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NASA NTRS2016

NASAs VESGEN: Systems Analysis of Vascular Phenotypes from Stress and Other Signaling Pathways Using GeneLab.

One fundamental requirement shared by humans with all higher terrestrial life forms, including insect wings, higher land plants and other vertebrates, is a complex, fractally branching vascular system. NASA's VESsel GENeration Analysis (VESGEN) software maps and quantifies vascular trees, networks, and tree-network composites according to weighted physiological rules such as vessel connectivity, tapering and bifurcational branching. According to fluid dynamics, successful vascular transport requires a complex distributed system of highly regulated laminar flow. Microvascular branching rules within vertebrates, dicot leaves and the other organisms therefore display many similarities. One unifying perspective is that vascular patterning offers a useful readout that necessarily integrates complex molecular signaling pathways. VESGEN has elucidated changes in vascular pattern resulting from inflammatory, stress response, developmental and other signaling within numerous tissues and major model organisms studied for Space Biology. For a new VESGEN systems approach, we analyzed differential gene expression in leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana reported by GeneLab (GLDS-7) for spaceflight. Vascular-related changes in leaf gene expression were identified that can potentially be phenocopied by mutants in ground-based experiments. To link transcriptional, protein and other molecular change with phenotype, alterations in the Euclidean and dynamic dimensions (x,y,t) of vascular patterns for Arabidopsis leaves and other model species are being co-localized with signaling patterns of single molecular expression analyzed as information dimensions (i,j,k,...). Previously, Drosophila microarray data returned from space suggested significant changes in genes related to wing venation development that include EGF, Notch, Hedghog, Wingless and Dpp signaling. Phenotypes of increasingly abnormal ectopic wing venation in the (non-spaceflight) Drosophila wing generated by overexpression of a Notch antagonist were analyzed by VESGEN. Other VESGEN research applications include the mouse retina, GI and coronary vessels, avian placental analogs and translational studies in the astronaut retina related to health challenges for long-duration missions.

Venation↗
DOE OSTI2022

US Fallout Shelter

Being indoors (sheltering) reduces radiation exposures resulting from nuclear fallout or a power-plant accident. However, most US building types, particularly non-residential buildings, lack quantitative estimates. We provide here a high-level modeling analysis of modern US building protection based on a novel radiation protection building attribute taxonomy, a new building protection model, compilation of prior experimental results, and nationally representative building survey data. This approach provides a consistent, quantitative understanding of US building protection and, when combined with the distribution of people among different buildings, can assist in selecting emergency response strategies. We find that indoor radiation protection varies by orders of magnitude. Most people in non-residential buildings are adequately protected, particularly below ground or in the building center. Residential buildings are less protective and those with lighter weight walls lack adequate, above ground protection. This work also highlights key areas where further investigation will improve the current results. These include the improving the understanding of residential basement protection, additional experimental data on non-residential buildings (particularly schools and industrial buildings), and the frequency of brick veneer and stucco exterior residential buildings.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Enabling Model Organism and Commercial Astronaut Data Access Through the NASA Open Science Data Repository

NASA’s Open Science Data Repository (OSDR) brings together omics data from NASA’s GeneLab project and non-omics data, including physiological, phenotypic, imaging, and behavioral data from NASA’s Ames Life Sciences Data Archive (ALSDA) collected from decades of space biology research, providing open and FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable) access of these precious data to scientists world-wide. This rich source of meticulously curated metadata and data from spaceflight and analog studies has been mined by the scientific community resulting in dozens of high impact scientific publications that reveals a complex network of molecular and physiological effects of spaceflight across living systems, from microbes to plants, to mammals. Understanding how these effects translate to the human condition is critical as we move deeper into the era of commercial space travel. However, the integration of data, specifically omics data, from astronauts is particularly challenging due to their sensitive nature. OSDR has risen to this challenge by developing a mechanism to control access to identifiable levels of omics data, such as raw sequence data, while enabling public access to processed, unidentifiable, data and associated metadata that will allow the scientific community to interrogate human astronaut data alongside data from model organisms to begin answering these critical questions. The 2021 SpaceX Inspiration4 (I4) mission collected a comprehensive atlas of biological measurements from four civilian astronauts, providing a wealth of data to characterize the effects of spaceflight on the human body. These data include both non-omics and omics assays such as direct RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), single nuclei ATAC-seq and RNA-seq, metagenomics, proteomics, and comprehensive metabolic and cytokine panels, all of which have been integrated into the OSDR system across no less than 9 studies. Each study has been carefully curated using community-backed OSDR standards for sample and assay level metadata ensuring these data are findable and accessible. In addition to hosting both raw and processed data from the principal investigator team for each assay type, the GeneLab team plans to re-process the I4 omics data using GeneLab’s standard processing pipelines. The GeneLab processed data outputs will allow for comparisons across studies on OSDR and enable visualization of these data through the OSDR data visualization platform thereby enabling data reusability and interoperability. Here we describe the robust privacy and security protocols implemented by OSDR to safeguard sensitive health data from astronauts while facilitating metadata and processed data sharing for research purposes. We further provide a road map for navigating the vast amount of data provided for each I4 study on the OSDR, including experimental design, associated experiments, payloads, and missions, data generation and analysis protocols, and associated scientific articles. Additionally, we illustrate how to interrogate the standardized metadata provided in the sample and assay tables as well as various means to download and access the data including programmatically through the GeneLab Open API (GLOpenAPI). The open access of datasets in NASA’s OSDR provides a unique opportunity for the scientific community, as well as citizen scientists and students, to continue using OSDR resources to further unlock profound insights into the consequences of space travel on the human body. Through implementation of security measures to protect sensitive human data, the OSDR seeks to strengthen the science exchange between the Biological and Physical Sciences Program and the Human Research Program, per recommendation 4-1 of the 2023-2032 Decadal Survey, and encourage further sharing and dissemination of astronaut data to provide the scientific community with the resources needed to lay the groundwork for developing targeted mitigation strategies to help withstand the rigors of long-duration spaceflight.

