Gilbert Zigler Papers, 1962-2014
The Gilbert Zigler Papers document the career of Gilbert "Gil" Zigler, a nuclear engineer who specialized in reactor safety and monitoring. The collection is comprised of items collected during his education at the United States Air Force’s Institute of Technology and career as a reactor diagnostic engineer, spanning from 1962-2014.
The collection includes scientific publications, reference materials, notes, and memorabilia from his career, and highlights Zigler's professional expertise primarily through documents relating to his role in diagnosing and solving problems during the Three Mile Island reactor incident. Much of the collection addresses the field of reactor safety in its various applications and aspects.
The electronic records in Digital folder 1 are available upon request.
Container List
- Series 1: Three Mile Island, 1970-2009 Add to Shelf
- Series 1 includes four cassettes of reactor noise recordings from the TMI-I unit early in its operation, a commemorative certificate, and related printed items from Zigler’s work at TMI, the bulk of which is from after the incident. These collected items include a scrapbook and assorted newspaper articles from the US and Brazil, which were titled by Zigler as “House Papers.” Articles in the scrapbook are predominantly from the Oak Ridger and the Knoxville News-Sentinel, ranging in date from March 30, 1979, to June 7, 1979. “House Papers” includes original correspondence from Nuclear Regulatory Commision and Electric Power Research Institute, a copied info sheet, Brazilian news clippings, a clipping from Der Spiegel dated April 3-9, 1979, along with other articles predominantly ranging in date from April 17, 1979, to March 27, 1981.
- Box-Folder 1.1: Reactor Noise Cassettes, 1974-1975 Add to Shelf
- Four cassette tapes and note of explanation for Three Mile Island reactor vessel noise
- Box-Folder 1.2: TMI Ephemera, 1970-2009 Add to Shelf
- Items pertaining to Zigler's work at Three Mile Island before and after the 1979 accident. Includes name badges, SAI Inc. newsletter, correspondence, and 30th anniversary DVD set.
- Box-Folder 1.3: "TMI-II Gems", 1979 Add to Shelf
- Collected materials pertaining to Three Mile Island and Zigler's work as a safety consultant for the TMI-II incident. Includes hand-written notes, charts, graphs, and data collected during the days following the accident. Also includes memoranda, correspondence, Babcock & Wilcox reports, and other summaries or analyses of the TMI-II incident.
- Box-Folder 1.4: "House Papers", 1979 Add to Shelf
- News clippings and materials related to TMI and the 1979 accident. Some appear to be collected in Brazil by Zigler's mother. Includes originals of correspondence found elsewhere in the collection.
- Box-Folder 1.5: News Clippings, 1979 Add to Shelf
- Newspapers and clipped articles from the Harrisburg Patriot and Time
- Box-Folder 1.6: News Clippings, 1979 Add to Shelf
- Newspapers and clipped articles predominately from the Oak Ridger
- Box-Folder 1.7: News Clippings, 1979 Add to Shelf
- Newspapers and clipped articles predominately from the Oak Ridger
- Box-Folder 1.8: News Clippings, 1979-1981 Add to Shelf
- Newspapers and clipped articles predominately from the Oak Ridger
- Box-Folder 6.1: Three Mile Island Scrapbook, 1975-1979 Add to Shelf
- Scrapbook containing clipped newspaper articles predominately from the Oak Ridger and Knoxville News-Sentinel.
- Box-Folder 6.2: Three Mile Island Certificate, 1979 Add to Shelf
- Mounted commemorative Three Mile Island photo
- Series 2: Technical Publications, 1962-2013 Add to Shelf
- Series 2 contains technical publications loosely grouped by theme, including documents covering the United States Air Force’s work with reactor safety and reactors in space; reports, papers, and training materials by Zigler and others concerning loose parts and vibration monitoring, and debris in water reactors; professional conference materials including abstracts, presentations, and bound conference proceedings from SMORN and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE); catalogs from industry suppliers like Unhotlz-Dickie, Babcock & Wilcox, and Siemens; a film from Sandia Labs concerning the Pioneer Capsule; and additional assorted papers and publications by Zigler and others.
- Box-Folder 1.9: U.S. Department of Commerce Handbooks, 1962-1963 Add to Shelf
- Two booklets, including "Handbook 68: Maximum Permissible Body Burdens and Maximum Permissible Concentrations of Radionuclides in Air and in Water for Occupational Exposure," and "Handbook 84: Radiation Quantities and Units."
- Box-Folder 1.10: "SNAP: Nuclear Space Reactors," Corliss, 1966 Add to Shelf
- One of a series on "Understanding the Atom" published by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission / Division of Technical Information.
