Repair Welding of Fusion Reactor Components (open access)

Repair Welding of Fusion Reactor Components

Recent experimental investigations indicate that the repair welding of irradiated materials containing greater than 1 to 2.5 appm helium leads to catastrophic cracking in the heat affected zone of the weld. The high temperatures and cooling tensile stresses which occur during the welding process lead to enhanced helium bubble growth in the heat affected zone region, resulting in catastrophic cracking upon cooling. An investigation is proposed which seeks to determine the effect of stress state on the helium bubble growth process and develop engineering modifications to the welding process based upon this understanding in an attempt to alleviate or eliminate the weld cracking problem in type 316 stainless steel materials.
Date: May 20, 1992
Creator: Chin, Bryan A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Computed and experimental interactions between eddy structure and dispersed particles in developing free shear layers (open access)

Computed and experimental interactions between eddy structure and dispersed particles in developing free shear layers

We are investigating the interactive process between turbulent flow and dispersed phase particles. We are focusing on the mechanisms that appear to result in a reduction of local turbulent intensity and a corresponding reduction in wall heat transfer and subsequent wall erosion in turbulent solid propellant combustion flow. We apply computational simulations and physical experiments specialized to a developing free shear layer over a rearward facing step and over a parallel splitter plate. The flow configuration evolves in a two-dimensional, steady, combustion and non-combustion turbulent free shear mixing region, with and without particle additives. The computational simulations combine three basic components: gas phase Navier-Stokes solutions, Lagrange particle field solutions and a Monte Carlo technique for the random encounters, forces and accelerations between the two fields. We concentrate here on relatively large sized additive particles (of the order of tens of microns to 100 microns mean diameter). We examine their apparent influence in breaking up the larger, energy bearing eddy structures into smaller structures which are more readily dissipated.
Date: May 20, 1982
Creator: Buckingham, A. C.; Siekhaus, W. J.; Keller, J. O.; Ellzey, J.; Hubbard, G. & Daily, J. W.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
The military-industrial complex. A current reading list. 1969 (open access)

The military-industrial complex. A current reading list. 1969

This report consists of list of the military-industrial complex.
Date: May 20, 1969
Creator: Browne, Marjorie Ann
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Automatic voltage-imbalance detector (open access)

Automatic voltage-imbalance detector

A device is described for indicating and preventing damage to voltage cells such as galvanic cells and fuel cells connected in series by detecting sequential voltages and comparing these voltages to adjacent voltage cells. The device is implemented by using operational amplifiers and switching circuitry is provided by transistors. The device can be utilized in battery powered electric vehicles to prevent galvanic cell damage and also in series connected fuel cells to prevent fuel cell damage.
Date: May 20, 1981
Creator: Bobbett, R. E.; McCormick, J. B. & Kerwin, W. J.
Object Type: Patent
System: The UNT Digital Library
Fusion product deposition and energy balance (open access)

Fusion product deposition and energy balance

Extensive Monte-Carlo calculations were performed of alpha-particle deposition in the Hill's Vortex configuration, as reported in D.E. Driemeyer's Ph.D. Thesis (University of Illinois, 1980). This has generally been done including a cold plasma density, n/sub c/, on the open field lines, with n/sub C//T/sub C//sup 3/2/ approx. = n/sub H//T/sub H//sup 3/2/ - i.e. with the slowing down ratio tau/sub H//tau/sub C/ lying between .1 and 10. Since many of the alpha particles spend a significant amount of their time on the open field lines, values of tau/sub H//tau/sub C/ greater than unity lead to significant removal of alpha-particle ash from the closed-field region. Surprisingly, one is able to perform this ash removal and still retain enough energy to raise the reactor Q significantly (or even ignite it).
Date: May 20, 1980
Creator: Condit, W.C. & Driemeyer, D.E.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Radiation interactions for tomography. Revision 1 (open access)

Radiation interactions for tomography. Revision 1

There are new requirements emerging in the field of tomography: the need for spatial resolution in the micrometre range, atomic species specificity, and quantitative density discrimination.
Date: May 20, 1985
Creator: Zolnay, A.S.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Survey of Magnetic Fields Near BPA 230-kV and 500-kV Transmission Lines. (open access)

Survey of Magnetic Fields Near BPA 230-kV and 500-kV Transmission Lines.

