Current Status of The Romanian National Deep Geological Repository Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Radu, M.; Nicolae, R.; Nicolae, D.

2008-07-01

Construction of a deep geological repository is a very demanding and costly task. By now, countries that have Candu reactors, have not processed the spent fuel passing to the interim storage as a preliminary step of final disposal within the nuclear fuel cycle back-end. Romania, in comparison to other nations, represents a rather small territory, with high population density, wherein the geological formation areas with radioactive waste storage potential are limited and restricted not only from the point of view of the selection criteria due to the rocks natural characteristics, but also from the point of view of their involvementmore » in social and economical activities. In the framework of the national R and D Programs, series of 'Map investigations' have been made regarding the selection and preliminary characterization of the host geological formation for the nation's spent fuel deep geological repository. The fact that Romania has many deposits of natural gas, oil, ore and geothermal water, and intensively utilizes soil and also is very forested, cause some of the apparent acceptable sites to be rejected in the subsequent analysis. Currently, according to the Law on the spent fuel and radioactive waste management, including disposal, The National Agency of Radioactive Waste is responsible and coordinates the national strategy in the field and, subsequently, further actions will be decided. The Romanian National Strategy, approved in 2004, projects the operation of a deep geological repository to begin in 2055. (authors)« less

10 CFR 63.111 - Performance objectives for the geologic repository operations area through permanent closure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... of the deep dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent to any individual organ or tissue (other than the lens of the eye) of 0.5 Sv (50 rem). The lens dose equivalent may not exceed 0.15 Sv (15... TEDE (hereafter referred to as “dose”) to any real member of the public located beyond the boundary of...

10 CFR 63.111 - Performance objectives for the geologic repository operations area through permanent closure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... of the deep dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent to any individual organ or tissue (other than the lens of the eye) of 0.5 Sv (50 rem). The lens dose equivalent may not exceed 0.15 Sv (15... TEDE (hereafter referred to as “dose”) to any real member of the public located beyond the boundary of...

10 CFR 63.111 - Performance objectives for the geologic repository operations area through permanent closure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... of the deep dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent to any individual organ or tissue (other than the lens of the eye) of 0.5 Sv (50 rem). The lens dose equivalent may not exceed 0.15 Sv (15... TEDE (hereafter referred to as “dose”) to any real member of the public located beyond the boundary of...

10 CFR 63.111 - Performance objectives for the geologic repository operations area through permanent closure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... of the deep dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent to any individual organ or tissue (other than the lens of the eye) of 0.5 Sv (50 rem). The lens dose equivalent may not exceed 0.15 Sv (15... TEDE (hereafter referred to as “dose”) to any real member of the public located beyond the boundary of...

78 FR 10163 - Notice of Availability of Draft Section 3116 Basis for Determination for Closure of H Tank Farm...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-13

... isolation in a deep geologic repository for spent fuel or high-level radioactive waste; (2) has had highly... in 10 CFR Part 61, Subpart C and pursuant to a State approved closure plan or State-issued permit; or... with the performance objectives of 10 CFR Part 61, Subpart C; pursuant to a State approved closure plan...

Large-scale Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Simulations in Complex Geological Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Therrien, R.; Lemieux, J.

2011-12-01

The study of a potential deep repository for radioative waste disposal in Canada context requires simulation capabilities for thermo-hydro-mechanical processes. It is expected that the host rock for the deep repository will be subjected to a variety of stresses during its lifetime such as in situ stresses in the rock, stressed caused by excavation of the repository and thermo-mechanical stresses. Another stress of concern for future Canadian climates will results from various episodes of glaciation. In that case, it can be expected that over 3 km of ice may be present over the land mass, which will create a glacial load that will be transmitted to the underlying geological materials and therefore impact their mechanical and hydraulic responses. Glacial loading will affect pore fluid pressures in the subsurface, which will in turn affect groundwater velocities and the potential migration of radionuclides from the repository. In addition, permafrost formation and thawing resulting from glacial advance and retreat will modify the bulk hydraulic of the geological materials and will have a potentially large impact on groundwater flow patterns, especially groundwater recharge. In the context of a deep geological repository for spent nuclear fuel, the performance of the repository to contain the spent nuclear fuel must be evaluated for periods that span several hundred thousand years. The time-frame for thermo-hydro-mechanical simulations is therefore extremely long and efficient numerical techniques must be developed. Other challenges are the representation of geological formations that have potentially complex geometries and physical properties and may contain fractures. The spatial extent of the simulation domain is also very large and can potentially reach the size of a sedimentary basin. Mass transport must also be considered because the fluid salinity in a sedimentary basin can be highly variable and the effect of fluid density on groundwater flow must be accounted for. Adding mass transport with density effect introduces further non-linearities in the governing equations, thus leading to increased simulation times. We will present challenges and current developments related to this topic in the Canadian context. Current efforts aim at improving simulation capabilities for large-scale 3D thermo-hydro-mechanical simulation in complex geologic materials. One topic of interest is to evaluate the appropriateness of simplifying the effect of glacial loading by using a one-dimensional hydro-mechanical representation that assumes purely vertical strain as opposed to the much more computationally intensive 3D representation.

A model for evaluating radiological impacts on organisms other than man for use in post-closure assessments of geological repositories for radioactive wastes.

PubMed

Thorn, M C; Kelly, M; Rees, J H; Sánchez-Friera, P; Calvez, M

2002-09-01

Bioaccumulation and dosimetric models have been developed that allow the computation of dose rates to a wide variety of plants and animals in the context of the deep geological disposal of solid radioactive wastes. These dose rates can be compared with the threshold dose rates at which significant deleterious effects have been observed in field and laboratory observations. This provides a general indication of whether effects on ecosystems could be observable, but does not quantify the level of those effects. To address this latter issue, two indicator organisms were identified and exposure-response relationships were developed for endpoints of potential interest (mortality in conifers and the induction of skeletal malformations in rodents irradiated in utero). The bioaccumulation, dosimetry and exposure-response models were implemented and used to evaluate the potential significance of radionuclide releases from a proposed deep geological repository for radioactive wastes in France. This evaluation was undertaken in the context of a programme of assessment studies being performed by the Agence nationale pour la gestion des déchets radioactifs (ANDRA).

Molecular hydrogen: An abundant energy source for bacterial activity in nuclear waste repositories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Libert, M.; Bildstein, O.; Esnault, L.; Jullien, M.; Sellier, R.

A thorough understanding of the energy sources used by microbial systems in the deep terrestrial subsurface is essential since the extreme conditions for life in deep biospheres may serve as a model for possible life in a nuclear waste repository. In this respect, H 2 is known as one of the most energetic substrates for deep terrestrial subsurface environments. This hydrogen is produced from abiotic and biotic processes but its concentration in natural systems is usually maintained at very low levels due to hydrogen-consuming bacteria. A significant amount of H 2 gas will be produced within deep nuclear waste repositories, essentially from the corrosion of metallic components. This will consequently improve the conditions for microbial activity in this specific environment. This paper discusses different study cases with experimental results to illustrate the fact that microorganisms are able to use hydrogen for redox processes (reduction of O 2, NO3-, Fe III) in several waste disposal conditions. Consequences of microbial activity include: alteration of groundwater chemistry and shift in geochemical equilibria, gas production or consumption, biocorrosion, and potential modifications of confinement properties. In order to quantify the impact of hydrogen bacteria, the next step will be to determine the kinetic rate of the reactions in realistic conditions.

Incorporation of Metals into Calcite in a Deep Anoxic Granite Aquifer.

PubMed

Drake, Henrik; Mathurin, Frédéric A; Zack, Thomas; Schäfer, Thorsten; Roberts, Nick Mw; Whitehouse, Martin; Karlsson, Andreas; Broman, Curt; Åström, Mats E

2018-01-16

Understanding metal scavenging by calcite in deep aquifers in granite is of importance for deciphering and modeling hydrochemical fluctuations and water-rock interaction in the upper crust and for retention mechanisms associated with underground repositories for toxic wastes. Metal scavenging into calcite has generally been established in the laboratory or in natural environments that cannot be unreservedly applied to conditions in deep crystalline rocks, an environment of broad interest for nuclear waste repositories. Here, we report a microanalytical study of calcite precipitated over a period of 17 years from anoxic, low-temperature (14 °C), neutral (pH: 7.4-7.7), and brackish (Cl: 1700-7100 mg/L) groundwater flowing in fractures at >400 m depth in granite rock. This enabled assessment of the trace metal uptake by calcite under these deep-seated conditions. Aquatic speciation modeling was carried out to assess influence of metal complexation on the partitioning into calcite. The resulting environment-specific partition coefficients were for several divalent ions in line with values obtained in controlled laboratory experiments, whereas for several other ions they differed substantially. High absolute uptake of rare earth elements and U(IV) suggests that coprecipitation into calcite can be an important sink for these metals and analogousactinides in the vicinity of geological repositories.

Development of performance assessment methodology for nuclear waste isolation in geologic media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonano, E. J.; Chu, M. S. Y.; Cranwell, R. M.; Davis, P. A.

The burial of nuclear wastes in deep geologic formations as a means for their disposal is an issue of significant technical and social impact. The analysis of the processes involved can be performed only with reliable mathematical models and computer codes as opposed to conducting experiments because the time scales associated are on the order of tens of thousands of years. These analyses are concerned primarily with the migration of radioactive contaminants from the repository to the environment accessible to humans. Modeling of this phenomenon depends on a large number of other phenomena taking place in the geologic porous and/or fractured medium. These are ground-water flow, physicochemical interactions of the contaminants with the rock, heat transfer, and mass transport. Once the radionuclides have reached the accessible environment, the pathways to humans and health effects are estimated. A performance assessment methodology for a potential high-level waste repository emplaced in a basalt formation has been developed for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Modelling of processes occurring in deep geological repository - Development of new modules in the GoldSim environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vopálka, D.; Lukin, D.; Vokál, A.

2006-01-01

Three new modules modelling the processes that occur in a deep geological repository have been prepared in the GoldSim computer code environment (using its Transport Module). These modules help to understand the role of selected parameters in the near-field region of the final repository and to prepare an own complex model of the repository behaviour. The source term module includes radioactive decay and ingrowth in the canister, first order degradation of fuel matrix, solubility limitation of the concentration of the studied nuclides, and diffusive migration through the surrounding bentonite layer controlled by the output boundary condition formulated with respect to the rate of water flow in the rock. The corrosion module describes corrosion of canisters made of carbon steel and transport of corrosion products in the near-field region. This module computes balance equations between dissolving species and species transported by diffusion and/or advection from the surface of a solid material. The diffusion module that includes also non-linear form of the interaction isotherm can be used for an evaluation of small-scale diffusion experiments.

deepTools2: a next generation web server for deep-sequencing data analysis.

PubMed

Ramírez, Fidel; Ryan, Devon P; Grüning, Björn; Bhardwaj, Vivek; Kilpert, Fabian; Richter, Andreas S; Heyne, Steffen; Dündar, Friederike; Manke, Thomas

2016-07-08

We present an update to our Galaxy-based web server for processing and visualizing deeply sequenced data. Its core tool set, deepTools, allows users to perform complete bioinformatic workflows ranging from quality controls and normalizations of aligned reads to integrative analyses, including clustering and visualization approaches. Since we first described our deepTools Galaxy server in 2014, we have implemented new solutions for many requests from the community and our users. Here, we introduce significant enhancements and new tools to further improve data visualization and interpretation. deepTools continue to be open to all users and freely available as a web service at deeptools.ie-freiburg.mpg.de The new deepTools2 suite can be easily deployed within any Galaxy framework via the toolshed repository, and we also provide source code for command line usage under Linux and Mac OS X. A public and documented API for access to deepTools functionality is also available. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ferrada, J.J.

This report compiles preliminary information that supports the premise that a repository is needed in Latin America and analyzes the nuclear situation (mainly in Argentina and Brazil) in terms of nuclear capabilities, inventories, and regional spent-fuel repositories. The report is based on several sources and summarizes (1) the nuclear capabilities in Latin America and establishes the framework for the need of a permanent repository, (2) the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) approach for a regional spent-fuel repository and describes the support that international institutions are lending to this issue, (3) the current situation in Argentina in order to analyze themore » Argentinean willingness to find a location for a deep geological repository, and (4) the issues involved in selecting a location for the repository and identifies a potential location. This report then draws conclusions based on an analysis of this information. The focus of this report is mainly on spent fuel and does not elaborate on other radiological waste sources.« less

Radioactive waste management in Poland status and strategy for the future

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wlodarski, J.

1995-12-01

Site selection for a new radioactive waste repository in Poland has been started. The repository will contain low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes and spent fuel. Superficial, shallow underground and deep underground disposal options were considered; 39 potential sites have been selected. Issues to be resolved regarding waste management in Poland are also outlined in this paper.

Granite disposal of U.S. high-level radioactive waste.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Freeze, Geoffrey A.; Mariner, Paul E.; Lee, Joon H.

This report evaluates the feasibility of disposing U.S. high-level radioactive waste in granite several hundred meters below the surface of the earth. The U.S. has many granite formations with positive attributes for permanent disposal. Similar crystalline formations have been extensively studied by international programs, two of which, in Sweden and Finland, are the host rocks of submitted or imminent repository license applications. This report is enabled by the advanced work of the international community to establish functional and operational requirements for disposal of a range of waste forms in granite media. In this report we develop scoping performance analyses, basedmore » on the applicable features, events, and processes (FEPs) identified by international investigators, to support generic conclusions regarding post-closure safety. Unlike the safety analyses for disposal in salt, shale/clay, or deep boreholes, the safety analysis for a mined granite repository depends largely on waste package preservation. In crystalline rock, waste packages are preserved by the high mechanical stability of the excavations, the diffusive barrier of the buffer, and favorable chemical conditions. The buffer is preserved by low groundwater fluxes, favorable chemical conditions, backfill, and the rigid confines of the host rock. An added advantage of a mined granite repository is that waste packages would be fairly easy to retrieve, should retrievability be an important objective. The results of the safety analyses performed in this study are consistent with the results of comprehensive safety assessments performed for sites in Sweden, Finland, and Canada. They indicate that a granite repository would satisfy established safety criteria and suggest that a small number of FEPs would largely control the release and transport of radionuclides. In the event the U.S. decides to pursue a potential repository in granite, a detailed evaluation of these FEPs would be needed to inform site selection and safety assessment.« less

Lessons from Earth's Deep Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soreghan, G. S.

2005-01-01

Earth is a repository of data on climatic changes from its deep-time history. Article discusses the collection and study of these data to predict future climatic changes, the need to create national study centers for the purpose, and the necessary cooperation between different branches of science in climatic research.

Seismic stability of the survey areas of potential sites for the deep geological repository of the spent nuclear fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaláb, Zdeněk; Šílený, Jan; Lednická, Markéta

2017-07-01

This paper deals with the seismic stability of the survey areas of potential sites for the deep geological repository of the spent nuclear fuel in the Czech Republic. The basic source of data for historical earthquakes up to 1990 was the seismic website [1-]. The most intense earthquake described occurred on September 15, 1590 in the Niederroesterreich region (Austria) in the historical period; its reported intensity is Io = 8-9. The source of the contemporary seismic data for the period since 1991 to the end of 2014 was the website [11]. It may be stated based on the databases and literature review that in the period from 1900, no earthquake exceeding magnitude 5.1 originated in the territory of the Czech Republic. In order to evaluate seismicity and to assess the impact of seismic effects at depths of hypothetical deep geological repository for the next time period, the neo-deterministic method was selected as an extension of the probabilistic method. Each one out of the seven survey areas were assessed by the neo-deterministic evaluation of the seismic wave-field excited by selected individual events and determining the maximum loading. Results of seismological databases studies and neo-deterministic analysis of Čihadlo locality are presented.

Focused Crawling of the Deep Web Using Service Class Descriptions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rocco, D; Liu, L; Critchlow, T

2004-06-21

Dynamic Web data sources--sometimes known collectively as the Deep Web--increase the utility of the Web by providing intuitive access to data repositories anywhere that Web access is available. Deep Web services provide access to real-time information, like entertainment event listings, or present a Web interface to large databases or other data repositories. Recent studies suggest that the size and growth rate of the dynamic Web greatly exceed that of the static Web, yet dynamic content is often ignored by existing search engine indexers owing to the technical challenges that arise when attempting to search the Deep Web. To address thesemore » challenges, we present DynaBot, a service-centric crawler for discovering and clustering Deep Web sources offering dynamic content. DynaBot has three unique characteristics. First, DynaBot utilizes a service class model of the Web implemented through the construction of service class descriptions (SCDs). Second, DynaBot employs a modular, self-tuning system architecture for focused crawling of the DeepWeb using service class descriptions. Third, DynaBot incorporates methods and algorithms for efficient probing of the Deep Web and for discovering and clustering Deep Web sources and services through SCD-based service matching analysis. Our experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the service class discovery, probing, and matching algorithms and suggest techniques for efficiently managing service discovery in the face of the immense scale of the Deep Web.« less

Providing Multi-Page Data Extraction Services with XWRAPComposer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Ling; Zhang, Jianjun; Han, Wei

2008-04-30

Dynamic Web data sources – sometimes known collectively as the Deep Web – increase the utility of the Web by providing intuitive access to data repositories anywhere that Web access is available. Deep Web services provide access to real-time information, like entertainment event listings, or present a Web interface to large databases or other data repositories. Recent studies suggest that the size and growth rate of the dynamic Web greatly exceed that of the static Web, yet dynamic content is often ignored by existing search engine indexers owing to the technical challenges that arise when attempting to search the Deepmore » Web. To address these challenges, we present DYNABOT, a service-centric crawler for discovering and clustering Deep Web sources offering dynamic content. DYNABOT has three unique characteristics. First, DYNABOT utilizes a service class model of the Web implemented through the construction of service class descriptions (SCDs). Second, DYNABOT employs a modular, self-tuning system architecture for focused crawling of the Deep Web using service class descriptions. Third, DYNABOT incorporates methods and algorithms for efficient probing of the Deep Web and for discovering and clustering Deep Web sources and services through SCD-based service matching analysis. Our experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the service class discovery, probing, and matching algorithms and suggest techniques for efficiently managing service discovery in the face of the immense scale of the Deep Web.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jung, Haeryong; Lee, Eunyong; Jeong, YiYeong

Korea Radioactive-waste Management Corporation (KRMC) established in 2009 has started a new project to collect information on long-term stability of deep geological environments on the Korean Peninsula. The information has been built up in the integrated natural barrier database system available on web (www.deepgeodisposal.kr). The database system also includes socially and economically important information, such as land use, mining area, natural conservation area, population density, and industrial complex, because some of this information is used as exclusionary criteria during the site selection process for a deep geological repository for safe and secure containment and isolation of spent nuclear fuel andmore » other long-lived radioactive waste in Korea. Although the official site selection process has not been started yet in Korea, current integrated natural barrier database system and socio-economic database is believed that the database system will be effectively utilized to narrow down the number of sites where future investigation is most promising in the site selection process for a deep geological repository and to enhance public acceptance by providing readily-available relevant scientific information on deep geological environments in Korea. (authors)« less

An overview of EPA regulation of the safe disposal of transuranic waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

PubMed

Wolbarst, A B; Forinash, E K; Byrum, C O; Peake, R T; Marcinowski, F; Kruger, M U

2001-02-01

In March of 1999, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southeast New Mexico, the world's first deep geological repository for radioactive materials, began receiving defense-related transuranic waste. The WIPP was designed and constructed by the U.S. Department of Energy, but critical to its opening was certification by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that the repository complies with the radioactive waste disposal regulations set forth as environmental radiation protection standards (40 CFR Part 191) and compliance criteria (40 CFR Part 194). This paper provides a summary of the regulatory process, including the Environmental Protection Agency's waste containment, groundwater protection, and individual dose regulations for the WIPP; the Department of Energy's performance assessment and the other parts of its compliance certification application; and the Environmental Protection Agency's review and analysis of the compliance certification application and related documentation.

Generic Argillite/Shale Disposal Reference Case

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zheng, Liange; Colon, Carlos Jové; Bianchi, Marco

Radioactive waste disposal in a deep subsurface repository hosted in clay/shale/argillite is a subject of widespread interest given the desirable isolation properties, geochemically reduced conditions, and widespread geologic occurrence of this rock type (Hansen 2010; Bianchi et al. 2013). Bianchi et al. (2013) provides a description of diffusion in a clay-hosted repository based on single-phase flow and full saturation using parametric data from documented studies in Europe (e.g., ANDRA 2005). The predominance of diffusive transport and sorption phenomena in this clay media are key attributes to impede radionuclide mobility making clay rock formations target sites for disposal of high-level radioactivemore » waste. The reports by Hansen et al. (2010) and those from numerous studies in clay-hosted underground research laboratories (URLs) in Belgium, France and Switzerland outline the extensive scientific knowledge obtained to assess long-term clay/shale/argillite repository isolation performance of nuclear waste. In the past several years under the UFDC, various kinds of models have been developed for argillite repository to demonstrate the model capability, understand the spatial and temporal alteration of the repository, and evaluate different scenarios. These models include the coupled Thermal-Hydrological-Mechanical (THM) and Thermal-Hydrological-Mechanical-Chemical (THMC) models (e.g. Liu et al. 2013; Rutqvist et al. 2014a, Zheng et al. 2014a) that focus on THMC processes in the Engineered Barrier System (EBS) bentonite and argillite host hock, the large scale hydrogeologic model (Bianchi et al. 2014) that investigates the hydraulic connection between an emplacement drift and surrounding hydrogeological units, and Disposal Systems Evaluation Framework (DSEF) models (Greenberg et al. 2013) that evaluate thermal evolution in the host rock approximated as a thermal conduction process to facilitate the analysis of design options. However, the assumptions and the properties (parameters) used in these models are different, which not only make inter-model comparisons difficult, but also compromise the applicability of the lessons learned from one model to another model. The establishment of a reference case would therefore be helpful to set up a baseline for model development. A generic salt repository reference case was developed in Freeze et al. (2013) and the generic argillite repository reference case is presented in this report. The definition of a reference case requires the characterization of the waste inventory, waste form, waste package, repository layout, EBS backfill, host rock, and biosphere. This report mainly documents the processes in EBS bentonite and host rock that are potentially important for performance assessment and properties that are needed to describe these processes, with brief description other components such as waste inventory, waste form, waste package, repository layout, aquifer, and biosphere. A thorough description of the generic argillite repository reference case will be given in Jové Colon et al. (2014).« less

A strategy to seal exploratory boreholes in unsaturated tuff; Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fernandez, J.A.; Case, J.B.; Givens, C.A.

1994-04-01

This report presents a strategy for sealing exploratory boreholes associated with the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project. Over 500 existing and proposed boreholes have been considered in the development of this strategy, ranging from shallow (penetrating into alluvium only) to deep (penetrating into the groundwater table). Among the comprehensive list of recommendations are the following: Those boreholes within the potential repository boundary and penetrating through the potential repository horizon are the most significant boreholes from a performance standpoint and should be sealed. Shallow boreholes are comparatively insignificant and require only nominal sealing. The primary areas in which to place sealsmore » are away from high-temperature zones at a distance from the potential repository horizon in the Paintbrush nonwelded tuff and the upper portion of the Topopah Spring Member and in the tuffaceous beds of the Calico Hills Unit. Seals should be placed prior to waste emplacement. Performance goals for borehole seals both above and below the potential repository are proposed. Detailed construction information on the boreholes that could be used for future design specifications is provided along with a description of the environmental setting, i.e., the geology, hydrology, and the in situ and thermal stress states. A borehole classification scheme based on the condition of the borehole wall in different tuffaceous units is also proposed. In addition, calculations are presented to assess the significance of the boreholes acting as preferential pathways for the release of radionuclides. Design calculations are presented to answer the concerns of when, where, and how to seal. As part of the strategy development, available technologies to seal exploratory boreholes (including casing removal, borehole wall reconditioning, and seal emplacement) are reviewed.« less

10 CFR 63.113 - Performance objectives for the geologic repository after permanent closure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Performance objectives for the geologic repository after...-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES IN A GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Technical Criteria Postclosure Performance Objectives § 63.113 Performance objectives for the geologic repository after permanent...

10 CFR 60.111 - Performance of the geologic repository operations area through permanent closure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Performance of the geologic repository operations area... OF HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES IN GEOLOGIC REPOSITORIES Technical Criteria Performance Objectives § 60.111 Performance of the geologic repository operations area through permanent closure. (a...

Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds as Indicators of Change in a Deep Arid Unsaturated Zone, Amargosa Desert, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, C. T.; Baker, R. J.; Luo, W.; Andraski, B. J.; Haase, K.; Stonestrom, D. A.

2016-12-01

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (bVOCs) are important agents in atmospheric chemistry, climatic forcing, plant physiology, and ecologic signaling. Despite a marked increase in scientific attention to bVOCs since the 1990s, relatively little is known about bVOC dynamics in soils and virtually nothing is known about bVOCs in deep unsaturated zones. The goal of this study was to systematically explore subsurface bVOCs through characterization and analysis of deep unsaturated zone VOCs in an arid setting. A wide range of VOCs have been sampled from the unsaturated zone at the Amargosa Desert Research Site (ADRS) at least annually for over a decade in the vicinity of a hazardous waste repository in southwestern Nevada. Grid- and transect-based soil gas samples were collected at shallow (0.5-m and 1.5-m) depths, and vertical arrays of samples were collected from three unsaturated zone boreholes ( 10m intervals from 0 to 110 m below ground surface), one of which is in an undisturbed area 3000 m from the waste repository. The VOC data were analyzed to identify bVOCs and processes related to bVOC transport in the deep unsaturated zone. Locally generated bVOCs were identified on the basis of (1) frequency of detections at the remote borehole location, (2) patterns of distribution in shallow unsaturated zone samples around the waste repository, (3) comparisons with atmospheric concentrations, and (4) comparisons with travel blank samples. Several dozen compounds met the criteria to be characterized as bVOCs. The relatively abundant compound m,p-xylene was selected as a tracer for subsequent modeling analysis of vertical and horizontal transport processes in the unsaturated zone. Targeted processes comprised (1) changes in vertical bVOC profiles as a result of ecological shifts, and (2) predominantly horizontal transport of unsaturated-zone gases following installation of the low level nuclear waste repository at the ADRS. To the best of our knowledge the results document, for the first time, the presence of a substantial reservoir of bVOCs in the deep unsaturated zone of a desert ecosystem and demonstrate that such reservoirs can serve as potential windows into past ecological changes and unsaturated zone disturbances.

Evaluating the Generalization Value of Process-based Models in a Deep-in-time Machine Learning framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, C.; Fang, K.

2017-12-01

Deep Learning (DL) methods have made revolutionary strides in recent years. A core value proposition of DL is that abstract notions and patterns can be extracted purely from data, without the need for domain expertise. Process-based models (PBM), on the other hand, can be regarded as repositories of human knowledge or hypotheses about how systems function. Here, through computational examples, we argue that there is merit in integrating PBMs with DL due to the imbalance and lack of data in many situations, especially in hydrology. We trained a deep-in-time neural network, the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), to learn soil moisture dynamics from Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Level 3 product. We show that when PBM solutions are integrated into LSTM, the network is able to better generalize across regions. LSTM is able to better utilize PBM solutions than simpler statistical methods. Our results suggest PBMs have generalization value which should be carefully assessed and utilized. We also emphasize that when properly regularized, the deep network is robust and is of superior testing performance compared to simpler methods.

Performance Assessments of Generic Nuclear Waste Repositories in Shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stein, E. R.; Sevougian, S. D.; Mariner, P. E.; Hammond, G. E.; Frederick, J.

2017-12-01

Simulations of deep geologic disposal of nuclear waste in a generic shale formation showcase Geologic Disposal Safety Assessment (GDSA) Framework, a toolkit for repository performance assessment (PA) whose capabilities include domain discretization (Cubit), multiphysics simulations (PFLOTRAN), uncertainty and sensitivity analysis (Dakota), and visualization (Paraview). GDSA Framework is used to conduct PAs of two generic repositories in shale. The first considers the disposal of 22,000 metric tons heavy metal of commercial spent nuclear fuel. The second considers disposal of defense-related spent nuclear fuel and high level waste. Each PA accounts for the thermal load and radionuclide inventory of applicable waste types, components of the engineered barrier system, and components of the natural barrier system including the host rock shale and underlying and overlying stratigraphic units. Model domains are half-symmetry, gridded with Cubit, and contain between 7 and 22 million grid cells. Grid refinement captures the detail of individual waste packages, emplacement drifts, access drifts, and shafts. Simulations are run in a high performance computing environment on as many as 2048 processes. Equations describing coupled heat and fluid flow and reactive transport are solved with PFLOTRAN, an open-source, massively parallel multiphase flow and reactive transport code. Additional simulated processes include waste package degradation, waste form dissolution, radioactive decay and ingrowth, sorption, solubility, advection, dispersion, and diffusion. Simulations are run to 106 y, and radionuclide concentrations are observed within aquifers at a point approximately 5 km downgradient of the repository. Dakota is used to sample likely ranges of input parameters including waste form and waste package degradation rates and properties of engineered and natural materials to quantify uncertainty in predicted concentrations and sensitivity to input parameters. Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC., a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International, Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA-0003525. SAND2017- 8305 A

Canada's Deep Geological Repository For Used Nuclear Fuel -The Geoscientific Site Evaluation Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirschorn, S.; Ben Belfadhel, M.; Blyth, A.; DesRoches, A. J.; McKelvie, J. R. M.; Parmenter, A.; Sanchez-Rico Castejon, M.; Urrutia-Bustos, A.; Vorauer, A.

2014-12-01

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is responsible for implementing Adaptive Phased Management, the approach selected by the Government of Canada for long-term management of used nuclear fuel generated by Canadian nuclear reactors. In May 2010, the NWMO published and initiated a nine-step site selection process to find an informed and willing community to host a deep geological repository for Canada's used nuclear fuel. The site selection process is designed to address a broad range of technical and social, economic and cultural factors. The suitability of candidate areas will be assessed in a stepwise manner over a period of many years and include three main steps: Initial Screenings; Preliminary Assessments; and Detailed Site Characterizations. The Preliminary Assessment is conducted in two phases. NWMO has completed Phase 1 preliminary assessments for the first eight communities that entered into this step. While the Phase 1 desktop geoscientific assessments showed that each of the eight communities contains general areas that have the potential to satisfy the geoscientific safety requirements for hosting a deep geological repository, the assessment identified varying degrees of geoscientific complexity and uncertainty between communities, reflecting their different geological settings and structural histories. Phase 2 activities will include a sequence of high-resolution airborne geophysical surveys and focused geological field mapping to ground-truth lithology and structural features, followed by limited deep borehole drilling and testing. These activities will further evaluate the site's ability to meet the safety functions that a site would need to ultimately satisfy in order to be considered suitable. This paper provides an update on the site evaluation process and describes the approach, methods and criteria that are being used to conduct the geoscientific Preliminary Assessments.

Development of Pflotran Code for Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Performance Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeitler, T.; Day, B. A.; Frederick, J.; Hammond, G. E.; Kim, S.; Sarathi, R.; Stein, E.

2017-12-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) has been developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the geologic (deep underground) disposal of transuranic (TRU) waste. Containment of TRU waste at the WIPP is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The DOE demonstrates compliance with the containment requirements by means of performance assessment (PA) calculations. WIPP PA calculations estimate the probability and consequence of potential radionuclide releases from the repository to the accessible environment for a regulatory period of 10,000 years after facility closure. The long-term performance of the repository is assessed using a suite of sophisticated computational codes. There is a current effort to enhance WIPP PA capabilities through the further development of the PFLOTRAN software, a state-of-the-art massively parallel subsurface flow and reactive transport code. Benchmark testing of the individual WIPP-specific process models implemented in PFLOTRAN (e.g., gas generation, chemistry, creep closure, actinide transport, and waste form) has been performed, including results comparisons for PFLOTRAN and existing WIPP PA codes. Additionally, enhancements to the subsurface hydrologic flow mode have been made. Repository-scale testing has also been performed for the modified PFLTORAN code and detailed results will be presented. Ultimately, improvements to the current computational environment will result in greater detail and flexibility in the repository model due to a move from a two-dimensional calculation grid to a three-dimensional representation. The result of the effort will be a state-of-the-art subsurface flow and transport capability that will serve WIPP PA into the future for use in compliance recertification applications (CRAs) submitted to the EPA. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-mission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC., a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International, Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA0003525. This research is funded by WIPP programs administered by the Office of Environmental Management (EM) of the U.S. Department of Energy.SAND2017-8198A.

Fluid geochemistry of Yucca Mountain and vicinity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marshall, Brian D.; Moscati, Richard J.; Patterson, Gary L.; Stuckless, John S.

2012-01-01

Yucca Mountain, a site in southwest Nevada, has been proposed for a deep underground radioactive waste repository. An extensive database of geochemical and isotopic characteristics has been established for pore waters and gases from the unsaturated zone, perched water, and saturated zone waters in the Yucca Mountain area. The development of this database has been driven by diverse needs of the Yucca Mountain Project, especially those aspects of the project involving process modeling and performance assessment. Water and gas chemistries influence the sorption behavior of radionuclides and the solubility of the radionuclide compounds that form. The chemistry of waters that may infiltrate the proposed repository will be determined in part by that of water present in the unsaturated zone above the proposed repository horizon, whereas pore-water compositions beneath the repository horizon will influence the sorption behavior of the radionuclides transported toward the water table. However, more relevant to the discussion in this chapter, development and testing of conceptual flow and transport models for the Yucca Mountain hydrologic system are strengthened through the incorporation of natural environmental tracer data into the process. Chemical and isotopic data are used to establish bounds on key hydrologic parameters and to provide corroborative evidence for model assumptions and predictions. Examples of specific issues addressed by these data include spatial and temporal variability in net fluxes, the role of faults in controlling flow paths, fracture-matrix interactions, the age and origin of perched water, and the distribution of water traveltimes.

10 CFR 60.112 - Overall system performance objective for the geologic repository after permanent closure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... repository after permanent closure. 60.112 Section 60.112 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) DISPOSAL OF HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES IN GEOLOGIC REPOSITORIES Technical Criteria Performance Objectives § 60.112 Overall system performance objective for the geologic repository after permanent closure...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sobes, Vladimir; Scaglione, John M; Wagner, John C

Spent nuclear fuel (SNF) management practices in the United States rely on dry storage systems that include both canister- and cask-based systems. The United States Department of Energy Used Fuel Disposition Campaign is examining the feasibility of direct disposal of dual-purpose (storage and transportation) canisters (DPCs) in a geological repository. One of the major technical challenges for direct disposal is the ability to demonstrate the subcriticality of the DPCs loaded with SNF for the repository performance period (e.g., 10,000 years or more) as the DPCs may undergo degradation over time. Specifically, groundwater ingress into the DPC (i.e., flooding) could allowmore » the system to achieve criticality in scenarios where the neutron absorber plates in the DPC basket have degraded. However, as was shown by Banerjee et al., some aqueous species in the groundwater provide noticeable reactivity reduction for these systems. For certain amounts of particular aqueous species (e.g., chlorine, lithium) in the groundwater, subcriticality can be demonstrated even for DPCs with complete degradation of the neutron absorber plates or a degraded fuel basket configuration. It has been demonstrated that chlorine is the leading impurity, as indicated by significant neutron absorption in the water that is available in reasonable quantities for the deep geological repository media under consideration. This paper presents the results of an investigation of the available integral experiments worldwide that could be used to validate DPC disposal criticality evaluations, including credit for chlorine. Due to the small number of applicable critical configurations, validation through traditional trending analysis was not possible. The bias in the eigenvalue of the application systems due only to the chlorine was calculated using TSURFER analysis and found to be on the order of 100 percent mille (1 pcm = 10 -5 k eff). This study investigated the design of a series of critical configurations with varying amounts of chlorine to address validation gaps. Such integral experiments would support the crediting of the chlorine neutron-absorption properties in groundwater and the demonstration of subcriticality for DPCs in deep geologic repositories with sufficient chlorine availability.« less

Validation Study for Crediting Chlorine in Criticality Analyses for US Spent Nuclear Fuel Disposition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sobes, Vladimir; Scaglione, John M.; Wagner, John C.

2015-01-01

Spent nuclear fuel (SNF) management practices in the United States rely on dry storage systems that include both canister- and cask-based systems. The United States Department of Energy Used Fuel Disposition Campaign is examining the feasibility of direct disposal of dual-purpose (storage and transportation) canisters (DPCs) in a geological repository. One of the major technical challenges for direct disposal is the ability to demonstrate the subcriticality of the DPCs loaded with SNF for the repository performance period (e.g., 10,000 years or more) as the DPCs may undergo degradation over time. Specifically, groundwater ingress into the DPC (i.e., flooding) could allowmore » the system to achieve criticality in scenarios where the neutron absorber plates in the DPC basket have degraded. However, as was shown by Banerjee et al., some aqueous species in the groundwater provide noticeable reactivity reduction for these systems. For certain amounts of particular aqueous species (e.g., chlorine, lithium) in the groundwater, subcriticality can be demonstrated even for DPCs with complete degradation of the neutron absorber plates or a degraded fuel basket configuration. It has been demonstrated that chlorine is the leading impurity, as indicated by significant neutron absorption in the water that is available in reasonable quantities for the deep geological repository media under consideration. This paper presents the results of an investigation of the available integral experiments worldwide that could be used to validate DPC disposal criticality evaluations, including credit for chlorine. Due to the small number of applicable critical configurations, validation through traditional trending analysis was not possible. The bias in the eigenvalue of the application systems due only to the chlorine was calculated using TSURFER analysis and found to be on the order of 100 percent mille (1 pcm = 10 -5 k eff). This study investigated the design of a series of critical configurations with varying amounts of chlorine to address validation gaps. Such integral experiments would support the crediting of the chlorine neutron-absorption properties in groundwater and the demonstration of subcriticality for DPCs in deep geologic repositories with sufficient chlorine availability.« less

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant transuranic waste repository: A sleeping beauty

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eriksson, L.G.

On May 13, 1998, crowning a 24-year United States Department of Energy effort, the US Environmental Protection Agency certified that the deep geological repository for safe disposal of long-lived, transuranic radioactive waste proposed by the DOE at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site in New Mexico complied with all applicable environmental radiation protection standards and compliance criteria. Pursuant to the applicable law, the WIPP Land Withdrawal Act of 1992, as amended in 1997, at the decision of the secretary of energy, the WIPP repository could open 30 calendar days after receiving the EPA certification. The secretary of energy announced Maymore » 13, 1998, that he intended to open the WIPP TRUW repository by June 14, 1998. However, at the end of 1998, the opening of the WIPP TRUW repository remains hostage to time-consuming, hazardous-waste-permitting procedures by the state of New Mexico Environment Department and two legal actions. Based on the EPA-verified high safety and the demonstrated risk reduction to both current and future generations offered by the WIPP TRUW repository, it is concluded that the WIPP TRUW repository is a sleeping beauty that will awake, perhaps in stages, and begin its important mission in 1999.« less

New developments in measurements technology relevant to the studies of deep geological repositories in bedded salt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, N. H.; Ramirez, A. L.

1980-10-01

Developments in measurement technology are presented which are relevant to the studies of deep geological repositories for nuclear waste disposal during all phases of development, i.e., site selection, site characterization, construction, operation, and decommission. Emphasis was placed on geophysics and geotechnics with special attention to those techniques applicable to bedded salt. The techniques are grouped into sections as follows: tectonic environment, state of stress, subsurface structures, fractures, stress changes, deformation, thermal properties, fluid transport properties, and other approaches. Several areas that merit further research and developments are identified. These areas are: in situ thermal measurement techniques, fracture detection and characterization, in situ stress measurements, and creep behavior. The available instrumentations should generally be improved to have better resolution and accuracy, enhanced instrument survivability, and reliability for extended time periods in a hostile environment.

Canada's Deep Geological Repository for Used Nuclear Fuel - Geo-scientific Site Evaluation Process - 13117

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Blyth, Alec; Ben Belfadhel, Mahrez; Hirschorn, Sarah

2013-07-01

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is responsible for implementing Adaptive Phased Management (APM), the approach selected by the Government of Canada for long-term management of used nuclear fuel generated by Canadian nuclear reactors. The ultimate objective of APM is the centralized containment and isolation of Canada's used nuclear fuel in a Deep Geological Repository in a suitable rock formation at a depth of approximately 500 meters (m) (1,640 feet [ft]). In May 2010, the NWMO published a nine-step site selection process that serves as the road map to decision-making on the location for the deep geological repository. The safetymore » and appropriateness of any potential site will be assessed against a number of factors, both technical and social in nature. The selected site will be one that can be demonstrated to be able to safely contain and isolate used nuclear fuel, protecting humans and the environment over the very long term. The geo-scientific suitability of potential candidate sites will be assessed in a stepwise manner following a progressive and thorough site evaluation process that addresses a series of geo-scientific factors revolving around five safety functions. The geo-scientific site evaluation process includes: Initial Screenings; Preliminary Assessments; and Detailed Site Evaluations. As of November 2012, 22 communities have entered the site selection process (three in northern Saskatchewan and 18 in northwestern and southwestern Ontario). (authors)« less

Multi-dimensional transport modelling of corrosive agents through a bentonite buffer in a Canadian deep geological repository.

PubMed

Briggs, Scott; McKelvie, Jennifer; Sleep, Brent; Krol, Magdalena

2017-12-01

The use of a deep geological repository (DGR) for the long-term disposal of used nuclear fuel is an approach currently being investigated by several agencies worldwide, including Canada's Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO). Within the DGR, used nuclear fuel will be placed in copper-coated steel containers and surrounded by a bentonite clay buffer. While copper is generally thermodynamically stable, corrosion can occur due to the presence of sulphide under anaerobic conditions. As such, understanding transport of sulphide through the engineered barrier system to the used fuel container is an important consideration in DGR design. In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) model of sulphide transport in a DGR was developed. The numerical model is implemented using COMSOL Multiphysics, a commercial finite element software package. Previous sulphide transport models of the NWMO repository used a simplified one-dimensional system. This work illustrates the importance of 3D modelling to capture non-uniform effects, as results showed locations of maximum sulphide flux are 1.7 times higher than the average flux to the used fuel container. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Reductive precipitation of neptunium on iron surfaces under anaerobic conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, H.; Cui, D.; Grolimund, D.; Rondinella, V. V.; Brütsch, R.; Amme, M.; Kutahyali, C.; Wiss, A. T.; Puranen, A.; Spahiu, K.

2017-12-01

Reductive precipitation of the radiotoxic nuclide 237Np from nuclear waste on the surface of iron canister material at simulated deep repository conditions was investigated. Pristine polished as well as pre-corroded iron specimens were interacted in a deoxygenated solution containing 10-100 μM Np(V), with 10 mM NaCl and 2 mM NaHCO3 as background electrolytes. The reactivity of each of the two different systems was investigated by analyzing the temporal evolution of the Np concentration in the reservoir. It was observed that pre-oxidized iron specimen with a 40 μm Fe3O4 corrosion layer are considerably more reactive regarding the reduction and immobilization of aqueous Np(V) as compared to pristine polished Fe(0) surfaces. 237Np immobilized by the reactive iron surfaces was characterized by scanning electron microscopy as well as synchrotron-based micro-X-ray fluorescence and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. At the end of experiments, a 5-8 μm thick Np-rich layer was observed to be formed ontop of the Fe3O4 corrosion layer on the iron specimen. The findings from this work are significant in the context of performance assessments of deep geologic repositories using iron as high level radioactive waste (HLW) canister material and are of relevance regarding removing pollutants from contaminated soil or groundwater aquifer systems.

The preliminary design and feasibility study of the spent fuel and high level waste repository in the Czech Republic

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Valvoda, Z.; Holub, J.; Kucerka, M.

1996-12-31

In the year 1993, began the Program of Development of the Spent Fuel and High Level Waste Repository in the Conditions of the Czech Republic. During the first phase, the basic concept and structure of the Program has been developed, and the basic design criteria and requirements were prepared. In the conditions of the Czech Republic, only an underground repository in deep geological formation is acceptable. Expected depth is between 500 to 1000 meters and as host rock will be granites. A preliminary variant design study was realized in 1994, that analyzed the radioactive waste and spent fuel flow frommore » NPPs to the repository, various possibilities of transportation in accordance to the various concepts of spent fuel conditioning and transportation to the underground structures. Conditioning and encapsulation of spent fuel and/or radioactive waste is proposed on the repository site. Underground disposal structures are proposed at one underground floor. The repository will have reserve capacity for radioactive waste from NPPs decommissioning and for waste non acceptable to other repositories. Vertical disposal of unshielded canisters in boreholes and/or horizontal disposal of shielded canisters is studied. As the base term of the start up of the repository operation, the year 2035 has been established. From this date, a preliminary time schedule of the Project has been developed. A method of calculating leveled and discounted costs within the repository lifetime, for each of selected 5 variants, was used for economic calculations. Preliminary expected parametric costs of the repository are about 0,1 Kc ($0.004) per MWh, produced in the Czech NPPs. In 1995, the design and feasibility study has gone in more details to the technical concept of repository construction and proposed technologies, as well as to the operational phase of the repository. Paper will describe results of the 1995 design work and will present the program of the repository development in next period.« less

Use of petrophysical data for siting of deep geological repository of radioactive waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrenko, Liliana; Shestopalov, Vyacheslav

2017-11-01

The paper is devoted to analyzing the petrophysical properties and petrographical characteristics of Volyn region with the view to choosing the least permeable and so the most suitable geological formation for the radioactive waste disposal. On a basis of the petrophysical estimations of the granitoids properties the argumentation of permeability has been developed for the petrotypes of Volyn region. Also method of classification of the petrotypes with their relative rate of suitability for radioactive waste disposal was developed. As a result of studying the perspectives were shown of the zhytomyr and korosten types of the granitoids as host rock for the radioactive waste disposal. According to the results of investigations performed by Swedish researchers a comparative analysis of rocks based on the age of formation, composition, structural features and some petrophysical properties of granitoids as host rocks for repository of radioactive waste was performed. Detail comparison the data of the granitoids of the Forsmark site in Sweden and the data of the granitoids of the Volyn megablock can be one of the next steps in researching the host rocks for the development of the RW disposal system in Ukraine.

Reconstructing a hydrogen-driven microbial metabolic network in Opalinus Clay rock.

PubMed

Bagnoud, Alexandre; Chourey, Karuna; Hettich, Robert L; de Bruijn, Ino; Andersson, Anders F; Leupin, Olivier X; Schwyn, Bernhard; Bernier-Latmani, Rizlan

2016-10-14

The Opalinus Clay formation will host geological nuclear waste repositories in Switzerland. It is expected that gas pressure will build-up due to hydrogen production from steel corrosion, jeopardizing the integrity of the engineered barriers. In an in situ experiment located in the Mont Terri Underground Rock Laboratory, we demonstrate that hydrogen is consumed by microorganisms, fuelling a microbial community. Metagenomic binning and metaproteomic analysis of this deep subsurface community reveals a carbon cycle driven by autotrophic hydrogen oxidizers belonging to novel genera. Necromass is then processed by fermenters, followed by complete oxidation to carbon dioxide by heterotrophic sulfate-reducing bacteria, which closes the cycle. This microbial metabolic web can be integrated in the design of geological repositories to reduce pressure build-up. This study shows that Opalinus Clay harbours the potential for chemolithoautotrophic-based system, and provides a model of microbial carbon cycle in deep subsurface environments where hydrogen and sulfate are present.

Reconstructing a hydrogen-driven microbial metabolic network in Opalinus Clay rock

PubMed Central

Bagnoud, Alexandre; Chourey, Karuna; Hettich, Robert L.; de Bruijn, Ino; Andersson, Anders F.; Leupin, Olivier X.; Schwyn, Bernhard; Bernier-Latmani, Rizlan

2016-01-01

The Opalinus Clay formation will host geological nuclear waste repositories in Switzerland. It is expected that gas pressure will build-up due to hydrogen production from steel corrosion, jeopardizing the integrity of the engineered barriers. In an in situ experiment located in the Mont Terri Underground Rock Laboratory, we demonstrate that hydrogen is consumed by microorganisms, fuelling a microbial community. Metagenomic binning and metaproteomic analysis of this deep subsurface community reveals a carbon cycle driven by autotrophic hydrogen oxidizers belonging to novel genera. Necromass is then processed by fermenters, followed by complete oxidation to carbon dioxide by heterotrophic sulfate-reducing bacteria, which closes the cycle. This microbial metabolic web can be integrated in the design of geological repositories to reduce pressure build-up. This study shows that Opalinus Clay harbours the potential for chemolithoautotrophic-based system, and provides a model of microbial carbon cycle in deep subsurface environments where hydrogen and sulfate are present. PMID:27739431

Status of Progress Made Toward Safety Analysis and Technical Site Evaluations for DOE Managed HLW and SNF.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sevougian, S. David; Stein, Emily; Gross, Michael B

The Spent Fuel and Waste Science and Technology (SFWST) Campaign of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) is conducting research and development (R&D) on generic deep geologic disposal systems (i.e., repositories). This report describes specific activities in FY 2016 associated with the development of a Defense Waste Repository (DWR)a for the permanent disposal of a portion of the HLW and SNF derived from national defense and research and development (R&D) activities of the DOE.

10 CFR 63.111 - Performance objectives for the geologic repository operations area through permanent closure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Performance objectives for the geologic repository... (CONTINUED) DISPOSAL OF HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES IN A GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA... repository operations area through permanent closure. (a) Protection against radiation exposures and releases...

XRD Analysis of Cement Paste Samples Exposed to the Simulated Environment of a Deep Repository - 12239

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ferreira, Eduardo G.A.; Marumo, Julio T.; Vicente, Roberto

2012-07-01

Portland cement materials are widely used as engineered barriers in repositories for radioactive waste. The capacity of such barriers to avoid the disposed of radionuclides to entering the biosphere in the long-term depends on the service life of those materials. Thus, the performance assessment of structural materials under a series of environmental conditions prevailing at the environs of repositories is a matter of interest. The durability of cement paste foreseen as backfill in a deep borehole for disposal of disused sealed radioactive sources is investigated in the development of the repository concept. Results are intended to be part of themore » body of evidence in the safety case of the proposed disposal technology. This paper presents the results of X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) Analysis of cement paste exposed to varying temperatures and simulated groundwater after samples received the radiation dose that the cement paste will accumulate until complete decay of the radioactive sources. The XRD analysis of cement paste samples realized in this work allowed observing some differences in the results of cement paste specimens that were submitted to different treatments. The cluster analysis of results was able to group tested samples according to the applied treatments. Mineralogical differences, however, are tenuous and, apart from ettringite, are hardly observed. The absence of ettringite in all the seven specimens that were kept in dry storage at high temperature had hardly occurred by natural variations in the composition of hydrated cement paste because ettringite is observed in all tested except the seven specimens. Therefore this absence is certainly the result of the treatments and could be explained by the decomposition of ettringite. Although the temperature of decomposition is about 110-120 deg. C, it may be initially decomposed to meta-ettringite, an amorphous compound, above 50 deg. C in the absence of water. Influence of irradiation on the mineralogical composition was not observed when the treatment was analyzed individually or when analyzed under the possible synergic effect with other treatments. However, the radiation dose to which specimens were exposed is only a fraction of the accumulated dose in cement paste until complete decay of some sources. Therefore, in the short term, the conditions deemed to prevail in the repository environment may not influence the properties of cement paste at detectable levels. Under the conditions presented in this work, it is not possible to predict the long term evolution of these properties. (authors)« less

Illustration of sampling-based approaches to the calculation of expected dose in performance assessments for the proposed high level radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Helton, Jon Craig; Sallaberry, Cedric J. PhD.; .)

2007-04-01

A deep geologic repository for high level radioactive waste is under development by the U.S. Department of Energy at Yucca Mountain (YM), Nevada. As mandated in the Energy Policy Act of 1992, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has promulgated public health and safety standards (i.e., 40 CFR Part 197) for the YM repository, and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has promulgated licensing standards (i.e., 10 CFR Parts 2, 19, 20, etc.) consistent with 40 CFR Part 197 that the DOE must establish are met in order for the YM repository to be licensed for operation. Important requirements in 40more » CFR Part 197 and 10 CFR Parts 2, 19, 20, etc. relate to the determination of expected (i.e., mean) dose to a reasonably maximally exposed individual (RMEI) and the incorporation of uncertainty into this determination. This presentation describes and illustrates how general and typically nonquantitive statements in 40 CFR Part 197 and 10 CFR Parts 2, 19, 20, etc. can be given a formal mathematical structure that facilitates both the calculation of expected dose to the RMEI and the appropriate separation in this calculation of aleatory uncertainty (i.e., randomness in the properties of future occurrences such as igneous and seismic events) and epistemic uncertainty (i.e., lack of knowledge about quantities that are poorly known but assumed to have constant values in the calculation of expected dose to the RMEI).« less

Geoscientific Site Evaluation Approach for Canada's Deep Geological Repository for Used Nuclear Fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez-Rico Castejon, M.; Hirschorn, S.; Ben Belfadhel, M.

2015-12-01

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is responsible for implementing Adaptive Phased Management, the approach selected by the Government of Canada for long-term management of used nuclear fuel generated by Canadian nuclear reactors. The ultimate objective of APM is the centralized containment and isolation of Canada's used nuclear fuel in a Deep Geological Repository in a suitable crystalline or sedimentary rock formation. In May 2010, the NWMO published and initiated a nine-step site selection process to find an informed and willing community to host a deep geological repository for Canada's used nuclear fuel. The site selection process is designed to address a broad range of technical and social, economic and cultural factors. The site evaluation process includes three main technical evaluation steps: Initial Screenings; Preliminary Assessments; and Detailed Site Characterizations, to assess the suitability of candidate areas in a stepwise manner over a period of many years. By the end of 2012, twenty two communities had expressed interest in learning more about the project. As of July 2015, nine communities remain in the site selection process. To date (July 2015), NWMO has completed Initial Screenings for the 22 communities that expressed interest, and has completed the first phase of Preliminary Assessments (desktop) for 20 of the communities. Phase 2 of the Preliminary Assessments has been initiated in a number of communities, with field activities such as high-resolution airborne geophysical surveys and geological mapping. This paper describes the approach, methods and criteria being used to assess the geoscientific suitability of communities currently involved in the site selection process.

Keeping Research Data from the Continental Deep Drilling Programme (KTB) Accessible and Taking First Steps Towards Digital Preservation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klump, J. F.; Ulbricht, D.; Conze, R.

2014-12-01

The Continental Deep Drilling Programme (KTB) was a scientific drilling project from 1987 to 1995 near Windischeschenbach, Bavaria. The main super-deep borehole reached a depth of 9,101 meters into the Earth's continental crust. The project used the most current equipment for data capture and processing. After the end of the project key data were disseminated through the web portal of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP). The scientific reports were published as printed volumes. As similar projects have also experienced, it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain a data portal over a long time. Changes in software and underlying hardware make a migration of the entire system inevitable. Around 2009 the data presented on the ICDP web portal were migrated to the Scientific Drilling Database (SDDB) and published through DataCite using Digital Object Identifiers (DOI) as persistent identifiers. The SDDB portal used a relational database with a complex data model to store data and metadata. A PHP-based Content Management System with custom modifications made it possible to navigate and browse datasets using the metadata and then download datasets. The data repository software eSciDoc allows storing self-contained packages consistent with the OAIS reference model. Each package consists of binary data files and XML-metadata. Using a REST-API the packages can be stored in the eSciDoc repository and can be searched using the XML-metadata. During the last maintenance cycle of the SDDB the data and metadata were migrated into the eSciDoc repository. Discovery metadata was generated following the GCMD-DIF, ISO19115 and DataCite schemas. The eSciDoc repository allows to store an arbitrary number of XML-metadata records with each data object. In addition to descriptive metadata each data object may contain pointers to related materials, such as IGSN-metadata to link datasets to physical specimens, or identifiers of literature interpreting the data. Datasets are presented by XSLT-stylesheet transformation using the stored metadata. The presentation shows several migration cycles of data and metadata, which were driven by aging software systems. Currently the datasets reside as self-contained entities in a repository system that is ready for digital preservation.

The Use of Digital Repositories for Enhancing Teacher Pedagogical Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Anat; Kalimi, Sharon; Nachmias, Rafi

2013-01-01

This research examines the usage of local learning material repositories at school, as well as related teachers' attitudes and training. The study investigates the use of these repositories for enhancing teacher performance and assesses whether the assimilation of the local repositories increases their usage of and contribution to by teachers. One…

Radio Model-free Noise Reduction of Radio Transmissions with Convolutional Autoencoders

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

Encoder-Decoder Architecture for Image Segmentation .” Cornell University Library. Computing Research Repository (CoRR). abs/1511.00561. 2. Anthony J. Bell...Aaron C Courville, and Pascal Vincent. 2012. “Unsupervised Feature Learning and Deep Learning : A Review and New Perspectives.” Cornell University...Linux Journal 122(June):1–4. 5. Francois Chollet. 2015.“Keras: Deep Learning Library for TensorFlow and Theano.” Available online at https://github.com

Alternative methods of salt disposal at the seven salt sites for a nuclear waste repository

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1987-02-01

This study discusses the various alternative salt management techniques for the disposal of excess mined salt at seven potentially acceptable nuclear waste repository sites: Deaf Smith and Swisher Counties, Texas; Richton and Cypress Creek Domes, Mississippi; Vacherie Dome, Louisiana; and Davis and Lavender Canyons, Utah. Because the repository development involves the underground excavation of corridors and waste emplacement rooms, in either bedded or domed salt formations, excess salt will be mined and must be disposed of offsite. The salt disposal alternatives examined for all the sites include commercial use, ocean disposal, deep well injection, landfill disposal, and underground mine disposal.more » These alternatives (and other site-specific disposal methods) are reviewed, using estimated amounts of excavated, backfilled, and excess salt. Methods of transporting the excess salt are discussed, along with possible impacts of each disposal method and potential regulatory requirements. A preferred method of disposal is recommended for each potentially acceptable repository site. 14 refs., 5 tabs.« less

Convection and thermal radiation analytical models applicable to a nuclear waste repository room

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davis, B.W.

1979-01-17

Time-dependent temperature distributions in a deep geologic nuclear waste repository have a direct impact on the physical integrity of the emplaced canisters and on the design of retrievability options. This report (1) identifies the thermodynamic properties and physical parameters of three convection regimes - forced, natural, and mixed; (2) defines the convection correlations applicable to calculating heat flow in a ventilated (forced-air) and in a nonventilated nuclear waste repository room; and (3) delineates a computer code that (a) computes and compares the floor-to-ceiling heat flow by convection and radiation, and (b) determines the nonlinear equivalent conductivity table for a repositorymore » room. (The tables permit the use of the ADINAT code to model surface-to-surface radiation and the TRUMP code to employ two different emissivity properties when modeling radiation exchange between the surface of two different materials.) The analysis shows that thermal radiation dominates heat flow modes in a nuclear waste repository room.« less

The Full Scale Seal Experiment - A Seal Industrial Prototype for Cigeo - 13106

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lebon, P.; Bosgiraud, J.M.; Foin, R.

2013-07-01

The Full Scale Seal (FSS) Experiment is one of various experiments implemented by Andra, within the frame of the Cigeo (the French Deep Geological Repository) Project development, to demonstrate the technical construction feasibility and performance of seals to be constructed, at time of Repository components (shafts, ramps, drifts, disposal vaults) progressive closure. FSS is built inside a drift model fabricated on surface for the purpose. Prior to the scale 1:1 seal construction test, various design tasks are scheduled. They include the engineering work on the drift model to make it fit with the experimental needs, on the various work sequencesmore » anticipated for the swelling clay core emplacement and the concrete containment plugs construction, on the specialized handling tools (and installation equipment) manufactured and delivered for the purpose, and of course on the various swelling clay materials and low pH (below 11) concrete formulations developed for the application. The engineering of the 'seal-as-built' commissioning means (tools and methodology) must also be dealt with. The FSS construction experiment is a technological demonstrator, thus it is not focused on the phenomenological survey (and by consequence, on the performance and behaviour forecast). As such, no hydration (forced or natural) is planned. However, the FSS implementation (in particular via the construction and commissioning activities carried out) is a key milestone in view of comforting phenomenological extrapolation in time and scale. The FSS experiment also allows for qualifying the commissioning methods of a real sealing system in the Repository, as built, at time of industrial operations. (authors)« less

Analysis of water flow paths: methodology and example calculations for a potential geological repository in Sweden.

PubMed

Werner, Kent; Bosson, Emma; Berglund, Sten

2006-12-01

Safety assessment related to the siting of a geological repository for spent nuclear fuel deep in the bedrock requires identification of potential flow paths and the associated travel times for radionuclides originating at repository depth. Using the Laxemar candidate site in Sweden as a case study, this paper describes modeling methodology, data integration, and the resulting water flow models, focusing on the Quaternary deposits and the upper 150 m of the bedrock. Example simulations identify flow paths to groundwater discharge areas and flow paths in the surface system. The majority of the simulated groundwater flow paths end up in the main surface waters and along the coastline, even though the particles used to trace the flow paths are introduced with a uniform spatial distribution at a relatively shallow depth. The calculated groundwater travel time, determining the time available for decay and retention of radionuclides, is on average longer to the coastal bays than to other biosphere objects at the site. Further, it is demonstrated how GIS-based modeling can be used to limit the number of surface flow paths that need to be characterized for safety assessment. Based on the results, the paper discusses an approach for coupling the present models to a model for groundwater flow in the deep bedrock.

Modeling the impact of climate change in Germany with biosphere models for long-term safety assessment of nuclear waste repositories.

PubMed

Staudt, C; Semiochkina, N; Kaiser, J C; Pröhl, G

2013-01-01

Biosphere models are used to evaluate the exposure of populations to radionuclides from a deep geological repository. Since the time frame for assessments of long-time disposal safety is 1 million years, potential future climate changes need to be accounted for. Potential future climate conditions were defined for northern Germany according to model results from the BIOCLIM project. Nine present day reference climate regions were defined to cover those future climate conditions. A biosphere model was developed according to the BIOMASS methodology of the IAEA and model parameters were adjusted to the conditions at the reference climate regions. The model includes exposure pathways common to those reference climate regions in a stylized biosphere and relevant to the exposure of a hypothetical self-sustaining population at the site of potential radionuclide contamination from a deep geological repository. The end points of the model are Biosphere Dose Conversion factors (BDCF) for a range of radionuclides and scenarios normalized for a constant radionuclide concentration in near-surface groundwater. Model results suggest an increased exposure of in dry climate regions with a high impact of drinking water consumption rates and the amount of irrigation water used for agriculture. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

10 CFR Appendix II to Part 960 - NRC and EPA Requirements for Preclosure Repository Performance

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false NRC and EPA Requirements for Preclosure Repository... SCREENING OF POTENTIAL SITES FOR A NUCLEAR WASTE REPOSITORY Pt. 960, App. II Appendix II to Part 960—NRC and EPA Requirements for Preclosure Repository Performance Under proposed 40 CFR part 191, subpart A...

10 CFR Appendix I to Part 960 - NRC and EPA Requirements for Postclosure Repository Performance

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false NRC and EPA Requirements for Postclosure Repository... SCREENING OF POTENTIAL SITES FOR A NUCLEAR WASTE REPOSITORY Pt. 960, App. I Appendix I to Part 960—NRC and EPA Requirements for Postclosure Repository Performance Under proposed 40 CFR part 191, subpart B...

Large deep neural networks for MS lesion segmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prieto, Juan C.; Cavallari, Michele; Palotai, Miklos; Morales Pinzon, Alfredo; Egorova, Svetlana; Styner, Martin; Guttmann, Charles R. G.

2017-02-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a multi-factorial autoimmune disorder, characterized by spatial and temporal dissemination of brain lesions that are visible in T2-weighted and Proton Density (PD) MRI. Assessment of lesion burden and is useful for monitoring the course of the disease, and assessing correlates of clinical outcomes. Although there are established semi-automated methods to measure lesion volume, most of them require human interaction and editing, which are time consuming and limits the ability to analyze large sets of data with high accuracy. The primary objective of this work is to improve existing segmentation algorithms and accelerate the time consuming operation of identifying and validating MS lesions. In this paper, a Deep Neural Network for MS Lesion Segmentation is implemented. The MS lesion samples are extracted from the Partners Comprehensive Longitudinal Investigation of Multiple Sclerosis (CLIMB) study. A set of 900 subjects with T2, PD and a manually corrected label map images were used to train a Deep Neural Network and identify MS lesions. Initial tests using this network achieved a 90% accuracy rate. A secondary goal was to enable this data repository for big data analysis by using this algorithm to segment the remaining cases available in the CLIMB repository.

Bentonite Clay Evolution at Elevated Pressures and Temperatures: An experimental study for generic nuclear repositories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caporuscio, F. A.; Cheshire, M.; McCarney, M.

