The K East (KE) Basin facilities are located near the north end of the Hanford Site's 100 K area. The facilities were built in 1950 as part of the KE Reactor complex and constructed within 400 meters of the Columbia River, which is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest and by volume the fourth largest river in the United States. The basin, located adjacent to the reactor, was used for the underwater storage of irradiated nuclear fuel discharged from the reactor. The basin was covered by a superstructure comprising steel columns and beams, concrete, and cement asbestos board (CAB) siding. The project's mission was to complete demolition of the structure over the KE Basin within six months of turnover from facility deactivation activities. The demolition project team applied open-air demolition techniques to bring the facility to slab-on-grade. Several innovative techniques were used to control contamination and maintain contamination control within the confines of the demolition exclusion zone. The techniques, which focused on a defense-in-depth approach, included spraying fixatives on interior and exterior surfaces before demolition began; applying fixatives during the demolition; misting using a fine spray of water during demolition; and demolishing the facility systematically. Another innovative approach that …

The disparity between microprocessor clock frequencies and memory latency is a primary reason why many demanding applications run well below peak achievable performance. Software controlled scratchpad memories, such as the Cell local store, attempt to ameliorate this discrepancy by enabling precise control over memory movement; however, scratchpad technology confronts the programmer and compiler with an unfamiliar and difficult programming model. In this work, we present the Virtual Vector Architecture (ViVA), which combines the memory semantics of vector computers with a software-controlled scratchpad memory in order to provide a more effective and practical approach to latency hiding. ViVA requires minimal changes to the core design and could thus be easily integrated with conventional processor cores. To validate our approach, we implemented ViVA on the Mambo cycle-accurate full system simulator, which was carefully calibrated to match the performance on our underlying PowerPC Apple G5 architecture. Results show that ViVA is able to deliver significant performance benefits over scalar techniques for a variety of memory access patterns as well as two important memory-bound compact kernels, corner turn and sparse matrix-vector multiplication -- achieving 2x-13x improvement compared the scalar version. Overall, our preliminary ViVA exploration points to a promising approach for improving application performance …

High level radioactive waste (HLW) is stored in underground carbon steel storage tanks at the Savannah River Site. The underground tanks will be closed by removing the bulk of the waste, chemical cleaning, heel removal, stabilizing remaining residuals with tailored grout formulations, and severing/sealing external penetrations. The life of the carbon steel materials of construction in support of the performance assessment has been completed. The estimation considered general and localized corrosion mechanisms of the tank steel exposed to grouted conditions. A stochastic approach was followed to estimate the distributions of failures based upon mechanisms of corrosion accounting for variances in each of the independent variables. The methodology and results used for one-type of tank is presented.

Long-range as well as head-on beam-beam effects are expected to limit the LHC performance with design parameters. They are also important consideration for the LHC upgrades. To mitigate long-range effects, current carrying wires parallel to the beam were proposed. Two such wires are installed in RHIC where they allow studying the effect of strong long-range beam-beam effects, as well as the compensation of a single long-range interaction. The tests provide benchmark data for simulations and analytical treatments. Electron lenses were proposed for both RHIC and the LHC to reduce the head-on beam-beam effect. We present the experimental long-range beam-beam program at RHIC and report on head-on compensations studies based on simulations.

The author presents some of the most recent BABAR measurements for rare B decays. These include rate asymmetries in the B decays to K{sup (*)}l{sup +}l{sup -} and K{sup +}{pi}{sup -} and branching fractions in the B decays to l{sup +}{nu}{sub l}, K{sub 1}(1270){sup +}{pi}{sup -} and K{sub 1}(1400){sup +}{pi}{sup -}. The author also reports a search for the B{sup +} decay to K{sub S}{sup 0}K{sub S}{sup 0}{pi}{sup +}.

