BNLS1000 (Ganaral, Miscellaneous, and Progress Reports tNuclur and Nonnuclear) — TID-45001 BROOKHAVEN HIGHLIGHTS JULY 1976 - SEPTEMBER 1978 HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS NUCLEAR AMD SOLID STATE PHYSICS AMD CHEMISTRY LIFE SCIENCES APPLIED ENERGY SCIENCE BROOKHAVEN IMATIOIUAL LABORATORY ASSOCIATED UNIVERSITIES, INC. UPTON, NEW YORK 11973 UNDER CONTRACT NO. EY-76-C-0Z-0016 WITH THE United States Department of Energy .DISCLAIMER. Tfiii two* iVdjprep*feBi)ianaccsum of work sponsored by anagtncy of il.e United States Gowfnmeni. ;iiher the Uniied StaiM Govefnmem nor any agency thereof., nor any of iheir empkyees. makes any jrranty. exoress or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, irt!£)iei£n€?t3. or usefulness o* any information, apparatus, product, or process djsclosod, or IS O represents tnai its use would noi infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein TO anv specific imercial product, proems, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does (1V necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by iho United es Government or any *>sney thereof. The vieivt and opinions of authors e«ressed herein <,'Q noi •ssarily state or reflect thoseot \he Uniiert Slates Governmeniot any •aeftcvlhetoot. \ Contents INTRODUCTION v HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS 1 General Introduction to the Accelerator and High Energ/ Physics Programs 3 High Energy Physics Research 4 Accelerator Department 13 TheAGS 13 Improvements to the AGS 15 Experimental Facilities 21 Other Projects 24 ISABELLE Conversion 24 Heavy Ion Fusion 24 Heliostat 24 Superconducting Power Cables 25 ISABELLE 27 NUCLEAR AND SOLID STATE PHYSICS, AND CHEMISTRY 37 Physics Department 39 Low and Medium Energy Nuclear Physics 40 The Tandem Van de Graaff Accelerator 40 Heavy Ion Studies at the Tandem Facility 40 Research with the HFBR 45 Hypernuclear Spectroscopy 48 Nuclear Theory 48 Atomic and Applied Physics 53 Solid State Physics 55 Neutron Scattering Studies 55 Solid State Theory 57 Defects and Disorder 59 Surface Physics 61 National Synchrotron Light Source 65 Chemistry Department 69 LIFE SCIENCES 85 Biology Department 87 Medical Department 103 APPLIED ENERGY SCIENCE 119 Department of Energy and Environment 121 Energy Sciences 122 Environmental Sciences 134 Energy Technology 140 National Center for Analysis of Energy Systems 146 Department of Nuclear Energy 153 Advanced Reactor Systems 153 Reactor Safety 154 National Nuclear Data Center 163 Nuclear Materials Safeguards 164 SUPPORT ACTIVITIES 169 Applied Mathematics Department 171 Instrumentation Division 17S Reactor Division 190 Safety and Environmental Protection Division 195 GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE 199 in Introduction Brookhaven National Laboratory is operated multidisciplinary work, i? one of the most impor- by Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI) under a tant characteristics of Brookhaven. prime contract with the United States Depart- The first theme deals with the fundamental ment of Energy (DOE) sponsoring a broad range constituents of matter, their properties, and their of basic and applied research in the physical and interactions. Research, which utilizes all the major life sciences. The Laboratory occupies a 21.31 km2 machines at the Laboratory, is done on atoms, nu- tract of land in Suffolk County, approximately at clei, nucleons, and other particles. The most basic the geographic center of Long Island, about 100 questions concern the particles (mesons, neutrinos, kilometers east of New York City. hyperons,and other short lived particles) that are The formation of AUI in 1946 and the estab- created when nucleons collide at high energy, the lishment of Brookhaven National Laboratory at forces with which particles interact and bind to- Upton, New York, provided a new approach to the gether, and the fundamental laws of physics. support of fundamental research by the Federal The second theme encompasses studies of the government, especially for large-scale scientific physical, chemical, and biological effects of radia- enterprises of interest to the academic community. tion and of various chemical substances, particu- The primary objectives of the Laboratory larly those arising in the production of energy. are: The third theme centers on the use of nuclear -To seek new knowledge in the nuclear sciences and other special tools, such as neutrons, charged and related fields, particularly a better under- particles, gamma rays, isotopic tracers, and spe- standing of matter and physical forces at the most cial instruments, in many branches of scientific re- fundamental level, with emphasis on programs search. Wide use is made of isotopic tracers in that require such large-scale research tools as par- many fields to yield information on the mecha- ticle