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This report addresses the adoption of a "broadcast flag" system by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to protect digital division (DTV) broadcasts from unauthorization redistribution.

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The present state-of-art Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) technology is based on platinum (Pt) as a catalyst for both the fuel (anode) and air (cathode) electrodes. This catalyst is highly active but susceptible to poisoning by CO, which may be present in the H{sub 2}-fuel used or may be introduced during the fuel processing. Presence of trace amount of CO and H{sub 2}S in the H{sub 2}-fuel poisons the anode irreversibly and decreases the performance of the PEMFCs. In an effort to reduce the Pt-loading and improve the PEMFC performance, we propose to synthesize a number of Pt-based binary, ternary, and quaternary electrocatalysts using Ru, Mo, Ir, Ni, and Co as a substitute for Pt. By fine-tuning the metal loadings and compositions of candidate electrocatalysts, we plan to minimize the cost and optimize the catalyst activity and performance in PEMFC. The feasibility of the novel electrocatalysts will be demonstrated in the proposed effort with gas phase CO and H{sub 2}S concentrations typical of those found in reformed fuel gas with coal/natural gas/methanol feedstocks. During this reporting period several tri-metallic electrocatalysts were synthesized using both ultra-sonication and conventional method. These catalysts (Pt/Ru/Mo, Pt/Ru/Ir, Pt/Ru/W, Ptr/Ru/Co, and Pt/Ru/Se on carbon) were …

This analysis report is one of a series of technical reports that document the Environmental Radiation Model for Yucca Mountain, Nevada (ERMYN), a biosphere model supporting the total system performance assessment (TSPA) for the geologic repository at Yucca Mountain. This report is one of the five biosphere reports that develop input parameter values for the biosphere model. The ''Biosphere Model Report'' (BSC 2004 [DIRS 169460]) describes the conceptual model, as well as the mathematical model and its input parameters. Figure 1-1 is a graphical representation of the documentation hierarchy for the ERMYN. This figure shows relationships among the products (i.e., scientific analyses and model reports) developed for biosphere modeling and biosphere abstraction products for TSPA, as identified in the ''Technical Work Plan for Biosphere Modeling and Expert Support'' (BSC 2005 [DIRS 172782]). The purpose of this analysis report is to define values for biosphere model parameters that are related to the dietary, lifestyle, and dosimetric characteristics of the receptor. The biosphere model, consistent with the licensing rule at 10 CFR Part 63 [DIRS 173164], uses a hypothetical person called the reasonably maximally exposed individual (RMEI) to represent the potentially exposed population. The parameters that define the RMEI are based on …

Yucca Mountain, Nevada, was designated in 2002 to be the site for the nation's first permanent geological repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. The process of selecting a site for the repository began nearly 25 years ago with passage of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act in 1982. The Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for submitting a license application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for constructing and operating the repository, and DOE's Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) is charged with carrying out this action. The use of multiple natural and engineered barriers in the current repository design are considered by OCRWM to be sufficiently robust to warrant license approval; however, potential design enhancements and increased understanding of both natural and engineered barriers, especially over the long time frames during which the waste is to remain isolated from human contact continue to be examined. The Office of Science and Technology and International (OST&I) was created within OCRWM to help explore novel technologies that might lower overall costs and to develop a greater understanding of processes relevant to the long-term performance of the repository. A brief overview of Yucca Mountain, and the role that OST&I has in …

The purpose of this system description document (SDD) is to establish requirements that drive the design of the surface industrial heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system and its bases to allow the design effort to proceed to license application. This SDD will be revised at strategic points as the design matures. This SDD identifies the requirements and describes the system design, as it currently exists, with emphasis on attributes of the design provided to meet the requirements. This SDD is an engineering tool for design control; accordingly, the primary audience and users are design engineers. This SDD is part of an iterative design process. It leads the design process with regard to the flowdown of upper tier requirements onto the system. Knowledge of these requirements is essential to performing the design process. The SDD follows the design with regard to the description of the system. The description that provided in this SDD reflects the current results of the design process.

Articles in this month's issue include: (1) Einstein's Legacy Alive at Livermore--Commentary by Michael R. Anastasio; (2) Applying Einstein's Theories of Relativity--In their efforts to understand the cosmos, Livermore physicists must account for the relativistic effects postulated by Albert Einstein; (3) Locked in Rock: Sequestering Carbon Dioxide Underground--Livermore scientists are examining technologies to reduce atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide by burying it deep underground; (4) Modeling the Subsurface Movement of Radionuclides--Using data from past underground nuclear tests, a Livermore team is modeling radionuclide migration at the Nevada Test Site; and (5) Novel Materials from Solgel Chemistry--Livermore chemists are developing a method for fabricating solgels to better control the physical properties of the new materials.

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This report briefly summarizes the background information on Belarus and its U.S. policy concerns.

This report indicate possible attempts to curtail the use of filibusters in the Senate, perhaps in the 109th Congress. Some have suggested that proponents of this idea may invoke something called the "nuclear" or "constitutional" option in Senate floor procedure to try to end a filibuster without the need for 60 votes .

The primary focus of this issue brief is legislative action with respect to abortion. However, discussion of those legislative proposals necessarily involves a brief discussion of the leading U.S. Supreme Court decisions concerning a woman’s right to choose whether to terminate her pregnancy. For a more detailed discussion of the relevant case law, see CRS Report 95-724, Abortion Law Development: A Brief Overview.

