Report presenting new data on the age of the Boulder, Philipsburg, and Idaho batholiths of western Montana.

The following are some of the equipment currently used in the Health Physics counting rooms at the Laboratory: scintillation counters, end window beta-gamma counters, precipitcon beta-gamma counter, autoscaler beta-gamma counter, and continuous flow proportional counter. This technical report describes the equipment, supporting equipment, procedures, and sample preparation in use at the Laboratory.

From introduction: The present paper is concerned with fisherman-expenditures, fisherman-use, and yield of the fisheries involved, although some data on other aspects of the fishery were obtained.

Critical mass measurements on graphite-tamped, heterogeneous oralloy-graphite systems have been made as a safety guide for certain oralloy casting procedures. Various concentrations were obtained by alternately stacking 10.5 in. diameter oralloy and graphite plates. In the relation Oralloy critical mass = constant x (fraction of oralloy in the core volume) -n values for the exponent, n, in the neighborhood of 0.70 were obtained.

Abstract: "A titrimetric method for the determination of fluoride in plutonium is reported. Prior to a steam distillation of the fluoride, the bulk of the plutonium is separated by precipitation of the sulfate. The fluoride in the distillate is titrated at a pH of 3.2 with 0.001 M thorium nitrate, using chrome azurol-S indicator. Applied to samples containing 1 to 15 parts per million fluoride, the recovery is 87% and the precision on the 95% confidence level is +/- 0.65 ppm."

Abstract: "A method for determining hydrogen in lithium hydride by heating samples with lead at 600 C, was developed. The hydrogen evolved during thermal decomposition of the hydride is purified and oxidized to water with cupric oxide at 400 C. The analysis is completed by collecting and weighing this water. Success in development of the analytical procedure has depended upon a careful design and assembly of equipment for handling samples in a dry, inert atmosphere. For seven pure hydride samples analyzed by the recommended method the estimates of the standard deviation varied between 0.12 and 0.41 percent lithium hydride (or 1.3 and 4.2 parts per thousand) for 8 to 18 determinations on each sample. The procedure is relatively insensitive to variations in certain conditions. For single-piece samples weighing 0.2 to 0.5 gram it was found to be more satisfactory than a method which uses mercury in place of lead for sample decomposition. For powdered lithium hydride samples the lead and mercury methods are equally satisfactory."

From abstract: The purpose of this preliminary electrical resistivity investigation of Holiday Mesa, Monument Valley region, San Juan County, Utah, was to determine the feasibility of a detailed survey to delineate channels cut into the Moenkopi formation and filled with sediments of Shinarump conglomerate. These structures are in many places related to the localization of uranium ore.

The following report follows the studies of electroplating on uranium and concurrent metallurgical clodding.

Report summarizing the results of geological exploration of the Atkinson Mesa area of Montrose County, Colorado and contains a brief description of the area's geology and ore deposits.

A report about how the U. S. Geological Survey explored the Atkinson Mesa area for uranium and vanadium bearing deposits from July 2, 1951, to June 18, 1953, with 397 diamond drill holes that totaled 261,251 feet.

A report regarding exploration for uranium deposits in the Atkinson Mesa area, Montrose County, Colorado. Concerns work done on behalf of the division of Raw Materials of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.

This paper is issued in two volumes: LA-1664 and LA-1665. In LA-1664, the fundamental properties of a shock in free air are described, including the reasons for failure of similarity scaling. The results of an analytic solution for strong shocks are presented, which permit a determination of the energy in a shock wave from its rate of growth without recourse to similarity assumptions; from it the scaling laws for both homogeneous and inhomogeneous atmospheres are explicitly shown. The total energy is evaluated in a machine calculation for the blast wave and from this evaluation, the free air wave form for all hydrodynamic variables is presented. The general nature of the laws governing thermal radiation from atomic bombs is deduced, a new figure of merit for thermal radiation is suggested to replace the concepts of “thermal energy” and “critical calories,” which are considered ambiguous. Partition of energy is considered negligible in most cases of interest; the waste heat concept is reconsidered and the failures of scaling to TNT are regarded primarily as a failure of the ideal gas law. LA-1665 is concerned with preparation of height of burst curves. In the reflection process over ideal surfaces, the usual subdivision into regions …

