What is NBS?

THENational Bureau of Standards (NBS) is many things as this report

shows. Its most fundamental responsibility is to be the Nation's

measurement laboratory in the physical and engineering sciences. An

agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, NBS was established by Congress

in 1901 to help insure the compatibility of measurement standards needed by

industry, consumers, the scientific community, and other government organizations.

These standards provide the basis for the exchange of goods, the accurate

specification of products, quality control methods for production, the equitable enforcement of environmental regulations, and the establishment

of adequate guidelines for the protection of public health and safety.

NBS has built a reputation for accuracy and reliability. It is a laboratory

used by industry, academia, and government alike as an independent,

authoritative source of technical information and advice. Whatever the challenge, if it involves measurement in any way, NBS is probably working on the answers—or helping others to find the solutions.

Contents

Foreword 1

Introduction 2

National Measurement Laboratory 4

Basic Measurements and Standards 5 Measurements for Energy Security 7 Environmental Measurements 9

Measuring Materials Properties 10

National Engineering Laboratory 1

2

Helping Improve Industrial Productivity 13

Using Energy Efficiently 15

Improving Performance and Fire Safety of Buildings 1

6

Developing Other Measurement and Calibration Methods 18

Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology 20

Computer Standards and Guidelines 21

Cover: Throughout its history, the

Efficient Use and Management of Computers 22

National Bureau ofStandards has aided

industry, academia, and government in Science and Technology Transfer:

solving measurement problems. Today Services and Special Programs 23

NBS is helping industry improve productivity and innovation by providing Funds and Facilities 28

measurement techniques and standards

for new and highly complex areas of People 30

science and technology such as electronics, symbolized here by a magnification Directory 34

ofa Very Large Scale Integrated circuit.
MAY 4 1981

Foreword

. BEFORE you begin reading about what we at the National Bureau of Standards have accomplished during the past 2 years, I would like to focus for a moment on the future, and on how NBS research can help

find solutions to this country's most important and complex problems.

Energy. Environment. Health. Public Safety. By now these concerns

are quite familiar. Relatively new challenges with equally important

consequences for our standard of living and general economic strength are the needs for improved industrial innovation and productivity. Innovation and

productivity are frequently used terms and of obvious value, yet they are incredibly difficult concepts to mold and nurture to fruition. One way that the National Bureau of Standards can help is by supplying manufacturers

with the basic measurements and standards for quality control that they

need to produce their products efficiently and well. This, after all, has always

been a basic mission for NBS, and it will become even more vital in the development of new products and processes. The rapid shifting of international events and the trends of some markets

where the United States has been losing ground to other countries have made

the virtues of innovation and productivity increasingly apparent to the Nation

at large. Add to this the prevailing, and I believe quite correct, wisdom that science and technology underlie all progress in these areas, and it is easy

to see why Congress during 1980 paid special attention to NBS and its future

directions. For the first time in the Bureau's 80-year history, committees in both the House and Senate held authorization hearings to examine the Bureau's research

activities and funding priorities in detail. The hearings served to bring

important Bureau programs affecting innovation, productivity, and other

national concerns into the congressional spotlight. It is my expectation, and I am assured by the House and Senate Committee Chairmen, that this process

will contribute to the health and strength of both the Bureau and the country

in the future. International cooperation represents another way that I believe NBS and

its research programs will become increasingly valuable. In a recent tour of science and technology laboratories in China, Japan, and Korea, I was very much impressed by their staffs' high level of enthusiasm and dedication for

their work. Clearly we can learn something from these countries, just as they

have learned by watching us. The United States has, in the past, shown that proper use of science and

technology can yield impressive results in worldwide respect and prosperity

at home. I believe that we can maintain those hard-won commodities by

moving with renewed dedication to address challenging scientific issues with

sound scientific methods. I hope that as you read this report you will find we have taken these challenges to heart and are proceeding forward

under full steam to meet them.

Ernest Ambler

Director, National Bureau of Standards
Introduction

T N the words of the chairman for a multinational chemical

company, "Technology doesn't come from the tooth fairy."

Technology comes from hard work,

enlightened research, and the foresight

to plan ahead. Scientists and engineers

from industry, academia, and

government alike realize that research

is too expensive and too important

to the Nation's well-being to be

entered into without focus and

direction. Moreover, the best science

and technology research doesn't

follow today's trends, it anticipates tomorrow's. During 1980 every effort has been

made to tailor the research programs

of the National Bureau of Standards

to the technology needs of the coming

decade. As part of that planning

process, NBS projects concerned with

building competence received renewed

emphasis. These are programs aimed

at maintaining and enhancing the

quality of NBS research facilities and the expertise of the NBS staff in the fundamental areas of science

and engineering that are expected to have the greatest impact on future national scientific and technological

needs.

A significant number of these research projects promise to help

bolster industrial productivity and

innovation while encouraging energy

conservation. Four particular areas stand out—electronics, automation,

chemical processing, and advanced

materials. When science and engiOne competence building project

begun in 1979 is a study of mechanisms

occurring during electrochemical

reactions. In this photo, researchers

Richard Durst and Mary Lou Fultz

test a new computer-controlled , spectroelectrochemical system

used to identify the intermediate

and final products of certain reactions

important in analytical biochemistry.

neering leaders discuss research needs

for the future, these fields are

inevitably mentioned. NBS has planned

major research programs to meet

anticipated needs in each of them.

Electronics

The perceptive judgment of history

will doubtless look upon the 1980's

as the silicon age. Electronics

designers continue to shrink the

integrated circuitry of microprocessers

to infinitesimal dimensions. As a

result, complex computational tasks are accomplished faster, with less energy, at lower cost. Such trends are expected to increase

worldwide sales of integrated circuits by 150 percent within the next 5 years.

If U.S. manufacturers hope to profit

from the increased demand, they must

develop higher quality products at less cost than their foreign

competitors.

One of the most promising ways

to do this will be to perfect the production and quality control of

Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI)

circuits. VLSI represents the next

generation of semiconductor tech- nology. VLSI circuits will channel

electrical currents through "wires"

100 times thinner than a human hair. A single VLSI circuit chip will hold

over 100,000 individual transistors or

"switches" (present chips hold about

30,000).

Accurate quality control testing

will be a major problem. With present

methods a simple integrated circuit can be run through a complete

functional test in a fraction of a second, a chip with medium-scale

integration in about a week. Complete

functional testing of VLSI devices

is impossible with today's techniques.

Whole new approaches to semiconductor quality inspection are needed before VLSI can be practical. In the 1980's, NBS researchers will be studying how even the smallest misarrangement of atoms in integrated

circuit materials can affect performance. They will be scaling down

current NBS test patterns used by

industry in quality control to the submicrometer dimensions necessary

for VLSI. Methods for validating

2
VLSI circuit design, for using

computer-operated process monitors

during manufacture, and for characterizing improved "packages" to protect completed circuits from

damage will also be investigated.

Automation

Just as mass production dramatically

improved industrial output in the

early 1900's, increased use of automated methods of manufacturing

and quality control is one of the most direct ways to boost today's

industrial productivity. Machines

directed by computers can churn out

precise uniform parts at great speeds.

Automated machine tools can produce

higher quality products at lower costs. The most versatile computer

controlled machines are industrial robots. Industrial robots can be

programmed to perform several

different jobs, can complete a sequence of manufacturing tasks, and

can do extremely monotonous or dangerous jobs that should not or cannot be done by people. While

current models have none of the

charm of an R2D2 or a C3PO,

they are rapidly acquiring basic

human-like senses. Rudimentary

abilities to "see" and "touch" will soon allow robots to take corrective

action when they encounter misplaced parts, manufacturing defects, or similar problems.

However, experts agree that computer^assisted manufacturing and

robotics, despite their many

attractions, still have a long way to go. As with any developing industry,

computer-assisted manufacturing

lacks necessary standards and

calibration methods. Tools and robots

made by different manufacturers may

respond to similar program commands

differently, and individual hardware

designs make interfacing between

machines nearly impossible. Bureau

researchers are now building a prototype automated metalworking

machine shop. The facility will include

a machining center, a "sighted"

robot, a computer, a controller, and

other hardware. It will be used to

test new calibration and measurement

techniques, computer language

standards, and interfacing methods.

Advanced computer programs will be

used to automate 'and optimize

operations such as the sensing of equipment failures, the control of

metal cutting tools, and the automated

quality inspection of parts at every

stage of manufacture.

Chemical Processing

U.S. chemical manufacturers are

tuning up their processes. Most

existing U.S. plants were designed

when energy was cheap and

abundant. Processes need to be refined

to cut down on fuel costs. Alternatives

to oil and gas must be used to compensate for uncertain supplies

and steep prices. Stringent new

Federal regulations demand more

effective pollution control measures. The development of energy sources such as synthetic fuels made from

coal, oil shale, and tar sands may

provide part of the answer. Processing

chemicals in larger "batches" may

also help. But these changes will require fundamental chemical data on

rates of reactions, thermophysical

properties, liquid and gas flow rates, and heat transfer, which are not now

available. NBS plans to concentrate efforts in the next few years to help provide

the chemical industry with the fundamental data and measurement tech- niques it needs. New projects will also provide engineering design data,

measurement principles, and standards

to help increase energy efficiency

and control advanced chemical

separation methods.

New Materials

Metal parts made from powders.

Polymers that conduct electricity.

Super ceramics. Research and

development of new, improved

materials is a billion dollar business.

Materials shortages, energy costs, and

environmental concerns have made

innovation in this field a high

priority for industry.

Once again, however, accurate

inspection methods and better systems for quality control stand in the way of broader application of new

materials technology. To better appreciate the magnitude of the problem, consider the fact that materials imperfections at the micrometer level can degrade the performance of advanced technology

products. Turbine blades for jet

engines, for example, are used at such high temperatures that even minute inclusions and porosity

within the microstructure can make

them susceptible to failure. Materials research, specifically the measurement of materials properties,

has always been a major area of Bureau research. Future plans call for stepped-up activity in this area, especially in improving theories and

measurement methods that relate the microstructure of materials to their performance and durability. Sophisticated NBS experimental facilities

such as laser-driven ultrasonic

microscopy, high field nuclear

magnetic resonance, and small angle neutron scattering—will permit

detailed studies of the smallest elements of a wide range of materials

structures. These plans for research in electronics, automation, chemical

processing, and materials are

certainly important, yet even as examples they don't reflect the full scope of the Bureau's work that lies ahead. Throughout the next three

sections, which highlight major

accomplishments during the past 2

years, additional Bureau research

strategies are included to round out

the picture.

3
National Measurement

Laboratory

FOR most people measurement

is a rather ordinary, albeit necessary, part of life. For

scientists and engineers measurement

is another matter entirely.

It is at the very heart of just about

every kind of research endeavor. It consists not only of what can be

seen, heard, or felt, but also of things too incredibly small, too amazingly

distant, or too ephemerally brief to be observed with human senses alone. The vibrations of a cesium atom

serve as an infallible clock, more

precise than the rotation of the earth

itself. Stabilized lasers act as rulers for measurements smaller than a fly's eye. Analytical instruments detect substances with masses less than a

billionth the weight of a dollar bill.

The ability to measure with such

precision and to do it accurately has

made possible many technological

advances—jets, computers, satellites. New, even more exacting measurement

methods will undoubtedly help bring

about the technical achievements of the future. The Bureau's National Measurement Laboratory (NML) bears

responsibility for nurturing improvements in both the sophisticated

measurement system required by

science and technology and in the day-to-day measurements needed by

everyone. It is the job of the NML

technical staff to see to it that physical

and chemical measurements within

the United States can be traced to a consistent set of standards, reference

methods, and. reference materials

that are also compatible with those

used, to regulate international trade.

As part of this process, the over 1,000 scientists and engineers of the Laboratory perform research within

a multitude of scientific disciplines, across a broad range of topics. The

ultimate aim of their research is to assure that technological development

is not hindered by a lack of accurate

physical or chemical measurement

standards and, especially, to provide

the basic measurement technology

needed to support advanced scientific

fields of critical importance to the Nation.

A few representative examples of

NML research achievements for

fiscal years 1979 and 1980 are

described, below.

Boulder laboratory researchers

Kenneth Evenson, Donald Jennings,

and Russell Petersen successfully

accomplished the highest direct frequency measurement ever made

(over 520 terahertz) in a joint project

with the Canadian National Research

Council.
Basic Measurements and Standards

A measurement system can only be

as precise as the units upon which

it is based. To provide the precision

and accuracy needed for the in- creasing demands of science and

technology, NBS researchers are continually seeking to improve the way basic quantities such as length, mass, time and frequency, temperature,

and electrical quantities are deter- mined. The guiding thrust of this effort is to use the laws of physios

to define basic units with ever better accuracy. The area of time and frequency

is a good illustration of how NBS

satisfies the diverse spectrum of

industrial, national, and international

needs for basic measurements and

standards. The principal elements of

the program focus on realizing the international unit of time, the second;

maintaining and disseminating the U.S. atomic time scale; coordinating

time with other national laboratories;

and conducting research to advance

the state-of-the-art in frequency

measurements and frequency standards. To satisfy a wide variety of

civilian applications such as electrical power generation and commercial

aviation, precise time and frequency

signals are broadcast from NBS radio

stations in Colorado and Hawaii.

Synchronizing NBS atomic time with

the time scales of other nations

requires a higher level of precision

which is accomplished using a U.S. Navy broadcast, LORAN-C, and

portable atomic clocks. The highest

precision transfers of the time

standard are accomplished through

measurements performed at NBS.

Devices such as atomic clocks and

quartz crystal oscillators are occasionally calibrated to meet the very

high precision needs related to national defense and the space program.

An ongoing program of research

is directed at extending the range and

quality of NBS measurements and

services. Last year NBS scientists,

working in collaboration with re- searchers of the National Research

Council of Canada (the NBS counterpart in Canada), achieved a major

advance in this regard. In accomplishing the highest direct frequency

measurement ever made of an

electromagnetic wave, they paved the way for an improved definition of

the meter. The second is defined in terms of the vibration of the cesium

atom with an uncertainty of less than one part in 1013 (10 trillion). This

leads to the potential for measure- ments much more accurate than the present length standard.

Using a sophisticated array of lasers and microwave generators, these researchers measured the frequency

of visible light in a way which directly

tied that measurement to the cesium

standard. The success of this experiment makes possible the

Physicists Robert Soulen (left) and

James Schooley check a calibration

apparatus used to certify a new

Standard Reference Material (SRM

767) called a superconductive fixed

point device. SRM 767 consists of

five wires of different metals (lead,

indium, aluminum, zinc, and cadmium)

that become superconducting at

five different cryogenic (extremely

low) temperatures. These reference

temperatures are used as defining

points for the new international 0.5 K to 30 K Provisional Temperature Scale.