This booklet is the summary chapter of the large groundwater report printed in booklet form with a CD of the complete report inside the back cover. It contains information on the current status of groundwater beneath the Hanford Site, highlights of FY 2004 monitoring, and emerging issues.

The response of a new Canberra{trademark} Alpha Analyst (Chamber No.'s 101-124) used by the Hazards Control, Radiation Safety Section, WBC/Spectroscopy Team has been studied with respect to an existing Canberra system. The existing Canberra system consists of thirty six Model 7401 alpha spectrometry chambers (Chamber No.'s 1-36) and has been DOELAP qualified for the routine Alpha Spectroscopy program used in LLNL's in vitro bioassay program. The new Alpha Analyst system is an automated system that is controlled by the same software and computer system as that used for the existing Canberra system. This document compares results from the existing Alpha System with the newer Alpha Analyst system.

RMI support in Babel has two main goals: transparency & flexibility. The additional RMI feature should be transparent to existing Babelized code, allowing painless upgrade. The RMI capability should also be flexible enough to support a variety of RMI transport implementations. The first goal's ideal would be for Babel users at some future date to simply upgrade to a RMI-enabled Babel release, regenerate files over their existing implementations, and find all their code is now able to be remotable without extensive modifications to their Impl files. The primary strategy for accomplishing the first goal is careful design and implementation of Babel generated code to minimize impact on user code. The second goal's ideal would be for Babel users to plug in robust WebServices-like modules when accessing Babel objects across a WAN, and utilize faster binary protocol for accessing Babel objects across a LAN, or even different nodes in a leadership-class supercomputer--without need to recompile their code. The primary strategy for accomplishing this second goal is to partner with appropriate parties to define an RMI API layer (in SIDL) such that various transport mechanisms can be ''plugged-in''.

Testing was performed to determine the feasibility and processing characteristics of an evaporation process to reduce the volume of the recycle stream from the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). The concentrated recycle would be returned to DWPF while the overhead condensate would be transferred to the Effluent Treatment Plant. Various blends of evaporator feed were tested using simulants developed from characterization of actual recycle streams from DWPF and input from DWPF-Engineering. The simulated feed was evaporated in laboratory scale apparatus to target a 30X volume reduction. Condensate and concentrate samples from each run were analyzed and the process characteristics (foaming, scaling, etc) were visually monitored during each run. The following conclusions were made from the testing: Concentration of the ''typical'' recycle stream in DWPF by 30X was feasible. The addition of DWTT recycle streams to the typical recycle stream raises the solids content of the evaporator feed considerably and lowers the amount of concentration that can be achieved. Foaming was noted during all evaporation tests and must be addressed prior to operation of the full-scale evaporator. Tests were conducted that identified Dow Corning 2210 as an antifoam candidate that warrants further evaluation. The condensate has the potential to exceed the …

Saltstone slurries were prepared from solutions made from H-Canyon waste and evaluated for processing properties. Salt solutions prepared with a 1:1 ratio of Tank 50H simulant and H-Canyon blended waste produced slurries that met the processing requirements in Table 2 of the Task Technical and Quality Assurance Plan (TTQAP). Additions of set retarder and antifoam were necessary to meet these processing requirements. The water to premix ratio used to achieve acceptable processing properties was 0.63. Slurries prepared solely with H-Canyon blended waste as the salt solution met the gel time and bleed water requirements, but did not set in the allotted time. Compressive strength samples prepared from the mix with acceptable processing properties had an average compressive strength of 814 psi (Samples with a compressive strength value of >200 psi are acceptable.). Analysis for mercury of the leachate of samples analyzed by the Toxic Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) indicated a concentration of mercury in the leachate <0.11 mg/L (The limit set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) for mercury to require treatment is 0.2 mg/L.). It is recommended that without further testing; Tank 50H be limited to no more than 50 wt% H-Canyon material. …

The noble metals Ru, Rh, Pd, and Ag were produced in the Savannah River Site (SRS) reactors as products of the fission of U-235. Consequently they are in the High Level Waste (HLW) sludges that are currently being immobilized into a borosilicate glass in the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). The noble metals are a concern in the DWPF because they catalyze the decomposition of formic acid used in the process to produce the flammable gas hydrogen. As the concentration of these noble metals in the sludge increases, more hydrogen will be produced when this sludge is processed. In the SRS Tank Farm it takes approximately two years to prepare a sludge batch for processing in the DWPF. This length of time is necessary to mix the appropriate sludges, blend them to form a sludge batch and then wash it to enable processing in the DWPF. This means that the exact composition of a sludge batch is not known for {approx}two years. During this time, studies with simulated nonradioactive sludges must be performed to determine the desired DWPF processing parameters for the new sludge batch. Consequently, prediction of the noble metal concentrations is desirable to prepare appropriate simulated sludges for …

Congress has long been concerned about whether U.S. policy advances the national interest in reducing the role of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and missiles that could deliver them. China has taken some steps to mollify U.S. concerns about its role in weapons proliferation. Skeptics question whether China's cooperation in weapons nonproliferation has warranted President Bush's pursuit of stronger bilateral ties. This report discusses the national security problem of China's role in weapons proliferation and issues related to the U.S. policy response, including legislation, since the mid-1990s.

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The Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) supports projects to encourage innovative reform and expand education opportunities to underrepresented groups. This report describes the historical context leading to the establishment of the Fund for Improvement of Postsecondary Education, provisions governing the program, and the variety of projects funded by FIPSE.