For reporting year 2006, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL or the Laboratory) submitted Form R reports for lead as required under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) Section 313. No other EPCRA Section 313 chemicals were used in 2006 above the reportable thresholds. This document was prepared to provide a description of the evaluation of EPCRA Section 313 chemical use and threshold determinations for LANL for calendar year 2006, as well as to provide background information about data included on the Form R reports. Section 313 of EPCRA specifically requires facilities to submit a Toxic Chemical Release Inventory Report (Form R) to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state agencies if the owners and operators manufacture, process, or otherwise use any of the listed toxic chemicals above listed threshold quantities. EPA compiles this data in the Toxic Release Inventory database. Form R reports for each chemical over threshold quantities must be submitted on or before July 1 each year and must cover activities that occurred at the facility during the previous year. In 1999, EPA promulgated a final rule on persistent bioaccumulative toxics (PBTs). This rule added several chemicals to the EPCRA Section 313 list of toxic …

This poster graphically presents data pertaining to occupational radiation exposure in terms of total effective dose (TED), primarily, but also collective dose and average measureable dose.

The purpose of this study was to examine a set of user acceptance criteria for autonomous biological detection systems for application in high-traffic, public facilities. The test case for the acceptance criteria was the Autonomous Pathogen Detection System (APDS) operating in high-traffic facilities in New York City (NYC). However, the acceptance criteria were designed to be generally applicable to other biological detection systems in other locations. For such detection systems, ''users'' will include local authorities (e.g., facility operators, public health officials, and law enforcement personnel) and national authorities [including personnel from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the BioWatch Program, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)]. The panel members brought expertise from a broad range of backgrounds to complete this picture. The goals of this document are: (1) To serve as informal guidance for users in considering the benefits and costs of these systems. (2) To serve as informal guidance for developers in understanding the needs of users. In follow-up work, this framework will be used to systematically document the APDS for appropriateness and readiness for use in NYC.

This ATP establishes field testing procedures to demonstrate that the electrical/instrumentation system functions as intended by design for the Radioactive Mixed Waste Land Disposal Facility. Procedures are outlined for the field testing of the following: electrical heat trace system; transducers and meter/controllers; pumps; leachate storage tank; and building power and lighting.

This research's focus was to build a prototype of a computerized liquid dispensing system. This liquid metering system is based on the concept of altering the representative volume to account for temperature changes in the liquid to be dispensed. This is actualized by using a measuring tank and a temperature compensating displacement plunger. By constantly monitoring the temperature of the liquid, the plunger can be used to increase or decrease the specified volume to more accurately dispense liquid with a specified mass. In order to put the device being developed into proper engineering perspective, an extensive literature review was undertaken on all areas of industrial metering of liquids with an emphasis on gravimetric methods.

This research`s focus was to build a prototype of a computerized liquid dispensing system. This liquid metering system is based on the concept of altering the representative volume to account for temperature changes in the liquid to be dispensed. This is actualized by using a measuring tank and a temperature compensating displacement plunger. By constantly monitoring the temperature of the liquid, the plunger can be used to increase or decrease the specified volume to more accurately dispense liquid with a specified mass. In order to put the device being developed into proper engineering perspective, an extensive literature review was undertaken on all areas of industrial metering of liquids with an emphasis on gravimetric methods.

Though many enzymes can promote chemical reactions by tuning substrate properties purely through the electrostatic environment of a docking cavity, this strategy has proven challenging to mimic in synthetic host-guest systems. Here we report a highly-charged, water soluble, metal-ligand assembly with a hydrophobic interior cavity that thermodynamically stabilizes protonated substrates and consequently catalyzes the normally acidic hydrolysis of orthoformates in basic solution, with rate accelerations of up to 890-fold. The catalysis reaction obeys Michaelis-Menten kinetics, exhibits competitive inhibition, and the substrate scope displays size selectivity consistent with the constrained binding environment of the molecular host. Synthetic chemists have long endeavored to design host molecules capable of selectively binding slow-reacting substrates and catalyzing their chemical reactions. While synthetic catalysts are often site-specific and require certain properties of the substrate to insure catalysis, enzymes are often able to modify basic properties of the bound substrate such as pK{sub a} in order to enhance reactivity. Two common motifs used by nature to activate otherwise unreactive compounds are the precise arrangement of hydrogen-bonding networks and electrostatic interactions between the substrate and adjacent residues of the protein. Precise arrangement of hydrogen bonding networks near the active sites of proteins can lead to well-tuned pK{sub a}-matching, …

