None

None

As a result of the Safeguards Arrangement between the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO) concerning international safeguards R and D, ASNO and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) have agreed to jointly develop a remote monitoring system at the HIFAR reactor, Lucas Heights, Australia. The HIFAR reactor is a high flux research reactor operated by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization (ANSTO). The objective of the system is to remotely monitor the entire Material Balance Area (MBA) AS-A to include: fresh fuel the reactor core; spent fuel in the cropping/irradiation pond, international pond, dry spent fuel storage facility, and Dounreay flasks; and spent fuel during designated transport. The purpose is to reduce on-site inspection effort at the HIFAR reactor.

Three nested molybdenum wire arrays with initial outer diameters of 45, 50, and 55 mm were imploded by the {approx} 20 MA, 90 ns rise-time current pulse of Sandia's Z accelerator. The implosions generated Mo plasmas with approximately 10% of the array's initial mass reaching Ne-like and nearby ionization stages. These ions emitted 2 - 4 keV L-shell x-rays with radiative powers approaching 10 TW. Mo L-shell spectra with axial and temporal resolution were captured and have been analyzed using a non-LTE collisional-radiative model. We find significant axial variation in the plasma conditions, with electron densities increasing from the cathode ({approx} 3 x 10{sup 20}cm{sup -3}) to near the anode end of the plasma ({approx} 3 x 10{sup 21}cm{sup -3}) and electron temperatures decreasing slightly from the cathode ({approx} 1.7 keV) to the anode end ({approx} 1.5 keV). Time-resolved spectra indicate that the peak electron density is reached before the peak of the L-shell emission and decreases with time, while the electron temperature remains within 10% of 1.7 keV over the 20 - 30 ns L-shell radiation pulse. Finally, while the total yield, peak total power, and peak L-shell power all tended to decrease with increasing initial wire array diameters, …

None

The K-shell emission from porous aluminum targets is used to infer the density and temperature of plasmas created with 800 nm and 400 nm, 140 fs laser light. The laser beam is focused to a minimum spot size of 5 {mu}m with 800 nm light and 3 {mu}m with 400 nm light, producing a normal incidence peak intensity of 10{sup 18} Watts/cm{sup 2}. A new 800 fs x-ray streak camera is used to study the broadband x-ray emission. The time resolved and time integrated x-ray emission implies substantial differences between the porous target and the flat target temperature.

Lignin is often the most difficult portion of plant biomass to degrade, with fungi generally thought to dominate during late stage decomposition. Lignin in feedstock plant material represents a barrier to more efficient plant biomass conversion and can also hinder enzymatic access to cellulose, which is critical for biofuels production. Tropical rain forest soils in Puerto Rico are characterized by frequent anoxic conditions and fluctuating redox, suggesting the presence of lignin-degrading organisms and mechanisms that are different from known fungal decomposers and oxygen-dependent enzyme activities. We explored microbial lignin-degraders by burying bio-traps containing lignin-amended and unamended biosep beads in the soil for 1, 4, 13 and 30 weeks. At each time point, phenol oxidase and peroxidase enzyme activity was found to be elevated in the lignin-amended versus the unamended beads, while cellulolytic enzyme activities were significantly depressed in lignin-amended beads. Quantitative PCR of bacterial communities showed more bacterial colonization in the lignin-amended compared to the unamended beads after one and four weeks, suggesting that the lignin supported increased bacterial abundance. The microbial community was analyzed by small subunit 16S ribosomal RNA genes using microarray (PhyloChip) and by high-throughput amplicon pyrosequencing based on universal primers targeting bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic communities. …

This paper presents the basics of this model, including what physical conditions could produce a calibration constant shift and what might cause those conditions to arise. The new evidences are discussed and it is shown that the possibility of at-the-electrode recombination cannot be eliminated, in fact prior photographic evidence is shown to be reasonable evidence of this phenomenon. Thus in the absence of definitive data, the conclusion that apparent excess heat arises from a nuclear cause is premature. If the apparent excess heat signal is not representative of a true heat source, but is instead an equipment/method malfunction, integrating the signal is of no value. This paper proposes that is the situation, and will therefore focus on examining the phenomenon of apparent excess enthalpy (sometimes called excess heat). Not addressed will be the myriad of other purported evidences of nuclear reactions. The apparent excess heat claims form the largest block of claims for a nuclear FPHE cause, and the correlation of apparent excess heat with apparent nuclear ash detection is often cited as evidence of the nuclear nature of the FPHE. But confidence in the validity of the apparent excess heat signal is of critical importance in validating a nuclear …

