The fascinating shapes and hierarchical designs of biomineralized structures have long been an inspiration to materials scientists because of the potential they suggest for biomolecular control over synthesis of crystalline materials. One prevailing view is that mineral-associated macromolecules are responsible for initiating and stabilizing non-equilibrium crystal polymorphs and morphologies through interactions between anionic moieties and cations in solution or at mineral surfaces. Indeed, numerous studies have demonstrated that bio-organic additives can dramatically alter crystal shapes and growth-rates in vitro. However, previous molecular-scale studies revealing mechanisms of growth modification focused on small molecules such as amino acids or peptides and always observed growth inhibition. In contrast, studies using full proteins were non-quantitative and underlying sources of growth modification were ill-defined. Here we investigate interactions between proteins isolated from abalone shell nacre and growing surfaces of calcite. We find that these proteins significantly accelerate the molecular-scale kinetics and, though much larger than atomic steps, alter growth morphology through step-specific interactions that lower their free energies. We propose that these proteins act as surfactants to promote ion attachment at calcite surfaces.

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Longitudinal coupled bunch instability has been observed in the Fermilab Booster at high intensity. It is a cause for concern due to its effect on the Tevatron collider performance. We study this phenomenon using initial value technique to correctly account for the underlying transient nature. Analytic result is obtained for any mode and comparison is made between ordinary harmonic potential and higher harmonic (Landau) cavity potential. A computer program is developed to facilitate the calculation. The result shows that the merit of Landau cavity is best realized in cases where the resonance is of a broad band nature. 5 refs., 4 figs., 3 tabs.

The Globus grid toolkit is a collection of software components designed to support the development of applications for high-performance distributed computing environments, or ''computational grids'' [14]. The Globus toolkit is an implementation of a ''bag of services'' architecture, which provides application and tool developers not with a monolithic system but rather with a set of stand-alone services. Each Globus component provides a basic service, such as authentication, resource allocation, information, communication, fault detection, and remote data access. Different applications and tools can combine these services in different ways to construct ''grid-enabled'' systems. The Globus toolkit has been used to construct the Globus Ubiquitous Supercomputing Testbed, or GUSTO: a large-scale testbed spanning 20 sites and included over 4000 compute nodes for a total compute power of over 2 TFLOPS. Over the past six months, we and others have used this testbed to conduct a variety of application experiments, including multi-user collaborative environments (tele-immersion), computational steering, distributed supercomputing, and high throughput computing. The goal of this paper is to review what has been learned from these experiments regarding the effectiveness of the toolkit approach. To this end, we describe two of the application experiments in detail, noting what worked well and what …

Confirmation of the fissile mass of a system containing plutonium can be done using neutron multiplicity techniques. This can be accomplished with a detector system that is smaller and less costly than a standard neutron multiplicity counter (NMC). Also the fissile mass of a uranium containing system can be confirmed by passive means. Recent work at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has demonstrated that simple slab neutron detectors and a novel approach to data acquisition and analysis can be used to make an accurate measurement of the mass of fissile materials. Purely passive measurement of kilogram quantities of highly enriched uranium (HEU) have also been shown to be feasible. In this paper we discuss calculational tools for assessing the application of these techniques to fissile material transparency regimes. The tools required to adequately model the correlations and their application will be discussed.

Advancements in technology have opened many opportunities to improve upon the current infrastructure surrounding the nuclear fuel cycle. Embedded devices, very small sensors, and wireless technology can be applied to Security, Safety, and Nonproliferation of Spent Nuclear Fuel. Security, separate of current video monitoring systems, can be improved by integrating current wireless technology with a variety of sensors including motion detection, altimeter, accelerometer, and a tagging system. By continually monitoring these sensors, thresholds can be set to sense deviations from nominal values. Then alarms or notifications can be activated as needed. Safety can be improved in several ways. First, human exposure to ionizing radiation can be reduced by using a wireless sensor package on each spent fuel cask to monitor radiation, temperature, humidity, etc. Since the sensor data is monitored remotely operator stay-time is decreased and distance from the spent fuel increased, so the overall radiation exposure is reduced as compared to visual inspections. The second improvement is the ability to monitor continuously rather than periodically. If changes occur to the material, alarm thresholds could be set and notifications made to provide advanced notice of negative data trends. These sensor packages could also record data to be used for scientific …

