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NASA NTRS2016

Aerosol Meteorology of Maritime Continent for the 2012 7SEAS Southwest Monsoon Intensive Study - Part 2: Philippine Receptor Observations of Fine-Scale Aerosol Behavior

The largest 7 Southeast Asian Studies (7SEAS) operations period within the Maritime Continent (MC) occurred in the August-September 2012 biomass burning season. Data included were observations aboard the MY Vasco, dispatched to the Palawan Archipelago and Sulu Sea of the Philippines for September 2012. At these locations, the Vasco observed MC smoke and pollution entering the southwest monsoon (SWM) monsoonal trough. Here we describe the research cruise findings and the finer-scale aerosol meteorology of this convectively active region. This 2012 cruise complemented a 2-week cruise in 2011 and was generally consistent with previous findings in terms of how smoke emission and transport related to monsoonal flows, tropical cyclones (TC), and the covariance between smoke transport events and the atmosphere's thermodynamic structure. Biomass burning plumes were usually mixed with significant amounts of anthropogenic pollution. Also key to aerosol behavior were squall lines and cold pools propagating across the South China Sea (SCS) and scavenging aerosol particles in their path. However, the 2012 cruise showed much higher modulation in aerosol frequency than its 2011 counterpart. Whereas in 2011 large synoptic-scale aerosol events transported high concentrations of smoke into the Philippines over days, in 2012 measured aerosol events exhibited a much shorter-term variation, sometimes only 312h. Strong monsoonal flow reversals were also experienced in 2012. Nucleation events in cleaner and polluted conditions, as well as in urban plumes, were observed. Perhaps most interestingly, several cases of squall lines preceding major aerosol events were observed, as opposed to 2011 observations where these lines largely scavenged aerosol particles from the marine boundary layer. Combined, these observations indicate pockets of high and low particle counts that are not uncommon in the region. These perturbations are difficult to observe by satellite and very difficult to model. Indeed, the Navy Aerosol Analysis and Prediction System (NAAPS) simulations captured longer period aerosol events quite well but largely failed to capture the timing of high-frequency phenomena. Ultimately, the research findings of these cruises demonstrate the real world challenges of satellite-based missions, significant aerosol life cycle questions such as those the future Aerosol/Clouds/Ecosystems (ACE) will investigate, and the importance of small-scale phenomena such as sea breezes, squall lines, and nucleation events embedded within SWM patterns in dominating aerosol life cycle and potential relationships to clouds.

Reid, Jeffrey S.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Lightning Protection System

A new Lightning Protection System (LPS) was designed and built at Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B), at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, in 2009, for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) program. A comprehensive lightning monitoring system was additionally designed and the LC-39B lightning instrumentation started incremental deployment early 2011. By March 2011, the LC-39B lightning monitoring system was activated with short outages during construction and renovations of the LC-39B. Since 2011, the LC-39B LPS has been directly struck at least once per year. The earliest and latest in a year that the LPS has been directly struck by lightning has been January 7th and October 1st (both 2017), respectively. During the summer of 2018, the Mobile Launcher 1 (ML-1) lightning monitoring system was deployed and partially active during ML-1 construction/testing. Since 2018, the ML-1 has been parked at the LC-39B for different durations of time for integrated testing. Early August 2019 (6th and 9th ) multiple lightning strikes terminated directly on the LPS at three different locations in addition to a nearby strike within the Pad perimeter and multiple nearby strikes outside the Pad Perimeter, triggering both, the LC-39B and the ML-1 lightning monitoring systems. This has been the first time direct lightning strikes have terminated on the LPS or within the LC-39B perimeter while the ML-1 has been at the LC-39B. This paper summarizes direct and close nearby lightning strikes to LC-39B from 2011 until the summer of 2019.

Angel G Mata↗

NASA NTRS2022

Satellites quantify the spatial extent of cyanobacterial blooms across the United States at multiple scales

