Tonopah test range - outpost of Sandia National Laboratories

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

Johnson, L.

Tonopah Test Range is a unique historic site. Established in 1957 by Sandia Corporation, Tonopah Test Range in Nevada provided an isolated place for the Atomic Energy Commission to test ballistics and non-nuclear features of atomic weapons. It served this and allied purposes well for nearly forty years, contributing immeasurably to a peaceful conclusion to the long arms race remembered as the Cold War. This report is a brief review of historical highlights at Tonopah Test Range. Sandia`s Los Lunas, Salton Sea, Kauai, and Edgewood testing ranges also receive abridged mention. Although Sandia`s test ranges are the subject, the centralmore » focus is on the people who managed and operated the range. Comments from historical figures are interspersed through the narrative to establish this perspective, and at the end a few observations concerning the range`s future are provided.« less

Improving ATLAS grid site reliability with functional tests using HammerCloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elmsheuser, Johannes; Legger, Federica; Medrano Llamas, Ramon; Sciacca, Gianfranco; van der Ster, Dan

2012-12-01

With the exponential growth of LHC (Large Hadron Collider) data in 2011, and more coming in 2012, distributed computing has become the established way to analyse collider data. The ATLAS grid infrastructure includes almost 100 sites worldwide, ranging from large national computing centers to smaller university clusters. These facilities are used for data reconstruction and simulation, which are centrally managed by the ATLAS production system, and for distributed user analysis. To ensure the smooth operation of such a complex system, regular tests of all sites are necessary to validate the site capability of successfully executing user and production jobs. We report on the development, optimization and results of an automated functional testing suite using the HammerCloud framework. Functional tests are short lightweight applications covering typical user analysis and production schemes, which are periodically submitted to all ATLAS grid sites. Results from those tests are collected and used to evaluate site performances. Sites that fail or are unable to run the tests are automatically excluded from the PanDA brokerage system, therefore avoiding user or production jobs to be sent to problematic sites.

Corrective Action Plan for Corrective Action Unit 453: Area 9 UXO Landfill, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada

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

Bechtel Nevada

1998-09-30

This corrective action plan proposes the closure method for the area 9 unexploded Ordnance landfill, corrective action unit 453 located at the Tonopah Test Range. The area 9 UXO landfill consists of corrective action site no. 09-55-001-0952 and is comprised of three individual landfill cells designated as A9-1, A9-2, and A9-3. The three landfill cells received wastes from daily operations at area 9 and from range cleanups which were performed after weapons testing. Cell locations and contents were not well documented due to the unregulated disposal practices commonly associated with early landfill operations. However, site process knowledge indicates that themore » landfill cells were used for solid waste disposal, including disposal of UXO.« less

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 541: Small Boy Nevada National Security Site and Nevada Test and Training Range, Nevada with ROTC 1

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

Matthews, Patrick

Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 541 is co-located on the boundary of Area 5 of the Nevada National Security Site and Range 65C of the Nevada Test and Training Range, approximately 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. CAU 541 is a grouping of sites where there has been a suspected release of contamination associated with nuclear testing. This document describes the planned investigation of CAU 541, which comprises the following corrective action sites (CASs): 05-23-04, Atmospheric Tests (6) - BFa Site; 05-45-03, Atmospheric Test Site - Small Boy. These sites are being investigated because existing information on the nature andmore » extent of potential contamination is insufficient to evaluate and recommend corrective action alternatives (CAAs). Additional information will be obtained by conducting a corrective action investigation before evaluating CAAs and selecting the appropriate corrective action for each CAS. The results of the field investigation will support a defensible evaluation of viable CAAs that will be presented in the investigation report. The sites will be investigated based on the data quality objectives (DQOs) developed on April 1, 2014, by representatives of the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection; U.S. Air Force; and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office. The DQO process was used to identify and define the type, amount, and quality of data needed to develop and evaluate appropriate corrective actions for CAU 541. The site investigation process also will be conducted in accordance with the Soils Activity Quality Assurance Plan, which establishes requirements, technical planning, and general quality practices to be applied to this activity. The potential contamination sources associated with CASs 05-23-04 and 05-45-03 are from nuclear testing activities conducted at the Atmospheric Tests (6) - BFa Site and Atmospheric Test Site - Small Boy sites. The presence and nature of contamination at CAU 541 will be evaluated based on information collected from field investigations. Radiological contamination will be evaluated based on a comparison of the total effective dose at sample locations to the dose-based final action level. The total effective dose will be calculated as the total of separate estimates of internal and external dose. Results from the analysis of soil samples will be used to calculate internal radiological dose. Thermoluminescent dosimeters placed at the center of each sample location will be used to measure external radiological dose. Appendix A provides a detailed discussion of the DQO methodology and the DQOs specific to each CAS.« less

Calendar year 2002 annual site environmental report for Tonopah Test Range, Nevada and Kauai Test Facility, Hawaii.

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

Wagner, Katrina; Sanchez, Rebecca V.; Mayeux, Lucie

2003-09-01

Tonopah Test Range (TTR) in Nevada and Kauai Test Facility (KTF) in Hawaii are government-owned, contractor-operated facilities operated by Sandia Corporation, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), through the Sandia Site Office (SSO), in Albuquerque, NM, oversees TTR and KTF's operations. Sandia Corporation conducts operations at TTR in support of DOE/NNSA's Weapons Ordnance Program and has operated the site since 1957. Westinghouse Government Services subcontracts to Sandia Corporation in administering most of the environmental programs at TTR. Sandia Corporation operates KTF as a rocket preparation launching and tracking facility.more » This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) summarizes data and the compliance status of the environmental protection and monitoring program at TTR and KTF through Calendar Year (CY) 2002. The compliance status of environmental regulations applicable at these sites include state and federal regulations governing air emissions, wastewater effluent, waste management, terrestrial surveillance, and Environmental Restoration (ER) cleanup activities. Sandia Corporation is responsible only for those environmental program activities related to its operations. The DOE/NNSA, Nevada Site Office (NSO) retains responsibility for the cleanup and management of ER TTR sites. Currently, there are no ER Sites at KTF. Environmental monitoring and surveillance programs are required by DOE Order 5400.1, General Environmental Protection Program (DOE 1990) and DOE Order 231.1, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting (DOE 1996).« less

Calendar year 2003 : annual site enviromental report for Tonopah Test Range, Nevada and Kauai Test Facility, Hawaii.

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

Wagner, Katrina; Sanchez, Rebecca V.; Mayeux, Lucie

2004-09-01

Tonopah Test Range (TTR) in Nevada and Kauai Test Facility (KTF) in Hawaii are government-owned, contractor-operated facilities operated by Sandia Corporation, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), through the Sandia Site Office (SSO), in Albuquerque, NM, manages TTR and KTF's operations. Sandia Corporation conducts operations at TTR in support of DOE/NNSA's Weapons Ordnance Program and has operated the site since 1957. Westinghouse Government Services subcontracts to Sandia Corporation in administering most of the environmental programs at TTR. Sandia Corporation operates KTF as a rocket preparation launching and tracking facility.more » This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) summarizes data and the compliance status of the environmental protection and monitoring program at TTR and KTF through Calendar Year (CY) 2003. The compliance status of environmental regulations applicable at these sites include state and federal regulations governing air emissions, wastewater effluent, waste management, terrestrial surveillance, and Environmental Restoration (ER) cleanup activities. Sandia Corporation is responsible only for those environmental program activities related to its operations. The DOE/NNSA, Nevada Site Office (NSO) retains responsibility for the cleanup and management of ER TTR sites. Currently, there are no ER Sites at KTF. Environmental monitoring and surveillance programs are required by DOE Order 450.1, Environmental Protection Program (DOE 2003) and DOE Order 231.1 Chg 2., Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting (DOE 1996).« less

Airborne and Ground-Based Optical Characterization of Legacy Underground Nuclear Test Sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vigil, S.; Craven, J.; Anderson, D.; Dzur, R.; Schultz-Fellenz, E. S.; Sussman, A. J.

2015-12-01

Detecting, locating, and characterizing suspected underground nuclear test sites is a U.S. security priority. Currently, global underground nuclear explosion monitoring relies on seismic and infrasound sensor networks to provide rapid initial detection of potential underground nuclear tests. While seismic and infrasound might be able to generally locate potential underground nuclear tests, additional sensing methods might be required to further pinpoint test site locations. Optical remote sensing is a robust approach for site location and characterization due to the ability it provides to search large areas relatively quickly, resolve surface features in fine detail, and perform these tasks non-intrusively. Optical remote sensing provides both cultural and surface geological information about a site, for example, operational infrastructure, surface fractures. Surface geological information, when combined with known or estimated subsurface geologic information, could provide clues concerning test parameters. We have characterized two legacy nuclear test sites on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), U20ak and U20az using helicopter-, ground- and unmanned aerial system-based RGB imagery and light detection and ranging (lidar) systems. The multi-faceted information garnered from these different sensing modalities has allowed us to build a knowledge base of how a nuclear test site might look when sensed remotely, and the standoff distances required to resolve important site characteristics.

Summary and evaluation of hydraulic property data available for the Hanford Site upper basalt confined aquifer system

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

Spane, F.A. Jr.; Vermeul, V.R.

Pacific Northwest Laboratory, as part of the Hanford Site Ground-Water Surveillance Project, examines the potential for offsite migration of contamination within the upper basalt confined aquifer system. For the past 40 years, hydrologic testing of the upper basalt confined aquifer has been conducted by a number of Hanford Site programs. Hydraulic property estimates are important for evaluating aquifer flow characteristics (i.e., ground-water flow patterns, flow velocity, transport travel time). Presented are the first comprehensive Hanford Site-wide summary of hydraulic properties for the upper basalt confined aquifer system (i.e., the upper Saddle Mountains Basalt). Available hydrologic test data were reevaluated usingmore » recently developed diagnostic test analysis methods. A comparison of calculated transmissivity estimates indicates that, for most test results, a general correspondence within a factor of two between reanalysis and previously reported test values was obtained. For a majority of the tests, previously reported values are greater than reanalysis estimates. This overestimation is attributed to a number of factors, including, in many cases, a misapplication of nonleaky confined aquifer analysis methods in previous analysis reports to tests that exhibit leaky confined aquifer response behavior. Results of the test analyses indicate a similar range for transmissivity values for the various hydro-geologic units making up the upper basalt confined aquifer. Approximately 90% of the calculated transmissivity values for upper basalt confined aquifer hydrogeologic units occur within the range of 10{sup 0} to 10{sup 2} m{sup 2}/d, with 65% of the calculated estimate values occurring between 10{sup 1} to 10{sup 2} m{sup 2}d. These summary findings are consistent with the general range of values previously reported for basalt interflow contact zones and sedimentary interbeds within the Saddle Mountains Basalt.« less

Quality, range, and legibility in web sites related to orofacial functions.

PubMed

Corrêa, Camila de Castro; Ferrari, Deborah Viviane; Berretin-Felix, Giédre

2013-10-01

Introduction Plenty of information about health is available on the Internet; however, quality and legibility are not always evaluated. Knowledge regarding orofacial functions can be considered important for the population because it allows proper stimulus, early diagnosis, and prevention of the oral myofunctional alterations during early infancy. Objective The aim was evaluate the quality, legibility, and range of Web sites available in Brazilian Portuguese regarding the orofacial functions. Methods Selected Web sites with information directed to parents/caregivers of babies regarding breast-feeding, feeding after 6 months, deleterious oral habits, and breathing and speech were studied. The Web sites were evaluated through the application of Flesch Reading Ease Test and aspects of the Health on the Net (HON) modified code (HONCode); the range of the subjects addressed was compared with other aspects of infant development. Results From the access of 350 pages of the Internet, 35 Web sites were selected and 315 excluded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria. In relation to legibility, Web sites scored an average of 61.23% in the Flesch Test, and the application of the modified HONCode showed an average of 6.43 points; an average of 2.49 subjects were found per Web site evaluated, with information on breast-feeding being more frequent and subjects such as breathing and speech less frequent. Conclusions Web sites that deal with orofacial functions presented standard legibility classification. Only half of the ethical principles were considered by the modified HONCode in their majority, and most addressed subjects after "breast-feeding" were presented with restricted range.

Quality, Range, and Legibility in Web Sites Related to Orofacial Functions

PubMed Central

Corrêa, Camila de Castro; Ferrari, Deborah Viviane; Berretin-Felix, Giédre

2013-01-01

Introduction Plenty of information about health is available on the Internet; however, quality and legibility are not always evaluated. Knowledge regarding orofacial functions can be considered important for the population because it allows proper stimulus, early diagnosis, and prevention of the oral myofunctional alterations during early infancy. Objective The aim was evaluate the quality, legibility, and range of Web sites available in Brazilian Portuguese regarding the orofacial functions. Methods Selected Web sites with information directed to parents/caregivers of babies regarding breast-feeding, feeding after 6 months, deleterious oral habits, and breathing and speech were studied. The Web sites were evaluated through the application of Flesch Reading Ease Test and aspects of the Health on the Net (HON) modified code (HONCode); the range of the subjects addressed was compared with other aspects of infant development. Results From the access of 350 pages of the Internet, 35 Web sites were selected and 315 excluded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria. In relation to legibility, Web sites scored an average of 61.23% in the Flesch Test, and the application of the modified HONCode showed an average of 6.43 points; an average of 2.49 subjects were found per Web site evaluated, with information on breast-feeding being more frequent and subjects such as breathing and speech less frequent. Conclusions Web sites that deal with orofacial functions presented standard legibility classification. Only half of the ethical principles were considered by the modified HONCode in their majority, and most addressed subjects after “breast-feeding” were presented with restricted range. PMID:25992036

106-17 Telemetry Standards Front Matter

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-07-01

IS UNLIMITED ABERDEEN TEST CENTER DUGWAY PROVING GROUND REAGAN TEST SITE REDSTONE TEST CENTER WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE YUMA PROVING GROUND...Council US Army White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico 88002-5110 This page intentionally left blank. Telemetry Standards, IRIG Standard 106-17...TM receiver commands for interoperability. f. Task TG-141: Update IRIG 106 with Standards for Data Quality Metrics (DQM) and Data Quality

Major-element geochemistry of the Silent Canyon-Black Mountain peralkaline volcanic centers, northwestern Nevada Test Site: applications to an assessment of renewed volcanism

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crowe, Bruce M.; Sargent, Kenneth A.

1979-01-01

The Silent Canyon and Black Mountain volcanic centers are located in the northern part of the Nevada Test Site. The Silent Canyon volcanic center is a buried cauldron complex of Miocene age (13-15 m.y.). Black Mountain volcanic center is an elliptical-shaped cauldron complex of late Miocene age. The lavas and tuffs of the two centers comprise a subalkaline-peralkaline association. Rock types range from quartz normative subalkaline trachyte and rhyolite to peralkaline comendite. The Gold Flat Member of the Thirsty Canyon Tuff (Black Mountain) is a pantellerite. The major-element geochemistry of the Black Mountain-Silent Canyon volcanic centers differs in the total range and distribution of Si02, contents, the degree of peralkalinity (molecular Na2O+K2O>Al2O3) and in the values of total iron and alumina through the range of rock types. These differences indicate that the suites were unrelated and evolved from differing magma bodies. The Black Mountain volcanic cycle represents a renewed phase of volcanism following cessation of the Timber Mountain-Silent Canyon volcanic cycles. Consequently, there is a small but numerically incalculable probability of recurrence of Black Mountain-type volcanism within the Nevada Test Site region. This represents a potential risk with respect to deep geologic storage of high-level radioactive waste at the Nevada Test Site.

Depleted uranium investigation at missile impact sites in White Sands Missile Range

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

Van Etten, D.M.; Purtymun, W.D.

1994-01-01

An investigation for residual depleted uranium was conducted at Pershing missile impact sites on the White Sands Missile Range. Subsurface core soil samples were taken at Chess, Salt Target, and Mine Impact Sites. A sampling pump was installed in a monitoring well at Site 65 where a Pershing earth penetrator was not recovered. Pumping tests and water samples were taken at this site. Chess Site, located in a gypsum flat, was the only location showing elevated levels of depleted uranium in the subsurface soil or perched groundwater. Small fragments can still be found on the surface of the impact sites.more » The seasonal flooding and near surface water has aided in the movement of surface fragments.« less

Easier operation and similar power of 10 g monofilament test for screening diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

PubMed

Zhang, Qi; Yi, Na; Liu, Siying; Zheng, Hangping; Qiao, Xiaona; Xiong, Qian; Liu, Xiaoxia; Zhang, Shuo; Wen, Jie; Ye, Hongying; Zhou, Linuo; Li, Yiming; Hu, Renming; Lu, Bin

2018-01-01

Objective The 10 g Semmes-Weinstein monofilament evaluation (SWME) of 4 sites on each foot is recommended for distal symmetric polyneuropathy screening and diagnosis. A similar method has been proposed to diagnose 'high-risk' (for ulceration) feet, using 3 sites per foot. This study compared the effectiveness of SWME for testing 3, 4 and 10 sites per foot to identify patients with diabetic neuropathy. Methods We included 3497 subjects in a SWME of 10 sites; records from the 10-site SWME were used for a SWME of 3 and 4 sites. Neuropathy symptom scores and neuropathy deficit scores were evaluated to identify patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Results The sensitivities of the 10 g SWME for 3, 4 and 10 sites were 17.8%, 19.0% and 22.4%, respectively. The Kappa coefficients for the SWME tests of 3, 4 and 10 sites were high (range: 0.78-0.93). Conclusions There were no significant differences in the effectiveness of 3-, 4- and 10-site SWME testing for diabetic peripheral neuropathy screening. SWME testing of 3 sites on each foot may be sufficient to screen for diabetic neuropathy.

The Radar Roadmap

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

local oscillator to measure the phase of both the transmitted and received pulses and then matching them to the correct range ambiguity. 2.5 High...track closely spaced objects. White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) and Patrick Air Force Base (AFB) operate the phased -array AN/MPS-39 MOTRs. The...ABERDEEN TEST CENTER DUGWAY PROVING GROUND REAGAN TEST SITE YUMA PROVING GROUND WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER AIRCRAFT

Hydrologic data for the southwest subsurface-injection test site, St. Petersburg, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hickey, John J.; Spechler, R.M.

1978-01-01

Three injection wells and nine observation wells were constructed at the Southwest St. Petersburg, Fla., site to determine feasibility of injecting wastewater treatment plant effluent into permeable zones containing saline water. Two withdrawal tests and one injection test were performed. Both withdrawal tests ran for about 3 days; one discharging 650 gallons per minute, and the other discharging 6,490 gallons per minute. The injection test was run in one well for 91.1 days at an average rate of 2,830 gallons per minute. Injection well pressure reached a maximum of 48.1 pounds per square inch near the end of the test. Rhodamine WT was used as a tracer during the injection test and was identified in three wells. Before the injection test, chloride concentration in a well 35 feet from the injection well, and in a well 733 feet distant, ranged from 19,000 to 21,000 milligrams per liter. At the end of the test, chloride concentration in one well was 1,800 milligrams per liter and 5,400 milligrams per liter in another. Eleven wells near the site were sampled before the test for water-quality analyses and chlorides ranged from 18 to 1,400 milligrams per liter. (Woodard-USGS)

70. Photograph of line drawing. TOPOGRAPHIC SITE PLAN OF 500,000 ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

70. Photograph of line drawing. TOPOGRAPHIC SITE PLAN OF 500,000 POUND STATIC TEST FACILITY, APRIL 1947 - White Sands Missile Range, V-2 Rocket Facilities, Near Headquarters Area, White Sands, Dona Ana County, NM

The sanctuary of Punta Stilo at Kaulonia-Monasterace (Rc, Italy): preliminary results of the close range photogrammetric surveys 2012-2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taccola, E.; Parra, M. C.; Ampolo, C.

2014-06-01

During the 2012-2013 excavations at the Sanctuary of Punta Stilo at Kaulonia, carried out by the University of Pisa and the Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa, close range aerial and terrestrial photogrammetric surveys were tested for the first time. The aim of the test was to verify the accuracy of the site planimetry currently used, dating back also to a century ago. The 3D data obtained have allowed new data to be acquired for correcting and updating the mapping of the site.

The value of testing multiple anatomic sites for gonorrhoea and chlamydia in sexually transmitted infection centres in the Netherlands, 2006-2010.

PubMed

Koedijk, F D H; van Bergen, J E A M; Dukers-Muijrers, N H T M; van Leeuwen, A P; Hoebe, C J P A; van der Sande, M A B

2012-09-01

National surveillance data from 2006 to 2010 of the Dutch sexually transmitted infection (STI) centres were used to analyse current practices on testing extragenital sites for chlamydia and gonorrhoea in men who have sex with men (MSM) and women. In MSM, 76.0% and 88.9% were tested at least at one extragenital site (pharyngeal and/or anorectal) for chlamydia and gonorrhoea, respectively; for women this was 20.5% and 30.2%. Testing more than one anatomic site differed by STI centre, ranging from 2% to 100%. In MSM tested at multiple sites, 63.0% and 66.5% of chlamydia and gonorrhoea diagnoses, respectively, would have been missed if screened at the urogenital site only, mainly anorectal infections. For women tested at multiple sites, the proportions of missed chlamydia and gonorrhoea diagnoses would have been 12.9% and 30.0%, respectively. Testing extragenital sites appears warranted, due to the numerous infections that would have been missed. Adding anorectal screening to urogenital screening for all MSM visiting an STI centre should be recommended. Since actual testing practices differ by centre, there is a need for clearer guidelines. Routine gonorrhoea and chlamydia screening at multiple sites in STI centres should be investigated further as this might be a more effective approach to reduce transmission than current practice.

Life in the Atacama - Year 2: Geologic Reconnaissance Through Long-Range Roving and Implications on the Search for Life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dohm, J. M.; Cabrol, N. A.; Grin, E. A.; Moersch, J.; Diaz, G. Chong; Cockell, C.; Coppin, P.; Fisher, G.; Hock, A. N.; Ori, G. G.

2005-01-01

The "Life in the Atacama" (LITA) project included two field trials during the 2004 field season, each of which lasted about a week. The remote science team had no prior knowledge of the local geology, and relied entirely on orbital images and rover-acquired data to make interpretations. The sites for these trials were in different locations, and are designated "Site B" and "Site C" respectively. The primary objective of the experiment is to develop and test the means to locate, characterize, and identify habitats and life remotely through long-range roving, which included field testing the rover, named Zoe. Zoe has onboard autonomous navigation for long-range roving, a plow to overturn rocks and expose near-surface rock materials, and high-resolution imaging, spectral, and fluorescence sampling capabilities. Highlights from the experiment included characterizing the geology in and near the landing ellipse, assessing pre-mission, satellite-based hypotheses, and improving the approach and procedures used by the remote and field teams for upcoming experiments through combined satellite, field-based, and microscopic perspectives and long-range roving.

Assessment of the current internal dose due to 137Cs and 90Sr for people living within the Semipalatinsk Test Site, Kazakhstan.

PubMed

Semiochkina, N; Voigt, G; Mukusheva, M; Bruk, G; Travnikova, I; Strand, P

2004-02-01

The Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan was one of the major sites used by the USSR for testing nuclear weapons for more than 40 y. Since the early 1990's, responsibility for the site has passed to the Kazakh authorities. There has been a gradual re-establishment of agricultural use such as horse and sheep farming. Therefore, it has become important to evaluate the current and future risk to people living on and using the contaminated area. Internal dose assessment is one of the main components of the total dose when deriving risk factors for population living within the test site. Internal doses based on food monitoring and whole body measurements were calculated for adults and are in the range of 13-500 microSv y(-1) due to radiocesium and radiostrontium.

Radiochemically-Supported Microbial Communities: A Potential Mechanism for Biocolloid Production of Importance to Actinide Transport

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

Moser, Duane P.; Hamilton-Brehm, Scott D.; Fisher, Jenny C.

Due to the legacy of Cold War nuclear weapons testing, the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS, formerly known as the Nevada Test Site (NTS)) contains millions of Curies of radioactive contamination. Presented here is a summary of the results of the first comprehensive study of subsurface microbial communities of radioactive and nonradioactive aquifers at this site. To achieve the objectives of this project, cooperative actions between the Desert Research Institute (DRI), the Nevada Field Office of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the Underground Test Area Activity (UGTA), and contractors such as Navarro-Interra (NI), were required. Ultimately, fluids from 17more » boreholes and two water-filled tunnels were sampled (sometimes on multiple occasions and from multiple depths) from the NNSS, the adjacent Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), and a reference hole in the Amargosa Valley near Death Valley. The sites sampled ranged from highly-radioactive nuclear device test cavities to uncontaminated perched and regional aquifers. Specific areas sampled included recharge, intermediate, and discharge zones of a 100,000-km2 internally-draining province, known as the Death Valley Regional Flow System (DVRFS), which encompasses the entirety of the NNSS/NTTR and surrounding areas. Specific geological features sampled included: West Pahute and Ranier Mesas (recharge zone), Yucca and Frenchman Flats (transitional zone), and the Western edge of the Amargosa Valley near Death Valley (discharge zone). The original overarching question underlying the proposal supporting this work was stated as: Can radiochemically-produced substrates support indigenous microbial communities and subsequently stimulate biocolloid formation that can affect radionuclides in NNSS subsurface nuclear test/detonation sites? Radioactive and non-radioactive groundwater samples were thus characterized for physical parameters, aqueous geochemistry, and microbial communities using both DNA- and cultivation-based tools in an effort to understand the drivers of microbial community structure (including radioactivity) and microbial interactions with select radionuclides and other factors across the range of habitats surveyed.« less

The Semipalatinsk nuclear test site: a first assessment of the radiological situation and the test-related radiation doses in the surrounding territories.

PubMed

Gusev, B I; Abylkassimova, Z N; Apsalikov, K N

1997-09-01

As a result of atmospheric nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk test site 'Polygon', adjacent territories were contaminated by radionuclide fallout. The population of some districts in the Semipalatinsk oblast were exposed to elevated levels of radiation. Contamination and exposure mostly resulted from early atmospheric tests. The radiological situation of the Semipalatinsk oblast is described. Effective dose estimates due to external and internal exposure attributable to the 1949 and 1953 tests in villages near the Polygon range from 70 mSv to 4470 mSv.

HIV misdiagnosis in sub-Saharan Africa: performance of diagnostic algorithms at six testing sites

PubMed Central

Kosack, Cara S.; Shanks, Leslie; Beelaert, Greet; Benson, Tumwesigye; Savane, Aboubacar; Ng’ang’a, Anne; Andre, Bita; Zahinda, Jean-Paul BN; Fransen, Katrien; Page, Anne-Laure

2017-01-01

Abstract Introduction: We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of HIV testing algorithms at six programmes in five sub-Saharan African countries. Methods: In this prospective multisite diagnostic evaluation study (Conakry, Guinea; Kitgum, Uganda; Arua, Uganda; Homa Bay, Kenya; Doula, Cameroun and Baraka, Democratic Republic of Congo), samples from clients (greater than equal to five years of age) testing for HIV were collected and compared to a state-of-the-art algorithm from the AIDS reference laboratory at the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Belgium. The reference algorithm consisted of an enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay, a line-immunoassay, a single antigen-enzyme immunoassay and a DNA polymerase chain reaction test. Results: Between August 2011 and January 2015, over 14,000 clients were tested for HIV at 6 HIV counselling and testing sites. Of those, 2786 (median age: 30; 38.1% males) were included in the study. Sensitivity of the testing algorithms ranged from 89.5% in Arua to 100% in Douala and Conakry, while specificity ranged from 98.3% in Doula to 100% in Conakry. Overall, 24 (0.9%) clients, and as many as 8 per site (1.7%), were misdiagnosed, with 16 false-positive and 8 false-negative results. Six false-negative specimens were retested with the on-site algorithm on the same sample and were found to be positive. Conversely, 13 false-positive specimens were retested: 8 remained false-positive with the on-site algorithm. Conclusions: The performance of algorithms at several sites failed to meet expectations and thresholds set by the World Health Organization, with unacceptably high rates of false results. Alongside the careful selection of rapid diagnostic tests and the validation of algorithms, strictly observing correct procedures can reduce the risk of false results. In the meantime, to identify false-positive diagnoses at initial testing, patients should be retested upon initiating antiretroviral therapy. PMID:28691437

HIV misdiagnosis in sub-Saharan Africa: performance of diagnostic algorithms at six testing sites.

PubMed

Kosack, Cara S; Shanks, Leslie; Beelaert, Greet; Benson, Tumwesigye; Savane, Aboubacar; Ng'ang'a, Anne; Andre, Bita; Zahinda, Jean-Paul Bn; Fransen, Katrien; Page, Anne-Laure

2017-07-03

We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of HIV testing algorithms at six programmes in five sub-Saharan African countries. In this prospective multisite diagnostic evaluation study (Conakry, Guinea; Kitgum, Uganda; Arua, Uganda; Homa Bay, Kenya; Doula, Cameroun and Baraka, Democratic Republic of Congo), samples from clients (greater than equal to five years of age) testing for HIV were collected and compared to a state-of-the-art algorithm from the AIDS reference laboratory at the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Belgium. The reference algorithm consisted of an enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay, a line-immunoassay, a single antigen-enzyme immunoassay and a DNA polymerase chain reaction test. Between August 2011 and January 2015, over 14,000 clients were tested for HIV at 6 HIV counselling and testing sites. Of those, 2786 (median age: 30; 38.1% males) were included in the study. Sensitivity of the testing algorithms ranged from 89.5% in Arua to 100% in Douala and Conakry, while specificity ranged from 98.3% in Doula to 100% in Conakry. Overall, 24 (0.9%) clients, and as many as 8 per site (1.7%), were misdiagnosed, with 16 false-positive and 8 false-negative results. Six false-negative specimens were retested with the on-site algorithm on the same sample and were found to be positive. Conversely, 13 false-positive specimens were retested: 8 remained false-positive with the on-site algorithm. The performance of algorithms at several sites failed to meet expectations and thresholds set by the World Health Organization, with unacceptably high rates of false results. Alongside the careful selection of rapid diagnostic tests and the validation of algorithms, strictly observing correct procedures can reduce the risk of false results. In the meantime, to identify false-positive diagnoses at initial testing, patients should be retested upon initiating antiretroviral therapy.

A comparison of methods of estimating potential evapotranspiration from climatological data in arid and subhumid environments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cruff, R.W.; Thompson, T.H.

1967-01-01

This study compared potential evapotranspiration, computed from climatological data by each of six empirical methods, with pan evaporation adjusted to equivalent lake evaporation by regional coefficients. The six methods tested were the Thornthwaite, U.S. Weather Bureau (a modification of the Permian method), Lowry-Johnson, Blaney-Criddle, Lane, and Hamon methods. The test was limited to 25 sites in the arid and subhumid parts of Arizona, California, and Nevada, where pan evaporation and concurrent climatological data were available. However, some of the sites lacked complete climatological data for the application of all six methods. Average values of adjusted pan evaporation and computed potential evapotransp4ration were compared for two periods---the calendar year and the 6-month period from May 1 through October 31. The 25 sites sampled a wide range of climatic conditions. Ten sites (group 1) were in a highly arid environment and four (group 2) were in an arid environment that was modified by extensive irrigation. The remaining 11 sites (group 3) were in a subhumid environment. Only the Weather Bureau method gave estimates of potential evapotranspiration that closely agreed with the adjusted pan evaporation at all sites where the method was used. However, lack of climatological data restricted the use of the Weather Bureau method to seven sites. Results obtained by use of the Thornthwaite, Lowry-Johnson, and Hamon methods were consistently low. Results obtained by use of the Lane method agreed with adjusted pan evaporation at the group 1 sites but were consistently high at the group 2 and 3 sites. During the analysis it became apparent that adjusted pan evaporation in an arid environment (group 1 sites) was a spurious standard for evaluating the reliability of .the methods that were tested. Group 1 data were accordingly not considered when making conclusions as ,to which of the six methods tested was best. The results of this study for group 2 and 3 data indicated that the Blaney-Criddle method, which uses climatological data that can be readily obtained or deduced, was the most practical of the six methods for estimating potential evapotranspiration. At all 15 sites in the two environments, potential evapotranspiration computed by the Blaney-Criddle method checked the adjusted pan evaporation within ?22 percent. This percentage range is generally considered to be the range of reliability for estimating lake evaporation from evaporation pans.

CRIS Cyber Range Lexicon, Version 1.0

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-10

Figure 4: Planes and Teams...Technology (S&T) experimentation , Developmental and Operational Test and Evaluation (DT&E, OT&E), cyber force training, and mission rehearsal. To...an Event in cyber space . A Range contains a set of assets and capabilities located at one or more sites. A Range has a single Range Manager. A

Evaluation of serum immunoglobulins among individuals living near six Superfund sites.

PubMed

Williamson, Dhelia M; White, Mary C; Poole, Charles; Kleinbaum, David; Vogt, Robert; North, Kari

2006-07-01

Residents living in communities near Superfund sites have expressed concern that releases from these facilities affect their health, including adverse effects on their immune systems. We used data from six cross-sectional studies to evaluate whether people who live near several Superfund sites are more likely to have individual immunoglobulin test results (IgA, IgG, and IgM) below or above the reference range than those who live in comparison areas with no Superfund site. Study participants consisted of target-area residents who lived close to a Superfund site and comparison-area residents who were not located near any Superfund or hazardous waste sites. A consistent modeling strategy was used across studies to assess the magnitude of the relationship between area of residence and immunoglobulin test results, adjusting for potential confounders and effect modifiers. In all study areas, the results suggest that people who live near a Superfund site may have been more likely to have IgA test results above the reference range than comparison areas residents regardless of modeling strategy employed. The effect measures were larger for residents who lived in communities near military bases with groundwater contamination. For all analyses the wide confidence intervals reflect uncertainty in the magnitude of these effects. To adequately address the question of whether the immune system is affected by low-level exposures to hazardous substances, we recommend that more functional immunotoxicity tests be conducted in human populations where individual exposure information is available or when it can be reasonably estimated from environmental exposure measurements.

63. Photograph of line drawing. SITE PLAN OF GANTRY CRANE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

63. Photograph of line drawing. SITE PLAN OF GANTRY CRANE TRACKS AND 20,000 POUND MOTOR TEST AND LAUNCH FACILITY ('BLAST PIT'), OCTOBER 1946 - White Sands Missile Range, V-2 Rocket Facilities, Near Headquarters Area, White Sands, Dona Ana County, NM

First results from the NEMO Test Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riccobene, Giorgio; NEMO Collaboration

2007-03-01

The NEMO (NEutrino Mediterranean Observatory) Collaboration is constructing, 25 km E from Catania (Sicily) at 2000 m depth, an underwater test site to perform long-term tests of prototypes and new technologies for an underwater high energy neutrino detector in the Mediterranean Sea. In this framework the collaboration deployed and operated an experimental apparatus for on-line monitoring of deep-sea noise. The station is equipped with 4 hydrophones operational in the range 30 Hz - 40 kHz. This interval of frequencies matches the range suitable for acoustic detection of high energy neutrino-induced showers in water. Hydrophone signals are digitized underwater at 96 kHz sampling frequency and 24 bits resolution. A custom software was developed to record data on high resolution 4-channels PCM .le. Data are used to model underwater acoustic noise as a function of frequency and time, a mandatory parametre for future acoustic neutrino detectors. Results indicate that the average noise in the site is compatible with noise produced in condition of sea surface agitation (sea state.)

Data report: Permeabilities of eastern equatorial Pacific and Peru margin sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gamage, Kusali; Bekins, Barbara A.; Screaton, Elizabeth; Jørgensen, Bo B.; D'Hondt, Steven L.; Miller, D. Jay

2006-01-01

Constant-flow permeability tests were conducted on core samples from Ocean Drilling Program Leg 201 from the eastern equatorial Pacific and the Peru margin. Eighteen whole-round core samples from Sites 1225, 1226, 1227, 1230, and 1231 were tested for vertical permeabilities. Sites 1225, 1226, and 1231 represent sediments of the open ocean, whereas Sites 1227 and 1230 represent sediments of the ocean margin. Measured vertical permeabilities vary from ~8 x 10–19 m2 to ~1 x 10–16 m2 for a porosity range of 45%–90%.

Genotoxicity of air borne particulates assessed by comet and the Salmonella mutagenicity test in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Elassouli, Sufian M; Alqahtani, Mohamed H; Milaat, Waleed

2007-09-01

Fine airborne respirable particulates less than 10 micrometer (PM10) are considered one of the top environmental public health concerns, since they contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which are among the major carcinogenic compounds found in urban air. The objective of this study is to assess the genotoxicity of the ambient PM10 collected at 11 urban sites in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The PM10 extractable organic matter (EOM) was examined for its genotoxicity by the single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) comet assay and the Salmonella mutagenicity (Ames) test .Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to quantify 16 PAH compounds in four sites. Samples from oil refinery and heavy diesel vehicles traffic sites showed significant DNA damage causing comet in 20-44% of the cells with tail moments ranging from 0.5-2.0 compared to samples from petrol driven cars and residential area, with comet in less than 2% of the cells and tail moments of < 0.02. In the Ames test, polluted sites showed indirect mutagenic response and caused 20-56 rev/ m3, mean while residential and reference sites caused 2-15 rev /m3. The genotoxicity of the EOM in both tests directly correlated with the amount of organic particulate and the PAHs concentrations in the air samples. The PAHs concentrations ranged between 0.83 ng/m3 in industrial and heavy diesel vehicles traffic sites to 0.18 ng /m3 in the residential area. Benzo(ghi)pyrene was the major PAH components and at one site it represented 65.4 % of the total PAHs. Samples of the oil refinery site were more genotoxic in the SCGE assay than samples from the heavy diesel vehicles traffic site, despite the fact that both sites contain almost similar amount of PAHs. The opposite was true for the mutagenicity in the Ames test. This could be due to the nature of the EOM in both sites. These findings confirm the genotoxic potency of the PM10 organic extracts to which urban populations are exposed.

Concentration-Dependent Multiple Binding Sites on Saliva-Treated Hydroxyapatite for Streptococcus sanguis

PubMed Central

Gibbons, R. J.; Moreno, E. C.; Etherden, I.

1983-01-01

The influence of bacterial cell concentration on estimates of the number of binding sites and the affinity for the adsorption of a strain of Streptococcus sanguis to saliva-treated hydroxyapatite was determined, and the possible presence of multiple binding sites for this organism was tested. The range of concentrations of available bacteria varied from 4.7 × 106 to 5,960 × 106 cells per ml. The numbers of adsorbed bacteria increased over the entire range tested, but a suggestion of a break in an otherwise smooth adsorption isotherm was evident. Values for the number of binding sites and the affinity varied considerably depending upon the range of available bacterial concentrations used to estimate them; high correlation coefficients were obtained in all cases. The use of low bacterial cell concentrations yielded lower values for the number of sites and much higher values for the affinity constant than did the use of high bacterial cell concentrations. When data covering the entire range of bacterial concentrations were employed, values for the number of sites and the affinity were similar to those obtained by using only high bacterial cell concentrations. The simplest explanation for these results is that there are multiple binding sites for S. sanguis on saliva-treated hydroxyapatite surfaces. When present in low concentration, the streptococci evidently attach to more specific high-affinity sites which become saturated when higher bacterial concentrations are employed. The possibility of multiple binding sites was substantiated by comparing estimates of the adsorption parameters from a computer-simulated isotherm with those derived from the experimentally generated isotherm. A mathematical model describing bacterial adsorption to binary binding sites was further evidence for the existence of at least two classes of binding sites for S. sanguis. Far fewer streptococci adsorbed to experimental pellicles prepared from saliva depleted of bacterial aggregating activity when low numbers of streptococci were used, but the magnitude of this difference was considerably less when high streptococcal concentrations were employed. This suggests an association between salivary components which possess bacterial-aggregating activity and bacterial adsorption to high-affinity specific binding sites on saliva-treated hydroxyapatite surfaces. PMID:6822416

DOUBLE TRACKS Test Site interim corrective action plan

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

NONE

The DOUBLE TRACKS site is located on Range 71 north of the Nellis Air Force Range, northwest of the Nevada Test Site (NTS). DOUBLE TRACKS was the first of four experiments that constituted Operation ROLLER COASTER. On May 15, 1963, weapons-grade plutonium and depleted uranium were dispersed using 54 kilograms of trinitrotoluene (TNT) explosive. The explosion occurred in the open, 0.3 m above the steel plate. No fission yield was detected from the test, and the total amount of plutonium deposited on the ground surface was estimated to be between 980 and 1,600 grams. The test device was composed primarilymore » of uranium-238 and plutonium-239. The mass ratio of uranium to plutonium was 4.35. The objective of the corrective action is to reduce the potential risk to human health and the environment and to demonstrate technically viable and cost-effective excavation, transportation, and disposal. To achieve these objectives, Bechtel Nevada (BN) will remove soil with a total transuranic activity greater then 200 pCI/g, containerize the soil in ``supersacks,`` transport the filled ``supersacks`` to the NTS, and dispose of them in the Area 3 Radioactive Waste Management Site. During this interim corrective action, BN will also conduct a limited demonstration of an alternative method for excavation of radioactive near-surface soil contamination.« less

Design and Commissioning of a Transportable Laser Ranging Station STAR-C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Humbert, L.; Hasenohr, T.; Hampf, D.; Riede, W.

An increasing number of space debris and the rise of mega constellations as well as the deployment of small cost efficient satellites are a growing concern for space faring nations and their missions. Hence, a tight network of worldwide stations to support maintenance of catalogues for various tasks such as space surveillance tracking and space traffic management will significantly increase the reliability and availability of the collected data and therefore the safety of missions. A promising concept are transportable laser ranging stations in order to increase the number of observing stations and hence the coverage of the sky. Built and tested on a building test site they can be deployed to a desired site for operation. High energy laser with short pulses provide accurate ranging data to objects in space both cooperative and uncooperative, e.g. objects with a retroreflector and without one. This work introduces the progress of a transportable laser ranging station, of a Surveillance, Tracking and Ranging Container (STAR-C), built into a 20ft ISO container.

In-Flight Validation of Mid and Thermal Infrared Remotely Sensed Data Using the Lake Tahoe and Salton Sea Automated Validation Sites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hook, Simon J.

2008-01-01

The presentation includes an introduction, Lake Tahoe site layout and measurements, Salton Sea site layout and measurements, field instrument calibration and cross-calculations, data reduction methodology and error budgets, and example results for MODIS. Summary and conclusions are: 1) Lake Tahoe CA/NV automated validation site was established in 1999 to assess radiometric accuracy of satellite and airborne mid and thermal infrared data and products. Water surface temperatures range from 4-25C.2) Salton Sea CA automated validation site was established in 2008 to broaden range of available water surface temperatures and atmospheric water vapor test cases. Water surface temperatures range from 15-35C. 3) Sites provide all information necessary for validation every 2 mins (bulk temperature, skin temperature, air temperature, wind speed, wind direction, net radiation, relative humidity). 4) Sites have been used to validate mid and thermal infrared data and products from: ASTER, AATSR, ATSR2, MODIS-Terra, MODIS-Aqua, Landsat 5, Landsat 7, MTI, TES, MASTER, MAS. 5) Approximately 10 years of data available to help validate AVHRR.

High-Stakes Collaborative Testing: Why Not?

PubMed

Levine, Ruth E; Borges, Nicole J; Roman, Brenda J B; Carchedi, Lisa R; Townsend, Mark H; Cluver, Jeffrey S; Frank, Julia; Morey, Oma; Haidet, Paul; Thompson, Britta M

2018-01-01

Phenomenon: Studies of high-stakes collaborative testing remain sparse, especially in medical education. We explored high-stakes collaborative testing in medical education, looking specifically at the experiences of students in established and newly formed teams. Third-year psychiatry students at 5 medical schools across 6 sites participated, with 4 participating as established team sites and 2 as comparison team sites. For the collaborative test, we used the National Board of Medical Examiners Psychiatry subject test, administering it via a 2-stage process. Students at all sites were randomly selected to participate in a focus group, with 8-10 students per site (N = 49). We also examined quantitative data for additional triangulation. Students described a range of heightened emotions around the collaborative test yet perceived it as valuable regardless if they were in established or newly formed teams. Students described learning about the subject matter, themselves, others, and interpersonal dynamics during collaborative testing. Triangulation of these results via quantitative data supported these themes. Insights: Despite student concerns, high-stakes collaborative tests may be both valuable and feasible. The data suggest that high-stakes tests (tests of learning or summative evaluation) could also become tests for learning or formative evaluation. The paucity of research into this methodology in medical education suggests more research is needed.

Integrated bio-behavioural HIV surveillance surveys among female sex workers in Sudan, 2011-2012.

PubMed

Elhadi, Magda; Elbadawi, Abdulateef; Abdelrahman, Samira; Mohammed, Ibtisam; Bozicevic, Ivana; Hassan, Ehab A; Elmukhtar, Mohammed; Ahmed, Sally; Abdelraheem, Mohammed Sidahmed; Mubarak, Nazik; Elsanousi, Salwa; Setayesh, Hamidreza

2013-11-01

To assess HIV and syphilis prevalence, HIV-related behaviours and testing for HIV in female sex workers (FSW) in Sudan. Bio-behavioural surveys using respondent-driven sampling were carried out among FSW in the capital cities of 14 states in Sudan in 2011-2012. HIV and syphilis testing was done by rapid tests. 4220 FSW aged 15-49 years were recruited. The median age of recruited women varied from 21 to 28 years per site. The highest HIV prevalence was measured at two sites in the eastern zone (5.0% and 7.7%), while in the other zones it ranged from 0% to 1.5%. Syphilis prevalence ranged from 1.5% in the northern zone to 8.9% in the eastern zone. Ever having been tested for HIV was reported by 4.4%-23.9% of FSW across all sites. Condom use at last sex with a client varied from 4.7% to 55.1%, while consistent condom use with clients in the month preceding the surveys was reported by 0.7%-24.5% of FSW. The highest reporting of ever injecting drugs was measured at a site in the western zone (5.0%). The surveys' findings indicate that the highest burden of HIV in FSW is in the eastern states of the country. Condom use and HIV testing data demonstrate the need for HIV interventions that should focus on HIV testing and risk reduction strategies that include stronger condom promotion programmes in FSW and their clients.

Cone penetration tests and soil borings at the Mason Road site in Green Valley, Solano County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bennett, Michael J.; Noce, Thomas E.; Lienkaemper, James J.

2011-01-01

In support of a study to investigate the history of the Green Valley Fault, 13 cone penetration test soundings and 3 auger borings were made at the Mason Road site in Green Valley, Solano County, California. Three borings were made at or near two of the cone penetration test soundings. The soils are mostly clayey with a few sandy layers or lenses. Fine-grained soils range from low plasticity sandy lean clay to very plastic fat clay. Lack of stratigraphic correlation in the subsurface prevented us from determining whether any channels had been offset at this site. Because the soils are generally very clayey and few sand layers or lenses are loose, the liquefaction potential at the site is very low.

Testing short-range migration of microbial methane as a hydrate formation mechanism: Results from Andaman Sea and Kumano Basin drill sites and global implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malinverno, Alberto; Goldberg, David S.

2015-07-01

Methane gas hydrates in marine sediments often concentrate in coarse-grained layers surrounded by fine-grained marine muds that are hydrate-free. Methane in these hydrate deposits is typically microbial, and must have migrated from its source as the coarse-grained sediments contain little or no organic matter. In "long-range" migration, fluid flow through permeable layers transports methane from deeper sources into the gas hydrate stability zone (GHSZ). In "short-range" migration, microbial methane is generated within the GHSZ in fine-grained sediments, where small pore sizes inhibit hydrate formation. Dissolved methane can then diffuse into adjacent sand layers, where pore size does not restrict hydrate formation and hydrates can accumulate. Short-range migration has been used to explain hydrate accumulations in sand layers observed in drill sites on the northern Cascadia margin and in the Gulf of Mexico. Here we test the feasibility of short-range migration in two additional locations, where gas hydrates have been found in coarse-grained volcanic ash layers (Site NGHP-01-17, Andaman Sea, Indian Ocean) and turbidite sand beds (Site IODP-C0002, Kumano forearc basin, Nankai Trough, western Pacific). We apply reaction-transport modeling to calculate dissolved methane concentration and gas hydrate amounts resulting from microbial methane generated within the GHSZ. Model results show that short-range migration of microbial methane can explain the overall amounts of methane hydrate observed at the two sites. Short-range migration has been shown to be feasible in diverse margin environments and is likely to be a widespread methane transport mechanism in gas hydrate systems. It only requires a small amount of organic carbon and sediment sequences consisting of thin coarse-grained layers that can concentrate microbial methane generated within thick fine-grained sediment beds; these conditions are common along continental margins around the globe.

Concentration of Actinides in Plant Mounds at Safety Test Nuclear Sites in Nevada

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

David S. Shafer; Jenna Gommes

Plant mounds or blow-sand mounds are accumulations of soil particles and plant debris around large shrubs and are common features in deserts in the southwestern United States. Believed to be an important factor in their formation, the shrubs create surface roughness that causes wind-suspended particles to be deposited and resist further suspension. Shrub mounds occur in some plant communities on the Nevada Test Site, the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), and Tonopah Test Range (TTR), including areas of surface soil contamination from past nuclear testing. In the 1970s as part of early studies to understand properties of actinides inmore » the environment, the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) examined the accumulation of isotopes of Pu, {sup 241}Am, and U in plant mounds at safety test sites. The NAEG studies found concentrations of these contaminants to be greater in shrub mounds than in the surrounding areas of desert pavement. For example, at Project 57 on the NTTR, it was estimated that 15 percent of the radionuclide inventory of the site was associated with shrub mounds, which accounted for 17 percent of the surface area of the site, a ratio of inventory to area of 0.85. At Clean Slate III at the TTR, 29 percent of the inventory was associated with approximately 32 percent of the site covered by shrub mounds, a ratio of 0.91. While the total inventory of radionuclides in intershrub areas was greater, the ratio of radionuclide inventory to area was 0.40 and 0.38, respectively, at the two sites. The comparison between the shrub mounds and adjacent desert pavement areas was made for only the top 5 cm since radionuclides at safety test sites are concentrated in the top 5 cm of intershrub areas. Not accounting for radionuclides associated with the shrub mounds would cause the inventory of contaminants and potential exposure to be underestimated. As part of its Environmental Restoration Soils Subproject, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office has proposed that the majority of its contaminated soil 'Corrective Action Units', including the safety test sites, be closed by fencing and posting with administrative controls. The concentration of actinides in the shrub mounds has important implications for postclosure management of the safety test sites. Because resuspension factors at safety test sites can be three to four orders-of-magnitude higher than soil sites associated with atmospheric tests where criticality occurred, the shrub mounds are an important factor in stabilization of actinide contaminants. Loss of shrubs associated with mounds from fire or plant die-back from drought could cause radionuclides at these sites to become more prone to suspension and water erosion until the sites are stabilized. Alternatively, although shrub mounds are usually composed of predominantly fine sand size particles, smaller silt and clay size particles in them are often high in CaCO{sub 3} content. The CaCO{sub 3} may act as a cementing agent to limit erosion of the shrub mounds even if the vegetation cover is temporarily lost.« less

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

Forman, S. E.; Themelis, M. P.

The Department of Energy has set a 20-year lifetime goal for terrestrial photovoltaic modules. Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory, in its capacity as a Photovoltaic Field Tests and Applications Center, has established various experimental test sites in the United States ranging in size from 0.1 to 25 kW of peak power. These sites serve as test beds for photovoltaic system components and include modules from several manufacturers. This report summarizes the activities of the Materials, Processes and Testing Laboratory of the Solar Photovoltaic Project during a three-month (10/1/78--12/31/78) period. Particular attention is given to testing and analysis of solarmore » modules from the Mead, Nebraska site, which contains a 25-kW array. A trip to the site was made, where various testing and inspection procedures were followed, in order to ascertain the physical and electrical degradation which had occurred in modules. In addition, several modules were removed for more detailed testing and inspection in the Laboratory. The results of both the field testing and laboratory analyses are reported here.« less

Hydrologic transport of depleted uranium associated with open air dynamic range testing at Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico, and Eglin Air Force Base, Florida

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

Becker, N.M.; Vanta, E.B.

Hydrologic investigations on depleted uranium fate and transport associated with dynamic testing activities were instituted in the 1980`s at Los Alamos National Laboratory and Eglin Air Force Base. At Los Alamos, extensive field watershed investigations of soil, sediment, and especially runoff water were conducted. Eglin conducted field investigations and runoff studies similar to those at Los Alamos at former and active test ranges. Laboratory experiments complemented the field investigations at both installations. Mass balance calculations were performed to quantify the mass of expended uranium which had transported away from firing sites. At Los Alamos, it is estimated that more thanmore » 90 percent of the uranium still remains in close proximity to firing sites, which has been corroborated by independent calculations. At Eglin, we estimate that 90 to 95 percent of the uranium remains at test ranges. These data demonstrate that uranium moves slowly via surface water, in both semi-arid (Los Alamos) and humid (Eglin) environments.« less

About White Sands Missile Range

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

Information on the White Sands Missile Range is given in viewgraph form. Navy programs, test sites, rocket programs, research rockets' booster capacity, current boost capabilities, ordnance and payload assembly areas, commercial space launch history and agreements, and lead times are among the topics covered.

Phase 1 Environmental Baseline Survey for the Leasing of Nevada Test and Training Range, EC-South Range, Well Site ER-EC-11, for the Underground Test Area Pahute Mesa Phase 2 Drilling and Testing Program Nye County, Nevada

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-01

rates are low, ranging from 0.014 to 2.2 liters per second (0.22 to 35 gallons per minute) (IT, 1997; Thordarson and Robinson, 1971). Most water...Area Ash Meadows Discharge Area Oasis Valley Discharge Area 29 fractured volcanic rocks (Winograd and Thordarson , 1975; Laczniak et al., 1996...Vicinity The current understanding of regional groundwater flow at the subject property and adjacent NTS is derived from work by Winograd and Thordarson

Landing and Population Hazard Analysis for Stardust Entry in Operations and Entry Planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tooley, Jeffrey; Desai, Prasun N.; Lynos, Daniel T.; Hirst, Edward A.; Wahl, Tom E.; Wawrzyniak, Georffery G.

2006-01-01

Stardust is a comet sample return mission that successfully returned to Earth on January 15, 2006. Stardust's targeted landing area was the Utah Test and Training Range in the Northwest corner of Utah. Requirements for the risks associated with landing were levied on Stardust by the Utah Test and Training Range and NASA. This paper describes the analysis to verify that these requirements were met and and includes calculation of debris survivability, generation of landing site selection plots, and identification of keep-out zones, as well as appropriate selection of the landing site. Operationally the risk requirements were all met for both of the GOMO-GO polls, so entry was authorized.

3-D Characterization of Seismic Properties at the Smart Weapons Test Range, YPG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Richard D.; Anderson, Thomas S.; Davis, John C.; Steeples, Don W.; Moran, Mark L.

2001-10-01

The Smart Weapons Test Range (SWTR) lies within the Yuma Proving Ground (YPG), Arizona. SWTR is a new facility constructed specifically for the development and testing of futuristic intelligent battlefield sensor networks. In this paper, results are presented for an extensive high-resolution geophysical characterization study at the SWTR site along with validation using 3-D modeling. In this study, several shallow seismic methods and novel processing techniques were used to generate a 3-D grid of earth seismic properties, including compressional (P) and shear (S) body-wave speeds (Vp and Vs), and their associated body-wave attenuation parameters (Qp, and Qs). These experiments covered a volume of earth measuring 1500 m by 300 m by 25 m deep (11 million cubic meters), centered on the vehicle test track at the SWTR site. The study has resulted in detailed characterizations of key geophysical properties. To our knowledge, results of this kind have not been previously achieved, nor have the innovative methods developed for this effort been reported elsewhere. In addition to supporting materiel developers with important geophysical information at this test range, the data from this study will be used to validate sophisticated 3-D seismic signature models for moving vehicles.

Inventory and review of aquifer storage and recovery in southern Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reese, Ronald S.

2002-01-01

publications > water resources investigations > report 02-4036 US Department of the Interior US Geological Survey WRI 02-4036Inventory and Review of Aquifer Storage and Recovery in Southern Florida By Ronald S. ReeseTallahassee, Florida 2002 prepared as part of the U.S. Geological Survey Place-Based Studies Program ABSTRACT Abstract Introduction Inventory of Data Case Studies Summary References Tables Aquifer storage and recovery in southern Florida has been proposed on an unprecedented scale as part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. Aquifer storage and recovery wells were constructed or are under construction at 27 sites in southern Florida, mostly by local municipalities or counties located in coastal areas. The Upper Floridan aquifer, the principal storage zone of interest to the restoration plan, is the aquifer being used at 22 of the sites. The aquifer is brackish to saline in southern Florida, which can greatly affect the recovery of the freshwater recharged and stored.Well data were inventoried and compiled for all wells at most of the 27 sites. Construction and testing data were compiled into four main categories: (1) well identification, location, and construction data; (2) hydraulic test data; (3) ambient formation water-quality data; and (4) cycle testing data. Each cycle during testing or operation includes periods of recharge of freshwater, storage, and recovery that each last days or months. Cycle testing data include calculations of recovery efficiency, which is the percentage of the total amount of potable water recharged for each cycle that is recovered.Calculated cycle test data include potable water recovery efficiencies for 16 of the 27 sites. However, the number of cycles at most sites was limited; except for two sites, the highest number of cycles was five. Only nine sites had a recovery efficiency above 10 percent for the first cycle, and 10 sites achieved a recovery efficiency above 30 percent during at least one cycle. The highest recovery efficiency achieved per cycle was 84 percent for cycle 16 at the Boynton Beach site.Factors that could affect recovery of freshwater varied widely between sites. The thickness of the open storage zone at all sites ranged from 45 to 452 feet. For sites with the storage zone in the Upper Floridan aquifer, transmissivity based on tests of the storage zones ranged from 800 to 108,000 feet squared per day, leakance values indicated that confinement is not good in some areas, and the chloride concentration of ambient water ranged from 500 to 11,000 milligrams per liter.Based on review of four case studies and data from other sites, several hydrogeologic and design factors appear to be important to the performance of aquifer storage and recovery in the Floridan aquifer system. Performance is maximized when the storage zone is thin and located at the top of the Upper Floridan aquifer, and transmissivity and salinity of the storage zone are moderate (less than 30,000 feet squared per day and 3,000 milligrams per liter of chloride concentration, respectively). The structural setting at a site could also be important because of the potential for updip migration of a recharged freshwater bubble due to density contrast or loss of overlying confinement due to deformation.

17. Photographic copy of intial site plan for North Base: ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

17. Photographic copy of intial site plan for North Base: AF Job No. 1045, Military Construction: Muroc Bombing Range, Muroc Lake, California; Materiel Test Site: Location Plan, Sheet No. 1 of 11, May 1942. Records on file at AFFTC/CE-CECC-B (Design/Construction Flight/RPMC), Edwards AFB, California. - Edwards Air Force Base, North Base, North Base Road, Boron, Kern County, CA

Strontium Isotopic Composition of Paleozoic Carbonate Rocks in the Nevada Test Site Vicinity, Clark, Lincoln, and Nye Counties, Nevada and Inyo County, California.

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

James B. Paces; Zell E. Peterman; Kiyoto Futa

2007-08-07

Ground water moving through permeable Paleozoic carbonate rocks represents the most likely pathway for migration of radioactive contaminants from nuclear weapons testing at the Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada. The strontium isotopic composition (87Sr/86Sr) of ground water offers a useful means of testing hydrochemical models of regional flow involving advection and reaction. However, reaction models require knowledge of 87Sr/86Sr data for carbonate rock in the Nevada Test Site vicinity, which is scarce. To fill this data gap, samples of core or cuttings were selected from 22 boreholes at depth intervals from which water samples had been obtained previously aroundmore » the Nevada Test Site at Yucca Flat, Frenchman Flat, Rainier Mesa, and Mercury Valley. Dilute acid leachates of these samples were analyzed for a suite of major- and trace-element concentrations (MgO, CaO, SiO2, Al2O3, MnO, Rb, Sr, Th, and U) as well as for 87Sr/86Sr. Also presented are unpublished analyses of 114 Paleozoic carbonate samples from outcrops, road cuts, or underground sites in the Funeral Mountains, Bare Mountain, Striped Hills, Specter Range, Spring Mountains, and ranges east of the Nevada Test Site measured in the early 1990's. These data originally were collected to evaluate the potential for economic mineral deposition at the potential high-level radioactive waste repository site at Yucca Mountain and adjacent areas (Peterman and others, 1994). Samples were analyzed for a suite of trace elements (Rb, Sr, Zr, Ba, La, and Ce) in bulk-rock powders, and 87Sr/86Sr in partial digestions of carbonate rock using dilute acid or total digestions of silicate-rich rocks. Pre-Tertiary core samples from two boreholes in the central or western part of the Nevada Test Site also were analyzed. Data are presented in tables and summarized in graphs; however, no attempt is made to interpret results with respect to ground-water flow paths in this report. Present-day 87Sr/86Sr values are compared to values for Paleozoic seawater present at the time of deposition. Many of the samples have 87Sr/86Sr compositions that remain relatively unmodified from expected seawater values. However, rocks underlying the northern Nevada Test Site as well as rocks exposed at Bare Mountain commonly have elevated 87Sr/86Sr values derived from post-depositional addition of radiogenic Sr most likely from fluids circulating through rubidium-rich Paleozoic strata or Precambrian basement rocks.« less

Strontium Isotopic Composition of Paleozoic Carbonate Rocks in the Nevada Test Site Vicinity, Clark, Lincoln, and Nye Counties, Nevada, and Inyo County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paces, James B.; Peterman, Zell E.; Futo, Kiyoto; Oliver, Thomas A.; Marshall, Brian D.

2007-01-01

Ground water moving through permeable Paleozoic carbonate rocks represents the most likely pathway for migration of radioactive contaminants from nuclear weapons testing at the Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada. The strontium isotopic composition (87Sr/86Sr) of ground water offers a useful means of testing hydrochemical models of regional flow involving advection and reaction. However, reaction models require knowledge of 87Sr/86Sr data for carbonate rock in the Nevada Test Site vicinity, which is scarce. To fill this data gap, samples of core or cuttings were selected from 22 boreholes at depth intervals from which water samples had been obtained previously around the Nevada Test Site at Yucca Flat, Frenchman Flat, Rainier Mesa, and Mercury Valley. Dilute acid leachates of these samples were analyzed for a suite of major- and trace-element concentrations (MgO, CaO, SiO2, Al2O3, MnO, Rb, Sr, Th, and U) as well as for 87Sr/86Sr. Also presented are unpublished analyses of 114 Paleozoic carbonate samples from outcrops, road cuts, or underground sites in the Funeral Mountains, Bare Mountain, Striped Hills, Specter Range, Spring Mountains, and ranges east of the Nevada Test Site measured in the early 1990's. These data originally were collected to evaluate the potential for economic mineral deposition at the potential high-level radioactive waste repository site at Yucca Mountain and adjacent areas (Peterman and others, 1994). Samples were analyzed for a suite of trace elements (Rb, Sr, Zr, Ba, La, and Ce) in bulk-rock powders, and 87Sr/86Sr in partial digestions of carbonate rock using dilute acid or total digestions of silicate-rich rocks. Pre-Tertiary core samples from two boreholes in the central or western part of the Nevada Test Site also were analyzed. Data are presented in tables and summarized in graphs; however, no attempt is made to interpret results with respect to ground-water flow paths in this report. Present-day 87Sr/86Sr values are compared to values for Paleozoic seawater present at the time of deposition. Many of the samples have 87Sr/86Sr compositions that remain relatively unmodified from expected seawater values. However, rocks underlying the northern Nevada Test Site as well as rocks exposed at Bare Mountain commonly have elevated 87Sr/86Sr values derived from post-depositional addition of radiogenic Sr most likely from fluids circulating through rubidium-rich Paleozoic strata or Precambrian basement rocks.

Corrective action investigation plan for CAU Number 453: Area 9 Landfill, Tonopah Test Range

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

NONE

This Corrective Action Investigation Plan (CAIP) contains the environmental sample collection objectives and criteria for conducting site investigation activities at the Area 9 Landfill, Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 453/Corrective Action (CAS) 09-55-001-0952, which is located at the Tonopah Test Range (TTR). The TTR, included in the Nellis Air Force Range, is approximately 255 kilometers (140 miles) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. The Area 9 Landfill is located northwest of Area 9 on the TTR. The landfill cells associated with CAU 453 were excavated to receive waste generated from the daily operations conducted at Area 9 and from range cleanup whichmore » occurred after test activities.« less

Preliminary Assessment for CAU 485: Cactus Spring Ranch Pu and Du Site, CAS No. TA-39-001-TAGR: Soil Contamination, Tonapah Test Range, Nevada

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

ITLV

1998-07-01

Corrective Action Unit 485, Corrective Action Site TA-39-001-TAGR, the Cactus Spring Ranch Soil Contamination Area, is located approximately six miles southwest of the Area 3 Compound at the eastern mouth of Sleeping Column Canyon in the Cactus Range on the Tonopah Test Range. This site was used in conjunction with animal studies involving the biological effects of radionuclides (specifically plutonium) associated with Operation Roller Coaster. According to field records, a hardened layer of livestock feces ranging from 2.54 centimeters (cm) (1 inch [in.]) to 10.2 cm (4 in.) thick is present in each of the main sheds. IT personnel conductedmore » a field visit on December 3, 1997, and noted that the only visible feces were located within the east shed, the previously fenced area near the east shed, and a small area southwest of the west shed. Other historical records indicate that other areas may still be covered with animal feces, but heavy vegetation now covers it. It is possible that radionuclides are present in this layer, given the history of operations in this area. Chemicals of concern may include plutonium and depleted uranium. Surface soil sampling was conducted on February 18, 1998. An evaluation of historical documentation indicated that plutonium should not be and depleted uranium could not be present at levels significantly above background as the result of test animals being penned at the site. The samples were analyzed for isotopic plutonium using method NAS-NS-3058. The results of the analysis indicated that plutonium levels of the feces and surface soil were not significantly elevated above background.« less

Solar energy system economic evaluation for IBM system 1B, Carlsbad, New Mexico

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The economic performance of an operational test site of a solar energy system is described. The viability of the system was tested over a broad range of environmental and economic conditions. Significant results are reported.

A Comparative Analysis of Three Monocular Passive Ranging Methods on Real Infrared Sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bondžulić, Boban P.; Mitrović, Srđan T.; Barbarić, Žarko P.; Andrić, Milenko S.

2013-09-01

Three monocular passive ranging methods are analyzed and tested on the real infrared sequences. The first method exploits scale changes of an object in successive frames, while other two use Beer-Lambert's Law. Ranging methods are evaluated by comparing with simultaneously obtained reference data at the test site. Research is addressed on scenarios where multiple sensor views or active measurements are not possible. The results show that these methods for range estimation can provide the fidelity required for object tracking. Maximum values of relative distance estimation errors in near-ideal conditions are less than 8%.

Post-Closure Strategy for Use-Restricted Sites on the Nevada National Security Site, Nevada Test and Training Range, and Tonopah Test Range, Nevada

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

Silvas, A. J.

The purpose of this Post-Closure Strategy is to provide a consistent methodology for continual evaluation of post-closure requirements for use-restricted areas on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), and Tonopah Test Range (TTR) to consolidate, modify, or streamline the program. In addition, this document stipulates the creation of a single consolidated Post-Closure Plan that will detail the current post-closure requirements for all active use restrictions (URs) and outlines its implementation and subsequent revision. This strategy will ensure effective management and control of the post-closure sites. There are currently over 200 URs located on themore » NNSS, NTTR, and TTR. Post-closure requirements were initially established in the Closure Report for each site. In some cases, changes to the post-closure requirements have been implemented through addenda, errata sheets, records of technical change, or letters. Post-closure requirements have been collected from these multiple sources and consolidated into several formats, such as summaries and databases. This structure increases the possibility of inconsistencies and uncertainty. As more URs are established and the post-closure program is expanded, the need for a comprehensive approach for managing the program will increase. Not only should the current requirements be obtainable from a single source that supersedes all previous requirements, but the strategy for modifying the requirements should be standardized. This will enable more effective management of the program into the future. This strategy document and the subsequent comprehensive plan are to be implemented under the assumption that the NNSS and outlying sites will be under the purview of the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration for the foreseeable future. This strategy was also developed assuming that regulatory control of the sites remains static. The comprehensive plan is not intended to be a permanent long-term stewardship plan. However, it is intended to clarify requirements and identify components to effectively manage the sites until regulatory requirements are met or management of the site changes. The Environmental Management Program is required to manage these sites until the NNSS Environmental Restoration program is completed, currently planned for 2030. Prior to completion of the Environmental Restoration program, additional planning will be conducted to ensure that long-term stewardship of the sites is maintained. A comprehensive post-closure plan can be transitioned effectively into any future site-wide long-term stewardship program that may be developed. Therefore, the post-closure plan will include current aspects of the post-closure program that are also important aspects of long-term stewardship, including the following: • Management of physical and engineering controls such as fences, signs, and soil covers • Management of institutional and administrative controls such as use restrictions and real estate systems • Management of monitoring and maintenance programs • Management of information related to the sites such as geographic information system data and related documentation The strategy will also allow for periodic review and modification of any aspect of the program to ensure continued effectiveness.« less

Water-level data from wells and test holes through 1991 and potentiometric contours as of 1991 for Yucca Flat, Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hale, Glenn S.; Trudeau, Douglas A.; Savard, Charles S.

1995-01-01

The underground nuclear-testing program of the U.S. Department of Energy takes place at the Nevada Test Site, about 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nev. Water levels in Yucca Flat may be affected by underground nuclear testing. The purpose of this map report is to present water-level data collected from wells and test holes through December 1991, and to present potentiometric contours representing 1991 water-table conditions in Yucca Flat. Water-level data from 91 sites are shown on the map and include information from 54 sites shown on a 1983 map. Water levels ranged from 519.5 to 2,162.9-feet below land surface. Potentiometric contours are drawn from water-level data to represent the altitude of the water table. Water-level altitudes ranged from about 2,377 ft to 2,770 ft above sea level in the central part of Yucca Flat and from about 4,060 ft to 2,503 ft above sea level in the western and northern parts of Yucca Flat. The water-level data were contoured considering the hydrologic setting, including the concept that water levels within the Cenozoic hydrologic units in the central part of the study area are elevated with respect to water levels in the adjacent and underlying Paleozoic hydrologic units. The most notable feature in the central part of the area is the presence of four ground-water mounds not shown on the 1983 map.

Comparative analytical costs of central laboratory glucose and bedside glucose testing: a College of American Pathologists Q-Probes study.

PubMed

Howanitz, Peter J; Jones, Bruce A

2004-07-01

One of the major attributes of laboratory testing is cost. Although fully automated central laboratory glucose testing and semiautomated bedside glucose testing (BGT) are performed at most institutions, rigorous determinations of interinstitutional comparative costs have not been performed. To compare interinstitutional analytical costs of central laboratory glucose testing and BGT and to provide suggestions for improvement. Participants completed a demographic form about their institutional glucose monitoring practices. They also collected information about the costs of central laboratory glucose testing, BGT at a high-volume testing site, and BGT at a low-volume testing site, including specified cost variables for labor, reagents, and instruments. A total of 445 institutions enrolled in the College of American Pathologists Q-Probes program. Median cost per glucose test at 3 testing sites. The median (10th-90th percentile range) costs per glucose test were 1.18 dollars (5.59 dollars-0.36 dollars), 1.96 dollars (9.51 dollars-0.77 dollars), and 4.66 dollars (27.54 dollars-1.02 dollars) for central laboratory, high-volume BGT sites, and low-volume BGT sites, respectively. The largest percentages of the cost per test were for labor (59.3%, 72.7%, and 85.8%), followed by supplies (27.2%, 27.3%, and 13.4%) and equipment (2.1%, 0.0%, and 0.0%) for the 3 sites, respectively. The median number of patient specimens per month at the high-volume BGT sites was 625 compared to 30 at the low-volume BGT sites. Most participants did not include labor, instrument maintenance, competency assessment, or oversight in their BGT estimated costs until required to do so for the study. Analytical costs per glucose test were lower for central laboratory glucose testing than for BGT, which, in turn, was highly variable and dependent on volume. Data that would be used for financial justification for BGT were widely aberrant and in need of improvement.

Arias intensity assessment of liquefaction test sites on the east side of San Francisco Bay affected by the Loma Prieta, California, earthquake of 17 October 1989

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kayen, R.E.

1997-01-01

Abstract. Uncompacted artificial-fill deposits on the east side of San Francisco Bay suffered severe levels of soil liquefaction during the Loma Prieta earthquake of 17 October 1989. Damaged areas included maritime-port facilities, office buildings, and shoreline transportation arteries, ranging from 65 to 85 km from the north end of the Loma Prieta rupture zone. Typical of all these sites, which represent occurrences of liquefaction-induced damage farthest from the rupture zone, are low cone penetration test and Standard Penetration Test resistances in zones of cohesionless silty and sandy hydraulic fill, and underlying soft cohesive Holocene and Pleistocene sediment that strongly amplified ground motions. Postearthquake investigations at five study sites using standard penetration tests and cone penetration tests provide a basis for evaluation of the Arias intensity-based methodology for assessment of liquefaction susceptibility. ?? 1997 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Closure Report for CAU No. 430: Buried Depleted Uraniuim Artillery Round No. 1, Tonopah Test Range, Revision 0

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

None

1997-02-25

1.1 Purpose This Closure Report presents the information obtained from investigative actions performed to justify the decision for clean closure of CAU 430 through "No Further Action." The investigative actions were performed per the Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration Plan, CA UNO. 430: Buried Depleted Uranium Artille~ Round No. 1, Tonopah Test Range (DOE/NV, 1996a) (hereafter referred to as the SAFER Plan). The Buried DU Artillery Round No. 1 is located approximately 1.1 kilometers (km) (0.7 mile [mi]) south of Avenue 13 in the test area south of Area 9 (Figure 1-2). The site was thought to consist of amore » potentially unexploded W-79 Joint Test Assembly (JTA) test artillery projectile with high explosives (HE) and DU. The DU was substituted for Special Nuclear Material to prevent a nuclear explosion and yet retain the physical characteristics of uranium for ballistic and other mechanical tests. The projectile was reportedly buried in one pit, approximately 5 to 10 feet (ft) deep (Smith, 1993; Smith, 1996; Quas, 1996). The exact location of the burial pit is unknown; however, three disturbed areas (Sites A, B, and C) were identified through geophysical surveys, site visits, and employee interviews as possible locations of the test projectile (Figure 1-3). Results of the investigation are summarized within this Closure Report. Additional information about the site and investigation activities may be found in the SAFER Plan (DOE/NV, 1996a). 1.2 Scope The objectives of the SAFER Plan (DOE/NV, 1996a) activities were to prepare the site for closure through locating and identi~ing the projectile (Buried DU Artillery Round No. 1), destroying the projectile and any remaining components, collecting soil samples to detect residual contamination resulting from projectile destruction, and finally, remediating residual contamination.« less

Detection and Identification of Small Seismic Events Following the 3 September 2017 UNT Around North Korean Nuclear Test Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, W. Y.; Richards, P. G.

2017-12-01

At least four small seismic events were detected around the North Korean nuclear test site following the 3 September 2017 underground nuclear test. The magnitude of these shocks range from 2.6 to 3.5. Based on their proximity to the September 3 UNT, these shocks may be considered as aftershocks of the UNT. We assess the best method to classify these small events based on spectral amplitude ratios of regional P and S wave from the shocks. None of these shocks are classified as explosion-like based on P/S spectral amplitude ratios. We examine additional possible small seismic events around the North Korean test site by using seismic data from stations in southern Korea and northeastern China including IMS seismic arrays, GSN stations, and regional network stations in the region.

A multi‐centre evaluation of nine rapid, point‐of‐care syphilis tests using archived sera

PubMed Central

Herring, A J; Ballard, R C; Pope, V; Adegbola, R A; Changalucha, J; Fitzgerald, D W; Hook, E W; Kubanova, A; Mananwatte, S; Pape, J W; Sturm, A W; West, B; Yin, Y P; Peeling, R W

2006-01-01

Objectives To evaluate nine rapid syphilis tests at eight geographically diverse laboratory sites for their performance and operational characteristics. Methods Tests were compared “head to head” using locally assembled panels of 100 archived (50 positive and 50 negative) sera at each site using as reference standards the Treponema pallidum haemagglutination or the T pallidum particle agglutination test. In addition inter‐site variation, result stability, test reproducibility and test operational characteristics were assessed. Results All nine tests gave good performance relative to the reference standard with sensitivities ranging from 84.5–97.7% and specificities from 84.5–98%. Result stability was variable if result reading was delayed past the recommended period. All the tests were found to be easy to use, especially the lateral flow tests. Conclusions All the tests evaluated have acceptable performance characteristics and could make an impact on the control of syphilis. Tests that can use whole blood and do not require refrigeration were selected for further evaluation in field settings. PMID:17118953

A ground-based magnetic survey of Frenchman Flat, Nevada National Security Site and Nevada Test and Training Range, Nevada: data release and preliminary interpretation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, Jeffrey D.; Burton, Bethany L.; Curry-Elrod, Erika; Drellack, Sigmund

2014-01-01

Question 2—Does basin and range normal faulting observed in the hills north of Frenchman Flat continue southward under alluvium and possibly disrupt the Topopah Spring Tuff of the Paintbrush Group (the Topopah Spring welded tuff aquifer or TSA) east of the Pin Stripe underground nuclear test, which was conducted in Emplacement hole U11b?

A Field and Laboratory Based Assessment of the Potential of High Frequency Ground Penetrating Radar (HFGPR) to Evaluate the Presence and Spatial Variabilty of Hydrophobic Soil Layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weirich, F. H.; Neumann, W.; Campbell, D.

2017-12-01

The presence of fire related hydrophobic (water repellant) soil layers in a wide range of environmental settings can result in greatly increased rates of storm runoff and erosion. In many situations this can contribute to the generation of debris and/or hyperconcentrated flows. While the role of hydrophobic soils in greatly increasing sediment production in such situations is known, the ability to predict the volume of sediment that will be generated by specific storm events has been limited, in part, by limits on the ability to assess the characteristics of hydrophobic soil layers. At present, the most widely accepted method of assessing the presence, strength, extent and persistence of hydrophobic soil layers requires the performance of an in situ water drop penetration test (WDPT). This approach, while effective on a local site, is labor and time intensive and can be difficult to employ on a watershed or even slope wide basis. As part of a wider research effort to develop more effective methods of evaluating the characteristics of hydrophobic soils a combined field and laboratory based program has been undertaken to evaluate the capability of higher frequency ground penetrating radar (HFGPR) to detect and map out the spatial extent, strength, and persistence of hydrophobic soil layers. This has involved the testing of HFGPR systems at several field site in burnt watersheds in Southern California as well as a program of laboratory tests on samples of fire impacted soils collected from the same watersheds. The field tests were undertaken on sites ranging from a location that had burnt a few weeks earlier to locations where over 5 years had passed since a burn took place. Laboratory samples of soils were taken from the same range of sites and used in the laboratory tests. In parallel with the HFGPR testing WDPT's were used to confirm the findings of the HFGPR approach. Both the field and laboratory results indicate that the use of HFGPR, under appropriate soil moisture conditions, is capable of mapping out the presence, spatial extent, and persistence of hydrophobic soil layers. Layers at depth ranging from 1-6 cm were successfully mapped. The persistence of layers on some sites 5 years after a burn were also able to be measured using this approach. Work to further refine both the approach and its limitations is ongoing.

Using LANDSAT digital data for estimating green biomass. [Throckmorton, Texas test site and Great Plans Corridor, US

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deering, D. W.; Haas, R. H. (Principal Investigator)

1980-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Relationships between the quantity of mixed prairie rangeland vegetation and LANDSAT MSS response were studied during four growing seasons at test sites throughout the United States Great Plans region. A LANDSAT derived parameter, the normalized difference was developed from theoretical considerations fro statistical estimation of the amount and seasonal condition of rangeland vegetation. This parameter was tested for application to local assessment of green forage biomass and regional monitoring of range feed conditions and drought. Results show that for grasslands in the Great Plains with near continuous vegetative cover and free of heavy brush and forbs, the LANDSAT digital data can provide a useful estimate of the quantity of green forage biomass (within 250 kg/ha), and at least five levels of pasture and range feed conditions can be adequately mapped for extended regions.

EPR TOOTH DOSIMETRY OF SNTS AREA INHABITANTS

PubMed Central

Sholom, Sergey; Desrosiers, Marc; Bouville, André; Luckyanov, Nicholas; Chumak, Vadim

2009-01-01

The determination of external dose to teeth of inhabitants of settlements near the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (SNTS) was conducted using the EPR dosimetry technique to assess radiation doses associated with exposure to radioactive fallout from the test site. In this study, tooth doses have been reconstructed for 103 persons with all studied teeth having been formed before the first nuclear test in 1949. Doses above those received from natural background radiation, termed “accident doses”, were found to lie in the range from zero to approximately 2 Gy, with one exception, a dose for one person from Semipalatinsk city was approximately 9 Gy. The variability of reconstructed doses within each of the settlements demonstrated heterogeneity of the deposited fallout as well as variations in lifestyle. The village mean external gamma doses for residents of nine[ settlements were in the range from a few tens of mGy to approximately 100 mGy. PMID:19590746

EPR TOOTH DOSIMETRY OF SNTS AREA INHABITANTS.

