We summarize results of several successful dense plasma diagnostics experiments realized by combining two different kinds of table-top soft x-ray lasers with an amplitude division interferometer based on diffraction grating beam splitters. In the first set of experiments this robust high throughput diffraction grating interferometer (DGI) was used with a 46.9 nm portable capillary discharge laser to study the dynamics of line focus and point focus laser-created plasmas. The measured electron density profiles, which differ significantly from those expected from a classical expansion, unveil important two-dimensional effects of the dynamics of these plasmas. A second DGI customized to operate in combination with a 14.7 nm Ni-like Pd transient gain laser was used to perform interferometry of line focus laser-created plasmas with picosecond time resolution. These measurements provide valuable new benchmarks for complex hydrodynamic codes and help bring new understanding of the dynamics of dense plasmas. The instrumentation and methodology we describe is scalable to significantly shorter wavelengths, and constitutes a promising scheme for extending interferometry to the study of very dense plasmas such as those investigated for inertial confinement fusion.

The identification of individual molecules and the determination of how these interact with their local environment are critical steps toward a better understanding of complex organic systems. Optical detection techniques have always played a key role in the nondestructive and noninvasive analysis of complex materials. Until recently, however, optical microscopy has lacked the sensitivity to study processes on the molecular scale. This has changed with the recent development of new schemes that limit the optical detection volume, and the advent of new, highly quantum-efficient photon detectors. These inventions have enabled researchers to optically probe biomolecular processes at the single molecule level by observing the fluorescence of specific marker molecules. The requirement to specifically label biomolecules and the fact, that fluorescence emission is prone to photodecomposition of the marker molecules, however, have limited this approach to a few, well-characterized case studies. Raman scattering, is one of few optical techniques that can identify atomic species and in addition determine their chemical bonds by observing their distinct vibrational fingerprints; but it is orders of magnitude weaker than fluorescence. In this project, we have developed new optical probes that allow for the non-destructive characterization and identification of organic and inorganic matter at the single …

The effects of structural perturbation on second harmonic generation in collagen were investigated. Type I collagen fascicles obtained from rat tails were structurally modified by increasing nonenzymatic cross-linking, by thermal denaturation, by collagenase digestion, or by dehydration. Changes in polarization dependence were observed in the dehydrated samples. Surprisingly, no changes in polarization dependence were observed in highly crosslinked samples, despite significant alterations in packing structure. Complete thermal denaturation and collagenase digestion produced samples with no detectable second harmonic signal. Prior to loss of signal, no change in polarization dependence was observed in partially heated or digested collagen.

We are developing high-current-density high-brightness sources for Heavy Ion Fusion applications. Heavy ion driven inertial fusion requires beams of high brightness in order to achieve high power density at the target for high target gain. At present, there are no existing ion source types that can readily meet all the driver HIF requirements, though sources exist which are adequate for present experiments and which with further development may achieve driver requirements. Our two major efforts have been on alumino-silicate sources and RF plasma sources. Experiments being performed on a 10-cm alumino-silicate source are described. To obtain a compact system for a HIF driver we are studying RF plasma sources where low current beamlets are combined to produce a high current beam. A 80-kV 20-{micro}s source has produced up to 5 mA of Ar{sup +} in a single beamlet. The extraction current density was 100 mA/cm{sup 2}. We present measurements of the extracted current density as a function of RF power and gas pressure, current density uniformity, emittance, and energy dispersion (due to charge exchange).

The current war with Iraq, international interventions in Afghanistan, and the continuous and seemingly insolvable problems in the Middle East emphasize the importance of supporting stable, healthy countries throughout the Middle East and South and Central Asia. The political alliances and foreign aid promulgated by the Cold War have been seriously strained, creating a more uncertain and unstable international environment. We must stay engaged with this part of the world. New partnerships must be forged. Central Asia represents a mix of political systems - from totalitarian rule to nascent democracy; of economic resources from natural to human; and of cultures from ancient to modern - making it of strategic importance to U. S. national and economic security. The U.S. must remain committed and proactively engaged in the region to promote open and democratic societies attractive to outside investment and to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and extremist groups. The U.S is admired for its science and technology and its flexibility in innovation and applying S&T to solve problems. The inherent value that S&T can contribute to advancing U.S. policy goals is the underlying assumption of this report. Science and technology and their applications have much to contribute …

