SUMMARY OF CURRENT NBS/USSR INTERACTIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-00798A000800020004-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 24, 2000
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: May 19, 1975
• Content Type: SUMMARY

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Summary of Current NBS/USSR Interactions
May 19, 1975
The following summary of agreed or anticipated bilateral activities
involving NBS personnel is-arranged according to intergovernmental
agreement, and within each agreement, according to the priority the
NBS project coordinator attaches to the activity in terms of potential
technical benefit to NBS or the U.S. In describing the level of
priority, the coordinators selected from the following five categories:
activity should.not be continued; low; medium; high; and very high.
'These priorities do not.take into account broader policy. considerations
that may not be apparent at the coordinator level.
The symbols next to the estimated cost of each activity have the following
meanings:
*Cannot be supported from own project funds.
#Supported by outside agency.
1. Science and Technology Agreement
A. Metrology
1. Standard Reference Data
D. R. Lide - Office of Standard Reference Data
D. D. Wagman - Physical Chemistry Division
W. H. Evans - Physical Chemistry Division
D. Garvin - Physical Chemistry Division
Cost: $3200
Priority:. High
Action: a. Visit of NBS staff to U.S..S.R.
b. Two week visit by two Soviets to NBS
c. Two week visit by two Soviets to NBS
Comment: This project continues to be one of the more
beneficial. ones to NBS. A "Working Protocol" was signed June 27, 1974,
*DOC Waiver Letter In ERU File*
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after a meeting in Tsachkadzor between Dr. Lide representing NBS and
Drs. Zaks and Sychev representing GOSSTANDART. This document includes
agreements on two aspects of cooperation:
.a. Activities of the management offices, OSRD and GSSSD, such
as exchange of publications and planning information;
b. Collaboration at the project level in six specified areas.
The areas agreed upon for first priority cover all those in which OSRD
has already established working relations, including projects carried out
in various Academy of Sciences laboratories. Therefore, this protocol
should give us the flexibility to work with the projects we are interested
in while still conforming to the designated channels of communication
through GOSSTANDART.,
2. Intercomparison of Standards for Ionizing Radiation
R. Loevinger - Center for Radiation Research
S. R. Domen - Center for Radiation Research
Cost: $2500
Priority: High
Action: Two NBS staff to U.S.S.R., one week visit by Soviet
to NBS.
Comment: The proposed comparison of absorbed-dose standards
is to take place in two steps. Step 1 would be a visit of two Soviets to
NBS. Step 2 would be the transport of the NBS absorbed-dose standard to
VNIIM and would take place only if during the discussions of Step ]. it is
concluded that such an intercomparison would be scientifically important
and useful to our standards program. Loevinger is ready to proceed
with Step 1. The Soviet side has indicated readiness to send two specialists
to NBS during the second quarter of 1975.
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. Laser Energy Standard Comparison
H. S. Boyne - Electromagnetics Division
R. L. Smith - Electromagnetics Division
Cost: $3000*
.Priority: Medium
Action: A stay of 3-4 weeks at VNIFTRI
Comment: The proposed activity arose during the visit in
May 1972 by a metrology delegation from NBS. Dr. Boyne is still interested
in carrying out this project, but no specific plans. have been developed
and the project remains dormant.
4. Transportable volt standards
W. G. Eicke - Electricity Division
B. F. Field.- Electricity Division
Cost: $4500*
Action: The above cost estimate assumes that NBS people
would take the standards to Moscow and participate in the measurement. If
the intercomparison can be done by shipping the standards by air-frieght,
instead of by personal visits, no travel costs would be involved in this
project. Costs beyond normal salaries would then be small.
Comment: Agreement has been reached to send standard cells
to Leningrad in the summer or early fall of 1975 for purposes of inter-
comparison. The project coordinators on both sides are in conu-nunication
concerning the methodology.
5. Automated Information and Control Systems in Standardization
W. E. Andrus -- Office of Engineering and Information Processing
Standards
D. W. Fife - Systems and Software Division, ICST
L. D. Eicher -- Engineering and Product Standards Division, Ilia'
Cost: $4000
Priority: High
Action: Three NBS staff to U.S.S.R.
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Comment: V. I. Romanov and V. N. Shurupov visited NBS March 31,
'
to April 4, 1975, to develop details and future plans for cooperation in this
area. A visit to the U.S.S.R. by an NBS delegation is scheduled for
September 1975.
6. Intercomparison of Thermal Voltage Converter' Standards
B.
N.
Taylor - Electricity Division
B.
L.
Dunfee - Electricity Division
E.
S.
Williams -- Electricity Division
Priority: Medium
Action: Work to be done at NBS by NBS staff. No travel
involved.
7. Analysis of Fundamental Physical Constants.
Barry N. Taylor - Electricity Division
Cost: $500
Priority: Medium
Action: One week visit by Soviet to NBS.
