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Plan Colombia: Drug Reduction Goals Were Not Fully Met, but Security Has Improved; U.S. Agencies Need More Detailed Plans for Reducing Assistance (open access)

Plan Colombia: Drug Reduction Goals Were Not Fully Met, but Security Has Improved; U.S. Agencies Need More Detailed Plans for Reducing Assistance

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In September 1999, the government of Colombia announced a strategy, known as "Plan Colombia," to (1) reduce the production of illicit drugs (primarily cocaine) by 50 percent in 6 years and (2) improve security in Colombia by re-claiming control of areas held by illegal armed groups. Since fiscal year 2000, the United States has provided over $6 billion to support Plan Colombia. The Departments of State, Defense, and Justice and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) manage the assistance. GAO examined (1) the progress made toward Plan Colombia's drug reduction and enhanced security objectives, (2) the results of U.S. aid for the military and police, (3) the results of U.S. aid for non-military programs, and (4) the status of efforts to "nationalize" or transfer operations and funding responsibilities for U.S.-supported programs to Colombia."
Date: October 6, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Information Technology: Management Improvements Needed on the Department of Homeland Security's Next Generation Information Sharing System (open access)

Information Technology: Management Improvements Needed on the Department of Homeland Security's Next Generation Information Sharing System

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for coordinating the federal government's homeland security communications with all levels of government. In support of this mission, DHS implemented, and has been enhancing, the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN). It also has proposed a follow-on system, called Next Generation HSIN (HSIN Next Gen). GAO was asked to determine whether (1) DHS has stopped further improvements on HSIN and if so, the department's rationale for doing so and plans for acquiring its proposed follow-on system HSIN Next Gen and (2) the department is effectively managing the HSIN Next Gen acquisition. To accomplish this, GAO analyzed documentation, interviewed officials, and compared acquisition management processes and practices defined in industry best practices with those planned and underway by DHS."
Date: October 8, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Status of GSA's Implementation of Selected Green Building Provisions of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (open access)

Status of GSA's Implementation of Selected Green Building Provisions of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, buildings in the United States account for 68 percent of the nation's total electricity consumption and 39 percent of its total energy consumption. In December 2007, Congress enacted the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) to, among other things, increase energy efficiency and the availability of renewable energy in federal buildings. Specifically, the act established new energy-related requirements and standards for federal buildings and for the agencies that oversee them. For example, it required the General Services Administration (GSA) to establish an Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings to coordinate green building information and activities within GSA and with other federal agencies. The act also required GAO to report to Congress on the implementation of certain provisions contained in EISA by October 31, 2008, and October 31, 2009. As determined in consultation with Congressional offices, this report fulfills the 2008 requirement by addressing the status of GSA's implementation of selected EISA requirements related to high-performance federal green buildings. We selected GSA as the focus of our initial report because GSA is responsible for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance …
Date: October 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Defense Management: DOD Can Establish More Guidance for Biometrics Collection and Explore Broader Data Sharing (open access)

Defense Management: DOD Can Establish More Guidance for Biometrics Collection and Explore Broader Data Sharing

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The events of September 11, 2001, and operations in Afghanistan and Iraq have made it critical for military units to identify individuals they encounter and share this information with other units and federal agencies. Biometrics are unique personal aspects such as fingerprints and iris images used to identify an unfamiliar person. Federal agencies with national security missions, such as the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and State (DOS), need access to certain biometrics data gathered by the Department of Defense (DOD). GAO was asked to determine to what extent (1) DOD has guidance on the biometrics data to be collected to support military activities, and (2) there may be gaps in biometrics information shared between DOD and DHS. This is a public version of a For Official Use Only report, GAO-08-430NI, issued in May 2008. GAO examined DOD's guidance for field collection of biometrics data, biometrics sharing agreements, and information on national level efforts to enhance data sharing."
Date: October 15, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Real Property: Government's Fiscal Exposure from Repair and Maintenance Backlogs Is Unclear (open access)

