This audit was initiated to determine if the US DOE`s acquisition of the Union Valley Sample Preparation Facility (UVSPF) was necessary and cost effective. To accomplish the audit objective, four actions were taken: (1) review of applicable laws and regulations, (2) analysis of procurement files for the lease and interviews of Department and contractor officials, (3) evaluation of facility justifications, and (4) assessment of workload and staffing requirements of Lockheed Martin Energy Systems` Analytical Services Organization. The audit found that Energy Systems did not base the acquisition of the UVSPF on valid mission requirements. This occurred because Energy Systems did not follow Department procedures in planning and developing the lease, and the Department approved the lease without adequate justification. It was recommended that the Manager, Oak Ridge Operations Office: (1) direct Energy Systems to follow Department policies and procedures and base acquisitions of property on valid mission requirements and an analysis of all viable alternatives; (2) direct project managers to follow Department orders and require approvals of construction projects and property leases to include (a) verification that projects are essential to meet mission requirements and (b) analysis of all viable alternatives; and (3) direct Energy Systems to give the required …

This document summarizes the activities which occurred to resolve an Unreviewed Safety Question (USQ) for the 324 Facility [Waste Technology Engineering Laboratory] involving Potential HEPA Filter Breach. The facility ventilation system had the capacity to fail the HEPA filters during accident conditions which would totally plug the filters. The ventilation system fans were modified which lowered fan operating parameters and prevented HEPA filter failures which might occur during accident conditions.

This issue brief describes the FY1998 request for DOE's major programs, its implications, and congressional action on the DOE budget. Table 1 at the end of the issue brief highlights the FY1998 DOE budget request. House and Senate marks and the final budget enacted will be included in revised versions as the appropriations bills move through the Congress.

Longer-term stress corrosion cracking (SCC) experiments, described in the activity plan E-20-56, are well underway at LLNL to evaluate the SCC susceptibility of candidate corrosion-resistant inner container materials in a 90°ºC acidic brine containing 5 weight percent (wt%) NaCl using fatigue-precracked wedge-loaded double-cantilever-beam (DCB) specimens. The results of a recent localized corrosion study have revealed that the propensity to pitting and crevice corrosion in susceptible alloys is characterized by "critical potentials" obtained from the cyclic potentiodynamic polarization (CPP) experiments described in the activity plan E-20-43/44. It is also well known that the tendency to SCC can be influenced by the electrochemical potential. But the role of electrochemistry in SCC has not been explored to a large extent. Therefore, the proposed activity is aimed at evaluating the SCC behavior of susceptible container materials under measured and/or controlled electrochemical potential in repository-relevant environments using DCB and slow-strain-rate (SSR) test specimens. The magnitude of the controlled potential will be selected based on the measured "critical potentials" obtained from the CPP experiment performed earlier in a similar environment. The resultant data will enable the mechanistic understanding of the cracking process in materials of interest under the synergistic influence of applied stress and corrosive medium, …

The Crystal Ball detector, as originally constructed, consisted of a set of 672 optically-isolated NaI crystals, forming an approximately spherical shell and each crystal viewed by a photomultiplier, a charged-particle tracker within the NaI shell, and two endcaps to cover angles close to two colliding beams. The detector geometry subtends a solid angle of about 93% of 4{pi} st (20{degree} {le} {theta} {le} 160{degree} and 0{degree} {le} {phi} {le} 360{degree}) from the center. The Crystal Ball detector was used for two long series of experiments at the e{sup +}e{sup {minus}} colliding beam accelerators SPEAR [1, 2, 3, 4] at SLAC and DORIS [5, 6, 7, 8] at DESY. A new set of measurements using the Crystal Ball detector is planned at the Brookhaven National Laboratory Alternating Gradient Synchrotrons (BNL AGS). These new experiments will use the 672 NaI crystals from the original detector, but neither the tracker nor endcaps. The ''Crystal Ball'' in this note will refer only to the set of NaI crystals. Initially, the reactions to be studied will include {pi}{sup {minus}}p{r_arrow} neutrals with pion beam momenta {approximately}400-750 MeV/c and K{sup {minus}} p{r_arrow} neutrals with kaon beam momenta {approximately}600-750 MeV/c. Each of these reactions will include a neutron …

The development of a high current, heavy-ion beam driver for inertial confinement fusion requires a detailed understanding of the behavior of the beam, including effects of the strong self-fields. The necessity of including the self-fields of the beam makes particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation techniques ideal, and for this reason, the multi-dimensional PIC/accelerator code WARP has been developed. WARP has been used extensively to study the creation and propagation of ion beams both in experiments and for the understanding of basic beam physics. An overview of the structure of the code will be presented along with a discussion of features that make the code an effective tool in the understanding of space-charge dominated beam behavior. Much development has been done on WARP increasing its flexibility and generality. Major additions include a generalized field description, an efficient steady-state modelling technique, a transverse slice model with a bending algorithm, further improvement of the parallel processing version, and capabilities for linking to chamber transport codes. With these additions, the capability of modeling a large scale accelerator from end-to-end comes closer to reality.

