Technical report giving an overview of the use of nuclear energy to produce chemicals including a rough estimate of the economic potential.

Six useful characteristics of radioisotopes and advantages which may be taken of them are cited briefly, with examples. A survey of unusual or less frequently used production techniques for radioisotope production are presented including (n,p) reactions and secondary reactions such as (t,n) and (t,p) induced by thermal neutron, various techniques for obtaining useful fluxes of fast neutrons with which to effect other reactions, recoil techniques including classic Szilard-Chalmers reactions, use of charged wires to collect short-lived daughters of gaseous parents, parent-daughter milking system, parasitic irradiations, the possible use of circulating "loops" in reactor withy which to utilize the radiation from ultra-short lived radioisotopes such as Ag-110, In-114, In-116, Dy-165m etc., and stable tracers. A summary of the current status of Brookhaven's Reactor-Produced "Special" Radioisotopes is also presented..

Human iron metabolism has been extensively studied in the past twenty-five years with the radioisotopes iron⁵⁵ and iron⁵⁹. Before the availability of the whole body counter, however, iron absorption studies were performed by the indirect methods of fecal assay of unabsorbed radioiron, and estimation of red cell incorporation of absorbed tracer. The few long-term excretion studies performed required numerous assumptions, since human iron excretion was less well understood. Whole body counting provides a simple and accurate method of measuring the total body retention of administrative tracer iron⁵⁹, thus making absorption and subsequent excretion determinations possible with a single radioiron study. The energetic gamma emissions of iron⁵⁹ permit ready external detection with small quantities of isotope, Normal radioiron distribution is uniform throughout the circulating red cell mass and thus minimize geometry influences on the counting efficiency, 0nly the 45.1 day half-life of iron⁵⁹ limits long term iron turnover studies. Measurements of iron⁵⁹ absorption and long-term body turnover have been under way at Brookhaven National Laboratory for over two years. The present paper outlines some of the results of these studies, and discusses some implications of the method.

A brief overview of a study on the effect of 5-fluoroucil (FU) on chloroplast formation in Euglena,

The G-values for the formation of H₂ and CH₄ in the Co60 gamma radiolysis of the xylene isomers and ethylbenzene were compared. The presence of iodine does not affect GH2, but reduces GCH4 a limiting value. For p-xylene, GH2 and the unscavengeable CH₄ yield are independent of temperature from 20 to 110 deg C, whereas the total CH₄ yield increases six-fold over this range. The H₂ and CH₄ yields are greatly reduced in the solid state, and in the liquids state benzene shows a protective effect on the yields of both gases. The formation of CH₄ and C₂ -hydrocarbons was compared with the C6 -and C7 - products for p- xylene and ethylbenzene, and isomerization is shown to occur to a negligible extent. The production of high-molecular-weight products was measured for the xylenes, and is independent of dose rate and temperature for liquid p-xylene, but is decreased in the solid state. The results are qualitatively consistent with the reactions of radicals and excited molecules.

Technique used in deriving values of the linac ball tuner settings to produce various fields is discussed briefly, and tables showing ball tuner change numbers and values used in making up the ball tuner change numbers are given.

Use of the Smith chart in studying stub tuners is demonstrated. Several properties of the tuners are shown, and charts for various wave length spacings, tuning trajectories, and admittances are included.

The efficiency of multiple traversal targets is defined as the probability that a proton dies by making a nuclear collision in the target rather than by hitting the limit of the synchrotron aperture. The efficiencies of Be, Al, Cu, and Pb targets are shown for 15 and 30-Bev protons in the Brooknaven AGS. Beryllium was found to be the most efficient. (M.C.G.)

The analyzer can be operated either internally or externally. The 10 ma germanium discriminator is quiescently biased to 8.5 ma in its low-voltage state. An input signal current of 3.5 ma or more triggers it to its high voltage state. This triggers the oscillator. The oscillator signal is buffered and mixed in the bridge modulator with the reference radiofrequency signal from the cyclotron. The low-frequency beat note from the bridge modulator is squared up and passed to the beat zero univibrator which generates 0.7 mu sec signals each time the beat note passes through zero from positive to negative. The trailing edge of the beat zero univibrator is employed to terminate the time-of-flight measurement and to control the servo measurement. Drawings are included. (M.C.G.)