5
realization of a long-standing ambition

among metrologists—the tying of

all measurements of time and space

to a single, very precise standard. A

formal proposal to define the meter in terms of the cesium frequency

standard and the speed of light has

been made by the International

Consultative Committee for the

Definition of the Meter to the International Committee for Weights

and Measures on the strength of the NBS/NRC experiment plus those

performed at other standards laboratories. The new meter would be the distance travelled in a time interval of 1/299 792 458 of a second by

plane electromagnetic waves in vacuum.

Researchers in the NBS Center for Radiation Research recently contributed to the accuracy with which

another important quantity can be

measured. Through detailed study of the photovoltaic effect, this research

group developed an "absolute" method

of calibrating silicon photodiodes.

Their work should help improve

measurements of the candela—the basic unit of light intensity.

Currently silicon photodiode

calibrations revolve around the thermal physics of a known radiation source or thermal detector. The new

method depends instead on a direct measure of a particular device's

efficiency in converting incoming

photons of light into an electrical current. The new technique requires

a relatively simple electrical apparatus

and produces accuracies as good or

better than the previously used

method.

In a related development, rePhysicist Jon Geist adjusts the alignment of a modulator used to

stabilize the power of a krypton ion

laser. The normally invisible ultraviolet laser is part of a new NBS

system for direct calibration of silicon photodiode optical detectors.

searchers in this same Center

improved, by a factor of ten, light

intensity measurements made at the NBS Synchrotron Ultraviolet

Radiation Facility (SURF II)

Accelerating electrons within the synchrotron "storage ring" produce

intense radiation which can be

"tuned" across frequencies from, the infrared to the far ultraviolet. With

extremely accurate silicon photodiodes, these researchers measured

the flux or radiant power of the NBS

synchrotron as a function of the

number of electrons being accelerated

within the ring. As the number of electrons within the ring decreased

with time due to leakage, the re- searchers noted incremental decreases

in light intensity. This counting of electrons permitted a mathematical

determination of the synchrotron's

light intensity which agreed to within

1 percent with silicon photodiode

measurements made directly. The

improved characterization of the NBS

synchrotron radiation makes it an

excellent instrument calibration source over a broad range of frequencies.

Improved methods of measuring

light intensity have ready applications for climate research. In order to understand the world's past climate

and to predict future climate

trends, researchers monitor the optical

radiation from the sun. To do this successfully, their measurements must

be accurate to within 0. 1 percent over

a 22-year period as a sustained change

of only a few tenths of a percent in

6
this quantity, called the solar constant,

could signal substantial changes in the world's climate. Radiation measurements of a

different kind were the subject of additional NBS efforts to improve

basic measurements and standards. At

the request of the U.S. Senate

Committee on Commerce, Science

and Transportation, NBS collaborated

with the State Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors

in a thorough study of needs for improving measurements of ionizing

radiation important to public health

and safety. Ionizing radiation is used

not only in hospitals for diagnosis

and therapy but also in industry for

sterilizing products, curing plastics,

inspecting products, and a variety of

other applications, including the

production of energy. The recently released report stated

that certain types of radiation,

such as high-energy x-rays, high-energy electrons, and fast neutrons used in radiation therapy

cannot be measured at desired levels of accuracy. Measurements of

radiation such as neutrons or beta

rays were reported to be hampered

by a lack of proper field instruments.

Options considered for improving this situation included: establishing a

string of government-financed

regional calibration laboratories;

helping establish similar facilities run by the States or by private parties;

and developing additional national

radiation measurement standards

and instrumentation.

Measurements For Energy Security

Major new energy technologies are not built overnight. According to recent projections by the National

Research Council, it may take 20

years or more to develop fully successful energy alternatives to oil and natural gas. New forms of energy

require specific chemical and physical

data for use in maximizing the

efficiency of processes. A number

of NML research accomplishments

Research chemist James Walker

(right) discusses the results of

differential scanning calorimetry

experiments of recycled oil with Wing

Tsang, chief of the NBS Chemical

during the past 2 years includes the

development of instruments or measurement methods that may help

in providing this sort of information.

Researchers in the Center for Thermodynamics and Molecular

Science (CTMS) are developing new

test methods for determining the energy content of municipal waste and processed waste called refuse- derived fuel (RDF), which can be

burned to produce electricity or

Kinetics Division. The object of this study is to develop test methods that can be used to compare accurately the oxidation stability of rerefined oil with

that of a new oil.

7
steam for industrial applications. The

Resource Conservation and Recovery

Act, passed in 1976, directs NBS

to develop guidelines for specifying the nature of products recovered from

wastes and to work with voluntary

standards-setting organizations to provide standards for these materials

in order to speed their introduction

as items of trade. The determination

of heating values for refuse and RDF

is hampered by the heterogeneous

nature of city waste and by the

relatively small burning capacity of

traditional calorimeters, in which

fuel samples are burned and the heat

given off is measured precisely. In FY 79 these researchers built a calorimeter that can accommodate

25 grams of material, ten times the capacity of instruments in current

use. During the next 3 years, with

funding from the Department of Energy, they will be developing

progressively larger models with the goal of producing calorimeters capable

of burning multikilogram samples.

With a valid characterization tech- nique for establishing a fair market

value for a particular batch of fuel, the marketability of refuse and RDF

should improve.

Another combustion measurement

project involved the real-time

identification of transient chemical

species by researchers at the Joint

Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics

(JTLA). f JILA is operated jointly by

NBS and the University of Colorado.)

A special laser system is used in

this technique to excite specific

molecules in a flowing gas mixture

and initiate a chain combustion

reaction. Meanwhile, a detector

monitors the infrared radiation

emitted by molecules formed

throughout the process on a real-time

basis. This high-speed tracking of combustion products and intermediate

chemical species could provide

engineers with the detailed infor- mation they need to design more

fuel-efficient engines.

Almost simultaneously. Bureau re- searchers reported the success of an

analogous technique—infrared-laser

photolysis/mass spectrometry—for gathering similar dynamic chemical

kinetics information. This method

employs an infrared laser to initiate reactions and a mass spectrometer

for time-resolved identification of

reactant intermediates. Because the mass spectrometer is a very definitive instrument, able to identify un- ambiguously almost any molecule

of interest, this work may have even

wider applications for improving

combustion technology.

Surface chemistry continued to be

a major topic of interest. One NBS

group of surface scientists discovered

a particular class of molecules that seems well-suited to serve as an "anchor" on certain types of metal

surfaces. Though this work is still in the initial stages, it may be possible

to tailor-make special materials by

attaching specific molecular groups to the surface using these "anchor"

molecules. This could be a very useful development for solar energy re- search. The "anchors" could be used

to create a surface full of molecules

which best absorb the light frequencies

emitted by the sun, thus increasing

the efficiency of solar photovoltaic

devices.

Stephen R. Leone (left) of the Joint

Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics

and David J. Nesbitt of the University

of Colorado discuss the technique

they developed to further the understanding of combustion processes.

8
Environmental Measurements

Many proposed energy alternatives to

oil and natural gas, such as synfuels

made from coal or biomass processes,

will bring with them additional

environmental concerns. Special care must be taken and new tools developed if the benefits to the

environment realized during the 1970's are to be maintained and

improved through the 1980's. In the Center for Analytical

Chemistry (CAC), researchers began

a 5-year pilot project with the Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA) in November 1979 to help

provide the kind of baseline data

and sensitive analytical methods that

will be necessary to judge adequately

the effectiveness of future environmental regulations. The NBS/EPA

Pilot Environmental Specimen Bank

is a feasibility study designed to provide a measurement system for monitoring pollutant trends by

comparing pollutant concentrations

in new biological and environmental

samples with historic samples that are "on file." The pilot facility,

located at NBS headquarters in Gaithersburg, Md., is the first environmental specimen bank of its kind in the world. Over 5 years of

intensive research and planning by

EPA, NBS, and West German

scientists collaborating on the study were invested to develop valid

sampling, analysis, and storage

techniques.

The objective of this project is to

test the validity of these methods.

Through such long-term storage

techniques as freezing in liquid

nitrogen at temperatures of - 196 °C,

the researchers hope to show that specimens can be preserved for periods of up to 100 years with no

chemical degradation. The success

of methodology developed in the

pilot specimen bank program would

make possible the first truly valid,

long-term pollutant concentration

profiles and permit comparison of

pollutant concentrations found in different regions of the country. This

would greatly improve estimates of a given chemical's environmental

significance.

Also within CAC, NBS scientists perfected a way to differentiate between air particulates produced by

natural and wood-burning sources and those produced by the combustion

of fossil fuels such as gasoline or

coal. Adapted from radiocarbondating techniques, the method

capitalizes on the fact that the carbon

produced in the "breathing" process

of trees and plants and in the burning

of wood contains a certain percentage

of the naturally radioactive isotope,

carbon- 14. In fossil fuels, however,

this isotope has decayed to the point

that it is no longer measurable.

By separating the total amount of* carbon from an air particulate

sample and measuring the ratio of

12 C to stable 1! C, the researchers were able to estimate the contribution

Research chemist Sally Harrison stores

biological samples in a liquid nitrogen

freezer as part of the joint NBS/EPA

Pilot Environmental Specimen Bank

Program.
of wood-burning and natural

particulates to air pollution in the

Portland, Oregon, area. Their

technique is more than 100 times as

sensitive as previous methods and

could be used to analyze the sources

of air pollution.

No description of NBS environmental measurements research would

be complete without mention of

environmental Standard Reference

Materials (SRM's). SRM's are well characterized materials with chemical

or physical properties certified by

NBS, which can be used by other

scientists to calibrate measurement

methods or instruments. In environmental measurements, the use of SRM's is critical due to the extremely

low levels (often a few parts per

billion) at which some pollutants can

cause environmental damage or toxic

effects. Two particularly important

environmental SRM's were issued

during FY 80—Oyster Tissue (SRM

1566) and Shale Oil (SRM 1580).

The Oyster SRM should help improve

measurements of toxic metal

pollutants that become concentrated

in oysters, mussels, and other marine

animals used as foods. SRM 1580

is intended to provide a common

baseline for measurements of five important organic pollutants present

in shale oil, tar sands, liquefied coal,

and crude petroleum. NBS researchers

found that measurements made by

different organic analysis laboratories,

without the benefit of a suitable SRM

for calibrations, on the same samples

of shale oil varied by about 600

percent.

Measuring Materials Properties

The goal of the Bureau's work in materials science and engineering is to understand the properties and

structure, improve the performance

and durability, and reduce the cost of materials. Meeting these objectives

requires a broad program of research

in the development of new methods

of materials properties measurement

and data collection. One program created in response

to many materials needs broadens

the applications of impedance

spectroscopy. Impedance spectroscopy

is basically a way to examine the

electrical and structural properties of

a material by measuring its resistance

to an alternating current, as a function of the frequency of that current. Variations of the technique

have been applied by researchers in the Center for Materials Science to examine electrodes and solid electrolytes proposed for use in hightemperature, electricity-generating

fuel cells and for investigating the microstructure of new, temperatureresistant ceramics. Their work

suggests processing strategies that could help better the performance of these materials.

Similar motivations spurred

research into the dynamic thermophysical properties of electrically

conducting materials under extreme

conditions of rapid heating. During

the period covered by this report,

CTMS scientists designed a pulsed

Michelson-type laser interferometer

for rapid measurements of thermal

expansion at high temperatures. This

is the first such instrument capable

of measuring thermal expansion at temperatures above 800 °C. Moreover,

measurements made with a highspeed pyrometer (used in determining

temperature) have pointed to large

discrepancies between dynamic

measurements of the heat capacity of temperature-resistant metals, such as molybdenum and tungsten, and the

10
heat capacity predicted by currently

accepted theories. These scientists are now in the process of trying to explain the differences through

computer modeling studies of the

materials' crystal structure. In an

effort to extend heat capacity and

other measurements of thermophysical

properties to temperatures of up to 10,000 °C, they are also designing

a new system which will provide

measurements at microsecond intervals, 1,000 times faster than present

instrumentation. The new system is expected to yield the first accurate data on the high-temperature

thermophysical properties of metals

in their molten state. The relation of theory and

experiment has been the theme of many NBS studies in the polymers

area. For example, an experimental

study involving small-angle neutron

scattering has refuted a theory that assumes individual molecules of synthetic rubber would imitate the deformation behavior of the bulk

specimen. By "bouncing" neutrons

off a specially prepared sample of

stretched rubber, the researchers

determined that individual molecules were not "stretched" in an analogous

fashion, as might be expected.

Further research in this area should

help confirm theories which more

accurately tie a polymer's molecular

structure to its bulk properties.

Neutrons can also be used as nondestructive "probes" of materials

important for energy research. With

uranium becoming increasingly

expensive and in short supply it could soon be necessary to reprocess

the spent fuel of reactors to recover

At left. Research chemist Jeanice

Brown- Thomas prepares a batch of

shale oil samples for certification as Standard Reference Materials.

Organic compounds are first separated using a high-performance

liquid chromatograph, then the concentration of compounds of interest are determined with a fluorimeter.

Above. An instrument used in impedance spectroscopy studies is displayed by physicist C. K. Chiang.

With this instrument, Chiang and Alan

Franklin, project leader for these experiments, are investigating the effect of grain boundaries on the electrical properties of certain potential fuel cell materials.

any unfissioned uranium238 remaining in fuel rods. If this practice

becomes widespread, it will be

important for reactor owners to have

an accurate means of determining

the distribution of uranium235 and

uranium20' 8 in fuel rods before

processing for adequate accounting

and safeguarding of the material.

In FY79 NBS researchers

developed a nondestructive isotope

measurement method that greatly

improves present uranium assaying

techniques. By passing a beam of neutrons through a sample of nuclear

fuel, the location and quantity of

U235 and U238 can be "mapped" to within 1.5 percent of actual concentrations. The method may also be

useful in other processing industries such as in the separation of nonuniform heavy metals from ores. And, in the economically important

area of corrosion research, Bureau

scientists demonstrated a new

technique for measuring the corrosion

of metal under organic coatings,

which may prove useful as a research

tool for paint and other coatings

manufacturers. This new method

combines two corrosion measurement

strategies—ellipsometry (an optical

technique) and pH changes—into a

single, very sensitive apparatus for nondestructive monitoring of coated

metal in corrosive environments.

Preliminary studies indicate the method has application both as a basic research tool for unraveling

the complicated chemistry needed

to explain why paints and other

organic coatings fail and for the systematic laboratory testing of various

anti-corrosion paint systems

containing chemical inhibitors.

