Publications

Sandia National Laboratories has completed the second iteration of the periodic total-system performance assessments (TSPA-93) for the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (YMP). These analyses estimate the future behavior of a potential repository for high-level nuclear waste at the Yucca Mountain, Nevada, site under consideration by the Department of Energy. TSPA-93 builds upon previous efforts by emphasizing YMP concerns relating to site characterization, design, and regulatory compliance. Scenarios describing expected conditions (aqueous and gaseous transport of contaminants) and low-probability events (human-intrusion drilling and volcanic intrusion) are modeled. The hydrologic processes modeled include estimates of the perturbations to ambient conditions caused by heating of the repository resulting from radioactive decay of the waste. Hydrologic parameters and parameter probability distributions have been derived from available site data. Possible future climate changes are modeled by considering two separate groundwater infiltration conditions: {open_quotes}wet{close_quotes} with a mean flux of 10 mm/yr, and {open_quotes}dry{close_quotes} with a mean flux of 0.5 mm/yr. Two alternative waste-package designs and two alternative repository areal thermal power densities are investigated. One waste package is a thin-wall container emplaced in a vertical borehole, and the second is a container designed with corrosion-resistant and corrosion-allowance walls emplaced horizontally in the drift. Thermal power loadings of 57 kW/acre (the loading specified in the original repository conceptual design) and 114 kW/acre (a loading chosen to investigate effects of a {open_quotes}hot repository{close_quotes}) are considered. TSPA-93 incorporates significant new detailed process modeling, including two- and three-dimensional modeling of thermal effects, groundwater flow in the saturated-zone aquifers, and gas flow in the unsaturated zone.

This report presents a strategy for sealing exploratory boreholes associated with the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project. Over 500 existing and proposed boreholes have been considered in the development of this strategy, ranging from shallow (penetrating into alluvium only) to deep (penetrating into the groundwater table). Among the comprehensive list of recommendations are the following: Those boreholes within the potential repository boundary and penetrating through the potential repository horizon are the most significant boreholes from a performance standpoint and should be sealed. Shallow boreholes are comparatively insignificant and require only nominal sealing. The primary areas in which to place seals are away from high-temperature zones at a distance from the potential repository horizon in the Paintbrush nonwelded tuff and the upper portion of the Topopah Spring Member and in the tuffaceous beds of the Calico Hills Unit. Seals should be placed prior to waste emplacement. Performance goals for borehole seals both above and below the potential repository are proposed. Detailed construction information on the boreholes that could be used for future design specifications is provided along with a description of the environmental setting, i.e., the geology, hydrology, and the in situ and thermal stress states. A borehole classification scheme based on the condition of the borehole wall in different tuffaceous units is also proposed. In addition, calculations are presented to assess the significance of the boreholes acting as preferential pathways for the release of radionuclides. Design calculations are presented to answer the concerns of when, where, and how to seal. As part of the strategy development, available technologies to seal exploratory boreholes (including casing removal, borehole wall reconditioning, and seal emplacement) are reviewed.

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is tasked to support The Department of Energy in the dismantlement and disposal of SNL designed weapon components. These components are sealed in a potting compound, and contain heavy metals, explosive, radioactive, and toxic materials. SNL developed a process to identify and remove the hazardous sub-components utilizing real-time radiography and abrasive water-jet cutting. The components were then crushed, granulated, screened, and separated into an aluminum and a precious-and-base-metals fraction using air-tables. Plastics were further cleaned for disposal as non-hazardous waste. New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources assisted SNL in investigation of size-reduction and separation technologies.

The design of a multitasking behavioral control system for the Robotic All Terrain Lunar Exploration Rover (RATLER) is described. The control system design attempts to ameliorate some of the problems noted by some researchers when implementing subsumption or behavioral control systems, particularly with regard to multiple processor systems and real-time operations. The architecture is designed to allow both synchronous and asynchronous operations between various behavior modules by taking advantage of intertask communications channels, and by implementing each behavior module and each interconnection node as a stand-alone task. The potential advantages of this approach over those previously described in the field are discussed. An implementation of the architecture is planned for a prototype Robotic All Terrain Lunar Exploration Rover (RATLER) currently under development, and is briefly described.

One of the common oil-field wellbore problems is paraffin deposition. Even though hot oiling or hot watering is usually the first method tried for removing paraffin, few operators appreciate the limitations of ``hot oiling`` and the potential for the fluid to aggravate well problems and cause formation damage. Field tests have shown that the chemical and thermal processes that occur during ``hot oiling`` are very complex and that there are significant variations in practices among operators. Key issues include: (1) During a typical hot oiling job, a significant amount of the fluid injected into the well goes into the formation, and hence, particulates and chemicals in the fluid have the potential to damage the formation. (2) Hot oiling can vaporize oil in the tubing faster than the pump lifts oil. This interrupts paraffin removal from the well, and thus the wax is refined into harder deposits, goes deeper into the well, and can stick rods. These insights have been used to determine good ``hot oiling`` practices designed to maximize wax removal and minimize formation damage.

The correlation of hot carrier stress and ionization induced gain degradation in npn BJTs was studied to determine if hot-carrier stress could be used as a hardness assurance tool for total dose. The correlation was measured at the wafer level and for several hardening variations for a single process technology. Additional experiments are planned and will be presented in the full paper. Based on a detailed physical analysis of the mechanisms for hot-carrier stress and ionization no correlation was expected. The results demonstrated the lack of correlation and indicate that hot-carrier stress degradation is not a predictor of total dose response.

Sandia National Laboratories has designed and built an electrical test system which fulfills a requirement to quickly, accurately and precisely measure the resistance of conductors formed on Printed Wiring Board (PWB) substrates. This requirement stems from the need to measure small variations in conductors and thus to determine the source of the variations. With this test technology, experiments can be conducted with new materials, equipment, and processes in a timely and scientific manner. Conductor formation processes can be optimized for both conductor yield and uniformity, and process equipment can be fine-tuned prior to processing product to ensure that conductor attributes fulfill requirements. Significant resources have been spent by Sandia National Laboratories and Texas Instruments modifying commercially available two-probe testers. AT&T has built a two-probe tester and obtained a commercially available ``bed-of-nails`` test system. The two-probe systems have limitations in speed and precision; the ``bed-of-nails`` system has proved to be superior to the two-probe designs but is expensive, and lacks test pattern flexibility and ease of use. Due to the need to establish a testing technology which meets the requirements of Sandia National Laboratories and the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences PWB Consortium Imaging Team (current Imaging Team members; AT&T, Texas Instruments, AlliedSignal, IBM, and Sandia National Laboratories), a prototype test system was designed and built by Sandia. This paper will discuss the design and performance of the test system and the results of a comparison to other test systems.

A simple method to estimate the threshold-voltage shift in MOSFETs due to low-dose-rate ionizing irradiation based on MIL-STD-883D Method 1019.4 is demonstrated. The realm of applicability of this approach is explored.

Photonic packaging concepts using anamorphic microlenses and second-order grating couplers were demonstrated by coupling a ridge waveguide to an out-of-plane single-mode fiber.

This paper presents results of ex-vessel boiling experiments performed in the CYBL (CYlindrical BoiLing) facility. CYBL is a reactor-scale facility for confirmatory research of the flooded cavity concept for accident management. CYBL has a tank-within-a-tank design; the inner tank simulates the reactor vessel and the outer tank simulates the reactor cavity. Experiments with uniform and edge-peaked heat flux distributions up to 20 W/cm{sup 2} across the vessel bottom were performed. Boiling outside the reactor vessel was found to be subcooled nucleate boiling. The subcooling is mainly due to the gravity head which results from flooding the sides of the reactor vessel. The boiling process exhibits a cyclic pattern with four distinct phases: direct liquid/solid contact, bubble nucleation and growth, coalescence, and vapor mass dispersion (ejection). The results suggest that under prototypic heat load and heat flux distributions, the flooded cavity in a passive pressurized water reactor like the AP-600 should be capable of cooling the reactor pressure vessel in the central region of the lower head that is addressed by these tests.

A high-performance high-speed optical phase modulator for photonic integrated circuit (PIC) use is described. Integration of these optical phase modulators into a real system (compass) is also discussed. The optical phase modulators are based on depletion-edge translation and have experimentally provided optical phase shifts in excess of 60{degrees}/V{center_dot}mm with approximately 4 dB/cm loss while simultaneously demonstrating bandwidths in excess of 10 GHz.

VISAR (Velocity Interferometer System for Any Reflector) is a specialized Doppler interferometer system that is gaining world-wide acceptance as the standard for shock phenomena analysis. The VISAR`s large power and cooling requirements, and the sensitive and complex nature of the interferometer cavity have restricted the traditional system to the laboratory. This paper describes the new portable VISAR, its peripheral sensors, and the role it played in optically measuring ground shock of an underground nuclear detonation. The solid State VISAR uses a prototype diode pumped ND:YAG laser and solid state detectors that provide a suitcase-size system with low power requirements. A special window and sensors were developed for fiber optic coupling (1 kilometer long) to the VISAR. The system has proven itself as a reliable, easy to use instrument that is capable of field test use and rapid data reduction using only a notebook personal computer (PC).

