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Surface micromachined microengine as the driver for micromechanical gears

Garcia, Ernest J.

The transmission of mechanical power is often accomplished through the use of gearing. The recently developed surface micromachined microengine provides us with an actuator which is suitable for driving surface micromachined geared systems. In this paper we will present aspects of the microengine as they relate to the driving of geared mechanisms, issues relating to the design of micro gear mechanisms, and details of a design of a microengine-driven geared shutter mechanism.

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Smart gun technology requirements preliminary report

Weiss, D.R.

Goal of the Smart Gun Technology project is to eliminate the capability of an unauthorized user from firing a law enforcement officer`s firearm by implementing user-recognizing-and-authorizing surety technologies. This project is funded by the National Institute of Justice. This document reports the projects first objective: to find and document the requirements for a user-recognizing-and-authorizing firearm technology that law enforcement officers will value. This report details the problem of firearm takeaways in law enforcement, the methodology used to develop the law enforcement officers` requirements, and the requirements themselves.

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The lustering of TBC-2

Diver, R.B.; Jones, S.; Robb, S.; Mahoney, A.R.

Two test bed concentrators (TBCs) were designed to provide high-performance test beds for advanced solar receivers and converters. However, the second-surface silvered-glass mirror facets on the TBCs, which were originally manufactured by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, have experienced severe silver corrosion. To restore reflectance, TBC-2 was refurbished with a lustering technique developed at Sandia National Laboratories. In the lustering technique, second-surface silvered thin-glass mirrors were applied over the corroded facets, thereby increasing the dish reflectivity and raising the available power of TBC-2 from approximately 70 to 78 kW{sub t}. Degradation of the original optical accuracy of the TBC facets was determined to be minimal. Lustering was chosen over facet replacement because of the lower cost, the anticipated improvement in corrosion resistance, and the shorter project duration. This report includes background information, details of the lustering process, and test results from TBC-2 characterization, both before and after lustering.

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Synthesis of silicon nitride powders in pulsed RF plasmas

Buss, Richard J.

Nanometer size silicon nitride particles are synthesized using a pulsed radio frequency plasma technique. The plasma is modulated with a square-wave on/off cycle of varying period to control size and morphology and to deduce the growth kinetics. In situ laser light scattering and ex situ particle analysis are used to study the nucleation and growth. For SiH{sub 4}/Ar plasmas which nucleate silicon particles, an initial extremely rapid growth phase is followed by a slower growth rate, approaching the rate of thin film deposition on adjacent flat surfaces. In SiH{sub 4}/NH{sub 3} plasmas, silicon nitride particle size can be tightly controlled by adjusting the plasma-on time. The size dispersion of the particles is large and is consistent with a process of continual nucleation during the plasma-on period. The observed polydispersity differs dramatically from that reported from other laboratories.

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Capacitive sensor for high resolution weld seam tracking

Schmitt, D.J.

A non-contact capacitive sensing system has been developed for guiding automated welding equipment along typical v-groove geometries. The Multi-Axis Seam Tracking (MAST) sensor has been designed to produce four electric fields for locating and measuring the v-groove geometry. In this system, the MAST sensor is coupled with a set of signal conditioning electronics making it possible to output four varying voltages proportional to the electric field perturbations. This output is used for motion control purposes by the automated welding platform to guide the weld torch directly over the center of the v-groove. This report discusses the development of this capacitive sensing system. A functional description of the system and MAST sensor response characteristics for typical weld v-groove geometries are provided. The effects of the harsh thermal and electrical noise environments of plasma arc welding on sensor performance are discussed. A comparison of MAST sensor fabrication from glass-epoxy and thick-film ceramic substrates is provided. Finally, results of v-groove tracking experiments on a robotic welding platform are described.

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Self-consistent temperature compensation for resonant sensors with application to quartz bulk acoustic wave chemical sensors

Smith, J.H.; Senturia, S.D.

Since resonant sensors have a temperature sensitivity which is often greater than their sensitivity to the phenomena they are being used to detect, it is imperative to include either temperature control or temperature compensation in any resonant sensor system. The authors have developed a temperature-compensation scheme for resonant sensors which is amenable to integration into a resonator-driver integrated circuit. An integrated circuit incorporating this scheme has been designed, built, and tested.

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Enhancement of surface processes with low energy ions

Chason, E.

Continuing trends in device fabrication towards smaller feature sizes, lower thermal budgets and advanced device structures put greater emphasis on controlling the surface structure and reactivity during processing. Since the evolution of the semiconductor surface during processing is determined by the interaction of multiple surface processes, understanding how to control and modify these processes on the atomic level would enable us to exert greater control over the resulting morphology and composition. Low energy ions represent one method for bringing controlled amounts of energy to the surface to modify surface structure and kinetics. The kinetic energy deposited by the ions can break bonds and displace atoms, creating defect populations significantly in excess of the equilibrium concentration. Consequences of these non-equilibrium conditions include the enhancement of surface kinetic processes, increased surface reactivity and formation of metastable structures and compositions. These effects can be beneficial (ion enhanced mass transport can lead to surface smoothing) or they can be detrimental (residual defects can degrade electrical properties or lead to amorphization). The net results depend on a complex balance that depends on many parameters including ion mass, energy, flux and temperature. In the following section, we review progress both in our fundamental understanding of the production of low-energy ion-induced defects and in the use of low energy ions to enhance surface morphology, stimulate low temperature growth and obtain non-equilibrium structures and compositions.

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Kauai Test Facility hazards assessment document

Banda Jr., Zeferino

The Department of Energy Order 55003A requires facility-specific hazards assessment be prepared, maintained, and used for emergency planning purposes. This hazards assessment document describes the chemical and radiological hazards associated with the Kauai Test Facility, Barking Sands, Kauai, Hawaii. The Kauai Test Facility`s chemical and radiological inventories were screened according to potential airborne impact to onsite and offsite individuals. The air dispersion model, ALOHA, estimated pollutant concentrations downwind from the source of a release, taking into consideration the toxicological and physical characteristics of the release site, the atmospheric conditions, and the circumstances of the release. The greatest distance to the Early Severe Health Effects threshold is 4.2 kilometers. The highest emergency classification is a General Emergency at the {open_quotes}Main Complex{close_quotes} and a Site Area Emergency at the Kokole Point Launch Site. The Emergency Planning Zone for the {open_quotes}Main Complex{close_quotes} is 5 kilometers. The Emergency Planning Zone for the Kokole Point Launch Site is the Pacific Missile Range Facility`s site boundary.

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Determination of kinetic coefficients for the simultaneous reduction of sulfate and uranium by Desulfovibrio desulfuricans bacteria

Tucker, Mark D.

Uranium contamination of groundwaters and surface waters near abandoned mill tailings piles is a serious concern in many areas of the western United States. Uranium usually exists in either the U(IV) or the U(VI) oxidation state. U(VI) is soluble in water and, as a result, is very mobile in the environment. U(IV), however, is generally insoluble in water and, therefore, is not subject to aqueous transport. In recent years, researchers have discovered that certain anaerobic microorganisms, such as the sulfate-reducing bacteria Desulfovibrio desulfuricans, can mediate the reduction of U(VI) to U(IV). Although the ability of this microorganism to reduce U(VI) has been studied in some detail by previous researchers, the kinetics of the reactions have not been characterized. The purpose of this research was to perform kinetic studies on Desulfovibrio desulficans bacteria during simultaneous reduction of sulfate and uranium and to determine the phase in which uranium exists after it has been reduced and precipitated from solution. The studies were conducted in a laboratory-scale chemostat under substrate-limited growth conditions with pyruvate as the substrate. Kinetic coefficients for substrate utilization and cell growth were calculated using the Monod equation. The maximum rate of substrate utilization (k) was determined to be 4.70 days{sup {minus}1} while the half-velocity constant (K{sub s}) was 140 mg/l COD. The yield coefficient (Y) was determined to be 0.17 mg cells/mg COD while the endogenous decay coefficient (k{sub d}) was calculated as 0.072 days{sup {minus}1}. After reduction, U(IV) Precipitated from solution in the uraninite (UO{sub 2}) phase. Uranium removal efficiency as high as 90% was achieved in the chemostat.

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Design and analysis of a high-performance shipping container for large payloads

Slavin, Adam M.

The packaging, designated the H1636A is a high-performing packageing for large payloads. The H1636A is 50 in. in diameter and 113 in. in length and weighs approximately 4600 lb when empty. The design objective was to meet 1996 proposed IAEA Type C criteria for air transport of large quantities of radioactive material (RAM). That is, the package should survive the standard Type B tests and more severe tests such as an impact onto an unyielding target at 280 ft/s and a one-hour jet fuel fire. The packaging consists of a large double-walled stainless steel outer drum filled with uniform density polyurethane foam. A stainless steel containment vessel (CV) with an inside diameter of 23 in. and a length of 78 in. carries the RAM. The CV has a nominal thickness of 0.375 in. and seals with two elastomeric 0-rings. The lid of the CV is joined to the body with a unique closure called a tape joint. The tape joint utilizes interlocking features preloaded with wedges and can withstand significant deformation.

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High average power, high current pulsed accelerator technology

Neau, E.L.

Which current pulsed accelerator technology was developed during the late 60`s through the late 80`s to satisfy the needs of various military related applications such as effects simulators, particle beam devices, free electron lasers, and as drivers for Inertial Confinement Fusion devices. The emphasis in these devices is to achieve very high peak power levels, with pulse lengths on the order of a few 10`s of nanoseconds, peak currents of up to 10`s of MA, and accelerating potentials of up to 10`s of MV. New which average power systems, incorporating thermal management techniques, are enabling the potential use of high peak power technology in a number of diverse industrial application areas such as materials processing, food processing, stack gas cleanup, and the destruction of organic contaminants. These systems employ semiconductor and saturable magnetic switches to achieve short pulse durations that can then be added to efficiently give MV accelerating, potentials while delivering average power levels of a few 100`s of kilowatts to perhaps many megawatts. The Repetitive High Energy Puled Power project is developing short-pulse, high current accelerator technology capable of generating beams with kJ`s of energy per pulse delivered to areas of 1000 cm{sup 2} or more using ions, electrons, or x-rays. Modular technology is employed to meet the needs of a variety of applications requiring from 100`s of kV to MV`s and from 10`s to 100`s of kA. Modest repetition rates, up to a few 100`s of pulses per second (PPS), allow these machines to deliver average currents on the order of a few 100`s of mA. The design and operation of the second generation 300 kW RHEPP-II machine, now being brought on-line to operate at 2.5 MV, 25 kA, and 100 PPS will be described in detail as one example of the new high average power, high current pulsed accelerator technology.

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Qualification of environmentally friendly cleaners

De Marquis, G.; Lopez, E.P.

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) has traditionally used chlorinated and fluorinated organic solvents for general degreasing applications. Many of these solvents have been labeled by the Federal Government as ozone depleting chemicals and as toxic and/or suspected carcinogens. As a result, these solvents will no longer be recommended for use within the DOE weapons complex. There are three major classes of materials that are of concern for cleaning: organics, metals and ceramics. Each of these materials has its own special cleaning problems. Solvents that were used in the past, such as 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA) and trichloroethylene (TCE), were extremely efficient at removing everything from oils and greases to salts without leaving corrosive residues or permanently absorbing into the materials. These traditional degreasing solvents were essentially ``all-inone`` cleaners: quick, reliable, and easy to use. Unfortunately, a ``drop-in`` cleaner for such a wide variety of materials and contaminants will probably never be identified. So far, it has been difficult to identify environmentally conscious cleaners that clean as well as TCE and TCA. Most alternative cleaners require more volume to do the job, and also require longer exposure to get the job done. With these things in mind, we are hoping to identify and qualify new cleaners that will take care of general classes of materials.

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An overview of weapons technologies used to improve US healthcare

Fahrenholtz, J.

At Sandia National Laboratories the Biomedical Engineering Program uses existing weapons-related technology in medical applications in order to reduce health care costs, improve diagnoses, and promote efficient health care delivery. This paper describes several projects which use Sandia technologies to solve biomedical problems. Specific technical capabilities that are important to this program include sensor data interpretation, robotics, lasers and optics, microelectronics, image processing and materials.

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The state-of-the-art port of entry workshop

Godfrey, B.

The increased demand for freight movements through international ports of entry and the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have increased freight traffic at border ports of entry. The State-of-the-Art Port of Entry Workshop initiated a dialogue among technologists and stakeholders to explore the potential uses of technology at border crossings and to set development priorities. International ports of entry are both information and labor intensive, and there are many promising technologies that could be used to provide timely information and optimize inspection resources. Participants universally held that integration of technologies and operations is critical to improving port services. A series of Next Steps was developed to address stakeholder issues and national priorities, such as the National Transportation Policy and National Drug Policy. This report documents the views of the various stakeholders and technologists present at the workshop and outlines future directions of study.

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Damage evolution in metal matrix composites subjected to thermomechanical fatigue

Allen, D.H.; Hurtado, L.D.; Helms, K.L.E.

A thermomechanical analysis of unidirectional continuous fiber metal matrix composites is presented. The analysis includes the effects of processing induced residual thermal stresses, interface cracking, and inelastic matrix behavior on damage evolution. Due to the complexity of the nonlinear effects, the analysis is performed computationally using the finite element method. The interface fracture is modeled by a nonlinear constitutive model. The problem formulation is summarized and results are presented for a four-ply unidirectional SCS-6/{beta}21S titanium composite under high temperature isothermal mechanical fatigue.

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Fullerene-based materials research and development. LDRD final report

Cahill, P.A.; Henderson, C.C.; Rohlfing, C.M.; Loy, D.A.; Assink, R.A.; Gillen, K.T.; Jacobs, S.J.; Dugger, M.T.

The chemistry and physical properties of fullerenes, the third, molecular allotrope of carbon, have been studied using both experimental and computational techniques. Early computational work investigated the stability of fullerene isomers and oxides, which was followed by extensive work on hydrogenated fullerenes. Our work led to the first synthesis of a polymer containing C{sub 60} and the synthesis of the simplest hydrocarbon derivatives of C{sub 60} and C{sub 70}. The excellent agreement between theory and experiment ({plus_minus} 0.1 kcal/mol in the relative stability of isomers) has provided insight into the chemical nature of fullerenes and has yielded a sound basis for prediction of the structure of derivatized fullerenes. Such derivatives are the key to the preparation of fullerene-based materials.

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Measures of effectiveness for BMD mid-course tracking on MIMD massively parallel computers

Vandyke, John P.

The TRC code, a mid-course tracking code for ballistic missiles, has previously been implemented on a 1024-processor MIMD (Multiple Instruction -- Multiple Data) massively parallel computer. Measures of Effectiveness (MOE) for this algorithm have been developed for this computing environment. The MOE code is run in parallel with the TRC code. Particularly useful MOEs include the number of missed objects (real objects for which the TRC algorithm did not construct a track); of ghost tracks (tracks not corresponding to a real object); of redundant tracks (multiple tracks corresponding to a single real object); and of unresolved objects (multiple objects corresponding to a single track). All of these are expressed as a function of time, and tend to maximize during the time in which real objects are spawned (multiple reentry vehicles per post-boost vehicle). As well, it is possible to measure the track-truth separation as a function of time. A set of calculations is presented illustrating these MOEs as a function of time for a case with 99 post-boost vehicles, each of which spawns 9 reentry vehicles.

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Hanford coring bit temperature monitor development testing results report

Rey, D.

Instrumentation which directly monitors the temperature of a coring bit used to retrieve core samples of high level nuclear waste stored in tanks at Hanford was developed at Sandia National Laboratories. Monitoring the temperature of the coring bit is desired to enhance the safety of the coring operations. A unique application of mature technologies was used to accomplish the measurement. This report documents the results of development testing performed at Sandia to assure the instrumentation will withstand the severe environments present in the waste tanks.

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Deformation study of separator pellets for thermal batteries

Guidotti, Ronald A.

The deformation characteristics of pellets of electrolyte-binder (EB) mixes based on MgO were measured under simulated, thermal-battery conditions. Measurements (using a statistically designed experimental strategy) were made as a function of applied pressure, temperature, and percentage of theoretical density for four molten-salt electrolytes at two levels of MgO. The EB mixes are used as separators in Li-alloy thermal batteries. The electrolytes included LiCl-KCI eutectic, LiCl-LiBr-KBr eutectic, LiBr-KBr-LiF eutectic, and a LiCl-LiBr-LiF electrolyte with a minimum-melting composition. The melting points ranged from 313 C to 436 C. The experimental data were used to develop statistical models that approximate the deformation behavior of pellets of the various EB mixes over the range of experimental conditions we examined. This report, discusses the importance of the deformation response surfaces to thermal-battery design.

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Passive soil venting at the Chemical Waste Landfill Site at Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Phelan, James M.

Passive Soil Vapor Extraction was tested at the Chemical Waste Landfill (CWL) site at Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico (SNLIW). Data collected included ambient pressures, differential pressures between soil gas and ambient air, gas flow rates into and out of the soil and concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCS) in vented soil gas. From the differential pressure and flow rate data, estimates of permeability were arrived at and compared with estimates from other studies. Flow, differential pressure, and ambient pressure data were collected for nearly 30 days. VOC data were collected for two six-hour periods during this time. Total VOC emissions were calculated and found to be under the limit set by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Although a complete process evaluation is not possible with the data gathered, some of the necessary information for designing a passive venting process was determined and the important parameters for designing the process were indicated. More study is required to evaluate long-term VOC removal using passive venting and to establish total remediation costs when passive venting is used as a polishing process following active soil vapor extraction.

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Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and Oak Ridge National Laboratories (ORNL) joint development of SNL`s sample tracking, analysis and reporting (STAR) information system

Campbell, D.

A comprehensive environmental sample management program allocates much of its resources to collecting, managing, and manipulating information. A computerized system that collects information at the field sampling point, tracks the sample to analytical labs and loads electronic data deliverables from these labs, while maintaining chain of custody and data integrity, is efficient and cost effective for providing consistent and accurate, legally defensible sample data. In June 1993, a team was formed to gather Sample Management Office requirements and begin development of a sample tracking system. This paper is an overview of experiences encountered when Sandia transferred and implemented sample software from the Waste Area Group (WAG6) at ORNL.

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ITEP: A survey of innovative environmental restoration technologies in the Netherlands and France

Roberds, W.J.; Voss, C.F.; Hitchcock, S.A.

The International Technology Exchange Program (ITEP) of the Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) Office of Environmental Management (EM) is responsible for promoting the import of innovative technologies to better address EM`s needs and the export of US services into foreign markets to enhance US competitiveness. Under this program, potentially innovative environmental restoration technologies, either commercially available or under development in the Netherlands and France, were identified, described, and evaluated. It was found that 12 innovative environmental restoration technologies, which are either commercially available or under development in the Netherlands and France, may have some benefit for the DOE EM program and should be considered for transfer to the United States.

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The vital issues process: Strategic planning for a changing world

Engi, Dennis

The Vital Issues process (VIp) is a strategic planning tool initially developed by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) for the Office of Foreign Intelligence (OFI)* of the US Department of Energy (DOE). It was further developed and refined through its application to a variety of strategic purposes for a range of public and semipublic organizations. The VIp provides a structured mechanism for assisting organizations in accomplishing specified objectives by identifying and prioritizing a portfolio of strategic issues, programmatic areas, or responses to a specified problem. It employs day-long panel meetings in a specified format to elicit a broad range of perspectives on a particular issue in a nonconfrontational manner and to facilitate the interaction and synthesis of diverse viewpoints on a specific topic. The VIp is unique in its incorporation of two primary approaches in each panel session: a qualitative or transactional segment, which entails the synthesis of the alternatives through negotiations or discussion, and a quantitative or net benefit maximization segment, an analytical approach, which involves prioritization of the alternatives using pairwise comparisons. This combination of facilitated group discussion and quantitative ranking provides input to strategic management decisions in the form of stakeholder-defined and -prioritized items as well as information on potential barriers to the implementation of policies and programs. This is the final volume in the series Identifying Vital Issues: New Intelligence Strategies for a New World, a three-volume set that gives an accounting of the VIp as implemented for OFI. This volume provides an in-depth description of the methodology used in the VIp.

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A survey of environmental needs and innovative technologies in Germany

Voss, C.F.; Roberds, W.J.

The International Technology Program (IT?), formerly the international Technology Exchange Program (ITEP), of the Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) is responsible for promoting: (1) the import of innovative technologies to better address EM`s needs; and (2) the export of US services into foreign markets to enhance US competitiveness. Under this program: (1) the environmental restoration market in Germany was evaluated, including the description of the general types of environmental problems, the environmental regulations, and specific selected contaminated sites; and (2) potentially innovative environmental restoration technologies, either commercially available or under development in Germany, were identified, described and evaluated. It was found that: (1) the environmental restoration market in Germany is very large, on the order of several billion US dollars per year, with a significant portion possibly available to US businesses; and (2) a large number (54) of innovative environmental restoration technologies, which are either commercially available or under development in Germany, may have some benefit to the DOE EM program and should be considered for transfer to the US.

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Design, fabrication, and testing of a sodium evaporator for the STM4-120 kinematic Stirling engine

Rawlinson, K.S.; Adkins, D.R.

This report describes the development and testing of a compact heat-pipe heat exchanger kW(e) designed to transfer thermal energy from hot combustion gases to the heater tubes of a 25-kW(e) Stirling engine. In this system, sodium evaporates from a surface that is heated by a stream of hot gases. The liquid metal then condenses on the heater tubes of a Stirling engine, where energy is transferred to the engine`s helium working fluid. Tests on a prototype unit illustrated that a compact (8 cm {times} 13 cm {times} 16 cm) sodium evaporator can routinely transfer 15 kW(t) of energy at an operating vapor temperature of 760 C. Four of these prototype units were eventually used to power a 25-kW(e) Stirling engine system. Design details and test results from the prototype unit are presented in this report.

