This memorandum discusses experimental determination which was made of the sensitivity and operational characteristics of the modified effluent water beta activity monitor system which is to be utilized at C pile for slug rupture detection. The optimum operating conditions for this system were also determined. A comparison of the performance of the C pile system with that of the existing Hanford type beta system was made to establish the degree of improvement realized through system redesign; this information being of assistance to the Pile Physics slug rupture detector development program. This report discusses the performance of both beta sensitive systems and the parameters upon which improved performance depends. A two ionization-chamber mockup of the C pile system was installed in the near effluent water sample room at H pile and utilized in these studies.

In order to obtain data for the development and design of the Purex dissolvers and to demonstrate to Manufacturing and Technical personnel the feasibility of increasing the size of dissolver cuts at BiPO{sub 4} and Redox, a dissolver production test program in a BiPO{sub 4} dissolver is requested. These tests are expected to supplement the program already initiated on the 321 Bldg. dissolver, explaining dissolver behavior to the extent that existing dissolvers can be operated under more nearly optimum conditions and that new dissolvers can be designed with accuracy.

A kinetic study of the accumulation of C{sup 14} in the intermediates of steady state photosynthesis in C{sup 14}O{sub 2} provides information regarding the sequence of reactions involved. The work described applied the radio-chromatographic technique for analysis of the labeled early products. The simultaneous carboxylation reaction resulting in malic acid as well as phosphoglycerate is demonstrated in experiments at high light intensity. A comparison of radioactivities in a number of phosphorylated sugars as a function of time reveals concurrent synthesis of fructose and sedoheptulose phosphates followed by that of ribulose phosphates and later by that of glucose phosphates. The possibility that the cleavage of C{sub 4} compounds to C{sub 2} carbon dioxide acceptors may involve C{sub 7} and C{sub 5} sugars and evidence for this mechanism is presented.