Conservative deterministic, screening-level calculations of exposure and risk commonly are used in quantitative assessments of potential human-health consequences from contaminants in environmental media. However, these calculations generally are based on multiple upper-bound point estimates of input parameters, particularly for exposure attributes, and can therefore produce results for decision makers that actually overstate the need for costly remediation. Alternatively, a more informative and quantitative characterization of health risk can be obtained by quantifying uncertainty and variability in exposure. This process is illustrated in this report for a hypothetical population at a specific site at Beale Air Force Base in California, where there is trichloroethylene (TCE) contaminated ground water and a potential for future residential use. When uncertainty and variability in exposure were addressed jointly for this case, the 95th-percentile upper-bound value of individual excess lifetime cancer risk was a factor approaching 10 lower than the most conservative deterministic estimate. Additionally, the probability of more than zero additional cases of cancer can be estimated, and in this case it is less than 0.5 for a hypothetical future residential population of up to 26,900 individuals present for any 7.6-y interval of a 70-y time period. Clearly, the results from application of this probabilistic …

Laser ablation is effective both as an analytical tool and as a means of removing surface coatings. The elemental composition of surfaces can be determined by either mass spectrometry or atomic emission spectroscopy of the atomized effluent. Paint can be removed from aircraft without damage to the underlying aluminum substrate, and environmentally damaged buildings and sculptures can be restored by ablating away deposited grime. A recent application of laser ablation is the removal of radioactive contaminants from the surface and near-surface regions of concrete. We present the results of ablation tests on concrete samples using a high power pulsed Nd:YAG laser with fiber optic beam delivery. The laser-surface interaction was studied on various model systems consisting of Type I Portland cement with varying amounts of either fine silica or sand in an effort to understand the effect of substrate composition on ablation rates and mechanisms. A sample of non-contaminated concrete from a nuclear power plant was also studied. In addition, cement and concrete samples were doped with non-radioactive isotopes of elements representative of cooling waterspills, such as cesium and strontium, and analyzed by laser-resorption mass spectrometry to determine the contamination pathways. These samples were also ablated at high power to …

A series of electroactive spinel compounds, LiMn{sub 2{minus}x}Cu{sub x}O{sub 4} (0.1 {le} x {le} 0.5) has been studied by crystallographic, spectroscopic and electrochemical methods and by electron-microscopy. These LiMn{sub 2{minus}x}Cu{sub x}O{sub 4} spinels are nearly identical in structure to cubic LiMn{sub 2}O{sub 4} and successfully undergo reversible Li intercalation. The electrochemical data show a remarkable reversible electrochemical process at 4.9 V which is attributed to the oxidation of Cu{sup 2+} to Cu{sub 3+}. The inclusion of Cu in the spinel structure enhances the electrochemical stability of these materials upon cycling. The initial capacity of LiMn{sub 2{minus}x}Cu{sub x}O{sub 4} spinels decreases with increasing x from 130mAh/g in LiMn{sub 2}O{sub 4} (x=0) to 70 mAh/g in ''LiMn{sub 1.5}Cu{sub 0.5}O{sub 4}'' (x=0.5). The data also show slight shifts to higher voltage for the delithiation reaction that normally occurs at 4.1 V in standard Li{sub 1{minus}x}Mn{sub 2}O{sub 4} electrodes (1 {ge} x {ge} 0) corresponding to the oxidation of Mn{sup 3+} to Mn{sup 4+}. Although the powder X-ray diffraction pattern of ''LiMn{sub 1.5}Cu{sub 0.5}O{sub 4}'' shows a single-phase spinel product, neutron diffraction data show a small, but significant quantity of an impurity phase, the composition and structure of which could not be identified. X-ray …

The stacking of second and third layers of supercrystals of self-assembled passivated gold nanoparticles has been investigated using transmission electron microscopy. We report for the first time nanoparticles occupying the twofold saddle site in the third layer.

Evapotranspiration is an essential component of the surface hydrological balance, but obtaining accurate estimates of the water vapor flux over large terrestrial areas can be difficult because of the substantial temporal and spatial variability in surface moisture conditions that can occur. This variability is often very large in the Great Plains and other portions of the Mississippi River Basin. Nevertheless, variations in soil moisture content, groundwater levels, and runoff in streams and rivers cannot be fully assessed without some knowledge of evapotranspiration rates. Here, observations made at the Walnut River Watershed (WRW), which is near Wichita, Kansas, and has an area of approximately 5000 km{sup 2}, are used to improve and test a modeling system that estimates long-term evapotranspiration with use of satellite remote sensing data with limited surface measurements. The techniques may be applied to much larger areas. As is shown in Fig. 1, the WRW is located in the Red River Basin and is enclosed by the southern Great Plains Clouds and Radiation Testbed (CART) of the US Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program. The functional relationships involving the satellite data, surface parameters, and associated subgrid-scale fluxes are modeled in this study by the parameterization of …

