10 CFR 51.62 - Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste....62 Environmental report—land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61. (a) Each applicant for issuance of a license for land disposal of radioactive waste pursuant to part 61 of this...

The April 1994 and October 1994 radon intercomparisons at EML

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

Fisenne, I.M.; George, A.C.; Perry, P.M.

1995-10-01

Quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) are the backbone of many commercial and research processes and programs. QA/QC research tests the state of a functioning system, be it the production of manufactured goods or the ability to make accurate and precise measurements. The quality of the radon measurements in the US have been tested under controlled conditions in semi-annual radon gas intercomparison exercises sponsored by the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) since 1981. The two Calendar Year 1994 radon gas intercomparison exercises were conducted in the EML exposure chamber. Thirty-two groups including US Federal facilities, USDOE contractors, national and state laboratories, universities andmore » foreign institutions participated in these exercises. The majority of the participant`s results were within {+-}10% of the EML value at radon concentrations of 570 and 945 Bq m{sup {minus}3}.« less

Soil sampling strategies: evaluation of different approaches.

PubMed

de Zorzi, Paolo; Barbizzi, Sabrina; Belli, Maria; Mufato, Renzo; Sartori, Giuseppe; Stocchero, Giulia

2008-11-01

The National Environmental Protection Agency of Italy (APAT) performed a soil sampling intercomparison, inviting 14 regional agencies to test their own soil sampling strategies. The intercomparison was carried out at a reference site, previously characterised for metal mass fraction distribution. A wide range of sampling strategies, in terms of sampling patterns, type and number of samples collected, were used to assess the mean mass fraction values of some selected elements. The different strategies led in general to acceptable bias values (D) less than 2sigma, calculated according to ISO 13258. Sampling on arable land was relatively easy, with comparable results between different sampling strategies.

The 1994 North American Interagency Intercomparison of Ultraviolet Monitoring Spectroradiometers

PubMed Central

Thompson, Ambler; Early, Edward A.; DeLuisi, John; Disterhoft, Patrick; Wardle, David; Kerr, James; Rives, John; Sun, Yongchen; Lucas, Timothy; Mestechkina, Tanya; Neale, Patrick

1997-01-01

Concern over stratospheric ozone depletion has prompted several government agencies in North America to establish networks of spectroradiometers for monitoring solar ultraviolet irradiance at the surface of the Earth. To assess the ability of spectroradiometers to accurately measure solar ultraviolet irradiance, and to compare the results between instruments of different monitoring networks, the first North American Intercomparison of Ultraviolet Monitoring Spectroradiometers was held September 19–29, 1994 at Table Mountain outside Boulder, Colorado, USA. This Intercomparison was coordinated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Participating agencies were the Environmental Protection Agency, National Science Foundation, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, and Atmospheric Environment Service, Canada. Instruments were characterized for wavelength accuracy, bandwidth, stray-light rejection, and spectral irradiance responsivity, the latter with a NIST standard lamp calibrated to operate in the horizontal position. The spectral irradiance responsivity was determined once indoors and twice outdoors, and demonstrated that, while the responsivities changed upon moving the instruments, they were relatively stable when the instruments remained outdoors. Synchronized spectral scans of the solar irradiance were performed over several days. Using the spectral irradiance responsivities determined with the NIST standard lamp, and a simple convolution technique to account for the different bandwidths of the instruments, the measured solar irradiances agreed within 5 %. PMID:27805148

Satellite Derived Volcanic Ash Product Inter-Comparison in Support to SCOPE-Nowcasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siddans, Richard; Thomas, Gareth; Pavolonis, Mike; Bojinski, Stephan

2016-04-01

In support of aeronautical meteorological services, WMO organized a satellite-based volcanic ash retrieval algorithm inter-comparison activity, to improve the consistency of quantitative volcanic ash products from satellites, under the Sustained, Coordinated Processing of Environmental Satellite Data for Nowcasting (SCOPEe Nowcasting) initiative (http:/ jwww.wmo.int/pagesjprogjsatjscopee nowcasting_en.php). The aims of the intercomparison were as follows: 1. Select cases (Sarychev Peak 2009, Eyjafyallajökull 2010, Grimsvötn 2011, Puyehue-Cordón Caulle 2011, Kirishimayama 2011, Kelut 2014), and quantify the differences between satellite-derived volcanic ash cloud properties derived from different techniques and sensors; 2. Establish a basic validation protocol for satellite-derived volcanic ash cloud properties; 3. Document the strengths and weaknesses of different remote sensing approaches as a function of satellite sensor; 4. Standardize the units and quality flags associated with volcanic cloud geophysical parameters; 5. Provide recommendations to Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers (VAACs) and other users on how to best to utilize quantitative satellite products in operations; 6. Create a "road map" for future volcanic ash related scientific developments and inter-comparison/validation activities that can also be applied to SO2 clouds and emergent volcanic clouds. Volcanic ash satellite remote sensing experts from operational and research organizations were encouraged to participate in the inter-comparison activity, to establish the plans for the inter-comparison and to submit data sets. RAL was contracted by EUMETSAT to perform a systematic inter-comparison of all submitted datasets and results were reported at the WMO International Volcanic Ash Inter-comparison Meeting to held on 29 June - 2 July 2015 in Madison, WI, USA (http:/ /cimss.ssec.wisc.edujmeetings/vol_ash14). 26 different data sets were submitted, from a range of passive imagers and spectrometers and these were inter-compared against each other and against validation data such as CALIPSO lidar, ground-based lidar and aircraft observations. Results of the comparison exercise will be presented together with the conclusions and recommendations arising from the activity.

Earth and environmental science in the 1980's: Part 1: Environmental data systems, supercomputer facilities and networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1986-01-01

Overview descriptions of on-line environmental data systems, supercomputer facilities, and networks are presented. Each description addresses the concepts of content, capability, and user access relevant to the point of view of potential utilization by the Earth and environmental science community. The information on similar systems or facilities is presented in parallel fashion to encourage and facilitate intercomparison. In addition, summary sheets are given for each description, and a summary table precedes each section.

Proof of Principle for Electronic Collimation of a Gamma Ray Detector

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

complete the Environmental Baseline Survey mission for soldiers. The monitoring of radioactive waste handling, as well as other sources of radioactive ...electronic collimation of a gamma ray spectroscopic detector will include identifying and characterizing environmentally hazardous radioactivity to

NCRP Program Area Committee 5: Environmental Radiation and Radioactive Waste Issues

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

Chen, S. Y.; Napier, Bruce

Program Area Committee 5 of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) focuses its activities on environmental radiation and radioactive waste issues. Historically this Committee addressed emerging issues of the nation pertaining to radioactivity or radiation in the environment or radioactive waste issues due either to natural origins or to manmade activities. The Committee continues to identify such issues in the future.

The 1995 North American Interagency Intercomparison of Ultraviolet Monitoring Spectroradiometers

PubMed Central

Early, Edward; Thompson, Ambler; Johnson, Carol; DeLuisi, John; Disterhoft, Patrick; Wardle, David; Wu, Edmund; Mou, Wanfeng; Sun, Yongchen; Lucas, Timothy; Mestechkina, Tanya; Harrison, Lee; Berndt, Jerry; Hayes, Douglas S.

1998-01-01

Concern over stratospheric ozone depletion has prompted several government agencies in North America to establish networks of spectroradiometers for monitoring solar ultraviolet irradiance at the surface of the Earth. To assess the ability of spectroradiometers to accurately measure solar ultraviolet irradiance, and to compare the results between instruments of different monitoring networks, the second North American Intercomparison of Ultraviolet Monitoring Spectroradiometers was held June 12 to 23, 1995 at Table Mountain outside Boulder, Colorado, USA. This Intercomparison was coordinated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Participating agencies were the Environmental Protection Agency; the National Science Foundation; the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center; the Department of Agriculture; and the Atmospheric Environment Service, Canada. Instruments were characterized for wavelength uncertainty, bandwidth, stray-light rejection, and spectral irradiance responsivity, the latter with a NIST standard lamp operating in a specially designed field calibration unit. The spectral irradiance responsivity, determined once indoors and twice outdoors, demonstrated that while the responsivities changed upon moving the instruments, they were relatively stable when the instruments remained outdoors. Synchronized spectral scans of the solar irradiance were performed over several days. Using the spectral irradiance responsivities determined with the NIST standard lamp and three different convolution functions to account for the different bandwidths of the instruments, the measured solar irradiances generally agreed to within 3 %. PMID:28009371

Using a Coupled Lake Model with WRF for Dynamical Downscaling

EPA Science Inventory

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is used to downscale a coarse reanalysis (National Centers for Environmental Prediction–Department of Energy Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project reanalysis, hereafter R2) as a proxy for a global climate model (GCM) to examine...

RadNet Air Quality (Fixed Station) Data

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

RadNet is a national network of monitoring stations that regularly collect air for analysis of radioactivity. The RadNet network, which has stations in each State, has been used to track environmental releases of radioactivity from nuclear weapons tests and nuclear accidents. RadNet also documents the status and trends of environmental radioactivity

Environmental Pathway Models-Ground-Water Modeling in Support of Remedial Decision Making at Sites Contaminated with Radioactive Material

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Joint Interagency Environmental Pathway Modeling Working Group wrote this report to promote appropriate and consistent use of mathematical environmental models in the remediation and restoration of sites contaminated by radioactive substances.

129I in the environment of the La Hague nuclear fuel reprocessing plant--from sea to land.

PubMed

Fréchou, C; Calmet, D

2003-01-01

In recent years, particular attention was paid to the long-lived radionuclides discharged with authorized low-level radioactive liquid and gaseous effluents by the nuclear spent fuel reprocessing plants of La Hague and Sellafield. The knowledge of (129)I (half-life=15.7 x 10(6) a) distribution in the environment is required to assess the radiological impact to the environment and population living in the area under the direct influence of La Hague NRP discharges. Measurement difficulties of (129)I in environmental matrices, where it is usually present at trace level, limited data published on (129)I activity levels in the European and more particularly in the French territory. Studies conducted to qualify a new alternative measurement method, direct gamma-X spectrometry with experimental self-absorption correction, led to test samples collected in the La Hague marine and terrestrial environment : seaweeds, lichens, grass, bovine thyroids, etc. All these results, often already published separately for analytical purposes and treated for intercomparison exercises, are presented here together in a radioecological manner. The levels of (129)I activity and (129)I/(127)I ratios in these samples show the spatial and temporal influence of the La Hague NRP in its local near-field environment as well as at the regional scale along the French Channel coast.

Current significant challenges in the decommissioning and environmental remediation of radioactive facilities: A perspective from outside the nuclear industry.

PubMed

Gil-Cerezo, V; Domínguez-Vilches, E; González-Barrios, A J

2017-05-01

This paper presents the results of implementing an extrajudicial environmental mediation procedure in the socioenvironmental conflict associated with routine operation of the El Cabril Disposal Facility for low- and medium- activity radioactive waste (Spain). We analyse the socio-ethical perspective of this facility's operation with regard to its nearby residents, detailing the structure and development of the environmental mediation procedure through the participation of society and interested parties who are or may become involved in such a conflict. The research, action, and participation method was used to apply the environmental mediation procedure. This experience provides lessons that could help improve decision-making processes in nuclear or radioactive facility decommissioning projects or in environmental remediation projects dealing with ageing facilities or with those in which nuclear or radioactive accidents/incidents may have occurred. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NCRP Program Area Committee 5: Environmental Radiation and Radioactive Waste Issues.

PubMed

Chen, S Y; Napier, Bruce

2016-02-01

Program Area Committee 5 of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) focuses its activities on environmental radiation and radioactive waste issues. The Committee completed a number of reports in these subject areas, most recently NCRP Report No. 175, Decision Making for Late-Phase Recovery from Major Nuclear or Radiological Incidents. Historically this Committee addressed emerging issues of the nation pertaining to radioactivity or radiation in the environment or radioactive waste issues due either to natural origins or to manmade activities.

THE WORKSHOP ON THE SOURCE APPORTIONMENT OF PM HEALTH EFFECTS: INTER-COMPARISON OF RESULTS AND IMPLICATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

While the association between exposure to ambient fine particulate matter mass (PM2.5) and human mortality is well established, the most responsible particle types/sources are not yet certain. In May 2003, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Particulate Matter Centers Prog...

Intercomparison NaI(Tl) and HPGe spectrometry to studies of natural radioactivity on geological samples.

PubMed

Hung, Nguyen Quoc; Chuong, Huynh Dinh; Vuong, Le Quang; Thanh, Tran Thien; Tao, Chau Van

2016-11-01

In this study, in situ gamma spectra using NaI(Tl) detector have been compared with the laboratory measurements by using HPGe detector on geological samples. The results for measuring naturally occurring terrestrial gamma radiation of 4 0 K and the decay series of 232 Th and, 238 U respectively of both detectors show a maximum deviation about 5%. The mass activities series from both detectors were checked for coherence using proficiency test procedure from the International Atomic Energy Agency. The reliability and precision pass for final scores for all the analytical determinations of are received "acceptable" for all radionuclides. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proficiency Tests for Environmental Radioactivity Measurement Organized by an Accredited Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aubert, Cédric; Osmond, Mélanie

2008-08-01

For 40 years, STEME (Environmental Sample Processing and Metrology Department) organized international proficiency testing (PT) exercises formerly for WHO (World Health Organization) and EC (European Community) and currently for ASN (French Nuclear Safety Authority). Five PT exercises are organized each year for the measurement of radionuclides (alpha, beta and gamma) in different matrixes (water, soil, biological and air samples) at environmental levels. ASN can deliver a French ministerial agreement to participate on environmental radioactivity measurements French network for laboratories asking it [1]. Since 2006, November, STEME is the first French entity obtaining a COFRAC (French Committee of Accreditation) accreditation as "Interlaboratory Comparisons" for the organization of proficiency tests for environmental radioactivity measurement according to standard International Standard Organization (ISO) 17025 and guide ISO 43-1. STEME has in charge to find, as far as possible, real sample or to create, by radionuclide adding, an adapted sample. STEME realizes the sampling, the samples preparation and the dispatching. STEME is also accredited according to Standard 17025 for radioactivity measurements in environmental samples and determines homogeneity, stability and reference values. After the reception of participating laboratories results, STEME executes statistical treatments in order to verify the normal distribution, to eliminate outliers and to evaluate laboratories performance. Laboratories participate with several objectives, to obtain French agreement, to prove the quality of their analytical performance in regards to standard 17025 or to validate new methods or latest developments. For 2 years, in addition to usual PT exercises, new PT about alpha or beta measurement in air filters, radioactive iodine in carbon cartridges or measurement of environmental dosimeters are organized. These PT exercises help laboratories to improve radioactive measurements and to rectify old mistakes. The PT exercises organized by STEME are becoming essential for French and some European laboratories working in radioactive measurements. The STEME organization, in respect of accreditation references, is presented.

Proficiency Tests for Environmental Radioactivity Measurement Organized by an Accredited Laboratory

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

Aubert, Cedric; Osmond, Melanie

2008-08-14

For 40 years, STEME (Environmental Sample Processing and Metrology Department) organized international proficiency testing (PT) exercises formerly for WHO (World Health Organization) and EC (European Community) and currently for ASN (French Nuclear Safety Authority). Five PT exercises are organized each year for the measurement of radionuclides (alpha, beta and gamma) in different matrixes (water, soil, biological and air samples) at environmental levels. ASN can deliver a French ministerial agreement to participate on environmental radioactivity measurements French network for laboratories asking it. Since 2006, November, STEME is the first French entity obtaining a COFRAC (French Committee of Accreditation) accreditation as 'Interlaboratorymore » Comparisons' for the organization of proficiency tests for environmental radioactivity measurement according to standard International Standard Organization (ISO) 17025 and guide ISO 43-1. STEME has in charge to find, as far as possible, real sample or to create, by radionuclide adding, an adapted sample. STEME realizes the sampling, the samples preparation and the dispatching. STEME is also accredited according to Standard 17025 for radioactivity measurements in environmental samples and determines homogeneity, stability and reference values. After the reception of participating laboratories results, STEME executes statistical treatments in order to verify the normal distribution, to eliminate outliers and to evaluate laboratories performance.Laboratories participate with several objectives, to obtain French agreement, to prove the quality of their analytical performance in regards to standard 17025 or to validate new methods or latest developments. For 2 years, in addition to usual PT exercises, new PT about alpha or beta measurement in air filters, radioactive iodine in carbon cartridges or measurement of environmental dosimeters are organized. These PT exercises help laboratories to improve radioactive measurements and to rectify old mistakes. The PT exercises organized by STEME are becoming essential for French and some European laboratories working in radioactive measurements.The STEME organization, in respect of accreditation references, is presented.« less

Inter-comparison of dynamic models for radionuclide transfer to marine biota in a Fukushima accident scenario

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

Vives i Batlle, J.; Beresford, N. A.; Beaugelin-Seiller, K.

We report an inter-comparison of eight models designed to predict the radiological exposure of radionuclides in marine biota. The models were required to simulate dynamically the uptake and turnover of radionuclides by marine organisms. Model predictions of radionuclide uptake and turnover using kinetic calculations based on biological half-life (TB1/2) and/or more complex metabolic modelling approaches were used to predict activity concentrations and, consequently, dose rates of 90Sr, 131I and 137Cs to fish, crustaceans, macroalgae and molluscs under circumstances where the water concentrations are changing with time. For comparison, the ERICA Tool, a model commonly used in environmental assessment, and whichmore » uses equilibrium concentration ratios, was also used. As input to the models we used hydrodynamic forecasts of water and sediment activity concentrations using a simulated scenario reflecting the Fukushima accident releases. Although model variability is important, the intercomparison gives logical results, in that the dynamic models predict consistently a pattern of delayed rise of activity concentration in biota and slow decline instead of the instantaneous equilibrium with the activity concentration in seawater predicted by the ERICA Tool. The differences between ERICA and the dynamic models increase the shorter the TB1/2 becomes; however, there is significant variability between models, underpinned by parameter and methodological differences between them. The need to validate the dynamic models used in this intercomparison has been highlighted, particularly in regards to optimisation of the model biokinetic parameters.« less

40 CFR 227.30 - High-level radioactive waste.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false High-level radioactive waste. 227.30 Section 227.30 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) OCEAN DUMPING...-level radioactive waste. High-level radioactive waste means the aqueous waste resulting from the...

Assessment of natural radioactivity and (137)Cs in some coastal areas of the Saudi Arabian gulf.

PubMed

Al-Ghamdi, H; Al-Muqrin, A; El-Sharkawy, A

2016-03-15

The levels of natural radioactivity have been investigated in some Saudi Arabian Gulf coastal areas. Sampling sites were chosen according to the presence of nearby non-nuclear industrial activities such as, the two main water desalination plants in Al Khobar and Al Jubail, and Maaden phosphate complex in Ras Al Khair, to ensure that effluents discharges into the Arabian Gulf didn't enhance radioactivity in seawater and shore sediments. Seawater samples were analyzed for radium isotopes (Ra-226 & Ra-228) and measured by gamma spectrometry using high purity germanium detector, after radiochemical separation of the isotopes by co-precipitation with MnO2. Shore sediment samples were analyzed for (226)Ra, (228)Ra ((232)Th), (4)°K and (137)Cs using gamma sepectrometry. A small variation was observed in the activity concentrations of the investigated radioisotopes, and the activity levels were comparable to those reported in literature. Quality assurance and methods validation were established through the efficiency calibration of the detectors, the estimation of uncertainties, the use of blanks, the analysis of standard reference materials and the intercomparison and proficiency tests. Radiological hazards were assessed, and the annual effective dose had an average value of 0.02 mSv. On the basis of the current results, we may conclude that any radiological hazards to the public visiting these shores are not expected. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Economic impacts of climate change on agriculture: the AgMIP approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delincé, Jacques; Ciaian, Pavel; Witzke, Heinz-Peter

2015-01-01

The current paper investigates the long-term global impacts on crop productivity under different climate scenarios using the AgMIP approach (Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project). The paper provides horizontal model intercomparison from 11 economic models as well as a more detailed analysis of the simulated effects from the Common Agricultural Policy Regionalized Impact (CAPRI) model to systematically compare its performance with other AgMIP models and specifically for the Chinese agriculture. CAPRI is a comparative static partial equilibrium model extensively used for medium and long-term economic and environmental policy impact applications. The results indicate that, at the global level, the climate change will cause an agricultural productivity decrease (between -2% and -15% by 2050), a food price increase (between 1.3% and 56%) and an expansion of cultivated area (between 1% and 4%) by 2050. The results for China indicate that the climate change effects tend to be smaller than the global impacts. The CAPRI-simulated effects are, in general, close to the median across all AgMIP models. Model intercomparison analyses reveal consistency in terms of direction of change to climate change but relatively strong heterogeneity in the magnitude of the effects between models.

77 FR 40817 - Low-Level Radioactive Waste Regulatory Management Issues

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-11

...-2011-0012] RIN-3150-AI92 Low-Level Radioactive Waste Regulatory Management Issues AGENCY: Nuclear... Materials and Environmental Management Programs, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555... State Materials and Environmental Management Programs, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington...

Evaluation of Terrorist Interest in Radioactive Wastes

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

McFee, J.N.; Langsted, J.M.; Young, M.E.

2006-07-01

Since September 11, 2001, intelligence gathered from Al Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan, and the ensuing terrorist activities, indicates nuclear material security concerns are valid. This paper reviews available information on sealed radioactive sources thought to be of interest to terrorists, and then examines typical wastes generated during environmental management activities to compare their comparative 'attractiveness' for terrorist diversion. Sealed radioactive sources have been evaluated in numerous studies to assess their security and attractiveness for use as a terrorist weapon. The studies conclude that tens of thousands of curies in sealed radioactive sources are available for potential use in amore » terrorist attack. This risk is mitigated by international efforts to find lost and abandoned sources and bring them under adequate security. However, radioactive waste has not received the same level of scrutiny to ensure security. This paper summarizes the activity and nature of radioactive sources potentially available to international terrorists. The paper then estimates radiation doses from use of radioactive sources as well as typical environmental restoration or decontamination and decommissioning wastes in a radioactive dispersal device (RDD) attack. These calculated doses indicate that radioactive wastes are, as expected, much less of a health risk than radioactive sources. The difference in radiation doses from wastes used in an RDD are four to nine orders of magnitude less than from sealed sources. We then review the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) definition of 'dangerous source' in an adjusted comparison to common radioactive waste shipments generated in environmental management activities. The highest waste dispersion was found to meet only category 1-3.2 of the five step IAEA scale. A category '3' source by the IAEA standard 'is extremely unlikely, to cause injury to a person in the immediate vicinity'. The obvious conclusion of the analysis is that environmental management generated radioactive wastes have substantially less impact than radioactive sources if dispersed by terrorist-induced explosion or fire. From a health standpoint, the impact is very small. However, there is no basis to conclude that wastes are totally unattractive for use in a disruptive or economic damage event. Waste managers should be cognizant of this potential and take measures to ensure security of stored waste and waste shipments. (authors)« less

Low-cost solar array project: Four absolute cavity radiometer (pyrheliometer) intercomparisons at New River, Arizona: Radiometer standards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estey, R. S.; Seaman, C. H.

1981-01-01

Four detailed intercomparisons were made for a number of models of cavity-type self-calibrating radiometers (pyrheliometers). Each intercomparison consisted of simultaneous readings of pyrheliometers at 30-second intervals in runs of 10 minutes, with at least 15 runs per intercomparison. Twenty-seven instruments were in at least one intercomparison, and five were in all four. Summarized results and all raw data are provided from the intercomparisons.

Patterns of local and nonlocal water resource use across the western U.S. determined via stable isotope intercomparisons

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The stable isotope ratios of hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) are valuable tracers of the origin of biological materials and water sources. Application of these environmental tracers is largely based on the distinct and pervasive spatial patterns of precipitation isotopes, which are preserved in many hy...

INTERCOMPARISON OF NEAR REAL-TIME MONITORS OF PM2.5 NITRATE AND SULFATE AT THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ATLANTA SUPERSITE

EPA Science Inventory

Five new instruments for semi-continuous measurements of fine particle (PM2.5) nitrate and sulfate were deployed at the Atlanta Supersite Experiment during an intensive study in August 1999. The instruments measured bulk aerosol chemical composition at rates ranging from every...

Inter-comparison of dynamic models for radionuclide transfer to marine biota in a Fukushima accident scenario.

PubMed

Vives I Batlle, J; Beresford, N A; Beaugelin-Seiller, K; Bezhenar, R; Brown, J; Cheng, J-J; Ćujić, M; Dragović, S; Duffa, C; Fiévet, B; Hosseini, A; Jung, K T; Kamboj, S; Keum, D-K; Kryshev, A; LePoire, D; Maderich, V; Min, B-I; Periáñez, R; Sazykina, T; Suh, K-S; Yu, C; Wang, C; Heling, R

2016-03-01

We report an inter-comparison of eight models designed to predict the radiological exposure of radionuclides in marine biota. The models were required to simulate dynamically the uptake and turnover of radionuclides by marine organisms. Model predictions of radionuclide uptake and turnover using kinetic calculations based on biological half-life (TB1/2) and/or more complex metabolic modelling approaches were used to predict activity concentrations and, consequently, dose rates of (90)Sr, (131)I and (137)Cs to fish, crustaceans, macroalgae and molluscs under circumstances where the water concentrations are changing with time. For comparison, the ERICA Tool, a model commonly used in environmental assessment, and which uses equilibrium concentration ratios, was also used. As input to the models we used hydrodynamic forecasts of water and sediment activity concentrations using a simulated scenario reflecting the Fukushima accident releases. Although model variability is important, the intercomparison gives logical results, in that the dynamic models predict consistently a pattern of delayed rise of activity concentration in biota and slow decline instead of the instantaneous equilibrium with the activity concentration in seawater predicted by the ERICA Tool. The differences between ERICA and the dynamic models increase the shorter the TB1/2 becomes; however, there is significant variability between models, underpinned by parameter and methodological differences between them. The need to validate the dynamic models used in this intercomparison has been highlighted, particularly in regards to optimisation of the model biokinetic parameters. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decoding Environmental Processes Using Radioactive Isotopes for the Post-Radioactive Contamination Recovery Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yasumiishi, Misa; Nishimura, Taku; Osawa, Kazutoshi; Renschler, Chris

2017-04-01

The continual monitoring of environmental radioactive levels in Fukushima, Japan following the nuclear plant accident in March 2011 provides our society with valuable information in two ways. First, the collected data can be used as an indicator to assess the progress of decontamination efforts. Secondly, the collected data also can be used to understand the behavior of radioactive isotopes in the environment which leads to further understanding of the landform processes. These two aspects are inseparable for us to understand the effects of radioactive contamination in a dynamic environmental system. During the summer of 2016, 27 soil core samples were collected on a farmer's land (rice paddies and forest) in Fukushima, about 20 km northwest of the nuclear plant. Each core was divided into 2.0 - 3.0 cm slices for the Cs-134, Cs-137, and I-131 level measurement. The collected data is being analyzed from multiple perspectives: temporal, spatial, and geophysical. In the forest area, even on the same hillslope, multiple soil types and horizon depths were observed which indicates the challenges in assessing the subsurface radioactive isotope movements. It appears that although highly humic soils show higher or about the same level of radioactivity in the surface layers, as the depth increased, the radioactivity decreased more in those samples compared with more sandy soils. With regard to the direction a slope faces and the sampling altitudes, the correlation between those attributes and radioactivity levels is inconclusive at this moment. The altitude might have affected the fallout level on a single hillslope-basis. However, to determine the correlation, further sampling and the detailed analysis of vegetation and topography might be necessary. Where the surface soil was scraped and new soil was brought in, former rice paddy surface layers did show three-magnitude levels lower of radioactivity in the top layer when compared with forest soils. At the foot of forest slopes where the surface soil was scraped and litter was cleared, the scraping showed mixed results in radioactivity reduction. It is estimated that by the completion of soil decontamination in 2020, up to 22 million cubic meters of so-called 'contaminated soils' will have been scraped off in the affected areas and transferred to an underground storage. Understanding the radioactive isotope behaviors is crucial to assessing the financial and environmental consequences of such measures. As an example, a 30-year simulation of a 5-13 % hillslope under thick vegetation with GeoWEPP (the Geospatial interface for the Water Erosion Prediction Project) resulted in a very small soil loss on the hillslope. However, the results showed about five tons of soil loss through channels and as sediment discharge annually. On the hillslope, the radioactivity level in about the top 4.0 cm of the soil exceeded the 8,000 Bq/kg threshold which the Japanese government has set for surface soil removal. Referring to the case study data in Fukushima, this presentation will discuss how environmental decontamination measures (e.g. forest clearing) and monitoring methods should be considered and planned against dynamic environmental processes.

Intercomparison of Total Atmospheric Precipitable Water Vapor Retrieval Products during the 2009 and 2010 CAPABLE Summer Intensives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pippin, M. R.; Knepp, T. N.; Bedka, S.; Cowen, L.; Murray, J.; Deslover, D.; Feltz, W.; Yesalusky, M. A.; Smith, W.; Cede, A.; Abuhassan, N.; Herman, J. R.; Szykamn, J.

2011-12-01

In support of NASA's GEO-CAPE mission and Air Quality Applied Sciences, the Chemistry and Physics Atmospheric Boundary Layer Experiment (CAPABLE) site at NASA Langley Research Center has been established in coordination with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VA DEQ) to assess the relationship between high temporal resolution measurements from space and continuous in situ surface observations. During the 2009 and 2010 CAPABLE summer intensives, three methods for determining total atmospheric precipitable water vapor were utilized. Continuous total column measurements of water vapor were provided using a Pandora spectrometer, the DOE/NSTec Atmospheric Sounder Spectrometer for Infrared Spectral Technology (ASSIST) operated by the Hampton University and the University of Wisconsin Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI). Continuous meteorological parameters were measured on a 5m tower and rawinsondes were launched intermittently throughout both measurement periods. We present preliminary results of the intercomparison of total precipitable water vapor from the three instrumental methods and compare with estimated values from dew point temperature and satellite overpass data. Results from this study will have applications to satellite validation and Pandora retrieval algorithm development. Disclaimer: Although this work was reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and approved for publication, it may not necessarily reflect official Agency policy.

Probabilistic Prognosis of Environmental Radioactivity Concentrations due to Radioisotopes Discharged to Water Bodies from Nuclear Power Plants.

PubMed

Tomás Zerquera, Juan; Mora, Juan C; Robles, Beatriz

2017-11-15

Due to their very low values, the complexity of comparing the contribution of nuclear power plants (NPPs) to environmental radioactivity with modeled values is recognized. In order to compare probabilistic prognosis of radioactivity concentrations with environmental measurement values, an exercise was performed using public data of radioactive routine discharges from three representative Spanish nuclear power plants. Specifically, data on liquid discharges from three Spanish NPPs: Almaraz, Vandellós II, and Ascó to three different aquatic bodies (river, lake, and coast) were used. Results modelled using generic conservative models together with Monte Carlo techniques used for uncertainties propagation were compared with values of radioactivity concentrations in the environment measured in the surroundings of these NPPs. Probability distribution functions were inferred for the source term, used as an input to the model to estimate the radioactivity concentrations in the environment due to discharges to the water bodies. Radioactivity concentrations measured in bottom sediments were used in the exercise due to their accumulation properties. Of all the radioisotopes measured in the environmental monitoring programs around the NPPs, only Cs-137, Sr-90, and Co-60 had positive values greater than their respective detection limits. Of those, Sr-90 and Cs-137 are easily measured in the environment, but significant contribution from the radioactive fall-out due to nuclear explosions in the atmosphere exists, and therefore their values cannot be attributed to the NPPs. On the contrary, Co-60 is especially useful as an indicator of the radioactive discharges from NPPs because its presence in the environment can solely be attributed to the impact of the closer nuclear facilities. All the modelled values for Co-60 showed a reasonable correspondence with measured environmental data in all cases, being conservative in two of them. The more conservative predictions obtained with the models were the activity concentrations in the sediments of a lake (Almaraz) where, on average, values two times higher were obtained. For the case of rivers (Ascó), calculated results were adequately conservative-up to 3.4 times on average. However, the results for coasts (Vandellos II) were in the same range as the environmental measurements, obtaining predictions that are only-at maximum-1.1 times higher than measured values. Only for this specific case of coasts could it be established that the models are not conservative enough, although the results, on average, are relatively close to the real values.

Environmental radiation and the lung

PubMed Central

Hamrick, Philip E.; Walsh, Phillip J.

1974-01-01

Environmental sources of radioactive materials and their relation to lung doses and lung burdens are described. The approaches used and the problems encountered in estimating lung doses are illustrated. Exposure to radon daughter products is contrasted to exposure to plutonium as particular examples of the hazards associated with radioactive materials of different chemical and physical characteristics. PMID:4620334

Indoor and Outdoor Spectroradiometer Intercomparison for Spectral Irradiance Measurement

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

Habte, A.; Andreas, A.; Ottoson, L.

2014-05-01

This report details the global spectral irradiance intercomparison using spectroradiometers that was organized by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Solar Radiation Research Laboratory. The intercomparison was performed both indoors and outdoors on September 17, 2013. Five laboratories participated in the intercomparison using 10 spectroradiometers, and a coordinated measurement setup and a common platform were employed to compare spectral irradiances under both indoor and outdoor conditions. The intercomparison aimed to understand the performance of the different spectroradiometers and to share knowledge in making spectral irradiance measurements. This intercomparison was the first of its kind in the United States.

The project De Caldas International Project: An example of a large-scale radwaste isolation natural analogue study

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

Shea, M.

1995-09-01

The proper isolation of radioactive waste is one of today`s most pressing environmental issues. Research is being carried out by many countries around the world in order to answer critical and perplexing questions regarding the safe disposal of radioactive waste. Natural analogue studies are an increasingly important facet of this international research effort. The Pocos de Caldas Project represents a major effort of the international technical and scientific community towards addressing one of modern civilization`s most critical environmental issues - radioactive waste isolation.

The development of radioactive sample surrogates for training and exercises

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

Martha Finck; Bevin Brush; Dick Jansen

2012-03-01

The development of radioactive sample surrogates for training and exercises Source term information is required for to reconstruct a device used in a dispersed radiological dispersal device. Simulating a radioactive environment to train and exercise sampling and sample characterization methods with suitable sample materials is a continued challenge. The Idaho National Laboratory has developed and permitted a Radioactive Response Training Range (RRTR), an 800 acre test range that is approved for open air dispersal of activated KBr, for training first responders in the entry and exit from radioactively contaminated areas, and testing protocols for environmental sampling and field characterization. Membersmore » from the Department of Defense, Law Enforcement, and the Department of Energy participated in the first contamination exercise that was conducted at the RRTR in the July 2011. The range was contaminated using a short lived radioactive Br-82 isotope (activated KBr). Soil samples contaminated with KBr (dispersed as a solution) and glass particles containing activated potassium bromide that emulated dispersed radioactive materials (such as ceramic-based sealed source materials) were collected to assess environmental sampling and characterization techniques. This presentation summarizes the performance of a radioactive materials surrogate for use as a training aide for nuclear forensics.« less

77 FR 28406 - Spent Fuel Transportation Risk Assessment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-14

... Regulations (10 CFR) part 71, ``Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Waste,'' dated January 26, 2004) for the packaging and transport of spent nuclear fuel (and other large quantities of radioactive... NUREG- 0170, ``Final Environmental Statement on the Transportation of Radioactive Material by Air and...

Environmental radioactivity levels, Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant. Annual report, 1983

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

Not Available

1984-04-01

This report describes the environmental radiological monitoring of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN), located in Limestone County, Alabama, conducted in 1983. Dose estimates were calculated from concentrations of radioactivity found in samples of air, milk, meat, vegetation, drinking water, and fish. Estimated doses were essentially identical to those determined at control locations. 12 figures, 29 tables.

Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility: Environmental Information Document

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

Haagenstad, H.T.; Gonzales, G.; Suazo, I.L.

1993-11-01

At Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), the treatment of radioactive liquid waste is an integral function of the LANL mission: to assure U.S. military deterrence capability through nuclear weapons technology. As part of this mission, LANL conducts nuclear materials research and development (R&D) activities. These activities generate radioactive liquid waste that must be handled in a manner to ensure protection of workers, the public, and the environment. Radioactive liquid waste currently generated at LANL is treated at the Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility (RLWTF), located at Technical Area (TA)-50. The RLWTF is 30 years old and nearing the end ofmore » its useful design life. The facility was designed at a time when environmental requirements, as well as more effective treatment technologies, were not inherent in engineering design criteria. The evolution of engineering design criteria has resulted in the older technology becoming less effective in treating radioactive liquid wastestreams in accordance with current National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and Department of Energy (DOE) regulatory requirements. Therefore, to support ongoing R&D programs pertinent to its mission, LANL is in need of capabilities to efficiently treat radioactive liquid waste onsite or to transport the waste off site for treatment and/or disposal. The purpose of the EID is to provide the technical baseline information for subsequent preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the RLWTF. This EID addresses the proposed action and alternatives for meeting the purpose and need for agency action.« less

Agricultural model intercomparison and improvement project: Overview of model intercomparisons

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Improvement of crop simulation models to better estimate growth and yield is one of the objectives of the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP). The overall goal of AgMIP is to provide an assessment of crop model through rigorous intercomparisons and evaluate future clim...

40 CFR 147.3005 - Radioactive waste injection wells.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Radioactive waste injection wells. 147.3005 Section 147.3005 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER... the Navajo, Ute Mountain Ute, and All Other New Mexico Tribes § 147.3005 Radioactive waste injection...

DOE`s radioactively - contaminated metal recycling: The policy and its implementation

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

Warren, S.; Rizkalla, E.

1997-02-01

In 1994, the Department of Energy`s Office of Environmental Restoration initiated development of a recycling policy to minimize the amount of radioactively-contaminated metal being disposed of as waste. During the following two years, stakeholders (including DOE and contractor personnel, regulators, members of the public, and representatives of labor and industry) were invited to identify key issues of concern, and to provide input on the final policy. As a result of this process, a demonstration policy for recycling radioactively-contaminated carbon steel resulting from decommissioning activities within the Environmental Management program was signed on September 20, 1996. It specifically recognizes that themore » Office of Environmental Management has a tremendous opportunity to minimize the disposal of metals as waste by the use of disposal containers fabricated from contaminated steel. The policy further recognizes the program`s demand for disposal containers, and it`s role as the major generator of radioactively-contaminated steel.« less

40 CFR 191.02 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... TRANSURANIC RADIOACTIVE WASTES Environmental Standards for Management and Storage § 191.02 Definitions. Unless... the Department of Energy. (e) NWPA means the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-425). (f... radioactive waste, as used in this part, means high-level radioactive waste as defined in the Nuclear Waste...

40 CFR 191.02 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... TRANSURANIC RADIOACTIVE WASTES Environmental Standards for Management and Storage § 191.02 Definitions. Unless... the Department of Energy. (e) NWPA means the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-425). (f... radioactive waste, as used in this part, means high-level radioactive waste as defined in the Nuclear Waste...

40 CFR 191.02 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... TRANSURANIC RADIOACTIVE WASTES Environmental Standards for Management and Storage § 191.02 Definitions. Unless... the Department of Energy. (e) NWPA means the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-425). (f... radioactive waste, as used in this part, means high-level radioactive waste as defined in the Nuclear Waste...

40 CFR 191.02 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... TRANSURANIC RADIOACTIVE WASTES Environmental Standards for Management and Storage § 191.02 Definitions. Unless... the Department of Energy. (e) NWPA means the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-425). (f... radioactive waste, as used in this part, means high-level radioactive waste as defined in the Nuclear Waste...

Children's Ideas about Radioactivity and Radiation: sources, modes of travel, uses and dangers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyes, Edward; Stanisstreet, Martin

1994-01-01

The understanding concerning radioactivity and radiation of pupils ages 11-16 was studied using a closed-form questionnaire with a large cohort of children and interviews with subsets of this group. A majority of children demonstrated confusion about the environmental impacts of radioactivity and radiation. (LZ)

Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2007. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company, Santa Susana Field Laboratory, Area IV

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

Liu, Ning; Rutherford, Phil; Lenox, Art

2008-09-30

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2007 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of Boeing’s Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). The Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned, company-operated test facility, was located in Area IV. The operations in Area IV included development, fabrication, and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials. Other activities in the area involved the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities that were used for testing non-nuclear liquid metal fast breeder components. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988; all subsequentmore » radiological work has been directed toward decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the former nuclear facilities and their associated sites. In May 2007, the D&D operations in Area IV were suspended until DOE completes the SSFL Area IV Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The environmental monitoring programs were continued throughout the year. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year 2007 continue to indicate that there are no significant releases of radioactive material from Area IV of SSFL. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property (land, structures, waste), and recycling. All radioactive wastes are processed for disposal at DOE disposal sites and/or other licensed sites approved by DOE for radioactive waste disposal. No liquid radioactive wastes were released into the environment in 2007.« less

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

Virginia Finley

This report presents the results of environmental activities and monitoring programs at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) for Calendar Years 2009-2010. The report provides the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the public with information on the level of radioactive and non-radioactive pollutants, if any, that are released into the environment as a result of PPPL operations. The report also summarizes environmental initiatives, assessments, and programs that were undertaken in 2009-2010. The objective of the Site Environmental Report is to document PPPL's efforts to protect the public's health and the environment through its environmental protection, safety, and health programs.more » __________________________________________________« less

78 FR 26813 - Request To Amend a License To Import Radioactive Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-08

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Request To Amend a License To Import Radioactive Waste Pursuant to..., 2013, April 23, material (Class to a maximum the licensee name 2013, IW022/03, 11005700. A radioactive total of 5,500 from ``Perma-Fix waste). tons of low- Environmental level waste). Services, Inc.'' to...

75 FR 70707 - Detroit Edison Company; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-18

... extend the time period that can elapse during shipments of low-level radioactive waste before the... extend the time period for the licensee to receive acknowledgment that the low-level radioactive waste...-level radioactive waste are not acknowledged by the intended recipient within 20 days after transfer to...

77 FR 41774 - Notice of Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-16

..., New York. A modernized facility is needed to streamline radioactive material handling and storage... waste shipments would be a small part of the shipments of radioactive materials made annually in the... preferred action to address the need for streamlining radioactive material handling and storage operations...

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

V. Finley

This report provides the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the public with information on the level of radioactive and non-radioactive pollutants (if any) that are added to the environment as a result of Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory's (PPPL) operations. The results of the 2004 environmental surveillance and monitoring program for PPPL's are presented and discussed. The report also summarizes environmental initiatives, assessments, and programs that were undertaken in 2004.

Intercomparison of a 'Bottom-up' and 'Top-down' Modeling Paradigm for estimating carbon and latent heat fluxes over a variety of vegetative regimes across the U.S., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Biophysical models intended for routine applications at a range of scales should attempt to balance the competing demands of generality and simplicity and be capable of realistically simulating the response of CO2 and energy fluxes to environmental and physiological forcings. At the same time they m...

Assessing doses to terrestrial wildlife at a radioactive waste disposal site: inter-comparison of modelling approaches.

PubMed

Johansen, M P; Barnett, C L; Beresford, N A; Brown, J E; Černe, M; Howard, B J; Kamboj, S; Keum, D-K; Smodiš, B; Twining, J R; Vandenhove, H; Vives i Batlle, J; Wood, M D; Yu, C

2012-06-15

Radiological doses to terrestrial wildlife were examined in this model inter-comparison study that emphasised factors causing variability in dose estimation. The study participants used varying modelling approaches and information sources to estimate dose rates and tissue concentrations for a range of biota types exposed to soil contamination at a shallow radionuclide waste burial site in Australia. Results indicated that the dominant factor causing variation in dose rate estimates (up to three orders of magnitude on mean total dose rates) was the soil-to-organism transfer of radionuclides that included variation in transfer parameter values as well as transfer calculation methods. Additional variation was associated with other modelling factors including: how participants conceptualised and modelled the exposure configurations (two orders of magnitude); which progeny to include with the parent radionuclide (typically less than one order of magnitude); and dose calculation parameters, including radiation weighting factors and dose conversion coefficients (typically less than one order of magnitude). Probabilistic approaches to model parameterisation were used to encompass and describe variable model parameters and outcomes. The study confirms the need for continued evaluation of the underlying mechanisms governing soil-to-organism transfer of radionuclides to improve estimation of dose rates to terrestrial wildlife. The exposure pathways and configurations available in most current codes are limited when considering instances where organisms access subsurface contamination through rooting, burrowing, or using different localised waste areas as part of their habitual routines. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Memorandum of the Establishment of Cleanup Levels for CERCLA Sites with Radioactive Contamination

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This memorandum presents clarifying guidance for establishing protective cleanup levels for radioactive contamination at Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) sites.

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

Finley, Virginia

This report provides the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the public with information on the level of radioactive and non-radioactive pollutants (if any) that are added to the environment as a result of Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory’s (PPPL) operations. The results of the 2013 environmental surveillance and monitoring program for PPPL’s are presented and discussed. The report also summarizes environmental initiatives, assessments, and community involvement programs that were undertaken in 2013.

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

Virginia L. Finley, Editor

This report provides the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the public with information on the level of radioactive and non-radioactive pollutants (if any) that are added to the environment as a result of Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory's (PPPL) operations. The results of the 2002 and 2003 environmental surveillance and monitoring program for PPPL are presented and discussed. The report also summarizes environmental initiatives, assessments, and programs that were undertaken in 2002 and 2003.

Stored Radioactive Material Landfill Site no. 7 (LF-7), Massachusetts Military Reservation, Cape Cod, MA

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-07

Consultative Letter 3. DATES COVERED (From – To) July 2012 – January 2013 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Stored Radioactive Material Landfill Site #7 (LF-7...performed 9-13 Jul 2012 at the stored radioactive material landfill site (LF-7) on Camp Edwards, Massachusetts Military Reservation, Cape Cod, MA...Walkover surveillance and environmental sampling were used to characterize any radioactive material presence at the LF-7 site. No observable or

Environmental surveillance at Los Alamos during 1994

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

NONE

1996-07-01

This report describes environmental monitoring activities at Los Alamos National Laboratory for 1994. Data were collected to assess external penetrating radiation, airborne emissions, liquid effluents, radioactivity of environmental materials and food stuffs, and environmental compliance.

Integrated data base report--1996: US spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste inventories, projections, and characteristics

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

NONE

1997-12-01

The Integrated Data Base Program has compiled historic data on inventories and characteristics of both commercial and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and commercial and U.S. government-owned radioactive wastes. Inventories of most of these materials are reported as of the end of fiscal year (FY) 1996, which is September 30, 1996. Commercial SNF and commercial uranium mill tailings inventories are reported on an end-of-calendar year (CY) basis. All SNF and radioactive waste data reported are based on the most reliable information available from government sources, the open literature, technical reports, and direct contacts. The information forecastedmore » is consistent with the latest DOE/Energy Information Administration (EIA) projections of U.S. commercial nuclear power growth and the expected DOE-related and private industrial and institutional activities. The radioactive materials considered, on a chapter-by-chapter basis, are SNF, high-level waste, transuranic waste, low-level waste, uranium mill tailings, DOE Environmental Restoration Program contaminated environmental media, naturally occurring and accelerator-produced radioactive material, and mixed (hazardous and radioactive) low-level waste. For most of these categories, current and projected inventories are given through FY 2030, and the radioactivity and thermal power are calculated based on reported or estimated isotopic compositions.« less

Validation of 131I ecological transfer models and thyroid dose assessments using Chernobyl fallout data from the Plavsk district, Russia

PubMed Central

Zvonova, I.; Krajewski, P.; Berkovsky, V.; Ammann, M.; Duffa, C.; Filistovic, V.; Homma, T.; Kanyar, B.; Nedveckaite, T.; Simon, S.L.; Vlasov, O.; Webbe-Wood, D.

2009-01-01

Within the project “Environmental Modelling for Radiation Safety” (EMRAS) organized by the IAEA in 2003 experimental data of 131I measurements following the Chernobyl accident in the Plavsk district of Tula region, Russia were used to validate the calculations of some radioecological transfer models. Nine models participated in the inter-comparison. Levels of 137Cs soil contamination in all the settlements and 131I/137Cs isotopic ratios in the depositions in some locations were used as the main input information. 370 measurements of 131I content in thyroid of townspeople and villagers, and 90 measurements of 131I concentration in milk were used for validation of the model predictions. A remarkable improvement in models performance comparing with previous inter-comparison exercise was demonstrated. Predictions of the various models were within a factor of three relative to the observations, discrepancies between the estimates of average doses to thyroid produced by most participant not exceeded a factor of ten. PMID:19783331

Environmental Radioactivity Study in Surface Sediments of Guacanayabo Gulf (Cuba)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reyes, H.; López-Pino, N.; Rizo, O. Díaz; Bernal, J. L.; D'Alessandro, K.; Padilla, F.; Corrales, Y.; Casanova, O. A.; Gelen, A.; Martínez, Y.; Aguilar, J.; Arado, J. O.; Maidana, N. L.

2009-06-01

Sediment samples have been collected in the Guacanayabo gulf located in the southeast Cuba, to determinate the radioactivity levels of 210Pb, 234Th, 214Pb, 137Cs, 232Th and 40K using Low-Background Gamma Spectrometry and to evaluate its impact in the habitat of important marine species for fishery industry. The obtained results show the lowest radioactivity levels determined in Cuban marine environments. The species capture declination in the last years is not originated by radioactive pollution of the zone.

INTERCOMPARISON OF OPTICAL REMOTE SENSING SYSTEMS FOR ROADSIDE MEASUREMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

The presentation describes results of an intercomparison of three optical remote sensing systems for measurements of nitric oxide emitted from passenger cars and light-duty trucks. The intercomparison included a standards comparison to establish comparability of standards, follo...

Population array and agricultural data arrays for the Los Alamos National Laboratory

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

Jacobson, K.W.; Duffy, S.; Kowalewsky, K.

1998-07-01

To quantify or estimate the environmental and radiological impacts from man-made sources of radioactive effluents, certain dose assessment procedures were developed by various government and regulatory agencies. Some of these procedures encourage the use of computer simulations (models) to calculate air dispersion, environmental transport, and subsequent human exposure to radioactivity. Such assessment procedures are frequently used to demonstrate compliance with Department of Energy (DOE) and US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) regulations. Knowledge of the density and distribution of the population surrounding a source is an essential component in assessing the impacts from radioactive effluents. Also, as an aid to calculatingmore » the dose to a given population, agricultural data relevant to the dose assessment procedure (or computer model) are often required. This report provides such population and agricultural data for the area surrounding Los Alamos National Laboratory.« less

[Assessment of cyto- and genotoxicity of natural waters in the vicinity of radioactive waste storage facility using Allium-test].

PubMed

Udalova, A A; Geras'kin, S A; Dikarev, V G; Dikareva, N S

2014-01-01

Efficacy of bioassays of "aberrant cells frequency" and "proliferative activity" in root meristem of Allium cepa L. is studied in the present work for a cyto- and genotoxicity assessment of natural waters contaminated with 90Sr and heavy metals in the vicinity of the radioactive waste storage facility in Obninsk, Kaluga region. The Allium-test is shown to be applicable for the diagnostics of environmental media at their combined pollution with chemical and radioactive substances. The analysis of aberration spectrum shows an important role of chemical toxicants in the mutagenic potential of waters collected in the vicinity of the radioactive waste storage facility. Biological effects are not always possible to explain from the knowledge on water contamination levels, which shows limitations of physical-chemical monitoring in providing the adequate risk assessment for human and biota from multicomponent environmental impacts.

Radiological protection from radioactive waste management in existing exposure situations resulting from a nuclear accident.

PubMed

Sugiyama, Daisuke; Hattori, Takatoshi

2013-01-01

In environmental remediation after nuclear accidents, radioactive wastes have to be appropriately managed in existing exposure situations with contamination resulting from the emission of radionuclides by such accidents. In this paper, a framework of radiation protection from radioactive waste management in existing exposure situations for application to the practical and reasonable waste management in contaminated areas, referring to related ICRP recommendations was proposed. In the proposed concept, intermediate reference levels for waste management are adopted gradually according to the progress of the reduction in the existing ambient dose in the environment on the basis of the principles of justification and optimisation by taking into account the practicability of the management of radioactive waste and environmental remediation. It is essential to include the participation of relevant stakeholders living in existing exposure situations in the selection of reference levels for the existing ambient dose and waste management.

Radiological protection from radioactive waste management in existing exposure situations resulting from a nuclear accident

PubMed Central

Sugiyama, Daisuke; Hattori, Takatoshi

2013-01-01

In environmental remediation after nuclear accidents, radioactive wastes have to be appropriately managed in existing exposure situations with contamination resulting from the emission of radionuclides by such accidents. In this paper, a framework of radiation protection from radioactive waste management in existing exposure situations for application to the practical and reasonable waste management in contaminated areas, referring to related ICRP recommendations was proposed. In the proposed concept, intermediate reference levels for waste management are adopted gradually according to the progress of the reduction in the existing ambient dose in the environment on the basis of the principles of justification and optimisation by taking into account the practicability of the management of radioactive waste and environmental remediation. It is essential to include the participation of relevant stakeholders living in existing exposure situations in the selection of reference levels for the existing ambient dose and waste management. PMID:22719047

Environmental radiology assessment in Lahad Datu, Sabah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siti Fharhana, Yusof; Wan Muhamad Saridan, Wan Hassan; Ahmad Termizi, Ramli; Mohd Hilmi, Sahini; Mohammad Syazwan, Mohd Sanusi; Nor Afifah, Basri; Nor Zati Hani, Abu Hanifah

2017-10-01

Monitoring terrestial gamma radiation is crucial to prepare a baseline data for environmental radiological protection. Radiological research was carried out in Lahad Datu, Sabah to obtain the radioactivity status and terrestrial gamma radiation level in the area. We measure the terrestrial gamma radiation dose rates and analyse the radioactivity concentration of primordial radionuclides for radiological risk assessment. We identified that the annual estimation of dose effective for public is below the public dose limit, 1 mSv per year. Public and environment safety and health are remain secure. The obtained data and results can be used as reference for environmental radiology protection.

Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Annual Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 1998

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

V. Finley

2000-03-06

The results of the 1998 environmental surveillance and monitoring program for the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) are presented and discussed. The purpose of this report is to provide the US Department of Energy and the public with information on the level of radioactive and non-radioactive pollutants, if any, that are added to the environment as a result of PPPL's operations. The report also summarizes environmental initiatives, assessments, and programs that were undertaken in 1998. One significant initiative is the Integrated Safety Management (ISM) program that embraces environment, safety, and health principles as one.

Validation of Comet assay in Oregon-R and Wild type strains of Drosophila melanogaster exposed to a natural radioactive environment in Brazilian semiarid region.

PubMed

Verçosa, Cícero Jorge; Moraes Filho, Aroldo Vieira de; Castro, Ícaro Fillipe de Araújo; Santos, Robson Gomes Dos; Cunha, Kenya Silva; Silva, Daniela de Melo E; Garcia, Ana Cristina Lauer; Navoni, Julio Alejandro; Amaral, Viviane Souza do; Rohde, Claudia

2017-07-01

Natural radiation of geological origin is a common phenomenon in Brazil, a country where radioactive agents such as uranium may be often found. As an unstable atom, uranium undergoes radioactive decay with the generation of a series of decay by-products, including radon, which may be highly genotoxic and trigger several pathological processes, among which cancer. Because it is a gas, radon may move freely between cracks and gaps in the ground, seeping upwards into the buildings and in the environment. In this study, two Drosophila melanogaster Meigen (Diptera, Drosophilidae) strains called Oregon-R and Wild (collected in a non-radioactive environment) were exposed to atmospheric radiation in the Lajes Pintadas city, in the semiarid zone of northeastern Brazil. After six days of environmental exposure, the organisms presented genetic damage significantly higher than that of the negative control group. The genotoxic effects observed reinforce the findings of other studies carried out in the same region, which warn about the environmental risks related to natural radioactivity occurrence. The results also validate the use of the Comet assay in hemocytes of D. melanogaster as a sensitive test to detect genotoxicity caused by natural radiation, and the use of a recently collected D. melanogaster strain in the environmental of radon. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2000. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company, Rocketdyne Propulsion & Power

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

Rutherford, Phil; Samuels, Sandy; Lee, Majelle

2001-09-01

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2000 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of the Rocketdyne Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). In the past, these operations included development, fabrication, and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials, under the former Atomics International (AI) Division. Other activities included the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities for testing of liquid metal fast breeder components at the Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned company-operated, test facility within Area IV. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988, andmore » subsequently, all radiological work has been directed toward decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the previously used nuclear facilities and associated site areas. Large-scale D&D activities of the sodium test facilities began in 1996. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year of 2000 continue to indicate no significant releases of radioactive material from Rocketdyne sites. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property (land, structures, waste), and recycling. All radioactive wastes are processed for disposal at DOE disposal sites and other sites approved by DOE and licensed for radioactive waste. Liquid radioactive wastes are not released into the environment and do not constitute an exposure pathway.« less

Field test to intercompare carbon monoxide, nitric oxide and hydroxyl instrumentation at Wallops Island, Virginia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregory, Gerald L.; Beck, Sherwin M.; Bendura, Richard J.

1987-01-01

Documentation of the first of three instrument intercomparisons conducted as part of NASA Global Tropospheric Experiment/Chemical Instrumentation Test and Evaluation (GTE/CITE-1) is given. This ground-based intercomparison was conducted during July 1983 at NASA Wallops Flight Facility. Instruments intercompared included one laser system and three grab-sample approaches for CO; two chemiluminescent systems and one laser-induced fluorescent (LIF) technique for NO; and two different LIF systems and a radiochemical tracer technique for OH. The major objectives of this intercomparison was to intercompare ambient measurements of CO, NO, and OH at a common site by using techniques of fundamentally different detection principles and to identify any major biases among the techniques prior to intercomparison on an aircraft platform. Included in the report are comprehensive discussions of workshop requirements, philosophies, and operations as well as intercomparison analyses and results. In addition, the large body of nonintercomparison data incorporated into the workshop measurements is summarized. The report is an important source document for those interested in conducting similar large and complex intercomparison tests as well as those interested in using the data base for purposes other than instrument intercomparison.

RESULTS FROM THE NORTH AMERICAN MERCURY MODEL INTER-COMPARISON STUDY (NAMMIS)

EPA Science Inventory

A North American Mercury Model Intercomparison Study (NAMMIS) has been conducted to build upon the findings from previous mercury model intercomparison in Europe. In the absence of mercury measurement networks sufficient for model evaluation, model developers continue to rely on...

Operational overview of NASA GTE/CITE 1 airborne instrument intercomparisons - Carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, and hydroxyl instrumentation. [Global Tropospheric Experiment/Chemical Instrumentation Test and Evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beck, Sherwin M.; Bendura, Richard J.; Mcdougal, David S.; Hoell, James M., Jr.; Gregory, Gerald L.; Sachse, Glen W.; Hill, Gerald F.; Curfman, Howard J., Jr.; Torres, Arnold L.; Condon, Estelle P.

1987-01-01

An overview of the airborne intercomparisons of CO, NO, and OH instrumentation is presented in this first paper of the series on the NASA Global Tropospheric Experiment/Chemical Instrumentation Test and Evaluation (GTE/CITE 1). This paper provides the reader with background information about several important characteristics of the project. These include the overall objectives and approach, the measurements taken, the intercomparison protocol, aircraft platform, profiles of each aircraft flight, and the participants. A synopsis of the overall results of the CO, NO, and OH instrument intercomparisons is also included. Companion papers discuss the detailed results of the CO and NO intercomparison tests as well as pertinent scientific findings.

An overview of measurements of radionuclides in foods of the Comunidad Valenciana (Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballesteros, L.; Ortiz, J.; Gallardo, S.; Martorell, S.

2015-11-01

Environmental radioactivity monitoring includes the determination of radionuclides in foods since they are an important way of intake of radionuclides to the human organism. Moreover, knowledge of the levels of radionuclides in foodstuffs will inform about the environmental radioactivity background permitting to control possible contamination due to human activity, such as agriculture activity, nuclear power plants or other radioactive facilities. The Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory (LRA) at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) performs measurements on representative foods from all over the Comunidad Valenciana (CV). Those measurements are part of several monitoring programs promoted by the Generalitat Valenciana. A total of 2200 samples of fruits, cereals, vegetables, milk, meat, eggs and fish coming from markets, agricultural cooperatives or small producers have been analyzed. A gamma-ray spectrometry analysis has been performed in all samples. It has been detected 40K in all samples, 7Be in some of them. Radiochemical separation of 90Sr has been carried out in some of the samples collected, mainly orange and lettuce. Samples of lettuce and chard collected following Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) accident present activity concentration of 131I (0.10-1.51 Bq kg-1). In this paper, a review of the data obtained at the 1991-2013 period in the framework of the development of the Environmental monitoring program is presented.

The agricultural model intercomparison and improvement project (AgMIP): Protocols and pilot studies

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP) is a distributed climate-scenario simulation research activity for historical period model intercomparison and future climate change conditions with participation of multiple crop and agricultural economic model groups around the...

40 CFR 192.10 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR URANIUM AND THORIUM MILL TAILINGS Standards for Cleanup of Land and Buildings Contaminated with Residual Radioactive Materials from Inactive Uranium Processing... radioactive materials at which all or substantially all of the uranium was produced for sale to any Federal...

40 CFR 192.10 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR URANIUM AND THORIUM MILL TAILINGS Standards for Cleanup of Land and Buildings Contaminated with Residual Radioactive Materials from Inactive Uranium Processing... radioactive materials at which all or substantially all of the uranium was produced for sale to any Federal...

Environmental Radioactivity Study in Surface Sediments of Guacanayabo Gulf (Cuba)

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

Reyes, H.; Rizo, O. Diaz; Bernal, J. L.

Sediment samples have been collected in the Guacanayabo gulf located in the southeast Cuba, to determinate the radioactivity levels of {sup 210}Pb, {sup 234}Th, {sup 214}Pb, {sup 137}Cs, {sup 232}Th and {sup 40}K using Low-Background Gamma Spectrometry and to evaluate its impact in the habitat of important marine species for fishery industry. The obtained results show the lowest radioactivity levels determined in Cuban marine environments. The species capture declination in the last years is not originated by radioactive pollution of the zone.

Radioactive Wastes.

PubMed

Choudri, B S; Charabi, Yassine; Baawain, Mahad; Ahmed, Mushtaque

2017-10-01

Papers reviewed herein present a general overview of radioactive waste related activities around the world in 2016. The current reveiw include studies related to safety assessments, decommission and decontamination of nuclear facilities, fusion facilities, transportation. Further, the review highlights on management solutions for the final disposal of low and high level radioactive wastes (LLW and HLW), interim storage and final disposal options for spent fuel (SF), and tritiated wastes, with a focus on environmental impacts due to the mobility of radionuclides in ecosystem, water and soil alongwith other progress made in the management of radioactive wastes.

Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2013. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company, Santa Susana Field Laboratory, Area IV

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

None

2014-06-30

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2013 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). The Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned, company-operated test facility, was located in Area IV. The operations in Area IV included development, fabrication, operation and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials. Other activities in the area involved the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities that were used for testing non-nuclear liquid metal fast breeder reactor components. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988,more » and all subsequent radiological work has been directed toward environmental restoration and decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the former nuclear facilities and their associated sites. Liquid metal research and development ended in 2002. Since May 2007, the D&D operations in Area IV have been suspended by the DOE, but the environmental monitoring and characterization programs have continued. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year 2013 continue to indicate that there are no significant releases of radioactive material from Area IV of SSFL. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property (land, structures, waste), and recycling. Due to the suspension of D&D activities in Area IV, no effluents were released into the atmosphere during 2013. Therefore, the potential radiation dose to the general public through airborne release was zero. Similarly, the radiation dose to an offsite member of the public (maximally exposed individual) due to direct radiation from SSFL is indistinguishable from background. All radioactive wastes are processed for disposal at DOE disposal sites and/or other licensed sites approved by DOE for radioactive waste disposal. No liquid radioactive wastes were released into the environment in 2013.« less

78 FR 59729 - Final Comparative Environmental Evaluation of Alternatives for Handling Low-Level Radioactive...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-27

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2012-0218] Final Comparative Environmental Evaluation of... Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing the Final Comparative Environmental Evaluation of Alternatives for... commercial nuclear power plants (NPPs). This comparative environmental evaluation has been conducted...

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

Not Available

The papers in this document comprise the proceedings of the Department of Energy's Twelfth Annual Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Conference, which was held in Chicago, Illinois, on August 28 and 29, 1990. General subjects addressed during the conference included: mixed waste, low-level radioactive waste tracking and transportation, public involvement, performance assessment, waste stabilization, financial assurance, waste minimization, licensing and environmental documentation, below-regulatory-concern waste, low-level radioactive waste temporary storage, current challenges, and challenges beyond 1990.

Fact Sheet: Environmental Pathway Models-Ground-Water Modeling in Support of Remedial Decision Making at Sites Contaminated with Radioactive Material

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This fact sheet was designed to be used by technical staff responsible for identifying and implementing flow and transport models to support cleanup decisions at hazardous and radioactive waste sites.

Nuclear Power and the Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dukert, Joseph M.

Described are the major environmental effects resulting from the production of electricity by nuclear power plants. Discussed are effects of waste heat, radioactivity, radioactive waste elimination, costs, and future prospects. Included are diagrams illustrating cooling tower operation, effects of thermal discharge into water systems, radioactive…

77 FR 58416 - Comparative Environmental Evaluation of Alternatives for Handling Low-Level Radioactive Waste...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-20

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2012-0218] Comparative Environmental Evaluation of Alternatives... public comment the Draft Comparative Environmental Evaluation of Alternatives for Handling Low-Level.... Availability of Documents ADAMS Accession No. Document title ML12256A965 Draft Comparative Environmental...

The safety improvement of Romanian radioactive waste facilities as an example for human and environmental protection

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

Barariu, Gheorghe

2013-07-01

According to IAEA classification, Romania with two nuclear research centres, with 2 Nuclear Power Units in operation at Cernavoda Town and with 2 new Units envisaged to be in operation soon, can be considered as a country with an average nuclear activity. In Romania there was an extensive interest in management of radioactive wastes generated by the use of nuclear technology in industry and research. Using the most advanced technologies in the mentioned time periods, Romania successfully accomplished to solve all management issues related to radioactive wastes being addressed all safety concerns. Every step of nuclear activity development was accompaniedmore » by the suitable waste management facilities. So that, in order to improve the existing treatment and disposal capacities for institutional waste, the existing Radioactive Waste Treatment Facility (STDR) and the National Repository Radioactive Wastes (DNDR) at Baita, Bihor, will be improved to actual requirements on the occasion of VVR-S Research Reactor decommissioning. This activity is in development into the frame of a National funded project related to disposal galleries filling improvement and repository closure for DNDR Baita, Bihor. All improvements will be approved by Environmental Protection Authority and Regulatory Body, being a guaranty of human and environmental protection. Also, in accordance with national specific and international policies and taking into account decommissioning activities related to the present operating NPPs, all necessary measures were considered in order to avoid unnecessary generation of radioactive wastes, to minimize, as much as possible, waste production and accumulation and the necessity to develop optimum solutions for a new repository with the assurance of improved nuclear safety. (authors)« less

Site environmental report for calendar year 2002. DOE operations at the Boeing Company, Rocketdyne Propulsion and Power

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

None

2003-09-30

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2002 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of Boeing' s Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL)). In the past, the Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned, company-operated test facility, was located in Area IV. The operations at ETEC included development, fabrication, and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials. Other activities at ETEC involved the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities that were used for testing liquid metal fast breeder components. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988, and,more » subsequently, all radiological work has been directed toward decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the former nuclear facilities and their associated sites. Closure of the liquid metal test facilities began in 1996. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year 2002 continue to indicate that there are no significant releases of radioactive material from Area IV of SSFL. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property ( land, structures, waste), and recycling. All radioactive w astes are processed for disposal at DOE disposal sites and/or other licensed sites approved by DOE for radioactive waste disposal. No liquid radioactive wastes are released into the environment, and no structural debris from buildings w as transferred to municipal landfills or recycled in 2002.« less

Environmental assessment, finding of no significant impact, and response to comments. Radioactive waste storage

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

NONE

The Department of Energy`s (DOE) Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (the Site), formerly known as the Rocky Flats Plant, has generated radioactive, hazardous, and mixed waste (waste with both radioactive and hazardous constituents) since it began operations in 1952. Such wastes were the byproducts of the Site`s original mission to produce nuclear weapons components. Since 1989, when weapons component production ceased, waste has been generated as a result of the Site`s new mission of environmental restoration and deactivation, decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of buildings. It is anticipated that the existing onsite waste storage capacity, which meets the criteria for low-levelmore » waste (LL), low-level mixed waste (LLM), transuranic (TRU) waste, and TRU mixed waste (TRUM) would be completely filled in early 1997. At that time, either waste generating activities must cease, waste must be shipped offsite, or new waste storage capacity must be developed.« less

10 CFR 1.41 - Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... to the States as provided by section 274i of the Act and also to NRC staff and staff of the U.S. Navy... radioactive isotopes; (21) Oversees safe management and disposal of low-level radioactive wastes; (22) Plans...

10 CFR 1.41 - Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... to the States as provided by section 274i of the Act and also to NRC staff and staff of the U.S. Navy... radioactive isotopes; (21) Oversees safe management and disposal of low-level radioactive wastes; (22) Plans...

10 CFR 1.41 - Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... to the States as provided by section 274i of the Act and also to NRC staff and staff of the U.S. Navy... radioactive isotopes; (21) Oversees safe management and disposal of low-level radioactive wastes; (22) Plans...

10 CFR 1.41 - Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... to the States as provided by section 274i of the Act and also to NRC staff and staff of the U.S. Navy... radioactive isotopes; (21) Oversees safe management and disposal of low-level radioactive wastes; (22) Plans...

10 CFR 1.41 - Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... to the States as provided by section 274i of the Act and also to NRC staff and staff of the U.S. Navy... radioactive isotopes; (21) Oversees safe management and disposal of low-level radioactive wastes; (22) Plans...

40 CFR 190.10 - Standards for normal operations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

....10 Section 190.10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) RADIATION PROTECTION PROGRAMS ENVIRONMENTAL RADIATION PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR NUCLEAR POWER OPERATIONS Environmental... operations and to radiation from these operations. (b) The total quantity of radioactive materials entering...

40 CFR 190.10 - Standards for normal operations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

....10 Section 190.10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) RADIATION PROTECTION PROGRAMS ENVIRONMENTAL RADIATION PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR NUCLEAR POWER OPERATIONS Environmental... operations and to radiation from these operations. (b) The total quantity of radioactive materials entering...

Environmental Characteristics of EPA, NRC, and DOE Sites Contaminated with Radioactive Substances

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report is one of several documents developed cooperatively by the Interagency Environmental Pathway Modeling Workgroup to help bring a uniform approach to solving environmental modeling problems common to site remediation and restoration efforts.

Characterisation of a reference site for quantifying uncertainties related to soil sampling.

PubMed

Barbizzi, Sabrina; de Zorzi, Paolo; Belli, Maria; Pati, Alessandra; Sansone, Umberto; Stellato, Luisa; Barbina, Maria; Deluisa, Andrea; Menegon, Sandro; Coletti, Valter

2004-01-01

The paper reports a methodology adopted to face problems related to quality assurance in soil sampling. The SOILSAMP project, funded by the Environmental Protection Agency of Italy (APAT), is aimed at (i) establishing protocols for soil sampling in different environments; (ii) assessing uncertainties associated with different soil sampling methods in order to select the "fit-for-purpose" method; (iii) qualifying, in term of trace elements spatial variability, a reference site for national and international inter-comparison exercises. Preliminary results and considerations are illustrated.

Comprehensive Australasian multicentre dosimetric intercomparison: issues, logistics and recommendations.

PubMed

Ebert, M A; Harrison, K M; Cornes, D; Howlett, S J; Joseph, D J; Kron, T; Hamilton, C S; Denham, J W

2009-02-01

The present paper describes the logistics of the 2004-2008 Australasian Level III Dosimetry Intercomparison. Dosimetric intercomparisons (or 'audits') can be used in radiotherapy to evaluate the accuracy and quality of radiation delivery. An intercomparison was undertaken in New Zealand and Australia to evaluate the feasibility and logistics of ongoing dosimetric intercomparisons that evaluate all steps in the radiotherapy treatment process, known as a 'Level III' intercomparison. The study commenced in 2002 with the establishment of a study team, definition of the study protocol, acquisition of appropriate equipment and recruitment of participating radiotherapy centres. Measurements were undertaken between October 2004 and March 2008, and included collation of data on time, costs and logistics of the study. Forty independent Australian and New Zealand radiotherapy centres agreed to participate. Measurement visits were made to 37 of these centres. Data is presented on the costs of the study and the level of support required. The study involved the participation of 16 staff at the study centre who invested over 4000 hours in the study, and of over 200 professionals at participating centres. Recommendations are provided for future phantom-based intercomparisons. It is hoped that the present paper will be of benefit to any centres or groups contemplating similar activities by identifying the processes involved in establishing the study, the potential hazards and pitfalls, and expected resource requirements.

Environmental radioactivity measurements and applications - Difficulties, current status and future trends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anagnostakis, Marios J.

2015-11-01

For several decades natural and artificial radioactivity in the environment have been extensively studied all around the world. Nuclear accidents - mainly that of Chernobyl - have led to the development of the field of radioecology, while detector systems and techniques - with predominant that of γ-spectrometry - have been continuously developed through the years to meet researchers' needs. The study of natural radionuclides that was originally limited to 226Ra, 232Th and 40K was then extended to include radionuclides such as 234Th, 210Pb, 235U and 7Be, which allowed the study of radioactive equilibrium. Besides their importance from the radiation protection point of view, many radionuclides are also used as tracers of environmental processes, such as aerosol and transportation of air masses studies (7Be, 10Be, 22Na), soil erosion, sedimentation and geochronology (210Pb, 137Cs), marine ecosystems studies and studies related to climate change. All these studies require specialized samplings strategies and sampling preparation techniques as well as high quality measurements, while the improvement of detection limits is often of vital importance. This work is a review of environmental radioactivity measurements and applications, mainly focused in the field of γ-spectrometry, for which difficulties and limitations will be presented, together with future trends, new challenges and applications.

Conception, realization and qualification of a radioactive clean room lab facility dedicated to the synthesis of radiolabeled API for human ADME studies.

PubMed

Loewe, Claudia; Atzrodt, Jens; Reschke, Kai; Schofield, Joe

2016-12-01

The human absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination study administering radiolabeled drugs to human volunteers is an important clinical study in the development program of new drug candidates. The manufacture of radiolabeled Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients is covered by national drug laws and may come within the scope of regulatory GMP requirements. Additionally, authorities may request an appropriate environmental zoning to minimize the risk of microbiological contaminations particularly during the synthesis of radiolabeled Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients intended for parenteral application. Thus, a radioactive clean room lab facility in line with both GMP and radiation safety regulations was installed and the environmental zoning validated by appropriate testing of technical parameters and microbial and particle monitoring. The considerations detailed in this paper cover only GMP aspects related to the synthesis of radioactive drug substance. The subsequent, final formulation step in the overall process for manufacturing of radioactive drug product for any kind of administration is not within the scope of this paper. Under these qualified and controlled environmental conditions, we are now in a position to provide radiolabeled drug substances for all kinds of drug administration including both po and iv. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Science with radioactive beams: the alchemist's dream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gelletly, W.

2001-05-01

Nuclear science is being transformed by a new capacity to create beams of radioactive nuclei. Until now all of our knowledge of nuclear physics and the applications which flow from it has been derived from studies of radioactive decay and nuclear reactions induced by beams of the 283 stable or long-lived nuclear species we can find on Earth. Here we describe first how beams of radioactive nuclei can be created. The present status of nuclear physics is then reviewed before potential applications to nuclear physics, nuclear astrophysics, materials science, bio-medical, and environmental studies are described.

NOAA National Status and Trends Program Twelfth Round Intercomparison Exercise Results for Trace Metals in Marine Sediments and Biological Tissues. National Status and Trends Program for marine environmental quality: Technical memo

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

Willie, S.

1998-11-01

The report summarizes the results of the Twelfth Round Intercomparison for Trace Metals in Marine Sediments and Biological Tissues under the directive of the NOAA National Status and Trends Program. A total of forty-four participants were included in the exercise, including NOAA, USEPA, state, Austrailian, Canadian, Mexican and Argentinean laboratories. Two samples were sent by NRC to each participant, a marine sediment collected on the east coast of Canada and a freeze-dried mussel tissue. Laboratories were also asked to analyze two certified reference materials (CRMs) MESS-2 and CRM 2976. The elements to be determined were Al, Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu,more » Zn, As, Se, Ag, Cd, Sn, Hg, and Pb for both matrices, plus Be, Si, Mn, Sb, and Tl for the sediments. An accepted mean and confidence interval was calculated for each analyte in the two unknown samples, laboratory biases were identified and an overall rating of superior, good, fair or others were assigned to each laboratory.« less

AN INTERLABORATORY COMPARISON ON THE DETERMINATION OF 241Am, 244Cm AND 252Cf IN URINE.

PubMed

Gerstmann, Udo C; Taubner, Kerstin; Hartmann, Martina

2016-09-01

An intercomparison exercise on the determination of (241)Am, (244)Cm and (252)Cf in urine was performed. Since it was designed with regard to emergency preparedness, the detection limit for each nuclide was set to 0.1 Bq per 24-h urine sample. Most of the participating laboratories were established bioassay laboratories. However, some laboratories that routinely determine (241)Am only in environmental samples were also invited in order to explore their potential for emergency bioassay analysis. Another aspect of the intercomparison was to investigate the performance of all laboratories concerning the chemical yields of the (243)Am tracer in comparison with (244)Cm and (252)Cf. In summary, both types of laboratories showed good results. There was a negative bias for the results of (244)Cm and (252)Cf, which can be explained by slightly different radiochemical behaviours of americium, curium and californium and which is in agreement with results reported in the literature. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The role of simulation chambers in the development of spectroscopic techniques: campaigns at EUPHORE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ródenas, Milagros; Muñoz, Amalia; Euphore Team

2016-04-01

Simulation chambers represent a very useful tool for the study of chemical reactions and their products, but also to characterize instruments. The development of spectroscopic techniques throughout the last decades has benefited from tests and intercomparison exercises carried out in chambers. In fact, instruments can be exposed to various controlled atmospheric scenarios that account for different environmental conditions, eliminating the uncertainties associated to fluctuations of the air mass, which must be taken into account when extrapolating results to the real conditions. Hence, a given instrument can be characterized by assessing its precision, accuracy, detection limits, time response and potential interferences in the presence of other chemical compounds, aerosols, etc. This implies that the instrument can be calibrated and validated, which allows to enhance the features of the instrument. Moreover, chambers are also the scenario of intercomparison trials, permitting multiple instruments to sample from the same well-mixed air mass simultaneously. An overview of different campaigns to characterize and/or intercompare spectroscopic techniques that have taken place in simulation chambers will be given; in particular, those carried out at EUPHORE (two twin domes, 200 m3 each, Spain), where various intercomparison exercises have been deployed under the frame of European projects (e.g. TOXIC, FIONA, PSOA campaigns supported by EUROCHAMP-II). With the common aim of measuring given compounds (e.g. HONO, NO2, OH, glyoxal, m-glyoxal, etc), an important number of spectroscopic instruments and institutions have been involved in chamber experiments, having the chance to intercompare among them and also with other non-spectroscopic systems (e.g. monitors, cromatographs, etc) or model simulations.

Development of requirements for environmental specimen banking in ecological monitoring (exemplified by the Chernobyl NPP accident area).

PubMed

Borzilov, V A

1993-11-01

Development of requirements for a data bank for natural media as a system of intercorrelated parameters to estimate system states are determined. The problems of functional agreement between experimental and calculation methods are analysed when organizing the ecological monitoring. The methods of forming the environmental specimen bank to estimate and forecast radioactive contamination and exposure dose are considered to be exemplified by the peculiarities of the spatial distribution of radioactive contamination in fields. Analysed is the temporal dynamics of contamination for atmospheric air, soil and water.

77 FR 34229 - Idaho: Final Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program; Revision

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-11

... capability for the disposal of remote-handled low-level radioactive waste ((LLW) generated at the Idaho... (FONSI), for the Remote-Handled Low-Level Radioactive Waste Onsite Disposal (RHLLWOD) on an Environmental... regulating phosphate (mineral processing) plants within the state. In response to this commenter's concerns...

Intercomparison of hydrologic processes in global climate models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lau, W. K.-M.; Sud, Y. C.; Kim, J.-H.

1995-01-01

In this report, we address the intercomparison of precipitation (P), evaporation (E), and surface hydrologic forcing (P-E) for 23 Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) general circulation models (GCM's) including relevant observations, over a variety of spatial and temporal scales. The intercomparison includes global and hemispheric means, latitudinal profiles, selected area means for the tropics and extratropics, ocean and land, respectively. In addition, we have computed anomaly pattern correlations among models and observations for different seasons, harmonic analysis for annual and semiannual cycles, and rain-rate frequency distribution. We also compare the joint influence of temperature and precipitation on local climate using the Koeppen climate classification scheme.

Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2001. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company, Rocketdyne Propulsion & Power

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

Rutherford, Phil; Samuels, Sandy; Leee, Majelle

2002-09-01

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2001 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of the Boeing Rocketdyne Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). In the past, these operations included development, fabrication, and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials under the former Atomics International (AI) Division. Other activities included the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities for testing of liquid metal fast breeder components at the Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned, company-operated test facility within Area IV. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988,more » and subsequently, all radiological work has been directed toward decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the previously used nuclear facilities and associated site areas. Closure of the sodium test facilities began in 1996. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year of 2001 continue to indicate that there are no significant releases of radioactive material from Area IV of SSFL. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property (land, structures, waste), and recycling. All radioactive wastes are processed for disposal at DOE disposal sites and other sites approved by DOE and licensed for radioactive waste. Liquid radioactive wastes are not released into the environment and do not constitute an exposure pathway. No structural debris from buildings, released for unrestricted use, was transferred to municipal landfills or recycled in 2001.« less

Environmental acceptability of high-performance alternatives for depleted uranium penetrators

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

Kerley, C.R.; Easterly, C.E.; Eckerman, K.F.

1996-08-01

The Army`s environmental strategy for investigating material substitution and management is to measure system environmental gains/losses in all phases of the material management life cycle from cradle to grave. This study is the first in a series of new investigations, applying material life cycle concepts, to evaluate whether there are environmental benefits from increasing the use of tungsten as an alternative to depleted uranium (DU) in Kinetic Energy Penetrators (KEPs). Current military armor penetrators use DU and tungsten as base materials. Although DU alloys have provided the highest performance of any high-density alloy deployed against enemy heavy armor, its low-levelmore » radioactivity poses a number of environmental risks. These risks include exposures to the military and civilian population from inhalation, ingestion, and injection of particles. Depleted uranium is well known to be chemically toxic (kidney toxicity), and workplace exposure levels are based on its renal toxicity. Waste materials containing DU fragments are classified as low-level radioactive waste and are regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. These characteristics of DU do not preclude its use in KEPs. However, long-term management challenges associated with KEP deployment and improved public perceptions about environmental risks from military activities might be well served by a serious effort to identify, develop, and substitute alternative materials that meet performance objectives and involve fewer environmental risks. Tungsten, a leading candidate base material for KEPS, is potentially such a material because it is not radioactive. Tungsten is less well studied, however, with respect to health impacts and other environmental risks. The present study is designed to contribute to the understanding of the environmental behavior of tungsten by synthesizing available information that is relevant to its potential use as a penetrator.« less

Airborne sulfur trace species intercomparison campaign: Sulfur dioxide, dimethylsulfide, hydrogen sulfide, carbon disulfide, and carbonyl sulfide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregory, Gerald L.; Hoell, James M., Jr.; Davis, Douglas D.

1991-01-01

Results from an airborne intercomparison of techniques to measure tropospheric levels of sulfur trace gases are presented. The intercomparison was part of the NASA Global Tropospheric Experiment (GTE) and was conducted during the summer of 1989. The intercomparisons were conducted on the Wallops Electra aircraft during flights from Wallops Island, Virginia, and Natal, Brazil. Sulfur measurements intercompared included sulfur dioxide (SO2), dimethylsulfide (DMS), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbon disulfide (CS2), and carbonyl sulfide (OCS). Measurement techniques ranged from filter collection systems with post-flight analyses to mass spectrometer and gas chromatograph systems employing various methods for measuring and identifying the sulfur gases during flight. Sampling schedules for the techniques ranged from integrated collections over periods as long as 50 minutes to one- to three-minute samples every ten or fifteen minutes. Several of the techniques provided measurements of more than one sulfur gas. Instruments employing different detection principles were involved in each of the sulfur intercomparisons. Also included in the intercomparison measurement scenario were a host of supporting measurements (i.e., ozone, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, total sulfur, aerosols, etc.) for purposes of: (1) interpreting results (i.e., correlation of any noted instrument disagreement with the chemical composition of the measurement environment); and (2) providing supporting chemical data to meet CITE-3 science objectives of studying ozone/sulfur photochemistry, diurnal cycles, etc. The results of the intercomparison study are briefly discussed.

Environmental Measurements Laboratory 1994 annual report

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

Chieco, N.A.; Krey, P.W.; Beck, H.L.

1995-08-01

This report summarizes the activities of the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) for the calendar year 1994 and it serves as an annual report to the Director of the Office of Energy Research (ER), the Associate Director and staff of the Office of Health and Environmental Research (OHER), the manager and staff of the Chicago Field Office, and the authors colleagues. Emphasized are the progress and accomplishments of the year, rather than future plans or expectations. The technical summaries are grouped according to the following seven general program areas: environmental radiation and radioactivity; radiation transport and dosimetry; environmental radon, thoron, andmore » related aerosols; atmospheric and surface pollutant studies related to global climate change; atmospheric chemistry; metrology, consultation, and emergency response; environmental management. EML`s mission is to address important scientific questions concerning human health and environmental impacts. Through its multidisciplinary staff, EML conducts experimental and theoretical research on radioactive and other energy-related pollutants, and provides DOE and other federal agencies with the in-house capability to respond effectively and efficiently with regard to quality assurance activities, environmental issues and related national security issues.« less

Utilization of coal fly ash in solidification of liquid radioactive waste from research reactor.

PubMed

Osmanlioglu, Ahmet Erdal

2014-05-01

In this study, the potential utilization of fly ash was investigated as an additive in solidification process of radioactive waste sludge from research reactor. Coal formations include various percentages of natural radioactive elements; therefore, coal fly ash includes various levels of radioactivity. For this reason, fly ashes have to be evaluated for potential environmental implications in case of further usage in any construction material. But for use in solidification of radioactive sludge, the radiological effects of fly ash are in the range of radioactive waste management limits. The results show that fly ash has a strong fixing capacity for radioactive isotopes. Specimens with addition of 5-15% fly ash to concrete was observed to be sufficient to achieve the target compressive strength of 20 MPa required for near-surface disposal. An optimum mixture comprising 15% fly ash, 35% cement, and 50% radioactive waste sludge could provide the solidification required for long-term storage and disposal. The codisposal of radioactive fly ash with radioactive sludge by solidification decreases the usage of cement in solidification process. By this method, radioactive fly ash can become a valuable additive instead of industrial waste. This study supports the utilization of fly ash in industry and the solidification of radioactive waste in the nuclear industry.

Distribution of radionuclides in the environment in northern Italy after the Chernobyl accident.

PubMed

Berzero, A; Borroni, P A; Oddone, M; Crespi, V C; Genova, N; Meloni, S

1992-03-01

Soon after the Chernobyl nuclear accident, the air-pumping stations in Pavia (northern Italy) were alerted. In a few days, a rapid increase in radionuclide concentration in air particulates was observed. Consequently, an environmental radioactivity monitoring programme was started in which several matrices such as soil, grass, vegetables and cows' milk were subjected to direct gamma-ray spectrometry. The radioactivity distribution and its variation with time is presented, discussed and compared with other available data. Detection limits, precision and accuracy are also reported, and depth profiles in soils for 137Cs are presented and correlated with soil quality parameters. A survey of environmental radioactivity in soil, in a search for residual Chernobyl fallout, was carried out and a map of the 137Cs distribution over a large area in northern Italy is presented and discussed.

Potential health and environmental effects of trace elements and radionuclides from increased coal utilization.

PubMed Central

Van Hook, R I

1979-01-01

This report addresses the effects of coal-derived trace and radioactive elements. A summary of our current understanding of health and environmental effects of trace and radioactive elements released during coal mining, cleaning, combustion, and ash disposal is presented. Physical and biological transport phenomena which are important in determining organism exposure are also discussed. Biological concentration and transformation as well as synergistic and antagonistic actions among trace contaminants are discussed in terms of their importance in mobility, persistence, availability, and ultimate toxicity. The consequences of implementing the President's National Energy Plan are considered in terms of the impact of the NEP in 1985 and 2000 on the potential effects of trace and radioactive elements from the coal fuel cycle. Areas of needed research are identified in specific recommendations. PMID:540619

Radioactive and mixed waste - risk as a basis for waste classification. Symposium proceedings No. 2

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

NONE

The management of risks from radioactive and chemical materials has been a major environmental concern in the United states for the past two or three decades. Risk management of these materials encompasses the remediation of past disposal practices as well as development of appropriate strategies and controls for current and future operations. This symposium is concerned primarily with low-level radioactive wastes and mixed wastes. Individual reports were processed separately for the Department of Energy databases.

On feasibility of a closed nuclear power fuel cycle with minimum radioactivity

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

Andrianova, E. A.; Davidenko, V. D.; Tsibulskiy, V. F., E-mail: Tsibulskiy-VF@nrcki.ru

2015-12-15

Practical implementation of a closed nuclear fuel cycle implies solution of two main tasks. The first task is creation of environmentally acceptable operating conditions of the nuclear fuel cycle considering, first of all, high radioactivity of the involved materials. The second task is creation of effective and economically appropriate conditions of involving fertile isotopes in the fuel cycle. Creation of technologies for management of the high-level radioactivity of spent fuel reliable in terms of radiological protection seems to be the hardest problem.

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

Chen, Shih-Yew; Napier, Bruce A.

The Program Area Committee 5 (PAC 5) of the National Council on Radiation protection and Measurements (NCRP) focuses its activities on environmental radiation and radioactive waste issues. The committee completed a number of reports in the subject areas, and specifically the most recent NCRP Report 175 (Decision Making for Late-Phase Recovery from Major Nuclear or Radiological Incidents). Historically PAC 5 addressed the emerging issues of the nation that pertain to radioactivity or radiation in the environment, or the radioactive waste issues due either to the natural origins or to the manmade activities

Sensor Analytics: Radioactive gas Concentration Estimation and Error Propagation

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

Anderson, Dale N.; Fagan, Deborah K.; Suarez, Reynold

2007-04-15

This paper develops the mathematical statistics of a radioactive gas quantity measurement and associated error propagation. The probabilistic development is a different approach to deriving attenuation equations and offers easy extensions to more complex gas analysis components through simulation. The mathematical development assumes a sequential process of three components; I) the collection of an environmental sample, II) component gas extraction from the sample through the application of gas separation chemistry, and III) the estimation of radioactivity of component gases.

Inter-comparison of source apportionment of PM10 using PMF and CMB in three sites nearby an industrial area in central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cesari, Daniela; Donateo, Antonio; Conte, Marianna; Contini, Daniele

2016-12-01

Receptor models (RMs), based on chemical composition of particulate matter (PM), such as Chemical Mass Balance (CMB) and Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF), represent useful tools for determining the impact of PM sources to air quality. This information is useful, especially in areas influenced by anthropogenic activities, to plan mitigation strategies for environmental management. Recent inter-comparison of source apportionment (SA) results showed that one of the difficulties in the comparison of estimated source contributions is the compatibility of the sources, i.e. the chemical profiles of factor/sources used in receptor models. This suggests that SA based on integration of several RMs could give more stable and reliable solutions with respect to a single model. The aim of this work was to perform inter-comparison of PMF (using PMF3.0 and PMF5.0 codes) and CMB outputs, focusing on both source chemical profiles and estimates of source contributions. The dataset included 347 daily PM10 samples collected in three sites in central Italy located near industrial emissions. Samples were chemically analysed for the concentrations of 21 chemical species (NH4+, Ca2 +, Mg2 +, Na+, K+, Mg2 +, SO42 -, NO3-, Cl-, Si, Al, Ti, V, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, EC, and OC) used as input of RMs. The approach identified 9 factor/sources: marine, traffic, resuspended dust, biomass burning, secondary sulphate, secondary nitrate, crustal, coal combustion power plant and harbour-industrial. Results showed that the application of constraints in PMF5.0 improved interpretability of profiles and comparability of estimated source contributions with stoichiometric calculations. The inter-comparison of PMF and CMB gave significant differences for secondary nitrate, biomass burning, and harbour-industrial sources, due to non-compatibility of these source profiles that have local specificities. When these site-dependent specificities were taken into account, optimising the input source profiles of CMB, a significant improvement in the comparison of the estimated source contributions with PMF was obtained.

Intercomparison of retrospective radon detectors.

PubMed Central

Field, R W; Steck, D J; Parkhurst, M A; Mahaffey, J A; Alavanja, M C

1999-01-01

We performed both a laboratory and a field intercomparison of two novel glass-based retrospective radon detectors previously used in major radon case-control studies performed in Missouri and Iowa. The new detectors estimate retrospective residential radon exposure from the accumulation of a long-lived radon decay product, (210)Pb, in glass. The detectors use track registration material in direct contact with glass surfaces to measure the alpha-emission of a (210)Pb-decay product, (210)Po. The detector's track density generation rate (tracks per square centimeter per hour) is proportional to the surface alpha-activity. In the absence of other strong sources of alpha-emission in the glass, the implanted surface alpha-activity should be proportional to the accumulated (210)Po, and hence to the cumulative radon gas exposure. The goals of the intercomparison were to a) perform collocated measurements using two different glass-based retrospective radon detectors in a controlled laboratory environment to compare their relative response to implanted polonium in the absence of environmental variation, b) perform collocated measurements using two different retrospective radon progeny detectors in a variety of residential settings to compare their detection of glass-implanted polonium activities, and c) examine the correlation between track density rates and contemporary radon gas concentrations. The laboratory results suggested that the materials and methods used by the studies produced similar track densities in detectors exposed to the same implanted (210)Po activity. The field phase of the intercomparison found excellent agreement between the track density rates for the two types of retrospective detectors. The correlation between the track density rates and direct contemporary radon concentration measurements was relatively high, considering that no adjustments were performed to account for either the residential depositional environment or glass surface type. Preliminary comparisons of the models used to translate track rate densities to average long-term radon concentrations differ between the two studies. Further calibration of the retrospective detectors' models for interpretation of track rate density may allow the pooling of studies that use glass-based retrospective radon detectors to determine historic residential radon exposures. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 PMID:10545336

Intercomparison of retrospective radon detectors.

PubMed

Field, R W; Steck, D J; Parkhurst, M A; Mahaffey, J A; Alavanja, M C

1999-11-01

We performed both a laboratory and a field intercomparison of two novel glass-based retrospective radon detectors previously used in major radon case-control studies performed in Missouri and Iowa. The new detectors estimate retrospective residential radon exposure from the accumulation of a long-lived radon decay product, (210)Pb, in glass. The detectors use track registration material in direct contact with glass surfaces to measure the alpha-emission of a (210)Pb-decay product, (210)Po. The detector's track density generation rate (tracks per square centimeter per hour) is proportional to the surface alpha-activity. In the absence of other strong sources of alpha-emission in the glass, the implanted surface alpha-activity should be proportional to the accumulated (210)Po, and hence to the cumulative radon gas exposure. The goals of the intercomparison were to a) perform collocated measurements using two different glass-based retrospective radon detectors in a controlled laboratory environment to compare their relative response to implanted polonium in the absence of environmental variation, b) perform collocated measurements using two different retrospective radon progeny detectors in a variety of residential settings to compare their detection of glass-implanted polonium activities, and c) examine the correlation between track density rates and contemporary radon gas concentrations. The laboratory results suggested that the materials and methods used by the studies produced similar track densities in detectors exposed to the same implanted (210)Po activity. The field phase of the intercomparison found excellent agreement between the track density rates for the two types of retrospective detectors. The correlation between the track density rates and direct contemporary radon concentration measurements was relatively high, considering that no adjustments were performed to account for either the residential depositional environment or glass surface type. Preliminary comparisons of the models used to translate track rate densities to average long-term radon concentrations differ between the two studies. Further calibration of the retrospective detectors' models for interpretation of track rate density may allow the pooling of studies that use glass-based retrospective radon detectors to determine historic residential radon exposures.

Imaging plant leaves to determine changes in radioactive contamination status in Fukushima, Japan.

PubMed

Nakajima, Hiroo; Fujiwara, Mamoru; Tanihata, Isao; Saito, Tadashi; Matsuda, Norihiro; Todo, Takeshi

2014-05-01

The chemical composition of plant leaves often reflects environmental contamination. The authors analyzed images of plant leaves to investigate the regional radioactivity ecology resulting from the 2011 accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, Japan. The present study is not an evaluation of the macro radiation dose per weight, which has been performed previously, but rather an image analysis of the radioactive dose per leaf, allowing the capture of various gradual changes in radioactive contamination as a function of elapsed time. In addition, the leaf analysis method has potential applications in the decontamination of food plants or other materials.

Standardization of ¹³¹I: implementation of CIEMAT/NIST method at BARC, India.

PubMed

Kulkarni, D B; Anuradha, R; Reddy, P J; Joseph, Leena

2011-10-01

The CIEMAT/NIST efficiency tracing method using ³H standard was implemented at Radiation Safety Systems Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) for the standardization of ¹³¹I radioactive solution. Measurements were also carried out using the 4π β-γ coincidence counting system maintained as a primary standard at the laboratory. The implementation of the CIEMAT/NIST method was verified by comparing the activity concentration obtained in the laboratory with that of the average value of the APMP intercomparison (Yunoki et al., in progress, (APMP.RI(II)-K2.I-131)). The results obtained by the laboratory is linked to the CIPM Key Comparison Reference Value (KCRV) through the equivalent activity value of National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ) (Yunoki et al., in progress, (APMP.RI(II)-K2.I-131)), which was the pilot laboratory for the intercomparison. The procedure employed to standardize ¹³¹I by the CIEMAT/NIST efficiency tracing technique is presented. The activity concentrations obtained have been normalized with the activity concentration measured by NMIJ to maintain confidentiality of results until the Draft-A report is accepted by all participants. The normalized activity concentrations obtained with the CIEMAT/NIST method was 0.9985 ± 0.0035 kBq/g and using 4π β-γ coincidence counting method was 0.9909 ± 0.0046 kBq/g as on 20 March 2009, 0 h UTC. The normalized activity concentration measured by the NMIJ was 1 ± 0.0024 kBq/g. The normalized average of the activity concentrations of all the participating laboratories was 1.004 ± 0.028 kBq/g. The results obtained in the laboratory are comparable with the other international standards within the uncertainty limits. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microorganisms associated with feathers of barn swallows in radioactively contaminated areas around chernobyl.

PubMed

Czirják, Gábor Arpád; Møller, Anders Pape; Mousseau, Timothy A; Heeb, Philipp

2010-08-01

The Chernobyl catastrophe provides a rare opportunity to study the ecological and evolutionary consequences of low-level, environmental radiation on living organisms. Despite some recent studies about negative effects of environmental radiation on macroorganisms, there is little knowledge about the effect of radioactive contamination on diversity and abundance of microorganisms. We examined abundance patterns of total cultivable bacteria and fungi and the abundance of feather-degrading bacterial subset present on feathers of barn swallows (Hirundo rustica), a colonial migratory passerine, around Chernobyl in relation to levels of ground level environmental radiation. After controlling for confounding variables, total cultivable bacterial loads were negatively correlated with environmental radioactivity, whereas abundance of fungi and feather-degrading bacteria was not significantly related to contamination levels. Abundance of both total and feather-degrading bacteria increased with barn swallow colony size, showing a potential cost of sociality. Males had lower abundance of feather-degrading bacteria than females. Our results show the detrimental effects of low-level environmental radiation on total cultivable bacterial assemblage on feathers, while the abundance of other microorganism groups living on barn swallow feathers, such as feather-degrading bacteria, are shaped by other factors like host sociality or host sex. These data lead us to conclude that the ecological effects of Chernobyl may be more general than previously assumed and may have long-term implications for host-microbe interactions and overall ecosystem functioning.

Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP): Experimental Design and Boundary Conditions (Experiment 2)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haywood, A. M.; Dowsett, H. J.; Robinson, M. M.; Stoll, D. K.; Dolan, A. M.; Lunt, D. J.; Otto-Bliesner, B.; Chandler, M. A.

2011-01-01

The Palaeoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project has expanded to include a model intercomparison for the mid-Pliocene warm period (3.29 to 2.97 million yr ago). This project is referred to as PlioMIP (the Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project). Two experiments have been agreed upon and together compose the initial phase of PlioMIP. The first (Experiment 1) is being performed with atmosphere only climate models. The second (Experiment 2) utilizes fully coupled ocean-atmosphere climate models. Following on from the publication of the experimental design and boundary conditions for Experiment 1 in Geoscientific Model Development, this paper provides the necessary description of differences and/or additions to the experimental design for Experiment 2.

Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP): experimental design and boundary conditions (Experiment 2)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haywood, A.M.; Dowsett, H.J.; Robinson, M.M.; Stoll, D.K.; Dolan, A.M.; Lunt, D.J.; Otto-Bliesner, B.; Chandler, M.A.

2011-01-01

The Palaeoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project has expanded to include a model intercomparison for the mid-Pliocene warm period (3.29 to 2.97 million yr ago). This project is referred to as PlioMIP (the Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project). Two experiments have been agreed upon and together compose the initial phase of PlioMIP. The first (Experiment 1) is being performed with atmosphere-only climate models. The second (Experiment 2) utilises fully coupled ocean-atmosphere climate models. Following on from the publication of the experimental design and boundary conditions for Experiment 1 in Geoscientific Model Development, this paper provides the necessary description of differences and/or additions to the experimental design for Experiment 2.

Manufacture and calibration of optical supersmooth roughness artifacts for intercomparisons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ringel, Gabriele A.; Kratz, Frank; Schmitt, Dirk-Roger; Mangelsdorf, Juergen; Creuzet, Francois; Garratt, John D.

1995-09-01

Intercomparison roughness measurements have been carried out on supersmooth artifacts fabricated from BK7, fused silica, and Zerodur. The surface parameters were determined using the optical heterodyne profiler Z5500 (Zygo), a special prototype of the mechanical profiler Nanostep (Rank Taylor Hobson), and an Atomic Force Microscope (Park Scientific Instruments) with an improved acquisition technique. The intercomparison was performed after the range of collected spatial wavelengths for each instrument was adjusted using digital filtering techniques. It is demonstrated for different roughness ranges that the applied superpolishing techniques yield supersmooth artifacts which can be used for more intercomparisons. More than 100 samples were investigated. Criteria were developed to select artifacts from the sample stock.

Coosa River Storage Annex, Talladega, Alabama. Environmental Investigation Report. Volume 1 of 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-09-01

radon and radon daughters using an alpha track detector; and the interior surfaces of six igloos were analyzed for the presence of polychlorinated...ATSDR, 1990]. Radon gas is a health hazard due to its radioactive transformation or decay into radioactive by- products or radon daughters . As radon

RadNet Map Interface for Near-Real-Time Radiation Monitoring Data

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

RadNet is a national network of monitoring stations that regularly collect air, precipitation, drinking water, and milk samples for analysis of radioactivity. The RadNet network, which has stations in each state, has been used to track environmental releases of radioactivity from nuclear weapons tests and nuclear accidents.

Collaboration of local government and experts responding to increase in environmental radiation level due to the nuclear disaster: focusing on their activities and latest radiological discussion.

PubMed

Iimoto, T; Nunokawa, J; Fujii, H; Takashima, R; Hashimoto, M; Fukuhara, T; Yajima, T; Matsuzawa, H; Kurosawa, K; Yanagawa, Y; Someya, S

2015-11-01

Activities were introduced in Kashiwa city in the Tokyo metropolitan area to correspond to the elevated environmental radiation level after the disaster of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. These were based on a strong cooperation between local governments and experts. Ambient dose rate and radioactivity of foodstuff produced inside of the city have been monitored. Representative ambient dose rates around living environments have almost already become their original levels of the pre-accident because of the decontamination activity, natural washout and effective half-lives of radioactivity. The internal annual dose due to radioactive cesium under the policy of 'Local Production for Local Consumption' is estimated as extremely low comparing the variation range due to natural radioactivity. Systematic survey around a retention basin has been started. All of these latest monitoring data would be one of the core information for the policy making as well as a cost-benefit discussion and risk communication. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Site environmental report for calendar Year 1990

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

Hoff, D.L.; Mitchell, R.G.; Moore, R.

1991-06-01

The results of the various monitoring programs for 1990 indicate that most radioactivity from the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) operations could not be distinguished from worldwide fallout and natural radioactivity in the region surrounding the INEL Site. Although some radioactive materials were discharged during Site operations, concentrations and doses to the surrounding population were of no health consequence and were far less than State of Idaho and Federal health protection guidelines. The first section of the report summarizes Calendar Year 1990 and January 1 through April 1, 1991, INEL activities related to compliance with environmental regulations and laws. Themore » balance of the report describes the surveillance program, the collection of foodstuffs at the INEL boundary and distant offsite locations, and the collection of air and water samples at onsite locations and offsite boundary and distant locations. The report also compares and evaluates the sample results and discusses implications, if any. Nonradioactive and radioactive effluent monitoring at the Site, and the US Geological Survey (USGS) ground-water monitoring program are also summarized. 33 refs., 18 figs., 29 tabs.« less

Colonie Interim Storage Site annual environmental report for calendar year 1991, Colonie, New York

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

Not Available

1992-09-01

This document describes the environmental monitoring program at the Colonie Interim Storage Site (CISS) and surrounding area, implementation of the program, and monitoring results for 1991. Environmental monitoring at CISS began in 1984 when Congress added the site to the US Department of Energy's Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. CISS property and surrounding areas were radioactively contaminated by operations conducted by National Lead Industries, which manufactured various components from uranium and thorium from 1958 to 1984. The environmental monitoring program at CISS includes sampling networks for external gamma radiation exposure and for radium-226, thorium-232, and total uranium concentrations inmore » surface water, sediment, and groundwater. Additionally, several nonradiological parameters are measured in groundwater. In 1992 the program will also include sampling networks for radioactive and chemical contaminants in stormwater to meet permit application requirements under the Clean Water Act. Monitoring results are compared with applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards, DOE derived concentration guides (DCGs), dose limits, and other requirements in DOE.orders. Environmental standards are established to protect public health and the environment. Results of environmental monitoring during 1991 indicate that average concentrations of radioactive contaminants of concern were well below applicable standards and DCGS. Concentrations of some chemical contaminants in groundwater were above-the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (Class GA) and EPA guidelines for drinking water. The potential annual radiation exposure (excluding background) calculated for a hypothetical maximally exposed individual is 0.23 mrem (milliroentgen equivalent man), which is less than an individual would receive while traveling in an airplane at 12,000 meters (39,000 feet) for one hour.« less

Colonie Interim Storage Site annual environmental report for calendar year 1991, Colonie, New York. Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP)

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

Not Available

1992-09-01

This document describes the environmental monitoring program at the Colonie Interim Storage Site (CISS) and surrounding area, implementation of the program, and monitoring results for 1991. Environmental monitoring at CISS began in 1984 when Congress added the site to the US Department of Energy`s Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. CISS property and surrounding areas were radioactively contaminated by operations conducted by National Lead Industries, which manufactured various components from uranium and thorium from 1958 to 1984. The environmental monitoring program at CISS includes sampling networks for external gamma radiation exposure and for radium-226, thorium-232, and total uranium concentrations inmore » surface water, sediment, and groundwater. Additionally, several nonradiological parameters are measured in groundwater. In 1992 the program will also include sampling networks for radioactive and chemical contaminants in stormwater to meet permit application requirements under the Clean Water Act. Monitoring results are compared with applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards, DOE derived concentration guides (DCGs), dose limits, and other requirements in DOE.orders. Environmental standards are established to protect public health and the environment. Results of environmental monitoring during 1991 indicate that average concentrations of radioactive contaminants of concern were well below applicable standards and DCGS. Concentrations of some chemical contaminants in groundwater were above-the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (Class GA) and EPA guidelines for drinking water. The potential annual radiation exposure (excluding background) calculated for a hypothetical maximally exposed individual is 0.23 mrem (milliroentgen equivalent man), which is less than an individual would receive while traveling in an airplane at 12,000 meters (39,000 feet) for one hour.« less

Environmental Chemistry in the High School Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stearns, Carole

1988-01-01

Discusses the incorporation of environmental chemistry topics into the traditional high school chemistry curriculum. Describes and provides lesson plans for the sulfur cycle and acid rain, and radioactivity and nuclear energy. Considers possible laboratory experiments. (CW)

Invited Article: Radon and thoron intercomparison experiments for integrated monitors at NIRS, Japan

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

Janik, M., E-mail: mirek@fml.nirs.go.jp; Ishikawa, T.; Omori, Y.

