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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

A section 110 evaluation of the huron king test chamber, area 3, nevada national security site, nye county, nevada

The U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office tasked Desert Research Institute (DRI) with the identification and evaluation of the Huron King Test Chamber as part of their cultural resources program obligations under Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The Huron King nuclear test was a vertical line-of-sight weapons effects test that took place in Area 3 on June 24, 1980. Unique to this event was a specially designed aboveground test chamber that held a model defense communications satellite in a vacuum tank meant to replicate the space environment. Sponsored by the Defense Nuclear Agency, the purpose of the experiment was to understand the response of the satellite and its materials and equipment to an electromagnetic pulse and attendant radiation. Between July and August 2022, DRI conducted an archival review on the Huron King experiment and its associated test chamber. Subsequently, pedestrian fieldwork was undertaken at the Huron King Test Chamber by DRI on September 29, 2022. During fieldwork, the outside of the test chamber was documented using a Nevada State Historic Preservation Office Architectural Resource Assessment form. This effort included verifying the substructures that compose the test chamber as determined by the archival review, as well as obtaining a detailed photographic recordation of the exterior and assessing its current condition. Notably, the site where the Huron King test took place has been abandoned and almost entirely naturalized. All of the portable instrumentation trailers, communications and data cabling, and winch systems used to retract the test chamber following the detonation were removed after completion of the experiment in 1980. Only the subsidence crater and the test chamber remain as physical evidence of this experiment. Based on these findings, DRI recommends that the Huron King Test Chamber is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) at the local level under Significance Criteria A and C and that it meets Criteria Consideration G for properties less than 50 years old.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Special Analysis for the Disposal of the West Valley Demonstration Project Extraction Cell 2 Low Density Waste Stream at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This special analysis (SA) evaluates whether the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) Extraction Cell 2 Low Density waste stream is suitable for disposal by shallow land burial (SLB) at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The WVDP Low Density waste stream consists of debris contaminated during the decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of Extraction Cell 2 at the WVDP (WVDP 2015). The WVDP Low Density waste stream required an SA because the radium-226 (226Ra) activity concentration exceeds the NNSS Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) Action Level (U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office [NNSA/NFO] 2013). The effect of adding the WVDP Low Density waste stream inventory to the inventory of waste disposed through the end of FY 2014 was evaluated with the A5 RWMS v 4.119 PA model. The results indicate that all performance objectives can be met with disposal of the WVDP Low Density in a SLB trench. Addition of the WVDP Low Density inventory slightly increases the 222Rn flux density, but the maximum mean and 95th percentile flux density remain less than the performance objective throughout the compliance period. The WVDP Low Density waste stream had no significant effect on the maximum mean and 95th percentile for all other PA results. The WVDP Low Density waste stream, therefore, is suitable for disposal by SLB at the Area 5 RWMS.

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DOE OSTI2015

Special Analysis for the Disposal of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory General Radioactive Sources Waste Stream at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This special analysis (SA) evaluates whether the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) General Radioactive Sources waste stream (ORNLSOURCES01, Revision 3) is suitable for disposal by shallow land burial (SLB) at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The ORNL General Radioactive Sources waste stream consists of sealed sources and solid radioactive sources that are no longer needed (ORNL 2015). The ORNL General Radioactive Sources waste stream required a special analysis because 26 radionuclides exceeded the NNSS Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) Action Levels (U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office [NNSA/NFO] 2015). However, review of the generator’s method to calculate waste concentration indicates that the concentrations are significantly overestimated. Waste concentrations are recalculated in this analysis using a list of individual sources provided by the generator. One radionuclide, radium-226 (226Ra), still exceeds its action level and a Special Analysis (SA) is required. The results indicate that all performance objectives can be met with disposal of the ORNL General Radioactive Sources in a SLB trench. Addition of the ORNL General Radioactive Sources inventory slightly increases the 222Rn flux density. The maximum mean and 95th percentile flux density remain less than the performance objective throughout the compliance period. The ORNL General Radioactive Sources waste stream had no significant effect on the maximum mean and 95th percentile for all other performance assessment results. The ORNL General Radioactive Sources waste stream is suitable for disposal by SLB at the Area 5 RWMS. However, because the activity concentrations on the waste profile sheet are significantly overestimated, approval of the sheet could potentially allow the disposal of high activity radiation sources. To ensure the generator does not include large radiation sources in its waste stream, a control is recommended on the maximum individual source activity from this generator.