This report summarizes the work done during the fourth quarter of the project. Effort was directed in two areas, namely, continued further development of the model on the role of connectivity on ionic conductivity of porous bodies, including the role of grain boundaries and space charge, and its relationship to cathode polarization; and fabrication of samaria-doped ceria porous (SDC). The work on the model development involves calculation of the effect of space charge on transport through porous bodies. Three specific cases have been examined: (1) Space charge resistivity greater than the grain resistivity, (2) Space charge resistivity equal to the grain resistivity, and (3) Space charge resistivity lower than the grain resistivity. The model accounts for transport through three regions: the bulk of the grain, the space charge region, and the structural part of the grain boundary. The effect of neck size has been explicitly incorporated. In future work, the effective resistivity will be incorporated into the effective cathode polarization resistance. The results will then be compared with experiments.

This document is an addendum to the Corrective Action Decision Document (CADD) that has been prepared for Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 254, Area 25 Reactor Maintenance, Assembly, and Disassembly (R-MAD) Decontamination Facility. CAU 254 consists of Corrective Action Site (CAS) 25-23-06, Decontamination Facility. The purpose of this addendum is to provide a rationale for the recommendation of a revised preferred alternative corrective action for CAU 254. This preferred alternative corrective action, Alternative 3, consists of the removal of accessible soil/sediment and all building material above ground level from the CAU 254 Site. This alternative is being recommended because a cost-effective technology is now available to dismantle the contaminated building and ensure complete removal of all CAU 254 CADD-identified contaminants of concern and any associated contamination. This preferred closure method alternative reduces the potential for future exposure pathways. Procedures will be developed, presented in the Corrective Action Plan, and implemented to ensure worker health and safety, protection of human health and the environment, and to meet all unrestricted release requirements in accordance with applicable state and federal regulations.

Objectives of this program are to evaluate candidate alloys for Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) Nuclear Process Heat (NPH) and Direct Cycle Helium Turbine (DCHT) applications, in terms of the effect of simulated reactor primary coolant (helium containing small amounts of various other gases), high temperatures, and long time exposures, on the mechanical properties and structural and surface stability of selected candidate alloys. A second objective is to select and recommend materials for future test facilities and more extensive qualification programs. Work covered in this report includes the activities associated with the status of the simulated reactor helium supply system, testing equipment and gas chemistry analysis instrumentation and equipment. The progress in the screening test program is described: screening creep results and metallographic analysis for materials thermally exposed or tested at 750, 850, 950 and 1050/sup 0/C. Initiation of controlled purity helium creep-rupture testing in the intensive screening test program is discussed. In addition, the results of 1000-hour exposures at 750 and 850/sup 0/C on several experimental alloys are discussed.

A significant amount of progress has been achieved in the development of the novel vacuum distillation method described in the proposal. The process for the purification of Te was fully developed and characterized in a series of trials. The purification effect was confirmed with GDMS sample analysis and indicates the process yields very high purity Te metal. Results of this initial process study have been submitted for publication in the Proceedings of the SPIE and will be presented on August 28, 2007 at the SPIE Optics and Photonics 2007 conference in San Diego, CA. Concurrent to the development of the Te process, processes for the purification of Cd, Zn, and Mn have also progressed. The development of the processes for Cd and Zn are nearly complete, while the development of the process for Mn is still in its infancy. It is expected that a full characterization of the Cd process will be completed within the next quarter, followed by Zn. Parallel to those characterization studies, efforts will be made to further develop the Mn purification process. Zone melting work for Te and Cd has also been efforted as per the project work schedule. Initial trials have been completed and the …

The objectives of this project were to provide an improved thermal barrier coating system with increased temperature capability and reliability. This report describes bond coat development, manufacturing, nondestructive evaluation, maintenance, and repair, and bench testing.

