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At least 1,603 records · Page 89
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DOE OSTI2026

FY26 Mid-Year Report Self-Diagnostic Capabilities for Neutron Instruments

This year we will transfer the latest version of INCC6 with last year’s self-diagnostic features to the IAEA. In FY25 we completed the development of three automated self diagnostic features into INNC6. The completion of these features marked the final stable version of INCC 6.0 ready for release to the IAEA and other users. In the first half of the Fiscal Year 2026 we have worked with LANL’s Feynman Center and Export Control office to attain a license for exporting INCC6 to the IAEA. We have successfully attained the export license for INCC6, and contacts at the IAEA have been granted permission to receive INCC6. We are in the final stage of writing the version 6 user manual. Once this is complete, we will deliver INCC6 to the IAEA for testing.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2026

Catalytic Membrane Reactors Based on Carbon Molecular Sieve Hollow Fiber Membranes for Sustainable and Modular H 2 Production

We aimed to develop a catalytic membrane reactor (CMR) that couples water–gas shift (WGS) reaction with in-situ H 2 separation to produce blue H 2 and a CO 2 -rich stream from coal- and biomass-derived syngas. Our core approach employs high-permeance carbon molecular sieve (CMS) hollow-fiber membranes (HFMs) with strong gas separation ability, which we further integrate into catalytic membrane reactors to intensify H 2 production and CO 2 capture in a single unit. Three organizations with complementary skills collaborated to achieve the goal, including the University at Buffalo (UB), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), and Trimeric Corporation (Trimeric).

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2026

Los Alamos Innovation Enables Carbon-Negative Infrastructure Through an AI Infrastructure Partnership

A material innovation first developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is now enabling a major step forward in carbon management. Licensed by Spiritus, the technology is being deployed in a $500 million partnership with Prometheus Hyperscale and Casper Carbon Capture to build one of the largest carbon-negative digital infrastructure projects in the world. Located in Casper, Wyoming, the initiative directly integrates permanent carbon removal with advanced computing systems, illustrating how Los Alamos research continues to advance national goals in energy, security, and innovation.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Setting Priorities: A Process Improvement Study to Achieve Greater Team Efficiency.

This report details a comprehensive process improvement study designed to optimize team efficiency and strategic focus within an Identity and Access Management (IAM) technical unit at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Faced with a high volume of operational support and a fragmented project landscape, the team experienced "capacity fatigue" and delivery times extending into years.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Configuration Management Plan

The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) is located at Technical Area 53 (TA-53) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in Los Alamos, New Mexico. LANSCE is driven by an 800 megaelectronvolt (MeV) proton accelerator that delivered its first beam in 1972. The LANSCE accelerator is unique in that it accelerates both H– (to full energy of 800 MeV) and H+ ions (up to 100 MeV currently but has accelerated high-power H+ beam to 800 MeV in the past) and supports five separate experimental areas that operate simultaneously, with each having different timing and beam current requirements. Many of the LANSCE accelerator front-end components date back to original commissioning in 1972, including the ion sources, Cockcroft-Walton (CW) generators, and the Drift Tube LINAC (DTL), which accelerates the beam up to 100 MeV.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2026

DICOMs, Missiles, and Metadata: The U.S. Nuclear Weapons Program Leverages a Medical Standard

Digital Imagine and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) images, although most commonly used in medical settings, have been widely adopted by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) for capturing images of the internal components in a nuclear weapon. DICOMs, a lesser-known file format that combine nested metadata structures with complex image data-including multiple planes, frames, and high resolution-require the creation of access copies to support usability within the DOE. Used primarily for ensuring the safety, security, and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)’s DICOM images and corresponding image metadata must be accessible to scientists and researchers via our institutional centralized databases. This paper describes the author's creation of a Python script that converts DICOM images into accessible, archive-friendly TIFF files while preserving key image data and metadata.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗
DOE OSTI2021

