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DOE OSTI2016

2014 Fermilab Laboratory Directoed Research \& Development Annual Report

After initiation by the Fermilab Laboratory Director, a team from the senior Laboratory leadership and a Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Advisory Committee developed an implementation plan for LDRD at Fermilab for the first time. This implementation was captured in the approved Fermilab 2014 LDRD Program Plan and followed directions and guidance from the Department of Energy (DOE) order, DOE O 413.2B, a “Roles, Responsibilities, and Guidelines, …” document, and examples of best practices at other DOE Office of Science Laboratories. At Fermilab, a FY14 midyear Call for Proposals was issued. A LDRD Selection Committee evaluated those proposals that were received and provided a recommendation to the Laboratory Director who approved seven LDRD projects. This Annual Report focuses on the status of those seven projects and provides an overview of the current status of LDRD at Fermilab. The seven FY14 LDRD approved projects had a date of initiation late in FY14 such that this report reflects approximately six months of effort approximately through January 2015. The progress of these seven projects, the subsequent award of six additional new projects beginning in FY15, and preparations for the issuance of the FY16 Call for Proposals indicates that LDRD is now integrated into the overall annual program at Fermilab. All indications are that LDRD is improving the scientific and technical vitality of the Laboratory and providing new, novel, or cutting edge projects carried out at the forefront of science and technology and aligned with the mission and strategic visions of Fermilab and the Department of Energy.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

DOE OSTI2020

2018 LDRD Annual Report (Argonne National Laboratory)

Argonne National Laboratory’s Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program encourages the development of novel technical concepts, enhances the Laboratory’s research and development (R&D) capabilities, and enables pursuit of strategic laboratory goals. Argonne’s LDRD projects are proposal based and peer reviewed, supporting ideas that require advanced exploration so they can be sufficiently developed to pursue support through normal programmatic channels. Among the aims of the projects supported by the LDRD program are the establishment of engineering proofs of principle, assessment of design feasibility for prospective facilities, development of instrumentation or computational methods or systems, and discoveries in fundamental science and exploratory development. All LDRD projects have demonstrable ties to one or more of the science, energy, environment, and national security missions of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and many are also relevant to the missions of other federal agencies that sponsor work at Argonne. A natural consequence of the more “applied” type projects is their concurrent relevance to industry. The LDRD program is managed in overarching portfolios, each containing multiple projects each fiscal year. The LDRD Prime portfolio is further divided into strategic focus areas aligned with Argonne’s strategic plan. The largest component of Argonne’s program is LDRD Prime, which emphasizes R&D explicitly aligned with Laboratory major initiatives in support of Argonne’s strategic plan. The choice of Focus Areas under the LDRD Prime component reflects the major initiatives; the state of development of relevant technical fields; the potential value of advancing those fields to DOE/NNSA and the nation; and the compatibility of the fields with existing facilities, capabilities, and staff expertise at Argonne. Focus Areas with projects that ended in FY18 are: Advanced Computing, Biological and Environmental Science Capability Development, Energy Manufacturing Science and Engineering, Hard X-ray Sciences, Materials and Chemistry, Securing Energy and Critical Resources, and The Universe as Our Laboratory (ULab).

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

DOE OSTI2020

Sandia National Laboratories Early Career University Faculty Mentoring Program in International Safeguards

Recent years have seen a significantly increased focus in the areas of knowledge retention and mentoring of junior staff within the U.S. national laboratory complex. In order to involve the university community in this process, as well, an international safeguards mentoring program was established by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) for early career university faculty. After a successful experience during 2019, the program continued into 2020 to include two new faculty members who were paired with SNL subject matter experts based on the topic of their individual projects: one to work on advanced laboratory work for physics, technology, and policy of nuclear safeguards and nonproliferation, and the other to look at machine learning applied to international safeguards and nonproliferation. There is a two-pronged purpose to the program: fostering the development of educational resources available for international safeguards and exploring new research topics stemming from the exchange of mentor and mentee. Further, the program as a whole allows for junior faculty members to establish and expand a relationship network within international safeguards. In addition, programs such as this build stronger connections between the academic and the national laboratory community. Thanks to the junior faculty members that now have new connections into the laboratory community and potential for collaboration projects with the laboratories in the future, safeguards knowledge can actually increase far beyond just individually engaging students using this new and efficient avenue.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗

DOE OSTI2022

U.S. Department of Energy: National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (Technical Report)

With funding from the CARES Act, the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) established the National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (NVBL) in March 2020 to address key challenges associated with the COVID-19 crisis. The NVBL brought together the broad scientific and technical expertise and resources of DOE’s 17 national laboratories to help tackle medical supply shortages, discover potential drugs to fight the virus, develop and validate COVID-19 testing methods, model disease spread and impact across the nation, and understand virus transport in buildings and the environment. National laboratory resources leveraged for this effort include a suite of world-leading user facilities broadly available to the research community, such as light and neutron sources, nanoscale science research centers, sequencing and biocharacterization facilities, and high-performance computing facilities. As part of the NVBL framework, DOE rapidly assembled five project teams to (1) identify new targets for medical therapeutics; (2) develop innovations in testing capabilities; (3) provide epidemiological and logistical support; (4) understand viral fate and transport in the environment; and (5) address supply chain bottlenecks by harnessing extensive additive manufacturing capabilities. Each research team was charged with defining high-impact projects that could be completed in a 6-month sprint while coordinating their developments with academia, other government agencies, and the private sector. Within months, NVBL teams used DOE’s high-performance computers and light and neutron sources to identify promising candidates for antibodies and antivirals that universities and drug companies are now evaluating. NVBL researchers also developed new diagnostic targets and sample collection approaches, and supported efforts by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and U.S. Department of Defense to establish national guidelines used in administering millions of tests. Researchers used artificial intelligence and high-performance computing to produce near-real-time data analysis to forecast disease transmission, stress on public health infrastructure, and economic impact, which supported decision-makers at the local, state, and national levels. To minimize virus uptake and protect human health, NVBL teams studied how to control indoor virus movement. Researchers also produced innovations in materials and advanced manufacturing that mitigated shortages in test kits and personal protective equipment, creating nearly 1,000 new jobs. Through its NVBL framework, DOE has contributed significantly to the nation’s COVID response, demonstrating in only a few months the critical impact of its national laboratories. NVBL’s accomplishments demonstrate not only the powerful resource represented by DOE’s national laboratories working together to meet national needs, but also the effectiveness of the integrated NVBL framework for rapidly responding to emergencies with research and development solutions. Going forward, the NVBL is poised to apply the unique capabilities and expertise of the national laboratory complex to future national and international emergencies, both natural and engineered. Through this framework, DOE will continue to be an integral component of agency-wide efforts to prepare for and respond to biorisks and other crises. This technical report describes the goals, progress, and results of NVBL’s five project teams—Molecular Design for COVID-19 Therapeutics, COVID-19 Testing, Epidemiological Modeling, Viral Fate and Transport, and Materials and Manufacturing of Critical Supplies—and lists each team’s publications and research output.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2021

National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory: Report on Rapid R&D Solutions to the COVID-19 Crisis