Inhalation of radon ({sup 222}Rn) and its short-lived decay products and of products of the thoron ({sup 220}Rn) series accounts for more than half of the effective dose from natural radiation sources. At this time, many countries have begun large-scale radon and thoron surveys and many different measurement methods and instruments are used in these studies. Consequently, it is necessary to improve and standardize technical methods of measurements and to verify quality assurance by intercomparisons between laboratories. Four international intercomparisons for passive integrating radon and thoron monitors were conducted at the NIRS (National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Japan). Radon exercisesmore » were carried out in the 24.4 m{sup 3} inner volume walk-in radon chamber that has systems to control radon concentration, temperature, and humidity. Moreover, the NIRS thoron chamber with a 150 dm{sup 3} inner volume was utilized to provide three thoron intercomparisons. At present, the NIRS is the only laboratory world-wide that has carried out periodic thoron intercomparison of passive monitors. Fifty laboratories from 26 countries participated in the radon intercomparison, using six types of detectors (charcoal, CR-39, LR 115, polycarbonate film, electret plate, and silicon photodiode). Eighteen laboratories from 12 countries participated in the thoron intercomparisons, using two etch-track types (CR-39 and polycarbonate) detectors. The tests were made under one to three different exposures to radon and thoron. The data presented in this paper indicated that the performance quality of laboratories for radon measurement has been gradually increasing. Results of thoron exercises showed that the quality for thoron measurements still needs further development and additional studies are needed to improve its measuring methods. The present paper provides a summary of all radon and thoron international intercomparisons done at NIRS from 2007 to date and it describes the present status on radon and thoron passive, one-time cycle monitors.« less

The NEA research and environmental surveillance programme related to sea disposal of low-level radioactive waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rugger, B.; Templeton, W. L.; Gurbutt, P.

1983-05-01

Sea dumping operations of certain types of packaged low and medium level radioactive wastes have been carried out since 1967 in the North-East Atlantic under the auspices of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency. On the occasion of the 1980 review of the continued suitability of the North-East Atlantic site used for the disposal of radioactive waste, it was recommended that an effort should be made to increase the scientific data base relating to the oceanographic and biological characteristics of the dumping area. In particular, it was suggested that a site specific model of the transfer of radionuclides in the marine environment be developed, which would permit a better assessment of the potential radiation doses to man from the dumping of radioactive waste. To fulfill these objectives a research and environmental surveillance program related to sea disposal of radioactive waste was set up in 1981 with the participation of thirteen Member countries and the International Laboratory for Marine Radioactivity of the IAEA in Monaco. The research program is focused on five research areas which are directly relevant to the preparation of more site specific assessments in the future. They are: model development; physical oceanography; geochemistry; biology; and radiological surveillance. Promising results have already been obtained and more are anticipated in the not too distant future. An interim description of the NEA dumping site has been prepared which provides an excellent data base for this area.

Standardization of iodine-129 by the TDCR liquid scintillation method and 4π β-γ coincidence counting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cassette, P.; Bouchard, J.; Chauvenet, B.

1994-01-01

Iodine-129 is a long-lived fission product, with physical and chemical properties that make it a good candidate for evaluating the environmental impact of the nuclear energy fuel cycle. To avoid solid source preparation problems, liquid scintillation has been used to standardize this nuclide for a EUROMET intercomparison. Two methods were used to measure the iodine-129 activity: triple-to-double-coincidence ratio liquid scintillation counting and 4π β-γ coincidence counting; the results are in good agreement.

HANDBOOK: APPROACHES FOR REMEDIATION OF ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This publication was developed by the Center for Environmental Research Information (CERI), Office of Research and Development, of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The information in the document is based primarily on presentations at two technology transfer seminar series: Technologies for Remediating Sites Contaminated with Explosive and Radioactive Wastes, sponsored jointly by EPA and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) in spring and summer 1993; and Radioactive Site Remediation, sponsored by EPA and the Department of Energy (DOE) in summer 1992. Additional information has been provided by technical experts from EPA, DOD, DOE, academia, and private industry. present information

A laboratory activity for teaching natural radioactivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilakouta, M.; Savidou, A.; Vasileiadou, S.

2017-01-01

This paper presents an educational approach for teaching natural radioactivity using commercial granite samples. A laboratory activity focusing on the topic of natural radioactivity is designed to develop the knowledge and understanding of undergraduate university students on the topic of radioactivity, to appreciate the importance of environmental radioactivity and familiarize them with the basic technology used in radioactivity measurements. The laboratory activity is divided into three parts: (i) measurements of the count rate with a Geiger-Muller counter of some granite samples and the ambient background radiation rate, (ii) measurement of one of the samples using gamma ray spectrometry with a NaI detector and identification of the radioactive elements of the sample, (iii) using already recorded 24 h gamma ray spectra of the samples from the first part (from the Granite Gamma-Ray Spectrum Library (GGRSL) of our laboratory) and analyzing selected peaks in the spectrum, students estimate the contribution of each radioactive element to the total specific activity of each sample. A brief description of the activity as well as some results and their interpretation are presented.

76 FR 51358 - National Nuclear Security Administration Amended Record of Decision: Disposition of Surplus...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-18

...: Disposition of Surplus Highly Enriched Uranium Environmental Impact Statement AGENCY: National Nuclear... decision at that time. The Supplement Analysis analyzed the potential environmental impacts associated with... radioactive waste (LLW). The HEU EIS evaluated the potential environmental impacts of down- blending at up to...

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

Parrado, G., E-mail: gparrado@sgc.gov.co; Cañón, Y.; Peña, M., E-mail: mlpena@sgc.gov.co

The Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) laboratory at the Colombian Geological Survey has developed a technique for multi-elemental analysis of soil and plant matrices, based on Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) using the comparator method. In order to evaluate the analytical capabilities of the technique, the laboratory has been participating in inter-comparison tests organized by Wepal (Wageningen Evaluating Programs for Analytical Laboratories). In this work, the experimental procedure and results for the multi-elemental analysis of four soil and four plant samples during participation in the first round on 2015 of Wepal proficiency test are presented. Only elements with radioactive isotopes withmore » medium and long half-lives have been evaluated, 15 elements for soils (As, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, K, La, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Th, U and Zn) and 7 elements for plants (Br, Co, Cr, Fe, K, Na and Zn). The performance assessment by Wepal based on Z-score distributions showed that most results obtained |Z-scores| ≤ 3.« less

Improvement of analytical capabilities of neutron activation analysis laboratory at the Colombian Geological Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parrado, G.; Cañón, Y.; Peña, M.; Sierra, O.; Porras, A.; Alonso, D.; Herrera, D. C.; Orozco, J.

2016-07-01

The Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) laboratory at the Colombian Geological Survey has developed a technique for multi-elemental analysis of soil and plant matrices, based on Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) using the comparator method. In order to evaluate the analytical capabilities of the technique, the laboratory has been participating in inter-comparison tests organized by Wepal (Wageningen Evaluating Programs for Analytical Laboratories). In this work, the experimental procedure and results for the multi-elemental analysis of four soil and four plant samples during participation in the first round on 2015 of Wepal proficiency test are presented. Only elements with radioactive isotopes with medium and long half-lives have been evaluated, 15 elements for soils (As, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, K, La, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Th, U and Zn) and 7 elements for plants (Br, Co, Cr, Fe, K, Na and Zn). The performance assessment by Wepal based on Z-score distributions showed that most results obtained |Z-scores| ≤ 3.

Ground-water levels and precipitation data at the Maxey Flats low-level radioactive waste disposal site near Morehead, Kentucky, October 1988-September 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zettwoch, Douglas D.

2002-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet--Department for Environmental Protection--Division of Waste Management, has an ongoing program to monitor water levels at the Maxey Flats low-level radioactive waste disposal site near Morehead, Kentucky. Ground-water-level and precipitation data were collected from 112 wells and 1 rain gage at the Maxey Flats low-level radioactive waste disposal site during October 1988-September 2000. Data were collected on a semi-annual basis from 62 wells, continuously from 6 wells, and monthly or bimonthly from 44 wells (13 of which had continuous recorders installed for the period October 1998-September 2000). One tipping-bucket rain gage was used to collect data at the Maxey Flats site for the period October 1988-September 2000.

25 Years Of Environmental Remediation In The General Separations Area Of The Savannah River Site: Lessons Learned About What Worked And What Did Not Work In Soil And Groundwater Cleanup

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

Blount, Gerald; Thibault, Jeffrey; Millings, Margaret

The Savannah River Site (SRS) is owned and administered by the US Department of Energy (DOE). SRS covers an area of approximately 900 square kilometers. The General Separation Area (GSA) is located roughly in the center of the SRS and includes: radioactive material chemical separations facilities, radioactive waste tank farms, a variety of radioactive seepage basins, and the radioactive waste burial grounds. Radioactive wastes were disposed in the GSA from the mid-1950s through the mid-1990s. Radioactive operations at the F Canyon began in 1954; radioactive operations at H Canyon began in 1955. Waste water disposition to the F and Hmore » Seepage Basins began soon after operations started in the canyons. The Old Radioactive Waste Burial Ground (ORWBG) began operations in 1952 to manage solid waste that could be radioactive from all the site operations, and ceased receiving waste in 1972. The Mixed Waste Management Facility (MWMF) and Low Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility (LLRWDF) received radioactive solid waste from 1969 until 1995. Environmental legislation enacted in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s led to changes in waste management and environmental cleanup practices at SRS. The US Congress passed the Clean Air Act in 1970, and the Clean Water Act in 1972; the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) was enacted in 1976; the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) was enacted by Congress in 1980; the Federal Facilities Compliance Act (FFCA) was signed into law in 1992. Environmental remediation at the SRS essentially began with a 1987 Settlement Agreement between the SRS and the State of South Carolina (under the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control - SCDHEC), which recognized linkage between many SRS waste management facilities and RCRA. The SRS manages several of the larger groundwater remedial activities under RCRA for facilities recognized early on as environmental problems. All subsequent environmental remediation projects tend to be managed under tri-party agreement (DOE, Environmental Protection Agency, and SCDHEC) through the Federal Facilities Agreement. During 25 years of environmental remediation SRS has stabilized and capped seepage basins, and consolidated and capped waste units and burial grounds in the GSA. Groundwater activities include: pump and treat systems in the groundwater, installation of deep subsurface barrier systems to manage groundwater flow, in situ chemical treatments in the groundwater, and captured contaminated groundwater discharges at the surface for management in a forest irrigation system. Over the last 25 years concentrations of contaminants in the aquifers beneath the GSA and in surface water streams in the GSA have dropped significantly. Closure of 65 waste sites and 4 RCRA facilities has been successfully accomplished. Wastes have been successfully isolated in place beneath a variety of caps and cover systems. Environmental clean-up has progressed to the stage where most of the work involves monitoring, optimization, and maintenance of existing remedial systems. Many lessons have been learned in the process. Geotextile covers outperform low permeability clay caps, especially with respect to the amount of repairs required to upkeep the drainage layers as the caps age. Passive, enhanced natural processes to address groundwater contamination are much more cost effective than pump and treat systems. SRS operated two very large pump and treat systems at the F and H Seepage Basins to attempt to limit the release of tritium to Fourmile Branch, a tributary of the Savannah River. The systems were designed to extract contaminated acidic groundwater, remove all contamination except tritium (not possible to remove the tritium from the water), and inject the tritiated groundwater up-gradient of the source area and the plume. The concept was to increase the travel time of the injected water for radioactive decay of the tritium. The two systems were found to be non-effective and potentially mobilizing more contamination. SRS invested approximately $50 million in construction and approximately $100 million in 6 years of operation. The H Seepage Basin pump and treat system was replaced by a series of subsurface barriers that alters the groundwater velocity; the F Seepage Basin pump and treat system was replaced by subsurface barriers forming a funnel and gate augmented by chemical treatment within the gates. These replacement systems are mostly passive and cost approximately $13 million to construct, and have reduced the tritium flux to Fourmile Branch, in these plumes, by over 70%. SRS manages non-acidic tritiated groundwater releases to Fourmile Branch from the southwest plume of the MWMF with a forest irrigation system. Tritiated water is captured with a sheetpile dam below the springs that caused releases to Fourmile Branch. Water from the irrigation pond is pumped to a filter plant prior to irrigation of approximately 26 hectares of mixed forest and developing pine plantation. SRS has almost achieved a 70% reduction in tritium flux to the Branch from this plume. The system cost approximately $5 million to construct with operation cost of approximately $500K per year. In conclusion, many lessons have been learned in 25 years of relatively aggressive remedial activities in the GSA. Geotextile covers outperform low permeability clay caps, especially with respect to the amount of repairs required to upkeep the drainage layers as the caps age. Passive, enhanced natural processes to address groundwater contamination are much more cost effective than pump and treat systems. In water management situations with non-accumulative contaminants (tritium, VOCs, etc.) irrigation in a forest setting can be very effective.« less

Pliocene Model Intercomparison (PlioMIP) Phase 2: Scientific Objectives and Experimental Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haywood, A. M.; Dowsett, H. J.; Dolan, A. M.; Rowley, D.; Abe-Ouchi, A.; Otto-Bliesner, B.; Chandler, M. A.; Hunter, S. J.; Lunt, D. J.; Pound, M.;

Intercomparison of near real time monitors of PM2.5 nitrate and sulfate at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Atlanta Supersite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, R.; Orsini, D.; Duan, Y.; Baumann, K.; Kiang, C. S.; Chameides, W.; Lee, Y. N.; Brechtel, F.; Klotz, P.; Jongejan, P.; ten Brink, H.; Slanina, J.; Boring, C. B.; Genfa, Z.; Dasgupta, P.; Hering, S.; Stolzenburg, M.; Dutcher, D. D.; Edgerton, E.; Hartsell, B.; Solomon, P.; Tanner, R.

2003-04-01

Five new instruments for semicontinuous measurements of fine particle (PM2.5) nitrate and sulfate were deployed in the Atlanta Supersite Experiment during an intensive study in August 1999. The instruments measured bulk aerosol chemical composition at rates ranging from every 5 min to once per hour. The techniques included a filter sampling system with automated water extraction and online ion chromatographic (IC) analysis, two systems that directly collected particles into water for IC analysis, and two techniques that converted aerosol nitrate or sulfate either catalytically or by flash vaporization to gaseous products that were measured with gas analyzers. During the one-month study, 15-min integrated nitrate concentrations were low, ranging from about 0.1 to 3.5 μg m-3 with a mean value of 0.5 μg m-3. Ten-minute integrated sulfate concentrations varied between 0.3 and 40 μg m-3 with a mean of 14 μg m-3. By the end of the one-month study most instruments were in close agreement, with r-squared values between instrument pairs typically ranging from 0.7 to 0.94. Based on comparison between individual semicontinuous devices and 24-hour integrated filter measurements, most instruments were within 20-30% for nitrate (˜0.1-0.2 μg m-3) and 10-15% for sulfate (1-2 μg m-3). Within 95% confidence intervals, linear regression fits suggest that no biases existed between the semicontinuous techniques and the 24-hour integrated filter measurements of nitrate and sulfate;, however, for nitrate, the semicontinuous intercomparisons showed significantly less variability than intercomparisons amongst the 24-hour integrated filters.

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.

Radiological survey of Ingalls Shipbuilding Division, Pascagoula, Mississippi, and environs

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

Fowler, T.W.; Windham, S.T.; Callis, R.S.

1983-09-01

This report presents results of the survey conducted by EERF personnel to assess environmental radioactivity remaining from operations of nuclear-powered vessels at Ingalls Shipyard, Pascagoula, Mississippi. The purpose was to determine if there is any remaining radioactivity from previous operations which could contribute to significant population exposure. 5 references, 5 figures, 14 tables.

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

Kahraman, A. G.; Kaynak, G.; Akkaya, G.

Mosses are one of the most widely used procedures to determine via plant of radioactive contamination. The high concentrating capacity of mosses may be used as bioindicator of environmental radioactive contamination. In this study, the mosses were collected in region of Katirli Mountain in northwestern Turkey, activities were determined using TENNELEC LB 1000-PW detector. Samples of mosses growing on soil, rock, and tree bark were collected.

Environmental analysis of Acid/middle Pueblo Canyon, Los Alamos, New Mexico

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

Ferenbaugh, R.W.; Buhl, T.E.; Stoker, A.K.

1982-08-01

The radiological survey of the former radioactive waste treatment plant site (TA-45), Acid Canyon, and Pueblo Canyon found residual radioactivity at the site itself and in the channel and banks of Acid, Pueblo, and lower Los Alamos Canyons, all the way to the Rio Grande. The largest reservoir of radioactive material is in lower Pueblo Canyon, which is on DOE property. The only areas where residual radioactivity exceeds the proposed cleanup criteria are at the former vehicle decontamination facility, located between the former treatment plant site and Acid Canyon, around the former untreated waste outfall and for a short distancemore » below, and in two small areas farther down in Acid Canyon. The three alternatives proposed are (1) to take no action, (2) to fence the areas where the residual radioactivity exceeds the proposed criteria (minimal action), and (3) to clean up the former vehicle decontamination facility and around the former untreated waste outfall. Calculations based on actual measurements indicate that the annual dose at the location having the greatest residual radioactivity would be about 12% of the applicable guideline. Most doses are much smaller than that. No environmental impacts are associated with either the no-action or minimal action alternatives. The impact associated with the cleanup alternative is very small. The preferred alternative is to clean up the areas around the former vehicle decontamination facility and the untreated waste outfall. This course of action is recommended not because of any real danger associated with the residual radioactivity, but rather because the cleanup operation is a minor effort and would conform with the ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) philosophy.« less

Use of strategic environmental assessment in the site selection process for a radioactive waste disposal facility in Slovenia.

PubMed

Dermol, Urška; Kontić, Branko

2011-01-01

The benefits of strategic environmental considerations in the process of siting a repository for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW) are presented. The benefits have been explored by analyzing differences between the two site selection processes. One is a so-called official site selection process, which is implemented by the Agency for radwaste management (ARAO); the other is an optimization process suggested by experts working in the area of environmental impact assessment (EIA) and land-use (spatial) planning. The criteria on which the comparison of the results of the two site selection processes has been based are spatial organization, environmental impact, safety in terms of potential exposure of the population to radioactivity released from the repository, and feasibility of the repository from the technical, financial/economic and social point of view (the latter relates to consent by the local community for siting the repository). The site selection processes have been compared with the support of the decision expert system named DEX. The results of the comparison indicate that the sites selected by ARAO meet fewer suitability criteria than those identified by applying strategic environmental considerations in the framework of the optimization process. This result stands when taking into account spatial, environmental, safety and technical feasibility points of view. Acceptability of a site by a local community could not have been tested, since the formal site selection process has not yet been concluded; this remains as an uncertain and open point of the comparison. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design and results of the ice sheet model initialisation experiments initMIP-Greenland: an ISMIP6 intercomparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goelzer, Heiko; Nowicki, Sophie; Edwards, Tamsin; Beckley, Matthew; Abe-Ouchi, Ayako; Aschwanden, Andy; Calov, Reinhard; Gagliardini, Olivier; Gillet-Chaulet, Fabien; Golledge, Nicholas R.; Gregory, Jonathan; Greve, Ralf; Humbert, Angelika; Huybrechts, Philippe; Kennedy, Joseph H.; Larour, Eric; Lipscomb, William H.; Le clec'h, Sébastien; Lee, Victoria; Morlighem, Mathieu; Pattyn, Frank; Payne, Antony J.; Rodehacke, Christian; Rückamp, Martin; Saito, Fuyuki; Schlegel, Nicole; Seroussi, Helene; Shepherd, Andrew; Sun, Sainan; van de Wal, Roderik; Ziemen, Florian A.

2018-04-01

Earlier large-scale Greenland ice sheet sea-level projections (e.g. those run during the ice2sea and SeaRISE initiatives) have shown that ice sheet initial conditions have a large effect on the projections and give rise to important uncertainties. The goal of this initMIP-Greenland intercomparison exercise is to compare, evaluate, and improve the initialisation techniques used in the ice sheet modelling community and to estimate the associated uncertainties in modelled mass changes. initMIP-Greenland is the first in a series of ice sheet model intercomparison activities within ISMIP6 (the Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project for CMIP6), which is the primary activity within the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) focusing on the ice sheets. Two experiments for the large-scale Greenland ice sheet have been designed to allow intercomparison between participating models of (1) the initial present-day state of the ice sheet and (2) the response in two idealised forward experiments. The forward experiments serve to evaluate the initialisation in terms of model drift (forward run without additional forcing) and in response to a large perturbation (prescribed surface mass balance anomaly); they should not be interpreted as sea-level projections. We present and discuss results that highlight the diversity of data sets, boundary conditions, and initialisation techniques used in the community to generate initial states of the Greenland ice sheet. We find good agreement across the ensemble for the dynamic response to surface mass balance changes in areas where the simulated ice sheets overlap but differences arising from the initial size of the ice sheet. The model drift in the control experiment is reduced for models that participated in earlier intercomparison exercises.

Design and results of the ice sheet model initialisation experiments initMIP-Greenland: an ISMIP6 intercomparison

DOE PAGES

Goelzer, Heiko; Nowicki, Sophie; Edwards, Tamsin; ...

2018-04-19

Earlier large-scale Greenland ice sheet sea-level projections (e.g. those run during the ice2sea and SeaRISE initiatives) have shown that ice sheet initial conditions have a large effect on the projections and give rise to important uncertainties. Here, the goal of this initMIP-Greenland intercomparison exercise is to compare, evaluate, and improve the initialisation techniques used in the ice sheet modelling community and to estimate the associated uncertainties in modelled mass changes. initMIP-Greenland is the first in a series of ice sheet model intercomparison activities within ISMIP6 (the Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project for CMIP6), which is the primary activity within themore » Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) focusing on the ice sheets. Two experiments for the large-scale Greenland ice sheet have been designed to allow intercomparison between participating models of (1) the initial present-day state of the ice sheet and (2) the response in two idealised forward experiments. The forward experiments serve to evaluate the initialisation in terms of model drift (forward run without additional forcing) and in response to a large perturbation (prescribed surface mass balance anomaly); they should not be interpreted as sea-level projections. We present and discuss results that highlight the diversity of data sets, boundary conditions, and initialisation techniques used in the community to generate initial states of the Greenland ice sheet. We find good agreement across the ensemble for the dynamic response to surface mass balance changes in areas where the simulated ice sheets overlap but differences arising from the initial size of the ice sheet. The model drift in the control experiment is reduced for models that participated in earlier intercomparison exercises.« less

Design and results of the ice sheet model initialisation experiments initMIP-Greenland: an ISMIP6 intercomparison

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

Goelzer, Heiko; Nowicki, Sophie; Edwards, Tamsin

Earlier large-scale Greenland ice sheet sea-level projections (e.g. those run during the ice2sea and SeaRISE initiatives) have shown that ice sheet initial conditions have a large effect on the projections and give rise to important uncertainties. Here, the goal of this initMIP-Greenland intercomparison exercise is to compare, evaluate, and improve the initialisation techniques used in the ice sheet modelling community and to estimate the associated uncertainties in modelled mass changes. initMIP-Greenland is the first in a series of ice sheet model intercomparison activities within ISMIP6 (the Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project for CMIP6), which is the primary activity within themore » Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) focusing on the ice sheets. Two experiments for the large-scale Greenland ice sheet have been designed to allow intercomparison between participating models of (1) the initial present-day state of the ice sheet and (2) the response in two idealised forward experiments. The forward experiments serve to evaluate the initialisation in terms of model drift (forward run without additional forcing) and in response to a large perturbation (prescribed surface mass balance anomaly); they should not be interpreted as sea-level projections. We present and discuss results that highlight the diversity of data sets, boundary conditions, and initialisation techniques used in the community to generate initial states of the Greenland ice sheet. We find good agreement across the ensemble for the dynamic response to surface mass balance changes in areas where the simulated ice sheets overlap but differences arising from the initial size of the ice sheet. The model drift in the control experiment is reduced for models that participated in earlier intercomparison exercises.« less

Environmental Measurements Laboratory, annual report 1995

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

Krey, P.W.; Heit, M.

1996-07-01

This report summarizes the activities of the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) for the calendar year 1995 and serves as an annual report to the Director of the Office of Energy Research (ER), the Associate Director and staff of the Office of Health and Environmental Research (OHER), the Manager and staff of the Chicago Operations Office, and our colleagues. Emphasized are the progress and accomplishments of the year, rather than future plans or expectations. The technical summaries are grouped according to the following seven research program areas: (1) Environmental Radiation and Radioactivity; (2) Radiation Transport and Dosimetry; (3) Environmental Radon, Thoron,more » and Related Aerosols; (4) Atmospheric and Surface Pollutant Studies Related to Global Climate Change; (5) Atmospheric Chemistry; and (6) Metrology, Consultation, and Emergency Response Environmental Management The mission of EML is to address important scientific questions concerning human health and environmental impacts. Through its multidisciplinary staff, EML conducts experimental and theoretical research on radioactive and other energy-related pollutants and provides DOE and other federal agencies with the in-house capability to respond effectively and efficiently with regard to quality assurance activities, environmental issues, and related national security issues.« less

Intercomparison of three microwave/infrared high resolution line-by-line radiative transfer codes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schreier, F.; Garcia, S. Gimeno; Milz, M.; Kottayil, A.; Höpfner, M.; von Clarmann, T.; Stiller, G.

2013-05-01

An intercomparison of three line-by-line (lbl) codes developed independently for atmospheric sounding - ARTS, GARLIC, and KOPRA - has been performed for a thermal infrared nadir sounding application assuming a HIRS-like (High resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder) setup. Radiances for the HIRS infrared channels and a set of 42 atmospheric profiles from the "Garand dataset" have been computed. Results of this intercomparison and a discussion of reasons of the observed differences are presented.

Environmental assessment of the thermal neutron activation explosive detection system for concourse use at US airports

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

Jones, C.G.

1990-08-01

This document is an environmental assessment of a system designed to detect the presence of explosives in checked airline baggage or cargo. The system is meant to be installed at the concourse or lobby ticketing areas of US commercial airports and uses a sealed radioactive source of californium-252 to irradiate baggage items. The major impact of the use of this system arises from direct exposure of the public to scattered or leakage radiation from the source and to induced radioactivity in baggage items. Under normal operation and the most likely accident scenarios, the environmental impacts that would be created bymore » the proposed licensing action would not be significant. 44 refs., 19 figs., 18 tabs.« less

40 CFR 191.04 - Alternative standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... PROGRAMS ENVIRONMENTAL RADIATION PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR MANAGEMENT AND DISPOSAL OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL AND TRANSURANIC RADIOACTIVE WASTES Environmental Standards for Management and Storage § 191.04 Alternative standards. (a) The Administrator may issue alternative standards from those standards...

Computer Models Used to Support Cleanup Decision Making at Hazardous and Radioactive Waste Sites

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report is a product of the Interagency Environmental Pathway Modeling Workgroup. This report will help bring a uniform approach to solving environmental modeling problems common to site remediation and restoration efforts.

ISMIP6 - initMIP: Greenland ice sheet model initialisation experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goelzer, Heiko; Nowicki, Sophie; Payne, Tony; Larour, Eric; Abe Ouchi, Ayako; Gregory, Jonathan; Lipscomb, William; Seroussi, Helene; Shepherd, Andrew; Edwards, Tamsin

2016-04-01

Earlier large-scale Greenland ice sheet sea-level projections e.g. those run during ice2sea and SeaRISE initiatives have shown that ice sheet initialisation can have a large effect on the projections and gives rise to important uncertainties. This intercomparison exercise (initMIP) aims at comparing, evaluating and improving the initialization techniques used in the ice sheet modeling community and to estimate the associated uncertainties. It is the first in a series of ice sheet model intercomparison activities within ISMIP6 (Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project for CMIP6). The experiments are conceived for the large-scale Greenland ice sheet and are designed to allow intercomparison between participating models of 1) the initial present-day state of the ice sheet and 2) the response in two schematic forward experiments. The latter experiments serve to evaluate the initialisation in terms of model drift (forward run without any forcing) and response to a large perturbation (prescribed surface mass balance anomaly). We present and discuss first results of the intercomparison and highlight important uncertainties with respect to projections of the Greenland ice sheet sea-level contribution.

76 FR 9379 - Exelon Generation Company, LLC; Lasalle County Station, Units 1 and 2; Environmental Assessment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-17

...-38, ``Storage of Low-Level Radioactive Wastes at Power Reactor Sites'' and to meet the radiation protection standards in 10 CFR Part 20, ``Standards for Protection Against Radiation,'' and 40 CFR Part 190, ``Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Nuclear Power Operations.'' Environmental Impacts of the...

Rapid Evaluation of Radioactive Contamination in Rare Earth Mine Mining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, N.

2017-12-01

In order to estimate the current levels of environmental radioactivity in Bayan Obo rare earth mine and to study the rapid evaluation methods of radioactivity contamination in the rare earth mine, the surveys of the in-situ gamma-ray spectrometry and gamma dose rate measurement were carried out around the mining area and living area. The in-situ gamma-ray spectrometer was composed of a scintillation detector of NaI(Tl) (Φ75mm×75mm) and a multichannel analyzer. Our survey results in Bayan Obo Mine display: (1) Thorium-232 is the radioactive contamination source of this region, and uranium-238 and potassium - 40 is at the background level. (2) The average content of thorium-232 in the slag of the tailings dam in Bayan Obo is as high as 276 mg/kg, which is 37 times as the global average value of thorium content. (3) We found that the thorium-232 content in the soil in the living area near the mining is higher than that in the local soil in Guyang County. The average thorium-232 concentrations in the mining areas of the Bayan Obo Mine and the living areas of the Bayan Obo Town were 18.7±7.5 and 26.2±9.1 mg/kg, respectively. (4) It was observed that thorium-232 was abnormal distributed in the contaminated area near the tailings dam. Our preliminary research results show that the in-situ gamma-ray spectrometry is an effective approach of fast evaluating rare earths radioactive pollution, not only can the scene to determine the types of radioactive contamination source, but also to measure the radioactivity concentration of thorium and uranium in soil. The environmental radioactive evaluation of rare earth ore and tailings dam in open-pit mining is also needed. The research was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41674111).

An intercomparison of nitric oxide measurement techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoell, J. M., Jr.; Gregory, G. L.; Mcdougal, D. S.; Carroll, M. A.; Mcfarland, M.; Ridley, B. A.; Davis, D. D.; Bradshaw, J.; Rodgers, M. O.; Torres, A. L.

1985-01-01

Results from an intercomparison of techniques to measure tropospheric levels of nitric oxide (NO) are discussed. The intercomparison was part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Global Tropospheric Experiment and was conducted at Wallops Island, VA, in July 1983. Instruments intercompared included a laser-induced fluorescence system and two chemiluminescence instruments. The intercomparisons were performed with ambient air at NO mixing ratios ranging from 10 to 60 pptv and NO-enriched ambient air at mixing ratios from 20 to 170 pptv. All instruments sampled from a common manifold. The techniques exhibited a high degree of correlation among themselves and with changes in the NO mixing ratio. Agreement among the three techniques was placed at approximately + or - 30 percent. Within this level of agreement, no artifacts or species interferences were identified.

ISMIP6: Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project for CMIP6

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nowicki, S.

2015-01-01

ISMIP6 (Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project for CMIP6) targets the Cryosphere in a Changing Climate and the Future Sea Level Grand Challenges of the WCRP (World Climate Research Program). Primary goal is to provide future sea level contribution from the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, along with associated uncertainty. Secondary goal is to investigate feedback due to dynamic ice sheet models. Experiment design uses and augment the existing CMIP6 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6) DECK (Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Characterization of Klima) experiments. Additonal MIP (Model Intercomparison Project)- specific experiments will be designed for ISM (Ice Sheet Model). Effort builds on the Ice2sea, SeaRISE (Sea-level Response to Ice Sheet Evolution) and COMBINE (Comprehensive Modelling of the Earth System for Better Climate Prediction and Projection) efforts.

Radioactive particles released to the environment from the Fukushima reactors-Confirmation is still needed.

PubMed

Salbu, Brit; Lind, Ole Christian

2016-10-01

After severe nuclear events, a major fraction of refractory radionuclides such as U and Pu are released to the environment in the form of radioactive particles. After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, Pu isotope ratio signals different from that of global fallout have been reported, indicating that spent fuel particles have been released from the reactors or reactor vessels. Radioactive particles containing (37) Cs and other volatile radionuclides, as well as a series of stable refractory metals (Cs, Fe, Zn, U, etc.), have been identified by several authors claiming that these particles originated from the FDNPP fuel. If so, long-lived radioactive isotopes of the refractory metals should have been identified in these particles. It is therefore most probable that volatile radionuclides released as gases during the accidents have deposited on available surfaces such as fly ash, forming condensation particles during release or transport. If spent fuel particles have been deposited in the FDNPP surroundings, information on particle characteristics influencing ecosystem transport, uptake, and effects is essential for assessing environmental impact and risk. More emphasis should therefore be put on the identification of hot spots in the FDNPP environment followed by the characterization of radioactive particles using nanoanalytical-microanalytical techniques to support environmental monitoring, as recommended in the present study. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2016;12:687-689. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

Environmental Impact From Accelerator Operation at SLAC

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

Liu, James C

1999-03-22

Environmental impacts from electron accelerator operations at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, which is located near populated areas, are illustrated by using examples of three different accelerator facilities: the low power (a few watts) SSRL, the high power (a few kilowatts) PEP-II, and the 50-kW SLC. Three types of major impacts are discussed: (1) off-site doses from skyshine radiation, mainly neutrons, (2) off-site doses from radioactive air emission, mainly {sup 13}N, and (3) radioactivities, mainly {sup 3}H, produced in the groundwater. It was found that, from SSRL operation, the skyshine radiation result in a MEI (Maximum Exposed Individual) of 0.3more » {mu}Sv/y while a conservative calculation using CAP88 showed a MEI of 0.36 {mu}Sv/y from radioactive air releases. The calculated MEI doses due to future PEP-II operation are 30 {mu}Sv/y from skyshine radiation and 2 {mu}Sv/y from air releases. The population doses due to radioactive air emission are 0.5 person-mSv from SSRL and 12 person-mSv from PEP-II. Because of the stronger decrease of skyshine dose as the distance increases, the population dose from skyshine radiation are smaller than that from air release. The third environmental impact, tritium activity produced in the groundwater, was also demonstrated to be acceptable from both the well water measurements and the FLUKA calculations for the worst case of the SLC high-power dump.« less

Analysis of ultrasonic effect on powder and application to radioactive sample compaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jungsoon; Sim, Minseop; Kim, Jihyang; Kim, Moojoon

2018-07-01

The effect of ultrasound on powder compaction was analyzed. The decreasing in the friction coefficient of the powder sample is derived theoretically. The compaction rate was improved by the ultrasound. We applied the effect to the compaction of environmental radioactive soil samples. From γ-ray spectroscopy analysis, more radionuclides could be detectable in the sample compacted with ultrasound.

75 FR 20582 - Record of Decision: Final Environmental Impact Statement for Decommissioning and/or Long-Term...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-20

... storage tanks and facilities used in the solidification of high-level radioactive waste, and any material... Act (Pub. L. 96-368, 42 U.S.C. 2021a). The WVDP Act requires DOE to demonstrate that the liquid high... take the following actions: 1. Solidify high-level radioactive waste by vitrification or such other...

Separation of rare gases and chiral molecules by selective binding in porous organic cages

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

Chen, Linjiang; Reiss, Paul S.; Chong, Samantha Y.

2014-10-31

Abstract: The rare gases krypton, xenon, and radon pose both an economic opportunity and a potential environmental hazard. Xenon is used in commercial lighting, medical imaging, and anesthesia, and can sell for $5,000 per kilogram. Radon, by contrast, Is naturally radioactive and the second largest cause of lung cancer, and radioactive xenon, 133Xe, was a major pollutant released In the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant disaster. We describe an organic cage molecule that can capture xenon and radon with unprecedented selectivity, suggesting new technologies for environmental monitoring, removal of pollutants, or the recovery of rare, valuable elements from air.

MANAGING UNCERTAINTIES ASSOCIATED WITH RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL: TASK GROUP 4 OF THE IAEA PRISM PROJECT

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

Seitz, R.

2011-03-02

It is widely recognized that the results of safety assessment calculations provide an important contribution to the safety arguments for a disposal facility, but cannot in themselves adequately demonstrate the safety of the disposal system. The safety assessment and a broader range of arguments and activities need to be considered holistically to justify radioactive waste disposal at any particular site. Many programs are therefore moving towards the production of what has become known as a Safety Case, which includes all of the different activities that are conducted to demonstrate the safety of a disposal concept. Recognizing the growing interest inmore » the concept of a Safety Case, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is undertaking an intercomparison and harmonization project called PRISM (Practical Illustration and use of the Safety Case Concept in the Management of Near-surface Disposal). The PRISM project is organized into four Task Groups that address key aspects of the Safety Case concept: Task Group 1 - Understanding the Safety Case; Task Group 2 - Disposal facility design; Task Group 3 - Managing waste acceptance; and Task Group 4 - Managing uncertainty. This paper addresses the work of Task Group 4, which is investigating approaches for managing the uncertainties associated with near-surface disposal of radioactive waste and their consideration in the context of the Safety Case. Emphasis is placed on identifying a wide variety of approaches that can and have been used to manage different types of uncertainties, especially non-quantitative approaches that have not received as much attention in previous IAEA projects. This paper includes discussions of the current results of work on the task on managing uncertainty, including: the different circumstances being considered, the sources/types of uncertainties being addressed and some initial proposals for approaches that can be used to manage different types of uncertainties.« less

Environmental Support for Electro Optics Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-04-01

particles of the atmosphere, it is desirable to determine the size, number concentration, chemical composition, charge carried, if any, radioactivity , if...Proceedings of Symposium on Multiple-Source Urban Diffusion Models, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Air Polution Control Office, Research Triangle Park

Use of Iodine-131 to Tellurium-132 Ratios for Assessing the Relationships between Human Inhaled Radioactivity and Environmental Monitoring after the Accident in Fukushima.

PubMed

Uchiyama, Koji; Miyashita, Masami; Tanishima, Yoshinobu; Maeda, Shigenobu; Sato, Hitoshi; Yoshikawa, Jun; Watanabe, Shuji; Shibata, Masamichi; Ohhira, Shuji; Kobashi, Gen

2018-03-09

Significant differences in findings were seen between the intake amounts of iodine-131 that were derived from direct measurements and the estimated intake from environmental monitoring data at the Fukushima accident. To clarify these discrepancies, we have investigated the iodine-131 and tellurium-132 body burdens of five human subjects, who after being exposed to a radioactive plume, underwent 21.5 h whole body counter measurements at Fukui Prefectural Hospital, so clear intake scenario and thyroid counter measurement data were available. To determine the iodine-131 and tellurium-132 body burdens, we introduced a new method of whole body counter calibration composed of a self-consistent approach with the time-dependent correction efficiency factors concept. The ratios of iodine-131 to tellurium-132, ranging from 0.96 ± 0.05 to 2.29 ± 0.38, were consistent with results of the environmental measurements. The 24 h iodine uptake values ranging from 12.1-16.0% were within euthyroid range in Japanese people. These results suggest, even if the relatively low thyroid iodine uptake in the Japanese population was taken into consideration, that there is no doubt about the consistency between direct measurements and environmental monitoring data. Adequate intake scenario is suggested to be principally important to estimate the inhaled radioactivity in areas in or around nuclear accidents.

The Tradescantia micronucleus assay is a highly sensitive tool for the detection of low levels of radioactivity in environmental samples.

PubMed

Mišík, Miroslav; Krupitza, Georg; Mišíková, Katarina; Mičieta, Karol; Nersesyan, Armen; Kundi, Michael; Knasmueller, Siegfried

2016-12-01

Environmental contamination with radioactive materials of geogenic and anthropogenic origin is a global problem. A variety of mutagenicity test procedures has been developed which enable the detection of DNA damage caused by ionizing radiation which plays a key role in the adverse effects caused by radioisotopes. In the present study, we investigated the usefulness of the Tradescantia micronucleus test (the most widely used plant based genotoxicity bioassay) for the detection of genetic damage caused by environmental samples and a human artifact (ceramic plate) which contained radioactive elements. We compared the results obtained with different exposure protocols and found that direct exposure of the inflorescences is more sensitive and that the number of micronuclei can be further increased under "wet" conditions. The lowest dose rate which caused a significant effect was 1.2 μGy/h (10 h). Comparisons with the results obtained with other systems (i.e. with mitotic cells of higher plants, molluscs, insects, fish and human lymphocytes) show that the Tradescantia MN assay is one to three orders of magnitude more sensitive as other models, which are currently available. Taken together, our findings indicate that this method is due to its high sensitivity a unique tool, which can be used for environmental biomonitoring in radiation polluted areas. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The PMIP4 contribution to CMIP6 - Part 1: Overview and over-arching analysis plan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kageyama, Masa; Braconnot, Pascale; Harrison, Sandy P.; Haywood, Alan M.; Jungclaus, Johann H.; Otto-Bliesner, Bette L.; Peterschmitt, Jean-Yves; Abe-Ouchi, Ayako; Albani, Samuel; Bartlein, Patrick J.; Brierley, Chris; Crucifix, Michel; Dolan, Aisling; Fernandez-Donado, Laura; Fischer, Hubertus; Hopcroft, Peter O.; Ivanovic, Ruza F.; Lambert, Fabrice; Lunt, Daniel J.; Mahowald, Natalie M.; Peltier, W. Richard; Phipps, Steven J.; Roche, Didier M.; Schmidt, Gavin A.; Tarasov, Lev; Valdes, Paul J.; Zhang, Qiong; Zhou, Tianjun

2018-03-01

This paper is the first of a series of four GMD papers on the PMIP4-CMIP6 experiments. Part 2 (Otto-Bliesner et al., 2017) gives details about the two PMIP4-CMIP6 interglacial experiments, Part 3 (Jungclaus et al., 2017) about the last millennium experiment, and Part 4 (Kageyama et al., 2017) about the Last Glacial Maximum experiment. The mid-Pliocene Warm Period experiment is part of the Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP) - Phase 2, detailed in Haywood et al. (2016).The goal of the Paleoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project (PMIP) is to understand the response of the climate system to different climate forcings for documented climatic states very different from the present and historical climates. Through comparison with observations of the environmental impact of these climate changes, or with climate reconstructions based on physical, chemical, or biological records, PMIP also addresses the issue of how well state-of-the-art numerical models simulate climate change. Climate models are usually developed using the present and historical climates as references, but climate projections show that future climates will lie well outside these conditions. Palaeoclimates very different from these reference states therefore provide stringent tests for state-of-the-art models and a way to assess whether their sensitivity to forcings is compatible with palaeoclimatic evidence. Simulations of five different periods have been designed to address the objectives of the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6): the millennium prior to the industrial epoch (CMIP6 name: past1000); the mid-Holocene, 6000 years ago (midHolocene); the Last Glacial Maximum, 21 000 years ago (lgm); the Last Interglacial, 127 000 years ago (lig127k); and the mid-Pliocene Warm Period, 3.2 million years ago (midPliocene-eoi400). These climatic periods are well documented by palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental records, with climate and environmental changes relevant for the study and projection of future climate changes. This paper describes the motivation for the choice of these periods and the design of the numerical experiments and database requests, with a focus on their novel features compared to the experiments performed in previous phases of PMIP and CMIP. It also outlines the analysis plan that takes advantage of the comparisons of the results across periods and across CMIP6 in collaboration with other MIPs.

MMAB Sea Ice Forecast Page

Science.gov Websites

verification statistics Grumbine, R. W., Virtual Floe Ice Drift Forecast Model Intercomparison, Weather and Forecasting, 13, 886-890, 1998. MMAB Note: Virtual Floe Ice Drift Forecast Model Intercomparison 1996 pdf ~47

Intercomparison of chemical mechanisms for air quality policy formulation and assessment under North American conditions.

PubMed

Derwent, Richard

2017-07-01

The intercomparison of seven chemical mechanisms for their suitability for air quality policy formulation and assessment is described. Box modeling techniques were employed using 44 sets of background environmental conditions covering North America to constrain the chemical development of the longer lived species. The selected mechanisms were modified to enable an unbiased assessment of the adequacy of the parameterizations of photochemical ozone production from volatile organic compound (VOC) oxidation in the presence of NO x . Photochemical ozone production rates responded differently to 30% NO x and VOC reductions with the different mechanisms, despite the striking similarities between the base-case ozone production rates. The 30% reductions in NO x and VOCs also produced changes in OH. The responses in OH to 30% reductions in NO x and VOCs appeared to be more sensitive to mechanism choice, compared with the responses in the photochemical ozone production rates. Although 30% NO x reductions generally led to decreases in OH, 30% reductions in VOCs led to increases in OH, irrespective of mechanism choice and background environmental conditions. The different mechanisms therefore gave different OH responses to NO x and VOC reductions and so would give different responses in terms of changes in the fate and behavior of air toxics, acidification and eutrophication, and fine particle formation compared with others, in response to ozone control strategies. Policymakers need to understand that there are likely to be inherent differences in the responses to ozone control strategies between different mechanisms, depending on background environmental conditions and the extents of NO x and VOC reductions under consideration. The purpose of this paper is to compare predicted ozone responses to NO x and VOC reductions with seven chemical mechanisms under North American conditions. The good agreement found between the tested mechanisms should provide some support for their application in the air quality models used for policymaking.

Role of soil-to-leaf tritium transfer in controlling leaf tritium dynamics: Comparison of experimental garden and tritium-transfer model results.

PubMed

Ota, Masakazu; Kwamena, Nana-Owusua A; Mihok, Steve; Korolevych, Volodymyr

2017-11-01

Environmental transfer models assume that organically-bound tritium (OBT) is formed directly from tissue-free water tritium (TFWT) in environmental compartments. Nevertheless, studies in the literature have shown that measured OBT/HTO ratios in environmental samples are variable and generally higher than expected. The importance of soil-to-leaf HTO transfer pathway in controlling the leaf tritium dynamics is not well understood. A model inter-comparison of two tritium transfer models (CTEM-CLASS-TT and SOLVEG-II) was carried out with measured environmental samples from an experimental garden plot set up next to a tritium-processing facility. The garden plot received one of three different irrigation treatments - no external irrigation, irrigation with low tritium water and irrigation with high tritium water. The contrast between the results obtained with the different irrigation treatments provided insights into the impact of soil-to-leaf HTO transfer on the leaf tritium dynamics. Concentrations of TFWT and OBT in the garden plots that were not irrigated or irrigated with low tritium water were variable, responding to the arrival of the HTO-plume from the tritium-processing facility. In contrast, for the plants irrigated with high tritium water, the TFWT concentration remained elevated during the entire experimental period due to a continuous source of high HTO in the soil. Calculated concentrations of OBT in the leaves showed an initial increase followed by quasi-equilibration with the TFWT concentration. In this quasi-equilibrium state, concentrations of OBT remained elevated and unchanged despite the arrivals of the plume. These results from the model inter-comparison demonstrate that soil-to-leaf HTO transfer significantly affects tritium dynamics in leaves and thereby OBT/HTO ratio in the leaf regardless of the atmospheric HTO concentration, only if there is elevated HTO concentrations in the soil. The results of this work indicate that assessment models should be refined to consider the importance of soil-to-leaf HTO transfer to ensure that dose estimates are accurate and conservative. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NATIONAL QA STANDARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS FOR HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

EPA Science Inventory

The clean-up of Federally-owned facilities contaminated by mixtures of hazardous chemical and radioactive wastes involves critical decisions based on environmental data. ederal agencies are currently using several different standards or sets of requirements, including U.S. Enviro...

DEVELOPMENT OF A NATIONAL CONSENSUS STANDARD FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS

EPA Science Inventory

Decisions on where and how to clean-up Federally-owned facilities contaminated by mixtures of hazardous chemical and radioactive wastes requires that quality environmental data be obtained. he Federal Government currently using several different standards or sets of requirements ...

Preparation of a deuterated polymer: Simulating to produce a solid tritium radioactive source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Rui; Kan, Wentao; Xiong, Xiaoling; Wei, Hongyuan

2017-08-01

The preparation of a deuterated polymer was performed in order to simulate the production of the corresponding tritiated polymer as a solid tritium radioactive source. Substitution and addition reaction were used to introduce deuterium into the polymer. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance and FT-IR spectroscopy were used to investigate the extent and location of deuterium in the polymer, indicating an effectively deuterated polymer was produced. The thermal analysis showed that the final polymer product could tolerate the environmental temperature below 125 °C in its application. This research provides a prosperous method to prepare solid tritium radioactive source.

Results of the Greenland Ice Sheet Model Initialisation Experiments ISMIP6 - initMIP-Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goelzer, H.; Nowicki, S.; Edwards, T.; Beckley, M.; Abe-Ouchi, A.; Aschwanden, A.; Calov, R.; Gagliardini, O.; Gillet-chaulet, F.; Golledge, N. R.; Gregory, J. M.; Greve, R.; Humbert, A.; Huybrechts, P.; Larour, E. Y.; Lipscomb, W. H.; Le ´h, S.; Lee, V.; Kennedy, J. H.; Pattyn, F.; Payne, A. J.; Rodehacke, C. B.; Rückamp, M.; Saito, F.; Schlegel, N.; Seroussi, H. L.; Shepherd, A.; Sun, S.; Vandewal, R.; Ziemen, F. A.

2016-12-01

Earlier large-scale Greenland ice sheet sea-level projections e.g. those run during ice2sea and SeaRISE initiatives have shown that ice sheet initialisation can have a large effect on the projections and gives rise to important uncertainties. The goal of this intercomparison exercise (initMIP-Greenland) is to compare, evaluate and improve the initialization techniques used in the ice sheet modeling community and to estimate the associated uncertainties. It is the first in a series of ice sheet model intercomparison activities within ISMIP6 (Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project for CMIP6). Two experiments for the large-scale Greenland ice sheet have been designed to allow intercomparison between participating models of 1) the initial present-day state of the ice sheet and 2) the response in two schematic forward experiments. The forward experiments serve to evaluate the initialisation in terms of model drift (forward run without any forcing) and response to a large perturbation (prescribed surface mass balance anomaly). We present and discuss final results of the intercomparison and highlight important uncertainties with respect to projections of the Greenland ice sheet sea-level contribution.

The atmospheric effects of stratospheric aircraft. Report of the 1992 Models and Measurements Workshop. Volume 1: Workshop objectives and summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prather, Michael J. (Editor); Remsburg, Ellis E. (Editor)

1993-01-01

This Workshop on Stratospheric Models and Measurements (M&M) marks a significant expansion in the history of model intercomparisons. It provides a foundation for establishing the credibility of stratospheric models used in environmental assessments of chlorofluorocarbons, aircraft emissions, and climate-chemistry interactions. The core of the M&M comparisons involves the selection of observations of the current stratosphere (i.e., within the last 15 years): these data are believed to be accurate and representative of certain aspects of stratospheric chemistry and dynamics that the models should be able to simulate.

The atmospheric effects of stratospheric aircraft. Report of the 1992 Models and Measurements Workshop. Volume 2: Comparisons with global atmospheric measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prather, Michael J. (Editor); Remsberg, Ellis E. (Editor)

1993-01-01

This Workshop on Stratospheric Models and Measurements (M&M) marks a significant expansion in the history of model intercomparisons. It provides a foundation for establishing the credibility of stratospheric models used in environmental assessments of chlorofluorocarbons, aircraft emissions, and climate-chemistry interactions. The core of the M&M comparisons involves the selection of observations of the current stratosphere (i.e., within the last 15 years): these data are believed to be accurate and representative of certain aspects of stratospheric chemistry and dynamics that the models should be able to simulate.

The atmospheric effects of stratospheric aircraft. Report of the 1992 Models and Measurements Workshop. Volume 3: Special diagnostic studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prather, Michael J. (Editor); Remsberg, Ellis E. (Editor)

1993-01-01

This Workshop on Stratospheric Models and Measurements (M&M) marks a significant expansion in the history of model intercomparisons. It provides a foundation for establishing the credibility of stratospheric models used in environmental assessments of chlorofluorocarbons, aircraft emissions, and climate-chemistry interactions. The core of the M&M comparisons involves the selection of observations of the current stratosphere (i.e., within the last 15 years): these data are believed to be accurate and representative of certain aspects of stratospheric chemistry and dynamics that the models should be able to simulate.

Procedures for Environmental Impact Analysis and Planning.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-10-01

broad Office of the Chairman, New England agencies may use this list as a reference categories: polution control. energy. land River Basins Commission...Pollutants including radioactive A. Weted Reodifcatnm materials. 42 U.S.C. 7412(c). a Waterwasgulatm sad Stra Department of the Interior Mmfl t on and...Regulatory CommissionD Geological Survey (emissions from o Forest Service (effects of air outer-continental shelf lease ( Radioactive substances.) pollution

Federal Register Notice: State Authorization To Regulate the Hazardous Components of Radioactive Mixed Wastes Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is today publishing a notice that in order to obtain and maintain authorization to administer and enforce a hazardous waste program pursuant to Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), States must have authority to regulate the hazardous components of 'radioactive mixed wastes.