We report the results of a search for Z(4430){sup -} decay to J/{psi}{pi}{sup -} or {psi}(2S){pi}{sup -} in B{sup -,0} {yields} J/{psi}{pi}{sup -} K{sup 0,+} and B{sup -,0} {yields} {psi}(2S){pi}{sup -}K{sup 0,+} decays. The data were collected with the BABAR detector at the SLAC PEP-II asymmetric-energy e{sup +}e{sup -} collider operating at center of mass energy 10.58 GeV, and the sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 413 fb{sup -1}. Each K{pi}{sup -} mass distribution exhibits clear K*(892) and K*{sub 2}(1430) signals, and the efficiency-corrected spectrum is well-described by a superposition of the associated Breit-Wigner intensity distributions, together with an S-wave contribution obtained from the LASS I = 1/2 K{pi}{sup -} scattering amplitude measurements. Each K{pi}{sup -} angular distribution varies significantly in structure with K{pi}{sup -} mass, and is represented in terms of low-order Legendre polynomial moments. We find that each J/{psi}{pi}{sup -} or {psi}(2S){pi}{sup -} mass distribution is well-described by the reflection of the measured K{pi}{sup -} mass and angular distribution structures. We see no significant evidence for a Z(4430){sup -} signal for any of the processes investigated, neither in the total J/{psi}{pi}{sup -} or {psi}(2S){pi}{sup -} mass distribution, nor in the corresponding distributions for the regions of K{pi}{sup …

Spatial resolution tests were performed on beamline 1.4.4 at the Advanced Light Source in Berkeley, CA, USA, a third-generation synchrotron light source. This beamline couples the high-brightness synchrotron source to a Thermo-Electron Continumum XL infrared microscope. Two types of resolution tests were performed in both the mid-IR and near-IR. The results are compared with a diffraction-limited spot size theory. At shorter near-IR wavelengths the experimental results begin to deviate from diffraction-limited so a combined diffraction-limit and electron-beam-source-size model is employed. This description shows how the physical electron beam size of the synchrotron source begins to dominate the focused spot size at higher energies. The transition from diffraction-limited to electron-beam-size-limited performance is a function of storage-ring parameters and the optical demagnification within the beamline and microscope optics. The discussion includes how different facilities, beamlines and microscopes will affect the achievable spatial resolution. As synchrotron light sources and other next-generation accelerators such as energy-recovery LINACs and free-electron lasers achieve smaller beam emittances, beta-functions and/or energy spreads, diffraction-limited performance can continue to higher-energy beams, perhaps ultimately into the extreme ultraviolet.

Argentina is faced with the challenging problem ofdeveloping technology for near-surface disposal and isolation of low- andintermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW). The preferred option fordisposal of LILW (including both relatively short-lived and long-livedradionuclides) is to use disposal facilities that arenear-surface--either above or below ground level [IAEA, 1985; 2001a;2004]. How individual components of a waste disposal system perform(including waste forms, waste containers, engineered barriers and hostenvironment) will determine system safety and the safety of thesurrounding environment [IAEA, 1999]. The lack of appropriate engineeringfor the backfill, and for the selection of sealing and covering materialsfor trenches, vaults, and ditches, could result in the escape ofradionuclides from the disposed wastes [IAEA, 1994a; 2001b]. Therefore,assessment and design of backfill, barriers, and cover materials are veryimportant, both for preventing invasion of water into the disposalsystem, and for retarding radionuclides that could potentially migratefrom the system into the atmosphere or groundwater [IAEA, 1982; 1994b;2001a].

The synthesis and characterization of 1-10 nm Si nanocrystals highly resistant to oxidation is described. The nanocrystals were prepared by thermal decomposition of tetramethylsilane at 680 C, or in a gold- induced catalytic process at lower temperatures down to 400-450 C using trioctylamine as an initial solvent. Transmission electron microscopic analysis of samples obtained in the presence of gold show that the nanocrystals form via solid-phase epitaxial attachment of Si to the gold crystal lattice. The results of computational modeling performed using first principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations predict that the enhanced stability of nanocrystals to oxidation is due to the presence of N or N-containing groups on the surface of nanocrystals.

The electromagnetic particle-in-cell (PIC) code VORPAL is being used to simulate the interaction of microwave radiation through an electron cloud. The results so far showgood agreement with theory for simple cases. The study has been motivated by previous experimental work on this problem at the CERN SPS [1], experiments at the PEP-II Low Energy Ring (LER) at SLAC [4], and proposed experiments at the Fermilab Main Injector (MI). With experimental observation of quantities such as amplitude, phase and spectrum of the output microwave radiation and with support from simulations for different cloud densities and applied magnetic fields, this technique can prove to be a useful probe for assessing the presence as well as the densityof electron clouds.

