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The local atomic environment and vibrational properties of atoms in monoclinic pure {alpha}-plutonium as well as orthorhombic pure {alpha}-uranium and its low-temperature charge-density-wave (CDW) modulation are examined by extended x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS). Pu L{sub III}-edge and U L{sub III}-edge EXAFS data measured at low temperatures verify the crystal structures of {alpha}-U and {alpha}-Pu samples previously determined by x-ray diffraction and neutron scattering. Debye-Waller factors from temperature-dependent EXAFS measurements are fit with a correlated Debye model. The observed Pu-Pu bond correlated Debye temperature of {theta}{sub cD}({alpha}-Pu) = 162 {+-} 5 K for the pure {alpha}-Pu phase agrees with our previous measurement of the correlated Debye temperature of the gallium-containing {alpha}'-Pu phase in a mixed phase 1.9 at% Ga-doped {alpha}'-Pu/{delta}-Pu alloy. The temperature dependence of the U-U nearest neighbor Debye-Waller factor exhibits a sharp discontinuity in slope near T{sub CDW} = 43 K, the transition temperature at which the charge-density wave (CDW) in {alpha}-U condenses from a soft phonon mode along the (100) direction. Our measurement of the CDW using EXAFS is the first observation of the structure of the CDW in polycrystalline {alpha}-U. The different temperature dependence of the Debye-Waller factor for T < T{sub CDW} can be …

A new type of high-resolution X-ray imaging crystal spectrometer is being developed to measure ion and electron temperature profiles in tokamak plasmas. The instrument is particularly valuable for diagnosing plasmas with purely Ohmic heating and rf heating, since it does not require the injection of a neutral beam - although it can also be used for the diagnosis of neutral-beam heated plasmas. The spectrometer consists of a spherically bent quartz crystal and a two-dimensional position-sensitive detector. It records spectra of helium-like argon (or krypton) from multiple sightlines through the plasma and projects a de-magnified image of a large plasma cross-section onto the detector. The spatial resolution in the plasma is solely determined by the height of the crystal, its radius of curvature, and the Bragg angle. This new X-ray imaging crystal spectrometer may also be of interest for the diagnosis of ion temperature profiles in future large tokamaks, such as KSTAR and ITER, where the application of the presently used charge-exchange spectroscopy will be difficult, if the neutral beams do not penetrate to the plasma center. The paper presents the results from proof-of-principle experiments performed with a prototype instrument at Alcator C-Mod.

On June 9, 2000, President William Clinton issued a proclamation to preserve 195,000 acres of land as a national monument in southeastern Washington State. Named the Hanford Reach Monument, it is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The monument has been preserved by unusual circumstances: for the past 50 years, it has served as the buffer area to one of the U.S. Department of Energy's nuclear reservations. As such, it has been allowed to remain wild, protecting it from human interference and preserving a number of important resources once found in abundance, but now in decline, throughout the Columbia River Basin. At the centerpiece of this monument is the last free flowing, non-tidal stretch of the Columbia River. Called the Hanford Reach, this 51-mile long section of the Columbia River supports one of the most productive spawning grounds for Chinook salmon. In addition to its natural resources, this monument also contains sites of rich and important archaeological and historical significance. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently working with the U.S. Department of Energy, the public, and a number of other interested parties to create a monument management plan, which is expected to be released sometime in …

We present simple scaling relations of the brightness a Thomson x-ray source on the electron and laser beam parameters in the case of a head (180 degree) interaction geometry. In particular, it is shown that a direct relation exists between the x-ray brightness and the electron beam brightness. These relations are discussed in the context of the PLEIADES Thomson x-ray source, where 10{sup 7} photons per pulse, with photon energies as high as 140 keV, have been produced by colliding a 0.25 nC, picosecond electron bunch with a 500 mJ, 50 fs, 800 nm laser pulse. The estimated peak brightness of the source is about 10{sup 16} photons/s/mm{sup 2}/mrad{sup 2}/0.1%b.w. A comparison of the current performance of the source and the predicted performance using optimized parameters is presented.

