A new underground beamline is being constructed at Fermilab to generate and focus a beam of neutrinos on a detector 450 miles away in Soudan, Minnesota. A compact modulator utilizing capacitive energy storage and SCRs as the switching element has been built and tested at Fermilab. The 0.9 F capacitor bank operates at less than 1 kV. It delivers its output of up to 240 kA directly to the two series connected focusing horns via a multi-layer radiation hard stripline [1]. Dual pulse width capability allows for ready selection of 5.2 ms, for slow beam spills, or 2.6 ms operation for reduced thermal stresses on the focusing horns during fast spill. Intended for installation in an underground equipment room, the design incorporates several novel features to facilitate transport, installation, and maintenance. Various designs were examined to arrive at the most economical approach for providing the high pulse currents to the horns located in the very high radiation field, up to 3 x 10{sup 7} kRads/yr absorbed dose of the beamline. These included charge recovery and electronic polarity reversal systems. The direct coupling approach was selected for its overall economy and compactness. The system has been operational for several months and …

Charge transport in composites of inorganic nanorods and aconjugated polymer is investigated using a photovoltaic device structure.We show that the current-voltage (I-V) curves in the dark can be modelledusing the Shockley equation modified to include series and shuntresistance at low current levels, and using an improved model thatincorporates both the Shockley equation and the presence of a spacecharge limited region at high currents. Under illumination, theefficiency of photocurrent generation is found to be dependent on appliedbias. Furthermore, the photocurrent-light intensity dependence was foundto be sublinear. An analysis of the shunt resistance as a function oflight intensity suggests that the photocurrent as well as the fill factoris diminished as a result of increased photoconductivity of the activelayer at high light intensity. By studying the intensity dependence ofthe open circuit voltage for nanocrystals with different diameters andthus ! band gaps, it was inferred that Fermi-level pinning occurs at theinterface between the aluminum electrode and the nanocrystal.

This report discusses the need to raise the debt limit after four years of Surpluses.

Documents completion of Milestone A.3-1, "Issue Decision Plan for WVDP Tank Lay-Up," in Technical Task Plan RL30WT21A, "Post-Retrieval and Pre-Closure HLW Tank Lay-Up." This task is a collaborative effort among, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., and West Valley Nuclear Services. Thi primary objective of the overall task is to develop and evaluate conceptual strategies for preclosure lay-up of the two large high-level waste storage tanks at the West Valley Demonstration Project. Functions and requirments for tank lay-up were developed and previously documented in "Functions and Requirements for WVDP Lay-Up". These functions nad requirments served as the basis for cristeria to evaluate potential aly-up options documented in "West Valey High-Level Waste Tank Lay-Up Strategies".

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) Defense Working Capital Fund was used to buy $70 billion in commodities in fiscal year 2001. This amount is estimated to grow to $75 billion for fiscal year 2003. The department's financial management regulation states that fund activities will operate in a business-like fashion and incorporate full costs in determining the pricing of their products. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal year 2001 requires that GAO review the working capital fund activities to identify any potential changes in current management processes or policies that would result in a more efficient and economical operation. The act also requires that GAO review the Defense Logistics Agency's (DLA) efficiency, effectiveness, and flexibility of operational practices and identify ways to improve services. One such DLA activity, the Defense Energy Support Center, sold $4.7 billion of various petroleum-related products to the military services in fiscal year 2001. DOD's fuel prices have not reflected the full cost of fuel as envisioned in the working capital fund concept because cash movements to the fund balance and surcharge inaccuracies have affected the stabilized annual fuel prices. Over $4 …

Over the past decade, worldwide production of illicit drugs has risen dramatically: opium and marijuana production has roughly doubled and coca production tripled. Street prices of cocaine and heroin have fallen significantly in the past 20 years, reflecting increased availability. Despite apparent national political resolve to deal with the drug problem, inherent contradictions regularly appear between U.S. anti-drug policy and other national policy goals and concerns. The mix of competing domestic and international pressures and priorities has produced an ongoing series of disputes within and between the legislative and executive branches concerning U.S. international drug policy. One contentious issue has been the Congressionally-mandated certification process, an instrument designed to induce specified drug-exporting countries to prioritize or pay more attention to the fight against narcotics businesses.

