The Maryland Spheromak is a medium size magnetically confined plasma of toroidal shape. Low T{sub e} and higher n{sub e} than expected contribute to produce a radiation dominated short-lived spheromak configuration. A pyroelectric radiation detector and a VUV spectrometer have been used for space and time-resolved measurements of radiated power and impurity line emission. Results from the bolometry and VUV spectroscopy diagnostics have been combined to give the absolute concentrations of the major impurity species together with the electron temperature. The large amount of oxygen and nitrogen ions in the plasma very early in the discharge is seen to be directly responsible for the abnormally high electron density. The dominant power loss mechanisms are found to be radiation (from impurity line emission) and electron convection to the end walls during the formation phase of the spheromak configuration, and radiation only during the decay phase.

This thesis consists of two independent parts; development of Cherenkov Ring Imaging Detector (CRID) system and analysis of high-statistics data of strange meson reactions from the LASS spectrometer. Part 1: The CRID system is devoted to charged particle identification in the SLAC Large Detector (SLD) to study e{sup +}e{sup {minus}} collisions at {radical}s = m{sub Z{sup 0}}. By measuring the angles of emission of the Cherenkov photons inside liquid and gaseous radiators, {pi}/K/p separation will be achieved up to {approximately}30 GeV/c. The signals from CRID are read in three coordinates, one of which is measured by charge-division technique. To obtain a {approximately}1% spatial resolution in the charge-division, low-noise CRID preamplifier prototypes were developed and tested resulting in <1000 electrons noise for an average photoelectron signal with 2 {times} 10{sup 5} gain. To help ensure the long-term stability of CRID operation at high efficiency, a comprehensive monitoring and control system was developed. Part 2: Results from the partial wave analysis of strange meson final states in the reactions K{sup {minus}}p {yields} K{sup {minus}}{omega}p and K{sup {minus}}p {yields} {bar K}{sup 0}{phi}n are presented. The analyses are based on data from a 4.1 event/nb exposure of the LASS spectrometer in K{sup {minus}}p interactions …

Collective Thomson scattering from ion-acoustic waves at 266nm is used to obtain spatially resolved, two-dimensional electron density, sound speed, and radial drift profiles of a collisional laser plasma. An ultraviolet diagnostic wavelength minimizes the complicating effects of inverse bremsstrahlung and refractive turning in the coronal region of interest, where the electron densities approach n{sub c}/10. Laser plasmas of this type are important because they model some of the aspects of the plasmas found in high-gain laser-fusion pellets irradiated by long pulse widths where the laser light is absorbed mostly in the corona. The experimental results and LASNEX simulations agree within a percent standard deviation of 40% for the electron density and 50% for the sound speed and radial drift velocity. Thus it is shown that the hydrodynamics equations with classical coefficients and the numerical approximations in LASNEX are valid models of laser-heated, highly collisional plasmas. The versatility of Thomson scattering is expanded upon by extending existing theory with a Fokker-Planck based model to include plasmas that are characterized by (0 {le} k{sub ia}{lambda}{sub ii} {le} {infinity}) and ZT{sub e}/T{sub i}, where k{sub ia} is the ion- acoustic wave number, {lambda}{sub ii} is the ion-ion mean free path, Z is the …

Despite the apparent simplicity of controlled fusion, there are many phenomena which have prevented its achievement. One phenomenon is laser-plasma instabilities. An investigation of one such instability, stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS), is reported here. SBS is a parametric process whereby an electromagnetic wave (the parent wave) decays into another electromagnetic wave and an ion acoustic wave (the daughter waves). SBS impedes controlled fusion since it can scatter much or all of the incident laser light, resulting in poor drive symmetry and inefficient laser-plasma coupling. It is widely believed that SBS becomes convectively unstable--that is, it grows as it traverses the plasma. Though it has yet to be definitively tested, convective theory is often invoked to explain experimental observations, even when one or more of the theory`s assumptions are violated. In contrast, the experiments reported here not only obeyed the assumptions of the theory, but were also conducted in plasmas with peak densities well below quarter-critical density. This prevented other competing or coexisting phenomena from occurring, thereby providing clearly interpretable results. These are the first SBS experiments that were designed to be both a clear test of linear convective theory and pertinent to controlled fusion research. A crucial part of this …