Regulatory compliance and effective management of the nation`s TRU waste requires knowledge about the constituents present in the waste. With limited resources, the DOE needs a cost-effective characterization program. In addition, the DOE needs a method for predicting the present and future analytical requirements for waste characterization. Thus, a strategy for predicting the present and future waste characterization needs that uses current knowledge of the TRU inventory and prioritization of the data needs is presented.

Low-energy alpha particles emitted from packaging and high-energy heavy ions in space possess the capability of causing changes in memory state when incident on semiconductor memory cans and latch circuits. This phenomenon of single-event upset (SEU) is caused by collection of charge created as the particle travels through a sensitive volume of the device. As devices are continually down-sized, the corresponding decrease in amount of charge held on storage nodes increases device susceptibility to SEU. Solutions to harden devices to SEU require an in-depth understanding of the basic mechanisms responsible for upset. Also, a detailed understanding of the charge-collection volume is critical for predicting on-orbit error rates. Previous work has revealed the formation of a field funnel in response to the particle strike. Analytical models that treat the funnel in a time-averaged sense have been developed, and have been reasonably successful at predicting total collected charge for particles with low linear energy transfer (LET). Sophisticated two- and three-dimensional simulations have been used to investigate the funneling process more rigorously; however, the interplay between the funnel and collection by drift and diffusion has remained somewhat obscure. In this paper, we present an examination of fundamental charge-collection mechanisms and the role of the funnel, using advanced three-dimensional drift-diffusion modeling. We then apply the insight gained to address radiation hardness issues in light of current technology trends.

Sandia National Laboratories has undertaken the Agile Product Realization for Innovative electroMEchanical Devices (A-PRIMED) pilot project to develop and implement technologies for agile design and manufacturing of electrochemical components. Emphasis on information-driven processes, concurrent engineering and multi-functional team communications makes computer-supported cooperative work critical to achieving significantly faster product development cycles. This report describes analyses conducted in developing communications requirements and a communications plan that addresses the unique communications demands of an agile enterprise.

The use of renewable energy technologies is typically thought of as an integral part of creating and sustaining an environment that maximizes the overall quality of life of the Earth`s present inhabitants and does not leave an undue burden on future generations. Sandia National Laboratories has been a leader in developing and deploying many of these technologies over the last two decades. A common but special aspect of all of these activities is that they are all conducted in cooperation with various types of partners. Some of these partners have an interest in seeing these systems grow in the marketplace, while others are primarily concerned with economic benefits that can come from immediate use of these renewable energy systems. This paper describes solar thermal and photovoltaic technology activities at Sandia that are intended to accelerate the commercialization of these solar systems.

Scenario developments is part of the iterative performance assessment (PA) process for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Scenario development for the WIPP has been the subject of intense external review, and is certain to be the subject of continued scrutiny as the project proceeds toward regulatory compliance. The principal means of increasing confidence is this aspect of the PA will be through the use of a systematic and thorough procedure toward developing the scenarios and conceptual models on which the assessment is to be based. Early and ongoing interaction with project reviewers can assist with confidence building. Quality of argument and clarity of presentation in PA will be of key concern. Appropriate tools are required for documenting and tracking assumptions, through a single assessment phase, and between iterative assessment phases. Risks associated with future human actions are of particular concern to the WIPP project, and international consensus on the principles for incorporation of future human actions in assessments would be valuable.

Thermally-stimulated-current and capacitance-voltage measurements reveal enhanced hole trapping in bipolar spacer-oxide capacitors irradiated at 0 V at low dose rates. Possible mechanisms and implications for bipolar low-rate response are discussed.

Significantly different radiation responses have been observed for both transistors and ICs with and without preirradiation burn-in. The hardness assurance implications of these results and possible changes to the MIL-STDs will be presented.

A well-controlled, high-yield Josephson junction process in high temperature superconductors (HTS) is necessary for the demonstration of ultra-high-speed devices and circuits which exceed the capabilities of conventional electronics. The authors developed nanobridge Josephson junctions in high quality thin-film YBaCuO with dimensions below 100 nm fabricated using electron-beam nanolithography. They characterized this Josephson junction technology for process yield, junction parameter uniformity, and overall applicability for use in high-performance circuits. To facilitate the determination of junction parameters, they developed a measurement technique based on spectral analysis in the range of 90--160 GHz of phase-locked, oscillating arrays of up to 2,450 Josephson junctions. Because of the excellent yield and uniformity of the nanobridge junctions, they successfully applied the junction technology to a wide variety of circuits. These circuits included transmission-line pulse formers and 32 and 64-bit shift registers. The 32-bit shift register was shown to operate at clock speeds near 100 GHz and is believed to be one of the faster and more complex digital circuit demonstrated to date using high temperature superconductor technology.

The use of renewable energy technologies is typically thought of as an integral part of creating and sustaining an environment that maximizes the overall quality of life of the Earths present inhabitants and does not leave an undue burden on future generations. Sandia National Laboratories has been a leader in developing many of these technologies over the last two decades. This paper describes innovative solar, wind and geothermal energy systems and components that Sandia is helping to bring to the marketplace. A common but special aspect of all of these activities is that they are conducted in partnership with non-federal government entities. A number of these partners are from New Mexico.

This paper reports on a surface mount assembly evaluation with a series of existing lead-free solders. The wettability of the lead-free solders under investigation was measured by the meniscometer/wetting balance technique. This data provided an initial screening assessment of viable candidates for prototype development. Assembly process capability was based on visual, mechanical and metallurgical analyses of prototype circuit boards. The study demonstrated the feasibility of using several of the lead-free solders tested in a surface mount application and identified specific areas (e.g., paste formulation, board finishes, reflow parameters) for improving the manufacturing performance.

The method of dynamic programming is applied to three example problems dealing with robot trajectory planning. The first two examples involve end-effector tracking of a straight line with rest-to-rest motions of planar two-link and three-link rigid robots. These examples illustrate the usefulness of the method for producing smooth trajectories either in the presence or absence of joint redundancies. The last example demonstrates the use of the method for rest-to-rest maneuvers of a single-link manipulator with a flexible payload. Simulation results for this example display interesting symmetries that are characteristic of such maneuvers. Details concerning the implementation and computational aspects of the method are discussed.

Correlation integrals have played a central role in optical pattern recognition. The success of correlation, however, has been limited. What is needed is a mathematical operation more complex than correlation. Suitably complex operations are the functionals defined on the Hilbert space of Lebesgue square integrable functions. Correlation is a linear functional of a parameter. In this paper, we develop a representation of functionals in terms of inner products or equivalently correlation functions. We also discuss the role of functionals in neutral networks. Having established a broad relation of correlation to pattern recognition, we discuss the computation of correlation functions using acousto-optics.

In recent years there has been increasing interest in using wafer-level isolation environments or pods (microenvironments) to provide a more controllable, cleaner wafer environment during wafer processing. It has been shown that pods can be effective in reducing the amount of particulate contamination on wafers during manufacturing. However, there have also been studies that indicate that pods and wafer boxes can be the source of condensible, molecular organic contamination. This paper summarizes the work that has been performed during the past year at Sandia National Laboratories` Contamination Free Manufacturing Research Center (CFMRC) on (1) devising standard, low-temperature, high sensitivity techniques to detect outgassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from polymers used to construct wafer pods and (2) development of a technique that can be used to continuously measure the condensible contamination within pods so that the pod environment can be monitored during manufacturing. Although these techniques have been developed specifically for assessing contamination threats from wafer pods, they can be used to evaluate other potential contamination sources. The high sensitivity outgassing techniques can be used to evaluate outgassing of volatiles from other clean-room materials and the real-time outgassing sensor can be used to monitor contamination condensation in non-pod environments such as ballroom-type cleanrooms and minienvironments.

The topic of this technical presentation is Use Control Software. The nuclear weapon software design community is being subjected to many surety forces that are stretching the envelope of their designs. Given that software is a critical part of the use control system design, we must work to limit the errors of the software development process. The objective of this paper is to discuss a methodology that the author, as a member of the Security and Use Control Assessment Department, is working on. This is the first introduction of the proposed methodology. Software that is a part of any use control system, subsystem, device, or component is critical to the operation of that apparatus. The software is expected to meet the criteria of modern software quality. In a use control application, meeting the normal quality standards is short of the expectations in meeting the use control obligations. The NWC community expects the use control features of a nuclear weapon to provide assurance that the weapon is protected from unauthorized nuclear detonation. The methodology that the author is proposing will provide a focused scrutiny to software that is used in the hardware of use control systems, subsystems, devices, and components. The methodology proposes further scrutiny of the structure of the software, memory, variables, storage, and control features.

Scanning, ring-field lithographic cameras designed for 14-nm radiation can print 100-nm features on large chips. Mating high-efficiency illuminators are described.

This paper summarizes the recent hydrogeological investigations of several research organizations on waste confinement at the major radioactive waste (RW) burial sites immediately adjacent to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (Ch. NPP). Hydrogeological conditions and radiologic ground-water contamination levels are described. Ongoing ground-water monitoring practices are evaluated. The chemical and physical characteristics of the radionuclides within the burial sites are considered. Ground water and radionuclide transport modeling studies related to problems of the RW disposal sites are also reviewed. Current concerns on future impacts of the RW burial sites on the hydrological environment and water resources of the Ch.NPP area are discussed.