Intercomparison of ground-based NO y measurement techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, E. J.; Baumann, K.; Roberts, J. M.; Bertman, S. B.; Norton, R. B.; Fehsenfeld, F. C.; Springston, S. R.; Nunnermacker, L. J.; Newman, L.; Olszyna, K.; Meagher, J.; Hartsell, B.; Edgerton, E.; Pearson, J. R.; Rodgers, M. O.

1998-09-01

An informal intercomparison of NOy measurement techniques was conducted from June 13 to July 22, 1994, at a site in Hendersonville, Tennessee, near Nashville. The intercomparison involved five research institutions: Brookhaven National Laboratory, Environmental Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, NOAA/Aeronomy Laboratory, and Tennessee Valley Authority. The NOy measurement techniques relied on the reduction of NOy species to NO followed by detection of NO using O3-chemiluminescence. The NOy methods used either the Au-catalyzed conversion of NOy to NO in the presence of CO or H2 or the reduction of NOy to NO on a heated molybdenum oxide surface. Other measurements included O3, NOx, PAN and other organic peroxycarboxylic nitric anhydrides, HNO3 and particulate nitrate, and meteorological parameters. The intercomparison consisted of six weeks of ambient air sampling with instruments and inlet systems normally used by the groups for field measurements. In addition, periodic challenges to the instruments (spike tests) were conducted with known levels of NO, NO2, NPN, HNO3 and NH3. The NOy levels were typically large and highly variable, ranging from 2 ppbv to about 100 ppbv, and for much of the time was composed mostly of NOx from nearby sources. The spike tests results and ambient air results were consistent only when NOx was a substantial fraction of NOy. Inconsistency with ambient air data and the other spike test results is largely attributed to imprecision in the spike results due to the high and variable NOy background. For the ambient air data, a high degree of correlation was found with the different data sets. Of the seven NOy instrument/converters deployed at the site, two (one Au and one Mo) showed evidence of some loss of conversion efficiency. This occurred when the more oxidized NOy species (e.g., HNO3) were in relatively high abundance, as shown by analysis of one period of intense photochemical activity. For five of the instruments, no significant differences were found in the effectiveness of NOy conversion at these levels of NOy with either Au or Mo converters. Within the estimated uncertainty limits there was agreement between the sum of the separately measured NOy species and the NOy measured by the five of the seven techniques. These results indicate that NOy can be measured reliably in urban and suburban environments with existing instrumentation.

2010 Annual Summary Report for the Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Management Sites at the Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

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

NSTec Environmental Management

2011-03-01

The U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office performed an annual review of the Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) Performance Assessments (PAs) and Composite Analyses (CAs) in fiscal year (FY) 2010. This annual summary report presents data and conclusions from the FY 2010 review, and determines the adequacy of the PAs and CAs. Operational factors (e.g., waste forms and containers, facility design, and waste receipts), closure plans, monitoring results, and research and development (R&D) activities were reviewed to determine the adequacy of the PAs. Likewise, the environmental restoration activities at themore » Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) (formerly the Nevada Test Site) relevant to the sources of residual radioactive material that are considered in the CAs, the land-use planning, and the results of the environmental monitoring and R&D activities were reviewed to determine the adequacy of the CAs.« less

Lessons Learned from Autopsying an Unidentified Body with Iodine-125 Seeds Implanted for Prostate Brachytherapy.

PubMed

Idota, Nozomi; Nakamura, Mami; Masui, Koji; Kakiuchi, Yasuhiro; Yamada, Kei; Ikegaya, Hiroshi

2017-03-01

We report here lessons learned from an autopsy case involving radioactive materials. We performed an autopsy of an unidentified mummified man with no available medical history whom from imaging findings we suspected had received radioactive seed implants for prostate brachytherapy. We returned the excised prostate and seeds to the body. A few days later, the body was identified by DNA matching and cremated. According to the man's medical record, he had undergone iodine-125 seeds implantation for prostate cancer 11 months earlier. We should have removed the radioactive seeds from the body to prevent radiation exposure to the bereaved family and/or environmental pollution due to cremation. Surprisingly, one seed was found in the stored prostate specimen. Forensic experts should be cognizant of the risk of both radiation exposure in the autopsy room and environmental pollution. We must remain abreast of the latest advances in medicine. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

10 CFR 72.34 - Environmental report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Environmental report. 72.34 Section 72.34 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDEPENDENT STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE License Application, Form...

Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and Transuranic Radioactive Wastes (40 CFR Part 191)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This regulation sets environmental standards for public protection from the management and disposal of spent nuclear fuel, high-level wastes and wastes that contain elements with atomic numbers higher than uranium (transuranic wastes).

Fact Sheet: Environmental Characteristics of EPA, NRC, and DOE Sites Contaminated with Radioactive Substances

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This fact sheet summarizes the findings of a report by a joint Interagency Environmental Pathway Modeling Working Group. It was designed to be used by technical staff responsible for implementing flow and transport models to support cleanup decisions.

RADON REDUCTION IN A CRAWL SPACE HOUSE

EPA Science Inventory

Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, is drawn from the soil into a house when low air pressure exists in the house. This is a commonplace environmental hazard in the United States, Canada, and northern Europe. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is developing ...

40 CFR 191.21 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... of any site required to be characterized under section 113(a) of Public Law 97-425, 96 Stat. 2201. ... ENVIRONMENTAL RADIATION PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR MANAGEMENT AND DISPOSAL OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL AND TRANSURANIC RADIOACTIVE WASTES Environmental Standards for Ground-Water Protection § 191.21 Applicability. (a...

10 CFR 61.53 - Environmental monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR LAND DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE Technical Requirements for Land Disposal Facilities § 61.53 Environmental monitoring. (a) At the time a... radionuclides would indicate that the performance objectives of subpart C may not be met. (c) During the land...

10 CFR 61.53 - Environmental monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR LAND DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE Technical Requirements for Land Disposal Facilities § 61.53 Environmental monitoring. (a) At the time a... radionuclides would indicate that the performance objectives of subpart C may not be met. (c) During the land...

10 CFR 61.53 - Environmental monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR LAND DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE Technical Requirements for Land Disposal Facilities § 61.53 Environmental monitoring. (a) At the time a... radionuclides would indicate that the performance objectives of subpart C may not be met. (c) During the land...

10 CFR 61.53 - Environmental monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR LAND DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE Technical Requirements for Land Disposal Facilities § 61.53 Environmental monitoring. (a) At the time a... radionuclides would indicate that the performance objectives of subpart C may not be met. (c) During the land...

10 CFR 61.53 - Environmental monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR LAND DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE Technical Requirements for Land Disposal Facilities § 61.53 Environmental monitoring. (a) At the time a... radionuclides would indicate that the performance objectives of subpart C may not be met. (c) During the land...

Allium-test as a tool for toxicity testing of environmental radioactive-chemical mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oudalova, A. A.; Geras'kin, S. A.; Dikareva, N. S.; Pyatkova, S. V.

2017-01-01

Bioassay-based approaches have been propagated to assess toxicity of unknown mixtures of environmental contaminants, but it was rarely applied in cases of chemicals with radionuclides combinations. Two Allium-test studies were performed to assess environmental impact from potential sources of combined radioactive-chemical pollution. Study sites were located at nuclear waste storage facilities in European and in Far-Eastern parts of Russia. As environmental media under impact, waters from monitor wells and nearby water bodies were tested. Concentrations of some chemicals and radionuclides in the samples collected enhanced the permitted limits. Cytogenetic and cytotoxic effects were used as biological endpoints, namely, frequency and spectrum of chromosome aberrations and mitotic abnormalities in anatelophase cells as well as mitotic activity in Allium root tips. Sample points were revealed where waters have an enhanced mutagenic potential. The findings obtained could be used to optimize monitoring system and advance decision making on management and rehabilitation of industrial sites. The Allium-test could be recommended and applied as an effective tool for toxicity testing in case of combined contamination of environmental compartments with radionuclides and chemical compounds.

Assessing agricultural risks of climate change in the 21st century in a global gridded crop model intercomparison

PubMed Central

Rosenzweig, Cynthia; Elliott, Joshua; Deryng, Delphine; Ruane, Alex C.; Müller, Christoph; Arneth, Almut; Boote, Kenneth J.; Folberth, Christian; Glotter, Michael; Khabarov, Nikolay; Neumann, Kathleen; Piontek, Franziska; Pugh, Thomas A. M.; Schmid, Erwin; Stehfest, Elke; Yang, Hong; Jones, James W.

2014-01-01

Here we present the results from an intercomparison of multiple global gridded crop models (GGCMs) within the framework of the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project and the Inter-Sectoral Impacts Model Intercomparison Project. Results indicate strong negative effects of climate change, especially at higher levels of warming and at low latitudes; models that include explicit nitrogen stress project more severe impacts. Across seven GGCMs, five global climate models, and four representative concentration pathways, model agreement on direction of yield changes is found in many major agricultural regions at both low and high latitudes; however, reducing uncertainty in sign of response in mid-latitude regions remains a challenge. Uncertainties related to the representation of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and high temperature effects demonstrated here show that further research is urgently needed to better understand effects of climate change on agricultural production and to devise targeted adaptation strategies. PMID:24344314

Assessing Agricultural Risks of Climate Change in the 21st Century in a Global Gridded Crop Model Intercomparison

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenzweig, Cynthia E.; Elliott, Joshua; Deryng, Delphine; Ruane, Alex C.; Mueller, Christoph; Arneth, Almut; Boote, Kenneth J.; Folberth, Christian; Glotter, Michael; Khabarov, Nikolay

2014-01-01

Here we present the results from an intercomparison of multiple global gridded crop models (GGCMs) within the framework of the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project and the Inter-Sectoral Impacts Model Intercomparison Project. Results indicate strong negative effects of climate change, especially at higher levels of warming and at low latitudes; models that include explicit nitrogen stress project more severe impacts. Across seven GGCMs, five global climate models, and four representative concentration pathways, model agreement on direction of yield changes is found in many major agricultural regions at both low and high latitudes; however, reducing uncertainty in sign of response in mid-latitude regions remains a challenge. Uncertainties related to the representation of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and high temperature effects demonstrated here show that further research is urgently needed to better understand effects of climate change on agricultural production and to devise targeted adaptation strategies.

The Dynamics of Population, Built-up Areas and their Evolving Associations in Gridded Population across Time and Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevens, F. R.; Gaughan, A. E.; Tatem, A. J.; Linard, C.; Sorichetta, A.; Nieves, J. J.; Reed, P.

2017-12-01

Gridded population data is commonly used to understand the `now' of hazard risk and mitigation management, health and disease modelling, and global change-, economic-, environmental-, and sustainability-related research. But to understand how human population change at local to global scales influences and is influenced by environmental changes requires novel ways of treating data and statistically describing associations of measured population counts with associated covariates. One of the most critical components in such gridded estimates is the relationship between built-up areas and population located in these areas. This relationship is rarely static and accurately estimating changes in built-areas through time and the changing human population around them is critical when applying gridded population datasets in studies of other environmental change. The research presented here discusses these issues in the context of multitemporal, gridded population data, using new technologies and sources of remotely-sensed and modeled built-up areas. We discuss applications of these data in environmental analyses and intercomparisons with other such data across scales.

A Comparative Study Environmental and Radiological Causes Of Cancer In River Nile State, Sudan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamid, Eyad; Khair, Hatim

The causes of cancer in River Nile state are differ between environmental and radiological, this paper tried to make comparison between the two causes, to determine the real cause behind the large rising of cancer cases in this state, considering the daily habits for the patients and the possible contamination in the natural resources around them. The noticeable thing that most of cancer cases are might be due to the high concentration of nitrate pollutant detected in natural resources such as drinking water; also by looking to the radioactive elements we see there's high concentration of some radioactive elements specially the K-40 which found in Portulaca Oleracea.

Study on induced radioactivity of China Spallation Neutron Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Qing-Biao; Wang, Qing-Bin; Wu, Jing-Min; Ma, Zhong-Jian

2011-06-01

China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) is the first High Energy Intense Proton Accelerator planned to be constructed in China during the State Eleventh Five-Year Plan period, whose induced radioactivity is very important for occupational disease hazard assessment and environmental impact assessment. Adopting the FLUKA code, the authors have constructed a cylinder-tunnel geometric model and a line-source sampling physical model, deduced proper formulas to calculate air activation, and analyzed various issues with regard to the activation of different tunnel parts. The results show that the environmental impact resulting from induced activation is negligible, whereas the residual radiation in the tunnels has a great influence on maintenance personnel, so strict measures should be adopted.

Environmental hazards and distribution of radioactive black sand along the Rosetta coastal zone in Egypt using airborne spectrometric and remote sensing data.

PubMed

Kaiser, M F; Aziz, A M; Ghieth, B M

2014-11-01

High-resolution airborne gamma ray spectrometry, conducted in 2003, was used to estimate radioactive elements spatial abundance along the Rosetta coastal zone area. It was noticed that both Uranium and Thorium are concentrated in the black sand deposits along the beach. In contrary, Potassium was observed in high level abundance at the cultivated Nile Delta lands due to the accumulated usage of fertilizers. Exposure Rate (ER), Absorbed Dose Rate (ADR) and Annual Effective Dose Rate (AEDR) were calculated to evaluate the radiation background influence in human. Results indicated that the human body in the study sites is subjected to radiation hazards exceeds the accepted limit for long duration exposure. In addition, the areas covered by the highest concentration of Uranium and Thorium show the highest level of radiogenic heat production. Detection the environmental hazards of the radioactive black sands in the study site encouraged this research to monitor the spatial and temporal distribution of these sediments. The Landsat Thematic Mapper images acquired in 1990, 2003 and 2013 were analyzed using remote sensing image processing techniques. Image enhancements, classification and changes detection indicated a positive significant relationship between the patterns of coastline changes and distribution of the radioactive black sand in the study sites. The radioactive black sands are usually concentrated in the eroded areas. Therefore, in 1990 high concentration of the radioactive black sands were observed along the eastern and western flanks of the Rosetta promontory. Distribution of these sediments decreased due to the construction of the protective sea walls. Most of the radioactive black sands are transported toward the east in Abu Khashaba bay under the effect of the longshore currents and toward the west in Alexandria and Abu Quir bay under the action of the seasonal reverse currents. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inter-comparison of Computer Codes for TRISO-based Fuel Micro-Modeling and Performance Assessment

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

Brian Boer; Chang Keun Jo; Wen Wu

2010-10-01

The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP), the Deep Burn Pebble Bed Reactor (DB-PBR) and the Deep Burn Prismatic Block Reactor (DB-PMR) are all based on fuels that use TRISO particles as their fundamental constituent. The TRISO particle properties include very high durability in radiation environments, hence the designs reliance on the TRISO to form the principal barrier to radioactive materials release. This durability forms the basis for the selection of this fuel type for applications such as Deep Bun (DB), which require exposures up to four times those expected for light water reactors. It follows that the study and predictionmore » of the durability of TRISO particles must be carried as part of the safety and overall performance characterization of all the designs mentioned above. Such evaluations have been carried out independently by the performers of the DB project using independently developed codes. These codes, PASTA, PISA and COPA, incorporate models for stress analysis on the various layers of the TRISO particle (and of the intervening matrix material for some of them), model for fission products release and migration then accumulation within the SiC layer of the TRISO particle, just next to the layer, models for free oxygen and CO formation and migration to the same location, models for temperature field modeling within the various layers of the TRISO particle and models for the prediction of failure rates. All these models may be either internal to the code or external. This large number of models and the possibility of different constitutive data and model formulations and the possibility of a variety of solution techniques makes it highly unlikely that the model would give identical results in the modeling of identical situations. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of an inter-comparison between the codes and to identify areas of agreement and areas that need reconciliation. The inter-comparison has been carried out by the cooperating institutions using a set of pre-defined TRISO conditions (burnup levels, temperature or power levels, etc.) and the outcome will be tabulated in the full length paper. The areas of agreement will be pointed out and the areas that require further modeling or reconciliation will be shown. In general the agreement between the codes is good within less than one order of magnitude in the prediction of TRISO failure rates.« less

HANDBOOK: APPROACHES FOR REMEDIATION OF FEDERAL FACILITY SITES CONTAMINATED WITH EXPLOSIVE OR RADIOACTIVE WASTE

EPA Science Inventory

This publication was developed by the Center for Environmental Research Information (CERI), Office of Research and Development, of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The information in the document is based primarily on presentations at two technology transfer semina...

40 CFR 191.11 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... required to be characterized under section 113(a) of Public Law 97-425, 96 Stat. 2201. [50 FR 38084, Sept... ENVIRONMENTAL RADIATION PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR MANAGEMENT AND DISPOSAL OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL AND TRANSURANIC RADIOACTIVE WASTES Environmental Standards for Disposal § 191.11 Applicability. (a) This subpart...

75 FR 82004 - Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board, Idaho National Laboratory

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-29

... Laboratory AGENCY: Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of open meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB), Idaho National Laboratory...--Radioactive Waste Management. Public Participation: The EM SSAB, Idaho National Laboratory, welcomes the...

Regulatory decision with EPA/NRC/DOE/State Session (Panel)

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

O`Donnell, E.

1995-12-31

This panel will cover the Nuclear Regulatory Commission`s (NRC) proposed radiation limits in the Branch Technical Position on Low-Level Radioactive Waste Performance Assessment and the Environmental Protection Agency`s (EPA) draft regulation in Part 193. Representatives from NRC and EPA will discuss the inconsistencies in these two regulations. DOE and state representatives will discuss their perspective on how these regulations will affect low-level radioactive waste performance assessments.

Engineering and Design: Chemical Data Quality Management for Hazardous, Toxic, Radioactive Waste Remedial Activities

DTIC Science & Technology

This regulation prescribes Chemical Data Quality Management (CDQM) responsibilities and procedures for projects involving hazardous, toxic and/or radioactive waste (HTRW) materials. Its purpose is to assure that the analytical data meet project data quality objectives. This is the umbrella regulation that defines CDQM activities and integrates all of the other U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) guidance on environmental data quality management .

Workplan/RCRA Facility Investigation/Remedial Investigation Report for the Old Radioactive Waste Burial Ground 643-E, S01-S22 - Volume I - Text and Volume II - Appendices

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

Conner, K.R.

This document presents the assessment of environmental impacts resulting from releases of hazardous substances from the facilities in the Old Radioactive Waste Burial Ground 643-E, including Solvent Tanks 650-01E to 650-22E, also referred to as Solvent Tanks at the Savannah River Site, Aiken, South Carolina.

Natural radioactivity in groundwater from the south-eastern Arabian Peninsula and environmental implications.

PubMed

Murad, A; Zhou, X D; Yi, P; Alshamsi, D; Aldahan, A; Hou, X L; Yu, Z B

2014-10-01

Groundwater is the most valuable resource in arid regions, and recognizing radiological criteria among other water quality parameters is essential for sustainable use. In the investigation presented here, gross-α and gross-β were measured in groundwater samples collected in the south-eastern Arabian Peninsula, 67 wells in Unite Arab Emirates (UAE), as well as two wells and one spring in Oman. The results show a wide gross-α and gross-β activities range in the groundwater samples that vary at 0.01∼19.5 Bq/l and 0.13∼6.6 Bq/l, respectively. The data show gross-β and gross-α values below the WHO permissible limits for drinking water in the majority of the investigated samples except those in region 4 (Jabel Hafit and surroundings). No correlation between groundwater pH and the gross-α and gross-β, while high temperatures probably enhance leaching of radionuclides from the aquifer body and thereby increase the radioactivity in the groundwater. This conclusion is also supported by the positive correlation between radioactivity and amount of total dissolved solid. Particular water purification technology and environmental impact assessments are essential for sustainable and secure use of the groundwater in regions that show radioactivity values far above the WHO permissible limit for drinking water.

The Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Office: Thirty Years of Experience in Canada - 13308

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

Benitez, Liliana; Gardiner, Mark J.; Zelmer, Robert L.

2013-07-01

This paper reviews thirty years of progress by the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Office (LLRWMO) in developing and implementing low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) remediation projects and environmentally safe co-existence strategies. It reports on the present status and the future of the national historic waste program in Canada. There are over two million cubic metres of historic LLRW in Canada. Historic LLRW is broadly defined as LLRW that was managed in the past in a manner that is no longer considered acceptable and for which the original owner cannot reasonably be held accountable. In many cases, the original owner can notmore » be identified or no longer exists. The LLRWMO was established in 1982 as Canada's agent to carry out the responsibilities of the federal government for the management of historic LLRW. The LLRWMO is operated by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) through a cost-recovery agreement with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), the federal department that provides the funding and establishes national policy for radioactive waste management in Canada. The LLRWMO expertise includes project managers, environmental remediation specialists, radiation surveyors, communications staff and administrative support staff. The LLRWMO in providing all aspects of project oversight and implementation contracts additional resources supplementing core staff capacity as project/program demands require. (authors)« less

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

Nuclear energy: Between global electricity demand, worldwide decarbonisation imperativeness, and planetary environmental implications.

PubMed

Prăvălie, Remus; Bandoc, Georgeta

2018-03-01

For decades, nuclear energy has been considered an important option for ensuring global energy security, and it has recently started being promoted as a solution for climate change mitigation. However, nuclear power remains highly controversial due to its associated risks - nuclear accidents and problematic radioactive waste management. This review aims to assess the viability of global nuclear energy economically (energy-wise), climatically and environmentally. To this end, the nuclear sector's energy- and climate-related advantages were explored alongside the downsides that mainly relate to radioactive pollution. Economically, it was found that nuclear energy is still an important power source in many countries around the world. Climatically, nuclear power is a low-carbon technology and can therefore be a viable option for the decarbonization of the world's major economies over the following decades, if coupled with other large-scale strategies such as renewable energies. These benefits are however outweighed by the radioactive danger associated to nuclear power plants, either in the context of the nuclear accidents that have already occurred or in that of the large amounts of long-lived nuclear waste that have been growing for decades and that represent a significant environmental and societal threat. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental Problems Associated With Decommissioning The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Cooling Pond

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

Farfan, E. B.; Jannik, G. T.; Marra, J. C.

2009-11-09

Decommissioning of nuclear power plants and other nuclear fuel cycle facilities has been an imperative issue lately. There exist significant experience and generally accepted recommendations on remediation of lands with residual radioactive contamination; however, there are hardly any such recommendations on remediation of cooling ponds that, in most cases, are fairly large water reservoirs. The literature only describes remediation of minor reservoirs containing radioactive silt (a complete closure followed by preservation) or small water reservoirs resulting in reestablishing natural water flows. Problems associated with remediation of river reservoirs resulting in flooding of vast agricultural areas also have been described. Inmore » addition, the severity of environmental and economic problems related to the remedial activities is shown to exceed any potential benefits of these activities. One of the large, highly contaminated water reservoirs that require either remediation or closure is Karachay Lake near the MAYAK Production Association in the Chelyabinsk Region of Russia where liquid radioactive waste had been deep well injected for a long period of time. Backfilling of Karachay Lake is currently in progress. It should be noted that secondary environmental problems associated with its closure are considered to be of less importance since sustaining Karachay Lake would have presented a much higher radiological risk. Another well-known highly contaminated water reservoir is the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) Cooling Pond, decommissioning of which is planned for the near future. This study summarizes the environmental problems associated with the ChNPP Cooling Pond decommissioning.« less

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH DECOMMISSIONING THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT COOLING POND

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

Farfan, E.

2009-09-30

Decommissioning of nuclear power plants and other nuclear fuel cycle facilities has been an imperative issue lately. There exist significant experience and generally accepted recommendations on remediation of lands with residual radioactive contamination; however, there are hardly any such recommendations on remediation of cooling ponds that, in most cases, are fairly large water reservoirs. The literature only describes remediation of minor reservoirs containing radioactive silt (a complete closure followed by preservation) or small water reservoirs resulting in reestablishing natural water flows. Problems associated with remediation of river reservoirs resulting in flooding of vast agricultural areas also have been described. Inmore » addition, the severity of environmental and economic problems related to the remedial activities is shown to exceed any potential benefits of these activities. One of the large, highly contaminated water reservoirs that require either remediation or closure is Karachay Lake near the MAYAK Production Association in the Chelyabinsk Region of Russia where liquid radioactive waste had been deep well injected for a long period of time. Backfilling of Karachay Lake is currently in progress. It should be noted that secondary environmental problems associated with its closure are considered to be of less importance since sustaining Karachay Lake would have presented a much higher radiological risk. Another well-known highly contaminated water reservoir is the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) Cooling Pond, decommissioning of which is planned for the near future. This study summarizes the environmental problems associated with the ChNPP Cooling Pond decommissioning.« less

PM 2.5 ORGANIC SPECIATION INTERCOMPARISON RESULTS

EPA Science Inventory

This abstract describes a poster on results to a laboratory intercomparison of organic aerosol speciation analysis to be presented at the 2006 International Aerosol Conference sponsored by the American Association for Aerosol Research in St. Paul, Minnesota on September 10-15. T...

Total ozone measurement: Intercomparison of prototype New Zealand filter instrument and Dobson spectrophotometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Basher, R. E.

1978-01-01

A five month intercomparison showed that the total ozone amounts of a prototype narrowband interference filter instrument were 7% less than those of a Dobson instrument for an ozone range of 0.300 to 0.500 atm cm and for airmasses less than two. The 7% bias was within the intercomparison calibration uncertainty. An airmass dependence in the Dobson instrument made the bias relationship airmass-dependent but the filter instrument's ozone values were generally constant to 2% up to an airmass of four. Long term drift in the bias was negligible.

The Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISI–MIP): Project framework

PubMed Central

Warszawski, Lila; Frieler, Katja; Huber, Veronika; Piontek, Franziska; Serdeczny, Olivia; Schewe, Jacob

2014-01-01

The Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project offers a framework to compare climate impact projections in different sectors and at different scales. Consistent climate and socio-economic input data provide the basis for a cross-sectoral integration of impact projections. The project is designed to enable quantitative synthesis of climate change impacts at different levels of global warming. This report briefly outlines the objectives and framework of the first, fast-tracked phase of Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project, based on global impact models, and provides an overview of the participating models, input data, and scenario set-up. PMID:24344316

Fabrication and characterization of optical super-smooth surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitt, Dirk-Roger; Kratz, Frank; Ringel, Gabriele A.; Mangelsdorf, Juergen; Creuzet, Francois; Garratt, John D.

1995-08-01

Intercomparison roughness measurements have been carried out at supersmooth artefacts fabricated from BK7, fused silica, and Zerodur. The surface parameters were determined using a special prototype of the mechanical profiler Nanostep (Rank Taylor Hobson), the Optical Heterodyne Profiler Z5500 (Zygo), and an Atomic Force Microscope (Park Scientific) with an improved acquisition technique. The intercomparison was performed after the range of collected spatial wavelength for each instrument was adjusted using digital filtering techniques. It is demonstrated for different roughness ranges that are applied superpolishing techniques yield supersmooth artefacts which can be used for more intercomparisons.

Water vapour inter-comparison effort in the framework of the hydrological cycle in the mediterranean experiment - special observation period (hymex-sop1)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Summa, Donato; Di Girolamo, Paolo; Flamant, Cyrille; De Rosa, Benedetto; Cacciani, Marco; Stelitano, Dario

2018-04-01

Accurate measurements of the vertical profiles of water vapour are of paramount importance for most key areas of atmospheric sciences. A comprehensive inter-comparison between different remote sensing and in-situ sensors has been carried out in the frame work of the first Special Observing Period of the Hydrological cycle in the Mediterranean Experiment for the purpose of obtaining accurate error estimates for these sensors. The inter-comparison involves a ground-based Raman lidar (BASIL), an airborne DIAL (LEANDRE2), a microwave radiometer, radiosondes and aircraft in-situ sensors.

Evaluation of the annual Canadian biodosimetry network intercomparisons

PubMed Central

Wilkins, Ruth C.; Beaton-Green, Lindsay A.; Lachapelle, Sylvie; Kutzner, Barbara C.; Ferrarotto, Catherine; Chauhan, Vinita; Marro, Leonora; Livingston, Gordon K.; Boulay Greene, Hillary; Flegal, Farrah N.

2015-01-01

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the importance of annual intercomparisons for maintaining the capacity and capabilities of a well-established biodosimetry network in conjunction with assessing efficient and effective analysis methods for emergency response. Materials and methods: Annual intercomparisons were conducted between laboratories in the Canadian National Biological Dosimetry Response Plan. Intercomparisons were performed over a six-year period and comprised of the shipment of 10–12 irradiated, blinded blood samples for analysis by each of the participating laboratories. Dose estimates were determined by each laboratory using the dicentric chromosome assay (conventional and QuickScan scoring) and where possible the cytokinesis block micronucleus (CBMN) assay. Dose estimates were returned to the lead laboratory for evaluation and comparison. Results: Individual laboratories performed comparably from year to year with only slight fluctuations in performance. Dose estimates using the dicentric chromosome assay were accurate about 80% of the time and the QuickScan method for scoring the dicentric chromosome assay was proven to reduce the time of analysis without having a significant effect on the dose estimates. Although analysis with the CBMN assay was comparable to QuickScan scoring with respect to speed, the accuracy of the dose estimates was greatly reduced. Conclusions: Annual intercomparisons are necessary to maintain a network of laboratories for emergency response biodosimetry as they evoke confidence in their capabilities. PMID:25670072

OFF-SITE ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING REPORT: RADIATION MONITORING AROUND UNITED STATES NUCLEAR TEST AREAS, CALENDAR YEAR 1986

EPA Science Inventory

The principal activity at the NTS is testing of nuclear devices, though other related projects are also conducted. The principal activities of the Off-Site Radiological Safety Program are routine environmental monitoring for radioactive materials in various media and for radiatio...

OFFSITE ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING REPORT. RADIATION MONITORING AROUND UNITED STATES NUCLEAR TEST AREAS, CALENDAR YEAR 1982

EPA Science Inventory

A principal activity of the Offsite Radiological Safety Program is routine environmental monitoring for radioactive materials in various media and for radiation in areas which may be affected by nuclear tests. It is conducted to document compliance with standards, to identify tre...

Environmental Cost of Electric Power, A Scientists' Institute for Public Information Workbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abrahamson, Dean E.

Analyzed are the environmental and health hazards associated with different forms of power production: nuclear power plants, fossil fuel plants, and hydroelectric plants. Data are given relating to chemical pollution, thermal pollution, radioactive hazards and geological and geographical effects. Problems of setting standards, and criteria which…

10 CFR 60.24 - Updating of application and environmental impact statement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Updating of application and environmental impact statement. 60.24 Section 60.24 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) DISPOSAL OF HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES IN GEOLOGIC REPOSITORIES Licenses License Applications § 60.24 Updating of application and...

10 CFR 72.90 - General considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE Siting Evaluation Factors... environmental impact of the ISFSI or MRS must be investigated and assessed. (b) Proposed sites for the ISFSI or... proposed site for an MRS, the potential for radiological and other environmental impacts on the region must...

10 CFR 72.90 - General considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE Siting Evaluation Factors... environmental impact of the ISFSI or MRS must be investigated and assessed. (b) Proposed sites for the ISFSI or... proposed site for an MRS, the potential for radiological and other environmental impacts on the region must...

75 FR 25301 - Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc.; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-07

... procedures for storing and handling radioactive materials. Thus, the impacts under the ``no action... of Special Nuclear Material AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Environmental Assessment... Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Mail Stop EBB-2C40M, Rockville, MD...

An intercomparison of the thermal offset for different pyranometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez, G.; Cancillo, M. L.; Serrano, A.

2016-07-01

An unprecedented intensive intercomparison campaign focused on the experimental measurement of the thermal offset of pyranometers has been conducted at Badajoz (Spain) with the participation of three main manufacturers. The purpose of this study is to compare the thermal offset of six commercially available pyranometers, being some of them widely used and others recently commercialized. In this campaign, the capping methodology has been used to experimentally measure the daytime thermal offset of the pyranometers. Thus, a short but intense campaign has been conducted in two selected summer days under clear-sky conditions, covering a large range of solar zenith angle, irradiance, and temperature. Along the campaign, a total of 305 capping events have been performed, 61 for each pyranometer. The daytime thermal offset obtained for different pyranometers ranges between 0 and -16.8 W/m2 depending on the environmental conditions, being sometimes notably higher than values estimated indoors by manufacturers. The thermal offset absolute value of all instruments shows a diurnal cycle, increasing from sunrise to central hours of the day and decreasing from midafternoon to sunset. The analysis demonstrates that thermal offset is notably higher and more variable during daytime than during nighttime, requiring specific daytime measurements. Main results emphasize the key role played by wind speed in modulating the thermal offset.

Intercomparison of phenological transition dates derived from the PhenoCam Dataset V1.0 and MODIS satellite remote sensing.

PubMed

Richardson, Andrew D; Hufkens, Koen; Milliman, Tom; Frolking, Steve

2018-04-09

Phenology is a valuable diagnostic of ecosystem health, and has applications to environmental monitoring and management. Here, we conduct an intercomparison analysis using phenological transition dates derived from near-surface PhenoCam imagery and MODIS satellite remote sensing. We used approximately 600 site-years of data, from 128 camera sites covering a wide range of vegetation types and climate zones. During both "greenness rising" and "greenness falling" transition phases, we found generally good agreement between PhenoCam and MODIS transition dates for agricultural, deciduous forest, and grassland sites, provided that the vegetation in the camera field of view was representative of the broader landscape. The correlation between PhenoCam and MODIS transition dates was poor for evergreen forest sites. We discuss potential reasons (including sub-pixel spatial heterogeneity, flexibility of the transition date extraction method, vegetation index sensitivity in evergreen systems, and PhenoCam geolocation uncertainty) for varying agreement between time series of vegetation indices derived from PhenoCam and MODIS imagery. This analysis increases our confidence in the ability of satellite remote sensing to accurately characterize seasonal dynamics in a range of ecosystems, and provides a basis for interpreting those dynamics in the context of tangible phenological changes occurring on the ground.

DOE Chair of Excellence Professorship in Environmental Disciplines

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

Shoou-Yuh Chang

2013-01-31

The United States (US) nuclear weapons program during the Cold War left a legacy of radioactive, hazardous, chemical wastes and facilities that may seriously harm the environment and people even today. Widespread public concern about the environmental pollution has created an extraordinary demand for the treatment and disposal of wastes in a manner to protect the public health and safety. The pollution abatement and environmental protection require an understanding of technical, regulatory, economic, permitting, institutional, and public policy issues. Scientists and engineers have a major role in this national effort to clean our environment, especially in developing alternative solutions andmore » evaluation criteria and designing the necessary facilities to implement the solutions. The objective of the DOE Chair of Excellence project is to develop a high quality educational and research program in environmental engineering at North Carolina A&T State University (A&T). This project aims to increase the number of graduate and undergraduate students trained in environmental areas while developing a faculty concentrated in environmental education and research. Although A&T had a well developed environmental program prior to the Massie Chair grant, A&T's goal is to become a model of excellence in environmental engineering through the program's support. The program will provide a catalyst to enhance collaboration of faculty and students among various engineering departments to work together in a focus research area. The collaboration will be expanded to other programs at A&T. The past research focus areas include: hazardous and radioactive waste treatment and disposal fate and transport of hazardous chemicals in the environment innovative technologies for hazardous waste site remediation pollution prevention Starting from 2005, the new research focus was in the improvement of accuracy for radioactive contaminant transport models by ensemble based data assimilation. The specific objectives are to: 1). improve model accuracy for use in minimizing health and environmental risk, and 2). improve the decision making process in the selection and application of available technologies for long-term monitoring and safeguard operation at NNSA sites.« less

Predicting induced radioactivity for the accelerator operations at the Taiwan Photon Source.

PubMed

Sheu, R J; Jiang, S H

2010-12-01

This study investigates the characteristics of induced radioactivity due to the operations of a 3-GeV electron accelerator at the Taiwan Photon Source (TPS). According to the beam loss analysis, the authors set two representative irradiation conditions for the activation analysis. The FLUKA Monte Carlo code has been used to predict the isotope inventories, residual activities, and remanent dose rates as a function of time. The calculation model itself is simple but conservative for the evaluation of induced radioactivity in a light source facility. This study highlights the importance of beam loss scenarios and demonstrates the great advantage of using FLUKA in comparing the predicted radioactivity with corresponding regulatory limits. The calculated results lead to the conclusion that, due to fairly low electron consumption, the radioactivity induced in the accelerator components and surrounding concrete walls of the TPS is rather moderate and manageable, while the possible activation of air and cooling water in the tunnel and their environmental releases are negligible.

Final environmental impact statement. Management of commercially generated radioactive waste. Volume 1 of 3

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 EIS reflects the public review of and comments offered on the draft statement. Included are descriptions of the characteristics of nuclear waste, the alternative disposal methods under consideration, and potential environmental impacts and costs of implementing these methods. Because of the programmatic nature of this document and the preliminary nature of certain design elements assumed in assessing the environmental consequences of the various alternatives, this study has been based on generic, rather than specific, systems. At such time as specific facilities are identified for particular sites, statements addressing site-specific aspects will be prepared for public review and comment.« less

Environmental Hazards of Nuclear Wastes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Micklin, Philip P.

1974-01-01

Present methods for storage of radioactive wastes produced at nuclear power facilities are described. Problems arising from present waste management are discussed and potential solutions explored. (JP)

LENS: μLENS Simulations, Analysis, and Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasco, Charles

2013-04-01

Simulations of the Low-Energy Neutrino Spectrometer prototype, μLENS, have been performed in order to benchmark the first measurements of the μLENS detector at the Kimballton Underground Research Facility (KURF). μLENS is a 6x6x6 celled scintillation lattice filled with Linear Alkylbenzene based scintillator. We have performed simulations of μLENS using the GEANT4 toolkit. We have measured various radioactive sources, LEDs, and environmental background radiation measurements at KURF using up to 96 PMTs with a simplified data acquisition system of QDCs and TDCs. In this talk we will demonstrate our understanding of the light propagation and we will compare simulation results with measurements of the μLENS detector of various radioactive sources, LEDs, and the environmental background radiation.

Global inter-comparison of microwave and infrared LST from multiple sensors (AMSR-E, MODIS, SEVIRI, GOES, and MTSAT-2)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ermida, Sofia L.; Jiménez, Carlos; Prigent, Catherine; Trigo, Isabel F.; DaCamara, Carlos C.

2017-04-01

Land Surface Temperature (LST) is an important diagnostic parameter of land surface conditions. Satellite LST products generally rely on measurements in the thermal infrared (IR) atmospheric window, which only allows clear sky estimates. Microwave (MW) observations can alternatively be used to derive an all-weather LST. Here we present an inter-comparison between LST derived from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - Earth observation system (AMSR-E), the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on-board Aqua, the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) on-board Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellites, the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) and the Japanese Meteorological Imager (JAMI) on-board the Multifunction Transport SATellite (MTSAT-2). The higher discrepancies between MW and IR products are observed over snow covered areas. MW emissivity is highly variable for snow-covered ground and not always properly accounted for by the climatological emissivity used in the retrieval. There is a conspicuous bias between MODIS and AMSR-E over desert areas, which is most likely related to the underestimation of LST by MODIS as previously reported in other studies. Inter-comparison between all IR and MW retrievals shows that the STD of the differences between MW and IR LST is generally higher than between IR retrievals. However, the biases between MW and IR LST are, in some cases, of the same order as the ones observed among infrared products. In particular, GOES presents a daytime bias with respect to AMSR-E of 0.45 K whereas the bias with respect to MODIS is 0.60 K. Given that AMSR-E can provide LST under cloudy conditions, the use of microwaves, considering simultaneous overpasses with IR, represents an increase of more than 250% of the number of available LST estimates over equatorial regions. With the MW products of a comparable quality to the IR ones, the MW LST is a very powerful complement of the IR estimates.

Sao Paulo Lightning Mapping Array (SP-LMA): Network Assessment and Analyses for Intercomparison Studies and GOES-R Proxy Activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, J. C.; Blakeslee, R. J.; Carey, L. D.; Goodman, S. J.; Rudlosky, S. D.; Albrecht, R.; Morales, C. A.; Anselmo, E. M.; Neves, J. R.; Buechler, D. E.

2014-01-01

A 12 station Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) network was deployed during October 2011 in the vicinity of Sao Paulo, Brazil (SP-LMA) to contribute total lightning measurements to an international field campaign [CHUVA - Cloud processes of tHe main precipitation systems in Brazil: A contribUtion to cloud resolVing modeling and to the GPM (GlobAl Precipitation Measurement)]. The SP-LMA was operational from November 2011 through March 2012 during the Vale do Paraiba campaign. Sensor spacing was on the order of 15-30 km, with a network diameter on the order of 40-50km. The SP-LMA provides good 3-D lightning mapping out to 150 km from the network center, with 2-D coverage considerably farther. In addition to supporting CHUVA science/mission objectives, the SP-LMA is supporting the generation of unique proxy data for the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) and Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), on NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R (GOES-R: scheduled for a 2015 launch). These proxy data will be used to develop and validate operational algorithms so that they will be ready to use on "day1" following the GOES-R launch. As the CHUVA Vale do Paraiba campaign opportunity was formulated, a broad community-based interest developed for a comprehensive Lightning Location System (LLS) intercomparison and assessment study, leading to the participation and/or deployment of eight other ground-based networks and the space-based Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS). The SP-LMA data is being intercompared with lightning observations from other deployed lightning networks to advance our understanding of the capabilities/contributions of each of these networks toward GLM proxy and validation activities. This paper addresses the network assessment including noise reduction criteria, detection efficiency estimates, and statistical and climatological (both temporal and spatially) analyses for intercomparison studies and GOES-R proxy activities.

Web-based Reanalysis Intercomparison Tools (WRIT): Comparing Reanalyses and Observational data.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Compo, G. P.; Smith, C. A.; Hooper, D. K.

2014-12-01

While atmospheric reanalysis datasets are widely used in climate science, many technical issues hinder comparing them to each other and to observations. The reanalysis fields are stored in diverse file architectures, data formats, and resolutions, with metadata, such as variable name and units, that also differ. Individual users have to download the fields, convert them to a common format, store them locally, change variable names, re-grid if needed, and convert units. Comparing reanalyses with observational datasets is difficult for similar reasons. Even if a dataset can be read via Open-source Project for a Network Data Access Protocol (OPeNDAP) or a similar protocol, most of this work is still needed. All of these tasks take time, effort, and money. To overcome some of the obstacles in reanalysis intercomparison, our group at the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado and affiliated colleagues at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) Earth System Research Laboratory Physical Sciences Division (ESRL/PSD) have created a set of Web-based Reanalysis Intercomparison Tools (WRIT) at http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/data/writ/. WRIT allows users to easily plot and compare reanalysis and observational datasets, and to test hypotheses. Currently, there are tools to plot monthly mean maps and vertical cross-sections, timeseries, and trajectories for standard pressure level and surface variables. Users can refine dates, statistics, and plotting options. Reanalysis datasets currently available include the NCEP/NCAR R1, NCEP/DOE R2, MERRA, ERA-Interim, NCEP CFSR and the 20CR. Observational datasets include those containing precipitation (e.g. GPCP), temperature (e.g. GHCNCAMS), winds (e.g. WASWinds), precipitable water (e.g. NASA NVAP), SLP (HadSLP2), and SST (NOAA ERSST). WRIT also facilitates the mission of the Reanalyses.org website as a convenient toolkit for studying the reanalysis datasets.

Intercomparison Project on Parameterizations of Large-Scale Dynamics for Simulations of Tropical Convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sobel, A. H.; Wang, S.; Bellon, G.; Sessions, S. L.; Woolnough, S.

2013-12-01

Parameterizations of large-scale dynamics have been developed in the past decade for studying the interaction between tropical convection and large-scale dynamics, based on our physical understanding of the tropical atmosphere. A principal advantage of these methods is that they offer a pathway to attack the key question of what controls large-scale variations of tropical deep convection. These methods have been used with both single column models (SCMs) and cloud-resolving models (CRMs) to study the interaction of deep convection with several kinds of environmental forcings. While much has been learned from these efforts, different groups' efforts are somewhat hard to compare. Different models, different versions of the large-scale parameterization methods, and experimental designs that differ in other ways are used. It is not obvious which choices are consequential to the scientific conclusions drawn and which are not. The methods have matured to the point that there is value in an intercomparison project. In this context, the Global Atmospheric Systems Study - Weak Temperature Gradient (GASS-WTG) project was proposed at the Pan-GASS meeting in September 2012. The weak temperature gradient approximation is one method to parameterize large-scale dynamics, and is used in the project name for historical reasons and simplicity, but another method, the damped gravity wave (DGW) method, will also be used in the project. The goal of the GASS-WTG project is to develop community understanding of the parameterization methods currently in use. Their strengths, weaknesses, and functionality in models with different physics and numerics will be explored in detail, and their utility to improve our understanding of tropical weather and climate phenomena will be further evaluated. This presentation will introduce the intercomparison project, including background, goals, and overview of the proposed experimental design. Interested groups will be invited to join (it will not be too late), and preliminary results will be presented.

Summary findings of the fourth international radiocarbon intercomparison (FIRI)(1998-2001)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boaretto, Elisabetta; Bryant, Charlotte; Carmi, Israel; Cook, Gordon; Gulliksen, Steinar; Harkness, Doug; Heinemeier, Jan; McClure, John; McGee, Edward; Naysmith, Philip; Possnert, Goran; Scott, Marian; van der Plicht, Hans; van Strydonck, Mark

2002-10-01

Interlaboratory comparisons have been widely used in applied radiocarbon science. These are an important part of ongoing quality assurance (QA) programmes, which are vital to the appropriate interpretation of the evidence provided by the 14C record in Quaternary applications (including climate change and environmental reconstruction). International comparisons of laboratory performance are an essential component of the quality assurance process in radiocarbon dating. If the user community is to have confidence in radiocarbon results, it needs to be assured that laboratories world wide are producing measurements that are reliable and in accordance with good practice. The findings from the most recent (completed in 2001) and extensive (more than 90 participating laboratories) radiocarbon intercomparison (FIRI) are reported here. This study was designed (i) to assess comparability, or otherwise, of the results from different laboratories and (ii) to quantify the extent and possible causes of any interlaboratory variation. The results demonstrate that there are no significant differences amongst the main measurement techniques (gas proportional counting, liquid scintillation counting and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS)) but there is evidence of small laboratory offsets relative to known age samples for some laboratories. There is also evidence in some cases of underestimation of measurement precision. Approximately 10% of all results were classified as extreme (outliers) and these results were generated by 14% of the laboratories. Overall, the evidence supports the fact that radiocarbon laboratories are generally accurate and precise but that, notwithstanding internal QA procedures, some problems still occur, which can best be detected by participation in independent intercomparisons such as FIRI, where the results allow individual laboratories to assess their performance and to take remedial measures where necessary. The results from FIRI are significant in that they show a broad measure of agreement between measurements made in different laboratories on a wide range of materials and they also demonstrate no statistically significant difference between measurements made by radiometric or AMS techniques.

INTERCOMPARISON STUDY OF ATMOSPHERIC MERCURY MODELS: 1. COMPARISON OF MODELS WITH SHORT-TERM MEASUREMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Five regional scale models with a horizontal domain covering the European continent and its surrounding seas, one hemispheric and one global scale model participated in an atmospheric mercury modelling intercomparison study. Model-predicted concentrations in ambient air were comp...

Estimating near-road pollutant dispersion: a model inter-comparison

EPA Science Inventory

A model inter-comparison study to assess the abilities of steady-state Gaussian dispersion models to capture near-road pollutant dispersion has been carried out with four models (AERMOD, run with both the area-source and volume-source options to represent roadways, CALINE, versio...

Background Radioactivity in River and Reservoir Sediments near Los Alamos, New Mexico

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

S.G.McLin; D.W. Lyons

2002-05-05

As part of its continuing Environmental Surveillance Program, regional river and lake-bottom sediments have been collected annually by Los Alamos National Laboratory (the Laboratory) since 1974 and 1979, respectively. These background samples are collected from three drainage basins at ten different river stations and five reservoirs located throughout northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. Radiochemical analyses for these sediments include tritium, strontium-90, cesium-137, total uranium, plutonium-238, plutonium-239,-240, americium-241, gross alpha, gross beta, and gross gamma radioactivity. Detection-limit radioactivity originates as worldwide fallout from aboveground nuclear weapons testing and satellite reentry into Earth's atmosphere. Spatial and temporal variations in individual analytemore » levels originate from atmospheric point-source introductions and natural rate differences in airborne deposition and soil erosion. Background radioactivity values on sediments reflect this variability, and grouped river and reservoir sediment samples show a range of statistical distributions that appear to be analyte dependent. Traditionally, both river and reservoir analyte data were blended together to establish background levels. In this report, however, we group background sediment data according to two criteria. These include sediment source (either river or reservoir sediments) and station location relative to the Laboratory (either upstream or downstream). These grouped data are statistically evaluated through 1997, and background radioactivity values are established for individual analytes in upstream river and reservoir sediments. This information may be used to establish the existence and areal extent of trace-level environmental contamination resulting from historical Laboratory research activities since the early 1940s.« less

International intercomparison of measuring instruments for radon/thoron gas and radon short-lived daughter products in the NRPI Prague.

PubMed

Jílek, K; Hýža, M; Kotík, L; Thomas, J; Tomášek, L

2014-07-01

During the 7th European Conference on Protection Against Radon at Home and at Work held in the autumn of 2013 in Prague, the second intercomparison of measuring instruments for radon and its short-lived decay products and the first intercomparison of radon/thoron gas discriminative passive detectors in mix field of radon/thoron were organised by and held at the Natural Radiation Division of the National Radiation Protection Institute (NRPI) in Prague. In total, 14 laboratories from 11 different countries took part in the 2013 NRPI intercomparison. They submitted both continuous monitors for the measurement of radon gas and equivalent equilibrium radon concentration in a big NRPI chamber (48 m3) and sets of passive detectors including radon/thoron discriminative for the measurement of radon gas in the big chamber and thoron gas in a small thoron chamber (150 dm3). © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

An intercomparison of carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, and hydroxyl measurement techniques - Overview of results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoell, J. M.; Gregory, G. L.; Carroll, M. A.; Mcfarland, M.; Ridley, B. A.; Davis, D. D.; Bradshaw, J.; Rodgers, M. O.; Torres, A. L.; Condon, E. P.

1984-01-01

Results from an intercomparison of methods to measure carbon monoxide (CO), nitric oxide (NO), and the hydroxyl radical (OH) are discussed. The intercomparison was conducted at Wallops Island, Virginia, in July 1983 and included a laser differential absorption and three grab sample/gas chromatograph methods for CO, a laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and two chemiluminescence methods for NO, and two LIF methods and a radiocarbon tracer method for OH. The intercomparison was conducted as a field measurement program involving ambient measurements of CO (150-300 ppbv) and NO (10-180 pptv) from a common manifold with controlled injection of CO in incremental steps from 20 to 500 ppbv and NO in steps from 10 to 220 pptv. Only ambient measurements of OH were made. The agreement between the techniques was on the order of 14 percent for CO and 17 percent for NO. Hardware difficulties during the OH tests resulted in a data base with insufficient data and uncertanties too large to permit a meaningful intercomposition.

Operational overview of the NASA GTE/CITE 3 airborne instrument intercomparisons for sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, carbonyl sulfide, dimethyl sulfide, and carbon disulfide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoell, James M., Jr.; Davis, Douglas D.; Gregory, Gerald L.; Mcneal, Robert J.; Bendura, Richard J.; Drewry, Joseph W.; Barrick, John D.; Kirchhoff, Volker W. J. H.; Motta, Adauto G.; Navarro, Roger L.

1993-01-01

This paper reports the overall experimental design and gives a brief overview of results from the third airborne Chemical Instrumentation Test and Evaluation (CITE 3) mission conducted as part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Global Tropospheric Experiment. The primary objective of CITE 3 was to evaluate the capability of instrumentation for airborne measurements of ambient concentrations of SO2, H2S, CS, dimethyl sulfide, and carbonyl sulfide. Ancillary measurements augmented the intercomparison data in order to address the secondary objective of CITE 3 which was to address specific issues related to the budget and photochemistry of tropospheric sulfur species. The CITE 3 mission was conducted on NASA's Wallops Flight Center Electra aircraft and included a ground-based intercomparison of sulfur standards and intercomparison/sulfur science flights conducted from the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia, followed by flights from Natal, Brazil. Including the transit flights, CITE 3 included 16 flights encompassing approximately 96 flight hours.

Worker and environmental protection issues in the remediation of an abandoned source manufacturing facility.

PubMed

Hoffman, Daniel E

2003-02-01

The Gulf Nuclear Superfund Site located in Odessa, Texas, was an abandoned radioactive source production facility slated for cleanup as a Removal Action under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region VI Superfund program. Prior to cessation of operations and abandonment of the facility in 1992, it was used for the production of radioactive sources used in the oil and gas industry and nuclear medicine applications. Pangea Group was contracted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Kansas City District to perform remediation of the site and other contaminated debris, cleaning of interior building surfaces, building demolition, and excavation/removal of contaminated soils and septic system. The project scope also included loading, containerization and transportation of low-level radioactive wastes for offsite disposal. Primary radionuclides present at the facility were 137Cs, 60Co, and 241Am. The project also included packaging and removal of radioactive sources and mixed waste consisting of radiologically contaminated lead shot and lead source containers. Included in the paper is a discussion of primary worker protection and environmental protection measures employed on the project. Worker protection issues included the control of industrial and construction safety hazards as well as control of external and internal radiation dose. Control of air emissions and contaminated wastewater were also very important, especially due to the location of the site. The site was located in an area containing both residential and commercial properties. Several residences and businesses were located immediately adjacent to the site. The project involved the participation of the USACE Kansas City District, EPA Region 6, and the Texas Bureau of Radiological Health. Field work on the project started in April 2001 and was completed approximately five months later.

Worker and Environmental Protection Issues in the Remediation Of an Abandoned Source Manufacturing Facility.

PubMed

Hoffman, Daniel E.

