Reducing Agglomeration of Lab-Synthesized and Functionalized Barium Titanate Nanoparticle Composites
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Domrzalski, Jessica Nicole↗
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Measurement of the Pion Exclusive Electro-Production Cross-Section in the E12-19-006 Experiment in Hall-C at Jefferson Lab
One of the most effective methods for exploring the transition from hadronic degrees of freedom to quark-gluon degrees of freedom in Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) is through the investigation of \exclusive" pion and kaon electro-production reactions at various Q2 and ?t values. The E12-19-006 experiment is conducted within the confi?nes of experimental Hall C at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, USA, for such studies. The primary aim of the experiment is to ?first enhance our comprehension of the pion electro-production cross-section and its form factor at Q2 = 0.38 and 0.42 GeV2. This is the fi?rst run period of the E12-19-006 experiment which ran in summer 2019. A more profound understanding of the pion electro-production reaction, 1H(e,e'?+)n, at low Q2 is deemed essential to employ this electro-production reaction (an indirect technique) for the high Q2 studies, thereby delving deeper into the realm of QCD. Consequently, this dissertation presents a thorough analysis of the experimental data acquired in the ?first run period of the E12-19-006 experiment. In pursuit of precision, a series of systematic studies (target boiling correction study, the elastic reaction cross-section measurements, study for determining vari- ous kinematics o?sets, etc.) are conducted to discern the accuracy of the analyzed data, a prerequisite for the use of Rosenbluth separation technique to separate the pion electro-production cross-section terms in t bins. The separated pion electro-production cross-section through the Rosenbluth separation technique is then used to extract the pion electromagnetic form factor. In this dissertation, the pion electro-production cross-section is carefully dissected into its four constituent components: longitudinal (?L), transverse (?T ), longitudinal-transverse (?LT ), and transverse-transverse (?TT ), using the full version of Rosenbluth separation technique for the Q2 = 0.38 GeV2. The technique is simultaneously fi?tted to the unseparated pion electro-production cross-sections at the three values of polarization of the virtual photon (?), i.e., ? = 0.286, 0.629 and 0.781. An iterative process is applied to re?ne the parameters of the model cross-sections until the yield ratio of experimental and Monte Carlo simulation converges. In this study, 21 iterations are conducted to re?ne the model cross-section parameters. The fi?nal pion electro-production cross-section terms are then determined for 7 t bins using the optimized parameters of the model cross-sections.
Kumar, Vijay↗
Measurement of the t-dependence of the Beam Asymmetry of Photoproduced eta at the GlueX Experiment at Jefferson Lab
We report on the photoproduction of eta mesons studied at the GlueX experiment at Thomas Jefferson National Laboratory in Newport News, VA. A linearly polarized photon beam at energies between 8.2 and 8.8 GeV, incident on a liquid hydrogen target, produces eta dominantly through t-channel exchanges. Azimuthal angular distributions of the eta, for the direction of the polarized photon, facilitate the extraction of the beam asymmetry Sigma for the reaction gamma p -> eta p. We can understand the production mechanisms of the eta by analyzing Sigma_eta, which is sensitive to the particles exchanged. Compared to previous GlueX results [[4],[17]], we have access to five times the statistics, thereby allowing us to extend these measurements to values beyond the previous limitation of -t lte 1.1 (GeV)2. Results will be shown for events reconstructed from the decay of eta -> gamma gamma and eta -> pi^+ pi^- pi^0 Systematic checks are also made for the neutral mode decay to confirm the stability of the extracted results. We find through data binned up to a momentum transfer of 2.0 (GeV)2 that the photoproduction of eta at these beam energies is largely carried out by natural processes, with a preliminary comparison with the photoproduction of eta' suggesting possible strangeness exchanges at wider kinematic regions.
