Recent advances in field and laboratory methods for measuring elastic wave velocities provide incentive and opportunity for improving interpretation of geophysical data for engineering and environmental applications. Advancing the state-of-the-art of seismic imaging requires developing petrophysical relationships between measured velocities and the hydrogeology parameters and lithology. Our approach uses laboratory data and rock physics methods. Compressional (Vp) and shear (Vs) wave velocities, Vp/Vs ratios, and relative wave amplitudes show systematic changes related to composition, saturation, applied stress (analogous to depth), and distribution of clay for laboratory ultrasonic measurements on soils. The artificial soils were mixtures of Ottawa sand and a second phase, either Wyoming bentonite or peat moss used to represent clay or organic components found in natural soils. Compressional and shear wave velocities were measured for dry, saturated, and partially-saturated conditions, for applied stresses between about 7 and 100 kPa, representing approximately the top 5 m of the subsurface. Analysis of the results using rock physics methods shows the link between microstructure and wave propagation, and implications for future advances in seismic data interpretation. For example, we found that Vp in dry sand-clay mixtures initially increases as clay cements the sand grains and fills porosity, but then Vp decreases …

RadHeat is a one dimensional finite difference heat transfer code that can determine the transient temperature evolution of layered targets in pulsed penetrating radiation environments. It makes use of energy dependent opacity and stopping data to model the volumetric deposition of any number of photon or ion spectra each incident at arbitrary angles. Convective and radiative boundary conditions are handled as well as the ability to impose any initial temperature profile. The heat diffusion equation is formulated implicitly to eliminate timestep dependent stability issues. Simulations are, therefore, able to achieve high fidelity during times of thermal activity and greater speed elsewhere. The prototypical physical situation simulated by RadHeat is illustrated. RadHeat was originally written to study the temperature response of tungsten-armored target-facing walls to the pulsed photon and ion radiation emanating from fusion microexplosions in future IFE power plants. RadHeat's implementation is quite general, though, and the code can be applied to a very broad range of problems. Anything from the heating of the Earth's crust on a warm summer day to the temperature rise in a mirror after a laser pulse could potentially be modeled. This manual was written to help new users learn how to run the code …

COGEMA Engineering Corporation (COGEMA), under contract from CH2M Hill Hanford Group (CH2M Hill), has performed an ultrasonic examination of selected portions of Double-Shell Tank 241-AN-105. The purpose of this examination was to provide information that could be used to evaluate the integrity of the wall of the primary tank. The requirements for the ultrasonic examination of Tank 241-AN-105 were to detect, characterize, (idetify, size, and locate), and recod measurements made of any wall thinning, pitting, or cracks that might be present in the wall of the primary tank. Any measurements that exceed the requirements set forth in the Engineering Task Plan (ETP), RPP-8867, are reported to CH2M Hill and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for further evaluation. Under the contract with CH2M Hill, all data is to be recorded on disk and paper copies of all measurements are provided to PNNL for third-party evaluation. PNNL is responsible for preparing a reports(s) that describes the results of the COGEMA ultrasonic examinations.

We report the preparation of a novel monolithic SnO{sub 2} aerogel using a straightforward sol-gel technique. TEM and XRD analysis show that the as-prepared material is comprised of interconnected, randomly oriented crystalline (rutile) SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles {approx}3-5 nm in size. As a result, the low-density SnO{sub 2} monolith ({approx}97% porous) exhibits a very high surface area of 383 m{sup 2}/g. /XANES spectroscopy at the Sn M{sub 4,5} edge reveals that the electronic structure of the SnO{sub 2} aerogel is similar to that of tetragonal SnO rather than SnO{sub 2} or {beta}-Sn, and that the undercoordinated surface atoms in the material introduce additional Sn-related electronic states close to the conduction band minimum.