Mapping the scattered family tree of fission neutrons

A statistically predicted tendency for neutrons produced inside fission reactors to form in clusters can cause asymmetrical energy production that is counterbalanced, at least in part, by the spontaneous fission of radioactive material in the reactor. This neutron-clustering effect theory has been demonstrated in a nuclear reactor for the first time and was described in an article published by Los Alamos National Laboratory. The findings of a study supported by the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Criticality Safety Program, funded through the National Nuclear Security Administration, and carried out in collaboration with two French nuclear agencies—the Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) and the Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)—could improve reactor safety and lead to more accurate simulations, according to LANL. The team found that a complete die-off was avoided in the small reactor because spontaneous fission—nuclear splitting of radioactive material inside reactors that is not caused by direct impact from a fission neutron—creates more neutrons. The balance of fission chain reactions and spontaneous fission lessens the impact of energy bursts created by clustering neutrons.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Comparison of Measured and Simulated Neutron Counting with 3He Detectors and the Subcritical Water-Moderated UO2 7uPCX Assembly

An experiment designed to compare neutron noise analysis techniques on subcritical assemblies using differing neutron detector designs was developed as a collaborative effort between the Institut de radioprotection et de surete nucleaire (IRSN), Los Alamos (LANL), Lawrence Livermore (LLNL), and Sandia National Laboratories. This experiment has the final goal of characterizing neutron noise analysis accuracy in determining multiplication in light water systems for various neutron detection systems. This experiment utilized the Seven Percent Critical Experiment (7uPCX) facility at Sandia National Laboratories. The 7uPCX is an assembly designed to investigate light water systems with fuel enrichment above 5% and is able to use square or hex grid plates with varying pitches.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Testing of ENDF71x: A new ACE-formatted neutron data library based on ENDF/B-VII.1

The ENDF71x library [1] is the most thoroughly tested set of ACE-format data tables ever released by the Nuclear Data Team at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). It is based on ENDF/B-VII. 1, the most recently released set of evaluated nuclear data files produced by the US Cross Section Evaluation Working Group (CSEWG). A variety of techniques were used to test and verify the ENDF7 1x library before its public release. These include the use of automated checking codes written by members of the Nuclear Data Team, visual inspections of key neutron data, MCNP6 calculations designed to test data for every included combination of isotope and temperature as comprehensively as possible, and direct comparisons between ENDF71x and previous ACE library releases. Visual inspection of some of the most important neutron data revealed energy balance problems and unphysical discontinuities in the cross sections for some nuclides. Doppler broadening of the total cross sections with increasing temperature was found to be qualitatively correct. Test calculations performed using MCNP prompted two modifications to the MCNP6 source code and also exposed bad secondary neutron yields for {sup 231,233}Pa that are present in both ENDF/B-VII.1 and ENDF/B-VII.0. A comparison of ENDF71x with its predecessor ACE library, ENDF70, showed that dramatic changes have been made in the neutron cross section data for a number of isotopes between ENDF/B-VII.0 and ENDF/B-VII.1. Based on the results of these verification tests and the validation tests performed by Kahler, et al. [2], the ENDF71x library is recommended for use in all Monte Carlo applications. (authors)

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2013

A Mobile Automated Tomographic Gamma Scanning System - 13231

Canberra Industries have recently designed and built a new automated Tomographic Gamma Scanning (TGS) system for mobile deployment. The TGS technique combines high-resolution gamma spectroscopy with low spatial resolution 3-dimensional image reconstruction to provide increased accuracy over traditional approaches for the assay of non-uniform source distributions in low-to medium-density, non-heterogeneous matrices. Originally pioneered by R. Estep at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), the TGS method has been further developed and commercialized by Canberra Industries in recent years. The present system advances the state of the art on several fronts: it is designed to be housed in a standard cargo transport container for ease of transport, allowing waste characterization at multiple facilities under the purview of a single operator. Conveyor feed, drum rotator, and detector and collimator positioning mechanisms operated by programmable logic control (PLC) allow automated batch mode operation. The variable geometry settings can accommodate a wide range of waste packaging, including but not limited to standard 220 liter drums, 380 liter overpack drums, and smaller 20 liter cans. A 20 mCi Eu-152 transmission source provides attenuation corrections for drum matrices up to 1 g/cm{sup 3} in TGS mode; the system can be operated in Segmented Gamma Scanning (SGS) mode to measure higher density drums. To support TGS assays at higher densities, the source shield is sufficient to house an alternate Co-60 transmission source of higher activity, up to 250 mCi. An automated shutter and attenuator assembly is provided for operating the system with a dual intensity transmission source. The system's 1500 kg capacity rotator turntable can handle heavy containers such as concrete lined 380 liter overpack drums. Finally, data acquisition utilizes Canberra's Broad Energy Germanium (BEGE) detector and Lynx MCA, with 32 k channels, providing better than 0.1 keV/channel resolution to support both isotopic analysis with the MGA/MGAU software and a wide 3 MeV dynamic range. The calibration and verification of the system is discussed, and quantitative results are presented for a variety of drum types and matrices. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2013

