The Saltstone Facility at Savannah River Site (SRS) mixes low-level radiological liquid waste with grout for permanent disposal as cement in vault cells. The grout mixture is poured into each cell in approximately 17 batches (8 to 10 hours duration). The grout mixture contains ten flammable gases of concern that are released from the mixture into the cell. Prior to operations, simple parametric transient calculations were performed to develop batch parameters (including schedule of batch pours) to support operational efficiency while ensuring that a flammable gas mixture does not develop in the cell vapor space. The analysis demonstrated that a nonflammable vapor space environment can be achieved, with workable operational constraints, without crediting the ventilation flow as a safety system control. Isopar L was identified as the primary flammable gas of concern. The transient calculations balanced inflows of the flammable gases into the vapor space with credited outflows of diurnal breathing through vent holes and displacement from new grout pours and gases generated. Other important features of the analyses included identifying conditions that inhibited a well-mixed vapor space, the expected frequency and duration of such conditions, and the estimated level of stratification that could develop.

This report is one of a series on the legislative process. It contains a guide to individuals seated on the Senate Dais.

A new code and methodology are introduced for solving the fully general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) equations using time-explicit, finite-volume discretization. The code has options for solving the GRMHD equations using traditional artificial-viscosity (AV) or non-oscillatory central difference (NOCD) methods, or a new extended AV (eAV) scheme using artificial-viscosity together with a dual energy-flux-conserving formulation. The dual energy approach allows for accurate modeling of highly relativistic flows at boost factors well beyond what has been achieved to date by standard artificial viscosity methods. it provides the benefit of Godunov methods in capturing high Lorentz boosted flows but without complicated Riemann solvers, and the advantages of traditional artificial viscosity methods in their speed and flexibility. Additionally, the GRMHD equations are solved on an unstructured grid that supports local adaptive mesh refinement using a fully threated oct-tree (in three dimensions) network to traverse the grid hierarchy across levels and immediate neighbors. A number of tests are presented to demonstrate robustness of the numerical algorithms and adaptive mesh framework over a wide spectrum of problems, boosts, and astrophysical applications, including relativistic shock tubes, shock collisions, magnetosonic shocks, Alfven wave propagation, blast waves, magnetized Bondi flow, and the magneto-rotational instability in Kerr black hole spacetimes.

The objectives of the confirmatory survey activities were to provide independent contractor field data reviews and to generate independent radiological data for use by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in evaluating the adequacy and accuracy of the licensee’s procedures and final status survey (FSS) results.

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We have presented the nuclear spin statistics of the novel extended aromatic C{sub 48}N{sub 12} azafullerene. The nuclear spin multiplets and statistical weights of {sup 14}N spin-1 bosons are provided. In addition we have also provided the {sup 13}C nuclear spin species and spin statistical weights of {sup 13}C{sub 48}N{sub 12}. The spin statistical weights and spin species show that the presence of {sup 14}N nuclei in the aromatic fullerene can provide unique experimental opportunity to investigate the nuclear spin species.

Geometries and energy separations of the various low-lying electronic states of Nb{sub n} and Nb{sub n}{sup -} (n = 4, 5) clusters with various structural arrangements have been investigated. The complete active space multi-configuration self-consistent field (CASMCSCF) method followed by multi-reference singles and doubles configuration interaction (MRSDCI) calculations that included up to 52 million configuration spin functions have been used to compute several electronic states of these clusters. The ground states of both Nb{sub 4} ({sup 1}A', pyramidal) and Nb{sub 4}{sup -} ({sup 2}B{sub 3g}, rhombus) are low-spin states at the MRSDCI level. The ground state of Nb{sub 5} cluster is a doublet with a distorted trigonal bipyramid (DTB) structure. The anionic cluster of Nb{sub 5} has two competitive ground states with singlet and triplet multiplicities (DTB). The low-lying electronic states of these clusters have been found to be distorted due to Jahn-Teller effect. On the basis of the energy separations of our computed electronic states of Nb{sub 4} and Nb{sub 5}, we have assigned the observed photoelectron spectrum of Nb{sub n}{sup -}(n = 4, 5) clusters. We have also compared our MRSDCI results with density functional calculations. The electron affinity, ionization potential, dissociation and atomization energies of Nb{sub 4} …

