Preliminary characterization of the plume or cloud produced by the release of UF/sub 6/ into humid air and the particulates comprising this cloud has been accomplished. The explosive release was conducted in a vessel in which the air at atmospheric pressure was static and the particulate material was collected on microscope grids by gravitational settling. Transmission and Scanning Electron Microscopy (TEM and SEM) have been used to determine the size or range of sizes of the particles produced by the release and the nature of the agglomerates produced from these particles. The particulate material was also analyzed by x-ray diffraction. The plume produced dispersed rapidly, completely filling the 30,000 cm/sup 3/ release vessel in less than 10 sec. Settling of the particulte material required several hours for completion. Particles produced by the release were generally >1000A spheroids but some as small as 100A were collected. The agglomerates were like those seen in typical smokes, i.e. catenulate or chain-like in nature and several microns in length, although some were less than 1..mu.. in dimension. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated the material to be UO/sub 2/F/sub 2/ 2H/sub 2/O while infrared absorption spectrometry indicated the presence of UO/sub 2//sup 2 +/ H/sub 2/O …

The data required to estimate the probability of occurrence of initial meteorological conditions leading to an effect on the weather by the pilot solar thermal electric plant are discussed. No completely appropriate data summaries are available. Vertical atmospheric profiles are the most appropriate source of raw data for a statistical analysis, but these are not available from the pilot plant location either. The available stability data for the pilot plant site are presented. A procedure is outlined to obtain the required estimates of occurrence frequency if desired. However, it is recommended that more substantial effects be demonstrated with a physically realistic model before great effort is expended on data analysis.

Weekly newsletter discussing natural resources, parks, hunting and fishing, and other information related to the outdoors in Texas.