Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The theoretical formula for the statistical error estimation in Mihalczo method was derived, and the dependence of the error were investigated on the facility to be measured and on the parameter in the data analysis. The formula was derived based on the reactor noise theory and the error theory for the frequency analysis, and found that the error depends on such parameters as the prompt neutron decay constant, detector efficiencies, and the frequency bandwidth. Statistical errors estimated with the formula was compared with experimental values and verified to be reasonable. Through parameter surveys, it is found that there is an optimum combination of the parameters to reduce the magnitude of the errors. In the experiment performed in DCA subcriticality measurement facility, it is estimated experimentally that the ...

KoreaScience (Korea)

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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The consistency of different instruments and methods for measuring two-dimensional (2D) power spectral density (PSD) distributions are investigated. The instruments are an interferometric microscope, an atomic force microscope (AFM) and the X-ray Reflectivity and Scattering experimental facility, all available at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The measurements were performed with a gold-coated mirror with a highly polished stainless steel substrate. It was shown that these three techniques provide essentially consistent results. For the stainless steel mirror, an envelope over all measured PSD distributions can be described with an inverse power-law PSD function. It is also shown that the measurements can be corrected for the specific spatial frequency dependent systematic errors of the instruments. The AFM and the X-ray scattering ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Experimental studied of deep-inelastic scattering of neutrino, antineutrino, #mu#-mesons, electron reactions on He, D, Al, Fe, Au, Be, C, Ca, Ag, N nuclei conducted in recent years at different laboratories the world for consideration of modern status of the problems of R(x, Q"2) = #sigma#sub(L)/#sigma#sub(T) parameter variation and for study on nuclear effects in structural functions of nucleons are described in the review. Experimental information on measurements of the R parameter by data on EMS and SLAK groups is analyzed. It is noted that experimental data on measuring R contain essential errors that hampers unambiguous interpretation of data on nucleon structure. Present experimental data and predictions for explanation of the EMS effect are analyzed from the view point of quark and flucton models of a nucleus.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

... beam monitoring betatrons delay circuits errors fluctuations gamma radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Four general topics are covered in respect to the natural space radiation environment: (1) particles trapped by the earth`s magnetic field, (2) cosmic rays, (3) radiation environment inside a spacecraft, (4) laboratory radiation sources. The interaction of radiation with materials is described by ionization effects and displacement effects. Total-dose effects on MOS devices is discussed with respect to: measurement techniques, electron-hole yield, hole transport, oxide traps, interface traps, border traps, device properties, case studies and special concerns for commercial devices. Other device types considered for total-dose effects are SOI devices and nitrided oxide devices. Lastly, single event phenomena are discussed with respect to charge collection mechanisms and hard errors. (GHH)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neutron radiography systems are being used for real-time visualization of the dynamic behavior as well as time-averaged measurements of spatial vapor fraction distributions for two phase fluids. The data in the form of video images are typically recorded on videotape at 30 frames per second. Image analysis of he video pictures is used to extract time-dependent or time-averaged data. The determination of the average vapor fraction requires averaging of the logarithm of time-dependent intensity measurements of the neutron beam (gray scale distribution of the image) that passes through the fluid. This could be significantly different than averaging the intensity of the transmitted beam and then taking the logarithm of that term. This difference is termed the dynamic error (error in the time-averaged vapor fractions due to the inherent time-dependence of the measured data) and is ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The weak interaction between neutrons and protons has never been resolved experimentally. In analogy with the strong NN interaction, the weak NN interaction at low energy can be parametrized in terms of a meson exchange model with parity violating meson-nucleon couplings. Unlike the measured proton-proton weak interaction, the neutron-proton weak interaction is sensitive to the weak pion-nucleon coupling constant H{sub {pi}}{sup 1}. This coupling, which is responsible for the longest-ranged part of the weak NN interaction and is therefore an essential part of any description of weak interactions in nuclei, remains undetermined despite many years of effort. A measurement of the gamma ray directional asymmetry A{sub {gamma}} in the capture of polarized neutrons by parahydrogen has been proposed at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The goal of this experiment is to determine A{sub {gamma}} with a relative standard uncertainty of ...

CERN Document Server

We describe a scheme for quantum error correction that employs feedback and weak measurement rather than the standard tools of projective measurement and fast controlled unitary gates. The advantage of this scheme over previous protocols (for example Ahn et. al, PRA, 65, 042301 (2001)), is that it requires little side processing while remaining robust to measurement inefficiency, and is therefore considerably more practical. We evaluate the performance of our scheme by simulating the correction of bit-flips. We also consider implementation in a solid-state quantum computation architecture and estimate the maximal error rate which could be corrected with current technology.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper describes how confidence intervals can be calculated for radiofrequency emitter position estimates based on time-of-arrival and frequency-of-arrival measurements taken at several satellites. These confidence intervals take the form of 50th and 95th percentile circles and ellipses to convey horizontal error and linear intervals to give vertical error. We consider both cases where an assumed altitude is and is not used. Analysis of velocity errors is also considered. We derive confidence intervals for horizontal velocity magnitude and direction including the case where the emitter velocity is assumed to be purely horizontal, i.e., parallel to the ellipsoid. Additionally, we derive an algorithm that we use to combine multiple position fixes to reduce location error. The algorithm uses all available data, after more than one location estimate for an emitter has been made, in ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We describe a procedure for correcting the systematic errors in the Moessbauer f-factor measurement due to non-homogeneous effective thickness of the sample. To be more precise, we show that, if the mass of the sample is determined by means of X- or {gamma}-ray absorption, it is possible to establish experimental conditions so that the error on f due to material non-homogeneity in the sample is minimized.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Measurements were carried out for calibration and performance testing of a set of 10 electronic personal dosimeters (EPDs) at the Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory of Sudan. Calibrations were carried out at three X-ray beam qualities described in ISO standard 4037 in addition to 137Cs and 60Co gamma ray beams. The experimental was performed with EPDs mounted on ICRU Slab phantom. X-ray and ?-ray beams were characterized in terms of air kerma free-in-air which were converted to the known delivered personal dose equivalent, Hp(10) using appropriate the air kerma to personal dose equivalent conversion coefficients. Dosimeters tested showed excellent energy and angular response and relative error of indication within the recommended limit for photon energies from 65 keV to 1.25 MeV. The study showed encouraging results for using electronic dosimeters in personal dosimetry.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The purpose of this statement of work (SOW) is to establish laboratory analytical criteria and requirements for radioactive airborne emissions measurement sample and/or analysis activities.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Additional results using a calorimetric technique for measuring the total hemispherical emittance of pipe surfaces from 400 to 600 K are described. Two different Pyrex pipe enclosures were used, one of 15 cm i.d. and the other of 30 cm i.d. An error analysis showed that the larger diameter Pyrex pipe should have a smaller error, but the difference was negligible for the 4.4-cm test pipe diameter used. Measurements on a short length of a previously-measured pipe agreed with earlier measurements, but only over the temperature range of the measurements. While the technique normally uses a vacuum to minimize nonradiative heat transfer, measurements were done succesfully with an argon atmosphere in a closed system. A nickel-plated pipe, measured first in a vacuum and then in an argon atmosphere, allowed ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We are developing a laterally variable velocity model of the crust and upper mantle across Eurasia and North Africa to reduce event location error by improving regional travel-time prediction accuracy. The model includes both P and S velocities and we describe methods to compute travel-times for Pn, Sn, Pg, and Lg phases. For crustal phases Pg and Lg we assume that the waves travel laterally at mid-crustal depths, with added ray segments from the event and station to the mid crustal layer. Our work on Pn and Sn travel-times extends the methods described by Zhao and Xie (1993). With consideration for a continent scale model and application to seismic location, we extend the model parameterization of Zhao and Xie (1993) by allowing the upper-mantle velocity gradient to vary laterally. This extension is needed to accommodate the large variation in gradient that is known to exist across Eurasia and North African. Further, we extend the linear travel-time calculation ...

CERN Document Server

A new property which relies on the linear programming (LP) decoder, the approximate maximum-likelihood certificate (AMLC), is introduced. When using the belief propagation decoder, this property is a measure of how close the decoded codeword is to the LP solution. Using upper bounding techniques, it is demonstrated that the conditional frame error probability given that the AMLC holds is, with some degree of confidence, below a threshold. In channels with low noise, this threshold is several orders of magnitude lower than the simulated frame error rate, and our bound holds with very high degree of confidence. In contrast, showing this error performance by simulation would require very long Monte Carlo runs. When the AMLC holds, our approach thus provides the decoder with extra error detection capability, which is especially important in applications requiring high data integrity.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract This article summarizes the results of a Nutrient Biomarker Study in the Women's Health Initiative, and its application to studies of the association between energy and protein consumption and the risk of major cancers and cardiovascular diseases. The presentation emphasizes measurement error modeling and related data analysis methods, since addressing measurement issues appears to be central to these topics and to progress in nutritional epidemiology more generally. The manner in which body mass index is modeled in disease association analysis is particularly challenging, since it could serve as a mediator or as a confounder of the association, and at the same time contributes valuably to energy and protein consumption assessment. A hazard ratio parameter estimation procedure tha...

CERN Document Server

The fast rotating wire scanners installed in the PS and the PS booster are used for the precise transversal profile measurements in horizontal and vertical planes. The scanners may show large position measurement errors if no special treatment is applied to the acquired data. The aim of the calibration is to obtain a correction algorithm for the systematic position measurement error due to mechanical and electronic offsets. A new calibration system has been developed and introduced at CERN for the scanners implementing position feedback control. The calibration method is based on a substitution of a particle beam by a laser one where the laser beam position is well known. According to the previous experience the following crucial requirements to the system have been taking into consideration: heavy and mechanically stable design of the calibration bench to reduce mechanical ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Full text of publication follows: Energy and environment are two major concerns in our modern society due to the coming shortage in fossil energy sources and the growing of greenhouse gas emissions. The challenge for the coming years is to discover new energy resources and to develop devices that are compatible with a sustainable development and generate few (or zero) emission. One of these devices is the fuel cell feed by hydrogen, whose application fields are very large. In particular, the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is the most realistic device for automotive application. However, hydrogen storage remains one of the most important challenges regarding its development. Although different techniques are available for storing hydrogen, no ideal solution has been found yet. Compression needs elaborated tanks in shape for supporting high pressures, liquefaction requires an expensive hydrogen cooling and adapted tanks. Chemical storage by hydrides imposes heavy devices. A ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The existing theoretical and experimental basis for predicting the levels of resonant static error field at different components m,n that stop plasma rotation and produce a locked mode is reviewed. For ITER ohmic discharges, the slow rotation of the very large plasma is predicted to incur a locked mode (and subsequent disastrous large magnetic islands) at a simultaneous weighted error field ({Sigma}{sub 1}{sup 3}w{sub m1}B{sup 2}{sub rm1}){sup {1/2}}/B{sub T} {ge} 1.9 x 10{sup -5}. Here the weights w{sub m1} are empirically determined from measurements on DIII-D to be w{sub 11} = 0. 2, w{sub 21} = 1.0, and w{sub 31} = 0. 8 and point out the relative importance of different error field components. This could be greatly obviated by application of counter injected neutral beams (which adds fluid flow to the natural ohmic electron drift). The addition of 5 MW of 1 MeV beams at 45{degrees} injection would ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

