The levels of and underlying bases for public support, opposition, and ambivalence toward continued nuclear power development are reviewed. Data are presented on the public's general evaluations of nuclear power by indicating the extent of support and opposition, by discussing the interpretation of undecided responses, and by examining changes in public opinion over time. Differences in general attitudes toward nuclear energy related to demographic characteristics, including sex, age, education, income, and geographic region are examined. Bases for explaining public support of and opposition to nuclear power are discussed by identifying consistent patterns of attitudes among pronuclear individuals and among antinuclear individuals in the general public.

Atomics International and Lawrence Livermore Laboratory are involved in the conceptual design of a laser fusion power plant incorporating the lithium fall target chamber. In this paper we discuss some of the more important design considerations for the target chamber and evaluate its nuclear performance. Sizing and configuration of the fall, hydraulic effects, and mechanical design considerations are addressed. The nuclear aspects examined include tritium breeding, energy deposition, and radiation damage.

Important considerations in the quantitative estimate of risk of carcinogenesis in the human being are the related factors of the shape of the dose-effect curve, the risk per rad at very low doses (about 10 rad or less) vs. higher doses, and the effect per rad of higher doses delivered at very low dose rates. Data on the human being, though extensive and adequate for quantitative risk estimation at high doses and dose rates, do not allow definitive conclusions on these factors. Data on eukaryotic cells are represented well and in detail by a modified quadratic relationship with a definite linear term, and indicate that both the simple linear and the pure quadratic relationships are rare or essentially nonexistent. A dose rate effect is ubiquitous, but the extent varies widely among different tumors and species. Extensive data on carcinogenesis in mammals are in general represented well by the linear-quadratic model, although simple linearity and the pure quadratic (or threshold) models cannot be excluded in a few tumor systems. Considerations and uncertainties in addition to curve shape and dose rate may tend to offset any credit that might be afforded by dose rate. Hence, while it is almost certain that dose …

The nuclear design analysis and performance of the blanket for the Pu/sup 239/ producing standard mirror hybrid is discussed. The blanket is based on present day materials and technology. It is designed for peak power density and burnup in the uranium fuel of 500 W/cc and 3 atom percent. The blanket produces 2.0 Mg/yr of Pu-239 (net) from 400 MW fusion (D-T) and depleted uranium and has an average energy multiplication of 11.

Both train speed and dollar damage have been used in transportation studies as measures of accident severity. Analysis of freight train accident data for the three year period, 1972-74 showed that, in general, as speed increases dollar damage to railroad property also increases. A greater percentage of high speed than low speed accidents result in high dollar damage. Factors, in addition to speed, that can have an important effect on accident severity include the type of accident, the kinds of railcars and other equipment involved, and the geographical environmental of the accident. Threshold levels of accident stresses (e.g., impact and puncture forces and fire temperature and duration) are required to compromise the integrity of shipping containers used for the transport of radioactive materials. Analyses of accident severity using either speed or dollar damage as a basis can provide some insights into the possible risks involved in transport of radioactive materials. however, care must be taken in the strict use of results since there is no direct correlation between either speed or dollar damage and cask failure threshold levels.

Risk is defined as the product of the probability of a release of material to the environment and the consequences resulting from the release. Although a few accidents involving UF/sub 6/ containers have occurred during transportation, they are insufficient in number and consequences to provide data for a risk assessment of UF/sub 6/ transport. For this reason, this study used the predictive risk assessment methodology developed in the Transportation Safety Studies Project. The methodology is composed of four basic steps: detailed description of the transportation system, identification of possible material release sequences, evaluation of the probabilities and the consequences of the releases, and calculation and assessment of the risk. The system description includes projected industry characteristics, amounts to be shipped and the number of shipments required, material characteristics, transport mode and carrier., container types, routes (and any restrictions), and weather and population zones. Release sequences are identified using fault tree analyses. Releases are evaluated using container failure data and mathematical models for dispersion and health effects. The risk is then calculated and compared to other known risks. Only releases resulting from transportation accidents or nonstandard container closures (or combinations of both) were considered. 5 figures, 2 tables.

Energy storage and transfer requirements for many of the present day reactor systems are listed. Two ohmic heating (OH) requirements, those for toroidal Z-pinches and Tokamaks, are described in more detail. Technologies envisioned for the power conditioning circuitry are discussed.

Results from recent integral decay-power experiments are presented and compared with summation calculations. The experiments include the decay power following thermal fission of /sup 233/U, /sup 235/U, and /sup 239/Pu. The summation calculations use ENDF/B-IV decay data and yields from Versions IV and V. Limited comparisons of experimental ..beta.. and ..gamma.. spectra with summation calculations using ENDF/B-IV are included. Generalized least-squares methods are applied to the recent /sup 235/U and /sup 239/Pu decay-power experiments and summation calculations to arrive at evaluated values and uncertainties. Results for /sup 235/U imply uncertainties less than 2% (1 sigma) for the ''infinite'' exposure case for all cooling times greater than 10 seconds. The uncertainties for /sup 239/Pu are larger. Accurate analytical representations of the decay power are presented for /sup 235/,/sup 238/U, and /sup 239/Pu for use in light-water reactors and as the nominal values in the new ANS 5.1 Draft Standard (1978). Comparisons of the nominal values with ENDF/B-IV and the 1973 ANS Draft Standard in current use are included. Gas content, important to decay-heat experiments, and absorption effects on decay power are reviewed. 37 figures, 8 tables.

