A geometrical multigrid method for solving the linearized matrix equations arising from node-on-face three-dimensional finite element contact is described. The development of an efficient implementation of this combination that minimizes both the memory requirements and the computational cost requires careful construction and storage of the portion of the coarse mesh stiffness matrices that are associated with the contact stiffness on the fine mesh. The multigrid contact algorithm is parallelized in a manner suitable for distributed memory architectures: results are presented that demonstrates the scheme's scalability. The solution of a large contact problem derived from an analysis of the factory joints present in the Space Shuttle reusable solid rocket motor demonstrates the usefulness of the general approach.

This report documents completion of Milestone A.4-1 "Issue Tank Lay-Up Strategies for WVDP Final Report," in Technical Task Plan RL3-WT21A, "Post-Retrieval and Pre-Closure HLW Tank Lay-Up." This task was a collaborative effort among Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., and West Valley Nuclear Services. The primary objective of the overall task was to develop and evaluate conceptual strategies for preclosure lay-up of the two large high-level waste storage tanks at the West Valley Demonstration Project.

Documents completion of Milestone A.2-1, "Issue Tanks Lay-Up Strategies for WVDP," in Technical Task Plan RL30WT21A, "Post-Retrieval and Pre-Closure HLW Tank Lay-Up." This task is a collabrative effort among Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., and West Valley Nuclear Servies. The primary objective of the overall task is to develop and evaluate conceptual strategies for preclosure lay-up of the two large high-level waste (HLW) storage tanks at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP). Functions and requirements for tank lay-up were developed and previously documented in "Functions and Requirements for WVDP Lay-Up". Theses functions and requirements will serve as decision criteria to support selection of a strategy for safe and cost-effective lay-up of the HLW tanks.

Isotopically enriched xenon isotopes are ideal for tracking the flow of relatively large volumes of groundwater. Dissolved noble gas tracers behave conservatively in the saturated zone, pose no health risk to drinking water supplies, and can be used with a large dynamic range. Different Xe isotopes can be used simultaneously at multiple recharge sources in a single experiment. Results from a tracer experiment at a California water district suggests that a small fraction of tracer moved from the recharge ponds through the thick, unconfined, coarse-grained alluvial aquifer to high capacity production wells at a horizontal velocity of 6 m/day. In contrast, mean water residence times indicate that the average rate of transport is 0.5 to 1 m/day.

This report documents the preliminary needs assessment of high-level waste (HLW) tank lay-up requirements and considerations for the Hanford Site, Idaho Naitonal Engeineering and Environmental Lab (INEEL), Savannah River Site (SRS) and Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR). This assessment includes the development of a high-level requirements and considerations list that evolved from work done for the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) earlier in fiscal year (FY) 2001, and is based on individual site conditions and tank retrieval/tank closure schedules. Because schedules are continually subject to change, this assessment is considered preliminary and needs review and validation by the individual sites. The lay-up decision methodology developed for WVDP was based on standard systems engineering principles, and provided a structured framework for producing an effective, technically-defensible lay-up strategy.

During fiscal year (FY) 2001 as part of a Tanks Focus Area strategic intiative, tank lay-up options were developed and evaluated for the two high-level waste (HLW) storage tanks at the West Valley Demonstration Project. As follow-on task, a list of key waste tank contacts throughout the US Department of Energy complex was developed. Visits were then made to the primary DOE sites with radioactive waste storage tanks to discuss the concept and applicablility of tank lay-up. This report documents the results of individual discussions with tank closure staff at the four DOE Sites concerning tank closure status and plans as well as lay-up options and activities.

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. is developing and evaluating high-level waste (HLW) tank lay-up strategies in collaboration wiht the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and West Valley Nuclear Services Company. This work is included in the US Department of Energy (DOE) Tanks Focus Areas (TFA) Technical Test Plan RL3-WT21A, "Post-Retrieval and Pre-Closure HLW Tank Lay-Up".

Documents completion of Milestone A.3-1, "Issue Decision Plan for WVDP Tank Lay-Up," in Technical Task Plan RL30WT21A, "Post-Retrieval and Pre-Closure HLW Tank Lay-Up." This task is a collaborative effort among, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., and West Valley Nuclear Services. Thi primary objective of the overall task is to develop and evaluate conceptual strategies for preclosure lay-up of the two large high-level waste storage tanks at the West Valley Demonstration Project. Functions and requirments for tank lay-up were developed and previously documented in "Functions and Requirements for WVDP Lay-Up". These functions nad requirments served as the basis for cristeria to evaluate potential aly-up options documented in "West Valey High-Level Waste Tank Lay-Up Strategies".

