'The authors have begun to examine the extraction and recovery of heavy elements from aqueous waste streams using redox-active metal chalcogenides. They have been able to prepare extractants from known chalcogenide starting materials, studied the efficacy of the extractants for selective removal of soft metal ions from aqueous phases, studied the deactivation of extractants and the concomitant recovery of soft metal ions from the extractants, and characterized all of the solids and solutions thus far in the study. The study was proposed as two parallel tasks: Part 1 and Part 2 emphasize the study and development of known metal chalcogenide extractants and the synthesis and development of new metal chalcogenide extractants, respectively. The two tasks were divided into sub-sections that study the extractants and their chemistry as detailed below: Preparation and reactivity of metal chalcogenide host solids Extraction of target waste (guest) ions from simulated waste streams Examination of the guest-host solids recovery of the guest metal and reuse of extractant Each section of the two tasks was divided into focused subsections that detail the specific problems and solutions to those problems that were proposed. The extent to which those tasks have been accomplished and the continued efforts of the …

The SLD upgrade CCD vertex detector (VXD3) is described. Its 307 million pixels are assembled from 96 3.2 Mpixel CCDs of 13 cm{sup 2} each. The system has evolved from the pioneering CCD vertex detector VXD2, which has operated in SLD since 1992. The CCDs of VXD3 are mounted on beryllium ladders in three cylinders, providing three space point measurements along each track of about 5 microns resolution in all three co-ordinates. Significant improvements are achieved with VXD3 in impact parameter resolution (about a factor of two) and acceptance ({approximately}20%) through optimized geometry and reduced material. New readout electronics have been developed for this system.

The authors have measured production fractions and spectra for {pi}{sup {+-}}, K{sup {+-}} and p, and production spectra for K{sup 0} and {Lambda}{sup 0} in both hadronic Z{sup 0} decays and a Z{sup 0} {yields} light quark (uds) subset at SLD. The SLD Cherenkov Ring Imaging Detector was used to identify charged hadrons. The CCD vertex detector was used to select the enriched uds sample. For the global sample, the results are consistent with previous experiments. The authors observe a clear flavor dependence in production spectra, but only a small effect in hadron fractions and {xi} = ln(1/x{sub p}) peak positions.

'Mercury and other highly-toxic heavy metals such as cadmium and lead are present in many aquatic environments, and the remediation of such environments or the avoidance of heavy-metal contamination in the first place is an area of active interest. In recent years tougher environmental regulations and the high initial cost of new, more effective, and more selective extractants has made the reuse of extractant materials and the minimization of secondary waste volume a focus of their scientific effort. The authors research has involved the investigation of redox-active layered metal chalcogenides as selective, effective, and redox-recyclable extractants for heavy metals from aqueous solution.'

'The mobility of actinides in surface soils is a key issue of concern at several DOE facilities in arid and semiarid environments, including Rocky Flats, Hanford, Nevada Test Site, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, and Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Key sources of uncertainty in assessing Pu mobility are the magnitudes of mobility resulting from three modes of transport: (1) wind erosion, (2) water erosion, and (3) vertical migration. Each of these three processes depend on numerous environmental factors and they compete with one another, particularly for actinides in very shallow soils ({approximately} 1 \265m). The overall goal of the study is to quantify the mobility of soil actinides from all three modes. The authors study is using field measurements, laboratory experiments, and ecological modeling to address these three processes at three DOE facilities where actinide kinetics are of concern: WIPP, Rocky Flats, and Hanford. Wind erosion is being measured with suite of monitoring equipment, water erosion is being studied with rainfall simulation experiments, vertical migration is being studied in controlled laboratory experiments, and the three processes are being integrated using ecological modeling. Estimates for clean up of soil actinides for the extensive tracts of …

The attached reports and proposal summarize the work to date for the revised Ultrasonic Resonance Interferometry system. The most recent set of experiments, to determine the accuracy of the implementation of a new calibration curve to account for the variation of the wave speed with temperature, were never completed due to lack of funding. The general focus of the ongoing work, outlined in the weekly reports, had been improvements in accuracy of the measurement system using software modifications. The future focus of the project, as outlined in the attached proposal, was to incorporate a thermal conductivity probe with the ultrasonic measurement system to allow measurement of fluids which have a bimodal wavespeed vs. molarity relation.

