Oak Ridge National Laboratory VOLUME 11, NUMBER 2 SPRING 1978 2 State of the Laboratory-1977 - A Longer-Range View By HERMAN POSTMA THE COVER PHOTOS: Director Herman Postma, on the cover, and Henry Inouye, opposite page, take turns peering into an environmental test chamber in which new Long Range Ordered Alloys will be tested later this year. The tests will demonstrate the alloys' increased strength with main­ 22 How Deep Is the Burn? tenance of ductility at temperatures up to By JEFF McKENNA 950°C. This is one of the metallurgical achievements at the Laboratory in 1977 described by Postma in the State of the Laboratory address he delivered early this year. 30 Stopping Biological Time Editor By CAROLYN KRAUSE BARBARA LYON Staff Writer CAROLYN KRAUSE Consulting Editor 46 Regional Impacts of the Energy Plan ALEX ZUCKER Art Director BILL CLARK Publication taff: Technical Editing/ DEPARTMENTS LaRue Foster; Typography/ Betty Little­ ton; Makeup/ Betty Jo Williams; Repro­ Take a Number 21 duction/ Bill West Awards and Appointments 28 Letters 38 Information Meeting Highlights 39 Books 45 The Review is published quarterly and distributed to employees and others asso­ ciated with the Oak Ridge National Lab­ oratory. The editorial office is in Building 4500-North, Oak Ridge National Labora­ tory, P.O. Box X, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830. Telephone: (615) 483-8611 , Exten­ OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY sion 3-6900 (J.<'TS 850-6900). OPERATED BY UN ION CARBIDE CORPORAT ION • FOR THE DEPARTMEN T OF ENERGY :ritv/-- state of the Laboratory-1977 -A Longer-Range View By Herman Postma hile the State of the Labora­ This year I not only will review with respect to energy-particu­ W tory address itself is a tra­ what has characterized ORNL in larly during this year with respect dition at ORNL, there is little in 1977, but also will place it in the to nuclear energy. the past year (or in previous context of occurrences since the That evolving energy policy, years) that can be characterized Arab oil crisis of 1973 prompted a along with environmental and as being traditional. Externally, new look at energy policy and gov­ economic constraints, is affecting important changes in govern­ ernment action. Since then, the the Laboratory. I will highlight ment energy policy and in its Laboratory has passed through those turns, twists, and oppor­ organization, as well as internal several phases. We've had re­ tunities in the perspective of the changes in an institution dedi­ placements in rapid succession of last four years with particular cated to creating change, make our sponsoring agency, from the examples of what culminated the word "transition" more AEC, to ERDA, and now DOE. during 1977. appropriate than "tradition" in There have also been important Most of my talk will be con­ describing ORNL activities. changes in government policy cerned with the science and tech- 2 OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY Review nologies and the innovations that strong motivation to solve crucial ral gas. This should allow us once are the core of the Laboratory and energy problems of the country, again to maintain temperatures constitute its most important and and to contribute to a vibrant that are comfortable and to pro­ essential function. Finally, I will R&D atmosphere. vide a productive work environ­ conclude with a view of the future However, that growth in people ment during the heating season. that may characterize the way our at the Laboratory has itself We also hope in another few years programs will move in response to brought problems. New programs to get approval for a sizeable addi­ national needs and to the new and the changes in old programs tion to the Laboratory. energy look. require different laboratory and A crucial indicator of what's office utilization. There has been happened at the Laboratory is the lnd'cators of Change too little money to relieve over­ growth in R&D support in dollars. crowding, to bring crucial labora­ The Laboratory budget has dou­ There are many numerical indi­ tory space up to date, and to bled over the last four years, far cators of change at the Labora­ allow grouping of disciplines for exceeding the cost ofliving during tory. I will restrict myself to three the best interaction among the that period, as well as outpacing areas-the growth in people, in people. The money to relieve those the growth in people. facilities, and in dollars of R&D constraints is not here, and to Responsible for that difference support. The past four years have all those who are putting up with is the fact that we have money, seen a recognition that solutions inadequate facilities and sur­ aloP-g with program management to energy problems throughout roundings, I apologize. responsibilities, and this in the country will require an exten­ Yet there have been important tum means that