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Electron phase coherent effects in nanostructures and coupled 2D systems

Simmons, Jerry A.

This report describes the research accomplishments achieved under the LDRD Project ``Electron Phase Coherent Effects in Nanostructures and Coupled 2D Systems.`` The goal of this project was to discover and characterize novel quantum transport phenomena in small semiconductor structures at low temperatures. Included is a description of the purpose of the research, the various approaches used, and a detailed qualitative description of the numerous new results obtained. The first appendix gives a detailed listing of publications, presentations, patent applications, awards received, and various other measures of the LDRD project success. Subsequent appendices consist of reprinted versions of several specific,`` scientific journal publications resulting from this LDRD project.

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Bulk and mechanical properties of the Paintbrush tuff recovered from borehole USW NRG-7/7A: Data report. Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project

Price, Ronald H.

An integral part of the licensing procedure for the potential nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, involves prediction of the in situ rheology for the design and construction of the facility and the emplacement of canisters containing radioactive waste. The data used to model the thermal and mechanical behavior of the repository and surrounding lithologies include dry and saturated bulk densities, average grain density, porosity, compressional and shear wave velocities, elastic moduli, and compressional and tensional fracture strengths. In this study, a suite of experiments was performed on cores recovered from the USW NRG-717A borehole drilled in support of the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) at Yucca Mountain. USW NRG-7/7A was drilled to a depth of 1,513.4 feet through five thermal/mechanical units of Paintbrush tuff and terminating in the tuffaceous beds of the Calico IEUS. The thermal/mechanical stratigraphy was defined by Orfiz et al. to group rock horizons of similar properties for the purpose of simplifying modeling efforts. The relationship between the geologic stratigraphy and the thermal/mechanical stratigraphy is presented. The tuff samples in this study have a wide range of welding characteristics, and a smaller range of mineralogy and petrology characteristics. Generally, the samples are silicic, ash-fall tuffs that exhibit large variability in their elastic and strength properties.

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Crisis Prevention Centers as confidence building measures: Suggestions for the Middle East

Pregenzer, Arian L.

Relationships between countries generally exist somewhere in the grey area between war and peace. Crisis prevention activities are important in this area, and should have two goals: stabilizing tense situations that could push countries toward war, and supporting or reinforcing efforts to move countries toward peace. A Crisis Prevention Center (CPC) should facilitate efforts to achieve these goals. Its functions can be grouped into three broad, interrelated categories: establishing and facilitating communication among participating countries; supporting negotiations and consensus-building on regional security issues; and supporting implementation of agreed confidence and security building measures. Technology will play a critical role in a CPC. Technology is required for establishing communication systems to ensure the timely flow of information between countries and to provide the means for organizing and analyzing this information. Technically-based cooperative monitoring can provide an objective source of information on mutually agreed issues, thereby supporting the implementation of confidence building measures and treaties. Technology can be a neutral subject of interaction and collaboration between technical communities from different countries, thereby providing an important channel for improving relationships. Potential first steps for a CPC in the Middle Ease could include establishing communication channels and a dedicated communications center in each country, together with an agreement to use the system as a ``Hot Line` in bilateral and multilateral-lateral emergency situations. Bilateral cooperative monitoring centers could be established to assist with implementation of agreements. A centrally located CPC could serve as a regional communications hub, coordinating a number of functions aimed at stabilizing regional tensions and supporting confidence building activities. Specific recommendations for confidence building activities are discussed.

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Smart substrates: Making multi-chip modules smarter

Wunsch, Thomas F.

A novel multi-chip module (MCM) design and manufacturing methodology which utilizes active CMOS circuits in what is normally a passive substrate realizes the `smart substrate` for use in highly testable, high reliability MCMS. The active devices are used to test the bare substrate, diagnose assembly errors or integrated circuit (IC) failures that require rework, and improve the testability of the final MCM assembly. A static random access memory (SRAM) MCM has been designed and fabricated in Sandia Microelectronics Development Laboratory in order to demonstrate the technical feasibility of this concept and to examine design and manufacturing issues which will ultimately determine the economic viability of this approach. The smart substrate memory MCM represents a first in MCM packaging. At the time the first modules were fabricated, no other company or MCM vendor had incorporated active devices in the substrate to improve manufacturability and testability, and thereby improve MCM reliability and reduce cost.

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Cooperative monitoring workshop: Focus on the Middle East

Pregenzer, Arian L.

Sandia National Laboratories and the Institute for Global Conflict and Cooperation hosted a workshop on the application of cooperative monitoring to the Middle East. The workshop, held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from July 17 through 21, 1994, was sponsored by the US Department of Energy, the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and the US Department of State. The meeting, which focused on use of technical monitoring tools and sharing of collected information to facilitate regional agreements, included participants from five regional countries as well as from American universities, the US government, and US National Laboratories. Some attendees previously participated in meetings of the Arms Control and Regional Security working group of the Middle East Multilateral Peace Talks. The workshop combined presentations, demonstrations and hands-on experimentation with monitoring hardware and software. An exercise was conducted to evaluate and recommend cooperative monitoring options for a model agreement between two hypothetical countries. Historical precedents were reviewed and the role of environmental and natural resource conflicts explored. These activities were supplemented by roundtable discussions covering Middle East security issues, the relationship of ``national means`` to cooperative monitoring, and cooperative monitoring of ballistic missiles in the Middle East.

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Aerosol formation from high-velocity uranium drops: Comparison of number and mass distributions. Final report

Rader, Daniel J.

This report presents the results of an experimental study of the aerosol produced by the combustion of high-velocity molten-uranium droplets produced by the simultaneous heating and electromagnetic launch of uranium wires. These tests are intended to simulate the reduction of high-velocity fragments into aerosol in high-explosive detonations or reactor accidents involving nuclear materials. As reported earlier, the resulting aerosol consists mainly of web-like chain agglomerates. A condensation nucleus counter was used to investigate the decay of the total particle concentration due to coagulation and losses. Number size distributions based on mobility equivalent diameter obtained soon after launch with a Differential Mobility Particle Sizer showed lognormal distributions with an initial count median diameter (CMD) of 0.3 {mu}m and a geometric standard deviation, {sigma}{sub g} of about 2; the CMD was found to increase and {sigma}{sub g} decrease with time due to coagulation. Mass size distributions based on aerodynamic diameter were obtained for the first time with a Microorifice Uniform Deposit Impactor, which showed lognormal distributions with mass median aerodynamic diameters of about 0.5 {mu}m and an aerodynamic geometric standard deviation of about 2. Approximate methods for converting between number and mass distributions and between mobility and aerodynamic equivalent diameters are presented.

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Proposed DDS-specific fields for the Generic Authentication Information Element

Tarman, Thomas D.

This contribution proposes the format of the {open_quotes}Algorithm-Specific Information{close_quotes} and {open_quotes}Signature{close_quotes} fields within the {open_quotes}Proposed Generic Authentication Information Element{close_quotes} for authentication IEs based on the Digital Signature Standard (DSS). These fields are designed to allow various levels of authentication {open_quotes}strength{close_quotes} (or robustness), and many of these fields may be omitted in systems that optimize authentication performance by sharing common (public) Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA) parameters. This allows users and site security officers to design their authenicated signaling according to site security and performance requirements.

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Scheduling jobs that arrive over time

Phillips, Cynthia A.

A natural and basic problem in scheduling theory is to provide good average quality of service to a stream of jobs that arrive over time. In this paper we consider the problem of scheduling n jobs that are released over time in order to minimize the average completion time of the set of jobs. In contrast to the problem of minimizing average completion time when all jobs are available at time 0, all the problems that we consider are NP-hard, and essentially nothing was known about constructing good approximations in polynomial time. We give the first constant-factor approximation algorithms for several variants of the single and parallel machine model. Many of the algorithms are based on interesting algorithmic and structural relationships between preemptive and nonpreemptive schedules and linear programming relaxations of both. Many of the algorithms generalize to the minimization of average weighted completion time as well.

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Cryogenic thermometry in superconducting accelerators

Demko, J.A.

The cryogenic thermometers used in superconducting accelerators must function in very adverse environments. Typical conditions are a temperature range of 1.5--300 K, high irradiation doses and magnetic fields which must be endured for the 20 to 50 year life of the accelerator. The authors determined the principal requirements for cryogenic thermometers in accelerator installations and for industrial applications. Some constructions of the thermometer mounting fixtures used in the ``Nuclotron`` (Dubna, Russia) and the SSCL (Dallas, USA) accelerator installations are described. The experimental results for long-term stability of the cryogenic thermometers applied are presented. The basic recommendations on the application technology of the cryogenic thermometers in large superconducting accelerator systems are given.

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Benefits of improved environmental cooperation on a joint DoD/DOE facility

Gibson, J.D.

Numerous Federal facilities within the US involve multiple government agencies that face overlapping environmental concerns. This paper highlights the benefits of looking beyond the strict letter of environmental regulations that might affect a single tenant or environmental site to cooperative environmental efforts that focus on the entire facility, consistent with the missions of participating agencies. Using Kirtland Air Force Base (AFB) as a model, seven areas of Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Energy (DOE) environmental cooperation are discussed that span technical, regulatory compliance, and administrative issues.

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Prediction of single-component NAPL behavior for the TEVES Project using T2VOC

Webb, Stephen W.

Detailed simulations have been performed for the TEVES (Thermal Enhanced Vapor Extraction System) Project using the TOUGH2 code considering air, water, and a single-component NAPL. A critical parameter varied in the simulations is the borehole vacuum which directly affects air flow through the system and indirectly influences soil temperatures and water and NAPL fluid masses. Contaminant migration from the heated zone into the unheated soil can occur if the borehole vacuum, or borehole flow rate, is not sufficient. Under these conditions, evaporation of liquids (water and NAPL) due to the heating can cause flow from the heated zone into the unheated soil. Insufficient air sweep may be indicated by a vapor dominated mass flow rate into the borehole, at least for the present configuration. Sufficient air flow through the heated zone must be provided to contain the contaminants within the heated zone.

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Encryption and networking applications

Long, John P.

The DOE requires that sensitive unclassified data be protected while being transmitted electronically. On most large networks it is difficult and expensive to provide the required level of physical protection. At Sandia National Laboratories, we are assembling the structure necessary to protect sensitive unclassified data using software-based encryption. This approach has the advantage that the data can be protected after arrival at its destination without additional investment While Sandia has expertise in cryptography, we had not used cryptography in this field. This discussion deals with the client-server model of file-based data exchange and interactive access to on-line data bases using Unix workstations, Macs and PCs.

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Offsite demonstrations for MWLID technologies

Williams, Cecelia V.

The goal of the Offsite Demonstration Project for Mixed Waste Landfill Integrated Demonstration (MWLID)-developed environmental site characterization and remediation technologies is to facilitate the transfer, use, and commercialization of these technologies to the public and private sector. The meet this goal, the project identified environmental restoration needs of mixed waste and/or hazardous waste landfill owners (Native American, municipal, DOE, and DoD); documenting potential demonstration sites and the contaminants present at each site; assessing the environmental regulations that would effect demonstration activities; and evaluating site suitability for demonstrating MWLID technologies at the tribal and municipal sites identified. Eighteen landfill sites within a 40.2-km radius of Sandia National Laboratories are listed on the CERCLIS Site/Event Listing for the state of New Mexico. Seventeen are not located within DOE or DoD facilities and are potential offsite MWLID technology demonstration sites. Two of the seventeen CERCLIS sites, one on Native American land and one on municipal land, were evaluated and identified as potential candidates for off-site demonstrations of MWLID-developed technologies. Contaminants potentially present on site include chromium waste, household/commercial hazardous waste, volatile organic compounds, and petroleum products. MWLID characterization technologies applicable to these sites include Magnetometer Towed Array, Cross-borehole Electromagnetic Imaging, SitePlanner {trademark}/PLUME, Hybrid Directional Drilling, Seamist{trademark}/Vadose Zone Monitoring, Stripping Analyses, and x-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy for Heavy Metals.

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Summary of the energy efficient, waste-reducing technology assessment conducted for DOE and EPAct 2108

Weinbrecht, Edward A.

The industrial sector is the most complex and diverse segment of the US economy. There are more than 360,000 industrial facilities in the US, using tens of thousands of processes with millions of different pieces of equipment and employing nearly 30 million people to make hundreds of thousands of products. These facilities consume large quantities of raw materials and energy resources every year. Their waste streams, as well as the technology options for preventing them, are very specific not only to individual industries, but even to plants within the same industry that produce similar products. On October 24, 1992, President Bush signed the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct) into law as Public Law 102-486. Section 2108 of the Act requires the DOE to identify opportunities to demonstrate energy efficient pollution prevention technologies and processes. As a first step in DOE`s response to congress, Sandia National Laboratories lead a fast tracked project to compile information from the open literature, and pilot a process for identifying and prioritizing opportunity areas from industrial and federal experts. Approximately 300 documents were collected and reviewed, and knowledgeable individuals in government, universities, and trade associations were interviewed. A panel of experts from petroleum industry was assembled for the future opportunity assessments pilot These activities were conducted between May and August, 1993. Project background and results are summarized.

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Modification and application of TOUGH2 as a variable-density, saturated-flow code and comparison to SWIFT II results

Christian-Frear, T.L.

Human intrusion scenarios at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) involve penetration of the repository and an underlying brine reservoir by a future borehole. Brine and gas from the brine reservoir and the repository may flow up the borehole and into the overlying Culebra formation, which is saturated with water containing different amounts of dissolved `solids resulting in a spatially varying density. Current modeling approaches involve perturbing a steady-state Culebra flow field by inflow of gas and/or brine from a breach borehole that has passed through the repository. Previous studies simulating steady-state flow in the Culebra have been done. One specific study by LaVenue et al. (1990) used the SWIFT 2 code, a single-phase flow and transport code, to develop the steady-state flow field. Because gas may also be present in the fluids from the intrusion borehole, a two-phase code such as TOUGH2 can be used to determine the effect that emitted fluids may have on the steady-state Culebra flow field. Thus a comparison between TOUGH2 and SWIFT2 was prompted. In order to compare the two codes and to evaluate the influence of gas on flow in the Culebra, modifications were made to TOUGH2. Modifications were performed by the authors to allow for element-specific values of permeability, porosity, and elevation. The analysis also used a new equation of state module for a water-brine-air mixture, EOS7 (Pruess, 1991), which was developed to simulate variable water densities by assuming a miscible mixture of water and brine phases and allows for element-specific brine concentration in the INCON file.

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Summary of applications of TOUGH2 to the evaluation of multiphase flow processes at the WIPP

Webb, Stephen W.

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a US Department of Energy (DOE) research and development facility for the underground disposal of transuranic waste in southeastern New Mexico. The WIPP repository is located 655 m below the land surface in the lower portion of the Salado Formation, which is comprised of beds of pure and impure halite with thin interbeds of anhydrite and related clay seams. The regional dip of the Salado Formation is approximately 1{degree} southeast in the vicinity of the repository. The proposed waste storage area has eight waste disposal panels, each of which will contain seven rooms. The repository is designed to follow a single stratigraphic horizon. Due to the dip, the north end of the repository will be about 10 meters higher than the south end. Waste that is emplaced in the disposal rooms will generate gas due to microbial degradation, anoxic corrosion, and radiolysis. Brine inflow to the rooms from the surrounding Salado Formation may significantly influence the gas generation rate and the total amount of gas generated. The salt surrounding the repository will creep in response to the excavation, reducing the room volume. Gas generation in the room may increase the pressure sufficiently to drive brine and gas into the surrounding Salado Formation. Migration of gas and brine in the Salado is an important factor in evaluating the performance of the repository. The studies summarized in this paper have. been performed to evaluate brine and gas flow processes in the WIPP disposal system and to identify some of the important processes. These studies are done in support of, but are not part of, the formal Performance Assessment (PA) effort. Because of probabilistic and system-scale requirements, the PA effort uses the Sandia-developed BRAGFLO (BRine And Gas FLOw) code for multiphase flow calculations.

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Using TOUGH2 to model the coupled effects of gas generation, repository consolidation, and multiphase brine and gas flow at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

Larson, Kurt

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a US Department of Energy facility designed to demonstrate the safe underground disposal of transuranic waste. Following waste emplacement, each room will be backfilled with crushed salt. Due to deviatoric stress introduced by excavation, the walls of the waste disposal rooms in the repository will deform over time, consolidating waste containers and salt backfill, thereby decreasing the void volume of the repository. Long-term repository assessment must consider the processes of gas generation, room closure and expansion due to salt creep, and multiphase (brine and gas) fluid flow, as well as the complex coupling between these three processes. Stone (1992) used the mechanical creep closure code SANCHO to simulate the closure of a single, perfectly sealed disposal room filled with waste and backfill. The results of the SANCHO f-series simulations provide a relationship between gas generation, room closure, and room pressure. Several methods for coupling this relationship with multiphase fluid flow into and out of a room were examined by Freeze et al. TOUGH2 was employed to couple the processes of gas generation, room closure/consolidation, and multiphase brine and gas flow. Two empirically-based methods for approximating salt creep and room consolidation were implemented in TOUGH2: the pressure-time-porosity line interpolation approach and the fluid-phase-salt approach. Both approaches utilized links to the SANCHO f-series simulation results to calculate room-void-volume changes with time during a simulation.

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The effect of stratigraphic dip on multiphase flow at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

Webb, Stephen W.

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a US Department of Energy research and development facility for the underground disposal of transuranic waste from US defense-related activities. The WIPP repository is located within the Salado Formation, which is comprised of beds of pure and impure halite with thin interbeds of anhydrite and related clay seams. This formation is brine saturated with a pore pressure of approximately 12.5 MPa at the repository horizon. The Salado Formation dips gently southeast, on the average approximately 1{degree}, with steeper dips locally. Elevated repository pressures, caused by gas generated as emplaced waste corrodes and degrades, may drive brine and gas out of the repository into the surrounding formation. Stratigraphic dip may cause increased brine inflow to the repository through countercurrent flow in the interbeds and enhanced gas migration distances in the updip direction due to buoyancy. Two-dimensional simulations of isolated WIPP repository room have been performed using TOUGH2 for horizontal and 1{degree} dipping stratigraphy. The impact of dip on multiphase flow at the WIPP may be significant. With dip, an additional mechanism for brine inflow may occur, namely the formation of a cell of countercurrent brine and gas flow in the interbeds. The additional volume of brine inflow resulting from the countercurrent flow cell may be of similar magnitude to brine inflow without dip. Therefore, dip must be included in any repository model to include the countercurrent brine inflow mechanism. Gas migration may also be significantly influenced due to dip. Gas migration distances may increase dramatically with preferential migration updip.

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Progress in MELCOR development and assessment

Summers, R.M.; Kmetyk, L.N.; Cole Jr., R.K.; Smith, R.C.; Elsbernd, A.E.; Stuart, D.S.; Thompson, S.L.

MELCOR models the progression of severe accidents in light water reactor nuclear power plants. Recent efforts in MELCOR development to incorporate CORCON-Mod3 models for core-concrete interactions, new models for advanced reactors, and improvements to several other existing models have resulted in release of MELCOR 1.8.3. In addition, continuing efforts to expand the code assessment database have filled in many of the gaps in phenomenological coverage. Efforts are now under way to develop models for chemical interactions of fission products with structural surfaces and for reactions of iodine in the presence of water, and work is also in progress to improve models for the scrubbing of fission products by water pools, the chemical reactions of boron carbide with steam, and the coupling of flow blockages with the hydrodynamics. Several code assessment analyses are in progress, and more are planned.

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Vibration control for precision manufacturing at Sandia National Laboratories

Martinez, D.R.

Sandia National Laboratories performs R and D in structural dynamics and vibration suppression for precision applications in weapon systems, space, underwater, transportation and civil structures. Over the last decade these efforts have expanded into the areas of active vibration control and ``smart`` structures and material systems. In addition, Sandia has focused major resources towards technology to support weapon product development and agile manufacturing capability for defense and industrial applications. This paper will briefly describe the structural dynamics modeling and verification process currently in place at Sandia that supports vibration control and some specific applications of these techniques to manufacturing in the areas of lithography, machine tools and flexible robotics.

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GCMS and FTIR studies of by-product inhibited growth and the rate-limiting step in TEOS-based SiO{sub 2} CVD

Bartram, M.E.

To improve process reliability and deposition methods, it is essential to identify the rate-limiting step in TEOS-based SiO{sub 2} CVD and its dependence on process conditions. For this purpose, experiments designed to evaluate by-product inhibition effects and to identify the rate-limiting step in TEOS decomposition have been carried out in a research reactor using GCMS and FTIR. By repetitively sampling a series of reactions in which TEOS was first mixed with ethylene, ethanol, and water in the gas-phase, GCMS was used to show clearly that these reaction by-products do not inhibit the heterogeneous reaction step on SiO{sub 2} at 1,000K. FTIR was used to determine that ethoxy groups from TEOS dissociative chemisorption have a significant lifetime on the SiO{sub 2} surface at CVD temperatures and have an activation energy for decomposition of 16kcal/mol{+-}4kcal/mol. This is much higher than the activation energy of 6 kcal/mol reported for the initial chemisorption step and is near the 22 kcal/mol reported for the overall activation energy for SiO{sub 2} deposition in a cold-wall reactor. These results suggest that, whether or not surface ethoxy groups inhibit TEOS reactions, their decomposition may be directly related to the rate-limiting step in SiO{sub 2} deposition.