With funding from the CARES Act, the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) established the National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (NVBL) in March 2020 to address key challenges associated with the COVID-19 crisis. NVBL brought together the broad scientific and technical expertise and resources of DOE’s 17 national laboratories to help tackle medical supply short ages, discover potential drugs to fight the virus, develop and validate COVID-19 testing methods, model disease spread and impact across the nation, and understand virus transport in buildings and the environment. National laboratory resources leveraged for this effort include a suite of world-leading user facilities broadly available to the research community, such as light and neutron sources, nanoscale science research centers, sequencing and biocharacterization facilities, and high-performance computing facilities. Within months, NVBL teams produced innovations in materials and advanced manufacturing that mitigated shortages in test kits and personal protective equipment (PPE), creating nearly 1,000 new jobs. They used DOE’s high-performance computers and light and neutron sources to identify promising candidates for antibodies and antivirals that universities and drug companies are now evaluating. NVBL researchers also developed new diagnostic targets and sample collection approaches, and supported U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) efforts to establish national guidelines used in administering millions of tests. Researchers used artificial intelligence and high-performance computing to produce near-real-time data analysis to forecast disease transmission, stress on public health infrastructure, and economic impact, which supported decision-makers at the local, state, and national levels. NVBL teams also studied how to control indoor virus movement to minimize uptake and protect human health. NVBL’s accomplishments demonstrate not only the powerful resource represented by DOE’s national laboratories working together to meet national needs, but also the effectiveness of the integrated NVBL framework for rapidly responding to emergencies with research and development (R&D) solutions. As the fight against COVID continues, sustained efforts are needed to confront this pandemic as well as future threats. Examples include: 1) Establishing “supply chains on demand” to meet emergency production needs by leveraging the materials and manufacturing expertise of DOE national laboratories and developing advances in electronics, sensing, robotics, and automation capabilities; 2) Improving the speed and robustness of drug discovery by integrating experimental platforms with DOE’s computational and experimental user facilities, which provide unique resources to support the discovery of high-potential therapeutic agents; 3) Protecting public, environmental, and animal health by developing new testing protocols and instrumentation adaptable to diverse sample types (both physiological and environmental) to quickly detect a wide range of pathogens and monitor other biorisks; 4) Supporting near-real-time data needs of decision-makers at the local, regional, state, and national levels by advancing data curation, analysis, and modeling using artificial intelligence and new data science tools for managing and evaluating large diverse datasets; 5) Harnessing DOE’s expertise in environmental modeling to design rooms and air handling for offices, classrooms, restaurants, and other structures to minimize biorisk transmissions. Going forward, NVBL is poised to apply the unique capabilities and expertise of the national laboratory complex to future national and international emergencies, both natural and engineered. Through this framework, the Office of Science will continue to be an integral component of agency wide efforts to prepare for and respond to biorisks and other crises.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2023

Los Alamos National Laboratory 2022 Annual Site Environmental Report (Rev. 2)

Los Alamos National Laboratory (Laboratory) annual site environmental reports are prepared each year by the Laboratory’s environmental organizations as required by U.S. Department of Energy Order 231.1B, Administrative Change 1, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting, and Order 458.1, Administrative Change 4, Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment. The chapters in this report discuss our compliance with environmental laws, regulations, and orders (Chapter 2, Compliance Summary); how we manage the Laboratory’s environmental performance and assure the quality of data from analysis of environmental samples (Chapter 3, Environmental Programs and Analytical Data Quality); how we monitor for air emissions of radioactive materials and for weather conditions (Chapter 4, Air Quality); how we monitor for effects of Laboratory operations on groundwater quality (Chapter 5, Groundwater Protection); how we monitor the levels of chemicals and radionuclides in storm water runoff and sediment (Chapter 6, Watershed Quality); how we monitor for the levels and effects of chemicals and radionuclides in plants, animals, soil, and vegetation (Chapter 7, Ecosystem Health); and finally, what radioactive dose or risk from chemical exposure that members of the public could experience as a result of Laboratory operations (Chapter 8, Public Dose and Risk Assessment).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2022

Historic Architectural Resource Survey of the Dosimetry Applications Research (DOSAR) Facility in the 7700 Area of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory

In May 2022, Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc., completed a historic architectural resource survey of buildings associated with the Dosimetry Applications Research Facility at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The laboratory is one of three Department of Energy facilities located on the Oak Ridge Reservation in Roane and Anderson Counties, Tennessee. The Dosimetry Applications Research Facility is located approximately 2 mi southeast of the main Oak Ridge National Laboratory campus. The survey included Buildings 7709, 7710, and 7712, which date to the 1960s. An additional DOSAR building (Building 7735) dates to the late 1980s and was not surveyed since it is outside the period of significance. The survey was conducted at the request of UT-Battelle, LLC, on behalf of the Department of Energy. As stipulated by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, the Department of Energy is required to identify any properties under its jurisdiction that are included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. In order to identify historic properties at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in 2017–2018 Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc., conducted a survey of the main campus as well as outlying facilities, publishing the findings in a 2018 report entitled Oak Ridge National Laboratory Historic Architectural Resource Survey. At the time of the 2017–2018 survey, buildings associated with the Dosimetry Applications Research Facility were not accessible for security reasons and the current report serves as an addendum to the 2018 report. In addition, the current survey incorporates information included in a documentation report on Building 7709 completed in 2019. The properties included in the current survey were also evaluated for their collective potential as a historic district. The identification of archaeological properties that are eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places is beyond the scope of this report. Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc., recommends that none of the buildings surveyed for the current report are individually eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. However, the collective of buildings represents a facility that made notable contributions to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s scientific research endeavors from the 1960s to the 1980s, specifically in the field of Health Physics. The buildings and their associated features have also maintained their integrity of setting, materials, design, location, and association. Therefore, Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc., proposes the Dosimetry Applications Research Facility Historic District, which is recommended eligible for listing under Criterion A. The three buildings addressed in the current survey (Buildings 7709, 7710, and 7712) are recommended eligible as contributing resources of the historic district. The district boundary is scribed to incorporate the environs of these three facilities, as well as additional relevant features.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗

DOE OSTI2024

Results from a multi-laboratory ocean metaproteomic intercomparison: effects of LC-MS acquisition and data analysis procedures

Metaproteomics is an increasingly popular methodology that provides information regarding the metabolic functions of specific microbial taxa and has potential for contributing to ocean ecology and biogeochemical studies. A blinded multi-laboratory intercomparison was conducted to assess comparability and reproducibility of taxonomic and functional results and their sensitivity to methodological variables. Euphotic zone samples from the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) in the North Atlantic Ocean collected by in situ pumps and the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Clio were distributed with a paired metagenome, and one-dimensional (1D) liquid chromatographic data-dependent acquisition mass spectrometry analysis was stipulated. Analysis of mass spectra from seven laboratories through a common bioinformatic pipeline identified a shared set of 1056 proteins from 1395 shared peptide constituents. Quantitative analyses showed good reproducibility: pairwise regressions of spectral counts between laboratories yielded R 2 values averaged 0.62±0.11, and a Sørensen similarity analysis of the top 1000 proteins revealed 70 %–80 % similarity between laboratory groups. Taxonomic and functional assignments showed good coherence between technical replicates and different laboratories. A bioinformatic intercomparison study, involving 10 laboratories using eight software packages, successfully identified thousands of peptides within the complex metaproteomic datasets, demonstrating the utility of these software tools for ocean metaproteomic research. Lessons learned and potential improvements in methods were described. Future efforts could examine reproducibility in deeper metaproteomes, examine accuracy in targeted absolute quantitation analyses, and develop standards for data output formats to improve data interoperability. Together, these results demonstrate the reproducibility of metaproteomic analyses and their suitability for microbial oceanography research, including integration into global-scale ocean surveys and ocean biogeochemical models.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2015

The role of Aspo Hard Rock laboratory for the Swedish nuclear fuel and waste management's research, developing and demonstration programme for a final repository of spent nuclear fuel - 15378

The Aspo Hard Rock Laboratory (HRL), located in the Simpevarp area in the municipality of Oskarshamn in Sweden, Figure 1, constitutes an important part of the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management (SKB) work with design and construction of a deep geological repository for final disposal of spent nuclear fuel. One of the fundamental reasons behind SKB's decision to construct an underground laboratory was to create an opportunity for research, development and demonstration in a realistic and undisturbed rock environment down to repository depth. Most of the research has concerned with processes of importance for the long-term safety of a future final repository and the capability to model the processes taking place at repository depth. Demonstration addresses the performance of the engineered barriers and practical means of constructing a repository and emplacing the canisters containing spent fuel. SKB will in the coming years more focus on using the Aspo HRL for demonstrating technology for and function of important parts of the repository system before constructing and operate the spent nuclear fuel repository in Forsmark. Aspo HRL includes both a research village with office space for 100 persons and different laboratories, e.g. Chemistry and Material Science Laboratory and Bentonite Laboratory, and an underground research laboratory to a depth of 460 m. The Aspo HRL is also open for other organisations to be used for their own projects and experiments not only related to nuclear waste management research. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2016