2012-12-01

The Used Fuel Disposition Campaign is presently engaged in looking at various generic repository options for disposal of used fuel. Of interest are the disposal of high heat load canisters ,which may allow for a reduced repository footprint. The focus of this experimental work is to characterize Engineered Barrier Systems (EBS) conditions in repositories. Clay minerals - as backfill or buffer materials - are critical to the performance of the EBS. Experiments were performed in Dickson cells at 150 bar and sequentially stepped from 125 oC to 300 oC over a period of ~1 month. An unprocessed bentonite from Colony, Wyoming was used as the buffer material in each experiment. An K-Ca-Na-Cl-rich brine (replicating deep Stripa groundwater) was used at a 9:1 water:rock ratio. The baseline experiment contained brine + clay, while three other experiments contained metals that could be used as waste form canisters (brine +clay+304SS, brine+clay+316SS, brine+clay+Cu). All experiments were buffered at the Mt-Fe oxygen fugacity univarient line. As experiment temperature increased and time progressed, pH, K and Ca ion concentrations dropped, while Si, Na, and SO4 concentrations increased. Silicon was liberated into the fluid phase (>1000 ppm) and precipitated during the quenching of the experiment. The precipitated silica transformed to cristobalite as cooling progressed. Potassium was mobilized and exchanged with interlayer Na, transitioning the clay from Na-montmorillonite to K-smectite. Though illitization was not observed in these experiments, its formation may be kinetically limited and longer-term experiments are underway to evaluate the equilibrium point in this reaction. Clinoptilolite present in the starting bentonite mixture is unstable above 150 oC. Hence, the zeolite broke down at high temperatures but recrystallized as the quench event occurred. This was borne out in SEM images that showed clinoptilolite as a very late stage growth mineral. Both experimental runs containing steel exhibit the generation of a chlorite / Fe-saponite layer at the clay-metal boundary. The formation of minor amounts of pentlandite [(Fe,Ni)9S8] also occurs on both steel plates. Chalcocite (Cu2S) formed as a corrosion product on the Cu plates. The two sulfide phases have been produced by the generation of H2S gas during the experimental runs. The H2S is formed by the breakdown of pyrite framboids at high temperature in the bentonite. Such experiments on representative EBS materials at elevated P,T repository conditions are providing useful information for generic repository studies. Lack of illite formation is common in clay experiments and may be related to kinetics or K concentration. Precipitated SiO2 may potentially seal heating cracks in the clay backfill. The chlorite layer generated on steel may act as a passivation material and prevent corrosion of the steel canister wall. Finally, even if zeolites break down during the high temperature thermal pulse of a repository, zeolites may form again as the repository inventory cools off and perform as radionuclide sorbing phases.

A feasibility study of reactor-based deep-burn concepts.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, T. K.; Taiwo, T. A.; Hill, R. N.

2005-09-16

A systematic assessment of the General Atomics (GA) proposed Deep-Burn concept based on the Modular Helium-Cooled Reactor design (DB-MHR) has been performed. Preliminary benchmarking of deterministic physics codes was done by comparing code results to those from MONTEBURNS (MCNP-ORIGEN) calculations. Detailed fuel cycle analyses were performed in order to provide an independent evaluation of the physics and transmutation performance of the one-pass and two-pass concepts. Key performance parameters such as transuranic consumption, reactor performance, and spent fuel characteristics were analyzed. This effort has been undertaken in close collaborations with the General Atomics design team and Brookhaven National Laboratory evaluation team.more » The study was performed primarily for a 600 MWt reference DB-MHR design having a power density of 4.7 MW/m{sup 3}. Based on parametric and sensitivity study, it was determined that the maximum burnup (TRU consumption) can be obtained using optimum values of 200 {micro}m and 20% for the fuel kernel diameter and fuel packing fraction, respectively. These values were retained for most of the one-pass and two-pass design calculations; variation to the packing fraction was necessary for the second stage of the two-pass concept. Using a four-batch fuel management scheme for the one-pass DB-MHR core, it was possible to obtain a TRU consumption of 58% and a cycle length of 286 EFPD. By increasing the core power to 800 MWt and the power density to 6.2 MW/m{sup 3}, it was possible to increase the TRU consumption to 60%, although the cycle length decreased by {approx}64 days. The higher TRU consumption (burnup) is due to the reduction of the in-core decay of fissile Pu-241 to Am-241 relative to fission, arising from the higher power density (specific power), which made the fuel more reactivity over time. It was also found that the TRU consumption can be improved by utilizing axial fuel shuffling or by operating with lower material temperatures (colder core). Results also showed that the transmutation performance of the one-pass deep-burn concept is sensitive to the initial TRU vector, primarily because longer cooling time reduces the fissile content (Pu-241 specifically.) With a cooling time of 5 years, the TRU consumption increases to 67%, while conversely, with 20-year cooling the TRU consumption is about 58%. For the two-pass DB-MHR (TRU recycling option), a fuel packing fraction of about 30% is required in the second pass (the recycled TRU). It was found that using a heterogeneous core (homogeneous fuel element) concept, the TRU consumption is dependent on the cooling interval before the 2nd pass, again due to Pu-241 decay during the time lag between the first pass fuel discharge and the second pass fuel charge. With a cooling interval of 7 years (5 and 2 years before and after reprocessing) a TRU consumption of 55% is obtained. With an assumed ''no cooling'' interval, the TRU consumption is 63%. By using a cylindrical core to reduce neutron leakage, TRU consumption of the case with 7-year cooling interval increases to 58%. For a two-pass concept using a heterogeneous fuel element (and homogeneous core) with first and second pass volume ratio of 2:1, the TRU consumption is 62.4%. Finally, the repository loading benefits arising from the deep-burn and Inert Matrix Fuel (IMF) concepts were estimated and compared, for the same initial TRU vector. The DB-MHR concept resulted in slightly higher TRU consumption and repository loading benefit compared to the IMF concept (58.1% versus 55.1% for TRU consumption and 2.0 versus 1.6 for estimated repository loading benefit).« less

Hydrogen suppresses UO 2 corrosion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carbol, Paul; Fors, Patrik; Gouder, Thomas; Spahiu, Kastriot

2009-08-01

Release of long-lived radionuclides such as plutonium and caesium from spent nuclear fuel in deep geological repositories will depend mainly on the dissolution rate of the UO 2 fuel matrix. This dissolution rate will, in turn, depend on the redox conditions at the fuel surface. Under oxidative conditions UO 2 will be oxidised to the 1000 times more soluble UO 2.67. This may occur in a repository as the reducing deep groundwater becomes locally oxidative at the fuel surface under the effect of α-radiolysis, the process by which α-particles emitted from the fuel split water molecules. On the other hand, the groundwater corrodes canister iron generating large amounts of hydrogen. The role of molecular hydrogen as reductant in a deep bedrock repository is questioned. Here we show evidence of a surface-catalysed reaction, taking place in the H 2-UO 2-H 2O system where molecular hydrogen is able to reduce oxidants originating from α-radiolysis. In our experiment the UO 2 surface remained stoichiometric proving that the expected oxidation of UO 2.00 to UO 2.67 due to radiolytic oxidants was absent. As a consequence, the dissolution of UO 2 stopped when equilibrium was reached between the solid phase and U 4+ species in the aqueous phase. The steady-state concentration of uranium in solution was determined to be 9 × 10 -12 M, about 30 times lower than previously reported for reducing conditions. Our findings show that fuel dissolution is suppressed by H 2. Consequently, radiotoxic nuclides in spent nuclear fuel will remain immobilised in the UO 2 matrix. A mechanism for the surface-catalysed reaction between molecular hydrogen and radiolytic oxidants is proposed.

A Control Variate Method for Probabilistic Performance Assessment. Improved Estimates for Mean Performance Quantities of Interest

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

MacKinnon, Robert J.; Kuhlman, Kristopher L

2016-05-01

We present a method of control variates for calculating improved estimates for mean performance quantities of interest, E(PQI) , computed from Monte Carlo probabilistic simulations. An example of a PQI is the concentration of a contaminant at a particular location in a problem domain computed from simulations of transport in porous media. To simplify the presentation, the method is described in the setting of a one- dimensional elliptical model problem involving a single uncertain parameter represented by a probability distribution. The approach can be easily implemented for more complex problems involving multiple uncertain parameters and in particular for application tomore » probabilistic performance assessment of deep geologic nuclear waste repository systems. Numerical results indicate the method can produce estimates of E(PQI)having superior accuracy on coarser meshes and reduce the required number of simulations needed to achieve an acceptable estimate.« less

The Microbiology of Subsurface, Salt-Based Nuclear Waste Repositories: Using Microbial Ecology, Bioenergetics, and Projected Conditions to Help Predict Microbial Effects on Repository Performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Swanson, Juliet S.; Cherkouk, Andrea; Arnold, Thuro

This report summarizes the potential role of microorganisms in salt-based nuclear waste repositories using available information on the microbial ecology of hypersaline environments, the bioenergetics of survival under high ionic strength conditions, and “repository microbiology” related studies. In areas where microbial activity is in question, there may be a need to shift the research focus toward feasibility studies rather than studies that generate actual input for performance assessments. In areas where activity is not necessary to affect performance (e.g., biocolloid transport), repository-relevant data should be generated. Both approaches will lend a realistic perspective to a safety case/performance scenario that willmore » most likely underscore the conservative value of that case.« less

Public Preferences Related to Radioactive Waste Management in the United States: Methodology and Response Reference Report for the 2016 Energy and Environment Survey.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jenkins-Smith, Hank C.; Silva, Carol L.; Gupta, Kuhika

This report presents the questions and responses to a nationwide survey taken June 2016 to track preferences of US residents concerning the environment, energy, and radioactive waste management. A focus of the 2016 survey is public perceptions on different options for managing spent nuclear fuel, including on-site storage, interim storage, deep boreholes, general purpose geologic repositories, and geologic repositories for only defense-related waste. Highlights of the survey results include the following: (1) public attention to the 2011 accident and subsequent cleanup at the Fukushima nuclear facility continues to influence the perceived balance of risk and benefit for nuclear energy; (2)more » the incident at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in 2014 could influence future public support for nuclear waste management; (3) public knowledge about US nuclear waste management policies has remined higher than seen prior to the Fukushima nuclear accident and submittal of the Yucca Mountain application; (6) support for a mined disposal facility is higher than for deep borehole disposal, building one more interim storage facilities, or continued on-site storage of spent nuclear fuel; (7) support for a repository that comingles commercial and defense related waste is higher than for a repository for only defense related waste; (8) the public’s level of trust accorded to the National Academies, university scientists, and local emergency responders is the highest and the level trust accorded to advocacy organizations, public utilities, and local/national press is the lowest; and (9) the public is willing to serve on citizens panels but, in general, will only modestly engage in issues related to radioactive waste management.« less

DeepARG: a deep learning approach for predicting antibiotic resistance genes from metagenomic data.

PubMed

Arango-Argoty, Gustavo; Garner, Emily; Pruden, Amy; Heath, Lenwood S; Vikesland, Peter; Zhang, Liqing

2018-02-01

Growing concerns about increasing rates of antibiotic resistance call for expanded and comprehensive global monitoring. Advancing methods for monitoring of environmental media (e.g., wastewater, agricultural waste, food, and water) is especially needed for identifying potential resources of novel antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), hot spots for gene exchange, and as pathways for the spread of ARGs and human exposure. Next-generation sequencing now enables direct access and profiling of the total metagenomic DNA pool, where ARGs are typically identified or predicted based on the "best hits" of sequence searches against existing databases. Unfortunately, this approach produces a high rate of false negatives. To address such limitations, we propose here a deep learning approach, taking into account a dissimilarity matrix created using all known categories of ARGs. Two deep learning models, DeepARG-SS and DeepARG-LS, were constructed for short read sequences and full gene length sequences, respectively. Evaluation of the deep learning models over 30 antibiotic resistance categories demonstrates that the DeepARG models can predict ARGs with both high precision (> 0.97) and recall (> 0.90). The models displayed an advantage over the typical best hit approach, yielding consistently lower false negative rates and thus higher overall recall (> 0.9). As more data become available for under-represented ARG categories, the DeepARG models' performance can be expected to be further enhanced due to the nature of the underlying neural networks. Our newly developed ARG database, DeepARG-DB, encompasses ARGs predicted with a high degree of confidence and extensive manual inspection, greatly expanding current ARG repositories. The deep learning models developed here offer more accurate antimicrobial resistance annotation relative to current bioinformatics practice. DeepARG does not require strict cutoffs, which enables identification of a much broader diversity of ARGs. The DeepARG models and database are available as a command line version and as a Web service at http://bench.cs.vt.edu/deeparg .

Sandia National Laboratories performance assessment methodology for long-term environmental programs : the history of nuclear waste management.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marietta, Melvin Gary; Anderson, D. Richard; Bonano, Evaristo J.

2011-11-01

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is the world leader in the development of the detailed science underpinning the application of a probabilistic risk assessment methodology, referred to in this report as performance assessment (PA), for (1) understanding and forecasting the long-term behavior of a radioactive waste disposal system, (2) estimating the ability of the disposal system and its various components to isolate the waste, (3) developing regulations, (4) implementing programs to estimate the safety that the system can afford to individuals and to the environment, and (5) demonstrating compliance with the attendant regulatory requirements. This report documents the evolution of themore » SNL PA methodology from inception in the mid-1970s, summarizing major SNL PA applications including: the Subseabed Disposal Project PAs for high-level radioactive waste; the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant PAs for disposal of defense transuranic waste; the Yucca Mountain Project total system PAs for deep geologic disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste; PAs for the Greater Confinement Borehole Disposal boreholes at the Nevada National Security Site; and PA evaluations for disposal of high-level wastes and Department of Energy spent nuclear fuels stored at Idaho National Laboratory. In addition, the report summarizes smaller PA programs for long-term cover systems implemented for the Monticello, Utah, mill-tailings repository; a PA for the SNL Mixed Waste Landfill in support of environmental restoration; PA support for radioactive waste management efforts in Egypt, Iraq, and Taiwan; and, most recently, PAs for analysis of alternative high-level radioactive waste disposal strategies including repositories deep borehole disposal and geologic repositories in shale and granite. Finally, this report summarizes the extension of the PA methodology for radioactive waste disposal toward development of an enhanced PA system for carbon sequestration and storage systems. These efforts have produced a generic PA methodology for the evaluation of waste management systems that has gained wide acceptance within the international community. This report documents how this methodology has been used as an effective management tool to evaluate different disposal designs and sites; inform development of regulatory requirements; identify, prioritize, and guide research aimed at reducing uncertainties for objective estimations of risk; and support safety assessments.« less

Microbial fouling and corrosion of carbon steel in deep anoxic alkaline groundwater.

PubMed

Rajala, Pauliina; Bomberg, Malin; Vepsäläinen, Mikko; Carpén, Leena

2017-02-01

Understanding the corrosion of carbon steel materials of low and intermediate level radioactive waste under repository conditions is crucial to ensure the safe storage of radioactive contaminated materials. The waste will be in contact with the concrete of repository silos and storage containers, and eventually with groundwater. In this study, the corrosion of carbon steel under repository conditions as well as the microbial community forming biofilm on the carbon steel samples, consisting of bacteria, archaea, and fungi, was studied over a period of three years in a groundwater environment with and without inserted concrete. The number of biofilm forming bacteria and archaea was 1,000-fold lower, with corrosion rates 620-times lower in the presence of concrete compared to the natural groundwater environment. However, localized corrosion was detected in the concrete-groundwater environment indicating the presence of local microenvironments where the conditions for pitting corrosion were favorable.

Results of instrument reliability study for high-level nuclear-waste repositories. [Geotechnical parameters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rogue, F.; Binnall, E.P.

1982-10-01

Reliable instrumentation will be needed to monitor the performance of future high-level waste repository sites. A study has been made to assess instrument reliability at Department of Energy (DOE) waste repository related experiments. Though the study covers a wide variety of instrumentation, this paper concentrates on experiences with geotechnical instrumentation in hostile repository-type environments. Manufacturers have made some changes to improve the reliability of instruments for repositories. This paper reviews the failure modes, rates, and mechanisms, along with manufacturer modifications and recommendations for additional improvements to enhance instrument performance. 4 tables.

Modeling early in situ wetting of a compacted bentonite buffer installed in low permeable crystalline bedrock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dessirier, B.; Frampton, A.; Fransson, À.; Jarsjö, J.

2016-08-01

The repository concept for geological disposal of spent nuclear fuel in Sweden and Finland is planned to be constructed in sparsely fractured crystalline bedrock and with an engineered bentonite buffer to embed the waste canisters. An important stage in such a deep repository is the postclosure phase following the deposition and the backfilling operations when the initially unsaturated buffer material gets hydrated by the groundwater delivered by the natural bedrock. We use numerical simulations to interpret observations on buffer wetting gathered during an in situ campaign, the Bentonite Rock Interaction Experiment, in which unsaturated bentonite columns were introduced into deposition holes in the floor of a 417 m deep tunnel at the Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory in Sweden. Our objectives are to assess the performance of state-of-the-art flow models in reproducing the buffer wetting process and to investigate to which extent dependable predictions of buffer wetting times and saturation patterns can be made based on information collected prior to buffer insertion. This would be important for preventing insertion into unsuitable bedrock environments. Field data and modeling results indicate the development of a de-saturated zone in the rock and show that in most cases, the presence or absence of fractures and flow heterogeneity are more important factors for correct wetting predictions than the total inflow. For instance, for an equal open-hole inflow value, homogeneous inflow yields much more rapid buffer wetting than cases where fractures are represented explicitly thus creating heterogeneous inflow distributions.

CranialVault and its CRAVE tools: a clinical computer assistance system for Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) therapy

PubMed Central

D’Haese, Pierre-François; Pallavaram, Srivatsan; Li, Rui; Remple, Michael S.; Kao, Chris; Neimat, Joseph S.; Konrad, Peter E.; Dawant, Benoit M.

2010-01-01

A number of methods have been developed to assist surgeons at various stages of deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy. These include construction of anatomical atlases, functional databases, and electrophysiological atlases and maps. But, a complete system that can be integrated into the clinical workflow has not been developed. In this paper we present a system designed to assist physicians in pre-operative target planning, intra-operative target refinement and implantation, and post-operative DBS lead programming. The purpose of this system is to centralize the data acquired a the various stages of the procedure, reduce the amount of time needed at each stage of the therapy, and maximize the efficiency of the entire process. The system consists of a central repository (CranialVault), of a suite of software modules called CRAVE (CRAnialVault Explorer) that permit data entry and data visualization at each stage of the therapy, and of a series of algorithms that permit the automatic processing of the data. The central repository contains image data for more than 400 patients with the related pre-operative plans and position of the final implants and about 10,550 electrophysiological data points (micro-electrode recordings or responses to stimulations) recorded from 222 of these patients. The system has reached the stage of a clinical prototype that is being evaluated clinically at our institution. A preliminary quantitative validation of the planning component of the system performed on 80 patients who underwent the procedure between January 2009 and December 2009 shows that the system provides both timely and valuable information. PMID:20732828

10 CFR 60.137 - General requirements for performance confirmation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... IN GEOLOGIC REPOSITORIES Technical Criteria Performance Confirmation Requirements § 60.137 General requirements for performance confirmation. The geologic repository operations area shall be designed so as to...

Long-term oxygen depletion from infiltrating groundwaters: Model development and application to intra-glaciation and glaciation conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sidborn, M.; Neretnieks, I.

2008-08-01

Processes that control the redox conditions in deep groundwaters have been studied. The understanding of such processes in a long-term perspective is important for the safety assessment of a deep geological repository for high-level nuclear waste. An oxidising environment at the depth of the repository would increase the solubility and mobility of many radionuclides, and increase the potential risk for radioactive contamination at the ground surface. Proposed repository concepts also include engineered barriers such as copper canisters, the corrosion of which increases considerably in an oxidising environment compared to prevailing reducing conditions. Swedish granitic rocks are typically relatively sparsely fractured and are best treated as a dual-porosity medium with fast flowing channels through fractures in the rock with a surrounding porous matrix, the pores of which are accessible from the fracture by diffusive transport. Highly simplified problems have been explored with the aim to gain understanding of the underlying transport processes, thermodynamics and chemical reaction kinetics. The degree of complexity is increased successively, and mechanisms and processes identified as of key importance are included in a model framework. For highly complex models, analytical expressions are not fully capable of describing the processes involved, and in such cases the solutions are obtained by numerical calculations. Deep in the rock the main source for reducing capacity is identified as reducing minerals. Such minerals are found inside the porous rock matrix and as infill particles or coatings in fractures in the rock. The model formulation also allows for different flow modes such as flow along discrete fractures in sparsely fractured rocks and along flowpaths in a fracture network. The scavenging of oxygen is exemplified for these cases as well as for more comprehensive applications, including glaciation considerations. Results show that chemical reaction kinetics control the scavenging of oxygen during a relatively short time with respect to the lifetime of the repository. For longer times the scavenging of oxygen is controlled by transport processes in the porous rock matrix. The penetration depth of oxygen along the flowpath depends largely on the hydraulic properties, which may vary significantly between different locations and situations. The results indicate that oxygen, in the absence of easily degradable organic matter, may reach long distances along a flow path during the life-time of the repository (hundreds to thousands of metres in a million years depending on e.g. hydraulic properties of the flow path and the availability of reducing capacity). However, large uncertainties regarding key input parameters exist leading to the conclusion that the results from the model must be treated with caution pending more accurate and validated data. Ongoing and planned experiments are expected to reduce these uncertainties, which are required in order to make more reliable predictions for a safety assessment of a nuclear waste repository.

Characterization of Discharge Areas of Radionuclides Originating From Nuclear Waste Repositories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marklund, L.; Xu, S.; Worman, A.

2009-05-01

If leakages in nuclear waste repositories located in crystalline bedrock arise, radionuclides will reach the biosphere and cause a risk of radiological impact. The extent of the radiological impact depends on in which landscape elements the radionuclides emerge. In this study, we investigate if there are certain landscape elements that generally will act as discharge areas for radionuclides leaking from subsurface deposits. We also characterize the typical properties that distinguish these areas from others. In humid regions, landscape topography is the most important driving force for groundwater flow. Because groundwater is the main transporting agent for migrating radionuclides, the topography will determine the flowpaths of leaking radionuclides. How topography and heterogeneities in the subsurface affect the discharge distribution of the radionuclides is therefore an important scope of this study. To address these issues, we developed a 3-D transport model. Our analyses are based on site-specific data from two different areas in Sweden, Forsmark, Uppland, and Oskarshamn, Småland. The Swedish Nuclear Waste Management Company (SKB) has selected these two areas as candidate areas for a deep repository of nuclear waste and the areas are currently subject to site investigations. Our results suggest that there are hot-spots in the landscape i.e. areas with high probability of receiving large amounts of radionuclides from a leaking repository of nuclear waste. The hot-spots concentrate in the sea, streams, lakes and wetlands. All these elements are found at lower elevations in the landscape. This pattern is mostly determined by the landscape topography and the locations of fracture zones. There is a relationship between fracture zones and topography, and therefore the importance of the topography for the discharge area distribution is not contradicted by the heterogeneity in the bedrock. The varieties of landscape elements which have potential for receiving significant amounts of radionuclides are limited. To limit the radiological dose assessment, analyses should be focused to and more detailed in such landscape areas in which doses are expected to be high. Due to the similarities among deep groundwater discharge areas, one can make site-specific analyses of those areas, which have a broad applicability for migration of radionuclides originating from a nuclear waste repository.

Evaluation of Groundwater Pathways and Travel Times From the Nevada Test Site to the Potential Yucca Mountain Repository

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pohlmann, K. F.; Zhu, J.; Ye, M.; Carroll, R. W.; Chapman, J. B.; Russell, C. E.; Shafer, D. S.

2006-12-01

Yucca Mountain (YM), Nevada has been recommended as a deep geological repository for the disposal of spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste. If YM is licensed as a repository by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, it will be important to identify the potential for radionuclides to migrate from underground nuclear testing areas located on the Nevada Test Site (NTS) to the hydraulically downgradient repository area to ensure that monitoring does not incorrectly attribute repository failure to radionuclides originating from other sources. In this study, we use the Death Valley Regional Flow System (DVRFS) model developed by the U.S. Geological Survey to investigate potential groundwater migration pathways and associated travel times from the NTS to the proposed YM repository area. Using results from the calibrated DVRFS model and the particle tracking post-processing package MODPATH we modeled three-dimensional groundwater advective pathways in the NTS and YM region. Our study focuses on evaluating the potential for groundwater pathways between the NTS and YM withdrawal area and whether travel times for advective flow along these pathways coincide with the prospective monitoring time frame at the proposed repository. We include uncertainty in effective porosity as this is a critical variable in the determination of time for radionuclides to travel from the NTS region to the YM withdrawal area. Uncertainty in porosity is quantified through evaluation of existing site data and expert judgment and is incorporated in the model through Monte Carlo simulation. Since porosity information is limited for this region, the uncertainty is quite large and this is reflected in the results as a large range in simulated groundwater travel times.

Radioactive waste isolation in salt: special advisory report on the status of the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation's plans for repository performance assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ditmars, J.D.; Walbridge, E.W.; Rote, D.M.

1983-10-01

Repository performance assessment is analysis that identifies events and processes that might affect a repository system for isolation of radioactive waste, examines their effects on barriers to waste migration, and estimates the probabilities of their occurrence and their consequences. In 1983 Battelle Memorial Institute's Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation (ONWI) prepared two plans - one for performance assessment for a waste repository in salt and one for verification and validation of performance assessment technology. At the request of the US Department of Energy's Salt Repository Project Office (SRPO), Argonne National Laboratory reviewed those plans and prepared this report to advisemore » SRPO of specific areas where ONWI's plans for performance assessment might be improved. This report presents a framework for repository performance assessment that clearly identifies the relationships among the disposal problems, the processes underlying the problems, the tools for assessment (computer codes), and the data. In particular, the relationships among important processes and 26 model codes available to ONWI are indicated. A common suggestion for computer code verification and validation is the need for specific and unambiguous documentation of the results of performance assessment activities. A major portion of this report consists of status summaries of 27 model codes indicated as potentially useful by ONWI. The code summaries focus on three main areas: (1) the code's purpose, capabilities, and limitations; (2) status of the elements of documentation and review essential for code verification and validation; and (3) proposed application of the code for performance assessment of salt repository systems. 15 references, 6 figures, 4 tables.« less

A fully coupled transient thermomechanical ice-flow/permafrost model of the Rhine Glacier, Switzerland: effects of permafrost on basal conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, D.; Zwinger, T.; Haeberli, W.; Fischer, U. H.

2016-12-01

The safe disposal of radioactive wastes in deep geological repositories requires their containment and isolation for up to one million years. Over that time period, the performance of the repositories in mid- and high-latitude regions can be impacted by future ice-age conditions which may cause deep glacial erosion, permafrost development, and changes in groundwater fluxes. In Switzerland, repositories are planned in the northern Swiss lowlands near the marginal zone of the former Rhine Glacier that repeatedly formed two extensive piedmont lobes (the Rhine and Linth lobes) over the Swiss Plateau. There, overdeepenings formed by glacial erosion indicate that the glacier was warm-based. Yet the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) occurred under cold conditions: central Europe experienced extremely cold and dry conditions caused by the penetration of winter sea ice to low latitudes in the Atlantic Ocean and the corresponding closure of the primary humidity source north of the Alps. At the LGM, flat and extended lobes of large piedmont glaciers spreading out over much of the Swiss Plateau were polythermal, characterized by low driving stresses (typically around 30 kPa) and surrounded by continuous periglacial permafrost up to 150 m thick. Subsurface temperatures and groundwater flow conditions were strongly influenced by the presence of extended surface and subsurface ice. Using numerical models we explore the effects of permafrost on basal conditions of the piedmont lobes during the build-up of the Rhine Glacier. We apply a two-dimensional transient fully coupled thermomechanical full stress ice-flow and permafrost model along a flowline characterizing the Rhine lobe. The energy equation is solved in both ice and rock and permafrost is modeled using an effective heat capacity formulation to account for phase transitions. Transient effects during ice advances and permafrost build-up up to the LGM are resolved by modeling the full glacial cycle using reconstructed temperature and mass balance gradients from either Greenland or Antarctic ice cores. We explore how climate parameterization (temperature offset, mass balance gradients in the accumulation and ablation zones, climate signals) affect the development of temperate basal conditions necessary for significant erosion to occur.

10 CFR 60.134 - Design of seals for shafts and boreholes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... GEOLOGIC REPOSITORIES Technical Criteria Design Criteria for the Geologic Repository Operations Area § 60... the geologic repository's ability to meet the performance objectives or the period following permanent...

Future ice ages and the challenges related to final disposal of nuclear waste: The Greenland Ice Sheet Hydrology Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehtinen, A.; Claesson-Liljedahl, L.; Näslund, J.-O.; Ruskeeniemi, T.

2009-04-01

A deep geological repository for nuclear waste is designed to keep radiotoxic material separated from mankind and the environment for several hundreds of thousands of years. Within this time perspective glacial conditions are expected in high latitudes/Canada and North Europe. Climate induced changes such as the growth of ice sheets and permafrost will influence and alter the ground surface and subsurface environment, which may impact repository safety. In order to understand how climate change, particularly cooling and glaciation, might affect a repository in the long term, the use of present-day analogues helps to reduce the uncertainties and support the assumptions made in safety assessments. There are major uncertainties concerning hydrological processes related to glacial conditions. The impact of glaciations on any planned repository is a key consideration when performing safety assessments as it is one of the strongest perturbations related to climate change in the long term. The main aspects that need to be further investigated include: 1) to what extent does the meltwater produced by an ice sheet penetrates into the bedrock; 2) what is the pressure situation under an ice sheet, driving ground water flow; 3) how much oxygenated water will reach repository depth; 4) to what depth does glacial meltwater penetrate into the bedrock ; 5)what chemical composition does such water has when and if it reaches repository depth; and 6) can taliks (unfrozen ground in a permafrost area) act as concentrated discharge points of deep groundwater potentially transporting radionuclides in case of repository failure? Field data is needed in order to achieve a better and integrated understanding of the problems discussed above. Thus, research in a natural analogue site in Greenland has been planned and initiated by the Finnish (Posiva), Swedish (SKB) and Canadian (NWMO) nuclear waste management companies. The Greenland ice sheet and the Kangerlussuaq area (west Greenland) provides a good analogue for this purpose due to similarities in geology (in the selected study area), and the climate conditions and ice sheet size in Kangerlussuaq resemble the expected conditions in Fennoscandia during future glaciations. In 2005 and 2008 reconnaissance field trips were made to Kangerlussuaq, which confirmed the suitability of the area for the planned studies. According to the present Work Programme the investigations will be carried out in 2009-2012. The project is divided into four subprojects (SPA, SPB, SPC and SPD) addressing specific and different topics at or in relation to the ice margin: SPA (ice sheet hydrology and glacial groundwater formation); SPB (subglacial ice sheet hydrology), SPC (hydrogeochemistry and hydrogeology) and SPD (periglacial environment: biosphere and permafrost). The main objectives of SPA and SPB are to gain a better process understanding of supra- and subglacial hydrology. Qualitative and quantitative knowledge of the mechanisms, rates and distribution of the melt water recharge through the ice down to the bed, location and extension of warm-based areas and hydraulic pressure conditions at the base are the key issues to be studied. This will be made by meteorological observations, GPS measurements, radar surveys, drilling through the ice sheet and by ice sheet modelling. SPC will further study the fate of melt water by extending the investigations into the bedrock. It is assumed that the high hydraulic pressures at the ice sheet bed force water into the fracture network prevailing in the bedrock. However, it is not known how the fracture network behaves under loading, what is the proportion of recharging water compared to the drainage through the bed sediments, what is the intrusion depth, how long the meltwater can sustain its oxic nature and what chemical composition the recharging water has when and if it reaches repository depth (400-700 m). SPC seeks to answer these questions by drilling and instrumenting boreholes drilled into the bedrock and below the ice sheet. SPD is aiming at describing and studying processes acting in the periglacial environment affected by permafrost conditions. The observations will be used within the safety assessment biosphere programs. From the acquired results we will obtain data, which will allow us to develop better conceptual and numerical models for quantitative analysis of ice sheet hydrology and dynamics, groundwater flow, groundwater chemistry and hydro-mechanical couplings during glacial periods, by reducing uncertainties and better constraining the boundary conditions used in the models. Finally, this project concerns the first in situ investigation of the vital parameters needed to achieve a holistic and realistic understanding of how an ice sheet may impact a deep geological repository for spent nuclear waste and will provide the necessary integrated view of ice sheet hydrology and groundwater flow/chemistry needed when executing safety assessments for the geological repositories in Sweden, Finland and Canada.

Safety-relevant hydrogeological properties of the claystone barrier of a Swiss radioactive waste repository: An evaluation using multiple lines of evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gautschi, Andreas

2017-09-01

In Switzerland, the Opalinus Clay - a Jurassic (Aalenian) claystone formation - has been proposed as the first-priority host rock for a deep geological repository for both low- and intermediate-level and high-level radioactive wastes. An extensive site and host rock investigation programme has been carried out during the past 30 years in Northern Switzerland, comprising extensive 2D and 3D seismic surveys, a series of deep boreholes within and around potential geological siting regions, experiments in the international Mont Terri Rock Laboratory, compilations of data from Opalinus Clay in railway and motorway tunnels and comparisons with similar rocks. The hydrogeological properties of the Opalinus Clay that are relevant from the viewpoint of long-term safety are described and illustrated. The main conclusions are supported by multiple lines of evidence, demonstrating consistency of conclusions based on hydraulic properties, porewater chemistry, distribution of natural tracers across the Opalinus Clay as well as small- and large-scale diffusion models and the derived conceptual understanding of solute transport.

Fundamentals of the NEA Thermochemical Database and its influence over national nuclear programs on the performance assessment of deep geological repositories.

PubMed

Ragoussi, Maria-Eleni; Costa, Davide

2017-03-14

For the last 30 years, the NEA Thermochemical Database (TDB) Project (www.oecd-nea.org/dbtdb/) has been developing a chemical thermodynamic database for elements relevant to the safety of radioactive waste repositories, providing data that are vital to support the geochemical modeling of such systems. The recommended data are selected on the basis of strict review procedures and are characterized by their consistency. The results of these efforts are freely available, and have become an international point of reference in the field. As a result, a number of important national initiatives with regard to waste management programs have used the NEA TDB as their basis, both in terms of recommended data and guidelines. In this article we describe the fundamentals and achievements of the project together with the characteristics of some databases developed in national nuclear waste disposal programs that have been influenced by the NEA TDB. We also give some insights on how this work could be seen as an approach to be used in broader areas of environmental interest. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

10 CFR Appendix II to Part 960 - NRC and EPA Requirements for Preclosure Repository Performance

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false NRC and EPA Requirements for Preclosure Repository Performance II Appendix II to Part 960 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR THE PRELIMINARY SCREENING OF POTENTIAL SITES FOR A NUCLEAR WASTE REPOSITORY Pt. 960, App. II Appendix II to Part 960—NRC and...

10 CFR Appendix II to Part 960 - NRC and EPA Requirements for Preclosure Repository Performance

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false NRC and EPA Requirements for Preclosure Repository Performance II Appendix II to Part 960 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR THE PRELIMINARY SCREENING OF POTENTIAL SITES FOR A NUCLEAR WASTE REPOSITORY Pt. 960, App. II Appendix II to Part 960—NRC and...

10 CFR Appendix II to Part 960 - NRC and EPA Requirements for Preclosure Repository Performance

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false NRC and EPA Requirements for Preclosure Repository Performance II Appendix II to Part 960 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR THE PRELIMINARY SCREENING OF POTENTIAL SITES FOR A NUCLEAR WASTE REPOSITORY Pt. 960, App. II Appendix II to Part 960—NRC and...

10 CFR Appendix I to Part 960 - NRC and EPA Requirements for Postclosure Repository Performance

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false NRC and EPA Requirements for Postclosure Repository Performance I Appendix I to Part 960 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR THE PRELIMINARY SCREENING OF POTENTIAL SITES FOR A NUCLEAR WASTE REPOSITORY Pt. 960, App. I Appendix I to Part 960—NRC and...

10 CFR Appendix II to Part 960 - NRC and EPA Requirements for Preclosure Repository Performance

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false NRC and EPA Requirements for Preclosure Repository Performance II Appendix II to Part 960 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR THE PRELIMINARY SCREENING OF POTENTIAL SITES FOR A NUCLEAR WASTE REPOSITORY Pt. 960, App. II Appendix II to Part 960—NRC and...

Deep Boreholes Seals Subjected to High P, T conditions – Preliminary Experimental Studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Caporuscio, Florie Andre; Norskog, Katherine Elizabeth; Maner, James Lavada

The objective of this planned experimental work is to evaluate physio-chemical processes for ‘seal’ components and materials relevant to deep borehole disposal. These evaluations will encompass multi-laboratory efforts for the development of seals concepts and application of Thermal-Mechanical-Chemical (TMC) modeling work to assess barrier material interactions with subsurface fluids, their stability at high temperatures, and the implications of these processes to the evaluation of thermal limits. Deep borehole experimental work will constrain the Pressure, Temperature (P, T) conditions which “seal” material will experience in deep borehole crystalline rock repositories. The rocks of interest to this study include the silicic (graniticmore » gneiss) end members. The experiments will systematically add components to capture discrete changes in both water and EBS component chemistries.« less

Milestones for disposal of radioactive waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in the United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rechard, R.P.

1998-04-01

Since its identification as a potential deep geologic repository in about 1973, the regulatory assessment process for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico has developed over the past 25 years. National policy issues, negotiated agreements, and court settlements over the first half of the project had a strong influence on the amount and type of scientific data collected. Assessments and studies before the mid 1980s were undertaken primarily (1) to satisfy needs for environmental impact statements, (2) to develop general understanding of selected natural phenomena associated with nuclear waste disposal, or (3) to satisfy negotiated agreements withmore » the State of New Mexico. In the last third of the project, federal compliance policy and actual regulations were sketched out, but continued to evolve until 1996. During this eight-year period, four preliminary performance assessments, one compliance performance assessment, and one verification performance assessment were performed.« less

Optimization of Deep Borehole Systems for HLW Disposal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Driscoll, Michael; Baglietto, Emilio; Buongiorno, Jacopo

2015-09-09

This is the final report on a project to update and improve the conceptual design of deep boreholes for high level nuclear waste disposal. The effort was concentrated on application to intact US legacy LWR fuel assemblies, but conducted in a way in which straightforward extension to other waste forms, host rock types and countries was preserved. The reference fuel design version consists of a vertical borehole drilled into granitic bedrock, with the uppermost kilometer serving as a caprock zone containing a diverse and redundant series of plugs. There follows a one to two kilometer waste canister emplacement zone havingmore » a hole diameter of approximately 40-50 cm. Individual holes are spaced 200-300 m apart to form a repository field. The choice of verticality and the use of a graphite based mud as filler between the waste canisters and the borehole wall liner was strongly influenced by the expectation that retrievability would continue to be emphasized in US and worldwide repository regulatory criteria. An advanced version was scoped out using zinc alloy cast in place to fill void space inside a disposal canister and its encapsulated fuel assembly. This excludes water and greatly improves both crush resistance and thermal conductivity. However the simpler option of using a sand fill was found adequate and is recommended for near-term use. Thermal-hydraulic modeling of the low permeability and porosity host rock and its small (≤ 1%) saline water content showed that vertical convection induced by the waste’s decay heat should not transport nuclides from the emplacement zone up to the biosphere atop the caprock. First order economic analysis indicated that borehole repositories should be cost-competitive with shallower mined repositories. It is concluded that proceeding with plans to drill a demonstration borehole to confirm expectations, and to carry out priority experiments, such as retention and replenishment of in-hole water is in order.« less

CranialVault and its CRAVE tools: a clinical computer assistance system for deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy.

PubMed

D'Haese, Pierre-François; Pallavaram, Srivatsan; Li, Rui; Remple, Michael S; Kao, Chris; Neimat, Joseph S; Konrad, Peter E; Dawant, Benoit M

2012-04-01

A number of methods have been developed to assist surgeons at various stages of deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy. These include construction of anatomical atlases, functional databases, and electrophysiological atlases and maps. But, a complete system that can be integrated into the clinical workflow has not been developed. In this paper we present a system designed to assist physicians in pre-operative target planning, intra-operative target refinement and implantation, and post-operative DBS lead programming. The purpose of this system is to centralize the data acquired a the various stages of the procedure, reduce the amount of time needed at each stage of the therapy, and maximize the efficiency of the entire process. The system consists of a central repository (CranialVault), of a suite of software modules called CRAnialVault Explorer (CRAVE) that permit data entry and data visualization at each stage of the therapy, and of a series of algorithms that permit the automatic processing of the data. The central repository contains image data for more than 400 patients with the related pre-operative plans and position of the final implants and about 10,550 electrophysiological data points (micro-electrode recordings or responses to stimulations) recorded from 222 of these patients. The system has reached the stage of a clinical prototype that is being evaluated clinically at our institution. A preliminary quantitative validation of the planning component of the system performed on 80 patients who underwent the procedure between January 2009 and December 2009 shows that the system provides both timely and valuable information. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Review: The state-of-art of sparse channel models and their applicability to performance assessment of radioactive waste repositories in fractured crystalline formations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Figueiredo, Bruno; Tsang, Chin-Fu; Niemi, Auli; Lindgren, Georg

2016-11-01

Laboratory and field experiments done on fractured rock show that flow and solute transport often occur along flow channels. `Sparse channels' refers to the case where these channels are characterised by flow in long flow paths separated from each other by large spacings relative to the size of flow domain. A literature study is presented that brings together information useful to assess whether a sparse-channel network concept is an appropriate representation of the flow system in tight fractured rock of low transmissivity, such as that around a nuclear waste repository in deep crystalline rocks. A number of observations are made in this review. First, conventional fracture network models may lead to inaccurate results for flow and solute transport in tight fractured rocks. Secondly, a flow dimension of 1, as determined by the analysis of pressure data in well testing, may be indicative of channelised flow, but such interpretation is not unique or definitive. Thirdly, in sparse channels, the percolation may be more influenced by the fracture shape than the fracture size and orientation but further studies are needed. Fourthly, the migration of radionuclides from a waste canister in a repository to the biosphere may be strongly influenced by the type of model used (e.g. discrete fracture network, channel model). Fifthly, the determination of appropriateness of representing an in situ flow system by a sparse-channel network model needs parameters usually neglected in site characterisation, such as the density of channels or fracture intersections.

Numerical Modeling of Thermal-Hydrology in the Near Field of a Generic High-Level Waste Repository

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matteo, E. N.; Hadgu, T.; Park, H.

2016-12-01

Disposal in a deep geologic repository is one of the preferred option for long term isolation of high-level nuclear waste. Coupled thermal-hydrologic processes induced by decay heat from the radioactive waste may impact fluid flow and the associated migration of radionuclides. This study looked at the effects of those processes in simulations of thermal-hydrology for the emplacement of U. S. Department of Energy managed high-level waste and spent nuclear fuel. Most of the high-level waste sources have lower thermal output which would reduce the impact of thermal propagation. In order to quantify the thermal limits this study concentrated on the higher thermal output sources and on spent nuclear fuel. The study assumed a generic nuclear waste repository at 500 m depth. For the modeling a representative domain was selected representing a portion of the repository layout in order to conduct a detailed thermal analysis. A highly refined unstructured mesh was utilized with refinements near heat sources and at intersections of different materials. Simulations looked at different values for properties of components of the engineered barrier system (i.e. buffer, disturbed rock zone and the host rock). The simulations also looked at the effects of different durations of surface aging of the waste to reduce thermal perturbations. The PFLOTRAN code (Hammond et al., 2014) was used for the simulations. Modeling results for the different options are reported and include temperature and fluid flow profiles in the near field at different simulation times. References:G. E. Hammond, P.C. Lichtner and R.T. Mills, "Evaluating the Performance of Parallel Subsurface Simulators: An Illustrative Example with PFLOTRAN", Water Resources Research, 50, doi:10.1002/2012WR013483 (2014). Sandia National Laboratories is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000. SAND2016-7510 A

Copper Corrosion in Nuclear Waste Disposal: A Swedish Case Study on Stakeholder Insight

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andersson, Kjell

2013-01-01

The article describes the founding principles, work program, and accomplishments of a Reference Group with both expert and layperson stakeholders for the corrosion of copper canisters in a proposed deep repository in Sweden for spent nuclear fuel. The article sets the Reference Group as a participatory effort within a broader context of…

Survival and growth of deep-planted, in-leaf grafts in a germplasm repository of canker-resistant butternut

Treesearch

J. W. Van Sambeek; Michael E. Ostry; James J. Zaczek

2003-01-01

Butternut (Juglans cinerea L.), highly valued for its timber and nuts, occurs as widely scattered trees or isolated stands throughout the Central Hardwood region (Rink 1990). The introduced fungus Sirococcus clavigignenti-juglandacearum has rapidly cankered, girdled, and killed most of the butternut trees; however, a few trees that...

Roosevelt Hot Springs, Utah FORGE Regional Well Locations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nash, Greg

This archive contains a GIS point feature shapefile that shows the locations of wells in the general region of the Utah FORGE project, near Roosevelt Hot Springs. This includes Utah FORGE deep well 58-32 and wells for which data has been uploaded to the Geothermal Data Repository. The attribute table has a field that contains well names.

A Holistic, Similarity-Based Approach for Personalized Ranking in Web Databases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Telang, Aditya

2011-01-01

With the advent of the Web, the notion of "information retrieval" has acquired a completely new connotation and currently encompasses several disciplines ranging from traditional forms of text and data retrieval in unstructured and structured repositories to retrieval of static and dynamic information from the contents of the surface and deep Web.…

A performance goal-based seismic design philosophy for waste repository facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hossain, Q.A.

1994-12-31

A performance goal-based seismic design philosophy, compatible with DOE`s present natural phenomena hazards mitigation and {open_quotes}graded approach{close_quotes} philosophy, has been proposed for high level nuclear waste repository facilities. The rationale, evolution, and the desirable features of this method have been described. Why and how the method should and can be applied to the design of a repository facility are also discussed.

Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis for two-phase flow in the vicinity of the repository in the 1996 performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant: Disturbed conditions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

HELTON,JON CRAIG; BEAN,J.E.; ECONOMY,K.

2000-05-22

Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis results obtained in the 1996 performance assessment (PA) for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) are presented for two-phase flow in the vicinity of the repository under disturbed conditions resulting from drilling intrusions. Techniques based on Latin hypercube sampling, examination of scatterplots, stepwise regression analysis, partial correlation analysis and rank transformations are used to investigate brine inflow, gas generation repository pressure, brine saturation and brine and gas outflow. Of the variables under study, repository pressure and brine flow from the repository to the Culebra Dolomite are potentially the most important in PA for the WIPP. Subsequentmore » to a drilling intrusion repository pressure was dominated by borehole permeability and generally below the level (i.e., 8 MPa) that could potentially produce spallings and direct brine releases. Brine flow from the repository to the Culebra Dolomite tended to be small or nonexistent with its occurrence and size also dominated by borehole permeability.« less

Instant release fraction corrosion studies of commercial UO2 BWR spent nuclear fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez-Torrents, Albert; Serrano-Purroy, Daniel; Sureda, Rosa; Casas, Ignasi; de Pablo, Joan

2017-05-01

The instant release fraction of a spent nuclear fuel is a matter of concern in the performance assessment of a deep geological repository since it increases the radiological risk. Corrosion studies of two different spent nuclear fuels were performed using bicarbonate water under oxidizing conditions to study their instant release fraction. From each fuel, cladded segments and powder samples obtained at different radial positions were used. The results were normalised using the specific surface area to permit a comparison between fuels and samples. Different radionuclide dissolution patterns were studied in terms of water contact availability and radial distribution in the spent nuclear fuel. The relationship between the results of this work and morphological parameters like the grain size or irradiation parameters such as the burn-up or the linear power density was studied in order to increase the understanding of the instant release fraction formation.

Coupling Effects of Heat and Moisture on the Saturation Processes of Buffer Material in a Deep Geological Repository

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wei-Hsing

2017-04-01

Clay barrier plays a major role for the isolation of radioactive wastes in a underground repository. This paper investigates the resaturation behavior of clay barrier, with emphasis on the coupling effects of heat and moisture of buffer material in the near-field of a repository during groundwater intrusion processes. A locally available clay named "Zhisin clay" and a standard bentotine material were adopted in the laboratory program. Water uptake tests were conducted on clay specimens compacted at various densities to simulate the intrusion of groundwater into the buffer material. Soil suction of clay specimens was measured by psychrometers embedded in clay specimens and by vapor equilibrium technique conducted at varying temperatures. Using the soil water characteristic curve, an integration scheme was introduced to estimate the hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated clay. The finite element program ABAQUS was then employed to carry out the numerical simulation of the saturation process in the near field of a repository. Results of the numerical simulation were validated using the degree of saturation profile obtained from the water uptake tests on Zhisin clay. The numerical scheme was then extended to establish a model simulating the resaturation process after the closure of a repository. It was found that, due to the variation in suction and thermal conductivity with temperature of clay barrier material, the calculated temperature field shows a reduction as a result of incorporating the hydro-properties in the calculations.

Stem Cell Therapy to Improve Burn Wound Healing

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

Aim(s) • Perform Phase 1 Trial of Allogeneic MSCs in Burns • Perform Phase 2 Trial of Allogeneic MSCs in Burns • Collect Tissue Repository for...for safety/dose studies CY15 Goal – Continue Phase 1 and, Start Tissue Repository  Continue donors recruitment, screening and Bone Marrow Aspiration...1 Trial and Collect Tissue Repository  Continue donors recruitment, screening and Bone Marrow Aspiration as needed.  Continue patients screening

Modelling geochemical and microbial consumption of dissolved oxygen after backfilling a high level radiactive waste repository.

PubMed

Yang, Changbing; Samper, Javier; Molinero, Jorge; Bonilla, Mercedes

2007-08-15

Dissolved oxygen (DO) left in the voids of buffer and backfill materials of a deep geological high level radioactive waste (HLW) repository could cause canister corrosion. Available data from laboratory and in situ experiments indicate that microbes play a substantial role in controlling redox conditions near a HLW repository. This paper presents the application of a coupled hydro-bio-geochemical model to evaluate geochemical and microbial consumption of DO in bentonite porewater after backfilling of a HLW repository designed according to the Swedish reference concept. In addition to geochemical reactions, the model accounts for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) respiration and methane oxidation. Parameters for microbial processes were derived from calibration of the REX in situ experiment carried out at the Aspö underground laboratory. The role of geochemical and microbial processes in consuming DO is evaluated for several scenarios. Numerical results show that both geochemical and microbial processes are relevant for DO consumption. However, the time needed to consume the DO trapped in the bentonite buffer decreases dramatically from several hundreds of years when only geochemical processes are considered to a few weeks when both geochemical reactions and microbially-mediated DOC respiration and methane oxidation are taken into account simultaneously.

Mineralogical Evidence for the Palaeohydrogeological Stability of a Deep Groundwater System in Fractured Rock, in West Cumbria, Northwest England

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milodowski, A. E.; Gillespie, M. R.; Chenery, S. R. N.; Naden, J.; Shaw, R. P.

2014-12-01

An important requirement of the safety assessment for a geological disposal facility (GDF) for radioactive waste is to be able to demonstrate the long-term chemical stability of the groundwater system at repository depth over the long period of time during which the waste will be a hazard, typically up to one million years. Of particular concern in the UK is the potential for oxidising groundwater to penetrate to repository depth during periods of glaciation, thereby increasing the mobility of some transuranic radionuclides.Between 1990 and 1998, United Kingdom Nirex Limited carried out geological investigations into the suitability of a potential site in the Sellafield area of NW England, for a GDF for L/ILW. As part of these investigations, detailed petrological analysis of fracture mineralisation in 23 deep boreholes identified a complex sequence of mineralisation events referred to as ME1-ME9. The distribution of the ME9 calcite mineralisation correlates closely with present-day groundwater flows. The ME9 calcite has been studied in more detail to understand the evolution of the deep groundwater system. The morphology and growth zoning characteristics of the calcites reflects the groundwater chemistry. Freshwater calcites display c-axis flattened to equant crystals, and are non-ferroan and strongly zoned with Mn-rich and Mn-free bands. Deeper saline-zone calcites display c-axis elongated crystals, with high Mn:Fe and low Mn:Fe growth zones. Calcite in the transition zone between the saline and fresh groundwater display saline-type cores overgrown by freshwater-type calcite, indicating a small depression of the position of the transition zone during the growth of the calcites. Sr isotope ratios and fluid inclusion chemistry confirm a link between ME9 calcite and the present regional groundwater system. Modelling of the oxygen isotope data indicates that some growth zones in the ME9 calcite precipitated from groundwater potentially containing a significant proportion of glacially-recharged water, and that this may have reached depths of up to 1000 m. However, the chemical (REE,Fe and Mn) compositions of the ME9 calcite show that despite the potential contribution of glacially-recharged water to the deep groundwater system, conditions at repository depth (< 500 m) have continually remained reducing.

10 CFR 960.4 - Postclosure guidelines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... REPOSITORY Postclosure Guidelines § 960.4 Postclosure guidelines. The guidelines in this subpart specify the factors to be considered in evaluating and comparing sites on the basis of expected repository performance... NRC and EPA regulations. These requirements must be met by the repository system, which contains...

Radiation release at the nation's only operating deep geological repository--an independent monitoring perspective.

PubMed

Thakur, P; Ballard, S; Hardy, R

2014-11-04

Recent incidents at the nation's only operating deep geologic nuclear waste repository, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), resulted in the release of americium and plutonium from one or more defense-related transuranic (TRU) waste containers into the environment. WIPP is a U.S. Department of Energy mined geologic repository that has been in operation since March, 1999. Over 85,000 m3 of waste in various vented payload containers have been emplaced in the repository. The primary radionuclides within the disposed waste are 239+240Pu and 241Am, which account for more than 99% of the total TRU radioactivity disposed and scheduled for disposal in the repository. For the first time in its 15 years of operation, there was an airborne radiation release from the WIPP at approximately 11:30 PM Mountain Standard Time (MST) on Friday, February 14, 2014. The radiation release was likely caused by a chemical reaction inside a TRU waste drum that contained nitrate salts and organic sorbent materials. In a recent news release, DOE announced that photos taken of the waste underground showed evidence of heat and gas pressure resulting in a deformed lid, in material expelled through that deformation, and in melted plastic and rubber and polyethylene in the vicinity of that drum. Recent entries into underground Panel 7 have confirmed that at least one waste drum containing a nitrate salt bearing waste stream from Los Alamos National Laboratory was breached underground and was the most likely source of the release. Further investigation is underway to determine if other containers contributed to the release. Air monitoring across the WIPP site intensified following the first reports of radiation detection underground to ascertain whether or not there were releases to the ground surface. Independent analytical results of air filters from sampling stations on and near the WIPP facility have been released by us at the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring & Research Center and confirmed trace amounts of 241Am and 239+240Pu, at ratios reflecting the suspect waste stream. The highest activity detected offsite was 115.2 μBq/m3 for 241Am and 10.2 μBq/m3 for 239+240 Pu. These concentrations in air were very small, localized, and below any level of public health or environmental concern.

Development of Modern Performance Assessment Tools and Capabilities for Underground Disposal of Transuranic Waste at WIPP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeitler, T.; Kirchner, T. B.; Hammond, G. E.; Park, H.

2014-12-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) has been developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the geologic (deep underground) disposal of transuranic (TRU) waste. Containment of TRU waste at the WIPP is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The DOE demonstrates compliance with the containment requirements by means of performance assessment (PA) calculations. WIPP PA calculations estimate the probability and consequence of potential radionuclide releases from the repository to the accessible environment for a regulatory period of 10,000 years after facility closure. The long-term performance of the repository is assessed using a suite of sophisticated computational codes. In a broad modernization effort, the DOE has overseen the transfer of these codes to modern hardware and software platforms. Additionally, there is a current effort to establish new performance assessment capabilities through the further development of the PFLOTRAN software, a state-of-the-art massively parallel subsurface flow and reactive transport code. Improvements to the current computational environment will result in greater detail in the final models due to the parallelization afforded by the modern code. Parallelization will allow for relatively faster calculations, as well as a move from a two-dimensional calculation grid to a three-dimensional grid. The result of the modernization effort will be a state-of-the-art subsurface flow and transport capability that will serve WIPP PA into the future. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000. This research is funded by WIPP programs administered by the Office of Environmental Management (EM) of the U.S Department of Energy.

77 FR 20375 - Notice of Availability of Secretarial Determination and Basis for Determination Under Section...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-04

... that the waste in the FTF: (1) Does not require permanent isolation in a deep geologic repository for... pursuant to a State approved closure plan or State-issued permit; or (3)(B) exceeds concentration limits... 10 CFR part 61, Subpart C; pursuant to a State-approved closure plan or State-issued [[Page 20376...

Interpretation of Schlumberger DC resistivity data from Gibson Dome-Lockhart Basin study area, San Juan County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Watts, R.D.

1982-01-01

A Schlumberger dc resistivity survey of the Gibson Dome-Lockhart Basin area, San Juan County, Utah, has revealed the following electrical characteristics of the area: (1) the area between the northern part of Davis Canyon and Gibson Dome is electrically quite uniform and resistive at the depth of the Pennsylvanian evaporite deposits, (2) there is a deep conductive anomaly at Horsehead Rock, and (3) there are several shallow and deep electrical anomalies in the vicinity of the Lockhart fault system. No adverse indicators were found for nuclear waste repository siting south of Indian Creek, but additional soundings should be made to increase data density and to extend the survey area southward. The Lockhart fault system appears to have triggered salt dissolution or flow outside the limits of Lockhart Basin; further geophysical work and drilling will be required to understand the origin of the Lockhart Basin structure and its present state of activity. This problem is important because geologic processes that lead to enlargement of the Lockhart Basin structure or to development of similar structures would threaten the integrity of a repository in the Gibson Dome area.

Hydraulic Testing of Silurian and Ordovician Strata at the Bruce Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beauheim, R. L.; Avis, J. D.; Chace, D. A.; Roberts, R. M.; Toll, N. J.

2009-05-01

Ontario Power Generation is proposing a Deep Geologic Repository (DGR) for the long-term management of its Low and Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste (L&ILW) within a Paleozoic-age sedimentary sequence beneath the Bruce Site near Tiverton, Ontario, Canada. The concept envisions that the DGR would be excavated at a depth of approximately 680 m within the Ordovician Cobourg Formation, a massive, dense, argillaceous limestone. A key attribute of the Bruce site is the extremely low permeabilities associated with the thick Ordovician carbonate and argillaceous bedrock formations that will host and enclose the DGR. Such rock mass permeabilities are thought sufficiently low to contribute toward or govern a diffusion-dominated transport regime. To support this concept, hydraulic testing was performed in 2008 and 2009 in two deep boreholes at the proposed repository site, DGR-3 and DGR-4. The hydraulic testing was performed using a straddle-packer tool with a 30.74-m test interval. Sequential tests were performed over the entire open lengths of the boreholes from the F Unit of the Silurian Salina Formation into the Ordovician Gull River Formation, a distance of approximately 635 m. The tests consisted primarily of pressure-pulse tests, with a few slug tests performed in several of the higher permeability Silurian units. The tests are analyzed using the nSIGHTS code, which allows the entire pressure history a test interval has experienced since it was penetrated by the drill bit to be included in the test simulation. nSIGHTS also allows the model fit to the test data to be optimized over an n-dimensional parameter space to ensure that the final solution represents a true global minimum rather than simply a local minimum. The test results show that the Ordovician-age strata above the Coboconk Formation (70+ m below the Cobourg) have average horizontal hydraulic conductivities of 1E-13 m/s or less. Coboconk and Gull River hydraulic conductivities are as high as 1E-11 m/s. Hydraulic conductivities of the Silurian-age strata generally range from 1E-13 to 1E-11 m/s, with discrete test values approaching 1E-7 m/s associated with portions of the A2 and A1 Units of the Salina Formation and with the Guelph Formation.

Mont Terri Underground Rock Laboratory, Switzerland-Research Program And Key Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nussbaum, C. O.; Bossart, P. J.

2012-12-01

Argillaceous formations generally act as aquitards because of their low hydraulic conductivities. This property, together with the large retention capacity of clays for cationic contaminants and the potential for self-sealing, has brought clay formations into focus as potential host rocks for the geological disposal of radioactive waste. Excavated in the Opalinus Clay formation, the Mont Terri underground rock laboratory in the Jura Mountains of NW Switzerland is an important international test site for researching clay formations. Research is carried out in the underground facility, which is located adjacent to the security gallery of the Mont Terri motorway tunnel. Fifteen partners from European countries, USA, Canada and Japan participate in the project. The objectives of the research program are to analyze the hydrogeological, geochemical and rock mechanical properties of the Opalinus Clay, to determine the changes induced by the excavation of galleries and by heating of the rock formation, to test sealing and container emplacement techniques and to evaluate and improve suitable investigation techniques. For the safety of deep geological disposal, it is of key importance to understand the processes occurring in the undisturbed argillaceous environment, as well as the processes in a disturbed system, during the operation of the repository. The objectives are related to: 1. Understanding processes and mechanisms in undisturbed clays and 2. Experiments related to repository-induced perturbations. Experiments of the first group are dedicated to: i) Improvement of drilling and excavation technologies and sampling methods; ii) Estimation of hydrogeological, rock mechanical and geochemical parameters of the undisturbed Opalinus Clay. Upscaling of parameters from laboratory to in situ scale; iii) Geochemistry of porewater and natural gases; evolution of porewater over time scales; iv) Assessment of long-term hydraulic transients associated with erosion and thermal scenarios and v) Evaluation of diffusion and retention parameters for long-lived radionuclides. Experiments related to repository-induced perturbations are focused on: i) Influence of rock liner on the disposal system and the buffering potential of the host rock; ii) Self-sealing processes in the excavation damaged zone; iii) Hydro-mechanical coupled processes (e.g. stress redistributions and pore pressure evolution during excavation); iv) Thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical coupled processes (e.g. heating of bentonite and host rock) and v) Gas-induced transport of radionuclides in porewater and along interfaces in the engineered barrier system. A third research direction is to demonstrate the feasibility of repository construction and long-term safety after repository closure. Demonstration experiments can contribute to improving the reliability of the scientific basis for the safety assessment of future geological repositories, particularly if they are performed on a large scale and with a long duration. These experiments include the construction and installation of engineered barriers on a 1:1 scale: i) Horizontal emplacement of canisters; ii) Evaluation of the corrosion of container materials; repository re-saturation; iii) Sealing of boreholes and repository access tunnels and iv) Long-term monitoring of the repository. References Bossart, P. & Thury, M. (2008): Mont Terri Rock Laboratory. Project, Programme 1996 to 2007 and Results. - Rep. Swiss Geol. Surv. 3.

A Preliminary Performance Assessment for Salt Disposal of High-Level Nuclear Waste - 12173

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Joon H.; Clayton, Daniel; Jove-Colon, Carlos

2012-07-01

A salt repository is one of the four geologic media currently under study by the U.S. DOE Office of Nuclear Energy to support the development of a long-term strategy for geologic disposal of commercial used nuclear fuel (UNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW). The immediate goal of the generic salt repository study is to develop the necessary modeling tools to evaluate and improve the understanding of the repository system response and processes relevant to long-term disposal of UNF and HLW in a salt formation. The current phase of this study considers representative geologic settings and features adopted from previous studiesmore » for salt repository sites. For the reference scenario, the brine flow rates in the repository and underlying interbeds are very low, and transport of radionuclides in the transport pathways is dominated by diffusion and greatly retarded by sorption on the interbed filling materials. I-129 is the dominant annual dose contributor at the hypothetical accessible environment, but the calculated mean annual dose is negligibly small. For the human intrusion (or disturbed) scenario, the mean mass release rate and mean annual dose histories are very different from those for the reference scenario. Actinides including Pu-239, Pu-242 and Np-237 are major annual dose contributors, and the calculated peak mean annual dose is acceptably low. A performance assessment model for a generic salt repository has been developed incorporating, where applicable, representative geologic settings and features adopted from literature data for salt repository sites. The conceptual model and scenario for radionuclide release and transport from a salt repository were developed utilizing literature data. The salt GDS model was developed in a probabilistic analysis framework. The preliminary performance analysis for demonstration of model capability is for an isothermal condition at the ambient temperature for the near field. The capability demonstration emphasizes key attributes of a salt repository that are potentially important to the long-term safe disposal of UNF and HLW. The analysis presents and discusses the results showing repository responses to different radionuclide release scenarios (undisturbed and human intrusion). For the reference (or nominal or undisturbed) scenario, the brine flow rates in the repository and underlying interbeds are very low, and transport of radionuclides in the transport pathways is dominated by diffusion and greatly retarded by sorption on the interbed filling materials. I-129 (non-sorbing and unlimited solubility with a very long half-life) is the dominant annual dose contributor at the hypothetical accessible environment, but the calculated mean annual dose is negligibly small that there is no meaningful consequence for the repository performance. For the human intrusion (or disturbed) scenario analysis, the mean mass release rate and mean annual dose histories are very different from those for the reference scenario analysis. Compared to the reference scenario, the relative annual dose contributions by soluble, non-sorbing fission products, particularly I-129, are much lower than by actinides including Pu-239, Pu-242 and Np-237. The lower relative mean annual dose contributions by the fission product radionuclides are due to their lower total inventory available for release (i.e., up to five affected waste packages), and the higher mean annual doses by the actinides are the outcome of the direct release of the radionuclides into the overlying aquifer having high water flow rates, thereby resulting in an early arrival of higher concentrations of the radionuclides at the biosphere drinking water well prior to their significant decay. The salt GDS model analysis has also identified the following future recommendations and/or knowledge gaps to improve and enhance the confidence of the future repository performance analysis. - Repository thermal loading by UNF and HLW, and the effect on the engineered barrier and near-field performance. - Closure and consolidation of salt rocks by creep deformation under the influence of thermal perturbation, and the effect on the engineered barrier and near-field performance. - Brine migration and radionuclide transport under the influence of thermal perturbation in generic salt repository environment, and the effect on the engineered barrier and near-field performance and far-field performance. - Near-field geochemistry and radionuclide mobility in generic salt repository environment (high ionic strength brines, elevated temperatures and chemically reducing condition). - Degradation of engineer barrier components (waste package, waste canister, waste forms, etc.) in a generic salt repository environment (high ionic strength brines, elevated temperatures and chemically reducing condition). - Waste stream types and inventory estimates, particularly for reprocessing high-level waste. (authors)« less

Variable thickness transient ground-water flow model. Volume 3. Program listings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reisenauer, A.E.