Laboratory-size LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2/graphite lithium-ion pouch cells were cycled over 100 percent DOD at room temperature and 60 degrees C in order to investigate high-temperature degradation mechanisms of this important technology. Capacity fade for the cell was correlated with that for the individual components, using electrochemical analysis of the electrodes and other diagnostic techniques. The high-temperature cell lost 65 percent of its initial capacity after 140 cycles at 60 degrees C compared to only 4 percent loss for the cell cycled at room temperature. Cell ohmic impedance increased significantly with the elevated temperature cycling, resulting in some of loss of capacity at the C/2 rate. However, as determined with slow rate testing of the individual electrodes, the anode retained most of its original capacity, while the cathode lost 65 percent, even when cycled with a fresh source of lithium. Diagnostic evaluation of cell components including XRD, Raman, CSAFM and suggest capacity loss occurs primarily due to a rise in the impedance of the cathode, especially at the end-of-charge. The impedance rise may be caused in part by a loss of the conductive carbon at the surface of the cathode and/or by an organic film on the surface of the cathode that becomes …

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony discusses the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) proposed reorganization and realignment plans. The FBI's plans are part of a broader effort to fundamentally transform the federal government in light of recent trends and long-range fiscal challenges. As it moves into the 21st century, the country faces several key trends, including global interdependence; diverse, diffuse, and asymmetrical security threats; rapidly evolving science and technologies; dramatic shifts in the age and composition of the population; important quality of life issues; and evolving government structures and concepts. The second phase of the reorganization focuses on major aspects of FBI's realignment efforts, including realigning staff, building analytical capacity, the National Infrastructure Protection Center, and recruiting. Other issues include (1) major communications and information technology improvements, (2) development of an internal control system that will ensure protection of civil liberties as investigative constraints are loosened, and (3) management of the ripple effect that changes at the FBI will have on other aspects of the law enforcement community. As the FBI moves to effectively meet the realities and challenges since September 11, it should reconsider employing the major elements of successful transformation …

This report documents completion of Milestone A.4-1 "Issue Tank Lay-Up Strategies for WVDP Final Report," in Technical Task Plan RL3-WT21A, "Post-Retrieval and Pre-Closure HLW Tank Lay-Up." This task was a collaborative effort among Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., and West Valley Nuclear Services. The primary objective of the overall task was to develop and evaluate conceptual strategies for preclosure lay-up of the two large high-level waste storage tanks at the West Valley Demonstration Project.

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Centennial of Flight Commission was created in November to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in 1903. The Commission is to provide recommendations and advice to the President, Congress, and federal agencies on the most effective ways to encourage and promote national and international participation and sponsorships in commemoration of the centennial of powered flight. All 156 of the Commission's recorded obligations and expenditures during fiscal year 2001 were supported by documentation that was approved by management. The Commission recorded no donations, user fees, or in-kind donations for fiscal year 2001. The Commission's financial records for fiscal year 2001 contained some minor errors that went unnoticed due to a lack of complete records being maintained by the Commission, as well as the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration which provide administrative support to the Commission."

The thermoelastic properties of bcc tantalum have been investigated over a broad range of temperatures (up to 12000 K) and pressures (up to 10 Mbar) using first-principles methods that account for cold, electron-thermal, and ion-thermal contributions. Specifically, we have combined ab initio all electron electronic-structure calculations for the cold and electron-thermal contributions to the elastic moduli with phonon contributions for the ion-thermal part calculated using model generalized pseudopotential theory (MGPT). For the latter, a summation of terms over the Brillouin zone is performed within the quasi-harmonic approximation, where each term is composed of a strain derivative of the phonon frequency at a particular k-point. At ambient pressure, the resulting temperature dependence of the elastic moduli is in excellent agreement with ultrasonic measurements. The experimentally observed anomalous behavior of C44 at low temperatures is shown to originate from the electron-thermal contribution. At higher temperatures, the dominant contribution to the temperature dependence of the elastic moduli comes from thermal expansion. Also, the pressure dependence of the moduli compares well with recent diamond and cell measurements up to 105 GPa. The calculated longitudinal and bulk sound velocities at higher pressure and temperature agree well with data obtained from shock experiments. Additionally, the temperature …

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) run National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has combined flood hazard mitigation efforts and insurance to protect homeowners against losses from floods. The program provides an incentive for communities to adopt floodplain management ordinances to mitigate the effect of flooding upon new or existing structures. Virtually all communities in the country with flood-prone areas now participate in the NFIP, and over four million U.S. households have flood insurance. Nevertheless, the President's proposed budget for 2003 characterizes the NFIP as "moderately effective," because many at-risk properties remain uninsured. The proposed budget establishes a goal to increase flood insurance policies in force by five percent in 2003 and would increase funding for flood zone mapping activities to better identify at-risk properties. Although the assessment and goal described in the proposed budget apply to the entire NFIP, the success of a particular component of the program--the mandatory purchase requirement--has been the subject of debate for many years. The federal bank regulators overseeing lending institutions that hold or service mortgages on properties that must have flood insurance believe that there is a high level of …

Documents completion of Milstone A.1-1, "Issue Functions and Requirements for WVDP Tank Lay-Up," in Technical Task Plan TTP RL3-WT21A - "Post-Retrival and Pre-Closure HLW Tank Lay-Up." This task is a collaborative effort among Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., and West Valley Nuclear Services (WVNS). Because of the site-specific nature oft his task, the involvement of WVNS personnel is critical to the success of this task.

