Report documenting the progress of the Army Gas-Cooled Reactor Systems Program to develop a mobile nuclear power plant for military field operation.

Introduction: The literature reflects ever expansive studies of radiation chemistry over the past twenty years However, in the application of radiation processing to chemical reactions, in general and excepting a few isolated cases, the yield of useful products have been so low as to preclude practical utilization. Thus, for many reactions,radiation alone at ambient conditions is not a sufficient agent for economical production. Hence, we are led to the investigation of radiation effects on reactions at elevated temperatures and pressures where the thermodynamics favor more extensive reactions that may be induced by radiation. the probability of developing a successful practical radiation process is increased when applying radiation at rigorous conditions. To have a commercial advantage, a radiation process usually must replace an expensive catalyst system, generate a reaction at somewhat less rigorous conditions than is usually employed or yield a better or unique product of high value. In our investigations, we have examined only the potential of radiation as a replacement for contact catalyst. Results: We have worked with coal extract rather than coal because it can be melted or dissolved to facilitate pumping into the processing unit and, in general, permits easier handling than a solid. From numerous radiation …

From introduction: "This is the seventeenth in a series of quarterly reports which cover the progress and results from the conceptual designs, economic evaluations and research and development work performed by the General Electric Company as part of Contract AT(01-3)-189, Project Agreement No. 13."

Technical report describing that as part of the AEC Fuel Cycle Program, tests are being conducted to evaluate the significance of current fuel design limitations that do not permit the maximum fuel temperature to exceed the melting point of UO2. The reliability of prediction of the fuel rod operating conditions that will cause melting of the UO2 was evaluated by means of a calibration test conducted in the Vallecitos Boiling Water Reactor. Conclusions: (a) The central portion of the 3.15-cm diameter uranium dioxide fuel column melted. It appears that the UO2 was molten to a radius of 1.22 cm in the peak power region. The maximum extent of melting probably occurred during the peak power run when the kdT in this region of the rod reached 171 watts cm. The estimated radius of melting from metallographic examination indicates the kdT for sintered UO2 is 89 watts/cm. This supports a calculated estimate for sintered UO2 thermal conductivity published by D. R. deHalas and G. R. Horn. The results of the previous calibration run and subsequent experimental data by Lyons are also consistent with the value. This conclusion is contingent on the interpretation of the post-irradiation crystal structure of the UO2. Insufficient …

Since the discovery of the Straub and Feuer as well as Laki et al. that ATP bound to G-actin is transformed to ADP and inorganic phosphate during polymerization of actin (1, 2), it has become increasingly clear that the chemical changes in the nucleotide are related to the change in the physical state of the protein. Barany, Biro, Molnar and Straub have shown that highly purified actin preparation free of any enzyme which would use ATP, ADP or AMP as a substrate still catalyze the breakdown of ATP (3) thus supporting the original idea that the ATP to ADP transformation is related to the globular to fibrous transformation of the actin protein itself. Mommaerts was the first to show that the ADP formed during polymerization remains bound to F-actin and Ulbrecht et al. while extending Mommaert's finding on exhaustively purified actin preparations have shown that the P1 formed during polymerization is not bound to F-actin. The stoichiometry of the splitting and the tightness of binding of the ADP lead inevitably to questions in regard to the position of bond breaking during the hydrolysis and to the nature of the forces involved in the tight binding of ADP to F-actin. To …

The scope of the AGS complex has expanded rapidly during the three years since an accelerated beam was first obtained. Demand for research time far exceeds the amount available although facilities have been much increased. At the same time, experiments are being designed which are more complicated than previous ones and which make more stringent demands on the accelerator and on its auxiliary equipment. There is a continuous trend of experiments to particle beams of greater momentum, as the experimental techniques are refined. This use of increased momentum means that larger areas are required for the apparatus and that more power is necessary for the magnetic optics. All beam-sharing at the AGS is done by multiple use of each accelerated pulse because our experience indicates that pulse-by-pulse beam-sharing is relatively inefficient. (Expansion chambers have seldom been used at the AGS.) The problems of scheduling experiments becomes increasingly complex since combinations must be found satisfying the criteria: maximum number of experiments to run simultaneously; minimum downtime to be taken for rearrangement between successive experimental arrays