As a part of the program at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in induction-linac free-electron laser (IFEL) research, the authors are conducting a variety of activities addressing the unique requirements imposed on IFEL wiggler systems. They are actively developing improved DC iron-core electromagnetic wiggler designs to attain higher peak fields, greater tunability, and lower random error levels. They are pursuing specialized control systems, such as magnetic-field and beam-position controllers, which can relax requirements on the wiggler itself. They are also pursuing basic studies to establish the effect of radiation on permanent magnets.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In order to consider some procedures to prevent errors in radiotherapy based in learned lessons of accidental expositions and in accordance with information contained in international reports elaborated by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and of the data base availability by the European group Radiation Oncology Safety Information System (ROSIS) on the events, a research of the occurred errors was performed. For the evaluation of the incidents a data base based in the ROSIS and added plus a parameter was created 'type of error'. All the stored data make possible the evaluation of the 839 incidents in terms of frequency of the type of error, the process of detention, the number of reached patients and the degree of severity. Of the 50 types of found errors, the type of error more frequently was 'incorrect treatment ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The previous {sup 58}Ni and {sup 60}Ni set of resonance parameters (Endf/B7.O, Jeff-3, etc.) was based on the SAMMY analysis of Oak Ridge National Laboratory neutron transmission, scattering cross section and capture cross section measurements by C.M. Perey et al. The present results were obtained by adding to the SAMMY experimental database the capture cross sections measured recently at the Oak Ridge Linear Electron Accelerator by Guber et al. and the Geel Electron Linear Accelerator and very high-resolution neutron transmission measurements performed by Brusegan et al. A complete resonance parameter covariance matrix (RPCM) was obtained from the SAMMY analysis of the experimental database. The data sets were made consistent, when needed, by adjusting the neutron energy scales, the normalization coefficients, and the background corrections. The RPCM allows the calculation of the cross section ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A modified accumulator was devised to measure surface radon flux from porous media. It consists of a collector hood accumulator with a homogenizer pump and a pressure balancer. The latter was used to compensate for any pressure changes produced during sample withdrawl and hence eliminate additional radon transport from media. Errors resulting from radon back diffusion due to decreasing concentration gradient with time across the interface were eliminated by measuring radon concentrations in the accumulator for two different periods of time and calculating the true radon flux, J(o), from the solution of a time-dependent radon transport equation. Core samples from the observation site were withdrawn for laboratory determination of pkrosity, moisture content, bulk and grain densities, Ra-226 source concentration and the fraction of Rn-222 produced in the void volume. The data were used to calculate the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Empirical formulae are proposed for the description of relation between optimum energies minimizing the mean-weighted error of gamma absorption measurement of the thickness of layers in two-layer products with the thickness of every layer from 30 up to 150 mm by carbon. Error of informational parameter approximation with the application of tables does not exceed 10% in case of non-accurate assessment of layers thickness not exceeding 2.5%. Generalized equation is derived which binds main parameters of the task and permits to choose optimum energies with the accuracy sufficient for practical purposes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This handbook provides guidance in the application of quality assurance to measurement activities. It is intended to help those persons making measurements in applying quality assurance to their work activities by showing how laboratory practices and quality assurance requirements are integrated to provide control within those activities. The use of the guidance found in this handbook should help provide consistency in the interpretation of quality assurance requirements across all types of measurement laboratories. This handbook also can assist quality assurance personnel in understanding the relationships between laboratory practices and quality assurance requirements. The handbook is composed of three chapters and several appendices. Basic guidance is provided by the three chapters. In Chapter 1, the role of quality assurance in obtaining quality data and the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Algorithms for the authentication of byte sequences are described. The algorithms are designed to authenticate data in the Storage, Retrieval, Analysis, and Display (SRAD) Test Data Archive of the Radiation Effects and Testing Directorate (9100) at Sandia National Laboratories, and may be used in similar situations where authentication of stored data is required. The algorithms use a well-known error detection method called the Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC). When a byte sequence is authenticated and stored, CRC bytes are generated and attached to the end of the sequence. When the authenticated data is retrieved, the authentication check consists of processing the entire sequence, including the CRC bytes, and checking for a remainder of zero. The error detection properties of the CRC are extensive and result in a reliable authentication of SRAD data.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Traditional laboratory diffusion experiments in rock material are time consuming, and quite small samples are generally used. Electrical conductivity measurements, on the other hand, provide a fast means for examining transport properties in rock and allow measurements on larger samples as well. Laboratory measurements using electrical conductivity give results that compare well to those from traditional diffusion experiments. The measurement of the electrical resistivity in the rock surrounding a borehole is a standard method for the detection of water conducting fractures. If these data could be correlated to matrix diffusion properties, in-situ diffusion data from large areas could be obtained. This would be valuable because it would make it possible to obtain data very early in future investigations of potentially suitable sites for a repository. This study ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dose reconstruction is a process that re-creates the treatment-time dose deposited in a patient provided there is knowledge of the delivered energy fluence and the patient's anatomy at the time of treatment. A method for reconstructing dose is presented. The process starts with delivery verification, in which the incident energy fluence from a treatment is computed using the exit detector signal and a transfer matrix to convert the detector signal to energy fluence. With the verified energy fluence and a CT image of the patient in the treatment position, the treatment-time dose distribution is computed using any model-based algorithm such as convolution/superposition or Monte Carlo. The accuracy of dose reconstruction and the ability of the process to reveal delivery errors are presented. Regarding accuracy, a reconstructed dose distribution was compared with a measured film distribution for a simulated breast treatment carried out on a thorax ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inelastic scattering of #alpha#-particles in 22-24 MeV energy range on "1"8o o, "1"9f, "2"0Ne, "2"2Ne nuclei is investigated. Measurements of excitation functions were conducted for the beam of Leningrad University cyclo otron at several angles in 15-165 deg range of laboratory system with 2.5 deg spacing. The error of determining absolute cross sections equals +-20% for "2"2Ne and +-12% for other nuclei. Angular distributions have the differaction character, are similar in form for all nuclei, the values of differential cross- -sections don't exceed the rutherford values. The dependence of integral cross-sections on the energy of level excitation is similar to the exponential d dependence of cross-sections of production of the given element isotopes on the gergy difference of masses of final nuclear products in the reactions of deeply inelastic transfers with heavy ions. The observed isotopic effect in the value of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) is government-owned, government-operated, and programmatically under the DOE Office of Environmental Management. The Laboratory is administered by the Chicago Operations Office. EML provides program management, technical assistance and data quality assurance for measurements of radiation and radioactivity relating to environmental restoration, global nuclear nonproliferation, and other priority issues for the Department of Energy, as well as for other government, national, and international organizations. This report presents the technical activities and accomplishments of EML for Fiscal Year 1998.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A method for the analysis of three-component mixtures is described. The method is used for contact-free determination of component concentration in the mixtures transported via a product duct. Formulae as an aid in choosing the gamma radiation source and estimating the efficiency of measurement are given. The errors of measurement by the method of formaline-water-carbamide mixture is 1-2 %. 9 refs.; 1 fig.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

One of the key issues in safety assessment of high-level nuclear waste disposal is evaluating the effects of uncertainty inherent in radionuclide migration parameter values. In this paper, radionuclide transport parameter values and error variances (uncertainties) from in-situ tracer experiments, carried out in a single fracture at the Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory (HRL) in Sweden, are identified by solving the inverse problem in a framework of the maximum likelihood theory. From the results, it is found that the parameter value uncertainty caused by a conceptual model of radionuclide migration is greater than that caused by a fluctuation in the observed breakthrough curve data. (author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An accelerator experiment was performed using a low-energy antiproton beam to measure antiproton detection efficiency of BESS, a balloon-borne spectrometer with a superconducting solenoid. Measured efficiencies showed good agreement with calculated ones derived from the BESS Monte Carlo simulation based on GEANT/GHEISHA. With detailed verification of the BESS simulation, the relative systematic error of detection efficiency derived from the BESS simulation has been determined to be {+-}5%, compared with the previous estimation of {+-}15% which was the dominant uncertainty for measurements of cosmic-ray antiproton flux.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Exposure control at the operating Nuclear Power Station is a major concern. The challenging task of meeting the International standards in the field of radiation protection is the calibration of the radiation monitoring instruments and interpretation of personnel and area monitoring results. Correct interpretation is based on accurate calibration of radiation measuring instruments. The reliability and accuracy of the measurements are also partly based on the procedures applied in calibration. Inadequate calibration can cause large errors in dose estimation in complete dose rate range and energy range. Semiautomatic calibration facility established at TAPS 3 and 4 for radiation monitoring instruments. Objective of calibration facility is (a) Ensure instruments are working properly (b) calibration adjustment and (c) in case without calibration adjustment to reveal the error involved. The calibration ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper reports on a series of laboratory and controlled test site measurements of the thermal conductivity of polyisocyanurate foam laminated boardstock roof insulations produced with several different blowing agents; CFC-11, HCFC-123, HCFC-14lb, and two blends of the HCFCs. The behavior of the experimental foams with HCFCs is compared to that of conventional polyisocyanurate foam blown with CFC-11. Thermal drift observed from two years of field exposure is compared to laboratory accelerated aging tests and the laboratory and field measurement techniques are described. This work is part of a Joint Industry/Government Project established in the United States to evaluate the technical viability of HCFC alternative blowing agents for polyisocyanurate foam roof insulations.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An engineering tool incorporating a scanning infrared radiometer, an image digitizer, a microcomputer, and the software to drive the system was developed to allow remote mapping of the temperature distribution in solar cavity receivers. Using enclosure analysis, the infrared image processing program extracts the irradiance map from the radiosity map of the cavity to yield an emissive power map. Using the calibration curve of the radiometer and the emissivity of the surface of the cavity, the emissive power map is transformed into a temperature map. The system was tested by comparing its calculated temperatures to temperatures measured by thermocouples at several locations on the surfaces of heated model cavity receivers. The average relative error for the cavities ranged from 4.6%--34.9%, with the relative error on the base usually less than half that on the wall. Some work was also carried out to compensate the detected ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

After presenting the advantages of applying neutron moisture gages to the continuous measurement of blast-furnace coke moisture and explaining the factors influencing the measurement accuracy, the necessity of calibrating these devices under flow conditions and the encountered difficulties are discussed. Using statistical methods it has been observed that the main source of calibration errors is the sampling phase. Based on results of mathematical processing, a new calibration method with higher performance - compared with the earlier ones - is proposed. This method allows to achieve high accuracy in a relatively short time. (author).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In October last year the first intercomparison of measurements of the soil radon concentrations between various laboratories in Slovakia was realised. The organisation of this intercomparison was conducted by the Slovak Legal Metrology in Banska Bystrica together with the Slovak National Accreditation Service in Bratislava (SNAS). The scientific guarantee of the exercise was the State metrological Centre for radon quantities, which is working at the Research base of Slovak Medical University in Bratislava. The main objective of the intercomparison was to verify the correctness of the methods for the soil radon measurements of the authorised laboratories for radon volume activities in soil air. The intercomparison (signed as SLM ILC 3/03) was performed as a 'circular' metrology comparison, in accordance with a methodical directive MSA 0117-98, published by SNAS. Six laboratories were ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

New measuring methods are developed and are tested with the small reactor simulator MIDAS (Mini Dodewaard ASsembly). The purpose of this work is to be able to measure accurately as many different properties of the flow as possible in the coming bigger simulator SIDAS (Simulated Dodewaard ASsembly). In SIDAS the flow around a fuel assembly of the Dutch Dodewaard reactor will be simulated. An extensive evaluation of the gamma detection system showed that the detection system could be simplified strongly. The simplified system is used to measure the radial and axial distribution of the void fraction in the core of MIDAS for three different operating conditions. Two new measuring methods have been developed and tested. A method to estimate the probability density of the void fraction in time. Due to the nonlinear relation between transmission and void fraction the determined average value of the void ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The classical stochastic approximation methods are shown to yield algorithms to solve several formulations of the PAC learning problem defined on the domain [o,1]{sup d}. Under some assumptions on different ability of the probability measure functions, simple algorithms to solve some PAC learning problems are proposed based on networks of non-polynomial units (e.g. artificial neural networks). Conditions on the sizes of these samples required to ensure the error bounds are derived using martingale inequalities.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This article examines the question of finding the best quadratic function to approximate a given function on an interval. The prototypical function considered is f(x) = ex. Two approaches are considered, one based on Taylor polynomial approximations at various points in the interval under consideration, the other based on the fact that three non-collinear points determine a unique quadratic function. Three different techniques for measuring the error in the approximations are considered.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Application of an optimization technique to extract the non-ideal parameters of gas absorption with chemical reactions process was described. The gas absorption was modeled using mass transfer theory to represent the realistic behaviors of an absorber. The model was a highly non-linear iterative model which correlated the overall rate of absorption as the function of unknown non-ideal parameters, including the physical liquid mass transfer coefficient and the wetted interfacial area of of packings. The optimization program was developed to minimize the sum of squares of relative errors between the model predictions and the experimental data. Four sets of experimental data (case studies) with different operating conditions were used for extracting parameters. Comparisons between predicted and experimental measured overall absorption rate were in good agreement, average absolute value of relative errors not exceeding 5.4 %. ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Objective: To develop a method for RIA of transferrin without dilution of the serum sample. Methods: The measurable range was broadened through: Lowering of the specific radioactivity of the labelled antigen, increasing the concentration of the anti-serum and improve the curve fitting method. Results: The antiserum affinity was 3.82 x 10"-"1"0 mol/L, the specific radioactivity of the labelled antigen was 15.3 mg/mic, inter-assay error CV 5.38%, intra-assay error CV = 3.5% and the shape of the curve was good. For 30 normal control specimens, the mean TF content was 2.81 +- 0.972 mg/ml. Conclusion: Development of a method for RIA of TF without previous dilution of the test serum was of clinical value

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This report describes the method of Allan variance and its application to the characterization of a Ring Laser Gyro`s (RLG) performance. Allan variance, a time domain analysis technique, is an accepted IEEE standard for gyro specifications. The method was initially developed by David Allan of the National Bureau of Standards to quantify the error statistics of a Cesium beam frequency standard employed as the US Frequency Standards in 1960`s. The method can, in general, be applied to analyze the error characteristics of any precision measurement instrument. The key attribute of the method is that it allows for a finer, easier characterization and identification of error sources and their contribution to the overall noise statistics. This report presents an overview of the method, explains the relationship between Allan variance and power spectral density distribution of underlying noise sources, ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozone production by synchrotron radiation as a function of power density in air was investigated using a white beam at the BNL National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) x-ray ring. Power densities were calculated from the energy spectrum at 2.52 GeV. Ozone concentrations in small beam pipes were measured for power densities between I = 10"1"2 and 10"1"5 eV . cm"-"3 . sec"-"1. The measured ozone half-life was 37 +- 2 min. The measured G-value was 2.69 +- 0.14 mol/100 eV and the ozone destruction factor k was less than 7 x 10"-"1"9 cm"3 . eV"-"1. The random uncertainties stated are approximately one standard error. The large departure of the values for G and k from previous values suggest that some undiscovered systematic error may exist in the experiment. Ozone concentration in excess of the 0.1 ppM ACGIH TLV can be generated in the experimental hutches but can readily be controlled. ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A method that employs simultaneous neutron and #gamma#-ray diffraction techniques is proposed for accurate measurements of strains with or without an applied electric field (0-100 kV m"-"1). Instead of an absolute determination of the position of the neutron Bragg peak, a relative measurement of the neutron and #gamma# peak positions is used and allows a determination of the lattice-parameter changes with an accuracy of within 2 x 10"-"6. This technique avoids systematic errors originating in sample rotations by taking advantage of a reference directly related to the crystal lattice. The method appears to be particularly important for crystals that exhibit structural phase transitions, as demonstrated by the measurement of the strain U_x_x in KH_2PO_4 crystals as a function of temperature and applied electric field. In this case the errors would amount to #+-#20%. The results ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The paper abstracted gives a tabular survey of the suppliers and applications of measuring equipment. Equipment is available for the following fields of application: Continuous measuring instruments for stationary operation, laboratory equipment for sampling and hand equipment for mobile measurement, sampling equipment for examining emissions and gases, detectors, storage and evaluation equipment and meteorological instruments. (PW).