Erbora, Tolga↗
Measurement of the Photoproduction Cross-Section of f1(1285) in the Exclusive Reactions p¿ p'K±KSp± AT 7.5 < E¿ < 11.5 GeV with GlueX at Jefferson Lab
The f1(1285) meson is commonly understood to belong to the axial-vector nonet as the low-mass isoscalar partner to the f1(1420) but has been suggested as a candidate for a KK?+c.c molecule. A nearly mass-degenerate 0?+ state has been observed in ? p scattering that calls into question the established branching ratios of the f1(1285) decays. Recently, the differential cross-section for the photoproduction of f1(1285) was measured by the CLAS experiment and the results disagreed with theoretical predictions. Additionally, the CLAS experiment did not observe a mass-degenerate 0?+ state. We present the results of the first photoproduction cross-section measurement d?/dt of f1(1285) at 7.5 < E? < 11.5 GeV from the GlueX experiment at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in the reactions ? p ? p?K?Ks?+ and ? p ? p?K+Ks??. We find that the production mechanism of f1(1285) is consistent with t-channel exchange. We also observe a difference in the differential cross-section of f1(1285) as a function of ?t as measured in the charge conjugated K?Ks?± decay modes that we hypothesize to be due to baryonic N? interference. The observed distributions of M(KK) and M(K?) are consistent with both a q ¯ q state and predictions for a KK?+c.c molecular state. Additionally, we find that the cross-section at low M(KK?) is dominated by the 1++ state.
Viducic, Tyler↗
A common task framework for testing and evaluation at the Space Domain Awareness Tools, Applications, and Processing Lab
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Astronomy and AstroPhysics↗
Timelike Compton Scattering from a longitudinally polarised target with CLAS12 at Jefferson Lab
Explorations into the internal dynamics of hadrons are constantly evolving, and the requirement for experimental results to verify theoretical models of hadron structure is paramount. A key area in this field is the study of Generalised Parton Distributions (GPDs), which are functions used to model the momenta of quarks and gluons within hadrons, and the methods to access GPDs experimentally. One such scattering process that allows access to these is Timelike Compton Scattering. TCS complements existing Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering experiments and allows investigation into the universality of GPDs through access to the real and imaginary parts of the parton helicity independent GPD Hq via beam spin asymmetries (BSA), and it provides novel access to the real and imaginary parts of the parton helicity dependent GPD ˜Hq through target polarisation asymmetries (TSA). This thesis work presents a comparative study with the first published BSA for TCS at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab), alongside a first time extraction of a Target Spin Asymmetry with the Summer 2022 data taking run. JLab hosts the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) which provides a 12 GeV electron beam to four experimental halls. Hall-B contains the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer, which took data across three run periods on a longitudinally polarised NH3 and ND3 fixed target from 2022-2023, to extract measurements of electron-proton scattering, from which a TCS signal could be extracted. The thesis discusses work done to understand and eliminate contributions from the non-/low-polarised nuclear background, testing pre-established cuts to eliminate pion background from a dilepton (e+e-) final state and modifying them as needed for the new experimental run, and attempts to hone in on a clean TCS signal from which to extract the two asymmetry observables. A comparison with existing BSA results was performed; however, the statistical errors are too large to draw a significant conclusion as to whether there is agreement across each bin. More data is needed for a multidimensionally binned extraction. A proof of principle was achieved in the TSA measurements, with two out of four kinematic bins showing preliminary agreement in shape with theoretical values. Again, the errors are significant due to the contributions from the nuclear background. To support these conclusions, a further study was done, which takes into account an estimate of the asymmetries with the full available dataset (this thesis is based only on data taken in the summer set; at the time of writing processing was still being conducted for the final two datasets), as well as an estimate including additional future experiment days that were awarded in July 2024. Additional work was done on a secondary project exploring the feasibility of measuring TCS at the upcoming Electron Ion Collider, supporting the design proposal for the detector for the first interaction region and giving a positive outlook for the future of these types of measurements beyond JLab.