The purpose of this study was to characterize typical levels and variability of 60Hz magnetic fields at the centerline and edge of right-of-way of Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) 230-kV and 500-kV transmission lines. This was accomplished by taking magnetic field measurements at over 800 spans in Oregon and Washington. The spans were sampled using a stratified random sampling procedure with region (East vs. West), voltage (230-kV vs 500-kV), and circuit configuration as strata. There were five different circuit configuration groups for each region/voltage category requiring a total of 200 strata. Magnetic field measurements were taken at 13 locations under each span using an EMDEX-C as a survey meter. Additional information recorded for each span included conductor height (at 10 locations), right-of-way width, longitudinal and lateral slope, time of day, vegetation, terrain, weather conditions, temperature, wind speed, span length and presence of other lines in the corridor. 9 refs., 17 figs., 26 tabs.
Date: May 20, 1991
Creator: Perrin, Nancy; Aggarwal, Rajinder Pal & Bracken, T. Daniel
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Laser produced plasma soft x-ray generation (open access)

Laser produced plasma soft x-ray generation

The efficiency of soft x-ray production from laser-irradiated plasmas is simulated for two different spectral regions. These two regions, 14{Angstrom} {plus minus} 15% and 130{Angstrom} {plus minus} 1%, were chosen for proximity mask or point-projection technological applications. Relatively large conversion efficiencies were obtained from irradiation of a stainless steel target using the conditions suggested by recent Hampshire Instruments' experiments for proximity masking. Pulse-width and laser frequency parameter studies were performed for point-projection applications which suggest that the conversion applications which suggest that the conversion efficiency is sensitive to pulse-width but not to laser frequency. One of the critical components of any x-ray lithographic scheme is of course the x-ray laser source. There are two primary contenders for a reliable, efficient source currently: synchrotron radiation and spectral emission from laser produced plasma. The dominant issue for laser-plasma emission is the conversion efficiency -- output in the intended operating spectral region relative the required incident laser energy. Simulations are described in the following for both high and low energy spectral regions which have been suggested by either the proximity masking or point-projection technology.
Date: May 20, 1991
Creator: Cerjan, C. & Rosen, M.D.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Fisheries Management: Alleged Misconduct of Members and Staff of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (open access)

Fisheries Management: Alleged Misconduct of Members and Staff of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In recent years, several Hawaii-based conservation advocacy organizations and others have raised a variety of concerns about the conduct of members and staff of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Western Pacific Council) related to lobbying and conflicts of interest, among other things. The Western Pacific Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The council is responsible for developing management plans for fisheries in federal waters off Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and other U.S. Pacific islands. The council has 13 voting members--including 5 designated state and federal fishery managers and 8 members of the public with expertise in commercial and recreational fishing and marine conservation who are appointed by the Secretary of Commerce. The council employs an executive director with a staff of 13 to assist in the performance of its functions. An attorney from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an agency within the Department of Commerce, advises the council on regulatory and procedural matters and attends all council meetings. The Western Pacific Council currently finances all of its …
Date: May 20, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Inter-American Foundation: Allegations of Improper Contracting and Personnel Actions at the Foundation (open access)

Inter-American Foundation: Allegations of Improper Contracting and Personnel Actions at the Foundation

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO investigated the allegations that Adolfo Franco, Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), violated contracting regulations and personnel policies in his attempts to hire Carlos Urquidi for the auditor position at IAF, focusing on if IAF violated: (1) Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) in procuring the services of Mr. Urquidi; and (2) Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regulations or personnel policies in its attempts to fill the auditor position."
Date: May 20, 1999
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Climate Change: Improvements Needed to Clarify National Priorities and Better Align Them with Federal Funding Decisions (open access)

Climate Change: Improvements Needed to Clarify National Priorities and Better Align Them with Federal Funding Decisions