A low jitter metal to metal contact solid dielectric switch was designed and tested. A metal to metal contact solid dielectric switch with a jitter of less than 25 ns is required for the 150 kJ experiment. Since this is one fourth the 100 ns jitter reported using exploding bridge foil (EBF) triggers, experiments to optimize this trigger were performed. A jitter of 25 ns was achieved using the EBF trigger and it was also achieved using a new type of trigger called the magnetic push trigger. This trigger uses the magnetic force between the two plates of a parallel plate transmission line to push the dielectric. It was found to be better than the EBF trigger because it was easier to design, easier to implement and did less damage to switch components.

The objective of this research is to provide a better understanding of future Chinese energy development and CO{sub 2} emissions from burning fossil fuels. This study examines the current Chinese energy system, estimates CO{sub 2} emissions from burning fossil fuels and projects future energy use and resulting CO{sub 2} emissions up to the year of 2050. Based on the results of the study, development strategies are proposed and policy implications are explored. This study first develops a Base scenario projection of the Chinese energy development based upon a sectoral analysis. The Base scenario represents a likely situation of future development, but many alternatives are possible. To explore this range of alternatives, a systematic uncertainty analysis is performed. The Base scenario also represents an extrapolation of current policies and social and economic trends. As such, it is not necessarily the economically optimal future course for Chinese energy development. To explore this issue, an optimization analysis is performed. For further understanding of developing Chinese energy system and reducing CO{sub 2} emissions, a Chinese energy system model with 84 supply and demand technologies has been constructed in MARKAL, a computer LP optimization program for energy systems. Using this model, various technological options and …

Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors are used to study a variety of atomic particles. Polycarbonate SSNTD is used to study environmental concentrations of {sup 235}U and {sup 239}Pu in human urine and feces through fission track analysis. The samples of interest are deposited upon a Lexan slide, covered with a piece of Makrofol and exposed to a neutron fluence of 1.1 X 10{sup 17}. The fissile isotopes in the sample fission and the resulting fission fragments pass through either the surface of the Lexan or the surface of the Makrofol. The positive Coulombic attraction of the ionized fission fragments causes the electrons of the polycarbonate lattice to move towards the path of these particles, resulting in the breakage of chemical bonds in the lattice. The detector is then chemically etched in 6.5 N KOH that preferentially dissolves the damaged polycarbonate left in the path of the fission fragment. The chemically etched fission tracks are permanent records of the path of the fission fragment. The etched fission tracks in Lexan are optically counted using a microscope and the fission tracks in Makrofol are counted using a Spark Chamber. The amount of fissile material in the original sample can be calculated from …

In 1988 Nielsen started work to measure the spatial variability of the mass flux vector being transported in a porous medium. To measure the spatial variability of the mass flux vector, the spatial variability of its components(velocity, concentration) must be measured. Nielsen was successful in measuring the pore level concentration at many different pores and in verifying the assumption that a nonuniform concentration field exists within the mixing zone between two miscible fluids. However, Nielsen was unable to conduct the necessary pore level velocity measurements needed. Nielsen`s work is being continued and a probe is being developed that will measure both velocity and concentration components at pore level. The probe is essentially the same probe used to make the pore level concentration measurements with added capabilities needed to make the velocity measurements. This probe has several design variables, dealing primarily with the velocity component, that need further investigation. The research presented in this thesis investigates these parameters by performing experiments in a capillary tube. The tube is a controlled system where the velocity of the fluid can be determined from the volumetric flow rate using Poiseuille`s solution for viscous flow. Also, a statistically based relationship between the velocity measured with …

