Spatial channel theory, initially introduced in 1977 by M. L. Williams and colleagues at ORNL, is a powerful tool for shield design optimization. It focuses on so called ''contributon'' flux and current of particles (a fraction of the total of neutrons, photons, etc.) which contribute directly or through their progeny to a pre-specified response, such as a detector reading, dose rate, reaction rate, etc., at certain locations of interest. Particles that do not contribute directly or indirectly to the pre-specified response, such as particles that are absorbed or leak out, are ignored. Contributon fluxes and currents are computed based on combined forward and adjoint transport solutions. The initial concepts were considerably improved by Abu-Shumays, Selva, and Shure by introducing steam functions and response flow functions. Plots of such functions provide both qualitative and quantitative information on dominant particle flow paths and identify locations within a shield configuration that are important in contributing to the response of interest. Previous work was restricted to two dimensional (2-D) x-y rectangular and r-z cylindrical geometries. This paper generalizes previous work to three-dimensional x-y-z geometry, since it is now practical to solve realistic 3-D problems with multidimensional transport programs. As in previous work, new analytic …

Simulating the behavior of geologic materials under impact loading conditions requires the use of a constitutive model that includes the effects of bulking, yielding, damage, porous compaction and loading rate on the material response. This paper describes the development, implementation and calibration of a thermodynamically consistent constitutive model that incorporates these features. The paper also describes a computational study in which the model was used to perform numerical simulations of PILE DRIVER, a deeply-buried underground nuclear explosion detonated in granite at the Nevada Test Site. Particle velocity histories, peak velocity and peak displacement as a function of slant range obtained from the code simulations compare favorably with PILE DRIVER data. The simulated attenuation of peak velocity and peak displacement also agrees with the results from several other spherical wave experiments in granite.

We investigated ZnO(0001) single crystals annealed in high vacuum with respect to their magnetic properties and cluster formation tendency after implant-doping with Fe. While metallic Fe cluster formation is suppressed, no evidence for the relevance of the Fe magnetic moment to the observed ferromagnetism was found. The latter along with the cluster suppression is discussed with respect to defects in the ZnO host matrix, since the crystalline quality of the substrates was lowered due to the preparation as observed by x-ray diffraction.

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is a 192 beam Nd-glass laser facility presently under construction at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for performing inertial confinement fusion (ICF) and experiments studying high energy density (HED) science. When completed in 2009, NIF will be able to produce 1.8 MJ, 500 TW of ultraviolet light for target experiments that will create conditions of extreme temperatures (>10{sup 8} K), pressures (10-GBar) and matter densities (> 100 g/cm{sup 3}). A detailed program called the National Ignition Campaign (NIC) has been developed to enable ignition experiments in 2010, with the goal of producing fusion ignition and burn of a deuterium-tritium (DT) fuel mixture in millimeter-scale target capsules. The first of the target experiments leading up to these ignition shots will begin in 2008. Targets for the National Ignition Campaign are both complex and precise, and are extraordinarily demanding in materials fabrication, machining, assembly, cryogenics and characterization. An overview of the campaign for ignition will be presented, along with technologies for target fabrication, assembly and metrology and advances in growth and x-ray imaging of DT ice layers. The sum of these efforts represents a quantum leap in target precision, characterization, manufacturing rate and flexibility over current state-of-the-art.

The Gamma-ray Large Area Space telescope (GLAST) is a gamma-ray satellite scheduled for launch in 2008. Before the assembly of the Tracker subsystem of the Large Area Telescope (LAT) science instrument of GLAST, every component (tray) and module (tower) has been subjected to extensive ground testing required to ensure successful launch and on-orbit operation. This paper describes the sequence and results of the environmental tests performed on an engineering model and all the flight hardware of the GLAST LAT Tracker. Environmental tests include vibration testing, thermal cycles and thermal-vacuum cycles of every tray and tower as well as the verification of their electrical performance.

The chances of discovering the Standard Model Higgs boson in Run 2 at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider are discussed. The reach of a search for MSSM Higgs boson and for other Susy particles is also mentioned. The large integrated luminosity potentially offered by the upgraded Tevatron in the years before the start of LHC will make an exciting physics program possible in the next several years. Let aside the luminosity, we can rely now on two much more powerful detectors than in run 1. This is a very real point of strength of the run 2 Tevatron program. The progress of the Tevatron from spring this year has been slow but steady. From this, there is no reason for being pessimistic, but admittedly no particular reason for being optimistic as well. CDF will be able to produce physics quality data early in 2002. After that, data will flow for years and years. We expect to be able to publish the first papers based on the new data in fall 2002.

We give a representation of the parity-even part of the planar two-loop six-gluon MHV amplitude of N = 4 super-Yang-Mills theory, in terms of loop-momentum integrals with simple dual conformal properties. We evaluate the integrals numerically in order to test directly the ABDK/BDS all-loop ansatz for planar MHV amplitudes. We find that the ansatz requires an additive remainder function, in accord with previous indications from strong-coupling and Regge limits. The planar six-gluon amplitude can also be compared with the hexagonal Wilson loop computed by Drummond, Henn, Korchemsky and Sokatchev in arXiv:0803.1466 [hep-th]. After accounting for differing singularities and other constants independent of the kinematics, we find that the Wilson loop and MHV-amplitude remainders are identical, to within our numerical precision. This result provides non-trivial confirmation of a proposed n-point equivalence between Wilson loops and planar MHV amplitudes, and suggests that an additional mechanism besides dual conformal symmetry fixes their form at six points and beyond.