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Climate change poses risks to many environmental and economic systems, including agriculture, infrastructure, and ecosystems. Federal law has periodically required the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to report on federal climate change funding. GAO was asked to examine (1) federal funding for climate change activities and how these activities are organized; (2) the extent to which methods for defining and reporting climate change funding are interpreted consistently across the federal government; (3) federal climate change strategic priorities, and the extent to which funding is aligned with these priorities; and (4) what options, if any, are available to better align federal climate change funding with strategic priorities. GAO analyzed OMB funding reports and responses to a Web-based questionnaire sent to federal officials, reviewed available literature, and interviewed stakeholders."
Date: May 20, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Sovereign Wealth Funds: Laws Limiting Foreign Investment Affect Certain U.S. Assets and Agencies Have Various Enforcement Processes (open access)

Sovereign Wealth Funds: Laws Limiting Foreign Investment Affect Certain U.S. Assets and Agencies Have Various Enforcement Processes

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Foreign investors in U.S. companies or assets include individuals, companies, and government entities. One type of foreign investor that has been increasingly active in world markets is sovereign wealth funds (SWF), government-controlled funds that seek to invest in other countries. As the activities of these funds have grown they have been praised as providing valuable capital to world markets, but questions have been raised about their lack of transparency and the potential impact of their investments on recipient countries. GAO's second report on SWFs reviews (1) U.S. laws that specifically affect foreign investment, including that by SWFs, in the United States and (2) processes agencies use to enforce them. GAO reviewed policy statements, treaties, and U.S. laws, and interviewed and obtained information from agencies responsible for enforcing these laws. GAO also interviewed legal experts and organizations that track state foreign investment issues."
Date: May 20, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Homelessness: Information on Administrative Costs for HUD's Emergency Shelter Grants Program (open access)

Homelessness: Information on Administrative Costs for HUD's Emergency Shelter Grants Program

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009 (HEARTH Act) directed GAO to study the appropriate administrative costs of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Emergency Shelter Grants Program (ESG)--a widely used, formula-based program that supports services to persons experiencing homelessness. This report discusses (1) for selected recipients, the types of administrative activities performed and administrative costs incurred under the ESG program, and the extent to which grant proceeds cover these administrative costs; (2) how the ESG program's allowance for administrative costs compares with administrative cost allowances for selected other targeted federal homeless grant programs, plus selected other HUD formula-based grant programs; and (3) how the nature or amount of administrative costs might be different under changes Congress made to the ESG program in the HEARTH Act that expand the types of activities that may be funded. To address these issues, GAO reviewed relevant policies and documents, interviewed officials of HUD and other agencies, made site visits in four states, reviewed HUD and other available standards on eligible administrative costs for federal grants, and reviewed cost allowances for homeless …
Date: May 20, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Military and Veterans' Benefits: Enhanced Services Could Improve Transition Assistance for Reserves and National Guard (open access)

Military and Veterans' Benefits: Enhanced Services Could Improve Transition Assistance for Reserves and National Guard

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 mandated that GAO review whether the transition assistance program (TAP) is meeting the needs of service members leaving the military. GAO (1) assessed TAP administration, including program participation, and (2) identified actions agencies are taking to improve TAP and challenges that remain. TAP serves military personnel with at least 180 days of active duty who separate or retire and members of the Reserves and National Guard who are released from active duty, a process termed demobilization. Recently, the Reserves and National Guard have been called to active duty in greater numbers than at any other time since the Korean War."
Date: May 20, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: An Appropriate Methodology Is Needed for Determining Administrative Costs Attributable to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (open access)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: An Appropriate Methodology Is Needed for Determining Administrative Costs Attributable to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This letter formally transmits and summarizes an oral briefing we gave on April 12, 2010, in response to House of Representatives Explanatory Statement, 155 Cong. Rec. H2113 (daily ed., Feb. 23, 2009), accompanying the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 (Pub. L. No. 111-8, 123 Stat. 524) (2009). GAO was directed to review the indirect costs the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) paid the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Specifically, our objectives were to (1) describe CDC's methodology for determining and allocating indirect costs to bill ATSDR for administrative services and (2) determine if the methodology CDC uses to bill ATSDR appropriately considers relevant laws and guidance."
Date: May 20, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Paperwork Reduction Act: New Approach May Be Needed to Reduce Government Burden on Public (open access)