Data and Model-Driven Decision Support for Environmental Management of a Chromium Plume at Los Alamos National Laboratory - 13264

A series of site investigations and decision-support analyses have been performed related to a chromium plume in the regional aquifer beneath the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Based on the collected data and site information, alternative conceptual and numerical models representing governing subsurface processes with different complexity and resolution have been developed. The current conceptual model is supported by multiple lines of evidence based on comprehensive analyses of the available data and modeling results. The model is applied for decision-support analyses related to estimation of contaminant- arrival locations and chromium mass flux reaching the regional aquifer, and to optimization of a site monitoring-well network. Plume characterization is a challenging and non-unique problem because multiple models and contamination scenarios are consistent with the site data and conceptual knowledge. To solve this complex problem, an advanced methodology based on model calibration and uncertainty quantification has been developed within the computational framework MADS (http://mads.lanl.gov). This work implements high-performance computing and novel, efficient and robust model analysis techniques for optimization and uncertainty quantification (ABAGUS, Squads, multi-try (multi-start) techniques), which allow for solving problems with large degrees of freedom. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2017

The SAVY 4000 Container Storage Program at Los Alamos National Laboratory - 17313

Incidents involving release of nuclear materials stored in containers of convenience such as food pack cans, slip lid taped cans, paint cans, etc. has resulted in the U.S. Defense Nuclear Safety Board concerns over the lack of prescriptive performance requirements for interim storage of nuclear materials. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has shared in these incidents and in response proactively moved into developing a performance based storage container design, the SAVY-4000{sup R}. The SAVY-4000{sup R} is the first vented general use nuclear material container demonstrated to meet the requirements of DOE M 441.1-1, Nuclear Material Packaging Manual. The SAVY-4000{sup R} is an innovative and creative design demonstrated by the fact that it can be opened and closed in a few seconds without torque wrenches or other tools; has a built-in, fire-rated filter that prevents the build-up of hydrogen gas, yet retains 99.97% of plutonium particulates, and prevents release of material even in a 12 foot drop. Finally, it has been fire then drop tested and will reduce the risk to the public in the event of an earthquake/fire scenario. This will allow major nuclear facilities to credit the container towards source term Material at Risk (MAR) reduction. The container was approved for nuclear material storage in the TA-55 Plutonium Facility on March 15, 2011, and there are currently over 2000 SAVY-4000{sup R} containers available for use within the facility. A Safety Analysis Report was developed to demonstrate Manual 441.1-1 compliance and was approved April, 2014. The first four SAVY-4000{sup R} containers were packaged with plutonium on August 2, 2011. Key aspects of the SAVY-4000{sup R} vented storage container design will be discussed which include design description, qualification and testing, surveillance strategy, and the design life extension program as enhanced by surveillance activities with the intent to extend well beyond the current five year design life. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2017

Self-Absorption Corrections for Plutonium Measurements With the Tomographic Gamma Scanner - 17325