Status Update - Installation and Operation of GeoMelt{sup R} ICV{sup TM} Process in the NNL's Central Laboratory on the Sellafield Site - 16410

Thermal treatment of nuclear waste in the UK has seen much renewed interest recently, owing to the advantages that can be gained in terms of reduced waste volumes, compatibility with reactive metals and organics and its ability to treat mixed generic wastes. Vitrification is a treatment option which destroys organics and some hazardous inorganics such as asbestos, reduces wasteform volume, and produces a robust leach resistant wasteform. Kurion's GeoMelt{sup R} In-Container Vitrification (ICV){sup TM} is a vitrification process where the treatment vessel can serve as an interim-storage, transport, and final long-term storage vessel - thus negating the need to pour glass into a separate container, effectively leading to a much simpler system than traditional waste melters. The UK's National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) and Kurion have entered into a joint project to deploy an active waste ICV{sup TM} plant based on Kurion's GeoMelt{sup R} technology, at NNL's flagship Central Laboratory on the Sellafield site. NNL is the UK's national laboratory for civil nuclear science and technology, providing advice to government, protecting key skills, supporting industry and delivering national nuclear programs. NNL is bringing the Kurion GeoMelt{sup R} process alongside its existing capabilities in thermal waste treatment. Kurion provides technology solutions to minimize and stabilize nuclear and hazardous waste through its families of technologies: access, separation and stabilization processes. The GeoMelt{sup R} plant being installed at the NNL's Central Laboratory creates a platform to evaluate the vitrification technology for the variety of wastes from the NDA estate and creates a treatment path for problematic waste streams that currently have no disposition pathway. With the diverse facilities under NNL management coupled with the NNL's ability to import wastes from within the UK and Europe, this arrangement with Kurion provides waste owners with treatment disposition pathways for problematic wastes. The Kurion / NNL team completed non-radioactive commissioning of a GeoMelt{sup R} ICV{sup TM} treatment system in 2015. Commissioning consisted of performing two tests at NNL's Workington Laboratory. Commissioning Test 1 involved vitrification of 367 kg of glass frit over the course of approximately 18 hours. Commissioning Test 2 consisted of processing 470 kg of soil and additives in approximately 27 hours. The soil processed in the second test was non-radioactive soil from Sellafield and was used as an analog for radioactive soil to be processed during radioactive commissioning at the Central Laboratory at Sellafield. All commissioning test goals were easily achieved and all subsystems operated as designed. Radioactive commissioning will be carried out in early 2016. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2018

Laboratory and Field Investigations of In-Situ Remediation of Cr(VI) in the LANL Regional Aquifer - 18683

Two biogeochemical in-situ remediation strategies are currently being evaluated to help manage a Cr(VI) plume present in deep groundwater beneath Los Alamos National Laboratory. The first is the addition of a chemical reductant, sodium dithionite, and the second is the use of a bio-stimulant, molasses. This paper summarizes the results to date of laboratory and field investigations of the effectiveness of these two amendments in the Los Alamos aquifer. A semi-empirical model based on the results of laboratory batch and column experiments has been developed to describe dithionite reactions and subsequent cation exchange processes in the aquifer. The model is being used to predict the effective 'reach' of dithionite in field deployments, and so far the predictions of the model are consistent with observations in a field push-pull test involving dithionite. Contrary to what has been frequently assumed, the laboratory data suggest that the resulting Cr(VI) reduction capacity depends more strongly on the amount of dithionite consumed than on the amount of iron reduced during the treatment, and an empirical approach is being used to predict reduction capacity generated in the field test. Laboratory experiments have demonstrated a robust ability of molasses to promote biomass growth that imparts significant Cr(VI) reduction capacity to sediments. Molasses has been deployed in a field push-drift test (no active pumping) in a well in which the aquifer Darcy velocity is known to be high. To date, the molasses has not drifted out of the injection well, so it has not been possible to make comparisons with laboratory experiments. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2019

Panel Session 37: Featured Country Canada - Whiteshell Laboratories Decommissioning Successes and Challenges (4/5)