- Box-Folder 1.11: "Nuclear Space Borne Power Supply Systems," Zigler, 1967 Add to Shelf
- Paper produced as part of the AFROTC Military Honors Program.
- Box-Folder 1.12: "Technical Nuclear Safety Evaluation for the Ground Test Reactor," Whittenberger, et. al., 1969 Add to Shelf
- Produced under the heading "Air Force Weapons Laboratory Air Force Systems Command, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico."
- Box-Folder 1.13: "Nuclear Systems Safety Design Manual", 1970 Add to Shelf
- An Air Force Systems Command Manual, number AFSCM 122-1.
- Box-Folder 1.14: "Technical Nuclear Safety Analysis for Liquid Hydrogen Experiments in the Ground Test Reactor," Dunn, et. al., 1971 Add to Shelf
- Produced under the heading "Air Force Weapons Laboratory Air Force Systems Command, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico." Includes related meeting minutes.
- Box-Folder 1.15: "Technical Nuclear Safety Analysis for Pioneer F Radioisotopic Thermoelectric Generators and Radioisotopic Heater Units," Zigler, et. al., 1971 Add to Shelf
- Produced under the heading "Air Force Weapons Laboratory Air Force Systems Command, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico."
- Box-Folder 1.16: "Transit Technical Nuclear Safety Evaluation", 1972 Add to Shelf
- Safety evaluation for Transit, a Navy navigation satellite.
- Box-Folder 1.17: "Workbook for Predicting Pressure Wave and Fragment Effects of Exploding Propellant Tanks and Gas Storage Vessels," W. E. Baker, et. al., 1977 Add to Shelf
- NASA Contractor Report 134906.
- Box-Folder 1.18: "Voyager-Analysis and Risk Assessment," Anderson, et. al., 1978 Add to Shelf
- Teledyne Energy Systems, Final Report.
- Box-Folder 1.19: "U.S. Radioisotope Generator, Space Operating Experience," Bennett, et. al., 1983 Add to Shelf
- Presented at "Energy for the Marketplace," the 18th Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference.
- Box-Folder 1.20: "SP-100 Reference Flight System: System Design Review," Volume 1, 1988 Add to Shelf
- Agenda and necessary materials for system design review.
- Box-Folder 1.21: "Nuclear Safety Assessment Report: an Annotated Outline for the Multimegwatt Space Nuclear Power System," Watlington, et. al., 1988 Add to Shelf
- Prepared for Babcock & Wilcox, Nuclear Power Division.
- Box-Folder 1.22: "Historical Overview of the US Use of Space Nuclear Power," Bennett, 1989 Add to Shelf
- Published in Space Power, Vol. 8, No. 3. Includes accompanying note from author.
- Box-Folder 1.23: "A Review of the Interagency Nuclear Power Launch Approval Process Required for the Space Launch of Nuclear Power Sources," Beaty, et. al., circa 1990 Add to Shelf
- Prepared at Science and Engineering Associates, Inc. Includes note about the address of SEA.
- Box-Folder 1.24: "Nuclear Thermal Propulsion: A Joint NASA/DOE/DOD Workshop", 1990 Add to Shelf
- NASA Conference Publication 10079.
- Box-Folder 1.25: Space Photo Diagrams, undated Add to Shelf
- Pioneer Capsule, SNAP-19, and Heat Source Assembly.
- Box-Folder 1.26: "Optical Ranging: A Proposed System for an Orbital Space Station," Lee and Zigler, undated Add to Shelf
- Paper with data attached.
- Box-Item 7.1: Motion Picture Film, circa early 1970s Add to Shelf
- Sandia Laboratories, "Pioneer RTG," 15 minutes, print no. 6; 16 mm color
- Box-Folder 2.1: Loose Parts Monitoring Systems, 1981-1988 Add to Shelf
- A general description from the Technology for Energy Corporation, and a training syllabus and improvements report from Science Applications, Inc.
- Box-Folder 2.2: "Loose Parts Monitoring", 1991 Add to Shelf
- Recent Related Papers and Publications collected by Zigler.
- Box-Folder 2.3: "Loose Parts Monitoring", 1992 Add to Shelf
- Recent Related Papers and Publications.
- Box-Folder 2.4: Siemens Loose Parts Monitoring System Materials, 1994-1995 Add to Shelf
- Three documents, including the Diagnostic Trip Report for Comision Federal de Electricidad Laguna Verde Nuclear Station Unit 2, Standard Training Course, and Technical Training Course.
