance as it relates to the remanent life and the nature of failure of reactor components exposed to displacement-producing radiation. For example, irradiation-induced yield strength increases in pressure vessel steels are directly related to increases in the ductile-to-brittle-transition-temperature of these materials. Other issues associated with hardening, such as reductions in ductility, toughness and fatigue life of structural steels are also of concern. Understanding these phenomena requires studies of fundamental microstructural mechanisms of hardening. Because of the limited supply of neutron-irradiated surveillance material, difficulties posed by the radioactivity of neutron-exposed samples and the uncertainty of irradiation conditions in this case, fundamental studies are often conducted using well-controlled experiments involving irradiation by electrons instead of neutrons. Also, in such studies, simple model alloys are used in place of steels to focus on the influence of specific alloy constituents. It is, therefore, important to understand the relationship between the results of this kind of experiment and the effects of in-reactor neutron exposure in order to use them to make predictions of significance to reactor component life. In this paper, we analyze the tensile behavior of pressure vessel steels (A212B and A350) irradiated by neutrons and electrons. …

Recent instrumentation developments in photoemission are providing new insights into the physics of complex materials. With increased energy and momentum resolution, it has become possible to examine in detail different contributions to the self-energy or inverse lifetime of the photohole created in the photoexcitation process, Employing momentum distribution and energy distribution curves, a detailed study of the optimally doped cuprate, Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}CaCu{sub 2}O{sub g+{delta}}, shows that the material behaves like a non-Fermi liquid with no evidence for the quasi-particles characteristic of a Fermi liquid.

What is the minimal software infrastructure and what type of conventions are needed to simplify development of sophisticated parallel numerical application codes using a variety of software components that are not necessarily available as source code? We propose an opaque object-based model where the objects are dynamically loadable from the file system or network. The microkernel required to manage such a system needs to include, at most: (1) a few basic services, namely--a mechanism for loading objects at run time via dynamic link libraries, and consistent schemes for error handling and memory management; and (2) selected methods that all objects share, to deal with object life (destruction, reference counting, relationships), and object observation (viewing, profiling, tracing). We are experimenting with these ideas in the context of extensible numerical software within the ALICE (Advanced Large-scale Integrated Computational Environment) project, where we are building the microkernel to manage the interoperability among various tools for large-scale scientific simulations. This paper presents some preliminary observations and conclusions from our work with microkernel design.

As part of the Soviet-Designed Reactor Safety (SDRS) element of the International Nuclear Safety Program (INSP), the US Department of Energy (US DOE) is funding a plant safety evaluation (PSE) project for the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant (NvNPP). The Novovoronezh PSE Project is a multi-faceted project with participants from sixteen different international organizations from five different countries scattered across eleven time zones. The purpose of this project is to provide a thorough Probabilistic Risk Analysis (PRA) and Deterministic Safety Analysis (DSA) for Units 3 and 4 of the NvNPP. In addition, this project provides assistance to the operation organizations in meeting their international commitments in support of safety upgrades, and their regulatory requirements for the conduct of safety analyses. Managing this project is a complex process requiring numerous management tools, constant monitoring, and effective communication skills. Employing management tools to resolve unanticipated problems one of the keys to project success. The overall scope, programmatic context, objectives, project interactions, communications, practical hindrances, and lessons learned from the challenging performance of the PSE project are summarized in this paper.

Simulation of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) in submicron features typical of semiconductor devices has been facilitated by extending the EVOLVE thin film etch and deposition simulation code to use thermal reaction mechanisms expressed in the Chemkin format. This allows consistent coupling between EVOLVE and reactor simulation codes that use Chemkin. In an application of a reactor-scale simulation code providing surface fluxes to a feature-scale simulation code, a proposed reaction mechanism for TEOS pyrolysis to deposit SiO{sub 2}, which had been applied successfully to reactor-scale simulation, is seen not to predict the low step coverage over trenches observed under short reactor residence time conditions. An apparent discrepancy between the mechanism and profile-evolution observations is a reduced degree of sensitivity of the deposition rate to the presence of reaction products, i.e., the byproduct inhibition effect is underpredicted. The cause of the proposed mechanism's insensitivity to byproduct inhibition is investigated with the combined reactor and topography simulators first by manipulating the surface to volume ratio of a simulated reactor and second by calibrating parameters in the proposed mechanism such as the calculated free energies of surface molecules. The conclusion is that the byproduct inhibition can not be enhanced to fit profile evolution data …

The performance requirements of the Advanced Photon Source (APS) challenge the control system in a number of areas. This paper will review a few applications of advanced technology in the control and monitoring of the APS. The application of digital signal processors (DSPs) and techniques will be discussed, both from the perspective of a large distributed multiprocessor system and from that of embedded systems. In particular, two embedded applications will be highlighted, a beam position monitor processor and a DSP-based power supply controller. Fast data distribution is often a requirement. The application of a high-speed network based on reflective memory will also be discussed in the context of the APS global orbit feedback system. Timing systems provide opportunities to apply technologies such as high-speed logic and fiber optics. Examples of the use of these technologies will also be included. Finally, every modern accelerator control system of any size requires networking. Features of the APS accelerator controls network will be discussed.

The past decade has been a challenging time for the refrigeration and air conditioning industry worldwide. Provisions of the Montreal Protocol and its amendments require the phaseout of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) compounds that have been used extensively as insulating foam blowing agents and refrigerants in refrigeration systems, heat pumps, and air conditioners. In response, hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) compounds were proposed, developed, and are starting to be used as the primary alternatives to CFCs and HCFCs. However, in 1997 under the Kyoto Protocol, industrialized nations have agreed to roll back emissions of HCFCs, carbon dioxide (CO*), and four other greenhouse gases which threaten to cause excessive global warming. The US. Department of Energy and the Alternative Fluorocarbon Environmental Acceptability Study (AFEAS) jointly sponsored research projects to identify the major applications of CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs and to examine the impacts of these compounds and the energy use of applications employing these compounds on global warming. The five major uses of fluorocarbons based on sales were automobile air conditioning, supermarket refrigeration, unitary heat pumps and air conditioning, chillers for cooling large office buildings, and household refrigeration. Almost all of the refrigerants used in these applications are global warming gases, and if …

Between 1992 to 1996, the CDF experiment has collected a data sample of 110 pb{sup -1} of p{bar p} collisions at {radical}s = 1.8 TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron. In the year 2001 the Tevatron will commence p{bar p} collisions again at {radical}s = 2.0 TeV delivering an integrated luminosity of 1 fb{sup -1} per year. In the mean time the CDF detector will have undergone substantial upgrades which will allow for a rich B physics program with unique capabilities. In this paper we discuss the B physics prospects at CDF with the data that will be collected during this upcoming Tevatron run.

Microstructure-level residual stresses arise in polycrystalline ceramics during processing as a result of thermal expansion anisotropy and crystallographic disorientation across the grain boundaries. Depending upon the grain size, the magnitude of these stresses can be sufficiently high to cause spontaneous microcracking during the processing of these materials. They are also likely to affect where cracks initiate and propagate under macroscopic loading. The magnitudes of residual stresses in untextured and textured alumina samples were predicted using object oriented finite (OOF) element analysis and experimentally determined grain orientations. The crystallographic orientations were obtained by electron-backscattered diffraction (EBSD). The residual stresses were lower and the stress distributions were narrower in the textured samples compared to those in the untextured samples. Crack initiation and propagation were also simulated using the Griffith fracture criterion. The grain boundary to surface energy ratios required for computations were estimated using AFM groove measurements.