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The topics covered in this dissertation are all areas of study involving observations at low radio frequencies. There are three main subject areas: a study of the twin-tailed radio galaxy 3C3.1; a study of both an old and a new sample of radio sources that exhibit very steep radio spectra at low frequency; the design and construction of a new radio telescope operating at low radio frequency together with the making of a new radio source survey. 3C3.1 has been studied by other authors but new high angular resolution, high sensitivity observations at low radio frequency have allowed further progress to be made in understanding the behaviour of this source. It has been thought that 3C3.1 type sources would be responsible for most (if not all) of the very steep spectrum radio sources. 3C3.1 is relatively close, hence easy to study. A model has been developed which explains the previously not understood brightness distribution along the long luminous jets. In order to quantify the predicted behaviour more precisely a set of simple numerical simulations was performed. Very steep spectrum radio sources are by their nature easier to detect at low radio frequencies. In the past, it has been shown that most, if not all, very steep spectrum sources are associated with clusters of galaxies. Both optical and further radio observations of a sample of sources prepared by the author, and a sample prepared by other workers were undertaken. The optical observations of high sensitivity have greatly strengthened the hypothesis that all of such sources are indeed associated with clusters of galaxies. The radio observations, both performed at high and low radio frequencies, have shown that such sources seem to have in general evolved from conventional sources with both 'tailed' and 'double' radio structure. A serious limitation for further work at low radio frequencies is the availibility of high sensitivity, high resolution instruments. A twenty five element interferometer with a one mile baseline operating at 38 MHz was designed and constructed. This allowed an appraisal of the operating conditions at such low frequency. A deep radio survey of the north pole was performed and a new sample of very steep spectrum constructed.

The application of multi-concentration group mathematical modelling to the leaching of radionuclide waste-forms which have continuous porous matrix such as cemented waste form is described. The modelling is illustrated analysing a hypothetical of some transport mechanisms such as molecular diffusion, ionic migration and convective flow for release of interest radionuclide from a solidified waste form which contains discrete particles of radioactive Sr-85 nuclides into the aqueous environment. The group parameters are derived from the classical electrochemistry concept of ion transport in dilute electrolytic solution. The numerical analysis is based on the Crank-Nicolson Implicit Methods which assures the stability of the solution at a practical time step. The results show that, for a short-time period of leaching in demineralized water the leaching behavior follows the predominating diffusion mechanism. After this point, the role of other processes apparent and continue until all radionuclides in the cement waste are leached out when compared to the Semi-Infinite Diffusion model which is based on pure diffusion mechanism. The multi-concentration group model can also be applied to long-term prediction of complicated release mechanisms of the radionuclides in the waste form of a particular disposal environment, unless the variables of interest such as the corrosion rate, the chemical reaction, erosion rate and etc. are determined by experiment or theoretical hypothesis. The appropriate differential equation then can be solved by the same general numerical approach. Also, the results of the modelling indicate which parameters should be measured experimentally in order to provide a quantitative test of the hypothetical release mechanism.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.