This report provides an update on the evaluation of sodium compatibility of advanced structural materials. The report is a deliverable (level 3) in FY11 (M3A11AN04030403), under the Work Package A-11AN040304, 'Sodium Compatibility of Advanced Structural Materials' performed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), as part of Advanced Structural Materials Program for the Advanced Reactor Concepts. This work package supports the advanced structural materials development by providing corrosion and tensile data from the standpoint of sodium compatibility of advanced structural alloys. The scope of work involves exposure of advanced structural alloys such as G92, mod.9Cr-1Mo (G91) ferritic-martensitic steels and HT-UPS austenitic stainless steels to a flowing sodium environment with controlled impurity concentrations. The exposed specimens are analyzed for their corrosion performance, microstructural changes, and tensile behavior. Previous reports examined the thermodynamic and kinetic factors involved in the purity of liquid sodium coolant for sodium reactor applications as well as the design, fabrication, and construction of a forced convection sodium loop for sodium compatibility studies of advanced materials. This report presents the results on corrosion performance, microstructure, and tensile properties of advanced ferritic-martensitic and austenitic alloys exposed to liquid sodium at 550 C for up to 2700 h and at 650 C for …

We present a search for the radiative leptonic decays B{sub +} {yields} e{sup +} {nu}{sub e}{gamma} and B{sup +} {yields} {mu}{sup +}{nu}{sub {mu}}{gamma} using data collected by the BABAR detector at the PEP-II B factory. We fully reconstruct the hadronic decay of one of the B mesons in {Upsilon}(4S) {yields} B{sup +}B{sup -} and then search for evidence of the signal decay within the rest of the event. This method provides clean kinematic information on the signal's missing energy and high momentum photon and lepton, and allows for a model-independent analysis of this decay. Using a data sample of 465 million B-meson pairs, we obtain sensitivity to branching fractions of the same order as predicted by the Standard Model. We report a model-independent branching fraction upper limit of {Beta}(B{sup +} {yields} {ell}{sup +}{nu}{sub {ell}}{gamma}) < 15.6 x 10{sup -6} ({ell} = e or {mu}) at the 90% confidence level.

The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and computational structural mechanics (CSM) focus areas at Argonne's Transportation Research and Analysis Computing Center (TRACC) initiated a project to support and compliment the experimental programs at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) with high performance computing based analysis capabilities in August 2010. The project was established with a new interagency agreement between the Department of Energy and the Department of Transportation to provide collaborative research, development, and benchmarking of advanced three-dimensional computational mechanics analysis methods to the aerodynamics and hydraulics laboratories at TFHRC for a period of five years, beginning in October 2010. The analysis methods employ well-benchmarked and supported commercial computational mechanics software. Computational mechanics encompasses the areas of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Computational Wind Engineering (CWE), Computational Structural Mechanics (CSM), and Computational Multiphysics Mechanics (CMM) applied in Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) problems. The major areas of focus of the project are wind and water effects on bridges - superstructure, deck, cables, and substructure (including soil), primarily during storms and flood events - and the risks that these loads pose to structural failure. For flood events at bridges, another major focus of the work is assessment of the risk to bridges caused by scour …

This report is on Churches and Campaign Activity: Analysis Under Tax and Campaign Finance Laws.

This report presents estimates of health insurance coverage of children under age 19 in the United States.

We present the most recent searches for lepton-flavor-violating (LFV) {tau} decays in BABAR. We find no evidence of {tau} decaying to three charged leptons or to a charged lepton and a neutral meson (K{sub S}{sup 0}, {rho}, {phi}, K*{sup 0}, {bar K}*{sup 0}), and set upper limits on the corresponding branching fractions (BF) between 1.8 and 19 x 10{sup -8} at 90% confidence level (CL).

An X-band test station is being developed at LLNL to investigate accelerator optimization for future upgrades to mono-energetic gamma-ray technology at LLNL. The test station will consist of a 5.5 cell X-band rf photoinjector, single accelerator section, and beam diagnostics. Of critical import to the functioning of the LLNL X-band system with multiple electron bunches is the performance of the photoinjector. In depth modeling of the Mark 1 LLNL/SLAC X-band rf photoinjector performance will be presented addressing important challenges that must be addressed in order to fabricate a multi-bunch Mark 2 photoinjector. Emittance performance is evaluated under different nominal electron bunch parameters using electrostatic codes such as PARMELA. Wake potential is analyzed using electromagnetic time domain simulations using the ACE3P code T3P. Plans for multi-bunch experiments and implementation of photoinjector advances for the Mark 2 design will also be discussed.

This report provides information concerning EPA's Maximum Achievable Control Technology standards for boilers (the Boiler MACT), an EPA rule designed to reduced emissions of hazardous air pollutants.