As a result of nuclear weapons testing and accidents, plutonium has been distributed into the environment. The areas close to the sites of these tests and accidental dispersions contain plutonium deposition of such a magnitude that health authorities and responsible officials have mandated that the contaminated areas be protected, generally through isolation or removal of the contaminated areas. In recent years remedial actions have taken place at all these sites. For reasons not entirely clear, the public perceives radiation exposure risk to be much greater than the evidence would suggest [1]. This perception seems to be particularly true for plutonium, which has often been ''demonized'' in various publications as the ''most hazardous substance known to man'' [2]. As the position statement adapted by the Health Physics Society explains, ''Plutonium's demonization is an example of how the public has been misled about radiation's environmental and health threats generally, and in cases like plutonium, how it has developed a warped ''risk perception'' that does not reflect reality'' [3]. As a result of this risk perception and ongoing debate surrounding environmental plutonium contamination, remedial action criteria are difficult to establish. By examining the data available before and after remedial actions taken at the …

The complete genomic sequence of Pseudomonas syringae pathovar syringae B728a (Pss B728a), has been determined and is compared with that of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (Pst DC3000). The two pathovars of this economically important species of plant pathogenic bacteria differ in host range and other interactions with plants, with Pss having a more pronounced epiphytic stage of growth and higher abiotic stress tolerance and Pst DC3000 having a more pronounced apoplastic growth habitat. The Pss B728a genome (6.1 megabases) contains a circular chromosome and no plasmid, whereas the Pst DC3000 genome is 6.5 mbp in size, composed of a circular chromosome and two plasmids. While a high degree of similarity exists between the two sequenced Pseudomonads, 976 protein-encoding genes are unique to Pss B728a when compared to Pst DC3000, including large genomic islands likely to contribute to virulence and host specificity. Over 375 repetitive extragenic palindromic sequences (REPs) unique to Pss B728a when compared to Pst DC3000 are widely distributed throughout the chromosome except in 14 genomic islands, which generally had lower GC content than the genome as a whole. Content of the genomic islands vary, with one containing a prophage and another the plasmid pKLC102 of P. aeruginosa …

Atmospheric transport and diffusion models have been developed by the Environmental Technology Section (ETS) of the Savannah River Technology Center to calculate the location and concentration of toxic or radioactive materials during an accidental release at the Savannah River Site (SRS). The output from these models has been used to support initial on-site and off-site emergency response activities such as protective action decision making and field monitoring coordination. These atmospheric transport and diffusion models have been incorporated into an automated computer-based system called the (Weather Information and Display) System and linked to real-time meteorological and radiological monitoring instruments to provide timely information for these emergency response activities (Hunter, 1990). This study will compare two of the WIND System annospheric models, PUFF/PLUME and 2DPUF, with a select group of MATS experiments and examine the results in detail to determine the performance of the models. Additional results from this study can be found in Fast et al. (1991).

Atmospheric transport and diffusion models have been developed by the Environmental Technology Section (ETS) of the Savannah River Technology Center to calculate the location and concentration of toxic or radioactive materials during an accidental release at the Savannah River Site (SRS). The output from these models has been used to support initial on-site and off-site emergency response activities such as protective action decision making and field monitoring coordination. These atmospheric transport and diffusion models have been incorporated into an automated computer-based system called the (Weather Information and Display) System and linked to real-time meteorological and radiological monitoring instruments to provide timely information for these emergency response activities (Hunter, 1990). This study will compare two of the WIND System annospheric models, PUFF/PLUME and 2DPUF, with a select group of MATS experiments and examine the results in detail to determine the performance of the models. Additional results from this study can be found in Fast et al. (1991).

