This is the final report for the DOE-sponsored experimental particle physics program at Virginia Tech to study the properties of the Standard Model of strong and electroweak interactions. This contract (DE-AS05-80ER10713) covers the period from August 1, 1980 to January 31, 1993. Task B of this contract, headed by Professor Alexander Abashian, is described in this final report. This program has been pursued on many fronts by the researchers-in a search for axions at SLAC, in electron-positron collisions in the AMY experiment at the TRISTAN collider in Japan, in measurements of muon decay properties in the MEGA and RHO experiments at the LAMPF accelerator, in a detailed analysis of scattering effects in the purported observation of a 17 keV neutrino at Oxford, in a search for a disoriented chiral condensate with the MiniMax experiment at Fermilab, and in an R&D program on resistive plate counters that could find use in low-cost high-quality charged particle detection at low rates.

This is the final report for the DOE-sponsored experimental particle physics program at Virginia Tech to study the properties of the Standard Model of strong and electroweak interactions. This contract (DE-AS05-80ER10713) covers the period from August 1, 1980 to January 31, 1993. Task B of this contract, headed by Professor Alexander Abashian, is described in this final report. This program has been pursued on many fronts by the researchers in a search for axions at SLAC, in electron-positron collisions in the AMY experiment at the TRISTAN collider in Japan, in measurements of muon decay properties in the MEGA and RHO experiments at the LAMPF accelerator, in a detailed analysis of scattering effects in the purported observation of a 17 keV neutrino at Oxford, in a search for a disoriented chiral condensate with the MiniMax experiment at Fermilab, and in an R&D program on resistive plate counters that could find use in low-cost high-quality charged particle detection at low rates.

In spite of the significant amount of work already reported in the scientific literature, many aspects of the origin of Banded Iron Formations (BIF) remain enigmatic. The authors demonstrate that mineralogic microbanding in BIF is accompanied by autocorrelated isotopic microbanding of organic carbon and carbonate carbon and oxygen. They propose that these isotopic patterns formed as a result of episodic mixing of waters in the depositional environment of BIF.

This document is the report of a workshop held under NSET auspices in March 2004 aimed at identifying and articulating the relationship of nanoscale science and technology to the Nation's energy future.

Production Test IP-272-A-FP authorizes the installation of up to 100 smooth bore Zircaloy-2 process tubes in C Reactor to demonstrate the feasibility of self-supported fuel elements for production use. An additional 200 zirconium tubes are expected to be delivered by mid-year and con be used to expand the initial demonstration facility. It is the purpose of this document to assess the status of the pilot demonstration program from the B-C Reactor Operation viewpoint.

The objective of this study was to make a more refined evaluation of the Anderson Quin Cycle based on most recent information on the performance of various elements that will be used in the Anderson Quin Cycle. My original estimate of the work plan for evaluating and optimizing the Anderson Quin Cycle called for 7000 man hours of work. Since this grant was limited to 2150 man hours, we could not expect to achieve all the objectives within the allotted period of work. However, the most relevant program objectives have been completed as reported here. The analysis generally confirms the results originally estimated in my paper on the subject. (Ref. 2) Further optimizations should show even higher efficiencies. The Anderson Quin Cycle (US Patent applied for) basically consists of 5 elements in the power cycle: A refrigeration system to cool and clean the inlet air before it enters the compressor that supplies air for the gas turbine; a gas turbine consisting of a compressor, combustor, and turbine; a steam boiler and steam turbine system using the heat from the exhaust gas out of the gas turbine; a vapor turbine cycle, which utilizes the condensed heat from the exhaust of the …

This report presents basic background information on the collapse of the Enron Corporation, identifying public policy issues in financial market oversight. This report briefly summarizes some federal laws carrying criminal penalties which may be implicated in the events surrounding the collapse of the Enron Corp. This report compares the auditing and accounting reform measures passed by the House (H.R. 3763) and reported by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. This report compares the major provisions of three auditor and accounting reform proposals: H.R. 3763, S. 2673, and a rule proposed on June 20, 2002, by the SEC that would create a new auditor oversight board by using the SEC’s existing authority to regulate corporate accounting. The report focuses on Section 404(a) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the federal statute that regulates employer-sponsored pension plans. Section 404(a) is considered the “touchstone for understanding the scope and object of an ERISA fiduciary’s duties.”

