August report of the U.S. Congressional Oversight Panel describing their activities and findings regarding the global effects of the 2007 financial crisis and the impacts of the U.S. Treasury's Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) on the international economy.

Transcript of a public hearing held by the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq & Afghanistan held July 12, 2010 in Washington D.C.This hearing includes testimony from a panel of Department of Defense witnesses on the Department's manpower planning, strategic planning, and operational planning for operational contract support in contingency operations.

The small column ion exchange (SCIX) process treats low curie salt (LCS) waste before feeding it to the saltstone facility to be made into grout. Through this process, radioactive cesium from the salt solution is absorbed into the CST bed. A CST column loaded with radioactive cesium will generate significant heat from radiolytic decay. If engineering designs of the CST sorption column can not handle this thermal load, hot spots may develop locally within the column and degrade the performance of the ion-exchange process. The CST starts to degrade at about 80 to 85 C, and the CST completely changes to another material above 120 C. In addition, the process solution will boil around 130 C. If the column boiled dry, the sorbent could plug the column and require replacement of the column module. The objective of the present work is to compute temperature distributions across the column as a function of transit time after the initiation of accidents when there is loss of the salt solution flow in the CST column under abnormal conditions of the process operations. In this situation, the customer requested that the calculations should be conservative in that the model results would show the maximum …

What mathematical discovery more than 1500 years ago: (1) Is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, single discovery in the field of mathematics? (2) Involved three subtle ideas that eluded the greatest minds of antiquity, even geniuses such as Archimedes? (3) Was fiercely resisted in Europe for hundreds of years after its discovery? (4) Even today, in historical treatments of mathematics, is often dismissed with scant mention, or else is ascribed to the wrong source? Answer: Our modern system of positional decimal notation with zero, together with the basic arithmetic computational schemes, which were discovered in India about 500 CE.

Summarizes research conducted at Bonneville Dam in 2008 to evaluate a prototype Behavioral Guidance Structure, that was deployed by the US Army Corps of Engineers in an effort to increase survival of outmigrating smolts at Bonneville Dam.

We report the results of a study of multi-muon events produced at the Fermilab Tevatron collider and acquired with the CDF II detector using a dedicated dimuon trigger. The production cross section and kinematics of events in which both muon candidates are produced inside the beam pipe of radius 1.5 cm are successfully modeled by known processes which include heavy flavor production. In contrast, we are presently unable to fully account for the number and properties of the remaining events, in which at least one muon candidate is produced outside of the beam pipe, in terms of the same understanding of the CDF II detector, trigger, and event reconstruction.

Following is a brief summary of the assumptions that are pertinent to the radioactive isotope transport in the GoldSim Performance Assessment model of the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, with special emphasis on the water-phase reactive transport of uranium, which includes depleted uranium products.

The CARES field campaign is motivated by the scientific issues described in the CARES Science Plan. The primary objectives of this field campaign are to investigate the evolution and aging of carbonaceous aerosols and their climate-affecting properties in the urban plume of Sacramento, California, a mid-size, mid-latitude city that is located upwind of a biogenic volatile organic compound (VOC) emission region. Our basic observational strategy is to make comprehensive gas, aerosol, and meteorological measurements upwind, within, and downwind of the urban area with the DOE G-1 aircraft and at strategically located ground sites so as to study the evolution of urban aerosols as they age and mix with biogenic SOA precursors. The NASA B-200 aircraft, equipped with the High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL), digital camera, and the Research Scanning Polarimeter (RSP), will be flown in coordination with the G-1 to characterize the vertical and horizontal distribution of aerosols and aerosol optical properties, and to provide the vertical context for the G-1 and ground in situ measurements.

The impact of carbon contamination on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) masks is significant due to throughput loss and potential effects on imaging performance. Current carbon contamination research primarily focuses on the lifetime of the multilayer surfaces, determined by reflectivity loss and reduced throughput in EUV exposure tools. However, contamination on patterned EUV masks can cause additional effects on absorbing features and the printed images, as well as impacting the efficiency of cleaning process. In this work, several different techniques were used to determine possible contamination topography. Lithographic simulations were also performed and the results compared with the experimental data.

Aerosol indirect effects continue to constitute one of the most important uncertainties for anthropogenic climate perturbations. Within the international AEROCOM initiative, the representation of aerosol-cloud-radiation interactions in ten different general circulation models (GCMs) is evaluated using three satellite datasets. The focus is on stratiform liquid water clouds since most GCMs do not include ice nucleation effects, and none of the model explicitly parameterises aerosol effects on convective clouds. We compute statistical relationships between aerosol optical depth ({tau}{sub a}) and various cloud and radiation quantities in a manner that is consistent between the models and the satellite data. It is found that the model-simulated influence of aerosols on cloud droplet number concentration (N{sub d}) compares relatively well to the satellite data at least over the ocean. The relationship between {tau}{sub a} and liquid water path is simulated much too strongly by the models. This suggests that the implementation of the second aerosol indirect effect mainly in terms of an autoconversion parameterisation has to be revisited in the GCMs. A positive relationship between total cloud fraction (f{sub cld}) and {tau}{sub a} as found in the satellite data is simulated by the majority of the models, albeit less strongly than that in the …

