Reconciliation report with an ending account balance of $1,622.07 reconciled for the period ending on August 30, 2002.

The goal of this Strategic Initiative LDRD project was to establish at LLNL a new core capability in computational biology, combining laboratory strengths in high performance computing, molecular biology, and computational chemistry and physics. As described in this report, this project has been very successful in achieving this goal. This success is demonstrated by the large number of referred publications, invited talks, and follow-on research grants that have resulted from this project. Additionally, this project has helped build connections to internal and external collaborators and funding agencies that will be critical to the long-term vitality of LLNL programs in computational biology. Most importantly, this project has helped establish on-going research groups in the Biology and Biotechnology Research Program, the Physics and Applied Technology Directorate, and the Computation Directorate. These groups include three laboratory staff members originally hired as post-doctoral researchers for this strategic initiative.

In this note, we describe the first of two updates to the uranium isotopes in Livermore's Evaluated Neutron Data Library, ENDL99. Here, we concentrate on improving the (n, f) and (n, {gamma}) evaluations for a limited set of uranium isotopes. The first improvement consisted of creating an evaluation for {sup 232}U using a combination of fission and capture cross sections from the JENDL-3.2 database and the outgoing particle distributions from the exiting ENDL99 {sup 234}U evaluation. The second improvement consisted of updating existing (n, f) and (n, {gamma}) evaluations for uranium isotopes with A=233-238. These improvements are particularly apparent in the neutron resonance region as ENDL99 often contains gross averages over the resonances. We have propagated these updates into various Livermore application libraries.

This ICN updates the assessment plan to reflect the addition of wells newly installed in FY2001. Project scientists will provide a schedule change request identifying the wells as new and providing a list of constituents and sample frequencies to the sample scheduler.

All planned National Ignition Facility (NIF) capsule targets except machined beryllium require a plastic mandrel upon which the ablator is applied. This mandrel must at least meet if not exceed the symmetry and surface finish requirements of the final capsule. The mandrels are produced by a two-step process. In the first step a thin-walled poly({alpha}-methylstyrene)(P{alpha}MS) shell is produced using microencapsulation techniques. This shell is overcoated with 10 to 15 {micro}m of glow discharge polymer (GDP) and then pyrolyzed at 300 C. This pyrolysis causes the P{alpha}MS to depolymerize to gas phase monomer that diffuses away through the more thermally stable plasma polymer shell, which retains all the symmetry of the original P{alpha}MS shell. Thus our challenge has been to produce 2-mm-diameter P{alpha}MS shells to serve as these initial ''decomposable'' mandrels that meet or exceed the current NIF design specifications. The basic microencapsulation process used in producing P{alpha}MS mandrels involves using a droplet generator to produce a water droplet (Wl) encapsulated by a fluorobenzene solution of P{alpha}MS (O), this compound droplet being suspended in a stirred aqueous bath (W2). Historically this bath has contained poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA, 88% hydrolyzed, mol. wt. {approx}25,000 g/mol) to prevent agglomeration of the initially fluid compound …

The design, development, and performance testing of a prototype system known as the Remotely Operated Nondestructive Examination (RONDE)system to examine the knuckle region of a Hanford DST have been completed. The design and fabrication of a scanning bridge to support the Savannah River Site utilizing similar technology was also completed.

The goal of the Majorana Experiment is to determine the effective Majorana masss of the eletron neutrino. Detection of the neutrino mass implied by oscillation results in within our grasp. This exciting physics goal is best pursued using double-beta decay of germanium because of the historical and emerging advances in eliminating competing signals from radioactive backgrounds. The Majorana Experiment will consist of a large mass of 76Ge in the form of high-resolution detectors deep underground, searching for a sharp peak at the BB endpoint. We present here an overview of the entire project in order to help put in perspective the scope, the level and technial risk, and the readiness of the Collaboration to begin the undertaking.