The power supplies designed and constructed to power high intensity flash tubes used in bubble chamber experiments are briefly described and are accompanied by a schematic diagram of the layout. (D.C.W.)

The potassium-argon age of the Sikhote Alin iron meteorite has been determined. The value is 1.7 + 0.2 x 10⁹ years. Previous lead data suggest an age of 4.6 x 10⁹ years . The date of solidification may be the sum of these two ages.

Ionizing radiation is useful to plant breeders in obtaining mutations beneficial from an economic point of view. This report, however, concerns our basic knowledge of radiation: attention is here directed to some effects of low level radiation on the R₁ progeny. Approximately one third of the land area of the United States is covered by forest; thus, forest trees form an important component of our natural wealth. It is therefore our obligation to know how these forests will react to low level ionizing radiation. Although this type of radiation might accompany atomic explosions, its effects may not be evident for a number of years.

In this paper some studies on enzyme properties which are believed to be pertinent to antibodies will be discussed. The particular studies chosen are; (a) the evidence that residues far removed from each other in the sequence play vital roles at the active site; (b) indications on the size of the active site; and (c) evidence for flexibility at the active site. Since the relation between enzyme and antibody is of primary interest an attempt will be made to emphasize the fundamental conclusions derived from the observations and to evaluate critically the deductions on structure and function which derive from these conclusions.

The object of this study was to determine the nature of the free radicals induced in ferrocene by Co60 gamma rays. The irradiations were carried out on the powder at 77°K and on the single crystals at 193°K. The variation of the splitting factor, g, of the signals observed when the single crystals were oriented at different angles relative to the external magnetic field direction, indicated the existence of three types of resonance peaks. It was possible to correlate these variations with the molecular orientations in the crystal unit cell and with the spatial arrangement of the molecular orbitals. Taking into account the spectral changes observed after thermal annealing of the crystal, the existence of the following free radicals has been suggested: 1) a straight molecule-ferricinium ion, 2) a bent molecule-ferricinium ion, and 3) a cyclopentadienyl radical with four protons, the fifth having been transferred to the iron atom. A signal with a cylindrically symmetric g tensor, observed at 77°K, has been assigned to another radical but its nature was not fully established.

During a visit to Professor H.G. Harb at the University of Wisconsin, it was apparent that he had succeeded in obtaining fresh, clean chemisorptive layers of titanium by sublimation and chat that this could be adapted into an effective high vacuum pump. Two previous techniques of obtaining a chemisorptive layer of titanium, namely catholic sputtering and evaporation from the liquid droplet, have been extensively investigated and reported. Each of these seem to have inherent difficulties in stability and continuity of operation that appear to be eliminated or effectively reduced by the sublimation procedure. A development program was started at Brookhaven National Laboratory to investigate the possibilities of each sublimation of titanium as opposed to evaporation from the liquid.

Several important metabolic processes in plants involve the conversion of triose phosphate to hexose monophosphate. These include the synthesis of carbohydrates from precursors such as pyruvate and acetyl-coenzyme A, the reductive pentose phosphate cycle of photosynthesis, and the oxidative pentose phosphate cycle. This conversion cannot be accomplished solely by glycolytic enzymes because of the irreversible nature of phosphofructokinase. Racker and Schroeder (1958) have suggested two possible enzymic pathways for the formation of fructose 6-phosphate from triose phosphate. The most direct route is via a phosphate specific for the phosphates attached to carbon-1 of FDP. A combination of aldolase, transaldolase and sedoheptulose diphosphates may provide an alternative pathway.

The radiation of the Van Allen belts and the solar flares consists primarily of electrons and protons, the biological effects of which are reasonably well known. However, there is a very small component of the galactic cosmic rays which consists of stripped atomic nuclei of atoms as heavy as iron. The biological effects of such particles have not been extensively investigated because it is impossible to produce them in the laboratory with an energy high enough to use for mammalian experiments. Consequently it has been necessary to approach the problem by indirect methods.