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DOE OSTI2019

CY2018 Annual Closure Monitoring Report for Corrective Action Unit 98, Frenchman Flat, Underground Test Area, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada (January 2018–December 2018, Revision 1)

Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 98: Frenchman Flat on the Nevada National Security Site was the location of 10 underground nuclear tests. CAU 98 underwent a series of investigations and actions in accordance with the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order to assess contamination of groundwater by radionuclides from the tests. A Closure Report completed that process in 2016 and called for long-term monitoring, use restrictions (URs), and institutional controls to protect the public and environment from potential exposure to contaminated groundwater. Three types of monitoring are performed for CAU 98: water quality, water level, and institutional control. These are monitored to determine whether the URs remain protective of human health and the environment, and to ensure that the regulatory boundary objectives are being met. Monitoring data will be used in the future, once multiple years of data are available, to evaluate consistency with the groundwater flow and contaminant transport models because the contaminant boundaries calculated with the models are the primary basis of the UR boundaries. Six wells were sampled for water-quality monitoring in 2018. Contaminants of concern were detected only in the two source/plume wells already known to contain contamination as a result of a radionuclide migration experiment. Tritium concentrations in both of these wells, RNM-2S and UE-5n, remain above the Safe Drinking Water Act maximum contaminant level of 20,000 picocuries per liter but declined in 2018 as compared to measurements in 2017. All other contaminants of concern are below the minimum detection level plus analytical error. The water-level monitoring network includes 16 wells. Depth to water measured in 2018 is generally consistent with recent measurements for all wells. Many wells continue to exhibit a long-term downward trend in water level, despite small increases in measured water levels in 2018. The sharp 2016 decline in water level in Well ER-5-3-2 remains unexplained, with the lower level persisting through 2018. Rising water-level trends continue to be observed in two relatively deep wells (ER-5-3 deep piezometer and ER-5-4-2), and also in former supply Well WW-5A. The current supply wells exhibit relatively erratic water levels associated with pumping activities. Institutional control monitoring confirmed the URs are recorded in U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Air Force land management systems, and that no activities within Frenchman Flat basin are occurring that could potentially affect the contaminant boundaries. Survey of groundwater resources in basins surrounding Frenchman Flat similarly identify no current or pending development that would indicate the need to increase monitoring activities or would otherwise cause concern for the closure decision. The URs continue to prevent exposure of the public, workers, and the environment to contaminants of concern by preventing use of potentially contaminated groundwater.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Corrective Action Decision Document/Corrective Action Plan for Corrective Action Units 101 and 102: Central and Western Pahute Mesa Nevada National Security Site, Nevada, Revision 2

This revision was prepared to document changes to the data-collection activities. Specifically, the drilling and completion of the wells have been revised, and enhancements to the surface geophysics measurements have been included. Corrective action is needed because underground radioactive contamination exists in these areas resulting from historic underground nuclear testing. The PM CAUs are located in the northwestern portion of the Nevada National Security Site and comprise 82 corrective action sites. A total of 85 underground nuclear detonations took place within the area covered by the PM CAUs between 1965 and 1992 and resulted in the release of radionuclides in the subsurface in the vicinity of the test cavities.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 366: Area 11 Plutonium Valley Dispersion Sites, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada with ROTC 1

