[en] In this paper we address a difficult problem: How can we create and maintain preparedness for nuclear accidents? Our research has shown that this can be broken down into two questions: (1) How can we maintain the resources and expertise necessary to manage an accident once it occurs? and (2) How can we develop plans that will help in actually managing an accident once it occurs? It is apparently beyond the means of ordinary human organizations to maintain the capability to respond to a rare event. (A rare event is defined as something like an accident that only happens once every five years or so, somewhere in the world.) Other more immediate pressures tend to capture the resources that should, in a cost/benefit sense, be devoted to maintaining the capability. This paper demonstrates that some of the important factors behind that phenomenon can be mitigated by an international body that promotes and enforces preparedness. Therefore this problem provides a unique opportunity for international cooperation: an international organization promoting and enforcing preparedness could help save us from our own organizational failings. Developing useful accident management plans can be viewed as a human performance problem. It can be restated: how can we support and off-load the accident managers so that their tasks are more feasible? This question reveals the decision analytic perspective of this paper. That is, we look at the problem managing a nuclear accident by focusing on the decision makers, the accident managers: how do we create a decision frame for the accident managers to best help them manage? The decision frame is outlined and discussed. 9 refs

No abstract available

[en] A complete description of the dynamics of test particles in the Goedel universe in terms of Fermi co-ordinates is presented. It is shown that, much as for the Friedmann universes, the Goedel universe has a simple Newtonian counterpart possessing the salient features of the Goedel universe, including the same nonrelativistic dynamics. (author)

[en] The experimental limits of the measurement of neutrino stability are given. (WL)

[en] The weak-neutral-current reaction upsilon-bar/sub e/ + d → n + p + upsilon-bar/sub e/ has been observed concurrently with the charged-current process upsilon-bar/sub e/ + d → n + n + e⁺ using an instrumented D₂O target exposed to an upsilon-bar/sub e/ flux of 2.5 x 10¹³ cm^-2sec^-1. The measured neutral-current cross section, (3.8 +- 0.9) x 10^-45 cm²/upsilon-bar/sub e/, is consistent with the Weinberg-Salam model, dependent in this case only on the axial-vector contribution. The charged-current reaction cross section is (1.5 +- 0.4) x 10^-45 cm²/upsilon-bar/sub e/, in fair agreement with expectation

[en] Raytheon Services Nevada has developed a classification process based on probabilistic risk assessment, using accident/impact scenarios for each system classified. Initial classification analyses were performed for the 20 systems of Package 1A of the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF). The analyses demonstrated a solid, defensible methodological basis for classification which minimizes the use of direct engineering judgment. They provide guidance for ESF design and risk management through the identification of: the critical characteristics of each system that need to be controlled; and the parts of the information base that most need to be further developed through performance assessment or other efforts

[en] Raytheon Services Nevada has developed a classification process based on probabilistic risk assessment, using accident/impact scenarios for each system classified. Initial classification analyses were performed for the 20 systems of Package IA of the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF). The analyses demonstrated a solid, defensible methodological basis for classification which minimizes the use of direct engineering judgment. They provide guidance for ESF design and risk management through the identification of: The critical characteristics of each system that need to be controlled; and the parts of the information base that most need to be further developed through performance assessment or other efforts

No abstract available