The objectives of the biosphere modeling efforts are to assess how radionuclides potentially released from the proposed repository could be transported through a variety of environmental media. The study of these transport mechanisms, referred to as pathways, is critical in calculating the potential radiation dose to man. Since most of the existing and pending regulations applicable to the Project are radiation dose based standards, the biosphere modeling effort will provide crucial technical input to support the Viability Assessment (VA), the Working Draft of License Application (WDLA), and the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). In 1982, the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) was enacted into law. This federal law, which was amended in 1987, addresses the national issue of geologic disposal of high-level nuclear waste generated by commercial nuclear power plants, as well as defense programs during the past few decades. As required by the law, the Department of Energy (DOE) is conducting a site characterization project at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, approximately 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, to determine if the site is suitable for the nation's first high-level nuclear waste repository.

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Federal entitlement programs make payments directly to recipients who meet eligibility criteria set by law. There are about 400 of them with Social Security being the largest. Generally, entitlement spending is not subject to control through annual appropriations, and once an entitlement program is established, its scope can be altered only by amending the law that created it.

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This report discusses payments for physicians services under Medicare that are made on the basis of a fee schedule.

This document serves as a Notice of Construction for the Phase 2 activities of Project W-320, 241-C-106 Tank Sluicing, pursuant to the requirements of Washington Administrative Codes (WAC) 173-400 and 173-460. Phased permitting for Project W-320 was discussed with the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) on November 2, 1993. In April 1994, it was deemed unnecessary because the Phase 1 activities did not constitute a new source of emissions and therefore did not require approval from Ecology. The 241-C-106 tank is a 2-million liter capacity, single-shell tank (SST) used for radioactive waste storage since 1947. Between mid-1963 and mid-1969, 241-C-106 tank received high-heat waste, PUREX (plutonium-uranium extraction) Facility high-level waste, and strontium-bearing solids from the strontium and cesium recovery activities. In 1971, temperatures exceeding 99 C were observed in the tank, and therefore, a ventilation system was installed to cool the tank. In addition, approximately 22,712 liters of cooling water are added to the tank each month to prevent the sludge from drying out and overheating. Excessive drying of the sludge could result in possible structural damage. The current radiolytic heat generation rate has been calculated at 32 kilowatts (kW) plus or minus 6 kW. The 241-C-106 tank was …

Over the last decade, Quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) calculations for tight binding Hamiltonians like the Hubbard and Anderson lattice models have made the transition from addressing abstract issues concerning the effects of electron-electron correlations on magnetic and metal-insulator transitions, to concrete contact with experiment. This paper presents results of applications of �determinant� QMC to systems with disorder such as the conductivity of thin metallic films, the behavior of the magnetic susceptibility in doped semiconductors, and Zn doped cuprate superconductors. Finally, preliminary attempts to model the Kondo volume collapse in rare earth materials are discussed.

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The purpose of the Safety Evaluation for Packaging (SEP) is the evaluation and authorization of the onsite transport of propane tanks that are mounted on the Lockheed Martin Hanford Corporation Characterization Project`s nitrogen trailers. This SEP authorizes onsite transport of the nitrogen trailers, including the propane tanks, until May 31, 1998. The three nitrogen trailers (HO-64-4966, HO-64-4968, and HO-64-5170) are rated for 1,361 kg (30,000 lb) and are equipped with tandem axles and pintel hitches. Permanently mounted on each trailer is a 5,678 L (1,500 gal) cryogenic dewar that is filled with nitrogen, and a propane fired water bath vaporizer system, and a 454 L (1 20 gal) propane tank. The nitrogen trailer system is operated only when it is disconnected from the tow vehicle and is leveled and stabilized. When the trailers are transported, the propane tanks are isolated via closed supply valves.