PubMed

Sholom, Sergey; Desrosiers, Marc; Bouville, André; Luckyanov, Nicholas; Chumak, Vadim; Simon, Steven L

2007-07-01

The determination of external dose to teeth of inhabitants of settlements near the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (SNTS) was conducted using the EPR dosimetry technique to assess radiation doses associated with exposure to radioactive fallout from the test site. In this study, tooth doses have been reconstructed for 103 persons with all studied teeth having been formed before the first nuclear test in 1949. Doses above those received from natural background radiation, termed "accident doses", were found to lie in the range from zero to approximately 2 Gy, with one exception, a dose for one person from Semipalatinsk city was approximately 9 Gy. The variability of reconstructed doses within each of the settlements demonstrated heterogeneity of the deposited fallout as well as variations in lifestyle. The village mean external gamma doses for residents of nine[ settlements were in the range from a few tens of mGy to approximately 100 mGy.

An overview on GSF activities at the Semipalatinsk Test Site, Kazakhstan.

PubMed

Semioshkina, Natalia; Voigt, Gabrielle

2006-02-01

The Semipalatinsk Test Site (STS) in Kazakhstan was one of the major sites used by the former USSR for testing nuclear weapons for more than 40 years. Since the early 1990s, agricultural activities have been re-established there by neighbouring collective and private farms. Therefore, it has become important to evaluate the radiological situation and the current and future risk to people living on and using the contaminated area. During the last eight years, GSF has participated in many international projects performed on the STS to evaluate the radiological situation. A large number of soil, vegetation and food samples has been collected and analysed. Internal dose is one of the main components of the total dose when deriving risk factors for a population living within the test site. Internal doses, based on food monitoring and whole body measurements, were calculated for adults and were in the range of 13-500 microSv/y due to radiocaesium and radiostrontium.

Field testing of fugitive dust control techniques at a uranium mill tailings pile - 1982 Field Test, Gas Hills, Wyoming.

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

Elmore, M.R.; Hartley, J.N.

A field test was conducted on a uranium tailings pile to evaluate the effectiveness of 15 chemical stabilizers for control of fugitive dust from uranium mill tailings. A tailings pile at the Federal American Partners (FAP) Uranium Mill, Gas Hills, Wyoming, was used for the field test. Preliminary laboratory tests using a wing tunnel were conducted to select the more promising stabilizers for field testing. Fourteen of the chemical stabilizers were applied with a field spray system pulled behind a tractor; one--Hydro Mulch--was applied with a hydroseeder. A portable weather station and data logger were installed to record the weathermore » conditions at the test site. After 1 year of monitoring (including three site visits), all of the stabilizers have degraded to some degree; but those applied at the manufacturers' recommended rate are still somewhat effective in reducing fugitive emissions. The following synthetic polymer emulsions appear to be the more effective stabilizers: Wallpol 40-133 from Reichold Chemicals, SP-400 from Johnson and March Corporation, and CPB-12 from Wen Don Corporation. Installed costs for the test plots ranged from $8400 to $11,300/ha; this range results from differences in stabilizer costs. Large-scale stabilization costs of the test materials are expected to range from $680 to $3600/ha based on FAP experience. Evaluation of the chemical stabilizers will continue for approximately 1 year. 2 references, 33 figures, 22 tables.« less

Characterization studies and indicated remediation methods for plutonium contaminated soils at the Nevada Test Site

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

Murarik, T.M.; Wenstrand, T.K.; Rogers, L.A.

An initial soil characterization study was conducted to help identify possible remediation methods to remove plutonium from the Nevada Test Site and Tonapah Test Range surface soils. Results from soil samples collected across various isopleths at five sites indicate that the size-fraction distribution patterns of plutonium remain similar to findings from the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) (1970's). The plutonium remains in the upper 10--15 cm of soils, as indicated in previous studies. Distribution of fine particles downwind'' of ground zero at each site is suggested. Whether this pattern was established immediately after each explosion or this resulted from post-shotmore » wind movement of deposited material is unclear. Several possible soil treatment scenarios are presented. Removal of plutonium from certain size fractions of the soils would alleviate the sites of much of the plutonium burden. However, the nature of association of plutonium with soil components will determine which remediation methods will most likely succeed.« less

Characterization studies and indicated remediation methods for plutonium contaminated soils at the Nevada Test Site

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

Murarik, T.M.; Wenstrand, T.K.; Rogers, L.A.

An initial soil characterization study was conducted to help identify possible remediation methods to remove plutonium from the Nevada Test Site and Tonapah Test Range surface soils. Results from soil samples collected across various isopleths at five sites indicate that the size-fraction distribution patterns of plutonium remain similar to findings from the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) (1970`s). The plutonium remains in the upper 10--15 cm of soils, as indicated in previous studies. Distribution of fine particles ``downwind`` of ground zero at each site is suggested. Whether this pattern was established immediately after each explosion or this resulted from post-shotmore » wind movement of deposited material is unclear. Several possible soil treatment scenarios are presented. Removal of plutonium from certain size fractions of the soils would alleviate the sites of much of the plutonium burden. However, the nature of association of plutonium with soil components will determine which remediation methods will most likely succeed.« less

Geohydrology of the proposed Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site, Los Medanos area, southeastern New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mercer, Jerry W.

1983-01-01

Geohydrologic data have been collected in the Los Medanos area at the U.S. Department of Energy 's proposed Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site in southeastern New Mexico since 1975 as part of an intensive study evaluating the feasibility of storing defense-associated nuclear wastes within the bedded salt of the Salado Formation of Permian age. Drilling and hydrologic testing have identified three principal water-producing zones above the salt, including the Rustler-Salado Formational contact and the Culebra and Magenta Dolomite Members of the Permian Rustler Formation. Below the bedded salt there is another water-bearing zone, the channel sandstones of the Bell Canyon formation of the Permian Delaware Mountain Group. Most data collected from 33 hydrologic test holes indicate that the water-bearing zones are characterized by low transmissivities and contain slightly saline to briny water. Data collected from drill-stem tests in the Bell Canyon Formation indicate the channel sandstones have hydraulic conductivities ranging from 0.02 to 0.36 feet per day grade vertically and laterally into siltstones and shales of very low permeability. The Rustler Formation contains the principal water-producing zones identified at the WIPP site. The Rustler-Salado formational contact has the least transmissivity, ranging from 0.00003 to 0.003 feet squared per day. The Culebra Dolomite is the most productive unit at the WIPP site with transmissivities ranging from 0.001 to 73 feet squared per day; the greater values result from fracturing in the dolomite created by dissolution of underlying halite. Minute vertical permeabilities prevent movement of water between hydrologic units. (USGS)

A relation between landsat digital numbers, surface reflectance, and the cosine of the solar zenith angle

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kowalik, William S.; Marsh, Stuart E.; Lyon, Ronald J. P.

1982-01-01

A method for estimating the reflectance of ground sites from satellite radiance data is proposed and tested. The method uses the known ground reflectance from several sites and satellite data gathered over a wide range of solar zenith angles. The method was tested on each of 10 different Landsat images using 10 small sites in the Walker Lake, Nevada area. Plots of raw Landsat digital numbers (DNs) versus the cosine of the solar zenith angle (cos Z) for the the test areas are linear, and the average correlation coefficients of the data for Landsat bands 4, 5, 6, and 7 are 0.94, 0.93, 0.94, and 0.94, respectively. Ground reflectance values for the 10 sites are proportional to the slope of the DN versus cos Z relation at each site. The slope of the DN versus cos Z relation for seven additional sites in Nevada and California were used to estimate the ground reflectances of those sites. The estimates for nearby sites are in error by an average of 1.2% and more distant sites are in error by 5.1%. The method can successfully estimate the reflectance of sites outside the original scene, but extrapolation of the reflectance estimation equations to other areas may violate assumptions of atmospheric homogeneity.

Direct-to-consumer sales of genetic services on the Internet.

PubMed

Gollust, Sarah E; Wilfond, Benjamin S; Hull, Sara Chandros

2003-01-01

PURPOSE The increasing use of the Internet to obtain genetics information and to order medical services without a prescription, combined with a rise in direct-to-consumer marketing for genetic testing, suggests the potential for the Internet to be used to sell genetic services. METHODS A systematic World Wide Web search was conducted in May 2002 to assess the availability of genetic services sold directly to consumers on the Internet. RESULTS Out of 105 sites that offered genetic services directly, most offered non-health-related services, including parentage confirmation testing (83%), identity testing (56%), and DNA banking (24%); however, health-related genetic tests were offered through 14 sites (13%). The health-related genetic tests available ranged from standard tests, such as hemochromatosis and cystic fibrosis, to more unconventional tests related to nutrition, behavior, and aging. Of these 14 sites, 5 described risks associated with the genetic services and 6 described the availability of counseling. CONCLUSIONS The availability of direct sales of health-related genetic tests creates the potential for inadequate pretest decision making, misunderstanding test results, and access to tests of questionable clinical value.

Direct-to-consumer sales of genetic services on the Internet

PubMed Central

Gollust, Sarah E.; Wilfond, Benjamin S.; Hull, Sara Chandros

2016-01-01

Purpose The increasing use of the Internet to obtain genetics information and to order medical services without a prescription, combined with a rise in direct-to-consumer marketing for genetic testing, suggests the potential for the Internet to be used to sell genetic services. Methods A systematic World Wide Web search was conducted in May 2002 to assess the availability of genetic services sold directly to consumers on the Internet. Results Out of 105 sites that offered genetic services directly, most offered non–health-related services, including parentage confirmation testing (83%), identity testing (56%), and DNA banking (24%); however, health-related genetic tests were offered through 14 sites (13%). The health-related genetic tests available ranged from standard tests, such as hemochromatosis and cystic fibrosis, to more unconventional tests related to nutrition, behavior, and aging. Of these 14 sites, 5 described risks associated with the genetic services and 6 described the availability of counseling. Conclusions The availability of direct sales of health-related genetic tests creates the potential for inadequate pretest decision making, misunderstanding test results, and access to tests of questionable clinical value. PMID:12865763

Hydraulic characterization of volcanic rocks in Pahute Mesa using an integrated analysis of 16 multiple-well aquifer tests, Nevada National Security Site, 2009–14

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garcia, C. Amanda; Jackson, Tracie R.; Halford, Keith J.; Sweetkind, Donald S.; Damar, Nancy A.; Fenelon, Joseph M.; Reiner, Steven R.

2017-01-20

An improved understanding of groundwater flow and radionuclide migration downgradient from underground nuclear-testing areas at Pahute Mesa, Nevada National Security Site, requires accurate subsurface hydraulic characterization. To improve conceptual models of flow and transport in the complex hydrogeologic system beneath Pahute Mesa, the U.S. Geological Survey characterized bulk hydraulic properties of volcanic rocks using an integrated analysis of 16 multiple-well aquifer tests. Single-well aquifer-test analyses provided transmissivity estimates at pumped wells. Transmissivity estimates ranged from less than 1 to about 100,000 square feet per day in Pahute Mesa and the vicinity. Drawdown from multiple-well aquifer testing was estimated and distinguished from natural fluctuations in more than 200 pumping and observation wells using analytical water-level models. Drawdown was detected at distances greater than 3 miles from pumping wells and propagated across hydrostratigraphic units and major structures, indicating that neither faults nor structural blocks noticeably impede or divert groundwater flow in the study area.Consistent hydraulic properties were estimated by simultaneously interpreting drawdown from the 16 multiple-well aquifer tests with an integrated groundwater-flow model composed of 11 well-site models—1 for each aquifer test site. Hydraulic properties were distributed across volcanic rocks with the Phase II Pahute Mesa-Oasis Valley Hydrostratigraphic Framework Model. Estimated hydraulic-conductivity distributions spanned more than two orders of magnitude in hydrostratigraphic units. Overlapping hydraulic conductivity ranges among units indicated that most Phase II Hydrostratigraphic Framework Model units were not hydraulically distinct. Simulated total transmissivity ranged from 1,600 to 68,000 square feet per day for all pumping wells analyzed. High-transmissivity zones exceeding 10,000 square feet per day exist near caldera margins and extend along the northern and eastern Pahute Mesa study area and near the southwestern edge of the study area. The estimated hydraulic-property distributions and observed hydraulic connections among geologic structures improved the characterization and representation of groundwater flow at Pahute Mesa.

A facility for testing 10 to 100-kWe space power reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlson, William F.; Bitten, Ernest J.

1993-01-01

This paper describes an existing facility that could be used in a cost-effective manner to test space power reactors in the 10 to 100-kWe range before launch. The facility has been designed to conduct full power tests of 100-kWe SP-100 reactor systems and already has the structural features that would be required for lower power testing. The paper describes a reasonable scenario starting with the acceptance at the test site of the unfueled reactor assembly and the separately shipped nuclear fuel. After fueling the reactor and installing it in the facility, cold critical tests are performed, and the reactor is then shipped to the launch site. The availability of this facility represents a cost-effective means of performing the required prelaunch test program.

Retention in care, resource utilization, and costs for adults receiving antiretroviral therapy in Zambia: a retrospective cohort study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Of the estimated 800,000 adults living with HIV in Zambia in 2011, roughly half were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). As treatment scale up continues, information on the care provided to patients after initiating ART can help guide decision-making. We estimated retention in care, the quantity of resources utilized, and costs for a retrospective cohort of adults initiating ART under routine clinical conditions in Zambia. Methods Data on resource utilization (antiretroviral [ARV] and non-ARV drugs, laboratory tests, outpatient clinic visits, and fixed resources) and retention in care were extracted from medical records for 846 patients who initiated ART at ≥15 years of age at six treatment sites between July 2007 and October 2008. Unit costs were estimated from the provider’s perspective using site- and country-level data and are reported in 2011 USD. Results Patients initiated ART at a median CD4 cell count of 145 cells/μL. Fifty-nine percent of patients initiated on a tenofovir-containing regimen, ranging from 15% to 86% depending on site. One year after ART initiation, 75% of patients were retained in care. The average cost per patient retained in care one year after ART initiation was $243 (95% CI, $194-$293), ranging from $184 (95% CI, $172-$195) to $304 (95% CI, $290-$319) depending on site. Patients retained in care one year after ART initiation received, on average, 11.4 months’ worth of ARV drugs, 1.5 CD4 tests, 1.3 blood chemistry tests, 1.4 full blood count tests, and 6.5 clinic visits with a doctor or clinical officer. At all sites, ARV drugs were the largest cost component, ranging from 38% to 84% of total costs, depending on site. Conclusions Patients initiate ART late in the course of disease progression and a large proportion drop out of care after initiation. The quantity of resources utilized and costs vary widely by site, and patients utilize a different mix of resources under routine clinical conditions than if they were receiving fully guideline-concordant care. Improving retention in care and guideline concordance, including increasing the use of tenofovir in first-line ART regimens, may lead to increases in overall treatment costs. PMID:24684772

Differences in mobility at the range edge of an expanding invasive population of Xenopus laevis in the west of France.

PubMed

Louppe, Vivien; Courant, Julien; Herrel, Anthony

2017-01-15

Theoretical models predict that spatial sorting at the range edge of expanding populations should favor individuals with increased mobility relative to individuals at the center of the range. Despite the fact that empirical evidence for the evolution of locomotor performance at the range edge is rare, data on cane toads support this model. However, whether this can be generalized to other species remains largely unknown. Here, we provide data on locomotor stamina and limb morphology in individuals from two sites: one from the center and one from the periphery of an expanding population of the clawed frog Xenopus laevis in France where it was introduced about 30 years ago. Additionally, we provide data on the morphology of frogs from two additional sites to test whether the observed differences can be generalized across the range of this species in France. Given the known sexual size dimorphism in this species, we also test for differences between the sexes in locomotor performance and morphology. Our results show significant sexual dimorphism in stamina and morphology, with males having longer legs and greater stamina than females. Moreover, in accordance with the predictions from theoretical models, individuals from the range edge had a greater stamina. This difference in locomotor performance is likely to be driven by the significantly longer limb segments observed in animals in both sites sampled in different areas along the range edge. Our data have implications for conservation because spatial sorting on the range edge may lead to an accelerated increase in the spread of this invasive species in France. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

75 FR 27997 - Record of Decision (ROD) for the Development and Implementation of Range-Wide Mission and Major...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-19

... (FEIS), including the following proposed land use changes: expansion of the Main Post and alterations in..., and increase in the level of test activities; development of six new Specialized Areas (four for test... Strategy Plan and siting process for facilitating future tests and training activities at WSMR; and...

Field Testing of Cryogenic Carbon Capture

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

Sayre, Aaron; Frankman, Dave; Baxter, Andrew

Sustainable Energy Solutions has been developing Cryogenic Carbon Capture™ (CCC) since 2008. In that time two processes have been developed, the External Cooling Loop and Compressed Flue Gas Cryogenic Carbon Capture processes (CCC ECL™ and CCC CFG™ respectively). The CCC ECL™ process has been scaled up to a 1TPD CO2 system. In this process the flue gas is cooled by an external refrigerant loop. SES has tested CCC ECL™ on real flue gas slip streams from subbituminous coal, bituminous coal, biomass, natural gas, shredded tires, and municipal waste fuels at field sites that include utility power stations, heating plants, cementmore » kilns, and pilot-scale research reactors. The CO2 concentrations from these tests ranged from 5 to 22% on a dry basis. CO2 capture ranged from 95-99+% during these tests. Several other condensable species were also captured including NO2, SO2 and PMxx at 95+%. NO was also captured at a modest rate. The CCC CFG™ process has been scaled up to a .25 ton per day system. This system has been tested on real flue gas streams including subbituminous coal, bituminous coal and natural gas at field sites that include utility power stations, heating plants, and pilot-scale research reactors. CO2 concentrations for these tests ranged from 5 to 15% on a dry basis. CO2 capture ranged from 95-99+% during these tests. Several other condensable species were also captured including NO2, SO2 and PMxx at 95+%. NO was also captured at 90+%. Hg capture was also verified and the resulting effluent from CCC CFG™ was below a 1ppt concentration. This paper will focus on discussion of the capabilities of CCC, the results of field testing and the future steps surrounding the development of this technology.« less

2016 Annual Site Environmental report Sandia National Laboratories Tonopah Test Range Nevada & Kaua'i Test Facility Hawai'i.

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

Salas, Angela Maria; Griffith, Stacy R.

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) under contract DE-NA0003525. The DOE/NNSA Sandia Field Office administers the contract and oversees contractor operations at the SNL, Tonopah Test Range (SNL/TTR) in Nevada and the SNL, Kaua‘i Test Facility (SNL/KTF) in Hawai‘i. SNL personnel manage and conduct operations at SNL/TTR in support of the DOE/NNSA’s Weapons Ordnance Program and have operated the site since 1957. Navarro Research and Engineeringmore » personnel perform most of the environmental programs activities at SNL/TTR. The DOE/NNSA/Nevada Field Office retains responsibility for cleanup and management of SNL/TTR Environmental Restoration sites. SNL personnel operate SNL/KTF as a rocket preparation launching and tracking facility. This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) summarizes data and the compliance status of sustainability, environmental protection, and monitoring programs at SNL/TTR and SNL/KTF during calendar year 2016. Major environmental programs include air quality, water quality, groundwater protection, terrestrial and biological surveillance, waste management, pollution prevention, environmental restoration, oil and chemical spill prevention, and implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act. This ASER is prepared in accordance with and as required by DOE O 231.1B, Admin Change 1, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting.« less

GIS Modelling of Radionuclide Transport from the Semipalatinsk Test Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balakay, L.; Zakarin, E.; Mahura, A.; Baklanov, A.; Sorensen, J. H.

2009-04-01

In this study, the software complex GIS-project MigRad (Migration of Radionuclide) was developed, tested and applied for the territory of the Semipalatinsk test site/ polygon (Republic of Kazakhstan), where since 1961, in total 348 underground nuclear explosions were conducted. The MigRad is oriented on integration of large volumes of different information (mapping, ground-based, and satellite-based survey): and also includes modeling on its base local redistribution of radionuclides by precipitation and surface waters and by long-range transport of radioactive aerosols. The existing thermal anomaly on territory of the polygon was investigated in details, and the object-oriented analysis was applied for the studied area. Employing the RUNOFF model, the simulation of radionuclides migration with surface waters was performed. Employing the DERMA model, the simulation of long-term atmospheric transport, dispersion and deposition patterns for cesium was conducted from 3 selected locations (Balapan, Delegen, and Experimental Field). Employing geoinformation technology, the mapping of the of the high temperature zones and epicenters of radioactive aerosols transport for the territory of the test site was carried out with post-processing and integration of modelling results into GIS environment. Contamination levels of pollution due to former nuclear explosions for population and environment of the surrounding polygon territories of Kazakhstan as well as adjacent countries were analyzed and evaluated. The MigRad was designed as instrument for comprehensive analysis of complex territorial processes influenced by former nuclear explosions on the territory of Semipalatinsk test site. It provides possibilities in detailed analyses for (i) extensive cartographic material, remote sensing, and field measurements data collected in different level databases; (ii) radionuclide migration with flows using accumulation and redistribution of soil particles; (iii) thermal anomalies caused by explosions and observed on the test site and adjacent territories, and (iv) long-range transport of radioactive aerosols with analysis of dynamics of spatial distribution, averaged and accumulated fields for concentration and deposition patterns.

Role of Electrostatics in Protein-RNA Binding: The Global vs the Local Energy Landscape.

PubMed

Ghaemi, Zhaleh; Guzman, Irisbel; Gnutt, David; Luthey-Schulten, Zaida; Gruebele, Martin

2017-09-14

U1A protein-stem loop 2 RNA association is a basic step in the assembly of the spliceosomal U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein. Long-range electrostatic interactions due to the positive charge of U1A are thought to provide high binding affinity for the negatively charged RNA. Short range interactions, such as hydrogen bonds and contacts between RNA bases and protein side chains, favor a specific binding site. Here, we propose that electrostatic interactions are as important as local contacts in biasing the protein-RNA energy landscape toward a specific binding site. We show by using molecular dynamics simulations that deletion of two long-range electrostatic interactions (K22Q and K50Q) leads to mutant-specific alternative RNA bound states. One of these states preserves short-range interactions with aromatic residues in the original binding site, while the other one does not. We test the computational prediction with experimental temperature-jump kinetics using a tryptophan probe in the U1A-RNA binding site. The two mutants show the distinct predicted kinetic behaviors. Thus, the stem loop 2 RNA has multiple binding sites on a rough RNA-protein binding landscape. We speculate that the rough protein-RNA binding landscape, when biased to different local minima by electrostatics, could be one way that protein-RNA interactions evolve toward new binding sites and novel function.

Lidar Sensor Performance in Closed-Loop Flight Testing of the Morpheus Rocket-Propelled Lander to a Lunar-Like Hazard Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roback, Vincent E.; Pierrottet, Diego F.; Amzajerdian, Farzin; Barnes, Bruce W.; Hines, Glenn D.; Petway, Larry B.; Brewster, Paul F.; Kempton, Kevin S.; Bulyshev, Alexander E.

2015-01-01

For the first time, a suite of three lidar sensors have been used in flight to scan a lunar-like hazard field, identify a safe landing site, and, in concert with an experimental Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) system, guide the Morpheus autonomous, rocket-propelled, free-flying test bed to a safe landing on the hazard field. The lidar sensors and GN&C system are part of the Autonomous Precision Landing and Hazard Detection and Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) project which has been seeking to develop a system capable of enabling safe, precise crewed or robotic landings in challenging terrain on planetary bodies under any ambient lighting conditions. The 3-D imaging flash lidar is a second generation, compact, real-time, air-cooled instrument developed from a number of cutting-edge components from industry and NASA and is used as part of the ALHAT Hazard Detection System (HDS) to scan the hazard field and build a 3-D Digital Elevation Map (DEM) in near-real time for identifying safe sites. The flash lidar is capable of identifying a 30 cm hazard from a slant range of 1 km with its 8 cm range precision at 1 sigma. The flash lidar is also used in Hazard Relative Navigation (HRN) to provide position updates down to a 250m slant range to the ALHAT navigation filter as it guides Morpheus to the safe site. The Doppler Lidar system has been developed within NASA to provide velocity measurements with an accuracy of 0.2 cm/sec and range measurements with an accuracy of 17 cm both from a maximum range of 2,200 m to a minimum range of several meters above the ground. The Doppler Lidar's measurements are fed into the ALHAT navigation filter to provide lander guidance to the safe site. The Laser Altimeter, also developed within NASA, provides range measurements with an accuracy of 5 cm from a maximum operational range of 30 km down to 1 m and, being a separate sensor from the flash lidar, can provide range along a separate vector. The Laser Altimeter measurements are also fed into the ALHAT navigation filter to provide lander guidance to the safe site. The flight tests served as the culmination of the TRL 6 journey for the lidar suite and included launch from a pad situated at the NASA-Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) runway, a lunar-like descent trajectory from an altitude of 250m, and landing on a lunar-like hazard field of rocks, craters, hazardous slopes, and safe sites 400m down-range just off the North end of the runway. The tests both confirmed the expected performance and also revealed several challenges present in the flight-like environment which will feed into future TRL advancement of the sensors. The flash lidar identified hazards as small as 30 cm from the maximum slant range of 450 m which Morpheus could provide, however, it was occasionally susceptible to an increase in range noise due to heated air from the Morpheus rocket plume which entered its Field-of-View (FOV). The flash lidar was also susceptible to pre-triggering on dust during the HRN phase which was created during launch and transported by the wind. The Doppler Lidar provided velocity and range measurements to the expected accuracy levels yet it was also susceptible to signal degradation due to air heated by the rocket engine. The Laser Altimeter, operating with a degraded transmitter laser, also showed signal attenuation over a few seconds at a specific phase of the flight due to the heat plume generated by the rocket engine.

Explosive Cratering Performance Tests

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-02

0.25 cm) rain bucket Sling psychrometer ± 1%, ± 10 C 3 TOP 4-2-830 2 July 1981 ITEM REQUIR•4ENT Instrumentation Range/Minimum Accuracy Wind indicator...burial depths. History of prior excavation or disturbance among the various crater sites within the test area should be comparatively equal. However

Half-peroneus-longus-tendon graft augmentation for unqualified hamstring tendon graft of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

PubMed

Liu, Chung-Ting; Lu, Yung-Chang; Huang, Chang-Hung

2015-09-01

In some situations, harvested hamstring tendon grafts are not qualified for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. This study aimed to present a reinforcing method with additional half peroneus longus tendon (half-PLT) graft augmentation. Eight cases underwent ACL reconstruction with unqualified hamstring tendon grafts (diameter <7 mm) and were salvaged by additional half-PLT graft augmentation. The pivot shift test and KT-1000 tests were performed 3 years after surgery. Functional evaluation of subjective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) and Lysholm scores was also done. In addition, Foot and Ankle Disability Index (FADI) scores were used to evaluate the function of the ankle donor site. The diameter of unqualified four-strand hamstring tendon grafts was 6.2 mm on average (range, 6.0-6.5 mm). The average diameter of hamstring grafts with half-PLT augmentation was 9.6 mm (range, 9.5-10.0 mm). The pivot shift test was negative in all patients. No significant differences between normal and abnormal knees were found by KT-1000. The average IKDC score was 86.0 (range, 83 to 89), and the average Lysholm score was 84.4 (range, 80-90). The average FADI score for the donor sites of half-PLT was 135.8 (range, 134-136). Additional half-PLT can successfully and safely reinforce unqualified hamstring tendon grafts for ACL reconstruction.

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 410: Waste Disposal Trenches, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, Revision 0 (includes ROTCs 1, 2, and 3)

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

NNSA /NV

This Corrective Action Investigation Plan contains the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Operations Office's approach to collect the data necessary to evaluate corrective action alternatives appropriate for the closure of Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 410 under the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order. Corrective Action Unit 410 is located on the Tonopah Test Range (TTR), which is included in the Nevada Test and Training Range (formerly the Nellis Air Force Range) approximately 140 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. This CAU is comprised of five Corrective Action Sites (CASs): TA-19-002-TAB2, Debris Mound; TA-21-003-TANL, Disposal Trench; TA-21-002-TAAL,more » Disposal Trench; 09-21-001-TA09, Disposal Trenches; 03-19-001, Waste Disposal Site. This CAU is being investigated because contaminants may be present in concentrations that could potentially pose a threat to human health and/or the environment, and waste may have been disposed of with out appropriate controls. Four out of five of these CASs are the result of weapons testing and disposal activities at the TTR, and they are grouped together for site closure based on the similarity of the sites (waste disposal sites and trenches). The fifth CAS, CAS 03-19-001, is a hydrocarbon spill related to activities in the area. This site is grouped with this CAU because of the location (TTR). Based on historical documentation and process know-ledge, vertical and lateral migration routes are possible for all CASs. Migration of contaminants may have occurred through transport by infiltration of precipitation through surface soil which serves as a driving force for downward migration of contaminants. Land-use scenarios limit future use of these CASs to industrial activities. The suspected contaminants of potential concern which have been identified are volatile organic compounds; semivolatile organic compounds; high explosives; radiological constituents including depleted uranium, beryllium, total petroleum hydrocarbons; and total Resource Conservation and Recovery Act metals. Field activities will consist of geophysical and radiological surveys, and collecting soil samples at biased locations by appropriate methods. A two-step data quality objective strategy will be followed: (1) define the nature of contamination at each CAS location by identifying any contamination above preliminary action levels (PALs); and, (2) determine the extent of contamination identified above PALs. The results of this field investigation will support a defensible evaluation of corrective action alternatives in the corrective action decision document.« less

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

Urbic, Tomaz, E-mail: tomaz.urbic@fkkt.uni-lj.si; Dias, Cristiano L.

The thermodynamic and structural properties of the planar soft-sites dumbbell fluid are examined by Monte Carlo simulations and integral equation theory. The dimers are built of two Lennard-Jones segments. Site-site integral equation theory in two dimensions is used to calculate the site-site radial distribution functions for a range of elongations and densities and the results are compared with Monte Carlo simulations. The critical parameters for selected types of dimers were also estimated. We analyze the influence of the bond length on critical point as well as tested correctness of site-site integral equation theory with different closures. The integral equations canmore » be used to predict the phase diagram of dimers whose molecular parameters are known.« less

Lidar Sensor Performance in Closed-Loop Flight Testing of the Morpheus Rocket-Propelled Lander to a Lunar-Like Hazard Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roback, V. Eric; Pierrottet, Diego F.; Amzajerdian, Farzin; Barnes, Bruce W.; Bulyshev, Alexander E.; Hines, Glenn D.; Petway, Larry B.; Brewster, Paul F.; Kempton, Kevin S.

2015-01-01

For the first time, a suite of three lidar sensors have been used in flight to scan a lunar-like hazard field, identify a safe landing site, and, in concert with an experimental Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) system, help to guide the Morpheus autonomous, rocket-propelled, free-flying lander to that safe site on the hazard field. The lidar sensors and GN&C system are part of the Autonomous Precision Landing and Hazard Detection and Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) project which has been seeking to develop a system capable of enabling safe, precise crewed or robotic landings in challenging terrain on planetary bodies under any ambient lighting conditions. The 3-D imaging Flash Lidar is a second generation, compact, real-time, aircooled instrument developed from a number of components from industry and NASA and is used as part of the ALHAT Hazard Detection System (HDS) to scan the hazard field and build a 3-D Digital Elevation Map (DEM) in near-real time for identifying safe sites. The Flash Lidar is capable of identifying a 30 cm hazard from a slant range of 1 km with its 8 cm range precision (1-s). The Flash Lidar is also used in Hazard Relative Navigation (HRN) to provide position updates down to a 250m slant range to the ALHAT navigation filter as it guides Morpheus to the safe site. The Navigation Doppler Lidar (NDL) system has been developed within NASA to provide velocity measurements with an accuracy of 0.2 cm/sec and range measurements with an accuracy of 17 cm both from a maximum range of 2,200 m to a minimum range of several meters above the ground. The NDLâ€"TM"s measurements are fed into the ALHAT navigation filter to provide lander guidance to the safe site. The Laser Altimeter (LA), also developed within NASA, provides range measurements with an accuracy of 5 cm from a maximum operational range of 30 km down to 1 m and, being a separate sensor from the Flash Lidar, can provide range along a separate vector. The LA measurements are also fed into the ALHAT navigation filter to provide lander guidance to the safe site. The flight tests served as the culmination of the TRL 6 journey for the ALHAT system and included launch from a pad situated at the NASA-Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) runway, a lunar-like descent trajectory from an altitude of 250m, and landing on a lunar-like hazard field of rocks, craters, hazardous slopes, and safe sites 400m down-range just off the North end of the runway. The tests both confirmed the expected performance and also revealed several challenges present in the flight-like environment which will feed into future TRL advancement of the sensors. Guidance provided by the ALHAT system was impeded in portions of the trajectory and intermittent near the end of the trajectory due to optical effects arising from air heated by the rocket engine. The Flash Lidar identified hazards as small as 30 cm from the maximum slant range of 450 m which Morpheus could provide; however, it was occasionally susceptible to an increase in range noise due to scintillation arising from air heated by the Morpheus rocket engine which entered its Field-of-View (FOV). The Flash Lidar was also susceptible to pre-triggering, during the HRN phase, on a dust cloud created during launch and transported down-range by the wind. The NDL provided velocity and range measurements to the expected accuracy levels yet it was also susceptible to signal degradation due to air heated by the rocket engine. The LA, operating with a degraded transmitter laser, also showed signal attenuation over a few seconds at a specific phase of the flight due to the heat plume generated by the rocket engine.

Atmospheric CH4 Concentrations from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) GASLAB Flask Sampling Network (1984 - 2001)

DOE Data Explorer

Steele, L. P. [Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Aspendale, Victoria, Australia; Krummel, P. B. [Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Aspendale, Victoria, Australia; Langenfelds, R. L. [Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Aspendale, Victoria, Australia

2003-01-01

The listed data were obtained from flask air samples returned to the CSIRO GASLAB for analysis. Typical sample storage times ranged from days to weeks for some sites (e.g., Cape Grim) to as much as one year for Macquarie Island and the Antarctic sites. Experiments carried out to test for any change in sample CH4 mixing ratio during storage have shown no drift to within detection limits over test periods of several months to years (Cooper et al., 1999).

External doses of residents near Semipalatinsk nuclear test site.

PubMed

Takada, J; Hoshi, M; Nagatomo, T; Yamamoto, M; Endo, S; Takatsuji, T; Yoshikawa, I; Gusev, B I; Sakerbaev, A K; Tchaijunusova, N J

1999-12-01

Accumulated external radiation doses of residents near the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site of the former USSR are presented as a results of study by the thermoluminescence technique for bricks sampled at several settlements in 1995 and 1996. The external doses that we evaluated from exposed bricks were up to about 100 cGy for resident. The external doses at several points in the center of Semipalatinsk City ranged from a background level to 60 cGy, which was remarkably high compared with the previously reported values based on military data.

Structural relationships of pre-Tertiary rocks in the Nevada Test Site region, southern Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cole, James C.; Cashman, Patricia Hughes

1999-01-01

This report contains a synthesis and interpretation of structural and stratigraphic data for pre-Tertiary rocks in a large area of southern Nevada within and near the Nevada Test Site. Its presents descriptive and interpretive information from discontinuously exposed localities in the context of a regional model that integrates stratigraphy, sedimentology, crustal structure, and deformational style and timing. Evidence is given for substantial strike-slip faults, for modest excursion on low-angle faults, and for pre-Oligocene formation of the regional oroclinal flexure in neighboring mountain ranges.

Water table in rocks of Cenozoic and Paleozoic age, 1980, Yucca Flat, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Doty, G.C.; Thordarson, William

1983-01-01

The water table at Yucca Flat, Nevada Test Site, Nevada, occurs in rocks of Paleozoic age and in tuffs and alluvium of Cenozoic age and ranges in altitude from about 2,425 feet to about 3,500 feet. The configuration of the water table is depicted by contours with intervals of 25 to 500 feet. Control for the map consists of water-level information from 61 drill holes, whose locations and age of geologic units penetrated are shown by symbols on the map. (USGS)

Transferability of species distribution models for the detection of an invasive alien bryophyte using imaging spectroscopy data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skowronek, Sandra; Van De Kerchove, Ruben; Rombouts, Bjorn; Aerts, Raf; Ewald, Michael; Warrie, Jens; Schiefer, Felix; Garzon-Lopez, Carol; Hattab, Tarek; Honnay, Olivier; Lenoir, Jonathan; Rocchini, Duccio; Schmidtlein, Sebastian; Somers, Ben; Feilhauer, Hannes

2018-06-01

Remote sensing is a promising tool for detecting invasive alien plant species. Mapping and monitoring those species requires accurate detection. So far, most studies relied on models that are locally calibrated and validated against available field data. Consequently, detecting invasive alien species at new study areas requires the acquisition of additional field data which can be expensive and time-consuming. Model transfer might thus provide a viable alternative. Here, we mapped the distribution of the invasive alien bryophyte Campylopus introflexus to i) assess the feasibility of spatially transferring locally calibrated models for species detection between four different heathland areas in Germany and Belgium and ii) test the potential of combining calibration data from different sites in one species distribution model (SDM). In a first step, four different SDMs were locally calibrated and validated by combining field data and airborne imaging spectroscopy data with a spatial resolution ranging from 1.8 m to 4 m and a spectral resolution of about 10 nm (244 bands). A one-class classifier, Maxent, which is based on the comparison of probability densities, was used to generate all SDMs. In a second step, each model was transferred to the three other study areas and the performance of the models for predicting C. introflexus occurrences was assessed. Finally, models combining calibration data from three study areas were built and tested on the remaining fourth site. In this step, different combinations of Maxent modelling parameters were tested. For the local models, the area under the curve for a test dataset (test AUC) was between 0.57-0.78, while the test AUC for the single transfer models ranged between 0.45-0.89. For the combined models the test AUC was between 0.54-0.9. The success of transferring models calibrated in one site to another site highly depended on the respective study site; the combined models provided higher test AUC values than the locally calibrated models for three out of four study sites. Furthermore, we also demonstrated the importance of optimizing the Maxent modelling parameters. Overall, our results indicate the potential of a combined model to map C. introflexus without the need for new calibration data.

3D flash lidar performance in flight testing on the Morpheus autonomous, rocket-propelled lander to a lunar-like hazard field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roback, Vincent E.; Amzajerdian, Farzin; Bulyshev, Alexander E.; Brewster, Paul F.; Barnes, Bruce W.

2016-05-01

For the first time, a 3-D imaging Flash Lidar instrument has been used in flight to scan a lunar-like hazard field, build a 3-D Digital Elevation Map (DEM), identify a safe landing site, and, in concert with an experimental Guidance, Navigation, and Control system, help to guide the Morpheus autonomous, rocket-propelled, free-flying lander to that safe site on the hazard field. The flight tests served as the TRL 6 demo of the Autonomous Precision Landing and Hazard Detection and Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) system and included launch from NASA-Kennedy, a lunar-like descent trajectory from an altitude of 250m, and landing on a lunar-like hazard field of rocks, craters, hazardous slopes, and safe sites 400m down-range. The ALHAT project developed a system capable of enabling safe, precise crewed or robotic landings in challenging terrain on planetary bodies under any ambient lighting conditions. The Flash Lidar is a second generation, compact, real-time, air-cooled instrument. Based upon extensive on-ground characterization at flight ranges, the Flash Lidar was shown to be capable of imaging hazards from a slant range of 1 km with an 8 cm range precision and a range accuracy better than 35 cm, both at 1-σ. The Flash Lidar identified landing hazards as small as 30 cm from the maximum slant range which Morpheus could achieve (450 m); however, under certain wind conditions it was susceptible to scintillation arising from air heated by the rocket engine and to pre-triggering on a dust cloud created during launch and transported down-range by wind.

3-D Flash Lidar Performance in Flight Testing on the Morpheus Autonomous, Rocket-Propelled Lander to a Lunar-Like Hazard Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roback, Vincent E.; Amzajerdian, Farzin; Bulyshev, Alexander E.; Brewster, Paul F.; Barnes, Bruce W.

2016-01-01

For the first time, a 3-D imaging Flash Lidar instrument has been used in flight to scan a lunar-like hazard field, build a 3-D Digital Elevation Map (DEM), identify a safe landing site, and, in concert with an experimental Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) system, help to guide the Morpheus autonomous, rocket-propelled, free-flying lander to that safe site on the hazard field. The flight tests served as the TRL 6 demo of the Autonomous Precision Landing and Hazard Detection and Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) system and included launch from NASA-Kennedy, a lunar-like descent trajectory from an altitude of 250m, and landing on a lunar-like hazard field of rocks, craters, hazardous slopes, and safe sites 400m down-range. The ALHAT project developed a system capable of enabling safe, precise crewed or robotic landings in challenging terrain on planetary bodies under any ambient lighting conditions. The Flash Lidar is a second generation, compact, real-time, air-cooled instrument. Based upon extensive on-ground characterization at flight ranges, the Flash Lidar was shown to be capable of imaging hazards from a slant range of 1 km with an 8 cm range precision and a range accuracy better than 35 cm, both at 1-delta. The Flash Lidar identified landing hazards as small as 30 cm from the maximum slant range which Morpheus could achieve (450 m); however, under certain wind conditions it was susceptible to scintillation arising from air heated by the rocket engine and to pre-triggering on a dust cloud created during launch and transported down-range by wind.

Environmental Effects of Tungsten and Tantalum Alloys

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-10-01

a groundwater well pumping at 400 gpm could potentially irrigate an area approximately 190 acres in size. Alloy metals from test area soils that...the Site. The home range of the beach mouse is similar to that of the deer mouse (Peromyscus leucopus), which has a home range of about 0.15 acres ...USEPA, 1993). The area of the C-64A test area is about 5.74 acres . The mice use and forage in grassland areas and would use much of this area. It is

Use of ground-penetrating radar to study tree roots in the southeastern United States

Treesearch

John R. Butnor; J.A. Doolittle; L. Kress; Susan Cohen; Kurt H. Johnsen

2001-01-01

Summary: The objectives of our study were to assess the feasibility of using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to study roots over a broad range of soil conditions in the southeastern United States. Study sites were located in the Southern Piedmont, Carolina Sandhills and Atlantic Coast Flatwoods. At each site, we tested for selection of the appropriate...

Impacts of heterogeneous organic matter on phenanthrene sorption--Different soil and sediment samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Karapanagioti, Hrissi K.; Childs, Jeffrey; Sabatini, David A.

2001-01-01

Organic petrography has been proposed as a tool for characterizing the heterogeneous organic matter present in soil and sediment samples. A new simplified method is proposed as a quantitative means of interpreting observed sorption behavior for phenanthrene and different soils and sediments based on their organic petrographical characterization. This method is tested under singe solute conditions and at phenanthrene concentration of 1 μg/L. Since the opaque organic matter fraction dominates the sorption process, we propose that by quantifying this fraction one can interpret organic content normalized sorption distribution coefficient (Koc) values for a sample. While this method was developed and tested for various samples within the same aquifer, in the current study the method is validated for soil and sediment samples from different sites that cover a wide range of organic matter origin, age, and organic content. All 10 soil and sediment samples studied had log Koc values for the opaque particles between 5.6 and 6.8. This range of Koc values illustrates the heterogeneity of opaque particles between sites and geological formations and thus the need to characterize the opaque fraction of materials on a site-by-site basis.

Cleaning up contaminated wood-treating sites. Background paper

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

NONE

This report identifies technologies available for organic hazardous waste cleanup at woodtreating sites throughout the country. OTA has identified a range of such technologies that have been selected in the past and could be applied to other sites in the future. The applicability of a technology to a particular Superfund site has to be based on many site-specific factors. Nevertheless, it is clear that a number of the approaches identified by OTA may be appropriate and could prove useful if more detailed site-specific studies and tests were done. Although this study focused on the Texarkana site, decisionmakers and the publicmore » could benefit from this analysis in selecting future cleanup strategies for other sites.« less

Field demonstration of on-site analytical methods for TNT and RDX in ground water

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

Craig, H.; Ferguson, G.; Markos, A.

1996-12-31

A field demonstration was conducted to assess the performance of eight commercially-available and emerging colorimetric, immunoassay, and biosensor on-site analytical methods for explosives 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) in ground water and leachate at the Umatilla Army Depot Activity, Hermiston, Oregon and US Naval Submarine Base, Bangor, Washington, Superfund sites. Ground water samples were analyzed by each of the on-site methods and results compared to laboratory analysis using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with EPA SW-846 Method 8330. The commercial methods evaluated include the EnSys, Inc., TNT and RDX colorimetric test kits (EPA SW-846 Methods 8515 and 8510) with amore » solid phase extraction (SPE) step, the DTECH/EM Science TNT and RDX immunoassay test kits (EPA SW-846 Methods 4050 and 4051), and the Ohmicron TNT immunoassay test kit. The emerging methods tested include the antibody-based Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Continuous Flow Immunosensor (CFI) for TNT and RDX, and the Fiber Optic Biosensor (FOB) for TNT. Accuracy of the on-site methods were evaluated using linear regression analysis and relative percent difference (RPD) comparison criteria. Over the range of conditions tested, the colorimetric methods for TNT and RDX showed the highest accuracy of the emerging methods for TNT and RDX. The colorimetric method was selected for routine ground water monitoring at the Umatilla site, and further field testing on the NRL CFI and FOB biosensors will continue at both Superfund sites.« less

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

Wills, Cathy

This report 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. It was prepared by National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec), for the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) (formerly designated as the Nevada Site Office [NNSA/NSO]). The new field office designation occurred in March 2013. Published reports cited in this 2012 report, therefore, may bear the name or authorship of NNSA/NSO. This and previous years’ reports, called Annual Site Environmental Reports (ASERs), Nevada Test Site Environmentalmore » Reports (NTSERs), and, beginning in 2010, Nevada National Security Site Environmental Reports (NNSSERs), are posted on the NNSA/NFO website at http://www.nv.energy.gov/library/publications/aser.aspx. This 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 NNSA/NFO Environmental Management System and characterize its performance, and (6) highlight significant environmental programs and efforts. This NNSSER summarizes data and compliance status for calendar year 2012 at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) (formerly the Nevada Test Site) and its two 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). Through a Memorandum of Agreement, NNSA/NFO is responsible for the oversight of these ER projects, and the Sandia Site Office of NNSA (NNSA/SSO) has oversight of all other TTR and NTTR activities. NNSA/SSO produces the TTR annual environmental report available at http://www.sandia.gov/news/publications/environmental/index.html.« less

Hematologic and serum biochemical reference intervals for free-ranging common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and variation in the distributions of clinicopathologic values related to geographic sampling site.

PubMed

Schwacke, Lori H; Hall, Ailsa J; Townsend, Forrest I; Wells, Randall S; Hansen, Larry J; Hohn, Aleta A; Bossart, Gregory D; Fair, Patricia A; Rowles, Teresa K

2009-08-01

To develop robust reference intervals for hematologic and serum biochemical variables by use of data derived from free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and examine potential variation in distributions of clinicopathologic values related to sampling sites' geographic locations. 255 free-ranging bottlenose dolphins. Data from samples collected during multiple bottlenose dolphin capture-release projects conducted at 4 southeastern US coastal locations in 2000 through 2006 were combined to determine reference intervals for 52 clinicopathologic variables. A nonparametric bootstrap approach was applied to estimate 95th percentiles and associated 90% confidence intervals; the need for partitioning by length and sex classes was determined by testing for differences in estimated thresholds with a bootstrap method. When appropriate, quantile regression was used to determine continuous functions for 95th percentiles dependent on length. The proportion of out-of-range samples for all clinicopathologic measurements was examined for each geographic site, and multivariate ANOVA was applied to further explore variation in leukocyte subgroups. A need for partitioning by length and sex classes was indicated for many clinicopathologic variables. For each geographic site, few significant deviations from expected number of out-of-range samples were detected. Although mean leukocyte counts did not vary among sites, differences in the mean counts for leukocyte subgroups were identified. Although differences in the centrality of distributions for some variables were detected, the 95th percentiles estimated from the pooled data were robust and applicable across geographic sites. The derived reference intervals provide critical information for conducting bottlenose dolphin population health studies.

Clutter Identification Using Electromagnetic Survey Data, ESTCP MR-201001 Cost and Performance Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-31

demonstration was part of the ESTCP Live Site Demonstration at the former Spencer Artillery Range, TN, during May 2012. The dynamic test area covered...1.024 ms) from the MP system for the Dynamic Area at the former Spencer Artillery Range, TN. .......................................9 Figure 7-1...Cart Dynamic / Cued Classification Results for the former Spencer Artillery Range, TN. Classification performed by SAIC. ..............12 Tables

NASA/SDSU Geopositional Characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helder, Dennis; Ross, Kenton; Helder, Dennis; Ross, Kentron

2006-01-01

The geolocational accuracy of products from the IKONOS, QuickBird, and OrbView-3 sensors was evaluated using two test sites: one developed in and around Brookings, SD, and one near Stennis Space Center, MS. Both of these relatively flat sites host over 100 ground control points surveyed to an accuracy of approximately 5 cm. They provide robust locations to test the basic geolocational accuracy of a variety of spaceborne and aircraft sensor systems. Imagery of both test sites was acquired by these three sensors in 2004 and in 2005; several products from each sensor, ranging from basic datasets through orthorectified imagery, were analyzed at Stennis Space Center and at South Dakota State University. While direct comparisons between sensors and products are difficult because of differing processing schemes, results indicate that these products tend to display stated levels of accuracy.

Methane production and isotopic fingerprinting in ethanol fuel contaminated sites.

PubMed

Freitas, Juliana G; Fletcher, Barbara; Aravena, Ramon; Barker, James F

2010-01-01

Biodegradation of organic compounds in groundwater can be a significant source of methane in contaminated sites. Methane might accumulate in indoor spaces posing a hazard. The increasing use of ethanol as a gasoline additive is a concern with respect to methane production since it is easily biodegraded and has a high oxygen demand, favoring the development of anaerobic conditions. This study evaluated the use of stable carbon isotopes to distinguish the methane origin between gasoline and ethanol biodegradation, and assessed the occurrence of methane in ethanol fuel contaminated sites. Two microcosm tests were performed under anaerobic conditions: one test using ethanol and the other using toluene as the sole carbon source. The isotopic tool was then applied to seven field sites known to be impacted by ethanol fuels. In the microcosm tests, it was verified that methane from ethanol (δ¹³C = -11.1‰) is more enriched in ¹³C, with δ¹³C values ranging from -20‰ to -30‰, while the methane from toluene (δ¹³C = -28.5‰) had a carbon isotopic signature of -55‰. The field samples had δ¹³C values varying over a wide range (-10‰ to -80‰), and the δ¹³C values allowed the methane source to be clearly identified in five of the seven ethanol/gasoline sites. In the other two sites, methane appears to have been produced from both sources. Both gasoline and ethanol were sources of methane in potentially hazardous concentrations and methane could be produced from organic acids originating from ethanol along the groundwater flow system even after all the ethanol has been completed biodegraded. Copyright © 2010 The Author(s). Journal compilation © 2010 National Ground Water Association.

Assessing soil quality and potential productivity - a basic approach to define and assess the marginality of land

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Repmann, Frank; Gerwin, Werner; Freese, Dirk

2017-04-01

An ever growing demand for energy and the widely proposed switch from fossil fuels to more sustainable energy sources puts the cultivation and use of bioenergy plants into focus. However, bioenergy production on regular and fertile agricultural soils might conflict with the worldwide growing demand for food. To mitigate or omit this potential conflict, the use of low quality or marginal land for cultivation of bioenergy plants becomes favorable. Against this background the definition and assessment of land marginality and, respectively, the evaluation whether and to which extent specific areas are marginal and thus convenient for sustainable bioenergy production, becomes highly relevant. Within the framework of the EU funded Horizon 2020 project SEEMLA, we attempted to asses land marginality of designated test sites in the Ukraine, Greece and Germany by direct field survey. For that purpose, soil and site properties were investigated and evaluated by applying the Muencheberg Soil Quality Rating (SQR) method, developed at the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF). The method deploys a comprehensive set of biogeophysical and chemical indicators to describe and finally evaluate the quality of the soil and site by a score ranging from 1 to 100 points. Field survey data were supported by additional laboratory tests on a representative set of soil samples. Practical field work and analysis of field and lab data from the investigated sites proved the applicability of the SQR method within the SEEMLA context. The SQR indices calculated from the field and lab data ranged from 2 to < 40 and clearly demonstrated the marginality of the investigated sites in the Ukraine, Greece and Germany, which differed considerably in respect to their characteristics. Correlating the site quality index to yield data reflecting yield estimations for common bioenergy plants such as willow (Salix sp.), black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) and poplar (Populus sp.) cultivated at the respective test sites, revealed that SQR might additionally reflect the potential yield of the investigated sites.

Protein-protein interaction site predictions with minimum covariance determinant and Mahalanobis distance.

PubMed

Qiu, Zhijun; Zhou, Bo; Yuan, Jiangfeng

2017-11-21

Protein-protein interaction site (PPIS) prediction must deal with the diversity of interaction sites that limits their prediction accuracy. Use of proteins with unknown or unidentified interactions can also lead to missing interfaces. Such data errors are often brought into the training dataset. In response to these two problems, we used the minimum covariance determinant (MCD) method to refine the training data to build a predictor with better performance, utilizing its ability of removing outliers. In order to predict test data in practice, a method based on Mahalanobis distance was devised to select proper test data as input for the predictor. With leave-one-validation and independent test, after the Mahalanobis distance screening, our method achieved higher performance according to Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC), although only a part of test data could be predicted. These results indicate that data refinement is an efficient approach to improve protein-protein interaction site prediction. By further optimizing our method, it is hopeful to develop predictors of better performance and wide range of application. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 412: Clean Slate I Plutonium Dispersion (TTR) Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, Revision 0

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

Matthews, Patrick

This Closure Report (CR) presents information supporting the clean closure of Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 412: Clean Slate I Plutonium Dispersion (TTR), located on the Tonopah Test Range, Nevada. CAU 412 consists of a release of radionuclides to the surrounding soil from a storage–transportation test conducted on May 25, 1963. Corrective action investigation (CAI) activities were performed in April and May 2015, as set forth in the Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration (SAFER) Plan for Corrective Action Unit 412: Clean Slate I Plutonium Dispersion (TTR), Tonopah Test Range, Nevada; and in accordance with the Soils Activity Quality Assurance Plan. Themore » purpose of the CAI was to fulfill data needs as defined during the data quality objectives process. The CAU 412 dataset of investigation results was evaluated based on a data quality assessment. This assessment demonstrated the dataset is complete and acceptable for use in fulfilling the data needs identified by the data quality objectives process. This CR provides documentation and justification for the clean closure of CAU 412 under the FFACO without further corrective action. This justification is based on historical knowledge of the site, previous site investigations, implementation of the 1997 interim corrective action, and the results of the CAI. The corrective action of clean closure was confirmed as appropriate for closure of CAU 412 based on achievement of the following closure objectives: Radiological contamination at the site is less than the final action level using the ground troops exposure scenario (i.e., the radiological dose is less than the final action level): Removable alpha contamination is less than the high contamination area criterion: No potential source material is present at the site, and any impacted soil associated with potential source material has been removed so that remaining soil contains contaminants at concentrations less than the final action levels: and There is sufficient information to characterize investigation and remediation waste for disposal.« less

Kauai Test Facility hazards assessment document

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

Swihart, A

1995-05-01

The Department of Energy Order 55003A requires facility-specific hazards assessment be prepared, maintained, and used for emergency planning purposes. This hazards assessment document describes the chemical and radiological hazards associated with the Kauai Test Facility, Barking Sands, Kauai, Hawaii. The Kauai Test Facility`s chemical and radiological inventories were screened according to potential airborne impact to onsite and offsite individuals. The air dispersion model, ALOHA, estimated pollutant concentrations downwind from the source of a release, taking into consideration the toxicological and physical characteristics of the release site, the atmospheric conditions, and the circumstances of the release. The greatest distance to themore » Early Severe Health Effects threshold is 4.2 kilometers. The highest emergency classification is a General Emergency at the {open_quotes}Main Complex{close_quotes} and a Site Area Emergency at the Kokole Point Launch Site. The Emergency Planning Zone for the {open_quotes}Main Complex{close_quotes} is 5 kilometers. The Emergency Planning Zone for the Kokole Point Launch Site is the Pacific Missile Range Facility`s site boundary.« less

Use of temperature profiles beneath streams to determine rates of vertical ground-water flow and vertical hydraulic conductivity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lapham, Wayne W.

1989-01-01

The use of temperature profiles beneath streams to determine rates of vertical ground-water flow and effective vertical hydraulic conductivity of sediments was evaluated at three field sites by use of a model that numerically solves the partial differential equation governing simultaneous vertical flow of fluid and heat in the Earth. The field sites are located in Hardwick and New Braintree, Mass., and in Dover, N.J. In New England, stream temperature varies from about 0 to 25 ?C (degrees Celsius) during the year. This stream-temperature fluctuation causes ground-water temperatures beneath streams to fluctuate by more than 0.1 ?C during a year to a depth of about 35 ft (feet) in fine-grained sediments and to a depth of about 50 ft in coarse-grained sediments, if ground-water velocity is 0 ft/d (foot per day). Upward flow decreases the depth affected by stream-temperature fluctuation, and downward flow increases the depth. At the site in Hardwick, Mass., ground-water flow was upward at a rate of less than 0.01 ft/d. The maximum effective vertical hydraulic conductivity of the sediments underlying this site is 0.1 ft/d. Ground-water velocities determined at three locations at the site in New Braintree, Mass., where ground water discharges naturally from the underlying aquifer to the Ware River, ranged from 0.10 to 0.20 ft/d upward. The effective vertical hydraulic conductivity of the sediments underlying this site ranged from 2.4 to 17.1 ft/d. Ground-water velocities determined at three locations at the Dover, N.J., site, where infiltration from the Rockaway River into the underlying sediments occurs because of pumping, were 1.5 ft/d downward. The effective vertical hydraulic conductivity of the sediments underlying this site ranged from 2.2 to 2.5 ft/d. Independent estimates of velocity at two of the three sites are in general agreement with the velocities determined using temperature profiles. The estimates of velocities and conductivities derived from the temperature measurements generally fall within the ranges of expected rates of flow in, and conductivities of, the sediments encountered at the test sites. Application of the method at the three test sites demonstrates the feasibility of using the method to determine the rate of ground-water flow between a stream and underlying sediments and the effective vertical hydraulic conductivity of the sediments.

40 CFR 172.48 - Data requirements for a notification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...., presence of phages that infect the microorganism). (3) Competitors. (c) Information on the host range of... the test sites (including proximity to residences and human activities, surface water, etc.). (5) The...

40 CFR 172.48 - Data requirements for a notification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...., presence of phages that infect the microorganism). (3) Competitors. (c) Information on the host range of... the test sites (including proximity to residences and human activities, surface water, etc.). (5) The...

40 CFR 172.48 - Data requirements for a notification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...., presence of phages that infect the microorganism). (3) Competitors. (c) Information on the host range of... the test sites (including proximity to residences and human activities, surface water, etc.). (5) The...

40 CFR 172.48 - Data requirements for a notification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...., presence of phages that infect the microorganism). (3) Competitors. (c) Information on the host range of... the test sites (including proximity to residences and human activities, surface water, etc.). (5) The...

Multi-level assessment protocol (MAP) for adoption in multi-site clinical trials

PubMed Central

Guydish, J.; Manser, S.T.; Jessup, M.; Tajima, B.; Sears, C.; Montini, T.

2010-01-01

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Clinical Trials Network (CTN) is intended to test promising drug abuse treatment models in multi-site clinical trials, and to support adoption of new interventions into clinical practice. Using qualitative research methods we asked: How might the technology of multi-site clinical trials be modified to better support adoption of tested interventions? A total of 42 participants, representing 8 organizational levels ranging from clinic staff to clinical trial leaders, were interviewed about their role in the clinical trial, its interactions with clinics, and intervention adoption. Among eight clinics participating in the clinical trial, we found adoption of the tested intervention in one clinic only. In analysis of interview data we identified four conceptual themes which are likely to affect adoption and may be informative in future multi-site clinical trials. We offer the conclusion that planning for adoption in the early stages of protocol development will better serve the aim of integrating new interventions into practice. PMID:20890376

Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 426: Cactus Spring Waste Trenches, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada

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

Dave Madsen

This Closure Report provides the documentation for closure of the Cactus Spring Waste Trenches Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 426. The site is located on the Tonopah Test Range, approximately 225 kilometers northwest of Las Vegas, NV. CAU 426 consists of one corrective action site (CAS) which is comprised of four waste trenches. The trenches were excavated to receive solid waste generated in support of Operation Roller Coaster, primary the Double Tracks Test in 1963, and were subsequently backfilled. The Double Tracks Test involved use of live animals to assess the biological hazards associated with the nonnuclear detonation of plutonium-bearing devices.more » The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection approved Corrective Action Plan (CAP)which proposed ''capping'' methodology. The closure activities were completed in accordance with the approved CAP and consisted of constructing an engineered cover in the area of the trenches, constructing/planting a vegetative cover, installing a perimeter fence and signs, implementing restrictions on future use, and preparing a Post-Closure Monitoring Plan.« less

Continued development of hybrid directional boring technology and New horizontal logging development for characterization, monitoring and instrument emplacement at environmental sites

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

Wemple, R.P.; Meyer, R.D.; Jacobson, R.D.

This work in partnership with industry is a continuation of cost- effective innovative, directional boring development begun in FY90 and planed to extend into FY94. Several demonstrations of the strategy of building hybrid hardware from utilities installation, geothermal, and soil mechanics technologies have been performed at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and at Charles Machine works (CMW) test sites as well as at a commercial refinery site. Additional tests at the SNL Directional Boring Test Range (DBTR) and a lagoon site are planned in calendar 1991. A new companion project to develop and demonstrate a hybrid capability for horizontal logging withmore » penetrometers, specialty instruments and samplers has been taken from concept to early prototype hardware. The project goal of extending the tracking/locating capability of the shallow boring equipment to 80in. is being pursued with encouraging results at 40in. depths. Boring costs, not including tailored well completions dictated by individual site parameters, are estimated at $20 to $50 per foot. Applications continue to emerge for this work and interest continues to be expressed by DoD and EPA researchers and environmental site engineers. 12 figs.« less

Soil chemistry and ground-water quality of the water-table zone of the surficial aquifer, Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Camden County, Georgia, 1998 and 1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leeth, David C.

2002-01-01

In 1998, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Navy, began an investigation to determine background ground-water quality of the water-table zone of the surficial aquifer and soil chemistry at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Camden County, Georgia, and to compare these data to two abandoned solid- waste disposal areas (referred to by the U.S. Navy as Sites 5 and 16). The quality of water in the water-table zone generally is within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) drinking-water regulation. The pH of ground water in the study area ranged from 4.0 to 7.6 standard units, with a median value of 5.4. Water from 29 wells is above the pH range and 3 wells are within the range of the USEPA secondary drinking-water regulation (formerly known as the Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level or SMCL) of 6.5 to 8.5 standard units. Also, water from one well at Site 5 had a chloride concentration of 570 milligrams per liter (mg/L,), which is above the USEPA secondary drinking-water regulation of 250 mg/L. Sulfate concentrations in water from two wells at Site 5 are above the USEPA secondary drinking-water regulation of 250 mg/L. Of 22 soil-sampling locations for this study, 4 locations had concentrations above the detection limit for either volatile organic compounds (VOCs), base-neutral acids (BNAs), or pesticides. VOCs detected in the study area include toluene in one background sample; and acetone in one background sample and one sample from Site 16--however, detection of these two compounds may be a laboratory artifact. Pesticides detected in soil at the Submarine Base include two degradates of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT): 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (4,4'-DDD) in one background sample, 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethene (4,4'-DDE) in one background sample and one sample from Site 16; and dibenzofuran in one sample from Site 16. BNAs were detected in one background sample and in two samples from Site 16. Hypothesis testing, using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test (also known as the Mann-Whitney test), indicates no statistical difference between ground-water constituent concentrations from Sites 5 and 16, and background concentrations. Hypothesis testing, however, indicates the concentration of barium in background ground-water samples is greater than in ground-water samples collected at Site 16.

Antidepressant-like responses in the forced swimming test elicited by glutathione and redox modulation.

PubMed

Rosa, Juliana M; Dafre, Alcir Luiz; Rodrigues, Ana Lúcia S

2013-09-15

Glutathione (GSH) displays a broad range of functions, among them a role as a neuromodulator with some neuroprotective properties. Taking into account that oxidative stress has been associated with depressive disorders, this study investigated the possibility that GSH, a major cell antioxidant, elicits an antidepressant-like effect in mice. Thus, GSH was administered by i.c.v. route to mice that were tested in the forced swimming test and in the tail suspension test, two predictive tests for antidepressant drug activity. In addition, GSH metabolism and the redox environment were modulated in order to study the possible mechanisms underlying the effects of GSH in the forced swimming test. The administration of GSH decreased the immobility time in the forced swimming test (300-3000nmol/site) and tail suspension test (100-1000nmol/site), consistent with an antidepressant-like effect. GSH depletion elicited by l-buthionine sulfoximine (3.2μmol/site, i.c.v.) did not alter the antidepressant-like effect of GSH, whereas the inhibition of extracellular GSH catabolism by acivicin (100nmol/site, i.c.v.) prevented the antidepressant-like effect of GSH. Moreover, a sub-effective dose (0.01nmol/site, i.c.v.) of the oxidizing agent DTNB (5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid)) potentiated the effect of GSH (100nmol/site, i.c.v.), while the pretreatment (25-100mg/kg, i.p.) with the reducing agent DTT (dl-dithiothreitol) prevented the antidepressant-like effect of GSH (300nmol/site, i.c.v.). DTNB (0.1nmol/site, i.c.v.), produced an antidepressant-like effect, per se, which was abolished by DTT (25mg/kg, i.p.). The results show, for the first time, that centrally administered GSH produces an antidepressant-like effect in mice, which can be modulated by the GSH metabolism and the thiol/disulfide reagents. The redox environment may constitute a new venue for future antidepressant-drug development. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Test drilling and data collection in the Calaveras County portion of the Eastern San Joaquin Groundwater Subbasin, California, December 2009-June 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Metzger, Loren F.; Izbicki, John A.; Nawikas, Joseph M.

2012-01-01

Two multiple-well monitoring sites were drilled in the Calaveras County portion of the Eastern San Joaquin Groundwater Subbasin, about 100 miles east of San Francisco, California, during December 2009 and January 2010. Site 3N/9E-12G1-4 was drilled to a depth of 503 feet below land surface (bls), and four wells were installed. Site 4N/9E-36A1-3 was drilled to a depth of 400 feet bls, and three wells were installed. Lithologic and geophysical data collected during test drilling indicated the presence of volcanic sands interspersed with lahar deposits that are characteristic of the Mehrten Formation to about 420 feet bls at site 12G1-4, and the presence of volcanic sands interspersed with clay that are characteristic of the Valley Springs Formation at site 36A1-3. In January 2010, water levels at site 12G1-4 ranged from 120 to 127 feet bls (the shallowest well at the site, 12G4, screened from 90 to 110 feet bls, was dry). Between May and November 2010, water levels declined as much as 22 feet in wells 12G1 and 12G2, the deepest wells at this site, and declined about 6 feet in shallower well 12G3. During this same period, water-levels declined less than 8 feet in the three wells at site 36A1-3. Water levels in all monitoring wells recovered to near-May-2010 levels by mid-spring 2011. Dissolved solids in the six sampled monitoring wells (residue on evaporation) ranged from 154 to 239 milligrams per liter (mg/L); arsenic concentrations ranged from 1.8 to 13 micrograms per liter (μg/L), and were greater than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for arsenic of 10 μg/L in well 36A2. The oxygen-18 (δ18O) and deuterium (δD) stable-isotopic composition of water from the six monitoring wells and from nine domestic and public-supply wells sampled as part of this study ranged from -6.7 to -8.2 per mil (δ18O), and -50 to -60 per mil (δD), and was consistent with values expected for water recharged in the lower altitudes of the Sierra Nevada. Well 36A3, the shallowest well at site 36A1-3, was the only well that contained measurable tritium - indicative of water recharged after 1952. Carbon-14 activities from the six monitoring wells ranged from 76.0 to 18.9 percent modern carbon, and groundwater ages (time since recharge), not corrected for chemical reactions, ranged from 2,200 to 13,400 years before present.

Hydrogeologic characterization of a proposed landfill expansion in Pickens County near Easley, South Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stringfield, W.J.

1994-01-01

This report presents the results of a hydrogeologic study in the Piedmont physiographic province of South Carolina to obtain geologic, hydrologic, and water-quality data from the site of a proposed landfill expansion in Pickens County near Easley, South Carolina. The geology of the study area is typical of the Piedmont region. The unconsolidated regolith on the site is soil and saprolite, which is a product of the weathered parent rock. The soil ranges in thickness from about 5 to 20 feet. The saprolite ranges in thickness from about 5 to 134 feet. The most abundant parent rock type in the area is a biotite gneiss. Ground- and surface-water data were collected at the site. Slug tests on the saprolite indicate a mean hydraulic conductivity of 3 x 0.000003 feet per second. Transmissivity ranges from 12 to 27 cubic feet per day per feet (squared per day). The ground-water velocity for the site ranges from 3 to 6 feet per year. The closest major stream to the site is Golden Creek. Based on low-flow data for Golden Creek, the estimated minimum 7 consecutive day flow that has a recurrence interval of 10 years (7Q10) at station 02186102 is 2.4 cubic feet per second. Water samples were collected from five monitoring wells at the proposed landfill expansion site and from one stream adjacent to the expansion site. Measured pH units ranged from 5.5 to 8.1, and alkalinity concentrations ranged from 5.1 to 73 milligrams per liter as CaCO3. Other water- quality data obtained included temperature and specific conductance, and 5-day BOD (biochemical oxygen demand), bicarbonate, ammonia-nitrogen, nitrite-nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate, organic carbon, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulfate, fluoride, and selected trace metal concentrations.

Monte Carlo Simulation of Seismic Location Errors for Moving Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-10-04

Smart Weapons Test Range 9/14/200 Four wheel Drive; File 14, Aberdeen, MD, Site 1 June 11, 1996, 10c runs, Piston Tank ; 10:18 34:42 53:55 58:64...72:79 92:97 105:118 % file vector Ft. Greely, AK, Site 1 1/27/1997, , Piston Tank ; 34:42 53:64 % file vector Ft. Greely, AK, Site 2...Dec 11, 1997 ; File 56, , Piston Tank Aberdeen, MD, Site 2 10/28/97 File84; File 56 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 -160 -150 -140 -130 -120 fL fH

Ground-water quality at the site of a proposed deep-well injection system for treated wastewater, West Palm Beach, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pitt, William A.; Meyer, Frederick W.

1976-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey collected scientific and technical information before, during, and after construction of a deep test well at the location of a future regional waste-water treatment plant to be built for the city of West Palm Beach, Florida. Data from the test well will be used by the city in the design of a proposed deep-well injection system for disposal of effluent from the treatment plant. Shallow wells in the vicinity of the drilling site were inventoried and sampled to provide a data base for detecting changes in ground water quality during construction and later operation of the deep wells. In addition, 16 small-diameter monitor wells, ranging in depth from 10 to 162 feet, were drilled at the test site. During the drilling of the deep test well, water samples were collected weekly from the 16 monitor wells for determination of chloride content and specific conductance. Evidence of small spills of salt water were found in monitor wells ranging in depth from 10 to 40 feet. Efforts to remove the salt water from the shallow unconfined aquifer by pumping were undertaken by the drilling contractor at the request of the city of West Palm Beach. The affected area is small and there has been a reduction of chloride concentration.

Apparent Resistivity and Estimated Interaction Potential of Surface Water and Groundwater along Selected Canals and Streams in the Elkhorn-Loup Model Study Area, North-Central Nebraska, 2006-07

USGS Publications Warehouse

Teeple, Andrew; Vrabel, Joseph; Kress, Wade H.; Cannia, James C.

2009-01-01

In 2005, the State of Nebraska adopted new legislation that in part requires local Natural Resources Districts to include the effect of groundwater use on surface-water systems in their groundwater management plan. In response the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Upper Elkhorn, Lower Elkhorn, Upper Loup, Lower Loup, Middle Niobrara, Lower Niobrara, Lewis and Clark, and Lower Platte North Natural Resources Districts, did a study during 2006-07 to investigate the surface-water and groundwater interaction within a 79,800-square-kilometer area in north-central Nebraska. To determine how streambed materials affect surface-water and groundwater interaction, surface geophysical and lithologic data were integrated at four sites to characterize the hydrogeologic conditions within the study area. Frequency-domain electromagnetic and waterborne direct- current resistivity profiles were collected to map the near-surface hydrogeologic conditions along sections of Ainsworth Canal near Ainsworth, Nebraska; Mirdan and Geranium Canals near Ord, Nebraska; North Loup River near Ord, Nebraska; and Middle Loup River near Thedford, Nebraska. Lithologic data were collected from test holes at each site to aid interpretation of the geophysical data. Geostatistical analysis incorporating the spatial variability of resistivity was used to account for the effect of lithologic heterogeneity on effective hydraulic permeability. The geostatistical analysis and lithologic data descriptions were used to make an interpretation of the hydrogeologic system and derive estimates of surface-water/groundwater interaction potential within the canals and streambeds. The estimated interaction potential at the Ainsworth Canal site and the Mirdan and Geranium Canal site is generally low to moderately low. The sediment textures at nearby test holes typically were silt and clay and fine-to-medium sand. The apparent resistivity values for these sites ranged from 2 to 120 ohm-meters. The vertical and horizontal variability of the apparent resistivity data were consistently low. Low resistive variability indicates little lithologic heterogeneity for either canal site. The surface-water/groundwater interaction-potential estimates are in agreement with the narrow frequency distribution of resistivity, low apparent resistivities, low spatial heterogeneity, and test-hole grain-size ranges. The estimated surface-water/groundwater interaction potential at the North Loup and Middle Loup River sites is moderate to moderately high. The sediment textures at nearby test holes were predominantly fine, medium, and coarse sand with some silt and silty to sandy clay. The apparent resistivity values for these sites ranged from 34 to 1,338 ohm-meters. The vertical variability of the resistivity data was moderately high. The horizontal variability at these sites is low to moderately low. The higher resistive variability at these sites indicates generally greater lithologic heterogeneity than at either the Ainsworth Canal site or the Mirdan and Geranium Canal site. The surface-water/groundwater interaction-potential estimates are in agreement with the generally moderate to high apparent resistivity, the greater spatial heterogeneity, and the variable lithologic texture. A higher interaction potential as compared to the canal sites is expected because of the higher subsurface resistivity and greater lithologic heterogeneity.

Lagging adaptation to warming climate in Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Wilczek, Amity M; Cooper, Martha D; Korves, Tonia M; Schmitt, Johanna

2014-06-03

If climate change outpaces the rate of adaptive evolution within a site, populations previously well adapted to local conditions may decline or disappear, and banked seeds from those populations will be unsuitable for restoring them. However, if such adaptational lag has occurred, immigrants from historically warmer climates will outperform natives and may provide genetic potential for evolutionary rescue. We tested for lagging adaptation to warming climate using banked seeds of the annual weed Arabidopsis thaliana in common garden experiments in four sites across the species' native European range: Valencia, Spain; Norwich, United Kingdom; Halle, Germany; and Oulu, Finland. Genotypes originating from geographic regions near the planting site had high relative fitness in each site, direct evidence for broad-scale geographic adaptation in this model species. However, genotypes originating in sites historically warmer than the planting site had higher average relative fitness than local genotypes in every site, especially at the northern range limit in Finland. This result suggests that local adaptive optima have shifted rapidly with recent warming across the species' native range. Climatic optima also differed among seasonal germination cohorts within the Norwich site, suggesting that populations occurring where summer germination is common may have greater evolutionary potential to persist under future warming. If adaptational lag has occurred over just a few decades in banked seeds of an annual species, it may be an important consideration for managing longer-lived species, as well as for attempts to conserve threatened populations through ex situ preservation.

Lagging adaptation to warming climate in Arabidopsis thaliana

PubMed Central

Wilczek, Amity M.; Cooper, Martha D.; Korves, Tonia M.; Schmitt, Johanna

2014-01-01

If climate change outpaces the rate of adaptive evolution within a site, populations previously well adapted to local conditions may decline or disappear, and banked seeds from those populations will be unsuitable for restoring them. However, if such adaptational lag has occurred, immigrants from historically warmer climates will outperform natives and may provide genetic potential for evolutionary rescue. We tested for lagging adaptation to warming climate using banked seeds of the annual weed Arabidopsis thaliana in common garden experiments in four sites across the species’ native European range: Valencia, Spain; Norwich, United Kingdom; Halle, Germany; and Oulu, Finland. Genotypes originating from geographic regions near the planting site had high relative fitness in each site, direct evidence for broad-scale geographic adaptation in this model species. However, genotypes originating in sites historically warmer than the planting site had higher average relative fitness than local genotypes in every site, especially at the northern range limit in Finland. This result suggests that local adaptive optima have shifted rapidly with recent warming across the species’ native range. Climatic optima also differed among seasonal germination cohorts within the Norwich site, suggesting that populations occurring where summer germination is common may have greater evolutionary potential to persist under future warming. If adaptational lag has occurred over just a few decades in banked seeds of an annual species, it may be an important consideration for managing longer-lived species, as well as for attempts to conserve threatened populations through ex situ preservation. PMID:24843140

Proposal to evaluate the use of ERTS-A imagery in mapping and managing soil and range resources in the Sand Hills Region of Nebraska

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drew, J. V. (Principal Investigator)

1972-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Visual examination of RB-57F color infrared imagery of range sites within Test Site 313 indicates that early season imagery will show significant differences in appearance of sub-irrigated sites as compared to dry valley sites. Differences appear to be significant also when comparing the previous two sites to sands sites. Comparison of existing soil map soils delineations with vegetative growth patterns shows reasonably good agreement between the two patterns over rather broad areas. Visual examination of ERTS-1 imagery has also shown that rangeland burned by prairie fire within the last six months can be distinguished. Three confirmed fire areas have been shown on the imagery. Since only broad estimates of burned acres are available, more accurate acreage measurements will be attempted. Known acreage of burned areas will be of value to those agencies responsible for deferred grazing payments to land owners. The relative speed with which this acreage information would become available to these agencies through ERTS-1 imagery would be of much benefit.

Large-scale, on-site confirmatory, and varietal testing of a methyl bromide quarantine treatment to control codling moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in nectarines exported to Japan.

PubMed

Yokoyama, V Y; Miller, G T; Hartsell, P L; Leesch, J G

2000-06-01

In total, 30,491 codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), 1-d-old eggs on May Grand nectarines in two large-scale tests, and 17,410 eggs on Royal Giant nectarines in four on-site confirmatory tests were controlled with 100% mortality after fumigation with a methyl bromide quarantine treatment (48 g3 for 2 h at > or = 21 degrees C and 50% volume chamber load) on fruit in shipping containers for export to Japan. Ranges (mean +/- SEM) were for percentage sorption 34.7 +/- 6.2 to 46.5 +/- 2.5, and for concentration multiplied by time products 54.3 +/- 0.9 to 74.5 +/- 0.6 g.h/m3 in all tests. In large-scale tests with May Grand nectarines, inorganic bromide residues 48 h after fumigation ranged from 6.8 +/- 0.7 to 6.9 +/- 0.5 ppm, which were below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tolerance of 20 ppm; and, organic bromide residues were < 0.01 ppm after 1 d and < 0.001 ppm after 3 d in storage at 0-1 degree C. After completion of larger-scale and on-site confirmatory test requirements, fumigation of 10 nectarine cultivars in shipping containers for export to Japan was approved in 1995. Comparison of LD50s developed for methyl bromide on 1-d-old codling moth eggs on May Grand and Summer Grand nectarines in 1997 versus those developed for nine cultivars in the previous 11 yr showed no significant differences in codling moth response among the cultivars.

Mitigation of Atmospheric Delay in SAR Absolute Ranging Using Global Numerical Weather Prediction Data: Corner Reflector Experiments at 3 Different Test Sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cong, Xiaoying; Balss, Ulrich; Eineder, Michael

2015-04-01

The atmospheric delay due to vertical stratification, the so-called stratified atmospheric delay, has a great impact on both interferometric and absolute range measurements. In our current researches [1][2][3], centimeter-range accuracy has been proven based on Corner Reflector (CR) based measurements by applying atmospheric delay correction using the Zenith Path Delay (ZPD) corrections derived from nearby Global Positioning System (GPS) stations. For a global usage, an effective method has been introduced to estimate the stratified delay based on global 4-dimensional Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) products: the direct integration method [4][5]. Two products, ERA-Interim and operational data, provided by European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) are used to integrate the stratified delay. In order to access the integration accuracy, a validation approach is investigated based on ZPD derived from six permanent GPS stations located in different meteorological conditions. Range accuracy at centimeter level is demonstrated using both ECMWF products. Further experiments have been carried out in order to determine the best interpolation method by analyzing the temporal and spatial correlation of atmospheric delay using both ECMWF and GPS ZPD. Finally, the integrated atmospheric delays in slant direction (Slant Path Delay, SPD) have been applied instead of the GPS ZPD for CR experiments at three different test sites with more than 200 TerraSAR-X High Resolution SpotLight (HRSL) images. The delay accuracy is around 1-3 cm depending on the location of test site due to the local water vapor variation and the acquisition time/date. [1] Eineder M., Minet C., Steigenberger P., et al. Imaging geodesy - Toward centimeter-level ranging accuracy with TerraSAR-X. Geoscience and Remote Sensing, IEEE Transactions on, 2011, 49(2): 661-671. [2] Balss U., Gisinger C., Cong X. Y., et al. Precise Measurements on the Absolute Localization Accuracy of TerraSAR-X on the Base of Far-Distributed Test Sites; EUSAR 2014; 10th European Conference on Synthetic Aperture Radar; Proceedings of. VDE, 2014: 1-4. [3] Eineder M., Balss U., Gisinger C., et al. TerraSAR-X pixel localization accuracy: Approaching the centimeter level, Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS), 2014 IEEE International. IEEE, 2014: 2669-2670. [4] Cong X., Balss U., Eineder M., et al. Imaging Geodesy -- Centimeter-Level Ranging Accuracy With TerraSAR-X: An Update. Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters, IEEE, 2012, 9(5): 948-952. [5] Cong X. SAR Interferometry for Volcano Monitoring: 3D-PSI Analysis and Mitigation of Atmospheric Refractivity. München, Technische Universität München, Dissertation, 2014.