This Closure Report presents information supporting closure of Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 366, Area 11 Plutonium Valley Dispersion Sites, and provides documentation supporting the completed corrective actions and confirmation that closure objectives for CAU 366 were met. CAU 366 consists of the following six Corrective Action Sites (CASs), located in Area 11 of the Nevada National Security Site: • CAS 11-08-01, Contaminated Waste Dump #1 • CAS 11-08-02, Contaminated Waste Dump #2 • CAS 11-23-01, Radioactively Contaminated Area A • CAS 11-23-02, Radioactively Contaminated Area B • CAS 11-23-03, Radioactively Contaminated Area C • CAS 11-23-04, Radioactively Contaminated Area D

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Submittal of The Final Calendar Year (Cy) 2025 Post-Closure Monitoring Letter Report, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada, Revision 1, April 2026

This letter serves as the annual post-closure letter for CAU 98, Frenchman Flat; CAU 97, Yucca Flat/Climax Mine; and CAU 99, Rainier Mesa/Shoshone Mountain for calendar year 2025. This letter will discuss the post-closure monitoring activities that occurred during CY 2025, identify any triggers reached, and summarize water usage on the Nevada National Security Site and surrounding hydrographic basins at the three CAUs.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Post-Closure Inspection Report for the Tonopah Test Range and Nevada Test and Training Range, Nevada, For Calendar Year 2019, Revision 0

This report provides the results of the annual post-closure use restriction (UR) inspections at the closed corrective action sites (CASs) located on the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) and Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) that are accessed through the TTR/NTTR main gate. This report covers post-closure UR inspections for calendar year 2019, and includes visual inspections and repair activities completed at the following corrective action units (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)

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2012

2011 Annual Summary Report for the Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Sites at the Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada: Review of the Performance Assessments and Composite Analyses

The Maintenance Plan for the Performance Assessments and Composite Analyses for the Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Sites at the Nevada Test Site (National Security Technologies, LLC, 2007a) requires an annual review to assess the adequacy of the Performance Assessments (PAs) and Composite Analyses (CAs), with the results submitted annually to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management. The Disposal Authorization Statements for the Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Sites (RWMSs) also require that such reviews be made and that secondary or minor unresolved issues be tracked and addressed as part of the maintenance plan (DOE, 1999a; 2000).

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DOE OSTI2012

Conceptualization of the Predevelopment Groundwater Flow System and Transient Water-Level Responses in Yucca Flat, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada

Contaminants introduced into the subsurface of Yucca Flat, Nevada National Security Site, by underground nuclear testing are of concern to the U.S. Department of Energy and regulators responsible for protecting human health and safety. The potential for contaminant movement away from the underground test areas and into the accessible environment is greatest by groundwater transport. The primary hydrologic control on this transport is evaluated and examined through a set of contour maps developed to represent the hydraulic-head distribution within the two major aquifer systems underlying the area. Aquifers and confining units within these systems were identified and their extents delineated by merging and analyzing hydrostratigraphic framework models developed by other investigators from existing geologic information. Maps of the hydraulic-head distributions in the major aquifer systems were developed from a detailed evaluation and assessment of available water-level measurements. The maps, in conjunction with regional and detailed hydrogeologic cross sections, were used to conceptualize flow within and between aquifer systems.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2012

Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 562: Waste Systems, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada

This Closure Report (CR) presents information supporting closure of Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 562, Waste Systems, and provides documentation supporting the completed corrective actions and confirmation that closure objectives for CAU 562 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 (FFACO, 1996 as amended).

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DOE OSTI2013

Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 366: Area 11 Plutonium Valley Dispersion Sites, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada

This Closure Report (CR) presents information supporting closure of Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 366, Area 11 Plutonium Valley Dispersion Sites, and provides documentation supporting the completed corrective actions and confirmation that closure objectives for CAU 366 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 (FFACO, 1996 as amended).

