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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Variability-based active galactic nucleus selection using image subtraction in the SDSS and LSST era

With upcoming all-sky surveys such as LSST poised to generate a deep digital movie of the optical sky, variability-based active galactic nucleus (AGN) selection will enable the construction of highly complete catalogs with minimum contamination. In this study, we generate g-band difference images and construct light curves (LCs) for QSO/AGN candidates listed in Sloan Digital Sky Survey Stripe 82 public catalogs compiled from different methods, including spectroscopy, optical colors, variability, and X-ray detection. Image differencing excels at identifying variable sources embedded in complex or blended emission regions such as Type II AGNs and other low-luminosity AGNs that may be omitted from traditional photometric or spectroscopic catalogs. To separate QSOs/AGNs from other sources using our difference image LCs, we explore several LC statistics and parameterize optical variability by the characteristic damping timescale (τ) and variability amplitude. By virtue of distinguishable variability parameters of AGNs, we are able to select them with high completeness of 93.4% and efficiency (i.e., purity) of 71.3%. Based on optical variability, we also select highly variable blazar candidates, whose infrared colors are consistent with known blazars. One-third of them are also radio detected. With the X-ray selected AGN candidates, we probe the optical variability of X-ray detected optically extended sources using their difference image LCs for the first time. A combination of optical variability and X-ray detection enables us to select various types of host-dominated AGNs. Contrary to the AGN unification model prediction, two Type II AGN candidates (out of six) show detectable variability on long-term timescales like typical Type I AGNs. This study will provide a baseline for future optical variability studies of extended sources.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2014

IXPE: The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer, Implementing a Dedicated Polarimetry Mission

Only a few experiments have conducted x-ray polarimetry of cosmic sources since Weisskopf et al confirmed the 19% polarization of the Crab Nebula with the Orbiting Solar Observatory (OSO-8) in the 70's center dot The challenge is to measure a faint polarized component against a background of non-polarized signal (as well as the other, typical background components) center dot Typically, for a few % minimum detectable polarization, 106 photons are required. center dot So, a dedicated mission is vital with instruments that are designed specifically to measure polarization (with minimal systematic effects) Over the proposed mission life (2- 3 years), IXPE will first survey representative samples of several categories of targets: magnetars, isolated pulsars, pulsar wind nebula and supernova remnants, microquasars, active galaxies etc. The survey results will guide detailed follow-up observations. Precise calibration of IXPE is vital to ensuring sensitivity goals are met. The detectors will be characterized in Italy, and then a full calibration of the complete instrument will be performed at MSFC's stray light facility. Polarized flux at different energies Heritage: X-ray Optics at MSFC polarimetry mission.

Ramsey, Brian↗
NASA NTRS2006

Precision Astrometry with SIM PlanetQuest: Science and Mission Update

This viewgraph presentation gives a science and mission update of precision Astrometry with the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) PlanetQuest. The topics include: 1) SIM PlanetQuest - the World s First Long- Baseline Optical Interferometer in Space; 2) National Academy of Sciences / NRC endorses SIM PlanetQuest; 3) Astrometry with an Interferometer; 4) Overall Configuration (deployed); 5) SIM Planet Finding Capabilities; 6) Planet detection with SIM - minimum masses; 7) Searching for Terrestrial Planets with SIM; 8) Planets around Young Stars; 9) SIM PlanetQuest Science Team; 10) SIM Astrophysics; 11) SIM's Reach Extends Across our Entire Galaxy to do Precision Astrophysics; 12) Dynamics of Galaxy Groups within 5 Mpc; 13) Galactic tidal tails; 14) Dark Halo of our Galaxy; 15) Probing Active Galactic Nuclei with Astrometry; 16) Sample tile for relative astrometry; 17) Astrometric signatures of AGN; 18) Snapshot Observing Mode: Astrometry for the masses; and 19) SIM Technology Development is Complete.

space interferometry mission (SIM)↗
NASA NTRS2004

Mesoscale Gravity Wave Variances from AMSU-A Radiances

A variance analysis technique is developed here to extract gravity wave (GW) induced temperature fluctuations from NOAA AMSU-A (Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A) radiance measurements. By carefully removing the instrument/measurement noise, the algorithm can produce reliable GW variances with the minimum detectable value as small as 0.1 K2. Preliminary analyses with AMSU-A data show GW variance maps in the stratosphere have very similar distributions to those found with the UARS MLS (Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite Microwave Limb Sounder). However, the AMSU-A offers better horizontal and temporal resolution for observing regional GW variability, such as activity over sub-Antarctic islands.