CERN Document Server

The Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment is designed to determine the yet unknown neutrino mixing angle theta_13 by measuring the disappearance of electron antineutrinos from several nuclear reactor cores, using multiple underground detectors at different baselines to minimize systematic errors and to suppress the cosmogenic background. The civil construction has begun since October 2007, enabling first commissioning data in 2009, and full data taking will begin in late 2010. The planned sensitivity in sin^2 (2theta_13) of better than 0.01 at 90% CL will be achieved in three years of data-taking. I will present an overview and current status of the experiment.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The document describes the outcome of the CSN/CIEMAT-00 interlaboratory test comparison among environmental radioactivity laboratories. the exercise was organised according to the ISO-43 and the ISO/IUPAC/AOAC Harmonized Protocol for the proficiency testing of analytical laboratories. the test sample was a soil containing environmental levels of K-40, Ra-226, Ac-228, Sr-90, Cs-137, Cs-134, Pu (239-240) y Am-241. the Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona prepared the material and reported adequate statistical studies of homogeneity. The results of the exercise were computed for 30 participating laboratories, and their analytical performance was assessed using the u-score approach. A raised percentage of satisfactory laboratory performance has been obtained for all the analysis, being the best performance in gamma measurements. The exercise has drawn that several ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Measurements of human joint motion frequently involve the use of opto-electronic and other motion analysis systems where some type of makers are used to establish joint motion within a global reference coordinate frame. Typically, this global reference coordinate frame is chosen to be most convenient for the person carrying out the experiment in which the joint motion is measured, and Euler angles are chosen as the measure of joint motion. Results, however, may be quite arbitrary and therefore rendered meaningless if the reference frame is not properly chosen with respect to the physical joint axis. In order to make a proper choice of coordinate axes in the reference frame, one must take into consideration both the location and the orientation of die physical joint axis relative to the reference frame`s axes. In nature, joint axes can exist at any orientation and location relative to an arbitrarily chosen global reference ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This issue has the following articles: (1) Deterrence with a Minimum Nuclear Stockpile - Commentary by Bruce T. Goodwin; (2) Enhancing Confidence in the Nation's Nuclear Stockpile - Livermore experts are participating in a national effort aimed at predicting how nuclear weapon materials and systems will likely change over time; (3) Narrowing Uncertainties - For climate modeling and many other fields, understanding uncertainty, or margin of error, is critical; (4) Insight into a Deadly Disease - Laboratory experiments reveal the pathogenesis of tularemia in host cells, bringing scientists closer to developing a vaccine for this debilitating disease. (5) Return to Rongelap - On the Rongelap Atoll, Livermore scientists are working to minimize radiological exposure for natives now living on or wishing to return to the islands.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Obtaining precise values of the undulator parameter, K, is critical for producing high-gain FEL radiation. At the LCLS [1], where the FEL wavelength reaches down to 1.5 {angstrom}, the relative precision of K must satisfy ({Delta}K/K){sub rms} {approx}< 0.015% over the full length of the undulator. Transverse misalignments, construction errors, radiation damage, and temperature variations all contribute to errors in the mean K values among the undulator segments. It is therefore important to develop some means to measure relative K values, after installation and alignment. We propose a method using the angle-integrated spontaneous radiation spectrum of two nearby undulator segments, and the natural shot-to-shot energy jitter of the electron beam. Simulation of this scheme is presented using both ideal and measured undulator fields. By ''leap-frogging'' to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A technique for the measurement of the total hemispherical emittance of pipe surfaces is described, and design and operational details are given. The technique is conceptually simple. A long test pipe (e.g., 3.4 m) is mounted concentrically inside a Pyrex glass pipe. The system is evacuated, and the test pipe is heated by means of an electrical resistance heater. Heat transfer from the test pipe to the enclosure is almost solely radiative, allowing an average emittance for the test pipe and the Pyrex pipe and the electrical power input to the heater. By varying the electrical power level, one can measure the test pipe emittance as a function of temperature. By using a simple correction to account for the finite length of the test pipe, one can calculate the results using the simple expression for infinite, concentric cylinders. Results agree with measurements by reflectance techniques and have a nominal relative ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The emittances of hydrogen and deuterium negative ion beams produced by volume ion sources have been measured in a transverse plane normal to the beam trajectory. The extraction voltage was varied from 10 to 40 kV, and the transverse magnetic field in the Penning discharges was varied from 0.1 to 0.2 T. Measurements were made on beams with current densities up to 60 mA/cm/sup 2/ at Oak Ridge National Laboratory with an emittance scanner originally developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The beam profile at the scanner can be used to improve the accuracy of the emittance measurements. Other factors affecting emittance measurements are discussed. This analysis may be applicable to other ion sources. 6 figs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

There are various reasons for preferring local (e.g., three bump) orbit correction methods to global corrections. One is the difficulty of solving the mN equations for the required mN correcting bumps, where N is the number of superperiods and m is the number of bumps per superperiod. The latter is not a valid reason for avoiding global corrections, since, we can take advantage of the superperiod symmetry to reduce the mN simultaneous equations to N separate problems, each involving only m simultaneous equations. Previously, I have shown how to solve the general problem when the machine contains unknown magnet errors of known probability distribution; we made measurements of known precision of the orbit displacements at a set of points, and we wish to apply correcting bumps to minimize the weighted rms orbit deviations. In this report, we will consider two simpler problems, using similar methods. We consider the case when we make M beam ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Mixed Waste Landfill occupies 2.6 acres in the north-central portion of Technical Area 3 at Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico. The landfill accepted low-level radioactive and mixed waste from March 1959 to December 1988. This report represents the Corrective Measures Study that has been conducted for the Mixed Waste Landfill. The purpose of the study was to identify, develop, and evaluate corrective measures alternatives and recommend the corrective measure(s) to be taken at the site. Based upon detailed evaluation and risk assessment using guidance provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the New Mexico Environment Department, the U.S. Department of Energy and Sandia National Laboratories recommend that a vegetative soil cover be deployed as the preferred corrective measure for the Mixed Waste Landfill. The cover would be ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A newly developed discrete-time adaptive sliding mode power system stabilizer (PSS) is proposed in this paper. Because the proposed PSS is developed in the pure discrete-time domain it is able to maintain the stability with the rather slower smapling frequency compared to discretized conventional continuous-time sliding mode PSS. The proposed PSS has the three main superiorities to the conventional PSS. First, because the proposed PSS utilizes the sliding mode control method, it has the strong robustness to the variations of the system parameters. Hence, it can overcome the minor disturbances such as identification errors, modeling errors, etc. Second, the proposed PSS needs only input/output measurements as feedback signals. Hence, it does not need the measurements of the state variables as the conventional sliding mode PSS or PSS based on the linear quadratic control method does. Finally, because the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A new two-phase friction multiplier correlation has been developed to predict the pressure profile in two-phase flow with heat addition. The main difference from other pressure drop prediction routines is that in addition to the effect of quality, the effects of system pressure, heat and mass flux on the two-phase multiplier are included. The inception of two-phase flow is defined to occur at the onset of significant void in the subcooled boiling regime instead of the boundary between negative and positive thermodynamic equilibrium quality. Pressure drop data from an experiment with a fully segmented 6-metre long, 37-element fuel string were used to optimize the constants and exponents of this correlation for the friction multiplier. This pressure drop prediction technique was shown to successfully predict the measured pressure profiles. The more than one hundred overall pressure drop data were predicted with an RMS error of 5.4 percent. The ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The report considers experimental and theoretical works on studying the energy spectra of prompt neutrons emitted in spontaneous fission and neutron induced fission of Minor Actinides. It is noted that neutron spectra investigations were done for only a small number of such nuclei, most measurements, except those of Cf-252, having been carried out long ago by obsolete methods and imperfectapparatus. The works have no detailed description of experiments, analysis of errors, detailed numerical information about results of experiments. A conclusion is made that the available data do not come up to modern requirements. It is necessary to make new measurements of fission prompt neutron spectra of transuranium nuclides important for the objectives of working out a conception of minor actinides transmutation by means of special reactors. (author).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A Quantitative Computed Tomography (QCT) method, simplifying the well-known technique proposed by Genant (1982) and applied to a standard third generation whole body CT scanner is described. This technique was applied in the measurement of the trabecular bone which has high sensitivity for metabolic changes. The BMC (Bone Mineral Content) measured in different groups of subjects (healthy postmenopausal patients versus women with postmenopausal osteoporosis) showed a highly significant difference (p<0.001). The precision of repositioning (coefficient of variation 1.8% to 2.3%, obtained in healty male patients) and the good, linear relationship computed from the phantom values, minimize measurement errors. Since this method is quickly applied and involves low-dose radiation-exposure, it could be introduced in the clinical study of metabolic bone diseases.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A consideration is given to the problem of selecting optimized methods of radionuclide radiation registration during the control of the objects with essential changes in thickness. Adequate model of information signal formation is developed and analyzed for the case of the existence of an inertial link of the system with the dead time of a noncontinued type. The boundary values of radiation thickness and radiation flux intensity that divide the priority of using either digital or analog registration modes are revealed. The method is found for the full correction of a systematic error of flux intensity measurement because of the dead time of the apparatus. To control the objects with essential variation of thickness the method of selective measurement of radiation intensity is proposed

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bubbly and slug flows have been analyzed using the afore-mentioned techniques. An image series of bubbly-slug flow is shown. The image separation time is 17 ms, and the total flow length is {approx} 10 cm. A circular eddy pattern that follows the slug can be readily seen and tracked, although reliability is low due to motion in the transverse direction. This motion also adds considerable error to the velocity measurements using image recognition technique. This will increase the reliability and accuracy of the tracking method.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The search for the mixing angle Formula Not Shown , the last unknown angle in the neutrino mixing matrix, is one of the main priorities in the field of neutrino physics. By measuring Formula Not Shown to better than 0.01 at 90% C.L., the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment has the highest sensitivity to this parameter among all the other experiments that are currently operating or under construction. The experiment consists of multiple identical detectors placed underground at different baselines from three groups of reactors, a configuration that minimizes systematic errors and cosmogenic backgrounds. The main aspects of the experiment, as well as its current status and future prospects, are reviewed.

Science.gov (United States)

The ultimate compressive strength of 36 thoracolumbar vertebrae was determined experimentally. In addition, the trabecular bone mineral content was measured by single energy quantitative computed tomography. The areas of fractured endplates were also determined by computed tomography. The results show that a linear relationship exists between the compressive strength and the product of bone density and endplate area. These data allow an in vivo prediction of vertebral body strength using a noninvasive method with a standard error of estimate amounting to less than 0.95 kN. PMID:3212488

CERN Document Server

The processes psi'-->p pbar pi^0 and psi'-->p pbar eta are studied using a sample of 14 million psi' decays collected with the Beijing Spectrometer at the Beijing Electron-Positron Collider. The branching fraction of psi'-->p pbar pi^0 is measured with improved precision as (13.2\\pm 1.0\\pm 1.5)\\times 10^{-5}, and psi'-->p pbar eta is observed for the first time with a branching fraction of (5.8\\pm 1.1\\pm 0.7)\\times 10^{-5}, where the first errors are statistical and the second ones are systematic.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bragg peaks obtained in X-ray stress analysis studies are often asymmetric. The use of K/sub ..beta../ rather than K/sub ..cap alpha../ radiation simplifies the problem of peak location, as only one Bragg peak needs to be analysed. It is shown, however, that the common practice of fitting a parabola to the top 15% of the data in a Bragg peak in order to determine the peak position, when the fitted region is asymmetric, can lead to large errors in the calculated stress. Asymmetric pseudo-Lorentzian functions have been found to provide the most satisfactory fits.