11
National Engineering

Laboratory

BASIC science was responsible

for defining electricity and

its properties, but engineering

brought us the light bulb. Every

scientific discipline—from physics,

to biochemistry, to astronomy

helped make the Apollo space

program possible, but it was advanced

engineering that ultimately put men

on the moon.

This symbiotic relationship between

basic science and engineering research

has been reflected in NBS activities throughout its history. While fulfilling

its classical role as a central reference

laboratory for all kinds of measure- ments in engineering, physics, and

chemistry, the Bureau has applied

this basic competence to the solution

of a broad range of national problems.

The Bureau's emphasis on basic

research in the National Measurement

Laboratory is complemented by its

work in engineering measurements

and standards centered in the National

Engineering Laboratory (NEL).

The technical staff of NEL conduct

research in engineering and the applied sciences, develop engineering

data, and provide improved

measurement techniques to the engineering community. Their research

spans a gamut of disciplines including

electrical, chemical, civil, and

mechanical engineering and applied

mathematics.

Because of the quality of its work

and its objectivity, NEL is often

called upon to provide technical

assistance to Congress, other

government agencies, technical and

professional societies, standardsgenerating organizations, trade

associations, and consumer, industry,

and labor groups. Many of the Laboratory's programs, in fact, are

mandated by Congress. The

Consumer Product Safety Act, the Solar Heating and Cooling Demonstration Act, the Federal Fire

Prevention and Control Act, the Energy Policy and Conservation

Act, the Earthquake Hazards

Reduction Act, and the Trade

Agreements Act all address national

problems that require technical

information for their solution. And,

the NEL staff are responding with

technical data, standards, and

measurement-related engineering

research. Examples of technical accomplishments during the past 2 years in these and other areas follow.

Illustrated here is a technique called

optical tomography for taking cross- sectional data "pictures" of mixed

gas or liquid flow systems that was

developed by Hratch Semerjian and

Robert Santoro. The technique uses an infrared laser and an array of

optical detectors to determine the type and concentration of specific

molecules in a given flow system.
Helping Improve Industrial

Productivity

In view of the importance of productivity growth for the economic

health of the Nation, research

projects aimed at establishing a

technical and measurement base for technological innovation by industry

receive a large portion of NEL

funding. This research emphasizes

the development of engineering

measurement technology, standards,

and recommended practices for materials transfer, improved quality

control of products, better manufacturing process control, energy

conservation, and efficient regulatory

compliance.

One such project completed in 1980, called IGES (Initial Graphics

Exchange Specification), resulted in a system that permits data to be

transferred from one CAD (Computer-Aided Design) system to another

CAD system of different manufacture.

IGES also provides a first step

toward allowing data transfer from

CAD systems to CAM (ComputerAided Manufacturing) systems,

robots, and other manufacturing

components. CAD systems include

intricate graphics programs which

engineers use to design and visualize new products on computer display

terminals. CAD-CAM data transfer

systems use program commands

specified in the engineers final design

to provide instructions for the machine tools and/or robots building

the product.

Until IGES was developed it was

necessary to render the design data

from one CAD system into some

transportable form, such as a blueprint, and then reenter the data in the second CAD system. This has

been a slow and costly process. With

the support of the Air Force, Navy,

Army, and NASA, an NBS expert

in automation technology has led a group of specialists from U.S.

industry and government in the development of IGES.

The American National Standards

Institute (ANSI) is currently

considering the adoption of IGES as part of a voluntary industry standard.

If IGES becomes an ANSI standard,

CAD/CAM manufacturers would

provide codes to translate data

between their programs and IGES.

Data could then be moved through an IGES link between any two

systems. This should increase the

flexibility of computerized manufacturing and make CAD/CAM

sales more competitive.

Several projects within the Center

for Electronics and Electrical Engineering (CEEE) focused on

improving productivity through

innovation in the quality control of semiconductor manufacturing.

Materials imperfections are perhaps more critical in the production of integrated circuits than in the

fabrication of any other type of

device. Minute imperfections cause changes in the flow and leakage of current in the semiconductor in which

the integrated circuits are built, thus

degrading performance of the circuits. Generally though, these imperfections

and the current flow or leakage

changes are too tiny to be measured

without tedious, time-consuming, and

difficult testing.

A device called an integrated

gated-diode electrometer, developed

by NBS researchers, can be used to make these same measurements in a few seconds with a computer. The

time savings lies in the fact that the

device, which is manufactured along

with the product integrated circuits,

includes an electrical amplifier that makes extremely small leakage

currents and other quality problems

With the aid of the recently developed

Initial Graphics Exchange Specification, product designs created using one Computer-Aided Design (CAD)

system such as this can be transferred

to a CAD system of different manufacture.

13
easy to measure. By incorporating the NBS electrometer on every wafer of

a given production lot, manufacturers can test wafers at high speed and remove from the production line any

that fail specified performance criteria, thus avoiding the cost of separating

and packaging faulty circuits. The

result: better quality devices with less materials waste. Another NBS-developed testing

system allows nondestructive eval- uation of the on/off switching

capability of certain semiconductor

devices called bipolar power

transistors. Bipolar power transistors rapidly switch high currents and

voltages on and off, including, for example, automobile ignition systems.

Existing tests of safe operating limits for these transistors expose the devices to destructive currents. Thus,

only a random sample of transistors can be tested and, due to the high

variability among devices, this provides an unreliable estimate of the quality of those transistors ultimatelv sold. The NBS testing circuit subjects these transistors to a variety of

electrical conditions. Whenever

potentially destructive voltage drops

occur, the circuit drains all current from the device within 40 nanoseconds, saving it from destruction in the nick of time. Such a system may

make it possible to test the devices

Physicist Gary Carver inserts a semiconductor wafer containing solid

state imagers into a test station. By

testing integrated gated diode

electrometers incorporated in each

imager chip, Carver is able to quickly

and easily determine materials-related

properties that affect the electrical quality of the devices.

which will actually be sold, improving Noise or random currents within an

quality control. And because repeated A/D converter limit both its accuracy

measurements can be made on the and speed, but are very difficult to same device, the tests are more determine quantitatively, accurate. These researchers have The NBS system consists of a well written a step-by-step construction characterized voltage source that manual so that semiconductor pinpoints the exact amount of manufacturers can reproduce the additional current needed for a given

test circuit. A/D converter to assign the next

In a third project within CEEE, highest digit. The fluctuations in the

a new algorithm and circuit designed converter's measured "decision

at NBS could make possible the first points" are then calculated with a

practical production-line tests of new mathematical model for a

noise in analog-to-digital (A/D) measure of the converter's "inherent

converters. A/D converters measure noise." The simplicity and speed of

the continuously changing outputs of this automated measurement method

sensors and convert the data into a make it a good quality control

succession of numbers corresponding inspection technique for manuto the instantaneous values measured. facturers. It could also help instrument

Without A/D converters, a whole makers insure that the A/D

array of important computer-operated converters they buy meet performance

scientific instruments would not exist. requirements.

14
Using Energy Efficiently

While alternative energy sources are being developed, energy efficiency

and conservation are essential measures. From an industrial point

of view, the more expensive oil and

gas become, the more advantageous

it is to have full control over the energy use of combustion and other

chemical processes. A new system developed by

researchers in the NBS Continuous

Process Technology Program could

do for the energy efficiency of the chemical industry what the CAT

scanner did for diagnosis in medicine.

The NBS technique, called optical

tomography, takes cross-sectional

data "pictures" of mixed gas or liquid

flow systems. The "pictures" result from absorption of light from a tunable laser by molecules in the

flow. The pattern of absorption

picked up by detectors indicates both

the types of molecules and their concentrations . Because gas and liquid

flow systems found in industrial combustion and other high temperature reactions are highly variable, the

kind, of comprehensive data provided

by optical tomography should prove

very useful to process control

engineers in tailoring reaction

products for maximum efficiency.

Research work designed to help

improve the energy efficiency of major home appliances such as furnaces, air conditoners, and heat

pumps continued in the Center for

Building Technology (CBT). This

work stems from the National Energy

Policy and Conservation Act of 1975

and later legislation which require

that NBS assist the Department of Energy (DOE) in developing test methods for energy-using residential appliances. In order to have test procedures reflect conditions

encountered during normal use as much as possible, NBS researchers

in CBT recommended test methods

to DOE that account for the effect of on/off cycling and variations in outdoor temperatures on the seasonal

efficiency and the annual energy

consumption of central heating

and cooling systems. Some furnaces,

air conditioners, and heat pumps use

less energy than others when

responding to these part-load and

spasonal conditions. DOE prepared

Engineering technicians John McAuley

(left) and Richard Petersen make final adjustments to the Bureau's new

guarded hot plate, which will provide

extremely accurate thermal measure- ments of insulation specimens up to

a final set of test procedures for

residential air conditioning and heat

pumps in December 1979 based on

this NBS work. Standard test methods

completed in May 1978 for residential furnaces have now been extended to include residential condensing

furnaces and boilers. In 1981 NBS

researchers plan to recommend to DOE certain modifications to central

air conditioning and heat pump test procedures that will include more

efficient systems which have been

marketed since the first test procedures were written. Also,

equipment simulation modeling work

is continuing so as to lessen the

testing burden that is now required

of the manufacturer.

Researchers in the NBS Center

for Consumer Product Technology

finished a project during 1979 to

350 mm (14 inches). NBS calibrated

transfer specimens can then be used

by insulation manufacturers to determine R-values for thick layers of insulation.
determine the energy-saving potential

of water conservation devices, This

project, funded by the NBS Office of Energy-Related Inventions, showed

that while these devices produced

substantial savings of water, they were even more effective in reducing

home water-heating energy

requirements.

A survey of currently available

water-saving devices, such as flow

restrictors for shower heads, faucets,

and toilets, revealed that complete

replacement of plumbing fixtures and

appliances with these devices could

be expected to cut water-related

energy needs by about 35 percent.

Over 90 percent of that savings

would come from reductions in water

heating. The study also examined the

potential energy savings possible

with home water recycling systems

where water used in one part of the house is reused in another after minimal filtration or chemical

treatment. Full use of water recycling

could reduce water-related energy

consumption by half, but it may be some time before such savings can be realized due to technical problems,

acceptance by homeowners, and the need for such systems to be built into a home when it is constructed.

Improving Performance and

Fire Safety of Buildings

Safety and performance research is another high priority—much of NEL's work concerns the performance

and fire safety of buildings, as well as basic science studies of fire properties.

For example, CBT researchers

recently completed a major effort to make building design easier and more

reliable. They devised a system of probability-based load factors and

load combinations which can be used

to specify structural requirements

for particular building applications

regardless of the construction

materials ultimately used (i.e., wood,

masonry, steel, reinforced concrete).

Currently, building codes specify

minimum structural requirements

according to materials usage;

different load and resistance factors or allowable stresses are required for

different materials. This complicates

Above. NBS researchers have

developed a system of probability-based

load factors and load combinations

that will insure consistent levels of

reliability against structural failure or poor service performance.

Top right. French guest worker

Olivier Carret (left) and NBS

researcher Randy Lawson demonstrate an oxygen consumption calorimeter

that provides measurements of a

material's rate of heat release. Lower right. With a new NBS device,

research chemist Merritt Birky

calibrates a combustible vapor

detector used in arson investigations.

16
building design, especially when more

than one construction material is used

in a single building. Use of this new

load criterion would insure consistent

levels of reliability against structural

failure or poor service performance

for all buildings, while simplifying

design. Because it applies to all types

of materials, the model would be

easier for building designers to implement. The load criterion is now

under review by professional groups

and will be considered for adoption

as part of the ANSI A58 standard on

structural loads. Under the sponsorship of the Department of Health and Human

Services (formerly the Department

of Health, Education and Welfare),

Bureau researchers in the Center for Fire Research (CFR), CBT, and

the Center for Applied Mathematics

designed a system for evaluating the

fire safety of hospitals and other

health care buildings that could save

those facilities millions of dollars in retrofitting costs. The Fire Safety

Evaluation System provides a model

that allows health care administrators

and fire safety engineers to determine

which alternatives among thousands

of options offer the least costly means

of building or retrofitting facilities so

that they satisfy the fire safety

requirements of the widely used Life

Safety Code of the National Fire

Protection Association. By using this computerized technique to select corrective fire safety measures for

existing buildings, health care

facilities can cut the cost of complying with the Life Safety Code

by up to one half without reducing

protection to their patients or staff. On the more basic side of fire research, a new technique developed

to measure more accurately the rate of heat release (RHR) for different materials promises to make

important contributions to the understanding of fire spread and the development of upholstered furniture

flammability tests. Bureau re- searchers, in collaboration with guest

workers from the United States and

abroad, have come up with an

innovative instrument for determining

RHR values that uses a substantially

different approach than previous

techniques. The instrument measures

the oxygen consumed while a sample

material burns. The technique relies on the fact that most materials

release about the same amount of

heat for each unit of oxygen used. The more quickly oxygen is consumed, the higher the rate of heat
release, the more likely a fire will spread quickly. Dubbed the oxygen

consumption calorimeter, this device

improves the accuracy of heat release

rate measurements, is potentially less costly to produce, and is considerably

simpler in design and operation than

previous RHR instruments.

The Bureau's work in fire science

also includes improvements for measuring tools used in the field of arson detection. For many years, arson investigators have used portable

detectors at the scene of extinguished

fires to "sniff out" vapors of hydrocarbons, the trademark of arsonists who set fires with accelerants such as gasoline, kerosene, or paint thinner. Samples of debris in the vicinity of vapors located with the detector can

then be analyzed chemically to establish whether arson was the probable cause of the fire. Even

though such detectors are widely used,

fire investigators have had no way

to check the sensitivity of these devices to insure acceptable levels of

detection. To alleviate this problem,

Bureau researchers adapted tech- nology used in air pollution

monitoring to produce a portable

instrument which generates a standard

hydrocarbon vapor. Using the standard vapor as a check,

investigators will now be able to calibrate their detectors regularly.

Developing Other Measurement and

Calibration Methods

There are many areas of engineering

measurement in which NBS re- searchers serve as the U.S. experts.

The measurement of electromagnetic

interference or EMI fits into this category. EMI is a kind of pollution

of the airwaves which can create spurious signals in electronic or

electrical equipment. It is caused by

the proliferation of commercial radio

and television signals, CB radio

transmission, microwave ovens, high

voltage power lines, and other

electromagnetic radiation sources. The Bureau has a growing commitment to understand better and to limit the effects of EMI through improvements in measurement technology.