Beam-steering algorithms are proposed for a small recirculating induction accelerator being built at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The principal problem is that the transverse position and velocity of the beam must be inferred from capacitive position monitors, and this determination is complicated by the limited probe resolution and by the lattice errors within steering modules. The fluid/envelope code CIRCE is used to evaluate these algorithms.

This Risk Management Plan defines the approach to be taken to manage programmatic risks in the TWRS Tank Waste Retrieval program. It provides specific instructions applicable to TWR, and is used to supplement the guidance given by the TWRS Risk Management procedure.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Dan Morales, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether Harris County must hold a referendum election before imposing certain taxes authorized by House Bill 92, Act of May 22, 1997, 75th Leg., R.S., ch.551, 1997 Tex. Sess. Law Serv. 1929, 1929.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Dan Morales, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Authority of the Houston City Council with regard to the Houston-Harris County Sports Authority.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Dan Morales, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether the City of Houston may participate in the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority.

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.

The 618-11 (Wye or 318-11) burial ground received transuranic (TRTJ) and mixed fission solid waste from March 9, 1962, through October 2, 1962. It was then closed for 11 months so additional burial facilities could be added. The burial ground was reopened on September 16, 1963, and continued operating until it was closed permanently on December 31, 1967. The burial ground received wastes from all of the 300 Area radioactive material handling facilities. The purpose of this document is to characterize the 618-11 solid waste burial ground by describing the site, burial practices, the disposed wastes, and the waste generating facilities. This document provides information showing that kilogram quantities of plutonium were disposed to the drum storage units and caissons, making them transuranic (TRU). Also, kilogram quantities of plutonium and other TRU wastes were disposed to the three trenches, which were previously thought to contain non-TRU wastes. The site burial facilities (trenches, caissons, and drum storage units) should be classified as TRU and the site plutonium inventory maintained at five kilograms. Other fissile wastes were also disposed to the site. Additionally, thousands of curies of mixed fission products were also disposed to the trenches, caissons, and drum storage units. Most …

As part of its initiative to fulfill its responsibilities to provide support for the incorporated County of Los Alamos (the County) as an Atomic Energy Community, while simultaneously fulfilling its obligations to enhance the self-sufficiency of the County under authority of the Atomic Energy Community Act of 1955 and the Defense Authorization Act, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to lease undeveloped land in Los Alamos, New Mexico, to the County for private sector use as a research park. The Proposed Action is intended to accelerate economic development activities within the County by creating regional employment opportunities through offering federal land for private sector lease and use. As a result of the proposed land lease, any government expenditures for providing infrastructure to the property would be somewhat supplemented by tenant purchase of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) expertise in research and development activities. The presence of a research park within LANL boundaries is expected to allow private sector tenants of the park to be able to quickly and efficiently call upon LANL scientific expertise and facility and equipment capabilities as part of their own research operations and LANL research personnel, in turn, would be challenged in areas complementary to …

Report on newly adopted State Board of Education (SBOE) course requirements for public schools in Texas.

Lophopyrum elongatum is a highly salt-tolerant relative of wheat. Its salt tolerance is partially expressed in the amphiploid from a cross between wheat cv. Chinese Spring and L. elongatum. Genetic studies showed that the tolerance of gradually imposed salt stress is controlled by L. elongatum chromosomes 3E, 4E, 5E, and 7E and the tolerance of suddenly imposed salt stress by chromosomes 3E, 5E, 6E, and 7E. In wheat, rye, barley, and Dasypyrum, chromosomes of the same homoeologous groups, 3, 5, 6, and 7, were found to control the tolerance of these stress regimes. To gain insight into the physiological mechanisms of salt tolerance by wheat and L. elongatum, accumulation of Na and K, 20 protein amino acids, glycinebetaine, aminobutyrate, all TCA cycle intermediates, oxalate, glycerol-3-P, glyceraldehyde-3-P, pyruvate, lactate, ornithine, taurine, glucose, sucrose and other sugars was examined in the amphiploid and Chinese Spring by gas chromatography and H-NMR.

Adenylate kinase has been isolated from four related methanogenic members of the Archaea. For each the optimum temperature for enzyme activity was similar to the temperature for optimal microbial growth and was approximately 30 C for Methanococcus voltage, 70 C for Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus, 80 C for Methanococcus igneus and 80--90 C for Methanococcus jannaschii. The enzymes were sensitive to the adenylate kinase inhibitor, Ap{sub 5}A [P{sup 1}, P{sup 5}-di(adenosine-5{prime}) pentaphosphate], a property that was exploited to purify the enzymes by CIBACRON Blue affinity chromatography. The enzymes had an estimated molecular weight (approximately 23--25 kDa) in the range common for adenylate kinases. Each of the enzymes had a region of amino acid sequence close to its N-terminus that was similar to the canonical P-loop sequence reported for all adenylate kinases. However, the methanogen sequences lacked a lysine residue that has previously been found to be invariant in adenylate kinases including an enzyme isolated from the Archeon, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. If verified as a nucleotide binding domain, the methanogen sequence would represent a novel nucleotide binding motif. There was no correlation between amino acid abundance and the optimal temperature for enzyme activity.

