Summary describing research projects and other activities undertaken by the U.S. National Bureau of Standards, lists of publications from the year, and a calendar of upcoming events.

Abstract: This report summarizes information obtained during the first year of a four-year feasibility study for a national earthquake engineering experimental facility. A five-year research program is presented for a national facility in which full-scale or large-scale structures or structural components would be subjected to static or dynamic lateral loads. The facility would have applicability to tests in the following areas: low-rise buildings, medium-rise buildings, high-rise buildings, industrial processing facilities, and power facilities. Representatives from a broad spectrum of professional, industrial, and trade organizations and Federal agencies participated in developing the research program. A comparison of existing testing facilities in the U.S. and other countries engaged in seismic testing and a discussion of international cooperation in large-scale testing are included.

Abstract: This report presents the results of work at the National Bureau of Standards, Boulder, Colorado, to carefully evaluate, document, develop (when necessary), and describe the methodology for performing radiated susceptibility/vulnerability measurements using a reverberation chamber. The report describes the reverberation chamber theory of operation, construction, evaluation, functional operation, and use for performing immunity measurements. It includes an estimate of measurement uncertainties derived empirically from test results and from comparisons with anechoic chamber measurements. Finally, it discusses the limitations and advantages of the measurement technique to assist potential users in determining the applicability for this technique to their electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) measurement needs.

Abstract: This report presents a methodology for evaluating heat detection systems installed in buildings. Previous work for use primarily in designing new thermal fire detection systems was used as a starting point. The previous work was enhanced and supplemented to make it more useful for evaluating existing systems. The resulting equations were programmed into a user interactive computer program. This program is available in both BASIC and FORTRAN and will run on mainframes as well as personal computers. In addition, a modified version of the FORTRAN program was used to develop an extensive set of tables listing detector activation times for given building geometries, detector characteristics, and fire growth rates. These tables are useful for quick evaluation of alternative heat detector installations. Finally practical examples are included to illustrate the use of the tables and computer programs.

Abstract: This report presents a methodology for evaluating heat detection systems installed in buildings. Previous work for use primarily in designing new thermal fire detection systems was used as a starting point. The previous work was enhanced and supplemented to make it more useful for evaluating existing systems. The resulting equations were programmed into a user interactive computer program.' This program is available in both BASIC and FORTRAN and will run on mainframe as well as personal computers. In addition, a modified version of the FORTRAN program was used to develop an extensive set of tables listing: detector activation times for given building geometries, detector characteristics, and fire growth rates. These tables are useful for quick evaluation of alternative heat detector installations. Finally, practical examples are included to illustrate the use of the tables and computer programs.

Abstract: This directory presents information on 61 U.S. Government certification programs for products and services. Entries describe the scope and nature of each certification program, testing and inspection practices, standards used, methods of identification and enforcement, reciprocal recognition or acceptance of certification, and other relevant details. This directory is part of an ongoing NBS effort to establish and maintain a comprehensive database on standards, regulations, certification programs and related information. This material has bee. compiled to meet the needs of government, industry, and the public for information on U.S. Government certification programs in accordance with the requirements of the U.S. Trade Agreements Act of 1979.

Abstract: This publication contains papers presented at the Seventeenth International Symposium on Free Radicals, held at Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, Colorado, on August 18-23, 1985. The Symposium was attended by 147 people, representing industry, government, and academia, from 18 countries. A total of 67 papers appear in written form in this document.

This document contains the Proceedings of the Sixth NBS/NCSBCS Joint Conference on Research and Innovation in the Building Regulatory Process, held on September 11, 1984, in Denver, CO. This conference addressed streamlined administrative procedures, computers in construction, and fire safety technology. These Proceedings contain the 10 papers selected for presentation at the conference.

from Introduction: The National Bureau of Standards has designed, constructed, and evaluated a standard for the support of very-high-frequency omnidirectional range (VOR) air navigation aids. The standard consists of two instruments: (1) a digital waveform signal generator for the composite VOR audio waveform, and (2) a standard phasemeter based on time series analysis of this waveform. Experimental results, a statistical analysis of them, and the principal software listings are included.

Abstract: This report summarizes NBS standards committee activities and accomplishments during calendar year 1983. It profiles NBS state participation on outside standards committees and highlights significant technical and individual contributions made by NBS staff. In 1983, 446 staff members (or 28% of NBS' professionals, scientific, and technical staff) participated in 989 standards committees of 87 national and international standards organizations.

Abstract: This paper describes the theory of a single sensor to perform simultaneous electric and magnetic near-field measurements. The theory indicates that it is possible to obtain the magnetic-loop and electric-dipole currents using a loop terminated with identical loads at diametrically opposite points. The theory also indicates that it is possible to obtain an ideal load impedance for achieving equal electric and magnetic field responses of the loop. Preliminary experiments have been performed using plane waves to verify these results. Key words: electric field, electromagnetic interference, electromagnetic radiation, loop, magnetic field, near fields.

Report issued by the National Bureau of Standards over low voltage electric thermostats. Thermostat test results are discussed. This report includes illustrations, and photographs.

