This quarterly report details activities of the Metallurgy Research Sub-Section for the months of January, February, and March of 1956.

A number of varieties of velocity-selecting Cerenkov counters have been described by Dr. John Marshall. The authors will present a description of a counter different from any described by Marshall in his review article, but of the same type mentioned descriptively by Marshall in another article under the heading ''Cylindrical mirror counter without lens''. Some tests of this type of counter were carried out by S.J. Lindenbaum and L.C. Yuan. The counter we describe was developed for the detection of a small fraction of antiprotons in a beam of negative particles originating at the target of the Bevatron. As far as the authors are aware, this represents the first practical use of a velocity-selecting Cerenkov counter in an experimental investigation.

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The author describes some of the changes that are now occurring or are likely to occur quite soon in the fast counting techniques. The author draws heavily on the information and advice of Dr. Clyde Wiegand and Mr. Quentin Kerns of the University of California Radiation Laboratory. The techniques the author mentions should be quite useful in several different types of experiments. The fast conicidence techniques are principally used for reducing background from accidental coincidences, for measuring times of flight of particles from one counter to another, and for measuring the life times of unstable particles.

Thioctic acid labeled with sulfur-35 has been prepared and i t s metabolism b y algae has been studied. It i s converted by the algae into a number of forms, all of which upon hydrolysis yield either the disulfide o r i t s sulfoxide. One of these constituted the major portion of the labeled material in the chloroplasts. Aerobic metabolism for some minutes i s required to produce this form. Preliminary studies of the chemical nature of this form suggest i t to be esterified on the carboxyl group with a moiety of very high lipid solubility.

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This document is an addendum to DC 56-8-167 and gives a description of the proposed Navy nuclear seaplane program and the objectives of the X211 engine study program.

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An investigation of the interactions between 300-Mev neutrons and xenon was made by means of a cloud chamber in a pulsed magnetic field of 21,700 gauss placed in the neutron beam of the 184-inch Berkeley cyclotron. Eighty-seven negative pion events and 257 other stars were analyzed. In addition an experimental check was made on the energy of the incoming neutrons. Classification, identification, and angular and energy distributions of prongs associated with all events are presented. Interpretations of results are given.

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The kinetics of the reduction of Pu(VI) by H/sub 2/O/sub 2/ in nitric acid was studied. The effect of Fe, H/sub 2/O/sub 2/ concentration, H/sup +/ concentration, and light on the reaction is reported. (C.J.G.)

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The installation and design of the HRT-Core Processing Plant are described in detail so that operation and maintenance of the plant may be made more effective. Process instruments will be described fully, but auxiliary instrumentation such as pressure gauges, rotameters, etc. will not be mentioned. Where detailed questions arise as to electrical circuitry or instrument connections, the drawings and specification sheets should be consulted. (auth)

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