Theoretical predictions for B decay rates are rewritten in terms of the Upsilon meson mass instead of the b quark mass, using a modified perturbation expansion. The theoretical consistency is shown both at low and high orders. This method improves the behavior of the perturbation series for inclusive and exclusive decay rates, and the largest theoretical error in the predictions coming from the uncertainty in the quark mass is eliminated. Applications to the determination of CKM matrix elements, moments of inclusive decay distributions, and the {bar B} {yields} X{sub s}{gamma} photon spectrum are discussed.

Isosurface extraction is an important and useful visualization method. Over the past ten years, the field has seen numerous isosurface techniques published leaving the user in a quandary about which one should be used. Some papers have published complexity analysis of the techniques yet empirical evidence comparing different methods is lacking. This case study presents a comparative study of several representative isosurface extraction algorithms. It reports and analyzes empirical measurements of execution times and memory behavior for each algorithm. The results show that asymptotically optimal techniques may not be the best choice when implemented on modern computer architectures.

It is presented a comparative performance study of a coarse grained parallel neural network training code, implemented in both OpenMP and MPI, standards for shared memory and message passing parallel programming environments, respectively. In addition, these versions of the parallel training code are compared to an implementation utilizing SHMEM the native SGI/CRAY environment for shared memory programming. The multiprocessor platform used is a SGI/Cray Origin 2000 with up to 32 processors. It is shown that in this study, the native CRAY environment outperforms MPI for the entire range of processors used, while OpenMP shows better performance than the other two environments when using more than 19 processors. In this study, the efficiency is always greater than 60% regardless of the parallel programming environment used as well as of the number of processors.

The goals of this paper are to (1) ascertain the ability of atmospheric general circulation models to hindcast the summer monsoons of 1987, 1988, and 1993, (2) to determine how well the models represent the dominant modes of subseasonal variability of the 850hPa flow, (3) to determine if the models can represent the strong link between the subseasonal modes of variability and the rainfall, (4) to determine if the models properly project these modes onto interannual timescales, (5) to determine if it is possible to objectively discriminate among the ensemble members to ascertain which members are most reliable. The results presented here are based upon contributions to the seasonal prediction model intercomparison project (SMIP), which was initiated by the CLIVAR Working Group on Seasonal to Interannual Prediction (WGSIP; formally Numerical Experimentation Group-1). For each summer, June--September, ensembles of integrations were performed using observed initial conditions, and observed sea surface temperatures. Here, the results from a 4-member ensemble from the United Kingdom Met Office (UKMO) model are presented for the sake of brevity. The conclusions based on the analysis of this model are consistent with the behavior of the other models.

Electrochemical corrosion tests have been conducted on simulated stainless steel-zirconium (SS-Zr) metal waste form (MWF) samples. The uniform aqueous corrosion behavior of the samples in various test solutions was measured by the polarization resistance technique. The data show that the MWF corrosion rates are very low in groundwaters representative of the proposed Yucca Mountain repository. Galvanic corrosion measurements were also conducted on MWF samples that were coupled to an alloy that has been proposed for the inner lining of the high-level nuclear waste container. The experiments show that the steady-state galvanic corrosion currents are small. Galvanic corrosion will, hence, not be an important mechanism of radionuclide release from the MWF alloys.

Since the first observation in 1964, CP violation remains one of the most elusive aspects of the standard model. The CDF collaboration has reported the first evidence of CP violation in the B system using the world's largest sample of B {yields} J/{psi}K{sub S}{sup 0} decays. The direct measurement of sin(2{beta})=0.79{sub -0.44}{sup +0.41} (combined statistical and systematic error) agrees with the standard model predictions. New data collected from the B-factories and from the upgraded experiments at the Tevatron should allow a more precise measurement of sin 2{beta} in the near future.

The current status of the muon collider is presented, with a brief historical review. The proton source and the pion production and decay channel needed for a first muon collider (FMC) are described. A brief review of ionization cooling theory is followed by the current status of cooling ideas. The acceleration scheme and the collider ring are presented, followed by the backgrounds expected in a muon collider detector and the physics potential of such a detector. The physics potential of a muon storage ring that acts as an intense neutrino source of well-defined flavor is reviewed.