Solid low-level radioactive wastes at the Savannah River Site (SRS) are disposed in trenches. In order to determine the permissible radioactive inventory limits for such disposal facilities, it is required to assess the behavior of radioactive waste material over long periods of time. The sensitivity of flow and I-129 (and similar radionuclides) transport in groundwater in the vadose zone to the hydraulic conductivities of the vadose zone subregions and the low-level waste is identified and quantified. A trench configuration and simulation model have been developed to analyze the flow and transport of the radionuclide in the vadose zone as it migrates to the groundwater table. The analysis identifies and quantifies the major dependencies of the flow and radionuclide fractional flux on the subregion hydraulic conductivities. Analysis results indicate the importance of the hydraulic conductivity assigned to the materials modeled, thereby providing the modeler and decision makers with valuable insights on the potential impact of the hydraulic conductivity on flow and radionuclide transport.

When a fixed anode x-ray tube is placed in a magnetic field (B) that is parallel to the anode-cathode axis, the x-ray exposure increases with increasing B. It was hypothesized that the increase was caused by backscattered electrons which were constrained by B and reaccelerated by the electric field onto the x-ray tube target. We performed computer simulations and physical experiments to study the behavior of the backscattered electrons in a magnetic field, and their effects on the radiation output, x-ray spectrum, and off-focal radiation. A Monte Carlo program (EGS4) was used to generate the combined energy and angular distribution of the backscattered electrons. The electron trajectories were traced and their landing locations back on the anode were calculated. Radiation emission from each point was modeled with published data (IPEM Report 78), and thus the exposure rate and x-ray spectrum with the contribution of backscattered electrons could be predicted. The point spread function for a pencil beam of electrons was generated and then convolved with the density map of primary electrons incident on the anode as simulated with a finite element program (Opera-3d, Vector Fields, UK). The total spatial distribution of x-ray emission could then be calculated. Simulations showed that …

Ecosystem health with its near infinite number of variables is difficult to measure, and there are many opinions as to which variables are most important, most easily measured, and most robust, Bioassessment avoids the controversy of choosing which physical and chemical parameters to measure because it uses responses of a community of organisms that integrate all aspects of the system in question. A variety of bioassessment methods have been successfully applied to aquatic ecosystems using fish and macroinvertebrate communities. Terrestrial biotic index methods are less developed than those for aquatic systems and we are seeking to address this problem here. This study had as its objective to examine the baseline differences in ant communities at different seral stages from clear cut back to mature pine plantation as a precursor to developing a bioassessment protocol. Comparative sampling was conducted at four seral stages; clearcut, 5 year, 15 year and mature pine plantation stands. Soil and vegetation data were collected at each site. All ants collected were preserved in 70% ethyl alcohol and identified to genus. Analysis of the ant data indicates that ants respond strongly to the habitat changes that accompany ecological succession in managed pine forests and that individual genera …

Simulation of ductile fracture at the atomic scale reveals many aspects of the fracture process including specific mechanisms associated with void nucleation and growth as a precursor to fracture and the plastic deformation of the material surrounding the voids and cracks. Recently we have studied void coalescence in ductile metals using large-scale atomistic and continuum simulations. Here we review that work and present some related investigations. The atomistic simulations involve three-dimensional strain-controlled multi-million atom molecular dynamics simulations of copper. The correlated growth of two voids during the coalescence process leading to fracture is investigated, both in terms of its onset and the ensuing dynamical interactions. Void interactions are quantified through the rate of reduction of the distance between the voids, through the correlated directional growth of the voids, and through correlated shape evolution of the voids. The critical inter-void ligament distance marking the onset of coalescence is shown to be approximately one void radius based on the quantification measurements used, independent of the initial separation distance between the voids and the strain-rate of the expansion of the system. No pronounced shear flow is found in the coalescence process. We also discuss a technique for optimizing the calculation of fine-scale information …

The production of nuclear materials for weapons, medical, and space applications from the mid-1950's through the late-1980's at the Savannah River Site (SRS) generated approximately 35 million gallons of liquid high-level radioactive waste, which is currently being processed into vitrified glass for long-term storage. Upstream of the vitrification process, the waste is separated into three components: high activity insoluble sludge, high activity insoluble salt, and very low activity soluble salts. The soluble salt represents 90% of the 35 million gallons of overall waste and is processed at the SRS Saltstone Facility, where it mixed with cement, blast furnace slag, and flyash, creating a grout-like mixture. The resulting grout is pumped into aboveground storage vaults, where it hydrates into concrete monoliths, called saltstone, thus immobilizing the low-level radioactive salt waste. As the saltstone hydrates, it generates heat that slowly diffuses out of the poured material. To ensure acceptable grout properties for disposal and immobilization of the salt waste, the grout temperature must not exceed 95 C during hydration. Adiabatic calorimetric measurements of the heat generated for a representative sample of saltstone were made to determine the time-dependent heat source term. These measurements subsequently were utilized as input to a numerical conjugate …