Gates, Kayleigh [Univ. of Glasgow, Scotland (Unite↗
Nucleon Structure Studies at Jefferson Lab and the Electron Ion Collider
The research programs of Thomas Jefferson Laboratory (JLab) and the future Electron- Ion Collider (EIC) focus on one of the main goals of strong interaction studies : understanding the structure of nucleons in terms of the quarks and gluons composing them. Their structure is encoded in functions such as Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs), which describe how quarks and gluons’ transverse position and longitudinal momentum are distributed inside nucleons. GPDs allow to obtain three-dimensional pictures of nucleons and to understand some of their fundamental properties, such as their internal pressure or the emergence of their spin from the dynamics of the partons composing them. At JLab and the EIC, electron beams are used to probe nucleons. Measurement of reactions such as Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering (DVCS) allows access to GPDs. The first longitudinally polarized-target experiment of the CLAS12 program at Jlab took place in 2022-2023. Combining polarized electron beams and nucleon targets, this experiment offers unique access to observables that allow the measurement of different types of GPDs. In particular, the DVCS beam- and target-spin asymmetries for protons and neutrons in deuterium will be measured for the first time. They give access to kinds of GPDs that are still poorly known, and the comparison between proton and neutron data will allow the extraction of the flavor dependence of the structure of nucleons. Specific analysis methods have been implemented to work with a polarized nuclear target and are presented in this thesis. These methods allow to obtain preliminary results for the asymmetries, waiting for the complete statistics to be available. In the long term, the experimental program for the EIC has been established with a strong emphasis on the measurement of the structure of nucleons at high energy. Measurements of reactions such as DVCS impose strict requirements on the electromagnetic calorimeter that will allow to measure the energy of the scattered electrons and photons. This calorimeter, which is under development, will be based on scintillating crystals read by Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs). A new type of glass-based scintillating material was tested, evaluating the possibilities to meet the technical requirements concerning their light yield and resistance to radiation damage in particular. Several models of SiPMs have been characterized, demonstrating they can operate over the vast energy range necessary to address the physics case at the EIC and providing guidelines for developing their readout electronics.
Pilleux, Noemie↗
Precise Measurement of the Neutron Magnetic Form Factor Using Super-BigBite Spectrometer at Jefferson Lab
The GMn experiment (E12-09-019) was conducted at Jefferson Laboratory from late 2021 into early 2022. The goal was to make high-precision measurement of the neutron’s magnetic form factor (GMn) at multiple kinematic points, including Q2 = 3.5, 4.5, 6.5, 8.5, 10, 12, 13.5, 16, and 18 (GeV/c)2. Limited data exist for GMn in the region up to about Q2 = 10 (GeV/c)2, with existing data having large systematic uncertainty. In this experiment, the ratio method was employed to reduce systematic uncertainty by measuring the ratio of neutron and proton yields. The experiment took place at Jefferson Laboratory in Hall A, where the BigBite spectrometer was used to detect the scattered electrons, while the HCal in the SuperBigbite spectrometer was used to detect both neutrons and protons. The protons were deflected slightly upwards with the use of a large-aperture dipole magnet named BigBen, allowing for enhanced particle identification. Extraction of GMn requires taking the ratio of proton and neutron yields. Analysis efforts are still currently underway to refine corrections to the data, including detector efficiencies, radiative corrections, neutron and proton mass identification, and charge exchange.
Lashley-Colthirst, Nathaniel↗
Search for a Singly Strange Hexaquark Using Polarization Data From CLAS12 at Jefferson Lab Virginia
Recently hadron spectroscopy has seen a lot of success. There has been a large number of baryon and meson resonances discovered over the last two decades. There have also been several tetra and pentaquark candidates with experimental evidence but not confirmed. The first serious candidate was the X(3872), a potential tetraquark, leading to this rise in success for exotic hadron physics. This has brought about improvements in Quantum Chromo Dynamics (QCD), our current best description of interactions between quarks and gluons. QCD predicts the existence of hexaquark states, and then the d*(2380) was discovered. This thesis explores the rest of the d* Jp =3+ anti-decuplet by searching for experimental evidence of the ds hexaquark. This is the first analysis of the e'd ¿e'K+d0 s ¿e'K+¿n channel using the Py' measurements of the ¿ as a lens to perform this search. This observable was extracted from ¿ electroproduction events off a liquid deuterium target. From this an upper limit of the Breit-Wigner peak strength was extracted. This was done with the use of the CLAS12 detector system housed at Thomas Jefferson Laboratory in Virginia, USA. These polarization measurements are the first to be made on this data, and this is the first time the ds has been searched for in such a way.
Clash, Geraint↗
Jefferson Lab High Precision Proton Radius Measurement Experiment: PRad
Proton is not a point-like particle; it has a finite size and an internal structure. The proton charge radius is usually measured through two different methods: using spectroscopy of hydrogen atoms, or through electron-proton (e - p) elastic scattering at low momentum transfer. In 2010, Phol et al [1] published a new measurement for proton charge radius obtained using the spectroscopy method from muonic hydrogen atoms. An ordinary hydrogen (H) atom is a bound state of an electron orbiting a proton. Likewise, a muonic hydrogen atom has a muon orbiting a proton. Since a muon has 200 times more mass than an electron, resulting in a much smaller orbiting radius, its orbit is much more sensitive to the proton charge distribution in space than the electron’s of an ordinary H-atom. Thus, the measurement from muonic hydrogen provides a 10 times more precise result than the previous methods. The radius from the muonic hydrogen measurement reported in [1] was significantly smaller than all the p
Bai, Xinzhan↗
Self-driving lab framework for interpretable scientific discovery
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Dingreville, Remi Philippe Michel↗
Analysis of Electromagnetic Calorimeters and Application to the Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering Experiment at Hall C of Jefferson Lab.
