Article on first-principles investigations of the dielectric properties of polypropylene/metal-oxide interfaces. Nanoscale-resolved dielectric properties of polypropylene/metal-oxide (alumina, PbTiO₃) interfaces and of the corresponding surfaces are investigated via first-principles calculations.

Article on the harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) and how high levels of genetic diversity and differentiation can fuel conservation programs.

An optical fiber-based frequency and timing distribution system based on the principle of heterodyne interferometry has been in development at LBNL for several years. The fiber drift corrector has evolved from an RF-based to an optical-based system, from mechanical correctors (piezo and optical trombone) to fully electronic, and the electronics from analog to fully digital, all using inexpensive off-the-shelf commodity fiber components. Short-term optical phase jitter and long-term phase drift are both in the femtosecond range over distribution paths of 2 km or more.

The 1 m long Nb{sub 3}Sn dipole magnet HD2, fabricated and tested at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, represents a step towards the development of block-type accelerator quality magnets operating in the range of 13-15 T. The magnet design features two coil modules composed of two layers wound around a titanium-alloy pole. The layer 1 pole includes a round cutout to provide room for a bore tube with a clear aperture of 36 mm. After a first series of tests where HD2 reached a maximum bore field of 13.8 T, corresponding to an estimated peak field on the conductor of 14.5 T, the magnet was disassembled and reloaded without the bore tube and with a clear aperture increased to 43 mm. We describe in this paper the magnet training observed in two consecutive tests after the removal of the bore tube, with a comparison of the quench performance with respect to the previous tests. An analysis of the voltage signals recorded before and after training quenches is then presented and discussed, and the results of coil visual inspections reported.

This paper describes the design of the new 12 GeV Upgrade Personnel Safety System (PSS) at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF). The new PSS design is based on the implementation of systems designed to meet international standards IEC61508 and IEC 61511 for programmable safety systems. In order to meet the IEC standards, TJNAF engineers evaluated several SIL 3 Safety PLCs before deciding on an optimal architecture. In addition to hardware considerations, software quality standards and practices must also be considered. Finally, we will discuss R&D that may lead to both high safety reliability and high machine availability that may be applicable to future accelerators such as the ILC. Key words: PLC, Safety, TJNAF, SIL, PSS, PPS, Software, ILC Notice: Authored by Jefferson Science Associates, LLC under U.S. DOE Contract No. DE-AC05-06OR23177. The U.S. Government retains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce this manuscript for U.S. Government purposes.

A concept for a new fusion-fission hybrid technology is being developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The primary application of this technology is base-load electrical power generation. However, variants of the baseline technology can be used to 'burn' spent nuclear fuel from light water reactors or to perform selective transmutation of problematic fission products. The use of a fusion driver allows very high burn-up of the fission fuel, limited only by the radiation resistance of the fuel form and system structures. As a part of this process, integrated process models have been developed to aid in concept definition. Several models have been developed. A cost scaling model allows quick assessment of design changes or technology improvements on cost of electricity. System design models are being used to better understand system interactions and to do design trade-off and optimization studies. Here we describe the different systems models and present systems analysis results. Different market entry strategies are discussed along with potential benefits to US energy security and nuclear waste disposal. Advanced technology options are evaluated and potential benefits from additional R&D targeted at the different options is quantified.

This report addresses the secondary aerosol is an important component of atmospheric fine particles that generally consists of organics, sulfates, and nitrates.

Particle-in-cell (PIC) methods have proven to be eft#11;ective in discretizing the Vlasov-Maxwell system of equations describing the core of toroidal burning plasmas for many decades. Recent physical understanding of the importance of edge physics for stability and transport in tokamaks has lead to development of the fi#12;rst fully toroidal edge PIC code - XGC1. The edge region poses special problems in meshing for PIC methods due to the lack of closed flux surfaces, which makes fi#12;eld-line following meshes and coordinate systems problematic. We present a solution to this problem with a semi-#12;field line following mesh method in a cylindrical coordinate system. Additionally, modern supercomputers require highly concurrent algorithms and implementations, with all levels of the memory hierarchy being effe#14;ciently utilized to realize optimal code performance. This paper presents a mesh and particle partitioning method, suitable to our meshing strategy, for use on highly concurrent cache-based computing platforms.

We have conducted experiments on both the Vulcan and Titan laser facilities to study hot electron generation and transport in the context of fast ignition. Cu wires attached to Al cones were used to investigate the effect on coupling efficiency of plasma surround and the pre-formed plasma inside the cone. We found that with thin cones 15% of laser energy is coupled to the 40{micro}m diameter wire emulating a 40{micro}m fast ignition spot. Thick cone walls, simulating plasma in fast ignition, reduce coupling by x4. An increase of prepulse level inside the cone by a factor of 50 reduces coupling by a factor of 3.