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DOE OSTI2018

Unreviewed Disposal Question Evaluation: Impact of Delayed Revegetation of Closure Covers at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This Unreviewed Disposal Question Evaluation (UDQE) assesses the impacts of delayed revegetation of the 92-acre (ac) Low-Level Waste Management Unit (LLWMU) closure covers in the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The Area 5 RWMS Performance Assessment (PA) assumes closure with fully functional evapotranspiration (ET) covers. A key safety function of ET covers is to prevent percolation of water through waste by absorbing and storing precipitation in near-surface soil until it is returned to the atmosphere by ET. The closure cover’s ET function relies heavily on native desert vegetation to transpire moisture from dry soils. Final ET closure covers were installed on the 92-ac LLWMU in 2012. Since then attempts to reestablish native vegetation on the closure covers have failed. As of 2018, perennial native vegetation is mostly absent on the covers, but a dense population of invasive weeds (e.g., Salsola paulsenii and Halogeton glomeratus) is present. This UDQE assesses the effect of delayed restoration of native desert vegetation on the hydrologic performance of the Area 5 RWMS ET covers.

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DOE OSTI2018

Unreviewed Disposal Question Evaluation: Disposal of the Transuranic Waste Processing Center Mixed Low-Level Waste at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This Unreviewed Disposal Question Evaluation (UDQE) assesses whether the Transuranic Waste Processing Center (TWPC) Mixed Low-Level Waste (MLLW) (FWORCHMLLW103, Revision 11 [TWPC 2018]) is suitable for shallow land burial (SLB) at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). Disposal of the TWPC MLLW waste stream meets all performance objectives of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Manual DOE M 435.1-1, Radioactive Waste Management Manual, Chapter IV, Section P (DOE 1999). The TWPC MLLW waste stream is recommended for acceptance without conditions.

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DOE OSTI2018

UNREVIEWED DISPOSAL QUESTION EVALUATION: Disposal of the Idaho National Laboratory Radioactive Waste Management Complex Low-Level Waste at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This Unreviewed Disposal Question Evaluation (UDQE) assesses whether the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) Low-Level Waste (INEL11006367N, Revision 4 [INL 2017]) is suitable for shallow land burial (SLB) at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). Disposal of the INL RWMC Low-Level Waste meets all U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Manual DOE M 435.1-1, Radioactive Waste Management Manual, Chapter IV, Section P performance objectives (DOE 1999). The INL RWMC Low-Level Waste is recommended for acceptance without conditions.

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DOE OSTI2018

UNREVIEWED DISPOSAL QUESTION EVALUATION: Disposal of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Regulated Asbestos-Contaminated Low-Level Waste at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Sited, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This Unreviewed Disposal Question Evaluation (UDQE) assesses whether the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Regulated Asbestos-Contaminated Low-Level Waste (LANL000000029, Revision 5 [LANL 2017]) is suitable for shallow land burial (SLB) at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). Disposal of the LANL Regulated Asbestos-Contaminated Low-Level Waste meets all U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Manual DOE M 435.1-1, Radioactive Waste Management Manual, Chapter IV, Section P performance objectives (DOE 1999). The LANL Regulated Asbestos Contaminated Low-Level Waste is recommended for acceptance without conditions.

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DOE OSTI2017

Special Analysis for the Disposal of U.S. Department of Energy High Activity Cesium Sources Waste Stream at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This special analysis (SA) evaluates whether the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) High Activity Cesium (Cs) Sources waste stream (BCLADOEOSRPCS, Revision 0) is suitable for shallow land burial (SLB) at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). Disposal of the LLNL DOE High Activity Cs Sources waste meets all U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Manual DOE M 435.1-1, “Radioactive Waste Management Manual,” Chapter IV, Section P performance objectives (DOE 1999). The LLNL DOE High Activity Cs Sources waste stream is recommended for acceptance with the conditions that 1) the total waste stream cesium-137 ( 137 Cs) activity be limited to 1.7E16 becquerel (Bq) and 2) the waste be disposed greater than 4.4 meters (m) (14 feet [ft], 5 inches [in.]) below existing grade.

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