A summary of the results of several recent studies of charm mixing is presented. A number of different methods were used, including the measurement of lifetime ratios for final states of different CP, time dependence of wrong-sign hadronic decays, fits to time-dependent Dalitz plots, and searches for wrong-sign semi-leptonic decays. Taken together, they suggest mixing is of order 1%. The status of searches for indirect CP violation is also reported.

The chemical element potassium is an essential mineral in people and is subject to homeostatic regulation. Natural potassium comprises three isotopes, 39K, 40K, and 41K. Potassium-40 is radioactive, with a half life of 1.248 billion years. In most transitions, it emits a β particle with a maximum energy of 0.560 MeV, and sometimes a gamma photon of 1.461 MeV. Because it is ubiquitous, 40K produces radiation dose to all human beings. This report contains the results of new measurements of 40K in 248 adult females and 2,037 adult males performed at the Department of Energy Hanford Site in 2006 and 2007. Potassium concentrations diminish with age, are generally lower in women than in men, and decrease with body mass index (BMI). The average annual effective dose from 40K in the body is 0.149 mSv y−1 for men and 0.123 mSv y−1 women respectively. Averaged over both men and women, the average effective dose per year is 0.136 mSv y−1. Calculated effective doses range from 0.069 to 0.243 mSv y−1 for adult males, and 0.067 to 0.203 mSv y−1 for adult females, a roughly three-fold variation for each gender. The need for dosimetric phantoms with a greater variety of BMI values …

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM) was established to achieve the safe and compliant disposition of legacy wastes and facilities from defense nuclear applications. The scope of work is diverse, with projects ranging from single acquisitions to collections of projects and operations that span several decades and costs from hundreds of millions to billions US$. The need to be able to manage and understand the technical risks from the project to senior management level has been recognized as an enabler to successfully completing the mission. In 2008, DOE-EM developed the Technical Risk Rating as a new method to assist in managing technical risk based on specific criteria. The Technical Risk Rating, and the criteria used to determine the rating, provides a mechanism to foster open, meaningful communication between the Federal Project Directors and DOE-EM management concerning project technical risks. Four indicators (technical maturity, risk urgency, handling difficulty and resolution path) are used to focus attention on the issues and key aspects related to the risks. Pressing risk issues are brought to the forefront, keeping DOE-EM management informed and engaged such that they fully understand risk impact. Use of the Technical Risk Rating and criteria during reviews …

We development a general framework for information-passing and concurrent discrete to continuum scale bridging and applied it to biological, electro-mechanical and thermo-electrical systems. Funds were used for partial support of two post-doctoral research associates (Aiqin Li, Dawei Zhang) and three graduate students (Renge Li, Mohan Nuggehally, Joseph Riendeau).

Completed sodium battery thermal model update from experimental performance; developed approach to evaluate thermal management strategies

Simplified equations of graphite oxidation are reviewed for semi-infinite slab, finite slab, and cylinder geometries, using the principal assumptions of linearized oxidation kinetics and quasi-steady state oxidation profile. All equations are coupled to a general surface mass transfer boundary condition. The equations include those for oxidant concentration distribution, surface oxidation rate, burnoff profile, and oxidation efficiency. This review also covers some areas that may not be well recognized. The key role of the effective diffusivity is highlighted, with a brief review of measured values. The temperature-dependence of the surface oxidation rate is shown to be more complex than usually shown for the diffusion-affected zone. Assumption of linear kinetics permits ready estimation of equilibration time for development of the quasi-steady burnoff profile. In addition, approximations for the time-steady hydrogen concentration profiles are developed for the case of oxidation by H2O. All cited methods can be readily evaluated by spreadsheet calculation.

