We have studied pressure-induced chemical reactions in carbon monoxide using both a diamond-anvil cell and a modified large volume press. Our spectroscopic data reveal that carbon monoxide disproportionates into molecular CO{sub 2} and a solid lactone-type polymer; photochemically above 3.2 GPa, thermochemically above 5 GPa at 300K, or at 3 GPa and {approx}2000K as achieved by laser heating. The solid product can be recovered at ambient conditions with a high degree of conversion, measured to be up to 95% of the original CO. Its fundamental chemical structure includes {beta}-lactone and conjugated C=C, which can be considered a severely modified polymeric carbon suboxide with open ladders and smaller five-membered rings. The polymer is metastable at ambient conditions, spontaneously liberating CO{sub 2} gases exothermically. We find that the recovered polymer has a high energy density, 1-8 KJ/g, and is very combustible. We estimate the density of recovered CO polymer to be at least 1.65 g/cm cm{sup 3}.

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{sup 137}Cs transfer factors were computed for small mammals collected from the dried sediment areas of a partially drained, contaminated reservoir. Soil {sup 137}Cs concentrations were heterogeneous on small and large spatial scales, with a geometric mean of 253.1 Bq/kg dry weight. About 50% of the variance in cotton rat Sigmodon hispidus tissue {sup 137}Cs levels was explained by variation in soil {sup 137}Cs levels. Soil to animal transfer factors (whole body dry weight) averaged 6.0 for cotton rats and 1.2 for cotton mice Peromyscus gossypinus. These values are similar to {sup 137}Cs transfer factors for herbivorous, homeothermic animals from other contaminated ecosystems. Site-specific transfer factors can significantly affect the estimation of dose. In the RESRAD-BIOTA dose model, the default transfer factor for {sup 137}Cs in terrestrial animals is 110 resulting in an estimate of radiation dose to terrestrial biota that is 16 times more than the dose calculated with the actual measured transfer factor.

The preequilibrium reaction mechanism makes an important contribution to neutron-induced reactions above E{sub n} {approx} 10 MeV. The preequilibrium process has been studied exclusively via the characteristic high energy neutrons produced at bombarding energies greater than 10 MeV. They are expanding the study of the preequilibrium reaction mechanism through {gamma}-ray spectroscopy. Cross-section measurements were made of prompt {gamma}-ray production as a function of incident neutron energy (E{sub n} = 1 to 250 MeV) on a {sup 48}Ti sample. Energetic neutrons were delivered by the Los Alamos National Laboratory spallation neutron source located at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center facility. The prompt-reaction {gamma} rays were detected with the large-scale Compton-suppressed Germanium Array for Neutron Induced Excitations (GEANIE). Neutron energies were determined by the time-of-flight technique. The {gamma}-ray excitation functions were converted to partial {gamma}-ray cross sections taking into account the dead-time correction, target thickness, detector efficiency and neutron flux (monitored with an in-line fission chamber). Residual state population was predicted using the GNASH reaction code, enhanced for preequilibrium. The preequilibrium reaction spin distribution was calculated using the quantum mechanical theory of Feshback, Kerman, and Koonin (FKK). The multistep direct part of the FKK theory was calculated for a one-step process. …

Abstracts and proceedings of the 2005 Annual Meeting of the Radiation Research Society held in Denver, Colorado on October 16-19, 2005.

Radiative strength functions in {sup 152,154}Eu nuclei for {gamma}-ray energies below 6 MeV have been investigated. Neutron capture for incident neutron energies <1eV up to 100 keV has been measured for {sup 151,153}Eu targets. Properties of resonances in these two nuclei are examined. The measurements are compared to simulation of cascades performed with various models for the radiative strength function. Comparison between experimental data and simulation suggests an existence of the low-energy resonance in these two nuclei.

We report a Dalitz-plot analysis of the charmless hadronic decays of charged B mesons to the state K{sup {+-}} {pi}{sup {-+}}{pi}{sup {+-}}. Using a sample of 226.0 {+-} 2.5 million B{bar B}pairs collected by the BABAR detector, measure the magnitudes and phases of the intermediate resonant and nonresonant amplitudes both charge conjugate decays. We present measurements of the corresponding branching and their charge asymmetries that supersede those of previous BABAR analyses. We find the asymmetries to be consistent with zero.

Neutron capture for incident neutron energies <1eV up to 100 keV has been measured for {sup 151,153}Eu targets. The highly efficient DANCE (Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments) array coupled with the intense neutron beam at Los Alamos Neutron Science Center is used for the experiment. Stable Eu isotopes mass separated and electroplated on Be backings were used. Properties of well-resolved, strong resonances in two Eu nuclei are examined. The parameters for most of these resonances are known. Detailed multiplicity information for each resonance is obtained employing the high granularity of the DANCE array. The radiative decay cascades corresponding to each resonance are obtained in the experiment. The measurements are compared to simulation of these cascades which calculated with various models for the radiative strength function. Comparison between the experimental data and simulation provides an opportunity to investigate the average quantities.