The perturbed particle transport coefficients were determined for a range of plasma conditions in the Alcator C tokamak, a component of the Microwave Tokamak Experiment (MTX), from analysis of density perturbations created in gas modulation experiments. Density measurements from a 15 chord far-infrared interferometer were sufficiently detailed to allow radial profiles of the transport coefficients to be resolved. Gas modulation experiments were carried out on plasmas over a range of relatively low currents and a wide variety of line-averaged densities, including values near the Greenwald density limit. With this technique the perturbed diffusion coefficient D and the perturbed convection velocity V can be determined simultaneously. Measured profiles of D rise toward the outside of the plasma column in a manner generally similar to those determined previously for {chi}{sub e,HP} from sawtooth heat pulse propagation. Values of D are typically smaller than those of {chi}{sub e,HP} given for the same line-averaged densities by a factor of 2-5. Diffusion coefficients from a series of discharges at constant current showed little variation with density through most of the saturated ohmic confinement regime. At the Greenwald density limit threshold a dramatic increase occurred in both the perturbed convective and diffusive transport coefficients in the …

The development of a versatile picosecond ultraviolet/vacuum ultraviolet temporal spectrometer and its potential use for measuring internal energy redistribution in isolated molecules are described in detail. A detailed description of the double-pass Nd:YAG amplifier and the dye amplifiers is given with the pulse energies achieved in the visible, ultraviolet, and vacuum ultraviolet. The amplified visible pulses are shown to be of sub-picosecond duration and near transform limited. The instrument`s temporal response ({le}10 ps) is derived from an instrument limited measurement of the dissociation lifetime of methyl iodide at 266 nm. The methyl iodide experiment is used to discuss the various sources of noise and background signals that are intrinsic to this type of experiment. Non-time-resolved experiments measuring the branching ratio and kinetic energy distributions of products from the 193 nm photodissociation of cyclopentadiene and thiophene are presented. These studies were done using the molecular beam Photofragment Translational Spectroscopy (PTS) technique. The results from the cyclopentadiene experiment confirm that H atom elimination to yield the cyclopentadienyl radical is the dominant dissociation channel. A barrier of {ge}5 kcal/mol can be understood in terms of the delocalization of the radical electron of the cyclopentadienyl fragment. A concerted elimination yielding cyclopropene and acetylene was …

The dynamics of several elementary chemical reactions that are important in atmospheric chemistry are investigated. The reactive scattering of ground state chlorine or bromine atoms with ozone molecules and ground state chlorine atoms with nitrogen dioxide molecules is studied using a crossed molecular beams apparatus with a rotatable mass spectrometer detector. The Cl + O{sub 3} {yields} ClO + O{sub 2} reaction has been studied at four collision energies ranging from 6 kcal/mole to 32 kcal/mole. The derived product center-of-mass angular and translational energy distributions show that the reaction has a direct reaction mechanism and that there is a strong repulsion on the exit channel. The ClO product is sideways and forward scattered with respect to the Cl atom, and the translational energy release is large. The Cl atom is most likely to attack the terminal oxygen atom of the ozone molecule. The Br + O{sub 3} {yields} ClO + O{sub 2} reaction has been studied at five collision energies ranging from 5 kcal/mole to 26 kcal/mole. The derived product center-of-mass angular and translational energy distributions are quite similar to those in the Cl + O{sub 3} reaction. The Br + O{sub 3} reaction has a direct reaction mechanism similar …

This thesis solves the problem of finding the optimal linear noise-reduction filter for linear tomographic image reconstruction. The optimization is data dependent and results in minimizing the mean-square error of the reconstructed image. The error is defined as the difference between the result and the best possible reconstruction. Applications for the optimal filter include reconstructions of positron emission tomographic (PET), X-ray computed tomographic, single-photon emission tomographic, and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. Using high resolution PET as an example, the optimal filter is derived and presented for the convolution backprojection, Moore-Penrose pseudoinverse, and the natural-pixel basis set reconstruction methods. Simulations and experimental results are presented for the convolution backprojection method.

