The third volume of a series of reports containing the proceedings of the Focused Research Program on "Spectral Theory and Boundary Value Problems."

Report on the asymptotic behavior of certain generalized solutions of the problem of the prescribed mean curvature equation.

A recently developed computer program, based on geometric programming, was used to evaluate the chemistry of gaseous and condensed products that arise in conversion of Illinois bituminous coal under both oxidizing and reducing conditions.

This effort was directed at developing an electrochemical process for forming uniform and dendrite-free deposits of uranium from molten salts. This process is to be used for the electroformation of free-standing hemispherical shells of uranium for nuclear applications.

Possible methods for disposing of the immobilized raffinate from TRUEX processing are reviewed. The purpose of the TRUEX process is to extract transuranium elements from high-level and TRU wastes into a small volume that can be managed at lower cost than that of the original wastes. The raffinate from the TRUEX process, containing negligible concentrations of transuranium elements, would be combined with salt solutions also derived from processing high-level waste, and the mixture would be converted to grout.

Fuel cells offer the potential of a clean, efficient power source for buses, cars, and other transportation applications. When the fuel cell is run on methanol, refueling would be as rapid as with gasoline-powered internal combustion engines, providing a virtually unlimited range while still maintaining the smooth and quiet acceleration that is typical for electric vehicles.

Metal cutting techniques that can be used to segment the reactor pressure vessel of the Experimental Boiling Water Reactor (EBWR) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) have been evaluated by Nuclear Energy Services. Twelve cutting technologies are described in terms of their ability to perform the required task, their performance characteristics, environmental and radiological impacts, and cost and schedule considerations. Specific recommendations regarding which technology should ultimately be used by ANL are included. The selection of a cutting method was the responsibility of the decommissioning staff at ANL, who included a relative weighting of the parameters described in this document in their evaluation process.

In 1956, the Experimental Boiling Water Reactor (EBWR) Facility was first operated at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) as a test reactor to demonstrate the feasibility of operating an integrated power plant using a direct cycle boiling water reactor as a heat source. In 1967, ANL permanently shut down the EBWR and placed it in dry lay-up. This project plan presents the schedule and organization for the decontamination and decommissioning of the EBWR Facility which will allow it to be reused by other ANL scientific research programs. The project total estimated cost is $14.3M and is projected to generate 22,000 cubic feet of low-level radioactive waste which will be disposed of at an approved DOE burial ground. 18 figs., 3 tabs.

Annual report for the superconductor program at Argonne National Laboratory discussing the group's activities and research.

The optical spectra of actinide ions in the compound AnCl₃ and doped into single crystal LaCl₃ were interpreted in terms of transitions within 5f{sup N} configurations. Energy-level calculations were carried out using an effective operator Hamiltonian, the parameters of which were determined by fitting experimental data. Atomic and crystal-field matrices were diagonalized simultaneously assuming an approximate D{sub 3h} site symmetry. The spectroscopic data were taken from the literature but in most cases supplemented by unpublished measurements in absorption and in fluorescence. Spectroscopic data for each ion were analyzed independently, then the model parameters were intercompared and in many cases adjusted such that in the final fitting process the principal interactions showed uniform trends in parameter values with increasing atomic number. Consistent with analyses of the spectra of lanthanide ions in both LaCl₃ and LaF₃, abrupt changes in magnitude of certain crystal-field parameters were found near the center of the 5f{sup N}-series. This resulted in two groups of parameter values, but with consistent trends for both halves of the series, and generally very good agreement between observed and computed energies. A new energy level chart based on computed crystal-field level energies for each trivalent actinide ion has been prepared. in addition, …

One aspect of Argonne research in parallel computing involves the speed and other properties of parallel SDI algorithms. Various algorithms under study have exhibited speedups resulting from parallelization on shared-memory machines. A weapon-target accessibility algorithm called ACCESS exhibited a high degree of inherent parallelism and has been studied on a wide variety of sequential and parallel multiple instruction multiple data (MIMD) machines. To study ACCESS on a massively parallel single instruction multiple data (SIMD) machine architecture, ANL researchers developed a version of ACCESS on a Thinking Machines Corporation 16K processor Connection Machine-2 (CM-2) located at the ACRF. ANL researchers wrote the Connection Machine version of ACCESS in C(*), a version of C by Thinking Machines Corporation with extensions to accommodate SIMD parallelism. Because of the large number of available physical processors and the ability to create virtual processors on the CM-2, the Connection Machine version of ACCESS was able to process an array of 128 x 1024 tasks in parallel. For the data tested, the CM-2 implementation of ACCESS was faster than both the parallel version run on the Alliant FX/8, the Encore Multimax, and the Sequent Balance and the sequential version run on the ANL Cray X-MP/14. For the …