The Tomographic Gamma Scanner (TGS) is a Non-Destructive Assay (NDA) instrument that combines high-resolution gamma spectroscopy with low spatial resolution three-dimensional image reconstruction in order to reduce bias and improve precision for measurements of drummed waste. The TGS technique is especially suited to measure containers with non-uniform source distributions and low-to me-dium-density heterogeneous matrices, compared with traditional NDA methods. Canberra recently built, installed, and commissioned a TGS system, intended primarily for the measurement of plutonium (Pu) bearing waste, at a European nu-clear fuel reprocessing facility. Pu assays using the TGS technique present technical challenges distinct from those typically encountered in traditional LLW applications. Among these is the need to apply corrections for self-absorption effects that occur on scales smaller than the TGS spatial resolution, and can compromise the assay result if not included in the TGS imaging methodology. We present a brief review of the Self Absorption Correction (SAC) technique, and discuss the complications involved with its application to the TGS methodology with examples from our recent experience. This work continues a Canberra history of further developing and refining a technique to solve emerging problems, having commercialized the original methodology by partnering with the research institution that pioneered it. The TGS and the SAC methodologies were originally developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and John Fleissner respectively, and this work illustrates how Canberra has implemented an advancement of these techniques in a new TGS system. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2017

Simulated Impacts of Water Introduced into Pits 37 and 38 at Technical Area 54, Area G, Los Alamos National Laboratory - 17386

Water is used in the disposal of bulk waste generated by cleanup activities at LANL, including large quantities of waste retrieved from Material Disposal Area (MDA) B. This water is used to wash material from the metal bins in which the material is transported to Area G, to decontaminate the containers so they can be returned to service, to decontaminate the trucks used to transport the bins, and for general dust suppression during waste placement. The introduction of this water into pits 37 and 38 at Area G during disposal of MDA B waste in those pits may affect the rates at which water percolates through, and leaches contaminants from, the waste in the disposal pits, and thus may hasten the transport of contamination to the regional aquifer below the disposal facility. A special analysis was conducted to evaluate the potential impacts of the water used during bulk waste disposal on the long-term performance of the disposal facility. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2015

Diversity and the citizens' advisory board: aligning disparate views for better results - 15469

The Northern New Mexico Citizens' Advisory Board (NNMCAB) is a group of -citizen experts,- i.e., experts on being citizens who take the time and focus their attention to grow more informed about nuclear science, nuclear waste remediation, and environmental monitoring issues. The Board digests complex information associated with these topics in light of the Los Alamos National Laboratory's (LANL) and Department of Energy's (DOE) activities in Northern New Mexico and discusses and conveys this information clearly to a diverse regional stakeholder population that includes a 400+ year old Hispanic culture, a 1,000+ year old Native American pueblo culture, a highly educated scientific and technical community of federal workers and their families, rural agricultural communities, creative/artistic communities, and political and peace activists. Our Board has either representation from each of these diverse New Mexican sectors or enjoys public comment from these sectors. Projects that involve such stakeholder-expert exchanges include remediation of an underground chromium plume, continued investigation and remediation associated with a radiation leak at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, the transport of Transuranic Waste off the Los Alamos 'Hill,- the ultimate disposition of -33 Shafts,- currently in place at Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the distilled voice of the citizen for continued and sufficient federal funding each year for responsible clean-up and monitoring of nuclear activities. Through the NNMCAB's communication venue of regular public meetings, mis-characterization is prevented, public input is incorporated into the official record, and recommendations to the DOE are promulgated. Scientific and technical experts join the bi-monthly NNMCAB meetings and monthly committee meetings to present and discuss current topics. The availability of these experts and their deeper reference materials is key to the interchange, as is the respectful and patient dialogue that exists between board members and the subject matter experts, both in the public forums and between meetings. Meetings are professionally organized and orchestrated to maximize the value of the experts' and board members' participation time. The professional format of the meetings ensures maximum learning and relationship-building which fosters effective channels for public dialogue. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2015