In the vast field of radiation pathology we find pathologists, anatomists, and even physiologists busily at work, but the radiobiologist is conspicuously absent, although, according to Zirkle (1959), this field is clearly within his domain. Perhaps it is wise to take this broad hint of the scientifically so well equipped radiobiologist and to stay clear from an area in which an incalculable array of variables makes clearcut experimentation a hopeless venture, a priori. Perhaps it would be better if the pathologist, who must study pertinent material, restricts himself humbly to the recording of his observations, refraining from any attempt at interpretation. On the other hand, since seemingly audacious speculation has borne fruit in the past and the value of the information that results, if the speculation proves to be correct, is worth many times the effort, there is obvious justification for a thesis on the mechanism of delayed radionecrosis.

Activities in a program to develop techniques in the use of pulsed neutron sources to measure shutdown parameters related to large thermal power reactors are reported. The development of pulsed neutron source techniques for large power reactors has led to a new theoretical model recently developed by E. Garelis and J.L. Russell, Jr. The theory is presently based on a bare, one-group model with m-delayed precursors and takes all spatial modes into account. Results indicate, however, that the application of this model is much broader. Experiments were designed and carried out to both verify this new theory and to demonstrate the performance of the experimental hardware in a large power reactor.

Summary: A prototype control rod containing absorber plates made from an electro- deposited dispersion of boron carbide in nickel was tested in the VBWR. It was exposed to the reactor environment of 545 degree F boiling water and thermal neutron fluxes (perturbed) which ranged from 0.6 to 1.1 x 10/sup 13/ nv for 2236 hours over a period of six months. The maximum B/sup 10/ burnup achieved during the test period was 1.8 percent. After irradiation, the rod was examined. The results of the examination are summarized below: (1) The B/sub 4/C-- Ni plate assembly did not undergo significant dimensional changes during irradiation. (2) Numerous blisters developed on both the outer and inner surfaces of three of the four plates. Blistering was more severe on the outer surface than on the inner, and was most severe in a large region located in the lower half of plate 4. Metallographic examination revealed that the blisters were located only in the 2- mil protective nickel overlay covering the B/sub 4/C-- Ni dispersion. It was concluded that they formed from the buildup of gas pressure at the Ni: Ni-- B/sub 4/C interfaces, rather than from corrosion attack. Helium from the B/sup 10/(n alpha …

The duration of mitosis is of great importance in an evaluation of growth rates in proliferating somatic tissues, since calculations are based on observations of mitotic activity, and therefore final results are directly proportional to an assumed value for mitotic time. This duration cannot be measured directly in vivo at a tissue level, since the mode of distribution of the single cell value is not known. This difficulty is not overcome in extrapolations from in vitro measurements. Also it is not overcome with the labeling of proliferating cells after tritiated thymidine injection in vivo if subsequent observation is limited to the rate of progression into mitosis of labeled cells that incorporated the tracer during the period of DNA-synthesis. Observation of separate mitotic phases, however, offers the possibility of following the progression of the wave of labeled cells at successive, short-lasting checking steps, and to analyze the variability in the times of passage through mitosis. In the present work, the progression of labeled cells as a function of time, after a single injection of tritiated thymidine, was followed in successive phases of mitosis in erythroblasts of dog bone marrow.

The development of nuclear arms added the effects of ionizing radiation to the direct and indirect mechanical, chemical or thermal hazards of "conventional" weapons. The biological effects of ionizing radiation are the result of absorption of energy and the morphologically recognizable damage is poorly understood. Although new in their use in weapons and difficult to evaluate in their consequences, ionizing radiations are by no means new to physicians. Furthermore, medical experience has shown that clinical consequences of radiation injury are similar to those with which the clinician has to deal with every day in the treatment of neoplastic disorders and its complications. Soon after the discovery of x-rays by Roentgen and of the phenomenon of radioactivity by Bequerrel in the last decade of the last decade of the 19th century, it was found that ionizing radiation can produce marked biological effects by interfering with cell- and organ functions. Senn and Hussey were the first to effectively treat leukemia by this means. This, since about 60 years, ionizing radiation has been a powerful tool in the hands of physicians both in diagnostic procedures and for therapy of malignant disease. It should not be forgotten however, that the price paid for this …

Work performed during the quarter is summarized by; direct measurement of fission gas pressure, loop operations, performance of UO2 fuel, UO2 grain growth and melting studies.