middle atmosphere↗
DOE OSTI2017

New Precision Orbits of Bright Double-lined Spectroscopic Binaries. X. HD 96511, HR 7578, and KZ Andromedae

From an extensive number of newly acquired radial velocities we determine the orbital elements for three late-type dwarf systems, HD 96511, HR 7578, and KZ And. The orbital periods are 18.89737 ± 0.00002, 46.81610 ± 0.00006, and 3.0329113 ± 0.0000005 days, respectively, and all three systems are eccentric, although KZ And is just barely so. We have detected lines of the secondary of HD 96511 for the first time. The orbital dimensions ( a {sub 1} sin i and a {sub 2} sin i ) and minimum masses ( m {sub 1} sin{sup 3} i and m {sub 2} sin{sup 3} i ) of the binary components all have accuracies of 0.2% or better. Extensive photometry of the chromospherically active binary HR 7578 confirms a rather long rotation period of 16.446 ± 0.002 days and that the K3 V components do not eclipse. We have estimated the basic properties of the stars in the three systems and compared those results with evolutionary tracks. The results for KZ And that we computed with the revised Hipparcos parallax of van Leeuwen produce inconsistencies. That parallax appears to be too large, and so, instead, we used the original Hipparcos parallax of the common proper motion primary, which improves the results, although some problems remain.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

OBSERVATIONS OF SOLAR ENERGETIC PARTICLES FROM {sup 3}He-RICH EVENTS OVER A WIDE RANGE OF HELIOGRAPHIC LONGITUDE

A prevailing model for the origin of {sup 3}He-rich solar energetic particle (SEP) events attributes particle acceleration to processes associated with the reconnection between closed magnetic field lines in an active region and neighboring open field lines. The open field from the small reconnection volume then provides a path along which accelerated particles escape into a relatively narrow range of angles in the heliosphere. The narrow width (standard deviation <20 Degree-Sign ) of the distribution of X-ray flare longitudes found to be associated with {sup 3}He-rich SEP events detected at a single spacecraft at 1 AU supports this model. We report multispacecraft observations of individual {sup 3}He-rich SEP events that occurred during the solar minimum time period from 2007 January through 2011 January using instrumentation carried by the two Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory spacecraft and the Advanced Composition Explorer. We find that detections of {sup 3}He-rich events at pairs of spacecraft are not uncommon, even when their longitudinal separation is >60 Degree-Sign . We present the observations of the {sup 3}He-rich event of 2010 February 7, which was detected at all three spacecraft when they spanned 136 Degree-Sign in heliographic longitude. Measured fluences of {sup 3}He in this event were found to have a strong dependence on longitude which is well fit by a Gaussian with standard deviation {approx}48 Degree-Sign centered at the longitude that is connected to the source region by a nominal Parker spiral magnetic field. We discuss several mechanisms for distributing flare-accelerated particles over a wide range of heliographic longitudes including interplanetary diffusion perpendicular to the magnetic field, spreading of a compact cluster of open field lines between the active region and the source surface where the field becomes radial and opens out into the heliosphere, and distortion of the interplanetary field by a preceding coronal mass ejection. Statistical studies of additional {sup 3}He-rich events detected at multiple spacecraft will be needed to establish the relative importance of the various mechanisms.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Performance evaluation of neutron noise analysis in detecting special nuclear materials

