In a wide variety of physics problems, especially those which involve wave phenomena such as in electromagnetics and acoustics, a behavior results that can be described by systems of linear (partial) differential equations. Solutions to such problems often can be expressed simply in the form of an exponential series. Some specific background material for this approach is discussed, and a variety of example applications is summarized. (WHK)

The total photodetachment cross section of the metastable, (1s2s2p) /sup 4/P/sup 0/ state of He/sup -/ has been recently measured at several wavelengths between 10 ..mu.. and 308 nm. As part of these calculations, the even parity, quartet, autodetaching states of He/sup -/ which are optically connected to the metastable /sup 4/P/sup 0/ state and which are associated with the n = 2 and n = 3 states of He were studied. In both the photodetachment and electron scattering calculations, extensive configuration interaction (CI) wavefunctions were used to describe the He target states, the He/sup -/ resonance states and the photodetachment continua. The Stieltjes moment-theory technique was used to extract the partial photodetachment cross sections from the discrete representations of the electron scattering continua. The use of the Stieltjes technique allowed the inclusion of both channel-channel coupling and fully correlated He /sup 3/S and /sup 3/P/sup 0/ wavefunctions in the calculations. Results are presented and discussed. (WHK)

The interferometer and viewing optics that are the main optical components of an Automated Surface Mapping system (ASM) used to characterize the surface topography and the wall thickness uniformity of opaque and transparent spherical shells is described. To characterize surface finish or wall thickness of spherical shells with an accuracy of 10 nm and a resolution of 1 ..mu..m the differential phase shift between two beams of orthogonal polarizations is measured, before and after the probe beam has interacted with the test object.

A new electric gun system was constructed for use in high-pressure EOS studies. The system is powered by a 100 kV, 15.6 ..mu..F capacitor bank. At 100 kV charging voltage the system inductance is 23 nH. This system has driven 0.3 mm-thick Kapton projectiles to > 20 km/s and 0.3 mm Kapton/30 ..mu..m Ta projectiles to approx. 10 km/s. Projectile velocity is modeled phenomenlogically by an electrical Gurney model.

The rates for a number of reactions producing certain stable nuclides, such as /sup 3/He and /sup 4/He, and fission in the moon are calculated for galactic-cosmic-ray particles and for solar protons. Solar-proton-induced reactions with bromine usually are not an important source of cosmogenic Kr isotopes. The /sup 130/Ba(n,p) reaction cannot account for the undercalculation of /sup 130/Xe production rates. Calculated production rates of /sup 15/N, /sup 13/C, and /sup 2/H agree fairly well with rates inferred from measured excesses of these isotopes in samples with long exposure ages. Cosmic-ray-induced fission of U and Th can produce significant amounts of fission tracks and of /sup 86/Kr, /sup 134/Xe, and /sup 136/Xe, especially in samples with long exposures to cosmic-ray particles.

The focus is on electric power production using geothermal resources greater than 150/sup 0/C because this form of geothermal energy utilization has the most serious health-related consequences. Based on measurements and experience at existing geothermal power plants, atmospheric emissions of noncondensing gases such as hydrogen sulfide and benzene pose the greatest hazards to public health. Surface and ground waters contaminated by discharges of spent geothermal fluids constitute another health hazard. It is shown that hydrogen sulfide emissions from most geothermal power plants are apt to cause odor annoyances among members of the exposed public - some of whom can detect this gas at concentrations as low as 0.002 parts per million by volume. A risk assessment model is used to estimate the lifetime risk of incurring leukemia from atmospheric benzene caused by 2000 MW(e) of geothermal development in California's Imperial Valley. The risk of skin cancer due to the ingestion of river water in New Zealand that is contaminated by waste geothermal fluids containing arsenic is also assessed. Finally, data on the occurrence of occupational disease in the geothermal industry are summarized briefly.

Fragility functions are cumulative distribution functions (cdfs) of strengths at failure. They are needed for reliability analyses of systems such as power generation and transmission systems. Subjective opinions supplement sparse test data for estimating fragility functions. Often the opinions are opinions on the percentiles of the fragility function. Subjective percentiles are likely to be less biased than opinions on parameters of cdfs. Solutions to several problems in the estimation of fragility functions are found for subjective percentiles and test data. How subjective percentiles should be used to estimate subjective fragility functions, how subjective percentiles should be combined with test data, how fragility functions for several failure modes should be combined into a composite fragility function, and how inherent randomness and uncertainty due to lack of knowledge should be represented are considered. Subjective percentiles are treated as independent estimates of percentiles. The following are derived: least-squares parameter estimators for normal and lognormal cdfs, based on subjective percentiles (the method is applicable to any invertible cdf); a composite fragility function for combining several failure modes; estimators of variation within and between groups of experts for nonidentically distributed subjective percentiles; weighted least-squares estimators when subjective percentiles have higher variation at higher percents; and …

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is using large aperture Nd: glass lasers to investigate the feasibility of inertial confinement fusion. In our experiments high power laser light is focussed onto a small (100 to 500 micron) target containing a deuterium-tritium fuel mixture. During the short (1 to 5 ns) laser pulse the fuel is compressed and heated, resulting in fusion reactions. The generation and control of the powerful laser pulses for these experiments is a challenging scientific and engineering task, which requires the development of new optical materials, fabrication techniques, and coatings. LLNL with the considerable cooperation and support from the optical industry, where most of the research and development and almost all the manufacturing is done, has successfully applied several new developments in these areas.

TMX Upgrade is a large, tandem, magnetic-mirror fusion experiment with stringent requirements on base pressure (10/sup -8/ torr), low H reflux from the first walls, and peak gas pressure (5 x 10/sup -7/ torr) due to neutral beam gas during plasma operation. The 225 m/sup 3/ vacuum vessel is initially evacuated by turbopumps. Cryopumps provide a continuous sink for gases other than helium, deuterium, and hydrogen. The neutral beam system introduces up to 480 l/s of H or D. The hydrogen isotopes are pumped at very high speed by titanium sublimed onto two cylindrical radially separated stainless steel quilted liners with a total surface area of 540 m/sup 2/. These surfaces (when cooled to about 80/sup 0/K) provide a pumping speed of 6 x 10/sup 7/ l/s for hydrogen. The titanium getter system is programmable and is used for heating as well as gettering. The inner plasma liner can be operated at elevated temperatures to enhance migration of gases away from the surfaces close to the plasma. Glow discharge cleaning is part of the pumpdown procedure. The design features are discussed in conjunction with the operating procedures developed to manage the dynamic vacuum conditions.

Absorption spectra obtained from SmBr/sub 3/, SmBr/sub 2/, and Sm0Br were used in identifying the samarium species in several mixed-valence Sm(II/III) compounds produced by H/sub 2/ reduction of SmBr/sub 3/. The nature of the absorption of Sm0Br made it possible to detect even traces of Sm0Br in the Sm bromides.