We report on a search for narrow-width particles decaying to a top and antitop quark pair. The data set used in the analysis corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 680 pb{sup -1} collected with the Collider Detector at Fermilab in Run II. We present 95% confidence level upper limits on the cross section times branching ratio. Assuming a specific top color-assisted technicolor production model, the leptophobic Z{prime} with width {Gamma}{sub Z{prime}} = 0.012M{sub Z{prime}}, we exclude the mass range M{sub Z{prime}} < 725 GeV/c{sup 2} at the 95% confidence level.

We present a measurement of the muon charge asymmetry from W boson decays using 0.3 fb{sup -1} of data collected at {radical}s = 1.96 GeV between 2002 and 2004 with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron p{bar p} Collider. We compare our findings with expectations from next-to-leading-order calculations performed using the CTEQ6.1M and MRST04 NLO parton distribution functions. Our findings can be used to constrain future parton distribution function fits.

High energy physics experiments periodically reprocess data, in order to take advantage of improved understanding of the detector and the data processing code. Between February and May 2007, the DZero experiment has reprocessed a substantial fraction of its dataset. This consists of half a billion events, corresponding to about 100 TB of data, organized in 300,000 files. The activity utilized resources from sites around the world, including a dozen sites participating to the Open Science Grid consortium (OSG). About 1,500 jobs were run every day across the OSG, consuming and producing hundreds of Gigabytes of data. Access to OSG computing and storage resources was coordinated by the SAM-Grid system. This system organized job access to a complex topology of data queues and job scheduling to clusters, using a SAM-Grid to OSG job forwarding infrastructure. For the first time in the lifetime of the experiment, a data intensive production activity was managed on a general purpose grid, such as OSG. This paper describes the implications of using OSG, where all resources are granted following an opportunistic model, the challenges of operating a data intensive activity over such large computing infrastructure, and the lessons learned throughout the project.

On July 11, 2007, a surface, high-explosive test (<20,000 lb TNT-equivalent) was carried out at the National Security Test Range (NSTR) on the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site. Aircraft-mounted rapid response (1-sec) particulate monitors were used to measure airborne PM-10 concentrations directly in the dust cloud and to develop a PM-10 emission factor that could be used for subsequent tests at the NSTR. The blast produced a mushroom-like dust cloud that rose approximately 2,500–3,000 ft above ground level, which quickly dissipated (within 5 miles of the source). In general, the cloud was smaller and less persistence than expected, or that might occur in other areas, likely due to the coarse sand and subsurface conditions that characterize the immediate NSTR area. Maximum short time-averaged (1-sec) PM-10 concentrations at the center of the cloud immediately after the event reached 421 µg m-3 but were rapidly reduced (by atmospheric dispersion and fallout) to near background levels (~10 µg m-3) after about 15 minutes. This occurred well within the INL Site boundary, about 8 km (5 miles) from the NSTR source. These findings demonstrate that maximum concentrations in ambient air beyond the INL Site boundary (closest is 11.2 km from NSTR) from these types …

Increasing luminosity at the Fermilab Tevatron collider has led the D0 collaboration to make improvements to its detector beyond those already in place for Run IIa, which began in March 2001. One of the cornerstones of this Run IIb upgrade is a completely redesigned level-1 calorimeter trigger system. The new system employs novel architecture and algorithms to retain high efficiency for interesting events while substantially increasing rejection of background. We describe the design and implementation of the new level-1 calorimeter trigger hardware and discuss its performance during Run IIb data taking. In addition to strengthening the physics capabilities of D0, this trigger system will provide valuable insight into the operation of analogous devices to be used at LHC experiments.

