A report of quarterly results of research and development directed towards establishing new techniques and instruments towards improving present methods for determining levels of radioactivity accurately and safely.

"A series of shock tube studies demonstrate that two types of pressure gauges respond to dust carried with shock waves by indicating an increase in dynamic pressure. This contribution to the dynamic pressure is approximately the product of the dust density and the square of the dust velocity under the experimental conditions. Besides this information studies give insight into the interaction of a square shock wave with dust when that dust is placed in a plane before and parallel to the shock front. It is found that the shape of the pressure wave is little changed except for a rounding of the front. The dust, after accelerating, is carried as a pulse with the mass flow velocity of the air."

Memorandum presenting a review of information relating to aircraft fires to determine what new or further research might lead to a substantial reduction of the aircraft fire hazard in flight and following crashes. An examination of fuels, lubricants, and hydraulic fluids as inflammable liquids is presented, together with possible sources of ignition under the general categories of hot surfaces, electric sparks and arcs, flames, and hot gases.

Report discussing an investigation to determine whether the crank angle for maximum rate of pressure rise can be used to indicate maximum-economy spark advance. Information about spark-advance tests at constant inlet-air pressure and fuel-air-ratio test results are provided.

Report documenting the suitability of Arkansas for plant locations to produce synthetic liquid fuels, based on raw materials such as coal, natural gas, oil shale, and oil-impregnated strippable deposits.

Introduction: This memo gives a general description of the components and equipment affecting the control of the SRE, and the equipment associated with all reactor services.

"Progress is reported on Phase II of a program for the development of a mixed fission product fueled thermoelectric generator. Materials studies are described in which bonded assemblies of bismuth telluride were life tested up to 3000 hours at 350 to 400 deg F hot junction temperature. Data were too inconsistent to define any satisfactory long-life bonding process. Further work is needed to eliminate the process variables. Insulation studies aimed at determining the thermal conductivity of various insulations with different fill gases under reduced pressures are described. Opacified aerogel powder appears to be very promising as an insulation medium for a diffuse heat source. A full- scale simulated test generator aimed at proving out the concept of a diffuse heat source for power generation is described. Progress on the construction of this electrically heated generator and its thermoelectric power converter is related.

Report presenting part of the results obtained to determine the effects of compressibility at high Mach numbers on a model of the Bell XS-1 transonic research airplane. General trends that can be qualitatively analyzed for level-flight Mach numbers up to 0.93 are given. Results regarding force characteristics and a comparison of results with wing-flow investigation are also provided.

Abstract: Three and nine-tenths milligrams of U234 have been produced using a Calutron. A Beta-size Calutron was modified to produce complete resolution of the U234 beam from the U235 beam. With Beta charge the U234 current was 4 microamperes. The samples were collected upon flat pieces of graphite bent to fit the E curve.

Data processing program written to compute the neutron dose received by individuals exposed in a nuclear excursion.

Summary of miscellaneous updates related to the project. This includes information on the following. Simplified equations for modeling reactor conditions. Solubility tests involving thorium, bismuth, and protactinium. various other measurements and tests involving thorium, uranium, protactinium, bismuth, aluminum, and various other salts.

The effects of mass-flow ratio on the additive drag and normal-shock position of a single oblique-shock diffuser are presented. Also evaluated is the variation with operating condition of the velocity distribution at the combustion-chamber inlet. A comparison with connected-pipe data is included.

Summary. At the time this project was initiated, all brazing had been confined to small retorts of ten cubic feet capacity or less. Larger assemblies were scheduled which required retorts of over 100 cubic feet capacity. Hydrogen atmospheres had given the best results, however, there was considerable reluctance to use hydrogen in these large retorts from a safety standpoint. It was thought that thru the use of PMC 2252, an argon - 2 1/2% hydrogen gas atmosphere which in non-explosive, sufficient cleaning action might be attoined without the inherent hazards encountered with hydrogen. An investigation of the argon - 2 1/2% hydrogen gas as a brazing atomosphoer

"An investigation conducted to determine the factors which control the combustion in a high-speed compression-ignition engine is presented. Indicator cards were taken with the Farnboro indicator and analyzed according to the tangent method devised by Schweitzer. The analysis show that in a quiescent combustion chamber increasing the time lag of auto-ignition increases the maximum rate of combustion. Increasing the maximum rate of combustion increases the tendency for detonation to occur" (p. 63).

From Introduction: "The work of the Magnetic Measurements Section of the National Bureau of Standards includes (1) testing of specifically prepared test specimens intended for use as standards for checking magnetic testing apparatus (2) investigation and development of magnetic testing apparatus (3) calibration of mutual inductors, test coils, and instruments for measuring magnetic fields, and (4) investigations in the field of magnetics such as studies of phenomena associated with nuclear magnetic resonance or the selection and testing of materials suitable to be used as standards of magnetic susceptibility."

"A pneumatic probe based on continuity of mass flow through two restrictions separated by a cooling chamber was constructed to measure gas temperature at and beyond the limit of thermocouples. This probe consisted of a subsonic flat-plate orifice for the first restriction and a sonic-flow converging-diverging nozzle for the second restriction. The effect of variation in gas constants on the calibration is examined for common engine-exhaust gases" (p. 1).

"The significance of additive drag is discussed and equations for determining its approximate value are derived. Charts are presented giving values of additive drag for open-nose inlets and for annular-nose inlets with conical flow at the inlet. The effects of variable inlet total-pressure recovery and static pressures on the center body are investigated, and an analytical method of predicting the variation of pressure on the center body with mass-flow ratio is given" (p. 1).

Report containing documentation of projects undertaken by the multiple branches of the Health and Safety Division of the Idaho Operations Office at the Nuclear Reactor Testing Station (NRTS).

"This reports presents the results of pressure distribution tests on a thick, tapered and twisted monoplane wing model. The investigation was conducted for the purpose of obtaining data on the aerodynamic characteristics of the new wing and to provide additional information suitable for use in the design of tapered cantilever wings. The tests included angles of attack up to 90 degrees. The span loading over the wing was approximately of elliptical shape, which gave rise to relatively small bending moments about the root" (p. 97).