Previous studies indicate that cyanobacterial harmful algal bloom (cyanoHAB) frequency, extent, and magnitude have increased globally over the past few decades. However, little quantitative capability is available to assess these metrics of cyanoHABs across broad geographic scales and at regular intervals. Here, the spatial extent was quantified from a cyanobacteria algorithm applied to two European Space Agency satellite platforms—the MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) onboard Envisat and the Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) onboard Sentinel-3. CyanoHAB spatial extent was defined for each geographic area as the percentage of valid satellite pixels that exhibited cyanobacteria above the detection limit of the satellite sensor. This study quantified cyanoHAB spatial extent for over 2,000 large lakes and reservoirs across the contiguous United States (CONUS) during two time periods: 2008–2011 via MERIS and 2017–2020 via OLCI when cloud-, ice-, and snowfree imagery was available. Approximately 56% of resolvable lakes were glaciated, 13% were headwater, isolated, or terminal lakes, and the rest were primarily drainage lakes. Results were summarized at national-, regional-, state-, and lake-scales, where regions were defined as nine climate regions which represent climatically consistent states. As measured by satellite, changes in national cyanoHAB extent did have a strong increase of 6.9% from 2017 to 2020 (|Kendall’s tau (τ)| = 0.56; gamma (γ) = 2.87 years), but had negligible change (|τ| = 0.03) from 2008 to 2011. Two of the nine regions had moderate (0.3 ≤ |τ| < 0.5) increases in spatial extent from 2017 to 2020, and eight of nine regions had negligible (|τ| < 0.2) change from 2008 to 2011. Twelve states had a strong or moderate increase from 2017 to 2020 (|τ| ≥ 0.3), while only one state had a moderate increase and two states had a moderate decrease from 2008 to 2011. A decrease, or no change, in cyanoHAB spatial extent did not indicate a lack of issues related to cyanoHABs. Sensitivity results of randomly omitted daily CONUS scenes confirm that even with reduced data availability during a short four-year temporal assessment, the direction and strength of the changes in spatial extent remained consistent. We present the first set of national maps of lake cyanoHAB spatial extent across CONUS and demonstrate an approach for quantifying past and future changes at multiple spatial scales. Results presented here provide water quality managers information regarding current cyanoHAB spatial extent and quantify rates of change.

Harmful algal blooms↗

NASA NTRS2022

Satellites Quantify the Spatial Extent of Cyanobacterial Blooms Across the United States at Multiple Scales

Previous studies indicate that cyanobacterial harmful algal bloom (cyanoHAB) frequency, extent, and magnitude have increased globally over the past few decades. However, little quantitative capability is available to assess these metrics of cyanoHABs across broad geographic scales and at regular intervals. Here, the spatial extent was quantified from a cyanobacteria algorithm applied to two European Space Agency satellite platforms—the MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) onboard Envisat and the Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) onboard Sentinel-3. CyanoHAB spatial extent was defined for each geographic area as the percentage of valid satellite pixels that exhibited cyanobacteria above the detection limit of the satellite sensor. This study quantified cyanoHAB spatial extent for over 2,000 large lakes and reservoirs across the contiguous United States (CONUS) during two time periods: 2008–2011 via MERIS and 2017–2020 via OLCI when cloud-, ice-, and snow-free imagery was available. Approximately 56% of resolvable lakes were glaciated, 13% were headwater, isolated, or terminal lakes, and the rest were primarily drainage lakes. Results were summarized at national-, regional-, state-, and lake-scales, where regions were defined as nine climate regions which represent climatically consistent states. As measured by satellite, changes in national cyanoHAB extent did have a strong increase of 6.9% from 2017 to 2020 (|Kendall’s tau (τ)| = 0.56; gamma (γ) = 2.87 years), but had negligible change (|τ| = 0.03) from 2008 to 2011. Two of the nine regions had moderate (0.3 ≤ |τ| < 0.5) increases in spatial extent from 2017 to 2020, and eight of nine regions had negligible (|τ| < 0.2) change from 2008 to 2011. Twelve states had a strong or moderate increase from 2017 to 2020 (|τ| ≥ 0.3), while only one state had a moderate increase and two states had a moderate decrease from 2008 to 2011. A decrease, or no change, in cyanoHAB spatial extent did not indicate a lack of issues related to cyanoHABs. Sensitivity results of randomly omitted daily CONUS scenes confirm that even with reduced data availability during a short four-year temporal assessment, the direction and strength of the changes in spatial extent remained consistent. We present the first set of national maps of lake cyanoHAB spatial extent across CONUS and demonstrate an approach for quantifying past and future changes at multiple spatial scales. Results presented here provide water quality managers information regarding current cyanoHAB spatial extent and quantify rates of change.

