A model was needed to assess material throughput and validate the conceptual design of a production facility, including equipment lists and layout. The initial desire was to use a commercially available discrete event simulation package. However, the available software was found to be too limited in capability. Database interface software was used to develop autonomous intelligent manufacturing workstations and material transporters. The initial Extend model used to assess material throughput and develop equipment lists for the preconceptual design effort was upgraded with software add-ons from Simulation Dynamics, Inc. (SDI). Use of the SDI database interface allowed the upgraded model to include: 1. a material mass balance at any level of detail required by the user, and 2. a transport system model that includes all transport system movements, time delays, and transfers between systems. This model will assist in evaluating transport system capacity, sensitive time delays in the system, and optimal operating strategies. An additional benefit of using the SDI database interface is dramatically improved run time performance. This allows significantly more runs to be completed to provide better statistics for overall plant performance. The model has all system and process parameters entered into sub-component accessible tables. All information for the …

Research program on the rheological properties of flowing suspensions. The primary purpose of the research supported by this grant was to study the flow characteristics of concentrated suspensions of non-colloidal solid particles and thereby construct a comprehensive and robust theoretical framework for modeling such systems quantitatively. At first glance, this seemed like a modest goal, not difficult to achieve, given that such suspensions were viewed simply as Newtonian fluids with an effective viscosity equal to the product of the viscosity of the suspending fluid times a function of the particle volume fraction. But thanks to the research findings of the Principal Investigator and of his Associates, made possible by the steady and continuous support which the PI received from the DOE Office of Basic Energy Sciences, the subject is now seen to be more complicated and therefore much more interesting in that concentrated suspensions have been shown to exhibit fascinating and unique rheological properties of their own that have no counterpart in flowing Newtonian or even non-Newtonian (polymeric) fluids. In fact, it is generally acknowledged that, as the result of these investigations for which the PI received the 2001 National Medal of Science, our understanding of how suspensions behave under …

We present the first data on e{sup +}e{sup -} pair production accompanied by nuclear breakup in ultra-peripheral gold-gold collisions at a center of mass energy of 200 GeV per nucleon pair. The nuclear breakup requirement selects events at small impact parameters, where higher-order corrections to the pair production cross section should be enhanced. We compare the pair kinematic distributions with two calculations: one based on the equivalent photon approximation, and the other using lowest-order quantum electrodynamics (QED); the latter includes the photon virtuality. The cross section, pair mass, rapidity and angular distributions are in good agreement with both calculations. The pair transverse momentum, p{sub T}, spectrum agrees with the QED calculation, but not with the equivalent photon approach. We set limits on higher-order contributions to the cross section. The e{sup +} and e{sup -} p{sub T} spectra are similar, with no evidence for interference effects due to higher-order diagrams.

The goal of this project was to develop catalytic materials and processes that would be effective in the destruction of tars formed during the gasification of black liquor and biomass. We report here the significant results obtained at the conclusion of this two year project.

This report

CRS Report for Congress entailing information about changes being made to the law because of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). Topics include, eligibility by jurisdiction, safeguarding, evaluation and Individualized Education Programs (IEPS), etc..

The overall objective of this research is to delineate the process of the dilute-acid hydrolysis of biomass and seek better understanding of the reactions involving dilute-acid treatment of lignocellulosic biomass. Specifically the scope of the work entails the following two primary technical elements: Verification of the heterogeneous nature of the reaction mechanism in dilute-acid hydrolysis of cellulosic component of the biomass. Experimental investigation to identify the overall reaction pattern and the kinetic constants associated with dilute-acid hydrolysis of the cellulosic component of the agricultural residues.