A conceptual design of a laser fusion power plant is extensively discussed. Recent advances in high gain targets are exploited in the design. A smaller blanket structure is made possible by use of a thick falling region of liquid lithium for a first wall. Major design features of the plant, reactor, and laser systems are described. A parametric analysis of performance and cost vs. design parameters is presented to show feasible design points. A more definitive follow-on conceptual design study is planned. (RME)

A complete edge-weighted directed graph on vertices 1,2,...,n that assigns cost c(i,j) to the edge (i,j) is called Monge if its edge costs form a Monge array, i.e., for all i < k and j < l, c[i, j]+c[k,l]{le} < c[i,l]+c[k,j]. One reason Monge graphs are interesting is that shortest paths can be computed quite quickly in such graphs. In particular, Wilber showed that the shortest path from vertex 1 to vertex n of a Monge graph can be computed in O(n) time, and Aggarwal, Klawe, Moran, Shor, and Wilber showed that the shortest d-edge 1-to-n path (i.e., the shortest path among all 1-to-n paths with exactly d edges) can be computed in O(dn) time. This paper`s contribution is a new algorithm for the latter problem. Assuming 0 {le} c[i,j] {le} U and c[i,j + 1] + c[i + 1,j] {minus} c[i,j] {minus} c[i + 1, j + 1] {ge} L > 0 for all i and j, our algorithm runs in O(n(1 + 1g(U/L))) time. Thus, when d {much_gt} 1 + 1g(U/L), our algorithm represents a significant improvement over Aggarwal et al.`s O(dn)-time algorithm. We also present several applications of our algorithm; they include length-limited Huffman coding, finding the …

Heated wells in gloveboxes have been used for many years by the Argonne National Laboratory Chemical Technology Division for nuclear-technology, waste-management, chemical-technology, and analytical-chemistry research. These wells allow experiments to be isolated from the main working volume of the glovebox. In addition, wells, when sealed, allow experiments to be conducted under pressurized or vacuum conditions. Until recently, typical maximum operational temperatures were about 500 C. However, more recent research is requiring operational temperatures approaching 900 C. These new requirements pose interesting design challenges that must be resolved. Some problem areas include temperature effects on material properties, maintaining a seal, cooling selected areas, and minimizing stresses. This paper discusses issues related to these design challenges and the ways in which these issues have been resolved.

Neutron-induced reaction cross sections are sometimes difficult to measure due to target or beam limitations. For two-step reactions proceeding through an equilibrated intermediate state, an alternate ''surrogate reaction'' technique can be applicable, and is currently undergoing investigation at LLNL. Measured decay probabilities for the intermediate nucleus formed in a light-ion reaction can be combined with optical-model calculations for the formation of the same intermediate nucleus via the neutron-induced reaction. The result is an estimation for overall (n,{gamma}/n/2n) cross sections. As a benchmark, the reaction {sup 92}Zr({alpha},{alpha}'), surrogate, for n+{sup 91}Zr, was studied at the A.W. Wright Nuclear Structure Laboratory at Yale. Particles were detected in the silicon telescope STARS (Silicon Telescope Array for Reaction Studies) and {gamma}-ray energies measured with germanium clover detectors from the YRAST (Yale Rochester Array for SpecTroscopy) ball. The experiment and preliminary observations will be discussed.

Experimental measurements using nanosecond time resolved embedded gauges and laser interferometric techniques, combined with Non-Equilibrium Zeldovich--von Neumann--Doring (NEZND) theory and Ignition and Growth reactive flow hydrodynamic modeling, have revealed the average pressure/particle velocity states attained in reaction zones of self-sustaining detonation waves in several solid and liquid explosives. The time durations of these reaction zone processes is discussed for explosives based on pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), nitromethane, octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX), triaminitrinitrobenzene(TATB) and trinitrotoluene (TNT).

None

A key uncertainty in models of the global carbonate-silicate cycle and long-term climate is the way that silicates weather under different climatologic conditions, and in the presence or absence of organic activity. Digital imaging of basalts in Hawaii resolves the coupling between temperature, rainfall, and weathering in the presence and absence of lichens. Activation energies for abiotic dissolution of plagioclase (23.1{+-} 2.5 kcal/mol) and olivine (21.3 {+-} 2.7 kcal/mol) are similar to those measured in the laboratory, and are roughly double those measured from samples taken underneath lichen. Abiotic weathering rates appear to be proportional to rainfall. Dissolution of plagioclase and olivine underneath lichen is far more sensitive to rainfall.