This paper is issued in two volumes: LA-1664 and LA-1665. In LA-1664, the fundamental properties of a shock in free air are described, including the reasons for failure of similarity scaling. The results of an analytic solution for strong shocks are presented, which permit a determination of the energy in a shock wave from its rate of growth without recourse to similarity assumptions; from it the scaling laws for both homogeneous and inhomogeneous atmospheres are explicitly shown. The total energy is evaluated in a machine calculation for the blast wave and from this evaluation, the free air wave form for all hydrodynamic variables is presented. The general nature of the laws governing thermal radiation from atomic bombs is deduced, a new figure of merit for thermal radiation is suggested to replace the concepts of “thermal energy” and “critical calories,” which are considered ambiguous. Partition of energy is considered negligible in most cases of interest; the waste heat concept is reconsidered and the failures of scaling to TNT are regarded primarily as a failure of the ideal gas law. LA-1665 is concerned with preparation of height of burst curves. In the reflection process over ideal surfaces, the usual subdivision into regions …

The following report presents the results of various investigations on the study of the durability of concrete exposed to natural weathering. The report is divided into two parts: first, the natural weathering exposure stations and test procedures are analyzed, then follows the analysis of the programs of investigations.

The following quarterly report covers the period of January, February and March of 1954, discussing medical and health physics such as: the metabolic properties of various materials, biological studies of radiation effects, lipoprotein studies, health chemistry, and health physics.

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.

Abstract: "Observations on the metabolism of chyle cholesterol in the rat show that exogenous cholesterol entering the systemic circulation in chyle exists in lipoproteins of low density (including chylomicrons) migrating with a high Sf rate (i.e.>400) in the ultracentrifuge. Following entry into the systemic circulation these molecules are rapidly removed from the plasma. This "clearing" of serum chyle cholesterol is a tissue phenomenon, the liver being the predominant site. Within the liver the chyle cholesterol esters are at least partially hydrolyzed; hydrolysis apparently does not occur in the plasma to any appreciable extent. After its entry into the liver exogenous cholesterol, if normally metabolized, presumably mixes with and becomes indistinguishable from cholesterol produced by endogenous synthesis."

Report issued by the U.S. Bureau of Mines discussing the development of a naming system for Alaskan regions and districts. The structure of the naming system and a description of each district are presented. This report includes maps.

A preliminary study has been made of a solid homogeneous reactor for stationary power plant application. The core consists of graphite spheres impregnated with uranium and thorium, and the coolant is bismuth. This concept possible offers advantages over other solid fuel reactor systems with respect to simplification of core structure, fuel fabrication and fuel handling, and reduction of fuel inventory external to the reactor. From the results of this preliminary study, it appears that the potential cost of electric power from this reactor is competitive with that from other reactor systems which have been proposed for the same application. The Po210 produced in the coolant presents a decontamination problem, but is also possibly a valuable by-producgt.

A glass vacuum manifold and ionization chamber are evacuated and filled to atmospheric pressure with hydrogen and tritium. The hydrogen and tritium are evolved by dropping liquid, urine or water, on calcium metal and dried by passing through a suitable freezing bath. The current produced by the beta activity due to tritium is measured with a vibrating reed electrometer. The method has a precision of +3 per cent between the ranges of 100 and 1500 pc of tritium per liter. From O to 100 pc of tritium per liter the precision is +-5 to 10 per cent. The glass vacuum manifold has been constructed to fit in an aluminum suitcase which contains all the auxiliary equipment for the determination except the vacuum pump, vibrating reed electrometer, and the freezing bath solutions. The apparatus is sturdy and readily transported. The procedure is simple and adapted for use by untrained personnel.

Abstract: Reconnaissance mapping in the Ruby Quadrangle, Arizona, indicates the existence of a complex assemblage of volcanic rocks and associated sediments, divisible into a younger and older series.

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"A series of thermal neutron diffusion length measurements has been made on non-multiplying lattice of lead-cadmium alloy rods in D2O. One-inch diameter rods in square lattice spacing of 4, 9, 6, 9, and 12 inches were used. Excellent agreement was found between theoretical and experimental values of the diffusion length. The analysis o the diffusion length measurement required a correction for the epithermal neutrons entering the exponential tank. These epithermal neutrons provided a distributed source of thermal neutrons upon slowing down in the lattice."