- Box-Folder 2.5: Siemens Loose Parts Monitoring System Materials, undated Add to Shelf
- Expert Training Course. Annotated.
- Box-Folder 2.6: Loose Parts Papers, circa 1991 Add to Shelf
- Seven documents covering neutron noise and loose parts monitoring and signaling.
- Box-Folder 2.7: "Loose Parts Benchmark Meeting", 1995 Add to Shelf
- Six documents with note detailing time and location of meeting.
- Box-Folder 2.8: "Nuclear Reactor Loose Part Impact Activity and Damage Mechanisms," Liang Shi, 1995 Add to Shelf
- PhD dissertation advised by C. W. Mayo.
- Box-Folder 2.9: "Loose Part Damage," Mayo, et. al., 1996 Add to Shelf
- Sponsored by the Duke Power Company and Siemens Power Corporation.
- Box-Folder 2.10: Vibration Monitoring, undated Add to Shelf
- Two documents, including "CE Internals Vibration Monitoring System" and Rochester Instrument Systems' "An Explanation of Vibration in Rotating Machinery."
- Box-Folder 2.11: Unholtz-Dickie Corporation Brochure and Manuals, 1976-1977 Add to Shelf
- Four documents, including "Instrument and Accelerometer Brochure," and operating instruction manuals.
- Box-Folder 2.12: Unholtz-Dickie Corporation Catalogs, circa 1980 Add to Shelf
- Catalogs collected in binder furnished by Unholtz-Dickie.
- Box-Folder 2.13: Unholtz-Dickie Corporation Quotes, 1981 Add to Shelf
- Two documents, quotations for three prototype silicon surface barrier preamplifiers and one interfacing amplifier.
- Box-Folder 2.14: Babcock & Wilcox Technical Papers, 1975-1977 Add to Shelf
- Including "Noise and vibration monitoring and diagnostics for operating nuclear power reactors," "Incore Neutron Noise Analysis," and "Experience in diagnostic and surveillance methods development."
- Box-Folder 2.15: Failure Mode Reports, 1980-1988 Add to Shelf
- Two documents, including "Failure Modes and effects Analysis of the NNI/ICS Electrical Power Supplies at the Davis-Besse Unit 1 Nuclear Power Station" and "Failure Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) of the Alternate Power Systems (APS)."
- Box-Folder 2.16: Babcock & Wilcox Standard Proposal, circa 1983 Add to Shelf
- Proposal packet for Reactor Dynamic Signal Monitoring and Diagnostic System.
- Box-Folder 2.17: Documents on reactor aging and maintenance, circa 1990 Add to Shelf
- Four documents, including "Cable Condition Monitoring Research Activities at Sandia National Laboratories," "Figures of Merit for Measuring Aging Management Program Effectiveness," "Catawba Replacement Steam Generator Pre-Installation Metal Impact Response Testing, Final Report," "ASME OM Code Case on Component Importance Ranking."
- Box-Folder 2.18: Piezoelectric Transducer Technical Bulletins, undated Add to Shelf
- Produced by Wilcoxon Research, contains 10 collected articles.
- Box-Folder 2.19: "License Renewal Papers", circa 1990 Add to Shelf
- Five documents, including "Optimizing Aging Management Alternatives for Reactor Relicensing," "Figures of Merit for Measuring Aging Management Program Effectiveness," "PRA-Based Methodology for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Aging Management Programs," "1991 Plant License Renewal Embedded Topical Meeting Call for Papers," "Effectiveness of Neutron Noise and Loose Parts Monitoring Methods in Aging Management for Reactor Relicensing."
- Box-Folder 2.20: Metraplex Corporation Documents, undated Add to Shelf
- Three documents, including two reports prepared for Babcock & Wilcox titled, "Multiplexed FM Recording and Reproducing Equipment" and "FM Multiplexing Based Subsystems," and an information booklet.
- Box-Folder 2.21: "Digital Signal Processing and Spectral Analysis of Random Data: a Non-Mathematical Introduction," Au-Yang, 1995 Add to Shelf
- Short Course given at the Nuclear Industry Check Valve Group Conference at St. Petersburg Beach, Florida.
- Box-Folder 3.1: "Drywell Debris Transport Study," Rao et. al., 1998 Add to Shelf
- Three volumes of the Final Report.
- Box-Folder 3.2: "A Brief Survey on the Application of Complex Systems Theory to Nuclear Power Plant Diagnostic," Zigler and Uhrig, 2002 Add to Shelf
- Bound collection of articles.
