The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA, P.L. 95-87), enacted in 1977, established reclamation standards for all coal surface mining operations, and for the surface effects of underground mining. It also established the Abandoned Mine Land (AML) program to promote the reclamation of sites mined and abandoned prior to the enactment of SMCRA. To finance reclamation of abandoned mine sites, the legislation established fees on coal production. These collections are divided into federal and state shares; subject to annual appropriation, AML funds are distributed annually to states with approved reclamation programs. This report describes the distribution of these funds and the various issues that arise from said distribution.

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Photograph of Blue Bird Park and its surrounding area in Dallas, Texas. The park sits in the center of the picture along Bluebird Avenue and W Red Bird Lane. It is mostly covered in dense trees and surrounded by similar areas.

Daily newspaper from Altus, Oklahoma that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Alvin, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

The APT program has been examining both normal and superconducting variants of the APT linac for the past two years. A decision on which of the two will be the selected technology will depend upon several considerations including the results of ongoing feasibility experiments, the performance and overall attractiveness of each of the design concepts, and an assessment of the system-level features of both alternatives. The primary objective of the Assessment of Alternative RF Linac Structures for APT study reported herein was to assess and compare, at the system-level, the performance, capital and life cycle costs, reliability/availability/maintainability (RAM) and manufacturing schedules of APT RF linear accelerators based upon both superconducting and normal conducting technologies. A secondary objective was to perform trade studies to explore opportunities for system optimization, technology substitution and alternative growth pathways and to identify sensitivities to design uncertainties.

The Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) reaction provides a way of converting coal-derived synthesis gas (CO+H{sub 2}) to liquid fuels. Since the reaction is highly exothermic, one of the major problems in control of the reaction is heat removal. Recent work has shown that the use of slurry bubble column reactors (SBCRS) can largely solve this problem. Iron-based (Fe) catalysts are preferred catalysts for F-T when using low CO/H{sub 2} ratio synthesis gases derived from modem coal gasifiers. This is because in addition to reasonable F-T activity, the FT catalysts also possess high water gas shift (WGS) activity. However, a serious problem with the use of Fe catalysts in a SBCR is their tendency to undergo attrition. This can cause fouling/plugging of downstream filters and equipment, making the separation of catalyst from the oil/wax product very difficult if not impossible, and results in a steady loss of catalyst from the reactor. The objectives of this research are to develop a better understanding of the parameters affecting attrition resistance of Fe F-T catalysts suitable for use in SBCRs and to incorporate this understanding into the design of novel Fe catalysts having superior attrition resistance. Catalyst preparations will be based on the use of spray …

Daily newspaper from Baytown, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Daily newspaper from Chickasha, Oklahoma that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Newspaper from Chickasha, Oklahoma that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Semi-weekly newspaper from Clifton, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly student newspaper published in Hurst, Texas serving the Tarrant County Junior College District that includes school news and information along with advertising.

This report describes a computational model of a copper laser amplifier. The model contains rate equations for copper and the buffer gas species (neon and hydrogen), along with equations for the electron temperature, the laser intensity, and the diffusing magnetic field of the discharge. Rates are given for all pertinent atomic reactions. The radial profile of the gas temperature is determined by the time-averaged power deposited in the gas. The presence of septum inserts, which aid gas cooling, is taken into account. Fields are calculated consistently throughout the plasma and the surrounding insulation. Employed in conjunction with a modulator model, the model is used to calculate comprehensive performance predictions for a high- power operational amplifier.

The North Disposal Trench, located north of the eastern most lagoon, was installed in 1963 to receive solid waste and construction debris from the Operation Roller Coaster man camp. Subsequent to Operation Roller Coaster, the trench continued to receive construction debris and range cleanup debris (including ordnance) from Sandia National Laboratories and other operators. A small hydrocarbon spill occurred during Voluntary Corrective Action (VCA) activities (VCA Spill Area) at an area associated with the North Disposal Trench Corrective Action Site (CAS). Remediation activities at this site were conducted in 1995. A corrective action investigation was conducted in September of 1996 following the Corrective Action Investigation Plan (CAIP); the detailed results of that investigation are presented in Appendix A. The Roller Coaster Lagoons and North Disposal Trench are located at the Tonopah Test Range (TTR), a part of the Nellis Air Force Range, which is approximately 225 kilometers (140 miles) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, by air.

