Advanced conceptual design report for the Z-Beamlet laser backlighter (open access)

Advanced conceptual design report for the Z-Beamlet laser backlighter

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 …
Date: May 31, 1999
Creator: Caird, J
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
AISI/DOE Advanced Process Control Program Vol. 5 of 6: Phase Measurement of Galvanneal (open access)

AISI/DOE Advanced Process Control Program Vol. 5 of 6: Phase Measurement of Galvanneal

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.
Date: May 31, 1999
Creator: Burnett, Cristopher; Guel, Ronald; Philips, James R.; Lowry, L. & Tai, Beverly
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Characteristic Features of the Exotic Superconductors: Evidence for a Common Pairing Mechanism (open access)

Characteristic Features of the Exotic Superconductors: Evidence for a Common Pairing Mechanism

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.
Date: May 31, 1999
Creator: Brandow, B.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Final Report: High Energy Physics and Cosmology, June 1, 1984 - May 31, 1999 (open access)

Final Report: High Energy Physics and Cosmology, June 1, 1984 - May 31, 1999

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.
Date: May 31, 1999
Creator: Silk, Joseph
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Final Technical Report. In-Situ FT-IR Monitoring of a Black Liquor Recovery Boiler (open access)

Final Technical Report. In-Situ FT-IR Monitoring of a Black Liquor Recovery Boiler

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.
Date: May 31, 1999
Creator: Markham, James; Cosgrove, Joseph; Marran, David; Neira, Jorge; Nelson, Chad & Solomon, Peter
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
HEMISPHERIC CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY (open access)

HEMISPHERIC CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY

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 …
Date: May 31, 1999
Creator: Ebadian, M.A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
HIGH PRODUCTIVITY VACUUM BLASTING SYSTEM (open access)

HIGH PRODUCTIVITY VACUUM BLASTING SYSTEM

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 …
Date: May 31, 1999
Creator: McPhee, William S.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Overture: Object-Oriented Tools for Application with Complex Geometry (open access)

Overture: Object-Oriented Tools for Application with Complex Geometry

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.
Date: May 31, 1999
Creator: Brown, D.; Henshaw, B. & Quinlan, D.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
PH-NEUTRAL CONCRETE FOR ATTACHED MICROALGAE AND ENHANCED CARBON DIOXIDE FIXATION - PHASE I (open access)

PH-NEUTRAL CONCRETE FOR ATTACHED MICROALGAE AND ENHANCED CARBON DIOXIDE FIXATION - PHASE I

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 …
Date: May 31, 1999
Creator: Dooley, Kerry M.; Knopf, F. Carl & Gambrell, Robert P.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Two-phase reaction turbine. Technical progress report for the period January-May 1999 (open access)

Two-phase reaction turbine. Technical progress report for the period January-May 1999

None
Date: May 31, 1999
Creator: Fabris, Gracio
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Your Genes, Your Choices: Exploring the Issues Raised by Genetic Research (open access)

Your Genes, Your Choices: Exploring the Issues Raised by Genetic Research

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.
Date: May 31, 1999
Creator: Baker, C.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Directed light fabrication of refractory metals and alloys (open access)

Directed light fabrication of refractory metals and alloys

This report covers deposition of refractory pure metals and alloys using the Directed Light Fabrication (DLF) process and represents progress in depositing these materials through September 1998. In extending the DLF process technology to refractory metals for producing fully dense, structurally sound deposits, several problems have become evident. (1) Control of porosity in DLF-deposited refractory metal is difficult because of gases, apparently present in commercially purchased refractory metal powder starting materials. (2) The radiant heat from the molten pool during deposition melts the DLF powder feed nozzle. (3) The high reflectivity of molten refractory metals, at the Nd-YAG laser wavelength (1.06{micro}m), produces damaging back reflections to the optical train and fiber optic delivery system that can terminate DLF processing. (4) The current limits on the maximum available laser power to prevent back reflection damage limit the parameter range available for densification of refractory metals. The work to date concentrated on niobium, W-25Re, and spherodized tungsten. Niobium samples, made from hydride-dehydride powder, had minimal gas porosity and the deposition parameters were optimized; however, test plates were not made at this time. W-25Re samples, containing sodium and potassium from a precipitation process, were made and porosity was a problem for all samples …
Date: May 30, 1999
Creator: Fonseca, J. C.; Lewis, G. K.; Dickerson, P. G. & Nemec, R. B.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
One watt initiative: A global effort to reduce leaking electricity (open access)

One watt initiative: A global effort to reduce leaking electricity

Many domestic appliances and commercial equipment consume some electric power when they are switched off or not performing their primary purpose. The typical loss per appliance is low (from 1 to 25 W) but, when multiplied by the billions of appliances in houses and in commercial buildings, standby losses represent a significant fraction of total electricity use. Several initiatives to reduce standby losses have appeared in different parts of the world. One proposal, the 1-watt plan, seeks to harmonize these initiatives by establishing a single target for all appliances. This paper explains the background to the 1-watt plan, identifies some unresolved aspects, and gives some estimates of energy savings.
Date: May 30, 1999
Creator: Meier, Alan K. & LeBot, Benoit
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Classical Methods in DIS and Nuclear Scattering at Small x. (open access)

Classical Methods in DIS and Nuclear Scattering at Small x.

