Newsletter of the Texas Industrial Commission discussing activities of the Commission as well as other news, events, and announcements related to industrial development in the state.

Monthly newsletter of the Texas State Securities Board documenting authorization for the sale of securities in the state, listing the permit date, information about the company, and total offering for each one. It also includes other notices or updates about policy changes and the agency's activities.

Magazine discussing natural resources, parks, hunting and fishing, and other information related to the outdoors in Texas.

Monthly newsletter of the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1, discussing the field of underground water. Topics include profiles of water conservation research, annual pre-plant soil moisture survey data, annual Winter Water Level measurement data, and information about the latest water conservation tips.

Newsletter issued by the Advisory Council for Technical-Vocational Education in Texas discussing news, events, and other relevant information related to technical and vocational education for adults in Texas.

This report is the first biennial report of the Governor's Coordinating Office for the Visually Handicapped about recommendations regarding State Services to the Visually Handicapped.

Report detailing the results of a comprehensive study on Texas public school finances in the mid-1970s, with recommendations for future financing plans.

Newsletter from the Governor's Job Matching Campaign in Texas discussing news, events, and accomplishments of the program, as well as other relevant information.

The following report discusses the study of radioelements in precambrian rock samples taken from the upper peninsula of Michigan and northern Wisconsin.

New 1.029 GeV p-/sup 4/He data from an Argonne-UCLA-Minnesota collaboration are in excellent agreement with existing multiple diffraction theory predictions. The theoretical calculation includes spin and isospin dependence of the ..delta.. intermediate state process that fills the first diffraction minimum. The recently normalized Saclay data and the older Brookhaven data disagree with our calculation and the new data.

Pearlite was transformed directionally by passing a zone of austenite through high purity Fe--C alloy bars of eutectoid composition. Using a small embedded thermocouple, the temperature gradient at both the austenitizing edge and the pearlite transformation edge of the austenitic zone was recorded. A sharp change in gradient occurred due to the change in thermal conductivity between the phases at each interface. The point of change in gradient enabled the temperature of both interfaces to be determined as a function of velocity. It was found that the undercooling of the pearlite transformation interface below the eutectoid temperature was quadratically dependent on the velocity of transformation. No superheating at the austenitizing interface was observed. Interlamellar spacing measurements of pearlite showed an inverse quadratic dependence of spacing on velocity. These two results are compared with theory. Volume diffusion of carbon through austenite adequately describes the kinetics of the decomposition of austenite to pearlite although extrapolated carbon diffusivities from high temperature austenite data are a factor of 2 to 4 too small. The interlamellar spacing of pearlite and the pearlite transformation interface temperature as a function of velocity are compared to other constant velocity transformation studies as well as isothermal investigations. Results of …

Techniques were developed to produce excellent high performance glass capillary columns for gas chromatographic analyses of a wide range of complex mixtures of organic compounds, including those containing a wide array of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) derived from a coal liquefaction process. Work was begun to assess the potential mutogenicity and/or carcinogenicity of the various isolated PAH fractions utilizing a unique host mediated bioassay system. Preliminary results indicate that further efforts will be required to determine dose response parameters of cultured mouse leukemia cells, as well as suitable vehicles for the satisfactory introduction of certain PAH fractions into this particular bioassay system.

The mathematical basis for an ultraprecise digital differential analyzer circuit for use as a parabolic interpolator on numerically controlled machines has been established, and scaling and other error-reduction techniques have been developed. An exact computer model is included, along with typical results showing tracking to within an accuracy of one part per million.

