Introduction: The Office of Isotopes Development of the United States Atomic Energy Commission has requested that Stanford Research Institute prepare a report on the applications of radioisotopes in agriculture.

From summary: This report summarizes the work performed in a brief study made for the AEC of boiling water reactor power plants in the 5 to 40 eMW output range.

Foreword: In early 1959 the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission initiated a study to assess the feasibility of low-level power generation through the use of certain types of small-sized nuclear reactors.

Introduction: The present report is a critical review of the present knowledge and theory of ion-molecule reactions, especially as they may apply to high-level radiation processing.

Abstract: The technical feasibility and economic potential of fast breeder power reactor systems cooled with boiling mercury have been investigated by American-Standard under the United States Atomic Energy Commission's New Reactor Concepts Evaluation Program.

Abstract: "The excellent agreement between measured boundary layer thickness and thickness calculated by Sivells and Payne recommends their method for calculating turbulent boundary layer growth in axisymmetric hypersonic nozzles. It was thought worthwhile to adapt their approach to the laminar boundary layer. This analysis, along with a limited amount of corroborating data, is presented herein."

From Abstract: "A literature survey was made of both welding and brazing methods that might be used to minimize the amount of exposed core material and provide the longest path for corrosion in the event of a defective weld in enextruded Zircaloy-2-clad uranium and uranium-2 w/o zirconium fuel elements."

"The factors of atomic size, ion core potential, and charge, which contribute to the increment in electrical resistivity produced by solutes in metallic solutions, were separated and experimentally evaluated in liquid sodium. The results are expressed in a semi-empirical relationship which defines the increment in resistivity of a monovalent solution as the sum of the fractional difference in atomic volume of solute and solvent and the difference in atomic number of Na and the solutes Li, K, Cs, Rb, Ag, and Au."

Report describing the Hanford Plutonium Recycle Test Reactor (PRTR), its building, safety procedures, site, operations, and analyses of its safety features.

Report of data for the distributions of elements 90 through 96 between molten salt solutions of their chlorides and molten aluminum (or alloy) at 725 Celsius.

The purpose of the test is to determine the reason for the decreases in the liquid levels of the reference chambers serving the reactor plant remote liquid level indicators. The remote gages and the local liquid level gages agreed closely for the Reactor Plant Component Cooling Water Expansion Tank and the Coolant Discharge and Vent System flash tank and blow-off tank. There appeared to be no loss of water from the D/P cell reference chambers for these two systems over the period of the test. There was no definite indication of leakage from the Valve Operating System reference chamber, however, the differences between remote indicator readings and the sight glass readings are attributed to sticking of the ball check valve on the upper sight glass, inaccuracy of the readings and instrument error. It is recommended that he lower shut-off valve on the upper sight glass be cleaned and reopened prior to reading the sight glass to ensure that the ball check valve is not stuck in the closed position. No lead age was found in any of the level indicating systems.

Production of new surface area by fracturing of rock behind an explosive-initiated high amplitude wave is probably an important mechanism for energy absorption in the region near n explosion in rock. Explosive-initiated high amplitude pulses in cylinders of three different rocks and two concretes were studied to determine the pulse amplitude need to damage the cylinders. An average high amplitude wave velocity of half the elastic wave velocity was observed in a porous limestone. Elastic theory is not expected to apply to a wave fracturing a rock. Rapid decreases in original free surface velocity of the greywacke rock which was most thoroughly tested indicate that this rock sustained tensile stresses about a hundred times greater than its probably tensile strength for times a long as fifty microseconds.

A commercially available electronic high vacuum pump has bee tested on various types of mass spectrometers used at the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant. Considerable savings in operating and maintenance costs can be realized from the use of this pump. the greatest savings result from the elimination of the cold trap required for the diffusion pump whether it is cooled by liquid nitrogen or by mechanical refrigeration. additional savings results from the fact that the pump currently is usually an adequate indication of the pressure in the spectrometer tube and that a continuously running mechanical fore pump is not required.

The progress report covers the work carried out during the first year 1958-59 in the department of metallurgy at M.I.T. under the supervision of Professors John T. Norton and Robert E. Ogilvie. A brief summary of the work that has been completed and in some cases still continuing is given. The work has been listed under the following general headings: (1) Diffusion studies in the uranium-niobium system, (2) X-ray detection of cladding defects, (3) Precision X-ray stress analysis of uranium and zirconium, (4) Magnetic studies of Fe3O3 single crystals, (5) Crystal structure studies of yttrium compounds, (6) Structural relationships in ZrFe2-ZrCr2 system.

The report covers work performed during the period September 1, 1959 through September 30, 1959. The general objectives of the program of "Studies of Reactor Containment" are to accomplish theoretical and experimental investigations of the loads to which external containment structures for nuclear reactors are subjected in the vent of a violent incident at the reactor core, the evaluation of methods of reducing that loading, and the study of the response of and design criteria for external containment structures as a result of such loading. Progress of technical effort during the report period is summarized for each of the eight tasks of the program.

The purpose of the test was to determine the neutron flux level in a BF3 counter well during the second performance of DL-S-225. The measured activity of the irradiation brass bolt was due entirely to the radioactive decay of Zn65. The thermal neutron flux in the BF3 counter well during the second 1000 hour run was calculated to be 2.5 x 10(9) neutrons/cm2 sec.

The report includes summary reports in five areas (1) High-speed computer program, (2) Switching circuit theory, (3) ILLIAC use and operations, (4) IBM 650 use and operation, and (5) General laboratory information.