2007 Nuclear Data Review (open access)

2007 Nuclear Data Review

The results of a review and evaluation of neutron and non-neutron nuclear data published in the scientific literature are presented. The status of new chemical elements is examined. Data on revised values for the isotopic composition of the elements are reviewed and recommended values are presented. Half-lives of very long-lived nuclides are presented, including double beta decay, double electron capture, long-lived alpha decay and long-lived beta decay. Data from new measurements on the very heavy elements (trans-meitnerium elements) are discussed and tabulated. The first observation of the radioactive decay mode of the free neutron is discussed. New measurements that have expanded the neutron drip line for magnesium and aluminum are discussed. Data on recent neutron cross-section and resonance integral measurements are also discussed.
Date: May 5, 2008
Creator: Holden, N. E.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mesoscale modeling of irreversible volume growth in powders of anisotropic crystals (open access)

Mesoscale modeling of irreversible volume growth in powders of anisotropic crystals

Careful thermometric analysis (TMA) on powders of micron-sized triamino-trinitrobenzene (TATB) crystallites are shown to display irreversible growth in volume when subjected to repeated cycles of heating and cooling. Such behavior is counter-intuitive to typical materials response to simulated annealing cycles in atomic-scale molecular dynamics. However, through coarse-grained simulations using a mesoscale Hamiltonian we quantitatively reproduce irreversible growth behavior in such powdered material. We demonstrate that irreversible growth happens only in the presence of intrinsic crystalline anisotropy, and is mediated by particles much smaller than the average crystallite size.
Date: May 5, 2006
Creator: Gee, R.; Maiti, A. & Fried, L.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Performance of a Buried Radioactive High Level Waste Glass After 24 Years (open access)

Performance of a Buried Radioactive High Level Waste Glass After 24 Years

A radioactive high level waste glass was made in 1980 with Savannah River Site (SRS) Tank 15 waste. This glass was buried in the SRS burial ground for 24 years but lysimeter data was only available for the first 8 years. The glass was exhumed and analyzed in 2004. The glass was predicted to be very durable and laboratory tests confirmed the durability response. The laboratory results indicated that the glass was very durable as did analysis of the lysimeter data. Scanning electron microscopy of the glass burial surface showed no significant glass alteration consistent with the results of the laboratory and field tests. No detectable Pu, Am, Cm, Np, or Ru leached from the glass into the surrounding sediment. Leaching of {beta}/{delta} from {sup 90}Sr and {sup 137}Cs in the glass was diffusion controlled. Less than 0.5% of the Cs and Sr in the glass leached into the surrounding sediment, with >99% of the leached radionuclides remaining within 8 centimeters of the glass pellet.
Date: May 5, 2008
Creator: Jantzen, Carol M.; Kaplan, Daniel J.; Bibler, Ned E.; Peeler, David K. & Plodinec, M. J.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Adjustable Shock Test Sled for Haversine Pulses at 250 fps (open access)

Adjustable Shock Test Sled for Haversine Pulses at 250 fps

New test requirements were developed by Sandia National Laboratory to simulate a regime of shock testing not previously performed at the Kansas City Plant operated by Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies. These environments were unique in that they involved amplitude of shock >1000g with relatively long pulse durations (greater 5 ms but less than 10 ms) and involved velocity changes up to 235 ft/sec. Ten months were available to develop, design, manufacture and prove-in this new capability. We designed a new shock sled to deliver this new family of shock environments in a laboratory test. The performance range of the new sled includes five specific shocks (1000 g – 8 ms, 1300 - 6 ms, 1500 g – 5.4 ms, 1950 g – 6 ms, 2250 g – 5.4 ms; all haversine shaped), and it also incorporates adjustability to accommodate new shocks within this range. These shock environments result in velocity changes ranging from 160 fps to 250 fps. The test sled accommodates test articles weighing up to 20 lbs and measuring up to 10” along any axis.
Date: May 5, 2008
Creator: Hartwig, Troy; Hower, Brent & Seaholm, Aaron
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Further Dosimetry Studies at Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center. (open access)

Further Dosimetry Studies at Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center.