Amanda Marie Saravia-butler↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Enabling Model Organism and Commercial Astronaut Data Access Through the NASA Open Science Data Repository

NASA’s Open Science Data Repository (OSDR) brings together omics data from NASA’s GeneLab project and non-omics data, including physiological, phenotypic, imaging, and behavioral data from NASA’s Ames Life Sciences Data Archive (ALSDA) collected from decades of space biology research, providing open and FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable) access of these precious data to scientists world-wide. This rich source of meticulously curated metadata and data from spaceflight and analog studies has been mined by the scientific community resulting in dozens of high impact scientific publications that reveals a complex network of molecular and physiological effects of spaceflight across living systems, from microbes to plants, to mammals. Understanding how these effects translate to the human condition is critical as we move deeper into the era of commercial space travel. However, the integration of data, specifically omics data, from astronauts is particularly challenging due to their sensitive nature. OSDR has risen to this challenge by developing a mechanism to control access to identifiable levels of omics data, such as raw sequence data, while enabling public access to processed, unidentifiable, data and associated metadata that will allow the scientific community to interrogate human astronaut data alongside data from model organisms to begin answering these critical questions. The 2021 SpaceX Inspiration4 (I4) mission collected a comprehensive atlas of biological measurements from four civilian astronauts, providing a wealth of data to characterize the effects of spaceflight on the human body. These data include both non-omics and omics assays such as direct RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), single nuclei ATAC-seq and RNA-seq, metagenomics, proteomics, and comprehensive metabolic and cytokine panels, all of which have been integrated into the OSDR system across no less than 9 studies. Each study has been carefully curated using community-backed OSDR standards for sample and assay level metadata ensuring these data are findable and accessible. In addition to hosting both raw and processed data from the principal investigator team for each assay type, the GeneLab team plans to re-process the I4 omics data using GeneLab’s standard processing pipelines. The GeneLab processed data outputs will allow for comparisons across studies on OSDR and enable visualization of these data through the OSDR data visualization platform thereby enabling data reusability and interoperability. Here we describe the robust privacy and security protocols implemented by OSDR to safeguard sensitive health data from astronauts while facilitating metadata and processed data sharing for research purposes. We further provide a road map for navigating the vast amount of data provided for each I4 study on the OSDR, including experimental design, associated experiments, payloads, and missions, data generation and analysis protocols, and associated scientific articles. Additionally, we illustrate how to interrogate the standardized metadata provided in the sample and assay tables as well as instructions for how to download and access the data. The I4 datasets described here re present the first ever comprehensive collection of commercial astronaut data.