Explosive grain-scale simulations are not practical for weapon safety simulations. Indeed for nearly ideal explosives with reaction zones of order 500 {micro}m, even reactive flow models are not practical for weapon safety simulations. By design, reactive flow models must resolve the reaction zone, which implies computational cells with dimension of order 50 {micro}m for such explosives. The desired result for a simulation in which the reaction zone is not resolved is that the explosive behaves as an ideal one. The pressure at the shock front rises to the Chapman-Jouget (CJ) pressure with a reaction zone dimension that is like that of a shock propagating in an unreactive medium, on the order of a few computational cells. It should propagate with the detonation velocity that is determined by the equation of state of the products. In the past, this was achieved in one dimensional simulations with ''beta-burn'', a method in which the extent of conversion to final product is proportional to the approach of the specific volume in the shock front to the specific volume of the CJ state. One drawback with this method is that there is a relatively long build-up to steady detonation that is typically 50 to 100 …

A detailed analytical model of random polycrystals of porous laminates has been developed. This approach permits detailed calculations of poromechanics constants as well as transport coefficients. The resulting earth reservoir model allows studies of both geomechanics and fluid permeability to proceed semi-analytically. Rigorous bounds of the Hashin-Shtrikman type provide estimates of overall bulk and shear moduli, and thereby also provide rigorous error estimates for geomechanical constants obtained from up-scaling based on a self-consistent effective medium method. The influence of hidden or unknown microstructure on the final results can then be evaluated quantitatively. Descriptions of the use of the model and some examples of typical results on the poromechanics of such a heterogeneous reservoir are presented.

Status of lattice calculations of hadron matrix elements along with CP violation in B and in K systems is reviewed. Lattice has provided useful input which, in conjunction with experimental data, leads to the conclusion that CP-odd phase in the CKM matrix plays the dominant role in the observed asymmetry in B {yields} {psi}K{sub s}. It is now quite likely that any beyond the SM, CP-odd, phase will cause only small deviations in B-physics. Search for the effects of the new phase(s) will consequently require very large data samples as well as very precise theoretical predictions. Clean determination of all the angles of the unitarity triangle therefore becomes essential. In this regard B {yields} KD{sup 0} processes play a unique role. Regarding K-decays, remarkable progress made by theory with regard to maintenance of chiral symmetry on the lattice is briefly discussed. First application already provide quantitative information on B{sub K} and the {Delta}I = 1/2 rule. The enhancement in ReA{sub 0} appears to arise solely from tree operators, esp. Q{sub 2}; penguin contribution to ReA{sub 0} appears to be very small. However, improved calculations are necessary for {epsilon}{prime}/{epsilon} as there the contributions of QCD penguins and electroweak penguins largely seem …

The Bulk Vitrification System is being pursued to assist in immobilizing the low-activity tank waste from the 53 million gallons of radioactive waste in the 177 underground storage tanks on the Hanford Site. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the bulk vitrification process, a research and development facility known as the Demonstration Bulk Vitrification System (DBVS) is being built to demonstrate the technology. Specific performance requirements for the final packaged bulk vitrification waste form have been identified. In addition to the specific product-performance requirements, performance targets/goals have been identified that are necessary to qualify the waste form but do not lend themselves to specifications that are easily verified through short-term testing. Collectively, these form the product requirements for the DBVS. This waste-form qualification (WFQ) strategy document outlines the general strategies for achieving and demonstrating compliance with the BVS product requirements. The specific objectives of the WFQ activities are discussed, the bulk vitrification process and product control strategy is outlined, and the test strategy to meet the WFQ objectives is described. The DBVS product performance targets/goals and strategies to address those targets/goals are described. The DBVS product-performance requirements are compared to the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant immobilized low-activity waste product specifications. …

The superconfiguration (SC) approach to collisional-radiative modeling can significantly decrease the computational demands of finding non-LTE level populations in complex systems. However, it has not yet been fully determined whether the statistical averaging of SC models leads to a significant loss of accuracy. The present work compares results from two independent models: a detailed-level accounting (DLA) model based on HULLAC data and the SC model MOST. The relatively simple level structures of the K- and L-shell ions of the neon test system ensure a tractable number of levels in the DLA model but challenge the statistical assumptions of the SC approach. Nonetheless, we find fair agreement between the two models for average ion charges, SC populations, and various effective temperatures.

We provide direct experimental evidence for a non-random distribution of atomic constituents in Zr-based multi-component bulk metallic glasses using positron annihilation spectroscopy. The Ti content around the open-volume regions is significantly enhanced at the expense of Cu and Ni, indicating that Cu and Ni occupy most of the volume bounded by their neighboring atoms while Ti and Zr are less closely packed and more likely to be associated with open-volume regions. Temperature-dependent measurements indicate the presence of at least two different characteristic sizes for the open volume regions. Measurements on hydrogen-charged samples show that the larger open-volume regions can be filled by hydrogen up to a critical density. Beyond this critical density, local atomic-scale open-volume damage is created in the sample to accommodate additional hydrogen. The onset of this local damage in positron annihilation data coincides with the onset of volume expansion in X-ray diffraction data.