In the process of Savannah River Site (SRS) operations limited amounts of waste are generated containing petroleum, and radiological contaminated soils. Currently, this combination of radiological and petroleum contaminated waste does not have an immediate disposal route and is being stored in low activity vaults. SRS developed and implemented a successful plan for clean up of the petroleum portion of the soils in situ using simple, inexpensive, bioreactor technology. Treatment in a bioreactor removes the petroleum contamination from the soil without spreading radiological contamination to the environment. This bioreactor uses the bioventing process and bioaugmentation or the addition of the select hydrocarbon degrading bacteria. Oxygen is usually the initial rate-limiting factor in the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons. Using the bioventing process allowed control of the supply of nutrients and moisture based on petroleum contamination concentrations and soil type. The results of this work have proven to be a safe and cost-effective means of cleaning up low level radiological and petroleum-contaminated soil. Many of the other elements of the bioreactor design were developed or enhanced during the demonstration of a ''biopile'' to treat the soils beneath a Polish oil refinery's waste disposal lagoons. Aerobic microorganisms were isolated from the aged refinery's …

Cross sections have been measured for the {sup 107}Ag({alpha},{gamma}){sup 111}In reaction at several a-particle energies between 7.8 MeV and 11.9 MeV. This reaction is of interest because it can provide a check on calculations of low-energy ({alpha},{gamma}) cross sections required for stellar nucleosynthesis predictions. Stacks of natural Ag foils of 1 mm thickness and 99.97% purity were bombarded with {sup 4}He{sup +} beams. Following irradiation, the yields of the 171-keV and 245-keV photons produced in the 2.805 day electron-capture decay of the {sup 111}In product nucleus were measured off-line. The Ag foils were interleaved with 99.6% purity, 6 {micro}m thick natural Ti foils so that known cross sections for the {sup 48}Ti({alpha},n) reaction could be used to check the accuracy of the beam current integration. For any given beam energy, beam energy degradation in the foils resulted in lower effective bombarding energies for successive foils in the stack, enabling measurements to be made for several energies per irradiation. The measured cross sections are compared with published statistical-model calculations.

The authors present molecular dynamics simulation results for the viscosity and mutual diffusion constant of a strongly asymmetric two-component plasma (TCP). They compare the results with available theoretical models previously tested for much smaller asymmetries. for the case of viscosity they propose a new predictive framework based on the linear mixing rule, while for mutual diffusion they point out some consistency problems of widely used Boltzmann equation based models.

This report details the information related to gasoline prices and discusses on policies and proposals.

The most commonly discussed measures of microstructure in composite materials are the spatial correlation functions, which in a porous medium measure either the grain-to-grain correlations, or the pore-to-pore correlations in space. Improved bounds based on this information such as the Beran-Molyneux bounds for bulk modulus and the Beran bounds for conductivity are well-known. It is first shown here how to make direct use of this information to provide estimates that always lie between these upper and lower bounds for any microstructure whenever the microgeometry parameters are known. Then comparisons are made between these estimates, the bounds, and two new types of estimates. One new estimate for elastic constants makes use of the Peselnick-Meister bounds (based on Hashin-Shtrikman methods) for random polycrystals of laminates to generate self-consistent values that always lie between the bounds. A second new type of estimate for conductivity assumes that measurements of formation factors (of which there are at least two distinct types in porous media, associated respectively with pores and grains) are available, and computes new bounds based on this information. The paper compares and contrasts these various methods in order to clarify just what microstructural information and how precisely that information needs to be known …

This report briefly describes the process by which Congress seeks to pass a law. During this process Congress uses a bill or joint resolution, which must be passed by both houses in identical form, that is then presented to the President for his approval or disapproval.

This report describes the structure and development of the narcotics trade in Afghanistan and explores its relevance to Afghan, U.S., and international security interests, including the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that the United States make a long term commitment to the stability and security of Afghanistan. The report provides current statistical information on the opium trade, profiles its various participants, explores alleged narco-terrorist linkages, and reviews the U.S. and international policy response since late 2001. The report also considers current policy debates regarding the role of the U.S. military in future counternarcotics operations in Afghanistan; planned opium poppy eradication; and funding issues for Congress.

The first fossil hominid tooth recovered during 1999 excavations from the Cisanca River region in West Java, Indonesia, was associated with a series of bovid teeth from a single individual that was recovered 190 cm beneath the hominid tooth. The age of the fossil bovid teeth was determined using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis as part of an effort to bracket the age of the hominid tooth. The EPR-derived age of the bovid teeth is (5.16 {+-} 2.01) x 10{sup 5} years. However, the age estimate reported here is likely an underestimate of the actual age of deposition since evidence of heating was detected in the EPR spectra of the bovid teeth, and the heating may have caused a decrease in the intensity of EPR components on which the age calculation is based.

