This report provides an overview of unprecedented developments in the relations between two important U.S. allies, Israel and Turkey.

This report summarizes and evaluates the decontamination activities, sampling activities, and sample analysis performed in support of the closure of the 303-K Storage Facility. The evaluation is based on the validated data included in the data validation package (98-EAP-346) for the 303-K Storage Facility. The results of this evaluation will be used for assessing contamination for the purpose of closing the 303-K Storage Facility as described in the 303-K Storage Facility Closure Plan, DOE/RL-90-04. The closure strategy for the 303-K Storage Facility is to decontaminate the interior of the north half of the 303-K Building to remove known or suspected dangerous waste contamination, to sample the interior concrete and exterior soils for the constituents of concern, and then to perform data analysis, with an evaluation to determine if the closure activities and data meet the closure criteria. The closure criteria for the 303-K Storage Facility is that the concentrations of constituents of concern are not present above the cleanup levels. Based on the evaluation of the decontamination activities, sampling activities, and sample data, determination has been made that the soils at the 303-K Storage Facility meet the cleanup performance standards (WMH 1997) and can be clean closed. The evaluation determined …

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.

Vibrational spectra of high-density amorphous ice (hda-ice) for H{sub 2}O and D{sub 2}O samples were measured by inelastic neutron scattering. The measured spectra of hda-ice are closer to those for high-pressure phase ice-VI, but not for low-density ice-Ih. This result suggests that similar to ice-VI the structure of hda-ice should consist of two interpenetrating hydrogen-bonded networks having no hydrogen bonds between themselves.

The time-of-flight small-angle diffractometer SAND has been serving the scientific user community since 1996. One notable feature of SAND is its capability to measure the scattered intensity in a wide Q (4{pi}sin{theta}/{lambda}, where 2{theta} is the scattering angle and {lambda} is the wavelength of the neutrons) range of 0.0035 to 0.5 {angstrom}{sup {minus}1} in a single measurement. The optical alignment system makes it easy to set up the instrument and the sample. The cryogenically cooled MgO filter reduces the fast neutrons over two orders of magnitude, while still transmitting over 70% of the cold neutrons. A drum chopper running at 15 Hz suppresses the delayed neutron background. SAND has a variety of ancillary equipment to control the sample environment. In this paper we describe the features of the SAND instrument, compare its data on a few standard samples with those measured at well established centers in the world, and display two scientific examples which take advantage of measuring data in a wide Q-range in a single measurement. With a new set of tight collimators the Q{sub min} can be lowered to 0.002 {angstrom}{sup {minus}1} and the presently installed high-angle bank of detectors will extend the Q{sub max} to 2 {angstrom}{sup …

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This report presents the background, methodology, and findings of a human factors engineering (HFE) analysis performed in May, 1998, of the Spent Nuclear Fuels (SNF) Project Cold Vacuum Drying Facility (CVDF), to support its Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR), in responding to the requirements of Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5480.23 (DOE 1992a) and drafted to DOE-STD-3009-94 format. This HFE analysis focused on general environment, physical and computer workstations, and handling devices involved in or directly supporting the technical operations of the facility. This report makes no attempt to interpret or evaluate the safety significance of the HFE analysis findings. The HFE findings presented in this report, along with the results of the CVDF PSAR Chapter 3, Hazards and Accident Analyses, provide the technical basis for preparing the CVDF PSAR Chapter 13, Human Factors Engineering, including interpretation and disposition of findings. The findings presented in this report allow the PSAR Chapter 13 to fully respond to HFE requirements established in DOE Order 5480.23. DOE 5480.23, Nuclear Safety Analysis Reports, Section 8b(3)(n) and Attachment 1, Section-M, require that HFE be analyzed in the PSAR for the adequacy of the current design and planned construction for internal and external communications, operational aids, …

The land surface interacts strongly with the atmosphere at all spatial and temporal scales. Therefore, land-surface processes must be represented as accurately as possible in climate models. The investigation conducted under this project was aimed at answering two major questions related to land-surface processes: (1) What are the land-surface characteristics and processes that need to be represented in a climate model? (2) How does one average, in a nonlinear form, land-surface energy fluxes over heterogeneous domain at the scale that is not represented explicitly in the model? Correspondingly, two major tasks were conducted: (1) an evaluation of the relative importance of the various land-surface characteristics based on their impact on the redistribution of energy into turbulent sensible heat flux and turbulent latent heat flux at the ground surface; and (2) an evaluation of the impact of the heterogeneity of these characteristics on land-surface energy and mass fluxes into the atmosphere.

The Gas Characterization System (GCS) design is described for flammable gas monitoring. Tank 241-SY-101 (SY-101) is known to experience periodic tank level increases and decreases during which hydrogen gas is released. It is believed that the generated gases accumulate in the solids-containing layer near the bottom of the tank. Solids and gases are also present in the crust and may be present in the interstitial liquid layer. The accumulation of gases creates a buoyancy that eventually overcomes the density and bonding strength of the bottom layer. When this happens, the gas from the bottom layer is released upward through the liquid layer to the vapor space above the tank crust. Previous monitoring of the vapor space gases during such an event indicates hydrogen release concentrations greater than the lower flammability limit (LFL) of hydrogen in a partial nitrous oxide atmosphere. Tanks 241-AN-105, 241-AW-101, and 241-SY-103 have been identified as having the potential to behave similar to SY-101. These waste tanks have been placed on the flammable gas watch list (FGWL). All waste tanks on the FGWL will have a standard hydrogen monitoring system (SHMS) installed to measure hydrogen. In the event that hydrogen levels exceed 0.75% by volume, additional characterization …

The solar-driven reaction between bromine and steam was studied. The goal was to make hydrobromic acid for hydrogen production and energy storage use via a reversible, high efficiency hydrogen/bromine fuel cell. While the reaction was technically successful and was demonstrated at NREL, it was determined to be uneconomical in today`s economy due to present high capital costs of the solar hardware. In an effort to provide for an interim process that can be utilized to produce hydrogen and store energy until the cost of solar hardware decreases, SRT`s process was modified to include the addition of methane. The new concept entails (i) reaction of bromine with methane and steam to produce hydrogen bromide and carbon dioxide and (ii) electrolysis of the stored hydrogen bromide for production of H{sub 2(g)} and recovery of Br{sub 2(1)}. Electrolyzers are available today for the electrolysis of HBr. In addition, a vendor for a reversible H{sub 2}-Br{sub 2} fuel has been identified. Most components of the envisioned system are commercially available. At present, the reactor needs the most development. In the SRT process, the electrical power required to split water is reduced effectively in half by the production of hydrogen bromide. The SRT concept is …