The authors report the first KTeV measurement for the search of direct-CP violation by using 23% of the data sample collected in the 1996-97 fixed target run at Fermilab. The result is, Re({epsilon}{prime}/{epsilon}) = (28.0 {+-} 4.1) x 10{sup -4}, nearly 7{delta} above zero obtained by a blind analysis. This firmly establishes the long-sought direct-CP violation effect in the two-pion system ({pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -} versus {pi}{sup 0}{pi}{sup 0}) of neutral kaon decays.

We report the first KTeV measurement for the search of direct-CP violation by using 23% of the data sample collected in the 1996-97 fixed target run at Fermilab. The result is, Re({epsilon}{prime}/{epsilon}) = (28.0 {+-} 4.1) x 10{sup -4}, nearly 7{delta} above zero obtained by a blind analysis. This firmly establishes the long-sought ''direct-CP violation'' effect in the two-pion system ({pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -} versus {pi}{sup 0}{pi}{sup 0}) of neutral kaon decays. Other new measurements of {Delta}m, {tau}{sub s}, {Delta}{phi} and a limit on the diurnal variation of {phi}{sub +-} for testing CPT invariance from the same data sample are also presented.

Improving our knowledge of the morphology, composition and properties of the dentin, enamel, and the dentin-enamel junction (DEJ) is vital for the development of improved restorative materials and clinical placement techniques. Most studies of dental tissues have used light microscopy for characterization. In our investigation, the spectroscopic properties of normal and non-carious transparent human root dentin, and the dentin-enamel junction were investigated using emission imaging microscopy, and micro-spectroscopy. Experimental results reveal new information on the structural and biochemical characteristics of these dental tissues.

Recent improvements in z-pinch wire array load design at Sandia National Laboratories have led to a substantial increase in pinch performance as measured by radiated powers of up to 280 TW in 4 ns and 1.8 MJ of total radiated energy. Next generation, higher current machines will allow for larger mass arrays and comparable or higher velocity implosions to be reached, possibly extending these result.dis the current is pushed above 20 MA, conventional machine design based on a 100 ns implosion time results in higher voltages, hence higher cost and power flow risk. Another approach, which shifts the risk to the load configuration, is to increase the implosion time to minimize the voltage. This approach is being investigated in a series of experimental campaigns on the Saturn and Z machines. In this paper, both experimental and two dimensional computational modeling of the fist long implosion Z experiments will be presented. The experimental data shows broader pulses, lower powers, and larger pinch diameters compared to the corresponding short pulse data. By employing a nested array configuration, the pinch diameter was reduced by 50% with a corresponding increase in power of > 30%. Numerical simulations suggest load velocity is the dominating mechanism …

A monoenergetic neutron beam simulation study is carried out to determine the optimal neutron energy range for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis using radiation synovectomy. The goal of the treatment is the ablation of diseased synovial membranes in joints, such as knees and fingers. This study focuses on human knee joints. Two figures-of-merit are used to measure the neutron beam quality, the ratio of the synovium absorbed dose to the skin absorbed dose, and the ratio of the synovium absorbed dose to the bone absorbed dose. It was found that (a) thermal neutron beams are optimal for treatment, (b) similar absorbed dose rates and therapeutic ratios are obtained with monodirectional and isotropic neutron beams. Computation of the dose distribution in a human knee requires the simulation of particle transport from the neutron source to the knee phantom through the moderator. A method was developed to predict the dose distribution in a knee phantom from any neutron and photon beam spectra incident on the knee. This method was revealed to be reasonably accurate and enabled one to reduce by a factor of 10 the particle transport simulation time by modeling the moderator only.

We present recent results on measurements of the transverse momentum distribution of W and Z bosons, the angular distribution of electrons from W decays, and on color coherence effects in W+jets events from p{bar p} collisions at {radical}s = 1.8 TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The data are compared to perturbative QCD calculations.