Sayers and Kachanov (1991) defined crack-influence parameters that are shown to be directly related to Thomsen (1986) weak-anisotropy seismic parameters for fractured reservoirs when the crack/fracture density is small enough. These results are then applied to the problem of seismic wave propagation in polar (i.e., non-isotropic) reservoirs having HTI seismic wave symmetry due to the presence of aligned vertical fractures and resulting in azimuthal seismic wave symmetry at the earth's surface. The approach presented suggests one method of inverting for fracture density from wave-speed data. It is also observed that the angular location {theta}{sub ex} of the extreme value (peak or trough) of the quasi-SV-wave speed for VTI occurs at an angle determined approximately by the formula tan{sup 2} {theta}{sub ex} {approx_equal} tan {theta}{sub m} = [(c{sub 33} - c{sub 44})/(c{sub 11}-c{sub 44})]{sup 1/2}, where {theta}{sub m} is an angle determined directly (as shown) from the c{sub ij} elastic stiffnesses, whenever these are known from either quasi-static or seismic wave measurements. Alternatively, {theta}{sub ex} is given in terms of the Thomsen seismic anisotropy parameters by tan {theta}{sub ex} {approx_equal} ([v{sub p}{sup 2}(0)-v{sub s}{sup 2}(0)]/[(1 + 2{epsilon})v{sub p}{sup 2}(0)-v{sub s}{sup 2}(0)]){sup 1/4}, where {epsilon} = (c{sub 11}-c{sub 33})/2c{sub 33}, v{sub p}{sup …

Research involves analysis and field direction of AmeriFlux operations, and the PI provides scientific leadership of the AmeriFlux network. Activities include the coordination and quality assurance of measurements across AmeriFlux network sites, synthesis of results across the network, organizing and supporting the annual Science Team Meeting, and communicating AmeriFlux results to the scientific community and other users. Objectives of measurement research include (i) coordination of flux and biometric measurement protocols (ii) timely data delivery to the Carbon Dioxide Information and Analysis Center (CDIAC); and (iii) assurance of data quality of flux and ecosystem measurements contributed by AmeriFlux sites. Objectives of integration and synthesis activities include (i) integration of site data into network-wide synthesis products; and (ii) participation in the analysis, modeling and interpretation of network data products. Communications objectives include (i) organizing an annual meeting of AmeriFlux investigators for reporting annual flux measurements and exchanging scientific information on ecosystem carbon budgets; (ii) developing focused topics for analysis and publication; and (iii) developing data reporting protocols in support of AmeriFlux network goals.

Various large-scale neutron sources already build or to be constructed, are important for materials research and life science research. For all these neutron sources, neutron detectors are very important aspect. However, there is a lack of a high-performance and low-cost neutron beam monitor that provides time and temporal resolution. The objective of this SBIR Phase I research, collaboratively performed by Midwest Optoelectronics, LLC (MWOE), the University of Toledo (UT) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), is to demonstrate the feasibility for amorphous silicon based neutron beam monitors that are pixilated, reliable, durable, fully packaged, and fabricated with high yield using low-cost method. During the Phase I effort, work as been focused in the following areas: 1) Deposition of high quality, low-defect-density, low-stress a-Si films using very high frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (VHF PECVD) at high deposition rate and with low device shunting; 2) Fabrication of Si/SiO2/metal/p/i/n/metal/n/i/p/metal/SiO2/ device for the detection of alpha particles which are daughter particles of neutrons through appropriate nuclear reactions; and 3) Testing of various devices fabricated for alpha and neutron detection; As the main results: · High quality, low-defect-density, low-stress a-Si films have been successfully deposited using VHF PECVD on various low-cost substrates; · …

As a major user of engineered nanoparticles, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) uses various methods to monitor the health of emergent technologies workers (ETW) who handle or could potentially be exposed to unbound engineered nanoparticles (UNP). Using data from DOE’s Illness and Injury Surveillance Program (IISP), Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) created a registry of ETWs. IISP currently tracks 125,000 workers at 14 DOE facilities. Workers in IISP, who were classified as ETWs, were placed in a separate database using Microsoft Access. Using SAS (Version 9.2; Cary, NC), the health status of this cohort was analyzed by a variety of different variables such as age, gender, occupation, years of employment, number of years classified as an ETW, and site.

Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectroscopy (ICPES) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS) procedures for measuring Cu in In-Tank Precipitation (ITP) caustic samples have been tested and implemented in the Analytical Development Section at the Savannah River Technology Center.

We present the application of a new knowledge visualization tool, VxInsight, to the mapping and analysis of patent databases. Patent data are mined and placed in a database, relationships between the patents are identified, primarily using the citation and classification structures, then the patents are clustered using a proprietary force-directed placement algorithm. Related patents cluster together to produce a 3-D landscape view of the tens of thousands of patents. The user can navigate the landscape by zooming into or out of regions of interest. Querying the underlying database places a colored marker on each patent matching the query. Automatically generated labels, showing landscape content, update continually upon zooming. Optionally, citation links between patents may be shown on the landscape. The combination of these features enables powerful analyses of patent databases.