In FY 2004, monitoring of the prototype Hanford barrier focused on barrier stability, vegetative cover, evidence of plant and animal intrusion, and the main components of the water balance. Monitored water-balance components included precipitation, runoff, storage, drainage, and deep percolation. Precipitation in FY 2004 was 26 percent less than in FY 2003 but was still higher than normal. The seasonal distribution in precipitation was also different from the previous year with a 43 percent reduction in spring precipitation and a 46 percent increase in summer precipitation. The cumulative amount of water received from October 1994, through September 2004, was 2,559.58 mm on the northern half of the barrier, which is the formerly irrigated treatment, and 1,886.71 mm on the southern non-irrigated treatments. Water storage continued to show a cyclic pattern, increasing in the winter and declining in the spring and summer to a lower limit of about 100 mm in response to evapotranspiration. The 600-mm design storage has never been exceeded. Total drainage from the soil-covered plots range from 2.9E-4 mm to 0.22 mm or 0.003 6 0.004 percent of precipitation. Side-slope drainage was much higher at 20.9 6 2.3 percent of precipitation from the gravel and 18.6 6 5.1 …

For over ten years, the Counterproliferation Analysis and Planning System (CAPS) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has been a planning tool used by U.S. combatant commands for mission support planning against foreign programs engaged in the manufacture of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). CAPS is endorsed by the Secretary of Defense as the preferred counterproliferation tool to be used by the nation's armed services. A sister system, the Homeland-Defense Operational Planning System (HOPS), is a new operational planning tool leveraging CAPS expertise designed to support the defense of the U.S. homeland. HOPS provides planners with a basis to make decisions to protect against acts of terrorism, focusing on the defense of facilities critical to U.S. infrastructure. Criticality of facilities, structures, and systems is evaluated on a composite matrix of specific projected casualty, economic, and sociopolitical impact bins. Based on these criteria, significant unidentified vulnerabilities are identified and secured. To provide insight into potential successes by malevolent actors, HOPS analysts strive to base their efforts mainly on unclassified open-source data. However, more cooperation is needed between HOPS analysts and facility representatives to provide an advantage to those whose task is to defend these facilities. Evaluated facilities include: refineries, major ports, …

The authors present a study of the MACHO red variable population in the Large Magellanic Cloud. This study reveals six period-luminosity relations among the red variable population. Only two of these were known prior to MACHO. The results are consistent with Mira pulsation in the fundamental mode. A sequence comprising 26% of the red variable population can not be explained by pulsation. They propose a dust {kappa}-mechanism in the circumstellar environment is responsible for the long period variation of these objects. The luminosity function of the variables shows a sharp edge at the tip of the red giant branch (TRGB). This is the first clear indication of a population of variable stars within the immediate vicinity of the TRGB. The results indicate this population amounts to 8% of the RGB population near the TRGB.

Newsletter of the Texas Department of Health discussing the news, activities, and events of the organization and other information related to health in Texas.

ISO/IEC-11179 is an international standard that documents the standardization and registration of metadata to make data understandable and shareable. This standardization and registration allows for easier locating, retrieving, and transmitting data from disparate databases. The standard defines the how metadata are conceptually modeled and how they are shared among parties, but does not define how data is physically represented as bits and bytes. The standard consists of six parts. Part 1 provides a high-level overview of the standard and defines the basic element of a metadata registry - a data element. Part 2 defines the procedures for registering classification schemes and classifying administered items in a metadata registry (MDR). Part 3 specifies the structure of an MDR. Part 4 specifies requirements and recommendations for constructing definitions for data and metadata. Part 5 defines how administered items are named and identified. Part 6 defines how administered items are registered and assigned an identifier.

Synchrotron radiation (SR) methods have been utilized with increasing frequency over the past several years to study topics in actinide science, ranging from those of a fundamental nature to those that address a specifically-targeted technical need. In particular, the emergence of microspectroscopic and fluorescence-based techniques have permitted investigations of actinide materials at sources of soft x-ray SR. Spectroscopic techniques with fluorescence-based detection are useful for actinide investigations since they are sensitive to small amounts of material and the information sampling depth may be varied. These characteristics also serve to simplify both sample preparation and safety considerations. Examples of investigations using these fluorescence techniques will be described along with their results, as well as the prospects for future investigations utilizing these methodologies.