The RINSC is a 2 mega-watt, light water and graphite moderated and cooled reactor that has a graphite thermal column built as a user facility for sample irradiation. Over the past decade, after the reactor conversion from a highly-enriched uranium core to a low-enriched one, flux and dose measurements and calculations had been performed in the thermal column to update the ex-core parameters and to predict the effect from in-core fuel burn-up and rearrangement. The most recent data from measurements and calculations that have been made at the RINSC thermal column since October of 2005 are reported.
Date: May 5, 2008
Creator: Reciniello, R. N.; Holden, N. E.; Hu, J. P.; Johnson, D. G.; Meddleton, M. & Tehan, T. N.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Electrochromically switched, gas-reservoir metal hydride devices with application to energy-efficient windows (open access)

Electrochromically switched, gas-reservoir metal hydride devices with application to energy-efficient windows

Proof-of-principle gas-reservoir MnNiMg electrochromic mirror devices have been investigated. In contrast to conventional electrochromic approaches, hydrogen is stored (at low concentration) in the gas volume between glass panes of the insulated glass units (IGUs). The elimination of a solid state ion storage layer simplifies the layer stack, enhances overall transmission, and reduces cost. The cyclic switching properties were demonstrated and system durability improved with the incorporation a thin Zr barrier layer between the MnNiMg layer and the Pd catalyst. Addition of 9 percent silver to the palladium catalyst further improved system durability. About 100 full cycles have been demonstrated before devices slow considerably. Degradation of device performance appears to be related to Pd catalyst mobility, rather than delamination or metal layer oxidation issues originally presumed likely to present significant challenges.
Date: May 5, 2008
Creator: Anders, Andre; Slack, Jonathan L. & Richardson, Thomas J.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Drilling, Sampling, and Well-Installation Plan for the IFC Well Field, 300 Area (open access)

Drilling, Sampling, and Well-Installation Plan for the IFC Well Field, 300 Area

The 300 Area was selected as a location for an IFC because it offers excellent opportunities for field research on the influence of mass-transfer processes on uranium in the vadose zone and groundwater. The 300 Area was the location of nuclear fuel fabrication facilities and has more than 100 waste sites. Two of these waste sites, the North and South Process Ponds received large volumes of process waste from 1943 to 1975 and are thought to represent a significant source of the groundwater uranium plume in the 300 Area. Geophysical surveys and other characterization efforts have led to selection of the South Process Pond for the IFC.
Date: May 5, 2008
Creator: Bjornstad, Bruce N. & Horner, Jacob A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Characterization of Dosimetry of the BMRR Horizontal Thimble Tubes and Broad Beam Facility. (open access)

Characterization of Dosimetry of the BMRR Horizontal Thimble Tubes and Broad Beam Facility.

The Brookhaven Medical Research Reactor was a 5 mega-watt, light-water cooled and heavy-graphite moderated research facility. It has two shutter-equipped treatment rooms, three horizontally extended thimble tubes, and an ex-core broad beam facility. The three experimental thimbles, or activation ports, external to the reactor tank were designed for several uses, including the investigations on diagnostic and therapeutic methods using radioactive isotopes of very short half-life, the analysis of radiation exposure on tissue-equivalent materials using a collimated neutron beam, and the evaluation of dose effects on biological cells to improve medical treatment. At the broad beam facility where the distribution of thermal neutrons was essential uniform, a wide variety of mammalian whole-body exposures were studied using animals such as burros or mice. Also studied at the broad beam were whole-body phantom experiments, involving the use of a neutron or photon beam streaming through a screen to obtain the flux spectrum suitable for dose analysis on the sugar-urea-water mixture, a tissue-equivalent material. Calculations of the flux and the dose at beam ports based on Monte Carlo particle-transport code were performed, and measurements conducted at the same tally locations were made using bare or cadmium-covered gold foils. Analytical results, which show good agreement …
Date: May 5, 2008
Creator: Hu, J. P.; Reciniello, R. N. & Holden, N. E.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Development of a 400 Level 3C Clamped Downhole Seismic Receiver Array for 3D Borehole Seismic Imaging of Gas Reservoirs (open access)