Article discussing a fluctuating environment as a source of periodic modulation.

We report Stark shift measurements for 121Sb donor electronspins in silicon using pulsed electron spin resonance. Interdigitatedmetal gates on top of a Sb-implanted 28Si epi-layer are used to applyelectric fields. Two Stark effects are resolved: a decrease of thehyperfine coupling between electron and nuclear spins of the donor and adecrease in electron Zeeman g-factor. The hyperfine term prevails atX-band magnetic fields of 0.35T, while the g-factor term is expected todominate at higher magnetic fields. A significant linear Stark effect isalso resolved presumably arising from strain.

We investigate computationally two recent mathematical findings involving unusual behavior of solutions of the Young-Laplace capillary equation in cylindrical tubes of particular sections. The first concerns a configuration for which smoothing of the boundary curve at a sharp corner leads from existence to non-existence of a solution over the container section in zero gravity. The second describes a discontinuous behavior of relative rise height in nesting tubes placed vertically in an infinite reservoir. The numerical results support and quantify the mathematical predictions.

This paper presents the current status of the development of the Lead-cooled Fast Reactor (LFR) in support of Generation IV (GEN IV) Nuclear Energy Systems. The approach being taken by the GIF plan is to address the research priorities of each member state in developing an integrated and coordinated research program to achieve common objectives, while avoiding duplication of effort. The integrated plan being prepared by the LFR Provisional System Steering Committee of the GIF, known as the LFR System research Plan (SRP) recognizes two principal technology tracks for pursuit of LFR technology: (1) a small, transportable system of 10-100 MWe size that features a very long refueling interval, (2) a larger-sized system rated at about 600 MWe, intended for central station power generation and waste transmutation. This paper, in particular, describes the ongoing activities to develop the Small Secure Transportable Autonomous Reactor (SSTAR) and the European Lead-cooled SYstem (ELSY), the two research initiatives closely aligned with the overall tracks of the SRP and outlines the Proliferation-resistant Environment-friendly Accident-tolerant Continual & Economical Reactors (PEACER) conceived with particular focus on burning/transmuting of long-living TRU waste and fission fragments of concern, such as Tc and I. The current reference design for the …

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We present a proposal for lowering the overhead of interface contract checking for science and engineering applications. Run-time enforcement of assertions is a well-known technique for improving the quality of software; however, the performance penalty is often too high for their retention during deployment, especially for long-running applications that depend upon iterative operations. With an efficient adaptive approach the benefits of run-time checking can continue to accrue with minimal overhead. Examples from scientific software interfaces being developed in the high performance computing research community will be used to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of this approach.

Ir-0.3%W alloys doped with thorium are currently used as post-impact containment material for radioactive fuel in thermoelectric generators that provide stable electrical power for a variety of outer planetary space exploration missions. Welding and weldability of a series of alloys was investigated using arc and laser welding processes. Some of these alloys are prone to severe hot-cracking during welding. Weldability of these alloys was characterized using Sigmajig weldability test. Hot-cracking is influenced to a great extent by the fusion zone microstructure and composition. Thorium content and welding atmosphere were found to be very critical. The weld cracking behavior in these alloys can be controlled by modifying the fusion zone microstructure. Fusion zone microstructure was found to be controlled by welding process, process parameters, and the weld pool shape.

A four-cylinder 1.9 Volkswagen TDI Engine has been converted to run in Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) mode. The stock configuration is a turbocharged direct injection Diesel engine. The combustion chamber has been modified by discarding the in-cylinder Diesel fuel injectors and replacing them with blank inserts (which contain pressure transducers). The stock pistons contain a reentrant bowl and have been retained for the tests reported here. The intake and exhaust manifolds have also been retained, but the turbocharger has been removed. A heater has been installed upstream of the intake manifold and fuel is added just downstream of this heater. The performance of this engine in naturally aspirated HCCI operation, subject to variable intake temperature and fuel flow rate, has been studied. The engine has been run with propane fuel at a constant speed of 1800 rpm. This work is intended to characterize the HCCI operation of the engine in this configuration that has been minimally modified from the base Diesel engine. The performance (BMEP, IMEP, efficiency, etc) and emissions (THC, CO, NOx) of the engine are presented, as are combustion process results based on heat release analysis of the pressure traces from each cylinder.