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Hamdi, Wassim [Monastir University]↗
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 2016 Annual Financial Report
FY2016 was a year of significant change and progress at Berkeley Lab. In March, Laboratory Director Michael Witherell assumed his new role when former Lab Director Paul Alivisatos became Vice Chancellor for Research at UC Berkeley. Dr. Witherell has solidified the Lab’s strategy, with a focus on long term science and technology priorities. Large-scale science efforts continued to expand at the Lab, including the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument now heading towards construction, and the LUX-ZEPLIN dark matter detector to be built underground in South Dakota. Another proposed project, the Advanced Light Source-Upgrade, was given preliminary approval and will be the Lab’s largest scientific investment in years. Construction of the Integrative Genomics Building began, and will bring together researchers from the Lab’s Joint Genome Institute, now based in Walnut Creek, and the Systems Biology Knowledgebase (K-Base) under one roof. Investment in the Lab’s infrastructure also continues, informed by the Lab’s Infrastructure Strategic Plan. Another important focus is on developing the next generation of scientists with the talent and diversity needed to sustain Berkeley Lab’s scientific leadership and mission contributions to DOE and the Nation. Berkeley Lab received $897.5M in new FY2016 funding, a 12.5% increase over FY2015, for both programmatic and infrastructure activities. While the Laboratory experienced a substantial increase in funding, it was accompanied by only a modest increase in spending, as areas of growth were partially offset by the completion of several major efforts in FY2015. FY2016 costs were $826.9M, an increase of 1.9% over FY2015. Similar to the prior year, the indirect-funded Operations units worked with generally flat budgets to yield more funding for strategic needs. A key challenge for Berkeley Lab continues to be achieving the best balance to fund essential investments, deliver highly effective operational mission support and remain cost-competitive. Through a comprehensive approach to prioritize competing needs, the Lab ended the year in a favorable financial position. The Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) played a key role in providing analysis and decision support to Executive Leadership, enabling the Lab to enhance its financial management strategies. In FY2016, the OCFO updated its analytic approaches and models to enhance long term financial projections under various funding and investment scenarios, and to assess total cost of ownership for major proposed investments. These improvements provided the new Lab Director and Senior Leadership with more comprehensive information and analytic support for planning and prioritization efforts. Within the OCFO, we focused on core operations and key initiatives defined in our OCFO Strategic Roadmap. The Lab’s Financial System transitioned from stabilization to optimization, with a focus on expanding the financial reporting capabilities considerably. We completed implementation of the eCommerce platform, achieving a notable outcome for the Lab in close partnership with DOE’s Office of Science. In other accomplishments, we launched a financial literacy program to enable Lab managers and staff to understand and execute their financial management and stewardship responsibilities more effectively; made substantial progress in enhancing our Field Finance model that provides financial support to client divisions and areas; developed a business process governance model to define OCFO business processes, clarify roles, and strengthen service delivery; and implemented a Partners in Leadership training program to build leadership capacity among our staff. We completed a ‘refresh’ of our Strategic Roadmap, which now defines our priorities for FY2017-FY2019. As a part of this effort, we made a subtle but important change to the OCFO mission statement to call out the Lab’s research and stewardship mission to sustain the Lab’s science and technology capabilities now and into the future. Berkeley Lab’s FY2016 progress on all fronts - scientific, operations, and financial management – position the Lab to continue bringing science solutions to the world as we charge into the 21st Century.