Amanda M Saravia-Butler↗
DOE OSTI2020

Panel Session 2: Hot Topics in US DOE Environmental Management

The well-attended Panel Session was chaired by Martin Schneider. The four panelists did not provide presentations. Rather the session was a discussion focusing on pressing issues facing US DOE Environmental Management (EM) sites and how the program is moving forward. The session began by momentarily reflecting on a success: the three Tank Waste Treatment Facilities will soon be coming online. These three facilities will treat as much waste in two years as was treated in the past 30 years. That is a significant milestone in progress. Also, safety enhancements at WIPP are a big success. The panelists noted that there will be challenges with the victories of the startup of the Waste Treatment Facilities. Treating tank waste is the last EM mission and will help with the relationships with the stakeholders, regulators and Congress. One of the biggest challenges will be moving back to full operation mode. Although the operation will increase productivity of reducing/managing the tank waste, it will decrease life cycle cost and lessen years of cleanup. The challenge will be having people understand that EM will be operating 24/7 and that maintenance will be key in keeping the operations. EM will be working together with the regulators to show tangible progress that will be effective and efficient. By working together, they can find opportunities/technologies for streamlining and accelerating cleanup. Recent changes to the regulatory framework between DOE-EM Los Alamos Field Office and New Mexico Environmental Department have helped cleanup in Los Alamos. Every year EM and the agencies review progress and come to agreements on the next work priorities. At Savannah River Site, the Federal Facility Agreement among EM, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a small core team that work are shared by together in resolving issues that come up. The discussion moved on to how progress can be made by sharing lessons learned among the contractors. An example of how these learned lessons can be shared is that key representatives from projects across the EM sites participate in various forums to review/contribute to the work planned. Other opportunities can be by temporary assignments of DOE staff to gain experience and by monthly EM Headquarters report that provide the lessons learned across the EM sites. The panelists discussed how skyline changes are the best examples of tangible progress. Decontamination and Demolition (D and D) of structures are the easiest tangible progress that can be seen. Whereas tank waste cleanup is the hardest to see. Disposal of waste onsite versus offsite is another challenge, and timely discussions are necessary to get to the best value to the government.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Multi-Decadal Nitrogen Dioxide and Derived Products from Satellites (MINDS) Datasets Released by NASA GES DISC and Their Applications for Air Quality

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a pervasive air pollutant, comes from vehicles, power plants, industrial emissions, and off-road sources such as construction or lawn and gardening equipment. The NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) curates many remote sensing datasets with NO2 retrievals, which have been utilized for air quality research and applications. The remotely-sensed datasets include those generated by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on the Aura satellite, the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) onboard the Copernicus Sentinel-5 Precursor (S5P), and the Ozone Mapping and Profiling Suite (OMPS) Nadir-Mapper (NM) instrument on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S- NPP). In collaboration with the NASA Making Earth System Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) Multi-Decadal Nitrogen Dioxide and Derived Products from Satellites (MINDS) project, the GES DISC recently released MINDS datasets. The NASA MEaSUREs MINDS project aims to develop long-term NO2 global data records by adapting a consistent retrieval algorithm to multiple instrument measurements. Long-term data records will be achieved by applying consistent retrieval approaches to multiple satellite instruments, including OMI (2004 - ); the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME, 1995-2011) onboard the second European Remote Sensing satellite (ERS-2); the Scanning Imaging Spectrometer for Atmospheric Cartography (SCIAMACHY, 2002-2012) onboard the ENVIronmental SATellite (ENVISAT); GOME-2 on the Meteorological Operational satellites (MetOp-A and MetOp-B, 2006 - ); and TROPOMI onboard the Copernicus S5P (2017 - ). The long-term record (1995 to present) of MINDS datasets makes them very useful for air quality trend studies. Some MINDS datasets with high spatial resolution of only a few kilometers can be used for air quality research and applications at regional scales. In this presentation, we will introduce all of the MINDS products and services, and demonstrate use cases of MINDS data for studying air quality. We will also present a few other NO2 datasets acquired from NASA’s Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team (HAQAST), to be archived and distributed by the GES DISC, and highlight some of their applications for air quality and health.

Feng Ding↗
DOE OSTI2022

CubeSat constellations provide enhanced crop phenology and digital agricultural insights using daily leaf area index retrievals

Satellite remote sensing has great potential to deliver on the promise of a data-driven agricultural revolution, with emerging space-based platforms providing spatiotemporal insights into precision-level attributes such as crop water use, vegetation health and condition and crop response to management practices. Using a harmonized collection of high-resolution Planet CubeSat, Sentinel-2, Landsat-8 and additional coarser resolution imagery from MODIS and VIIRS, we exploit a multi-satellite data fusion and machine learning approach to deliver a radiometrically calibrated and gap-filled time-series of daily leaf area index (LAI) at an unprecedented spatial resolution of 3 m. The insights available from such high-resolution CubeSat-based LAI data are demonstrated through tracking the growth cycle of a maize crop and identifying observable within-field spatial and temporal variations across key phenological stages. Daily LAI retrievals peaked at the tasseling stage, demonstrating their value for fertilizer and irrigation scheduling. An evaluation of satellite-based retrievals against field-measured LAI data collected from both rain-fed and irrigated fields shows high correlation and captures the spatiotemporal development of intra- and inter-field variations. Novel agricultural insights related to individual vegetative and reproductive growth stages were obtained, showcasing the capacity for new high-resolution CubeSat platforms to deliver actionable intelligence for precision agricultural and related applications.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Conversion of CO 2 from power plant into CaCO 3 nanoparticles

Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), a main composition of flue gas, represents a significant and largely untapped carbon resource. Herein, mediated by glycine (Gly), we captured and converted CO 2 into CaCO 3 nanoparticles using real flue gas from a power plant, demonstrating for the first time the feasibility of using amino acid to convert CO 2 from power plant flue gasses. The method did not require extraneous energy and CaCO 3 nanoparticles with a size of ∼25 nm were obtained. Moreover, the potential toxicity of CO 2 -converted nanoparticles was investigated. It appeared that both the initial CO 2 loading and the carbamate percentage significantly influence the shape and size of the CaCO 3 particles. Our method was also proven effective for flue gas with varying CO 2 concentrations (4 %, 12 %, and 20 %). By tuning flue gas bubbling time and flow rate to achieve consistent CO 2 loading and carbamate levels, we produced CaCO 3 nanoparticles with similar shapes and sizes across all CO 2 concentrations studied. In addition, our data indicated that although real flue gas contains small amounts of gases like oxygen and CO, they insignificantly influence the shape and size of our nanoparticles but did impact the phase component of CaCO 3 . In conclusion, the toxicity experiments found that CaCO 3 nanoparticles produced from both real flue gas and simulated flue gas exhibited concentration- and time-dependent effects on cell viability.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2008

The Time Series Technique for Aerosol Retrievals over Land from MODIS: Algorithm MAIAC

Atmospheric aerosols interact with sun light by scattering and absorbing radiation. By changing irradiance of the Earth surface, modifying cloud fractional cover and microphysical properties and a number of other mechanisms, they affect the energy balance, hydrological cycle, and planetary climate [IPCC, 2007]. In many world regions there is a growing impact of aerosols on air quality and human health. The Earth Observing System [NASA, 1999] initiated high quality global Earth observations and operational aerosol retrievals over land. With the wide swath (2300 km) of MODIS instrument, the MODIS Dark Target algorithm [Kaufman et al., 1997; Remer et al., 2005; Levy et al., 2007] currently complemented with the Deep Blue method [Hsu et al., 2004] provides daily global view of planetary atmospheric aerosol. The MISR algorithm [Martonchik et al., 1998; Diner et al., 2005] makes high quality aerosol retrievals in 300 km swaths covering the globe in 8 days. With MODIS aerosol program being very successful, there are still several unresolved issues in the retrieval algorithms. The current processing is pixel-based and relies on a single-orbit data. Such an approach produces a single measurement for every pixel characterized by two main unknowns, aerosol optical thickness (AOT) and surface reflectance (SR). This lack of information constitutes a fundamental problem of the remote sensing which cannot be resolved without a priori information. For example, MODIS Dark Target algorithm makes spectral assumptions about surface reflectance, whereas the Deep Blue method uses ancillary global database of surface reflectance composed from minimal monthly measurements with Rayleigh correction. Both algorithms use Lambertian surface model. The surface-related assumptions in the aerosol retrievals may affect subsequent atmospheric correction in unintended way. For example, the Dark Target algorithm uses an empirical relationship to predict SR in the Blue (B3) and Red (B1) bands from the 2.1 m channel (B7) for the purpose of aerosol retrieval. Obviously, the subsequent atmospheric correction will produce the same SR in the red and blue bands as predicted, i.e. an empirical function of 2.1. In other words, the spectral, spatial and temporal variability of surface reflectance in the Blue and Red bands appears borrowed from band B7. This may have certain implications for the vegetation and global carbon analysis because the chlorophyll-sensing bands B1, B3 are effectively substituted in terms of variability by band B7, which is sensitive to the plant liquid water. This chapter describes a new recently developed generic aerosol-surface retrieval algorithm for MODIS. The Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) algorithm simultaneously retrieves AOT and surface bi-directional reflection factor (BRF) using the time series of MODIS measurements.

Lyapustin, Alexei↗
DOE OSTI2020

Manganese: The overlooked contaminant in the world largest mine tailings dam collapse

Manganese (Mn) is an abundant element in terrestrial and coastal ecosystems and an essential micronutrient in the metabolic processes of plants and animals. Mn is generally not considered a potentially toxic element due to its low content in both soil and water. However, in coastal ecosystems, the Mn dynamic (commonly associated with the Fe cycle) is mostly controlled by redox processes. Here, we assessed the potential contamination of the Rio Doce estuary (SE Brazil) by Mn after the world’s largest mine tailings dam collapse, potentially resulting in chronic exposure to local wildlife and humans. Estuarine soils, water, and fish were collected and analyzed seven days after the arrival of the tailings in 2015 and again two years after the dam collapse in 2017. Using a suite of solid-phase analyses including X-ray absorption spectroscopy and sequential extractions, our results indicated that a large quantity of Mn II arrived in the estuary in 2015 bound to Fe oxyhydroxides. Over time, dissolved Mn and Fe were released from soils when Fe III oxyhydroxides underwent reductive dissolution. Due to seasonal redox oscillations, both Fe and Mn were then re-oxidized to Fe III , Mn III , and Mn IV and re-precipitated as poorly crystalline Fe oxyhydroxides and poorly crystalline Mn oxides. In 2017, redox conditions (Eh: -47 ± 83 mV; pH: 6.7 ± 0.5) favorable to both Fe and Mn reduction led to an increase (~880%) of dissolved Mn (average for 2015: 66 ± 130 μg L -1 ; 2017: 582 ± 626 μg L -1 ) in water and a decrease (~75%, 2015: 547 ± 498 mg kg -1 ; 2017: 135 ± 80 mg kg -1 ) in the total Mn content in soils. The crystalline Fe oxyhydroxides content significantly decreased while the fraction of poorly ordered Fe oxides increased in the soils limiting the role of Fe in Mn retention. The high concentration of dissolved Mn found within the estuary two years after the arrival of mine tailings indicates a possible chronic contamination scenario, which is supported by the high levels of Mn in two species of fish living in the estuary. Our work suggests a high risk to estuarine biota and human health due to the rapid Fe and Mn biogeochemical dynamic within the impacted estuary.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2002