Decades ago, we and others proposed that the dynamic interplay between a cell and its surrounding environment dictates cell phenotype and tissue structure. Whereas much has been discovered about the effects of extracellular matrix molecules on cell growth and tissue specific gene expression, the nuclear mechanisms through which these molecules promote these physiological events remain unknown. Using mammary epithelial cells as a model, the purpose of this review is to discuss how the extracellular matrix influences nuclear structure and function in a three-dimensional context to promote epithelial morphogenesis and function in the mammary gland.

This paper describes a new VME based machine protection Beam Loss Monitor (BLM) signal processing board designed at Jefferson Lab to replace the current CAMAC based BLM board. The new eight-channel BLM signal processor has linear, logarithmic, and integrating amplifiers that simultaneously provide the optimal signal processing for each application. Amplified signals are digitized and then further processed through a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). Combining both the diagnostic and machine protection functions in each channel allows the operator to tune-up and monitor beam operations while the machine protection is integrating the same signal. Other features include extensive built-in-self-test, fast shutdown interface (FSD), and 16-Mbit buffers for beam loss transient play-back. The new VME BLM board features high sensitivity, high resolution, and low cost per channel.

None

This paper shows work at Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL) devoted to modeling the propagation of, and heating by, a relativistic electron beam in a idealized dense fuel assembly for fast ignition. The implicit particle-in-cell (PIC) code LSP is used. Experiments planned on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in the next few years using the Advanced Radiography Capability (ARC) short-pulse laser motivate this work. We demonstrate significant improvement in the heating of dense fuel due to magnetic forces, increased beam collimation, and insertion of a finite-radius carbon region between the beam excitation and fuel regions.

Archiving a large fraction of the EPICS signals within the Jefferson Lab (JLAB) Accelerator control system is vital for postmortem and real-time analysis of the accelerator performance. This analysis is performed on a daily basis by scientists, operators, engineers, technicians, and software developers. Archiving poses unique challenges due to the magnitude of the control system. A MySQL Archiving system (Mya) was developed to scale to the needs of the control system; currently archiving 58,000 EPICS variables, updating at a rate of 11,000 events per second. In addition to the large collection rate, retrieval of the archived data must also be fast and robust. Archived data retrieval clients obtain data at a rate over 100,000 data points per second. Managing the data in a relational database provides a number of benefits. This paper describes an archiving solution that uses an open source database and standard off the shelf hardware to reach high performance archiving needs. Mya has been in production at Jefferson Lab since February of 2007.

Cadmium manganese telluride (CMT) has high potential as a material for room-temperature nuclear-radiation detectors. We investigated indium-doped CMT crystals taken from the stable growth region of the ingot, and compared its characteristics with that from the last-to-freeze region. We employed different techniques, including synchrotron white-beam X-ray topography (SWBXT), current-voltage (I-V) measurements, and low-temperature photoluminescence spectra, and we also assessed their responses as detectors to irradiation exposure. The crystal from the stable growth region proved superior to that from the last-to-freeze region; it is a single-grain crystal, free of twins, and displayed a resistivity higher by two orders-of-magnitude. The segregation of indium dopant in the ingot might be responsible for its better resistivity. Furthermore, we recorded a good response in the detector fabricated from the crystal taken from the stable growth region; its ({mu}{tau}){sub e} value was 2.6 x 10{sup -3} cm{sup 2}/V, which is acceptable for thin detectors, including for applications in medicine.

We present two techniques used in the analysis of voltage tap data collected during recent tests of superconducting magnets developed by the Superconducting Magnet Program at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The first technique was used on a quadrupole to provide information about quench origins that could not be obtained using the time-of-flight method. The second technique illustrates the use of data from transient flux imbalances occurring during magnet ramping to diagnose changes in the current-temperature margin of a superconducting cable. In both cases, the results of this analysis contributed to make improvements on subsequent magnets.

None

The authors have succeeded in growing GaN1?xAsx alloys over a large composition range (0 < x < 0.8) by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The enhanced incorporation of As was achieved by growing the films with high As{sub 2} flux at low (as low as 100 C) growth temperatures, which is much below the normal GaN growth temperature range. Using x-ray and transmission electron microscopy, they found that the GaNAs alloys with high As content x > 0.17 are amorphous. Optical absorption measurements together with x-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy results reveal a continuous gradual decrease in band gap from -3.4 to < 1 eV with increasing As content. The energy gap reaches its minimum of -0.8 eV at x - 0.8. The composition dependence of the band gap of the crystalline GaN{sub 1?x}As{sub x} alloys follows the prediction of the band anticrossing model (BAC). However, our measured band gap of amorphous GaN{sub 1?x}As{sub x} with 0.3 < x < 0.8 are larger than that predicted by BAC. The results seem to indicate that for this composition range the amorphous GaN{sub 1?x}As{sub x} alloys have short-range ordering that resembles random crystalline GaN{sub 1?x}As{sub x} alloys. They have demonstrated the possibility of …