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The paper presents an integrated approach to the problem of electron temperature diagnostics of the plasma in a reversed field pinch. Three different methods, sampling different portions of the electron distribution function, are adopted, namely Thomson scattering, soft X-ray spectroscopy by pulse-height analysis and filtered soft X-ray intensity ratio. A careful analysis of the different sources of systematic errors is performed and a novel statistical approach is adopted to mutually validate the three independent measurements. A satisfactory agreement is obtained over a large range of experimental conditions, indicating that in the plasma core the energy distribution function is well represented by a maxwellian. (author)

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The use of the method is described on powder samples before and after sintering with a La content of up to 1%. For excitation of the K series of La a /sup 241/Am source with an activity of 1.11 GBq was used. The obtained results showed that the method is sufficiently accurate (error 7%) at a short period of measurement (100 s). It gives satisfactory results even in the comparison of the experimental relative count rate and the theoretically calculated value despite the fact that the analytical signal comes from the sample surface.

CERN Document Server

Based on Friedberg and Lee's geometric picture by which the tribimaximal PMNS leptonic mixing matrix is constructed, namely corresponding mixing angles correspond to the geometric angles among the sides of a cube. We suggest that the three realistic mixing angles which slightly deviate from the values determined for the cube, are due to a viable deformation from the perfectly cubic shape. Taking the best fitted results of $\\theta_{12}$ and $\\theta_{23}$ as inputs, we determine the central value of $\\sin^22\\theta_{13}$ should be 0.0238 with a relatively large error tolerance, this value lies in the range of measurement precision of the Daya Bay experiment.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Researchers at the Laboratory of Nuclear Microanalysis in Besancon (France) are developing and improving radon measurements in order to detect and analyse, more precisely radon emanation anomalies in both fields of Earth Sciences and Radioprotection. In order to characterize radon emanation, two complementary techniques are developed; continuous measurement through a portable proportional counter and passive measurements by nuclear track detectors for both fieldwork and laboratory analysis. A mathematical model is being devised to interpret the nuclear track detector response. This model is performed according to the device characteristics: type of detectors, shape and size of cells and whether a membrane is used or not. In addition to the theoritical study, experimental radon concentration measurements will be reported. (author).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Today`s nuclear power plants are marked by increasing needs for non-destructive inspection techniques in preventive maintenance programs. Additionally, it is becoming more important to evaluate residual stress which may be a key parameter for crack propagations in welded pipings. The authors have developed an ultrasonic velocity measurement method which obtains ultrasonic velocity changes by residual stress with a high accuracy. The ultrasonic velocity measurement is composed of three procedures. They are as follows. (1) Highly accurate propagation time measurements; (2) Pipe thickness correction; (3) Residual stress evaluation. The ultrasonic velocity measurements have been applied to the residual stress evaluation of carbon steel welded pipings. Destructive testing using stress strain gauges was done after the ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation of the residual stress. The experimental results ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The project is described, the motivation for the research and the microclimate is defined in relation to both building physics research and applications. Air temperatur, air humidity, solar radiation and air velocity are briefly considered, whilst driving rain and long-wave radiation are described in more detail. Convective heat transfer and surface coefficients are discussed, although they are not microclimatic factors, merely resulting from combinations of such factors. They are included as they are important in relation to transfer of heat and moisture at the surface of the building envelope. Driving rain measurement is the main area of interest, including development of measurement equipment. Long-wave irradiation is measured and compared with empirical formulae from the literature. Window convection heat transfer is another main area of interest. Nocturnal convective heat transfer from a double pane glazing is studied ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundErrors have been the concern of providers and consumers of health care services. However, consumers' perception of medical errors in developing countries is rarely explored....Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper describes a new time-resolved three-dimensional, three-component (3D-3C) measurement technique called wall-PIV. It was developed to assess near wall flow fields and shear rates near non-planar surfaces. The method is based on light absorption according to Beer-Lambert's law. The fluid containing a molecular dye and seeded with buoyant particles is illuminated by a monochromatic, diffuse light. Due to the dye, the depth of view is limited to the near wall layer. The three-dimensional particle positions can be reconstructed by the intensities of the particle's projection on an image sensor. The flow estimation is performed by a new algorithm, based on learned particle trajectories. Possible sources of measurement errors related to the wall-PIV technique are analyzed. The accuracy analysis was based on single particle experiments and a three-dimensional artificial data set simulating a rotating ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An instrumental neutron activation technique of determining molybdenum in ores is based on measuring gamma-activity of the "9"9Mo isotope with the use of planar and coaxial semiconductor spectrometers. A lot consisting of 50 portions, 0.5 g each, is being irradiated for 10 hours by a flow of neutrons with the density of 10"1"2 n/cm"2xsec. On the lot being allowed to stay for 3-4 days, its activity is measured during 1-5 minutes. Monoethalons based upon phenol-formaldehyde resin are used as standards. The sensitivity of the technique is 10"-"4%, reproducibility error being not higher than 10%, efficiency up to 50 portions for a working shift.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Advanced Photon Source injector synchrotron is a 7-GeV positron machine with a standard alternating gradient lattice. The calculated effect of dipole magnet strength errors on the orbit distortion, simulated by Monte Carlo, was reduced by sorting pairs of magnets having the closest simulated measured strengths to reduce the driving the term of the integer resonance nearest the operating point. This method resulted in a factor of four average reduction in the rms orbit distortion when all 68 magnets were sorted at once. The simulated effect of magnet measurement experimental resolution was found to limit the actual improvement. The {Beta}-beat factors were similarly reduced by sorting the quadrupole magnets according to their gradients.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The Cs-137 radioactivity of a neutron-irradiated nuclear fuel sample has been measured by means of a micro-gamma scanning system which is associated with a high purity Ge detector. Subsequently the burn-up has been calculated from the Cs-137 radioactivity data and then compared with the values from the theoretical computation and chemical anaylsis. The burn-up value obtained with the gamma-scanning system seems to be reasonably agreeable with that of the chemical anaylsis provided that the statistical error in the experiments is taken into account. It is revealed that the burn-up data from the theoretical approach is slightly higher than those of micro-gamma scanning and chemical analysis methods. (Author).

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For charged particle irradiations, the response of an imaging plate (IP) changes around the Bragg peak. Therefore, an appropriate compensation is necessary for the evaluation of dose distribution formed by charged particles such as protons. In this paper, the response of IPs to clinical proton beams is investigated. An experimentally-obtained depth-dose distribution (an ordinary Bragg curve) by a silicon semiconductor detector (SSD) is employed to evaluate the compensation factors as a function of proton penetrating depth, i.e. residual range. A typical dose distribution in a water phantom formed by an L-shaped bolus is measured by IPs and corrected by using the information of those compensation factors; the residual proton range is successfully calculated by the pencil beam algorithm at an arbitrary point. The results show a good agreement with the measurements by the SSD within the rms error of 3.0%.

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The results of X-ray and neutron diffraction experiments on molten alkali halides in which some data of our experiments by X-ray diffraction such as those of molten LiCl, NaCl, KCl, LiBr and KBr are included were summarized. The first peak positions in the radial distribution function in molten alkali halides by X-ray or neutron diffraction experiments are always longer than those by computer simulations and the differences of 0.1 -- 0.3 A exceed the experimental error. It seems to be due to the deformation of the electron shell. In the computer simulation, the shell model which has the spherical deformation was expected to have a closer value of the first peak position to the experimental one than the rigid ion model by taking the polarization of ions. However, no change in the first peak position was found. Therefore, the non-spherical deformation of electron shell at the point where ions are in contact with each other has to be taken into account. The neutron ...

CERN Document Server

The first quantitative evaluation of the quality of corporate firewall configurations appeared in 2004, based on Check Point FireWall-1 rule-sets. In general that survey indicated that corporate firewalls were often enforcing poorly written rule-sets, containing many mistakes. The goal of this work is to revisit the first survey. The current study is much larger. Moreover, for the first time, the study includes configurations from two major vendors. The study also introduce a novel "Firewall Complexity" (FC) measure, that applies to both types of firewalls. The findings of the current study indeed validate the 2004 study's main observations: firewalls are (still) poorly configured, and a rule-set's complexity is (still) positively correlated with the number of detected risk items. Thus we can conclude that, for well-configured firewalls, ``small is (still) beautiful''. However, unlike the 2004 study, we see no significant indication that later software versions ...

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This doctoral thesis addresses some problems in the analysis of spatial and spatial-temporal data and discusses prediction, prediction errors and identification of emission sources. European sulphur data are used as illustration. In an investigation of a spatial-temporal decomposition model for improving estimates of spatial interpolation (prediction) errors from monitoring data, the estimates were improved compared to estimates obtained by the method known as Kriging (an extension of the Wiener-Kolmogorov theory from time series to spatial processes), although the interpolated values were quite similar. A study of a random process model with an unknown, slowly varying trend and a correlated residual process is performed, using both trend estimation (smoothing) and prediction. Local polynomial methods are extended to continuous random processes. A new approach to non-parametric smoothing and to non-parametric Kriging is described. Finally, a ...

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In 1998, research began at Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory to investigate the application of {sup 6}Li and {sup 7}Li isotopes to the measurement of neutron and gamma radiation. Various size pairs of {sup 6}Li and {sup 7}Li based detectors were exposed to mixed neutron and gamma radiation. Experiments demonstrated that these detectors could be used to measure low level neutron radiation in the presence of high level gamma radiation. (author)

Science.gov (United States)

Available from UMI in association with The British Library. Requires signed TDF. Design of time and correlation windows for non -parametric frequency response estimates. The thesis deals with problems that arise in the field of spectral analysis due to finite observations of input and output records. In particular, it is concerned with the method of applying time and correlation windows in spectral analysis procedures to obtain non-parametric frequency response estimates of open-loop time invariant systems. The thesis reviews and develops the sources of error that arise when frequency response techniques are applied directly to windowed records of input and output data to estimate the frequency response of open loop systems. Having identified the cause of these errors, methods of eliminating or reducing them are studied. The techniques introduced involve the use of differing time windows for the input and output data records. It is shown that ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

New technological advances make it possible to perform on site gas-in-oil analysis quickly and efficiently. Gas-in-oil analysis is crucial in assessing the status of oil-filled electrical equipment. The new technique is used for extracting and measuring gases dissolved in electrical insulating oil. On-site sampling requires the use of a specially designed 100 ml capacity syringe. Extraction of the dissolved gases is made with a precise ratio of oil to air. A comparison was made between the analysis of the on-site and the laboratory techniques. Results showed that the detection limits of the on-site technique were comparable to those obtained by laboratory methods.

Science.gov (United States)

The various sources of inertial navigation error are discussed in Section 2.2. It is the nature of inertial navigation errors ...

Science.gov (United States)

... 13 2.4 Inertial Navigation Error Model . . . . . ... sources such as electrical noise, thermal noise, etc. 2.4 Inertial Navigation Error Model ...

Science.gov (United States)

... 2.5.6 Development of Observation Equations . . . . . 25 2.6 Inertial Navigation Error Model . . . . . ... 2 , as expected. 2.6 Inertial Navigation Error Model ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

... 45 p. absorption spectroscopy errors lead lead 203 beta decay radioisotopes

Science.gov (United States)

We adapt the Jain-Taylor (2003) shear-ratio geometric lensing method to measure the dark energy equation of state, w = pv/?v and its time derivative from dark matter haloes in cosmologies with arbitrary spatial curvature. The full shear-ratio covariance matrix is calculated for lensed sources, including the intervening large-scale structure and photometric redshift errors as additional sources of noise, and a maximum likelihood method for applying the test is presented. Decomposing the lensing matter distribution into dark matter haloes we calculate the parameter covariance matrix for an arbitrary experiment. Combining with the expected results from the cosmic microwave background (CMB) we design an optimal survey for probing dark energy. This shows that a targeted survey imaging 60 of the largest clusters in a hemisphere with five-band optical photometric redshifts to a median galaxy depth of zm = 0.9 could measure w0 ? ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Many problems in physics necessitate the solution of equations which develop sharp gradients, such as shocks. These include atmospheric shocks near the earth's surface, plasma physics phenomena, both in the laboratory and in space, combustion, petroleum reservoir modelling, and light propagation in glass fibers. To deal with this situation, methods are needed which place a high density of nodes in the neighborhoods of the steep gradients. One of the most promising of these methods is the moving finite element method which was first invented by Miller. This approach, in which the nodes are moved so as to minimize the residual error, has been used successfully by Gelinas, Doss, and co-workers to study several different one-dimensional problems and shows great promise as well in dealing with two dimensions. A paper describing the one-dimensional results has already been published, and a paper describing the two-dimensional results is in ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moisture profiles from neutron probe data provide valuable information in site characterization and to supplement ground water monitoring efforts. The neutron probe precision error (reproducibility) is found to be about 0.2 vol% under in situ field conditions where the slope in moisture content with depth is varying slowly. This error is about 2 times larger near moisture spikes (e.g., at the vapor phase notch), due to the sensitivity of the probe response to vertical position errors on the order of 0.5 inches. Calibrations were performed to correct the downhole probe response to the volumetric moisture content determined on core samples. Calibration is sensitive to borehole diameter and casing type, requiring 3 separate calibration relations for the boreholes surveyed here. Power law fits were used for calibration in this study to assure moisture content results greater than zero. Findings in the boreholes reported here ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The computer program is developed based on Visual C++, which is equipped with a user-friendly interface of the input/output(I/O) and a display function for the measuring conditions. This program consists of three parts which are the port communication, PLC(Programmable Logic Controller) and the MCA(Multi Channel Analyzer) control parts. The communication type between the CPU of the PLC module box and the computer is selected as be the Rs-232 asynchronous type and the thread method is adapted in the development of the first part of the program. The PLC-related program has been developed so that the data communication between the PLC CPU and the computer could be harmonized with the unique commands which have already been defined in the PLC. The measuring space and time intervals, the start and end ROI(region of interest) values, and the allowable error limitation are input at each measurement in this ...