Electromigration during accelerated testing can induce large scale plastic deformation in Al interconnect lines as recently revealed by the white beam scanning X-ray microdiffraction. In the present paper, we provide a first quantitative analysis of the dislocation structure generated in individual micron-sized Al grains during an in-situ electromigration experiment. Laue reflections from individual interconnect grains show pronounced streaking after electric current flow. We demonstrate that the evolution of the dislocation structure during electromigration is highly inhomogeneous and results in the formation of unpaired randomly distributed dislocations as well as geometrically necessary dislocation boundaries. Approximately half of all unpaired dislocations are grouped within the walls. The misorientation created by each boundary and density of unpaired individual dislocations is determined.

Event shapes have long been used to extract information about hadronic final states and the properties of QCD, such as particle spin and the running coupling. Recently, a family of event shapes, the angularities, has been introduced that depends on a continuous parameter. This additional parameter-dependence further extends the versatility of event shapes. It provides a handle on nonperturbative power corrections, on non-global logarithms, and on the flow of color in the final state.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) researches and develops distributed generation technology for the Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Distributed Energy Program. This report describes installation and operation of one such distributed generation system, a United Technology Corporation fuel cell located at the National Transportation Research Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. Data collected from June 2003 to June of 2004, provides valuable insight regarding fuel cell-grid compatibility and the cost-benefit of the fuel cell operation. The NTRC fuel cell included a high-heat recovery option so that use of thermal energy improves project economics and improves system efficiency to 59% year round. During the year the fuel cell supplied a total of 834MWh to the NTRC and provided 300MBtu of hot water. Installation of the NTRC fuel cell was funded by the Distributed Energy Program with partial funding from the Department of Defense's Climate Change Fuel Cell Buy Down Program, administered by the National Energy Technology Laboratory. On-going operational expenses are funded by ORNL's utility budget and are paid from operational cost savings. Technical information and the benefit-cost of the fuel cell are both evaluated in this report and sister reports.

In its FY2007 budget submission, the Department of Defense (DOD) proposed increases in Tricare enrollment fees, deductibles, and pharmacy co-payments for retired beneficiaries not yet eligible for Medicare. The raises were justified by DOD as necessary to constrain the growth of health care spending as a proportion of the overall defense budget in the next decade. Many beneficiaries argued that the proposed hikes were unfair and unnecessary. The FY2007 Defense Authorization Act prohibited increases in premiums, deductibles, and co-payments prior to September 30, 2007. The FY2008 National Defense Authoriztion Act extended the prohibition of increases in co-payments and enrollment fees until October 2008 and Congress may move to extend them further.

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The cumulative distribution of package dose rates, based on the 18 batches of historical PuO{sub 2} particle size distributions, is shown in Fig. 6 for ''Hanford 10-13% Pu-240'' plutonium. The calculated dose rates for all batches range from about 50 mrem/h to about 2,200 mrem/h, with over 50% of the batches being less than the 200 mrem/h limit for public transportation. A more refined analysis would show that almost all of the batches would be less than 200 mrem/h, but some could exceed this limit as seen by the distribution shape. Without detailed characterization of the BeO particle size distribution, additional analysis would not remove the uncertainty in these calculations. Because the actual amount of beryllium contamination is likely to be much less than 500 g, the dose rates would be expected to be much lower than those shown here. Based on the particle size distribution analysis of the 18 batches analyzed, it is also likely that most of the 3013 cans to be loaded in the 9975 Package will have dose rates that are less than the 200 mrem/h limit for the package surface. However, extra care will be required in performing, and verifying, the dose rate measurements at …

Long-term processes of cathodoluminescence degradation of thin film phosphors Zn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}:Ti and Zn{sub 2}GeO{sub 4}:Mn were investigated in a wide range of e-beam energies, current and power densities. The time dependencies describing decreasing of emission intensity have been found. At high-level densities of e-beam irradiation the specific behavior of long-term degradation processes was observed, which is characteristic with rapid degradation at initial stage and slow consequent decrease of intensity. The most probable mechanisms responsible for long-term processes of degradation in investigated phosphors are proposed.