Testing and Versatility of the SAVY 4000 Nuclear Material Container - 15634

The SAVY 4000 container was designed by Nuclear Filter Technology, Inc. to meet DOE M441.1-1 requirements for safe storage of nuclear material, and it is currently being used at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Livermore National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory and Nevada National Security Site. The 316L stainless steel container can be manufactured in a range of sizes from 1 quart to 10 gallon capacity, it can be opened and closed easily by hand, it is sealed with a Viton{sup R} O-ring, and the filter retains particulates and resists liquid water entry while allowing hydrogen gas to escape. This innovative design has proven to provide benefits and uses beyond its original intent. For example, the container was tested in a simulated facility design basis accident involving high temperatures, fuel fire, and subsequent drop, and the damage ratio was measured. This has allowed the LANL plutonium facility to take credit for a material-at-risk reduction of approximately two orders of magnitude for material stored in the SAVY 4000 container. In addition, the water resistant filter allows the nuclear facility to credit the container as a safety feature to mitigate the risk of a criticality accident in the event of facility sprinkler system activation. The container has also been approved to transfer small quantities of solid nuclear material by hand carry between Los Alamos facilities, and it has been approved and used as a waste container for transuranic waste destined for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. The 1 quart capacity container and the future 2 quart design both fit inside the 9977 shipping container, and this has facilitated the transport of nuclear material from Idaho National Laboratory to Nevada Nuclear Security Site, obviated the need for repackaging the material for storage upon arrival. Finally, Los Alamos has recently contracted with Nuclear Filter Technology, Inc. to perform testing to certify the SAVY 4000 container as a DOT Type A liquid transport container. This paper will provide an overview of the various testing regimes and describe the resulting versatility of the container for nuclear material containment. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2016

ZEM: Integrated Framework for Real-Time Data and Model Analyses for Robust Environmental Management Decision Making - 16438

Typically environmental management (EM) problems require analysis of large and complex data sets originating from concurrent data streams with different data collection frequencies and pedigree. These big data sets require on-the-fly analysis, assimilation and integration into a series of models with different complexity for various types of model-based analyses. This is needed to provide fast iterative model analyses based on the latest available data to guide decision-making. Furthermore, the data and model are associated with uncertainties. The uncertainties are probabilistic (e.g. measurement errors) and non-probabilistic (unknowns, e.g. alternative conceptual models characterizing site conditions). To address all of these issues, we have developed an integrated framework for real-time data and model analyses for environmental decision-making called ZEM. The framework allows for seamless and on-the-fly integration of data and modeling results for robust and scientifically-defensible decision-making applying advanced decision analyses tools such as Bayesian-Information-Gap Decision Theory (BIG-DT). The framework also includes advanced methods for optimization that are capable of dealing with a large number of unknown model parameters, and surrogate (reduced order) modeling capabilities based on support vector regression techniques. The framework is predominantly coded in Julia, a state-of-the-art high-performance programing language (http://julialang.org) and incorporates the MADS computational tools (Model Analysis and Decision Support; http://mads.lanl.gov). We demonstrate the application of ZEM for data and model analyses at the LANL Chromium site. The ZEM framework will be released as open-source code and can be applied to any environmental management site. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2016

Scientific Investigations on the Chemical Reactivity of Los Alamos Remediated Nitrate Salt Wastes - 16540

The February 14, 2014 release of radioactivity at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) was the result of runaway thermal reactions that occurred in a TRU waste drum containing nitrate salts remediated using an organic absorbent. Experimental and modeling studies performed at LANL indicate that mixtures of metal nitrate salts (oxidizer) with sWheat Scoop{sup R} organic kitty litter (fuel) create the potential for exothermic chemical reactions. The use of sWheat{sup R} absorbent in the processing of nitrate salt wastes can be pinpointed as the critical processing decision that led to the failure of the breached drum in the WIPP repository. The most plausible scenario is that a production of heat, either from low-level chemical reactions or the growth of natural microbes, in concert with mixed metal nitrate salts, bismuth lined glovebox gloves and/or lead nitrates when combined with the sWheat{sup R} organic kitty litter, generated a series of exothermic reactions that heated and pressurized the drum resulting in the venting of high-temperature gases and radioactive material into the room. Observations and modeling studies indicate that the probability of thermal runaway in another drum has decreased with time since the WIPP event. However, the complexity of the mixtures, ambiguity in procedures such as those used for neutralization, the heterogeneity of the drum contents, and the difficulty of sampling leads to an irreducible level of uncertainty that mandates the exercise of caution in managing RNS wastes. The situation also requires that this waste stream continue to be stored in a temperature-controlled environment and monitored until the waste can be remediated to remove the hazard permanently. We recommend that proposals to treat nitrate salts with organic absorbents of any kind be accompanied by experimental studies to confirm that similarly sensitive mixtures are not inadvertently created over the range of conditions (mixture quantities, moisture content, etc.) anticipated during processing and storage. (authors)

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