Development of backlighting sources for a Compton radiography diagnostic of Inertial Confinement Fusion targets (open access)

Development of backlighting sources for a Compton radiography diagnostic of Inertial Confinement Fusion targets

We present scaled demonstrations of backlighter sources, emitting Bremsstrahlung x-rays with photon energies above 75 keV, that we will use to record x-ray Compton radiographic snapshots of cold dense DT fuel in inertial confinement fusion implosions at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). In experiments performed at the Titan laser facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, we measured the source size and the Bremsstrahlung spectrum as a function of laser intensity and pulse length, from solid targets irradiated at 2e17-5e18 W/cm{sup 2} using 2-40 ps pulses. Using Au planar foils we achieved source sizes down to 5.5 {micro}m, and conversion efficiencies of about 1e-3 J/J into x-ray photons with energies in the 75-100 keV spectral range. We can now use these results to design NIF backlighter targets and shielding, and to predict Compton radiography performance as a function of the NIF implosion yield and associated background.
Date: May 7, 2008
Creator: Tommasini, R.; MacPhee, A.; Hey, D.; Ma, T.; Chen, C.; Izumi, N. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Final Technical Report on STTR Project DE-FG02-04ER86191 Hydrogen Cryostat for Muon Beam Cooling (open access)

Final Technical Report on STTR Project DE-FG02-04ER86191 Hydrogen Cryostat for Muon Beam Cooling

The project was to develop cryostat designs that could be used for muon beam cooling channels where hydrogen would circulate through refrigerators and the beam-cooling channel to simultaneously refrigerate 1) high-temperature-superconductor (HTS) magnet coils, 2) cold copper RF cavities, and 3) the hydrogen that is heated by the muon beam. In an application where a large amount of hydrogen is naturally present because it is the optimum ionization cooling material, it was reasonable to explore its use with HTS magnets and cold, but not superconducting, RF cavities. In this project we developed computer programs for simulations and analysis and conducted experimental programs to examine the parameters and technological limitations of the materials and designs of Helical Cooling Channel (HCC) components (magnet conductor, RF cavities, absorber windows, heat transport, energy absorber, and refrigerant).The project showed that although a hydrogen cryostat is not the optimum solution for muon ionization cooling channels, the studies of the cooling channel components that define the cryostat requirements led to fundamental advances. In particular, two new lines of promising development were opened up, regarding very high field HTS magnets and the HS concept, that have led to new proposals and funded projects.
Date: May 7, 2008
Creator: Johnson, Rolland P.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Regulation of in situ to invasive breast carcinoma transition (open access)

Regulation of in situ to invasive breast carcinoma transition

The transition of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) to invasive carcinoma is a key event in breast tumor progression that is poorly understood. Comparative molecular analysis of tumor epithelial cells from in situ and invasive tumors has failed to identify consistent tumor stage-specific differences. However, the myoepithelial cell layer, present only in DCIS, is a key distinguishing and diagnostic feature. To determine the contribution of non-epithelial cells to tumor progression, we analyzed the role of myoepithelial cells and fibroblasts in the progression of in situ carcinomas using a xenograft model of human DCIS. Progression to invasion was promoted by fibroblasts, but inhibited by normal myoepithelial cells. The invasive tumor cells from these progressed lesions formed DCIS rather than invasive cancers when re-injected into naive mice. Molecular profiles of myoepithelial and epithelial cells isolated from primary normal and cancerous human breast tissue samples corroborated findings obtained in the xenograft model. These results provide the proof of principle that breast tumor progression could occur in the absence of additional genetic alterations and that tumor growth and progression could be controlled by replacement of normal myoepithelial inhibitory signals.
Date: May 7, 2008
Creator: Polyak, Kornelia; Hu, Min; Yao, Jun; Carroll, Danielle K.; Weremowicz, Stanislawa; Chen, Haiyan et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Progress and Design Status of the ITER MSE Diagnostic (open access)

Progress and Design Status of the ITER MSE Diagnostic

The Motional Stark Effect (MSE) diagnostic will be essential for the study of advanced scenarios on ITER and its design is currently underway. In order meet the ITER MSE diagnostic design requirements, two approaches for the measurement are under consideration. The first is based on standard polarimeter techniques to measure the polarization of the emitted light, whereas the second measures the Stark splitting from which |B| can be inferred, where |B| is the magnitude of the total magnetic field. The baseline design of the optical system is centered on the first approach. Emphasis in this case is placed on minimizing the polarization aberrations of the optical relay system. Motivation for the second method results from concern that the optical properties of the plasma-facing mirror, particularly its diattenuation and retardance, will degrade with plasma exposure. The second approach, while less sensitive to aberrations induced by plasma exposure effects, requires greater optical throughput in order to measure the complete Stark spectrum. We have developed optimized designs for both techniques and will present a comparison of them and discuss the associated design trade-offs.
Date: May 7, 2008
Creator: Makowski, M A; Allen, S L; Holcomb, C T; Lerner, S; Morris, K & Wong, N
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Improving the bulk data transfer experience (open access)