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At LLNL, we have been using heterodyne techniques for the past year and a half to measure velocities up to several kilometers-per-second on different types of experiments. We assembled this diagnostic, which we call the Heterodyne Velocimeter (HetV), using commercially available products developed for the communications industry. We use a 1550 nm fiber laser and single mode fibers to deliver light to and from the target. The return Doppler-shifted light is mixed with the original laser light to generate a beat frequency proportional to the velocity. At a velocity of 1000 m/s, the beat signal has a frequency of 1.29 GHz. We record the beat signals directly onto fast digitizers. The maximum velocity is limited by the bandwidth of the electronics and the sampling rate of the digitizers. The record length is limited by the amount of memory contained in the digitizers. This paper describes our approach to measuring velocities with this technique and presents recent data obtained with the HetV.

We have investigated the interaction of water molecules with the polar Si- and C- terminated surfaces of cubic Silicon Carbide by means of ab initio molecular dynamics simulations at finite temperature. Different water coverages were considered, from {1/4} to a complete monolayer. Irrespective of coverage, we find that water dissociates on the silicon terminated surfaces, leading to important changes in both its structural and electronic properties. On the contrary, the carbon terminated surface remains inert when exposed to water. We propose experiments to reveal the ionic and electronic structure of wet Si-terminated surfaces predicted by our calculations, which at full coverage are notably different from those of hydrated Si(001) substrates. Finally, we discuss the implications of our results for SiC surface functionalization.

Photograph of the Jefferson Davis Hospital Boiler Building in Houston, Texas.

Photograph of the Jefferson Davis Hospital in Houston, Texas.

Photograph of the Jefferson Davis Hospital in Houston, Texas.

Video footage from the NBC 5 television station in Fort Worth, Texas, to accompany a news story. This story aired at 4 P.M.

In this project, a concept to improve the performance of aluminum production cells by introducing potlining additives was examined and tested. Boron oxide was added to cathode blocks, and titanium was dissolved in the metal pool; this resulted in the formation of titanium diboride and caused the molten aluminum to wet the carbonaceous cathode surface. Such wetting reportedly leads to operational improvements and extended cell life. In addition, boron oxide suppresses cyanide formation. This final report presents and discusses the results of this project. Substantial economic benefits for the practical implementation of the technology are projected, especially for modern cells with graphitized blocks. For example, with an energy savings of about 5% and an increase in pot life from 1500 to 2500 days, a cost savings of $ 0.023 per pound of aluminum produced is projected for a 200 kA pot.

This report provides brief summaries and background information about four accounts related to medical expenses: Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Archer Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), and Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs). It also compares them with respect to characteristics such as eligibility, contribution limits, and use of funds.

Weekly newspaper from Emory, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

This project has been focused on a measurement of the mean lifetime {tau}{sub n} of the free neutron with a precision better than 0.1%. The neutron {beta}-decay n {yields} p + e{sup -} + {bar {nu}}{sub e} + 783 keV into a proton, electron and electron antineutrino is the prototype semi-leptonic weak decay, involving both leptons and hadrons in the first generation of elementary particles. Within the standard V-A theory of weak interaction, it is governed by only two constants: the vector coupling constant g{sub V}, and axial vector constant g{sub A}. The neutron lifetime has been measured many times over decades, and the present (2004) world-average, {tau}{sub n} = 885.7 {+-} 0.8 s, has a weighted error of {approx}0.1% while individual uncertainties are typically 2-10 seconds for high precision data. The highest precision claimed by an individual measurement is {approx}0.15%. An improvement is required to resolve issues of the Standard Model of the electro-weak interaction as well as of astrophysics and of Big Bang theories. The focus in astrophysics is the solar neutrino deficit problem, which requires a precise value of g{sub A}. Big Bang theories require a precise {tau}{sub n}-value to understand the primordial He/H ratio. The strong …

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