This Paper develops a statistical strength theory for three-dimensionally (3-D) oriented short-fiber reinforced composites. Short-fiber composites are usually reinforced with glass and ceramic short fibers and whiskers. These reinforcements are brittle and display a range of strength values, which can be statistically characterized by a Weibull distribution. This statistical nature of fiber strength needs to be taken into account in the prediction of composite strength. In this paper, the statistical nature of fiber strength is incorporated into the calculation of direct fiber strengthening, and a maximum-load composite failure criterion is adopted to calculate the composite strength. Other strengthening mechanisms such as residual thermal stress, matrix work hardening, and short-fiber dispersion hardening are also briefly discussed.

This presents information about household end-use consumption of energy and expenditures for that energy. These data were collected in the 1993 Residential Energy Consumption Survey; more than 7,000 households were surveyed for information on their housing units, energy consumption and expenditures, stock of energy-consuming appliances, and energy-related behavior. The information represents all households nationwide (97 million). Key findings: National residential energy consumption was 10.0 quadrillion Btu in 1993, a 9% increase over 1990. Weather has a significant effect on energy consumption. Consumption of electricity for appliances is increasing. Houses that use electricity for space heating have lower overall energy expenditures than households that heat with other fuels. RECS collected data for the 4 most populous states: CA, FL, NY, TX.

As part of the China-MAP program, sponsored by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, regional inventories of air pollutants emitted in China are being characterized, in order that the atmospheric chemistry over China can be more fully understood and the resulting ambient concentrations in Chinese cities and the deposition levels to Chinese ecosystems be determined with better confidence. In addition, the contributions of greenhouse gases from China and of acidic aerosols that counteract global warming are being quantified. This paper presents preliminary estimates of the emissions of some of the major air pollutants in China: sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}), nitrogen oxides (NO{sub x}), carbon monoxide (CO), and black carbon (C). Emissions are estimated for each of the 27 regions of China included in the RAINS-Asia simulation model and are subsequently distributed to a 1{degree} x 1{degree} grid using appropriate disaggregation factors. Emissions from all sectors of the Chinese economy are considered, including the combustion of biofuels in rural homes. Emissions from larger power plants are calculated individually and allocated to the grid accordingly. Data for the period 1990-1995 are being developed, as well as projections for the future under alternative assumptions about economic growth and environmental control.

Soil moisture content is a crucial variable in studies of hydrology, meteorology, and plant sciences. Soil moisture content influences the ability of land to hold additional water from precipitation and thus affects groundwater levels and runoff. Evapotranspiration rates are strongly influenced by soil moisture content near the surface; evapotranspiration regulates surface air temperature and is a major factor in modifying the water vapor content of the atmosphere. Adequate soil moisture is essential for plant growth; excesses and deficits of soil moisture must be considered in agricultural management practices. Soil moisture can be measured by a variety of in situ techniques, but such techniques often are inadequate for evaluation over large areas because of strong temporal and spatial variations. Here, a technique using standard surface meteorological observations together with remote sensing data from satellites is discussed.

Lasers plasma instabilities are an important constraint in x-ray driven inertial confinement fusion. In hohlraums irradiated with 1.06 {mu}m light on the Shiva laser, plasma instabilities were extremely deleterious, driving the program to the use of shorter wavelength light. Excellent coupling has been achieved in hohlraums driven with 0.35 {mu}m light on the Nova laser. Considerable attention is being given to the scaling of this excellent coupling to the larger hohlraums for an ignition target. Various instability control mechanisms such as large plasma wave damping and laser beam incoherence are discussed, as well as scaling experiments to check the instability levels.

Simulation of hypersonic flight in ground test and evaluation (T and E) facilities is a challenging and formidable task, especially to fully duplicate the flight environment above approximately Mach 8 for most all hypersonic flight systems that have been developed, conceived, or envisioned. Basically, and for many years, the enabling technology to build such a ground test wind tunnel facility has been severely limited in the area of high-temperature, high-strength materials and thermal protection approaches. To circumvent the problems, various approaches have been used, including partial simulation and use of similarity laws and reduced test time. These approaches often are not satisfactory, i.e. operability and durability testing for air-breathing propulsion development and thermal protection development of many flight systems. Thus, there is a strong need for science and technology (S and T) community involvement in technology development to address these problems. This paper discusses a specific case where this need exists and where significant S and T involvement has made and continues to make significant contributions. The case discussed will be an Air Force research program currently underway to develop enabling technologies for a Mach 8-15 hypersonic true temperature wind tunnel with relatively long run time. The research is based …