Harmful Algal Blooms↗

DOE OSTI2011

Aspen Winter Conferences on High Energy

The 2011 Aspen Winter Conference on Particle Physics was held at the Aspen Center for Physics from February 12 to February 18, 2011. Ninety-four participants from ten countries, and several universities and national labs attended the workshop titled, "New Data From the Energy Frontier." There were 54 formal talks, and a considerable number of informal discussions held during the week. The week's events included a public lecture ("The Hunt for the Elusive Higgs Boson" given by Ben Kilminster from Ohio State University) and attended by 119 members of the public, and a physics cafe geared for high schoolers that is a discussion with physicists. The 2011 Aspen Winter Conference on Astroparticle physics held at the Aspen Center for Physics was "Indirect and Direct Detection of Dark Matter." It was held from February 6 to February 12, 2011. The 70 participants came from 7 countries and attended 53 talks over five days. Late mornings through the afternoon are reserved for informal discussions. In feedback received from participants, it is often these unplanned chats that produce the most excitement due to working through problems with fellow physicists from other institutions and countries or due to incipient collaborations. In addition, Blas Cabrera of Stanford University gave a public lecture titled "What Makes Up Dark Matter." There were 183 members of the general public in attendance. Before the lecture, 45 people attended the physics cafe to discuss dark matter. This report provides the attendee lists, programs, and announcement posters for each event.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2013

Dismantling of Loop-Type Channel Equipment of MR Reactor in NRC 'Kurchatov Institute' - 13040

In 2009 the project of decommissioning of MR and RTF reactors was developed and approved by the Expert Authority of the Russian Federation (Gosexpertiza). The main objective of the decommissioning works identified in this project: - complete dismantling of reactor equipment and systems; - decontamination of reactor premises and site in accordance with the established sanitary and hygienic standards. At the preparatory stage (2008-2010) of the project the following works were executed: loop-type channels' dismantling in the storage pool; experimental fuel assemblies' removal from spent fuel repositories in the central hall; spent fuel assembly removal from the liquid-metal-cooled loop-type channel of the reactor core and its placement into the SNF repository; and reconstruction of engineering support systems to the extent necessary for reactor decommissioning. The project assumes three main phases of dismantling and decontamination: - dismantling of equipment/pipelines of cooling circuits and loop-type channels, and auxiliary reactor equipment (2011-2012); - dismantling of equipment in underground reactor premises and of both MR and RTF in-vessel devices (2013-2014); - decontamination of reactor premises; rehabilitation of the reactor site; final radiation survey of reactor premises, loop-type channels and site; and issuance of the regulatory authorities' de-registration statement (2015). In 2011 the decommissioning license for the two reactors was received and direct MR decommissioning activities started. MR primary pipelines and loop-type facilities situated in the underground reactor hall were dismantled. Works were also launched to dismantle the loop-type channels' equipment in underground reactor premises; reactor buildings were reconstructed to allow removal of dismantled equipment; and the MR/RTF decommissioning sequence was identified. In autumn 2011 - spring 2012 results of dismantling activities performed are: - equipment from underground rooms (No. 66, 66A, 66B, 72, 64, 63) - as well as from water and gas loop corridors - was dismantled, with the total radwaste weight of 53 tons and the total removed activity of 5,0 x 10{sup 10} Bq; - loop-type channel equipment from underground reactor hall premises was dismantled; - 93 loop-type channels were characterized, chopped and removed, with radwaste of 2.6 x 10{sup 13} Bq ({sup 60}Co) and 1.5 x 10{sup 13} Bq ({sup 137}Cs) total activity removed from the reactor pool, fragmented and packaged. Some of this waste was placed into the high-level waste (HLW) repository of the Center. Dismantling works were executed with application of remotely operated mechanisms, which promoted decrease of radiation impact on the personnel. The average individual dose for the personnel was 1.9 mSv/year in 2011, and the collective dose is estimated as 0.0605 man x Sv/year. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2013