This report documents the preliminary needs assessment of high-level waste (HLW) tank lay-up requirements and considerations for the Hanford Site, Idaho Naitonal Engeineering and Environmental Lab (INEEL), Savannah River Site (SRS) and Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR). This assessment includes the development of a high-level requirements and considerations list that evolved from work done for the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) earlier in fiscal year (FY) 2001, and is based on individual site conditions and tank retrieval/tank closure schedules. Because schedules are continually subject to change, this assessment is considered preliminary and needs review and validation by the individual sites. The lay-up decision methodology developed for WVDP was based on standard systems engineering principles, and provided a structured framework for producing an effective, technically-defensible lay-up strategy.

None

None

The ability of a device to provide adiabatic motion of charged particles is crucial for magnetic confinement. As the magnetic field in the present-day spherical tori, e.g., MAST and NSTX, is much lower than in the conventional tokamaks, effects of the finite Larmor radius (FLR) on the motion of fast ions are of importance in these devices, affecting the stochasticity threshold for the interaction of the ions with electromagnetic perturbations. In addition, FLR by itself may result in non-conservation (jumps) of the magnetic moment of particles [4]. In this work we propose a Lagrangian approach to description of the resonant collisionless motion of charged particles under a perturbation, allowing for FLR. The work generalizes results of Ref. [1], where only time-independent perturbations were considered. The approach is used to find the stochasticity thresholds for the Goldston-White-Boozer (GWB) diffusion [2] and the cyclotron-resonance-induced (CRI) diffusion (for the case of the firs t cyclotron resonance, the latter was discovered in Ref. [3]). In addition, a new expression for the magnetic moment variation caused by FLR is found.

None

None

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) estimates that 168,000 military family housing units are inadequate, lack modern amenities, and are in need of major renovation and replacement. According to DOD, completing this work using traditional military construction methods would take more than 20 years and cost $16 billion. To improve housing faster and more economically, Congress authorized the Military Housing Privatization Initiative in 1996. Although DOD has awarded contracts to construct or improve 16,000 units and has plans to privatize an additional 96,000 units by the end of fiscal year 2006, privatization projects are not supported by reliable or consistent needs assessments, and the overall requirement for military housing is not well-defined. The department has achieved two key financial goals for the privatization program--leveraging of government funds and lower project life-cycle costs. Although DOD has included provisions designed to protect the government's interests, GAO found areas where DOD could further enhance protections to the government. First, some contracts did not fully anticipate the increased rent to be paid to project developers as a result of a DOD initiative to increase housing allowances for service members. Second, although …

ESME has developed over a twenty year period from its origins as a program for modeling rf gymnastics to a rather general facility for that fraction of beam dynamics of synchrotrons and storage rings which can be properly treated in the two dimensional longitudinal phase space. The features of this program which serve particularly for multiparticle calculations are described, some underling principles are noted, and illustrative results are given.

The Gordon Research Conference (GRC)on PHOTOSYNTHESIS was held at Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI. Emphasis was placed on current unpublished research and discussion of the future target areas in this field.

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. is developing and evaluating high-level waste (HLW) tank lay-up strategies in collaboration wiht the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and West Valley Nuclear Services Company. This work is included in the US Department of Energy (DOE) Tanks Focus Areas (TFA) Technical Test Plan RL3-WT21A, "Post-Retrieval and Pre-Closure HLW Tank Lay-Up".

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Historically, utility monopolies have generated electricity and sold it to customers at prices set by state regulators. Today, private companies in 24 states compete to sell electricity at market prices determined by supply and demand. California is part of a broader western market in which electricity is routinely bought and sold across state and national boundaries. GAO found evidence that wholesale electricity suppliers exercised market power by raising prices above competitive levels during the summer of 2000 and at other times after the restructuring. Neither GAO's analysis nor other studies addressed whether market power exercised in California violated federal or other laws. The design of California's electricity market enabled individual wholesale electricity suppliers to exercise market power. Once prices rose, the design was ineffective in returning prices to competitive levels. Prominent experts on market design and industry experts generally agree that two principal market designs flaws increased wholesale suppliers' incentive and ability to raise prices above competitive levels: (1) retail prices were frozen and (2) the California Public Utilities Commission generally prohibited or discouraged long-term contracts between utilities and wholesale suppliers."