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Preliminary design for Arctic atmospheric radiative transfer experiments

Zak, Bernard D.

If current plans are realized, within the next few years, an extraordinary set of coordinated research efforts focusing on energy flows in the Arctic will be implemented. All are motivated by the prospect of global climate change. SHEBA (Surface Energy Budget of the Arctic Ocean), led by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Office of Naval Research (ONR), involves instrumenting an ice camp in the perennial Arctic ice pack, and taking data for 12--18 months. The ARM (Atmospheric Radiation Measurement) North Slope of Alaska and Adjacent Arctic Ocean (NSA/AAO) Cloud and Radiation Testbed (CART) focuses on atmospheric radiative transport, especially in the presence of clouds. The NSA/AAO CART involves instrumenting a sizeable area on the North Slope of Alaska and adjacent waters in the vicinity of Barrow, and acquiring data over a period of about 10 years. FIRE (First ISCCP [International Satellite Cloud Climatology Program] Regional Experiment) Phase 3 is a program led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) which focuses on Arctic clouds, and which is coordinated with SHEBA and ARM. FIRE has historically emphasized data from airborne and satellite platforms. All three program anticipate initiating Arctic data acquisition during spring, 1997. In light of his historic opportunity, the authors discuss a strawman atmospheric radiative transfer experimental plan that identifies which features of the radiative transport models they think should be tested, what experimental data are required for each type of test, the platforms and instrumentation necessary to acquire those data, and in general terms, how the experiments could be conducted. Aspects of the plan are applicable to all three programs.

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A collision avoidance system for workpiece protection

Schmitt, D.J.

This paper describes an application of Sandia`s non-contact capacitive sensing technology for collision avoidance during the manufacturing of rocket engine thrust chambers. The collision avoidance system consists of an octagon shaped collar with a capacitive proximity sensor mounted on each face. The sensors produced electric fields which extend several inches from the face of the collar and detect potential collisions between the robot and the workpiece. A signal conditioning system processes the sensor output and provides varying voltage signals to the robot controller for stopping the robot.

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Intermetallic compound layer growth kinetics in non-lead bearing solders

Vianco, Paul T.

The introduction of alternative, non-lead bearing solders into electronic assemblies requires a thorough investigation of product manufacturability and reliability. Both of these attributes can be impacted by the excessive growth of intermetallic compound (IMC) layers at the solder/substrate interface. An extensive study has documented the stoichiometry and solid state growth kinetics of IMC layers formed between copper and the lead-free solders: 96.5Sn-3.5Ag (wt.%), 95Sn-5Sb, 100Sn, and 58Bi-42Sn. Aging temperatures were 70--205 C for the Sn-based solders and 55--120 C for the Bi-rich solder. Time periods were 1--400 days for all of the alloys. The Sn/Cu, Sn-Ag/Cu, and Sn-Sb/Cu IMC layers exhibited sub-layers of Cu{sub 6}Sn{sub 5} and Cu{sub 3}Sn; the latter composition was present only following prolonged aging times or higher temperatures. The total layer growth exhibited a time exponent of n = 0.5 at low temperatures and a value of n = 0.42 at higher temperatures in each of the solder/Cu systems. Similar growth kinetics were observed with the low temperature 58Bi-42Sn solder; however, a considerably more complex sub-layer structure was observed. The kinetic data will be discussed with respect to predicting IMC layer growth based upon solder composition.

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Mechanism(s) for the suppression of the switchable polarization in PZT and BaTiO{sub 3}

Warren, William L.

Switchable polarization can be significantly suppressed in ferroelectric (FE) materials by optical, thermal, and electrical processes. The thermal process can occur by either annealing the FE in a reducing environment or by heating it in air to 100 C while impressing a bias near the switching threshold. The optical process occurs while biasing the FE near the switching threshold and illuminating with bandgap light. And the electrical suppression effect occurs by subjecting the FE to repeated polarization reversals. Using electron paramagnetic resonance, polarization-voltage measurements, and charge injection scenarios, the authors have been able to elucidate both electronic and ionic trapping effects that lead to a suppression in the amount of switchable polarization in FE materials. The relative roles of electronic and ionic effects in the same material can depend on the stress condition. For instance, in oxidized BaTiO3 crystals, optical and thermal suppressions occur by electronic domain pinning; electrical fatigue in the BaTiO{sub 3} crystals also appears to involve electronic charge trapping, however, it is suggested that these electronic traps are further stabilized by nearby ionic defects. In sol-gel PZT thin films with either Pt, RuO{sub 2}, or La-Sr-Co-O electrodes it appears that the polarization suppression induced by electrical fatigue, a temperature/bias combination, or a light/bias combination are all primarily due to the trapping of electronic charge carriers to first order.

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Current trends in the packaging of photonic devices

Carson, R.F.

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Sandia National Lab`s precision laser tracking systems

Patrick, D.

Sandia Labs` mobile tracking systems have only one moving part. The double gimballed 18 inch diameter beryllium mirror is capable of constant tracking velocities up to 5 rads/sec in both axes, and accelerations to 150 rads/sec/sec in both axes. Orthogonality is <10 microradians. The mirror directs the 488 and 514 nm wavelength CW laser beams to adhesive-backed reflective material applied to the test unit. The mirror catches the return beam and visual image, directing the visual image to three camera bays, and the return beam to an image dissector behind an 80 inch gathering telescope. The image dissector or image position sensor is a photomultiplier with amplifying drift tube and electron aperture and its associated electronics. During the test, the image dissector scan senses the change in position of the reflective material and produces signals to operate the azimuth and elevation torque motors in the gimbal assembly. With the help of 1 1/8 inch diameter azimuth and elevation galvonometer steering mirrors in the optical path, the laser beam is kept on the target at extremely high velocities. To maintain a constant return signal strength, the outgoing beam is run through a microprocessor controlled beam focusing telescope.

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Geologic site characterization requirements for storage and mining in salt

Neal, J.T.

Geologic Site Characterization should be a dynamic, continuing process, not an event. Its successes and failures are legion and can make or break an operator. A balanced approach must be sought to provide adequate information for safety of operations, neither slighting nor overdoing the effort. The evolving nature of study methods and geologic knowledge essentially mandates that characterization efforts be reviewed periodically. However, indifference, nonchallance, and even outright disdain describe attitudes witnessed in some circles regarding this subject. Unawareness may also be a factor. Unfortunately, several unanticipated events have led to severe economic consequences for the operators. The hard-learned lessons involving several unanticipated geotechnical occurrences at several Gulf Coast salt domes are discussed. The ultimate benefit of valuing site characterization efforts may be more than just enhanced safety and health--costs not expended in lost facilities and litigation can become profit.

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Scalable ATM encryption

Pierson, Lyndon G.

In order to provide needed security assurances for traffic carried in Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks, methods of protecting the integrity and privacy of traffic must be employed. Cryptographic methods can be used to assure authenticity and privacy, but are hard to scale and the incorporation of these methods into computer networks can severely impact functionality, reliability, and performance. To study these trade-offs, a research prototype encryptor/decryptor is under development. This prototype is to demonstrate the viability of implementing certain encryption techniques in high speed networks by processing Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) cells in a SONET OC-3 payload. This paper describes the objectives and design trade-offs intended to be investigated with the prototype. User requirements for high performance computing and communication have driven Sandia to do work in the areas of functionality, reliability, security, and performance of high speed communication networks. Adherence to standards (including emerging standards) achieves greater functionality of high speed computer networks by providing wide interoperability of applications, network hardware, and network software.

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Scannerless range imaging with a square wave

Muguira, Maritza R.

Scannerless range imaging (SRI) is a unique approach to three dimensional imaging without scanners. SRI does, however, allow a more powerful light source to be used as compared to conventional Laser Radar (LADAR) systems due to the speed of operation associated with this staring system. As a result, a more efficient method of operation was investigated. As originally conceived, SRI transmits a continuous intensity modulated sinusoidal signal; however, a square wave driver is more energy efficient than a sinusoidal driver. In order to take advantage of this efficiency, a square wave operational methodology was investigated. As a result, four image frames are required for the extraction of range using a square wave to unambiguously resolve all time delays within one time period compared to a minimum of three frames for the sinusoidal wave.

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Assessment of ALWR passive safety system reliability. Phase 1: Methodology development and component failure quantification

Hake, T.M.

Many advanced light water reactor (ALWR) concepts proposed for the next generation of nuclear power plants rely on passive systems to perform safety functions, rather than active systems as in current reactor designs. These passive systems depend to a great extent on physical processes such as natural circulation for their driving force, and not on active components, such as pumps. An NRC-sponsored study was begun at Sandia National Laboratories to develop and implement a methodology for evaluating ALWR passive system reliability in the context of probabilistic risk assessment (PRA). This report documents the first of three phases of this study, including methodology development, system-level qualitative analysis, and sequence-level component failure quantification. The methodology developed addresses both the component (e.g. valve) failure aspect of passive system failure, and uncertainties in system success criteria arising from uncertainties in the system`s underlying physical processes. Traditional PRA methods, such as fault and event tree modeling, are applied to the component failure aspect. Thermal-hydraulic calculations are incorporated into a formal expert judgment process to address uncertainties in selected natural processes and success criteria. The first phase of the program has emphasized the component failure element of passive system reliability, rather than the natural process uncertainties. Although cursory evaluation of the natural processes has been performed as part of Phase 1, detailed assessment of these processes will take place during Phases 2 and 3 of the program.

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Thermal measurements to characterize large fires

Gritzo, Louis A.

Full-scale fire characterization tests are becoming less frequent due to cost restrictions and environmental concerns. This trend, combined with significant advances in fire field modeling, has resulted in an increased effort to perform well-designed experiments which support the development and validation of numerical tools. In pursuit of improved fire characterization, large-fire measurement techniques in large-scale (D > 2m) fires are reviewed in this work. Primary attention is focused on the measurement of temperature and heat flux. Additional measurements of quantities such as soot volume fraction, soot emission temperature, and gas species are also addressed. Issues relating to the use of existing techniques, and methods for improving and interpreting the results from existing measurement techniques are presented. Alternate techniques for fire characterization and needs for development of advanced measurement technology are also briefly discussed.

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Dynamic pulse buckling of cylindrical shells under axial impact: A benchmark study of 2D and 3D finite element calculations

Hoffman, Edward L.

A series of tests investigating dynamic pulse buckling of a cylindrical shell under axial impact is compared to several 2D and 3D finite element simulations of the event. The purpose of the work is to investigate the performance of various analysis codes and element types on a problem which is applicable to radioactive material transport packages, and ultimately to develop a benchmark problem to qualify finite element analysis codes for the transport package design industry. During the pulse buckling tests, a buckle formed at each end of the cylinder, and one of the two buckles became unstable and collapsed. Numerical simulations of the test were performed using PRONTO, a Sandia developed transient dynamics analysis code, and ABAQUS/Explicit with both shell and continuum elements. The calculations are compared to the tests with respect to deformed shape and impact load history.

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Models of transport, gas-phase and surface chemistry in diamond chemical vapor deposition

Coltrin, Michael E.

This paper presents an analysis of the Chemical Vapor Deposition of diamond thin films in a direct-current (dc) arc-jet reactor. The analysis discussed here includes a model of the performance of the arc-jet hydrogen excitation source, chemistry in the free-stream region, diffusive transport and chemistry in the boundary layer and at the surface. The surface chemistry model includes pathways for deposition of diamond, as well as creation of defects in the diamond lattice.

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Growth and characterization of heterostructures and infrared emitters with compressed InAsSb layers

Kurtz, S.R.

An overview is presented of work on strained InAsSb heterostructures and infrared emitters. InAsSb/InGaAs strained-layer superlattices (SLS) and InAsSb quantum wells were grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition and characterized using magneto-photoluminescence. LEDs and lasers with InAsSb heterostructure active regions are described.

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The design life affects system design

Dean, F.F.

When a system is being designed, one of the system requirements will specify the intended life for the system, which is called the design life, the system life, the expected operational lifetime, or the service life. This specification is an important driver of the total life cycle cost. This paper suggests how specifying this design life affects the design and the cost of the system.

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Improved portable lighting for visual aircraft inspection

Shagam, Richard N.

The most common tool used by aircraft inspectors is the personal flashlight. While it is compact and very portable, it is generally typified by poor beam quality which can interfere with the ability for an inspector to detect small defects and anomalies, such as cracks and corrosion sites, which may be indicators of major structural problems. A Light Shaping Diffuser{trademark} (LSD) installed in a stock flashlight as a replacement to the lens can improve the uniformity of an average flashlight and improve the quality of the inspection. Field trials at aircraft maintenance facilities have demonstrated general acceptance of the LSD by aircraft inspection and maintenance personnel.

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A hazard separation system for dismantlement of nuclear weapon components

Lutz, J.D.

Over the next decade, the US Department of Energy (DOE) must retire and dismantle many nuclear weapon systems. In support of this effort, Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) has developed the Hazard Separation System (HSS). The HSS combines abrasive waterjet cutting technology and real-time radiography. Using the HSS, operators determine the exact location of interior, hazardous sub-components and remove them through precision cutting. The system minimizes waste and maximizes the recovery of recyclable materials. During 1994, the HSS was completed and demonstrated. Weapon components processed during the demonstration period included arming, fusing, and firing units; preflight control units; neutron generator subassemblies; and x-units. Hazards removed included radioactive krytron tubes and gap tubes, thermal batteries, neutron generator tubes, and oil-filled capacitors. Currently, the HSS is being operated at SNL in a research and development mode to facilitate the transfer of the technology to other DOE facilities for support of their dismantlement operations.

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STM measurements of the interaction of vacancies and steps during low-energy-ion bombardment of Si(001)

Swartzentruber, Brian

We create mobile surface vacancies on vicinal Si(001) by bombarding the surface with 300 eV Xe ions at a substrate temperature of 465{degrees}C. The vacancies preferentially annihilate at the rough steps retracting them with respect to their smooth neighbors. This process leads to a bimodal terrace width distribution. The retraction of the rough steps due to the vacancy annihilation is in competition with the healing process by which the surface tries to maintain its equilibrium configuration of equally spaced steps. As the two competing processes balance, the surface reaches steady state and subsequent removal of surface atoms is manifest as simple step flow.

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Minutes of the fourth annual workshop on chromate replacements in light metal finishing

Guilinger, Terry R.

The purpose of publishing the minutes of this workshop is to document the content of the presentations and the direction of the discussions at the workshop as a means of fostering collaborative research and development on chromate replacements throughout the defense, automotive, aerospace, and packaging industries. The goal of the workshop was to bring together coating researchers, developers, and users from a variety of industries to discuss new coating ideas, testing methods, and coating preparation techniques from the perspective not only of end user, but also from the perspective of coating supplier, developer, and researcher. To this end, we succeeded because of the wide-ranging interests of attendees present in the more than 60 workshop registrants. It is our hope that future workshops, not only this one but others like it throughout government and industry, can benefit from the recorded minutes of our meeting and use them as a starting point for future discussions of the directions for chromate replacements in light metal finishing.

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Numerical simulations of multicomponent evaporation and gas-phase transport experiments using M{sup 2}NOTS

Ho, Clifford K.

The multiphase, multicomponent, non-isothermal simulator M2NOTS was tested against several one-dimensional experiments. The experiments represented limiting conditions of soil venting processes: (1) a through-flow condition in which air flows through the contaminated region, and (2) a bypass-flow condition in which air is channeled around (rather than through) the contaminated region. Predictions using M2NOTS of changing in situ compositions and effluent concentrations for toluene and o-xylene mixtures were compared to the observed results for each condition. Results showed that M2NOTS was able to capture the salient trends and features of multicomponent through-flow and bypass-flow venting processes.

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On bootstrapping local search with trail-markers

Chen, Pang C.

We identify a general framework for search called bootstrap search, which is defined as global search using only a local search procedure along with some memory for learning intermediate subgoals. We present a simple algorithm for bootstrap search, 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. We also use it to provide some techniques for approximating the optimal resource bound on the local search to achieve the best global search. We validate our theoretical results with empirical demonstration on the 15-puzzle. We show how to reduce the cost of a global search by 2 orders of magnitude using bootstrap search. We also demonstrate a natural but not widely recognized connection between search costs and the lognormal distribution. To further illustrate our algorithm`s generality and effectiveness, we also apply it to robot path planning, and demonstrate a phenomenon of over-learning.

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xdamp: An IDL{reg_sign}-based Data Manipulation Program

Ballard, William P.

The original DAMP (DAta Manipulation Program) was written by Mark Hedemann of Sandia National Laboratories and used the CA-DISSPLA{trademark} (available from Computer Associates International, Inc., Garden City, NY) graphics package as its engine. It was used to plot, modify, and otherwise manipulate the one-dimensional data waveforms (data vs time) from a wide variety of accelerators. With the waning of CA-DISSPLA and the increasing popularity of UNIX{reg_sign}-based workstations, a replacement was needed. This package uses the IDL{reg_sign} software, available from Research Systems Incorporated in Boulder, Colorado, as the engine, and creates a set of widgets to manipulate the data in a manner similar to the original DAMP. IDL is currently supported on a wide variety of UNIX platforms such as IBM{reg_sign} workstations, Hewlett Packard workstations, SUN{reg_sign} workstations, Microsoft{reg_sign} Windows{trademark} computers, Macintosh{reg_sign} computers and Digital Equipment Corporation VMS{reg_sign} systems. Thus, this program should be portable across many platforms. We have verified operation, albeit with some IDL bugs, on IBM UNIX platforms, DEC Alpha systems, HP 9000/7OO series workstations, and Macintosh computers, both regular and PowerPC{trademark} versions.

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PINCA: A scalable parallel program for compressible gas dynamics with nonequilibrium chemistry

Wong, C.C.; Blottner, F.G.; Payne, J.L.; Soetrisno, M.; Imlay, S.T.

This report documents an exploratory research work, funded by the Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) office at Sandia National Laboratories, to develop an advanced, general purpose, robust compressible flow solver for handling large, complex, chemically reacting gas dynamics problems. The deliverable of this project, a computer program called PINCA (Parallel INtegrated Computer Analysis) will run on massively parallel computers such as the Intel/Gamma and Intel/Paragon. With the development of this parallel compressible flow solver, engineers will be better able to address large three-dimensional scientific arid engineering problems involving multi-component gas mixtures with finite rate chemistry. These problems occur in high temperature industrial processes, combustion, and hypersonic: reentry of space-crafts.

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Globally stable feedback laws for near-minimum-fuel and near-minimum-time pointing maneuvers for a landmark-tracking spacecraft

Schaub, H.; Robinett, R.D.; Junkins, J.L.

Utilizing unique properties of a recently developed set of attitude parameters, the modified Rodrigues parameters, we develop feedforward/feedback type control laws that globally control a spacecraft undergoing large nonlinear motions, using three or more reaction wheels. The method is suitable for tracking given smooth reference trajectories that spline smoothly into a target slate or pure spin motion; these reference trajectories may be exact or approximate solutions of the system equations of motion. In particular, we illustrate the ideas using both near-minimum-time and near-minimum fuel rotations about Euler`s principal rotation axis, with parameterization of the sharpness of the control switching for each class of reference maneuvers. Lyapunov stability theory is used to prove rigorous stability of closed loop motion in the end game, and qualified Lyapunov stability during the large nonlinear path tracking portion of the closed loop tracking error dynamics. The methodology is illustrated by designing example control laws for a prototype landmark tracking spacecraft; simulations are reported that show this approach to be attractive for practical applications. The inputs to the reference trajectory are designed with user-controlled sharpness of all control switches, to enhance the trackability of the reference maneuvers in the presence of structural flexibility.

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Observations and insights from low power and shutdown studies: Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Plant during POS 5 of a refueling outage

Whitehead, Donnie W.

With the recent completion of the documentation of the results from the Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Plant Low Power and Shutdown (LP and S) project funded by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), detailed probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) information from a boiling water reactor (BWR) for a specific time period in LP and S conditions became available for examination. This report contains observations and insights extracted from an examination of: (1) results in the LP and S documentation; (2) the specific models and assumptions used in the LP and S analyses; (3) selected results from the full-power analysis; (4) the experience of the analysts who performed the original LP and S study; and (5) results from sensitivity calculations performed as part of this project to help determine the impact that model assumptions and data values had on the results from the original LP and S analysis. Specifically, this study makes observations on and develops insights from the estimates of core damage frequency and aggregate risk (early fatalities and total latent cancer fatalities) associated with operations during plant operational state (POS) 5 (i.e., basically cold shutdown as defined by Technical Specifications) during a refueling outage for traditional internal events. A discussion of similarities and differences between full power accidents and accidents during LP and S conditions is provided. As part of this discussion, core damage frequency and risks results are presented on a per hour and per calendar year basis, allowing alternative perspectives on both the core damage frequency and risk associated with these two operational states.

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Electron beam joining of structural ceramics

Turman, B.N.