1979-12-01

The Assessment of Effectiveness of Geologic Isolation Systems (AEGIS) Program is developing and applying the methodology for assessing the far-field, long-term post-closure safety of deep geologic nuclear waste repositories. AEGIS is being performed by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) under contract with the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation (OWNI) for the Department of Energy (DOE). One task within AEGIS is the development of methodology for analysis of the consequences (water pathway) from loss of repository containment as defined by various release scenarios. Analysis of the long-term, far-field consequences of release scenarios requires the application of numerical codes which simulate the hydrologicmore » systems, model the transport of released radionuclides through the hydrologic systems to the biosphere, and, where applicable, assess the radiological dose to humans. Hydrologic and transport models are available at several levels of complexity or sophistication. Model selection and use are determined by the quantity and quality of input data. Model development under AEGIS and related programs provides three levels of hydrologic models, two levels of transport models, and one level of dose models (with several separate models). This is the third of 3 volumes of the description of the VTT (Variable Thickness Transient) Groundwater Hydrologic Model - second level (intermediate complexity) two-dimensional saturated groundwater flow.« less

Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository prompts heated congressional hearing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

2011-11-01

Although the final report of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future is not expected until January 2012, the tentative conclusions of the commission's draft report were dissected during a recent joint hearing by two subcommittees of the House of Representatives' Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Among the more heated issues debated at the hearing was the fate of the stalled Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in Nevada. The Blue Ribbon Commission's (BRC) draft report includes recommendations for managing nuclear waste and for developing one or more permanent deep geological repositories and interim storage facilities, but the report does not address the future of Yucca Mountain. The BRC charter indicates that the commission is to "conduct a comprehensive review of policies for managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle." However, the draft report states that the commission was not asked to consider, and therefore did not address, several key issues. "We have not rendered an opinion on the suitability of the Yucca Mountain site or on the request to withdraw the license application for Yucca Mountain," the draft report states.

Suitability of Palestine salt dome, Anderson Co. , Texas for disposal of high-level radioactive waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patchick, P.F.

1980-01-01

The suitability of Palestine salt dome, in Anderson County, Texas, is in serious doubt for a repository to isolate high-level nuclear waste because of abandoned salt brining operations. The random geographic and spatial occurrence of 15 collapse sinks over the dome may prevent safe construction of the necessary surface installations for a repository. The dissolution of salt between the caprock and dome, from at least 15 brine wells up to 500 feet deep, may permit increased rates of salt dissolution long into future geologic time. The subsurface dissolution is occurring at a rate difficult, if not impossible, to assess ormore » to calculate. It cannot be shown that this dissolution rate is insignificant to the integrity of a future repository or to ancillary features. The most recent significant collapse was 36 feet in diameter and took place in 1972. The other collapses ranged from 27 to 105 feet in diameter and from 1.5 to more than 15 feet in depth. ONWI recommends that this dome be removed from consideration as a candidate site.« less

Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis for two-phase flow in the vicinity of the repository in the 1996 performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant: Undisturbed conditions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

HELTON,JON CRAIG; BEAN,J.E.; ECONOMY,K.

2000-05-19

Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis results obtained in the 1996 performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant are presented for two-phase flow the vicinity of the repository under undisturbed conditions. Techniques based on Latin hypercube sampling, examination of scatterplots, stepwise regression analysis, partial correlation analysis and rank transformation are used to investigate brine inflow, gas generation repository pressure, brine saturation and brine and gas outflow. Of the variables under study, repository pressure is potentially the most important due to its influence on spallings and direct brine releases, with the uncertainty in its value being dominated by the extent to whichmore » the microbial degradation of cellulose takes place, the rate at which the corrosion of steel takes place, and the amount of brine that drains from the surrounding disturbed rock zone into the repository.« less

Disposal of high-level nuclear waste above the water table in arid regions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roseboom, Eugene H.

1983-01-01

Locating a repository in the unsaturated zone of arid regions eliminates or simplifies many of the technological problems involved in designing a repository for operation below the water table and predicting its performance. It also offers possible accessibility and ease of monitoring throughout the operational period and possible retrieval of waste long after. The risks inherent in such a repository appear to be no greater than in one located in the saturated zone; in fact, many aspects of such a repository's performance will be much easier to predict and the uncertainties will be reduced correspondingly. A major new concern would be whether future climatic changes could produce significant consequences due to possible rise of the water table or increased flux of water through the repository. If spent fuel were used as a waste form, a second new concern would be the rates of escape of gaseous iodine-129 and carbon-14 to the atmosphere.

Radon in underground waters as a natural analogue to study the escape of CO2 in geological repositories.

PubMed

Martín Sánchez, A; Ruano Sánchez, A B; de la Torre Pérez, J; Jurado Vargas, M

2015-11-01

Activity concentrations of dissolved (222)Rn and (226)Ra were measured in several underground aquifers, which are candidates for repositories or for the study of analogue natural escapes of CO2. The concentration of both radionuclides in water was determined using liquid scintillation counting. The values obtained for the (222)Rn concentrations varied from 0 to 150 Bq l(-1), while the levels of (226)Ra were in general very low. This indicates that (222)Rn is coming from the decay of the undissolved (226)Ra existing in the rocks and deep layers of the aquifers, being later transported by diffusion in water. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Long-term non-isothermal reactive transport model of compacted bentonite, concrete and corrosion products in a HLW repository in clay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mon, Alba; Samper, Javier; Montenegro, Luis; Naves, Acacia; Fernández, Jesús

2017-02-01

Radioactive waste disposal in deep geological repositories envisages engineered barriers such as carbon-steel canisters, compacted bentonite and concrete liners. The stability and performance of the bentonite barrier could be affected by the corrosion products at the canister-bentonite interface and the hyper-alkaline conditions caused by the degradation of concrete at the bentonite-concrete interface. Additionally, the host clay formation could also be affected by the hyper-alkaline plume at the concrete-clay interface. Here we present a non-isothermal multicomponent reactive transport model of the long-term (1 Ma) interactions of the compacted bentonite with the corrosion products of a carbon-steel canister and the concrete liner of the engineered barrier of a high-level radioactive waste repository in clay. Model results show that magnetite is the main corrosion product. Its precipitation reduces significantly the porosity of the bentonite near the canister. The degradation of the concrete liner leads to the precipitation of secondary minerals and the reduction of the porosity of the bentonite and the clay formation at their interfaces with the concrete liner. The reduction of the porosity becomes especially relevant at t = 104 years. The zones affected by pore clogging at the canister-bentonite and concrete-clay interfaces at 1 Ma are approximately equal to 1 and 3.3 cm thick, respectively. The hyper-alkaline front (pH > 8.5) spreads 2.5 cm into the clay formation after 1 Ma. Our simulation results share the key features of the models reported by others for engineered barrier systems at similar chemical conditions, including: 1) Pore clogging at the canister-bentonite and concrete-clay interfaces; 2) Narrow alteration zones; and 3) Limited smectite dissolution after 1 Ma.

Long-term non-isothermal reactive transport model of compacted bentonite, concrete and corrosion products in a HLW repository in clay.

PubMed

Mon, Alba; Samper, Javier; Montenegro, Luis; Naves, Acacia; Fernández, Jesús

2017-02-01

Radioactive waste disposal in deep geological repositories envisages engineered barriers such as carbon-steel canisters, compacted bentonite and concrete liners. The stability and performance of the bentonite barrier could be affected by the corrosion products at the canister-bentonite interface and the hyper-alkaline conditions caused by the degradation of concrete at the bentonite-concrete interface. Additionally, the host clay formation could also be affected by the hyper-alkaline plume at the concrete-clay interface. Here we present a non-isothermal multicomponent reactive transport model of the long-term (1Ma) interactions of the compacted bentonite with the corrosion products of a carbon-steel canister and the concrete liner of the engineered barrier of a high-level radioactive waste repository in clay. Model results show that magnetite is the main corrosion product. Its precipitation reduces significantly the porosity of the bentonite near the canister. The degradation of the concrete liner leads to the precipitation of secondary minerals and the reduction of the porosity of the bentonite and the clay formation at their interfaces with the concrete liner. The reduction of the porosity becomes especially relevant at t=10 4 years. The zones affected by pore clogging at the canister-bentonite and concrete-clay interfaces at 1Ma are approximately equal to 1 and 3.3cm thick, respectively. The hyper-alkaline front (pH>8.5) spreads 2.5cm into the clay formation after 1Ma. Our simulation results share the key features of the models reported by others for engineered barrier systems at similar chemical conditions, including: 1) Pore clogging at the canister-bentonite and concrete-clay interfaces; 2) Narrow alteration zones; and 3) Limited smectite dissolution after 1Ma. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

French Geological Repository Project for High Level and Long-Lived Waste: Scientific Programme

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Landais, P.; Lebon, P.; Ouzounian, G.

2008-07-01

The feasibility study presented in the Dossier 2005 Argile set out to evaluate the conditions for building, operating and managing a reversible disposal facility. The research was directed at demonstrating a potential for confining long-lived radioactive waste in a deep clay formation by establishing the feasibility of the disposal principle. Results have been enough convincing and a Planning Act was passed on 28 June, 2006. Decision in principle has been taken to dispose of intermediate and high level long-lived radioactive waste in a geological repository. An application file for a license to construct a disposal facility is requested by endmore » of 2014 and its commissioning is planned for 2025. Based on previous results as well as on recommendations made by various Dossier 2005 evaluators, a new scientific programme for 2006-2015 has been defined. It gives details of what will be covered over the 2006-2015 period. Particular emphasis is placed on consolidating scientific data, increasing understanding of certain mechanisms and using a scientific and technical integration approach. It aims at integrating scientific developments and engineering advances. The scientific work envisaged beyond 2006 has the benefit of a unique context, which is direct access to the geological medium over long timescales. It naturally extends the research carried out to date, and incorporates additional investigations of the geological medium, and the preparation of demonstration work especially through full-scale tests. Results will aim at improving the representation of repository evolutions over time, extract the relevant parameters for monitoring during the reversibility phases, reduce the parametric uncertainties and enhance the robustness of models for performance calculations and safety analyses. Structure and main orientation of the ongoing scientific programme are presented. (author)« less

Distributed Episodic Exploratory Planning (DEEP)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-01

other papers , reports and presentations, as referenced in the bibliography, and is only summarized in this report. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Planning...repository feature space. Much of the work is documented in detail in other papers , reports and presentations, as referenced in the bibliography, and is...DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED 4 released in May 2006 a revolutionary vision paper titled “C2 Enabling Concepts” (Braun, 2006) depicting what a potential

Effects of cellulose degradation products on the mobility of Eu(III) in repositories for low and intermediate level radioactive waste.

PubMed

Diesen, Veronica; Forsberg, Kerstin; Jonsson, Mats

2017-10-15

The deep repository for low and intermediate level radioactive waste SFR in Sweden will contain large amounts of cellulosic waste materials contaminated with radionuclides. Over time the repository will be filled with water and alkaline conditions will prevail. In the present study degradation of cellulosic materials and the ability of cellulosic degradation products to solubilize and thereby mobilise Eu(III) under repository conditions has been investigated. Further, the possible immobilization of Eu(III) by sorption onto cement in the presence of degradation products has been investigated. The cellulosic material has been degraded under anaerobic and aerobic conditions in alkaline media (pH: 12.5) at ambient temperature. The degradation was followed by measuring the total organic carbon (TOC) content in the aqueous phase as a function of time. After 173days of degradation the TOC content is highest in the anaerobic artificial cement pore water (1547mg/L). The degradation products are capable of solubilising Eu(III) and the total europium concentration in the aqueous phase was 900μmol/L after 498h contact time under anaerobic conditions. Further it is shown that Eu(III) is adsorbed to the hydrated cement to a low extent (<9μmol Eu/g of cement) in the presence of degradation products. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Manteufel, R.D.; Ahola, M.P.; Turner, D.R.

A literature review has been conducted to determine the state of knowledge available in the modeling of coupled thermal (T), hydrologic (H), mechanical (M), and chemical (C) processes relevant to the design and/or performance of the proposed high-level waste (HLW) repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The review focuses on identifying coupling mechanisms between individual processes and assessing their importance (i.e., if the coupling is either important, potentially important, or negligible). The significance of considering THMC-coupled processes lies in whether or not the processes impact the design and/or performance objectives of the repository. A review, such as reported here, is usefulmore » in identifying which coupled effects will be important, hence which coupled effects will need to be investigated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission in order to assess the assumptions, data, analyses, and conclusions in the design and performance assessment of a geologic reposit``. Although this work stems from regulatory interest in the design of the geologic repository, it should be emphasized that the repository design implicitly considers all of the repository performance objectives, including those associated with the time after permanent closure. The scope of this review is considered beyond previous assessments in that it attempts with the current state-of-knowledge) to determine which couplings are important, and identify which computer codes are currently available to model coupled processes.« less

Excess plutonium disposition: The deep borehole option

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ferguson, K.L.

1994-08-09

This report reviews the current status of technologies required for the disposition of plutonium in Very Deep Holes (VDH). It is in response to a recent National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report which addressed the management of excess weapons plutonium and recommended three approaches to the ultimate disposition of excess plutonium: (1) fabrication and use as a fuel in existing or modified reactors in a once-through cycle, (2) vitrification with high-level radioactive waste for repository disposition, (3) burial in deep boreholes. As indicated in the NAS report, substantial effort would be required to address the broad range of issues relatedmore » to deep bore-hole emplacement. Subjects reviewed in this report include geology and hydrology, design and engineering, safety and licensing, policy decisions that can impact the viability of the concept, and applicable international programs. Key technical areas that would require attention should decisions be made to further develop the borehole emplacement option are identified.« less

Carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration in deep saline aquifers and formations: Chapter 3

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosenbauer, Robert J.; Thomas, Burt

2010-01-01

Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and sequestration in geologic media is one among many emerging strategies to reduce atmospheric emissions of anthropogenic CO2. This chapter looks at the potential of deep saline aquifers – based on their capacity and close proximity to large point sources of CO2 – as repositories for the geologic sequestration of CO2. The petrochemical characteristics which impact on the suitability of saline aquifers for CO2 sequestration and the role of coupled geochemical transport models and numerical tools in evaluating site feasibility are also examined. The full-scale commercial CO2 sequestration project at Sleipner is described together with ongoing pilot and demonstration projects.

A minimalistic microbial food web in an excavated deep subsurface clay rock.

PubMed

Bagnoud, Alexandre; de Bruijn, Ino; Andersson, Anders F; Diomidis, Nikitas; Leupin, Olivier X; Schwyn, Bernhard; Bernier-Latmani, Rizlan

2016-01-01

Clay rocks are being considered for radioactive waste disposal, but relatively little is known about the impact of microbes on the long-term safety of geological repositories. Thus, a more complete understanding of microbial community structure and function in these environments would provide further detail for the evaluation of the safety of geological disposal of radioactive waste in clay rocks. It would also provide a unique glimpse into a poorly studied deep subsurface microbial ecosystem. Previous studies concluded that microorganisms were present in pristine Opalinus Clay, but inactive. In this work, we describe the microbial community and assess the metabolic activities taking place within borehole water. Metagenomic sequencing and genome-binning of a porewater sample containing suspended clay particles revealed a remarkably simple heterotrophic microbial community, fueled by sedimentary organic carbon, mainly composed of two organisms: a Pseudomonas sp. fermenting bacterium growing on organic macromolecules and releasing organic acids and H2, and a sulfate-reducing Peptococcaceae able to oxidize organic molecules to CO(2). In Opalinus Clay, this microbial system likely thrives where pore space allows it. In a repository, this may occur where the clay rock has been locally damaged by excavation or in engineered backfills. © FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Lot A2 test, THC modelling of the bentonite buffer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itälä, Aku; Olin, Markus; Lehikoinen, Jarmo

Finnish spent nuclear fuel is planned to be disposed of deep in the crystalline bedrock of the Olkiluoto island. In such a repository, the role of the bentonite buffer is considered to be central. The initially unsaturated bentonite emplaced around a spent-fuel canister will become fully saturated by the groundwater from the host rock. In order to assess the long-term safety of a deep repository, it is essential to determine how temperature influences the chemical stability of bentonite. The aim of this study was to achieve an improved understanding of the factors governing the thermo-hydro-chemical evolution of the bentonite buffer subject to heat generation from the disposed fuel and in contact with a highly permeable rock fracture intersecting a canister deposition hole. TOUGHREACT was used to model a test known as the long-term test of buffer material adverse-2, which was conducted at the Äspö hard rock laboratory in Sweden. The results on the evolution of cation-exchange equilibria, bentonite porewater chemistry, mineralogy, and saturation of the buffer are presented and discussed. The calculated model results show similarity to the experimental results. In particular, the spatial differences in the saturation and porewater chemistry of the bentonite buffer were clearly visible in the model.

10 CFR 960.5 - Preclosure guidelines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... REPOSITORY Preclosure Guidelines § 960.5 Preclosure guidelines. The guidelines in this subpart specify the factors to be considered in evaluating and comparing sites on the basis of expected repository performance...

10 CFR 960.4-2 - Technical guidelines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... REPOSITORY Postclosure Guidelines § 960.4-2 Technical guidelines. The technical guidelines in this subpart... conditions on the characteristics, processes, and events that may influence the performance of a repository...

DeepInfer: open-source deep learning deployment toolkit for image-guided therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehrtash, Alireza; Pesteie, Mehran; Hetherington, Jorden; Behringer, Peter A.; Kapur, Tina; Wells, William M.; Rohling, Robert; Fedorov, Andriy; Abolmaesumi, Purang

2017-03-01

Deep learning models have outperformed some of the previous state-of-the-art approaches in medical image analysis. Instead of using hand-engineered features, deep models attempt to automatically extract hierarchical representations at multiple levels of abstraction from the data. Therefore, deep models are usually considered to be more flexible and robust solutions for image analysis problems compared to conventional computer vision models. They have demonstrated significant improvements in computer-aided diagnosis and automatic medical image analysis applied to such tasks as image segmentation, classification and registration. However, deploying deep learning models often has a steep learning curve and requires detailed knowledge of various software packages. Thus, many deep models have not been integrated into the clinical research work ows causing a gap between the state-of-the-art machine learning in medical applications and evaluation in clinical research procedures. In this paper, we propose "DeepInfer" - an open-source toolkit for developing and deploying deep learning models within the 3D Slicer medical image analysis platform. Utilizing a repository of task-specific models, DeepInfer allows clinical researchers and biomedical engineers to deploy a trained model selected from the public registry, and apply it to new data without the need for software development or configuration. As two practical use cases, we demonstrate the application of DeepInfer in prostate segmentation for targeted MRI-guided biopsy and identification of the target plane in 3D ultrasound for spinal injections.

DeepInfer: Open-Source Deep Learning Deployment Toolkit for Image-Guided Therapy.

PubMed

Mehrtash, Alireza; Pesteie, Mehran; Hetherington, Jorden; Behringer, Peter A; Kapur, Tina; Wells, William M; Rohling, Robert; Fedorov, Andriy; Abolmaesumi, Purang

2017-02-11

Deep learning models have outperformed some of the previous state-of-the-art approaches in medical image analysis. Instead of using hand-engineered features, deep models attempt to automatically extract hierarchical representations at multiple levels of abstraction from the data. Therefore, deep models are usually considered to be more flexible and robust solutions for image analysis problems compared to conventional computer vision models. They have demonstrated significant improvements in computer-aided diagnosis and automatic medical image analysis applied to such tasks as image segmentation, classification and registration. However, deploying deep learning models often has a steep learning curve and requires detailed knowledge of various software packages. Thus, many deep models have not been integrated into the clinical research workflows causing a gap between the state-of-the-art machine learning in medical applications and evaluation in clinical research procedures. In this paper, we propose "DeepInfer" - an open-source toolkit for developing and deploying deep learning models within the 3D Slicer medical image analysis platform. Utilizing a repository of task-specific models, DeepInfer allows clinical researchers and biomedical engineers to deploy a trained model selected from the public registry, and apply it to new data without the need for software development or configuration. As two practical use cases, we demonstrate the application of DeepInfer in prostate segmentation for targeted MRI-guided biopsy and identification of the target plane in 3D ultrasound for spinal injections.

DeepInfer: Open-Source Deep Learning Deployment Toolkit for Image-Guided Therapy

PubMed Central

Mehrtash, Alireza; Pesteie, Mehran; Hetherington, Jorden; Behringer, Peter A.; Kapur, Tina; Wells, William M.; Rohling, Robert; Fedorov, Andriy; Abolmaesumi, Purang

2017-01-01

Deep learning models have outperformed some of the previous state-of-the-art approaches in medical image analysis. Instead of using hand-engineered features, deep models attempt to automatically extract hierarchical representations at multiple levels of abstraction from the data. Therefore, deep models are usually considered to be more flexible and robust solutions for image analysis problems compared to conventional computer vision models. They have demonstrated significant improvements in computer-aided diagnosis and automatic medical image analysis applied to such tasks as image segmentation, classification and registration. However, deploying deep learning models often has a steep learning curve and requires detailed knowledge of various software packages. Thus, many deep models have not been integrated into the clinical research workflows causing a gap between the state-of-the-art machine learning in medical applications and evaluation in clinical research procedures. In this paper, we propose “DeepInfer” – an open-source toolkit for developing and deploying deep learning models within the 3D Slicer medical image analysis platform. Utilizing a repository of task-specific models, DeepInfer allows clinical researchers and biomedical engineers to deploy a trained model selected from the public registry, and apply it to new data without the need for software development or configuration. As two practical use cases, we demonstrate the application of DeepInfer in prostate segmentation for targeted MRI-guided biopsy and identification of the target plane in 3D ultrasound for spinal injections. PMID:28615794

Electrical Resistance Tomography to Monitor Mitigation of Metal-Toxic Acid-Leachates Ruby Gulch Waste Rock Repository Gilt Edge Mine Superfund Site, South Dakota USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Versteeg, R.; Heath, G.; Richardson, A.; Paul, D.; Wangerud, K.

2003-12-01

At a cyanide heap-leach open-pit mine, 15-million cubic yards of acid-generating sulfides were dumped at the head of a steep-walled mountain valley, with 30 inches/year precipitation generating 60- gallons/minute ARD leachate. Remediation has reshaped the dump to a 70-acre, 3.5:1-sloped geometry, installed drainage benches and runoff diversions, and capped the repository and lined diversions with a polyethylene geomembrane and cover system. Monitoring was needed to evaluate (a) long-term geomembrane integrity, (b) diversion liner integrity and long-term effectiveness, (c) ARD geochemistry, kinetics and pore-gas dynamics within the repository mass, and (d) groundwater interactions. Observation wells were paired with a 600-electrode resistivity survey system. Using near-surface and down-hole electrodes and automated data collection and post-processing, periodic two- and three-dimensional resistivity images are developed to reflect current and changed-conditions in moisture, temperature, geochemical components, and flow-direction analysis. Examination of total resistivity values and time variances between images allows direct observation of liner and cap integrity with precise identification and location of leaks; likewise, if runoff migrates from degraded diversion ditches into the repository zone, there is an accompanying and noticeable change in resistivity values. Used in combination with monitoring wells containing borehole resistivity electrodes (calibrated with direct sampling of dump water/moisture, temperature and pore-gas composition), the resistivity arrays allow at-depth imaging of geochemical conditions within the repository mass. The information provides early indications of progress or deficiencies in de-watering and ARD- mitigation that is the remedy intent. If emerging technologies present opportunities for secondary treatment, deep resistivity images may assist in developing application methods and evaluating the effectiveness of any reagents introduced into the repository mass to further effect changes in oxidation/reduction reactions.

Handling glacially induced faults in the assessment of the long term safety of a repository for spent nuclear fuel at Forsmark, Sweden

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munier, R.

2011-12-01

Located deep into the Baltic shield, far from active plate boundaries and volcanism, Swedish bedrock is characterised by a low frequency of earthquakes of small magnitudes. Yet, faults, predominantly in the Lapland region, offsetting the quarternary regolith ten meters or more, reveal that Swedish bedrock suffered from substantial earthquake activity in connection to the retreat of the latest continental glacier, Weichsel. Storage of nuclear wastes, hazardous for hundreds of thousand years, requires, firstly, isolation of radionuclides and, secondly, retardation of the nuclides should the barriers fail. Swedish regulations require that safety is demonstrated for a period of a million years. Consequently, the repository must be designed to resist the impact of several continental glaciers. Large, glacially induced, earthquakes near the repository have the potential of triggering slip along fractures across the canisters containing the nuclear wastes, thereby simultaneously jeopardising isolation, retardation and, hence, long term safety. It has therefore been crucial to assess the impact of such intraplate earthquake upon the primary functions of the repository. We conclude that, by appropriate design of the repository, the negative impact of earthquakes on long term safety can be considerably lessened. We were, additionally, able to demonstrate compliance with Swedish regulations in our safety assessment, SR-Site, submitted to the authorities earlier this year. However, the assessment required a number of critical assumptions, e.g. concerning the strain rate and the fracture properties of the rock, many of which are subject of current research in the geoscientific community. By a conservative approach, though, we judge to have adequately propagated critical uncertainties through the assessment and bound the uncertainty space.

Intramolecular deactivation processes of electronically excited Lanthanide(III) complexes with organic acids of low molecular weight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burek, Katja; Eidner, Sascha; Kuke, Stefanie; Kumke, Michael U.

2018-02-01

The luminescence of Lanthanide(III) complexes with different model ligands was studied under direct as well as sensitized excitation conditions. The research was performed in the context of studies dealing with deep-underground storages for high-level nuclear waste. Here, Lanthanide(III) ions served as natural analogues for Actinide(III) ions and the low-molecular weight organic ligands are present in clay minerals and furthermore, they were employed as proxies for building blocks of humic substances, which are important complexing molecules in the natural environment, e.g., in the far field of a repository site. Time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy was applied for a detailed characterization of Eu(III), Tb(III), Sm(III) and Dy(III) complexes in aqueous solutions. Based on the observed luminescence the ligands were tentatively divided into two groups (A, B). The luminescence of Lanthanide(III) complexes of group A was mainly influenced by an energy transfer to OH-vibrations. Lanthanide(III) complexes of group B showed ligand-related luminescence quenching, which was further investigated. To gain more information on the underlying quenching processes of group A and B ligands, measurements at different temperatures (77 K ≤ T ≤ 353 K) were performed and activation energies were determined based on an Arrhenius analysis. Moreover, the influence of the ionic strength between 0 M ≤ I ≤ 4 M on the Lanthanide(III) luminescence was monitored for different complexes, in order to evaluate the influence of specific conditions encountered in host rocks foreseen as potential repository sites.

10 CFR 63.113 - Performance objectives for the geologic repository after permanent closure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Performance objectives for the geologic repository after permanent closure. 63.113 Section 63.113 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) DISPOSAL OF HIGH... and an engineered barrier system. (b) The engineered barrier system must be designed so that, working...

10 CFR 63.113 - Performance objectives for the geologic repository after permanent closure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Performance objectives for the geologic repository after permanent closure. 63.113 Section 63.113 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) DISPOSAL OF HIGH... and an engineered barrier system. (b) The engineered barrier system must be designed so that, working...

10 CFR 63.113 - Performance objectives for the geologic repository after permanent closure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Performance objectives for the geologic repository after permanent closure. 63.113 Section 63.113 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) DISPOSAL OF HIGH... and an engineered barrier system. (b) The engineered barrier system must be designed so that, working...

10 CFR 63.113 - Performance objectives for the geologic repository after permanent closure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Performance objectives for the geologic repository after permanent closure. 63.113 Section 63.113 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) DISPOSAL OF HIGH... and an engineered barrier system. (b) The engineered barrier system must be designed so that, working...

Spatial Autocorrelation, Source Water and the Distribution of Total and Viable Microbial Abundances within a Crystalline Formation to a Depth of 800 m

PubMed Central

Beaton, E. D.; Stuart, Marilyne; Stroes-Gascoyne, Sim; King-Sharp, Karen J.; Gurban, Ioana; Festarini, Amy; Chen, Hui Q.

2017-01-01

Proposed radioactive waste repositories require long residence times within deep geological settings for which we have little knowledge of local or regional subsurface dynamics that could affect the transport of hazardous species over the period of radioactive decay. Given the role of microbial processes on element speciation and transport, knowledge and understanding of local microbial ecology within geological formations being considered as host formations can aid predictions for long term safety. In this relatively unexplored environment, sampling opportunities are few and opportunistic. We combined the data collected for geochemistry and microbial abundances from multiple sampling opportunities from within a proposed host formation and performed multivariate mixing and mass balance (M3) modeling, spatial analysis and generalized linear modeling to address whether recharge can explain how subsurface communities assemble within fracture water obtained from multiple saturated fractures accessed by boreholes drilled into the crystalline formation underlying the Chalk River Laboratories site (Deep River, ON, Canada). We found that three possible source waters, each of meteoric origin, explained 97% of the samples, these are: modern recharge, recharge from the period of the Laurentide ice sheet retreat (ca. ∼12000 years before present) and a putative saline source assigned as Champlain Sea (also ca. 12000 years before present). The distributed microbial abundances and geochemistry provide a conceptual model of two distinct regions within the subsurface associated with bicarbonate – used as a proxy for modern recharge – and manganese; these regions occur at depths relevant to a proposed repository within the formation. At the scale of sampling, the associated spatial autocorrelation means that abundances linked with geochemistry were not unambiguously discerned, although fine scale Moran’s eigenvector map (MEM) coefficients were correlated with the abundance data and suggest the action of localized processes possibly associated with the manganese and sulfate content of the fracture water. PMID:28974945

Operations research applications in nuclear energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Benjamin Lloyd

This dissertation consists of three papers; the first is published in Annals of Operations Research, the second is nearing submission to INFORMS Journal on Computing, and the third is the predecessor of a paper nearing submission to Progress in Nuclear Energy. We apply operations research techniques to nuclear waste disposal and nuclear safeguards. Although these fields are different, they allow us to showcase some benefits of using operations research techniques to enhance nuclear energy applications. The first paper, "Optimizing High-Level Nuclear Waste Disposal within a Deep Geologic Repository," presents a mixed-integer programming model that determines where to place high-level nuclear waste packages in a deep geologic repository to minimize heat load concentration. We develop a heuristic that increases the size of solvable model instances. The second paper, "Optimally Configuring a Measurement System to Detect Diversions from a Nuclear Fuel Cycle," introduces a simulation-optimization algorithm and an integer-programming model to find the best, or near-best, resource-limited nuclear fuel cycle measurement system with a high degree of confidence. Given location-dependent measurement method precisions, we (i) optimize the configuration of n methods at n locations of a hypothetical nuclear fuel cycle facility, (ii) find the most important location at which to improve method precision, and (iii) determine the effect of measurement frequency on near-optimal configurations and objective values. Our results correspond to existing outcomes but we obtain them at least an order of magnitude faster. The third paper, "Optimizing Nuclear Material Control and Accountability Measurement Systems," extends the integer program from the second paper to locate measurement methods in a larger, hypothetical nuclear fuel cycle scenario given fixed purchase and utilization budgets. This paper also presents two mixed-integer quadratic programming models to increase the precision of existing methods given a fixed improvement budget and to reduce the measurement uncertainty in the system while limiting improvement costs. We quickly obtain similar or better solutions compared to several intuitive analyses that take much longer to perform.

Historical Background on Assessment the Performance of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rechard, R.P.

1999-06-01

In 1979, six years after selecting the Delaware Basin as a potential disposal area, Congress authorized the US Department of Energy to build the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, New Mexico, as a research and development facility for the safe management, storage, and disposal of waste contaminated with transuranic radioisotopes. In 1998, 19 years after authorization and 25 years after site selection, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified that the WIPP disposal system complied with its regulations. The EPA's decision was primarily based on the results from a performance assessment conducted in 1996. This performance assessment wasmore » the culmination of four preliminary performance assessments conducted between 1989 and 1992. This report provides a historical setting and context for how the performance of the deep geologic repository at the WIPP was analyzed. Also included is background on political forces acting on the project. For example, the federal requirement to provide environmental impact statements and negotiated agreements with the State of New Mexico influenced the type of scientific areas that were investigated and the engineering analysis prior to 1989 for the WIPP.« less

Finite-element three-dimensional ground-water (FE3DGW) flow model - formulation, program listings and users' manual

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gupta, S.K.; Cole, C.R.; Bond, F.W.

1979-12-01

The Assessment of Effectiveness of Geologic Isolation Systems (AEGIS) Program is developing and applying the methodology for assessing the far-field, long-term post-closure safety of deep geologic nuclear waste repositories. AEGIS is being performed by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) under contract with the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation (OWNI) for the Department of Energy (DOE). One task within AEGIS is the development of methodology for analysis of the consequences (water pathway) from loss of repository containment as defined by various release scenarios. Analysis of the long-term, far-field consequences of release scenarios requires the application of numerical codes which simulate the hydrologicmore » systems, model the transport of released radionuclides through the hydrologic systems to the biosphere, and, where applicable, assess the radiological dose to humans. Hydrologic and transport models are available at several levels of complexity or sophistication. Model selection and use are determined by the quantity and quality of input data. Model development under AEGIS and related programs provides three levels of hydrologic models, two levels of transport models, and one level of dose models (with several separate models). This document consists of the description of the FE3DGW (Finite Element, Three-Dimensional Groundwater) Hydrologic model third level (high complexity) three-dimensional, finite element approach (Galerkin formulation) for saturated groundwater flow.« less

Temperature data acquired from the DOI/GTN-P Deep Borehole Array on the Arctic Slope of Alaska, 1973-2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clow, Gary D.

2014-01-01

System (GTOS). The data will also be useful for refining our basic understanding of the physical conditions in permafrost in Arctic Alaska, as well as providing important information for validating predictive models used for climate impact assessments. The processed data are available from the Advanced Cooperative Arctic Data and Information Service (ACADIS) repository at doi:10.5065/D6N014HK.

Space Telecommunications Radio System (STRS) Application Repository Design and Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Handler, Louis M.

2013-01-01

The Space Telecommunications Radio System (STRS) Application Repository Design and Analysis document describes the STRS application repository for software-defined radio (SDR) applications intended to be compliant to the STRS Architecture Standard. The document provides information about the submission of artifacts to the STRS application repository, to provide information to the potential users of that information, and for the systems engineer to understand the requirements, concepts, and approach to the STRS application repository. The STRS application repository is intended to capture knowledge, documents, and other artifacts for each waveform application or other application outside of its project so that when the project ends, the knowledge is retained. The document describes the transmission of technology from mission to mission capturing lessons learned that are used for continuous improvement across projects and supporting NASA Procedural Requirements (NPRs) for performing software engineering projects and NASAs release process.

The Geant4 physics validation repository

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wenzel, H.; Yarba, J.; Dotti, A.

2015-12-01

The Geant4 collaboration regularly performs validation and regression tests. The results are stored in a central repository and can be easily accessed via a web application. In this article we describe the Geant4 physics validation repository which consists of a relational database storing experimental data and Geant4 test results, a java API and a web application. The functionality of these components and the technology choices we made are also described.

Monte Carlo simulations for generic granite repository studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chu, Shaoping; Lee, Joon H; Wang, Yifeng

In a collaborative study between Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) for the DOE-NE Office of Fuel Cycle Technologies Used Fuel Disposition (UFD) Campaign project, we have conducted preliminary system-level analyses to support the development of a long-term strategy for geologic disposal of high-level radioactive waste. A general modeling framework consisting of a near- and a far-field submodel for a granite GDSE was developed. A representative far-field transport model for a generic granite repository was merged with an integrated systems (GoldSim) near-field model. Integrated Monte Carlo model runs with the combined near- and farfield transport modelsmore » were performed, and the parameter sensitivities were evaluated for the combined system. In addition, a sub-set of radionuclides that are potentially important to repository performance were identified and evaluated for a series of model runs. The analyses were conducted with different waste inventory scenarios. Analyses were also conducted for different repository radionuelide release scenarios. While the results to date are for a generic granite repository, the work establishes the method to be used in the future to provide guidance on the development of strategy for long-term disposal of high-level radioactive waste in a granite repository.« less

Probabilistic estimation of long-term volcanic hazard under evolving tectonic conditions in a 1 Ma timeframe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaquet, O.; Lantuéjoul, C.; Goto, J.

2017-10-01

Risk assessments in relation to the siting of potential deep geological repositories for radioactive wastes demand the estimation of long-term tectonic hazards such as volcanicity and rock deformation. Owing to their tectonic situation, such evaluations concern many industrial regions around the world. For sites near volcanically active regions, a prevailing source of uncertainty is related to volcanic hazard. For specific situations, in particular in relation to geological repository siting, the requirements for the assessment of volcanic and tectonic hazards have to be expanded to 1 million years. At such time scales, tectonic changes are likely to influence volcanic hazard and therefore a particular stochastic model needs to be developed for the estimation of volcanic hazard. The concepts and theoretical basis of the proposed model are given and a methodological illustration is provided using data from the Tohoku region of Japan.

Determination of Uncertainties for +III and +IV Actinide Solubilities in the WIPP Geochemistry Model for the 2009 Compliance Recertification Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismail, A. E.; Xiong, Y.; Nowak, E. J.; Brush, L. H.

2009-12-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) repository in southeast New Mexico for defense-related transuranic (TRU) waste. Every five years, the DOE is required to submit an application to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) demonstrating the WIPP’s continuing compliance with the applicable EPA regulations governing the repository. Part of this recertification effort involves a performance assessment—a probabilistic evaluation of the repository performance with respect to regulatory limits on the amount of releases from the repository to the accessible environment. One of the models used as part of the performance assessment process is a geochemistry model, which predicts solubilities of the radionuclides in the brines that may enter the repository in the different scenarios considered by the performance assessment. The dissolved actinide source term comprises actinide solubilities, which are input parameters for modeling the transport of radionuclides as a result of brine flow through and from the repository. During a performance assessment, the solubilities are modeled as the product of a “base” solubility determined from calculations based on the chemical conditions expected in the repository, and an uncertainty factor that describes the potential deviations of the model from expected behavior. We will focus here on a discussion of the uncertainties. To compute a cumulative distribution function (CDF) for the uncertainties, we compare published, experimentally measured solubility data to predictions made using the established WIPP geochemistry model. The differences between the solubilities observed for a given experiment and the calculated solubilities from the model are used to form the overall CDF, which is then sampled as part of the performance assessment. We will discuss the methodology used to update the CDF’s for the +III actinides, obtained from data for Nd, Am, and Cm, and the +IV actinides, obtained from data for Th, and present results for the calculations of the updated CDF’s. We compare the CDF’s to the distributions computed for the previous recertification, and discuss the potential impact of the changes on the geochemistry model. This research is funded by WIPP programs administered by the U.S. Department of Energy. Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

The deep sea is a major sink for microplastic debris

PubMed Central

Woodall, Lucy C.; Sanchez-Vidal, Anna; Canals, Miquel; Paterson, Gordon L.J.; Coppock, Rachel; Sleight, Victoria; Calafat, Antonio; Rogers, Alex D.; Narayanaswamy, Bhavani E.; Thompson, Richard C.

2014-01-01

Marine debris, mostly consisting of plastic, is a global problem, negatively impacting wildlife, tourism and shipping. However, despite the durability of plastic, and the exponential increase in its production, monitoring data show limited evidence of concomitant increasing concentrations in marine habitats. There appears to be a considerable proportion of the manufactured plastic that is unaccounted for in surveys tracking the fate of environmental plastics. Even the discovery of widespread accumulation of microscopic fragments (microplastics) in oceanic gyres and shallow water sediments is unable to explain the missing fraction. Here, we show that deep-sea sediments are a likely sink for microplastics. Microplastic, in the form of fibres, was up to four orders of magnitude more abundant (per unit volume) in deep-sea sediments from the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean than in contaminated sea-surface waters. Our results show evidence for a large and hitherto unknown repository of microplastics. The dominance of microfibres points to a previously underreported and unsampled plastic fraction. Given the vastness of the deep sea and the prevalence of microplastics at all sites we investigated, the deep-sea floor appears to provide an answer to the question—where is all the plastic? PMID:26064573

The deep sea is a major sink for microplastic debris.

PubMed

Woodall, Lucy C; Sanchez-Vidal, Anna; Canals, Miquel; Paterson, Gordon L J; Coppock, Rachel; Sleight, Victoria; Calafat, Antonio; Rogers, Alex D; Narayanaswamy, Bhavani E; Thompson, Richard C

2014-12-01

Marine debris, mostly consisting of plastic, is a global problem, negatively impacting wildlife, tourism and shipping. However, despite the durability of plastic, and the exponential increase in its production, monitoring data show limited evidence of concomitant increasing concentrations in marine habitats. There appears to be a considerable proportion of the manufactured plastic that is unaccounted for in surveys tracking the fate of environmental plastics. Even the discovery of widespread accumulation of microscopic fragments (microplastics) in oceanic gyres and shallow water sediments is unable to explain the missing fraction. Here, we show that deep-sea sediments are a likely sink for microplastics. Microplastic, in the form of fibres, was up to four orders of magnitude more abundant (per unit volume) in deep-sea sediments from the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean than in contaminated sea-surface waters. Our results show evidence for a large and hitherto unknown repository of microplastics. The dominance of microfibres points to a previously underreported and unsampled plastic fraction. Given the vastness of the deep sea and the prevalence of microplastics at all sites we investigated, the deep-sea floor appears to provide an answer to the question-where is all the plastic?

The Geant4 physics validation repository

DOE PAGES

Wenzel, H.; Yarba, J.; Dotti, A.

2015-12-23

The Geant4 collaboration regularly performs validation and regression tests. The results are stored in a central repository and can be easily accessed via a web application. In this article we describe the Geant4 physics validation repository which consists of a relational database storing experimental data and Geant4 test results, a java API and a web application. Lastly, the functionality of these components and the technology choices we made are also described

Extracting Cross-Ontology Weighted Association Rules from Gene Ontology Annotations.

PubMed

Agapito, Giuseppe; Milano, Marianna; Guzzi, Pietro Hiram; Cannataro, Mario

2016-01-01

Gene Ontology (GO) is a structured repository of concepts (GO Terms) that are associated to one or more gene products through a process referred to as annotation. The analysis of annotated data is an important opportunity for bioinformatics. There are different approaches of analysis, among those, the use of association rules (AR) which provides useful knowledge, discovering biologically relevant associations between terms of GO, not previously known. In a previous work, we introduced GO-WAR (Gene Ontology-based Weighted Association Rules), a methodology for extracting weighted association rules from ontology-based annotated datasets. We here adapt the GO-WAR algorithm to mine cross-ontology association rules, i.e., rules that involve GO terms present in the three sub-ontologies of GO. We conduct a deep performance evaluation of GO-WAR by mining publicly available GO annotated datasets, showing how GO-WAR outperforms current state of the art approaches.

Predicting the Lifetimes of Nuclear Waste Containers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Fraser

2014-03-01

As for many aspects of the disposal of nuclear waste, the greatest challenge we have in the study of container materials is the prediction of the long-term performance over periods of tens to hundreds of thousands of years. Various methods have been used for predicting the lifetime of containers for the disposal of high-level waste or spent fuel in deep geological repositories. Both mechanical and corrosion-related failure mechanisms need to be considered, although until recently the interactions of mechanical and corrosion degradation modes have not been considered in detail. Failure from mechanical degradation modes has tended to be treated through suitable container design. In comparison, the inevitable loss of container integrity due to corrosion has been treated by developing specific corrosion models. The most important aspect, however, is to be able to justify the long-term predictions by demonstrating a mechanistic understanding of the various degradation modes.

Deep Borehole Field Test Research Activities at LBNL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dobson, Patrick; Tsang, Chin-Fu; Kneafsey, Timothy

The goal of the U.S. Department of Energy Used Fuel Disposition’s (UFD) Deep Borehole Field Test is to drill two 5 km large-diameter boreholes: a characterization borehole with a bottom-hole diameter of 8.5 inches and a field test borehole with a bottom-hole diameter of 17 inches. These boreholes will be used to demonstrate the ability to drill such holes in crystalline rocks, effectively characterize the bedrock repository system using geophysical, geochemical, and hydrological techniques, and emplace and retrieve test waste packages. These studies will be used to test the deep borehole disposal concept, which requires a hydrologically isolated environment characterizedmore » by low permeability, stable fluid density, reducing fluid chemistry conditions, and an effective borehole seal. During FY16, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientists conducted a number of research studies to support the UFD Deep Borehole Field Test effort. This work included providing supporting data for the Los Alamos National Laboratory geologic framework model for the proposed deep borehole site, conducting an analog study using an extensive suite of geoscience data and samples from a deep (2.5 km) research borehole in Sweden, conducting laboratory experiments and coupled process modeling related to borehole seals, and developing a suite of potential techniques that could be applied to the characterization and monitoring of the deep borehole environment. The results of these studies are presented in this report.« less

Finite Element Stress Analysis of Spent Nuclear Fuel Disposal Canister in a Deep Geological Repository

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwon, Young Joo; Choi, Jong Won

This paper presents the finite element stress analysis of a spent nuclear fuel disposal canister to provide basic information for dimensioning the canister and configuration of canister components and consequently to suggest the structural analysis methodology for the disposal canister in a deep geological repository which is nowadays very important in the environmental waste treatment technology. Because of big differences in the pressurized water reactor (PWR) and the Canadian deuterium and uranium reactor (CANDU) fuel properties, two types of canisters are conceived. For manufacturing, operational reasons and standardization, however, both canisters have the same outer diameter and length. The construction type of canisters introduced here is a solid structure with a cast insert and a corrosion resistant overpack. The structural stress analysis is carried out using a finite element analysis code, NISA, and focused on the structural strength of the canister against the expected external pressures due to the swelling of the bentonite buffer and the hydrostatic head. The canister must withstand these large pressure loads. Consequently, canisters presented here contain 4 PWR fuel assemblies and 33×9 CANDU fuel bundles. The outside diameter of the canister for both fuels is 122cm and the cast insert diameter is 112cm. The total length of the canister is 483cm with the lid/bottom and the outer shell of 5cm.

Reactive Transport Modeling and Changes in Porosity at Reactive Interfaces in a HLW repository in Clay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samper, J.; Mon, A.; Montenegro, L.; Naves, A.; Fernández, J.

2016-12-01

High-level radioactive waste disposal in a deep geological repository is based on a multibarrier concept which combines natural barriers such as the geological formation and artificial barriers such as metallic containers, bentonite and concrete buffers and sealing materials. The stability and performance of the bentonite barrier could be affected by the corrosion products at the canister-bentonite interface and the hyperalkaline conditions caused by the degradation of concrete at the bentonite-concrete interface. Additionally, the host clay formation could also be affected by the hyperalkaline plume at the concrete-clay interface. Here we present a nonisothermal reactive transport model of the long-term interactions of the compacted bentonite with the corrosion products of a carbon-steel canister and the concrete liner of the engineered barrier of a high-level radioactive waste repository in clay. This problem involves large pH changes with a hyperalkaline high-pH plume, complex mineral dissolution/precipitation patterns, cation exchange reactions and proton surface complexation. These reactions lead to large changes in porosity which can even lead to pore clogging. Model results show that magnetite, the main corrosion product, precipitates and reduces significantly the porosity of the bentonite near the canister. The degradation of the concrete liner leads to the precipitation of secondary minerals and the reduction of the porosity of the bentonite and the clay formation at their interfaces with the concrete liner. The zones affected by pore clogging at the canister-bentonite, bentonite-concrete and concrete-clay interfaces at 1 Ma are equal to 10, 25 and 25 mm thick, respectively. The results of our simulations share many of the features of the models reported by others for engineered barrier systems at similar chemical conditions, including: 1) Narrow alteration zones; and 2) Pore clogging at the canister-bentonite, bentonite-concrete and concrete-clay interfaces.

Impact assessment of ionizing radiation on human and non-human biota from the vicinity of a near-surface radioactive waste repository.

PubMed

Nedveckaite, T; Gudelis, A; Vives i Batlle, J

2013-05-01

This work describes the radiological assessment of the near-surface Maisiagala radioactive waste repository (Lithuania) over the period 2005-2012, with focus on water pathways and special emphasis on tritium. The study includes an assessment of the effect of post-closure upgrading, the durability of which is greater than 30 years. Both human and terrestrial non-human biota are considered, with local low-intensity forestry and small farms being the area of concern. The radiological exposure was evaluated using the RESRAD-OFFSITE, RESRAD-BIOTA and ERICA codes in combination with long-term data from a dedicated environmental monitoring programme. All measurements were performed at the Lithuanian Institute of Physics as part of this project. It is determined that, after repository upgrading, radiological exposure to humans are significantly lower than the human dose constraint of 0.2 mSv/year valid in the Republic of Lithuania. Likewise, for non-human biota, dose rates are below the ERICA/PROTECT screening levels. The potential annual effective inhalation dose that could be incurred by the highest-exposed human individual (which is due to tritiated water vapour airborne release over the most exposed area) does not exceed 0.1 μSv. Tritium-labelled drinking water appears to be the main pathway for human impact, representing about 83 % of the exposure. Annual committed effective dose (CED) values for members of the public consuming birch sap as medical practice are calculated to be several orders of magnitude below the CEDs for the same location associated with drinking of well water. The data presented here indicate that upper soil-layer samples may not provide a good indication of potential exposure to terrestrial deep-rooted trees, as demonstrated by an investigation of stratified (3)H in soil moisture, expressed on a wet soil mass basis, in an area with subsurface contamination.

Finding relevant biomedical datasets: the UC San Diego solution for the bioCADDIE Retrieval Challenge

PubMed Central

Wei, Wei; Ji, Zhanglong; He, Yupeng; Zhang, Kai; Ha, Yuanchi; Li, Qi; Ohno-Machado, Lucila

2018-01-01

Abstract The number and diversity of biomedical datasets grew rapidly in the last decade. A large number of datasets are stored in various repositories, with different formats. Existing dataset retrieval systems lack the capability of cross-repository search. As a result, users spend time searching datasets in known repositories, and they typically do not find new repositories. The biomedical and healthcare data discovery index ecosystem (bioCADDIE) team organized a challenge to solicit new indexing and searching strategies for retrieving biomedical datasets across repositories. We describe the work of one team that built a retrieval pipeline and examined its performance. The pipeline used online resources to supplement dataset metadata, automatically generated queries from users’ free-text questions, produced high-quality retrieval results and achieved the highest inferred Normalized Discounted Cumulative Gain among competitors. The results showed that it is a promising solution for cross-database, cross-domain and cross-repository biomedical dataset retrieval. Database URL: https://github.com/w2wei/dataset_retrieval_pipeline PMID:29688374

International Approaches for Nuclear Waste Disposal in Geological Formations: Geological Challenges in Radioactive Waste Isolation—Fifth Worldwide Review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Faybishenko, Boris; Birkholzer, Jens; Sassani, David

The overall objective of the Fifth Worldwide Review (WWR-5) is to document the current state-of-the-art of major developments in a number of nations throughout the World pursuing geological disposal programs, and to summarize challenging problems and experience that have been obtained in siting, preparing and reviewing cases for the operational and long-term safety of proposed and operating nuclear waste repositories. The scope of the Review is to address current specific technical issues and challenges in safety case development along with the interplay of technical feasibility, siting, engineering design issues, and operational and post-closure safety. In particular, the chapters included inmore » the report present the following types of information: the current status of the deep geological repository programs for high level nuclear waste and low- and intermediate level nuclear waste in each country, concepts of siting and radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel management in different countries (with the emphasis of nuclear waste disposal under different climatic conditions and different geological formations), progress in repository site selection and site characterization, technology development, buffer/backfill materials studies and testing, support activities, programs, and projects, international cooperation, and future plans, as well as regulatory issues and transboundary problems.« less

Birds of a Feather - Developments towards shared, regional geological disposal in the EU?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Codee, H.D.K.; Verhoef, E.V.; McCombie, Ch.

2008-07-01

Geological disposal is an essential component of the long-term management of spent fuel, high level and other long-lived radioactive waste. In the EU, all 25 member states generate radioactive waste. Of course, there are large differences in type and quantity between the member states, but all of them need a long-term solution. Even a country with only lightning rods with radium will need a long-term solution for the disposal. The 1600 year half-life of radium does not fit in a solution with a span of control of just a few hundred years. Implementation of a suitable deep repository may, however,more » be difficult or impossible for countries with small volumes of waste, because of the high costs involved. Will economy of scale force these birds of a feather to wait to flock together and share a repository? Implementing a small repository and operating it for very long times is very costly. There are past and current examples of countries being prepared to accept radioactive waste from others if a better environmental solution is thus achieved and if the arrangements are fair for all parties involved. The need for supranational surveillance also points to shared solutions. Although the European Parliament and the Commission have both supported the concept of shared regional repositories in Europe, (national) political and societal constraints have hampered the realization of such facilities up to now. The first step in this staged process was the EC funded project, SAPIERR I. The project (2003 to 2005) studied the feasibility of shared regional storage facilities and geological repositories, for use by European countries. It showed that, if shared regional repositories are to be implemented even some decades ahead, efforts must already be increased now. The next step in the process is to develop a practical implementation strategy and organizational structures to work on shared EU radioactive waste storage and disposal activities. This is addressed in the EC funded project SAPIERR II (2006-2008). The paper gives an update of the SAPIERR II project and describes the progress achieved. (authors)« less

The SeaView EarthCube project: Lessons Learned from Integrating Across Repositories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diggs, S. C.; Stocks, K. I.; Arko, R. A.; Kinkade, D.; Shepherd, A.; Olson, C. J.; Pham, A.

2017-12-01

SeaView is an NSF-funded EarthCube Integrative Activity Project working with 5 existing data repositories* to provide oceanographers with highly integrated thematic data collections in user-requested formats. The project has three complementary goals: Supporting Scientists: SeaView targets scientists' need for easy access to data of interest that are ready to import into their preferred tool. Strengthening Repositories: By integrating data from multiple repositories for science use, SeaView is helping the ocean data repositories align their data and processes and make ocean data more accessible and easily integrated. Informing EarthCube (earthcube.org): SeaView's experience as an integration demonstration can inform the larger NSF EarthCube architecture and design effort. The challenges faced in this small-scale effort are informative to geosciences cyberinfrastructure more generally. Here we focus on the lessons learned that may inform other data facilities and integrative architecture projects. (The SeaView data collections will be presented at the Ocean Sciences 2018 meeting.) One example is the importance of shared semantics, with persistent identifiers, for key integration elements across the data sets (e.g. cruise, parameter, and project/program.) These must allow for revision through time and should have an agreed authority or process for resolving conflicts: aligning identifiers and correcting errors were time consuming and often required both deep domain knowledge and "back end" knowledge of the data facilities. Another example is the need for robust provenance, and tools that support automated or semi-automated data transform pipelines that capture provenance. Multiple copies and versions of data are now flowing into repositories, and onward to long-term archives such as NOAA NCEI and umbrella portals such as DataONE. Exact copies can be identified with hashes (for those that have the skills), but it can be painfully difficult to understand the processing or format changes that differentiates versions. As more sensors are deployed, and data re-use increases, this will only become more challenging. We will discuss these, and additional lessons learned, as well as invite discussion and solutions from others doing similar work. * BCO-DMO, CCHDO, OBIS, OOI, R2R

Geological repository for nuclear high level waste in France from feasibility to design within a legal framework

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Voizard, Patrice; Mayer, Stefan; Ouzounian, Gerald

Over the past 15 years, the French program on deep geologic disposal of high level and long-lived radioactive waste has benefited from a clear legal framework as the result of the December 30, 1991 French Waste Act. To fulfil its obligations stipulated in this law, ANDRA has submitted the 'Dossier 2005 Argile' (clay) and 'Dossier 2005 Granite' to the French Government. The first of those reports presents a concept for the underground disposal of nuclear waste at a specific clay site and focuses on a feasibility study. Knowledge of the host rock characteristics is based on the investigations carried outmore » at the Meuse/Haute Marne Underground Research Laboratory. The repository concept addresses various issues, the most important of which relates to the large amount of waste, the clay host rock and the reversibility requirement. This phase has ended upon review and evaluation of the 'Dossier 2005' made by different organisations including the National Review Board, the National Safety Authority and the NEA International Review Team. By passing the 'new', June 28, 2006 Planning Act on the sustainable management of radioactive materials and waste, the French parliament has further defined a clear legal framework for future work. This June 28 Planning Act thus sets a schedule and defines the objectives for the next phase of repository design in requesting the submission of a construction authorization application by 2015. The law calls for the repository program to be in a position to commission disposal installations by 2025. (authors)« less

Industrial Program of Waste Management - Cigeo Project - 13033

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Butez, Marc; Bartagnon, Olivier; Gagner, Laurent

2013-07-01

The French Planning Act of 28 June 2006 prescribed that a reversible repository in a deep geological formation be chosen as the reference solution for the long-term management of high-level and intermediate-level long-lived radioactive waste. It also entrusted the responsibility of further studies and design of the repository (named Cigeo) upon the French Radioactive Waste Management Agency (Andra), in order for the review of the creation-license application to start in 2015 and, subject to its approval, the commissioning of the repository to take place in 2025. Andra is responsible for siting, designing, implementing, operating the future geological repository, including operationalmore » and long term safety and waste acceptance. Nuclear operators (Electricite de France (EDF), AREVA NC, and the French Commission in charge of Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies (CEA) are technically and financially responsible for the waste they generate, with no limit in time. They provide Andra, on one hand, with waste packages related input data, and on the other hand with their long term industrial experiences of high and intermediate-level long-lived radwaste management and nuclear operation. Andra, EDF, AREVA and CEA established a cooperation agreement for strengthening their collaborations in these fields. Within this agreement Andra and the nuclear operators have defined an industrial program for waste management. This program includes the waste inventory to be taken into account for the design of the Cigeo project and the structural hypothesis underlying its phased development. It schedules the delivery of the different categories of waste and defines associated flows. (authors)« less

Environmental surveillance of viruses by tangential flow filtration and metagenomic reconstruction.

PubMed

Furtak, Vyacheslav; Roivainen, Merja; Mirochnichenko, Olga; Zagorodnyaya, Tatiana; Laassri, Majid; Zaidi, Sohail Z; Rehman, Lubna; Alam, Muhammad M; Chizhikov, Vladimir; Chumakov, Konstantin

2016-04-14

An approach is proposed for environmental surveillance of poliovirus by concentrating sewage samples with tangential flow filtration (TFF) followed by deep sequencing of viral RNA. Subsequent to testing the method with samples from Finland, samples from Pakistan, a country endemic for poliovirus, were investigated. Genomic sequencing was either performed directly, for unbiased identification of viruses regardless of their ability to grow in cell cultures, or after virus enrichment by cell culture or immunoprecipitation. Bioinformatics enabled separation and determination of individual consensus sequences. Overall, deep sequencing of the entire viral population identified polioviruses, non-polio enteroviruses, and other viruses. In Pakistani sewage samples, adeno-associated virus, unable to replicate autonomously in cell cultures, was the most abundant human virus. The presence of recombinants of wild polioviruses of serotype 1 (WPV1) was also inferred, whereby currently circulating WPV1 of south-Asian (SOAS) lineage comprised two sub-lineages depending on their non-capsid region origin. Complete genome analyses additionally identified point mutants and intertypic recombinants between attenuated Sabin strains in the Pakistani samples, and in one Finnish sample. The approach could allow rapid environmental surveillance of viruses causing human infections. It creates a permanent digital repository of the entire virome potentially useful for retrospective screening of future discovered viruses.

ADVANTG Shielding Analysis for Closure Operations in an Open-Mode Repository

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bevill, Aaron M; Radulescu, Georgeta; Scaglione, John M

2013-01-01

en-mode repository concepts could require worker entry into access drifts after placement of fuel casks in order to perform activities related to backfill, plug emplacement, routine maintenance, or performance confirmation. An ideal emplacement-drift shielding configuration would minimize dose to workers while maximizing airflow through the emplacement drifts. This paper presents a preliminary investigation of the feasibility and effectiveness of radiation shielding concepts that could be employed to facilitate worker operations in an open-mode repository. The repository model for this study includes pressurized-water reactor fuel assemblies (60 GWd/MTU burnup, 40 year post-irradiation cooldown) in packages of 32 assemblies. The closest fuelmore » packages are 5 meters from dosimetry voxels in the access drift. The unshielded dose to workers in the access drift is 73.7 rem/hour. Prior work suggests that open-mode repository concepts similar to this one would require 15 m3/s of ventilation airflow. Shielding concepts considered here include partial concrete plugs, labyrinthine shields, and stainless steel photon attenuator grids. Maximum dose to workers in the access drift was estimated for each shielding concept using MCNP5 with variance reduction parameters generated by ADVANTG. Because airflow through the shielding is important for open-mode repositories, a semi-empirical estimate of the head loss due to each shielding configuration was also calculated. Airflow and shielding performance vary widely among the proposed shielding configurations. Although the partial plug configuration had the best airflow performance, it allowed dose rates 1500 greater than the specified target. Labyrinthine shielding concepts yield doses on the order of 1 mrem/hour with configurations that impose 3 to 11 J/kg head loss. Adding 1 cm lead lining to the airflow channels of labyrinthine designs further reduces the worker dose by 65% to 95%. Photon-attenuator concepts may reduce worker dose to as low as 29 mrem/hour with head loss on the order of 1.9 J/kg.« less

miRBase: integrating microRNA annotation and deep-sequencing data.

PubMed

Kozomara, Ana; Griffiths-Jones, Sam

2011-01-01

miRBase is the primary online repository for all microRNA sequences and annotation. The current release (miRBase 16) contains over 15,000 microRNA gene loci in over 140 species, and over 17,000 distinct mature microRNA sequences. Deep-sequencing technologies have delivered a sharp rise in the rate of novel microRNA discovery. We have mapped reads from short RNA deep-sequencing experiments to microRNAs in miRBase and developed web interfaces to view these mappings. The user can view all read data associated with a given microRNA annotation, filter reads by experiment and count, and search for microRNAs by tissue- and stage-specific expression. These data can be used as a proxy for relative expression levels of microRNA sequences, provide detailed evidence for microRNA annotations and alternative isoforms of mature microRNAs, and allow us to revisit previous annotations. miRBase is available online at: http://www.mirbase.org/.

Deep Space Network-Wide Portal Development: Planning Service Pilot Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doneva, Silviya

2011-01-01

The Deep Space Network (DSN) is an international network of antennas that supports interplanetary spacecraft missions and radio and radar astronomy observations for the exploration of the solar system and the universe. DSN provides the vital two-way communications link that guides and controls planetary explorers, and brings back the images and new scientific information they collect. In an attempt to streamline operations and improve overall services provided by the Deep Space Network a DSN-wide portal is under development. The project is one step in a larger effort to centralize the data collected from current missions including user input parameters for spacecraft to be tracked. This information will be placed into a principal repository where all operations related to the DSN are stored. Furthermore, providing statistical characterization of data volumes will help identify technically feasible tracking opportunities and more precise mission planning by providing upfront scheduling proposals. Business intelligence tools are to be incorporated in the output to deliver data visualization.

Damage-plasticity model of the host rock in a nuclear waste repository

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koudelka, Tomáš; Kruis, Jaroslav, E-mail: kruis@fsv.cvut.cz

The paper describes damage-plasticity model for the modelling of the host rock environment of a nuclear waste repository. Radioactive Waste Repository Authority in Czech Republic assumes the repository to be in a granite rock mass which exhibit anisotropic behaviour where the strength in tension is lower than in compression. In order to describe this phenomenon, the damage-plasticity model is formulated with the help of the Drucker-Prager yield criterion which can be set to capture the compression behaviour while the tensile stress states is described with the help of scalar isotropic damage model. The concept of damage-plasticity model was implemented inmore » the SIFEL finite element code and consequently, the code was used for the simulation of the Äspö Pillar Stability Experiment (APSE) which was performed in order to determine yielding strength under various conditions in similar granite rocks as in Czech Republic. The results from the performed analysis are presented and discussed in the paper.« less

Scientific information repository assisting reflectance spectrometry in legal medicine.

PubMed

Belenki, Liudmila; Sterzik, Vera; Bohnert, Michael; Zimmermann, Klaus; Liehr, Andreas W

2012-06-01

Reflectance spectrometry is a fast and reliable method for the characterization of human skin if the spectra are analyzed with respect to a physical model describing the optical properties of human skin. For a field study performed at the Institute of Legal Medicine and the Freiburg Materials Research Center of the University of Freiburg, a scientific information repository has been developed, which is a variant of an electronic laboratory notebook and assists in the acquisition, management, and high-throughput analysis of reflectance spectra in heterogeneous research environments. At the core of the repository is a database management system hosting the master data. It is filled with primary data via a graphical user interface (GUI) programmed in Java, which also enables the user to browse the database and access the results of data analysis. The latter is carried out via Matlab, Python, and C programs, which retrieve the primary data from the scientific information repository, perform the analysis, and store the results in the database for further usage.