Source record↗
The protective effect of magnesium lithospermate B against glucose-induced intracellular oxidative damage
Highlights: {yields} LAB reduced the ROS production in HEK293T cells cultured under oxidative stress. High dose of glucose enhanced the expression of HO-1 mRNA and HO-1 protein in a time-dependent manner. {yields} LAB enhanced the expression of HO-1 mRNA and HO-1 protein in a dose-dependent manner treated with high dose of glucose. {yields} LAB plays an important role against glucose-induced intracellular oxidative damage. {yields} The enhanced expression of HO-1 mRNA and HO-1 protein caused by LAB is regulated via Nrf2 signal pathway. -- Abstract: Objectives: To investigate the effects of magnesium lithospermate B (LAB) on intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production induced by high dose of glucose or H{sub 2}O{sub 2}, we explored the influences of LAB on the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and nuclear factor E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) in HEK293T cells after treatment with high dose of glucose. Materials and methods: The total nuclear proteins in HEK293T cells were extracted with Cytoplasmic Protein Extraction Kit. The ROS level was determined by flow cytometry. The mRNA and protein expression of HO-1 and Nrf2 were determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot. Results: LAB reduced the ROS production in HEK293T cells cultured under oxidative stress. High dose of glucose enhanced the expression of HO-1 mRNA and HO-1 protein in a time-dependent manner. LAB enhanced the expression of HO-1 mRNA and HO-1 protein in a dose-dependent manner treated with high dose of glucose. The amount of Nrf2 translocation was enhanced after cells were pretreated with 50 {mu}mol/L or 100 {mu}mol/L LAB. Silencing of Nrf2 gene eliminated the enhanced expression of HO-1 protein induced by high dose of glucose plus LAB. Conclusions: LAB plays an important role against glucose-induced intracellular oxidative damage. The enhanced expression of HO-1 mRNA and HO-1 protein caused by LAB is regulated via Nrf2 signal pathway.
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
Site Environmental Report for 2016
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL, Berkeley Lab) is a multi-program scientific facility operated by the University of California (UC) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Berkeley Lab’s research is focused on the physical, biological, environmental, and computational sciences with the objective of delivering scientific knowledge and discoveries pertinent to DOE’s mission. This annual report describes environmental protection activities and potential impacts resulting from LBNL operations conducted in 2016. The format and content of this report satisfy the requirements of both DOE Order 231.1B Admin Chg 1, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting, and the operating contract between UC and DOE (DOE Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, also known as Contract 31). Activities are planned and conducted with full regard to protecting employees, the public, and the environment, as well as complying with all applicable environmental, safety, and health laws and regulations. Berkeley Lab implements an Environmental Management System (EMS) to oversee these compliance activities and improve overall environmental performance while maintaining operational capability and sustaining its overall mission. The effectiveness of the EMS and environmental programs is reviewed annually as part of the operating contract’s performance evaluation process. For fiscal year (FY) 2016, which began October 1, 2015, and ended September 30, 2016, the EMS was given a performance rating of A minus for its management of environmental activities (on a scale from A plus as the highest grade to F as the lowest). The measurement and rating system was developed jointly by Berkeley Lab, UC, and DOE. The FY 2016 rating was based on how Berkeley Lab met the objective in DOE’s FY 2017 Performance Evaluation and Measurement Plan (Appendix B in Contract 31, Section J) of providing an efficient and effective EMS. To support this rating, Berkeley Lab prepared a list of projects completed during the performance period that achieved reduced environmental impacts. The EMS was also graded through the federal Office of Management and Budget’s EMS Annual Report Data, in which elements of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001 standard are rated and the degree of integration between the EMS and Berkeley Lab’s sustainable practices is measured. Overall scores fall into one of three categories: green (highest), yellow (middle), or red (lowest). For FY 2016, Berkeley Lab received a score of green, as described in more detail in Chapter 2. An overview of environmental protection and restoration programs is provided (Chapter 3), including information about compliance activities, operating permits, and regulatory agency inspections that occurred during 2016. Six minor violations issued during these inspections are discussed, one of which was rescinded in 2017. This report also includes information on environmental monitoring performed in 2016 (Chapter 4). The results of these monitoring activities confirmed that groundwater cleanup actions continue to show improving conditions, and all emissions and discharges from LBNL operations were within environmental compliance release limits with the exception of some stormwater discharges. While most stormwater discharges measured throughout the LBNL site fall within acceptable levels established by the state's stormwater permit, iron and aluminum exceeded permitted levels. Berkeley Lab is aggressively implementing controls to reduce iron and aluminum discharge levels. The controls include construction of asphaltic berms to restrain and filter runoff to storm drains, and installation of filtration units in storm drain basins to absorb metal contaminants. The radiological dose assessments (Chapter 5) performed in 2016 concluded that the maximum dose to a hypothetical resident from Berkeley Lab’s airborne radionuclide releases was approximately 0.12% of the DOE and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency annual limit of 10 millirem per year (mrem/year); the dose from all radiation sources at Berkeley Lab was approximately 0.1% of the average natural background radiation dose of 310 mrem/yr in the United States, and about 0.4% of the DOE annual limit of 100 mrem/yr from all sources.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Enhanced field emission from lanthanum hexaboride coated multiwalled carbon nanotubes: Correlation with physical properties