A simple device has been developed to deposit elemental lithium onto plasma facing components in the National Spherical Torus Experiment. Deposition is accomplished by dropping lithium powder into the plasma column. Once introduced, lithium particles quickly become entrained in scrape-off layer flow as an evaporating aerosol. Particles are delivered through a small central aperture in a computer-controlled resonating piezoelectric disk on which the powder is supported. The device has been used to deposit lithium both during discharges as well as prior to plasma breakdown. Clear improvements to plasma performance have been demonstrated. The use of this apparatus provides flexibility in the amount and timing of lithium deposition and, therefore, may benefit future fusion research devices.

Many scientific applications need support from a communication infrastructure that provides predictable performance, which requires effective algorithms for bandwidth reservations. Network reservation systems such as ESnet's OSCARS, establish guaranteed bandwidth of secure virtual circuits for a certain bandwidth and length of time. However, users currently cannot inquire about bandwidth availability, nor have alternative suggestions when reservation requests fail. In general, the number of reservation options is exponential with the number of nodes n, and current reservation commitments. We present a novel approach for path finding in time-dependent networks taking advantage of user-provided parameters of total volume and time constraints, which produces options for earliest completion and shortest duration. The theoretical complexity is only O(n2r2) in the worst-case, where r is the number of reservations in the desired time interval. We have implemented our algorithm and developed efficient methodologies for incorporation into network reservation frameworks. Performance measurements confirm the theoretical predictions.

In this study, multilayer morphology near the key anomalies in grating-like structures, namely sharp step-edges and steep walls, are examined. Different deposition schemes are employed. Based on cross section TEM analysis an explanatory model describing the morphology of the successive layers is developed. A further insight into the periodicity and the general performance of the multilayer is obtained by EUV microscopy. The main distortions in multilayer structure and hence EUV performance are found to be restricted to a region within a few hundred nanometers from the anomalies, which is very small compared to the proposed grating period (50-100 {micro}m). These multilayer coated blazed gratings can thus be considered a viable option for spectral purity enhancement of EUV light sources.

As part of the efforts to develop and implement a comprehensive mercury mitigation strategy for Oak Ridge, the Department of Energy (DOE) is considering deployment of a stannous chloride based treatment technology to decrease the releases of mercury to East Fork Poplar Creek.

This work studies the performance and scalability characteristics of"hybrid'"parallel programming and execution as applied to raycasting volume rendering -- a staple visualization algorithm -- on a large, multi-core platform. Historically, the Message Passing Interface (MPI) has become the de-facto standard for parallel programming and execution on modern parallel systems. As the computing industry trends towards multi-core processors, with four- and six-core chips common today and 128-core chips coming soon, we wish to better understand how algorithmic and parallel programming choices impact performance and scalability on large, distributed-memory multi-core systems. Our findings indicate that the hybrid-parallel implementation, at levels of concurrency ranging from 1,728 to 216,000, performs better, uses a smaller absolute memory footprint, and consumes less communication bandwidth than the traditional, MPI-only implementation.

We have used magnetic transmission X-ray microscopy (M-TXM) to image in-field magnetization configurations of patterned Ni{sub 80}Fe{sub 20} domain wall 'injection pads' and attached planar nanowires. Comparison with micromagnetic simulations suggests that the evolution of magnetic domains in rectangular injection pads depends on the relative orientation of closure domains in the remanent state. The magnetization reversal pathway is also altered by the inclusion of transverse magnetic fields. These different modes explain previous results of domain wall injection into nanowires. Even more striking was the observation of domain walls injecting halfway across the width of wider (>400 nm wide) wires but over wire lengths of several micrometers. These extended Neel walls can interact with adjacent nanowires and cause a switching in the side of the wire undergoing reversal as the domain wall continues to expand.

The EBIS based preinjector for both the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) is now being commissioned at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). In 2008, the RFQ for the project was delivered and commissioned using Test EBIS, which was built to demonstrate the high current EBIS's performance. A dedicated beamline after the RFQ was assembled to confirm the RFQ's performance, and the beam energy was measured by a bending dipole magnet. In November 2009, the RFQ was moved to the final location and the vanes were realigned. The beam commissioning with the RHIC-EBIS was started again during March 2010. The RFQ accelerates ions from 17 keV/u to 300 keV/u and operates at 100.625 MHz. It is followed by a short Medium Energy Beam Transport (MEBT), which consists of four quadrupoles and one buncher cavity. Some temporary diagnostics for this commissioning include an emittance probe, TOF system, fast Faraday cup, and beam current measurement units. As of September 2010, the RFQ and the MEBT show expected performance with He{sup +}, Au{sup 32+} and Fe{sup 20+} beams. Further commissioning for higher intensity beams is in progress.