Data Management of Watershed Information and Data Enterprise Repository Implementation at Fort Hood, Texas

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-03-01

is a 20-ft (6.1-m) mast supporting a cell phone antenna and a solar panel. Contained with in the enclosure is a Forest Technology Systems data...logger, a deep cycle battery, a voltage regulator, a cell phone modem, and a Motorola cell phone . The stream level, turbidity, and soil moisture sensors...DOIM) Security Protocols at Fort Hood, computers connected to the Fort Hood network cannot utilize cell phone communication to retrieve the data

Assessment of effectiveness of geologic isolation systems. CIRMIS data system. Volume 3. Generator routines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Friedrichs, D.R.; Argo, R.S.

The Assessment of Effectiveness of Geologic Isolation Systems (AEGIS) Program is developing and applying the methodology for assessing the far-field, long-term post-closure safety of deep geologic nuclear waste repositories. AEGIS is being performed by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) under contract with the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation (ONWI) for the Department of Energy (DOE). One task within AEGIS is the development of methodology for analysis of the consequences (water pathway) from loss of repository containment as defined by various release scenarios. The various input parameters required in the analysis are compiled in data systems. The data are organized and preparedmore » by various input subroutines for utilization by the hydraulic and transport codes. The hydrologic models simulate the groundwater flow systems and provide water flow directions, rates, and velocities as inputs to the transport models. Outputs from the transport models are basically graphs of radionuclide concentration in the groundwater plotted against time. After dilution in the receiving surface-water body (e.g., lake, river, bay), these data are the input source terms for the dose models, if dose assessments are required. The dose models calculate radiation dose to individuals and populations. CIRMIS (Comprehensive Information Retrieval and Model Input Sequence) Data System, a storage and retrieval system for model input and output data, including graphical interpretation and display is described. This is the third of four volumes of the description of the CIRMIS Data System.« less

Assessment of effectiveness of geologic isolation systems. CIRMIS data system. Volume 1. Initialization, operation, and documentation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Friedrichs, D.R.

1980-01-01

The Assessment of Effectiveness of Geologic Isolation Systems (AEGIS) Program is developing and applying the methodology for assessing the far-field, long-term post-closure safety of deep geologic nuclear waste repositories. AEGIS is being performed by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) under contract with the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation (ONWI) for the Department of Energy (DOE). One task within AEGIS is the development of methodology for analysis of the consequences (water pathway) from loss of repository containment as defined by various release scenarios. The various input parameters required in the analysis are compiled in data systems. The data are organized and preparedmore » by various input subroutines for use by the hydrologic and transport codes. The hydrologic models simulate the groundwater flow systems and provide water flow directions, rates, and velocities as inputs to the transport models. Outputs from the transport models are basically graphs of radionuclide concentration in the groundwater plotted against time. After dilution in the receiving surface-water body (e.g., lake, river, bay), these data are the input source terms for the dose models, if dose assessments are required. The dose models calculate radiation dose to individuals and populations. CIRMIS (Comprehensive Information Retrieval and Model Input Sequence) Data System, a storage and retrieval system for model input and output data, including graphical interpretation and display is described. This is the first of four volumes of the description of the CIRMIS Data System.« less

The NSF Arctic Data Center: Leveraging the DataONE Federation to Build a Sustainable Archive for the NSF Arctic Research Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budden, A. E.; Arzayus, K. M.; Baker-Yeboah, S.; Casey, K. S.; Dozier, J.; Jones, C. S.; Jones, M. B.; Schildhauer, M.; Walker, L.

2016-12-01

The newly established NSF Arctic Data Center plays a critical support role in archiving and curating the data and software generated by Arctic researchers from diverse disciplines. The Arctic community, comprising Earth science, archaeology, geography, anthropology, and other social science researchers, are supported through data curation services and domain agnostic tools and infrastructure, ensuring data are accessible in the most transparent and usable way possible. This interoperability across diverse disciplines within the Arctic community facilitates collaborative research and is mirrored by interoperability between the Arctic Data Center infrastructure and other large scale cyberinfrastructure initiatives. The Arctic Data Center leverages the DataONE federation to standardize access to and replication of data and metadata to other repositories, specifically the NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). This approach promotes long-term preservation of the data and metadata, as well as opening the door for other data repositories to leverage this replication infrastructure with NCEI and other DataONE member repositories. The Arctic Data Center uses rich, detailed metadata following widely recognized standards. Particularly, measurement-level and provenance metadata provide scientists the details necessary to integrate datasets across studies and across repositories while enabling a full understanding of the provenance of data used in the system. The Arctic Data Center gains this deep metadata and provenance support by simply adopting DataONE services, which results in significant efficiency gains by eliminating the need to develop systems de novo. Similarly, the advanced search tool developed by the Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity and extended for data submission by the Arctic Data Center, can be used by other DataONE-compliant repositories without further development. By standardizing interfaces and leveraging the DataONE federation, the Arctic Data Center has advanced rapidly and can itself contribute to raising the capabilities of all members of the federation.

International Approaches for Nuclear Waste Disposal in Geological Formations: Report on Fifth Worldwide Review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Faybishenko, Boris; Birkholzer, Jens; Persoff, Peter

2016-09-01

The goal of the Fifth Worldwide Review is to document evolution in the state-of-the-art of approaches for nuclear waste disposal in geological formations since the Fourth Worldwide Review that was released in 2006. The last ten years since the previous Worldwide Review has seen major developments in a number of nations throughout the world pursuing geological disposal programs, both in preparing and reviewing safety cases for the operational and long-term safety of proposed and operating repositories. The countries that are approaching implementation of geological disposal will increasingly focus on the feasibility of safely constructing and operating their repositories in short-more » and long terms on the basis existing regulations. The WWR-5 will also address a number of specific technical issues in safety case development along with the interplay among stakeholder concerns, technical feasibility, engineering design issues, and operational and post-closure safety. Preparation and publication of the Fifth Worldwide Review on nuclear waste disposal facilitates assessing the lessons learned and developing future cooperation between the countries. The Report provides scientific and technical experiences on preparing for and developing scientific and technical bases for nuclear waste disposal in deep geologic repositories in terms of requirements, societal expectations and the adequacy of cases for long-term repository safety. The Chapters include potential issues that may arise as repository programs mature, and identify techniques that demonstrate the safety cases and aid in promoting and gaining societal confidence. The report will also be used to exchange experience with other fields of industry and technology, in which concepts similar to the design and safety cases are applied, as well to facilitate the public perception and understanding of the safety of the disposal approaches relative to risks that may increase over long times frames in the absence of a successful implementation of final dispositioning.« less

Influence of the interpellet space to the Instant Release Fraction determination of a commercial UO2 Boiling Water Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez-Torrents, A.; Serrano-Purroy, D.; Casas, I.; De Pablo, J.

2018-02-01

The contact of the coolant with the fuel pin during irradiation produces a gradient of temperature in the fuel pellet that segregates the radionuclides (RN) depending on its volatility and reactivity. This segregation determines the Instant Release Fraction (IRF), an important source of radiological risk in the performance assessment (PA) of a Deep Geologic Repository (DGR). RN segregation was studied radially in previous papers. In the present work, it was studied axially, taking into special consideration the cutting position of the solid sample to be studied. Iodine and caesium were the RN with the highest release, while the contribution of rubidium, strontium, molybdenum and technetium to the IRF depended on their chemical state. The interpellet presence (known also as dishing) effect was clearly observed for caesium, increasing its release by one order of magnitude. According to these results, one of the major contributions to the IRF comes from the RN trapped in the dishing and has to be considered in the sampling and data interpretation that will be performed for the PA of the DGR.

Large-Scale In-situ Experiments to Determine Geochemical Alterations and Microbial Activities at the Geological Repository

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choung, S.; Francis, A. J.; Um, W.; Choi, S.; Kim, S.; Park, J.; Kim, S.

2013-12-01

The countries that have generated nuclear power have facing problems on the disposal of accumulated radioactive wastes. Geological disposal method has been chosen in many countries including Korea. A safety issue after the closure of geological repository has been raised, because microbial activities lead overpressure in the underground facilities through gas production. In particular, biodegradable organic materials derived from low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes play important role on microbial activities in the geological repository. This study performed large scale in-situ experiments using organic wastes and groundwater, and investigated geochemical alteration and microbial activities at early stage (~63 days) as representative of the period, after closure of the geological repository. The geochemical alteration controlled significantly the microorganism types and populations. Database of the biogeochemical alteration facilitates prediction of radionuclides' mobility and establishment of remedial strategy against unpredictable accidents and hazards at early stage right after closure of the geological repository.

Waste Form and Indrift Colloids-Associated Radionuclide Concentrations: Abstraction and Summary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

R. Aguilar

This Model Report describes the analysis and abstractions of the colloids process model for the waste form and engineered barrier system components of the total system performance assessment calculations to be performed with the Total System Performance Assessment-License Application model. Included in this report is a description of (1) the types and concentrations of colloids that could be generated in the waste package from degradation of waste forms and the corrosion of the waste package materials, (2) types and concentrations of colloids produced from the steel components of the repository and their potential role in radionuclide transport, and (3) typesmore » and concentrations of colloids present in natural waters in the vicinity of Yucca Mountain. Additionally, attachment/detachment characteristics and mechanisms of colloids anticipated in the repository are addressed and discussed. The abstraction of the process model is intended to capture the most important characteristics of radionuclide-colloid behavior for use in predicting the potential impact of colloid-facilitated radionuclide transport on repository performance.« less

Remote access to very large image repositories, a high performance computing perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Plesea, Lucian

2005-01-01

The main challenges of using the increasingly large repositories of remote imagery data can be summarized in one word: efficiency. In this paper, a number of concrete problems and the chosen solutions are described, based on the construction of a 5TB global Landsat 7 mosaic.

INTERNAL HAZARDS ANALYSIS FOR LICENSE APPLICATION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

R.J. Garrett

2005-02-17

The purpose of this internal hazards analysis is to identify and document the internal hazards and potential initiating events associated with preclosure operations of the repository at Yucca Mountain. Internal hazards are those hazards presented by the operation of the facility and by its associated processes that can potentially lead to a radioactive release or cause a radiological hazard. In contrast to external hazards, internal hazards do not involve natural phenomena and external man-made hazards. This internal hazards analysis was performed in support of the preclosure safety analysis and the License Application for the Yucca Mountain Project. The methodology formore » this analysis provides a systematic means to identify internal hazards and potential initiating events that may result in a radiological hazard or radiological release during the repository preclosure period. These hazards are documented in tables of potential internal hazards and potential initiating events (Section 6.6) for input to the repository event sequence categorization process. The results of this analysis will undergo further screening and analysis based on the criteria that apply to the performance of event sequence analyses for the repository preclosure period. The evolving design of the repository will be re-evaluated periodically to ensure that internal hazards that have not been previously evaluated are identified.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huff, Kathryn D.

Component level and system level abstraction of detailed computational geologic repository models have resulted in four rapid computational models of hydrologic radionuclide transport at varying levels of detail. Those models are described, as is their implementation in Cyder, a software library of interchangeable radionuclide transport models appropriate for representing natural and engineered barrier components of generic geology repository concepts. A proof of principle demonstration was also conducted in which these models were used to represent the natural and engineered barrier components of a repository concept in a reducing, homogenous, generic geology. This base case demonstrates integration of the Cyder openmore » source library with the Cyclus computational fuel cycle systems analysis platform to facilitate calculation of repository performance metrics with respect to fuel cycle choices. (authors)« less

Use of an analog site near Raymond, California, to develop equipment and methods for characterizing a potential high-level, nuclear waste repository site at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Umari, A.M.J.; Geldon, A.; Patterson, G.

1994-12-31

Yucca Mountain, Nevada, currently is being investigated by the U.S. Geological Survey as a potential site for a high-level nuclear waste repository. Planned hydraulic-stress and tracer tests in fractured, tuffaceous rocks below the water table at Yucca Mountain will require work at depths in excess of 1,300 feet. To facilitate prototype testing of equipment and methods to be used in aquifer tests at Yucca Mountain, an analog site was selected in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada near Raymond, California. Two of nine 250- to 300-feet deep wells drilled into fractured, granitic rocks at the Raymond site have been instrumentedmore » with packers, pressure transducers, and other equipment that will be used at Yucca Mountain. Aquifer tests conducted at the Raymond site to date have demonstrated a need to modify some of the equipment and methods conceived for use at Yucca Mountain.« less

Validation of a physically based catchment model for application in post-closure radiological safety assessments of deep geological repositories for solid radioactive wastes.

PubMed

Thorne, M C; Degnan, P; Ewen, J; Parkin, G

2000-12-01

The physically based river catchment modelling system SHETRAN incorporates components representing water flow, sediment transport and radionuclide transport both in solution and bound to sediments. The system has been applied to simulate hypothetical future catchments in the context of post-closure radiological safety assessments of a potential site for a deep geological disposal facility for intermediate and certain low-level radioactive wastes at Sellafield, west Cumbria. In order to have confidence in the application of SHETRAN for this purpose, various blind validation studies have been undertaken. In earlier studies, the validation was undertaken against uncertainty bounds in model output predictions set by the modelling team on the basis of how well they expected the model to perform. However, validation can also be carried out with bounds set on the basis of how well the model is required to perform in order to constitute a useful assessment tool. Herein, such an assessment-based validation exercise is reported. This exercise related to a field plot experiment conducted at Calder Hollow, west Cumbria, in which the migration of strontium and lanthanum in subsurface Quaternary deposits was studied on a length scale of a few metres. Blind predictions of tracer migration were compared with experimental results using bounds set by a small group of assessment experts independent of the modelling team. Overall, the SHETRAN system performed well, failing only two out of seven of the imposed tests. Furthermore, of the five tests that were not failed, three were positively passed even when a pessimistic view was taken as to how measurement errors should be taken into account. It is concluded that the SHETRAN system, which is still being developed further, is a powerful tool for application in post-closure radiological safety assessments.

New Rapid Evaluation for Long-Term Behavior in Deep Geological Repository by Geotechnical Centrifuge—Part 2: Numerical Simulation of Model Tests in Isothermal Condition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawada, Masataka; Nishimoto, Soshi; Okada, Tetsuji

2017-01-01

In high-level radioactive waste disposal repositories, there are long-term complex thermal, hydraulic, and mechanical (T-H-M) phenomena that involve the generation of heat from the waste, the infiltration of ground water, and swelling of the bentonite buffer. The ability to model such coupled phenomena is of particular importance to the repository design and assessments of its safety. We have developed a T-H-M-coupled analysis program that evaluates the long-term behavior around the repository (called "near-field"). We have also conducted centrifugal model tests that model the long-term T-H-M-coupled behavior in the near-field. In this study, we conduct H-M-coupled numerical simulations of the centrifugal near-field model tests. We compare numerical results with each other and with results obtained from the centrifugal model tests. From the comparison, we deduce that: (1) in the numerical simulation, water infiltration in the rock mass was in agreement with the experimental observation. (2) The constant-stress boundary condition in the centrifugal model tests may cause a larger expansion of the rock mass than in the in situ condition, but the mechanical boundary condition did not affect the buffer behavior in the deposition hole. (3) The numerical simulation broadly reproduced the measured bentonite pressure and the overpack displacement, but did not reproduce the decreasing trend of the bentonite pressure after 100 equivalent years. This indicates the effect of the time-dependent characteristics of the surrounding rock mass. Further investigations are needed to determine the effect of initial heterogeneity in the deposition hole and the time-dependent behavior of the surrounding rock mass.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aurelio, Mario; Taguibao, Kristine Joy; Vargas, Edmundo

In the selection of sites for disposal facilities involving low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommendations require that 'the region in which the site is located shall be such that significant tectonic and surface processes are not expected to occur with an intensity that would compromise the required isolation capability of the repository'. Evaluating the appropriateness of a site therefore requires a deep understanding of the geological and tectonic setting of the area. The Philippines sits in a tectonically active region frequented by earthquakes and volcanic activity. Its highly variable morphology coupled with its locationmore » along the typhoon corridor in the west Pacific region subjects the country to surface processes often manifested in the form of landslides. The Philippine LILW near surface repository project site is located on the north eastern sector of the Island of Luzon in northern Philippines. This island is surrounded by active subduction trenches; to the east by the East Luzon Trough and to the west by the Manila Trench. The island is also traversed by several branches of the Philippine Fault System. The Philippine LILW repository project is located more than 100 km away from any of these major active fault systems. In the near field, the project site is located less than 10 km from a minor fault (Dummon River Fault) and more than 40 km away from a volcanic edifice (Mt. Caguas). This paper presents an analysis of the potential hazards that these active tectonic features may pose to the project site. The assessment of such geologic hazards is imperative in the characterization of the site and a crucial input in the design and safety assessment of the repository. (authors)« less

Iterative performance assessments as a regulatory tool for evaluating repository safety: How experiences from SKI Project-90 were used in formulating the new performance assessment project SITE-94

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andersson, J.

1993-12-31

The Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate, SKI, regulatory research program has to prepare for the process of licensing a repository for spent nuclear fuel, by building up the necessary knowledge and review capacity. SKIs main strategy for meeting this demand is to develop an independent performance assessment capability. SKIs first own performance assessment project, Project-90, was completed in 1991 and is now followed by a new project, SITE-94. SITE-94 is based on conclusions reached within Project-90. An independent review of Project-90, carried out by a NEA team of experts, has also contributed to the formation of the project. Another important reasonmore » for the project is that the implementing organization in Sweden, SKB, has proposed to submit an application to start detailed investigation of a repository candidate site around 1997. SITE-94 is a performance assessment of a hypothetical repository at a real site. The main objective of the project is to determine how site specific data should be assimilated into the performance assessment process, and to evaluate how uncertainties inherent in site characterization will influence performance assessment results. This will be addressed by exploring multiple interpretations, conceptual models, and parameters consistent with the site data. The site evaluation will strive for consistency between geological, hydrological, rock mechanical, and geochemical descriptions. Other important elements of SITE-94 are the development of a practical and defensible methodology for defining, constructing and analyzing scenarios, the development of approaches for treatment of uncertainties, evaluation of canister integrity, and the development and application of an appropriate quality assurance plan for performance assessments.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klein, Thomas; Patterson, Russell; Camphouse, Chris

There are two primary regulatory requirements for Panel Closures at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), the nation's only deep geologic repository for defense related Transuranic (TRU) and Mixed TRU waste. The Federal requirement is through 40 CFR 191 and 194, promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The state requirement is regulated through the authority of the Secretary of the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) under the New Mexico Hazardous Waste Act (HWA), New Mexico Statutes Annotated (NMSA) 1978, chap. 74-4-1 through 74-4-14, in accordance with the New Mexico Hazardous Waste Management Regulations (HWMR), 20.4.1 New Mexico Annotatedmore » Code (NMAC). The state regulations are implemented for the operational period of waste emplacement plus 30 years whereas the federal requirements are implemented from the operational period through 10,000 years. The 10,000 year federal requirement is related to the adequate representation of the panel closures in determining long-term performance of the repository. In Condition 1 of the Final Certification Rulemaking for 40 CFR Part 194, the EPA required a specific design for the panel closure system. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO) has requested, through the Planned Change Request (PCR) process, that the EPA modify Condition 1 via its rulemaking process. The DOE has also requested, through the Permit Modification Request (PMR) process, that the NMED modify the approved panel closure system specified in Permit Attachment G1. The WIPP facility is carved out of a bedded salt formation 655 meters below the surface of southeast New Mexico. Condition 1 of the Final Certification Rulemaking specifies that the waste panels be closed using Option D which is a combination of a Salado mass concrete (SMC) monolith and an isolation/explosion block wall. The Option D design was also accepted as the panel closure of choice by the NMED. After twelve years of waste handling operations and a greater understanding of the waste and the behavior of the underground salt formation, the DOE has established a revised panel closure design. This revised design meets both the short-term NMED Permit requirements for the operational period, and also the Federal requirements for long-term repository performance. This new design is simpler, easier to construct and has less of an adverse impact on waste disposal operations than the originally approved Option D design. The Panel Closure Redesign is based on: (1) the results of in-situ constructability testing performed to determine run-of-mine salt reconsolidation parameters and how the characteristics of the bedded salt formation affect these parameters and, (2) the results of air flow analysis of the new design to determine that the limit for the migration of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) will be met at the compliance point. Waste panel closures comprise a repository feature that has been represented in WIPP performance assessment (PA) since the original Compliance Certification Application of 1996. Panel closures are included in WIPP PA models principally because they are a part of the disposal system, not because they play a substantive role in inhibiting the release of radionuclides to the outside environment. The 1998 rulemaking that certified WIPP to receive transuranic waste placed conditions on the panel closure design to be implemented in the repository. The revised panel closure design, termed the Run-of-Mine (ROM) Panel Closure System (ROMPCS), is comprised of 30.48 meters of ROM salt with barriers at each end. The ROM salt is generated from ongoing mining operations at the WIPP and may be compacted and/or moistened as it is emplaced in a panel entry. The barriers consist of bulkheads, similar to those currently used in the panels as room closures. A WIPP performance assessment has been completed that incorporates the ROMPCS design into the representation of the repository, and compares repository performance to that achieved with the approved Option D design. Several key physical processes and rock mechanics principles are incorporated into the performance assessment. First, creep closure of the salt rock surrounding a panel entry results in consolidation of the ROM salt emplaced in the entry. Eventually, the ROM salt comprising the ROMPCS will approach a condition similar to intact salt. As the ROM salt reaches higher fractional densities during consolidation, back stress will be imposed on the surrounding rock mass leading to eventual healing of the disturbed rock zone above and below the panel closure. Healing of the disturbed rock zone above and below the ROMPCS reduces the porosity and permeability in those areas. Analysis of the new design demonstrates that: (1) the WIPP continues to meet regulatory compliance requirements when the ROMPCS design is implemented instead of Option D, and (2) there is no impact on the short-term effectiveness of the panel closure to limit the concentration of VOCs at the WIPP site boundary to a fraction of the health-based exposure limits (HBLs) during the operational period. (authors)« less

Organogenesis in deep time: A problem in genomics, development, and paleontology.

PubMed

Pieretti, Joyce; Gehrke, Andrew R; Schneider, Igor; Adachi, Noritaka; Nakamura, Tetsuya; Shubin, Neil H

2015-04-21

The fossil record is a unique repository of information on major morphological transitions. Increasingly, developmental, embryological, and functional genomic approaches have also conspired to reveal evolutionary trajectory of phenotypic shifts. Here, we use the vertebrate appendage to demonstrate how these disciplines can mutually reinforce each other to facilitate the generation and testing of hypotheses of morphological evolution. We discuss classical theories on the origins of paired fins, recent data on regulatory modulations of fish fins and tetrapod limbs, and case studies exploring the mechanisms of digit loss in tetrapods. We envision an era of research in which the deep history of morphological evolution can be revealed by integrating fossils of transitional forms with direct experimentation in the laboratory via genome manipulation, thereby shedding light on the relationship between genes, developmental processes, and the evolving phenotype.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Finch, Robert J.; Smartt, Heidi A.; Haddal, Risa

Once a geological repository has begun operations, the encapsulation and disposal of spent fuel will be performed as a continuous, industrial-scale series of processes, during which time safeguards seals will be applied to transportation casks before shipment from an encapsulation plant, and then verified and removed following receipt at the repository. These operations will occur approximately daily during several decades of Sweden's repository operation; however, requiring safeguards inspectors to perform the application, verification, and removal of every seal would be an onerous burden on International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA's) resources. Current IAEA practice includes allowing operators to either apply sealsmore » or remove them, but not both, so the daily task of either applying or verifying and removing would still require continuous presence of IAEA inspectors at one site at least. Of special importance is the inability to re-verify cask or canisters from which seals have been removed and the canisters emplaced underground. Successfully designing seals that can be applied, verified and removed by an operator with IAEA approval could impact more than repository shipments, but other applications as well, potentially reducing inspector burdens for a wide range of such duties.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dreimanis, A.

This report considers the problem of multilevel consensus building for siting and construction of shared multinational/regional repositories for radioactive waste (RW) deep disposal. In the siting of a multinational repository there appears an essential innovative component of stakeholder consensus building, namely: to reach consent - political, social, economic, ecological - among international partners, in addition to solving the whole set of intra-national consensus building items. An entire partnering country is considered as a higher-level stakeholder - the national stakeholder, represented by the national government, being faced to simultaneous seeking an upward (international) and a downward (intra-national) consensus in a psychologicallymore » stressed environment, possibly being characterized by diverse political, economic and social interests. The following theses as a possible interdisciplinary approach towards building of shared understanding and stakeholder consensus on the international scale of RW disposal are forwarded and developed: a) building of international stakeholder consensus would be promoted by activating and diversifying on the international scale multilateral interactions between intra- and international stakeholders, including web-based networks of the RW disposal site investigations and decision-making, as well as networks for international cooperation among government authorities in nuclear safety, b) gradual progress in intergovernmental consensus and reaching multilateral agreements on shared deep repositories will be the result of democratic dialogue, via observing the whole set of various interests and common resolving of emerged controversies by using advanced synergetic approaches of conflict resolution, c) cross-cultural thinking and world perception, mental flexibility, creativity and knowledge are considered as basic prerogatives for gaining a higher level of mutual understanding and consensus for seeking further consensus, for advancing the preparedness to act together, and ultimately - for achieving desired shared goals. It is proposed that self-organized social learning will make it possible to promote adequate perception of risk and prevent, by diminishing uncertainties and unknown factors, social amplification of an imagined risk, as well as to increase the trust level and facilitate more adequate equity perception. The proposed approach to the multilevel stakeholder consensus building on international scale is extrapolated to the present-day activities of siting of such near-surface RW disposal facilities which supposedly could have non-negligible trans-boundary impact. A multilevel stakeholder interaction process is considered for the case of resolving of emerged problems in site selection for the planned near-surface RW repository in vicinity of the Lithuanian-Latvian border foreseen for disposal of short lived low- and intermediate level waste arising from the decommissioning of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. (authors)« less

Workshop on development of radionuclide getters for the Yucca Mountain waste repository: proceedings.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moore, Robert Charles; Lukens, Wayne W.

The proposed Yucca Mountain repository, located in southern Nevada, is to be the first facility for permanent disposal of spent reactor fuel and high-level radioactive waste in the United States. Total Systems Performance Assessment (TSPA) analysis has indicated that among the major radionuclides contributing to dose are technetium, iodine, and neptunium, all of which are highly mobile in the environment. Containment of these radionuclides within the repository is a priority for the Yucca Mountain Project (YMP). These proceedings review current research and technology efforts for sequestration of the radionuclides with a focus on technetium, iodine, and neptunium. This workshop alsomore » covered issues concerning the Yucca Mountain environment and getter characteristics required for potential placement into the repository.« less

Netlib services and resources

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Browne, S.V.; Green, S.C.; Moore, K.

1994-04-01

The Netlib repository, maintained by the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, contains freely available software, documents, and databases of interest to the numerical, scientific computing, and other communities. This report includes both the Netlib User`s Guide and the Netlib System Manager`s Guide, and contains information about Netlib`s databases, interfaces, and system implementation. The Netlib repository`s databases include the Performance Database, the Conferences Database, and the NA-NET mail forwarding and Whitepages Databases. A variety of user interfaces enable users to access the Netlib repository in the manner most convenient and compatible with their networking capabilities. These interfaces includemore » the Netlib email interface, the Xnetlib X Windows client, the netlibget command-line TCP/IP client, anonymous FTP, anonymous RCP, and gopher.« less

Challenges and Solutions for the Integration of Structural and Hydrogeological Understanding of Fracture Systems - Insights from the Olkiluoto Site, Finland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartley, L. J.; Aaltonen, I.; Baxter, S. J.; Cottrell, M.; Fox, A. L.; Hoek, J.; Koskinen, L.; Mattila, J.; Mosley, K.; Selroos, J. O.; Suikkanen, J.; Vanhanarkaus, O.; Williams, T. R. N.

2017-12-01

A field site at Olkiluoto in SW Finland has undergone extensive investigations as a location for a deep geological repository for spent nuclear fuel, which is expected to become operational in the early 2020s. Characterisation data comes from 58 deep cored drillholes, a wide variety of geophysical investigations, many outcrops, kilometres of underground mapping and testing in the ONKALO research facility, and groundwater pressure monitoring and sampling in both deep and shallow holes. A primary focus is on the properties of natural fractures and brittle fault zones in the low permeability crystalline rocks at Olkiluoto; an understanding of the flow and transport processes in these features are an essential part of assessing long-term safety of the repository. This presentation will illustrate how different types of source data and cross-disciplinary interpretations are integrated to develop conceptual and numerical models of the fracture system. A model of the brittle fault zones developed from geological and geophysical data provides the hydrostructural backbone controlling the most intense fracturing and dynamic conduits for fluids. Models of ductile deformation and lithology form a tectonic framework for the description of fracture heterogeneity in the background rock, revealing correlations between the intensity and orientation of fractures with geological and spatial properties. The sizes of brittle features are found to be best defined on two scales relating to individual fractures and zones. Inferred fracture-specific from flow logging are correlated with fracture geometric and mechanical properties along with in situ stress measurements to create a hydromechanical description of fracture hydraulic properties. The insights and understandings gained from these efforts help define a discrete fracture network (DFN) model for the Olkiluoto site, with hydrogeological characteristics consistent with monitoring data of hydraulic heads and their disturbances to pumping and underground construction. This work offers ideas and proposed solutions on how some of the challenges in describing fractured rock hydrogeology can be tackled.

Comprehensive database of wellbore temperatures and drilling mud weight pressures by depth for Judge Digby field, Louisiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burke, Lauri

2010-01-01

This document serves as the repository for the unprocessed data used in the investigation of temperature and overpressure relations within the deep Tuscaloosa Formation in Judge Digby field. It is a compilation of all the publicly accessible wellbore temperature and pressure data for Judge Digby field, a prolific natural gas field producing from the Upper Cretaceous lower part of the Tuscaloosa Formation in the Gulf Coast region. This natural gas field is in Pointe Coupee Parish in the southern part of onshore Louisiana.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Petersen, C.A., Westinghouse Hanford

The overall objective of this report is to provide a technical basis to support a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission determination to classify the low-activity waste from the Hanford Site single-shell and double-shell tanks as `incidental` wastes after removal of additional radionuclides and immobilization.The proposed processing method, in addition to the previous radionuclide removal efforts, will remove the largest practical amount of total site radioactivity, attributable to high-level wastes, for disposal in a deep geologic repository. The remainder of the waste would be considered `incidental` waste and could be disposed onsite.

A laboratory validation study of the time-lapse oscillatory pumping test for leakage detection in geological repositories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Alexander Y.; Lu, Jiemin; Islam, Akand

2017-05-01

Geologic repositories are extensively used for disposing byproducts in mineral and energy industries. The safety and reliability of these repositories are a primary concern to environmental regulators and the public. Time-lapse oscillatory pumping test (OPT) has been introduced recently as a pressure-based technique for detecting potential leakage in geologic repositories. By routinely conducting OPT at a number of pulsing frequencies, an operator may identify the potential repository anomalies in the frequency domain, alleviating the ambiguity caused by reservoir noise and improving the signal-to-noise ratio. Building on previous theoretical and field studies, this work performed a series of laboratory experiments to validate the concept of time-lapse OPT using a custom made, stainless steel tank under relatively high pressures. The experimental configuration simulates a miniature geologic storage repository consisting of three layers (i.e., injection zone, caprock, and above-zone aquifer). Results show that leakage in the injection zone led to deviations in the power spectrum of observed pressure data, and the amplitude of which also increases with decreasing pulsing frequencies. The experimental results are further analyzed by developing a 3D flow model, using which the model parameters are estimated through frequency domain inversion.

YUCCA MOUNTAIN: Earth-Science Issues at a Geologic Repository for High-Level Nuclear Waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, Jane C. S.

2004-05-01

The nation has over 40,000 metric tonnes (MT) of nuclear waste destined for disposal in a geologic repository at Yucca Mountain. In this review, we highlight some of the important geoscience issues associated with the project and place them in the context of the process by which a final decision on Yucca Mountain will be made. The issues include understanding how water could infiltrate the repository, corrode the canisters, dissolve the waste, and transport it to the biosphere during a 10,000-year compliance period in a region, the Basin and Range province, that is known for seismic and volcanic activity. Although the site is considered to be "dry," a considerable amount of water is present as pore waters and as structural water in zeolites. The geochemical environment is oxidizing, and the present repository design will maintain temperatures at greater than 100°C for thousands of years. Geoscientists in this project are challenged to make unprecedented predictions about coupled thermal, hydrologic, mechanical, and geochemical processes governing the future behavior of the repository and to conduct research in a regulatory and legal environment that requires a quantitative analysis of repository performance.

Dike/Drift Interactions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

E. Gaffiney

2004-11-23

This report presents and documents the model components and analyses that represent potential processes associated with propagation of a magma-filled crack (dike) migrating upward toward the surface, intersection of the dike with repository drifts, flow of magma in the drifts, and post-magma emplacement effects on repository performance. The processes that describe upward migration of a dike and magma flow down the drift are referred to as the dike intrusion submodel. The post-magma emplacement processes are referred to as the post-intrusion submodel. Collectively, these submodels are referred to as a conceptual model for dike/drift interaction. The model components and analyses ofmore » the dike/drift interaction conceptual model provide the technical basis for assessing the potential impacts of an igneous intrusion on repository performance, including those features, events, and processes (FEPs) related to dike/drift interaction (Section 6.1).« less

Trustworthy Digital Repositories: Building Trust the Old Fashion Way, EARNING IT.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinkade, D.; Chandler, C. L.; Shepherd, A.; Rauch, S.; Groman, R. C.; Wiebe, P. H.; Glover, D. M.; Allison, M. D.; Copley, N. J.; Ake, H.; York, A.

2016-12-01

There are several drivers increasing the importance of high quality data management and curation in today's research process (e.g., OSTP PARR memo, journal publishers, funders, academic and private institutions), and proper management is necessary throughout the data lifecycle to enable reuse and reproducibility of results. Many digital data repositories are capable of satisfying the basic management needs of an investigator looking to share their data (i.e., publish data in the public domain), but repository services vary greatly and not all provide mature services that facilitate discovery, access, and reuse of research data. Domain-specific repositories play a vital role in the data curation process by working closely with investigators to create robust metadata, perform first order QC, and assemble and publish research data. In addition, they may employ technologies and services that enable increased discovery, access, and long-term archive. However, smaller domain facilities operate in varying states of capacity and curation ability. Within this repository environment, individual investigators (driven by publishers, funders, or institutions) need to find trustworthy repositories for their data; and funders need to direct investigators to quality repositories to ensure return on their investment. So, how can one determine the best home for valuable research data? Metrics can be applied to varying aspects of data curation, and many credentialing organizations offer services that assess and certify the trustworthiness of a given data management facility. Unfortunately, many of these certifications can be inaccessible to a small repository in cost, time, or scope. Are there alternatives? This presentation will discuss methods and approaches used by the Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO; a domain-specific, intermediate digital data repository) to demonstrate trustworthiness in the face of a daunting accreditation landscape.

Use of Digital Repositories by Chemistry Researchers: Results of a Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polydoratou, Panayiota

2007-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to present findings from a survey that aimed to identify the issues around the use and linkage of source and output repositories and the chemistry researchers' expectations about their use. Design/methodology/approach: This survey was performed by means of an online questionnaire and structured interviews with academic and…

Report to Congress on the potential use of lead in the waste packages for a geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1989-12-01

In the Report of the Senate Committee on Appropriations accompanying the Energy and Water Appropriation Act for 1989, the Committee directed the Department of Energy (DOE) to evaluate the use of lead in the waste packages to be used in geologic repositories for spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste. The evaluation that was performed in response to this directive is presented in this report. This evaluation was based largely on a review of the technical literature on the behavior of lead, reports of work conducted in other countries, and work performed for the waste-management program being conducted by the DOE.more » The initial evaluation was limited to the potential use of lead in the packages to be used in the repository. Also, the focus of this report is post closure performance and not on retrievability and handling aspects of the waste package. 100 refs., 8 figs., 15 tabs.« less

Environmental and health impacts of February 14, 2014 radiation release from the nation's only deep geologic nuclear waste repository.

PubMed

Thakur, P; Lemons, B G; Ballard, S; Hardy, R

2015-08-01

The environmental impact of the February 14, 2014 radiation release from the nation's only deep geologic nuclear waste repository, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) was assessed using monitoring data from an independent monitoring program conducted by the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring & Research Center (CEMRC). After almost 15 years of safe and efficient operations, the WIPP had one of its waste drums rupture underground resulting in the release of moderate levels of radioactivity into the underground air. A small amount of radioactivity also escaped to the surface through the ventilation system and was detected above ground. It was the first unambiguous release from the WIPP repository. The dominant radionuclides released were americium and plutonium, in a ratio that matches the content of the breached drum. The accelerated air monitoring campaign, which began following the accident, indicates that releases were low and localized, and no radiation-related health effects among local workers or the public would be expected. The highest activity detected was 115.2 μBq/m(3) for (241)Am and 10.2 μBq/m(3) for (239+240)Pu at a sampling station located 91 m away from the underground air exhaust point and 81.4 μBq/m(3) of (241)Am and 5.8 μBq/m(3) of (239+240)Pu at a monitoring station located approximately one kilometer northwest of the WIPP facility. CEMRC's recent monitoring data show that the concentration levels of these radionuclides have returned to normal background levels and in many instances, are not even detectable, demonstrating no long-term environmental impacts of the recent radiation release event at the WIPP. This article presents an evaluation of almost one year of environmental monitoring data that informed the public that the levels of radiation that got out to the environment were very low and did not, and will not harm anyone or have any long-term environmental consequence. In terms of radiological risk at or in the vicinity of the WIPP site, the increased risk from the WIPP releases is exceedingly small, approaching zero. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Generic repository design concepts and thermal analysis (FY11).

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Howard, Robert; Dupont, Mark; Blink, James A.

2011-08-01

Reference concepts for geologic disposal of used nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste in the U.S. are developed, including geologic settings and engineered barriers. Repository thermal analysis is demonstrated for a range of waste types from projected future, advanced nuclear fuel cycles. The results show significant differences among geologic media considered (clay/shale, crystalline rock, salt), and also that waste package size and waste loading must be limited to meet targeted maximum temperature values. In this study, the UFD R&D Campaign has developed a set of reference geologic disposal concepts for a range of waste types that could potentially be generatedmore » in advanced nuclear FCs. A disposal concept consists of three components: waste inventory, geologic setting, and concept of operations. Mature repository concepts have been developed in other countries for disposal of spent LWR fuel and HLW from reprocessing UNF, and these serve as starting points for developing this set. Additional design details and EBS concepts will be considered as the reference disposal concepts evolve. The waste inventory considered in this study includes: (1) direct disposal of SNF from the LWR fleet, including Gen III+ advanced LWRs being developed through the Nuclear Power 2010 Program, operating in a once-through cycle; (2) waste generated from reprocessing of LWR UOX UNF to recover U and Pu, and subsequent direct disposal of used Pu-MOX fuel (also used in LWRs) in a modified-open cycle; and (3) waste generated by continuous recycling of metal fuel from fast reactors operating in a TRU burner configuration, with additional TRU material input supplied from reprocessing of LWR UOX fuel. The geologic setting provides the natural barriers, and establishes the boundary conditions for performance of engineered barriers. The composition and physical properties of the host medium dictate design and construction approaches, and determine hydrologic and thermal responses of the disposal system. Clay/shale, salt, and crystalline rock media are selected as the basis for reference mined geologic disposal concepts in this study, consistent with advanced international repository programs, and previous investigations in the U.S. The U.S. pursued deep geologic disposal programs in crystalline rock, shale, salt, and volcanic rock in the years leading up to the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, or NWPA (Rechard et al. 2011). The 1987 NWPA amendment act focused the U.S. program on unsaturated, volcanic rock at the Yucca Mountain site, culminating in the 2008 license application. Additional work on unsaturated, crystalline rock settings (e.g., volcanic tuff) is not required to support this generic study. Reference disposal concepts are selected for the media listed above and for deep borehole disposal, drawing from recent work in the U.S. and internationally. The main features of the repository concepts are discussed in Section 4.5 and summarized in Table ES-1. Temperature histories at the waste package surface and a specified distance into the host rock are calculated for combinations of waste types and reference disposal concepts, specifying waste package emplacement modes. Target maximum waste package surface temperatures are identified, enabling a sensitivity study to inform the tradeoff between the quantity of waste per disposal package, and decay storage duration, with respect to peak temperature at the waste package surface. For surface storage duration on the order of 100 years or less, waste package sizes for direct disposal of SNF are effectively limited to 4-PWR configurations (or equivalent size and output). Thermal results are summarized, along with recommendations for follow-on work including adding additional reference concepts, verification and uncertainty analysis for thermal calculations, developing descriptions of surface facilities and other system details, and cost estimation to support system-level evaluations.« less

Selected, annotated bibliography of studies relevant to the isolation of nuclear wastes. [705 references

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hyder, L.K.; Fore, C.S.; Vaughan, N.D.

This annotated bibliography of 705 references represents the first in a series to be published by the Ecological Sciences Information Center containing scientific, technical, economic, and regulatory information relevant to nuclear waste isolation. Most references discuss deep geologic disposal, with fewer studies of deep seabed disposal; space disposal is also included. The publication covers both domestic and foreign literature for the period 1954 to 1980. Major chapters selected are Chemical and Physical Aspects; Container Design and Performance; Disposal Site; Envirnmental Transport; General Studies and Reviews; Geology, Hydrology and Site Resources; Regulatory and Economic Aspects; Repository Design and Engineering; Transportation Technology;more » Waste Production; and Waste Treatment. Specialized data fields have been incorporated to improve the ease and accuracy of locating pertinent references. Specific radionuclides for which data are presented are listed in the Measured Radionuclides field, and specific parameters which affect the migration of these radionuclides are presented in the Measured Parameters field. The references within each chapter are arranged alphabetically by leading author, corporate affiliation, or title of the document. When the author is not given, the corporate affiliation appears first. If these two levels of authorship are not given, the title of the document is used as the identifying level. Indexes are provided for author(s), keywords, subject category, title, geographic location, measured parameters, measured radionuclides, and publication description.« less

Crystal Structure Prediction via Deep Learning.

PubMed

Ryan, Kevin; Lengyel, Jeff; Shatruk, Michael

2018-06-06

We demonstrate the application of deep neural networks as a machine-learning tool for the analysis of a large collection of crystallographic data contained in the crystal structure repositories. Using input data in the form of multi-perspective atomic fingerprints, which describe coordination topology around unique crystallographic sites, we show that the neural-network model can be trained to effectively distinguish chemical elements based on the topology of their crystallographic environment. The model also identifies structurally similar atomic sites in the entire dataset of ~50000 crystal structures, essentially uncovering trends that reflect the periodic table of elements. The trained model was used to analyze templates derived from the known binary and ternary crystal structures in order to predict the likelihood to form new compounds that could be generated by placing elements into these structural templates in combinatorial fashion. Statistical analysis of predictive performance of the neural-network model, which was applied to a test set of structures never seen by the model during training, indicates its ability to predict known elemental compositions with a high likelihood of success. In ~30% of cases, the known compositions were found among top-10 most likely candidates proposed by the model. These results suggest that the approach developed in this work can be used to effectively guide the synthetic efforts in the discovery of new materials, especially in the case of systems composed of 3 or more chemical elements.

Natural geochemical analogues of the near field of high-level nuclear waste repositories

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Apps, J.A.

1995-09-01

United States practice has been to design high-level nuclear waste (HLW) geological repositories with waste densities sufficiently high that repository temperatures surrounding the waste will exceed 100{degrees}C and could reach 250{degrees}C. Basalt and devitrified vitroclastic tuff are among the host rocks considered for waste emplacement. Near-field repository thermal behavior and chemical alteration in such rocks is expected to be similar to that observed in many geothermal systems. Therefore, the predictive modeling required for performance assessment studies of the near field could be validated and calibrated using geothermal systems as natural analogues. Examples are given which demonstrate the need for refinementmore » of the thermodynamic databases used in geochemical modeling of near-field natural analogues and the extent to which present models can predict conditions in geothermal fields.« less

A scoping review of online repositories of quality improvement projects, interventions and initiatives in healthcare.

PubMed

Bytautas, Jessica P; Gheihman, Galina; Dobrow, Mark J

2017-04-01

Quality improvement (QI) is becoming an important focal point for health systems. There is increasing interest among health system stakeholders to learn from and share experiences on the use of QI methods and approaches in their work. Yet there are few easily accessible, online repositories dedicated to documenting QI activity. We conducted a scoping review of publicly available, web-based QI repositories to (i) identify current approaches to sharing information on QI practices; (ii) categorise these approaches based on hosting, scope and size, content acquisition and eligibility, content format and search, and evaluation and engagement characteristics; and (iii) review evaluations of the design, usefulness and impact of their online QI practice repositories. The search strategy consisted of traditional database and grey literature searches, as well as expert consultation, with the ultimate aim of identifying and describing QI repositories of practices undertaken in a healthcare context. We identified 13 QI repositories and found substantial variation across the five categories. The QI repositories used different terminology (eg, practices vs case studies) and approaches to content acquisition, and varied in terms of primary areas of focus. All provided some means for organising content according to categories or themes and most provided at least rudimentary keyword search functionality. Notably, none of the QI repositories included evaluations of their impact. With growing interest in sharing and spreading best practices and increasing reliance on QI as a key contributor to health system performance, the role of QI repositories is likely to expand. Designing future QI repositories based on knowledge of the range and type of features available is an important starting point for improving their usefulness and impact. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

The effect of iron on montmorillonite stability. (I) Background and thermodynamic considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, James; Savage, David; Cuadros, Javier; Shibata, Masahiro; Ragnarsdottir, K. Vala

2006-01-01

It is envisaged that high-level nuclear waste (HLW) will be disposed of in underground repositories. Many proposed repository designs include steel waste canisters and bentonite backfill. Natural analogues and experimental data indicate that the montmorillonite component of the backfill could react with steel corrosion products to produce non-swelling Fe-rich phyllosilicates such as chamosite, berthierine, or Fe-rich smectite. In K-bearing systems, the alteration of montmorillonite to illite/glauconite could also be envisaged. If montmorillonite were altered to non-swelling minerals, the swelling capacity and self-healing properties of the bentonite backfill could be reduced, thereby diminishing backfill performance. The main aim of this paper was to investigate Fe-rich phyllosilicate mineral stability at the canister-backfill interface using thermodynamic modelling. Estimates of thermodynamic properties were made for Fe-rich clay minerals in order to construct approximate phase-relations for end-member/simplified mineral compositions in logarithmic activity space. Logarithmic activity diagrams (for the system Al 2O 3-FeO-Fe 2O 3-MgO-Na 2O-SiO 2-H 2O) suggest that if pore waters are supersaturated with respect to magnetite in HLW repositories, Fe(II)-rich saponite is the most likely montmorillonite alteration product (if f values are significantly lower than magnetite-hematite equilibrium). Therefore, the alteration of montmorillonite may not be detrimental to nuclear waste repositories that include Fe, as long as the swelling behaviour of the Fe-rich smectite produced is maintained. If f exceeds magnetite-hematite equilibrium, and solutions are saturated with respect to magnetite in HLW repositories, berthierine is likely to be more stable than smectite minerals. The alteration of montmorillonite to berthierine could be detrimental to the performance of HLW repositories.

Habitat requirements and burrowing depths of rodents in relation to shallow waste burial sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gano, K.A.; States, J.B.

1982-05-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the literature and summarize information on factors affecting habitat selection and maximum recorded burrowing depths for representative small mammals that we consider most likely to inhibit waste burial sites in arid and semi-arid regions of the West. The information is intended for waste management designers who need to know what to expect from small mammals that may be present at a particular site. Waste repositories oculd be designed to exclude the deep burrowing rodents of a region by creating an unattractive habitat over the waste. Summaries are given formore » habitat requirements of each group along with generalized modifications that could be employed to deter habitation. Representatives from the major groups considered to be deep burrowers are discussed. Further, detailed information about a particular species can be obtained from the references cited.« less

Deep Borehole Disposal Safety Analysis.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Freeze, Geoffrey A.; Stein, Emily; Price, Laura L.

This report presents a preliminary safety analysis for the deep borehole disposal (DBD) concept, using a safety case framework. A safety case is an integrated collection of qualitative and quantitative arguments, evidence, and analyses that substantiate the safety, and the level of confidence in the safety, of a geologic repository. This safety case framework for DBD follows the outline of the elements of a safety case, and identifies the types of information that will be required to satisfy these elements. At this very preliminary phase of development, the DBD safety case focuses on the generic feasibility of the DBD concept.more » It is based on potential system designs, waste forms, engineering, and geologic conditions; however, no specific site or regulatory framework exists. It will progress to a site-specific safety case as the DBD concept advances into a site-specific phase, progressing through consent-based site selection and site investigation and characterization.« less

Development of the performance confirmation program at YUCCA mountain, nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

LeCain, G.D.; Barr, D.; Weaver, D.; Snell, R.; Goodin, S.W.; Hansen, F.D.

2006-01-01

The Yucca Mountain Performance Confirmation program consists of tests, monitoring activities, experiments, and analyses to evaluate the adequacy of assumptions, data, and analyses that form the basis of the conceptual and numerical models of flow and transport associated with a proposed radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The Performance Confirmation program uses an eight-stage risk-informed, performance-based approach. Selection of the Performance Confirmation activities for inclusion in the Performance Confirmation program was done using a risk-informed performance-based decision analysis. The result of this analysis was a Performance Confirmation base portfolio that consists of 20 activities. The 20 Performance Confirmation activities include geologic, hydrologie, and construction/engineering testing. Some of the activities began during site characterization, and others will begin during construction, or post emplacement, and continue until repository closure.

M-Learning and Augmented Reality: A Review of the Scientific Literature on the WoS Repository

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fombona, Javier; Pascual-Sevillano, Maria-Angeles; González-Videgara, MariCarmen

2017-01-01

Augmented reality emerges as a tool, on which it is necessary to examine its real educational value. This paper shows the results of a bibliometric analysis performed on documents collected from the Web of Science repository, an Internet service that concentrates bibliographic information from more than 7,000 institutions. Our analysis included an…

Field of genes: using Apache Kafka as a bioinformatic data repository.

PubMed

Lawlor, Brendan; Lynch, Richard; Mac Aogáin, Micheál; Walsh, Paul

2018-04-01

Bioinformatic research is increasingly dependent on large-scale datasets, accessed either from private or public repositories. An example of a public repository is National Center for Biotechnology Information's (NCBI's) Reference Sequence (RefSeq). These repositories must decide in what form to make their data available. Unstructured data can be put to almost any use but are limited in how access to them can be scaled. Highly structured data offer improved performance for specific algorithms but limit the wider usefulness of the data. We present an alternative: lightly structured data stored in Apache Kafka in a way that is amenable to parallel access and streamed processing, including subsequent transformations into more highly structured representations. We contend that this approach could provide a flexible and powerful nexus of bioinformatic data, bridging the gap between low structure on one hand, and high performance and scale on the other. To demonstrate this, we present a proof-of-concept version of NCBI's RefSeq database using this technology. We measure the performance and scalability characteristics of this alternative with respect to flat files. The proof of concept scales almost linearly as more compute nodes are added, outperforming the standard approach using files. Apache Kafka merits consideration as a fast and more scalable but general-purpose way to store and retrieve bioinformatic data, for public, centralized reference datasets such as RefSeq and for private clinical and experimental data.

SINGLE HEATER TEST FINAL REPORT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J.B. Cho

The Single Heater Test is the first of the in-situ thermal tests conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy as part of its program of characterizing Yucca Mountain in Nevada as the potential site for a proposed deep geologic repository for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level nuclear waste. The Site Characterization Plan (DOE 1988) contained an extensive plan of in-situ thermal tests aimed at understanding specific aspects of the response of the local rock-mass around the potential repository to the heat from the radioactive decay of the emplaced waste. With the refocusing of the Site Characterization Planmore » by the ''Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Program Plan'' (DOE 1994), a consolidated thermal testing program emerged by 1995 as documented in the reports ''In-Situ Thermal Testing Program Strategy'' (DOE 1995) and ''Updated In-Situ Thermal Testing Program Strategy'' (CRWMS M&O 1997a). The concept of the Single Heater Test took shape in the summer of 1995 and detailed planning and design of the test started with the beginning fiscal year 1996. The overall objective of the Single Heater Test was to gain an understanding of the coupled thermal, mechanical, hydrological, and chemical processes that are anticipated to occur in the local rock-mass in the potential repository as a result of heat from radioactive decay of the emplaced waste. This included making a priori predictions of the test results using existing models and subsequently refining or modifying the models, on the basis of comparative and interpretive analyses of the measurements and predictions. A second, no less important, objective was to try out, in a full-scale field setting, the various instruments and equipment to be employed in the future on a much larger, more complex, thermal test of longer duration, such as the Drift Scale Test. This ''shake down'' or trial aspect of the Single Heater Test applied not just to the hardware, but also to the teamwork and cooperation between multiple organizations performing their part in the test.« less

Coupled hydromechanical paleoclimate analyses of density-dependant groundwater flow in discretely fractured crystalline rock settings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Normani, S. D.; Sykes, J. F.; Jensen, M. R.

2009-04-01

A high resolution sub-regional scale (84 km2) density-dependent, fracture zone network groundwater flow model with hydromechanical coupling and pseudo-permafrost, was developed from a larger 5734 km2 regional scale groundwater flow model of a Canadian Shield setting in fractured crystalline rock. The objective of the work is to illustrate aspects of regional and sub-regional groundwater flow that are relevant to the long-term performance of a hypothetical nuclear fuel repository. The discrete fracture dual continuum numerical model FRAC3DVS-OPG was used for all simulations. A discrete fracture zone network model delineated from surface features was superimposed onto an 789887 element flow domain mesh. Orthogonal fracture faces (between adjacent finite element grid blocks) were used to best represent the irregular discrete fracture zone network. The crystalline rock between these structural discontinuities was assigned properties characteristic of those reported for the Canadian Shield at the Underground Research Laboratory at Pinawa, Manitoba. Interconnectivity of permeable fracture features is an important pathway for the possibly relatively rapid migration of average water particles and subsequent reduction in residence times. The multiple 121000 year North American continental scale paleoclimate simulations are provided by W.R. Peltier using the University of Toronto Glacial Systems Model (UofT GSM). Values of ice sheet normal stress, and proglacial lake depth from the UofT GSM are applied to the sub-regional model as surface boundary conditions, using a freshwater head equivalent to the normal stress imposed by the ice sheet at its base. Permafrost depth is applied as a permeability reduction to both three-dimensional grid blocks and fractures that lie within the time varying permafrost zone. Two different paleoclimate simulations are applied to the sub-regional model to investigate the effect on the depth of glacial meltwater migration into the subsurface. In addition, different conceptualizations of fracture permeability with depth, and various hydromechanical loading efficiencies are used to investigate glacial meltwater penetration. The importance of density dependent flow, due to pore waters deep in the Canadian Shield with densities of up to 1200 kg/m3 and total dissolved solids concentrations in excess of 300 g/L, is also illustrated. Performance measures used in the assessment include depth of glacial meltwater penetration using a tracer, and mean life expectancy. Consistent with the findings from isotope and geochemical assessments, the analyses support the conclusion that for the discrete fracture zone and matrix properties simulated in this study, glacial meltwaters would not likely impact a deep geologic repository in a crystalline rock setting.

Software aspects of the Geant4 validation repository

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dotti, Andrea; Wenzel, Hans; Elvira, Daniel; Genser, Krzysztof; Yarba, Julia; Carminati, Federico; Folger, Gunter; Konstantinov, Dmitri; Pokorski, Witold; Ribon, Alberto

2017-10-01

The Geant4, GeantV and GENIE collaborations regularly perform validation and regression tests for simulation results. DoSSiER (Database of Scientific Simulation and Experimental Results) is being developed as a central repository to store the simulation results as well as the experimental data used for validation. DoSSiER is easily accessible via a web application. In addition, a web service allows for programmatic access to the repository to extract records in JSON or XML exchange formats. In this article, we describe the functionality and the current status of various components of DoSSiER as well as the technology choices we made.

Software Aspects of the Geant4 Validation Repository

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dotti, Andrea; Wenzel, Hans; Elvira, Daniel

2016-01-01

The Geant4, GeantV and GENIE collaborations regularly perform validation and regression tests for simulation results. DoSSiER (Database of Scientic Simulation and Experimental Results) is being developed as a central repository to store the simulation results as well as the experimental data used for validation. DoSSiER is easily accessible via a web application. In addition, a web service allows for programmatic access to the repository to extract records in JSON or XML exchange formats. In this article, we describe the functionality and the current status of various components of DoSSiER as well as the technology choices we made.

Potential benefits of waste transmutation to the U.S. high-level waste respository

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Michaels, G.E.

1995-10-01

This paper reexamines the potential benefits of waste transmutation to the proposed U.S. geologic repository at the Yucca Mountain site based on recent progress in the performance assessment for the Yucca Mountain base case of spent fuel emplacement. It is observed that actinides are assumed to have higher solubility than in previous studies and that Np and other actinides now dominate the projected aqueous releases from a Yucca Mountain repository. Actinides are also indentified as the dominant source of decay heat in the repository, and the effect of decay heat in perturbing the hydrology, geochemistry, and thermal characteristics of Yuccamore » Mountain are reviewed. It is concluded that the potential for thermally-driven, buoyant, gas-phase flow at Yucca Mountain introduces data and modeling requirements that will increase the costs of licensing the site and may cause the site to be unattractive for geologic disposal of wastes. A transmutation-enabled cold repository is proposed that might allow licensing of a repository to be based upon currently observable characteristics of the Yucca Mountain site.« less

Geologic, geochemical rock mechanics and hydrologic characteristics of candidate repository horizons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, P. E.; Apted, M. J.; Spane, F. A., Jr.; Kim, K.

1982-09-01

The feasibility of constructing a nuclear waste repository in basalt (NWRB) on the Hanford Site is determined. Studies conducted indicate feasibility and performance requirements are within a significant safety margin. The two most promising candidate repository horizons for an NWRB are the middle Sentinel Bluffs and the Umtanum flows. Both of these flows are laterally continuous and have thicknesses of competent rock adequate to accommodate a repository. Significant geologic differences between the two flows are their depth, total thickness, and variability of flow top thickness. These differences are considered in selection of one of the two flows for breakout from an exploratory shaft. The geochemical characteristics of both the middle Sentinel Bluffs flow and the Umtanum flow favor long term isolation of radionuclides by providing an environment in which canister corrosion rates and solubility of many radionuclide bearing solids is relatively low.

On-line remote monitoring of radioactive waste repositories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calì, Claudio; Cosentino, Luigi; Litrico, Pietro; Pappalardo, Alfio; Scirè, Carlotta; Scirè, Sergio; Vecchio, Gianfranco; Finocchiaro, Paolo; Alfieri, Severino; Mariani, Annamaria

2014-12-01

A low-cost array of modular sensors for online monitoring of radioactive waste was developed at INFN-LNS. We implemented a new kind of gamma counter, based on Silicon PhotoMultipliers and scintillating fibers, that behaves like a cheap scintillating Geiger-Muller counter. It can be placed in shape of a fine grid around each single waste drum in a repository. Front-end electronics and an FPGA-based counting system were developed to handle the field data, also implementing data transmission, a graphical user interface and a data storage system. A test of four sensors in a real radwaste storage site was performed with promising results. Following the tests an agreement was signed between INFN and Sogin for the joint development and installation of a prototype DMNR (Detector Mesh for Nuclear Repository) system inside the Garigliano radwaste repository in Sessa Aurunca (CE, Italy). Such a development is currently under way, with the installation foreseen within 2014.

Radioactive waste management in France: safety demonstration fundamentals.

PubMed

Ouzounian, G; Voinis, S; Boissier, F

2012-01-01

The main challenge in development of the safety case for deep geological disposal is associated with the long periods of time over which high- and intermediate-level long-lived wastes remain hazardous. A wide range of events and processes may occur over hundreds of thousands of years. These events and processes are characterised by specific timescales. For example, the timescale for heat generation is much shorter than any geological timescale. Therefore, to reach a high level of reliability in the safety case, it is essential to have a thorough understanding of the sequence of events and processes likely to occur over the lifetime of the repository. It then becomes possible to assess the capability of the repository to fulfil its safety functions. However, due to the long periods of time and the complexity of the events and processes likely to occur, uncertainties related to all processes, data, and models need to be understood and addressed. Assessment is required over the lifetime of the radionuclides contained in the radioactive waste. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Influence of transitional volcanic strata on lateral diversion at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flint, Lorraine E.; Flint, Alan L.; Selker, John S.

2003-01-01

Natural hydraulic barriers exist at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, a potential high‐level nuclear waste repository, that have been identified as possible lateral diversions for reducing deep percolation through the waste storage area. Historical development of the conceptual model of lateral diversion has been limited by available field data, but numerical investigations presented the possibility of significant lateral diversion due to the presence of a thin, porous rock layer, the Paintbrush nonwelded tuffs. Analytical analyses of the influence of transitional changes in properties suggest that minimal lateral diversion is likely at Yucca Mountain. Numerical models, to this point, have not accounted for the gradual transition of properties or the existence of multiple layers that could inadvertently influence the simulation of lateral diversion as an artifact of numerical model discretization. Analyses were made of subsurface matric potential measurements, and comparisons were made of surface infiltration estimates with deeper percolation flux calculations using chloride‐mass‐balance calculations and simulations of measured temperature profiles. These analyses suggest that insignificant lateral diversion has occurred above the repository horizon and that water generally moves vertically through the Paintbrush nonwelded tuffs.

A participatory learning approach to biochemistry using student authored and evaluated multiple-choice questions.

PubMed

Bottomley, Steven; Denny, Paul

2011-01-01

A participatory learning approach, combined with both a traditional and a competitive assessment, was used to motivate students and promote a deep approach to learning biochemistry. Students were challenged to research, author, and explain their own multiple-choice questions (MCQs). They were also required to answer, evaluate, and discuss MCQs written by their peers. The technology used to support this activity was PeerWise--a freely available, innovative web-based system that supports students in the creation of an annotated question repository. In this case study, we describe students' contributions to, and perceptions of, the PeerWise system for a cohort of 107 second-year biomedical science students from three degree streams studying a core biochemistry subject. Our study suggests that the students are eager participants and produce a large repository of relevant, good quality MCQs. In addition, they rate the PeerWise system highly and use higher order thinking skills while taking an active role in their learning. We also discuss potential issues and future work using PeerWise for biomedical students. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Introduction to the hydrogeochemical investigations within the International Stripa Project

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nordstrom, D. Kirk; Olsson, T.; Carlsson, L.; Fritz, P.

1989-01-01

The International Stripa Project (1980-1990) has sponsored hydrogeochemical investigations at several subsurface drillholes in the granitic portion of an abandoned iron ore mine, central Sweden. The purpose has been to advance our understanding of geochemical processes in crystalline bedrock that may affect the safety assessment of high-level radioactive waste repositories. More than a dozen investigators have collected close to a thousand water and gas samples for chemical and isotopic analyses to develop concepts for the behavior of solutes in a granitic repository environment. The Stripa granite is highly radioactive and has provided an exceptional opportunity to study the behavior of natural radionuclides, especially subsurface production. Extensive microfracturing, low permeability with isolated fracture zones of high permeability, unusual water chemistry, and a typical granitic mineral assemblage with thin veins and fracture coatings of calcite, chlorite, seriate, epidote and quartz characterize the site. Preliminary groundwater flow modeling indicates that the mine has perturbed the flow environment to a depth of about 3 km and may have induced deep groundwaters to flow into the mine. ?? 1989.

Yucca Mountain Project Subsurface Facilities Design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

A. Linden; R.S. Saunders; R.J. Boutin

2002-11-19

Four units of the Topopah Springs formation (volcanic tuff) are considered for the proposed repository: the upper lithophysal, the middle non-lithophysal, the lower lithophysal, and the lower non-lithophysal. Yucca Mountain was recently designated the site for a proposed repository to dispose of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. Work is proceeding to advance the design of subsurface facilities to accommodate emplacing waste packages in the proposed repository. This paper summarized recent progress in the design of subsurface layout of the proposed repository. The original Site Recommendation (SR) concept for the subsurface design located the repository largely within the lowermore » lithophysal zone (approximately 73%) of the Topopah The Site Recommendation characterized area suitable for emplacement consisted of the primary upper block, the lower block and the southern upper block extension. The primary upper block accommodated the mandated 70,000 metric tons of heavy metal (MTHM) at a 1.45 kW/m hear heat load. Based on further study of the Site Recommendation concept, the proposed repository siting area footprint was modified to make maximum use of available site characterization data, and thus, reduce uncertainties associated with performance assessment. As a result of this study, a modified repository footprint has been proposed and is presently being review for acceptance by the DOE. A panel design concept was developed to reduce overall costs and reduce the overall emplacement schedule. This concept provides flexibility to adjust the proposed repository subsurface layout with time, as it makes it unnecessary to ''commit'' to development of a large single panel at the earliest stages of construction. A description of the underground layout configuration and influencing factors that affect the layout configuration are discussed in the report.« less

Repository-based software engineering program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, James

1992-01-01

The activities performed during September 1992 in support of Tasks 01 and 02 of the Repository-Based Software Engineering Program are outlined. The recommendations and implementation strategy defined at the September 9-10 meeting of the Reuse Acquisition Action Team (RAAT) are attached along with the viewgraphs and reference information presented at the Institute for Defense Analyses brief on legal and patent issues related to software reuse.

