Project was to develop a low-cost, environmentally benign technology for the decontamination and decommissioning of transuranic waste. With the invention of the atmospheric-pressure plasma jet the goal was achieved. This device selectively etches heavy metals from surfaces, rendering objects radiation free and suitable for decommissioning. The volatile reaction products are captured on filters, which yields a tremendous reduction in the volume of the waste. Studies on tantalum, a surrogate material for plutonium, have shown that etch rate of 6.0 microns per minute can be achieved under mild conditions. Over the past three years, we have made numerous improvements in the design of the plasma jet. It may now be operated for hundreds of hours and not undergo any degradation in performance. Furthermore, small compact units have been developed, which are easily deployed in the field.

Sections 205 and 206 of the Federal Power Act concern rates and charges collected by a public utility in transmitting or selling electric energy in interstate commerce. These rates and charges are required to be just and reasonable. States retain jurisdiction over facilities for generation, distribution, or transmission of electric energy in intrastate commerce. The Commission has the authority to determine that an existing rate is unjust or unreasonable and set a new rate. In certain situations Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) may have authority to refund amounts paid in excess of just and reasonable rates. Case law is useful in determining when such a situation may exist.

The objective of this project is to design, fabricate and field-demonstrate a fully Autonomous Pathogen Detector (identifier) System (APDS). This will be accomplished by integrating a proven flow cytometer and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detector with sample collection, sample preparation and fluidics to provide a compact, autonomously operating instrument capable of simultaneously detecting multiple pathogens and/or toxins. The APDS will be designed to operate in fixed locations, where it continuously monitors air samples and automatically reports the presence of specific biological agents. The APDS will utilize both multiplex immuno and nucleic acid assays to provide ''quasi-orthogonal'', multiple agent detection approaches to minimize false positives and increase the reliability of identification. Technical advancements across several fronts must first be made in order to realize the full extent of the APDS. Commercialization will be accomplished through three progressive generations of instruments. The APDS is targeted for domestic applications in which (1) the public is at high risk of exposure to covert releases of bioagent such as in major subway systems and other transportation terminals, large office complexes, and convention centers; and (2) as part of a monitoring network of sensors integrated with command and control systems for wide area monitoring of …

From 1981 to 1989, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) developed for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission a method for performing Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis (PSHA) in the eastern US with results documented in NUREG/CR-5250. Improvements in the handling of the uncertainties lead to updated results documented in the 1993-EUS-Update study (NUREG-1488.) These results presented substantial differences with the utilities sponsored study performed by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI, 1989.) In order to understand the differences between the two studies, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the Department Of Energy (DOE) and EPRI jointly sponsored a study led by the Senior Seismic Hazard Analysis Committee (SSHAC) the task of which was to explain the differences between the two studies and provide guidance on how to perform a state-of-the-art PSHA. The work and conclusions of the SSHAC are documented in NUREG/CR-6372, 1997. As a follow-up to the 1997 SSHAC study, the Trial Implementation Project (TIP), (UCRL-ID-133494, 1998, NUREG/CR-6607) made use of the SSHAC recommendations and developed a set of more detailed guidance for performing PSHA. The TIP project tested the more complicated issue of development of the seismic zonation and seismicity models on two sites: Watts Bar and Vogtle. It was found that …

A data-qualification evaluation was conducted on Reference Information Base (RIB) data set MOO0 12RIB00065.002, ''Parameter Values for Transfer Coefficients''. The corroborating data method was used to evaluate the data. This method was selected because it closely matches the literature-review method followed to select parameter values. Five criteria were considered when the corroborating method was used: adequacy of the corroborative literature, sufficiency of value-selection criteria, implementation of the selection criteria, documentation of the process, and whether the analysis was conducted in accordance with applicable quality assurance (QA) procedures. Three criteria were used when a literature review was not conducted: appropriate logic used to select parameters, documentation of the process, and whether the analysis was conducted in accordance with applicable QA procedures. The RIB data item, the associated Analysis and Model Report (AMR), the corroborative literature, and the results of an audit revision O/ICN 0 of the AMR were examined. All calculations and the selection process for all values were repeated and confirmed. The qualification team concluded: (1) A sufficient quantity of corroborative literature was reviewed and no additional literature was identified that should have been considered. (2) The selection criteria were sufficient and resulted in valid parameter values. (3) The process …

This report provides figures regarding the population of the 50 states in 2000, which is 281,424,177, a figure 13.4% greater than in 1990.