Science.gov (United States)

The ratio of the proton's electric to magnetic form factor, G{sub E}/G{sub M}, can be extracted in elastic electron-proton scattering by measuring cross sections, beam-target asymmetry, or recoil polarization. Separate determinations of G{sub E}/G{sub M} by cross sections and recoil polarization observables disagree for Q{sup 2}>1 (GeV/c){sup 2}. Measurement by a third technique might uncover an unknown systematic error in either of the previous measurements. The beam-target asymmetry has been measured for elastic electron-proton scattering at Q{sup 2} = 1.51 (GeV/c){sup 2} for target spin orientation aligned perpendicular to the beam momentum direction. This is the largest Q{sup 2} at which G{sub E}/G{sub M} has been determined by a beam-target asymmetry experiment. The result, {mu}G{sub E}/G{sub M}=0.884{+-}0.027{+-}0.029, is compared to previous world data.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

To dispose the radioactive waste drums, the waste form's integrity and the nuclides inventories must be assured according to the national and site waste acceptance criteria. Because they might be would gravely affected the performance objectives of disposal site. Our national regulation for the waste inventory related to 'Radioactive Waste Acceptance Criteria' requires that the activities of 13 nuclides and gross {alpha} must be measured and the 95 % of nuclides incorporated in the drum must be identified. It is very difficult to measure the radioactivity with accuracy from the regulated waste drum(200L), and have a large error in the analysis results. In present, there are two system, SGS (Segmented Gamma Scanning System) and TGS (Tomographic Gamma Scanning System) for the analysis of radionuclides from the waste drums. In general, it is known that the accuracy of TGS is below 20 % and that of ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We describe in a comprehensive fashion the Los Alamos second-generation system for passive and active neutron assays of drum-size containers. The developmental history of this 7-year project is presented with emphasis on the pulsed active neutron technique (differential dieaway), which has achieved milligram levels of assay sensitivity for both plutonium and uranium wastes. We describe in detail the matrix effects for both passive and active neutron assays. We present in a thorough fashion our novel approach to achieving comprehensive corrections for these matrix effects using measurements made during the assays. We develop a matrix correction formalism based on separate neutron absorption and moderator indices determined from these measurements. These are presented as a series of analytic functions fitted to the data. Absolute calibrations and calibration standards are discussed, as is a practical means (pink drum ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A algorithm was developed to determine the characteristic parameters of PWR spent fuel, such as burnup, cooling time and initial enrichment of {sup 235}U by use of gamma-ray activity ratios of {sup 134}Cs/{sup 137}Cs, {sup 154}Eu/{sup 137}Cs and {sup 106}Ru/{sup 137}Cs from the high resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy and ORIGEN-S calculations. For the verification of the method developed, gamma-ray measurements of Kori-1 and Kori-2 nuclear fuel rods were carried out using HPGe gamma ray scanning system. As a results, it is revealed that the measured values are in a good agreement with the operator declared values within the about {+-} 5% errors. Besides, the under-water burnup measuring device has been designed to measure the gamma-ray from the PWR spent fuel assembly. This device will be set up in the pool of Post-Irradiation Examination Facility(PIEF), and used in determination of ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Measurement of fission and activation products in the soil or over a plane grass land of a nuclear power station environment is required to find out the long term changes. The inventory of radionuclides in the soil is routinely determined by soil sampling, processing and gamma spectrometry in the laboratory. The method although is proven and accurate is time consuming and largely dependent on homogenous distribution. Therefore, an alternative and rapid method of in-situ gamma spectrometry using portable devices was standardized to determine the concentration of radionuclides in soil, for regular environmental monitoring as well as during emergency condition. The paper presents the methodology, ready to use factors and compares the results of a few measurements made in the environment of Tarapur Atomic Power Station by both in-situ and laboratory methods. (author)

Science.gov (United States)

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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Realization of the scale of spectral responsivity of the detectors in the Directorate of Measures and Precious Metals (DMDM) is based on silicon detectors traceable to LNE-INM. In order to realize the unit of spectral irradiance in the laboratory for photometry and radiometry of the Bureau of Measures and Precious Metals, the new method based on the calibration of the spectroradiometer by comparison with standard detector has been established. The development of the method included realization of the System of Spectral Comparisons (SSC), together with the detector spectral responsivity calibrations by means of a primary spectrophotometric system. The linearity testing and stray light analysis were preformed to characterize the spectroradiometer. Measurement of aperture diameter and calibration of transimpedance amplifier were part of the overall experiment. In this paper, the developed method is ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

These summary descriptive data of ethnically similar cohorts of indigenous and migrant Japanese males have shown similarities or slight differences in characteristics wholly or largely genetically determined, such as blood groups, stature, and skeletal size. Differences have been noted in characteristics largely environmental or behavioral, such as diet and cigarette smoking habit, as well as in characteristics determined by a varying mixture of genetic and environmental influences, such as weight, blood pressure, glucose tolerance, and serum lipid and uric acid levels. Detailed analyses of the distributions of laboratory variables, of dietary data obtained by different methods, and of correlations among laboratory, dietary, physical, and demographic variables are currently in progress. Also part of the study plan are determinations of disease prevalence from evaluation of examination, laboratory, and electrocardiographic ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

A large database (507 station-years) of daily suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentration and discharge data from 36 stations on river basins ranging from 600?km2 to 600,000?km2 in size (USA and Europe) was collected to assess the effects of SPM transport regime on bias and imprecision of flux estimates when using infrequent surveys and the discharge-weighted mean concentration method. By extracting individual SPM concentrations and corresponding discharge values from the database, sampling frequencies from 12 to 200 per year were simulated using Monte Carlo techniques. The resulting estimates of yearly SPM fluxes were compared to reference fluxes derived from the complete database. For each station and given frequency, bias was measured by the median of relative errors between estima...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The neutron elastic magnetic form factor G_M"n has been extracted from quasielastic scattering from deuterium in the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer, CLAS [B. Mecking et al., Nucl. Inst. and Meth. A 503 (2003) 513]. The kinematic coverage of the measurement is continuous over a broad range, extending from below 1 GeV"2 to nearly 5 GeV"2 in four-momentum transfer squared. High precision is achieved by employing a ratio technique in which most uncertainties cancel, and by a simultaneous in-situ calibration of the neutron detection efficiency, the largest correction to the data. Preliminary results are shown with statistical errors only.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potassium clusters arrayed in zeolite A are known to show ferromagnetic properties at low temperature. The origin of the spontaneous magnetization has been explained by a model of spin-canting in an antiferromagnetically ordered state. The direct information for the magnetic structure, however, has not been obtained so far. In the present work, we measure the neutron powder diffraction by using pulsed neutron source at KEK-KENS below and above the Curie temperature. No significant temperature-dependence was, however, obtained within the statistical errors, namely, magnetic scattering could not be detected separately. We also estimate the intensity of magnetic scattering by assuming some possible magnetic structures with considering the magnetic form factor of the cluster wave function. The intensity of magnetic scattering is estimated to be extremely weak and higher S/N of ?104 or more is required to detect the magnetic scattering of this ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In this work the calculation of the average precipitation in the Quito River basin, state of Choco, Colombia, is presents through diverse techniques, among which are those suggested by Thiessen and those based on the isohyets analysis, in order to select the one appropriate to quantification of rainwater available to the basin. Also included is an estimation of the error with which the average precipitation in the zone studied is fraught when measured, by means of the methodology proposed by Gandin (1970) and Kagan (WMO, 1966), which at the same time allows to evaluate the representativeness of each one of the stations that make up the rain gauge network in the area. The study concludes with a calculation of the hydrologic balance for the Quito river basin based on the pilot procedure suggested in the UNESCO publication on the study of the South America hydrologic balance, from which the great contribution of rainfall to a greatly enhanced ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orbit correction is now routinely performed at the few-micron level in the Advanced Photon Source (APS) storage ring. Three diagnostics are presently in use to measure and control both AC and DC orbit motions: broad-band turn-by-turn rf beam position monitors (BPMs), narrow-band switched heterodyne receivers, and photoemission-style x-ray beam position monitors. Each type of diagnostic has its own set of systematic error effects that place limits on the ultimate pointing stability of x-ray beams supplied to users at the APS. Limiting sources of beam motion at present are magnet power supply noise, girder vibration, and thermal timescale vacuum chamber and girder motion. This paper will investigate the present limitations on orbit correction, and will delve into the upgrades necessary to achieve true sub-micron beam stability.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Many methods have been proposed for the determination of the corrosion current density from polarization curves; the two most commonly used ones are the three-point method and the curve-fitting method. The basis of these methods is a polarization equation that was derived for the complete absence of mass-transport effect or considers the cathodic partial reaction to be under complete mass-transport control. The mixed-control case has been much less investigated, even though this case may quite frequently reflect practical situations. A completely generalized polarization equation is proposed that can be used as a basis for curve-fitting data evaluation under any conditions. This equation was used to determine the error caused by the neglect of mass-transport effect in conventional data evaluation.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

A mathematical model was developed to predict a moisture content profile during the thick layer re-wetting process of brown rice unpackaged and packaged with low density polyethylene (LDPE) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) films. Model validation was carried out by comparing predicted with measured moisture content derived from relative humidity data obtained from the brown rice re-wetting test for 6days at 25degreeC and 90% RH. The moisture standard errors of the model validation for brown rice packaged in LDPE and PBT films were 0.08% wet basis (wb) and 0.11%wb, respectively. It was concluded that the proposed re-wetting model could successfully describe the thick layer re-wetting of brown rice under the experimental conditions. Using this model, re-wetting simulations were carried o...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The Monte Carlo method is used to analyse the dose fall-off at the exit surface of a megavoltage photon beam. The convolution/superposition method of dose calculation using Monte-Carlo-generated homogeneous photon kernels is shown to be in error for exit dose calculation. Instead, photon kernels that incorporate modelling of the exit surface were generated, also using Monte Carlo, to analyse the problem, and the calculated dose fall-off using these kernels agrees well with measured data. In addition, the physics underlying the characteristics of the dose fall-off is analysed based on complete Monte Carlo modelling. Practical improvements to the convolution/superposition method are suggested. (Author).

Wastenet

...specialised laboratories for pharmaceutics, tissue culture and molecular biology Excellent Laboratory Facilities Tissue Culture Facilities Molecular Biology Laboratory ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The APMP/TCRI Dosimetry Working Group performed the APMP.RI(I)-K3 key comparison of measurement of air kerma for medium-energy x-rays (100 kV to 250 kV) between 2000 and 2003. In total, 11 institutes took part in the comparison, among which 8 were APMP member laboratories. Two commercial cavity ionization chambers were used as transfer instruments and circulated among the participants. All the participants established the 100 kV, 135 kV, 180 kV and 250 kV x-ray beam qualities equivalent to those of the BIPM. The results showed that the maximum difference between the participants and the BIPM in the medium-energy x-ray range, evaluated using the comparison data of the linking laboratories ARPANSA and PTB, is less than 1.4%. The degrees of equivalence between the participants are presented and this comparison confirms the calibration capabilities of the participating laboratories. (authors)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

No abstract prepared.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a simple deformable phantom as a QA tool for testing and validation of deformable image registration algorithms. A diagnostic thoracic imaging phantom with a deformable foam insert was used in this study. Small plastic markers were distributed through the foam to create a lattice with a measurable deformation as the ground truth data for all comparisons. The foam was compressed in the superior-inferior direction using a one-dimensional drive stage pushing a flat 'diaphragm' to create deformations similar to those from inhale and exhale states. Images were acquired at different compressions of the foam and the location of every marker was manually identified on each image volume to establish a known deformation field with a known accuracy. The markers were removed digitally from corresponding images prior to registration. Different image registration algorithms were tested using this method. Repeat ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Two types of switched electrode electronics beam position monitors are in use at Jefferson Lab. Together they provide accurate beam position to the control system for beam intensities between 50 nA and 2 mA. One version, called the linac style, has a switching frequency of 125 kHz. The other, called the transport type, has a switching frequency of 7 kHz. The basic system provides information to the control system at a 1 Hz update rate. The systems are regularly used to measure the AC component of beam position and energy as well as suppress this motion as part of a fast feedback system. Position data produced by the system are also acquired on an event by event basis as part of the nuclear physics program in two of the experimental halls. This paper will focus on the AC characteristics of the system. These characteristics are affected by analog filter frequencies and a time delay between the measurement of the positive electrode signal and the ...