Analysis of Salinity Intrusion in the San Francisco Bay-Delta using a GA- Optimized Neural Net, and Application of the Model to Prediction in the Elkhorn Slough Habitat

The San Francisco Bay Delta is a large hydrodynamic complex that incorporates the Sacramento and San Joaquin Estuaries, the Burman Marsh, and the San Francisco Bay proper. Competition exists for the use of this extensive water system both from the fisheries industry, the agricultural industry, and from the marine and estuarine animal species within the Delta. As tidal fluctuations occur, more saline water pushes upstream allowing fish to migrate beyond the Burman Marsh for breeding and habitat occupation. However, the agriculture industry does not want extensive salinity intrusion to impact water quality for human and plant consumption. The balance is regulated by pumping stations located alone the estuaries and reservoirs whereby flushing of fresh water keeps the saline intrusion at bay. The pumping schedule is driven by data collected at various locations within the Bay Delta and by numerical models that predict the salinity intrusion as part of a larger model of the system. The Interagency Ecological Program (IEP) for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary collects, monitors, and archives the data, and the Department of Water Resources provides a numerical model simulation (DSM2) from which predictions are made that drive the pumping schedule. A problem with this procedure is that the numerical simulation takes roughly 16 hours to complete a C:~ prediction. We have created a neural net, optimized with a genetic algorithm, that takes as input the archived data from multiple stations and predicts stage, salinity, and flow at the Carquinez Straits (at the downstream end of the Burman Marsh). This model seems to be robust in its predictions and operates much faster than the current numerical DSM2 model. Because the system is strongly tidal driven, we used both Principal Component Analysis and Fast Fourier Transforms to discover dominant features within the IEP data. We then filtered out the dominant tidal forcing to discover non-primary tidal effects, and used this to enhance the neural network by mapping input-output relationships in a more efficient manner. Furthermore, the neural network implicitly incorporates both the hydrodynamic and water quality models into a single predictive system. Although our model has not yet been enhanced to demonstrate improve pumping schedules, it has the possibility to support better decision-making procedures that may then be implemented by State agencies if desired. Our intention is now to use this model in the smaller Elkhorn Slough complex near Monterey Bay where no such hydrodynamic model currently exists. At the Elkhorn Slough, we are fusing the neural net model of tidally-driven flow with in situ flow data and airborne and satellite remote sensation data. These further constrain the behavior of the model in predicting the longer-term health and future of this vital estuary.

Thompson, David E.↗
DOE OSTI2020

An Overview of the State-of-the-Art Reactor Consequence Uncertainty Assessment Accident Progression Insights