accelerators, m>clear reactors, and special nisms and rates of chemical reactions and biologi- laboratories, which are beyond the scope of most cal processes. or all individual educational institutions. The fourth theme involves research and devel- -To encourage use of its facilities (particularly opment directed toward solving specific problems the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron, the Tan- of national interest in energy analysis and develop- dem Van de Graaff, and the High Flux Beam Re- ment, such as the regional study of energy re- actor) by scientists from universities, research in- sources and utilization. stitutions, and industry. The fifth theme, consisting largely of work in -To assist the Department of Energy in the per- support of the other four, is the development of formance of specific tasks that utilize the Labora- specific devices for use as research tools or in prac- tory's unique facilities or the special talents of its tical applications of energy sources. This theme staff. encompasses projects running the gamut from -To serve as an important auxiliary in the very large to very small - from the design and training of scientists and engineers and otherwise building of particle accelerators to the construc- to assist in the dissemination of scientific and tech- tion of new types of radiation detectors, as well as nical knowledge. the development of energy-efficient devices such Several main themes may be discerned in the as the solar assisted heat pump. scientific programs at Brookhaven, and often a re- Under the auspices first of the Energy Research search project relates to more than one theme.* and Development Administration, (ERDA) and This interplay of themes, the special power of then its successor the DOE, efforts in the last two themes have greatly expanded. Almost all of the *For a more complete discussion of the objectives and research at Brookhaven from its beginning has themes of Brookhaven's program, consult the brochure published by AUI entitled "A report from... Associated been relevant in some degree to problems of en- Universities, Inc." 1717 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Wash- ergy. Earlier the main thrust was in nuclear re- ington, DC 20036. search including a large effort in reactor technol- ogy which was part of the Atomic Energy Com- Research classification along with some parts of mission's endeavor to develop nuclear energy. the DEE programs. This class covers all work on the Programs in energy, other than reactor technol- effects of energy production systems on all organ- ogy, many of them initiated prior to the oil crisis isms, including man, and on the environment. of 1973-74, have grown in size and diversity. The Energy Technologies classification covers Although most of this work is supported by the development of specific energy-producing DOE, there is a sizable effort supported by the methods or systems, and components. This class is Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in the significantly different from the first four. Projects area of power reactor safety, and by the National in the technological area are focused on the more Science Foundation and the National Institutes of immediate problems of energy supply, utilization, Health, principally in the life sciences and envi- and conservation, and bring Brookhaven directly ronmental fields. into the national energy picture. The Laboratory The Laboratory programs may be divided into is currently contributing to the development of the following classifications: High Energy Physics; magnetic fusion energy through the areas of fusion Nuclear and Solid State Physics, Chemistry, and systems engineering, magnetic systems develop- Metallurgy; Basic Life Sciences; Medical and En- ment, and production of neutral beams for plasma vironmental Research; and Energy Technology. heating. The Laboratory also has a program on the use of energetic heavy ions to produce fusion High Energy Physics includes research con- energy by heating and compressing small pellets ducted by teams composed of members of the of fusionable material. BNL Physics Department, the Accelerator De- Additional examples of programs in Energy partment, or scientists from universities or other Technology are the flash hydropyrolysis of coal, research laboratories; often the team conducting the development of hydrogen-based energy sys- an experiment will include persons from several tems, the development of materials for radioactive institutions. About 80% of this research is done waste storage, and the development of various by visitors. This program also includes develop- composite materials for such diverse applications ment and design of advanced particle accelerators, as longer lived pavements and extraction of geo- and instruments for studying the particles or radi-