This report explains the method chosen to phase match cables, it`s accuracy and the effects of mismatched cables on the position output of the Linac Beam Position Module.

The X-Ray Laser Program has evolved from a design effort focusing on developing a Strategic Defense Initiative weapon that protects against Soviet ICBMs to a scientific project that is producing new technologies for industrial and medical research. While the great technical successes and failures of the X-ray laser itself cannot be discussed, this article presents the many significant achievements made as part of the X-ray laser effort that are now being used for other applications at LLNL.

A plasma thruster operating at high specific impulse ({ge} 3500 s) has been proposed to be based on electron-cyclotron resonance heating of whistler waves propagating on a plasma column on a magnetic hill. Calculations using a particle-in-cell code demonstrate that the distortion of the electron velocity distribution by the heating significantly reduces the flow of plasma up the field, greatly improving efficiency and reducing material interactions relative to a thermal plasma. These and other calculations are presented together with initial experiments on the plasma generated in the proposed device. The experiments are conducted in a magnetic field (3.3 {times} 10{sup {minus}2} T at resonance) and a magnetic mirror ratio of 5. Microwaves (0.915 GHz, <20 kW) are coupled to the plasma with a helical antenna. Vacuum field measurements are in good agreement with prediction. The desired plasma spatial distribution has not yet been achieved.

MGA is a gamma-ray spectrum analysis program for determining relative plutonium isotopic abundances. The isotopic composition of a plutonium sample is needed to calculate {sup 240}Pu{sub eff} that is used to interpret passive neutron coincidence measurements in units of absolute plutonium mass. MGA can determine plutonium isotopic abundances with accuracies better than 1% using a high-resolution, low-energy, planar germanium detector and measurement times ten minutes or less. MGA can include analysis of a second spectrum of the high-energy (300--600 keV) plutonium gamma rays that significantly improves the determination of {sup 240}P{sub eff} in high-burnup plutonium. For the high-energy gamma-ray measurements we have devised a new hardware configuration, so that both the low- and high-energy gamma-ray detectors are mounted in a single cryostat thereby reducing weight and volume of the detector systems. We describe the detector configuration and our experience with it using a combined neutron-gamma measurement system and the two-detector version of MGA. We discuss the sources of uncertainty in the determination of {sup 240}Pu{sub eff} and propose a new correlation for the determination of {sup 242}Pu.

The Largest US Oil and Gas Fields is a technical report and part of an Energy Information Administration (EIA) series presenting distributions of US crude oil and natural gas resources, developed using field-level data collected by EIA`s annual survey of oil and gas proved reserves. The series` objective is to provide useful information beyond that routinely presented in the EIA annual report on crude oil and natural gas reserves. These special reports also will provide oil and gas resource analysts with a fuller understanding of the nature of US crude oil and natural gas occurrence, both at the macro level and with respect to the specific subjects addressed. The series` approach is to integrate EIA`s crude oil and natural gas survey data with related data obtained from other authoritative sources, and then to present illustrations and analyses of interest to a broad spectrum of energy information users ranging from the general public to oil and gas industry personnel.

The Short-Term Energy Outlook Annual Supplement (supplement) is published once a year as a complement to the Short-Term Energy Outlook (Outlook), Quarterly Projections. The purpose of the Supplement is to review the accuracy of the forecasts published in the Outlook, make comparisons with other independent energy forecasts, and examine current energy topics that affect the forecasts.