Feasibility of ceramic joining using a high energy (10 MeV) electron beam. The experiments used refractory metals as bonding materials in buried interfaces between Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} pieces. Because the heat capacity of the metal bonding layer is much lower than the ceramic, the metal reaches much higher temperatures than the adjoining ceramic. Using the right combination of beam parameters allows the metal to be melted without causing the adjoining ceramics to melt or decompose. Beam energy deposition and thermal simulations were performed to guide the experiments. Joints were shear tested and interfaces between the metal and the ceramic were examined to identify the bonding mechanism. Specimens joined by electron beams were compared to specimens produced by hot-pressing. Similar reactions occurred using both processes. Reactions between the metal and ceramic produced silicides that bond the metal to the ceramic. The molybdenum silicide reaction products appeared to be more brittle than the platinum silicides. Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} was also joined to Si{sub 3} N{sub 4} directly. The bonding appears to have been produced by the flow of intergranular glass into the interface. Shear strength was similar to the metal bonded specimens. Bend specimens Of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} were exposed to electron beams with similar parameters to those used in joining experiments to determine how beam exposure degrades the strength. Damage was macroscopic in nature with craters being tonned by material ablation, and cracking occurring due to excessive thermal stresses. Si was also observed on the surface indicating the Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} was decomposing. Bend strength after exposure was 62% of the asreceived strength. No obvious microstructural differences were observed in the material close to the damaged region compared to material in regions far away from the damage.

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Design rules and reality check for carbon-based ultracapacitors

Eisenmann, E.T.

Design criteria for carbon-based Ultracapacitors have been determined for specified energy and power requirements, using the geometry of the components and such material properties as density, porosity and conductivity as parameters, while also considering chemical compatibility. This analysis shows that the weights of active and inactive components of the capacitor structure must be carefully balanced for maximum energy and power density. When applied to nonaqueous electrolytes, the design rules for a 5 Wh/kg device call for porous carbon with a specific capacitance of about 30 F/cm{sup 3}. This performance is not achievable with pure, electrostatic double layer capacitance. Double layer capacitance is only 5 to 30% of that observed in aqueous electrolyte. Tests also showed that nonaqeous elcctrolytes have a diminished capability to access micropores in activated carbon, in one case yielding a capacitance of less than 1 F/cm{sup 3} for carbon that had 100 F/cm{sup 3} in aqueous electrolyte. With negative results on nonaqueous electrolytes dominating the present study, the obvious conclusion is to concentrate on aqueous systems. Only aqueous double layer capacitors offer adequate electrostatic charging characteristics which is the basis for high power performance. There arc many opportunities for further advancing aqueous double layer capacitors, one being the use of highly activated carbon films, as opposed to powders, fibers and foams. While the manufacture of carbon films is still costly, and while the energy and power density of the resulting devices may not meet the optimistic goals that have been proposed, this technology could produce true double layer capacitors with significantly improved performance and large commercial potential.

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Learning to improve path planning performance

Chen, Pang C.

In robotics, path planning refers to finding a short. collision-free path from an initial robot configuration to a desired configuratioin. It has to be fast to support real-time task-level robot programming. Unfortunately, current planning techniques are still too slow to be effective, as they often require several minutes, if not hours of computation. To remedy this situation, we present and analyze a learning algorithm that uses past experience to increase future performance. The algorithm relies on an existing path planner to provide solutions to difficult tasks. From these solutions, an evolving sparse network of useful robot configurations is learned to support faster planning. More generally, the algorithm provides a speedup-learning framework in which a slow but capable planner may be improved both cost-wise and capability-wise by a faster but less capable planner coupled with experience. The basic algorithm is suitable for stationary environments, and can be extended to accommodate changing environments with on-demand experience repair and object-attached experience abstraction. To analyze the algorithm, we characterize the situations in which the adaptive planner is useful, provide quantitative bounds to predict its behavior, and confirm our theoretical results with experiments in path planning of manipulators. Our algorithm and analysis are sufficiently, general that they may also be applied to other planning domains in which experience is useful.

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System identification for robust control design

Dohner, Jeffrey L.

System identification for the purpose of robust control design involves estimating a nominal model of a physical system and the uncertainty bounds of that nominal model via the use of experimentally measured input/output data. Although many algorithms have been developed to identify nominal models, little effort has been directed towards identifying uncertainty bounds. Therefore, in this document, a discussion of both nominal model identification and bounded output multiplicative uncertainty identification will be presented. This document is divided into several sections. Background information relevant to system identification and control design will be presented. A derivation of eigensystem realization type algorithms will be presented. An algorithm will be developed for calculating the maximum singular value of output multiplicative uncertainty from measured data. An application will be given involving the identification of a complex system with aliased dynamics, feedback control, and exogenous noise disturbances. And, finally, a short discussion of results will be presented.

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Petroleum and geothermal production technology in Russia: Summary of information obtained during informational meetings with several Russian Institutes

Schafer, D.M.; Glowka, D.A.; Teufel, L.W.

Russian scientists and engineers have drilled the deepest holes in the world. It is recognized that this experience has given them an expertise in drilling superdeep holes, as well as other aspects of drilling, completions, and geophysics. More and more US oil and gas companies are vigorously expanding their exploration and development into Russia. It is important for them to identify and use Russian technology in drilling, completion, logging, and reservoir characterization to the extent possible, in order to both reduce drilling costs and help support the Russian economy. While these US companies are interested in becoming involved in and/or sponsoring research in Russia, they have been unsure as to which scientists and institutes are working on problems of interest. It was also important to determine in which areas Russian technology is farther advanced than in the West. Such technology could then be commercialized as part of the Industrial Partnering Program. In order to develop a clear understanding of these issues, two Sandia engineers with drilling and completions expertise and a geophysicist with expertise in reservoir analysis traveled to Russia to meet with Russian scientists and engineers to discuss their technologies and areas of interest. This report contains a summary of the information obtained during the visit.

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Historical and projected costs of natural disasters

Engi, Dennis

Natural disasters cause billions of dollars of damage and thousands Of deaths globally each year. While the magnitude is clear, the exact costs (in damage and fatalities) are difficult to clearly identify. This document reports on the results of a survey of data on the costs associated with significant natural disasters. There is an impressive amount of work and effort going into natural disaster research, mitigation, and relief. However, despite this effort, there are surprisingly few consistent and reliable data available regarding the effects of natural disasters. Even lacking consistent and complete data, it is clear that the damage and fatalities from natural disasters are increasing, both in the United States, and globally. Projections using the available data suggest that, in the United States alone, the costs of natural disasters between 1995 and 2010 will be in the range of $90 billion (94$) and 5000 lives.

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Off site demonstrations for MWLID technologies

Williams, Cecelia V.

Open demonstrations of technologies developed by the Office of Technology Development`s (QTD`s) Mixed Waste Landfill Integrated Demonstration (MWLID) should facilitate regulatory acceptance and speed the transfer and commercialization of these technologies. The purpose of the present project is to identify the environmental restoration needs of hazardous waste and/or mixed waste landfill owners within a 25-mile radius of Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). Most municipal landfills that operated prior to the mid-1980s accepted household/commercial hazardous waste and medical waste that included low-level radioactive waste. The locations of hazardous and/or mixed waste landfills within the State of New Mexico were. identified using federal, state, municipal and Native American tribal environmental records. The records reviewed included the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund Program CERCLIS Event/Site listing (which includes tribal records), the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED), Solid Waste Bureau mixed waste landfill database, and the City of Albuquerque Environmental Health Department landfill database. Tribal envirorunental records are controlled by each tribal government, so each tribal environmental officer and governor was contacted to obtain release of specific site data beyond what is available in the CERCLIS listings.

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Analysis of the frequency response of a TeO{sub 2} slow shear wave acousto-optic cell exposed to radiation

Erteza, Ireena

Radiation testing of photonic components is not new, however component level testing to date has not completely addressed quantities which are important to system behavior. One characteristic that is of particular importance for optical processing systems is the frequency response. In this report, we present the analysis of data from an experiment designed to provide a preliminary understanding of the effects of radiation on the frequency response of acousto-optic devices. The goal of the analysis is to describe possible physical mechanisms responsible for the radiation effects and to discuss the effects on signal processing functionality. The experiment discussed in this report was designed by Sandia National Laboratories and performed by Sandia and Phillips Laboratory personnel at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR). In the experiment, a TeO{sub 2} slow shear wave acousto-optic cell was exposed to radiation from the WSMR linear accelerator. The TeO{sub 2} cell was placed in an experimental configuration which allowed swept frequency diffracted power measurements to be taken during radiation exposure and recovery. A series of exposures was performed. Each exposure consisted of between 1 to 800, 1{mu}sec radiation pulses (yielding exposures of 2.25 kRad(Si) to 913 kRad(Si)), followed by recovery time. At low total and cumulative doses, the bandshape of the frequency response (i.e. diffracted power vs. frequency) remained almost identical during and after radiation. At the higher exposures, however, the amplitude and width of the frequency response changed as the radiation continued, but returned to the original shape slowly after the radiation stopped and recovery proceeded. It is interesting to note that the location of the Bragg degeneracy does not change significantly with radiation. In this report, we discuss these effects from the perspective of anisotropic Bragg diffraction and momentum mismatch, and we discuss the effect on the signal processing functionality.

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Annotated bibliography National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents for Sandia National Laboratories

Harris, Joan M.

The following annotated bibliography lists documents prepared by the Department of Energy (DOE), and predecessor agencies, to meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for activities and facilities at Sandia National Laboratories sites. For each NEPA document summary information and a brief discussion of content is provided. This information may be used to reduce the amount of time or cost associated with NEPA compliance for future Sandia National Laboratories projects. This summary may be used to identify model documents, documents to use as sources of information, or documents from which to tier additional NEPA documents.

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Electrophoretically-deposited solid film lubricants

Dugger, Michael T.

An aqueous-based process that uses electrophoresis to attract powdered lubricant in suspension to a charged target was developed. The deposition process yields coatings with low friction, complies with environmental safety regulations, requires minimal equipment, and has several advantages over processes involving organic binders or vacuum techniques. This work focuses on development of the deposition process, includes an analysis of the friction coefficient of the material in sliding contact with stainless steel under a range of conditions, and a functional evaluation of coating performance in a precision mechanical device application. Results show that solid lubricant films with friction coefficients as low as 0.03 can be produced. A 0.03 friction coefficient is superior to solid lubricants with binder systems and is comparable to friction coefficients generated with more costly vacuum techniques.

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An optically-triggered semiconductor switch for high power laser beams

Chow, Weng W.

The work involves research leading to an optically triggered switch for a high power laser pulse. The switch uses a semiconductor heterostructure whose optical properties are modified by a low power laser trigger such as a laser diode. Potential applications include optical control of pulsed power systems, control of medical lasers and implementation of security features in optical warhead architectures.

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Velocity boundary conditions for vorticity formulations of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations

Kempka, Steven N.

formulation to satisfy velocity boundary conditions for the vorticity form of the incompressible, viscous fluid momentum equations is presented. The tangential and normal components of the velocity boundary condition are satisfied simultaneously by creating vorticity adjacent to boundaries. The newly created vorticity is determined using a kinematical formulation which is a generalization of Helmholtz` decomposition of a vector field. Though it has not been generally recognized, these formulations resolve the over-specification issue associated with creating voracity to satisfy velocity boundary conditions. The generalized decomposition has not been widely used, apparently due to a lack of a useful physical interpretation. An analysis is presented which shows that the generalized decomposition has a relatively simple physical interpretation which facilitates its numerical implementation. The implementation of the generalized decomposition is discussed in detail. As an example the flow in a two-dimensional lid-driven cavity is simulated. The solution technique is based on a Lagrangian transport algorithm in the hydrocode ALEGRA. ALEGRA`s Lagrangian transport algorithm has been modified to solve the vorticity transport equation and the generalized decomposition, thus providing a new, accurate method to simulate incompressible flows. This numerical implementation and the new boundary condition formulation allow vorticity-based formulations to be used in a wider range of engineering problems.

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Dynamic pulse buckling of cylindrical shells under axial impact: A comparison of 2D and 3D finite element calculations with experimental data

Hoffman, Edward L.

A series of tests investigating dynamic pulse buckling of a cylindrical shell under axial impact is compared to several 2D and 3D finite element simulations of the event. The purpose of the work is to investigate the performance of various analysis codes and element types on a problem which is applicable to radioactive material transport packages, and ultimately to develop a benchmark problem to qualify finite element analysis codes for the transport package design industry. Four axial impact tests were performed on 4 in-diameter, 8 in-long, 304 L stainless steel cylinders with a 3/16 in wall thickness. The cylinders were struck by a 597 lb mass with an impact velocity ranging from 42.2 to 45.1 ft/sec. During the impact event, a buckle formed at each end of the cylinder, and one of the two buckles became unstable and collapsed. The instability occurred at the top of the cylinder in three tests and at the bottom in one test. Numerical simulations of the test were performed using the following codes and element types: PRONTO2D with axisymmetric four-node quadrilaterals; PRONTO3D with both four-node shells and eight-node hexahedrons; and ABAQUS/Explicit with axisymmetric two-node shells and four-node quadrilaterals, and 3D four-node shells and eight-node hexahedrons. All of the calculations are compared to the tests with respect to deformed shape and impact load history. As in the tests, the location of the instability is not consistent in all of the calculations. However, the calculations show good agreement with impact load measurements with the exception of an initial load spike which is proven to be the dynamic response of the load cell to the impact. Finally, the PRONIT02D calculation is compared to the tests with respect to strain and acceleration histories. Accelerometer data exhibited good qualitative agreement with the calculations. The strain comparisons show that measurements are very sensitive to gage placement.

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Characterization of polyurethane systems which contain low levels of free TDI

Thomas, Edward V.

EN-7, EN-8, and EN-9 are polyurethane systems that are used in numerous applications in the Department of Energy complex. These systems contain high levels of toluene diisocyanate (TDI). Currently, TDI is being treated as a suspect human carcinogen within the Department of Energy complex. This report documents the results of a material characterization study of three polyurethane systems that contain low levels of free (potentially airborne) TDI. The characterization has been accomplished by performing a set of statistically designed experiments. The purpose of these experiments is to explore the effects of formulation and cure schedule on various material properties. In general, the material properties (pot life, glass transition temperature, hardness, and tear strength) were relatively insensitive to variation in the cure schedule. On the other hand, variation in curative level had measurable effects on material properties for the polyurethane systems studied. Furthermore, the material properties of the three low-free-TDI polyurethane systems were found to be comparable or superior (for certain curative levels) to commonly-used polyurethane systems. Thus, these low-free-TDI systems appear to be viable candidates for applications where a polyurethane is needed.

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DOE`s planning process for mixed low-level waste disposal

Chu, Sze-Tai Y.

A disposal planning process was established by the Department of Energy (DOE) Mixed Low-Level Waste (MLLW) Disposal Workgroup. The process, jointly developed with the States, includes three steps: site-screening, site-evaluation, and configuration study. As a result of the screening process, 28 sites have been eliminated from further consideration for MLLW disposal and 4 sites have been assigned a lower priority for evaluation. Currently 16 sites are being evaluated by the DOE for their potential strengths and weaknesses as MLLW disposal sites. The results of the evaluation will provide a general idea of the technical capability of the 16 disposal sites; the results can also be used to identify which treated MLLW streams can be disposed on-site and which should be disposed of off-site. The information will then serve as the basis for a disposal configuration study, which includes analysis of both technical as well as non-technical issues, that will lead to the ultimate decision on MLLW disposal site locations.

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Comprehensive numerical model for cw vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Hadley, G.R.

The authors present a comprehensive numerical model for vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers that includes all major processes effecting cw operation of axisymmetric devices. In particular, the model includes a description of the 2D transport of electrons and holes through the cladding layers to the quantum well(s), diffusion and recombination processes of these carriers within the wells, the 2D transport of heat throughout the device, and a multi-lateral-mode effective index optical model. The optical gain acquired by photons traversing the quantum wells is computed including the effects of strained band structure and quantum confinement. They employ the model to predict the behavior of higher-order lateral modes in proton-implanted devices, and to provide an understanding of index-guiding in devices fabricated using selective oxidation.

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Multivariate classification of BPSG thin films using Mahalanobis distances

Haaland, David M.

Infrared absorption spectra of borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) thin films were collected to develop a rapid classification method for determining if the films are within the desired specifications. Classification of samples into good and bad categories was performed using principal component analysis applied to the spectra. Mahalanobis distances were used as the classification metric. The highest overall percentage of correct classification of samples based upon their spectra was 91.6%.

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Cesium/oxide interactions for ultrathin films on {alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}(0001) and {alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}(1{bar 1}02)

Zavadil, Kevin R.

The interaction of cesium at the (0001) and (1{bar 1}02) surfaces of sapphire has been investigated using a variety of surface analytical techniques. Reflection mass spectrometric measurements yield initial Cs adsorption probabilities of 0.9 and 0.85 for the unreconstructed (0001) and (1{bar 1}02) surfaces, respectively. The adsorption probability decreases dramatically for these surfaces at critical Cs coverages of 2.O {times} 10{sup 14} and 3.4 {times} 10{sup 14} atoms/cm{sup 2}, respectively. Thermally induced reconstruction of the (0001) surface to form an oxygen deficient surface results in a decrease in the initial probability and capacity for Cs adsorption. Low energy electron diffraction (LEED) demonstrates that an intermediate, mixed domain surface yields an initial adsorption probability of 0.5 while a ({radical}31 {times} {radical}31) R {plus_minus} 9{degree} reconstructed surface yields a value of 0.27. Thermal desorption mass spectrometry (TDMS) shows that surface reconstruction eliminates the high binding energy states of Cs (2.7 eV/atom), consistent with the observed changes in adsorption probability. In contrast, reconstruction of the (1{bar 1}02) surface produces only minor changes in Cs adsorption. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicates that no formal reductive/oxidative chemistry takes place at the interface. We interpret the facile adsorption and strong binding of Cs on sapphire to result from Cs interacting with coordinatively unsaturated oxygen.

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Functionalized block copolymers as adhesion promoters

Kent, Michael S.

The goal of this work is to develop novel functionalized block copolymers to promote adhesion at inorganic substrate/polymer interfaces. We envision several potential advantages of functionalized block copolymers over small molecule coupling agents. Greater control over the structure of the interphase region should result through careful design of the backbone of the copolymer. The number of chains per area, the degree of entanglement between the copolymer and the polymer matrix, the number of sites per chain able to attach to the substrate, and the hydrophobicity of the interphase region can all be strongly affected by the choice of block lengths and the monomer sequence. In addition, entanglement between the copolymer and the polymer matrix, if achieved, should contribute significantly to adhesive strength. Our program involves four key elements: the synthesis of suitable functionalized block copolymers, characterization of the conformation of the copolymers at the interface by neutron reflectivity and atomic force microscopy, characterization of the degree of bonding by spectroscopy, and measurement of the mechanical properties of the interface. In this paper we discuss block copolymers designed as adhesion promoters for the copper/epoxy interface. We have synthesized a diblock with one block containing imidazole groups to bond to copper and a second block containing secondary amines to react with the epoxy matrix. We have also prepared a triblock copolymer containing a hydrophobic middle block. Below we describe the synthesis of the block copolymers by living, ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) and the first characterization data obtained by neutron reflectivity.

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New developments for sol-gel film and fiber processing

Hurd, A.J.

New insights into the development of microstructure in sol-gel films have recently been revealed by several diagnostic techniques, including imaging ellipsometry, {open_quotes}chemical imaging{close_quotes} by fluorescent tracers, light scattering from capillary waves, and finite-element modeling. The evolution of porosity during the continuous transition from dilute sol to porous solid in restricted geometries such as films and fibers is becoming clearer through fundamental understanding of evaporation dynamics and capillarity.

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Many-body effects in semiconductor lasers

Chow, Weng W.

A microscopic theory, that is based on the coupled Maxwell-semiconductor-Bloch equations, is used to investigate the effects of many-body Coulomb interactions in semiconductor laser devices. This paper describes two examples where the many-body effects play important roles. Experimental data supporting the theoretical results are presented.

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Health monitoring of operational structures -- Initial results

James, G.; Mayes, R.; Carne, T.; Simmermacher, T.; Goodding, J.

Two techniques for damage localization (Structural Translational and Rotational Error Checking -- STRECH and MAtriX COmpletioN -- MAXCON) are described and applied to operational structures. The structures include a Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) blade undergoing a fatigue test and a highway bridge undergoing an induced damage test. STRECH is seen to provide a global damage indicator to assess the global damage state of a structure. STRECH is also seen to provide damage localization for static flexibility shapes or the first mode of simple structures. MAXCON is a robust damage localization tool using the higher order dynamics of a structure. Several options arc available to allow the procedure to be tailored to a variety of structures.

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Laser Tracker III: Sandia National Laboratories` third generation laser tracking system

Patrick, D.

At Sandia Labs` Coyote Canyon Test Complex, it became necessary to develop a precision single station solution to provide time space position information (tspi) when tracking airborne test vehicles. Sandia`s first laser tracker came on line in 1968, replacing the fixed camera technique for producing trajectory data. This system shortened data reduction time from weeks to minutes. Laser Tracker 11 began operations in 1982, replacing the original tracker. It incorporated improved optics and electronics, with the addition of a microprocessor-based real-time control (rtc) system within the main servo loop. The rtc added trajectory prediction with the loss of adequate tracking signal and automatic control of laser beam divergence according to target range. Laser Tracker III, an even more advanced version of the systems, came on line in 1990. Unlike LTII, which is mounted in a trailer and must by moved by a tractor, LTIII is mounted on its own four-wheel drive carrier. This allows the system to be used at even the most remote locations. It also incorporated improved optics and electronics with the addition of absolute ranging, acquisition on the fly, and automatic transition from manual Joystick tracking to laser tracking for aircraft tests. LTIII provides a unique state of the art tracking capability for missile, rocket sled, aircraft, submunition, and parachute testing. Used in conjunction with LTII, the systems together can provide either simultaneous or extended range tracking. Mobility, accuracy, reliability, and cost effectiveness enable these systems to support a variety of testing at Department of Energy and Department of Defense ranges.