The objective of this study was to make a more refined evaluation of the Anderson Quin Cycle based on most recent information on the performance of various elements that will be used in the Anderson Quin Cycle. My original estimate of the work plan for evaluating and optimizing the Anderson Quin Cycle called for 7000 man hours of work. Since this grant was limited to 2150 man hours, we could not expect to achieve all the objectives within the allotted period of work. However, the most relevant program objectives have been completed as reported here. The analysis generally confirms the results originally estimated in my paper on the subject. (Ref. 2) Further optimizations should show even higher efficiencies. The Anderson Quin Cycle (US Patent applied for) basically consists of 5 elements in the power cycle: A refrigeration system to cool and clean the inlet air before it enters the compressor that supplies air for the gas turbine; a gas turbine consisting of a compressor, combustor, and turbine; a steam boiler and steam turbine system using the heat from the exhaust gas out of the gas turbine; a vapor turbine cycle, which utilizes the condensed heat from the exhaust of the …

The fifteen years of DOE support have encompassed two different projects, electron-transfer reactions of metal carbonyl anions and water-soluble organometallic complexes. Each of these is related to homogeneous catalysis and will be described in separate sections. Electron Transfer--Twenty-one manuscripts resulted from our studies of electron-transfer reactions of metal carbonyl anions and acknowledge DOE support. Construction of an infrared stopped-flow system allowed us to measure rates of reactions for the extremely air-sensitive metal carbonyl anions. As for carbanions, both one-electron and two-electron processes occur for metal carbonyl anions. The most unexpected feature was examples of a very rapid two-electron process, followed by a much slower one-electron back transfer. The two-electron processes were accompanied by transfer of a ligand between two metals, M-X + M{prime}{sup -} {yields} M{sup -} + M{prime}-X with X groups of CO{sup 2}, H{sup +}, CH{sub 3}{sup +} and Br{sup +}. These transfers, which can be considered nucleophilic displacements, occurred when M{prime}{sup -} was more nucleophilic than M{sup -}. The 21 published manuscripts explore one- and two-electron processes for many such organometallic complexes. Water-Soluble Organometallic Complexes--The potential of water-soluble organometallic complexes in ''green chemistry'' intrigued us. Sixteen manuscripts acknowledging DOE support have appeared thus far in this field. …

The objectives of the confirmatory surveys were to provide independent contractor field data reviews and to generate independent radiological data for use by the NRC in evaluating the adequacy and accuracy of the licensee’s procedures and survey results.

This report outlines legal issues around permit drilling for oil and gas in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), Alaska as background for congressional legislation. Updated March 18, 2023.

A developmental program was conducted to provide and in-pile loop facility for use in evaluating gas-cooledreactor fuel asubassemblies. The program included the design, construction, and installation of a recirculating gas loop which is located in a 6 by 6-in. facility in the aluminum reflector of the ETR. The loop system was designed to recirculate the primary nitrogen coolant at flow rates up to 0.9 lb per sec and pressures up to 200 psia. It will accept fuel subassmeblies up to 36 in. in length and 2.26 ia. in diameter with specimen power generation up to 150 kw. The maximum coolant temperature at the specimen outlet is set at 1500 deg F. The loop system includes the in-reactor section, the machinery, the control system, and the specimen-handling apparatus. Salient features of the re-ertrant system include an aluminum pressure wall in the in-reactor section, static gas insulation between the reactor coolant and the circulating loop gas, and a controllable rate of heat exchange between the specimen inlet- and specimen outlet-gas channels in sections of concentric countedlow piping. The three blowers in the system feature grease-lubricated bearings and water cooling. The complete system was tested out of pile and is now installed in …

This report discusses recent developments and funding for the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle program.

This report offers an overview of energy markets, supplies and prices. It also provides figures regarding the energy consumption in United States since 1950s.

