Optimization of a helicon plasma source for maximum density with minimal ion heating

Measurements of electron density and perpendicular ion temperatures in an argon helicon plasma are presented for five different antennas: A Nagoya type III antenna, a double-saddle antenna, a 19 cm long m = +1 helical antenna, a 30 cm long m = +1 helical antenna and a 19 cm m = +1 helical antenna with wide straps. Electromagnetic wave measurements in the range from 100 kHz to 50 MHz are also presented for a wide range of plasma parameters. The data show a clear transition between RF power coupling to the plasma to create density and coupling to heat ions. The transition from plasma production to ion heating indicates that the mechanism responsible for heating the ions is distinct from the mechanism responsible for ionizing the plasma in a helicon source. The primary objective of the experiments described here is to identify the operational conditions for a helicon source such that the intrinsic ion heating is minimized without sacrificing density production. Secondary objectives of this project include: identifying the optimal antenna configuration for density production and/or ion heating, investigating the mechanism responsible for ion heating through measurements of the fluctuating magnetic field at the edge of the source, and determining if downstream density measurements can be used as a quantitative measure of the electron density in the helicon source

Disposition of Mixed Waste Organics at the Los Alamos Plutonium Facility

Twenty-six organic solution items totaling 37 L had been stored in the Plutonium Facility vault at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, some for up to 18 years. They were residues from analytical analyses of radioactive solutions. All items had a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) defined hazardous waste combined with special nuclear materials (SNM) and were stored as a mixed waste in a vault room pending disposition. Seventeen items had plutonium concentrations above established discard limits for organics. Due to their age, the containers were not suitable for long-term storage because a container failure would contaminate the vault area and personnel. Therefore, an aqueous-based flowsheet was developed to remove the plutonium so that the items could be discarded. The procedure was a wash with either sodium fluoride and/or potassium hydroxide solution followed by absorbing the discardable organic residues on vermiculite. When this approach did not work permission was obtained to discard the items as a transuranic (TRU) mixed waste without further treatment. The remaining nine solution items were consolidated into two items, repackaged, and stored for future disposition. The overall effort required approximately four months to disposition all the items. This report details the administrative and regulatory requirements that had to be addressed, the results of processing, and the current status of the items

RAGE simulations of single-mode Richtmyer-Meshkov growth in a convergent geometry

The Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instability is initiated by a shock accelerating an interface between two materials. Small perturbations of the interface grow into bubble and spike structures causing mixing of the materials that lie on either side of the interface. Recent Los Alamos National Laboratory experiments have focused on RM initiated mix in a compressible, miscible, convergent geometry. Motivated by the lack of a generally accepted model for this physical regime, cylindrical implosion experiments of single-mode, nonlinear RM growth and saturation are undeway at the OMEGA laser facility. Initial targets consist of an m=28 perturbation with an initial amplitude of 2.5 microns machined onto an aluminum marker layer embedded 55 {micro}m from the target surface. Initial perturbations of varying amplitudes and wavelengths are being studied using the RAGE code

Nipah virus dynamics in bats and implications for spillover to humans

Nipah virus (NiV) is an emerging bat-borne zoonotic virus that causes near-annual outbreaks of fatal encephalitis in South Asia-one of the most populous regions on Earth. In Bangladesh, infection occurs when people drink date-palm sap contaminated with bat excreta. Outbreaks are sporadic, and the influence of viral dynamics in bats on their temporal and spatial distribution is poorly understood. We analyzed data on host ecology, molecular epidemiology, serological dynamics, and viral genetics to characterize spatiotemporal patterns of NiV dynamics in its wildlife reservoir, bats, in Bangladesh. We found that NiV transmission occurred throughout the country and throughout the year. Model results indicated that local transmission dynamics were modulated by density-dependent transmission, acquired immunity that is lost over time, and recrudescence. Increased transmission followed multiyear periods of declining seroprevalence due to bat-population turnover and individual loss of humoral immunity. Individual bats had smaller host ranges than other species (spp.), although movement data and the discovery of a Malaysia-clade NiV strain in eastern Bangladesh suggest connectivity with bats east of Bangladesh. These data suggest that discrete multiannual local epizootics in bat populations contribute to the sporadic nature of NiV outbreaks in South Asia. At the same time, the broad spatial and temporal extent of NiV transmission, including the recent outbreak in Kerala, India, highlights the continued risk of spillover to humans wherever they may interact with pteropid bats and the importance of limiting opportunities for spillover throughout 's range. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2020 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

MINIMIZING WASTE AND COST IN DISPOSITION OF LEGACY RESIDUES

Research is being conducted at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) which is directed toward development of a quantitative basis for disposition of actinide-bearing process residues (both legacy residues and residues generated from ongoing programmatic operations). This research is focused in two directions: (1) identifying minimum negative consequence (waste, dose, cost) dispositions working within regulatory safeguards termination criteria, and (2) evaluating logistics/consequences of across-the-board residue discards such as authorized at Rocky Flats under a safeguards termination variance. The first approach emphasizes Laboratory commitments to environmental stewardship, worker safety, and fiscal responsibility. This approach has been described as the Plutonium Disposition Methodology (PDM) in deference to direction provided by DOE Albuquerque. The second approach is born of the need to expedite removal of residues from storage for programmatic and reasons and residue storage safety concerns. Any disposition path selected must preserve the legal distinction between residues as Special Nuclear Material (SNM) and discardable materials as waste in order to insure the continuing viability of Laboratory plutonium processing facilities for national security operations