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Polarization characteristics, control, and modulation of vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers

Choquette, Kent D.

The gain-dependent polarization properties of vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers and methods for polarization control and modulation are discussed. The partitioning of power between the two orthogonal eigen polarizations is shown to depend upon the relative spectral alignment of the nondegenerate polarization cavity resonances with the laser gain spectrum. A dominant polarization can thus be maintained by employing a blue-shifted offset of the peak laser gain relative to the cavity resonance wavelength. Alternatively, the polarization can be controlled through use of anisotropic transverse cavity geometries. The orthogonal eigen polarizations are also shown to enable polarization modulation. By exploiting polarization switching transitions in cruciform lasers, polarization modulation of the fundamental mode up to 50 MHz is demonstrated. At lower modulation frequencies, complementary digital polarized output or frequency doubling of the polarized output is obtained. Control and manipulation of vertical-cavity laser polarization may prove valuable for present and future applications.

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Comparison of lower-frequency (<1000 Hz) downhole seismic sources for use at environmental sites

Elbring, Gregory J.

In conjunction with crosswell seismic surveying being done at the Hanford Site in south-central Washington, four different downhole seismic sources have been tested between the same set of boreholes. The four sources evaluated were the Bolt airgun, the OYO-Conoco orbital vibrator, and two Sandia-developed vertical vibrators, one pneumatically-driven, and the other based on a magnetostrictive actuator. The sources generate seismic energy in the lower frequency range of less than 1000 Hz and have different frequency characteristics, radiation patterns, energy levels, and operational considerations. Collection of identical data sets with all four sources allows the direct comparison of these characteristics and an evaluation of the suitability of each source for a given site and target.

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Using high-density magnetic and electromagnetic data for waste site characterization: A case study

Cochran, John R.

Magnetometers are frequently used to characterize hazardous waste sites. Due to cost and time considerations, data are typically collected on a coarse grid with nodes on 3 to 6 meter (m) centers. Hardware and software are now available which allow the rapid and cost effective collection of information on a much finer sampling grid. In this paper we present and compare total field magnetometery data collected on 3 m centers to total field magnetometery data collected on a grid with centers of 0.5 m or less. We also compare the magnetometery data to time-domain electromagnetic (EM) data collected on a 1 m by 0.2 m grid using the recently introduced Geonics Ltd. EM61 metal detector. All three data sets were collected at an abandoned landfill radioactive Burial Site No. 11 (RB-11) is located on Kirtland Air Force Base near Albuquerque, New Mexico.

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NIR high-efficiency subwavelength diffractive structures in semiconductors

Smith, R.E.; Warren, M.E.; Wendt, J.R.; Vawter, G.A.

We have fabricated sub-wavelength diffractive optical elements with binary phase profiles for operation at 975 nm. Blazed transmission gratings with minimum features 63 nm wide were designed by using rigorous coupled-wave analysis and fabricated by direct-write e-beam lithography and reactive ion beam etching in gallium arsenide. Transmission measurements show 85% diffraction efficiency into the first order. Anti-reflection surfaces, with features 42 nm wide were also designed and fabricated.

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Transport processes investigation: A necessary first step in site scale characterization plans

Roepke, C.

We propose an approach, which we call the Transport Processes Investigation or TPI, to identify and verify site-scale transport processes and their controls. The TPI aids in the formulation of an accurate conceptual model of flow and transport, an essential first step in the development of a cost effective site characterization strategy. The TPI is demonstrated in the highly complex vadose zone of glacial tills that underlie the Fernald Environmental Remediation Project (FEMP) in Fernald, Ohio. As a result of the TPI, we identify and verify the pertinent flow processes and their controls, such as extensive macropore and fracture flow through layered clays, which must be included in an accurate conceptual model of site-scale contaminant transport. We are able to conclude that the classical modeling and sampling methods employed in some site characterization programs will be insufficient to characterize contaminant concentrations or distributions at contaminated or hazardous waste facilities sited in such media.

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Research on robotics by principal investigators of the Robotics Technology Development Program

Harrigan, R.W.

The U.S. Department of Energy`s Office of Technology Development has been developing robotics and automation technologies for the clean-up and handling of hazardous and radioactive waste through one of its major elements, Cross Cutting and Advanced Technology development. CC&AT university research and development programs recognize the strong technology, base resident in the university community and sponsor a focused technology research and development program which stresses close interaction between the university sector and the DOE community. This report contains a compilation of research articles by each of 14 principle investigators supported by CC&AT to develop robotics and automation technologies for the clean-up and handling of hazardous and radioactive waste. This research has led to innovative solutions for waste clean-up problems, and it has moved technology out of university laboratories into functioning systems which has allowed early evaluation by site technologists.

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A Heuristic and complete planner for the classical mover`s problem

Hwang, Yong K.

We present a motion planner for the classical mover`s problem in three dimensions that is both resolution-complete and efficient in that it has performance commensurate with task difficulty. It is based on the SANDROS search strategy, which uses a hierarchical, multi-resolution representation of the configuration space along with a generate-and-test paradigm for solution paths. This planner can control the trade-offs between the computation resource and algorithmic completeness/solution path quality, and thus can fully utilize the available computing power. It is useful for navigation of mobile robots, submarines and spacecraft, or part motion feasibility in assembly planning.

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Percolation model for selective dissolution of multi-component glasses

Brinker, C.J.

A percolation model is developed which accounts for most known features of the process of porous glass membrane preparation by selective dissolution of multi-component glasses. The model is founded within tile framework of the classical percolation theory, wherein the components of a glass are represented by random sites on a suitable lattice. Computer simulation is used to mirror the generation of a porous structure during the dissolution process, reproducing many of the features associated with the phenomenon. Simulation results evaluate the effect of the initial composition of the glass on the kinetics of the leaching process as well as the morphology of the generated porous structure. The percolation model establishes the porous structure as a percolating cluster of unreachable constituents in the glass. The simulation algorithm incorporates removal of both, the accessible leachable components in the glass as well as the independent clusters of unreachable components not attached to the percolating cluster. The dissolution process thus becomes limited by the conventional site percolation thresholds of the unreachable components (which restricts the formation of the porous network), as well as the leachable components (which restricts the accessibility of the solvating medium into the glass). The simulation results delineate the range of compositional variations for successful porous glass preparation and predict the variation of porosity, surface area, dissolution rates and effluent composition with initial composition and time. Results compared well with experimental studies and improved upon similar models attempted in die past.

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Low-voltage cathodoluminescence of europium-activated yttrium orthovanadate

Phillips, Mark L.F.

Emissive flat panel display systems operating in full color demand higher performance at low voltages (ca. 501000 V) from cathodoluminescent (CL) phosphors than cathode ray tubes require. Hydrothermal synthesis has been suggested as a route to phosphors with improved efficiencies, lower voltage thresholds, and increased saturation power. This hypothesis was tested in europium-doped yttrium orthovanadate (YVO{sub 4}:Eu), an efficient, red emitting CL phosphor. The CL efficiency of YVO{sub 4}:Eu crystallized from aqueous solution at 200{degrees}C is relatively low until it is annealed. The distribution of particle sizes in the low-temperature phosphor is similar to that in material made via a solid-state route, but crystallites remain much smaller (ca. 400 {Angstrom}) until they are annealed. These observations, along with the anomalously strong dependence of CL intensity on europium concentration, support a model in which efficiency principally depends on crystallite size. CL efficiency of both solid state and hydrothermal YVO{sub 4}:Eu increases with voltage at constant power. Surface-bound electrons are likely the dominant influence on efficiency at voltages near threshold. Saturation power is independent of synthetic route. It is apparent that the CL properties of hydrothermally synthesized YVO{sub 4}:Eu are essentially the same as those of YVO{sub 4}:Eu produced via conventional, high-temperature routes.

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Adaptive path planning: Algorithm and analysis

Chen, Pang C.

To address the need for a fast path planner, we present a learning algorithm that improves path planning by using past experience to enhance future performance. The algorithm relies on an existing path planner to provide solutions difficult tasks. From these solutions, an evolving sparse work of useful robot configurations is learned to support faster planning. More generally, the algorithm provides a framework in which a slow but effective planner may be improved both cost-wise and capability-wise by a faster but less effective planner coupled with experience. We analyze algorithm by formalizing the concept of improvability and deriving conditions under which a planner can be improved within the framework. The analysis is based on two stochastic models, one pessimistic (on task complexity), the other randomized (on experience utility). Using these models, we derive quantitative bounds to predict the learning behavior. We use these estimation tools to characterize the situations in which the algorithm is useful and to provide bounds on the training time. In particular, we show how to predict the maximum achievable speedup. Additionally, our analysis techniques are elementary and should be useful for studying other types of probabilistic learning as well.

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A natural analogue for high-level waste in tuff: Chemical analysis and modeling of the Valles site

Stockman, Harlan W.

The contact between an obsidian flow and a steep-walled tuff canyon was examined as an analogue for a high-level waste repository. The analogue site is located in the Valles Caldera in New Mexico, where a massive obsidian flow filled a paleocanyon in the Battleship Rock Tuff. The obsidian flow provided a heat source, analogous to waste panels or an igneous intrusion in a repository, and caused evaporation and migration of water. The tuff and obsidian samples were analyzed for major and trace elements and mineralogy by INAA, XRF, x-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy and electron microprobe. Samples were also analyzed for D/H and {sup 39}Ar/{sup 40}Ar isotopic composition. Overall, the effects of the heating event seem to have been slight and limited to the tuff nearest the contact. There is some evidence of devitrification and migration of volatiles in the tuff within 10 m of the contact, but variations in major and trace element chemistry are small and difficult to distinguish from the natural (pre-heating) variability of the rocks.

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The sorption behavior of Cs and Cd onto oxide and clay surfaces

Westrich, Henry R.

The sorption of Cs and Cd on model soil minerals was examined by complementary analytical and experimental procedures. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy were used to characterize the chemical and physical nature of Cs-reacted soil minerals. Cd and Cs adsorption isotherms for kaolinite were also measured at variable pH and temperature to establish likely reaction stoichiometries, while atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to characterize the microtopography of the clay surface. XPS analyses of Cs-exchanged samples show that Cs is sorbed at mineral surfaces and at the interlayer site of smectite clays, although the spectral resolution of XPS analyses is insufficient to differentiate between basal, edge or interlayer sites. {sup 133}Cs MAS-NMR results also show that Cs is adsorbed primarily in an interlayer site of montmorillonite and on edge and basal sites for kaolinite. Cd adsorption isotherms on kaolinite were found to be additive using Al{sub 2}0{sub 3} + Si0{sub 2} Cd binding constants. AFM quantification of kaolinite crystallites suggest that edges comprise up to 50% of the BET surface area, and are consistent with NMR and surface charge results that Cs an Cd adsorption occur primarily at edge sites.

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Steam reforming of DOE complex waste simulants

Miller, James E.

Sandia National Laboratories has worked with Synthetica Technologies and Manufacturing and Technology Conversion International (MTCl) to demonstrate the applicability of their commercial steam reforming technologies for treating DOE low-level mixed wastes. Previously, Synthetica successfully demonstrated destruction of a Sandia formulated lab trash simulant. During November 1994 Synthetica did not adequately process the aqueous halogenated organic liquid mixed waste simulant (MWTP-2110) formulated by the DOE Mixed Waste Integrated Program (MWIP). Testing at MTCl is ongoing and initial results appear to be favorable. Approximately 200 lbs each of the MWIP aqueous halogenated organic liquids (MWTP-2110), and absorbed aqueous and organic liquids (MWTP-3113/3114) simulants have been processed. At 1650{degree}F, destruction efficiencies of greater than 99% were obtained for tetrachloroethylene, toluene, and 1,2 dichlorobenzene. Product cases consisted primarily of H{sub 2}, C0{sub 2}, CO, and CH{sub 4} and had higher heating values of up to 355 BTU/SCF. Conclusions concerning the suitability of the MTCI process for treating DOE mixed wastes will be drawn upon the completion of testing.

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Geochemical and stable isotope variations in baseflow from an urbanized watershed: White Rock Creek, Dallas, Texas

Brady, Patrick V.

Public concerns about surface water quality and its impact on health issues have put a premium on the ability to predict surface and groundwater quality in urban areas. The movement of toxins and nutrients in urban areas is largely controlled by interactions with soil and aquifer minerals along hydrologic pathways. Despite progress in theoretical modeling of the effects of these interactions on water chemistry, it is presently impossible to predict overall trends in urban water quality. Determining the controls on stream water chemistry is problematic due to the interplay between different hydrologic reservoirs which cannot be easily observed or measured. Natural tracers, such as dissolved ions and isotopes, provide an indirect method for observing subsurface interactions and are useful for time series analysis of stream water composition. Ionic species are generally nonconservative components because of chemical reactions and are thus useful for discerning the overall discharge chemistry affected by the relationship.

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Viscous diffusion of vorticity in unsteady wall layers using the diffusion velocity concept

Strickland, James H.

The primary purpose of this paper is to provide a careful evaluation of the diffusion velocity concept with regard to its ability to predict the diffusion of vorticity near a moving wall. A computer code BDIF has been written which simulates the evolution of the vorticity field near a wall of infinite length which is moving in an arbitrary fashion. The simulations generated by this code are found to give excellent results when compared to several exact solutions. We also outline a two-dimensional unsteady viscous boundary layer model which utilizes the diffusion velocity concept and is compatible with vortex methods. A primary goal of this boundary layer model is to minimize the number of vortices generated on the surface at each time step while achieving good resolution of the vorticity field near the wall. Preliminary results have been obtained for simulating a simple two-dimensional laminar boundary layer.

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Synthesis of novel precursors for PMN powders and the thin films obtained from them

Boyle, Timothy J.

Sol-gel processing has been widely used in the preparation of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films. The authors have applied this methodology to the formation of lead magnesium niobate (PMN) spin-cast deposited thin films. Since there is a limited number of soluble, commercially available compounds, the authors have recently synthesized a series of novel metal alkoxides for use as precursors for generation of PMN thin films and powders. The process for generation of the perovskite phase of these PMN powders and films are reported.

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Assessing alternative conceptual models of fracture flow

Ho, Clifford K.

The numerical code TOUGH2 was used to assess alternative conceptual models of fracture flow. The models that were considered included the equivalent continuum model (ECM) and the dual permeability (DK) model. A one-dimensional, layered, unsaturated domain was studied with a saturated bottom boundary and a constant infiltration at the top boundary. Two different infiltration rates were used in the studies. In addition, the connection areas between the fracture and matrix elements in the dual permeability model were varied. Results showed that the two conceptual models of fracture flow produced different saturation and velocity profiles-even under steady-state conditions. The magnitudes of the discrepancies were sensitive to two parameters that affected the flux between the fractures and matrix in the dual permeability model: (1) the fracture-matrix connection areas and (2) the capillary pressure gradients between the fracture and matrix elements.

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The impact of technology on the economy

Rogers, J.D.

This paper discusses, in a general way, the influence of technology on the economy. The target audience is engineers who are involved in technology development but who are not especially familiar with economics. The measure used for describing the health of an economy is productivity. The impact of technological developments on productivity is discussed.

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Hazardous materials management using a Cradle-to-Grave Tracking and Information System (CGTIS)

Campbell, D.

Hazardous materials management includes interactions among materials, personnel, facilities, hazards, and processes of various groups within a DOE site`s environmental, safety & health (ES&H) and line organizations. Although each group is charged with addressing a particular aspect of these properties and interactions, the information it requires must be gathered into a coherent set of common data for accurate and consistent hazardous material management and regulatory reporting. It is these common data requirements which the Cradle-to-Grave Tracking and Information System (CGTIS) is designed to satisfy. CGTIS collects information at the point at which a process begins or a material enters a facility, and maintains that information, for hazards management and regulatory reporting, throughout the entire life-cycle by providing direct on-line links to a site`s multitude of data bases to bring information together into one common data model.

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Interactive development of RADTRAN

Neuhauser, K.S.; Kanipe, F.L.; Weiner, R.F.; Yoshimura, H.R.; Joy, H.W.

The RADTRAN computer code for transportation risk analysis, which has been under continuous development at Sandia National Laboratories since 1977, has evolved from a purely research tool into a publicly available with a variety of applications. This expansion of the user community has substantially increased the need to make the system easier to use without decreasing its capabilities or the quality of output. A large set of modifiable RADTRAN input files has been available via TRANSNET for several years. One approach to assisting the user involves adding annotations/information to each of these files. A second approach is providing additional help in building new/modifying old input files. Keeping the proposed information/annotation files separate from but closely coupled to the modifiable input files within the TRANSNET shell system allows the modifiable input files to remain as regular input files while providing rapid, automatic access to, useful information about the analysis. In this way, the sample input files remain intact as regular RADTRAN input files and any files generated using associated on-line menus or editors may be readily converted into new input files. A single sample file is selected and used as an example to illustrate the prototype help features.

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Scenarios constructed for nominal flow in the presence of a repository at Yucca Mountain and vicinity

Barr, George E.

Scenario development for the system performance assessment of the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project defines a scenario as a well-posed problem connecting an initiating event with radionuclide release to the accessible environment by a logical and physically possible combination or sequence of features, events, and processes. Drawing on the advice and assistance of the Project`s principal investigators (PIs), a collection of release scenarios initiated by the nominal ground-water flow occurring in the vicinity of the potential Yucca Mountain high-level-waste repository is developed and described in pictorial form. This collection of scenarios is intended to provide a framework to assist PIs in recognizing essential field and calculational analyses, to assist performance assessment in providing guidance to site characterization, and to continue the effort to exhaustively identify all features, events, and processes important to releases. It represents a step in the iterative process of identifying what details of the potential site are important for safe disposal. 67 refs.

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Risk-based assessment of the surety of information systems

Jansma, R.M.

Correct operation of an information system requires a balance of ``surety`` domains -- access control (confidentiality), integrity, utility, availability, and safety. However, traditional approaches provide little help on how to systematically analyze and balance the combined impact of surety requirements on a system. The key to achieving information system surety is identifying, prioritizing, and mitigating the sources of risk that may lead to system failure. Consequently, the authors propose a risk assessment methodology that provides a framework to guide the analyst in identifying and prioritizing sources of risk and selecting mitigation techniques. The framework leads the analyst to develop a risk-based system model for balancing the surety requirements and quantifying the effectiveness and combined impact of the mitigation techniques. Such a model allows the information system designer to make informed trade-offs based on the most effective risk-reduction measures.

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The role of advanced engineering simulation in model-based design

Hommert, Paul J.

The agile manufacturing paradigm engenders many new concepts and work approaches for manufacturing operations. A technology often invoked in the concept of agility is modeling and simulation. Few would disagree that modeling and simulation holds the potential to substantially reduce the product development cycle and lead to improve product reliability and performance. Advanced engineering simulation can impact manufacturing in three areas: process design, product design, and process control. However, despite that promise, the routine utilization of modeling and simulation by industry within the design process is very limited. Advanced simulation is still used primarily in a troubleshooting mode examining design or process problems after the fact. Sandia National Laboratories has been engaged in the development of advanced engineering simulation tools for many years and more recently has begun to focus on the application of such models to manufacturing processes important for the defense industry. These efforts involve considerable interaction and cooperative research with US industry. Based upon this experience, this presentation examines the elements that are necessary for advanced engineering simulation to become an integral part of the design process.

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High strain rate properties and constitutive modeling of glass

Hertel, Eugene S.

This paper presents experimental data and computational modeling for a well-defined glass material. The experimental data cover a wide range of strains, strain rates, and pressures that are obtained from quasi-static compression and tension tests, split Hopkinson pressure bar compression tests, explosively driven flyer plate impact tests, and depth of penetration ballistic tests. The test data are used to obtain constitutive model constants for the improved Johnson-Holmquist (JH-2) brittle material model. The model and constants are then used to perform computations of the various tests.

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Development of a precision wire feeder for small-diameter wire

Brandon, E.D.

At Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, the author designed and fabricated a precision wire feeder to be used with high energy density (electron beam and laser beam) welding for weld joints where filler wire might be needed to fill a gap or to adjust the chemical composition so that a crack-free weld could be made. The wire feeder incorporates a 25,000 step-per-revolution motor to power a urethane-coated drive roll. A microprocessor-based controller provides precise control of the motor and allows both continuous and pulsed feeding of the wire. A unidirectional 0.75-in.-dia ball bearing is used to press the wire against the drive roll. A slight constant backward tension is maintained on the wire spool by a Bodine torque motor. A Teflon tube is used to guide the wire from the drive roll to the vicinity of the weld, where a hypodermic needle is used to aim the wire into the weld pool. The operation of the wire feeder was demonstrated by feeding a 10-mil-dia, Type 304 stainless steel wire into a variety of CO{sub 2} laser beam welds. The resulting welds are smooth and continuous, and the welds are considered to be completely satisfactory for a variety of applications.

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Advanced product realization through model-based design and virtual prototyping

Andreas, R.D.