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This report provides an overview of recent political developments in Colombia. It reviews the administration of President Uribe (2002-2010), continuing into the election of President Juan Manuel Santos and his first months in office. The report then provides background on the longstanding conflict with internal armed groups that has marked Colombia’s modern development, examining the roots of the conflict and its major actors as well as their present status. The report considers ongoing challenges such as human rights, demobilization and displacement, drug trends, and Colombia’s regional relations. It outlines the National Consolidation Plan which updates Plan Colombia with a whole-of-government approach to eliminate the insurgency, and it describes the U.S.-Colombia Defense Cooperation Agreement. The report raises some of the major policy issues that the U.S. Congress has had, and will continue to pursue, in relation to U.S.-Colombia policy, such as the pending U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement.

The accompanying report, manual and assimilated data represent the initial preparation for submission of an Application for Primacy under the Class II Underground Injection Control (UIC) program on behalf of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The purpose of this study was to identify deficiencies in Kentucky law and regulation that would prevent the Kentucky Division of Oil and Gas from receiving approval of primacy of the UIC program, currently under control of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Atlanta, Georgia.

This report summarizes the activities of the INRA Water Research Consortium (IWRC) for the period beginning September 15, 2005 and ending December 16, 2010. This report compares accomplishments to project objectives, documents the activities associated with this project, and lists products developed during the course of the project. The Water Resources Research Needs Assessment team received funding from the Inland Northwest Research Alliance Water Resources Steering Committee to facilitate a structured needs assessment process that could provide a basis for future targeted research efforts to improve regional water resources management in the Inland Northwest region. The original INRA proposal specifically mentions the need to conduct a detailed assessment of the information and research needs of policy makers and water user groups during a period of increasing competition for scarce water supplies. A particular focus of this assessment would be to understand what types of research might facilitate water resource management during periods of drought. The specific goals of the Needs Assessment project were to: (1) Quickly ascertain the perceptions of diverse stakeholders in this region; (2) Condense this complex information into a format that can be shared with the INRA scientific panel, and (3) Develop of a realistic set of …

This report focuses on mass shootings and selected implications they have for federal policy in the areas of public health and safety. While such crimes most directly impact particular citizens in very specific communities, addressing these violent episodes involves officials at all levels of government and professionals from numerous disciplines.

This report talks about Aerospace Nuclear Safety.

This report discusses the recent unrest in Libya, triggered by political change in neighboring Tunisia and Egypt, as well as related U.S. policy.

This report provides background information regarding the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), its structure, funding, budget, effectiveness, and reform.

We compare nominal efficiencies, i.e. variances in power shapes for equal running time, of different versions of the Monte Carlo eigenvalue computation, as applied to criticality safety analysis calculations. The two main methods considered here are ''conventional'' Monte Carlo and the superhistory method, and both are used in criticality safety codes. Within each of these major methods, different variants are available for the main steps of the basic Monte Carlo algorithm. Thus, for example, different treatments of the fission process may vary in the extent to which they follow, in analog fashion, the details of real-world fission, or may vary in details of the methods by which they choose next-generation source sites. In general the same options are available in both the superhistory method and conventional Monte Carlo, but there seems not to have been much examination of the special properties of the two major methods and their minor variants. We find, first, that the superhistory method is just as efficient as conventional Monte Carlo and, secondly, that use of different variants of the basic algorithms may, in special cases, have a surprisingly large effect on Monte Carlo computational efficiency.

The RIKEN BNL Research Center workshop on ''Hadron Structure from Lattice QCD'' was held at BNL during March 11-15, 2002. Hadron structure has been the subject of many theoretical and experimental investigations, with significant success in understanding the building blocks of matter. The nonperturbative nature of QCD, however, has always been an obstacle to deepening our understanding of hadronic physics. Lattice QCD provides the tool to overcome these difficulties and hence a link can be established between the fundamental theory of QCD and hadron phenomenology. Due to the steady progress in improving lattice calculations over the years, comparison with experimentally measured hadronic quantities has become important. In this respect the workshop was especially timely. By providing an opportunity for experts from the lattice and hadron structure communities to present their latest results, the workshop enhanced the exchange of knowledge and ideas. With a total of 32 registered participants and 26 talks, the interest of a growing community is clearly exemplified. At the workshop Schierholz and Negele presented the current status of lattice computations of hadron structure. Substantial progress has been made during recent years now that the quenched results are well under control and the first dynamical results have appeared. …