Nuclear safeguards applied by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are one element of the non-proliferation regime'', the collection of measures whose aim is to forestall the spread of nuclear weapons to countries that do not already possess them. Safeguards verifications provide evidence that nuclear materials in peaceful use for nuclear-power production are properly accounted for. Though carried out in cooperation with nuclear facility operators, the verifications can provide assurance because they are designed with the capability to detect diversion, should it occur. Traditional safeguards verification measures conducted by inspectors of the IAEA include book auditing; counting and identifying containers of nuclear material; measuring nuclear material; photographic and video surveillance; and sealing. Novel approaches to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness in safeguards verifications are under investigation as the number and complexity of nuclear facilities grow. These include the zone approach, which entails carrying out verifications for groups of facilities collectively, and randomization approach, which entails carrying out entire inspection visits some fraction of the time on a random basis. Both approaches show promise in particular situations, but, like traditional measures, must be tested to ensure their practical utility. These approaches are covered on this report. 15 refs., 16 figs., 3 …

A screening study was performed on a laboratory scale downfired combustor to determine the effect of various variables on the effectiveness of the reburning process as a technique for NO{sub x} abatement. The objective was to define optimum conditions under which reburning can be used and to be able to compare the reburning performance of our combustor to that reported by others. For this purpose, a statistically designed parametric investigation was conducted to determine how a set of controlled variables (primary and secondary stoichiometric ratios, location of the reburn zone and primary fuel load) would affect the reduction in NO emissions in a classical reburning configuration. Also, the effects of other variables (NO in the primary zone, temperatures in the primary, reburn and burnout zones and the residence time in the reburn zone) were also investigated. No optimum configuration was identified in this study. Nevertheless, this study provides insight into the parameters associated with reburning.

A screening study was performed on a laboratory scale downfired combustor to determine the effect of various variables on the effectiveness of the reburning process as a technique for NO{sub x} abatement. The objective was to define optimum conditions under which reburning can be used and to be able to compare the reburning performance of our combustor to that reported by others. For this purpose, a statistically designed parametric investigation was conducted to determine how a set of controlled variables (primary and secondary stoichiometric ratios, location of the reburn zone and primary fuel load) would affect the reduction in NO emissions in a classical reburning configuration. Also, the effects of other variables (NO in the primary zone, temperatures in the primary, reburn and burnout zones and the residence time in the reburn zone) were also investigated. No optimum configuration was identified in this study. Nevertheless, this study provides insight into the parameters associated with reburning.

The NK Muon Beam will be a modified version of the existing NT beam line. The decision to employ a modified version of the NT beam line was made based on considerations of cost and availability of the beam line. Preliminary studies considered use of other beam lines, e.g., the NW beam line, and even of moving the bubble chamber with its superconducting coils but were rejected for reasons such as cost, personnel limitations, and potential conflicts with other users.

A 1985-1986 Review of the US inertial confinement fusion program by the National Academy of Sciences concluded that five more years might be required to obtain enough data to determine the future course of the program. Since then, data from the Nova laser and from the Halite/Centurion program have resolved most of the outstanding problems identified by the NAS review. In particular, we now believe that we can produce a sufficiently uniform target; that we can keep the energy content in hot electrons and high-energy photons low enough (/approximately/1--10% of drive energy, depending on target design) and achieve enough pulse-shaping accuracy (/approximately/10%, with a dynamic range of 100:1) to keep the fuel on a near-Fermi-degenerate adiabat; that we can produce an /approximately/100-Mbar pressure pulse of sufficient uniformity (/approximately/1%), and can we control hydrodynamic instabilities so that the mix of the pusher into the hot spot is low enough to permit marginal ignition. These results are sufficiently encouraging that the US Department of Energy is planning to complete a 10-MJ laboratory microfusion facility to demonstrate high-gain ICF in the laboratory within a decade. 22 refs., 1 fig.