P-986 Letter of Intent: Medium-Energy Antiproton Physics at Fermilab (open access)

P-986 Letter of Intent: Medium-Energy Antiproton Physics at Fermilab

Fermilab has long had the world's most intense antiproton source. Despite this, the opportunities for medium-energy antiproton physics at Fermilab have been limited in the past and - with the antiproton source now exclusively dedicated to serving the needs of the Tevatron Collider - are currently nonexistent. The anticipated shutdown of the Tevatron in 2010 presents the opportunity for a world-leading medium-energy antiproton program. We summarize the current status of the Fermilab antiproton facility and review some physics topics for which the experiment we propose could make the world's best measurements. Among these, the ones with the clearest potential for high impact and visibility are in the area of charm mixing and CP violation. Continued running of the Antiproton Source following the shutdown of the Tevatron is thus one of the simplest ways that Fermilab can restore a degree of breadth to its future research program. The impact on the rest of the program will be minor. We request a small amount of effort over the coming months in order to assess these issues in more detail.
Date: February 5, 2009
Creator: Asner, David M.; Phillips, Thomas J.; Apollinari, Giorgio; Broemmelsiek, Daniel R.; Brown, Charles N.; Christian, David C. et al.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Economics of the Federal Budget Deficit (open access)

The Economics of the Federal Budget Deficit

This report examines the economics the budget deficit. Topics include recent budgetary history, the differences made by deficits and surpluses, and fiscal policy.
Date: February 5, 2009
Creator: Cashell, Brian W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Afghanistan: Government Formation and Performance (open access)

Afghanistan: Government Formation and Performance

This report discusses the current political state of Afghanistan, as well as the Afghan government. This report also discusses Afghanistan's relationship with the United States, particularly U.S. efforts to urge President Hamid Karzai to address corruption within the Afghan government.
Date: February 5, 2009
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library
Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP): Status and Issues (open access)

Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP): Status and Issues

This report presents an overview of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), a voluntary program that provides technical and financial assistance to eligible agricultural producers who wish to implement soil and water conservation practices. The purpose of EQIP is to promote agriculture production, forestry management, and environmental quality as compatible goals, and to optimize environmental benefits. The report also discusses select issues for Congress regarding tighter budget constraints that could potentially reduce funding levels for EQIP and a continuing backlog of unfunded applications. A change in income limitations along with a new waiver created in the 2008 farm bill could also raise issues for the program. EQIP will also continue to face challenges in measuring environmental and program accomplishments.
Date: February 5, 2009
Creator: Stubbs, Megan
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Google Library Project: Is Digitization for Purposes of Online Indexing Fair Use Under Copyright Law? (open access)

The Google Library Project: Is Digitization for Purposes of Online Indexing Fair Use Under Copyright Law?

This report provides background on the Google Library Project, legal issues raised by digitization and indexing projects, and the proposed settlement between Google and rights holders.
Date: February 5, 2009
Creator: Manuel, Kate M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Use of TaBoRR as a Heavy Oil Upgrader (open access)

The Use of TaBoRR as a Heavy Oil Upgrader

Preliminary testing has shown that Western Research Institute's (WRI) Tank Bottom Recovery and Remediation (TaBoRR{reg_sign}) technology shows promise for heavy oil upgrading. Approximately 70 to 75 wt% of a Canadian Cold Lake bitumen feed was converted to a partially upgraded overhead product that could be transported directly by pipeline or blended with the parent bitumen to produce transportable crude. TaBoRR{reg_sign} was originally developed to remediate tank bottom wastes by producing a distillate product and solid waste. TaBoRR{reg_sign}'s processing steps include breaking a water-oil emulsion, recovering a light hydrocarbon fraction by distillation in a stripper unit, and pyrolyzing the residua reducing it to additional overhead and a benign coke for disposal. Cold Lake bitumen was tested in WRI's bench-scale equipment to evaluate the potential use of TaBoRR{reg_sign} technology for heavy oil upgrading to produce a stable, partially (or fully) upgraded product that will allow diluent-reduced or diluent-free transportation of bitumen or ultra-heavy crudes to market. Runs were conducted at temperatures of low, intermediate and high severity in the stripper to produce stripper overhead and bottoms. The bottoms from each of these runs were processed further in a 6-inch screw pyrolyzer to produce pyrolyzer overhead for blending with the corresponding stripper overheads. …
Date: February 5, 2009
Creator: Brecher, Lee & Mones, Charles
System: The UNT Digital Library
Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP): Status and Issues (open access)

Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP): Status and Issues

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary program that provides technical and financial assistance to eligible agricultural producers who wish to implement soil and water conservation practices. The purpose of EQIP is to promote agriculture production, forestry management, and environmental quality as compatible goals, and to optimize environmental benefits.
Date: February 5, 2009
Creator: Stubbs, Megan
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security (open access)

Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security

This report discusses the current political and social climate of Iraq, specifically in regards to the influence of the U.S. military presence over recent years. This report addresses planned and possible future efforts under the Obama Administration, including the scheduled gradual troops withdrawal.
Date: February 5, 2009
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library
Peacekeeping/Stabilization and Conflict Transitions: Background and Congressional Action on the Civilian Response/Reserve Corps and other  Civilian Stabilization and Reconstruction Capabilities (open access)

Peacekeeping/Stabilization and Conflict Transitions: Background and Congressional Action on the Civilian Response/Reserve Corps and other Civilian Stabilization and Reconstruction Capabilities

In its second session, the 110th Congress enacted legislation that "operationalizes" the Department of State and other federal agencies for S&R efforts by authorizing the creation of federal civilian "response" units, as well as the creation of a volunteer S&R civilian reserve force. This report provides background on these issues and discusses proposals and tracks related legislative action.
Date: February 5, 2009
Creator: Serafino, Nina M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Law of Church and State: Public Aid to Sectarian Schools (open access)

The Law of Church and State: Public Aid to Sectarian Schools

This report gives a brief overview of the evolution of the U.S. Supreme Court's interpretation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment in regards to sectarian schools at all levels. It analyzes the categories of aid that have been addressed by the Court and also explains which categories have been held to be constitutionally permissible or impermissible, both at the elementary and secondary school level and at the college level. The report also briefly discusses H.R. 1 of the 111th Congress, economic stimulus legislation that includes provisions that would provide assistance to institutions of higher education for modernization, renovation, and repair of facilities.
Date: February 5, 2009
Creator: Brougher, Cynthia
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Flood Policy Challenges: Lessons from the 2008 Midwest Flood (open access)

Federal Flood Policy Challenges: Lessons from the 2008 Midwest Flood

This report provides a primer on recent developments, the federal role in flood policy, and the limitations of levees and dams. It also discusses lessons from the 2008 Midwest flood compared to the 1993 flood, and the evolution of U.S. flood policy. It pays particular attention to the role of Congress and federal agencies and programs, and the available tools for addressing the nation's flood challenge.
Date: February 5, 2009
Creator: Carter, Nicole T.
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S.-Vietnam Relations in 2009: Current Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy (open access)

U.S.-Vietnam Relations in 2009: Current Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy

This report provides an overview of U.S. relations with Vietnam, including policy issues, the economic and political situation in Vietnam, and a list of pertinent legislation.
Date: February 5, 2009
Creator: Manyin, Mark E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
MOLAR: Modular Linux and Adaptive Runtime Support for HEC OS/R Research (open access)

MOLAR: Modular Linux and Adaptive Runtime Support for HEC OS/R Research

MOLAR is a multi-institution research effort that concentrates on adaptive, reliable,and efficient operating and runtime system solutions for ultra-scale high-end scientific computing on the next generation of supercomputers. This research addresses the challenges outlined by the FAST-OS - forum to address scalable technology for runtime and operating systems --- and HECRTF --- high-end computing revitalization task force --- activities by providing a modular Linux and adaptable runtime support for high-end computing operating and runtime systems. The MOLAR research has the following goals to address these issues. (1) Create a modular and configurable Linux system that allows customized changes based on the requirements of the applications, runtime systems, and cluster management software. (2) Build runtime systems that leverage the OS modularity and configurability to improve efficiency, reliability, scalability, ease-of-use, and provide support to legacy and promising programming models. (3) Advance computer reliability, availability and serviceability (RAS) management systems to work cooperatively with the OS/R to identify and preemptively resolve system issues. (4) Explore the use of advanced monitoring and adaptation to improve application performance and predictability of system interruptions. The overall goal of the research conducted at NCSU is to develop scalable algorithms for high-availability without single points of failure and …
Date: February 5, 2009
Creator: Mueller, Frank
System: The UNT Digital Library