Several government agencies and industrial sectors have recognized the need for, and payoff of, investing in the methodologies and associated technologies for improving the product realization process. Within the defense community as well as commercial industry, there are three major needs. First, they must reduce the cost of military products, of related manufacturing processes, and of the enterprises that have to be maintained. Second, they must reduce the time required to realize products while still applying the latest technologies. Finally, they must improve the predictability of process attributes, product performance, cost, schedule and quality. They must continue to advance technology, quickly incorporate their innovations in new products and in processes to produce them, and they need to capitalize on the raw computational power and communications bandwidth that continues to become available at decreasing cost. Sandia National Laboratories initiative is pursuing several interrelated, key concepts and technologies in order to enable such product realization process improvements: model-based design; intelligent manufacturing processes; rapid virtual and physical prototyping; and agile people/enterprises. While progress in each of these areas is necessary, this paper only addresses a portion of the overall initiative. First a vision of a desired future capability in model-based design and virtual prototyping is presented. This is followed by a discussion of two specific activities parametric design analysis of Synthetic Aperture Radars (SARs) and virtual prototyping of miniaturized high-density electronics -- that exemplify the vision as well as provide a status report on relevant work in progress.

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Glass bead size and morphology characteristics in support of Crystal Mist field experiments

Einfeld, Wayne E.

One of the tasks of the Lethality Group within US Army Space and Strategic Defense Command (USASSDC) is the development of a capability to simulate various missile intercept scenarios using computer codes. Currently under development within USASSDC and its various contractor organizations is a group of codes collected under a master code called PEGEM for Post Event Ground Effects Model. Among the various components of the code are modules which are used to predict atmospheric dispersion and transport of particles or droplets following release at the altitude specified in the missile intercept scenario. The atmospheric transport code takes into account various source term data from the intercept such as: initial cloud size; droplet or particle size distribution; and, total mass of agent released. An ongoing USASSDC experimental program termed Crystal Mist involved release of precision glass beads under various altitude and meteorological conditions to assist in validation and refinement of various codes that are components of PEGEM used to predict particle atmospheric transport and diffusion following a missile intercept. Here, soda-lime glass beads used in the Crystal Mist series of atmospheric transport and diffusion tests were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and automated image processing routines in order to fully define their size distributions and morphology. Four bead size classifications ranging from a median count diameter of 45 to 200 micrometers were found to be approximately spherical and to fall within the supplier`s sizing specifications. Log-normal functions fit to the measured size distributions resulted in geometric standard deviations ranging from 1.08 to 1.12, thereby fulfilling the field trial requirements for a relatively narrow bead size distribution.

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Folded Compact Range Development and Coherent Change Detection Measurement Project

Sorensen, Kurt W.

A novel, folded compact range configuration has been developed at the Sandia National Laboratories compact range antenna and radar cross section measurement facility, operated by the Radar/Antenna Department 2343, as a means of performing indoor, environmentally-controlled, far-field simulations of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) coherent change detection (CCD) measurements. This report describes the development of the folded compact range configuration, as well as the initial set of coherent change detection measurements made with the system. These measurements have been highly successful, and have demonstrated the viability of the folded compact range concept in simulating SAR CCD measurements. It is felt that follow-on measurements have the potential of contributing significantly to the body of knowledge available to the scientific community involved in CCD image generation and processing, and that this tool will be a significant aid in the research and development of change detection methodologies.

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Winter season air pollution in El Paso-Ciudad Juarez. A review of air pollution studies in an international airshed

Einfeld, Wayne E.

This report summarizes a number of research efforts completed over the past 20 years in the El Paso del Norte region to characterize pollution sources and air quality trends. The El Paso del Norte region encompasses the cities of El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua and is representative of many US-Mexico border communities that are facing important air quality issues as population growth and industrialization of Mexican border communities continue. Special attention is given to a group of studies carried out under special US Congressional funding and administered by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Many of these studies were fielded within the last several years to develop a better understanding of air pollution sources and trends in this typical border community. Summary findings from a wide range of studies dealing with such issues as the temporal and spatial distribution of pollutants and pollution potential from both stationary and mobile sources in both cities are presented. Particular emphasis is given to a recent study in El Paso-Ciudad Juarez that focussed on winter season PM{sub 10} pollution in El Paso-Ciudad Juarez. Preliminary estimates from this short-term study reveal that biomass combustion products and crustal material are significant components of winter season PM{sub 10} in this international border community.

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Summary report for the viability of asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) in local area network (LAN) environments Laboratory Directed Research and Development Project

Gossage, Steven A.

This report summarizes the activities of a Lab Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Project to investigate the viability of asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switching technology in the local area network (LAN) environment. A number of ATM based LANs were constructed and their performance capabilities were measured. The summary report notes the measurements and lessons learned from the two-year effort.

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Evaluation of nonlinear structural dynamic responses using a fast-running spring-mass formulation

Benjamin, A.S.

In today`s world, accurate finite-element simulations of large nonlinear systems may require meshes composed of hundreds of thousands of degrees of freedom. Even with today`s fast computers and the promise of ever-faster ones in the future, central processing unit (CPU) expenditures for such problems could be measured in days. Many contemporary engineering problems, such as those found in risk assessment, probabilistic structural analysis, and structural design optimization, cannot tolerate the cost or turnaround time for such CPU-intensive analyses, because these applications require a large number of cases to be run with different inputs. For many risk assessment applications, analysts would prefer running times to be measurable in minutes. There is therefore a need for approximation methods which can solve such problems far more efficiently than the very detailed methods and yet maintain an acceptable degree of accuracy. For this purpose, we have been working on two methods of approximation: neural networks and spring-mass models. This paper presents our work and results to date for spring-mass modeling and analysis, since we are further along in this area than in the neural network formulation. It describes the physical and numerical models contained in a code we developed called STRESS, which stands for ``Spring-mass Transient Response Evaluation for structural Systems``. The paper also presents results for a demonstration problem, and compares these with results obtained for the same problem using PRONTO3D, a state-of-the-art finite element code which was also developed at Sandia.

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Toward a risk-based approach to the assessment of the surety of information systems

Wyss, Gregory D.

Traditional approaches to the assessment of information systems have treated system security, system reliability, data integrity, and application functionality as separate disciplines. However, each areas requirements and solutions have a profound impact on the successful implementation of the other areas. A better approach is to assess the ``surety`` of an information system, which is defined as ensuring the ``correct`` operation of an information system by incorporating appropriate levels of safety, functionality, confidentiality, availability, and integrity. Information surety examines the combined impact of design alternatives on all of these areas. We propose a modelling approach that combines aspects of fault trees and influence diagrams for assessing information surety requirements under a risk assessment framework. This approach allows tradeoffs to be based on quantitative importance measures such as risk reduction while maintaining the modelling flexibility of the influence diagram paradigm. This paper presents an overview of the modelling method and a sample application problem.

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Models for predicting damage evolution in metal matrix composites subjected to cyclic loading

Allen, D.H.; Hurtado, L.D.; Helms, K.L.E.

A thermomechanical analysis of a continuous fiber metal matrix composite (MMC) subjected to cyclic loading is performed herein. The analysis includes the effects of processing induced residual thermal stresses, matrix inelasticity, and interface cracking. Due to these complexities, the analysis is performed computationally using the finite element method. Matrix inelasticity is modelled with a rate dependent viscoplasticity model. Interface fracture is modelled by the use of a nonlinear interface constitutive model. The problem formulation is summarized, and results are given for a four-ply unidirectional SCS-6/{beta}21S titanium composite under high temperature isothermal mechanical fatigue. Results indicate rate dependent viscoplasticity can be a significant mechanism for dissipating the energy available for damage propagation, thus contributing to improved ductility of the composite. Results also indicate that the model may be useful for inclusion in life prediction methodologies for MMC`s.

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The role of dynamic experimentation for computation analysis

Chhabildas, L.C.

In this paper a brief description of dynamic techniques commonly available for determining material property studies is presented. For many impact applications, the material generally experiences a complex loading path. In most cases, the initial loading conditions can be represented by the shock commonly referred to as the Hugoniot state. Subsequent loading or release structure, i.e., off-Hugoniot states would however be dependent on the physical processes dominating the material behavior. The credibility of the material model is tested by the accuracy of predictions of off-Hugoniot states. Experimental techniques commonly used to determine off-Hugoniot states are discussed in this survey.

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An assessment of fire vulnerability for aged electrical relays

Vigil, R.A.; Nowlen, S.P.

There has been some concern that, as nuclear power plants age, protective measures taken to control and minimize the impact of fire may become ineffective, or significantly less effective, and hence result in an increased fire risk. One objective of the Fire Vulnerability of Aged Electrical Components Program is to assess the effects of aging and service wear on the fire vulnerability of electrical equipment. An increased fire vulnerability of components may lead to an overall increase in fire risk to the plant. Because of their widespread use in various electrical safety systems, electromechanical relays were chosen to be the initial components for evaluation. This test program assessed the impact of operational and thermal aging on the vulnerability of these relays to fire-induced damage. Only thermal effects of a fire were examined in this test program. The impact of smoke, corrosive materials, or fire suppression effects on relay performance were not addressed in this test program. The purpose of this test program was to assess whether the fire vulnerability of electrical relays increased with aging. The sequence followed for the test program was to: identify specific relay types, develop three fire scenarios, artificially age several relays, test the unaged and aged relays in the fire exposure scenarios, and compare the results. The relays tested were Agastat GPI, General Electric (GE) HMA, HGA, and HFA. At least two relays of each type were artificially aged and at least two relays of each type were new. Relays were operationally aged by cycling the relay under rated load for 2,000 operations. These relays were then thermally aged for 60 days with their coil energized.

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Methods for APT source term estimation: Approach and illustrative results

Williams, D.C.

An approach is described for performing scoping calculations of radionuclide release fractions from target materials being considered for use in the Accelerator Production of Tritium (APT) project, and some illustrative results are presented. The releases are evaluated for postulated accident scenarios involving severe overheating of either of two neutron source target materials, tungsten and lead. The potential for vaporization of radionuclides produced by spallation and neutron capture reactions is evaluated using a model that includes production of volatile species by reaction with steam, hydrogen, and/or oxygen. Emphasis is on release from the neutron source materials themselves, with a more limited treatment being given for radionuclides produced in other parts of the target/blanket assemblies. In the tungsten neutron source target, the low rate of diffusion within the tungsten is shown to limit releases of even volatile species to small values in a chemically inert or reducing environment. However, oxidative ablation of tungsten could permit considerably larger releases of volatile species in steam-rich or oxygen-rich environments. Tungsten radionuclides would dominate the source term for accident conditions considered the most plausible. For the lead neutron source target, the releases are predicted to be dominated by mercury radionuclides. Quantitative source term evaluation for this target is complicated because, in any accident sufficiently severe to be of much concern, lead melting will likely result in loss of target geometry. Hence, results presented for release from the lead must be carefully qualified. Extensive parametric results are presented for release from both neutron source materials. These results may be used to perform scoping estimates of radionuclide releases for additional APT accident scenarios as the controlling parameters for these scenarios become better defined.

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The prevention of bit balling by electro-osmosis

Roy, S.

The majority of all oil well footage drilled is in shales and other clay-bearing rocks. The mechanical strength of these formations usually is not an issue as regards their fast penetration by the drill bit. The difficulties associated with these formations arise due to the chemically reactive nature of such formations, causing the cuttings to stick to the bit. This causes a decrease in the rate of penetration of the drill bit and also has a detrimental effect on the state of the wellbore. This report presents a radical approach to preventing the adherence of shale cuttings to the bit. It consists of applying a direct electrical potential between the rock and the bit while drilling, while making the latter the cathode. Due to the process of electro-osmosis that occurs in shales, this results in the migration of a thin layer of water to the interface between the metal body (cathode) and the rock (anode). It has been demonstrated that this layer of water at the interface aids in the penetration of single-point indenters and also facilitates their withdrawal. Interfacial friction between a shale and a metal body was reduced, as was the tendency of shale cuttings to adhere to the metal surface. All of these combined to cause significant increases in the rate of penetration of a cathodic bit, as compared to the case when no potential was applied. It has been shown that when the bit was made the cathode, the maximum advantage was obtained when drilling conditions got worse, making it ideally suited for field applications. It was also shown that in the time intervals relevant to drilling operations, an amount of water sufficient to provide a coating on the bit was migrated out of a shale. It is believed that since the contact between the metal and the shale completes the electrical circuit to produce the driving force, this technique should work under most operating conditions. 63 refs.

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Utility battery storage systems program report for FY 94

Butler, Paul C.

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. The goal of this program is to assist industry in developing cost-effective battery systems as a utility resource option by 2000. Sandia is responsible for the engineering analyses, contracted development, and testing of rechargeable batteries and systems for utility energy storage applications. This report details the technical achievements realized during fiscal year 1994.

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Qualitative methods for assessing risk

Mahn, Jeffrey A.

The purpose of this document is to describe a qualitative risk assessment process that supplements the requirements of DOE/AL 5481.1B. Although facility managers have a choice of assessing risk either quantitatively or qualitatively, trade offs are involved in making the most appropriate choice for a given application. The results that can be obtained from a quantitative risk assessment are significantly more robust than those results derived from a qualitative approach. However, the advantages derived from quantitative risk assessment are achieved at a greater expenditure of money, time and convenience. This document provides the elements of a framework for performing a much less costly qualitative risk assessment, while retaining the best attributes of quantitative methods. The approach discussed herein will; (1) provide facility managers with the tools to prepare consistent, site wide assessments, and (2) aid the reviewers who may be tasked to evaluate the assessments. Added cost/benefit measures of the qualitative methodology include the identification of mechanisms for optimally allocating resources for minimizing risk in an expeditious, and fiscally responsible manner.

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Plasma technology directory

Dybwad, G.L.

The Plasma Technology Directory has two main goals: (1) promote, coordinate, and share plasma technology experience and equipment within the Department of Energy; and (2) facilitate technology transfer to the commercial sector where appropriate. Personnel are averaged first by Laboratory and next by technology area. The technology areas are accelerators, cleaning and etching deposition, diagnostics, and modeling.

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Fusion of LADAR with SAR for precision strike

Cress, D.H.

This paper presents a concept for fusing 3-dimensional image reconnaissance data with LADAR imagery for aim point refinement. The approach is applicable to fixed or quasi-fixed targets. Quasi-fixed targets are targets that are not expected to be moved between the time of reconnaissance and the time of target engagement. The 3-dimensional image data is presumed to come from standoff reconnaissance assets tens to hundreds of kilometers from the target area or acquisitions prior to hostilities. Examples are synthetic aperture radar (SAR) or stereoprocessed satellite imagery. SAR can be used to generate a 3-dimensional map of the surface through processing of data acquired with conventional SAR acquired using two closely spaced, parallel reconnaissance paths, either airborne or satellite based. Alternatively, a specialized airborne SAR having two receiving antennas may be used for data acquisition. The data sets used in this analysis are: (1) LADAR data acquired using a Hughes-Danbury system flown over a portion of Kirtland AFB during the period September 15--16, 1993; (2) two pass interferometric SAR data flown over a terrain-dominated area of Kirtland AFB; (3) 3-dimensional mapping of an urban-dominated area of the Sandia National Laboratories and adjacent cultural area extracted from aerial photography by Vexcel Corporation; (4) LADAR data acquired at Eglin AFB under Wright Laboratory`s Advanced Technology Ladar System (ATLAS) program using a 60 {mu}J, 75 KHz Co{sub 2} laser; and (5) two pass interferometric SAR data generated by Sandia`s STRIP DCS (Data Collection System) radar corresponding to the ATLAS LADAR data. The cultural data set was used in the urban area rather than SAR because high quality interferometric SAR data were not available for the urban-type area.

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Application of three dimensional finite element analysis to electron beam welding of a high pressure compressor drum rotor

Blanford, M.

Finite Element Analysis capability for application to welding has been developed and enhanced during a two year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement(CRADA) between Pratt & Whitney, United Technologies Research Center, and Sandia National Laboratories. Because of the nature of electron beam welding at Pratt & Whitney -- set-up is time consuming, the parts to be welded are complicated, and experimentation is costly -- finite element analysis has found many potential applications. The results of most interest in these analyses are the residual stress and final distortion of the component. The work has made use of the Sandia finite element codes JACQ3D, for thermal analysis, and JAS3D, for mechanical analysis. Both codes use an efficient, non-linear conjugate gradient solution technique, which enables large problems to be solved on engineering workstations. This presentation describes several technical challenges that were overcome in the application of the Sandia codes to this class of problems. Stress and distortion results predicted for an electron beam weld of a PW4000 gas turbine engine drum rotor will also be discussed.

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Selecting a risk-based tool to aid in decision making

Bendure, Albert

Selecting a risk-based tool to aid in decision making is as much of a challenge as properly using the tool once it has been selected. Failure to consider customer and stakeholder requirements and the technical bases and differences in risk-based decision making tools will produce confounding and/or politically unacceptable results when the tool is used. Selecting a risk-based decisionmaking tool must therefore be undertaken with the same, if not greater, rigor than the use of the tool once it is selected. This paper presents a process for selecting a risk-based tool appropriate to a set of prioritization or resource allocation tasks, discusses the results of applying the process to four risk-based decision-making tools, and identifies the ``musts`` for successful selection and implementation of a risk-based tool to aid in decision making.

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Passive safety concepts applied to critical functions

Spray, S.D.; Cooper, J.A.

Safety is of paramount concern in todays high technology environment. Because of technological advances, there are numerous situations (high consequence operations) for which the implications of a safety failure are so severe that extreme attention to safety systems is essential. Some of those situations are: nuclear weapon detonation safety, nuclear reactor safety, dam safety, mass transit transportation safety, and hazardous materials transportation and handling safety. In each case, specific safety systems, human control, and administrative procedures have been designed to give a high level of assurance against disasters. In an overview sense, safety concepts can be divided into two broad approaches: active safety and passive safety. Active safety systems, in general, are based on the need for ``functioning`` elements (operating motors, operator action, etc.) and safety may be based in a large measure on ``reliability`` data (historical records of the operability success of components). Passive safety basically depends on non-functionality.

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User-driven product data manager system design

Forsythe, James C.

With the infusion of information technologies into product development and production processes, effective management of product data is becoming essential to modern production enterprises. When an enterprise-wide Product Data Manager (PDM) is implemented, PDM designers must satisfy the requirements of individual users with different job functions and requirements, as well as the requirements of the enterprise as a whole. Concern must also be shown for the interrelationships between information, methods for retrieving archival information and integration of the PDM into the product development process. This paper describes a user-driven approach applied to PDM design for an agile manufacturing pilot project at Sandia National Laboratories that has been successful in achieving a much faster design-to-production process for a precision electro mechanical surety device.

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Human factors in agile manufacturing

Forsythe, James C.

As industries position themselves for the competitive markets of today, and the increasingly competitive global markets of the 21st century, agility, or the ability to rapidly develop and produce new products, represents a common trend. Agility manifests itself in many different forms, with the agile manufacturing paradigm proposed by the Iacocca Institute offering a generally accepted, long-term vision. In its many forms, common elements of agility or agile manufacturing include: changes in business, engineering and production practices, seamless information flow from design through production, integration of computer and information technologies into all facets of the product development and production process, application of communications technologies to enable collaborative work between geographically dispersed product development team members and introduction of flexible automation of production processes. Industry has rarely experienced as dramatic an infusion of new technologies or as extensive a change in culture and work practices. Human factors will not only play a vital role in accomplishing the technical and social objectives of agile manufacturing. but has an opportunity to participate in shaping the evolution of industry paradigms for the 21st century.

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Sensor fusion for intelligent alarm analysis

Nelson, Cynthia L.

The purpose of an intelligent alarm analysis system is to provide complete and manageable information to a central alarm station operator by applying alarm processing and fusion techniques to sensor information. This paper discusses the sensor fusion approach taken to perform intelligent alarm analysis for the Advanced Exterior Sensor (AES). The AES is an intrusion detection and assessment system designed for wide-area coverage, quick deployment, low false/nuisance alarm operation, and immediate visual assessment. It combines three sensor technologies (visible, infrared, and millimeter wave radar) collocated on a compact and portable remote sensor module. The remote sensor module rotates at a rate of 1 revolution per second to detect and track motion and provide assessment in a continuous 360` field-of-regard. Sensor fusion techniques are used to correlate and integrate the track data from these three sensors into a single track for operator observation. Additional inputs to the fusion process include environmental data, knowledge of sensor performance under certain weather conditions, sensor priority, and recent operator feedback. A confidence value is assigned to the track as a result of the fusion process. This helps to reduce nuisance alarms and to increase operator confidence in the system while reducing the workload of the operator.

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Strategic plan 1994

Shoemaker, Paul E.

Sandia National Laboratories faces institutional challenges that are unique in its history. Never before have the national laboratories been viewed so critically, and never before has their role been the subject of such study and debate. At the same time, the opporunities to render `exceptional service in the national interest` have never been greater. The business of Sandia today and into the foreseeable future will rely on a strong, integrated technical foundation, represented most fundamentally by its core competencies. While is is impossible to foresee precisely what missions Sandia will pursue many years from now, one thing is clear: Central to its service to the nation will be the application of science-based engineering skills to the stewardship of the nuclear weapons stockpile. Whether on not the nation ever builds a new nuclear weapon, those that remain in stockpile will require continuous stewardship based on the integration of scientific understanding with experienced systems engineering. Sandia`s steadfast commitment to DOE`s stockpile stewardship mission will also be evident in the production of limited numbers of certain vital weapon components as the weapons production complex is realigned. Complementing this enduring responsibility will be expanded missions in energy, environment, and economic competitiveness. The work for other federal agencies will be jointly sponsored under high-level agreements with DOE. Multi-institutional teams will become a common way of doing business. The multiprogram laboratory model will evolve toward a new model of multi-laboratory programs addressing major national needs. Sandia will be a distinct and important component of an integrated system of national laboratories.

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Swords to plowshares: Shock wave applications to advanced lithography

Trucano, Timothy G.