Isotope Specific Remediation Media and Systems - 13614

On March 11, 2011, now two years ago, the magnitude 9.0 Great East Japan earthquake, Tohoku, hit off the Fukushima coast of Japan. While, of course, most of the outcome of this unprecedented natural and manmade disaster was a negative, both in Japan and worldwide, there have been some extremely invaluable lessons learned and new emergency recovery technologies and systems developed. As always, the mother of invention is necessity. Among these developments has been the development and full-scale implementation of proven isotope specific media (ISMs) with the intent of surgically removing specific hazardous isotopes for the purpose of minimizing dose to workers and the environment. The first such ISMs to be deployed at the Fukushima site were those removing cesium (Cs-137) and iodine (I-129). Since deployment on June 17, 2011, along with treated cooling water recycle, some 70% of the curies in the building liquid wastes have been removed by the Kurion system alone. The current levels of cesium are now only 2% of the original levels. Such an unprecedented, 'external cooling system' not only allowed the eventual cold shut down of the reactors in mid-December, 2011, but has allowed workers to concentrate on the cleanup of other areas of the site. Water treatment will continue for quite some time due to continued leakage into the buildings and the eventual goal of cleaning up the reactors and fuel pools themselves. With the cesium removal now in routine operation, other isotopes of concern are likely to become priorities. One such isotope is that of strontium, and yttrium (Sr-90 and Y-90), which is still at original levels causing further dose issues as well as impediments to discharge of the treated waste waters. For over a year now, a new synthetic strontium specific media has been under development and testing both in our licensed facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, but also in confirmatory tests by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) in Japan for Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO). The tests have proven quite successful, even in high salt conditions, and, with loading and dose calculations being completed, will be proposed to add to the existing cesium system. There is no doubt, as high gamma isotopes are removed, other recalcitrant isotopes such as this will require innovative removal media, systems and techniques. Also coming out of this international effort are other ISM media and systems that can be applied more broadly to both Commercial Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) as well as in Department of Energy (DOE) applications. This cesium and strontium specific media has further been successfully tested in 2012 at a Magnox station in the UK. The resulting proposed mitigation systems for pond and vault cleanup look quite promising. An extremely unusual ISM for carbon 14 (C-14), nickel (Ni-63) and cesium (Cs-137) has been developed for Diablo Canyon NPP for dose reduction testing in their fuel pool. These media will be deployed in Submersible Media Filter (SMF) and Submersible Columns (SC) systems adapted to standard Tri-Nuclear{sup R} housings common in the U.S. and UK. External Vessel Systems (mini-Fukushima) have also been developed as a second mitigation system for D and D and outages. Finally, technetium (Tc- 99) specific media developed for the Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) recycle or condensate (secondary) waste streams (WM 2011) are being further perfected and tested for At-Tank Tc-99 removal, as well as At Tank Cs media. In addition to the on-going media development, systems for deploying such media have developed over the last year and are in laboratory- and full-scale testing. These systems include the fore mentioned Submersible Media Filters (SMF), Submersible Columns (SC) and external pilot- and full-scale, lead-lag, canister systems. This paper will include the media development and testing, as well as that of the deployment systems themselves. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2012

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Status and Plans - 2012 - 12049

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), a deep geologic repository for safe disposal of long-lived transuranic radioactive waste related to the nation's defense, is completing its 12. year of operations. WIPP's mission includes coordination of all Department of Energy (DOE) sites to prepare, package and characterize transuranic (TRU) waste for final shipment and emplacement in WIPP. Five of the 10 disposal panels planned have been filled and sealed from ventilation. Additional small quantity sites have been de-inventoried by consolidating their waste through the certified characterization line at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). New emplacement methods for RH waste in shielded containers are being considered for disposal by WIPP's regulatory authorities. A new large Type B shipping package, was added to the WIPP transportation fleet, and facility modifications to the WIPP waste unloading and emplacement processes for large containers were completed in 2011. Shipments from the Savannah River site in these new large rectangular packages began in August 2011. Licensing efforts are proceeding for a new criticality control over-pack container that will allow almost twice the fissile content to be shipped than previously. This will reduce the number and cost of shipments of Special Nuclear Material (SNM) declared as waste. Modifications to WIPP regulatory requirements for the disposal footprint and disposal unit closure systems are in progress. These, and other developments, make for exciting times at WIPP. This paper provides an up-to-date look at the many aspects of America's only deep geologic long-lived radioactive waste repository, which is completing its 12. year of operations. A record year of safe and compliant shipments to WIPP tops the list of accomplishments in 2011. Four more small quantity sites were de-inventoried by consolidating their waste through the certified characterization line at INL in 2011. A new Type B shipping package, the TRUPACT-III has been added to the transportation fleet, and large waste boxes are being shipped from SRS without the need for repackaging. New emplacement methods for remote-handled waste in shielded containers are undergoing regulatory review. WIPP plans to license a new criticality control payload container that will allow almost twice the fissile content to be shipped than previously, thereby reducing the number and cost of shipments of SNM declared as waste. Other regulatory modifications planned in 2012 include approval of a design change that would replace the disposal concept for panels 9 and 10 from using the common access drifts (the 'mains') with a new footprint south of panels 4 and 5. DOE also plans to change the panel closure design set forth in its certification by EPA and the HWFP by the NMED. The panel closure design change will be a rule making under EPA's procedures and a class 3 permit modification request under NMED procedures. Plans for achieving 90% of legacy TRU waste retrieval and emplacement in WIPP by 2015 have been developed. Key to the success of this so-called 90/15 plan is adequate funding, both for WIPP operations, as well as for TRU retrieval programs at the generator sites. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2012