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) with Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) have completed three uncertainty analyses (UAs) as part of the State-of-the-Art Reactor Consequence Analyses (SOARCA) program. The SOARCA UAs included an integrated evaluation of uncertainty in accident progression, radiological release, and offsite health consequence projections. The UA for Peach Bottom, a boiling-water reactor (BWR) with a Mark I containment located in the State of Pennsylvania, analyzed the unmitigated long-term station blackout SOARCA scenario. The UA for Sequoyah, a 4-loop Westinghouse pressurized-water reactor (PWR) located in the State of Tennessee, analyzed the unmitigated short-term station blackout SOARCA scenario, with a focus on issues unique to the ice condenser containment and the potential for early containment failure due to hydrogen deflagration. The UA for Surry, a 3-loop Westinghouse PWR with a sub-atmospheric large dry containment located in the State of Virginia, analyzed the unmitigated short-term station blackout SOARCA scenario including the potential for thermally-induced steam-generator tube rupture. These three UAs are currently documented in three NUREG/CR reports. This report provides input to planned NRC documentation on the insights and findings from the SOARCA UA program. The purpose of the summary report is to provide a useful reference for regulatory applications that require the evaluation of offsite consequence risk from beyond design basis event severe accidents. This report focuses on the accident progression and source term insights developed from the MELCOR analyses. MELCOR is the NRC's best-estimate, severe accident computer code used in the SOARCA UAs. In anticipation of the SOARCA UA insights work, NRC and Sandia benchmarked the response of the Peach Bottom model to selected reference calculations from the Peach Bottom SOARCA UA. Peach Bottom was the first SOARCA UA performed and was completed in 2015 using the MELCOR 1.8.6 code. The PWR SOARCA UAs evolved the original methodology and utilized the updated MELCOR 2.2 computer code. The Peach Bottom model has been systematically updated for other NRC research efforts and has been updated to MELCOR 2.2. computer code. The findings from the new reference calculations using the updated model with the MELCOR 2.2 code are also integrated into the report. A second objective is an assessment of the applicability of the results to the other nuclear reactors in the U.S. As the key findings are reviewed, judgments are presented on the applicability of the results to other U.S. nuclear power plants. An important objective of the SOARCA program relied on high- fidelity plant-specific modeling. However, the nature of the insights and conclusions allowed judgements to be made on the applicability of the various insights to the same general classification of plant (i.e., BWR or PWR) or the entire fleet of plants. Finally, the results from the SOARCA UA accident progression calculations contain a wealth of information not previously documented in the NUREG/CRs. This report includes new but related information that can be used to benchmark past or support future regulatory decisions related to severe accidents. The new work includes a benchmark of the NUREG-1465 licensing source term definitions, the variability of key accident progression events and timing to radionuclide release, and an improved understanding of the timing and source terms from consequential steam generator tube ruptures. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Sandia authors gratefully acknowledge the significant technical and programmatic contributions from the NRC SOARCA team which are reflected throughout the report. Dr. Tina Ghosh has been involved throughout the SOARCA UAs, providing the primary managerial and technical oversight. The long lists of NRC and Sandia contributors from the SOARCA UAs are cited in the three NUREG/CRs and are also gratefully acknowledged by the small team of authors compiling the results of their efforts. Significant technical contributions, advice, and reviews were provided by Dr. Hossein Esmaili, Dr. Alfred Hathaway, and Dr. Edward Fuller (retired) of the NRC. Dr. Randal Gauntt (retired), Mr. Patrick Mattie, Mr. Joseph Jones (retired), and Dr. Doug Osborn from Sandia are recognized as the SOARCA UA managers guiding the past efforts. There is a comparable list of project managers at the NRC including Ms. Patricia Santiago, Dr. Salman Haq, and Mr. Jon Barr. Sadly, we have lost Mr. Charlie Tinkler and Mr. Robert Prato, who were important contributors to the original SOARCA project. Finally, Mr. Kyle Ross and Mr. Mark Leonard have also retired but were significant technical contributors. Mr. Kyle Ross was the technical lead on all three SOARCA UAs and the original pressurized water reactor SOARCA study. Mr. Leonard was the technical lead on the original boiling water reactor SOARCA study and a key contributor to the first Peach Bottom SOARCA UA. iv

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Novel technologies for emission reduction complement conservation agriculture to achieve negative emissions from row-crop production

Plants remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. Because agriculture’s productivity is based on this process, a combination of technologies to reduce emissions and enhance soil carbon storage can allow this sector to achieve net negative emissions while maintaining high productivity. Unfortunately, current row-crop agricultural practice generates about 5% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and European Union. Here, to reduce these emissions, significant effort has been focused on changing farm management practices to maximize soil carbon. In contrast, the potential to reduce emissions has largely been neglected. Through a combination of innovations in digital agriculture, crop and microbial genetics, and electrification, we estimate that a 71% (1,744 kg CO 2 e/ha) reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from row crop agriculture is possible within the next 15 y. Importantly, emission reduction can lower the barrier to broad adoption by proceeding through multiple stages with meaningful improvements that gradually facilitate the transition to net negative practices. Emerging voluntary and regulatory ecosystems services markets will incentivize progress along this transition pathway and guide public and private investments toward technology development. In the difficult quest for net negative emissions, all tools, including emission reduction and soil carbon storage, must be developed to allow agriculture to maintain its critical societal function of provisioning society while, at the same time, generating environmental benefits.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Acquisition and Implementation of a Comprehensive Environmental Permits Linking Tool at Savannah River Site - 20234