Comment: The Soviet side has indicated a desire to cooperate
in the determination of the fine-structure constant, the ratio of the mass
of the proton to that of the electron, the relation of Planck's constant
to the electron charge, and the refinement of Avogadro's number. VNIIM
wanted to send two Soviet specialists to NBS in the first quarter of 1.975,
but the letter proposing this was delayed in the mail.
8. Intercomparison of Standard Thermocouples.
J. F. Schooley - Heat Division
G. W. Burns -Heat Division
Priority: Medium
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Action: Specifications for the thermocouple, to be inter-,
compared have been exchanged. The work will be done by staff members of
VNIIM and NBS at their own institutions. No exchange of personnel or
other visits is planned.
9. Intercomparison of Pressure Standards
P. Heydemann - Heat Division
Cost: $1300
Priority: Low
Action: One week visit to U.S.S.R.
Comment: The Soviet side believes that prior to an inter-
comparison of standards for the unit of pressure it would be worthwhile
to discuss and mutually develop the final measurement methodology. They
propose that Dr. Heydemann visit VNIIM fo.r this purpose around the middle
of the second quarter of 1975. Although Dr. Heydemann has assigned a low
priority to this activity, it is-the only one in the metrology area that
involves possible travel of'NBS staff to the U.S.S.R. in the near future.
Since NBS will soon be receiving 6-8 Soviets on 3-4 other projects if
current proposals are implemented, it is recommended that Dr. Heydemann
proceed with this visit.
10. Intercomparison of Laser Wavelengths
R. D. Deslattes - Optical Physics Division
W.-G. Schweitzer - Optical Physics Division
H. P. Layer - Optical Physics Division
Cost: $500
Priority: Low
Action: One week visit by two Soviets to NBS.
Comment: The Soviet side has accepted the NBS proposal
that two Soviets visit NBS for familiarization with work conducted in
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this area. Dr. Roberts indicated in his letter of May 12, 1975 to
Isayev that the names of the Soviets and the desired timing for the
visit be tabled directly to Dr. Deslattes.
D. Standardization
11. Standardization
M. G. Domsitz -- Consultant
Cost: $2000
Priority: Medium
Action: Various projects or visits yet to be agreed.
Comment: The Office of Product Standards still has coordi-
nating responsibility for this area, and the pace of implementation is
characterized by lethargy. Little activity has occurred since the tenta-
tive work plan was developed last. year during LaQue's visit to Moscow.
Tkachenko recently wrote a letter addressed to the Department of Commerce
proposing that a Soviet delegation visit the U.S. in the field of stand-
ards for heavy electrical equipment. Domsitz was assigned action on this
proposal.
C. Cooperation between NBS and the Soviet Academy of Sciences.
In the Director's letter of May 12 to President Keldysh of the
Soviet Academy he solicited Keldysh's views on a suggested direct relation-
ship between NBS and the Academy. Envisioned within the program would be
exchanges of team visits and long-term assignments of duration up to a year.
Technical areas might, include thermochemistry, spectroscopy, cryogenic engi-
neering, chemical kinetics, and others. If Keldysh accepts this suggestion and
suitable administrative arrangements can be made, a priority exchange might
be that between NBS and the Institute for Low Temperatures in Kharkov.
Academician Verkin, the Director of that institute, recently expressed to
visiting NBS staff members his desire to send two young scientists for a
period of 3 to 6 months, or possibly longer, to the NBS Cryogenics Division.
Dr. Birmingham of Boulder has also indicated the wish to spend about 6
weeks in Kharkov.
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II. Energy Axeement
12. MID Power Generation
S. J. Schneider r Inorganic Materials Division
H. P. R. Frederikse - Inorganic Materials Division
T. Negas - Inorganic Materials Division
W. R. Hosler - Inorganic Materials Division
Cost: $6000#
Priority: Very High
Action: Estimated three visits to U.S.S.R. of two persons each.
13. Superconducting Power Transmission
B.
W.
Birmingham - IBS, Boulder
V.
D.
Arp - Cryogenics Division
M.
C.
Jones - Cryogenics Division
Cost: $3000 + $600044
Priority: Medium
Action: Visit to U.S.S.R. by Birmingham in role of steering
committee member, supported by own project funds.
Visits by Birmingham and others for project work, supported by ERDA.
III. Environmental Agreement
14. Harmonization of Air and Water Pollution Standards
J. McNesby - Office of Air and Water Measurement
G. Marinenko - Analytical Chemistry Division
Cost: $4000*
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Priority: Low
Action: Two-week visit to U.S.S.R.
IV. Housinand Other Construction A,regiment
Comment: Neither the scope nor other specific details of
the involvement of NBS in this agreement have been worked out. A draft
memorandum of implementation, to be adopted at the first meeting of the
Joint Committee in June 1975, has been prepared by IIUU and lists NBS as
a participating agency in five of the six project areas. These are:
--Building Design and Construction Management
-Building Systems and Utilities
--Building Materials
Construction in Seismic Areas
--New Towns
It is assumed that costs of NBS participation in these projects would be
Covered by HUD project funds at NBS.
~" ~2,t 1r, it
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