2003-02-01

The Gulf Nuclear Superfund Site located in Odessa, Texas, was an abandoned radioactive source production facility slated for cleanup as a Removal Action under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region VI Superfund program. Prior to cessation of operations and abandonment of the facility in 1992, it was used for the production of radioactive sources used in the oil and gas industry and nuclear medicine applications. Pangea Group was contracted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Kansas City District to perform remediation of the site and other contaminated debris, cleaning of interior building surfaces, building demolition, and excavation/removal of contaminated soils and septic system. The project scope also included loading, containerization and transportation of low-level radioactive wastes for offsite disposal. Primary radionuclides present at the facility were Cs, Co, and Am. The project also included packaging and removal of radioactive sources and mixed waste consisting of radiologically contaminated lead shot and lead source containers. Included in the paper is a discussion of primary worker protection and environmental protection measures employed on the project. Worker protection issues included the control of industrial and construction safety hazards as well as control of external and internal radiation dose. Control of air emissions and contaminated wastewater were also very important, especially due to the location of the site. The site was located in an area containing both residential and commercial properties. Several residences and businesses were located immediately adjacent to the site. The project involved the participation of the USACE Kansas City District, EPA Region 6, and the Texas Bureau of Radiological Health. Field work on the project started in April 2001 and was completed approximately five months later.

Decision Support System For Management Of Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal At The Nevada Test Site

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

Shott, G.; Yucel, V.; Desotell, L.

2006-07-01

The long-term safety of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) low-level radioactive disposal facilities is assessed by conducting a performance assessment -- a systematic analysis that compares estimated risks to the public and the environment with performance objectives contained in DOE Manual 435.1-1, Radioactive Waste Management Manual. Before site operations, facilities design features such as final inventory, waste form characteristics, and closure cover design may be uncertain. Site operators need a modeling tool that can be used throughout the operational life of the disposal site to guide decisions regarding the acceptance of problematic waste streams, new disposal cell design, environmental monitoringmore » program design, and final site closure. In response to these needs the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO) has developed a decision support system for the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site in Frenchman Flat on the Nevada Test Site. The core of the system is a probabilistic inventory and performance assessment model implemented in the GoldSim{sup R} simulation platform. The modeling platform supports multiple graphic capabilities that allow clear documentation of the model data sources, conceptual model, mathematical implementation, and results. The combined models have the capability to estimate disposal site inventory, contaminant concentrations in environmental media, and radiological doses to members of the public engaged in various activities at multiple locations. The model allows rapid assessment and documentation of the consequences of waste management decisions using the most current site characterization information, radionuclide inventory, and conceptual model. The model is routinely used to provide annual updates of site performance, evaluate the consequences of disposal of new waste streams, develop waste concentration limits, optimize the design of new disposal cells, and assess the adequacy of environmental monitoring programs. (authors)« less

Remote Sensing of Multi-Level Wind Fields with High-Energy Airborne Scanning Coherent Doppler Lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rothermel, Jeffry; Olivier, Lisa D.; Banta, Robert M.; Hardesty, R. Michael; Howell, James N.; Cutten, Dean R.; Johnson, Steven C.; Menzies, Robert T.; Tratt, David M.

1997-01-01

The atmospheric lidar remote sensing groups of NOAA Environmental Technology Laboratory, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory have developed and flown a scanning, 1 Joule per pulse, CO2 coherent Doppler lidar capable of mapping a three-dimensional volume of atmospheric winds and aerosol backscatter in the troposphere and lower stratosphere. Applications include the study of severe and non-severe atmospheric flows, intercomparisons with other sensors, and the simulation of prospective satellite Doppler lidar wind profilers. Examples of wind measurements are given for the marine boundary layer and near the coastline of the western United States.

Remote sensing of multi-level wind fields with high-energy airborne scanning coherent Doppler lidar.

PubMed

Rothermel, J; Olivier, L; Banta, R; Hardesty, R M; Howell, J; Cutten, D; Johnson, S; Menzies, R; Tratt, D M

1998-01-19

The atmospheric lidar remote sensing groups of NOAA Environmental Technology Laboratory, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory have developed and flown a scanning, 1 Joule per pulse, CO2 coherent Doppler lidar capable of mapping a three-dimensional volume of atmospheric winds and aerosol backscatter in the planetary boundary layer, free troposphere, and lower stratosphere. Applications include the study of severe and non-severe atmospheric flows, intercomparisons with other sensors, and the simulation of prospective satellite Doppler lidar wind profilers. Examples of wind measurements are given for the marine boundary layer and near the coastline of the western United States.

Modelling seasonal variations of natural radioactivity in soils: A case study in southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guagliardi, Ilaria; Rovella, Natalia; Apollaro, Carmine; Bloise, Andrea; Rosa, Rosanna De; Scarciglia, Fabio; Buttafuoco, Gabriele

2016-12-01

The activity of natural radionuclides in soil has become an environmental concern for local public and national authorities because of the harmful effects of radiation exposure on human health. In this context, modelling and mapping the activity of natural radionuclides in soil is an important research topic. The study was aimed to model, in a spatial sense, the soil radioactivity in an urban and peri-urban soils area in southern Italy to analyse the seasonal influence on soil radioactivity. Measures of gamma radiation naturally emitted through the decay of radioactive isotopes (potassium, uranium and thorium) were analysed using a geostatistical approach to map the spatial distribution of soil radioactivity. The activity of three radionuclides was measured at 181 locations using a high-resolution ?-ray spectrometry. To take into account the influence of season, the measurements were carried out in summer and in winter. Activity data were analysed by using a geostatistical approach and zones of relatively high or low radioactivity were delineated. Among the main processes which influence natural radioactivity such as geology, geochemical, pedological, and ecological processes, results of this study showed a prominent control of radio-emission measurements by seasonal changes. Low natural radioactivity levels were measured in December associated with winter weather and moist soil conditions (due to high rainfall and low temperature), and higher activity values in July, when the soil was dry and no precipitations occurred.

40 CFR 192.03 - Monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR URANIUM AND THORIUM MILL TAILINGS Standards for the Control of Residual Radioactive Materials from Inactive Uranium Processing Sites § 192.03 Monitoring. A...

40 CFR 192.03 - Monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR URANIUM AND THORIUM MILL TAILINGS Standards for the Control of Residual Radioactive Materials from Inactive Uranium Processing Sites § 192.03 Monitoring. A...

40 CFR 192.03 - Monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR URANIUM AND THORIUM MILL TAILINGS Standards for the Control of Residual Radioactive Materials from Inactive Uranium Processing Sites § 192.03 Monitoring. A...

40 CFR 192.03 - Monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR URANIUM AND THORIUM MILL TAILINGS Standards for the Control of Residual Radioactive Materials from Inactive Uranium Processing Sites § 192.03 Monitoring. A...

Understanding the Radioactive Ingrowth and Decay of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials in the Environment: An Analysis of Produced Fluids from the Marcellus Shale.

PubMed

Nelson, Andrew W; Eitrheim, Eric S; Knight, Andrew W; May, Dustin; Mehrhoff, Marinea A; Shannon, Robert; Litman, Robert; Burnett, William C; Forbes, Tori Z; Schultz, Michael K

2015-07-01

The economic value of unconventional natural gas resources has stimulated rapid globalization of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. However, natural radioactivity found in the large volumes of "produced fluids" generated by these technologies is emerging as an international environmental health concern. Current assessments of the radioactivity concentration in liquid wastes focus on a single element-radium. However, the use of radium alone to predict radioactivity concentrations can greatly underestimate total levels. We investigated the contribution to radioactivity concentrations from naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), including uranium, thorium, actinium, radium, lead, bismuth, and polonium isotopes, to the total radioactivity of hydraulic fracturing wastes. For this study we used established methods and developed new methods designed to quantitate NORM of public health concern that may be enriched in complex brines from hydraulic fracturing wastes. Specifically, we examined the use of high-purity germanium gamma spectrometry and isotope dilution alpha spectrometry to quantitate NORM. We observed that radium decay products were initially absent from produced fluids due to differences in solubility. However, in systems closed to the release of gaseous radon, our model predicted that decay products will begin to ingrow immediately and (under these closed-system conditions) can contribute to an increase in the total radioactivity for more than 100 years. Accurate predictions of radioactivity concentrations are critical for estimating doses to potentially exposed individuals and the surrounding environment. These predictions must include an understanding of the geochemistry, decay properties, and ingrowth kinetics of radium and its decay product radionuclides.

Climate model simulations of the mid-Pliocene: Earth's last great interval of global warmth

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dolan, A.M.; Haywood, A.M.; Dowsett, H.J.

2012-01-01

Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project Workshop; Reston, Virginia, 2–4 August 2011 The Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP), supported by the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Pliocene Research, Interpretation and Synoptic Mapping (PRISM) project and Powell Center, is an integral part of a third iteration of the Paleoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project (PMIP3). PlioMIP's aim is to systematically compare structurally different climate models. This is done in the context of the mid-Pliocene (~3.3–3.0 million years ago), a geological interval when the global annual mean temperature was similar to predictions for the next century.

ARM/GCSS/SPARC TWP-ICE CRM Intercomparison Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fridlind, Ann; Ackerman, Andrew; Petch, Jon; Field, Paul; Hill, Adrian; McFarquhar, Greg; Xie, Shaocheng; Zhang, Minghua

2010-01-01

Specifications are provided for running a cloud-resolving model (CRM) and submitting results in a standardized format for inclusion in a n intercomparison study and archiving for public access. The simulated case study is based on measurements obtained during the 2006 Tropical Warm Pool - International Cloud Experiment (TWP-ICE) led by the U. S. department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program. The modeling intercomparison study is based on objectives developed in concert with the Stratospheric Processes And their Role in Climate (SPARC) program and the GEWEX cloud system study (GCSS) program. The Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) is a core project of the World Climate Research PRogramme (WCRP).

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

Cochran, John Russell

The Al Tuwaitha nuclear complex near Baghdad contains a number of facilities from Saddam Hussan's nuclear weapons program. Past military operations, lack of upkeep and looting have created an enormous radioactive waste problem at the Al Tuwaitha complex, which contains various, uncharacterized radioactive wastes, yellow cake, sealed radioactive sources, and contaminated metals that must be constantly guarded. Iraq has never had a radioactive waste disposal facility and the lack of a disposal facility means that ever increasing quantities of radioactive material must be held in guarded storage. The Iraq Nuclear Facility Dismantlement and Disposal Program (the NDs Program) has beenmore » initiated by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) to assist the Government of Iraq (GOI) in eliminating the threats from poorly controlled radioactive materials, while building human capacities so that the GOI can manage other environmental cleanups in their country. The DOS is funding the IAEA to provide technical assistance via Technical Cooperation projects. Program coordination will be provided by the DOS, consistent with GOI policies, and Sandia National Laboratories will be responsible for coordination of participants and waste management support. Texas Tech University will continue to provide in-country assistance, including radioactive waste characterization and the stand-up of the Iraq Nuclear Services Company. The GOI owns the problems in Iraq and will be responsible for implementation of the NDs Program.« less

EPA's Response to the February 2014 Release of Radioactive Material from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP): EPA's WIPP Air Sampling Data from April 2014

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

In April 2014, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) environmental monitoring and assessment team members reviewed DOE's air sampling plan, visited DOE's air samplers and placed air samplers onsite near existing DOE samplers to corroborate results.

10 CFR 51.20 - Criteria for and identification of licensing and regulatory actions requiring environmental...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Criteria for and identification of licensing and regulatory actions requiring environmental impact statements. 51.20 Section 51.20 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY... radioactive waste in a monitored retrievable storage installation (MRS). (10) Issuance of a license for a...

THE NORTH AMERICAN MERCURY MODEL INTER-COMPARISON STUDY (NAMMIS)

EPA Science Inventory

This paper describes the North American Mercury Model Inter-comparison Study (NAMMIS). The NAMMIS is an effort to apply atmospheric Hg models in a tightly constrained testing environment with a focus on North America. With each model using the same input data sets for initial co...

PNNL Results from 2010 CALIBAN Criticality Accident Dosimeter Intercomparison Exercise

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

Hill, Robin L.; Conrady, Matthew M.

2011-10-28

This document reports the results of the Hanford personnel nuclear accident dosimeter (PNAD) and fixed nuclear accident dosimeter (FNAD) during a criticality accident dosimeter intercomparison exercise at the CEA Valduc Center on September 20-23, 2010. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) participated in a criticality accident dosimeter intercomparison exercise at the Commissariat a Energie Atomique (CEA) Valduc Center near Dijon, France on September 20-23, 2010. The intercomparison exercise was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Nuclear Criticality Safety Program, with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as the lead Laboratory. PNNL was one of six invited DOE Laboratory participants. The other participatingmore » Laboratories were: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Savannah River Site (SRS), the Y-12 National Security Complex at Oak Ridge, and Sandia National Laboratory (SNL). The goals of PNNL's participation in the intercomparison exercise were to test and validate the procedures and algorithm currently used for the Hanford personnel nuclear accident dosimeters (PNADs) on the metallic reactor, CALIBAN, to test exposures to PNADs from the side and from behind a phantom, and to test PNADs that were taken from a historical batch of Hanford PNADs that had varying degrees of degradation of the bare indium foil. Similar testing of the PNADs was done on the Valduc SILENE test reactor in 2009 (Hill and Conrady, 2010). The CALIBAN results are reported here.« less

Application of computational methods to analyse and investigate physical and chemical processes of high-temperature mineralizing of condensed substances in gas stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markelov, A. Y.; Shiryaevskii, V. L.; Kudrinskiy, A. A.; Anpilov, S. V.; Bobrakov, A. N.

2017-11-01

A computational method of analysis of physical and chemical processes of high-temperature mineralizing of low-level radioactive waste in gas stream in the process of plasma treatment of radioactive waste in shaft furnaces was introduced. It was shown that the thermodynamic simulation method allows fairly adequately describing the changes in the composition of the pyrogas withdrawn from the shaft furnace at different waste treatment regimes. This offers a possibility of developing environmentally and economically viable technologies and small-sized low-cost facilities for plasma treatment of radioactive waste to be applied at currently operating nuclear power plants.

Environmental Remediation Activities in Japan Following the Fukushima Dai-ichi Reactor Incident - 12603

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

Lively, J.W.; Kelley, J.L.; Marcial, M.R.

2012-07-01

In March 2011, the Fukushima Dai-ichi reactor power plant was crippled by the Great Pacific earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Much of the focus in the news was on the reactor site itself as the utility company (TEPCO), the Japanese government, and experts from around the world worked to bring the damaged plants into a safe shutdown condition and stem the release of radioactivity to the environment. Most of the radioactivity released was carried out to sea with the prevailing winds. Still, as weather patterns changed and winds shifted, a significant plume of radioactive materials released from the plant deposited inmore » the environment surrounding the plant, contaminating large land areas of the Fukushima Prefecture. The magnitude of the radiological impact to the surrounding environmental is so large that the Japanese government has had to reevaluate the meaning of 'acceptably clean'. In many respects, 'acceptably clean' cannot be a one-size-fits-all standard. The economics costs of such an approach would make impossible what is already an enormous and costly environmental response and remediation task. Thus, the Japanese government has embarked upon an approach that is both situation-specific and reasonably achievable. For example, the determination of acceptably clean for a nursery school or kindergarten play yard may be different from that for a parking lot. The acceptably clean level of residual radioactivity in the surface soil of a rice paddy is different from that in a forested area. The recognized exposure situation (scenario) thus plays a large role in the decision process. While sometimes complicated to grasp or implement, such an approach does prioritize national resources to address environment remediation based upon immediate and significant risks. In addition, the Japanese government is testing means and methods, including advanced or promising technologies, that could be proven to be effective in reducing the amount of radioactivity in the environment beyond a fixed, concentration based limit. Essentially, the definition of acceptably clean includes the concept of reasonably achievable, given the available technology, means and methods, and the cost to implement such. The Japanese government recently issued three technology demonstration contracts expressly designed to test and evaluate the available technologies, means, and methods, which, if implemented, might produce the greatest risk reduction from environmental contamination for the best value. One of the Japanese contract holders, Obayashi JV, has teamed with AMEC to demonstrate the applicability and capabilities of the Orion ScanPlot{sup SM} and ScanSort{sup SM} technologies in radiologically impacted towns both inside and immediately outside the 20 km restricted zone. This presentation provides some unique images and informative insight into the environmental radioactive impacts in and around the exclusion zone. It will provide a look at one element of the Japanese government?s efforts to achieve the greatest risk reduction that is reasonably achievable. The Orion ScanPlot{sup SM} and ScanSort{sup SM} are being used with success on the Japan Town Demonstration Project to assess pre-remedial action contamination levels, document the post-remedial action contamination levels and to precisely measure and segregate excavated soils based on their radioactive content and the prescribed segregation limits (DCS). Initial results suggest that these technologies could provide capabilities to the remedial action efforts that would result in considerable improvements in field data certainty and compliance with remedial objectives while reducing overall costs. (authors)« less

Radiological survey of Ingalls Shipbuilding Division, Pascagoula, Mississippi, and environs

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

Fowler, T.W.; Windham, S.T.; Callis, R.S.

1983-09-01

This report presents results of the survey conducted by EERF personnel to assess environmental radioactivity remaining from operations of nuclear-powered vessels at Ingalls Shipyard, Pascagoula, Mississippi. Since Ingalls Shipyard will no longer build or service nuclear powered ships and has completed the decommissioning of the nuclear support facilities, an additional purpose of the survey was to determine if there is any remaining radioactivity from previous operations which could contribute to significant population exposure.

Strategic appraisal of environmental risks: a contrast between the United Kingdom's Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change and its Committee on Radioactive Waste Management.

PubMed

Dietz, Simon; Morton, Alec

2011-01-01

In this article, we compare two high-profile strategic policy reviews undertaken for the U.K. government on environmental risks: radioactive waste management and climate change. These reviews took very different forms, both in terms of analytic approach and deliberation strategy. The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change was largely an exercise in expert modeling, building, within a cost-benefit framework, an argument for immediate reductions in carbon emissions. The Committee on Radioactive Waste Management, on the other hand, followed a much more explicitly deliberative and participative process, using multicriteria decision analysis to bring together scientific evidence and stakeholder and public values. In this article, we ask why the two reviews were different, and whether the differences are justified. We conclude that the differences were mainly due to political context, rather than the underpinning science, and as a consequence that, while in our view "fit for purpose," they would both have been stronger had they been less different. Stern's grappling with ethical issues could have been strengthened by a greater degree of public and stakeholder engagement, and the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management's handling of issues of uncertainty could have been strengthened by the explicitly probabilistic framework of Stern. © 2010 Society for Risk Analysis.

Environmental Measurements Laboratory fiscal year 1998: Accomplishments and technical activities

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

Erickson, M.D.

1999-01-01

The Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) is government-owned, government-operated, and programmatically under the DOE Office of Environmental Management. The Laboratory is administered by the Chicago Operations Office. EML provides program management, technical assistance and data quality assurance for measurements of radiation and radioactivity relating to environmental restoration, global nuclear nonproliferation, and other priority issues for the Department of Energy, as well as for other government, national, and international organizations. This report presents the technical activities and accomplishments of EML for Fiscal Year 1998.

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

Finley, V.L.; Stencel, J.R.

This report gives the results of the environmental activities and monitoring programs at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) for CY91. The report is prepared to provide the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the public with information on the level of radioactive and nonradioactive pollutants, if any, added to the environment as a result of PPPL operations, as well as environmental initiatives, assessments, and programs. The objective of the Annual Site Environmental Report is to document evidence that DOE facility environmental protection programs adequately protect the environment and the public health.

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

Finley, V.L.; Wieczorek, M.A.

This report gives the results of the environmental activities and monitoring programs at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) for CY92. The report is prepared to provide the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the public with information on the level of radioactive and nonradioactive pollutants, if any, added to the environment as a result of PPPL operations, as well as environmental initiatives, assessments, and programs. The objective of the Annual Site Environmental Report is to document evidence that DOE facility environmental protection programs adequately protect the environment and the public health.

Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant - An Overview of the Current Efforts to Stabilize the Chornobyl Shelter and Establish an Environmentally Safe Site

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

Couch, Daniel P.; Gronier, Serge; Heriot, Ian D.

2005-08-08

Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant ? An Overview of the Current Efforts to Stabilize the Chornobyl Shelter and Establish an Environmentally Safe Site Abstract?The 1986 accident at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine resulted in the destruction of the reactor core and most of the reactor building. The Chornobyl accident released an enormous quantity of radionuclides into the environment, significantly contaminating a large region around the plant. Within seven months of the accident, the damaged Unit 4 was encased in a massive concrete and steel enclosure known as the Shelter. Deterioration of the Shelter over time poses increasing risks. Themore » Shelter is subject to structural damage or collapse due to wind, snow loading, or seismic activity. Collapse could lead to the release of radioactive fallout. Leakage of rainwater into the Shelter has caused the accumulation of a large quantity of highly radioactive liquid, corrosion of extremely contaminated nuclear fuel debris, and creation of hazardous radioactive dust. To address these concerns, the government of Ukraine, the G7 nations, and additional donor countries adopted the Shelter Implementation Plan (SIP) in 1997. The SIP's objectives are to reduce the risk and potential consequences of accidental collapse of the Shelter; improve nuclear, industrial and environmental safety; and develop a long-term strategy for conversion to an environmentally safe site. Implementation of the SIP has made significant progress that will lead to the construction of a new confinement facility by 2009. (Full paper available by contacting lead author, Dan Couch)« less

Potential environmental and regulatory implications of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM).

PubMed

Paschoa, A S

1998-03-01

The immense volume of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) wastes produced annually by extracting industries throughout the world deserves to come to the attention of international and national environmental protection agencies and regulatory bodies. Although a great deal of work has been done in the fields of radiation protection and remedial actions concerning uranium and other mines, the need to dispose of diffuse NORM wastes will have environmental and regulatory implications that thus far are not fully appreciated. NORM wastes constitute, by and large, unwanted byproducts of industrial activities as diverse as thorium and uranium milling, niobium, tin and gold mining extraction, water treatment, and the production of oil, gas, phosphate fertilizer, coal fire and aluminum. The volumes of NORM wastes produced annually could reach levels so high that the existing low level radioactive waste (LLRW) facilities would be readily occupied by NORM if controlled disposal procedures were not adopted. On the other hand, NORM cannot just be ignored as being below radiological concern (BRC) or lower than exempt concentration levels (ECLs), because sometimes NORM concentrations reach levels as high as 1 x 10(3) kBq/kg for 226Ra, and not much less for 228Ra. Unfortunately, thus far there is not enough information available concerning NORM wastes in key industries, though the international scientific community has been concerned, for a long time now, with technologically enhanced natural radiation exposures (TENRE). This article is written with the intention of examining, to the extent possible, the potential environmental and regulatory implications of NORM wastes being produced in selected industries.

Nevada Test Site Environmental Report 2005

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

Cathy A. Wills

2006-10-01

The Nevada Test Site Environmental Report 2005 (NTSER) was prepared to meet the information needs of the public and the requirements and guidelines of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for annual site environmental reports. Its purpose is to (1) report compliance status with environmental standards and requirements, (2) present results of environmental monitoring of radiological and nonradiological effluents, (3) report estimated radiological doses to the public from releases of radioactive material, (4) summarize environmental incidents of noncompliance and actions taken in response to them, (5) describe the NTS Environmental Management System and characterize its performance, and (6) highlight significantmore » environmental programs and efforts.« less

SimilarityExplorer: A visual inter-comparison tool for multifaceted climate data

Treesearch

J. Poco; A. Dasgupta; Y. Wei; W. Hargrove; C. Schwalm; R. Cook; E. Bertini; C. Silva

2014-01-01

Inter-comparison and similarity analysis to gauge consensus among multiple simulation models is a critical visualization problem for understanding climate change patterns. Climate models, specifically, Terrestrial Biosphere Models (TBM) represent time and space variable ecosystem processes, for example, simulations of photosynthesis and respiration, using algorithms...

FIELD INTERCOMPARISON OF SULFATE DRY DEPOSITION MONITORING AND MEASUREMENT METHODS: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

EPA Science Inventory

The Illinois State Water Survey hosted a three-week field intercomparison of several sulfate dry deposition measurement techniques during September 81. The site was an 80-acre grass field in a rural area 14 km southwest of Champaign, IL. The vegetation consisted of mixed grasses ...

An Analysis of Simulated Wet Deposition of Mercury from the North American Mercury Model Intercomparison Study

EPA Science Inventory

A previous intercomparison of atmospheric mercury models in North America has been extended to compare simulated and observed wet deposition of mercury. Three regional-scale atmospheric mercury models were tested; CMAQ, REMSAD and TEAM. These models were each employed using thr...

METHODS INTERCOMPARISON OF SAMPLERS FOR EPA'S NATIONAL PM 2.5 CHEMICAL SPECIATION NETWORK

EPA Science Inventory

The objective of this sampler intercomparison field study is to determine the performance characteristics for the collection of the chemical components of PM2.5 by the chemical speciation monitors developed for the national PM2.5 network relative to each other, to the Federal R...

Reference levels of background radioactivity for beach sands and soils in İnebolu/Kastamonu-Turkey

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

Kurnaz, Aslı, E-mail: akurnaz@kastamonu.edu.tr; Türkdoğan, Savaş, E-mail: savas-turk-dogan@hotmail.com; Hançerlioğulları, Aybaba, E-mail: aybaba@kastamonu.edu.tr

This paper presents the measurement results of environmental radioactivity levels for İnebolu district (tourist area), Kastamonu-Turkey. The radioactivity concentrations of {sup 238}U, {sup 232}Th, {sup 40}K and the fission product {sup 137}Cs in soil samples collected from 13 region surroundings of study area and in 12 beach sand samples collected from along the coast of İnebolu were determined. To evaluate the radiological hazard of the natural radioactivity, based on the measured concentrations of these radionuclides, the mean absorbed gamma dose and the annual effective dose were evaluated separately, and found to be 112.90 nGy h-1 and 138.46 µSv y-1 for soilmore » samples and 75.19 nGy h-1 and 92.22 µSv y-1 for beach sand samples, respectively. The results show that İnebolu does not have high background.« less

Reference levels of background radioactivity for beach sands and soils in İnebolu/Kastamonu-Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurnaz, Aslı; Türkdoǧan, Savaş; Hançerlioǧulları, Aybaba; ćetiner, M. Atıf

2016-03-01

This paper presents the measurement results of environmental radioactivity levels for İnebolu district (tourist area), Kastamonu-Turkey. The radioactivity concentrations of 238U, 232Th, 40K and the fission product 137Cs in soil samples collected from 13 region surroundings of study area and in 12 beach sand samples collected from along the coast of İnebolu were determined. To evaluate the radiological hazard of the natural radioactivity, based on the measured concentrations of these radionuclides, the mean absorbed gamma dose and the annual effective dose were evaluated separately, and found to be 112.90 nGy h-1 and 138.46 µSv y-1 for soil samples and 75.19 nGy h-1 and 92.22 µSv y-1 for beach sand samples, respectively. The results show that İnebolu does not have high background.

Influence of terrestrial radionuclides on environmental gamma exposure in a uranium deposit in Paraíba, Brazil.

PubMed

Araújo Dos Santos Júnior, José; Dos Santos Amaral, Romilton; Simões Cezar Menezes, Rômulo; Reinaldo Estevez Álvarez, Juan; Marques do Nascimento Santos, Josineide; Herrero Fernández, Zahily; Dias Bezerra, Jairo; Antônio da Silva, Alberto; Francys Rodrigues Damascena, Kennedy; de Almeida Maciel Neto, José

2017-07-01

One of the main natural uranium deposits in Brazil is located in the municipality of Espinharas, in the State of Paraíba. This area may present high levels of natural radioactivity due to the presence of these radionuclides. Since this is a populated area, there is need for a radioecological dosimetry assessment to investigate the possible risks to the population. Based on this problem, the objective of this study was to estimate the environmental effective dose outdoors in inhabited areas influenced by the uranium deposit, using the specific activities of equivalent uranium, equivalent thorium and 40 K and conversion factors. The environmental assessment was carried using gamma spectroscopy in sixty-two points within the municipality, with a high-resolution gamma spectrometer with HPGe semiconductor detector and Be window. The results obtained ranged from 0.01 to 19.11 mSv y -1 , with an average of 2.64 mSv y -1 . These levels are, on average, 23 times higher than UNSCEAR reference levels and up to 273 times the reference value of the earth's crust for primordial radionuclides. Therefore, given the high radioactivity levels found, we conclude that there is need for further investigation to evaluate the levels of radioactivity in indoor environments, which will reflect more closely the risks of the local population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Solid precipitation measurement intercomparison in Bismarck, North Dakota, from 1988 through 1997

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ryberg, Karen R.; Emerson, Douglas G.; Macek-Rowland, Kathleen M.

2009-01-01

A solid precipitation measurement intercomparison was recommended by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and was initiated after approval by the ninth session of the Commission for Instruments and Methods of Observation. The goal of the intercomparison was to assess national methods of measuring solid precipitation against methods whose accuracy and reliability were known. A field study was started in Bismarck, N. Dak., during the 1988-89 winter as part of the intercomparison. The last official field season of the WMO intercomparison was 1992-93; however, the Bismarck site continued to operate through the winter of 1996-97. Precipitation events at Bismarck were categorized as snow, mixed, or rain on the basis of descriptive notes recorded as part of the solid precipitation intercomparison. The rain events were not further analyzed in this study. Catch ratios (CRs) - the ratio of the precipitation catch at each gage to the true precipitation measurement (the corrected double fence intercomparison reference) - were calculated. Then, regression analysis was used to develop equations that model the snow and mixed precipitation CRs at each gage as functions of wind speed and temperature. Wind speed at the gages, functions of temperature, and upper air conditions (wind speed and air temperature at 700 millibars pressure) were used as possible explanatory variables in the multiple regression analysis done for this study. The CRs were modeled by using multiple regression analysis for the Tretyakov gage, national shielded gage, national unshielded gage, AeroChem gage, national gage with double fence, and national gage with Wyoming windshield. As in earlier studies by the WMO, wind speed and air temperature were found to influence the CR of the Tretyakov gage. However, in this study, the temperature variable represented the average upper air temperature over the duration of the event. The WMO did not use upper air conditions in its analysis. The national shielded and unshielded gages where found to be influenced by functions of wind speed only, as in other studies, but the upper air wind speed was used as an explanatory variable in this study. The AeroChem gage was not used in the WMO intercomparison study for 1987-93. The AeroChem gage had a highly varied CR at Bismarck, and a number of variables related to wind speed and temperature were used in the model for the CR. Despite extensive efforts to find a model for the national gage with double fence, no statistically significant regression model was found at the 0.05 level of statistical significance. The national gage with Wyoming windshield had a CR modeled by temperature and wind speed variables, and the regression relation had the highest coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.572) and adjusted coefficient of multiple determination (R2a = 0.476) of all of the models identified for any gage. Three of the gage CRs evaluated could be compared with those in the WMO intercomparison study for 1987-93. The WMO intercomparison had the advantage of a much larger dataset than this study. However, the data in this study represented a longer time period. Snow precipitation catch is highly varied depending on the equipment used and the weather conditions. Much of the variation is not accounted for in the WMO equations or in the equations developed in this study, particularly for unshielded gages. Extensive attempts at regression analysis were made with the mixed precipitation data, but it was concluded that the sample sizes were not large enough to model the CRs. However, the data could be used to test the WMO intercomparison equations. The mixed precipitation equations for the Tretyakov and national shielded gages are similar to those for snow in that they are more likely to underestimate precipitation when observed amounts were small and overestimate precipitation when observed amounts were relatively large. Mixed precipitation is underestimated by the WMO adjustment and t

Waste-Management Education and Research Consortium (WERC) annual progress report, 1992--1993. Appendices

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

Not Available

1993-02-15

This report contains the following appendices: Appendix A - Requirements for Undergraduate Level; Appendix B - Requirements for Graduate Level; Appendix C - Graduate Degree In Environmental Engineeringat New Mexico State University; Appendix D - Non-degree Certificate program; Appendix E - Curriculum for Associate Degree Program in Radioactive & Hazardous Waste Materials; Appendix F - Curriculum for NCC Program in Earth & Environmental Sciences; Appendix G - Brochure of 1992 Teleconference Series; Appendix H - Sites for Hazardous/Radioactive Waste Management Series; Appendix I - WERC Interactive Television Courses; Appendix J - WERC Research Seminar Series Brochures; Appendix K - Summarymore » of Technology Development of the Third Year; Appendix L - List of Major Publications Resulting From WERC; Appendix M - Types of Equipment at WERC Laboratories; and Appendix N - WERC Newsletter Examples.« less

Waste-Management Education and Research Consortium (WERC) annual progress report, 1992--1993

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

Eiceman, Gary A.; King, J. Phillip; Smith, Geoffrey B.

1993-02-15

This report contains the following appendices: Appendix A - Requirements for Undergraduate Level; Appendix B - Requirements for Graduate Level; Appendix C - Graduate Degree In Environmental Engineeringat New Mexico State University; Appendix D - Non-degree Certificate program; Appendix E - Curriculum for Associate Degree Program in Radioactive Hazardous Waste Materials; Appendix F - Curriculum for NCC Program in Earth Environmental Sciences; Appendix G - Brochure of 1992 Teleconference Series; Appendix H - Sites for Hazardous/Radioactive Waste Management Series; Appendix I - WERC Interactive Television Courses; Appendix J - WERC Research Seminar Series Brochures; Appendix K - Summary of Technologymore » Development of the Third Year; Appendix L - List of Major Publications Resulting From WERC; Appendix M - Types of Equipment at WERC Laboratories; and Appendix N - WERC Newsletter Examples.« less

The Fifth Calibration/Data Product Validation Panel Meeting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

The minutes and associated documents prepared from presentations and meetings at the Fifth Calibration/Data Product Validation Panel meeting in Boulder, Colorado, April 8 - 10, 1992, are presented. Key issues include (1) statistical characterization of data sets: finding statistics that characterize key attributes of the data sets, and defining ways to characterize the comparisons among data sets; (2) selection of specific intercomparison exercises: selecting characteristic spatial and temporal regions for intercomparisons, and impact of validation exercises on the logistics of current and planned field campaigns and model runs; and (3) preparation of data sets for intercomparisons: characterization of assumptions, transportable data formats, labeling data files, content of data sets, and data storage and distribution (EOSDIS interface).

Radiological environmental dose assessment methods and compliance dose results for 2015 operations at the Savannah River Site

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

Jannik, G. T.; Dixon, K. L.

This report presents the environmental dose assessment methods and the estimated potential doses to the offsite public from 2015 Savannah River Site (SRS) atmospheric and liquid radioactive releases. Also documented are potential doses from special-case exposure scenarios - such as the consumption of deer meat, fish, and goat milk.

INTERCOMPARISON STUDY OF ATMOSPHERIC MERCURY MODELS: 2. MODELING RESULTS VS. LONG-TERM OBSERVATIONS AND COMPARISON OF COUNTRY ATMOSPHERIC BALANCES

EPA Science Inventory

Five regional scale models with a horizontal domain covering the European continent and its surrounding seas, two hemispheric and one global scale model participated in the atmospheric Hg modelling intercomparison study. The models were compared between each other and with availa...

A Compendium on the NIST Radionuclidic Assays of the Massic Activity of 63Ni and 55Fe Solutions Used for an International Intercomparison of Liquid Scintillation Spectrometry Techniques

PubMed Central

Collé, R.; Zimmerman, B. E.

1997-01-01

The National Institute of Standards and Technology recently participated in an international measurement intercomparison for 63Ni and 55Fe, which was conducted amongst principal national radionuclidic metrology laboratories. The intercomparison was sponsored by EUROMET, and was primarily intended to evaluate the capabilities of liquid scintillation (LS) spectrometry techniques for standardizing nuclides that decay by low-energy β-emission (like 63Ni) and by low-Z (atomic number) electron capture (like 55Fe). The intercomparison findings exhibit a very good agreement for 63Ni amongst the various participating laboratories, including that for NIST, which suggests that the presently invoked LS methodologies are very capable of providing internationally-compatible standardizations for low-energy β-emitters. The results for 55Fe are in considerably poorer agreement, and demonstrated the existence of several unresolved problems. It has thus become apparent that there is a need for the various international laboratories to conduct rigorous, systematic evaluations of their LS capabilities in assaying radionuclides that decay by low-Z electron capture. PMID:27805141

SECOND LATIN AMERICAN INTERCOMPARISON ON INTERNAL DOSE ASSESSMENT.

PubMed

Rojo, A; Puerta, N; Gossio, S; Gómez Parada, I; Cruz Suarez, R; López, E; Medina, C; Lastra Boylan, J; Pinheiro Ramos, M; Mora Ramírez, E; Alves Dos Reis, A; Yánez, H; Rubio, J; Vironneau Janicek, L; Somarriba Vanegas, F; Puerta Ortiz, J; Salas Ramírez, M; López Bejerano, G; da Silva, T; Miri Oliveira, C; Terán, M; Alfaro, M; García, T; Angeles, A; Duré Romero, E; Farias de Lima, F

2016-09-01

Internal dosimetry intercomparisons are essential for the verification of applied models and the consistency of results'. To that aim, the First Regional Intercomparison was organised in 2005, and that results led to the Second Regional Intercomparison Exercise in 2013, which was organised in the frame of the RLA 9/066 and coordinated by Autoridad Regulatoria Nuclear of Argentina. Four simulated cases covering intakes of (131)I, (137)Cs and Tritium were proposed. Ninteen centres from thirteen different countries participated in this exercise. This paper analyses the participants' results in this second exercise in order to test their skills and acquired knowledge, particularly in the application of the IDEAS Guidelines. It is important to highlight the increased number of countries that participated in this exercise compared with the first one and, furthermore, the improvement in the overall performance. The impact of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Projects since 2003 has led to a significant enhancement of internal dosimetry capabilities that strengthen the radiation protection of workers. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

1993 Intercomparison of Photometric Units Maintained at NIST (USA) and PTB (Germany)

PubMed Central

Ohno, Yoshihiro; Sauter, Georg

1995-01-01

A bilateral intercomparison of photometric units between NIST, USA and PTB, Germany has been conducted to update the knowledge of the relationship between the photometric units disseminated in each country. The luminous intensity unit (cd) and the luminous flux unit (lm) maintained at both laboratories are compared by circulating transfer standard lamps. Also, the photometric responsivity sv is compared by circulating a V(λ)-corrected detector with a built-in current-to-voltage converter. The results show that the difference of luminous intensity unit between NIST and PTB, (PTB-NIST)/NIST, is 0.2 % with a relative expanded uncertainty (coverage factor k = 2) of 0.24 %. The difference is reduced significantly from that at the 1985 CCPR intercomparison (0.9 %). The difference in luminous flux unit, (PTB – NIST)/NIST, is found to be 1.5 % with a relative expanded uncertainty (coverage factor k =2) of 0.15 %. The difference remained nearly the same as that at the 1985 intercomparison (1.6 %). These results agree with what is predicted from the history of maintaining the units at each laboratory. PMID:29151737

Nuclear weapons tests and environmental consequences: a global perspective.

PubMed

Prăvălie, Remus

2014-10-01

The beginning of the atomic age marked the outset of nuclear weapons testing, which is responsible for the radioactive contamination of a large number of sites worldwide. The paper aims to analyze nuclear weapons tests conducted in the second half of the twentieth century, highlighting the impact of radioactive pollution on the atmospheric, aquatic, and underground environments. Special attention was given to the concentration of main radioactive isotopes which were released, such as ¹⁴C, ¹³⁷Cs, and ⁹⁰Sr, generally stored in the atmosphere and marine environment. In addition, an attempt was made to trace the spatial delimitation of the most heavily contaminated sites worldwide, and to note the human exposure which has caused a significantly increased incidence of thyroidal cancer locally and regionally. The United States is one of the important examples of assessing the correlation between the increase in the thyroid cancer incidence rate and the continental-scale radioactive contamination with ¹³¹I, a radioactive isotope which was released in large amounts during the nuclear tests carried out in the main test site, Nevada.

Methods and Data Used to Investigate Polonium-210 as a Source of Excess Gross-Alpha Radioactivity in Ground Water, Churchill County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Seiler, Ralph L.

2007-01-01

Ground water is the major source of drinking water in the Carson River Basin, California and Nevada. Previous studies have shown that uranium and gross-alpha radioactivities in ground water can be greater than U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Levels, particularly in the Carson Desert, Churchill County, Nevada. Studies also have shown that the primary source of the gross-alpha radioactivity and alpha-emitting radionuclides in ground water is the dissolution of uranium-rich granitic rocks and basin-fill sediments that have their origins in the Sierra Nevada. However, ground water sampled from some wells in the Carson Desert had gross-alpha radioactivities greater than could be accounted for by the decay of dissolved uranium. The occurrence of polonium-210 (Po-210) was hypothesized to explain the higher than expected gross-alpha radioactivities. This report documents and describes the study design, field and analytical methods, and data used to determine whether Po-210 is the source of excess gross-alpha radioactivity in ground water underlying the Carson Desert in and around Fallon, Nevada. Specifically, this report presents: 1) gross alpha and uranium radioactivities for 100 wells sampled from June to September 2001; and 2) pH, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, and Po-210 radioactivity for 25 wells sampled in April and June 2007. Results of quality-control samples for the 2007 dataset are also presented.

Is it necessary to raise awareness about technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials?

PubMed

Michalik, Bogusław

2009-10-01

Since radiation risks are usually considered to be related to nuclear energy, the majority of research on radiation protection has focused on artificial radionuclides in radioactive wastes, spent nuclear fuel or global fallout caused by A-bomb tests and nuclear power plant failures. Far less attention has been paid to the radiation risk caused by exposure to ionizing radiation originating from natural radioactivity enhanced due to human activity, despite the fact that technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials are common in many branches of the non-nuclear industry. They differ significantly from "classical" nuclear materials and usually look like other industrial waste. The derived radiation risk is usually associated with risk caused by other pollutants and can not be controlled by applying rules designed for pure radioactive waste. Existing data have pointed out a strong need to take into account the non-nuclear industry where materials containing enhanced natural radioactivity occur as a special case of radiation risk and enclose them in the frame of the formal control. But up to now there are no reasonable and clear regulations in this matter. As a result, the non-nuclear industries of concern are not aware of problems connected with natural radioactivity or they would expect negative consequences in the case of implementing radiation protection measures. The modification of widely comprehended environmental legislation with requirements taken from radiation protection seems to be the first step to solve this problem and raise awareness about enhanced natural radioactivity for all stakeholders of concern.

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

Cochran, J.R.; Danneels, J.; Kenagy, W.D.

The Al Tuwaitha nuclear complex near Baghdad contains a significant number of nuclear facilities from Saddam Hussein's dictatorship. Because of past military operations, lack of upkeep and looting there is now an enormous radioactive waste problem at Al Tuwaitha. Al Tuwaitha contains uncharacterised radioactive wastes, yellow cake, sealed radioactive sources, and contaminated metals. The current security situation in Iraq hampers all aspects of radioactive waste management. Further, Iraq has never had a radioactive waste disposal facility, which means that ever increasing quantities of radioactive waste and material must be held in guarded storage. The Iraq Nuclear Facility Dismantlement and Disposalmore » Program (the NDs Program) has been initiated by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) to assist the Government of Iraq (GOI) in eliminating the threats from poorly controlled radioactive materials, while building human capacities so that the GOI can manage other environmental cleanups in their country. The DOS has funded the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to provide technical assistance to the GOI via a Technical Cooperation Project. Program coordination will be provided by the DOS, consistent with U.S. and GOI policies, and Sandia National Laboratories will be responsible for coordination of participants and for providing waste management support. Texas Tech University will continue to provide in-country assistance, including radioactive waste characterization and the stand-up of the Iraq Nuclear Services Company. The GOI owns the problems in Iraq and will be responsible for the vast majority of the implementation of the NDs Program. (authors)« less

Understanding the Radioactive Ingrowth and Decay of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials in the Environment: An Analysis of Produced Fluids from the Marcellus Shale

PubMed Central

Nelson, Andrew W.; Eitrheim, Eric S.; Knight, Andrew W.; May, Dustin; Mehrhoff, Marinea A.; Shannon, Robert; Litman, Robert; Burnett, William C.; Forbes, Tori Z.

2015-01-01

Background The economic value of unconventional natural gas resources has stimulated rapid globalization of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. However, natural radioactivity found in the large volumes of “produced fluids” generated by these technologies is emerging as an international environmental health concern. Current assessments of the radioactivity concentration in liquid wastes focus on a single element—radium. However, the use of radium alone to predict radioactivity concentrations can greatly underestimate total levels. Objective We investigated the contribution to radioactivity concentrations from naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), including uranium, thorium, actinium, radium, lead, bismuth, and polonium isotopes, to the total radioactivity of hydraulic fracturing wastes. Methods For this study we used established methods and developed new methods designed to quantitate NORM of public health concern that may be enriched in complex brines from hydraulic fracturing wastes. Specifically, we examined the use of high-purity germanium gamma spectrometry and isotope dilution alpha spectrometry to quantitate NORM. Results We observed that radium decay products were initially absent from produced fluids due to differences in solubility. However, in systems closed to the release of gaseous radon, our model predicted that decay products will begin to ingrow immediately and (under these closed-system conditions) can contribute to an increase in the total radioactivity for more than 100 years. Conclusions Accurate predictions of radioactivity concentrations are critical for estimating doses to potentially exposed individuals and the surrounding environment. These predictions must include an understanding of the geochemistry, decay properties, and ingrowth kinetics of radium and its decay product radionuclides. Citation Nelson AW, Eitrheim ES, Knight AW, May D, Mehrhoff MA, Shannon R, Litman R, Burnett WC, Forbes TZ, Schultz MK. 2015. Understanding the radioactive ingrowth and decay of naturally occurring radioactive materials in the environment: an analysis of produced fluids from the Marcellus Shale. Environ Health Perspect 123:689–696; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1408855 PMID:25831257

Reproducibility in cyclostratigraphy: initiating an intercomparison project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinnesael, Matthias; De Vleeschouwer, David; Zeeden, Christian; Claeys, Philippe

2017-04-01

The study of astronomical climate forcing and the application of cyclostratigraphy have experienced a spectacular growth over the last decades. In the field of cyclostratigraphy a broad range in methodological approaches exist. However, comparative study between the different approaches is lacking. Different cases demand different approaches, but with the growing importance of the field, questions arise about reproducibility, uncertainties and standardization of results. The radioisotopic dating community, in particular, has done far-reaching efforts to improve reproducibility and intercomparison of radioisotopic dates and their errors. To satisfy this need in cyclostratigraphy, we initiate a comparable framework for the community. The aims are to investigate and quantify reproducibility of, and uncertainties related to cyclostratigraphic studies and to provide a platform to discuss the merits and pitfalls of different methodologies, and their applicabilities. With this poster, we ask the feedback from the community on how to design this comparative framework in a useful, meaningful and productive manner. In parallel, we would like to discuss how reproducibility should be tested and what uncertainties should stand for in cyclostratigraphy. On the other hand, we intend to trigger interest for a cyclostratigraphic intercomparison project. This intercomparison project would imply the analysis of artificial and genuine geological records by individual researchers. All participants would be free to determine their method of choice. However, a handful of criterions will be required for an outcome to be comparable. The different results would be compared (e.g. during a workshop or a special session), and the lessons learned from the comparison could potentially be reported in a review paper. The aim of an intercomparison project is not to rank the different methods according to their merits, but to get insight into which specific methods are most suitable for which specific problems, and obtain more information on different sources of uncertainty. As this intercomparison project should be supported by the broader cyclostratigraphic community, we open the floor for suggestions, ideas and practical remarks.

RECERTIFICATION OF THE MODEL 9977 RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL PACKAGING

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

Abramczyk, G.; Bellamy, S.; Loftin, B.

2013-06-05

The Model 9977 Packaging was initially issued a Certificate of Compliance (CoC) by the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM) for the transportation of radioactive material (RAM) in the Fall of 2007. This first CoC was for a single radioactive material and two packing configurations. In the five years since that time, seven Addendums have been written to the Safety Analysis Report for Packaging (SARP) and five Letter Amendments have been written that have authorized either new RAM contents or packing configurations, or both. This paper will discuss the process of updating the 9977 SARP to include allmore » the contents and configurations, including the addition of a new content, and its submittal for recertification.« less

Validation of an advanced analytical procedure applied to the measurement of environmental radioactivity.

PubMed

Thanh, Tran Thien; Vuong, Le Quang; Ho, Phan Long; Chuong, Huynh Dinh; Nguyen, Vo Hoang; Tao, Chau Van

2018-04-01

In this work, an advanced analytical procedure was applied to calculate radioactivity in spiked water samples in a close geometry gamma spectroscopy. It included MCNP-CP code in order to calculate the coincidence summing correction factor (CSF). The CSF results were validated by a deterministic method using ETNA code for both p-type HPGe detectors. It showed that a good agreement for both codes. Finally, the validity of the developed procedure was confirmed by a proficiency test to calculate the activities of various radionuclides. The results of the radioactivity measurement with both detectors using the advanced analytical procedure were received the ''Accepted'' statuses following the proficiency test. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of physicochemical properties of radioactive cesium in municipal solid waste incineration fly ash by particle size classification and leaching tests.

PubMed

Fujii, Kengo; Ochi, Kotaro; Ohbuchi, Atsushi; Koike, Yuya

2018-07-01

After the Fukushima Daiichi-Nuclear Power Plant accident, environmental recovery was a major issue because a considerable amount of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash was highly contaminated with radioactive cesium. To the best of our knowledge, only a few studies have evaluated the detailed physicochemical properties of radioactive cesium in MSWI fly ash to propose an effective method for the solidification and reuse of MSWI fly ash. In this study, MSWI fly ash was sampled in Fukushima Prefecture. The physicochemical properties of radioactive cesium in MSWI fly ash were evaluated by particle size classification (less than 25, 25-45, 45-100, 100-300, 300-500, and greater than 500 μm) and the Japanese leaching test No. 13 called "JLT-13". These results obtained from the classification of fly ash indicated that the activity concentration of radioactive cesium and the content of the coexisting matter (i.e., chloride and potassium) temporarily change in response to the particle size of fly ash. X-ray diffraction results indicated that water-soluble radioactive cesium exists as CsCl because of the cooling process and that insoluble cesium is bound to the inner sphere of amorphous matter. These results indicated that the distribution of radioactive cesium depends on the characteristics of MSWI fly ash. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contamination of terrestrial ecosystem components with 90Sr, 137Cs, and 226Ra caused by the deterioration of the multibarrier protection of radioactive waste storages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latynova, N. E.

2010-03-01

The spatial-temporal features of the radioactive contamination of terrestrial ecosystem components caused by the deterioration of the multibarrier protection of regional radioactive waste storages of the State Research Center of the Russian Federation-Leipunskii Institute of Physics and Power Engineering at the input of radionuclides into the soil and ground water were studied. The composition of the radioactive contamination was determined, and the hydrological and geochemical processes resulting in the formation of large radioactive sources were described. The natural features of the radioactive waste storage areas favoring the entry of 90Sr, 137Cs, and 226Ra into the soils and their inclusion in the biological turnover were characterized. The directions of the horizontal migration of 90Sr, 137Cs, and 226Ra and the sites of their accumulation within the superaquatic and aquatic landscapes of a near-terrace depression were studied; the factors of the 90Sr accumulation in plants and cockles were calculated. The results of the studies expand the theoretical concepts of the mechanisms, processes, and factors controlling the behavior of radionuclides at the deterioration of the multibarrier protection of radioactive waste storages. The presented experimental data can be used for solving practical problems related to environmental protection in the areas of industrial nuclear complexes.

A Comparison of Five Numerical Weather Prediction Analysis Climatologies in Southern High Latitudes.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connolley, William M.; Harangozo, Stephen A.

2001-01-01

In this paper, numerical weather prediction analyses from four major centers are compared-the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (ABM), the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), the U.S. National Centers for Environmental Prediction-National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP-NCAR), and The Met. Office (UKMO). Two of the series-ECMWF reanalysis (ERA) and NCEP-NCAR reanalysis (NNR)-are `reanalyses'; that is, the data have recently been processed through a consistent, modern analysis system. The other three-ABM, ECMWF operational (EOP), and UKMO-are archived from operational analyses.The primary focus in this paper is on the period of 1979-93, the period used for the reanalyses, and on climatology. However, ABM and NNR are also compared for the period before 1979, for which the evidence tends to favor NNR. The authors are concerned with basic variables-mean sea level pressure, height of the 500-hPa surface, and near-surface temperature-that are available from the basic analysis step, rather than more derived quantities (such as precipitation), which are available only from the forecast step.Direct comparisons against station observations, intercomparisons of the spatial pattern of the analyses, and intercomparisons of the temporal variation indicate that ERA, EOP, and UKMO are best for sea level pressure;that UKMO and EOP are best for 500-hPa height; and that none of the analyses perform well for near-surface temperature.

Mexican national pyronometer network calibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

VAldes, M.; Villarreal, L.; Estevez, H.; Riveros, D.

2013-12-01

In order to take advantage of the solar radiation as an alternate energy source it is necessary to evaluate the spatial and temporal availability. The Mexican National Meterological Service (SMN) has a network with 136 meteorological stations, each coupled with a pyronometer for measuring the global solar radiation. Some of these stations had not been calibrated in several years. The Mexican Department of Energy (SENER) in order to count on a reliable evaluation of the solar resource funded this project to calibrate the SMN pyrometer network and validate the data. The calibration of the 136 pyronometers by the intercomparison method recommended by the World Meterological Organization (WMO) requires lengthy observations and specific environmental conditions such as clear skies and a stable atmosphere, circumstances that determine the site and season of the calibration. The Solar Radiation Section of the Instituto de Geofísica of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is a Regional Center of the WMO and is certified to carry out the calibration procedures and emit certificates. We are responsible for the recalibration of the pyronometer network of the SMN. A continuous emission solar simulator with exposed areas with 30cm diameters was acquired to reduce the calibration time and not depend on atmospheric conditions. We present the results of the calibration of 10 thermopile pyronometers and one photovoltaic cell by the intercomparison method with more than 10000 observations each and those obtained with the solar simulator.

