We discuss the physics of matter that is relevant to the structure of compact stars. This includes nuclear, neutron star matter and quark matter and phase transitions between them. Many aspects of neutron star structure and its dependance on a number of physical assumptions about nuclear matter properties and hyperon couplings are investigated. We also discuss the prospects for obtaining constraints on the equation of state from astrophysical sources. Neuron star masses although few are known at present, provide a very direct constraint in as much as the connection to the equation of state involves only the assumption that Einstein's general of theory of relativity is correct at the macroscopic scale. Supernovae simulations involve such a plethora of physical processes including those involved in the evolution of the precollapse configuration, not all of them known or understood, that they provide no constraint at the present time. Indeed the prompt explosion, from which a constraint had been thought to follow, is now believed not to be mechanism by which most, if any stars, explode. In any case the nuclear equation of state is but one of a multitude on uncertain factors, and possibly one of the least important. The rapid rotation …

A comparison was made of damage parameters for carbon, iron, and molybdenum irradiated in spectra for d-Li, spallation, and beam-plasma (d-t) neutron sources and a reference DEMO first wall spectrum. The transmutation results emphasize the need to define the neutron spectra at low energies; only the DEMO spectrum was so defined. The spallation spectra were also poorly defined at high neuron energies; they were too soft to produce the desired gas production rates. The treatments of neutron-induced displacement reactions were limited to below 20 MeV and transmutation reactions to below 50 MeV by the limited availability of calculational tools. Recommendations are given for further work to be performed under an international working group. 12 refs., 6 figs., 3 tabs.

Application of neural networks to monitoring and decision making in the operation of nuclear power plants is being investigated under a US Department of Energy sponsored program at the University of Tennessee. Projects include the feasibility of using neural networks for the following tasks: (1) diagnosing specific abnormal conditions or problems in nuclear power plants, (2) detection of the change of mode of operation of the plant, (3) validating signals coming from detectors, (4) review of ``noise`` data from TVA`s Sequoyah Nuclear Power Plant, and (5) examination of the NRC`s database of ``Letter Event Reports`` for correlation of sequences of events in the reported incidents. Each of these projects and its status are described briefly in this paper. This broad based program has as its objective the definition of the state-of-the-art in using neural networks to enhance the performance of commercial nuclear power plants.

In this paper, I shall attempt to review what has been learned about magnetism in the high-{Tc} family of compounds using neutron scattering techniques. Whether or not it is true that magnetic effects are involved in an essential way in the mechanism for superconductivity in these materials (a point which has not yet been firmly established), they offer fascinating examples for the study of magnetism for its own sake, being realizations of spin {1/2} 2D quantum antiferromagnets. Further, the rare earth spins in these materials also order at low temperatures reminiscent of the coexistence of antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in the earlier well-studied families of magnetic superconductors such as ErRh{sub 4}B{sub 4} and the Chevrel-phase compounds, with the difference that the ordering here is primarily 2D in character.

Helium ``ash`` accumulation is a key issue relative to our ability to achieve a steady-state ignited tokamak. 1-D transport simulations using the BALDUR code have been used to examine the correlation between the global helium particle confinement time and the edge exhaust (or recycling) efficiency. This provides a way to benchmark the widely used 0-D model. In this paper, burn conditions for an ITER-like plasma with various helium edge recycling coefficients are examined.

For the purpose of nonlinear control and uncertainty/imprecision handling, fuzzy controllers have recently reached acclaim and increasing commercial application. The fuzzy control algorithms often require a ``supervisory`` routine that provides necessary heuristics for interface, adaptation, mode selection and other implementation issues. Performance characteristics of an on-line fuzzy controller depend strictly on the ability of such supervisory routines to manipulate the fuzzy control algorithm and enhance its control capabilities. This paper describes an expert system driven fuzzy control design application to nuclear reactor control, for the automated start-up control of the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II. The methodology is verified through computer simulations using a valid nonlinear model. The necessary heuristic decisions are identified that are vitally important for the implemention of fuzzy control in the actual plant. An expert system structure incorporating the necessary supervisory routines is discussed. The discussion also includes the possibility of synthesizing the fuzzy, exact and combined reasoning to include both inexact concepts, uncertainty and fuzziness, within the same environment.

We have examined optical constants and predicted reflectivities of candidate surface coatings for whisper gallery mirrors in the extreme ultraviolet (100 {Angstrom} to 500 {Angstrom}). Previous work of Vinogradov and coworkers have identified the spectral regime near 100-150 {Angstrom} as particularly promising due to the high whisper gallery mirror reflectivities of the noble metals in the vicinity of their Cooper minima in this regime. We confirm this basic result using newer optical data, and we have sought surface materials which would extend the range over which the whisper gallery mirrors may be used: between 100 to 500 {Angstrom}. We find that substantial whisper gallery mirror reflectivities (near or greater than 50%) are predicted for a variety of elements, and that the TE peak reflection is larger than TM peak reflection by on the order of 10%. However, most of the elements which do reflect well have surfaces that are vulnerable to oxygen contamination, which seriously degrades mirror performance. A cryogenic mirror design using a dynamic solid rare gas surface which has the potential to defeat such surface contaminations is described: it has peak reflectivity of more than 50% centered near 280 {Angstrom}. 8 figs, 18 refs.

