The Z-accelerator facility at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, performs critical experiments on the physics of matter at extremely high energy density as part of the Department of Energy's nuclear weapons Stockpile Stewardship Program. In order to augment and enhance the value of experiments performed at this facility, the construction of a new x-ray backlighting diagnostic system is required. New information would be obtained by recording images and/or spectra of x-ray radiation transmitted through target materials as they evolve during Z-accelerator-driven experiments (or ''shots''). In this application, we generally think of the diagnostic x-rays as illumination produced behind the target materials and detected after passing through the Z-target. Hence the x-ray source is commonly called a ''backlighter.'' The methodology is a specific implementation of the general science known as x-ray radiography and/or x-ray spectroscopy. X-ray backlighter experiments have been performed in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) facilities in many countries. On Nova, experience with backlighters has been obtained since about 1986. An intense source of x-rays is produced by focusing one of its beams on a backlighter target nearby, while the other beams are used to create the high-energy-density conditions to be studied in the experiment. This conceptual …

Augmentation of the internal software of a commercial X-ray fluorescence gauge is shown to enable the instrument to extend its continuous on-line real-time measurements of a galvanneal coating's total elemental content to encompass similar measurements of the relative thickness of the coating's three principal metallurgical phases. The mathematical structure of this software augmentation is derived from the theory of neural networks. The performance of the augmented gauge is validated by comparing the gauge implied real-time phase distribution with the phase distribution independently measured off-line on between the gauge and laboratory measurements and to suggest preferred approaches to be followed in future application of the augmented gauge.

We report on a comprehensive examination of the exotic superconductors (the materials so-labelled by Uemura and co-workers), to determine as far as possible the true systematics among their many anomalous features. In the crystal-chemistry aspects as well as in the electronic properties, we find features which appear to be universal for these materials, and also features which are clearly not universal but which are common enough to be considered typical for these materials. A number of implications are presented. It appears that all of these materials are sharing some ''new'' pairing mechanism, usually in addition to the conventional phonon mechanism.

The DOE grant supported the theoretical particle astrophysics group , and is coordinated by the Principal Investigator. Participants include faculty members Marc Davis, Lawrence Hall and Hitoshi Murayama, together with several postdoctoral fellows. During the previous and current funding period (1996--1998), several important results have been obtained that are briefly summarized in this report, including: dark matter; cosmic microwave background; and early universe and structure formation.

This project developed and tested advanced Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) instruments for process monitoring of black liquor recovery boilers. The state-of-the-art FT-IR instruments successfully operated in the harsh environment of a black liquor recovery boiler and provided a wealth of real-time process information. Concentrations of multiple gas species were simultaneously monitored in-situ across the combustion flow of the boiler and extractively at the stack. Sensitivity to changes of particulate fume and carryover levels in the process flow were also demonstrated. Boiler set-up and operation is a complex balance of conditions that influence the chemical and physical processes in the combustion flow. Operating parameters include black liquor flow rate, liquor temperature, nozzle pressure, primary air, secondary air, tertiary air, boiler excess oxygen and others. The in-process information provided by the FT-IR monitors can be used as a boiler control tool since species indicative of combustion efficiency (carbon monoxide, methane) and pollutant emissions (sulfur dioxide, hydrochloric acid and fume) were monitored in real-time and observed to fluctuate as operating conditions were varied. A high priority need of the U.S. industrial boiler market is improved measurement and control technology. The sensor technology demonstrated in this project is applicable to the need of industry.

The programming and website for the advanced Technology Information System (TIS) have been completed. Over and above the LSDDP-TIS, the new system provides information on DOE's baseline technologies, technology data contained in DOE's databases, technologies assessed at FIU-HCET Technology Assessment Program (TAP), as well as links to other selected D&D sites with valuable technology information. The new name for the website is Gateway for Environmental Technology (GET). A super-vacuum type blasting system was tested for decontamination of 12-in pipe internal surfaces. The system operates on compressed air and propels grit media at high speed at wall surfaces. It is equipped with a vacuum system for collecting grit, dust, and debris. This technology was selected for further development. The electret ion chamber (EIC) system for measurement of alpha contamination on surfaces has been calibrated and is ready for demonstration and deployment. FIU-HCET is working with representatives from Fernald, Oak Ridge, Rocky Flats, and Savannah River to procure a demonstration and deployment site. Final arrangements are ongoing for the mock-up design for the glove box and tank size reduction technology assessments, including designing of support bases for tanks, a piping support system, and a mobilization plan for glove boxes and tanks from …

The objective of this project is to improve the productivity and lower the expense of existing vacuum blasting technology. This technology is used to remove radioactive contamination, PCBs, and lead-based paint and provides worker protection by continuously recycling the material and dust for the decontamination tasks. The proposed work would increase the cleaning rate and provide safe and cost-effective decontamination of the DOE sites. This work focuses on redesigning and improving existing vacuum blasting technology including blast head nozzles, ergonomic handling of the blast head by reducing its weight; brush-ring design, vacuum level regulator, efficiency of the dust separator, and operational control sensors. The redesign is expected to enhance the productivity and economy of the vacuum blasting system by at least 50% over current vacuum blasting systems. There are three phases in the project. Phase I consists of developing and testing mathematical models. Phase II consists of pre-prototype design and fabrication and pre-prototype unit testing. Phase III consists of prototype design and field verification testing. In phase I, mathematical models are developed and analyzed for the nozzle, blast head, wind curtain, and dust separator, first as individual devices and then combined as an integrated model. This allows study of respective …

The Overture framework is an object-oriented environment for solving partial differential equations in two and three space dimensions. It is a collection of C++ libraries that enables the use of finite difference and finite volume methods at a level that hides the details of the associated data structures. Overture can be used to solve problems in complicated, moving geometries using the method of overlapping grids. It has support for grid generation, difference operators, boundary conditions, data-base access and graphics. Short sample code segments are presented to show the power of this approach.

The novelty/innovation of the proposed work is as follows. Supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO {sub 2})-based extrusion and molding technology can be used to produce significantly improved (in terms of strength/unit weight, durability, hardness and chemical resistance) cement-based products. SC-CO{sub 2} can rapidly convert the calcium hydroxide in cured cement to calcium carbonate, which increases the density and unconfined compressive strength in the treated region. In cured concrete, this treated region is typically a several-mm thick layer (generally <{approx}5mm, unless treatment time is excessive). However, we have found that by treating the entire cement matrix with SC-CO{sub 2} as part of the curing process, we can carbonate it rapidly, regardless of the thickness. By ''rapidly'' we mean simultaneous carbonation/curing in < 5 ks even for large cement forms, compared to typical carbonation times of several days or even years at low pressures. Carbonation changes the pH in the treated region from {approx}13 to {approx}8, almost exactly compatible with seawater. Therefore the leaching rates from these cements is reduced. These cement improvements are directed to the development of strong but thin artificial reefs, to which can be attached microalgae used for the enhanced fixation of CO{sub 2}. It is shown below that …

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Your Genes, Your Choices provides accurate information about the ethical, legal, and social implications of the Human Genome Project and genetic research in an easy-to-read style and format. Each chapter in the book begins with a brief vignette, which introduces an issue within a human story, and raises a question for the reader to think about as the basic science and information are presented in the rest of the chapter.