Site response assessment at the city of Alkhobar, Eastern Saudi Arabia from microtremor and boring data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fnais, M. S.

2014-12-01

The AlKhobar City affected by distant earthquakes from Zagros fold-fault belt of subduction zone. These earthquakes produced great site effects on the sedimentary layers that in turn significantly influenced earthquake ground motions in the area. Mapping of site response using microtremor measurements compared with geological and borehole data of Alkhobar city is the main target of this work. The resonance frequency and their H/V values have been calculated using Nakamura technique through deployed of seismograph instruments at 113 sites in AlKhobar city for different time periods. The recording length was about one hour with sampling frequency of 100 Hz. Most of the measured sites present three peaks for the resonance frequency; the first peak ranges from 0.33 to 1.03 Hz, the second peak ranges from 1.03 to 1.23 Hz, while the third peak ranges from 1.23-1.73. Tests have been conducted to ensure that these peaks are natural in origin. The northern zones of AlKhobar City have lower values of resonance frequency indicating great thickness of sediments. In contrast, the southern parts of the city have higher values of resonance frequency illustrating shallow depths of the bedrock. Furthermore, twenty of boreholes have been conducted through AlKhobar City to different depth. Standard penetration test (SPT) data has been corrected and used to calculate the resonance frequency at their locations. Borehole results clarified that the resonance frequency values range from 0.27 to 1.95 Hz. These results are correlated well with that of the microtremor measurements. Accordingly, the first peak have been interpreted due to the impedance contrast between the limestone and the overlying sediments, while the third peak is originated from a boundary between the upper most surface layer and the underlying sediments. These results must be applied for earthquake risk mitigation in AlKhobar City.

Hydrogeological characterization of shallow-depth zone for CO2 injection and leak test at a CO2 environmental monitoring site in Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, S. S.; Kim, T. W.; Kim, H. H.; Ha, S. W.; Jeon, W. T.; Lee, K. K.

2015-12-01

The main goal of the this study is to evaluate the importance of heterogeneities in controlling the field-scale transport of CO2 are originated from the CO2 injected at saturated zone below the water table for monitoring and prediction of CO2 leakage from a reservoir. Hydrogeological and geophysical data are collected to characterize the site, prior to conducting CO2 injection experiment at the CO2 environmental monitoring site at Eumseong, Korea. The geophysical data were acquired from borehole electromagnetic flowmeter tests, while the hydraulic data were obtained from pumping tests, slug tests, and falling head permeability tests. Total of 13 wells to perform hydraulic and geophysical test are established along groundwater flow direction in regular sequence, revealed by the results of borehole electromagnetic flowmeter test. The results of geophysical tests indicated that hydraulic gradient is not identical with the topographic gradient. Groundwater flows toward the uphill direction in the study area. Then, the hydraulic tests were conducted to identify the hydraulic properties of the study site. According to the results of pumping and slug tests at the study site, the hydraulic conductivity values show ranges between 4.75 x 10-5 cm/day and 9.74 x 10-5 cm/day. In addition, a portable multi-level sampling and monitoring packer device which remains inflated condition for a long period developed and used to isolate designated depths to identify vertical distribution of hydrogeological characteristics. Hydrogeological information obtained from this study will be used to decide the injection test interval of CO2-infused water and gaseous CO2. Acknowledgement: Financial support was provided by "R&D Project on Environmental Mangement of Geologic CO2 Storage" from the KEITI (Project Number: 2014001810003).

Bibliography of reports on studies of the geology, hydrogeology and hydrology at the Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada, from 1951--1996

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

Seaber, P.R.; Stowers, E.D.; Pearl, R.H.

1997-04-01

The Nevada Test Site (NTS) was established in 1951 as a proving ground for nuclear weapons. The site had formerly been part of an Air Force bombing and gunnery range during World War II. Sponsor-directed studies of the geology, hydrogeology, and hydrology of the NTS began about 1956 and were broad based in nature, but were related mainly to the effects of the detonation of nuclear weapons. These effects included recommending acceptable media and areas for underground tests, the possibility of off-site contamination of groundwater, air blast and surface contamination in the event of venting, ground-shock damage that could resultmore » from underground blasts, and studies in support of drilling and emplacement. The studies were both of a pure scientific nature and of a practical applied nature. The NTS was the site of 828 underground nuclear tests and 100 above-ground tests conducted between 1951 and 1992 (U.S. Department of Energy, 1994a). After July 1962, all nuclear tests conducted in the United States were underground, most of them at the NTS. The first contained underground nuclear explosion was detonated on September 19, 1957, following extensive study of the underground effect of chemical explosives. The tests were performed by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its predecessors, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and the Energy Research and Development Administration. As part of a nationwide complex for nuclear weapons design, testing and manufacturing, the NTS was the location for continental testing of new and stockpiled nuclear devices. Other tests, including Project {open_quotes}Plowshare{close_quotes} experiments to test the peaceful application of nuclear explosives, were conducted on several parts of the site. In addition, the Defense Nuclear Agency tested the effect of nuclear detonations on military hardware.« less

Closure Letter Report for Corrective Action Unit 496: Buried Rocket Site - Antelope Lake

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

NSTec Environmental Restoration

A Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration (SAFER) Plan for investigation and closure of CAU 496, Corrective Action Site (CAS) TA-55-008-TAAL (Buried Rocket), at the Tonopah Test Range (TTR), was approved by the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection (NDEP) on July 21,2004. Approval to transfer CAS TA-55-008-TAAL from CAU 496 to CAU 4000 (No Further Action Sites) was approved by NDEP on December 21, 2005, based on the assumption that the rocket did not present any environmental concern. The approval letter included the following condition: ''NDEP understands, from the NNSA/NSO letter dated November 30,2005, that a search will be conducted formore » the rocket during the planned characterization of other sites at the Tonopah Test Range and, if found, the rocket will be removed as a housekeeping measure''. NDEP and U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office personnel located the rocket on Mid Lake during a site visit to TTR, and a request to transfer CAS TA-55-008-TAAL from CAU 4000 back to CAU 496 was approved by NDEP on September 11,2006. CAS TA-55-008-TAAL was added to the ''Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order'' of 1996, based on an interview with a retired TTR worker in 1993. The original interview documented that a rocket was launched from Area 9 to Antelope Lake and was never recovered due to the high frequency of rocket tests being conducted during this timeframe. The interviewee recalled the rocket being an M-55 or N-55 (the M-50 ''Honest John'' rocket was used extensively at TTR from the 1960s to early 1980s). A review of previously conducted interviews with former TTR personnel indicated that the interviewees confused information from several sites. The location of the CAU 496 rocket on Mid Lake is directly south of the TTR rocket launch facility in Area 9 and is consistent with information gathered on the lost rocket during recent interviews. Most pertinently, an interview in 2005 with a former TTR range manager recalled a lost rocket that possibly contained a depleted uranium ballast in an inert warhead. The interviewee confirmed that the last tracking coordinate for the rocket indicated it was lost in an area south of Area 9 near the l T R range coordinates X = 6,614.57 feet (ft) and Y = -20,508.79 ft. These coordinates correspond to a location approximately 2,295 ft northeast of the Mid Target, on Mid Lake. CAS TA-55-008-TAAL was removed from CAU 496 before the SAFER investigation could be completed, and before the new information could be evaluated and the conceptual site model assumptions confirmed.« less

Assessing water quality suitability for shortnose sturgeon in the Roanoke River, North Carolina, USA with an in situ bioassay approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cope, W.G.; Holliman, F.M.; Kwak, T.J.; Oakley, N.C.; Lazaro, P.R.; Shea, D.; Augspurger, T.; Law, J.M.; Henne, J.P.; Ware, K.M.

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the suitability of water quality in the Roanoke River of North Carolina for supporting shortnose sturgeon Acipenser brevirostrum, an endangered species in the United States. Fathead minnows Pimephales promelas were also evaluated alongside the sturgeon as a comparative species to measure potential differences in fish survival, growth, contaminant accumulation, and histopathology in a 28-day in situ toxicity test. Captively propagated juvenile shortnose sturgeon (total length 49??8mm, mean??SD) and fathead minnows (total length 39??3mm, mean??SD) were used in the test and their outcomes were compared to simultaneous measurements of water quality (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, total ammonia nitrogen, hardness, alkalinity, turbidity) and contaminant chemistry (metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organochlorine pesticides, current use pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls) in river water and sediment. In the in situ test, there were three non-riverine control sites and eight riverine test sites with three replicate cages (25??15-cm (OD) clear plexiglass with 200-??m tear-resistant Nitex?? screen over each end) of 20 shortnose sturgeon per cage at each site. There was a single cage of fathead minnows also deployed at each site alongside the sturgeon cages. Survival of caged shortnose sturgeon among the riverine sites averaged 9% (range 1.7-25%) on day 22 of the 28-day study, whereas sturgeon survival at the non-riverine control sites averaged 64% (range 33-98%). In contrast to sturgeon, only one riverine deployed fathead minnow died (average 99.4% survival) over the 28-day test period and none of the control fathead minnows died. Although chemical analyses revealed the presence of retene (7-isopropyl-1-methylphenanthrene), a pulp and paper mill derived compound with known dioxin-like toxicity to early life stages of fish, in significant quantities in the water (251-603ngL-1) and sediment (up to 5000ngg-1 dry weight) at several river sites, no correlation was detected of adverse water quality conditions or measured contaminant concentrations to the poor survival of sturgeon among riverine test sites. Histopathology analysis determined that the mortality of the river deployed shortnose sturgeon was likely due to liver and kidney lesions from an unknown agent(s). Given the poor survival of shortnose sturgeon (9%) and high survival of fathead minnows (99.4%) at the riverine test sites, our study indicates that conditions in the Roanoke River are incongruous with the needs of juvenile shortnose sturgeon and that fathead minnows, commonly used standard toxicity test organisms, do not adequately predict the sensitivity of shortnose sturgeon. Therefore, additional research is needed to help identify specific limiting factors and management actions for the enhancement and recovery of this imperiled fish species. Published 2010. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Modeling Water Temperature in the Yakima River, Washington, from Roza Diversion Dam to Prosser Dam, 2005-06

USGS Publications Warehouse

Voss, Frank D.; Curran, Christopher A.; Mastin, Mark C.

2008-01-01

A mechanistic water-temperature model was constructed by the U.S. Geological Survey for use by the Bureau of Reclamation for studying the effect of potential water management decisions on water temperature in the Yakima River between Roza and Prosser, Washington. Flow and water temperature data for model input were obtained from the Bureau of Reclamation Hydromet database and from measurements collected by the U.S. Geological Survey during field trips in autumn 2005. Shading data for the model were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in autumn 2006. The model was calibrated with data collected from April 1 through October 31, 2005, and tested with data collected from April 1 through October 31, 2006. Sensitivity analysis results showed that for the parameters tested, daily maximum water temperature was most sensitive to changes in air temperature and solar radiation. Root mean squared error for the five sites used for model calibration ranged from 1.3 to 1.9 degrees Celsius (?C) and mean error ranged from ?1.3 to 1.6?C. The root mean squared error for the five sites used for testing simulation ranged from 1.6 to 2.2?C and mean error ranged from 0.1 to 1.3?C. The accuracy of the stream temperatures estimated by the model is limited by four errors (model error, data error, parameter error, and user error).

[Research on the application of in-situ biological stabilization solidification technology in chromium contaminated site management].

PubMed

Zhang, Jian-rong; Li, Juan; Xu, Wei

2013-09-01

In-situ biological stabilization solidification (SS) technology is an effective ground water risk control method for chromium contaminated sites. Through on-site engineering test, this paper has preliminarily validated the remediation effect of in-situ SS method on a southern chromium contaminated site. The engineering test site has an area of approximately 600 m2, and is located at the upstream of the contaminated area. Due to the severe contamination of chromium, the total chromium concentration reached up to 11,850 mg x kg(-1), while the hexavalent chromium concentration reached up to 349 mg x kg(-1), and the most severely contaminated soil had a depth of -0.5 - -2 m. Variations in hexavalent chromium and total chromium concentration in groundwater were observed through the injection of reducing agents and microbial regulators into the injection wells in the test site, and through the monitoring analysis at different time and different depth under the action of the injection agents. Results of the engineering test showed that the on-site SS technology significantly changed the chromium speciation in soil and then reduced the migration of chromium, thus the groundwater risk was reduced. The injected agents had a good effect of hexavalent chromium remediation in groundwater within the effective range of the injection wells, and the SS rate of hexavalent chromium into trivalent chromium reached 94%-99.9%, the SS rate of total chromium fixation reached 83.9%-99.8%. The test results are of significant reference value for the remediation of contaminated sites with features of shallow groundwater depth and soil mainly consisting of silty clay and sandy clay.

Imaging open-path Fourier transform infrared spectrometer for 3D cloud profiling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rentz Dupuis, Julia; Mansur, David J.; Vaillancourt, Robert; Carlson, David; Evans, Thomas; Schundler, Elizabeth; Todd, Lori; Mottus, Kathleen

2009-05-01

OPTRA is developing an imaging open-path Fourier transform infrared (I-OP-FTIR) spectrometer for 3D profiling of chemical and biological agent simulant plumes released into test ranges and chambers. An array of I-OP-FTIR instruments positioned around the perimeter of the test site, in concert with advanced spectroscopic algorithms, enables real time tomographic reconstruction of the plume. The approach is intended as a referee measurement for test ranges and chambers. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) effort combines the instrumentation and spectroscopic capabilities of OPTRA, Inc. with the computed tomographic expertise of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Post-Closure Inspection Report for the Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, for Calendar Year 2012

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

NSTec Environmental Restoration

2013-01-28

This report provides the results of the annual post-closure inspections conducted at the closed Corrective Action Units (CAUs) located on the Tonopah Test Range (TTR), Nevada. This report covers calendar year 2012 and includes inspection and repair activities completed at the following CAUs: · CAU 400: Bomblet Pit and Five Points Landfill (TTR) · CAU 407: Roller Coaster RadSafe Area (TTR) · CAU 424: Area 3 Landfill Complexes (TTR) · CAU 453: Area 9 UXO Landfill (TTR) · CAU 487: Thunderwell Site (TTR)

In-situ sediment oxygen demand rates in Hammonton Creek, Hammonton, New Jersey, and Crosswicks Creek, near New Egypt, New Jersey, August-October 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Timothy P.

2014-01-01

Sediment oxygen demand rates were measured in Hammonton Creek, Hammonton, New Jersey, and Crosswicks Creek, near New Egypt, New Jersey, during August through October 2009. These rates were measured as part of an ongoing water-quality monitoring program being conducted in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Oxygen depletion rates were measured using in-situ test chambers and a non-consumptive optical electrode sensing technique for measuring dissolved oxygen concentrations. Sediment oxygen demand rates were calculated on the basis of these field measured oxygen depletion rates and the temperature of the stream water at each site. Hammonton Creek originates at an impoundment, then flows through pine forest and agricultural fields, and receives discharge from a sewage-treatment plant. The streambed is predominantly sand and fine gravel with isolated pockets of organic-rich detritus. Sediment oxygen demand rates were calculated at four sites on Hammonton Creek and were found to range from -0.3 to -5.1 grams per square meter per day (g/m2/d), adjusted to 20 degrees Celsius. When deployed in pairs, the chambers produced similar values, indicating that the method was working as expected and yielding reproducible results. At one site where the chamber was deployed for more than 12 hours, dissolved oxygen was consumed linearly over the entire test period. Crosswicks Creek originates in a marshy woodland area and then flows through woodlots and pastures. The streambed is predominantly silt and clay with some bedrock exposures. Oxygen depletion rates were measured at three sites within the main channel of the creek, and the calculated sediment oxygen demand rates ranged from -0.33 to -2.5 g/m2/d, adjusted to 20 degrees Celsius. At one of these sites sediment oxygen demand was measured in both a center channel flowing area of a pond in the stream and in a stagnant non-flowing area along the shore of the pond where organic-rich bottom sediments had accumulated and lower dissolved oxygen concentration conditions existed in the water column. Dissolved oxygen concentrations in the center channel test chamber showed a constant slow decrease over the entire test period. Oxygen consumption in the test chamber at the near-shore location began rapidly and then slowed over time as oxygen became depleted in the chamber. Depending on the portion of the near-shore dissolved oxygen depletion curve used, calculated sediment oxygen demand rates ranged from as low as -0.03 g/m2/d to as high as -10 g/m2/d. The wide range of sediment oxygen demand rates indicates that care must be taken when extrapolating sediment oxygen demand rates between stream sites that have different bottom sediment types and different flow regimes.

Avian Paramyxovirus Serotype-1: A Review of Disease Distribution, Clinical Symptoms, and Laboratory Diagnostics

PubMed Central

Hines, Nichole L.; Miller, Cathy L.

2012-01-01

Avian paramyxovirus serotype-1 (APMV-1) is capable of infecting a wide range of avian species leading to a broad range of clinical symptoms. Ease of transmission has allowed the virus to spread worldwide with varying degrees of virulence depending on the virus strain and host species. Classification systems have been designed to group isolates based on their genetic composition. The genetic composition of the fusion gene cleavage site plays an important role in virulence. Presence of multiple basic amino acids at the cleavage site allows enzymatic cleavage of the fusion protein enabling virulent viruses to spread systemically. Diagnostic tests, including virus isolation, real-time reverse-transcription PCR, and sequencing, are used to characterize the virus and identify virulent strains. Genetic diversity within APMV-1 demonstrates the need for continual monitoring for changes that may arise requiring modifications to the molecular assays to maintain their usefulness for diagnostic testing. PMID:22577610

On the Use of Calibration Explosions at the Former Semipalatinsk Test Site for Compiling a Travel-time Model of the Crust and Upper Mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belyashova, N. N.; Shacilov, V. I.; Mikhailova, N. N.; Komarov, I. I.; Sinyova, Z. I.; Belyashov, A. V.; Malakhova, M. N.

- Two chemical calibration explosions, conducted at the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in 1998 with charges of 25 tons and 100 tons TNT, have been used for developing travel-time curves and generalized one-dimensional velocity models of the crust and upper mantle of the platform region of Kazakhstan. The explosions were recorded by a number of digital seismic stations, located in Kazakhstan at distances ranging from 0 to 720km. The travel-time tables developed in this paper cover the phases P, Pn, Pg, S, Sn, Lg in a range of 0-740km and the velocity models apply to the crust down to 44km depth and to the mantle down to 120km. A comparison of the compiled travel-time tables with existing travel-time tables of CSE and IASPEI91 is presented.

Quantitative assessment of Naegleria fowleri and Escherichia coli concentrations within a Texas reservoir.

PubMed

Painter, Stephanie M; Pfau, Russell S; Brady, Jeff A; McFarland, Anne M S

2013-06-01

Previous presence/absence studies have indicated a correlation between the presence of the pathogenic amoeba Naegleria fowleri and the presence of bacteria, such as the fecal indicator Escherichia coli, in environmental surface waters. The objective of this study was to use quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) methodologies to measure N. fowleri and E. coli concentrations within a Texas reservoir in late summer, and to determine if concentrations of N. fowleri and E. coli were statistically correlated. N. fowleri was detected in water samples from 67% of the reservoir sites tested, with concentrations ranging up to an estimated 26 CE (cell equivalents)/100 mL. E. coli was detected in water samples from 60% of the reservoir sites tested, with concentrations ranging up to 427 CE/100 mL. In this study, E. coli concentrations were not indicative of N. fowleri concentrations.

The effects of RCS jet firing on the isolated Orbiter and mated coast phases of the glide return to launch site maneuver at Mach number 6 (IA302B)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garrett, L. V.; Buchanan, T. D.; Fryberger, P. E.

1988-01-01

An updated Space Shuttle aerodynamic data base was obtained in Tunnel B for two phases of the Glide Return to Launch Site (GRTLS) abort maneuver. One-and-a-quarter percent scale models of the Space Shuttle Orbiter and External Tank were used to measure the effects of various combinations of Reaction Control System (RCS) jet thrusters at Mach number 6. The angle-of-attack range for the isolated orbiter was -10 to 15 deg at sideslip angles from -5 to 10 deg during Phase 1 of testing. The angle-of-attack range for the mated orbiter and external tank was -5 to 15 deg with sideslip angles of -2 to 5 deg during Phase 2. The test was conducted at a unit Reynolds number of 0.75 million per foot.

Hydrogeology, ground-water quality, and the possible effects of a hypothetical radioactive water spill, Plainsboro Township, New Jersey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lewis, J.C.; Spitz, F.J.

1987-01-01

Princeton University, under contract to the Department of Energy , maintains a Tokamak fusion test reactor in New Jersey. The U.S. Geological Survey investigated groundwater flow and estimated the effects of a hypothetical spill of radioactive water at the site on the local groundwater system. The study included test drilling; aquifer testing; measurement of water levels, infiltration capacity, and stream discharge; and a simulation of the hypothetical spill. The Triassic Stockton Formation-a water supply aquifer composed primarily of jointed siltstone and sandstone-underlies the site. The aquifer is confined by overlying weathered bedrock and underlying unjointed rock. Weathered bedrock is overlain by unconsolidated, partially saturated material which ranges from 6 to 39 ft in thickness. Groundwater recharge is by lateral flow into the study area, stream leakage, and precipitation. Discharge is by pumpage, evapotranspiration, stream inflow, and lateral flow out of the study area. Transmissivity of the aquifer is about 1,740 sq ft/day, and the storage coefficient is about 0.0002. The average linear velocity of groundwater at the site ranges from 100 to 270 ft/yr depending on location and time of year. The velocity over a large part of the site is controlled by on-site pumpage. Groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for common ions, trace metals, and tritium. The analyses reported no concentrations of common ions or trace metals which exceeded the criteria for drinking water standards recommended by the EPA, except for some instances of moderately high concentrations of iron and manganese. Iron and manganese are common in groundwater and surface water in the area and are not indicative of an on-site source of contamination. Tritium concentrations in the collected samples were also considered representative of background levels and were well below the maximum concentration permitted by the EPA. The fate of spilled radioactive water after a hypothetical accident would depend on the nature of the accident and weather. If the on-site pumpage continued after a spill, groundwater leaving the site probably would have only minimal tritium concentrations, but stream water leaving the site could contain significant tritium concentrations. (Author 's abstract)

Establishing a range-wide provenance test in valley oak (Quercus lobata Née) at two California sites

Treesearch

Annette Delfino-Mix; Jessica W. Wright; Paul F. Gugger; Christina Liang; Victoria L. Sork

2015-01-01

We present the methods used to establish a provenance test in valley oak, Quercus lobata. Nearly 11,000 acorns were planted and 88 percent of those germinated. The resulting seedlings were measured after 1 and 2 years of growth, and were outplanted in the field in the winter of 2014-2015. This test represents a long-term resource for both research...

Test site experiments with a reconfigurable stepped frequency GPR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Persico, Raffaele; Matera, Loredana; Piro, Salvatore; Rizzo, Enzo; Capozzoli, Luigi

2016-04-01

In this contribution, some new possibilities offered by a reconfigurable stepped frequency GPR system are exposed. In particular, results achieved from a prototypal system achieved in two scientific test sites will be shown together with the results achieved in the same test sites with traditional systems. Moreover a novel technique for the rejection of undesired interferences is shown, with the use of interferences caused on purpose. Key words GPR, reconfigurable stepped frequency. Introduction A reconfigurable GPR system is meant as a GPR where some parameter can be changed vs. the frequency (if the system is stepped frequency) or vs. the time (if the system is pulsed) in a programmable way. The programming should then account for the conditions met in the scenario at hand [1]. Within the research project AITECH (http://www.aitechnet.com/ibam.html), the Institute for Archaeological and Monumental Heritage, together with the University of Florence and the IDS corporation have implemented a prototype, that has been used in sites of cultural interest in Italy [2], but also abroad in Norway and Malta. The system is a stepped frequency GPR working in the frequency range 50-1000 MHz, and its reconfigurability consists in three properties. The first one is the fact that the length of the antennas can be modulated by the aperture and closure of two electronic switches present along the arms of the antennas, so that the antennas can become electrically (and electronically) longer or shorter, so becoming more suitable to radiate some frequencies rather than some other. In particular, the system can radiate three different bands in the comprehensive range between 50-1000 MHz, so being suitable for different depth range of the buried targets, and the three bands are gathered in a unique "going through" because for each measurement point the system can sweep the entire frequency range trhee times, one for each configuration of the switchres on the arms. The second property is the fact that the integration time of the harmonic components of the signal can be prolonged in a programmable way, so that (in particular) there is the possibility to reject undesired narrow band interferences without filtering the signal, namely without loosing part of the information contained in the signal. The third property is that the power can be modulated frequency by frequency. Indeed, we don't know if this third property is a real advantage, but the first two have been already exploited showing some encouraging results. At the conference, we will show the results achieved from two measurement campaign performed in two controlled site, namely the the test site of Hydrogeosite Laboratory, in Marsico Nuovo (Southern Italy), belonging to the Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis of the Italian National Research Council [3] and the test site of Montelibretti, in central Italy, belonging to the Institute of Technologies Applied to Cultural Heritage of the National Research Council [4]. In both test sites, among other things, anomalies resembling features of archaeological or near surface interest have been predisposed, as a tomb, a paved road, an amphora, a statue, a buried chamber, a cylinder, a structure in opus coementicium. The test site of Montelibretti is outdoor, in an area of archaeological interest were the ancient population of the Sabini has left relevant testimonies. The test site of Hydrogeosite Laboratory is indoor, in a hat were a large pool (240m3) has been filled up with sand after burying the test targets. This test site is equipped also for hydrogeophysical experiments by means of a controlled hydraulic system for the progressive immission of water in the sand. Depth slices will be shown for both sites, as well as some tests for the mitigation of intereferences by means of the modulation of the integration time of the harmonic components of the signal. Some of the interferences have been artificially introduced by means of a second (pulsed) GPR system, radiating in the soil during the measurements. Acknowledgements The project Aitech was financed by the Puglia Region, while the Cost Action TU1208 have favoured some important avdvancements of the system thanks to the short term scitnific mission supported by it. References [1] R. Persico, G. Prisco, A Reconfigurative Approach for SF-GPR Prospecting, IEEE Trans. On Antennas and Prop., vol. 56, n.8, pp. 2673-2680, August 2008. [2] R. Persico, M. Ciminale, L. Matera, A new reconfigurable stepped frequency GPR system, possibilities and issues; applications to two different Cultural Heritage Resources, Near Surface Geophysics, vol. 12, n. 6, pp. 793-801 (doi: 10.3997/1873-0604.2014035), December 2014. [3] Capozzoli L., Caputi A., De Martino G., Giampaolo V., Luongo R., Perciante F., Rizzo E.,, Electrical and electromagnetic techniques applied to an archaeological framework reconstructed in laboratory, 8th International Workshop on Advanced Ground Penetrating Radar - IWAGPR 2015, Florence, Italy, 7-10 July, 2015. [4] Bernabini M., Pettinelli E., Pierdicca N., Piro S., Versino L., 1992. Field experiments for characterization of GPR antenna and pulse propagation. Journal of Applied Geophysics, special issue on GPR Vol.33 (1995), pp 63-76.

18. Photographic copy of site plan for additions to North ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

18. Photographic copy of site plan for additions to North Base: Job No. Muroc A(511), Military Construction, Third District Region, San Bernardino, California; Muroc Bombing Range, Muroc Lake, Calif; Additional Temporary Construction, Materiel Center Flight Test Base, Location Plan, February 1943. Reproduced from the holdings of the National Archives, Pacific Southwest Region - Edwards Air Force Base, North Base, North Base Road, Boron, Kern County, CA

Woody vegetation following even-aged, uneven-aged, and no-harvest treatments on the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project Sites

Treesearch

John M. Kabrick; Randy G. Jensen; Stephen R. Shifley; David R. Larsen

2002-01-01

The Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project (MOFEP) experimentally tests forest ecosystem response to (a) even-aged management with clearcutting, (b) uneven-aged management with single-tree and group selection, and (c) no-harvesting. The nine MOFEP experimental sites in the southeast Missouri Ozarks are small landscapes ranging from 772 ac (312 ha) to 1,271 ac (514 ha...

Experimental Results of Site Calibration and Sensitivity Measurements in OTR for UWB Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viswanadham, Chandana; Rao, P. Mallikrajuna

2017-06-01

System calibration and parameter accuracy measurement of electronic support measures (ESM) systems is a major activity, carried out by electronic warfare (EW) engineers. These activities are very critical and needs good understanding in the field of microwaves, antennas, wave propagation, digital and communication domains. EW systems are broad band, built with state-of-the art electronic hardware, installed on different varieties of military platforms to guard country's security from time to time. EW systems operate in wide frequency ranges, typically in the order of thousands of MHz, hence these are ultra wide band (UWB) systems. Few calibration activities are carried within the system and in the test sites, to meet the accuracies of final specifications. After calibration, parameters are measured for their accuracies either in feed mode by injecting the RF signals into the front end or in radiation mode by transmitting the RF signals on to system antenna. To carry out these activities in radiation mode, a calibrated open test range (OTR) is necessary in the frequency band of interest. Thus site calibration of OTR is necessary to be carried out before taking up system calibration and parameter measurements. This paper presents the experimental results of OTR site calibration and sensitivity measurements of UWB systems in radiation mode.

In situ pilot test for bioremediation of energetic compound-contaminated soil at a former military demolition range site.

PubMed

Jugnia, Louis B; Manno, Dominic; Drouin, Karine; Hendry, Meghan

2018-05-04

Bioremediation was performed in situ at a former military range site to assess the performance of native bacteria in degrading hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) and 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT). The fate of these pollutants in soil and soil pore water was investigated as influenced by waste glycerol amendment to the soil. Following waste glycerol application, there was an accumulation of organic carbon that promoted microbial activity, converting organic carbon into acetate and propionate, which are intermediate compounds in anaerobic processes. This augmentation of anaerobic activity strongly correlated to a noticeable reduction in RDX concentrations in the amended soil. Changes in concentrations of RDX in pore water were similar to those observed in the soil suggesting that RDX leaching from the soil matrix, and treatment with waste glycerol, contributed to the enhanced removal of RDX from the water and soil. This was not the case with 2,4-DNT, which was neither found in pore water nor affected by the waste glycerol treatment. Results from saturated conditions and Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure testing, to investigate the environmental fate of 2,4-DNT, indicated that 2,4-DNT found on site was relatively inert and was likely to remain in its current state on the site.

Flood Assessment Area 3 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada

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

NSTec Environmental Management

2007-07-01

A flood assessment was conducted at the Area 3 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) in Nye County, Nevada (Figure 1-1). The study area encompasses the watershed of Yucca Flat, a closed basin approximately 780 square kilometers (km2) (300 square miles) in size. The focus of this effort was on a drainage area of approximately 94 km2 (36 mi2), determined from review of topographic maps and aerial photographs to be the only part of the Yucca Flat watershed that could directly impact the Area 3 RWMS. This smaller area encompasses portions of the Halfpint Range,more » including Paiute Ridge, Jangle Ridge, Carbonate Ridge, Slanted Buttes, Cockeyed Ridge, and Banded Mountain. The Area 3 RWMS is located on coalescing alluvial fans emanating from this drainage area.« less

Persistent infection in Neotoma fuscipes (Muridae: Sigmodontinae) with Ehrlichia phagocytophila sensu lato.

PubMed

Castro, M B; Nicholson, W L; Kramer, V L; Childs, J E

2001-10-01

Dusky-footed wood rats (Neotoma fuscipes Baird) and two species of Peromyscus mice (P. maniculatus Wagner and P. truei Shufeldt) were collected over a 16-month period from three sites in Sonoma County, California. Blood was collected from 93 wood rats and 177 mice and serum or plasma was tested for seroreactivity with Ehrlichia phagocytophila sensu lato (also known as the human granulocytic ehrlichiosis agent). Thirty-five (37.6%) wood rats and 15 (8.5%) mice were seropositive. Positive Neotoma serology by site ranged from 9.4% to 62.1%. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for the Ehrlichia groESL heat shock operon was performed on all the seropositive and selected seronegative wood rats; 24 (68.6%) seropositive animals were PCR positive. Two seroconversions and no seroreversions were detected among 18 of the seropositive wood rats that were recaptured and tested multiple times (range = 2-6). Fourteen (77.8%) of the 18 were also PCR positive with six of these positive at every testing point (range = 2-6). One wood rat remained serologically and PCR positive in six specimens collected over a 14-month period. One male of 84 questing adult Ixodes pacificus Cooley & Kohls collected was PCR-positive for E. phagocytophila. Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease, was cultured from ear punch biopsies from six of seven E. phagocytophila seropositive and one of four seronegative wood rats.

Assessment of the announced North Korean nuclear test using long-range atmospheric transport and dispersion modelling.

PubMed

De Meutter, Pieter; Camps, Johan; Delcloo, Andy; Termonia, Piet

2017-08-18

On 6 January 2016, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea announced to have conducted its fourth nuclear test. Analysis of the corresponding seismic waves from the Punggye-ri nuclear test site showed indeed that an underground man-made explosion took place, although the nuclear origin of the explosion needs confirmation. Seven weeks after the announced nuclear test, radioactive xenon was observed in Japan by a noble gas measurement station of the International Monitoring System. In this paper, atmospheric transport modelling is used to show that the measured radioactive xenon is compatible with a delayed release from the Punggye-ri nuclear test site. An uncertainty quantification on the modelling results is given by using the ensemble method. The latter is important for policy makers and helps advance data fusion, where different nuclear Test-Ban-Treaty monitoring techniques are combined.

Development of microsatellite markers using next-generation sequencing for the columnar cactus Echinopsis chiloensis (Cactaceae).

PubMed

Ossa, Carmen G; Larridon, Isabel; Peralta, Gioconda; Asselman, Pieter; Pérez, Fernanda

2016-12-01

The aim of this study was to develop microsatellite markers as a tool to study population structure, genetic diversity and effective population size of Echinopsis chiloensis, an endemic cactus from arid and semiarid regions of Central Chile. We developed 12 polymorphic microsatellite markers for E. chiloensis using next-generation sequencing and tested them in 60 individuals from six sites, covering all the latitudinal range of this species. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 3 to 8, while the observed (Ho) and expected (He) heterozygosity ranged from 0.0 to 0.80 and from 0.10 to 0.76, respectively. We also detected significant differences between sites, with F ST values ranging from 0.05 to 0.29. Microsatellite markers will enable us to estimate genetic diversity and population structure of E. chiloensis in future ecological and phylogeographic studies.

Corrective action investigation plan for Corrective Action Unit Number 423: Building 03-60 Underground Discharge Point, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada

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

NONE

1997-10-27

This Corrective Action Investigation Plan (CAIP) contains the environmental sample collection objectives and the criteria for conducting site investigation activities at Corrective Action Unit (CAU) Number 423, the Building 03-60 Underground Discharge Point (UDP), which is located in Area 3 at the Tonopah Test Range (TTR). The TTR, part of the Nellis Air Force Range, is approximately 225 kilometers (140 miles) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. CAU Number 423 is comprised of only one Corrective Action Site (CAS) which includes the Building 03-60 UDP and an associated discharge line extending from Building 03-60 to a point approximately 73 meters (240more » feet) northwest. The UDP was used between approximately 1965 and 1990 to dispose of waste fluids from the Building 03-60 automotive maintenance shop. It is likely that soils surrounding the UDP have been impacted by oil, grease, cleaning supplies and solvents as well as waste motor oil and other automotive fluids released from the UDP.« less

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

Halliwell, Stephen

Radioactive waste materials, including Transuranic (TRU) wastes from laboratories have been stored below ground in large containments at a number of sites in the US DOE Complex, and at nuclear sites in Europe. These containments are generally referred to as caissons or shafts. The containments are in a range of sizes and depths below grade. The caissons at the DOE's Hanford site are cylindrical, of the order of 2,500 mm in diameter, 3,050 mm in height and are buried about 6,000 mm below grade. One type of caisson is made out of corrugated pipe, whereas others are made of concretemore » with standard re-bar. However, the larger shafts in the UK are of the order of 4,600 mm in diameter, 53,500 mm deep, and 12,000 below grade. This paper describes the R and D work and testing activities performed to date to evaluate the concept of in-ground size reduction and stabilization of the contents of large containments similar to those at Hanford. In practice, the height of the Test Facility provided for a test cell that was approximately 22' deep. That prevented a 'full scale mockup' test in the sense that the Hanford Caisson configuration would be an identical replication. Therefore, the project was conducted in two phases. The first phase tested a simulated Caisson with surrogate contents, and part of a Chute section, and the second phase tested a full chute section. These tests were performed at VJ Technologies Test Facility located in East Haven, CT, as part of the Proof of Design Concept program for studying the feasibility of an in-situ grout/grind/mix/stabilize technology for the remediation of four caissons at the 618-11 Burial Ground at US Department of Energy Hanford Site. The test site was constructed such that multiple testing areas were provided for the evaluation of various tools, equipment and procedures under conditions that simulated the Hanford site, with representative soils and layout dimensions. (authors)« less

Helicopter Flight Test of a Compact, Real-Time 3-D Flash Lidar for Imaging Hazardous Terrain During Planetary Landing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roback, VIncent E.; Amzajerdian, Farzin; Brewster, Paul F.; Barnes, Bruce W.; Kempton, Kevin S.; Reisse, Robert A.; Bulyshev, Alexander E.

2013-01-01

A second generation, compact, real-time, air-cooled 3-D imaging Flash Lidar sensor system, developed from a number of cutting-edge components from industry and NASA, is lab characterized and helicopter flight tested under the Autonomous Precision Landing and Hazard Detection and Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) project. The ALHAT project is seeking to develop a guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) and sensing system based on lidar technology capable of enabling safe, precise crewed or robotic landings in challenging terrain on planetary bodies under any ambient lighting conditions. The Flash Lidar incorporates a 3-D imaging video camera based on Indium-Gallium-Arsenide Avalanche Photo Diode and novel micro-electronic technology for a 128 x 128 pixel array operating at a video rate of 20 Hz, a high pulse-energy 1.06 µm Neodymium-doped: Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:YAG) laser, a remote laser safety termination system, high performance transmitter and receiver optics with one and five degrees field-of-view (FOV), enhanced onboard thermal control, as well as a compact and self-contained suite of support electronics housed in a single box and built around a PC-104 architecture to enable autonomous operations. The Flash Lidar was developed and then characterized at two NASA-Langley Research Center (LaRC) outdoor laser test range facilities both statically and dynamically, integrated with other ALHAT GN&C subsystems from partner organizations, and installed onto a Bell UH-1H Iroquois "Huey" helicopter at LaRC. The integrated system was flight tested at the NASA-Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on simulated lunar approach to a custom hazard field consisting of rocks, craters, hazardous slopes, and safe-sites near the Shuttle Landing Facility runway starting at slant ranges of 750 m. In order to evaluate different methods of achieving hazard detection, the lidar, in conjunction with the ALHAT hazard detection and GN&C system, operates in both a narrow 1deg FOV raster-scanning mode in which successive, gimbaled images of the hazard field are mosaicked together as well as in a wider, 4.85deg FOV staring mode in which digital magnification, via a novel 3-D superresolution technique, is used to effectively achieve the same spatial precision attained with the more narrow FOV optics. The lidar generates calibrated and corrected 3-D range images of the hazard field in real-time and passes them to the ALHAT Hazard Detection System (HDS) which stitches the images together to generate on-the-fly Digital Elevation Maps (DEM's) and identifies hazards and safe-landing sites which the ALHAT GN&C system can then use to guide the host vehicle to a safe landing on the selected site. Results indicate that, for the KSC hazard field, the lidar operational range extends from 100m to 1.35 km for a 30 degree line-of-sight angle and a range precision as low as 8 cm which permits hazards as small as 25 cm to be identified. Based on the Flash Lidar images, the HDS correctly found and reported safe sites in near-real-time during several of the flights. A follow-on field test, planned for 2013, seeks to complete the closing of the GN&C loop for fully-autonomous operations on-board the Morpheus robotic, rocket-powered, free-flyer test bed in which the ALHAT system would scan the KSC hazard field (which was vetted during the present testing) and command the vehicle to landing on one of the selected safe sites.

Understanding the Geometry of Connected Fracture Flow with Multiperiod Oscillatory Hydraulic Tests.

PubMed

Sayler, Claire; Cardiff, Michael; Fort, Michael D

2018-03-01

An understanding of the spatial and hydraulic properties of fast preferential flow pathways in the subsurface is necessary in applications ranging from contaminant fate and transport modeling to design of energy extraction systems. One method for the characterization of fracture properties over interwellbore scales is Multiperiod Oscillatory Hydraulic (MOH) testing, in which the aquifer response to oscillatory pressure stimulations is observed. MOH tests were conducted on isolated intervals of wells in siliciclastic and carbonate aquifers in southern Wisconsin. The goal was to characterize the spatial properties of discrete fractures over interwellbore scales. MOH tests were conducted on two discrete fractured intervals intersecting two boreholes at one field site, and a nest of three piezometers at another field site. Fracture diffusivity estimates were obtained using analytical solutions that relate diffusivity to observed phase lag and amplitude decay. In addition, MOH tests were used to investigate the spatial extent of flow using different conceptual models of fracture geometry. Results indicated that fracture geometry at both field sites can be approximated by permeable two-dimensional fracture planes, oriented near-horizontally at one site, and near-vertically at the other. The technique used on MOH field data to characterize fracture geometry shows promise in revealing fracture network characteristics important to groundwater flow and transport. © 2017, National Ground Water Association.

Inventory of forest and rangeland and detection of forest stress

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heller, R. C. (Principal Investigator); Aldrich, R. C.; Weber, F. P.; Driscoll, R. S.

1972-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Seventy-two ground sensors were interfaced with three DCP'S at the Black Hills test site. Unfortunately, the transmitters had to be returned for modification and forestry sensed data is not available. The DCP's did operate properly from the Berkeley laboratory and data were recovered from the Goldstone and Alaska stations via Goddard. Replicated training sets and test sets have been selected from all three test site areas in preparation for the receipt of ERTS imagery and digital tapes. From 600 and 800 points have been selected at each site location and UTM coordinates determined. Templates are being made of these sets. As of September 1, ERTS-generated data had not been received and no statements can be made regarding quality or suitability for forest and range experiments. Aerial photography (scale 1:32,000) of the Manitou (226 C) and Black Hills (226 A) sites was taken with CIR in June. Various scales (1:2,000; 1:10,000; 1:20,000; and 1:40,000) of 70 mm photographs were obtained at Manitou with normal color, CIR, and panchromatic in August.

Chapter 27. Seed testing requirements and regulatory laws

Treesearch

Richard Stevens; Kent R. Jorgensen

2004-01-01

Federal and State seed laws require that seed used on range and wildland sites be officially tested and appropriately labeled or tagged. It is the responsibility of the seed distributor (who may be the producer, collector, or broker) toward the end user to properly tag each container of seed to comply with these laws. An analysis tag is always required. If seed has...

Digital Imagery Compression Best Practices Guide - A Motion Imagery Standards Profile (MISP) Compliant Architecture

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

MISP) COMPLIANT ARCHITECTURE WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE REAGAN TEST SITE YUMA PROVING GROUND DUGWAY PROVING GROUND ABERDEEN TEST CENTER...DIGITAL MOTION IMAGERY COMPRESSION BEST PRACTICES GUIDE – A MOTION IMAGERY STANDARDS PROFILE (MISP) COMPLIANT ARCHITECTURE ...delivery, and archival purposes. These practices are based on a Motion Imagery Standards Profile (MISP) compliant architecture , which has been defined

REECo activities and sample logistics in support of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group

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

Wireman, D.L.; Rosenberry, C.E. Jr.; White, M.G.

Activities and sample logistics of Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Co., Inc. (REECo), in support of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG), are discussed in this summary report. Activities include the collection, preparation, and shipment of samples of soils, vegetation, and small animals collected at Pu-contaminated areas of the Nevada Test Site and Tonopah Test Range. (CH)

Mapping Near-Surface Salinization Using Long-wavelength AIRSAR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paine, Jeffery G.

2003-01-01

In May 1999, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory acquired airborne synthetic aperture radar (AIRSAR) data over the Hatchel and Montague Test Sites in Texas. We analyzed P- and L-band polarimetric radar data from these AIRSAR missions to assess whether AIRSAR could be used as a rapid and remote platform for screening large areas at risk for near-surface soil and water salinization. Ongoing geological, geophysical, and hydrological studies at the Hatchel Test Site in Runnels County and the Montague Test Site in Montague County have demonstrated the utility of high-resolution airborne electromagnetic (EM) induction in mapping electrical conductivity changes that accompany shallow natural and oil-field related salinization at these sites in the Colorado and Red River basins. We compared AIRSAR and airborne EM data quantitatively by (1) selecting representative flight lines from airborne EM surveys of the Hatchel and Montague sites, (2) extracting measurement locations and apparent conductivities at the highest available EM frequency, (3) identifying and extracting all P- and L-band backscatter intensities for all locations within 5 m of an airborne EM measurement, and (4) examining the spatial and magnitude relationships between apparent conductivity and all radar polarization and polarization-ratio combinations. For both test sites, backscatter intensity in all individual P- and L-band polarizations was slightly negatively correlated with apparent conductivity. In most modes this was manifested as a decrease in the range and magnitude of backscatter intensity as apparent conductivity increased. Select single-band and cross-band polarization ratios exhibited somewhat higher correlation with apparent conductivity by partly diminishing the dominance of the vegetation contribution to V backscatter intensity. The highest correlation with conductivity was obtained using the L-band vertical- to cross-polarization ratio, the P-band vertical- to L-band cross-polarization ratio, and the P-band vertical-to cross-polarization ratio. These correlations were higher for the more arid (and less electrically conductive) Hatchel Test Site than they were for the Montague Test Site.

Crestal bone loss around submerged and nonsubmerged dental implants: A systematic review.

PubMed

Al Amri, Mohammad D

2016-05-01

To my knowledge, there is no systematic review of crestal bone loss (CBL) around submerged and nonsubmerged dental implants. The purpose of this review was to systematically assess CBL around submerged and nonsubmerged dental implants. The addressed focused question was, "Does crestal and subcrestal placement of dental implants influence crestal bone levels?" Databases were searched from 1986 through October 2015 using different combinations of the following keywords: crestal, sub-crestal, bone loss, dental implant, submerged, and nonsubmerged. Reference lists of potentially relevant original and review articles were hand-searched to identify any further studies. Letters to the editor, case reports, commentaries, studies on platform-switched implants, and studies published in languages other than English were excluded. In total, 13 studies (6 human and 7 animal), which were performed at universities, were included. In the human studies, the number of participants ranged from 8 to 84 individuals. The follow-up period ranged from 1 to 5 years. CBL at the test sites ranged from 0.17 mm to 0.9 mm and at control sites from 0.02 mm to 1.4 mm. Five human studies reported no significant difference in CBL around implants placed at the test and control sites. All animal studies were performed in dogs with a mean age ranging from 1 to approximately 2 years. The follow-up period ranged from 2 to 6 months. Four animal studies reported no significant difference in CBL around submerged and nonsubmerged implants. No significant difference in CBL was found around submerged and nonsubmerged dental implants. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nevada Test Site Environmental Report 2009

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

Cathy Wills, ed.

2010-09-13

The Nevada Test Site Environmental Report 2009 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. It was prepared by National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec), for the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO). This and previous years’ Nevada Test Site Environmental Reports (NTSERs) are posted on the NNSA/NSO website at http://www.nv.doe.gov/library/publications/aser.aspx. This NTSER was prepared to satisfy DOE Order DOE O 231.1A, “Environment, Safety and Health Reporting.” Its purpose is to (1) report compliance status withmore » 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 NNSA/NSO Environmental Management System and characterize its performance, and (6) highlight significant environmental programs and efforts. This NTSER summarizes data and compliance status for calendar year 2009 at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) and its two support facilities, the North Las Vegas Facility (NLVF) and the Remote Sensing Laboratory (RSL)-Nellis. It also addresses environmental restoration (ER) projects conducted at the Tonopah Test Range (TTR). Through a Memorandum of Agreement, NNSA/NSO is responsible for the oversight of TTR ER projects, and the Sandia Site Office of NNSA (NNSA/SSO) has oversight of all other TTR activities. NNSA/SSO produces the TTR annual environmental report available at http://www.sandia.gov/news/publications/environmental/index.html.« less

From the CMS Computing Experience in the WLCG STEP'09 Challenge to the First Data Taking of the LHC Era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonacorsi, D.; Gutsche, O.

The Worldwide LHC Computing Grid (WLCG) project decided in March 2009 to perform scale tests of parts of its overall Grid infrastructure before the start of the LHC data taking. The "Scale Test for the Experiment Program" (STEP'09) was performed mainly in June 2009 -with more selected tests in September- October 2009 -and emphasized the simultaneous test of the computing systems of all 4 LHC experiments. CMS tested its Tier-0 tape writing and processing capabilities. The Tier-1 tape systems were stress tested using the complete range of Tier-1 work-flows: transfer from Tier-0 and custody of data on tape, processing and subsequent archival, redistribution of datasets amongst all Tier-1 sites as well as burst transfers of datasets to Tier-2 sites. The Tier-2 analysis capacity was tested using bulk analysis job submissions to backfill normal user activity. In this talk, we will report on the different performed tests and present their post-mortem analysis.

USNO GPS program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Putkovich, K.

1981-01-01

Initial test results indicated that the Global Positioning System/Time Transfer Unit (GPS/TTU) performed well within the + or - 100 nanosecond range required by the original system specification. Subsequent testing involved the verification of GPS time at the master control site via portable clocks and the acquisition and tracking of as many passes of the space vehicles currently in operation as possible. A description and discussion of the testing, system modifications, test results obtained, and an evaluation of both GPS and the GPS/TTU are presented.

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 413: Clean Slate II Plutonium Dispersion (TTR) Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, Revision 1

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

Matthews, Patrick; Burmeister, Mark; Gallo, Patricia

Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 413 is located on the Tonopah Test Range, which is approximately 130 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, and approximately 40 miles southeast of Tonopah, Nevada. The CAU 413 site consists of the release of radionuclides to the surface and shallow subsurface from the conduct of the Clean Slate II (CSII) storage–transportation test conducted on May 31, 1963. CAU 413 includes one corrective action site (CAS), TA-23-02CS (Pu Contaminated Soil). The known releases at CAU 413 are the result of the atmospheric deposition of contamination from the 1963 CSII test. The CSII test was a non-nuclearmore » detonation of a nuclear device located inside a reinforced concrete bunker covered with 2 feet of soil. This test dispersed radionuclides, primarily plutonium, on the ground surface. The presence and nature of contamination at CAU 413 will be evaluated based on information collected from a corrective action investigation (CAI). The investigation is based on the data quality objectives (DQOs) developed on June 17, 2015, by representatives of the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection; the U.S. Air Force; and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office. The DQO process was used to identify and define the type, amount, and quality of data needed to develop and evaluate appropriate corrective actions for CAU 413. The CAI will include radiological surveys, geophysical surveys, collection and analyses of soil samples, and assessment of investigation results. The collection of soil samples will be accomplished using both probabilistic and judgmental sampling approaches. To facilitate site investigation and the evaluation of DQO decisions, the releases at CAU 413 have been divided into seven study groups.« less

Hydrogeology and water quality in the Graces Quarters area of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tenbus, Frederick J.; Blomquist, Joel D.

1995-01-01

Graces Quarters was used for open-air testing of chemical-warfare agents from the late 1940's until 1971. Testing and disposal activities have resulted in the contamination of ground water and surface water. The hydrogeology and water quality were examined at three test areas, four disposal sites, a bunker, and a service area on Graces Quarters. Methods of investigation included surface and borehole geophysics, water-quality sampling, water- level measurement, and hydrologic testing. The hydrogeologic framework is complex and consists of a discontinuous surficial aquifer, one or more upper confining units, and a confined aquifer system. Directions of ground-water flow vary spatially and temporally, and results of site investigations show that ground-water flow is controlled by the geology of the area. The ground water and surface water at Graces Quarters generally are unmineralized; the ground water is mildly acidic (median pH is 5.38) and poorly buffered. Inorganic constituents in excess of certain Federal drinking-water regulations and ambient water-quality criteria were detected at some sites, but they probably were present naturally. Volatile and semivolatile organic com- pounds were detected in the ground water and surface water at seven of the nine sites that were investi- gated. Concentrations of organic compounds at two of the nine sites exceeded Federal drinking-water regulations. Volatile compounds in concentrations as high as 6,000 m/L (micrograms per liter) were detected in the ground water at the site known as the primary test area. Concentrations of volatile compounds detected in the other areas ranged from 0.57 to 17 m/L.

Radionuclide observables for the Platte underground nuclear explosive test on 14 April 1962

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

Burnett, Jonathan L.; Milbrath, Brian D.

2016-11-01

Past nuclear weapons tests provide invaluable information for understanding the radionuclide observables and data quality objectives expected during an On-site Inspection (OSI) for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). These radioactive signatures are complex and subject to spatial and temporal variability. The Platte Underground Nuclear Test on 14 April 1962 provides extensive environmental monitoring data that can be modelled and used to assess an OSI. The 1.6 kT test is especially useful as it released the highest amounts of recorded activity during Operation Nougat at the Nevada Test Site – now known as the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). It hasmore » been estimated that 0.36% of the activity was released, and dispersed in a northerly direction. The deposition ranged from 1 x 10-11 to 1 x 10-9 of the atmospheric release (per m2), and has been used to evaluate a hypothetical OSI at 1 week to 2 years post-detonation. Radioactive decay reduces the activity of the 17 OSI relevant radionuclides by 99.7%, such that detection throughout the inspection is only achievable close to the explosion where deposition was highest.« less

DARPA/USAF/USN J-UCAS X-45A System Demonstration Program: A Review of Flight Test Site Processes and Personnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cosentino, Gary B.

2008-01-01

The Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems (J-UCAS) program is a collaborative effort between the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA), the US Air Force (USAF) and the US Navy (USN). Together they have reviewed X-45A flight test site processes and personnel as part of a system demonstration program for the UCAV-ATD Flight Test Program. The goal was to provide a disciplined controlled process for system integration and testing and demonstration flight tests. NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) acted as the project manager during this effort and was tasked with the responsibilities of range and ground safety, the provision of flight test support and infrastructure and the monitoring of technical and engineering tasks. DFRC also contributed their engineering knowledge through their contributions in the areas of autonomous ground taxi control development, structural dynamics testing and analysis and the provision of other flight test support including telemetry data, tracking radars, and communications and control support equipment. The Air Force Flight Test Center acted at the Deputy Project Manager in this effort and was responsible for the provision of system safety support and airfield management and air traffic control services, among other supporting roles. The T-33 served as a J-UCAS surrogate aircraft and demonstrated flight characteristics similar to that of the the X-45A. The surrogate served as a significant risk reduction resource providing mission planning verification, range safety mission assessment and team training, among other contributions.

Soil Erosion in agro-industrially used Landscapes between High and Anti-Atlas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peter, K. D.; Ries, J. B.; Marzolff, I.; d'Oleire-Oltmanns, S.

2012-04-01

The Souss basin is characterised by high population dynamics and changing land use. Extensive plantations of citrus fruits, bananas and vegetables in monocropping, mainly for the European market, replace the traditional mixed agriculture with small-area olive orchards and cereal fields. A precipitation of around 200 mm enforces the irrigation of cultivation by deep wells. The spatial vicinity of highly engineered irrigation areas, which are often created by land-levelling measures, and housing estates with highly active gully systems and rapid badland development presents a risk to both the agro-industrial land use and the population settlements. It is investigated whether the levelling measures influence surface runoff and soil erosion and thereby affect the further gully development. The influences of surface characteristics on runoff and soil erosion are analysed. Therefore 91 rainfall simulation experiments using a small portable rainfall simulator and 33 infiltrations by means of a single ring infiltrometer are carried out on seven test sites nearby the city of Taroudant. The rainfall simulations (30 minutes, 40 mm h-1) show an average runoff coefficient of between 54 and 59 % on test sites with land-levelling measures and average runoff coefficients ranging between 36 and 48 % on mostly non-levelled test sites. The average of soil erosion lies on levelled test sites between 52.1 and 81.8 g m-2, on non-levelled test-sites between 13.2 und 23.2 g m-2 per 30 minutes. Accordingly, all the test sites have a rather low infiltration capacity. This can also be confirmed by the low average infiltration depth of only 15.5 cm on levelled test sites. There is often a clear borderline at horizons with a high bulk density caused by compaction. In contrast, on non-levelled test sites, the average infiltration depth reaches 22.2 cm. Reinforcing factors for runoff and soil erosion are slope and soil crusts. Vegetation cover has a reducing influence on surface process activity. Medium rock fragment cover shows high rates of runoff and soil erosion. Hitherto collected data show an explicit difference between levelled and non-levelled test sites. Land-levelling measures clearly influence the generation of surface runoff and soil erosion and consequently, advance the further gully development.

Sensitivity and specificity of HIV rapid tests used for research and voluntary counselling and testing.

PubMed

Anzala, O; Sanders, E J; Kamali, A; Katende, M; Mutua, G N; Ruzagira, E; Stevens, G; Simek, M; Price, M

2008-10-01

HIV rapid tests (RT) are a quick and non-technically demanding means to perform HIV voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) but understanding their limitations is vital to delivering quality VCT. To determine the sensitivity and specificity of HIV rapid tests used for research and voluntary counselling and testing at four sites in East Africa. Cross-sectional study. Masaka District, Uganda; a sugar plantation in Kakira, Uganda; Coastal Villages in the Kilifi District of Kenya; and the Urban slum of Kangemi located West of Nairobi, Kenya. Six thousands two hundred and fifty five consenting volunteers were enrolled into the study, and 675 prevalent HIV infections were identified. The RT sensitivity tended to be high for all assays at all sites (97.63-100%) with the exception of the Uni-Gold assay (90.24% in Kangemi, 96.58% in Kilifi). Twenty four RT results were recorded as 'weak positives', 22 (92%) of which were negative by ELISA. There was a high rate of RT false positives in Uganda (positive predictive values ranging from 45.70% to 86.62%). The sensitivity and specificity of the RT varied significantly across sites. The rate of RT misclassification in Uganda suggests that a multiple test algorithm may be preferable to a single test as screener for HIV VCT.

Test wells T23, T29, and T30, White Sands Missile Range and Fort Bliss Military Reservation, Dona Ana County, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Myers, R.G.; Pinckley, K.M.

1984-01-01

Three test wells, T23, T29, and T30, were drilled in south-central New Mexico as part of a joint military training program sponsored by the U.S. Army in November 1982. Test well T23 was drilled as an exploratory and monitoring well in the proposed Soledad well field at the Fort Bliss Military Reservation. Test wells T29 and T30 were drilled at White Sands Missile Range. Test well T29 was drilled as an observation well in the vicinity of the outfall channel from the sewage treatment plant. Test well T30 was drilled as an observation well for a landfill south of the well site. Information obtained from these wells includes lithologic logs for all wells and borehole-geophysical logs from the cased wells for test wells T29 and T30. (USGS)

Isolation of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. from free-ranging wild animals.

PubMed

Iovine, Renata de Oliveira; Dejuste, Catia; Miranda, Flávia; Filoni, Claudia; Bueno, Marina Galvão; de Carvalho, Vania Maria

2015-01-01

Increasing interactions between humans, domestic animals and wildlife may result in inter-species transmission of infectious agents. To evaluate the presence of pathogenic E. coli and Salmonella spp. and to test the antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates, rectal swabs from 36 different free-ranging wild mammals were taken from two distinct natural sites in Brazil: Cantareira State Park (CSP, state of São Paulo) and Santa Isabel do Rio Negro Region (SIRNR, state of Amazonas). The swabs were randomly collected and processed for bacterial isolation, identification, characterization and antimicrobial resistance. Eighteen E. coli strains from CSP and 20 from SIRNR were recovered from 14 and 22 individuals, respectively. Strains from animals captured in CSP, the site with the greatest anthropization, exhibited a higher range and percentage of virulence genes, including an eae+/bfpA+ strain. Antimicrobial resistance was verified in strains originating from both sites; however, in strains from SIRNR, aminopenicillins were almost the exclusive antimicrobial class to which strains exhibited resistance, whereas in CSP there were strains resistant to cephalosporins, sulfonamide, aminoglycoside, tetracycline and fluoroquinolone, in addition to strains exhibiting multidrug resistance. Two strains of Salmonella enterica that are known to be associated with reptiles, serotypes Belem and 60:r:e,n,z15, were recovered only from Amazonian animals and showed susceptibility to all classes of antimicrobials that were tested. Although the potential impact of these pathogens on wildlife remains unknown, bacteria isolated from free-ranging wild animals may provide relevant information about environmental health and should therefore be more deeply studied.

Theater Missile Defense Extended Test Range Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement - Eglin Gulf Test Range. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-07-01

potential sites including those in the Florida Keys. P-E-0006.02 Biology-Keys 3.3.3.4 The coral reef is not within the region of influence of the...Region 4 P-W-0065 Musselman, David P-W-0021 Orlandi, Robin; Board of Directors of Reef Relief P-W-0014 Percy, George W.; Division of Historical...answer above. P-W-0007.03 Florida Keys- reef 3.3.3.3 Comment noted. P-W-0007.04 Launch emissions 3.1.14.4 3.3.14.4 The balance of the hydrogen

Plant Mounds as Concentration and Stabilization Agents for Actinide Soil Contaminants in Nevada

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

D.S. Shafer; J. Gommes

Plant mounds or blow-sand mounds are accumulations of soil particles and plant debris around the base of shrubs and are common features in deserts in the southwestern United States. An important factor in their formation is that shrubs create surface roughness that causes wind-suspended particles to be deposited and resist further suspension. Shrub mounds occur in some plant communities on the Nevada Test Site, the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), and Tonopah Test Range (TTR), including areas of surface soil contamination from past nuclear testing. In the 1970s as part of early studies to understand properties of actinides inmore » the environment, the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) examined the accumulation of isotopes of Pu, 241Am, and U in plant mounds at safety experiment and storage-transportation test sites of nuclear devices. Although aerial concentrations of these contaminants were highest in the intershrub or desert pavement areas, the concentration in mounds were higher than in equal volumes of intershrub or desert pavement soil. The NAEG studies found the ratio of contaminant concentration of actinides in soil to be greater (1.6 to 2.0) in shrub mounds than in the surrounding areas of desert pavement. At Project 57 on the NTTR, 17 percent of the area was covered in mounds while at Clean Slate III on the TTR, 32 percent of the area was covered in mounds. If equivalent volumes of contaminated soil were compared between mounds and desert pavement areas at these sites, then the former might contain as much as 34 and 62 percent of the contaminant inventory, respectively. Not accounting for radionuclides associated with shrub mounds would cause the inventory of contaminants and potential exposure to be underestimated. In addition, preservation of shrub mounds could be important part of long-term stewardship if these sites are closed by fencing and posting with administrative controls.« less

Unexpected individual clinical site variation in eradication rates of group a streptococci by penicillin in multisite clinical trials.

PubMed

Kaplan, Edward L; Oakes, J Michael; Johnson, Dwight R

2007-12-01

Previously, we reported an unexpectedly large percentage of failures by penicillin to eradicate group A streptococci (GAS) from the upper respiratory tract. Because penicillin has been the recommended therapy for the treatment of GAS pharyngitis, our report prompted controversy. Data from clinical trials in which our laboratory has participated demonstrated marked variation in GAS eradication rates among clinical sites. The reasons for such variation have never been adequately examined. We performed statistical analyses of site variation in eradication rates to assess the potential effect on reported reduced penicillin efficacy. Penicillin GAS eradication rates were compared using data from 4 large multisite pharyngitis treatment trials (75 clinical sites; 1158 subjects). Variation in eradication rates among clinical sites was statistically evaluated [chi(2) tests and generalized estimating equation (GEE) regression models]. There was significant site-to-site variation in GAS eradication rates in each of the trials (range, 17-100%; P < 0.005) as well as between separate trials (mean range, 58-69%; P < 0.033). GEE modeling indicated that GAS eradication rates were significantly higher for clinical sites participating in more than one clinical trial. The statistically significant site-to-site variation in penicillin eradication rates was related to factors (dependencies) at individual sites. Such factors may affect assessment of therapeutic efficacy and indicate a necessity for considering clinical site variation before reporting pooled efficacy data from multiple sites; combined data may result in misleading clinical implications. This is the first report documenting significant variation resulting from individual clinical site-related factors and offers a possible explanation for reduced penicillin eradication.

N2O FIELD STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of measurements of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from coal-fired utility boilers at three electric power generating stations. Six units were tested, two at each site, including sizes ranging from 165 to 700 MW. Several manufacturers and boiler firing type...

Selection of den sites by black bears in the southern Appalachians

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reynolds-Hogland, M. J.; Mitchell, M.S.; Powell, R.A.; Brown, D.C.

2007-01-01

We evaluated selection of den sites by American black bears (Ursus americanus) in the Pisgah Bear Sanctuary, western North Carolina, by comparing characteristics of dens at 53 den sites with availability of habitat characteristics in annual home ranges of bears and in the study area. We also tested whether den-site selection differed by sex, age, and reproductive status of bears. In addition, we evaluated whether the den component of an existing habitat model for black bears predicted where bears would select den sites. We found bears selected den sites far from gravel roads, on steep slopes, and at high elevations relative to what was available in both annual home ranges and in the study area. Den-site selection did not differ by sex or age, but it differed by reproductive status. Adult females with cubs preferred to den in areas that were relatively far from gravel roads, but adult females without cubs did not. The habitat model overestimated the value of areas near gravel roads, underestimated the value of moderately steep areas, and did not include elevation as a predictor variable. Our results highlight the importance of evaluating den selection in terms of both use and availability of den characteristics. ?? 2007 American Society of Mammalogists.

Preliminary Assessment for CAU 485: Cactus Spring Ranch Pu and DU Site CAS No. TA-39-001-TAGR: Soil Contamination, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada

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

NONE

1998-07-01

Corrective Action Unit 485, Corrective Action Site TA-39-001-TAGR, the Cactus Spring Ranch Soil Contamination Area, is located approximately six miles southwest of the Area 3 Compound at the eastern mouth of Sleeping Column Canyon in the Cactus Range on the Tonopah Test Range. This site was used in conjunction with animal studies involving the biological effects of radionuclides (specifically plutonium) associated with Operation Roofer Coaster. The location had been used as a ranch by private citizens prior to government control of the area. According to historical records, Operation Roofer Coaster activities involved assessing the inhalation uptake of plutonium in animalsmore » from the nonnuclear detonation of nuclear weapons. Operation Roofer Coaster consisted of four nonnuclear destruction tests of a nuclear device. The four tests all took place during May and June 1963 and consisted of Double Tracks and Clean Slate 1, 11, and 111. Eighty-four dogs, 84 burros, and 136 sheep were used for the Double Tracks test, and ten sheep and ten dogs were used for Clean Slate 11. These animals were housed at Cactus Spring Ranch. Before detonation, all animals were placed in cages and transported to the field. After the shot, they were taken to the decontamination area where some may have been sacrificed immediately. All animals, including those sacrificed, were returned to Cactus Spring Ranch at this point to have autopsies performed or to await being sacrificed at a later date. A description of the Cactus Spring Ranch activities found in project files indicates the ranch was used solely for the purpose of the Roofer Coaster tests and bioaccumulation studies and was never used for any other project. No decontamination or cleanup had been conducted at Cactus Spring Ranch prior to the start of the project. When the project was complete, the pits at Cactus Spring Ranch were filled with soil, and trailers where dogs were housed and animal autopsies had been performed were removed. Additional pens and sheds were built to house and manage livestock involved with the Operation Roofer Coaster activities in 1963.« less

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in leachates from selected landfill sites in South Africa.

PubMed

Odusanya, David O; Okonkwo, Jonathan O; Botha, Ben

2009-01-01

The last few decades have seen dramatic growth in the scale of production and the use of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) as flame retardants. Consequently, PBDEs such as BDE -28, -47, -66, -71, -75, -77, -85, -99, -100, -119, -138, -153, -154, and -183 have been detected in various environmental matrices. Generally, in South Africa, once the products containing these chemicals have outlived their usefulness, they are discarded into landfill sites. Consequently, the levels of PBDEs in leachates from landfill sites may give an indication of the general exposure and use of these compounds. The present study was aimed at determining the occurrence and concentrations of most common PBDEs in leachates from selected landfill sites. The extraction capacities of the solvents were also tested. Spiked landfill leachate samples were used for the recovery tests. Separation and determination of the PBDE congeners were carried out with a gas chromatograph equipped with Ni63 electron capture detector. The mean percentage recoveries ranged from 63% to 108% (n=3) for landfill leachate samples with petroleum ether giving the highest percentage extraction. The mean concentrations of PBDEs obtained ranged from ND to 2670pgl(-1), ND to 6638pgl(-1), ND to 7230pgl(-1), 41 to 4009pgl(-1), 90 to 9793pgl(-1) for the Garankuwa, Hatherly, Kwaggarsrand, Soshanguve and Temba landfill sites, respectively. Also BDE -28, -47, -71 and BDE-77 were detected in the leachate samples from all the landfill sites; and all the congeners were detected in two of the oldest landfill sites. The peak concentrations were recorded for BDE-47 at three sites and BDE-71 and BDE-75 at two sites. The highest concentration, 9793+/-1.5pgl(-1), was obtained for the Temba landfill site with the highest BOD value. This may suggest some influence of organics on the level of PBDEs. Considering the leaching characteristics of brominated flame retardants, there is a high possibility that with time these compounds may infiltrate into the groundwater around the sites since most of the sites are not adequately lined.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in leachates from selected landfill sites in South Africa

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

Odusanya, David O.; Okonkwo, Jonathan O.; Botha, Ben

The last few decades have seen dramatic growth in the scale of production and the use of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) as flame retardants. Consequently, PBDEs such as BDE -28, -47, -66, -71, -75, -77, -85, -99, -100, -119, -138, -153, -154, and -183 have been detected in various environmental matrices. Generally, in South Africa, once the products containing these chemicals have outlived their usefulness, they are discarded into landfill sites. Consequently, the levels of PBDEs in leachates from landfill sites may give an indication of the general exposure and use of these compounds. The present study was aimed atmore » determining the occurrence and concentrations of most common PBDEs in leachates from selected landfill sites. The extraction capacities of the solvents were also tested. Spiked landfill leachate samples were used for the recovery tests. Separation and determination of the PBDE congeners were carried out with a gas chromatograph equipped with Ni{sup 63} electron capture detector. The mean percentage recoveries ranged from 63% to 108% (n = 3) for landfill leachate samples with petroleum ether giving the highest percentage extraction. The mean concentrations of PBDEs obtained ranged from ND to 2670 pg l{sup -1}, ND to 6638 pg l{sup -1}, ND to 7230 pg l{sup -1}, 41 to 4009 pg l{sup -1}, 90 to 9793 pg l{sup -1} for the Garankuwa, Hatherly, Kwaggarsrand, Soshanguve and Temba landfill sites, respectively. Also BDE -28, -47, -71 and BDE-77 were detected in the leachate samples from all the landfill sites; and all the congeners were detected in two of the oldest landfill sites. The peak concentrations were recorded for BDE-47 at three sites and BDE-71 and BDE-75 at two sites. The highest concentration, 9793 {+-} 1.5 pg l{sup -1}, was obtained for the Temba landfill site with the highest BOD value. This may suggest some influence of organics on the level of PBDEs. Considering the leaching characteristics of brominated flame retardants, there is a high possibility that with time these compounds may infiltrate into the groundwater around the sites since most of the sites are not adequately lined.« less

Atmospheric Hydrogen (H2) Concentrations from the CSIRO GASLAB Flask Sampling Network (1992 - 2001)

DOE Data Explorer

Steele, L. P. [Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Atmospheric Research, Aspendale, Victoria, Australia; Krummel, P. B. [Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Atmospheric Research, Aspendale, Victoria, Australia; Langenfelds, R. L. [Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Atmospheric Research, Aspendale, Victoria, Australia

2003-01-01

Air samples from nine sites were collected from the CSIRO GASLAB Flask Sampling Network for the purpose of monitoring the atmospheric hydrogen (H2) concentrations. The listed data were obtained from flask air samples returned to the CSIRO GASLAB for analysis. Typical sample storage times ranged from days to weeks for some sites (e.g., Cape Grim) to as much as one year for Macquarie Island and the Antarctic sites. Experiments carried out to test for any change in sample H22 mixing ratio during storage have shown no consistent and systematic drift in these flask types over test periods of several months to years (Cooper et al., 1999). An annual cycle of H2 is evident, reflecting the seasonal nature of some of the major sources and sinks (Novelli et al., 1999).

19. Photographic copy of an asconstructed site plan for additions ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

19. Photographic copy of an as-constructed site plan for additions to North Base: Job No. Muroc A(511), Military Construction, Third District Region, San Bernardino, California; Muroc Bombing Range, Muroc Lake, Calif; Additional Temporary Construction, Materiel Center Flight Test Base, Location Grading & Paving Plan, Sheet No. 1 of 21, March 1943. Reproduced from the holdings of the National Archives, Pacific Southwest Region - Edwards Air Force Base, North Base, North Base Road, Boron, Kern County, CA

Multisite analytical evaluation of the Abbott ARCHITECT cyclosporine assay.

PubMed

Wallemacq, Pierre; Maine, Gregory T; Berg, Keith; Rosiere, Thomas; Marquet, Pierre; Aimo, Giuseppe; Mengozzi, Giulio; Young, Julianna; Wonigeit, Kurt; Kretschmer, Robert; Wermuth, Bendicht; Schmid, Rainer W

2010-04-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the analytical performance of the Abbott ARCHITECT Cyclosporine (CsA) immunoassay in 7 clinical laboratories in comparison to liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS), Abbott TDx, Cobas Integra 800, and the Dade Dimension Xpand immunoassay. The ARCHITECT assay uses a whole blood specimen, a pretreatment step with organic reagents to precipitate proteins and extract the drug, followed by a 2-step automated immunoassay with magnetic microparticles coated with anti-CsA antibody and an acridinium-CsA tracer. Imprecision testing at the 7 evaluation sites gave a range of total % coefficient of variations of 7.5%-12.2% at 87.5 ng/mL, 6.6%-14.3% at 411 ng/mL, and 5.2%-10.7% at 916 ng/mL. The lower limit of quantification ranged from 12 to 20 ng/mL. Purified CsA metabolites AM1, AM1c, AM4N, AM9, and AM19 were tested in whole blood by the ARCHITECT assay and showed minimal cross-reactivity at all 7 sites. In particular, AM1 and AM9 cross-reactivity in the ARCHITECT assay, ranged from -2.5% to 0.2% and -0.8% to 2.2%, respectively, and was significantly lower than for the TDx assay, in which the values were 3.2% and 16.1%, respectively. Comparable testing of metabolites in the Dade Dimension Xpand assay at 2 evaluation sites showed cross-reactivity to AM4N (6.4% and 6.8%) and AM9 (2.6% and 3.6%) and testing on the Roche Integra 800 showed cross-reactivity to AM1c (2.4%), AM9 (10.7%), and AM19 (2.8%). Cyclosporine International Proficiency Testing Scheme samples, consisting of both pooled specimens from patients receiving CsA therapy as well as whole-blood specimens supplemented with CsA, were tested by the ARCHITECT assay at 6 sites and showed an average bias of -24 to -58 ng/mL versus LC/MSMS CsA and -2 to -37 ng/mL versus AxSYM CsA. Studies were performed with the ARCHITECT CsA assay on patient specimens with the following results: ARCHITECT CsA assay versus LC/MSMS, average bias of 31 ng/mL; ARCHITECT versus the Dade Dimension assay (4 sites), average biases of -7 to -228 ng/mL; ARCHITECT versus AxSYM and TDx, average biases of -4 and -53 ng/mL, respectively. Spearman correlation coefficients were >or=0.89. The ARCHITECT CsA assay has significantly reduced CsA metabolite interference relative to other immunoassays and is a convenient and sensitive semiautomated method to measure CsA in whole blood.

Large-scale performance and design for construction activity erosion control best management practices.

PubMed

Faucette, L B; Scholl, B; Beighley, R E; Governo, J

2009-01-01

The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II requires construction activities to have erosion and sediment control best management practices (BMPs) designed and installed for site storm water management. Although BMPs are specified on storm water pollution prevention plans (SWPPPs) as part of the construction general permit (GP), there is little evidence in the research literature as to how BMPs perform or should be designed. The objectives of this study were to: (i) comparatively evaluate the performance of common construction activity erosion control BMPs under a standardized test method, (ii) evaluate the performance of compost erosion control blanket thickness, (iii) evaluate the performance of compost erosion control blankets (CECBs) on a variety of slope angles, and (iv) determine Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) cover management factors (C factors) for these BMPs to assist site designers and engineers. Twenty-three erosion control BMPs were evaluated using American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) D-6459, standard test method for determination of ECB performance in protecting hill slopes from rainfall induced erosion, on 4:1 (H:V), 3:1, and 2:1 slopes. Soil loss reduction for treatments exposed to 5 cm of rainfall on a 2:1 slope ranged from-7 to 99%. For rainfall exposure of 10 cm, treatment soil loss reduction ranged from 8 to 99%. The 2.5 and 5 cm CECBs significantly reduced erosion on slopes up to 2:1, while CECBs < 2.5 cm are not recommended on slopes >or= 4:1 when rainfall totals reach 5 cm. Based on the soil loss results, USLE C factors ranged from 0.01 to 0.9. These performance and design criteria should aid site planners and designers in decision-making processes.

Preliminary results from comparisons of redundant tiltmeters at three sites in central california

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mortensen, C.E.; Johnston, M.J.S.

1979-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey has been operating a network of shallow-borehole tiltmeters in central California since June 1973. At six sites redundant instruments have been installed as a check on data coherency. These include the Sage Ranch, Tres Pinos, New Idria, Aromas, Bear Valley and San Juan Bautista tiltmeter sites. Preliminary results from the comparison of redundant data from the Aromas, Bear Valley and San Juan Bautista sites for periods of eight, three and seven months respectively, suggest that short period tilt signals in the range 5 min < T < 3-5 h and ranging in amplitude from 5 ?? 10-8 to 10-6 rad, but not including step offsets, show excellent agreement on closely spaced instruments. Agreement is not as good in this period range for instruments at San Juan Bautista with a separation of 200 m. Signals of interest observed in this period range include coseismic tilts, teleseisms and tilts associated with creep events. Tilt signals in the period range 3-5 h < T < 2- 5 weeks are not always coherent at all three of the redundant tilt sites studied. Tilt signals in this period range have amplitudes up to 5 ?? 10-6 rad and wavelengths down to at least the instrument separation at the closely spaced sites (~several meters). Regarding longerterm coherency, the instruments at San Juan Bautista with 200-m spacing, agree within 0.5 ??rad for the N-S component and 0.7 jurad for the E-W component for a period of two months. The closely spaced redundant instruments at Aromas agree within 2 ??rad for the N-S component and 1 ??rad for the E-W component for the eight-month period of operation. Data from the three sites have been checked for effects of temperature, atmospheric pressure and rainfall. The latter appears to be critically site dependent. The worst case tilts for 1 inch of rainfall can be more than 1 jurad with a duration of a few days to a week. Typical rain-induced tilts are less than 0.3 ??rad for 1 inch of rain. The two instruments at the Sage Ranch site have been in operation for the longest period. However, they have shown local site or ground instability, high drift and lack of coherency since installation. Data are not yet available from the Tres Pinos or New Idria instruments. Deeper installation appears necessary for these instruments and two alternative methods of tiltmeter emplacement are currently being tested in an attempt to evaluate the depth, spatial and temporal dependency of surface tilt sources. ?? 1979.