CERN Document Server

We propose to use alternative cosmic tracers to measure the dark energy equation of state and the matter content of the Universe [w(z) & Omega_m]. Our proposed method consists of two components: (a) tracing the Hubble relation using HII galaxies which can be detected up to very large redshifts, z~4, as an alternative to supernovae type Ia, and (b) measuring the clustering pattern of X-ray selected AGN at a median redshift of z~1. Each component of the method can in itself provide interesting constraints on the cosmological parameters, especially under our anticipation that we will reduce the corresponding random and systematic errors significantly. However, by joining their likelihood functions we will be able to put stringent cosmological constraints and break the known degeneracies between the dark energy equation of state (whether it is constant or variable) and the matter content of the universe and provide a ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The top quark has been discovered in 1995 at the CDF and DO experiments located in the Tevatron ring at the Fermilab laboratory. After more than a decade the Tevatron collider, with its center-of-mass energy collisions of 1.96 TeV, is still the only machine capable of producing such exceptionally heavy particle. Here I present a selection of the most recent CDF and DO measurements performed analyzing {approx} 1 fb{sup -1} of integrated luminosity.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Time resolved phase transition and strain experiments have been performed on the millisecond time scale using a Bragg-edge transmission technique that has been developed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The precision with which lattice parameters can be determined from edge positions is sufficient to perform high-resolution strain measurements in uniaxial stress.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Performance predictions have been made for attached-sunspace types of passively solar heated buildings. The predictions are based on hour-by-hour computer simulations using computer models developed in the framework of PASOLE, the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) passive solar energy simulation program. The models have been validated by detailed comparison with actual hourly temperature measurements taken in attached-sunspace test rooms at LASL.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The results of Sandia National Laboratories' participation in the NASA Planetary Definition and Design Program are summarized. Areas reported include the characterization of large area cadmium zinc telluride spectrometers and the application of simulation techniques to the prediction of device performance. Also investigated was the response of mercuric iodide devices in the region from 1 to 100 KeV. A literature study to determine the status or radiation damage measurements in room temperature semiconductor devices is also reported.

Science.gov (United States)

Dispersants have been widely used as a primary response measure for marine oil spills around the world. Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed an improved laboratory dispersant testing protocol, called the Baffled Flask Test (BFT). The BFT protocol w...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Low power wire activations are being performed in the Oak Ridge Research Reactor (ORR) as part of the whole-core LEU demonstration experiments. Calculations of the demonstration cores, including simulation of the wire activations, are being performed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). This paper presents the results of comparisons for 293 wires from five cores and shows that, on the average, the integrated activities agree within 6%.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) reactor characterization by the Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory (HEDL) includes extensive neutronic measurements during startup and initial operation. To aid in the handling and counting of the thousands of passive dosimeters used as part of this effort, an automated dosimetry specimen handling, positioning, and counting system was designed and developed by Westinghouse Hanford for the Department of Energy.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A comparison of maximum likelihood (or chi-square) and Bayesian peak fitting techniques shows that the latter can reduce peak intensity uncertainties by a factor of up to ten in the case of closely separated doublets, leading to greatly improved doublet resolution. The need for laboratories to demonstrate the reliability of their chosen peak fitting techniques and measures of peak intensity is also demonstrated. (orig.).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A collaborative experimental research program has been established between industry and university partners to evaluate the subcritical behavior of fresh and spent highly enriched fuel assemblies at the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR). This proposed program will involve a series of subcritical measurements using the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) developed {sup 252}Cf source-driven noise technique. Measurements evaluating the subcritical behavior of simple arrays of fresh MURR assemblies will be performed for evaluating the spectral effects of materials typically found in shipping casks such as lead, steel, aluminum, and boron. Also, measurements will be performed on spent assemblies to characterize physics parameters which may be useful in determining the subcritical behavior of fuels for reactivity credit of actinide burnup and fission product poisoning.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A program under the sponsorship of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission was intiated at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in late 1977. The program, Advanced Instrumentation for Reflood Studies (AIRS), is charged with developing instrumentation for measurement of in-vessel fluid phenomena in pressurized water reactor reflood facilities. The goal of the ORNL program is to develop techniques and systems for measuring fluid flow in-core, deentrainment in the upper plenum and liquid fallback from the upper plenum into the core. A large portion of the development at ORNL is devoted to the impedance probes for measurement of two-phase flow velocities and void fractions. Film probe development at ORNL is limited to adapting the present techniques to the environment of a reflood facility. As the development progresses on all the measurement techniques, ORNL will fabricate ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This document, which is prepared as directed by the Compliance Order on Consent (COOC) issued by the New Mexico Environment Department, identifies and outlines a process to evaluate remedial alternatives to identify a corrective measure for the Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico Technical Area (TA)-V Groundwater. The COOC provides guidance for implementation of a Corrective Measures Evaluation (CME) for the TA-V Groundwater. This Work Plan documents an initial screening of remedial technologies and presents a list of possible remedial alternatives for those technologies that passed the screening. This Work Plan outlines the methods for evaluating these remedial alternatives and describes possible site-specific evaluation activities necessary to estimate remedy effectiveness and cost. These methods will be reported in the CME Report. This Work Plan outlines the CME Report, including key components and a description of ...

Science.gov (United States)

Two researchers, Tom Goreau of the Discovery Laboratory in Jamaica and Raymond Hayes of Howard University, claim that they have evidence that nearly clinches the temperature connection to the bleached corals in the Caribbean and that the coral bleaching is an indication of Greenhouse warming. The incidents of scattered bleaching of corals, which have been reported for decades, are increasing in both intensity and frequency. The researchers based their theory on increased temperature of the seas measured by satellites. However, some other scientists feel that the satellites measure the temperature of only the top few millimeters of the water and that since corals lie on reefs perhaps 60 to 100 feet below the ocean surface, the elevated temperatures are not significant.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The macroscopic stress distribution across an annealed Zircaloy-4 gas tungsten arc weld was measured by neutron time-of-flight diffraction at the SMARTS diffractometer at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The stresses after annealing are about 40% lower than those in the same weld prior to heat treatment. The intergranular strains in the reference coupons, which give the macroscopic stress free lattice spacings, are consistent with the difference in cooling the strongly textured plate and the weakly textured weld.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This report covers the gamma detectors, measurement instrumentation, and testing results of a system developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory. This system monitors the process liquid waste streams at the Plutonium Facility (TA-55) for the presence of radioactive contamination. The detectors are at various points on the acid, caustic, and industrial waste lines. Two of the detectors are on the sanitary sewer lines from the facility. A custom interface unit associated with these two detectors furnishes the facility operation center with a notification of the detection of material. All of the detectors furnish measurement information to a central computer system for storage and trending.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Most important radionuclides naturally appearing in minerals used to form building materials are described. The frequently met ranges of concentrations of these radionuclides in the building materials composed from natural products as well as from power-plant wastes and metallurgic plant wastes are discussed and propositions concerning the limitation of presence of radioactive nuclides in the building materials are given, with special concern paid to materials for dwelling and public utility buildings. The elaborated technique of measuring potassium 40, radium 226 and thorium 228 concentrations is presented. Data on the organization of controlling-and-measuring laboratories in this field are given. (author).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Since 1983, about 600 research projects received a total of DM 250 million public funds for the following tasks: - Development of scientific fundamentals for monitoring and observation of forest decline and its ecological and economic consequences. - Investigation of the cause-effect relationship of forest damage, with particular regard to the involvement of the various compartments of the forest ecosystem and to the contribution of different pollutants. - Development of the scientific fundamentals required for forestry measures to accompany the air pollution abatement measures. The investigations comprised both laboratory and field tests. The findings and conclusion are summarized. (orig./MG).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In the convolution/superposition algorithm, the energy spectrum should be modified to make the reconstructed dose distribution consistent with the measured dose distribution. The energy spectrum, which gives the best agreement, is not determined uniquely depending on the reconstruction procedure. In this report, the effects of the characteristics of the energy spectrum on the calculation accuracy are evaluated by comparing the percentage depth dose (PDD) and beam profiles for the reference energy spectrum with those calculated for the modified spectrum in order to optimize the energy spectrum modification procedure when 4 and 10 MV X-ray beams are used. Decreasing the number of energy bins brought a larger decrease rate in the computation accuracy than a decrease rate in computation time. Further, the decrease of the number of energy bins led to a change of the energy spectrum. The balance of the relative fluence weight in a each bin and its average energy, which ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Growing of PV for electricity generation is one of the highest in the field of the renewable energies and this tendency is expected to continue in the next years. Due to the various seasonal, hourly and daily changes in climate, it is relatively difficult to find a suitable analytic model for predicting the performance of a grid-connected photovoltaic (GCPV) plant. In this paper, an artificial neural network is used for modelling and predicting the power produced by a 20 kWp GCPV plant installed on the roof top of the municipality of Trieste (latitude 45 deg. 40'N, longitude 13 deg. 46'E), Italy. An experimental database of climate (irradiance and air temperature) and electrical (power delivered to the grid) data from January 29th to May 25th 2009 has been used. Two ANN models have been developed and implemented on experimental climate and electrical data. The first one is a multivariate model based on the solar irradiance and the air temperature, while the second one is an univariate ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Over a 6.5-year period a total of 2554 values were reported by nine laboratories for 259 certified or reference nutrient concentrations in 26 certified reference materials (CRM) submitted to contract laboratories, blinded, as part of the qualifying process for analytical contracts and in the routine sample stream as part of the National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program. Each value was converted to a Z?-score, reflecting the difference from the assigned value related to the combined expected analytical uncertainty plus the uncertainty in the CRM value. Z?-scores >|3.0| were considered unacceptable. For some nutrients (Na, folate, dietary fiber, pantothenic acid, thiamin, tocopherols, carotenoids, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids), >20% of Z?-scores were >|3.0|. For total f...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This is the final report of a three-year, Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The primary aim of this project is to obtain a basic scientific understanding of electrical transport processes at interfaces that contain an organic electronic material. Because of their processing advantages and the tunability of their electronic properties, organic electronic materials are revolutionizing major technological areas such as information display. We completed an investigation of the fundamental electronic excitation energies in the prototype conjugated polymer MEH-PPV. We completed a combined theoretical/experimental study of the energy relation between charged excitations in a conjugated polymer and the metal at a polymer/metal interface. We developed a theoretical model that explains injection currents at polymer/metal interfaces. We have made electrical ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Co-combustion of chicken litter with coal was performed in a laboratory-scale fluidized bed combustor to investigate the effect of chicken litter addition on the partitioning behavior of mercury. Gaseous total and elemental mercury concentrations in the flue gas were measured online, and ash was analyzed for particle-bound mercury along with other elemental and surface properties. The mercury mass balance was between 85 and 105%. The experimental results show that co-combustion of chicken litter decreases the amount of elemental and total mercury in the gas phase. Mercury content in fly ash increases with an increasing chicken litter share. 22 refs., 6 figs., 5 tabs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The multi-faceted research effort of the EBIT (Electron Beam Ion Trap) program in N-Division of the Physics and Space Technology Department at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) continues to contribute significant results to the physical sciences from studies with low energy very highly charged heavy ions. The EBIT program attracts a number of collaborators from the US and abroad for the different projects. The collaborations are partly carried out through participating graduate students demonstrating the excellent educational capabilities at the LLNL EBIT facilities. Moreover, participants from Historically Black Colleges and Universities are engaged in the EBIT project. This report describes EBIT work for 1995 in atomic structure measurements and radiative transition probabilities, spectral diagnostics for laboratory and astrophysical plasmas, ion/surface interaction studies, electron-ion interactions studies, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is interested in developing tools and methods for potential U.S. use in designing and evaluating safeguards systems. For this goal several DOE National Laboratories are defining the characteristics of typical facilities of several size scales, and the safeguards measures and instrumentation that could be applied. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is providing systems modeling and analysis of facility and safeguards operations, diversion path generation, and safeguards system effectiveness. The constituent elements of diversion scenarios are structured using directed graphs (digraphs) and fault trees. Safeguards indicator probabilities are based on sampling statistics and/or measurement accuracies. Scenarios are ranked based on value and quantity of material removed and the estimated probability of non-detection. Significant scenarios, especially those involving ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The next generation of synchrotrons and free electron laser facilities requires x-ray optical systems with extremely high performance, generally of diffraction limited quality. Fabrication and use of such optics requires adequate, highly accurate metrology and dedicated instrumentation. Previously, we suggested ways to improve the performance of the Long Trace Profiler (LTP), a slope measuring instrument widely used to characterize x-ray optics at long spatial wavelengths. The main way is use of a CCD detector and corresponding technique for calibration of photo-response non-uniformity [J. L. Kirschman, et al., Proceedings of SPIE 6704, 67040J (2007)]. The present work focuses on the performance and characteristics of the upgraded LTP-II at the ALS Optical Metrology Laboratory. This includes a review of the overall aspects of the design, control system, the movement and measurement regimes for the stage, and analysis of the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Because of the equivalence principle, a global measurement is necessary to distinguish gravity from acceleration of the reference frame. A gravity gradiometer is therefore an essential instrument needed for precision tests of gravity laws and for applications in gravity survey and inertial navigation. Superconductivity and SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device) technology can be used to obtain a gravity gradiometer with very high sensitivity and stability. A superconducting gravity gradiometer has been developed for a null test of the gravitational inverse-square law and space-borne geodesy. Here we present a complete theoretical model of this instrument. Starting from dynamical equations for the device, we derive transfer functions, a common mode rejection characteristic, and an error model of the superconducting instrument. Since a gradiometer must detect a very weak differential gravity signal in the midst of large platform ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The symmetric noncoplanar (e,2e) cross sections (momentum profiles) of H_2 and D_2 for the transitions to the 2p#sigma#_u and 2s#sigma#_g excited ion states have been measured, relative to the ground-state ion transition, using a high-sensitivity multichannel momentum-dispersive electron momentum spectrometer (EMS) at an impact energy of 1200 eV. Newly calculated plane-wave impulse approximation (PWIA) cross sections, based on a full-configuration-interaction H_2 wave function, are compared to the experimental results. These calculations are in better agreement with the experimental results for the transition to the 2s#sigma#_g ion state than the earlier theoretical work of Liu and Smith, Jr. [Phys. Rev. A 31, 3003 (1985)] which has been found to be in error. Nevertheless, significant discrepancies between the relative experimental and theoretical cross sections are observed for the transitions to excited ion states, suggesting a failure of the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