Historically, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions LLC (SRNS) tracked environmental regulatory commitments and the requirements from hundreds of permits at the Savannah River Site (SRS) using several separate methods, making integrated compliance assurance cumbersome and labor-intensive. When SRNS experienced an increase in environmental issues in 2017, SRNS management and U.S. Department of Energy - Savannah River (DOE-SR) management decided a single, proactive approach was needed to capture environmental permit information (including regulations, Consent Orders, DOE Orders, and any other state or federally issued statement of requirements), track the tasks necessary to ensure compliance with these requirements, and thereby mitigate the risk of noncompliance. SRNS developed a list of mandatory objectives that the tool must meet to function as a Comprehensive Environmental Permits Linking Tool (CEPLT). A key requirement was the ability to map Site permits to their governed locations and display the associated requirements at the compliance point (e.g., outfall, stack, waste unit, etc.). Several options included modifying existing onsite resources, building a custom onsite solution, purchasing an off-the-shelf solution, and contracting an offsite developer to build a custom solution. SRNS concluded an off-the-shelf solution with configuration and customization options would provide the flexibility to fit the unique needs of Savannah River Site (SRS) while taking advantage of industry-tested software and providing a reduced deployment timeline. SRNS chose Gensuite{sup R} a, a cloud-based solution that offers numerous a la carte applications in the environmental, health, and safety arenas, as the best candidate. SRNS selected three (3) integrated applications (Compliance Calendar, Permit Manager, and Mapper) to function as the CEPLT. The Compliance Calendar module allows for creation and tracking of regulatory commitment tasks assigned to responsible environmental professionals. Permit Manager organizes permits and other requirement documents, linking the commitments in each to Compliance Calendar tasks and/or implementing procedures. Mapper provides GIS capability for mapping the data from the other two modules to their physical onsite locations. The CEPLT was configured to allow for other SRS Site Tenants to eventually utilize the applications. Additionally, DOE-SR uses the CEPLT to provide an overview of contractor environmental compliance activities and to organize DOE-specific documents and tasks. The CEPLT fulfilled the requirement of meeting current compliance needs as well as providing the ability to grow as new organizations are incorporated and functionality is expanded. SRNS now uses the CEPLT to more effectively manage permit requirements, improve knowledge transfer, and increase the Site's overall protection of the environment, the Site worker, and the public. Possible future uses of the system include integration of mobile applications for timely communication of potential non-compliant conditions and DOE complex-wide deployment allowing for enhanced DOE site and Head Quarters oversight. Implementation of CEPLT will result in cost savings, both in terms of dollars and man-hours. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2025

Genomic factors limiting the diversity of Saccharomycotina plant pathogens

The Saccharomycotina fungi have evolved to inhabit a vast diversity of habitats over their 400-million-year evolution. There are, however, only a few known fungal pathogens of plants in this subphylum, primarily belonging to the genera Eremothecium and Geotrichum. We compared the genomes of 12 plant-pathogenic Saccharomycotina strains to 360 plant-associated strains to identify features unique to the phytopathogens. Characterization of the oxylipin synthesis genes, a compound believed to be involved in Eremothecium pathogenicity, did not reveal any differences in gene presence within or between the plant-pathogenic and plant-associated strains. A reverse-ecological approach, however, revealed that plant pathogens lack several metabolic enzymes known to assist other phytopathogens in overcoming plant defenses. This includes L-rhamnose metabolism, formamidase and nitrilase genes. This result suggests that the Saccharomycotina plant pathogens are limited to infecting ripening fruits as they are without the necessary enzymes to degrade common phytohormones and secondary metabolites produced by plants.

Saccharomycotina, fungi, phytopathogen, reverse ec↗
DOE OSTI2023

Demonstration of acoustic monitoring for structural health of microreactors: Through use of neural networks and resonant ultrasound spectroscopy

Nuclear microreactors prioritize modularity and portability and are intended to be a cost-effective technology for non-conventional nuclear markets. As such, the development of microreactors into a safe and feasible solution for energy security applications will necessitate the development of non-destructive technologies to monitor the integrity of inaccessible reactors components during operation. This demonstration applies linear and nonlinear acoustic techniques, in combination with machine learning, to detect and classify mechanical changes (stress and damage) in a test article which are broadly representative of potential operating challenges within a functioning microreactor. All necessary data has been collected for this demonstration, with minor experimental issues identified that can be addressed in follow-on work. Motivated by the expected conditions within a functioning microreactor, we have demonstrated our monitoring techniques on a core-block-like test article using an unstructured excitation source that approximates the noisy acoustic environment expected during reactor operation. At all stress states mechanically applied to the test article, a machine learning model using an artificial neural network was able to classify with 100% accuracy whether a 3D laser vibrometry point measurement was made on an intact or artificially defective test article. Further, model predictions about whether the defect interface was rough or smooth were 95% accurate, indicating the ability of acoustic techniques to recover defect characteristics. Resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS) was also applied to the dataset to provide further quantitative insights about material properties. RUS analysis was ultimately hampered by several minor experimental and data issues, limiting results to certain cases for this demonstration. Last, analysis using nonlinear RUS exhibited sensitivity to changing levels of applied stresses for each intact and defective state. As presented in this demonstration, acoustic monitoring exhibits sensitivity to stress changes, which are of concern due to high thermal gradients expected during startup and operation. Further, our techniques distinguish between measurements made on intact and damaged test articles.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Reveal of Uranium Bioremediation Mechanisms by Bacillus Species through Proteomics Studies