Quantitative trace analysis of polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in ambient air samples from Mace Head (Ireland): A method intercomparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jahnke, Annika; Barber, Jonathan L.; Jones, Kevin C.; Temme, Christian

A method intercomparison study of analytical methods for the determination of neutral, volatile polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) was carried out in March, 2006. Environmental air samples were collected in triplicate at the European background site Mace Head on the west coast of Ireland, a site dominated by 'clean' westerly winds coming across the Atlantic. Extraction and analysis were performed at two laboratories active in PFAS research using their in-house methods. Airborne polyfluorinated telomer alcohols (FTOHs), fluorooctane sulfonamides and sulfonamidoethanols (FOSAs/FOSEs) as well as additional polyfluorinated compounds were investigated. Different native and isotope-labelled internal standards (IS) were applied at various steps in the analytical procedure to evaluate the different quantification strategies. Field blanks revealed no major blank problems. European background concentrations observed at Mace Head were found to be in a similar range to Arctic data reported in the literature. Due to trace-levels at the remote site, only FTOH data sets were complete and could therefore be compared between the laboratories. Additionally, FOSEs could partly be included. Data comparison revealed that despite the challenges inherent in analysis of airborne PFAS and the low concentrations, all methods applied in this study obtained similar results. However, application of isotope-labelled IS early in the analytical procedure leads to more precise results and is therefore recommended.

Joint Conference on Sensing of Environmental Pollutants, 4th, New Orleans, La., November 6-11, 1977, Proceedings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

Papers are presented on such topics as environmental chemistry, the effects of sulfur compounds on air quality, the prediction and monitoring of biological effects caused by environmental pollutants, environmental indicators, the satellite remote sensing of air pollution, weather and climate modification by pollution, and the monitoring and assessment of radioactive pollutants. Consideration is also given to empirical and quantitative modeling of air quality, disposal of hazardous and nontoxic materials, sensing and assessment of water quality, pollution source monitoring, and assessment of some environmental impacts of fossil and nuclear fuels.

Controlling Indoor Air Pollution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nero, Anthony V, Jr.

1988-01-01

Discusses the health risks posed by indoor air pollutants, such as airborne combustion products, toxic chemicals, and radioactivity. Questions as to how indoor air might be regulated. Calls for new approaches to environmental protection. (TW)

Spectroradiometer Intercomparison and Impact on Characterizing Photovoltaic Device Performance: Preprint

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

Habte, A.; Andreas, A.; Ottoson, L.

2014-11-01

Indoor and outdoor testing of photovoltaic (PV) device performance requires the use of solar simulators and natural solar radiation, respectively. This performance characterization requires accurate knowledge of spectral irradiance distribution that is incident on the devices. Spectroradiometers are used to measure the spectral distribution of solar simulators and solar radiation. On September 17, 2013, a global spectral irradiance intercomparison using spectroradiometers was organized by the Solar Radiation Research Laboratory (SRRL) at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). This paper presents highlights of the results of this first intercomparison, which will help to decrease systematic inter-laboratory differences in the measurements ofmore » the outputs or efficiencies of PV devices and harmonize laboratory experimental procedures.« less

Recent developments in assessment of long-term radionuclide behavior in the geosphere-biosphere subsystem.

PubMed

Smith, G M; Smith, K L; Kowe, R; Pérez-Sánchez, D; Thorne, M; Thiry, Y; Read, D; Molinero, J

2014-05-01

Decisions on permitting, controlling and monitoring releases of radioactivity into the environment rely on a great variety of factors. Important among these is the prospective assessment of radionuclide behavior in the environment, including migration and accumulation among and within specific environmental media, and the resulting environmental and human health impacts. Models and techniques to undertake such assessments have been developed over several decades based on knowledge of the ecosystems involved, as well as monitoring of previous radionuclide releases to the environment, laboratory experiments and other related research. This paper presents developments in the assessment of radiation doses and related research for some of the key radionuclides identified as of potential significance in the context of releases to the biosphere from disposal facilities for solid radioactive waste. Since releases to the biosphere from disposal facilities involve transfers from the geosphere to the biosphere, an important aspect is the combined effects of surface hydrology, near-surface hydrogeology and chemical gradients on speciation and radionuclide mobility in the zone in which the geosphere and biosphere overlap (herein described as the geosphere-biosphere subsystem). In turn, these aspects of the environment can be modified as a result of environmental change over the thousands of years that have to be considered in radioactive waste disposal safety assessments. Building on the experience from improved understanding of the behavior of the key radionuclides, this paper proceeds to describe development of a generic methodology for representing the processes and environmental changes that are characteristic of the interface between the geosphere and the biosphere. The information that is provided and the methodology that is described are based on international collaborative work implemented through the BIOPROTA forum, www.bioprota.org. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intrinsic vs. spurious long-range memory in high-frequency records of environmental radioactivity. Critical re-assessment and application to indoor 222Rn concentrations from Coimbra, Portugal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donner, R. V.; Potirakis, S. M.; Barbosa, S. M.; Matos, J. A. O.; Pereira, A. J. S. C.; Neves, L. J. P. F.

2015-05-01

The presence or absence of long-range correlations in the environmental radioactivity fluctuations has recently attracted considerable interest. Among a multiplicity of practically relevant applications, identifying and disentangling the environmental factors controlling the variable concentrations of the radioactive noble gas radon is important for estimating its effect on human health and the efficiency of possible measures for reducing the corresponding exposition. In this work, we present a critical re-assessment of a multiplicity of complementary methods that have been previously applied for evaluating the presence of long-range correlations and fractal scaling in environmental radon variations with a particular focus on the specific properties of the underlying time series. As an illustrative case study, we subsequently re-analyze two high-frequency records of indoor radon concentrations from Coimbra, Portugal, each of which spans several weeks of continuous measurements at a high temporal resolution of five minutes.Our results reveal that at the study site, radon concentrations exhibit complex multi-scale dynamics with qualitatively different properties at different time-scales: (i) essentially white noise in the high-frequency part (up to time-scales of about one hour), (ii) spurious indications of a non-stationary, apparently long-range correlated process (at time scales between some hours and one day) arising from marked periodic components, and (iii) low-frequency variability indicating a true long-range dependent process. In the presence of such multi-scale variability, common estimators of long-range memory in time series are prone to fail if applied to the raw data without previous separation of time-scales with qualitatively different dynamics.

Nevada Test Site annual site environmental report for calendar year 1996

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

Black, S.C.; Townsend, Y.E.

1997-10-01

Monitoring and surveillance on and around the Nevada Test Site (NTS) by US Department of Energy (DOE) contractors and NTS user organizations during 1996 indicated that operations on the NTS were conducted in compliance with applicable DOE, state, and federal regulations and guidelines. All discharges of radioactive liquids remained onsite in containment ponds, and there was no indication of potential migration of radioactivity to the offsite area through groundwater. Surveillance around the NTS indicated that airborne radioactivity from diffusion, evaporation of liquid effluents, or resuspension of soil was not detectable offsite, and exposure above background to members of the offsitemore » population was not measured by the offsite monitoring program. Using the US Environmental Protection Agency`s (EPA) Clean Air Package 1988 (CAP88)PC model and NTS radionuclide emissions and environmental monitoring data, the calculated effective dose equivalent (EDE) to the maximally exposed individual offsite would have been 0.11 mrem. This value is less than 2 percent of the federal dose limit prescribed for radionuclide air emissions. Any person receiving this dose would also have received 144 mrem from natural background radiation. There were no nonradiological releases to the offsite area. Hazardous wastes were shipped offsite to approved disposal facilities. Compliance with the various regulations stemming from the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is being achieved and, where mandated, permits for air and water effluents and waste management have been obtained from the appropriate agencies. Cooperation with other agencies has resulted in seven different consent orders and agreements. Support facilities at off-NTS locations have complied with the requirements of air quality permits and state or local wastewater discharge and hazardous waste permits as mandated for each location.« less

Radioactive and other environmental threats to the United States and the Arctic resulting from past Soviet activities

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

NONE

Earlier this year the Senate Intelligence Committee began to receive reports from environmental and nuclear scientists in Russia detailing the reckless nuclear waste disposal practices, nuclear accidents and the use of nuclear detonations. We found that information disturbing to say the least. Also troubling is the fact that 15 Chernobyl style RBMK nuclear power reactors continue to operate in the former Soviet Union today. These reactors lack a containment structure and they`re designed in such a way that nuclear reaction can actually increase when the reactor overheats. As scientists here at the University of Alaska have documented, polar air massesmore » and prevailing weather patterns provide a pathway for radioactive contaminants from Eastern Europe and Western Russia, where many of these reactors are located. The threats presented by those potential radioactive risks are just a part of a larger Arctic pollution problem. Every day, industrial activities of the former Soviet Union continue to create pollutants. I think we should face up to the reality that in a country struggling for economic survival, environment protection isn`t necessarily the high priority. And that could be very troubling news for the Arctic in the future.« less

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

Hamilton, T.; Jones, H.; Wong, K.

The Marshall Islands Environmental Characterization and Dose Assessment Program has recently implemented waste minimization measures to reduce low level radioactive (LLW) and low level mixed (LLWMIXED) waste streams at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Several thousand environmental samples are collected annually from former US nuclear test sites in the Marshall Islands, and returned to LLNL for processing and radiometric analysis. In the past, we analyzed coconut milk directly by gamma-spectrometry after adding formaldehyde (as preservative) and sealing the fluid in metal cans. This procedure was not only tedious and time consuming but generated storage and waste disposal problems. Wemore » have now reduced the number of coconut milk samples required for analysis from 1500 per year to approximately 250, and developed a new analytical procedure which essentially eliminates the associated mixed radioactive waste stream. Coconut milk samples are mixed with a few grams of ammonium-molydophosphate (AMP) which quantitatively scavenges the target radionuclide cesium 137 in an ion-exchange process. The AMP is then separated from the mixture and sealed in a plastic container. The bulk sample material can be disposed of as a non- radioactive non-hazardous waste, and the relatively small amount of AMP conveniently counted by gamma-spectrometry, packaged and stored for future use.« less

Low-level radioactive waste technology: a selected, annotated bibliography

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

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

1980-10-01

This annotated bibliography of 447 references contains scientific, technical, economic, and regulatory information relevant to low-level radioactive waste technology. The bibliography focuses on environmental transport, disposal site, and waste treatment studies. The publication covers both domestic and foreign literature for the period 1952 to 1979. Major chapters selected are Chemical and Physical Aspects; Container Design and Performance; Disposal Site; Environmental Transport; General Studies and Reviews; Geology, Hydrology and Site Resources; Regulatory and Economic Aspects; Transportation Technology; Waste Production; and Waste Treatment. Specialized data fields have been incorporated into the data file to improve the ease and accuracy of locating pertinentmore » 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. In addition, each document referenced in this bibliography has been assigned a relevance number to facilitate sorting the documents according to their pertinence to low-level radioactive waste technology. The documents are rated 1, 2, 3, or 4, with 1 indicating direct applicability to low-level radioactive waste technology and 4 indicating that a considerable amount of interpretation is required for the information presented to be applied. The references within each chapter are arranged alphabetically by leading author, corporate affiliation, or title of the document. Indexes are provide for (1) author(s), (2) keywords, (3) subject category, (4) title, (5) geographic location, (6) measured parameters, (7) measured radionuclides, and (8) publication description.« less

Dealing with the aftermath of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident: decontamination of radioactive cesium enriched ash.

PubMed

Parajuli, Durga; Tanaka, Hisashi; Hakuta, Yukiya; Minami, Kimitaka; Fukuda, Shigeharu; Umeoka, Kuniyoshi; Kamimura, Ryuichi; Hayashi, Yukie; Ouchi, Masatoshi; Kawamoto, Tohru

2013-04-16

Environmental radioactivity, mainly in the Tohoku and Kanto areas, due to the long living radioisotopes of cesium is an obstacle to speedy recovery from the impacts of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Although incineration of the contaminated wastes is encouraged, safe disposal of the Cs enriched ash is the big challenge. To address this issue, safe incineration of contaminated wastes while restricting the release of volatile Cs to the atmosphere was studied. Detailed study on effective removal of Cs from ash samples generated from wood bark, household garbage, and municipal sewage sludge was performed. For wood ash and garbage ash, washing only with water at ambient conditions removed radioactivity due to (134)Cs and (137)Cs, retaining most of the components other than the alkali metals with the residue. However, removing Cs from sludge ash needed acid treatment at high temperature. This difference in Cs solubility is due to the presence of soil particle originated clay minerals in the sludge ash. Because only removing the contaminated vegetation is found to sharply decrease the environmental radioactivity, volume reduction of contaminated biomass by incineration makes great sense. In addition, need for a long-term leachate monitoring system in the landfill can be avoided by washing the ash with water. Once the Cs in solids is extracted to the solution, it can be loaded to Cs selective adsorbents such as Prussian blue and safely stored in a small volume.

Efficient Removal of Cationic and Anionic Radioactive Pollutants from Water Using Hydrotalcite-Based Getters.

PubMed

Bo, Arixin; Sarina, Sarina; Liu, Hongwei; Zheng, Zhanfeng; Xiao, Qi; Gu, Yuantong; Ayoko, Godwin A; Zhu, Huaiyong

2016-06-29

Hydrotalcite (HT)-based materials are usually applied to capture anionic pollutants in aqueous solutions. Generally considered anion exchangers, their ability to capture radioactive cations is rarely exploited. In the present work, we explored the ability of pristine and calcined HT getters to effectively capture radioactive cations (Sr(2+) and Ba(2+)) which can be securely stabilized at the getter surface. It is found that calcined HT outperforms its pristine counterpart in cation removal ability. Meanwhile, a novel anion removal mechanism targeting radioactive I(-) is demonstrated. This approach involves HT surface modification with silver species, namely, Ag2CO3 nanoparticles, which can attach firmly on HT surface by forming coherent interface. This HT-based anion getter can be further used to capture I(-) in aqueous solution. The observed I(-) uptake mechanism is distinctly different from the widely reported ion exchange mechanism of HT and much more efficient. As a result of the high local concentrations of precipitants on the getters, radioactive ions in water can be readily immobilized onto the getter surface by forming precipitates. The secured ionic pollutants can be subsequently removed from water by filtration or sedimentation for safe disposal. Overall, these stable, inexpensive getters are the materials of choice for removal of trace ionic pollutants from bulk radioactive liquids, especially during episodic environmental crisis.

Nevada National Security Site Environmental Report 2016

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

Wills

This Nevada National Security Site Environmental Report (NNSSER) was prepared to satisfy DOE Order DOE O 231.1B, “Environment, Safety and Health Reporting.” Its purpose is to (1) report compliance status with environmental standards and requirements, (2) present results of environmental monitoring of radiological and nonradiological effluents, (3) report estimated radiological doses to the public from releases of radioactive material, (4) summarize environmental incidents of noncompliance and actions taken in response to them, (5) describe the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) Environmental Management System and characterize its performance, and (6) highlight significant environmental programs and efforts. This NNSSERmore » summarizes data and compliance status for calendar year 2016 at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) and its two Nevada-based support facilities, the North Las Vegas Facility (NLVF) and the Remote Sensing Laboratory–Nellis (RSL-Nellis). It also addresses environmental restoration (ER) projects conducted at the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) and the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). NNSA/NFO directs the management and operation of the NNSS and six sites across the nation. In addition to the NNSA itself, the six sites include two in Nevada (NLVF and RSL-Nellis) and four in other states (RSL-Andrews in Maryland, Livermore Operations in California, Los Alamos Operations in New Mexico, and Special Technologies Laboratory in California). Los Alamos, Lawrence Livermore, and Sandia National Laboratories are the principal organizations that sponsor and implement the nuclear weapons programs at the NNSS. National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec), is the current Management and Operating contractor accountable for the successful execution of work and ensuring that work is performed in compliance with environmental regulations. The six sites all provide support to enhance the NNSS as a location for its multiple missions. The three major NNSS missions include National Security/Defense, Environmental Management, and Nondefense. The major programs that support these missions are Stockpile Stewardship and Management, Nonproliferation and Counterterrorism, Nuclear Emergency Response, Strategic Partnership Projects, Environmental Restoration, Waste Management, Conservation and Renewable Energy, Other Research and Development, and Infrastructure. The major facilities that support the programs include the U1a Facility, Big Explosives Experimental Facility (BEEF), Device Assembly Facility, Dense Plasma Focus Facility, Joint Actinide Shock Physics Experimental Research Facility, Radiological/Nuclear Countermeasures Test and Evaluation Complex, Nonproliferation Test and Evaluation Complex (NPTEC), Radiological/Nuclear Weapons of Mass Destruction Incident Exercise Site, the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC), and the Area 3 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS).« less

Potential Nano-Enabled Environmental Applications for Radionuclides

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document provides information about nanotechnology materials and processes that may be applicable when cleaning up radioactively contaminated sites or materials, and presents a snapshot of lessons learned in nano-science and engineering.

Iron-nickel alloys as canister material for radioactive waste disposal in underground repositories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apps, J. A.

1982-09-01

Canisters containing high-level radioactive waste must retain their integrity in an underground waste repository for at least one thousand years after burial (Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 1981). Since no direct means of verifying canister integrity is plausible over such a long period, indirect methods must be chosen. A persuasive approach is to examine the natural environment and find a suitable material which is thermodynamically compatible with the host rock under the environmental conditions with the host rock under the environmental conditions expected in a waste repository. Several candidates have been proposed, among them being iron-nickel alloys that are known to occur naturally in altered ultramafic rocks. The following review of stability relations among iron-nickel alloys below 3500 C is the initial phase of a more detailed evaluation of these alloys as suitable canister materials.

A low-cost miniaturised detector for environmental radioactivity measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aplin, Karen; Briggs, Aaron; Hastings, Peter; Harrison, R. Giles; Marlton, Graeme; Baird, Adam

2017-04-01

We have developed a low-cost (£ few hundred), low-power (40mA), low-mass (30g) detector for environmental radioactivity measurements, using scintillator and solid state technology. The detector can measure energy and therefore has the capability to distinguish between different types of energetic particle. Results from recent tests, when our detector was integrated with a meteorological radiosonde system, and flew on a balloon up to 25km, identified the transition region between energetic particles near the surface, dominated by terrestrial gamma emissions, and higher-energy particles in the free troposphere from cosmic rays. The detector can be used with Bluetooth technology for remote monitoring, which is particularly useful for hazardous areas. It is also small and cheap enough to be used in sensor networks for a wide range of applications, from atmospheric science to disaster monitoring.

BRDF Characterization and Calibration Inter-Comparison between Terra MODIS, Aqua MODIS, and S-NPP VIIRS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, Tiejun; Xiong, Xiaoxiong (Jack); Angal, Amit; Wu, Aisheng

2016-01-01

The inter-comparison of reflective solar bands (RSB) between Terra MODIS, Aqua MODIS, and SNPP VIIRS is very important for assessment of each instrument's calibration and to identify calibration improvements. One of the limitations of using their ground observations for the assessment is a lack of the simultaneous nadir overpasses (SNOs) over selected pseudo-invariant targets. In addition, their measurements over a selected Earth view target have significant difference in solar and view angles, and these differences magnify the effects of Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF). In this work, an inter-comparison technique using a semi-empirical BRDF model is developed for reflectance correction. BRDF characterization requires a broad coverage of solar and view angles in the measurements over selected pseudo-invariant targets. Reflectance measurements over Libya 1, 2, and 4 desert sites from both the Aqua and Terra MODIS are regressed to a BRDF model with an adjustable coefficient accounting for the calibration difference between the two instruments. The BRDF coefficients for three desert sites for MODIS bands 1 to 9 are derived and the wavelength dependencies are presented. The analysis and inter-comparison are for MODIS bands 1 to 9 and VIIRS moderate resolution radiometric bands (M bands) M1, M2, M4, M5, M7, M8, M10 and imaging bands (I bands) I1-I3. Results show that the ratios from different sites are in good agreement. The ratios between Terra and Aqua MODIS from year 2003 to 2014 are presented. The inter-comparison between MODIS and VIIRS are analyzed for year 2014.

A Methodological Inter-Comparison of Gridded Meteorological Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newman, A. J.; Clark, M. P.; Longman, R. J.; Giambelluca, T. W.; Arnold, J.

2017-12-01

Here we present a gridded meteorology inter-comparison using the state of Hawaíi as a testbed. This inter-comparison is motivated by two general goals: 1) the broad user community of gridded observation based meteorological fields should be aware of inter-product differences and the reasons they exist, which allows users to make informed choices on product selection to best meet their specific application(s); 2) we want to demonstrate the utility of inter-comparisons to meet the first goal, yet highlight that they are limited to mostly generic statements regarding attribution of differences that limits our understanding of these complex algorithms and obscures future research directions. Hawaíi is a useful testbed because it is a meteorologically complex region with well-known spatial features that are tied to specific physical processes (e.g. the trade wind inversion). From a practical standpoint, there are now several monthly climatological and daily precipitation and temperature datasets available that are being used for impact modeling. General conclusions that have emerged are: 1) differences in input station data significantly influence product differences; 2) prediction of precipitation occurrence is crucial across multiple metrics; 3) derived temperature statistics (e.g. diurnal temperature range) may have large spatial differences across products; and 4) attribution of differences to methodological choices is difficult and may limit the outcomes of these inter-comparisons, particularly from a development viewpoint. Thus, we want to continue to move the community towards frameworks that allow for multiple options throughout the product generation chain and allow for more systematic testing.

Demolition and removal of radioactively contaminated concrete soil: Aerosol control and monitoring

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

Newton, G.J.; Hoover, M.D.; Grace, A.C. III

1995-12-01

From 1963 to 1985, two concrete-lined ponds were used to reduce the volume of radioactive liquids from the Institute`s research programs. Following withdrawal of the {open_quotes}hot ponds{close_quotes} from active use, the residual sludges and plastic liners of the ponds were removed and shipped to a radioactive waste disposal site. From 1987 to 1994, the concrete structures remained undisturbed pending environmental restoration on the site. Restoration began in 1994 and was completed in 1995. Restoration involved mechanical breakup and removal of the concrete structures and removal of areas of contaminated soils from the site. This report describes the design and resultsmore » of the aerosol control and monitoring program that was conducted to ensure protection of workers and the environment during the restoration process. The aerosol control and monitoring strategy developed for remediation of the ITRI hot ponds was successful both in preventing dispersion of radioactive dusts and in demonstrating that exposures of workers and offsite releases were within statutory limits.« less

Polonium-210 in the environment around a radioactive waste disposal area and phosphate ore processing plant.

PubMed

Arthur, W J; Markham, O D

1984-04-01

Polonium-210 concentrations were determined for soil, vegetation and small mammal tissues collected at a solid radioactive waste disposal area, near a phosphate ore processing plant and at two rural areas in southeastern Idaho. Polonium concentrations in media sampled near the radioactive waste disposal facility were equal to or less than values from rural area samples, indicating that disposal of solid radioactive waste at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Site has not resulted in increased environmental levels of polonium. Concentrations of 210Po in soils, deer mice hide and carcass samples collected near the phosphate processing plant were statistically (P less than or equal to 0.05) greater than the other sampling locations; however, the mean 210Po concentration in soils and small mammal tissues from sampling areas near the phosphate plant were only four and three times greater, respectively, than control values. No statistical (P greater than 0.05) difference was observed for 210Po concentrations in vegetation among any of the sampling locations.

Assessing the Application of Cloud-Shadow Atmospheric Correction Algorithm on HICO

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-01

multiple times and intercompare the results to assess variability in the retrieved reflectance spectra. Retrieved chlorophyll values from this...intercomparison are similar and also agree well with the In situ chlorophyll measurements. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Atmospheric correction, cloud-shadow...reflectance spectra. Re- trieved chlorophyll values from this intercomparison are similar and also agree well with the in situ chlorophyll measurements

Development of phantom and methodology for 3D and 4D dose intercomparisons for advanced lung radiotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caloz, Misael; Kafrouni, Marilyne; Leturgie, Quentin; Corde, Stéphanie; Downes, Simon; Lehmann, Joerg; Thwaites, David

2015-01-01

There are few reported intercomparisons or audits of combinations of advanced radiotherapy methods, particularly for 4D treatments. As part of an evaluation of the implementation of advanced radiotherapy technology, a phantom and associated methods, initially developed for in-house commissioning and QA of 4D lung treatments, has been developed further with the aim of using it for end-to-end dose intercomparison of 4D treatment planning and delivery. The respiratory thorax phantom can house moving inserts with variable speed (breathing rate) and motion amplitude. In one set-up mode it contains a small ion chamber for point dose measurements, or alternatively it can hold strips of radiochromic film to measure dose distributions. Initial pilot and feasibility measurements have been carried out in one hospital to thoroughly test the methods and procedures before using it more widely across a range of hospitals and treatment systems. Overall, the results show good agreement between measured and calculated doses and distributions, supporting the use of the phantom and methodology for multi-centre intercomparisons. However, before wider use, refinements of the method and analysis are currently underway particularly for the film measurements.

A Comparison of Aircraft and Ground-Based Measurements at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii, During GTE PEM-West and MLOPEX 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atlas, E.; Ridley, B.; Walega, J.; Greenberg, J.; Kok, G.; Staffelbach, T.; Schauffler, S.; Lind, J.; Huebler, G.; Norton, R.

1996-01-01

During October 19-20, 1991, one flight of the NASA Global Tropospheric Experiment (GTE) Pacific Exploratory Mission (PEM-West A) mission was conducted near Hawaii as an intercomparison with ground-based measurements of the Mauna Loa Observatory Photochemistry Experiment (MLOPEX 2) and the NOAA Climate Modeling and Diagnostics Laboratory (CMDL). Ozone, reactive nitrogen species, peroxides, hydrocarbons, and halogenated hydrocarbons were measured by investigators aboard the DC-8 aircraft and at the ground site. Lidar cross sections of ozone revealed a complex air mass structure near the island of Hawaii which was evidenced by large variation in some trace gas mixing ratios. This variation limited the time and spatial scales for direct measurement intercomparisons. Where differences occurred between measurements in the same air masses, the intercomparison suggested that biases for some trace gases was due to different calibration scales or, in some cases, instrumental or sampling biases. Relatively large uncertainties were associated with those trace gases present in the low parts per trillion by volume range. Trace gas correlations were used to expand the scope of the intercomparison to identify consistent trends between the different data sets.

Determination of Dose from the Disposal of Radioactive Waste Related with TENORM using Residual Radioactivity (RESRAD) Monte Carlo Code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

lwin, Maung Tin Moe; Kassim, Hassan Abu; Amin, Yusoff Mohd.

2008-05-01

The working procedures in the RESRAD for specific evaluations of environmental pollutants are briefly mentioned. The risk of human health associated with Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) who are working in the Malaysian oil and gas industry are analyzed. The sources of NORM and Technologically Enhanced NORM (TENORM) in the oil and gas industry are described. Some measurements for the external and internal effective dose equivalent on the workers will be described. These data are entered into the RESRAD software program and the output reports are taken. Long-term effects of TENORM to the industrial workers are also discussed with graphical illustrations. These results are compared with previous research work within the same field to validate and verify.

Determination of Dose from the Disposal of Radioactive Waste Related with TENORM using Residual Radioactivity (RESRAD) Monte Carlo Code

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

Lwin, Maung Tin Moe; Kassim, Hassan Abu; Amin, Yusoff Mohd.

2008-05-20

The working procedures in the RESRAD for specific evaluations of environmental pollutants are briefly mentioned. The risk of human health associated with Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) who are working in the Malaysian oil and gas industry are analyzed. The sources of NORM and Technologically Enhanced NORM (TENORM) in the oil and gas industry are described. Some measurements for the external and internal effective dose equivalent on the workers will be described. These data are entered into the RESRAD software program and the output reports are taken. Long-term effects of TENORM to the industrial workers are also discussed with graphicalmore » illustrations. These results are compared with previous research work within the same field to validate and verify.« less

Documenting Ground-Water Modeling at Sites Contaminated with Radioactive Substances

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report is the product of the Interagency Environmental Pathway Modeling Working Group. This report demonstrates how to document model applications in a consistent manner and is intended to assist technical staff.

POTENTIAL RADIOACTIVE POLLUTANTS RESULTING FROM EXPANDED ENERGY PROGRAMS

EPA Science Inventory

An effective environmental monitoring program must have a quality assurance component to assure the production of valid data. Quality assurance has many components: calibration standards, standard reference materials, standard reference methods, interlaboratory comparison studies...

ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY AT ARGONNE NATIONAL LABORATORY. Report for the Year 1958

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

Sedlet, J.

1959-08-01

Data are tabulated on the radioactive content of samples of surface water, lake and stream bottom silt, soil, plants, and air filters from the environs of the Argonne National Laboratory. Results are compared with those for similar samples collected from the area from 1952 through 1958. Fission prcduct activity from nuclear detocations was found in most samples from all locations. Fall-out activity was greatest during the spring and fall, and was particularly noticeable in air, precipitation, and plant samples. (For preceding period see ANL-5934.) (C.H.)

Intercomparison of Global Precipitation Products: The Third Precipitation Intercomparison Project (PIP-3)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adler, Robert F.; Kidd, Christopher; Petty, Grant; Morrissey, Mark; Goodman, H. Michael; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

A set of global, monthly rainfall products has been intercompared to understand the quality and utility of the estimates. The products include 25 observational (satellite-based), four model and two climatological products. The results of the intercomparison indicate a very large range (factor of two or three) of values when all products are considered. The range of values is reduced considerably when the set of observational products is limited to those considered quasi-standard. The model products do significantly poorer in the tropics, but are competitive with satellite-based fields in mid-latitudes over land. Over ocean, products are compared to frequency of precipitation from ship observations. The evaluation of the observational products point to merged data products (including rain gauge information) as providing the overall best results.

Environmental analysis of Lower Pueblo/Lower Los Alamos Canyon, Los Alamos, New Mexico

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

Ferenbaugh, R.W.; Buhl, T.E.; Stoker, A.K.

1994-12-01

The radiological survey of the former radioactive waste treatment plant site (TA-45), Acid Canyon, Pueblo Canyon, and Los Alamos Canyon found residual contamination at the site itself and in the channel and banks of Acid, Pueblo, and lower Los Alamos Canyons all the way to the Rio Grande. The largest reservoir of residual radioactivity is in lower Pueblo Canyon, which is on DOE property. However, residual radioactivity does not exceed proposed cleanup criteria in either lower Pueblo or lower Los Alamos Canyons. The three alternatives proposed are (1) to take no action, (2) to construct a sediment trap in lowermore » Pueblo Canyon to prevent further transport of residual radioactivity onto San Ildefonso Indian Pueblo land, and (3) to clean the residual radioactivity from the canyon system. Alternative 2, to cleanup the canyon system, is rejected as a viable alternative. Thousands of truckloads of sediment would have to be removed and disposed of, and this effort is unwarranted by the low levels of contamination present. Residual radioactivity levels, under either present conditions or projected future conditions, will not result in significant radiation doses to persons exposed. Modeling efforts show that future transport activity will not result in any residual radioactivity concentrations higher than those already existing. Thus, although construction of a sediment trap in lower Pueblo Canyon is a viable alternative, this effort also is unwarranted, and the no-action alternative is the preferred alternative.« less

Principles of gross alpha and beta radioactivity detection in water.

PubMed

Semkow, T M; Parekh, P P

2001-11-01

A simultaneous detection of gross alpha and beta radioactivity was studied using gas proportional counting. This measurement is a part of a method mandated by US Environmental Protection Agency to screen for alpha and beta radioactivity in drinking water. Responses of a gas proportional detector to alpha and beta particles from several radionuclides were determined in drop and electroplated geometries. It is shown that, while the alpha radioactivity can be measured accurately in the presence of beta radioactivity, the opposite is not typically true due to alpha-to-beta crosstalk. The crosstalk, originating from the emission of conversion and Auger electrons as well as x rays, is shown to be dependent primarily on the particular alpha-decay scheme while the dependence on alpha energy is small but negligible. It was measured at 28-35% for 241Am, 22-24% for 230Th, and 4.9-6.5% for 239Pu. For 210Po, the crosstalk of 1.2-1.6% was observed mostly due to energy retardation. A method of reducing the crosstalk to a <3% level is proposed by absorbing the atomic electrons in a 6.2 mg cm(-2) Al absorber, at the same time decreasing the beta efficiency by 16-31%.

Regulatory basis for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant performance assessment

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

HOWARD,BRYAN A.; CRAWFORD,M.B.; GALSON,D.A.

2000-05-22

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is the first operational repository designed for the safe disposal of transuranic (TRU) radioactive waste from the defense programs of the US Department of Energy (DOE). The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for certifications and regulation of the WIPP facility for the radioactive components of the waste. The EPA has promulgated general radioactive waste disposal standards at 40 CFR Part 191. and WIPP-specific criteria to implement and interpret the generic disposal standards at 40 CFR Part 194. In October 1996. the DOE submitted its Compliance Certification Application (CCA) to the EPA tomore » demonstrate compliance with the disposal standards at Subparts B and C of 40 CFR Part 191. This paper summarizes the development of the overall legal framework for radioactive waste disposal at the WIPP, the parallel development of the WIPP performance assessment (PA), and how the EPA disposal standards and implementing criteria formed the basis for the CCA WIPP PA. The CCA resulted in a certification in May 1998 by the EPA of the WIPP'S compliance with the EPA's disposal standard, thus enabling the WIPP to begin radioactive waste disposal.« less

Geochemical mapping of radioactive elements using helicopter-borne gamma-ray spectrometry (Tiouit, Eastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco): Or occurrence and environmental impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miftah, Abdelhalim; El Azzab, Driss; Attou, Ahmed; Manar, Ahmed; Rachid, Ahmed; Ramhy, Haytam

2018-03-01

The spectrometric prospection is a direct geophysical method based on the analysis of the radioactive elements spectra, due to three principal radioactive elements 40K, 238U and 232Th. In order to measure the content of radioactive elements a geophysical helicopter survey was carried out to a flight altitude of 60 m from the subsoil, covering the geological map of Tiouit 1/50,000 with an extent of 45.5 × 29 km2. In this paper, we propose an application in the environment and or occurrence by the production of maps concentration in K, U and Th to delimit the areas with purely natural radioactive risk by the calculation of the dose rate in mSv, the found values show a variation of 0,3 with 1649 mSv with a median value of 0,831 mSv. Moreover, data processing as the horizontal gradient filter which allowed to amplify the spectrometric signatures, this one coupled to the upward continuation, lead us to a better location of the abrupt changes, which materialize by spectrometric lineaments, reflecting the change of the geochemical properties of the basement.

Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel: Biomedical and Environmental Effects Subpanel report for Galileo

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

Anspaugh, L.R.; Blanton, J.O.; Bollinger, L.J.

1989-10-01

This report of the Biomedical and Environmental Effects Subpanel (BEES) of the Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel (INSRP), for the Galileo space mission addresses the possible radiological consequences of postulated accidents that release radioactivity into the environment. This report presents estimates of the consequences and uncertainties given that the source term is released into the environment. 10 refs., 6 tabs.

Decommissioning the Romanian Water-Cooled Water-Moderated Research Reactor: New Environmental Perspective on the Management of Radioactive Waste

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

Barariu, G.; Giumanca, R.

2006-07-01

Pre-feasibility and feasibility studies were performed for decommissioning of the water-cooled water-moderated research reactor (WWER) located in Bucharest - Magurele, Romania. Using these studies as a starting point, the preferred safe management strategy for radioactive wastes produced by reactor decommissioning is outlined. The strategy must account for reactor decommissioning, as well as for the rehabilitation of the existing Radioactive Waste Treatment Plant and for the upgrade of the Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility at Baita-Bihor. Furthermore, the final rehabilitation of the laboratories and ecological reconstruction of the grounds need to be provided for, in accordance with national and international regulations. Inmore » accordance with IAEA recommendations at the time, the pre-feasibility study proposed three stages of decommissioning. However, since then new ideas have surfaced with regard to decommissioning. Thus, taking into account the current IAEA ideology, the feasibility study proposes that decommissioning of the WWER be done in one stage to an unrestricted clearance level of the reactor building in an Immediate Dismantling option. Different options and the corresponding derived preferred option for waste management are discussed taking into account safety measures, but also considering technical, logistical and economic factors. For this purpose, possible types of waste created during each decommissioning stage are reviewed. An approximate inventory of each type of radioactive waste is presented. The proposed waste management strategy is selected in accordance with the recommended international basic safety standards identified in the previous phase of the project. The existing Radioactive Waste Treatment Plant (RWTP) from the Horia Hulubei Institute for Nuclear Physics and Engineering (IFIN-HH), which has been in service with no significant upgrade since 1974, will need refurbishing due to deterioration, as well as upgrading in order to ensure the plant complies with current safety standards. This plant will also need to be adapted to treat wastes generated by WWER dismantling. The Baita-Bihor National Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility consists of two galleries in an abandoned uranium mine located in the central-western part of the Bihor Mountains in Transylvania. The galleries lie at a depth of 840 m. The facility requires a considerable overhaul. Several steps recommended for the upgrade of the facility are explored. Environmental concerns have lately become a crucial part of the radioactive waste management strategy. As such, all decisions must be made with great regard for land utilization around nuclear objectives. (authors)« less

Automated total and radioactive strontium separation and preconcentration in samples of environmental interest exploiting a lab-on-valve system.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Rogelio; Avivar, Jessica; Ferrer, Laura; Leal, Luz O; Cerdà, Victor

2012-07-15

A novel lab-on-valve system has been developed for strontium determination in environmental samples. Miniaturized lab-on-valve system potentially offers facilities to allow any kind of chemical and physical processes, including fluidic and microcarrier bead control, homogenous reaction and liquid-solid interaction. A rapid, inexpensive and fully automated method for the separation and preconcentration of total and radioactive strontium, using a solid phase extraction material (Sr-Resin), has been developed. Total strontium concentrations are determined by ICP-OES and (90)Sr activities by a low background proportional counter. The method has been successfully applied to different water samples of environmental interest. The proposed system offers minimization of sample handling, drastic reduction of reagent volume, improvement of the reproducibility and sample throughput and attains a significant decrease of both time and cost per analysis. The LLD of the total Sr reached is 1.8ng and the minimum detectable activity for (90)Sr is 0.008Bq. The repeatability of the separation procedure is 1.2% (n=10). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

LANL Environmental ALARA Program Status Report for CY 2016

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

Whicker, Jeffrey Jay; Mcnaughton, Michael; Ruedig, Elizabeth

2017-02-24

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) ensures that radiation exposures to members of the public and the environment from LANL operations, past and present, are below regulatory thresholds and are as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) through compliance with DOE Order 458.1 Radiation Protection for the Public and the Environment, and LANL Policy 412 Environmental Radiation Protection (LANL2016a). In 2007, a finding (RL.2-F-1) and observation (RL.2-0-1) in the NNSA/ LASO report, September 2007, Release of Property (Land) Containing Residual Radioactive Material Self-Assessment Report, indicated that LANL had no policy or documented process in place for the release of property containing residualmore » radioactive material. In response, LANL developed PD410, Los Alamos National Laboratory Environmental ALARA Program. The most recent version of this document became effective in 2014 (LANL 2014a). The document provides program authorities, responsibilities, descriptions, processes, and thresholds for conducting qualitative and quantitative ALARA analyses for prospective and actual radiation exposures to the public and t o the environment resulting from DOE activities conducted on the LANL site.« less

Ultra-Sensitive Elemental Analysis Using Plasmas 4.Application of Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry to the Study of Environmental Radioactivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshida, Satoshi

Applications of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to the determination of long-lived radionuclides in environmental samples were summarized. In order to predict the long-term behavior of the radionuclides, related stable elements were also determined. Compared with radioactivity measurements, the ICP-MS method has advantages in terms of its simple analytical procedures, prompt measurement time, and capability of determining the isotope ratio such as240Pu/239Pu, which can not be separated by radiation. Concentration of U and Th in Japanese surface soils were determined in order to determine the background level of the natural radionuclides. The 235U/238U ratio was successfully used to detect the release of enriched U from reconversion facilities to the environment and to understand the source term. The 240Pu/239Pu ratios in environmental samples varied widely depending on the Pu sources. Applications of ICP-MS to the measurement of I and Tc isotopes were also described. The ratio between radiocesium and stable Cs is useful for judging the equilibrium of deposited radiocesium in a forest ecosystem.

Center for Nuclear Medicine Research in Alzheimer`s Disease Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University. Environmental Assessment

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

Not Available

1994-04-01

The Environmental Assessment (EA) of the Center for Nuclear Medicine Research in Alzheimer`s Disease (CNMR) at the Health Sciences Center, at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia for the construction and operation was prepared by DOE. The EA documents analysis of the environmental and socioeconomic impacts that might occur as a result of these actions, and characterizes potential impacts on the environment. In the EA, DOE presents its evaluation of potential impacts of construction and operation of the CNMR on health and safety of both workers and the public, as well as on the external environment. Construction impacts includemore » the effects of erosion, waste disposal, air emissions, noise, and construction traffic and parking. Operational impacts include the effects of waste generation (domestic, sanitary, hazardous, medical/biological, radioactive and mixed wastes), radiation exposures, air emissions (radioactive, criteria, and air toxics), noise, and new workers. No sensitive resources (wetlands, special sources of groundwater, protected species) exist in the area of project effect.« less

The Program for climate Model diagnosis and Intercomparison: 20-th anniversary Symposium

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

Potter, Gerald L; Bader, David C; Riches, Michael

Twenty years ago, W. Lawrence (Larry) Gates approached the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Research (now the Office of Science) with a plan to coordinate the comparison and documentation of climate model differences. This effort would help improve our understanding of climate change through a systematic approach to model intercomparison. Early attempts at comparing results showed a surprisingly large range in control climate from such parameters as cloud cover, precipitation, and even atmospheric temperature. The DOE agreed to fund the effort at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), in part because of the existing computing environment andmore » because of a preexisting atmospheric science group that contained a wide variety of expertise. The project was named the Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison (PCMDI), and it has changed the international landscape of climate modeling over the past 20 years. In spring 2009 the DOE hosted a 1-day symposium to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of PCMDI and to honor its founder, Larry Gates. Through their personal experiences, the morning presenters painted an image of climate science in the 1970s and 1980s, that generated early support from the international community for model intercomparison, thereby bringing PCMDI into existence. Four talks covered Gates's early contributions to climate research at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the RAND Corporation, and Oregon State University through the founding of PCMDI to coordinate the Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP). The speakers were, in order of presentation, Warren Washington [National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)], Kelly Redmond (Western Regional Climate Center), George Boer (Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis), and Lennart Bengtsson [University of Reading, former director of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF)]. The afternoon session emphasized the scientific ideas that are the basis of PCMDI's success, summarizing their evolution and impact. Four speakers followed the various PCMDI-supported climate model intercomparison projects, beginning with early work on cloud representations in models, presented by Robert D. Cess (Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Stony Brook University), and then the latest Cloud Feedback Model Intercomparison Projects (CFMIPs) led by Sandrine Bony (Laboratoire de M'©t'©orologie Dynamique). Benjamin Santer (LLNL) presented a review of the climate change detection and attribution (D & A) work pioneered at PCMDI, and Gerald A. Meehl (NCAR) ended the day with a look toward the future of climate change research.« less

Evaluating NASA S-NPP continuity cloud products for climate research using CALIPSO, CATS and Level-3 analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holz, R.; Platnick, S. E.; Meyer, K.; Frey, R.; Wind, G.; Ackerman, S. A.; Heidinger, A. K.; Botambekov, D.; Yorks, J. E.; McGill, M. J.

2016-12-01

The launch of VIIRS and CrIS on Suomi NPP in the fall of 2011 introduced the next generation of U.S. operational polar orbiting environmental observations. Similar to MODIS, VIIRS provides visible and IR observations at moderate spatial resolution and has a 1:30 pm equatorial crossing time consistent with the MODIS on Aqua platform. However unlike MODIS, VIIRS lacks water vapor and CO2 absorbing channels that are used by the MODIS cloud algorithms for both cloud detection and to retrieve cloud top height and cloud emissivity for ice clouds. Given the different spectral and spatial characteristics of VIIRS, we seek to understand the extent to which the 15-year MODIS climate record can be continued with VIIRS/CrIS observations while maintaining consistent sensitivities across the observational systems. This presentation will focus on the evaluation of the latest version of the NASA funded cloud retrieval algorithms being developed for climate research. We will present collocated inter-comparisons between the imagers (VIIRS and MODIS Aqua) with CALIPSO and Cloud Aerosol Transport System (CATS) lidar observations as well as long term statistics based on a new Level-3 (L3) product being developed as part the project. The CALIPSO inter-comparisons will focus on cloud detection (cloud mask) with a focus on the impact of recent modifications to the cloud mask and how these changes impact the global statistics. For the first time we will provide inter-comparisons between two different cloud lidar systems (CALIOP and CATS) and investigate how the different sensitivities of the lidars impact the cloud mask and cloud comparisons. Using CALIPSO and CATS as the reference, and applying the same algorithms to VIIRS and MODIS, we will discuss the consistency between products from both imagers. The L3 analysis will focus on the regional and seasonal consistency between the suite of MODIS and VIIRS continuity cloud products. Do systematic biases remains when using consistent algorithms but applied to different observations (MODIS or VIIRS)?

A Bootstrap Algorithm for Mixture Models and Interval Data in Inter-Comparisons

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-07-01

parametric bootstrap. The present algorithm will be applied to a thermometric inter-comparison, where data cannot be assumed to be normally distributed. 2 Data...experimental methods, used in each laboratory) often imply that the statistical assumptions are not satisfied, as for example in several thermometric ...triangular). Indeed, in thermometric experiments these three probabilistic models can represent several common stochastic variabilities for

Annual Site Environmental Report: 2008 (ASER)

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

Sabba, D.

2009-11-09

This report provides information about environmental programs during the calendar year of 2008 at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, California. Activities that span the calendar year, i.e., stormwater monitoring covering the winter season of 2008/2009 (October 2008 through May 2009), are also included. Production of an annual site environmental report (ASER) is a requirement established by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) for all management and operating (M&O) contractors throughout the DOE complex. SLAC is a federally-funded research and development center with Stanford University as the M&O contractor. Under Executive Order (EO) 13423, Strengthening Federal Environmental,more » Energy, and Transportation Management, and DOE Order 450.1A, Environmental Protection Program, SLAC effectively implements and integrates the key elements of an Environmental Management System (EMS) to achieve the site's integrated safety and environmental management system goals. For normal daily activities, SLAC managers and supervisors are responsible for ensuring that policies and procedures are understood and followed so that: (1) Worker safety and health are protected; (2) The environment is protected; and (3) Compliance is ensured. Throughout 2008, SLAC continued to improve its management systems. These systems provided a structured framework for SLAC to implement 'greening of the government' initiatives such as EO 13423 and DOE Orders 450.1A and 430.2B. Overall, management systems at SLAC are effective, supporting compliance with all relevant statutory and regulatory requirements. SLAC continues to demonstrate significant progress in implementing and integrating EMS into day-to-day operations and construction activities at SLAC. The annual management review and ranking of environmental aspects were completed this year by SLAC's EMS Steering Committee, the Environmental Safety Committee (ESC), and twelve objectives and targets were established for 2008. For each objective and target, a work plan, or Environmental Management Program (EMP) was completed and progress reports were routinely provided to SLAC senior management and the DOE SLAC Site Office (SSO). During 2008, there were no reportable releases to the environment from SLAC operations. In addition, many improvements in waste minimization, recycling, stormwater management, groundwater restoration, and SLAC's chemical management system (CMS) were continued during the year. The following are amongst SLAC's environmental accomplishments for 2008: a composting program at SLAC's onsite cafeteria was initiated, greater than 800 cubic feet of legacy radioactive waste were packaged and shipped from SLAC, a chemical redistribution program was developed, SLAC reduced the number of General Services Administration leased vehicles from 221 to 164, recycling of municipal waste was increased by approximately 140 tons during 2008, and site-wide releases of sulfur hexafluoride were reduced by 50 percent. In 2008, no radiological incidents occurred that increased radiation levels or released radioactivity to the environment. In addition to managing its radioactive wastes safely and responsibly, SLAC worked to reduce the amount of waste generated. SLAC has implemented programs and systems to ensure compliance with all radiological requirements related to the environment. Specifically, the Radiation Protection Radiological Waste Management Group developed a training course to certify Radioactive Waste Generators, conducted a training pilot, and developed a list of potential radioactive waste generators to train. Twenty eight generators were trained in 2008. As a best management practice, SLAC also reduced its tritium inventory by at least 95 percent by draining one of its accelerator cooling water systems; with the cooperation of the South Bayside System Authority, the West Bay Sanitary District and the DOE, SLAC discharged the cooling water to the sanitary sewer according to federal regulations and replenished the system with clean water. In 2008, the SLAC Environmental Restoration Program personnel continued work on site characterization and evaluation of remedial alternatives at four sites with volatile organic compounds in groundwater and several areas with polychlorinated biphenyls and low concentrations of lead in soil. SLAC is regulated under a site cleanup requirements order (board order) issued by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), San Francisco Bay Region in May 2005 for the investigation and remediation of impacted soil and groundwater at SLAC. The board order lists specific tasks and deadlines for completion of groundwater and soil characterization and other remediation activities. All 2008 submittals to the RWQCB were completed and submitted on time.« less

1024-channel portable gamma-ray spectrometer

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

McGibbon, A.L.

An instrument is described which is designed to determine radioactive isotope spectra in the field under adverse environmental conditions. The instrument is battery-powered, stores and compares multiple spectra, and performs computations upon the resulting displayed graph. (auth)

75 FR 13318 - Nextera Energy Duane Arnold, LLC; Duane Arnold Energy Center; Environmental Assessment and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-19

... change to radioactive effluents that affect radiation exposures to plant workers and members of the... impacts to historical and cultural resources. There would be no impact to socioeconomic resources...

Novel Strategies for the Removal of Toxic Metals from Soils and Waters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roundhill, D. Max

2004-01-01

The elimination of poisonous metals possessing chemical or radioactive substances, from soils and waters, and chemistry's contribution towards efficacious and environmentally suitable removal methods are discussed. Various original tactics are studied and compared.

Assessing the environmental risk from hot particles in the vicinity of Dounreay--a case for inaction?

PubMed

Jackson, D; Stone, D M; Smith, K; Morgan, G; Shimmield, T

2007-09-01

This study assesses the impact on species other than humans associated with radioactive particles present in the marine environment close to the UKAEA Dounreay site, through a review of marine survey data, to establish the distribution of species and the likelihood of encountering a particle, and considering retention, dissolution or absorption of the particle. Assumptions are made regarding particle density, distribution, size and bio-availability of the radioactive materials. From this, impacts are assessed against the likelihood of mortality or other significant harm to individuals and interpreted in terms of local populations. Results obtained indicate that no significant impact, at the population level, is likely to be observed. This does not preclude that some individuals will be affected. It does, however, suggest that any decision to remediate, if based predominantly on environmental considerations, should be cognisant of the damage caused by remediation itself and subsequent exploitation of the environment by humans.

Best practicable means (BPM) and as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP) in action at Sellafield.

PubMed

Morley, Bob

2004-03-01

Operators within the UK nuclear industry are required to employ 'best practicable means' (BPM) to control and minimise radioactive discharges. The requirement for the use of BPM is in order to ensure that doses from discharges are as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP). This facet is increasingly becoming the principal feature of discharge authorisations issued by the Environment Agencies under the Radioactive Substances Act, 1993 (RSA 93), which are enforceable by law. It is important to state at the outset, however, that scientific assessments to date indicate that there are no expectations of environmental harm from authorised discharges, even where those discharges have historically been up to two orders of magnitude higher than current levels. There is also no evidence to indicate that foreseeable future discharges from the Sellafield site will make any contribution to environmental harm.

Evaluation of radioactive scrap metal recycling

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

Nieves, L.A.; Chen, S.Y.; Kohout, E.J.

1995-12-01

This report evaluates the human health risks and environmental and socio-political impacts of options for recycling radioactive scrap metal (RSM) or disposing of and replacing it. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) is assisting the US Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management, Oak Ridge Programs Division, in assessing the implications of RSM management alternatives. This study is intended to support the DOE contribution to a study of metal recycling being conducted by the Task Group on Recycling and Reuse of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The focus is on evaluating the justification for the practicemore » of recycling RSM, and the case of iron and steel scrap is used as an example in assessing the impacts. To conduct the evaluation, a considerable set of data was compiled and developed. Much of this information is included in this document to provide a source book of information.« less

Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2011. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company Santa Susana Field Laboratory, Area IV

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

Liu, Ning; Rutherford, Phil; Dassler, David

2012-09-01

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2011 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of Boeing’s Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). The Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned, company-operated test facility, was located in Area IV. The operations in Area IV included development, fabrication, operation and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials. Other activities in the area involved the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities that were used for testing non-nuclear liquid metal fast breeder reactor components. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988,more » and all subsequent radiological work has been directed toward environmental restoration and decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the former nuclear facilities and their associated sites. Liquid metal research and development ended in 2002. Since May 2007, the D&D operations in Area IV have been suspended by the DOE, but the environmental monitoring and characterization programs have continued. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year 2011 continue to indicate that there are no significant releases of radioactive material from Area IV of SSFL. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property (land, structures, waste), and recycling.« less

Site Environmental Report For Calendar Year 2012. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company Santa Susana Field Laboratory, Area IV

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

Liu, Ning; Rutherford, Phil; Dassler, David

2013-09-01

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2012 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of Boeing’s Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). The Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned, company-operated test facility, was located in Area IV. The operations in Area IV included development, fabrication, operation and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials. Other activities in the area involved the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities that were used for testing non-nuclear liquid metal fast breeder reactor components. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988,more » and all subsequent radiological work has been directed toward environmental restoration and decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the former nuclear facilities and their associated sites. Liquid metal research and development ended in 2002. Since May 2007, the D&D operations in Area IV have been suspended by the DOE, but the environmental monitoring and characterization programs have continued. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year 2012 continue to indicate that there are no significant releases of radioactive material from Area IV of SSFL. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property (land, structures, waste), and recycling.« less

Natural radioactivity in geothermal waters, Alhambra Hot Springs and nearby areas, Jefferson County, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leonard, Robert B.; Janzer, Victor J.