Detailed results from field emission studies of lanthanum hexaboride (LaB{sub 6}) coated multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) films, pristine LaB{sub 6} films, and pristine MWCNT films are reported. The films have been synthesized by a combination of chemical and physical deposition processes. An impressive increase in field enhancement factor and temporal stability as well as a reduction in turn-on field and threshold field are observed in LaB{sub 6}-coated MWCNTs compared to pristine MWCNT and pristine LaB{sub 6} films. Surface morphology of the films has been examined by scanning electron microscopy. Introduction of LaB{sub 6} nanoparticles on the outer walls of CNTs LaB{sub 6}-coated MWCNTs films is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The presence of LaB{sub 6} was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results and further validated by the Raman spectra. Raman spectroscopy also shows 67% increase in defect concentration in MWCNTs upon coating with LaB{sub 6} and an upshift in the 2D band that could be attributed to p-type doping. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy studies reveal a reduction in the work function of LaB{sub 6}-coated MWCNT with respect to its pristine counterpart. The enhanced field emission properties in LaB{sub 6}-coated MWCNT films are correlated with a change in microstructure and work function.
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
Site Environmental Report for 2017
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL, Berkeley Lab) is a multi-program scientific facility operated by the University of California (UC) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Berkeley Lab’s research is focused on the physical, biological, environmental, and computational sciences with the objective of delivering scientific knowledge and discoveries pertinent to DOE’s mission. This annual report describes environmental protection activities and potential impacts resulting from LBNL operations conducted in 2017. The format and content of this report satisfy the requirements of both DOE Order 231.1B, Administrative Change 1 (Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting) and the operating contract between UC and DOE (DOE Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, also known as Contract 31). Activities are planned and conducted with full regard to protecting employees, the public, and the environment, as well as complying with all applicable environmental, safety, and health laws and regulations. Berkeley Lab implements an Environmental Management System (EMS) to oversee these compliance activities and continually improve overall environmental performance while maintaining operational capability and sustaining its overall mission. The effectiveness of the EMS and environmental programs is reviewed annually as part of the performance evaluation process of Contract 31. For fiscal year (FY) 2017, which began October 1, 2016, and ended September 30, 2017, the EMS was given a performance rating of B plus for its management of environmental activities (on a scale from A plus as the highest grade to F as the lowest). The measurement and rating system was developed jointly by Berkeley Lab, UC, and DOE. The FY 2017 rating was based on how Berkeley Lab met the objective in DOE’s FY 2017 Performance Evaluation and Measurement Plan (Appendix B in Contract 31, Section J) of providing an efficient and effective EMS. Six significant accomplishments, which ranged from effective teaming on projects and with regulatory agencies to improved program assessment approaches, were factors in the rating. The EMS was also graded through the federal Office of Management and Budget’s annual EMS performance metrics, in which a reporting scorecard rates elements of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001 standard and the degree of integration between the EMS and Berkeley Lab’s sustainable practices. Overall scores fall into one of three categories: green (highest), yellow (middle), or red (lowest). For FY 2017, Berkeley Lab received a score of green, as described in more detail in Chapter 2. An overview of environmental protection and restoration programs is provided, including information about compliance activities, operating permits, and regulatory agency inspections that occurred during 2017. Thirteen minor violations issued during City of Berkeley inspections of above and underground storage tanks, treatment units, and hazardous waste storage areas are discussed in this chapter. This report also includes information on environmental monitoring performed in 2017. The results of these monitoring activities confirmed that groundwater cleanup actions continue to show improving conditions, and all emissions and discharges from LBNL operations were within environmental compliance release limits, with the exception of some stormwater discharges. Most stormwater discharges measured throughout the LBNL