The development of the broadband

isotropic electric field meter by NBS

researchers has permitted particularly

important gains in field measurements

during the past 2 years. This portable

instrument can measure the strength

of electromagnetic radiation between

500 kilohertz and 1 gigahertz,

representing radio frequencies to microwave signals used in radar, with

twice the sensitivity of present meters. The new meter also has a much

broader range of detection than other meters in both very strong fields and

very weak ones and eliminates the need to account for the direction or distance of the radiating source. Designed with commercial pro- duction in mind, the device is already

being manufactured by a private

company. Its immediate applications are many: monitoring radio frequency

emitters used in industrial processing

to maintain safe exposure levels for plant workers; determining the

electric fields generated by high power

TV and radio antennas; characterizing

EMI levels around sophisticated

electronics as in hospital intensive care units; and evaluating the

emission of electromagnetic radiation

from microwave ovens and other

products.

Meanwhile, other researchers

showed the Army Communications

Command a way to help improve

the reception of their small groundbased satellite receiving stations which are scattered throughout the world. Bureau, electromagnetic

interference researchers devised

methods of using the moon and the sun as standardized sources of

microwave signals which can establish the quality of small dish antennas between 4.0 and 5.5 meters in diameter. Basically, the method

involves pointing the antenna at the sun or moon and comparing the

signal received with that received

when the antenna is pointed away

from all sources of radiation. Use of

this system will help the Army

maximize the performance of its current communications stations and

select new antenna systems with

18
the best reception quality.

The military is also the recipient of NBS expertise in superconducting

circuits, electronic components maintained at extremely cold (cryogenic)

temperatures to vastly improve their speed of operation. An NBS research

group in CEEE has succeeded in fabricating the fastest superconducting

analog-to-digital converter ever made.

The device is ten times as fast as the

best A/D converters now available. In addition to a number of military

applications, the device promises to improve significantly NBS capabilities

in high-speed research measurements.

One future advanced measurement

application may be in characterizing

laser pulses used in experimental

fusion facilities. These powerful

bursts of laser radiation last only

several billionths of a second and

cannot be studied adequately with

current technology. In the nuclear energy area, NBS

researchers made improvements in calibration procedures for fuel processing tanks that will help in safeguarding fissionable uranium supplies. Spent fuel from nuclear reactors

is sometimes processed to recover any

remaining fissionable materials. This

requires strict accounting procedures

in many stages of the process to account for and control materials,

thereby safeguarding these special

nuclear materials. For this reason, volume and density measurements are required each time solutions containing

fissionable materials, such as uranium, are transferred from one

process to another.

The calibration of these tanks

involves a laborious process where

Here electronic engineer Francis Ries

operates the broadband isotropic

electric field meter developed at NBS

to help government and industry measure electromagnetic radiation

that might interfere with some

electronic products.

50- to 100-gallon (189- to 379-liter)

test measures are repeatedly filled with water and drained into the tanks

to check the accuracy of volumemeasurement systems. A prototype

automated tank calibration system,

built by Bureau researchers, improves

the accuracy of this method while

decreasing the effort required for the

task. In the new system, two turbine

flow meters allow unattended filling of the tank with water while a mini-computer continuously monitors

the flowrate and the tank's response

system. During fiscal year 1981, the

NBS researchers plan to test this instrument at a nuclear processing

plant. In addition to providing technical

assistance in the solution of immediate

national problems, NEL is devoting

its competence building funds to future problems in areas important to productivity growth, such as electronics, industrial automation, and

continuous process technology. For

example, in electronics NBS re- searchers are focusing on cryoelectronic metrology. They are developing the underlying measure- ment technology for a new generation

of high-speed, high-sensitivity

electromagnetic instrumentation for

test equipment, communication, radar,

and other systems with data handling

and sampling rates on the order of

1 gigahertz. NEL is also concerned

with improved measurement concepts

for other programs such as the development of a refrigeration system

suitable for use with superconducting

electronics.

19
Institute for Computer

Sciences and Technology

THEY monitor air traffic, process

Social Security benefits,

control defense and space

systems, print the paychecks of millions of employees, and dutifully

perform countless other tasks from

the simple to the sublime. Computers

are so widely used today that it is difficult to visualize what life was

like without them just 30 years ago. And, as applications for computer

technology multiply with amazing

speed and the complexity of computer

systems grows, efficient use and

management of computers become

a challenge to Federal managers.

The NBS Institute for Computer

Sciences and Technology (ICST)

plays an important role in helping

Federal agencies use computers to improve the delivery of public services and the management of government

programs. Under responsibilities

given it by the Brooks Act of 1965

(P.L. 89-306), ICST develops Federal

automatic data processing (ADP)

standards, provides technical

assistance, and conducts supporting

research to help reduce the costs and

improve the effectiveness of the Federal government's computer

operations. The Brooks Act was

passed to promote the economic and

efficient selection, acquisition,

maintenance, operation, and use of ADP equipment by the Federal

government. Because the Federal

government, one of the world's

largest computer users, spends over $10 billion each year on ADP

equipment, services, and salaries for technical personnel, ICST efforts have

a major effect on the expenditure of

tax dollars.

Fiscal years 1979 and 1980 were

important ones for the Institute. With

the backing of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and

Congress, the ICST budget was

increased to support the development

of priority standards set forth in a

long range plan drawn up by ICST.

At the same time, the Institute strengthened the overall management

of the Federal ADP standards effort and its ties with other Federal

agencies, the private sector, and

voluntary standards development

groups.

In 1979 at the request of OMB,

Federal agencies appointed senior

management officials to provide ICST

with agency views on ADP concerns and standards needs. To further

NBS is developing computer system

and network interface standards that

will enable Federal agencies to interconnect ADP equipment from

different sources and to transfer data

between components, systems, and

networks. In the NBS interface

standards validation laboratory, the proper operation of interconnections

are tested by technicians Floyd Farmer

and Mark Smeenk.
improve communications with these groups, ICST issued in May 1980 the

first of a series of periodic newsletters

covering the development of standards

and guidelines, Federal ADP policy

issues, and reports on technical

publications and activities. And,

through a program of contracts with

private, non-profit, and academic

organizations for technical and

economic impact studies, ICST has

improved its technology forecasting

and program development and

evaluation capabilities.

Computer Standards and Guidelines

ICST's long range plan calls for the development of standards and

guidelines needed by Federal agencies

to address the major problems of ADP use: to reduce the high costs of software development and

maintenance and to improve software

quality; to encourage the more

efficient use and interchange of data;

to better ADP operations, especially the security and integrity of operations; and to improve capabilities for interconnecting components,

systems, and networks.

Among the significant accomplishments during this 2-year period was

the completion of several new Federal

Information Processing Standards

(FIPS), the NBS publication series for ADP standards and guidelines

developed by ICST. The Federal

repertoire of programming languages was expanded to include standards for the Minimal BASIC and FORTRAN

programming languages (FIPS 68

and 69).

Minimal BASIC is a general

purpose computer programming

language suited to the fast creation

of computer programs needed to solve

small, nonrecurring problems.

FORTRAN is a general purpose

language designed primarily for

scientific and engineering applications.

The use of these new standards is expected to reduce substantially the

costs of transferring programs from

one computer to another. Programs

written in standard languages

will also be easier to develop

and maintain, since programmers will have to learn only one set of rules for a language. FIPS 68 and 69 adopt

voluntary industry standards

developed by the American National

Standards Institute (ANSI) with the

participation of ICST staff members.

Government savings of $61 million are expected over the next 5 years from the use of four input/output

channel level interface standards

(FIPS 60-63). These specifications

insure the compatibility of magnetic

disk or tape peripheral equipment

with large- and medium-scale

computer systems made by different manufacturers. Use of these standards

will mean that Federal agencies will be able to save money by buying

peripheral equipment competitively.

FIPS 60 and 61 define the mechanical,

electrical, and basic functional

specifications for channel-level

interface and the power sequencing for the connection of peripheral equip- ment. FIPS 62 and 63 provide the operational specifications for connecting tape and disk units to central computers.

To help Federal agencies protect the

integrity of their data, computer scientist Stuart Katzke has prepared a guideline

based on risk management and software

development techniques that will improve security of funds dispersing,

inventory control, and other

computer application systems.

21
To improve software quality

through better documentation

practices, ICST issued FIPS 64,

Guidelines for Documentation of Computer Programs and Automated

Data Systems for the Initiation Phase.

This guideline provides a structured

format for recording the initial planning, feasibility studies, and

cost-benefit analysis work which

precede the development of computer

programs and automated data systems.

Such information is useful in the development of new software systems

and the modification of established

software. Used in conjunction with a previously issued guideline on

documentation (FIPS 38, Guidelines

for Documentation of Computer

Programs and Automated Data

Systems), FIPS 64 helps agency

project managers determine the

extent and type of documentation

needed for cost-effective software

development and management.

Another guideline issued during

this period helps agencies assess the

potential risks to their ADP systems

and select cost-effective safeguards

to counter those risks. FIPS 65,

Guideline for Automatic Data

Processing Risk Analysis, details the reasons, forms, and procedures for carrying out a risk analysis and

provides a methodology for managers

to use in striking a balance between

risks and the cost of protective measures.

Several standards for improving

the processing and interchange of Federal data were adopted also. FIPS

58, 59, 66, and 6-3 provide standard

ways for representing and formating

computer data related to time,

Electronic engineer Daniel Stokesberry, seated at a display unit in the Networks Measurement Laboratory,

is developing performance measure- ments for interface standards to improve reliability and reduce costs of local area networks.

economic activities, and counties of the United States. ICST's long range plan calls for continuing emphasis on the development of needed standards and guidelines and on strengthened management

of the Federal ADP standards

program. This includes work with

agencies in collecting data on the use of standards and in assessing

their impact as well as continued

cooperation with voluntary standards

efforts. Efficient Use and Management

of Computers

During this 2-year period, ICST's

technical assistance and research

activities were limited to the direct support of standards development.

However, under funding to encourage

NBS research competency, ICST

started research projects in two areas

of increasing importance in Federal

computer applications. In the area of data base technology, ICST re- searchers are developing ways to express and manipulate the complex

data structures that are found in database management and other

information processing systems. These

software systems are used by Federal

agencies to manage and control their data resources and to provide the

capability for data sharing among

many users. In the second area of

research, investigators are developing

techniques to measure and improve

the flow of data traffic in local area communication networks. Through

the cost-effective sharing of communications facilities, such networks

enable agencies to link their computers

and terminals in a limited geographic

area such as an office complex.

22
Science and Technology Transfer:

Services and Special Programs

THE National Bureau of

Standards offers a broad range of

services and opportunities for cooperative activity with Federal,

State, and local governments,

industry, universities, technical

societies, voluntary standards groups,

trade associations, international

organizations, and the general public.

Supplementing an informal, longstanding tradition of consultation with

the public and private sectors, these

efforts are designed to foster the widest possible transfer of science

and technology from the Bureau to

all scientific and technical communities. Listed below are some of these services and programs, along

with information about how to obtain

additional details. x'sScT^

Calibration Services

The calibration of instruments and

devices is an essential feature of the

NBS mission to provide the basis for a complete and consistent national

system of physical measurements.

The Bureau's calibration services cover: mass and dimensional

metrology; mechanics and acoustics;

electrical measurements (dc and low

frequency) ; electromagnetic measure- ments at radio, microwave, millimeter wave, and laser frequencies; time and

frequency; thermodynamic quantities;

optical radiation measurements; and

ionizing radiation. A complete

description of these and related measurement services is provided

in Calibration and Related Measurement Services of the National Bureau

of Standards, NBS Special Publication

250.

Standard Reference Materials (SRM's)

SRM's are well characterized,

homogeneous, stable materials or simple artifacts with specific properties

measured and certified by NBS. They

are widely used in a variety of measurement applications, including

the evaluation of the accuracy of test methods, improvement of measure- ment compatibility among different laboratories, and establishment of measurement traceability to NBS. The

Bureau currently has over 1,000

different SRM's available. During FY

1980, NBS sold approximately 40,000

SRM units to more than 1 0,000

users around the world. The program

is operated by the NBS Office of Standard Reference Materials, B31

Chemistry Building, (301) 921-2045.
National Standard Reference Data

System (NSRDS)

NSRDS, a nationwide program, gives

scientists and engineers easy access

to critically evaluated, reliable data. The program is coordinated by NBS,

but involves many groups in universities, government laboratories, and

private industry. More than 20

NSRDS data centers, located at NBS

and throughout the country, pull

together the results from many diverse

research activities around the world

and organize these data in a more

dependable and useful form. Further

information, including lists of data

centers, is available from the NBS

Office of Standard Reference Data,

A323 Physics Building, (301

)

921-2467.

Measurement Assurance Programs

A series of Measurement Assurance

Programs developed by NBS

assists laboratories in improving

or verifying their capabilities for making accurate measurements. These

measurement assurance services allow

public or private laboratories to test their entire measurement system,

from people to equipment to basic

methodologies, for accuracy and

traceability to NBS. At present, NBS

offers measurement assurance services

in voltage, mass, resistance, laser power and energy, and several other

areas. For further information, contact the NBS Office of Measurement Services, B362 Physics Building,

(301) 921-2805.

Standards Information Service

The NBS Standards Information

Service (NBS-SIS) maintains a comprehensive reference collection of engineering and related standards. The NBS-SIS collection includes over 240,000 standards, specifications,

test methods, codes, and recom- mended practices issued by U.S.

technical societies, professional or- ganizations, trade associations, State purchasing offices, Federal agencies,

and foreign national and international

standards organizations. The

collection also contains reference

books, articles, reports, newsletters,

and microfilm files. Searches of the standards literature by NBS-SIS,

with names of organizations where

copies of the standards can be

obtained, are available. Address

Physicist Franklin Breckenridge

calibrates an acoustic emission

detector (transducer) made by a

manufacturer. The calibration is made

by breaking a glass capillary on a massive steel block and comparing

the response of the manufacturer'

detector with the response of the reference transducer developed by

NBS.

requests (as specifically as possible)

to the Standards Information Service,

Room B162 Technology Building or

telephone (301) 921-2587 or use Telex 89-8493.

Energy-Related Inventions Evaluation

To ensure that promising energyrelated inventions receive a thorough,

objective review—particularly

inventions from individual inventors

and small firms—the NBS Office of Energy-Related Inventions offers free evaluations. Established by the Federal Nonnuclear Energy Research

and Development Act of 1974, the NBS program provides a way for anyone with a nonnuclear, energyrelated invention to have a technical

review of the device, material, process, and/or procedure. If the evaluation

by NBS indicates that an invention

shows significant promise for saving or producing energy, NBS recommends

it to the Department of Energy

(DOE), which will consider assisting the inventor in its development.