A time-domain pure-state polarization analysis method is used to characterize surface waves traversing California parallel to the plate boundary. The method is applied to data recorded at four broadband stations in California from twenty-six large, shallow earthquakes which occurred since 1988, yielding polarization parameters such as the ellipticity, Euler angles, instantaneous periods, and wave incident azimuths. The earthquakes are located along the circum-Pacific margin and the ray paths cluster into two groups, with great-circle paths connecting stations MHC and PAS or CMB and GSC. The first path (MHC-PAS) is in the vicinity of the San Andreas Fault System (SAFS), and the second (CMB-GSC) traverses the Sierra Nevada Batholith parallel to and east of the SAFS. Both Rayleigh and Love wave data show refractions due to lateral velocity heterogeneities under the path, indicating that accurate phase velocity and attenuation analysis requires array measurements. The Rayleigh waves are strongly affected by low velocity anomalies beneath Central California, with ray paths bending eastward as waves travel toward the south, while Love waves are less affected, providing observables to constrain the depth extent of the anomalies. Strong lateral gradients in the lithospheric structure between the continent and the ocean are the likely cause of …

In a new approach to develop high current beams for heavy ion fusion, beam current at about 0.5 ampere per channel can be obtained by merging an array of high current density beamlets of 5 mA each. We have done computer simulations to study the transport of high current density beamlets and the emittance growth due to this merging process. In our RF multicusp source experiment, we have produced a cluster of 61 beamlets using minimum gas flow. The current density from a 0.25 cm diameter aperture reached 100 mA/cm{sup 2}. The normalized emittance of 0.02 {pi}-mm-mrad corresponds to an equivalent ion temperature of 2.4 eV. These results showed that the RF argon plasma source is suitable for producing high current density beamlets that can be merged to form a high current high brightness beam for HIF application.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a relapsing-remitting disorder of the central nervous system that results in the loss of the myelin sheaths insulating nerve fibers (axons). Strong evidence suggests that MS is an autoimmune disease mediated by T-cell and antibody responses against myelin antigens. Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) is a 26 kD to 28 kD an integral membrane protein of the central nervous system implicated as a target for autoaggressive antibodies in MS. To date, the conformation of MOG in association with the myelin membrane is unknown and the exact nature of the interactions between this protein and disease-inducing immune responses have not been determined. Since membrane associated proteins are typically characterized by decreased correlation times, solution state NMR methodologies are often impracticable. Membrane proteins are also often difficult to crystallize for X-ray diffraction studies, Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop new structure characterization tools for this important class of biomolecules. The research described here overviews the initial stages of our effort to develop an integrated, NMR based approach to structural studies of MOG over the many structural domains it is postulated to posses. The structural knowledge gained about this important MS antigen in its native environment will contribute …

Scene-Based Wave Front Sensing uses the correlation between successive wavelets to determine the phase aberrations which cause the blurring of digital images. Adaptive Optics technology uses that information to control deformable mirrors to correct for the phase aberrations making the image clearer. The correlation between temporal subimages gives tip-tilt information. If these images do not have identical image content, tip-tilt estimations may be incorrect. Motion detection is necessary to help avoid errors initiated by dynamic subimage content. With a finely limited number of pixels per subaperature, most conventional motion detection algorithms fall apart on our subimages. Despite this fact, motion detection based on the normalized variance of individual pixels proved to be effective.

A decade ago, it was shown that a wide class of scalar-tensor theories can pass very restrictive weak field tests of gravity and yet exhibit non-perturbative strong field deviations away from General Relativity. This phenomenon was called 'Spontaneous Scalarization' and causes the (Einstein frame) scalar field inside a neutron star to rapidly become inhomogeneous once the star's mass increases above some critical value. For a star whose mass is below the threshold, the field is instead nearly uniform (a state which minimizes the star's energy) and the configuration is similar to the General Relativity one. Here, we show that the spontaneous scalarization phenomenon is linked to another strong field effect: a spontaneous violation of the weak energy condition.

A new experimental apparatus has been developed for performing compression deformation experiments on high-purity Mo single crystals. These experiments provide data that can validate 3-D dislocation dynamics (DD) simulations. The experiments are performed under conditions that allow unconstrained deformation; thus, a relatively uniform state of axial stress is maintained during deformation. In the following sections, we describe the new experimental apparatus and our results from experiments performed at ambient temperature at a strain rate of s{sup -1}. Validation criteria based on the Mo experiments may include comparing the stress-strain response using 3-D strain information, the predicted slip-system yield, and work-hardening behavior.

Sustainable future use of land containing unexploded ordnance requires extensive field assessments, cleanup, and restoration. The ordnance is generally semi-exposed or buried in pits and, because of aging, needs to be handled with caution. Being able to characterize the ordnance in the field to minimize handling, as well as to distinguish it from inert mock material, greatly facilitates assessments and clean-up. We have developed unique sample preparation methodologies and a portable thin-layer chromatography (TLC) kit technology for rapid field screening and quantitative assessment of stabilizer content in propellants and, energetic materials (explosives) in environmental scenarios. Major advantages of this technology include simultaneous chromatography of multiple samples and standards for high sample throughput, high resolution, very low detection limits, and ease of operation. The TLC kit technology, sponsored by the Defense Ammunition Center (DAC) of the U.S. Army, is now patented and has been completely transitioned to our commercial partners, Ho'olana Technologies, located in Hilo, Hawaii. Once fully deployed in the field, the new technology will demonstrate a cost-effective and efficient means for determining the percent of effective stabilizer that is remaining on-site and at munitions clean-up sites, as well as munitions storage facilities. The TLC kit technology is also readily …