The authors present measurements of the semileptonic decays B{sup -} {yields} D{sup 0} {tau}{sup -} {bar {nu}}{sub {tau}}, B{sup -} {yields} D*{sup 0} {tau}{sup -}{bar {nu}}{sub {tau}}, {bar B}{sup 0} {yields} D{sup +} {tau}{sup -} {bar {nu}}{sub {tau}}, and {bar B}{sup 0} {yields} D*{sup +} {tau}{sup -}{bar {nu}}{sub {tau}}, which are sensitive to non-Standard Model amplitudes in certain scenarios. The data sample consists of 232 x 10{sup 6} {Upsilon}(4S) {yields} B{bar B} decays collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II e{sup +}e{sup -} collider. They select events with a D or D* meson and a light lepton ({ell} = e or {mu}) recoiling against a fully reconstructed B meson. They perform a fit to the joint distribution of lepton momentum and missing mass squared to distinguish signal B {yields} D{sup (*)}{tau}{sup -} {bar {nu}}{sub {tau}} ({tau}{sup -} {yields} {ell}{sup -} {bar {nu}}{sub {ell}}{nu}{sub {tau}}) events from the backgrounds, predominantly B {yields} D{sup (*)} {ell}{sup -}{bar {nu}}{sub {ell}}. They measure the branching-fraction ratios R(D) {triple_bond} {Beta}(B {yields} D{tau}{sup -} {bar {nu}}{sub {tau}})/{Beta}(B {yields} D{ell}{sup -} {bar {nu}}{sub {ell}}) and R(D*) {triple_bond} {Beta}(B {yields} D*{tau}{sup -} {bar {nu}}{sub {tau}})/{Beta}(B {yields} D* {ell}{sup -} {bar {nu}}{sub {ell}}) and, from a combined fit …

The work reported here took place at the University of Minnesota from 07/01/1989 to 06/30/2006. Most of this work focused on computational materials applied to oxides during the first part of this funding period and to nanoscale materials toward the end of the funding period. This funding resulted in three monographs, 36 invited articles or book chapters, 160 articles in refereed journals and 89 invited talks. The funding helped train 13 PhD students and one masters student. The PI received two national research awards for this work. A list of these contributions are presented.

In this work, computer simulations are used to determine the influence of edge conditions on the overall performance of mesa diodes under dark and illuminated conditions. In particular, we examine the effect of edge shape on the I-V characteristics of the diode.

MINOS is a long baseline neutrino oscillation experiment that uses two detectors separated by 734 km. The readout systems used for the two detectors are different and have to be independently calibrated. To verify and make a direct comparison of the calibrated response of the two readout systems, test beam data were acquired using a smaller calibration detector. This detector was simultaneously instrumented with both readout systems and exposed to the CERN PS T7 test beam. Differences in the calibrated response of the two systems are shown to arise from differences in response non-linearity, photomultiplier tube crosstalk, and threshold effects at the few percent level. These differences are reproduced by the Monte Carlo (MC) simulation to better than 1% and a scheme that corrects for these differences by calibrating the MC to match the data in each detector separately is presented. The overall difference in calorimetric response between the two readout systems is shown to be consistent with zero to a precision of 1.3% in data and 0.3% in MC with no significant energy dependence.

The objective of this research program was to take a highly multidisciplinary approach to define the biogeochemical factors that control technetium (Tc) mobility in FRC sediments. The aim was to use batch and column studies to probe the biogeochemical conditions that control the mobility of Tc at the FRC. Background sediment samples from Area 2 (pH 6.5, low nitrate, low {sup 99}Tc) and Area 3 (pH 3.5, high nitrate, relatively high {sup 99}Tc) of the FRC were selected (http://www.esd.ornl.gov/nabirfrc). For the batch experiments, sediments were mixed with simulated groundwater, modeled on chemical constituents of FRC waters and supplemented with {sup 99}Tc(VII), both with and without added electron donor (acetate). The solubility of the Tc was monitored, alongside other biogeochemical markers (nitrate, nitrite, Fe(II), sulfate, acetate, pH, Eh) as the 'microcosms' aged. At key points, the microbial communities were also profiled using both cultivation-dependent and molecular techniques, and results correlated with the geochemical conditions in the sediments. The mineral phases present in the sediments were also characterized, and the solid phase associations of the Tc determined using sequential extraction and synchrotron techniques. In addition to the batch sediment experiments, where discrete microbial communities with the potential to reduce and precipitate {sup …

Clean Cities Now is the official newsletter of DOE's Clean Cities program. It includes articles on coalition activities, fleet and stakeholder success stories, and helpful resources.