Project Objective: The overarching objective of the Montana Palladium Research Initiative is to perform scientific research on the properties and uses of palladium in the context of the U.S. Department of Energy'™s Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Infrastructure Technologies Program. The purpose of the research will be to explore possible palladium as an alternative to platinum in hydrogen-economy applications. To achieve this objective, the Initiatives activities will focus on several cutting-edge research approaches across a range of disciplines, including metallurgy, biomimetics, instrumentation development, and systems analysis. Background: Platinum-group elements (PGEs) play significant roles in processing hydrogen, an element that shows high potential to address this need in the U.S. and the world for inexpensive, reliable, clean energy. Platinum, however, is a very expensive component of current and planned systems, so less-expensive alternatives that have similar physical properties are being sought. To this end, several tasks have been defined under the rubric of the Montana Palladium Research Iniative. This broad swath of activities will allow progress on several fronts. The membrane-related activities of Task 1 employs state-of-the-art and leading-edge technologies to develop new, ceramic-substrate metallic membranes for the production of high-purity hydrogen, and develop techniques for the production of thin, defect-free platinum …

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This report documents the results of work done over a 6 year period under the FAST-OS programs. The first effort was called Right-Weight Kernels, (RWK) and was concerned with improving measurements of OS noise so it could be treated quantitatively; and evaluating the use of two operating systems, Linux and Plan 9, on HPC systems and determining how these operating systems needed to be extended or changed for HPC, while still retaining their general-purpose nature. The second program, HARE, explored the creation of alternative runtime models, building on RWK. All of the HARE work was done on Plan 9. The HARE researchers were mindful of the very good Linux and LWK work being done at other labs and saw no need to recreate it. Even given this limited funding, the two efforts had outsized impact: _ Helped Cray decide to use Linux, instead of a custom kernel, and provided the tools needed to make Linux perform well _ Created a successor operating system to Plan 9, NIX, which has been taken in by Bell Labs for further development _ Created a standard system measurement tool, Fixed Time Quantum or FTQ, which is widely used for measuring operating systems impact on …

It is generally conceded that the costs associated with current practices for the mooring, anchoring, or foundation systems of Marine HydroKinetic (MHK) and Deepwater Floating Wind systems are a disproportionate portion of the total cost of an installed system. Reducing the cost of the mooring and anchoring components for MHK systems can contribute substantially to reducing the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). Micropile anchors can reduce the LCOE both directly, because the anchors, associated mooring hardware and installation costs are less than conventional anchor and mooring systems, but also because micropile anchors require less extensive geotechnical surveys for confident design and proper implementation of an anchor or foundation system. This report presents the results of the development of critical elements of grouted marine micropile anchor (MMA) technology for application to MHK energy conversion systems and other ocean engineering applications that require fixing equipment to the seafloor. Specifically, this project identified grout formulations and developed designs for grout dispensing systems suitable for use in a seawater environment as a critical development need for successful implementation of practical MMA systems. The project conducted a thorough review of available information on the use of cement-based grouts in seawater. Based on this review and …

The research supported by this OJI award is in the area of heavy quark and quarkonium production, especially the application Soft-Collinear E#11;ective Theory (SCET) to the hadronic production of quarkonia. SCET is an e#11;ffective theory which allows one to derive factorization theorems and perform all order resummations for QCD processes. Factorization theorems allow one to separate the various scales entering a QCD process, and in particular, separate perturbative scales from nonperturbative scales. The perturbative physics can then be calculated using QCD perturbation theory. Universal functions with precise fi#12;eld theoretic de#12;nitions describe the nonperturbative physics. In addition, higher order perturbative QCD corrections that are enhanced by large logarithms can be resummed using the renormalization group equations of SCET. The applies SCET to the physics of heavy quarks, heavy quarkonium, and similar particles.

This report summarizes the President's budget estimates for each section of the CMS budget. Then, for each legislative proposal included in the President's budget, this report provides a description of current law and the President's proposal. The explanations of the President's legislative proposals are grouped by the following program areas: Medicare, Medicaid, program integrity, and health insurance programs.

Several charmonium-like states above D{bar D} threshold have been discovered at the Belle and BABAR B-factories. Some of these states are produced via Initial State Radiation (e.g. Y(4260) and Y(4350)), and some are observed in B-meson decays (e.g. X(3872), and Y(3940)). The Belle observations of the enhancements in the {Psi}(2S){pi}{sup -} and {chi}{sub cl}{pi}{sup -}, i.e. the Z(4430){sup -}, Z{sub 1}(4050){sup -}, and Z{sub 2}(4250){sup -}, have generated a great deal of interest, because such states must have minimum quark content (c{bar c}d{bar u}), i.e. these are four-quark states. The BABAR Collaboration does not confirm the existence of the Z(4430){sup -}.