Space Mission Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boyer, Roger

2014-01-01

The purpose of the Space Mission Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) Project is to extend current ground-based HRA risk prediction techniques to a long-duration, space-based tool. Ground-based HRA methodology has been shown to be a reasonable tool for short-duration space missions, such as Space Shuttle and lunar fly-bys. However, longer-duration deep-space missions, such as asteroid and Mars missions, will require the crew to be in space for as long as 400 to 900 day missions with periods of extended autonomy and self-sufficiency. Current indications show higher risk due to fatigue, physiological effects due to extended low gravity environments, and others, may impact HRA predictions. For this project, Safety & Mission Assurance (S&MA) will work with Human Health & Performance (HH&P) to establish what is currently used to assess human reliabiilty for human space programs, identify human performance factors that may be sensitive to long duration space flight, collect available historical data, and update current tools to account for performance shaping factors believed to be important to such missions. This effort will also contribute data to the Human Performance Data Repository and influence the Space Human Factors Engineering research risks and gaps (part of the HRP Program). An accurate risk predictor mitigates Loss of Crew (LOC) and Loss of Mission (LOM).The end result will be an updated HRA model that can effectively predict risk on long-duration missions.

Implementing and Sustaining Data Lifecycle best Practices: a Framework for Researchers and Repositories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stall, S.

2016-02-01

Emerging data management mandates in conjunction with cross-domain international interoperability are posing new challenges for researchers and repositories. Domain repositories are serving in this critical, growing role monitoring and leading data management standards and capability within their own repository and working on mappings between repositories internationally. Leading research institutions and companies will also be important as they develop and expand data curation efforts. This landscape poses a number of challenges for developing and ensuring the use of best practices in curating research data, enabling discovery, elevating quality across diverse repositories, and helping researchers collect and organize it through the full data life cycle. This multidimensional challenge will continue to grow in complexity. The American Geophysical Union (AGU) is developing two programs to help researchers and data repositories develop and elevate best practices and address these challenges. The goal is to provide tools for the researchers and repositories, whether domain, institutional, or other, that improve performance throughout the data lifecycle across the Earth and space science community. For scientists and researchers, AGU is developing courses around handling data that can lead toward a certification in geoscience data management. Course materials will cover metadata management and collection, data analysis, integration of data, and data presentation. The course topics are being finalized by the advisory board with the first one planned to be available later this year. AGU is also developing a program aimed at helping data repositories, large and small, domain-specific to general, assess and improve data management practices. AGU has partnered with the CMMI® Institute to adapt their Data Management Maturity (DMM)SM framework within the Earth and space sciences. A data management assessment using the DMMSM involves identifying accomplishments and weaknesses compared to leading practices for data management. Recommendations can help improve quality and consistency across the community that will facilitate reuse in the data lifecycle. Through governance, quality, and architecture process areas the assessment can measure the ability for data to be discoverable and interoperable.

Strength and Permeability Evolution of Compressed Bentonite in Response to Salinity and Temperature Changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winnard, B. R.; Mitchell, T. M.; Browning, J.; Cuss, R. J.; Norris, S.; Meredith, P. G.

2017-12-01

Deep geological repositories are the preferred solution to dispose of radioactive waste; design concepts for these disposal facilities include compacted, saturated bentonite as a buffer between waste canister and host rock. Bentonite is favoured for its high swelling capacity, low permeability, and radionuclide retention properties. However, its thermo-hydro-mechanical tolerances must be thoroughly tested to ensure adequate long term performance. Climate variations are likely to induce periods of permafrost, and consequently, changes in groundwater salinity at depth. We performed laboratory experiments investigating effects of temperature and salinity change on uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), and permeability of compacted MX-80 bentonite cylinders. These specimens (moisture content = 22.9±0.1%, dry density = 1.66±0.02 g.cm-3) were compacted with deionised water, and a range of wt% NaCl, CaCl2, or KCl, to compare the effects of compaction fluid. Samples of compressed bentonite were cooled to -20 °C, and heated to 90 ºC, a possible temperature forecast for a repository dependent on factors such as geographical location, waste type, and facility design. Tests were all performed at room temperature, however in situ temperature tests are planned. The UCS of samples that experienced freeze thaw, and 40 ºC treatment failed at 6.5 MPa, with 4% strain, maintaining the same values as untreated bentonite compacted with deionised water. Samples compacted with saline solutions also yielded similar strengths, of 7 MPa, and failed at 4%. However, the 90 ºC, regardless of compaction fluid, failed at 15-18 MPa, at just 2% strain. In all experiments, the spread of strain accommodated varied inconsistently, however, peak stress was uniform. Further experiments into heterogeneity are needed to understand the responsible mechanisms. To obtain permeability, we utilised the pore pressure oscillation (PPO) technique with argon as the pore fluid. We also tested water as the pore fluid to assess the contribution of montmorillonite swelling and compare argon and water permeability. There is potential for salinity to markedly affect permeability, as electrolytes can initiate cation-exchange reactions. Permeability and strength are both key parameters to assess the long term safety of a geological disposal facility.

Field of genes: using Apache Kafka as a bioinformatic data repository

PubMed Central

Lynch, Richard; Walsh, Paul

2018-01-01

Abstract Background Bioinformatic research is increasingly dependent on large-scale datasets, accessed either from private or public repositories. An example of a public repository is National Center for Biotechnology Information's (NCBI’s) Reference Sequence (RefSeq). These repositories must decide in what form to make their data available. Unstructured data can be put to almost any use but are limited in how access to them can be scaled. Highly structured data offer improved performance for specific algorithms but limit the wider usefulness of the data. We present an alternative: lightly structured data stored in Apache Kafka in a way that is amenable to parallel access and streamed processing, including subsequent transformations into more highly structured representations. We contend that this approach could provide a flexible and powerful nexus of bioinformatic data, bridging the gap between low structure on one hand, and high performance and scale on the other. To demonstrate this, we present a proof-of-concept version of NCBI’s RefSeq database using this technology. We measure the performance and scalability characteristics of this alternative with respect to flat files. Results The proof of concept scales almost linearly as more compute nodes are added, outperforming the standard approach using files. Conclusions Apache Kafka merits consideration as a fast and more scalable but general-purpose way to store and retrieve bioinformatic data, for public, centralized reference datasets such as RefSeq and for private clinical and experimental data. PMID:29635394

SeisCode: A seismological software repository for discovery and collaboration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trabant, C.; Reyes, C. G.; Clark, A.; Karstens, R.

2012-12-01

SeisCode is a community repository for software used in seismological and related fields. The repository is intended to increase discoverability of such software and to provide a long-term home for software projects. Other places exist where seismological software may be found, but none meet the requirements necessary for an always current, easy to search, well documented, and citable resource for projects. Organizations such as IRIS, ORFEUS, and the USGS have websites with lists of available or contributed seismological software. Since the authors themselves do often not maintain these lists, the documentation often consists of a sentence or paragraph, and the available software may be outdated. Repositories such as GoogleCode and SourceForge, which are directly maintained by the authors, provide version control and issue tracking but do not provide a unified way of locating geophysical software scattered in and among countless unrelated projects. Additionally, projects are hosted at language-specific sites such as Mathworks and PyPI, in FTP directories, and in websites strewn across the Web. Search engines are only partially effective discovery tools, as the desired software is often hidden deep within the results. SeisCode provides software authors a place to present their software, codes, scripts, tutorials, and examples to the seismological community. Authors can choose their own level of involvement. At one end of the spectrum, the author might simply create a web page that points to an existing site. At the other extreme, an author may choose to leverage the many tools provided by SeisCode, such as a source code management tool with integrated issue tracking, forums, news feeds, downloads, wikis, and more. For software development projects with multiple authors, SeisCode can also be used as a central site for collaboration. SeisCode provides the community with an easy way to discover software, while providing authors a way to build a community around their software packages. IRIS invites the seismological community to browse and to submit projects to https://seiscode.iris.washington.edu/

CIRMIS Data system. Volume 2. Program listings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Friedrichs, D.R.

1980-01-01

The Assessment of Effectiveness of Geologic Isolation Systems (AEGIS) Program is developing and applying the methodology for assessing the far-field, long-term post-closure safety of deep geologic nuclear waste repositories. AEGIS is being performed by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) under contract with the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation (OWNI) for the Department of Energy (DOE). One task within AEGIS is the development of methodology for analysis of the consequences (water pathway) from loss of repository containment as defined by various release scenarios. Analysis of the long-term, far-field consequences of release scenarios requires the application of numerical codes which simulate the hydrologicmore » systems, model the transport of released radionuclides through the hydrologic systems, model the transport of released radionuclides through the hydrologic systems to the biosphere, and, where applicable, assess the radiological dose to humans. The various input parameters required in the analysis are compiled in data systems. The data are organized and prepared by various input subroutines for utilization by the hydraulic and transport codes. The hydrologic models simulate the groundwater flow systems and provide water flow directions, rates, and velocities as inputs to the transport models. Outputs from the transport models are basically graphs of radionuclide concentration in the groundwater plotted against time. After dilution in the receiving surface-water body (e.g., lake, river, bay), these data are the input source terms for the dose models, if dose assessments are required.The dose models calculate radiation dose to individuals and populations. CIRMIS (Comprehensive Information Retrieval and Model Input Sequence) Data System is a storage and retrieval system for model input and output data, including graphical interpretation and display. This is the second of four volumes of the description of the CIRMIS Data System.« less

Assessment of effectiveness of geologic isolation systems. CIRMIS data system. Volume 4. Driller's logs, stratigraphic cross section and utility routines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Friedrichs, D.R.

1980-01-01

The Assessment of Effectiveness of Geologic Isolation Systems (AEGIS) Program is developing and applying the methodology for assessing the far-field, long-term post-closure safety of deep geologic nuclear waste repositories. AEGIS is being performed by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) under contract with the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation (ONWI) for the Department of Energy (DOE). One task within AEGIS is the development of methodology for analysis of the consequences (water pathway) from loss of repository containment as defined by various release scenarios. Analysis of the long-term, far-field consequences of release scenarios requires the application of numerical codes which simulate the hydrologicmore » systems, model the transport of released radionuclides through the hydrologic systems to the biosphere, and, where applicable, assess the radiological dose to humans. The various input parameters required in the analysis are compiled in data systems. The data are organized and prepared by various input subroutines for use by the hydrologic and transport codes. The hydrologic models simulate the groundwater flow systems and provide water flow directions, rates, and velocities as inputs to the transport models. Outputs from the transport models are basically graphs of radionuclide concentration in the groundwater plotted against time. After dilution in the receiving surface-water body (e.g., lake, river, bay), these data are the input source terms for the dose models, if dose assessments are required. The dose models calculate radiation dose to individuals and populations. CIRMIS (Comprehensive Information Retrieval and Model Input Sequence) Data System is a storage and retrieval system for model input and output data, including graphical interpretation and display. This is the fourth of four volumes of the description of the CIRMIS Data System.« less

The JRC Nanomaterials Repository: A unique facility providing representative test materials for nanoEHS research.

PubMed

Totaro, Sara; Cotogno, Giulio; Rasmussen, Kirsten; Pianella, Francesca; Roncaglia, Marco; Olsson, Heidi; Riego Sintes, Juan M; Crutzen, Hugues P

2016-11-01

The European Commission has established a Nanomaterials Repository that hosts industrially manufactured nanomaterials that are distributed world-wide for safety testing of nanomaterials. In a first instance these materials were tested in the OECD Testing Programme. They have then also been tested in several EU funded research projects. The JRC Repository of Nanomaterials has thus developed into serving the global scientific community active in the nanoEHS (regulatory) research. The unique Repository facility is a state-of-the-art installation that allows customised sub-sampling under the safest possible conditions, with traceable final sample vials distributed world-wide for research purposes. This paper describes the design of the Repository to perform a semi-automated subsampling procedure, offering high degree of flexibility and precision in the preparation of NM vials for customers, while guaranteeing the safety of the operators, and environmental protection. The JRC nanomaterials are representative for part of the world NMs market. Their wide use world-wide facilitates the generation of comparable and reliable experimental results and datasets in (regulatory) research by the scientific community, ultimately supporting the further development of the OECD regulatory test guidelines. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Biological Specimen Repository

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McMonigal, Kathleen A.; Pietrzyk, Robert a.; Johnson, Mary Anne

2008-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Biological Specimen Repository (Repository) is a storage bank that is used to maintain biological specimens over extended periods of time and under well-controlled conditions. Samples from the International Space Station (ISS), including blood and urine, will be collected, processed and archived during the preflight, inflight and postflight phases of ISS missions. This investigation has been developed to archive biosamples for use as a resource for future space flight related research. The International Space Station (ISS) provides a platform to investigate the effects of microgravity on human physiology prior to lunar and exploration class missions. The storage of crewmember samples from many different ISS flights in a single repository will be a valuable resource with which researchers can study space flight related changes and investigate physiological markers. The development of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Biological Specimen Repository will allow for the collection, processing, storage, maintenance, and ethical distribution of biosamples to meet goals of scientific and programmatic relevance to the space program. Archiving of the biosamples will provide future research opportunities including investigating patterns of physiological changes, analysis of components unknown at this time or analyses performed by new methodologies.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leigh, Christi D.; Hansen, Francis D.

This report summarizes the state of salt repository science, reviews many of the technical issues pertaining to disposal of heat-generating nuclear waste in salt, and proposes several avenues for future science-based activities to further the technical basis for disposal in salt. There are extensive salt formations in the forty-eight contiguous states, and many of them may be worthy of consideration for nuclear waste disposal. The United States has extensive experience in salt repository sciences, including an operating facility for disposal of transuranic wastes. The scientific background for salt disposal including laboratory and field tests at ambient and elevated temperature, principlesmore » of salt behavior, potential for fracture damage and its mitigation, seal systems, chemical conditions, advanced modeling capabilities and near-future developments, performance assessment processes, and international collaboration are all discussed. The discussion of salt disposal issues is brought current, including a summary of recent international workshops dedicated to high-level waste disposal in salt. Lessons learned from Sandia National Laboratories' experience on the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant and the Yucca Mountain Project as well as related salt experience with the Strategic Petroleum Reserve are applied in this assessment. Disposal of heat-generating nuclear waste in a suitable salt formation is attractive because the material is essentially impermeable, self-sealing, and thermally conductive. Conditions are chemically beneficial, and a significant experience base exists in understanding this environment. Within the period of institutional control, overburden pressure will seal fractures and provide a repository setting that limits radionuclide movement. A salt repository could potentially achieve total containment, with no releases to the environment in undisturbed scenarios for as long as the region is geologically stable. Much of the experience gained from United States repository development, such as seal system design, coupled process simulation, and application of performance assessment methodology, helps define a clear strategy for a heat-generating nuclear waste repository in salt.« less

WFIRST: Data/Instrument Simulation Support at IPAC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laine, Seppo; Akeson, Rachel; Armus, Lee; Bennett, Lee; Colbert, James; Helou, George; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Meshkat, Tiffany; Paladini, Roberta; Ramirez, Solange; Wang, Yun; Xie, Joan; Yan, Lin

2018-01-01

As part of WFIRST Science Center preparations, the IPAC Science Operations Center (ISOC) maintains a repository of 1) WFIRST data and instrument simulations, 2) tools to facilitate scientific performance and feasibility studies using the WFIRST, and 3) parameters summarizing the current design and predicted performance of the WFIRST telescope and instruments. The simulation repository provides access for the science community to simulation code, tools, and resulting analyses. Examples of simulation code with ISOC-built web-based interfaces include EXOSIMS (for estimating exoplanet yields in CGI surveys) and the Galaxy Survey Exposure Time Calculator. In the future the repository will provide an interface for users to run custom simulations of a wide range of coronagraph instrument (CGI) observations and sophisticated tools for designing microlensing experiments. We encourage those who are generating simulations or writing tools for exoplanet observations with WFIRST to contact the ISOC team so we can work with you to bring these to the attention of the broader astronomical community as we prepare for the exciting science that will be enabled by WFIRST.

Completeness and overlap in open access systems: Search engines, aggregate institutional repositories and physics-related open sources.

PubMed

Tsay, Ming-Yueh; Wu, Tai-Luan; Tseng, Ling-Li

2017-01-01

This study examines the completeness and overlap of coverage in physics of six open access scholarly communication systems, including two search engines (Google Scholar and Microsoft Academic), two aggregate institutional repositories (OAIster and OpenDOAR), and two physics-related open sources (arXiv.org and Astrophysics Data System). The 2001-2013 Nobel Laureates in Physics served as the sample. Bibliographic records of their publications were retrieved and downloaded from each system, and a computer program was developed to perform the analytical tasks of sorting, comparison, elimination, aggregation and statistical calculations. Quantitative analyses and cross-referencing were performed to determine the completeness and overlap of the system coverage of the six open access systems. The results may enable scholars to select an appropriate open access system as an efficient scholarly communication channel, and academic institutions may build institutional repositories or independently create citation index systems in the future. Suggestions on indicators and tools for academic assessment are presented based on the comprehensiveness assessment of each system.

Automating Information Discovery Within the Invisible Web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sweeney, Edwina; Curran, Kevin; Xie, Ermai

A Web crawler or spider crawls through the Web looking for pages to index, and when it locates a new page it passes the page on to an indexer. The indexer identifies links, keywords, and other content and stores these within its database. This database is searched by entering keywords through an interface and suitable Web pages are returned in a results page in the form of hyperlinks accompanied by short descriptions. The Web, however, is increasingly moving away from being a collection of documents to a multidimensional repository for sounds, images, audio, and other formats. This is leading to a situation where certain parts of the Web are invisible or hidden. The term known as the "Deep Web" has emerged to refer to the mass of information that can be accessed via the Web but cannot be indexed by conventional search engines. The concept of the Deep Web makes searches quite complex for search engines. Google states that the claim that conventional search engines cannot find such documents as PDFs, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, or any non-HTML page is not fully accurate and steps have been taken to address this problem by implementing procedures to search items such as academic publications, news, blogs, videos, books, and real-time information. However, Google still only provides access to a fraction of the Deep Web. This chapter explores the Deep Web and the current tools available in accessing it.

Deep Time Iterations: Familiarity, Horizons, and Pattern among Finland's Nuclear Waste Safety Experts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ialenti, Vincent Francis

This ethnography reconsiders nuclear waste risk's deep time horizons' often-sensationalized aesthetics of horror, sublimity, and awe. It does so by tracking how Finland's nuclear energy and waste experts made visions of distant future Finlands appear more intelligible through mundane corporate, regulatory, financial, and technoscientific practices. Each chapter unpacks how informants iterated and reiterated traces of the very familiar to establish shared grounds of continuity for moving forward in time. Chapter 1 explores how Finland's energy sector's "mankala" cooperative corporate form was iterated and reiterated to give shape to political and financial time horizons. Chapter 2 explores how workplace role distinctions between recruit/retiree and junior/senior were iterated and reiterated to reckon nuclear personnel successions' intergenerational horizons. Chapter 3 explores how input/output and part/whole distinctions were iterated and reiterated to help model distant future worlds in a portfolio of "Safety Case" evidence made to demonstrate the Olkiluoto repository's safety to Finnish nuclear regulator STUK. Chapter 4 explores how Safety Case experts iterated and reiterated memories of a deceased predecessor figure in everyday engagements with deep time. What emerges are three insights about how futures attain discernible features--insights about the "continuity," "thinkability," and "extensibility" of expert thought--that, I argue, can help twenty-first century experts better navigate not only deep time, but also unknown futures of nuclear technologies, planetary environment, and expertise itself.

Metadata management and semantics in microarray repositories.

PubMed

Kocabaş, F; Can, T; Baykal, N

2011-12-01

The number of microarray and other high-throughput experiments on primary repositories keeps increasing as do the size and complexity of the results in response to biomedical investigations. Initiatives have been started on standardization of content, object model, exchange format and ontology. However, there are backlogs and inability to exchange data between microarray repositories, which indicate that there is a great need for a standard format and data management. We have introduced a metadata framework that includes a metadata card and semantic nets that make experimental results visible, understandable and usable. These are encoded in syntax encoding schemes and represented in RDF (Resource Description Frame-word), can be integrated with other metadata cards and semantic nets, and can be exchanged, shared and queried. We demonstrated the performance and potential benefits through a case study on a selected microarray repository. We concluded that the backlogs can be reduced and that exchange of information and asking of knowledge discovery questions can become possible with the use of this metadata framework.

Statistical sensitivity analysis of a simple nuclear waste repository model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ronen, Y.; Lucius, J. L.; Blow, E. M.

1980-06-01

A preliminary step in a comprehensive sensitivity analysis of the modeling of a nuclear waste repository. The purpose of the complete analysis is to determine which modeling parameters and physical data are most important in determining key design performance criteria and then to obtain the uncertainty in the design for safety considerations. The theory for a statistical screening design methodology is developed for later use in the overall program. The theory was applied to the test case of determining the relative importance of the sensitivity of near field temperature distribution in a single level salt repository to modeling parameters. The exact values of the sensitivities to these physical and modeling parameters were then obtained using direct methods of recalculation. The sensitivity coefficients found to be important for the sample problem were thermal loading, distance between the spent fuel canisters and their radius. Other important parameters were those related to salt properties at a point of interest in the repository.

Development of a sorption data base for the cementitious near-field of a repository for radioactive waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wieland, E.; Bradbury, M. H.; van Loon, L.

2003-01-01

The migration of radionuclides within a repository for radioactive waste is retarded due to interaction with the engineered barrier system. Sorption processes play a decisive role in the retardation of radionuclides in the repository environment, and thus, the development of sorption data bases (SDBs) is an important task and an integral part of performance assessment. The methodology applied in the development of a SDB for the cementitious near-field of a repository for long-lived intermediate-level waste is presented in this study. The development of such a SDB requires knowledge of the chemical conditions of the near-field and information on the uptake process of radionuclides by hardened cement paste. The principles upon which the selection of the “best available” laboratory sorption values is based are outlined. The influence of cellulose degradation products, cement additives and cement-derived colloids on the sorption behaviour of radionuclides is addressed in conjunction with the development of the SDB.

Generation and validation of a universal perinatal database and biospecimen repository: PeriBank.

PubMed

Antony, K M; Hemarajata, P; Chen, J; Morris, J; Cook, C; Masalas, D; Gedminas, M; Brown, A; Versalovic, J; Aagaard, K

2016-11-01

There is a dearth of biospecimen repositories available to perinatal researchers. In order to address this need, here we describe the methodology used to establish such a resource. With the collaboration of MedSci.net, we generated an online perinatal database with 847 fields of clinical information. Simultaneously, we established a biospecimen repository of the same clinical participants. The demographic and clinical outcomes data are described for the first 10 000 participants enrolled. The demographic characteristics are consistent with the demographics of the delivery hospitals. Quality analysis of the biospecimens reveals variation in very few analytes. Furthermore, since the creation of PeriBank, we have demonstrated validity of the database and tissue integrity of the biospecimen repository. Here we establish that the creation of a universal perinatal database and biospecimen collection is not only possible, but allows for the performance of state-of-the-science translational perinatal research and is a potentially valuable resource to academic perinatal researchers.

Brine and Gas Flow Patterns Between Excavated Areas and Disturbed Rock Zone in the 1996 Performance Assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant for a Single Drilling Intrusion that Penetrates Repository and Castile Brine Reservoir

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

ECONOMY,KATHLEEN M.; HELTON,JON CRAIG; VAUGHN,PALMER

1999-10-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), which is located in southeastern New Mexico, is being developed for the geologic disposal of transuranic (TRU) waste by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Waste disposal will take place in panels excavated in a bedded salt formation approximately 2000 ft (610 m) below the land surface. The BRAGFLO computer program which solves a system of nonlinear partial differential equations for two-phase flow, was used to investigate brine and gas flow patterns in the vicinity of the repository for the 1996 WIPP performance assessment (PA). The present study examines the implications of modeling assumptionsmore » used in conjunction with BRAGFLO in the 1996 WIPP PA that affect brine and gas flow patterns involving two waste regions in the repository (i.e., a single waste panel and the remaining nine waste panels), a disturbed rock zone (DRZ) that lies just above and below these two regions, and a borehole that penetrates the single waste panel and a brine pocket below this panel. The two waste regions are separated by a panel closure. The following insights were obtained from this study. First, the impediment to flow between the two waste regions provided by the panel closure model is reduced due to the permeable and areally extensive nature of the DRZ adopted in the 1996 WIPP PA, which results in the DRZ becoming an effective pathway for gas and brine movement around the panel closures and thus between the two waste regions. Brine and gas flow between the two waste regions via the DRZ causes pressures between the two to equilibrate rapidly, with the result that processes in the intruded waste panel are not isolated from the rest of the repository. Second, the connection between intruded and unintruded waste panels provided by the DRZ increases the time required for repository pressures to equilibrate with the overlying and/or underlying units subsequent to a drilling intrusion. Third, the large and areally extensive DRZ void volumes is a significant source of brine to the repository, which is consumed in the corrosion of iron and thus contributes to increased repository pressures. Fourth, the DRZ itself lowers repository pressures by providing storage for gas and access to additional gas storage in areas of the repository. Fifth, given the pathway that the DRZ provides for gas and brine to flow around the panel closures, isolation of the waste panels by the panel closures was not essential to compliance with the U.S. Environment Protection Agency's regulations in the 1996 WIPP PA.« less

Repositories for Deep, Dark, and Offline Data - Building Grey Literature Repositories and Discoverability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keane, C. M.; Tahirkheli, S.

2017-12-01

Data repositories, especially in the geosciences, have been focused on the management of large quantities of born-digital data and facilitating its discovery and use. Unfortunately, born-digital data, even with its immense scale today, represents only the most recent data acquisitions, leaving a large proportion of the historical data record of the science "out in the cold." Additionally, the data record in the peer-reviewed literature, whether captured directly in the literature or through the journal data archive, represents only a fraction of the reliable data collected in the geosciences. Federal and state agencies, state surveys, and private companies, collect vast amounts of geoscience information and data that is not only reliable and robust, but often the only data representative of specific spatial and temporal conditions. Likewise, even some academic publications, such as senior theses, are unique sources of data, but generally do not have wide discoverability nor guarantees of longevity. As more of these `grey' sources of information and data are born-digital, they become increasingly at risk for permanent loss, not to mention poor discoverability. Numerous studies have shown that grey literature across all disciplines, including geosciences, disappears at a rate of about 8% per year. AGI has been working to develop systems to both improve the discoverability and the preservation of the geoscience grey literature by coupling several open source platforms from the information science community. We will detail the rationale, the technical and legal frameworks for these systems, and the long-term strategies for improving access, use, and stability of these critical data sources.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

F. Perry; R. Youngs

The purpose of this scientific analysis report is threefold: (1) Present a conceptual framework of igneous activity in the Yucca Mountain region (YMR) consistent with the volcanic and tectonic history of this region and the assessment of this history by experts who participated in the probabilistic volcanic hazard analysis (PVHA) (CRWMS M&O 1996 [DIRS 100116]). Conceptual models presented in the PVHA are summarized and applied in areas in which new information has been presented. Alternative conceptual models are discussed, as well as their impact on probability models. The relationship between volcanic source zones defined in the PVHA and structural featuresmore » of the YMR are described based on discussions in the PVHA and studies presented since the PVHA. (2) Present revised probability calculations based on PVHA outputs for a repository footprint proposed in 2003 (BSC 2003 [DIRS 162289]), rather than the footprint used at the time of the PVHA. This analysis report also calculates the probability of an eruptive center(s) forming within the repository footprint using information developed in the PVHA. Probability distributions are presented for the length and orientation of volcanic dikes located within the repository footprint and for the number of eruptive centers (conditional on a dike intersecting the repository) located within the repository footprint. (3) Document sensitivity studies that analyze how the presence of potentially buried basaltic volcanoes may affect the computed frequency of intersection of the repository footprint by a basaltic dike. These sensitivity studies are prompted by aeromagnetic data collected in 1999, indicating the possible presence of previously unrecognized buried volcanoes in the YMR (Blakely et al. 2000 [DIRS 151881]; O'Leary et al. 2002 [DIRS 158468]). The results of the sensitivity studies are for informational purposes only and are not to be used for purposes of assessing repository performance.« less

Coupled Multi-physical Simulations for the Assessment of Nuclear Waste Repository Concepts: Modeling, Software Development and Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massmann, J.; Nagel, T.; Bilke, L.; Böttcher, N.; Heusermann, S.; Fischer, T.; Kumar, V.; Schäfers, A.; Shao, H.; Vogel, P.; Wang, W.; Watanabe, N.; Ziefle, G.; Kolditz, O.

2016-12-01

As part of the German site selection process for a high-level nuclear waste repository, different repository concepts in the geological candidate formations rock salt, clay stone and crystalline rock are being discussed. An open assessment of these concepts using numerical simulations requires physical models capturing the individual particularities of each rock type and associated geotechnical barrier concept to a comparable level of sophistication. In a joint work group of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), scientists of the UFZ are developing and implementing multiphysical process models while BGR scientists apply them to large scale analyses. The advances in simulation methods for waste repositories are incorporated into the open-source code OpenGeoSys. Here, recent application-driven progress in this context is highlighted. A robust implementation of visco-plasticity with temperature-dependent properties into a framework for the thermo-mechanical analysis of rock salt will be shown. The model enables the simulation of heat transport along with its consequences on the elastic response as well as on primary and secondary creep or the occurrence of dilatancy in the repository near field. Transverse isotropy, non-isothermal hydraulic processes and their coupling to mechanical stresses are taken into account for the analysis of repositories in clay stone. These processes are also considered in the near field analyses of engineered barrier systems, including the swelling/shrinkage of the bentonite material. The temperature-dependent saturation evolution around the heat-emitting waste container is described by different multiphase flow formulations. For all mentioned applications, we illustrate the workflow from model development and implementation, over verification and validation, to repository-scale application simulations using methods of high performance computing.

Hydrologic and geologic characteristics of the Yucca Mountain site relevant to the performance of a potential repository: Day 1, Las Vegas, Nevada to Pahrump, Nevada: Stop 6A. Keane Wonder Spring and regional groundwater flow in the Death Valley region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Steinkampf, W.C.

2000-01-01

Yucca Mountain, located ~100 mi northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, has been designated by Congress as a site to be characterized for a potential mined geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste. This field trip will examine the regional geologic and hydrologic setting for Yucca Mountain, as well as specific results of the site characterization program, The first day focuses on the regional seeing with emphasis on current and paleo hydrology, which are both of critical concern for predicting future performance of a potential repository. Morning stops will be in southern Nevada and afternoon stops will be in Death Valley. The second day will be spent at Yucca Mountain. The filed trip will visit the underground testing sites in the "Exploratory Studies Facility" and the "Busted Butte Unsaturated Zone Transport Field Test" plus several surface-based testing sites. Much of the work at the site has concentrated on studies of the unsaturated zone, and element of the hydrologic system that historically has received little attention. Discussions during the second day will comprise selected topics of Yucca Mountain geology, mic hazard in the Yucca Mountain area. Evening discussions will address modeling of regional groundwater flow, the geology and hydrology of Yucca Mountain to the performance of a potential repository. Day 3 will examine the geologic framework and hydrology of the Pahute Mesa-Oasis Valley Groundwater Basin and then will continue to Reno via Hawthorne, Nevada and the Walker Lake area.

Doing Your Science While You're in Orbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, Mark L.; Miller, Stephen D.; Vazhkudai, Sudharshan S.; Trater, James R.

2010-11-01

Large-scale neutron facilities such as the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory need easy-to-use access to Department of Energy Leadership Computing Facilities and experiment repository data. The Orbiter thick- and thin-client and its supporting Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) based services (available at https://orbiter.sns.gov) consist of standards-based components that are reusable and extensible for accessing high performance computing, data and computational grid infrastructure, and cluster-based resources easily from a user configurable interface. The primary Orbiter system goals consist of (1) developing infrastructure for the creation and automation of virtual instrumentation experiment optimization, (2) developing user interfaces for thin- and thick-client access, (3) provide a prototype incorporating major instrument simulation packages, and (4) facilitate neutron science community access and collaboration. The secure Orbiter SOA authentication and authorization is achieved through the developed Virtual File System (VFS) services, which use Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) for data repository file access, thin-and thick-client functionality and application access, and computational job workflow management. The VFS Relational Database Management System (RDMS) consists of approximately 45 database tables describing 498 user accounts with 495 groups over 432,000 directories with 904,077 repository files. Over 59 million NeXus file metadata records are associated to the 12,800 unique NeXus file field/class names generated from the 52,824 repository NeXus files. Services that enable (a) summary dashboards of data repository status with Quality of Service (QoS) metrics, (b) data repository NeXus file field/class name full text search capabilities within a Google like interface, (c) fully functional RBAC browser for the read-only data repository and shared areas, (d) user/group defined and shared metadata for data repository files, (e) user, group, repository, and web 2.0 based global positioning with additional service capabilities are currently available. The SNS based Orbiter SOA integration progress with the Distributed Data Analysis for Neutron Scattering Experiments (DANSE) software development project is summarized with an emphasis on DANSE Central Services and the Virtual Neutron Facility (VNF). Additionally, the DANSE utilization of the Orbiter SOA authentication, authorization, and data transfer services best practice implementations are presented.

Multiscale Model Simulations of Temperature and Relative Humidity for the License Application of the Proposed Yucca Mountain Repository

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buscheck, T.; Glascoe, L.; Sun, Y.; Gansemer, J.; Lee, K.

2003-12-01

For the proposed Yucca Mountain geologic repository for high-level nuclear waste, the planned method of disposal involves the emplacement of cylindrical packages containing the waste inside horizontal tunnels, called emplacement drifts, bored several hundred meters below the ground surface. The emplacement drifts reside in highly fractured, partially saturated volcanic tuff. An important phenomenological consideration for the licensing of the proposed repository at Yucca Mountain is the generation of decay heat by the emplaced waste and the consequences of this decay heat. Changes in temperature will affect the hydrologic and chemical environment at Yucca Mountain. A thermohydrologic-modeling tool is necessary to support the performance assessment of the Engineered Barrier System (EBS) of the proposed repository. This modeling tool must simultaneously account for processes occurring at a scale of a few tens of centimeters around individual waste packages, for processes occurring around the emplacement drifts themselves, and for processes occurring at the multi-kilometer scale of the mountain. Additionally, many other features must be considered including non-isothermal, multiphase-flow in fractured porous rock of variable liquid-phase saturation and thermal radiation and convection in open cavities. The Multiscale Thermohydrologic Model (MSTHM) calculates the following thermohydrologic (TH) variables: temperature, relative humidity, liquid-phase saturation, evaporation rate, air-mass fraction, gas-phase pressure, capillary pressure, and liquid- and gas-phase fluxes. The TH variables are determined as a function of position along each of the emplacement drifts in the repository and as a function of waste-package (WP) type. These variables are determined at various generic locations within the emplacement drifts, including the waste package and drip-shield surfaces and in the invert; they are also determined at various generic locations in the adjoining host rock; these variables are determined every 20 m for each emplacement drift in the repository. The MSTHM accounts for 3-D drift-scale and mountain-scale heat flow and captures the influence of the key engineering-design variables and natural-system factors affecting TH conditions in the emplacement drifts and adjoining host rock. Presented is a synopsis of recent MSTHM calculations conducted to support the Total System Performance Assessment for the License Application (TSPA-LA). This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by University of California Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract No. W-7405-Eng-48.

Reconsolidated Salt as a Geotechnical Barrier

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hansen, Francis D.; Gadbury, Casey

Salt as a geologic medium has several attributes favorable to long-term isolation of waste placed in mined openings. Salt formations are largely impermeable and induced fractures heal as stress returns to equilibrium. Permanent isolation also depends upon the ability to construct geotechnical barriers that achieve nearly the same high-performance characteristics attributed to the native salt formation. Salt repository seal concepts often include elements of reconstituted granular salt. As a specific case in point, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant recently received regulatory approval to change the disposal panel closure design from an engineered barrier constructed of a salt-based concrete to onemore » that employs simple run-of-mine salt and temporary bulkheads for isolation from ventilation. The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is a radioactive waste disposal repository for defense-related transuranic elements mined from the Permian evaporite salt beds in southeast New Mexico. Its approved shaft seal design incorporates barrier components comprising salt-based concrete, bentonite, and substantial depths of crushed salt compacted to enhance reconsolidation. This paper will focus on crushed salt behavior when applied as drift closures to isolate disposal rooms during operations. Scientific aspects of salt reconsolidation have been studied extensively. The technical basis for geotechnical barrier performance has been strengthened by recent experimental findings and analogue comparisons. The panel closure change was accompanied by recognition that granular salt will return to a physical state similar to the halite surrounding it. Use of run-of-mine salt ensures physical and chemical compatibility with the repository environment and simplifies ongoing disposal operations. Our current knowledge and expected outcome of research can be assimilated with lessons learned to put forward designs and operational concepts for the next generation of salt repositories. Mined salt repositories have the potential to isolate permanently vast inventories of radioactive and hazardous wastes.« less

Integrating repositories with fuel cycles: The airport authority model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Forsberg, C.

2012-07-01

The organization of the fuel cycle is a legacy of World War II and the cold war. Fuel cycle facilities were developed and deployed without consideration of the waste management implications. This led to the fuel cycle model of a geological repository site with a single owner, a single function (disposal), and no other facilities on site. Recent studies indicate large economic, safety, repository performance, nonproliferation, and institutional incentives to collocate and integrate all back-end facilities. Site functions could include geological disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) with the option for future retrievability, disposal of other wastes, reprocessing with fuelmore » fabrication, radioisotope production, other facilities that generate significant radioactive wastes, SNF inspection (navy and commercial), and related services such as SNF safeguards equipment testing and training. This implies a site with multiple facilities with different owners sharing some facilities and using common facilities - the repository and SNF receiving. This requires a different repository site institutional structure. We propose development of repository site authorities modeled after airport authorities. Airport authorities manage airports with government-owned runways, collocated or shared public and private airline terminals, commercial and federal military facilities, aircraft maintenance bases, and related operations - all enabled and benefiting the high-value runway asset and access to it via taxi ways. With a repository site authority the high value asset is the repository. The SNF and HLW receiving and storage facilities (equivalent to the airport terminal) serve the repository, any future reprocessing plants, and others with needs for access to SNF and other wastes. Non-public special-built roadways and on-site rail lines (equivalent to taxi ways) connect facilities. Airport authorities are typically chartered by state governments and managed by commissions with members appointed by the state governor, county governments, and city governments. This structure (1) enables state and local governments to work together to maximize job and tax benefits to local communities and the state, (2) provides a mechanism to address local concerns such as airport noise, and (3) creates an institutional structure with large incentives to maximize the value of the common asset, the runway. A repository site authority would have a similar structure and be the local interface to any national waste management authority. (authors)« less

Antarctica and global change research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weller, Gunter; Lange, Manfred

1992-03-01

The Antarctic, including the continent and Southern Ocean with the subantarctic islands, is a critical area in the global change studies under the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP) and the World Climate Research Program (WCRP). Major scientific problems include the impacts of climate warming, the ozone hole, and sea level changes. Large-scale interactions between the atmosphere, ice, ocean, and biota in the Antarctic affect the entire global system through feedbacks, biogeochemical cycles, deep-ocean circulation, atmospheric transport of heat, moisture, and pollutants, and changes in ice mass balances. Antarctica is also a rich repository of paleoenvironmental information in its ice sheet and its ocean and land sediments.

Simulated effects of increased recharge on the ground-water flow system of Yucca Mountain and vicinity, Nevada-California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Czarnecki, J.B.

1984-01-01

A study was performed to assess the potential effects of changes in future climatic conditions on the groundwater system in the vicinity of Yucca Mountain, the site of a potential mined geologic repository for high-level nuclear wastes. These changes probably would result in greater rates of precipitation and, consequently, greater rates of recharge. The study was performed by simulating the groundwater system, using a two-dimensional, finite-element, groundwater flow model. The simulated position of the water table rose as much as 130 meters near the U.S. Department of Energy 's preferred repository area at Yucca Mountain for a simulation involving a 100-percent increase in precipitation compared to modern-day conditions. Despite the water table rise, no flooding of the potential repository would occur at its current proposed location. According to the simulation, springs would discharge south and west of Timber Mountain, along Fortymile Canyon, in the Amargosa Desert near Lathrop Wells and Franklin Lake playa, and near Furnace Creek Ranch in Death Valley, where they presently discharge. Simulated directions of groundwater flow paths near the potential repository area generally would be the same for the baseline (modern-day climate) and the increased-recharge simulations, but the magnitude of flow would increase by 2 to 4 times that of the baseline-simulation flow. (USGS)

The Geomechanics of CO 2 Storage in Deep Sedimentary Formations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rutqvist, Jonny

2012-01-12

This study provides a review of the geomechanics and modeling of geomechanics associated with geologic carbon storage (GCS), focusing on storage in deep sedimentary formations, in particular saline aquifers. The paper first introduces the concept of storage in deep sedimentary formations, the geomechanical processes and issues related with such an operation, and the relevant geomechanical modeling tools. This is followed by a more detailed review of geomechanical aspects, including reservoir stress-strain and microseismicity, well integrity, caprock sealing performance, and the potential for fault reactivation and notable (felt) seismic events. Geomechanical observations at current GCS field deployments, mainly at the Inmore » Salah CO 2 storage project in Algeria, are also integrated into the review. The In Salah project, with its injection into a relatively thin, low-permeability sandstone is an excellent analogue to the saline aquifers that might be used for large scale GCS in parts of Northwest Europe, the U.S. Midwest, and China. Some of the lessons learned at In Salah related to geomechanics are discussed, including how monitoring of geomechanical responses is used for detecting subsurface geomechanical changes and tracking fluid movements, and how such monitoring and geomechanical analyses have led to preventative changes in the injection parameters. Recently, the importance of geomechanics has become more widely recognized among GCS stakeholders, especially with respect to the potential for triggering notable (felt) seismic events and how such events could impact the long-term integrity of a CO 2 repository (as well as how it could impact the public perception of GCS). As described in the paper, to date, no notable seismic event has been reported from any of the current CO 2 storage projects, although some unfelt microseismic activities have been detected by geophones. However, potential future commercial GCS operations from large power plants will require injection at a much larger scale. In conclusion, for such large-scale injections, a staged, learn-as-you-go approach is recommended, involving a gradual increase of injection rates combined with continuous monitoring of geomechanical changes, as well as siting beneath a multiple layered overburden for multiple flow barrier protection, should an unexpected deep fault reactivation occur.« less

Data mining in newt-omics, the repository for omics data from the newt.

PubMed

Looso, Mario; Braun, Thomas

2015-01-01

Salamanders are an excellent model organism to study regenerative processes due to their unique ability to regenerate lost appendages or organs. Straightforward bioinformatics tools to analyze and take advantage of the growing number of "omics" studies performed in salamanders were lacking so far. To overcome this limitation, we have generated a comprehensive data repository for the red-spotted newt Notophthalmus viridescens, named newt-omics, merging omics style datasets on the transcriptome and proteome level including expression values and annotations. The resource is freely available via a user-friendly Web-based graphical user interface ( http://newt-omics.mpi-bn.mpg.de) that allows access and queries to the database without prior bioinformatical expertise. The repository is updated regularly, incorporating new published datasets from omics technologies.

Configuration management plan. System definition and project development. Repository Based Software Engineering (RBSE) program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckay, Charles

1991-01-01

This is the configuration management Plan for the AdaNet Repository Based Software Engineering (RBSE) contract. This document establishes the requirements and activities needed to ensure that the products developed for the AdaNet RBSE contract are accurately identified, that proposed changes to the product are systematically evaluated and controlled, that the status of all change activity is known at all times, and that the product achieves its functional performance requirements and is accurately documented.

Colloid formation during waste form reaction: Implications for nuclear waste disposal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bates, J. K.; Bradley, J.; Teetsov, A.; Bradley, C. R.; Buchholtz ten Brink, Marilyn R.

1992-01-01

Insoluble plutonium- and americium-bearing colloidal particles formed during simulated weathering of a high-level nuclear waste glass. Nearly 100 percent of the total plutonium and americium in test ground water was concentrated in these submicrometer particles. These results indicate that models of actinide mobility and repository integrity, which assume complete solubility of actinides in ground water, underestimate the potential for radionuclide release into the environment. A colloid-trapping mechanism may be necessary for a waste repository to meet long-term performance specifications.

Completeness and overlap in open access systems: Search engines, aggregate institutional repositories and physics-related open sources

PubMed Central

Wu, Tai-luan; Tseng, Ling-li

2017-01-01

This study examines the completeness and overlap of coverage in physics of six open access scholarly communication systems, including two search engines (Google Scholar and Microsoft Academic), two aggregate institutional repositories (OAIster and OpenDOAR), and two physics-related open sources (arXiv.org and Astrophysics Data System). The 2001–2013 Nobel Laureates in Physics served as the sample. Bibliographic records of their publications were retrieved and downloaded from each system, and a computer program was developed to perform the analytical tasks of sorting, comparison, elimination, aggregation and statistical calculations. Quantitative analyses and cross-referencing were performed to determine the completeness and overlap of the system coverage of the six open access systems. The results may enable scholars to select an appropriate open access system as an efficient scholarly communication channel, and academic institutions may build institutional repositories or independently create citation index systems in the future. Suggestions on indicators and tools for academic assessment are presented based on the comprehensiveness assessment of each system. PMID:29267327

A biosphere modeling methodology for dose assessments of the potential Yucca Mountain deep geological high level radioactive waste repository.

PubMed

Watkins, B M; Smith, G M; Little, R H; Kessler, J

1999-04-01

Recent developments in performance standards for proposed high level radioactive waste disposal at Yucca Mountain suggest that health risk or dose rate limits will likely be part of future standards. Approaches to the development of biosphere modeling and dose assessments for Yucca Mountain have been relatively lacking in previous performance assessments due to the absence of such a requirement. This paper describes a practical methodology used to develop a biosphere model appropriate for calculating doses from use of well water by hypothetical individuals due to discharges of contaminated groundwater into a deep well. The biosphere model methodology, developed in parallel with the BIOMOVS II international study, allows a transparent recording of the decisions at each step, from the specification of the biosphere assessment context through to model development and analysis of results. A list of features, events, and processes relevant to Yucca Mountain was recorded and an interaction matrix developed to help identify relationships between them. Special consideration was given to critical/potential exposure group issues and approaches. The conceptual model of the biosphere system was then developed, based on the interaction matrix, to show how radionuclides migrate and accumulate in the biosphere media and result in potential exposure pathways. A mathematical dose assessment model was specified using the flexible AMBER software application, which allows users to construct their own compartment models. The starting point for the biosphere calculations was a unit flux of each radionuclide from the groundwater in the geosphere into the drinking water in the well. For each of the 26 radionuclides considered, the most significant exposure pathways for hypothetical individuals were identified. For 14 of the radionuclides, the primary exposure pathways were identified as consumption of various crops and animal products following assumed agricultural use of the contaminated water derived from the deep well. Inhalation of dust (11 radionuclides) and external irradiation (1 radionuclide) were also identified as significant exposure modes. Contribution to the total flux to dose conversion factor from the drinking water pathway for each radionuclide was also assessed and for most radionuclides was found to be less than 10% of the total flux to dose conversion factor summed across all pathways. Some of the uncertainties related to the results were considered. The biosphere modeling results have been applied within an EPRI Total Systems Performance Assessment of Yucca Mountain. Conclusions and recommendations for future performance assessments are provided.

Probablistic Analyses of Waste Package Quantities Impacted by Potential Igneous Disruption at Yucca Mountain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallace, M. G.; Iuzzolina, H.

2005-12-01

A probabilistic analysis was conducted to estimate ranges for the numbers of waste packages that could be damaged in a potential future igneous event through a repository at Yucca Mountain. The analysis includes disruption from an intrusive igneous event and from an extrusive volcanic event. This analysis supports the evaluation of the potential consequences of future igneous activity as part of the total system performance assessment for the license application for the Yucca Mountain Project (YMP). The first scenario, igneous intrusion, investigated the case where one or more igneous dikes intersect the repository. A swarm of dikes was characterized by distributions of length, width, azimuth, and number of dikes and the spacings between them. Through the use in part of a latin hypercube simulator and a modified video game engine, mathematical relationships were built between those parameters and the number of waste packages hit. Corresponding cumulative distribution function curves (CDFs) for the number of waste packages hit under several different scenarios were calculated. Variations in dike thickness ranges, as well as in repository magma bulkhead positions were examined through sensitivity studies. It was assumed that all waste packages in an emplacement drift would be impacted if that drift was intersected by a dike. Over 10,000 individual simulations were performed. Based on these calculations, out of a total of over 11,000 planned waste packages distributed over an area of approximately 5.5 km2 , the median number of waste packages impacted was roughly 1/10 of the total. Individual cases ranged from 0 waste packages to the entire inventory being impacted. The igneous intrusion analysis involved an explicit characterization of dike-drift intersections, built upon various distributions that reflect the uncertainties associated with the inputs. The second igneous scenario, volcanic eruption (eruptive conduits), considered the effects of conduits formed in association with a volcanic eruption through the repository. Mathematical relations were built between the resulting conduit areas and the fraction of the repository area occupied by waste packages. This relation was used in conjunction with a joint distribution incorporating variability in eruptive conduit diameters and in the number of eruptive conduits that could intersect the repository.

Building a semantic web-based metadata repository for facilitating detailed clinical modeling in cancer genome studies.

PubMed

Sharma, Deepak K; Solbrig, Harold R; Tao, Cui; Weng, Chunhua; Chute, Christopher G; Jiang, Guoqian

2017-06-05

Detailed Clinical Models (DCMs) have been regarded as the basis for retaining computable meaning when data are exchanged between heterogeneous computer systems. To better support clinical cancer data capturing and reporting, there is an emerging need to develop informatics solutions for standards-based clinical models in cancer study domains. The objective of the study is to develop and evaluate a cancer genome study metadata management system that serves as a key infrastructure in supporting clinical information modeling in cancer genome study domains. We leveraged a Semantic Web-based metadata repository enhanced with both ISO11179 metadata standard and Clinical Information Modeling Initiative (CIMI) Reference Model. We used the common data elements (CDEs) defined in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data dictionary, and extracted the metadata of the CDEs using the NCI Cancer Data Standards Repository (caDSR) CDE dataset rendered in the Resource Description Framework (RDF). The ITEM/ITEM_GROUP pattern defined in the latest CIMI Reference Model is used to represent reusable model elements (mini-Archetypes). We produced a metadata repository with 38 clinical cancer genome study domains, comprising a rich collection of mini-Archetype pattern instances. We performed a case study of the domain "clinical pharmaceutical" in the TCGA data dictionary and demonstrated enriched data elements in the metadata repository are very useful in support of building detailed clinical models. Our informatics approach leveraging Semantic Web technologies provides an effective way to build a CIMI-compliant metadata repository that would facilitate the detailed clinical modeling to support use cases beyond TCGA in clinical cancer study domains.

Hydrologic and geologic characteristics of the Yucca Mountain site relevant to the performance of a potential repository

USGS Publications Warehouse

Levich, R.A.; Linden, R.M.; Patterson, R.L.; Stuckless, J.S.

2000-01-01

Yucca Mountain, located ~100 mi northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, has been designated by Congress as a site to be characterized for a potential mined geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste. This field trip will examine the regional geologic and hydrologic setting for Yucca Mountain, as well as specific results of the site characterization program. The first day focuses on the regional setting with emphasis on current and paleo hydrology, which are both of critical concern for predicting future performance of a potential repository. Morning stops will be southern Nevada and afternoon stops will be in Death Valley. The second day will be spent at Yucca Mountain. The field trip will visit the underground testing sites in the "Exploratory Studies Facility" and the "Busted Butte Unsaturated Zone Transport Field Test" plus several surface-based testing sites. Much of the work at the site has concentrated on studies of the unsaturated zone, an element of the hydrologic system that historically has received little attention. Discussions during the second day will compromise selected topics of Yucca Mountain geology, hydrology and geochemistry and will include the probabilistic volcanic hazard analysis and the seismicity and seismic hazard in the Yucca Mountain area. Evening discussions will address modeling of regional groundwater flow, the results of recent hydrologic studies by the Nye County Nuclear Waste Program Office, and the relationship of the geology and hydrology of Yucca Mountain to the performance of a potential repository. Day 3 will examine the geologic framework and hydrology of the Pahute Mesa-Oasis Valley Groundwater Basin and then will continue to Reno via Hawthorne, Nevada and the Walker Lake area.

Mining e-cigarette adverse events in social media using Bi-LSTM recurrent neural network with word embedding representation.

PubMed

Xie, Jiaheng; Liu, Xiao; Dajun Zeng, Daniel

2018-01-01

Recent years have seen increased worldwide popularity of e-cigarette use. However, the risks of e-cigarettes are underexamined. Most e-cigarette adverse event studies have achieved low detection rates due to limited subject sample sizes in the experiments and surveys. Social media provides a large data repository of consumers' e-cigarette feedback and experiences, which are useful for e-cigarette safety surveillance. However, it is difficult to automatically interpret the informal and nontechnical consumer vocabulary about e-cigarettes in social media. This issue hinders the use of social media content for e-cigarette safety surveillance. Recent developments in deep neural network methods have shown promise for named entity extraction from noisy text. Motivated by these observations, we aimed to design a deep neural network approach to extract e-cigarette safety information in social media. Our deep neural language model utilizes word embedding as the representation of text input and recognizes named entity types with the state-of-the-art Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (Bi-LSTM) Recurrent Neural Network. Our Bi-LSTM model achieved the best performance compared to 3 baseline models, with a precision of 94.10%, a recall of 91.80%, and an F-measure of 92.94%. We identified 1591 unique adverse events and 9930 unique e-cigarette components (ie, chemicals, flavors, and devices) from our research testbed. Although the conditional random field baseline model had slightly better precision than our approach, our Bi-LSTM model achieved much higher recall, resulting in the best F-measure. Our method can be generalized to extract medical concepts from social media for other medical applications. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Deep installations of monitoring instrumentation in unsaturated welded tuff

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tyler, S.

1985-12-31

The major goal of this research is to develop low cost techniques to measure matric potential, moisture content, and to sample liquid and vapor for chemical analysis in the deep unsaturated zones of the arid areas of Nevada. This work has been prompted by the high level waste repository proposed in the unsaturated zone of Yucca Mountain. The work presented focuses on two deep (250 meter) boreholes planned for completion at the southern end of Yucca Mountain in fractured tuff. One borehole will be drilled without water and cased to slightly below the zone of saturation in order to measuremore » the depth to saturation and to collect water samples for analysis. This hole will also be used for routine quarterly neutron logging. Between loggings, vapor liquid water samplers will be suspended in the borehole and packed off at selective screened intervals to collect water vapor for isotopic analysis. The second borehole will be drilled to slightly above the water table and serve as a multiple interval psychrometer installation. Thermocouple psychrometers will be placed in isolated screened intervals within the casing. These boreholes will be used for instrument testing, interference and permeability testing, and to monitor short term fluctuations of soil and rock moisture due to precipitation and recharge.« less

Natural analogues for processes affecting disposal of high-level radioactive waste in the vadose zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stuckless, J. S.

2003-04-01

Natural analogues can contribute to understanding and predicting the performance of subsystems and processes affecting a mined geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste in several ways. Most importantly, analogues provide tests for various aspects of systems of a repository at dimensional scales and time spans that cannot be attained by experimental study. In addition, they provide a means for the general public to judge the predicted performance of a potential high-level nuclear waste repository in familiar terms such that the average person can assess the anticipated long-term performance and other scientific conclusions. Hydrologists working on the Yucca Mountain Project (currently the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Repository Development) have modeled the flow of water through the vadose zone at Yucca Mountain, Nevada and particularly the interaction of vadose-zone water with mined openings. Analogues from both natural and anthropogenic examples confirm the prediction that most of the water moving through the vadose zone will move through the host rock and around tunnels. This can be seen both quantitatively where direct comparison between seepage and net infiltration has been made and qualitatively by the excellent degree of preservation of archaeologic artifacts in underground openings. The latter include Paleolithic cave paintings in southwestern Europe, murals and artifacts in Egyptian tombs, painted subterranean Buddhist temples in India and China, and painted underground churches in Cappadocia, Turkey. Natural analogues also suggest that this diversion mechanism is more effective in porous media than in fractured media. Observations from natural analogues are also consistent with the modeled decrease in the percentage of infiltration that becomes seepage with a decrease in amount of infiltration. Finally, analogues, such as tombs that have ben partially filled by mud flows, suggest that the same capillary forces that keep water in the rock around underground openings will draw water towards buried waste packages if they are encased in backfill. Analogue work in support of the U.S. repository program continues in the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy.

Influence of climate on landscape characteristics in safety assessments of repositories for radioactive wastes.

PubMed

Becker, J K; Lindborg, T; Thorne, M C

2014-12-01

In safety assessments of repositories for radioactive wastes, large spatial and temporal scales have to be considered when developing an approach to risk calculations. A wide range of different types of information may be required. Local to the site of interest, temperature and precipitation data may be used to determine the erosional regime (which may also be conditioned by the vegetation characteristics adopted, based both on climatic and other considerations). However, geomorphological changes may be governed by regional rather than local considerations, e.g. alteration of river base levels, river capture and drainage network reorganisation, or the progression of an ice sheet or valley glacier across the site. The regional climate is in turn governed by the global climate. In this work, a commentary is presented on the types of climate models that can be used to develop projections of climate change for use in post-closure radiological impact assessments of geological repositories for radioactive wastes. These models include both Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Models and Earth Models of Intermediate Complexity. The relevant outputs available from these models are identified and consideration is given to how these outputs may be used to inform projections of landscape development. Issues of spatial and temporal downscaling of climate model outputs to meet the requirements of local-scale landscape development modelling are also addressed. An example is given of how climate change and landscape development influence the radiological impact of radionuclides potentially released from the deep geological disposal facility for spent nuclear fuel that SKB (the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company) proposes to construct at Forsmark, Sweden. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental ethics and professional practice: A case study of an environmental challenge for century 2000

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Malone, C.

1995-12-01

Objective resolution of environmental issues involves questions of facts and values, and, for environmental issues to be resolved ethically, a proper synthesis of environmental facts with questions of ethics must occur. In this case study, the proposal by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to use the Yucca Mountain site in southwest Nevada as a deep geologic repository for the permanent disposal of the nation`s high-level nuclear waste is examined in part in the context of the {open_quotes}Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice for Environmental Professionals{close_quotes} adopted by the National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP). Current plans are thatmore » a repository at the Yucca Mountain site would begin functioning in 2010 and would be sealed after about 150 years. The requirement that a geologic repository must isolate nuclear waste from the environment for at least 10,000 years poses unique challenges to environmental professionals. This case study also analyzes the challenges in terms of the implications of a new federal Executive Order on Ecosystem Management and corresponding internal orders within all federal agencies to conform to the Executive Order. The imposition of the principles and practices of ecosystem-based resource management on federal agencies provides an opportunity to also address, in the context of the DOE Yucca Mountain Project, (1) the ecosystem approach to environmental management, (2) concepts of holistic resource management planning, and (3) the concepts of sustainability and biodiversity. Within this framework there are important implications for environmental ethics and professional practice that must remain at the forefront of concerns of the NAEP over the next two decades.« less

International Collaboration Activities on Engineered Barrier Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jove-Colon, Carlos F.

The Used Fuel Disposition Campaign (UFDC) within the DOE Fuel Cycle Technologies (FCT) program has been engaging in international collaborations between repository R&D programs for high-level waste (HLW) disposal to leverage on gathered knowledge and laboratory/field data of near- and far-field processes from experiments at underground research laboratories (URL). Heater test experiments at URLs provide a unique opportunity to mimetically study the thermal effects of heat-generating nuclear waste in subsurface repository environments. Various configurations of these experiments have been carried out at various URLs according to the disposal design concepts of the hosting country repository program. The FEBEX (Full-scale Engineeredmore » Barrier Experiment in Crystalline Host Rock) project is a large-scale heater test experiment originated by the Spanish radioactive waste management agency (Empresa Nacional de Residuos Radiactivos S.A. – ENRESA) at the Grimsel Test Site (GTS) URL in Switzerland. The project was subsequently managed by CIEMAT. FEBEX-DP is a concerted effort of various international partners working on the evaluation of sensor data and characterization of samples obtained during the course of this field test and subsequent dismantling. The main purpose of these field-scale experiments is to evaluate feasibility for creation of an engineered barrier system (EBS) with a horizontal configuration according to the Spanish concept of deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste in crystalline rock. Another key aspect of this project is to improve the knowledge of coupled processes such as thermal-hydro-mechanical (THM) and thermal-hydro-chemical (THC) operating in the near-field environment. The focus of these is on model development and validation of predictions through model implementation in computational tools to simulate coupled THM and THC processes.« less

The real-time fMRI neurofeedback based stratification of Default Network Regulation Neuroimaging data repository.

PubMed

McDonald, Amalia R; Muraskin, Jordan; Dam, Nicholas T Van; Froehlich, Caroline; Puccio, Benjamin; Pellman, John; Bauer, Clemens C C; Akeyson, Alexis; Breland, Melissa M; Calhoun, Vince D; Carter, Steven; Chang, Tiffany P; Gessner, Chelsea; Gianonne, Alyssa; Giavasis, Steven; Glass, Jamie; Homann, Steven; King, Margaret; Kramer, Melissa; Landis, Drew; Lieval, Alexis; Lisinski, Jonathan; Mackay-Brandt, Anna; Miller, Brittny; Panek, Laura; Reed, Hayley; Santiago, Christine; Schoell, Eszter; Sinnig, Richard; Sital, Melissa; Taverna, Elise; Tobe, Russell; Trautman, Kristin; Varghese, Betty; Walden, Lauren; Wang, Runtang; Waters, Abigail B; Wood, Dylan C; Castellanos, F Xavier; Leventhal, Bennett; Colcombe, Stanley J; LaConte, Stephen; Milham, Michael P; Craddock, R Cameron

2017-02-01

This data descriptor describes a repository of openly shared data from an experiment to assess inter-individual differences in default mode network (DMN) activity. This repository includes cross-sectional functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from the Multi Source Interference Task, to assess DMN deactivation, the Moral Dilemma Task, to assess DMN activation, a resting state fMRI scan, and a DMN neurofeedback paradigm, to assess DMN modulation, along with accompanying behavioral and cognitive measures. We report technical validation from n=125 participants of the final targeted sample of 180 participants. Each session includes acquisition of one whole-brain anatomical scan and whole-brain echo-planar imaging (EPI) scans, acquired during the aforementioned tasks and resting state. The data includes several self-report measures related to perseverative thinking, emotion regulation, and imaginative processes, along with a behavioral measure of rapid visual information processing. Technical validation of the data confirms that the tasks deactivate and activate the DMN as expected. Group level analysis of the neurofeedback data indicates that the participants are able to modulate their DMN with considerable inter-subject variability. Preliminary analysis of behavioral responses and specifically self-reported sleep indicate that as many as 73 participants may need to be excluded from an analysis depending on the hypothesis being tested. The present data are linked to the enhanced Nathan Kline Institute, Rockland Sample and builds on the comprehensive neuroimaging and deep phenotyping available therein. As limited information is presently available about individual differences in the capacity to directly modulate the default mode network, these data provide a unique opportunity to examine DMN modulation ability in relation to numerous phenotypic characteristics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Geohydrologic aspects for siting and design of low-level radioactive-waste disposal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bedinger, M.S.

1989-01-01

The objective for siting and design of low-level radioactive-waste repository sites is to isolate the waste from the biosphere until the waste no longer poses an unacceptable hazard as a result of radioactive decay. Low-level radioactive waste commonly is isolated at shallow depths with various engineered features to stabilize the waste and to reduce its dissolution and transport by ground water. The unsaturated zone generally is preferred for isolating the waste. Low-level radioactive waste may need to be isolated for 300 to 500 years. Maintenance and monitoring of the repository site are required by Federal regulations for only the first 100 years. Therefore, geohydrology of the repository site needs to provide natural isolation of the waste for the hazardous period following maintenance of the site. Engineering design of the repository needs to be compatible with the natural geohydrologic conditions at the site. Studies at existing commercial and Federal waste-disposal sites provide information on the problems encountered and the basis for establishing siting guidelines for improved isolation of radioactive waste, engineering design of repository structures, and surveillance needs to assess the effectiveness of the repositories and to provide early warning of problems that may require remedial action.Climate directly affects the hydrology of a site and probably is the most important single factor that affects the suitability of a site for shallow-land burial of low-level radioactive waste. Humid and subhumid regions are not well suited for shallow isolation of low-level radioactive waste in the unsaturated zone; arid regions with zero to small infiltration from precipitation, great depths to the water table, and long flow paths to natural discharge areas are naturally well suited to isolation of the waste. The unsaturated zone is preferred for isolation of low-level radioactive waste. The guiding rationale is to minimize contact of water with the waste and to minimize transport of waste from the repository. The hydrology of a flow system containing a repository is greatly affected by the engineering of the repository site. Prediction of the performance of the repository is a complex problem, hampered by problems of characterizing the natural and manmade features of the flow system and by the limitations of models to predict flow and geochemical processes in the saturated and unsaturated zones. Disposal in low-permeability unfractured clays in the saturated zone may be feasible where the radionuclide transport is controlled by diffusion rather than advection.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krier, D. J.; Perry, F. V.