Citric acid forms bidentate, tridentate, binuclear or polynuclear species with transition metals and actinides. Biodegradation of metal citrate complexes is influenced by the type of complex formed with metal ions. While bidentate complexes are readily biodegraded, tridentate, binuclear and polynuclear species are recalcitrant. Likewise certain transition metals and actinides are photochemically active in the presence of organic acids. Although the uranyl citrate complex is not biodegraded, in the presence of visible light it undergoes photochemical oxidation/reduction reactions which result in the precipitation of uranium as UO{sub 3} {center_dot} H{sub 2}O. Consequently, we developed a process where uranium is extracted from contaminated soils and wastes by citric acid. The citric-acid extract is subjected to biodegradation to recover the toxic metals, whereas uranyl citrate which is recalcitrant remains in solution. Photochemical degradation of the uranium citrate complex resulted in the precipitation of uranium. Thus the toxic metals and uranium in mixed waste are recovered in separate fractions for recycling or for disposal. The use of naturally-occurring compounds and the combined chemical and microbiological treatment process is more efficient than present methods and should result in considerable savings in cost.

The frictional behavior of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films varies with environmental condition. One theory asserts that the cause of variations in the frictional performance is environmental contaminants adsorbing onto the DLC film surface. Testing of the frictional performance of DLC films in a pin-on-disk contact has mapped the transient behavior of the friction coefficient. A model for fractional coverage, based on the adsorption of environmental contaminants and their removal through the pin contact, is developed. The rate of adsorption is taken from Langmuir's model [1], which is combined with the removal rate from Blanchet and Sawyer [2]. The coefficient of friction is based on the average fractional coverage under the pin contact. The model also gives a closed-form expression for the steady-state fractional coverage. Model calculations compared favorably to the time progression of the friction coefficient for a series of earlier experiments on a superlow friction DLC coating [3], when the fractional removal term was allowed to increase with increasing sliding speed.

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Hydrogen is the lightest element. At ambient conditions on a volume basis it stores the least amount of energy compared to other fuel carriers such as natural gas and gasoline. For hydrogen to become a practical fuel carrier, a way must be found to increase its volumetric energy density to a practical level. Present techniques being developed include compressed gas, cryogenic liquid and absorbed solid. Each of these techniques has its advantages and disadvantages. And none of them appears to be satisfactory for use in a hydrogen economy. In the interim all of them are used for demonstration purposes. Metal hydrides store hydrogen in a solid form under moderate temperature and pressure that gives them a safety advantage. They require the least amount of energy to operate. Their stored hydrogen density is nearing that of liquid hydrogen. But they are heavy and the weight is their main disadvantage. Current usable metal hydrides can hold no more than about 1.8 percent hydrogen by weight. However much effort is underway to find lighter materials. These include other solid materials other than the traditional metal hydrides. Their operation is expected to be similar to that of metal hydride and can use the technology …

Ongoing endurance testing of Ru-capped multilayer mirrors (MLMs) at the NIST synchrotron facility has revealed that the damage resulting from EUV irradiation does not always depend on the exposure conditions in an intuitive way. Previous exposures of Ru-capped MLMs to EUV radiation in the presence of water vapor demonstrated that the mirror damage rate actually decreases with increasing water pressure. We will present results of recent exposures showing that the reduction in damage for partial pressures of water up to 5 x 10{sup -6} Torr is not the result of a spatially uniform decrease in damage across the Gaussian intensity distribution of the incident EUV beam. Instead we observe a drop in the damage rate in the center of the exposure spot where the intensity is greatest, while the reflectivity loss in the wings of the intensity distribution appears to be independent of water partial pressure. (See Fig. 1.) We will discuss how the overall damage rate and spatial profile can be influenced by admixtures of carbon-containing species (e.g., CO, CO{sub 2}, C{sub 6}H{sub 6}) at partial pressures one-to-two orders of magnitude lower than the water vapor partial pressure. An investigation is underway to find the cause of the non-Gaussian …

Ultra supercritical (USC) power plants offer the promise of higher efficiencies and lower emissions. Current goals of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Power Systems Initiatives include coal generation at 60% efficiency, which would require steam temperatures of up to 760°C. This research examines the steamside oxidation of alloys for use in USC systems, with emphasis placed on applications in high- and intermediate-pressure turbines.

Much evidence has been presented in favor of and against the existence of two distinct populations of quasars, radio-loud and radio-quiet. The SDSS differs from earlier optically selected quasar surveys in the large number of quasars and the targeting of FIRST radio source counterparts as quasar candidates. This allows a qualitatively different approach of constructing a series of samples at different redshifts which are volume-limited with respect to both radio and optical luminosity. This technique avoids any biases from the strong evolution of quasar counts with redshift and potential redshift-dependent selection effects. We find that optical and radio luminosities of quasars detected in both SDSS and FIRST are not well correlated within each redshift shell, although the fraction of radio detections among optically selected quasars remains roughly constant at 10% for z {le} 3.2. The distribution in the luminosity-luminosity plane does not appear to be strongly bimodal. The optical luminosity function is marginally flatter at higher radio luminosities.

The targets used in the campaign to achieve fusion ignition at the National Ignition Facility (NIF), the world's largest laser, will be some of the most complex and precise ever built. Key to the success of the campaign is repeatable performance of the targets as components of each experiment. We have developed a target design that will achieve the necessary precision and manufacturability, and will also provide the necessary repeatability while retaining experimental flexibility.