The following is a report of a trip to the Simonds Saw & Steel Company, Lockport, New York, on May 3, 1949. The purpose of the visit was to observe the various operations involved in the rolling of uranium rods at this plant and health problems associated with the rolling operations.

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N{sup 12} is shown to have a half life of 12.5 {+-} 1 milliseconds, and a positron upper limit of 16.6 {+-} 0.2 Mev. It is produced by the reaction C{sup 12}(p,n)N{sup 12}, and has a threshold proton energy of 20.0 Mev. This indicates that N{sup 12} is within about 200 Kev of being unstable against proton emission. The mass of N{sup 12} is 12.0228 {+-} 0.00015, and the beta transition is allowed.

The experiment outlined in this proposal has the possibility of giving an answer to the important question, 'Does the neutrino exist'? It is unfortunate that at the present time, there is no convincing experimental that neutrinos exist. Two recent articles review the status of various experiments which could give information about neutrinos. In general, these experiments give results in agreement with the predictions of beta decay theory. But actually, if even the most complete of the 'recoil type' experiments could be performed satisfactorily, all that could be concluded would be the following: the energy and momentum relationships in beta decay are consistent with the theory that the known energy deficit is carried away by a single particle. But to emphasize the fact that this would not constitute a proof of the real existence of that particle, the following quotations from the review articles should be noted. Crane says, 'All of the evidence about the neutrino is, as already pointed out, indirect in character since neutrinos have not yet been caught after leaving the nucleus. It can, of course, be argued on very general grounds that, if energy is not conserved between nucleus and electron, momentum should not be expected to …

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This is the progress report for the University of California, Radiation Laboratory for December 15, 1948-January 15, 1949. It discusses the following: (1) Bevatron; (2) 184-inch Cyclotron Program; (3) 60-inch Cyclotron Program; (4) Synchrotron Operation; (5) Linear Accelerator and Van de Graaff Operation; (6) Experimental Physics; (7) Theoretical Physics, (8) Isotope Separation; (9) Chemistry Departments; (10) Medical Physics; and (11) Health Physics and Chemistry.

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The relationship of respiration to photosynthesis in barley seedling leaves and the algae, Chlorella and Scenedesmus, has been investigated using radioactive carbon dioxide and the techniques of paper chromatography and radioautography. The plants are allowed to photosynthesize normally for thirty seconds in c{sup 14}O{sub 2} after which they are allowed to respire in air or helium in the light or dark. Respiration of photosynthetic intermediates as evidenced by the appearance of labeled glutomic, isocitric, fumaric and succinic acids is slower in the light than in the dark. Labeled glycolic acid is observed in barley and algae. It disappears rapidly in the dark and is maintained and increased in quantity in the light in C0{sub 2}-free air.

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The objectives in producing neutron sources are to produce uniform products of as high efficiencies as possible from the neutron yielding elements and to do this in the safest manner. The purpose of the present work was to improve the methods of preparing sources and at the same time increase the types of sources available. Lithium, sodium, and their compounds were chosen because the neutron fluxes and energies are low, thus making the experimental work less hazardous to the operator. Also, the elements are quite reactive, so that techniques which are successful with them can be easily adapted to other materials. Solvents for polonium, ways of mixing polonium and target, neutron yields, reproducibility, decay of the sources, means of recovering polonium, and materials for containers, were investigated.

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An experimental range-energy relation in Ilford C-2 emulsion has been obtained for proteins up to 39.5 Mev. In the region from 17 to 33 Mev the relation for dry emulsion is fitted by the empirical equation E{sub (MeV)} = 0.251 R{sub ({mu})} 0.581. Variations in water content due to changes in atmospheric humidity make several percent difference in range. The range in Ilford glass is found to be 18 {+-} 4 percent longer than in dry C-2 emulsion.

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Analytical methods are given for determining the composition and impurities of beryllium carbide. A summary of the experimental work leading to these procedures and supporting data are also presented. Analytical procedures for the determination of free and combined carbon, moisture, nitrogen, beryllium oxide, silica, iron, total beryllium, and beryllium metal are outlined. Diagrams of special apparatus used are included. (auth)

Prior to April 1948 the generally accepted method of reducing the radioactive contamination of metal tools and laboratory apparatus was a series of rinses in aqua regia or various other concentrated acids. This method proved unsatisfactory for three reasons. (A) It was not a dependable method of removing activity. (B) It had a delecterious effect on tools in that it caused serious pitting, which resulted in weakened parts, and exposed a bare metal that was subject to very rapid corrosion. (C) Tools and apparatus once cleaned by this method could not readily be cleaned a second time. With the aforementioned limitations in mind, it became obvious that a new method was required. After considerable investigation into a electrochemical processes the present method was developed. Essentially, the new method is an electropolish bath to remove the activity lodged in the pores of the metal, and a ``follow-up`` chrome plate bath to render the surface impassive to corrosion.

The supersonic method of cleaning glassware is an outgrowth of the fact that it has been heretofore impossible to manually clean ground glass and quartz joints because the activity became lodged in the small pores of the ground surfaces. It has been theorized that the nature of the forces binding polonium to the glass is similar to that of the chemical bond but are less intense. The problem then becomes one of finding a force greater than this binding energy, capable of freeing the activity from the glass. This has been accomplished by using frequencies of 100 cycles to 20 kc at a power output from 2 to 20 watts, passing through a citric acid solution (pH-2) into which the contaminated article is placed. The optimum results, using a tank with the dimensions 7 in. {times} 7 in. {times} 7 in. and 3 liters of solution, has been found at 200 cycles or harmonics of 200 cycles. Citric acid was used because of the fact that it forms a soluble complex with polonium. The frequencies used have been kept within the sonic range until enough data has been obtained and correlated to warrant the design and construction of more costly …