This report summarizes the Department of Energy Voluntary Protection Program (DOE-VPP) Review Team`s findings from the five-day onsite evaluation of the Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project (WSSRAP), conducted November 17--21, 1997. The site was evaluated against the program requirements contained in ``US Department of Energy Voluntary Protection Program, Part 1: Program Elements`` to determine its success in implementing the five tenets of DOE-VPP. DOE-VPP consists of three programs, with names and functions similar to those in OSHA`s VPP. These programs are STAR, MERIT, and DEMONSTRATION. The STAR program is the core of DOE-VPP. The program is aimed at truly outstanding protectors of employee safety and health. The MERIT program is a steppingstone for contractors and subcontractors that have good safety and health programs but need time and DOE guidance to achieve STAR status. The DEMONSTRATION program is rarely used; it allows DOE to recognize achievements in unusual situations about which DOE needs to learn more before determining approval requirements for the STAR status.

An empirical kinetic rate law was determined for the aqueous oxidation of trichloroethene (TCE). By measuring both the rate of disappearance of TCE and the rate of appearance of carbon dioxide and chloride ion, mass balances were monitored to confirm that `mineralization` was the ultimate reaction. Dilute buffer solutions were used to fix pH and stoichiometrically sufficient amounts of dissolved oxygen were used to make the reactions zero-order in oxygen. Using standard chemical kinetic methods, two orders of magnitude were spanned in initial TCE concentration and used in the resulting double-log plot vs. initial rate (regressed using both linear and polynomial fits) to determine the rate constant and `true` reaction order (i.e., with respect to;concentration, not time). By determining rate constants over the temperature interval 343-373K, an Arrhenius activation energy was determined for the reaction. A study was made of the potential effect of buffer ligand concentration and type (phosphate, borate, acetate, carbonate, sulfate), ionic strength, specific electrolytes, and pH on the rate of TCE. The aqueous oxidation reaction rate was found to be pH dependent over the pH range pH 2 to pH 1O and strongly inhibited by high dissolved bromide concentration. The equilibrium aqueous solubilities of TCE was …

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Silica aggregates produced in a tubular aerosol reactor were classified according to the electrical mobility equivalent radius by differential mobility analyzer. Then E the classified aerosol was further analyzed by in situ light scattering measurement and TEM micrograph analysis to evaluate the properties of agglomerates, such as the radius of gyration, fractal dimension, primary particle diameter and number of primary particles. Based on the properties measured by the experiments, the actual surface area of the silica sorbent particles can be calculated.

Final product states of Ne₂⁺ dissociative recombination were studied using time-of-flight spectroscopy to determine the kinetic energies released. The dissociative recombination occurred in a sustained discharge in the presence of a variable magnetic field and discharge voltage, at pressures of 5-15 mTorr. Under different conditions various excited states were observed ranging from the lowest 3<i>s</i> metastable states to higher Rydbcrg states within 0.000 54 eV of the dissociation limit. From their narrow widths, it is deduced that these higher states arose from Ne₂⁺ ions with subthermal energies. From two of these narrow distributions, we obtain an improved value for the dissociation limit D₀(Ne₂⁺)= 1.26±0.02 eV.

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Oxide inclusions form in welds because of deoxidation reactions in the weld pool. These inclusions control the weld microstructure development. Thermodynamic and kinetic calculation of oxidation reaction can describe inclusion characteristics such as number density, size, and composition. Experimental work has shown that fluid-flow velocity gradients in the weld pool can accelerate inclusion growth by collision and coalescence. Moreover, fluid flow in welds can transport inclusions to different temperature regions that may lead to repeated dissolution and growth of inclusions. These phenomena are being studied with the help of computational coupled heat transfer, fluid-flow, thermodynamic, and kinetic models. The results show that the inclusion formation in steel welds can be described as a function of the welding processes, process parameters, and steel composition.

The work proposed under this agreement was designed to validate and improve remote sensing of cloud and radiation properties in the atmosphere for climate studies with special emphasis on the use of satellites for monitoring these parameters to further the goals of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program.

This report consists of summaries of the 6 Action Items from the first annual meeting. The 6 Action Items are: (1) to aggressively pursue ''Education'' in multiphase flow; (2) to pursue the work on dispersed flows presented in the last meeting to conclusions; (3) to focus the next meeting on flow regimes; (4) to pursue cooperative efforts toward identifying and settling key flow regime issues; (5) to pursue cooperative efforts towards the understanding and development of design tools, for multiphase stirred vessels (including sparged, slurry liquids); and (6) to continue to refine the TAC efforts towards useful conclusions.