A new direction for the national laboratories is to assist US business with research and development, primarily through cooperative research and development agreements (CRADAs). Technology transfer to the private sector has been very successful as over 200 CRADAs are in place at Sandia. Because of these cooperative efforts, technology has evolved into some new areas not commonly associated with the former mission of the national laboratories. An example of this is the analysis of fabric structures. Explicit analyses and expertise in constructing parachutes led to the development of a next generation automobile airbag; which led to the construction, testing, and analysis of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Mars Environmental Survey Lander; and finally led to the development of CAD based custom garment designs using 3D scanned images of the human body. The structural analysis of these fabric structures is described as well as a more traditional example Sandia with the test/analysis correlation of the impact of a weapon container.

Platform-independent Interaction Collaborative Environments (ICE) technologies include support for simultaneous display and control of unmodified X application software by two or more people, at separate locations, using different workstation hardware. Audio and video provide remote collaborators with the ability to discuss what they are all simultaneously seeing on their workstations. Remote pointing and marking capabilities are also provided independent of the application. The authors briefly describe their X application sharing work, and requirements for supporting tools, including multi-media. Finally they review some of the pilot project network applications of their work to robotics and manufacturing environments.

The SEAMIST{trademark} inverting membrane deployment system has been used successfully at the Mixed Waste Landfill Integrated Demonstration (MWLID) for multipoint vapor sampling/pressure measurement/permeability measurement/sensor integration demonstrations and borehole lining. Several instruments were deployed inside the SEAMIST{trademark} lined boreholes to detect metals, radionuclides, moisture, and geologic variations. The liner protected the instruments from contamination, maintained support of the uncased borehole wall, and sealed the total borehole from air circulation. The current activities have included the installation of three multipoint vapor sampling systems and sensor integration systems in 100-foot-deep vertical boreholes. A long term pressure monitoring program has recorded barometric pressure effects at depth with relatively high spatial resolution. The SEAMIST{trademark} system has been integrated with a variety of hydrologic and chemical sensors for in-situ measurements, demonstrating its versatility as an instrument deployment system which allows easy emplacement and removal. Standard SEAMIST{trademark} vapor sampling systems were also integrated with state-of-the-art VOC analysis technologies (automated GC, UV laser fluorometer). The results and status of these demonstration tests are presented.

Environmental and operator safety concerns are leading to the elimination of trichloroethylene (TCE) and chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) solvents in electronic component cleaning processes that remove rosin flux, organic and inorganic contamination, and particulates. Present processes depend heavily on these solvents for manual spray cleaning of small components and subassemblies. Use of alternative solvent systems can lead to longer processing times and reduced quality. Automated spray cleaning can improve the quality of the cleaning process, thus enabling the productive use of environmentally conscious materials, while minimizing personnel exposure to hazardous materials. In addition, the use of robotic and automated systems can reduce the manual handling of parts that necessitates additional cleaning. We describe the development of a prototype robotic system for cleaning electronic components in a spray cleaning workcell. An important feature of the prototype system is the capability to generate the robot paths and motions automatically from the CAD models of the part to be cleaned, and to embed cleaning process knowledge into the automatically programmed operations.

This document describes Sandia National Laboratories involvement with scientists and engineers at various organizations within the states of the Former Soviet Union (FSU). The purpose of these interactions is twofold: first, to acquire technical information to enhance United States technology and second, to assist FSU states in converting their defense-oriented industry to civilian, market- oriented business.

The technical feasibility of emplacing a barrier beneath a waste site using directionally drilled boreholes and permeation grouting was investigated. The benefits of this emplacement system are: (1) Directionally drilled boreholes provide access beneath a waste site without disturbing the waste; (2) interim containment of contaminants allows time for the development of remediation options; (3) in the interim, the volume of waste remains fixed; (4) barriers may enhance the effectiveness of in situ remediation actions; and (5) barrier systems may provide permanent waste containment .

The Solar Thermal Design Assistance Center (STDAC) at Sandia National Laboratories is a resource provided by the US Department of Energy`s Solar Thermal Program. Its major objectives are to accelerate the use of solar thermal systems through (a) direct technical assistance to users, (b) cooperative test, evaluation, and development efforts with private industry, and (c) educational outreach activities. This report outlines the major activities and accomplishments of the STDAC in Fiscal Year 1993. The report also contains a comprehensive list of persons who contacted the STDAC by telephone for information or technical consulting.

A dry barrier is a layer of geologic material that is dried by air flow. An active dry barrier system can be designed, installed, and operated as part of a landfill cover system. An active system uses blowers and fans to move air through a high-permeability layer within the cover system. Depending principally on the air-flow rate, it is possible for a dry barrier to remove enough water to substantially reduce the likelihood of water percolating through the cover system. If a material with a relatively great storage capacity, such as processed tuff, is used as the coarse layer, then the efficiency of the dry barrier will be increased.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) maintains a technical training center at Chattanooga, Tennessee to provide appropriate training to both new and experienced NRC employees. This document describes a one-week course in reactor, safety concepts. The course consists of five modules: (1) historical perspective; (2) accident sequences; (3) accident progression in the reactor vessel; (4) containment characteristics and design bases; and (5) source terms and offsite consequences. The course text is accompanied by slides and videos during the actual presentation of the course.

An accident management strategy has been proposed in which the reactor coolant system is intentionally depressurized during an accident. The aim is to reduce the containment pressurization that would result from high pressure ejection of molten debris at vessel breach. Probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) methods were used to evaluate this strategy for the Surry nuclear power plant. Sensitivity studies were conducted using event trees that were developed for the NUREG-1150 study. It was found that depressurization (intentional or unintentional) had minimal impact on the containment failure probability at vessel breach for Surry because the containment loads assessed for NUREG-1150 were not a great threat to the containment survivability. An updated evaluation of the impact of intentional depressurization on the probability of having a high pressure melt ejection was then made that reflected analyses that have been performed since NUREG-1150 was completed. The updated evaluation confirmed the sensitivity study conclusions that intentional depressurization has minimal impact on the probability of a high pressure melt ejection. The updated evaluation did show a slight benefit from depressurization because depressurization delayed core melting, which led to a higher probability of recovering emergency core coolant injection, thereby arresting the core damage.

Vertical electric fields, azimuthal magnetic fields, and earth step potentials at ground level have been measured at 10 and 20 meters from the base of triggered lightning flashes. For incident stroke peak currents in the range of 4.4 to 29 kA, vertical electric field change amplitudes as high as 210 kV/m were observed at 10 m, with rise times of the order of a few microseconds. Magnetic fields were found to follow Ampere`s law closely at both 10 and 20 m. Earth step potentials measured over a 0.5-m radial distance at the 10-m and 20m stations were linear with and had the same waveforms as the stroke currents. The step voltages exhibited a l/r distance dependence between the two measurement distances. A model that incorporates the presence of a thin surface layer, due to rain water saturation, of much higher conductivity than the bulk of the underlying earth is proposed to explain the observed behavior. Tests were also carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of several concepts for protecting a small exposed object, such as a piece of ordnance at the site of a transportation accident, from either a direct strike or from the indirect effects of electromagnetic fields produced by a nearby lightning flash to ground. Photographs of the occurrence of significant radial filamentary arcing along the surface of the ground from the strike points were acquired. This type of arcing, with a maximum radial extent of at least 20 m, was observed on six of seven of triggered flashes and on all strokes of 15-kA peak amplitude or higher.

Goal was to obtain dynamic mechanical property data on a quartz phenolic (abbreviated QP) composite. Shock loading and shock release measurements have been conducted using impact techniques utilizing both a light-gas gun and a powder gun at impact pressures up to 20 GPa. The primary diagnostic tool used was a velocity interferometer. The data analysis includes Hugoniot measurements to give both pressure-particle velocity and shock velocity-particle velocity relationships; spall measurements to determine the fracture stress at which the material spells; and attenuation measurements to determine the shock attenuation with material thickness. The QP Hugoniot relationship was found to be significantly different than that of a phenolic without a filler material indicating that the impedance of the QP used in this investigation was higher. The spall strength was measured to be {approximately}0.075 GPa, similar to nonfilled phenolic, which indicated that the presence of quartz fibers was not contributing to the fracture strength. The material was found to attenuate an imposed shock of approximately 6.3 GPa pressure and 0.18 {mu}s to 50% of the initial impact value after a propagation distance of 7mm.

Sandia National Laboratories is currently involved in the optimization of a Plane Shock Generator Explosive Lens (PSGEL). The PSGEL component consists of a detonator, explosive, brass cone and tamper housing. The purpose of the PSGEL component is to transmit a plane shock wave through the 4340 steel bulkhead (wave separator) which has a ferro-electric (PZT)ceramic disk attached to the opposite surface of the steel bulkhead. The planar shock wave depolarizes the PZT 65/35 ferro-electric ceramic to produce an electrical output. One aspect of the optimization program involves the possible replacement of 4340 steel with PH13-8Mo steel for the bulkhead. These materials, as well as the PZT 65/35 ferro-electric ceramic and the brass for the cone, required the stock characterization with respect to Hugoniot parameters. The work presented here gives the shock Hugoniot values for these four materials and documents their measurements.