Abstract: The 14th Joint Meeting of the U.S. - Japan Panel on Wind and Seismic Effects was held in Washington, D. C., United States front May 17 through 20, 1982. This publication, which is the proceedings of the Joint Meeting, includes the program, list of members, formal resolutions, technical papers, and the task committee report:. Subjects covered in the papers presented to the panel include: (l) characteristics of strong winds, (2) wind loads on structures and design criteria, (3) earthquake ground motions and dynamic analysis of embankment dams, (4) soil liquefaction study and methods to improve liquefaction resistance. (5) seismic loads on structures and design criteria, (6) stress analyses of pipelines during earthquakes, (7) full-scale seismic experiments, (8) earthquake hazard reduction program, (9) use of microcomputer for earthquake studies, (10) quantitative evaluation of damages caused by winds and earthquakes, and (11) tsunami research projects.

Abstract: The input impedance of a probe antenna exciting a transverse electromagnetic (TEM) transmission line cell is formulated by a variational approach. The formulation also utilizes the results from a previous work on the field distribution inside a TEM cell excited by a vertical electrical Hertzian dipole. The final result of imoedance is shown to consist of two distinct terms, which are respectively contributed by the ordinary rectangular waveguide and the gap perturbation. Numerical results for both the real and imaginary parts of the impedance are given. The resistive part is found to be proportional to the square of the probe length, and the reactive part largely capacitive.

Abstract: The improved Density Reference System, the reference densimeter, and the method of determining sample density are described. The uncertainty of the density reference system is + 0.055%. The contribution from the estimated systema -ic error in density was + 0.022%. The estimated uncertainty caused by random error is three times the standard deviation of 0.011% and is based on sixty-three measurements of the densities of saturated liquid methane. The total density uncertainty is taken to be the sum of the systematic and random errors. This applies to the density range of 400 to 480 kg/m at pressures from 0.8 to 4 bar absolute and temperatures between 109 and 128 K. This accuracy statement is expected to apply over ranges of at least 400 to 1000 kg/m3 in density, 77 to 300 K in temperature, and 0.8 to 7 bar in pressure though the accuracy over these ranges has not been verified.

From Abstract: "This monograph deals with the formulation and development of the new highly stable nickel-base thermocouple alloys Nicrosil (Ni-14.2Cr-1.4Si) and Nisil (Ni-4.4Si-0.1Mg) under the leadership of the Materials Research Laboratories (MRL) of the Australian Government of Defence, and their standardization by the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) of the U.S. Department of Commerce."

Report issued by the U.S. National Bureau of Standards discussing the use of metric units of measurement during construction. As stated in the scope, "this document outlines a selection of SI units, with multiples and sub-multiples, for general use in building design and construction" (p. 1). This report includes tables, and illustrations.

Report presenting the formulae for the calculation of the electron scattering form factors, and of the static magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole moments, of relativistic many-body bound systems. The framework, given in NBS Monograph 147, is relativistic quantum field theory in the Schrodinger picture ; the physical particles, i.e. the solutions of the interacting fields, are given as linear combinations of the solutions of the free fields, called the parton fields. The parton-photon interaction is taken as given by minimal coupling, p -> p - eA ; in addition the contribution of the photon-vector meson vertex of the vector dominance model is derived.

From Introduction: "This monograph describes the calibration of standard platinum resistance thermometers at the NBS including the equipment, techniques, and procedures."

Report combining National Bureau of Standards Monograph 27 with the references given in Supplement 1 (May 13, 1963) and issued as a single publication to assist users of this material. References concern the field of temperature measurement. These references were collected from two general sources: Scientific and technical literature and government reports. References are divided into a number of categories based on the type of instrument used. Some references to calibration of instruments and to scientific theories upon which temperature measurement is based are also presented.

From Introduction: "This symposium focuses attention on the growing awareness of the necessity for developing and using better methods for characterizing solids. Many of the most interesting properties of solids depend directly upon these small concentrations of impurities and defects, and the illustration of this is a principal theme of this paper."

From Introduction Purpose and Scope of Report: "This report is one of a series prepared for the Research Information Center and Advisory Service on Information Processing (RICASIP), and intended as a contribution to improved cooperation in the fields of information selection systems development, information retrieval research and mechanized translation."

Report discussing the selection, specifications, and use of signal-light colors. It discusses the nature of the problem, and the mathematical representation, recognition, production, control, and use of such colors. The characteristics of different types of chromaticity boundaries and the purpose and effect of the requirement for similarity of chromaticity characteristics are given special consideration. The treatment is varied according to the intended use. The discussion of the control of colors and the section on the use of colors are nontechnical, whereas the section on the production of signal colors is designed for the colorimetrist who is faced with the problem of selecting limit filters or drafting a specification.

Report discussing microwave attenuation measurement methods and standards. In addition, a relatively new and more precise way of representing and analyzing an attenuation measurement is presented. This in turn permits more rigorous definitions and error analyses than were previously possible. The referral of microwave attenuation measurements to standards operating at lower frequencies is discussed with particular attention to the errors in the referral processes as well as the errors in the standards themselves. Desirable characteristics are listed for attenuators which are suitable for calibration. Measurement methods are classified and described. Comments are made on the accuracy and convenience of various methods, and references are given which cover most of the basic and important research in this field. Key words: Microwave, attenuation, measurements, standards, tutorial.