In 2005, over 33% of all the vehicles reported stolen in the United States occurred in the four southwestern border states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, which all have very high vehicle theft rates in comparison to the national average. This report describes the utilization of 'bait vehicles' and associated technologies in the context of motor vehicle theft along the southwest border of the U.S. More than 100 bait vehicles are estimated to be in use by individual agencies and auto theft task forces in the southwestern border states. The communications, tracking, mapping, and remote control technologies associated with bait vehicles provide law enforcement with an effective tool to obtain arrests in vehicle theft 'hot spots'. Recorded audio and video from inside the vehicle expedite judicial proceedings as offenders rarely contest the evidence presented. At the same time, law enforcement is very interested in upgrading bait vehicle technology through the use of live streaming video for enhanced officer safety and improved situational awareness. Bait vehicle effectiveness could be enhanced by dynamic analysis of motor theft trends through exploitation of geospatial, timeline, and other analytical tools to better inform very near-term operational decisions, including the selection of particular vehicle …

Trace “alloying” elements can significantly affect alloy performance. One example is the effect of residual Si content on the oxidation behavior of stainless steels. Small amounts of Si can form a continuous SiO2 layer at the metal-oxide scale interface. This is beneficial for enhancing oxidation resistance; however it is detrimental for fuel cell interconnect application, as SiO2 is an electrical insulator. In order to assess the effect of SiO2 on the performance of Type 430 ferritic steel, a potential interconnect alloy, a series of custom 430 alloys were melted and reduced to sheet with controlled Si contents (ranging from <0.01 to 0.1 wt% Si). Oxidation tests were conducted at 800oC in moist air. The behavior was compared to a commercial Type 430 alloy (with 0.4 wt%Si) and Crofer 22APU. It was found that for the 430 alloys, the oxidation rate increased with decreasing Si content. However, after 4000 hour of exposure, the mass gain for the low Si 430 alloys was comparable to Crofer 22APU.

This research deals with the effect of a Ce surface treatment on the behavior of Fe-Cr-Mn ferritic stainless steels which may have application in SOFC technology. This treatment consisted of applying a slurry of CeO2 and a halide activator to the surface of coupons. After the slurry dried the coupons were heated to 900C in a controlled atmosphere furnace for 12 hours. The effectiveness of the treatment on commercial (Type 409 (12Cr), Type 430 (18Cr), Crofer 22APU (22Cr), Type 446(26Cr)) and experimental (NETL F9 (12Cr) and NETL F5 (22Cr)) alloys as a function of Cr content will be presented. The oxidation behavior of the alloys was assessed by exposing coupons (untreated and treated) to moist air at 800C. Area specific resistance (ASR) was measured at 800C. In general, the rare earth treatment effectively reduced the oxidation rate, resulting in thinner oxide scales and less internal oxidation.

Over time, DoD is likely to be one of the largest buyers and sellers in a water quality trading market. The Department of Defense (DoD) operates military bases that resemble small cities in infrastructure. As units redeploy, bases are likely to find themselves well within their environmental limits at the originating base and potentially bumping against limits such as nitrate and phosphate loading at the destination base. Stricter rules and heavier loadings in growing watersheds also present challenges to local bases and municipalities as regulators clamp down on loadings from existing Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTPs) to meet water quality standards.

Abstract: The measurement of heavy quark cross-sections provides important tests of the QCD theory. This paper reviews recent measurements of single b-quark and correlated b-quark cross-sections at CDF. Two new measurements of the single b-quark production at CDF agree with the first result from CDF Run II. This clarifies the experimental situation and confirms the recent agreement of theoretical prediction with data. A new measurement of the correlated b{bar b} cross-section with dimuon events at CDF is presented. It agrees with theory and it does not confirm the anomalously large b{bar b} cross-section seen in Run I by CDF and D0 in dimuon events.

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is conducting pilot scale evaluations of the performance and cost of innovative water treatment technologies aimed at meeting the recently revised arsenic maximum contaminant level (MCL) for drinking water. The standard of 10 {micro}g/L (10 ppb) is effective as of January 2006. The pilot tests have been conducted in New Mexico where over 90 sites that exceed the new MCL have been identified by the New Mexico Environment Department. The pilot test described in this report was conducted in Anthony, New Mexico between August 2005 and December 2006 at Desert Sands Mutual Domestic Water Consumers Association (MDWCA) (Desert Sands) Well No.3. The pilot demonstrations are a part of the Arsenic Water Technology Partnership program, a partnership between the American Water Works Association Research Foundation (AwwaRF), SNL and WERC (A Consortium for Environmental Education and Technology Development). The Sandia National Laboratories pilot demonstration at the Desert Sands site obtained arsenic removal performance data for fourteen different adsorptive media under intermittent flow conditions. Well water at Desert Sands has approximately 20 ppb arsenic in the unoxidized (arsenite-As(III)) redox state with moderately high total dissolved solids (TDS), mainly due to high sulfate, chloride, and varying concentrations of iron. The …