The Tritium Research Laboratory (TRL), a facility for performing experiments using gram amounts of tritium, became operational on October 1, 1977. As secondary containment, the TRL employs sealed glove boxes connected on demand to two central decontamination systems, the Gas Purification System and the Vacuum Effluent Recovery System. Performance tests on these systems show the tritium removal systems can achieve concentration reduction factors (ratio of inlet to exhaust concentrations) much in excess of 1000 per pass at inlet concentrations of 1 part per million or less for both tritium and tritiated methane.

The quality assurance program for environmental monitoring that has been developed at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL) consists of procedure documentation, replicate field-sample analysis, and participation in intercomparison measurements. Sampling, analytical, data processing, and record keeping procedures are described. A replicate-sample collection schedule has been established for all media sampled at LLL. At present, blind-spiked samples are not utilized. Flow rates of air samplers are verified at monthly intervals using a portable, field calibration unit. Intercomparison measurements are made on samples supplied by the Quality Assurance Branch of the Environmental Protection Agency-Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory and the Department of Energy-Environmental Measurements Laboratory. Replicate sampling currently accounts for approximately 8% of both the total samples collected and the analyses performed. Including standard, in-house, quality-control checks, and the intercomparison measurements, it is estimated that during 1978 quality assurance will represent about 15% of the total environmental-monitoring effort at LLL.

Thirty papers were presented at the meeting. A separate abstract was prepared for each of 10 papers. The remaining 20 papers were not in scope for the Energy Data Base. (LCL)

A mechanism is proposed for the formation of methanol and other oxygenated organic products from carbon monoxide and hydrogen over metal oxide catalysts. These products are formed via the associative adsorption of carbon monoxide on the oxygen of the metal oxide surface, followed by reduction with metal activated hydrogen. Carbon dioxide is dissociated to chemisorbed CO and O. This explains why over-reduction of methanol catalysts results in the formation of hydrocarbons rather than methanol. The mechanism of methanol formation with combined heterogeneous nickel boride and homogeneous molybdenum hexacarbonyl is postulated. (JSR)

Two low sensitivity but excellent mass resolution lepton production experiments are reported on, both performed at SLAC. One is a study of e+- production in ..pi../sup + -/ interactions at 18 GeV/c performed using the SLAC hybrid bubble chamber. The other is a study of muon pair production in 15.5 GeV/c ..pi../sup + -/ interactions. It is shown that electrons are due to e pairs and are not produced in anomalously large quantities, and the first model-independent evidence for a mass enhancement below the rho which is not due to Dalitz decays of known mesons. (JFP)

Two-nucleon-transfer reactions induced by heavy ions have been particularly successful in pointing out contributions of inelastic two-step processes. They provide a way to investigate the overlap between the wave functions of excited states of the target and residual nuclei. However, calculations of absolute cross sections must take into account sequential transfer. The studies of the (/sup 16/O,/sup 12/C) reaction on 1s--0d- and 0f--1p-shell nuclei are reviewed. The relative spectroscopic factors are in good agreement with those of the (/sup 6/Li,d) and (/sup 12/C,/sup 8/Be) reactions; hence, this reaction is evidently a good ..cap alpha..-transfer reaction. However, some puzzling results are still not understood: excitation of unnatural-parity states in s--d shell-nuclei, the failure of EFR-DWBA calculations in reproducing the angular correlation measurements. Several experimental results showing that the /sup 28/Si(/sup 18/O,/sup 14/C)/sup 32/S reaction is not a good ..cap alpha..-transfer reaction are presented. 11 figures, 4 tables.

A reactor based on this concept that produces 1000 MWe consists of a solenoidal magnet about 50 to 100 m long. A cylindrical blanket is used for energy recovery and tritium breeding. Thus the reactor itself is simple and of low technology. The end plugs, however, are of high technology, having the high magnetic fields needed to confine the high-pressure plasma and the high injection energy (0.6 to 1.2 MeV) needed to achieve good magnetic confinement. A low technology, compact, economical hybrid fusion-fission reactor results from injection in the central cell as well as the ends, provided a means can be found to stabilize the end plugs against microinstabilities, particularly in small sizes (plug radius divided by ion gyroradius less than or equal to 10). The Q value is 1.8 and the power is 500 MWe, with 1000 kG of /sup 233/U produced per year. If, on the other hand, the tandem is operated in the two-component mode (i.e., cold tritium plasma electrostatically contained into which a 100-200 keV D/sup 0/ beam is injected), then the end plugs can be stabilized by the outward flowing tritium plasma. Finally, we show that D-D burning tandem reactors appear feasible in large sizes …

Induced radioactivity in the blanket and other parts of a fusion reactor close to the plasma zone will dictate remote assembly, disassembly, and maintenance procedures. Time will be of the essence in these procedures. They must be practicable and certain. This paper discusses the reduction of a complicated Tokamak reactor to a simpler assembly via the use of a vacuum building in which to house the reactor and the introduction in this new model of cassette blanket modules. The cassettes significantly simplify remote handling.