1978-01-01

Radioactive hot springs issue from a fault zone in crystalline rock of the Boulder batholith at Alhambra, Jefferson County, in southwestern Montana. The discharge contains high concentrations of radon, and the gross alpha activity and the concentration of adium-226 exceed maximum levels recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency for drinking water. Part of the discharge is diverted for space heating, bathing, and domestic use. The radioactive thermal waters at measured temperatures of about 60°C are of the sodium bicarbonate type and saturated with respect to calcium carbonate. Radium-226 in the rock and on fractured surfaces or coprecipitated with calcium carbonate probably is the principal source of radon that is dissolved in the thermal water and discharged with other gases from some wells and springs. Local surface water and shallow ground water are of the calcium bicarbonate type and exhibit low background activity. The temperature, percent sodium, and radioactivity of mixed waters adjacent to the fault zone increase with depth. Samples from most of the major hot springs in southwestern Montana have been analyzed for gross alpha and beta activity. The high level of radioactivity at Alhambra appears to be related to leaching of radioactive material from siliceous veins by ascending thermal waters and is not a normal characteristic of hot springs issuing from fractured crystalline rock in Montana.

How technology transfer issues are managed

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

Sink, C.H.; Easley, K.R.

1991-12-31

In 1989, Secretary of Energy James Watkins made a commitment to accelerate DOE compliance with all applicable laws and standards aimed at protecting human health and the environment. At a minimum, this pledge requires the remediation of the 1989 inventory of chemical, radioactive, and mixed wastes at DOE production sites by 2019. The 1989 Complex inventory consisted of more than 3,700 sites, encompassing more than 26,000 acres contaminated with radioactive, hazardous, and mixed wastes. In addition, over 500 surplus sites are awaiting decontamination and decommissioning (D and D), and approximately 5,000 peripheral properties have contaminated soils (e.g., uranium tailings). Moreover,more » these problems exist at both inactive sites, where the primary focus is on environmental restoration, and at active sites, where the major emphasis is on improved waste management techniques. Although some of DOE`s problems are considered unique due to radioactivity, most forms of contamination resident in the Complex are not; rather, contaminants such as waste chemicals (e.g., inorganics), organics (e.g., fuels and solvents), halogenated organics (e.g., PCBs) and heavy metals commonly result in conventional industrial processes. Although certain other forms of contamination are more unique to DOE operations (e.g., radioactive materials, explosives, and pyrophorics), they are not exclusive to DOE. As DOE develops innovative solutions to these and related waste problems, it is imperative that technology systems and lessons learned be transferred from DOE sites and its R and D laboratories to private industry to maximize the nation`s return on environmental management technology investments.« less

Intercomparison of TCCON and MUSICA Water Vapour Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weaver, D.; Strong, K.; Deutscher, N. M.; Schneider, M.; Blumenstock, T.; Robinson, J.; Notholt, J.; Sherlock, V.; Griffith, D. W. T.; Barthlott, S.; García, O. E.; Smale, D.; Palm, M.; Jones, N. B.; Hase, F.; Kivi, R.; Ramos, Y. G.; Yoshimura, K.; Sepúlveda, E.; Gómez-Peláez, Á. J.; Gisi, M.; Kohlhepp, R.; Warneke, T.; Dohe, S.; Wiegele, A.; Christner, E.; Lejeune, B.; Demoulin, P.

2014-12-01

We present an intercomparison between the water vapour products from the Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) and the MUlti-platform remote Sensing of Isotopologues for investigating the Cycle of Atmospheric water (MUSICA), two datasets from ground-based Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectrometers with good global representation. Where possible, comparisons to radiosondes are also included. The near-infrared TCCON measurements are optimized to provide precise monitoring of greenhouse gases for carbon cycle studies; however, TCCON's retrievals also produce water vapour products. The mid-infrared MUSICA products result from retrievals optimized to give precise and accurate information about H2O, HDO, and δD. The MUSICA water vapour products have been validated by extensive intercomparisons with H2O and δD in-situ measurements made from ground, radiosonde, and aircraft (Schneider et al. 2012, 2014), as well as by intercomparisons with satellite-based H2O and δD remote sensing measurements (Wiegele et al., 2014). This dataset provides a valuable reference point for other measurements of water vapour. This study is motivated by the limited intercomparisons performed for TCCON water vapour products and limited characterisation of their uncertainties. We compare MUSICA and TCCON products to assess the potential for TCCON measurements to contribute to studies of the water cycle, water vapour's role in climate and use as a tracer for atmospheric dynamics, and to evaluate the performance of climate models. The TCCON and MUSICA products result from measurements taken using the same FTIR instruments, enabling a comparison with constant instrumentation. The retrieval techniques differ, however, in their method and a priori information. We assess the impact of these differences and characterize the comparability of the TCCON and MUSICA datasets.

An evaluation of the Wyoming Gauge System for snowfall measurement

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yang, Daqing; Kane, Douglas L.; Hinzman, Larry D.; Goodison, Barry E.; Metcalfe, John R.; Louie, Paul Y.T.; Leavesley, George H.; Emerson, Douglas G.; Hanson, Clayton L.

2000-01-01

The Wyoming snow fence (shield) has been widely used with precipitation gauges for snowfall measurement at more than 25 locations in Alaska since the late 1970s. This gauge's measurements have been taken as the reference for correcting wind‐induced gauge undercatch of snowfall in Alaska. Recently, this fence (shield) was tested in the World Meteorological Organization Solid Precipitation Measurement Intercomparison Project at four locations in the United States of America and Canada for six winter seasons. At the Intercomparison sites an octagonal vertical Double Fence with a Russian Tretyakov gauge or a Universal Belfort recording gauge was installed and used as the Intercomparison Reference (DFIR) to provide true snowfall amounts for this Intercomparison experiment. The Intercomparison data collected were compiled at the four sites that represent a variety of climate, terrain, and exposure. On the basis of these data sets the performance of the Wyoming gauge system for snowfall observations was carefully evaluated against the DFIR and snow cover data. The results show that (1) the mean snow catch efficiency of the Wyoming gauge compared with the DFIR is about 80–90%, (2) there exists a close linear relation between the measurements of the two gauge systems and this relation may serve as a transfer function to adjust the Wyoming gauge records to obtain an estimate of the true snowfall amount, (3) catch efficiency of the Wyoming gauge does not change with wind speed and temperature, and (4) Wyoming gauge measurements are generally compatible to the snowpack water equivalent at selected locations in northern Alaska. These results are important to our effort of determining true snowfall amounts in the high latitudes, and they are also useful for regional hydrologic and climatic analyses.

Water vapour intercomparison effort in the frame of HyMeX-SOP1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Summa, Donato; Di Girolamo, Paolo; Stelitano, Dario; Cacciani, Marco; Flamant, Cyrille; Chazette, Patrick; Ducrocq, Véronique; Nuret, Mathieu; Fourié, Nadia; Richard, Evelyne

2014-05-01

A water vapour intercomparison effort, involving airborne and ground-based water vapour lidar systems and mesoscale models, was carried out in the framework of the international HyMeX (Hydrological cycle in the Mediterranean Experiment) dedicated to the hydrological cycle and related high-impact events. Within HyMeX, a major field campaign was dedicated to heavy precipitation and flash flood events from 5 September to 6 November 2012. The 2 month field campaign took place over the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea and its surrounding coastal regions in France, Italy, and Spain. The main objective of this work is to provide accurate error estimates for the lidar systems i.e. the ground-based Raman lidar BASIL and the CNRS DIAL Leandre 2 on board the ATR42, as well as use BASIL data to validate mesoscale model results from the MESO NH and Arome WMED. The effort will benefit from the few dedicated ATR42 flights in the frame of the EUFAR Project "WaLiTemp". In the present work our attention was focused on two specific case studies: 13 September and 2 October in the altitude region 0.5 - 5.5 km. Comparisons between the ground-based Raman lidar BASIL and the airborne CNRS DIAL indicate a mean relative bias between the two sensors of 6.5%, while comparisons between BASIL and CNRS DIAL vs. the radiosondes indicate a bias of 2.6 and -3.5 %, respectively. The bias of BASIL vs. the ATR insitu sensor indicate a bias of -20.4 %. Specific attention will also be dedicated to the WALI/BASIL intercomparison effort which took place in Candillargues on 30 October 2012. Specific results from this intercomparison effort and from the intercomparison between BASIL and Meso-NH/AROME-WMed will be illustrated and discussed at the Conference.

An international marine-atmospheric {sup 222}Rn measurement intercomparison in Bermuda. Part 2: Results for the participating laboratories

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

Colle, R.; Unterweger, M.P.; Hutchinson, J.M.R.

1996-01-01

As part of an international measurement intercomparison of instruments used to measure atmospheric {sup 222}Rn, four participating laboratories made nearly simultaneous measurements of {sup 222}Rn activity concentration in commonly sampled, ambient air over approximately a 2 week period, and three of these four laboratories participated in the measurement comparison of 14 introduced samples with known, but undisclosed (blind) {sup 222}Rn activity concentration. The exercise was conducted in Bermuda in October 1991. The {sup 222}Rn activity concentrations in ambient Bermudian air over the course of the intercomparison ranged from a few hundredths of a Bq {center_dot} m{sup {minus}3} to about 2more » Bq {center_dot} m{sup {minus}3}, while the standardized sample additions covered a range from approximately 2.5 Bq {center_dot} m{sup {minus}3} to 35 Bq {center_dot} m{sup {minus}3}. The overall uncertainty in the latter concentrations was in the general range of 10%, approximating a 3 standard deviation uncertainty interval. The results of the intercomparison indicated that two of the laboratories were within very good agreement with the standard additions, and almost within expected statistical variations. These same two laboratories, however, at lower ambient concentrations, exhibited a systematic difference with an averaged offset of roughly 0.3 Bq {center_dot} m{sup {minus}3}. The third laboratory participating in the measurement of standardized sample additions was systematically low by about 65% to 70%, with respect to the standard addition which was also confirmed in their ambient air concentration measurements. The fourth laboratory, participating in only the ambient measurement part of the intercomparison, was also systematically low by at least 40% with respect to the first two laboratories.« less

Niagara Falls Storage Site environmental report for calendar year 1992, 1397 Pletcher Road, Lewiston, New York. Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP)

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

Not Available

1993-05-01

This report describes the environmental surveillance program at the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) and provides the results for 1992. From 1944 to the present, the primary use of NFSS has been storage of radioactive residues produced as a by-product of uranium production. All onsite areas of residual radioactivity above guidelines have been remediated. Materials generated during remediation are stored onsite in the 4-ha (10-acre) waste containment structure (WCS). The WCS is a clay-lined, clay-capped, and grass-covered storage pile. The environmental surveillance program at NFSS includes sampling networks for radon concentrations in air; external gamma radiation exposure; and total uraniummore » and radium-226 concentrations in surface water, sediments, and groundwater. Several chemical parameters, including seven metals, are also routinely measured in groundwater. This surveillance program assists in fulfilling the DOE policy of measuring and monitoring effluents from DOE activities and calculating hypothetical doses. Monitoring results are compared with applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) standards, DOE derived concentration guides (DCGs), dose limits, and other DOE requirements. Results of environmental monitoring during 1992 indicate that levels of the parameters measured were in compliance with all but one requirement: Concentrations of iron and manganese in groundwater were above NYSDEC groundwater quality standards. However, these elements occur naturally in the soils and groundwater associated with this region. In 1992 there were no environmental occurrences or reportable quantity releases.« less

Final repository for Denmark's low- and intermediate level radioactive waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nilsson, B.; Gravesen, P.; Petersen, S. S.; Binderup, M.

2012-12-01

Bertel Nilsson*, Peter Gravesen, Stig A. Schack Petersen, Merete Binderup Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Øster Voldgade 10, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark, * email address bn@geus.dk The Danish Parliament decided in 2003 that the temporal disposal of the low- and intermediate level radioactive waste at the nuclear facilities at Risø should find another location for a final repository. The Danish radioactive waste must be stored on Danish land territory (exclusive Greenland) and must hold the entire existing radioactive waste, consisting of the waste from the decommissioning of the nuclear facilities at Risø, and the radioactive waste produced in Denmark from hospitals, universities and industry. The radioactive waste is estimated to a total amount of up to 10,000 m3. The Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, GEUS, is responsible for the geological studies of suitable areas for the repository. The task has been to locate and recognize non-fractured Quaternary and Tertiary clays or Precambrian bedrocks with low permeability which can isolate the radioactive waste from the surroundings the coming more than 300 years. Twenty two potential areas have been located and sequential reduced to the most favorable two to three locations taking into consideration geology, hydrogeology, nature protection and climate change conditions. Further detailed environmental and geology investigations will be undertaken at the two to three potential localities in 2013 to 2015. This study together with a study of safe transport of the radioactive waste and an investigation of appropriate repository concepts in relation to geology and safety analyses will constitute the basis upon which the final decision by the Danish Parliament on repository concept and repository location. The final repository is planned to be established and in operation at the earliest 2020.

A soil sampling reference site: the challenge in defining reference material for sampling.

PubMed

de Zorzi, Paolo; Barbizzi, Sabrina; Belli, Maria; Fajgelj, Ales; Jacimovic, Radojko; Jeran, Zvonka; Sansone, Umberto; van der Perk, Marcel

2008-11-01

In the frame of the international SOILSAMP project, funded and coordinated by the Italian Environmental Protection Agency, an agricultural area was established as a reference site suitable for performing soil sampling inter-comparison exercises. The reference site was characterized for trace element content in soil, in terms of the spatial and temporal variability of their mass fraction. Considering that the behaviour of long-lived radionuclides in soil can be expected to be similar to that of some stable trace elements and that the distribution of these trace elements in soil can simulate the distribution of radionuclides, the reference site characterised in term of trace elements, can be also used to compare the soil sampling strategies developed for radionuclide investigations.

[Hospital and environment: waste disposal].

PubMed

Faure, P; Rizzo Padoin, N

2003-11-01

Like all production units, hospitals produce waste and are responsible for waste disposal. Hospital waste is particular due to the environmental risks involved, particularly concerning infection, effluents, and radionucleide contamination. Management plans are required to meet environmental, hygiene and regulatory obligations and to define reference waste products. The first step is to optimize waste sorting, with proper definition of the different categories, adequate containers (collection stations, color-coded sacks), waste circuits, intermediate then central storage areas, and finally transfer to an incineration unit. Volume and delay to elimination must be carefully controlled. Elimination of drugs and related products is a second aspect: packaging, perfusion pouches, tubing, radiopharmaceutic agents. These later products are managed with non-sealed sources whose elimination depends on the radioactive period, requiring selective sorting and specific holding areas while radioactivity declines. Elimination of urine and excreta containing anti-cancer drugs or intravesical drugs, particularly coming from protected rooms using radioactive iodine is another aspect. There is also a marginal flow of unused or expired drugs. For a health establishment, elimination of drugs is not included as part of waste disposal. This requires establishing a specific circuit with selective sorting and carefully applied safety regulations. Market orders for collecting and handling hospital wastes must be implemented in compliance with the rules of Public Health Tenders.

Tanks Focus Area annual report FY2000

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

None

2000-12-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) continues to face a major radioactive waste tank remediation effort with tanks containing hazardous and radioactive waste resulting from the production of nuclear materials. With some 90 million gallons of waste in the form of solid, sludge, liquid, and gas stored in 287 tanks across the DOE complex, containing approximately 650 million curies, radioactive waste storage tank remediation is the nation's highest cleanup priority. Differing waste types and unique technical issues require specialized science and technology to achieve tank cleanup in an environmentally acceptable manner. Some of the waste has been stored for overmore » 50 years in tanks that have exceeded their design lives. The challenge is to characterize and maintain these contents in a safe condition and continue to remediate and close each tank to minimize the risks of waste migration and exposure to workers, the public, and the environment. In 1994, the DOE's Office of Environmental Management (EM) created a group of integrated, multiorganizational teams focusing on specific areas of the EM cleanup mission. These teams have evolved into five focus areas managed within EM's Office of Science and Technology (OST): Tanks Focus Area (TFA); Deactivation and Decommissioning Focus Area; Nuclear Materials Focus Area; Subsurface Contaminants Focus Area; and Transuranic and Mixed Waste Focus Area.« less

Capacity of blood plasma is higher in birds breeding in radioactively contaminated areas

PubMed Central

Møller, Anders P.; Mousseau, Timothy A.; Soler, Juan J.

2017-01-01

Background Environmental pollution in general, and radioactive contamination in particular, may deeply affect host-parasite relationships and their consequences for the evolution of organisms. The nuclear accident that occurred more than 30 years ago in Chernobyl resulted in significant changes in diversity and richness of microbial communities that could influence characteristics of animal-bacteria interactions, including host immune responses and competitive interference by bacteria. Given the high mortality rate of birds breeding in radioactively contaminated zones, those with stronger defences against infections should experience significant fitness advantages. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we characterized antimicrobial capacity of barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) from different Ukrainian populations (subject to a gradient of ionizing radiation) against 12 bacterial species. We also quantified constitutive innate immunity, which is the non-specific first barrier of protection of hosts against microbial parasites. We found a positive association between specific antimicrobial capacity of individual hosts and radiation levels in breeding habitats even after controlling for other confounding variables such as sex and age. However, no significant relationship was found between immunocompetence (non-specific response) and background radiation. Conclusions/Significance These results suggest that radiation selects for broad antimicrobial spectra of barn swallows, although not for all bacterial strains. We discuss these results in the framework of host-parasite evolution under extreme environmental conditions. PMID:28662048

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant accident: Atmospheric and oceanic impacts over the five years.

PubMed

Hirose, Katsumi

2016-06-01

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant (FDNPP) accident resulted in huge environmental and socioeconomic impacts to Japan. To document the actual environmental and socioeconomic effects of the FDNPP accident, we describe here atmospheric and marine contamination due to radionuclides released from the FDNPP accident using papers published during past five years, in which temporal and spatial variations of FDNPP-derived radionuclides in air, deposition and seawater and their mapping are recorded by local, regional and global monitoring activities. High radioactivity-contaminated area in land were formed by the dispersion of the radioactive cloud and precipitation, depending on land topography and local meteorological conditions, whereas extremely high concentrations of (131)I and radiocesium in seawater occurred due to direct release of radioactivity-contaminated stagnant water in addition to atmospheric deposition. For both of atmosphere and ocean, numerical model simulations, including local, regional and global-scale modeling, were extensively employed to evaluate source terms of the FDNPP-derived radionuclides from the monitoring data. These models also provided predictions of the dispersion and high deposition areas of the FDNPP-derived radionuclides. However, there are significant differences between the observed and simulated values. Then, the monitoring data would give a good opportunity to improve numerical modeling. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sequim Marine Research Laboratory routine environmental measurements during CY-1978. [Monitoring for laboratory-related radioactivity and pollutants in environment

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

Houston, J.R.; Blumer, P.J.

1979-03-01

Environmental data collected during 1978 in the vicinity of the Marine Research Laboratory show continued compliance with all applicable state and federal regulations and furthermore show no detectable change from conditions that existed in previous years. Samples collected for radiological analysis included soil, drinking water, bay water, clams, and seaweed. Radiation dose rates at 1 meter aboveground were also measured.

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

Groppi, Flavia; Manenti, Simone; Gini, Luigi

In Italy the 'nuclear issue' was for a long time a taboo. A way to approach this theme to make the public more trusting of nuclear issues is to discuss radioactivity and ionizing radiation starting from young students. An experimental activity that involves secondary school students has been developed. The approach is to have students engaged in activities that will allow them to understand how natural radioactivity is a part of our everyday environment. This would include how radiation enters our lives in different ways, to demonstrate that natural radioactive sources found in soil, water, and air contribute to ourmore » exposure to natural ionizing radiation and how this exposure effects human health. Another objective is to develop a new technique for teaching physics which will enhance scientific interest of students in applications of nuclear physics in both environmental and physical sciences.« less

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

Gordon, S.

During the period from fiscal year (FY) 2009 to FY 2011, there were a total of 21 incidents involving radioactively contaminated shipment trailers and 9 contaminated waste packages received at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS). During this time period, the EnergySolutions (ES) Clive, Utah, disposal facility had a total of 18 similar incidents involving trailer and package contamination issues. As a result of the increased occurrence of such incidents, DOE Environmental Management Headquarters (EM/HQ) Waste Management organization (EM-30) requested that the Energy Facility Contractors’ Group (EFCOG) Waste Management Working Group (WMWG) conductmore » a detailed review of these incidents and report back to EM-30 regarding the results of this review, including providing any recommendations formulated as a result of the evaluation of current site practices involving handling and management of radioactive material and waste shipments.« less

Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2008. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company Santa Susana Field Laboratory, Area IV

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

Liu, Ning; Rutherford, Phil; Amar, Ravnesh

2009-09-01

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2008 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of Boeing’s Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). The Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned, company-operated test facility, was located in Area IV. The operations in Area IV included development, fabrication, and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials. Other activities in the area involved the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities that were used for testing non-nuclear liquid metal fast breeder reactor components. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988; allmore » subsequent radiological work has been directed toward decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the former nuclear facilities and their associated sites. In May 2007, the D&D operations in Area IV were suspended by the DOE. The environmental monitoring programs were continued throughout the year. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year 2008 continue to indicate that there are no significant releases of radioactive material from Area IV of SSFL. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property (land, structures, waste), and recycling.« less

An Intercomparison of 2-D Models Within a Common Framework

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weisenstein, Debra K.; Ko, Malcolm K. W.; Scott, Courtney J.; Jackman, Charles H.; Fleming, Eric L.; Considine, David B.; Kinnison, Douglas E.; Connell, Peter S.; Rotman, Douglas A.; Bhartia, P. K. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A model intercomparison among the Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER) 2-D model, the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) 2-D model, and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 2-D model allows us to separate differences due to model transport from those due to the model's chemical formulation. This is accomplished by constructing two hybrid models incorporating the transport parameters of the GSFC and LLNL models within the AER model framework. By comparing the results from the native models (AER and e.g. GSFC) with those from the hybrid model (e.g. AER chemistry with GSFC transport), differences due to chemistry and transport can be identified. For the analysis, we examined an inert tracer whose emission pattern is based on emission from a High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) fleet; distributions of trace species in the 2015 atmosphere; and the response of stratospheric ozone to an HSCT fleet. Differences in NO(y) in the upper stratosphere are found between models with identical transport, implying different model representations of atmospheric chemical processes. The response of O3 concentration to HSCT aircraft emissions differs in the models from both transport-dominated differences in the HSCT-induced perturbations of H2O and NO(y) as well as from differences in the model represent at ions of O3 chemical processes. The model formulations of cold polar processes are found to be the most significant factor in creating large differences in the calculated ozone perturbations

Comparing apples and oranges: the Community Intercomparison Suite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schutgens, Nick; Stier, Philip; Pascoe, Stephen

2014-05-01

Visual representation and comparison of geoscientific datasets presents a huge challenge due to the large variety of file formats and spatio-temporal sampling of data (be they observations or simulations). The Community Intercomparison Suite attempts to greatly simplify these tasks for users by offering an intelligent but simple command line tool for visualisation and colocation of diverse datasets. In addition, CIS can subset and aggregate large datasets into smaller more manageable datasets. Our philosophy is to remove as much as possible the need for specialist knowledge by the user of the structure of a dataset. The colocation of observations with model data is as simple as: "cis col ::" which will resample the simulation data to the spatio-temporal sampling of the observations, contingent on a few user-defined options that specify a resampling kernel. CIS can deal with both gridded and ungridded datasets of 2, 3 or 4 spatio-temporal dimensions. It can handle different spatial coordinates (e.g. longitude or distance, altitude or pressure level). CIS supports both HDF, netCDF and ASCII file formats. The suite is written in Python with entirely publicly available open source dependencies. Plug-ins allow a high degree of user-moddability. A web-based developer hub includes a manual and simple examples. CIS is developed as open source code by a specialist IT company under supervision of scientists from the University of Oxford as part of investment in the JASMIN superdatacluster facility at the Centre of Environmental Data Archival.

Sao Paulo Lightning Mapping Array (SP-LMA): Network Assessment and Analyses for Intercomparison Studies and GOES-R Proxy Activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blakeslee, R. J.; Bailey, J. C.; Carey, L. D.; Goodman, S. J.; Rudlosky, S. D.; Albrecht, R.; Morales, C. A.; Anselmo, E. M.; Neves, J. R.

2013-01-01

A 12 station Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) network was deployed during October 2011in the vicinity of São Paulo, Brazil (SP-LMA) to contribute total lightning measurements to an international field campaign [CHUVA - Cloud processes of tHe main precipitation systems in Brazil: A contribUtion to cloud resolVing modeling and to the GPM (GlobAl Precipitation Measurement)]. The SP-LMA was operational from November 2011 through March 2012. Sensor spacing was on the order of 15-30 km, with a network diameter on the order of 40-50km. The SP-LMA provides good 3-D lightning mapping out to150 km from the network center, with 2-D coverage considerably farther. In addition to supporting CHUVA science/mission objectives, the SP-LMA is supporting the generation of unique proxy data for the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) and Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), on NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R (GOES-R: scheduled for a 2015 launch). These proxy data will be used to develop and validate operational algorithms so that they will be ready to use on "day1" following the GOES-R launch. The SP-LMA data also will be intercompared with lightning observations from other deployed lightning networks to advance our understanding of the capabilities/contributions of each of these networks toward GLM proxy and validation activities. This paper addresses the network assessment and analyses for intercomparison studies and GOES-R proxy activities

75 FR 10835 - Omaha Public Power District, Fort Calhoun Station, Unit 1, Environmental Assessment and Finding...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-09

...). There will be no change to radioactive effluents that affect radiation exposures to plant workers and... to historical and cultural resources. There would be no impact to socioeconomic resources. Therefore...

75 FR 69710 - Florida Power Corporation, et al.; Crystal River Unit 3 Nuclear Generating Plant Environmental...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-15

... no change to radioactive effluents that affect radiation exposures to plant workers and members of... resources. There would be no impact to socioeconomic resources. Therefore, no changes to or different types...

SCO shipments from Rocky Flats : experience and current practice

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-01-01

Decommissioning activities at Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS) are expected to generate approximately 251,000 cubic meters of low-level radioactive waste. Almost half of this will be characterized and shipped as the Department of Tra...

Reviews of STS Instructional Units.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reporter, 1987

1987-01-01

Provides reviews of instructional modules suitable for use in a Science-Technology-Society (STS) approach. Includes reviews of print and video materials dealing with clean water, investigating environmental issues, acid rain, toxic waste, scientific decision making, radioactive waste, and consumerism. (TW)

PFLOTRAN-RepoTREND Source Term Comparison Summary.

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

Frederick, Jennifer M.

Code inter-comparison studies are useful exercises to verify and benchmark independently developed software to ensure proper function, especially when the software is used to model high-consequence systems which cannot be physically tested in a fully representative environment. This summary describes the results of the first portion of the code inter-comparison between PFLOTRAN and RepoTREND, which compares the radionuclide source term used in a typical performance assessment.

GLM Proxy Data Generation: Methods for Stroke/Pulse Level Inter-Comparison of Ground-Based Lightning Reference Networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cummins, Kenneth L.; Carey, Lawrence D.; Schultz, Christopher J.; Bateman, Monte G.; Cecil, Daniel J.; Rudlosky, Scott D.; Petersen, Walter Arthur; Blakeslee, Richard J.; Goodman, Steven J.

2011-01-01

In order to produce useful proxy data for the GOES-R Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) in regions not covered by VLF lightning mapping systems, we intend to employ data produced by ground-based (regional or global) VLF/LF lightning detection networks. Before using these data in GLM Risk Reduction tasks, it is necessary to have a quantitative understanding of the performance of these networks, in terms of CG flash/stroke DE, cloud flash/pulse DE, location accuracy, and CLD/CG classification error. This information is being obtained through inter-comparison with LMAs and well-quantified VLF/LF lightning networks. One of our approaches is to compare "bulk" counting statistics on the spatial scale of convective cells, in order to both quantify relative performance and observe variations in cell-based temporal trends provided by each network. In addition, we are using microsecond-level stroke/pulse time correlation to facilitate detailed inter-comparisons at a more-fundamental level. The current development status of our ground-based inter-comparison and evaluation tools will be presented, and performance metrics will be discussed through a comparison of Vaisala s Global Lightning Dataset (GLD360) with the NLDN at locations within and outside the U.S.

GLM Proxy Data Generation: Methods for Stroke/Pulse Level Inter-comparison of Ground-based Lightning Reference Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cummins, K. L.; Carey, L. D.; Schultz, C. J.; Bateman, M. G.; Cecil, D. J.; Rudlosky, S. D.; Petersen, W. A.; Blakeslee, R. J.; Goodman, S. J.

2011-12-01

In order to produce useful proxy data for the GOES-R Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) in regions not covered by VLF lightning mapping systems, we intend to employ data produced by ground-based (regional or global) VLF/LF lightning detection networks. Before using these data in GLM Risk Reduction tasks, it is necessary to have a quantitative understanding of the performance of these networks, in terms of CG flash/stroke DE, cloud flash/pulse DE, location accuracy, and CLD/CG classification error. This information is being obtained through inter-comparison with LMAs and well-quantified VLF/LF lightning networks. One of our approaches is to compare "bulk" counting statistics on the spatial scale of convective cells, in order to both quantify relative performance and observe variations in cell-based temporal trends provided by each network. In addition, we are using microsecond-level stroke/pulse time correlation to facilitate detailed inter-comparisons at a more-fundamental level. The current development status of our ground-based inter-comparison and evaluation tools will be presented, and performance metrics will be discussed through a comparison of Vaisala's Global Lightning Dataset (GLD360) with the NLDN at locations within and outside the U.S.

Evaluation of Intercomparisons of Four Different Types of Model Simulating TWP-ICE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petch, Jon; Hill, Adrian; Davies, Laura; Fridlind, Ann; Jakob, Christian; Lin, Yanluan; Xie, Shaoecheng; Zhu, Ping

2013-01-01

Four model intercomparisons were run and evaluated using the TWP-ICE field campaign, each involving different types of atmospheric model. Here we highlight what can be learnt from having single-column model (SCM), cloud-resolving model (CRM), global atmosphere model (GAM) and limited-area model (LAM) intercomparisons all based around the same field campaign. We also make recommendations for anyone planning further large multi-model intercomparisons to ensure they are of maximum value to the model development community. CRMs tended to match observations better than other model types, although there were exceptions such as outgoing long-wave radiation. All SCMs grew large temperature and moisture biases and performed worse than other model types for many diagnostics. The GAMs produced a delayed and significantly reduced peak in domain-average rain rate when compared to the observations. While it was shown that this was in part due to the analysis used to drive these models, the LAMs were also driven by this analysis and did not have the problem to the same extent. Based on differences between the models with parametrized convection (SCMs and GAMs) and those without (CRMs and LAMs), we speculate that that having explicit convection helps to constrain liquid water whereas the ice contents are controlled more by the representation of the microphysics.

The Southern Ocean in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5

PubMed Central

Meijers, A. J. S.

2014-01-01

The Southern Ocean is an important part of the global climate system, but its complex coupled nature makes both its present state and its response to projected future climate forcing difficult to model. Clear trends in wind, sea-ice extent and ocean properties emerged from multi-model intercomparison in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 3 (CMIP3). Here, we review recent analyses of the historical and projected wind, sea ice, circulation and bulk properties of the Southern Ocean in the updated Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5) ensemble. Improvements to the models include higher resolutions, more complex and better-tuned parametrizations of ocean mixing, and improved biogeochemical cycles and atmospheric chemistry. CMIP5 largely reproduces the findings of CMIP3, but with smaller inter-model spreads and biases. By the end of the twenty-first century, mid-latitude wind stresses increase and shift polewards. All water masses warm, and intermediate waters freshen, while bottom waters increase in salinity. Surface mixed layers shallow, warm and freshen, whereas sea ice decreases. The upper overturning circulation intensifies, whereas bottom water formation is reduced. Significant disagreement exists between models for the response of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current strength, for reasons that are as yet unclear. PMID:24891395

1983 international intercomparison of nuclear accident dosimetry systems at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

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

Swaja, R.E.; Greene, R.T.; Sims, C.S.

1985-04-01

An international intercomparison of nuclear accident dosimetry systems was conducted during September 12-16, 1983, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) using the Health Physics Research Reactor operated in the pulse mode to simulate criticality accidents. This study marked the twentieth in a series of annual accident dosimetry intercomparisons conducted at ORNL. Participants from ten organizations attended this intercomparison and measured neutron and gamma doses at area monitoring stations and on phantoms for three different shield conditions. Results of this study indicate that foil activation techniques are the most popular and accurate method of determining accident-level neutron doses at area monitoringmore » stations. For personnel monitoring, foil activation, blood sodium activation, and thermoluminescent (TL) methods are all capable of providing accurate dose estimates in a variety of radiation fields. All participants in this study used TLD's to determine gamma doses with very good results on the average. Chemical dosemeters were also shown to be capable of yielding accurate estimates of total neutron plus gamma doses in a variety of radiation fields. While 83% of all neutron measurements satisfied regulatory standards relative to reference values, only 39% of all gamma results satisfied corresponding guidelines for gamma measurements. These results indicate that continued improvement in accident dosimetry evaluation and measurement techniques is needed.« less

Herbert M. Parker: Publications and contributions to radiological and health physics

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

Kathren, R.L.; Baalman, R.W.; Bair, W.J.

For more than a half century, Herbert M. Parker was a leading force in radiological physics. As a scientist, he was codeveloper of a systematic dosimetry scheme for implant therapy and the innovative proposer of radiological units with unambiguous physical and biological bases. He made seminal contributions to the development of scientifically based radiation protection standards and, as an administrator and manager as well as scientist, helped the Hanford Laboratories to achieve preeminance in several areas, including radiation biology, radioactive waste disposal, and environmental radioactivity. This volume brings together, sometimes from obscure sources, his works.

An environmental dose experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peralta, Luis

2017-11-01

Several radiation sources worldwide contribute to the delivered dose to the human population. This radiation also acts as a natural background when detecting radiation, for instance from radioactive sources. In this work a medium-sized plastic scintillation detector is used to evaluate the dose delivered by natural radiation sources. Calibration of the detector involved the use of radioactive sources and Monte Carlo simulation of the energy deposition per disintegration. A measurement of the annual dose due to background radiation to the body was then estimated. A dose value compatible with the value reported by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation was obtained.

Special Analysis: 2016-001 Analysis of the Potential Under-Reporting of Am-241 Inventory for Nitrate Salt Waste at Area G

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

Chu, Shaoping; Stauffer, Philip H.; Birdsell, Kay Hanson

The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) generates radioactive waste as a result of various activities. Operational waste is generated from a wide variety of research and development activities including nuclear weapons development, energy production, and medical research. Environmental restoration (ER), and decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) waste is generated as contaminated sites and facilities at LANL undergo cleanup or remediation. The majority of this waste is low-level radioactive waste (LLW) and is disposed of at the Technical Area 54 (TA-54), Area G disposal facility.

Airborne hygrometer calibration inter-comparison against a metrological water vapour standard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smorgon, Denis; Boese, Norbert; Ebert, Volker

2014-05-01

Water vapour is the most important atmospheric greenhouse gas, which causes a major feedback to warming and other changes in the climate system. Knowledge of the distribution of water vapour and its climate induced changes is especially important in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UT/LS) where vapour plays a critical role in atmospheric radiative balance, cirrus cloud formation, and photochemistry. But, our understanding of water in the UT/LS is limited by significant uncertainties in current UT/LS water measurements. One of the most comprehensive inter-comparison campaigns for airborne hygrometers, termed AQUAVIT (AV1) [1], took place in 2007 at the AIDA chamber at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany. AV1 was a well-defined, referred, blind inter-comparison of 22 airborne field instruments from 17 international research groups. One major metrological deficit of AV1, however, was, that no traceable reference instrument participated in the inter-comparison experiments and that the calibration procedures of the participating instruments were not monitored or interrogated. Consequently a follow-up inter-comparison was organized in April 2013, which for the first time also provides a traceable link to the international humidity scale. This AQUAVIT2 (AV2) campaign (details see: http://www.imk-aaf.kit.edu/aquavit/index.php/Main_Page) was again located at KIT/AIDA and organised by an international organizing committee including KIT, PTB, FZJ and others. Generally AV2 is divided in two parallel comparisons: 1) AV2-A uses the AIDA chamber for a simultaneous comparison of all instruments (incl. sampling and in-situ instruments) over a broad range of conditions characteristic for the UT/LS; 2) AV2-B, about which this paper is reporting, is a sequential comparison of selected hygrometers and (when possible) their reference calibration infrastructures by means of a chilled mirror hygrometer traced back to the primary National humidity standard of PTB and a validated, two-pressure generator acting as a highly stable and reproducible source of water vapour. The aim of AV2-B was to perform an absolute, metrological comparison of the field instruments/calibration infrastructures to the metrological humidity scale, and to collect essential information about methods and procedures used by the atmospheric community for instrument calibration and validation, in order to investigate e.g. the necessity and possible comparability advantage by a standardized calibration procedure. The work will give an overview over the concept of the AV2-B inter-comparison, the various general measurement and calibration principles, and discuss the outcome and consequences of the comparison effort. The AQUAVIT effort is linked to the EMRP project METEOMET (ENV07) and partially supported by the EMRP and ENV07. The EMRP is jointly funded by the EMRP participating countries within EURAMET and the European Union. [1] H. Saathoff, C. Schiller, V. Ebert, D. W. Fahey, R.-S. Gao, O. Möhler, and the aquavit team, The AQUAVIT formal intercomparison of atmospheric water measurement methods, 5th General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union, 13-18 April 2008, Vienna, Austria Keywords: humidity, water vapour, inter-comparison, airborne instruments.

Application of the Bulgarian emergency response system in case of nuclear accident in environmental assessment study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syrakov, Dimiter; Veleva, Blagorodka; Georgievs, Emilia; Prodanova, Maria; Slavov, Kiril; Kolarova, Maria

2014-05-01

The development of the Bulgarian Emergency Response System (BERS) for short term forecast in case of accidental radioactive releases to the atmosphere has been started in the mid 1990's [1]. BERS comprises of two main parts - operational and accidental, for two regions 'Europe' and 'Northern Hemisphere'. The operational part runs automatically since 2001 using the 72 hours meteorological forecast from DWD Global model, resolution in space of 1.5o and in time - 12 hours. For specified Nuclear power plants (NPPs), 3 days trajectories are calculated and presented on NIMH's specialized Web-site (http://info.meteo.bg/ews/). The accidental part is applied when radioactive releases are reported or in case of emergency exercises. BERS is based on numerical weather forecast information and long-range dispersion model accounting for the transport, dispersion, and radioactive transformations of pollutants. The core of the accidental part of the system is the Eulerian 3D dispersion model EMAP calculating concentration and deposition fields [2]. The system is upgraded with a 'dose calculation module' for estimation of the prognostic dose fields of 31 important radioactive gaseous and aerosol pollutants. The prognostic doses significant for the early stage of a nuclear accident are calculated as follows: the effective doses from external irradiation (air submersion + ground shinning); effective dose from inhalation; summarized effective dose and absorbed thyroid dose [3]. The output is given as 12, 24, 36, 48, 60 and 72 hours prognostic dose fields according the updated meteorology. The BERS was upgraded to simulate the dispersion of nuclear materials from Fukushima NPP [4], and results were presented in NIMH web-site. In addition BERS took part in the respective ENSEMBLE exercises to model 131I and 137Cs in Fukushima source term. In case of governmental request for expertise BERS was applied for environmental impact assessment of hypothetical accidental transboundary radioactive pollution. The consequences were estimated based on the worst emission scenario for the existing basic reactor type, selection of real meteorological forecast conditions, favoring the direct transport of the contaminated air masses to the territory of the country in consideration. In the present work BERS is used to estimate the worst case accidental scenario impact from a possible new unit of Paks Nuclear Power Plant, Hungary over the territory of Bulgaria. 1. D.Syrakov, M.Prodanova, 1998, Atmospheric Environment, 32 (24), 4367-4375. 2. D. Syrakov, M. Prodanova, K. Slavov, Inernationsal J. Environment and Pollution, 20, 1-6 (2003) 286-296. 3. D. Syrakov, B. Veleva, M. Prodanova, T. Popova, M. Kolarova, Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 100 (2009) 151-156. 4. D.Syrakov, M Prodanova, J. Intern. Sci. Publ.: Ecology & Safety Vol. 6 Part 1 (2011) 94-102. www.scientific-publications.net.

Review of LLNL Mixed Waste Streams for the Application of Potential Waste Reduction Controls

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

Belue, A; Fischer, R P

2007-01-08

In July 2004, LLNL adopted the International Standard ISO 14001 as a Work Smart Standard in lieu of DOE Order 450.1. In support of this new requirement the Director issued a new environmental policy that was documented in Section 3.0 of Document 1.2, ''ES&H Policies of LLNL'', in the ES&H Manual. In recent years the Environmental Management System (EMS) process has become formalized as LLNL adopted ISO 14001 as part of the contract under which the laboratory is operated for the Department of Energy (DOE). On May 9, 2005, LLNL revised its Integrated Safety Management System Description to enhance existingmore » environmental requirements to meet ISO 14001. Effective October 1, 2005, each new project or activity is required to be evaluated from an environmental aspect, particularly if a potential exists for significant environmental impacts. Authorizing organizations are required to consider the management of all environmental aspects, the applicable regulatory requirements, and reasonable actions that can be taken to reduce negative environmental impacts. During 2006, LLNL has worked to implement the corrective actions addressing the deficiencies identified in the DOE/LSO audit. LLNL has begun to update the present EMS to meet the requirements of ISO 14001:2004. The EMS commits LLNL--and each employee--to responsible stewardship of all the environmental resources in our care. The generation of mixed radioactive waste was identified as a significant environmental aspect. Mixed waste for the purposes of this report is defined as waste materials containing both hazardous chemical and radioactive constituents. Significant environmental aspects require that an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) be developed. The objective of the EMP developed for mixed waste (EMP-005) is to evaluate options for reducing the amount of mixed waste generated. This document presents the findings of the evaluation of mixed waste generated at LLNL and a proposed plan for reduction.« less

Challenges associated with the behaviour of radioactive particles in the environment.

PubMed

Salbu, Brit; Kashparov, Valery; Lind, Ole Christian; Garcia-Tenorio, Rafael; Johansen, Mathew P; Child, David P; Roos, Per; Sancho, Carlos

2018-06-01

A series of different nuclear sources associated with the nuclear weapon and fuel cycles have contributed to the release of radioactive particles to the environment. Following nuclear weapon tests, safety tests, conventional destruction of weapons, reactor explosions and fires, a major fraction of released refractory radionuclides such as uranium (U) and plutonium (Pu) were present as entities ranging from sub microns to fragments. Furthermore, radioactive particles and colloids have been released from reprocessing facilities and civil reactors, from radioactive waste dumped at sea, and from NORM sites. Thus, whenever refractory radionuclides are released to the environment following nuclear events, radioactive particles should be expected. Results from many years of research have shown that particle characteristics such as elemental composition depend on the source, while characteristics such as particle size distribution, structure, and oxidation state influencing ecosystem transfer depend also on the release scenarios. When radioactive particles are deposited in the environment, weathering processes occur and associated radionuclides are subsequently mobilized, changing the apparent K d . Thus, particles retained in soils or sediments are unevenly distributed, and dissolution of radionuclides from particles may be partial. For areas affected by particle contamination, the inventories can therefore be underestimated, and impact and risk assessments may suffer from unacceptable large uncertainties if radioactive particles are ignored. To integrate radioactive particles into environmental impact assessments, key challenges include the linking of particle characteristics to specific sources, to ecosystem transfer, and to uptake and retention in biological systems. To elucidate these issues, the EC-funded COMET and RATE projects and the IAEA Coordinated Research Program on particles have revisited selected contaminated sites and archive samples. This COMET position paper summarizes new knowledge on key sources that have contributed to particle releases, including particle characteristics based on advanced techniques, with emphasis on particle weathering processes as well as on heterogeneities in biological samples to evaluate potential uptake and retention of radioactive particles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 192.00 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR URANIUM AND THORIUM MILL TAILINGS Standards for the Control of Residual Radioactive Materials from Inactive Uranium Processing Sites § 192.00 Applicability. This... sites under section 108 of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (henceforth...

40 CFR 192.00 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR URANIUM AND THORIUM MILL TAILINGS Standards for the Control of Residual Radioactive Materials from Inactive Uranium Processing Sites § 192.00 Applicability. This... sites under section 108 of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (henceforth...

40 CFR 192.00 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR URANIUM AND THORIUM MILL TAILINGS Standards for the Control of Residual Radioactive Materials from Inactive Uranium Processing Sites § 192.00 Applicability. This... sites under section 108 of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (henceforth...

75 FR 9618 - Virginia Electric and Power Company Surry Power Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 Environmental...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-03

... change to radioactive effluents that effect radiation exposures to plant workers and members of the.... There would be no impact to socioeconomic resources. Therefore, no changes to or different types of non...

75 FR 8756 - South Carolina Electric and Gas Company, Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station, Unit 1; Environmental...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-25

... change to radioactive effluents that affect radiation exposures to plant workers and members of the.... There would be no impact to socioeconomic resources. Therefore, no changes to or different types of non...

Environmental health, public safety, and social impacts associated with transportation accidents involving hazardous substances

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-12-31

Accidents involving chemicals or radioactive materials represent a significant threat to the environment, public : health and safety, and community well-being. In an increasingly complex and interconnected world, no community : is immune from the thr...

Standardized Analytical Methods for Environmental Restoration Following Homeland Security Events

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Methodology was formulated for use in the event of a terrorist attack using a variety of chemical, radioactive, biological, and toxic agents. Standardized analysis procedures were determined for use should these events occur. This publication is annually updated....

40 CFR 192.00 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR URANIUM AND THORIUM MILL TAILINGS Standards for the Control of Residual Radioactive Materials from Inactive Uranium Processing Sites § 192.00 Applicability. This... sites under section 108 of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (henceforth...

24 CFR 585.307 - Environmental procedures and standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... within designated coastal barrier resources; (ii) Contaminated by toxic chemicals or radioactive materials; (iii) Located within a floodplain; (iv) A building for which flood insurance protection is... units severely noise-impacted; or (iii) Affects coastal zone management. (3) For new construction...

RISKIND : an enhanced computer code for National Environmental Policy Act transportation consequence analysis

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-01-01

The RISKIND computer program was developed for the analysis of radiological consequences and health risks to individuals and the collective population from exposures associated with the transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) or other radioactive ...

MANUAL: ALTERNATIVE WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Indoor radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, is found in varying amounts in nearly all houses. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed and demonstrated methods that have been used to reduce radon levels in existing houses. Many of these methods could ...

INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS ON FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY MEASUREMENT FOR RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION: STATUS AND PERSPECTIVES.

PubMed

Calmet, D; Ameon, R; Bombard, A; Brun, S; Byrde, F; Chen, J; Duda, J-M; Forte, M; Fournier, M; Fronka, A; Haug, T; Herranz, M; Husain, A; Jerome, S; Jiranek, M; Judge, S; Kim, S B; Kwakman, P; Loyen, J; LLaurado, M; Michel, R; Porterfield, D; Ratsirahonana, A; Richards, A; Rovenska, K; Sanada, T; Schuler, C; Thomas, L; Tokonami, S; Tsapalov, A; Yamada, T

2017-04-01

Radiological protection is a matter of concern for members of the public and thus national authorities are more likely to trust the quality of radioactivity data provided by accredited laboratories using common standards. Normative approach based on international standards aims to ensure the accuracy or validity of the test result through calibrations and measurements traceable to the International System of Units. This approach guarantees that radioactivity test results on the same types of samples are comparable over time and space as well as between different testing laboratories. Today, testing laboratories involved in radioactivity measurement have a set of more than 150 international standards to help them perform their work. Most of them are published by the International Standardization Organization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). This paper reviews the most essential ISO standards that give guidance to testing laboratories at different stages from sampling planning to the transmission of the test report to their customers, summarizes recent activities and achievements and present the perspectives on new standards under development by the ISO Working Groups dealing with radioactivity measurement in connection with radiological protection. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

NDSC Lidar Intercomparisons and Validation: OPAL and MLO3 Campaigns in 1995

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McDermid, Stuart; McGee, Thomas J.; Stuart, Daan P. J.

1996-01-01

The Network for the Detection of Stratospheric Change (NDSC) has developed and adopted a Validation Policy in order to ensure that the results submitted and stored in its archives are of a known, high quality. As a part of this validation policy, blind instrument intercomparisons are considered an essential element in the certification of NDSC instruments and a specific format for these campaigns has been recommended by the NDSC-Steering Committee.

International round-robin inter-comparison of dye-sensitized and crystalline silicon solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Chia-Yuan; Ahn, Seung Kyu; Aoki, Dasiuke; Kokubo, Junichi; Yoon, Kyung Hoon; Saito, Hidenori; Lee, Kyung Sik; Magaino, Shinichi; Takagi, Katsuhiko; Lin, Ling-Chuan; Lee, Kun-Mu; Wu, Chun-Guey; Zhou, Hong; Igari, Sanekazu

2017-02-01

An international round-robin inter-comparison of the spectral responsivity (SR) and current-voltage (I-V) characteristics for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) and crystalline silicon solar cells is reported for the first time. The crystalline silicon cells with various spectral responsivities were also calibrated by AIST to validate this round-robin activity. On the basis of the remarkable consistency in Pmax (within ±1.4% among participants) and Isc (within ±1.2% compared to the primary calibration of AIST) of the silicon specimens, the discrepancy in the SR and photovoltaic parameters of five DSCs among three national laboratories can be verified and diagnosed. Recommendations about sample packages, SR and I-V measurement methods as well as the inter-comparison protocol for improving the performance characterization of the mesoscopic DSCs are presented according to the consolidated data and the experience of the participants.

The global gridded crop model intercomparison: Data and modeling protocols for Phase 1 (v1.0)

DOE PAGES

Elliott, J.; Müller, C.; Deryng, D.; ...

2015-02-11

We present protocols and input data for Phase 1 of the Global Gridded Crop Model Intercomparison, a project of the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP). The project consist of global simulations of yields, phenologies, and many land-surface fluxes using 12–15 modeling groups for many crops, climate forcing data sets, and scenarios over the historical period from 1948 to 2012. The primary outcomes of the project include (1) a detailed comparison of the major differences and similarities among global models commonly used for large-scale climate impact assessment, (2) an evaluation of model and ensemble hindcasting skill, (3) quantification ofmore » key uncertainties from climate input data, model choice, and other sources, and (4) a multi-model analysis of the agricultural impacts of large-scale climate extremes from the historical record.« less

Intercomparison and interpretation of climate feedback processes in 19 atmospheric general circulation models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cess, R. D.; Potter, G. L.; Blanchet, J. P.; Boer, G. J.; Del Genio, A. D.

1990-01-01

The present study provides an intercomparison and interpretation of climate feedback processes in 19 atmospheric general circulation models. This intercomparison uses sea surface temperature change as a surrogate for climate change. The interpretation of cloud-climate interactions is given special attention. A roughly threefold variation in one measure of global climate sensitivity is found among the 19 models. The important conclusion is that most of this variation is attributable to differences in the models' depiction of cloud feedback, a result that emphasizes the need for improvements in the treatment of clouds in these models if they are ultimately to be used as reliable climate predictors. It is further emphazied that cloud feedback is the consequence of all interacting physical and dynamical processes in a general circulation model. The result of these processes is to produce changes in temperature, moisture distribution, and clouds which are integrated into the radiative response termed cloud feedback.

Nuclear and atomic analytical techniques in environmental studies in South America.

PubMed

Paschoa, A S

1990-01-01

The use of nuclear analytical techniques for environmental studies in South America is selectively reviewed since the time of earlier works of Lattes with cosmic rays until the recent applications of the PIXE (particle-induced X-ray emission) technique to study air pollution problems in large cities, such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The studies on natural radioactivity and fallout from nuclear weapons in South America are briefly examined.

Medical University of South Carolina Environmental Hazards Assessment Program. Deliverables: Volume 3, Annual report, July 1, 1993--June 30, 1994

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

Not Available

1994-08-18

This reference is concerned with the Crossroads of Humanity workshop which is part of the Environmental Hazards Assessment Program at the Medical University of South Carolina. This workshop was held during the month of June and July 1994. Topics discussed include: Perceived Risk Advisory Committee Meeting, surveys of public opinion about hazardous and radioactive materials, genetics,antibodies, and regulatory agencies.

Intrinsic vs. spurious long-range memory in high-frequency records of environmental radioactivity - Critical re-assessment and application to indoor 222Rn concentrations from Coimbra, Portugal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donner, Reik V.; Potirakis, Stelios M.; Barbosa, Susana M.; Matos, Jose A. O.

2015-04-01

The presence or absence of long-range correlations in environmental radioactivity fluctuations has recently attracted considerable interest. Among a multiplicity of practically relevant applications, identifying and disentangling the environmental factors controlling the variable concentrations of the radioactive noble gas Radon is important for estimating its effect on human health and the efficiency of possible measures for reducing the corresponding exposition. In this work, we present a critical re-assessment of a multiplicity of complementary methods that have been previously applied for evaluating the presence of long-range correlations and fractal scaling in environmental Radon variations with a particular focus on the specific properties of the underlying time series. As an illustrative case study, we subsequently re-analyze two high-frequency records of indoor Radon concentrations from Coimbra, Portugal, each of which spans several months of continuous measurements at a high temporal resolution of five minutes. Our results reveal that at the study site, Radon concentrations exhibit complex multi-scale dynamics with qualitatively different properties at different time-scales: (i) essentially white noise in the high-frequency part (up to time-scales of about one hour), (ii) spurious indications of a non-stationary, apparently long-range correlated process (at time scales between hours and one day) arising from marked periodic components probably related to tidal frequencies, and (iii) low-frequency variability indicating a true long-range dependent process, which might be dominated by a response to meteorological drivers. In the presence of such multi-scale variability, common estimators of long-range memory in time series are necessarily prone to fail if applied to the raw data without previous separation of time-scales with qualitatively different dynamics. We emphasize that similar properties can be found in other types of geophysical time series (for example, tide gauge records), calling for a careful application of time series analysis tools when studying such data.

Radon Laboratory: A Proposal for Scientific Culture Dissemination Among Young Students in Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groppi, Flavia; Bazzocchi, Anna; Manenti, Simone; Gini, Luigi; Bonardi, Mauro L.

