We present a search for the standard model Higgs boson produced with a Z boson in 4.1 fb{sup -1} of data collected with the CDF II detector at the Tevatron. In events consistent with the decay of the Higgs boson to a bottom-quark pair and the Z boson to electrons or muons, we set 95% credibility level upper limits on the ZH production cross section times the H {yields} b{bar b} branching ratio. Improved analysis methods enhance signal sensitivity by 20% relative to previous searches beyond the gain due to the larger data sample. At a Higgs boson mass of 115 GeV/c{sup 2} we set a limit of 5.9 times the standard model value.

We present a search for the lightest supersymmetric partner of the top quark in proton-antiproton collisions at a center-of-mass energy {radical}s = 1.96 TeV. This search was conducted within the framework of the R-parity conserving minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model, assuming the stop decays dominantly to a lepton, a sneutrino, and a bottom quark. We searched for events with two oppositely-charged leptons, at least one jet, and missing transverse energy in a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1 fb{sup -1} collected by the CDF experiment. No significant evidence of a stop quark signal was found. Exclusion limits at 95% confidence level in the stop quark versus sneutrino mass plane are set. Stop quark masses up to 180 GeV/c{sup 2} are excluded for sneutrino masses around 45 GeV/c{sup 2}, and sneutrino masses up to 116 GeV/c{sup 2} are excluded for stop quark masses around 150 GeV/c{sup 2}.

We present evidence for diffractive exclusive dijet production with an invariant dijet mass greater than 100 GeV in data collected with the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. A discriminant based on calorimeter information is used to measure a significant number of events with little energy (typically less than 10 GeV) outside the dijet system, consistent with the diffractive exclusive dijet production topology. The probability for these events to be explained by other dijet production processes is 2 x 10{sup -5}, corresponding to a 4.1 standard deviation significance.

We report the result of a search for the pair production of the lightest supersymmetric partner of the top quark ({tilde t}{sub 1}) in p{bar p} collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron collider corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.4 fb{sup -1}. The scalar top quarks are assumed to decay into a b quark, a charged lepton, and a scalar neutrino ({tilde {nu}}), and the search is performed in the electron plus muon final state. No significant excess of events above the standard model prediction is detected, and improved exclusion limits at the 95% C.L. are set in the (M{sub {tilde t}{sub 1}}, M{sub {tilde {nu}}}) mass plane.

We extract the total width of the top quark, {Lambda}{sub t}, from the partial decay width {Lambda}(t {yields} Wb) measured using the t-channel cross section for single top quark production and from the branching fraction B(t {yields} Wb) measured in t{bar t} events using up to 2.3 fb{sup -1} of integrated luminosity collected by the D0 Collaboration at the Tevatron p{bar p} Collider. The result is {Lambda}{sub t} = 1.99{sub -0.55}{sup +0.69} GeV, which translates to a top-quark lifetime of {tau}{sub t} = (3.3{sub -0.9}{sup +1.3}) x 10{sup -25} s. Assuming a high mass fourth generation b{prime} quark and unitarity of the four-generation quark-mixing matrix, we set the first upper limit on |V{sub tb{prime}}| < 0.63 at 95% C.L.

Projects for the very high temperature reactor (VHTR) Technology Development Office program provide data in support of Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing of the VHTR. Fuel and materials to be used in the reactor are tested and characterized to quantify performance in high temperature and high fluence environments. The VHTR program established the NGNP Data Management and Analysis System (NDMAS) to manage and document VHTR data qualification, for storage of the data in a readily accessible electronic form, and to assist in the analysis and presentation of the data. This document gives the status of NDMAS processing and qualification of data associated with the initial reactor cycle (147A) of the second Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR-2) experiment which began on June 21, 2010. Because it is early in the AGR-2 experiment, data from only two AGR-2 data streams are reported on: Fuel Fabrication and Fuel Irradiation data. As of August 1, 2010, approximately 311,000 irradiation data records have been stored in NDMAS, and qualification tests are in progress. Preliminary information indicates that TC 2 in Capsule 2 failed prior to start of the experiment, and NDMAS testing has thus far identified only two invalid data values from the METSO data collection system …