Extreme UltraViolet Lithography (EUVL) seeks to apply radiation in a wavelength region centered near 13 nm to produce microcircuits having features sizes 0.1 micron or less. A critical requirement for the commercial application of this technology is the development of an economical, compact source of this radiation which is suitable for lithographic applications. A good candidate is a laser-plasma source, which is generated by the interaction of an intermediate intensity laser pulse (up to 10{sup 12} W/cm{sup 2}) with a metallic target. While such a source has radiative characteristics which satisfy the needs of an EUVL source, the debris generated during the laser-target interaction strikes at the economy of the source. Here, the authors review the use of concepts and computer modeling, originally developed for hypervelocity impact analysis, to study this problem.

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Evaluation and qualification of environmentally conscious manufacturing processes for commercial and military applications

Anderson, D.J.; Cranwell, R.M.; Iman, R.; Van Buren, P.D.

Environmental regulations are encouraging the development of new environmentally conscious manufacturing (ECNP processes. However, the quality and reliability of these processes and hardware produced must be understood prior to implementing these new technologies in factories. Furthermore, military hardware fabrication is governed by standards and specifications that frequently mandate the use of older, less environmentally friendly processes or materials, or prohibit the use of new ECM processes without advance military approvaL Sandia National Laboratories, with industrial and military partners, have developed methodologies for evaluating and qualifying new ECM processes for military and commercial applications, and have piloted these methodologies in qualifying new, low-residue soldering technologies and materials.

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Characteristics of a piezoresistive accelerometer in shock environments up to 150,000 G

Bateman, Vesta I.

The characteristics of a piezoresistive accelerometer in shock environments are being studied at Sandia National Laboratories in the Mechanical Shock Testing Laboratory. A Hopkinson bar capability has been developed to extend our undemanding of the piezoresistive accelerometer, in two mechanical configurations, in the high frequency, high shock environments where measurements are being made. Two different Hopkinson bar materials are being used: Titanium and beryllium The in-axis performance of the piezoresistive accelerometer for frequencies of dc-10 kHz and shock magnitudes of up to 150,000 g as determined from measurements with a titanium Hopkinson bar are presented. The beryllium Hopkinson bar configuration is described. Preliminary in-axis characteristics of the piezoresistive accelerometer at a nominal shock level of 50,000 g for a frequency range of DC-30 kHz determined from the beryllium bar are presented.

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Assembly sequencing with toleranced parts

Wilson, R.H.

The goal of assembly sequencing is to plan a feasible series of operations to construct a product from its individual parts. Previous research has thoroughly investigated assembly sequencing under the assumption that parts have nominal geometry. This paper considers the case where parts have toleranced geometry. Its main contribution is an efficient procedure that decides if a product admits an assembly sequence with infinite translations that is feasible for all possible instances of the components within the specified tolerances. If the product admits one such sequence, the procedure can also generate it. For the cases where there exists no such assembly sequence, another procedure is proposed which generates assembly sequences that are feasible only for some values of the toleranced dimensions. If this procedure produces no such sequence, then no instance of the product is assemblable. Finally, this paper analyzes the relation between assembly and disassembly sequences in the presence of toleranced parts. This work assumes a simple, but non-trivial tolerance language that falls short of capturing all imperfections of a manufacturing process. Hence, it is only one step toward assembly sequencing with toleranced parts.

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Requirements for security signalling

Tarman, Thomas D.

There has been some interest lately in the need for ``authenticated signalling``, and the development of signalling specifications by the ATM Forum that support this need. The purpose of this contribution is to show that if authenticated signalling is required, then supporting signalling facilities for directory services (i.e. key management) are also required. Furthermore, this contribution identifies other security related mechanisms that may also benefit from ATM-level signalling accommodations. For each of these mechanisms outlined here, an overview of the signalling issues and a rough cut at the required fields for supporting Information Elements are provided. Finally, since each of these security mechanisms are specified by a number of different standards, issues pertaining to the selection of a particular security mechanism at connection setup time (i.e. specification of a required ``Security Quality of Service``) are also discussed.

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Cooperative feasibility test of remote monitoring of unattended sensors

JNMM, Journal of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management

Ystesund, Kenneth J.

A feasibility test on remote monitoring of unattended sensors was conducted by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) under a bilateral agreement between the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA) and JAERI. The Containment and Surveillance Data Authenticated Communication (CASDAC) system developed by JAERI for nuclear safeguards and physical protection is a prototype system for remote monitoring of sensor status through the international telephone network. Sensor inputs to the CASDAC system are provided by prototype tamper-protected sensor enclosures developed by SNL on behalf of ACDA. The CASDAC system normally operates on a polling basis from the central control console at JAERI, but data transmission may also be initiated from the remote read unit at SNL when a sensor activation is detected. All transmission data are encrypted. Statistics concerning reliability, time delay for anomaly detection, and records of all sensor activations were accumulated since May 1992. This paper describes the objectives and preliminary evaluation of the accumulated data. The U.S. Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA) funded the experiment at SNL to obtain information about the potential of CASDAC for use in Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) applications.

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Dynamic load balancing for parallel finite element methods with adaptive h- and p-refinement

Devine, Karen

We describe a dynamic load-balancing strategy for parallel finite element methods with adaptive mesh (h-) and order (p-) refinement. The load-balancing algorithm is based on the tiling load-balancing system, where global balance in achieved by performing local balancing within overlapping neighborhoods of processors. Tiling is applied to each mesh level created by the adaptive h-refinement. Weights are used in the migration routines to reflect the nonuniform elemental work loads caused by adaptive p-refinement. The combination of adaptive refinement and tiling significantly reduces total execution time relative to fixed-mesh, fixed-order methods yielding comparable accuracy, as we demonstrate with experiments on an nCUBE/2.

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Failure analysis: Status and future trends

Anderson, Richard E.

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Synthesis and characterization of FE colloid catalysts in inverse micelle solutions

Martino, Anthony

Formation of Fe clusters in inverse micelles was studied. Iron salts are solubilized within the polar interior of inverse micelles, and addition of LiBH{sub 4} initiates reduction to produce monodisperse, nanometer-sized Fe based particles. The reaction sequence is sustained by material exchange between inverse micelles. Surfactant interface provides a spatial constraint on reaction volume, and reactions carried out in these micro-heterogeneous solutions produce colloidal sized particles (10--100 {Angstrom}) stabilized in solution against flocculation by surfactant. In this paper, the clusters were characterized using TEM, Moessbauer spectroscopy, electron diffraction, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

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Innovative site characterization demonstration saves time and money

Floran, R.J.

A technology demonstration that optimizes sampling strategies and real-time data collection was carried out at the Kirtland Air Force Base RB-11 Radioactive Burial Site, Albuquerque, New Mexico in August 1994. The project, which was funded by the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP), involved the application of a geostatistical-based {open_quotes}smart sampling{close_quotes} methodology and software with on-site field screening of soils for radiation, organic compounds and metals. The software, known as Plume{trademark}, was developed at Argonne National Laboratory as part of the DOE/OTD-funded Mixed Waste Landfill Integrated Demonstration (MWLID). The objective of the investigation was to compare an innovative Adaptive Sampling approach that stressed real-time decision-making with a conventional RCRA-driven site characterization carried out by the Air Force. The latter investigation used a standard drilling and sampling plan as mandated by the EPA. To make the comparison realistic, the same contractors and sampling equipment (Geoprobe{reg_sign} soil samplers) were used. In both investigations, soil samples were collected at several depths at numerous locations adjacent to burial trenches that contain low-level radioactive waste and animal carcasses. Neither study revealed the presence of contaminants appreciably above risk based action levels, indicating that minimal to no migration has occurred away from the trenches. The combination of Adaptive Sampling with field screening achieved a similar level of confidence compared to the RCRA investigation regarding the potential migration of contaminants at the site. By comparison, the Adaptive Sampling program drilled 28 locations (vs. 36 for the conventional investigation), collected 81 samples (vs. 163), and sent 15 samples (vs. 163) off-site for laboratory analysis. In addition, the field work took 3 1/2 days compared to 13 days for the RCRA investigation.

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Achieving agility through parameter space qualification

Diegert, Kathleen V.

The A-primed (Agile Product Realization of Innovative electro-Mechanical Devices) project is defining and proving processes for agile product realization for the Department of Energy complex. Like other agile production efforts reported in the literature, A-primed uses concurrent engineering and information automation technologies to enhance information transfer. A unique aspect of our approach to agility is the qualification during development of a family of related product designs and their production processes, rather than a single design and its attendant processes. Applying engineering principles and statistical design of experiments, economies of test and analytic effort are realized for the qualification of the device family as a whole. Thus the need is minimized for test and analysis to qualify future devices from this family, thereby further reducing the design-to-production cycle time. As a measure of the success of the A-primed approach, the first design took 24 days to produce, and operated correctly on the first attempt. A flow diagram for the qualification process is presented. Guidelines are given for implementation, based on the authors experiences as members of the A-primed qualification team.

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A computer method to provide optimal laser weld schedules

Eisler, G.R.; Fuerschbach, P.W.

A method has been formulated and tested to provide laser weld schedules using a mathematical model and parameter optimization. This effort, on behalf of the Smartweld manufacturing initiative, seeks to provide: (1) laser power, (2) part travel speed, and (3) lens focal length to optimize weld process efficiency while constraining weld dimensions. Experimental data for three metals was fit to provide the mathematical model. Embedded material constants in the computational model allowed the extension to seven metals. A genetic algorithm, was used to accomplish the optimization. Lens focal length is a discrete variable and necessitated this type of algorithm. All coding was done in MATLAB and a graphical user interface was provided. Contour and surface plots, available through the interface, provide the analyst with insight as to optimum welds which are reachable within the problem-specified bounds on power, speed, and available focal lengths.

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New paradigms for the statistics profession

Iman, R.L.

This paper is a presentation made in support of the statistics profession. This field can say it has had a major impact in most major fields of study presently undertaken by man, yet it is not perceived as an important, or critical field of study. It is not a growth field either, witness the almost level number of faculty and new PhD`s produced over the past twenty years. The author argues the profession must do a better job of selling itself to the students it educates. Awaken them to the impact of statistics in their lives and their business worlds, so that they see beyond the formulae to the application of these principles.

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Independent nuclear safety assessment of the non-nuclear verification instrument NNV-470AS

Summers, Daniel A.

The System Surety Assessment Department 12332 of Sandia National Laboratories performed an independent nuclear safety assessment of the Non-nuclear Verification Instrument NNV-470AS. The NNV-470AS was assessed for structural integrity, characteristics of its electrical circuits, and its Radiated Electrical Emissions. Department 12332 concluded that the NNV-470AS and its Operational Procedures are safe to use with war reserve weapons. However, strict adherence to the Operational Procedures for the NNV-470AS is needed to prevent tampering with the instrument.

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FWP executive summaries

Samara, George A.

This document is a compilation of the Field Work Proposals (FWP) for the DOE BES Materials Sciences Program. The program is directed toward Scientifically Tailored Materials, specifically for energy applications.

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A review of the Melcor Accident Consequence Code System (MACCS): Capabilities and applications

Young, Mary L.

MACCS was developed at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) under U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) sponsorship to estimate the offsite consequences of potential severe accidents at nuclear power plants (NPPs). MACCS was publicly released in 1990. MACCS was developed to support the NRC`s probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) efforts. PSA techniques can provide a measure of the risk of reactor operation. PSAs are generally divided into three levels. Level one efforts identify potential plant damage states that lead to core damage and the associated probabilities, level two models damage progression and containment strength for establishing fission-product release categories, and level three efforts evaluate potential off-site consequences of radiological releases and the probabilities associated with the consequences. MACCS was designed as a tool for level three PSA analysis. MACCS performs probabilistic health and economic consequence assessments of hypothetical accidental releases of radioactive material from NPPs. MACCS includes models for atmospheric dispersion and transport, wet and dry deposition, the probabilistic treatment of meteorology, environmental transfer, countermeasure strategies, dosimetry, health effects, and economic impacts. The computer systems MACCS is designed to run on are the 386/486 PC, VAX/VMS, E3M RISC S/6000, Sun SPARC, and Cray UNICOS. This paper provides an overview of MACCS, reviews some of the applications of MACCS, international collaborations which have involved MACCS, current developmental efforts, and future directions.

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3-D seismic imaging of complex geologies

Womble, David E.

We present three codes for the Intel Paragon that address the problem of three-dimensional seismic imaging of complex geologies. The first code models acoustic wave propagation and can be used to generate data sets to calibrate and validate seismic imaging codes. This code reported the fastest timings for acoustic wave propagation codes at a recent SEG (Society of Exploration Geophysicists) meeting. The second code implements a Kirchhoff method for pre-stack depth migration. Development of this code is almost complete, and preliminary results are presented. The third code implements a wave equation approach to seismic migration and is a Paragon implementation of a code from the ARCO Seismic Benchmark Suite.

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Surface-emitting superconductor laser spectroscopy for characterizing normal and sickled red blood cells

Gourley, Paul L.

We have developed a new intracavity laser technique that uses a living or a fixed cell as an integral component of the laser. The cells are placed on an AlGaAs/GaAs surface-emitting semiconductor wafer and covered with a glass dielectric mirror to form a laser resonator. In this arrangement, the cells serve as optical waveguides (or lens elements) to confine (or focus) light generated in the resonator by the semiconductor. Because of the high transparency, the cells aid the lasing process to generate laser light. This ultra sensitive laser provides a novel imaging/spectroscopic technique for histologic examination which we demonstrate with normal and sickled human red blood cells. Extremely high contrast microscopic images of the cells are observed near 830-850 nm. These images correspond to electromagnetic modes of cell structures and are sensitive to shape of the cell. Using a high resolution spectrometer, we resolve the light emitted from these images into very narrow spectral peaks associated with the lasing modes. Analysis of the spectra reveals that the distribution of peaks is quite different for normal and sickled red blood cells. This technique, in a more developed form, may be useful for the rapid analysis of other kinds of normal and abnormal cells.

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Groundwater flow velocity measurements in a sinkhole at the Weeks Island Strategic Petroleum Reserve Facility, Louisiana

Ballard, Sanford

In 1992, a sinkhole was discovered above a Strategic Petroleum Reserve storage facility at Weeks Island, Louisiana. The oil is stored in an old salt mine located within a salt dome. In order to assess the hydrologic significance of the sink hole, an In Situ Permeable Flow Sensor was deployed within a sand-filled conduit in the salt dome directly beneath the sinkhole. The flow sensor is a recently developed instrument which uses a thermal perturbation technique to measure the magnitude and direction of the full 3-dimensional groundwater flow velocity vector in saturated, permeable materials. The flow sensor measured substantial groundwater flow directed vertically downward into the salt dome. The data obtained with the flow sensor provided critical evidence which was instrumental in assessing the significance of the sinkhole in terms of the integrity of the oil storage facility.

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Browsing the World Wide Web from behind a firewall

Simons, Randall W.

The World Wide Web provides a unified method of access to various information services on the Internet via a variety of protocols. Mosaic and other browsers give users a graphical interface to the Web that is easier to use and more visually pleasing than any other common Internet information service today. The availability of information via the Web and the number of users accessing it have both grown rapidly in the last year. The interest and investment of commercial firms in this technology suggest that in the near future, access to the Web may become as necessary to doing business as a telephone. This is problematical for organizations that use firewalls to protect their internal networks from the Internet. Allowing all the protocols and types of information found in the Web to pass their firewall will certainly increase the risk of attack by hackers on the Internet. But not allowing access to the Web could be even more dangerous, as frustrated users of the internal network are either unable to do their jobs, or find creative new ways to get around the firewall. The solution to this dilemma adopted at Sandia National Laboratories is described. Discussion also covers risks of accessing the Web, design alternatives considered, and trade-offs used to find the proper balance between access and protection.

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This is Sandia

Doran, Linda M.

Sandia is a multiprogram engineering and science laboratory operated for the Department of Energy with major facilities at Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Livermore, California, and a test range near Tonapah, Nevada. It has major research and development responsibilities for nuclear weapons, arms control, energy, the environment, economic competitiveness, and other areas of importance to the needs of the nation. The principal mission is to support national defense policies by ensuring that the nuclear weapon stockpile meets the highest standards of safety, reliability, security, use control, and military performance. This publication gives a brief overview of the multifaceted research programs conducted by the laboratory.

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The Sandia total-dose estimator: SANDOSE description and user guide

Turner, C.D.

The SANdia total-DOSe Estimator (SANDOSE) is used to estimate total radiation dose to a (BRL-CAT) solid model, SANDOSE uses the mass-sectoring technique to sample the model using ray-tracing techniques. The code is integrated directly into the BRL-CAD solid model editor and is operated using a simple graphical user interface. Several diagnostic tools are available to allow the user to analyze the results. Based on limited validation using several benchmark problems, results can be expected to fall between a 10% underestimate and a factor of 2 overestimate of the actual dose predicted by rigorous radiation transport techniques. However, other situations may be encountered where the results might fall outside of this range. The code is written in C and uses X-windows graphics. It presently runs on SUN SPARCstations, but in theory could be ported to any workstation with a C compiler and X-windows. SANDOSE is available via license by contacting either the Sandia National Laboratories Technology Transfer Center or the author.

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Summary of field operations Technical Area I well PGS-1. Site-Wide Hydrogeologic Characterization Project

Fritts, J.E.; Mccord, J.P.

The Environmental Restoration (ER) Project at Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico is managing the project to assess and, when necessary, to remediate sites contaminated by the lab operations. Within the ER project, the site-wide hydrogeologic characterization task is responsible for the area-wide hydrogeologic investigation. The purpose of this task is to reduce the uncertainty about the rate and direction of groundwater flow beneath the area and across its boundaries. This specific report deals with the installation of PGS-1 monitoring well which provides information on the lithology and hydrology of the aquifer in the northern area of the Kirtland Air Force Base. The report provides information on the well design; surface geology; stratigraphy; structure; drilling, completion, and development techniques; and borehole geophysics information.

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Performance Assessment of the Direct Disposal in Unsaturated Tuff of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste Owned by US Department of Energy, Volume 3: Appendices

Rechard, Robert P.

This assessment studied the performance of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel in a hypothetical repository in unsaturated tuff. The results of this 10-month study are intended to help guide the Office of Environment Management of the US Department of Energy (DOE) on how to prepare its wastes for eventual permanent disposal. The waste forms comprised spent fuel and high-level waste currently stored at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) and the Hanford reservation. About 700 metric tons heavy metal (MTHM) of the waste under study is stored at INEL, including graphite spent nuclear fuel, highly enriched uranium spent fuel, low enriched uranium spent fuel, and calcined high-level waste. About 2100 MTHM of weapons production fuel, currently stored on the Hanford reservation, was also included. The behavior of the waste was analyzed by waste form and also as a group of waste forms in the hypothetical tuff repository. When the waste forms were studied together, the repository was assumed also to contain about 9200 MTHM high-level waste in borosilicate glass from three DOE sites. The addition of the borosilicate glass, which has already been proposed as a final waste form, brought the total to about 12,000 MTHM.

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Gas cylinder disposal pit remediation waste minimization and management

Warren, William L.

A remediation of a gas cylinder disposal pit at Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico has recently been completed. The cleanup prevented possible spontaneous releases of hazardous gases from corroded cylinders that may have affected nearby active test areas at Sandia`s Technical Area III. Special waste management, safety, and quality plans were developed and strictly implemented for this project. The project was conceived from a waste management perspective, and waste minimization and management were built into the planning and implementation phases. The site layout was planned to accommodate light and heavy equipment, storage of large quantities of suspect soil, and special areas to stage and treat gases and reactive chemicals removed from the pit, as well as radiation protection areas. Excavation was a tightly controlled activity using experienced gas cylinder and reactive chemical specialists. Hazardous operations were conducted at night under lights, to allow nearby daytime operations to function unhindered. The quality assurance plan provided specific control of, and documentation for, critical decisions, as well as the record of daily operations. Both hand and heavy equipment excavation techniques were utilized. Hand excavation techniques were utilized. Hand excavation techniques allows sealed glass containers to be exhumed unharmed. In the end, several dozen thermal batteries; 5 pounds (2.3 kg) of lithium metal; 6.6 pounds (3.0 kg) of rubidium metal; several kilograms of unknown chemicals; 140 cubic yards (107 cubic meters) of thorium-contaminated soil; 270 cubic yards (205 cubic meters) of chromium-contaminated soil; and 450 gas cylinders, including 97 intact cylinders containing inert, flammable, toxic, corrosive, or oxidizing gases were removed and effectively managed to minimize waste.

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Lithium ion rechargeable systems studies

Levy, S.C.

Lithium ion systems, although relatively new, have attracted much interest worldwide. Their high energy density, long cycle life and relative safety, compared with metallic lithium rechargeable systems, make them prime candidates for powering portable electronic equipment. Although lithium ion cells are presently used in a few consumer devices, e.g., portable phones, camcorders, and laptop computers, there is room for considerable improvement in their performance. Specific areas that need to be addressed include: (1) carbon anode--increase reversible capacity, and minimize passivation; (2) cathode--extend cycle life, improve rate capability, and increase capacity. There are several programs ongoing at Sandia National Laboratories which are investigating means of achieving the stated objectives in these specific areas. This paper will review these programs.

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Independent nuclear safety assessment of the Non-nuclear Verification Instrument T562

Summers, Daniel A.