Paperwork Reduction Act: New Approach May Be Needed to Reduce Government Burden on Public

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Americans spend billions of hours each year providing information to federal agencies by filling out information collections (forms, surveys, or questionnaires). A major aim of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) is to balance the burden of these collections with their public benefit. Under the act, agencies' Chief Information Officers (CIO) are responsible for reviewing information collections before they are submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval. As part of this review, CIOs must certify that the collections meet 10 standards set forth in the act. GAO was asked to assess, among other things, this review and certification process, including agencies' efforts to consult with the public. To do this, GAO reviewed a governmentwide sample of collections, reviewed processes and collections at four agencies that account for a large proportion of burden, and performed case studies of 12 approved collections."
Date: May 20, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Defense Management: Perspectives on the Involvement of the Combatant Commands in the Development of Joint Requirements (open access)

Defense Management: Perspectives on the Involvement of the Combatant Commands in the Development of Joint Requirements

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "At a time when the military is supporting ongoing operations in many places around the world, the Department of Defense (DOD) faces challenges balancing the strategic capability needs of the military services with the more immediate joint warfighting needs of the combatant commands (COCOM). Given concerns that the military service-dominated system for developing capabilities was not meeting the most essential warfighter needs, in 2003, DOD created the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) to guide the development of capabilities from a joint perspective. DOD's Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) oversees JCIDS and participates in the development of joint requirements, which includes the identification and analysis and synthesis of capability gaps and the JROC's subsequent validation of capability needs through JCIDS. Following stakeholder collaboration and deliberations, the JROC makes recommendations to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who advises the Secretary of Defense about which capabilities to invest in as part of DOD's budget process. Before making investment decisions, the services consider the validated capabilities during their planning, programming, and budgeting processes and make decisions among competing investments. In the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of …
Date: May 20, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Patents: Information about the Publication Provisions of the American Inventors Protection Act (open access)

Patents: Information about the Publication Provisions of the American Inventors Protection Act

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) receives over 300,000 patent applications each year. Before the American Inventors Protection Act of 1999, USPTO was required by law to keep the information on patent applications confidential until a patent was granted. The act modified this requirement and mandated that USPTO publish most patent applications 18 months after filing. One exception to this requirement is available to patent applicants filing only in the United States. These applicants can request that their application not be published. The act required GAO to provide information on how patent applications have been affected by the 18-month publication provisions. GAO was required to determine (1) the number of patent applications filed only in the United States, and (2) whether certain differences exist between published and unpublished patent applications. Specifically, GAO examined differences relating to whether the applicant was a large or small entity, the percentage of patents issued by USPTO and applications abandoned by the applicants, and the length of time between filing an application and when USPTO issued a patent or the application was abandoned."
Date: May 20, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation: Financial Challenges Highlight Need for Improved Governance and Management (open access)

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation: Financial Challenges Highlight Need for Improved Governance and Management

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) insures the retirement future of nearly 44 million people in over 29,000 private-sector defined benefit pension plans. In July 2003, GAO designated PBGC's single-employer pension insurance program--its largest insurance program--as "high risk," including it on GAO's list of major programs that need urgent Congressional attention and agency action. The program remains on the list today with a financial deficit of just over $11 billion, as of September 2008. The committee asked GAO to discuss our recent work on PBGC. Specifically, this testimony addresses two issues: (1) PBGC's financial vulnerabilities, and (2) the governance, oversight, and management challenges PBGC faces. To address these objectives, we are relying on our prior work assessing PBGC's long-term financial challenges, and several reports that we have published over the last two years on PBGC governance and management. GAO has made a number of recommendations and identified matters for Congressional consideration in these reports, and PBGC is implementing some of these recommendations. No new recommendations are being made as part of this testimony."
Date: May 20, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
General Aviation: Security Assessments at Selected Airports (open access)