We have cross-correlated MACHO LMC Cepheids with 2MASS Second Incremental Release Catalog. The resulting database is considerably larger than the set of OGLE Cepheids in the LMC bar, and has significantly better areal coverage, allowing more accurate determination of LMC geometry. Random-phase correction is applied to 2MASS J, H, and Ks magnitudes, using the knowledge of V-band light curve and the ephemeris of 2MASS observations, to produce mean magnitudes. The improvement of phase-corrected PL relations over random-phase PL relations is clearly demonstrated. Reddening is estimated for each star individually, further improving the accuracy of the method. The orientation parameters of the LMC are derived by a Maximum Likelihood approach which solves for viewing angles and PL coefficients simultaneously, providing an unbiased estimation. The results of the analysis are used to place limits on warping of the LMC disk. Implications for the microlensing optical depth are also discussed.

In these experiments we studied the behavior of a synthetic concentrated J13 solution as it comes in contact with a Ni-Cr-Mo-alloy selected for waste canisters in the designated high-level nuclear-waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Concentrated synthetic J13 solution was allowed to drip slowly onto heated test specimens (90 C, 60% relative humidity) where the water moved down the surface of the specimens, evaporated and minerals precipitated. Mineral separation or zoning along the evaporation path was not observed. We infer from solid analyses and geochemical modeling, that the most corrosive components (Ca, Mg, and F) are limited by mineral precipitation. Minerals identified by x-ray diffraction include thermonatrite, natrite, and trona, all sodium carbonate minerals, as well as kogarkoite (Na{sub 3}SO{sub 4}F), halite (NaCl), and niter (KNO{sub 3}). Calcite and a magnesium silicate precipitation are based on chemical analyses of the solids and geochemical modeling. The most significant finding of this study is that sulfate and fluoride concentrations are controlled by the solubility of kogarkoite. Kogarkoite thermodynamic data are needed in the Yucca Mountain Project database to predict the corrosiveness of carbonate brines and to establish the extent to which fluoride is removed from the brines as a solid.

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Depth profiles of {sup 1}H and {sup 2}D in rapidly-grown KD{sub 2x}H{sub 2(1-x)}PO{sub 4} (DKDP) single crystals are studied by elastic recoil detection analysis. Results show that, at ambient conditions, deuteration in the first {approx} 500 nm from the sample surface significantly decreases within the first several days after D{sub 2}O surface polishing. This effect is attributed to the deuterium-hydrogen exchange. The effective diffusion coefficient of this process is strongly dependent on both the degree of deuteration and sample growth conditions. Physical mechanisms of the D/H exchange are discussed.

We use the Global Modeling Initiative chemistry and transport model to simulate the evolution of stratospheric ozone between 1995 and 2030, using boundary conditions consistent with the recent World Meteorological Organization ozone assessment. We compare the Antarctic ozone recovery predictions of two simulations, one driven by meteorological data from a general circulation model (GCM), the other using the output of a data assimilation system (DAS), to examine the sensitivity of Antarctic ozone recovery predictions to the characteristic dynamical differences between GCM and DAS-generated meteorological data. Although the age of air in the Antarctic lower stratosphere differs by a factor of 2 between the simulations, we find little sensitivity of the 1995-2030 Antarctic ozone recovery between 350 K and 650 K to the differing meteorological fields, particularly when the recovery is specified in mixing ratio units. Relative changes are smaller in the DAS-driven simulation compared to the GCM-driven simulation due to a surplus of Antarctic ozone in the DAS-driven simulation which is not consistent with observations. The peak ozone change between 1995 and 2030 in both simulations is {approx}20% lower than photochemical expectations, indicating that changes in ozone transport at 450 K between 1995 and 2030 constitute a small negative feedback. …

The offshore production of oil and gas leads to naturally occurring {sup 226,228}Ra being brought to the surface along with produced water. Assessment of potential environmental exposures, if any, requires accurate, precise and practical methods for the measurement of low concentrations of {sup 226,228}Ra. A method for the simultaneous measurement of {sup 226,228}Ra in marine sediments, biota and produced water at a sensitivity of 0.01 pCi/g using high-sensitivity, high-resolution gamma spectrometry was subjected to an interlaboratory exercise using U.S. commercial laboratories to validate its accuracy, precision, robustness, and sample throughput. The prescribed method involves direct counting for solid samples and a simple Pb({sup 133}Ba,Ra)SO{sub 4} co-precipitation procedure for water samples followed by gamma counting. Analytical results received from the participating laboratories were subjected to data analysis and statistical evaluation to validate the overall performance of the prescribed method. Relatively good precision and high accuracy of data were achieved when the participating laboratories followed the prescribed procedure closely. The consistency of results among laboratories was not correlated to the {sup 226,228}Ra concentrations in the samples. Most of the results that failed the acceptance criteria were either due to the absence of geometric and secular equilibrium between {sup 226}Ra and its signature …