CIRCE2 is a computer code for modeling the optical performance of three-dimensional dish-type solar energy concentrators. Statistical methods are used to evaluate the directional distribution of reflected rays from any given point on the concentrator. Given concentrator and receiver geometries, sunshape (angular distribution of incident rays from the sun), and concentrator imperfections such as surface roughness and random deviation in slope, the code predicts the flux distribution and total power incident upon the target. Great freedom exists in the variety of concentrator and receiver configurations that can be modeled. Additionally, provisions for shading and receiver aperturing are included.- DEKGEN2 is a preprocessor designed to facilitate input of geometry, error distributions, and sun models. This manual describes the optical model, user inputs, code outputs, and operation of the software package. A user tutorial is included in which several collectors are built and analyzed in step-by-step examples.

The Small-Scale Seal Performance Tests, Series C, a set of in situ experiments conducted at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, are designed to evaluate the performance of various seal materials emplaced in large (0.9-m-diameter) boreholes. This report documents the results of fluid (brine) flow testing and water and clay content analyses performed on one emplaced seal comprised of 100% salt blocks and 50%/50% crushed salt/bentonite blocks and disassembled after nearly three years of brine injection testing. Results from the water content analyses of 212 samples taken from within this seal show uniform water content throughout the 50%/50% salt/bentonite blocks with saturations about 100%. Clay content analyses from the 100% salt endcaps of the seal show a background clay content of about 1% by weight uniformly distributed, with the exception of samples taken at the base of the seal at the borehole wall interface. These samples show clay contents up to 3% by weight, which suggests some bentonite may have migrated under pressure to that interface. Results of the brine-flow testing show that the permeability to brine for this seal was about 2 to 3 {times} 10{sup {minus}4} darcy (2 to 3 {times} 10{sup {minus}16} m{sup 2}).

This report documents the state of the art in experimental and theoretical techniques for determining reaction mechanisms and chemical kinetics of heterogeneous reactions relevant to the chemical vapor deposition of semiconductor materials. It summarizes the most common ultra-high vacuum experimental techniques that are used and the types of rate information available from each. Several case studies of specific chemical systems relevant to the microelectronics industry are described. Theoretical methods for calculating heterogeneous reaction rate constants are also summarized.

A new technology called the In Situ Permeable Flow Sensor has been developed at Sandia National Laboratories. These sensors use a thermal perturbation technique to directly measure the direction and magnitude of the full three dimensional groundwater flow velocity vector in unconsolidated, saturated, porous media. The velocity measured is an average value characteristic of an approximately 1 cubic meter volume of the subsurface. During a test at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, two flow sensors were deployed in a confined aquifer in close proximity to a well which was screened over the entire vertical extent of the aquifer and the well was pumped at four different pumping rates. In this situation horizontal flow which is radially directed toward the pumping well is expected. The flow sensors measured horizontal flow which was directed toward the pumping well, within the uncertainty in the measurements. The observed magnitude of the horizontal component of the flow velocity increased linearly with pumping rate, as predicted by theoretical considerations. The measured horizontal component of the flow velocity differed from the predicted flow velocity, which was calculated with the assumptions that the hydraulic properties of the aquifer were radially homogeneous and isotropic, by less than a factor of two. Drawdown data obtained from other wells near the pumping well during the pump test indicate that the hydraulic properties of the aquifer are probably not radially homogeneous but the effect of the inhomogeneity on the flow velocity field around the pumping well was not modeled because the degree and distribution of the inhomogeneity are unknown. Grain size analysis of core samples from wells in the area were used to estimate the vertical distribution of hydraulic conductivity.

After a series of meetings held in response to an Unsatisfactory Report on the use of vacuum cleaners, an experimental study of commonly available vacuum cleaners was conducted. The object of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the cleaners as electrostatic generators. The electrical charges generated by the machine can inadvertently be transferred in normal operations to electroexplosive devices (EEDs), thereby creating a potentially hazardous situation. In the course of this study, it was determined that many inexpensive commercial cleaners could be used safely providing certain modifications were made. Details of the required modification and rationale for the modification are presented in this report.

The Integrated Engineering Information Technology (IEIT) project is providing a comprehensive, easy-to-use computer network solution or communicating with coworkers both inside and outside Sandia National Laboratories. IEIT capabilities include computer networking, electronic mail, mechanical design, and data management. These network-based tools have one fundamental purpose: to help create a concurrent engineering environment that will enable Sandia organizations to excel in today`s increasingly competitive business environment.

SPH (Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics) is a gridless Lagrangian technique which is appealing as a possible alternative to numerical techniques currently used to analyze high deformation impulsive loading events. In the present study, the SPH algorithm has been subjected to detailed testing and analysis to determine its applicability in the field of solid dynamics. An important result of the work is a rigorous von Neumann stability analysis which provides a simple criterion for the stability or instability of the method in terms of the stress state and the second derivative of the kernel function. Instability, which typically occurs only for solids in tension, results not from the numerical time integration algorithm, but because the SPH algorithm creates an effective stress with a negative modulus. The analysis provides insight into possible methods for removing the instability. Also, SPH has been coupled into the transient dynamics finite element code PRONTO, and a weighted residual derivation of the SPH equations has been obtained.

This report documents the reentry safety analyses conducted for the TOPAZ II Nuclear Electric Propulsion Space Test Program (NEPSTP). Scoping calculations were performed on the reentry aerothermal breakup and ground footprint of reactor core debris. The calculations were used to assess the risks associated with radiologically cold reentry accidents and to determine if constraints should be placed on the core configuration for such accidents. Three risk factors were considered: inadvertent criticality upon reentry impact, atmospheric dispersal of U-235 fuel, and the Special Nuclear Material Safeguards risks. Results indicate that the risks associated with cold reentry are very low regardless of the core configuration. Core configuration constraints were therefore not established for radiologically cold reentry accidents.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for management and disposal of large quantities of depleted uranium (DU) in the DOE complex. Viable economic options for the use and eventual disposal of the material are needed. One possible option is the use of DU as shielding material for vitrified Defense High-Level Waste (DHLW) storage, transportation, and disposal packages. Use of DU as a shielding material provides the potential benefit of disposing of significant quantities of DU during the DHLW storage and disposal process. Two DU package concepts have been developed by Sandia National Laboratories. The first concept is the Storage/Disposal plus Transportation (S/D+T) package. The S/D+T package consists of two major components: a storage/disposal (S/D) container and a transportation overpack. The second concept is the S/D/T package which is an integral storage, transportation, and disposal package. The package concept considered in this analysis is the S/D+T package with seven DHLW waste canisters. The S/D+T package provides shielding and containment for the DHLW waste canisters. The S/D container is intended to be used as an on-site storage and repository disposal container. In this analysis, the S/D container is constructed from a combination of stainless steel and DU. Other material combinations, such as mild steel and DU, are potential candidates. The transportation overpack is used to transport the S/D containers to a final geological repository and is not included in this analysis.

Laboratory measurements of single-phase, steady-state permeability of porous rock are important for a number of different applications. The oil and gas industry uses permeability data as a key indicator of the producability of a hydrocarbon reservoir; effective containment of large volumes of oil in underground salt caverns is directly dependent upon the permeability of the adjacent cavern walls; and safe, long term underground isolation of radioactive and hazardous waste is contingent upon the flow and transport characteristics of the surrounding geologic formations. An alternative method for measuring single-phase, steady-state permeability of porous rock is presented. The use of troublesome and expensive mass flow meters is eliminated and replaced with a bridge configuration of flow resistors. Permeability values can be determined directly from differential pressures across the bridge network, resulting in potentially significant cost savings and simplification for conducting these types of measurements. Results from the bridge permeameter are compared with results obtained using conventional methods.

The purpose of this NUREG is to provide technical information useful for the development of fiber-optic communications and intrusion detection subsystems relevant to physical protection. There are major sections on fiber-optic technology and applications. Other topics include fiber-optic system components and systems engineering. This document also contains a glossary, a list of standards and specifications, and a list of fiber-optic equipment vendors.

This report discusses the testing and evaluation of four commercially available fiber optic intrusion detection systems. The systems were tested under carpet-type matting and in a vaulted ceiling application. This report will focus on nuisance alarm data and intrusion detection results. Tests were conducted in a mobile office building and in a bunker.

Activities involving regulatory implementation of updated source term information were pursued. These activities include the identification of the source term, the identification of the chemical form of iodine in the source term, and the timing of the source term`s entrance into containment. These activities are intended to support a more realistic source term for licensing nuclear power plants than the current TID-14844 source term and current licensing assumptions. MELCOR calculations were performed to support the technical basis for the updated source term. This report presents the results from three MELCOR calculations of nuclear power plant accident sequences and presents comparisons with Source Term code Package (STCP) calculations for the same sequences. The three low-pressure sequences were analyzed to identify the materials which enter containment (source terms) and are available for release to the environment, and to obtain timing of sequence events. The source terms include fission products and other materials such as those generated by core-concrete interactions. All three calculations, for both MELCOR and STCP, analyzed the Surry plant, a pressurized water reactor (PWR) with a subatmospheric containment design.