Air Monitoring Network at Tonopah Test Range: Network Description and Capabilities

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

Jeffrey Tappen; George Nikolich; Ken Giles

2010-05-18

During the period April to June 2008, at the behest of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration, Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO); the Desert Research Institute (DRI) constructed and deployed two portable environmental monitoring stations at the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) as part of the Environmental Restoration Project Soils Sub-Project. The TTR is located within the boundaries of the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) near the northern edge, and covers an area of approximately 725.20 km2 (179,200 acres). The primary objective of the monitoring stations is to evaluate whether and under what conditions there is windmore » transport of radiological contaminants from one of the three Soil Sub-Project Corrective Action Units (CAUs) associated with Operation Roller Coaster on TTR. Operation Roller Coaster was a series of tests, conducted in 1963, designed to examine the stability and dispersal of plutonium in storage and transportation accidents. These tests did not result in any nuclear explosive yield. However, the tests did result in the dispersal of plutonium and contamination of surface soils in the surrounding area.« less

Effects of Vegetation Structure on the Location of Lion Kill Sites in African Thicket.

PubMed

Davies, Andrew B; Tambling, Craig J; Kerley, Graham I H; Asner, Gregory P

2016-01-01

Predator-prey relationships are integral to ecosystem stability and functioning. These relationships are, however, difficult to maintain in protected areas where large predators are increasingly being reintroduced and confined. Where predators make kills has a profound influence on their role in ecosystems, but the relative importance of environmental variables in determining kill sites, and how these might vary across ecosystems is poorly known. We investigated kill sites for lions in South Africa's thicket biome, testing the importance of vegetation structure for kill site locations compared to other environmental variables. Kill sites were located over four years using GPS telemetry and compared to non-kill sites that had been occupied by lions, as well as to random sites within lion ranges. Measurements of 3D vegetation structure obtained from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) were used to calculate the visible area (viewshed) around each site and, along with wind and moonlight data, used to compare kill sites between lion sexes, prey species and prey sexes. Viewshed area was the most important predictor of kill sites (sites in dense vegetation were twice as likely to be kill sites compared to open areas), followed by wind speed and, less so, moonlight. Kill sites for different prey species varied with vegetation structure, and male prey were killed when wind speeds were higher compared to female prey of the same species. Our results demonstrate that vegetation structure is an important component of predator-prey interactions, with varying effects across ecosystems. Such differences require consideration in terms of the ecological roles performed by predators, and in predator and prey conservation.

Investigation of Nonlinear Site Response and Seismic Compression from Case History Analysis and Laboratory Testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yee, Eric

In this thesis I address a series of issues related to ground failure and ground motions during earthquakes. A major component is the evaluation of cyclic volumetric strain behavior of unsaturated soils, more commonly known as seismic compression, from advanced laboratory testing. Another major component is the application of nonlinear and equivalent linear ground response analyses to large-strain problems involving highly nonlinear dynamic soil behavior. These two components are merged in the analysis of a truly unique and crucial field case history of nonlinear site response and seismic compression. My first topic concerns dynamic soil testing for relatively small strain dynamic soil properties such as threshold strains, gammatv. Such testing is often conducted using specialized devices such as dual-specimen simple-shear, as devices configured for large strain testing produce noisy signals in the small strain range. Working with a simple shear device originally developed for large-strain testing, I extend its low-strain capabilities by characterizing noisy signals and utilizing several statistical methods to extract meaningful responses in the small strain range. I utilize linear regression of a transformed variable to estimate the cyclic shear strain from a noisy signal and the confidence interval on its amplitude. I utilize Kernel regression with the Nadaraya-Watson estimator and a Gaussian kernel to evaluate vertical strain response. A practical utilization of these techniques is illustrated by evaluating threshold shear strains for volume change with a procedure that takes into account uncertainties in the measured shear and vertical strains. My second topic concerns the seismic compression characteristics of non-plastic and low-plasticity silty sands with varying fines content (10 ≤ FC ≤ 60%). Simple shear testing was performed on various sand-fines mixtures at a range of modified Proctor relative compaction levels ( RC) and degrees-of-saturation (S). Aside from the expected strong influence of RC, increasing fines content is found to generally decrease volume change for fines fractions consisting of silts and clayey silts with moderate to low plasticity. With truly non-plastic fines (rock flour), cyclic volume change increases with FC. Some materials also exhibit an effect of as-compacted saturation in which moderate saturation levels associated with high matric suction cause volume change to decrease. A preliminary empirical model to capture these effects is presented. The balance of the dissertation is related to a case history of strongly nonlinear site response and seismic compression associated with a free-field downhole array installed near the Service Hall at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, which recorded strong ground motions from the Mw 6.6 2007 Niigata-ken Chuetsu-oki earthquake. Site conditions at the array consist of about 70 m of medium-dense sands overlying clayey bedrock, with ground water located at 45 m. Ground shaking at the bedrock level had geometric mean peak accelerations of 0.55 g which is reduced to 0.4 g at the ground surface, indicating nonlinear site response. Ground settlements of approximately 15+/-5 cm occurred at the site. A site investigation was performed to develop relevant soil properties for ground response and seismic compression analysis, including shear wave velocities, shear strength, relative density, and modulus reduction and damping curves. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Quantitative PCR detection of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis DNA from sediments and water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kirshtein, Julie D.; Anderson, Chauncey W.; Wood, J.S.; Longcore, Joyce E.; Voytek, Mary A.

2007-01-01

The fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) causes chytridiomycosis, a disease implicated in amphibian declines on 5 continents. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer sets exist with which amphibians can be tested for this disease, and advances in sampling techniques allow non-invasive testing of animals. We developed filtering and PCR based quantitative methods by modifying existing PCR assays to detect Bd DNA in water and sediments, without the need for testing amphibians; we tested the methods at 4 field sites. The SYBR based assay using Boyle primers (SYBR/Boyle assay) and the Taqman based assay using Wood primers performed similarly with samples generated in the laboratory (Bd spiked filters), but the SYBR/Boyle assay detected Bd DNA in more field samples. We detected Bd DNA in water from 3 of 4 sites tested, including one pond historically negative for chytridiomycosis. Zoospore equivalents in sampled water ranged from 19 to 454 l-1 (nominal detection limit is 10 DNA copies, or about 0.06 zoospore). We did not detect DNA of Bd from sediments collected at any sites. Our filtering and amplification methods provide a new tool to investigate critical aspects of Bd in the environment. ?? Inter-Research 2007.

Multi-configuration electromagnetic induction measurements at long term agricultural test sites in Germany with different fertilizer and irrigation managements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaufmann, Manuela Sarah; von Hebel, Christian; Brogi, Cosimo; Baumecker, Michael; Döring, Thomas; Amelung, Wulf; Vereecken, Harry; van der Kruk, Jan

2017-04-01

Electromagnetic induction (EMI) data are often being used to investigate large scale soil properties including clay content, soil water content, and salinity changes for a wide range of applications. For agricultural sites, different management practices such as organic/mineral fertilization, tillage, and/or irrigation are important when interpreting the measured apparent electrical conductivity (ECa). Here, we present EMI data recorded at two long term field experiment (LTFE) agricultural test sites in Thyrow near Berlin (Germany), where different long term fertilizer and irrigation management practices were applied. We used two fixed-boom multi-coil EMI instruments that simultaneously measure over nine different depths of investigation (DOI), recording information ranging between the very shallow (0-0.25 m) ploughing zone including the organic matter and the surface soil (A-Horizon) down to the relatively deep (0-2.7 m) subsoil (B-Horizon) or even substratum (C-Horizon). At both test sites, the prevailing sandy to silty sand in the A- and B-Horizon is underlain by a glacial till C-Horizon resulting in generally low ECa values between 0.5 and 5 mS/m. At one test site, a "static nutrient deficiency experiment" is performed since 1937, where organic fertilizer (farm yard manure) and mineral fertilizers (nitrogen-phosphate-potassium (NPK) and liming) are applied at specific grids. Comparing the fertilizer application grid to the measured EMI data, the lowest ECa values coincide to unfertilized grids whereas the ECa values increase with liming, farm yard manure, and NPK. The visually observed correlation between ECa and the liming treatment was possibly due to the increased pH of the soil, because the fertilizer application increases ion contents that increase the soil electrical conductivity. At the second test site, a "Static Irrigation and Fertilizer Experiment" is conducted, where next to the fertilizer treatment (farm yard manure and nitrogen) part of the field is irrigated with a yearly average of 78 mm. Preliminary results show that for the irrigated area, the ECa values increased up to 80% compared to the non-irrigated zones for the deepest sensing coils, whereas farm yard manure increased ECa up to 10% for coils with intermediate DOI. These results obtained at the two LTFE sites strongly indicate that irrigation and fertilizer treatments influence the ion contents of soils from A- to B-Horizons as reflected by the higher apparent electrical conductivities measured with EMI and should be considered when interpreting ECa measurements to obtain soil properties of interest.

Statistical analysis of $sup 239-240$Pu and $sup 241$Am contamination of soil and vegetation on NAEG study sites

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

Gilbert, R.O.; Eberhardt, L.L.; Fowler, E.B.

Reported here are results of the statistical design and analysis work conducted during Calendar Year 1974 for the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) at plutonium study sites on the Nevada Test Site (NTS) and the Tonopah Test Range (TTR). Estimates of $sup 239-240$Pu inventory in surface soil (0 to 5-cm depth) are given for each of the NAEG intensive study sites, together with activity maps based on FIDLER surveys showing the field areas to which these estimates apply. There is evidence of a preliminary nature to suggest that the plutonium present in surface soil may be covered by a thinmore » (less than 2.5 cm) layer of soil whose alpha activity is considerably less than that directly below. Computer-drawn $sup 239-240$Pu concentration contours and three-dimensional surfaces in soil and vegetation are given for Area 13 and GMX as a first attempt at estimating the geographical distribution of $sup 239-240$Pu at these sites. (CH)« less

Incidence of medically attended influenza infection and cases averted by vaccination, 2011/12 and 2012/13 influenza seasons

PubMed Central

Jackson, Michael L.; Jackson, Lisa A.; Kieke, Burney; McClure, David; Gaglani, Manjusha; Murthy, Kempapura; Malosh, Ryan; Monto, Arnold; Zimmerman, Richard K.; Foppa, Ivo M.; Flannery, Brendan; Thompson, Mark G.

2018-01-01

Background We estimated the burden of outpatient influenza and cases prevented by vaccination during the 2011/12 and 2012/13 influenza seasons using data from the United States Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness (US Flu VE) Network. Methods We defined source populations of persons who could seek care for acute respiratory illness (ARI) at each of the five US Flu VE Network sites. We identified all members of the source population who were tested for influenza during US Flu VE influenza surveillance. Each influenza-positive subject received a sampling weight based on the proportion of source population members who were tested for influenza, stratified by site, age, and other factors. We used the sampling weights to estimate the cumulative incidence of medically attended influenza in the source populations. We estimated cases averted by vaccination using estimates of cumulative incidence, vaccine coverage, and vaccine effectiveness. Results Cumulative incidence of medically attended influenza ranged from 0.8% to 2.8% across sites during 2011/12 and from 2.6% to 6.5% during the 2012/13 season. Stratified by age, incidence ranged from 1.2% among adults 50 years of age and older in 2011/12 to 10.9% among children 6 months to 8 years of age in 2012/13. Cases averted by vaccination ranged from 4 to 41 per 1,000 vaccinees, depending on the study site and year. Conclusions The incidence of medically attended influenza varies greatly by year and even by geographic region within the same year. The number of cases averted by vaccination varies greatly based on overall incidence and on vaccine coverage. PMID:26271827

Planetary quarantine computer applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rafenstein, M.

1973-01-01

The computer programs are identified pertaining to planetary quarantine activities within the Project Engineering Division, both at the Air Force Eastern Test Range and on site at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. A brief description of each program and program inputs are given and typical program outputs are shown.

Distillation fraction-specific ecotoxicological evaluation of a paraffin-rich crude oil.

PubMed

Erlacher, Elisabeth; Loibner, Andreas P; Kendler, Romana; Scherr, Kerstin E

2013-03-01

Crude oil is a complex mixture of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) with distinct chemical, physical and toxicological properties relevant for contaminated site risk assessment. Ecotoxicological effects of crude oil distillation fractions on luminescent bacteria (Vibrio fischeri), earthworms (Dendrobaena hortensis) and invertebrates (Heterocypris incongruens) were tested using two spiked soils and their elutriates. Fraction 2 (F2) had an equivalent carbon number (ECN) range of >10 to 16, and F3 from >16 to 39. F2 showed a substantially higher ecotoxicological effect than F3 for Vibrio and Dendrobaena. In contrast, severe inhibition of Heterocypris by the poorly soluble F3 is attributed to mechanical organ blockage. Immediate sequestration of PHC to the organic matter-rich soil effected reduced toxicity for all organisms. This study indicates that a more differentiated consideration (i) of PHC mixtures based on ECN range and (ii) of model soil properties employed for ecotoxicity testing should be included into PHC-contaminated site risk assessment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Friction evaluation of unpaved, gypsum-surface runways at Northrup Strip, White Sands Missile Range, in support of Space Shuttle Orbiter landing and retrieval operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yager, T. J.; Horne, W. B.

1980-01-01

Friction measurement results obtained on the gypsum surface runways at Northrup Strip, White Sands Missile Range, N. M., using an instrumented tire test vehicle and a diagonal braked vehicle, are presented. These runways were prepared to serve as backup landing and retrieval sites to the primary sites located at Dryden Flight Research Center for shuttle orbiter during initial test flights. Similar friction data obtained on paved and other unpaved surfaces was shown for comparison and to indicate that the friction capability measured on the dry gypsum surface runways is sufficient for operations with the shuttle orbiter and the Boeing 747 aircraft. Based on these ground vehicle friction measurements, estimates of shuttle orbiter and aircraft tire friction performance are presented and discussed. General observations concerning the gypsum surface characteristics are also included and several recommendations are made for improving and maintaining adequate surface friction capabilities prior to the first shuttle orbiter landing.

Incidence of trocar site herniation following robotic gynecologic surgery.

PubMed

Clark, Leslie H; Soliman, Pamela T; Odetto, Diego; Munsell, Mark F; Schmeler, Kathleen M; Fleming, Nicole; Westin, Shannon N; Nick, Alpa M; Ramirez, Pedro T

2013-11-01

Trocar site herniation is a recognized complication of minimally invasive surgery, but published data on trocar site herniation after robotic surgery are scarce. We sought to determine the incidence of trocar site herniation in women undergoing robotic surgery for gynecologic disease. A retrospective review of robotic surgeries performed from January 1, 2006, through December 31, 2012, was conducted. Postoperative trocar site herniations were identified, along with time to presentation, location of herniation, and management. Patients were excluded if surgery was converted to laparotomy or traditional laparoscopy. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare patients with and without herniation with respect to continuous variables, and Fisher's exact test was used to compare these 2 groups with respect to categorical variables. The study included 500 patients, 3 of whom experienced herniation at a single trocar site. The patients with and without herniation did not differ with respect to age, body mass index, smoking status, medical comorbidities, operating time, or estimated blood loss. All 3 herniations occurred at 12-mm trocar sites. Two herniations occurred at assistant port sites, and 1 occurred at the umbilical camera port site. The median time to herniation was 21 days (range, 8-38 days). One patient required immediate surgical intervention; the other 2 patients had conservative management. Trocar site herniation is a rare complication following robotic surgery. The most important risk factor for trocar site herniation appears to be larger trocar size, as all herniations occurred at 12-mm port sites. © 2013.

Testing global positioning system telemetry to study wolf predation on deer fawns

USGS Publications Warehouse

Demma, D.J.; Barber-Meyer, S. M.; Mech, L.D.

2007-01-01

We conducted a pilot study to test the usefulness of Global Positioning System (GPS) collars for investigating wolf (Canis lupus) predation on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawns. Using GPS collars with short location-attempt intervals on 5 wolves and 5 deer during summers 2002-2004 in northeastern Minnesota, USA, demonstrated how this approach could provide new insights into wolf hunting behavior of fawns. For example, a wolf traveled ???1.5-3.0 km and spent 20-22 hours in the immediate vicinity of known fawn kill sites and ???0.7 km and 8.3 hours at scavenging sites. Wolf travel paths indicated that wolves intentionally traveled into deer summer ranges, traveled ???0.7-4.2 km in such ranges, and spent <1-22 hours per visit. Each pair of 3 GPS-collared wolf pack members were located together for ???6% of potential locations. From GPS collar data, we estimated that each deer summer range in a pack territory containing 5 wolves ???1 year old and hunting individually would be visited by a wolf on average every 3-5 days. This approach holds great potential for investigating summer hunting behavior of wolves in areas where direct observation is impractical or impossible.

Plutonium, americium, and uranium in blow-sand mounds of safety-shot sites at the Nevada Test Site and the Tonopah Test Range

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

Essington, E.H.; Gilbert, R.O.; Wireman, D.L.

Blow-sand mounds or miniature sand dunes and mounds created by burrowing activities of animals were investigated by the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) to determine the influence of mounds on plutonium, americium, and uranium distributions and inventories in areas of the Nevada Test Site and Tonopah Test Range. Those radioactive elements were added to the environment as a result of safety experiments of nuclear devices. Two studies were conducted. The first was to estimate the vertical distribution of americium in the blow-sand mounds and in the desert pavement surrounding the mounds. The second was to estimate the amount or concentrationmore » of the radioactive materials accumulated in the mound relative to the desert pavement. Five mound types were identified in which plutonium, americium, and uranium concentrations were measured: grass, shrub, complex, animal, and diffuse. The mount top (that portion above the surrounding land surface datum), the mound bottom (that portion below the mound to a depth of 5 cm below the surrounding land surface datum), and soil from the immediate area surrounding the mound were compared separately to determine if the radioactive elements had concentrated in the mounds. Results of the studies indicate that the mounds exhibit higher concentrations of plutonium, americium, and uranium than the immediate surrounding soil. The type of mound does not appear to have influenced the amount of the radioactive material found in the mound except for the animal mounds where the burrowing activities appear to have obliterated distribution patterns.« less

Remote Measurement of Atmospheric Temperatures By Raman Lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salzman, Jack A.; Coney, Thom A.

1973-01-01

The Raman shifted return of a lidar, or optical radar, system has been utilized to make atmospheric temperature measurements. These measurements were made along a horizontal path at temperatures between -20 C and +30 C and at ranges of about 100 meters. The temperature data were acquired by recording the intensity ratio of two portions of the Raman spectrum which were simultaneously sampled from a preset range. The lidar unit employed in this testing consisted of a 4 joule-10ppm laser operating at 694.3 nm, a 10-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, and a system of time-gated detection and signal processing electronics. The detection system processed three return signal wavelength intervals - two intervals along the rotational Raman scattered spectrum and one interval centered at the Rayleigh-Mie scattered wavelength. The wavelength intervals were resolved by using a pellicle beam splitter and three optical interference filters. Raman return samples were taken from one discrete range segment during each test shot and the signal intensities were displayed in digital format. The Rayleigh-Mie techniques. The test site utilized to evaluate this measurement technique encompassed a total path length of 200 meters. Major components of the test site included a trailer-van housing the lidar unit, a controlled environment test zone, and a beam terminator. The control zone which was located about 100 meters from the trailer was 12 meters in length, 2.4 meters in diameter, and was equipped with hinged doors at each end. The temperature of the air inside the zone could be either raised or lowered with respect to ambient air through the use of infrared heaters or a liquid-nitrogen cooling system. Conditions inside the zone were continuously monitored with a thermocouple rake assembly. The test path length was terminated by a 1.2 meter square array of energy absorbing cones and a flat black screen. Tests were initially conducted at strictly ambient conditions utilizing the normal outside air temperatures as a test parameter. These tests provided a calibration of the Raman intensity ratio as a function of' temperature for the particular optical-filter arrangement used in this system while also providing a test of' the theoretical prediction formulated in the design of the system. Later tests utilized zone temperatures above and below ambient to provide temperature gradient data. These tests indicate that ten shots, or one minute of' data acquisition, from a 100 meter range can provide absolute temperature measurements with an accuracy of + 30 C and a range resolution of about 5 meters. Because this measurement accuracy compares well with that predicted for this particular unit, it is suggested that a field-application system could be built with signif'icant improvements in both absolute accuracy and range.

Workshop discusses community models for coastal sediment transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sherwood, Christopher R.; Signell, Richard P.; Harris, Courtney K.; Butman, Bradford

Numerical models of coastal sediment transport are increasingly used to address problems ranging from remediation of contaminated sediments, to siting of sewage outfalls and disposal sites, to evaluating impacts of coastal development. They are also used as a test bed for sediment-transport algorithms, to provide realistic settings for biological and geochemical models, and for a variety of other research, both fundamental and applied. However, there are few full-featured, publicly available coastal sediment-transport models, and fewer still that are well tested and have been widely applied.This was the motivation for a workshop in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, on June 22-23, 2000, that explored the establishment of community models for coastal sediment-transport processes.

Case studies on the geological application of LANDSAT imagery in Brazil. [Sao Domingos Range, Pocos de Caldas, and Araguaia and Tocantins Rivers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Demendonca, F. (Principal Investigator); Correa, A. C.; Liu, C. C.

1975-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Sao Domingos Range, Pocos de Caldas, and Araguaia and Tocantins Rivers in Brazil were selected as test sites for LANDSAT imagery. The satellite images were analyzed using conventional photointerpretation techniques, and the results indicate the application of small scale image data in regional structural data analysis, geological mapping, and mineral exploration.

Development of a flash, bang, and smoke simulation of a shell burst

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williamson, F. R.; Kinney, J. F.; Wallace, T. V.

1982-01-01

A large number of experiments (cue test firings) were performed in the definition of the cue concepts and packaging configurations. A total of 344 of these experiments were recorded with instrumentation photography to allow a quantitative analysis of the smoke cloud to be made as a function of time. These analyses were predominantly made using a short test site. Supplementary long range visibility tests were conducted to insure the required 3 kilometer visibility of the smoke signature.

Final Environmental Assessment of the Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-Off Missile (JASSM) Development and Evaluation Testing, White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-12-01

Explosive Test Site Program Definition and Risk Reduction Permissible Exposure Limit Program Executive Office Propellants, Explosives, and...each test vehicle is flown in the captive mode and critical systems are functioned to further remove risk of failure due to the flight environment...of other inferior missiles would require a larger number of missiles, at increased procurement costs and risk to aircraft and crew, in order to

Did the Kyrenia Range of northern Cyprus rotate with the Troodos-Hatay microplate during the tectonic evolution of the eastern Mediterranean?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morris, Antony; Robertson, Alastair H. F.; Anderson, Mark W.; Hodgson, Emma

2016-01-01

Previous palaeomagnetic studies have allowed the recognition of a distinctive area of Neotethyan oceanic rocks, including the Troodos ophiolite in Cyprus and the Hatay ophiolite to the east in southern Turkey, that underwent 90° of anticlockwise rotation between Late Cretaceous (Campanian) and Early Eocene time. The southern and western boundaries of this rotated Troodos-Hatay microplate have been inferred to lie within, or adjacent to, zones of deformed oceanic and continental margin rocks that are now exposed in southern and western Cyprus; however, the northern boundary of the microplate remains undefined. Relevant to this problem, palaeomagnetic data are presented here from basaltic lavas exposed along the Kyrenia Range, mostly from Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) sites and one Eocene site. A positive inclination-only fold test demonstrates that remanences are pre-deformational in age, and positive conglomerate tests show that magnetic remanences were acquired before Late Eocene-Early Oligocene time, together suggesting that primary magnetizations are preserved. Data from the eastern Kyrenia Range and the Karpas Peninsula (the easternmost extension of the Kyrenia Range) document significant relative tectonic rotation between these localities, with no rotation in the eastern range versus 30° of anticlockwise rotation of the Karpas Peninsula. Unfortunately, palaeomagnetic sites from the western Kyrenia Range did not yield tectonically interpretable magnetization directions, probably due to complex poly-phase thrusting and folding, and the central range also yielded no interpretable data. However, the available palaeomagnetic data are sufficient to demonstrate that the Kyrenia terrane underwent a separate rotation history to the Troodos-Hatay microplate and also implies that the northern boundary of the Troodos-Hatay microplate was located between the Troodos ophiolite and the Kyrenia Range. The former microplate margin has since been overridden and concealed by two phases of southwards thrusting and folding of the Kyrenia Range units (Mid-Eocene; latest Miocene-earliest Pliocene). The likely cause of the anticlockwise rotation affecting the Karpas Peninsula, and by implication the curvature of the Kyrenia Range as a whole, relates to regional late-stage subduction and diachronous continental collision. The Southern Neotethys sutured in SE Turkey during the Early Miocene, whereas a relict ocean basin remained further west in the easternmost Mediterranean, allowing a remnant N-dipping subduction zone to retreat southwards and so induce the present-day arcuate shape of the Kyrenia Range.

Coupling GIS and multivariate approaches to reference site selection for wadeable stream monitoring.

PubMed

Collier, Kevin J; Haigh, Andy; Kelly, Johlene

2007-04-01

Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to identify potential reference sites for wadeable stream monitoring, and multivariate analyses were applied to test whether invertebrate communities reflected a priori spatial and stream type classifications. We identified potential reference sites in segments with unmodified vegetation cover adjacent to the stream and in >85% of the upstream catchment. We then used various landcover, amenity and environmental impact databases to eliminate sites that had potential anthropogenic influences upstream and that fell into a range of access classes. Each site identified by this process was coded by four dominant stream classes and seven zones, and 119 candidate sites were randomly selected for follow-up assessment. This process yielded 16 sites conforming to reference site criteria using a conditional-probabilistic design, and these were augmented by an additional 14 existing or special interest reference sites. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) analysis of percent abundance invertebrate data indicated significant differences in community composition among some of the zones and stream classes identified a priori providing qualified support for this framework in reference site selection. NMS analysis of a range standardised condition and diversity metrics derived from the invertebrate data indicated a core set of 26 closely related sites, and four outliers that were considered atypical of reference site conditions and subsequently dropped from the network. Use of GIS linked to stream typology, available spatial databases and aerial photography greatly enhanced the objectivity and efficiency of reference site selection. The multi-metric ordination approach reduced variability among stream types and bias associated with non-random site selection, and provided an effective way to identify representative reference sites.

"Calibration" system for spectral measurements and its experimental results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruchkouskaya, Sviatlana I.; Katkovsky, Leonid V.; Belyaev, Boris I.; Malyshev, Vladislav B.

2017-04-01

"Calibration" system has been developed at A. N. Sevchenko Research Institute of Applied Physical Problems of the Belarusian State University. It was designed for measuring the characteristics of spectral reflectance of all types of natural surfaces (test sites) in ground conditions or on board of aircraft carriers and has the following components: - Photospectroradiometr (PhSR) of high resolution with a range of 400-900 nm, equipped with a digital time-lapse video system; - Two-channel modular spectroradiometer (TMS) with a range of 400-900 nm, designed for simultaneous measurements of reflected light brightness of the underlying surface and the incident radiation from the upper hemisphere; - Two portable spectroradiometers (PSR-700 and PSR-1300) with a spectral range 800-1500 nm; 1200-2500 nm; - Scanning solar spectropolarimeter (SSP-600) with a range of 350-950 nm for measurements of direct sunlight and scattered by the atmosphere at different angles; "Calibration" system provides spectral resolution of 5.2 nm in a range of 400-900 nm, 10 nm in a range of 800-1500 nm and 15 nm in a range of 1200-2500 nm. Measurements of the optical characteristics of solar radiation (for determining parameters of the atmosphere) and that of underlying surface are synchronous. There is also a set of special nozzles for measurements of spectral brightness coefficients, polarization characteristics and spectral albedo. Spectra and images are geotagged to the navigation data (time, GPS). For the measurements of spectral reflection dependencies within "Monitoring-SG" framework expeditions to the Kuril Islands, Kursk aerospace test site and Kamchatka Peninsula were conducted in 2015 and 2016. The spectra of different underlying surfaces have been obtained: soils, plants and water objects, sedimentary and volcanic rocks. These surveys are a valuable material for further researches and selection of test facilities for flight calibration of space imaging systems. Information obtained will be also included in a database of spectral samples created in the Institute of Geography of Russian Academy of Sciences.

Site operator program final report for fiscal years 1992 through 1996

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

Francfort, J.E.; Bassett, R.R.; Birasco, S.

The Site Operator Program was an electric vehicle testing and evaluation program sponsored by US Department of Energy and managed at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. The Program`s goals included the field evaluation of electric vehicles in real-world applications and environments; the support of electric vehicle technology advancement; the development of infrastructure elements necessary to support significant electric vehicle use; and increasing the awareness and acceptance of electric vehicles. This report covers Program activities from 1992 to 1996. The Site Operator Program ended in September 1996, when it was superseded by the Field Operations Program. Electric vehicle testingmore » included baseline performance testing, which was performed in conjunction with EV America. The baseline performance parameters included acceleration, braking, range, energy efficiency, and charging time. The Program collected fleet operations data on electric vehicles operated by the Program`s thirteen partners, comprising electric utilities, universities, and federal agencies. The Program`s partners had over 250 electric vehicles, from vehicle converters and original equipment manufacturers, in their operating fleets. Test results are available via the World Wide Web site at http://ev.inel.gov/sop.« less

A 40-kW fuel cell field test summary utilities activities report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Racine, W. C.; Londos, T. C.

1987-07-01

Forty six 40 kW fuel cell power plants were field tested by 37 host participants at 42 sites in a variety of commercial, light industrial and multifamily residential applications. The participants obtained over 300,000 hours of operating experience with the power plants covering a diverse range of applications for power plant electricity and heat utilization in both single and multiple unit installations.

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 214: Bunkers and Storage Areas Nevada Test Site, Nevada: Revision 0, Including Record of Technical Change No. 1 and No. 2

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

U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office

This Corrective Action Investigation Plan contains the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office's approach to collect the data necessary to evaluate corrective action alternatives appropriate for the closure of Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 214 under the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order. Located in Areas 5, 11, and 25 of the Nevada Test Site, CAU 214 consists of nine Corrective Action Sites (CASs): 05-99-01, Fallout Shelters; 11-22-03, Drum; 25-99-12, Fly Ash Storage; 25-23-01, Contaminated Materials; 25-23-19, Radioactive Material Storage; 25-99-18, Storage Area; 25-34-03, Motor Dr/Gr Assembly (Bunker); 25-34-04, Motor Dr/Gr Assembly (Bunker); and 25-34-05, Motormore » Dr/Gr Assembly (Bunker). These sites are being investigated because existing information on the nature and extent of potential contamination is insufficient to evaluate and recommend corrective action alternatives (CAAs). The suspected contaminants and critical analyte s for CAU 214 include oil (total petroleum hydrocarbons-diesel-range organics [TPH-DRO], polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs]), pesticides (chlordane, heptachlor, 4,4-DDT), barium, cadmium, chronium, lubricants (TPH-DRO, TPH-gasoline-range organics [GRO]), and fly ash (arsenic). The land-use zones where CAU 214 CASs are located dictate that future land uses will be limited to nonresidential (i.e., industrial) activities. The results of this field investigation will support a defensible evaluation of viable corrective action alternatives that will be presented in the corrective action decision document.« less

Application of phytoscreening to three hazardous waste sites in Arizona.

PubMed

Duncan, Candice M; Mainhagu, Jon; Virgone, Kayla; Ramírez, Denise Moreno; Brusseau, Mark L

2017-12-31

The great majority of prior phytoscreening applications have been conducted in humid and temperate environments wherein groundwater is relatively shallow (~1-6m deep). The objective of this research is to evaluate its use in semi-arid environments for sites with deeper groundwater (>10m). To that end, phytoscreening is applied to three chlorinated-solvent hazardous-waste sites in Arizona. Contaminant concentrations were quantifiable in tree-tissue samples collected from two of the sites (Nogales, Park-Euclid). Contaminant concentrations were detectable, but not quantifiable, for the third site. Tree-tissue concentrations of tetrachloroethene (PCE) ranged from approximately 400-5000ug/kg wet weight for burrobrush, cottonwood, palo verde, and velvet mesquite at the Nogales site. In addition to standard trunk-core samples, leaf samples were collected to test the effectiveness of a less invasive sampling method. Leaf-sample concentrations were quantifiable, but several times lower than the corresponding core-sample concentrations. Comparison of results obtained for the test sites to those reported in the literature suggest that tree species is a major factor mediating observed results. One constraint faced for the Arizona sites was the relative scarcity of mature trees available for sampling, particularly in areas adjacent to industrial zones. The results of this study illustrate that phytoscreening can be used effectively to characterize the presence of groundwater contamination for semi-arid sites with deeper groundwater. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

Periodic Hydraulic Testing for Discerning Fracture Network Connections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, M.; Le Borgne, T.; Bour, O.; Guihéneuf, N.; Cole, M.

2015-12-01

Discrete fracture network (DFN) models often predict highly variable hydraulic connections between injection and pumping wells used for enhanced oil recovery, geothermal energy extraction, and groundwater remediation. Such connections can be difficult to verify in fractured rock systems because standard pumping or pulse interference tests interrogate too large a volume to pinpoint specific connections. Three field examples are presented in which periodic hydraulic tests were used to obtain information about hydraulic connectivity in fractured bedrock. The first site, a sandstone in New York State, involves only a single fracture at a scale of about 10 m. The second site, a granite in Brittany, France, involves a fracture network at about the same scale. The third site, a granite/schist in the U.S. State of New Hampshire, involves a complex network at scale of 30-60 m. In each case periodic testing provided an enhanced view of hydraulic connectivity over previous constant rate tests. Periodic testing is particularly adept at measuring hydraulic diffusivity, which is a more effective parameter than permeability for identify the complexity of flow pathways between measurement locations. Periodic tests were also conducted at multiple frequencies which provides a range in the radius of hydraulic penetration away from the oscillating well. By varying the radius of penetration, we attempt to interrogate the structure of the fracture network. Periodic tests, therefore, may be uniquely suited for verifying and/or calibrating DFN models.

CHARACTERIZATION AND PH/EH-BASED LEACHING TESTS OF MINING WASTES CONTAINING MERCURY

EPA Science Inventory

This study was undertaken as a part of developing treatment alternatives for waste materials, primarily waste rock and roaster tailings, from sites contaminated with mercury (Hg) mining wastes. Leaching profiles of waste rock over a range of different pH and oxidation-reduction (...

CHARACTERIZATION AND PH/EH-BASED LEACHING TESTS OF MINING WASTES CONTAINING MERCURY

EPA Science Inventory

This study was undertaken as a part of developing treatment alternatives for waste materials, primarily waste rock and roaster tailings, from sites contaminated with Mercury (Hg) mining wastes. Leaching profiles of waste rock over a range of different pH and oxidation-reduction ...

Site suitability for riverbed filtration system in Tanah Merah, Kelantan-A physical model study for turbidity removal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghani, Mastura; Adlan, Mohd Nordin; Kamal, Nurul Hana Mokhtar; Aziz, Hamidi Abdul

2017-10-01

A laboratory physical model study on riverbed filtration (RBeF) was conducted to investigate site suitability of soil from Tanah Merah, Kelantan for RBeF. Soil samples were collected and transported to the Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory, Universiti Sains Malaysia for sieve analysis and hydraulic conductivity tests. A physical model was fabricated with gravel packs laid at the bottom of it to cover the screen and then soil sample were placed above gravel pack for 30 cm depth. River water samples from Lubok Buntar, Kedah were used to simulate the effectiveness of RBeF for turbidity removal. Turbidity readings were tested at the inlet and outlet of the filter with specified flow rate. Results from soil characterization show that the soil samples were classified as poorly graded sand with hydraulic conductivity ranged from 7.95 x 10-3 to 6.61 x 10-2 cm/s. Turbidity removal ranged from 44.91% - 92.75% based on the turbidity of water samples before filtration in the range of 33.1-161 NTU. The turbidity of water samples after RBeF could be enhanced up to 2.53 NTU. River water samples with higher turbidity of more than 160 NTU could only reach 50% or less removal by the physical model. Flow rates of the RBeF were in the range of 0.11-1.61 L/min while flow rates at the inlet were set up between 2-4 L/min. Based on the result of soil classification, Tanah Merah site is suitable for RBeF whereas result from physical model study suggested that 30 cm depth of filter media is not sufficient to be used if river water turbidity is higher.

Comparison of U.S. Geological Survey and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency fish-collection methods using the index of biotic integrity and modified index of well-being, 1996-97

USGS Publications Warehouse

Covert, S. Alex

2001-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) collected data on fish from 10 stream sites in 1996 and 3 stream sites in 1997 as part of a comparative study of fish community assessment methods. The sites sampled represent a wide range of basin sizes (ranging from 132?6,330 square kilometers) and surrounding land-use types (urban, agricultural, and mixed). Each agency used its own fish-sampling protocol. Using the Index of Biotic Integrity and Modified Index of Well-Being, differences between data sets were tested for significance by means of the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test (a = 0.05). Results showed that the median of Index of Biotic Integrity differences between data sets was not significantly different from zero (p = 0.2521); however, the same statistical test showed the median differences in the Modified Index of Well-Being scores to be significantly different from zero (p = 0.0158). The differences observed in the Index of Biotic Integrity scores are likely due to natural variability, increased variability at sites with degraded water quality, differences in sampling methods, and low-end adjustments in the Index of Biotic Integrity calculation when fewer than 50 fish were collected. The Modified Index of Well-Being scores calculated by OEPA were significantly higher than those calculated by the USGS. This finding was attributed to the comparatively large numbers and biomass of fish collected by the OEPA. By combining the two indices and viewing them in terms of the percentage attainment of Ohio Warmwater Habitat criteria, the two agencies? data seemed comparable, although the Index of Biotic Integrity scores were more similar than the Modified Index of Well-Being scores.

An index of biological integrity (IBI) for Pacific Northwest rivers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mebane, C.A.; Maret, T.R.; Hughes, R.M.

2003-01-01

The index of biotic integrity (IBI) is a commonly used measure of relative aquatic ecosystem condition; however, its application to coldwater rivers over large geographic areas has been limited. A seven-step process was used to construct and test an IBI applicable to fish assemblages in coldwater rivers throughout the U.S. portion of the Pacific Northwest. First, fish data from the region were compiled from previous studies and candidate metrics were selected. Second, reference conditions were estimated from historical reports and minimally disturbed reference sites in the region. Third, data from the upper Snake River basin were used to test metrics and develop the initial index. Fourth, candidate metrics were evaluated for their redundancy, variability, precision, and ability to reflect a wide range of conditions while distinguishing reference sites from disturbed sites. Fifth, the selected metrics were standardized by being scored continuously from 0 to 1 and then weighted as necessary to produce an IBI ranging from 0 to 100. The resulting index included 10 metrics: number of native coldwater species, number of age-classes of sculpins Cottus spp., percentage of sensitive native individuals, percentage of coldwater individuals, percentage of tolerant individuals, number of alien species, percentage of common carp Cyprinus carpio individuals, number of selected salmonid age-classes, catch per unit effort of coldwater individuals, and percentage of individuals with selected anomalies. Sixth, the IBI responses were tested with additional data sets from throughout the Pacific Northwest. Last, scores from two minimally disturbed reference rivers were evaluated for longitudinal gradients along the river continuum. The IBI responded to environmental disturbances and was spatially and temporally stable at over 150 sites in the Pacific Northwest. The results support its use across a large geographic area to describe the relative biological condition of coolwater and coldwater rivers with low species richness.

Eglin virtual range database for hardware-in-the-loop testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talele, Sunjay E.; Pickard, J. W., Jr.; Owens, Monte A.; Foster, Joseph; Watson, John S.; Amick, Mary Amenda; Anthony, Kenneth

1998-07-01

Realistic backgrounds are necessary to support high fidelity hardware-in-the-loop testing. Advanced avionics and weapon system sensors are driving the requirement for higher resolution imagery. The model-test-model philosophy being promoted by the T&E community is resulting in the need for backgrounds that are realistic or virtual representations of actual test areas. Combined, these requirements led to a major upgrade of the terrain database used for hardware-in-the-loop testing at the Guided Weapons Evaluation Facility (GWEF) at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. This paper will describe the process used to generate the high-resolution (1-foot) database of ten sites totaling over 20 square kilometers of the Eglin range. this process involved generating digital elevation maps from stereo aerial imagery and classifying ground cover material using the spectral content. These databases were then optimized for real-time operation at 90 Hz.

Landscape genetics of high mountain frog metapopulations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Murphy, M.A.; Dezzani, R.; Pilliod, D.S.; Storfer, A.

2010-01-01

Explaining functional connectivity among occupied habitats is crucial for understanding metapopulation dynamics and species ecology. Landscape genetics has primarily focused on elucidating how ecological features between observations influence gene flow. Functional connectivity, however, may be the result of both these between-site (landscape resistance) landscape characteristics and at-site (patch quality) landscape processes that can be captured using network based models. We test hypotheses of functional connectivity that include both between-site and at-site landscape processes in metapopulations of Columbia spotted frogs (Rana luteiventris) by employing a novel justification of gravity models for landscape genetics (eight microsatellite loci, 37 sites, n = 441). Primarily used in transportation and economic geography, gravity models are a unique approach as flow (e.g. gene flow) is explained as a function of three basic components: distance between sites, production/attraction (e.g. at-site landscape process) and resistance (e.g. between-site landscape process). The study system contains a network of nutrient poor high mountain lakes where we hypothesized a short growing season and complex topography between sites limit R. luteiventris gene flow. In addition, we hypothesized production of offspring is limited by breeding site characteristics such as the introduction of predatory fish and inherent site productivity. We found that R. luteiventris connectivity was negatively correlated with distance between sites, presence of predatory fish (at-site) and topographic complexity (between-site). Conversely, site productivity (as measured by heat load index, at-site) and growing season (as measured by frost-free period between-sites) were positively correlated with gene flow. The negative effect of predation and positive effect of site productivity, in concert with bottleneck tests, support the presence of source-sink dynamics. In conclusion, gravity models provide a powerful new modelling approach for examining a wide range of both basic and applied questions in landscape genetics.

Morphological evidence for discrete stocks of yellow perch in Lake Erie

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kocovsky, Patrick M.; Knight, Carey T.

2012-01-01

Identification and management of unique stocks of exploited fish species are high-priority management goals in the Laurentian Great Lakes. We analyzed whole-body morphometrics of 1430 yellow perch Perca flavescens captured during 2007–2009 from seven known spawning areas in Lake Erie to determine if morphometrics vary among sites and management units to assist in identification of spawning stocks of this heavily exploited species. Truss-based morphometrics (n = 21 measurements) were analyzed using principal component analysis followed by ANOVA of the first three principal components to determine whether yellow perch from the several sampling sites varied morphometrically. Duncan's multiple range test was used to determine which sites differed from one another to test whether morphometrics varied at scales finer than management unit. Morphometrics varied significantly among sites and annually, but differences among sites were much greater. Sites within the same management unit typically differed significantly from one another, indicating morphometric variation at a scale finer than management unit. These results are largely congruent with recently-published studies on genetic variation of yellow perch from many of the same sampling sites. Thus, our results provide additional evidence that there are discrete stocks of yellow perch in Lake Erie and that management units likely comprise multiple stocks.

The design of remote temperature monitoring system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Biqing; Li, Zhao; Wei, Liuren

2017-08-01

This design is made on the basis of the single-chip microcomputer remote temperature monitoring system. STC89C51RC is the main core part, this design use the sensor DHT11 of temperature or humidity and wireless transceiver NRF24L01 the temperature of the test site for long-range wireless measurement and monitoring. The design contains the main system and the small system, of which the main system can show the actual test site temperature and humidity values, voice broadcast, out of control and receive data alarm function; The small system has the function of temperature and humidity, temperature monitoring and sending data. After debugging, the user customizable alarm upper and lower temperature, when the temperature exceeds limit value, the main system of buzzer alarm immediately. The system has simple structure, complete functions and can alarm in time, it can be widely used remote temperature acquisition and monitoring of the site.

Amphipod bioassay of selected sediments from Sequim Bay, Washington

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

Ramsdell, K.A.; Strand, J.A.; Cullinan, V. I.

1989-06-01

Amphipod bioassays performed during reconnaissance surveys of Sequim Bay in 1983--1984 for the US Environmental Protection Agency suggested possible sediment toxicity at three sites. These findings were not supported by other biological analyses and tests (dominant infauna, oyster larvae test) nor by the finding of relatively low levels of priority pollutants. In 1988, a re-examination of the 1983--1984 sites demonstrated that the Sequim Bay sediments were clearly nontoxic. Mean survivorship ranged from 89 to 100%. It was hypothesized that earlier indications of toxicity may have been due to a relatively high percentage of fines ({ge}80%) and/or a relatively low interstitialmore » salinity (24%) encountered at one or more of the 1983--1984 sites. The continued use of Sequim Bay as both a reference bay and a source of control sediment in future marine research is recommended. 13 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs.« less

Designing HIV Testing Algorithms Based on 2015 WHO Guidelines Using Data from Six Sites in Sub-Saharan Africa

PubMed Central

Kosack, Cara S.; Shanks, Leslie; Beelaert, Greet; Benson, Tumwesigye; Savane, Aboubacar; Ng'ang'a, Anne; Bita, André; Zahinda, Jean-Paul B. N.; Fransen, Katrien

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Our objective was to evaluate the performance of HIV testing algorithms based on WHO recommendations, using data from specimens collected at six HIV testing and counseling sites in sub-Saharan Africa (Conakry, Guinea; Kitgum and Arua, Uganda; Homa Bay, Kenya; Douala, Cameroon; Baraka, Democratic Republic of Congo). A total of 2,780 samples, including 1,306 HIV-positive samples, were included in the analysis. HIV testing algorithms were designed using Determine as a first test. Second and third rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) were selected based on site-specific performance, adhering where possible to the WHO-recommended minimum requirements of ≥99% sensitivity and specificity. The threshold for specificity was reduced to 98% or 96% if necessary. We also simulated algorithms consisting of one RDT followed by a simple confirmatory assay. The positive predictive values (PPV) of the simulated algorithms ranged from 75.8% to 100% using strategies recommended for high-prevalence settings, 98.7% to 100% using strategies recommended for low-prevalence settings, and 98.1% to 100% using a rapid test followed by a simple confirmatory assay. Although we were able to design algorithms that met the recommended PPV of ≥99% in five of six sites using the applicable high-prevalence strategy, options were often very limited due to suboptimal performance of individual RDTs and to shared falsely reactive results. These results underscore the impact of the sequence of HIV tests and of shared false-reactivity data on algorithm performance. Where it is not possible to identify tests that meet WHO-recommended specifications, the low-prevalence strategy may be more suitable. PMID:28747371

HPV testing as a triage for borderline or mild dyskaryosis on cervical cytology: results from the Sentinel Sites study.

PubMed

Kelly, R S; Patnick, J; Kitchener, H C; Moss, S M

2011-09-27

Earlier pilot studies of human papillomavirus (HPV) triage concluded that HPV triage was feasible and cost-effective. The aim of the present study was to study the impact of wider rollout of HPV triage for women with low-grade cytology on colposcopy referral and outcomes. Human papillomavirus testing of liquid-based cytology (LBC) samples showing low-grade abnormalities was used to select women for colposcopy referral at six sites in England. Samples from 10,051 women aged 25-64 years with routine call or recall cytology reported as borderline or mild dyskaryosis were included. Human papillomavirus-positive rates were 53.7% in women with borderline cytology and 83.9% in those with mild dyskaryosis. The range between sites was 34.8-73.3% for borderline cytology, and 73.4-91.6% for mild dyskaryosis. In the single site using both LBC technologies there was no difference in rates between the two technologies. The positive predictive value of an HPV test was 16.3% for CIN2 or worse and 6.1% for CIN3 or worse, although there was considerable variation between sites. Triaging women with borderline cytological abnormalities and mild dyskaryosis with HPV testing would allow approximately a third of these women to be returned immediately to routine recall, and for a substantial proportion to be referred for colposcopy without repeat cytology. Variation in HPV-positive rates results in differing colposcopy workload.

Nevada National Security Site Environmental Report 2011

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

Cathy Wills, ed

2012-09-12

This report 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. It was prepared by National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec), for the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO). This and previous years reports, called Annual Site Environmental Reports (ASERs), Nevada Test Site Environmental Reports (NTSERs), and, beginning in 2010, Nevada National Security Site Environmental Reports (NNSSERs), are posted on the NNSA/NSO website at http://www.nv.energy.gov/library/publications/aser.aspx. This NNSSER was prepared to satisfy DOE Order DOE O 231.1B, 'Environment,more » 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 NNSA/NSO Environmental Management System and characterize its performance, and (6) highlight significant environmental programs and efforts. This NNSSER summarizes data and compliance status for calendar year 2011 at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) (formerly the Nevada Test Site) and its two 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). Through a Memorandum of Agreement, NNSA/NSO is responsible for the oversight of TTR ER projects, and the Sandia Site Office of NNSA (NNSA/SSO) has oversight of all other TTR activities. NNSA/SSO produces the TTR annual environmental report available at http://www.sandia.gov/news/publications/environmental/index.html.« less

A Fourier transform spectrometer for site testing at Dome A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xin-Xing; Paine, Scott; Yao, Qi-Jun; Shi, Sheng-Cai; Matsuo, Hiroshi; Yang, Ji; Zhang, Qi-Zhou

2009-07-01

Observations in tera-hertz astronomy can only be done at a site with good atmospheric transmission at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths. With extremely dry weather and calm atmosphere resulted by high altitude and cold temperature, Dome A (or Dome Argus), Antarctica, is possibly the best site on this earth for THz astronomy. To evaluate the site condition there, we are constructing a Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) based on Martin-Puplett interferometer to measure the atmospheric transmission in the frequency range of 0.75~15THz. The whole FTS system is designed for unattended and outdoor (temperatures even below -70 degrees Celsius) operation. Its total power consumption is estimated to be approximately 200W. This contribution will give a brief overview of this FTS development.

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 428: Area 3 Septic Waste Systems 1 and 5, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, REVISION 0, march 1999

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

ITLV.

1999-03-01

The Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 428, Area 3 Septic Waste Systems 1 and 5, has been developed in accordance with the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order that was agreed to by the U. S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office; the State of Nevada Division of Environmental Protection; and the U. S. Department of Defense. Corrective Action Unit 428 consists of Corrective Action Sites 03- 05- 002- SW01 and 03- 05- 002- SW05, respectively known as Area 3 Septic Waste System 1 and Septic Waste System 5. This Corrective Action Investigation Plan is used inmore » combination with the Work Plan for Leachfield Corrective Action Units: Nevada Test Site and Tonopah Test Range, Nevada , Rev. 1 (DOE/ NV, 1998c). The Leachfield Work Plan was developed to streamline investigations at leachfield Corrective Action Units by incorporating management, technical, quality assurance, health and safety, public involvement, field sampling, and waste management information common to a set of Corrective Action Units with similar site histories and characteristics into a single document that can be referenced. This Corrective Action Investigation Plan provides investigative details specific to Corrective Action Unit 428. A system of leachfields and associated collection systems was used for wastewater disposal at Area 3 of the Tonopah Test Range until a consolidated sewer system was installed in 1990 to replace the discrete septic waste systems. Operations within various buildings at Area 3 generated sanitary and industrial wastewaters potentially contaminated with contaminants of potential concern and disposed of in septic tanks and leachfields. Corrective Action Unit 428 is composed of two leachfield systems in the northern portion of Area 3. Based on site history collected to support the Data Quality Objectives process, contaminants of potential concern for the site include oil/ diesel range total petroleum hydrocarbons, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act characteristic volatile organic compounds, semivolatile organic compounds, and metals. A limited number of samples will be analyzed for gamma- emitting radionuclides and isotopic uranium from four of the septic tanks and if radiological field screening levels are exceeded. Additional samples will be analyzed for geotechnical and hydrological properties and a bioassessment may be performed. The technical approach for investigating this Corrective Action Unit consists of the following activities: Perform video surveys of the discharge and outfall lines. Collect samples of material in the septic tanks. Conduct exploratory trenching to locate and inspect subsurface components. Collect subsurface soil samples in areas of the collection system including the septic tanks and outfall end of distribution boxes. Collect subsurface soil samples underlying the leachfield distribution pipes via trenching. Collect surface and near- surface samples near potential locations of the Acid Sewer Outfall if Septic Waste System 5 Leachfield cannot be located. Field screen samples for volatile organic compounds, total petroleum hydrocarbons, and radiological activity. Drill boreholes and collect subsurface soil samples if required. Analyze samples for total volatile organic compounds, total semivolatile organic compounds, total Resource Conservation and Recovery Act metals, and total petroleum hydrocarbons (oil/ diesel range organics). Limited number of samples will be analyzed for gamma- emitting radionuclides and isotopic uranium from particular septic tanks and if radiological field screening levels are exceeded. Collect samples from native soils beneath the distribution system and analyze for geotechnical/ hydrologic parameters. Collect and analyze bioassessment samples at the discretion of the Site Supervisor if total petroleum hydrocarbons exceed field- screening levels.« less

Sourcebook of locations of geophysical surveys in tunnels and horizontal holes, including results of seismic refraction surveys, Rainier Mesa, Aqueduct Mesa, and Area 16, Nevada Test Site

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carroll, R.D.; Kibler, J.E.

1983-01-01

Seismic refraction surveys have been obtained sporadically in tunnels in zeolitized tuff at the Nevada Test Site since the late 1950's. Commencing in 1967 and continuing to date (1982), .extensive measurements of shear- and compressional-wave velocities have been made in five tunnel complexes in Rainier and Aqueduct Mesas and in one tunnel complex in Shoshone Mountain. The results of these surveys to 1980 are compiled in this report. In addition, extensive horizontal drilling was initiated in 1967 in connection with geologic exploration in these tunnel complexes for sites for nuclear weapons tests. Seismic and electrical surveys were conducted in the majority of these holes. The type and location of these tunnel and borehole surveys are indexed in this report. Synthesis of the seismic refraction data indicates a mean compressional-wave velocity near the nuclear device point (WP) of 23 tunnel events of 2,430 m/s (7,970 f/s) with a range of 1,846-2,753 m/s (6,060-9,030 f/s). The mean shear-wave velocity of 17 tunnel events is 1,276 m/s (4,190 f/s) with a range of 1,140-1,392 m/s (3,740-4,570 f/s). Experience indicates that these velocity variations are due chiefly to the extent of fracturing and (or) the presence of partially saturated rock in the region of the survey.

The accessibility, readability, and quality of online resources for gender affirming surgery.

PubMed

Vargas, Christina R; Ricci, Joseph A; Lee, Michelle; Tobias, Adam M; Medalie, Daniel A; Lee, Bernard T

2017-09-01

The transgender population is disproportionally affected by health disparities related to access to care. In many communities, transgender specialists are geographically distant and locally available medical professionals may be unfamiliar with unique needs of transgender patients. As a result, use of Internet resources for information about gender affirming surgery is particularly important. This study simulates a patient search for online educational material about gender affirming surgery and evaluates the accessibility, readability, and quality of the information. An Internet search for the term "transgender surgery" was performed, and the first 10 relevant hits were identified. Readability was assessed using 10 established tests: Coleman-Liau, Flesch-Kincaid, FORCAST, Fry, Gunning Fog, New Dale-Chall, New Fog Count, Raygor Estimate, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, and Flesch Reading Ease. Quality was assessed using Journal of the American Medical Association criteria and the DISCERN instrument. Review of 69 results was required to identify 10 sites with relevant patient information. There were 97 articles collected; overall mean reading level was 14.7. Individual Web site reading levels ranged from 12.0 to 17.5. All articles and Web sites exceeded the recommended sixth grade level. Quality ranged from 0 to 4 (Journal of the American Medical Association) and 35 to 79 (DISCERN) across Web sites. Web sites with relevant patient information about gender affirming surgery were difficult to identify from search results. The content of these sites universally exceeded the recommended reading level. A wide range of Web site quality was noted, and this may further complicate successful navigation. Barriers in access to appropriately written patient information on the Internet may contribute to disparities in referral, involvement, satisfaction, and outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multi-scale heterogeneity in the temporal origin of water taken up by trees water uptake inferred using stable isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, S. T.; Kirchner, J. W.; Braun, S.; Siegwolf, R. T.; Goldsmith, G. R.

2017-12-01

Xylem water isotopic composition can reveal how water moves through soil and is subsequently taken up by plants. By examining how xylem water isotopes vary across distinct climates and soils, we test how these site characteristics control critical-zone water movement and tree uptake. Xylem water was collected from over 900 trees at 191 sites across Switzerland during a 10-day period in mid-summer 2015. Sites contained oak, beech and/or spruce trees and ranged in elevation from 260 to 1870 m asl with mean annual precipitation from 700 to 2060 mm. Xylem water samples were analyzed for 2H and 18O using isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Patterns in the temporal origin of xylem water showed regional differences. For example, trees in the southern and alpine regions had xylem water isotopic signatures that more closely resembled summer precipitation. The isotopic spatial range observed for mid-summer xylem waters was similar to the seasonal range of precipitation; that is, mid-summer xylem water at some sites resembled summer precipitation, and at other sites resembled winter precipitation. Xylem water from spruces, oaks, and beeches at the same sites did not differ from each other, despite these species having different rooting habits. Across all sites and species, precipitation amount correlated positively with xylem δ18O. In higher-precipitation areas, summer rain apparently displaces or mixes with older (winter) stored waters, thus reducing the winter-water isotopic signal in xylem water. Alternatively, in areas with limited precipitation, xylem water more closely matched winter water, indicating greater use of older stored water. We conclude that regional variations in precipitation deficits determine variations in the turnover rate of plant-available soil water and storage.

Cytogenetic biomonitoring carried out in a village (Dolon) adjacent to the Semipalatinsk nuclear weapon test site.

PubMed

Testa, A; Stronati, L; Ranaldi, R; Spanò, M; Steinhäusler, F; Gastberger, M; Hubmer, A; Ptitskaya, L; Akhmetov, M

2001-06-01

The Semipalatinsk region (Kazakhstan Republic) has been affected by extensive radioactive contamination due to more than 450 nuclear tests of which almost 100 were exploded in the atmosphere. The present results refer to cytogenetic assessments in a study cohort of the population of Dolon, a settlement located on the NE boundary of the nuclear weapon test site, which was exposed to elevated doses of ionising radiation primarily due to the first Soviet nuclear test in 1949. Conventional cytogenetic analyses were carried out on 21 blood samples from individuals (more than 50 years old) living in Dolon since the very beginning of nuclear testing. A matched control group included 20 individuals living in non-contaminated areas. Higher frequencies of chromosome aberrations were found in the Dolon cohort compared to the control group, even though they remain within the range of the background levels reported for large normal human population studies on elderly individuals.

Effects of Vegetation Structure on the Location of Lion Kill Sites in African Thicket

PubMed Central

Davies, Andrew B.; Tambling, Craig J.; Kerley, Graham I. H.; Asner, Gregory P.

2016-01-01

Predator-prey relationships are integral to ecosystem stability and functioning. These relationships are, however, difficult to maintain in protected areas where large predators are increasingly being reintroduced and confined. Where predators make kills has a profound influence on their role in ecosystems, but the relative importance of environmental variables in determining kill sites, and how these might vary across ecosystems is poorly known. We investigated kill sites for lions in South Africa’s thicket biome, testing the importance of vegetation structure for kill site locations compared to other environmental variables. Kill sites were located over four years using GPS telemetry and compared to non-kill sites that had been occupied by lions, as well as to random sites within lion ranges. Measurements of 3D vegetation structure obtained from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) were used to calculate the visible area (viewshed) around each site and, along with wind and moonlight data, used to compare kill sites between lion sexes, prey species and prey sexes. Viewshed area was the most important predictor of kill sites (sites in dense vegetation were twice as likely to be kill sites compared to open areas), followed by wind speed and, less so, moonlight. Kill sites for different prey species varied with vegetation structure, and male prey were killed when wind speeds were higher compared to female prey of the same species. Our results demonstrate that vegetation structure is an important component of predator-prey interactions, with varying effects across ecosystems. Such differences require consideration in terms of the ecological roles performed by predators, and in predator and prey conservation. PMID:26910832

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 414: Clean Slate III Plutonium Dispersion (TTR) Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, Revision 1

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

Matthews, Patrick

Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 414 is located on the Tonopah Test Range, which is approximately 130 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, and approximately 40 miles southeast of Tonopah, Nevada. The CAU 414 site consists of the release of radionuclides to the surface and shallow subsurface from the conduct of the Clean Slate III (CSIII) storage–transportation test conducted on June 9, 1963. CAU 414 includes one corrective action site (CAS), TA-23-03CS (Pu Contaminated Soil). The known releases at CAU 414 are the result of the atmospheric dispersal of contamination from the 1963 CSIII test. The CSIII test was a nonnuclearmore » detonation of a nuclear device located inside a reinforced concrete bunker covered with 8 feet of soil. This test dispersed radionuclides, primarily uranium and plutonium, on the ground surface. The presence and nature of contamination at CAU 414 will be evaluated based on information collected from a corrective action investigation (CAI). The investigation is based on the data quality objectives (DQOs) developed on June 7, 2016, by representatives of the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection; the U.S. Air Force; and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office. The DQO process was used to identify and define the type, amount, and quality of data needed to develop and evaluate appropriate corrective action alternatives for CAU 414.« less

A MULTILAYER BIOCHEMICAL DRY DEPOSITION MODEL 2. MODEL EVALUATION

EPA Science Inventory

The multilayer biochemical dry deposition model (MLBC) described in the accompanying paper was tested against half-hourly eddy correlation data from six field sites under a wide range of climate conditions with various plant types. Modeled CO₂, O₃, SO_2<...

Seasonal and interannual variability in surface energy partitioning and vegetation cover with grazing at shortgrass steppe

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We evaluated shortgrass steppe energy budgets based on the Bowen Ratio Energy Balance method for three different grazing intensity treatments at the Central Plains Experimental Range Long-Term Ecological Research (CPER-LTER) site. We tested the correlations between aboveground biomass and surface en...

SUPERFUND TREATABILITY CLEARINGHOUSE: BDAT INCINERATION OF CERCLA SARMS AT THE JOHN ZINK COMPANY TEST FACILITY (FINAL PROJECT REPORT)

EPA Science Inventory

This report presents the results of a treatability study of rotary kiln incineration of a synthetic "Superfund soil" bearing a wide range of chemical contaminants typically occurring at Superfund sites. This surrogate soil is referred to as a synthetic analytical reference ...

Growth of Oak Reproduction Increased by Shelterwood Treatments in Northern Arkansas

Treesearch

David L. Graney

1999-01-01

Nine-year survival and growth of oak (Quercus alba L., Q. rubra L., and Q. velutina Lam.) reproduction was evaluated in upland oak stands representing a range in site quality, residual overstory stocking, and understory treatments. Analysis of variance was used to test for differences in establishment, survival...

Iodine-129 measurements in soil samples from Dolon village near the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site.

PubMed

Endo, Satoru; Tomita, Junpei; Tanaka, Kenichi; Yamamoto, Masayoshi; Fukutani, Satoshi; Imanaka, Tetsuji; Sakaguchi, Aya; Amano, Hikaru; Kawamura, Hidehisa; Kawamura, Hisao; Apsalikov, Kazbek N; Gusev, Boris I; Whitehead, Neil E; Shinkarev, Sergey; Hoshi, Masaharu

2008-07-01

Dolon village, located about 60 km from the border of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, is known to be heavily contaminated by the first USSR atomic bomb test in August 1949. Soil samples around Dolon were taken in October 2005 in an attempt to evaluate internal thyroid dose arising from incorporation of radioiodine isotopes (mainly (131)I). Iodine-129 in soil was measured by using the technique of accelerator mass spectrometry. The (129)I/(127)I atom ratios measured were in the range from 3.3 x 10(-9) to 3.3 x 10(-7). These values were within the range of the current background level ( approximately 10(-9) to 10(-7)) in the environment, including contributions from the global fallout of atmospheric nuclear tests and local fallout of nuclear facilities. The (129)I atom accumulated level in soil ranged from 1.28 x 10(13) to 1.59 x 10(14) atoms m(-2), the average (8.0 x 10(13)) of which was higher than the background level of (2-5) x 10(13). From the relationship between (129)I and( 137)Cs (corrected for background and decay from 1949 to 2005) accumulated levels, the background level of (129)I and the (129)I/(137)Cs ratio around Dolon were estimated to be (6.4 +/- 0.4) x 10(13) atoms m(-2) and 0.25 +/- 0.16, respectively. This (129)I/(137)Cs ratio is almost similar to the fission yield ratio for (239)Pu fast fission (0.24).

Descriptive analysis and spatial epidemiology of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) for swine sites participating in area regional control and elimination programs from 3 regions of Ontario

PubMed Central

Arruda, Andreia G.; Poljak, Zvonimir; Friendship, Robert; Carpenter, Jane; Hand, Karen

2015-01-01

The objectives of this study were to describe demographics, basic biosecurity practices, ownership structure, and prevalence of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) in swine sites located in 3 regions in Ontario, and investigate the presence of spatial clustering and clusters of PRRS positive sites in the 3 regions. A total of 370 swine sites were enrolled in Area Regional Control and Elimination projects in Niagara, Watford, and Perth from 2010 to 2013. Demographics, biosecurity, and site ownership data were collected using a standardized questionnaire and site locations were obtained from an industry organization. Status was assigned on the basis of available diagnostic tests and/or assessment by site veterinarians. Spatial dependence was investigated using the D-function, the spatial scan statistic test and the spatial relative risk method. Results showed that the use of strict all-in all-out (AIAO) pig flow and shower before entry are uncommon biosecurity practices in swine sites, but a larger proportion of sites reported having a Danish entry. The prevalence of PRRS in the 3 regions ranged from 17% to 48% and localized high and low risk clusters were detected. Sites enrolled in the PRRS control projects were characterized by membership in multiple and overlapping ownership structures and networks, which complicates the way the results of monitoring and disease management measures are communicated to the target population. PMID:26424906

The Geomatics Contribution for the Valorisation Project in the Rocca of San Silvestro Landscape Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brocchini, D.; Chiabrando, F.; Colucci, E.; Sammartano, G.; Spanò, A.; Teppati Losè, L.; Villa, A.

2017-05-01

This paper proposes an emblematic project where several multi-sensor strategies for spatial data acquisition and management, range based and image based, were combined to create a series of integrated territorial and architectural scale products characterized by a rich multi-content nature. The work presented here was finalized in a test site that is composed by an ensemble of diversified cultural deposits; the objects that were surveyed and modelled range from the landscape with its widespread mining sites, the main tower with its defensive role, the urban configuration of the settlement, the building systems and techniques, a medieval mine. For this reason, the Rocca of San Silvestro represented a perfect test case, due to its complex and multi-stratified character. This archaeological site is a medieval fortified village near the municipality of Campiglia Marittima (LI), Italy. The Rocca is part of an Archaeological Mines Park and is included in the Parchi della Val di Cornia (a system of archaeological parks, natural parks and museums in the south-west of Tuscany). The fundamental role of a deep knowledge about a cultural artefact before the planning of a restoration and valorisation project is globally recognized; the qualitative and quantitative knowledge provided by geomatics techniques is part of this process. The paper will present the different techniques that were used, the products that were obtained and will focus on some mapping and WEB GIS applications and analyses that were performed and considerations that were made.

Evaluation of the attenuating properties of selected Greek clays for toxic inorganic elements in landfill sites.

PubMed

Mimides, T; Perraki, T

2000-05-15

Heavy metal attenuation properties of selected clay material collected from miscellaneous Greek sites is investigated and tested in the laboratory for their suitability, either as liners in hydrologically unsafe sites or as earth covers for sanitary landfill sites. Eleven potentially hazardous elements (As, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se, V, and Zn) generated by a co-disposal landfill leachate have been considered. Experimental column and static equilibrium methods for the determination of dispersion and adsorption are described. Molecular diffusion dominates the migration phenomena with a velocity range between 1.3 x 10(-5) and 3.5 x 10(-4) cm/s throughout the experiments. A simple way to evaluate dispersion coefficients from breakthrough curves gave values of between 3.90 x 10(-6) and 3.5 x 10(-4) cm2/s, with a mean value of 1.5 x 10(-5). Static adsorption equilibrium studies supported by column runs showed that Freundlich (F = kCn) isotherms express in a better way the assimilative capacities of the tested clays, with k and n values ranging from 0.06 to 1.99 and 0.55 to 1.48 correspondingly. Mathematical models involving non-linear parabolic equations are involved. The experimental data, together with finite difference techniques and some physical clay characteristics, produced trilinear textural diagrams and predictive flow transport convection-dispersion breakthrough curves for a quick estimation of the attenuating properties of clays for heavy metals.

Application of Phytoscreening to Three Hazardous Waste Sites in Arizona

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duncan, C.

2017-12-01

The great majority of prior phytoscreening applications have been conducted in humid and temperate environments wherein groundwater is relatively shallow ( 1-6m deep). The objective of this research is to evaluate its use in semi-arid environments for sites with deeper groundwater (>10 m). To that end, phytoscreening is applied to three chlorinated-solvent hazardous-waste sites in Arizona. Contaminant concentrations were quantifiable in tree-tissue samples collected from two of the sites (Nogales, Park-Euclid). Contaminant concentrations were detectable, but not quantifiable, for the third site. Tree-tissue concentrations of tetrachloroethene (PCE) ranged from approximately 400-5000 ug/kg wet weight for burrobrush, cottonwood, palo verde, and velvet mesquite at the Nogales site. In addition to standard trunk-core samples, leaf samples were collected to test the effectiveness of a less invasive sampling method. Leaf-sample concentrations were quantifiable, but several times lower than the corresponding core-sample concentrations. Comparison of results obtained for the test sites to those reported in the literature suggest that tree species is amajor factormediating observed results. One constraint faced for the Arizona siteswas the relative scarcity of mature trees available for sampling, particularly in areas adjacent to industrial zones. The results of this study illustrate that phytoscreening can be used effectively to characterize the presence of groundwater contamination for semi-arid sites with deeper groundwater.

Corrective action investigation plan: Cactus Spring Waste Trenches. Revision 2

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

NONE

This Correction Action Investigation Plan (CAIP) contains environmental sample collection objectives and logic for the Corrective Action Unit No. 426, which includes the Cactus Spring Waste Trenches, located at the Tonopah Test Range. The purpose of this investigation is to generate sufficient data to establish the types of waste buried in the trenches, identify the presence and nature of contamination, determine the vertical extent of contaminant migration below the Cactus Spring Waste Trenches, and determine the appropriate course of action for the site. The potential courses of action for the site are clean closure, closure in place (with or withoutmore » remediation), or no further action. The scope of this investigation will include drilling and collecting subsurface samples from within and below the trenches. Sampling locations will be biased toward the areas most likely to be contaminated. The Cactus Spring Waste Trenches Site is identified as one of three potential locations for buried, radioactively contaminated materials from the Double Tracks Test. This test was the first of four storage-transportation tests conducted in 1963 as part of Operation Roller Coaster. The experiment involved the use of live animals to assess the inhalation intake of a plutonium aerosol.« less

Development and application of an innovative expert decision support system to manage sediments and to assess environmental risk in freshwater ecosystems.

PubMed

Dagnino, Alessandro; Bo, Tiziano; Copetta, Andrea; Fenoglio, Stefano; Oliveri, Caterina; Bencivenga, Mauro; Felli, Angelo; Viarengo, Aldo

2013-10-01

With the aim of supporting decision makers to manage contamination in freshwater environments, an innovative expert decision support system (EDSS) was developed. The EDSS was applied in a sediment quality assessment along the Bormida river (NW, Italy) which has been heavily contaminated by an upstream industrial site for more than a century. Sampling sites were classified by means of comparing chemical concentrations with effect-based target values (threshold and probable effect concentrations). The level of each contaminant and the combined toxic pressure were used to rank sites into three categories: (i) uncontaminated (8 sites), (ii) mildly contaminated (4) and (iii) heavily contaminated (19). In heavily contaminated sediments, an environmental risk index (EnvRI) was determined by means of integrating chemical data with ecotoxicological and ecological parameters (triad approach). In addition a sediment risk index (SedRI) was computed from combining chemical and ecotoxicological data. Eight sites exhibited EnvRI values ≥0.25, the safety threshold level (range of EnvRI values: 0.14-0.31) whereas SedRI exceeded the safety threshold level at 6 sites (range of SedRI values: 0.16-0.36). At sites classified as mildly contaminated, sublethal biomarkers were integrated with chemical data into a biological vulnerability index (BVI), which exceeded the safety threshold level at one site (BVI value: 0.28). Finally, potential human risk was assessed in selected stations (11 sites) by integrating genotoxicity biomarkers (GTI index falling in the range 0.00-0.53). General conclusions drawn from the EDSS data include: (i) in sites classified as heavily contaminated, only a few exhibited some significant, yet limited, effects on biodiversity; (ii) restrictions in re-using sediments from heavily contaminated sites found little support in ecotoxicological data; (iii) in the majority of the sites classified as mildly contaminated, tested organisms exhibited low response levels; (iv) preliminary results on genotoxicity biomarkers indicate possible negative consequences for humans if exposed to river sediments from target areas. © 2013.

Dynamic stability test results on an 0.024 scale B-1 air vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beeman, R. R.

1972-01-01

Dynamic longitudinal and lateral-directional stability characteristics of the B-1 air vehicle were investigated in three wind tunnels at the Langley Research Center. The main rotary derivatives were obtained for an angle of attack range of -3 degrees to +16 degrees for a Mach number range of 0.2 to 2.16. Damping in roll data could not be obtained at the supersonic Mach numbers. The Langley 7 x 10 foot high speed tunnel, the 8 foot transonic pressure tunnel, and the 4 foot Unitary Plan wind tunnel were the test sites. An 0.024 scale light-weight model was used on a forced oscillation type balance. Test Reynolds number varied from 474,000/ft to 1,550,000/ft. through the Mach number range tested. The results showed that the dynamic stability characteristics of the model in pitch and roll were generally satisfactory up to an angle attack of about +6 degrees. In the wing sweep range from 15 to 25 degrees the positive damping levels in roll deteriorated rapidly above +2 degrees angle of attack. This reduction in roll damping is believed to be due to the onset of separation over the wing as stall is approached.

Air Monitoring Network at Tonopah Test Range: Network Description, Capabilities, and Analytical Results

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

Hartwell, William T.; Daniels, Jeffrey; Nikolich, George

2012-01-01

During the period April to June 2008, at the behest of the Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration, Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO); the Desert Research Institute (DRI) constructed and deployed two portable environmental monitoring stations at the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) as part of the Environmental Restoration Project Soils Activity. DRI has operated these stations since that time. A third station was deployed in the period May to September 2011. The TTR is located within the northwest corner of the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), and covers an area of approximately 725.20 km2 (280 mi2). The primarymore » objective of the monitoring stations is to evaluate whether and under what conditions there is wind transport of radiological contaminants from Soils Corrective Action Units (CAUs) associated with Operation Roller Coaster on TTR. Operation Roller Coaster was a series of tests, conducted in 1963, designed to examine the stability and dispersal of plutonium in storage and transportation accidents. These tests did not result in any nuclear explosive yield. However, the tests did result in the dispersal of plutonium and contamination of surface soils in the surrounding area.« less

Evaluation of the soil moisture prediction accuracy of a space radar using simulation techniques. [Kansas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ulaby, F. T. (Principal Investigator); Dobson, M. C.; Stiles, J. A.; Moore, R. K.; Holtzman, J. C.

1981-01-01

Image simulation techniques were employed to generate synthetic aperture radar images of a 17.7 km x 19.3 km test site located east of Lawrence, Kansas. The simulations were performed for a space SAR at an orbital altitude of 600 km, with the following sensor parameters: frequency = 4.75 GHz, polarization = HH, and angle of incidence range = 7 deg to 22 deg from nadir. Three sets of images were produced corresponding to three different spatial resolutions; 20 m x 20 m with 12 looks, 100 m x 100 m with 23 looks, and 1 km x 1 km with 1000 looks. Each set consisted of images for four different soil moisture distributions across the test site. Results indicate that, for the agricultural portion of the test site, the soil moisture in about 90% of the pixels can be predicted with an accuracy of = + or - 20% of field capacity. Among the three spatial resolutions, the 1 km x 1 km resolution gave the best results for most cases, however, for very dry soil conditions, the 100 m x 100 m resolution was slightly superior.

Age-Related Differences in Socio-demographic and Behavioral Determinants of HIV Testing and Counseling in HPTN 043/NIMH Project Accept.

PubMed

Salazar-Austin, N; Kulich, M; Chingono, A; Chariyalertsak, S; Srithanaviboonchai, K; Gray, G; Richter, L; van Rooyen, H; Morin, S; Sweat, M; Mbwambo, J; Szekeres, G; Coates, T; Celentano, D

2018-02-01

Youth represent a large proportion of new HIV infections worldwide, yet their utilization of HIV testing and counseling (HTC) remains low. Using the post-intervention, cross-sectional, population-based household survey done in 2011 as part of HPTN 043/NIMH Project Accept, a cluster-randomized trial of community mobilization and mobile HTC in South Africa (Soweto and KwaZulu Natal), Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Thailand, we evaluated age-related differences among socio-demographic and behavioral determinants of HTC in study participants by study arm, site, and gender. A multivariate logistic regression model was developed using complete individual data from 13,755 participants with recent HIV testing (prior 12 months) as the outcome. Youth (18-24 years) was not predictive of recent HTC, except for high-risk youth with multiple concurrent partners, who were less likely (aOR 0.75; 95% CI 0.61-0.92) to have recently been tested than youth reporting a single partner. Importantly, the intervention was successful in reaching men with site specific success ranging from aOR 1.27 (95% CI 1.05-1.53) in South Africa to aOR 2.30 in Thailand (95% CI 1.85-2.84). Finally, across a diverse range of settings, higher education (aOR 1.67; 95% CI 1.42, 1.96), higher socio-economic status (aOR 1.21; 95% CI 1.08-1.36), and marriage (aOR 1.55; 95% CI 1.37-1.75) were all predictive of recent HTC, which did not significantly vary across study arm, site, gender or age category (18-24 vs. 25-32 years).

Soil Sampling Techniques For Alabama Grain Fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, A. N.; Shaw, J. N.; Mask, P. L.; Touchton, J. T.; Rickman, D.

2003-01-01

Characterizing the spatial variability of nutrients facilitates precision soil sampling. Questions exist regarding the best technique for directed soil sampling based on a priori knowledge of soil and crop patterns. The objective of this study was to evaluate zone delineation techniques for Alabama grain fields to determine which method best minimized the soil test variability. Site one (25.8 ha) and site three (20.0 ha) were located in the Tennessee Valley region, and site two (24.2 ha) was located in the Coastal Plain region of Alabama. Tennessee Valley soils ranged from well drained Rhodic and Typic Paleudults to somewhat poorly drained Aquic Paleudults and Fluventic Dystrudepts. Coastal Plain s o i l s ranged from coarse-loamy Rhodic Kandiudults to loamy Arenic Kandiudults. Soils were sampled by grid soil sampling methods (grid sizes of 0.40 ha and 1 ha) consisting of: 1) twenty composited cores collected randomly throughout each grid (grid-cell sampling) and, 2) six composited cores collected randomly from a -3x3 m area at the center of each grid (grid-point sampling). Zones were established from 1) an Order 1 Soil Survey, 2) corn (Zea mays L.) yield maps, and 3) airborne remote sensing images. All soil properties were moderately to strongly spatially dependent as per semivariogram analyses. Differences in grid-point and grid-cell soil test values suggested grid-point sampling does not accurately represent grid values. Zones created by soil survey, yield data, and remote sensing images displayed lower coefficient of variations (8CV) for soil test values than overall field values, suggesting these techniques group soil test variability. However, few differences were observed between the three zone delineation techniques. Results suggest directed sampling using zone delineation techniques outlined in this paper would result in more efficient soil sampling for these Alabama grain fields.

QIN DAWG Validation of Gradient Nonlinearity Bias Correction Workflow for Quantitative Diffusion-Weighted Imaging in Multicenter Trials.

PubMed

Malyarenko, Dariya I; Wilmes, Lisa J; Arlinghaus, Lori R; Jacobs, Michael A; Huang, Wei; Helmer, Karl G; Taouli, Bachir; Yankeelov, Thomas E; Newitt, David; Chenevert, Thomas L

2016-12-01

Previous research has shown that system-dependent gradient nonlinearity (GNL) introduces a significant spatial bias (nonuniformity) in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps. Here, the feasibility of centralized retrospective system-specific correction of GNL bias for quantitative diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in multisite clinical trials is demonstrated across diverse scanners independent of the scanned object. Using corrector maps generated from system characterization by ice-water phantom measurement completed in the previous project phase, GNL bias correction was performed for test ADC measurements from an independent DWI phantom (room temperature agar) at two offset locations in the bore. The precomputed three-dimensional GNL correctors were retrospectively applied to test DWI scans by the central analysis site. The correction was blinded to reference DWI of the agar phantom at magnet isocenter where the GNL bias is negligible. The performance was evaluated from changes in ADC region of interest histogram statistics before and after correction with respect to the unbiased reference ADC values provided by sites. Both absolute error and nonuniformity of the ADC map induced by GNL (median, 12%; range, -35% to +10%) were substantially reduced by correction (7-fold in median and 3-fold in range). The residual ADC nonuniformity errors were attributed to measurement noise and other non-GNL sources. Correction of systematic GNL bias resulted in a 2-fold decrease in technical variability across scanners (down to site temperature range). The described validation of GNL bias correction marks progress toward implementation of this technology in multicenter trials that utilize quantitative DWI.

QIN DAWG Validation of Gradient Nonlinearity Bias Correction Workflow for Quantitative Diffusion-Weighted Imaging in Multicenter Trials

PubMed Central

Malyarenko, Dariya I.; Wilmes, Lisa J.; Arlinghaus, Lori R.; Jacobs, Michael A.; Huang, Wei; Helmer, Karl G.; Taouli, Bachir; Yankeelov, Thomas E.; Newitt, David; Chenevert, Thomas L.