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The approach of the Campus Earthquake Program (CEP) is to combine the substantial expertise that exists within the UC system in geology, seismology, and geotechnical engineering, to estimate the earthquake strong motion exposure of UC facilities. These estimates draw upon recent advances in hazard assessment, seismic wave propagation modeling in rocks and soils, and dynamic soil testing. The UC campuses currently chosen for application of our integrated methodology are Riverside, San Diego, and Santa Barbara. The procedure starts with the identification of possible earthquake sources in the region and the determination of the most critical fault(s) related to earthquake exposure of the campus. Combined geological, geophysical, and geotechnical studies are then conducted to characterize each campus with specific focus on the location of particular target buildings of special interest to the campus administrators. We drill, sample, and geophysically log deep boreholes next to the target structure, to provide direct in-situ measurements of subsurface material properties, and to install uphole and downhole 3-component seismic sensors capable of recording both weak and strong motions. The boreholes provide access below the soil layers, to deeper materials that have relatively high seismic shear-wave velocities. Analyses of conjugate downhole and uphole records provide a basis …

A key component in the National Ignition Facility (NIF) laser optic system is the amplifier frame assembly unit (FAU). The cast aluminum top plate that supports the FAU is required to withstand loads that would occur during an earthquake with a recurrence period of 1000 years. The stringent seismic requirements placed on the FAU top plate induced a study of the cast aluminum material used in the top plate. Ultrasonic testing was used to aid in characterizing the aluminum material used in the plates. This report documents the work performed using contact ultrasonic testing to characterize the FAU top plate material. The ultrasonic work reported here had 3 objectives: (1) inspect the plate material before cyclic testing conducted at the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center (PEER); (2) determine the overall quality of individual plates; and (3) detect large defects in critical areas of individual plates. Section III, ''Pre-cyclic test inspection'', describes work performed in support of Objective 1. Section IV, ''Ultrasonic field measurements'', describes work performed in support of Objectives 2 and 3.

This note summarizes some of the work done on Vlasov simulation methods during the two-week visit of E. Sonnendrucker to LBNL in July-August, 2002. It describes a variety of algorithms which might be employed in solving the coupled Vlasov-Poisson system on a grid in phase space. In particular, it emphasizes a class of methods which do not employ the sort of operator splitting commonly used in Vlasov methods, whereby the distribution function information is alternately updated along planes of constant x and constant v. Instead, the distribution function information on the phase space nodes is given by either (a) multi-dimensional interpolation of the gridded f at an earlier time onto a set of phase space locations which are obtained by tracking the nodes back to that earlier time (''backward semi-Lagrangian''), or (b) weighted deposition or averaging of f values from orbits onto nodes (''forward semi-Lagrangian'' or ''fully Lagrangian'').

This report describes the caustic leaching test conducted on Hanford Tank T-110 sludge during FY 2002 at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The data presented here can be used to develop the baseline and alternative flowsheets for pretreating Hanford tank sludge. The U.S. Department of Energy funded the work through the Efficient Separations and Processing Crosscutting Program (ESP; EM-50).

This form updates the groundwater monitoring plan for the B Pond system and documents revision agreed upon with the Washington State Department of Ecology concerning well network, constitutuent list, statistical analysis, and report procedures.

The focus of this contract (in the summer and fall of 2001) was originally to help the California Energy Commission (CEC) locate and evaluate potential sites for electric power generation facilities and to assist the CEC in addressing areas of congestion on transmission lines and natural gas supply line corridors. Subsequent events have reduced the immediate urgency, although not the ultimate need for such analyses. Software technology for deploying interactive geographic information systems (GIS) accessible over the Internet have developed to the point that it is now practical to develop and publish GIS web sites that have substantial viewing, movement, query, and even map-making capabilities. As part of a separate project not funded by the CEC, the GIS Center at LLNL, on an experimental basis, has developed a web site to explore the technical difficulties as well as the interest in such a web site by agencies and others concerned with energy research. This exploratory effort offers the potential or developing an interactive GIS web site for use by the CEC for energy research, policy analysis, site evaluation, and permit and regulatory matters. To help ground the geospatial capabilities in the realistic requirements and needs of the CEC staff, the …