As environmental laws become increasingly protective, and with possible future changes in global climate, thermal effects on aquatic resources are likely to receive increasing attention. Lethal temperatures for a variety of species have been determined for situations where temperatures rise rapidly resulting in lethal effects. However, less is known about the effects of chronic exposure to high (but not immediately lethal) temperatures and even less about stress accumulation during periods of fluctuating temperatures. In this paper we present a modeling framework for assessing cumulative thermal stress in fish. The model assumes that stress accumulation occurs above a threshold temperature at a rate depending on the degree to which the threshold is exceeded. The model also includes stress recovery (or alleviation) when temperatures drop below the threshold temperature as in systems with large daily variation. In addition to non-specific physiological stress, the model also simulates thermal effects on growth.

We report results from three distinct but related thrusts that aim to elucidate the atomic-scale structure and properties of the Sic-SiO{sub 2} interface. (a) First-principles theoretical calculations probe the global bonding arrangements and the local processes during oxidation; (b) Z-contrast atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron-energy-loss spectroscopy provide images and interface spectra, and (c) nuclear techniques and electrical measurements are used to profile N at the interface and determine interface trap densities.

The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) will provide an intense source of low-energy neutrons for experimental use. The low-energy neutrons are produced by the interaction of a high-energy (1.0 GeV) proton beam on a mercury (Hg) target and slowed down in liquid hydrogen or light water moderators. Computer codes and computational techniques are being benchmarked against relevant experimental data to validate and verify the tools being used to predict the performance of the SNS. The LAHET Code System (LCS), which includes LAHET, HTAPE ad HMCNP (a modified version of MCNP version 3b), have been applied to the analysis of experiments that were conducted in the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS) facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). In the AGS experiments, foils of various materials were placed around a mercury-filled stainless steel cylinder, which was bombarded with protons at 1.6 GeV. Neutrons created in the mercury target, activated the foils. Activities of the relevant isotopes were accurately measured and compared with calculated predictions. Measurements at BNL were provided in part by collaborating scientists from JAERI as part of the AGS Spallation Target Experiment (ASTE) collaboration. To date, calculations have shown good agreement with measurements.

Experimental and computational thermal-hydraulic research is underway to support the liquid mercury target design for the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) facility. The SNS target will be subjected to internal nuclear heat generation that results from pulsed proton beam collisions with the mercury nuclei. Recirculation and stagnation zones within the target are of particular concern because of the likelihood that they will result in local hot spots and diminished heat removal from the target structure. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models are being used as a part of this research. Recent improvements to the 3D target model include the addition of the flow adapter which joins the inlet/outlet coolant pipes to the target body and an updated heat load distribution at the new baseline proton beam power level of 2 MW. Two thermal-hydraulic experiments are planned to validate the CFD model.

Absorption chillers are gaining global acceptance as quality comfort cooling systems. These machines are the central chilling plants and the supply for cotnfort cooling for many large commercial buildings. Virtually all absorption chillers use lithium bromide (LiBr) and water as the absorption fluids. Water is the refrigerant. Research has shown LiBr to he one of the best absorption working fluids because it has a high affinity for water, releases water vapor at relatively low temperatures, and has a boiling point much higher than that of water. The heart of the chiller is the absorber, where a process of simultaneous heat and mass transfer occurs as the refrigerant water vapor is absorbed into a falling film of aqueous LiBr. The more water vapor absorbed into the falling film, the larger the chiller�s capacity for supporting comfort cooling. Improving the performance of the absorber leads directly to efficiency gains for the chiller. The design of an absorber is very empirical and requires experimental data. Yet design data and correlations are sparse in the open literature. The experimental data available to date have been derived at LiBr concentrations ranging from 0.30 to 0.60 mass fraction. No literature data are readily available for the …