This document provides background information and a list of questions to be addressed during an information-gathering visit by Jacobs Engineering Group Inc personnel. Jacobs has been funded by the Tanks Focus Area to complete a task "Pre-closure Interim Tanks Maintenance." The overall objective of this task is to develop a central informaion center of site conditions, site requirements, alternative technical and other approaches, closure plans and activities, regulatory drivers and methodolgies for decision-making to assist site decisdion-makers in teh evaluation of alternative high-level waste (HLW) tank lay-up configureations. Lay-up is the term used for the period between intial decontamination and decommissioning of the tanks and final closure. Successful lay-up will place the tanks in a safe, stable, and minimum-maintenance mode until final closure.

Documents completion of Milstone A.1-1, "Issue Functions and Requirements for WVDP Tank Lay-Up," in Technical Task Plan TTP RL3-WT21A - "Post-Retrival and Pre-Closure HLW Tank Lay-Up." This task is a collaborative effort among Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., and West Valley Nuclear Services (WVNS). Because of the site-specific nature oft his task, the involvement of WVNS personnel is critical to the success of this task.

Radiochemical diagnostics play an important role in helping scientists understand the detonation of a nuclear device. Sometimes some elements or isotopes are inserted as radiochemical detectors at various locations in the nuclear device. During the detonation of the device, these detectors are subjected for a short time to the intense flux of neutrons emitted through fission and possibly through fusion of light elements (usually deuterium and tritium). After the detonation, the radiochemical detectors and their long-lived activation products are retrieved from the area where the underground explosion took place. These radiochemical samples are analyzed to extract information about how the device operated. A large amount of such radiochemical data exist from past nuclear-device tests.

We utilize weak motion recordings to evaluate the site response at the U1A hole, Nevada Test site to determine the effect on potential ground motion at the drift of the U1A hole 962 ft deep. We estimated the site response amplification of ground motion at the surface relative to the drift with the spectral ratio method. We utilized Fourier amplitude and absolute acceleration response spectra, and confined our study to frequencies of 0.5 to 25.0 Hz (.04 to 2.0 s periods). We identified 8 earthquakes in the area that were recorded at the bottom and top of the hole that were used for spectral ratios. We calculated the average and one standard deviation of ratios from all the events. Examining the data, we found that: (1) Fourier amplitude spectral ratios provided more detailed information on the site response than the absolute acceleration response that can be directly related to the effect of large earthquakes. (2) plots of the Fourier amplitude spectra for most of the recorded earthquakes show evidence for a spectral hole in the downhole recordings. This is due to downward reflected energy from the surface. This is not evident in absolute acceleration response records. (3) Fourier amplitude spectral …

The Delaware Basin Drilling Surveillance Program (DBDSP) is designed to monitor drilling activities in the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). This program is based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements. The EPA environmental standards for the management and disposal of transuranic (TRU) radioactive waste are codified in 40 CFR Part 191 (EPA 1993). Subparts B and C of the standard address the disposal of radioactive waste. The standard requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to demonstrate the expected performance of the disposal system using a probabilistic risk assessment or performance assessment (PA). This PA must show that the expected repository performance will not release radioactive material above limits set by the EPA's standard. This assessment must include the consideration of inadvertent drilling into the repository at some future time.

Determine seasonal and interannual patterns of net ecosystem CO2 flux from wet coastal and moist tussock tundra.

The use of liquid nitrogen (LN{sub 2}) constitutes the current state of the art in cryogenic cooling for high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors, which are widely used for {gamma}-ray and characteristic X-ray spectroscopy because of their excellent energy discrimination. Use of LN{sub 2} requires a liquid nitrogen supply, cumbersome storage tanks and plumbing, and the frequent attention of personnel to be sure that nitrogen levels are sufficient to maintain the detectors at a sufficiently low operating temperature. Safety hazards also are associated with the use of LN{sub 2}, both because of the potential for severe frostbite on exposure to skin and because it displaces ambient oxygen when it evaporates in closed spaces. Existing electromechanical coolers have, until now, been more expensive to procure and maintain than LN{sub 2} systems. Performance and reliability have also been serious issues because of microphonic degradation of photon energy peak resolution and cooler failures due to compressor oil becoming entrained in the refrigerant. This report describes the results of tests of a new HPGe detector cooling technology, the PerkinElmer ORTEC{reg_sign} Products X-Cooler{trademark} that, according to the manufacturer, significantly reduces the lifetime cost of the cooling system without degradation of the output signal. The manufacturer claims to …

This report provides an overview of the payments for covered prescription drugs for Medicare.

This report focuses on one aspect of online privacy – collection, use, and dissemination of data via the Internet, and discusses related federal privacy laws and selected legislation.

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This report discusses the need to raise the debt limit after four years of Surpluses.

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This report provides background concerning various aspects of fuel ethanol, and a discussion of the current related policy issues.

From Summary: This report provides a background and analysis regarding U.S. policies and interests toward Cambodia, including foreign aid restrictions, trade, the bilateral textile agreement, human trafficking, illegal drugs, and HIV/AIDS.