This panel focused on the decommissioning of the AECL Whiteshell Laboratories in Pinawa, Manitoba. The discussion presented successes as well as remaining challenges, including the proposed in-situ disposal of the organic-coated nuclear reactor shell. The panel included representatives from the Owner, the operator, the Canadian regulator, the local municipality and a representative of the indigenous community in the area. Presentations proposed include: 1 - Whiteshell Laboratories - Decommissioning Successes and Challenges (Craig Michaluk, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (Canada)); 2 - Whiteshell Laboratories Decommissioning: Successes and Challenges (Kavita Murthy, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (Canada)); 3 - Successes and Challenges of the Whiteshell Laboratories Closure Project (Brian Wilcox, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (Canada)); 4 - Whiteshell Laboratories Decommissioning Successes and Challenges - Community Point of View (Blair Skinner, Local Government District of Pinawa, Manitoba (Canada))

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2026

Impedance Based Fixture Neutralization (FINE) Method to Replicate Field Environments in Laboratory Settings

Test article vibration test responses will vary from one test laboratory to another due to differences in shaker and fixture dynamic characteristics. This is also seen between the field and laboratory due to the differing dynamic characteristics between field assembly loading and boundary conditions compared to the laboratory configuration. This work introduces a technique called Impedance Fixture Neutralization which customizes input forces to cause consistent responses for the Device Under Test across different vibration testing conditions. The customized force neutralizes the dynamic variations between configurations for the Device Under Test. The device responses can be replicated in several situations: when using a different fixture with the same attachment points, when the test article mounting location on the fixture changes, when the force location changes, or any combination of these situations. Impedance Fixture Neutralization uses the uncoupled dynamic characteristics of the test article and excitation fixtures to customize the input thereby causing the same test article responses between two mounting configurations (either field to laboratory or two different laboratory configurations). The application of the technique is shown using an analytical model of a two-beam system and analytically using experimental FRFs from plate and frame component hardware characterization tests. In both cases a device under test is attached to two test fixtures wherein the dynamic differences in the configurations are neutralized.

Laboratory↗

DOE OSTI2013

A Large Detector Laboratory for the Development and Testing of Radiation Detection Systems

Thousands of radiation detection systems have been deployed over the last decade to domestic and international locations, primarily at ports of entry or departure. An essential ingredient in supporting sensor deployment is the capability to develop and test emerging systems and replicate the behavior of deployed systems. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory recently designed and constructed a laboratory for developing and testing these large-scale radiation detection systems. The Large Detector Laboratory is capable of housing up to 30 fully integrated radiation portal monitoring systems and allows for complex testing scenarios that include background suppression, equipment shielding, and source cross talk between systems. The laboratory design also allows implementation of applications ranging from pedestrian screening to baggage or package inspection to vehicle and cargo inspection to standoff detection. This manuscript describes the unique attributes of this laboratory that includes reproducing operational conditions faced by integrated systems, realistic source configurations and measurements across multiple systems.

laboratory↗

DOE OSTI2025

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory Glenn T. Seaborg Institute: 2025 highlights

The Glenn T. Seaborg Institute (GTSI) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) serves as a dedicated hub for advancing actinide R&D, aimed at strengthening the United States’ capabilities in actinide science. With a focus on medical, industrial, and national security applications, the ORNL GTSI seeks to foster the next generation of scientists and engineers. Collaborating closely with corresponding Seaborg Institutes at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), and Idaho National Laboratory, the ORNL GTSI leverages its unique strengths. These include unparalleled expertise in isotope production, handling of rare isotopes, and leadership in neutron and computational sciences. Notably, the ORNL GTSI is positioned as the nation’s cornerstone for actinide R&D, capitalizing on the exceptional capabilities of the High Flux Isotope Reactor—the premier reactor for isotope production—and the Hazard Category 2 Radiochemical Engineering Development Center, which supports advanced production, processing, and applications research. Furthermore, the GTSI is committed to serving as a national center of excellence for training across all levels of actinide science education. This report provides an overview of the activities, milestones, and accomplishments of the ORNL GTSI over the past year.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