Thin-film Zn{sub 2}GeO{sub 4}:Mn phosphors with lower temperature of crystallization, and potentially compatible with industrial technologies were investigated. The technology of thin films synthesis has been developed, as well as their structure and crystal parameters have been investigated. Photoluminescence excitation spectra, photoconductivity, temperature dependencies and ESR-spectra determined by manganese ions were studied. The mechanism of luminescence in this phosphor has been proposed. Cathodo- and electroluminescent parameters of thin film structures based on Zn{sub 2}GeO{sub 4}:Mn are presented.

This report provides information about the Community Development Block Grant Funds in Disaster Relief and Recovery. Over the years, congress has appropriated supplemental CDBG funds supported recovery efforts in New York city.

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The mixing of atomic and macroscopic processes taking place in non-terrestrial objects creates complex, dynamic, and intriguing environments. High-resolution x-ray spectra from these sources measured by satellites such as Chandra, XMM-Newton, and the Solar Maximum Mission provide a means for understanding the physics governing these sources. Laboratory measurements of the atomic processes have proved crucial to the interpretation of these spectra. For example using the LLNL electron beam ion traps EBIT-I and EBIT-II a detailed study of the x-ray spectrum of Fe XVII has been conducted addressing the large ratio predicted by theory compared to observations of considerably smaller values of the relative intensity of the 2p-3d {sup 1}P{sub 1} resonant to the {sup 3}D{sub 1} intercombination line. The difference was often attributed to opacity effects. However, laboratory measurements in the optically thin limit agree with observations demonstrating that the prediction is too large and opacity need not be invoked. The laboratory results thus provide a benchmark in the optically thin limit for accurate estimates of opacity effects. To uncover the source of the discrepancy between theory and observation, we have performed a series of experiments that successively uncovered more details about the Fe XVII lines produced in coronal plasmas. …

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This is one report in the series of reports that discuss the campaign finance practices and related issues. Concerns over financing federal elections have become a seemingly perennial aspect of our political system, centered on the enduring issues of high campaign costs and reliance on interest groups for needed campaign funds. The report talks about the today’s paramount issues such as perceived loopholes in current law and the longstanding issues: overall costs, funding sources, and competition.

This study is the initial stage of further investigation into the dynamics of injury to fish during passage through a turbine runner. As part of the study, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) estimated the probability of blade strike, and associated injury, as a function of fish length and turbine operating geometry at two adjacent turbines in Powerhouse 1 of Bonneville Dam. Units 5 and 6 had identical intakes, stay vanes, wicket gates, and draft tubes, but Unit 6 had a new runner and curved discharge ring to minimize gaps between the runner hub and blades and between the blade tips and discharge ring. We used a mathematical model to predict blade strike associated with two Kaplan turbines and compared results with empirical data from biological tests conducted in 1999 and 2000. Blade-strike models take into consideration the geometry of the turbine blades and discharges as well as fish length, orientation, and distribution along the runner.

To produce four short x-ray pulses for radiography, the second-axis of the Dual Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test facility (DARHT-II) will use a fast kicker to select current pulses out of the 2-ms duration beam provided by the accelerator. Beam motion during the kicker voltage switching could lead to dilution of the time integrated beam spot and make the spot elliptical. A large elliptical x-ray source produced by those beams would degrade the resolution and make radiographic analysis difficult. We have developed a tuning strategy to eliminate the spot size dilution, and tested the strategy successfully on ETA-II with the DARHT-II kicker hardware.

Technologies to rapidly quantify surface activity with minimal worker contact would dramatically decrease the radiation dose a radiation worker receives in assessment and cleanup operations, while obtaining a clear image of exactly where dispersed contamination is located. LLNL efforts in the development of the Photochromic Radiation Dosimeter and the Imaging Assessment System will be described. Initial use of these technologies in decontamination and decommissioning of contaminated facilities demonstrates several significant advantages over standard techniques such as survey meters and swipes.

This report provides an overview of the major exceptions to the First Amendment.