Location, timing, volume, and eruptive style of post-Miocene volcanoes have defined the volcanic hazard significant to a proposed high-level radioactive waste (HLW) and spent nuclear fuel (SNF) repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, as a low-probability, high-consequence event. Examination of eruptive centers in the region that may be analogueues to possible future volcanic activity at Yucca Mountain have aided in defining and evaluating the consequence scenarios for intrusion into and eruption above a repository. The probability of a future event intersecting a repository at Yucca Mountain has a mean value of 1.7 x 10{sup -8} per year. This probability comes frommore » the Probabilistic Volcanic Hazard Assessment (PVHA) completed in 1996 and updated to reflect change in repository layout. Since that time, magnetic anomalies representing potential buried volcanic centers have been identified fiom magnetic surveys; however these potential buried centers only slightly increase the probability of an event intersecting the repository. The proposed repository will be located in its central portion of Yucca Mountain at approximately 300m depth. The process for assessing performance of a repository at Yucca Mountain has identified two scenarios for igneous activity that, although having a very low probability of occurrence, could have a significant consequence should an igneous event occur. Either a dike swarm intersecting repository drifts containing waste packages, or a volcanic eruption through the repository could result in release of radioactive material to the accessible environment. Ongoing investigations are assessing the mechanisms and significance of the consequence scenarios. Lathrop Wells Cone ({approx}80,000 yrs), a key analogue for estimating potential future volcanic activity, is the youngest surface expression of apparent waning basaltic volcanism in the region. Cone internal structure, lavas, and ash-fall tephra have been examined to estimate eruptive volume, eruption type, and subsurface disturbance accompanying conduit growth and eruption. The Lathrop Wells volcanic complex has a total volume estimate of approximately 0.1 km{sup 3}. The eruptive products indicate a sequence of initial magmatic fissure fountaining, early Strombolian activity, and a brief hydrovolcanic phase, and violent Strombolian phase(s). Lava flows adjacent to the Lathrop Wells Cone probably were emplaced during the mid-eruptive sequence. Ongoing investigations continue to address the potential hazards of a volcanic event at Yucca Mountain.« less

Methods for Probabilistic Radiological Dose Assessment at a High-Level Radioactive Waste Repository.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maheras, Steven James

Methods were developed to assess and evaluate the uncertainty in offsite and onsite radiological dose at a high-level radioactive waste repository to show reasonable assurance that compliance with applicable regulatory requirements will be achieved. Uncertainty in offsite dose was assessed by employing a stochastic precode in conjunction with Monte Carlo simulation using an offsite radiological dose assessment code. Uncertainty in onsite dose was assessed by employing a discrete-event simulation model of repository operations in conjunction with an occupational radiological dose assessment model. Complementary cumulative distribution functions of offsite and onsite dose were used to illustrate reasonable assurance. Offsite dose analyses were performed for iodine -129, cesium-137, strontium-90, and plutonium-239. Complementary cumulative distribution functions of offsite dose were constructed; offsite dose was lognormally distributed with a two order of magnitude range. However, plutonium-239 results were not lognormally distributed and exhibited less than one order of magnitude range. Onsite dose analyses were performed for the preliminary inspection, receiving and handling, and the underground areas of the repository. Complementary cumulative distribution functions of onsite dose were constructed and exhibited less than one order of magnitude range. A preliminary sensitivity analysis of the receiving and handling areas was conducted using a regression metamodel. Sensitivity coefficients and partial correlation coefficients were used as measures of sensitivity. Model output was most sensitive to parameters related to cask handling operations. Model output showed little sensitivity to parameters related to cask inspections.

Imbalanced target prediction with pattern discovery on clinical data repositories.

PubMed

Chan, Tak-Ming; Li, Yuxi; Chiau, Choo-Chiap; Zhu, Jane; Jiang, Jie; Huo, Yong

2017-04-20

Clinical data repositories (CDR) have great potential to improve outcome prediction and risk modeling. However, most clinical studies require careful study design, dedicated data collection efforts, and sophisticated modeling techniques before a hypothesis can be tested. We aim to bridge this gap, so that clinical domain users can perform first-hand prediction on existing repository data without complicated handling, and obtain insightful patterns of imbalanced targets for a formal study before it is conducted. We specifically target for interpretability for domain users where the model can be conveniently explained and applied in clinical practice. We propose an interpretable pattern model which is noise (missing) tolerant for practice data. To address the challenge of imbalanced targets of interest in clinical research, e.g., deaths less than a few percent, the geometric mean of sensitivity and specificity (G-mean) optimization criterion is employed, with which a simple but effective heuristic algorithm is developed. We compared pattern discovery to clinically interpretable methods on two retrospective clinical datasets. They contain 14.9% deaths in 1 year in the thoracic dataset and 9.1% deaths in the cardiac dataset, respectively. In spite of the imbalance challenge shown on other methods, pattern discovery consistently shows competitive cross-validated prediction performance. Compared to logistic regression, Naïve Bayes, and decision tree, pattern discovery achieves statistically significant (p-values < 0.01, Wilcoxon signed rank test) favorable averaged testing G-means and F1-scores (harmonic mean of precision and sensitivity). Without requiring sophisticated technical processing of data and tweaking, the prediction performance of pattern discovery is consistently comparable to the best achievable performance. Pattern discovery has demonstrated to be robust and valuable for target prediction on existing clinical data repositories with imbalance and noise. The prediction results and interpretable patterns can provide insights in an agile and inexpensive way for the potential formal studies.

Potential Future Igneous Activity at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cline, M.; Perry, F. V.; Valentine, G. A.; Smistad, E.

2005-12-01

Location, timing, and volumes of post-Miocene volcanic activity, along with expert judgement, provide the basis for assessing the probability of future volcanism intersecting a proposed repository for nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Analog studies of eruptive centers in the region that may represent the style and extent of possible future igneous activity at Yucca Mountain have aided in defining the consequence scenarios for intrusion into and eruption through a proposed repository. Modeling of magmatic processes related to magma/proposed repository interactions has been used to assess the potential consequences of a future igneous event through a proposed repository at Yucca Mountain. Results of work to date indicate future igneous activity in the Yucca Mountain region has a very low probability of intersecting the proposed repository. Probability of a future event intersecting a proposed repository at Yucca Mountain is approximately 1.7 X 10-8 per year. Since completion of the Probabilistic Volcanic Hazard Assessment (PVHA) in 1996, anomalies representing potential buried volcanic centers have been identified from aeromagnetic surveys. A re-assessment of the hazard is currently underway to evaluate the probability of intersection in light of new information and to estimate the probability of one or more volcanic conduits located in the proposed repository along a dike that intersects the proposed repository. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations for siting and licensing a proposed repository require that the consequences of a disruptive event (igneous event) with annual probability greater than 1 X 10-8 be evaluated. Two consequence scenarios are considered; 1) igneous intrusion-groundwater transport case and 2) volcanic eruptive case. These scenarios equate to a dike or dike swarm intersecting repository drifts containing waste packages, formation of a conduit leading to a volcanic eruption through the repository that carries the contents of the waste packages into the atmosphere, deposition of a tephra sheet, and redistribution of the contaminated ash. In both cases radioactive material is released to the accessible environment either through groundwater transport or through the atmospheric dispersal and deposition. Six Quaternary volcanic centers exist within 20 km of Yucca Mountain. Lathrop Wells cone (LWC), the youngest (approximately 75,000 yrs), is a well-preserved cinder cone with associated flows and tephra sheet that provides an excellent analogue for consequence studies related to future volcanism. Cone, lavas, hydrovolcanic ash, and ash-fall tephra have been examined to estimate eruptive volume and eruption type. LWC ejecta volumes suggest basaltic volcanism may be waning in the Yucca Mountain region.. The eruptive products indicate a sequence of initial fissure fountaining, early Strombolian ash and lapilli deposition forming the scoria cone, a brief hydrovolcanic pulse (possibly limited to the NW sector), and a violent Strombolian phase. Mathematical models have been developed to represent magmatic processes and their consequences on proposed repository performance. These models address dike propagation, magma interaction and flow into drifts, eruption through the proposed repository, and post intrusion/eruption effects. These models continue to be refined to reduce the uncertainty associated with the consequences from a possible future igneous event.

The environmental constraint needs for design improvements to the Saligny I/LLW-repository near Cernavoda NPP

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barariu, Gheorghe

2007-07-01

The paper presents the new perspectives on the development of the L/ILW Final Repository Project which will be built near Cernavoda NPP. The Repository is designed to satisfy the main performance objectives in accordance to IAEA recommendation. Starting in October 1996, Romania became a country with an operating nuclear power plant. Reactor 2 reached the criticality on May 6, 2007 and it will be put in commercial operation in September 2007. The Ministry of Economy and Finance has decided to proceed with the commissioning of Units 3 and 4 of Cernavoda NPP till 2014. The Strategy for radioactive waste managementmore » was elaborated by National Agency for Radioactive Waste (ANDRAD), the jurisdictional authority for definitive disposal and the coordination of nuclear spent fuel and radioactive waste management (Order 844/2004) with attributions established by Governmental Decision (GO) 31/2006. The Strategy specifies the commissioning of the Saligny L/IL Radwaste Repository near Cernavoda NPP in 2014. When designing the L/IL Radwaste Repository, the following prerequisites have been taken into account: 1) Cernavoda NPP will be equipped with 4 Candu 6 units. 2) National Legislation in radwaste management will be reviewed and/or completed to harmonize with UE standards 3) The selected site is now in process of confirmation after a comprehensive set of interdisciplinary investigations. (author)« less

Geoengineering properties of potential repository units at Yucca Mountain, southern Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tillerson, J.R.; Nimick, F.B.

1984-12-01

The Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigations (NNWSI) Project is currently evaluating volcanic tuffs at the Yucca Mountain site, located on and adjacent to the Nevada Test Site, for possible use as a host rock for a radioactive waste repository. The behavior of tuff as an engineering material must be understood to design, license, construct, and operate a repository. Geoengineering evaluations and measurements are being made to develop confidence in both the analysis techniques for thermal, mechanical, and hydrothermal effects and the supporting data base of rock properties. The analysis techniques and the data base are currently used for repository design,more » waste package design, and performance assessment analyses. This report documents the data base of geoengineering properties used in the analyses that aided the selection of the waste emplacement horizon and in analyses synopsized in the Environmental Assessment Report prepared for the Yucca Mountain site. The strategy used for the development of the data base relies primarily on data obtained in laboratory tests that are then confirmed in field tests. Average thermal and mechanical properties (and their anticipated variations) are presented. Based upon these data, analyses completed to date, and previous excavation experience in tuff, it is anticipated that existing mining technology can be used to develop stable underground openings and that repository operations can be carried out safely.« less

WORKSHOP ON DEVELOPMENT OF RADIONUCLIDE GETTERS FOR THE YUCCA MOUNTAIN WASTE REPOSITORY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

K.C. Holt

One of the important that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is currently undertaking is the development of a high-level nuclear waste repository to be located at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Concern is generated by the Yucca Mountain Project (YMP) is due to potential releases as groundwater contamination, as described in the Total System Performance Assessment (TSPA). The dose to an off-site individual using this groundwater for drinking and irrigation is dominated by four radionuclides: Tc-99, I-127, Np-237, and U-238. Ideally, this dose would be limited to a single radionuclide, U-238; in other words, YMP would resemble a uranium ore body,more » a common geologic feature in the Western U.S. For this reason and because of uncertainties in the behavior of Tc-99, I-127, and Np-237, it would be helpful to limit the amount of Tc, I, and Np leaving the repository, which would greatly increase the confidence in the long-term performance of YMP. An approach to limiting the migration of Tc, I, and Np that is complementary to the existing YMP repository design plans is to employ sequestering agents or ''getters'' for these radionuclides such that their migration is greatly hindered, thus decreasing the amount of radionuclide leaving the repository. Development of such getters presents a number of significant challenges. The getter must have a high affinity and high selectivity for the radionuclide in question since there is approximately a 20- to 50-fold excess of other fission products and a 1000-fold excess of uranium in addition to the ions present in the groundwater. An even greater challenge is that the getters must function over a period greater than the half-life of the radionuclide (greater than 5 half-lives would be ideal). Typically, materials with a high affinity for Tc, I, or Np are not sufficiently durable. For example, strong-base ion exchange resins have a very high affinity for TcO{sub 4}{sup -} but are not expected to be durable. On the other hand, durable materials, such as hydrotalcite, do not have sufficient affinity to be useful getters. Despite these problems, the great increase in the repository performance and corresponding decrease in uncertainty promised by a useful getter has generated significant interest in these materials. This report is the result a workshop sponsored by the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management and Office of Science and Technology and International of the DOE to assess the state of research in this field.« less

Automated Grading of Gliomas using Deep Learning in Digital Pathology Images: A modular approach with ensemble of convolutional neural networks.

PubMed

Ertosun, Mehmet Günhan; Rubin, Daniel L

2015-01-01

Brain glioma is the most common primary malignant brain tumors in adults with different pathologic subtypes: Lower Grade Glioma (LGG) Grade II, Lower Grade Glioma (LGG) Grade III, and Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) Grade IV. The survival and treatment options are highly dependent of this glioma grade. We propose a deep learning-based, modular classification pipeline for automated grading of gliomas using digital pathology images. Whole tissue digitized images of pathology slides obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were used to train our deep learning modules. Our modular pipeline provides diagnostic quality statistics, such as precision, sensitivity and specificity, of the individual deep learning modules, and (1) facilitates training given the limited data in this domain, (2) enables exploration of different deep learning structures for each module, (3) leads to developing less complex modules that are simpler to analyze, and (4) provides flexibility, permitting use of single modules within the framework or use of other modeling or machine learning applications, such as probabilistic graphical models or support vector machines. Our modular approach helps us meet the requirements of minimum accuracy levels that are demanded by the context of different decision points within a multi-class classification scheme. Convolutional Neural Networks are trained for each module for each sub-task with more than 90% classification accuracies on validation data set, and achieved classification accuracy of 96% for the task of GBM vs LGG classification, 71% for further identifying the grade of LGG into Grade II or Grade III on independent data set coming from new patients from the multi-institutional repository.

Automated Grading of Gliomas using Deep Learning in Digital Pathology Images: A modular approach with ensemble of convolutional neural networks

PubMed Central

Ertosun, Mehmet Günhan; Rubin, Daniel L.

2015-01-01

Brain glioma is the most common primary malignant brain tumors in adults with different pathologic subtypes: Lower Grade Glioma (LGG) Grade II, Lower Grade Glioma (LGG) Grade III, and Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) Grade IV. The survival and treatment options are highly dependent of this glioma grade. We propose a deep learning-based, modular classification pipeline for automated grading of gliomas using digital pathology images. Whole tissue digitized images of pathology slides obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were used to train our deep learning modules. Our modular pipeline provides diagnostic quality statistics, such as precision, sensitivity and specificity, of the individual deep learning modules, and (1) facilitates training given the limited data in this domain, (2) enables exploration of different deep learning structures for each module, (3) leads to developing less complex modules that are simpler to analyze, and (4) provides flexibility, permitting use of single modules within the framework or use of other modeling or machine learning applications, such as probabilistic graphical models or support vector machines. Our modular approach helps us meet the requirements of minimum accuracy levels that are demanded by the context of different decision points within a multi-class classification scheme. Convolutional Neural Networks are trained for each module for each sub-task with more than 90% classification accuracies on validation data set, and achieved classification accuracy of 96% for the task of GBM vs LGG classification, 71% for further identifying the grade of LGG into Grade II or Grade III on independent data set coming from new patients from the multi-institutional repository. PMID:26958289

Chemolithotrophy in the continental deep subsurface: Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF), USA

PubMed Central

Osburn, Magdalena R.; LaRowe, Douglas E.; Momper, Lily M.; Amend, Jan P.

2014-01-01

The deep subsurface is an enormous repository of microbial life. However, the metabolic capabilities of these microorganisms and the degree to which they are dependent on surface processes are largely unknown. Due to the logistical difficulty of sampling and inherent heterogeneity, the microbial populations of the terrestrial subsurface are poorly characterized. In an effort to better understand the biogeochemistry of deep terrestrial habitats, we evaluate the energetic yield of chemolithotrophic metabolisms and microbial diversity in the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in the former Homestake Gold Mine, SD, USA. Geochemical data, energetic modeling, and DNA sequencing were combined with principle component analysis to describe this deep (down to 8100 ft below surface), terrestrial environment. SURF provides access into an iron-rich Paleoproterozoic metasedimentary deposit that contains deeply circulating groundwater. Geochemical analyses of subsurface fluids reveal enormous geochemical diversity ranging widely in salinity, oxidation state (ORP 330 to −328 mV), and concentrations of redox sensitive species (e.g., Fe2+ from near 0 to 6.2 mg/L and Σ S2- from 7 to 2778μg/L). As a direct result of this compositional buffet, Gibbs energy calculations reveal an abundance of energy for microorganisms from the oxidation of sulfur, iron, nitrogen, methane, and manganese. Pyrotag DNA sequencing reveals diverse communities of chemolithoautotrophs, thermophiles, aerobic and anaerobic heterotrophs, and numerous uncultivated clades. Extrapolated across the mine footprint, these data suggest a complex spatial mosaic of subsurface primary productivity that is in good agreement with predicted energy yields. Notably, we report Gibbs energy normalized both per mole of reaction and per kg fluid (energy density) and find the later to be more consistent with observed physiologies and environmental conditions. Further application of this approach will significantly expand our understanding of the deep terrestrial biosphere. PMID:25429287

Remediation by in-situ solidification/stabilisation of Ardeer landfill, Scotland

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wyllie, M.; Esnault, A.; Barker, P.

1997-12-31

The Ardeer Landfill site at ICI Explosives factory on the west coast of Scotland had been a repository for waste from the site for 40 years. In order to safeguard the local environment ICI Explosives, with approval of Local Authorities and the Clyde River Purification Board put into action a programme of investigation and planning which culminated in the in-situ treatment of 10,000 m3 of waste within the landfill by a deep mixing method using the {open_quotes}Colmix{close_quotes} system. The paper describes in varying degrees of detail the remediation from investigation to the execution of the in-situ stabilisation and presents themore » post construction monitoring results.« less

Progress in the understanding of the long-term corrosion behaviour of copper canisters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Fraser; Lilja, Christina; Vähänen, Marjut

2013-07-01

Copper has been proposed as a canister material for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel in a deep geologic repository in a number of countries worldwide. Since it was first proposed for this purpose in 1978, a significant number of studies have been performed to assess the corrosion performance of copper under repository conditions. These studies are critically reviewed and the suitability of copper as a canister material for nuclear waste is re-assessed. Over the past 30-35 years there has been considerable progress in our understanding of the expected corrosion behaviour of copper canisters. Crucial to this progress has been the improvement in the understanding of the nature of the repository environment and how it will evolve over time. With this improved understanding, it has been possible to predict the evolution of the corrosion behaviour from the initial period of warm, aerobic conditions in the repository to the long-term phase of cool, anoxic conditions dominated by the presence of sulphide. An historical review of the treatment of the corrosion behaviour of copper canisters is presented, from the initial corrosion assessment in 1978, through a major review of the corrosion behaviour in 2001, through to the current level of understanding based on the results of on-going studies. Compared with the initial corrosion assessment, there has been considerable progress in the treatment of localised corrosion, stress corrosion cracking, and microbiologically influenced corrosion of the canisters. Progress in the mechanistic modelling of the evolution of the corrosion behaviour of the canister is also reviewed, as is the continuing debate about the thermodynamic stability of copper in pure water. The overall conclusion of this critical review is that copper is a suitable material for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and offers the prospect of containment of the waste for an extended period of time. The corrosion behaviour is influenced by the presence of the highly compacted bentonite buffer which (i) inhibits the transport of reactants to, and of corrosion products away from, the canister surface, (ii) limits the amount of atmospheric O2 initially trapped in the repository, and (iii) suppresses microbial activity close to the canister surface [5,6,9]. The environment will evolve with time as the initially trapped atmospheric O2 is consumed and as the canister cools. This evolution can be described as a transition from an early period of warm, oxidising conditions to an indefinite period of cool, anoxic conditions. In turn, this environmental evolution will impact the corrosion behaviour of the canister. Localised corrosion and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) will only be possible for a limited period of time initially when there is sufficient oxidant available to support these forms of corrosion. This aerobic phase is only expected to last a few tens or hundreds of years [10,11]. For the vast majority of the service life of the canister, the redox conditions will be determined by the absence of O2 and the presence of sulphide. Although obvious, it is important to remember that the corrosion behaviour is determined by the environmental conditions at the canister surface. Because of the presence of the compacted bentonite, the environment at the canister surface will be quite different from that in the ground water in the rock. In particular, the interfacial concentration of HS- will be small as the rate of corrosion in the presence of sulphide is transport limited [1,2,12]. The low interfacial [HS-] has important implications for various sulphur-related corrosion mechanisms. The relatively high salinity of the ground water (and, hence, of the bentonite pore water) promotes the general dissolution of copper and inhibits localised corrosion and SCC [5,6].

Review of DOE Waste Package Program. Semiannual report, October 1984-March 1985. Volume 8

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davis, M.S.

1985-12-01

A large number of technical reports on waste package component performance were reviewed over the last year in support of the NRC`s review of the Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) Environmental Assessment reports. The intent was to assess in some detail the quantity and quality of the DOE data and their relevance to the high-level waste repository site selection process. A representative selection of the reviews is presented for the salt, basalt, and tuff repository projects. Areas for future research have been outlined. 141 refs.

Six Ways To Foster Peak Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sevilla, Christine; Wells, Timothy D.

1999-01-01

Discusses six initiatives that organizations can support to ensure peak performance: individual knowledge portfolios; mentoring and apprenticeship relationships; electronic conferencing systems; organizational knowledge repository; community of practice; reward and recognition. Defines each initiative and describes how to make each one work in an…

NCCS Regression Test Harness

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tharrington, Arnold N.

2015-09-09

The NCCS Regression Test Harness is a software package that provides a framework to perform regression and acceptance testing on NCCS High Performance Computers. The package is written in Python and has only the dependency of a Subversion repository to store the regression tests.

A Multi-Parametric Device with Innovative Solid Electrodes for Long-Term Monitoring of pH, Redox-Potential and Conductivity in a Nuclear Waste Repository

PubMed Central

Daoudi, Jordan; Betelu, Stephanie; Tzedakis, Theodore; Bertrand, Johan; Ignatiadis, Ioannis

2017-01-01

We present an innovative electrochemical probe for the monitoring of pH, redox potential and conductivity in near-field rocks of deep geological radioactive waste repositories. The probe is composed of a monocrystalline antimony electrode for pH sensing, four AgCl/Ag-based reference or Cl− selective electrodes, one Ag2S/Ag-based reference or S2− selective electrode, as well as four platinum electrodes, a gold electrode and a glassy-carbon electrode for redox potential measurements. Galvanostatic electrochemistry impedance spectroscopy using AgCl/Ag-based and platinum electrodes measure conductivity. The use of such a multi-parameter probe provides redundant information, based as it is on the simultaneous behaviour under identical conditions of different electrodes of the same material, as well as on that of electrodes made of different materials. This identifies the changes in physical and chemical parameters in a solution, as well as the redox reactions controlling the measured potential, both in the solution and/or at the electrode/solution interface. Understanding the electrochemical behaviour of selected materials thus is a key point of our research, as provides the basis for constructing the abacuses needed for developing robust and reliable field sensors. PMID:28608820

Study of thermo-hydro-mechanical processes at a potential site of an Indian nuclear waste repository

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maheshwar, Sachin; Verma, A. K.; Singh, T. N.; Bajpai, R. K.

2015-12-01

A detailed scientific study is required for the disposal of high-level radioactive wastes because they generate extremely high heat during their half-life period. Although, several methods have been proposed for the disposal of nuclear wastes, deep underground repository is considered to be a suitable option. In this paper, field investigation has been done near to Bhima basin of peninsular India. Detailed fracture analysis near the borehole shows very prominent maxima of fractures striking N55∘E coinciding with the trace of master basement cover metasediment fault. Physico-mechanical properties of rocks have been determined in the laboratory. The host rock chosen is granite and engineered barrier near the canister is proposed to be clay. A thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) analysis has been done to study the effect of heat on deformations, stresses and pore-pressure variation in granite and clay barriers. For this purpose, finite difference method has been used. Suitable rheological models have been used to model elastic canister and elasto-plastic engineered barrier and host rock. It has been found that both temperature and stresses at any point in the rockmass is below the design criteria which are 100∘C for temperature and 0.2 for damage number.

Final environmental impact statement. Management of commercially generated radioactive waste. Volume 3. Public comments hearing board report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1980-10-01

This EIS analyzes the significant environmental impacts that could occur if various technologies for management and disposal of high-level and transuranic wastes from commercial nuclear power reactors were to be developed and implemented. This EIS will serve as the environmental input for the decision on which technology, or technologies, will be emphasized in further research and development activities in the commercial waste management program. The action proposed in this EIS is to (1) adopt a national strategy to develop mined geologic repositories for disposal of commercially generated high-level and transuranic radioactive waste (while continuing to examine subseabed and very deepmore » hole disposal as potential backup technologies) and (2) conduct a R and D program to develop such facilities and the necessary technology to ensure the safe long-term containment and isolation of these wastes. The Department has considered in this statement: development of conventionally mined deep geologic repositories for disposal of spent fuel from nuclear power reactors and/or radioactive fuel reprocessing wastes; balanced development of several alternative disposal methods; and no waste disposal action. This volume contains written public comments and hearing board responses and reports offered on the draft statement.« less

A Multi-Parametric Device with Innovative Solid Electrodes for Long-Term Monitoring of pH, Redox-Potential and Conductivity in a Nuclear Waste Repository.

PubMed

Daoudi, Jordan; Betelu, Stephanie; Tzedakis, Theodore; Bertrand, Johan; Ignatiadis, Ioannis

2017-06-13

We present an innovative electrochemical probe for the monitoring of pH, redox potential and conductivity in near-field rocks of deep geological radioactive waste repositories. The probe is composed of a monocrystalline antimony electrode for pH sensing, four AgCl/Ag-based reference or Cl - selective electrodes, one Ag₂S/Ag-based reference or S 2- selective electrode, as well as four platinum electrodes, a gold electrode and a glassy-carbon electrode for redox potential measurements. Galvanostatic electrochemistry impedance spectroscopy using AgCl/Ag-based and platinum electrodes measure conductivity. The use of such a multi-parameter probe provides redundant information, based as it is on the simultaneous behaviour under identical conditions of different electrodes of the same material, as well as on that of electrodes made of different materials. This identifies the changes in physical and chemical parameters in a solution, as well as the redox reactions controlling the measured potential, both in the solution and/or at the electrode/solution interface. Understanding the electrochemical behaviour of selected materials thus is a key point of our research, as provides the basis for constructing the abacuses needed for developing robust and reliable field sensors.

SNOMED CT module-driven clinical archetype management.

PubMed

Allones, J L; Taboada, M; Martinez, D; Lozano, R; Sobrido, M J

2013-06-01

To explore semantic search to improve management and user navigation in clinical archetype repositories. In order to support semantic searches across archetypes, an automated method based on SNOMED CT modularization is implemented to transform clinical archetypes into SNOMED CT extracts. Concurrently, query terms are converted into SNOMED CT concepts using the search engine Lucene. Retrieval is then carried out by matching query concepts with the corresponding SNOMED CT segments. A test collection of the 16 clinical archetypes, including over 250 terms, and a subset of 55 clinical terms from two medical dictionaries, MediLexicon and MedlinePlus, were used to test our method. The keyword-based service supported by the OpenEHR repository offered us a benchmark to evaluate the enhancement of performance. In total, our approach reached 97.4% precision and 69.1% recall, providing a substantial improvement of recall (more than 70%) compared to the benchmark. Exploiting medical domain knowledge from ontologies such as SNOMED CT may overcome some limitations of the keyword-based systems and thus improve the search experience of repository users. An automated approach based on ontology segmentation is an efficient and feasible way for supporting modeling, management and user navigation in clinical archetype repositories. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Geomechanical Considerations for the Deep Borehole Field Test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, B. Y.

2015-12-01

Deep borehole disposal of high-level radioactive waste is under consideration as a potential alternative to shallower mined repositories. The disposal concept consists of drilling a borehole into crystalline basement rocks to a depth of 5 km, emplacement of canisters containing solid waste in the lower 2 km, and plugging and sealing the upper 3 km of the borehole. Crystalline rocks such as granites are particularly attractive for borehole emplacement because of their low permeability and porosity at depth, and high mechanical strength to resist borehole deformation. In addition, high overburden pressures contribute to sealing of some of the fractures that provide transport pathways. We present geomechanical considerations during construction (e.g., borehole breakouts, disturbed rock zone development, and creep closure), relevant to both the smaller-diameter characterization borehole (8.5") and the larger-diameter field test borehole (17"). Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Formation and Geological Sequestration of Uranium Nanoparticles in Deep Granitic Aquifer

PubMed Central

Suzuki, Yohey; Mukai, Hiroki; Ishimura, Toyoho; Yokoyama, Takaomi D.; Sakata, Shuhei; Hirata, Takafumi; Iwatsuki, Teruki; Mizuno, Takashi

2016-01-01

The stimulation of bacterial activities that convert hexavalent uranium, U(VI), to tetravalent uranium, U(IV), appears to be feasible for cost-effective remediation of contaminated aquifers. However, U(VI) reduction typically results in the precipitation of U(IV) particles less than 5 nanometers in diameter, except for environmental conditions enriched with iron. Because these tiny particles are mobile and susceptible to oxidative dissolution after the termination of nutrient injection, in situ bioremediation remains to be impractical. Here we show that U(IV) nanoparticles of coffinite (U(SiO4)1−x(OH)4x) formed in fracture-filling calcium carbonate in a granitic aquifer. In situ U-Pb isotope dating demonstrates that U(IV) nanoparticles have been sequestered in the calcium carbonate for at least 1 million years. As the microbiologically induced precipitation of calcium carbonate in aquifer systems worldwide is extremely common, we anticipate simultaneous stimulation of microbial activities for precipitation reactions of calcium carbonate and U(IV) nanoparticles, which leads to long-term sequestration of uranium and other radionuclides in contaminated aquifers and deep geological repositories. PMID:26948389

Formation and Geological Sequestration of Uranium Nanoparticles in Deep Granitic Aquifer.

PubMed

Suzuki, Yohey; Mukai, Hiroki; Ishimura, Toyoho; Yokoyama, Takaomi D; Sakata, Shuhei; Hirata, Takafumi; Iwatsuki, Teruki; Mizuno, Takashi

2016-03-07

The stimulation of bacterial activities that convert hexavalent uranium, U(VI), to tetravalent uranium, U(IV), appears to be feasible for cost-effective remediation of contaminated aquifers. However, U(VI) reduction typically results in the precipitation of U(IV) particles less than 5 nanometers in diameter, except for environmental conditions enriched with iron. Because these tiny particles are mobile and susceptible to oxidative dissolution after the termination of nutrient injection, in situ bioremediation remains to be impractical. Here we show that U(IV) nanoparticles of coffinite (U(SiO4)1-x(OH)4x) formed in fracture-filling calcium carbonate in a granitic aquifer. In situ U-Pb isotope dating demonstrates that U(IV) nanoparticles have been sequestered in the calcium carbonate for at least 1 million years. As the microbiologically induced precipitation of calcium carbonate in aquifer systems worldwide is extremely common, we anticipate simultaneous stimulation of microbial activities for precipitation reactions of calcium carbonate and U(IV) nanoparticles, which leads to long-term sequestration of uranium and other radionuclides in contaminated aquifers and deep geological repositories.

10 CFR 63.114 - Requirements for performance assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Technical Criteria Postclosure Performance Assessment § 63..., hydrology, and geochemistry (including disruptive processes and events) of the Yucca Mountain site, and the... disposal, and provide for the technical basis for parameter ranges, probability distributions, or bounding...

10 CFR 63.114 - Requirements for performance assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Technical Criteria Postclosure Performance Assessment § 63..., hydrology, and geochemistry (including disruptive processes and events) of the Yucca Mountain site, and the... disposal, and provide for the technical basis for parameter ranges, probability distributions, or bounding...

10 CFR 63.114 - Requirements for performance assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Technical Criteria Postclosure Performance Assessment § 63..., hydrology, and geochemistry (including disruptive processes and events) of the Yucca Mountain site, and the... disposal, and provide for the technical basis for parameter ranges, probability distributions, or bounding...

10 CFR 63.114 - Requirements for performance assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Technical Criteria Postclosure Performance Assessment § 63..., hydrology, and geochemistry (including disruptive processes and events) of the Yucca Mountain site, and the... disposal, and provide for the technical basis for parameter ranges, probability distributions, or bounding...

10 CFR 63.114 - Requirements for performance assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Technical Criteria Postclosure Performance Assessment § 63..., hydrology, and geochemistry (including disruptive processes and events) of the Yucca Mountain site, and the... disposal, and provide for the technical basis for parameter ranges, probability distributions, or bounding...

Grid Application Meta-Repository System: Repository Interconnectivity and Cross-domain Application Usage in Distributed Computing Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tudose, Alexandru; Terstyansky, Gabor; Kacsuk, Peter; Winter, Stephen

Grid Application Repositories vary greatly in terms of access interface, security system, implementation technology, communication protocols and repository model. This diversity has become a significant limitation in terms of interoperability and inter-repository access. This paper presents the Grid Application Meta-Repository System (GAMRS) as a solution that offers better options for the management of Grid applications. GAMRS proposes a generic repository architecture, which allows any Grid Application Repository (GAR) to be connected to the system independent of their underlying technology. It also presents applications in a uniform manner and makes applications from all connected repositories visible to web search engines, OGSI/WSRF Grid Services and other OAI (Open Archive Initiative)-compliant repositories. GAMRS can also function as a repository in its own right and can store applications under a new repository model. With the help of this model, applications can be presented as embedded in virtual machines (VM) and therefore they can be run in their native environments and can easily be deployed on virtualized infrastructures allowing interoperability with new generation technologies such as cloud computing, application-on-demand, automatic service/application deployments and automatic VM generation.

Use of the Fracture Continuum Model for Numerical Modeling of Flow and Transport of Deep Geologic Disposal of Nuclear Waste in Crystalline Rock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadgu, T.; Kalinina, E.; Klise, K. A.; Wang, Y.

2015-12-01

Numerical modeling of disposal of nuclear waste in a deep geologic repository in fractured crystalline rock requires robust characterization of fractures. Various methods for fracture representation in granitic rocks exist. In this study we used the fracture continuum model (FCM) to characterize fractured rock for use in the simulation of flow and transport in the far field of a generic nuclear waste repository located at 500 m depth. The FCM approach is a stochastic method that maps the permeability of discrete fractures onto a regular grid. The method generates permeability fields using field observations of fracture sets. The original method described in McKenna and Reeves (2005) was designed for vertical fractures. The method has since then been extended to incorporate fully three-dimensional representations of anisotropic permeability, multiple independent fracture sets, and arbitrary fracture dips and orientations, and spatial correlation (Kalinina et al. 20012, 2014). For this study the numerical code PFLOTRAN (Lichtner et al., 2015) has been used to model flow and transport. PFLOTRAN solves a system of generally nonlinear partial differential equations describing multiphase, multicomponent and multiscale reactive flow and transport in porous materials. The code is designed to run on massively parallel computing architectures as well as workstations and laptops (e.g. Hammond et al., 2011). Benchmark tests were conducted to simulate flow and transport in a specified model domain. Distributions of fracture parameters were used to generate a selected number of realizations. For each realization, the FCM method was used to generate a permeability field of the fractured rock. The PFLOTRAN code was then used to simulate flow and transport in the domain. Simulation results and analysis are presented. The results indicate that the FCM approach is a viable method to model fractured crystalline rocks. The FCM is a computationally efficient way to generate realistic representation of complex fracture systems. This approach is of interest for nuclear waste disposal models applied over large domains.

Muon Tomography for Geological Repositories.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodward, D.; Kudryavtsev, V.; Gluyas, J.; Clark, S. J.; Thompson, L. F.; Klinger, J.; Spooner, N. J.; Blackwell, T. B.; Pal, S.; Lincoln, D. L.; Paling, S. M.; Mitchell, C. N.; Benton, C.; Coleman, M. L.; Telfer, S.; Cole, A.; Nolan, S.; Chadwick, P.

2015-12-01

Cosmic-ray muons are subatomic particles produced in the upper atmosphere in collisions of primary cosmic rays with atoms in air. Due to their high penetrating power these muons can be used to image the content (primarily density) of matter they pass through. They have already been used to image the structure of pyramids, volcanoes and other objects. Their applications can be extended to investigating the structure of, and monitoring changes in geological formations and repositories, in particular deep subsurface sites with stored CO2. Current methods of monitoring subsurface CO2, such as repeat seismic surveys, are episodic and require highly skilled personnel to operate. Our simulations based on simplified models have previously shown that muon tomography could be used to continuously monitor CO2 injection and migration and complement existing technologies. Here we present a simulation of the monitoring of CO2 plume evolution in a geological reservoir using muon tomography. The stratigraphy in the vicinity of the reservoir is modelled using geological data, and a numerical fluid flow model is used to describe the time evolution of the CO2 plume. A planar detection region with a surface area of 1000 m2 is considered, at a vertical depth of 776 m below the seabed. We find that one year of constant CO2 injection leads to changes in the column density of about 1%, and that the CO2 plume is already resolvable with an exposure time of less than 50 days. The attached figure show a map of CO2 plume in angular coordinates as reconstructed from observed muons. In parallel with simulation efforts, a small prototype muon detector has been designed, built and tested in a deep subsurface laboratory. Initial calibrations of the detector have shown that it can reach the required angular resolution for muon detection. Stable operation in a small borehole within a few months has been demonstrated.

Long-term hydrodynamic response induced by past climatic and geomorphologic forcing: The case of the Paris basin, France

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jost, A.; Violette, S.; Gonçalvès, J.; Ledoux, E.; Guyomard, Y.; Guillocheau, F.; Kageyama, M.; Ramstein, G.; Suc, J.-P.

In the framework of safe underground storage of radioactive waste in low-permeability layers, it is essential to evaluate the mobility of deep groundwaters over timescales of several million years. On these timescales, the environmental evolution of a repository should depend upon a range of natural processes that are primarily driven by climate and geomorphologic variations. In this paper, the response of the Paris basin groundwater system to variations in its hydrodynamic boundary conditions induced by past climate and geodynamic changes over the last five million years is investigated. A three-dimensional transient modelling of the Paris basin aquifer/aquitard system was developed using the code NEWSAM (Ecole des Mines de Paris, ENSMP). The geometry and hydrodynamic parameters of the model originate from a basin model, NEWBAS (ENSMP), built to simulate the geological history of the basin. Geomorphologic evolution is deduced from digital elevation model analysis, which allows to estimate river-valley incision and alpine surrection. Climate forcing results from palaeoclimate modelling experiments using the LMDz atmospheric general circulation model (Institut Pierre Simon Laplace) with a refined spatial resolution, for the present, the Last Glacial Maximum (21 ka) and the Middle Pliocene Warmth (˜3 Ma). The water balance is computed by the distributed hydrological model MODSUR (ENSMP). Results about the simulated evolution of piezometric heads in the system in response to the altered boundary conditions are presented, in particular in the vicinity of ANDRA’s Bure potential repository site within the Callovo-Oxfordian argillaceous layer. For the present, the comparison of head patterns between steady state and time dependent simulation shows little differences for aquifer layers close to the surface but suggests a transient state of the current system in the main aquitards of the basin and in the deep aquifers, characterized by abnormally low fluid potentials. The dependence of the boundary-induced transient effects on the hydraulic diffusivity is illustrated by means of a sensitivity study.

Drilling effect on subsurface microbial community structure in groundwater from the -250 m gallery at the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ise, K.; Amano, Y.; Sasaki, Y.; Yoshikawa, H.

2014-12-01

The deep geological disposal system is regarded as the most secure and practical disposal method of high-level radioactive waste in the world. In this disposal system, preservation of reducing condition is one of the key requirements, because most of radionuclides have low solubilities in such condition. However, the host rocks near the shafts and galleries would be affected by oxidization during the construction and operation period of a repository (for about 50 years). Therefore, the recovery of reducing condition after closing the repository should be verified. During the recovery processes, it is considered that microbial activities play important roles, but the mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, we monitored the changes in microbial communities by molecular method to evaluate microbial response toward the oxygen stress. The groundwater samples were collected from a borehole of 250 m depth at the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory, for two years immediately after drilling of a borehole without any contamination as much as possible. Immediately after drilling of the borehole, the phylotype related to Arcobacter spp. was dominated about 65 % of the total clone library. Arcobacter spp. is known as sulfide oxidizer and which can growth chemoautotrophically. Half a year later, the phylotype related to Azoarcus spp. and Pseudomonas spp. known as nitrate reducing bacteria increased, instead of the phylotype related to Arcobacter spp. One year later, in addition to nitrate reducing bacteria, phylotype related to Dethiobacterspp. known as thiosulfate reducing bacteria was dominantly detected. Two years later, most of detected clones were related to uncultured species such as candidate division WS6 and JS1 which are detected frequently in deep-sea sediments. Our results indicate that these redox sequential reactions could contribute to the recovery and maintenance of reducing conditions and provide a conceptual model for evaluating the capacity to recover reducing conditions in subsurface environments after final geological disposal and the post-closure.

48 CFR 227.7207 - Contractor data repositories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Computer Software and Computer Software Documentation 227.7207 Contractor data repositories. Follow 227.7108 when it is in the Government's interests to have a data repository include computer software or to have a separate computer software repository. Contractual instruments establishing the repository...

48 CFR 227.7207 - Contractor data repositories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Computer Software and Computer Software Documentation 227.7207 Contractor data repositories. Follow 227.7108 when it is in the Government's interests to have a data repository include computer software or to have a separate computer software repository. Contractual instruments establishing the repository...

48 CFR 227.7207 - Contractor data repositories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Computer Software and Computer Software Documentation 227.7207 Contractor data repositories. Follow 227.7108 when it is in the Government's interests to have a data repository include computer software or to have a separate computer software repository. Contractual instruments establishing the repository...

48 CFR 227.7207 - Contractor data repositories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Computer Software and Computer Software Documentation 227.7207 Contractor data repositories. Follow 227.7108 when it is in the Government's interests to have a data repository include computer software or to have a separate computer software repository. Contractual instruments establishing the repository...

Feasibility of an International Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation Data Repository

PubMed Central

Bradford, Elissa Held; Baert, Ilse; Finlayson, Marcia; Feys, Peter

2018-01-01

Abstract Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) rehabilitation evidence is limited due to methodological factors, which may be addressed by a data repository. We describe the perceived challenges of, motivators for, interest in participating in, and key features of an international MS rehabilitation data repository. Methods: A multimethod sequential investigation was performed with the results of two focus groups, using nominal group technique, and study aims informing the development of an online questionnaire. Percentage agreement and key quotations illustrated questionnaire findings. Subgroup comparisons were made between clinicians and researchers and between participants in North America and Europe. Results: Rehabilitation professionals from 25 countries participated (focus groups: n = 21; questionnaire: n = 166). The top ten challenges (C) and motivators (M) identified by the focus groups were database control/management (C); ethical/legal concerns (C); data quality (C); time, effort, and cost (C); best practice (M); uniformity (C); sustainability (C); deeper analysis (M); collaboration (M); and identifying research needs (M). Percentage agreement with questionnaire statements regarding challenges to, motivators for, interest in, and key features of a successful repository was at least 80%, 85%, 72%, and 83%, respectively, across each group of statements. Questionnaire subgroup analysis revealed a few differences (P < .05), including that clinicians more strongly identified with improving best practice as a motivator. Conclusions: Findings support clinician and researcher interest in and potential for success of an international MS rehabilitation data repository if prioritized challenges and motivators are addressed and key features are included. PMID:29507539

Feasibility of an International Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation Data Repository: Perceived Challenges and Motivators for Sharing Data.

PubMed

Bradford, Elissa Held; Baert, Ilse; Finlayson, Marcia; Feys, Peter; Wagner, Joanne

2018-01-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) rehabilitation evidence is limited due to methodological factors, which may be addressed by a data repository. We describe the perceived challenges of, motivators for, interest in participating in, and key features of an international MS rehabilitation data repository. A multimethod sequential investigation was performed with the results of two focus groups, using nominal group technique, and study aims informing the development of an online questionnaire. Percentage agreement and key quotations illustrated questionnaire findings. Subgroup comparisons were made between clinicians and researchers and between participants in North America and Europe. Rehabilitation professionals from 25 countries participated (focus groups: n = 21; questionnaire: n = 166). The top ten challenges (C) and motivators (M) identified by the focus groups were database control/management (C); ethical/legal concerns (C); data quality (C); time, effort, and cost (C); best practice (M); uniformity (C); sustainability (C); deeper analysis (M); collaboration (M); and identifying research needs (M). Percentage agreement with questionnaire statements regarding challenges to, motivators for, interest in, and key features of a successful repository was at least 80%, 85%, 72%, and 83%, respectively, across each group of statements. Questionnaire subgroup analysis revealed a few differences (P < .05), including that clinicians more strongly identified with improving best practice as a motivator. Findings support clinician and researcher interest in and potential for success of an international MS rehabilitation data repository if prioritized challenges and motivators are addressed and key features are included.

Future intrusion of oxygenated glacial meltwaters into the Fennoscandian shield: a possibility to consider in performance assessments for nuclear-waste disposal sites?: Chapter 6

USGS Publications Warehouse

Glynn, Pierre

2008-01-01

Provost et al. (1998) and Glynn and Voss (1999; also published in Glynn et al., 1999) considered the possibility that during future glaciations, oxygenated glacial meltwaters from two- to three-kilometer thick ice sheets could potentially intrude to the 500 m depth of planned nuclear-waste repositories. This possibility has been of concern because of potential negative effects on the stability of the repository engineered environment, and because of the potential mobilization of radionuclides should the oxygenated waters come into contact with the radioactive waste. The above reports argued that given the current state of knowledge, it was hard to discount the possibility that oxygenated waters could penetrate to repository level depth. The reports also suggested that oxidizing conditions might be present in the fractured rock environment for significant amounts of time, on the order of thousands to tens of thousands of years. In some earlier reports, Swedish and Finnish governmental agencies in charge of nuclear-waste disposal had considered the possibility that oxygenated meltwaters might intrude to the repository depth (SKI: 1992; Martinerie et al, 1992; Ahonen and Vieno, 1994). Subsequent to the publication of Provost et al. (1998), Glynn et al. (1999) and Glynn and Voss (1999), the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Handling Company (SKB) commissioned efforts to examine more thoroughly the possibilities that oxygenated meltwaters might occur under ice-sheet conditions and intrude to the repository depth.

Bridging the Gap: Need for a Data Repository to Support Vaccine Prioritization Efforts*

PubMed Central

Madhavan, Guruprasad; Phelps, Charles; Sangha, Kinpritma; Levin, Scott; Rappuoli, Rino

2015-01-01

As the mechanisms for discovery, development, and delivery of new vaccines become increasingly complex, strategic planning and priority setting have become ever more crucial. Traditional single value metrics such as disease burden or cost-effectiveness no longer suffice to rank vaccine candidates for development. The Institute of Medicine—in collaboration with the National Academy of Engineering—has developed a novel software system to support vaccine prioritization efforts. The Strategic Multi-Attribute Ranking Tool for Vaccines—SMART Vaccines—allows decision makers to specify their own value structure, selecting from among 28 pre-defined and up to 7 user-defined attributes relevant to the ranking of vaccine candidates. Widespread use of SMART Vaccines will require compilation of a comprehensive data repository for numerous relevant populations—including their demographics, disease burdens and associated treatment costs, as well as characterizing performance features of potential or existing vaccines that might be created, improved, or deployed. While the software contains preloaded data for a modest number of populations, a large gap exists between the existing data and a comprehensive data repository necessary to make full use of SMART Vaccines. While some of these data exist in disparate sources and forms, constructing a data repository will require much new coordination and focus. Finding strategies to bridge the gap to a comprehensive data repository remains the most important task in bringing SMART Vaccines to full fruition, and to support strategic vaccine prioritization efforts in general. PMID:26022565

The SKI repository performance assessment project Site-94

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andersson, J.; Dverstorp, B.; Sjoeblom, R.

1995-12-01

SITE-94 is a research project conducted as a performance assessment of a hypothetical repository for spent nuclear fuel, but with real pre-excavation data from a real site. The geosphere, the engineered barriers and the processes for radionuclide release and transport comprise an integrated interdependent system, which is described by an influence diagram (PID) that reflects how different Features, Events or Processes (FEPs) inside the system interact. Site evaluation is used to determine information of transport paths in the geosphere and to deliver information on geosphere interaction with the engineered barriers. A three-dimensional geological structure model of the site as wellmore » as alternative conceptual models consistent with the existing hydrological field data, have been analyzed. Groundwater chemistry is evaluated and a model, fairly consistent with the flow model, for the origin of the different waters has been developed. The geological structure model is also used for analyzing the mechanical stability of the site. Several phenomena of relevance for copper corrosion in a repository environment have been investigated. For Reference Case conditions and regardless of flow variability, output is dominated by I-129, which, for a single canister, may give rise to drinking water well doses in the order of 10{sup -6}Sv/yr. Finally, it appears that the procedures involved in the development of influence diagrams may be a promising tool for quality assurance of performance assessments.« less

Comparison of solvent extraction and extraction chromatography resin techniques for uranium isotopic characterization in high-level radioactive waste and barrier materials.

PubMed

Hurtado-Bermúdez, Santiago; Villa-Alfageme, María; Mas, José Luis; Alba, María Dolores

2018-07-01

The development of Deep Geological Repositories (DGP) to the storage of high-level radioactive waste (HLRW) is mainly focused in systems of multiple barriers based on the use of clays, and particularly bentonites, as natural and engineered barriers in nuclear waste isolation due to their remarkable properties. Due to the fact that uranium is the major component of HLRW, it is required to go in depth in the analysis of the chemistry of the reaction of this element within bentonites. The determination of uranium under the conditions of HLRW, including the analysis of silicate matrices before and after the uranium-bentonite reaction, was investigated. The performances of a state-of-the-art and widespread radiochemical method based on chromatographic UTEVA resins, and a well-known and traditional method based on solvent extraction with tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP), for the analysis of uranium and thorium isotopes in solid matrices with high concentrations of uranium were analysed in detail. In the development of this comparison, both radiochemical approaches have an overall excellent performance in order to analyse uranium concentration in HLRW samples. However, due to the high uranium concentration in the samples, the chromatographic resin is not able to avoid completely the uranium contamination in the thorium fraction. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 124.33 - Information repository.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Information repository. 124.33 Section... FOR DECISIONMAKING Specific Procedures Applicable to RCRA Permits § 124.33 Information repository. (a... basis, for an information repository. When assessing the need for an information repository, the...

10 CFR 60.130 - General considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... REPOSITORIES Technical Criteria Design Criteria for the Geologic Repository Operations Area § 60.130 General... for a high-level radioactive waste repository at a geologic repository operations area, and an... geologic repository operations area, must include the principal design criteria for a proposed facility...

R/V Kilo Moana's New Geophysical Instrumentation, Processing Methods, and Online Data Repository

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, J. E.; Chandler, M. T.; Taylor, B.; Shor, A.; Ferguson, J. S.; Wessel, P.

2012-12-01

In 2012 several upgrades were made to the underway geophysical systems on R/V Kilo Moana, which the University of Hawaii School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) operates as part of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) fleet. New instrumentation includes a Bell BGM-3 forced feedback-type gravimeter, a Kongsberg EM 122 12-kHz receiver array, and a high resolution 70-100 kHz EM 710 multibeam echo sounder. Multibeam acceptance trials carried out in June by the Multibeam Advisory Committee, Gates Acoustic Services and UH-SOEST found that both sonars are performing within expected levels with ~5x water depth (WD) for the EM 710 system in shallow water and ~19 km swath width at 4,700 m depth (~4x WD) for the EM 122 deep water system. UH-SOEST also took steps this year to fulfill its obligation to make Kilo Moana's geophysical data more accessible to the public. After an audit of Kilo Moana data at SOEST, Lamont's Rolling Deck to Repository (R2R) and the National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC), as of July 2012 all National Science Foundation-funded Kilo Moana multibeam, gravity, magnetics, center beam depth and Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) data have been submitted to R2R and any multibeam data over 2 years old is being transferred to NGDC. Because it had previously been difficult to access some of SOEST's geophysical data, updated data processing routines have been developed for converting raw gravity, magnetics, and centerbeam depth data to NGDC's standard marine data exchange format (MGD77) for archival and dissemination by NGDC. MGD77 files are being generated and inspected using rigorous along-track analytical techniques for ~270 surveys dating from 2002 to the present and are being submitted to NGDC. We are also developing an online data portal to further facilitate access to SOEST data.

THM large spatial-temporal model to simulate the past 2 Ma hydrogeological evolution of Paris Basin including natural tracer transport as part of site characterization for radwaste repository project Cigéo - France

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benabderrahmane, A., Sr.

2017-12-01

Hydrogeological site characterization for deep geological high level and intermediate level long lived radioactive waste repository cover a large time scale needed for safety analysis and calculation. Hydrogeological performance of a site relies also on the effects of geodynamic evolution as tectonic uplift, erosion/sedimentation and climate including glaciation on the groundwater flow and solute and heat transfer. Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical model of multilayered aquifer system of Paris Basin is developed to reproduce the present time flow and the natural tracer (Helium) concentration profiles based on the last 2 Ma of geodynamic evolution. Present time geological conceptual model consist of 27 layers at Paris Basin (Triassic-Tertiary) with refinement at project site scale (29 layers from Triassic to Portlandian). Target layers are the clay host formation of Callovo-Oxfrodian age (160 Ma) and the surrounding aquifer layers of Oxfordian and Dogger. Modelled processes are: groundwater flow, heat and solutes (natural tracers) transport, freezing and thawing of groundwater (expansion and retreat of permafrost), deformation of the multilayered aquifer system induced by differential tectonic uplift and the hydro-mechanical stress effect as caused by erosion of the outcropping layers. Numerical simulation considers a period from 2 Ma BP and up to the present. Transient boundary conditions are governed by geodynamic processes: (i) modification of the geometry of the basin and (ii) temperatures along the topography will change according to a series of 15 identical climate cycles with multiple permafrost (glaciation) periods. Numerical model contains 71 layers and 18 million cells. The solution procedure solves three coupled systems of equations, head, temperature and concentrations, by the use of a finite difference method, and by applying extensive parallel processing. The major modelling results related to the processes of importance for site characterization as hydraulic head distribution, flow velocity, heat and natural tracer transport impacted by geodynamic past evolution are discussed.

Improved statistical assessment of a long-term groundwater-quality dataset with a non-parametric permutation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, M. A.

2016-12-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is the only deep geological repository for transuranic waste in the United States. As the Science Advisor for the WIPP, Sandia National Laboratories annually evaluates site data against trigger values (TVs), metrics whose violation is indicative of conditions that may impact long-term repository performance. This study focuses on a groundwater-quality dataset used to redesign a TV for the Culebra Dolomite Member (Culebra) of the Permian-age Rustler Formation. Prior to this study, a TV violation occurred if the concentration of a major ion fell outside a range defined as the mean +/- two standard deviations. The ranges were thought to denote conditions that 95% of future values would fall within. Groundwater-quality data used in evaluating compliance, however, are rarely normally distributed. To create a more robust Culebra groundwater-quality TV, this study employed the randomization test, a non-parametric permutation method. Recent groundwater compositions considered TV violations under the original ion concentration ranges are now interpreted as false positives in light of the insignificant p-values calculated with the randomization test. This work highlights that the normality assumption can weaken as the size of a groundwater-quality dataset grows over time. Non-parametric permutation methods are an attractive option because no assumption about the statistical distribution is required and calculating all combinations of the data is an increasingly tractable problem with modern workstations. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000. This research is funded by WIPP programs administered by the Office of Environmental Management (EM) of the U.S. Department of Energy. SAND2016-7306A

Air and groundwater flow at the interface between fractured host rock and a bentonite buffer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dessirier, B.; Jarsjo, J.; Frampton, A.

2014-12-01

Designs of deep geological repositories for spent nuclear fuel include several levels of confinement. The Swedish and Finnish concept KBS-3 targets for example sparsely fractured crystalline bedrock as host formation and would have the waste canisters embedded in an engineered buffer of compacted MX-80 bentonite. The host rock is a highly heterogeneous dual porosity material containing fractures and a rock matrix. Bentonite is a complex expansive porous material. Its water content and mechanical properties are interdependent. Beyond the specific physics of unsaturated flow and transport in each medium, the interface between them is critical. Detailed knowledge of the transitory two-phase flow regime, induced by the insertion of the unsaturated buffer in a saturated rock environment, is necessary to assess the performance of planned KBS-3 deposition holes. A set of numerical simulations based on the equations of two-phase flow for water and air in porous media were conducted to investigate the dynamics of air and groundwater flow near the rock/bentonite interface in the period following installation of the unsaturated bentonite buffer. We assume state of the two-phase flow parameter values for bentonite from laboratory water uptake tests and typical fracture and rock properties from the Äspö Hard rock laboratory (Sweden) gathered under several field characterization campaigns. The results point to desaturation of the rock domain as far as 10 cm away from the interface into matrix-dominated regions for up to 160 days. Similar observations were made during the Bentonite Rock Interaction Experiment (BRIE) at the Äspö HRL, with a desaturation sustained for even longer times. More than the mere time to mechanical and hydraulic equilibrium, the occurrence of sustained unsaturated conditions opens the possibility for biogeochemical processes that could be critical in the safety assessment of the planned repository.

Geoseq: a tool for dissecting deep-sequencing datasets.

PubMed

Gurtowski, James; Cancio, Anthony; Shah, Hardik; Levovitz, Chaya; George, Ajish; Homann, Robert; Sachidanandam, Ravi

2010-10-12

Datasets generated on deep-sequencing platforms have been deposited in various public repositories such as the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), Sequence Read Archive (SRA) hosted by the NCBI, or the DNA Data Bank of Japan (ddbj). Despite being rich data sources, they have not been used much due to the difficulty in locating and analyzing datasets of interest. Geoseq http://geoseq.mssm.edu provides a new method of analyzing short reads from deep sequencing experiments. Instead of mapping the reads to reference genomes or sequences, Geoseq maps a reference sequence against the sequencing data. It is web-based, and holds pre-computed data from public libraries. The analysis reduces the input sequence to tiles and measures the coverage of each tile in a sequence library through the use of suffix arrays. The user can upload custom target sequences or use gene/miRNA names for the search and get back results as plots and spreadsheet files. Geoseq organizes the public sequencing data using a controlled vocabulary, allowing identification of relevant libraries by organism, tissue and type of experiment. Analysis of small sets of sequences against deep-sequencing datasets, as well as identification of public datasets of interest, is simplified by Geoseq. We applied Geoseq to, a) identify differential isoform expression in mRNA-seq datasets, b) identify miRNAs (microRNAs) in libraries, and identify mature and star sequences in miRNAS and c) to identify potentially mis-annotated miRNAs. The ease of using Geoseq for these analyses suggests its utility and uniqueness as an analysis tool.

48 CFR 227.7108 - Contractor data repositories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Technical Data 227.7108 Contractor data repositories. (a) Contractor data repositories may be established... procedures for protecting technical data delivered to or stored at the repository from unauthorized release... disclosure of technical data from the repository to third parties consistent with the Government's rights in...

10 CFR 63.132 - Confirmation of geotechnical and design parameters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Commission. (e) In situ monitoring of the thermomechanical response of the underground facility must be... IN A GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Performance Confirmation Program § 63.132... engineered systems and components, must be identified in the performance confirmation plan. (d) These...

10 CFR 63.132 - Confirmation of geotechnical and design parameters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Commission. (e) In situ monitoring of the thermomechanical response of the underground facility must be... IN A GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Performance Confirmation Program § 63.132... engineered systems and components, must be identified in the performance confirmation plan. (d) These...

10 CFR 63.132 - Confirmation of geotechnical and design parameters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Commission. (e) In situ monitoring of the thermomechanical response of the underground facility must be... IN A GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Performance Confirmation Program § 63.132... engineered systems and components, must be identified in the performance confirmation plan. (d) These...

10 CFR 63.132 - Confirmation of geotechnical and design parameters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Commission. (e) In situ monitoring of the thermomechanical response of the underground facility must be... IN A GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Performance Confirmation Program § 63.132... engineered systems and components, must be identified in the performance confirmation plan. (d) These...

10 CFR 63.132 - Confirmation of geotechnical and design parameters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Commission. (e) In situ monitoring of the thermomechanical response of the underground facility must be... IN A GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Performance Confirmation Program § 63.132... engineered systems and components, must be identified in the performance confirmation plan. (d) These...

Performance assessments of nuclear waste repositories--A dialogue on their value and limitations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ewing, Rodney C.; Tierney, Martin S.; Konikow, Leonard F.; Rechard, Rob P.

1999-01-01

Performance Assessment (PA) is the use of mathematical models to simulate the long-term behavior of engineered and geologic barriers in a nuclear waste repository; methods of uncertainty analysis are used to assess effects of parametric and conceptual uncertainties associated with the model system upon the uncertainty in outcomes of the simulation. PA is required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as part of its certification process for geologic repositories for nuclear waste. This paper is a dialogue to explore the value and limitations of PA. Two “skeptics” acknowledge the utility of PA in organizing the scientific investigations that are necessary for confident siting and licensing of a repository; however, they maintain that the PA process, at least as it is currently implemented, is an essentially unscientific process with shortcomings that may provide results of limited use in evaluating actual effects on public health and safety. Conceptual uncertainties in a PA analysis can be so great that results can be confidently applied only over short time ranges, the antithesis of the purpose behind long-term, geologic disposal. Two “proponents” of PA agree that performance assessment is unscientific, but only in the sense that PA is an engineering analysis that uses existing scientific knowledge to support public policy decisions, rather than an investigation intended to increase fundamental knowledge of nature; PA has different goals and constraints than a typical scientific study. The “proponents” describe an ideal, sixstep process for conducting generalized PA, here called probabilistic systems analysis (PSA); they note that virtually all scientific content of a PA is introduced during the model-building steps of a PSA, they contend that a PA based on simple but scientifically acceptable mathematical models can provide useful and objective input to regulatory decision makers. The value of the results of any PA must lie between these two views and will depend on the level of knowledge of the site, the degree to which models capture actual physical and chemical processes, the time over which extrapolations are made, and the proper evaluation of health risks attending implementation of the repository. The challenge is in evaluating whether the quality of the PA matches the needs of decision makers charged with protecting the health and safety of the public.

17 CFR 49.12 - Swap data repository recordkeeping requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Swap data repository... COMMISSION SWAP DATA REPOSITORIES § 49.12 Swap data repository recordkeeping requirements. (a) A registered swap data repository shall maintain its books and records in accordance with the requirements of part...

17 CFR 49.12 - Swap data repository recordkeeping requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Swap data repository... COMMISSION SWAP DATA REPOSITORIES § 49.12 Swap data repository recordkeeping requirements. (a) A registered swap data repository shall maintain its books and records in accordance with the requirements of part...

17 CFR 49.12 - Swap data repository recordkeeping requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Swap data repository... COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SWAP DATA REPOSITORIES § 49.12 Swap data repository recordkeeping requirements. (a) A registered swap data repository shall maintain its books and records in accordance with the requirements of...

10 CFR 63.112 - Requirements for preclosure safety analysis of the geologic repository operations area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... geologic repository operations area. 63.112 Section 63.112 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) DISPOSAL OF HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES IN A GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Technical... repository operations area. The preclosure safety analysis of the geologic repository operations area must...

Managing and Evaluating Digital Repositories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zuccala, Alesia; Oppenheim, Charles; Dhiensa, Rajveen

2008-01-01

Introduction: We examine the role of the digital repository manager, discuss the future of repository management and evaluation and suggest that library and information science schools develop new repository management curricula. Method: Face-to-face interviews were carried out with managers of five different types of repositories and a Web-based…

jPOSTrepo: an international standard data repository for proteomes

PubMed Central

Okuda, Shujiro; Watanabe, Yu; Moriya, Yuki; Kawano, Shin; Yamamoto, Tadashi; Matsumoto, Masaki; Takami, Tomoyo; Kobayashi, Daiki; Araki, Norie; Yoshizawa, Akiyasu C.; Tabata, Tsuyoshi; Sugiyama, Naoyuki; Goto, Susumu; Ishihama, Yasushi

2017-01-01

Major advancements have recently been made in mass spectrometry-based proteomics, yielding an increasing number of datasets from various proteomics projects worldwide. In order to facilitate the sharing and reuse of promising datasets, it is important to construct appropriate, high-quality public data repositories. jPOSTrepo (https://repository.jpostdb.org/) has successfully implemented several unique features, including high-speed file uploading, flexible file management and easy-to-use interfaces. This repository has been launched as a public repository containing various proteomic datasets and is available for researchers worldwide. In addition, our repository has joined the ProteomeXchange consortium, which includes the most popular public repositories such as PRIDE in Europe for MS/MS datasets and PASSEL for SRM datasets in the USA. Later MassIVE was introduced in the USA and accepted into the ProteomeXchange, as was our repository in July 2016, providing important datasets from Asia/Oceania. Accordingly, this repository thus contributes to a global alliance to share and store all datasets from a wide variety of proteomics experiments. Thus, the repository is expected to become a major repository, particularly for data collected in the Asia/Oceania region. PMID:27899654

Near-field environment/processes working group summary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murphy, W.M.

1995-09-01

This article is a summary of the proceedings of a group discussion which took place at the Workshop on the Role of Natural Analogs in Geologic Disposal of High-Level Nuclear Waste in San Antonio, Texas on July 22-25, 1991. The working group concentrated on the subject of the near-field environment to geologic repositories for high-level nuclear waste. The near-field environment may be affected by thermal perturbations from the waste, and by disturbances caused by the introduction of exotic materials during construction of the repository. This group also discussed the application of modelling of performance-related processes.