Geothermal energy is one of the more promising renewable energy technologies because it is environmentally benign and, unlike most renewable energy sources, can provide base power. This report provides an assessment of the research and development (R&D) work underway in geothermal energy in the following countries: Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the United Kingdom. While the R&D work underway in the US exceeds the R&D efforts of the other countries, the lead is eroding. This erosion is due to reductions in federal government funding for geothermal energy R&D and the decline of the US petroleum industry. This erosion of R&D leadership is hindering commercialization of US geothermal energy products and services. In comparison, the study countries are promoting the commercialization of their geothermal energy products and services. As a result, some of these countries, in particular Japan, will probably have the largest share of the global market for geothermal energy products and services; these products and services being targeted toward the developing countries (the largest market for geothermal energy).

In the past, many optimization schemes for massively parallel computers have attempted to achieve parallel efficiency using one of two methods. In the case of large and expensive objective function calculations, the optimization itself may be run in serial and the objective function calculations parallelized. In contrast, if the objective function calculations are relatively inexpensive and can be performed on a single processor, then the actual optimization routine, itself may be parallelized. In this paper, a scheme based upon the Parallel Direct Search (PDS) technique is presented which allows the objective function calculations to be done on an arbitrarily large number (p2) of processors. If, p, the number of processors available, is greater than or equal to 2p{sub 2} then the optimization may be parallelized as well. This allows for efficient use of computational resources since the objective function calculations can be performed on the number of processors that allow for peak parallel efficiency and then further speedup may be achieved by parallelizing the optimization. Results are presented for an optimization problem which involves the solution of a PDE using a finite-element algorithm as part of the objective function calculation. The optimum number of processors for the finite-element calculations is less than p/2. Thus, the PDS method is also parallelized. Performance comparisons are given for a nCUBE 2 implementation.

It is inevitable that sealing and abandonment will someday occur in a SPR cavern or caverns. To gain insight into the long-term behavior of a typical SPR cavern following sealing and abandonment, a suite of mechanical finite-element calculations was performed. The initial analyses predict how quickly and to what extent a cavern pressurizes after it is plugged. The analyses also examine the stability of the cavern as it changes shape due to the excessive pressures generated as the salt creeps and the brine in the cavern thermally expands. These large-scale analyses do not include the details of the plug but assume a good seal is established in the cavern wells. In another series of analyses, the potential for forming a leak at the plug is evaluated. A cement plug, emplaced in the casing seat of a cavern well, is loaded using the predicted brine pressures from the cavern analyses. The plugged casing analyses examine the potential for forming a leak path in and along the interfaces of salt, casing, and cement plug. In the last set of analysis, the dimensional scale of the problem is further reduced to examine a preexisting crack along a casing/salt interface. The cracked interface is assumed to be fluid filled and fully pressurized by the cavern fluids. The analyses address the potential for the fluid path to extend upwards along a plugged casing should an open microannulus surround the casing after it is plugged.

The Intelligent Manufacturing Systems (IMS) Test Case 6 project (Rapid Product Development) was set up to demonstrate rapid product development and 3D measurement techniques where the agencies performing the work were distributed over different countries. Test Case 6 provided a unique opportunity to examine the process by which an application protocol (AP) of the Standard for Exchange of Product Data is prepared. The test case had a well defined scope, the production of simple parts by means of layered manufacturing techniques. The information concerned with this manufacture was similarly well defined, due to the requirement that the information be transmitted among the organizations participating in the test case. STEP is an international standard specifying the data content and format for storage and exchange of product data throughout the product`s life cycle. STEP has been under development since 1984 and is just now emerging as an International Standard. STEP is specified as a series of information models using the EXPRESS computer language. For purposes of data exchange, a mapping to a physical file format is specified. Informally, product data can be defined as all the data about a product which one might wish to save. This definition implies some variation in the amount of data to be saved in any one instance. In the case of Test Case 6, one would certainly wish to save the IGES files describing the part. One may or may not wish to save the manufacturing parameters. While there are many parts of STEP with different purposes, the important series of parts for the purposes of standardizing product data are those dealing with application protocols. An application protocol specifies the details of product data within the context of a single application (in this case, layered manufacturing). Other APs deal with such subjects as configuration-managed solid parts and associated drafting.

A key feature distinguishing robotics from traditional computer science is its connection to the physical world. Robot planning software may use elegant algorithms supported by ironclad analytic proofs, but ultimately nature will decide whether the software output is correct in the sense of accomplishing the task goal. Thus a chief goal of robotics research is to understand and capture this nature in a way that allows algorithmic analysis to produce robust physical results. This is made particularly difficult by the presence of uncertainty, which arises from the inevitable discrepancy between the real task and its idealized computer model. This paper reviews fundamental sets of states, forces, and actions that exist for a broad class of robot manipulation tasks, and ties these sets to past and future approaches to developing robust manipulation planning and execution systems.

Detailed computational modeling of laser surgery requires treatment of the photoablation of human tissue by high intensity pulses of laser light and the subsequent thermomechanical response of the tissue. Three distinct physical regimes must be considered to accomplish this: (1) the immediate absorption of the laser pulse by the tissue and following tissue ablation, which is dependent upon tissue light absorption characteristics; (2) the near field thermal and mechanical response of the tissue to this laser pulse, and (3) the potential far field (and longer time) mechanical response of witness tissue. Both (2) and (3) are dependent upon accurate constitutive descriptions of the tissue. We will briefly review tissue absorptivity and mechanical behavior, with an emphasis on dynamic loads characteristic of the photoablation process. In this paper our focus will center on the requirements of numerical modeling and the uncertainties of mechanical tissue behavior under photoablation. We will also discuss potential contributions that computational simulations can make in the design of surgical protocols which utilize lasers, for example, in assessing the potential for collateral mechanical damage by laser pulses.

New kinds of semiconductor microcavity lasers are being created by modern semiconductor technologies like molecular beam epitaxy and electron beam lithography. These new microcavities exploit 3-dimensional architectures possible with epitaxial layering and surface patterning. The physical properties of these microcavities are intimately related to the geometry imposed on the semiconductor materials. Among these microcavities are surface-emitting structures which have many useful properties for commercial purposes. This paper reviews the basic physics of these microstructured lasers.

The National Center for Advanced Information Components Manufacturing (NCAICM) Projects focus on manufacturing processes, materials, user facilities, standard tools, and equipment for large area emissive flat panel displays and microelectronics. Two types of projects are funded: (1) precompetitive projects done at the Center, and (2) joint industry/national laboratory projects, which may carry intellectual property rights, where the work will be done at the appropriate industry or laboratory site. A summary of the NCAICM Projects will be presented.

Photonics activities at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) are founded on a strong materials research program. The advent of the Compound Semiconductor Research Laboratory (CSRL) in 1988, accelerated device and materials research and development. Recently, industrial competitiveness has been added as a major mission of the labs. Photonics projects have expanded towards applications-driven programs requiring device and subsystem prototype deliveries and demonstrations. This evolution has resulted in a full range of photonics programs from materials synthesis and device fabrication to subsystem packaging and test.

This report describes a new flexible technology which is now available to design sensor and control networks based on a protocol embedded in an intelligent communications processor. The flexibility allows a system designer and/or a technical installer to make appropriate tradeoffs among simplicity, functionality, and cost in the design of network nodes and their installation. This is especially important in designing an installation scenario for the safeguards network. The network technology permits several choices of installations with the same basic node hardware. A pre-installed network offers maximum simplicity and no flexibility since it will operate as programmed during manufacture or the pre-installation setup and checkout. At the other end of the spectrum, a network can be installed using network management software and a computer. The combination of the network management software and computer hardware is generally referred to as a Network Management Tool (NMT). The NMT option offers full flexibility to change the network during or after installation. Different NMT can provide different degrees of complexity depending upon the applications and the amount of changes that need to be made during installation.

Simplified expressions for the attenuation of radionuclide releases by sprays and by water pools are devised. These expressions are obtained by correlation of the 10th, 50th and 90th percentiles of uncertainty distributions for the water pool decontamination factor and the spray decontamination coefficient. These uncertainty distributions were obtained by Monte Carlo uncertainty analyses using detailed, mechanistic models of the pools and sprays. Uncertainties considered in the analyses include uncertainties in the phenomena and uncertainties in the initial and boundary conditions during dictated by the progression of the severe accidents. Final results are graphically displayed in terms of the decontamination factor achieved at selected levels of conversatism versus pool depth and water subcooling or, in the case of sprays, versus time.

In an effort to reduce the cycle time for producing prototypical mechanical and electro-mechanical components, Sandia National Laboratories has integrated rapid prototyping processes into the design and manufacturing process. The processes currently in operation within the Rapid Prototyping Laboratory are Stereolithography (SL), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), and Direct Shell Production Casting (DSPC). These emerging technologies have proven to be valuable tools for reducing lead times and fabrication costs. Sandia uses the SL and SLS processes to support internal product development efforts. Their primary use is to fabricate patterns for investment casting in support of a Sandia-managed program called FASTCAST that integrates computational technologies and experimental data into the investment casting process. These processes are also used in the design iteration process to produce proof-of-concept models, hands-on models for design reviews, fit-check models, visual aids for manufacturing, and functional parts in assemblies. The DSPC process is currently being developed as a method of fabricating ceramic investment casting molds directly from a CAD solid model. Sandia is an Alpha machine test site for this process. This presentation will provide an overview of the SL and SLS processes and an update of our experience and success in integrating these technologies into the product development cycle. It will also provide a lead-in for a tour of the Rapid Prototyping Laboratory, where these processes will be demonstrated.