General Aviation: Security Assessments at Selected Airports

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "General aviation accounts for three-quarters of U.S. air traffic, from small propeller planes to large jets, operating among nearly 19,000 airports. While most security operations are left to private airport operators, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), provides guidance on threats and vulnerabilities. In 2004, TSA issued suggested security enhancements that airports could implement voluntarily. Unlike commercial airports, in most cases general aviation airports are not required to implement specific security measures. GAO was asked to perform onsite assessments at selected airports with general aviation operations to determine what physical security measures they have to prevent unauthorized access. With advance notice, GAO investigators overtly visited a nonrepresentative selection of 13 airports, based on TSA-determined risk factors. Three of the airports also serve commercial aviation and are therefore subject to TSA security regulations. Using TSA's voluntary recommendations and GAO investigators' security expertise, GAO determined whether certain security measures were in place. GAO also requested documentation of incidents of unauthorized access. Results of GAO's assessments cannot be projected to all general aviation airports and are not meant to imply that the …
Date: May 20, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Disability Programs: More Strategic Coordination Could Help Overcome Challenges to Needed Transformation (open access)

Federal Disability Programs: More Strategic Coordination Could Help Overcome Challenges to Needed Transformation

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2003, GAO designated federal disability programs as a high-risk area because federal disability programs remained grounded in outmoded concepts that have not been updated to reflect the current state of science, medicine, technology, and labor market conditions. In addition, the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) faced management challenges, especially with their disability claims processing. Further, disability experts have expressed concerns about the level of coordination among the many federal agencies that provide benefits and services to individuals with disabilities. GAO was asked to determine: (1) what steps SSA and VA have taken to modernize their disability programs and (2) to what extent SSA and VA coordinate with other federal agencies that provide services to individuals with disabilities. To do this, GAO reviewed literature, agency strategic plans and performance and accountability reports, and interviewed agency officials."
Date: May 20, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Management Report: Improvements Needed in IRS's Internal Controls (open access)

Management Report: Improvements Needed in IRS's Internal Controls

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In November 2002, we issued our report on the results of our audit of the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) financial statements as of and for the fiscal years ending September 30, 2002 and 2001, and on the effectiveness of its internal controls as of September 30, 2002. We also reported our conclusions on IRS's compliance with significant provisions of selected laws and regulations and on whether IRS's financial management systems substantially comply with requirements of the Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996 (FFMIA). A separate report on the implementation status of recommendations from our prior IRS financial audits and related financial management reports will be issued shortly. The purpose of this report is to discuss issues identified during our fiscal year 2002 audit regarding accounting procedures and internal controls that could be improved for which we do not presently have any recommendations outstanding."
Date: May 20, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Perchlorate: A System to Track Sampling and Cleanup Results Is Needed (open access)

Perchlorate: A System to Track Sampling and Cleanup Results Is Needed

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Perchlorate, a primary ingredient in propellant, has been used for decades in the manufacture and firing of rockets and missiles. Other uses include fireworks, flares, and explosives. Perchlorate has been found in drinking water, groundwater, surface water, and soil in the United States. The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) reviewed studies of perchlorate's health effects and reported in January 2005 that certain levels of exposure may not adversely affect healthy adults but recommended more studies be conducted on the effects of perchlorate exposure in children and pregnant women. GAO determined (1) the estimated extent of perchlorate in the United States, (2) what actions have been taken to address perchlorate, and (3) what studies of perchlorate's health risks have reported."
Date: May 20, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Rural Housing Service: Agency Has Overestimated Its Rental Assistance Budget Needs over the Life of the Program (open access)

Rural Housing Service: Agency Has Overestimated Its Rental Assistance Budget Needs over the Life of the Program

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Rural Housing Service's (RHS) Section 521 Rental Assistance Program provides rental subsidies to about 250,000 rural tenants through 5-year contracts with project owners; 20-year contracts were also issued from 1978 through 1982. In early 2003, RHS reported hundreds of millions of dollars in unexpended balances, primarily tied to 5- and 20-year contracts issued from 1978 through 1982. Since contracts remain active until all funds are expired, some of these contracts will likely last as long as 38 years. GAO was asked to assess (1) the activity level of rental assistance contracts issued from 1978 through 1997 that have unexpended balances and the possibility of deobligating these balances, and (2) the activity level of rental assistance contracts issued from 1998 through 2002 and the accuracy of RHS's estimates of the rate at which these funds would be used. The Department of Agriculture commented on our responses to these questions."
Date: May 20, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library