Disposal Process for High Activity Sources by a University through the U.S. Dept. of Energy's Off-Site Source Recovery Project - 12076

Sealed radioactive sources are used in a wide variety of applications by a large number of license holders in the Unites States. Applications range from low-activity calibration sources to high-activity irradiators for engineering, research, or medical purposes. This paper describes and evaluates the safety and security measures in place for disused sealed sources, in particular of high activity sealed sources at the end of their operational life-time. The technical, radiation protection, and financial challenges for licensees and the Competent Authorities are reviewed from the point of view of the license holder. As an example, the waste management processes and the chain of custody for disused research irradiator sources are followed from extraction from the irradiator facility to the source disposal or recycling contractor. Possible safety and security concern in the waste disposal process are investigated in order to identify improvement potential for radiation protection or source security. Two shipments of disused sealed sources from Colorado State University (CSU) have been conducted through the CSU Radiation Control Office (RCO) in the last two years, with a third shipment expected to be completed by the end of November 2011. Two of the sources shipped are considered 'high' activity and exceed the U.S. NRC limits requiring increased controls for security purposes. Three sources were shipped in 2009 and ten more are expected in 2011. A total activity of 117.3 GBq was shipped in 2009. Nine sources were recently shipped in October 2011 through a third party waste broker where the total activity was 96.34 GBq. The last source is scheduled for shipment no later than 30 November 2011 and contains an activity of 399.96 GBq. Radiation waste disposal of high activity sources in large shields with unknown manufacturers, serial numbers, or model numbers is an arduous process requiring multiple contacts with various state and federal agencies. DOE's OSRP has made it possible for CSU to dispose of older unused sources in an economically viable way. Disposal of multiple sources all at once was not an option prior to the establishment of the SCATR program. While CSU was able to dispose of sealed sources when funds were available, the cost to the University would have been prohibitive for this type of mass removal and disposal of radiation sources initiated within this initiative. Where we estimate a cost of about $130 k to ship these sources otherwise, CSU's contribution of $21 k realized a significant savings in what would have been an impossible disposal cost. Removing unused radiation sources from CSU has realized a cost savings while removing a potential security threat. (authors)

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

DOE OSTI2012

Successful Characterization Strategies for the Active High Risk Y-12 National Security Complex 9201-5 (Alpha-5) Facility, Oak Ridge, TN - 12164

Building 9201-5 (Alpha 5) was completed in May 1944 and served as a production facility for National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Y-12 Weapons Plant. During the Manhattan Project, it functioned as a uranium enrichment facility. The facility was renovated and altered over the years, converting the calutrons to support other missions. Alpha 5 consists of 4 floors and a basement measuring approximately 600,000 square feet. The facility contains various pieces of equipment remaining from legacy operations. A significant amount (approximately 200,000 kgs) of mercury (Hg) has been spilled in the facility over the operational history of the building. To further complicate matters, beryllium (Be) contamination in 9201-5 is found throughout approximately sixty percent of the facility. Concentrations varying from very low (< 0.2 micrograms (μg)/100 cm{sup 2}) to areas where concentrations are relatively high, approximately 600 μg/100 cm{sup 2}, in regulated beryllium areas. The primary site related contaminants (SRCs) for the waste in this facility are enriched uranium, depleted uranium, beryllium and mercury. This facility represents the highest environmental risk for DOE-ORO EM and NNSA at Y-12 and must be quickly addressed to minimize impacts to future Y-12 missions, as well as human health and the environment. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), approximately 700,000 cubic feet of legacy material was removed in 2010 and 2011. In addition, characterization of the 9201-5 facility was scheduled in the winter and spring of 2011. This activity was initiated in January 2011 and was completed in July 2011. Heavy schedule pressure was further complicated by the fact that this building has active utility, security and process systems. Given these complex variables, a unique, out of the box characterization strategy was forged in an effort to bound radiological and chemical contaminants, as well as providing the appropriate level of quality to ensure that this data could be used to develop waste profiles when deactivation, decontamination and demolition (D and D) activities are authorized at a future date. The characterization strategy involved a hybrid model of statistically-based and biased sampling events. To achieve the desired results, traditional intrusive sampling and laboratory analysis, as well as a number of field-based characterization methodologies (e.g., X-ray Fluorescence [XRF], Lumex and Non-Destructive Assay [NDA]) were utilized. Results were captured and synthesized into meaningful, usable conclusions in a facility characterization report that will more accurately aid D and D cost estimates for future remedial actions. This massive characterization campaign involved over 1,200 separate sample locations using 4 separate characterization methods and was successfully completed to meet a performance-based milestone within 8 months of initiation. (authors)