Near the triple point, growth shapes of vapor deposited hexagonal close packed D{sub 2} crystals reveal two crystal orientations contain facets which persist up to the melt. This observation is in contrast with previous experiments on rare gas solids and H{sub 2} where the highest T{sub r} measured is 0.8 T{sub tp}.

Photograph an aerial overview of the McCommas Bluff Nature Preserve with the winding murky brown Trinity River cutting through the thick expanse of trees.

This report describes new technologies being developed to help detect and clear anti-personel landmines, the programs that are developing them, and discusses related issues for congressional consideration.

Weekly newspaper from San Diego, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

We have observed circular and linear magnetic dichroism in angle- resolved photoemission spectra of 50-monolayer Gd film grown on Y(0001) and 6-monolayer Fe-Ni alloy films grown on Cu(001). The 4f level of Gd and the Fe 3p level of the Fe-Ni alloy were measured. A different geometry was used for the magnetic circular dichroism than was used to measure the magnetic linear dichroism. The geometries were chosen so that the shape of the magnetic circular dichroism is predicted to be equal to the shape of the magnetic linear dichroism for four-fold symmetric Fe-Ni/Cu(001) but not for three-fold symmetric Gd/Y(0001). Experimental results are presented. In this paper we examine the effect of symmetry (experimental geometry and sample geometry) on magnetic linear and circular dichroism in angle- resolved photoemission. In particular we chose separate geometries for measuring magnetic circular and magnetic linear dichroism. The geometries were chosen such that samples with four-fold symmetry about the sample normal may have magnetic circular and magnetic linear dichroism of the same shape. But samples with three-fold symmetry should not exhibit circular and magnetic linear dichroism of the same shape. The samples studied are three-fold symmetric Gd films grown on Y(0001) and four-fold symmetric Fe-Ni alloy …

This engineering report will discuss the ventilation tasks necessary for minimizing the current K3 ventilation systems volumetric airflows while continuing to maintain negative pressures in both the canyon area and the related hot cells, assuring radiological confinement and containment of WESF.

Boron carbide (B{sub 4}C) is examined as a potential fuel container and ablator for implosion capsules on the National Ignition Facility (NIF). A capsule of pure B{sub 4}C encasing a layer of solid DT implodes stably and ignites with anticipated NIF x-ray drives, producing 18 MJ of energy. Thin films of B{sub 4}C were found to be resistant to oxidation and modestly transmitting in the infrared (IR), possibly enabling IR fuel characterization and enhancement for thin permeation barriers but not for full-thickness capsules. Polystyrene mandrels 0.5 mm in diameter were successfully coated with 0.15-2.0 micrometers of B{sub 4}C. Thickness estimated from optical density agreed well with those measured by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The B{sub 4}C microstructure was columnar but finer than for Be made at the same conditions. B{sub 4}C is a very strong material, with a fiber tensile strength capable of holding NIF fill pressures at room temperature, but it is also very brittle, and microscopic flaws or grain structure may limit the noncryogenic fill pressure. Argon (Ar) permeation rates were measured for a few capsules that had been further coated with 5 micrometers of plasma polymer. The B{sub 4}C coatings tended to crack under tensile load. Some …

The experimental results of Faraday rotation (FR) measurements in dilute magnetic semiconductors in high magnetic field are presented (Dirac Series--Los Alamos). The magnetic field is produced by an explosive-driven flux-compression generator (150 T). Measurements have been carried with samples of Cd{sub 1{minus}x}Mn{sub x}Te with x = 0.43 using 633 nm light at liquid helium temperature. The FR increases in such samples when the magnetic field exceeds 60 T. Interband exchange interaction and the direct influence of the external magnetic field on the exchange interaction must be considered to interpret the experimental results.

The main thrust of this collaborative effort can be summarized as an attempt to use the strengths of physical experiments and numerical simulations in understanding the dynamics of accelerated interfaces. Laboratory experiments represent the true nature of the physical processes and the simulations represent a model of these processes. We have taken the first steps toward this goal through development and calibration of new experimental techniques as well as validation and direct, systematic, and quantitative comparison with computational results. This report summarizes accomplishments made towards these goals. More detailed information is provided in reprints appended to this document.

Funeral program for Lavinia Phillips, born August 8, 1909. The funeral was held Wednesday, March 26, 1997 at Dellcrest Church of Christ, officiated by Harrell E. Holmes. Funeral arrangements were made through Sutton-Sutton Mortuary, Inc. and she was buried in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery near San Antonio, Texas.