- Box-Folder 3.3: "Knowledge Base for the Effect of Debris on Pressurized Water Reactor Emergency Core Cooling Sump Performance," Shaffer et. al., 2003 Add to Shelf
- Zigler's annotated copy of a manuscript completed for Division of Engineering Technology, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
- Box-Folder 3.4: Conference program, 2004 Add to Shelf
- Bound information for Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards Meeting of the Subcommittee on Thermal Hydraulics and loose agenda.
- Box-Folder 3.5: Faxed Documents, Various Add to Shelf
- Including a paper titled "Core Debris Analysis," memoranda, and correspondence.
- Box-Folder 3.6: 6224 Correlation Software, 2005 Add to Shelf
- Two documents, including a software tutorial and training session PowerPoint.
- Box-Folder 3.7: "Operation and Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plants", 2013 Add to Shelf
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers manual.
- Box-Folder 3.8: Mineral Wool, 2004 Add to Shelf
- Collected correspondence and articles regarding industrial uses of mineral wool.
- Box-Folder 3.9: Study Reports, 1998-2005 Add to Shelf
- Three documents, including "Failed Coating Debris Characterization," "EDF CIPN: Summary of experimental studies on the behavior of 725 QN heat insulator and CRUAS 1/2/3 type paint debris," and "Hydraulic Properties of Calcium Silicate Insulation Test Report: Vertical Loop"
- Box-Folder 3.10: Électricité de France (EDF) Reports, 1994-2002 Add to Shelf
- Three reports, including "Draft I.E.C. Standard for Monitoring PWR Internal Structures," "Assessment of the percentage of heat insulator and paint debris carried over to the EAS and RIS sumps after LOCA for the CRUAS plant," and questionnaire.
- Box-Folder 3.11: Alion Technical Documents, 2003-2004 Add to Shelf
- Two documents, including "Test Report of the Full Scale head Loss Test of a Top Hat Array" and "Assessment of the Post-LOCA ECCS Performance of South Ukraine Unit 1."
- Box-Folder 3.12: "Review of International Knowledge Base for ECCS Recirculation Reliability," Rao et. al., 1994 Add to Shelf
- Manuscript prepared by Science and Engineering Associates, Inc. for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Annotated.
- Box-Folder 3.13: "Parametric Study of the Potential for BWR ECCS Strainer Blockage Due to LOCA Generated Debris," Zigler et. al., 1994-1995 Add to Shelf
- Two drafts, including the draft report for comment and final report with Zigler's annotations.
- Box-Folder 3.14: "HLOSS 1.0: A Code for the Prediction of ECCS Strainer Head Loss," Mast and Souto, 1997 Add to Shelf
- Prepared by ITS Corporation.
- Box-Folder 3.15: "GSI-191 Technical Assessment", 2002 Add to Shelf
- Four volumes, including "Parametric Evaluations for Pressurized Water Reactor Recirculation Sump Performance," "Summary and Analysis of U.S. Pressurized Water Reactor Industry Survey Responses to GL 97-04," "Development of Debris Generation Quantities in Support of the Parametric Evaluation," "Development of Debris Transport Fractions in Support of the Parametric Evaluation."
- Box-Folder 3.16: "GSI-191: Thermal-Hydraulic Response of PWR Reactor Coolant System and Containments to Selected Accident Sequences," Rao et. al., 2002 Add to Shelf
- Manuscript completed for Division of Engineering Technology, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
- Box-Folder 3.17: "GSI-191: The Impact of Debris Induced Loss of ECCS Recirculation on PWR Core Damage Frequency," Darby et. al., 2002 Add to Shelf
- Manuscript completed for Division of Engineering Technology, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
- Box-Folder 3.18: "GSI-191: Separate-Effects Characterization of Debris Transport in Water," Rao et. al., 2002 Add to Shelf
- Manuscript completed for Division of Engineering Technology, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
- Box-Folder 3.19: "Characterization and Head-Loss Testing of Latent Debris from Pressurized-Water-Reactor Containment Buildings," Ding et. al., 2004 Add to Shelf
- Manuscript completed for Division of Engineering Technology, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
- Box-Folder 4.1: "Evaluation of Post-Accident Chemical Effects in Containment Sump Fluids to Support GSI-191," Lane et. al., 2006 Add to Shelf
- Report prepared by Westinghouse Electric Company.
- Box-Folder 4.2: "NEI 04-07: Pressurized Water Reactor Sump Performance Evaluation Methodology," Revision 0, 2004 Add to Shelf
- Volume 1, "Pressurized Water Reactor Sump Performance Evaluation Methodology."