In pure heat transfer, specifications of effectiveness, fluid properties, and flows enable calculation of the heat exchanger area. In the case of falling film absorption, a simultaneous heat and mass transfer governs the performance of the absorber. The exchange of mass across the liquid-vapor interface involves the generation of heat. The heat effects associated with the mass exchange increase the temperature, which affects the equilibrium state of the pressure and composition and in turn affects the mass. The falling film flow rate coupled to the physical properties of kinematic viscosity and surface tension govern the flow regime of a vertical falling film. Wavy-laminar, roll-wave laminar, and turbulent flows will develop convective contributions that can enhance the transfer of mass into the film. The combined interaction of all these factors makes the absorption process very difficult to analyze and predict. A study of simultaneous heat and mass transfer was therefore conduct ed on a vertical falling film absorber to better understand the mechanisms driving the heat and mass transfer processes. Falling films are characteristically unstable, and a wavy-laminar flow was observed during the experimental study. The wavy flow further complicates the problem; therefore, only limited information is known about the temperature …

Recent work on obtaining exponential convergence for three-dimensional solutions to the spatially and angularly continuous monoenergetic transport equation with isotropic scattering using the reduced source method was promising. The method, however, used two separate estimates of the scalar flux, a Legendre expansion (in the spatial variables) and a quadrature of the angular flux. This introduced an inconsistency that may have lead to some convergence problems. To remove this inconsistency and provide a fairer test of the combined reduced source/Monte Carlo method, the method was applied to estimate the coefficients of a Legendre expansion of the solution of the discrete ordinates equations. In this case, no supplementary approximations were required.

The consideration of risk in regulatory decision-making has long been a part of NRC's policy and practice. Initially, these considerations were qualitative and were based on risk insights. The early regulations relied on good practices, past insights, and accepted standards. As a result, most NRC regulations were prescriptive and were applied uniformly to all areas within the regulatory scope. Risk technology is changing regulations by prioritizing the areas within regulatory scope based on risk, thereby focusing on the risk-important areas. Performance technology, on the other hand, is changing the regulations by allowing requirements to be adjusted based on the specific performance expected and manifested, rather than a prior prescriptive requirement. Consistent with the objectives of risk-informed and performance-based regulatory requirements, BNL evaluated the feasibility of applying risk- and performance-technologies to modifying NRC's current regulations on fire protection for nuclear power plants. This feasibility study entailed several case studies (trial applications). This paper describes the results of two of them. Besides the case studies, the paper discusses an overall evaluation of methodologies for fire-risk analysis to support the risk-informed regulation. It identifies some current shortcomings and proposes some near-term solutions.

Calculations of the gamma dose rates inside and outside of the Target Service Cell (TSC) of the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) are complicated by the large size of the structure, large volume of air (internal void), optical thickness of the enclosing walls, and multiplicity of radiation sources. Furthermore, a reasonably detailed distribution of the dose rate over the volume of the TSC, and on the outside of its walls is necessary in order to optimize electronic instrument locations, and plan access control. For all these reasons a deterministic transport method was preferred over Monte Carlo, The three- dimensional neutral particle transport code TORT was employed for this purpose with support from other peripheral codes in the Discrete Ordinates of Oak Ridge System (DOORS). The computational model for the TSC is described and the features of TORT and its companion codes that enable such a difficult calculation are discussed. Most prominent is the presence of severe ray effects in the air cavity of the TSC that persists in the transport through the concrete walls and is pronounced throughout the problem volume. Initial attempts at eliminating ray effects from the computed results using the newly developed three-dimensional uncollided flux and first collided …

Geophysical data were acquired at a site on the Oak Ridge Reservation, Tennessee to determine the characteristics of a mud-filled void and to evaluate the effectiveness of a suite of geophysical methods at the site. Methods that were used included microgravity, electrical resistivity, and seismic refraction. Both microgravity and resistivity were able to detect the void as well as overlying structural features. The seismic data provide bedrock depth control for the other two methods, and show other effects that are caused by the void.

GEANIE is a multi-detector, high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometer that is operated as a collaborative effort between Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory. The WNR high-energy spallation neutron source at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) provides GEANIE's beam. GEANIE enables new measurements of neutron-induced reaction cross sections and fission fragment studies with neutrons with incident energies from 1 to 200 MeV and excellent {gamma}-ray energy resolution. Results of first studies are aimed at providing information for such diverse areas as improved cross section data for stockpile stewardship needs and calibration of high-energy neutron fluence monitors for applications in Accelerator Production of Tritium and Accelerator Transmutation of Waste.