A brief summary is presented of the current status of jet studies in hadron-hadron collisions. The primary focus is on those issues that would benefit from comparisons of jet samples obtained from hadron-hadron collisions, from e{sup +}e{sup {minus}} annihilation events at LEP and from deep inelastic collisions at HERA. The important point is that, to perform this comparison properly, the jet various samples must be obtained using the same jet definition.

Microwave and intense electron beam excitation of copper vapor are being investigated to be used in copper vapor lasers for isotope separation. Both methods use copper chloride vapor by heating copper chloride. Helium was used as the buffer gas at 2 to 100 torr. In the microwave system, intense copperlines at 510 nm and 578 nm were observed. Initial electron beam results indicate that light emission follows the beam current.

Ash accumulation is a key issue relative to our ability to achieve D-{sup 3}He ARIES III burn conditions. 1-1/2-d transport simulations using the BALDUR code have been used to examine the correlation between the global ash particle confinement time and the edge exhaust (or recycling) efficiency. This provides a way to benchmark the widely used 0-D model. The burn conditions for an ARIES-III plasma with various ash edge recycling coefficients are examined.

This is a brief review of the progress in the understanding, during the past twenty years, of hadronic elastic scattering near the forward direction at high energies. On the basis of quantum gauge field theories, the Pomeron is found to be a branch cut above 1. Using the physical picture that this result implies, phenomenology for proton-proton and antiproton-proton elastic scattering is constructed. Two noteworthy features are that, at high energies, both the total cross section and the ratio of the integrated elastic cross section to the total cross section to the total cross section are increasing functions of the center-of-mass energy. Detailed predictions are given for the elastic differential cross sections, Coulomb interference and the ratios of the real to imaginary parts of the forward amplitudes. These predictions have been extensively and accurately confirmed by experiments, and have also been given both for future experiments on existing accelerators and for experiments on future accelerators. 14 refs., 2 figs.

The amorphous to crystalline transformations of Ge in Al/Ge thin film couples has been studied using glancing angle EXAFS, x-ray reflectivity and diffraction. It was found that crystallization occurs at a much lower temperature (118--150{degrees}C) than for bulk Ge, and initiates at the Al/Ge interface. X-ray diffraction studies were made at 152{degrees}C to study the kinetics of the reaction. After an initial period we find good agreement with a square root dependence of the time, characteristic of a diffusion limited reaction.

A commercial teleoperated wheeled vehicle was fitted with a modified commercial spray/vacuum decontamination system to allow floor and wall decontamination of an existing process room in one of the chemical separations areas at the Savannah River Site (SRS). Custom end-of-arm tooling was designed to provide sufficient compliance for routine cleaning operations. An operator console was designed to allow complete control of the vehicle base and are movements as well as viewing operations via multiple television monitors. 3 refs.

Rapid heating tensile tests from room temperature to above 1000{degree}C have been performed on specimens of solution-annealed Incoloy 903 charged with hydrogen and tritium. Absorbed hydrogen had very little effect on tensile properties. Internal helium from radioactive decay of absorbed tritium drastically decreased ductility above 700{degree}C.

Specialized miniature low cost video equipment has been effectively used in a number of remote, radioactive, and contaminated environments at the Savannah River Site (SRS). The equipment and related techniques have reduced the potential for personnel exposure to both radiation and physical hazards. The valuable process information thus provided would not have otherwise been available for use in improving the quality of operation at SRS.

High-level radioactive sludge at the Savannah River Site (SRS) will be processed at the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) into durable borosilicate glass wasteforms. The sludges are analyzed for elemental content before processing to ensure compatibility with the glass-making processes. Noble metal fission products in sludge, can under certain conditions, cause problems in the glass melter. Therefore, reliable noble metal determinations are important. The scheme used to measure noble metals in SRS sludges consists of dissolving sludge with hot aqua regia followed by determinations with inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and ICP-Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) techniques. ICP-MS is the preferred method for measuring trace levels of noble metals in SRS radioactive waste because of superior sensitivity. Analytical results are presented for the two major types of SRS sludge.

The Real Time Modeling Computer (RTMC) is a duplicate implementation of the software from the Savannah River Simulator on an independent hardware system. Such a ``cloned`` software tool allows a wide range of development and support activities to be undertaken independently of the training simulator complex. In addition to the expected simulator support function provided by the RTMC (e.g., deficiency corrections and development of model enhancements), the facility is also used for engineering analysis scoping studies and to drive an artificial intelligence research laboratory. An application anticipated for the future is its use as a test-bed for a major hardware upgrade of the simulator complex. Finally, the proprietorship of the RTMC by a laboratory group independent of the simulator organization, allows the site to leverage a wide range of technical skills and interests into a simulator support role.