Mineralogic Model (MM3.0) Analysis Model Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

C. Lum

2002-02-12

The purpose of this report is to document the Mineralogic Model (MM), Version 3.0 (MM3.0) with regard to data input, modeling methods, assumptions, uncertainties, limitations and validation of the model results, qualification status of the model, and the differences between Version 3.0 and previous versions. A three-dimensional (3-D) Mineralogic Model was developed for Yucca Mountain to support the analyses of hydrologic properties, radionuclide transport, mineral health hazards, repository performance, and repository design. Version 3.0 of the MM was developed from mineralogic data obtained from borehole samples. It consists of matrix mineral abundances as a function of x (easting), y (northing),more » and z (elevation), referenced to the stratigraphic framework defined in Version 3.1 of the Geologic Framework Model (GFM). The MM was developed specifically for incorporation into the 3-D Integrated Site Model (ISM). The MM enables project personnel to obtain calculated mineral abundances at any position, within any region, or within any stratigraphic unit in the model area. The significance of the MM for key aspects of site characterization and performance assessment is explained in the following subsections. This work was conducted in accordance with the Development Plan for the MM (CRWMS M&O 2000). The planning document for this Rev. 00, ICN 02 of this AMR is Technical Work Plan, TWP-NBS-GS-000003, Technical Work Plan for the Integrated Site Model, Process Model Report, Revision 01 (CRWMS M&O 2000). The purpose of this ICN is to record changes in the classification of input status by the resolution of the use of TBV software and data in this report. Constraints and limitations of the MM are discussed in the appropriate sections that follow. The MM is one component of the ISM, which has been developed to provide a consistent volumetric portrayal of the rock layers, rock properties, and mineralogy of the Yucca Mountain site. The ISM consists of three components: (1) Geologic Framework Model (GFM); (2) Rock Properties Model (RPM); and (3) Mineralogic Model (MM). The ISM merges the detailed stratigraphy and structural features of the site into a 3-D model that will be useful in primary downstream models and repository design. These downstream models include the hydrologic flow models and the radionuclide transport models. All the models and the repository design, in turn, will be incorporated into the Total System Performance Assessment (TSPA) of the potential nuclear waste repository block and vicinity to determine the suitability of Yucca Mountain as a host for a repository. The interrelationship of the three components of the ISM and their interface with downstream uses are illustrated in Figure 1. The lateral boundaries of the ISM and its three component models are shown in Figure 2.« less

High-Performance Computing in Neuroscience for Data-Driven Discovery, Integration, and Dissemination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bouchard, Kristofer E.; Aimone, James B.; Chun, Miyoung

A lack of coherent plans to analyze, manage, and understand data threatens the various opportunities offered by new neuro-technologies. High-performance computing will allow exploratory analysis of massive datasets stored in standardized formats, hosted in open repositories, and integrated with simulations.

High-Performance Computing in Neuroscience for Data-Driven Discovery, Integration, and Dissemination

DOE PAGES

Bouchard, Kristofer E.; Aimone, James B.; Chun, Miyoung; ...

2016-11-01

A lack of coherent plans to analyze, manage, and understand data threatens the various opportunities offered by new neuro-technologies. High-performance computing will allow exploratory analysis of massive datasets stored in standardized formats, hosted in open repositories, and integrated with simulations.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kot, Wing K.; Pegg, Ian L.; Brandys, Marek

One of the primary roles of waste pretreatment at the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) is to separate the majority of the radioactive components from the majority of the nonradioactive components in retrieved tank wastes, producing a high level waste (HLW) stream and a low activity waste (LAW) stream. This separation process is a key element in the overall strategy to reduce the volume of HLW that requires vitrification and subsequent disposal in a national deep geological repository for high level nuclear waste. After removal of the radioactive constituents, the LAW stream, which has a much largermore » volume but smaller fraction of radioactivity than the HLW stream, will be immobilized and disposed of in near surface facilities at the Hanford site.« less

Abstraction of information in repository performance assessments. Examples from the SKI project Site-94

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dverstorp, B.; Andersson, J.

1995-12-01

Performance Assessment of a nuclear waste repository implies an analysis of a complex system with many interacting processes. Even if some of these processes may be known to large detail, problems arise when combining all information, and means of abstracting information from complex detailed models into models that couple different processes are needed. Clearly, one of the major objectives of performance assessment, to calculate doses or other performance indicators, implies an enormous abstraction of information compared to all information that is used as input. Other problems are that the knowledge of different parts or processes is strongly variable and adjustments,more » interpretations, are needed when combining models from different disciplines. In addition, people as well as computers, even today, always have a limited capacity to process information and choices have to be made. However, because abstraction of information clearly is unavoidable in performance assessment the validity of choices made, always need to be scrutinized and judgements made need to be updated in an iterative process.« less

MTF Database: A Repository of Students' Academic Performance Measurements for the Development of Techniques for Evaluating Team Functioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsiung, Chin-Min; Zheng, Xiang-Xiang

2015-01-01

The Measurements for Team Functioning (MTF) database contains a series of student academic performance measurements obtained at a national university in Taiwan. The measurements are acquired from unit tests and homework tests performed during a core mechanical engineering course, and provide an objective means of assessing the functioning of…

Virtual patient repositories--a comparative analysis.

PubMed

Küfner, Julia; Kononowicz, Andrzej A; Hege, Inga

2014-01-01

Virtual Patients (VPs) are an important component of medical education. One way to reduce the costs for creating VPs is sharing through repositories. We conducted a literature review to identify existing repositories and analyzed the 17 included repositories in regards to the search functions and metadata they provide. Most repositories provided some metadata such as title or description, whereas other data, such as educational objectives, were less frequent. Future research could, in cooperation with the repository provider, investigate user expectations and usage patterns.

Learning Object Repositories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehman, Rosemary

2007-01-01

This chapter looks at the development and nature of learning objects, meta-tagging standards and taxonomies, learning object repositories, learning object repository characteristics, and types of learning object repositories, with type examples. (Contains 1 table.)

NeuroVault.org: A repository for sharing unthresholded statistical maps, parcellations, and atlases of the human brain.

PubMed

Gorgolewski, Krzysztof J; Varoquaux, Gael; Rivera, Gabriel; Schwartz, Yannick; Sochat, Vanessa V; Ghosh, Satrajit S; Maumet, Camille; Nichols, Thomas E; Poline, Jean-Baptiste; Yarkoni, Tal; Margulies, Daniel S; Poldrack, Russell A

2016-01-01

NeuroVault.org is dedicated to storing outputs of analyses in the form of statistical maps, parcellations and atlases, a unique strategy that contrasts with most neuroimaging repositories that store raw acquisition data or stereotaxic coordinates. Such maps are indispensable for performing meta-analyses, validating novel methodology, and deciding on precise outlines for regions of interest (ROIs). NeuroVault is open to maps derived from both healthy and clinical populations, as well as from various imaging modalities (sMRI, fMRI, EEG, MEG, PET, etc.). The repository uses modern web technologies such as interactive web-based visualization, cognitive decoding, and comparison with other maps to provide researchers with efficient, intuitive tools to improve the understanding of their results. Each dataset and map is assigned a permanent Universal Resource Locator (URL), and all of the data is accessible through a REST Application Programming Interface (API). Additionally, the repository supports the NIDM-Results standard and has the ability to parse outputs from popular FSL and SPM software packages to automatically extract relevant metadata. This ease of use, modern web-integration, and pioneering functionality holds promise to improve the workflow for making inferences about and sharing whole-brain statistical maps. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

iT2DMS: a Standard-Based Diabetic Disease Data Repository and its Pilot Experiment on Diabetic Retinopathy Phenotyping and Examination Results Integration.

PubMed

Wu, Huiqun; Wei, Yufang; Shang, Yujuan; Shi, Wei; Wang, Lei; Li, Jingjing; Sang, Aimin; Shi, Lili; Jiang, Kui; Dong, Jiancheng

2018-06-06

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a common chronic disease, and the fragment data collected through separated vendors makes continuous management of DM patients difficult. The lack of standard of fragment data from those diabetic patients also makes the further potential phenotyping based on the diabetic data difficult. Traditional T2DM data repository only supports data collection from T2DM patients, lack of phenotyping ability and relied on standalone database design, limiting the secondary usage of these valuable data. To solve these issues, we proposed a novel T2DM data repository framework, which was based on standards. This repository can integrate data from various sources. It would be used as a standardized record for further data transfer as well as integration. Phenotyping was conducted based on clinical guidelines with KNIME workflow. To evaluate the phenotyping performance of the proposed system, data was collected from local community by healthcare providers and was then tested using algorithms. The results indicated that the proposed system could detect DR cases with an average accuracy of about 82.8%. Furthermore, these results had the promising potential of addressing fragmented data. The proposed system has integrating and phenotyping abilities, which could be used for diabetes research in future studies.

Transportation plan repository and archive.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-04-01

This project created a repository and archive for transportation planning documents in Texas within the : established Texas A&M Repository (http://digital.library.tamu.edu). This transportation planning archive : and repository provides ready access ...

DNASU plasmid and PSI:Biology-Materials repositories: resources to accelerate biological research

PubMed Central

Seiler, Catherine Y.; Park, Jin G.; Sharma, Amit; Hunter, Preston; Surapaneni, Padmini; Sedillo, Casey; Field, James; Algar, Rhys; Price, Andrea; Steel, Jason; Throop, Andrea; Fiacco, Michael; LaBaer, Joshua

2014-01-01

The mission of the DNASU Plasmid Repository is to accelerate research by providing high-quality, annotated plasmid samples and online plasmid resources to the research community through the curated DNASU database, website and repository (http://dnasu.asu.edu or http://dnasu.org). The collection includes plasmids from grant-funded, high-throughput cloning projects performed in our laboratory, plasmids from external researchers, and large collections from consortia such as the ORFeome Collaboration and the NIGMS-funded Protein Structure Initiative: Biology (PSI:Biology). Through DNASU, researchers can search for and access detailed information about each plasmid such as the full length gene insert sequence, vector information, associated publications, and links to external resources that provide additional protein annotations and experimental protocols. Plasmids can be requested directly through the DNASU website. DNASU and the PSI:Biology-Materials Repositories were previously described in the 2010 NAR Database Issue (Cormier, C.Y., Mohr, S.E., Zuo, D., Hu, Y., Rolfs, A., Kramer, J., Taycher, E., Kelley, F., Fiacco, M., Turnbull, G. et al. (2010) Protein Structure Initiative Material Repository: an open shared public resource of structural genomics plasmids for the biological community. Nucleic Acids Res., 38, D743–D749.). In this update we will describe the plasmid collection and highlight the new features in the website redesign, including new browse/search options, plasmid annotations and a dynamic vector mapping feature that was developed in collaboration with LabGenius. Overall, these plasmid resources continue to enable research with the goal of elucidating the role of proteins in both normal biological processes and disease. PMID:24225319

Supporting multiple domains in a single reuse repository

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eichmann, David A.

1992-01-01

Domain analysis typically results in the construction of a domain-specific repository. Such a repository imposes artificial boundaries on the sharing of similar assets between related domains. A lattice-based approach to repository modeling can preserve a reuser's domain specific view of the repository, while avoiding replication of commonly used assets and supporting a more general perspective on domain interrelationships.

NCI Mouse Repository | FNLCR Staging

Cancer.gov

The NCI Mouse Repository is an NCI-funded resource for mouse cancer models and associated strains. The repository makes strains available to all members of the scientific community (academic, non-profit, and commercial). NCI Mouse Repository strains

Effects of Heat Generation on Nuclear Waste Disposal in Salt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clayton, D. J.

2008-12-01

Disposal of nuclear waste in salt is an established technology, as evidenced by the successful operations of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) since 1999. The WIPP is located in bedded salt in southeastern New Mexico and is a deep underground facility for transuranic (TRU) nuclear waste disposal. There are many advantages for placing radioactive wastes in a geologic bedded-salt environment. One desirable mechanical characteristic of salt is that it flows plastically with time ("creeps"). The rate of salt creep is a strong function of temperature and stress differences. Higher temperatures and deviatoric stresses increase the creep rate. As the salt creeps, induced fractures may be closed and eventually healed, which then effectively seals the waste in place. With a backfill of crushed salt emplaced around the waste, the salt creep can cause the crushed salt to reconsolidate and heal to a state similar to intact salt, serving as an efficient seal. Experiments in the WIPP were conducted to investigate the effects of heat generation on the important phenomena and processes in and around the repository (Munson et al. 1987; 1990; 1992a; 1992b). Brine migration towards the heaters was induced from the thermal gradient, while salt creep rates showed an exponential dependence on temperature. The project "Backfill and Material Behavior in Underground Salt Repositories, Phase II" (BAMBUS II) studied the crushed salt backfill and material behavior with heat generation at the Asse mine located near Remlingen, Germany (Bechthold et al. 2004). Increased salt creep rates and significant reconsolidation of the crushed salt were observed at the termination of the experiment. Using the data provided from both projects, exploratory modeling of the thermal-mechanical response of salt has been conducted with varying thermal loading and waste spacing. Increased thermal loading and decreased waste spacing drive the system to higher temperatures, while both factors are desired to reduce costs, as well as decrease the overall footprint of the repository. Higher temperatures increase the rate of salt creep which then effectively seals the waste quicker. Data of the thermal-mechanical response of salt at these higher temperatures is needed to further validate the exploratory modeling and provide meaningful constraints on the repository design. Sandia is a multi program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract DE-AC04- 94AL85000.

The SpeX Prism Library for Ultracool Dwarfs: A Resource for Stellar, Exoplanet and Galactic Science and Student-Led Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgasser, Adam

The NASA Infrared Telescope Facility's (IRTF) SpeX spectrograph has been an essential tool in the discovery and characterization of ultracool dwarf (UCD) stars, brown dwarfs and exoplanets. Over ten years of SpeX data have been collected on these sources, and a repository of low-resolution (R 100) SpeX prism spectra has been maintained by the PI at the SpeX Prism Spectral Libraries website since 2008. As the largest existing collection of NIR UCD spectra, this repository has facilitated a broad range of investigations in UCD, exoplanet, Galactic and extragalactic science, contributing to over 100 publications in the past 6 years. However, this repository remains highly incomplete, has not been uniformly calibrated, lacks sufficient contextual data for observations and sources, and most importantly provides no data visualization or analysis tools for the user. To fully realize the scientific potential of these data for community research, we propose a two-year program to (1) calibrate and expand existing repository and archival data, and make it virtual-observatory compliant; (2) serve the data through a searchable web archive with basic visualization tools; and (3) develop and distribute an open-source, Python-based analysis toolkit for users to analyze the data. These resources will be generated through an innovative, student-centered research model, with undergraduate and graduate students building and validating the analysis tools through carefully designed coding challenges and research validation activities. The resulting data archive, the SpeX Prism Library, will be a legacy resource for IRTF and SpeX, and will facilitate numerous investigations using current and future NASA capabilities. These include deep/wide surveys of UCDs to measure Galactic structure and chemical evolution, and probe UCD populations in satellite galaxies (e.g., JWST, WFIRST); characterization of directly imaged exoplanet spectra (e.g., FINESSE), and development of low-temperature theoretical models of UCD and exoplanet atmospheres. Our program will also serve to validate the IRTF data archive during its development, by reducing and disseminating non-proprietary archival observations of UCDs to the community. The proposed program directly addresses NASA's strategic goals of exploring the origin and evolution of stars and planets that make up our universe, and discovering and studying planets around other stars.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xiong, Yongliang

In this study, solubility constants of hydroxyl sodalite (ideal formula, Na 8[Al 6Si 6O 24][OH] 2·3H 2O) from 25°C to 100°C are obtained by applying a high temperature Al—Si Pitzer model to evaluate solubility data on hydroxyl sodalite in high ionic strength solutions at elevated temperatures. A validation test comparing model-independent experimental data to model predictions demonstrates that the solubility values produced by the model are in excellent agreement with the experimental data. In addition, the equilibrium constants obtained in this study have a wide range of applications, including synthesis of hydroxyl sodalite, de-silication in the Bayer process for extractionmore » of alumina, and the performance of proposed sodalite waste forms in geological repositories in various lithologies including salt formations. The thermodynamic calculations based on the equilibrium constants obtained in this work indicate that the solubility products in terms of m ΣAl×m ΣSi for hydroxyl sodalite are very low (e.g., ~10 -13 [mol·kg -1] 2 at 100°C) in brines characteristic of salt formations, implying that sodalite waste forms would perform very well in repositories located in salt formations. Finally, the information regarding the solubility behavior of hydroxyl sodalite obtained in this study provides guidance to investigate the performance of other pure end-members of sodalite such as chloride- and iodide-sodalite, which may be of interest for geological repositories in various media.« less

Earth Observation Data Quality Monitoring and Control: A Case Study of STAR Central Data Repository

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, W.; Jochum, M.

2017-12-01

Earth observation data quality is very important for researchers and decision makers involved in weather forecasting, severe weather warning, disaster and emergency response, environmental monitoring, etc. Monitoring and control earth observation data quality, especially accuracy, completeness, and timeliness, is very useful in data management and governance to optimize data flow, discover potential transmission issues, and better connect data providers and users. Taking a centralized near real-time satellite data repository, STAR (Center for Satellite Applications and Research of NOAA) Central Data Repository (SCDR), as an example, this paper describes how to develop new mechanism to verify data integrity, check data completeness, and monitor data latency in an operational data management system. Such quality monitoring and control of large volume satellite data help data providers and managers improve data transmission of near real-time satellite data, enhance its acquisition and management, and overcome performance and management issues to better serve research and development activities.

Performance Assessment of a Generic Repository in Bedded Salt for DOE-Managed Nuclear Waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stein, E. R.; Sevougian, S. D.; Hammond, G. E.; Frederick, J. M.; Mariner, P. E.

2016-12-01

A mined repository in salt is one of the concepts under consideration for disposal of DOE-managed defense-related spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high level waste (HLW). Bedded salt is a favorable medium for disposal of nuclear waste due to its low permeability, high thermal conductivity, and ability to self-heal. Sandia's Generic Disposal System Analysis framework is used to assess the ability of a generic repository in bedded salt to isolate radionuclides from the biosphere. The performance assessment considers multiple waste types of varying thermal load and radionuclide inventory, the engineered barrier system comprising the waste packages, backfill, and emplacement drifts, and the natural barrier system formed by a bedded salt deposit and the overlying sedimentary sequence (including an aquifer). The model simulates disposal of nearly the entire inventory of DOE-managed, defense-related SNF (excluding Naval SNF) and HLW in a half-symmetry domain containing approximately 6 million grid cells. Grid refinement captures the detail of 25,200 individual waste packages in 180 disposal panels, associated access halls, and 4 shafts connecting the land surface to the repository. Equations describing coupled heat and fluid flow and reactive transport are solved numerically with PFLOTRAN, a massively parallel flow and transport code. Simulated processes include heat conduction and convection, waste package failure, waste form dissolution, radioactive decay and ingrowth, sorption, solubility limits, advection, dispersion, and diffusion. Simulations are run to 1 million years, and radionuclide concentrations are observed within an aquifer at a point approximately 4 kilometers downgradient of the repository. The software package DAKOTA is used to sample likely ranges of input parameters including waste form dissolution rates and properties of engineered and natural materials in order to quantify uncertainty in predicted concentrations and sensitivity to input parameters. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Coupling fuel cycles with repositories: how repository institutional choices may impact fuel cycle design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Forsberg, C.; Miller, W.F.

2013-07-01

The historical repository siting strategy in the United States has been a top-down approach driven by federal government decision making but it has been a failure. This policy has led to dispatching fuel cycle facilities in different states. The U.S. government is now considering an alternative repository siting strategy based on voluntary agreements with state governments. If that occurs, state governments become key decision makers. They have different priorities. Those priorities may change the characteristics of the repository and the fuel cycle. State government priorities, when considering hosting a repository, are safety, financial incentives and jobs. It follows that statesmore » will demand that a repository be the center of the back end of the fuel cycle as a condition of hosting it. For example, states will push for collocation of transportation services, safeguards training, and navy/private SNF (Spent Nuclear Fuel) inspection at the repository site. Such activities would more than double local employment relative to what was planned for the Yucca Mountain-type repository. States may demand (1) the right to take future title of the SNF so if recycle became economic the reprocessing plant would be built at the repository site and (2) the right of a certain fraction of the repository capacity for foreign SNF. That would open the future option of leasing of fuel to foreign utilities with disposal of the SNF in the repository but with the state-government condition that the front-end fuel-cycle enrichment and fuel fabrication facilities be located in that state.« less

NCI Mouse Repository | Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

The NCI Mouse Repository is an NCI-funded resource for mouse cancer models and associated strains. The repository makes strains available to all members of the scientific community (academic, non-profit, and commercial). NCI Mouse Repository strains

Generation and stability of bentonite colloids at the bentonite/granite interface of a deep geological radioactive waste repository.

PubMed

Missana, Tiziana; Alonso, Ursula; Turrero, Maria Jesús

2003-03-01

The possible mechanisms of colloid generation at the near field/far field interface of a radioactive repository have been investigated by means of novel column experiments simulating the granite/bentonite boundary, both in dynamic and in quasi-static water flow conditions. It has been shown that solid particles and colloids can be detached from the bulk and mobilised by the water flow. The higher the flow rate, the higher the concentration of particles found in the water, according to an erosion process. However, the gel formation and the intrinsic tactoid structure of the clay play an important role in the submicron particle generation even in the compacted clay and in a confined system. In fact, once a bentonite gel is formed, in the regions where the clay is contacted with water, clay colloids can be formed even in quasi-static flow conditions. The potential relevance of these colloids in radionuclide transport has been studied by evaluating their stability in different chemical environments. The coagulation kinetics of natural bentonite colloids was experimentally studied as a function of the ionic strength and pH, by means of time-resolved light scattering techniques. It has been shown that these colloids are very stable in low saline (approximately 1 x 10(-3) M) and alkaline (pH > or = 8) waters. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science B.V.

DoSSiER: Database of scientific simulation and experimental results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wenzel, Hans; Yarba, Julia; Genser, Krzystof

The Geant4, GeantV and GENIE collaborations regularly perform validation and regression tests for simulation results. DoSSiER (Database of Scientific Simulation and Experimental Results) is being developed as a central repository to store the simulation results as well as the experimental data used for validation. DoSSiER can be easily accessed via a web application. In addition, a web service allows for programmatic access to the repository to extract records in json or xml exchange formats. In this paper, we describe the functionality and the current status of various components of DoSSiER as well as the technology choices we made.

DoSSiER: Database of scientific simulation and experimental results

DOE PAGES

Wenzel, Hans; Yarba, Julia; Genser, Krzystof; ...

2016-08-01

The Geant4, GeantV and GENIE collaborations regularly perform validation and regression tests for simulation results. DoSSiER (Database of Scientific Simulation and Experimental Results) is being developed as a central repository to store the simulation results as well as the experimental data used for validation. DoSSiER can be easily accessed via a web application. In addition, a web service allows for programmatic access to the repository to extract records in json or xml exchange formats. In this paper, we describe the functionality and the current status of various components of DoSSiER as well as the technology choices we made.

Site Characterization for a Deep Borehole Field Test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuhlman, K. L.; Hardin, E. L.; Freeze, G. A.; Sassani, D.; Brady, P. V.

2015-12-01

The US Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy is at the beginning of 5-year Deep Borehole Field Test (DBFT) to investigate the feasibility of constructing and characterizing two boreholes in crystalline basement rock to a depth of 5 km (16,400 ft). The concept of deep borehole disposal for radioactive waste has some advantages over mined repositories, including incremental construction and loading, the enhanced natural barriers provided by deep continental crystalline basement, and reduced site characterization. Site characterization efforts need to determine an eligible site that does not have the following disqualifying characteristics: greater than 2 km to crystalline basement, upward vertical fluid potential gradients, presence of economically exploitable natural resources, presence of high permeability connection to the shallow subsurface, and significant probability of future seismic or volcanic activity. Site characterization activities for the DBFT will include geomechanical (i.e., rock in situ stress state, and fluid pressure), geological (i.e., rock and fracture infill lithology), hydrological (i.e., quantity of fluid, fluid convection properties, and solute transport mechanisms), and geochemical (i.e., rock-water interaction and natural tracers) aspects. Both direct (i.e., sampling and in situ testing) and indirect (i.e., borehole geophysical) methods are planned for efficient and effective characterization of these site aspects and physical processes. Borehole-based characterization will be used to determine the variability of system state (i.e., stress, pressure, temperature, and chemistry) with depth, and interpretation of material and system parameters relevant to numerical site simulation. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

The Geodetic Seamless Archive Centers Service Layer: A System Architecture for Federating Geodesy Data Repositories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McWhirter, J.; Boler, F. M.; Bock, Y.; Jamason, P.; Squibb, M. B.; Noll, C. E.; Blewitt, G.; Kreemer, C. W.

2010-12-01

Three geodesy Archive Centers, Scripps Orbit and Permanent Array Center (SOPAC), NASA's Crustal Dynamics Data Information System (CDDIS) and UNAVCO are engaged in a joint effort to define and develop a common Web Service Application Programming Interface (API) for accessing geodetic data holdings. This effort is funded by the NASA ROSES ACCESS Program to modernize the original GPS Seamless Archive Centers (GSAC) technology which was developed in the 1990s. A new web service interface, the GSAC-WS, is being developed to provide uniform and expanded mechanisms through which users can access our data repositories. In total, our respective archives hold tens of millions of files and contain a rich collection of site/station metadata. Though we serve similar user communities, we currently provide a range of different access methods, query services and metadata formats. This leads to a lack of consistency in the userís experience and a duplication of engineering efforts. The GSAC-WS API and its reference implementation in an underlying Java-based GSAC Service Layer (GSL) supports metadata and data queries into site/station oriented data archives. The general nature of this API makes it applicable to a broad range of data systems. The overall goals of this project include providing consistent and rich query interfaces for end users and client programs, the development of enabling technology to facilitate third party repositories in developing these web service capabilities and to enable the ability to perform data queries across a collection of federated GSAC-WS enabled repositories. A fundamental challenge faced in this project is to provide a common suite of query services across a heterogeneous collection of data yet enabling each repository to expose their specific metadata holdings. To address this challenge we are developing a "capabilities" based service where a repository can describe its specific query and metadata capabilities. Furthermore, the architecture of the GSL is based on a model-view paradigm that decouples the underlying data model semantics from particular representations of the data model. This will allow for the GSAC-WS enabled repositories to evolve their service offerings to incorporate new metadata definition formats (e.g., ISO-19115, FGDC, JSON, etc.) and new techniques for accessing their holdings. Building on the core GSAC-WS implementations the project is also developing a federated/distributed query service. This service will seamlessly integrate with the GSAC Service Layer and will support data and metadata queries across a collection of federated GSAC repositories.

Cryptonite: A Secure and Performant Data Repository on Public Clouds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kumbhare, Alok; Simmhan, Yogesh; Prasanna, Viktor

2012-06-29

Cloud storage has become immensely popular for maintaining synchronized copies of files and for sharing documents with collaborators. However, there is heightened concern about the security and privacy of Cloud-hosted data due to the shared infrastructure model and an implicit trust in the service providers. Emerging needs of secure data storage and sharing for domains like Smart Power Grids, which deal with sensitive consumer data, require the persistence and availability of Cloud storage but with client-controlled security and encryption, low key management overhead, and minimal performance costs. Cryptonite is a secure Cloud storage repository that addresses these requirements using amore » StrongBox model for shared key management.We describe the Cryptonite service and desktop client, discuss performance optimizations, and provide an empirical analysis of the improvements. Our experiments shows that Cryptonite clients achieve a 40% improvement in file upload bandwidth over plaintext storage using the Azure Storage Client API despite the added security benefits, while our file download performance is 5 times faster than the baseline for files greater than 100MB.« less

Exploring deep sea habitats for baseline characterization using NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKenna, L.; Cantwell, K. L.; Kennedy, B. R.; Lobecker, E.; Sowers, D.; Elliott, K.

2015-12-01

In 2015, NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, the only US federal ship dedicated to ocean exploration, systematically explored previously unknown deep sea ecosystems in the Caribbean and remote regions in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands. Initial characterization of these areas is essential in order to establish a baseline against which to assess potential future changes due to climate and anthropogenic change. In the Caribbean, over 37,500 sq km of previously unmapped seafloor were mapped with a high resolution multibeam revealing rugged canyons along shelf breaks, intricate incised channels, and complex tectonic features. 12 ROV dives, in the 300-6,000 m depth range, visually explored seamounts, escarpments, submarine canyons, and the water column revealing diverse ecosystems and habitats. Discoveries include large assemblages of deep sea corals, range extensions, and observations of several rare and potentially new organisms - including a seastar that had not been documented since its holotype specimen. In the Pacific, over 50,000 sq km of seafloor were mapped in high-resolution, revealing long linear ridge and tectonic fracture zone features, both peaked and flat-topped seamounts, and numerous features that appear to be volcanic in origin. To better understand ecosystem dynamics in depths greater than 2,000 m, the deepest ever ROV surveys and sampling were conducted in remote Pacific island marine sanctuaries and monuments. Novel observations include range extensions and exploration of dense deep sea coral and sponge habitat. Baseline habitat characterization was also conducted on seamounts within the Prime Crust Zone (PCZ), an area with the highest expected concentration of deep-sea minerals in the Pacific. The Hawaiian operations marked the first ever ROV sampling effort conducted onboard Okeanos, and several geological and biological samples are now available at museums and sample repositories in addition to all digital data available through the National Archives.

Data repositories for medical education research: issues and recommendations.

PubMed

Schwartz, Alan; Pappas, Cleo; Sandlow, Leslie J

2010-05-01

The authors explore issues surrounding digital repositories with the twofold intention of clarifying their creation, structure, content, and use, and considering the implementation of a global digital repository for medical education research data sets-an online site where medical education researchers would be encouraged to deposit their data in order to facilitate the reuse and reanalysis of the data by other researchers. By motivating data sharing and reuse, investigators, medical schools, and other stakeholders might see substantial benefits to their own endeavors and to the progress of the field of medical education.The authors review digital repositories in medicine, social sciences, and education, describe the contents and scope of repositories, and present extant examples. The authors describe the potential benefits of a medical education data repository and report results of a survey of the Society for Directors of Research in Medicine Education, in which participants responded to questions about data sharing and a potential data repository. Respondents strongly endorsed data sharing, with the caveat that principal investigators should choose whether or not to share data they collect. A large majority believed that a repository would benefit their unit and the field of medical education. Few reported using existing repositories. Finally, the authors consider challenges to the establishment of such a repository, including taxonomic organization, intellectual property concerns, human subjects protection, technological infrastructure, and evaluation standards. The authors conclude with recommendations for how a medical education data repository could be successfully developed.

48 CFR 227.7207 - Contractor data repositories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... repositories. 227.7207 Section 227.7207 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE ACQUISITION REGULATIONS... Computer Software and Computer Software Documentation 227.7207 Contractor data repositories. Follow 227.7108 when it is in the Government's interests to have a data repository include computer software or to...

75 FR 70310 - Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-17

... Consumer Protection Act governing the security-based swap data repository registration process, the duties of such repositories, and the core principles applicable to such repositories. 4. The Commission will... security-based swap data repositories or the Commission and the public dissemination of security-based swap...

Potential for microbial H2 and metal transformations associated with novel bacteria and archaea in deep terrestrial subsurface sediments.

PubMed

Hernsdorf, Alex W; Amano, Yuki; Miyakawa, Kazuya; Ise, Kotaro; Suzuki, Yohey; Anantharaman, Karthik; Probst, Alexander; Burstein, David; Thomas, Brian C; Banfield, Jillian F

2017-08-01

Geological sequestration in deep underground repositories is the prevailing proposed route for radioactive waste disposal. After the disposal of radioactive waste in the subsurface, H 2 may be produced by corrosion of steel and, ultimately, radionuclides will be exposed to the surrounding environment. To evaluate the potential for microbial activities to impact disposal systems, we explored the microbial community structure and metabolic functions of a sediment-hosted ecosystem at the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory, Hokkaido, Japan. Overall, we found that the ecosystem hosted organisms from diverse lineages, including many from the phyla that lack isolated representatives. The majority of organisms can metabolize H 2 , often via oxidative [NiFe] hydrogenases or electron-bifurcating [FeFe] hydrogenases that enable ferredoxin-based pathways, including the ion motive Rnf complex. Many organisms implicated in H 2 metabolism are also predicted to catalyze carbon, nitrogen, iron and sulfur transformations. Notably, iron-based metabolism is predicted in a novel lineage of Actinobacteria and in a putative methane-oxidizing ANME-2d archaeon. We infer an ecological model that links microorganisms to sediment-derived resources and predict potential impacts of microbial activity on H 2 consumption and retardation of radionuclide migration.

Core Certification of Data Repositories: Trustworthiness and Long-Term Stewardship

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Sherbinin, A. M.; Mokrane, M.; Hugo, W.; Sorvari, S.; Harrison, S.

2017-12-01

Scientific integrity and norms dictate that data created and used by scientists should be managed, curated, and archived in trustworthy data repositories thus ensuring that science is verifiable and reproducible while preserving the initial investment in collecting data. Research stakeholders including researchers, science funders, librarians, and publishers must also be able to establish the trustworthiness of data repositories they use to confirm that the data they submit and use remain useful and meaningful in the long term. Data repositories are increasingly recognized as a key element of the global research infrastructure and the importance of establishing their trustworthiness is recognised as a prerequisite for efficient scientific research and data sharing. The Core Trustworthy Data Repository Requirements are a set of universal requirements for certification of data repositories at the core level (see: https://goo.gl/PYsygW). They were developed by the ICSU World Data System (WDS: www.icsu-wds.org) and the Data Seal of Approval (DSA: www.datasealofapproval.org)—the two authoritative organizations responsible for the development and implementation of this standard to be further developed under the CoreTrustSeal branding . CoreTrustSeal certification of data repositories involves a minimally intensive process whereby repositories supply evidence that they are sustainable and trustworthy. Repositories conduct a self-assessment which is then reviewed by community peers. Based on this review CoreTrustSeal certification is granted by the CoreTrustSeal Standards and Certification Board. Certification helps data communities—producers, repositories, and consumers—to improve the quality and transparency of their processes, and to increase awareness of and compliance with established standards. This presentation will introduce the CoreTrustSeal certification requirements for repositories and offer an opportunity to discuss ways to improve the contribution of certified data repositories to sustain open data for open scientific research.

17 CFR 49.26 - Disclosure requirements of swap data repositories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... data repository's policies and procedures reasonably designed to protect the privacy of any and all... swap data repositories. 49.26 Section 49.26 Commodity and Securities Exchanges COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SWAP DATA REPOSITORIES § 49.26 Disclosure requirements of swap data...

Implementing the EuroFIR Document and Data Repositories as accessible resources of food composition information.

PubMed

Unwin, Ian; Jansen-van der Vliet, Martine; Westenbrink, Susanne; Presser, Karl; Infanger, Esther; Porubska, Janka; Roe, Mark; Finglas, Paul

2016-02-15

The EuroFIR Document and Data Repositories are being developed as accessible collections of source documents, including grey literature, and the food composition data reported in them. These Repositories will contain source information available to food composition database compilers when selecting their nutritional data. The Document Repository was implemented as searchable bibliographic records in the Europe PubMed Central database, which links to the documents online. The Data Repository will contain original data from source documents in the Document Repository. Testing confirmed the FoodCASE food database management system as a suitable tool for the input, documentation and quality assessment of Data Repository information. Data management requirements for the input and documentation of reported analytical results were established, including record identification and method documentation specifications. Document access and data preparation using the Repositories will provide information resources for compilers, eliminating duplicated work and supporting unambiguous referencing of data contributing to their compiled data. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Making research data repositories visible: the re3data.org Registry.

PubMed

Pampel, Heinz; Vierkant, Paul; Scholze, Frank; Bertelmann, Roland; Kindling, Maxi; Klump, Jens; Goebelbecker, Hans-Jürgen; Gundlach, Jens; Schirmbacher, Peter; Dierolf, Uwe

2013-01-01

Researchers require infrastructures that ensure a maximum of accessibility, stability and reliability to facilitate working with and sharing of research data. Such infrastructures are being increasingly summarized under the term Research Data Repositories (RDR). The project re3data.org-Registry of Research Data Repositories-has begun to index research data repositories in 2012 and offers researchers, funding organizations, libraries and publishers an overview of the heterogeneous research data repository landscape. In July 2013 re3data.org lists 400 research data repositories and counting. 288 of these are described in detail using the re3data.org vocabulary. Information icons help researchers to easily identify an adequate repository for the storage and reuse of their data. This article describes the heterogeneous RDR landscape and presents a typology of institutional, disciplinary, multidisciplinary and project-specific RDR. Further the article outlines the features of re3data.org, and shows how this registry helps to identify appropriate repositories for storage and search of research data.

Food entries in a large allergy data repository

PubMed Central

Plasek, Joseph M.; Goss, Foster R.; Lai, Kenneth H.; Lau, Jason J.; Seger,, Diane L.; Blumenthal, Kimberly G.; Wickner, Paige G.; Slight, Sarah P.; Chang, Frank Y.; Topaz, Maxim; Bates, David W.

2016-01-01

Objective Accurate food adverse sensitivity documentation in electronic health records (EHRs) is crucial to patient safety. This study examined, encoded, and grouped foods that caused any adverse sensitivity in a large allergy repository using natural language processing and standard terminologies. Methods Using the Medical Text Extraction, Reasoning, and Mapping System (MTERMS), we processed both structured and free-text entries stored in an enterprise-wide allergy repository (Partners’ Enterprise-wide Allergy Repository), normalized diverse food allergen terms into concepts, and encoded these concepts using the Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine – Clinical Terms (SNOMED-CT) and Unique Ingredient Identifiers (UNII) terminologies. Concept coverage also was assessed for these two terminologies. We further categorized allergen concepts into groups and calculated the frequencies of these concepts by group. Finally, we conducted an external validation of MTERMS’s performance when identifying food allergen terms, using a randomized sample from a different institution. Results We identified 158 552 food allergen records (2140 unique terms) in the Partners repository, corresponding to 672 food allergen concepts. High-frequency groups included shellfish (19.3%), fruits or vegetables (18.4%), dairy (9.0%), peanuts (8.5%), tree nuts (8.5%), eggs (6.0%), grains (5.1%), and additives (4.7%). Ambiguous, generic concepts such as “nuts” and “seafood” accounted for 8.8% of the records. SNOMED-CT covered more concepts than UNII in terms of exact (81.7% vs 68.0%) and partial (14.3% vs 9.7%) matches. Discussion Adverse sensitivities to food are diverse, and existing standard terminologies have gaps in their coverage of the breadth of allergy concepts. Conclusion New strategies are needed to represent and standardize food adverse sensitivity concepts, to improve documentation in EHRs. PMID:26384406

Food entries in a large allergy data repository.

PubMed

Plasek, Joseph M; Goss, Foster R; Lai, Kenneth H; Lau, Jason J; Seger, Diane L; Blumenthal, Kimberly G; Wickner, Paige G; Slight, Sarah P; Chang, Frank Y; Topaz, Maxim; Bates, David W; Zhou, Li

2016-04-01

Accurate food adverse sensitivity documentation in electronic health records (EHRs) is crucial to patient safety. This study examined, encoded, and grouped foods that caused any adverse sensitivity in a large allergy repository using natural language processing and standard terminologies. Using the Medical Text Extraction, Reasoning, and Mapping System (MTERMS), we processed both structured and free-text entries stored in an enterprise-wide allergy repository (Partners' Enterprise-wide Allergy Repository), normalized diverse food allergen terms into concepts, and encoded these concepts using the Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine - Clinical Terms (SNOMED-CT) and Unique Ingredient Identifiers (UNII) terminologies. Concept coverage also was assessed for these two terminologies. We further categorized allergen concepts into groups and calculated the frequencies of these concepts by group. Finally, we conducted an external validation of MTERMS's performance when identifying food allergen terms, using a randomized sample from a different institution. We identified 158 552 food allergen records (2140 unique terms) in the Partners repository, corresponding to 672 food allergen concepts. High-frequency groups included shellfish (19.3%), fruits or vegetables (18.4%), dairy (9.0%), peanuts (8.5%), tree nuts (8.5%), eggs (6.0%), grains (5.1%), and additives (4.7%). Ambiguous, generic concepts such as "nuts" and "seafood" accounted for 8.8% of the records. SNOMED-CT covered more concepts than UNII in terms of exact (81.7% vs 68.0%) and partial (14.3% vs 9.7%) matches. Adverse sensitivities to food are diverse, and existing standard terminologies have gaps in their coverage of the breadth of allergy concepts. New strategies are needed to represent and standardize food adverse sensitivity concepts, to improve documentation in EHRs. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Enriching text with images and colored light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekulovski, Dragan; Geleijnse, Gijs; Kater, Bram; Korst, Jan; Pauws, Steffen; Clout, Ramon

2008-01-01

We present an unsupervised method to enrich textual applications with relevant images and colors. The images are collected by querying large image repositories and subsequently the colors are computed using image processing. A prototype system based on this method is presented where the method is applied to song lyrics. In combination with a lyrics synchronization algorithm the system produces a rich multimedia experience. In order to identify terms within the text that may be associated with images and colors, we select noun phrases using a part of speech tagger. Large image repositories are queried with these terms. Per term representative colors are extracted using the collected images. Hereto, we either use a histogram-based or a mean shift-based algorithm. The representative color extraction uses the non-uniform distribution of the colors found in the large repositories. The images that are ranked best by the search engine are displayed on a screen, while the extracted representative colors are rendered on controllable lighting devices in the living room. We evaluate our method by comparing the computed colors to standard color representations of a set of English color terms. A second evaluation focuses on the distance in color between a queried term in English and its translation in a foreign language. Based on results from three sets of terms, a measure of suitability of a term for color extraction based on KL Divergence is proposed. Finally, we compare the performance of the algorithm using either the automatically indexed repository of Google Images and the manually annotated Flickr.com. Based on the results of these experiments, we conclude that using the presented method we can compute the relevant color for a term using a large image repository and image processing.

Personalized reminiscence therapy M-health application for patients living with dementia: Innovating using open source code repository.

PubMed

Zhang, Melvyn W B; Ho, Roger C M

2017-01-01

Dementia is known to be an illness which brings forth marked disability amongst the elderly individuals. At times, patients living with dementia do also experience non-cognitive symptoms, and these symptoms include that of hallucinations, delusional beliefs as well as emotional liability, sexualized behaviours and aggression. According to the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines, non-pharmacological techniques are typically the first-line option prior to the consideration of adjuvant pharmacological options. Reminiscence and music therapy are thus viable options. Lazar et al. [3] previously performed a systematic review with regards to the utilization of technology to delivery reminiscence based therapy to individuals who are living with dementia and has highlighted that technology does have benefits in the delivery of reminiscence therapy. However, to date, there has been a paucity of M-health innovations in this area. In addition, most of the current innovations are not personalized for each of the person living with Dementia. Prior research has highlighted the utility for open source repository in bioinformatics study. The authors hoped to explain how they managed to tap upon and make use of open source repository in the development of a personalized M-health reminiscence therapy innovation for patients living with dementia. The availability of open source code repository has changed the way healthcare professionals and developers develop smartphone applications today. Conventionally, a long iterative process is needed in the development of native application, mainly because of the need for native programming and coding, especially so if the application needs to have interactive features or features that could be personalized. Such repository enables the rapid and cost effective development of application. Moreover, developers are also able to further innovate, as less time is spend in the iterative process.

Digital Rocks Portal: a Sustainable Platform for Data Management, Analysis and Remote Visualization of Volumetric Images of Porous Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prodanovic, M.; Esteva, M.; Ketcham, R. A.

2017-12-01

Nanometer to centimeter-scale imaging such as (focused ion beam) scattered electron microscopy, magnetic resonance imaging and X-ray (micro)tomography has since 1990s introduced 2D and 3D datasets of rock microstructure that allow investigation of nonlinear flow and mechanical phenomena on the length scales that are otherwise impervious to laboratory measurements. The numerical approaches that use such images produce various upscaled parameters required by subsurface flow and deformation simulators. All of this has revolutionized our knowledge about grain scale phenomena. However, a lack of data-sharing infrastructure among research groups makes it difficult to integrate different length scales. We have developed a sustainable, open and easy-to-use repository called the Digital Rocks Portal (https://www.digitalrocksportal.org), that (1) organizes images and related experimental measurements of different porous materials, (2) improves access to them for a wider community of engineering or geosciences researchers not necessarily trained in computer science or data analysis. Digital Rocks Portal (NSF EarthCube Grant 1541008) is the first repository for imaged porous microstructure data. It is implemented within the reliable, 24/7 maintained High Performance Computing Infrastructure supported by the Texas Advanced Computing Center (University of Texas at Austin). Long-term storage is provided through the University of Texas System Research Cyber-infrastructure initiative. We show how the data can be documented, referenced in publications via digital object identifiers (see Figure below for examples), visualized, searched for and linked to other repositories. We show recently implemented integration of the remote parallel visualization, bulk upload for large datasets as well as preliminary flow simulation workflow with the pore structures currently stored in the repository. We discuss the issues of collecting correct metadata, data discoverability and repository sustainability.

The French Radioactive Waste Disposal System: Which Discussions for Which Decisions?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baillet, J.P.; Ouzounian, G.

2008-07-01

Over the last 20 years or so, radioactive-waste management has undergone remarkable developments in France. The Law of 30 December 1991 prescribed that Parliament would convene once again at the end of a 15-year research period. In 2005, the government asked the National Commission on Public Debate to organise a public debate on radioactive-waste management. Hence, for the first time, such an event was held in accordance with a national policy and not on a specific project. The debate took place between 12 September 2005 and 13 January 2006. Although the debate remained mostly a discussion among experts and opposedmore » most frequently pro-nuclear and anti-nuclear activists, it still provided an opportunity to define and clarify challenges. Following the public debate and in the light of the assessment of investigation results, Parliament adopted on 28 June 2006 a new Planning Act on the Management of Radioactive Waste, which applies to all radioactive residues, irrespective of their activity level, and prescribes specific procedures and deadlines, such as the commissioning of a disposal facility for radium-bearing and graphite waste by 2013 and of a deep geological repository for high-level and intermediate-level long-lived waste by 2025. In the latter case, the Planning Act renews the assessment system for Andra's studies and investigations by a committee of experts and by the OPECST over and above the review of the future licence application by the Nuclear Safety Authority. In addition, a new law will set up the reversibility conditions of the repository before the government may grant any authorisation. At the local level, the act reinforces the prerogatives of the Local Information and Oversight Committee, which is responsible for public information and consultation issues; furthermore, it prescribes that a public debate and a public inquiry be held as a prerequisite to the delivery of any authorisation. Hence, ANDRA is taking all necessary means in order to meet deadlines by involving communities as early as possible in the development process of the repository project. In its activities, the Agency relies on the CLIS and local elected officials, and particularly on mayors. It benefits from some experience in the field, since it has already commissioned two disposal facilities, both located in the Aube District, one in 1992 for low-level and intermediate-level short-lived waste (CSFMA), and the other in 2003 for very-low-level waste (CSTFA). Beyond statutory institutional deadlines, frequent information meetings in relevant local town halls have provided all the more opportunities to explain at length what the projects involved as they advanced. People need precise information in order to be reassured and to share it with their families and friends. It also appeared desirable to create as rapidly as possible the Local Information Committee (CLI) in order to organise a sound dialogue with local populations. Lastly, disposal facilities and disposal-facility projects are not independent from each other. The quality of the implementation and operation of disposal structures in surface facilities, such as the CSFMA and the CSTFA, represents an outstanding showcase for Andra's know-how and aims at reinforcing confidence in more ambitious projects, such as the deep geological repository. (author)« less

Comparison of rule induction, decision trees and formal concept analysis approaches for classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotelnikov, E. V.; Milov, V. R.

2018-05-01

Rule-based learning algorithms have higher transparency and easiness to interpret in comparison with neural networks and deep learning algorithms. These properties make it possible to effectively use such algorithms to solve descriptive tasks of data mining. The choice of an algorithm depends also on its ability to solve predictive tasks. The article compares the quality of the solution of the problems with binary and multiclass classification based on the experiments with six datasets from the UCI Machine Learning Repository. The authors investigate three algorithms: Ripper (rule induction), C4.5 (decision trees), In-Close (formal concept analysis). The results of the experiments show that In-Close demonstrates the best quality of classification in comparison with Ripper and C4.5, however the latter two generate more compact rule sets.

Evaluation of a 6-wire thermocouple psychrometer for determination of in-situ water potentials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loskot, C.L.; Rousseau, J.P.; Kurzmack, M.A.

1994-12-31

The US Geological Survey has been conducting investigations at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, to provide information about the hydrologic and geologic suitability of this site for storing high-level nuclear wastes in an underground mined repository. Test drilling and instrumentation are a principal method of investigation. The main objectives of the deep unsaturated-zone testhole program are: (1) to determine the flux of water moving through the unsaturated welded and nonwelded tuff units, (2) to determine the vertical and lateral distribution of moisture content, water potential, and other important geohydrologic characteristics in the rock units penetrated, and (3) to monitor stability and changesmore » in in-situ fluid potentials with time. Thermocouple psychrometers will be used to monitor in-situ water potentials.« less

17 CFR 49.19 - Core principles applicable to registered swap data repositories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... registered swap data repositories. 49.19 Section 49.19 Commodity and Securities Exchanges COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SWAP DATA REPOSITORIES § 49.19 Core principles applicable to registered swap data repositories. (a) Compliance with core principles. To be registered, and maintain...

17 CFR 49.26 - Disclosure requirements of swap data repositories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... TRADING COMMISSION SWAP DATA REPOSITORIES § 49.26 Disclosure requirements of swap data repositories... swap data repository shall furnish to the reporting entity a disclosure document that contains the... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Disclosure requirements of...

17 CFR 49.26 - Disclosure requirements of swap data repositories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... TRADING COMMISSION SWAP DATA REPOSITORIES § 49.26 Disclosure requirements of swap data repositories... swap data repository shall furnish to the reporting entity a disclosure document that contains the... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Disclosure requirements of...

21 CFR 522.480 - Repository corticotropin injection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Repository corticotropin injection. 522.480 Section 522.480 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... § 522.480 Repository corticotropin injection. (a)(1) Specifications. The drug conforms to repository...

10 CFR 960.3-1-3 - Regionality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... REPOSITORY Implementation Guidelines § 960.3-1-3 Regionality. In making site recommendations for repository development after the site for the first repository has been recommended, the Secretary shall give due... repositories. Such consideration shall take into account the proximity of sites to locations at which waste is...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NA

By studying the rocks and geologic features of an area, experts can assess whether it is vulnerable to future volcanic eruptions. Scientists have performed extensive studies at and near Yucca Mountain to determine whether future volcanoes could possibly affect the proposed repository for nuclear waste.

Use of thermodynamic sorption models to derive radionuclide Kd values for performance assessment: Selected results and recommendations of the NEA sorption project

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ochs, M.; Davis, J.A.; Olin, M.; Payne, T.E.; Tweed, C.J.; Askarieh, M.M.; Altmann, S.

2006-01-01

For the safe final disposal and/or long-term storage of radioactive wastes, deep or near-surface underground repositories are being considered world-wide. A central safety feature is the prevention, or sufficient retardation, of radionuclide (RN) migration to the biosphere. To this end, radionuclide sorption is one of the most important processes. Decreasing the uncertainty in radionuclide sorption may contribute significantly to reducing the overall uncertainty of a performance assessment (PA). For PA, sorption is typically characterised by distribution coefficients (Kd values). The conditional nature of Kd requires different estimates of this parameter for each set of geochemical conditions of potential relevance in a RN's migration pathway. As it is not feasible to measure sorption for every set of conditions, the derivation of Kd for PA must rely on data derived from representative model systems. As a result, uncertainty in Kd is largely caused by the need to derive values for conditions not explicitly addressed in experiments. The recently concluded NEA Sorption Project [1] showed that thermodynamic sorption models (TSMs) are uniquely suited to derive K d as a function of conditions, because they allow a direct coupling of sorption with variable solution chemistry and mineralogy in a thermodynamic framework. The results of the project enable assessment of the suitability of various TSM approaches for PA-relevant applications as well as of the potential and limitations of TSMs to model RN sorption in complex systems. ?? by Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag.

Probalistic Criticality Consequence Evaluation (SCPB:N/A)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

P. Gottlieb; J.W. Davis; J.R. Massari

1996-09-04

This analysis is prepared by the Mined Geologic Disposal System (MGDS) Waste Package Development (WPD) department with the objective of providing a comprehensive, conservative estimate of the consequences of the criticality which could possibly occur as the result of commercial spent nuclear fuel emplaced in the underground repository at Yucca Mountain. The consequences of criticality are measured principally in terms of the resulting changes in radionuclide inventory as a function of the power level and duration of the criticality. The purpose of this analysis is to extend the prior estimates of increased radionuclide inventory (Refs. 5.52 and 5.54), for bothmore » internal and external criticality. This analysis, and similar estimates and refinements to be completed before the end of fiscal year 1997, will be provided as input to Total System Performance Assessment-Viability Assessment (TSPA-VA) to demonstrate compliance with the repository performance objectives.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bryan, Charles R.; Weck, Philippe F.; Vaughn, Palmer

Report RWEV-REP-001, Analysis of Postclosure Groundwater Impacts for a Geologic Repository for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada was issued by the DOE in 2009 and is currently being updated. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) provided support for the original document, performing calculations and extracting data from the Yucca Mountain Performance Assessment Model that were used as inputs to the contaminant transport and dose calculations by Jason Associates Corporation, the primary developers of the DOE report. The inputs from SNL were documented in LSA-AR-037, Inputs to Jason Associates Corporation inmore » Support of the Postclosure Repository Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. To support the updating of the original Groundwater Impacts document, SNL has reviewed the inputs provided in LSA-AR-037 to verify that they are current and appropriate for use. The results of that assessment are documented here.« less

Implementing Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste Technology Platform From the Strategic Research Agenda to its Deployment - 12015

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ouzounian, P.; Palmu, Marjatta; Eng, Torsten

2012-07-01

Several European waste management organizations (WMOs) have initiated a technology platform for accelerating the implementation of deep geological disposal of radioactive waste in Europe. The most advanced waste management programmes in Europe (i.e. Finland, Sweden, and France) have already started or are prepared to start the licensing process of deep geological disposal facilities within the next decade. A technology platform called Implementing Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste Technology Platform (IGD-TP) was launched in November 2009. A shared vision report for the platform was published stating that: 'Our vision is that by 2025, the first geological disposal facilities for spent fuel,more » high-level waste, and other long-lived radioactive waste will be operating safely in Europe'. In 2011, the IGD-TP had eleven WMO members and about 70 participants from academia, research, and the industry committed to its vision. The IGD-TP has started to become a tool for reducing overlapping work, to produce savings in total costs of research and implementation and to make better use of existing competence and research infrastructures. The main contributor to this is the deployment of the IGD-TP's newly published Strategic Research Agenda (SRA). The work undertaken for the SRA defined the pending research, development and demonstration (RD and D) issues and needs. The SRA document describing the identified issues that could be worked on collaboratively was published in July 2011. It is available on the project's public web site (www.igdtp.eu). The SRA was organized around 7 Key Topics covering the Safety Case, Waste forms and their behaviour, Technical feasibility and long-term performance of repository components, Development strategy of the repository, Safety of construction and operations, Monitoring, and Governance and stakeholder involvement. Individual Topics were prioritized within the Key Topics. Cross-cutting activities like Education and Training or Knowledge Management as well as activities remaining specific for the WMOs were as well identified in the document. For example, each WMO has to develop their own waste acceptance rules, and plan for the economics and the funding of their waste management programmes. The challenge at hand for the IGD-TP is to deploy the SRA. This is carried out by agreeing on a Deployment Plan (DP) that guides organizing the concrete joint activities between the WMOs and the other participants of the IGD-TP. The first DP points out the coordinated RD and D projects and other activities that need to be launched to produce these results over the next four to five years (by the end of 2016). The DP also describes general principles for how the joint work can be organised and funded. (authors)« less

17 CFR 49.19 - Core principles applicable to registered swap data repositories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... registered swap data repositories. 49.19 Section 49.19 Commodity and Securities Exchanges COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION SWAP DATA REPOSITORIES § 49.19 Core principles applicable to registered swap data repositories. (a) Compliance with core principles. To be registered, and maintain registration, a swap data...

17 CFR 49.19 - Core principles applicable to registered swap data repositories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... registered swap data repositories. 49.19 Section 49.19 Commodity and Securities Exchanges COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION SWAP DATA REPOSITORIES § 49.19 Core principles applicable to registered swap data repositories. (a) Compliance with Core Principles. To be registered, and maintain registration, a swap data...

17 CFR 49.22 - Chief compliance officer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... that the registered swap data repository provide fair and open access as set forth in § 49.27 of this...) SWAP DATA REPOSITORIES § 49.22 Chief compliance officer. (a) Definition of Board of Directors. For... data repository, or for those swap data repositories whose organizational structure does not include a...

75 FR 8701 - Notice of Settlement Agreement Pertaining to Construction of a Waste Repository on the Settlors...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-25

... Construction of a Waste Repository on the Settlors' Property Pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental... a Settlement Agreement pertaining to Construction of a Waste Repository on Settlor's Property... waste repository on the property by resolving, liability the settling party might otherwise incur under...

10 CFR 51.67 - Environmental information concerning geologic repositories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Environmental information concerning geologic repositories... information concerning geologic repositories. (a) In lieu of an environmental report, the Department of Energy... connection with any geologic repository developed under Subtitle A of Title I, or under Title IV, of the...

15 CFR 1180.10 - NTIS permanent repository.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false NTIS permanent repository. 1180.10... ENGINEERING INFORMATION TO THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION SERVICE § 1180.10 NTIS permanent repository. A... repository as a service to agencies unless the Director advises the Liaison Officer that it has not been so...

76 FR 14028 - Center for Devices and Radiological Health 510(k) Implementation: Online Repository of Medical...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-15

...] Center for Devices and Radiological Health 510(k) Implementation: Online Repository of Medical Device... public meeting entitled ``510(k) Implementation: Discussion of an Online Repository of Medical Device... establish an online public repository of medical device labeling and strategies for displaying device...

Identifying Tensions in the Use of Open Licenses in OER Repositories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amiel, Tel; Soares, Tiago Chagas

2016-01-01

We present an analysis of 50 repositories for educational content conducted through an "audit system" that helped us classify these repositories, their software systems, promoters, and how they communicated their licensing practices. We randomly accessed five resources from each repository to investigate the alignment of licensing…

10 CFR 960.3-1 - Siting provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... REPOSITORY Implementation Guidelines § 960.3-1 Siting provisions. The siting provisions establish the... repositories. As required by the Act, § 960.3-1-3 specifies consideration of a regional distribution of repositories after recommendation of a site for development of the first repository. Section 960.3-1-4...

10 CFR 60.132 - Additional design criteria for surface facilities in the geologic repository operations area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... geologic repository operations area. 60.132 Section 60.132 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) DISPOSAL OF HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES IN GEOLOGIC REPOSITORIES Technical Criteria Design Criteria for the Geologic Repository Operations Area § 60.132 Additional design criteria for surface facilities in...

Institutional Repositories as Infrastructures for Long-Term Preservation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francke, Helena; Gamalielsson, Jonas; Lundell, Björn

2017-01-01

Introduction: The study describes the conditions for long-term preservation of the content of the institutional repositories of Swedish higher education institutions based on an investigation of how deposited files are managed with regards to file format and how representatives of the repositories describe the functions of the repositories.…

Personal Name Identification in the Practice of Digital Repositories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xia, Jingfeng

2006-01-01

Purpose: To propose improvements to the identification of authors' names in digital repositories. Design/methodology/approach: Analysis of current name authorities in digital resources, particularly in digital repositories, and analysis of some features of existing repository applications. Findings: This paper finds that the variations of authors'…

APFEL: A PDF evolution library with QED corrections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertone, Valerio; Carrazza, Stefano; Rojo, Juan

2014-06-01

Quantum electrodynamics and electroweak corrections are important ingredients for many theoretical predictions at the LHC. This paper documents APFEL, a new PDF evolution package that allows for the first time to perform DGLAP evolution up to NNLO in QCD and to LO in QED, in the variable-flavor-number scheme and with either pole or MS bar heavy quark masses. APFEL consistently accounts for the QED corrections to the evolution of quark and gluon PDFs and for the contribution from the photon PDF in the proton. The coupled QCD ⊗ QED equations are solved in x-space by means of higher order interpolation, followed by Runge-Kutta solution of the resulting discretized evolution equations. APFEL is based on an innovative and flexible methodology for the sequential solution of the QCD and QED evolution equations and their combination. In addition to PDF evolution, APFEL provides a module that computes Deep-Inelastic Scattering structure functions in the FONLL general-mass variable-flavor-number scheme up to O(αs2) . All the functionalities of APFEL can be accessed via a Graphical User Interface, supplemented with a variety of plotting tools for PDFs, parton luminosities and structure functions. Written in FORTRAN 77, APFEL can also be used via the C/C++ and Python interfaces, and is publicly available from the HepForge repository.

γ-radiation induced corrosion of copper in bentonite-water systems under anaerobic conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karin Norrfors, K.; Björkbacka, Åsa; Kessler, Amanda; Wold, Susanna; Jonsson, Mats

2018-03-01

In this work we have experimentally studied the impact of bentonite clay on the process of radiation-induced copper corrosion in anoxic water. The motivation for this is to further develop our understanding of radiation-driven processes occurring in deep geological repositories for spent nuclear fuel where copper canisters containing the spent nuclear fuel will be embedded in compacted bentonite. Experiments on radiation-induced corrosion in the presence and absence of bentonite were performed along with experiments elucidating the impact irradiation on the Cu2+ adsorption capacity of bentonite. The experiments presented in this work show that the presence of bentonite clay has no or very little effect on the magnitude of radiation-induced corrosion of copper in anoxic aqueous systems. The absence of a protective effect similar to that observed for radiation-induced dissolution of UO2 is attributed to differences in the corrosion mechanism. This provides further support for the previously proposed mechanism where the hydroxyl radical is the key radiolytic oxidant responsible for the corrosion of copper. The radiation effect on the bentonite sorption capacity of Cu2+ (reduced capacity) is in line with what has previously been reported for other cations. The reduced cation sorption capacity is partly attributed to a loss of Al-OH sites upon irradiation.

Solubility constants of hydroxyl sodalite at elevated temperatures evaluated from hydrothermal experiments: Applications to nuclear waste isolation

DOE PAGES

Xiong, Yongliang

2016-09-17

In this study, solubility constants of hydroxyl sodalite (ideal formula, Na 8[Al 6Si 6O 24][OH] 2·3H 2O) from 25°C to 100°C are obtained by applying a high temperature Al—Si Pitzer model to evaluate solubility data on hydroxyl sodalite in high ionic strength solutions at elevated temperatures. A validation test comparing model-independent experimental data to model predictions demonstrates that the solubility values produced by the model are in excellent agreement with the experimental data. In addition, the equilibrium constants obtained in this study have a wide range of applications, including synthesis of hydroxyl sodalite, de-silication in the Bayer process for extractionmore » of alumina, and the performance of proposed sodalite waste forms in geological repositories in various lithologies including salt formations. The thermodynamic calculations based on the equilibrium constants obtained in this work indicate that the solubility products in terms of m ΣAl×m ΣSi for hydroxyl sodalite are very low (e.g., ~10 -13 [mol·kg -1] 2 at 100°C) in brines characteristic of salt formations, implying that sodalite waste forms would perform very well in repositories located in salt formations. Finally, the information regarding the solubility behavior of hydroxyl sodalite obtained in this study provides guidance to investigate the performance of other pure end-members of sodalite such as chloride- and iodide-sodalite, which may be of interest for geological repositories in various media.« less

Simulation of ventilation efficiency, and pre-closure temperatures in emplacement drifts at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, using Monte Carlo and composite thermal-pulse methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Case, J.B.; Buesch, D.C.

2004-01-01

Predictions of waste canister and repository driftwall temperatures as functions of space and time are important to evaluate pre-closure performance of the proposed repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Variations in the lithostratigraphic features in densely welded and crystallized rocks of the 12.8-million-year-old Topopah Spring Tuff, especially the porosity resulting from lithophysal cavities, affect thermal properties. A simulated emplacement drift is based on projecting lithophysal cavity porosity values 50 to 800 m from the Enhanced Characterization of the Repository Block cross drift. Lithophysal cavity porosity varies from 0.00 to 0.05 cm3/cm3 in the middle nonlithophysal zone and from 0.03 to 0.28 cm3/cm3 in the lower lithophysal zone. A ventilation model and computer program titled "Monte Carlo Simulation of Ventilation" (MCSIMVENT), which is based on a composite thermal-pulse calculation, simulates statistical variability and uncertainty of rock-mass thermal properties and ventilation performance along a simulated emplacement drift for a pre-closure period of 50 years. Although ventilation efficiency is relatively insensitive to thermal properties, variations in lithophysal porosity along the drift can result in a range of peak driftwall temperatures can range from 40 to 85??C for the preclosure period. Copyright ?? 2004 by ASME.