The objectives of this study were to develop a better understanding of four major aspects of the Lisburne: (1) The geometry and kinematics of detachment folds and their truncation by thrust faults, (2) The influence of folding and lithostratigraphy on fracture patterns, (3) Lithostratigraphy and its influence on folding, faulting, fracturing, and reservoir characteristics, and (4) The influence of lithostratigraphy and deformation on fluid flow.

This report discusses the process of conducting legislative research: deciding the scope, collecting the information and evaluating sources. Members of Congress need many kinds of information and analysis to support their legislative, oversight, and representational work, including both quick facts, or information to improve their understanding of a complex set of issues.

This report discusses the issues likely to be raised during any reauthorization debate, the reasons behind them, and possible proposals that could be offered to address these concerns.

This report is organized as follows: Provide a brief review of the upscaling constraints of the type (2) for a typical diffusion-reaction system. In this an analogy with two-phase flow in porous media was drawn. Then, using the methodology of QW a problem at the unit cell for the computation of the effective mass transfer coefficient, in processes where local thermodynamic equilibrium applies was derived. This problem is found to be different than in QW, as it depends on the gradients of the macroscale variable, and can be cast in terms of an eigenvalue problem. Two simple, examples, one involving advection-dissolution and another involving drying in a pore network, was presented to illustrate the coupling between scales and to show the quantitative effect in case this coupling was neglected. Finally, similar ideas and an illustrative example was applied to reaction-diffusion systems with fast kinetics, where an equilibrium state is approached.

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A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Under Title III of the Older Americans Act, the Administration on Aging (AoA) distributes grants to states on the basis of their proportional share of the total elderly population in the United States. These grants are then disbursed to more than 600 area agencies nationwide, and are used to fund group and in-home meals, as well as support services, including transportation and housekeeping. The grants are further subdivided by these agencies to more than 4,000 local service providers. AoA requires that states obligate these funds by September 30 of the fiscal year in which they are awarded. Also, states must spend this money within two years after the fiscal year in which it is awarded. During this time AoA does not limit or monitor the amount of unspent funds that states may carry over to the succeeding fiscal year. GAO examined whether states were using Title III carryover funds to expand their meal service programs for the elderly beyond a level sustainable by their annual allotments alone. GAO found that the buildup and use of Title III carryover funds to support elderly nutrition services does not …

This report discusses electronic warfare (EW) as an effective technique for increasing aircraft and aircrew survivability in hostile environments, which in turn improves the overall effectiveness of the air campaign.

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Bioenergy Feedstock Development Program (BFDP) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is a mission-oriented program of research and analysis whose goal is to develop and demonstrate cropping systems for producing large quantities of low-cost, high-quality biomass feedstocks for use as liquid biofuels, biomass electric power, and/or bioproducts. The program specifically supports the missions and goals of DOE's Office of Fuels Development and DOE's Office of Power Technologies. ORNL has provided technical leadership and field management for the BFDP since DOE began energy crop research in 1978. The major components of the BFDP include energy crop selection and breeding; crop management research; environmental assessment and monitoring; crop production and supply logistics operational research; integrated resource analysis and assessment; and communications and outreach. Research into feedstock supply logistics has recently been added and will become an integral component of the program.