Experiments have been performed using a coaxial end-effecter to combine a focused laser beam and a plasma arc. The device employs a hollow tungsten electrode, a focusing lens, and conventional plasma arc torch nozzles to co-locate the focused beam and arc on the workpiece. Plasma arc nozzles were selected to protect the electrode from laser generated metal vapor. The project goal is to develop an improved fusion welding process that exhibits both absorption robustness and deep penetration for small scale (< 1.5 mm thickness) applications. On aluminum alloys 6061 and 6111, the hybrid process has been shown to eliminate hot cracking in the fusion zone. Fusion zone dimensions for both stainless steel and aluminum were found to be wider than characteristic laser welds, and deeper than characteristic plasma arc welds.

The authors have directly measured the stress evolution during metal organic chemical vapor deposition of AlGaN/GaN heterostructures on sapphire. In situ stress measurements were correlated with ex situ microstructural analysis to directly determine a critical thickness for cracking and the subsequent relaxation kinetics of tensile-strained Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1{minus}x}N on GaN. Cracks appear to initiate the formation of misfit dislocations at the AlGaN/GaN interface, which account for the majority of the strain relaxation.

During the time period between February 1994 and September 1995, Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC) sampled the waste tank headspace of 43 single-shell tanks for a variety of gaseous and/or volatile and semi-volatile compounds. This report summarizes the results of analyses of those sampling activities with respect to both the Priority 1 Safety Issues and relative to the detection in the headspace of significant concentrations of target analytes relating to worker breathing space considerations as recommended by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) Toxicology Review Panel. The information contained in the data tables was abstracted from the vapor sampling and analysis tank characterization reports. Selected results are tabulated and summarized. Sampling equipment and methods, as well as sample analyses, are briefly described. Vapor sampling of passively ventilated single-shell tanks (tanks C-105, C-106, and SX-106 were sampled and are actively ventilated) has served to highlight or confirm tank headspace conditions associated with both priority 1 safety issues and supports source term analysis associated with protecting worker health and safety from noxious vapors.

The primary objective of this research in the vicinity of the proposed Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository is the detection of episodes of increased runoff and groundwater discharge in this presently arid area. Ancient, inactive spring deposits in nearby valley bottoms (Haynes, 1967; Quade, 1986; Quade and Pratt, 1989), evidence for perennial water in presently dry canyons (Spaulding, 1992), and recent claims for extraordinary increases in precipitation during the last glacial age (Forester, 1994), provide good reason to further investigate both lowland spring-discharge habitats, and upland drainages. The ultimate purpose is to assess the long-term variability of the hydrologic system in the vicinity of Yucca Mountain in response to naturally occurring climatic changes. The data generated in the course of this study are derived from radiocarbon dated packrat (Neotoma) middens. This report presents the results of an initial assessment of the hydrologic stability of the candidate area based on a limited suite of middens from localities that, on geomorphic and hydrologic grounds, could have been close to ancient stream-side or spring environments. Paleoclimatic reconstructions are another means of studying the long-term climatic hydrologic stability of the Candidate Area include, and are also generated from packrat midden data. A different flora …

The test unit is a custom photodetector/event timer, PET, built for the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, SAO, by Los Alamos which records elapsed time in 10 ps steps. The 1 Kg, 12 cm diameter PET unit uses 10 watts of electrical power and was tested to SAO`s specified flight conditions. The event timer has two inputs -- a reference clock oscillator input and a stop signal. Like a stop watch with split timing capability, the event timer records the instant a stop signal arrives. At that sample instant, the number of elapsed clock cycles are stored and the sample instant position between two reference clock edges is interpolated and stored. Then that stored data can be shifted serially to an external computer. The photodetector part of the PET responds to an optical input and provides the electrical output signal to the event timer specifying the sample instant. This test report discusses the event timer test results. Test equipment is shown for most of the operational tests. The relay rack contains test pursers and clocks. The environmental chamber controls temperature. The computer reads and records the serial data from the PET. Reported testing topics include: Pulse shapes to be used as test …

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) project was undertaken in response to the growing need for a national repository for transuranic (TRU) waste. Guidelines for WIPP specify that any waste item to be interred must be fully characterized and analyzed to determine the presence of chemical compounds designated hazardous and certain toxic elements. The Transuranic Waste Characterization Program (TWCP) was launched to develop analysis and quality guidelines, certify laboratories, and to oversee the actual waste characterizations at the laboratories. ORNL is participating in the waste characterization phase and brings to bear a variety of analytical techniques including ICP-AES, cold vapor atomic absorption, and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) to collective determine arsenic, cadmium, barium, chromium, mercury, selenium, silver, and other elements. All of the analytical techniques involved participate in a cooperative effort to meet the project objectives. One important component of any good quality assurance program is determining when an alternate method is more suitable for a given analytical problem. By bringing to bear a whole arsenal of analytical techniques working toward common objectives, few analytical problems prove to be insurmountable. INAA and ICP-AES form a powerful pair when functioning in this cooperative manner. This paper will provide details of …