Federal Real Property: Government's Fiscal Exposure from Repair and Maintenance Backlogs Is Unclear

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2003, GAO designated federal real property as a high-risk area. In 2007, GAO reported that real-property-holding agencies and the administration had made progress toward managing their real property, but underlying problems, such as backlogs in repair and maintenance, still existed and six agencies reported having over $1 billion in repair and maintenance backlogs. Owning real property creates a fiscal exposure for the government from the expectation that agencies will incur future maintenance and operations costs. GAO was asked to (1) describe how six agencies estimate their repair and maintenance backlogs, (2) determine how these agencies manage their backlogs and the expected future changes in these backlogs, and (3) identify how backlogs have affected operations at some sites. GAO reviewed agency documents, interviewed officials, and visited two sites at each of the six agencies."
Date: October 16, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Responses to Questions for the Record; September 2008 Hearing on the Next Generation Air Transportation System: Status and Issues (open access)

Responses to Questions for the Record; September 2008 Hearing on the Next Generation Air Transportation System: Status and Issues

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This letter responds to Congress' September 26, 2008, request that GAO address questions submitted for the record by Members of the Committee related to the September 11, 2008, hearing entitled The Next Generation Air Transportation System: Status and Issues."
Date: October 20, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. National Science Foundation: An Overview (open access)

U.S. National Science Foundation: An Overview

The majority of the research supported by the NSF is conducted at U.S. colleges and universities. Approximately 82.7% ($3,094.8 million) of NSF's FY2006 $3,740.6 million research and development (R&D) budget was awarded to U.S. colleges and universities. On September 30, 2008, the President signed into law the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009 (P.L. 110-329, H.R. 2638). The act includes, among other things, three of the 12 regular appropriations acts for FY2009. The Continuing Appropriations Act funds the NSF until passage of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Appropriations bill or until March 6, 2009, whichever occurs first. P.L. 110-329 funds the NSF at the FY2008 level.
Date: October 24, 2008
Creator: Matthews, Christine M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Farm Promotion ("Check-off") Programs (open access)

Federal Farm Promotion ("Check-off") Programs

The U.S. Supreme Court in 2005 affirmed the constitutionality of the so-called beef check-off program, one of the 18 generic promotion programs for agricultural products that are now active nationally. Supporters view check-offs as economically beneficial self-help activities that need minimal government involvement or taxpayer funding. Producers, handlers, and/or importers are required to pay an assessment, usually deducted from revenue at time of sale - thus the name check-off. However, some farmers contend they are being "taxed" for advertising and related activities they would not underwrite voluntarily. The Supreme Court's decision to uphold the beef check-off is considered significant for the future of the other programs, although the Court left open the possibility of additional challenges.
Date: October 20, 2008
Creator: Becker, Geoffrey S.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Child Pornography: Constitutional Principles and Federal Statutes (open access)

Child Pornography: Constitutional Principles and Federal Statutes

This report discusses the constitutional status of child pornography and summarizes federal statutes banning and regulating child pornography as well as selected court cases that have ruled on their constitutionality or interpreted them.
Date: October 10, 2008
Creator: Cohen, Henry
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Social Security: The Cost-of-Living Adjustment in January 2009 (open access)

Social Security: The Cost-of-Living Adjustment in January 2009

The 5.8% COLA payable in January 2009 was triggered by the rise in the CPI-W from the third quarter of 2007 to the third quarter of 2008. This COLA triggers identical percentage increases in Supplemental Security Income (SSI), veterans' pensions, and railroad retirement benefits, and causes other changes in the Social Security program. Although COLAs under the federal Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the federal military retirement program are not triggered by the Social Security COLA, these programs use the same measuring period and formula for computing their COLAs. Their recipients will also receive a 5.8% COLA in January 2009.
Date: October 16, 2008
Creator: Sidor, Gary
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Federal Civil Service Annuities (open access)

Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Federal Civil Service Annuities

Cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) are based on the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). All CSRS retirees and survivors receive COLAs. Under FERS, however, non-disabled retirees under age 62 do not receive COLAs. This report discusses cost-of-living adjustments for government retirees, as well as related legislation.
Date: October 16, 2008
Creator: Purcell, Patrick
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Bahrain: Reform, Security, and U.S. Policy (open access)

Bahrain: Reform, Security, and U.S. Policy

After instability during the late 1990s, Bahrain undertook substantial political reforms, but the Shiite majority continues to simmer over the Sunni-led government's perceived manipulation of laws and regulations to maintain its grip on power. Bahrain's stability has long been a key U.S. interest; it has hosted U.S. naval headquarters for the Gulf for nearly 60 years. In September 2004, the United States and Bahrain signed a free trade agreement (FTA).
Date: October 17, 2008
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Economic Benefits, Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions Reductions, and Water Conservation Benefits from 1,000 Megawatts (MW) of New Wind Power in Pennsylvania (Fact Sheet) (open access)

Economic Benefits, Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions Reductions, and Water Conservation Benefits from 1,000 Megawatts (MW) of New Wind Power in Pennsylvania (Fact Sheet)

The U.S. Department of Energy?s Wind Powering America Program is committed to educating state-level policymakers and other stakeholders about the economic, CO2 emissions, and water conservation impacts of wind power. This analysis highlights the expected impacts of 1000 MW of wind power in Pennsylvania. Although construction and operation of 1000 MW of wind power is a significant effort, six states have already reached the 1000-MW mark. We forecast the cumulative economic benefits from 1000 MW of development in Pennsylvania to be $1.2 billion, annual CO2 reductions are estimated at 3.4 million tons, and annual water savings are 1,837 million gallons.
Date: October 1, 2008
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
CHARICE version 1.1 update. (open access)

CHARICE version 1.1 update.

CHARICE (CHARacteristics-based inverse analysis of Isentropic Compression Experiments) is a computer application, previously documented in SAND2007-4948, that analyzes velocity waveform data from ramp-wave experiments to determine a material's quasi-isentropic loading response in stress and density using an iterative characteristics-based approach. This short report documents only the changes in CHARICE release version 1.1 relative to release version 1.0, and is not intended to stand alone. CHARICE version 1.1 corrects an error in the algorithm of the method, fixes several bugs, improves robustness and performance, provides more useful error descriptions, and adds a number of minor features.
Date: October 1, 2008
Creator: Davis, Jean-Paul
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Assessment of Next Generation Nuclear Plant Intermediate Heat Exchanger Design. (open access)

Assessment of Next Generation Nuclear Plant Intermediate Heat Exchanger Design.

The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP), which is an advanced high temperature gas reactor (HTGR) concept with emphasis on production of both electricity and hydrogen, involves helium as the coolant and a closed-cycle gas turbine for power generation with a core outlet/gas turbine inlet temperature of 900-1000 C. In the indirect cycle system, an intermediate heat exchanger is used to transfer the heat from primary helium from the core to the secondary fluid, which can be helium, nitrogen/helium mixture, or a molten salt. The system concept for the vary high temperature reactor (VHTR) can be a reactor based on the prismatic block of the GT-MHR developed by a consortium led by General Atomics in the U.S. or based on the PBMR design developed by ESKOM of South Africa and British Nuclear Fuels of U.K. This report has made an assessment on the issues pertaining to the intermediate heat exchanger (IHX) for the NGNP. A detailed thermal hydraulic analysis, using models developed at ANL, was performed to calculate heat transfer, temperature distribution, and pressure drop. Two IHX designs namely, shell and straight tube and compact heat exchangers were considered in an earlier assessment. Helical coil heat exchangers were analyzed in the …
Date: October 17, 2008
Creator: Majumdar, S.; Moisseytsev, A. & Natesan, K.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Clean Cities: Ethanol Basics, Fact Sheet, October 2008 (open access)