Last year, NBS received 3,484

requests for evaluations and recom- mended 31 inventions to DOE as especially promising. From mid-1975,

when NBS opened its inventions

evaluation office, through May 30,

1980, the Bureau received 14,693

requests for evaluations and recom- mended 139 inventions to DOE.

For more information and an

evaluation request form, contact the NBS Office of Energy-Related

Inventions, A46 Technology

Building, (301) 921-3694.

24
Research Associate Program

This program enables scientists and

engineers from industrial, professional, trade, and other organizations

to work for specified periods at NBS.

under the sponsorship of their employers, on projects of clear mutual

interest to the sponsor and NBS,

The program offers industry an

opportunity to do cooperative research

with NBS professionals and to take

advantage of the Bureau's extensive

laboratories and related facilities. The program provides a means for communicating directly to NBS

industry's views on its needs and

problems.

During TY 1979. more than 110

Research Associates worked with

NBS on 32 different projects of which approximately half were

sponsored by private industrial

companies and half by trade or

professional organizations. More

than 400 organizations and 1.000

individuals have participated in the

program since it began in 1921. For more information, contact Industrial

Liaison Officer, A402 Administration

Building. (301) 921-3591.

State and Local Liaison

An important portion of NBS

activities addresses matters of substantial interest to State and

local governments, such as the Bureau's measurement work in the areas of weights and measures, air and water quality, and radiation. Also

important are NBS research and its applications in the fields of fire prevention, building codes and

standards, computers, energy conservation, building rehabilitation, and

As part of a Science and Technology

Enrichment Program, sponsored by

NBS and the Montgomery County

Public Schools, NBS researcher Jonice

Harris explains the stress tests done

on synthetic implants to students. A major goal of the program is to interest more children, especially girls

and minorities, in careers in science.

resource recovery. To promote a productive liaison that furthers the

effective transfer of these technologies

to their appropriate users, NBS works

closely with Federal, State, and local organizations. The NBS Office of State and Local Governmental Affairs serves as a point of contact for

representatives of State and local governments, providing information on NBS resources, publications, meetings,

and professional organizations that serve the needs of States and localities. For information, write to the Liaison Officer, State and Local

Governmental Affairs, A402 Administration Building, (301) 921-3814.

Guest Worker Program

NBS also has a Guest Worker

Program that brings researchers to the Bureau to work on specific projects as a way of providing better dissemination

of NBS research directly into user communities. The program permits

specialists to work with NBS staff on

projects of mutual interest for periods

of several months up to 2 years. Foreign institutions and governments,

international organizations, or U.S. groups provide the support for these workers. Interested researchers from

abroad should contact the NBS Office of International Relations. A511

Administration Building. (301)

921-2463. U.S. researchers should

contact individual NBS divisions or

centers directly.

25
Postdoctoral Research Associate

Program

The NBS Postdoctoral Research

Associate Program enables postdoctoral scientists and engineers of

unusual promise and ability to conduct

research at NBS on problems that are compatible with Bureau interests and contribute to the overall NBS

research effort. Operated in cooperation with the National Research

Council, the program is intended to be analogous to fellowships, associateships, and other temporary

programs at the doctoral level in universities. Further details may be

obtained from the Chairman, Post- doctoral Research Associate Program,

Al 13 Materials Building, (301

921-2103.

Conferences, Tours, Exhibits, Films

As one of the world's crossroads for science and technology, NBS is a meeting place for the exchange of information and ideas. From October

1978 to July 1980, the Bureau sponsored or cosponsored 176 major conferences with more than 22,808

participants. These meetings provide a forum for NBS professionals and other

attendees to keep pace with the latest advances and needs in a wide range of science and technology areas. Each year, the Bureau receives

several thousand national and inter- national visitors who are conducted on special tours of NBS facilities. NBS also offers a general guided tour

of its Gaithersburg, Maryland,

facilities on a regular basis and of its Boulder, Colorado, facilities by special

arrangement. For tour information

write or call the Public Information

Division, A635 Administration

Building, (301) 921-2721 in Gaithersburg, or the Program Information

Office, 4001 Radio Building, (303)

497-3244 in Boulder.

Information on Bureau activities and services is also provided through

exhibits. From October 1978 to July

1980, special exhibits explaining a

variety of NBS activities were shown

at 192 conferences, trade shows,

science centers, and other events, where they were viewed by more than

1 .8 million people.

A variety of audiovisual programs

describing results from NBS research

activities are available to the

public. Subject areas include

building technology, the environment,

energy conservation, safety, fire research, electronic technology, computers, chemistry, material science,

measurement techniques, dental

research, and general interest. For

information, write the NBS Inquiry

Unit, A617 Administration Building, or call (301) 921-2318.

General and Media Information

The Bureau's Inquiry Unit receives

and responds annually to over 65,000

requests for information from the general public. These include requests

for NBS publications and general and

technical information about Bureau

programs. Anyone wishing more

detailed information on NBS activities may contact the NBS Inquiry Unit,

A617 Administration Building,

(301) 921-2318.

The news media rely on NBS to provide accurate information on an

array of subjects spanning every Bureau activity from time and

frequency measurements to consumer

product safety. Besides providing

support to all NBS programs and

publishing the Bureau's general

magazine, DIMENSIONS/NBS, the

Media Liaison and General Publications units answer inquiries about NBS

research from newspapers, magazines,

radio, and television. More than 1,300

press queries were responded to last year. Members of the news media can

contact the Media Liaison Office,

A627 Administration Building,

(301) 921-3181, for general or

detailed information about NBS and

its research. For information on the Bureau's Boulder facilities, write to the Program Information Office, 4001

Radio Building, or call (303)

497-3244.

Publications

NBS publications are among the most

important conduits through which

the Bureau shares the results of its research and studies with its many

user audiences. Fifteen categories of

publications, including the NBS

Journal of Research, handbooks, and

monographs, are issued. Last year, NBS published in excess of 47,000

pages of research in the open

literature. During FY 1979, more than 1,700

papers appeared in NBS publications

and external journals. A selected list of Bureau publications issued during

this period is provided below, along

with several bibliographies. Unless

otherwise stated, all publications are available at the price indicated from

either the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing

Office (Supt. Docs.), Washington,

DC 20402, or the National Technical

Information Service (NTIS), Springfield, VA 22161, as noted. For foreign

orders, there is a 25 percent mailing

charge through Supt. Docs, and

through NTIS the charge is twice the U.S. cost for paper copy and $5.25

for microfiche. For a complete annual

list of NBS publications, write Supt.

Docs, for Publications of the National

Bureau of Standards, NBS SP 305,

Supplement 11, S/N003-003-02 194-6,

$11. The NBS Publications Newsletter

provides a free, bimonthly listing of

all Bureau publications with abstracts. To be placed on the mailing list for

this document, write the Technical

Information and Publications

Division, National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC 20234.

Timely reports of both technical

and general interest on the work

performed by NBS are available in the pages of DIMENSIONS/NBS,

the Bureau's magazine. A year's subscription (10 issues) is available from

Supt. Docs, for $11 (use Code

DNBS).

26
Basic Measurements

"Model State Laws and Regulations"

(HB 130). Supt. Docs. S/N 003-003-

02152-1, S4.50. "Specifications, Tolerances and Other

Technical Requirements for Weighing

and Measuring Devices" (HB 44), Supt. Docs. S/N 003-003-02143-1, $6. "Catalog of Federal Metrology and

Calibration Capabilities" (SP 546),

Kathryn O. Leedy. Supt. Docs. S/N

0O3-O03-02O82-6, $2.50.

"Calibration and Related Measurement

Services of the National Bureau of Standards" (SP 250), B. C. Belanger,

Editor. Supt. Docs. S/N 003-003-

01888-1, $2.75.

"Standard Reference Material Catalog"

(SP 260). Supt. Docs. 003-003-

02048-6, S3.

Public Health and Safety

"Proceedings of a Conference on Neutrons from Electron Medical

Accelerators" (SP 554), H. T. Heaton

II and R. Jacobs. Supt. Docs. S/N

003-003-02115-6, S4.75. "Organizations Engaged in Preparing

Standards for Dental Materials and

Therapeutic Agents With Lists of Standards" (SP 571), George

Paffenbarger. R. W. Rupp, and

Margaret Malmstedt. Supt. Docs. S/N

003-003-02163-6, $3.50.

"A System for Fire Safety Evaluation

of Health Care Facilities (NBSIR

78- 1555), Harold E. Nelson and Abe

J. Schibe. NTIS, PB#292273, $7.50.

"Development of a Probability Based

Load Criterion for American National

Standard A58" (SP 577), Bruce

Ellingwood. Supt. Docs. S/N

003-003-02200-4. $6.

Energy

"Simplified Energy Design Economics"

(SP 544). Harold E. Marshall and

Rosalie T. Ruegg: Forest Wilson,

Editor. Supt. Docs. S/N 003-003-02156-

3, $3.50. "Potential for Energy Savings With

Water Conservation Devices" (NBSIR

79- 1770), Robert J. Palla, Jr., NTIS

PBir 80- 127202, $6.

"LNG Materials and Fluids User's Manual" (second supplement),

Thermophysical Properties Division,

NBS. Boulder, CO 80303, $15.

"Standards for Photovoltaic Energy

Conversion Systems" (NBSIR 79-1743),

Harry Schafft. NTIS, PB#296274, $4.

"Table of Recommended Rate Constants

for Chemical Reactions Occurring in Combustion" (NSRD-NBS-67), Francis

Westley. Supt. Docs. S/N 003-003-

02145-8, $4.25.

Materials

"Accuracy in Powder Diffraction" (SP 567), S. Block and C. R. Hubbard,

Editors. Supt. Docs. S/N 003-003-

02153-9, $9.

"10th Materials Research Symposium on

Characterization of High Temperature

Vapors and Gases" (SP 561, vol. 1 and

2), John W. Hastie, Editor. Supt. Docs. 003-003-02124-5, $20.

"Analytical Methods for Safeguards

and Accountability Measurements of

Special Nuclear Material" (SP 528), H. Thomas Yolken and John E. Bullard,

Editors. Supt. Docs. 003-003-019,96-8,

$4.75.

Industrial Productivity

"Large Scale Integration Digital Testing

—Annotated Bibliography, 1969-1978"

(TN 1102), Thomas F. Leedy. Supt. Docs. S/N 003-003-02097-4, $2.25.

"The NBS Semiconductor Technology

Program and VLSI" (NBSIR 80-2057),

W. Murray Bullis and R. I. Scace. NTIS, PB#80-185531, $5.

"A Reverse-Bias Safe Operating Area

Transistor Tester" (SP 400-54), David

W. Berning. Supt. Docs. S/N 003-003-

02046-0, $1.70.

"A Production-Compatible Microelectronic Test Pattern for Evaluating

Photomask Misalignment" (SP 400-51),

T. J. Russell and D. A. Maxwell. Supt. Docs. S/N 003-003-02035-4, $1.50.

Computer Science

"Computers, Personnel Administration

and Citizen Rights" (SP 500-50), Alan

F. Westin. Supt. Docs. S/N 003-003-

01681-1, $8.

"Guideline for Major Job Accounting

Systems: The System Management

Facilities for IBM Systems Under

OS/MTV" (SP 500-40), Gary Durbin,

Todd Kinney, Peter Lamasney, Edward

Newman, and Edward Syrett. Supt. Docs. S/N 003-003-01989-5, $4.

"Technology Assessment: ADP Installa- tion Performance Measurement and

Reporting" (SP 500-53), Carol B. Wilson. Supt. Docs. S/N 003-003-

02123-7, $2.

"Design and Implementation of the National Bureau of Standards' Network

Access Machine (NAM)" (SP 500-35).

Robert Rosenthal and Bruce D. Lucas.

Supt. Docs. S/N 003-003-01949-6.

$2.20.

"OMNIDATA: An Interactive System

for Data Retrieval, Statistical and

Graphical Analysis, and Data-base

Management—A User's Manual" (HB

125), Joseph Hilsenrath and Bettijoyce Breen. Supt. Docs. S/N 003-003-

01972-1, $6.25.

Miscellaneous

"Selected Tables of Atomic Spectra"

Section 8, (NSRDS-NBS-3), Charlotte

E. Moore. Supt. Docs. S/N 003-003-

01964-0, $1.60. "Trace Organic Analysis: A New

Frontier in Analytical Chemistry"

(SP 519), Harry S. Hertz and Stephen N. Chesler, Editors. Supt. Docs. S/N

003-003-02054-1. $14.

"An Assessment of the Backscatter Technique as a Means for Estimating Loss In Optical Waveguides" (TN 1018),

B. L. Danielson. Supt. Docs. S/N

003-003-02160-1, $3.75.

"Contributions to Color Science by

Deane B. Judd" (SP 545), David L. MacAdam. Editor. Supt. Docs. S/N

003-003-02126-1, $14.

"National Measurement Laboratory:

1979 Technical Highlights" (SP 572).

Supt. Docs. S N 003-003-02203-7.

$4.25.

"Building Technology Publications

Supplement 3: 78" (SP 457-3). Supt. Docs. S/N 003-003-02096-6. $4.

27
Funds and Facilities

TOcarry out its research and

services, NBS operates modern

physical facilities in two

locations. In Gaithersburg, Maryland,

located north of Washington, D.C.,

NBS has 26 buildings in a campuslike setting on 230 hectares (575

acres). The Bureau also has 14

buildings on 83 hectares (208

acres) in Boulder, Colorado. The

Joint Institute for Laboratory

Astrophysics, cosponsored by NBS

and the University of Colorado, is also located in Boulder. Here scientists carry out studies in atomic and

molecular physics and astrophysics.

At Ft. Collins, Colorado, NBS

radio stations WWV and WWVB

broadcast standard time and frequency

information. Another station, WWVH,

broadcasts from Kauai, Hawaii.

As one of the Nation's largest

physical science laboratories, the Bureau houses a number of special

facilities and equipment. A high flux NBS Boulder

NBS Gaithersburg

nil v-

[fill

1 sf |I

SHI % -"/.r^fi*

"

rf «lt<fr ..-HI R IM 1 r-p

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28
nuclear research reactor is used daily

by scientists from NBS, other agencies,

and universities in projects ranging

from nuclear theory to analysis of food

contaminants. An electron accelerator capable of producing well-focused

electron beams of 140 million volts is used to produce high energy electrons,

positrons, photons, and neutrons for nuclear research by NBS scientists and

in cooperative studies with a number

of university groups. Another facility, the Synchrotron

Ultraviolet Radiation Facility

(SURF), is one of the few of its kind

in North America. Having been converted into a storage ring, SURF is now capable of producing intense

short wavelength ultraviolet radiation,

which is especially useful for radiometry in studies of controlled

nuclear fusion energy sources and

atmospheric space science programs.