This work describes the digital down-shift (DDS) technique, a new method of extracting short rise-time velocity profiles in the analysis of optically up-converted PDV data. The DDS technique manipulates the PDV data by subtracting a constant velocity (i.e., the DDS velocity νDDS) from the velocity profile. DDS exploits the simple fact that the optically up-converted data ride on top of a base velocity (ν0, the apparent velocity at no motion) with a rapid rise to a high velocity (νf) of a few km/s or more. Consequently, the frequency content of the signal must describe a velocity profile that increases from ν0 to ν0 + νf. The DDS technique produces velocity reversals in the processed data before shock breakout when ν0 < νDDS < ν0 + νf. The DDS analysis process strategically selects specific DDS velocities (velocity at which the user down shifts the data) that produce anomalous reversals (maxima and/or minima), which are predictable and easy to identify in the mid-range of the data. Additional analysis determines when these maxima and minima occur. By successive application of the DDS technique and iterative analysis, velocity profiles are extracted as time as a function of velocity rather than as a function of …

Research barriers continue to exist in all phases of the emerging cellulosic ethanol biorefining industry. These barriers include the identification and development of a sustainable and abundant biomass feedstock, the assembly of viable assembly systems formatting the feedstock and moving it from the field (e.g., the forest) to the biorefinery, and improving conversion technologies. Each of these phases of cellulosic ethanol production are fundamentally connected, but computational tools used to support and inform analysis within each phase remain largely disparate. This paper discusses the integration of a feedstock assembly system modeling toolkit and an Aspen Plus® conversion process model. Many important biomass feedstock characteristics, such as composition, moisture, particle size and distribution, ash content, etc. are impacted and most effectively managed within the assembly system, but generally come at an economic cost. This integration of the assembly system and the conversion process modeling tools will facilitate a seamless investigation of the assembly system conversion process interface. Through the integrated framework, the user can design the assembly system for a particular biorefinery by specifying location, feedstock, equipment, and unit operation specifications. The assembly system modeling toolkit then provides economic valuation, and detailed biomass feedstock composition and formatting information. This data is …

This survey was commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to collect and analyze experiential data and information from a cross-section of U.S. transit agencies with varying degrees of compressed natural gas (CNG) bus and station experience. This information will be used to assist DOE and NREL in determining areas of success and areas where further technical or other assistance might be required, and to assist them in focusing on areas judged by the CNG transit community as priority items.

This report discusses key issues facing U.S. policy makers and Members of Congress when considering U.S. security assistance in the context of U.S. policy toward Lebanon. These key issues include assessing the effectiveness of U.S. assistance programs, assessing overall U.S. policy toward Lebanon, and managing relations with other external actors.

This report discusses key issues facing U.S. policy makers and Members of Congress when considering U.S. security assistance in the context of U.S. policy toward Lebanon. These key issues include assessing the effectiveness of U.S. assistance programs, assessing overall U.S. policy toward Lebanon, and managing relations with other external actors.

Buildings are at the locus of three trends driving China's increased energy use and emissions: urbanization, growing personal consumption, and surging heavy industrial production. Migration to cities and urban growth create demand for new building construction. Higher levels of per-capita income and consumption drive building operational energy use with demand for higher intensity lighting, thermal comfort, and plug-load power. Demand for new buildings, infrastructure, and electricity requires heavy industrial production. In order to quantify the implications of China's ongoing urbanization, rising personal consumption, and booming heavy industrial sector, this study presents a lifecycle assessment (LCA) of the energy use and carbon emissions related to residential and commercial buildings. The purpose of the LCA model is to quantify the impact of a given building and identify policy linkages to mitigate energy demand and emissions growth related to China's new building construction. As efficiency has become a higher priority with growing energy demand, policy and academic attention to buildings has focused primarily on operational energy use. Existing studies estimate that building operational energy consumption accounts for approximately 25% of total primary energy use in China. However, buildings also require energy for mining, extracting, processing, manufacturing, and transporting materials, as well as energy …

