Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Jim Mattox, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification; Expungement of criminal convictions under certain provisions of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure (RQ-1325)

Letter opinion issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Jim Mattox, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has established two post-closure performance objectives for the Engineered Barrier System (EBS) in a geologic repository. These require containment of the waste followed by controlled release. The EBS for a repository in unsaturated tuff at Yucca Mountain is designed to meet these performance objectives. The major components are the waste form, container, air gap, and borehole liner. Assessment of post-closure performance of the EBS is based on allocating performance for various components toward meeting overall design objectives. Because of the unprecedented time periods considered, 1000 to 10,000 years, computer modeling is essential and will be used in conjunction with testing to assess whether the performance allocations are met. 7 refs., 1 tab.

Three iron- to nickel-based austenitic alloys and three copper-based alloys are being considered as candidate materials for the fabrication of high-level radioactive-waste disposal containers. The austenitic alloys are Types 304L and 316L stainless steels and the high-nickel material Alloy 825. The copper-based alloys are CDA 102 (oxygen-free copper), CDA 613 (Cu-7Al), and CDA 715 (Cu-30Ni). Waste in the forms of both spent fuel assemblies from reactors and borosilicate glass will be sent to the prospective repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The decay of radionuclides will result in the generation of substantial heat and gamma radiation. Container materials may undergo any of several modes of degradation in this environment, including undesirable phase transformations due to a lack of phase stability; atmospheric oxidation; general aqueous corrosion; pitting; crevice corrosion; intergranular stress corrosion cracking; and transgranular stress corrosion cracking. Problems specific to welds, such as hot cracking, may also occur. A survey of the literature has been prepared as part of the process of selecting, from among the candidates, a material that is adequate for repository conditions. The modes of degradation are discussed in detail in the survey to determine which apply to the candidate alloys and the extent to which they may …

This report covers work conducted by Rockwell International under Amendment 5 to Subcontract STR/DOE-12 of Cooperative Agreement DE-AC-05-80CS40341 between St. Regis Corporation (now Champion International) and the Department of Energy (DOE). The work has been designated Phase 2D of the overall program to differentiate it from prior work under the same subcontract. The overall program is aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of and providing design data for the Rockwell process for gasifying Kraft black liquor. In this process, concentrated black liquor is converted into low-Btu fuel gas and reduced melt by reaction with air in a specially designed gasification reactor.

This report outlines enhancements to the design system that have been implemented in the Fall semester of 1987 and the Spring semester of 1988. The report includes a conceptual description of the new modes of operation and describes the refined cost model on which design evaluation is based, updating the report A Design Methodology for MC and A systems. The accompanying user`s guide details operating procedures for the new software. The system as currently implemented provides the following modes of operation: global system design, system graph evaluation, and data allocation.

This note concerns the focusing properties of the positron-capture solenoid. Such a solenoid will be placed before the entrance of the 450 MeV positron linear-accelerator injector in the APS. The 1.25 A, 40 ns electron beam is accelerated in the 200 MeV electron linac. This beam is then focused onto a 3 mm diameter spot at the 7 mm thick tungsten target. By the process of multiple nuclear-scattering the target generates the positron particles. These positrons, in general, can have a large diverging angle. In order to capture these rapidly diverging positrons, a relatively strong focusing lens is placed close to the converter. In this case a magnetic solenoidal lens has an advantage over the usual quadrupole lens because of its larger phase-space acceptance. In particular, the solenoidal lens is noted for its capability of controlling the spin direction of polarized ions. The authors first wrote down the expression for the magnetic field distribution on the axis for the solenoidal lens. From this expression they derive the expressions for the first- and second-order field distributions at any point in the region. They then calculate and compare the focal powers at various distances off the axis. Further, they calculate and include …

A Subprogram Plan related to the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Versuchsreaktor (AVR) Test Program is in place and describes cooperative work being carried out under the United States/Federal Republic of Germany (US/FRG) Implementing Agreement for Cooperation in Gas-Cooled Reactor Development. The AVR information to be provided as described in the plan will provide a basis for examining the accuracy of computational methods used for performance and safety analysis. The purpose of the cooperation is to obtain experimental information from the AVR relevant to the performance and safety of modular gas-cooled reactors, and to compare measured results with predictions of analytical tools. This report provides a progress report on the prediction of plutonium buildup in LEU fuel in a high-enriched uranium (HEU) core and also describes the method for calculating the U-238 resonance integral (cross section). 4 refs., 5 figs., 11 tabs.