None
Date: May 29, 1999
Creator: Venugopalan, Raja
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Altering the Equilibrium Condition in Sr-Doped Lanthanum Manganite (open access)

Altering the Equilibrium Condition in Sr-Doped Lanthanum Manganite

The material of choice for a solid oxide fuel cell cathode based on a yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte is doped lanthanum manganite, (La, Sr)MnO{sub 3}. It excels at many of the attributes necessary for a system to work at the required operating temperature and is flexible enough to allow for materials optimization. Although strontium-doping increases the electronic conductivity of the material, the ionic conductivity of the material remains negligible under operating conditions. Studies have shown that the internal equilibrium of the material heavily favors oxidation of the manganese and rather than the loss of lattice oxygen as a charge compensation mechanism. This lack of oxygen vacancies in the structure retards the ability of the material to conduct oxygen ions; thus the optimized system requires a large number of engineered triple point boundary locations to work efficiently. We have successfully doped the host LSM lattice to alter the interred equilibrium of the material to increase its ionic conductivity and thus lower the cathodic overpotential of the system. Our presentation will discuss these new materials, the results of cell tests, and a number of characterization experiments performed.
Date: May 28, 1999
Creator: Carter, J. D.; Krumpelt, M.; Vaughey, J. & Wang, X.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Assuring the Performance of Buildings and Infrastructures: Report of Discussions (open access)

Assuring the Performance of Buildings and Infrastructures: Report of Discussions

How to ensure the appropriate performance of our built environment in the face of normal conditions, natural hazards, and malevolent threats is an issue of emerging national and international importance. As the world population increases, new construction must be increasingly cost effective and at the same time increasingly secure, safe, and durable. As the existing infrastructure ages, materials and techniques for retrofitting must be developed in parallel with improvements in design, engineering, and building codes for new construction. Both new and renovated structures are more often being subjected to the scrutiny of risk analysis. An international conference, "Assuring the Performance of Buildings and Infrastructures," was held in May 1997 to address some of these issues. The conference was co-sponsored by the Architectural Engineering Division of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the American Institute of Architects, and Sandia National Laboratories and convened in Albuquerque, NM. Many of the papers presented at the conference are found within this issue of Techno20~. This paper presents some of the major conference themes and summarizes discussions not found in the other papers.
Date: May 28, 1999
Creator: Hunter, Regina L.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Budget Issues: Treasury's Interest Rate Calculation Changes (open access)

Budget Issues: Treasury's Interest Rate Calculation Changes

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reported on the Department of the Treasury's decision to change the calculation of the interest rates used since 1980 to determine the investment returns for a number of government trust funds, including Social Security and Medicare, focusing on: (1) how and why Treasury changed its rules for calculating interest rates in 1980 and 1998; (2) the effects of these changes on the unified budget and on the financial status of Social Security and Medicare trust funds; and (3) what other trust funds were affected by Treasury's decision."
Date: May 28, 1999
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Commentary: Risk Management and Reliability Design for Buildings (open access)

Commentary: Risk Management and Reliability Design for Buildings

Where there is a significant actuarial basis for decision making (e.g., the occurrence of fires in single-family dwellings), there is little incentive for formal risk management. Formal risk assessments are most useful in those cases where the value of the structure is high, many people may be affected, the societal perception of risk is high, consequences of a mishap would be severe, and the actuarial uncertainty is large. For these cases, there is little opportunity to obtain the necessary experiential data to make informed decisions, and the consequences in terms of money, lives, and societal confidence are severe enough to warrant a formal risk assessment. Other important factors include the symbolic value of the structure and vulnerability to single point failures. It is unlikely that formal risk management and assessment practices will or should replace the proven institutions of building codes and engineering practices. Nevertheless, formal risk assessment can provide valuable insights into the hazards threatening high-value and high-risk (perceived or actual) buildings and structures, which can in turn be translated into improved public health, safety, and security. The key is to choose and apply the right assessment tool to match the structure in question. Design-for-reliability concepts can be applied …
Date: May 28, 1999
Creator: Berry, Dennis L.; Cranwell, Robert M. & Hunter, Regina L.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Comparison of gridded versus observation data to initialize ARAC dispersion models for the Algeciras, Spain steel mill CS-137 release (open access)