Among other NBS facilities are a

fire research laboratory, an experimental computer facility, and several environmental chambers. In addition, an extensive instrument shops division

answers specialized research needs. Shop capabilities include glass blowing,

optics, and metalworking.

Many of the Bureau's facilities are

available for use by the scientific and

engineering communities. These facili- ties are described more fully in Special

Technical Facilities at the National

Bureau of Standards. This 50-page

booklet is available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington,

D.C. 20402, and may be ordered by

Stock No. 003-003-01601-2/1976

Ed., for SI. 35. The Bureau's budget for FY 1979 was $150.7 million. Direct Congressional appropriations accounted for about 56 percent of NBS funds, with an additional 38 percent resulting from

work performed by NBS for other

government agencies. The sale of NBS goods and services, such as Standard Reference Materials and

calibrations, provided the final 6

percent. Support for Bureau programs

from other agencies reflects NBS

role as a major physical sciences

research laboratory for the entire Federal Government.

Total NBS Operating Funds-All Sources

(in millions of dollars) Fiscal Fiscal Fiscal 1979 1980 1981

actual est.* est. Measurement Research and Standards 66.8 73.5 76.0

Physical and chemical measurements and

standards 23.2 23.9 24.7

Materials and thermodynamic measurements

and standards 23.3 27.3 28.0

Measurement assurance programs 2.5 2.9 2.9 Applied measurement programs 17.8 19.4 20.4

Engineering Measurements and Standards 61.7 67.6 72.7

Engineering standards 3.0 3.0 2.9 Safety and performance engineering research 19.1 21.3 22.6

Technical support to industrial productivity 28.3 30.5 33.5

Mathematical sciences 3.6 3.9 4.0

Fire science and engineering 7.7 8.9 9.7

Computer Sciences & Technology 12.3 13.3 12.9

Government-wide ADP standards 10.6 12.1 11.6

Scientific and technological advisory services 1.7 1.2 1.3 Cooperative Technology 1.2 .7 Central Technical Support 5.5 9.0 11.5

Maintenance of technical competence 4.0 8.7 11.0

Capital Transfers and Facilities 1.5 .3 .5

Non-technical Supporting Services for Other

Agencies 3.2 3.4 3.7

Total NBS 150.7 167.5 176.8

* Includes pending pay raise supplemental of S2.7 million.

29
People

GUIDED by the NBS Executive

Board and the Visiting Committee, the Bureau staff works

to increase measurement competence

and share its expertise with the

scientific and technical community,

industry, and the public.

The NBS Executive Board oversees

the efforts of the entire Bureau staff. A series of evaluation panels

appointed by the National Academy

of Sciences (National Research

Council) provides the Executive

Board with valuable aid in these oversight functions. At the top of these evaluation and advisory functions is the NBS Visiting Committee, created

by the NBS Organic Act and responsible for reporting annually to the Secretary of Commerce "upon the

efficiency of its (NBS) scientific work

and the condition of its equipment."

The staff has grown from its original

team of 11 in 1901 to about 3,170

full-time employees. Approximately

2,790 are located in Gaithersburg,

Maryland, with the remainder in Boulder, Colorado. The 1,282 Bureau

physical scientists and engineers are complemented by 258 economists,

architects, and other professionals.

More than 46 percent of the research

and scientific staff have earned

doctorates. The research and scientific

staff, the largest percentage of NBS

employees, is supported by 266 tech- nicians and by administrative, clerical,

housekeeping, and groundskeeping

personnel.

The contributions of NBS

employees to the advancement of

science and technology are often recognized by outside organizations.

During the past 2 years, those staff members honored by independent and

professional organizations included:

30

L. Kenneth Armstrong of the Program Information Office and Juli Chappell, former D1MENSIONS/NBS

editor, received awards from the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Society

for Technical Communication for the

article, "Colder than Cold."

Michael Baum of the Public Information

Division won awards from the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Society

for Technical Communication for out- standing writing of periodical articles and news releases on NBS research. Brian Belanger, director of the Office of Measurement Services, was given, the National Conference of Standards

Laboratories' Woodington Award for the

best workshop at the 1979 annual

conference, "Metrology Quality Requirements."

Theodore H. Benzinger of the Temperature Measurements and Standards

Division received the Senior U.S.

Scientist Award of the Alexander von

Humboldt-Siftung Foundation.

Robert E. Berger of the Product Safety

Technology Division was elected a Fellow of the Washington Academy

of Sciences. Douglas Blackburn and Wolfgang

Haller of the Ceramics, Glass and Solid

State Science Division received one of

Industrial Research & Development

magazine's I-R 100 awards jointly with

Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Hoya

Optics. Owens-Illinois, and Schott

Optical Glass, Inc. They were honored

for developing a neodymium-doped

fluorophosphate glass for high-energy

lasers which can be used in experimental

fusion systems to heat and compress

fuel to high-temperature reaction

conditions. Roscoe L. Bloss of the Center for Con- sumer Product Technology was elected a Fellow of the American Society for Testing and Materials. William J. Boettinger, Harold E. Burdette, and Masao Kuriyama of the Metallurgy Division received one of

Industrial Research Development

magazine's 1979 I-R 100 awards for inventing an x-ray magnifier which

greatly improves the resolution of

real-time x-ray images and can be

used in rapid x-ray inspections of equipment in industrial operations.

David W. Bonnell and John W. Hastie

of the Chemical Stability and Corrosion

Division received one of Industrial Research & Development magazine's I-R 100 awards for 1980 for the development of a mass spectrometric apparatus

coupled to a high temperature and

pressure transpiration device. The

apparatus allows the accurate mass

spectrometry technology to be applied

to the study of reactions taking place at temperatures and pressures normally

beyond the limits of the spectrometer.

Gerhard M. Brauer of the Polymer

Science and Standards Division was

awarded the Charles Gordon Service Award of the American Chemical

Society's Washington Section for continuing leadership.

Frederick E. Brinckman of the Chemical

Stability and Corrosion Division received

the 1978 Richard Merton Visiting

Professorship in Geosciences of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz,

Germany, and was the first American

appointed to this chair. Eleazar Bromberg of the Scientific Computing Division was elected a Fellow of the American Association for

the Advancement of Science. Walter E. Brown, a research associate with the American Dental Association

Health Foundation program in the Polymer Science and Standards Division, was given an Honorary Fellowship in the American College of Dentists in 1979 for significant contributions to dental research. He also received the 1980 Biological Mineralization Award

of the International Association of Dental Research for work in the physiochemical basis of dental caries and prevention techniques.

W. Murray Bullis, chief of the Electron Devices Division, was elected a Fellow

of the American Society for Testing

and Materials. Robert J. Celotta of the Radiation

Physics Division was designated one

of three distinguished young scientists by the Maryland Academy of Sciences

for his work in spin-polarized electron beams and high-resolution electron spectroscopy.
Robert J. Celotta and Daniel T. Pierce

of the Radiation Physics Division

received one of Industrial Research &

Development magazine's I-R 100 awards

for 1980 for the development of

polarized low-energy electron diffraction (PLEED) in a system which functions as a sensitive surface magnetometer

capable of distinguishing the degree of magnetization of the top few layers of atoms in a crystal.

Edith L. R. Corliss of the Center for Mechanical Engineering and Process Technology won the 1979 American

Speech and Hearing Association Dis- tinguished Service Award for work in speech-language pathology and

audiology.

Myron L. Crawford of the Electro- magnetic Fields Division earned a

Certificate of Achievement from the

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Electromagnetic Compatibility

Society for developing a transverse electromagnetic (TEM) cell for testing electronic equipment's susceptibility to electromagnetic interference. Dicky D. Davis and Joseph V. Cateora

of the Time and Frequency Division

and D. Wayne Hanson, formerly with

the Center for Absolute Physical

Quantities, earned awards from the National Technical Information Service

for inventing a satellite-controlled

digital clock system.

The National Bureau of Standards,

together with the Public Broadcasting

Service and the American Broadcasting

Company, was awarded an Emmy by

the Academy of Television Arts &

Sciences. The Emmy was presented for outstanding achievement in engineering

development for the invention and

development of closed TV captioning

for the deaf. Closed captioning had its roots in a system called "TvTime"

developed by NBS engineers Dicky D.

Davis, James L. Jespersen, and George

Kamas of the Time and Frequency

Division. Harry Davis and Meyer Waxman of

the Thermophysics Division received one of Industrial Research & Development magazines 1979 I-R 100 awards for developing a deep-ocean sampler that microbiologists can use to retrieve water

samples from the deepest parts of the ocean while maintaining them at their original temperature and pressure. John R. Dise of the Office of Testing

Laboratory Evaluation Technology was

awarded the American Concrete Insti- tute's Delmar L. Bloem Distinguished

Service Award for distinguished leader- ship of a committee.

Lanny D. Driver and Francis X. Ries of

the Electromagnetic Fields Division

received one of Industrial Research &

Development magazine's I-R 100 awards

for 1980 for the development of a new

type of radiofrequency voltage

comparator which couples a greatly

expanded frequency and dynamic range

with extreme simplicity of operation. Bruce Ellingwood of the Structures and

Materials Division received the National

Capital Award from the Engineering

and Architectural Societies' District of Columbia Council for research in assessing structural design criteria. Joseph Flynn of the Polymer Science

and Standards Division received the 1980 North American Thermal Analysis

Society's Mettler Award in Thermal

Analysis.

J. Wiliam Gadzuk of the Surface Science

Division won the 1978 Arthur S. Flemming Award, one of ten made to Federal employees under 40, for out- standing research in surface properties

and interactions of radiation with

surfaces. Lucy B. Hagan, scientific assistant to the director of the Center for Analytical

Chemistry, was named recipient of the Alumni Achievement Award, highest

award of Georgia College, for dis- tinguished service in the advancement of

science. William C. Haight and Robert J. Hocken

of the Automated Production Technology

Division received one of Industrial Research Development magazine's I-R

100 awards for 1980 for the development

of a large-scale coordinate measuring

machine which is portable, automated,

and at least 10 times more accurate than traditional survey techniques.

William P. Harris of the Polymer

Science and Standards Division earned

the Arnold H. Scott Award from the American Society for Testing and

Materials' Electrical Insulating Materials

Committee for outstanding work in

electrical insulation technology.

Mechanical engineer William Haight

(left) and physicist Robert Hocken

stand amid the components of the

large-scale, three-dimensional machine

that won an I-R 100 awardfrom

Industrial Research & Development

magazine.

31
Mat Heyman, chief of Media Liaison,

and Madeleine Jacobs, former chief of Media Liaison and General Publications, of the Public Information Division

and William Welsh, chief of Graphics

in the Visual Arts, received awards

from the Washington, D.C., chapter of

the Society for Technical Communication

for outstanding writing, editing, and

design of the NBS 1978 annual report. Kent Higgins of the Program Infor- mation Office earned an award from

the Rocky Mountain chapter of the Society for Technical Communication

for a DIMENSIONS/NDS staff report, "Girth Weld Standards for Alaskan

Natural Gas Pipeline."

David Hillhouse, Oskars Petersons, and

Wilbur Sze of the Electrosystems

Division received the 1979 Outstanding

Paper Award from the Institute of

Electrical and Electronics Engineers'

Measurements Committee.

David G. Hummer of the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics was elected a Fellow of the American Association

for the Advancement of Science. Nelson N. Hsu of the Mechanical

Production Technology Division received one of Industrial Research & Development magazine's I-R 100 awards for 1980

for the development of a simple,

convenient source of reproducible stress waves for acoustic emission testing.

Stephen Hsu of the Chemical Stability

and Corrosion Division won an award

for coauthoring the best paper published

by a member of the American Society of Lubrication Engineers.

James L. Jespersen of the Time and

Frequency Division won an Award of Excellence in the Society for Technical

Communications' International Competition for coauthoring the book, "From

Sundials to Atomic Clocks."

Philip S. Klebanoff of the Continuous

Process Technology Program was elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Tamami Kusada of the Building Thermal

and Service Systems Division was cited by the Department of Energy for exemplary work in developing the Building Energy Performance Standards.

Tom Lee of the Fire Science Division received a U.S. Patent Office award for

his invention of an in situ smoke-detector

tester. H. S. Lew of the Structures and Materals

Division was awarded the Leonard C. Wason Medal from the American Concrete Institute for the coauthored paper, "Prediction of Strength of Concrete from Maturity."

Thomas B. Lucatorto and Thomas J. McIIrath of the Radiation Physics

Division and James R. Roberts of the Atomic and Plasma Radiation Division

received one of Industrial Research &

Development magazine's I-R 100 Awards

for 1980 for the development of a "multicapilalry array" window for optical studies which can transmit vacuum

ultraviolet light from a relatively high

pressure region to an extremely low

pressure region.

John Mandel, senior statistical consultant in the National Measurement

Laboratory, received an Award of Merit

from the American Society for Testing

and Materials' Statistical Methods

Committee.

Ron E. Meininger, chief of Audiovisual

Information, Public Information

Division, and Harold E. Nelson of the Fire Science Division earned awards

from the 1979 International Industrial Film/Videotape Festival for the slide- audio presentation, "Flashover: Point of No Return." David Orr of the Electromagnetic

Fields Division was given an award

from the National Association of Government Communicators for out- standing writing of a news release. H. Steffen Peiser, special consultant to NBS and former chief of the Office of

Physicists Thomas Lucatorto, James

Roberts, and Thomas McIIrath

demonstrate their "multicapiUary

array" vacuum ultraviolet window

which won an I-R 100 award from

Industrial Research & Development

magazine.

32
International Relations, was awarded the Dongbaeg Civilian National Honor

Medal from the Korean government for outstanding service and also an honorary

doctorate from Chungnam National

University in Daejeon, Korea, for

scientific-technical contributions to Korean economic development.

Anton Peterlin of the Polymer Science

and Standards Division was given an Honorary Doctor of Science Degree

from the Johannes Gutenberg University

in Mainz, Germany, for work in physics

and physical chemistry.

Gail Porter of the Public Information

Division won awards from the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Society for Technical Communication for out- standing writing of a periodical article and from the National Association

of Government Communicators for

superior editing of DIMENSIONS/NBS.

Edward J. Prosen of the Chemical

Thermodynamics Division earned the 1979 Hugh Huffman Award at the Annual Calorimetry Conference for out- standing work in calorimetry and

chemical thermodynamics.

Thomas N. Pyke, Jr., director of the Center for Computer Systems

Engineering was appointed a member of

the Executive Office of the President's Advisory Committee on Information

Network Structure and Functions.