Reliable and rapid inspection techniques play a vital role in preventing illicit trafficking of special nuclear materials. Active interrogation systems using neutrons produced by portable, high-flux deuterium-deuterium or deuterium-tritium neutron generators are being actively developed as a secondary scanning tool for this purpose. In this study, a neutron noise analysis-based approach for detecting unshielded and shielded special nuclear materials by using a pulsed deuterium-tritium neutron generator was evaluated. Here, this approach analyzes the fluctuation of neutron counts. Its performance was quantified with regard to time-to-detection to achieve a minimum probability of detection of 99% and a probability of false alarm of less than 1% considering various amounts of special nuclear materials and different shielding configurations. It was demonstrated that this approach could detect 17 uranium slugs in 5 s given a neutron generator yield of 8.1 × 10 7 n/s. These slugs could be detected within a reasonable time frame (200 s) when they were shielded by 10.16 cm of high-density polyethylene. The results obtained using the neutron noise analysis approach were compared with those obtained using the commonly used differential die-away analysis technique, a sensitive technique for detecting the presence of fissile materials by utilizing the prompt fission neutrons produced when the source neutrons from a neutron generator are completely diminished. For example, the time to detect 2 unshielded uranium slugs was 2.1 s when using the differential die-away analysis technique; it increased to 93 s for the neutron noise analysis approach. Although the noise analysis-based approach exhibits an overall performance which is not as good as that of differential die-away, neutron noise provides an alternative method for effective detection of special nuclear materials.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
NASA NTRS2004

Solar Activity and its Impact on Earth's Climate

The Sun's activity is now approaching an expected 2006 minimum, following the dramatic maximum of Solar Cycle 23, that included events such as the 2001 "Bastille Day" Coronal Mass Ejection, and the record-setting Oct-Nov 2003 solar flares, with their associated sunspots and variations in Total Solar Irradiance, or TSI. On Nov 4,2003 the largest X-ray flare ever detected (X-28) was observed in detail. We discuss recent satellite measurements of TSI by ACRIM 2 and 3 and Virgo, and new precision observations of TSI and SSI (Solar Spectral Irradiance) from the SORCE mission, that launched on January 25,2003. TSI variations recorded during the June 8,2004 transit of Venus show the unprecedented precision of the SORCE Total Irradiance Monitor (TIM) instrument, the first of its kind to employ phase-sensitive detection. The SORCE spectral instruments, XPS, Solstice, and SIM, record the Sun's changes over a wide range of wavelengths, from 1 to more than 2000 nanometers, for the first time covering the peak of the solar spectrum, including spectral components that provide energy inputs to key components of the climate system - ultraviolet (UV) into the upper atmospheric ozone layer, infrared (IR) into the lower atmosphere and clouds, and Visible into the Oceans and biosphere. Succeeding satellite missions are planned to monitor both TSI and SSI through Cycle 24. We summarize current ideas about decadal and longer solar variability, and associated potential impacts on Earth's climate on time scales from decades to centuries, especially highlighting the role of feedbacks in the climate system.

Cahalan, Robert F.↗
NASA NTRS2016

FT4 Data Analysis Summary (SSI-ARC)

Standards for Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Detect-and-Avoid (DAA) systems are currently being developed under the auspices of the RTCA Special Committee 228 (SC-228). To support the development of these standards, a series of flight tests has been conducted at NASAs Armstrong Flight Research Center (NASA-AFRC). The fourth in this series of flight test activities (Flight Test 4, or simply FT4) was conducted during the Spring and Summer of 2016. FT4 supported the objectives of numerous organizations working toward UAS DAA Minimum Operational Performance Standards (MOPS) and UAS DAA Radar MOPS. The summary provided herein is limited to the objectives, analysis and conclusions of the NASA Ames Research Center (NASA-ARC) SSI team toward the refinement of UAS DAA MOPS. This document provides a high-level overview of FT4 and the SSI-ARC objectives, a summary of the data analysis methodology and recommendations for UAS DAA MOPS refinements based on the data analysis results. A total of 72 encounters were flown to support SSI-ARC objectives. Test results were generally consistent with acceptable UAS DAA system performance and will be considered in broader SC-228 requirements validation efforts. Observed alert lead times indicated acceptable UAS DAA alerting performance. Effective interoperability between the UAS DAA system and the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) was observed with one notable exception: TCAS Resolutions Advisories (RA) were observed in the absence of any DAA alert on two occasions, indicating the need for alert parameter refinement. Findings further indicated the need for continued work in the areas of DAA Well Clear Recovery logic and alert stability for Mode-C-only intruders. Finally, results demonstrated a high level of compliance with a set of evaluation criteria designed to provide anecdotal evidence of acceptable UAS DAA system performance.

