From introduction: This report describes work done by the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) for the United States Department of Energy (US DOE) over a 50 000-km2 area on the Seward Peninsula and vicinity, Alaska, in 1976 (Fig. 1). The DOE Grand Junction Office (GJO), in Colorado, is responsible for administering the nationwide Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) as part of its National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) program.

From introduction: This report describes work done in the Sterling, Colorado, National Topographic Map Series (NTMS) quadrangle (1:250 000 scale) by the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) as part of the nationwide Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR).

This report documents the history of transit systems in the United States and discusses ways to lessen the financial strain of maintaining them.

A sophisticated nonlinear multiparameter fitting program was used to produce a best fit calibration curve for the response of an x-ray fluorescence analyzer to uranium nitrate, freeze dried, 0.2% accurate, gravimetric standards. The program is based on unconstrained minimization subroutine, VA02A. The program considers the mass values of the gravimetric standards as parameters to be fit along with the normal calibration curve parameters. The fitting procedure weights with the system errors and the mass errors in a consistent way. The resulting best fit calibration curve parameters reflect the fact that the masses of the standard samples are measured quantities with a known error. Error estimates for the calibration curve parameters can be obtained from the curvature of the ''Chi-Squared Matrix'' or from error relaxation techniques. It was shown that nondispersive XRFA of 0.1 to 1 mg freeze-dried UNO/sub 3/ can have an accuracy of 0.2% in 1000 s.

This volume provides a listing of the BNW-II dry/wet ammonia heat rejection optimization code and is an appendix to Volume I which gives a narrative description of the code's algorithms as well as logic, input and output information.

The User's Manual describes how to operate BNW-II, a computer code developed by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) as a part of its activities under the Department of Energy (DOE) Dry Cooling Enhancement Program. The computer program offers a comprehensive method of evaluating the cost savings potential of dry/wet-cooled heat rejection systems. Going beyond simple ''figure-of-merit'' cooling tower optimization, this method includes such items as the cost of annual replacement capacity, and the optimum split between plant scale-up and replacement capacity, as well as the purchase and operating costs of all major heat rejection components. Hence the BNW-II code is a useful tool for determining potential cost savings of new dry/wet surfaces, new piping, or other components as part of an optimized system for a dry/wet-cooled plant.

The laboratory cyclone incinerator, which started operation in January, 1978, has been developed to study the effects of burning feed containing radionuclides other than /sup 238/Pu. These isotopes must be removed from the off-gas during incineration. Preliminary data from early runs show that the combustion efficiency of the incinerator can still be improved. Controlled experiments were conducted on the pressed ash-cement pellet matrix to define compressive strength, mechanical stability, density, and effect of curing environment (wet cure and dry cure). Leachability studies were initiated on pressed sludge/cement matrix in distilled water at ambient temperature. Compressive strengths of sludge/cement pressed matrix samples were investigated. Physical and chemical attributes of incinerated ash were evaluated in relationship to the ash/cement matrix. 7 figs., 6 tables.

In February 1976, the US Energy Research and Development Administration expanded the commercial radioactive waste management programs and established the National Waste Terminal Storage Program. Its mission was to provide multiple facilities in various deep geologic formations within the United States. The Office of Waste Isolation was established within the Union Carbide Corporation-Nuclear Division to provide program management to the National Waste Terminal Storage Program. The overall program consisted of investigating a number of geologic rock types to determine their suitability for terminal storage of radioactive waste. Basalts, such as the Columbia Plateau basalts which underlie a large portion of the Pacific Northwest and the Hanford reservation, were selected for initial geologic reconnaissance. Atlantic Richfield Hanford Company was asked in May 1976 by the Office of Waste Isolation to plan and execute a basalt feasibility study. Geologic exploration of Columbia Plateau basalts was needed to determine the feasibility of utilizing those formations as a site for terminal storage of commercial nuclear waste. In September 1977, the National Waste Terminal Storage Program was restructured. While emphasis was still on a salt repository, additional funds were given to support investigations of two US Department of Energy sites (Hanford and Nevada). Rockwell Hanford …

Water quality data have been collected at 9 surface-water stations, 11 ground-water stations, and 3 ponds at the Fenton Hill Geothermal Site in the Jemez Mountains. This is part of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory's continuing program of environmental studies. Insignificant changes (within expected normal seasonal fluctuations) in the chemical quality of water at individual stations were observed during the year. Predominant ions and total dissolved solids remained essentially stable.

Progress of the major government sponsored projects undertaken to increase gas production from low permeability gas sands of the western United States during March 1978 is summarized. The Bartlesville Energy Research Center (BERC) and participating National Laboratories, funded by DOE, are continuing their work in the area of research and development. The emphasis is on the development of new tools and instrumentation systems, rock mechanics, mathematical modeling and data analysis. Field Tests and demonstrations active in the Uinta and Piceance Basins include: Gas Producing Enterprises (GPE) Natural Buttes Unit Wells No. 9, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22, Mobil Research and Development Corporation, Well No. F-31-13G, and Rio Blanco Natural Gas Company, Well No. 498-4-1. Gas Producing Enterprises Natural Buttes Unit Well No. 9 was fractured on March 27, 1978. The treatment consisted of 554,000 pounds of sand and 349,000 gallons of gel. Mitchell Energy Corporation of Houston, Texas was awarded Department of Energy Contract EF-78-C-08-1547 on March 15, 1978. Field work under this contract is scheduled to begin on June 15, 1978, with the drilling of a new well.

Emphasis is placed on the dosimetry for radon and daughters, rather than on monitoring and instrumentation. The objectives of the meeting were to exchange scientific information, to identify problem areas in radon-daughter dosimetry, and to make any observations or recommendations by the participants through issuance of this report. The discussion topics included the history of dosimetry for radon and daughters, human data, aerosols, deposition and movement in the respiratory tract, dose calculations, dose-to-working-level-month (WLM) conversion factors, animal experiments, and the development of regulations and remedial criteria for reducing population exposures to radon daughters. This report contains a summary of Workshop discussions plus individual statements contributed by several of the participants. The outstanding problem areas from the standpoint of dosimetry appear to involve the appropriate lung organ mass to be used (average lung-tissue dose vs. high-level local dose); recognition of the discrete, rather than continuous, structure of the mucus; lack of knowledge about lung clearance; the variability of dose with the degree of disequilibrium and the unattached fraction of radon daughters for a given WLM; and questions about the character of uranium mine atmospheres actually breathed in the older mines from which much of the epidemiological information originates. The development of …