Using the transpiration method, the volatility of uranium oxide in the presence of oxygen and water vapor has been measured at temperatures ranging from 1173 to 1573 K and the volatility of uranium oxide in the presence of oxygen and chlorine has been measured at 1175 K. The major vapor species in the presence of oxygen and water vapor are found to be UO{sub 3}(g) and UO{sub 2}(0H){sub 2}(g). Third law treatment of the vaporization data yields {Delta}H{sub f}{sup o}(298) values of -790.52 {+-} 7.32 and -1199.94 {+-} 10.25 kJ/mol, respectively. The major vapor species in the presence of oxygen and chlorine is found to be UO{sub 2}Cl{sub 2}(g). Third law treatment of the vaporization data yields a {Delta}H{sub f}{sup o}(298) value of -1002.04 {+-} 3.26 kJ/mol. From an assessment of all the thermodynamic data available for UO{sub 3}(g), UO{sub 2}(OH){sub 2}(g), UO{sub 2}Cl{sub 2}(g), and UO{sub 2}F{sub 2}(g), the best {Delta}H{sub f{sup o}}(298) values for each of these species are calculated to be -796.74 {+-} 3.52, -1199.94 {+-} 10.25, -999.64 {+-} 2.40, and -1369.22 {+-} 2.87 kJ/mol, respectively. From these, the {Delta}H{sub f{sup o}} (298) values for UO{sub 2}ClOH(g), UO{sub 2}FOH(g), and UO{sub 2}FCl(g) are estimated to be -1099.79, …

Final report of the Amtrak Reform Council describing their activities and findings regarding the Council's proposed action plan for restructuring the national intercity rail passenger system in the face of Amtrak's failure to achieve operational self-sufficiency.

The state of Iowa is considering adpoting ASHRAE 90.1-1999 as its commercial building energy code. In an effort to evaluate whether or not this is an appropraite code for the state, the potential benefits and costs of adopting this standard are considered. Both qualitative and quantitative benefits are assessed. The energy simulation and economic results suggest that adopting ASHRAE 90.1-1999 would provide postitive net benefits to the state relative to the building and design requirements currently in place.

The original filter recommended by PNNL for the RASA is somewhat difficult to dissolve and has been discontinued by the manufacturer (3M) because the manufacturing process (substrate blown microfiber, or SBMF) has been superceded by a simpler process (scrim-free blown microfiber, or BMF). Several new potential filters have been evaluated by PNNL and by an independent commercial lab. A superior product has been identified which provides higher trapping efficiency, higher air flow, is easier to dissolve, and is thinner, accommodating more filters per RASA roll. This filter is recommended for all ground-based sampling, and with additional mechanical support, it could be useful for airborne sampling, as well.

A database was generated of estimates of geographically referenced carbon densities of forest vegetation in tropical Southeast Asia for 1980. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to incorporate spatial databases of climatic, edaphic, and geomorphological indices and vegetation to estimate potential (i.e., in the absence of human intervention and natural disturbance) carbon densities of forests. The resulting map was then modified to estimate actual 1980 carbon density as a function of population density and climatic zone. The database covers the following 13 countries: Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia (Campuchea), India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. The data sets within this database are provided in three file formats: ARC/INFO{trademark} exported integer grids, ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) files formatted for raster-based GIS software packages, and generic ASCII files with x, y coordinates for use with non-GIS software packages. This database includes ten ARC/INFO exported integer grid files (five with the pixel size 3.75 km x 3.75 km and five with the pixel size 0.25 degree longitude x 0.25 degree latitude) and 27 ASCII files. The first ASCII file contains the documentation associated with this database. Twenty-four of the ASCII files were generated …

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This report reviews the causes and goals of railway restructuring in other countries and describes the advantages and disadvantages of alternative models of rail regulatory regimes.

This report describes the National Science Foundation (NSF) that was created by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended (P.L. 81-507).

This report provides information about the Country Applicability of the U.S. Normal Trade Relations (Most-Favored-Nation) Status. The United States extends unlimited and permanent NTR treatment to all its trading partners.

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