The System Surety Assessment Department 12332 of Sandia National Laboratories performed an independent nuclear safety assessment of the Non-nuclear Verification Instrument T562. The T562 was assessed for structural integrity, characteristics of its electrical circuits, and its Radiated Electrical Emissions. Department 12332 concluded that the T562 and its Operational Procedures are safe to use with war reserve weapons. However, strict adherence to the Operational Procedures for the T562 is needed to prevent tampering with the instrument.

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Self-stressing structures for wafer-level oxide breakdown to 200 MHz

Snyder, E.S.

We have demonstrated for the first time high frequency (210 MHz) oxide breakdown at the wafer-level using on-chip, self-stressing test structures. This is the highest frequency oxide breakdown that has been reported. We used these structures to characterize the variation in oxide breakdown with frequency (from 1 Hz to over 200 MHz) and duty cycle (from 10% to 90%). Since the stress frequency, duty cycle and temperature are controlled by DC signals in these structures, we used conventional DC wafer-level equipment without any special modifications (such as high frequency cabling). This self-stressing structure significantly reduces the cost of performing realistic high frequency oxide breakdown experiments necessary for developing reliability models and building-in-reliability.

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Distributed multitasking ITS with PVM

Fan, Wesley C.

Advances of computer hardware and communication software have made it possible to perform parallel-processing computing on a collection of desktop workstations. For many applications, multitasking on a cluster of high-performance workstations has achieved performance comparable or better than that on a traditional supercomputer. From the point of view of cost-effectiveness, it also allows users to exploit available but unused computational resources, and thus achieve a higher performance-to-cost ratio. Monte Carlo calculations are inherently parallelizable because the individual particle trajectories can be generated independently with minimum need for interprocessor communication. Furthermore, the number of particle histories that can be generated in a given amount of wall-clock time is nearly proportional to the number of processors in the cluster. This is an important fact because the inherent statistical uncertainty in any Monte Carlo result decreases as the number of histories increases. For these reasons, researchers have expended considerable effort to take advantage of different parallel architectures for a variety of Monte Carlo radiation transport codes, often with excellent results. The initial interest in this work was sparked by the multitasking capability of MCNP on a cluster of workstations using the Parallel Virtual Machine (PVM) software. On a 16-machine IBM RS/6000 cluster, it has been demonstrated that MCNP runs ten times as fast as on a single-processor CRAY YMP. In this paper, we summarize the implementation of a similar multitasking capability for the coupled electron/photon transport code system, the Integrated TIGER Series (ITS), and the evaluation of two load balancing schemes for homogeneous and heterogeneous networks.

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Sensitivity analysis for RADTRAN 4 input parameters

Mills, G.S.

The transportation risk analysis code, RADTRAN 4, computer estimates of incident-free dose consequence and accident dose-risk. The output of the code includes a tabulation of sensitivity of the result to variation of the input parameters for the incident-free analysis. The values are calculated using closed mathematical expressions derived from the constitutive equations, which are linear. However, the equations for accident risk are not linear, in general, and a similar tabulation has not been available. Because of the importance of knowing how accident-risk estimates are affected by uncertainties in the input parameters, a direct investigation was undertaken of the variation in calculated accident dose-risk with changes in individual parameters. A limited, representative group of transportation scenarios was used, initially, to determine which of 23 accident-risk parameters affect the calculated accident dose risk significantly. Many of the parameters were observed to have minimal effect on the output, and others were judged as ``fixed`` either by regulation, convention or standards. The remaining 5 variables were selected for further study through Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS). LHS yields statistical information from observations (risk calculations) resulting from multiple input-parameter sets compiled from ``random`` sampling of parameter distributions. The LHS method requires fewer observations than classical Monte Carlo methods to yield statistically significant results. This paper presents the preliminary parameter study and LHS application results together with further LHS evaluations of RADTRAN input parameters.

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Research and Development Program for transportation packagings at Sandia National Laboratories

Hohnstreiter, Glenn F.

This document contains information about the research and development programs dealing with waste transport at Sandia National Laboratories. This paper discusses topics such as: Why new packaging is needed; analytical methodologies and design codes;evaluation of packaging components; materials characterization; creative packaging concepts; packaging engineering and analysis; testing; and certification support.

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Optical performance of the TBC-2 solar collector before and after the 1993 mirror lustering

Strachan, John W.

In 1993, the mirror facets of one of Sandia`s point-focusing solar collectors, the Test Bed Concentrator {number_sign}2 (TBC-2), were reconditioned. The concentrator`s optical performance was evaluated before and after this operation. This report summarizes and compares the results of these tests. The tests demonstrated that the concentrator`s total power and peak flux were increased while the overall flux distribution in the focal plane remained qualitatively the same.

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The development and application of massively parallel solid mechanics codes

Mcglaun, M.

Computational physicists at Sandia National Laboratories have moved the Eulerian CTH code, and the arbitrary-Lagrangian-Eulerian ALEGRA code to distributed memory parallel computers. CTH is a three-dimensional solid mechanics code used for large-deformation, shock wave analysis. ALEGRA is a three-dimensional arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian solid-mechanics code used for coupled large-deformation, shock and structural mechanics problems. This paper discusses our experiences moving the codes to parallel computers, the algorithms we used and our experiences running the codes.

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Outlook for renewable energy technologies: Assessment of international programs and policies

Branstetter, Linda J.

The report presents an evaluation of worldwide research efforts in three specific renewable energy technologies, with a view towards future United States (US) energy security, environmental factors, and industrial competitiveness. The overall energy technology priorities of foreign governments and industry leaders, as well as the motivating factors for these priorities, are identified and evaluated from both technological and policy perspectives. The specific technologies of interest are wind, solar thermal, and solar photovoltaics (PV). These program areas, as well as the overall energy policies of Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom (UK), Japan, Russia, and the European Community as a whole are described. The present and likely future picture for worldwide technological leadership in these technologies-is portrayed. The report is meant to help in forecasting challenges to US preeminence in the various technology areas, particularly over the next ten years, and to help guide US policy-makers as they try to identify specific actions which would help to retain and/or expand the US leadership position.

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Development of the Multi-Level Seismic Receiver (MLSR)

Sleefe, G.E.; Engler, B.P.; Drozda, P.M.; Franco, R.J.; Morgan, J.

The Advanced Geophysical Technology Department (6114) and the Telemetry Technology Development Department (2664) have, in conjunction with the Oil Recovery Technology Partnership, developed a Multi-Level Seismic Receiver (MLSR) for use in crosswell seismic surveys. The MLSR was designed and evaluated with the significant support of many industry partners in the oil exploration industry. The unit was designed to record and process superior quality seismic data operating in severe borehole environments, including high temperature (up to 200{degrees}C) and static pressure (10,000 psi). This development has utilized state-of-the-art technology in transducers, data acquisition, and real-time data communication and data processing. The mechanical design of the receiver has been carefully modeled and evaluated to insure excellent signal coupling into the receiver.

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Report on the Workshop on Port Selection Criteria for Shipments of Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel

Massey, Charles D.

This document describes the results of the Workshop on Port Selection Criteria for Shipments of Spent Nuclear Fuel. The workshop was held at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York on November 15 and 16, 1993. The workshop panel of maritime experts developed criteria for the US Department of Energy for the evaluation and selection of ports of entry for spent-fuel shipments. While recommending criteria for selecting ports, the workshop panel agreed that any port capable of handling an ocean-going vessel is capable of safely receiving spent nuclear fuel.

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The effect of travel speed on thermal response in CO{sub 2} laser welding of small electronic components

Gianoulakis, Steven E.

A comprehensive three-dimensional numerical investigation of the effect of beat source travel speed on temperatures and resulting thermal stresses was performed for CO{sub 2}-laser welding. The test specimen was a small thermal battery header containing several stress-sensitive glass-to-metal seals surrounding the electrical connections and a temperature sensitive ignitor located under the header near the center. Predictions of the thermal stresses and temperatures in the battery header were made for several travel speeds of the laser. The travel speeds examined ranged from 10mm/sec to 50mm/sec. The results indicate that faster weld speeds result in lower temperatures and stresses for the same size weld. This is because the higher speed welds are more efficient, requiring less energy to produce a given weld. Less energy absorbed by the workpiece results in lower temperatures, which results in lower stresses.

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Final report on LDRD Project: Quantum confinement and light emission in silicon nanostructures

Guilinger, Terry R.

Electrochemically formed porous silicon (PS) was reported in 1991 to exhibit visible photoluminescence. This discovery could lead to the use of integrated silicon-based optoelectronic devices. This LDRD addressed two general goals for optical emission from Si: (1) investigate the mechanisms responsible for light emission, and (2) tailor the microstructure and composition of the Si to obtain photoemission suitable for working devices. PS formation, composition, morphology, and microstructure have been under investigation at Sandia for the past ten years for applications in silicon-on-insulator microelectronics, micromachining, and chemical sensors. The authors used this expertise to form luminescent PS at a variety of wavelengths and have used analytical techniques such as in situ Raman and X-ray reflectivity to investigate the luminescence mechanism and quantify the properties of the porous silicon layer. Further, their experience with ion implantation in Si lead to an investigation into alternate methods of producing Si nanostructures that visibly luminesce.

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Dynamic properties of ceramic materials

Grady, D.E.

The present study offers new data and analysis on the transient shock strength and equation-of-state properties of ceramics. Various dynamic data on nine high strength ceramics are provided with wave profile measurements, through velocity interferometry techniques, the principal observable. Compressive failure in the shock wave front, with emphasis on brittle versus ductile mechanisms of deformation, is examined in some detail. Extensive spall strength data are provided and related to the theoretical spall strength, and to energy-based theories of the spall process. Failure waves, as a mechanism of deformation in the transient shock process, are examined. Strength and equation-of-state analysis of shock data on silicon carbide, boron carbide, tungsten carbide, silicon dioxide and aluminum nitride is presented with particular emphasis on phase transition properties for the latter two. Wave profile measurements on selected ceramics are investigated for evidence of rate sensitive elastic precursor decay in the shock front failure process.

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High temperature solder alloys for underhood applications. Progress report

Drewien, Celeste A.

Under a cooperative research and development agreement with General Motors Corporation, lead-free solder systems including the flux, metallization, and solder are being developed for high temperature, underhood applications. Six tin-rich solders, five silver-rich metallizations, and four fluxes were screened using an experimental matrix whereby every combination was used to make sessile drops via hot plate or Heller oven processing. The contact angle, sessile drop appearance, and in some instances the microstructure was evaluated to determine combinations that would yield contact angles of less than 30{degrees}, well-formed sessile drops, and fine, uniform microstructures. Four solders, one metallization, and one flux were selected and will be used for further aging and mechanical property studies.

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Sandia Technology: Engineering and science accomplishments, February 1995

Goetsch, Robert S.

Sandia National Laboratories is one of the Department of Energy`s primary research and development laboratories. Our essential mission is to support the national interests of the US in defense, energy, and the environment. Managed by Martin Marietta Corporation for DOE, Sandia focuses its resources on problems of national interest that require the integration of science and technology for their solution. We all hope that this period of sweeping alterations in international affairs will result in a successful transition from the Cold War to a period of sustainable global security and prosperity. In the meantime, our nation`s interests are best served by continued commitment to Sandia`s traditional responsibilities. Nonetheless, as momentous developments are reshaping the world, Sandia is also changing from its beginning as a closed operation concentrating on classified defense programs, Sandia has become a more accessible resource that focuses on research and development partnerships with industry and universities as a way to ensure continued success in DOE`s evolving core mission area of nuclear weapons, energy, environment, and the basis sciences. Through these collaborative efforts, Sandia and its partners are also benefiting the economic competitiveness of our nation. Sandia places a special emphasis on working with small businesses as both technology transfer partners and suppliers of goods and services. We are also reaching out the the larger community surrounding Sandia, striving to provide technological solution and accurate information to meet community needs. We believe that the dialogue we are creating will benefit Sandia, the community, and the nation. Our goal is to render `` exceptional service in the national interest`` by returning maximum value on the investment in the labs. As you review this document, look for new ways in which Sandia can contribute to the solution of problems facing our nation.

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Recent progress in scenario development for the WIPP

Swift, Peter

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is preparing to request the US Environmental Protection Agency to certify compliance with the radioactive waste disposal standards found in 40 CFR Part 191 for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). The DOE will also need to demonstrate compliance with a number of other State and Federal standards and, in particular, the Land Disposal Restrictions of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), 40 CFR Part 268. Demonstrating compliance with these regulations requires an assessment of the long-term performance of the WIPP disposal system. Re-evaluation and extension of past scenario development for the WIPP forms an integral part of the ongoing performance assessment (PA) process.

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The use of high-performance computing to solve participating media radiative heat transfer problems-results of an NSF workshop

Gritzo, Louis A.

Radiation in participating media is an important transport mechanism in many physical systems. The simulation of complex radiative transfer has not effectively exploited high-performance computing capabilities. In response to this need, a workshop attended by members active in the high-performance computing community, members active in the radiative transfer community, and members from closely related fields was held to identify how high-performance computing can be used effectively to solve the transport equation and advance the state-of-the-art in simulating radiative heat transfer. This workshop was held on March 29-30, 1994 in Albuquerque, New Mexico and was conducted by Sandia National Laboratories. The objectives of this workshop were to provide a vehicle to stimulate interest and new research directions within the two communities to exploit the advantages of high-performance computing for solving complex radiative heat transfer problems that are otherwise intractable.

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Advanced technologies for perimeter intrusion detection sensors

IEE Conference Publication

Williams, J.D.

Perimeter intrusion detection systems are an integral part of most physical security systems. Sandia National Laboratories, under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Safeguards and Security; the U.S. Military Services; and many other U.S. Government Agencies, has over the last 20 years conducted surveys of available perimeter intrusion detection sensors and has tested many of the sensors manufactured in the United States and other countries. An overview of the newer and more advanced technologies employed in these sensors is provided.

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Adjoint Electron-Photon Transport Monte Carlo Calculations with ITS

IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science

Lorence, L.J.; Kensek, R.P.; Halbleib, J.A.; Morel, J.E.

A general adjoint coupled electron-photon Monte Carlo code for solving the Boltzmann-Fokker-Planck equation has recently been created. It is a modified version of ITS 3.0, a coupled electron-photon Monte Carlo code that has worldwide distribution. The applicability of the new code to radiation-interaction problems of the type found in space environments is demonstrated. © 1995 IEEE

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Smoothing during ion-assisted growth by transient ion beam-induced defects

Materials Research Society Symposium - Proceedings

Kellerman, B.K.

Several studies have shown that the surface morphology can be smoother during simultaneous ion bombardment and growth than during growth alone, however, the atomistic mechanism responsible for the smoothing effect has been difficult to determine. We have developed Monte Carlo simulations of growth and defect diffusion to model the interaction between growth atoms and ion-induced defects and to present a simple atomistic mechanism that describes the effects of low-energy ion bombardment during ion-assisted growth of germanium. Measurements of ion-induced point defect production indicate that a large number of defects exist only temporarily on the surface at typical growth temperatures, because the defects have sufficient mobility to recombine and annihilate. We propose that this ion-induced transient defect population plays a significant role in modifying the dynamic surface morphology. The simulations support a surface smoothing mechanism that involves the destabilization of adatom islands by the transient ion-induced defects. The optimum simulated steady-state surface morphology can be achieved with ion-induced defect production rates less than or equal to 10 defects/ion. We find that low-energy ion bombardment during growth effectively lowers the temperature at which step-flow growth can be achieved.

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Dielectric function and band gaps of Si1-xCx and Si0.924-xGe0.076Cx (0≤x≤0.014) semiconductor alloys grown on Si

Materials Research Society Symposium - Proceedings

Lee, H.; Floro, J.A.; Strane, J.; Lee, S.R.; Jones, E.D.; Mayer, T.; Picraux, S.T.

We have characterized the optical properties of heteroepitaxial Si1-xCx and Si0.924-xGe0.076Cx (0≤x≤0.014) alloys grown on Si substrates by solid phase epitaxy using spectroscopic ellipsometry. The measured dielectric function confirms that the samples are of good crystalline quality. We determined the E1 and E2 band gaps by lineshape-fitting the features in the second derivative spectra of the dielectric functions. Also, we discuss the shift of the band gaps with C concentration arising from strain and chemical alloying.

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Minimizing phylogenetic number to find good evolutionary trees

Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)

Phillips, Cynthia A.

Inferring phylogenetic trees is a fundamental problem in computational-biology. We present a new objective criterion, the phylogenetic number, for evaluating evolutionary trees for species defined by biomolecular sequences or other qualitative characters. The phylogenetic number of a tree T is the maximum number of times that any given character state arises in T. By contrast, the classical parsimonycriterion measures the total number of times that different character states arise in T. We consider the following related problems: finding the tree with minimum phylogenetic number, and computing the phylogenetic number of a given topology in which only the leaves are labeled by species. When the number of states is bounded (as is the case for biomolecular sequence characters), we can solve the second problem in polynomial time. We can also compute a fixed-topology 2-phylogeny (when one exists) for an arbitrary number of states. This algorithm can be used to further distinguish trees that are equal under parsimony. We also consider a number of other related problems.

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Performance characterization of the NASA standard detonator

31st Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit

Tarbell, William W.

The NASA Standard Detonator (NSD) is employed in support of a number of current applications, including the Space Shuttle. This effort was directed towards providing test results to characterize the output of this device for its use in a safe and arm device. As part of the investigation, flash X-ray was used to provide stop-motion photographs of the flying metal plate that is created by initiation of the detonator. This provided researchers with a better understanding of the shape and character of the high- velocity disk as it propagated across the gap between the detonator and next assembly. The second portion of the study used a velocity interferometer to evaluate the acceleration and velocity histories of the flying plate, providing a quantified assessment of the detonator’s ability to initiate the explosive in the next explosive.

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Development and production of two explosive components using SCB technology

31st Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit

Tarbell, William W.

For many years, explosive components have used hotwires to convert an electrical stimulus into the thermal energy required to initiate the device. A Semi-conductor Bridge (SCB) performs the same function, but with the advantage of requiring approximately 1/10 the input energy of a comparable hotwire, while retaining excellent no-fire characteristics. The SCB also demonstrates faster function times due to its inherently-lower thermal mass. This paper discusses the development and production of two SCB-based devices, the MC4491 Initiator and the MC4492 Actuator. The initiator is designed to shock initiate a linear shaped charge by accelerating a thin metal plate across a small gap. The actuator functions several different components, sewing as either an actuator by producing a rapidly expanding gas to activate piston mechanisms or as an ignitor by providing hot particles for initiating pyrotechnic mixtures. Details are provided on the construction of both devices, methods of assembly, and performance characteristics (function time, flyer velocity, pressure in a closed bomb, heat content, and no-fire and all-fire levels).

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SERAPHIM: A propulsion technology for fast trains

SAE Technical Papers

Marder, Barry M.

The Segmented Rail Phased Induction Motor (SERAPHIM) is a compact, pulsed linear induction motor (LIM) offering a unique capability for very high speed train propulsion. It uses technology developed for the Sandia coilgun, an electromagnetic launcher designed to accelerate projectiles to several kilometers per second! Both aluminum cylinders and plates were accelerated to a kilometer per second (Mach 3) by passing through a sequence of coils which were energized at the appropriate time. Although this technology was developed for ultra-high velocity, it can be readily adapted to train propulsion for which, at sea level, the power required to overcome air resistance limits the operational speed to a more modest 300 mph. Here, the geometry is reversed. The coils are on the vehicle and the "projectiles" are fixed along the roadbed. In the 1970's, the Federal Railroad Administration tested a 200 mph train riding on passive wheels and powered by a conventional LIM. In a LIM, electrical windings generate a backward moving wave of magnetic flux in a conducting reaction rail, producing a forward force. SERAPHIM operates not by embedding flux in a conductor, but by excluding it. In this propulsion scheme, pairs of closely spaced coils on the vehicle straddle a segmented aluminum reaction rail. A high frequency current is switched on as a coil pair crosses an edge and remains off as they overtake the next segment. This induces surface currents which repel the coil. In essence, the pulsed coils push off segment edges because at the high frequency of operation, the flux has insufficient time to penetrate. In contrast to conventional LIMs, the performance actually improves with velocity, even for a minimal motor consisting of a single coil pair reacting with a single plate. With either distributed onboard power, a passive wheeled train powered by a SERAPHIM is an attractive alternative to one which is levitated using superconducting magnets (MAGLEV) and propelled by switched electrified coils in the roadbed. This paper will present results of proof-of-principle tests, electromagnetic computer simulations, and systems analysis. It is concluded that this new linear induction motor can be implemented using existing technology and is a promising alternative propulsion method for very high speed rail transportation. © Copyright 1995 Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc.

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Motion planning for multiple moving objects

Proceedings of the IEEE International Symposium on Assembly and Task Planning

Hwang, Yong K.

We present a motion planner for multiple moving objects in two dimensions. The search for collision-free paths is performed in the composite configuration space of all the moving objects to guarantee a solution, and the efficiency of our planner is demonstrated with examples. Our motion planner can be characterized with a hierarchical, multi-resolution search of the configuration space along with a generate-and-test paradigm for solution paths. Because of the high dimensionality of the composite configuration space, our planner is most useful for cases with a small number of moving objects. Some of the potential applications are navigation of several mobile robots, and planning part motions for a multi-handed assembly operation.

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Current status and future research in motion planning

Proceedings of the IEEE International Symposium on Assembly and Task Planning

Hwang, Yong K.

There have been numerous research efforts in the field of motion planning, resulting in many theoretical and practical results. We review the current status of existing motion planning algorithms, evaluate their completenesses and efficiencies on modern computers, and suggest fruitful future research directions.

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