This Acceptance Test Report validates the testing performed, the exceptions logged and resolved and certifies this portion of the SAMCONS has met all design and test criteria to perform as an operational system. The proper installation of the PUREX exhaust ventilation system components and wiring was systematically evaluated by performance of this procedure. Proper operation of PUREX exhaust fan inlet, outlet, and vortex damper actuators and limit switches were verified, using special test equipment, to be correct and installed wiring connections were verified by operation of this equipment.

This Acceptance Test Report for the PUREX Surveillance and Monitoring and Control System (SAMCONS) Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Acceptance Test Procedure validates the operation of the UPS, all alarming and display functions and the ability of the UPS to supply power to the SAMCONS as designed. The proper installation of the PUREX SAMCONS Trailer UPS components and wiring will be systematically evaluated by performance of this procedure. Proper operation of the SAMCONS computer UPS will be verified by performance of a timed functional load test, and verification of associated alarms and trouble indications. This test procedure will be performed in the SAMCONS Trailer and will include verification of receipt of alarms at the SAMCONS computer stations. This test may be performed at any time after the completion of HNF-SD-CP-ATP-083, PUREX Surveillance and Monitoring and Control System (SAMCONS) Acceptance Test Procedure, when computer display and alarm functions have been proven to operate correctly.

Powder metallurgy dispersions of uranium alloys and silicides in an aluminum matrix have been developed by the RERTR program as a new generation of proliferation-resistant fuels. Testing is done with miniplate-type fuel plates to simulate standard fuel with cladding and matrix in plate-type configurations. In order to seal the dispersion fuel plates, a diffusion bond must exist between the aluminum coverplates surrounding the fuel meat. Four different variations in the standard method for roll-bonding 6061 aluminum were studied. They included mechanical cleaning, addition of a getter material, modifications to the standard chemical etching, and welding methods. Aluminum test pieces were subjected to a bend test after each rolling pass. Results, based on 400 samples, indicate that at least a 70% reduction in thickness is required to produce a diffusion bond using the standard rollbonding method versus a 60% reduction using the Type II method in which the assembly was welded 100% and contained open 9mm holes at frame corners.

The authors have used the ion spectroscopic techniques of direct recoil spectroscopy (DRS) and mass spectroscopy of recoiled ions (MSRI) to demonstrate that low energy reactive ion sputtering of Ge is capable of removing surface impurities such as carbon. The experiments were performed in a vacuum chamber maintained at 3.5 {times} 10{sup {minus}7} Torr. At these pressures, physical sputtering using noble gas is not effective for cleaning Ge surfaces as carbon re-deposits onto the surface. In this paper, the authors demonstrate that reactive sputtering of Ge using 4.0 keV nitrogen at a Ge surface temperature of {approximately} 740 K and above removes surface carbon and deposits nitrogen on the Ge surface. Heating the nitrogen exposed Ge surface to above {approximately} 880 K results in the desorption of nitrogen and generates an atomically clean Ge surface, under poor vacuum conditions.

RCRA regulations require closure of permitted treatment, storage and disposal (TSD) facilities within 180 days after cessation of operations, and this may essentially necessitate decommissioning to complete closure. A more cost effective way to handle the facility would be to significantly reduce the risk to human health and the environment by taking it from its operational status to a passive, safe, inexpensive-to-maintain surveillance and maintenance condition (deactivation) prior to decommissioning. This paper presents an innovative approach to the cost effective deactivation of a large, complex chemical processing facility permitted under RCRA. The approach takes into account risks to the environment posed by this facility in comparison to risks posed by neighboring facilities at the site. The paper addresses the manner in which: 1) stakeholders and regulators were involved; 2) identifies a process by which the project proceeds and regulators and stakeholders were involved; 3) end points were developed so completion of deactivation was clearly identified at the beginning of the project, and 4) innovative practices were used to deactivate more quickly and cost effectively.

Material modifications by ion implantation, dry etching, and micro-fabrication are widely used technologies, all of which are performed in vacuum, since ion beams at energies used in these applications are completely attenuated by foils or by long differentially pumped sections, which ate currently used to interface between vacuum and atmosphere. A novel plasma window, which utilizes a short arc for vacuum-atmosphere interface has been developed. This window provides for sufficient vacuum atmosphere separation, as well as for ion beam propagation through it, thus facilitating non-vacuum ion material modification.

This report is an evaluation of solubility data for U, Np, Pu, Am, Tc, Ni and Zr compounds at ambient and elevated temperatures. We review the status of such data in light of the most recently reported experimental results. The focus is on the solid phases that may control solubilities under expected conditions in and near a potential nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Solubility data or reliable predictions over the temperature range 20 to 150{degrees}C will be used in geochemical modeling studies of the Yucca Mountain Project [96PAL].