This Acceptance Test Procedure (ATP) provides for the inspection and testing of the new Pumping Instrumentation and Control (PIC) skid designed as ''U''. The ATP will be performed after the construction of the PIC skid in the fabrication shop.

Measurements of the thermophysical and structural properties of liquid materials at high temperature have undergone considerable development in the past few years. Following improvements in electromagnetic levitation, aerodynamic levitation associated with laser heating has shown promise for assessing properties of different molten materials (metals, oxides, and semiconductors), preserving sample purity over a wide range of temperatures and under different gas environments. The density, surface tension and viscosity are measured with a high-speed video camera and an image analysis system. Results on nickel and alumina show that small droplets can be considered in the first approximation to be under microgravity conditions. Using a non-invasive contactless technique recently developed to measure electrical conductivity, results have been extended to variety of materials ranging from liquid metals and liquid semiconductors to ionically conducting materials. The advantage of this technique is the feasibility of monitoring changes in transport occurring during phase transitions and in deeply undercooled states.

This report reviews several issues relating to alternative fuels and vehicles, mainly to combat dependence on petroleum imports and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The report discusses the advantages and drawbacks of various alternative fuels and vehicles, as well as related legislation.

In May, 2000, the Supreme Court agreed to review this decision, raising the prospect of a major pronouncement on the non-delegation doctrine, the enforceability of the revised ozone standard, and the role of compliance costs in setting nationwide air quality standards.

A continuum theory of partially fluidized granular flows is proposed. The theory is based on a combination of the mass and momentum conservation equations with the order parameter equation which describes the transition between flowing and static components of the granular system. We apply this model to the dynamics of avalanches in chutes. The theory provides a quantitative description of recent observations of granular flows on rough inclined planes (Daerr and Douady 1999): layer bistability, and the transition from triangular avalanches propagating downhill at small inclination angles to balloon-shaped avalanches also propagating uphill for larger angles.

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A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Several factors call into question the cost effectiveness of the Army's plan to spend $4.1 billion to acquire large quantities of the submunition and missile systems. These factors include (1) major reductions and changes in the armor threat (2) a substantial overmatch in existing and planned antiarmor capabilities (3) the system's high cost (4) the Army's plans for a major transformation of its forces and the way it fights and (5) current and projected Army funding shortfalls and high priority unfunded requirements. The Army's July 2000 Antiarmor Master Plan does not clearly confirm the cost effectiveness of the Army's plan to spend $4.1 billion to acquire the submunition and missile systems."

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This document focuses on the Department of Defense's (DOD) kinetic energy anti-satellite (KE-ASAT) program. GAO found the program is in a state of disarray. Problem areas include funding, limited management, and poor record keeping. The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence had recommended that DOD complete the existing contracts, place the weapon system in storage, and pursue no further development of the program. If DOD decides to continue the program, however, considerable work will be needed to make the system ready for operational testing. Furthermore, DOD will need to strengthen its internal and financial controls to ensure that government resources are used in compliance with government regulations."

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The Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) was directed towards development of diffusion resistant, high-purity wafer carriers for Si semiconductor production with improved properties compared to current materials. The determination of the infiltration behavior is important for controlling the fabrication process to obtain consistent high-quality products. Ammonium molybdate or molybdenum carbide were found to be suitable as a precursor to produce SiC-MoSi{sub 2}-Si composites by Si infiltration into carbon preforms. Experiments on the pyrolysis of the preforms showed variable infiltration behavior by the molten Si (within the range of conditions in the present study). Further research is required to reproducibly and consistently fabricate flaw-free articles. The strength of the composites fabricated to-date was 325 {+-} 124 MPa, which is higher than current commercial products. Better process control should result in higher average strengths and reduce the variability.

This report provider bans historical background on wildfires and describes concerns about the "Urban-Wildland interface" and about forest and rangeland health. It also discusses fuel management, fire control, and fire effects.

This report briefs the Immigration legislation and issues in the 106th Congress.

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This report discusses contribution of technological advancement to economic growth and productivity increases. Because technology can contribute to economic growth and productivity increases, congressional interest has focused on how to augment private-sector technological development.

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The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Joint Actinide Shock Physics Experimental Research (JASPER) Facility is being developed at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) to conduct shock physics experiments on special nuclear material and other actinide materials. JASPER will use a two-stage, light-gas gun to shoot projectiles at actinide targets. Projectile velocities will range from 1 to 8 km/s, inducing pressures in the target material up to 6 Mbar. The JASPER gas gun has been designed to match the critical dimensions of the two-stage, light-gas gun in Building 341 of LLNL. The goal in copying the LLNL gun design is to take advantage of the extensive ballistics database that exists and to minimize the effort spent on gun characterization in the initial facility start-up. A siting study conducted by an inter-Laboratory team identified Able Site in Area 27 of the NTS as the best location for the JASPER gas gun. Able Site consists of three major buildings that had previously been used to support the nuclear test program. In April 1999, Able Site was decommissioned as a Nuclear Explosive Assembly Facility and turned back to the DOE for other uses. Construction and facility modifications at Able Site to support the JASPER …

Final report summarizing research project results of studies of the thermal plasma recycling of polymers, including polyethylene and polypropylene. High levels of recovery of monomers were obtained from the process developed under this study.

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This safety analysis report for packaging describes the steel banded wooden shipping containers, which are certified as Type AF packagings. The authorized payload for these containers is unirradiated, slightly enriched, uranium ingots, billets, extrusions, and scrap materials. The amount of uranium in the containers will not exceed the LSA-II material requirements as defined in 49 CFR 173.403.

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An experimental and theoretical study of the dynamics of an air-fluidized thin granular layer is presented. Near the threshold of instability, the system exhibits critical behavior with remarkably long transient dynamics. Above the threshold of fluidization the system undergoes a Hopf bifurcation as the layer starts to oscillate at a certain frequency due to a feedback between the layer dilation and the airflow rate. Based on our experimental data, we formulate a the simple dynamical model which describes the transition in a shallow fluidized bed.

The government will spend approximately one-third of the $79 billion federal R&D budget for intramural research and development to meet mission requirements in over 700 government laboratories (including Federally Funded Research and Development Centers). The technology and expertise generated by this endeavor may have application beyond the immediate goals or intent of federally funded R&D

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