With the advent of tabletop X-ray lasers that operate at high repetition rate more emphasis is being put on finding useful applications for these lasers. The 14.7 nm Ni-like Pd X-ray laser at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is being used to do many interferometer experiments. As detailed quantitative comparisons are done between experiments and code simulations it is clear that some of the assumptions used to analyze the experiments need to be modified as one explores plasmas that are only a few times ionized. In the case of aluminium plasmas that have been analyzed with interferometers there has been some unusual behavior where the fringe lines bend the wrong way. In this work we will discuss how the index of refraction for aluminium is far more complicated than generally assumed because there are significant contributions to the index from the continuum and line structure of the bound electrons that can dominate the free electron contribution and even cause the index to be greater than one. We will also discuss some potential applications of the high repetition rate Ne-like Ar X-ray laser at 46.9 nm. In particular we will present modeling that shows how the Ar laser could be used to …

The growing interest in the physics of fluidic flow in nanoscale channels, as well as the possibility for high sensitive detection of ions and single molecules is driving the development of nanofluidic channels. The enrichment of charged analytes due to electric field-controlled flow and surface charge/dipole interactions along the channel can lead to enhancement of sensitivity and limits-of-detection in sensor instruments. Nuclear material processing, waste remediation, and nuclear non-proliferation applications can greatly benefit from this capability. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) provides a low-cost alternative for the machining of disposable nanochannels. The small AFM tip diameter (< 10 nm) can provide for features at scales restricted in conventional optical and electron-beam lithography. This work presents preliminary results on the fabrication of nano/microfluidic channels on polymer films deposited on quartz substrates by AFM lithography.

The Fermilab Tevatron, operating at {radical}s = 1.96 TeV, provides a rich environment for the study of the bottom and charmed hadrons and for searches of other bound states. Presented here are recent measurements of the masses of the following states using fully reconstructed events: B{sup +}, B{sup 0}, B{sub s}, {Lambda}{sub b}, and the neutral B**. Lifetimes from both CDF and D0 in exclusive decays for all of these modes are also presented (sans the B**). A search was conducted at CDF for the {Xi}{sup 2} and {Xi}{sup 0} pentaquark states in the decay {Xi}(1860) {yields} {Xi}{sup -} {pi}{sup {+-}} setting a limit on their production in p-{bar p} collisions relative to the number of {Xi}(1530) baryons seen.

Organic hydrogen getters are utilized to minimize hydrogen accumulation in sealed systems where such build up could produce either a safety problem from pressure build up or corrosion problem due the hydriding of metals contained in the sealed vessel. DEB (1,4 bis (phenyl ethynyl) benzene) is a hydrogen getter that is based on the palladium catalyzed hydrogenation of triple bonds to single bonds in aromatic aryl compound. DEB is a getter mixed with 25% carbon and 1% Pd and pressed into pellets with some porosity. The reaction mechanisms are complex involving solid state reactions with a heterogeneous catalyst leading to the many intermediates.

Prior to the recent commissioning of the first NIF (National Ignition Facility) beamline, full-scale laser-amplifier-glass cleanliness experiments were performed. Aerosol measurements and obscuration data acquired using a modified flatbed scanner compare favorably to historical large-scale lasers and indicate that NIF is the cleanest large-scale laser built to date.

Targets for Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) typically consist of a hollow, spherical capsule filled with a mixture of hydrogen isotopes. Typically, these capsules are irradiated by short, intense pulses of either laser light (``direct drive``) or laser-generated. x-rays (``indirect drive``), causing them to implode This compresses and heats the fuel, leading to thermonuclear fusion. This process is highly sensitive to hydrodynamic (e.g., Rayleigh-Taylor) instabilities, which can be initiated by imperfections in the target. Thus, target capsules must be spherical and smooth One of the lead capsule designs for the National Ignition Facility, a 1.8 MJ laser being built at Livermore, calls for a 2-mm- diam capsule with a 150-{micro}m-thick copper-doped beryllium wall. These capsules can be fabricated by sputter depositing the metal onto a spherical plastic mandrel. This results in surfaces with measured Rq`s of 50 to 150 nm, as measured with an atomic force microscope For optimal performance the roughness should be below 10 nm rms We have begun studying the use of ion cluster beam polishing as a means of improving the surface finish of as-deposited capsules In this approach, a batch of capsules would be agitated in a bounce pan inside a vacuum chamber during exposure to …