2017-01-01

Previous research has shown that system-dependent gradient nonlinearity (GNL) introduces a significant spatial bias (nonuniformity) in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps. Here, the feasibility of centralized retrospective system-specific correction of GNL bias for quantitative diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in multisite clinical trials is demonstrated across diverse scanners independent of the scanned object. Using corrector maps generated from system characterization by ice-water phantom measurement completed in the previous project phase, GNL bias correction was performed for test ADC measurements from an independent DWI phantom (room temperature agar) at two offset locations in the bore. The precomputed three-dimensional GNL correctors were retrospectively applied to test DWI scans by the central analysis site. The correction was blinded to reference DWI of the agar phantom at magnet isocenter where the GNL bias is negligible. The performance was evaluated from changes in ADC region of interest histogram statistics before and after correction with respect to the unbiased reference ADC values provided by sites. Both absolute error and nonuniformity of the ADC map induced by GNL (median, 12%; range, −35% to +10%) were substantially reduced by correction (7-fold in median and 3-fold in range). The residual ADC nonuniformity errors were attributed to measurement noise and other non-GNL sources. Correction of systematic GNL bias resulted in a 2-fold decrease in technical variability across scanners (down to site temperature range). The described validation of GNL bias correction marks progress toward implementation of this technology in multicenter trials that utilize quantitative DWI. PMID:28105469

The Joint Winter Runway Friction Measurement Program: NASA Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yager, Thomas J.

1996-01-01

Some background information is given together with the scope and objectives of the 5-year, Joint National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)/Transport Canada (TC)/Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Winter Runway Friction Measurement Program. The range of the test equipment, the selected test sites and a tentative test program schedule are described. NASA considers the success of this program critical in terms of insuring adequate ground handling performance capability in adverse weather conditions for future aircraft being designed and developed as well as improving the safety of current aircraft ground operations.

Ultrasonographic measurements of lower trapezius muscle thickness at rest and during isometric contraction: a reliability study.

PubMed

Talbott, Nancy R; Witt, Dexter W

2014-07-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the intra-rater reliability and inter-rater reliability of ultrasound imaging (USI) thickness measurements of the lower trapezius (LT) at rest and during active contractions when the transverse process and the lamina were used as reference sites for the measurement process. Twenty healthy individuals between the ages of 22 and 32 years volunteered. With the subject prone and the shoulder in 145° of abduction, images of the LT were taken bilaterally by one examiner as the subject: (1) rested; (2) actively held the test position; and (3) actively held the test position while holding a weight. Ten subjects returned and testing was repeated by the same examiner and by a second examiner. LT thickness measurements were recorded at the level of the transverse process and at the level of the lamina. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) for within session intra-rater reliability (ICC3,3) ranged from 0.951 to 0.986 for both measurement sites while between session intra-rater reliability (ICC3,2) ranged from 0.935 to 0.962. Within session inter-rater reliability (ICC2,2) ranged from 0.934 to 0.973. USI can be used to reliably measure LT thickness at rest, during active contraction and during active contraction when holding a weight. The described protocol can be utilized during shoulder examinations to provide an additional assessment tool for monitoring changes in LT thickness.

Extensive variation, but not local adaptation in an Australian alpine daisy.

PubMed

Hirst, Megan J; Sexton, Jason P; Hoffmann, Ary A

2016-08-01

Alpine plants often occupy diverse habitats within a similar elevation range, but most research on local adaptation in these plants has focused on elevation gradients. In testing for habitat-related local adaptation, local effects on seed quality and initial plant growth should be considered in designs that encompass multiple populations and habitats. We tested for local adaptation across alpine habitats in a morphologically variable daisy species, Brachyscome decipiens, in the Bogong High Plains in Victoria, Australia. We collected seed from different habitats, controlled for maternal effects through initial seed size estimates, and characterized seedling survival and growth in a field transplant experiment. We found little evidence for local adaptation for survival or plant size, based on three adaptation measures: Home versus Away, Local versus Foreign, and Sympatric versus Allopatric (SA). The SA measure controlled for planting site and population (site-of-origin) effects. There were significant differences due to site-of-origin and planting site effects. An important confounding factor was the size of plants directly after transplantation of seedlings, which had a large impact on subsequent seedling survival and growth. Initial differences in plant width and height influenced subsequent survival across the growing season but in opposing directions: wide plants had higher survival, but tall plants had lower survival. In an additional controlled garden experiment at Cranbourne Royal Botanic Gardens, site-of-origin effects detected in the field experiments disappeared under more benign homogeneous conditions. Although B. decipiens from different source areas varied significantly when grown across a range of alpine habitats, these differences did not translate into a local or habitat-related fitness advantage. This lack of local advantage may signal weak past selection, and/or weak adaptive transgeneration (plasticity) effects.

Imaging open-path Fourier transform infrared spectrometer for 3D cloud profiling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rentz Dupuis, Julia; Mansur, David J.; Vaillancourt, Robert; Carlson, David; Evans, Thomas; Schundler, Elizabeth; Todd, Lori; Mottus, Kathleen

2010-04-01

OPTRA has developed an imaging open-path Fourier transform infrared (I-OP-FTIR) spectrometer for 3D profiling of chemical and biological agent simulant plumes released into test ranges and chambers. An array of I-OP-FTIR instruments positioned around the perimeter of the test site, in concert with advanced spectroscopic algorithms, enables real time tomographic reconstruction of the plume. The approach is intended as a referee measurement for test ranges and chambers. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) effort combines the instrumentation and spectroscopic capabilities of OPTRA, Inc. with the computed tomographic expertise of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. In this paper, we summarize the design and build and detail system characterization and test of a prototype I-OP-FTIR instrument. System characterization includes radiometric performance and spectral resolution. Results from a series of tomographic reconstructions of sulfur hexafluoride plumes in a laboratory setting are also presented.

90Sr and 137Cs in environmental samples from Dolon near the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site.

PubMed

Gastberger, M; Steinhäusler, F; Gerzabek, M H; Hubmer, A; Lettner, H

2000-09-01

The (90)Sr and (137)Cs activities of soil, plant, and milk samples from the village of Dolon, located close to the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site in Kazakhstan, were determined. The areal deposition at the nine sampling sites is in the range of <500 to 6,100 Bq m(-2) and 300 to 7,900 Bq m-2 for (90)Sr and (137)Cs, respectively. Similar values have been reported in the literature. At some of the sites both nuclides mainly have remained in the top 6 cm of the soil profiles; at others they were partly transported into deeper soil layers since the deposition. For most of the samples the (90)Sr yield after destruction of the soil matrix is significantly higher than after extracting with 6 M HCl indicating that (90)Sr is partly associated with fused silicates. The low mean (90)Sr activity concentrations of vegetation samples (14 Bq kg(-1) dw) and milk samples (0.05 Bq kg(-1) fw) suggest that this has favorable consequences in terms of limiting its bioavailability.

Decontamination of Explosives-Contaminated Range Scrap Using a Transportable Hot Gas Decontamination System

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-05-01

I I I I FINAL • Composition B (TNT, RDX and wax), • Tetryl, • Smokeless Powder ( Nitrocellulose /Nitrogylcerin), and • HBX (TNT, RDX, aluminum...operating-cost system. Because of its temporary, on-site configuration, this is an inherently low-cost method to decontaminate range residue. On... methods ) were evaluated and progressively improved during each test run. 022/masterdocument.doc 4-12 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

Plastic freezer bags: a cost-effective method to protect extraction sites in laparoscopic colorectal procedures?

PubMed

Huynh, Hai P; Musselman, Reilly P; Trottier, Daniel C; Soto, Claudia M; Poulin, Eric C; Mamazza, Joseph; Boushey, Robin P; Auer, Rebecca C; Moloo, Husein

2013-10-01

To review surgical-site infection (SSI) and retrieval-site tumor recurrence rates in laparoscopic colorectal procedures when using a plastic freezer bag as a wound protector. Laparoscopic colorectal procedures where a plastic freezer bag used as a wound protector at the extraction site were reviewed between 1991 and 2008 from a prospectively collected database. χ test was used to compare SSI and tumor recurrence rates between groups. Costing data were obtained from the operating room supplies department. A total of 936 cases with 51 (5.45%) surgical-site infections were identified. SSI rates did not differ when comparing groups based on demographic factors, diagnosis, or location of procedure. Retrieval-site tumor recurrence rate was 0.21% (1/474). Cost of plastic freezer bags including sterilization ranged from $0.25 to $3. Plastic freezer bags as wound protectors in laparoscopic colorectal procedures are cost effective and have SSI and retrieval-site tumor recurrence rates that compare favorably to published data.

Radionuclide observables for the Platte underground nuclear explosive test on 14 April 1962.

PubMed

Burnett, Jonathan L; Milbrath, Brian D

2016-11-01

Past nuclear weapon explosive tests provide invaluable information for understanding the radionuclide observables expected during an On-site Inspection (OSI) for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). These radioactive signatures are complex and subject to spatial and temporal variability. The Platte underground nuclear explosive test on 14 April 1962 provides extensive environmental monitoring data that can be modelled and used to calculate the maximum time available for detection of the OSI-relevant radionuclides. The 1.6 kT test is especially useful as it released the highest amounts of recorded activity during Operation Nougat at the Nevada Test Site - now known as the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). It has been estimated that 0.36% of the activity was released, and dispersed in a northerly direction. The deposition ranged from 1 × 10 -11 to 1 × 10 -9 of the atmospheric release (per m 2 ), and has been used in this paper to evaluate an OSI and the OSI-relevant radionuclides at 1 week to 2 years post-detonation. Radioactive decay reduces the activity of the OSI-relevant radionuclides by 99.7% within 2 years of detonation, such that detection throughout the hypothesized inspection is only achievable close to the explosion where deposition was highest. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identifying potential kidney donors using social networking web sites.

PubMed

Chang, Alexander; Anderson, Emily E; Turner, Hang T; Shoham, David; Hou, Susan H; Grams, Morgan

2013-01-01

Social networking sites like Facebook may be a powerful tool for increasing rates of live kidney donation. They allow for wide dissemination of information and discussion and could lessen anxiety associated with a face-to-face request for donation. However, sparse data exist on the use of social media for this purpose. We searched Facebook, the most popular social networking site, for publicly available English-language pages seeking kidney donors for a specific individual, abstracting information on the potential recipient, characteristics of the page itself, and whether potential donors were tested. In the 91 pages meeting inclusion criteria, the mean age of potential recipients was 37 (range: 2-69); 88% were US residents. Other posted information included the individual's photograph (76%), blood type (64%), cause of kidney disease (43%), and location (71%). Thirty-two percent of pages reported having potential donors tested, and 10% reported receiving a live-donor kidney transplant. Those reporting donor testing shared more potential recipient characteristics, provided more information about transplantation, and had higher page traffic. Facebook is already being used to identify potential kidney donors. Future studies should focus on how to safely, ethically, and effectively use social networking sites to inform potential donors and potentially expand live kidney donation. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Selected test-well data from the MX-missile siting study, Tooele, Juab, Millard, Beaver, and Iron counties, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mason, James L.; Atwood, John W.; Buettner, Priscilla S.

1985-01-01

This report contains well data collected from 1979 to 1983 in a part of the Great Basin in western Utah (fig. 1). The area is characterized by a series of generally north-trending mountain ranges separated by alluviumfilled basins that are partially filled with sedimentary deposits eroded from the adjacent mountains and lacustrine sediments deposited by Lake Bonneville. Most of the intermountain basins are elongated in the northward direction, but some are almost equidimensional.This report was prepared as part of the Great Basin Regional AquiferSystem Analysis (RASA) program. The report is intended to make well data from the MX-missile siting study readily available to water-resource managers and the general public. It includes well data obtained in areas for which little or no such data have been published previously. Well-drilling and well-completion data were compiled by Ertec, Inc. (formerly Fugro National, Inc.) under contract with the U. S. Air Force. Those data along with aquifer test data, geophysical logs, and drillers1 or geologists1 logs were obtained from Ertec, Inc. under an agreement with the U.S. Air Force. The authors thank the officials of both Ertec, Inc. and the U.S. Air Force for their helpful cooperation. The U.S. Geological Survey obtained accurate locations of the test wells (pi. 1) and accurate water-level measurements in those wells (table 1). Chemical analyses of water samples collected from several of the test wells drilled in the Sevier Desert have been published in a report by Enright and Holmes (1982, table 5).Test drilling for the MX-missile siting study consisted of two parts, the verification phase and the water-resources phase. The verification jhase was designed to obtain information necessary for the design and construction of the MX-basing system. Numerous small diameter wells were bored with depths ranging from 92 to 205 feet. Two-inch diameter JVC casing with the bottom 20 feet perforated was installed in each borehole. The water-resources phase was designed to determine ground-water availibility and to estimate the effects of ground-water withdrawals required for the construction of the MX-basing system. Six large-diameter production test wells were drilled along with associated small-diameter observation wells. Depths ranged from 310 to 1,399 feet. Lithologic logs for selected production test wells or associated observation wells are listed in table 2. Geophysical logs and aquifer test data are available in the files of the U. S. Geological Survey, as indicated in table 1.

Natural Regeneration of Longleaf Pine

Treesearch

William D. Boyer

1979-01-01

Natural regeneration is now a reliable alternative for existing longleaf pine forests. The shelterwood system, or modifications of it, has been used experimentally to regenerate longleaf pine for over 20 years, and regional tests have confirmed its value for a wide range of site conditions. Natural regeneration, because of its low cost when compared to other...

TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION REPORT: SITE PROGRAM DEMONSTRATION TEST - ACCUTECH PNEUMATIC FRACTURING EXTRACTION AND HOT GAS INJECTION, PHASE 1 - VOLUME I

EPA Science Inventory

The Pneumatic Fracturing Extraction (PFE) process developed by Accutech Remedial Systems, Inc. makes it possible to use vapor extraction to remove volatile organics at increased rates from a broader range of vadose zones. The low permeability of silts, clays, shales, etc. would o...

NASA Sample Return Missions: Recovery Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pace, L. F.; Cannon, R. E.

2017-01-01

The Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR), southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah, is the site of all NASA unmanned sample return missions. To date these missions include the Genesis solar wind samples (2004) and Stardust cometary and interstellar dust samples (2006). NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Mission will return its first asteroid sample at UTTR in 2023.

Human virus and microbial indicator occurrence in public-supply groundwater systems: meta-analysis of 12 international studies

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Groundwater quality is often evaluated using microbial indicators. This study examines data from 12 international groundwater studies (conducted 1992–2013). Sites were chosen from 718 public drinking-water systems with a range of hydrogeological conditions. Focus was on testing the value of indicato...

SP-100 design, safety, and testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, Carl. M.; Mahaffey, Michael M.; Smith, Gary L.

1991-01-01

The SP-100 Program is developing a nuclear reactor power system that can enhance and/or enable future civilian and military space missions. The program is directed to develop space reactor technology to provide electrical power in the range of tens to hundreds of kilowatts. The major nuclear assembly test is to be conducted at the Hanford Site near Richland, Washington, and is designed to validate the performance of the 2.4-MWt nuclear and heat transport assembly.

The influence of seine capture efficiency on fish abundance estimates in the upper Mississippi River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holland Bartels, L. E.; Dewey, M.R.

1997-01-01

The effects of season, presence of vegetation, and time of day on seine capture efficiency for fish were evaluated using test enclosures in the upper Mississippi River. Overall capture efficiency of the seine haul was 49% (53% during the day and 43% at night). During daytime tests, the efficiency ranged from 39% to 74% but did not differ statistically between sites or among dates. At night, the efficiency was higher at the vegetated than at the nonvegetated site (55% vs 32%) and declined through time from 56% in May to 28% in October. Although susceptibility to capture differed among taxa, we could not predict either total catch efficiency or efficiency within a given taxon for a given sample. Adjustment of catch data with various estimates of efficiency reduced the mean absolute error for all sampling dates from 51% to 24%, but the error of the adjusted data still ranged from -58% to +54% on any given sampling date. These results indicate that it is difficult to make accurate adjustment of catch data to compensate for gear bias in studies of seasonal habitat use.

Concept definition study for an extremely large aerophysics range facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swift, Hallock F.

1993-01-01

A conceptual design of a very large aeroballistic range is presented, as are its operational characteristics and procedures. The proposed model launcher is a two-stage light-gas gun, having a launch tube diameter of 254 mm, and the capability of accelerating a 14 kg launch mass to 6.1 km/sec. The gun's 91.4 cm diameter piston is driven by pressurized helium. High pressures in the central breech are contained by a multiple disk arrangement. The blast tank and sabot separation tank are described, as are methods for arresting sabot segments. The conceptual design of the range itself includes a 3.3 m diameter test or flight chamber some 330 m in length. Provisions are made for testing of free flight models and tests in which the model is confined by a track system. Methods for model deceleration and recovery are described. Provisions required for future addition of advanced model launchers such as an electromagnetic launcher or ram accelerator are addressed. Siting and safety issues are also addressed.

Estimated monthly percentile discharges at ungaged sites in the Upper Yellowstone River Basin in Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parrett, Charles; Hull, J.A.

1986-01-01

Once-monthly streamflow measurements were used to estimate selected percentile discharges on flow-duration curves of monthly mean discharge for 40 ungaged stream sites in the upper Yellowstone River basin in Montana. The estimation technique was a modification of the concurrent-discharge method previously described and used by H.C. Riggs to estimate annual mean discharge. The modified technique is based on the relationship of various mean seasonal discharges to the required discharges on the flow-duration curves. The mean seasonal discharges are estimated from the monthly streamflow measurements, and the percentile discharges are calculated from regression equations. The regression equations, developed from streamflow record at nine gaging stations, indicated a significant log-linear relationship between mean seasonal discharge and various percentile discharges. The technique was tested at two discontinued streamflow-gaging stations; the differences between estimated monthly discharges and those determined from the discharge record ranged from -31 to +27 percent at one site and from -14 to +85 percent at the other. The estimates at one site were unbiased, and the estimates at the other site were consistently larger than the recorded values. Based on the test results, the probable average error of the technique was + or - 30 percent for the 21 sites measured during the first year of the program and + or - 50 percent for the 19 sites measured during the second year. (USGS)

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

Montoya, Amber L.; Wagner, Katrina; Goering, Teresa Lynn

Tonopah Test Range (TTR) in Nevada and Kauai Test Facility (KTF) in Hawaii are government-owned, contractor-operated facilities operated by Sandia Corporation, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), through the Sandia Site Office (SSO), in Albuquerque, NM, manages TTR and KTF's operations. Sandia Corporation conducts operations at TTR in support of DOE/NNSA's Weapons Ordnance Program and has operated the site since 1957. Westinghouse Government Services subcontracts to Sandia Corporation in administering most of the environmental programs at TTR. Sandia Corporation operates KTF as a rocket preparation launching and tracking facility.more » This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) summarizes data and the compliance status of the environmental protection and monitoring program at TTR and KTF through Calendar Year (CY) 2004. The compliance status of environmental regulations applicable at these sites include state and federal regulations governing air emissions, wastewater effluent, waste management, terrestrial surveillance, and Environmental Restoration (ER) cleanup activities. Sandia Corporation is responsible only for those environmental program activities related to its operations. The DOE/NNSA, Nevada Site Office (NSO) retains responsibility for the cleanup and management of ER TTR sites. Currently, there are no ER Sites at KTF. Environmental monitoring and surveillance programs are required by DOE Order 450.1, Environmental Protection Program (DOE 2005) and DOE Order 231.1A, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting (DOE 2004b).« less

Addendum to the Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 403: Second Gas Station, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, Revision 0

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

Grant Evenson

This document constitutes an addendum to the Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 403: Second Gas Station, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, September 1998 as described in the document Supplemental Investigation Report for FFACO Use Restrictions, Nevada Test Site, Nevada (SIR) dated November 2008. The SIR document was approved by NDEP on December 5, 2008. The approval of the SIR document constituted approval of each of the recommended UR removals. In conformance with the SIR document, this addendum consists of: • This page that refers the reader to the SIR document for additional information • The cover, title, and signature pagesmore » of the SIR document • The NDEP approval letter • The corresponding section of the SIR document This addendum provides the documentation justifying the cancellation of the UR for CAS 03-02-004-0360, Underground Storage Tanks. This UR was established as part of a Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO) corrective action and is based on the presence of contaminants at concentrations greater than the action levels established at the time of the initial investigation (FFACO, 1996). Since this UR was established, practices and procedures relating to the implementation of risk-based corrective actions (RBCA) have changed. Therefore, this UR was reevaluated against the current RBCA criteria as defined in the Industrial Sites Project Establishment of Final Action Levels (NNSA/NSO, 2006). This re-evaluation consisted of comparing the original data (used to define the need for the UR) to risk-based final action levels (FALs) developed using the current Industrial Sites RBCA process. The re-evaluation resulted in a recommendation to remove the UR because contamination is not present at the site above the risk-based FALs. Requirements for inspecting and maintaining this UR will be canceled, and the postings and signage at this site will be removed. Fencing and posting may be present at this site that are unrelated to the FFACO UR such as for radiological control purposes as required by the NV/YMP Radiological Control Manual (NNSA/NSO, 2004). This modification will not affect or modify any non-FFACO requirements for fencing, posting, or monitoring at this site.« less

Effects of stream acidification and habitat on fish populations of a North American river

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baldigo, Barry P.; Lawrence, G.B.

2001-01-01

Water quality, physical habitat, and fisheries at sixteen reaches in the Neversink River Basin were studied during 1991-95 to identify the effects of acidic precipitation on stream-water chemistry and on selected fish-species populations, and to test the hypothesis that the degree of stream acidification affected the spatial distribution of each fish-species population. Most sites on the East Branch Neversink were strongly to severely acidified, whereas most sites on the West Branch were minimally to moderately acidified. Mean density of fish populations ranged from 0 to 2.15 fish/m2; biomass ranged from 0 to 17.5 g/m2. Where brook trout were present, their population density ranged from 0.04 to 1.09 fish/m2, biomass ranged from 0.76 to 12.2 g/m2, and condition (K) ranged from 0.94 to 1.07. Regression analyses revealed strong relations (r2 ?? 0.41 to 0.99; p ??? 0.05) between characteristics of the two most common species (brook trout and slimy sculpin) populations and mean concentrations of inorganic monomeric aluminum (Alim), pH, Si, K+, NO3/-, NH4/+, DOC, Ca2+, and Na+; acid neutralizing capacity (ANC); and water temperature. Stream acidification may have adversely affected fish populations at most East Branch sites, but in other parts of the Neversink River Basin these effects were masked or mitigated by other physical habitat, geochemical, and biological factors.

Sensitivity of sea urchin fertilization to pH varies across a natural pH mosaic.

PubMed

Kapsenberg, Lydia; Okamoto, Daniel K; Dutton, Jessica M; Hofmann, Gretchen E

2017-03-01

In the coastal ocean, temporal fluctuations in pH vary dramatically across biogeographic ranges. How such spatial differences in pH variability regimes might shape ocean acidification resistance in marine species remains unknown. We assessed the pH sensitivity of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus in the context of ocean pH variability. Using unique male-female pairs, originating from three sites with similar mean pH but different variability and frequency of low pH (pH T  ≤ 7.8) exposures, fertilization was tested across a range of pH (pH T 7.61-8.03) and sperm concentrations. High fertilization success was maintained at low pH via a slight right shift in the fertilization function across sperm concentration. This pH effect differed by site. Urchins from the site with the narrowest pH variability regime exhibited the greatest pH sensitivity. At this site, mechanistic fertilization dynamics models support a decrease in sperm-egg interaction rate with decreasing pH. The site differences in pH sensitivity build upon recent evidence of local pH adaptation in S. purpuratus and highlight the need to incorporate environmental variability in the study of global change biology.

A Profilometry-Based Dentifrice Abrasion Method for V8 Brushing Machines Part III: Multi-Laboratory Validation Testing of RDA-PE.

PubMed

Schneiderman, Eva; Colón, Ellen L; White, Donald J; Schemehorn, Bruce; Ganovsky, Tara; Haider, Amir; Garcia-Godoy, Franklin; Morrow, Brian R; Srimaneepong, Viritpon; Chumprasert, Sujin

2017-09-01

We have previously reported on progress toward the refinement of profilometry-based abrasivity testing of dentifrices using a V8 brushing machine and tactile or optical measurement of dentin wear. The general application of this technique may be advanced by demonstration of successful inter-laboratory confirmation of the method. The objective of this study was to explore the capability of different laboratories in the assessment of dentifrice abrasivity using a profilometry-based evaluation technique developed in our Mason laboratories. In addition, we wanted to assess the interchangeability of human and bovine specimens. Participating laboratories were instructed in methods associated with Radioactive Dentin Abrasivity-Profilometry Equivalent (RDA-PE) evaluation, including site visits to discuss critical elements of specimen preparation, masking, profilometry scanning, and procedures. Laboratories were likewise instructed on the requirement for demonstration of proportional linearity as a key condition for validation of the technique. Laboratories were provided with four test dentifrices, blinded for testing, with a broad range of abrasivity. In each laboratory, a calibration curve was developed for varying V8 brushing strokes (0, 4,000, and 10,000 strokes) with the ISO abrasive standard. Proportional linearity was determined as the ratio of standard abrasion mean depths created with 4,000 and 10,000 strokes (2.5 fold differences). Criteria for successful calibration within the method (established in our Mason laboratory) was set at proportional linearity = 2.5 ± 0.3. RDA-PE was compared to Radiotracer RDA for the four test dentifrices, with the latter obtained by averages from three independent Radiotracer RDA sites. Individual laboratories and their results were compared by 1) proportional linearity and 2) acquired RDA-PE values for test pastes. Five sites participated in the study. One site did not pass proportional linearity objectives. Data for this site are not reported at the request of the researchers. Three of the remaining four sites reported herein tested human dentin and all three met proportional linearity objectives for human dentin. Three of four sites participated in testing bovine dentin and all three met the proportional linearity objectives for bovine dentin. RDA-PE values for test dentifrices were similar between sites. All four sites that met proportional linearity requirement successfully identified the dentifrice formulated above the industry standard 250 RDA (as RDA-PE). The profilometry method showed at least as good reproducibility and differentiation as Radiotracer assessments. It was demonstrated that human and bovine specimens could be used interchangeably. The standardized RDA-PE method was reproduced in multiple laboratories in this inter-laboratory study. Evidence supports that this method is a suitable technique for ISO method 11609 Annex B.

ON-SITE CAVITY LOCATION-SEISMIC PROFILING AT NEVADA TEST SITE

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

Forbes, C.B.; Peterson, R.A.; Heald, C.L.

1961-10-25

Experimental seismic studies were conducted at the Nevada Test Site for the purpose of designing and evaluating the most promising seismic techniques for on-site inspection. Post-explosion seismic profiling was done in volcanic tuff in the vicinity of the Rainier and Blanca underground explosions. Pre-explosion seismic profiling was done over granitic rock outcrops in the Climax Stock area, and over tuff at proposed location for Linen and Orchid. Near surface velocity profiling techniques based on measurements of seismic time-distance curves gave evidence of disturbances in near surface rock velocities over the Rainier and Refer als0 to abstract 30187. Blanca sites. Thesemore » disturbances appear to be related to near surface fracturing and spallation effects resulting from the reflection of the original intense compression wave pulse at the near surface as a tension pulse. Large tuned seismometer arrays were used for horizontal seismic ranging in an attempt to record back-scattered'' or reflected seismic waves from subsurface cavities or zones of rock fracturing around the underground explosions. Some possible seismic events were recorded from the near vicinities of the Rainier and Blanca sites. However, many more similar events were recorded from numerous other locations, presumably originating from naturally occurring underground geological features. No means was found for discriminating between artificial and natural events recorded by horizontal seismic ranging, and the results were, therefore, not immediately useful for inspection purposes. It is concluded that in some instances near surface velocity profiling methods may provide a useful tool in verifying the presence of spalled zones above underground nuclear explosion sites. In the case of horizontal seismic ranging it appears that successful application would require development of satisfactory means for recognition of and discrimination against seismic responses to naturally occurring geological features. It is further concluded that, although more sophisticated instrumentation systems can be conceived, the most promising returns for effort expended can be expected to come from increased experience, skill, and human ingenuity in applying existing techniques. The basic problem is in large part a geological one of differentiating seismic response to man made irregularities from that of natural features which are of a similar or greater size and universally proved. It would not appear realistic to consider the seismic tool as a proven routine device for giving clear answers in on-site inspection operations. Application must still be considered largely experimental. (auth)« less

Autoverification process improvement by Six Sigma approach: Clinical chemistry & immunoassay.

PubMed

Randell, Edward W; Short, Garry; Lee, Natasha; Beresford, Allison; Spencer, Margaret; Kennell, Marina; Moores, Zoë; Parry, David

2018-05-01

This study examines effectiveness of a project to enhance an autoverification (AV) system through application of Six Sigma (DMAIC) process improvement strategies. Similar AV systems set up at three sites underwent examination and modification to produce improved systems while monitoring proportions of samples autoverified, the time required for manual review and verification, sample processing time, and examining characteristics of tests not autoverified. This information was used to identify areas for improvement and monitor the impact of changes. Use of reference range based criteria had the greatest impact on the proportion of tests autoverified. To improve AV process, reference range based criteria was replaced with extreme value limits based on a 99.5% test result interval, delta check criteria were broadened, and new specimen consistency rules were implemented. Decision guidance tools were also developed to assist staff using the AV system. The mean proportion of tests and samples autoverified improved from <62% for samples and <80% for tests, to >90% for samples and >95% for tests across all three sites. The new AV system significantly decreased turn-around time and total sample review time (to about a third), however, time spent for manual review of held samples almost tripled. There was no evidence of compromise to the quality of testing process and <1% of samples held for exceeding delta check or extreme limits required corrective action. The Six Sigma (DMAIC) process improvement methodology was successfully applied to AV systems resulting in an increase in overall test and sample AV by >90%, improved turn-around time, reduced time for manual verification, and with no obvious compromise to quality or error detection. Copyright © 2018 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Web-based technical assistance and training to promote community tobacco control policy change.

PubMed

Young, Walter F; Montgomery, Debbie; Nycum, Colleen; Burns-Martin, Lavon; Buller, David B

2006-01-01

In 1998 the tobacco industry was released of claims that provided monetary relief for states. A significant expansion of tobacco control activity in many states created a need to develop local capacity. Technical assistance and training for new and experienced staff became a significant challenge for tobacco control leadership. In Colorado, this challenge was addressed in part through the development of a technical assistance and training Web site designed for local tobacco control staff and coalition members. Researchers, technical Web site development specialists, state health agency, and state tobacco control coalition staff collaborated to develop, promote, and test the efficacy of this Web site. The work group embodied a range of skills including tobacco control, Web site technical development, marketing, training, and project management. Persistent marketing, updating of Web site content, and institutionalizing it as a principal source of information and training were key to use by community coalition members.

Monitoring on-orbit calibration stability of the Terra MODIS and Landsat 7 ETM+ sensors using pseudo-invariant test sites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chander, G.; Xiong, X.(J.); Choi, T.(J.); Angal, A.

2010-01-01

The ability to detect and quantify changes in the Earth's environment depends on sensors that can provide calibrated, consistent measurements of the Earth's surface features through time. A critical step in this process is to put image data from different sensors onto a common radiometric scale. This work focuses on monitoring the long-term on-orbit calibration stability of the Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Landsat 7 (L7) Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) sensors using the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) reference standard pseudo-invariant test sites (Libya 4, Mauritania 1/2, Algeria 3, Libya 1, and Algeria 5). These sites have been frequently used as radiometric targets because of their relatively stable surface conditions temporally. This study was performed using all cloud-free calibrated images from the Terra MODIS and the L7 ETM+ sensors, acquired from launch to December 2008. Homogeneous regions of interest (ROI) were selected in the calibrated images and the mean target statistics were derived from sensor measurements in terms of top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance. For each band pair, a set of fitted coefficients (slope and offset) is provided to monitor the long-term stability over very stable pseudo-invariant test sites. The average percent differences in intercept from the long-term trends obtained from the ETM + TOA reflectance estimates relative to the MODIS for all the CEOS reference standard test sites range from 2.5% to 15%. This gives an estimate of the collective differences due to the Relative Spectral Response (RSR) characteristics of each sensor, bi-directional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), spectral signature of the ground target, and atmospheric composition. The lifetime TOA reflectance trends from both sensors over 10 years are extremely stable, changing by no more than 0.4% per year in its TOA reflectance over the CEOS reference standard test sites.

The Joint Experiment for Crop Assessment and Monitoring (JECAM) Initiative: Developing methods and best practices for global agricultural monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Champagne, C.; Jarvis, I.; Defourny, P.; Davidson, A.

2014-12-01

Agricultural systems differ significantly throughout the world, making a 'one size fits all' approach to remote sensing and monitoring of agricultural landscapes problematic. The Joint Experiment for Crop Assessment and Monitoring (JECAM) was established in 2009 to bring together the global scientific community to work towards a set of best practices and recommendations for using earth observation data to map, monitor and report on agricultural productivity globally across an array of diverse agricultural systems. These methods form the research and development component of the Group on Earth Observation Global Agricultural Monitoring (GEOGLAM) initiative to harmonize global monitoring efforts and increase market transparency. The JECAM initiative brings together researchers from a large number of globally distributed, well monitored agricultural test sites that cover a range of crop types, cropping systems and climate regimes. Each test site works independently as well as together across multiple sites to test methods, sensors and field data collection techniques to derive key agricultural parameters, including crop type, crop condition, crop yield and soil moisture. The outcome of this project will be a set of best practices that cover the range of remote sensing monitoring and reporting needs, including satellite data acquisition, pre-processing techniques, information retrieval and ground data validation. These outcomes provide the research and development foundation for GEOGLAM and will help to inform the development of the GEOGLAM "system of systems" for global agricultural monitoring. The outcomes of the 2014 JECAM science meeting will be discussed as well as examples of methods being developed by JECAM scientists.

Full-vector geomagnetic field records from the East Eifel, Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monster, Marilyn W. L.; Langemeijer, Jaap; Wiarda, Laura R.; Dekkers, Mark J.; Biggin, Andy J.; Hurst, Elliot A.; Groot, Lennart V. de

2018-01-01

To create meaningful models of the geomagnetic field, high-quality directional and intensity input data are needed. However, while it is fairly straightforward to obtain directional data, intensity data are much scarcer, especially for periods before the Holocene. Here, we present data from twelve flows (age range ∼ 200 to ∼ 470 ka) in the East Eifel volcanic field (Germany). These sites had been previously studied and are resampled to further test the recently proposed multi-method palaeointensity approach. Samples are first subjected to classic palaeomagnetic and rock magnetic analyses to optimise the subsequent palaeointensity experiments. Four different palaeointensity methods - IZZI-Thellier, the multispecimen method, calibrated pseudo-Thellier, and microwave-Thellier - are being used in the present study. The latter should be considered as supportive because only one or two specimens per site could be processed. Palaeointensities obtained for ten sites pass our selection criteria: two sites are successful with a single approach, four sites with two approaches, three more sites work with three approaches, and one site with all four approaches. Site-averaged intensity values typically range between 30 and 35 μT. No typically low palaeointensity values are found, in line with paleodirectional results which are compatible with regular palaeosecular variation of the Earth's magnetic field. Results from different methods are remarkably consistent and generally agree well with the values previously reported. They appear to be below the average for the Brunhes chron; there are no indications for relatively higher palaeointensities for units younger than 300 ka. However, our young sites could be close in age, and therefore may not represent the average intensity of the paleofield. Three of our sites are even considered coeval; encouragingly, these do yield the same palaeointensity within uncertainty bounds.

Station report on the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) 1.2 meter telescope facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcgarry, Jan F.; Zagwodzki, Thomas W.; Abbott, Arnold; Degnan, John J.; Cheek, Jack W.; Chabot, Richard S.; Grolemund, David A.; Fitzgerald, Jim D.

1993-01-01

The 1.2 meter telescope system was built for the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in 1973-74 by the Kollmorgen Corporation as a highly accurate tracking telescope. The telescope is an azimuth-elevation mounted six mirror Coude system. The facility has been used for a wide range of experimentation including helioseismology, two color refractometry, lunar laser ranging, satellite laser ranging, visual tracking of rocket launches, and most recently satellite and aircraft streak camera work. The telescope is a multi-user facility housed in a two story dome with the telescope located on the second floor above the experimenter's area. Up to six experiments can be accommodated at a given time, with actual use of the telescope being determined by the location of the final Coude mirror. The telescope facility is currently one of the primary test sites for the Crustal Dynamics Network's new UNIX based telescope controller software, and is also the site of the joint Crustal Dynamics Project / Photonics Branch two color research into atmospheric refraction.

Geohydrology of test well USW H-1, Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada

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

Rush, F.E.; Thordarson, W.; Pyles, D.G.

This report contains the results of hydraulic testing, hydrologic monitoring, and geophysical logging of test well USW H-1, one of several wells drilled in the southwestern part of the Nevada Test Site in cooperation with the US Department of Energy for investigations related to the isolation of high-level radioactive wastes. All rocks penetrated by the well to a total depth of 1829 meters were of volcanic origin and of Tertiary age. Hydraulic head in the zone 688 to 741 meters below land surface was 730 meters above sea level and at a depth of 572 meters below land surface. Deepermore » zones had hydraulic heads of 781 meters above sea level or higher, indicating an upward component of ground-water flow at the site. The most transmissive zone, with an apparent transmissivity of about 150 meters squared per day, is in the Prow Pass Member of the Crater Flat Tuff in the depth range from 572 to 688 meters below land surface. The remainder of the penetrated rocks in the saturated zone, 688 to 1829 meters, has an apparent transmissivity of about 1 meter squared per day. The most transmissive part of the lower depth range is in the Bullfrog Member of the Crater Flat Tuff in the depth interval from 736 to 741 meters. The apparent hydraulic conductivity of the rocks in this lower depth interval from 688 to 1829 meters commonly ranges between 10{sup -4} and 10{sup -7} meter per day. Water chemistry is typical of tuffaceous rocks of southern Nevada. The water is a sodium bicarbonate type and has an apparent age of 12,000 to 13,000 years before present, as determined by carbon-14 dating.« less

Site Selection and Deployment Scenarios for Servicing of Deep-Space Observatories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willenberg, Harvey J.; Fruhwirth, Michael A.; Potter, Seth D.; Leete, Stephen J.; Moe, Rud V.

2001-01-01

The deep-space environment and relative transportation accessibility of the Weak Stability Boundary (WSB) region connecting the Earth-Moon and Sun-Earth libration points makes the Sun-Earth L2 an attractive operating location for future observatories. A summary is presented of key characteristics of future observatories designed to operate in this region. The ability to service observatories that operate within the region around the Lagrange points may greatly enhance their reliability, lifetime, and scientific return. The range of servicing missions might begin with initial deployment, assembly, test, and checkout. Post-assembly servicing missions might also include maintenance and repair, critical fluids resupply, and instrument upgrades. We define the range of servicing missions that can be performed with extravehicular activity, with teleoperated robots, and with autonomous robots. We then describe deployment scenarios that affect payload design. A trade study is summarized of the benefits and risks of alternative servicing sites, including at the International Space Station, at other low-Earth-orbit locations, at the Earth-Moon L1 location, and on-site at the Sun-Earth L2 location. Required technology trades and development issues for observatory servicing at each site, and with each level of autonomy, are summarized.

Pathogens and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles in critically ill patients with bloodstream infections: a descriptive study.

PubMed

Savage, Rachel D; Fowler, Robert A; Rishu, Asgar H; Bagshaw, Sean M; Cook, Deborah; Dodek, Peter; Hall, Richard; Kumar, Anand; Lamontagne, François; Lauzier, François; Marshall, John; Martin, Claudio M; McIntyre, Lauralyn; Muscedere, John; Reynolds, Steven; Stelfox, Henry T; Daneman, Nick

2016-01-01

Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance is vital to guiding empirical treatment of infections. Collating and reporting routine data on clinical isolate testing may offer more timely information about resistance patterns than traditional surveillance network methods. Using routine microbiology testing data collected from the Bacteremia Antibiotic Length Actually Needed for Clinical Effectiveness retrospective cohort study, we conducted a descriptive secondary analysis among critically ill patients in whom bloodstream infections had been diagnosed in 14 intensive care units (ICUs) in Canada. The participating sites were located within tertiary care teaching hospitals and represented 6 provinces and 10 cities. More than 80% of the study population was accrued from 2011-2013. We assessed the epidemiologic features of the infections and corresponding antimicrobial susceptibility profiles. Susceptibility testing was done according to Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines at accredited laboratories. A total of 1416 pathogens were isolated from 1202 patients. The most common organisms were Escherichia coli (217 isolates [15.3%]), Staphylococcus aureus (175 [12.4%]), coagulase-negative staphylococci (117 [8.3%]), Klebsiella pneumoniae (86 [6.1%]) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (85 [6.0%]). The contribution of individual pathogens varied by site. For 13 ICUs, gram-negative susceptibility rates were high for carbapenems (95.4%), tobramycin (91.2%) and piperacillin - tazobactam (90.0%); however, the proportion of specimens susceptible to these agents ranged from 75.0%-100%, 66.7%-100% and 75.0%-100%, respectively, across sites. Fewer gram-negative bacteria were susceptible to fluoroquinolones (84.5% [range 64.1%-97.2%]). A total of 145 patients (12.1%) had infections caused by highly resistant microorganisms, with significant intersite variation (range 2.6%-24.0%, χ2 = 57.50, p < 0.001). We assessed the epidemiologic features of bloodstream infections in a geographically diverse cohort of critically ill Canadian patients using routine pathogen and susceptibility data extracted from readily available microbiology testing databases. Expanding data sharing across more ICUs, with serial measurement and prompt reporting, could provide much-needed guidance for empiric treatment for patients as well as system-wide prevention methods to limit antimicrobial resistance.

Pathogens and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles in critically ill patients with bloodstream infections: a descriptive study

PubMed Central

Savage, Rachel D.; Fowler, Robert A.; Rishu, Asgar H.; Bagshaw, Sean M.; Cook, Deborah; Dodek, Peter; Hall, Richard; Kumar, Anand; Lamontagne, François; Lauzier, François; Marshall, John; Martin, Claudio M.; McIntyre, Lauralyn; Muscedere, John; Reynolds, Steven; Stelfox, Henry T.; Daneman, Nick

2016-01-01

Background: Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance is vital to guiding empirical treatment of infections. Collating and reporting routine data on clinical isolate testing may offer more timely information about resistance patterns than traditional surveillance network methods. Methods: Using routine microbiology testing data collected from the Bacteremia Antibiotic Length Actually Needed for Clinical Effectiveness retrospective cohort study, we conducted a descriptive secondary analysis among critically ill patients in whom bloodstream infections had been diagnosed in 14 intensive care units (ICUs) in Canada. The participating sites were located within tertiary care teaching hospitals and represented 6 provinces and 10 cities. More than 80% of the study population was accrued from 2011-2013. We assessed the epidemiologic features of the infections and corresponding antimicrobial susceptibility profiles. Susceptibility testing was done according to Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines at accredited laboratories. Results: A total of 1416 pathogens were isolated from 1202 patients. The most common organisms were Escherichia coli (217 isolates [15.3%]), Staphylococcus aureus (175 [12.4%]), coagulase-negative staphylococci (117 [8.3%]), Klebsiella pneumoniae (86 [6.1%]) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (85 [6.0%]). The contribution of individual pathogens varied by site. For 13 ICUs, gram-negative susceptibility rates were high for carbapenems (95.4%), tobramycin (91.2%) and piperacillin-tazobactam (90.0%); however, the proportion of specimens susceptible to these agents ranged from 75.0%-100%, 66.7%-100% and 75.0%-100%, respectively, across sites. Fewer gram-negative bacteria were susceptible to fluoroquinolones (84.5% [range 64.1%-97.2%]). A total of 145 patients (12.1%) had infections caused by highly resistant microorganisms, with significant intersite variation (range 2.6%-24.0%, χ2 = 57.50, p < 0.001). Interpretation: We assessed the epidemiologic features of bloodstream infections in a geographically diverse cohort of critically ill Canadian patients using routine pathogen and susceptibility data extracted from readily available microbiology testing databases. Expanding data sharing across more ICUs, with serial measurement and prompt reporting, could provide much-needed guidance for empiric treatment for patients as well as system-wide prevention methods to limit antimicrobial resistance. PMID:28018869

Concentrations and bioaccessibility of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in wastewater-irrigated soil using in vitro gastrointestinal test.

PubMed

Khan, Sardar; Cao, Qing; Lin, Ai-Jun; Zhu, Yong-Guan

2008-06-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread environmental contaminants and contribute to the pollution of soil environment. Soil ingestion is of increasing concern for assessing health risk from PAH-contaminated soils because soil ingestion is one of the potentially important pathways of exposure to environmental pollutants, particularly relevant for children playing at contaminated sites due to their hand-to-mouth activities. In vitro gastro-intestinal tests imitate the human digestive tract, based on the physiology of humans, generally more simple, less time-consuming, and especially more reproducible than animal tests. This study was conducted to investigate the level of PAH contamination and oral bioaccessibility in surface soils, using physiologically based in vitro gastro-intestinal tests regarding both gastric and small intestinal conditions. Wastewater-irrigated soils were sampled from the metropolitan areas of Beijing and Tianjin, China, which were highly contaminated with PAHs. Reference soil samples were also collected for comparisons. At each site, four soils were sampled in the upper horizon at the depth of 0-20 cm randomly and were bulked together to form one composite sample. PAH concentrations and origin were investigated and a physiologically based in vitro test was conducted using all analytical grade reagents. Linear regression model was used to assess the relationship between total PAH concentrations in soils and soil organic carbon (SOC). A wide range of total PAH concentrations ranging from 1,304 to 3,369 mug kg(-1) in soils collected from different wastewater-irrigated sites in Tianjin, while ranging from 2,687 to 4,916 mug kg(-1) in soils collected from different wastewater-irrigated sites in Beijing, was detected. In general, total PAH concentrations in soils from Beijing sites were significantly higher than those from Tianjin sites, indicating a dominant contribution from both pyrogenic and petrogenic sources. Results indicated that the oral bioaccessibility of PAHs in small intestinal was significantly higher (from P < 0.05 to P < 0.001) than gastric condition. Similarly, the oral bioaccessibility of PAHs in contaminated sites was significantly higher (from P < or = 0.05 to P < 0.001) than in reference sites. Individual PAH ratios (three to six rings), a more accurate and reliable estimation about the emission sources, were used to distinguish the natural and anthropogenic PAH inputs in the soils. Results indicated that PAHs were both pyrogenic and petrogenic in nature. The identification of PAH sources and importance of in vitro test for PAH bioaccessibility were emphasized in this study. The oral bioaccessibility of individual PAHs in soils generally decreased with increasing ring numbers of PAHs in both the gastric and small intestinal conditions. However, the ratio of bioaccessibility of individual PAHs in gastric conditions to that in the small intestinal condition generally increased with increasing ring numbers, indicating the relatively pronounced effect of bile extract on improving the bioaccessibility of PAHs with relatively high ring numbers characterized by their high K ( ow ) values. Similarly, total PAH concentrations in soils were strongly correlated with SOC, indicating that SOC was the key factor determining the retention of PAHs in soils. Soils were contaminated with PAHs due to long-term wastewater irrigation. PAHs with two to six rings showed high concentrations with a significant increase over reference soils. Based on the molecular indices, it was suggested that PAHs in soils had both pyrogenic and petrogenic sources. It was also concluded that the oral bioaccessibility of total PAHs in the small intestinal condition was significantly higher than that in the gastric condition. Furthermore, the bioaccessibility of individual PAHs in soils generally decreased with the increasing ring numbers in both the gastric and small intestinal conditions. It is suggested that more care should be given while establishing reliable soil criteria for PAHs, especially concerning the health of children who may ingest a considerable amount of PAH-contaminated soil via outdoor hand-to-mouth activities.

Development, solar test, and evaluation of a high-temperature air receiver for point-focusing parabolic dish applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanseth, E. J.

1981-01-01

A high temperature solar receiver was fabricated and tested in excess of 1370 C on an 11-meter-diameter test bed concentrator at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Parabolic Dish Test Site, Edwards, California. The 60-kilowatt thermal receiver design utilizes state-of-the-art silicon carbide honeycomb matrix panels to receive and transfer the solar energy and mullite elements for thermal buffer storage. Solar tests were conducted with indicated air exit temperatures ranging from 885 C (1625 F) to 1427 C (2600 F), mass flow rates of 75 to 105 g/sec (0.16 to 0.23 lbm/sec), and pressures up to 265 kPa absolute (38.4 psia). Estimates of efficiency are 59.7% at 1120 C (2048 F) to 80.6% at 885 C (1625 F) when aperture spillage losses are considered separately. Results are presented which demonstrate the feasibility of this innovative receiver concept for point-focusing parabolic dish applications over a wide temperature range.

Soil-water movement under natural-site and waste-site conditions: A multiple-year field study in the Mojave Desert, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Andraski, Brian J.

1997-01-01

Soil-water movement under natural-site and simulated waste-site conditions were compared by monitoring four experimental sites in the Mojave Desert, Nevada, during a 5-year period: one vegetated soil profile, one soil profile where vegetation was removed, and two nonvegetated test trenches. Precipitation ranged from 14 to 162 mm/yr. Temporal changes in water content measured by neutron probe were limited to the upper 0.5–1 m; values ranged from 0.01 to 0.19 m3/m3. Water potential and temperature were measured by thermocouple psychrometers; 77% remained operable for ≥4.5 years. For vegetated soil, precipitation that accumulated in the upper 0.75 m of soil was removed by evapotranspiration: water potentials decreased seasonally by 4 to >8 MPa. During 2 years with below-average precipitation, water potentials below the app arent root zone decreased by 2.3 (1.2-m depth) to 0.4 MPa (5-m depth), and the gradients became predominantly upward. Water potentials then rebounded during 2 years with near- and above-average precipitation, and seasonally variant water potential gradients were reestablished above the 4.2-m depth. Under nonvegetated waste-site conditions, data indicated the long-term accumulation and shallow, but continued, penetration of precipitation: water potentials showed moisture penetration to depths of 0.75−1.85 m. The method of simulated-waste drum placement (stacked versus random) and the associated differences in subsidence showed no measurable influence on the water balance of the trenches: subsidence totaled ≤13 mm during the study. Water potentials below the trenches and below the 2-m depth for the nonvegetated soil remained low (≈−5.5 to −7.5 MPa) and indicated the persistence of typically upward driving forces for isothermal water flow. Water fluxes estimated from water potential and temperature data suggested that isothermal liquid, isothermal vapor, and nonisothermal vapor flow need to be considered in the conceptualization of unsaturated flow at the field sites. Below the depth of temporal water content change, the estimated liquid fluxes ranged from 10−10 to 10−15 cm/s, isothermal vapor fluxes ranged from 10−10 to 10−13 cm/s, and the nonisothermal vapor fluxes ranged from 10−8 to 10−10cm/s.

Ghostly events: A review of the namesakes of LLNL nuclear tests of the past few years

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

Olsen, C.W.

1993-02-01

Beginning in Fiscal Year 1986, the LLNL named its tests at the Nevada Test Site for ghost towns and other historical place names in California and Nevada. The first test so named was GOLDSTONE conducted on December 28, 1985. The list of names was used until recently when a new set of names was adopted for use in FY-93 and later. The locations used for event names often had interesting histories of their own. Some sites have virtually disappeared, some are still identifiable ghost towns, some never were towns, and others are relatively recent or still inhabited locations. This papermore » is a compilation of brief histories of the locations for which tests were named. The towns mostly, but not entirely, date from the mining booms of about 1850 to the early twentieth century. Many of these communities had brief existences; populations ranged from a few hardy souls to several thousand, and amenities ranged from primitive to, in a few rare cases, opulent. The development tended to follow a similar pattern based on size and duration of activity, usually starting with a collection of tents, commonly known as rag-towns''. Generally even the small communities soon had a store, some sort of lodging, and a saloon and gambling hall. As towns grew, if they lasted long enough, they would often acquire a post office, more saloons and stores, better water supplies and transportation, more permanent hotels, sometimes a newspaper, and often a red-light district. This was followed finally by permanent residences and by churches and schools, possibly even a library, and the other trappings of a real community; the ultimate goal was to have a court house. Most sites, of course, went through boom and bust before the full cycle could be realized. These places are the remains of a fascinating and important part of our heritage.« less

Ghostly events: A review of the namesakes of LLNL nuclear tests of the past few years

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

Olsen, C.W.

1993-02-01

Beginning in Fiscal Year 1986, the LLNL named its tests at the Nevada Test Site for ghost towns and other historical place names in California and Nevada. The first test so named was GOLDSTONE conducted on December 28, 1985. The list of names was used until recently when a new set of names was adopted for use in FY-93 and later. The locations used for event names often had interesting histories of their own. Some sites have virtually disappeared, some are still identifiable ghost towns, some never were towns, and others are relatively recent or still inhabited locations. This papermore » is a compilation of brief histories of the locations for which tests were named. The towns mostly, but not entirely, date from the mining booms of about 1850 to the early twentieth century. Many of these communities had brief existences; populations ranged from a few hardy souls to several thousand, and amenities ranged from primitive to, in a few rare cases, opulent. The development tended to follow a similar pattern based on size and duration of activity, usually starting with a collection of tents, commonly known as ``rag-towns``. Generally even the small communities soon had a store, some sort of lodging, and a saloon and gambling hall. As towns grew, if they lasted long enough, they would often acquire a post office, more saloons and stores, better water supplies and transportation, more permanent hotels, sometimes a newspaper, and often a red-light district. This was followed finally by permanent residences and by churches and schools, possibly even a library, and the other trappings of a real community; the ultimate goal was to have a court house. Most sites, of course, went through boom and bust before the full cycle could be realized. These places are the remains of a fascinating and important part of our heritage.« less

Subalpine Conifer Seedling Demographics: Species Responses to Climate Manipulations Across an Elevational Gradient at Niwot Ridge, Colorado

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castanha, C.; Germino, M. J.; Torn, M. S.; Ferrenberg, S.; Harte, J.; Kueppers, L. M.

2010-12-01

The effect of climate change on future ranges of treeline species is poorly understood. For example, it is not known whether trees will recruit into the alpine, above the current treeline, and whether population-level differences in trees will mediate range shifts. At Niwot Ridge, Colorado, we used common gardens and climate manipulations to test predictions that warming will lead to greater recruitment at and beyond the cold edge of these species ranges, and will reduce recruitment at the warm edge. Seed from local populations of limber pine and Englemann spruce was harvested and reciprocally planted in 3 experimental sites spanning an elevation gradient from lower subalpine forest (10,000’), to the upper subalpine treeline ecotone (11,000’), to the alpine tundra (11,300’). In Fall 2009 seeds were sown into 20 plots at each site. Overhead infrared heaters targeted increases in growing season surface soil temperature of 4-5°C. The heating treatment, which began in October 2009, was crossed with manual watering, which was initiated following snowmelt in 2010. Over the 2010 growing season, we surveyed seedling germination and mortality weekly. Germination began in early May at the forest site, in early June at the krummholz site, and in early July at the alpine site. Depending on the site and plot, heating accelerated germination by 1 to 4 weeks. Seed source elevation, species, and site all affected germination, with effects for the two species also depending on site. At all sites, lower elevation, warm-edge populations had higher germination rates than high-elevation, cool-edge populations, indicating a potential bottleneck for germination of the high elevation seed sources in the adjacent alpine tundra. At all sites, survival was generally higher for pine than for spruce. Watering tended to enhance pine germinant survival while heating tended to depress spruce germinant survival. Our results indicate that the alpine tundra, generally considered an inhospitable environment, was not favorable for Englemann spruce, even with warming. In contrast, once seeds were introduced, the alpine tundra proved favorable to limber pine germination, irrespective of the climate manipulation.

From Ground Truth to Space: Surface, Subsurface and Remote Observations Associated with Nuclear Test Detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sussman, A. J.; Anderson, D.; Burt, C.; Craven, J.; Kimblin, C.; McKenna, I.; Schultz-Fellenz, E. S.; Miller, E.; Yocky, D. A.; Haas, D.

2016-12-01

Underground nuclear explosions (UNEs) result in numerous signatures that manifest on a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. Currently, prompt signals, such as the detection of seismic waves provide only generalized locations and the timing and amplitude of non-prompt signals are difficult to predict. As such, research into improving the detection, location, and identification of suspect events has been conducted, resulting in advancement of nuclear test detection science. In this presentation, we demonstrate the scalar variably of surface and subsurface observables, briefly discuss current capabilities to locate, detect and characterize potential nuclear explosion locations, and explain how emergent technologies and amalgamation of disparate data sets will facilitate improved monitoring and verification. At the smaller scales, material and fracture characterization efforts on rock collected from legacy UNE sites and from underground experiments using chemical explosions can be incorporated into predictive modeling efforts. Spatial analyses of digital elevation models and orthoimagery of both modern conventional and legacy nuclear sites show subtle surface topographic changes and damage at nearby outcrops. Additionally, at sites where such technology cannot penetrate vegetative cover, it is possible to use the vegetation itself as both a companion signature reflecting geologic conditions and showing subsurface impacts to water, nutrients, and chemicals. Aerial systems based on RGB imagery, light detection and ranging, and hyperspectral imaging can allow for combined remote sensing modalities to perform pattern recognition and classification tasks. Finally, more remote systems such as satellite based synthetic aperture radar and satellite imagery are other techniques in development for UNE site detection, location and characterization.

Analysis of on-line clinical laboratory manuals and practical recommendations.

PubMed

Beckwith, Bruce; Schwartz, Robert; Pantanowitz, Liron

2004-04-01

On-line clinical laboratory manuals are a valuable resource for medical professionals. To our knowledge, no recommendations currently exist for their content or design. To analyze publicly accessible on-line clinical laboratory manuals and to propose guidelines for their content. We conducted an Internet search for clinical laboratory manuals written in English with individual test listings. Four individual test listings in each manual were evaluated for 16 data elements, including sample requirements, test methodology, units of measure, reference range, and critical values. Web sites were also evaluated for supplementary information and search functions. We identified 48 on-line laboratory manuals, including 24 academic or community hospital laboratories and 24 commercial or reference laboratories. All manuals had search engines and/or test indices. No single manual contained all 16 data elements evaluated. An average of 8.9 (56%) elements were present (range, 4-14). Basic sample requirements (specimen and volume needed) were the elements most commonly present (98% of manuals). The frequency of the remaining data elements varied from 10% to 90%. On-line clinical laboratory manuals originate from both hospital and commercial laboratories. While most manuals were user-friendly and contained adequate specimen-collection information, other important elements, such as reference ranges, were frequently absent. To ensure that clinical laboratory manuals are of maximal utility, we propose the following 13 data elements be included in individual test listings: test name, synonyms, test description, test methodology, sample requirements, volume requirements, collection guidelines, transport guidelines, units of measure, reference range, critical values, test availability, and date of latest revision.

Ground water in the carbonate rocks of the Franklin area, Tennessee

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zurawski, Ann; Burchett, C.R.

1980-01-01

A study of ground water in the Franklin area, Tennessee, was undertaken to fill a growing need for information on ground-water occurrence in the carbonate rocks of central Tennessee. Fifteen drilling sites were selected that had one or more of the following characteristics: medium- to thick-bedded limestones within 200 feet of land surface, structural lows, significant streamflow gains and losses, elongated sinkholes, straight stream reaches, linear features or other surface indications of solution cavities at depth. The 15 test wells produced from less than 1 to about 600 gallons per minute and had an average yield of 68 gallons per minute, measured while pumping the wells with compressed air. The average driller-reported yield for the area is five gallons per minute. Specific capacities for the four highest yielding wells ranged from 0.6 to 357 gallons per minute per foot of drawdown after 8 hours of pumping at rates ranging from 70 to 225 gallons per minute. Additional drilling at two sites revealed extensive solution openings. At one site, drawdown in five observation wells did not exceed 8.5 feet during 48 hours of pumping at an average rate of 502 gallons per minute. Raw water in the test wells meets most drinking-water standards and is of rather uniform quality from well to well and throughout the year. (USGS)

Perched Ground Water in Zeolitized-Bedded Tuff, Rainier Mesa and Vicinity, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thordarson, William

1965-01-01

Rainier Mesa--site of the first series of underground nuclear detonations--is the highest of a group of ridges and mesas within the Nevada Test Site. The mesa is about 9.5 square miles in area and reaches a maximum altitude of 7,679 feet. The mesa is underlain by welded tuff, friable-bedded tuff, and zeolitized-bedded tuff of the Piapi Canyon Group and the Indian Trail Formation of Tertiary age. The tuff--2,000 to 9,000 feet thick--rests unconformably upon thrust-faulted miogeosynclinal rocks of Paleozoic age. Zeolitic-bedded tuff at the base of the tuff sequence controls the recharge rate of ground water to the underlying and more permeable Paleozoic aquifers. The zeolitic tuff--600 to 800 feet thick--is a fractured aquitard with high interstitial porosity, but with very low interstitial permeability and fracture transmissibility. The interstitial porosity ranges from 29 to 38 percent, the interstitial permeability is generally less than 0.009 gpd/ft3, and the fracture transmissibility ranges from 10 to 100 gpd/ft for 900 feet of saturated rock. The tuff is generally fully saturated interstitially hundreds of feet above the regional water table, yet no appreciable volume of water moves through the interstices because of the very low permeability. The only freely moving water observed in miles of underground workings occurred in fractures, usually fault zones.

Effluent Management Facility Evaporator Bottom-Waste Streams Formulation and Waste Form Qualification Testing

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

Saslow, Sarah A.; Um, Wooyong; Russell, Renee L.

This report describes the results from grout formulation and cementitious waste form qualification testing performed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS). These results are part of a screening test that investigates three grout formulations proposed for wide-range treatment of different waste stream compositions expected for the Hanford Effluent Management Facility (EMF) evaporator bottom waste. This work supports the technical development need for alternative disposition paths for the EMF evaporator bottom wastes and future direct feed low-activity waste (DFLAW) operations at the Hanford Site. High-priority activities included simulant production, grout formulation, and cementitious wastemore » form qualification testing. The work contained within this report relates to waste form development and testing, and does not directly support the 2017 Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF) performance assessment (PA). However, this work contains valuable information for use in PA maintenance past FY 2017 and future waste form development efforts. The provided results and data should be used by (1) cementitious waste form scientists to further the understanding of cementitious leach behavior of contaminants of concern (COCs), (2) decision makers interested in off-site waste form disposal, and (3) the U.S. Department of Energy, their Hanford Site contractors and stakeholders as they assess the IDF PA program at the Hanford Site. The results reported help fill existing data gaps, support final selection of a cementitious waste form for the EMF evaporator bottom waste, and improve the technical defensibility of long-term waste form risk estimates.« less

Applications of ERTS data to coastal wetland ecology with special reference to plant community mapping and typing and impact of man. [Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, R. R.; Carter, V. P.; Mcginness, J.

1974-01-01

Complete seasonal ERTS-1 coverage of Atlantic coastal wetlands from Delaware Bay to Georgia provides a basis for assessment of temporal data for wetland mapping, evaluation, and monitoring. Both MSS imagery and digital data have proved useful for gross wetland species delineation and determination of the upper wetland boundary. Tidal effects and (band to band or seasonal) spectral reflectance differences make it possible to type vegetatively coastal wetlands in salinity related categories. Management areas, spoil disposal sites, drainage ditches, lagoon-type developments and highway construction can be detected indicating a monitoring potential for the future. A northern test site (Maryland-Virginia) and a southern test site (Georgia-South Carolina), representing a range of coastal marshes from saline to fresh, were chosen for intensive study. Wetland maps were produced at various scales using both ERTS imagery (bands 5 and 7) and digital data (bands 4, 5 and 7).

Testing the Simple Biosphere model (SiB) using point micrometeorological and biophysical data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sellers, P. J.; Dorman, J. L.

1987-01-01

The suitability of the Simple Biosphere (SiB) model of Sellers et al. (1986) for calculation of the surface fluxes for use within general circulation models is assessed. The structure of the SiB model is described, and its performance is evaluated in terms of its ability to realistically and accurately simulate biophysical processes over a number of test sites, including Ruthe (Germany), South Carolina (U.S.), and Central Wales (UK), for which point biophysical and micrometeorological data were available. The model produced simulations of the energy balances of barley, wheat, maize, and Norway Spruce sites over periods ranging from 1 to 40 days. Generally, it was found that the model reproduced time series of latent, sensible, and ground-heat fluxes and surface radiative temperature comparable with the available data.

36C1 measurements and the hydrology of an acid injection site

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vourvopoulos, G.; Brahana, J.V.; Nolte, E.; Korschinek, G.; Priller, A.; Dockhorn, B.

1990-01-01

In an area in western Tennessee (United States), an industrial firm is injecting acidic (pH = 0.1) iron chloride into permeable zones of carbonate rocks at depths ranging from 1000 to 2200 m below land surface. Overlying the injection zone at a depth of approximately 500 m below land surface is a regional fresh-water aquifer, the Knox aquifer. A study is currently underway to investigate whether the injection wells are hydraulically isolated from the fresh-water aquifer. Drilling of a test well that will reach a total depth of 2700 m has been initiated. The 36Cl content of 15 samples from the Knox aquifer, from monitor wells in the vicinity of the injection site, and from the test well have been analyzed. ?? 1990.

Prediction of Hydrologic Characteristics for Ungauged Catchments to Support Hydroecological Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bond, Nick R.; Kennard, Mark J.

2017-11-01

Hydrologic variability is a fundamental driver of ecological processes and species distribution patterns within river systems, yet the paucity of gauges in many catchments means that streamflow data are often unavailable for ecological survey sites. Filling this data gap is an important challenge in hydroecological research. To address this gap, we first test the ability to spatially extrapolate hydrologic metrics calculated from gauged streamflow data to ungauged sites as a function of stream distance and catchment area. Second, we examine the ability of statistical models to predict flow regime metrics based on climate and catchment physiographic variables. Our assessment focused on Australia's largest catchment, the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB). We found that hydrologic metrics were predictable only between sites within ˜25 km of one another. Beyond this, correlations between sites declined quickly. We found less than 40% of fish survey sites from a recent basin-wide monitoring program (n = 777 sites) to fall within this 25 km range, thereby greatly limiting the ability to utilize gauge data for direct spatial transposition of hydrologic metrics to biological survey sites. In contrast, statistical model-based transposition proved effective in predicting ecologically relevant aspects of the flow regime (including metrics describing central tendency, high- and low-flows intermittency, seasonality, and variability) across the entire gauge network (median R2 ˜ 0.54, range 0.39-0.94). Modeled hydrologic metrics thus offer a useful alternative to empirical data when examining biological survey data from ungauged sites. More widespread use of these statistical tools and modeled metrics could expand our understanding of flow-ecology relationships.

Measurement and Characterization of Helicopter Noise at Different Altitudes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watts, Michael E.; Greenwood, Eric; Stephenson, James

2016-01-01

This paper presents an overview of a flight test campaign performed at different test sites whose altitudes ranged from 0 to 7000 feet above mean sea level (AMSL) between September 2014 and February 2015. The purposes of this campaign were to: investigate the effects of altitude variation on noise generation, investigate the effects of gross weight variation on noise generation, establish the statistical variability in acoustic flight testing of helicopters, and characterize the effects of transient maneuvers on radiated noise for a medium-lift utility helicopter. In addition to describing the test campaign, results of the acoustic effects of altitude variation for the AS350 SD1 and EH-60L aircraft are presented. Large changes in acoustic amplitudes were observed in response to changes in ambient conditions when the helicopter was flown at constant indicated airspeed and gross weight at the three test sites. However, acoustic amplitudes were found to scale with ambient pressure when flight conditions were defined in terms of the non-dimensional parameters, such as the weight coefficient and effective hover tip Mach number.

Results of EPR dosimetry for population in the vicinity of the most contaminating radioactive fallout trace after the first nuclear test in the Semipalatinsk test site.

PubMed

Ivannikov, Alexander; Zhumadilov, Kassym; Tieliewuhan, Eldana; Jiao, Ling; Zharlyganova, Dinara; Apsalikov, Kazbek N; Berekenova, Gulnara; Zhumadilov, Zhaxybay; Toyoda, Shin; Miyazawa, Chuzou; Skvortsov, Valeriy; Stepanenko, Valeriy; Endo, Satoru; Tanaka, Kenichi; Hoshi, Masaharu

2006-02-01

The method of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy for tooth enamel is applied to individual radiation dose determination to residents of two villages (Dolon and Mostik) in the vicinity of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in Kazakhstan. These villages are located near the central axis of the radioactive fallout trace of the most contaminating surface nuclear test conducted in 1949. It is found that excess doses obtained by subtraction of natural background dose from dose absorbed in enamel range up to 440 mGy to residents of Dolon, whose enamel was formed before 1949, and do not exceed 120 mGy to younger residents. To residents of Mostik, excess doses do not exceed 100 mGy regardless of age except for one resident with an extremely high dose of 1.25 Gy. These results are in agreement with the pattern of radioactive contamination of the territory after the nuclear test of 1949 except one case of extremely high dose, which should be additionally investigated.

Individual dose reconstruction among residents living in the vicinity of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site using EPR spectroscopy of tooth enamel.

PubMed

Ivannikov, A I; Zhumadilov, Zh; Gusev, B I; Miyazawa, Ch; Jiao, L; Skvortsov, V G; Stepanenko, V F; Takada, J; Hoshi, M

2002-08-01

Individual accumulated doses were determined by EPR spectroscopy of tooth enamel for 26 adult persons residing in territories adjacent to the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (SNTS). The absorbed dose values due to radiation from nuclear tests were obtained after subtracting the contribution of natural background radiation from the total accumulated dose. The determined dose values ranged up to 250 mGy, except for one person from Semipalatinsk city with a measured dose of 2.8 +/- 0.4 Gy. Increased dose values were determined for the individuals whose teeth were formed before 1962, the end of the atmospheric nuclear tests. These values were found to be significantly larger than those obtained for a group of younger residents of heavily exposed territories and the residents of territories not exposed to radioactive fallout. These increased dose values are consistent with those based on officially registered data for the Northeastern part of Kazakstan adjacent to SNTS, which was exposed to high levels of radioactive fallout from nuclear tests in period 1949-1962.

Mosquitoes in Moose Country: A Mosquito Survey of Northern Minnesota.

PubMed

Kinsley, A C; Moon, R D; Johnson, K; Carstensen, M; Neitzel, D; Craft, M E

2016-06-01

An adult mosquito survey was conducted at 12 sites using carbon dioxide traps in northern Minnesota throughout the summer of 2012. Specimens were counted, identified to species, sorted into pools, and tested for eastern equine encephalitis (EEEV) and West Nile virus (WNV). Our findings extend the known range of Culiseta melanura, Anopheles barberi, and An. quadrimaculatus and document the presence and abundance of 27 other mosquito taxa in the region. None of the pools tested positive for EEEV or WNV.

Imaging Shallow Aquitard Breaches with P waves: Results from a Walk-away test and a Reflection Survey at two Sites in Memphis, Tennessee, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, J.; Magnani, M.; Waldron, B. A.

2006-12-01

We present the results of two seismic reflection experiments conducted in the Great Memphis area in April and July 2006. The two experiments consisted in a walk-away test and in the acquisition of a 1 km seismic reflection profile. The acquisition of the seismic data is part of a larger effort aimed at imaging the lateral continuity of the Upper Claiborne confining clay that separates the Memphis aquifer, the region's primary drinking water source, from the upper unconfined aquifer and protects the drinking aquifer from exposure to potential contamination. During the walk-away test, four P-wave sources, a 7.5 kg sledge hammer, a 20 kg weight drop, a 12-gauge Buffalo gun, and a Minivibe source were tested at two sites with the goal of selecting the best P-wave seismic source and acquisition parameters for shallow reflection surveys. Boreholes nearby both sites encountered the Upper Claiborne unit at a depth ranging from 10 m to 40 m. One site is located within a 100-meter length of road median that can be considered an urban environment. The second site is located at Shelby Farms within the City of Memphis yet reflects a rural setting with minimal noise and no subsurface infrastructure. Performing identical walk-away tests at both sites, the results indicate that the energy source selection is site dependent. At the urban site, the energy generated by the weight drop source is more coherent and can be interpreted with more confidence on the recorded data. However the Shelby Farms site the 12-gauge shotgun produced the strongest recorded energy, the highest dominant frequency and the broadest frequency band (6- 110 Hz). Strong attenuations are observed at both sites with a much higher attenuation in the urban road median site, where the near surface materials consisted of gravels, sands, clays, and pebbles. For both sites, surface waves and refractions dominate the seismic recordings. Filtering and gain of the data revealed the presence of shallow reflections related to the targeted clay layer. Based on the results of the walk-away test and on additional supporting data such as water table measurements, neotectonic structural mapping and borehole data, the location for a 1 km long, north-south trending seismic reflection profile was chosen at Shelby Farms extending south to the Wolf River. Based on the walk-away testing the 12-gauge Buffalo gun was selected as the energy source, used to detonate a single 200 g black powder shell in a 0.6 m deep water filled hole with a 1 m source interval and a 0.25 m geophone interval. Preliminary analysis of the data indicates dominating surface waves and refractions. Upon filtering, consistent reflections can be observed. Correlation of reflections at the start of the seismic line to nearby boreholes evidenced the signature of the Upper Claiborne confining clay at a depth of 18 m.

The North Carolina State University Libraries Search Experience: Usability Testing Tabbed Search Interfaces for Academic Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teague-Rector, Susan; Ballard, Angela; Pauley, Susan K.

2011-01-01

Creating a learnable, effective, and user-friendly library Web site hinges on providing easy access to search. Designing a search interface for academic libraries can be particularly challenging given the complexity and range of searchable library collections, such as bibliographic databases, electronic journals, and article search silos. Library…

Hardware

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

The full complement of EDOMP investigations called for a broad spectrum of flight hardware ranging from commercial items, modified for spaceflight, to custom designed hardware made to meet the unique requirements of testing in the space environment. In addition, baseline data collection before and after spaceflight required numerous items of ground-based hardware. Two basic categories of ground-based hardware were used in EDOMP testing before and after flight: (1) hardware used for medical baseline testing and analysis, and (2) flight-like hardware used both for astronaut training and medical testing. To ensure post-landing data collection, hardware was required at both the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and the Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) landing sites. Items that were very large or sensitive to the rigors of shipping were housed permanently at the landing site test facilities. Therefore, multiple sets of hardware were required to adequately support the prime and backup landing sites plus the Johnson Space Center (JSC) laboratories. Development of flight hardware was a major element of the EDOMP. The challenges included obtaining or developing equipment that met the following criteria: (1) compact (small size and light weight), (2) battery-operated or requiring minimal spacecraft power, (3) sturdy enough to survive the rigors of spaceflight, (4) quiet enough to pass acoustics limitations, (5) shielded and filtered adequately to assure electromagnetic compatibility with spacecraft systems, (6) user-friendly in a microgravity environment, and (7) accurate and efficient operation to meet medical investigative requirements.

Water-quality and physical characteristics of streams in the Treyburn development area of Falls Lake watershed, North Carolina, 1994–98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oblinger, C.J.; Cuffney, T.F.; Meador, M.R.; Garrett, R.G.

2002-01-01

Treyburn is a 5,400-acre planned, mixed-use development in the upper Neuse River Basin of North Carolina. The development, which began in 1986, is located in the Falls Lake watershed near three water-supply reservoirs-Lake Michie to the north, Falls Lake to the southeast, and Little River Reservoir to the west. A study began in 1988 to determine the water-quality characteristics of surface waters in and around the Treyburn development area.Data to characterize water quality at five different sites were collected from July 1994 through September 1998. Data from a previous study are available for some sites for the period 1988–93. The sites were selected to characterize water quality and quantity in and near the Treyburn development and included an undeveloped basin, a relatively small basin containing single-family residences and a golf course, a basin downstream from the western part of the development with some industrial land use, and two basins unaffected by the development where agricultural land is being converted to urban and forested land use.Suspended-sediment concentrations ranged from less than 1 to 581 milligrams per liter and were fairly uniform among the five sites. Median suspended-sediment concentrations ranged from 12 to 21 milligrams per liter. Few concentrations of metals and trace elements, except aluminum, iron, and manganese, exceeded the laboratory reporting levels or water-quality criteria. At one site, concentrations of silver exceeded both the action level and the reporting level; copper was detected at each site and exceeded the action level of 7 micrograms per liter at one site.The lowest range and median concentrations of total organic nitrogen, nitrate, ammonia, total phosphorus, and orthophosphorus occurred in the relatively undisturbed, forested site. The maximum concentration of organic nitrogen (1.97 milligrams per liter) occurred at one of the sites unaffected by the Treyburn development where agricultural land is being converted to urban land use. At all sites, ammonia concentrations ranged from less than 0.02 to 0.36 milligram per liter, and median concentrations were near the reporting level. Nitrate concentrations ranged from less than 0.05 to 0.80 milligram per liter.Phosphorus concentrations at all of the Treyburn study sites were low compared to phosphorus concentrations that typically exceed 0.1 milligram per liter at sites sampled nationally for the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program, including the Albemarle-Pamlico study area in North Carolina. Total phosphorus concentrations ranged from less than 0.01 to 0.87 milligram per liter, and orthophosphorus concentrations ranged from less than 0.01 to 0.76 milligram per liter as phosphorus. The maximum concentrations of total phosphorus and orthophosphorus occurred at the Treyburn residential and golf-course site, likely as a result of the fertilizer applications associated with these two types of land use.Of the 119 different pesticides tested, 11 were detected in concentrations that exceeded the laboratory reporting levels, though in very low concentrations. Water samples from the residential and golf-course site contained the greatest number of pesticides (10). Five of six samples collected at this site had detectable concentrations of simazine, atrazine, and pendimethalin-all herbicides used to control weeds in crops or turf.Channel geometry was assessed at eight sites in the study area in February 1997. These sites were separated into three groups based on mean bank angle and mean channel width-to-depth ratios. Channel gradient ranged from 0.04 to 1.63 percent, and mean cross sectional area ranged from 31 to 1,227 square feet.Three macroinvertebrate samples were collected from each of 10 sites. These three samples were from areas designated as richest targeted habitats, depositional targeted habitats, and qualitative multitargeted habitats. Over 230 taxa were identified fromthese 10 sites. The North Carolina Biotic Indices ranged from 4.98 (excellent) to 6.82 (fair). River sites tended to have higher total taxa richness (91-108) than did the small, intermittent streams (49–84) or the midsize Mountain Creek (85). Intermittent streams represent fairly hostile environments for most aquatic organisms. Samples from richest targeted habitats typically were more than twice as rich as samples from depositional targeted habitats and represented from 50 to 75 percent of the taxa found at each site (mean of 62 percent). The industrial site lacked many of the mayfly taxa that were present at the undeveloped site. Mayflies are very sensitive to metals contamination, and their absence may indicate a possible problem. The supporting chemical information is not available for the industrial site, and additional study would be necessary to substantiate this possibility. The two sites with residential and golf-course land use tended to support more different types of sensitive invertebrates (that is, mayflies, stoneflies, and caddis flies) than did the forested/residential site, though the abundances of these taxa were very similar. Land-use effects were not evident based on a comparison among these sites.Indirect gradient analysis was used to determine patterns in the distribution of invertebrates and to examine the relations between these patterns and physical and chemical site characteristics determined in this study. This analysis supports the contention that the dominant factors accounting for the distribution of benthic invertebrates are associated with natural factors, such as basin size, rather than land use.Constituent loads at five study sites were calculated for nutrients, suspended sediment, and total organic carbon. The median annual total nitrogen yield ranged from 0.635 to 1.63 tons per square mile. The median annual phosphorus yield ranged from 0.046 to 0.619 ton per square mile, and the median annual orthophosphate yield ranged from 0.022 to 0.379 ton per square mile. Orthophosphate accounted for more than half of the phosphorus yield at the residential and golf-course site.The maximum suspended-sediment yield was 422 tons per square mile, and the minimum yield was 32 tons per square mile. The suspended-sediment yield at one of the sites unaffected by the Treyburn development where agricultural was being converted to urban land use was high compared to other forested basins in the Piedmont of North Carolina.Total organic carbon data sufficient for estimating loads were available at three of the five sites. Of these three sites, the undeveloped site had substantially more organic carbon yield than the other two sites.The only significant water-quality trend (alpha=0.05) was a downward trend for total nitrogen and organic nitrogen at the undeveloped site. The trend slope was small, only 0.019 milligram per liter as nitrogen or less than 9 percent of the median organic nitrogen concentration. No trend was observed for nitrite plus nitrate or for ammonia, indicating that the downward trend in total nitrogen was due only to organic nitrogen.

Hydrogeologic data for the McKay Creek subsurface waste-injection test site, Pinellas County, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hickey, John D.

