Abstract: "The possibility of fabricating a lightweight control rod from one of several high cross-section materials was investigated. The major effort was directed toward the development of a titanium-clad rod containing a composite core of 25 weight per cent Gd2O3 in a matrix of titanium. Experimentation on both subscale and full-scale control-rod cores showed that the fabricating behavior of the two was not analogous. To roll the full-scale core successfully, it was necessary to lower the oxide content to 17 weight per cent. Subscale investigations were also carried out on titanium-cadmium, titanium-lanthanum, and titanium-gadolinium alloys."

Abstract: "By a simple illustration it is pointed out that, conceivably, the real coupled character of the general magnetohydrodynamic equations may lead to much slower instability growth rates, if not stabilization, than predicted from the linearized set of equations."

From introduction: The purpose of this study was to compile information on and systematically assess uranium and other radioactive occurrences in the region.

From introduction: The objective of this survey is to develop a geochemical data base for use by the private sector to locate regions of anomalous uranium content. Prior to wide area coverage, several pilot studies are being undertaken to develop and evaluate sampling and analytical techniques. The first of these studies was conducted in the Walker River Basin.

The following report is a quarterly report by the Monsanto Chemical Company for liquid waste disposal research, covering the period between April 1 to June 30, 1949.

Abstract: "Available data on wind persistence and wind forecasting capability have been applied in estimating the probability of a fallout pattern shifting from an uninhabited safe sector into a populated region. Safety probability is computed from win variability, forecasting accuracy, initial height and particle size of radioactivity landing at a point in the predicted fallout pattern, predicted wind speed, length of forecast period, and safe-sector angular width."

Abstract: "Wind observations collected at Yucca Flat since 1951 are analyzed for timewise variability. Variability functions of altitude, season, wind speed, and vector wind are described. Derived variability parameters are incorporated into calculations of fallout safety probability for NTS operations."

From major objective: The over-all aim of the study has been to obtain a thorough geologic picture of the Chattanooga shale in the area under consideration, with emphasis upon stratigraphic relationships and associated special problems from which, in turn, implications may be obtained as to the origin and age of the formation and possibly the source of the uranium. The study has not been aimed primarily at exploration for uranium and its economic aspects.

Abstract: The data obtained from the radioassay of fish collected in vicinity of the Hanford Works between April, 1948 and June, 1950 are presented. Most of the radioactivity in the fish resulted from the concentration of p32 in the scales, bone, and certain visceral organs. The level of activity density in the fish was influenced by size, feeding habits and metabolic rate in addition to the activity density of the water. Changes in operation of nuclear reactors have resulted in progressive increases in activity densities of fish from one year to the next. The levels of radioactivity are not sufficiently high to be hazardous to either the fish or persons eating them.

The following report is a quarterly report conducted by the Monsanto Chemical Company for liquid waste disposal research, covering the period April through June, 1950. This report discusses experiments that were carried out with both neutralized second-cycle wastes and pure isotope which show that, in general, the presence of fluoride ion does not interfere with the removal of fission products from waste solutions.

A report discussing an airborne radiometric survey of the Lone Pine, California project.

Contemplated higher tube power for future reactor operation will probably require a fuel element jacketing material more corrosion resistant than presently available aluminum alloys. Zirconium and its alloys are generally regarded as the most promising jacketing candidates for high temperature operation, particularly for exposures of long duration. In order to obtain assembly, welding, and corrosion data, twenty Al-Si bonded and twenty unbonded Zircaloy fuel elements were prepared for KER loop testing. This report describes the technique developed to weld Zircaloy jacketed fuel elements and presents the results of end closure corrosion testing and metallographic examination.

A better understanding of the maximum operating characteristics that can be achieved with the use of UO2 as a reactor fuel is the primary purpose of this program for Euratom and the Atomic Energy Commission. During this program work will be undertaken in two areas that have been of concern to the reactor core designer for a long time, viz. fission gas release and central melting in fuel rods.

This document authorizes the performance in accordance with the specifications noted, the PRTR Critical Tests described herein. The experiments described have the following objectives:

From Abstract: "The Laboratory has made a survey of fallout operations in the various countries of the world. The source of information has largely been the reports submitted to UNSCEAR forwarding data for their consideration. The abstracts are given in order of type of operation as shown in the table of contents."

This development work was undertaken to investigate and standardize scintillation detector and transistorized circuitry techniques in instruments used for detecting and measuring alpha and beta particles, gamma photons, and both slow and fast neutrons. At the present time, the standard radiation detection instrumentation used at Hanford employ vacuum-tube circuitry with typical detectors being ion chambers, G-M tubes, HF3 tubes, etc. The vacuum tubes require excessive battery power, and some of the circuits are adversely affected by humidity and temperature conditions.