This report provides an overview of the scope and status of the US Department of Energy (DOE`s) Salt Repository Project (SRP) at the time when the project was terminated by the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1987. The report reviews the 10-year program of siting a geologic repository for high-level nuclear waste in rock salt formations. Its purpose is to aid persons interested in the information developed during the course of this effort. Each area is briefly described and the major items of information are noted. This report, the three salt Environmental Assessments, and the Site Characterization Plan are the suggested starting points for any search of the literature and information developed by the program participants. Prior to termination, DOE was preparing to characterize three candidate sites for the first mined geologic repository for the permanent disposal of high-level nuclear waste. The sites were in Nevada, a site in volcanic tuff; Texas, a site in bedded salt (halite); and Washington, a site in basalt. These sites, identified by the screening process described in Chapter 3, were selected from the nine potentially acceptable sites shown on Figure I-1. These sites were identified in accordance with provisions of the Nuclear Waste …

Bacterial kidney disease (BKD) has been and remains a chronic contributory problem limiting the productivity of salmon in the Columbia River Basin. Control of this disease will not come easily, but it would lead to a tremendous increase in the health and numbers of salmon populations. Vaccination of salmon to Renibacterium salmoninarum (KDB) is a potentially successful method of controlling this disease. To date, however, no successful vaccine has been developed for general use. A possible solution to this problem, and thus the goal of this research, is to isolate the antigenic components of KDB and enhance their ability to activate the host defenses. This will be accomplished by the chemical modification of these antigens with potent immunomodulatory substances. These modified antigens will then be tested for their effectiveness in inducing immunity to BKD and thereby preventing the disease. The goal of the project's fourth year was to test the immunogenicity and prophylactic value in coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) of various--chemical conjugates of Renibacterium salmoninarum cell and major antigens. This was accomplished by assessing the serum antibody response, the cellular immune response (chemiluminescence), and the kinetics of mortality after lethal injections of the bacteria. The studies completed this year have: …

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Our scientific objective is to search for high energy annihilation lines from dark matter candidate particles and to measure the diffuse {gamma}-ray spectrum as a probe of cosmological distances and volumes. To pursue this objective we need a detector that has good energy resolution, better than 1% at 3 GeV. Such resolution is required to identify {gamma}-ray lines which are separated by {approx} hundred MeV at energies of a few Gev and to separate these lines from the continuum background produced by high galactic latitude cosmic ray collisions. The detector must be able to locate or map sources. The directional accuracy required for pointing to the galactic center or to known pulsars is on the order of l{sup o} (16mrad) or better. To avoid degradation of signal by the atmosphere, the detector must be flown in space. The expected signal is low, suggesting that an exposure of something like 1 m{sup 2}-yr is required to gather a statistically significant number of events. In this document we will look at alternative methods for detection of high energy {gamma}-ray lines in space and argue that a fully active Ge volume is the optimum detector that can be built.

Semi-empirical formulas for the transverse and longitudinal loss factors generated by cavity and step discontinuities are given in the limit of short bunch length.The parametric transition between the cavity and step approximations is considered.The differences between the impedances offered by periodic structures and isolated single cavities are also discussed.

A glass-ceramic-to metal sealing technology patented by Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque (SNLA) was developed by MRC-Mound for use in the manufacture of weapon components. Successful implementation attracted increasingly widespread weapon use of this technology. "S-glass" manufacturing technology was transferred to commercial vendors to ensure that weapons production schedules would be met in the coming years. Such transfer also provided sources of this fledgling technology for the Department of Defense (DOD), aerospace and other commercial uses. The steps involved in the technology transfer are described, from the initial cooperative development work of Sandia and Mound scientists and technologists to the final phase of qualifying commercial vendors for component manufacture.

The objective of this report is to present the results of a 1987 telephone survey on attitudes and behaviors toward energy conservation and to compare them with the results of similar surveys in 1983 and 1985. The surveys were conducted in the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) service area: Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Western Montana. Data collected during the surveys were analyzed by Pacific Northwest Laboratory to assist the BPA in its energy conservation program planning, design, and marketing.

This research accomplished two goals. The first was to develop a computer program to simulate a cascade dissolver system. This program would be used to predict the bulk rate of dissolution in incinerator ash. The other goal was to verify the model in a single-stage dissolver system using Dy/sub 2/O/sub 3/. PuO/sub 2/ (and all of the species in the incinerator ash) was assumed to exist as spherical particles. A model was used to calculate the bulk rate of plutonium oxide dissolution using fluoride as a catalyst. Once the bulk rate of PuO/sub 2/ dissolution and the dissolution rate of all soluble species were calculated, mass and energy balances were written. A computer program simulating the cascade dissolver system was then developed. Tests were conducted on a single-stage dissolver. A simulated incinerator ash mixture was made and added to the dissolver. CaF/sub 2/ was added to the mixture as a catalyst. A 9M HNO/sub 3/ solution was pumped into the dissolver system. Samples of the dissolver effluent were analyzed for dissolved and F concentrations. The computer program proved satisfactory in predicting the F concentrations in the dissolver effluent. The experimental sparge air flow rate was predicted to within 5.5%. The …

''Station Blackout,'' which is the complete loss of alternating current (AC) electrical power in a nuclear power plant, has been designated as Unresolved Safety Issue A-44. Because many safety systems required for reactor core decay heat removal and containment heat removal depend on AC power, the consequences of a station blackout could be severe. This report documents the findings of technical studies performed as part of the program to resolve this issue. The important factors analyzed include: the fequency of loss of offsite power; the probability that emergency or onsite AC power supplies would be unavailable; the capability and reliability of decay heat removal systems independent of AC power; and the likelihood that offsite power would be restored before systems that cannot operate for extended periods without AC power fail, thus resulting in core damage. This report also addresses effects of different designs, locations, and operational features on the estimated frequency of core damage resulting from station blackout events.

