The study of artificial radioactive isotopes is at the present time one of the most important topics in nuclear research. It involves the establishment of a detailed term scheme for the disintegration in question. Not only are the energies of the components of the different beta and gamma radiations of interest, but also their intensities. These data give information concerning the probabilities of transitions between the different nuclear energy levels. From them it is possible to draw conclusions regarding the mechanism of the disintegration and to correlate the spina and parities of the levels.

The general method of controlling the radio frequency for the full scale Bevatron will be the same as that used on the 1/4 scale machine. The details of course will be modified to meet the requirements of greater range, higher output voltage and closer tracking tolerances. In addition, there is the added complication introduced by the current ripple.

The following report provides equations that result from a seminar in reactor physics.

The electrostatically deflected beam of the 184-inch cyclotron has been used with the stacked foil and absorber technique to determine the excitation functions. The data are presented graphically and discussed individually for each of the reactions. The results are discussed in terms of compound nucleus formation, transparency effects, and other factors in order to arrive at a qualitative picture for the mechanism of high energy nuclear reactions with heavy nuclei.

Technical report showing how, on a laboratory scale, a one-cycle solvent extraction process using tributyl phosphate (TBP) can be used for the recovery and decontamination of uranium 235 from spent Materials Testing Reactor fuel assemblies.

A spectrophotometric method for the determination of plutonium wing sodium alizarin sulfonate has been developed. The red plutonium-alizarin sulfonate color is developed in solutions having a pH of about three in the presence of a formic acid-sodium formate buffer, and the resulting absorption is measured at 530 millimicrons. Most interfering cations, particularly iron(III), are removed from the plutonium solutions by means of electrolysis using a mercy cathode. Aluminum(III), in quantities up to 3 percent of the plutonium content, may be tolerated in this procedure. Chloride and nitrate ions produce no interference over the concentration range studied, while tartrate, citrate, oxalate, and fluoride ions cause low results. The analysis of a large series of pure plutonium solutions, ranging from about 25 to 150 micrograms of plutonium in 10 milliliters, have a standard deviation of 0.92 percent for the determined plutonium content.

Abstract: Some proportional fission neutron counters are described with information on methods of preparation and details of a circuit for a portable model. The portable instrument has an efficiency of .01% for neutrons from polonium beryllium sources.

Test work on two samples of high-grade Rand uranium precipitate indicated the desirability of calcining it at 400' to 500'C. to cut shipping costs and provide a refinery feed quite amenable to treatment by the nitric acid digestion-TBP process.

Technical report describing work on two special projects: (1) the Oak Ridge Computer; and (2) numerical integration of differential equations; multipoint boundary problems. The reports also describes work on thirty special problems.

The following report notes a general formula for the determination of the effect of atomic motion on nuclear cross sections, and evaluate the expression exactly in a few cases of interest.

Technical report outlining the building status, crystal physics, solid state reactions, radiation metallurgy, engineering properties, and liquid fuels activities of the Physics of Solids Institute in period ending April 30, 1951. [From Introduction and Summary]

Report discussing studies testing various thorium alloys consisting of either Ames thorium and up to 5% of various additions or Ames thorium and up to 50% uranium. Effects of molybdenum additions for fusion welding, and cold-work strengthening were also tested. Methods, experimental data, and discussion is included.

Technical report covering experiments happening on the Analytical Chemistry Division's sites at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Includes information on ionic analyses, radio-chemical analyses, spectrochemical analyses, service analyses, inorganic preparations, analytical chemical control of homogeneous reactor solution, optical and electron microscopy, and service analyses for the period ending September 10, 1951. Studies and happenings took place on the Analytical Chemistry Division's X-10 and Y-12 sites. [From Table of Contents, Abstract]

Report discussing an experiment in which samples of initially ordered and disordered copper-gold alloy were exposed to the neutron flux of a graphite moderated nuclear reactor. "Two specimens were irradiated at the same time and at the same position in the reactor. Their temperature was controlled at 80°C. Electrical resistivity measurements were made on the specimens during the course of the irradiation."

