Panelist attendance at the National Science Foundation Plasma Panel.

This issue brief discusses the Airport Improvement Program and its complement, the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC). After a brief history of federal support for airport construction and improvement, the report describes AIP funding, its source of revenues, the impact of the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (FAIR21, P.L. 106-181), funding distribution, the types of projects the program funds, AIP and PFC policy issues, and the allowable use of AIP funds for airport security purposes.

The results of several studies of the 200-MeV (LINAC), AGS (E880), and RHIC polarimeter data from the polarized proton run in 2001/2002 are presented. Much of this work occurred during or immediately after the run. Some of these analyses have implications for the understanding of the performance of the polarized ion source, AGS, and RHIC with polarized protons. Some of the conclusions include: (A) A recalibration of the 200-MeV polarimeter gives results consistent with the older calibration, but high rates in the 200-MeV polarimeter are still a problem. (B) No evidence of sizable systematic effects was found in several tests of the AGS polarimeter with a thin carbon fiber target. (C) Significant polarization loss in the AGS was observed above G{sub {gamma}} = 7.5 but not between injection and G{sub {gamma}} = 7.5. (D) The magnitude of the flattop asymmetry in the RHIC polarimeters decreases with time in a fill. (E) The RHIC polarimeter analyzing power on flattop is greater than or equal to that at injection. (F) Unexplained systematic effects were observed in the RHIC polarimeter, but the implications for the measured polarization asymmetry are not clear. These effects were not isolated events, but occurred throughout the run. Conceivably …

Soft x-ray lasers in 10-30nm range are now routinely produced in hot plasmas generated either by a laser from a solid target or by an electrical discharge in a capillary. Such an x-ray laser is a convenient tool for future applications, such as probing dense plasmas of interest for fusion experiments. Their short wavelength enables plasma diagnosis beyond the capabilities of optical lasers, because the high critical plasma density ({approx}{lambda}{sup 2}) limits the optical beam propagation. In our paper, we present analytical and numerical ray tracing of an x-ray laser in dense amplifying plasmas. A general analytical formula for a beam propagation has been developed for a gradient plasma. The simplified analytical formulaes enable better understanding of processes involved. They also simplify optimization of the beam propagation and ''mapping'' the parameter space for further studies by numerical codes. We discuss implications for a transient x-ray laser that is produced from a slab target by a (sub-)picosecond laser pulse.

The World Wide Web provides a vast resource to genomics researchers in the form of web-based access to distributed data sources--e.g. BLAST sequence homology search interfaces. However, the process for seeking the desired scientific information is still very tedious and frustrating. While there are several known servers on genomic data (e.g., GeneBank, EMBL, NCBI), that are shared and accessed frequently, new data sources are created each day in laboratories all over the world. The sharing of these newly discovered genomics results are hindered by the lack of a common interface or data exchange mechanism. Moreover, the number of autonomous genomics sources and their rate of change out-pace the speed at which they can be manually identified, meaning that the available data is not being utilized to its full potential. An automated system that can find, classify, describe and wrap new sources without tedious and low-level coding of source specific wrappers is needed to assist scientists to access to hundreds of dynamically changing bioinformatics web data sources through a single interface. A correct classification of any kind of Web data source must address both the capability of the source and the conversation/interaction semantics which is inherent in the design of the …

The River Protection Project is to design and build a high level nuclear waste treatment facility. The waste treatment plant is to process millions of gallons of radioactive waste stored in tanks at the Hanford Site. The high level nuclear waste treatment process includes various unit operations, such as ultrafiltration, precipitation, evaporation, ion exchange, and vitrification. Ion exchange is identified as the optimal treatment method for removal of cesium-137 and Tc-99 from the waste. Extensive ion exchange testing was performed using small-scale columns with actual waste samples. The objectives of this study were to: demonstrate SuperLig 644 ion exchange performance and process steps for the removal of cesium from actual AN-104 tank waste; pretreat actual AN-104 tank waste to reduce the concentration of cesium-137 in the waste below LAW vitrification limit; produce and characterize cesium eluate solutions for use in eluate evaporation tests. The experiments consisted of batch contact and small-scale column tests. The batch contact tests measured sorption partition coefficients Kds. The Kds were used to predict the effective resin capacity. The small-scale column tests, which closely mimic plant conditions, generated loading and elution profile data used to determine whether removal targets and design requirements were met.