A preliminary analysis has been made of the various hydrodynamic aspects involved in the stability of a liquid-lithium jet in a laser-fusion reactor, which comprises a part of LLL's laser fusion power-generation concept. Various physical factors that may affect the jet breakup are delineated, and some approximate calculations are performed to determine their relative influences. Areas of uncertainty are pointed out, along with plans for experimental verification or further theoretical analysis.

To assess the overall effectiveness of a transportation physical protection system, computer codes which simulate armed attacks have been developed and are being used to examine a range of issues associated with road transportation systems. The paper discusses the purpose and features of three of these codes, SOURCE (which simulates the initial ambush), SABRES I (which covers the battle) and BARS (which treats the penetration of protective cargo barriers). The use of these methodologies to evaluate the value of additional vehicles, guards, armor and alternative tactics or equipment as a means of improving convoy security has recently been completed. The results which are presented demonstrate that the protection offered by the present commercial regulations for guards and vehicles is probably marginal. This could be substantially increased by the addition of armor to close escort vehicles instead of just the transporter and the use of appropriate tactics. Against the baseline threat of adversaries armed with M-16's, observation and harassment from a modest distance until re-enforcements arrive appears preferable to aggressive assault by the ambushed guard force.

A number of materials in and within the proximity of buildings housing fusion energy experiments (FEE) were analyzed for their potential fire hazard. The materials used in this study were mostly: electrical and thermal insulations. The fire hazard of these materials was assessed in terms of their ease of ignition, heat release rate, generation of smoke, and the effect of thermal environment on the combustion behavior. Several fire protection measures for buildings housing the (FEE) projects are analyzed and as a result of this study are found to be adequate for the near term.

The utilization of elementally-sensitive surface techniques as plasma diagnostics is discussed with emphasis on measuring impurity fluxes, charge states, and energy distributions in the plasma edge. A model of plasma flow to the probe is presented and applied to the interpretation of data. Limits on time and energy resolution, and sensitivity are given. The overlap of these techniques with conventional plasma diagnostics is described.

We have carried out conceptual design studies of fusion reactors based on the three current mirror confinement concepts: the standard mirror, the tandem mirror, and the field-reversed mirror. Recent studies of the standard mirror have emphasized its potential as a fusion-fission hybrid reactor, designed to produce fission fuel for fission reactors. We have designed a large commercial hybrid based on standard mirror confinement, and also a small pilot plant hybrid. Tandem mirror designs include a commercial 1000 MWe fusion power plant and a nearer term tandem mirror hybrid. Field-reversed mirror designs include a multicell commercial reactor producing 75 MWe and a single cell pilot plant.

The technology of geothermal resource development includes the technologies associated with finding the resource, defining it well enough to invest in its development, plumbing it to move the heat from the earth to where it will be used, using it, and finally disposing of it. The base of earth sciences experience needed to adequately project limited data so as to discover and define a geothermal resource is growing rapidly as new resources are developed and elucidated. Technologies for moving the fluid are improving as new challenges are faced, e.g., the development of downhole pumps in order to increase flow rates from costly wells. Although a wide variety of applications of geothermal resources exist, still to be evaluated commercially are the use of binary cycles in electric power production and the possibility of using geothermal energy in the production of heavy water and in sugar milling and refining. Disposal of spent geothermal fluid underground (in contrast to surface disposal) is receiving increasing favor, both because of its greater acceptability from an environmental point of view and because of its beneficial effects on minimizing subsidence and recovering additional heat stored in rock framework of a geothermal reservoir.

Regenerative amplifiers (RA) are flexible and stable devices for amplifying and varying the pulsewidth of picosecond pulses. With a Nd : YAG-RA amplifications up to 14 orders of magnitude with a stability of +-2% have been demonstrated. Also, variable pulsewidths over the range 10/sup -11/ to 10/sup -9/ sec for a fixed injection pulsewidth were demonstrated. With these capabilities, the RA can be used in a dual-pulse system to provide stable, accurately synchronized pulses of widely different duration. Such a system greatly extends the range of pulse-probe experiments for studies of relaxation phenomena, photochemistry, and laser-generated plasmas.

A review is given of reliable quantum chromodynamics predictions which either have or soon can be verified by experiment. Included are a discussion of the classic application of quantum chromodynamics perturbation theory and asymptotic freedom to predict scaling violations in deep inelastic leptoproduction experiments, with emphasis on the first direct experimental confirmation of the numerical values of the anomalous dimensions; a review of recent advances in developing and justifying quantum chromodynamics perturbation theory predictions for a number of physical applications not underwritten by the operator product expansion and renormalization group arguments; and mention of attempts to consider the reliability of quantum chromodynamics perturbation theory predictions, given the fact that nonperturbative effects are presumably crucial in quantum chromodynamics. 100 references. (JFP)