Small-column ion exchange (SCIX) units installed in high-level waste tanks to remove Cs-137 from highly alkaline salt solutions are among the waste treatment plans in the DOE-complex. Spherical Resorcinol-Formaldehyde (sRF) is the ion exchange resin selected for use in the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). It is also the primary ion exchange material under consideration for SCIX at the Hanford site. The elution step of the multi-step ion exchange process is typically done with 0.5 M nitric acid. An acid eluant is a potential hazard in the event of a spill, leak, etc. because the high-level waste tanks are made of carbon steel. Corrosion and associated structural damage may ensue. Studies are ongoing to explore non-acid elution as an alternative. Batch contact sorption equilibrium screening tests have been conducted with 36 potential non-acid eluants. The sorption tests involve equilibrating each cesium-containing eluant solution with the sRF resin for 48 hours at 25 C in a shaker oven. In the sorption tests, an eluant is deemed to have a high cesium elution potential if it minimizes cesium sorption onto the sRF resin. The top candidates (based on lowest cesium sorption distribution coefficients) include ammonium carbonate, ammonium carbonate/ammonium hydroxide, ammonium …

This report details the consequences of the European financial crisis of 2010 beginning with the economic fallout of the Greek economy. It then highlights six factors that would be instrumental regarding the "Eurozones" future.

We implemented two numerical simulation capabilities essential to reliably predicting the effect of non-ideal explosives (NXs). To begin to be able to treat the multiple, competing, multi-step reaction paths and slower kinetics of NXs, Sandia's CTH shock physics code was extended to include the TIGER thermochemical equilibrium solver as an in-line routine. To facilitate efficient exploration of reaction pathways that need to be identified for the CTH simulations, we implemented in Sandia's LAMMPS molecular dynamics code the MSST method, which is a reactive molecular dynamics technique for simulating steady shock wave response. Our preliminary demonstrations of these two capabilities serve several purposes: (i) they demonstrate proof-of-principle for our approach; (ii) they provide illustration of the applicability of the new functionality; and (iii) they begin to characterize the use of the new functionality and identify where improvements will be needed for the ultimate capability to meet national security needs. Next steps are discussed.

Stainless steel coupons approximately 0.5' in diameter and 0.125' thick were passivated with five different surface treatments and an untreated coupon was left as a control. These surface treatments are being explored for use in tritium storage containers. These coupons were made to allow surface analysis of the surface treatments using well-know surface analysis techniques. Depth profiles using Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were performed on these coupons to characterize the surface and near surface regions. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images were collected as well. All of the surface treatments studied here appear to change the surface morphology dramatically, as evidenced by lack of tool marks on the treated samples. In terms of the passivation treatment, Vendors A-D appeared to have oxide layers that were very similar in thickness to each other (0.7-0.9 nm thick) as well as the untreated samples (the untreated sample oxide layers appeared to be somewhat larger). Vendor E's silicon coating appears to be on the order of 200 nm thick.

I discuss Double Pomeron Exchange processes from their first observation at the CERN Intersecting Storage Rings, focusing on glueball searches, through the observations of exclusive {chi}{sub c0}, {gamma}{gamma} and di-jets at the Tevatron, to prospects at the LHC for exclusive Higgs boson production.

The status is presented of the commissioning of a new heavy ion preinjector at Brookhaven National Laboratory. This preinjector uses an Electron Beam Ion Source (EBIS), and an RFQ and IH Linac, both operating at 100.625 MHz, to produce 2 MeV/u ions of any species for use, after further acceleration, at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL). Among the increased capabilities provided by this preinjector are the ability to produce ions of any species, and the ability to switch between multiple species in 1 second, to simultaneously meet the needs of both science programs. For initial setup, helium beam from EBIS was injected and circulated in the Booster synchrotron. Following this, accelerated Au{sup 32+} and Fe{sup 20+} beams were transported to the Booster injection point, fulfilling DOE requirements for project completion.

