From abstract: "Age determinations by the Larsen method are reported for the four Paleozoic plutonic series of New Hampshire."

A report about uranium on the Colorado Plateau which is related to coalified wood, crude oil, carbonaceous shale, and carbonaceous matter of unknown origin.

A digital computer program for calculating least-squares solutions and making analyses of variance of sets of overdetermined linear equations is described. The entire code is reproduced with sufficient description of the program to enable anyone familiar with the Electrodata Datatron Computer to use it for similar problems.

A theoretical and experimental investigation of the coefficient for diffusion of ions across a magnetic field Is described. The resultant diffusion coefficient is found to vary inversely as the square of the magnetic field strength, in accord with the usual collison-diffusion theory. The magnitude of the coefficient is much larger (x700) than the coefficient predicted by the usual ambipolar diffusion theory. This discrepancy is resolved by showing that diffusion across a magnetic field is not ambipolar in character in most arc experiments. The final experimental and theoretical values are in good agreement, and it is unecessary to postulate any additional diffusion mechanisms, such as plasma oscillations.

Report issued by the Bureau of Mines over investigations of coking coal reserves of Sequatchie County, Tennessee. Testing to determine suitability for producing metallurgical coke is also presented. This report includes tables, graphs, maps, illustrations, and photographs.

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.

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.

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.

The following report describes investigations of the geology and uranium-vanadium deposits of Monogram Mesa and adjacent areas in Paradox Valley and Bull Canyon.

A MO calculation of the electronic states of CH4, CH3, CH2, CH, and their respective ions provided the basis for the application of correlation rules to an analysis of the existing appearance potential data for methane. An interpretation of the methane mass spectrum has been proposed which is based on the high value of the heat of sublimation of carbon. It is shown that the excited electronic states of the molecule- and radical-ions are prominent in the decomposition reactions.

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."

The total amount of oxidation which occurs up to a given time when a metal is subjected to a continuously increasing temperature has been studied by Fasseli and coworkers. A constant rate of increase as well as the linear and parabolic oxidation laws were assumed. The present report extends the analysis to include to the cubic and logarithmic growth laws. The notation for the nth order exponential integral functions which is used here simplifies the equations and the calculations.

Report discussing a geological study to determine the trace element composition of the ore deposit of the Peanut Mine in Montrose County, Colorado.

Introduction: Thorium and rare-earth metals have come into strategic importance in this country in the last few years with the potential use of thorium in the production of atomic power and the development of new uses for the rare earths in the aircraft industry.

Report providing a bibliography and index map for thorium occurrences and rare-earth deposits throughout the United States. The introduction contains information on these deposits' uses, the industry surrounding these deposits and its problems, and ore deposits.

Two 500-kw fused-fluoride-to-Nak heat exchangers, two 500-kw NaK-to-air radiators, and a 20-tube high-velocity heat exchanger were fabricated for a heat-exchanger development program. A construction procedure, utilizing both inert-arc-welding and high temperature dry-hydrogen brazing, was used successfully on all of the units. The tube-to-header joints were welded and back-brazed; the manifold joints were inert-arc-welded with full penetration; and the tube-to-fin joints were brazed. A detailed description of the fabrication of each type of component is discussed and a cost analysis of the 500-kw units is presented.

Abstract: "Refinement of grain size of the base uranium-chromium eutectic alloy (uranium-5 w/o chromium) by ternary additions is discussed. Thirteen additions to the base alloy were investigated, and three additions were found to exhibit worthwhile grain-refinement tendencies. The three alloys, uranium-5 w/o chromium-0.2 w.o molybdenum, uranium-5 w/o chromium-0.2 w/o germanium, and uranium-5 w/o chromium-0.2 w/o niobium, were heat treated to produce final grain-size structures of between 0.015 and 0.033 mm."

The definition of the Lebesgue integral is used to develop a numerical integration method in which the integral is evaluated directly from a contour plot of the function. It is useful in working from weather maps, potential surfaces, etc., but was particularly designed to assist in reducing blast diffraction space-time diagrams to simple, meaningful quantities.

The primary objective of the tests described herein was to determine if the standard five bend connector (drawing H-1-23475) and/or the T. F. Robinson three bend connector (drawing SK-1-20855) fabricated from Type 304 stainless steel tubing would satisfy the requirements of the K reactors. Results of the tests show that the standard five bend connector made from Type 304 stainless steel 0.065 inch wall tubing, in the as bent condition, with either cadmium plated Parker brass nuts and sleeves or cadmium plated high carbon steel nuts and sleeves, is suitable for installation of the K reactors.

The following report focuses on an investigation made to determine if vacuum melting was an absolutely necessary step in the metallurgical process of melting and casting uranium.

This report constitutes the Quarterly Progress Report covering April-June 1955, for the Health Instruments Division research and development activities. Most of the studies described concern the biological fate, environmental transport of radioactive effluents, or development of instrumentation for radiation detection.

Methods for the determination of plutonium and uranium in highly radioactive scrup dissolver solutions have been developed. Plutonium was separated from the dissolver solutions by solvent-extraction and ion-exchange techniques and determined by potentiometric titration. Uranium was separated by ion exchange and determined by potentiometric titration. Solutions that were similar to the actual dissolver solutions and that contained known amounts of plutonium and uranium were analyzed by these methods. Evaluation of the data secured for the determination of plutonium and uranium by the methods given herein indicated that, within the limits of the precision of the methods, there was no bias. The precision of the data obtained for the determination of plutonium, expressed as the relative standard deviation, was better than 2% for plutonium in the concentration range of 0.27 to 0.64 mg/ml. The precision for uranium was estimated to be about 0.2% for uranium concentrations of 425 mg/ml. These methods and the data obtained by then are discussed in this report; the procedures are appended.

Part I. Experimental Reactors: The effect of prompt-neutron lifetime upon reactor safety was investigated for the HRT. It was found that for a given pressure rise the allowable rate of reactivity addition was relatively insensitive to the average prompt-neutron lifetime, although the rate de creased somewhat with decreasing lifetime for the higher pressure rises. With only source neutrons present and the reactor initially subcritical, the allowable rate was practically independent of the initial value of k£. For a core-pressure rise of 400 psi, the corresponding rate of reactivity addition was about 0.8% per second; for a pressure rise of 4000 psi, the rate was 2.5 to 3.0% per second. Part II. Thorium Breeder Reactor: An economic study of one-region thorium breeder reactors was completed. Where possible, the process characteristics and cost factors were the same as those used previously in studies of two-region-type reactors. The mini mum-cost reactor is about 12 ft in diameter, operating with 260 g of thorium per liter on a chemical processing cycle of about 450 days. The ratio of U232 to U233 produced is approximately 2 x 10~4 VIM in the minimum-cost one-region system, compared with 4 x 10 5 in the two-region system. The …

A new type of flexible hose connector consisting of a Teflon tube enclosed in a stainless steel wire braid sheath was proposed for use on 105-C rear face in late 1954. A test was initiated to determine the suitability of Teflon, and specifically Fluoroflex Teflon compound for rear face application. Probable useful life limit is estimated at 10⁶ R, which would be attained in about three years in contact with fresh effluent.