In a solid-state heat capacity laser (SSHCL), waste heat is stored in the lasing slabs, minimizing temperature gradients and optical distortions. After the maximum number of pulses is reached, the slabs are cooled or rapidly exchanged with cool slabs. During the past several years, our laboratory at LLNL has built a number of SSHCLs, demonstrating powers beyond 10 kW. In this paper, we model target interactions produced by a 10 kW device (500 J/pulse and 20 Hz), operating at a wavelength of 1.053 {micro}m. The laser contains 9 Nd:glass slabs pumped by flashlamps.

The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to improve border security is a technique that has garnered congressional attention. This report examines the strengths and limitations of deploying UAVs along the borders and related issues for Congress.

This document outlines a proposal for extending UPC's point-to-point memcpy library with support for explicitly non-blocking transfers, and non-contiguous (indexed and strided) transfers. Various portions of this proposal could stand alone as independent extensions to the UPC library. The designs presented here are heavily influenced by analogous functionality which exists in other parallel communication systems, such as MPI, ARMCI, Titanium, and network hardware API's such as Quadricselan, Infiniband vapi, IBM LAPI and Cray X-1. Each section contains proposed extensions to the libraries in the UPC Language Specification (section 7) and corresponding extensions to the GASNet communication system API.

This is a report on Genetically Engineered Fish and seafood, with are supposed to have inherited traits to have improved organisms due to the genetical engineering.

A Full Aperture Backscatter Station (FABS) target diagnostic has been activated on the first four beams of the National Ignition Facility (NIF). Backscattered light from the target propagates back down the beam path into the FABS diagnostic system. FABS measures both stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) and stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) with a suite of measurement instruments. Digital cameras and spectrometers record spectrally resolved energy for both P and S polarized light. Streaked spectrometers measure the spectral and temporal behavior of the backscattered light. Calorimeters and fast photodetectors measure the integrated energy and temporal behavior of the light, respectively. This paper provides an overview of the FABS measurements system and detailed descriptions of the diagnostic instruments and the optical path.

Stable and radiocarbon isotope measurements made on CO{sub 2} from high temperature hydrothermal vents on the Endeavour Segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge indicate both magmatic and sedimentary sources of carbon to the hydrothermal system. The Endeavour segment is devoid of overlying sediments and has shown no observable signs of surficial magmatic activity during the {approx}20 years of ongoing studies. The appearance of isotopically heavy, radiocarbon dead CO{sub 2} after a 1999 earthquake swarm requires that this earthquake event was magmatic in origin. Evidence for a sedimentary organic carbon source suggests the presence of buried sediments at the ridge axis. These findings, which represent the first temporally coherent set of radiocarbon measurements from hydrothermal vent fluids, demonstrate the utility of radiocarbon analysis in hydrothermal studies. The existence of a sediment source at Endeavour and the occurrence of magmatic episodes illustrate the extremely complex and evolving nature of the Endeavour hydrothermal system.

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The effect of oxygenate molecular structure on soot emissions from a DI diesel engine was examined using carbon-14 ({sup 14}C) isotope tracing. Carbon atoms in three distinct chemical structures within the diesel oxygenate dibutyl maleate (DBM) were labeled with {sup 14}C. The {sup 14}C from the labeled DBM was then detected in engine-out particulate matter (PM), in-cylinder deposits, and CO{sub 2} emissions using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). The results indicate that molecular structure plays an important role in determining whether a specific carbon atom either does or does not form soot. Chemical-kinetic modeling results indicate that structures that produce CO{sub 2} directly from the fuel are less effective at reducing soot than structures that produce CO before producing CO{sub 2}. Because they can follow individual carbon atoms through a real combustion process, {sup 14}C isotope tracing studies help strengthen the connection between actual engine emissions and chemical-kinetic models of combustion and soot formation/oxidation processes.

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