"For a central station reactor power plant of the sodium-graphite type, two designs have been investigated. The first operates as a converter using slightly enriched uranium fuel and produces 150 electrical megawatts. The second operates as a thermal breeder using a U233-Th alloy fuel and produces 300 electrical megawatts. Consideration has also been given to the problem associated with the design and operation of the Sodium Reactor Experiment. All work related to the plutonium plus power sodium-graphite pilot plant, which was undertaken at an earlier date, has been completed."

Various experimenters have shown (H.H. Gersman U.S. Patent 2,335,590, Nov. 30, 1943; Aluminum Co. of America, various technical papers; also CT-482) that when a billet is extruded by proper technique into a rod (or tube by a floating mandril) that flow of material is streamline and and the extruded article is essentially a space replica of the billet, with linearly distorted coordinates. Advantage is taken of this fact in the manufacture of alclad tubing in which a billet containing an inner core of one alloy with the outer part of another alloy cast around it is extruded together into an integral tube, e.g., to combine high corrosion resistance with high strength. The following experiments were carried out because of the desirability of obtaining a control rod which can be water cooled (or immersed in P9) and which contains boron. For some pile structures it may be desirable to have the major portion of the energy released by the neutron absorption of the control rod be spend in the rod itself by the nuclear reactions [formula] rather than in the surrounding media as is the case when absorption of neutrons is by cadmium according to the reaction [formula]. In the later …

At the Montreal colloquium Ahmed urged Oliver to make batches of emulsion which would differ only in gelatin concentration. At that meeting Oliver had reported finding a correlation between grain size and silver ion concentration during precipitation, as implied by Perfilov and his Leningrad colleagues. Ahmad felt that one should have more precise knowledge of the relative influence of gelatin concentration of grain sized and their distribution. The incentive is that, in spite of excellent progress in many laboratories and in consistently dependable production from industry (to us, of course, Ilford is most familiar), nuclear emulsions are needed in a wider variety of sensitivities and grain sizes. Available nuclear emulsions have limitations in sensitivity, discriminatory ability, and concentration of hydrogen nuclei. Fine grain size enhances discriminatory ability. An incentive is also in that there is a shortage of literature dealing with the processes involved in the fundamental steps of emulsion production.

A design study has been made of a graphite superheating reactor, a graphite moderated reactor with a heat rating of 305 Mw which produces superheated steam. It is designed for the production of plutonium and electrical power or for the production of electrical power only. The fuel elements for dual- purpose operation are U metal, while for single purpose action, they are uranium oxide. The fuel elements are cooled by a 7-pass system in which preheated water enters the bottom of the first pass and is discharged as superheated steam at the top of the seventh pass. The reactor control consists of shim control by the gas system, vertical gas-cooled control rods, vertical safety rods, and a ball safety system. Rough cost estimates indicate that the capital cost of the reactor should be comparable to other reactors of similar heat output.

Fillerwelding is a fusion welding process that provides for the automatic addition of controlled amounts of fillerwire during inert-gas-shielded tungsten-arc welding. Fillerwelding aluminum jacketed fuel elements has been successfully demonstrated and is being used on a routine basis. This manual was written to provide the necessary information to operate and maintain the fillerweld equipment.

In recent months, relatively large quantities of neptunium-237 have been recovered from Hanford irradiated uranium. The over-all recovery process consisted of 1) isolation from Purex plant solutions by solvent extraction, to yield an impure neptunium nitrate solution contaminated principally with uranium, plutonium, and fission products (2) purification by anion exchange 3) precipitation of neptunium (IV) oxalate; and 4) calcination of the oxalate to yield neptunium (IV) oxide, NpO2. This paper describes the oxalate precipitation process investigations and results.

Three groups of balloon flights carrying unshielded boron trifluoride counters were made from geomagnetic latitudes 10.1°N, 55.1°N, and 88.6°N. From the data obtained, curves of slow-neutron intensity versus atmospheric depth for depths less than 700 millibars are plotted. The mean absorption lengths for neutrons in the equilibrium portion of the atmosphere were found to be [formula]. The depths of the neutron intensity maxima were found to be [formula]. From these results and those of other investigators, the variation of the mean absorption coefficient and the depth of the neutron intensity maximum are plotted as functions of the geomagnetic latitude. A family of curves of neutron intensity versus atmospheric depth is drawn for geomagnetic latitudes at 10-degree intervals between 0° and 90°N, and from this the low-energy neutron capture per square centimeter per second by the N14(n,p) reaction in the atmosphere is calculated and plotted as a function of geomagnetic latitude. It is found that the observed neutron intensity varies by about 420% from 0° to 90°N. A value of 5.8×10(18) sec-1 is obtained for the total number of low-energy neutrons captured in the atmosphere.

"Expressions are found to relate DELTA gamma to the n-errors.'' It is demonstrated that the integral n-value concept'' is of no use in the present case. A modification of integrated n-value'' is suggested."