The objective of this study was to find a material and configuration that could reliably detect the proper functioning of a current slapper detonator. Because of the small size of the slapper geometry (on the order of a 15 mils), most diagnostic techniques are not suitable. This program has the additional requirement that the device could not use any electrical power or output signals. This required that the diagnostic be completely passive. The paper describes the three facets of the development effort: complete characterization of the slapper using VISAR measurements, selection of the diagnostic material and configuration, and testing of the prototype designs. The VISAR testing required the use of a special optical probe to allow the laser light to reach both bridges of the slapper detonator. Results are given in the form of flyer velocity as a function of the initiating voltage level. The selected diagnostic design functions in a manner similar to a dent block except that the impact of the Kapton disk causes a fracture pattern. A quick visual inspection is all that is needed to determine if the flyer velocity exceeded the threshold value. Sub-threshold velocities produce a substantially different appearance.

We identify a general framework for weak planning called bootstrap planning, which is defined as global planning using only a local planner along with some memory for learning intermediate subgoals. We present a family of algorithms for bootstrap planning, and provide some initial theory on their performance. In our theoretical analysis, we develop a random digraph problem model and use it to make some performance predictions and comparisons of these algorithms. We also use it to provide some techniques for approximating the optimal resource bound on the local planner to achieve the best global planner. We validate our theoretical results with empirical demonstration on the 15-puzzle. We show how to reduce the planning cost of a global planner by 2 orders of magnitude using bootstrap planning. We also demonstrate a natural but not widely recognized connection between search costs and the lognormal distribution.

Li/SOCl{sub 2} battery technology is attractive by virtue of its high energy density, low self-discharge rate, and ability to to perform well at a wide variety of discharge rates. However, some of these same attributes also make Li/SOCl{sub 2} cells capable of hightly exothermic events when handled under abnormal conditions. We manage the energy safely and optimize the performance by tailoring the design to the application. We have developed three different ``D`` size cells that target low, moderate, and high rate applications. Each design provides safe and efficient performance, although, in progressing from low to high rate capability, the likelihood of venting under abuse conditions increses. We incorporate a vent mechanism in all designs as the ultimate protection from severe abuse. The details of our battery designs and the benefits of application-specific design are discussed.

The structural properties of spent nuclear fuel shipping containers vary as a function of the cask wall temperature. An analysis is performed to determine the effect of a realistic, though bounding, hot day environment on the thermal behavior of spent fuel shipping casks. These results are compared to those which develop under a steady-state application of the prescribed normal thermal conditions of 10CFR71. The completed analysis revealed that the majority of wall temperatures, for a wide variety of spent fuel shipping cask configurations, fall well below those predicted by using the steady-state application of the regulatory boundary conditions. It was found that maximum temperatures at the cask surface occasionally lie above temperatures predicted under the regulatory condition. This is due to the conservative assumptions present in the ambient conditions used. The analysis demonstrates that diurnal temperature variations which penetrate the cask wall have maxima substantially less than the corresponding temperatures obtained when applying the steady-state regulatory boundary conditions. Therefore, it is certain that vital cask components and the spent fuel itself will not exceed the temperatures calculated by use of the steady-state interpretation of the 10CFR71 normal conditions.

The increasing complexity of integrated circuits demands that software tools, in addition to hardware tools, be used for successful diagnosis of failure. A series of customizable software tools have been developed that organize failure analysis information and provide expert level help to failure analysts to increase their productivity and success.

An Integrated Demonstration (ID) Program, hosted by the Fernald Environmental Restoration Management Company, has been established for investigating technologies applicable to the characterization and remediation of soils contaminated with uranium. Chemical and physical characterization of Fernald soils and the uranium wastes contained therein is being accomplished by means of standard analytical techniques as well as a suite of non-standard microscopy and spectroscopy techniques. Likewise, a suite of physical and chemical extraction technologies are being designed and tested for accomplishing soil decontamination. However, the main theme of this paper is not the technologies being tested but the approach taken to integrate characterization, decontamination, and risk assessment efforts. It is the authors intent to outline the critical components of an integrated approach for characterizing and remediating uranium contaminated soils as well as provide a real-world example based on the lessons learned in the ID program.

Pyroshock is a potentially severe environment produced by the detonation of explosively actuated components and stage separation hardware. Electronic components exposed to pyroshock events during flight or deployment can be damaged by this high frequency, high G shock. Flight qualification of these components may be accomplished using one of many existing techniques to simulate the pyroshock environment in the laboratory. Two new techniques developed at Sandia National Laboratories allow larger components to be tested to a wide variety of pyroshock environments. The frequency content and amplitude of the simulated pyroshock can be easily controlled in a predictable manner. The pyroshock environment is produced by the resonant response of a test fixture that has been excited by a mechanical impact. The resonant fixture has a dominant frequency that can be continuously adjusted over a frequency range that is typically found in most pyroshock environments. The test apparatus and techniques utilized by each method will be described in this paper. Experimental results will be presented which illustrate the capabilities of each method.

From the beginning, equipment to support IAEA Safeguards could be characterized as that which is used to measure nuclear material, Destructive Assay (DA) and Non Destructive Assay (NDA), and that which is used to provide continuity of knowledge between inspection intervals, Containment & Surveillance (C/S). C/S equipment has often been thought of as Cameras and Seals, with a limited number of monitors being employed as they became available. In recent years, technology has advanced at an extremely rapid rate, and continues to do so. The traditional film cameras are being replaced by video equipment, and fiber optic and electronic seals have come into rather widespread use. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this evolution, and that which indicates the wave of the future without much question, is the integration of video surveillance and electronic seals with a variety of monitors. This is demonstrated by safeguards systems which are installed in several nuclear facilities in France, Germany, Japan, the UK, the USA, and elsewhere. The terminology of Integrated Monitoring Systems (IMS) has emerged, with the employment of network technology capable of interconnecting all desired elements in a very flexible manner. Also, the technology for transmission of a wide variety of information to off-site locations, termed Remote Monitoring, is in widespread industrial use, requiring very little adaptation for safeguards use. This paper examines the future of the Integrated Monitoring Systems and Remote Monitoring in International Safeguards, including technical and other related factors.

It is well known that two phase titanium alloy systems suffer from an abrupt drop in ductility at elevated temperatures in the range of 1,000 to 1,150 K. This loss of ductility is manifested by easy decohesion of polycrystalline aggregates along the grain boundaries of the high temperature beta phase. If the alloy is in a state of tensile stress at the aforementioned temperatures, cracks initiate at the grain boundaries and propagate readily through the alloy, leading to premature failure. This phenomenon is a cause of major concern in titanium alloy fabrication and welding. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain high temperature crack nucleation and growth along the boundaries. A critical review of the phenomenon and possible mechanisms responsible for the observed behavior will be discussed.

This paper describes a concept in which dry air is injected into an unsaturated formation to reduce the soil moisture content, referred to here as a dry (or sometimes tensiometric) barrier. The objective is to reduce the hydraulic conductivity of the unsaturated media to the point where liquid phase transport becomes negligible, thereby achieving containment. The concept could be applied in subsurface formations to provide containment from a leaking facility, or it could be incorporated into a cover design to provide redundancy for a capillary barrier. The air injection process could in principle be coupled with a vacuum extraction system to recover soil vapors, which would then provide a remediation process that would be appropriate if volatile organic compounds were present. Work to date has consisted of a combined theoretical, laboratory, and field research investigation. The objective of this research was to demonstrate the technical feasibility of the dry barrier concept by identifying the parameters which determine its effectiveness. Based on the results obtained for the experimental and theoretical studies, feasibility analyses were prepared for as a modification for a landfill cover design to prevent infiltration from atmospheric precipitation and for potential application of dry barriers to achieve subsurface containment and removal of volatile constituents. These analyses considered the technical as well as the economic aspects of the dry barrier concept.

Rigid Foam is a chemical delay foam used to completely encapsulate an object or to block access to an area. Prior studies have indicated that the final foam product is essentially non-toxic. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and summarize the current chemical and toxicological data available on the components of Rigid Foam and to update the information available on the toxicity of the final Rigid Foam product. Since the possibility exists for a partial deployment of Rigid Foam where only one of the components is released, this study also examined the toxicity of its chemical constituents. Rigid Foam is composed of an {open_quotes}A{close_quotes} and {open_quotes}B{close_quotes} Component. The {open_quotes}A{close_quotes} component is primarily a polymeric isocyanate and the {open_quotes}B{close_quotes} component is a mixture of polyols. In addition to the primary constituents, dichlorodifluoromethane and trichlorofluoromethane are present as blowing agents along with catalysts and silicone surfactants necessary for foaming. The pre-deployed {open_quotes}A{close_quotes} and {open_quotes}B{close_quotes} components are stored in separate vessels and are brought together in static mixing nozzles for dispersal. The results of this evaluation indicate that a completely deployed Rigid Foam under normal conditions is essentially non-toxic as determined previously. However, in the event of a partial deployment or deployment of an individual component directly at an unprotected individual, the degree of hazard is increased due to the toxic and corrosive nature of the individual constituents. The health hazard would depend on the properties of the material to which the person was exposed.

