The temperature of a char particle burning in an oxygen containing atmosphere is the product of a strongly coupled balance between particle size and physical properties, heat transfer from the particle, surface reactivity, CO/CO{sub 2} ratio and gas phase diffusion in the surrounding boundary layer and within the particle. CO{sub 2}/CO ratios can be strongly influenced by catalytic material in the carbon and by the char temperature. In this program we are measuring the CO{sub 2}/CO ratio for both catalyzed and uncatalyzed chars over a wide range of temperature. These results will then be used to develop predictive models for char temperature and burning rates. The electrodynamic balance has been successfully used to make such measurements for single 200{mu}m spherocarb particles. A few theoretical approaches to model a single particle oxidation have been made, but most of them assumed the infinitely thin reaction zone at the particle surface. This approach can not explain pore diffusion limitation, structural change, or reaction at low temperatures inside the particle. Too simplifying solid phase reaction may leads to wrong predictions. In this report, progress on constructing models including both solid and gas phase reaction are reported.

The Savannah River Site has areas where soil is contaminated with metals and/or radionuclides. Many of these areas are surrounded by native vegetation which is growing adjacent to the area and where the roots have penetrated into the contaminated soil of the area. In some cases vegetation has actually invaded the contaminated area. Even though the volume of contaminated vegetation is small, there are problems associated with its disposal. Vegetation decomposes quickly after burial and the volume of buried vegetation can decrease. The voids left can lead to subsidence and possible failure of the clay cap constructed over hazardous and/or radioactive waste burial grounds. An alternative to burying the wood is to burn it and bury the ash. However, burning will introduce the contamination in the vegetation into the air where there is potential for inhalation of the contaminants. A procedure is described to assess the hazard associated with inhalation of contamination from burning of vegetation growing in contaminated soil. The procedure is applied to evaluation of the consequence of burning vegetation grown adjacent to and in the SRL Seepage Basins. The results indicate that burning the vegetation during the day could introduce a level of contaminants to the atmosphere …

This report discusses the following topics: High energy photon production in a HI collision; the mechanism for the disassembly of excited {sup 16}O projectiles into four alpha particles; the disassembly of excited {sup 28}Si projectiles; large pre-fission multiplicities from temperature; dependent friction and fission barriers; multiplicity correlations; molecular beam induced fusion; dwarf ball and wall; mini wall; and computer and local data acquisition systems.

This report discusses the following topics on synchrotron accelerators: Transverse motion---betatron oscillations; machine lattice; representation of a particle beam; and longitudinal motion---synchrotron oscillations.

During this period, we focused our attention in analyzing the magnetic nature of the extensively used trimetallic catalyst system Cu-Co-Cr for the production of higher alcohols. We believe that there could be some correspondence between the catalytic and magnetic behaviors of the transition metal catalyst systems. Both the morphology and metallic charge distribution of the particles are known to govern the catalytic as well as the magnetic properties of the system.

The primary concern of the study during this period has been to examine the origin and basis of the several nonconforming NMR lines reported in our earlier study. Previous studies by earlier investigators indicate that (a) the product distribution in the conversion of synthesis gas to liquid fuels is dependant on the copper/cobalt ratio and (b) that the catalytic results reported by different groups of investigators using the IFP prescription (4) are widely divergent. These observations prompted us to make a critical examination of the effect of metal ratio and the method of preparation on the magnetic character of catalysts.

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Defense's (DOD) anthrax immunization program, focusing on the: (1) need for a six-shot regimen and annual booster shots; (2) long- and short-term safety of the vaccine; (3) efficacy of the vaccine; and (4) extent to which problems the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found in the vaccine production facility in Michigan could compromise the safety, efficacy, and quality of the vaccine."

Other written product issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO provided information on whether a federal employee on official duty, who is also a member of the National Guard or the armed forces Reserves, may conduct, and use agency office equipment to support, Guard or Reserve business. GAO held that: (1) agencies may permit their employees to use a limited amount of official time and agency resources to support the Guard or Reserves; (2) employees who are not in active military status and receiving military pay at the time that they perform the limited incidental service for their Guard or Reserve organization are not prohibited from using agency resources and official time to support those activities; (3) all agencies would appear to have some interest in furthering the governmental purpose of, and national interest in, the Guard and Reserves; (4) thus, some use of employee time and agency equipment to carry out limited, incidental Guard or Reserve functions falls within the parameters of activities that an agency may permit; and (5) it may be advisable for the Office of Personnel Management to provide general guidelines as to the amount of time and types of agency …

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on its audit responsibilities for independent counsels who have completed their investigations or whose offices have been officially terminated."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the nature and extent of workplace conflicts that underlie the rising number of discrimination cases, focusing on: (1) the statutory bases (e.g., race, sex, or disability discrimination) under which employees filed complaints; (2) the kinds of issues (e.g., nonselection for promotion, harassment) that were cited in these complaints; and (3) why the data collected and reported by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) were not helpful in answering the questions raised."

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on how .50 caliber semiautomatic rifles have been used in domestic and international criminal activity."

A statement of record issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed how the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) ensures the cost-effectiveness of projects funded under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program."

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on disability representatives, focusing on: (1) the extent to which disability representatives contribute to Social Security Administration's (SSA) Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) decisional delays; (2) other potential reasons for decisional delays; and (3) additional options available to SSA to ensure that disability decisions are reached in a timely manner."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO reported on the status of computer security throughout the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO provided information on the general and application computer controls over key financial systems maintained and operated by the Financial Management Service (FMS), focusing on the results of GAO's fiscal year (FY) 1998 tests of the effectiveness of general and application controls that support key FMS automated financial systems and GAO's follow up on the status of FMS' corrective actions to address weaknesses identified in its FY 1997 audit."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the extent to which individuals residing in long-term care facilities are improperly included as members of food stamp households, focusing on: (1) how many individuals were included as members of food stamp households while they were residing in long-term care facilities and the estimated value of the overpayments to those households; and (2) whether computer matching is a practical means for identifying such overpayments."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the Department of Defense's (DOD) Medicare subvention demonstration program, focusing on: (1) the early phases of implementing the DOD demonstration; (2) issues raised by that experience for DOD subvention; and (3) lessons from the DOD demonstration for a possible Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) demonstration."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed how the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in conjunction with the states, ensures the cost-effectiveness of projects funded under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed matters related to deceptive mail marketing practices, focusing on the extent and nature of consumers' problems with deceptive mail and the initiatives various federal agencies and other organizations have made to address deceptive mail problems and educate consumers."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the recreational fee demonstration program, focusing on: (1) ensuring that future revenues can be applied to the agencies' highest priority unmet needs; (2) coordinating fees between agencies at demonstration sites that are close to each other; (3) being more innovative in setting fees; and (4) assessing the effect of fees on specific segments of the population."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed its observations on the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) efforts to carry out its responsibilities to set policy and oversee the management of the executive branch, focusing on: (1) OMB's wide-ranging management responsibilities and the question of whether to integrate or separate management and budget functions; (2) the effectiveness of OMB's management leadership; and (3) the factors that appear to contribute to progress in sustaining improvements in federal management."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the counternarcotics efforts of the United States and Mexico, focusing on: (1) Mexico's efforts in addressing the drug threat; and (2) the status of U.S. counternarcotics assistance provided to Mexico."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the major management challenges and program risks facing the Department of State."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO analyzed the potential budgetary and economic effects of several Social Security reform proposals."