The effects of varying the reprocessing strategy used in the closed cycle of a Sodium Fast Reactor (SNF) prototype are presented in this paper. The isotopic vector from the aqueous separation of transuranic (TRU) elements in Light Water Reactor (LWR) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) is assumed to also vary according to the reprocessing strategy of the closed fuel cycle. The decay heat, gamma energy, and neutron emission of the fuel discharge at equilibrium are found to vary depending on the separation strategy. The SFR core used in this study corresponds to a burner configuration with a conversion ratio of ~0.5 based on the Super-PRISM design. The reprocessing strategies stemming from the choice of either metal or oxide fuel for the SFR are found to have a large impact on the equilibrium discharge decay heat, gamma energy, and neutron emission. Specifically, metal fuel SFR with pyroprocessing of the discharge produces the largest amount of TRU consumption (166 kg per Effective Full Power Year or EFPY), but also the highest decay heat, gamma energy, and neutron emission. On the other hand, an oxide fuel SFR with PUREX reprocessing minimizes the decay heat and related parameters of interest to a minimum, even when …

The reconstruction of extensive air showers (arrival direction, core position and energy estimation) by the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory is discussed together with the corresponding accuracy. We determine the angular reconstruction accuracy as a function of the station multiplicity by using two different approaches. We discuss statistical and systematic uncertainties in the determination of the signal at 1000 m from the core, S(1000), which is used to estimate the primary energy.

The need to anticipate the consequences of policy decisions becomes ever more important as the magnitude of the potential consequences grows. The multiplicity of connections between the components of society and the economy makes intuitive assessments extremely unreliable. Agent-based modeling has the potential to be a powerful tool in modeling policy impacts. The direct mapping between agents and elements of society and the economy simplify the mapping of real world functions into the world of computation assessment. Our modeling initiative is motivated by the desire to facilitate informed public debate on alternative policies for how we, as a nation, provide healthcare to our population. We explore the implications of this motivation on the design and implementation of a model. We discuss the choice of an agent-based modeling approach and contrast it to micro-simulation and systems dynamics approaches.

Monthly periodical from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma published by and for members of the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association that includes news and information along with advertising.

DBTools is comprised of a suite of applications for manipulating data in a database. While loading data into a database is a relatively simple operation, loading data intelligently is deceptively difficult. Loading data intelligently means: not duplicating information already in the database, associating new information with related information already in the database, and maintaining a mapping of identification numbers in the input data to existing or new identification numbers in the database to prevent conflicts between the input data and the existing data. Most DBTools applications utilize DBUtilLib--a Java library with functionality supporting database, flatfile, and XML data formats. DBUtilLib is written in a completely generic manner. No schema specific information is embedded within the code; all such information comes from external sources. This approach makes the DBTools applications immune to most schema changes such as addition/deletion of columns from a table or changes to the size of a particular data element.

The objectives of these 1/12-scale scoping experiments were to  Determine which of the dimensionless parameters discussed in Bamberger and Liljegren (1994) affect the maximum concentration that can be suspended during jet mixer pump operation in the full-scale double-shell tanks  Develop empirical correlations to predict the nozzle velocity required for jet mixer pumps to suspend the contents of full-scale double-shell tanks  Apply the models to predict the nozzle velocity required to suspend the contents of Tank 241 AZ-101  Obtain experimental concentration data to compare with the TEMPEST( )(Trent and Eyler 1989) computational modeling predictions to guide further code development  Analyze the effects of changing nozzle diameter on exit velocity (U0) and U0D0 (the product of the exit velocity and nozzle diameter) required to suspend the contents of a tank. The scoping study experimentally evaluated uniformity in a 1/12-scale experiment varying the Reynolds number, Froude number, and gravitational settling parameter space. The initial matrix specified only tests at 100% U0D0 and 25% U0D0. After initial tests were conducted with small diameter, low viscosity simulant this matrix was revised to allow evaluation of a broader range of U0D0s. The revised matrix included full factorial test between 100% and …