The behavior of hydrogen at high densities has been widely explored in recent years both experimentally and theoretically, yielding a wealth of information on the material (e.g., Ref. 1). Detailed information has been obtained from static compression experiments generally limited to low-temperature studies (<300 K) and maximum pressures of {approx}300 GPa (e.g., Refs. [2,3]). However, there are now numerous questions regarding the behavior of hydrogen at high pressures and temperatures, results that have important implications for both fundamental physics and planetary science. We report here [2] Raman scattering and visible to near-infrared absorption spectra of solid hydrogen under static pressure up to 285 GPa at 85-140 K. We obtain pressure dependences of vibron and phonon modes in agreement with previously determined to lower pressures. The results indicate the stability of the ordered molecular phase III to the highest pressure reached and provide constraints on the insulator-to-metal transition pressure. Extrapolations of the vibron and phonon frequencies suggest transformation to a monoatomic state below 495 GPa. On the other hand, considerations of the absorption edge indicate the pressure of metallization at 325-385 GPa on the basis of tentative extrapolation of the direct band gap energy. Although complicated by affects of stressed-induced diamond …

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's Forensic Science Center (FSC) has successfully resolved a variety of concerns related to propellant stabilizer analysis by thin-layer chromatography. The technology is now ready to proceed to validation and the related issues associated with deployment, both CONUS and OCONUS. The goal of this project is to develop a completely self-contained field-portable system to quantitatively analyze propellants for their stabilizer content. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's Forensic Science Center (FSC) has taken an established technology, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and developed new sampling protocols, unique hardware, and specialized chemistries for incorporation into a new field-portable TLC kit. Some of the advantages of this system are the ability to analyze several samples or lots simultaneously, very low detection limits, and field reliability when deployed, it will become an efficient, cost-effective method for the determination of the remaining effective stabilizer (%RES) in propellants. Due to its portability, ease of use, and low cost, this technology will be useful in a variety of CONUS and OCONUS analysis scenarios. The TLC technology development is sponsored by the US Army, Defense Ammunition Center (DAC). Patents on this technology have been awarded and the kit is now commercially available.

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The effects of amount of pore former used to produce porosity in the anode of an anode supported planar solid oxide fuel cell were examined. The pore forming material utilized was rice starch. The reduction rate of the anode material was measured by Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) to qualitatively characterize the gas transport within the porous anode materials. Fuel cells with varying amounts of porosity produced by using rice starch as a pore former were tested. The performance of the fuel cell was the greatest with an optimum amount of pore former used to create porosity in the anode. This optimum is believed to be related to a trade off between increasing gas diffusion to the active three-phase boundary region of the anode and the loss of performance due to the replacement of active three-phase boundary regions of the anode with porosity.

Diagnostic Subproject 12 (DSP 12) on Land-surface Processes and Parameterizations is one of several AMIP-related efforts to analyze the effectiveness of current climate models in simulating continental processes. DSP 12's particular objectives are (1) to validate large-scale AMIP2 continental simulations against available global reference data sets; (2) to verify continental energy/moisture conservation and diagnose related land-surface processes in the AMIP2 models; and (3) to formulate hypotheses on putative connections between AMIP2 simulation performance and the complexities of the respective land-surface schemes (LSSs) that might be tested by further numerical experimentation. This paper outlines DSP 12's large-scale validation work, while companion papers by Henderson-Sellers et al., Irannejad et al., and Zhang et al. briefly present our analysis of other facets of AMIP2 land-surface simulations.

Gravitational lensing is a powerful tool to study the distribution of dark matter in the universe. The cold dark matter model of structure formation predicts the existence of quasars gravitationally lensed by concentrations of dark matter so massive that the quasar images would be split by over 7 inches. However, numerous searches for large-separation lensed quasars have been unsuccessful; all of the roughly 70 lensed quasars known to date, such as Q0957+561, have smaller splittings, and can be explained in terms of galaxy scale concentrations of baryonic matter that have undergone dissipative collapse. Here they report the discovery of the first large-separation lensed quasar, SDSS J1004+4112, with a maximum separation of 14.62 inches; at this separation, the lensing object must be dominated by dark matter. While gravitationally lensed galaxies of even large separation are known, large-separation quasars are more useful cosmological probes because of the simplicity of the resulting lens systems. The discovery in their current quasar sample is fully consistent with the theoretical expectations based on the cold dark matter model.