The purpose of the Chemo-nuclear In-pile Research Loop is to provide a versatile facility for investigating chemo-nuclear reactions under flow conditions. The loop os designed to handle gaseous systems in conjunction with fixed packages of solid fuel.

The alternating-gradient proton synchrotrons at CERN and Brookhaven are very similar in size, design and in their experimental use. For this reason, collaboration between the groups at CERN and Brookhaven has been close throughout the history of these two machines. For the most part this has taken the form of exchanges of visits of individual machine designers and of high-energy physicists. By 1962, however, it appeared that the reciprocal flow of information was not adequate and a more formal meeting was arranged. This meeting took place at Brookhaven during the week of September 10, 1962. CERN sent a representative group of machine physicists and high-energy physicists. The meeting was attended also by observers from several American high-energy installations. The discussion covered a wide range of topics, from operating characteristics of the machines themselves to future trends in design of experimental equipment. Plans for beam ejection were presented, techniques were described for better use of secondary beams from internal targets, progress was summarized on dc and rf particle separators. and future trends in neutrino experimentation were predicted.

The Chase two-dimensional analyzer is a 64 channel by 64 channel analyzer with a magnetic drum memory and a buffered storage system. The memory capacity is 2 counts per channel. The maximum storage rate is limited by the drum speed and is about 800 counts per second for a featureless spectrum.

Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectral studies were carried out on tetramethyl ammonium halides which were irradiated at 298 and 77 deg K. The ESR spectra of the iodide and bromide irradiated at 298 deg K consisted of a single line of width 30 to 40 gauss, while that of the chloride gave a weak complex pattern. When the irradiations and ESR studies were performed at 77 deg K, considerable fine structure was observed which was centered about g = 2.003 plus or minus 0.001. The iodide spectrum at 77 deg K is a quartet superimposed on a broad line and is not materially affected by thermal annealing at 148 deg K. The quartet is identified as a methyl radical. The bromide spectrum at 77 deg K consists of a quartet superimposed on a triplet, and thermal annealing at 148 deg K reduces it to a triplet and at 298 deg K to a single broad line. The chloride spectrum is similar to the bromide except that the quartet is just observable and slowly anneals at 77 deg K.

A study is made of the technical and economic feasibility of a frictionless magnetic suspension generated by superconductors for transportation. Experiments relating to the suspension are described. A conceptual design is presented where vehicles suspended by magnetic interaction with two small insulated superconducting rails carry passengers and freight in vacuum tunnels at 600-1000 mph or in air at 200-300 mph. Other applications are possible, particularly for spacecraft and aircraft launching. Potential improvements are suggested to reduce the estimated cost of $700,000 per mile, among these is the use of cheap normal conducting sodium rail.

A transistorized phase meter built around a NOR circuit is described. The upper frequency limit is on the order of 4.5 Mc. The use of a flip-flop as a frequency divider extends the usable phase range from 0° to 360°. The resulting ambiguity is corrected by a reset circuit. The deviation from linearity is less than ± 1°. The phase modulation frequency bandwidth is 20 kc.

Iron containing approximately 0.01 wt. % carbon was quenched from 700°C and irradiated in the BNL reactor at 57°C for various lengths of time. The rate of decay of the Snoek internal friction peak was observed at 57°C after irradiation. After a 4-hour irradiation the rate of decay of the peak was one order of magnitude faster than the rate of decay in an unirradiated specimen. Longer irradiation times up to 48 hours caused no further acceleration of the decay rate. This observation implies that in the irradiated specimens there are ten times more precipitation nuclei than in the unirradiated specimens. This is confirmed by electron microscope studies which also show a factor of ten greater concentration of precipitate particles in specimens irradiated for 5 hours at 57°C as compared to an equivalent unirradiated specimen. Electron microscope studies also show that longer irradiation times do not increase further this number of precipitates. Although these experiments clearly demonstrate the enhancement of nucleation by neutron irradiation, it is not known why the incipient nuclei created by irradiation times of longer than 5 hours do not form observable precipitate particles.