1977-01-01

Lithologic, hydraulic, geophysical, and water-quality data collected at the McKay Creek subsurface waste-injection test site in Pinellas County, Florida, are reported. Data were collected to determine the possibility of subsurface injection of waste-treatment plant effluent. One exploratory hole, one test injection well, and eight observation wells were constructed between May 1973 and February 1976. The exploratory hole was drilled to a depth of 1,750 feet below land surface; the test injection well is open in dolomite between 952 and 1 ,040 feet; and the observation wells are open to intervals above , in, and below the test injection zone. The lithology of the upper 100 feet is predominantly clay. From 100 to 1,750 feet below land surface, limestone and dolomite predominate. Gypsum is present 1,210 feet below land surface. Laboratory analyses of cores taken during drilling are given for vertical intrinsic permeability, porosity, interval transit time, and compressibility. Specific capacities tested during drilling range from 4 to 2,500 gallons per minute per foot of drawdown. An 83-hour withdrawal test at 4,180 gallons per minute and a 2-month injection test at 650 gallons per minute were run. Small water-quality changes were observed in one observation well immediately above the test injection zone during and after the injection test. Formation water in all of the wells with the exception of the shallowest observation wells is saline. The vertical position of saltwater is estimated to be at about 280 feet below land surface. Thirteen wells within a 1-mile radius of the test site were located and sampled for water quality. (USGS)

CORRRECTIVE ACTION DECISION DOCUMENT FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION UNIT 427: AREA 3 SEPTIC WASTE SYSTEMS 2 AND 6, TONOPAH TEST RANGE, NEVADA, REVISION 0, JUNE 1998

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

ITLV.

1998-06-01

This Corrective Action Decision Document has been prepared for the Area 3 Septic Waste Systems 2 and 6 (Corrective Action Unit 427) in accordance with the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order of 1996 (FFACO, 1996). Corrective Action Unit 427 is located at the Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, and is comprised of the following Corrective Action Sites, each an individual septic waste system (DOE/NV, 1996a): Septic Waste System 2 is Corrective Action Site Number 03-05-002-SW02. Septic Waste System 6 is Corrective Action Site Number 03-05-002-SW06. The purpose of this Corrective Action Decision Document is to identify and provide a rationalemore » for the selection of a recommended corrective action alternative for each Corrective Action Site. The scope of this Correction Action Decision Document consists of the following tasks: Develop corrective action objectives. Identify corrective action alternative screening criteria. Develop corrective action alternatives. Perform detailed and comparative evaluations of the corrective action alternatives in relation to the corrective action objectives and screening criteria. Recommend and justify a preferred corrective action alternative for each CAS. From November 1997 through January 1998, a corrective action investigation was performed as set forth in the Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit No. 427: Area 3 Septic Waste System Numbers 2 and 6, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada (DOE/NV, 1997b). Details can be found in Appendix A of this document. The results indicated that contamination is present in some portions of the CAU and not in others as described in Table ES-1 and shown in Figure A.2-2 of Appendix A. Based on the potential exposure pathways, the following corrective action objectives have been identified for Corrective Action Unit 427: Prevent or mitigate human exposure to subsurface soils containing TPH at concentrations greater than 100 milligrams per kilogram (NAC, 1996b). Close Septic Tank 33-5 in accordance with Nevada Administrative Code 459 (NAC, 1996c). Prevent adverse impacts to groundwater quality. Based on the review of existing data, future land use, and current operations at the Tonopah Test Range, the following alternatives were developed for consideration at the Area 3 Septic Waste Systems 2 and 6: Alternative 1 - No Further Action Alternative 2 - Closure of Septic Tank 33-5 and Administrative Controls Alternative 3 - Closure of Septic Tank 33-5, Excavation, and Disposal The corrective action alternatives were evaluated based on four general corrective action standards and five remedy selection decision factors. Based on the results of this evaluation, the preferred alternative for Corrective Action Unit 427 is Alternative 2, Closure of Septic Tank 33-5 and Administrative Controls. The preferred corrective action alternative was evaluated on technical merit, focusing on performance, reliability, feasibility, and safety. The alternative was judged to meet all requirements for the technical components evaluated. The alternative meets all applicable state and federal regulations for closure of the site and will reduce potential future exposure pathways to the contaminated soils. During corrective action implementation, this alternative will present minimal potential threat to site workers who come in contact with the waste. However, procedures will be developed and implemented to ensure worker health and safety.« less

Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 415: Project 57 No. 1 Plutonium Dispersion (NTTR) Nevada Test and Training Range, Nevada, Revision 0 with ROTC-1

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

Cabble, Kevin J.; Boehlecke, Robert F.

This Closure Report (CR) presents information supporting the closure of Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 415: Project 57 No. 1 Plutonium Dispersion, which is located on Range 4808A of the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). This CR complies with the requirements of the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO) that was agreed to by the State of Nevada; U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Management; U.S. Department of Defense; and DOE, Legacy Management. CAU 415 comprises one corrective action site (CAS): NAFR-23-02, Pu Contaminated Soil. The purpose of this CR is to provide justification and documentation supporting the recommendationmore » that no further corrective action is needed for CAU 415 based on the implementation of the corrective action of Closure in Place.« less

Geohydrology and water quality of the unconsolidated deposits in Erie County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buckwalter, T.F.; Schreffler, C.L.; Gleichsner, R.E.

1996-01-01

Water in unconsolidated deposits is used for the water supplies of homes, farms, municipalities, and industries in Erie County. The unconsolidated deposits cover most of the bedrock of Erie County. Thickness of the unconsolidated deposits ranged from 60 to 400 feet at 30 sites surveyed by seismic refraction and reflection methods. Water wells, mostly in the unconsolidated deposits, provide adequate domestic supplies. Wells in fractured bedrock can generally provide small domestic supplies; however, droughts can affect some of the domestic water wells. Ground-water withdrawals accounted for 10 million gallons per day of the water used in Erie County in 1984. Mean annual precipitation ranged from 42 to 47 inches per year in Erie County from 1961 through 1990; the southeastern region of the county generally receives more precipitation than the lake shore region to the north. Overland runoff to three segments of the French Creek watershed in the upland area ranged from about 13 to 19 in. per year and base flow ranged from 14 to about 18 in. per year from 1975 to 1992. Evapotranspiration ranged from about 13 to 16 in. per year for those segments. Beach and outwash deposits generally provide the largest supplies of water to wells in Erie County. A median specific capacity of 17 (gal/min)/ft (gallons per minute per foot) of drawdown was determined from records of nondomestic wells in beach deposits and 9 (gal/min)/ft of drawdown in outwash. Mean specific capacity for wells in till deposits was 1.5 (gal/min)/ft. The range in yield and specific capacity, however, was great for the unconsolidated deposits and high yielding outwash deposits are sometimes difficult to locate beneath till and valley-fill deposits. Hydraulic conductivities from three aquifer tests of outwash deposits (sand and gravel) at separate sites ranged from 110 to 2,030 ft/d (feet per day). Hydraulic conductivities from another aquifer test of sand and silt in the water table at Presque Isle ranged from 120 to 215 ft/d. Transmissivities from a third aquifer test of beach sand and gravel ranged from 235 to 262 feet squared per day. Laboratory analyses of stream samples collected during base flows in 1987 and 1988 indicate that concentrations of arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, fluoride, lead, mercury, and selenium did not exceed the maximum contaminant levels (MCL's) established for drinking water by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Concentrations of two nontoxic elements, iron and manganese, exceeded USEPA secondary maximum contaminant levels (SMCL's) in samples from selected stream sites. Manganese concentrations exceeded the SMCL of 0.05 milligrams per liter at 19 of 30 stream sites sampled in the Upland Plateau Section of Erie County. Twenty-one wells were sampled for inorganic constituents and selected pesticides. Some samples from three of the wells exceeded the MCL for nitrate. Total arsenic concentrations above the MCL of 50 micrograms per liter were documented intermittently in three water wells in North East Township. Water from six of seven tile drains sampled in agricultural fields contained detectable concentrations of herbicides. These samples document the transport of the herbicides from the shallow ground-water system to local streams. Herbicide concentrations were at or more than minimum reporting levels for atrazine, cyanazine, prometone, and simazine. Atrazine concentrations in all seven samples from tile drains did not exceed the USEPA MCL of 3.0 micrograms per liter.

Geologic features of dam sites in the Nehalem, Rogue, and Willamette River basins, Oregon, 1935-37

USGS Publications Warehouse

Piper, A.M.

1947-01-01

The present report comprises brief descriptions of geologic features at 19 potential dam sites in the Nehalem, Rogue, and Willamette River basins in western Oregon. The topography of these site and of the corresponding reservoir site was mapped in 1934-36 under an allocation of funds, by the Public Works Administration for river-utilization surveys by the Conservation Branch of the United States Geological Survey. The field program in Oregon has been under the immediate charge of R. O. Helland. The 19 dam sites are distributed as follows: three on the Nehalem River, on the west or Pacific slope of the Oregon Coast range; four on Little Butte Creek and two on Evans Creek, tributaries of the Rogue River in the eastern part of the Klamath Mountains; four on the South and Middle Santiam Rivers, tributaries of the Willamette River from the west slope of the Cascade mountains; and six on tributaries of the Willamette River from the east slope of the Coast Range. Except in the Evans Creek basin, all the rocks in the districts that were studied are of comparatively late geological age. They include volcanic rocks, crystalline rocks of several types, marine and nonmarine sedimentary rocks, and recent stream deposits. The study of geologic features has sought to estimate the bearing power and water-tightness of the rocks at each dam site, also to place rather broad limits on the type of dam for which the respective sites seem best suited. It was not considered necessary to study the corresponding reservoir sites in detail for excessive leakage appears to be unlikely. Except at three of the four site in the Santiam River basin, no test pits have been dug nor exploratory holes drilled, so that geologic features have been interpreted wholly from natural outcrops and from highway and railroad cuts. Because these outcrops and cuts are few, many problems related to the construction and maintenance of dams can not be answered at the this time and all critical features of the sites should be thoroughly explored by test pits and drilled holes before any dam is designed. This applied especially to sites in the Nehalem and Willamette River basins where commonly the cover of timber and brush is dense and the rocks are rather deeply weathered. On the Middle Santiam and South Santiam Rivers, the Cascadia, Greenpeter, and Sweet Home sits have been studies intensively by the United States Engineer Department, whose work included exploration by diamond-drill holes and test pits. Their conclusions as to geologic features are given in a report by McKitrick and have been reviewed by the writer. Data from this source have been used freely in the discussion of the respective sites in this report. The probability of destructive earthquakes in the region appears to be small but is not negligible. Prudence suggests that any high dam should embody features to assure stability against moderately strong earth motions.

Inheritable copper tolerance in the chlorophyte macroalga Enteromorpha intestinalis

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

Lewis, S.; Williams, P.; Donkin, M.

1995-12-31

A study was carried out to determine if a population of Enteromorpha intestinalis, from a metal polluted site, exhibited copper tolerance. This work was in preparation for investigating stress protein patterns in copper tolerant and sensitive populations. The effects of copper on growth of E. intestinalis from three clean and one metal polluted site were compared. Growth was assessed by incubating thallus sections in a range of copper solutions and measuring increase in length. Offspring were cultured from clean and polluted sites and the effects of copper on their growth assessed, to determine if any tolerance was inheritable. Concentrations ofmore » the trace metals; copper, zinc and manganese in the populations were also determined. Over the range of copper concentrations tested (0--150 {micro}g/i), growth of the polluted site populations was not significantly affected (P > 0.05). However growth of the clean site populations was significantly depressed by exposure to 50 {micro}g/l. This pattern of response was also exhibited by the offspring. Trace metal concentrations in the clean site populations were very similar, however the polluted site population contained {sup {minus}}10 times the control site values of manganese and {approximately}35 times the values of zinc and copper. The results suggest that the polluted site population of E. intestinalis has developed a degree of copper tolerance which appears to have a genetic basis. This investigation is consistent with previous work into copper tolerance in ship-fouling populations of E. intestinalis var. compressa. A commercially available HSP70 antibody with a high degree of cross-reactivity to E. intestinalis has been identified and used to screen samples of the seaweed from the aforementioned populations.« less

Testing for local adaptation and evolutionary potential along altitudinal gradients in rainforest Drosophila: beyond laboratory estimates.

PubMed

O'Brien, Eleanor K; Higgie, Megan; Reynolds, Alan; Hoffmann, Ary A; Bridle, Jon R

2017-05-01

Predicting how species will respond to the rapid climatic changes predicted this century is an urgent task. Species distribution models (SDMs) use the current relationship between environmental variation and species' abundances to predict the effect of future environmental change on their distributions. However, two common assumptions of SDMs are likely to be violated in many cases: (i) that the relationship of environment with abundance or fitness is constant throughout a species' range and will remain so in future and (ii) that abiotic factors (e.g. temperature, humidity) determine species' distributions. We test these assumptions by relating field abundance of the rainforest fruit fly Drosophila birchii to ecological change across gradients that include its low and high altitudinal limits. We then test how such ecological variation affects the fitness of 35 D. birchii families transplanted in 591 cages to sites along two altitudinal gradients, to determine whether genetic variation in fitness responses could facilitate future adaptation to environmental change. Overall, field abundance was highest at cooler, high-altitude sites, and declined towards warmer, low-altitude sites. By contrast, cage fitness (productivity) increased towards warmer, lower-altitude sites, suggesting that biotic interactions (absent from cages) drive ecological limits at warmer margins. In addition, the relationship between environmental variation and abundance varied significantly among gradients, indicating divergence in ecological niche across the species' range. However, there was no evidence for local adaptation within gradients, despite greater productivity of high-altitude than low-altitude populations when families were reared under laboratory conditions. Families also responded similarly to transplantation along gradients, providing no evidence for fitness trade-offs that would favour local adaptation. These findings highlight the importance of (i) measuring genetic variation in key traits under ecologically relevant conditions, and (ii) considering the effect of biotic interactions when predicting species' responses to environmental change. © 2017 The Authors. Global Change Biology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Safety of gardening on lead- and arsenic-contaminated urban brownfields.

PubMed

Defoe, Phillip P; Hettiarachchi, Ganga M; Benedict, Christopher; Martin, Sabine

2014-11-01

Elevated levels of lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) are not uncommon for urban soils. Test plots were established at urban gardens in Tacoma and Seattle, WA. The Tacoma site was contaminated with Pb (51-312 mg kg) and As (39-146 mg kg), and the Seattle site had high Pb soil concentrations ranging from 506 to 2022 mg kg and As concentrations of <20 mg kg. The efficacy of biosolids mix and compost amendment in reducing Pb and As concentrations in three vegetables (carrots, lettuce, and tomatoes) and the bioaccessibility of soil Pb and As were evaluated. Food-chain transfer of Pb and As were evaluated by measuring plant Pb and As concentrations after kitchen-style washing, a laboratory cleaning procedure, or peeling. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with a split-plot arrangement. Tacoma site treatments included a Class A biosolids mix (TAGRO) with dolomite, and soil at the Seattle site was amended with Cedar-Grove compost (CGC) plus dolomite. TAGRO amendment diluted soil Pb by 10 to 23% and As by 12 to 25% at the Tacoma site, and CGC + dolomite resulted in 20 to 50% dilution in soil Pb at the Seattle site. Both amendments reduced Pb concentrations in vegetables by 50 to 71%, and As reductions ranged from 46 to 80%. At the Tacoma site, Pb concentrations (dry weight basis) in carrots, lettuce, and tomatoes ranged from 8.89 to 25.0, from 0.37 to 3.83, and from 0.54 to 1.24 mg kg, respectively. Plant As concentrations were below 703 μg kg (dry weight) for the vegetables and followed the order lettuce > carrot > tomato. Food-chain transfer of Pb and As in vegetables grown in contaminated urban soils were reduced by laboratory cleaning. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

COMPARATIVE ECOLOGICAL STUDIES OF ANIMALS AT THE NEVADA TEST SITE. With Specific Reference to Their Reaction to Exposure of Nuclear Effects. Annual Progress Report covering the Period January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1960

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

None

1962-10-31

A conrparative ecologmcal study of the animals at the Nevada Test Site was made in order to determine their reaction to nuclear explosion effects. To make this study the project was subdivmded mnto the following projects: determine the kmnds and populations of native animals in areas disturbed by atomic explosions in comparison with animals in contiguous undisturbed areas; determine seasonal distribution, migration, home range, and other habits of native animals in disturbed and undisturbed areas; and determine whether there are tissue changes in native animals living in radiation contaminated areas. Results of the program are stmll being analyzed, however, somemore » results are presented. The animals studied primarily are grounddwelling animals, rodents, lizards, ants, grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, spiders, and scorpions. These animals were selected because of their distribution and abundance in many plant communities throughout the test site. Description is given of the 26 major study plots and the techniques used for collecting the animals. 75 supporting plots established and investigated are also described. (N.W.R.)« less

Plant movements and climate warming: intraspecific variation in growth responses to nonlocal soils.

PubMed

De Frenne, Pieter; Coomes, David A; De Schrijver, An; Staelens, Jeroen; Alexander, Jake M; Bernhardt-Römermann, Markus; Brunet, Jörg; Chabrerie, Olivier; Chiarucci, Alessandro; den Ouden, Jan; Eckstein, R Lutz; Graae, Bente J; Gruwez, Robert; Hédl, Radim; Hermy, Martin; Kolb, Annette; Mårell, Anders; Mullender, Samantha M; Olsen, Siri L; Orczewska, Anna; Peterken, George; Petřík, Petr; Plue, Jan; Simonson, William D; Tomescu, Cezar V; Vangansbeke, Pieter; Verstraeten, Gorik; Vesterdal, Lars; Wulf, Monika; Verheyen, Kris

2014-04-01

Most range shift predictions focus on the dispersal phase of the colonization process. Because moving populations experience increasingly dissimilar nonclimatic environmental conditions as they track climate warming, it is also critical to test how individuals originating from contrasting thermal environments can establish in nonlocal sites. We assess the intraspecific variation in growth responses to nonlocal soils by planting a widespread grass of deciduous forests (Milium effusum) into an experimental common garden using combinations of seeds and soil sampled in 22 sites across its distributional range, and reflecting movement scenarios of up to 1600 km. Furthermore, to determine temperature and forest-structural effects, the plants and soils were experimentally warmed and shaded. We found significantly positive effects of the difference between the temperature of the sites of seed and soil collection on growth and seedling emergence rates. Migrant plants might thus encounter increasingly favourable soil conditions while tracking the isotherms towards currently 'colder' soils. These effects persisted under experimental warming. Rising temperatures and light availability generally enhanced plant performance. Our results suggest that abiotic and biotic soil characteristics can shape climate change-driven plant movements by affecting growth of nonlocal migrants, a mechanism which should be integrated into predictions of future range shifts. © 2014 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2014 New Phytologist Trust.

Evaluation of the OnSite (Pf/Pan) rapid diagnostic test for diagnosis of clinical malaria.

PubMed

Mohon, Abu Naser; Elahi, Rubayet; Podder, Milka Patracia; Mohiuddin, Khaja; Hossain, Mohammad Sharif; Khan, Wasif A; Haque, Rashidul; Alam, Mohammad Shafiul

2012-12-12

Accurate diagnosis of malaria is an essential prerequisite for proper treatment and drug resistance monitoring. Microscopy is considered the gold standard for malaria diagnosis but has limitations. ELISA, PCR, and Real Time PCR are also used to diagnose malaria in reference laboratories, although their application at the field level is currently not feasible. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) however, have been brought into field operation and widely adopted in recent days. This study evaluates OnSite (Pf/Pan) antigen test, a new RDT introduced by CTK Biotech Inc, USA for malaria diagnosis in a reference setting. Blood samples were collected from febrile patients referred for malaria diagnosis by clinicians. Subjects were included in this study from two different Upazila Health Complexes (UHCs) situated in two malaria endemic districts of Bangladesh. Microscopy and nested PCR were considered the gold standard in this study. OnSite (Pf/Pan) RDT was performed on preserved whole blood samples. In total, 372 febrile subjects were included in this study. Of these subjects, 229 (61.6%) tested positive for Plasmodium infection detected by microscopy and nested PCR. OnSite (Pf/Pan) RDT was 94.2% sensitive (95% CI, 89.3-97.3) and 99.5% specific (95% CI, 97.4-00.0) for Plasmodium falciparum diagnosis and 97.3% sensitive (95% CI, 90.5-99.7) and 98.7% specific (95% CI, 96.6-99.6) for Plasmodium vivax diagnosis. Sensitivity varied with differential parasite count for both P. falciparum and P. vivax. The highest sensitivity was observed in febrile patients with parasitaemia that ranged from 501-1,000 parasites/μL regardless of the Plasmodium species. The new OnSite (Pf/Pan) RDT is both sensitive and specific for symptomatic malaria diagnosis in standard laboratory conditions.

[Mass production of Romanomermis iyengari (Nematoda: Mermithidae) applied to anopheline breeding sites in Boa Vista (Roraima), Brazil].

PubMed

Santamarina Mijares, A; Bellini, A C

2000-03-01

In order to begin mass producing the nematode Romanomermis iyengari Welch, a bioprocessing plant was designed and set up on the grounds of Universidad Federal in the State of Roraima, Brazil, after reaching an agreement with the State's Health Department. The objective of this paper was to establish the basic process for mass breeding the parasite in order to apply it to anopheline breeding sites. Cultures were obtained at a rate of 68 during every seven-day cycle, making for a total of 272 cultures a month. Before treatments were applied in the field, laboratory tests were conducted that showed the great susceptibility of anopheline larvae to infestation by R. iyengari, with parasitism rates ranging from 71 to 98%. In order to assess the parasitizing capacity of R. iyengari in actual field conditions, 12 natural anopheline breeding sites were chosen, each ranging in size between 50 and 450 m2. The species Anopheles albitarsis Lynch-Arribálzaga and Anopheles rondoni Neiva-Pinto were detected there, at densities that ranged from 34 to 66 larvae/m2. The biolarvicide was sprayed in all 12 breeding sites with a domestically manufactured pump set at a pressure of two atmospheres and a dose of 2,000 preparasites/m2. Seven days after treatments were performed, anopheline populations were markedly reduced (85 to 97%). Results obtained point to the feasibility of using R. iyengari to control larval populations of both species of anophelines.

Characteristics of acoustic wave from atmospheric nuclear explosions conducted at the USSR Test Sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokolova, Inna

2015-04-01

Availability of the acoustic wave on the record of microbarograph is one of discriminate signs of atmospheric (surface layer of atmosphere) and contact explosions. Nowadays there is large number of air wave records from chemical explosions recorded by the IMS infrasound stations installed during recent decade. But there is small number of air wave records from nuclear explosions as air and contact nuclear explosions had been conducted since 1945 to 1962, before the Limited Test Ban Treaty was signed in 1963 (the treaty banning nuclear weapon tests in the atmosphere, in outer space and under water) by the Great Britain, USSR and USA. That time there was small number of installed microbarographs. First infrasound stations in the USSR appeared in 1954, and by the moment of the USSR collapse the network consisted of 25 infrasound stations, 3 of which were located on Kazakhstan territory - in Kurchatov (East Kazakhstan), in Borovoye Observatory (North Kazakhstan) and Talgar Observatory (Northern Tien Shan). The microbarograph of Talgar Observatory was installed in 1962 and recorded large number of air nuclear explosions conducted at Semipalatinsk Test Site and Novaya Zemlya Test Site. The epicentral distance to the STS was ~700 km, and to Novaya Zemlya Test Site ~3500 km. The historical analog records of the microbarograph were analyzed on the availability of the acoustic wave. The selected records were digitized, the database of acoustic signals from nuclear explosions was created. In addition, acoustic signals from atmospheric nuclear explosions conducted at the USSR Test Sites were recorded by analogue broadband seismic stations at wide range of epicentral distances, 300-3600 km. These signals coincide well by its form and spectral content with records of microbarographs and can be used for monitoring tasks and discrimination in places where infrasound observations are absent. Nuclear explosions which records contained acoustic wave were from 0.03 to 30 kt yield for the STS, and from 8.3 to 25 Mt yield for Novaya Zemlya Test Site region. The peculiarities of the wave pattern and spectral content of the acoustic wave records, and relation regularities of acoustic wave amplitude and periods with explosion yield and distance were investigated. The created database can be applied in different monitoring tasks, such as infrasound stations calibration, discrimination of nuclear explosions, precision of nuclear explosions parameters, determination of the explosion yield etc.

Source characteristics of the 3 September 2017, North Korean nuclear test (mb = 6.3) inferred from teleseismic forward modeling and regional waveform deconvolution of broadband P and Pn waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaves, E. J.; Lay, T.; Voytan, D. P.

2017-12-01

On 3 September 2017, the Republic of North Korea conducted the sixth and largest declared underground nuclear test at the Punggye-ri test site. Estimates of yield (W) based on magnitude-yield calibrations for other test sites result in a wide range of yield estimates for the North Korean tests, due to uncertainty in the effects of site-specific coupling, likely overburial of the events, and poorly constrained crustal and mantle attenuation for the test site. The event produced good signal-to-noise broadband (BB) teleseismic P wave recordings at hundreds of stations along with high quality regional recordings. When using teleseismic data, robust estimation of W and depth of burial (DOB) must account for the biasing effects of laterally varying upper mantle attenuation (t*) on P waves, so we empirically determine a best choice of average t* by modeling remote observations. We assume a Mueller-Murphy source model for a granite medium to address the coupling issue. We compute synthetic Reduced Velocity Potential (RVP) seismograms for varying combinations of W and DOB for the 2017 event for a simple half-space case to account for possible overburial effects. RVPs are convolved with Futterman, constant operators, corrected for geometric spreading and receiver function, and then compared with teleseismic P wave displacement records from 435 BB seismic stations, pre-stacked in 26 azimuth and distance bins to suppress station effects. Our preliminary results for half-space modeling give high average cross-correlations and low waveform misfit errors between synthetic and observed waveforms for W of 110-130 kt with DOB 700-800 m and a preferred t* = 0.98 s. For the Mueller-Murphy model we find that frequency-dependent absorption band models are not preferred for this test site. Ongoing analysis is exploring effects of receiver crustal layering. Furthermore, we characterize the explosion source time function using the vertical component Pn-waves from regional BB recordings. We correct for attenuation, site and path effects using the lower yield nuclear tests carried out in 2016, 2013 and 2009 as empirical Green's functions. The deconvolved relative source functions exhibit a complex time sequence, with a second peak possibly related to a deviatoric source activated during the large explosion.

DOD Ammunition and Explosives Safety Standards

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-10-05

chemical canister, 3 x 10- 5 1 x 10- 4 1 x 10- 5 3 x 10-3 3 x 10-3 air purifying protective mask will be on hand for escape . ( The M9, M17 or M40...1,2, 3, 4 , 5 8 8 9 ENERGETIC LIQUIDS STATIC TEST STANDS RANGE LAUNCH LO 2 /LH 2 See Note 6 See Note 6 LO 2 /LH 2 + LO 2 /RP-1 Sum of (see...liquids provided they comply with the construction and siting requirements of chapters 5 and 9 , respectively for Hazard Division 1.1. ECM must be sited

Assessing Protection Afforded to the Microbiological Quality of Bedrock Groundwater from the Impacts of Septic Tank Effluent by Irish Glacial Till: A Field Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orr, Alison; McCarthy, Valerie; Meehan, Robert; Flynn, Raymond

2010-05-01

The rural population of Ireland relies almost exclusively on on-site treatment systems for disposal of waste water. Septic tank systems, which discharge effluent to ground, constitute the dominant means of waste water disposal. Many of the areas that employ this technology rely on private or small group groundwater supplies, often located in close proximity of septic tanks. Since many of these water supplies provide raw groundwater to consumers, septic tank effluent (STE) can pose a significant hazard to the microbiological quality of drinking water. T-tests (infiltration testing) carried out prior to tank installation aim to assess the capacity of subsoils to receive STE. Tests completed across Ireland indicate that many existing septic tank systems are located in low permeability subsoils. These subsoils are assumed to afford significant protection to the microbiological quality of groundwater in the underlying bedrock units. A two year investigation in the Lough Muckno Catchment in Co. Monaghan, investigating the impact of STE on water quality, involved carrying out T-tests at three sites where effluent discharged to a dense, silty, ‘fractured' glacial till derived from the underlying bedrock and containing clasts of low grade metamorphic Ordovician and Silurian sandstone and shale. Analysis of groundwater samples collected from 28 piezometers straddling the water table within the till, down-gradient of septic tank systems at two sites, permitted faecal indicator microorganism (FIO) levels in near-surface groundwater to be established. Associated hydraulic conductivity tests (slug tests) at all three sites permitted an evaluation of the levels of horizontal hydraulic conductivity heterogeneity present in the till. Slug test results suggest that till median hydraulic conductivities range from 1.1x10-4 cm/s to 1.1x10-5 cm/s, with variability of up to 2 orders of magnitude across each site. On the other hand no significant differences in properties existed between sites. T-test results ranged from 37.96 min/25mm to 98.26 min/25mm, suggesting hydraulic conductivities of the order of 1.1x10-3 cm/s to 4.24x10-4 cm/s. The contrast in hydraulic conductivity between T-test and slug test results may reflect slight anisotropy within the till, with water flowing vertically a little more easily than horizontally, under equivalent gradients. Despite the low hydraulic conductivities and the low hydraulic gradients observed at each site, analyses of water samples collected from up to 115 metres from septic tank discharge points consistently detected FIOs. The results of the study highlight the possibility of viable pathogenic microorganisms being transported considerable distances from septic tanks through fine-grained glacial tills. Given limited survival times of FIOs outside of their host organisms, study findings suggest that travel times in the till separating septic tanks from monitoring points are of the order of 10s of days, despite similarly low hydraulic conductivities determined independently by the T-test and slug test methods. The microbiological results, coupled to hydraulic measurements, point to very low effective porosities in the till that may possibly relate to fracturing. Moreover, hydraulic conductivity anisotropy suggests that contaminants may flow equally easily to depth. However, the exact levels of protection provided by the till will be a function of effective porosity variation with depth; the role played by fractures remains to be investigated but could prove to be potentially significant. Overall, the results of the study suggest that the levels of protection afforded by fine-grained Irish tills to bedrock aquifers may be considerably lower than originally assumed.

An integrated remote sensing approach for identifying ecological range sites. [parker mountain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaynes, R. A.

1983-01-01

A model approach for identifying ecological range sites was applied to high elevation sagebrush-dominated rangelands on Parker Mountain, in south-central Utah. The approach utilizes map information derived from both high altitude color infrared photography and LANDSAT digital data, integrated with soils, geological, and precipitation maps. Identification of the ecological range site for a given area requires an evaluation of all relevant environmental factors which combine to give that site the potential to produce characteristic types and amounts of vegetation. A table is presented which allows the user to determine ecological range site based upon an integrated use of the maps which were prepared. The advantages of identifying ecological range sites through an integrated photo interpretation/LANDSAT analysis are discussed.

Airborne Dust Cloud Measurements at the INL National Security Test Range

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

Michael L. Abbott; Norm Stanley; Larry Radke

2007-09-01

On July 11, 2007, a surface, high-explosive test (<20,000 lb TNT-equivalent) was carried out at the National Security Test Range (NSTR) on the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site. Aircraft-mounted rapid response (1-sec) particulate monitors were used to measure airborne PM-10 concentrations directly in the dust cloud and to develop a PM-10 emission factor that could be used for subsequent tests at the NSTR. The blast produced a mushroom-like dust cloud that rose approximately 2,500–3,000 ft above ground level, which quickly dissipated (within 5 miles of the source). In general, the cloud was smaller and less persistence than expected, or thatmore » might occur in other areas, likely due to the coarse sand and subsurface conditions that characterize the immediate NSTR area. Maximum short time-averaged (1-sec) PM-10 concentrations at the center of the cloud immediately after the event reached 421 µg m-3 but were rapidly reduced (by atmospheric dispersion and fallout) to near background levels (~10 µg m-3) after about 15 minutes. This occurred well within the INL Site boundary, about 8 km (5 miles) from the NSTR source. These findings demonstrate that maximum concentrations in ambient air beyond the INL Site boundary (closest is 11.2 km from NSTR) from these types of tests would be well within the 150 µg m-3 24-hour National Ambient Air Quality Standards for PM-10. Aircraft measurements and geostatistical techniques were used to successfully quantify the initial volume (1.64E+9 m3 or 1.64 km3) and mass (250 kg) of the PM-10 dust cloud, and a PM-10 emission factor (20 kg m-3 crater soil volume) was developed for this specific type of event at NSTR. The 250 kg of PM-10 mass estimated from this experiment is almost seven-times higher than the 36 kg estimated for the environmental assessment (DOE-ID 2007) using available Environmental Protection Agency (EPA 1995) emission factors. This experiment demonstrated that advanced aircraft-mounted instruments operated by experienced atmospheric research groups, such as the INL and Airborne Research Consultants LLC team, can safely and effectively assess difficult air pollutant questions at the INL Site and elsewhere that cannot be otherwise answered. This site-specific, measurement-based assessment provides valuable input to stakeholders in judging the risks associated with these types of events and NSTR project staff in the development of future experimental design and environmental impact assessments.« less

STS-114: Discovery Day 6 Post MMT Meeting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

Wane Hill, Deputy Manager of the Space Shuttle Program, and Steve Poulos, Manager, Orbiter Project Office discussed damage assessments caused during ascent. Steve further detailed the damage analysis and assessments with chart presentation of composite tile damage and gap filler sites evaluation, protruding ceramic shim, left wing tile damage, comparisons of ground test results versus FD5 focused inspection, and the window 1 blanket. Gap fillers, the STS-73, thermal protection, temperature range, heating and heating range, aerodynamics, aerothermodynamics, risk, foam damage, tile adhesions, and extravehicular activities are topics covered with the News media.

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

Agogino, Karen; Sanchez, Rebecca

Tonopah Test Range (TTR) in Nevada and Kauai Test Facility (KTF) in Hawaii are government-owned, contractor-operated facilities operated by Sandia Corporation (Sandia), a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), through the Sandia Site Offi ce (SSO), in Albuquerque, NM, administers the contract and oversees contractor operations at TTR and KTF. Sandia manages and conducts operations at TTR in support of the DOE/NNSA’s Weapons Ordnance Program and has operated the site since 1957. Washington Group International subcontracts to Sandia in administering most of the environmental programs at TTR. Sandia operatesmore » KTF as a rocket preparation launching and tracking facility. This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) summarizes data and the compliance status of the environmental protection and monitoring program at TTR and KTF through Calendar Year (CY) 2007. The compliance status of environmental regulations applicable at these sites include state and federal regulations governing air emissions, wastewater effluent, waste management, terrestrial surveillance, and Environmental Restoration (ER) cleanup activities. Sandia is responsible only for those environmental program activities related to its operations. The DOE/NNSA/Nevada Site Offi ce (NSO) retains responsibility for the cleanup and management of ER TTR sites. Currently, there are no ER Sites at KTF. Environmental monitoring and surveillance programs are required by DOE Order 450.1, Environmental Protection Program (DOE 2007a) and DOE Manual 231.1-1A, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting Manual (DOE 2007).« less

The test ability of fish Tawes to leachate garbage dump (TPA) Benowo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juliardi AR, N. R.; Wiyanti, R. I.

2018-01-01

Leachate is a liquid from waste containing elements of dissolved and suspended elements. Garbage collected at the landfill site contains organic, inorganic and heavy metal substances. If the rains will produce leachate with mineral content, organic and heavy metals. When the condition or leachate flow in let to the soil surface can cause negative effects to the surrounding environment including for humans. Toxicity test it was conducted to determine the level of leachate toxicity of the test animals living in surface water located around of the “TPA Benowo”. In this study using Tawes fish with length between 4-6 cm. In this toxicity test is done in 2 stages, namely: range finding test, the search for this range is obtained 0% concentrations (as control) 0,3%; 0,6%; 0,9%; 0,12% and 0,15%. The next stage of toxicity acute test, at this stage of toxicity concentration do smaller again that is: 0,18%; 0,36%; 0,54%; 0,72% and 0,9%. The results obtained LC50 value of 0,385%, while eyes, brown stomach skin.

Quantification of airborne fossil and biomass carbonylic carbon by combined radiocarbon and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larsen, B. R.; Tudos, A.; Slanina, J.; Van der Borg, K.; Kotzias, D.

Airborne carbonyl compounds have been sampled at three European semi-remote to semi-urban test sites for radiocarbon ( 14C) analysis. The used methodology included collection on 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine coated silica gel cartridges, chromatographic isolation of the formed hydrazones, combustion into CO 2, reduction into graphite followed by accelerator mass spectrometry. In combination with this, liquid chromatography coupled to atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation mass spectrometry was used for chemical speciation of the collected carbonyls. At all sites the carbonyls were found to be of a mixed biogenic/anthropogenic origin. The determining factor for the proportion of fossil (anthropogenic) carbon in the samples was the vicinity of urban sources for carbonyls and their photochemical precursors. At meteorological conditions, which gave the test sites semi-rural/semi-remote characteristics the samples contained an average of 24% (range: 10-34%) of fossil carbonylic carbon. When air masses were transported from urban areas to the test-sites significantly higher proportions of fossil carbonylic carbon were determined with a maximum of 61%. Principal component analysis on this limited data set indicated that a low fossil proportion of carbonylic carbon is associated with high proportions of acetaldehyde, acetone, pentanone and acrolein. Until further radicarbon studies are carried out the conclusion remains that for the carbonyl compounds measured European background levels are of a predominant biogenic origin.

Wave Pattern Peculiarities of Different Types of Explosions Conducted at Semipalatinsk Test Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokolova, Inna

2014-05-01

The historical seismograms of the explosions conducted at the STS in 1949 - 1989 are of great interest for the researchers in the field of monitoring. Large number of air (86), surface (30) and underground nuclear explosions were conducted here in boreholes and tunnels (340). In addition to nuclear explosions, large chemical explosions were conducted at the Test Site. It is known that tectonic earthquakes occur on the Test Site territory and near it. Since 2005 the Institute of Geophysical Researches conducts works on digitizing the historical seismograms of nuclear explosions. Currently, the database contains more than 6000 digitized seismograms of nuclear explosions used for investigative monitoring tasks, major part of them (4000) are events from the STS region. Dynamic parameters of records of air, surface and underground nuclear explosions, as well as large chemical explosions with compact charge laying were investigated for seismic stations located on the territory of Kazakhstan using digitized records of the STS events. In addition, the comparison between salvo wave pattern and single explosions was conducted. The records of permanent and temporary seismic stations (epicentral distances range 100 - 800 km) were used for the investigations. Explosions spectra were analyzed, specific features of each class of events were found. The seismograms analysis shows that the wave pattern depends significantly on the explosion site and on the source type.

Modelling of the batch biosorption system: study on exchange of protons with cell wall-bound mineral ions.

PubMed

Mishra, Vishal

2015-01-01

The interchange of the protons with the cell wall-bound calcium and magnesium ions at the interface of solution/bacterial cell surface in the biosorption system at various concentrations of protons has been studied in the present work. A mathematical model for establishing the correlation between concentration of protons and active sites was developed and optimized. The sporadic limited residence time reactor was used to titrate the calcium and magnesium ions at the individual data point. The accuracy of the proposed mathematical model was estimated using error functions such as nonlinear regression, adjusted nonlinear regression coefficient, the chi-square test, P-test and F-test. The values of the chi-square test (0.042-0.017), P-test (<0.001-0.04), sum of square errors (0.061-0.016), root mean square error (0.01-0.04) and F-test (2.22-19.92) reported in the present research indicated the suitability of the model over a wide range of proton concentrations. The zeta potential of the bacterium surface at various concentrations of protons was observed to validate the denaturation of active sites.

A Comparison of Forest Survey Data with Forest Dynamics Simulators FORCLIM and ZELIG along Climatic Gradients in the Pacific Northwest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Busing, Richard T.; Solomon, Allen M.

2004-01-01

Two forest dynamics simulators are compared along climatic gradients in the Pacific Northwest. The ZELIG and FORCLIM models are tested against forest survey data from western Oregon. Their ability to generate accurate patterns of forest basal area and species composition is evaluated for series of sites with contrasting climate. Projections from both models approximate the basal area and composition patterns for three sites along the elevation gradient at H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in the western Cascade Range. The ZELIG model is somewhat more accurate than FORCLIM at the two low-elevation sites. Attempts to project forest composition along broader climatic gradients reveal limitations of ZELIG, however. For example, ZELIG is less accurate than FORCLIM at projecting the average composition of a west Cascades ecoregion selected for intensive analysis. Also, along a gradient consisting of several sites on an east to west transect at 44.1oN latitude, both the FORCLIM model and the actual data show strong changes in composition and total basal area, but the ZELIG model shows a limited response. ZELIG does not simulate the declines in forest basal area and the diminished dominance of mesic coniferous species east of the Cascade crest. We conclude that ZELIG is suitable for analyses of certain sites for which it has been calibrated. FORCLIM can be applied in analyses involving a range of climatic conditions without requiring calibration for specific sites.

Estimates of monthly streamflow characteristics at selected sites in the upper Missouri River basin, Montana, base period water years 1937-86

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parrett, Charles; Johnson, D.R.; Hull, J.A.

1989-01-01

Estimates of streamflow characteristics (monthly mean flow that is exceeded 90, 80, 50, and 20 percent of the time for all years of record and mean monthly flow) were made and are presented in tabular form for 312 sites in the Missouri River basin in Montana. Short-term gaged records were extended to the base period of water years 1937-86, and were used to estimate monthly streamflow characteristics at 100 sites. Data from 47 gaged sites were used in regression analysis relating the streamflow characteristics to basin characteristics and to active-channel width. The basin-characteristics equations, with standard errors of 35% to 97%, were used to estimate streamflow characteristics at 179 ungaged sites. The channel-width equations, with standard errors of 36% to 103%, were used to estimate characteristics at 138 ungaged sites. Streamflow measurements were correlated with concurrent streamflows at nearby gaged sites to estimate streamflow characteristics at 139 ungaged sites. In a test using 20 pairs of gages, the standard errors ranged from 31% to 111%. At 139 ungaged sites, the estimates from two or more of the methods were weighted and combined in accordance with the variance of individual methods. When estimates from three methods were combined the standard errors ranged from 24% to 63 %. A drainage-area-ratio adjustment method was used to estimate monthly streamflow characteristics at seven ungaged sites. The reliability of the drainage-area-ratio adjustment method was estimated to be about equal to that of the basin-characteristics method. The estimate were checked for reliability. Estimates of monthly streamflow characteristics from gaged records were considered to be most reliable, and estimates at sites with actual flow record from 1937-86 were considered to be completely reliable (zero error). Weighted-average estimates were considered to be the most reliable estimates made at ungaged sites. (USGS)

Nevada National Security Site Environmental Report 2010

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

C. Wills, ed.

2011-09-13

This 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 NNSA/NSO Environmental Management System and characterize its performance, and (6) highlight significant environmental programs and efforts. This NNSSER summarizes data and compliance status for calendar year 2010 at the Nevada Nationalmore » Security Site (NNSS) (formerly the Nevada Test Site) and its two 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). Through a Memorandum of Agreement, NNSA/NSO is responsible for the oversight of TTR ER projects, and the Sandia Site Office of NNSA (NNSA/SSO) has oversight of all other TTR activities. NNSA/SSO produces the TTR annual environmental report available at http://www.sandia.gov/news/publications/environmental/index.html.« less

The negative effect of environmental geological conditions of some geo-archaeological sites of North Coast and Alexandria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, Hani; Kamh, Gamal

2005-12-01

Three geo-archaeological sites at the North Coast and Alexandria, namely, the Alexandria wall (El Shalalat Park site), Abu Soir temple, and Marina excavations, were investigated to determine the negative impact of a salty environmental condition. The monuments suffer from rock decay of different rates. The geo-archaeological sites were built mainly from oolitic limestone blocks (i.e., the Alexandria wall at the El Shalalat Park site and Abu Soir temple) or excavated on them (i.e., Marina excavations). Field inspection and a lab analysis were carried out to understand the weathering mechanism. Salt weathering criteria such as disintegration, pitting, scaling, exfoliation, and honeycomb are observed on the Alexandria wall and upper parts of the Abu Soir temple, while dangerous cracks are detected on the Marina excavation tombs. The petrographic study of the oolitic limestone samples shows that they consist mainly of oolities and drusy sparite as a cement (oolitic grainstone). Some oolities have quartz grains as nuclei. Hydrochemical analysis shows that the total dissolved salts of extracted solutions of the North Coast quarry samples range from 539 to 686 ppm and dramatically increase (i.e., ten times) for extracted solutions from monument samples, ranging from 5395 to 6880 ppm. The dominant cation is sodium while the dominant anion is chlorine. Acid insoluble residue analysis shows that the carbonate content ranges from 89.2% to 96.4% for fresh samples from quarries and from 9.2% to 94.8% for weathered monument samples. The weight loss of the quarry oolitic limestone samples range from 30.7% to 32.7% and its physical and mechanical properties become worse after being subjected to 15 cycles of a durability simulation soundness test (using a sodium sulphate solution). Our main recommendations are to use suitable grouting for binding the cracks, high durability reconstruction rocks, and suitable cleaning methods to remove salts from the monuments.

Elemental carbon and PM(2.5 )levels in an urban community heavily impacted by truck traffic.

PubMed Central

Lena, T Suvendrini; Ochieng, Victor; Carter, Majora; Holguín-Veras, José; Kinney, Patrick L

2002-01-01

Hunts Point, a 690-acre peninsula in the South Bronx, New York City, is a hub in the tristate (New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut) freight transportation system. This study was carried out in response to community concerns about potential health effects of exposure to diesel exhaust particulate (DEP). We measured particulate matter < 2.5 microm in aerodynamic diameter (PM(2.5)) and elemental carbon (EC) on sidewalks and tested whether spatial variations in concentrations were related to local truck traffic density. Ten-hour integrated air samples for EC and PM(2.5) were collected for 9 days over a 3-week period in the summer of 1999 at seven geographically distinct intersections. Simultaneous traffic counts were carried out for each sampling event. Traffic was classified into three classes: passenger cars, small trucks, and large trucks (diesel vehicles). Mean diesel vehicle volumes ranged from 9.3 to 276.5 vehicles/hr across sites. Mean EC concentrations by site ranged from 2.6 microg/m(3) at the control site to 7.3 microg/m(3) along a designated truck route. Linear regression of site-specific mean EC concentration on mean large truck counts predicted an increase of 1.69 microg/m(3) EC per 100 large trucks/hr (SE = 0.37; p = 0.01; R(2) = 0.84). Average PM(2.5) concentrations by site ranged 1.6-fold (19.0-29.9 microg/m(3)) and were more weakly associated with local traffic. Variations over time for PM(2.5 )were more pronounced, ranging almost 4-fold (8.9-34.4 microg/m(3)). These results show that airborne EC concentrations, an important component of DEP, are elevated in Hunts Point and that the impact varies across the community as a function of large truck traffic. PMID:12361926

Field Testing Near-IR and Neutron Spectrometer Prospecting: Applications to Resource Prospector on the Moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elphic, R. C.; Colaprete, A.; Heldmann, J. L.; Deans, M. C.

2015-01-01

While we know there are volatiles sequestered at the poles of the Moon, the detailed 3-D distribution, abundance, and physical and chemical form are largely unknown. The next giant leap, Resource Prospector (RP), will use landed assets to fully characterize the volatile composition and distribution at scales of tens to hundreds of meters. To achieve this range of scales, mobility is required. Near real-time operation of surface assets is desirable, with a concept of operations very different from that of rovers on Mars. For RP, new operational approaches are required to carry out real-time robotic exploration. The Mojave Volatiles Project (MVP) is a Moon- Mars Analog Mission Activities (MMAMA) program effort aimed at (1) determining effective approaches to operating a real-time but short-duration lunar surface robotic mission, and (2) performing prospecting science in a natural setting, as a test of these approaches. Here we describe some results from the first such test, carried out in the Mojave Desert between 16 and 24 October, 2014. The test site was an alluvial fan just E of the Soda Mountains, SW of Baker, California. This site contains desert pavements, ranging from the late Pleistocene to early-Holocene in age. These pavements are dissected by the ongoing development of washes. A principal objective was to determine the hydration state of different types of desert pavement and bare ground features. The mobility element of the test was the KREX-2 rover, designed and operated by the Intelligent Robotics Group at NASA Ames Research Center.

Imaging open-path Fourier transform infrared spectrometer for 3D cloud profiling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rentz Dupuis, Julia; Mansur, David J.; Engel, James R.; Vaillancourt, Robert; Todd, Lori; Mottus, Kathleen

2008-04-01

OPTRA and University of North Carolina are developing an imaging open-path Fourier transform infrared (I-OP-FTIR) spectrometer for 3D profiling of chemical and biological agent simulant plumes released into test ranges and chambers. An array of I-OP-FTIR instruments positioned around the perimeter of the test site, in concert with advanced spectroscopic algorithms, enables real time tomographic reconstruction of the plume. The approach will be considered as a candidate referee measurement for test ranges and chambers. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) effort combines the instrumentation and spectroscopic capabilities of OPTRA, Inc. with the computed tomographic expertise of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. In this paper, we summarize progress to date and overall system performance projections based on the instrument, spectroscopy, and tomographic reconstruction accuracy. We then present a preliminary optical design of the I-OP-FTIR.

A randomized placebo-controlled trial to evaluate a novel noninjectable anesthetic gel with thermosetting agent during scaling and root planing in chronic periodontitis patients.

PubMed

Dayakar, M M; Akbar, S M

2016-01-01

To study the efficacy of a noninjectable anesthetic gel with a thermosetting agent in the reduction of pain during scaling and root planing (SRP) in untreated chronic periodontitis patients. This study is a randomized, double-masked, split-mouth, placebo-controlled trial. Thirty patients were enrolled who underwent SRP in a split-mouth (right side/left side) manner. Before commencement of SRP, both quadrants on each side were isolated and had a randomized gel (either placebo or test gel) placed in the periodontal pockets for 30 s. The pain was measured using numerical rating scale (NRS) and verbal rating scale (VRS). The median NRS pain score for the patients treated with the anesthetic test gel was 1 (range: 0-4) as opposed to 5 (range: 3-7) in the placebo treated patients. The mean rank of pain score using NRS in test gel was 16.18 as compared to 44.82 in placebo treated sites. Hence, significant reduction in pain was found in test gel as compared to placebo using NRS (P < 0.001). The VRS showed that the majority of patients reported no pain or mild pain with a median of 1 as compared to placebo treated sites with a median of 2 suggestive of moderate pain. The NRS and VRS pain scores showed that the side treated with anesthetic gel was statistically more effective than the placebo in reducing pain during SRP.

Source Characterization of Underground Explosions from Combined Regional Moment Tensor and First-Motion Analysis

DOE PAGES

Chiang, Andrea; Dreger, Douglas S.; Ford, Sean R.; ...

2014-07-08

Here in this study, we investigate the 14 September 1988 U.S.–Soviet Joint Verification Experiment nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk test site in eastern Kazakhstan and two nuclear explosions conducted less than 10 years later at the Chinese Lop Nor test site. These events were very sparsely recorded by stations located within 1600 km, and in each case only three or four stations were available in the regional distance range. We have utilized a regional distance seismic waveform method fitting long-period, complete, three-component waveforms jointly with first-motion observations from regional stations and teleseismic arrays. The combination of long-period waveforms and first-motionmore » observations provides a unique discrimination of these sparsely recorded events in the context of the Hudson et al. (1989) source-type diagram. We demonstrate through a series of jackknife tests and sensitivity analyses that the source type of the explosions is well constrained. One event, a 1996 Lop Nor shaft explosion, displays large Love waves and possibly reversed Rayleigh waves at one station, indicative of a large F-factor. We show the combination of long-period waveforms and P-wave first motions are able to discriminate this event as explosion-like and distinct from earthquakes and collapses. We further demonstrate the behavior of network sensitivity solutions for models of tectonic release and spall-based tensile damage over a range of F-factors and K-factors.« less

Source Characterization of Underground Explosions from Combined Regional Moment Tensor and First-Motion Analysis

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

Chiang, Andrea; Dreger, Douglas S.; Ford, Sean R.

Here in this study, we investigate the 14 September 1988 U.S.–Soviet Joint Verification Experiment nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk test site in eastern Kazakhstan and two nuclear explosions conducted less than 10 years later at the Chinese Lop Nor test site. These events were very sparsely recorded by stations located within 1600 km, and in each case only three or four stations were available in the regional distance range. We have utilized a regional distance seismic waveform method fitting long-period, complete, three-component waveforms jointly with first-motion observations from regional stations and teleseismic arrays. The combination of long-period waveforms and first-motionmore » observations provides a unique discrimination of these sparsely recorded events in the context of the Hudson et al. (1989) source-type diagram. We demonstrate through a series of jackknife tests and sensitivity analyses that the source type of the explosions is well constrained. One event, a 1996 Lop Nor shaft explosion, displays large Love waves and possibly reversed Rayleigh waves at one station, indicative of a large F-factor. We show the combination of long-period waveforms and P-wave first motions are able to discriminate this event as explosion-like and distinct from earthquakes and collapses. We further demonstrate the behavior of network sensitivity solutions for models of tectonic release and spall-based tensile damage over a range of F-factors and K-factors.« less

Salmon Site Remedial Investigation Report, Exhibit 5

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

USDOE /NV

1999-09-01

This Salmon Site Remedial Investigation Report provides the results of activities initiated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to determine if contamination at the Salmon Site poses a current or future risk to human health and the environment. These results were used to develop and evaluate a range of risk-based remedial alternatives. Located in Lamar County, Mississippi, the Salmon Site was used by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (predecessor to the DOE) between 1964 and 1970 for two nuclear and two gas explosions conducted deep underground in a salt dome. The testing resulted in the release of radionuclides intomore » the salt dome. During reentry drilling and other site activities, liquid and solid wastes containing radioactivity were generated resulting in surface soil and groundwater contamination. Most of the waste and contaminated soil and water were disposed of in 1993 during site restoration either in the cavities left by the tests or in an injection well. Other radioactive wastes were transported to the Nevada Test Site for disposal. Nonradioactive wastes were disposed of in pits at the site and capped with clean soil and graded. The preliminary investigation showed residual contamination in the Surface Ground Zero mud pits below the water table. Remedial investigations results concluded the contaminant concentrations detected present no significant risk to existing and/or future land users, if surface institutional controls and subsurface restrictions are maintained. Recent sampling results determined no significant contamination in the surface or shallow subsurface. The test cavity resulting from the experiments is contaminated and cannot be economically remediated with existing technologies. The ecological sampling did not detect biological uptake of contaminants in the plants or animals sampled. Based on the current use of the Salmon Site, the following remedial actions were identified to protect both human health and the environment: (1) the installation of a water supply system that will provide potable water to the site and residence in the proximity to the site; (2) continued maintenance of surface institutional controls and subsurface restrictions; and (3) continue to implement the long-term hydrologic monitoring program. The Salmon Site will be relinquished the State of Mississippi as mandated by Public Law 104-201-September 23, 1996, to be used as a demonstration forest/wildlife refuge. Should the land use change in the future and/or monitoring information indicates a change in the site conditions, the DOE will reassess the risk impacts to human health and the environment.« less

Salmon Site Remedial Investigation Report, Main Body

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

US DOE /NV

1999-09-01

This Salmon Site Remedial Investigation Report provides the results of activities initiated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to determine if contamination at the Salmon Site poses a current or future risk to human health and the environment. These results were used to develop and evaluate a range of risk-based remedial alternatives. Located in Lamar County, Mississippi, the Salmon Site was used by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (predecessor to the DOE) between 1964 and 1970 for two nuclear and two gas explosions conducted deep underground in a salt dome. The testing resulted in the release of radionuclides intomore » the salt dome. During reentry drilling and other site activities, liquid and solid wastes containing radioactivity were generated resulting in surface soil and groundwater contamination. Most of the waste and contaminated soil and water were disposed of in 1993 during site restoration either in the cavities left by the tests or in an injection well. Other radioactive wastes were transported to the Nevada Test Site for disposal. Nonradioactive wastes were disposed of in pits at the site and capped with clean soil and graded. The preliminary investigation showed residual contamination in the Surface Ground Zero mud pits below the water table. Remedial investigations results concluded the contaminant concentrations detected present no significant risk to existing and/or future land users, if surface institutional controls and subsurface restrictions are maintained. Recent sampling results determined no significant contamination in the surface or shallow subsurface. The test cavity resulting from the experiments is contaminated and cannot be economically remediated with existing technologies. The ecological sampling did not detect biological uptake of contaminants in the plants or animals sampled. Based on the current use of the Salmon Site, the following remedial actions were identified to protect both human health and the environment: (1) the installation of a water supply system that will provide potable water to the site and residence in the proximity to the site; (2) continued maintenance of surface institutional controls and subsurface restrictions; and (3) continue to implement the long-term hydrologic monitoring program. The Salmon Site will be relinquished the State of Mississippi as mandated by Public Law 104-201-September 23, 1996, to be used as a demonstration forest/wildlife refuge. Should the land use change in the future and/or monitoring information indicates a change in the site conditions, the DOE will reassess the risk impacts to human health and the environment.« less

Salmon Site Remedial Investigation Report, Exhibit 2

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

USDOE NV

1999-09-01

This Salmon Site Remedial Investigation Report provides the results of activities initiated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to determine if contamination at the Salmon Site poses a current or future risk to human health and the environment. These results were used to develop and evaluate a range of risk-based remedial alternatives. Located in Lamar County, Mississippi, the Salmon Site was used by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (predecessor to the DOE) between 1964 and 1970 for two nuclear and two gas explosions conducted deep underground in a salt dome. The testing resulted in the release of radionuclides intomore » the salt dome. During reentry drilling and other site activities, liquid and solid wastes containing radioactivity were generated resulting in surface soil and groundwater contamination. Most of the waste and contaminated soil and water were disposed of in 1993 during site restoration either in the cavities left by the tests or in an injection well. Other radioactive wastes were transported to the Nevada Test Site for disposal. Nonradioactive wastes were disposed of in pits at the site and capped with clean soil and graded. The preliminary investigation showed residual contamination in the Surface Ground Zero mud pits below the water table. Remedial investigations results concluded the contaminant concentrations detected present no significant risk to existing and/or future land users, if surface institutional controls and subsurface restrictions are maintained. Recent sampling results determined no significant contamination in the surface or shallow subsurface. The test cavity resulting from the experiments is contaminated and cannot be economically remediated with existing technologies. The ecological sampling did not detect biological uptake of contaminants in the plants or animals sampled. Based on the current use of the Salmon Site, the following remedial actions were identified to protect both human health and the environment: (1) the installation of a water supply system that will provide potable water to the site and residence in the proximity to the site; (2) continued maintenance of surface institutional controls and subsurface restrictions; and (3) continue to implement the long-term hydrologic monitoring program. The Salmon Site will be relinquished the State of Mississippi as mandated by Public Law 104-201-September 23, 1996, to be used as a demonstration forest/wildlife refuge. Should the land use change in the future and/or monitoring information indicates a change in the site conditions, the DOE will reassess the risk impacts to human health and the environment.« less

Integrated ground-water monitoring strategy for NRC-licensed facilities and sites: Case study applications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Price, V.; Temples, T.; Hodges, R.; Dai, Z.; Watkins, D.; Imrich, J.

2007-01-01

This document discusses results of applying the Integrated Ground-Water Monitoring Strategy (the Strategy) to actual waste sites using existing field characterization and monitoring data. The Strategy is a systematic approach to dealing with complex sites. Application of such a systematic approach will reduce uncertainty associated with site analysis, and therefore uncertainty associated with management decisions about a site. The Strategy can be used to guide the development of a ground-water monitoring program or to review an existing one. The sites selected for study fall within a wide range of geologic and climatic settings, waste compositions, and site design characteristics and represent realistic cases that might be encountered by the NRC. No one case study illustrates a comprehensive application of the Strategy using all available site data. Rather, within each case study we focus on certain aspects of the Strategy, to illustrate concepts that can be applied generically to all sites. The test sites selected include:Charleston, South Carolina, Naval Weapons Station,Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island, New York,The USGS Amargosa Desert Research Site in Nevada,Rocky Flats in Colorado,C-Area at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, andThe Hanford 300 Area.A Data Analysis section provides examples of detailed data analysis of monitoring data.

High Compressive Stresses Near the Surface of the Sierra Nevada, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martel, S. J.; Logan, J. M.; Stock, G. M.

2012-12-01

Observations and stress measurements in granitic rocks of the Sierra Nevada, California reveal strong compressive stresses parallel to the surface of the range at shallow depths. New overcoring measurements show high compressive stresses at three locations along an east-west transect through Yosemite National Park. At the westernmost site (west end of Tenaya Lake), the mean compressive stress is 1.9. At the middle site (north shore of Tenaya Lake) the mean compressive stress is 6.8 MPa. At the easternmost site (south side of Lembert Dome) the mean compressive stress is 3.0 MPa. The trend of the most compressive stress at these sites is within ~30° of the strike of the local topographic surface. Previously published hydraulic fracturing measurements by others elsewhere in the Sierra Nevada indicate surface-parallel compressive stresses of several MPa within several tens of meters of the surface, with the stress magnitudes generally diminishing to the west. Both the new and the previously published compressive stress magnitudes are consistent with the presence of sheeting joints (i.e., "exfoliation joints") in the Sierra Nevada, which require lateral compressive stresses of several MPa to form. These fractures are widespread: they are distributed in granitic rocks from the north end of the range to its southern tip and across the width of the range. Uplift along the normal faults of the eastern escarpment, recently measured by others at ~1-2 mm/yr, probably contributes to these stresses substantially. Geodetic surveys reveal that normal faulting flexes a range concave upwards in response to fault slip, and this flexure is predicted by elastic dislocation models. The topographic relief of the eastern escarpment of the Sierra Nevada is 2-4 km, and since alluvial fill generally buries the bedrock east of the faults, the offset of granitic rocks is at least that much. Compressive stresses of several MPa are predicted by elastic dislocation models of the range front faults of the eastern Sierra Nevada for as little as 100m of slip. The compression is consistent with a concave up flexure of the surface of the range. Conversely, elastic models also predict that markedly lower compressive stresses or even a tension would exist on exposed bedrock on the down-dropped hanging wall east of the range front faults. To test this prediction, we measured stresses at a fourth site, in the granitic rock of the Aeolian Buttes, which is east of the range front faults. The mean compressive stress there is 0.26 MPa, more than an order of magnitude less than the average at the three Yosemite sites. The measured stress magnitudes near the topographic surface of the Sierra, the distribution of sheeting joints west of the range front faults, and elastic model predictions are broadly consistent and indicate that the high compressive stresses at the surface of the Sierra Nevada are largely associated with uplift of the range, although other contributions cannot be excluded.

Shape-intensity prior level set combining probabilistic atlas and probability map constrains for automatic liver segmentation from abdominal CT images.

PubMed

Wang, Jinke; Cheng, Yuanzhi; Guo, Changyong; Wang, Yadong; Tamura, Shinichi

2016-05-01

Propose a fully automatic 3D segmentation framework to segment liver on challenging cases that contain the low contrast of adjacent organs and the presence of pathologies from abdominal CT images. First, all of the atlases are weighted in the selected training datasets by calculating the similarities between the atlases and the test image to dynamically generate a subject-specific probabilistic atlas for the test image. The most likely liver region of the test image is further determined based on the generated atlas. A rough segmentation is obtained by a maximum a posteriori classification of probability map, and the final liver segmentation is produced by a shape-intensity prior level set in the most likely liver region. Our method is evaluated and demonstrated on 25 test CT datasets from our partner site, and its results are compared with two state-of-the-art liver segmentation methods. Moreover, our performance results on 10 MICCAI test datasets are submitted to the organizers for comparison with the other automatic algorithms. Using the 25 test CT datasets, average symmetric surface distance is [Formula: see text] mm (range 0.62-2.12 mm), root mean square symmetric surface distance error is [Formula: see text] mm (range 0.97-3.01 mm), and maximum symmetric surface distance error is [Formula: see text] mm (range 12.73-26.67 mm) by our method. Our method on 10 MICCAI test data sets ranks 10th in all the 47 automatic algorithms on the site as of July 2015. Quantitative results, as well as qualitative comparisons of segmentations, indicate that our method is a promising tool to improve the efficiency of both techniques. The applicability of the proposed method to some challenging clinical problems and the segmentation of the liver are demonstrated with good results on both quantitative and qualitative experimentations. This study suggests that the proposed framework can be good enough to replace the time-consuming and tedious slice-by-slice manual segmentation approach.

The Las Vegas Valley Seismic Response Project: Ground Motions in Las Vegas Valley from Nuclear Explosions at the Nevada Test Site

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

Rodgers, A; Tkalcic, H; McCallen, D

2005-03-18

Between 2001-2004 the Las Vegas Seismic Response Project has sought to understand the response of Las Vegas Valley (LVV) to seismic excitation. In this study, the author report the findings of this project with an emphasis on ground motions in LVV from nuclear explosions at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). These ground motions are used to understand building structural response and damage as well as human perception. Historical nuclear explosion observations are augmented with earthquake recordings from a temporary deployment of seismometers to improve spatial coverage of LVV. The nuclear explosions were conducted between 1968 and 1989 and were recordedmore » at various sites within Las Vegas. The data from past nuclear tests were used to constrain ground motions in LVV and to gain a predictive capability of ground motions for possible future nuclear tests at NTS. Analysis of ground motion data includes peak ground motions (accelerations and velocities) and amplification of basin sites relative to hard rock sites (site response). Site response was measured with the Standard Spectral Ratios (SSR) technique relative to hard rock reference sites on the periphery of LVV. The site response curves indicate a strong basin amplification of up to a factor of ten at frequencies between 0.5-2 Hz. Amplifications are strongest in the central and northern portions of LVV, where the basin is deeper than 1 km based on the reported basin depths of Langenheim et al (2001a). They found a strong correlation between amplification and basin depth and shallow shear wave velocities. Amplification below 1 Hz is strongly controlled by slowness-averaged shear velocities to depths of 30 and 100 meters. Depth averaged shear velocities to 10 meters has modest control of amplifications between 1-3 Hz. Modeling reveals that low velocity material in the shallow layers (< 200 m) effectively controls amplification. They developed a method to scale nuclear explosion ground motion time series to sites around LVV that have no historical record of explosions. The method is also used to scale nuclear explosion ground motions to different yields. They also present a range of studies to understand basin structure and response performed on data from the temporary deployment.« less

The performance of TLS in monitoring periglacial and glacial processes: comprehensive view of case studies in the Austrian Alps.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avian, M.; Bauer, A.; Kellerer-Pirklbauer, A.

2009-04-01

Monitoring periglacial and glacial processes is a crucial task in observing the ongoing global warming as a result of climate change in high mountain areas. The project ALPCHANGE - Climate change and impacts in Southern Austrian Alpine Regions (www.alpchange.at) - comprises 4 test sites for terrestrial laserscanning (using Riegl long range laserscanner LPM-2k) such as Pasterze glacier (glacial, beginning in 2001, 8 data sets), Gössnitzkees (glacial, beginning in 2000, 9 data sets), Hinteres Langtalkar (periglacial, beginning in 2000, 9 data sets) and Fallbichl (periglacial, beginning in 2008). In September 2008 an airborne LiDAR (Light detection and ranging) campaign was carried out in all test sites for comparison to terrestrial data. Data acquisition in very remote areas such as Gössnitzkees and Hinteres Langtalkar were affected by partly insufficient power supply due to long acquisition time due to e.g. changing weather conditions. At Pasterze glacier especially meteorological conditions downgraded the quality of acquired data. Wrong distances are partly measured due to varying temperatures in different air packages covering the glacier. Reason for that is a large difference in elevation of appr. 300m from the scanneŕs position to the scanning area as well as an unfavourable scanning angle of 15 - 45°. We used up to 10 reflective traffic signs placed on the glacier surface, independently positioned with DGPS and geodetic surveys, to validate measurement data and correct the digital terrain model (DTM). At all test sites it turned to be crucial that non moving areas such as bedrock are within the scanning sector. Changing conditions (e.g. scanner horizontation, atmospheric influences) always need independent data for orientation and validation.

Characterization of fractures and flow zones in a contaminated shale at the Watervliet Arsenal, Albany County, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, John H.; Paillet, Frederick L.

2002-01-01

Flow zones in a fractured shale in and near a plume of volatile organic compounds at the Watervliet Arsenal in Albany County, N. Y. were characterized through the integrated analysis of geophysical logs and single- and cross-hole flow tests. Information on the fracture-flow network at the site was needed to design an effective groundwater monitoring system, estimate offsite contaminant migration, and evaluate potential containment and remedial actions.Four newly drilled coreholes and four older monitoring wells were logged and tested to define the distribution and orientation of fractures that intersected a combined total of 500 feet of open hole. Analysis of borehole-wall image logs obtained with acoustic and optical televiewers indicated 79 subhorizontal to steeply dipping fractures with a wide range of dip directions. Analysis of fluid resistivity, temperature, and heat-pulse and electromagnetic flowmeter logs obtained under ambient and short-term stressed conditions identified 14 flow zones, which consist of one to several fractures and whose estimated transmissivity values range from 0.1 to more than 250 feet squared per day.Cross-hole flow tests, which were used to characterize the hydraulic connection between fracture-flow zones intersected by the boreholes, entailed (1) injection into or extraction from boreholes that penetrated a single fracture-flow zone or whose zones were isolated by an inflatable packer, and (2) measurement of the transient response of water levels and flow in surrounding boreholes. Results indicate a wellconnected fracture network with an estimated transmissivity of 80 to 250 feet squared per day that extends for at least 200 feet across the site. This interconnected fracture-flow network greatly affects the hydrology of the site and has important implications for contaminant monitoring and remedial actions.

Corrective Action Decision Document/Corrective Action Plan for Corrective Action Unit 104: Area 7 Yucca Flat Atmospheric Test Sites Nevada National Security Site, Nevada, Revision 0

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

Patrick Matthews

2012-10-01

CAU 104 comprises the following corrective action sites (CASs): • 07-23-03, Atmospheric Test Site T-7C • 07-23-04, Atmospheric Test Site T7-1 • 07-23-05, Atmospheric Test Site • 07-23-06, Atmospheric Test Site T7-5a • 07-23-07, Atmospheric Test Site - Dog (T-S) • 07-23-08, Atmospheric Test Site - Baker (T-S) • 07-23-09, Atmospheric Test Site - Charlie (T-S) • 07-23-10, Atmospheric Test Site - Dixie • 07-23-11, Atmospheric Test Site - Dixie • 07-23-12, Atmospheric Test Site - Charlie (Bus) • 07-23-13, Atmospheric Test Site - Baker (Buster) • 07-23-14, Atmospheric Test Site - Ruth • 07-23-15, Atmospheric Test Site T7-4 •more » 07-23-16, Atmospheric Test Site B7-b • 07-23-17, Atmospheric Test Site - Climax These 15 CASs include releases from 30 atmospheric tests conducted in the approximately 1 square mile of CAU 104. Because releases associated with the CASs included in this CAU overlap and are not separate and distinguishable, these CASs are addressed jointly at the CAU level. The purpose of this CADD/CAP is to evaluate potential corrective action alternatives (CAAs), provide the rationale for the selection of recommended CAAs, and provide the plan for implementation of the recommended CAA for CAU 104. Corrective action investigation (CAI) activities were performed from October 4, 2011, through May 3, 2012, as set forth in the CAU 104 Corrective Action Investigation Plan.« less

Reduced growth and survival of larval razorback sucker fed selenium-laden zooplankton

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hamilton, Steven J.; Buhl, Kevin J.; Bullard, Fern A.; McDonald, Susan

2005-01-01

Four groups of larval razorback sucker, an endangered fish, were exposed to selenium-laden zooplankton and survival, growth, and whole-body residues were measured. Studies were conducted with 5, 10, 24, and 28-day-old larvae fed zooplankton collected from six sites adjacent to the Green River, Utah. Water where zooplankton were collected had selenium concentrations ranging from <0.4 to 78 μg/L, and concentrations in zooplankton ranged from 2.3 to 91 μg/g dry weight. Static renewal tests were conducted for 20 to 25 days using reference water with selenium concentrations of <1.1 μg/L. In all studies, 80–100% mortality occurred in 15–20 days. In the 28-day-old larvae, fish weight was significantly reduced 25% in larvae fed zooplankton containing 12 μg/g selenium. Whole-body concentrations of selenium ranged from 3.7 to 14.3 μg/g in fish fed zooplankton from the reference site (Sheppard Bottom pond 1) up to 94 μg/g in fish fed zooplankton from North Roadside Pond. Limited information prior to the studies suggested that the Sheppard pond 1 site was relatively clean and suitable as a reference treatment; however, the nearly complete mortality of larvae and elevated concentrations of selenium in larvae and selenium and other elements in zooplankton indicated that this site was contaminated with selenium and other elements. Selenium concentrations in whole-body larvae and in zooplankton from all sites were close to or greater than toxic thresholds where adverse effects occur in fish. Delayed mortality occurred in larvae fed the two highest selenium concentrations in zooplankton and was thought due to an interaction with other elements.

Use of thyroid-stimulating hormone tests for identifying primary hypothyroidism in family medicine patients.

PubMed

Birk-Urovitz, Elizabeth; Elisabeth Del Giudice, M; Meaney, Christopher; Grewal, Karan

2017-09-01

To assess the use of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) tests for identifying primary hypothyroidism in 2 academic family medicine settings. Descriptive study involving a retrospective electronic chart review of family medicine patients who underwent TSH testing. Two academic family practice sites: one site is within a tertiary hospital in Toronto, Ont, and the other is within a community hospital in Newmarket, Ont. A random sample of 205 adult family medicine patients who had 1 or more TSH tests for identifying potential primary hypothyroidism between July 1, 2009, and September 15, 2013. Exclusion criteria included a previous diagnosis of any thyroid condition or abnormality, as well as pregnancy or recent pregnancy within the year preceding the study period. The proportion of normal TSH test results and the proportion of TSH tests that did not conform to test-ordering guidelines. Of the 205 TSH test results, 200 (97.6%, 95% CI 94.4% to 99.2%) showed TSH levels within the normal range. All 5 patients with abnormal TSH test results had TSH levels above the upper reference limits. Nearly one-quarter (22.4%, 95% CI 16.9% to 28.8%) of tests did not conform to test-ordering guidelines. All TSH tests classified as not conforming to test-ordering guidelines showed TSH levels within normal limits. There was a significant difference ( P < .001) between the proportions of nonconforming TSH tests at the tertiary site (14.3%, 95% CI 8.2% to 22.5%) and the community site (31.0%, 95% CI 22.1% to 41.0%). Preliminary analyses examining which variables might be associated with abnormal TSH levels showed that only muscle cramps or myalgia ( P = .0286) and a history of an autoimmune disorder ( P = .0623) met or approached statistical significance. In this study, the proportion of normal TSH test results in the context of primary hypothyroidism case finding and screening was high, and the overall proportion of TSH tests that did not conform to test-ordering guidelines was relatively high as well. These results highlight a need for more consistent TSH test-ordering guidelines for primary hypothyroidism and perhaps some educational interventions to help curtail the overuse of TSH tests in the family medicine setting. Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

Design, development and validation of a new laryngo-pharyngeal endoscopic esthesiometer and range-finder based on the assessment of air-pulse variability determinants.

PubMed

Giraldo-Cadavid, Luis F; Agudelo-Otalora, Luis Mauricio; Burguete, Javier; Arbulu, Mario; Moscoso, William Daniel; Martínez, Fabio; Ortiz, Andrés Felipe; Diaz, Juan; Pantoja, Jaime A; Rueda-Arango, Andrés Felipe; Fernández, Secundino

2016-05-10

Laryngo-pharyngeal mechano-sensitivity (LPMS) is involved in dysphagia, sleep apnea, stroke, irritable larynx syndrome and cough hypersensitivity syndrome among other disorders. These conditions are associated with a wide range of airway reflex abnormalities. However, the current device for exploring LPMS is limited because it assesses only the laryngeal adductor reflex during fiber-optic endoscopic evaluations of swallowing and requires a high degree of expertise to obtain reliable results, introducing intrinsic expert variability and subjectivity. We designed, developed and validated a new air-pulse laryngo-pharyngeal endoscopic esthesiometer with a built-in laser range-finder (LPEER) based on the evaluation and control of air-pulse variability determinants and on intrinsic observer variability and subjectivity determinants of the distance, angle and site of stimulus impact. The LPEER was designed to be capable of delivering precise and accurate stimuli with a wide range of intensities that can explore most laryngo-pharyngeal reflexes. We initially explored the potential factors affecting the reliability of LPMS tests and included these factors in a multiple linear regression model. The following factors significantly affected the precision and accuracy of the test (P < 0.001): the tube conducting the air-pulses, the supply pressure of the system, the duration of the air-pulses, and the distance and angle between the end of the tube conducting the air-pulses and the site of impact. To control all of these factors, an LPEER consisting of an air-pulse generator and an endoscopic laser range-finder was designed and manufactured. We assessed the precision and accuracy of the LPEER's stimulus and range-finder according to the coefficient of variation (CV) and by looking at the differences between the measured properties and the desired values, and we performed a pilot validation on ten human subjects. The air-pulses and range-finder exhibited good precision and accuracy (CV < 0.06), with differences between the desired and measured properties at <3 % and a range-finder measurement error of <1 mm. The tests in patients demonstrated obtainable and reproducible thresholds for the laryngeal adductor, cough and gag reflexes. The new LPEER was capable of delivering precise and accurate stimuli for exploring laryngo-pharyngeal reflexes.

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 428: Area 3 Septic Waste Systems 1 and 5, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, REVISION 0, march 1999

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

DOE /NV

1999-03-26

The Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 428, Area 3 Septic Waste Systems 1 and 5, has been developed in accordance with the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order that was agreed to by the U. S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office; the State of Nevada Division of Environmental Protection; and the U. S. Department of Defense. Corrective Action Unit 428 consists of Corrective Action Sites 03- 05- 002- SW01 and 03- 05- 002- SW05, respectively known as Area 3 Septic Waste System 1 and Septic Waste System 5. This Corrective Action Investigation Plan is used inmore » combination with the Work Plan for Leachfield Corrective Action Units: Nevada Test Site and Tonopah Test Range, Nevada , Rev. 1 (DOE/ NV, 1998c). The Leachfield Work Plan was developed to streamline investigations at leachfield Corrective Action Units by incorporating management, technical, quality assurance, health and safety, public involvement, field sampling, and waste management information common to a set of Corrective Action Units with similar site histories and characteristics into a single document that can be referenced. This Corrective Action Investigation Plan provides investigative details specific to Corrective Action Unit 428. A system of leachfields and associated collection systems was used for wastewater disposal at Area 3 of the Tonopah Test Range until a consolidated sewer system was installed in 1990 to replace the discrete septic waste systems. Operations within various buildings at Area 3 generated sanitary and industrial wastewaters potentially contaminated with contaminants of potential concern and disposed of in septic tanks and leachfields. Corrective Action Unit 428 is composed of two leachfield systems in the northern portion of Area 3. Based on site history collected to support the Data Quality Objectives process, contaminants of potential concern for the site include oil/ diesel range total petroleum hydrocarbons, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act characteristic volatile organic compounds, semivolatile organic compounds, and metals. A limited number of samples will be analyzed for gamma- emitting radionuclides and isotopic uranium from four of the septic tanks and if radiological field screening levels are exceeded. Additional samples will be analyzed for geotechnical and hydrological properties and a bioassessment may be performed. The technical approach for investigating this Corrective Action Unit consists of the following activities: (1) Perform video surveys of the discharge and outfall lines. (2) Collect samples of material in the septic tanks. (3) Conduct exploratory trenching to locate and inspect subsurface components. (4) Collect subsurface soil samples in areas of the collection system including the septic tanks and outfall end of distribution boxes. (5) Collect subsurface soil samples underlying the leachfield distribution pipes via trenching. (6) Collect surface and near- surface samples near potential locations of the Acid Sewer Outfall if Septic Waste System 5 Leachfield cannot be located. (7) Field screen samples for volatile organic compounds, total petroleum hydrocarbons, and radiological activity. (8) Drill boreholes and collect subsurface soil samples if required. (9) Analyze samples for total volatile organic compounds, total semivolatile organic compounds, total Resource Conservation and Recovery Act metals, and total petroleum hydrocarbons (oil/ diesel range organics). Limited number of samples will be analyzed for gamma- emitting radionuclides and isotopic uranium from particular septic tanks and if radiological field screening levels are exceeded. (10) Collect samples from native soils beneath the distribution system and analyze for geotechnical/ hydrologic parameters. (11) Collect and analyze bioassessment samples at the discretion of the Site Supervisor if total petroleum hydrocarbons exceed field- screening levels.« less

Corrective Action Decision Document/Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 541: Small Boy Nevada National Security Site and Nevada Test and Training Range, Nevada, Revision 0 with ROTC-1

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

Kidman, Raymond; Matthews, Patrick

The purpose of this Corrective Action Decision Document/Closure Report is to provide justification and documentation supporting the recommendation that no further corrective action is needed for CAU 541 based on the no further action alternative listed in Table ES-1.

Using a GIS model to assess terrestrial salamander response to alternative forest management plans

Treesearch

Eric J. Gustafson; Nathan L. Murphy; Thomas R. Crow

2001-01-01

A GIS model predicting the spatial distribution of terrestrial salamander abundance based on topography and forest age was developed using parameters derived from the literature. The model was tested by sampling salamander abundance across the full range of site conditions used in the model. A regression of the predictions of our GIS model against these sample data...