we now are sive commitment to research and changes in facilities during the subcontracting more research development. The result has been last four years. Soon we will and development. On the one a growth in the number of people be occupying the Environmental hand, spending more extramu­ that work at the Laboratory, Sciences Division building. Con­ rally allows us to utilize other almost a 30% increase over the struction of the Holifield Heavy national resources-universities 1974 level-although really only Ion Research Facility is progress­ and industries-and enlarge our bringing us back up to the level of ing, and some much needed addi­ capability; on the other hand, it 1968. We have found it easy tions to buildings, offices, and gives us more flexibility in re­ to recruit and attract some of labs have been made. We are also sponding to changing program the finest people throughout the converting the steam plant to directions at the Laboratory. In United States and the world with bum coal instead of oil and natu- four years, our R&D subcon­ tracting has grown sixfold. This is in addition to the monies that 6 .-----------------------------------------------, we normally spend for equipment and capital construction and for buying material to carry on the intramural R&D of the Labo­ ratory. We cannot expect the recent rapid growth of the Laboratory to continue at the same rate. Obvi­ PEOPLE ously, it will slow down and (IN 1000's) perhaps plateau until a consoli­ dation of direction and policies is reached. There has been substantial g rowth in the numbers of ORN L employees. 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 FISCAL YEAR SPRING 1978 3 If all goes as expected, the new Environmental Sciences Building will selves have become more com­ gies. The drama lies in the shifts be occupied before the end of spring. plex. In particular, we've seen an that have occurred within re­ increasing number of economists, search areas. Perhaps the most social scientists, and information pervasive change has been in the Evolutions in R&D Approach specialists. basic studies related to nuclear Many factors contribute to the Another evolution at the Labo­ and radiation effects, both in the uniqueness of this institution and ratory, and the theme of my physical sciences and in the its ability to innovate and solve address last year, has been the biomedical and environmental crucial problems. Changes in broadening of our work with other sciences. The shift to studies of those factors have been evolu­ institutions and users' groups. chemicals is most notable. In tionary and not revolutionary contrast with the insults caused over these four years. We ex­ by radiation, the biological and panded greatly our multi program CHANGING PROGRAMS environmental impacts of chemi­ nature that began during the The trends in dollar level over cals are more numerous, more AEC, that was broadened during these years indicate obvious complex, and less well under­ the formation of ERDA, and that changes in what we do, but I stood. has endured with the formulation need to provide some insight Our research concerns the of DOE. Since the Laboratory into the fundamental changes carcinogenic, mutagenic, terato­ remains an institution that is taking place within the trends genic, and toxic effects of these national in scope, we continue to and programs themselves. I will chemicals. From lessons we work for many agencies in those divide it into two broad areas: the learned in the nuclear business, areas where we can effectively put sciences and the technologies. we carry over studies on the together the resources needed to movement of trace contaminants solve national problems. ORNL through the terrestrial and The Sciences cherishes its ability to mobilize aquatic food chains where they many disciplines to attack com­ While we have seen growth in may be concentrated and passed plex problems. During the last the sciences during the last few on to humans. We have now four years, growth has occurred in years, the amount of money spent evolved to a point where our the number and mix of disciplines in the sciences has not increased research on environmental and used, since the ·problems them- dramatically as in the technolo- biological effects for various non- 4 OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY Review Late in 1976, the pressure vessel was installed and welded in place at the Holifield Heavy Ion Research Facility. It is scheduled for completion in late 1979. angle neutron scattering capabil­ ity along with the related small­ angle x-ray scattering facility. The Technologies The largest areas at ORNL are the applied sciences, our large engineering tasks, and the early demonstrations and pilot plants. These stages are necessary to show engineering practicability and economic competitiveness of many processes and techniques discovered in the more basic areas.