Development of a 400 Level 3C Clamped Downhole Seismic Receiver Array for 3D Borehole Seismic Imaging of Gas Reservoirs

Borehole seismology is the highest resolution geophysical imaging technique available today to the oil and gas industry for characterization and monitoring of oil and gas reservoirs. However, the industry's ability to economically do high resolution 3D imaging of deep and complex gas reservoirs using borehole seismology is currently hampered by the lack of the acquisition technology necessary to record the large volumes of the high frequency, high signal-to-noise-ratio borehole seismic data needed to do 3D imaging. This project takes direct aim at this shortcoming by developing a 400 level 3C clamped downhole seismic receiver array, and accompanying software, for borehole seismic 3D imaging. This large borehole seismic array will remove the technical acquisition barrier for recording the necessary volumes of data to do high resolution 3D VSP or 3D cross well seismic imaging. Massive 3D VSP{reg_sign} and long range Cross-Well Seismology (CWS) are two of the borehole seismic techniques that will allow the Gas industry to take the next step in their quest for higher resolution images of the gas reservoirs for the purpose of improving the recovery of the natural gas resources. Today only a fraction of the original Oil or Gas in place is produced when reservoirs are …
Date: May 5, 2006
Creator: Paulsson, Bjorn N.P
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
3D-Simulation Studies of SNS Ring Doublet Magnets (open access)

3D-Simulation Studies of SNS Ring Doublet Magnets

The accumulator ring of the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at ORNL employs in its straight sections closely packed quadrupole doublemagnets with large aperture of R=15.1 cm an relatively short iron-to-iron distance of 51.4 cm. These quads have much extended fringe field, and magnetic interferences among them in the doublet assemblies is not avoidable. Though each magnet in the assemblies has been individually mapped to high accuracy of lower than 0.01 percent level, the experimental data including the magnetic interference effect will not be available. We have performed 3D computing simulations on a quadrupole doublet model in order to assess the degree of the interference and to obtain relevant data for the SNS commissioning and operation.
Date: May 5, 2005
Creator: Wang, J. G.; N., Tsoupas & Venturini, M.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Supernova Science Center (open access)

Supernova Science Center

The Supernova Science Center (SNSC) was founded in 2001 to carry out theoretical and computational research leading to a better understanding of supernovae and related transients. The SNSC, a four-institutional collaboration, included scientists from LANL, LLNL, the University of Arizona (UA), and the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC). Intitially, the SNSC was funded for three years of operation, but in 2004 an opportunity was provided to submit a renewal proposal for two years. That proposal was funded and subsequently, at UCSC, a one year no-cost extension was granted. The total operational time of the SNSC was thus July 15, 2001 - July 15, 2007. This document summarizes the research and findings of the SNSC and provides a cummulative publication list.
Date: May 5, 2008
Creator: Woosley, S. E.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Suppression of Large Edge Localized Modes with Edge Resonant Magnetic Fields in High Confinement DIII-D Plasmas (open access)

Suppression of Large Edge Localized Modes with Edge Resonant Magnetic Fields in High Confinement DIII-D Plasmas

None
Date: May 5, 2005
Creator: Evans, T. E.; Moyer, R. A.; Watkins, J. G.; Osborne, T. H.; Thomas, P. R.; Becoulet, M. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Demonstration of Successful X-ray Thomson Scattering Using Picosecond K-(alpha) X-ray Sources for the Characterization of Dense Heated Matter (open access)

Demonstration of Successful X-ray Thomson Scattering Using Picosecond K-(alpha) X-ray Sources for the Characterization of Dense Heated Matter