This thesis reports a study of the mechanism of electromigration failure in Al-2Cu-1Si thin-film conducting lines on Si. Samples were patterned from 0.5 {mu}m thick vapor-deposited films with various mean grain sizes (G), and had lines widths (W) of 1.3, 2, 4 and 6 {mu}m. The lines were aged at various conditions to change the Cu-precipitate distribution and were tested to failure at T = 225{degrees}C and j = 2.5 {times} 10{sup 6} A/cm{sup 2}. Some samples were tested over a range of substrate temperatures, current densities and current reversal times. Aging produces an initially dense distribution of metastable {Theta}{prime} (Al{sub 2}Cu; coherent) in the grain interiors, with stable {Theta} (Al{sub 2}Cu; incoherent) at the grain boundaries. The intragranular {theta}{prime} is gradually absorbed into the grain boundary precipitates. In the wide lines the mean time to failure increases slowly and monotonically with pre-aging time and current reversal time. The failure mode is the formation and coalescence of voids that form on grain boundaries with an apparent activation energy of 0.65 eV. In the narrow lines, the lines failed by a transgranular-slit mechanism with an activation energy near 0.93 eV. The distribution of the polygranular segments and the kinetics of failure …

When an important compound`s discovery dates back as far as 1825, one would imagine that every facet of its chemical and physical properties has been illuminated in the meantime. Benzene, however, has not ceased to challenge the chemist`s notion of structure and bonding since its first isolation by Michael Faraday. This report is divided into the following six chapters: 1. Aromaticity -- Criteria, manifestations, structural limitations; 2. The role of delocalization in benzene; 3. The thermochemical properties of benzocyclobutadienologs; 4. Ab initio study of benzenes fused to four-membered rings; 5. Non-planar polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; and 6. Experimental details and input decks. 210 Refs.

The role of the L{sub cm} (I), {beta}{sup 18} (II), and {alpha}{sup AP-B} (III) chromoproteins in the phycobilisome (PBS) core was investigated using genetically engineered strains of Synechococcus missing different polypeptides. Intact cells, isolated PBS, and subcore preparations for each mutant were studied to determine the effect of that mutation on energy transfer within the PBS core and to the reaction centers. Three mutants lacked the II and/or III polypeptides, while the I chromophore was altered in others. A lower energy absorbing chromophore, A{sub max} = 695 nm, was substituted for the I chromophore. The deletion of the II and III subunits had no discernible effect on energy transfer from the PBS to PSII. In cells and isolated PBS, the altered I chromophore acts to quench the PBS complex and to redirect the energy which would be transferred to PSII. In the PBS and subcore preparations, deletion of the III subunit did not alter energy transfer within the core. The deletion of the II subunit from the PBS caused a small decrease in the excited state lifetimes of the final emitters indicating more disorder within the core. The I chromophore was found to absorb at 670nm and to emit at …

In the past multiple-quantum filtered imaging of biexponential relaxation sodium-23 nuclei in the human brain has been limited by low signal to noise ratios; this thesis demonstrates that such imaging is feasible when using a modified gradient-selected triple-quantum filter at a repetition time which maximizes the signal to noise ratio. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of biexponential relaxation sodium-23 ({sup 23}Na) nuclei in the human brain may be useful for detecting ischemia, cancer, and pathophysiology related to manic-depression. Conventional single-quantum NMR imaging of in vivo biexponential relaxation {sup 23}Na signals is complicated by the presence of single-exponential relaxation {sup 23}Na signals. Multiple-quantum filters may be used to selectively image biexponential relaxation {sup 23}Na signals since these filters suppress single-exponential relaxation {sup 23}Na signals. In this thesis, the typical repetition times (200--300 ms) used for in vivo multiple-quantum filtered {sup 23}Na experiments are shown to be approximately 5 times greater than the optimal repetition time which maximizes multiple-quantum filtered SNR. Calculations and experimental verification show that the gradient-selected triple-quantum (GS3Q) filtered SNR for {sup 23}Na in a 4% agarose gel increases by a factor of two as the repetition time decreases from 300 ms to 55 ms. The measured relaxation times of …