The reactions of dialkyl mono- and disulfides and functionalized alkylthio compounds with sodium in refluxing hydrocarbon solvent (tetradecane, mesitylene or toluene) resulted in sulfur-free products in very high yields. Greater than 95% sulfur removal was observed when dialkyl mono or polysulfides were treated with Na in liquid ammonia. Polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles were only moderately desulfurized under these conditions while phenylthio derivatives gave thiophenol as the major product and dithiophenols as the minor products.

The reduction of sulfur oxides from high sulfur coal burning utility companies has resulted in the production of huge quantities of wet flue-gas desulfurization scrubber sludge. A typical 400 MW power station burning a coal containing 3.5% sulfur by weight and using a limestone absorbent would produce approximately 177,000 tons (dry weight) of scrubber sludge per year. This brownish colored, finely divided material contains calcium sulfite (CaSO{sub 3} {center_dot} 1/2 H{sub 2}O), calcium sulfate (CaSO{sub 4} {center_dot} 2H{sub 2}O), unreacted limestone (CaCO{sub 3}), and various other impurities such as fly-ash and iron oxide particles. The physical separation of the components of scrubber sludge would result in the re-use of this material. The primary use would be conversion to a highly pure synthetic gypsum. This technical report concentrates on the effect of baffle configuration on the separation of calcium sulfite/sulfate from limestone. The position of the baffles as they related to the feed inlet, and the quantity of the baffles were examined. A clean calcium sulfite/sulfate (less than 2.0% limestone by weight) was achieved with the combination of water-only cyclone and horizontally baffled column.

Annual report providing tabular statistical information about motor vehicle accidents that involved motorcycles in Texas during calendar year 1997, with data broken out by various criteria including number of persons, locations, types of accidents, time of day, and other factors.

Annual report providing tabular statistical information about motor vehicle accidents that directly or indirectly involved school buses in Texas during calendar year 1997, with data broken out by various criteria including number of persons, locations, types of accidents, time of day, and other factors.

This report evaluates the modification options for handling radiological liquid waste (RLW) generated during decontamination and cleanout of the 327 Building. The overall objective of the 327 Facility Stabilization Project is to establish a passively safe and environmentally secure configuration of the 327 Facility. The issue of handling of RLW from the 327 Facility (assuming the 34O Facility is not available to accept the RLW) has been conceptually examined in at least two earlier engineering studies (Parsons 1997a and Hobart l997). Each study identified a similar preferred alternative that included modifying the 327 Facility RLWS handling systems to provide a truck load-out station, either within the confines of the facility or exterior to the facility. The alternatives also maximized the use of existing piping, tanks, instrumentation, controls and other features to minimize costs and physical changes. An issue discussed in each study involved the anticipated volume of the RLW stream. Estimates ranged between 113,550 and 387,500 liters in the earlier studies. During the development of the 324/327 Building Stabilization/Deactivation Project Management Plan, the lower estimate of approximately 113,550 liters was confirmed and has been adopted as the baseline for the 327 Facility RLW stream. The goal of this engineering study …

Most of the phenomenological studies of supersymmetry have been carried out using the so-called minimal supergravity scenario, where one assumes a universal scalar mass, gaugino mass, and trilinear coupling at M{sub GUT}. Even though this is a useful simplifying assumption for phenomenological analyses, it is rather too restrictive to accommodate a large variety of phenomenological possibilities. It predicts, among other things, that the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) is an almost pure B-ino, and that the {mu}-parameter is larger than the masses of the SU(2){sub L} and U(1){sub Y} gauginos. We extend the minimal supergravity framework by introducing one extra parameter: the Fayet'Iliopoulos D-term for the hypercharge U(1), D{sub Y}. Allowing for this extra parameter, we find a much more diverse phenomenology, where the LSP is {tilde {nu}}{sub {tau}}, {tilde {tau}} or a neutralino with a large higgsino content. We discuss the relevance of the different possibilities to collider signatures. The same type of extension can be done to models with the gauge mediation of supersymmetry breaking. We argue that it is not wise to impose cosmological constraints on the parameter space.