The coherent betatron instability was first observed during the recent 1987-88 Tevatron fixed target run. In this operating mode 1000 consecutive bunches are loaded into the machine at 150 GeV with a bunch spacing of 18.8 /times/ 10/sup -9/ sec (53 MHz). The normalized transverse emittance is typically 15 ..pi.. /times/ 10/sup -6/ m rad in each plane with a longitudinal emittance of about 1.5 eV-sec. The beam is accelerated to 800 GeV in 13 sec. and then it is resonantly extracted during a 23 sec flat top. As the run progressed the bunch intensities were increased until at about 1.4 /times/ 10/sup 10/ppb (protons per bunch) we experienced the onset of a coherent horizontal oscillation taking place in the later stages of the acceleration cycle (>600 GeV). This rapidly developing coherent instability results in a significant emittance growth, which limits machine performance and in a catastrophic scenario it even prevents extraction of the beam. In this paper we will present a simple analytic description of the observed instability. We will show that a combination of a resistive wall coupled bunch effect and a single bunch slow head-tail instability is consistent with the above observations. Finally, a systematic numerical analysis …

A basic understanding of the critical issues limiting the compactness of high-voltage systems is required for the next generation of impulse generators. In the process of optimizing the design of a highly reliable solid-dielectric over-voltage switch, an understanding of the limiting factors found are shown. Results of a l3O kV operating switch, having a modest field enhancement of 16% above the average field stress in the switching region, are reported. The resulting high reliability is obtained by reducing the standard deviation of the switch to 6.8%. The total height of the switch is 1 mm. The resulting operating parameters are obtained by controlling field distribution across the entire switch package and field shaping the desired point of switch closure. The disclosed field management technique provides an approach to improve other highly stressed components and structures.

The Advanced Hydrotest Facility, under study by LANL, uses large-bore superconducting quadrupole magnets. In the paper we discuss the conceptual design of such quadrupoles using active shielding. The magnets are specified to achieve gradients of up to 24 T/m with a 28-cm warm bore and to have 0.01% field quality. Concepts for quench protection and the magnet cryosystems are also briefly discussed to confirm the viability of the proposed design.

The physical presence of vacuum structures can be expressed in terms of a coupling impedance experienced by the beam. The beam environment considered here consist of parasitic higher order modes of the r.f. cavities. These resonances may have high enough Q's to allow consecutive bunches to interact through mutually induced fields. The cumulative effect of such fields as the particles pass through the cavity may be to induce a coherent buildup in synchrotron motion of the bunches, i.e., a longitudinal coupled-bunch instability. The colliding mode operation of the present generation of high energy synchrotrons and the accompanying r.f. manipulations, make considerations of individual bunch area of paramount importance. Thus, a longitudinal instability in one of a chain of accelerators, while not leading to any immediate reduction in the intensity of the beam in that accelerator, may cause such a reduction of beam quality that later operations are inhibited (resulting in a degradation performance). In this paper we employ a longitudinal phase-space tracking code (ESME) as an effective tool to simulate specific coupled bunch modes arising in a circular accelerator. One of the obvious advantages of the simulation compared to existing analytic formalisms, e.g., based on the Vlasov equation, is that …

Network connectivity has become nearly ubiquitous, and the energy use of the equipment required for this connectivity is growing. Network equipment consists of devices that primarily switch and route Internet Protocol (IP) packets from a source to a destination, and this category specifically excludes edge devices like PCs, servers and other sources and sinks of IP traffic. This paper presents the results of a study of network equipment energy use and includes case studies of networks in a campus, a medium commercial building, and a typical home. The total energy use of network equipment is the product of the stock of equipment in use, the power of each device, and their usage patterns. This information was gathered from market research reports, broadband market penetration studies, field metering, and interviews with network administrators and service providers. We estimate that network equipment in the USA used 18 TWh, or about 1percent of building electricity, in 2008 and that consumption is expected to grow at roughly 6percent per year to 23 TWh in 2012; world usage in 2008 was 51 TWh. This study shows that office building network switches and residential equipment are the two largest categories of energy use consuming 40percent and …

In this report we have described the broad and compelling range of astrophysical and cosmological evidence that defines the dark matter problem, and the WIMP hypothesis, which offers a solution rooted in applying fundamental physics to the dynamics of the early universe. The WIMP hypothesis is being vigorously pursued, with a steady march of sensitivity improvements coming both from astrophysical searches and laboratory efforts. The connections between these approaches are profound and will reveal new information from physics at the smallest scales to the origin and workings of the entire universe. Direct searches for WIMP dark matter require sensitive detectors that have immunity to electromagnetic backgrounds, and are located in deep underground laboratories to reduce the flux from fast cosmic-ray-muon-induced neutrons which is a common background to all detection methods. With US leadership in dark matter searches and detector R&D, a new national laboratory will lay the foundation of technical support and facilities for the next generation of scientists and experiments in this field, and act as magnet for international cooperation and continued US leadership. The requirements of depth, space and technical support for the laboratory are fairly generic, regardless of the approach. Current experiments and upgraded versions that run …