We discuss the first successful K-{alpha} x-ray Thomson scattering experiment from solid density plasmas for use as a diagnostic in determining the temperature, density, and ionization state of warm dense matter with picosecond resolution. The development of this source as a diagnostic and stringent requirements for successful K-{alpha} x-ray Thomson scattering are addressed. Data for the experimental techniques described in this paper [1] suggest the capability of single shot characterization of warm dense matter and the ability to use this scattering source at future Free Electron Lasers (FEL) where comparable scattering signal levels are predicted.
Date: May 5, 2008
Creator: Kritcher, A.; Neumayer, P.; Lee, H. J.; Doeppner, T.; Falcone, R.; Glenzer, S. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
RECENT BEAM MEASUREMENTS AND NEW INSTRUMENTATION AT THE ADVANCED LIGHT SOURCE (open access)

RECENT BEAM MEASUREMENTS AND NEW INSTRUMENTATION AT THE ADVANCED LIGHT SOURCE

The Advanced Light Source (ALS) in Berkeley was the first of the soft x-ray third generation light source ever built, and since 1993 has been in continuous and successful operation serving a large community of users in the VUV and soft x-ray community. During these years the storage ring underwent through several important upgrades that allowed maintaining the performance of this veteran facility at the forefront. The ALS beam diagnostics and instrumentation have followed a similar path of innovation and upgrade and nowadays include most of the modem and last generation devices and technologies that are commercially available and used in the recently constructed third generation light sources. In this paper we will not focus on such already widely known systems, but we will concentrate our effort in the description of some measurements techniques, instrumentation and diagnostic systems specifically developed at the ALS and used during the last few years.
Date: May 5, 2008
Creator: Sannibale, Fernando; Baptiste, Kenneth; Barry, Walter; Chin, Michael; Filippetto, Daniele; Jaegerhofer, Lukas et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Supersymmetry and Superstring Phenomenology (open access)

Supersymmetry and Superstring Phenomenology

We briefly cover the early history of supersymmetry, describe the relation of SUSY quantum field theories to superstring theories and explain why they are considered a likely tool to describe the phenomenology of high energy particle theory beyond the Standard Model.
Date: May 5, 2008
Creator: Gaillard, Mary K; Gaillard, Mary K. & Zumino, Bruno
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Crack growth rates and metallographic examinations of Alloy 600 and Alloy 82/182 from field components and laboratory materials tested in PWR environments. (open access)

Crack growth rates and metallographic examinations of Alloy 600 and Alloy 82/182 from field components and laboratory materials tested in PWR environments.

In light water reactors, components made of nickel-base alloys are susceptible to environmentally assisted cracking. This report summarizes the crack growth rate results and related metallography for field and laboratory-procured Alloy 600 and its weld alloys tested in pressurized water reactor (PWR) environments. The report also presents crack growth rate (CGR) results for a shielded-metal-arc weld of Alloy 182 in a simulated PWR environment as a function of temperature between 290 C and 350 C. These data were used to determine the activation energy for crack growth in Alloy 182 welds. The tests were performed by measuring the changes in the stress corrosion CGR as the temperatures were varied during the test. The difference in electrochemical potential between the specimen and the Ni/NiO line was maintained constant at each temperature by adjusting the hydrogen overpressure on the water supply tank. The CGR data as a function of temperature yielded activation energies of 252 kJ/mol for a double-J weld and 189 kJ/mol for a deep-groove weld. These values are in good agreement with the data reported in the literature. The data reported here and those in the literature suggest that the average activation energy for Alloy 182 welds is on the …
Date: May 5, 2008
Creator: Alexandreanu, B.; Chopra, O. K. & Shack, W. J.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Emerging Energy-Efficient Technologies for Industry (open access)