DOE OSTI2019

Effects of soiling and weathering on the albedo of building envelope materials: Lessons learned from natural exposure in two European cities and tuning of a laboratory simulation practice

Chemical and physical stress, weathering, organic and inorganic matter deposition, and microbial growth over time, or “aging”, affect the optical-radiative performance of building envelope materials. Natural exposure helps to quantify these effects, but it usually requires several years. Further, the contribution of the different degradation agents cannot be isolated, and results from different campaigns cannot be easily compared because of the variability in the boundary conditions producing aging. Here in this paper we present an adaptation of the protocol implemented by ASTM as D7897-18 “Standard Practice for Laboratory Soiling and Weathering of Roofing Materials to Simulate Effects of Natural Exposure on Solar Reflectance and Thermal Emittance”. The aim is to reproduce in the laboratory the changes in albedo (solar reflectance) and thermal emittance experienced by building envelope materials in European urban areas rather than in the United States. We tuned the spraying duration and weathering cycles, and we compared the UV–vis–NIR reflectances of naturally-aged specimens (48 months in Rome and Milan) of roofing and wall finish materials to those exposed to laboratory weathering and soiling. Excluding those materials that show early physical-chemical degradation, the mean absolute deviation between natural and laboratory exposure of roofing products is equal to 0.027 in albedo. This is a lower value than the differences between two natural exposure campaigns at the same site. We clearly defined the limits of application of the protocol, providing an appraisal of the repeatability of natural aging. Moreover, we identified possible improvements in the methodology to conduct both natural and laboratory exposure.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2021

Laboratory earthquake forecasting: A machine learning competition

Earthquake prediction, the long-sought holy grail of earthquake science, continues to confound Earth scientists. Could we make advances by crowdsourcing, drawing from the vast knowledge and creativity of the machine learning (ML) community? We used Google’s ML competition platform, Kaggle, to engage the worldwide ML community with a competition to develop and improve data analysis approaches on a forecasting problem that uses laboratory earthquake data. The competitors were tasked with predicting the time remaining before the next earthquake of successive laboratory quake events, based on only a small portion of the laboratory seismic data. The more than 4,500 participating teams created and shared more than 400 computer programs in openly accessible notebooks. Complementing the now well-known features of seismic data that map to fault criticality in the laboratory, the winning teams employed unexpected strategies based on rescaling failure times as a fraction of the seismic cycle and comparing input distribution of training and testing data. In addition to yielding scientific insights into fault processes in the laboratory and their relation with the evolution of the statistical properties of the associated seismic data, the competition serves as a pedagogical tool for teaching ML in geophysics. The approach may provide a model for other competitions in geosciences or other domains of study to help engage the ML community on problems of significance.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2023

Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulations to Assess Spatial Variability and Optimal Ventilation Scenarios for Biological Laboratory Exposures

A significant amount of uncertainty exists regarding potential human exposure to laboratory biomaterials and organisms in Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) research laboratories. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling is proposed as a way to better understand potential impacts of different combinations of biomaterials, laboratory manipulations, and exposure routes on risks to laboratory workers. Here, in this study, we use CFD models to simulate airborne concentrations of contaminants in an actual BSL-2 laboratory under different configurations. Results show that ventilation configuration, sampling location, and contaminant source location can significantly impact airborne concentrations and exposures. Depending on the source location and airflow patterns, the transient and time-integrated concentrations varied by several orders of magnitude. Contaminant plumes from sources located near a return vent (or exhaust like a fume hood or ventilated biosafety cabinet) are likely to be more contained than sources that are further from the exhaust. Having a direct flow between the source and the exhaust (through-flow condition) may reduce potential exposures to individuals outside the air flow path. Designing a BSL-2 room with ventilation and airflow patterns that maximize through-flow conditions to the return/exhaust vents and minimize dispersion and mixing throughout the room is, therefore, recommended. CFD simulations can also be used to assist in characterizing the impacts of supply and return vent locations, room layout, and source locations on spatial and temporal contaminant concentrations. In addition, proper placement of particle sensors can also be informed by CFD simulations to provide additional characterization and monitoring of potential exposures in BSL-2 facilities.

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTAN↗