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Activities in the following fields are summarized: plutonium scrap processing, process technology, plutonium trenches and soils, prevention of accidental release, environmental evaluations, and radiation monitoring. (DLC)

The experiments with U(37)O{sub 2}F{sub 2} aqueous solution followed the series of experiments with {sup 233}UO{sub 2}(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} and U(93)O{sub 2}(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} solutions in the 69.2-cm-diam sphere. The critical concentrations of {sup 233}U and {sup 235}U were used to evaluate the ratio of {ovr {eta}{sigma}{sub a}}(233)/{ovr {eta}{sigma}{sub a}}(235) some years ago when the accepted value of {ovr {eta}}(233) was questioned. The purpose of the experiment reported here was to measure the increase in {sup 235}U critical concentration and, hence, the increase in critical mass due to the increase in the {sup 238}U content in the 69.2-cm-diam sphere. The U(37)O{sub 2}F{sub 2} concentration in an aqueous solution was adjusted to that when an aluminum spherical vessel was completely filled and the multiplication factor was greater than unity and the excess reactivity was measured by means of a positive reactor period. The critical conditions are summarized in Table 1. The critical conditions for U(93)O{sub 2}(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} solution in the same sphere are also given for comparison and there is only a small difference in the critical {sup 235}U density or mass. In these well moderated solutions there is only a small amount of neutron absorption in {sup 238}U. A …

Faceting of high angle grain boundaries in SIGMA = 3 and SIGMA = 5 coincidence lattices of the fcc structure was studied using thinfilm bicrystal specimens of controlled geometry. A number of relatively high index boundaries in the coincidence lattices (containing relatively low planar densities of coincidence sites) was found to break up into low energy facets corresponding to low index planes of the coincidence lattices (containing high densities of coincidence lattice sites). These results are consistent with a general expectation that the grain boundary energy decreases as the planar density of coincidence sites increases, i.e., the two-dimensional periodicity of the boundary becomes shorter, and long-ranged distortions are reduced. (auth)

>Progress reported includes preparation and tensile properties of Pt-Rh-- W alloys, oxidation of Ir, and effects of 0/sub 2/ and CO on tensile properties of T-111 and TZM. (DLC)

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This report is intended as a User's Manual for SWAN''--- a code written for perturbation theory analysis and optimization of the nucleonic characteristics of fusion reactor blankets. SWAN is also applicable to any problem described by the inhomogeneous linear transport equation, e.g., radiation shield problems. The optimization method is based on variational techniques. The variables of the optimization are material densities, with no restriction on their number. One joint restraint may be imposed in addition to upper and lower limits on each density. The parameter to be extremized and the restraint may be either a weighttype (linear) or nucleonic (bilinear) functional. The transport calculations for SWAN are performed with the one-dimensional discrete-ordinate code ANISN. (auth)

From seminar on high-energy accelerator science; Tokyo and Tsukuba, Japan (5 Nov 1973). Parameters for the PEP (Proton-- Electron-- Positron) colliding beam facility and the status of the proposed facility are outlined. - The design study has been a joint effort by SLAC and LBL. (WHK)

A successful method of screening high-dielectric-constant, nonmagnetic, high-loss-factor materials at microwave frequencies was developed to provide material control by incoming inspection. This is accomplished by measuring the S parameters of the material---reliance on the manufacturer's permittivity data and x-ray examination for voids and inclusions is no longer necessary. Use of an automatic network analyzer makes 100% inspection economically feasible. (auth)

The proposed multiparticle spectrometer is designed to study particles produced at small angles (0.5 < theta < 20 mr). It is assumed to be part of a larger set-up, where the larger angles are covered by other spectrometers, or at least a 4 pi detector, such as described by Arnold et al. (CRISP 72-65). The general layout consists of 4 magnets in a symmetrical arrangement. A set of proportional chambers downstream from the first set of magnets can measure both angle and momentum. Using a second pair of magnets, the momenta can be re- combined. Then all tracks will point back to the original interaction point in compact bundle, which may be suitable for particle identification by Cherenkov counters further downstream. (auth)