In 2003, the California Energy Commission s (CEC s) Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program funded Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to create a computer program to analyze hot water distribution systems for single family residences, and to perform such analyses for a selection of houses. This effort and its results were documented in a report provided to CEC in March, 2004 [1]. The principal objective of effort was to compare the water and energy wasted between various possible hot water distribution systems for various different house designs. It was presumed that water being provided to a user would be considered suitably warm when it reached 105 F. Therefore, what was needed was a tool which could compute the time it takes for water reaching the draw point to reach 105 F, and the energy wasted during this wait. The computer program used to perform the analyses was a combination of a calculational core, produced by Dr. Keith A. Woodbury, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director, Alabama Industrial Assessment Center, University of Alabama, and a user interface based on LabVIEW, created by Dr. Roberto Lenarduzzi of ORNL. At that time, the computer program was in a relatively rough and undocumented …

The threshold-fission (fertile) nature of Am-241 is used to destroy this minor actinide by capitalizing upon neutron capture instead of fission within a sodium fast reactor. This neutron-capture and its subsequent decay chain leads to the breeding of even neutron number plutonium isotopes. A slightly moderated target design is proposed for breeding plutonium in an axial blanket located above the active “fast reactor” driver fuel region. A parametric study on the core height and fuel pin diameter-to-pitch ratio is used to explore the reactor and fuel cycle aspects of this design. This study resulted in both non-flattened and flattened core geometries. Both of these designs demonstrated a high capacity for removing americium from the fuel cycle. A reactivity coefficient analysis revealed that this heterogeneous design will have comparable safety aspects to a homogeneous reactor of comparable size. A mass balance analysis revealed that the heterogeneous design may reduce the number of fast reactors needed to close the current once-through light water reactor fuel cycle.

The threshold-fission (fertile) nature of Am-241 is used to destroy this minor actinide by capitalizing upon neutron capture instead of fission within a sodium fast reactor. This neutron-capture and its subsequent decay chain leads to the breeding of even mass number plutonium isotopes. A slightly moderated target design is proposed for breeding plutonium in an axial blanket located above the active “fast reactor” driver fuel region. A parametric study on the core height and fuel pin diameter-to-pitch ratio is used to explore the reactor and fuel cycle aspects of this design. This study resulted in both a non-flattened and a pancake core geometry. Both of these designs demonstrated a high capacity for removing americium from the fuel cycle. A reactivity coefficient analysis revealed that this heterogeneous design will have comparable safety aspects to a homogeneous reactor of the same size.

Increased use of nuclear power will require new facilities. The U.S. has not built a new spent nuclear fuel reprocessing facility for decades. Reprocessing facilities must maintain accountability of their nuclear fuel. This survey report on the techniques used in current aqueous reprocessing facilities, and provides references to source materials to assist facility design efforts.

It is expected that nuclear energy will be a significant component of future supplies. New facilities, operating under a strengthened international nonproliferation regime will be needed. There is good reason to believe virtual engineering applied to the facility design, as well as to the safeguards system design will reduce total project cost and improve efficiency in the design cycle. Simulation Enabled Safeguards Assessment MEthodology (SESAME) has been developed as a software package to provide this capability for nuclear reprocessing facilities. The software architecture is specifically designed for distributed computing, collaborative design efforts, and modular construction to allow step improvements in functionality. Drag and drop wireframe construction allows the user to select the desired components from a component warehouse, render the system for 3D visualization, and, linked to a set of physics libraries and/or computational codes, conduct process evaluations of the system they have designed.

This paper describes reduced-order, simplified wind turbine models for analyzing the stability impact of large arrays of wind turbines with a single point of network interconnection.

Approval is requested based on the information in this Mission Need Statement for The Department of Energy, Idaho Operations Office (DOE-ID) to develop a project in support of the mission established by the Office of Environmental Management to "complete the safe cleanup of the environmental legacy brought about from five decades of nuclear weapons development and government-sponsored nuclear energy research". DOE-ID requests approval to develop the Idaho Spent Fuel Facility Project that is required to implement the Department of Energy's decision for final disposition of spent nuclear fuel in the Geologic Repository at Yucca Mountain. The capability that is required to prepare Spent Nuclear Fuel for transportation and disposal outside the State of Idaho includes characterization, conditioning, packaging, onsite interim storage, and shipping cask loading to complete shipments by January 1,2035. These capabilities do not currently exist in Idaho.