Large scale scientific data transfers are central to scientific processes. Data from large experimental facilities have to be moved to local institutions for analysis or often data needs to be moved between local clusters and large supercomputing centers. In this paper, we propose and evaluate a network overlay architecture to enable highthroughput, on-demand, coordinated data transfers over wide-area networks. Our work leverages Phoebus and On-demand Secure Circuits and AdvanceReservation System (OSCARS) to provide high performance wide-area network connections. OSCARS enables dynamic provisioning of network paths with guaranteed bandwidth and Phoebus enables the coordination and effective utilization of the OSCARS network paths. Our evaluation shows that this approach leads to improved end-to-end data transfer throughput with minimal overheads. The achievedthroughput using our overlay was limited only by the ability of the end hosts to sink the data.

Story of the men behind one of the greatest metallurgical innovations of the 20th century

Sub-scale coils are being manufactured and tested at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in order to develop wind-and-react Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}CaCu{sub 2}O{sub x} (Bi-2212) magnet technology for future graded accelerator magnet use. Previous Bi-2212 coils showed significant leakage of the conductors core constituents to the environment, which can occur during the partial melt reaction around 890 C in pure oxygen. The main origin of the observed leakage is intrinsic leakage of the wires, and the issue is therefore being addressed at the wire manufacturing level. We report on further compatibility studies, and the performance of new sub-scale coils that were manufactured using improved conductors. These coils exhibit significantly reduced leakage, and carry currents that are about 70% of the witness wire critical current (I{sub c}). The coils demonstrate, for the first time, the feasibility of round wire Bi-2212 conductors for accelerator magnet technology use. Successful high temperature superconductor coil technology will enable the manufacture of graded accelerator magnets that can surpass the, already closely approached, intrinsic magnetic field limitations of Nb-based superconducting magnets.

We have investigated the response of a DoubleScatter Neutron Spectrometer (DSNS) for sources at long distances (gr than 200 meters). We find that an alternative method for analyzing double scatter data avoids some uncertainties introduced by amplitude measurements in plastic scintillators.Time of flight is used to discriminate between gamma and neutron events, and the kinematic distributions of scattering angles are assumed to apply. Non-relativistic neutrons are most likely to scatter at 45°, while gammas with energies greater than 2 MeV are most likely to be forward scattered. The distribution of scattering angles of fission neutrons arriving from a distant point source generates a 45° cone, which can be back-projected to give the source direction. At the same time, the distribution of Compton-scattered gammas has a maximum in the forward direction, and can be made narrower by selecting events that deposit minimal energy in the first scattering event. We have further determined that the shape of spontaneous fission neutron spectra at ranges gr than 110 m is still significantly different from thecosmic ray background.

A high field Nb{sub 3}Al common coil magnet is under development as an R&D of 'Advanced Superconducting Magnets for the LHC Luminosity Upgrade', in the framework of the CERN-KEK cooperation program. The goal of this research is to demonstrate the feasibility of high field magnet wound with Nb{sub 3}Al cable. The common coil approach and the shell-based structure were adopted in the design of this magnet. Besides three Nb{sub 3}Al coils, two Nb{sub 3}Sn coils were included to increase the peak field of the whole magnet. The two types of coils were designed with different straight lengths to reduce the peak field of the Nb{sub 3}Sn coils. The peak fields of the Nb{sub 3}Al and Nb{sub 3}Sn coils are 13.1 T and 11.8 T respectively. An aluminum shell together with four aluminum rods applies stress to the coils to overcome the Lorenz force during excitation. Two different support structures for the superconducting coils were introduced in this paper. The development status is also presented.

We observe relativistic modifications to the Thomson scattering spectrum in a traditionally classical regime: v{sub osc}/c = eE{sub 0}/cm{omega}{sub 0} << 1 and T{sub e} < 1 keV. The modifications result from scattering off electron-plasma fluctuations with relativistic phase velocities. Normalized phase velocities v/c between 0.03 and 0.12 have been achieved in a N{sub 2} gas-jet plasma by varying the plasma density from 3 x 10{sup 18} cm{sup -3} to 7 x 10{sup 19} cm{sup -3} and electron temperature between 85 eV and 700 eV. For these conditions, the complete temporally resolved Thomson scattering spectrum including the electron and ion features has been measured. A fully relativistic treatment of the Thomson scattering form factor has been developed and shows excellent agreement with the experimental data.