We are now well-advanced in our development, prototyping and deployment of a high performance next generation Integrated Environment for Collaborative Work. The system, aimed at using the capability of ESnet and Internet2 for rapid data exchange, is based on the Virtual Room Videoconferencing System (VRVS) developed by Caltech. The VRVS system has been chosen by the Internet2 Digital Video (I2-DV) Initiative as a preferred foundation for the development of advanced video, audio and multimedia collaborative applications by the Internet2 community. Today, the system supports high-end, broadcast-quality interactivity, while enabling a wide variety of clients (Mbone, H.323) to participate in the same conference by running different standard protocols in different contexts with different bandwidth connection limitations, has a fully Web-integrated user interface, developers and administrative APIs, a widely scalable video network topology based on both multicast domains and unicast tunnels, and demonstrated multiplatform support. This has led to its rapidly expanding production use for national and international scientific collaborations in more than 60 countries. We are also in the process of creating a 'testbed video network' and developing the necessary middleware to support a set of new and essential requirements for rapid data exchange, and a high level of interactivity in …

Metastable vacua in supersymmetric QCD in the presence of single and multitrace deformations of the superpotential are explored, with the aim of obtaining an acceptable phenomenology. The metastable vacua appear at one loop, have a broken R-symmetry, and a magnetic gauge group that is completely Higgsed. With only a single trace deformation, the adjoint fermions from the meson superfield are approximately massless at one loop, even though they are massive at tree level and R-symmetry is broken. Consequently, if charged under the standard model, they are unacceptably light. A multitrace quadratic deformation generates fermion masses proportional to the deformation parameter. Phenomenologically viable models of direct gauge mediation can then be obtained, and some of their features are discussed.

The generic unparticle propagator may be modified in two ways. Breaking the conformal symmetry effectively adds a mass term to the propagator, while considering vacuum polarization corrections adds a width-like term. Both of these modifications result naturally from the coupling of the unparticle to standard model (SM) fields. We explore how these modifications to the propagator affect the calculation of the lepton anomalous magnetic moment using an integral approximation of the propagator that is accurate for d {approx}< 1.5, where d is the unparticle dimension. We find that for this range of d and various values of the conformal breaking scale {mu}, the value of g-2 calculated when allowing various SM fermions to run in the unparticle self-energy loops does not significantly deviate from the value of g-2 when the width term is ignored. We also investigate the limits on a characteristic mass scale for the unparticle sector as a function of {mu} and d.

Simulated calorimeter performance in the SiD detector is examined. The software calibration procedures are described, as well as the perfect pattern recognition PFA reconstruction. Performance of the SiD calorimeters is summarized with jet energy resolutions from calorimetry only, perfect pattern recognition and the SiD PFA algorithm. Presented at LCWS08[1]. Our objective is to simulate the calorimeter performance of the SiD detector, with and without a Particle Flow Algorithm (PFA). Full Geant4 simulations using SLIC[2] and the SiD simplified detector geometry (SiD02) are used. In this geometry, the calorimeters are represented as layered cylinders. The EM calorimeter is Si/W, with 20 layers of 2.5mm W and 10 layers of 5mm W, segmented in 3.5 x 3.5mm{sup 2} cells. The HAD calorimeter is RPC/Fe, with 40 layers of 20mm Fe and a digital readout, segmented in 10 x 10mm{sup 2} cells. The barrel detectors are layered in radius, while the endcap detectors are layered in z(along the beam axis).

We report on our observations of light-activated passivation of silicon surfaces by iodine-ethanol solution.

Concentrator photovoltaics may play significant role in growth of solar electricity because of scalability. Need to take a bird?s eye view for the design and a worm?s eye view for diagnosis.

The Peano Kernel Theorem is introduced and a frequency domain derivation is given. It is demonstrated that the application of this theorem yields simple and accurate formulas for estimating the error introduced into a signal by filtering it to reduce noise.

Detailed aircraft measurements were made of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) spectra associated with extensive cloud systems off the central California coast in the July 2005 MASE project. These measurements include the wide supersaturation (S) range (2-0.01%) that is important for these polluted stratus clouds. Concentrations were usually characteristic of continental/anthropogenic air masses. The most notable feature was the consistently higher concentrations above the clouds than below. CCN measurements are so important because they provide a link between atmospheric chemistry and cloud-climate effects, which are the largest climate uncertainty. Extensive comparisons throughout the eleven flights between two CCN spectrometers operated at different but overlapping S ranges displayed the precision and accuracy of these difficult spectral determinations. There are enough channels of resolution in these instruments to provide differential spectra, which produce more rigorous and precise comparisons than traditional cumulative presentations of CCN concentrations. Differential spectra are also more revealing than cumulative spectra. Only one of the eleven flights exhibited typical maritime concentrations. Average below cloud concentrations over the two hours furthest from the coast for the 8 flights with low polluted stratus was 614?233 at 1% S, 149?60 at 0.1% S and 57?33 at 0.04% S cm-3. Immediately above cloud average …