Compounds (RC{sub 5}H{sub 4}){sub 3}U(t-Bu) were prepared for R = H, Me, Et. Their decomposition products in aromatic solvents are consistent with a radical decomposition pathway induced by solvent-assisted U-C bond homolysis. NMR was used to study the reactions of (RC{sub 5}H{sub 4}){sub 3}UCl with t-BuLi (R = t-Bu, Me{sub 3}Si). Reactions of (MeC{sub 5}H{sub 4}){sub 3}U(t-Bu) with Lewis bases and fluorocarbons were studied. Analogous reaction chemistry between (RC{sub 5}H{sub 4}){sub 3}ThX systems and t-BuLi was also studied, and reactivity differences between U and Th are discussed. Synthesis of sterically crowded (RC{sub 5}H{sub 4}){sub 4}U compounds is next considered. Reaction of the trivalent (RC{sub 5}H{sub 4}){sub 3}U with (RC{sub 5}H{sub 4}){sub 2}Hg results in formation of (RC{sub 5}H{sub 4}){sub 4}U. Steric congestion, cyclopentadienyl ligand exchange, and electron transfer are discussed. (DLC)

Theoretical electronic structure techniques are used to analyze widely different systems from Si clusters to transition metal solids and surfaces. For the Si clusters, first principles density functional methods are used to investigate Si{sub N} for N=2-8. Goal is to understand the different types of bonding that can occur in such small clusters where the atomic coordination differs substantially from tetrahedral bonding; such uncoordinated structures can test approximate models of Si surfaces. For the transition metal systems, non-self-consistent electronic structure methods are used to understand the driving force for surface relaxations. In-depth analysis of results is presented and physical basis of surface relaxation within the theory is discussed. Limitations inherent in calculations of metal surface relaxation are addressed. Finally, in an effort to understand approximate methods, a novel non-self- consistent density functional electronic structure method is developed that is about 1000 times faster than more sophisticated methods; this method is tested for various systems including diatomics, mixed clusters, surfaces, and bulk lattices.

The development of probability of detection (POD) models for a variety of nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods is motivated by a desire to quantify the variability introduced during the process of testing. Sources of variability involved in eddy current methods of NDE include those caused by variations in liftoff, material properties, probe canting angle, scan format, surface roughness and measurement noise. This thesis presents a comprehensive POD model for eddy current NDE. Eddy current methods of nondestructive testing are used widely in industry to inspect a variety of nonferromagnetic and ferromagnetic materials. The development of a comprehensive POD model is therefore of significant importance. The model incorporates several sources of variability characterized by a multivariate Gaussian distribution and employs finite element analysis to predict the signal distribution. The method of mixtures is then used for estimating optimal threshold values. The research demonstrates the use of a finite element model within a probabilistic framework to the spread in the measured signal for eddy current nondestructive methods. Using the signal distributions for various flaw sizes the POD curves for varying defect parameters have been computed. In contrast to experimental POD models, the cost of generating such curves is very low and complex defect …

Our approach involves on-axis illumination of the compounds inside the capillary detection region and is applied to absorbance and fluorescence detection. Absorbance measurements were made by focussing an incident laser beam into one capillary end; by using signals collected over the entire length of analyte band, this enhances the analytical path length of conventional absorbance detection 60x. This instrument offers a 15x improvement in detection limits. Three fluorescence detection experiments are discussed, all of which involve insertion of an optical fiber into capillary. The first uses a high refractive index liquid phase to obtain total internal reflectance along capillary axis, this reducing light scatter. The second uses a charge-coupled device camera for simultaneous imaging of a capillary array (this may be useful in genome sequencing, etc.). The third is a study of fluid motion inside the capillary under pressure-driven and electroosmotic flow. The thesis is divided into four parts. Figs, tabs.