Conductor inks containing silver and palladium, used in ceramic co-fired circuits, sometimes undergo an anomalously large expansion during heating in the temperature range where interdiffusion occurs. Therefore, the interdiffusion of silver and palladium was studied during heating in both air and argon using both powder and foil samples. Measurements on a powder compact made of a mixture of Ag and Pd (80% Ag) particles indicated that a very rapid expansion occurred between 375 and 400 C when heated in air but only a slight expansion occurred in Ar. A pre-alloyed powder with the same composition did not expand during heating. In situ high temperature x-ray diffraction studies indicated that both powders oxidized during heating in air, with the mixture oxidizing more and that interdiffusion occurred between 300 and 500 C. Microstructural examination indicated that larger particles with internal pores had formed in the mixture heated in air to 375 C due to rearrangement during interdiffusion. A porous region much thicker than the original silver film formed on a palladium foil sample when it was heated in air, whereas in inert atmosphere pores formed only in the silver film, indicating a Kirkendall effect occurs in both cases. Based on these results, …

None

Gene deserts, long stretches of DNA sequence devoid of protein coding genes, span approximately one quarter of the human genome. Through human-chicken genome comparisons we were able to characterized one third of human gene deserts as evolutionarily stable - they are highly conserved in vertebrates, resist chromosomal rearrangements, and contain multiple conserved non-coding elements physically linked to their neighboring genes. A linear relationship was observed between human and chicken orthologous stable gene deserts, where the human deserts appear to have expanded homogeneously by a uniform accumulation of repetitive elements. Stable gene deserts are associated with key vertebrate genes that construct the framework of vertebrate development; many of which encode transcription factors. We show that the regulatory machinery governing genes associated with stable gene deserts operates differently from other regions in the human genome and relies heavily on distant regulatory elements. The regulation guided by these elements is independent of the distance between the gene and its distant regulatory element, or the distance between two distant regulatory cassettes. The location of gene deserts and their associated genes in the genome is independent of chromosomal length or content presenting these regions as well-bounded regions evolving separately from the rest of the genome.

A high resolution soft x-ray photoelectron spectroscopic study of Ga and As 3d core levels has been conducted for Fe/GaAs (001) as a function of Fe thickness. This work has provided unambiguous evidence of substrate disrupting chemical reactions induced by the Fe overlayer--a quantitative analysis of the acquired spectra indicates significantly differing behavior of Ga and As during Fe growth, and our observations have been compared with existing theoretical models. Our results demonstrate that the outdiffusing Ga and As remain largely confined to the interface region, forming a thin intermixed layer. Whereas at low coverages Fe has little influence on the underlying GaAs substrate, the onset of substrate disruption when the Fe thickness reaches 3.5 Angstrom results in major changes in the energy distribution curves (EDCs) of both As and Ga 3d cores. Our quantitative analysis suggests the presence of two additional As environments of metallic character: one bound to the interfacial region and another which, as confirmed by in situ oxidation experiments, surface segregates and persists over a wide range of overlayer thickness. Analysis of the corresponding Ga 3d EDCs found not two, but three additional environments--also metallic in nature. Two of the three are interface resident whereas the …

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) is currently performing a demonstration program for the Department of Energy (DOE) which processes spent nuclear fuel from the Experimental Breeder Reactor (EBR-II). One of the key steps in this demonstration program is electrorefining of the spent fuel in a molten LiCl-KCl/liquid cadmium system using a pilot scale electrorefiner (Mk-IV ER). This article summarizes experimental observations and engineering aspects for electrorefining spent fuel in the molten LiCl-KCl/liquid cadmium system. It was found that the liquid cadmium pool acted as an intermediate electrode during the electrorefining process in the ER. The cadmium level was gradually decreased due to its high vapor pressure and vaporization rate at the ER operational temperature. The low cadmium level caused the anode assembly momentarily to touch the ER vessel hardware, which generated a periodic current change at the salt/cathode interface and improved uranium recovery efficiency for the process. The primary current distributions calculated by numerical simulations were used in interpreting the experimental results.