Emerging Energy-Efficient Technologies for Industry

U.S. industry consumes approximately 37 percent of thenation's energy to produce 24 percent of the nation's GDP. Increasingly,society is confronted with the challenge of moving toward a cleaner, moresustainable path of production and consumption, while increasing globalcompetitiveness. Technology is essential in achieving these challenges.We report on a recent analysis of emerging energy-efficient technologiesfor industry, focusing on over 50 selected technologies. The technologiesare characterized with respect to energy efficiency, economics andenvironmental performance. This paper provides an overview of theresults, demonstrating that we are not running out of technologies toimprove energy efficiency, economic and environmental performance, andneither will we in the future. The study shows that many of thetechnologies have important non-energy benefits, ranging from reducedenvironmental impact to improved productivity, and reduced capital costscompared to current technologies.
Date: May 5, 2005
Creator: Worrell, Ernst; Martin, Nathan; Price, Lynn; Ruth, Michael; Elliot, Neal; Shipley, Anna et al.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Final Technical Report for “A Heliportable Sonic Drilling Platform for Microhole Drilling and Exploration” (open access)

Final Technical Report for “A Heliportable Sonic Drilling Platform for Microhole Drilling and Exploration”

The Phase I objectives were fully achieved the execution of a program that included the: • Development of a comprehensive model of the sonic drill technology and interaction of the dynamic drilling parameters with the impedance of the earth. • Operation and measurement of the sonic drilling process in the field at full scale. • Comparison of the analytical and experimental results to form an objective and quantified approach to describe the fundamental phenomena and to develop a methodology for automated control of the sonic drilling process. • Conceptual design of a modular sonic drilling system that can be transported to remote sites by helicopter. As a result, the feasibility of a commercially viable sonic drilling technology that can produce microholes up to 1,500 feet in depth, and that is field deployable to remote, environmentally sensitive sites via a helicopter, has been demonstrated.
Date: May 5, 2008
Creator: Lucon, Peter
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Biomass Biorefinery for the production of Polymers and Fuels (open access)

Biomass Biorefinery for the production of Polymers and Fuels

The conversion of biomass crops to fuel is receiving considerable attention as a means to reduce our dependence on foreign oil imports and to meet future energy needs. Besides their use for fuel, biomass crops are an attractive vehicle for producing value added products such as biopolymers. Metabolix, Inc. of Cambridge proposes to develop methods for producing biodegradable polymers polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) in green tissue plants as well as utilizating residual plant biomass after polymer extraction for fuel generation to offset the energy required for polymer extraction. The primary plant target is switchgrass, and backup targets are alfalfa and tobacco. The combined polymer and fuel production from the transgenic biomass crops establishes a biorefinery that has the potential to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil imports for both the feedstocks and energy needed for plastic production. Concerns about the widespread use of transgenic crops and the grower’s ability to prevent the contamination of the surrounding environment with foreign genes will be addressed by incorporating and expanding on some of the latest plant biotechnology developed by the project partners of this proposal. This proposal also addresses extraction of PHAs from biomass, modification of PHAs so that they have suitable properties for …
Date: May 5, 2008
Creator: Peoples, Dr. Oliver P.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
D0 General Support: The Use of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCS) at D0 (open access)

D0 General Support: The Use of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCS) at D0

With the exception of control of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) ventilation fans, and their shutdown in the case of smoke in the ducts, all implementations of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) in Dzero have been made within the fundamental premise that no uncertified PLC apparatus shall be entrusted with the safety of equipment or personnel. Thus although PLCs are used to control and monitor all manner of intricate equipment, simple hardware interlocks and relief devices provide basic protection against component failure, control failure, or inappropriate control operation. Nevertheless, this report includes two observations as follows: (1) It may be prudent to reconfigure the link between the Pyrotronics system and the HVAC system such that the Pyrotronics system provides interlocks to the ventilation fans instead of control inputs to the uncertified HVAC PLCs. Although the Pyrotronics system is certified and maintained to life safety standards, the HVAC system is not. A hardware or software failure of the HVAC system probably should not be allowed to result in the situation where the ventilation fans in a smoke filled duct continue to operate. Dan Markley is investigating this matter. (2) It may also be prudent to examine the network security of those …
Date: May 5, 2000
Creator: Hance, R.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
IMPACT OF TIME / TEMPERATURE CURING CONDITIONS AND ALUMINATE CONCENTRATIONS ON SALTSTONE PROPERTIES (open access)