Studies on a large variety of plant species, particularly by Sparrow and his colleagues, have shown that radiosensitivity, as measured by growth inhibition and lethality, is strongly correlated with various parameters of the cell nucleus. Foremost among these are nuclear volume, SNA content and chromosome number. It is generally accepted that in proliferating cell systems chromosome damage may well be the principal radiobiological lesion, and the observed correlations are in line with the contention that loss of genetic materials following such fragmentation is a factor of a major importance in radiation-induced lethality and growth inhibition in plants.

In the fall of 1961 an extensive program of investigation of high energy p-p interactions was begun at the Brookhaven AGS. The BNL 20" liquid hydrogen bubble chamber and an electrostatically separated beam were used to obtain a total (to date) of 300,000 exposure with about 15 antiprotons per pulse. The exposures were made at antiproton momenta of 3.25 Bev/c and 3.69 Bev/c in the laboratory. Approximately 80% of the exposures were made 3.69 Bev/c antiprotons. A wide variety of reactions occur in these collisions. Some of these such as elastic scattering, pion production, and associated production of hyperons and K-mesons have analogues in p-p collisions. The similarities and differences between the p-p and p-p results can usually be understood in a qualitative way and in some cases quantitative comparison with theory has been possible. The annihilation reactions leading to final states containing pions alone or pions with K-mesons are unique to the nucleon-antinucleon system as are the reactions in which a hyperon, anti-hyperon pair is produced. In the following, we report the principal characteristics of proton-antiproton reactions. Although the scope of this paper is comprehensive it is not a definitive report of the experiment as much of the work …

The kinetics of several oxidation-reduction reactions involving manganese (III) have been studied spectrophotometrically by the use of a flow technique. The free energies of activation for the oxidation of various substituted tris-(1,10-phenanthroline) complexes of iron (II) by manganese (III) in perchloric acid and in pyrophosphoric-sulfuric acid media were found to be linearly related to the standard free energy changes of the reactions. The application of the Marcus theory to the reactions of manganese (III) with iron (II) and with various substituted iron (II)-phenanthroline complexes and to the reaction of cobalt (III) with manganese (II) in perchloric acid leads to an estimate of about 10 -4 F -1 sec -1 for the rate constant of the manganese (II)-manganese (III) electron exchange reaction at 25.0°. Attempts to determine the rate constant for this exchange by a radioactive tracer method were unsuccessful.

Binary fluorides of the type XMnF3 (X= Na, Rb, Cs, and NH4), which were investigated previously by means of x-ray, electron spin resonance specific heat, and magnetization measurements, have been reported to be antiferromagnetic. The present study reports powder neutron diffraction measurements on these compounds undertaken to confirm the antiferromagnetism and to study details of the magnetic ordering. Some information was also obtained concerning the nuclear structures.

The present communication reports the results of several investigations of magnetic structure and magnetic transitions currently in progress or recently completed at Brookhaven National Laboratory.

A feedback technique has been developed to equalize the DC levels of two signal sources so that AC signal components which are much smaller than the DC levels can be compared accurately without introducing a low frequency cut-off and consequent rate-dependency into the system. A digital integrator in the feedback loop provides a highly stable long-term "memory" so that the correct level will be maintained during intervals when the signals are "frozen" at some arbitrary point.