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2012

Department of Energy - Oak Ridge Operations and URS - CH2M Oak Ridge LLC. Partnering Framework for the Cleanup of the East Tennessee Technology Park, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA - 12348

The cleanup and re-industrialization of the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) hinges on a collaborative working relationship between the cleanup contractor and the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE)-Oak Ridge Office (ORO). A Partnering Framework document was signed on June 30, 2011, with an ultimate goal of completing the contract scope of work ahead of schedule and under budget. This partnering process was the first time that DOE and its contractor, jointly developed and signed such an agreement before the contractor assumed management responsibilities of the Site. A strong desire of both parties to utilize a partnering approach in the performance of their respective responsibilities is evident. The Partnering Framework was modeled after a partnering process employed by the California Department of Transportation, Division of Construction. This partnering process has been used successfully by the California Department of Transportation and its major contractors for many years with great success. The partnering process used at ETTP was a phased approach. First, a Partnering Framework document was developed and signed June 30, 2011, by the Partnering Sponsors, the two leaders of the ETTP cleanup and re-industrialization project, the DOE-ORO Assistant Manager for Environmental Management and the contractor's President and Program Manager. In this way the partnering process could begin when the contactor assumed ETTP Site management responsibilities on August 1, 2011. The Partnering Framework then set the stage for the second phase of the partnering process which would be development of the Partnering Agreement and the kick-off of the first of a number of facilitated Partnering Workshops. Key elements of the Partnering Framework document include: (1) a statement of commitment which affirms the desire of both parties to work collaboratively toward the cleanup and re-industrialization of the ETTP Site; (2) a vision which describes both parties ultimate goal of safe, efficient cleanup, and (3) an implementation section which describes how the partnering process will be conducted, as well as how disputes will be managed. The signed Partnering Framework and Partnering Agreement provide the needed foundation of the safe and cost-effective cleanup and re-industrialization of the ETTP Site. The benefits of partnering have already been observed as the Partnering Teams effectively addressed a number of early contract and project challenges such as funding reductions and progress in resolving Material Differences. Based, in part of the successes achieved as a result of the partnering between UCOR and DOE-ORO, UCOR and DOE-ORO are extending this partnering approach to a number of the ETTP Site stakeholders. For example, DOE-ORO, UCOR and CROET signed a Partnering Agreement on November 3, 2011. This Partnering Agreement affirms the parties' commitment to work collaboratively to re-industrialize the ETTP Site. Both DOE-ORO and UCOR are looking to extend this partnering approach with other Site stakeholders such as its employees, its subcontractors, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Y-12 Security Complex in the future. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2018

Monitoring and Modeling Caprock Integrity at the In Salah Carbon Dioxide Storage Site, Algeria

The In Salah gas development project, initiated in 2004, involves the long-term storage of waste carbon dioxide associated with natural gas production at several central Algerian fields. Rather then vent the extracted CO 2 into the atmosphere the operators, BP, Sonatrach, and Statoil chose to have the gas compressed, dehydrated, transported, and injected into a deep saline aquifer leg of the Krechba gas reservoir (Matheison et al. 2011). For this effort three horizontal state-of-the-art injection wells were drilled to a depth of 1500-1800m, using geo-steering technology to follow the roughly 20m thick reservoir. To maximize the injectivity, the wells were oriented perpendicular to the direction of maximum stress, the dominant fracture direction. Long-term plans were to store up to 17 million tonnes of carbon dioxide during the life of the program (Matheison et al. 2010). The project at In Salah was a pioneering effort in several respects and involved the investment of over 100 million dollars by the member companies. One feature that distinguishes In Salah from several other industrialscale CO 2 sequestration projects, such as Sleipner (Chadwick et al. 2012), Weyburn (White et al. 2011), Decatur (Kaven et al. 2014), and Aquastore (Worth et al. 2014) is the generally smaller storage volume in terms of overall reservoir thickness and lower average porosities of around 15%. With the exception of Weyburn, these other sites are characterized by generally thick sequences of high porosity sandstones. Therefore, one might expect that the pressure buildup near the wells could be larger at In Salah, with consequences for reservoir deformation and caprock strain. The role of fractures in providing storage and increasing reservoir permeability is one factor that would likely impact the pressure distribution around the well. However, the detailed effect of existing fractures on flow was not established prior to the injection at In Salah. The unique features of the In Salah storage site point to the importance of wellbore, geophysical, and geochemical monitoring to ensure that the integrity of the storage complex is maintained both during and after injection. In 2005 a Joint Industry Project (JIP) was set up, in an effort to use various geophysical, geochemical, and production techniques to monitor the fate of the injected carbon dioxide (Matheison et al. 2011). Here in this paper we describe the efforts made to monitoring the fate of the injected carbon dioxide, the state of the caprock, the estimated outcome of the storage effort, and some of the uncertainties that remain.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2014