Radionuclides, such as Uranium (U) and heavy metals continue to pose threats to the ecosystem health and processes at the Department of Energy (DOE) managed, Savannah River Site (SRS), located along the Savannah River near Aiken, SC. Such co-contaminated environments are difficult to remediate using conventional excavation and disposal or pump-and-treat approaches. Globally, more than 109 tons of uranium contaminated areas pose a long term threat to human and ecological health. Even with presented low concentrations in the brain, central nervous effects are still observed. Uranium and depleted uranium (DU) have long term effects on the kidneys. Some small general health effects include severe headaches and breathing problems. Uranus ions are toxic to living cells because they inhibit metabolism of carbohydrates by blocking ATP binding sites. Bioremediation by microorganisms represents an alternative solution, which is advantageous because of the possibility of biosorbent regeneration, cost-effectiveness, increased metal removal and easy recovery of some valuable metals. Bacillus sp. bacterium was previously used in the bioremediation of heavy metals in coal mine run off waters of SRS. However, its ability to bioremediate uranium was unknown so far. Hence, in the present study, uranium bioremediation by Bacillus sp. bacterium was investigated. The mechanism of bioremediation was also revealed through proteomics studies. Heavy metals contamination poses a serious threat to water, soil and human health. Soil and water are contaminated due to excessive exploitation of uranium mines for generation of nuclear energy and weaponry. It is not degradable easily and persist in soil and water for a long period of time due to its long half- life. Savannah river site (SRS) is one of the uranium contaminated sites. The physical or chemical remediation techniques are costly and complex. Microbial system approaches with competent bacteria has received increased attention due to its adaptability in various environmental matrices and cost effectiveness. However, even though there are multiple suggested pathways (F1), the specific mechanisms that drive this behavior are still unclear, especially with popular microorganisms such as Bacillus species. In a previous research (Ibeanusi et al, 2003) Bacillus sp. was shown to detoxify and precipitate a variety of heavy metals in coal pile runoff waters of SRS site. Additionally, genomic analysis demonstrated that this microorganism posses multiple attributes for chemical transport regulation and metabolic pathways. U remediation occurs during the first 20 hours of exposure. During this time period, Bacillus sp. may work primarily under two mechanisms - sorption and accumulation. These two mechanisms simultaneously work to protect the microorganism from high concentrations. Figure 10 demonstrates that certain proteins are up regulated and down regulated under extreme stressful conditions. Membrane fraction proteins were up regulated. Cytosolic fraction proteins were down regulated. This protein information coincides with the adsorption behavior. Bacillus sp. is a good candidate for U remediation at various concentrations.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

Issue Resolution During the Development of the Performance Assessment for the Savannah River Site Saltstone Disposal Facility - 20125

In 2019, Savannah River Remediation developed a revision to the performance assessment (PA) on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River Operations Office (SR) for the near-surface disposal of low-level waste at the Savannah River Site (SRS) Saltstone Disposal Facility (SDF). Soluble waste from SRS Tank Farms undergoes salt processing to remove cesium and other high-activity constituents. The low-activity decontaminated salt solution (DSS) is then immobilized by mixing it into a cementitious waste form known as saltstone. After mixing, the saltstone is poured into leak-tight concrete vaults, known as saltstone disposal units (SDUs), where the waste form cures. By the time of facility closure, the SDF is expected to consist of 15 SDUs with a combined capacity of 1.06 E+09 L (280 Mgal) of cured saltstone. The facility operates under a Disposal Authorization Statement from DOE and a permit from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC). Since the start of operations in 1990, the SDF has received almost 6.7 E+07 L (18 Mgal) of DSS, resulting in the safe disposal of 2.7 E+16 Bq (7.3 E+05 Ci) of activity. Due to the radioactive decay of short-lived contaminants, the total remaining activity in the disposed waste is estimated to be approximately 1.4 E+16 Bq (3.9 E+05 Ci), as of September 2018. The Disposal Authorization Statement requires a demonstration that the system of engineered and natural features of the disposal facility will limit releases from the facility and be protective of human health and the environment for at least the next 1,000 years. The long-term performance of the facility was evaluated under the requirements of the DoE's Radioactive Waste Management Manual (US DOE Manual 435.1-1). Simulations were performed to demonstrate that the disposal facility would meet performance objectives specified in the manual. The evaluation was based on numerical models that simulate the releases of contaminants from the saltstone waste form. Contaminants were transported through groundwater and air pathways to points of assessment to evaluate compliance (i.e., 100 m from the SDUs). In addition, the potential consequences of an inadvertent human intrusion (IHI) were also evaluated. A number of issues were overcome during the development of these simulations. These issues were identified as part of internal technical reviews. Simulations are developed by people and people make mistakes, so the internal technical review process is a vital step in PA development. Specific examples of resolved issues include a unit-conversion error, an inappropriate definition for a model boundary condition, a model time-stepping issue, and an error in the calculation for the buildup of contaminants in soil. Actions taken to address these issues resulted in an improved product with a better supported technical basis and more defensible results. The identification and correction of these issues are discussed. By understanding these issues, model developers and technical reviewers working on PAs in the future may avoid repeating these types of mistakes. Transparency with respect to these mistakes builds trust between waste management sites, regulators, and stakeholders. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