Jacob Rabinow, consultant to the Office of Energy-Related Inventions, was

elected a Fellow of the American

Association for the Advancement of

Science. Rabinow was also named 1980

Scientist of the Year by Industrial Research & Development magazine for

his innovative contributions to modern

American technology.

Robert I. Scace of the Center for Electronics and Electrical Engineering was

elected a Fellow of the American Society

for Testing and Materials. Robert Schaffer of the Organic

Analytical Research Division received

the American Association for Clinical Chemistry's 1979 Award for Outstanding

Contributions to Clinical Chemistry.

Thomas P. Sheahen of the Continuous

Process Technology Program was named

Centennial Scholar by Case Western

Reserve University at the second 1980

National Conference on Energy Auditing

and Conservation.

Douglas R. Shier of the Center for Applied Mathematics received the 1979

Operations Research Division's Achievement Award in Mathematics and

Computer Science from the Washington

Academy of Science. Daniel P. Stokesberry and Kenneth W.

Yee of the Center for Consumer Product

Technology won an award from the

Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers, the Association of Home

Appliance Manufacturers, and Herrick

Laboratories for their paper on a method to predict a product's life expectancy.

Bradford M. Smith of the Center for Mechanical Engineering and Process Technology was given the California Society of Professional Engineers'

Archimedes Engineering Achievement

Award, 1979, for innovative contri- butions to the engineering profession.

James J. Snyder of the Center for Absolute Physical Quantities earned an

inventor-incentive award from the National Technical Information Service

for an apparatus that determines wave

length calibrations for tunable lasers. John Tesk of the Polymer Science and

Standards Division was awarded a Silver

Certificate from the American Society for Metals for work in developing base metal alternatives for gold-alloy dental restorations. M. Zane Thornton, deputy director of

the Institute for Computer Sciences and

Technology, received a 1979 Presidential Recognition Program Award for extra- ordinary leadership in restructuring

the ICST's ongoing program and

developing a long range plan for Federal

computer standards. John B. Wachtman, Jr., director of the Center for Materials Science, was given

the 1978 Hobart M. Kraner Award of

the American Ceramic Society's Lehigh

Valley Section for distinguished achieve- ments in the field of ceramics. Jacquelyn A. Wise of the Temperature

Measurements and Standards Division

received the Robert D. Thompson

Memorial Award from the American

Society for Testing and Materials for outstanding service.

Richard Wright, director of the Center

for Building Technology, accepted the American Concrete Institute's 1979

Charles S. Whitney Award given to the Center for excellence of research. NBS Executive Board

Dr. Ernest Ambler

Director Mr. Raymond G. Kammer

Deputy Director

Dr. John D. Hoffman

Director

National Measurement Laboratory

Dr. John W. Lyons

Director

National Engineering Laboratory Mr. James H. Burrows

Director

Institute for Computer Sciences and

Technology

Mr. Bascom W. Birmingham

Director

NBS/Boulder Laboratories Mr. Guy W. Chamberlin, Jr. Director of Administrative and

Information Systems Mr. Raymond G. Kammer

Associate Director for Programs,

Budget, and Finance

Visiting Committee

Dr. W. Dale Compton, Chairman

Vice President, Research

Ford Motor Company

Mr. William D. Carey

Executive Officer American Association for the Advancement of Science

William K. Linvill* Professor of Engineering-Economic

Systems

Stanford University

Dr. Dorothy M. Simon

Vice President for Research

AVCO Corporation

Dr. Walter H. Stockmayer

Department of Chemistry

Dartmouth College

* deceased

33
Directory

TECHNICAL work at NBS is carried out in the National

Measurement Laboratory, the National Engineering Laboratory, and

the Institute for Computer Sciences and

Technology. These groups are supported

by the Office of the Director of Administrative and Information Systems;

the Office of the Director, NBS/Boulder

Laboratories; and the Office of the Associate Director for Programs,

Budget, and Finance. This amalgam of people and programs forms a community

dedicated to service. The interdisciplinary

approach allows NBS to provide the Nation with scientific measurements of high precision and accuracy, coupled

with solutions for current and future technological problems.

This report has only highlighted some

of the Bureau's programs. For more

information on specific projects, contact

the people listed in this directory. To

reach members of the Gaithersburg, MD,

staff, dial (301) 921 + extension or

write to the National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC 20234. Bureau staff located in Boulder, CO, can

be contacted on (303) 497 -f- extension

noted in the directory, or write to the National Bureau of Standards, Boulder

CO 80303. Boulder staff members are designated in the directory with

asterisks.

DIRECTOR

Deputy Director

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR

PROGRAMS, BUDGET & FINANCE

Program Office Budget Office

Office of the Comptroller

Planning Office

LEGAL ADVISER OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR NBS/BOULDER LABORATORIES

OFFICE OF THE

DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE & INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Divisions: Computing Systems Design

Library

Techrucal Information & Publications Public Information Management & Organization

Plant Instrument Shops

Facilities Services Occupational Health & Safety Personnel

Office Management EEO Support

NATIONAL MEASUREMENT LABORATORY

Center for Absolute Physical Quantities Center for Radiation Research

Center for Thermodynamics & Molecular Science Center for Analytical Chemistry

Center for Materials Science

NATIONAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY

Center for Applied Mathematics

Center for Electronics & Electrical Engineering Center for Mechanical Engineering & Process Technology

Center for Building Technology

Center for Fire Research

Center for Consumer Product Technology

INSTITUTE FOR COMPUTER SCIENCES & TECHNOLOGY

Center for Programming Science & Technology

Center for Computer Systems Engineering

34
Office of the Director

Dr. Ernest Ambler, Director (241 1) Mr. Raymond G. Kammer, Deputy

Director (2451) Mr. Allen J. Farrar, Legal Adviser

(2425) Mrs. Esther C. Cassidy, Congressional

Affairs Officer (2441)

Dr. Howard E. Sorrows, Technology

Adviser to the Director (2226) Mr. Peter R. De Bruyn, Industrial Liaison Officer (3591) Mr. James M. Wyckoff, State and Local

Governments Liaison Officer (3814) Dr. Edward L. Brady, Associate

Director for International Affairs (3641) Mr. Frederick L. Haynes, Director,

Office of Cooperative Generic

Technology

(202/377-5905)

Office of the Associate

Director for Programs,

Budget, and Finance

The Office of the Associate Director for Programs, Budget, and Finance plans,

develops, and evaluates Bureau-level programs and formulates and carries out

policies and strategies for programmatic,

budgetary, and financial matters. It develops techniques for and coordinates

the review of technical and overhead

programs; serves as the NBS Director's

staff for Bureau-level programmatic,

budget formulation and execution, and

finance matters; and develops and

maintains mechanisms to monitor

planned and actual uses of resources by providing integrated, evaluated information on program progress,

opportunities, and resources to the NBS

Director. In addition, the Office advises management on significant changes and

deviations and recommends program,

budget, finance, and accounting priorities to the NBS Director.

Mr. Raymond G. Kammer, Associate

Director (3361)

Dr. Samuel R. Stein, Chief, Program

Office (3137) Mr. Thomas A. Gary, Chief, Budget

Office (2544) Mr. David B. Shreve, Comptroller,

Office of the Comptroller (2507)

Dr. Kenneth Gordon, Director,

Planning Office (3872) Mr. Robert E. Parsons,

Director, Center for Field Methods

(3185)

Office of the Director of

Administrative and

Information Systems

The Office of the Director of Administrative and Information Systems directs the management of Bureau-wide

facilities and information and administrative systems including information

and office services, procurement,

technical and public information

functions, personnel, and management

consulting services, health, safety, and

security functions, as well as physical

plant, facilities, space management, and

instruments shop responsibilities. The

Office also decides on policies and

plans and directs implementation actions

to assure the responsiveness of these

services to the needs of the technical programs. Mr. Guy W. Chamberlin, Jr., Director

(2477) Mr. Karl E. Bell, Deputy Director for Administrative Systems (3444) Mr. Roger A. Dixon, Deputy Director

for Information Systems (3567) Mr. Eugene I. Grunby, Chief,

Computing Systems Design Division

(3384) Ms. Patricia W. Berger, Chief, Library

Division (3405) Mr. John J. Rochford, Chief,

Technical Information and Publications

Division (2264)

Mr. Richard S. Franzen, Chief, Public

Information Division (3112) Mrs. Theodora K. Watts, Chief,

Management and Organization Division (3581) Mr. John N. Brewer, Chief, Plant Division (2825) Mr. David S. Bettwy, Chief, Instrument Shops Division (2436) Mr. Walter J. Rabbitt, Chief, Facilities Services Division (2525) Mr. Lyman E. Pevey, Chief,

Occupational Health and Safety Division

(3366) Ms. Elizabeth W. Stroud, Chief,

Personnel Division (3555) Mr. Richard de la Menardiere, Chief,

Office Management Division (3521)

Boulder Executive Office Mr. Arthur R. Hauler, Executive

Officer (3955)* Mr. Donald W. Cook, Chief, Instrument Shops Division (3856)* Mr. Robert L. Rodger, Chief, Plant Division (3886)*

Office of the Director,

NBS/Boulder Laboratories

The Office of the Director, NBS/

Boulder Laboratories, which is located

in Boulder, CO, provides support to the

technical programs of the NBS /Boulder

Laboratories. These laboratories conduct

research comprising work on measure- ment science for the National

Measurement Laboratory in time and

frequency, quantum physics, thermodynamics, and materials science. The

laboratories also carry out programs for the National Engineering Laboratory

in electromagnetics, thermophysical

properties, and fluid dynamics. Mr. Bascom W. Birmingham, Director

(3237)*

* Boulder staff member. To call dial (303) 497 + extension given.

35
National Measurement

Laboratory

The National Measurement Laboratory

provides the national system of physical,

chemical, and materials measurement;

coordinates the system with measurement

systems of other nations; and furnishes

essential services leading to accurate and uniform physical and chemical

measurement throughout the Nation's

scientific community, industry, and commerce. It conducts materials research leading to improved methods

of measurement, standards, and data on

the properties of materials needed by

industry, commerce, educational

institutions, and government. NML also furnishes advisory and research services

to other government agencies; conducts

physical and chemical research; develops, produces, and distributes Standard Reference Materials; and

provides standard reference data and

calibration services. Dr. John D. Hoffman, Director (2828)

Dr. Donald R. Johnson, Deputy Director

for Resources and Operations (2878) Dr. C. Cary Gravatt, Deputy Director

for Programs (2822)

Dr. David T. Goldman, Associate

Director for Long-Range Planning

(3304)

Dr. Arthur O. McCoubrey, Associate

Director for Measurement Services (3301)

Office of Nondestructive Evaluation

The Office of Nondestructive Evaluation

(NDE) manages an interdisciplinary

program to advance the effectiveness of NDE for controlling the quality of materials and products and assuring the

integrity of structures. The program

involves the development and the dis- semination of standards, calibrations,

and techniques which enhance the

reliability of NDE measurements. Mr. Harold Berger, Chief (3331)

Office of Environmental Measurements

The Office of Environmental Measure- ments constitutes a primary Federal

effort to improve measurement methods,

to develop calibration techniques, to gather and evaluate data needed to assess

air and water pollution measurement

problems, and to develop, continually

validate, and supply Standard Reference

Materials and procedures for use in the

calibration of field methods employed in a wide variety of environmental

measurement activities. Dr. William H. Kirchhoff, Chief (3775)

Office of Standard Reference Materials

The Office of Standard Reference

Materials assures accurate measurements

throughout the world through the development and distribution of Standard Reference Materials (SRM's).

SRM*s are well characterized, stable, homogeneous materials having one or more physical or chemical properties

measured and certified by NBS.

Approximately 40,000 SRM's are used

each year in industrial quality control,

environmental analysis, clinical analysis,

and basic metrology applications. Mr. George A. Uriano, Chief (3479)

Office of Standard Reference Data The Office of Standard Reference Data (OSRD) manages the activities of the National Standard Reference Data

System (NSRDS), monitoring and

coordinating work of its various data

centers and projects. OSRD provides

inquiry services, maintains a major

collection of data compilations in the physical sciences, develops computer

database management and support

activities for the NSRDS, and determines

dissemination mechanisms for NSRDS

databases and compilations. Dr. David R. Lide, Chief (2467)

Office of Measurements for Nuclear

Technology

The Office of Measurements for Nuclear Technology provides the Nation with the central measurement

standards and services needed for

accountability in safeguarding nuclear

materials. It plans, directs, and

coordinates the program's laboratory

work at NBS and disseminates these standards and services domestically and

to other nations through international organizations.

Dr. H. Thomas Yolken, Chief (3868)

Office of Recycled Materials

The Office of Recycled Materials

manages two programs: The Resource

Conservation and Recovery Program,

as directed by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976,

establishes and publishes guidelines for the development of specifications for

classification of materials recovered from

waste. The Recycled Oil Program, in response to the Energy Policy and

Conservation Act, develops test proce- dures to determine the substantial equivalence of rerefined oil and new oil for all end uses. Dr. Harvey Yakowitz, Chief (2621)

Office of Weights and Measures The Office of Weights and Measures

provides services necessary for tracing

State and local weights and measures

activities to national standards. It makes

NBS technical expertise available to weights and measures agencies, pro- moting uniformity in weights and

measures law and enforcement through

publications, training, model codes and

regulations, NBS research, and sponsorship of the National Conference on

Weights and Measures. Mr. Albert T. Tholen, Chief (2401)

Office of Measurement Services The Office of Measurement Services coordinates and provides administrative

services for calibration and measurement

assurance programs; manages a program

to develop measurement assurance

services for the public; provides

consulting help to NBS staff on measure- ment quality control; and develops

policies and establishes priorities for reimbursable measurement services. Dr. Brian C. Belanger, Chief (2805)

36
Office of Domestic and International Measurement Standards

The Office of Domestic and International Measurement Standards plans,

administers, and actively participates in an extensive program directed towards: managing assigned NBS responsibilities

to represent the United States in the International Organization of Legal

Metrology; coordinating the NML

involvement in domestic and international voluntary standards activities; and

coordinating and facilitating NML staff participation in international cooperative

scientific programs. Mr. David E. Edgerly, Chief (3307)

Center for Absolute Physical Quantities

The Center for Absolute Physical

Quantities is responsible for the integrity of the U.S. physical measurement

standards and their further development.