UAS Test Flight↗
DOE OSTI2026

A call to standardize metrics for monitoring baleen whales near marine construction activities

Effective monitoring is necessary to protect marine mammal species during the construction of offshore infrastructure. The tools for detecting or monitoring marine mammals span traditional (e.g., visual observers, optical cameras), to newer (e.g., passive acoustic monitoring, infrared cameras, tags), and emerging (e.g., satellite imagery, environmental DNA, dimethyl sulfide concentration) technologies. Some are better suited for use during offshore development; however, peer-reviewed literature does not typically evaluate and report on the performance of these various technologies. We define a minimum set of metrics related to efficacy (i.e., confusion matrix, precision and recall, probability of missed mitigation), detection range (i.e., maximum and reliable detection range, spatial resolution), and data delivery (i.e., detection latency, system reliability, temporal resolution) that we recommend are needed to assess the utility of monitoring technologies for this purpose. Following a literature review of relevant studies, we highlight which publications reported these metrics and used multiple technologies to compare relative performance. We also emphasize the benefits of multi-modal approaches and recommend performance assessments through modeling or large-scale collaborative field testing. These metrics will standardize data collection, reporting, and analysis; promote consistent and comparable results; and foster collaboration among developers, regulatory agencies, and scientists. This may lead to the co-development of technology that achieves multiple goals, has greater application, and can answer research questions while collecting data to fulfill permitting requirements. These metrics may also inform decisions on what systems regulatory agencies might consider using and reduce monitoring costs, which is critical to support the marine sector's rapid growth alongside marine mammal conservation.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2016

Protoplanetary disks in the hostile environment of Carina

We report the first direct imaging of protoplanetary disks in the star-forming region of Carina, the most distant massive cluster in which disks have been imaged. Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array (ALMA), the disks are observed around two young stellar objects (YSOs) that are embedded inside evaporating gaseous globules and exhibit jet activity. The disks have an average radius of 60 au and total masses of 30 and 50 M{sub Jup}. Given the measured masses, the minimum timescale required for planet formation (∼1–2 Myr) and the average age of the Carina population (∼1–4 Myr), it is plausible that young planets are present or their formation is currently ongoing in these disks. The non-detection of millimeter emission above the 4σ threshold (∼7M{sub Jup}) in the core of the massive cluster Trumpler 14, an area containing previously identified proplyd candidates, suggests evidence for rapid photo-evaporative disk destruction in the cluster’s harsh radiation field. This would prevent the formation of giant gas planets in disks located in the cores of Carina’s dense subclusters, whereas the majority of YSO disks in the wider Carina region remain unaffected by external photoevaporation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

DISCOVERY OF NUCLEAR WATER MASER EMISSION IN CENTAURUS A

We report the detection of a 22 GHz water maser line in the nearest (D {approx} 3.8 Mpc) radio galaxy Centaurus A (Cen A) using the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). The line is centered at a velocity of {approx}960 km s{sup -1}, which is redshifted by about 415 km s{sup -1} from the systemic velocity. Such an offset, as well as the width of {approx}120 km s{sup -1}, could be consistent with either a nuclear maser arising from an accretion disk of the central supermassive black hole (SMBH), or with a jet maser that is emitted from the material that is shocked near the base of the jet in Cen A. The best spatial resolution of our ATCA data constrains the origin of the maser feature within <3 pc of the SMBH. The maser exhibits an isotropic luminosity of {approx}1 L{sub Sun }, which classifies it as a kilomaser, and appears to be variable on timescales of months. A kilomaser can also be emitted by shocked gas in star-forming regions. Given the small projected distance from the core, the large offset from systemic velocity, and the smoothness of the line feature, we conclude that a jet maser line emitted by shocked gas around the base of the active galactic nucleus is the most likely explanation. For this scenario we can infer a minimum density of the radio jet of {approx}> 10 cm{sup -3}, which indicates substantial mass entrainment of surrounding gas into the propagating jet material.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1989

Volcanic eruptions and solar activity

The historical record of large volcanic eruptions from 1500 to 1980 is subjected to detailed time series analysis. In two weak but probably statistically significant periodicities of about 11 and 80 yr, the frequency of volcanic eruptions increases (decreases) slightly around the times of solar minimum (maximum). Time series analysis of the volcanogenic acidities in a deep ice core from Greenland reveals several very long periods ranging from about 80 to about 350 yr which are similar to the very slow solar cycles previously detected in auroral and C-14 records. Solar flares may cause changes in atmospheric circulation patterns that abruptly alter the earth's spin. The resulting jolt probably triggers small earthquakes which affect volcanism.