To develop the automatized crane and to apply the relevant technology to nuclear power plants, in this project and automatized crane control system is developed along with a swing and shock crane. Also, this technology has been transferred to Bando Machinery Co. Ltd. The drive mechanism of crane is designed by adopting vector drives which provide soft acceleration and deceleration characteristics. Also, radio modems and a long-range laser displacement sensor which are commercially available are introduced to accommodate the large scaled crane systems. Also, several devices are developed for the automation of crane system. These are a crane controller, a supervisory controller, a angle measuring device, and laser localizer, a drum grapple device, and crane supervisory program. The performance of developed crane system is revealed to rapidly reduce the residual swingof the transported object and precisely controls the object position in any case. Also, the laser ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Accurate dose calculation in radiation treatment planning is most important for successful treatment. Since human body is composed of various materials and not an ideal shape, it is not easy to calculate the accurate effective dose in the patients. Many methods have been proposed to solve inhomogeneity and surface contour problems. Monte Carlo simulations are regarded as the most accurate method, but it is not appropriate for routine planning because it takes so much time. Pencil beam kernel based convolution/superposition methods were also proposed to correct those effects. Nowadays, many commercial treatment planning systems have adopted this algorithm as a dose calculation engine. The purpose of this study is to verify the accuracy of the dose calculated from pencil beam kernel based treatment planning system comparing to Monte Carlo simulations and measurements especially in inhomogeneous region. Home-made inhomogeneous phantom, Helax-TMS ver. 6.0 and Monte ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Q/sub ..beta..-values are determined for 18 nuclei (Zr-, Nb-, Mo-, Tc-, Ru- and Rh-nuclides) with mass numbers 101 less than or equal toA less than or equal to106 and A=109 from measurements of beta decay energies which were carried out at the LOHENGRIN mass separator at the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble (France). The given Q/sub ..beta..-values between 2 and 8 MeV show errors of about 1.5% (with the exception of /sup 103/Zr and /sup 105/Nb resp. and /sup 103/Tc for which larger errors result due to statistical resp. systematic reasons): /sup 101/Zr 5500+-70, /sup 101/Nb 4580+-45, /sup 102/Zr 4670+-40, /sup 102/Nb 7230+-70, /sup 103/Zr 6790+-240, /sup 103/ 5740+-70, /sup 103/Mo 3575+-80, /sup 103/Tc 2585+-70, /sup 104/Nb 8250+-130, /sup 104/Mo 2180+-40, /sup 104/Tc 5520+-100, /sup 105/Nb 6570+-150, /sup 105/Mo 4885+-80, /sup 105/Tc 3750+-60, /sup 106/Mo 3515+-45, /sup 106/Tc 6540+-70, /sup 109/Ru 4150+-80, /sup 109/Rh ...

Science.gov (United States)

The relationship between plasma testosterone levels and locomotor activity in wild-caught sexually mature male meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) was assessed in the laboratory. Several aspects of locomotor activity were monitored for 1 h on two consecutive days using the automated Digiscan activity monitoring system. Plasma testosterone levels were determined immediately following the second day of activity monitoring. Significant Pearson correlations were obtained between plasma testosterone levels and total distance traveled [r(10) = 0.55, p < 0.05] and amount of time spent in movement [r(10) - 0.55, p < 0.05] on the second day. The wild voles showed a reduction in activity levels from the first to the second day of activity monitoring, which is indicative of habituation to a novel environment. This study provides direct evidence for a significant correlation between laboratory measures of behavioral activity ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Young men's errors in sexual perception have been linked to sexual coercion. The current investigation sought to explicate the perceptual and decisional sources of these social perception errors,...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

There are clearly identified scientific requirements for continuous profiling of atmospheric water vapor at the Department of Energy, Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program, Southern Great Plains CART (Cloud and Radiation Testbed) site in northern Oklahoma. Research conducted at several laboratories has demonstrated the suitability of Raman lidar for providing measurements that are an excellent match to those requirements. We have developed and installed a ruggedized Raman lidar system that resides permanently at the CART site, and that is computer automated to eliminate the requirements for operator interaction. In addition to the design goal of profiling water vapor through most of the troposphere during nighttime and through the boundary layer during daytime, the lidar provides quantitative characterizations of aerosols and clouds, including depolarization measurements for particle phase studies.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

MINER?A is a high resolution, fully active detector designed to study neutrino interactions on nuclei in the NuMI beam at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The active volume of the detector consists of 3 tons of plastic scintillator and includes embedded targets of 4He, C, H2O, Fe and Pb. The MINER?A collaboration expects to perform precision, A-dependent neutrino cross section measurements in the 1?10 GeV region, measure the axial form factor, and study nuclear shadowing of F2, quark-hadron duality and coherent pion production, among other topics. MINER?A began data taking in the fall of 2009. This paper describes the MINER?A experiment and provides an overview of the physics objectives along with estimated uncertainties of the measurements and the tentative projected schedule of dat...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The characteristics of infrared-stimulated luminescence (IRSL) from a sample of potassium feldspar at low temperatures are presented. These studies extend the previous work from this laboratory on the optical bleaching characteristics and emission spectra of feldspars at room temperature and recent measurements of the stimulated spectrum for a sample of potassium feldspar at room temperature. Stimulation spectra have been measured at 290, 160 and 145 K. By fitting Gaussian functions to the spectra, the peak position is shown to shift to higher photon energies at lower temperatures and the full-width half-maximum of the peak to reduce with decreasing temperature. The variation of IRSL intensity with temperature for several stimulating wavelengths has been determined and the form of the IRSL decay curve measured at 290 and 160 K. No substantial differences were observed in the form of the decay curves at ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Field data for validating plume models were collected in and around the Bull Run Steam Plant during two four-week periods between July and October, 1982. The field measurements were the second phase of the Plume Model Validation and Development (PMV and D) program. The Bull Run Steam Plant is located near Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and the area is described as the ''Moderately Complex Site'' to distinguish it from the ''Plains Site'' in eastern Illinois, which was the scene of the first phase of the PMV and D study conducted in 1980-81. The measurement program consisted of a set of meteorological, source, aerometric, and tracer measurements to track and characterize the plume. The tracer measurements constituted the largest portion of the total effort, and it involved the release of SF/sub 6/ tracer gas from the stack, and the sampling ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of dose calculations by three algorithms. Depth dose, OPF (Output Factor) and dose profiles were measured in a heterogeneous phantom. These values were also calculated by three algorithms of the Batho power law (BPL), Equivalent-Tissue Air Ratio (ETAR) and Convolution superposition (CS). The data were obtained for 4, 6 and 10 MV photon beams with a linear accelerator (Varian 21EX). Field size ranged from 3 x 3 cm"2 to 10 x 10 cm"2. Dose profiles of beam penumbra were also measured by a 0.125 ml ionization chamber at the point of 8, 13 and 18 cm from the surface of the phantom at intervals of 1 mm. Differences between measured and calculated depth doses were within 2% in BPL and CS, but depth doses were overestimated in ETAR. OPFs were also overestimated with the error of more than 4% in ETAR. Absorbed dose calculated by CS were in agreement with the ...

Science.gov (United States)

... Following the application of the error covariance update equation, we apply the following operation to the parameter covariance matrix P+: ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

... data deuteron beams energy dependence errors gamma radiation lead 203

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Complete text of publication follows. At the Geomagnetic Institute, in the Laboratory for paleomagnetism and archeomagnetism research and at the Geomagnetic Observatory, Grocka (GCK) during the period from November 2004 to February 2008 the researchers carried out experimental magnetic measurements of the total-intensity gradient of the magnetic field vector (changes in the total magnetisation vector) of various biomaterials. Measurements of the gradient total intensity of the magnetic field vector were carried out by GSM-19 magnetometers of high accuracy and recording resolution (accuracy: #DELTA#F=0.1 nT; sampling rate: 1-5 per second). During these experimental biomagnetic measurements samples of water, tissue, blood, cotton, wool, pitch and magnetite-powder were used. In this study, the part of the biomagnetic measurement results relate to the water, blood and tissue. The ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Numerical errors of PALLAS calculation due to spatial mesh sizes are examined for a typical deep penetration shielding problem of isotropic incident fission neutrons penetrating a 200-cm-thick water slab. The exponential approximation for the source spatial distribution to solve the transport equation based on the direct integration method is verified to be effective for radiation transport in attenuating medium, while the linear approximation employed in the old PALLAS code is found to produce large errors for calculations with large mesh sizes.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Full text: The isotopic assay instrument under development at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is capable of rapid prescreening to detect small and rare particles containing high concentrations of uranium in a heterogeneous sample. The isotopic measurement concept is based on laser vaporization of solid samples followed by sensitive isotope-specific detection using either uranium atomic fluorescence emission or uranium atomic absorbance. Both isotopes are measured concurrently, following a single ablation laser pulse using two external-cavity violet diode lasers. The simultaneous measurement of both isotopes enables the correlation of the fluorescence and absorbance signals on a shot-to-shot basis. This measurement approach demonstrated negligible channel crosstalk between isotopes. Scanning the heterogeneous samples provides high-resolution imagery of sample isotopic ...

Science.gov (United States)

Based on the cruise data collected in the Pearl River estuary (PRE) in May 2008, an empirical two-band model by using the ratio of R (rs) at 629 and 671 nm was established to retrieve total suspended matter (TSM) concentration with the determination coefficient (R(2)) of 0.854, mean relative error (MRE) of 7.483%, and root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 1.295 mg L(?-?1). To match with medium resolution imaging spectrometer (MERIS) bands, in situ remote sensing reflectance was re-sampled to the bandwidth of 10 nm. The relationship between TSM and re-sampled R (rs) at 620 nm (MERIS band 6) and 665 nm (MERIS band 7) are obtained (R(2) = 0.748, RMSE = 1.697 mg L(?-?1), MRE = 8.785%, n = 13). Additionally, to map the spatial distribution of TSM in the PRE, MERIS level_1B data were calibrated using a multiple linear regression model based on in situ R (rs). Another dataset collected in the PRE in January 2004 was used to validate the two-band model and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Airborne fine particle sulfur data from the summer intensive of Project MOHAVE (Measurement of Haze and Visual Effects) was analyzed by the Receptor Model Applied to Patterns in Space (RMAPS) model, a novel multivariate receptor-oriented model that applies to secondary and primary species. The sulfur data from 17 sites were found to be well predicted by three spatial patterns interpreted as sources along the valley of the Colorado River (including the large Mohave coal-fired power plant, a smaller power plant and the city of Las Vegas); transport from sources located to the southwest; and transport from sources located to the southeast. The model was tested by using parameters derived from the 17-site data set to apportion sulfur for six sites that were not part of the original data set. The sulfur apportionment for these site sites was in agreement with the original apportionment and the physical interpretation of the spatial patterns given above. The effects of ...