The objective of this study is to determine the optimum electrolyte composition for molten carbonate fuel cells. To accomplish this, the contractor will provide: (1) Comprehensive reports of on-going efforts to optimize carbonate composition. (2) A list of characteristics affected by electrolyte composition variations (e.g. ionic conductivity, vapor pressure, melting range, gas solubility, exchange current densities on NiO, corrosion and cathode dissolution effects). (3) Assessment of the overall effects that these characteristics have on state-of-the-art cell voltage and lifetime.

This is the third quarterly report of DOE Contract No. DE-AC22- 87PC79864, entitled Modeling of Integrated Environmental Control Systems for Coal-Fired Power Plants.'' This report summarizes accomplishments during the period April 1, 1988 to June 30, 1988. Our efforts during the last quarter focused on, (1) completion of a sulfuric acid plant model (used in conjunction with by-product recovery processes for SO{sub 2}/NO{sub x} removal) and, (2) an update the NOXSO process model. Other accomplishments involved revision and expansion of the enthalpy data algorithms used for process energy balances. The sections below present the details of these developments. References are included at the end of each section.

Relativistic klystrons are being developed as a power source for high gradient accelerator applications which include large linear electron--positron colliders, compact accelerators, and FEL sources. We have attained 200MW peak power at 11.4 GHz from a relativistic klystron, and 140 MV/m longitudinal gradient in a short 11.4 GHz accelerator section. We report here on the design of our first klystrons, the results of our experiments so far, and some of our plans for the near future. 5 refs., 7 figs.

A simple, nondestructive method to suppress pressure pulses in a fluid-filled piping is theoretically analyzed, and the result provides the basis needed for design and evaluation of a pressure-pulse suppression device based on the proposed theory. The method is based on forming of fluid jets in the event of a pressure surge such that the pulse height as well as the energy of the pulse are reduced. The result for pressure pulses in the range of practical interest shows that a substantial reduction can be attained in the pulse height with accompanied reduction of pulse energy remaining in the system. The analysis also reveals that a certain amount of trade-off exists in the design of the suppression device; a certain level of pulse energy remaining in the system must be accepted in order to limit the pulse height below a certain level and vice versa. 7 refs., 5 figs.

We describe a method and a way of thinking which is ideally suited for the study of systems represented by canonical integrators. Starting with the continuous description provided by the Hamiltonians, we replace it by a succession of preferably canonical maps. The power series representation of these maps can be extracted with a computer implementation of the tools of Non-Standard Analysis and analyzed by the same tools. For a nearly integrable system, we can define a Floquet ring in a way consistent with our needs. Using the finite time maps, the Floquet ring is defined only at the locations s/sub i/ where one perturbs or observes the phase space. At most the total number of locations is equal to the total number of steps of our integrator. We can also produce pseudo-Hamiltonians which describe the motion induced by these maps. 15 refs., 1 fig.

This investigation consisted of theoretical, laboratory, and field study phases with the overall objective of determining the importance of pressure-driven flow of soil gas in the transport of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from soil into a house. In the first phase, the mechanisms of advection, diffusion, and retardation of VOC in soil were evaluated. Using the theory of fluid mechanics and empirical for equilibrium partitioning of VOC among gas, aqueous, and solid phase of soil, a one-dimensional advection-diffusion equation or the transport of gas-phase VOC through soil was developed. An experimental apparatus and method were developed for the direct observation of pressure-driven transport of VOC through soil under controlled laboratory conditions. The retardation of sulfur hexafluoride (SF/sub 6/) and hexafluorobenzene with respect to the flow of the bulk gas was measured in soil-column experiments using different soils and soil-moisture conditions. The results were in good agreement with theoretical predictions. Since SF/sub 6/ was not lost by sorption to soil, it was selected for use as a tracer gas in the field study to study the advective flow of soil gas. The overall objective of the investigation was directly addressed by the field study. This study was conducted at a house …

A search for pairs of high p/sub T/ prompt photons produced in hydrogen by a 280 GeV/c incident /pi//sup /minus// beam has been carried out using a fine-grained electromagnetic calorimeter and the Omega spectrometer at the CERN SPS. Clear evidence for the existence of such events is found with a six standard deviation signal for p/sub T/ > 3.0 GeV/c. The cross sections are consistent with beyond leading order QCD calculations. A discussion on the determination of /alpha//sub s/ is also presented. 18 refs., 7 figs., 7 tabs.