Clean Cities: Ethanol Basics, Fact Sheet, October 2008

Document answers frequently asked questions about ethanol as a transportation fuel, including those on production, environmental effects, and vehicles.
Date: October 1, 2008
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Development of ITER 15 MA ELMy H-mode Inductive Scenario (open access)

Development of ITER 15 MA ELMy H-mode Inductive Scenario

The poloidal field (PF) coil system on ITER, which provides both feedforward and feedback control of plasma position, shape, and current, is a critical element for achieving mission performance. Analysis of PF capabilities has focused on the 15 MA Q = 10 scenario with a 300-500 s flattop burn phase. The operating space available for the 15 MA ELMy H-mode plasma discharges in ITER and upgrades to the PF coils or associated systems to establish confidence that ITER mission objectives can be reached have been identified. Time dependent self-consistent free-boundary calculations were performed to examine the impact of plasma variability, discharge programming, and plasma disturbances. Based on these calculations a new reference scenario was developed based upon a large bore initial plasma, early divertor transition, low level heating in L-mode, and a late H-mode onset. Equilibrium analyses for this scenario indicate that the original PF coil limitations do not allow low li (<0.8) operation or lower flux states, and the flattop burn durations were predicted to be less than the desired 400 s. This finding motivates the expansion of the operating space, considering several upgrade options to the PF coils. Analysis was also carried out to examine the feedback current …
Date: October 16, 2008
Creator: Kessel, C. E.; Campbell, D.; Gribov, Y.; Saibene, G.; Ambrosino, G.; Casper, T. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Solar Radiation Data Sets: Solar Resource Assessment Workshop (open access)

Solar Radiation Data Sets: Solar Resource Assessment Workshop

None
Date: October 29, 2008
Creator: Wilcox, S.; George, R. & Myers, D.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Geometric optimization of the 56 MHz SRF cavity and its frequency table (open access)

Geometric optimization of the 56 MHz SRF cavity and its frequency table

It is essential to know the frequency of a Superconducting Radio Frequency (SRF) cavity at its 'just being fabricated' stage because frequency is the key parameter in constructing the cavity. In this paper, we report our work on assessing it. We can estimate the frequency change from stage to stage theoretically and/or by simulation. At the operating stage, the frequency can be calculated accurately, and, from this value, we obtain the frequencies at other stages. They are listed in a table that serves to check the processes from stage to stage. Equally important is optimizing the geometric shape of the SRF cavity so that the peak electric-field and peak magnetic-field are as low as possible. It is particularly desirable in the 56MHz SRF cavity of RHIC to maximize the frequency sensitivity of the slow tuner. After undertaking such optimization, our resultant peak electric-field is only 44.1MV/m, and the peak magnetic-field is 1049G at 2.5MV of voltage across the cavity gap. To quench superconductivity in an SRF cavity, it is reported that the limit of the peak magnetic-field is 1800G [1], and that of the peak electric-field is more than l00MV/m for a SRF cavity [2]. Our simulations employed the codes …
Date: October 1, 2008
Creator: Chang, X. & Ben-Zvi, Ilan
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Recalibration of H Canyon Online Spectrophotometer at Extended Uranium Concentration (open access)

Recalibration of H Canyon Online Spectrophotometer at Extended Uranium Concentration

The H Canyon online spectrophotometers are calibrated for measurement of the uranium and nitric acid concentrations of several tanks in the 2nd Uranium Cycle.[1] The spectrometers, flow cells, and prediction models are currently optimized for a process in which uranium concentrations are expected to range from 0-15 g/L and nitric acid concentrations from 0.05-6 M. However, an upcoming processing campaign will involve 'Super Kukla' material, which has a lower than usual enrichment of fissionable uranium. Total uranium concentrations will be higher, spanning approximately 0-30 g/L U, with no change in the nitric acid concentrations. The new processing conditions require the installation of new flow cells with shorter path lengths. As the process solutions have a higher uranium concentration, the shorter path length is required to decrease the absorptivity to values closer to the optimal range for the instrument. Also, new uranium and nitric acid prediction models are required to span the extended uranium concentration range. The models will be developed for the 17.5 and 15.4 tanks, for which nitric acid concentrations will not exceed 1 M. The restricted acid range compared to the original models is anticipated to reduce the measurement uncertainty for both uranium and nitric acid. The online …
Date: October 29, 2008
Creator: Lascola, R.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Final Technical Report (open access)