Recently, the direct-strike lighting environment for the stockpile-to-target sequence was updated [1]. In [1], the severe (1%) lightning current waveforms for first and subsequent return strokes are defined based on Heidler's waveform. This report presents numerical calculations of the spectra of those 1% lightning current waveforms and their first derivatives. First, the 1% lightning current models are repeated here for convenience. Then, the numerical method for calculating the spectra is presented and tested. The test uses a double-exponential waveform and its first derivative, which we fit to the previous 1% direct-strike lighting environment from [2]. Finally, the resulting spectra are given and are compared with those of the double-exponential waveform and its first derivative.

Advances in the ability to generate extremely high pressures in dynamic experiments such as at the National Ignition Facility has motivated the need for special materials optimized for those conditions as well as ways to probe the response of these materials as they are deformed. We need to develop a much deeper understanding of the behavior of materials subjected to high pressure, especially the effect of rate at the extremely high rates encountered in those experiments. Here we use large-scale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the high-rate deformation of nanocrystalline tantalum at pressures less than 100 GPa to investigate the processes associated with plastic deformation for strains up to 100%. We focus on 3D polycrystalline systems with typical grain sizes of 10-20 nm. We also study a rapidly quenched liquid (amorphous solid) tantalum. We apply a constant volume (isochoric), constant temperature (isothermal) shear deformation over a range of strain rates, and compute the resulting stress-strain curves to large strains for both uniaxial and biaxial compression. We study the rate dependence and identify plastic deformation mechanisms. The identification of the mechanisms is facilitated through a novel technique that computes the local grain orientation, returning it as a quaternion for each atom. …

Analyzes of plasma behavior often begin with a description of the ideal magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium, this being the simplest model capable of approximating macroscopic force balance. Ideal force balance is when the pressure gradient is supported by the Lorentz force, ∇p = j x B. We discuss the implications of allowing for a chaotic magnetic field on the solutions to this equation. We argue that the solutions are pathological and not suitable for numerical calculations. If the pressure and magnetic Field are continuous, the only non-trivial solutions have an uncountable infinity of discontinuities in the pressure gradient and current. The problems arise from the arbitrarily small length scales in the structure of the field, and the consequence of ideal force balance that the pressure is constant along the Field-lines, B • ∇p = 0. A simple method to ameliorate the singularities is to include a small but Finite perpendicular diffusion. A self-consistent set of equilibrium equations is described and some algorithmic approaches aimed at solving these equations are discussed.

Much work has already been done on how both the resist and line-edge roughness (LER) on the mask affect the final printed LER. What is poorly understood, however, is the extent to which system-level effects such as mask surface roughness, illumination conditions, and defocus couple to speckle at the image plane, and currently factor into LER limits. Here, we propose a 'rule-of-thumb' simplified solution that provides a fast and powerful method to obtain mask roughness induced LER. We present modeling data on an older generation mask with a roughness of 230 pm as well as the ultimate target roughness of 50 pm. Moreover, we consider feature sizes of 50 nm and 22 nm, and show that as a function of correlation length, the LER peaks at the condition that the correlation length is approximately equal to the resolution of the imaging optic.

The steepest descent method has a rich history and is one of the simplest and best known methods for minimizing a function. While the method is not commonly used in practice due to its slow convergence rate, understanding the convergence properties of this method can lead to a better understanding of many of the more sophisticated optimization methods. Here, we give a short introduction and discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of this method. Some recent results on modified versions of the steepest descent method are also discussed.

Alternative urine bioassay programs are described for application with decontamination and decommissioning activities at the Hanford UO3 Plant. The alternatives are based on quarterly or monthly urine bioassay for recycled uranium, assuming multiple acute inhalation intakes of recycled uranium occurring over a year. The inhalations are assumed to be 5µm AMAD particles of 80% absorption type F and 20% absorption type M. Screening levels, expressed as daily uranium mass excretion rates in urine, and the actions associated with these levels are provided for both quarterly and monthly sampling frequencies.

Shipping package 9975-02130 was examined in K-Area following the identification of a nonconforming condition; the axial gap between the drum flange and upper fiberboard assembly exceeded the maximum allowed value of 1 inch. The average measured axial gap was 1.1 inches. The fiberboard assembly in this package contained moisture levels of {approx}14-24% wood moisture equivalent ({approx}12-19 wt%) This is moderately higher than typically seen in conforming packages, but not as high as seen on most packages which have exceeded the allowed axial gap. Small patches of mold were growing on portions of the lower fiber assembly, but the fiberboard appeared intact and with little apparent change in its integrity. The lead shield had a heavy layer of corrosion product, some of which flaked off easily. The thickness of several flakes was measured, and varied from 0.0016 to 0.0031 inch. However, additional corrosion product remained on the shield under the flaked regions, so the total thickness of corrosion product exceeds 0.0031 inch.