The Remote Area Monitoring System was developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) for DOE test directors at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) to verify radiological conditions are safe after a nuclear test. In the unlikely event of a venting as a result of a nuclear test, this system provides radiological and meteorological data to Weather Service Nuclear Support Office (WSNSO) computers where mesoscale models are used to predict downwind exposure rates. The system uses a combination of hardwired radiation sensors and satellite based data acquisition units with their own radiation sensors to measure exposure rates in remote areas of the NTS. The satellite based data acquisition units are available as small, Portable Remote Area Monitors (RAMs) for rapid deployment, and larger, Semipermanent RAMs that can have meteorological towers. The satellite based stations measure exposure rates and transmit measurements to the GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) where they are relayed to Direct Readout Ground Stations (DRGS) at the NTS and Los Alamos. Computers process the data and display results in the NTS Operations Coordination Center. Los Alamos computers and NTS computers are linked together through a wide area network, providing remote redundant system capability. Recently, LANL, expanded the system to …

We demonstrate a technique for detecting magnetically-labeled Listeria monocytogenes and for measuring the binding rate between antibody-linked magnetic particles and bacteria. This assay, which is both sensitive and straightforward to perform, can quantify specific bacteria in a sample without the need to immobilize the bacteria or wash away unbound magnetic particles. In the measurement, we add 50 nm diameter superparamagnetic particles, coated with antibodies, to a liquid sample containing L. monocytogenes. We apply a pulsed magnetic field to align the magnetic dipole moments and use a high transition temperature Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID), an extremely sensitive detector of magnetic flux, to measure the magnetic relaxation signal when the field is turned off. Unbound particles randomize direction by Brownian rotation too quickly to be detected. In contrast, particles bound to L. monocytogenes are effectively immobilized and relax in about 1 s by rotation of the internal dipole moment. This Neel relaxation process is detected by the SQUID. The measurements indicate a detection limit of (5.6 {+-} 1.1) x 10{sup 6} L. monocytogenes for a 20 {micro}L sample volume. If the sample volume were reduced to 1 nL, we estimate that the detection limit could be improved to 230 {+-} 40 …

The authors explore the feasibility of adding a performance option to DOE's EnergyStar{copyright} Windows program whereby windows of differing U-factors and SHGCs can qualify so long as they have equivalent annual energy performance. An iterative simulation procedure is used to calculate trade-off equations giving the change in SHGC needed to compensate for a change in U-factor. Of the four EnergyStar{copyright} Window climate zones, trade-off equations are possible only in the Northern and Southern zones. In the North/Central and South/Central zones, equations are not possible either because of large intrazone climate variations or the current SHGC requirements are already near optimum.

I discuss some of the historical circumstances that drove us to use the lattice as a non-perturbative regulator. This approach has had immense success, convincingly demonstrating quark confinement and obtaining crucial properties of the strong interactions from first principles. I wrap up with some challenges for the future.

Semiconductor tetrapods are three dimensional branched nanostructures, representing a new class of materials for electrical conduction. We employ the single electron transistor approach to investigate how charge carriers migrate through single nanoscale branch points of tetrapods. We find that carriers can delocalize across the branches or localize and hop between arms depending on their coupling strength. In addition, we demonstrate a new single-electron transistor operation scheme enabled by the multiple branched arms of a tetrapod: one arm can be used as a sensitive arm-gate to control the electrical transport through the whole system. Electrical transport through nanocrystals, molecules, nanowires and nanotubes display novel quantum phenomena. These can be studied using the single electron transistor approach to successively change the charge state by one, to reveal charging energies, electronic level spacings, and coupling between electronic, vibrational, and spin degrees of freedom. The advent of colloidal synthesis methods that produce branched nanostructures provides a new class of material which can act as conduits for electrical transport in hybrid organic-inorganic electrical devices such as light emitting diodes and solar cells. Already, the incorporation of branched nanostructures has yielded significant improvements in nanorod/polymer solar cells, where the specific pathways for charge migration can have …

The age and composition of special nuclear material (SNM) offers a great deal of forensic information; e.g., likely producer or country of origin. Nuclear materials (nuclides) decay at different rates, often in a chain fashion; therefore, the composition of the nuclides changes over time. Trace nuclides in special nuclear material often carry more information regarding age and original composition, but trace nuclides can be easily lost in 'approximations.' Current decay calculation technology is based on a matrix Taylor approximation that is imprecise in nature and time-consuming to compute. Better computational technology for decay calculation and age estimation is needed. This project offers better Nuclear Forensics technology solutions for these needs.