Nucleic acid aptamers have found steadily increased utility and application steadily over the last decade. In particular, aptamers have been touted as a valuable complement to and in some cases replacement for antibodies due to their structural and functional robustness as well as their ease in generation and synthesis. They are thus attractive for biosecurity applications, e.g. pathogen detection, and are especially well suited since their in vitro generation process does not require infection of any host systems. Herein we provide a brief overview of the aptamers generated against biopathogens over the last few years. In addition, a few recently described detection platforms using aptamers (aptasensors) and potentially suitable for biosecurity applications will be discussed.

This manuscript discusses the multilayer coating results for the primary and secondary mirrors of the Micro Exposure Tool (MET): a 0.30-numerical aperture (NA) lithographic imaging system with 200 x 600 {micro}m{sup 2} field of view at the wafer plane, operating in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelength region. Mo/Si multilayers were deposited by DC-magnetron sputtering on large-area, curved MET camera substrates, and a velocity modulation technique was implemented to consistently achieve multilayer thickness profiles with added figure errors below 0.1 nm rms to achieve sub-diffraction-limited performance. This work represents the first experimental demonstration of sub-diffraction-limited multilayer coatings for high-NA EUV imaging systems.

We introduce multiple topic tracking (MTT) for iScore to better recommend news articles for users with multiple interests and to address changes in user interests over time. As an extension of the basic Rocchio algorithm, traditional topic detection and tracking, and single-pass clustering, MTT maintains multiple interest profiles to identify interesting articles for a specific user given user-feedback. Focusing on only interesting topics enables iScore to discard useless profiles to address changes in user interests and to achieve a balance between resource consumption and classification accuracy. iScore is able to achieve higher quality results than traditional methods such as the Rocchio algorithm. We identify several operating parameters that work well for MTT. Using the same parameters, we show that MTT alone yields high quality results for recommending interesting articles from several corpora. The inclusion of MTT improves iScore's performance by 25% in recommending news articles from the Yahoo! News RSS feeds and the TREC11 adaptive filter article collection. And through a small user study, we show that iScore can still perform well when only provided with little user feedback.

Cylinders and rings fabricated from AerMet{reg_sign} 100 alloy and AISI 1018 steel have been explosively driven to fragmentation in order to determine the fracture strains for these materials under plane strain and uniaxial stress conditions. The phenomena associated with the dynamic expansion and subsequent break up of the cylinders are monitored with high-speed diagnostics. In addition, complementary experiments are performed in which fragments from the explosively driven cylinder are recovered and analyzed to determine the statistical distribution associated with the fragmentation process as well as to determine failure mechanisms. The data are used to determine relevant coefficients for the Johnson-Cook (Hancock-McKenzie) fracture model. Metallurgical analysis of the fragments provides information on damage and failure mechanisms.

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We present a first principle investigation of the electronicstructure and the band gap bowing parameter of zinc-blende \AlGaN usingboth local density approximation and screened-exchange density functionalmethod. The calculated sX-LDA band gaps for GaN and AlN are 95 percentand 90 percent of the experimentally observed values, respectively, whileLDA under estimates the gaps to 62 percent and 70 percent. In contrast tothe gap itself, the band gap bowing parameter is found to be very similarin sX-LDA and LDA. Because of the difference in the conduction bandstructure, the direct to indirect band gap crossover is predicted tooccur at different Al concentration.

Evaluated decay data for the {sup 206}Tl nuclide are presented, including recommended values for the half-life, {beta}- and {gamma}-ray emission energies and probabilities. Data on X-ray radiations, Auger and conversion electron energies and emission probabilities are also tabulated. Carefully evaluated data for radioactive nuclides refer to complex nuclear level schemes and tables of numerical values, which quantify fundamental nuclear structure information such as level energies and quantum numbers, lifetimes, decay modes, and other associated properties. These data are not only at the core of basic nuclear structure and nuclear astrophysics research, but they are also relevant to many applied technologies, including nuclear energy production, reactor design and safety, medical diagnostic and radiotherapy, health physics, environmental research and monitoring, safeguards and material analysis. The evaluation process results in numerous sets of recommended values on half-lives, radiation energies and emission probabilities. The work on evaluation of decay properties of {sup 206}Tl was completed in September 2006 with a literature cut off by the same date. The Saisinuc software (2002BeXX) and associated supporting programs were used in assembling the data following the established protocol within the International Decay Data Evaluation Project (DDEP) collaboration.