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In recent years the 'Nowcasting Wake Vortex Impact Variables' model NOWVIV has been developed at the Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt, DLR, to forecast weather parameters in airport environments. The German Meteorological Service, DWD, employs his COSMO-DE model (COnsortium for Small scale Modelling-DEutschland) for operational forecasts in Germany. A systematic comparison of model output from NOWVIV and a derivate of COSMO-DE, named COSMO-FRA, is presented. Both models are centred at Frankfurt Airport with horizontal resolutions of 2.1 km and 2.8 km, respectively. In the DLR Project Wetter and Fliegen the COSMO-FRA model will replace the NOWVIV model and become a key component in the future rapid update cycle for adverse weather predictions at the airports of Frankfurt and Munich. The forecast vertical profiles of runway crosswind, head/tail wind, temperature, and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) are validated against Wind and Temperature Radar (WTR/RASS) ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cylindrical test pieces of concrete are used for measurements of "2"2"2Rn exhalation rates. Except one flat end surface of a test piece, other parts of its exteriority are covered with sealant. Radon atoms can escape only through its end surface from the interior into the outside air. This treatment makes the radon transport in the concrete one dimensional phenomena. The piece is put in an airtight container. Time variations of radon concentrations in the air of the container are measured with a plane multiwire-electrode ionization chamber. From this result, the radon areal exhalation rate is deduced for the piece. Exhalation rates are measured for four pieces with different length. Then, the diffusion coefficient is obtained for radon in the concrete as (5.0 #+-# 1.0) x 10"-"8m"2s"-"1 (a one-block method). A two-block method has been invented to obtain simultaneously values of three parameters: diffusion coefficient, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bone formation and resorption have been measured in patients with idiopathic osteoporosis by histomorphometry of 7.5-mm trephine biopsies and in the whole body by 85Sr radiotracer methodology and calcium balances. The studies were synchronized and most were preceded by double in vivo tetracycline labeling. Correlations between histological and kinetic bone formation indices were better when better when based on the extent of double tetracycline labels than on measurements of osteoid by visible light microscopy. Correction of the kinetic data for long-term exchange, using 5 months' serial whole body counting of retained 85Sr, improved the fit of the kinetic to the histological data. A statistical analysis of the measurement uncertainties showed that the residual scatter in the best correlations (between exchange-corrected bone formation rates and double-labeled osteoid surface indices) could be attributed to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The study investigated the luminescence behaviour of natural olivine to discuss the potential for Cenozoic (quaternary) dating. The UV-blue thermoluminescence (TL) glow curves of irradiated olivines have a resolved peak at 190 deg. C and other peaks at higher temperature at lower dose levels, and broad signals around 275-310 and 375-400 deg. C at higher dose levels. The UV-blue TL increases with additional laboratory dose to {approx}1.6kGy within a plateau temperature region, suggesting the possibility of dosimetry and Cenozoic dating. Both infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) and blue light stimulated luminescence (BLSL) were detected from laboratory-irradiated olivines although the BLSL was weaker than the IRSL. Furthermore, post-BL IRSL was detected but post-IR BLSL was not observed. Therefore, IR stimulation is recommended for optically stimulated luminescence measurements with natural olivine. The growth of the IRSL ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The NPDGamma Experiment measures the parity-violating correlation A{sub {Gamma}Y} between neutron spin and photon momentum in the reaction {rvec n} + p {yields} d + {gamma}. Knowledge of A{sub {Gamma}Y} and other parity-violating observables in few-body nuclear systems will provide constraints for a parameterized description of {Delta}S = 0 parity-violating phenomena free from complications of nuclear structure. The NPDGamma experiment uses a polarized cold pulsed neutron beam, a liquid parahydrogen target, and a cylindrical array of 48 CsI(Tl) scintillation detectors operated in current mode to search for the asymmetry. NPDGamma recently completed the first phase of the program to measure A{sub {Gamma}Y} at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center with the preliminary result A{sub {Gamma}Y} = (-1.2 {+-} 2.1(stat.) {+-} 0.1(sys.)) x 10{sup -7}, reproducing the previous upper limit from a measurement at a reactor facility. We ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This document is the final report for Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-04NT42314, 'Kinetics Study of Mercury Reactions in FGD Liquors'. The project was co-funded by the U.S. DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory and EPRI. The objective of the project has been to determine the mechanisms and kinetics of the aqueous reactions of mercury absorbed by wet flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems, and develop a kinetics model to predict mercury reactions in wet FGD systems. The model may be used to determine optimum wet FGD design and operating conditions to maximize mercury capture in wet FGD systems. Initially, a series of bench-top, liquid-phase reactor tests were conducted and mercury species concentrations were measured by UV/visible light spectroscopy to determine reactant and byproduct concentrations over time. Other measurement methods, such as atomic absorption, were used to measure ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The various technical aspects of radon concentration measurements in the ground or in the groundwater are reviewed. The emphasis is put on the most convenient techniques particularly suited for in situ monitoring in the field. Some attention is paid to the thoron problem. Historical and most recent findings in the field or earthquake related radon anomalies are presented and briefly discussed. A similar approach is made to rarer volcanic cases that have been documented up to now. A short discussion regarding the various models that intend to provide satisfactory explanations is presented, supported, whenever it is possible, by experimental laboratory results. Finally a glimpse on the possible and future application of the method to hydrogeology is given. (orig.).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In PWR steam-generators, the crevice between tube and tube-support plate tends to fill with porous deposits during operation and acts as a concentration site for chemicals in the boiler water, which may lead to corrosion of the tube and tube-support-plate. The rate of concentration, the magnitude of the concentration factor and the rate of release of solute when conditions change are important parameters for devising strategies to minimize corrosion. Values of these parameters for salt concentration have therefore been measured in a laboratory simulation of the crevice and are used to formulate a model of the concentrating process.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper describes the results obtained from two large experimental facilities built at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM. FLAME (Flame Acceleration Measurements and Experiments) is a large horizontal rectangular channel designed to study flame acceleration, transition to detonation, simulation of combustion in containment geometries, component heating, and other problems in hydrogen combustion relevant to reactor safety. The Heated Detonation Tube has been designed to study detonations in hydrogen-air-steam mixtures. Both facilities have been in operation for just over a year. 12 figures.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

High (spatial) resolution imaging detectors for X-ray astronomy were developed. Several prototype detectors built and their feasibility and baseline performance were assessed. Two of these detector types are proposed for investigations on the advanced X-ray astrophysics facility (AXAF). The readiness of a new X-ray imaging system, the charge coupled device (CCD) imaging specctrometer is outlined, and state of the art performance parameters for microchannel plate (MCP) and CCD detectors are measured. Laboratory facilities and procedures for coating MCP are developed general high resolution imagery systems are analyzed.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Long Trace Profiler (Takacs et al.) is a slope-measuring instrument which was introduced several years ago. Development of this instrument continues at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in improving both hardware design and software algorithms for turning the raw interference data (a sequence of intensity patterns) into properly interpreted representations of surface slope and height. This report presents a mathematical model of the interference pattern and methods of extracting the slope and height profile from such patterns. 9 refs.

CERN Document Server

If quantum fields exist in extra compact dimensions, they will give rise to a quantum vacuum or Casimir energy. That vacuum energy will manifest itself as a cosmological constant. The fact that supernova and cosmic microwave background data indicate that the cosmological constant is of the same order as the critical mass density to close the universe supplies a lower bound on the size of the extra dimensions. Recent laboratory constraints on deviations from Newton's law place an upper limit. The allowed region is so small as to suggest that either extra compact dimensions do not exist, or their properties are about to be tightly constrained by experimental data.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A novel device called the gas expansion model (GEM) is being developed at the Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory for testing in the 400-MW(th) fast flux test facility (FFTF) reactor. Incorporation of the GEM into liquid-metal reactor designs is intended to measurably contribute to the achievement of inherent safety, by allowing the reactor to passively shut down even in the extremely remote (hypothetical) event of an unprotected (no scram) loss-of-flow accident. The purpose of this paper is to describe the GEM and present predictive analyses of the effectiveness of the device during unprotected loss-of-flow experiments in the FFTF.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

During one year more than 40,000 items of information on radiation exposure of personnel involved in the handling of radiation sources and more than 5,000,000 items on irradiation of other people are collected in the authors' laboratory. Considerable progress in assessment of mean annual gonad dose of genetically sifnificant dose was attained by means of an algorithm for a personal computer. This simple and inexpensive system has led to a higher accuracy in the application of protective measures. (author).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The multicell proportional chambers at the backing calorimeter of the ZEUS experiment at the storage ring HERA are supplied with a gas mixture of Ar/CO[sub 2] by an open gas system. Flow proportional counters with the build-up [sup 55]Fe sources are used as gas system monitoring detectors. The ZEUS experiment is planned to collect data for about 10 years. Therefore, the lifetime of the Ar/CO[sub 2] mixture should be known. In this paper, the results of laboratory tests and preliminary measurements of the aging effects for monitoring counters are presented. ((orig.))

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper describes the activities for improving the Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) quality in the human reliability analysis (HRA) of the pre-accident human errors for the Korea Standard Nuclear Power Plant (KSNP). We evaluate the HRA results of the PSA for the KSNP and identify the items to be improved using the ASME PRA Standard. Evaluation results show that the ratio of items to be improved for pre-accident human errors is relatively high when compared with the ratio of those for post-accident human errors. They also show that more than 50% of the items to be improved for pre-accident human errors are related to the identification and screening analysis for them. In this paper, we develop the modeling guidelines for pre-accident human errors and apply them to the auxiliary feedwater system of the KSNP. Application results show that more than 50% of the items to be ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper presents a mathematical model that calculates eddy current signals from laterally spaced transmit-receive pancake coils. This model was validated by comparing calculations with laboratory measurements and it has been applied to evaluating design variations in X-Probe eddy current array coils. This model was used to quantify detection capabilities of probe designs with different numbers of coils. The current standard X-Probe design for 13 mm (0.5 inch) diameter steam generator tubes uses 3 rows of coils with 8 coils per row. This design is commonly referred to as the '8 coil X-Probe'. A significant improvement in detection capability was predicted for an X-Probe with 12 coils per row (called the '12 coil X-Probe') detecting short circumferential crack-like flaws. Based on these calculations, a prototype 12 coil X-Probe was constructed and used in laboratory ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gas hydrates are crystalline substances composed of water and gas, in which a solid-water-lattice accommodates gas molecules in a cage-like structure. Gas hydrates are globally widespread in permafrost regions and beneath the sea in sediment of outer continental margins. While methane, propane, and other gases can be included in the clathrate structure, methane hydrates appear to be the most common in nature. The amount of methane sequestered in gas hydrates is probably enormous, but estimates are speculative and range over three orders of magnitude from about 100,000 to 270,000,000 trillion cubic feet. The amount of gas in the hydrate reservoirs of the world greedy exceeds the volume of known conventional gas reserves. Gas hydrates also represent a significant drilling and production hazard. A fundamental question linking gas hydrate resource and hazard issues is: What is the volume of gas hydrates and included gas within a given gas hydrate occurrence Most published gas hydrate ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A technique has been developed at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory to sum high resolution gamma-ray pulse spectra from systems with multiple Ge detectors. Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies Company operates a multi-detector spectrometer configuration at the Stored Waste Examination Pilot Plant facility which is used to characterize the radio nuclide contents in waste drums destined for shipment to Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. This summing technique was developed to increase the sensitivity of the system, reduce the count times required to properly quantify the radionuclides and provide a more consistent methodology for combining data collected from multiple detectors. In spectrometer systems with multiple detectors looking at non homogenous waste forms it is often difficult to combine individual spectrum analysis results from each detector to obtain a meaningful result for the total waste container. This is particularly true when the counting statistics in ...

CERN Document Server

During the Eddy Experiment, two synchronous GPS receivers were flown at 1 km altitude to collect L1 signals and their reflections from the sea surface for assessment of altimetric precision and accuracy. Wind speed (U10) was around 10 m/s, and SWH up to 2 m. A geophysical parametric waveform model was used for retracking and estimation of the lapse between the direct and reflected signals with a 1-second precision of 3 m. The lapse was used to estimate the SSH along the track using a differential model. The RMS error of the 20 km averaged GNSS-R absolute altimetric solution with respect to Jason-1 SSH and a GPS buoy measurement was of 10 cm, with a 2 cm mean difference. Multipath and retracking parameter sensitivity due to the low altitude are suspected to have degraded accuracy. This result provides an important milestone on the road to a GNSS-R mesoscale altimetry space mission.

CERN Document Server

The traditional way of estimating the gravitational field from observed motions of test objects is based on the virial relation between their kinetic and potential energy. We find a more efficient method. It is based on the natural presumption that the objects are observed at a random moment of time and therefore have random orbital time phases. The proposed estimator, which we call "orbital roulette", checks the randomness of the phases. The method has the following advantages: (1) It estimates accurately Keplerian (point-mass) potentials as well as non-Keplerian potentials where the unknown gravitating mass is distributed in space. (2) It is a complete statistical estimator: it checks a trial potential and accepts it or rules it out with a certain significance level; the best-fit measurement is thus supplemented with error bars at any confidence level. (3) It needs no a priori assumptions about the distribution of orbital parameters of the ...