The source term for assessing events that involve the combustion of metallic plutonium (Pu) presents a continuing need in carrying out safety evaluations in support of DOE programs involving nuclear weapons. For production, storage, transport and decommissioning operations, an accident sequence that frequently must be evaluated involves metallic Pu being exposed in a fire environment. There are significant data on which to base an estimate for the source term which has been surveyed recently by Mishima et al (Mishima, 1993), but much of the surveyed work relates to well controlled laboratory experiments with relatively small amounts of Pu. One of the most relevant sources of information was the work by Stewart (Stewart, 1959) of the UK Atomic Weapon Research Establishment at Aldermaston. That work, referred to as the Vixen A Trials provides direct experimental data on the aerosolization and environmental releases from relatively large metallic Pu shapes immersed in a ``petrol`` fire. A new analysis of the air sampler data from the two Vixen A Trials experiments involving chunks of plutonium exposed to hydrocarbon fuel fires indicated a respirable release fraction (referenced to total plutonium involved) of 0.0001 to 0.0003 (1 E-4 to 3 E-4) depending on the parameters used in the atmospheric transport and dispersion model used. A value of 3 E-4 is recommended as an upper limit for use in safety assessment studies involving similar accident scenarios.

Sandia National Laboratories has been involved with rocket systems for many years. Some of these systems have carried high explosive onboard, while others have had FTS for destruction purposes whenever a potential hazard is detected. Recently, Sandia has also been involved with flight tests in which a target vehicle is intentionally destroyed by a projectile. Such endeavors always raise questions about the safety of personnel and the environment in the event of a premature detonation of the explosive or an activation of the FTS, as well as intentional vehicle destruction. Previous attempts to investigate fragmentation hazards for similar configurations have analyzed fragment size and shape in detail but have computed only a limited number of trajectories to determine the probabilities of impact and casualty expectations. A computer program SAFETIE has been written in support of various SNL flight experiments to compute better approximations of the hazards. SAFETIE uses the AMEER trajectory computer code and the Engineering Sciences Center LAN of Sun workstations to determine more realistically the probability of impact for an arbitrary number of exclusion areas. The various debris generation models are described.

The neutron fluences and spectra and the gamma ray doses inside and in the vicinity of a guidance system exposed to the Sandia Pulsed Reactor II (SPR II) in four configurations have been determined. This project required customization of the environment and the application of new techniques to determine the spectra within the system. The required radiation environment was achieved, and the experimental results clearly demonstrated that the radiation environment inside the system was very different from that seen outside. This example demonstrates very clearly that experimenters must consider the effect the test apparatus may have on the environment inside the system.

Abstract not provided.

Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico, conducts the Utility Battery Storage Systems Program, which is sponsored by the US Department of Energy`s Office of Energy Management. In this capacity, Sandia is responsible for the engineering analyses, contract development, and testing of rechargeable batteries and systems for utility-energy-storage applications. This report details the technical achievements realized during fiscal year 1993.

The advent of micro- or binary optics technology has made possible the fabrication of a variety of new optical devices. Optical fabrication is no longer limited by surfaces that can be made by grinding and polishing, or even diamond turning. In fact, optics with no symmetry, no smooth surfaces, and that perform multiple functions can be readily fabricated. While these optics have a large number of applications, they are extremely useful for systems that require arrays of small optics or aperture multiplexing, since these are fabricated using computer controlled photo-lithography and etching processes. We have applied binary optics technology to construct various wavefront sensing using four mask processes to create 16 level optics. They are binary in the sense that they use discrete phase levels, not in the sense of using only two levels (they might more properly be called digital optics). We have found that 16 levels is adequate for most systems, giving greater than 99% of efficiency.

This report presents the results of testing of selected propellants and primers to Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) characteristic of the human body. It describes the tests and the fixturing built to accommodate loose material (propellants) and the packed energetic material of the primer. The results indicate that all powders passed and some primers, especially the electric primers, failed to pass established requirements which delineate insensitive energetic components. This report details the testing of components and materials to four ESD environments (Standard ESD, Severe ESD, Modified Standard ESD, and Modified Severe ESD). The purpose of this study was to collect data based on the customer requirements as defined in the Sandia Environmental Safety & Health (ES&H) Manual, Chapter 9, and to define static sensitive and insensitive propellants and primers.

This report summarizes the purchasing and transportation activities of the Purchasing and Materials Management Organization for Fiscal Year 1993. Activities for both the New Mexico and California locations are included.

Assessment of the hoist failure rate for the Payload Transporter Type III (PT-III) hoist was completed as one of the ground transportation tasks for the Minuteman II (MMIII) Weapon System Safety Assessment. The failures of concern are failures that lead to dropping a reentry system (RS) during hoist operations in a silo or the assembly, storage, and inspection building for a MMIII wing. After providing a brief description of the PT-III hoist system, the author summarizes his search for historical data from industry and the military services for failures of electric hoist systems. Since such information was not found, the strategy for assessing a failure rate was to consider failure mechanisms which lead to load-drop accidents, estimate their rates, and sum the rates for the PT-III hoist failure rate. The author discusses failure mechanisms and describes his assessment of a chain failure rate that is based on data from destructive testing of a chain of the type used for the PT-III hoist and projected usage rates for hoist operations involving the RS. The main result provides upper bounds for chain failure rates that are based on these data. No test data were found to estimate failure rates due to mechanisms other than chain failure. The author did not attempt to quantify the effects of human factors on the PT-III hoist failure rate.

The measurement of layer-to-layer feature overlay will, in the foreseeable future, continue to be a critical metrological requirement for the semiconductor industry. Meeting the image placement metrology demands of accuracy, precision, and measurement speed favors the use of electrical test structures. In this paper, a two-dimensional, modified voltage-dividing potentiometer is applied to a short-loop VLSI process to measure image placement. The contributions of feature placement on the reticle and overlay on the wafer to the overall measurement are analyzed and separated. Additional sources of uncertainty are identified, and methods developed to monitor and reduce them are described.

This report briefly discusses the following research being conducted at Sandia Laboratories: Advanced Manufacturing -- Sandia technology helps keep US industry in the lead; Microelectronics-Sandia`s unique facilities transform research advances into manufacturable products; Energy -- Sandia`s energy programs focus on strengthening industrial growth and political decisionmaking; Environment -- Sandia is a leader in environmentally conscious manufacturing and hazardous waste reduction; Health Care -- New biomedical technologies help reduce cost and improve quality of health care; Information & Computation -- Sandia aims to help make the information age a reality; Transportation -- This new initiative at the Labs will help improve transportation, safety,l efficiency, and economy; Nonproliferation -- Dismantlement and arms control are major areas of emphasis at Sandia; and Awards and Patents -- Talented, dedicated employees are the backbone of Sandia`s success.

Test results sponsored by the USNRC have shown that reinforced shear wall (Seismic Category I) structures exhibit stiffnesses and natural frequencies which are smaller than those calculated in the design process. The USNRC has sponsored Sandia National Labs to perform an evaluation of the effects of the reduced frequencies on several existing seismic PRAs in order to determine the seismic risk implications inherent in these test results. This report presents the results for the re-evaluation of the seismic risk for three nuclear power plants: the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, the Zion Nuclear Power Plant, and Arkansas Nuclear One -- Unit 1 (ANO-1). Increases in core damage frequencies for seismic initiated events at Peach Bottom were 25 to 30 percent (depending on whether LLNL or EPRI hazard curves were used). At the ANO-1 site, the corresponding increases in plant risk were 10 percent (for each set of hazard curves). Finally, at Zion, there was essentially no change in the computed core damage frequency when the reduction in shear wall stiffness was included. In addition, an evaluation of deterministic ``design-like`` structural dynamic calculations with and without the shear stiffness reductions was made. Deterministic loads calculated for these two cases typically increased on the order of 10 to 20 percent for the affected structures.

The major thrust of the study leading to this report was a quick, but in-depth, understanding of the process for using multimedia computer equipment for information exchange within our engineering office and within the school environment. That is, how feasible is it to augment the typical office memo or school instruction sheet with pictures, video, and sounds? What specialized skills, hardware, and software are needed by those of us who want to use the technology? The brief study period allowed for an examination of available hardware and software, observation of current approaches to multimedia within our particular environment, and the development of applications, all within the context of several project areas: The Sandia Science Advisors program; a Sandia scientific project associated with the National Information Infrastructure Testbed; the curriculum of Monte Vista Elementary School of Albuquerque Public Schools; and the University of New Mexico Medical School Health Scene project.

Due to the recently enacted California regulations requiring zero emission vehicles be sold in the market place by 1998, electric vehicle research and development (R&D) is accelerating. Much of the R&D work is focusing on the Achilles` heel of electric vehicles -- advanced batteries. This report provides an assessment of the R&D work currently underway in advanced batteries and electric vehicles in the following countries: Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the United Kingdom. Although the US can be considered one of the leading countries in terms of advanced battery and electric vehicle R&D work, it lags other countries, particularly France, in producing and promoting electric vehicles. The US is focusing strictly on regulations to promote electric vehicle usage while other countries are using a wide variety of policy instruments (regulations, educational outreach programs, tax breaks and subsidies) to encourage the use of electric vehicles. The US should consider implementing additional policy instruments to ensure a domestic market exists for electric vehicles. The domestic is the largest and most important market for the US auto industry.