This paper summarizes our investigations into the computational detection of secondary and tertiary structure of ribosomal RNA. We have developed a new automated procedure that not only identifies potential bondings of secondary and tertiary structure, but also provides the covariation evidence that supports the proposed bondings, and any counter-evidence that can be detected in the known sequences. A small number of previously unknown bondings have been detected in individual RNA molecules (16S rRNA and 7S RNA) through the use of our automated procedure. Currently, we are systematically studying mitochondrial rRNA. Our goal is to detect tertiary structure within 16S rRNA and quaternary structure between 16S and 23S rRNA. Our ultimate hope is that automated covariation analysis will contribute significantly to a refined picture of ribosome structure. Our colleagues in biology have begun experiments to test certain hypotheses suggested by an examination of our program's output. These experiments involve sequencing key portions of the 23S ribosomal RNA for species in which the known 16S ribosomal RNA exhibits variation (from the dominant pattern) at the site of a proposed bonding. The hope is that the 23S ribosomal RNA of these species will exhibit corresponding complementary variation or generalized covariation.

This manual was designed to provide complete documentation for the computer system used by the EBR-II Fuels and Materials Department, Argonne National Laboratory-West (ANL-W) for accountability of special nuclear materials (SNM). This document includes background information on the operation of the Fuel Manufacturing Facility (FMF), instructions on computer operations in correlation with production and a detailed manual for DYMAC operation. 60 figs.

This report provides a preliminary assessment of some magnetic heat pump (MHP)/refrigeration concepts for cryogen liquefaction and other industrial applications. The study was performed by Astronautics Corporation of America for Argonne National Laboratory under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Energy.

Abstract: This publication collects and summarizes the specialized information needed to operate the ac-dc difference laboratory and calibration service at NIST (Gaithersburg). It also serves as a convenient reference source for the users of this calibration service and other interested people by documenting the service and its underlying background in considerable detail. It contains the following: an annotated table of contents, a topical index, and a glossary of common ac-dc acronyms; an overview of the service; selected published papers; instructions for the operation of the comparator systems; a schedule for the recalibration and periodic checks of the NIST thermal converters; and a sample report of calibration.

Abstract: The NIST calibration service for standard masses is described. Weights which are accepted for calibration range in nominal values from 1 mg to 13,600 kg (30,000 pounds). We also accept weights used to generate standard pressures in piston gages. Cleaning procedures used on weights prior to calibration are described. The measurement algorithms (including density determinations of single-piece kilogram weights) and the uncertainties assigned to calibrated weights are discussed. We also describe the system now in place to monitor the quality of calibrations. Finally, we assess the limitations of the present controls on measurement quality and outline improvements which are underway.

Abstract: The National Institute of Standards and Technology's Standard Reference Data Program manages a network of data centers that prepare evaluated databases of physical and chemical properties of substances. Databases are available in printed form, on magnetic tapes, diskettes, and through on-line computer networks. This document provides a comprehensive list of the products available from the National Standard Reference Data System (NSRDS) for the years 1987-1989, including indexes qualified by author, material, and property terms. Ordering information and current prices can be found at the end of this document.

From page 2: The National Institute of Standards and Technology research reactor is a national center for the application of reactor radiation to a variety of problems of national concern. Major program areas at the reactor include the application of neutron scattering methods to research in materials science, trace analysis by neutron activation, nondestructive evaluation (via neutron radiography and scattering), neutron standards and dosimetry , and isotope production and radiation effects.

"The purpose of this profile is to summarize the ecological information available for and relevant to stream and riparian habitats of the Great Basin. The Great Basin comprises the northern half of the Basin and Range physiographic province and covers most of Nevada and western Utah and portions of California, Oregon, and Idaho. The entire basin actually consists of numerous subbasins and mountain ranges which present an extremely diverse physical setting" (p. iii).

This report discusses a study to identify materials and techniques to repair monolith joints, a common location for deficiencies in dams and locks. It also identified areas for further investigation to supplement existing technologies.

Report describing a study to extend the application of a method to rehabilitate damaged lock walls that uses a stay-in-place forming system. "During this study, operational and design criteria were developed to serve as the basis for design. A number of repair concepts were identified that satisfied the criteria" (abstract, para. 3).

This report describes a research study in which techniques were developed for prediction of underseepage conditions for special cases of levee and foundation geometry. The differential equations for levee underseepage were derived and programmed in finite difference form for three special cases of boundary conditions. The developed programs allow analyses that are not restricted to the boundary conditions assumed in the conventional, closed form solution, i.e., two foundation layers of uniform thickness with horizontal boundaries.

This report consists of four distinct but complementary parts: (a) a laboratory/field study of environmental effects on self-potential (SP) electrodes and long-term stability of the electrodes; (b) field investigations at Beaver Dam, Arkansas; (c) development of a computer program for interpretation of seepage-related SP field survey data; (d) development of an extensive bibliography and data base for acquisition and interpretation of seepage-related SP data.

Report discussing the FORTRAN 77 computer program (LEVSEEP), developed to analyze levee underseepage on IBM PC compatible microcomputers with an 8087 math coprocessor. The software and associated equipment plots cross sections and piezometer data; calculates seepage flow and substratum pressure; analyzes landside berm, river side blanket, cutoff and relief well control measures; and finally, estimates the construction cost of these alternatives.