The following report describes work that was udertaken to determine whether a homogeneous breeder reactor using an alkili metal hydroxide solution is capable of breeding.

From abstract: High velocity disturbances are observed to propagate along the walls of a high explosive operated shock tube in advance of the plane shock. Experiments are presented which determine the dependence of the geometry, energy, and velocity of the disturbance on such variables as the gas contained in the shock tube, the shock strength, and the roughness and composition of the supporting boundary. A model is constructed to explain the flow within the disturbance. Arguments are presented which show the disturbance to result from radiation originating in the luminous plane shock...The purpose of this paper is to present the results of initial investigations made in an effort to describe the phenomenon of strong shocks developed in a shock tube by the detonation of high explosive charge.

On June 2, 1952, 15:52 hours, a large reactivity change was made manually in a ZPR-1 assembly causing a power excursion of about one kwh, which resulted in damage to the reactor core components and radiation exposure of some of the operating personnel to perhaps several rep. None of the contributing causes is reviewed here nor are the measures which were taken to reduce the probability of a recurrence discussed since these are considered administrative matters beyond the scope of this technical report. It is intended only to describe the incident, estimate the exposures and present available clinical data.

A report about several lectures made at the mathematics panel.

Plus-minus ratios for pion production by 340-Mev proton bombardment were measured at 13 Mev, 18 Mev, and 42 Mev with the use of the spiral orbit spectrometer.

Abstract: The rate of reaction of oxygen with arc-melted and rolled iodide thorium has been found to obey the parabolic rate law in the temperature range of 850 to 1415 C at 1 atmosphere pressure. The rate constant can be expressed as k = 6 x 10⁷ x e⁻⁶³³⁰⁰/RT cm²/sec. The energy of activation, 63,300 cal/mole, has a probable error of 2,100 cal/mole.

A simple non-destructive chemical method for the identification of cadmium plating is presented. The test requires no special techniques or equipment and may be conducted in less than fifteen seconds.

"Work has continued on high temperature methods for processing irradiated uranium fuel. Additional results have been obtained with fused halide treatment, solid scavengers and direct Pu distillation. With fussed fluorides about 95 per cent of the Pu was removed from a uranium sample, while treatment of uranium with HC1 gas removed almost all the Pu and many fission products. treatment of molten uranium with uranium oxide removed a substantial fraction of the fission products without removing Pu. Uranium carbide treatment results were similar to the oxide but not as effective. A small scale distillation of Pu from uranium showed that Raoult's law is obeyed."

The rapid development of the field of atomic energy during the past few years now permits the exploration of applications to medicine involving new concepts in the treatment of cancer. One such has been the study of neutron capture therapy which is being developed at the Brookhaven National Laboratory.

An extension of the concepts advanced by Langmuir regarding the nature of the platinum catalyzed oxidation of hydrogen and the application of the resulting theory to the experimental data observed by Ranschoff and Spiewak for an HRE type recombiner indicates that their data are corrected by the dimensionless equation (see report) equally well, with a mean deviation of 3.8 percent. This expression is recommended as a basis for the design of catalytic recombiners. The catalytic combinations is pictured as consisting of two surface chemical mechanisms, one of which is oxygen diffusion controlled, the other hydrogen diffusion regulated, the mechanism "change-over" occurring at that point in the recombiner where the components are arriving at the catalyst surface by diffusion in stoichiometric proportions. The catalyst volume requirements for three two portions of the bed are shown to be (see report). The hydrogen mole fraction at the mechanism "change-over" point is (see report). And the relationship between the two mass transfer coefficients is (see report). Methods for evaluating the necessary transport properties of the ternary system steam-hydrogen-oxygen for carrying out design calculations are summarized, and the new significant parameters are tabulated and plotted to facilitate these calculations. The question of non-uniform velocity profiles …