The purpose of this report is to analyze the investment strategies of US oil companies and the depth of their present and future investments in nonpetroleum energy sources. For purposes of this study, the nonpetroleum energy sources to be discussed are coal, uranium/nuclear, synthetics from coal, oil shale, geothermal, and solar. To gather necessary subjective data, the authors interviewed the managements of more than forty companies, the majority of which are directly involved in the production of various forms of energy. Others are substantial energy users. Interviews were also held with various federal and state regulatory agencies, with federal legislative groups, and with representatives of industry associations. These interviews were not intended to be a survey; their purpose was rather to explore the perceptions of petroleum company managements concerning nonpetroleum energy sources and the reasons for their company's participation, or lack of participation, in the development of these resources. Quantitative data came from reports prepared by federal investigative and regulatory agencies, from testimony given before investigative and regulatory bodies, from public company reports (annual reports, quarterly reports, 10-K's, 8-K's, registration statements, press releases, etc.), from industry, research and investment organizations, from universities, and from a variety of publications.

Financial data from the analysis of investment strategies of US oil companies and the depth of their present and future investments in nonpetroleum energy sources are tabulated in these appendices. The nonpetroleum energy sources included in the study are: coal, oil shale, geothermal, and solar.

Antiproton-production and nucleon-interaction cross sections were investigated for antiprotons in the energy range 0.5 to 1.0 Bev. The antiprotons were distinguished from other particles produced at the Bevatron by a system of scintillation- and velocity-selecting Cherenkov counters. The excitation function and momentum distribution were recorded for antiproton production in carbon and compared with statistical model expectations. The antiprotons were directed by a system of bending and focusing magnets to a liquid hydrogen target. An array of plastic scintillation counters, which almost completely surrounded the hydrogen target, was used to determine the p-p total, elastic, inelastic, and charge-exchange cross sections. Near 500 Mev the total d-p cross section was about 120 mb, and it slowly decreased to 100 mb near 1 Bev. The inelastic cross section, which is principally due to the annihilation process, represented nearly 2/3 of the total cross section. The elastic scattering distribution was highly peaked in the forward direction and could be fitted by an optical model. The total and partial cross sections were also determined for the collisions of antiprotons with deuterons. The p-d total and inelastic cross sections were found to be approximately 1.8 times the p-p cross sections. Corrections were made for the shielding …

The main emphasis this quarter was on the geostatistics and reservoir simulation. Assimilation of data with the geostatistics was conducted to determine the specific well locations for the demonstration program. Reservoir characterization and performance information is also included.

Eighteen 10-acre infill wells have been drilled and completed as part of the Field Demonstration phase of the project at the North Robertson (Clearfork) Unit (NRU). The fourteen producing wells are pumped-off and producing at stable rates. The four injection wells are completed and have been on injection for three to four weeks. Current Unit production is approximately 3,400 STBO/D, of which approximately 900 STBO/D is being produced from the 10-acre infill wells. A change in the Statement of Work has been approved so that additional 10-acre infill wells can be drilled and/or 20-acre producing wells can be converted to injection during the next quarter as budget constraints and rig availability allow. Technical progress is described for the quarter in many related areas: implementation of the field demonstration; reservoir characterization; reservoir management activities and performance analysis; reservoir simulation; and technology transfer.

Magnetized plasma can be used as an accelerating structure capable of supporting large amplitude longitudinal fields which are externally driven by a high-frequency microwave source. Such structures can be used at very high frequencies (hundreds of gigahertz), placing them in the intermediate region between conventional (metallic) accelerators, and laser-driven plasma accelerators. They review two magnetic field configurations with respect to the direction of the particle beam propagation: (1) parallel magnetic field plus a helical undulator, and (2) perpendicular magnetic field. In the first configuration, plasma exhibits electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) at the cyclotron frequency if the plasma frequency is equal to the electron cyclotron frequency. The second configuration corresponds to the inverse Cherenkov effect in magnetized plasma. In both cases, the group velocity of the accelerating plasma wave can be made very small, so that the incident electromagnetic wave is strongly compressed, resulting in the high accelerating gradient.