This Corrective Action Decision Document/Closure Report (CADD/CR) has been prepared for Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 410: Waste Disposal Trenches, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, in accordance with the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order. Corrective Action Unit 410 consists of five Corrective Action Sites (CASs): TA-21-003-TANL; 09-21-001-TA09; TA-19-002-TAB2; TA-21-002-TAAL; and 03-19-001. The CADD and CR have been combined into one report because no further action is recommended for this CAU. The corrective action alternative recommended for CAU 410 is Clean Closure; therefore, no corrective action or corrective action plan is required. No use restrictions are required to be placed on this CAU because the investigation showed no evidence of remaining soil contamination or remaining debris/waste upon completion of all investigation activities.

The Defense Waste Processing Facility began processing Sludge Batch 2 in December of 2001. Since the introduction of the first complete process batch from Sludge Batch 2, processing issues have been observed in the Sludge Receipt and Adjustment Tank , Slurry Mix Evaporator, Melter Feed Tank and the melter. Testing was done to determine what effect different levels of uranium would have on the processing of Sludge Batch 2 in the Defense Waste Processing Facility Chemical Processing Cell. Two levels of uranium were added to Sludge Batch 2 simulant, 7.5 percent wt uranium solids and 15 percent wt uranium solids and were tested along with the simulant with no uranium added. The testing started with titrations of uranyl nitrate solutions. Titrations were then performed on slurries of Sludge Batch 2 simulant, and the simulant with two levels of uranium added to determine whether uranium would increase the acid demand during processing.

This document discusses a number of possible impacts that an in-tank or out-of-tank process may have on downstream processing facilities. The analysis is part of a task to develop processes to destroy tetraphenylborate using Fenton Chemistry (metal catalyst plus hydrogen peroxide). Two processes being evaluated are funded by a grant from DOE's National Energy Technology Center. The first is an in-tank process, where the tetraphenylborate is destroyed by decreasing the pH, increasing the temperature and adding a catalyst and hydrogen peroxide as required. After the TPB is destroyed, sodium hydroxide and sodium nitrite are added to the tank to return the tank to conditions that minimize corrosion. The resulting slurry is stored in a HLW tank, likely concentrated in the HLW evaporators, and later will be fed to the Salt Waste Processing Facility. The second process is an out-of-tank Fenton process. This process produces two streams, a high cesium stream that feeds to DWPF and a low cesium feed that returns to a HLW tank with the DWPF recycle. The recycle stream may be evaporated in the HLW evaporators, and will later be fed to the Saltstone Facility or the Actinide Removal Process. An additional two processes being evaluated are …

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We present a study, based on simulations with SERDYCA, a spatially-explicit individual based model of rodent dynamics, on the connection between population persistence and the presence of inhomogeneities in the habitat. We are specifically interested on the effect that inhomogeneities that do not fragment the environment, have on population persistence. Our results suggest that a certain percentage of inhomogeneities can increase the average time to extinction of the population. Inhomogeneities decrease the population density and can increase the ratio of juveniles in the population thus providing a better chance for the population to restore itself after a severe period with critically low population density. We call this the ''inhomogeneity localization effect''.

This report provides information about the Budgeting and Priority-Setting Issues, 108th Congress on Federal Research and Development. Federal R & D funding priorities change over time, reflecting presidential and national preferences.

In this project we study new nanocrystalline and nanocomposite structures that have high potential for permanent-magnet development. These materials, which can be synthesized to have either very high or intermediate coercivities, have many applications in electric power, transportation, and information-storage industries. There is great interest in further development of understanding and application of these materials.