Total organic halogen (TOX) is used as a parameter to screen groundwater samples at the Hanford Site. Trending is done for each groundwater well, and changes in TOX and other screening parameters can lead to costly changes in the monitoring protocol. The Waste Sampling and Characterization Facility (WSCF) analyzes groundwater samples for TOX using the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SW-S46 method 9020B (EPA 1996a). Samples from the Soil and Groundwater Remediation Project (SGRP) are submitted to the WSCF for analysis without information regarding the source of the sample; each sample is in essence a ''blind'' sample to the laboratory. Feedback from the SGRP indicated that some of the WSCF-generated TOX data from groundwater wells had a number of outlier values based on the historical trends (Anastos 200Sa). Additionally, analysts at WSCF observed inconsistent TOX results among field sample replicates. Therefore, the WSCF lab performed an investigation of the TOX analysis to determine the cause of the outlier data points. Two causes were found that contributed to generating out-of-trend TOX data: (1) The presence of inorganic chloride in the groundwater samples: at inorganic chloride concentrations greater than about 10 parts per million (ppm), apparent TOX values increase with increasing …

This paper describes the current status of wind-diesel technology and its applications, the current research activities, and the remaining system technical and commercial challenges. System architectures, dispatch strategies, and operating experience from a variety of wind-diesel systems will be discussed, as well as how recent development to explore distributed energy generation solutions for wind generation can benefit from the performance experience of operating systems. The paper also includes a detailed discussion of the performance of wind-diesel applications in Alaska, where 10 wind-diesel stations are operating and additional systems are currently being implemented. Additionally, because this application represents an international opportunity, a community of interest committed to sharing technical and operating developments is being formed. The authors hope to encourage this expansion while allowing communities and nations to investigate the wind-diesel option for reducing their dependence on diesel-driven energy sources.

Research on cement hydration was performed at the full-field soft transmission X-ray microscope XM-1 located at beamline 6.1.2 at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) in Berkeley CA which is operated by the Center for X-ray Optics, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California. A series of works [1-3] has been conducted using this microscope for the in situ observation and qualitative analysis of through-solution hydration products and products of topochemical reactions, which form in cementitious aqueous solutions. This paper studies the precipitation of the calcium hydroxide (CH) crystals from the cement solution. The analysis of successive images of the hydration process provides critical quantitative information about the growth rate of calcium hydroxide (CH) crystals, the supersaturation ratio, and the kinetic and diffusion coefficients of the growth process. ASTM Type II portland cement and 6% C{sub 4}A{sub 3}{bar S} admixture were mixed in aqueous solution and saturated with respect to CH and gypsum. The C{sub 4}A{sub 3}{bar S} admixture was included in the experimental program because of the general research program on expansive cements, and adding C{sub 4}A{sub 3}{bar S} to portland cement is an efficient method of generating ettringite and significant early-age expansion. The solution/solid materials ratio was 10 cm{sup 3}/g, …

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) of USA and Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology (KIPT) of Ukraine have been collaborating on the conceptual design development of a neutron source facility. It is based on the use of an electron accelerator driven subcritical (ADS) facility with low enriched uranium fuel, using the existing electron accelerators at KIPT of Ukraine [1]. The neutron source of the subcritical assembly is generated from the interaction of 100-KW electron beam, which has a uniform spatial distribution and the electron energy in the range of 100 to 200 MeV, with a natural uranium target [2]. The main functions of the facility are the production of medical isotopes and the support of the Ukraine nuclear power industry. Neutron beam experiments and material studies are also included. Over the past two-three decades, structures with characteristic lengths of 100 {angstrom} and correspondingly smaller vibrational energies have become increasingly important for both science and technology [3]. The characteristic dimensions of the microstructures can be well matched by neutrons with longer vibrational wavelength and lower energy. In the accelerator-driven subcritical facility, most of the neutrons are generated from fission reactions with energy in the MeV range. They are slowed down to the …