Over the past decade or so the evolution and equilibria of persistent decks of stratocumulus climatologically clinging to the edge of summertime subtropical highs has been an issue of increased scientific inquiry. The particular interest in the microphysical structure of these clouds stems from a variety of hypotheses which suggest that anthropogenic influences or biogenic feedbacks may alter the structure of these clouds in a manner which may be climatically significant. Most hypotheses regarding boundary layer influences on climate have been formulated by an examination of the solution space of simple models. The earliest hypothesis of this sort (and the one on the most solid footing) is due to Twomey (1974), who posited that enhanced concentrations of CCN could lead to enhanced droplet reflectivity and enhanced albedos in clouds of modest optical depths. In low lying clouds where the albedo effect dominates, the climate sensitivity to a robust perturbation in cloud albedo may be significant. One of the primary objectives of this current research has been to explore the hypothesis of Twomey. The basic approach was to couple radiative calculations with detailed representations of the droplet spectra. The detailed representation of the droplet spectra was generated by the Large Eddy …

This report discusses results from several studies involved in the project. Investigations include: vibrational models for surface olefins and alkylidenes; mechanism of the formation and fragmentation of diosmacyclobutanes; reaction of dienes and allenes with diosmacyclobutanes; determination by nematic phase NMR of the structure of mononuclear and dinuclear ethylene complexes of osmium; and generation of ``coordinatively unsaturated`` complexes by protonation of methyl osmium complexes.

The authors present an improved comparison of the strong couplings of gluons to light (u, d, and s), c, and b quarks, determined from multijet rates in flavor-tagged samples of hadronic Z{sup 0} decays recorded with the SLC Large Detector at the SLAC Linear Collider between 1993 and 1995. Flavor separation on the basis of lifetime and decay multiplicity differences among hadrons containing light, c, and b quarks was made using the SLD precision tracking system, yielding tags with high purity and low bias against {ge} 3-jet final states. They find: {alpha}{sub s}{sup uds}/{alpha}{sub s}{sup all} = 0.997 {+-} 0.011(stat) {+-} 0.011(syst) {+-} 0.005(theory), {alpha}{sub s}{sup c}/{alpha}{sub s}{sup all} = 0.984 {+-} 0.042 {+-} 0.053 {+-} 0.022, {alpha}{sub s}{sup b}/{alpha}{sub s}{sup all} = 1.022 {+-} 0.019 {+-} 0.023 {+-} 0.012.

The authors have measured production rates as a function of momentum of the identified hadrons {pi}{sup +}, K{sup +}, K{sup 0}, K*{sup 0}, {phi}, p, {Lambda}{sup 0} and their antihadrons in inclusive hadronic Z{sup 0} decays, as well as separately in decays into light, c and b flavors. In addition they have compared hadron and antihadron production rates in light quark (rather than antiquark) jets. The SLD Cherenkov Ring Imaging Detector was used to identify charged hadrons. The vertex detector was used to tag high-purity samples of light- and b-flavor events. The electron beam polarization was used to tag samples of quark and antiquark jets. Clear flavor dependences are observed, consistent with expectations based upon measured production and decay properties of heavy hadrons. They use the light-flavor results to test the predictions of MLLA QCD and of various fragmentation models. Differences between hadron and antihadron production in light quark jets are observed at high momentum fraction, providing direct evidence that higher-momentum particles are more likely to contain a primary quark or antiquark, and they use these results to make a new direct measurement of strangeness suppression in the jet fragmentation process.

The treatment for some thyroid carcinomas involves surgically removing the thyroid gland and administering the radiopharmaceutical Sodium iodide-{sup 131}I (NaI). A diagnostic dose of NaI is given to the patient to determine if remnant tissue from the gland remains or larger doses are administered in order to treat the malignant tissue. Past research regarding NaI uptake and retention in euthyroid individuals (normal functioning thyroid) reveal that radioiodine concentrates mainly in the thyroid tissue and the remaining material is excreted from the body. The majority of radioiodine in athyroid (without thyroid) individuals is also eliminated from the body; however, there has been recent evidence of a long-term retention phase for individuals with no radioiodine concentrating tissue. The general purpose of this study was to develop a kinetic model and estimate the absorbed dose to athyroid individuals regarding the distribution and retention of NaI.