Planting stock type x genotype interactions affect early outplanting performance of black walnut seedlings

Treesearch

J.W. Van Sambeek; J.W. Hanover; R.D. Williams

1991-01-01

A provenance/progeny test was established in south central Indiana with seedlings from 72 open-pollinated families from across the commercial range of black walnut (Juglans nigra L.). The seedlings were grown in a conventional hardwood nursery and in containers in a greenhouse. Seedlings were outplanted in 1981 on an old-field site in Johnson County...

Estimating the cost-per-result of a national reflexed Cryptococcal antigenaemia screening program: Forecasting the impact of potential HIV guideline changes and treatment goals.

PubMed

Cassim, Naseem; Coetzee, Lindi Marie; Schnippel, Kathryn; Glencross, Deborah Kim

2017-01-01

During 2016, the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) introduced laboratory-based reflexed Cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) screening to detect early Cryptococcal disease in immunosuppressed HIV+ patients with a confirmed CD4 count of 100 cells/μl or less. The aim of this study was to assess cost-per-result of a national screening program across different tiers of laboratory service, with variable daily CrAg test volumes. The impact of potential ART treatment guideline and treatment target changes on CrAg volumes, platform choice and laboratory workflow are considered. CD4 data (with counts < = 100 cells/μl) from the fiscal year 2015/16 were extracted from the NHLS Corporate Date Warehouse and used to project anticipated daily CrAg testing volumes with appropriately-matched CrAg testing platforms allocated at each of 52 NHLS CD4 laboratories. A cost-per-result was calculated for four scenarios, including the existing service status quo (Scenario-I), and three other settings (as Scenarios II-IV) which were based on information from recent antiretroviral (ART) guidelines, District Health Information System (DHIS) data and UNAIDS 90/90/90 HIV/AIDS treatment targets. Scenario-II forecast CD4 testing offered only to new ART initiates recorded at DHIS. Scenario-III projected all patients notified as HIV+, but not yet on ART (recorded at DHIS) and Scenario-IV forecast CrAg screening in 90% of estimated HIV+ patients across South Africa (also DHIS). Stata was used to assess daily CrAg volumes at the 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th and 95th percentiles across 52 CD4-laboratories. Daily volumes were used to determine technical effort/ operator staff costs (% full time equivalent) and cost-per-result for all scenarios. Daily volumes ranged between 3 and 64 samples for Scenario-I at the 5th and 95th percentile. Similarly, daily volumes ranges of 1-12, 2-45 and 5-100 CrAg-directed samples were noted for Scenario's II, III and IV respectively. A cut-off of 30 CrAg tests per day defined use of either LFA or EIA platform. LFA cost-per-result ranged from $8.24 to $5.44 and EIA cost-per-result between $5.58 and $4.88 across the range of test volumes. The technical effort across scenarios ranged from 3.2-27.6% depending on test volumes and platform used. The study reported the impact of programmatic testing requirements on varying CrAg test volumes that subsequently influenced choice of testing platform, laboratory workflow and cost-per-result. A novel percentiles approach is described that enables an overview of the cost-per-result across a national program. This approach facilitates cross-subsidisation of more expensive lower volume sites with cost-efficient, more centralized higher volume laboratories, mitigating against the risk of costing tests at a single site.

Corrective action investigation plan: Cactus Spring Waste Trenches. Revision 2

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

NONE

This Correction Action Investigation Plan (CAIP) contains environmental sample collection objectives and logic for the CAU No. 426, which includes the Cactus Spring Waste Trenches, CAS No. RG-08-001-RG-CS. The Cactus Spring Waste Trenches are located at the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) which is part of the Nellis Air Force Range, approximately 255 kilometers (km) (140 miles [mi]) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, by air. The purpose of this investigation is to generate sufficient data to establish the types of waste buried in the trenches, identify the presence and nature of contamination, determine the vertical extent of contaminant migration below themore » Cactus Spring Waste Trenches, and determine the appropriate course of action for the site. The potential courses of action for the site are clean closure, closure in place (with or without remediation), or no further action.« less

An evaluation of multiband photography for rock discrimination. [sedimentary rocks of Front Range, Colorado

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, K. (Principal Investigator); Raines, G. L.

1974-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. With the advent of ERTS and Skylab satellites, multiband imagery and photography have become readily available to geologists. The ability of multiband photography to discriminate sedimentary rocks was examined. More than 8600 in situ measurements of band reflectance of the sedimentary rocks of the Front Range, Colorado, were acquired. Statistical analysis of these measurements showed that: (1) measurements from one site can be used at another site 100 miles away; (2) there is basically only one spectral reflectance curve for these rocks, with constant amplitude differences between the curves; and (3) the natural variation is so large that at least 150 measurements per formation are required to select best filters. These conclusions are supported by subjective tests with aerial multiband photography. The designed multiband photography concept for rock discrimination is not a practical method of improving sedimentary rock discrimination capabilities.

Dr Google: The readability and accuracy of patient education websites for Graves' disease treatment.

PubMed

Purdy, Amanda C; Idriss, Almoatazbellah; Ahern, Susan; Lin, Elizabeth; Elfenbein, Dawn M

2017-11-01

National guidelines emphasize the importance of incorporating patient preferences into the recommendations for the treatment of Graves' disease. Many patients use the Internet to obtain health information, and search results can affect their treatment decisions. This study compares the readability and accuracy of patient-oriented online resources for the treatment of Graves' disease by website affiliation and treatment modality. A systematic Internet search was used to identify the top websites discussing the treatment of Graves' disease. Readability was measured using 5 standardized tests. Accuracy was assessed by a blinded, expert panel, which scored the accuracy of sites on a scale of 1 to 5. Mean readability and accuracy scores were compared among website affiliations and treatment modalities. We identified 13 unique websites, including 2 academic, 2 government, 5 nonprofit, and 4 private sites. There was a difference in both readability (mean 13.2, range 9.1-15.7, P = .003) and accuracy (mean 4.04, range 2.75-4.50, P = .019) based on website affiliation. Government sites (mean readability 11.1) were easier to read than academic (14.3, P < .01), nonprofit (13.9, P < .01), and private sites (13.5, P < .05). Academic sites (mean accuracy 4.50) were more accurate than private sites (3.56, P < .05). Online patient resources for the treatment of Graves' disease are written at an inappropriately high reading level. Academic sites contain both the most accurate and the most difficult to read information. Private sites represented the majority of our top results but contained the least accurate information. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Assessment of tooth bleaching efficacy with spectrophotometer].

PubMed

Zhu, Wenhao; Liu, Chang; Pan, Jie

2014-06-01

To analyze the changes in CIE L*, a*, and b* at cervical, body, and incisal sites after tooth bleaching by using a spectrophotometer. Sixty-seven intact and healthy maxillary central incisors were in-vestigated. These incisors were darker than A3 according to the Vita Classical shade guide. The CIE tooth shade parameters L*, a*, and b* were simultaneously recorded at three tooth areas (cervical, body, and incisal) with a spectrophotometer before and after tooth bleaching (35%H2O2 coordinating with Beyond whitening accelerator irradiating). The shade dif-ferential (DeltaE) was calculated. ANOVA, paired t-test, and Pearson correlation analysis were used for data analysis. The efficacy rates of tooth bleaching were satisfactory, with 86.6%, 86.6%, and 85.1% in the cervical, body, and incisal sites, respectively. The average values of DeltaE were 5.09, 4.44, and 4.40 in the cervical, body, and incisal sites. Tooth bleaching significantly increased L* and significantly decreased a* and b* in all tooth areas (P < 0.01). The decreasing range of Deltab* was more than the increasing range of DeltaL* at the cervical site; opposite results were observed at the incisal site. A positive correlation was detected between baseline b* and DeltaE. The spectrophotometer could objectively evaluate the whitening effect of tooth bleaching at the different tooth sites. The tooth bleaching system (35%H202 coordinating with Beyond whitening accelerator irradiating) exerts powerful bleaching actions in most of the tooth areas investigated. The order of tooth bleaching effectiveness is cervicalbody>incisal. Yellow coloration is decreased mainly at the cervical site, and brightness was increased mostly at theincisal site. The effectiveness of tooth bleaching increases as the baseline b* value increases.

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

Friesen, H.N.

This summary document presents results in a broad context; it is not limited to findings of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group. This book is organized to present the findings of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group and correlative programs in accordance with the originally stated objectives of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group. This plan, in essence, traces plutonium from its injection into the environment to movement in the ecosystem to development of cleanup techniques. Information on other radionuclides was also obtained and will be presented briefly. Chapter 1 presents a brief description of the ecological setting of the Test Range Complex.more » The results of investigations for plutonium distribution are presented in Chapter 2 for the area surrounding the Test Range Complex and in Chapter 3 for on-site locations. Chapters 4 and 5 present the results of investigations concerned with concentrations and movement, respectively, of plutonium in the ecosystem of the Test Range Complex, and Chapter 6 summarizes the potential hazard from this plutonium. Development of techniques for cleanup and treatment is presented in Chapter 7, and the inventory of radionuclides other than plutonium is presented briefly in Chapter 8.« less

French multicenter study involving eight test sites for radiometric determination of activities of 10 antimicrobial agents against Mycobacterium avium complex.

PubMed Central

Rastogi, N; Bauriaud, R M; Bourgoin, A; Carbonnelle, B; Chippaux, C; Gevaudan, M J; Goh, K S; Moinard, D; Roos, P

1995-01-01

The radiometric BACTEC 460-TB methodology has filled an increased need in the screening of a wide range of antimicrobial agents against Mycobacterium avium (MAC) isolates on a patient-to-patient basis. In this context, a multicenter study involving eight test sites across France was performed to determine the MICs of 10 antimicrobial agents for MAC organisms. The aim of the investigation was to compare the in vitro activities of D-cycloserine, ethambutol, ethionamide, rifampin, amikacin, streptomycin, ciprofloxacin, sparfloxacin, clofazimine, and clarithromycin against MAC isolates. All of the test sites received the same clinical isolates of MAC, and the MICs were determined by a common protocol. The overall interlaboratory reproducibility of the MICs within +/- 1 dilution of the modal MICs varied from 79.70 to 100% (mean, 95.2% +/- 2.1%), whereas overall agreement of the MICs among the test sites varied from a mean of 91% +/- 4.1% to a mean of 98 +/- 1.3%. We confirmed that the proposed methodology is easy, accurate, and sufficiently reproducible to be used routinely in a clinical laboratory. Despite variations in the MICs of the same drug among strains, no link between the origin of MAC isolates (from human immunodeficiency virus-positive or -negative patients) and their drug susceptibilities was established. On the basis of the MICs that inhibited 50 and 90% of isolates tested for the drugs used, clarithromycin, clofazimine, ethambutol, and streptomycin were the most uniformly active against MAC; this was followed by amikacin, rifampin, and sparfloxacin. On the other hand, ciprofloxacin, D-cycloserine, and ethionamide showed only marginal in vitro activities. PMID:7793865

S-wave velocity measurements along levees in New Orleans using passive surface wave methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayashi, K.; Lorenzo, J. M.; Craig, M. S.; Gostic, A.

2017-12-01

In order to develop non-invasive methods for levee inspection, geophysical investigations were carried out at four sites along levees in the New Orleans area: 17th Street Canal, London Avenue Canal, Marrero Levee, and Industrial Canal. Three of the four sites sustained damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and have since been rebuilt. The geophysical methods used include active and passive surface wave methods, and capacitively coupled resistivity. This paper summarizes the acquisition and analysis of the 1D and 2D passive surface wave data. Twelve wireless seismic data acquisition units with 2 Hz vertical component geophones were used to record data. Each unit includes a GPS receiver so that all units can be synchronized over any distance without cables. The 1D passive method used L shaped arrays of three different sizes with geophone spacing ranging from 5 to 340 m. Ten minutes to one hour of ambient noise was recorded with each array, and total data acquisition took approximately two hours at each site. The 2D method used a linear array with a geophone spacing of 5m. Four geophones were moved forward every 10 minutes along 400 1000 m length lines. Data acquisition took several hours for each line. Recorded ambient noise was processed using the spatial autocorrelation method and clear dispersion curves were obtained at all sites (Figure 1a). Minimum frequencies ranged from 0.4 to 0.7 Hz and maximum frequencies ranged from 10 to 30 Hz depending on the site. Non-linear inversion was performed and 1D and 2D S-wave velocity models were obtained. The 1D method penetrated to depths ranging from 200 to 500 m depending on the site (Figure 1b). The 2D method penetrated to a depth of 40 60 m and provided 400 1000 m cross sections along the levees (Figure 2). The interpretation focused on identifying zones beneath the levees or canal walls having low S-wave velocities corresponding to saturated, unconsolidated sands, or low-rigidity clays. Resultant S-wave velocity profiles are generally consistent with existing drilling logs and the results of laboratory tests.

Broad-spectrum non-nucleoside inhibitors for caliciviruses.

PubMed

Netzler, Natalie E; Enosi Tuipulotu, Daniel; Eltahla, Auda A; Lun, Jennifer H; Ferla, Salvatore; Brancale, Andrea; Urakova, Nadya; Frese, Michael; Strive, Tanja; Mackenzie, Jason M; White, Peter A

2017-10-01

Viruses of the Caliciviridae cause significant and sometimes lethal diseases, however despite substantial research efforts, specific antivirals are lacking. Broad-spectrum antivirals could combat multiple viral pathogens, offering a rapid solution when no therapies exist. The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is an attractive antiviral target as it is essential for viral replication and lacks mammalian homologs. To focus the search for pan-Caliciviridae antivirals, the RdRp was probed with non-nucleoside inhibitors (NNIs) developed against hepatitis C virus (HCV) to reveal both allosteric ligands for structure-activity relationship enhancement, and highly-conserved RdRp pockets for antiviral targeting. The ability of HCV NNIs to inhibit calicivirus RdRp activities was assessed using in vitro enzyme and murine norovirus cell culture assays. Results revealed that three NNIs which bound the HCV RdRp Thumb I (TI) site also inhibited transcriptional activities of six RdRps spanning the Norovirus, Sapovirus and Lagovirus genera of the Caliciviridae. These NNIs included JTK-109 (RdRp inhibition range: IC 50 4.3-16.6 μM), TMC-647055 (IC 50 range: 18.8-45.4 μM) and Beclabuvir (IC 50 range: 23.8->100 μM). In silico studies and site-directed mutagenesis indicated the JTK-109 binding site was within the calicivirus RdRp thumb domain, in a pocket termed Site-B, which is highly-conserved within all calicivirus RdRps. Additionally, RdRp inhibition assays revealed that JTK-109 was antagonistic with the previously reported RdRp inhibitor pyridoxal-5'-phosphate-6-(2'-naphthylazo-6'-nitro-4',8'-disulfonate) tetrasodium salt (PPNDS), that also binds to Site-B. Moreover, like JTK-109, PPNDS was also a potent inhibitor of polymerases from six viruses spanning the three Caliciviridae genera tested (IC 50 range: 0.1-2.3 μM). Together, this study demonstrates the potential for de novo development of broad-spectrum antivirals that target the highly-conserved RdRp thumb pocket, Site-B. We also revealed three broad-spectrum HCV NNIs that could be used as antiviral scaffolds for further development against caliciviruses and other viruses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strong Genetic Differentiation of Submerged Plant Populations across Mountain Ranges: Evidence from Potamogeton pectinatus in Iran

PubMed Central

Abbasi, Shabnam; Afsharzadeh, Saeed; Saeidi, Hojjatollah; Triest, Ludwig

2016-01-01

Biogeographic barriers for freshwater biota can be effective at various spatial scales. At the largest spatial scale, freshwater organisms can become genetically isolated by their high mountain ranges, vast deserts, and inability to cross oceans. Isolation by distance of aquatic plants is expected to be stronger across than alongside mountain ridges whereas the heterogeneity of habitats among populations and temporary droughts may influence connectivity and hamper dispersal. Suitable aquatic plant habitats became reduced, even for the widespread submerged Potamogeton pectinatus L. (also named Stuckenia pectinata) giving structure to various aquatic habitats. We compared the level of genetic diversity in a heterogeneous series of aquatic habitats across Iran and tested their differentiation over distances and across mountain ranges (Alborz and Zagros) and desert zones (Kavir), with values obtained from temperate region populations. The diversity of aquatic ecosystems across and along large geographic barriers provided a unique ecological situation within Iran. P. pectinatus were considered from thirty-six sites across Iran at direct flight distances ranging from 20 to 1,200 km. Nine microsatellite loci revealed a very high number of alleles over all sites. A PCoA, NJT clustering and STRUCTURE analysis revealed a separate grouping of individuals of southeastern Iranian sites and was confirmed by their different nuclear ITS and cpDNA haplotypes thereby indicating an evolutionary significant unit (ESU). At the level of populations, a positive correlation between allelic differentiation Dest with geographic distance was found. Individual-based STRUCTURE analysis over 36 sites showed 7 genetic clusters. FST and RST values for ten populations reached 0.343 and 0.521, respectively thereby indicating that allele length differences are more important and contain evolutionary information. Overall, higher levels of diversity and a stronger differentiation was revealed among Iranian P. pectinatus than previously observed for temperate European regions, due to regional differences across mountain ranges over long distances. PMID:27560947

Strong Genetic Differentiation of Submerged Plant Populations across Mountain Ranges: Evidence from Potamogeton pectinatus in Iran.

PubMed

Abbasi, Shabnam; Afsharzadeh, Saeed; Saeidi, Hojjatollah; Triest, Ludwig

2016-01-01

Biogeographic barriers for freshwater biota can be effective at various spatial scales. At the largest spatial scale, freshwater organisms can become genetically isolated by their high mountain ranges, vast deserts, and inability to cross oceans. Isolation by distance of aquatic plants is expected to be stronger across than alongside mountain ridges whereas the heterogeneity of habitats among populations and temporary droughts may influence connectivity and hamper dispersal. Suitable aquatic plant habitats became reduced, even for the widespread submerged Potamogeton pectinatus L. (also named Stuckenia pectinata) giving structure to various aquatic habitats. We compared the level of genetic diversity in a heterogeneous series of aquatic habitats across Iran and tested their differentiation over distances and across mountain ranges (Alborz and Zagros) and desert zones (Kavir), with values obtained from temperate region populations. The diversity of aquatic ecosystems across and along large geographic barriers provided a unique ecological situation within Iran. P. pectinatus were considered from thirty-six sites across Iran at direct flight distances ranging from 20 to 1,200 km. Nine microsatellite loci revealed a very high number of alleles over all sites. A PCoA, NJT clustering and STRUCTURE analysis revealed a separate grouping of individuals of southeastern Iranian sites and was confirmed by their different nuclear ITS and cpDNA haplotypes thereby indicating an evolutionary significant unit (ESU). At the level of populations, a positive correlation between allelic differentiation Dest with geographic distance was found. Individual-based STRUCTURE analysis over 36 sites showed 7 genetic clusters. FST and RST values for ten populations reached 0.343 and 0.521, respectively thereby indicating that allele length differences are more important and contain evolutionary information. Overall, higher levels of diversity and a stronger differentiation was revealed among Iranian P. pectinatus than previously observed for temperate European regions, due to regional differences across mountain ranges over long distances.

An indoor air quality study of an alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) holding facility.

PubMed

Wilson, S C; Holder, H W; Martin, J M; Brasel, T L; Andriychuk, L A; Wu, C; Straus, D C; Aguilar, R

2006-06-01

An environmental microbiologic investigation was conducted in an alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) holding facility in a zoo in the southeastern U.S. The facility had housed five alligators between March 1999 and February 2005. In the exhibit, one alligator died and all experienced poor health. It was hypothesized that environmental microbial contamination was associated with these issues. Samples were collected for fungal identification and quantification, microcystin analysis, and airborne mycotoxins. Analyses of air and water were conducted and an examination of the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system (HVAC) for design, maintenance, and operating issues was made. Two control sites, a facility for false gharials (Tomistoma schlegelii) and an off-site alligator breeding facility, were also tested. Morbidity and mortality records were examined for all sites. Results showed that, compared to the control sites, the test alligator facility and its HVAC system were extensively contaminated with a range of fungi. Nearly all sampled surfaces featured fungal growth. There were also significantly higher counts of Penicillium/Aspergillus-like and Chrysosporium-like spores in the air (P < 0.004). The design, maintenance, and operation of the HVAC system were all inadequate, resulting in poorly conditioned and mold-contaminated air being introduced to the facility. Morbidity records revealed solitary pulmonary disorders over time in three alligators, with one dying as a result. The other two alligators suffered from general malaise and a range of nonspecific symptoms. The control facilities had no morbidity or mortality issues. In conclusion, although no causal links could be demonstrated because of the nature of the morbidity data, environmental mold contamination appeared to be associated with the history of morbidity and mortality in the alligator exhibit.

Subscale Validation of the Subsurface Active Filtration of Exhaust (SAFE) Approach to NTP Ground Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshall, William M.; Borowski, Stanley K.; Bulman, Mel; Joyner, Russell; Martin, Charles R.

2015-01-01

Brief History of NTP: Project Rover Began in 1950s by Los Alamos Scientific Labs (now Los Alamos National Labs) and ran until 1970s Tested a series of nuclear reactor engines of varying size at Nevada Test Site (now Nevada National Security Site) Ranged in scale from 111 kN (25 klbf) to 1.1 MN (250 klbf) Included Nuclear Furnace-1 tests Demonstrated the viability and capability of a nuclear rocket engine test program One of Kennedys 4 goals during famous moon speech to Congress Nuclear Engines for Rocket Vehicle Applications (NERVA) Atomic Energy Commission and NASA joint venture started in 1964 Parallel effort to Project Rover was focused on technology demonstration Tested XE engine, a 245-kN (55-klbf) engine to demonstrate startup shutdown sequencing. Hot-hydrogen stream is passed directly through fuel elements potential for radioactive material to be eroded into gaseous fuel flow as identified in previous programs NERVA and Project Rover (1950s-70s) were able to test in open atmosphere similar to conventional rocket engine test stands today Nuclear Furance-1 tests employed a full scrubber system Increased government and environmental regulations prohibit the modern testing in open atmosphere. Since the 1960s, there has been an increasing cessation on open air testing of nuclear material Political and national security concerns further compound the regulatory environment

Status of the flora and fauna on the Nevada Test Site, 1993. Results of continuing basic environmental monitoring, January through December 1993

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

Hunter, R.B.

1994-09-01

This report provides the results of monitoring of plants and animals on the Nevada Test Site during calendar year 1993. Monitoring was accomplished under the Department of Energy`s Basic Environmental Compliance and Monitoring Program, initiated in 1987. The program looks at both baseline study areas, chosen to represent undisturbed conditions as much as possible, and areas disturbed by Department of energy (DOE) activities or natural phenomena. DOE disturbances studied include areas blasted by above-ground nuclear tests before 1962, subsidence craters created by underground nuclear tests, road maintenance activities, areas cleared for drilling, and influences of man-made water sources. Natural phenomenamore » studied include recovery from range fires, effects of introduced species, damage to plants by insect outbreaks, and effects of weather fluctuations. In 1993 disturbances examined included several burned areas and roadsides, a drill pad on Pahute Mesa, introduced grasses and shrub removal effects on ephemeral plants, and effects on pine trees of an infestation of pinyon needle scale insects.« less

Project 57 Air Monitoring Report: January 1 through December 31, 2015

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

Mizell, Steve A; Nikolich, George; Shadel, Craig

2017-01-01

On April 24, 1957, the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC, now the Department of Energy [DOE]) conducted the Project 57 safety experiment in western Emigrant Valley north east of the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS, formerly the Nevada Test Site) on lands withdrawn by the Department of Defense (DOD) for the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). The test was undertaken to develop (1) a means of estimating plutonium distribution resulting from a non-nuclear detonation; (2) biomedical evaluation techniques for use in plutonium-laden environments; (3) methods of surface decontamination; and (4) instruments and field procedures for prompt estimation of alpha contaminationmore » (Shreve, 1958). Although the test did not result in the fission of nuclear materials, it did disseminate plutonium across the land surface. Following the experiment, the AEC fenced the contaminated area and returned control of the surrounding land to the DOD. Various radiological surveys were performed in the area and in 2007, the DOE expanded the demarked Contamination Area by posting signs 200 to 400 feet (60 to 120 meters) outside of the original fence.« less

Project 57 Air Monitoring Report: January 1 through December 31, 2016

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

Mizell, Steve A.; Nikolich, George; Shadel, Craig

On April 24, 1957, the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC, now the Department of Energy [DOE]) conducted the Project 57 safety experiment in western Emigrant Valley northeast of the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS, formerly the Nevada Test Site) on lands withdrawn by the Department of Defense (DOD) for the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). The test was undertaken to develop (1) a means of estimating plutonium distribution resulting from a non-nuclear detonation; (2) biomedical evaluation techniques for use in plutonium-laden environments; (3) methods of surface decontamination; and (4) instruments and field procedures for prompt estimation of alpha contamination (Shreve,more » 1958). Although the test did not result in the fission of nuclear materials, it did disseminate plutonium across the land surface. Following the experiment, the AEC fenced the contaminated area and returned control of the surrounding land to the DOD. Various radiological surveys were performed in the area and in 2007, the DOE expanded the demarked Contamination Area (CA) by posting signs 200 to 400 ft (60 to 120 m) outside of the original fence.« less

Forensic individual age estimation with DNA: From initial approaches to methylation tests.

PubMed

Freire-Aradas, A; Phillips, C; Lareu, M V

2017-07-01

Individual age estimation is a key factor in forensic science analysis that can provide very useful information applicable to criminal, legal, and anthropological investigations. Forensic age inference was initially based on morphological inspection or radiography and only later began to adopt molecular approaches. However, a lack of accuracy or technical problems hampered the introduction of these DNA-based methodologies in casework analysis. A turning point occurred when the epigenetic signature of DNA methylation was observed to gradually change during an individual´s lifespan. In the last four years, the number of publications reporting DNA methylation age-correlated changes has gradually risen and the forensic community now has a range of age methylation tests applicable to forensic casework. Most forensic age predictor models have been developed based on blood DNA samples, but additional tissues are now also being explored. This review assesses the most widely adopted genes harboring methylation sites, detection technologies, statistical age-predictive analyses, and potential causes of variation in age estimates. Despite the need for further work to improve predictive accuracy and establishing a broader range of tissues for which tests can analyze the most appropriate methylation sites, several forensic age predictors have now been reported that provide consistency in their prediction accuracies (predictive error of ±4 years); this makes them compelling tools with the potential to contribute key information to help guide criminal investigations. Copyright © 2017 Central Police University.

Remote sensing and geographic database management systems applications for the protection and conservation of cultural heritage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palumbo, Gaetano; Powlesland, Dominic

1996-12-01

The Getty Conservation Institute is exploring the feasibility of using remote sensing associated with a geographic database management system (GDBMS) in order to provide archaeological and historic site managers with sound evaluations of the tools available for site and information management. The World Heritage Site of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, a complex of archeological sites dating to the 10th to the 13th centuries AD, was selected as a test site. Information from excavations conducted there since the 1930s, and a range of documentation generated by the National Park Service was gathered. NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center contributed multispectral data of the area, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory contributed data from ATLAS (airborne terrestrial applications sensor) and CAMS (calibrated airborne multispectral scanner) scanners. Initial findings show that while 'automatic monitoring systems' will probably never be a reality, with careful comparisons of historic and modern photographs, and performing digital analysis of remotely sensed data, excellent results are possible.

Location analysis and strontium-90 concentrations in deer antlers on the Hanford Site

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

Tiller, B L; Eberhardt, L E; Poston, T M

1995-05-01

The primary objective of this study was to examine the levels of strontium-90 ({sup 90}Sr) in deer antlers collected from near previously active reactor sites and distant from the reactor sites along that portion of the Columbia River which borders the Hanford Site. A second objective was to analyze the movements and home-ranges of mule deer residing within these areas and determine to what extent this information contributes to the observed {sup 90}Sr concentrations. {sup 90}Sr is a long-lived radionuclide (29.1 year half life) produced by fission in irradiated fuel in plutonium production reactors on the Hanford Site. It ismore » also a major component of atmospheric fallout from weapons testing. Concentrations of radionuclides found in the developed environment onsite do not pose a health concern to humans or various wildlife routinely monitored. However, elevated levels of radionuclides in found biota may indicate routes of exposure requiring attention.« less

Three-dimensional DFN Model Development and Calibration: A Case Study for Pahute Mesa, Nevada National Security Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, H. V.; Parashar, R.; Sund, N. L.; Pohlmann, K.

2017-12-01

Pahute Mesa, located in the north-western region of the Nevada National Security Site, is an area where numerous underground nuclear tests were conducted. The mesa contains several fractured aquifers that can potentially provide high permeability pathways for migration of radionuclides away from testing locations. The BULLION Forced-Gradient Experiment (FGE) conducted on Pahute Mesa injected and pumped solute and colloid tracers from a system of three wells for obtaining site-specific information about the transport of radionuclides in fractured rock aquifers. This study aims to develop reliable three-dimensional discrete fracture network (DFN) models to simulate the BULLION FGE as a means for computing realistic ranges of important parameters describing fractured rock. Multiple conceptual DFN models were developed using dfnWorks, a parallelized computational suite developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory, to simulate flow and conservative particle movement in subsurface fractured rocks downgradient from the BULLION test. The model domain is 100x200x100 m and includes the three tracer-test wells of the BULLION FGE and the Pahute Mesa Lava-flow aquifer. The model scenarios considered differ from each other in terms of boundary conditions and fracture density. For each conceptual model, a number of statistically equivalent fracture network realizations were generated using data from fracture characterization studies. We adopt the covariance matrix adaptation-evolution strategy (CMA-ES) as a global local stochastic derivative-free optimization method to calibrate the DFN models using groundwater levels and tracer breakthrough data obtained from the three wells. Models of fracture apertures based on fracture type and size are proposed and the values of apertures in each model are estimated during model calibration. The ranges of fracture aperture values resulting from this study are expected to enhance understanding of radionuclide transport in fractured rocks and support development of improved large-scale flow and transport models for Pahute Mesa.

Evaluating β Diversity as a Surrogate for Species Representation at Fine Scale.

PubMed

Beier, Paul; Albuquerque, Fábio

2016-01-01

Species turnover or β diversity is a conceptually attractive surrogate for conservation planning. However, there has been only 1 attempt to determine how well sites selected to maximize β diversity represent species, and that test was done at a scale too coarse (2,500 km2 sites) to inform most conservation decisions. We used 8 plant datasets, 3 bird datasets, and 1 mammal dataset to evaluate whether sites selected to span β diversity will efficiently represent species at finer scale (sites sizes < 1 ha to 625 km2). We used ordinations to characterize dissimilarity in species assemblages (β diversity) among plots (inventory data) or among grid cells (atlas data). We then selected sites to maximize β diversity and used the Species Accumulation Index, SAI, to evaluate how efficiently the surrogate (selecting sites for maximum β diversity) represented species in the same taxon. Across all 12 datasets, sites selected for maximum β diversity represented species with a median efficiency of 24% (i.e., the surrogate was 24% more effective than random selection of sites), and an interquartile range of 4% to 41% efficiency. β diversity was a better surrogate for bird datasets than for plant datasets, and for atlas datasets with 10-km to 14-km grid cells than for atlas datasets with 25-km grid cells. We conclude that β diversity is more than a mere descriptor of how species are distributed on the landscape; in particular β diversity might be useful to maximize the complementarity of a set of sites. Because we tested only within-taxon surrogacy, our results do not prove that β diversity is useful for conservation planning. But our results do justify further investigation to identify the circumstances in which β diversity performs well, and to evaluate it as a cross-taxon surrogate.

Report of the Preliminary Archaeological Reconnaissance of the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory Site 300, San Joaquin County, California

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

Busby, C

2009-11-24

The area subject to this investigation is the existing Lawrence Livermore Laboratory Site 300, located in the region north of Corral Hollow; approximately eight and one half miles southwest of Tracy, San Joaquin County, California. Cartographic location can be determined from the Tracy and Midway USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangles, the appropriate portions of which are herein reproduced as Maps 1 and 2. The majority of the approximate 7000 acres of the location lies within San Joaquin County. This includes all of the area arbitrarily designated the 'Eastern Portion' on Map 2 and the majority of the area designated themore » 'Western Portion' on Map 1. The remaining acreage, along the western boundary of the location, lies within Alameda County. The area is located in the region of open rolling hills immediately north of Corral Hollow, and ranges in elevation from approximately 600 feet, on the flood plain of Corral Hollow Creek, to approximately 1700 feet in the northwest portion of the project location. Proposed for the area under investigation are various, unspecified improvements or modifications to the existing Site 300 facilities. Present facilities consist of scattered buildings, bunkers and magazines, utilized for testing and research purposes, including the necessary water, power, and transportation improvements to support them. The vast majority of the 7000 acres location is presently open space, utilized as buffer zones between test locations and as firing ranges.« less

Linking multimetric and multivariate approaches to assess the ecological condition of streams.

PubMed

Collier, Kevin J

2009-10-01

Few attempts have been made to combine multimetric and multivariate analyses for bioassessment despite recognition that an integrated method could yield powerful tools for bioassessment. An approach is described that integrates eight macroinvertebrate community metrics into a Principal Components Analysis to develop a Multivariate Condition Score (MCS) from a calibration dataset of 511 samples. The MCS is compared to an Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) derived using the same metrics based on the ratio to the reference site mean. Both approaches were highly correlated although the MCS appeared to offer greater potential for discriminating a wider range of impaired conditions. Both the MCS and IBI displayed low temporal variability within reference sites, and were able to distinguish between reference conditions and low levels of catchment modification and local habitat degradation, although neither discriminated among three levels of low impact. Pseudosamples developed to test the response of the metric aggregation approaches to organic enrichment, urban, mining, pastoral and logging stressor scenarios ranked pressures in the same order, but the MCS provided a lower score for the urban scenario and a higher score for the pastoral scenario. The MCS was calculated for an independent test dataset of urban and reference sites, and yielded similar results to the IBI. Although both methods performed comparably, the MCS approach may have some advantages because it removes the subjectivity of assigning thresholds for scoring biological condition, and it appears to discriminate a wider range of degraded conditions.

Gas Transport and Detection Following Underground Nuclear Explosions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrigan, C. R.; Sun, Y.; Wagoner, J. L.; Zucca, J. J.

2011-12-01

Some extremely rare radioactive noble gases are by-products of underground nuclear explosions, and the detection of significant levels of these gases (e.g., Xe-133 and Ar-37) at the surface is a very strong indicator of the occurrence of an underground nuclear event. Because of their uniqueness, such noble gas signatures can be confirmatory of the nuclear nature of an event while signatures from other important detection methods, such as anomalous seismicity, are generally not. As a result, noble gas detection at a suspected underground nuclear test site is considered to be the most important technique available to inspectors operating under the On-Site-Inspection protocol of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. A one-kiloton chemical underground explosion, the Non-Proliferation Experiment (NPE), was carried out at the Nevada Test Site in 1993 and represented the first On-Site-Inspection oriented test of subsurface gas transport with subsequent detection at the surface using soil gas sampling methods. A major conclusion of the experiment was that noble gases from underground nuclear tests have a good possibility of being detected even if the test is well contained. From this experiment and from computer simulations, we have also learned significant lessons about the modes of gas transport to the surface and the importance of careful subsurface sampling to optimize the detected noble gas signature. Understanding transport and sampling processes for a very wide range of geologic and testing scenarios presents significant challenges that we are currently addressing using sensitivity studies, which we attempt to verify using experiments such as the NPE and a new subsurface gas migration experiment that is now being undertaken at the National Center for Nuclear Security. This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Low-flow characteristics of streams in Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hayes, Donald C.

1991-01-01

Streamflow data were collected and low-flow characteristics computed for 715 gaged sites in Virginia Annual minimum average 7-consecutive-day flows range from 0 to 2,195 cubic feet per second for a 2-year recurrence interval and from 0 to 1,423 cubic feet per second for a 10-year recurrence interval. Drainage areas range from 0.17 to 7,320 square miles. Existing and discontinued gaged sites are separated into three types: long-term continuous-record sites, short-term continuous-record sites, and partial-record sites. Low-flow characteristics for long-term continuous-record sites are determined from frequency curves of annual minimum average 7-consecutive-day flows . Low-flow characteristics for short-term continuous-record sites are estimated by relating daily mean base-flow discharge values at a short-term site to concurrent daily mean discharge values at nearby long-term continuous-record sites having similar basin characteristics . Low-flow characteristics for partial-record sites are estimated by relating base-flow measurements to daily mean discharge values at long-term continuous-record sites. Information from the continuous-record sites and partial-record sites in Virginia are used to develop two techniques for estimating low-flow characteristics at ungaged sites. A flow-routing method is developed to estimate low-flow values at ungaged sites on gaged streams. Regional regression equations are developed for estimating low-flow values at ungaged sites on ungaged streams. The flow-routing method consists of transferring low-flow characteristics from a gaged site, either upstream or downstream, to a desired ungaged site. A simple drainage-area proration is used to transfer values when there are no major tributaries between the gaged and ungaged sites. Standard errors of estimate for108 test sites are 19 percent of the mean for estimates of low-flow characteristics having a 2-year recurrence interval and 52 percent of the mean for estimates of low-flow characteristics having a 10-year recurrence interval . A more complex transfer method must be used when major tributaries enter the stream between the gaged and ungaged sites. Twenty-four stream networks are analyzed, and predictions are made for 84 sites. Standard errors of estimate are 15 percent of the mean for estimates of low-flow characteristics having a 2-year recurrence interval and 22 percent of the mean for estimates of low-flow characteristics having a 10-year recurrence interval. Regional regression equations were developed for estimating low-flow values at ungaged sites on ungaged streams. The State was divided into eight regions on the basis of physiography and geographic grouping of the residuals computed in regression analyses . Basin characteristics that were significant in the regression analysis were drainage area, rock type, and strip-mined area. Standard errors of prediction range from 60 to139 percent for estimates of low-flow characteristics having a 2-year recurrence interval and 90 percent to 172 percent for estimates of low-flow characteristics having a 10-year recurrence interval.

Load limit of a UASB fed septic tank-treated domestic wastewater.

PubMed

Lohani, Sunil Prasad; Bakke, Rune; Khanal, Sanjay N

2015-01-01

Performance of a 250 L pilot-scale up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor, operated at ambient temperatures, fed septic tank effluents intermittently, was monitored for hydraulic retention time (HRT) from 18 h to 4 h. The total suspended solids (TSS), total chemical oxygen demand (CODT), dissolved chemical oxygen demand (CODdis) and suspended chemical oxygen demand (CODss) removal efficiencies ranged from 20 to 63%, 15 to 56%, 8 to 35% and 22 to 72%, respectively, for the HRT range tested. Above 60% TSS and 47% CODT removal were obtained in the combined septic tank and UASB process. The process established stable UASB treatment at HRT≥6 h, indicating a hydraulic load design limit. The tested septic tank-UASB combined system can be a low-cost and effective on-site sanitation solution.

The ERTS-1 investigation (ER-600). Volume 4: ERTS-1 range analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erb, R. B.

1974-01-01

The Range Analysis Team conducted an investigation to determine the utility of using LANDSAT 1 data for mapping vegetation-type information on range and related grazing lands. Two study areas within the Houston Area Test Site (HATS) were mapped to the highest classification level possible using manual image interpretation and computer aided classification techniques. Rangeland was distinguished from nonrangeland (water, urban area, and cropland) and was further classified as woodland versus nonwoodland. Finer classification of coastal features was attempted with some success in differentiating the lowland zone from the drier upland zone. Computer aided temporal analysis techniques enhanced discrimination among nearly all the vegetation types found in this investigation.

Searching for Life with Rovers: Exploration Methods & Science Results from the 2004 Field Campaign of the "Life in the Atacama" Project and Applications to Future Mars Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cabrol, N. A.a; Wettergreen, D. S.; Whittaker, R.; Grin, E. A.; Moersch, J.; Diaz, G. Chong; Cockell, C.; Coppin, P.; Dohm, J. M.; Fisher, G.

2005-01-01

The Life In The Atacama (LITA) project develops and field tests a long-range, solarpowered, automated rover platform (Zo ) and a science payload assembled to search for microbial life in the Atacama desert. Life is barely detectable over most of the driest desert on Earth. Its unique geological, climatic, and biological evolution have created a unique training site for designing and testing exploration strategies and life detection methods for the robotic search for life on Mars.

Integrated Verification Experiment data collected as part of the Los Alamos National Laboratory's Source Region Program

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

Fitzgerald, T.J.; Carlos, R.C.; Argo, P.E.

As part of the integrated verification experiment (IVE), we deployed a network of hf ionospheric sounders to detect the effects of acoustic waves generated by surface ground motion following underground nuclear tests at the Nevada Test Site. The network sampled up to four geographic locations in the ionosphere from almost directly overhead of the surface ground zero out to a horizontal range of 60 km. We present sample results for four of the IVEs: Misty Echo, Texarkana, Mineral Quarry, and Bexar.

KSC-04PD-0679

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Astrotech Space Operations facilities near KSC, workers check the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft after completing rotation on the turnover fixture. Workers will perform the propulsion system phasing test firing gas through the thrusters in order to verify that the right thrusters fire when expected as part of prelaunch testing at the site. Launch is scheduled for May 11 from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft will fly past Venus three times and Mercury twice before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in July 2009.

KSC-04PD-0677

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Astrotech Space Operations facilities near KSC, workers again rotate the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft on the turnover fixture. Workers will perform the propulsion system phasing test firing gas through the thrusters in order to verify that the right thrusters fire when expected as part of prelaunch testing at the site. Launch is scheduled for May 11 from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft will fly past Venus three times and Mercury twice before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in July 2009.

KSC-04PD-0673

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Astrotech Space Operations facilities near KSC, workers begin to rotate the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft on the turnover fixture. Workers will perform the propulsion system phasing test firing gas through the thrusters in order to verify that the right thrusters fire when expected as part of prelaunch testing at the site. Launch is scheduled for May 11 from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft will fly past Venus three times and Mercury twice before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in July 2009.

KSC-04PD-0674

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Astrotech Space Operations facilities near KSC, workers begin to rotate the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft on the turnover fixture. Workers will perform the propulsion system phasing test firing gas through the thrusters in order to verify that the right thrusters fire when expected as part of prelaunch testing at the site. Launch is scheduled for May 11 from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft will fly past Venus three times and Mercury twice before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in July 2009.

KSC-04PD-0678

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Astrotech Space Operations facilities near KSC, workers complete rotation of the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft on the turnover fixture. Workers will perform the propulsion system phasing test firing gas through the thrusters in order to verify that the right thrusters fire when expected as part of prelaunch testing at the site. Launch is scheduled for May 11 from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft will fly past Venus three times and Mercury twice before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in July 2009.

KSC-04PD-0675

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Astrotech Space Operations facilities near KSC, workers check the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft as it rotates on the turnover fixture. Workers will perform the propulsion system phasing test firing gas through the thrusters in order to verify that the right thrusters fire when expected as part of prelaunch testing at the site. Launch is scheduled for May 11 from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft will fly past Venus three times and Mercury twice before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in July 2009.

A tentative protocol for measurement of radon availability from the ground

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tanner, A.B.

1988-01-01

A procedure is being tested in order to determine its suitability for assessing the intrinsic ability of the ground at a particular site to supply radon (222Rn) to a basement structure to be built on the site. The mean migration distance, multiplied by the measured radon concentration gives the "Radon Availability Number' (RAN). Measurements at sites of known indoor radon concentration suggest that RANs below 2 kBq/m2 (5x104 pCi/m2) indicate little chance of elevated indoor radon and RANs above 20 kBq/m2 (5x105 pCi/m2) indicate that elevated indoor radon is likely. The range of uncertainty and the point-to-point and seasonal variations to be expected are under investigation. -from Author

Tritium in well waters, streams and atomic lakes in the East Kazakhstan Oblast of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site.

PubMed

Mitchell, Peter I; Vintró, Luis León; Omarova, Aigul; Burkitbayev, Mukhambetkali; Nápoles, Humberto Jiménez; Priest, Nicholas D

2005-06-01

The concentration of tritium has been determined in well waters, streams and atomic lakes in the Sarzhal, Tel'kem, Balapan and Degelen Mountains areas of the Semipalatinsk Test Site. The data show that levels of tritium in domestic well waters within the settlement of Sarzhal are extremely low at the present time with a median value of 4.4 Bq dm(-3) (95% confidence interval:4.1-4.7 Bq dm(-3)). These levels are only marginally above the background tritium content in surface waters globally. Levels in the atomic craters at Tel'kem 1 and Tel'kem 2 are between one and two orders of magnitude higher, while the level in Lake Balapan is approximately 12,600 Bq dm(-3). Significantly, levels in streams and test-tunnel waters sourced in the Degelen Mountains, the site of approximately 215 underground nuclear tests, are a further order of magnitude higher, being in the range 133,000--235,500 Bq dm(-3). No evidence was adduced which indicates that domestic wells in Sarzhal are contaminated by tritium-rich waters sourced in the Degelen massif, suggesting that the latter are not connected hydrologically to the near-surface groundwater recharging the Sarzhal wells. Annual doses to humans arising from the ingestion of tritium in these well waters are very low at the present time and are of no radiological significance.

Status of the first Antarctic survey telescopes for Dome A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhengyang; Yuan, Xiangyan; Cui, Xiangqun; Wang, Daxing; Gong, Xuefei; Du, Fujia; Zhang, Yi; Hu, Yi; Wen, Haikun; Li, Xiaoyan; Xu, Lingzhe; Shang, Zhaohui; Wang, Lifan

2012-09-01

The preliminary site testing carried out since the beginning of 2008 shows the Antarctic Dome A is very likely to be the best astronomical site on earth even better than Dome C and suitable for observations ranging from optical wavelength to infrared and sub-millimeter. After the Chinese Small Telescope Array (CSTAR) which is composed of four small fixed telescopes with diameter of 145mm and mounted on Dome A in 2008 for site testing and variable star monitor, three Antarctic Survey Telescopes (AST3) were proposed for observations of supernovas and extrasolar planets searching. AST3 is composed of 3 large field of view catadioptric telescopes with 500mm entrance diameter and G, R, I filter for each. The telescopes can point and track autonomously along with a light and foldable dome to keep the snow and icing build up. A precise auto-focusing mechanism is designed to make the telescope work at the right focus under large temperature difference. The control and tracking components and assembly were successfully tested at from normal temperature down to -80 Celsius degree. Testing observations of the first AST3 showed it can deliver good and uniform images over the field of 8 square degrees. The first telescope was successfully mounted on Dome A in Jan. 2012 and the automatic observations were started from Mar. 2012.

Flight Testing ALHAT Precision Landing Technologies Integrated Onboard the Morpheus Rocket Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carson, John M. III; Robertson, Edward A.; Trawny, Nikolas; Amzajerdian, Farzin

2015-01-01

A suite of prototype sensors, software, and avionics developed within the NASA Autonomous precision Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) project were terrestrially demonstrated onboard the NASA Morpheus rocket-propelled Vertical Testbed (VTB) in 2014. The sensors included a LIDAR-based Hazard Detection System (HDS), a Navigation Doppler LIDAR (NDL) velocimeter, and a long-range Laser Altimeter (LAlt) that enable autonomous and safe precision landing of robotic or human vehicles on solid solar system bodies under varying terrain lighting conditions. The flight test campaign with the Morpheus vehicle involved a detailed integration and functional verification process, followed by tether testing and six successful free flights, including one night flight. The ALHAT sensor measurements were integrated into a common navigation solution through a specialized ALHAT Navigation filter that was employed in closed-loop flight testing within the Morpheus Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C) subsystem. Flight testing on Morpheus utilized ALHAT for safe landing site identification and ranking, followed by precise surface-relative navigation to the selected landing site. The successful autonomous, closed-loop flight demonstrations of the prototype ALHAT system have laid the foundation for the infusion of safe, precision landing capabilities into future planetary exploration missions.

Multi-year levels and trends of non-methane hydrocarbon concentrations observed in ambient air in France

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waked, Antoine; Sauvage, Stéphane; Borbon, Agnès; Gauduin, Julie; Pallares, Cyril; Vagnot, Marie-Pierre; Léonardis, Thierry; Locoge, Nadine

2016-09-01

Measurements of 31 non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) were carried out at three urban (Paris, 2003-2014, Strasbourg, 2002-2014 and Lyon, 2007-2014) sites in France over the period of a decade. A trend analysis was applied by means of the Mann-Kendall non-parametric test to annual and seasonal mean concentrations in order to point out changes in specific emission sources and to assess the impact of emission controls and reduction strategies. The trends were compared to those from three rural sites (Peyrusse-Vieille, 2002-2013, Tardière, 2003-2013 and Donon, 1997-2007). The results obtained showed a significant yearly decrease in pollutant concentrations over the study period and for the majority of species in the range of -1 to -7% in accordance with the decrease of NMHC emissions in France (-5 to -9%). Concentrations of long-lived species such as ethane and propane which are recognized as tracers of distant sources and natural gas remained constant. Compounds associated with combustion processes such as acetylene, propene, ethylene and benzene showed a significant decline in the range of -2% to -5% yr-1. These trends are consistent with those recently described at urban and background sites in the northern mid-latitudes and with emission inventories. C7-C9 aromatics such as toluene and xylenes as well as C4-C5 alkanes such as isopentane and isobutane also showed a significant decrease in the range of -3% to -7% yr-1. The decreasing trends in terms of % yr-1 observed at these French urban sites were typically higher for acetylene, ethylene and benzene than those reported for French rural sites of the national observatory of Measurement and Evaluation in Rural areas of trans-boundary Air pollution (MERA). The study also highlighted the difficult choice of a long term sampling site representative of the general trends of pollutant concentrations.

Chlorine-36 and cesium-137 in ice-core samples from mid-latitude glacial sites in the Northern Hemisphere

USGS Publications Warehouse

Green, J.R.; Cecil, L.D.; Synal, H.-A.; Kreutz, K.J.; Wake, C.P.; Naftz, D.L.; Frape, S.K.

2000-01-01

Chlorine-36 (36Cl) concentrations, 36Cl/Cl ratios, and 36Cl fluxes in ice-core samples collected from the Upper Fremont Glacier (UFG) in the Wind River Mountain Range, Wyoming, United States and the Nangpai Gosum Glacier (NGG) in the Himalayan Mountains, Nepal, were determined and compared with published results from the Dye-3 ice-core drilling site on the Greenland Ice Sheet. Cesium-137 (137Cs) concentrations in the NGG also were determined. The background fluxes for 36Cl for each glacial site were similar: (1.6??0.3)??10-2 atoms/cm2 s for the UFG samples, (0.7??0.1)??10-2 atoms/cm2 s for the NGG samples, and (0.4??0.1)??10-2 atoms/cm2 s for the Dye-3 samples. The 36Cl fluxes in ice that was deposited as snow during peak atmospheric nuclear weapon test (1957-1958) were (33??1)??10-2 atoms/cm2 s for the UFG site, (291??3)??10-2 atoms/cm2 s for the NGG site, and (124??5)??10-2 atoms/ cm2 s for the Dye-3 site. A weapon test period 137Cs concentration of 0.79??0.05 Bq/kg in the NGG ice core also was detected in the same section of ice that contained the largest 36Cl concentration. ?? 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Health assessment for Salem Acres, Essex County, Salem, Massachusetts, Region 1. CERCLIS No. MAD980525240. Preliminary report

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

Not Available

The Salem Acres, Incorporated site is a 235 acre parcel located in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts. There are pits at the site which have apparently been filled with sewage sludge and tannery wastes. Organic compounds and metals have been found in the sludge in the pits, generally in the high parts-per-million range in very limited testing. Compounds detected in sludge included PCB-1254, lead, chromium, and mercury. Soil samples in the area did not show evident contamination. Off-site surface water had elevated levels of lead; two measurements were 64 ug/l and 89 ug/l, approximately. An oil sheen in surface water andmore » vegetation typical of polluted areas indicated water quality degradation. The site is considered to be of potential public health concern because of the risk to human health caused by the possibility of exposure to hazardous substances via continued direct exposure to soils, sediments and sludge residues in marginal areas of the site, and any consumption of any fish from the streams draining the site.« less

Azimuth selection for sea level measurements using geodetic GPS receivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiaolei; Zhang, Qin; Zhang, Shuangcheng

2018-03-01

Based on analysis of Global Positioning System (GPS) multipath signals recorded by a geodetic GPS receiver, GPS Reflectometry (GPS-R) has demonstrated unique advantages in relation to sea level monitoring. Founded on multipath reflectometry theory, sea level changes can be measured by GPS-R through spectral analysis of recorded signal-to-noise ratio data. However, prior to estimating multipath parameters, it is necessary to define azimuth and elevation angle mask to ensure the reflecting zones are on water. Here, a method is presented to address azimuth selection, a topic currently under active development in the field of GPS-R. Data from three test sites: the Kachemak Bay GPS site PBAY in Alaska (USA), Friday Harbor GPS site SC02 in the San Juan Islands (USA), and Brest Harbor GPS site BRST in Brest (France) are analyzed. These sites are located in different multipath environments, from a rural coastal area to a busy harbor, and they experience different tidal ranges. Estimates by the GPS tide gauges at azimuths selected by the presented method are compared with measurements from physical tide gauges and acceptable correspondence found for all three sites.

Solar energy system economic evaluation: Fern Tunkhannock, Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1980-09-01

The economic performance of an Operational Test Site (OTS) is described. The long term economic performance of the system at its installation site and extrapolation to four additional selected locations to demonstrate the viability of the design over a broad range of environmental and economic conditions is reported. Topics discussed are: system description, study approach, economic analysis and system optimization, and technical and economical results of analysis. Data for the economic analysis are generated through evaluation of the OTS. The simulation is based on the technical results of the seasonal report simulation. In addition localized and standard economic parameters are used for economic analysis.

Solar energy system economic evaluation: Fern Tunkhannock, Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The economic performance of an Operational Test Site (OTS) is described. The long term economic performance of the system at its installation site and extrapolation to four additional selected locations to demonstrate the viability of the design over a broad range of environmental and economic conditions is reported. Topics discussed are: system description, study approach, economic analysis and system optimization, and technical and economical results of analysis. Data for the economic analysis are generated through evaluation of the OTS. The simulation is based on the technical results of the seasonal report simulation. In addition localized and standard economic parameters are used for economic analysis.

Improved treatment of global positioning system force parameters in precise orbit determination applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vigue, Y.; Lichten, S. M.; Muellerschoen, R. J.; Blewitt, G.; Heflin, M. B.

1993-01-01

Data collected from a worldwide 1992 experiment were processed at JPL to determine precise orbits for the satellites of the Global Positioning System (GPS). A filtering technique was tested to improve modeling of solar-radiation pressure force parameters for GPS satellites. The new approach improves orbit quality for eclipsing satellites by a factor of two, with typical results in the 25- to 50-cm range. The resultant GPS-based estimates for geocentric coordinates of the tracking sites, which include the three DSN sites, are accurate to 2 to 8 cm, roughly equivalent to 3 to 10 nrad of angular measure.

Longevity records and survival estimate of birds in a Guatemala rain forest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robbins, C.S.; Dowell, B.; Hines, J.

2002-01-01

Birds were mist-netted for ten consecutive 'winter' seasons at two sites on Cerro San Gil and for three to nine seasons at eight other sites on the mountain. Sixteen nets were used at each site for three days; net locations were the same each year. From 1,255 subsequent-year recaptures we computed annual survival using the program MARK. A low annual survival of 0.26+0.03 for Long-tailed Hermit probably reflects extensive wandering in search of food. The only other residents with low survival rates were Ochre-bellied Flycatcher (0.32) and Olive-backed Euphonia (0.38). Other residents tested ranged from 0.49 for Red-capped Manakin to 0.67 for Stub-tailed Spadebill and are within ranges reported from other tropical sites. Rates for migrants were lower, ranging from 0.33 (Worm-eating Warbler) to 0.45 (Kentucky Warbler). Limiting the analysis to known territorial adults (birds that had already returned from a previous year), raised survival rates for residents an average of 0.05, whereas rates for wintering migratory species remained unchanged. The oldest birds recaptured were all residents: Scalythroated Leaftosser (9 years 9 months), Tawny-winged and Wedge-billed Woodcreepers, Northern Bentbill, Tawny-crowned Greenlet, and White-breasted Woodwren (8 years 9 months each). Ages over three years nine months were recorded for 46 species; for the majority of these, new maximum age records were established. A positive relationship was found between survival rate and maximum age and between sample size and maximum age

Trends in biomarkers, biotic indices, and fish population size revealed contrasting long-term effects of recycled water on the ecological status of a Mediterranean river.

PubMed

Colin, Nicole; Maceda-Veiga, Alberto; Monroy, Mario; Ortega-Ribera, Martí; Llorente, Mireia; de Sostoa, Adolfo

2017-11-01

Recycled water is important for maintaining river flow in semi-arid regions. However, it has ecological risk, as suggested by comparison of habitat and white and red blood cell count in two wild fish species (Barbus meridionalis and Squalius laietanus) before and after an input of recycled water in Ripoll River (NE Spain) in 2009. Due to the lack of normal ranges for blood variables in wild fish, we surveyed seasonally the same river reaches in 2013 to test if blood alterations from 2009 compromised the viability of the fish populations. By examining other indicators of river health in baseline and polluted sites (fish abundance, mass-length relationships, and community indices in fish, diatoms and invertebrates), we tested for the superior utility of blood tests in biomonitoring. The comparison of water quality and scores of diatoms and invertebrate indices between polluted and reference sites showed that polluted sites improved from 2009 to 2013. The abundance of B. meridionalis also increased in polluted sites, but that of S. laietanus declined in 2013 compared to 2009. These results contrast with results of blood analyses in 2009, which suggested that B. meridionalis was more seriously affected by pollution than S. laietanus. The fish index did not reveal the risk of recycled water to fish health, whereas fish mass-length relationships suggested that S. laietanus individuals in 2013 had a better body condition in polluted than in reference sites. Given that the two fish species had opposite results in reference sites, and that the physical habitat was more suitable for B. meridionalis in polluted sites in 2013 than was for S. laietanus, trends in population size are not only explained by pollution. The role of phenology is suggested by peaks in blood disorders during the breeding season. However, more long-term studies combining indicators of river health at the individual and community scales are needed to fully assess the ecological risk of recycled water in this river. These studies will also help to develop blood tests as reliable health indicators in wild fish populations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Satellite Laser Ranging in the 1990s: Report of the 1994 Belmont Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Degnan, John J. (Editor)

1994-01-01

An international network of 43 stations in 30 countries routinely collects satellite ranging data which is used to study the solid Earth and its interactions with the oceans, atmosphere, and Moon. Data products include centimeter accuracy site positions on a global scale, tectonic plate motions, regional crustal deformation, long wavelength gravity field and geoid, polar motion, and variations in the Earth's spin rate. By calibrating and providing precise orbits for spaceborne microwave altimeters, satellite laser ranging also enables global measurement of sea and ice surface topography, mean sea level, global ocean circulation, and short wavelength gravity fields and marine geoids. It provides tests of general relativity and a means or subnanosecond time transfer. This workshop was convened to define future roles and directions in satellite laser ranging.

Quality and content of internet-based information on temporomandibular disorders.

PubMed

Park, Min Woo; Jo, Jeong Hwan; Park, Ji Woon

2012-01-01

To use a range of evaluation instruments to assess the content and quality of websites about temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and thereby provide guidance regarding the actual accuracy and comprehensiveness of the information of the sites. Sixty-seven websites resulting from an Internet search with the word "TMD" were evaluated using Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), DISCERN, and Health on the Net (HON) criteria, along with an evaluation method to assess the scientific quality of the website contents. Results were compared according to reviewer, website type, and presence of HON seal. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Student t test, chi-square test, and Pearson correlation analysis were used as appropriate. The mean content, HON, and DISCERN scores were 38.9%, below 50%, and 53.9% of the maximum possible score, respectively. Fewer than 50% of the sites displayed the author or reference of the information according to the JAMA benchmarks criteria. Every evaluation criteria showed good agreement among reviewers. Commercial websites were the most common, while sites of nonprofit organizations showed the highest content scores. The overall quality was poor to moderate for all website types. Sites concerning TMD were poorly organized and maintained. Also, most sites contained insufficient or scientifically incorrect information that could have a negative effect on the treatment outcome and prognosis of TMD. Clinicians should guide patients to reputable sources of information that will enhance patient comprehension and better treatment outcomes.

Statistical design and analysis of environmental studies for plutonium and other transuranics at NAEG ''safety-shot'' sites

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

Gilbert, R.O.; Eberhardt, L.L.; Fowler, E.B.

This paper is centered around the use of stratified random sampling for estimating the total amount (inventory) of $sup 239-240$Pu and uranium in surface soil at ten ''safety-shot'' sites on the Nevada Test Site (NTS) and Tonopah Test Range (TTR) that are currently being studied by the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG). The use of stratified random sampling has resulted in estimates of inventory at these desert study sites that have smaller standard errors than would have been the case had simple random sampling (no stratification) been used. Estimates of inventory are given for $sup 235$U, $sup 238$U, and $supmore » 239-240$Pu in soil at A Site of Area 11 on the NTS. Other results presented include average concentrations of one or more of these isotopes in soil and vegetation and in soil profile samples at depths to 25 cm. The regression relationship between soil and vegetation concentrations of $sup 235$U and $sup 238$U at adjacent sampling locations is also examined using three different models. The applicability of stratified random sampling to the estimation of concentration contours of $sup 239-240$Pu in surface soil using computer algorithms is also investigated. Estimates of such contours are obtained using several different methods. The planning of field sampling plans for estimating inventory and distribution is discussed. (auth)« less

Chronology of Pu isotopes and 236U in an Arctic ice core.

PubMed

Wendel, C C; Oughton, D H; Lind, O C; Skipperud, L; Fifield, L K; Isaksson, E; Tims, S G; Salbu, B

2013-09-01

In the present work, state of the art isotopic fingerprinting techniques are applied to an Arctic ice core in order to quantify deposition of U and Pu, and to identify possible tropospheric transport of debris from former Soviet Union test sites Semipalatinsk (Central Asia) and Novaya Zemlya (Arctic Ocean). An ice core chronology of (236)U, (239)Pu, and (240)Pu concentrations, and atom ratios, measured by accelerator mass spectrometry in a 28.6m deep ice core from the Austfonna glacier at Nordaustlandet, Svalbard is presented. The ice core chronology corresponds to the period 1949 to 1999. The main sources of Pu and (236)U contamination in the Arctic were the atmospheric nuclear detonations in the period 1945 to 1980, as global fallout, and tropospheric fallout from the former Soviet Union test sites Novaya Zemlya and Semipalatinsk. Activity concentrations of (239+240)Pu ranged from 0.008 to 0.254 mBq cm(-2) and (236)U from 0.0039 to 0.053 μBq cm(-2). Concentrations varied in concordance with (137)Cs concentrations in the same ice core. In contrast to previous published results, the concentrations of Pu and (236)U were found to be higher at depths corresponding to the pre-moratorium period (1949 to 1959) than to the post-moratorium period (1961 and 1962). The (240)Pu/(239)Pu ratio ranged from 0.15 to 0.19, and (236)U/(239)Pu ranged from 0.18 to 1.4. The Pu atom ratios ranged within the limits of global fallout in the most intensive period of nuclear atmospheric testing (1952 to 1962). To the best knowledge of the authors the present work is the first publication on biogeochemical cycles with respect to (236)U concentrations and (236)U/(239)Pu atom ratios in the Arctic and in ice cores. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clinical disease and laboratory abnormalities in free-ranging desert tortoises in California (1990-1995).

PubMed

Christopher, Mary M; Berry, Kristin H; Henen, Brian T; Nagy, Kenneth A

2003-01-01

Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) populations have experienced precipitous declines resulting from the cumulative impact of habitat loss and human and disease-related mortality. Diagnosis of disease in live, free-ranging tortoises is facilitated by evaluation of clinical signs and laboratory test results but may be complicated by seasonal and environmental effects. The goals of this study were: 1) to describe and monitor clinical and laboratory signs of disease in adult, free-ranging desert tortoises at three sites in the Mojave Desert of California (USA) between October 1990 and October 1995; 2) to evaluate associations between clinical signs and hematologic, biochemical, serologic, and microbiologic test results; 3) to characterize disease patterns by site, season, and sex; and 4) to assess the utility of diagnostic tests in predicting morbidity and mortality. Venous blood samples were obtained four times per year from tortoises of both sexes at the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area (DTNA), Goffs/Fenner Valley, and Ivanpah Valley. Tortoises were given a physical examination, and clinical abnormalities were graded by type and severity. Of 108 tortoises, 68.5% had clinical signs of upper respiratory tract disease consistent with mycoplasmosis at least once during the study period. In addition, 48.1% developed moderate to severe shell lesions consistent with cutaneous dyskeratosis. Ulcerated or plaque-like oral lesions were noted on single occasions in 23% of tortoises at Goffs and 6% of tortoises at Ivanpah. Tortoises with oral lesions were significantly more likely than tortoises without lesions to have positive nasal cultures for Mycoplasma agassizii (P = 0.001) and to be dehydrated (P = 0.0007). Nine tortoises had marked azotemia (blood urea nitrogen [BUN] > 100 mg/dl) or persistent azotemia (BUN 63-76 mg/dl); four of these died, three of which had necropsy confirmation of urinary tract disease. Laboratory tests had low sensitivity but high specificity in assessing morbidity and mortality; there was marked discrepancy between serologic and culture results for M. agassizii. Compared with tortoises at other sites, tortoises at DTNA were more likely to be seropositive for M. agassizii. Tortoises at Goffs were significantly more likely to have moderate to severe shell disease, oral lesions, positive nasal cultures for M. agassizii, and increased plasma aspartate aminotransferase activity. The severe disease prevalence in Goffs tortoises likely contributed to the population decline that occurred during and subsequent to this study.

Clinical disease and laboratory abnormalities in free-ranging desert tortoises in California (1990-1995)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Christopher, Mary M.; Berry, Kristin H.; Henen, Brian T.; Nagy, Kenneth A.

2003-01-01

Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) populations have experienced precipitous declines resulting from the cumulative impact of habitat loss and human and disease-related mortality. Diagnosis of disease in live, free-ranging tortoises is facilitated by evaluation of clinical signs and laboratory test results but may be complicated by seasonal and environmental effects. The goals of this study were: 1) to describe and monitor clinical and laboratory signs of disease in adult, free-ranging desert tortoises at three sites in the Mojave Desert of California (USA) between October 1990 and October 1995; 2) to evaluate associations between clinical signs and hematologic, biochemical, serologic, and microbiologic test results; 3) to characterize disease patterns by site, season, and sex; and 4) to assess the utility of diagnostic tests in predicting morbidity and mortality. Venous blood samples were obtained four times per year from tortoises of both sexes at the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area (DTNA), Goffs/Fenner Valley, and Ivanpah Valley. Tortoises were given a physical examination, and clinical abnormalities were graded by type and severity. Of 108 tortoises, 68.5% had clinical signs of upper respiratory tract disease consistent with mycoplasmosis at least once during the study period. In addition, 48.1% developed moderate to severe shell lesions consistent with cutaneous dyskeratosis. Ulcerated or plaque-like oral lesions were noted on single occasions in 23% of tortoises at Goffs and 6% of tortoises at Ivanpah. Tortoises with oral lesions were significantly more likely than tortoises without lesions to have positive nasal cultures for Mycoplasma agassizii(P=0.001) and to be dehydrated (P=0.0007). Nine tortoises had marked azotemia (blood urea nitrogen [BUN] >100 mg/dl) or persistent azotemia (BUN 63–76 mg/dl); four of these died, three of which had necropsy confirmation of urinary tract disease. Laboratory tests had low sensitivity but high specificity in assessing morbidity and mortality; there was marked discrepancy between serologic and culture results for M. agassizii. Compared with tortoises at other sites, tortoises at DTNA were more likely to be seropositive for M. agassizii. Tortoises at Goffs were significantly more likely to have moderate to severe shell disease, oral lesions, positive nasal cultures for M. agassizii, and increased plasma aspartate aminotransferase activity. The severe disease prevalence in Goffs tortoises likely contributed to the population decline that occurred during and subsequent to this study.

Sediment transport and water-quality characteristics and loads, White River, northwestern Colorado, water years 1975-88

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tobin, R.L.

1993-01-01

Streamflow, sediment, and water-quality data are summarized for 6 sites on the White River, Colorado for water years 1975-88. Correlation techniques were used to estimate annual data for unmeasured years. Annual stream discharge in the main stem of the White River ranged from about 200,000 to about 1 million acre-feet. Generally, bedload was less than/= 3.3 percent of total sediment load. Annual suspended-sediment loads ranged from about 2,100 tons at the upstream sites on the North Fork and South Fork of the White River to about 2 million tons at the most downstream site. Average annual suspended-sediment loads ranged from about 11,000 tons at the upstream sites to about 705,000 tons at the most downstream site. Annual capacity losses in a 50,000 acre-ft reservoir could range from less than 0.01 percent near upstream sites to about 2.5 percent near downstream sites. Maximum water temperatures in the White River ranged from less than 20 to 25 C in summer. Specific conductance ranged from 200 to 1,000 microsiemens/cm. Generally, values of pH ranged from 7.6 to 8.8, and concentrations of dissolved oxygen were greater than 6.0 mg/L. In small streamflows, values of pH and dissolved oxygen were affected by biologic processes. Composition of dissolved solids in the White River was mostly calcium, bicarbonate, and(or) sulfate. Changes in the composition of dissolved solids caused by the changes in the concentrations of sodium and sulfate were greatest in small stream discharges. Annual loads of dissolved solids ranged from 21,100 tons in the South Fork to about 480,000 tons at the most downstream site. Total solids transport in the White River was mostly as dissolved solids at upstream sites and mostly as suspended sediment at downstream sites. Concentration ranges of nutrients and trace constituents were determined.

Blending of Radial HF Radar Surface Current and Model Using ETKF Scheme For The Sunda Strait

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mujiasih, Subekti; Riyadi, Mochammad; Wandono, Dr; Wayan Suardana, I.; Nyoman Gede Wiryajaya, I.; Nyoman Suarsa, I.; Hartanto, Dwi; Barth, Alexander; Beckers, Jean-Marie

2017-04-01

Preliminary study of data blending of surface current for Sunda Strait-Indonesia has been done using the analysis scheme of the Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter (ETKF). The method is utilized to combine radial velocity from HF Radar and u and v component of velocity from Global Copernicus - Marine environment monitoring service (CMEMS) model. The initial ensemble is based on the time variability of the CMEMS model result. Data tested are from 2 CODAR Seasonde radar sites in Sunda Strait and 2 dates such as 09 September 2013 and 08 February 2016 at 12.00 UTC. The radial HF Radar data has a hourly temporal resolution, 20-60 km of spatial range, 3 km of range resolution, 5 degree of angular resolution and spatial resolution and 11.5-14 MHz of frequency range. The u and v component of the model velocity represents a daily mean with 1/12 degree spatial resolution. The radial data from one HF radar site is analyzed and the result compared to the equivalent radial velocity from CMEMS for the second HF radar site. Error checking is calculated by root mean squared error (RMSE). Calculation of ensemble analysis and ensemble mean is using Sangoma software package. The tested R which represents observation error covariance matrix, is a diagonal matrix with diagonal elements equal 0.05, 0.5 or 1.0 m2/s2. The initial ensemble members comes from a model simulation spanning a month (September 2013 or February 2016), one year (2013) or 4 years (2013-2016). The spatial distribution of the radial current are analyzed and the RMSE values obtained from independent HF radar station are optimized. It was verified that the analysis reproduces well the structure included in the analyzed HF radar data. More importantly, the analysis was also improved relative to the second independent HF radar site. RMSE of the improved analysis is better than first HF Radar site Analysis. The best result of the blending exercise was obtained for observation error variance equal to 0.05 m2/s2. This study is still preliminary step, but it gives promising result for bigger size of data, combining other model and further development. Keyword: HF Radar, Sunda Strait, ETKF, CMEMS

Nondestructive estimation of Pinus taeda L. wood properties for samples from a wide range of sites in Georgia

Treesearch

P.D. Jones; L.R. Schimleck; G.F. Peter; R.F. Daniels; A. Clark

2005-01-01

Preliminary studies based on small sample sets show that near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has the potential for rapidly estimating many important wood properties. However, if NIR is to be used operationally, then calibrations using several hundred samples from a wide variety of growing conditions need to be developed and their performance tested on samples from new...

The application of automatic recognition techniques in the Apollo 9 SO-65 experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macdonald, R. B.

1970-01-01

A synoptic feature analysis is reported on Apollo 9 remote earth surface photographs that uses the methods of statistical pattern recognition to classify density points and clusterings in digital conversion of optical data. A computer derived geological map of a geological test site indicates that geological features of the range are separable, but that specific rock types are not identifiable.

A general power equation for predicting bed load transport rates in gravel bed rivers

Treesearch

Jeffrey J. Barry; John M. Buffington; John G. King

2004-01-01

A variety of formulae has been developed to predict bed load transport in gravel bed rivers, ranging from simple regressions to complex multiparameter formulations. The ability to test these formulae across numerous field sites has, until recently, been hampered by a paucity of bed load transport data for gravel bed rivers. We use 2104 bed load transport observations...

Survey for the presence of Phytophthora cinnamomi on reclaimed mined lands in Ohio chosen for restoration of the American chestnut

Treesearch

Shiv Hiremath; Kirsten Lehtoma; Jenise M. Bauman

2013-01-01

We have been planting blight resistant American chestnut seedlings on reclaimed coal mined areas in Southeastern Ohio, which was once within the natural range of the American chestnut. Towards the goal of restoring the American chestnut, we are testing suitable sites that can aid survival, growth and establishment of planted seedlings pre-inoculated with...

Growth of planted ponderosa pine thinned to different stocking levels in northern California

Treesearch

William W. Oliver

1979-01-01

Growth was strongly related to growing stock level (GSL) for 5 years after thinning 20-year-old poles on Site Index50 115 land at the Elliot Ranch Plantation in northern California. Five GSL's-basal areas anticipated when trees average 10 inches d.b.h. or more-ranging from 40 to 160 square feet per acre were tested. Periodic annual increment...

White oak growth after 23 Years in a three-site provenance/progeny trial on a latitudinal gradient in Indiana

Treesearch

Yen-Ning Huang; Hao Zhang; Scott Rogers; Mark Coggeshall; Keith Woeste

2015-01-01

To increase the availability of improved, adapted white oak (Quercus alba L.) for midwestern United States landowners, we analyzed data from three 23-year-old provenance/progeny tests of 70 open-pollinated progenies from 17 provenances. Our goal was to estimate the heritability of height growth and range of adaptation and ultimately to determine...

Helical screw expander evaluation project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckay, R.

1982-01-01

A one MW helical rotary screw expander power system for electric power generation from geothermal brine was evaluated. The technology explored in the testing is simple, potentially very efficient, and ideally suited to wellhead installations in moderate to high enthalpy, liquid dominated field. A functional one MW geothermal electric power plant that featured a helical screw expander was produced and then tested with a demonstrated average performance of approximately 45% machine efficiency over a wide range of test conditions in noncondensing, operation on two-phase geothermal fluids. The Project also produced a computer equipped data system, an instrumentation and control van, and a 1000 kW variable load bank, all integrated into a test array designed for operation at a variety of remote test sites. Data are presented for the Utah testing and for the noncondensing phases of the testing in Mexico. Test time logged was 437 hours during the Utah tests and 1101 hours during the Mexico tests.

[Association between obesity and DNA methylation among the 7-16 year-old twins].

PubMed

Li, C X; Gao, Y; Gao, W J; Yu, C Q; Lyu, J; Lyu, R R; Duan, J L; Sun, Y; Guo, X H; Wang, S F; Zhou, B; Wang, G; Cao, W H; Li, L M

2018-04-10

Objective: On whole-genome scale, we tried to explore the correlation between obesity-related traits and DNA methylation sites, based on discordant monozygotic twin pairs. Methods: A total of 90 pairs of 6-17 year-old twins were recruited in Chaoyang district, Yanqing district and Fangshan district in Beijing in 2016. Information on twins was gathered through a self-designed questionnaire and results: from physical examination, including height, weight and waist circumference of the subjects under study. DNA methylation detection was chosen on the Illumina Human Methylation EPIC BeadChip. R 3.3.1 language was used to read the DNA methylation signal under quality control on samples and probes. Ebayes function of empirical Bayes paired moderated t -test was used to identify the differential methylated CpG sites (DMCs). VarFit function of empirical Bayes paired moderated Levene test was used to identify the differentially variables CpG sits (DVCs) in obese and normal groups. Results According to the obesity discordance criteria, we collected 23 pairs of twins (age range 7 to 16 years), including 12 male pairs. A total of 817 471 qualified CpG loci were included in the genome-wide correlation analysis. According to the significance level of FDR set as <0.05, no positive sites would meet this standard. When DMC CpG site cg05684382, with the smallest P value (1.26E-06) as on chromosome 12, the DVC CpG site cg26188191 with the smallest P value (6.44E-06) appeared in CMIP gene on chromosome 16. Conclusions: In this study, we analyzed the genome-wide DNA methylation and its correlation with obesity traits. After multiple testing corrections, no positive sites were found to have associated with obesity. However, results from the correlation analysis demonstrated sites cg05684382 (chr: 12) and cg26188191 (chr: 16) might have played a role in the development of obesity. This study provides a methodologic reference for the studies on discordance twins related problems.

Land Surface Reflectance Retrieval from Hyperspectral Data Collected by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle over the Baotou Test Site

PubMed Central

Duan, Si-Bo; Li, Zhao-Liang; Tang, Bo-Hui; Wu, Hua; Ma, Lingling; Zhao, Enyu; Li, Chuanrong

2013-01-01

To evaluate the in-flight performance of a new hyperspectral sensor onboard an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV-HYPER), a comprehensive field campaign was conducted over the Baotou test site in China on 3 September 2011. Several portable reference reflectance targets were deployed across the test site. The radiometric performance of the UAV-HYPER sensor was assessed in terms of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the calibration accuracy. The SNR of the different bands of the UAV-HYPER sensor was estimated to be between approximately 5 and 120 over the homogeneous targets, and the linear response of the apparent reflectance ranged from approximately 0.05 to 0.45. The uniform and non-uniform Lambertian land surface reflectance was retrieved and validated using in situ measurements, with root mean square error (RMSE) of approximately 0.01–0.07 and relative RMSE of approximately 5%–12%. There were small discrepancies between the retrieved uniform and non-uniform Lambertian land surface reflectance over the homogeneous targets and under low aerosol optical depth (AOD) conditions (AOD = 0.18). However, these discrepancies must be taken into account when adjacent pixels had large land surface reflectance contrast and under high AOD conditions (e.g. AOD = 1.0). PMID:23785513

DNA Methylation Pyrosequencing Assay Is Applicable for the Assessment of Epigenetic Active Environmental or Clinical Relevant Chemicals

PubMed Central

Florea, Ana-Maria

2013-01-01

Exposure of cells and organisms to stressors might result in epigenetic changes. Here it is shown that investigation of DNA methylation using pyrosequencing is an alternative for in vitro and in vivo toxicological testing of epigenetic effects induced by chemicals and drugs. An in vitro evaluation of global and CpG site specific DNA methylation upon treatment of cells with chemicals/drugs is shown. Bisulfite genomic sequencing of methylation controls showed high methylation of LINE1 in methylation positive control and low methylation in the negative controls. The CpG sites within the LINE1 element are methylated at different levels. In vitro cell cultures show a methylation level ranging from 56% to 49%. Cultures of drug resistant tumor cells show significant hypomethylation as compared with the originating nonresistant tumor cells. The in vitro testing of epigenetically active chemicals (5-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine and trichostatin A) revealed a significant change of LINE1 methylation status upon treatment, while specific CpG sites were more prone to demethylation than others (focal methylation). In conclusion, DNA methylation using pyrosequencing might be used not only for testing epigenetic toxins/drugs but also in risk assessment of drugs, food, and environmental relevant pollutants. PMID:24093099

Identifying Potential Kidney Donors Using Social Networking Websites

PubMed Central

Chang, Alexander; Anderson, Emily E.; Turner, Hang T.; Shoham, David; Hou, Susan H.; Grams, Morgan

2013-01-01

Social networking sites like Facebook may be a powerful tool for increasing rates of live kidney donation. They allow for wide dissemination of information and discussion, and could lessen anxiety associated with a face-to-face request for donation. However, sparse data exist on the use of social media for this purpose. We searched Facebook, the most popular social networking site, for publicly available English-language pages seeking kidney donors for a specific individual, abstracting information on the potential recipient, characteristics of the page itself, and whether potential donors were tested. In the 91 pages meeting inclusion criteria, the mean age of potential recipients was 37 (range: 2–69); 88% were U.S. residents. Other posted information included the individual’s photograph (76%), blood type (64%), cause of kidney disease (43%), and location (71%). Thirty-two percent of pages reported having potential donors tested, and 10% reported receiving a live donor kidney transplant. Those reporting donor testing shared more potential recipient characteristics, provided more information about transplantation, and had higher page traffic. Facebook is already being used to identify potential kidney donors. Future studies should focus on how to safely, ethically, and effectively use social networking sites to inform potential donors and potentially expand live kidney donation. PMID:23600791

Subsidence of residual soils in a karst terrain

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

Drumm, E.C.; Kane, W.F.; Ben-Hassine, J.