Stothers, Richard B.↗
DOE OSTI2014

Search for GeV gamma-ray bursts with the ARGO-YBJ detector: summary of eight years of observations

The search for gamma-ray burst (GRB) emission in the energy range of 1-100 GeV in coincidence with the satellite detection has been carried out using the Astrophysical Radiation with Ground-based Observatory at YangBaJing (ARGO-YBJ) experiment. The high-altitude location (4300 m a.s.l.), the large active surface (∼6700 m{sup 2} of Resistive Plate Chambers), the wide field of view (∼2 sr, limited only by the atmospheric absorption), and the high duty cycle (>86%) make the ARGO-YBJ experiment particularly suitable to detect short and unexpected events like GRBs. With the scaler mode technique, i.e., counting all the particles hitting the detector with no measurement of the primary energy and arrival direction, the minimum threshold of ∼1 GeV can be reached, overlapping the direct measurements carried out by satellites. During the experiment lifetime from 2004 December 17 to 2013 February 7, a total of 206 GRBs occurring within the ARGO-YBJ field of view (zenith angle θ ≤ 45°) have been analyzed. This is the largest sample of GRBs investigated with a ground-based detector. Two light curve models have been assumed and since in both cases no significant excess has been found, the corresponding fluence upper limits in the 1-100 GeV energy region have been derived, with values as low as 10{sup –5} erg cm{sup –2}. The analysis of a subset of 24 GRBs with known redshift has been used to constrain the fluence extrapolation to the GeV region together with possible cutoffs under different assumptions on the spectrum.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1982

Radar reflectivities and satellite imagery of severe storms 20 May 1977

Storms on 20 May 1977 generated a vast cirrus deck. Disturbed areas at storm top had equivalent black-body temperatures (T sub BB) much lower than the tropopause temperature, indicative of overshooting tops. The area of T sub BB not greater than -71 C represents the area of convective activity penetrating 2 km above the tropopause. This area was relatively large after cloud tops and radar reflectivities reached their maximum heights. It became much smaller during tornadoes when reflectivities were decreasing. T sub BB was at a minimum at the time of mesocyclone formation. The Del City storm had two periods of growth, as indicated both by reflectivities and the T sub BB areas. The mesocyclone was first detected during the second less intense period of growth; the tornado occurred during decreasing reflectivities. The maintenance of large areas of relatively low T sub BB after tornado dissipation is ascribed to continued convection on the flanks of the storm and to residual updrafts in a thick anvil cloud.

Wexler, R.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Third international challenge to model the medium- to long-range transport of radioxenon to four Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty monitoring stations

In 2015 and 2016, atmospheric transport modeling challenges were conducted in the context of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) verification, however, with a more limited scope with respect to emission inventories, simulation period and number of relevant samples (i.e., those above the Minimum Detectable Concentration (MDC)) involved. Therefore, a more comprehensive atmospheric transport modeling challenge was organized in 2019. Stack release data of Xe-133 were provided by the Institut National des Radioéléments/IRE (Belgium) and the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories/CNL (Canada) and accounted for in the simulations over a three (mandatory) or six (optional) months period. Best estimate emissions of additional facilities (radiopharmaceutical production and nuclear research facilities, commercial reactors or relevant research reactors) of the Northern Hemisphere were included as well. Model results were compared with observed atmospheric activity concentrations at four International Monitoring System (IMS) stations located in Europe and North America with overall considerable influence of IRE and/or CNL emissions for evaluation of the participants’ runs. Participants were prompted to work with controlled and harmonized model set-ups to make runs more comparable, but also to increase diversity. It was found that using the stack emissions of IRE and CNL with daily resolution does not lead to better results than disaggregating annual emissions of these two facilities taken from the literature if an overall score for all stations covering all valid observed samples is considered. A moderate benefit of roughly 10% is visible in statistical scores for samples influenced by IRE and/or CNL to at least 50% and there can be considerable benefit for individual samples. Effects of transport errors, not properly characterized remaining emitters and long IMS sampling times (12–24 h) undoubtedly are in contrast to and reduce the benefit of high-quality IRE and CNL stack data. Complementary best estimates for remaining emitters push the scores up by 18% compared to just considering IRE and CNL emissions alone. Despite the efforts undertaken the full multi-model ensemble built is highly redundant. An ensemble based on a few arbitrary runs is sufficient to model the Xe-133 background at the stations investigated. The effective ensemble size is below five. An optimized ensemble at each station has on average slightly higher skill compared to the full ensemble. However, the improvement (maximum of 20% and minimum of 3% in RMSE) in skill is likely being too small for being exploited for an independent period.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2017