site fall within acceptable levels established by the state’s stormwater permit; however, iron and aluminum exceeded Numeric Action Levels. To reduce iron and aluminum discharge levels, Berkeley Lab is aggressively implementing controls such as construction of asphaltic berms and check dams to restrain and filter runoff to storm drains, and installation of filtration units in storm drain basins to collect sediment and absorb metal contaminants. The radiological dose assessments performed in 2017 concluded that the maximum potential dose to a hypothetical resident from Berkeley Lab’s airborne radionuclide releases was approximately 0.1% of the DOE and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency annual limit of 10 millirem per year (mrem/yr); the potential dose from all radiation sources at Berkeley Lab was approximately 0.06% of the average natural background radiation dose of 310 mrem/yr in the United States, and about 0.2% of the DOE annual limit of 100 mrem/yr from all sources.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Site Environmental Report for 2018
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL, Berkeley Lab) is a multi-program scientific facility operated by the University of California (UC) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Berkeley Lab’s research is focused on the physical, biological, environmental, and computational sciences, with the objective of delivering scientific knowledge and discoveries pertinent to DOE’s mission. This annual report describes environmental protection activities and potential impacts resulting from LBNL operations conducted in 2018. The format and content of this report satisfy the requirements of both DOE Order 231.1B, Administrative Change 1 (Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting) and the operating contract between UC and DOE (DOE Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, also known as Contract 31). LBNL activities are planned and conducted with full regard to protecting employees, the public, and the environment, as well as complying with all applicable environmental, safety, and health laws and regulations. As presented in Chapter 2, Berkeley Lab implements an Environmental Management System (EMS) to oversee environmental compliance activities and continually improve overall environmental performance while maintaining operational capability and sustaining its overall mission. The effectiveness of the EMS and environmental programs is reviewed annually as part of the performance evaluation process of Contract 31. For fiscal year (FY) 2018, which began October 1, 2017, and ended September 30, 2018, the EMS was given a performance rating of B plus for its management of environmental activities (on a scale from A plus as the highest grade, to F as the lowest). The measurement and rating system was developed jointly by Berkeley Lab, UC, and DOE. The FY 2018 rating was based on how Berkeley Lab met the objective in DOE’s FY 2018 Performance Evaluation and Measurement Plan (Appendix B in Contract 31, Section J) of providing an efficient and effective EMS. Six significant accomplishments, which ranged from effective teaming on projects and with regulatory agencies to improved program assessment approaches, were factors in the rating. The EMS was also graded through the federal Office of Management and Budget’s annual EMS performance metrics, in which a reporting scorecard rates elements of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001 standard and the degree of integration between the EMS and Berkeley Lab’s sustainable practices. Overall scores fall into one of three categories: green (highest), yellow (middle), or red (lowest). For FY 2018, Berkeley Lab received a score of green. A week-long formal conformity audit of the EMS was conducted at the end of July by a qualified external party, as is required every three years. The audit team found that Berkeley Lab’s EMS continues to conform to the ISO standard with no major nonconformance. An overview of environmental protection and restoration programs is provided in Chapter 3, including information about compliance activities, operating permits, and regulatory agency inspections and audits that occurred during 2018. Twenty-one minor violations and two Class II violations were issued during agency inspections of programs governing aboveground and underground storage tanks, hazardous waste treatment units, hazardous waste storage areas, hazardous materials management, and wastewater, stormwater, and air emission sources. This report also includes information on environmental monitoring performed in 2018 (Chapter 4). The results of these monitoring activities confirmed that groundwater cleanup actions have been effective in reducing concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the groundwater, although concentrations appear to be reaching asymptotic levels in some areas. Site groundwater plumes are stable or are attenuating, and VOCs are not migrating off site. All emissions and discharges from LBNL operations were within environmental compliance release limits except oxides of nitrogen and carbon monoxide from boilers (under 5 million BTUs) from Buildings 2, 66, and 88. The radiological dose assessments (Chapter 5) performed in 2018 concluded that the maximum potential dose to a hypothetical resident from Berkeley Lab’s airborne radionuclide releases was approximately 0.04% of the DOE and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency annual limit of 10 millirem per year (mrem/yr); the potential dose from all radiation sources at Berkeley Lab was approximately 0.15% of the average natural background radiation dose of 310 mrem/yr in the United States, and about 0.5% of the DOE annual limit of 100 mrem/yr from all sources.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