Comparison of gridded versus observation data to initialize ARAC dispersion models for the Algeciras, Spain steel mill CS-137 release

On May 30, 1998 scrap metal containing radioactive Cesium-137 (Cs-137) was accidentally melted in a furnace at the Acerinox steel mill in Algeciras, Spain. Cs-137 was released from the mill's smokestack, and spread across the western Mediterranean Sea to France and Italy and beyond. The first indication of the release was radiation levels up to 1000 times background reported by Swiss, French, and Italian authorities during the following two weeks. Initially no elevated radiation levels were detected over Spain. A release of hazardous material to the atmosphere is the type of situation the Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability (ARAC) emergency response organization was designed to address. The amount and exact time of the release were unknown, though the incident was thought to have taken place during the last week in May. Using air concentration measurements supplied by colleagues of ARAC in Spain, France, Switzerland, Italy, Sweden, Russia and the European Union, ARAC meteorologists estimated the magnitude and timing of the release (Vogt, 1999). Correctly locating the downwind footprint is the most important goal of emergency response modeling. In this study, we compare predicted results for the Algeciras event based on four wind data sources: (1) US Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction …
Date: May 28, 1999
Creator: Aluzzi, F J; Pace, J C; Pobanz, B M & Vogt, P J
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Davis-Bacon Act: Labor's Actions Have Potential to Improve Wage Determinations (open access)

Davis-Bacon Act: Labor's Actions Have Potential to Improve Wage Determinations

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO provided information on: (1) the status of the Department of Labor's efforts to improve the Davis-Bacon Act wage determination process; and (2) whether the changes Labor is making are likely to address the timeliness and accuracy of wage determinations."
Date: May 28, 1999
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Effects of Alder Mine on the Water, Sediments, and Benthic Macroinvertebrates of Alder Creek, 1998 Annual Report. (open access)

Effects of Alder Mine on the Water, Sediments, and Benthic Macroinvertebrates of Alder Creek, 1998 Annual Report.

The Alder Mine, an abandoned gold, silver, copper, and zinc mine in Okanogan County, Washington, produces heavy metal-laden effluent that affects the quality of water in a tributary of the Methow River. The annual mass loading of heavy metals from two audits at the Alder Mine was estimated to exceed 11,000 kg per year. In this study, water samples from stations along Alder Creek were assayed for heavy metals by ICP-AES and were found to exceed Washington State's acute freshwater criteria for cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn).
Date: May 28, 1999
Creator: Peplow, Dan
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Effects of nonlocal one-pion-exchange potential in deuteron (open access)

Effects of nonlocal one-pion-exchange potential in deuteron

The off-shell aspects of the one-pion-exchange potential (OPEP) are discussed. Relativistic Hamiltonians containing relativistic kinetic energy, relativistic OPEP with various off-shell behaviors and Argonne v{sub 18} short-range parameterization are used to study the deuteron properties. The OPEP off-shell behaviors depend on whether a pseudovector or pseudoscalar pion-nucleon coupling is used and are characterized by a parameter {mu}. The authors study potentials having {mu} = {minus}1, 0 and +1 and they find that they are nearly unitarily equivalent. They also find that a nonrelativistic Hamiltonian containing local potentials and nonrelativistic kinetic energy provides a good approximation to a Hamiltonian containing a relativistic OPEP based on pseudovector pion-nucleon coupling and relativistic kinetic energy.
Date: May 28, 1999
Creator: Forest, J.L.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Farm Service Agency: Characteristics of Small County Offices (open access)

Farm Service Agency: Characteristics of Small County Offices

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Farm Service Agency (FSA), focusing on the: (1) number of FSA county offices with three or fewer permanent full-time employees; (2) characteristics of these offices, including their proximity to another county office, their workload, the level of FSA program benefits delivered, the relative contribution of farming to total county income, and the number of farms and farmland acres in the counties served by these offices; and (3) ways in which varying the criteria associated with these characteristics can affect the number of county offices that are candidates for closure and consolidation."
Date: May 28, 1999
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Debt: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions--An Update (open access)

Federal Debt: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions--An Update

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO updated its report on frequently asked questions on the federal debt, focusing on: (1) how debt is defined and measured; (2) who holds federal debt; (3) how much it has grown in recent years; and (4) its significance to the national economy."
Date: May 28, 1999
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library