Improving the bulk data transfer experience

Scientific computations and collaborations increasingly rely on the network to provide high-speed data transfer, dissemination of results, access to instruments, support for computational steering, etc. The Energy Sciences Network is establishing a science data network to provide user driven bandwidth allocation. In a shared network environment, some reservations may not be granted due to the lack of available bandwidth on any single path. In many cases, the available bandwidth across multiple paths would be sufficient to grant the reservation. In this paper we investigate how to utilize the available bandwidth across multiple paths in the case of bulk data transfer.
Date: May 7, 2008
Creator: Guok, Chin; Guok, Chin; Lee, Jason R. & Berket, Karlo
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
MODEL 9975 SHIPPING PACKAGE FABRICATION PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS (open access)

MODEL 9975 SHIPPING PACKAGE FABRICATION PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

The Model 9975 Shipping Package is the latest in a series (9965, 9968, etc.) of radioactive material shipping packages that have been the mainstay for shipping radioactive materials for several years. The double containment vessels are relatively simple designs using pipe and pipe cap in conjunction with the Chalfont closure to provide a leak-tight vessel. The fabrication appears simple in nature, but the history of fabrication tells us there are pitfalls in the different fabrication methods and sequences. This paper will review the problems that have arisen during fabrication and precautions that should be taken to meet specifications and tolerances. The problems and precautions can also be applied to the Models 9977 and 9978 Shipping Packages.
Date: May 7, 2008
Creator: May, C & Allen Smith, A
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Developments toward a reliable diode-pumped hydrocarbon-free 795-nm rubidium laser (open access)

Developments toward a reliable diode-pumped hydrocarbon-free 795-nm rubidium laser

We report a 795-nm diode-pumpable Rb laser using a buffer gas of pure {sup 3}He. {sup 3}He gas enhances mixing of the Rb fine-structure levels. This enables efficient lasing at reduced He pressures and improved thermal management.
Date: May 7, 2008
Creator: Wu, S S; Soules, T F; Page, R H; Mitchell, S C; Kanz, V K & Beach, R J
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Lack of Bystander Effects From High LET Radiation For Early Cytogenetic Endpoints. (open access)

Lack of Bystander Effects From High LET Radiation For Early Cytogenetic Endpoints.

The aim of this work was to study radiation-induced bystander effects for early cytogenetic end points in various cell lines using the medium transfer technique after exposure to high- and low-LET radiation. Cells were exposed to 20 MeV/ nucleon nitrogen ions, 968 MeV/nucleon iron ions, or 575 MeV/nucleon iron ions followed by transfer of the conditioned medium from the irradiated cells to unirradiated test cells. The effects studied included DNA double-strand break induction, {gamma}-H2AX focus formation, induction of chromatid breaks in prematurely condensed chromosomes, and micronucleus formation using DNA repair-proficient and -deficient hamster and human cell lines (xrs6, V79, SW48, MO59K and MO59J). Cell survival was also measured in SW48 bystander cells using X rays. Although it was occasionally possible to detect an increase in chromatid break levels using nitrogen ions and to see a higher number of {gamma}-H2AX foci using nitrogen and iron ions in xrs6 bystander cells in single experiments, the results were not reproducible. After we pooled all the data, we could not verify a significant bystander effect for any of these end points. Also, we did not detect a significant bystander effect for DSB induction or micronucleus formation in these cell lines or for clonogenic survival …
Date: May 7, 2008
Creator: Groesser, Torsten; Cooper, Brian & Rydberg, Bjorn
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Franklin: User Experiences (open access)

Franklin: User Experiences

The newest workhorse of the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center is a Cray XT4 with 9,736 dual core nodes. This paper summarizes Franklin user experiences from friendly early user period to production period. Selected successful user stories along with top issues affecting user experiences are presented.
Date: May 7, 2008
Creator: Center, National Energy Research Supercomputing; He, Yun (Helen); Kramer, William T.C.; Carter, Jonathan & Cardo, Nicholas
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Aging and Fracture of Human Cortical Bone and Tooth Dentin (open access)

Aging and Fracture of Human Cortical Bone and Tooth Dentin

Mineralized tissues, such as bone and tooth dentin, serve as structural materials in the human body and, as such, have evolved to resist fracture. In assessing their quantitative fracture resistance or toughness, it is important to distinguish between intrinsic toughening mechanisms which function ahead of the crack tip, such as plasticity in metals, and extrinsic mechanisms which function primarily behind the tip, such as crack bridging in ceramics. Bone and dentin derive their resistance to fracture principally from extrinsic toughening mechanisms which have their origins in the hierarchical microstructure of these mineralized tissues. Experimentally, quantification of these toughening mechanisms requires a crack-growth resistance approach, which can be achieved by measuring the crack-driving force, e.g., the stress intensity, as a function of crack extension ("R-curve approach"). Here this methodology is used to study of the effect of aging on the fracture properties of human cortical bone and human dentin in order to discern the microstructural origins of toughness in these materials.
Date: May 7, 2008
Creator: Ager, Joel; Koester, Kurt J.; Ager, Joel W., III & Ritchie, Robert O.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library