A complete understanding of actinide interactions in the geosphere is paramount for developing a rational Nuclear and Environmental Materials Management Policy. One of the key challenges towards understanding the fate and transport of actinides is determining their speciation (i.e., oxidation state and structure). Since an element's speciation directly dictates physical properties such as toxicity and solubility, this information is critical for evaluating and controlling the evolution of an actinide element through the environment. Specific areas within nuclear and environmental management programs where speciation is important are (1) waste processing and separations; (2) wasteform materials for long-term disposition; and (3) aqueous geochemistry. The goal of this project was to develop Actinide X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy ( U S ) as a core capability at LLNL and integrate it with existing facilities, providing a multi-technique approach to actinide speciation. XAS is an element-specific structural probe which determines the oxidation state and structure for most atoms. XAS can be more incisive than other spectroscopies because it originates from an atomic process and the information is always attainable, regardless of an element's speciation. Despite the utility, XAS is relatively complex due to the need for synchrotron radiation and significant expertise with data acquisition and analysis. …

The purpose of this memo is to put down, in one place, a number of commonly used accelerator formulae. I'll also comment briefly on the derivation of these relationships. Nothing in this memo is my original work. All of this was developed many years ago by the brilliant founders of the field of Accelerator Physics. The widely used differential relationships between beam momentum (p), dipole magnetic field (B), orbit length (L), and revolution frequency (f) are given in Table 1.

Bankruptcy reform legislation has been reintroduced in the 107th Congress and appears to be on a fast track for consideration and possible enactment. S. 220 was introduced on January 30, 2001, and H.R. 333, entitled the "Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2001" was introduced on January 31.

This report provides answers to 10 of the most frequently-asked questions related to rules and provisions that govern savings in individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

A briefing report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "As the Department of Defense (DOD) enters the 21st century, the average ages of its weapon systems and equipment are increasing, primarily because DOD has not routinely replaced items bought during the Cold War. According to DOD officials, the aging of weapon systems and equipment reduce readiness. To keep pace with the maintenance required for aging systems and equipment, the military services have diverted funds from modernization accounts to operating and support accounts. DOD faces major challenges as it continues to implement its current tactical aircraft modernization plans. The Navy and the Air Force will be inable to procure enough new tactical aircraft to reduce the average age of tactical aircraft. During the next 11 years, the average age will continue to increase, especially in the Air Force. The upcoming Quadrennial Defense Review provides an opportunity to assess whether the issue of aging requires concerted attention."

The analysis to determine flaw stability requires inputs of material properties and stress conditions to a fracture mechanics methodology. Activities in the Life Management Program for the Type I and II high level waste tanks cover the development of these inputs at tank-specific conditions. This report provides a comprehensive review of fracture mechanics methods that are appropriate for the Type I and II tanks.

Over 130 soil samples were collected from three soil borings in support of the VZFTS. The first boring was sampled just prior to the first injection test. The other two borings were sampled after completion of the injection tests. These soil samples were collected using a 7.6 cm (3 in) ID splitspoon sampler, with internal 15 cm (6 in.) long Lexan? liners. The samples ranged in depth from 4 to 17 m (13.5 to 56.5 ft), and were submitted to various laboratories for hydraulic property characterization and/or geochemical/tracer analyses. Preliminary results indicate that the major concentration front of the bromide tracer reached a relative depth of 5 m (below the injection point) 8 days after the final water injection and had migrated to a relative depth of about 7 m, 4 days later.

Over 130 soil samples were collected from three soil borings in support of the VZFTS. The first boring was sampled just prior to the first injection test. The other two borings were sampled after completion of the injection tests. These soil samples were collected using a 7.6 cm (3 in) ID splitspoon sampler, with internal 15 cm (6 in.) long Lexan? liners. The samples ranged in depth from 4 to 17 m (13.5 to 56.5 ft), and were submitted to various laboratories for hydraulic property characterization and/or geochemical/tracer analyses. Preliminary results indicate that the major concentration front of the bromide tracer reached a relative depth of 5 m (below the injection point) 8 days after the final water injection and had migrated to a relative depth of about 7 m, 4 days later.