A supporting research program in physics is directed toward accurate measurement of fundamental physical constants and processes and verification of the underlying laws of nafure. Dr. Karl G. Kessler, Director (2001)

Vacant, Deputy Director (2034)

Dr. Richard D. Deslattes, Senior

Research Fellow, Leader, Quantum

Metrology Group (2061)

Dr. Barry N. Taylor, Chief, Electrical Measurements and Standards Division

(2701)

Dr. James F. Schooley, Chief,

Temperature and Pressure Measurements and Standards Division (3315)

Vacant, Chief, Length and Mass

Measurements and Standards Division

(2034) Dr. James A. Barnes, Chief, Time and

Frequency Division (3294)*

Dr. Gordon H. Dunn, Chief, Quantum

Physics Division (3527)* Center for Radiation Research

The Center for Radiation Research

develops and maintains the scientific competences and experimental facilities necessary to provide the Nation with a

central basis for uniform physical

measurements, measurement methodology, and measurement services in the areas of optical radiation, ultraviolet radiation, and ionizing radiation such

as x-rays, gamma rays, electrons, neutrons, and radioactivity. Dr. Chris E. Kuyatt, Director (2551)

Dr. Wayne A. Cassatt, Deputy Director

(2551)

Dr. Wolfgang L. Wiese, Chief, Atomic

and Plasma Radiation Division (2071) Dr. Randall S. Caswell, Chief, Nuclear

Radiation Division (2625) Dr. Lewis V. Spencer, Acting Chief,

Radiation Physics Division (3201) Dr. Jack L. Tech, Chief, Radiometric

Physics Division (3864)

Dr. Samuel Penner, Chief, Radiation Source and Instrumentation Division

(2503) Center for Thermodynamics and

Molecular Science

The Center for Thermodynamics and

Molecular Science provides information

on. basic molecular processes, theoretical methods and concepts, predictive

equations and models, and reliable physico-chemical data. It supplies

measurement methods, services, and

standards applicable to bulk, surface,

and molecular properties of static and

reactive systems of chemical elements,

compounds, and their mixtures. Dr. Peter L. M. Heydemann, Director

(2711)

Dr. David Garvin, Acting Deputy

Director (2711) Dr. Cedric Powell, Chief, Surface

Science Division (2188)

Dr. Wing Tsang, Chief, Chemical

Kinetics Division (2792)

Dr. Stanley Abramowitz, Chief,

Chemical Thermodynamics Division (2131) Dr. Harold J. Raveche, Chief, Thermophysics Division (2433)

Dr. Merrill M. Hessel, Chief, Molecular

Spectroscopy Division (2021)

Center for Analytical Chemistry

The Center for Analytical Chemistry

maintains the scientific competences

and experimental facilities necessary to conduct basic and applied research that

will provide the Nation with uniform and

compatible measurements, measurement

technology, and measurement services

in analytical chemistry. It develops

and improves methods for accurate

characterization of materials and

develops and certifies Standard Reference

Materials. Dr. Curt W. Reimann, Director (2851)

Dr. Ranee A. Velapoldi, Deputy

Director (2852) Dr. Ernest L. Garner, Chief, Inorganic

Analytical Research Division (3674)

Dr. Harry S. Hertz, Chief, Inorganic

Analytical Research Division (3778)

Dr. Harry L. Rook, Chief, Gas and

Particulate Science Division (2886) Center for Materials Science

The Center for Materials Science per- forms research in the effective application and utilization of materials

(metals, polymers, and inorganic) to support commerce and industry.

Activities focus on the processing,

structure/property, and durability sciences to advance innovative

processing, improved design, and

efficient use. It supplies technical information in the form of reference

data, materials measurement methods,

and standards. Dr. John B. Wachtman, Jr., Director

(2891)

Dr. Darrell H. Reneker, Deputy Director

(2893) Dr. Thomas D. Coyle, Chief, Chemical

Stability and Corrosion Division (2847) Dr. Richard P. Reed, Chief, Fracture and Deformation Division (3870)* Dr. Ronald K. Eby, Chief, Polymer

Science and Standards Division (3734) Dr. Robert Mehrabian, Chief, Metallurgy Division (2811)

Dr. Hans P. R. Frederikse, Chief,

Ceramics, Glass, and Solid State Science

Division (2845) Dr. Robert S. Carter, Chief, Reactor

Radiation Division (2421)

37
Institute for Computer Sciences

and Technology

The Institute for Computer Sciences

and Technology develops computer

standards, conducts research, and

provides scientific and technical services

to aid Federal agencies in the selection,

acquisition, application, and use of computer technology to improve

effectiveness and economy in government

operations in accordance with Public

Law 89-306, relevant Executive Orders,

and other directives. ICST manages a government-wide program for standards development and use, including management of Federal participation in ADP

voluntary standardization activities. In

addition, ICST provides technical support in: the development of Federal

ADP management and procurement

policies, the selection and direction of

Federally sponsored computer research and development, and the resolution of computer utilization issues. Mr. James H. Burrows, Director (3151) Mr. M. Zane Thornton, Deputy Director

(3151)

Program Development Office The Program Development Office

assists the Institute Director in planning,

establishing priorities, and monitoring

programs for ICST's standards development, research, and advisory

services activities; assists the Director

in allocating resources to ICST's

programs; maintains working relation- ships with Federal agencies; and reports on progress and plans. Mr. Ross C. Bainbridge, Chief (2834)

Standards Administration Office The Standards Administration Office provides administrative processing

support for issuing Federal Information

Processing Standards (FIPS) and is the

focal point for information about FIPS,

their availability, and their prices. Mr. Harry S. White, Jr., Chief (3157)

Center for Programming Science and

Technology

The Center for Programming Science

and Technology develops standards,

provides technical assistance, and

conducts research in: computer pro- gramming languages, operating systems,

text editors, database management

systems, programming tools and other

utility software, data elements and

codes, computer security, system

certification and validation, performance

assurance, and evaluation techniques

such as auditing, programming productivity measurement, workload

characterization, and system performance measurement. Mr. S. Jeffery, Director (3531) Mr. John F. Wood, Associate Director

for Program Planning (3553) Dr. Selden L. Stewart, Chief, Pro- gramming Science Division (3485)

Dr. Dennis W. Fife, Chief, Application

Systems Division (3491)

Dr. Thomas C. Lowe, Chief, Operations

Engineering Division (2750) Center for Computer Systems

Engineering

The Center for Computer Systems

Engineering develops standards, provides

technical assistance, and conducts

research in: computer system and net- work architecture, network protocols,

local networks and office systems, net- work measurement, computer system

interfaces, data communications, data

acquisition and storage, terminals and

peripherals, data interchange media,

network access control, and system

specification, languages, and verification techniques. Mr. Thomas N. Pyke, Jr., Director

(3436) Mr. Robert P. Blanc, Chief, Systems

and Network Architecture Division

(3817) Dr. John P. Riganati, Chief, System

Components Division (2705)

National Engineering

Laboratory

The National Engineering Laboratory

furnishes technology and technical

services to users in the public and

private sectors to address national needs

and to solve national problems in the public interest. NEL conducts research

in engineering and applied science in support of objectives in these efforts; builds and maintains competence in the necessary disciplines required to carry out this research and technical

service; and develops engineering data and measurement capabilities. NEL also provides engineering measurement traceability services; develops test methods

and proposes engineering standards and code changes; develops and proposes new engineering practices; develops and

improves mechanisms to transfer results of its research to the ultimate user; and develops and demonstrates new

institutional practices to stimulate the use of technology. Dr. John W. Lyons, Director (3434) Dr. James R. Wright, Deputy Director

(3574) Mr. Samuel Kramer, Associate Director

for Program Coordination (3231) Mr. Kenneth R. Goodwin, Associate

Director for Program Planning (3235)

Dr. George A. Sinnott, Associate

Director for Technical Evaluation (3231)

38
Center for Applied Mathematics

The Center for Applied Mathematics

provides support in the mathematical

and computer sciences and central computer services for NBS programs

and NBS staff. Activities include

consultation and collaboration, conduct

of research, and development of mathematical methods and scientific computing techniques for the solution of problems arising in NBS program

efforts. Dr. Burton H. Colvin, Director (2541)

Dr. Joan R. Rosenblatt, Deputy

Director (2541)

Dr. Frederick C. Johnson, Chief,

Mathematical Analysis Division (2631)

Dr. Christoph J. Witzgall, Acting Chief,

Operations Research Division (3855)

Dr. Glenn R. Ingram, Chief, Scientific Computing Division (3395)

Dr. Harry H. Ku, Chief, Statistical Engineering Division (3651) Mr. Martin R. Shaver, Chief, Computer

Services Division (3424)

Center for Electronics and Electrical Engineering

The Center for Electronics and Electrical Engineering conducts research and

development in the fields of electronic and electrical materials and engineering.

It develops practical data, measurement

methods, theory, standards, instru- mentation, and technology. The Center

also provides technical services, national reference standards, and

engineering measurement traceability for the benefit of government, industry,

the scientific community, and the consumer. Mr. Judson C. French, Director (3357)

Dr. Alvin H. Sher, Deputy Director

(3357) Dr. W. Murray Bullis, Chief, Electron Devices Division (3786)

Dr. Oskars Petersons, Chief, Electro- systems Division (2328) Mr. Charles K. S. Miller, Acting Chief,

Electromagnetic Fields Division (3131)*

Dr. Robert A. Kamper, Chief, Electro- magnetic Technology Division (3535)*

Center for Mechanical Engineering and

Process Technology

The Center for Mechanical Engineering

and Process Technology provides

competence in production engineering,

mechanical metrology, automation and

control technology, and industrial and

mechanical engineering to support the

discrete parts manufacturing industries. Dr. John A. Simpson, Director (3421) Mr. Gene A. Rowland, Deputy Director

(3421) Mr. Daniel R. Flynn, Acting Chief,

Mechanical Production Metrology

Division (3565) Dr. Russell D. Young, Acting Chief,

Industrial Systems Division (2181) Dr. Robert Hocken, Acting Chief,

Automated Production Technology

Division (2216)

Continuous Process Technology

Program

The Continuous Process Technology

Program helps meet the measurement

and data needs of the chemical, petrochemical, petroleum, rubber, and

metals industries and others. Mr. Jesse Hord, Director (5108)* Dr. Kenneth Kreider, Acting Deputy

Director (3281) Center for Building Technology

The Center for Building Technology

performs analytical, laboratory, and

field research involving architecture,

engineering, and the physical and social sciences. The Center produces per- formance criteria and measurement

technology for use by building owners,

occupants, designers, manufacturers,

builders, regulatory authorities of State and local governments, and Federal

agencies with building programs.

Dr. Richard N. Wright, Director (3377) Dr. Charles G. Culver, Deputy Director

(3375) Dr. Edward O. Pfrang, Chief, Structures and Materials Division (2196) Dr. Preston E. McNall, Chief, Building

Thermal Performance Division (3637) Dr. Francis T. Ventre, Chief, Environmental Design Research Division (3704)

Mr. Jarnes G. Gross, Chief, Building

Economics and Regulatory Technology

Division (3447) Dr. James E. Hill, Chief, Building

Equipment Division (3637) Center for Fire Research

The Center for Fire Research, established by Congress in 1974, performs

and supports research in all aspects of fire. Work includes: fundamental

studies on the basic chemistry and

physics of the fire process; test methods for evaluating the performance

of materials and products when exposed

to fire; and tools for scientists, engineers, public officials, and building

designers to use in predicting fire risks. Dr. Frederic B. Clarke, Director (3143) Dr. Clayton M. Huggett, Deputy

Director (3143) Mr. Richard L. P. Custer, Associate

Director (3143)

Dr. Richard Gann, Head, Exploratory

Fire Research Group (3771) Dr. Robert S. Levine, Chief, Fire Research Resources Division (3845) Mr. Irwin A. Benjamin, Chief, Fire Safety Engineering Division (3255) Mr. Richard L. P. Custer, Acting Chief, Fire Performance Evaluation Division

(3255)

39
Center for Consumer Product

Technology

The Center for Consumer Product

Technology performs research and

develops the technology needed to measure and evaluate the safety, energy

efficiency, and other performance

characteristics of consumer products

and law enforcement equipment. In its activities, the Center applies the physical

and behavioral sciences, engineering,

systems analysis, ergonomics, economics,

and statistics. Dr. Stanley I. Warshaw, Director (3751) Mr. John L. Donaldson, Deputy

Director (3751) Dr. Harold P. Van Cott, Chief,

Consumer Sciences Division (2907) Dr. Andrew J. Fowell, Chief, Product

Performance Engineering Division

(3748) Mr. Walter G. Leight, Chief, Product

Safety Technology Division (3750)

Office of Engineering Standards

The Office of Engineering Standards

provides technical support to the Department of Commerce by developing

and applying criteria and procedures

for accrediting testing laboratories. It provides domestic and international engineering services, assisting in the development of needed voluntary product

standards and providing technical information and assistance to NBS units, other government agencies, and private

sector organizations concerned with the development, promulgation, and use of foreign and domestic engineering

standards.

Dr. Stanley I. Warshaw, Director (3751) Mr. William C. Cullen, Deputy

Director (3731) Mr. James E. French, Chief, Office of Standards Information, Analysis, and

Development (3272) Mr. James O. Bryson, Chief, Office of Testing Laboratory Evaluation Technology (2368)

Vacant, Chief, Office of International Engineering Standards (2152)

Office of Energy Programs

The Office of Energy Programs provides

overall planning, management, and

coordination of NEL's energy-related programs. These programs address performance criteria and measurement

technology needed to meet national goals

for energy conservation and conversion

in buildings, consumer products, and

industry, as well as technologies for

alternate energy supplies. The Office

also reviews, evaluates, and recommends

to the Department of Energy technically

valid inventions with energy-conserving

potential. Dr. Jack E. Snell, Director (3275) Dr. Albert E. Paladino, Deputy

Director (3275) Mr. George P. Lewett, Chief, Office of Energy-Related Inventions (3694)

40

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 2O402
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Philip M. Klutznick, Secretary

Jordan J. Baruch, Assistant Secretary for Productivity, Technology and Innovation

National Bureau of Standards

Ernest Ambler, Director

National Bureau of Standards

Washington, DC 20234

(301) 921-3181

National Bureau of Standards

Boulder, CO 80303

(303) 497-3000

January 1981

NBS Special Publication 600

Credits

Writer: Gail Porter

Editor: Sharon Shaffer Designer: William Welsh

Production Coordination: Nancy Starnes

Editorial Assistant: Virginia Covahey

Photography: Mark Heifer and

Bessmarie Young,

all photos except as noted below. Darwin Miner, pg. 8; Computer Vision,

pg. 13; U.S. Department of Housing

and Urban Development, pg. 16; Rex

Powell, pg. 19; National Oceanic &

Atmospheric Administration, p. 28.
U.S. Department of Commerce

National Bureau of Standards