Investigation of thermochemical biorefinery sizing and environmental sustainability impacts for conventional supply system and distributed pre-processing supply system designs

The 2011 US Billion-Ton Update estimates that by 2030 there will be enough agricultural and forest resources to sustainably provide at least one billion dry tons of biomass annually, enough to displace approximately 30% of the country's current petroleum consumption. A portion of these resources are inaccessible at current cost targets with conventional feedstock supply systems because of their remoteness or low yields. Reliable analyses and projections of US biofuels production depend on assumptions about the supply system and biorefinery capacity, which, in turn, depend upon economic value, feedstock logistics, and sustainability. A cross-functional team has examined combinations of advances in feedstock supply systems and biorefinery capacities with rigorous design information, improved crop yield and agronomic practices, and improved estimates of sustainable biomass availability. A previous report on biochemical refinery capacity noted that under advanced feedstock logistic supply systems that include depots and pre-processing operations there are cost advantages that support larger biorefineries up to 10 000 DMT/day facilities compared to the smaller 2000 DMT/day facilities. This report focuses on analyzing conventional versus advanced depot biomass supply systems for a thermochemical conversion and refinery sizing based on woody biomass. The results of this analysis demonstrate that the economies of scale enabled by advanced logistics offsets much of the added logistics costs from additional depot processing and transportation, resulting in a small overall increase to the minimum ethanol selling price compared to the conventional logistic supply system. While the overall costs do increase slightly for the advanced logistic supply systems, the ability to mitigate moisture and ash in the system will improve the storage and conversion processes. In addition, being able to draw on feedstocks from further distances will decrease the risk of biomass supply to the conversion facility.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

DOE OSTI2016

A Science Data Gateway for Environmental Management

Science data gateways are effective in providing complex science data collections to the world-wide user Q1 communities. In this paper we describe a gateway for the Advanced Simulation Capability for Environmental Management (ASCEM) framework. Built on top of established web service technologies, the ASCEM data gateway is specifically designed for environmental modeling applications. Its key distinguishing feature sinclude (1) handling of complex spatiotemporal data, (2) offering a variety of selective data access mechanisms, (3) providing state-of-the-art plotting and visualization of spatiotemporal data records, and (4) integrating seamlessly with a distributed workflow system using a RESTful interface. ASCEM projectscientists have been using this data gateway since 2011.

ASCEM, Akuna, Database Management↗

DOE OSTI2021

Root water uptake of biofuel crops revealed by coupled electrical resistivity and soil water content measurements

Abstract Biofuel crops, including annuals such as maize ( Zea mays L.), soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.], and canola ( Brassica napus L.), as well as high‐biomass perennial grasses such as miscanthus ( Miscanthus × giganteus J.M. Greef & Deuter ex Hodkinson & Renvoiz), are candidates for sustainable alternative energy sources. However, large‐scale conversion of croplands to perennial biofuel crops could have substantial impacts on regional water, nutrient, and C cycles due to the longer growing seasons and differences in rooting systems compared with most annual crops. However, due to the limited tools available to nondestructively study the spatiotemporal patterns of root water uptake in situ at field scales, these differences in crop water use are not well known. Geophysical imaging tools such as electrical resistivity (ER) reveal changes in water content in the soil profile. In this study, we demonstrate the use of a novel coupled hydrogeophysical approach with both time domain reflectometry soil water content and ER measurements to compare root water uptake and soil properties of an annual crop rotation with the perennial grass miscanthus, across three growing seasons (2009–2011) in southwest Michigan, USA. We estimated maximum root depths to be between 1.2 and 2.2 m, with the vertical distribution of roots being notably deeper in 2009 relative to 2010 and 2011, likely due to the drought conditions during that first year. Modeled cumulative ET of both crops was underestimated (2–34%) relative to estimates obtained from soil water drawdown in prior studies but was found to be greater in the perennial grass than the annual crops, despite shallower modeled rooting depths in 2010 and 2011.