The overall goal of the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Data Management and Analysis System (NDMAS) is to maintain data provenance for all NGNP data including the Methods component of NGNP data. Multiple means are available to access data stored in NDMAS. A web portal environment allows users to access data, view the results of qualification tests and view graphs and charts of various attributes of the data. NDMAS also has methods for the management of the data output from VHTR simulation models and data generated from experiments designed to verify and validate the simulation codes. These simulation models represent the outcome of mathematical representation of VHTR components and systems. The methods data management approaches described herein will handle data that arise from experiment, simulation, and external sources for the main purpose of facilitating parameter estimation and model verification and validation (V&V). A model integration environment entitled ModelCenter is used to automate the storing of data from simulation model runs to the NDMAS repository. This approach does not adversely change the why computational scientists conduct their work. The method is to be used mainly to store the results of model runs that need to be preserved for auditing purposes or …

Muon Collider (MC) - proposed by G.I. Budker and A.N. Skrinsky a few decades ago - is now considered as the most exciting option for the energy frontier machine in the post-LHC era. A national Muon Accelerator Program (MAP) is being formed in the USA with the ultimate goal of building a MC at the Fermilab site with c.o.m. energy in the range 1.5-3 TeV and luminosity of {approx} 1.5 {center_dot} 10{sup 34} cm{sup -2} s{sup -1}. As the first step on the way to MC it envisages construction of a Neutrino Factory (NF) for high-precision neutrino experiments. The baseline scheme of the NF-MC complex is presented and possible options for its main components are discussed.

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill leaked an estimated 4.1 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, damaging the waters, shores, and marshes, and the fish and wildlife that live there. When resources in the public trust are harmed by contamination, federal, state, foreign, and tribal governments may seek compensation for damage to natural resources under certain laws. This is done in two steps: first, by assessing the harm; then, by determining how and what restoration will take place. Compensation for natural resource damage is intended to restore the natural resources to their condition before the damage and to compensate the public for the lost use of those resources. This report discusses legislation that provides a framework for assessing and mitigating the damage caused by such spills.

A new method for spectral shape discrimination (SSD) of fast neutrons and gamma rays has been investigated. Gammas interfere with neutron detection, making efficient discrimination necessary for practical applications. Pulse shape discrimination (PSD) in liquid organic scintillators is currently the most effective means of gamma rejection. The hazardous liquids, restrictions on volume, and the need for fast timing are drawbacks to traditional PSD scintillators. In this project we investigated harvesting excited triplet states to increase scintillation yield and provide distinct spectral signatures for gammas and neutrons. Our novel approach relies on metal-organic phosphors to convert a portion of the energy normally lost to the scintillation process into useful luminescence with sub-microsecond lifetimes. The approach enables independent control over delayed luminescence wavelength, intensity, and timing for the first time. We demonstrated that organic scintillators, including plastics, nanoporous framework materials, and oil-based liquids can be engineered for both PSD and SSD.

Appropriation funding for our project Ecologically Sustainable Campus - New England College (NH). 67.09. supported five environmental initiatives: (1) a wood pellet boiler for our Science Building, (2) solar hot water panels and systems for five campus buildings, (3) campus-wide energy lighting efficiency project, (4) new efficiency boiler system in Colby Residence Hall, and (5) energy efficient lighting system for the new artificial athletic turf field. (1) New England College purchased and installed a new wood pellet boiler in the Science Building. This new boiler serves as the primary heating source for this building. Our boiler was purchased through New England Wood Pellet, LLC, located in Jaffrey, New Hampshire. The boiler selected was a Swebo, P500. 300KW wood pellet boiler. The primary goals, objectives, and outcomes of this initiative include the installation of a wood pellet boiler system that is environmentally friendly, highly efficient, and represents a sustainable and renewable resource for New England College. This project was completed on December 15, 2010. (2) New England College purchased and installed solar hot water panels and systems for the Science Building, the Simon Center (student center), the H. Raymond Danforth Library, Gilmore Dining Hall, and Bridges Gymnasium. The College worked with …

Proposes QMDS: a file system metadata management service that integrates all file system metadata and uses a graph model with attributes on nodes and edges.