Westinghouse Savannah River Company (WSRC) operates the Savannah River Site (SRS) for the Department of Energy (DOE). Waste from the processing of irradiated material is stored in large shielded tanks. Treated liquid wastes are to be transferred from these tanks to the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) for incorporation in glass suitable for storage in a federal repository. Characteristics of the wastes range from water-like liquid to highly viscous wastes containing suspended solids. Pumping head requirements for various conditions ranged from 10 meters (35 feet) to 168 meters (550 feet). A specially designed, cantilever type, remotely operated and maintained pump was designed and built to transfer the wastes. To demonstrate the design, a prototype pump was built and testing thoroughly with simulated waste. Severe vibration problems were overcome by proper drive shaft selection and careful control of the space between the pump shaft and fixed running clearances (sometimes called seals). Eleven pumps are now installed and six pumps have been successfully run in water service.

Lysimeters are large-scale, field experiments used at the Savannah River Site (SRS) to measure the effect of percolating rainfall on the release of contaminants from wasteforms. The saltstone lysimeters described are demonstrations of a disposal concept for a low-level radioactive waste resulting from the processing of high-level defense waste for vitrification. Results from the lysimeters confirm the efficacy of the slag formulation in retaining chromium and technetium. Lysimeter results were also useful in validating mathematical models used in predicting environmental effects of saltstone disposal in engineered vaults. 7 refs., 3 figs., 4 tabs.

This paper presents a concept for using high-temperature superconducting materials in thermoelectric generators (SCTE) to produce electricity at conversion efficiencies approaching 50% of the Carrot efficiency. The SCTE generator is applicable to systems operating in temperature ranges of high-temperature superconducting materials and thus would be a low-grade converter. Operating in cryogenic temperature ranges provides the advantage of inherently increasing the limits of the Carrot efficiency. Potential applications are for systems operating in space where the ambient temperatures are in the cryogenic temperature range. The advantage of using high-temperature superconducting material in a thermoelectric converter is that it would significantly reduce or eliminate the Joule heating losses in a thermoelectric element. This paper investigates the system aspects and the material requirements of the SCTE converter concept, and presents a conceptual design and an application for a space power system.

Iodide-impregnated activated carbon that had been in use for up to 30 months was studied to characterize those factors that affect its interaction with and retention of methyl iodide. Humidity and competing organic sorbents were observed to decrease the residence time of the methyl iodide on the carbon bed. Additionally, changes in the effective surface area and the loss of iodide from the surface are both important in determining the effectiveness of the carbon for retaining radioactive iodine from methyl iodide. A simple model incorporating both factors gave a fairly good fit to the experimental data.

The radioactive waste glass melter used at Savannah River Site (SRS) is a liquid slurry feed joule-heated ceramic melter. The physical nature of a joule-heated meter is complex and involves interactions between electric, thermal, and flow fields. These interactions take place through strongly temperature-dependent glass properties, natural convection, advection, diffusion, and volumetrically distributed joule heating sources. The cold feed on top of heated glass distabilizes the flow field and develops unsteady asymmetric flow motions underneath. Thus waste glass modeling requires solving a full 3-D, unsteady, momentum, energy, and electric equation with temperature-dependent properties. Simulation of noble metal deposit process requires an additional mass diffusion equation that is coupled to the momentum equation through mass advection term. The objective of this paper is to identify critical issues anticipated in the Defense Waste Process Facility (DWPF) melter operation and address how these issues can be resolved with current state-of-the-art mathematical modeling techniques.

Experiments in the high level cells at WSRC have established that PuO{sub 2} has an extremely high absorption factor the microwaves: temperatures in excess of 1000{degrees}C were reached in less than 5 minutes with a multi mode, 2450 MHz, 600 watt, microwave oven. In other microwave heating experiments: stoichiometric compositions of PuO{sub 2}-UO{sub 2} were prepared and U{sub 3}O{sub 8} was reduced to U{sub 4}O{sub g}.

The Savannah River Site has generated 77 million gallons of high level radioactive waste since the early 1950`s. By 1987, evaporation had reduced the concentration of the waste inventory to 35 million gallons. Currently, the wastes reside in large underground tanks as a soluble fraction stored, crystallized salts, and an insoluble fraction, sludge, which consists of hydrated transition metal oxides. The bulk of the radionuclides, 67 percent, are in the sludge while the crystallized salts and supernate are composed of the nitrates, nitrites, sulfates and hydroxides of sodium, potassium, and cesium. The principal radionuclide in the soluble waste is {sup 137}Cs with traces of {sup 90}Sr. The transformation of the high level wastes into a borosilicate glass suitable for permanent disposal is the goal of the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). To minimize the volume of glass produced, the soluble fraction of the waste is treated with sodium tetraphenylborate and sodium titanate in the waste tanks to precipitate the radioactive cesium ion and absorb the radioactive strontium ion. The precipitate is washed in the waste tanks and is then pumped to the DWPF. The precipitate, as received, is incompatible with the vitrification process because of the high aromatic carbon content …