This Sandia publication seeks to facilitate technology exchange with industries, universities, and government agencies. It presents brief highlights of four projects. First is a project to simulate the use of airbags to soften the landing of a probe on Mars. Second is the use of a computer simulation system to facilitate the testing of designs for different experiments, both for experimental layout and results analysis. Third is the development of a system for in-house testing of batteries and capacitive energy storage systems, for deployment at the manufacturing sites, as opposed to final use areas. Finally is information on a noncontact measurement system which can be used to determine axes on objects of different shapes, with high precision.

Concern for the environment and cost reduction are the driving forces for a broad effort in government and the private sector to develop new, more cost-effective technologies for characterizing, monitoring and remediating environmental sites. Secondary goals of the characterization, monitoring and remediation (CMR) activity are: minimize secondary waste generation, minimize site impact, protect water tables, and develop methods/strategies to apply new technologies. The Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) project in directional boring for CMR of waste sites with enhanced machinery from the underground utility installation industry was initiated in 1990. Preliminary activities included surveying the directional drilling access needs of various DOE sites, identifying an existing class of machinery that could be enhanced for environmental work through development, and establishing a mutually beneficial working relationship with an industry partner. Since that time the project has tested a variety of prototype machinery and hardware built by the industrial partner, and SNL. The project continues to test and develop the machinery and technique refinements needed for future applications at DOE, DOD, and private sector sites. The original goal of cost-effectiveness is being met through innovation, adaptation, and application of fundamental concepts. Secondary goals are being met via a basic philosophy of ``cut/thrust and compact cuttings without adding large quantities of fluid`` to an environmental problem site. Technology transfer to the private sector is ongoing and ultimately should result in commercial availability of the machinery. Education of regulatory agencies resulting in restructuring appropriate regulatory standards for specification of the horizontal drilling techniques will be a final project goal.

The Beneficial Uses Shipping System cask is a Type B packaging developed by Sandia National Laboratories for the U.S. Department of Energy. The cask is designed to transport special form radioactive source capsules (cesium chloride and strontium fluoride) produced by the Department of Energy`s Hanford Waste Encapsulation and Storage Facility. This paper describes the cask system and the analyses performed to predict the response of the cask in impact, puncture, and fire accident conditions as specified in the regulations. The cask prototype has been fabricated and Certificates of Compliance have been obtained.

L-{alpha}-alanine, a nontoxic polycrystalline amino acid, has been investigated for use in high-precision, high-level absorbed-dose measurements in mixed neutron/photon environments such as research and test reactors. The technique is based on the use of electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy to determine the extent of free radical production in a sample exposed to ionizing radiation, and has been successfully used for photon absorbed-dose measurements at levels exceeding 10{sup 5} Gy with high measurement precision. Application of the technique to mixed environments requires knowledge of the energy-dependent response of the dosimeter for both photons and neutrons. Determination of the dosimeter response to photons is accomplished by irradiations in {sup 60}Co and bremsstrahlung sources and by calculations of energy-dependent photon kerma. Neutron response is determined by irradiations in conjunction with CaF{sub 2}:Mn thermoluminescence dosimeters and by calculations of energy-dependent neutron kerma. Several neutron environments are used, including those provided by the Annular Core Research Reactor and Sandia Pulsed Reactor.

The RADTRAN 4 computer code for transportation risk assessment is the central code in a system that contains both other codes and data libraries. Some of these codes and data libraries supply input data for RADTRAN; others perform supplemental calculations. RADTRAN 4 will be released by the IAEA in an international version known as INTERTRAN 2 in 1995. In the United States, RADTRAN 4 and its supporting system may be accessed via the INTERNET, a precursor to the Information Superhighway. Similar networks are being contemplated elsewhere in the world, and the RADTRAN System may serve as a prototype for systems on these networks. A system is desirable for the following reasons. Some classes of data and data-handling methods are country-specific and some are not -- ancillary codes and data libraries that provide the latter are not affected by national and regional borders while the former must be provided on a country-by-country basis. Making the invariant portions available to all users in an international system would simplify quality assurance (QA) and, therefore, the reliability and consistency of risk results. Among the classes of data used in RADTRAN 4 (and INTERTRAN 2) and the supplemental calculational capabilities that are essentially invariant for all countries and regions are: (1) radionuclide characteristics such as half-life, photon energy, and dose-conversion factors; (2) characteristics of radioactive-material packages found in international commerce; (3) features of highly standardized international transportation modes (primarily sea and air); and (4) uncertainty analysis. These features and their related QA benefits are discussed.

Using Saturn as a driver, we are pursueing both photoresonantly pumped andphotoionization/recombination lasers. Our lasing targets are gas cells with thin windowsthat are pumped by a z pinch 2 cm away radiating 10 TW. In both schemes the lasant and gasfill is neon. We will present evidence for inversion in the sodium/neon photoresonantscheme but we have yet to detect the lasing transition itself. To increase our chances ofmeasuring this line we have introduced potassium into a sodium z-pinch and have eliminatedoxygen from the gas cell windows. We have measured the spatial dependence of ionizationbalance across the gas cell, and this measurement is consistent with propagation of a shockfront across the gas cell target. We have measured the Li-like neon Sf-3d transition toincrease more rapidly with fill pressure than all other measured lines. Based on this resultwe have performed experiments emphasizing the photoionization/recombination laserscheme that use a flat field grazing incidence spectrometer to provide good spatial resolutionof the 4f-3d, 4d-3p, and Sf-3d lines of Li-like neon. We have attempted a gain lengthmeasurement by imaging parallel to a baffle that varies the length of the target illuminated.

As the United States embarks upon a major effort to cleanup its nuclear defense facilities, a large quantity of low-level waste (LLW) will be generated. This LLW must be managed and ultimately placed into final disposal. Much of this waste is expected to exceed certain limits defined in U.S. regulations (Title 10, U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, part 61) called Class C. The waste which exceeds Class C, called Greater-than-Class-C (GTCC), poses a major challenge to waste managers. Each GTCC waste form must be placed into costly geologic disposal unless separate approval is obtained from the United States regulator to place it into less costly {open_quotes}near-surface{close_quotes} land burial. Management of GTCC will also require, to some extent, storage and transport prior to its final disposal. A further LLW stream exists in the United States also stemming from the prior operations of United States defense facilities, viz., radioactively contaminated and irradiated scrap metal which has been accumulating over the past forty years. Similarly, as cleanup, decontamination, and decommissioning proceeds, this contaminated scrap metal inventory is expected to grow rapidly. This paper explores the notion of the authors that an opportunity for a synergistic solution to two difficult waste management problems may be available in the United States today, and perhaps may similarly be available in other nuclear countries as well. The possibility exists for fabricating packagings from contaminated scrap metal (which would otherwise be part of the waste inventory) and for using these packaging for storage, transport and disposal of GTCC in near-surface burial facilities without reopening or repacking. This approach is appealing and should lead to major safety and cost benefits. An examination of existing regulations with the intent to propose additions, changes, or clarifications that would effectively and beneficially regulate such combined activity is proposed.

This work addressed two major areas concerning joining of advanced borated stainless steels. These areas included the development of a understanding of the physical metallurgy of borated stainless steels and the development of welding processes and post-weld heat treatments for these alloys. Differential thermal analysis experiments were conducted on ten heats of borated stainless steel to determine the transformation temperatures and melting behavior of the alloys. On-heating solidus temperatures were measured for all of the alloys and were used to define the temperatures associated with the fusion line during welding. Isothermal heat treatments designed to evaluate the effects of elevated temperature exposures on the toughness of the borated grades were conducted. These tests were used to determine if significant changes in the microstructure or mechanical properties of weld heat-affected zones (HAZ) occur. Specifically, the tests addressed the solid-state region of the HAZ. The test matrix included a variety of alloy compositions and thermal exposures at temperatures near the on-heating solidus (as determined by the DTA experiments). Welding experiments designed to assess the mechanical properties and microstructure of gas-tungsten arc and electron beam welds were conducted.

MELCOR is a fully integrated, engineering-level computer code, being developed at Sandia National Laboratories for the USNRC. This code models the entire spectrum of severe accident phenomena in a unified framework for both BWRs and PWRs. As part of an ongoing assessment program, the MELCOR computer code has been used to analyze a station blackout transient in Surry, a three-loop Westinghouse PWR. Basecase results obtained with MELCOR 1.8.2 are presented, and compared to earlier results for the same transient calculated using MELCOR 1.8.1. The effects of new models added in MELCOR 1.8.2 (in particular, hydrodynamic interfacial momentum exchange, core debris radial relocation and core material eutectics, CORSOR-Booth fission product release, high-pressure melt ejection and direct containment heating) are investigated individually in sensitivity studies. The progress in reducing numeric effects in MELCOR 1.8.2, compared to MELCOR 1.8.1, is evaluated in both machine-dependency and time-step studies; some remaining sources of numeric dependencies (valve cycling, material relocation and hydrogen burn) are identified.