Final Technical Report

The attached report contains the final technical report for the above-mentioned project.
Date: October 15, 2008
Creator: Memik, Gokhan
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Calculation Of Change-Changing Cross Sections Of IONS Or Atoms Colliding With Fast IONS Using The Classical Trajectory Method (open access)

Calculation Of Change-Changing Cross Sections Of IONS Or Atoms Colliding With Fast IONS Using The Classical Trajectory Method

Evaluation of ion-atom charge-changing cross sections is needed for many accelerator applications. A classical trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC) simulation has been used to calculate ionization and charge exchange cross sections. For benchmarking purposes, an extensive study has been performed for the simple case of hydrogen and helium targets in collisions with various ions. Despite the fact that the simulation only accounts for classical mechanics, the calculations are comparable to experimental results for projectile velocities in the region corresponding to the vicinity of the maximum cross section. Shortcomings of the CTMC method for multielectron target atoms are discussed.
Date: October 10, 2008
Creator: Kaganovich, I. D., Shnidman, Ariel, Mebane, Harrison, Davidson, R.C.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Economic Benefits, Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions Reductions, and Water Conservation Benefits from 1,000 Megawatts (MW) of New Wind Power in Wisconsin (Fact Sheet) (open access)

Economic Benefits, Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions Reductions, and Water Conservation Benefits from 1,000 Megawatts (MW) of New Wind Power in Wisconsin (Fact Sheet)

The U.S. Department of Energy?s Wind Powering America Program is committed to educating state-level policymakers and other stakeholders about the economic, CO2 emissions, and water conservation impacts of wind power. This analysis highlights the expected impacts of 1000 MW of wind power in Wisconsin. Although construction and operation of 1000 MW of wind power is a significant effort, six states have already reached the 1000-MW mark. We forecast the cumulative economic benefits from 1000 MW of development in Wisconsin to be $1.1 billion, annual CO2 reductions are estimated at 3.2 million tons, and annual water savings are 1,476 million gallons.
Date: October 1, 2008
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Top Jets at the LHC (open access)

Top Jets at the LHC

We investigatethe reconstruction of high pT hadronically-decaying top quarksat the Large Hadron Collider. One of the main challenges in identifying energetictop quarks is that the decay products become increasingly collimated. This reducesthe efficacy of conventional reconstruction methods that exploit the topology of thetop quark decay chain. We focus on the cases where the decay products of the topquark are reconstructed as a single jet, a"top-jet." The most basic"top-tag" methodbased on jet mass measurement is considered in detail. To analyze the feasibility ofthe top-tagging method, both theoretical and experimental aspects of the large QCDjet background contribution are examined. Based on a factorization approach, wederive a simple analytic approximation for the shape of the QCD jet mass spectrum.We observe very good agreement with the Monte Carlo simulation. We consider high pT tt bar production in the Standard Model as an example, and show that our theoretical QCD jet mass distributions can efficiently characterize the background via sideband analyses. We show that with 25 fb-1 of data, our approach allows us to resolve top-jets with pT _> 1 TeV, from the QCD background, and about 1.5 TeV top-jets with 100 fb-1, without relying on b-tagging. To further improve the significancewe consider jet shapes …
Date: October 6, 2008
Creator: Almeida, L.G.; Lee, S.J.; Perez, G.; Sung, I. & Virzi, J.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library