A neutron diffraction program was initiated recently at the Puerto Rico Nuclear Center. The two double crystal spectrometers in use were assembled with the aid of staff members of the Brookhaven National Laboratory. The first research problem to be completed was a single crystal structure analysis of CaWO4. Choosing the origin at the 4(a) tungsten site in the tetragonal I41/a cell. the 16(f) oxygen parameters were found to be as follows: x=0.2413 ± 0.0005, y=0.1511 ± 0.0006, z=0.0861 ± 0.0001. Anisotropic temperature parameters were also determined for all atoms in the least squares analysis of the structure. The magnetic structure of CuSO4 has been determined in a continuation of a study started at Brookhaven in collaboration with Dr. P.J. Brown. Using the Wollan-Koehler-Bertaut notation, the antiferromagnetic spin ordering mode in the orthorhombic Pbnm cell is Ax, with the spin axis parallel to a. A moment of approximately 1 μB was found for the Cu2_ ion. The crystal structure of BaNiO2 was re-examined in a neutron powder diffraction study, and it was found that the earlier x-ray study of Lander is essentially correct. An alternative oxygen arrangement, for which x-rays would not have been very sensitive, had been suspected. BaNiO2 was …

The crystal structure of MgSO4·4H2O has been refined using single crystal neutron diffraction data for the three main zones. The hydrogen positions which were found are essentially those which have been deduced from X-ray data in an earlier investigation.The mean value of the O-H bond lengths is 0.97Å. The O-H-O bonds are bent considerably. One hydrogen atom does not participate in hydrogen bonding, as can be concluded from the geometry of its surroundings and its thermal motion.

Monoclinic FeSO4·7H2O is the stable solid phase between -1.82° and 56.6° C in contact with a saturated water solution of FeSO4. It occurs in nature as an oxidation product of Fe-containing sulfides an is called melanterite. FeSO4·7H2O belongs to a series of compounds Me2+SO4·nH2O, where Mn2+ is a cation with an approximate ionic radius of 0.7Å. The 1-, 4- and 5-hydrates are known to crystalize each in only one form, whereas the hexa- and the heptahydrates occur both in two different forms. The crystal structure of the tetragonal NiSO4·6H2O; Zalkin, Ruben and Templeton reported the structure of the monoclinic CoSO·6H2O. Of the structure of the heptahydrates but one was described: the orthorhombic form of NiSO4·7H2O. No details were known about one of the monoclinic heptahydrates, though Leonhardt and Ness published the cell constants and the space group of FeSO4·7H2O.. In addition they stated essentially correct positional parameters for the sulfur atom and gave the correct positions of the iron atoms. The present investigation has been undertaken as part of an extensive study of salt hydrates. A preliminary account has been published before.

For a wide range of statistical experiments, we require a sequence of random variables [unintelligible], which have prescribed mean values μn and variances σn2, with a given autocorrelation ρt. The [unintelligible] are to be generated as a sequence of real functions of independent random numbers [unintelligible], each of which is uniformly distributed in. The reason for this choice of specification for the [unintelligible] is that most computers have standard subroutines which generate such uniform random (or pseudo-random) sequences.

Evidence is rapidly accumulating that the genetic material carried in a chromosome is arranged in a highly organized manner. The nucleotides of DNA constituting a gene are grouped in sequence, like the letters of a word, and presumably each word uniformly consists of three letters. Successive words make up a sentence containing the information needed to build a protein molecule. Each word of the sentence is transcribed to form an amino acid of the protein for which the particular gene is responsible.

In high-energy particle physics the initial problem is to obtain information about the behavior of particles which are invisible by any known means (the radius of a proton is 10-13 cm) and which may be traveling at speeds greater than 180,000 miles per second, but at less than the speed of light. Some of the work is being done with the use of electronic counters, but the larger fraction is currently done by three techniques which employ the photographic process. These are the silver halide emulsion stack, the liquid hydrogen bubble chamber and the spark chamber. Counters provide immediate information but it is of a yes-or-no character, whereas the other methods are capable of actually mapping, with varying degrees of accuracy, an interaction between particles. The emulsion stack is quite familiar and need be discussed only briefly. Since individual silver halide crystals are rendered developable along the paths of charged particles, a sensitive detector may be built up with thick layers of specially sensitized emulsion having no base support. As the path of the particle may be through several emulsion having no base support. as the path of the particle may be through several emulsion layers and the track must …