While on initial examination each of the six fuel cycle concepts (tandem cycle, extended burnup, fuel rejuvenation, coprocessing, partial reprocessing, and thorium) described in the report may have some potential for improving safeguards, none of the six appears to have any other major or compelling advantages over the mixed oxide (MOX) fuel cycle. Compared to the MOX cycle, all but coprocessing appear to have major disadvantages, including severe cost penalties. Three of the concepts-tandem, extended burnup, and rejuvenation--share the basic problems of the throwaway cycle (GESMO Alternative 6): without reprocessing, high-level waste volumes and costs are substantially increased, and overall uranium utilization decreases for three reasons. First, the parasitic fission products left in the fuel absorb neutrons in later irradiation steps reducing the overall neutronic efficiencies of these cycles. Second, discarded fuel still has sufficient fissile values to warrant recycle. Third, perhaps most important, the plutonium needed for breeder start-up will not be available; without the breeder, uranium utilization would drop by about a factor of sixty. Two of the concepts--coprocessing and partial reprocessing--involve variations of the basic MOX fuel cycle's chemical reprocessing step to make plutonium diversion potentially more difficult. These concepts could be used with the MOX fuel …

The effects of collisions on dissipative trapped electron instabilities are evaluated by distinguishing between the perpendicular and parallel electron velocity components when calculating trapped and untrapped electron contributions. The growth rate is obtained for all regimes of collisionality and reduces to previous results in appropriate limits. We show that the dominant effect of finite collisionality is to determine the number of trapped and untrapped electrons and that collisional broadening removes the resonant electron response only for collision frequencies greater than or equal to ten times the wave frequency, ..nu../sub e/ greater than or equal to 10 ..omega... For such large ..nu../sub e//..omega.., ion-ion collisions are found to exert a far stronger stabilizing influence than broadening.

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Sixteen types of Biso-coated designs, on ThO/sub 2/ kernels, were irradiated in High Flux Isotope Reactor target capsules HT-12 through HT-15. The report addresses the description of the experiment and extensive postirradiation analyses and experiments to determine fertile-particle burnup, fuel coating failures, and fission product behavior. Several low-temperature isotropic (LTI) pyrocarbon coatings, which ''survived'' according to visual inspection, were shown to have developed permeability during irradiation. These particles were irradiated at temperatures approximately equal to 1250/sup 0/C and to burnups equal to or greater than 8 percent fission per initial heavy-metal atom (FIMA). No evidence of permeability was found in similar particles irradiated at temperatures approximately equal to 1550/sup 0/C and burnups approximately equal to 16 percent FIMA. Failures due to permeability were not detectable by visual inspection but required a more extensive investigation by the 1000/sup 0/C gaseous chlorine leaching technique. Maximum particle surface operating temperatures were found to be approximately 300/sup 0/C in excess of design limits of 900/sup 0/C (low-temperature magazines) and 1250/sup 0/C (high-temperature magazines). The extremes of high temperatures and fast neutron fluences up to 1.6 x 10/sup 22/ neutrons/cm/sup 2/ produced severe degradation and swelling of the Poco graphite magazines and sample holders.

The following progress report describes the work performed during the first quarter on the contract for NDA Technology for Uranium Resource Evaluation. The initial phases of the work focused on gamma-ray calculations and computer code modifications in support of borehole logging measurements and surface gamma-ray surveys. The existing gamma-ray transport computer codes at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory are being modified to give the energy group resolution desired for the uranium calculations. Monte Carlo computer calculations have been compared with the discrete ordinates ONETRAN code results for simple cases to gain confidence in the results. Preliminary calculations have been performed to investigate the applicability of transport and Monte Carlo computer calculations to uranium ore measurements. Feasibility studies are in progress to investigate the use of a photoneutron source for direct measurement of the uranium concentration surrounding a borehole. An /sup 124/Sb-Be neutron source was used for the initial laboratory test experiments, and a /sup 4/He gas proportional counter was used to count the induced prompt fission neutrons. A new approach is being investigated for producing photoneutrons by means of converting a beta-decay source to a bremsstrahlung spectrum.