Analytical shielding work performed for the fast reactor program during the months of July and August included calculations for both the FFTF and the Demo plant, computer code development, analyses of TSF experiments, and a cross- section sensitivity study of a TSF experiment. Most of the FFTF studies were aimed at determining the effect of various design changes on the dose rates at the maintenance deck during reactor operation, in particular, the effects of penetrations through the radial cavity shield and the effect of a new design for the head temperature control system shield. Gamma-ray dose rates due to the activated sodium coolant were also calculated for two locations in the system: around one of the branch-arm piping shields and near the entrances of the 28-in. and 16-in. coolant lines into the IHX cell. The main Demo plant study was for the lower axial shield region; another study has been initiated to calculate the Demo stored-fuel power and the ex-vessel detector response. The code development consisted in setting forth a set of specifications for the fourth version of the discrete ordinates code DOT. The TSF experiments that were analyzed were an experiment in which secondary gammaray production in iron-polyethylene configurations …

Results from calculations using a 2021-energy-group cross section library with sufficient energy definition in the lower energy range to resolve the known resorances in /sup 239/Pu and /sup 235/U are compared with flat-plate resorance self-shielding experimental data. The results are somewhat ambiguous. The lower energy ranges appear to agree better with experimental data for small areal densities, but disagree more as the areal density increases. (20 figures) (RWR)

Tests performed to determine the long-term stability of Alnico 5 and 8 magnets for use in permanent magnet in-core sodium flowmeters are described. The results of this experiment showed that two processes combine to affect magnetic stability of these magnets at temperatures above 700 deg F: loss of field strength with time, the rate of loss increasing with temperature, and partial recovery of the loss caused by a high-temperature stabilization. The conclusion is that for a given temperature the most stable performance will be obtained by balancing these iwo processes with an optimum stabilization procedure. This procedure has yet to be established. For 12,000-hr operation, the recommended maximum temperatures are 1000 deg F for Alnico 5 (< plus or minus 10% drift), and 1100 deg F for Alnico 8 (< plus or minus 15% drift). (auth)

Test apparatus was designed for the measurement of the in situ permeability in the vicinity of the 1100-ft UI-C shaft at NTS. A very reasonable approximation to a one-dimensional flow geometry was obtined. Measurement of gas injection flow rates and pressures allowed the determination of the effective permeability of the medium around the Ul-C shaft to be from 1 to 10 darcys with the major exceptions at depths of less than 200 ft where the permeability was greater than 40 darcys. However, permeability results were seen to vary with source pressure and, therefore, must be used with discretion. (auth)

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From nuclear science symposium; San Francisco, California, USA (14 Nov 1973). The 25 cm x 25 cm chamber described images thermal and epicadmium neutron beams using two boron-coated conversion screens, and fast neutrons using a single polyethylene converter, Sample images and quantitative attenuation and resolution data are presented, Measurements of neutron attenuation in lucite patterns give good agreement with expected values for thermal, epicadmium, and fast (Pu- Be) beams. The measured mean free energy. This gives good agreement with the experimental data for tracks longer than approx equal 15 mu m (alphas and 160 ions of energies 5.3 to 8.8 MeV and 22 to 42 MeV, respectively). The shorter tracks of fission fragments (90 MeV from /sup 252/Cf) give shorter t/sub p/ values than predicted by the formula above. This is explained by transfer from cylindrical to spherical erosion geometry. (auth)

A major instrumentation program was undertaken for the Rio Blanco experiment using accelerometers and velocity gages buried at various depths below the ground surface and at various horizontal ranges from the emplacement well. The objective was to physically measure the depth and aerial extent of spall (tensile failure of the earth material). Data from each of the instrument stations is given, along with the appropriate integrated data for particle velocity and displacement or just displacement. (auth)

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The mechanical properties of tuff from instrument hole UG3, tunnel U12e.06 at the Nevada Test Site have been investigated to 1400 MPa, The shear strength increases from about 5 MHa unconfined to 12 MPa at 300 MPa mean pressure. A brittle-ductile transition was indicated at about 250 MPa. In uniaxial strain, the sample loads to the vicinity of the failure envelope and then is parallel to that envelope up to the highest stresses, 420 MPa. Hydrostatic pressure of 1400 MPa produces about 9% volume compression and 1.3% permanent compaction in this apparently saturated tuff. (auth)

The ALMENDRO Event was conducted on Pahute Mesa at NTS, and was announced as an intermediate yield event (200 to 1000 kt). Strainmeter records were obtalned at three locations in Yucca Flat. One recording site was a triaxial station; the other two were two component stations. The station parameters and pertinent data relating to ALMENDRO are summarized in tabular form. (TFD)