A large component of radon entry cannot be explained by pressure differences between the soil and inside the structures. The persistence of this radon entry even when the house is pressurized by 1 Pa indicates that it must be due to molecular diffusion. The radon entry rate as measured by accumulators below ground level (soil + concrete) is roughly 2 times greater than that measured above ground level (concrete alone). The soil permeability is about 10{sup {minus}12} m{sup 2} and does not change dramatically with depth down to 2 m. The diffusion component of radon entry is reduced by about 30% when the floor wall joint is sealed. The Rn3D model is operating on our computer system and is being modified to accommodate the geometrical configurations of the underground test structure.

We are making progress on our investigation of the mechanism of olefin exchange with Os{sub 2}(C{sub 2}H{sub 4})(CO){sub 8}. We are probing this system by kinetic study of the reaction of Os{sub 2}(C{sub 2}H{sub 4})(CO){sub 8} with butyl acrylate (BA) under various pressures of ethylene.

The polycrystalline nature of thin-film CdTe and CuInSe{sub 2} solar cells continues to be a major factor in several individual losses that limit overall cell efficiency. This report describes progress in the quantitative separation of these losses, including both measurement and analysis procedures. It also applies these techniques to several individual cells to help document the overall progress with CdTe and CuInSe{sub 2} cells. Notably, CdTe cells from Photon Energy have reduced window photocurrent losses to 1 mA/Cm{sup 2}; those from the University of South Florida have achieved a maximum power voltage of 693 mV; and CuInSe{sub 2} cells from International Solar Electric Technology have shown a hole density as high as 7 {times} 10{sup 16} cm{sup {minus}3}, implying a significant reduction in compensation. 9 refs.

This report is divided into 5 sections: Ru[sub 4]/Fe complexes of tetra(4[prime]-methyl-2,2[prime]-bipyridine)porphyrin--catalytic epoxidation of olefins; water oxidation catalysis by doubly linked [mu]-oxo ruthenium complexes; polymer films formed by oxidation of transition metal electrodes into solutions of bisbipyridinealkane ligands; polymer films containing [CpMo([mu]-S)][sub 2]S[sub 2]CHR dinuclear clusters;and conducting polymer films for catalyst incorporation.

The project objective is to explore the generation of soft X-ray laser radiation in a plasma column created by a fast capillary discharge. The proposed capillary lasing scheme offers the potential for compact, simple and efficient soft X-ray laser sources. For this purpose a compact, fast pulse generator which produces 100 kA current pulses with a risetime of 11 ns was constructed. Initial experiments were conducted in evacuated capillaries, in which the plasma is produced by ablation of the capillary walls. The soft X-ray emission from discharges in polyethylene capillary channels was studied to investigate the possibility of amplification in the 3-2 transition of C VI, at {lambda} = 18.2 nm. Time-resolved spectra in which this transition appears anomalously intense with respect to the 4--2 transition of the same ion were obtained. To date, however, this phenomenoa could not be confirmed as gain, as the intensity of the 18.2 nm line has not been observed to increase exponentially as a function of the capillary length. Encouraging results were obtained by fast pulse discharge excitation of capillaries filled with preionized gas. High temperature (Te > 150 eV), small diameter ({approximately}200 {mu}m) plasma columns were efficiently generated. Fast current pulse excitation of …

The report is divided into: vibrational models for surface ethylidenes (on catalyst surfaces); alpha vs beta hydrogen elimination in formation of propene from an osmacyclobutane; mechanism of formation and fragmentation of diosmacyclobutanes; reaction of dienes and allenes with diosmacyclobutanes; structure of Os(CO)[sub 4](C[sub 2]H[sub 4]), an osmacyclopropane; and reaction of [mu]-oxobis [(trifluoromethanesulfanato) (phenyl)iodine(III)] with Group 14 propargyl derivatives and a propargyl ether. 16 refs, figs.

Focus has been mainly on preparation and characterization of triply bridged dinuclear complexes containing a tris-2-2'- bipyridineruthenium chromophore and a second tris-bipyridine metal complex which is to serve as electron donor or acceptor, and of linked RuL[sub 3]-containing D-C-A complexes where D is a phenothiazine donor and A is a diquat type acceptor. (DLC)

The limiting role of polycrystallinity in thin-film solar calls has been reduced somewhat during the past year, and efficiencies of both CdTe and CuInSe[sub 2] cells are approaching 15%. Quantitative separation of loss mechanisms shows that individual losses, with the exception of forward recombination current, can be made comparable to their single crystal counterparts. One general manifestation of the extraneous trapping states in that the voltage of all polycrystalline thin-film cells drifts upward by 10--50 mV following the onset of illumination.