Initial results of studies of the feasibility of radiation-induced cataphoretic segregation of isotopes are summarized. More detailed feasibility calculations show that significant isotope separation efficiencies can be obtained for discharges at low pressure. This may make it desirable to use a buffer gas in the discharge in order to manipulate the electron energy distribution. Requirements for the properties of the buffer gas have been established. The experimental system for studying laser-induced cataphoretic separation of neon isotopes has been completed. Preliminary studies show that the system is capable of detecting less than 1% change in the Ne/sup 20//Ne/sup 22/ isotope ratio. It is anticipated that a systematic study can be made with respect to the photo-induced isotope separation efficiency in about three months. The other experimental system relates to the separation of mercury isotopes in a direct current gaseous discharge using radiation from external monoisotopic mercury light sources. Initial experimental feasibility studies of this technique are expected to be started after about three months. The ultra-high vacuum and gas handling system has been completed.

As a result of a literature search, equations have been compiled for estimating the flow rates of pure gases through very small orifices and capillaries. Such equations might be useful in establishing upper limits of leak rates from sealed PuO/sub 2/ containers under accident conditions.

The following appendices are common to the LLL Safety Analysis Reports Nevada Test Site and are included here as supporting documents to those reports: Environmental Monitoring Report for the Nevada Test Site and Other Test Areas Used for Underground Nuclear Detonations, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas, Rept. EMSL-LV-539-4 (1976); Selected Census Information Around the Nevada Test Site, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas, Rept. NERC-LV-539-8 (1973); W. J. Hannon and H. L. McKague, An Examination of the Geology and Seismology Associated with Area 410 at the Nevada Test Site, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Livermore, Rept. UCRL-51830 (1975); K. R. Peterson, Diffusion Climatology for Hypothetical Accidents in Area 410 of the Nevada Test Site, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Livermore, Rept. UCRL-52074 (1976); J. R. McDonald, J. E. Minor, and K. C. Mehta, Development of a Design Basis Tornado and Structural Design Criteria for the Nevada Test Site, Nevada, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Livermore, Rept. UCRL-13668 (1975); A. E. Stevenson, Impact Tests of Wind-Borne Wooden Missiles, Sandia Laboratories, Tonopah, Rept. SAND 76-0407 (1976); and Hydrology of the 410 Area (Area 27) at the Nevada Test Site.

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The single scattering optical potential was in the multiple scattering approaches of Watson and KMT. Since the kinematics of single scattering is three-body in nature, one builds a three-body model of this term. This approach can include the proper kinematics for the struck nucleon, the identity of the target nucleons, and the binding interaction of the struck nucleon. Integral equations of the Faddeev type are derived for both the Watson and KMT single scattering optical potentials. Unitarity relations are investigated and one observes that these relations can be expanded in order to identify the intermediate states responsible for the absorptive parts. The transition amplitudes to the inelastic states implicit in the model are extracted and evaluated. This permits one to understand the physical meaning of the imaginary part in precise terms. The same procedure is applied to the closure and impulse approximations for the single scattering term and their implicit inelastic states and reaction amplitudes are identified. These approximations are evaluated by analyzing the inelastic data. It is concluded that the impulse approximation to the Watson single scattering term should provide the best two-body approximation to a single-scattering optical potential.

Two continuous dynamic systems have been designed and fabricated for testing filter media in humid, corrosive environments--one for fluorine or fluoride exposures, and the other for nitrogen dioxide exposures. The tester using fluorine or fluoride atmospheres was constructed of nickel and the one using nitrogen dioxide was fabricated of stainless steel. Other corrosive gases could be used with the appropriate choice of system. For example, chlorine or hydrogen chloride could be used in the system fabricated of nickel, and sulfur dioxides or ammonia could be used in the stainless steel testing apparatus. Each tester is comprised of four equivalent dynamic systems designed for diluting a corrosive reagent with dry air, then with humidified air to provide a humid-corrosive environment for filter media testing. Auxiliary equipment includes a water injection system, corrosive reagent supply systems, and an automatic pressure differential (..delta..P) monitoring and recording system. The testers are relatively maintenance-free and have operated continuously for periods as long as 96 h without requiring any attention, during total exposures of materials exceeding 600 h.