The decay of hot nuclei formed in the reactions {sup 139}La + {sup 27}Al, {sup 51}V, {sup nat}Cu, and {sup 139}La were studied by the coincident detection of up to four complex fragments (Z > 3) emitted in these reactions. Fragments were characterized as to their atomic number, energy and in- and out-of-plane angles. The probability of the decay by an event of a given complex fragment multiplicity as a function of excitation energy per nucleon of the source is nearly independent of the system studied. Additionally, there is no large increase in the proportion of multiple fragment events as the excitation energy of the source increases past 5 MeV/nucleon. This is at odds with many prompt multifragmentation models of nuclear decay. The reactions {sup 139}La + {sup 27}Al, {sup 51}V, {sup nat}Cu were also studied by combining a dynamical model calculation that simulates the early stages of nuclear reactions with a statistical model calculation for the latter stages of the reactions. For the reaction {sup 139}La + {sup 27}Al, these calculations reproduced many of the experimental features, but other features were not reproduced. For the reaction {sup 139}La + {sup 51}V, the calculation failed to reproduce somewhat more of …

A new diagnostic device, the Omegatron Probe, has been developed to investigate relative impurity levels and impurity charge state distribution in the Alcator C-Mod Tokamak edge plasma. The Omegatron probe consists of two principal components, a ``front-end`` of independently biased grids, arranged in a gridded energy analyzer fashion and a large collection cavity. Particles enter the probe in a thin ``ribbon`` through a knife-edge slit. The grids provide a means to measure and control the parallel energy distribution of the ions. In the collection cavity, an oscillating electric field is applied perpendicularly to the ambient magnetic field. Ions whose cyclotron frequencies are resonant with this electric field oscillation will gain perpendicular energy and be collected. In this way, the probe can be operated in two modes: first, by fixing the potentials on the grids and sweeping frequencies to obtain a `` Z/m spectrum`` of ion species and second, by fixing the frequency and sweeping the grid potentials to obtain the distribution function of an individual impurity species. The Omegatron probe performed successfully in tests on a Hollow Cathode Discharge (HCD) linear plasma column. It obtained measurements of T{sub e} {approx} 5 eV, T{sub i} (H{sup +}) {approx} 2.0 {plus_minus} 0.2 …

The performance of high speed computers depends not only on IC chips, but also on the signal propagation speed between these chips. The signal propagation delay in a computer is determined by the dielectric constant of the substrate material to which the IC chips are attached. In this study, a ceramic substrate with a low dielectric constant (k {approx} 5.0) has been developed. When compared with the traditional alumina substrate (k {approx} 10.0), the new material corresponds to a 37% decrease in the signal propagation delay. Glass hollow spheres are used to introduce porosity (k = 1.0) to the alumina matrix in a controlled manner. A surface coating technique via heterogeneous nucleation in aqueous solution has been used to improve the high temperature stability of these spheres. After sintering at 1,400 C, isolated spherical pores are uniformly distributed in the almost fully dense alumina matrix; negligible amounts of matrix defects can be seen. All pores are isolated from each other. Detailed analyses of the chemical composition find that the sintered sample consists of {alpha}-alumina, mullite and residual glass. Mullite is the chemical reaction product of alumina and the glass spheres. Residual glass exists because current firing conditions do not complete …

Three solid phases are involved in the phase equilibria of the intermetallic compound Ni{sub 3}Al near its melting point, {beta}, {gamma}{prime}(Ni{sub 3}Al), and {gamma}. The generally-accepted phase diagram involves a eutectic reaction between {beta}{prime} and {gamma}, but some recent studies agree with an older diagram due to Schramm, which has a eutectic reaction between the {beta} and {gamma}{prime} phases. The phase equilibria near Ni{sub 3}Al compositions was evaluated using quenched directional solidification experiments, that preserve the microstructures tonned at the solidification front, and using diffusion couple experiments. These experiments show that eutectic forms between {beta} and {gamma}{prime} phases, as in the Schramm diagram. Growth and phase transformations of these three phases are also studied in the directional solidification experiments. Microstructure analysis shows that etching of Ni{sub 3}Al({gamma}{prime}) is very sensitive to small composition variations and crystallographic orientation changes. The eutectic solidification study confirms that the equilibrium eutectic is {gamma}{prime}+{beta}, and that the metastable {gamma}+{beta} eutectic might be also produced in this system according to the impurities, solidification rates, and composition variations.