IMPACT OF TIME / TEMPERATURE CURING CONDITIONS AND ALUMINATE CONCENTRATIONS ON SALTSTONE PROPERTIES

This report addresses the impact of (1) the time and temperature curing conditions (profile) and (2) the impact of higher aluminate concentrations in the decontaminated salt solution on Saltstone processing and performance properties. The results demonstrate that performance properties as well as some of the processing properties of Saltstone are highly sensitive to the conditions of time and temperature under which curing occurs. This sensitivity is in turn dependent on the concentration of aluminate in the salt feed solution. In general, the performance properties and indicators (Young's modulus, compressive strength and total porosity) are reduced when curing is initially carried out under high temperature. However, this reduction in performance properties is dependent on the sequence of temperatures (the time/temperature profile) experienced during the curing process. That is, samples that are subjected to a 1, 2, 3 or 4 day curing time at 60 C followed by final curing at 22 C lead to performance properties that are significantly different than the properties of grouts allowed to cure for 1, 2, 3 or 4 days at 22 C followed by a treatment at 60 C. The performance properties of Saltstone cured in the sequence of higher temperature first are generally less …
Date: May 5, 2009
Creator: Harbour, J.; Edwards, T. & Williams, V.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Beta-cell Assembly for the Quad Gas Sampling Detector (open access)

Beta-cell Assembly for the Quad Gas Sampling Detector

The beta-cells used in the beta-gamma detector have taken time to develop and to standardize the assembly of them. In making the assembly routine it is important to have step by step assembly instructions as well as a list of potential problems and their solutions. This document attempts to accomplish these goals.
Date: May 5, 2008
Creator: Cooper, Matthew W.; Bowyer, Ted W.; McIntyre, Justin I.; Hayes, James C.; Heimbigner, Tom R.; Ripplinger, Michael D. et al.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
2007 Savannah River Site Annual Illness and Injury Surveillance Report (open access)

2007 Savannah River Site Annual Illness and Injury Surveillance Report

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) commitment to assuring the health and safety of its workers includes the conduct of epidemiologic surveillance activities that provide an early warning system for health problems among workers. The Illness and Injury Surveillance Program monitors illnesses and health conditions that result in an absence of workdays, occupational injuries and illnesses, and disabilities and deaths among current workers.
Date: May 5, 2009
Creator: United States. Department of Energy. Office of Health, Safety, and Security.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
DAiSES: Dynamic Adaptivity in Support of Extreme Scale Department of Energy Project No. ER25622 Prime Contract No. DE-FG02-04ER25622 Final Report for September 15, 2004-September 14, 2008 (open access)

DAiSES: Dynamic Adaptivity in Support of Extreme Scale Department of Energy Project No. ER25622 Prime Contract No. DE-FG02-04ER25622 Final Report for September 15, 2004-September 14, 2008

The DAiSES project [Te04] was focused on enabling conventional operating systems, in particular, those running on extreme scale systems, to dynamically customize system resource management in order to offer applications the best possible environment in which to execute. Such dynamic adaptation allows operating systems to modify the execution environment in response to changes in workload behavior and system state. The main challenges of this project included determination of what operating system (OS) algorithms, policies, and parameters should be adapted, when to adapt them, and how to adapt them. We addressed these challenges by using a combination of static analysis and runtime monitoring and adaptation to identify a priori profitable targets of adaptation and effective heuristics that can be used to dynamically trigger adaptation. Dynamic monitoring and adaptation of the OS was provided by either kernel modifications or the use of KernInst and Kperfmon [Wm04]. Since Linux, an open source OS, was our target OS, patches submitted by kernel developers and researchers often facilitated kernel modifications. KernInst operates on unmodified commodity operating systems, i.e., Solaris and Linux; it is fine-grained, thus, there were few constraints on how the underlying OS can be modified. Dynamically adaptive functionality of operating systems, both in …
Date: May 5, 2009
Creator: Teller, Patricia J.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library