Kuhl, Alexandria S.↗

DOE OSTI2013

Input of 129 I into the western Pacific Ocean resulting from the Fukushima nuclear event

We present an initial characterization of the input of 129 I into the Pacific Ocean resulting from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident. This characterization is based primarily on 129 I measurements on samples collected from a research cruise conducted in waters off the eastern coast of Japan in June 2011. The resulting measurements were compared with samples intended to reflect pre-Fukushima background that were collected during a May 2011 transect of the Pacific by a commercial container vessel. In surface waters, we observed peak 129 I concentrations of ~300 μBq/m 3 which represents an elevation of nearly three orders of magnitude compared to pre-Fukushima backgrounds. The 129 I results were coupled with 137 Cs measurements from the same cruise and derived an average 129 I/137Cs activity ratio of 0.442 × 10 -6 for the effluent from Fukushima. Finally, we present 129 I depth profiles from five stations from this cruise which form the basis for future studies of ocean transport and mixing process as well as estimations of the total budget of 129 I released into the Pacific.

129 iodine↗

DOE OSTI2018

Pitfalls in the Diagnosis of Acute Pulmonary Embolism on Computed Tomography: Common Pathologic and Imaging Mimics

Purpose of Review: Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is the third most-common acute cardiovascular disease in the United States. Nearly 900,000 new diagnoses are made each year, with 250,000 associated hospitalizations and up to 100,000 deaths (Palacio et al. in Semin Roentgenol 50(3):217–225, 2015; Metter et al. in Am J Roentgenol 208(3):489–494, 2017; Jaff et al. in Circulation 123(16):1788–830, 2011). Timely and accurate diagnosis of acute PE is crucial for the prevention of most deaths associated with PE, even more so than optimal medical therapy (Palacio et al. in Semin Roentgenol 50(3):217–225, 2015; Jaff et al. in Circulation 123(16):1788–830, 2011; Raja et al. in Ann Intern Med 163(9):701, 2015). Recent Findings: Computed tomography (CT) has emerged as the primary imaging modality used in the diagnosis of acute PE. Thus, radiologists play a key role in the correct diagnosis of acute PE, and must differentiate this diagnosis from other conditions that mimic the imaging findings of acute PE, as well as from artifacts associated with imaging techniques (Palacio et al. in Semin Roentgenol 50(3):217–225, 2015; Jaff et al. in Circulation 123(16):1788–830, 2011; Raja et al. in Ann Intern Med 163(9):701, 2015). Understanding how these diagnoses present on CT is necessary for improved patient care. Summary: This article will discuss the diagnosis of acute PE with CT, the diagnosis of diseases that may be mistaken for acute PE, and how to identify imaging artifacts that may be mistaken for an acute PE.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

DOE OSTI2017

Drought impacts on photosynthesis, isoprene emission and atmospheric formaldehyde in a mid-latitude forest

Isoprene plays a critical role in air quality and climate. Photosynthesis (gross primary productivity, GPP) and formaldehyde (HCHO) are both related to isoprene emission at large spatiotemporal scales, but neither is a perfect proxy. Here we apply multiple satellite products and site-level measurements to examine the impact of water deficit on the three interlinked variables at the Missouri Ozarks site during a 20-day mild dryness stress in summer 2011 and a 3-month severe drought in summer 2012. Isoprene emission shows opposite responses to the short- and long-term droughts, while GPP was substantially reduced in both cases. In 2012, both remote-sensed solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) and satellite HCHO column qualitatively capture reductions in flux-derived GPP and isoprene emission, respectively, on weekly to monthly time scales, but with muted responses. For instance, as flux-derived GPP approaches zero in late summer 2012, SIF drops by 29–33% (July) and 19–27% (August) relative to year 2011. A possible explanation is that electron transport and photosystem activity are maintained to a certain extent under the drought stress. Similarly, flux tower isoprene emissions in July 2012 are 54% lower than July 2011, while the relative reductions in July for 3 independent satellite-derived HCHO data products are 27%, 12% and 6%, respectively. Finally, we attribute the muted HCHO response to a photochemical feedback whereby reduced isoprene emission increases the oxidation capacity available to generate HCHO from other volatile organic compound sources. Satellite SIF offers a potential alternative indirect method to monitor isoprene variability at large spatiotemporal scales from space, although further research is needed under different environmental conditions and regions. Our analysis indicates that fairly moderate reductions in satellite SIF and HCHO column may imply severe drought conditions at the surface.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