The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has an active interest in the synthesis of new polysiloxanes as base polymers for cellular silicone materials. These elastomers have properties uniquely suited to very specific engineering requirements. While the polymers which we have prepared via random equilibrium of various cyclic tetrasiloxanes have adequate properties for certain applications, there is evidence to suggest that alternating block polysiloxanes prepared via condensation-polymerization techniques have properties more suited to our end uses as flexible foam materials (cushions). The synthetic sequence developed to prepare these materials involves reactions of functionally terminated (silylamino and silanol) polysiloxane oligomers to produce alternating multiblock (ABAB...) materials of high molecular weight. Dialkylamines are condensation byproducts in this reaction. The analysis and characterization of these multiblock polymers is reported.

A measurement control (MC) program should be an integral part of every nondestructive assay measurement system used for the assay of special nuclear materials. This report describes an MC program for plutonium isotopic composition measurements using high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy. This MC program emphasizes the standardization of data collection procedures along with the implementation of internal and external measurement control checks to provide the requisite measurement quality assurance. This report also describes the implementation of the MC program in the isotopic analysis code GRPAUT. Recommendations are given concerning the importance and frequency of the various MC checks in order to ensure a successful implementation of the MC procedures for the user's application.

The process of longitudinal compression of a drifting heavy ion pulse to be used as an ICF driver is examined with the aid of particle simulation. Space charge forces play a vital role in halting compression before the final focus lens system is reached. This must take place with minimal growth of transverse emittance and momentum spread. Of particular concern is the distortion of longitudinal phase space by the rounded transverse profile of the longitudinal self-electric field.

The intent of the computer code GAMIDEN is to help identify isotopes by their gamma-ray emissions and thus to assist in the nondestructive assay of unknown materials. From both radioactive decays and neutron captures, GAMIDEN searches GAMTOT83, a file of gamma-ray spectra, for matches with observed photon energies. This report describes the search procedure, outlines the use of the code, and gives an example. The code is designed to operate on the CRAY 1 computer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). It is written in standard Fortran (ANSI) for the most part but contains some LRLTRAN instructions to make use of the Livermore time-sharing system (LTSS). The code uses about 545,000 words of memory. Typical problems run in about 45 s. The source program and the data file are available on request.

A major goal for commercial applications of fusion reactors is to minimize radioactive wastes and to dispose of them by near-surface burial. There currently are no regulations specifically applicable to fusion wastes but those in force for fission wastes furnish a framework for expected fusion regulations. This paper recommends that all nuclides with half-lives greater than five years be assigned concentration limits as done in 10CFR61 for fission wastes. The paper gives approximate limits for all the significant long half-life sources of gamma radiation in the currently known periodic table. In the absence of working fusion reactors, computer models must be used to estimate the expected actual concentrations of radioactive nuclides. These estimates are needed to guide design parameters to achieve minimum radioactivity in fusion reactors. It is believed that the computer models and nuclear reaction libraries must be much more comprehensive than ordinarily used today to do activation calculations.

This paper explores the impact of an HOL on the development of the distributed computer control system for Nova laser fusion facility. As the world's most powerful glass laser, Nova will generate 150 trillion watt pulses of infrared light focused onto fusion targets a few millimeters in diameter. It will perform experiments designed to explore the feasibility of fusion as an energy source of the future. Nova will utilize fifty microcomputers and four VAX-11/780's in a distributed process control computer system architecture.

This paper discusses the need for higher energy accelerators to probe the mysteries of the subatomic universe. Intermediate vector bosons are discussed as well as symmetry breaking and the standard model. (LSP)

Understanding of the behavior of oxide fuel and blanket pins during slow transients with ramps between 0.1 and 10%/s is of importance because of the higher likelihood of such operational transient events. Compared to faster transients for which a fair amount of knowledge exists through testing in TREAT, there is also some concern of whether the oxide pins are particularly vulnerable to slower transients. For these reasons, a cooperative program between the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the Japanese Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (PNC) was launched to conduct operational transient testing (OTT) on oxide pins in EBR-II. A total of eleven tests is included in this OTT program. The status of the five extended-overpower-transient tests on preirradiated EBR-II pins is the subject of this paper.

A new and potentially important method of producing large circuit boards has been developed at Fermilab. A Gerber Flat Bed Plotter with an active area of 5' x 16' has been fitted with a machining head to produce a circuit board without the use of photography or chemicals. The modifications of the Gerber Plotter do not impair its use as a photoplotter or pen plotter, the machining head is merely exchanged with the standard attachments. The modifications to the program are minimal; this will be described in another report. The machining head is fitted with an air bearing motorized spindle driven at a speed of 40,000 rpm to 90,000 rpm. The spindle also is provided with air bearings on its outside diameter, offering frictionless vertical travel guidance. Vertical travel of the spindle is driven by a spring return single acting air cylinder. An adjustable hydraulic damper slows the spindle travel near the end of its downward stroke. Two programmable stops control spindle down stroke position, and limit switches are provided for position feedback to the control system. A vacuum system collects chips at the cutter head. No lubrication or regular maintenance is required. The circuit board to be fabricated is …

We describe our in-beam superconducting conversion electron spectrometer and its use in a (t,p) proton-conversion electron coincidence mode. Several examples of completed and on-going investigations are presented. These include: E0 strength from the /sup 238/U fission isomer; electromagnetic properties of the J/sup ..pi../ = 6/sup +/ and 8/sup +/ states of /sup 210/Pb; single particle and cluster states of /sup 213/Fr; the J/sup ..pi../ = 21/2/sup +/ isomer in /sup 197/Au and /sup 199/Au; and the cluster states of /sup 199/Au. Results of the study of odd-odd deformed /sup 244/Am are presented. The latter results performed using neutron-capture gamma-ray and conversion electron techniques are compared to recent developments in the modeling of deformed odd-odd nuclei. 23 refs., 10 figs., 1 tab.