- Box-Folder 4.3: "NEI 04-07: Pressurized Water Reactor Sump Performance Evaluation Methodology," Revision 1, 2004 Add to Shelf
- Volume 2, "Safety Evaluation by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Related to NRC Generic Letter 2004-02, Revision 0, December 6, 2004."
- Box-Folder 4.4: SMORN II Proceedings, 1977 Add to Shelf
- Published as part of Progress in Nuclear Energy 1, no. 2-4 (1977).
- Box-Folder 4.5: SMORN IV Proceedings, 1985 Add to Shelf
- Published as part of Progress in Nuclear Energy 15 (1985).
- Box-Folder 4.6: SMORN V Overview, 1988 Add to Shelf
- A summary of the fifth Symposium on Reactor Noise (SMORN V), Munich, Federal Republic of Germany, 12th-16th October 1987.
- Box-Folder 4.7: SMORN VI Proceedings, 1991 Add to Shelf
- A Symposium on Nuclear Reactor Surveillance and Diagnostics: Volume I.
- Box-Folder 4.8: SMORN VI Proceedings, 1991 Add to Shelf
- A Symposium on Nuclear Reactor Surveillance and Diagnostics: Volume II. Annotated.
- Box-Folder 4.9: SMORN VII Overview, 1995 Add to Shelf
- Includes Zigler's paper.
- Box-Folder 4.10: SMORN VII Proceedings, 1995 Add to Shelf
- Volume I with Zigler's notes.
- Box-Folder 4.11: SMORN VII Proceedings, 1995 Add to Shelf
- Volume II with Zigler's notes.
- Box-Folder 4.12: SMORN VII Viewgraphs, 1995 Add to Shelf
- Copy of Zigler's paper and overhead slides.
- Box-Folder 4.13: IEEE Conference Record - Abstracts, 1981 Add to Shelf
- 1981 IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science.
- Box-Folder 4.14: Loose Part Monitoring Catalogs, undated Add to Shelf
- Includes photos, and catalogs from Technology for Energy Corporation, BBN Instruments Company, Siemens, and Endevco.
- Box-Folder 4.15: "Global Energy Perspectives," Patton, 1981 Add to Shelf
- Essay prepared by F. S. Patton, Director of Engineering, Union Carbide Corporation, Nuclear Division.
- Box-Folder 5.1: "Airliner Cabin Environment: Containment Measurements, Health Risks, and Mitigation Options," Nagda et. al., 1989 Add to Shelf
- Final Report prepared for U.S. Department of Transportation with summary and errata sheets.
- Series 3: Ephemera, 1965-2014 Add to Shelf
- Series 3 contains ephemera from Zigler's career, including newspapers detailing his achievements; various slide rules; stickers; photos taken at reactor construction sites; a Victoreen radiation monitor; a recording from the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) at Princeton; several nuclear test participation certificates; and professional certificates of recognition collected throughout his career from professional societies in which he participated. The contents of Digital folder 1 are available upon patron request.
- Box-Folder 5.2: Slide rules, 1965-1985 Add to Shelf
- Four rulers, including vibration computers, a reliability rule, and a time kode slide rule.
- Box-Folder 5.3: Ephemera, 1968-2010 Add to Shelf
- Items include stickers, 11 photos of Zigler at unknown work sites, and a signed menu from SMORN IV.
- Digital Folder 1: Air Force Institute of Technology party footage, circa 1968 Add to Shelf
- Super 8 film footage (3-4 minutes) transferred to digital format in 2007 by Bob Davie and accompanying explanatory text; 28.4 Mbytes (2 files) are available upon request.
- Box-Folder 5.4: Collected clippings, 1978-2014 Add to Shelf
- Clippings and other printed materials concerning Gil Zigler.
- Box-Folder 5.5: Radiation monitor, 1975 Add to Shelf
- Victoreen Tattler with quality assurance data sheet.
- Box-Folder 5.6: Newspapers, 1979 Add to Shelf
- Papers and clippings from the Oak Ridger and Knoxville News-Sentinel.
- Box-Folder 5.7: TFTR Microcassette, circa 1982 Add to Shelf
- Sound recordings from the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor at the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab.
- Box-Folder 6.3: Certificates of professional commemoration, 1979-2014 Add to Shelf
- Nine certificates from professional organizations, including The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor, and SMORN.
- Box-Folder 6.4: Certificates of participation, circa 1982-1986 Add to Shelf
- Six certificates from participating in weapons tests, including Pre-Direct Course, Diamond Beech, Mission Ghost, Misty Rain, and Minor Scale.