The angular dependence of dissociative electron attachment (DEA) to polyatomic targets is formulated in the local complex potential model, under the assumption that the axial recoil approximation describes the dissociation dynamics. An additional approximation, which is found to be valid in the case of H2O but not in the case of H2S, makes it possible to describe the angular dependence of DEA solely from an analysis of the fixed-nuclei entrance amplitude, without carrying out nuclear dynamics calculations. For H2S, the final-vibrational-state-specific angular dependence of DEA is obtained by incorporating the variation of the angular dependence of the entrance amplitude with nuclear geometry into the nuclear dynamics. Scattering calculations using the complex Kohn method and, for H2S, full quantum calculations of the nuclear dynamics using the Multi-Configuration Time-Dependent Hartree method, are performed.

We have examined the elbow angles for 365 different Fab fragments, and observe that Fabs with lambda light chains have adopted a wider range of elbow angles than their kappa-chain counterparts, and that the lambda light chain Fabs are frequently found with very large (>195{sup o}) elbow angles. This apparent hyperflexibility of lambda-chain Fabs may be due to an insertion in their switch region, which is one residue longer than in kappa chains, with glycine occurring most frequently at the insertion position. A new, web-based computer program that was used to calculate the Fab elbow angles is also described.

Recent events are again raising some old issues and creating new opportunities regarding the future disposition of the used, or spent, fuel from nuclear power plants. Handling these challenges well will not only help set the stage for a robust nuclear energy future, but will reflect the growing linkages among nuclear power, nuclear waste management, international security, and public and political acceptance. The emerging global nuclear regime may make spent fuel management not only more important, but improve chances of success.

IceCube is a 1 km{sup 3} neutrino observatory being built to study neutrino production in active galactic nuclei, gamma-ray bursts, supernova remnants, and a host of other astrophysical sources. High-energy neutrinos may signal the sources of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. IceCube will also study many particle-physics topics: searches for WIMP annihilation in the Earth or the Sun, and for signatures of supersymmetry in neutrino interactions, studies of neutrino properties, including searches for extra dimensions, and searches for exotica such as magnetic monopoles or Q-balls. IceCube will also study the cosmic-ray composition. In January, 2005, 60 digital optical modules (DOMs) were deployed in the South Polar ice at depths ranging from 1450 to 2450 meters, and 8 ice-tanks, each containing 2 DOMs were deployed as part of a surface air-shower array. All 76 DOMs are collecting high-quality data. After discussing the IceCube physics program and hardware, I will present some initial results with the first DOMs.

Hybrid solutions to time-domain electromagnetic problems offer many advantages when solving open-region scattering or radiation problems. Hybrid formulations use a finite-element or finite-difference discretization for the features of interest, then bound this region with a layer of planar boundary elements. The use of volume discretization allows for intricate features and many changes in material within the structure, while the boundary-elements provide a highly accurate radiating boundary condition. This concept has been implemented previously, using the boundary elements to set the E-field, H-field, or both for an FDTD grid, for example in [1][2][3], or as a mixed boundary condition for the second order wave equation solved by finite elements [4]. Further study has focused on using fast methods, such as the Plane Wave Time Domain method [3][4] to accelerate the BEM calculations. This paper details a hybrid solver using the coupled first-order equations for the E and H fields in the finite-element region. This formulation is explicit, with a restriction on the time step for stability. When this time step is used in conjunction with the boundary elements forming either a inhomogeneous Dirichlet or Neuman boundary condition on the finite-element mesh, late time instabilities occur. To combat this, a Unified Boundary …

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We are concerned with the computation of magnetic fields from known electric currents in the finite element setting. In finite element eddy current simulations it is necessary to prescribe the magnetic field (or potential, depending upon the formulation) on the conductor boundary. In situations where the magnetic field is due to a distributed current density, the Biot-Savart law can be used, eliminating the need to mesh the nonconducting regions. Computation of the Biot-Savart law can be significantly accelerated using a low-rank QR approximation. We review the low-rank QR method and report performance on selected problems.

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