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and subsequent investigations of these attacks have called attention to Islamic puritanical movements known as Wahhabism and Salafiyya. This report provides a background on Wahhabi Islam and its association to militant fundamentalist groups; it will also summarize recent charges against Wahhabism and responses.

A new technique is described for the isochoric heating (i.e., heating at constant volume) of matter to high energy-density plasma states (>10{sup 5} J/g) on a picosecond timescale (10{sup -12} sec). An intense, collimated, ultrashort-pulse beam of protons--generated by a high-intensity laser pulse--is used to isochorically heat a solid density material to a temperature of several eV. The duration of heating is shorter than the timescale for significant hydrodynamic expansion to occur, hence the material is heated to a solid density warm dense plasma state. Using spherically-shaped laser targets a focused proton beam is produced and used to heat a smaller volume to over 20 eV. The technique described of ultrafast proton heating provides a unique method for creating isochorically heated high-energy density plasma states.

Memorandum in reference to 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) and its data collection process.

We consider the full multinomial combinatorics of all irreducible representations of the octahedral (cubic) symmetry as a function of partitions for vertex, face and edge colorings. Full combinatorial tables for all irreducible representations and all multinomial partitions are constructed. These enumerations constitute multinomial expansions of character-based cycle index polynomials, and grow in combinatorial complexity as a function of edge or vertex coloring partitions.

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The character theory of relativistic double group spinor representations is developed in order to represent the total rovibronic states of non-rigid molecules. It is shown that the double groups can be represented in terms of wreath products and powerful matrix cycle type generators that are used to construct their character tables. It is shown that these tables are of use when spin-orbit coupling is included in the hamiltonian even for molecules containing lighter atoms. Applications to non-rigid molecules such as Tl{sub 2}H{sub 4} /Tl{sub 2}H{sub 4}{sup +} are considered. It is shown that the tunneling splittings and the nuclear spin statistical weights can be obtained for such species using the character tables thus constructed. The spinor double groups of several other molecules such as hexamethyl dilead and heavy weakly bound clusters such as (PoH{sub 2}){sub 4} are also considered.

The RuC molecule has been a challenging species due to the open-shell nature of Ru resulting in a large number of low-lying electronic states. We have carried out state-of-the-art calculations using the complete active space multi-configuration self-consistent field (CASSCF) followed by multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) methods that included up 18 million configurations, in conjunction with relativistic effects. We have computed 29 low-lying electronic states of RuC with different spin multiplicities and spatial symmetries with energy separations less than 38 000 cm{sup -1}. We find two very closely low-lying electronic states for RuC, viz., {sup 1}{Sigma}{sup +} and {sup 3}{Delta} with the {sup 1}{Sigma}{sup +} being stabilized at higher levels of theory. Our computed spectroscopic constants and dipole moments are in good agreement with experiment although we have reported more electronic states than those that have been observed experimentally. Our computations reveal a strongly bound X{sup 1}{Sigma}{sup +} state with a large dipole moment and an energetically close {sup 3}{Delta} state with a smaller dipole moment. Overall our computed spectroscopic constants of the excited states with energy separations less than 18000 cm{sup -1} agree quite well with those of the corresponding observed states.

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This report discusses the budget for fiscal year 2003. It debates issues such as budget action, receipts surpluses or deficits, and the economy.

The present work describes our ongoing efforts towards the creation of micro and nanoscaled ordered arrays of protein covalently attached to site-specific chemical linkers patterned by different microlithographic techniques. We present a new and efficient solid-phase approach for the synthesis of chemically modified long alkyl-thiols. These compounds can be used to introduce chemoselective reacting groups onto silicon-based surfaces. We show that these modified thiols can be used for creating nano- and micrometric chemical patterns by using different lithographic techniques. We show that these patterns can react chemoselectively with proteins which have been recombinantly modified to contain complementary chemical groups at specific positions thus resulting in the oriented attachment of the protein to the surface.