System and method for responding to ground and flight system malfunctions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Julie J. (Inventor); Fussell, Ronald M. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A system for on-board anomaly resolution for a vehicle has a data repository. The data repository stores data related to different systems, subsystems, and components of the vehicle. The data stored is encoded in a tree-based structure. A query engine is coupled to the data repository. The query engine provides a user and automated interface and provides contextual query to the data repository. An inference engine is coupled to the query engine. The inference engine compares current anomaly data to contextual data stored in the data repository using inference rules. The inference engine generates a potential solution to the current anomaly by referencing the data stored in the data repository.

Consequences of the Thermal Transient on the Evolution of the Damaged Zone Around a Repository for Heat-Emitting High-Level Radioactive Waste in a Clay Formation: a Performance Assessment Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Li; Weetjens, Eef; Sillen, Xavier; Vietor, Tim; Li, Xiangling; Delage, Pierre; Labiouse, Vincent; Charlier, Robert

2014-01-01

A proper evaluation of the perturbations of the host rock induced by the excavation and the emplacement of exothermic wastes is essential for the assessment of the long-term safety of high-level radioactive waste disposals in clay formations. The impact of the thermal transient on the evolution of the damaged zone (DZ) has been explored in the European Commission project TIMODAZ (thermal impact on the damaged zone around a radioactive waste disposal in clay host rocks, 2006-2010). This paper integrates the scientific results of the TIMODAZ project from a performance assessment (PA) point of view, showing how these results support and justify key PA assumptions and the values of PA model parameters. This paper also contextualises the significance of the thermal impact on the DZ from a safety case perspective, highlighting how the project outcomes result into an improved understanding of the thermo-hydro-mechanical behaviour of the clay host rocks. The results obtained in the TIMODAZ project strengthen the assessment basis of the safety evaluation of the current repository designs. There was no evidence throughout the TIMODAZ experimental observations of a temperature-induced additional opening of fractures nor of a significant permeability increase of the DZ. Instead, thermally induced plasticity, swelling and creep seem to be beneficial to the sealing of fractures and to the recovery of a very low permeability in the DZ, close to that of an undisturbed clay host rock. Results from the TIMODAZ project indicate that the favourable properties of the clay host rock, which guarantee the effectiveness of the safety functions of the repository system, are expected to be maintained after the heating-cooling cycle. Hence, the basic assumptions usually made in PA calculations so far are expected to remain valid, and the performance of the system should not be affected in a negative way by the thermal evolution of the DZ around a radioactive waste repository in clay host rock.

17 CFR 49.9 - Duties of registered swap data repositories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... privacy of any and all swap data and any other related information that the swap data repository receives... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Duties of registered swap data... (CONTINUED) SWAP DATA REPOSITORIES § 49.9 Duties of registered swap data repositories. (a) Duties. To be...

Availability and Accessibility in an Open Access Institutional Repository: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jongwook; Burnett, Gary; Vandegrift, Micah; Baeg, Jung Hoon; Morris, Richard

2015-01-01

Introduction: This study explores the extent to which an institutional repository makes papers available and accessible on the open Web by using 170 journal articles housed in DigiNole Commons, the institutional repository at Florida State University. Method: To analyse the repository's impact on availability and accessibility, we conducted…

Institutional Repositories in Indian Universities and Research Institutes: A Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krishnamurthy, M.; Kemparaju, T. D.

2011-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to report on a study of the institutional repositories (IRs) in use in Indian universities and research institutes. Design/methodology/approach: Repositories in various institutions in India were accessed and described in a standardised way. Findings: The 20 repositories studied covered collections of diverse…

10 CFR 63.161 - Emergency plan for the geologic repository operations area through permanent closure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Emergency plan for the geologic repository operations area... OF HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES IN A GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Emergency Planning Criteria § 63.161 Emergency plan for the geologic repository operations area through permanent...

77 FR 26709 - Swap Data Repositories: Interpretative Statement Regarding the Confidentiality and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-07

... COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION 17 CFR Part 49 RIN 3038-AD83 Swap Data Repositories... data repositories (``SDRs'').SDRs are new registered entities created by section 728 of the Dodd-Frank... Act amends section 1a of the CEA to add a definition of the term ``swap data repository.'' Pursuant to...

Online Paper Repositories and the Role of Scholarly Societies: An AERA Conference Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Educational Researcher, 2010

2010-01-01

This article examines issues faced by scholarly societies that are developing and sustaining online paper repositories. It is based on the AERA Conference on Online Paper Repositories, which focused on fundamental issues of policy and procedure important to the operations of online working paper repositories. The report and recommendations address…

10 CFR 960.3-2-2 - Nomination of sites as suitable for characterization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... OF POTENTIAL SITES FOR A NUCLEAR WASTE REPOSITORY Implementation Guidelines § 960.3-2-2 Nomination of... of each repository site. For the second repository, at least three of the sites shall not have been nominated previously. Any site nominated as suitable for characterization for the first repository, but not...

Repositories for Research: Southampton's Evolving Role in the Knowledge Cycle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simpson, Pauline; Hey, Jessie

2006-01-01

Purpose: To provide an overview of how open access (OA) repositories have grown to take a premier place in the e-research knowledge cycle and offer Southampton's route from project to sustainable institutional repository. Design/methodology/approach: The evolution of institutional repositories and OA is outlined raising questions of multiplicity…

10 CFR 60.150 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... components will perform satisfactorily in service. Quality assurance includes quality control, which... COMMISSION (CONTINUED) DISPOSAL OF HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES IN GEOLOGIC REPOSITORIES Quality Assurance § 60.150 Scope. As used in this part, quality assurance comprises all those planned and systematic...

Background studies in support of a feasibility assessment on the use of copper-base materials for nuclear waste packages in a repository in tuff

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Van Konynenburg, R.A.; Kundig, K.J.A.; Lyman, W.S.

1990-06-01

This report combines six work units performed in FY`85--86 by the Copper Development Association and the International Copper Research Association under contract with the University of California. The work includes literature surveys and state-of-the-art summaries on several considerations influencing the feasibility of the use of copper-base materials for fabricating high-level nuclear waste packages for the proposed repository in tuff rock at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The general conclusion from this work was that copper-base materials are viable candidates for inclusion in the materials selection process for this application. 55 refs., 48 figs., 22 tabs.

Testing of candidate waste-package backfill and canister materials for basalt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, M. I.; Anderson, W. J.; Aden, G. D.

1982-09-01

The Basalt Waste Isolation Project (BWIP) is developing a multiple-barrier waste package to contain high-level nuclear waste as part of an overall system (e.g., waste package, repository sealing system, and host rock) designed to isolate the waste in a repository located in basalt beneath the Hanford Site, Richland, Washington. The three basic components of the waste package are the waste form, the canister, and the backfill. An extensive testing program is under way to determine the chemical, physical, and mechanical properties of potential canister and backfill materials. The data derived from this testing program will be used to recommend those materials that most adequately perform the functions assigned to the canister and backfill.

Interoperability Across the Stewardship Spectrum in the DataONE Repository Federation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, M. B.; Vieglais, D.; Wilson, B. E.

2016-12-01

Thousands of earth and environmental science repositories serve many researchers and communities, each with their own community and legal mandates, sustainability models, and historical infrastructure. These repositories span the stewardship spectrum from highly curated collections that employ large numbers of staff members to review and improve data, to small, minimal budget repositories that accept data caveat emptor and where all responsibility for quality lies with the submitter. Each repository fills a niche, providing services that meet the stewardship tradeoffs of one or more communities. We have reviewed these stewardship tradeoffs for several DataONE member repositories ranging from minimally (KNB) to highly curated (Arctic Data Center), as well as general purpose (Dryad) to highly discipline or project specific (NEON). The rationale behind different levels of stewardship reflect resolution of these tradeoffs. Some repositories aim to encourage extensive uptake by keeping processes simple and minimizing the amount of information collected, but this limits the long-term utility of the data and the search, discovery, and integration systems that are possible. Other repositories require extensive metadata input, review, and assessment, allowing for excellent preservation, discovery, and integration but at the cost of significant time for submitters and expense for curatorial staff. DataONE recognizes these different levels of curation, and attempts to embrace them to create a federation that is useful across the stewardship spectrum. DataONE provides a tiered model for repositories with growing utility of DataONE services at higher tiers of curation. The lowest tier supports read-only access to data and requires little more than title and contact metadata. Repositories can gradually phase in support for higher levels of metadata and services as needed. These tiered capabilities are possible through flexible support for multiple metadata standards and services, where repositories can incrementally increase their requirements as they want to satisfy more use cases. Within DataONE, metadata search services support minimal metadata models, but significantly expanded precision and recall become possible when repositories provide more extensively curated metadata.

Optimizing Resources for Trustworthiness and Scientific Impact of Domain Repositories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehnert, K.

2017-12-01

Domain repositories, i.e. data archives tied to specific scientific communities, are widely recognized and trusted by their user communities for ensuring a high level of data quality, enhancing data value, access, and reuse through a unique combination of disciplinary and digital curation expertise. Their data services are guided by the practices and values of the specific community they serve and designed to support the advancement of their science. Domain repositories need to meet user expectations for scientific utility in order to be successful, but they also need to fulfill the requirements for trustworthy repository services to be acknowledged by scientists, funders, and publishers as a reliable facility that curates and preserves data following international standards. Domain repositories therefore need to carefully plan and balance investments to optimize the scientific impact of their data services and user satisfaction on the one hand, while maintaining a reliable and robust operation of the repository infrastructure on the other hand. Staying abreast of evolving repository standards to certify as a trustworthy repository and conducting a regular self-assessment and certification alone requires resources that compete with the demands for improving data holdings or usability of systems. The Interdisciplinary Earth Data Alliance (IEDA), a data facility funded by the US National Science Foundation, operates repositories for geochemical, marine Geoscience, and Antarctic research data, while also maintaining data products (global syntheses) and data visualization and analysis tools that are of high value for the science community and have demonstrated considerable scientific impact. Balancing the investments in the growth and utility of the syntheses with resources required for certifcation of IEDA's repository services has been challenging, and a major self-assessment effort has been difficult to accommodate. IEDA is exploring a partnership model to share generic repository functions (e.g. metadata registration, long-term archiving) with other repositories. This could substantially reduce the effort of certification and allow effort to focus on the domain-specific data curation and value-added services.

Building Scientific Data's list of recommended data repositories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hufton, A. L.; Khodiyar, V.; Hrynaszkiewicz, I.

2016-12-01

When Scientific Data launched in 2014 we provided our authors with a list of recommended data repositories to help them identify data hosting options that were likely to meet the journal's requirements. This list has grown in size and scope, and is now a central resource for authors across the Nature-titled journals. It has also been used in the development of data deposition policies and recommended repository lists across Springer Nature and at other publishers. Each new addition to the list is assessed according to a series of criteria that emphasize the stability of the resource, its commitment to principles of open science and its implementation of relevant community standards and reporting guidelines. A preference is expressed for repositories that issue digital object identifiers (DOIs) through the DataCite system and that share data under the Creative Commons CC0 waiver. Scientific Data currently lists fourteen repositories that focus on specific areas within the Earth and environmental sciences, as well as the broad scope repositories, Dryad and figshare. Readers can browse and filter datasets published at the journal by the host repository using ISA-explorer, a demo tool built by the ISA-tools team at Oxford University1. We believe that well-maintained lists like this one help publishers build a network of trust with community data repositories and provide an important complement to more comprehensive data repository indices and more formal certification efforts. In parallel, Scientific Data has also improved its policies to better support submissions from authors using institutional and project-specific repositories, without requiring each to apply for listing individually. Online resources Journal homepage: http://www.nature.com/scientificdata Data repository criteria: http://www.nature.com/sdata/policies/data-policies#repo-criteria Recommended data repositories: http://www.nature.com/sdata/policies/repositories Archived copies of the list: https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.1434640.v6 Reference Gonzalez-Beltran, A. ISA-explorer: A demo tool for discovering and exploring Scientific Data's ISA-tab metadata. Scientific Data Updates http://blogs.nature.com/scientificdata/2015/12/17/isa-explorer/ (2015).

Experimental investigation of CO2-brine-rock interactions at elevated temperature and pressure: Implications for CO2 sequestration in deep-saline aquifers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosenbauer, R.J.; Koksalan, T.; Palandri, J.L.

2005-01-01

Deep-saline aquifers are potential repositories for excess CO2, currently being emitted to the atmosphere from anthropogenic activities, but the reactivity of supercritical CO2 with host aquifer fluids and formation minerals needs to be understood. Experiments reacting supercritical CO2 with natural and synthetic brines in the presence and absence of limestone and plagioclase-rich arkosic sandstone showed that the reaction of CO2-saturated brine with limestone results in compositional, mineralogical, and porosity changes in the aquifer fluid and rock that are dependent on initial brine composition, especially dissolved calcium and sulfate. Experiments reacting CO2-saturated, low-sulfate brine with limestone dissolved 10% of the original calcite and increased rock porosity by 2.6%. Experiments reacting high-sulfate brine with limestone, both in the presence and absence of supercritical CO2, were characterized by the precipitation of anhydrite, dolomitization of the limestone, and a final decrease in porosity of 4.5%. However, based on favorable initial porosity changes of about 15% due to the dissolution of calcite, the combination of CO2 co-injection with other mitigation strategies might help alleviate some of the well-bore scale and formation-plugging problems near the injection zone of a brine disposal well in Paradox Valley, Colorado, as well as provide a repository for CO2. Experiments showed that the solubility of CO2 is enhanced in brine in the presence of limestone by 9% at 25 ??C and 6% at 120 ??C and 200 bar relative to the brine itself. The solubility of CO2 is enhanced also in brine in the presence of arkosic sandstone by 5% at 120 ??C and 300 bar. The storage of CO 2 in limestone aquifers is limited to only ionic and hydraulic trapping. However, brine reacted with supercritical CO2 and arkose yielded fixation and sequestration of CO2 in carbonate mineral phases. Brine desiccation was observed in all experiments containing a discrete CO2 phase, promoting porosity-reducing precipitation reactions in aquifers near saturation with mineral phases. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Integration of Thirty Years of Hydrogeological Investigations at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beauheim, R. L.; Domski, P. S.; Holt, R. M.; Powers, D. W.

2008-12-01

Hydrogeological research has been going on at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), the U.S. Department of Energy's deep geologic repository for transuranic and mixed waste in southeastern New Mexico, for over thirty years. The main focus of the research has been on the Culebra Dolomite Member of the Rustler Formation, a 7-m-thick fractured unit that would be the primary groundwater transport pathway for radionuclides released from the WIPP repository by inadvertent human intrusion. Since 1977, 90 wells have been completed to the Culebra on 63 drilling pads. Hydraulic tests have been performed in all of the wells, ranging from single-well slug and pumping tests to long-term (19-121 days) pumping tests with observation wells up to 9.5 km away. These tests have shown that Culebra transmissivity (T) varies over 10 orders of magnitude. Single-well injection-withdrawal, two-well recirculating, and multiwell convergent-flow tracer tests have been performed at six locations. Fluid electrical conductivity logging has been performed to identify the most transmissive sections of the Culebra, and a colloidal borescope has been used to identify specific flowing fractures. In addition to studies focused on groundwater flow and transport, geological, sedimentological, hydrogeochemical, and geophysical investigations have also been performed. Variations in Culebra T have been related to dissolution of the underlying Salado Formation, the presence/absence of gypsum cements, the presence or absence of halite in Rustler members above and below the Culebra, and overburden thickness. Different types of porosity (fractures, vugs, interparticle, intercrystalline) have been found to be significant for both flow and transport. Culebra water chemistry shows significant spatial variation, with total dissolved solids ranging from 3,000 to 300,000 mg/L. Five distinct hydrochemical facies have been identified, ranging from high ionic strength syndepositional Na-Mg Cl brines to low ionic strength CaSO4 waters, thought to represent relatively recent recharge through gypsum karst, to brines contaminated with potash-processing effluent. Geophysical logs from an abundance of oil and gas wells around the WIPP site have been used to map facies boundaries within other Rustler members that can be related to Culebra hydrology. The results of these three decades of study have been integrated into a conceptual model for Culebra hydrology. Some of these studies have been carried out in collaboration with university researchers, and all of the data from these investigations are freely available. *Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04- 94AL85000. This research is funded by WIPP programs administered by the Office of Environmental Management (EM) of the U.S DOE.

Immobilization of Technetium in a Metallic Waste Form

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

S.M. Frank; D. D. Keiser, Jr.; K. C. Marsden

Fission-product technetium accumulated during treatment of spent nuclear fuel will ultimately be disposed of in a geological repository. The exact form of Tc for disposal has yet to be determined; however, a reasonable solution is to incorporate elemental Tc into a metallic waste form similar to the waste form produced during the pyrochemical treatment of spent, sodium-bonded fuel. This metal waste form, produced at the Idaho National Laboratory, has undergone extensive qualification examination and testing for acceptance to the Yucca Mountain geological repository. It is from this extensive qualification effort that the behavior of Tc and other fission products inmore » the waste form has been elucidated, and that the metal waste form is extremely robust in the retention of fission products, such as Tc, in repository like conditions. This manuscript will describe the metal waste form, the behavior of Tc in the waste form; and current research aimed at determining the maximum possible loading of Tc into the metal waste and subsequent determination of the performance of high Tc loaded metal waste forms.« less

A laboratory validation study of the time-lapse oscillatory pumping test concept for leakage detection in geological repositories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, A. Y.; Islam, A.; Lu, J.

2017-12-01

Time-lapse oscillatory pumping test (OPT) has been introduced recently as a pressure-based monitoring technique for detecting potential leakage in geologic repositories. By routinely conducting OPT at a number of pulsing frequencies, a site operator may identify the potential anomalies in the frequency domain, alleviating the ambiguity caused by reservoir noise and improving the signal-to-noise ratio. Building on previous theoretical and field studies, this work performed a series of laboratory experiments to validate the concept of time-lapse OPT using a custom made, stainless steel tank under relatively high pressures ( 120psi). The experimental configuration simulates a miniature geologic storage repository consisting of three layers (i.e., injection zone, caprock, and above-zone aquifer). Results show that leakage in the injection zone led to deviations in the power spectrum of observed pressure data, and the amplitude of which also increases with decreasing pulsing frequencies. The experimental results were further analyzed by developing a 3D flow model, using which the model parameters were estimated through frequency domain inversion.

A Fruit of Yucca Mountain: The Remote Waste Package Closure System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kevin Skinner; Greg Housley; Colleen Shelton-Davis

2011-11-01

Was the death of the Yucca Mountain repository the fate of a technical lemon or a political lemon? Without caution, this debate could lure us away from capitalizing on the fruits of the project. In March 2009, Idaho National Laboratory (INL) successfully demonstrated the Waste Package Closure System, a full-scale prototype system for closing waste packages that were to be entombed in the now abandoned Yucca Mountain repository. This article describes the system, which INL designed and built, to weld the closure lids on the waste packages, nondestructively examine the welds using four different techniques, repair the welds if necessary,more » mitigate crack initiating stresses in the surfaces of the welds, evacuate and backfill the packages with an inert gas, and perform all of these tasks remotely. As a nation, we now have a proven method for securely sealing nuclear waste packages for long term storage—regardless of whether or not the future destination for these packages will be an underground repository. Additionally, many of the system’s features and concepts may benefit other remote nuclear applications.« less

Uranium (VI) solubility in carbonate-free ERDA-6 brine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lucchini, Jean-francois; Khaing, Hnin; Reed, Donald T

2010-01-01

When present, uranium is usually an element of importance in a nuclear waste repository. In the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), uranium is the most prevalent actinide component by mass, with about 647 metric tons to be placed in the repository. Therefore, the chemistry of uranium, and especially its solubility in the WIPP conditions, needs to be well determined. Long-term experiments were performed to measure the solubility of uranium (VI) in carbonate-free ERDA-6 brine, a simulated WIPP brine, at pC{sub H+} values between 8 and 12.5. These data, obtained from the over-saturation approach, were the first repository-relevant data for themore » VI actinide oxidation state. The solubility trends observed pointed towards low uranium solubility in WIPP brines and a lack of amphotericity. At the expected pC{sub H+} in the WIPP ({approx} 9.5), measured uranium solubility approached 10{sup -7} M. The objective of these experiments was to establish a baseline solubility to further investigate the effects of carbonate complexation on uranium solubility in WIPP brines.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

WANG,YIFENG; XU,HUIFANG

Correctly identifying the possible alteration products and accurately predicting their occurrence in a repository-relevant environment are the key for the source-term calculation in a repository performance assessment. Uraninite in uranium deposits has long been used as a natural analog to spent fuel in a repository because of their chemical and structural similarity. In this paper, a SEM/AEM investigation has been conducted on a partially alternated uraninite sample from a uranium ore deposit of Shinkolobwe of Congo. The mineral formation sequences were identified: uraninite {yields} uranyl hydrates {yields} uranyl silicates {yields} Ca-uranyl silicates or uraninite {yields} uranyl silicates {yields} Ca-uranyl silicates.more » Reaction-path calculations were conducted for the oxidative dissolution of spent fuel in a representative Yucca Mountain groundwater. The predicted sequence is in general consistent with the SEM observations. The calculations also show that uranium carbonate minerals are unlikely to become major solubility-controlling mineral phases in a Yucca Mountain environment. Some discrepancies between model predictions and field observations are observed. Those discrepancies may result from poorly constrained thermodynamic data for uranyl silicate minerals.« less

The Emperor's New Repository

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chudnov, Daniel

2008-01-01

The author does not know the first thing about building digital repositories. Maybe that is a strange thing to say, given that he works in a repository development group now, worked on the original DSpace project years ago, and worked on a few repository research projects in between. Given how long he has been around people and projects aiming to…

Genetic conservation, characterization and utilization of wild relatives of fruit and nut crops at the USDA Germplasm Repository in Davis, California

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The National Clonal Germplasm Repository (NCGR) in Davis is one among the nine repositories in the National Plant Germplasm System, USDA-ARS that is responsible for conservation of clonally propagated woody perennial subtropical and temperate fruit and nut crop germplasm. Currently the repository ho...

36 CFR 79.9 - Standards to determine when a repository possesses the capability to provide adequate long-term...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... repository possesses the capability to provide adequate long-term curatorial services. 79.9 Section 79.9... FEDERALLY-OWNED AND ADMINISTERED ARCHAEOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS § 79.9 Standards to determine when a repository... shall determine that a repository has the capability to provide adequate long-term curatorial services...

10 CFR 51.109 - Public hearings in proceedings for issuance of materials license with respect to a geologic...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... license with respect to a geologic repository. 51.109 Section 51.109 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION... Public hearings in proceedings for issuance of materials license with respect to a geologic repository... waste repository at a geologic repository operations area under parts 60 and 63 of this chapter, and in...

Semantic Linking of Learning Object Repositories to DBpedia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lama, Manuel; Vidal, Juan C.; Otero-Garcia, Estefania; Bugarin, Alberto; Barro, Senen

2012-01-01

Large-sized repositories of learning objects (LOs) are difficult to create and also to maintain. In this paper we propose a way to reduce this drawback by improving the classification mechanisms of the LO repositories. Specifically, we present a solution to automate the LO classification of the Universia repository, a collection of more than 15…

Desiderata for Healthcare Integrated Data Repositories Based on Architectural Comparison of Three Public Repositories

PubMed Central

Huser, Vojtech; Cimino, James J.

2013-01-01

Integrated data repositories (IDRs) are indispensable tools for numerous biomedical research studies. We compare three large IDRs (Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2), HMO Research Network’s Virtual Data Warehouse (VDW) and Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) repository) in order to identify common architectural features that enable efficient storage and organization of large amounts of clinical data. We define three high-level classes of underlying data storage models and we analyze each repository using this classification. We look at how a set of sample facts is represented in each repository and conclude with a list of desiderata for IDRs that deal with the information storage model, terminology model, data integration and value-sets management. PMID:24551366

Desiderata for healthcare integrated data repositories based on architectural comparison of three public repositories.

PubMed

Huser, Vojtech; Cimino, James J

2013-01-01

Integrated data repositories (IDRs) are indispensable tools for numerous biomedical research studies. We compare three large IDRs (Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2), HMO Research Network's Virtual Data Warehouse (VDW) and Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) repository) in order to identify common architectural features that enable efficient storage and organization of large amounts of clinical data. We define three high-level classes of underlying data storage models and we analyze each repository using this classification. We look at how a set of sample facts is represented in each repository and conclude with a list of desiderata for IDRs that deal with the information storage model, terminology model, data integration and value-sets management.

Hydrologic Monitoring in the Deep Subsurface to Support Repository Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hubbell, J. M.; Heath, G. L.; Scott, C. L.

2007-12-01

The INL has installed and operated several vadose and ground water monitoring systems in arid and humid sites to depths of about 200m. Some of these systems have been in continuous operation for over 12 years. It is important that the systems be physically robust, simple, yet versatile enough that it can operate for extended time periods with little or no maintenance. Monitoring instruments are frequently installed and run to characterize the site, collect data during site operation, and continue to run for long-term stewardship, necessitating sensors that can be maintained or serviced. Sensors are carefully chosen based on the perceived data requirements over the life of the site. An emphasis is given on direct measurements such as tensiometers (portable and advanced), neutron probe, drain gauge, temperature, wells or sampling for fluids and gases. Other complementary data can include using TDR/capacitance, radiation detectors, and larger scale geophysical techniques (3-d resistivity and EM) for volumetric measurements. Commercially available instruments may have to be modified for their use at greater depths, to allow multiple instruments in a single borehole or to perform the intended monitoring function. Access tubes (some open at the bottom) can be placed to allow insertion of multiple sensors (radiation, neutron and portable sensors/samplers), future drilling/sampling and to install new instruments at a later time. The installation techniques and backfill materials must be chosen and the measurement technique tested to ensure representative data collection for the parameters of interest. The data collection system can be linked to climatic data (precipitation, barometric pressure, snow depth, runoff, surface water sources) that may influence the site's subsurface hydrology. The instruments are then connected to a real-time automated data collection system that collect, stores, and provides access to the data. These systems have been developed that allow easy access, automatic data quality checks with notification, processing, and presentation of the data in real time through the web. The systems can be designed to manipulate/test the system remotely. Data from several sites will be presented showing that continuous monitoring is necessary to detect rapid changes in the deep vadose zone and ground water at fractured rock sites.

Long-Term Modeling of Coupled Processes in a Generic Salt Repository for Heat-Generating Nuclear Waste: Analysis of the Impacts of Halite Solubility Constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blanco Martin, L.; Rutqvist, J.; Battistelli, A.; Birkholzer, J. T.

2015-12-01

Rock salt is a potential medium for the underground disposal of nuclear waste because it has several assets, such as its ability to creep and heal fractures and its water and gas tightness in the undisturbed state. In this research, we focus on disposal of heat-generating nuclear waste and we consider a generic salt repository with in-drift emplacement of waste packages and crushed salt backfill. As the natural salt creeps, the crushed salt backfill gets progressively compacted and an engineered barrier system is subsequently created [1]. The safety requirements for such a repository impose that long time scales be considered, during which the integrity of the natural and engineered barriers have to be demonstrated. In order to evaluate this long-term integrity, we perform numerical modeling based on state-of-the-art knowledge. Here, we analyze the impacts of halite dissolution and precipitation within the backfill and the host rock. For this purpose, we use an enhanced equation-of-state module of TOUGH2 that properly includes temperature-dependent solubility constraints [2]. We perform coupled thermal-hydraulic-mechanical modeling and we investigate the influence of the mentioned impacts. The TOUGH-FLAC simulator, adapted for large strains and creep, is used [3]. In order to quantify the importance of salt dissolution and precipitation on the effective porosity, permeability, pore pressure, temperature and stress field, we compare numerical results that include or disregard fluids of variable salinity. The sensitivity of the results to some parameters, such as the initial saturation within the backfill, is also addressed. References: [1] Bechthold, W. et al. Backfilling and Sealing of Underground Repositories for Radioactive Waste in Salt (BAMBUS II Project). Report EUR20621 EN: European Atomic Energy Community, 2004. [2] Battistelli A. Improving the treatment of saline brines in EWASG for the simulation of hydrothermal systems. Proceedings, TOUGH Symposium 2012, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, Sept. 17-19, 2012. [3] Blanco-Martín L, Rutqvist J, Birkholzer JT. Long-term modelling of the thermal-hydraulic-mechanical response of a generic salt repository for heat generating nuclear waste. Eng Geol 2015;193:198-211. doi:10.1016/j.enggeo.2015.04.014.

75 FR 26788 - Public Land Order No. 7742; Withdrawal of Public Land for the Manning Canyon Tailings Repository; UT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-12

... 79765] Public Land Order No. 7742; Withdrawal of Public Land for the Manning Canyon Tailings Repository... period of 5 years to protect the integrity of the Manning Canyon Tailings Repository and surrounding... Repository. The Bureau of Land Management intends to evaluate the need for a lengthier withdrawal through the...

The Research Library's Role in Digital Repository Services: Final Report of the ARL Digital Repository Issues Task Force

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, 2009

2009-01-01

Libraries are making diverse contributions to the development of many types of digital repositories, particularly those housing locally created digital content, including new digital objects or digitized versions of locally held works. In some instances, libraries are managing a repository and its related services entirely on their own, but often…

Analysis of Academic Attitudes and Existing Processes to Inform the Design of Teaching and Learning Material Repositories: A User-Centred Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Melanie; Loddington, Steve; Manuel, Sue; Oppenheim, Charles

2008-01-01

The last couple of years have brought a rise in the number of institutional repositories throughout the world and within UK Higher Education institutions, with the majority of these repositories being devoted to research output. Repositories containing teaching and learning material are less common and the workflows and business processes…

Integrating XQuery-Enabled SCORM XML Metadata Repositories into an RDF-Based E-Learning P2P Network

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qu, Changtao; Nejdl, Wolfgang

2004-01-01

Edutella is an RDF-based E-Learning P2P network that is aimed to accommodate heterogeneous learning resource metadata repositories in a P2P manner and further facilitate the exchange of metadata between these repositories based on RDF. Whereas Edutella provides RDF metadata repositories with a quite natural integration approach, XML metadata…

Scaling an expert system data mart: more facilities in real-time.

PubMed

McNamee, L A; Launsby, B D; Frisse, M E; Lehmann, R; Ebker, K

1998-01-01

Clinical Data Repositories are being rapidly adopted by large healthcare organizations as a method of centralizing and unifying clinical data currently stored in diverse and isolated information systems. Once stored in a clinical data repository, healthcare organizations seek to use this centralized data to store, analyze, interpret, and influence clinical care, quality and outcomes. A recent trend in the repository field has been the adoption of data marts--specialized subsets of enterprise-wide data taken from a larger repository designed specifically to answer highly focused questions. A data mart exploits the data stored in the repository, but can use unique structures or summary statistics generated specifically for an area of study. Thus, data marts benefit from the existence of a repository, are less general than a repository, but provide more effective and efficient support for an enterprise-wide data analysis task. In previous work, we described the use of batch processing for populating data marts directly from legacy systems. In this paper, we describe an architecture that uses both primary data sources and an evolving enterprise-wide clinical data repository to create real-time data sources for a clinical data mart to support highly specialized clinical expert systems.

Schematic designs for penetration seals for a reference repository in bedded salt

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kelsall, P.C.; Case, J.B.; Meyer, D.

1982-11-01

The isolation of radioactive wastes in geologic repositories requires that man-made penetrations such as shafts, tunnels, or boreholes are adequately sealed. This report describes schematic seal designs for a repository in bedded salt referenced to the straitigraphy of southeastern New Mexico. The designs are presented for extensive peer review and will be updated as site-specific conceptual designs when a site for a repository in salt has been selected. The principal material used in the seal system is crushed salt obtained from excavating the repository. It is anticipated that crushed salt will consolidate as the repository rooms creep close to themore » degree that mechanical and hydrologic properties will eventually match those of undisturbed, intact salt. For southeastern New Mexico salt, analyses indicate that this process will require approximately 1000 years for a seal located at the base of one of the repository shafts (where there is little increase in temperature due to waste emplacement) and approximately 400 years for a seal located in an access tunnel within the repository. Bulkheads composed of contrete or salt bricks are also included in the seal system as components which will have low permeability during the period required for salt consolidation.« less

Classification of Clinical Research Study Eligibility Criteria to Support Multi-Stage Cohort Identification Using Clinical Data Repositories.

PubMed

Cimino, James J; Lancaster, William J; Wyatt, Mathew C

2017-01-01

One of the challenges to using electronic health record (EHR) repositories for research is the difficulty mapping study subject eligibility criteria to the query capabilities of the repository. We sought to characterize criteria as "easy" (searchable in a typical repository), "hard" (requiring manual review of the record data), and "impossible" (not typically available in EHR repositories). We obtained 292 criteria from 20 studies available from Clinical Trials.gov and rated them according to our three types, plus a fourth "mixed" type. We had good agreement among three independent reviewers and chose 274 criteria that were characterized by single types for further analysis. The resulting analysis showed typical features of criteria that do and don't map to repositories. We propose that these features be used to guide researchers in specifying eligibility criteria to improve development of enrollment workflow, including the definition of EHR repository queries for self-service or analyst-mediated retrievals.

Making Research Data Repositories Visible: The re3data.org Registry

PubMed Central

Pampel, Heinz; Vierkant, Paul; Scholze, Frank; Bertelmann, Roland; Kindling, Maxi; Klump, Jens; Goebelbecker, Hans-Jürgen; Gundlach, Jens; Schirmbacher, Peter; Dierolf, Uwe

2013-01-01

Researchers require infrastructures that ensure a maximum of accessibility, stability and reliability to facilitate working with and sharing of research data. Such infrastructures are being increasingly summarized under the term Research Data Repositories (RDR). The project re3data.org–Registry of Research Data Repositories–has begun to index research data repositories in 2012 and offers researchers, funding organizations, libraries and publishers an overview of the heterogeneous research data repository landscape. In July 2013 re3data.org lists 400 research data repositories and counting. 288 of these are described in detail using the re3data.org vocabulary. Information icons help researchers to easily identify an adequate repository for the storage and reuse of their data. This article describes the heterogeneous RDR landscape and presents a typology of institutional, disciplinary, multidisciplinary and project-specific RDR. Further the article outlines the features of re3data.org, and shows how this registry helps to identify appropriate repositories for storage and search of research data. PMID:24223762

Estimation of past seepage volumes from calcite distribution in the Topopah Spring Tuff, Yucca Mountain, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marshall, B.D.; Neymark, L.A.; Peterman, Z.E.

2003-01-01

Low-temperature calcite and opal record the past seepage of water into open fractures and lithophysal cavities in the unsaturated zone at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, site of a proposed high-level radioactive waste repository. Systematic measurements of calcite and opal coatings in the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) tunnel at the proposed repository horizon are used to estimate the volume of calcite at each site of calcite and/or opal deposition. By estimating the volume of water required to precipitate the measured volumes of calcite in the unsaturated zone, seepage rates of 0.005 to 5 liters/year (l/year) are calculated at the median and 95th percentile of the measured volumes, respectively. These seepage rates are at the low end of the range of seepage rates from recent performance assessment (PA) calculations, confirming the conservative nature of the performance assessment. However, the distribution of the calcite and opal coatings indicate that a much larger fraction of the potential waste packages would be contacted by this seepage than is calculated in the performance assessment.

Conceptual uncertainty in crystalline bedrock: Is simple evaluation the only practical approach?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Geier, J.; Voss, C.I.; Dverstorp, B.

2002-01-01

A simple evaluation can be used to characterize the capacity of crystalline bedrock to act as a barrier to release radionuclides from a nuclear waste repository. Physically plausible bounds on groundwater flow and an effective transport-resistance parameter are estimated based on fundamental principles and idealized models of pore geometry. Application to an intensively characterized site in Sweden shows that, due to high spatial variability and uncertainty regarding properties of transport paths, the uncertainty associated with the geological barrier is too high to allow meaningful discrimination between good and poor performance. Application of more complex (stochastic-continuum and discrete-fracture-network) models does not yield a significant improvement in the resolution of geological barrier performance. Comparison with seven other less intensively characterized crystalline study sites in Sweden leads to similar results, raising a question as to what extent the geological barrier function can be characterized by state-of-the art site investigation methods prior to repository construction. A simple evaluation provides a simple and robust practical approach for inclusion in performance assessment.

Conceptual uncertainty in crystalline bedrock: Is simple evaluation the only practical approach?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Geier, J.; Voss, C.I.; Dverstorp, B.

2002-01-01

A simple evaluation can be used to characterise the capacity of crystalline bedrock to act as a barrier to releases of radionuclides from a nuclear waste repository. Physically plausible bounds on groundwater flow and an effective transport-resistance parameter are estimated based on fundamental principles and idealised models of pore geometry. Application to an intensively characterised site in Sweden shows that, due to high spatial variability and uncertainty regarding properties of transport paths, the uncertainty associated with the geological barrier is too high to allow meaningful discrimination between good and poor performance. Application of more complex (stochastic-continuum and discrete-fracture-network) models does not yield a significant improvement in the resolution of geologic-barrier performance. Comparison with seven other less intensively characterised crystalline study sites in Sweden leads to similar results, raising a question as to what extent the geological barrier function can be characterised by state-of-the art site investigation methods prior to repository construction. A simple evaluation provides a simple and robust practical approach for inclusion in performance assessment.

AdaNET phase 0 support for the AdaNET Dynamic Software Inventory (DSI) management system prototype. Catalog of available reusable software components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanley, Lionel

1989-01-01

The Ada Software Repository is a public-domain collection of Ada software and information. The Ada Software Repository is one of several repositories located on the SIMTEL20 Defense Data Network host computer at White Sands Missile Range, and available to any host computer on the network since 26 November 1984. This repository provides a free source for Ada programs and information. The Ada Software Repository is divided into several subdirectories. These directories are organized by topic, and their names and a brief overview of their topics are contained. The Ada Software Repository on SIMTEL20 serves two basic roles: to promote the exchange and use (reusability) of Ada programs and tools (including components) and to promote Ada education.

Exploring Characterizations of Learning Object Repositories Using Data Mining Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Segura, Alejandra; Vidal, Christian; Menendez, Victor; Zapata, Alfredo; Prieto, Manuel

Learning object repositories provide a platform for the sharing of Web-based educational resources. As these repositories evolve independently, it is difficult for users to have a clear picture of the kind of contents they give access to. Metadata can be used to automatically extract a characterization of these resources by using machine learning techniques. This paper presents an exploratory study carried out in the contents of four public repositories that uses clustering and association rule mining algorithms to extract characterizations of repository contents. The results of the analysis include potential relationships between different attributes of learning objects that may be useful to gain an understanding of the kind of resources available and eventually develop search mechanisms that consider repository descriptions as a criteria in federated search.

Analysis of soil hydraulic and thermal properties for land surface modeling over the Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Hong; Zeng, Yijian; Lv, Shaoning; Su, Zhongbo

2018-06-01

Soil information (e.g., soil texture and porosity) from existing soil datasets over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is claimed to be inadequate and even inaccurate for determining soil hydraulic properties (SHP) and soil thermal properties (STP), hampering the understanding of the land surface process over TP. As the soil varies across three dominant climate zones (i.e., arid, semi-arid and subhumid) over the TP, the associated SHP and STP are expected to vary correspondingly. To obtain an explicit insight into the soil hydrothermal properties over the TP, in situ and laboratory measurements of over 30 soil property profiles were obtained across the climate zones. Results show that porosity and SHP and STP differ across the climate zones and strongly depend on soil texture. In particular, it is proposed that gravel impact on porosity and SHP and STP are both considered in the arid zone and in deep layers of the semi-arid zone. Parameterization schemes for porosity, SHP and STP are investigated and compared with measurements taken. To determine the SHP, including soil water retention curves (SWRCs) and hydraulic conductivities, the pedotransfer functions (PTFs) developed by Cosby et al. (1984) (for the Clapp-Hornberger model) and the continuous PTFs given by Wösten et al. (1999) (for the Van Genuchten-Mualem model) are recommended. The STP parameterization scheme proposed by Farouki (1981) based on the model of De Vries (1963) performed better across the TP than other schemes. Using the parameterization schemes mentioned above, the uncertainties of five existing regional and global soil datasets and their derived SHP and STP over the TP are quantified through comparison with in situ and laboratory measurements. The measured soil physical properties dataset is available at https://data.4tu.nl/repository/uuid:c712717c-6ac0-47ff-9d58-97f88082ddc0.

Development of a Hydrogeological Model of the Borrowdale Volcanics at Sellafield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lunn, R. J.; Lunn, A. D.; Mackay, R.

This work has arisen out of recent developments within the radioactive waste research programme managed by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution, UK (HMIP)*, to develop an integrated flow and transport model for the potential deep radioactive waste repository at Sellafield. One of the largest sources of uncertainty in model predictions, is the characterisation of the hydrogeological properties of the underlying strata, in particular, of the Borrowdale Volcanic Group (BVG) within which the repository is to be located. Analysis of the available borehole data (that released by the proponent company, Nirex, by December 1995) for the BVG formation has indicated a dual regime consisting of flow within faults and flow within the matrix (or an equivalent porous medium containing micro-fractures). Significant relationships between permeability, depth and the presence and orientation of faults have been identified; they account for a variation of up to 6 orders of magnitude in mean permeability measurements. This can be explained in part by the effect of the orientation of the current maximum principal stress directions within the BVG: however, it is likely that permeability is also dependent on the existence of fracture families, which cannot be effectively identified from the data currently available. These analyses have enabled considerable insight to be gained into the dominant features of flow within the BVG. The conceptual hydrogeological model derived here will have a significant effect on the outcome and reliability of future radionuclide transport predictions in the Sellafield area.

Influence of γ-radiation on the reactivity of montmorillonite towards H 2O 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holmboe, Michael; Jonsson, Mats; Wold, Susanna

2012-02-01

Compacted and water saturated bentonite will be used as an engineered barrier in deep geological repositories for radioactive waste in many countries. Due to the high dose rate of ionizing radiation outside the canisters holding the nuclear waste, radiolysis of the interlayer and pore water in the compacted bentonite is unavoidable. Upon reaction with the oxidizing and reducing species formed by water radiolysis (OH •, e -(aq), H •, H 2O 2, H 2, HO 2•, H 3O +), the overall redox properties in the bentonite barrier may change. In this study the influence of γ-radiation on the structural Fe(II)/Fe Tot ratio in montmorillonite and its reactivity towards hydrogen peroxide (H 2O 2) was investigated in parallel experiments. The results show that under anoxic conditions the structural Fe(II)/Fe Tot ratio of dispersed Montmorillonite increased from ≤3 to 25-30% after γ-doses comparable to repository conditions. Furthermore, a strong correlation between the structural Fe(II)/Fe Tot ratio and the H 2O 2 decomposition rate in montmorillonite dispersions was found. This correlation was further verified in experiments with consecutive H 2O 2 additions, since the structural Fe(II)/Fe Tot ratio was seen to decrease concordantly. This work shows that the structural iron in montmorillonite could be a sink for one of the major oxidants formed upon water radiolysis in the bentonite barrier, H 2O 2.

Challenges and Alternatives in Tsunami Water Levels Processing in NOAA/NCEI-CO Global Water-Level Data Repository

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mungov, G.; Dunbar, P. K.; Stroker, K. J.; Sweeney, A.

2016-12-01

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Centers for Environmental Information is data repository for high-resolution, integrated water-level data to support tsunami research, risk assessment and mitigation to protect life and property damages along the coasts. NCEI responsibilities include, but are not limited to process, archiv and distribut and coastal water level data from different sourcesg tsunami and storm-surge inundation, sea-level change, climate variability, etc. High-resolution data for global historical tsunami events are collected by the Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunami (DART®) tsunameter network maintained by NOAA's National Data Buoy Center NDBC, coastal tide-gauges maintained by NOAA's Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) and Tsunami Warning Centers, historic marigrams and images, bathymetric data, and from other national and international sources. NCEI-CO water level database is developed in close collaboration with all data providers along with NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory. We outline here the present state in water-level data processing regarding the increasing needs for high-precision, homogeneous and "clean" tsunami records from data different sources and different sampling interval. Two tidal models are compared: the Mike Foreman's improved oceanographic model (2009) and the Akaike Bayesian Information Criterion approach applied by Tamura et al. (1991). The effects of filtering and the limits of its application are also discussed along with the used method for de-spiking the raw time series.

[Characterization of air mycobiota in two repositories of the National Archives of the Republic of Cuba].

PubMed

Borrego Alonso, Sofía; Perdomo Amistad, Ivette

2014-01-01

The high relative humidity and temperatures in tropical countries create favorable conditions for development of fungi that are not only a risk to human health but they can also colonize documentary support. To study the concentration of the airborne fungi in two repositories of the National Archives of the Republic of Cuba, the mycobiota deposited on different photographic supports and maps preserved in these repositories, and to determine the taxonomic characterization of the fungi isolated. The air sampling was performed using a sedimentation method, and the supports (6 pictures and 7 maps) were analyzed using moistened sterile swabs. The Cladosporium genus was predominant, followed by Aspergillus and Penicillium genera. Filamentous fungi were isolated in all the photos and maps, and yeasts were only isolated from a photographic supports and a map. We identified several species of Aspergillus and Penicillium genera, but Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus predominated. Candida and Rhodotorula were the yeast genera isolated. The fungal concentration of the air demonstrated that the environments were not contaminated. From the 26 species of filamentous fungi isolated only 5 were detected in the indoor air of the repositories and on one or more of the document supports analyzed (representing a 19.3%). This shows that there is a low ecological relationship between the fungi detected in the indoor air and those that were isolated from the supports studied. Copyright © 2012 Revista Iberoamericana de Micología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Building a diabetes screening population data repository using electronic medical records.

PubMed

Tuan, Wen-Jan; Sheehy, Ann M; Smith, Maureen A

2011-05-01

There has been a rapid advancement of information technology in the area of clinical and population health data management since 2000. However, with the fast growth of electronic medical records (EMRs) and the increasing complexity of information systems, it has become challenging for researchers to effectively access, locate, extract, and analyze information critical to their research. This article introduces an outpatient encounter data framework designed to construct an EMR-based population data repository for diabetes screening research. The outpatient encounter data framework is developed on a hybrid data structure of entity-attribute-value models, dimensional models, and relational models. This design preserves a small number of subject-specific tables essential to key clinical constructs in the data repository. It enables atomic information to be maintained in a transparent and meaningful way to researchers and health care practitioners who need to access data and still achieve the same performance level as conventional data warehouse models. A six-layer information processing strategy is developed to extract and transform EMRs to the research data repository. The data structure also complies with both Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act regulations and the institutional review board's requirements. Although developed for diabetes screening research, the design of the outpatient encounter data framework is suitable for other types of health service research. It may also provide organizations a tool to improve health care quality and efficiency, consistent with the "meaningful use" objectives of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act. © 2011 Diabetes Technology Society.

Semantic Repositories for eGovernment Initiatives: Integrating Knowledge and Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmonari, Matteo; Viscusi, Gianluigi

In recent years, public sector investments in eGovernment initiatives have depended on making more reliable existing governmental ICT systems and infrastructures. Furthermore, we assist at a change in the focus of public sector management, from the disaggregation, competition and performance measurements typical of the New Public Management (NPM), to new models of governance, aiming for the reintegration of services under a new perspective in bureaucracy, namely a holistic approach to policy making which exploits the extensive digitalization of administrative operations. In this scenario, major challenges are related to support effective access to information both at the front-end level, by means of highly modular and customizable content provision, and at the back-end level, by means of information integration initiatives. Repositories of information about data and services that exploit semantic models and technologies can support these goals by bridging the gap between the data-level representations and the human-level knowledge involved in accessing information and in searching for services. Moreover, semantic repository technologies can reach a new level of automation for different tasks involved in interoperability programs, both related to data integration techniques and service-oriented computing approaches. In this chapter, we discuss the above topics by referring to techniques and experiences where repositories based on conceptual models and ontologies are used at different levels in eGovernment initiatives: at the back-end level to produce a comprehensive view of the information managed in the public administrations' (PA) information systems, and at the front-end level to support effective service delivery.

Le concept suédois pour stockage définitif des déchets nucléaires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hedman, Tommy; Nyström, Anders; Thegerström, Claes

2002-10-01

The purpose of a disposal is to isolate the radioactive waste from man and the environment. If the isolation is broken, the leakage and transport of radioactive substances must be retarded. The package is one of several barriers, used to achieve these two main functions. For short-lived, low and intermediate level waste four standard containers of steel and concrete are used. Spent fuel will be placed in a canister consisting of a pressure-bearing insert of cast nodular iron and an outer corrosion barrier of copper before it is deposited in a deep geological repository. In particular, the development of a high integrity copper canister for the isolation of spent nuclear fuel is described in this paper. To cite this article: T. Hedman et al., C. R. Physique 3 (2002) 903-913.

Physical and hydraulic properties of volcanic rocks from Yucca Mountain, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flint, Lorraine E.

2003-01-01

A database of physical and hydraulic properties was developed for rocks in the unsaturated zone at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, a site under consideration as a geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste. The 5320 core samples were collected from 23 shallow (<100 m) and 10 deep (500-1000 m) vertical boreholes. Hydrogeologic units have been characterized in the unsaturated zone [Flint, 1998] that represent rocks with ranges of welding, lithophysae, and high and low temperature alteration (as a result of the depositional, cooling, and alterational history of the lithostratigraphic layers). Lithostratigraphy, the hydrogeologic unit, and the corresponding properties are described. In addition, the physical properties of bulk density, porosity, and particle density; the hydraulic properties of saturated hydraulic conductivity and moisture retention characteristics; and the field water content were measured and compiled for each core sample.

10 CFR 63.304 - Reasonable expectation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Postclosure Public Health and Environmental Standards § 63.304... uncertainties in making long-term projections of the performance of the Yucca Mountain disposal system; (3) Does... the full range of defensible and reasonable parameter distributions rather than only upon extreme...

10 CFR 63.304 - Reasonable expectation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Postclosure Public Health and Environmental Standards § 63.304... uncertainties in making long-term projections of the performance of the Yucca Mountain disposal system; (3) Does... the full range of defensible and reasonable parameter distributions rather than only upon extreme...

10 CFR 63.304 - Reasonable expectation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Postclosure Public Health and Environmental Standards § 63.304... uncertainties in making long-term projections of the performance of the Yucca Mountain disposal system; (3) Does... the full range of defensible and reasonable parameter distributions rather than only upon extreme...

10 CFR 63.304 - Reasonable expectation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Postclosure Public Health and Environmental Standards § 63.304... uncertainties in making long-term projections of the performance of the Yucca Mountain disposal system; (3) Does... the full range of defensible and reasonable parameter distributions rather than only upon extreme...

10 CFR 63.304 - Reasonable expectation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Postclosure Public Health and Environmental Standards § 63.304... uncertainties in making long-term projections of the performance of the Yucca Mountain disposal system; (3) Does... the full range of defensible and reasonable parameter distributions rather than only upon extreme...

Evaluation of stress and saturation effects on seismic velocity and electrical resistivity - laboratory testing of rock samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vilhelm, Jan; Jirků, Jaroslav; Slavík, Lubomír; Bárta, Jaroslav

2016-04-01

Repository, located in a deep geological formation, is today considered the most suitable solution for disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste. The geological formations, in combination with an engineered barrier system, should ensure isolation of the waste from the environment for thousands of years. For long-term monitoring of such underground excavations special monitoring systems are developed. In our research we developed and tested monitoring system based on repeated ultrasonic time of flight measurement and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). As a test site Bedřichov gallery in the northern Bohemia was selected. This underground gallery in granitic rock was excavated using Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM). The seismic high-frequency measurements are performed by pulse-transmission technique directly on the rock wall using one seismic source and three receivers in the distances of 1, 2 and 3 m. The ERT measurement is performed also on the rock wall using 48 electrodes. The spacing between electrodes is 20 centimeters. An analysis of relation of seismic velocity and electrical resistivity on water saturation and stress state of the granitic rock is necessary for the interpretation of both seismic monitoring and ERT. Laboratory seismic and resistivity measurements were performed. One series of experiments was based on uniaxial loading of dry and saturated granitic samples. The relation between stress state and ultrasonic wave velocities was tested separately for dry and saturated rock samples. Other experiments were focused on the relation between electrical resistivity of the rock sample and its saturation level. Rock samples with different porosities were tested. Acknowledgments: This work was partially supported by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, project No. TA 0302408

Repository Profiles for Atmospheric and Climate Sciences: Capabilities and Trends in Data Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, C. Y.; Thompson, C. A.; Palmer, C. L.

2014-12-01

As digital research data proliferate and expectations for open access escalate, the landscape of data repositories is becoming more complex. For example, DataBib currently identifies 980 data repositories across the disciplines, with 117 categorized under Geosciences. In atmospheric and climate sciences, there are great expectations for the integration and reuse of data for advancing science. To realize this potential, resources are needed that explicate the range of repository options available for locating and depositing open data, their conditions of access and use, and the services and tools they provide. This study profiled 38 open digital repositories in the atmospheric and climate sciences, analyzing each on 55 criteria through content analysis of their websites. The results provide a systematic way to assess and compare capabilities, services, and institutional characteristics and identify trends across repositories. Selected results from the more detailed outcomes to be presented: Most repositories offer guidance on data format(s) for submission and dissemination. 42% offer authorization-free access. More than half use some type of data identification system such as DOIs. Nearly half offer some data processing, with a similar number providing software or tools. 78.9% request that users cite or acknowledge datasets used and the data center. Only 21.1% recommend specific metadata standards, such as ISO 19115 or Dublin Core, with more than half utilizing a customized metadata scheme. Information was rarely provided on repository certification and accreditation and uneven for transfer of rights and data security. Few provided policy information on preservation, migration, reappraisal, disposal, or long-term sustainability. As repository use increases, it will be important for institutions to make their procedures and policies explicit, to build trust with user communities and improve efficiencies in data sharing. Resources such as repository profiles will be essential for scientists to weigh options and understand trends in data services across the evolving network of repositories.

Corticotropin, Repository Injection

MedlinePlus

Corticotropin repository injection is used to treat the following conditions:infantile spasms (seizures that usually begin during the first ... of the arms, hands, feet, and legs). Corticotropin repository injection is in a class of medications called ...

10 CFR 960.5-2 - Technical guidelines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... REPOSITORY Preclosure Guidelines § 960.5-2 Technical guidelines. The technical guidelines in this subpart set... repository and to the transportation of waste to a repository site. The third group includes conditions on...

Lessons from Natural Analog Studies for Geologic Disposal of High-Level Nuclear Waste (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, W. M.

2009-12-01

For over fifty years natural analog studies have provided lessons addressing scientific, technical, and social problems concerning geologic disposal of high-level nuclear waste. Idealized concepts for permanent disposal environments evolved from an understanding of the geological, geochemical and hydrological characteristics of analogous rocks including natural salt deposits (as advocated by the US National Academy of Sciences in 1957), ancient cratonic rocks (as investigated at Lac du Bonnet, Canada, Aspö, Sweden, and Vienne, France), and marine sedimentary rock formations (as studied at Mol, Belgium, and Bure, France). Additional multidisciplinary studies have been conducted at natural sites that bear characteristics analogous to potential repository systems, notably at natural uranium (and thorium) deposits including Poços de Caldas, Brazil, Alligator Rivers, Australia, Peña Blanca, Mexico, and Oklo, Gabon. Researchers of natural analogs for geologic disposal have addressed technical uncertainties regarding processes that have transpired over large time and space scales, which are generally inaccessible to laboratory studies. Principal questions for nuclear waste disposal include the geochemical stability and alteration rates of radionuclide bearing minerals and the mechanisms and rates of transport of radionuclides in groundwater. In their most direct applications, natural analogs studies have been devoted to testing specific models for repository performance and the experimental data that support those models. Parameters used in predictive performance assessment modeling have been compared to natural system data, including mineral solubilities, sorption coefficients, diffusion rates, and colloid transport properties. For example, the rate of uraninite oxidation and the natural paragenesis of uranium mineral alteration at Peña Blanca have been compared favorably to results of experimental studies of spent fuel alteration related to the proposed repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, USA. These results generally bracket repository conditions between natural and experimental systems providing confidence in the understanding of expected processes. Also, the conceptual bases and numerical techniques for modeling unsaturated zone contaminant transport over periods of thousands of years at Yucca Mountain were tested by modeling the observable record of metal transport from archaeological artifacts buried in Holocene tuff at Akrotiri, Greece. Geologically episodic mineral alteration and contaminant transport have been documented using radioisotope data in numerous analog systems providing insights for the interpretation and validity of predictive models for long term repository performance. The applicability and value of natural analog studies to understanding geologic disposal systems is a persistent question. As proposed disposal sites become increasingly well defined by site characterization and engineering design, the strengths and weaknesses of analogies can be assessed. Confidence in predictive models for complex geologic and engineered phenomena can be enhanced through multiple lines of investigation including studies of natural analog systems.

Assessing repository technology. Where do we go from here?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eichmann, David

1992-01-01

Three sample information retrieval systems, archie, autoLib, and Wide Area Information Service (WAIS), are compared with regard to their expressiveness and usefulness, first in the general context of information retrieval, and then as prospective software reuse repositories. While the representational capabilities of these systems are limited, they provide a useful foundation for future repository efforts, particularly from the perspective of repository distribution and coherent user interface design.

Assessing repository technology: Where do we go from here?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eichmann, David A.

1992-01-01

Three sample information retrieval systems, archie, autoLib, and Wide Area Information Service (WAIS), are compared with regard to their expressiveness and usefulness, first in the general context of information retrieval, and then as perspective software reuse repositories. While the representational capabilities of these systems are limited, they provide a useful foundation for future repository efforts, particularly from the perspective of repository distribution and coherent user interface design.

USAF Hearing Conservation Program, DOEHRS-HC Data Repository Annual Report: CY15

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-31

AFRL-SA-WP-SR-2017-0014 USAF Hearing Conservation Program, DOEHRS-HC Data Repository Annual Report: CY15 Daniel A. Williams...Conservation Program, DOEHRS-HC Data Repository Annual Report: CY15 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR...Health Readiness System-Hearing Conservation Data Repository (DOEHRS-HC DR). Major command- and installation-level reports are available quarterly

Design and application of a data-independent precursor and product ion repository.

PubMed

Thalassinos, Konstantinos; Vissers, Johannes P C; Tenzer, Stefan; Levin, Yishai; Thompson, J Will; Daniel, David; Mann, Darrin; DeLong, Mark R; Moseley, M Arthur; America, Antoine H; Ottens, Andrew K; Cavey, Greg S; Efstathiou, Georgios; Scrivens, James H; Langridge, James I; Geromanos, Scott J

2012-10-01

The functional design and application of a data-independent LC-MS precursor and product ion repository for protein identification, quantification, and validation is conceptually described. The ion repository was constructed from the sequence search results of a broad range of discovery experiments investigating various tissue types of two closely related mammalian species. The relative high degree of similarity in protein complement, ion detection, and peptide and protein identification allows for the analysis of normalized precursor and product ion intensity values, as well as standardized retention times, creating a multidimensional/orthogonal queryable, qualitative, and quantitative space. Peptide ion map selection for identification and quantification is primarily based on replication and limited variation. The information is stored in a relational database and is used to create peptide- and protein-specific fragment ion maps that can be queried in a targeted fashion against the raw or time aligned ion detections. These queries can be conducted either individually or as groups, where the latter affords pathway and molecular machinery analysis of the protein complement. The presented results also suggest that peptide ionization and fragmentation efficiencies are highly conserved between experiments and practically independent of the analyzed biological sample when using similar instrumentation. Moreover, the data illustrate only minor variation in ionization efficiency with amino acid sequence substitutions occurring between species. Finally, the data and the presented results illustrate how LC-MS performance metrics can be extracted and utilized to ensure optimal performance of the employed analytical workflows.

10 CFR 960.3-4 - Environmental impacts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... REPOSITORY Implementation Guidelines § 960.3-4 Environmental impacts. Environmental impacts shall be considered by the DOE throughout the site characterization, site selection, and repository development..., during site characterization and repository construction, operation, closure, and decommissioning. ...

Macrofossil extinction patterns at Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ward, Peter D.; Macleod, Kenneth

1988-01-01

Researchers examined several K-T boundary cores at Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) core repositories to document biostratigraphic ranges of inoceramid shell fragments and prisms. As in land-based sections, prisms in the deep sea cores disappear well before the K-T boundary. Ammonites show a very different extinction pattern than do the inoceramids. A minimum of seven ammonite species have been collected from the last meter of Cretaceous strata in the Bay of Biscay basin. In three of the sections there is no marked drop in either species numbers or abundance prior to the K-T boundary Cretaceous strata; at the Zumaya section, however, both species richness and abundance drop in the last 20 m of the Cretaceous, with only a single ammonite specimen recovered to date from the uppermost 12 m of Cretaceous strata in this section. Researchers conclude that inoceramid bivalves and ammonites showed two different times and patterns of extinction, at least in the Bay of Biscay region. The inoceramids disappeared gradually during the Early Maestrichtian, and survived only into the earliest Late Maestrichtian. Ammonites, on the other hand, maintained relatively high species richness throughout the Maestrichtian, and then disappeared suddenly, either coincident with, or immediately before the microfossil extinction event marking the very end of the Cretaceous.

Potential for microbial H2 and metal transformations associated with novel bacteria and archaea in deep terrestrial subsurface sediments

PubMed Central

Hernsdorf, Alex W; Amano, Yuki; Miyakawa, Kazuya; Ise, Kotaro; Suzuki, Yohey; Anantharaman, Karthik; Probst, Alexander; Burstein, David; Thomas, Brian C; Banfield, Jillian F

2017-01-01

Geological sequestration in deep underground repositories is the prevailing proposed route for radioactive waste disposal. After the disposal of radioactive waste in the subsurface, H2 may be produced by corrosion of steel and, ultimately, radionuclides will be exposed to the surrounding environment. To evaluate the potential for microbial activities to impact disposal systems, we explored the microbial community structure and metabolic functions of a sediment-hosted ecosystem at the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory, Hokkaido, Japan. Overall, we found that the ecosystem hosted organisms from diverse lineages, including many from the phyla that lack isolated representatives. The majority of organisms can metabolize H2, often via oxidative [NiFe] hydrogenases or electron-bifurcating [FeFe] hydrogenases that enable ferredoxin-based pathways, including the ion motive Rnf complex. Many organisms implicated in H2 metabolism are also predicted to catalyze carbon, nitrogen, iron and sulfur transformations. Notably, iron-based metabolism is predicted in a novel lineage of Actinobacteria and in a putative methane-oxidizing ANME-2d archaeon. We infer an ecological model that links microorganisms to sediment-derived resources and predict potential impacts of microbial activity on H2 consumption and retardation of radionuclide migration. PMID:28350393

Microtomography-based Inter-Granular Network for the simulation of radionuclide diffusion and sorption in a granitic rock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iraola, Aitor; Trinchero, Paolo; Voutilainen, Mikko; Gylling, Björn; Selroos, Jan-Olof; Molinero, Jorge; Svensson, Urban; Bosbach, Dirk; Deissmann, Guido

2017-12-01

Field investigation studies, conducted in the context of safety analyses of deep geological repositories for nuclear waste, have pointed out that in fractured crystalline rocks sorbing radionuclides can diffuse surprisingly long distances deep into the intact rock matrix; i.e. much longer distances than those predicted by reactive transport models based on a homogeneous description of the properties of the rock matrix. Here, we focus on cesium diffusion and use detailed micro characterisation data, based on micro computed tomography, along with a grain-scale Inter-Granular Network model, to offer a plausible explanation for the anomalously long cesium penetration profiles observed in these in-situ experiments. The sparse distribution of chemically reactive grains (i.e. grains belonging to sorbing mineral phases) is shown to have a strong control on the diffusive patterns of sorbing radionuclides. The computed penetration profiles of cesium agree well with an analytical model based on two parallel diffusive pathways. This agreement, along with visual inspection of the spatial distribution of cesium concentration, indicates that for sorbing radionuclides the medium indeed behaves as a composite system, with most of the mass being retained close to the injection boundary and a non-negligible part diffusing faster along preferential diffusive pathways.

Performance evaluation of 2D and 3D deep learning approaches for automatic segmentation of multiple organs on CT images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Xiangrong; Yamada, Kazuma; Kojima, Takuya; Takayama, Ryosuke; Wang, Song; Zhou, Xinxin; Hara, Takeshi; Fujita, Hiroshi

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the performance of modern deep learning techniques for automatically recognizing and segmenting multiple organ regions on 3D CT images. CT image segmentation is one of the important task in medical image analysis and is still very challenging. Deep learning approaches have demonstrated the capability of scene recognition and semantic segmentation on nature images and have been used to address segmentation problems of medical images. Although several works showed promising results of CT image segmentation by using deep learning approaches, there is no comprehensive evaluation of segmentation performance of the deep learning on segmenting multiple organs on different portions of CT scans. In this paper, we evaluated and compared the segmentation performance of two different deep learning approaches that used 2D- and 3D deep convolutional neural networks (CNN) without- and with a pre-processing step. A conventional approach that presents the state-of-the-art performance of CT image segmentation without deep learning was also used for comparison. A dataset that includes 240 CT images scanned on different portions of human bodies was used for performance evaluation. The maximum number of 17 types of organ regions in each CT scan were segmented automatically and compared to the human annotations by using ratio of intersection over union (IU) as the criterion. The experimental results demonstrated the IUs of the segmentation results had a mean value of 79% and 67% by averaging 17 types of organs that segmented by a 3D- and 2D deep CNN, respectively. All the results of the deep learning approaches showed a better accuracy and robustness than the conventional segmentation method that used probabilistic atlas and graph-cut methods. The effectiveness and the usefulness of deep learning approaches were demonstrated for solving multiple organs segmentation problem on 3D CT images.