The objectives of the study were: to evaluate the response of grassland ecosystems to atmospheric change at regional and site scales, and to develop multiscaled modeling systems to relate ecological and atmospheric models with different spatial and temporal resolutions. A menu-driven shell was developed to facilitate use of models at different temporal scales and to facilitate exchange information between models at different temporal scales. A detailed ecosystem model predicted that C{sub 3} temperate grasslands wig respond more strongly to elevated CO{sub 2} than temperate C{sub 4} grasslands in the short-term while a large positive N-PP response was predicted for a C{sub 4} Kenyan grassland. Long-term climate change scenarios produced either decreases or increases in Colorado plant productivity (NPP) depending on rainfall, but uniform increases in N-PP were predicted in Kenya. Elevated CO{sub 2} is likely to have little effect on ecosystem carbon storage in Colorado while it will increase carbon storage in Kenya. A synoptic climate classification processor (SCP) was developed to evaluate results of GCM climate sensitivity experiments. Roughly 80% agreement was achieved with manual classifications. Comparison of lx and 2xCO{sub 2} GCM Simulations revealed relatively small differences.

A fully-parameterized model for the formation and growth of aerosols via gas-to-particle conversion has been developed and tested. A particularly significant contribution is a new method for the prediction of numbers of particles nucleated using information on the vapor source rate, relative humidity, and preexisting aerosol alone, thus eliminating the need to solve a system of coupled ODEs. Preliminary tests indicate substantial reduction in computational costs, but it is recommended that the BIMODAM model be incorporated into a large-scale model of the sulfur cycle in order to more fully test its computational feasibility.

The entry rate of {sup 22}Rn into a basement structure was measured continuously. These measurements demonstrated that radon entry did not vanish even when the structure was slightly pressurized. This persistent entry has been determined to be dominated by diffusion through the floor and walls and a combination of diffusion and convection through the floor-wall joint. The highest indoor radon concentrations occurred during calm periods when the pressure differentials between the inside and outside of the structure were small. The objectives of this work were to identify the origins of the radon and investigate the entry pathways. The radon could originate either in the concrete or in the soil surrounding the structure. Entry pathways into the basement were through the concrete floor and walls as well as through the floor-wall joint. The contributions of the origins and entry pathways were determined by continuously measuring the radon entry rate into the basement, using a trace gas system, and the flux density through portions of the floor and walls. Radon entry through the floor-wall joint could be controlled using a baseboard barrier system. Results indicated that, during calm conditions with wind speeds less than 1 m s{sup {minus}1}, 25 % of the …

The overall goal of this research is to develop a scheme to parameterize diabatic heating, moisture/water substance, and momentum transports, and precipitation from mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) for use in general circulation models (GCMs). Our approach is to perform explicit cloud-resolving simulations of MCSs in the spirit of the GEWEX Cloud Systems Study (GCSS), by using the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) developed at Colorado State University (CSU). We then perform statistical analyses (conditional sampling, ensemble-averages, trajectory analyses) of simulated MCSs to assist in fabricating a parameterization scheme, calibrating coefficients, and provide independent tests of the efficacy of the parameterization scheme. A cloud-resolving simulation of ordinary cumulonimbi forced by sea breeze fronts has been completed. Analysis of this case and comparison with parameterized convection simulations has resulted in a number of refinements in the scheme. Three three-dimensional, cloud-resolving simulations of MCSs have been completed. Statistical analyses of model-output data are being performed to assist in developing a parameterization scheme of MCSs in general circulation models.

The polycrystalline nature of thin-film CdTe and CuInSe{sub 2} solar cells continues to be a major factor in several individual losses that limit overall cell efficiency. This report describes progress in the quantitative separation of these losses, including both measurement and analysis procedures. It also applies these techniques to several individual cells to help document the overall progress with CdTe and CuInSe{sub 2} cells. Notably, CdTe cells from Photon Energy have reduced window photocurrent losses to 1 mA/Cm{sup 2}; those from the University of South Florida have achieved a maximum power voltage of 693 mV; and CuInSe{sub 2} cells from International Solar Electric Technology have shown a hole density as high as 7 {times} 10{sup 16} cm{sup {minus}3}, implying a significant reduction in compensation. 9 refs.