2009-08-01

In Italy the "nuclear issue" was for a long time a taboo. A way to approach this theme to make the public more trusting of nuclear issues is to discuss radioactivity and ionizing radiation starting from young students. An experimental activity that involves secondary school students has been developed. The approach is to have students engaged in activities that will allow them to understand how natural radioactivity is a part of our everyday environment. This would include how radiation enters our lives in different ways, to demonstrate that natural radioactive sources found in soil, water, and air contribute to our exposure to natural ionizing radiation and how this exposure effects human health. Another objective is to develop a new technique for teaching physics which will enhance scientific interest of students in applications of nuclear physics in both environmental and physical sciences.

Radioactive Waste Management Complex low-level waste radiological performance assessment

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

Maheras, S.J.; Rood, A.S.; Magnuson, S.O.

This report documents the projected radiological dose impacts associated with the disposal of radioactive low-level waste at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. This radiological performance assessment was conducted to evaluate compliance with applicable radiological criteria of the US Department of Energy and the US Environmental Protection Agency for protection of the public and the environment. The calculations involved modeling the transport of radionuclides from buried waste, to surface soil and subsurface media, and eventually to members of the public via air, groundwater, and food chain pathways. Projections of doses were made for both offsitemore » receptors and individuals inadvertently intruding onto the site after closure. In addition, uncertainty and sensitivity analyses were performed. The results of the analyses indicate compliance with established radiological criteria and provide reasonable assurance that public health and safety will be protected.« less

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

T. R. Saffle; R. G. Mitchell; R. B. Evans

The results of the various monitoring programs for 1998 indicated that radioactivity from the DOE's Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) operations could generally not be distinguished from worldwide fallout and natural radioactivity in the region surrounding the INEEL. Although some radioactive materials were discharged during INEEL operations, concentrations in the offsite environment and doses to the surrounding population were far less than state of Idaho and federal health protection guidelines. Gross alpha and gross beta measurements, used as a screening technique for air filters, were investigated by making statistical comparisons between onsite or boundary location concentrations and themore » distant community group concentrations. Gross alpha activities were generally higher at distant locations than at boundary and onsite locations. Air samples were also analyzed for specific radionuclides. Some human-made radionuclides were detected at offsite locations, but most were near the minimum detectable concentration and their presence was attributable to natural sources, worldwide fallout, and statistical variations in the analytical results rather than to INEEL operations. Low concentrations of 137Cs were found in muscle tissue and liver of some game animals and sheep. These levels were mostly consistent with background concentrations measured in animals sampled onsite and offsite in recent years. Ionizing radiation measured simultaneously at the INEEL boundary and distant locations using environmental dosimeters were similar and showed only background levels. The maximum potential population dose from submersion, ingestion, inhalation, and deposition to the approximately 121,500 people residing within an 80-km (50-mi) radius from the geographical center of the INEEL was estimated to be 0.08 person-rem (8 x 10-4 person-Sv) using the MDIFF air dispersion model. This population dose is less than 0.0002 percent of the estimated 43,7 00 person-rem (437 person-Sv) population dose from background radioactivity.« less

Quality assurance for measurements of the radioactivity in the area of the"Horia Hulubei" National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, IFIN-HH.

PubMed

Stochioiu, Ana; Luca, Aurelian; Sahagia, Maria; Margineanu, Romul Mircea; Tudor, Ion

2012-10-01

This paper presents one part of the activities deployed by the Laboratory for Environment and Personnel Dosimetry (LDPM) of IFIN-HH, namely the radiological monitoring of the environment within the Institute's area and its surrounding influence zone, according to the program approved by the National Regulatory Body for Nuclear Activities, CNCAN. The representative reports regard the radioactive content of soil, surface and underground water, cultivated and spontaneous vegetation, aerosols and atmospheric fallout, sediments. The common requirement is that the measured quantities be precise and the reported values be reliable and credible. This goal is achieved by maintaining a Quality System, verified within the obtaining and maintaining of the laboratory accreditation, according to the international standard ISO/IEC 17025:2005.The LDPM is accredited by the Romanian accreditation body, RENAR, member of the European Accreditation, EA and is designed by CNCAN as a notified testing laboratory. Many measurements were performed in collaboration with the Radionuclide Metrology Laboratory (RML) from IFIN-HH, RENAR accredited and CNCAN notified for calibration and for testing in the field of radioactivity measurement. This paper proposes a short presentation of the important aspects in our activity: i. description of equipment, samplingmethods, processing and measurement of environmental samples; ii. validation of equipment and methods by participation in international and national proficiency tests; iii. a five year follow chart, containing the results in measurement of samples; iv. a recent application, with a wide impact in Romanian mass media: the credible daily report on the possible influence of Fukushima accident over the Romanian environmental radioactivity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2004. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company Santa Susana Field Laboratory

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

Liu, Ning; Rutherford, Phil; Lee, Majelle

2005-09-01

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2004 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of Boeing’s Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). In the past, the Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned, company-operated test facility, was located in Area IV. The operations in Area IV included development, fabrication, and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials. Other activities in the area involved the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities that were used for testing non-nuclear liquid metal fast breeder components. All nuclear work was terminated inmore » 1988; all subsequent radiological work has been directed toward decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the former nuclear facilities and their associated sites. Closure of the liquid metal test facilities began in 1996. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year 2004 continue to indicate that there are no significant releases of radioactive material from Area IV of SSFL. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property (land, structures, waste), and recycling.« less

Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2006. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company Santa Susana Field Laboratory, Area IV

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

Liu, Ning; Rutherford, Phil

2007-09-01

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2006 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of Boeing’s Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). In the past, the Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned, company-operated test facility, was located in Area IV. The operations in Area IV included development, fabrication, and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials. Other activities in the area involved the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities that were used for testing non-nuclear liquid metal fast breeder components. All nuclear work was terminated inmore » 1988; all subsequent radiological work has been directed toward decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the former nuclear facilities and their associated sites. Closure of the liquid metal test facilities began in 1996. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year 2006 continue to indicate that there are no significant releases of radioactive material from Area IV of SSFL. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property (land, structures, waste), and recycling.« less

Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2003 DOE Operations at The Boeing Company, Rocketdyne Propulsion & Power

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

Liu, Ning; Rutherford, Phil; Samuels, Sandy

2004-09-30

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2003 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of Boeing Rocketdyne’s Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). In the past, the Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned, company-operated test facility, was located in Area IV. The operations at ETEC included development, fabrication, and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials. Other activities at ETEC involved the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities that were used for testing liquid metal fast breeder components. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988; allmore » subsequent radiological work has been directed toward decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the former nuclear facilities and their associated sites. Closure of the liquid metal test facilities began in 1996. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year 2003 continue to indicate that there are no significant releases of radioactive material from Area IV of SSFL. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property (land, structures, waste), and recycling.« less

Annual radiological environmental operating report, Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, 1987

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

Not Available

1988-04-01

This report describes the environmental radiological monitoring programs conducted by TVA in the vicinity of Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant in 1987. The program includes the collection of samples from the environment and the determination of the concentrations of radioactive materials in the samples. Samples are taken from stations in the general area of the plant and from areas not influenced by plant operations. Station locations are selected after careful consideration of the weather patterns and projected radiation doses to the various areas around the plant. Material sampled includes air, water, milk, foods, vegetation, soil, fish, sediment, and direct radiation levels.more » Results from stations near the plant are compared with concentrations from control stations and with preoperational measurements to determine potential impacts of plant operations. The vast majority of the exposures calculated from environmental samples were contributed by naturally occurring radioactive materials or from materials commonly found in the environment as a result of atmospheric nuclear weapons fallout. Small amounts of Co-60 were found in sediment samples downstreams from the plant. This activity in stream sediment would result in no measurable increase over background in the dose to the general public. 3 refs., 2 figs., 34 tabs.« less

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant annual radiological environmental operating report, 1990

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

Not Available

1991-04-01

This report describes the environmental radiological monitoring program conducted by TVA in the vicinity of Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant in 1990. The program includes the collection of samples from the environment and the determination of the concentrations of radioactive materials in the samples. Samples are taken from stations in the general area of the plant and from areas not influenced by plant operations. Station locations are selected after careful consideration of the weather patterns and projected radiation doses to the various areas around the plant. Material sampled includes air, water, milk, foods, vegetation, soil, fish, sediment, and direct radiation levels.more » Results from stations near the plant are compared with concentrations from control stations and with preoperational measurements to determine potential impacts of plant operations. The vast majority of the exposures calculated from environmental samples were contributed by naturally occurring radioactive materials or from materials commonly found in the environment as a result of atmospheric nuclear weapons fallout. Small amounts of Co-60 were found in sediment samples downstream from the plant. This activity in stream sediment would result in no measurable increase over background in the dose to the general public. 4 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Annual radiological environmental operating report, Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, 1989

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

Not Available

1990-04-01

This report describes the environmental radiological monitoring program conducted by TVA in the vicinity of Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN) in 1989. The program includes the collection of samples from the environment and the determination of the concentrations of radioactive materials in the samples. Samples are taken from stations in the general area of the plant and from areas not influenced by plant operations. Station locations are selected after careful consideration of the weather patterns and projected radiation doses to the various areas around the plant. Material sampled includes air, water, milk, foods, vegetation, soil, fish, sediment, and direct radiationmore » levels. Results from stations near the plant are compared with concentrations from control stations and with preoperational measurements to determine potential impacts if plant operations. The vast majority of the exposures calculated from environmental samples were contributed by naturally occurring radioactive materials or from materials commonly found in the environment as a result of atmospheric nuclear weapons fallout. Small amounts of Co-60 were found in sediment samples downstream from the plant. This activity in river sediment would result in no measurable increase over background in the dose to the general public. 4 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Annual radiological environmental operating report, Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, 1988

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

Not Available

1989-04-01

This report describes the environmental radiological monitoring program conducted by TVA in the vicinity of Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant in 1988. The program includes the collection of samples from the environment and the determination of the concentrations of radioactive materials in the samples. Samples are taken from stations in the general area of the plant and from areas not influenced by plant operations. Station locations are selected after careful consideration of the weather patterns and projected radiation doses to the various areas around the plant. Material sampled includes air, water, milk, foods, vegetation, soil, fish, sediment, and direct radiation levels.more » Results from stations near the plant are compared with concentrations from control stations and with preoperational measurements to determine potential impacts of plant operations. The vast majority of the exposures calculated from environmental samples were contributed by naturally occurring radioactive materials or from materials commonly found in the environment as a result of atmospheric nuclear weapons fallout. Small amounts of Co-60 were found in sediment samples downstream from the plant. This activity in stream sediment would result in no measurable increase over background in the dose to the general public. 3 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Packaging and transportation of radioactive materials

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

None

The following topics are discussed in this volume: shielding and criticality; transportation accidents; physical security in transit; transport forecasting and logistics; transportation experience, operations and planning; regulation; standards and quality assurance; risk analysis; and environmental impacts. Separate abstracts are prepared for individual items. (DC)

Imperial Valley Environmental Project: quarterly data report

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

Nyholm, R.A.; Anspaugh, L.R.

This is a catalog of all samples which have been collected and the presently available results of chemical and other analyses. Types covered include: air quality, water quality, ecosystem quality, subsidence and seismicity, remotely sensed data, socioeconomic effects, and measurements of radioactivity. (MHR)

Fact Sheet: Documenting Ground-Water Models Selection at Site Contaminated with Radioactive Substance

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This fact sheet summarizes the report by a joint Interagency Environmental Pathway Modeling Working Group. It was designed to be used by technical staff responsible for identifying and implementing flow and transport models to support cleanup decisions.

40 CFR 191.12 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... TRANSURANIC RADIOACTIVE WASTES Environmental Standards for Disposal § 191.12 Definitions. Unless otherwise... environment. For example, a barrier may be a geologic structure, a canister, a waste form with physical and... over and around waste, provided that the material or structure substantially delays movement of water...

24 CFR 573.8 - Environmental procedures and standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... within designated coastal barrier resources; (ii) Contaminated by toxic chemicals or radioactive materials; (iii) Located within a floodplain; (iv) A building for which flood insurance protection is... authorities may apply when the property: (i) Affects coastal zone management; (ii) Is located near hazardous...

Radioactive waste disposal implications of extending Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act to cover radioactively contaminated land.

PubMed

Nancarrow, D J; White, M M

2004-03-01

A short study has been carried out of the potential radioactive waste disposal issues associated with the proposed extension of Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to include radioactively contaminated land, where there is no other suitable existing legislation. It was found that there is likely to be an availability problem with respect to disposal at landfills of the radioactive wastes arising from remediation. This is expected to be principally wastes of high volume and low activity (categorised as low level waste (LLW) and very low level waste (VLLW)). The availability problem results from a lack of applications by landfill operators for authorisation to accept LLW wastes for disposal. This is apparently due to perceived adverse publicity associated with the consultation process for authorisation coupled with uncertainty over future liabilities. Disposal of waste as VLLW is limited both by questions over volumes that may be acceptable and, more fundamentally, by the likely alpha activity of wastes (originating from radium and thorium operations). Authorised on-site disposal has had little attention in policy and guidance in recent years, but may have a part to play, especially if considered commercially attractive. Disposal at BNFL's near surface disposal facility for LLW at Drigg is limited to wastes for which there are no practical alternative disposal options (and preference has been given to operational type wastes). Therefore, wastes from the radioactively contaminated land (RCL) regime are not obviously attractive for disposal to Drigg. Illustrative calculations have been performed based on possible volumes and activities of RCL arisings (and assuming Drigg's future volumetric disposal capacity is 950,000 m3). These suggest that wastes arising from implementing the RCL regime, if all disposed to Drigg, would not represent a significant fraction of the volumetric capacity of Drigg, but could have a significant impact on the radiological capacity with respect to 226Ra plus 232Th. The government's decision-making programme for managing solid radioactive wastes in the UK may possibly achieve a general consensus that the use of landfill for LLW from the RCL regime has a fundamental role to play. However, this is unlikely to change the situation within the next few years. No new national facility arising from this programme is likely to be available during the first decade of the operation of a new RCL regime. Hence it appears that Drigg will need to play an important role for some years to come.

Inter-comparison between AIRS and IASI through Retrieved Parameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhou, Daniel K.; Larar, Allen M.; Smith, William L.; Taylor, Jonathan P.; Schluessel, Peter; Strow, L. Larrabee; Mango, Steve

2008-01-01

A State-of-the-art retrieval algorithm dealing with all-weather conditions has been applied to satellite/aircraft instruments retrieving cloud/surface and atmospheric conditions. High quality retrievals have been achieved from IASI data. Surface, cloud, and atmospheric structure and variation are well captured by IASI measurements and/or retrievals. The same retrieval algorithm is also applied to AIRS for retrieval inter-comparison. Both AIRS and IASI have a similar FOV size but AIRS has a higher horizontal resolution. AIRS data can be interpolated to IASI horizontal resolution for inter-comparison at the same geophysical locations, however a temporal variation between AIRS and IASI observations need to be considered. JAIVEx has employed aircraft to obtain the atmospheric variation filling the temporal gap between two satellites. First results show that both AIRS and IASI have a very similar vertical resolving power, atmospheric conditions are well captured by both instruments, and radiances are well calibrated. AIRS data shown in retrievals (e.g., surface emissivity and moisture) have a relatively higher noise level. Since the this type of retrieval is very sensitive to its radiance quality, retrieval products inter-comparison is an effective way to identify/compare their radiance quality, in terms of a combination of spectral resolution and noise level, and to assess instrument performance. Additional validation analyses are needed to provide more-definitive conclusions.

Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) Hazelwood Interim Storage Site annual site environmental report. Calendar year 1985. [FUSRAP

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

Not Available

1986-04-01

The Hazelwood Interim Storage Site (HISS) is presently used for the storage of low-level radioactively contaminated soils. Monitoring results show that the HISS is in compliance with DOE concentration guides and radiation protection standards. Derived Concentration Guides (DCGs) represent the concentrations of radionuclides in air or water that would limit the radiation dose to 100 mrem/y. The applicable limits have been revised since the 1984 environmental monitoring report was published. The limits applied in 1984 were based on a radiation protection standard of 500 mrem/y; the limits applied for 1985 are based on a standard of 100 mrem/y. The HISSmore » is part of the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP), a DOE program to decontaminate or otherwise control sites where low-level radioactive contamination remains from the early years of the nation's atomic energy program. To determine whether the site is in compliance with DOE standards, environmental measurements are expressed as percentages of the applicable DCG, while the calculated doses to the public are expressed as percentages of the applicable radiation protection standard. The monitoring program at the HISS measures uranium, radium, and thorium concentrations in surface water, groundwater, and sediment; radon gas concentrations in air; and external gamma radiation exposure rates. Potential radiation doses to the public are also calculated. The HISS was designated for remedial action under FUSRAP because radioactivity above applicable limits was found to exist at the site and its vicinity. Elevated levels of radiation still exist in areas where remedial action has not yet been completed.« less

Management of low-level radioactive waste in Israel

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

Shabtai, B.; Brenner, S.; Ne`eman, E.

1995-12-31

Radioactive materials are used extensively in Israel in many areas and applications for medicine, industry, agriculture, research and development and others. Israel`s primary concern in waste management is population safety and environmental protection. The Ministry of The Environment (MOE), in cooperation with the Israeli Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC), supervise over the disposal system, and ensure an effective control. The MOE is responsible for the granting of permits to users of radioactive elements in about 300 plants and institutes, with about 2,200 installations. The MOE operates a computerized database management system (DBMS) on radioactive materials, with data on licensing, import andmore » distribution, waste disposal and transportation. Supervision over the disposal of LLRW has deepened recently, and periodic reports, based on the number of drums containing LLRW, which were transferred from all institutes in Israel to the NRWDS, were prepared. Draft regulations on the disposal of LLRW from institutes of research and education, hospitals, medical laboratories and other, have been recently prepared. These regulations include instructions on the disposal of solid and liquid LLRW as well as radioactive gases and vapors. As a general rule, no LLRW of any sort will be disposed of through the ordinary waste system or general sewage. However, in some extraordinary cases, residues of liquid LLRW are allowed to be disposed in this manner, if the requirements for disposal are satisfied. There are some conditions, in which solid LLRW might be treated as a conventional waste, as well as for safe emission of radioactive gases and aerosols. In light of these considerations, a new and more specific approach to radiation protection organizations and management of low-level radioactive waste problems, supervision and optimization is presented.« less

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

Garabedian, G.

This document details the decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) process of Rooms 248 and 250 of Building 62 at the Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). The document describes the D&D efforts for the rooms, their contents, and adjacent areas containing ancillary equipment. The rooms and equipment, before being released, were required to meet the unrestricted release criteria and requirements set forth in DOE orders 5400.5 and 5480.11, LBNL`s internal release-criteria procedure (EH&S Procedure 708), and the LBNL Radiological Control Manual. The radioactive material and items not meeting the release criteria were either sent to the Hazardous Waste Handling Facilitymore » (HWHF) for disposal or transferred to other locations approved for radioactive material. The D&D was undertaken by the Radiation Protection Group of LBNL`s Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) Division at the request of the Materials Sciences Division. Current and past use of radioactive material in both Rooms 248 and 250 necessitated the D&D in order to release both rooms for nonradioactive work. (1) Room 248 was designated a {open_quotes}controlled area.{close_quotes} There was contained radioactive material in some of the equipment. The previous occupants of Room 248 had worked with radioactive materials. (2) Room 250 was designated a {open_quotes}Radioactive Materials Management Area{close_quotes} (RMMA) because the current occupants used potentially dispersible radioisotopes. Both laboratories, during the occupancy of U.C. Berkeley Professor Leo Brewer and Ms. Karen Krushwitz, were kept in excellent condition. There was a detailed inventory of all radioactive materials and chemicals. All work and self surveys were documented. The labs were kept extremely orderly, clean, and in compliance. In October 1993 Ms. Krushwitz received an award in recognition of her efforts in Environmental Protection, Health, and Safety at LBNL.« less

Climate change effects on water allocations with season dependent water rights.

PubMed

Null, Sarah E; Prudencio, Liana

2016-11-15

Appropriative water rights allocate surface water to competing users based on seniority. Often water rights vary seasonally with spring runoff, irrigation schedules, or other non-uniform supply and demand. Downscaled monthly Coupled Model Intercomparison Project multi-model, multi-emissions scenario hydroclimate data evaluate water allocation reliability and variability with anticipated hydroclimate change. California's Tuolumne watershed is a study basin, chosen because water rights are well-defined, simple, and include competing environmental, agricultural, and urban water uses representative of most basins. We assume that dedicated environmental flows receive first priority when mandated by federal law like the Endangered Species Act or hydropower relicensing, followed by senior agricultural water rights, and finally junior urban water rights. Environmental flows vary by water year and include April pulse flows, and senior agricultural water rights are 68% larger during historical spring runoff from April through June. Results show that senior water right holders receive the largest climate-driven reductions in allocated water when peak streamflow shifts from snowmelt-dominated spring runoff to mixed snowmelt- and rainfall-dominated winter runoff. Junior water right holders have higher uncertainty from inter-annual variability. These findings challenge conventional wisdom that water shortages are absorbed by junior water users and suggest that aquatic ecosystems may be disproportionally impaired by hydroclimate change, even when environmental flows receive priority. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

U.S. EPA response to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Tupin, Edward A; Boyd, Michael A; Mosser, Jennifer E; Wieder, Jessica S

2012-05-01

During the spring of 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) used its national radiation monitoring and sampling system, RadNet, to detect, identify, and inform the public about radioactive material in the United States resulting from Japan's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant release. The RadNet system monitors ambient air, drinking water, precipitation, and pasteurized milk for radionuclides. To supplement its existing stationary (fixed) continuous air monitoring system, EPA deployed additional air monitors to Saipan, Guam, and locations in the western United States. The Agency also accelerated the regular quarterly sampling of milk and drinking water and collected an additional round of samples. For two months, staff located at EPA's Headquarters Emergency Operations Center, west coast regional offices, and National Air and Radiation Environmental Lab worked seven days a week to handle the increased radiochemical sample analysis from air filters, precipitation, drinking water, and milk; provide interagency scientific input; and answer press and public inquiries. EPA's data was consistent with what was expected from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant release. The levels of radioactivity were so low that the readings from the near-real-time RadNet air monitors stayed within normal background ranges. Detailed sample analyses were needed to identify the radionuclides associated with the release. Starting at the end of April and continuing through May 2011, levels of radioactive material decreased as expected.

Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2009. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company Santa Susana Field Laboratory, Area IV

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

Liu, Ning; Rutherford, Phil; Amar, Ravnesh

2010-09-01

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2009 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of Boeing’s Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). The Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned, company-operated test facility, was located in Area IV. The operations in Area IV included development, fabrication, and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials. Other activities in the area involved the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities that were used for testing non-nuclear liquid metal fast breeder reactor components. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988, andmore » all subsequent radiological work has been directed toward decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the former nuclear facilities and their associated sites. Liquid metal research and development ended in 2002. Since May 2007, the D&D operations in Area IV have been suspended by the DOE, but the environmental monitoring and characterization programs have continued. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year 2009 continue to indicate that there are no significant releases of radioactive material from Area IV of SSFL. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property (land, structures, waste), and recycling.« less

Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2010. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company Santa Susana Field Laboratory, Area IV

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

Liu, Ning; Rutherford, Phil; Amar, Ravnesh

2011-09-01

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2010 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of Boeing’s Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). The Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned, company-operated test facility, was located in Area IV. The operations in Area IV included development, fabrication, and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials. Other activities in the area involved the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities that were used for testing non-nuclear liquid metal fast breeder reactor components. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988, andmore » all subsequent radiological work has been directed toward decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the former nuclear facilities and their associated sites. Liquid metal research and development ended in 2002. Since May 2007, the D&D operations in Area IV have been suspended by the DOE, but the environmental monitoring and characterization programs have continued. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year 2010 continue to indicate that there are no significant releases of radioactive material from Area IV of SSFL. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property (land, structures, waste), and recycling.« less

ACIX: Atmospheric Correction Inter-comparison Exercise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doxani, Georgia; Gascon, Ferran; Vermote, Éric; Roger, Jean-Claude

2017-04-01

The free and open data access policy to Sentinel-2 (S-2) and Landsat-8 (L-8) satellite imagery has stimulated the development of atmospheric correction (AC) processors for generating Bottom-of-Atmosphere (BOA) products. Several entities have started to generate (or plan to generate in the short term) BOA reflectance products at global scale for S-2 and L-8 missions. To this end, the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA are organizing an exercise on AC processors inter-comparison. The results of the exercise are expected to point out the strengths and weaknesses, as well as communalities and discrepancies of various AC processors, in order to suggest and define ways for their further improvement. In particular, 13 atmospheric processors from five different countries participate in ACIX with the aim to inter-compare their performance when applied to L-8 and S-2 data. A protocol describing the inter-comparison process and the test dataset, which is based on the AERONET sites, will be presented. The protocol has been defined according to what was agreed among the participants during the 1st ACIX workshop held in June 2016. It includes the comparison of aerosol optical thickness and water vapour products of the processors with the AERONET measurements. Moreover, concerning the surface reflectances, the protocol describes the inter-comparison among the processors, as well as the comparison with the MODIS surface reflectance and with a reference surface reflectance product. Such a reference product will be obtained using the AERONET characterization of the aerosol (size distribution and refractive indices) and an accurate radiative transfer code. The inter-comparison outcomes will be presented and discussed among the participants in the 2nd ACIX workshop, which will be held on 11-12 April 2017 (ESRIN/ESA). The proposed presentation is an opportunity for the user community to be informed for the first time about the ACIX results and conclusions.

10 CFR 60.23 - Elimination of repetition.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Elimination of repetition. 60.23 Section 60.23 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) DISPOSAL OF HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES IN GEOLOGIC REPOSITORIES Licenses License Applications § 60.23 Elimination of repetition. In its application, environmental...

Synthesis and characterization of radiolabeled 17ß-estradiol conjugates

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The use of radioactive tracers for environmental fate and transport studies of emerging contaminants, especially for those that are labile, offers convenience in tracking study compounds and their metabolites and in calculating mass-balances. The contribution of conjugated forms of natural steroid h...

10 CFR 63.322 - Human intrusion scenario.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Human intrusion scenario. 63.322 Section 63.322 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) DISPOSAL OF HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES IN A GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Postclosure Public Health and Environmental Standards Human Intrusion...

10 CFR 63.322 - Human intrusion scenario.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Human intrusion scenario. 63.322 Section 63.322 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) DISPOSAL OF HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES IN A GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Postclosure Public Health and Environmental Standards Human Intrusion...

10 CFR 63.322 - Human intrusion scenario.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Human intrusion scenario. 63.322 Section 63.322 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) DISPOSAL OF HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES IN A GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Postclosure Public Health and Environmental Standards Human Intrusion...

10 CFR 63.322 - Human intrusion scenario.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Human intrusion scenario. 63.322 Section 63.322 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) DISPOSAL OF HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES IN A GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Postclosure Public Health and Environmental Standards Human Intrusion...

Proceedings of a Meeting on Traceability for Ionizing Radiation Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heaton, H. T., II

1982-02-01

General concepts for traceability were presented from several perspectives. The national standards for radiation dosimetry, radioactivity measurements, and neutron measurements were described. Specific programs for achieving traceability to the national standards for radiation measurements in medical, occupational, and environmental applications were summarized.

76 FR 14386 - Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board, Hanford

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-16

...: Red Lion Hotel on the River, Jantzen Beach, 909 North Hayden Island Drive, Portland, Oregon 97217... Committee; Public Involvement Committee; and Budgets and Contracts Committee Potential Board Advice [cir] 2011-2013 Budget [cir] Regulatory document timelines/review [cir] Radioactive solid waste burial...

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

Virginia Finley; Sheneman, Robert S.; Levine, Jerry D.

Contained in the following report are data for radioactivity in the environment collected and analyzed by Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory’s Princeton Environmental, Analytical, and Radiological Laboratory (PEARL). The PEARL is located on-site and is certified for analyzing radiological and non-radiological parameters through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Laboratory Certification Program, Certification Number 12471. Non-radiological surface and ground water samples are analyzed by NJDEP certified subcontractor laboratories – QC, Inc. and Accutest Laboratory. To the best of our knowledge, these data, as contained in the “Annual Site Environmental Report for 2011,” are documented and certified to be correct.

DOE regulation of mixed waste. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Energy Conservation and Power and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Transportation, and Tourism of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, Ninety-Ninth Congress, Second Session on H. R. 2009 and H. R. 2593, April 10, 1986

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

Not Available

Testimony by representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency, citizen environmental organizations, DOE, and universities on the Mixed Hazardous Waste Amendment Act of 1985 (H.R. 2009) and the Military Radioactive Emissions Control Act of 1985 (H.R. 2593) focused on safety aspects of mixed wastes at DOE facilities from the point of view of the general public and the implications for tourism and recreation in affected areas. H.R. 2593 calls for standards and continuous independent monitoring, while H.R. 2009 ensures that wastes the Solid Waste Management Act covers solid wastes containing radioactive material. The testimony covered definitions and interpretations by byproduct materialmore » and the problems associated with self-regulation. The testimony of the 10 witnesses follows the text of the two bills.« less

Lessons Learned: Tribal Community Engagement, Remediation and Restoration of a Uranium Mine Tailings Site, Navajo Nation - 12484

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

Wadsworth, Donald K.; Hicks, Allison H.

2012-07-01

In May, 2011 New World Environmental Inc. was awarded a contract by the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency to remediate an illegal radioactive waste disposal site located in the Navajo Nation. The initial scope included the excavation and shipment of an estimated 3,000 cubic yards of Uranium mine tailings and associated industrial waste. In this instance Stakeholders were supportive of the project, remediation and restoration, yet the movement of residual radioactive materials through tribal communities was a controversial issue. Other Stakeholder issues included site security, water sources for remediation activities, local residents' temporary re-location and care of livestock, right ofmore » way permissions and local workforce development. This presentation recaps the technical and non-technical issues encountered in the remediation and restoration the seven acre site and the outreach to surrounding communities. Cultural and equity issues resulting from historical problems associated with this and other sites in the immediate area and education and training. (authors)« less

Development of a low cost, GPS-based upgrade to a standard handheld gamma detector for mapping environmental radioactive contamination.

PubMed

Paridaens, J

2006-02-01

A low cost extension to a standard handheld radiation monitor was developed, allowing one to perform outdoor georeferenced gamma measurements. It consists of a commercial wireless Bluetooth GPS receiver, a commercial RS-232 to Bluetooth converter combined with a standard Bluetooth enabled pocket personal computer (PPC). The system is intended for use in difficult to access areas, typically for foot campaigns. As the operator walks, a straightforward homemade visual basic program alternately reads GPS position and gamma dose rate into the PPC, creating a data log. This allows a single operator on foot to map between 50 and 200 ha of environmental radiation per day in very rugged areas, depending on the accessibility of the terrain and the detail required. On a test field with known contamination, a spatial precision of about 5-10 m was obtainable. The device was also used to reveal complex contamination patterns in the flooding zones of a radioactively contaminated small river.

Improving radioactive waste management: an overview of the Environmental Protection Agency's low-activity waste effort.

PubMed

Schultheisz, Daniel J; Czyscinski, Kenneth S; Klinger, Adam D

2006-11-01

Radioactive waste disposal in the United States is marked by a fragmented regulatory system, with requirements that often focus on the origin or statutory definition of the waste, rather than the hazard of the material in question. It may be possible to enhance public protection by moving toward a system that provides disposal options appropriate for the hazard presented by the waste in question. This paper summarizes aspects of an approach focusing on the potential use, with appropriate conditions, of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Subtitle-C hazardous waste landfills for disposal of "low-activity" wastes and public comments on the suggested approach.

Nevada Applied Ecology Information Center: a review of technical information support provided to the Nevada Applied Ecology Group

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

Fore, C.S.; Pfuderer, H.A.

The Nevada Applied Ecology Information Center (NAEIC) was established in January 1972 to serve the needs of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) by identifying, collecting, analyzing, and disseminating technical information relevant to NAEG programs. Since its inception, the NAEIC has been active in providing specialized information support to NAEG staff in the following research areas: (1) environmental aspects of the transuranics; (2) historic literature (pre-1962) on plutonium and uranium; (3) cleanup and treatment of radioactively contaminated land; (4) bioenvironmental aspects of europium and rhodium; (5) NAEG contractor reports; and (6) uptake of radioactivity by food crops.

ATHLI16: the ATHens Lidar Intercomparison campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amodeo, Aldo; D'Amico, Giuseppe; Giunta, Aldo; Papagiannopoulos, Nikolaos; Papayannis, Alex; Argyrouli, Athina; Mylonaki, Maria; Tsaknakis, Georgios; Kokkalis, Panos; Soupiona, Ourania; Tzanis, Chris

2018-04-01

The results of the ATHLI16 (ATHens Lidar Intercomparison) campaign, held in Athens from 26/09 to 07/10 2016 are presented. The campaign was performed within the Lidar Calibration Centre activities (EU H2020 ACTRIS-2 project) to assess the performance of the EOLE lidar system (NTUA, Athens, Greece), operating within EARLINET, by comparing against the EARLINET reference lidar system MUSA (CNR-IMAA, Potenza, Italy). For both lidars only products retrieved by the EARLINET Single Calculus Chain have been compared.

VLBI Digital-Backend Intercomparison Test Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitney, Alan; Beaudoin, Christopher; Cappallo, Roger; Niell, Arthur; Petrachenko, Bill; Ruszczyk, Chester A.; Titus, Mike

2013-01-01

Issues related to digital-backend (DBE) systems can be difficult to evaluate in either local tests or actual VLBI experiments. The 2nd DBE intercomparison workshop at Haystack Observatory on 25-26 October 2012 provided a forum to explicitly address validation and interoperability issues among independent global developers of DBE equipment. This special report discusses the workshop. It identifies DBE systems that were tested at the workshop, describes the test objectives and procedures, and reports and discusses the results of the testing.

Preliminary results of an intercomparison of total ozone spectrophotometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parsons, C. L.; Gerlach, J. C.; Williams, M. E.; Kerr, J. B.

1981-01-01

Preliminary results from an intercomparison of five total ozone spectrophotometers are presented. These are the Dobson spectrophotometer, the USSR M-83 ozonometer, the Canterbury filter photometer, the SenTran Company filter photometer, and the Brewer grating spectrophotometer. The pertinent characteristics of each are described, and conclusions are drawn about the agreement of each instrument's measurements with the Dobson's values over a time period of nearly one year. A discussion of the importance of calibration and long-term stability and reliability is included.

Nevada National Security Site Environmental Report Summary 2016

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

Wills, Cathy

This document is a summary of the full 2016 Nevada National Security Site Environmental Report (NNSSER) prepared by the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/ NFO). This summary provides an abbreviated and more readable version of the full NNSSER. NNSA/NFO prepares the NNSSER to provide the public an understanding of the environmental monitoring and compliance activities that are conducted on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) to protect the public and the environment from radiation hazards and from potential nonradiological impacts. It is a comprehensive report of environmental activities performed at the NNSS andmore » offsite facilities over the previous calendar year. The NNSS is currently the nation’s unique site for ongoing national security–related missions and high-risk operations. The NNSS is located about 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The approximately 1,360-square-mile site is one of the largest restricted access areas in the United States. It is surrounded by federal installations with strictly controlled access as well as by lands that are open to public entry. In 2016, National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec), was the NNSS Management and Operations Contractor accountable for ensuring work was performed in compliance with environmental regulations. NNSS activities in 2016 continued to be diverse, with the primary goal to ensure that the existing U.S. stockpile of nuclear weapons remains safe and reliable. Other activities included weapons of mass destruction first responder training; the controlled release of hazardous material at the Nonproliferation Test and Evaluation Complex (NPTEC); remediation of legacy contamination sites; characterization of waste destined for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad, New Mexico, or the Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho Falls, Idaho; disposal of low-level and mixed low-level radioactive waste; and environmental research. Facilities and centers that support the National Security/Defense mission include the U1a Facility, Big Explosives Experimental Facility (BEEF), Device Assembly Facility (DAF), National Criticality Experiments Research Center (NCERC) located in the DAF, Joint Actinide Shock Physics Experimental Research (JASPER) Facility, Dense Plasma Focus (DPF) Facility located in the Los Alamos Technical Facility (LATF), and the Radiological/ Nuclear Countermeasures Test and Evaluation Complex (RNCTEC). Facilities that support the Environmental Management mission include the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) and the Area 3 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS), which has been in cold standby since 2006.« less

DOE-OES-EML quality assurance program

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

Sanderson, C.G.

1980-01-01

Contractor laboratories handling radioactive materials for the US Department of Energy (DOE) are required to monitor the environmental exposure and publish annual reports for the Division of Operational and Environmental Safety (OES). In order to determine the validity of the data contained in these reports the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) was requested to develop, coordinate, and conduct an Environmental Quality Assurance Program (QAP). There are four major phases to the DOE-OES-EML Quality Assurance Program: sample collection and preparation, sample analyses at EML, quarterly sample distribution, and reporting the data returned by the participants. The various phases of the QAP andmore » the data reported during the first year of the program are discussed.« less

Intercomparison of magnetic field measurements near MV/LV transformer substations: methodological planning and results.

PubMed

Violanti, S; Fraschetta, M; Adda, S; Caputo, E

2009-12-01

Within the framework of Environmental Agencies system's activities, coordinated by ISPRA (superior institute for environmental protection and research), a comparison among measurements was designed and accomplished, in order to go into depth on the matter of measurement problems and to evaluate magnetic field at power frequencies. These measurements have been taken near medium voltage /low voltage transformer substation. This project was developed with the contribution of several experts who belong to different Regional Agencies. In three of these regions, substations having specific international standard characteristics were chosen; then a measurement and data analysis protocol was arranged. Data analysis showed a good level of coherence among results obtained by different laboratories. However, a range of problems emerged, either during the protocol predisposition and definition of the data analysis procedure or during the execution of measures and data reprocessing, because of the spatial and temporal variability of magnetic field. These problems represent elements of particular interest in determining a correct measurement methodology, whose purpose is the comparison with limits of exposure, attention values and quality targets.

The Vulnerability, Impacts, Adaptation and Climate Services Advisory Board (VIACS AB V1.0) Contribution to CMIP6

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruane, Alex C.; Teichmann, Claas; Arnell, Nigel W.; Carter, Timothy R.; Ebi, Kristie L.; Frieler, Katja; Goodess, Clare M.; Hewitson, Bruce; Horton, Radley; Kovats, R. Sari;

Intercomparison of active and passive instruments for radon and radon progeny in North America

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

George, A.C.; Tu, Keng-Wu; Knutson, E.O.

1995-02-01

An intercomparison exercise for radon and radon progeny instruments and methods was held at the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) from April 22--May 2, 1994. The exercise was conducted in the new EML radon test and calibration facility in which conditions of exposure are very well controlled. The detection systems of the intercompared instruments consisted of. (1) pulse ionization chambers, (2) electret ionization chambers, (3) scintillation detectors, (4) alpha particle spectrometers with silicon diodes, surface barrier or diffused junction detectors, (5) registration of nuclear tracks in solid-state materials, and (6) activated carbon collectors counted by gamma-ray spectrometry or by alpha- andmore » beta-liquid scintillation counting. 23 private firms, government laboratories and universities participated with a 165 passive integrating devices consisting of: Activated carbon collectors, nuclear alpha track detectors and electret ionization chambers, and 11 active and passive continuous radon monitors. Five portable integrating and continuous instruments were intercompared for radon progeny. Forty grab samples for radon progeny were taken by five groups that participated in person to test and evaluate their primary instruments and methods that measure individual radon progeny and the potential alpha energy concentration (PAEC) in indoor air. Results indicate that more than 80% of the measurements for radon performed with a variety of instruments, are within {plus_minus}10% of actual value. The majority of the instruments that measure individual radon progeny and the PAEC gave results that are in good agreement with the EML reference value. Radon progeny measurements made with continuous and integrating instruments are satisfactory with room for improvement.« less

The Vulnerability, Impacts, Adaptation and Climate Services Advisory Board (VIACS AB v1.0) contribution to CMIP6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruane, Alex C.; Teichmann, Claas; Arnell, Nigel W.; Carter, Timothy R.; Ebi, Kristie L.; Frieler, Katja; Goodess, Clare M.; Hewitson, Bruce; Horton, Radley; Sari Kovats, R.; Lotze, Heike K.; Mearns, Linda O.; Navarra, Antonio; Ojima, Dennis S.; Riahi, Keywan; Rosenzweig, Cynthia; Themessl, Matthias; Vincent, Katharine

2016-09-01

This paper describes the motivation for the creation of the Vulnerability, Impacts, Adaptation and Climate Services (VIACS) Advisory Board for the Sixth Phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6), its initial activities, and its plans to serve as a bridge between climate change applications experts and climate modelers. The climate change application community comprises researchers and other specialists who use climate information (alongside socioeconomic and other environmental information) to analyze vulnerability, impacts, and adaptation of natural systems and society in relation to past, ongoing, and projected future climate change. Much of this activity is directed toward the co-development of information needed by decision-makers for managing projected risks. CMIP6 provides a unique opportunity to facilitate a two-way dialog between climate modelers and VIACS experts who are looking to apply CMIP6 results for a wide array of research and climate services objectives. The VIACS Advisory Board convenes leaders of major impact sectors, international programs, and climate services to solicit community feedback that increases the applications relevance of the CMIP6-Endorsed Model Intercomparison Projects (MIPs). As an illustration of its potential, the VIACS community provided CMIP6 leadership with a list of prioritized climate model variables and MIP experiments of the greatest interest to the climate model applications community, indicating the applicability and societal relevance of climate model simulation outputs. The VIACS Advisory Board also recommended an impacts version of Obs4MIPs and indicated user needs for the gridding and processing of model output.

Detection of radioactive particles offshore by γ-ray spectrometry Part I: Monte Carlo assessment of detection depth limits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maučec, M.; de Meijer, R. J.; Rigollet, C.; Hendriks, P. H. G. M.; Jones, D. G.

2004-06-01

A joint research project between the British Geological Survey and Nuclear Geophysics Division of the Kernfysisch Versneller Instituut, Groningen, the Netherlands, was commissioned by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority to establish the efficiency of a towed seabed γ-ray spectrometer for the detection of 137Cs-containing radioactive particles offshore Dounreay, Scotland. Using the MCNP code, a comprehensive Monte Carlo feasibility study was carried out to model various combinations of geological matrices, particle burial depth and lateral displacement, source activity and detector material. To validate the sampling and absolute normalisation procedures of MCNP for geometries including multiple (natural and induced) heterogeneous sources in environmental monitoring, a benchmark experiment was conducted. The study demonstrates the ability of seabed γ-ray spectrometry to locate radioactive particles offshore and to distinguish between γ count rate increases due to particles from those due to enhanced natural radioactivity. The information presented in this study will be beneficial for estimation of the inventory of 137Cs particles and their activity distribution and for the recovery of particles from the sea floor. In this paper, the Monte Carlo assessment of the detection limits is presented. The estimation of the required towing speed and acquisition times and their application to radioactive particle detection and discrimination offshore formed a supplementary part of this study.

XENON-133 IN CALIFORNIA, NEVADA, AND UTAH FROM THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT (JOURNAL VERSION)

EPA Science Inventory

The accident at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in the USSR introduced numerous radioactive nuclides into the atmosphere, including the noble gas xenon-133. EPA's Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory, Las Vegas, NV, detected xenon-133 from the Chernobyl accident in air sampl...

A Course on the Physics and Chemistry of Pollution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodges, Laurent

1971-01-01

Describes a course on environmental pollution which stresses physical and chemical principles. Course presents a unified discussion of air and water pollution and solid waste with special treatment of pesticides, thermal pollution, radioactivity, and electric power generation. Uses historical and current statistics extensively to set pollution…

Fact Sheet: A Technical Guide to Ground-Water Model Selection at Sites Contaminated with Radioactive Substances

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This fact sheet summarizes the findings of a report drafted by a joint Interagency Environmental Pathway Modeling Working Group. It is to be used by technical staff responsible for implementing flow and transport models to support cleanup decisions.

78 FR 56753 - License Amendment for Aptuit, LLC, Kansas City, Missouri

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-13

..., LLC, Kansas City, Missouri AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Environmental assessment and... City, Missouri to make it suitable for unrestricted use in accordance with the NRC requirements. The... licensee's Kansas City, Missouri facility as a location of use for radioactive byproduct materials on May...

RADON-RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES FOR NEW RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION: TECHNICAL GUIDANCE

EPA Science Inventory

Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, is found in varying amounts in nearly all houses. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed and demonstrated methods that have been used to reduce radon levels in existing houses. Many of these methods could be appl...

Maintaining High Quality Data and Consistency Across a Diverse Flux Network: The Ameriflux QA/QC Technical Team

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, S.; Billesbach, D. P.; Hanson, C. V.; Biraud, S.

2014-12-01

The AmeriFlux quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) technical team conducts short term (<2 weeks) intercomparisons using a portable eddy covariance system (PECS) to maintain high quality data observations and data consistency across the AmeriFlux network (http://ameriflux.lbl.gov/). Site intercomparisons identify discrepancies between the in situ and portable measurements and calculated fluxes. Findings are jointly discussed by the site staff and the QA/QC team to improve in the situ observations. Despite the relatively short duration of an individual site intercomparison, the accumulated record of all site visits (numbering over 100 since 2002) is a unique dataset. The ability to deploy redundant sensors provides a rare opportunity to identify, quantify, and understand uncertainties in eddy covariance and ancillary measurements. We present a few specific case studies from QA/QC site visits to highlight and share new and relevant findings related to eddy covariance instrumentation and operation.

The ENEA criticality accident dosimetry system: a contribution to the 2002 international intercomparison at the SILENE reactor.

PubMed

Gualdrini, G; Bedogni, R; Fantuzzi, E; Mariotti, F

2004-01-01

The present paper summarises the activity carried out at the ENEA Radiation Protection Institute for updating the methodologies employed for the evaluation of the neutron and photon dose to the exposed workers in case of a criticality accident, in the framework of the 'International Intercomparison of Criticality Accident Dosimetry Systems' (Silène reactor, IRSN-CEA-Valduc June 2002). The evaluation of the neutron spectra and the neutron dosimetric quantities relies on activation detectors and on unfolding algorithms. Thermoluminescent detectors are employed for the gamma dose measurement. The work is aimed at accurately characterising the measurement system and, at the same time, testing the algorithms. Useful spectral information were included, based on Monte Carlo simulations, to take into account the potential accident scenarios of practical interest. All along this exercise intercomparison a particular attention was devoted to the 'traceability' of all the experimental and computational parameters and therefore, aimed at an easy treatment by the user.

An overview of sensor calibration inter-comparison and applications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Xiong, Xiaoxiong; Cao, Changyong; Chander, Gyanesh

2010-01-01

Long-term climate data records (CDR) are often constructed using observations made by multiple Earth observing sensors over a broad range of spectra and a large scale in both time and space. These sensors can be of the same or different types operated on the same or different platforms. They can be developed and built with different technologies and are likely operated over different time spans. It has been known that the uncertainty of climate models and data records depends not only on the calibration quality (accuracy and stability) of individual sensors, but also on their calibration consistency across instruments and platforms. Therefore, sensor calibration inter-comparison and validation have become increasingly demanding and will continue to play an important role for a better understanding of the science product quality. This paper provides an overview of different methodologies, which have been successfully applied for sensor calibration inter-comparison. Specific examples using different sensors, including MODIS, AVHRR, and ETM+, are presented to illustrate the implementation of these methodologies.

BIPM project: Intercomparison of water triple-point cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chattle, M. V.; Butler, J.

1994-12-01

The paper presents the results of an intercomparison between 3 triple point of water cells circulated by the Bureau International des Poids et Measures (BIPM), and a cell which is one of those used as a reference cell at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). All 4 cells were prepared, stored and measured in the manner normally adopted at NPL. The results of the intercomparison show that over the course of about 6 weeks the temperatures of the 3 circulated cells generally agreed within 0.20 mK, with a maximum difference of 0.27(7) mK. Over the same period, the total variations of temperature measured in the 3 individual cells were 0.04 mK, 0.08 mK and 0.18 mK, respectively; the NPL cell varied by 0.10 mK. Gallium point measurements made over a similar period confirmed that these differences were partly due to small drifts in the thermometer resistance or in the measuring system.

FACE-IT. A Science Gateway for Food Security Research

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

Montella, Raffaele; Kelly, David; Xiong, Wei

Progress in sustainability science is hindered by challenges in creating and managing complex data acquisition, processing, simulation, post-processing, and intercomparison pipelines. To address these challenges, we developed the Framework to Advance Climate, Economic, and Impact Investigations with Information Technology (FACE-IT) for crop and climate impact assessments. This integrated data processing and simulation framework enables data ingest from geospatial archives; data regridding, aggregation, and other processing prior to simulation; large-scale climate impact simulations with agricultural and other models, leveraging high-performance and cloud computing; and post-processing to produce aggregated yields and ensemble variables needed for statistics, for model intercomparison, and to connectmore » biophysical models to global and regional economic models. FACE-IT leverages the capabilities of the Globus Galaxies platform to enable the capture of workflows and outputs in well-defined, reusable, and comparable forms. We describe FACE-IT and applications within the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project and the Center for Robust Decision-making on Climate and Energy Policy.« less

Intercomparison of aerosol measurements performed with multi-wavelength Raman lidars, automatic lidars and ceilometers in the framework of INTERACT-II campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madonna, Fabio; Rosoldi, Marco; Lolli, Simone; Amato, Francesco; Vande Hey, Joshua; Dhillon, Ranvir; Zheng, Yunhui; Brettle, Mike; Pappalardo, Gelsomina

2018-04-01

Following the previous efforts of INTERACT (INTERcomparison of Aerosol and Cloud Tracking), the INTERACT-II campaign used multi-wavelength Raman lidar measurements to assess the performance of an automatic compact micro-pulse lidar (MiniMPL) and two ceilometers (CL51 and CS135) in providing reliable information about optical and geometric atmospheric aerosol properties. The campaign took place at the CNR-IMAA Atmospheric Observatory (760 m a. s. l. ; 40.60° N, 15.72° E) in the framework of ACTRIS-2 (Aerosol Clouds Trace gases Research InfraStructure) H2020 project. Co-located simultaneous measurements involving a MiniMPL, two ceilometers and two EARLINET multi-wavelength Raman lidars were performed from July to December 2016. The intercomparison highlighted that the MiniMPL range-corrected signals (RCSs) show, on average, a fractional difference with respect to those of CNR-IMAA Atmospheric Observatory (CIAO) lidars ranging from 5 to 15 % below 2.0 km a.s.l. (above sea level), largely due to the use of an inaccurate overlap correction, and smaller than 5 % in the free troposphere. For the CL51, the attenuated backscatter values have an average fractional difference with respect to CIAO lidars < 20-30 % below 3 km and larger above. The variability of the CL51 calibration constant is within ±46 %. For the CS135, the performance is similar to the CL51 below 2.0 km a. s. l. , while in the region above 3 km a. s. l. the differences are about ±40 %. The variability of the CS135 normalization constant is within ±47 %.Finally, additional tests performed during the campaign using the CHM15k ceilometer operated at CIAO showed the clear need to investigate the CHM15k historical dataset (2010-2016) to evaluate potential effects of ceilometer laser fluctuations on calibration stability. The number of laser pulses shows an average variability of 10 % with respect to the nominal power which conforms to the ceilometer specifications. Nevertheless, laser pulses variability follows seasonal behavior with an increase in the number of laser pulses in summer and a decrease in winter. This contributes to explain the dependency of the ceilometer calibration constant on the environmental temperature hypothesized during INTERACT.

Long-term environmental and health implications of morphological change and sediment transport with respect to contaminants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sneddon, Christopher; Copplestone, David; Tyler, Andrew; Hunter, Peter; Smith, Nick

2014-05-01

The EPSRC-funded Adaptation and Resilience of Coastal Energy Supply (ARCoES) project encompasses four research strands, involving 14 institutions and six PhD studentships. ARCoES aims to determine the threats posed to future energy generation and the distribution network by flooding and erosion, changing patterns of coastal sedimentation, water temperature and the distribution of plants and animals in the coastal zone. Whilst this research has direct benefits for the operation of coastal power stations, ARCoES aims to have a wider stakeholder engagement through assessing how the resilience of coastal communities may be altered by five hundred years of coastal evolution. Coastal evolution will have substantial implications for the energy sector of the North West of England as former waste storage sites are eroded and remobilised within the intertidal environment. The current intertidal environmental stores of radioactivity will also experience reworking as ocean chemistry changes and saltmarsh chronologies are reworked in response to rising sea levels. There is a duel requirement to understand mass sediment movement along the North West coast of England as understanding the sediment transport dynamics is key to modelling long term coastal change and understanding how the environmental store of radioactivity will be reworked. The University of Stirling is researching the long-term environmental and health implications of remobilisation and transport of contaminated sediments around the UK coastline. Using a synergy of hyperspectral and topographic information the mobilisation of sediment bound contaminants within the coastal environment will be investigated. Potential hazards posed by contaminants are determined by a set of environmental impact test criteria which evaluate the bio-accessibility and ionising dose of contaminants. These test criteria will be used to comment on the likely environmental impact of modelled sediment transport and anticipated changes in ocean chemistry.

Review of technical justification of assumptions and methods used by the Environmental Protection Agency for estimating risks avoided by implementing MCLs for radionuclides

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

Morris, S.C.; Rowe, M.D.; Holtzman, S.

1992-11-01

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed regulations for allowable levels of radioactive material in drinking water (40 CFR Part 141, 56 FR 33050, July 18, 1991). This review examined the assumptions and methods used by EPA in calculating risks that would be avoided by implementing the proposed Maximum Contaminant Levels for uranium, radium, and radon. Proposed limits on gross alpha and beta-gamma emitters were not included in this review.

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Nuclear Science Symposium, 18th, and Nuclear Power Systems Symposium, 3rd, San Francisco, Calif., November 3-5, 1971, Proceedings.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

Potential advantages of fusion power reactors are discussed together with the protection of the public from radioactivity produced in nuclear power reactors, and the significance of tritium releases to the environment. Other subjects considered are biomedical instrumentation, radiation damage problems, low level environmental radionuclide analysis systems, nuclear techniques in environmental research, nuclear instrumentation, and space and plasma instrumentation. Individual items are abstracted in this issue.