1990-06-01

Siting and operating landfills for solid waste disposal in eastern Tennessee that can operate with minimum impact on groundwater is problematic. The operational requirement of thick, excavational soils and the regulatory requirement of a buffer between disposal units and an aquifer result in siting most operating East Tennessee landfills in outcrop areas of the Knox Group. However, the common occurrence of karst terrain and sinkholes in the Knox Group indicates the vulnerability of such sites to rapid groundwater recharge and flow and the potential for subsidence or collapse of soil into bedrock cavities. To address the potential for subsidence ormore » collapse of soils at the East Chestnut Ridge site on the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR), the following activities and analyses were completed: The locations of karst features on the site were determined by field reconnaissance; several sinkholes were selected for detailed examination; soil boring, sampling, and physical testing were performed in soils located within, adjacent to, and outside of sinkholes to characterize soil strength at various depths; detailed plane surveys were made for 11 sinkholes to measure accurately their dimension and shape for use in determining profile functions for subsidence basins at the site; The stress-deformation response of a typical soil profile overlying a hypothetical bedrock cavity was analyzed numerically for a range of soil thickness and a range of cavity radii. A consistent estimate of the relationship between subsidence basin dimension, soil thickness, and cavity radius has been derived. 30 refs., 41 figs., 7 tabs.« less

Hydraulic Testing of Silurian and Ordovician Strata at the Bruce Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2009-05-01

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

Evaluation of local site effect in the western side of the Suez Canal area by applying H/V and MASW techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, Emad K.; Shokry, M. M. F.; Hassoup, Awad; Helal, A. M. A.

2016-11-01

The soft sediments are one of the most important factors responsible for the amplification of the seismic ground motion in an area of study. Three components, single-station microtremor measurements were performed at 61 sites along the Suez Canal to estimate the fundamental frequencies of the soil and corresponding H/V amplitude ratios by using the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) method. We have applied the investigations of the shear wave velocity for supplementing the existing seismic microzonation of the Suez Canal. The multichannel analysis of surface wave (MASW) tests were done along the Suez Canal in the three cities, Suez, Ismailia, and Port Said using 24 channels digital engineering seismograph with 4.5 Hz geophones from September 2014 to January 2015 to get the shear wave velocity VS30. The SeisImager/SW software was used for analyzing the data, and 1D-shear wave velocity model have achieved for each site. The HVSR curves show that the fundamental frequency values are ranging from 0.57 to 1.08 Hz, and H/V amplitude ratios are ranging from 4.05 to 6.46. The average values of VS30 are (548, 301), (241, 319), (194, 110, 238) for Suez, Ismailia, and Port Said respectively. The average of shear wave velocity up to 30 m depth is estimated and used for site classification based on the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP) classification. The majority of the sites was classified as Class D (stiff soil) except one site at Port Said city is classified as Class E (soft soils), and another site in the Suez city is classified as Class C (hard rock).

A decision support tool for landfill methane generation and gas collection.

PubMed

Emkes, Harriet; Coulon, Frédéric; Wagland, Stuart

2015-09-01

This study presents a decision support tool (DST) to enhance methane generation at individual landfill sites. To date there is no such tool available to provide landfill decision makers with clear and simplified information to evaluate biochemical processes within a landfill site, to assess performance of gas production and to identify potential remedies to any issues. The current lack in understanding stems from the complexity of the landfill waste degradation process. Two scoring sets for landfill gas production performance are calculated with the tool: (1) methane output score which measures the deviation of the actual methane output rate at each site which the prediction generated by the first order decay model LandGEM; and (2) landfill gas indicators' score, which measures the deviation of the landfill gas indicators from their ideal ranges for optimal methane generation conditions. Landfill gas indicators include moisture content, temperature, alkalinity, pH, BOD, COD, BOD/COD ratio, ammonia, chloride, iron and zinc. A total landfill gas indicator score is provided using multi-criteria analysis to calculate the sum of weighted scores for each indicator. The weights for each indicator are calculated using an analytical hierarchical process. The tool is tested against five real scenarios for landfill sites in UK with a range of good, average and poor landfill methane generation over a one year period (2012). An interpretation of the results is given for each scenario and recommendations are highlighted for methane output rate enhancement. Results demonstrate how the tool can help landfill managers and operators to enhance their understanding of methane generation at a site-specific level, track landfill methane generation over time, compare and rank sites, and identify problems areas within a landfill site. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design and Testing of a Tool for Evaluating the Quality of Diabetes Consumer-Information Web Sites

PubMed Central

Steinwachs, Donald; Rubin, Haya R

2003-01-01

Background Most existing tools for measuring the quality of Internet health information focus almost exclusively on structural criteria or other proxies for quality information rather than evaluating actual accuracy and comprehensiveness. Objective This research sought to develop a new performance-measurement tool for evaluating the quality of Internet health information, test the validity and reliability of the tool, and assess the variability in diabetes Web site quality. Methods An objective, systematic tool was developed to evaluate Internet diabetes information based on a quality-of-care measurement framework. The principal investigator developed an abstraction tool and trained an external reviewer on its use. The tool included 7 structural measures and 34 performance measures created by using evidence-based practice guidelines and experts' judgments of accuracy and comprehensiveness. Results Substantial variation existed in all categories, with overall scores following a normal distribution and ranging from 15% to 95% (mean was 50% and median was 51%). Lin's concordance correlation coefficient to assess agreement between raters produced a rho of 0.761 (Pearson's r of 0.769), suggesting moderate to high agreement. The average agreement between raters for the performance measures was 0.80. Conclusions Diabetes Web site quality varies widely. Alpha testing of this new tool suggests that it could become a reliable and valid method for evaluating the quality of Internet health sites. Such an instrument could help lay people distinguish between beneficial and misleading information. PMID:14713658

Design and methods of the Pacific Northwest Stream Quality Assessment (PNSQA), 2015

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sheibley, Rich W.; Morace, Jennifer L.; Journey, Celeste A.; Van Metre, Peter C.; Bell, Amanda H.; Nakagaki, Naomi; Button, Daniel T.; Qi, Sharon L.

2017-08-25

In 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) project conducted the Pacific Northwest Stream Quality Assessment (PNSQA) to investigate stream quality across the western part of the Pacific Northwest. The goal of the PNSQA was to assess the health of streams in the region by characterizing multiple water-quality factors that are stressors to in-stream aquatic life and by evaluating the relation between these stressors and the condition of biological communities. The effects of urbanization and agriculture on stream quality for the Puget Lowland and Willamette Valley Level III Ecoregions were the focus of this regional study. Findings will help inform the public and policymakers about human and environmental factors that are the most critical in affecting stream quality and, thus, provide insights into possible strategies to protect or improve the health of streams in the region.Land-use data were used in the study to identify and select sites within the region that ranged in levels of urban and agricultural development. A total of 88 sites were selected across the region—69 were on streams that explicitly spanned a range of urban land use in their watersheds, 8 were on streams in agricultural watersheds, and 11 were reference sites with little or no development in their watersheds. Depending on the type of land use, sites were sampled for contaminants, nutrients, and sediment for either a 4- or 10-week period during April, May, and June 2015. This water-quality “index period” was immediately followed with an ecological survey of all sites that included stream habitat, benthic algae, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish. Additionally, streambed sediment was collected during the ecological survey for analysis of sediment chemistry and toxicity testing.This report provides a detailed description of the specific study components and methods of the PNSQA, including (1) surveys of stream habitat and aquatic biota, (2) discrete water sampling, (3) deployment of passive polar organic chemical integrative samplers for pesticides and pharmaceuticals, and (4) sampling of streambed sediment. At selected study sites, toxicity testing of streambed sediment, continuous water-quality monitoring, and daily pesticide sampling also were conducted and are described.

PV industry growth and module reliability in Thailand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chenvidhya, Dhirayut; Seapan, Manit; Sangpongsanont, Yaowanee; Chenvidhya, Tanokkorn; Limsakul, Chamnan; Songprakorp, Roongrojana

2015-09-01

The PV applications in Thailand are now installed more than 1.2 GWp cumulatively. It is due to the National Renewable Energy Program and its targets. In the latest Alternative Energy Development Plan (AEDP), the PV electricity production target has increased from 2 GWp to 3 GWp. With this rapid growth, customers and manufacturers seek for module standard testing. So far over one thousands of PV modules per annum have been tested since 2012. The normal tests include type approval test according to TIS standard, acceptance test and testing for local standard development. For type test, the most module failure was found during damp heat test. For annual evaluation test, the power degradation and delamination of power was found between 0 to 6 percent from its nameplate after deployment of 0 to 5 years in the field. For thin-film module, the degradation and delamination was found in range of 0 to 13 percent (about 5 percent on average) from its nameplate for the modules in operation with less than 5 years. However, for the PV modules at the reference site on campus operated for 12 years, the power degradation was ranging from 10 to 15 percent. Therefore, a long term performance assessment needs to be considered to ensure the system reliability.

Geological investigations in the U12b.03 and U12b.04 tunnels, Nevada Test Site

USGS Publications Warehouse

Diment, W.H.; Wilmarth, V. R.; McKeown, F.A.; Dickey, D.D.; Hinrichs, E.N.; Botinelly, T.; Roach, C.H.; Byers, F.M.; Hawley, C.C.; Izett, G.A.; Clebsch, Alfred

1959-01-01

The U12b.03 and .04 tunnels are part of the U12b (Rainier) tunnel complex that was driven northwestward from the steep east slope of Rainier Mesa (a prominent topographic feature in the northwest part of the Test Site (fig . 2)). The U12b.03 tunnel trends north from a point about 980 feet from the portal of the U12b tunnel (fig. 3). The U12b.03 tunnel consists of 620 feet of tunnel, two alcoves, and a shot chamber. The tunnel is irregular, ranging from 6 to 10 feet in width, and 6 to 9 feet in height. The shot chamber at the north end of the tunnel is 22 feet on each sidee The vertical and minimum cover over the shot chamber are 610 and 510 feet, respectively.

Multispecies coexistence of trees in tropical forests: spatial signals of topographic niche differentiation increase with environmental heterogeneity.

PubMed

Brown, C; Burslem, D F R P; Illian, J B; Bao, L; Brockelman, W; Cao, M; Chang, L W; Dattaraja, H S; Davies, S; Gunatilleke, C V S; Gunatilleke, I A U N; Huang, J; Kassim, A R; Lafrankie, J V; Lian, J; Lin, L; Ma, K; Mi, X; Nathalang, A; Noor, S; Ong, P; Sukumar, R; Su, S H; Sun, I F; Suresh, H S; Tan, S; Thompson, J; Uriarte, M; Valencia, R; Yap, S L; Ye, W; Law, R

2013-08-07

Neutral and niche theories give contrasting explanations for the maintenance of tropical tree species diversity. Both have some empirical support, but methods to disentangle their effects have not yet been developed. We applied a statistical measure of spatial structure to data from 14 large tropical forest plots to test a prediction of niche theory that is incompatible with neutral theory: that species in heterogeneous environments should separate out in space according to their niche preferences. We chose plots across a range of topographic heterogeneity, and tested whether pairwise spatial associations among species were more variable in more heterogeneous sites. We found strong support for this prediction, based on a strong positive relationship between variance in the spatial structure of species pairs and topographic heterogeneity across sites. We interpret this pattern as evidence of pervasive niche differentiation, which increases in importance with increasing environmental heterogeneity.

Ratio maps of iron ore deposits Atlantic City district, Wyoming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vincent, R. K.

1973-01-01

Preliminary results of a spectral rationing technique are shown for a region at the southern end of the Wind River Range, Wyoming. Digital ratio graymaps and analog ratio images have been produced for the test site, but ground truth is not yet available for thorough interpretation of these products. ERTS analog ratio images were found generally better than either ERTS single-channel images or high altitude aerial photos for the discrimination of vegetation from non-vegetation in the test site region. Some linear geological features smaller than the ERTS spatial resolution are seen as well in ERTS ratio and single-channel images as in high altitude aerial photography. Geochemical information appears to be extractable from ERTS data. Good preliminary quantitative agreement between ERTS-derived ratios and laboratory-derived reflectance ratios of rocks and minerals encourage plans to use lab data as training sets for a simple ratio gating logic approach to automatic recognition maps.

The international experience of bacterial screen testing of platelet components with an automated microbial detection system: a need for consensus testing and reporting guidelines.

PubMed

Benjamin, Richard J; McDonald, Carl P

2014-04-01

The BacT/ALERT microbial detection system (bioMerieux, Inc, Durham, NC) is in routine use in many blood centers as a prerelease test for platelet collections. Published reports document wide variation in practices and outcomes. A systematic review of the English literature was performed to describe publications assessing the use of the BacT/ALERT culture system on platelet collections as a routine screen test of more than 10000 platelet components. Sixteen publications report the use of confirmatory testing to substantiate initial positive culture results but use varying nomenclature to classify the results. Preanalytical and analytical variables that may affect the outcomes differ widely between centers. Incomplete description of protocol details complicates comparison between sites. Initial positive culture results range from 539 to 10606 per million (0.054%-1.061%) and confirmed positive from 127 to 1035 per million (0.013%-0.104%) donations. False-negative results determined by outdate culture range from 662 to 2173 per million (0.066%-0.217%) and by septic reactions from 0 to 66 per million (0%-0.007%) collections. Current culture protocols represent pragmatic compromises between optimizing analytical sensitivity and ensuring the timely availability of platelets for clinical needs. Insights into the effect of protocol variations on outcomes are generally restricted to individual sites that implement limited changes to their protocols over time. Platelet manufacturers should reassess the adequacy of their BacT/ALERT screening protocols in light of the growing international experience and provide detailed documentation of all variables that may affect culture outcomes when reporting results. We propose a framework for a standardized nomenclature for reporting of the results of BacT/ALERT screening. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of Sealed Double-Ring Infiltrometers{trademark} and effects of changes in atmospheric pressure on hydraulic conductivity

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

McMullin, S.R.

The Savannah River Site is currently evaluating some 40 hazardous and radioactive-waste sites for remediation. Among the remedial alternatives considered is closure using a kaolin clay cap. The hydraulic conductivity suggested by the US Environmental Protection Agency is 1.0 {times} 10{sup {minus}7} cm/sec. One instrument to measure this value is the Sealed Double-Ring Infiltrometer{trademark} (SDRI). Six SDRI were recently installed on a kaolin test cap. Test results demonstrated uniform performance of these instruments. However, the test data showed as much as an order of magnitude of variation over time. This variation is attributed to both internal structural heterogeneity and variablemore » external boundary conditions. The internal heterogeneity is caused by construction variability within a specified range of moisture and density. The external influences considered are temperature and barometric pressure. Temperature was discharged as a source of heterogeneity because of a lack of correlation with test data and a negligible impact from the range of variability. However, a direct correlation was found between changes in barometric pressure and hydraulic conductivity. This correlation is most pronounced when pressure changes occur over a short period of time. Additionally, this correlation is related to a single soil layer. When the wetting front passes into a more porous foundation layer, the correlation with pressure changes disappears. Conclusions are that the SDRI performs adequately, with good repeatability of results. The duration of test is critical to assure a statistically valid data set. Data spikes resulting from pressure changes should be identified, and professional judgment used to determine the representative hydraulic conductivity. Further evaluation is recommended to determine the impact of pressure change on the actual hydraulic conductivity.« less

Improvement of trout streams in Wisconsin by augmenting low flows with ground water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Novitzki, R.P.

1973-01-01

Approximately 2 cubic feet per second of ground water were introduced into the Little Plover River in 1968 when natural streamflow ranged from 3 to 4 cubic feet per second. These augmentation flows were retained undiminished through the 2-mile reach of stream monitored. Maximum stream temperatures were reduced as much as 5?F (3?C) at the augmentation site during the test period, although changes became insignificant more than 1 mile downstream. Maximum temperatures might be reduced as much as 10?F (6?C) during critical periods, based on estimates using a stream temperature model developed as part of the study. During critical periods significant temperature improvement may extend 2 miles or more downstream. Changes in minimum DO (dissolved oxygen) levels were slight, primarily because of the high natural DO levels occurring during the test period. Criteria for considering other streams for flow augmentation are developed on the basis of the observed hydrologic responses in the Little Plover River. Augmentation flows of nearly 2? cubic feet per second of ground water were introduced into the headwater reach of Black Earth Creek from the end of June through mid-October 1969. Streamflow ranged from 1 to 2 cubic feet per second at the augmentation site, and the average flow at the gaging station at Black Earth, approximately 8 miles downstream, ranged from 25 to 50 cubic feet per second. Augmentation flows were retained through the 8-mile reach of stream. Temperature of the augmentation flow as it entered the stream ranged from 60? to 70?F (about 16? to 21?C) during the test period, and minimum stream temperatures were raised 5?F (3?C) or more at the augmentation site, with changes extending from 2 to 3 miles downstream. Augmentation during critical periods could maintain stream temperatures between 40? and 70?F (4? and 21?C) through most of the study reach. DO levels were increased by as much as 2 milligrams per liter or more below the augmentation site, although the improvement diminished to approximately 1 milligram per liter downstream in the problem reach. During critical periods DO improvement in the problem reach would be somewhat greater. Flow augmentation would not be necessary during normal conditions in either of the streams studied. Critical DO and temperature levels are not known to occur in the Little Plover River. Since the construction of secondary treatment facilities at the Cross Plains sewage-treatment plant, critical DO levels are no longer expected to be a problem in Black Earth Creek. However, results from this study may be used to estimate the effectiveness of flow augmentation in other streams in similar areas in which critical DO or temperature levels may occur.

The DESMEX Project - Deep Electromagnetic Sounding for Mineral EXploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, U.; Becken, M.; Stolz, R.; Nittinger, C.; Cherevatova, M.; Siemon, B.; Martin, T.; Petersen, H.; Steuer, A.

2017-12-01

The DESMEX project (Deep Electromagnetic Sounding for Mineral Exploration) aims to develop independent semi-airborne frequency domain systems for mineral exploration down to depths of 1 km and deeper. Two different helicopter-towed systems are being designed and tested using source installations on ground. One system uses among other equipment conventional three axis induction coils, a 3D-fluxgate and a high precision inertial motion unit. The use of the two different magnetometers allows to record data in a broad frequency range from 1 Hz to 10 kHz. The second system uses a newly developed SQUID-based sensing system of a similar frequency range and a self made inertial motion unit. Horizontal electric dipole transmitters provided by the Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics in Hannover and the Institute of Geophysics and Meteorology of the University in Cologne are used as ground based sources. First system tests showed a good performance of both systems with general noise levels below 50 pT/root(Hz). Test flights above the common survey area proved that the desired depth of investigation can be achieved and that the data is consistent with the subsurface conductivity structures. In order to verify the data acquired from the newly developed system at shallow depths and to provide a better starting model for later inversion calculations helicopter borne frequency domain electromagnetics has been acquired and fully processed over the test site Schleiz - Greiz in Germany. To further relate the subsurface conductivity models to the subsurface geology and mineralogy, petrophysical investigations have been performed on rock samples from the site of investigation and analogue samples.

A randomized placebo-controlled trial to evaluate a novel noninjectable anesthetic gel with thermosetting agent during scaling and root planing in chronic periodontitis patients

PubMed Central

Dayakar, MM; Akbar, SM

2016-01-01

Aim: To study the efficacy of a noninjectable anesthetic gel with a thermosetting agent in the reduction of pain during scaling and root planing (SRP) in untreated chronic periodontitis patients. Materials and Methods: This study is a randomized, double-masked, split-mouth, placebo-controlled trial. Thirty patients were enrolled who underwent SRP in a split-mouth (right side/left side) manner. Before commencement of SRP, both quadrants on each side were isolated and had a randomized gel (either placebo or test gel) placed in the periodontal pockets for 30 s. The pain was measured using numerical rating scale (NRS) and verbal rating scale (VRS). Results: The median NRS pain score for the patients treated with the anesthetic test gel was 1 (range: 0-4) as opposed to 5 (range: 3-7) in the placebo treated patients. The mean rank of pain score using NRS in test gel was 16.18 as compared to 44.82 in placebo treated sites. Hence, significant reduction in pain was found in test gel as compared to placebo using NRS (P < 0.001). The VRS showed that the majority of patients reported no pain or mild pain with a median of 1 as compared to placebo treated sites with a median of 2 suggestive of moderate pain. Conclusions: The NRS and VRS pain scores showed that the side treated with anesthetic gel was statistically more effective than the placebo in reducing pain during SRP. PMID:27051372

Social media as a tool for antimicrobial stewardship.

PubMed

Pisano, Jennifer; Pettit, Natasha; Bartlett, Allison; Bhagat, Palak; Han, Zhe; Liao, Chuanhong; Landon, Emily

2016-11-01

To increase the reach of our antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP), social media platforms, Facebook and Twitter, were used to increase internal medicine residents' (IMRs') antibiotic (Abx) knowledge and awareness of ASP resources. Fifty-five of 110 (50%) IMRs consented to participate; 39 (71%) completed both pre- and postintervention surveys and followed our ASP on social media. Along with 20 basic Abx and infectious diseases (IDs) questions, this survey assessed IMR awareness of ASP initiatives, social media usage, and attitudes and beliefs surrounding Abx resistance. Over 6 months, IMRs received posts and Tweets of basic Abx/IDs trivia while promoting use of educational tools and clinical pathways on our ASP Web site. To compare pre- and postsurvey responses, McNemar test or Stuart-Maxwell test was used for categorical variables, and paired t test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for continuous variables, as appropriate. Of the IMRs, 98% and 58% use Facebook and Twitter, respectively. To compare pre- and postintervention, median scores for Abx knowledge increased from 12 (interquartile range, 8-13) to 13 (interquartile range, 11-15; P = .048); IMRs knowing how to access the ASP Web site increased from 70% to 94%. More IMRs indicated that they used the clinical pathways "sometimes, frequently, or always" after the intervention (33% vs 61%, P = .004). Social media is a valuable tool to reinforce ASP initiatives while encouraging the use of ASP resources to promote antimicrobial mindfulness. Copyright © 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of borehole geophysical logging, aquifer-isolation tests, distribution of contaminants, and water-level measurements at the North Penn Area 5 Superfund Site, Bucks and Montgomery counties, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bird, Philip H.; Conger, Randall W.

2002-01-01

Borehole geophysical logging and aquifer-isolation (packer) tests were conducted at the North Penn Area 5 Superfund site in Bucks and Montgomery Counties, Pa. Caliper, naturalgamma, single-point-resistance, fluid-temperature, fluid-resistivity, heatpulse-flowmeter, and digital acoustic-televiewer logs and borehole television surveys were collected in 32 new and previously drilled wells that ranged in depth from 68 to 302 feet. Vertical borehole-fluid movement direction and rate were measured with a high-resolution heatpulse flowmeter under nonpumping conditions. The suite of logs was used to locate water-bearing fractures, determine zones of vertical borehole-fluid movement, select depths to set packers, and locate appropriate screen intervals for reconstructing new wells as monitoring wells. Aquifer-isolation tests were conducted in four wells to sample discrete intervals and to determine specific capacities of discrete water-bearing zones. Specific capacities of isolated zones during packer testing ranged from 0.12 to 15.30 gallons per minute per foot. Most fractures identified by borehole geophysical methods as water-producing or water-receiving zones produced water when isolated and pumped. The acoustic-televiewer logs define two basic fracture sets, bedding-plane partings with a mean strike of N. 62° E. and a mean dip of 27° NW., and high-angle fractures with a mean strike of N. 58° E. and a mean dip of 72° SE. Correlation of heatpulse-flowmeter data and acoustic-televiewer logs showed 83 percent of identified water-bearing fractures were high-angle fractures.

A Comparison of Compression Behavior of Mudrock Core Samples from the Nankai Margin, SW Japan and the Ursa Basin, Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, I.; Skarbek, R.; Saffer, D.; Flemings, P.; 314/315/316 Science Party, I.

2008-12-01

Characterizing the consolidation behavior and permeability of marine mudstones is an essential step toward estimating in situ pore pressure and stress, and in parameterizing forward models of sedimentation, loading, and consolidation at both active and passive continental margins. Here, we report results of mechanical tests on mudrock samples from the Nankai margin, SW Japan (collected at IODP site C0001E), and from the Ursa Basin in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) (IODP site U1324), to compare the compression behavior of marine sediments from these distinct environments. Samples from Site U1324 were taken from depths of 50-150 mbsf, and are composed of 40% silt and 60% clay, with porosities of 42-55% depending on sample depth. Samples from the same depth range at site C0001E are more brittle and siltier, with porosities of 58-64%. We conducted tests using two experimental configurations: (1) a triaxial vessel, in which the sample is subjected to axial compression and a condition of zero radial strain (K0 condition) is maintained by a closed loop servo-control system with feedback on sample diameter; and (2) a high-pressure oedometer (uniaxial consolidation) vessel in which axial strain is imposed and the K0 condition is ensured by a fixed steel ring. The triaxial tests also yield a measurement of the K0 value, describing the ratio of horizontal and vertical effective stresses. After consolidation, some specimens were subjected to undrained shearing in the triaxial system, in order to define relationships between mean effective stress, differential stress, and porosity. The consolidation coefficient Cv of samples from the Nankai margin (2-4× 10-7 m2/s) is significantly higher than that of samples from the GOM (2.2±0.2 × 10-8 m2/s), which we attribute to their higher porosity and silt content. The compression index Cc of the samples from Site C0001E (Nankai) is typically >0.70; values of Cc for the samples from site U1324 (GOM) range from 0.2-0.5 and depend strongly on the initial porosity and thus on depth. The difference between the two locations is likely an effect of the higher initial porosity for the samples from the Nankai margin. The values of K0 also differ markedly: samples from Site C0001E exhibit values of K0 = 0.4-0.6, with most values <0.50, whereas K0 = 0.56-0.60 for samples from Site U1324. This suggests that the effective horizontal stress is about 50% of the vertical effective stress in the uppermost sediments at Site C0001E, whereas it is 56-60% of the effective vertical stress at Site U1324. Undrained shear tests define a residual friction angle of 22-26° for the samples from the Gulf of Mexico, and reveal that the mudstone consolidation exhibits a sensitivity to both mean effective stress and differential stress, as predicted by cam-clay models. These results highlight a potential method for predicting in situ stress and pore pressure in actively deforming thrust belts, in which the mean effective stress and effective stress ratio can be inferred from porosity and the frictional angle, respectively.

Waste handling and storage in the decontamination pilot projects of JAEA for environments of Fukushima

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

Nakayama, S.; Kawase, K.; Iijima, K.

2013-07-01

After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) was chosen by the national government to conduct decontamination pilot projects at selected sites in Fukushima prefecture. Despite tight boundary conditions in terms of timescale and resources, the projects served their primary purpose to develop a knowledge base to support more effective planning and implementation of stepwise regional remediation of the evacuated zone. A range of established, modified and newly developed techniques were tested under realistic field conditions and their performance characteristics were determined. The results of the project can be summarized in terms of site characterization, cleanup andmore » waste management. A range of options were investigated to reduce the volumes of waste produced and to ensure that decontamination water could be cleaned to the extent that it could be discharged to normal drainage. Resultant solid wastes were packaged in standard flexible containers, labelled and stored at the remediation site (temporary storage until central interim storage becomes available). The designs of such temporary storage facilities were tailored to available sites, but all designs included measures to ensure mechanical stability (e.g., filling void spaces between containers with sand, graded cover with soil) and prevent releases to groundwater (impermeable base and cap, gravity flow drainage including radiation monitors and catch tanks). Storage site monitoring was also needed to check that storage structures would not be perturbed by external events that could include typhoons, heavy snowfalls, freeze/thaw cycles and earthquakes. (authors)« less

Nociceptive sensations evoked from 'spots' in the skin by mild cooling and heating.

PubMed

Green, Barry G; Roman, Carolyn; Schoen, Kate; Collins, Hannah

2008-03-01

It was recently found that nociceptive sensations (stinging, pricking, or burning) can be evoked by cooling or heating the skin to innocuous temperatures (e.g., 29 and 37 degrees C). Here, we show that this low-threshold thermal nociception (LTN) can be traced to sensitive 'spots' in the skin equivalent to classically defined warm spots and cold spots. Because earlier work had shown that LTN is inhibited by simply touching a thermode to the skin, a spatial search procedure was devised that minimized tactile stimulation by sliding small thermodes (16 and 1mm(2)) set to 28 or 36 degrees C slowly across the lubricated skin of the forearm. The procedure uncovered three types of temperature-sensitive sites (thermal, bimodal, and nociceptive) that contained one or more thermal, nociceptive, or (rarely) bimodal spots. Repeated testing indicated that bimodal and nociceptive sites were less stable over time than thermal sites, and that mechanical contact differentially inhibited nociceptive sensations. Intensity ratings collected over a range of temperatures showed that LTN increased monotonically on heat-sensitive sites but not on cold-sensitive sites. These results provide psychophysical evidence that stimulation from primary afferent fibers with thresholds in the range of warm fibers and cold fibers is relayed to the pain pathway. However, the labile nature of LTN implies that these low-threshold nociceptive inputs are subject to inhibitory controls. The implications of these findings for the roles of putative temperature receptors and nociceptors in innocuous thermoreception and thermal pain are discussed.

Host range phenotype induced by mutations in the internal ribosomal entry site of poliovirus RNA.

PubMed Central

Shiroki, K; Ishii, T; Aoki, T; Ota, Y; Yang, W X; Komatsu, T; Ami, Y; Arita, M; Abe, S; Hashizume, S; Nomoto, A

1997-01-01

Most poliovirus strains infect only primates. The host range (HR) of poliovirus is thought to be primarily determined by a cell surface molecule that functions as poliovirus receptor (PVR), since it has been shown that transgenic mice are made poliovirus sensitive by introducing the human PVR gene into the genome. The relative levels of neurovirulence of polioviruses tested in these transgenic mice were shown to correlate well with the levels tested in monkeys (H. Horie et al., J. Virol. 68:681-688, 1994). Mutants of the virulent Mahoney strain of poliovirus have been generated by disruption of nucleotides 128 to 134, at stem-loop II within the 5' noncoding region, and four of these mutants multiplicated well in human HeLa cells but poorly in mouse TgSVA cells that had been established from the kidney of the poliovirus-sensitive transgenic mouse. Neurovirulence tests using the two animal models revealed that these mutants were strongly attenuated only in tests with the mouse model and were therefore HR mutants. The virus infection cycle in TgSVA cells was restricted by an internal ribosomal entry site (IRES)-dependent initiation process of translation. Viral protein synthesis and the associated block of cellular protein synthesis were not observed in TgSVA cells infected with three of four HR mutants and was evident at only a low level in the remaining mutant. The mutant RNAs were functional in a cell-free protein synthesis system from HeLa cells but not in those from TgSVA and mouse neuroblastoma NS20Y cells. These results suggest that host factor(s) affecting IRES-dependent translation of poliovirus differ between human and mouse cells and that the mutant IRES constructs detect species differences in such host factor(s). The IRES could potentially be a host range determinant for poliovirus infection. PMID:8985316

Migration of conservative and sorbing radionuclides in heterogeneous fractured rock aquifers at the Nevada Test Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boryta, J. R.; Wolfsberg, A. V.

2003-12-01

The Nevada Test Site (NTS) is the United States continental nuclear weapons testing site. The larger underground tests, including BENHAM and TYBO, were conducted at Pahute Mesa. The BENHAM test, conducted in 1968, was detonated 1.4 km below the surface and the TYBO test, conducted in 1975, was detonated at a depth of 765 m. Between 1996 and 1998, several radionuclides were discovered in trace concentrations in a monitoring well complex 273 m from TYBO and 1300 m from BENHAM. Previous studies associated with these measurements have focused primarily on a) plutonium discovered in the observation wells, which was identified through isotopic finger printing as originating at BENHAM, b) colloid-facilitated plutonium transport processes, and c) vertical convection in subsurface nuclear test collapse chimneys. In addition to plutonium, several other non-, weakly-, and strongly-sorbing radionuclides were discovered in trace concentrations in the observation wells, including tritium, carbon-14, chlorine-36, iodine-129, technetium-99, neptunium-237, strontium-90, cesium-137, americium-241, and europium-152,154,155. The range in retardation processes affecting these different radionuclides provides additional information for assessing groundwater solute transport model formulations. For all radionuclides, simulation results are most sensitive to the fracture porosity and fracture aperture. Additionally, for weakly sorbing Np, simulation results are highly sensitive to the matrix sorption coefficient. For strongly sorbing species, migration in the absence of colloids can only be simulated if fracture apertures are set very large, reducing the amount of diffusion that can occur. For these species, colloid-facilitated transport appears to be a more likely explanation for the measurements. This is corroborated with colloid-transport model simulations.

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

Dobler, Jeremy; Zaccheo, T. Scott; Blume, Nathan

This report describes the development and testing of a novel system, the Greenhouse gas Laser Imaging Tomography Experiment (GreenLITE), for Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of CO 2 at Geological Carbon Storage (GCS) sites. The system consists of a pair of laser based transceivers, a number of retroreflectors, and a set of cloud based data processing, storage and dissemination tools, which enable 2-D mapping of the CO 2 in near real time. A system was built, tested locally in New Haven, Indiana, and then deployed to the Zero Emissions Research and Technology (ZERT) facility in Bozeman, MT. Testing at ZERTmore » demonstrated the ability of the GreenLITE system to identify and map small underground leaks, in the presence of other biological sources and with widely varying background concentrations. The system was then ruggedized and tested at the Harris test site in New Haven, IN, during winter time while exposed to temperatures as low as -15 °CºC. Additional testing was conducted using simulated concentration enhancements to validate the 2-D retrieval accuracy. This test resulted in a high confidence in the reconstruction ability to identify sources to tens of meters resolution in this configuration. Finally, the system was deployed for a period of approximately 6 months to an active industrial site, Illinois Basin – Decatur Project (IBDP), where >1M metric tons of CO 2 had been injected into an underground sandstone basin. The main objective of this final deployment was to demonstrate autonomous operation over a wide range of environmental conditions with very little human interaction, and to demonstrate the feasibility of the system for long term deployment in a GCS environment.« less

Is GPS telemetry location error screening beneficial?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ironside, Kirsten E.; Mattson, David J.; Arundel, Terry; Hansen, Jered R.

2017-01-01

The accuracy of global positioning system (GPS) locations obtained from study animals tagged with GPS monitoring devices has been a concern as to the degree it influences assessments of movement patterns, space use, and resource selection estimates. Many methods have been proposed for screening data to retain the most accurate positions for analysis, based on dilution of precision (DOP) measures, and whether the position is a two dimensional or three dimensional fix. Here we further explore the utility of these measures, by testing a Telonics GEN3 GPS collar's positional accuracy across a wide range of environmental conditions. We found the relationship between location error and fix dimension and DOP metrics extremely weak (r2adj ∼ 0.01) in our study area. Environmental factors such as topographic exposure, canopy cover, and vegetation height explained more of the variance (r2adj = 15.08%). Our field testing covered sites where sky-view was so limited it affected GPS performance to the degree fix attempts failed frequently (fix success rates ranged 0.00–100.00% over 67 sites). Screening data using PDOP did not effectively reduce the location error in the remaining dataset. Removing two dimensional fixes reduced the mean location error by 10.95 meters, but also resulted in a 54.50% data reduction. Therefore screening data under the range of conditions sampled here would reduce information on animal movement with minor improvements in accuracy and potentially introduce bias towards more open terrain and vegetation.

Apparent diffusion coefficient is highly reproducible on preclinical imaging systems: Evidence from a seven-center multivendor study.

PubMed

Doblas, Sabrina; Almeida, Gilberto S; Blé, François-Xavier; Garteiser, Philippe; Hoff, Benjamin A; McIntyre, Dominick J O; Wachsmuth, Lydia; Chenevert, Thomas L; Faber, Cornelius; Griffiths, John R; Jacobs, Andreas H; Morris, David M; O'Connor, James P B; Robinson, Simon P; Van Beers, Bernard E; Waterton, John C

2015-12-01

To evaluate between-site agreement of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements in preclinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. A miniaturized thermally stable ice-water phantom was devised. ADC (mean and interquartile range) was measured over several days, on 4.7T, 7T, and 9.4T Bruker, Agilent, and Magnex small-animal MRI systems using a common protocol across seven sites. Day-to-day repeatability was expressed as percent variation of mean ADC between acquisitions. Cross-site reproducibility was expressed as 1.96 × standard deviation of percent deviation of ADC values. ADC measurements were equivalent across all seven sites with a cross-site ADC reproducibility of 6.3%. Mean day-to-day repeatability of ADC measurements was 2.3%, and no site was identified as presenting different measurements than others (analysis of variance [ANOVA] P = 0.02, post-hoc test n.s.). Between-slice ADC variability was negligible and similar between sites (P = 0.15). Mean within-region-of-interest ADC variability was 5.5%, with one site presenting a significantly greater variation than the others (P = 0.0013). Absolute ADC values in preclinical studies are comparable between sites and equipment, provided standardized protocols are employed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Scour assessments and sediment-transport simulation for selected bridge sites in South Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Niehus, C.A.

1996-01-01

Scour at bridges is a major concern in the design of new bridges and in the evaluation of structural stability of existing bridges. Equations for estimating pier, contraction, and abutment scour have been developed from numerous laboratory studies using sand-bed flumes, but little verification of these scour equations has been done for actual rivers with various bed conditions. This report describes the results of reconnaissance and detailed scour assessments and a sediment-transport simulation for selected bridge sites in South Dakota. Reconnaissance scour assessments were done during 1991 for 32 bridge sites. The reconnaissance assessments for each bridge site included compilation of general and structural data, field inspection to record and measure pertinent scour variables, and evaluation of scour susceptibility using various scour-index forms. Observed pier scour at the 32 sites ranged from 0 to 7 feet, observed contraction scour ranged from 0 to 4 feet, and observed abutment scour ranged from 0 to 10 feet. Thirteen bridge sites having high potential for scour were selected for detailed assessments, which were accomplished during 1992-95. These detailed assessments included prediction of scour depths for 2-, 100-, and 500-year flows using selected published scour equations; measurement of scour during high flows; comparison of measured and predicted scour; and identification of which scour equations best predict actual scour. The medians of predicted pier-scour depth at each of the 13 bridge sites (using 13 scour equations) ranged from 2.4 to 6.8 feet for the 2-year flows and ranged from 3.4 to 13.3 feet for the 500-year flows. The maximum pier scour measured during high flows ranged from 0 to 8.5 feet. Statistical comparison (Spearman rank correlation) of predicted pier-scour depths (using flow data col- lected during scour measurements) indicate that the Laursen, Shen (method b), Colorado State University, and Blench (method b) equations correlate closer with measured scour than do the other prediction equations. The predicted pier-scour depths using the Varzeliotis and Carstens equations have weak statistical rela- tions with measured scour depths. Medians of predicted pier-scour depth from the Shen (method a), Chitale, Bata, and Carstens equations are statistically equal to the median of measured pier-scour depths, based on the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test. The medians of contraction scour depth at each of the 13 bridge sites (using one equation) ranged from -0.1 foot for the 2- year flows to 23.2 feet for the 500-year flows. The maximum contraction scour measured during high flows ranged from 0 to 3.0 feet. The contraction- scour prediction equation substantially overestimated the scour depths in almost all comparisons with the measured scour depths. A significant reason for this discrepancy is due to the wide flood plain (as wide as 5,000 feet) at most of the bridge sites that were investigated. One possible way to reduce this effect for bridge design is to make a decision on what is the effective approach section and thereby limit the size of the bridge flow approach width. The medians of abutment-scour depth at each of the 13 bridge sites (using five equations) ranged from 8.2 to 16.5 feet for the 2-year flows and ranged from 5.7 to 41 feet for the 500-year flows. The maximum abutment scour measured during high flows ranged from 0 to 4.0 feet. The abutment-scour prediction equations also substantially overestimated the scour depths in almost all comparisons with the measured scour depths. The Liu and others (live bed) equation predicted abutment-scour depths substantially lower than the other four abutment-scour equations and closer to the actual measured scour depths. However, this equation at times predicted greater scour depths for 2-year flows than it did for 500-year flows, making its use highly questionable. Again, limiting the bridge flow approach width would produce more reasonable predicted abutment scour.

Using nitrogen stable isotopes to detect longdistance movement in a threatened cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii utah)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sepulveda, A.J.; Colyer, W.T.; Lowe, W.H.; Vinson, M.R.

2009-01-01

Interior cutthroat trout occupy small fractions of their historic ranges and existing populations often are relegated to headwater habitats. Conservation requires balancing protection for isolated genetically pure populations with restoration of migratory life histories by reconnecting corridors between headwater and mainstem habitats. Identification of alternative life history strategies within a population is critical to these efforts. We tested the application of nitrogen stable isotopes to discern fluvial from resident Bonneville cutthroat trout (BCT; Oncorhynchus clarkii utah) in a headwater stream. Fluvial BCT migrate from headwater streams with good water quality to mainstem habitats with impaired water quality. Resident BCT remain in headwater streams. We tested two predictions: (i) fluvial BCT have a higher ??15N than residents, and (ii) fluvial BCT ??15N reflects diet and ??15N enrichment characteristics of mainstem habitats. We found that fluvial ??15N was greater than resident ??15N and that ??15N was a better predictor of life history than fish size. Our data also showed that fluvial and resident BCT had high diet overlap in headwater sites and that ??15N of lower trophic levels was greater in mainstem sites than in headwater sites. We conclude that the high ??15N values of fluvial BCT were acquired in mainstem sites.

Mercury methylation and the microbial consortium in periphyton of tropical macrophytes: effect of different inhibitors.

PubMed

Correia, Raquel R S; Miranda, Marcio R; Guimarães, Jean R D

2012-01-01

Macrophyte-associated periphyton is known as a site of Hg accumulation and methylation in tropical environments. Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) is found in periphyton and its role in Hg methylation is acknowledged. However, the contribution of other microorganisms to this process is largely unknown. We tested the effect of inhibitors for different microorganisms on methylmercury (MMHg) formation on distinct macrophyte species from lakes of the Bolivian Amazon basin and in Brazil. We also tested the effect of inhibitors on bacterial secondary activity at two lakes in Brazil. Samples were incubated on-site with (203)Hg and Me(203)Hg was extracted and measured by liquid scintillation. MMHg formation on macrophytes varied among species ranging from 0.2% to 36%. Treatments with specific inhibitors resulted in reduction of MMHg production on most sites and inhibitors. The most successful treatment was the co-inhibition of SRB and methanogens. The inhibitions of algae and fungi activity showed fewer effects on methylation rates at all sites analyzed. Bacterial secondary activity was slightly affected by algae and fungi inhibition, and largely influenced by prokaryotic, SRB and methanogens inhibition. The data suggest that MMHg formation may not be directly performed by all microorganisms in periphyton but depends on complex interactions among them. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The X-33 range Operations Control Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shy, Karla S.; Norman, Cynthia L.

1998-01-01

This paper describes the capabilities and features of the X-33 Range Operations Center at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center. All the unprocessed data will be collected and transmitted over fiber optic lines to the Lockheed Operations Control Center for real-time flight monitoring of the X-33 vehicle. By using the existing capabilities of the Western Aeronautical Test Range, the Range Operations Center will provide the ability to monitor all down-range tracking sites for the Extended Test Range systems. In addition to radar tracking and aircraft telemetry data, the Telemetry and Radar Acquisition and Processing System is being enhanced to acquire vehicle command data, differential Global Positioning System corrections and telemetry receiver signal level status. The Telemetry and Radar Acquisition Processing System provides the flexibility to satisfy all X-33 data processing requirements quickly and efficiently. Additionally, the Telemetry and Radar Acquisition Processing System will run a real-time link margin analysis program. The results of this model will be compared in real-time with actual flight data. The hardware and software concepts presented in this paper describe a method of merging all types of data into a common database for real-time display in the Range Operations Center in support of the X-33 program. All types of data will be processed for real-time analysis and display of the range system status to ensure public safety.

Multi-channel Auto-dilution System for Remote Continuous Monitoring of High Soil-CO2 Fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barr, J. L.; Amonette, J. E.

2008-12-01

We describe a novel field instrument that takes input from up to 27 soil flux chambers and measures flux using the steady-state method. CO2 concentrations are determined with an infrared gas analyzer (IRGA, 0- 3000 ppmv range) with corrections for temperature, barometric pressure, and moisture content. The concentrations are monitored during data collection and, if they exceed the range of the IRGA, a stepped dilution program is automatically implemented that allows up to 50-fold dilution of the incoming gas stream with N2 supplied by boil-off from a large dewar. The upper concentration limit of the system with dilution is extended to at least 150,000 ppmv CO2. The data are stored on a datalogger having a cellular modem connection that allows remote control of the system as well as transmittal of data. The system is designed to operate for six weeks with no on-site maintenance required. Longer periods are possible with modifications to allow on-site generation of N2 from air. Example data from a recent CO2 test injection at the Zero- Emission Research and Technology (ZERT) field site in Bozeman, MT are presented.

Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration (SAFER) Plan for Corrective Action Unit 415: Project 57 No. 1 Plutonium Dispersion (NTTR), Nevada, Revision 0

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

Matthews, Patrick; Burmeister, Mark

2014-04-01

This Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration (SAFER) Plan addresses the actions needed to achieve closure for Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 415, Project 57 No. 1 Plutonium Dispersion (NTTR). CAU 415 is located on Range 4808A of the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) and consists of one corrective action site: NAFR-23-02, Pu Contaminated Soil. The CAU 415 site consists of the atmospheric release of radiological contaminants to surface soil from the Project 57 safety experiment conducted in 1957. The safety experiment released plutonium (Pu), uranium (U), and americium (Am) to the surface soil over an area of approximately 1.9 squaremore » miles. This area is currently fenced and posted as a radiological contamination area. Vehicles and debris contaminated by the experiment were subsequently buried in a disposal trench within the surface-contaminated, fenced area and are assumed to have released radiological contamination to subsurface soils. Potential source materials in the form of pole-mounted electrical transformers were also identified at the site and will be removed as part of closure activities.« less

Understanding patient choices for attending sexually transmitted infection testing services: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Pollard, Alex; Miners, Alec; Richardson, Daniel; Fisher, Martin; Cairns, John; Smith, Helen

2012-01-01

Objectives To establish which aspects of sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing services are important to STI testing service users. Methods 10 focus groups consisting of previous or existing users of STI testing services were conducted in community settings in the south east of England. Groups were quota sampled based on age, gender and sexual orientation. Data were analysed using Framework Analysis. Results 65 respondents (58% men) participated. Perceived expertise of staff was the key reason for attendance at genitourinary medicine services rather than general practice. Although some respondents voiced a willingness to test for STIs within general practice, the apparent limited range of tests available in general practice and the perceived lack of expertise around sexual health appeared to discourage attendance at general practice. The decision of where to test for STIs was also influenced by past experience of testing, existing relationships with general practice, method of receiving test results and whether the patient had other medical conditions such as HIV. Conclusions No one type of STI testing service is suitable for all patients. This is recognised by policymakers, and it now requires commissioners and providers to make services outside of genitourinary medicine clinics more acceptable and attractive to patients, in particular to address the perceived lack of expertise and limited range of STIs tests available at alternative testing sites. PMID:22628665

Force and moment tests to determine the interaction effects of the reaction control system jet plumes on the space shuttle Orbiter aerodynamics at Mach Number 6 (Test OA352)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cayse, Robert W.

1987-01-01

The purpose of this test was to expand the existing Space Shuttle aerodynamics and Reaction Control System (RCS) data base to support the Glide Return to Launch Site (GRTLS) abort trajectory and the new Digital Autopilot. An existing model of the orbiter was used to investigate the aerodynamic effects of several combinations of RCS thrusters and thruster momentum ratios at Mach number 6. Two separate model installations were used to achieve an angle-of-attack range of -11 to 46 deg. The test was conducted at a unit Reynolds number of 0.8 x 10 to the 6th per foot.

Fuel conservation evaluation of US Army helicopters. Part 5. Ah-1S flight testing. Final report, 31 July-21 September 1982

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

Todd, L.L.; Savage, R.T.; Vincent, R.L.

1983-01-01

The United States Army Aviation Engineering Flight Activity conducted level flight performance tests of the AH-1S (Prod) helicopter to provide data to determine the most fuel efficient operating conditions. Hot and cold weather test sites were used to extend the range of the advancing tip Mach number data to supplement existing AH-1S performance data. Preliminary analysis of non-dimensional data identifies the effects of compressibility on performance and shows a power penalty of as much as 6% at a high NR/theta. The power required characteristics determined by these tests can be combined with engine performance to determine the most fuel efficientmore » operating conditions.« less

Impact of piglet oral vaccination against tuberculosis in endemic free-ranging wild boar populations.

PubMed

Díez-Delgado, Iratxe; Sevilla, Iker A; Romero, Beatriz; Tanner, Eleanor; Barasona, Jose A; White, Andrew R; Lurz, Peter W W; Boots, Mike; de la Fuente, José; Dominguez, Lucas; Vicente, Joaquin; Garrido, Joseba M; Juste, Ramón A; Aranaz, Alicia; Gortazar, Christian

2018-07-01

The Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) is the main wild reservoir of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in Mediterranean woodlands and a key risk factor for cattle tuberculosis (TB) breakdowns. Wild boar vaccination therefore has the potential to be a valuable tool for TB control. We tested two orally delivered vaccines, heat-inactivated Mycobacterium bovis (IV) and BCG, in four sites (two per vaccine type: one Managed and one Natural or unmanaged) during four years. TB was also monitored in 15 unvaccinated sites (spatial control), as well as in all sites from one year prior to intervention (temporal control). The rationale is that by vaccinating 2-6 month old wild boar piglets we can reduce disease at the population level during the study period. This is achievable due to the fast turnover of wild boar populations. Vaccine baits were deployed using selective piglet feeders and this method proved highly successful with uptake rates of 50 to 74% in Natural sites and 89 to 92% in Managed sites. This is relevant for the potential delivery of vaccines to control other diseases, too. Local wild boar TB prevalence at the beginning of the study was already high ranging from 50 to 100%. TB prevalence increased in unvaccinated sites (6%), while a significant decline occurred in the Managed IV site (34%). Changes recorded in the remaining sites were not significant. The short-term impact of vaccination observed in the field was complemented by mathematical modelling, representative of the field system, which examined the long-term impact and showed that vaccination of piglets reduced prevalence and increased abundance at the population level. We conclude that IV could become part of integrated TB control schemes, although its application must be tailored for each specific site. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing the performance of a plastic optical fibre turbidity sensor for measuring post-fire erosion from plot to catchment scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keizer, J. J.; Martins, M. A. S.; Prats, S. A.; Santos, L. F.; Vieira, D. C. S.; Nogueira, R.; Bilro, L.

2015-09-01

This study is the first comprehensive testing of a novel plastic optical fibre turbidity sensor with runoff samples collected in the field and, more specifically, with a total of 158 streamflow samples and 925 overland flow samples from a recently burnt forest area in north-central Portugal, collected mainly during the first year after the wildfire, as well as with 56 overland flow samples from a nearby long-unburnt study site. Sediment concentrations differed less between overland flow and streamflow samples than between study sites and, at one study site, between plots with and without effective erosion mitigation treatments. Maximum concentrations ranged from 0.91 to 8.19 g L-1 for the micro-plot overland flow samples from the six burnt sites, from 1.74 to 8.99 g L-1 for the slope-scale overland flow samples from these same sites, and amounted to 4.55 g L-1 for the streamflow samples. Power functions provided (reasonably) good fits to the - expected - relationships of increasing normalized light loss with increasing sediment concentrations for the different sample types from individual study sites. The corresponding adjusted R2 values ranged from 0.64 to 0.81 in the case of the micro-plot samples from the six burnt sites, from 0.72 to 0.89 in the case of the slope-scale samples from these same sites, and was 0.85 in the case of the streamflow samples. While the overall performance of the sensor was thus rather satisfactory, the results pointed to the need for scale of site-specific calibrations to maximize the reliability of the predictions of sediment concentration by the POF (plastic optical fibre) sensor. This especially applied to the cases in which sediment concentrations were comparatively low, for example following mulching with forest residues.

Diversity and distribution of extra-floral nectaries in the cerrado savanna vegetation of Brazil

PubMed Central

Boudouris, John

2013-01-01

Aim. Throughout evolutionary history, plants and animals have evolved alongside one another. This is especially apparent when considering mutualistic relationships such as between plants with extra-floral nectaries (EFNs, glands on leaves or stems that secrete nectar) and the ants that visit them. Ants are attracted by the nectar and then protect the plant against destructive herbivores. The distribution of these plants is of particular interest, because it can provide insights into the evolutionary history of this unique trait and the plants that possess it. In this study, we investigated factors driving the distribution of woody plants with EFNs in the cerrado vegetation of Brazil. Location. Brazil Methods. We used a database detailing the incidence of 849 plant species at 367 cerrado sites throughout Brazil. We determined which species possessed EFNs and mapped their distributions. We tested for correlations between the proportion of EFN species at each site and (i) three environmental variables (mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation, and the precipitation in the driest quarter of the year), (ii) a broad soil classification, and (iii) the total species diversity of each site. Results. We found a wide range in the proportion of EFN species at any one site (0–57%). However, whilst low diversity sites had wide variation in the number of EFN species, high diversity sites all had few EFN species. The proportion of EFN species was positively correlated with absolute latitude and negatively correlated with longitude. When accounting for total species diversity, the proportion of EFN species per site was negatively correlated with precipitation in the driest quarter of the year and positively correlated with temperature range. Main Conclusions. These results suggest either that herbivore pressure may be lower in drier sites, or that ants are not as dominant in these locations, or that plant lineages at these sites were unable to evolve EFNs. PMID:24349899

Habitat impacts of offshore drilling, eastern Gulf of Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shinn, Eugene A.; Lidz, Barbara H.; Reich, Christopher D.

1994-01-01

In this survey six offshore exploratory drill sites in a variety of environments and water depths were examined using a small research submersible. Sites varied from locations off northwest Florida to as far west as offshore Alabama. Water depths ranged from 21 m (70 ft) to 149 m (489 ft), and bottom sediments ranged from carbonate mud to Shelly quartz sand and silt to hard limestone. The age of the sites (the time between cessation of drilling activities and our observations) ranged from 15 months to 17 years . In a previous MMS-funded study, Shinn et al. (1989) and Dustan et al . (1991) examined eight sites off South Florida, where the age of the sites ranged from 2 to 29 years. The study documented repeatedly variability of impact from site to site . In the present study, we note a similar wide divergence of impacts . Using the concentration of barium (the major component of drill mud), cuttings, and trace metals as a basis, we found that time is the single most important factor determining the nature of habitat recovery. Older sites, particularly the 17-year-old site, were relatively pristine. At a 7-year-old site, two hurricanes did far more damage than drilling . At other sites, we documented a significant amount of discarded debris, and at two 5-year-old sites, large concentrations of barium and cuttings. Impacts, such as the extent of debris and cuttings, affected the bottom ranging in area from almost negligible (17-year-old site) to as much as 3 acres (4-year-old site) . As suspected, those sites with the most debris and/or open boreholes attracted the most abundant and diverse fish fauna.

Archaeological Feedback as a Research Methodology in Near-Surface Geophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maillol, J.; Ortega-Ramírez, J.; Berard, B.

2005-05-01

A unique characteristic of archaeological geophysics is to present the researchers in applied geophysics with the opportunity to verify their interpretation of geophysical data through the direct observation of often extremely detailed excavations. This is usually known as archaeological feedback. Archaeological materials have been slowly buried over periods ranging from several hundreds to several thousands of years, undergoing natural sedimentary and soil-forming processes. Once excavated, archaeological features therefore constitute more realistic test subjects than the targets artifically buried in common geophysical test sites. We are presenting the outcome of several such verification tests aimed at clarifying issues in geometry and spatial resolution of ground penetrating radar (GPR) images. On the site of a Roman villa in SE Portugal 500 Mhz GPR images are shown to depict very accurately the position and geometry of partially excavated remains. In the Maya city of Palenque, Mexico, 900 Mhz data allows the depth of tombs and natural cavities to be determined with cm accuracy. The predicted lateral extent of the cavities is more difficult to match with the reality due to the cluttering caused by high frequency. In the rainforest of Western Africa, 500 MHz GPR was used to prospect for stone tool sites. When very careful positioning and high density data sampling is achieved, stones can be accurately located and retrieved at depths exceeding 1 m with maximum positioning errors of 12cm horizontally and 2 cm vertically. In more difficult data collection conditions however, errors in positioning are shown to actually largely exceed the predictions based on quantitative theoretical resolution considerations. Geophysics has long been recognized as a powerful tool for prospecting and characterizing archaeological sites. Reciprocally, these results show that archaeology is an unparalleled test environment for the assesment and development of high resolution geophysical methods.

Laser long-range remote-sensing program experimental results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Highland, Ronald G.; Shilko, Michael L.; Fox, Marsha J.; Gonglewski, John D.; Czyzak, Stanley R.; Dowling, James A.; Kelly, Brian; Pierrottet, Diego F.; Ruffatto, Donald; Loando, Sharon; Matsuura, Chris; Senft, Daniel C.; Finkner, Lyle; Rae, Joe; Gallegos, Joe

1995-12-01

A laser long range remote sensing (LRS) program is being conducted by the United States Air Force Phillips Laboratory (AF/PL). As part of this program, AF/PL is testing the feasibility of developing a long path CO(subscript 2) laser-based DIAL system for remote sensing. In support of this program, the AF/PL has recently completed an experimental series using a 21 km slant- range path (3.05 km ASL transceiver height to 0.067 km ASL target height) at its Phillips Laboratory Air Force Maui Optical Station (AMOS) facility located on Maui, Hawaii. The dial system uses a 3-joule, (superscript 13)C isotope laser coupled into a 0.6 m diameter telescope. The atmospheric optical characterization incorporates information from an infrared scintillometer co-aligned to the laser path, atmospheric profiles from weather balloons launched from the target site, and meteorological data from ground stations at AMOS and the target site. In this paper, we report a description of the experiment configuration, a summary of the results, a summary of the atmospheric conditions and their implications to the LRS program. The capability of such a system for long-range, low-angle, slant-path remote sensing is discussed. System performance issues relating to both coherent and incoherent detection methods, atmospheric limitations, as well as, the development of advanced models to predict performance of long range scenarios are presented.

Element content of Xanthoparmelia scabrosa growing on asphalt in urban and rural New Zealand

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bennett, J.P.; Wright, D.M.

2004-01-01

Xanthoparmelia scabrosa is a foliose lichen that grows abundantly on pedestrian and automobile asphalt in New Zealand, which are considered inhospitable habitats for lichens. Samples were collected at eight localities ranging from urban streets to very rural roads and analyzed for 28 chemical elements in order to determine elemental chemistry and to test hypotheses about tolerance mechanisms. Anthropogenic elements (Cu, Pb, and Zn) decreased significantly from urban to rural areas, while nutritional elements (K, P, and S) increased. Samples from urban areas contained 10% calcium. Sulfur was elevated at both urban and rural sites, possibly due to pollution in the former site and higher levels of sulfur-containing scabrosin esters at the rural sites. The ability of this lichen to accumulate high levels of Cu, Pb and Zn may make it useful as a remediation tool.

Techniques for estimating monthly mean streamflow at gaged sites and monthly streamflow duration characteristics at ungaged sites in central Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hess, G.W.; Bohman, L.R.

1996-01-01

Techniques for estimating monthly mean streamflow at gaged sites and monthly streamflow duration characteristics at ungaged sites in central Nevada were developed using streamflow records at six gaged sites and basin physical and climatic characteristics. Streamflow data at gaged sites were related by regression techniques to concurrent flows at nearby gaging stations so that monthly mean streamflows for periods of missing or no record can be estimated for gaged sites in central Nevada. The standard error of estimate for relations at these sites ranged from 12 to 196 percent. Also, monthly streamflow data for selected percent exceedence levels were used in regression analyses with basin and climatic variables to determine relations for ungaged basins for annual and monthly percent exceedence levels. Analyses indicate that the drainage area and percent of drainage area at altitudes greater than 10,000 feet are the most significant variables. For the annual percent exceedence, the standard error of estimate of the relations for ungaged sites ranged from 51 to 96 percent and standard error of prediction for ungaged sites ranged from 96 to 249 percent. For the monthly percent exceedence values, the standard error of estimate of the relations ranged from 31 to 168 percent, and the standard error of prediction ranged from 115 to 3,124 percent. Reliability and limitations of the estimating methods are described.

Evaluation of toxicity to the amphipod, Hyalella azteca, and to the midge, Chironomus dilutus; and bioaccumulation by the oligochaete, Lumbriculus variegatus, with exposure to PCB-contaminated sediments from Anniston, Alabama

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Steevens, Jeffery A.; MacDonald, Donald D.; Brumbaugh, William G.; Coady, Matthew R.; Farrar, J. Daniel; Lotufo, Guilherme R.; Kemble, Nile E.; Kunz, James L.; Stanley, Jacob K.; Sinclair, Jesse A.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Steevens, Jeffery A.; MacDonald, Donald D.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) requested that as part of the remedial investigation for the Anniston, Alabama Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Site (Anniston PCB Site), that Pharmacia Corporation and Solutia Inc. (P/S) perform long-term reproduction toxicity tests with the amphipod, Hyalella azteca, and the midge, Chironomus dilutus, and bioaccumulation tests with the oligochaete, Lumbriculus variegatus, using sediment samples collected from reference locations and from Operable Unit 4 of the Anniston PCB Site. The sediment toxicity testing and sediment bioaccumulation results will be used by ARCADIS U.S., Inc. (ARCADIS) as part of a weight-of-evidence assessment to evaluate risks and establish sediment remediation goals for contaminants to sediment-dwelling organisms inhabiting the Anniston PCB Site. The goal of this study was to characterize relations between sediment chemistry and sediment toxicity and relations between sediment chemistry and sediment bioaccumulation in samples of sediments collected from the Anniston PCB Site. A total of 32 samples were evaluated from six test sites and one reference site to provide a wide range in concentrations of chemicals of potential concern (COPCs) including PCBs in samples of whole sediment. The goal of this study was not to determine the extent of sediment contamination across the Anniston PCB Site. Hence, the test sites or samples collected from within a test site were not selected to represent the spatial extent of sediment contamination across the Anniston PCB Site. Sediment chemistry, pore-water chemistry, and sediment toxicity data were generated for 26 sediment samples from the Anniston PCB Site. All of the samples were evaluated to determine if they qualified as reference sediment samples. Those samples that met the chemical selection criteria and biological selection criteria were identified as reference samples and used to develop the reference envelope for each toxicity test endpoint. Physical characterization of samples of whole sediment included analyses of grain size, TOC, and nutrients. Organic chemical characterization of samples of whole sediment included PCB homologs and select (13) PCB congeners, parent and alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorine pesticides, and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins; and dibenzofurans. The PCB aroclors analyzed included 1016, 1221, 1232, 1242, 1248, 1254, 1260, 1262 and 1268. Analyses of whole sediment also included total metals, simultaneously extracted metals, and acid volatile sulfide. Chemical characterization of samples of pore water isolated from samples of whole sediment at the start of the sediment toxicity exposures or at the start of the sediment bioaccumulation exposures included metals, major cations, major anions, dissolved organic carbon, and additional water-quality characteristics. Concentrations of metals or PCBs in pore water during the sediment toxicity exposures or during sediment bioaccumulation exposures also were determined using peeper samples (for metals) or solid-phase microextraction (SPME) samplers (for PCBs). The bioavailability and bioaccumulation of PCBs in 14 sediment samples were investigated using SPME passive samplers and the 28-d L. variegatus whole-sediment bioaccumulation exposures In general the accumulation of PCBs consistently was predicted through the use of organic carbon normalization and equilibrium partitioning. In these sediments, PCB homologs were accumulated differently based on bioavailability and potential to accumulate in oligochaetes. As part of this assessment homolog specific biota sediment accumulation factor values were developed that could be applied across the larger site to predict tissue levels of PCBs. The whole-sediment toxicity tests done with H. azteca and C. dilutus met the established ASTM and USEPA test acceptability criteria. The most responsive H. azteca endpoints were day 42 survival normalized young per female and day 28 biomass and that the most responsive C. dilutus endpoints were adult biomass and percent adult emergence. Overall, between the two species, the most responsive endpoint assessed for these two species was H. azteca survival-normalized young per female (67 percent of the samples classified as toxic). Concentration-response models (CRMs) and site-specific sediment toxicity thresholds (TTs) were generated with matching sediment chemistry and sediment toxicity data. Sediment chemistry, pore-water chemistry, and sediment toxicity data were evaluated for as many as 26 sediment samples from the Anniston PCB Site. The reference-envelope approach was used to identify the sediment samples that were toxic to benthic invertebrates. This procedure involved identification of reference sediment samples, normalizing the toxicity data to reflect control responses, developing a reference envelope for each toxicity test endpoint, and designating each sediment sample as toxic or not toxic for each toxicity test endpoint, for each species, and for all species combined. These results demonstrated percent emergence of adult C. dilutus, biomass of adult C. dilutus, and reproduction of H. azteca normalized to percent survival were among the most responsive endpoints that were evaluated. Therefore, these endpoints were selected for CRM development. The site-specific TTs for whole sediment provide a reliable basis for identifying toxic and not toxic sediment samples in the Anniston PCB Site (that is, for correctly classifying the sediment samples used to derive the TTs as toxic or not toxic, for the endpoint used to derive the TTs). Among the 69 TTs for sediment, the TTLRs for total PCB homologs [499 to 1,870 micrograms per kilogram dry weight (μg/kg DW)] and for lead [(9.48 to 10.3 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) DW] based on reproduction of H. azteca or based on emergence or biomass of adult C. dilutus, were the most reliable. Such TTs had low rates of false negative errors (that is, only 0 to 11 percent of the samples below the TT were toxic to benthic invertebrates), low rates of false positive errors (only 0 to 6 percent of the samples greater than the TT were not toxic to benthic invertebrates), and high rates of correct classification (that is, 92 to 96 percent). The site-specific TTs for PCBs and other COPCs derived in this study also were compared to empirically based sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), to equilibrium-partitioning based SQGs, and to the results of spiked-sediment toxicity tests. The results of this evaluation indicated that the site-specific sediment TTs for PCBs were comparable to the consensus-based SQGs that were derived for PCBs. In addition, the site-specific sediment TTs for PCBs are well within the range of SQGs derived using the equilibrium partitioning approach. The site-specific sediment TTs for PCBs also are consistent with the results of chronic TTs that have been estimated for benthic invertebrates using the results of spiked-sediment toxicity tests. As the site-specific sediment TTs for PCBs are consistent with empirically based SQGs, equilibrium-partitioning based SQGs, and results of sediment-spiking studies, these site- specific sediment TTs likely represent the concentrations of PCBs that are sufficient to cause toxicity to benthic invertebrates (as opposed to simply being correlated with adverse effects on the survival, weight, or reproduction of benthic invertebrates). Importantly, such site-specific sediment TTs have been demonstrated to accurately classify sediment samples as toxic or not toxic to benthic invertebrates at the Anniston PCB Site. In contrast, the TTs for metals, PAHs, and organochlorine pesticides were generally lower than consensus-based SQGs (that is, probable effect concentrations), and LC50s (median lethal effect concentrations) generated in spiked-sediment toxicity tests, indicating that these COPCs are likely not the main contributors to the observed toxicity of the site sediments evaluated in this study. The reproduction endpoint for H. azteca provided lower TTs compared to the day 28 biomass endpoint for H. azteca and the emergence or biomass endpoints for adult C. dilutus provided lower TTs compared to the day 13 biomass endpoint for C. dilutus.

Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site: Control Volume/Test Cell and Community Research Asset

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrash, W.; Bradford, J.; Malama, B.

2008-12-01

The Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site (BHRS) is a research wellfield or field-scale test facility developed in a shallow, coarse, fluvial aquifer with the objectives of supporting: (a) development of cost- effective, non- or minimally-invasive quantitative characterization and imaging methods in heterogeneous aquifers using hydrologic and geophysical techniques; (b) examination of fundamental relationships and processes at multiple scales; (c) testing theories and models for groundwater flow and solute transport; and (d) educating and training of students in multidisciplinary subsurface science and engineering. The design of the wells and the wellfield support modular use and reoccupation of wells for a wide range of single-well, cross-hole, multiwell and multilevel hydrologic, geophysical, and combined hydrologic-geophysical experiments. Efforts to date by Boise State researchers and collaborators have been largely focused on: (a) establishing the 3D distributions of geologic, hydrologic, and geophysical parameters which can then be used as the basis for jointly inverting hard and soft data to return the 3D K distribution and (b) developing subsurface measurement and imaging methods including tomographic characterization and imaging methods. At this point the hydrostratigraphic framework of the BHRS is known to be a hierarchical multi-scale system which includes layers and lenses that are recognized with geologic, hydrologic, radar, seismic, and EM methods; details are now emerging which may allow 3D deterministic characterization of zones and/or material variations at the meter scale in the central wellfield. Also the site design and subsurface framework have supported a variety of testing configurations for joint hydrologic and geophysical experiments. Going forward we recognize the opportunity to increase the R&D returns from use of the BHRS with additional infrastructure (especially for monitoring the vadose zone and surface water-groundwater interactions), more collaborative activity, and greater access to site data. Our broader goal of becoming more available as a research asset for the scientific community also supports the long-term business plan of increasing funding opportunities to maintain and operate the site.

Evaluation of the OnSite (Pf/Pan) rapid diagnostic test for diagnosis of clinical malaria

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Accurate diagnosis of malaria is an essential prerequisite for proper treatment and drug resistance monitoring. Microscopy is considered the gold standard for malaria diagnosis but has limitations. ELISA, PCR, and Real Time PCR are also used to diagnose malaria in reference laboratories, although their application at the field level is currently not feasible. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) however, have been brought into field operation and widely adopted in recent days. This study evaluates OnSite (Pf/Pan) antigen test, a new RDT introduced by CTK Biotech Inc, USA for malaria diagnosis in a reference setting. Methods Blood samples were collected from febrile patients referred for malaria diagnosis by clinicians. Subjects were included in this study from two different Upazila Health Complexes (UHCs) situated in two malaria endemic districts of Bangladesh. Microscopy and nested PCR were considered the gold standard in this study. OnSite (Pf/Pan) RDT was performed on preserved whole blood samples. Results In total, 372 febrile subjects were included in this study. Of these subjects, 229 (61.6%) tested positive for Plasmodium infection detected by microscopy and nested PCR. OnSite (Pf/Pan) RDT was 94.2% sensitive (95% CI, 89.3-97.3) and 99.5% specific (95% CI, 97.4-00.0) for Plasmodium falciparum diagnosis and 97.3% sensitive (95% CI, 90.5-99.7) and 98.7% specific (95% CI, 96.6-99.6) for Plasmodium vivax diagnosis. Sensitivity varied with differential parasite count for both P. falciparum and P. vivax. The highest sensitivity was observed in febrile patients with parasitaemia that ranged from 501–1,000 parasites/μL regardless of the Plasmodium species. Conclusion The new OnSite (Pf/Pan) RDT is both sensitive and specific for symptomatic malaria diagnosis in standard laboratory conditions. PMID:23234579

Geochemical Trends and Natural Attenuation of RDX, Nitrate, and Perchlorate in the Hazardous Test Area Fractured-Granite Aquifer, White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, 1996-2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Langman, Jeff B.; Robertson, Andrew J.; Bynum, Jamar; Gebhardt, Fredrick E.

2008-01-01

A fractured-granite aquifer at White Sands Missile Range is contaminated with the explosive compound RDX, nitrate, and perchlorate (oxidizer associated with rocket propellant) from the previous use of the Open Burn/Open Detonation site at the Hazardous Test Area. RDX, nitrate, and perchlorate ground-water concentrations were analyzed to examine source characteristics, spatial and temporal variability, and the influence of the natural attenuation processes of dilution and degradation in the Hazardous Test Area fractured-granite aquifer. Two transects of ground-water wells from the existing monitoring-site network - one perpendicular to ground-water flow (transect A-A') and another parallel to ground-water flow (transect B-B') - were selected to examine source characteristics and the spatial and temporal variability of the contaminant concentrations. Ground-water samples collected in 2005 from a larger sampling of monitoring sites than the two transects were analyzed for various tracers including major ions, trace elements, RDX degradates, dissolved gases, water isotopes, nitrate isotopes, and sulfate isotopes to examine the natural attenuation processes of dilution and degradation. Recharge entrains contaminants at the site and transports them downgradient towards the Tularosa Basin floor through a poorly connected fracture system(s). From 1996 to 2006, RDX, nitrate, and perchlorate concentrations in ground water downgradient from the Open Burn/Open Detonation site have been relatively stable. RDX, nitrate, and perchlorate in ground water from wells near the site indicate dispersed contaminant sources in and near the Open Burn/Open Detonation pits. The sources of RDX and nitrate in the pit area have shifted with time, and the shift correlates with the regrading of the south and east berms of each pit in 2002 and 2003 following closure of the site. The largest RDX concentrations were in ground water about 0.1 mile downgradient from the pits, the largest perchlorate concentrations were in ground water about 0.15 mile downgradient from the pits, and the largest nitrate concentrations were in ground water about 0.25 mile down-gradient from the pits. Strong and moderate correlation of water level and the contaminant concentrations near the source areas and low correlation outside and downgradient from the source areas indicates a diminishing of the water level/contaminant relation with downgradient flow. Ground water was not progressively older at all locations downgradient from the Open Burn/Open Detonation site indicating multiple recharge areas. Major ion and strontium concentrations and d2H and d18O values identified similar sources of recharge waters comprising the aquifer except along the basin periphery where recharge water may be influenced by dissolution of mineral assemblages associated with ore deposits that are present along the basin margins. Ground-water ages, dissolved-solids concentrations, and calcium-strontium concentrations indicate limited or partial connectivity between fractures and contributions of uncontaminated recharge water downgradient from the site that dilutes contaminant concentrations. Changes in RDX and nitrate concentration patterns, the presence of methane, changes in carbon dioxide concentrations and d15N and d34S values, and variable reduction-oxidation conditions suggest degradation of contaminants in the downgradient direction. Estimated values of electron potential were assigned to ground water collected in October 2005 from all monitoring sites at the Hazardous Test Area. Moderate to strong reducing conditions were present upgradient from the Open Burn/Open Detonation site, at the site, and at various locations downgradient from the site, but the aquifer contained well-oxygenated water between many of the reducing areas. The spatial variability of reduction-oxidation conditions in the aquifer exemplifies the partial connectivity of the fracture system(s). Dilution of the contaminants i

Peri-Implant Strain in an In Vitro Model.

PubMed

Hussaini, Souheil; Vaidyanathan, Tritala K; Wadkar, Abhinav P; Quran, Firas A Al; Ehrenberg, David; Weiner, Saul

2015-10-01

An in vitro experimental model was designed and tested to determine the influence that peri-implant strain may have on the overall crestal bone. Strain gages were attached to polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) models containing a screw-type root form implant at sites 1 mm from the resin-implant interface. Three different types of crown superstructures (cemented, 1-screw [UCLA] and 2-screw abutment types) were tested. Loading (1 Hz, 200 N load) was performed using a MTS Mechanical Test System. The strain gage data were stored and organized in a computer for statistical treatment. Strains for all abutment types did not exceed the physiological range for modeling and remodeling of cancellous bone, 200-2500 με (microstrain). For approximately one-quarter of the trials, the strain values were less than 200 με the zone for bone atrophy. The mean microstrain obtained was 517.7 με. In conclusion, the peri-implant strain in this in vitro model did not exceed the physiologic range of bone remodeling under axial occlusal loading.

Summary of hydraulic properties of the Floridan Aquifer system in coastal Georgia and adjacent parts of South Carolina and Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clarke, John S.; Leeth, David C.; Taylor-Harris, DaVette; Painter, Jaime A.; Labowski, James L.

2005-01-01

Hydraulic-property data for the Floridan aquifer system and equivalent clastic sediments in a 67-county area of coastal Georgia and adjacent parts of South Carolina and Florida were evaluated to provide data necessary for development of ground-water flow and solute-transport models. Data include transmissivity at 324 wells, storage coefficient at 115 wells, and vertical hydraulic conductivity of 72 core samples from 27 sites. Hydraulic properties of the Upper Floridan aquifer vary greatly in the study area due to the heterogeneity (and locally to anisotropy) of the aquifer and to variations in the degree of confinement provided by confining units. Prominent structural features in the areathe Southeast Georgia Embayment, the Beaufort Arch, and the Gulf Troughinfluence the thickness and hydraulic properties of the sediments comprising the Floridan aquifer system. Transmissivity of the Upper Floridan aquifer and equivalent updip units was compiled for 239 wells and ranges from 530 feet squared per day (ft2/d) at Beaufort County, South Carolina, to 600,000 ft2/d in Coffee County, Georgia. In carbonate rock settings of the lower Coastal Plain, transmissivity of the Upper Floridan aquifer generally is greater than 20,000 ft2/d, with values exceeding 100,000 ft2/d in the southeastern and southwestern parts of the study area (generally coinciding with the area of greatest aquifer thickness). Transmissivity of the Upper Floridan aquifer generally is less than 10,000 ft2/d in and near the upper Coastal Plain, where the aquifer is thin and consists largely of clastic sediments, and in the vicinity of the Gulf Trough, where the aquifer consists of low permeability rocks and sediments. Large variability in the range of transmissivity in Camden and Glynn Counties, Georgia, and Nassau County, Florida, demonstrates the anisotropic distribution of hydraulic properties that may result from fractures or solution openings in the carbonate rocks. Storage coefficient of the Upper Floridan aquifer was compiled for 106 wells and ranges from about 0.00004 at Beaufort County, South Carolina, to 0.04 in Baker County, Florida. Transmissivity of the Lower Floridan aquifer and equivalent updip clastic units was compiled for 53 wells and ranges from about 170 ft2/d in Barnwell County, South Carolina, to about 43,000 ft2/d in Camden County, Georgia. Transmissivity of the Lower Floridan aquifer is greatest where the aquifer is thickest in southeastern Georgia and northeastern Floridawhere estimates are greater than 10,000 ft2/d; at one well in southeastern Georgia transmissivity was estimated to be as high as 200,000 ft2/d. Storage-coefficient data for the Lower Floridan aquifer are limited to three estimates in Barnwell and Allendale Counties, South Carolina, and to estimates determined from six multi-aquifer tests in Duval County, Florida. In the South Carolina tests, storage coefficient ranges from 0.0003 to 0.0004; this range is indicative of a confined aquifer. The storage coefficient for the combined Upper and Lower Floridan wells in Duval County, Florida, ranges from 0.00002 to 0.02. Vertical hydraulic conductivity was compiled from core samples collected at 27 sites. For the Upper Floridan confining unit, values from 39 core samples at 17 sites range from 0.0002 to 3 feet per day (ft/d). For the Lower Floridan confining unit, values from 10 core samples at 9 sites range from about 0.000004 to 0.16 ft/d. Vertical hydraulic conductivity of the Upper Floridan aquifer was compiled from 16 core samples at five sites, mostly in the Brunswick, Georgia, area and values range from 0.00134 to 160.4 ft/d. Vertical hydraulic conductivity for the semiconfining unit separating the upper and lower water-bearing zones of the Upper Floridan at Brunswick, Georgia, compiled from 6 core samples at three sites ranges from 0.000008 to 0.000134 ft/d. The vertical hydraulic conductivity of the Lower Floridan aquifer in a core sample from a well at Brunswick, G

Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 104: Area 7 Yucca Flat Atmospheric Test Sites, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada

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

None

2013-06-27

This Closure Report (CR) presents information supporting closure of Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 104, Area 7 Yucca Flat Atmospheric Test Sites, and provides documentation supporting the completed corrective actions and confirmation that closure objectives for CAU 104 were met. This CR complies with the requirements of the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO) that was agreed to by the State of Nevada; the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Management; the U.S. Department of Defense; and DOE, Legacy Management. CAU 104 consists of the following 15 Corrective Action Sites (CASs), located in Area 7 of the Nevada National Securitymore » Site: · CAS 07-23-03, Atmospheric Test Site T-7C · CAS 07-23-04, Atmospheric Test Site T7-1 · CAS 07-23-05, Atmospheric Test Site · CAS 07-23-06, Atmospheric Test Site T7-5a · CAS 07-23-07, Atmospheric Test Site - Dog (T-S) · CAS 07-23-08, Atmospheric Test Site - Baker (T-S) · CAS 07-23-09, Atmospheric Test Site - Charlie (T-S) · CAS 07-23-10, Atmospheric Test Site - Dixie · CAS 07-23-11, Atmospheric Test Site - Dixie · CAS 07-23-12, Atmospheric Test Site - Charlie (Bus) · CAS 07-23-13, Atmospheric Test Site - Baker (Buster) · CAS 07-23-14, Atmospheric Test Site - Ruth · CAS 07-23-15, Atmospheric Test Site T7-4 · CAS 07-23-16, Atmospheric Test Site B7-b · CAS 07-23-17, Atmospheric Test Site - Climax Closure activities began in October 2012 and were completed in April 2013. Activities were conducted according to the Corrective Action Decision Document/Corrective Action Plan for CAU 104. The corrective actions included No Further Action and Clean Closure. Closure activities generated sanitary waste, mixed waste, and recyclable material. Some wastes exceeded land disposal limits and required treatment prior to disposal. Other wastes met land disposal restrictions and were disposed in appropriate onsite landfills. The U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) requests the following: · A Notice of Completion from the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection to NNSA/NFO for closure of CAU 104 · The transfer of CAU 104 from Appendix III to Appendix IV, Closed Corrective Action Units, of the FFACO« less