The Magnetic Future of the Sun

We analyze space- and ground-based data for the old (7.0 ± 0.3 Gyr) solar analogs 16 Cyg A and B. The stars were observed with the Cosmic Origins UV Spectrographs on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) on 2015 October 23 and 2016 February 3, respectively, and with the Chandra X-ray Observatory on 2016 February 7. Time-series data in Ca ii data are used to place the UV data in context. The UV spectra of 18 Sco (3.7 ± 0.5 Gyr), the Sun (4.6 ± 0.04 Gyr), and α Cen A (5.4{sub −0.2}{sup +1.2} Gyr) appear remarkably similar, pointing to a convergence of magnetic heating rates for G2 main-sequence stars older than ≈2–4 Gyr. But the B component’s X-ray (0.3–2.5 keV) flux lies 20× below a well-known minimum level reported by Schmitt. As reported for α Cen A, the coronal temperature probably lies below that detectable in soft X-rays. No solar UV flux spectra of comparable resolution to those of stellar data exist, but they are badly needed for comparison with stellar data. Center-to-limb variations are reevaluated for lines such as Ca ii through X-rays, with important consequences for observing activity cycles in such features. We also call into question work that has mixed solar intensity–intensity statistics with flux–flux relations of stars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Performance of a Low Activity Beta-Sensitive SR{sup 90} Water Monitor for Fukushima

There are large volumes of contaminated water from the stabilization efforts at the damaged Fukushima Nuclear Power Plants. This water is being processed to remove radioactivity for eventual release to the environment. An on-line continuously operating system to confirm that the clean-up system is working properly, and to provide prompt feedback of the results is required by the system operator. While gamma emitting nuclides allow for the straight forward approach of gamma spectroscopy to identify and quantify radioactivity in water, pure beta emitting nuclides such as Sr{sup 90} pose a challenging problem. The relatively short range of beta radiation in water requires optimization of the measurement geometry in terms of the source-detector distance and source-detector interface while retaining a background sensitivity low enough to meet the Minimum Detectable Concentration (MDC) of 10 Bq/kg in 180 minutes. This issue is complicated by the continuum nature of the beta spectrum which does not allow for simple nuclide identification. The use of the Monte-Carlo code MCNP to estimate system performance before prototyping vastly increases the success of the end product. Various parameters such as detector size and thickness, water chamber size, water chamber construction materials were evaluated to help choose the optimum geometry. The final design was a system consisting of two large-area (16 x 35 cm) and thin (0.15 mm) plastic scintillators placed very close to a sealed a water chamber. The size of the chamber was optimized to obtain the maximum efficiency for the nuclide being measured (Sr/Y{sup 90}) but to minimize the efficiency for possible interferences (Ru/Rh{sup 106}, Cs{sup 137}). A thin carbon fiber window was selected with adequate material and thickness to contain the water under pressure, but also thin enough (0.5 mm) to allow enough beta radiation to pass through to the active detector volume. The entire measurement geometry is then housed in a thick lead shield to reduce contributions from external sources to an acceptable level. Data acquisition is accomplished through customized application-specific software that allows for long counting times to attain a low MDC, but also simultaneously provides alarms on short averaging times to achieve a fast response to sudden changes in activity concentration. Multiple monitors are then linked to supervisory software where real time data and alarms are available for analysis in remote locations. The system also allows for remote operation of the unit; check sources, background checks, systems settings and more may be accessed remotely. Testing of the production devices has shown that we can achieve the 10 Bk/kg MDC requirement for Sr{sup 90} in equilibrium with Y{sup 90} with a count time of approximately 20 minutes. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