SRS recently completed an approximately three year effort to decommission two SRS reactors: P-Reactor (Building 105-P) and R-Reactor (Building 105-R). Completed in December 2011, the concurrent decommissionings marked the completion of two relatively complex and difficult facility disposition projects at the SRS. Buildings 105-P and 105-R began operating as production reactors in the early 1950s with the mission of producing weapons material (e.g., tritium and plutonium-239). The 'P' Reactor and was shutdown in 1991 while the 'R' Reactor and was shutdown in 1964. In the intervening period between shutdown and deactivation & decommissioning (D&D), Buildings 105-P and 105-R saw limited use (e.g., storage of excess heavy water and depleted uranium oxide). For Building 105-P, deactivation was initiated in April 2007 and was essentially complete by June 2010. For Building 105-R, deactivation was initiated in August 2008 and was essentially complete by September 2010. For both buildings, the primary objective of deactivation was to remove/mitigate hazards associated with the remaining hazardous materials, and thus prepare the buildings for in-situ decommissioning. Deactivation removed the following hazardous materials to the extent practical: combustibles/flammables, residual heavy water, acids, friable asbestos (as needed to protect workers performing deactivation and decommissioning), miscellaneous chemicals, lead/brass components, Freon(reg …

The Small Gram Quantity (SGQ) concept is based on the understanding that small amounts of hazardous materials, in this case radioactive materials (RAM), are significantly less hazardous than large amounts of the same materials. This paper describes a methodology designed to estimate an SGQ for several neutron and gamma emitting isotopes that can be shipped in a package compliant with 10 CFR Part 71 external radiation level limits regulations. These regulations require packaging for the shipment of radioactive materials, under both normal and accident conditions, to perform the essential functions of material containment, subcriticality, and maintain external radiation levels within the specified limits. By placing the contents in a helium leak-tight containment vessel, and limiting the mass to ensure subcriticality, the first two essential functions are readily met. Some isotopes emit sufficiently strong photon radiation that small amounts of material can yield a large dose rate outside the package. Quantifying the dose rate for a proposed content is a challenging issue for the SGQ approach. It is essential to quantify external radiation levels from several common gamma and neutron sources that can be safely placed in a specific packaging, to ensure compliance with federal regulations. The Packaging Certification Program (PCP) …

This report looks at how Article V of the Constitution allows Congress to propose amendments, specifically the process of organizing an Article V Convention, a method which has never been used and which is only breifly outlined in the Constitution.

The goal of this project is to develop a low-cost and low-energy technology for production of photovoltaic devices based on InGaN materials. This project builds on the ongoing development by Structured Materials Industries (SMI), of novel thin film deposition technology for Group III-Nitride materials, which is capable of depositing Group-III nitride materials at significantly lower costs and significantly lower energy usage compared to conventional deposition techniques. During this project, SMI demonstrated deposition of GaN and InGaN films using metalorganic sources, and demonstrated compatibility of the process with standard substrate materials and hardware components.

CVN-78, CVN-79, and CVN-80 are the first three ships in the Navy's new Gerald R. Ford (CVN- 78) class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers (CVNs). This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the CVN-78 program.

This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Navy's proposal to homeport a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier (CVN) at Mayport, FL. Transferring a CVN from Norfolk, VA, to Mayport would shift from Norfolk to Mayport the local economic activity associated with homeporting a CVN, which some sources estimate as being worth hundreds of millions of dollars per year.

This report provides background information and oversight issues for Congress on the Virginia class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) program. The two Virginia-class boats requested for procurement in FY2013 are the final two in a group of eight covered by a multiyear procurement (MYP) arrangement for the period FY2009-FY2013. Issues for Congress include whether or not to approve the MYP arrangement request, whether to restore procurement of a second Virginia-class boat in FY2014, and the Virginia-class procurement rate in general.

The Junior Investigator grant 'Structure of Rare Isotopes' (DE-FG02-07ER41529) supported research in low-energy nuclear theory from September 1, 2007 to August 31, 2010. It was the main goal of the proposed research to develop and optimize an occupation-number-based energy functional for the computation of nuclear masses, and this aim has been reached. Furthermore, progress was made in linking two and three-body forces from low-momentum interactions to pairing properties in nuclear density functionals, and in the description of deformed nuclei within an effective theory.

Report that describes the Keystone XL pipeline proposal and the process required for federal approval. It summarizes key arguments for and against the pipeline put forth by the pipeline's developers, federal agencies, environmental groups, and other stakeholders.