A number of candidate turbine materials are being evaluated for their resistance to erosion, corrosion, and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in geothermal brines. These materials include Fe-, Ni-, Co and Ti-base alloys, coatings and ceramics. Tapered wearblades, simulating the leading edge of a turbine blade, are exposed to the direct impact of a two-phase nozzle exhaust. Bent beam SCC specimens, which are constrained in fixtures attached to the wearblade holders, are also exposed to this exhaust. Results of a test series are reported in which acidified liquid brine was expanded to atmospheric pressure are reported. The tests were performed at the LLL Field Test Station near Niland in the Salton Sea Geothermal Field. Evaluation of the exposed materials indicates that Ti-base alloys show the most promise for turbine wheel components in the high salinity geothermal environments.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, John L. Hill, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification; Authority of the Chairman of the Texas Employment Commission.

The fluxes of protons emitted during solar flares since 1956 were evaluated. The depth-versus-activity profiles of /sup 56/Co in several lunar rocks are consistent with the solar-proton fluxes detected by experiments on several satellites. Only about 20% of the solar-proton-induced activities of /sup 22/Na and /sup 55/Fe in lunar rocks from early Apollo missions were produced by protons emitted from the sun during solar cycle 20 (1965--1975). The depth-versus-activity data for these radionuclides in several lunar rocks were used to determine the fluxes of protons during solar cycle 19 (1954--1964). The average proton fluxes for cycle 19 are about five times those for both the last million years and for cycle 20. These solar-proton flux variations correlate with changes in sunspot activity.

This is a catalog of all samples which have been collected and the presently available results of chemical and other analyses. Types covered include: air quality, water quality, ecosystem quality, subsidence and seismicity, remotely sensed data, socioeconomic effects, and measurements of radioactivity. (MHR)

Proper laser infrared irradiation of ball targets 10 to 100 ..mu..m in diameter requires micrometre-step positioning of the system's optical elements. A central control console has been designed that gives the operator nearly complete control of this complex operation. Twin alignment lasers can be operated from the console. Devices can be inserted in the beam lines, mirrors moved, and the target ball aligned, all with fine precision. The focus position can be viewed by closed-circuit TV monitors; disk recording of the TV waveforms is available. The main capacitor banks can be charged for rod shots. Communications with laser operators can be maintained by intercom or radio, and video signals can be sent to remote areas. The console has been instrumental in saving many hours of manual labor.

The focus of this research has been centered on the Caltech research tokamak. Somewhat more than half of the effort during the preceding year has been devoted to bringing it into operation, familiarizing ourselves with its characteristics, and to the development of further diagnostics. Concurrently, three experimental studies, one involving the propagation of toroidal magnetosonic modes, one involving drift wave turbulence, and the other involving lower hybrid turbulence are proceeding. Each is described in some detail.

Continuing fission cross section ratio studies at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, one has measured the /sup 232/Th//sup 235/U fission cross-section ratio from 0.7 to 30 MeV. Using the threshold method, one obtained a value of 0.1081 +- 0.0022 for the average cross-section ratio in the interval from 1.75 to 4.00 MeV.