This report summarizes the results from seven melter campaigns performed at the DOE/Industrial Center for Vitrification Research at Clemson University. A brief description of the EnVitco EV-16 Joule heated glass melter and the Stir-Melter WV-0.25 stirred melter are included for reference. The report discusses each waste stream examined, glass formulations developed and utilized, specifics relating to melter operation, and a synopsis of the results from the campaigns. A `lessons learned` section is included for each melter to emphasize repeated processing problems and identify parameters which are considered extremely important to successful melter operation

The objective of this research is to optimize the design and operation of the bench scale batch reactor for coal liquefaction at short contact times (0.01 to 10 minutes or longer). Additional objectives are to study the kinetics of direct coal liquefaction, particularly at short reaction times, and to investigate the role of the organic oxygen components of coal and their reaction pathways during liquefaction. This quarterly report covers the status of progress toward these objectives. 3 refs., 14 figs., 2 tabs.

Recent interest in delayed neutron parameters including comparisons between macroscopic (experimental) and microscopic (calculated) results have prompted a set of experiments using the 1MW Triga Reactor at the Texas A and M University (TAMU) Nuclear Science Center (NSC) designed to measure the complete set of seven-group delayed neutron parameters for several higher actinides. Operating the Nuclear Science Center Reactor (NSCR) in a pulsed mode, a complete set of delayed neutron parameters were measured for Np-237 and Am-243. The total delayed neutron yield per 100 fissions for Np-237 and Am-243 was found to be 1.14 {+-} 0.07 and 0.85 {+-} 0.05, respectively. Comparisons to previous measurements are made where such measurements are available.

This document is a plan that identifies the information needed to address relevant issues concerning short-term and long-term safe storage and long-term management of Single-Shell Tank (SST) 241-SY-103.

This plan outlines a Characterization Program that provides the necessary data to support the Integrated Process Strategy scope and schedules for the Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) and sludge stored in the Hanford K Basins. The plan is driven by the schedule to begin fuel transfer by December 1997. The program is structured for 4 years (i.e., FY 1995 through FY 1998) and is limited to in-situ and laboratory examinations of the SNF and sludge in the K East and K West Basins. In order to assure the scope and schedule of the Characterization Program fully supports the Integrated Process Strategy, key project management has approved the plan. The intent of the program is to provide bounding behavior for the fuel, and acceptability for the transfer of the sludge to the Double Shell Tanks. Fuel examinations are based on two shipping compains from the K West Basin and one from the K East Basin with coincident sludge sampling campaings for the associated canister sludge. Sampling of the basin floor and pit sludge will be conducted independent of the fuel and canister sludge shipping activities. Fuel behavior and properties investigated in the laboratory include physical condition, hydride and oxide content, conditioning testing, …

Industry has a critical need for high-temperature operable ceramic composites that are strong, non-brittle, light weight, and corrosion resistant. Improvements in energy efficiency, reduced emissions and increased productivity can be achieved in many industrial processes with ceramic composites if the reaction temperature and pressure are increased. Ceramic composites offer the potential to meet these material requirements in a variety of industrial applications. However, their use is often restricted by high cost. The Chemical Vapor composite, CVC, process can reduce the high costs and multiple fabrication steps presently required for ceramic fabrication. CVC deposition has the potential to eliminate many difficult processing problems and greatly increase fabrication rates for composites. With CVC, the manufacturing process can control the composites` density, microstructure and composition during growth. The CVC process: can grow or deposit material 100 times faster than conventional techniques; does not require an expensive woven preform to infiltrate; can use high modulus fibers that cannot be woven into a preform; can deposit composites to tolerances of less than 0.025 mm on one surface without further machining.

A radioactive ion beam facility - in short a RIB facility - produces ions of short-lived nuclei and accelerates them to energies of 0.1�10 MeV per nucleon or even higher. In this process it is important that the resulting RIB beams are free from nuclei of neighboring isobars or of neighboring elements. This task requires the production and ionization of the nuclei of interest as well as separating them from all others with a high-mass resolving power and small-mass cross contaminations. When constructing such a facility it also is very important to find ways that allow the accelerated ions to be provided to different experiments at least quasi simultaneously.