Digital Commons Network^™

Chemical Analyses For Alcove 8/Niche 3 Tracer Studies, Jeanette Daniels, Klaus J. Stetzenbach, Drew Coleman, Don Baepler, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

The objective of this task “Analytical Support For Tracer Studies in Alcove 8 / Niche 3” is to provide chemical analyses for the tracer studies at Alcove 8 / Niche 3 in the Exploratory Studies Facilities (ESF). This analytical support includes developing procedures for measuring tracer concentrations and then performing the tracer (and other background constituent) analyses for the water samples generated from each Alcove 8 / Niche 3 tracer test. These tracer tests are part of the Flow and Seepage Testing in Alcove 8/Niche 3 (TWP-NBS-HS-000004 REV 00). The overall goal of this study is to quantify large scale …

A Study Of Invasive Species Cover Near Roads In A Red Rock Canyon Blackbrush Community, Christopher Keough

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The monitoring of Mojave Desert plant communities during and following disturbance is an important process that could provide invaluable information about disturbance/recovery regimes in similar arid environments across the globe. Blackbrush communities are of particular interest because of their low replacement rate, which makes them highly susceptible to disturbance. Roads in the Mojave Desert have been associated with soil compaction resulting in a lack of vegetation as well as an increase in invasive species cover in the immediate proximity. To investigate these statements, eight fifty-foot line transects were established in each of three plot types (perpendicular to dirt roads, perpendicular …

Habitat Preferences Of Four Species Of Lizards Found At The Las Vegas Springs Preserve, Scott Garncarz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Developing an understanding of the habitat usage of reptiles is important when trying to develop a management or restoration plan that is compatible with what is known of the reptile species that are being investigated. There are many lizard species found in the Mojave Desert, but there are only four known to inhabit the Las Vegas Springs Preserve (LVSP) in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the LVSP, sites are going to be restored with native Mojave Desert vegetation. Since there are many habitat types in the Mojave Desert, we must determine which types would be best suited for the four species …

Modeling, Optimization, And Flow Visualization Of Chemical Etching Process In Niobium Cavities, Sathish K. Subramanian

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Niobium cavities are important component of the linear accelerators. Researchers have concluded that buffered chemical polishing on the inner surface of the cavity improves its performance. However the mechanism of chemical polishing is not well understood. A finite element computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to simulate the fluid flow characteristics of chemical etching process inside the cavity. The CFD model is then used to optimize the baffle design. The analysis confirmed the observation of other researchers that the iris section of the cavity received more etching than the equator regions. The baffle, which directs flow towards the walls …

The Effects Of Off-Road Vehicle Use In Desert Tortoise (Gopherus Agassizii) Habitats, Brent D. Clark

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) populations have been in decline and have been placed on the endangered species list. No single factor is ultimately responsible for the tortoise decline. It is a combination of events that collectively have a negative impact. I chose to focus my study on only one factor, off-road vehicles. By evaluating the damage done to the terrain by off-road vehicles, a better understanding of their impact on the tortoise populations can be assessed and protective measures taken.

The amount of available vegetation does not seem to play a role in their decisions of which plants to …

Defining Soil Type And Habitat Characteristics Of The Arctomecon Californica, Philip S. Childers

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A. californica can be considered a rare endemic species, which is believed to be restricted by unique soil relationships. These relationships make the species vulnerable to anthropogenic habitat disturbance. Although A. californica is listed as critically endangered by the state of Nevada, further research is needed before the species can be listed as federally endangered or threatened. This study used primary observational data and secondary GIS compatible data to characterize A. californica habitat. Representative sampling techniques were used to select observations from derived soil types. Although a majority of A. californica populations were found to occur in gypsic soil types, …

Converting Low-Level Mixed Waste Into Transuranic Waste For Geologic Disposal At Wipp: A Cost Analysis, Helen R. Neill, Robert H. Neill

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

The Department of Energy (DOE) has approximately 43,000 cubic meters of mixed-low-level waste (MLLW) with alpha emitting concentrations of 10 to 100 nanocuries per gram (nCi/g) generated from the nations defense programs requiring radioactive waste disposal [1]. DOE has decided to commingle MLLW containers with transuranic (TRU) waste containers in larger containers such that the average concentration in the larger container would qualify as TRU waste for deep geologic disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Since Congress has exempted the WIPP mixed TRU waste from the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) [2] requirement to treat the waste …

Inside Unlv, Katrina Hudak, Carol C. Harter, James Frey

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Afci Quarterly Input – Unlv January Through March, 2004, Harry Reid Center For Environmental Studies. Nuclear Science And Technology Division

Transmutation Research Program Reports (TRP)

Quarterly report highlighting research projects and objectives of the Transmutation Research Program at the Nuclear Science & Technology Division, Harry Reid Research Center.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas supports the AFCI through research and development of technologies for economic and environmentally sound refinement of spent nuclear fuel. The UNLV program has four components: infrastructure, international collaboration, student-based research, and management and program support.

Ground Water Level Measurements In Selected Boreholes Near The Site Of The Proposed Repository, H. Scott Page, Klaus J. Stetzenbach, Drew Coleman, Don Baepler, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

The objective of this task is to provide ground water level measurements of known accuracy and precision using manual and electronic methods. The HRC will use field-proven protocols and established implementing procedures for all aspects of data collection, analysis, management, and reporting. The water level measurements produced by this program will yield quality-assured data that can be reliably used for a variety of purposes including: continued site characterization, refinement of the local potentiometric surface, inputs to the Death Valley Regional Flow Model and related hydrologic characterization, to fulfill permit conditions issued by the State of Nevada, to monitor seismically-induced ground …

Proposal For No-Cost Extension And Re-Scope For Unlv Trp Project: Neutron Multiplicity Measurements For The Afci Program (Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative), Denis Beller

Transmutation Sciences Physics (TRP)

The U.S. Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) is a program to develop economic and environmental methods to reduce the impact of waste from commercial nuclear fuel cycles. One concept for near-complete destruction of waste isotopes from used nuclear fuel is accelerator-driven transmutation. High-power accelerators would be used to produce high-energy charged particles, which then collide with heavy metal targets to create a cascade of neutrons. These neutrons then cause a nuclear chain reaction in subcritical systems. Fission neutrons then transmute fissile waste isotopes as well as other problematic isotopes such as technetium-99 and iodine-129. To design these systems, complex reactor …

Levels Of Synthetic Musk Compounds In Municipal Wastewater For Potential Estimation Of Biota Exposure In Receiving Waters, Lantis Osemwengie, Shawn Gerstenberger

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

We analyzed water samples from the confluence of three municipal sewage treatment effluent streams, surface water, and whole carp (Cyprinus carpio) for synthetic musks for a period of 7–12 months. The lipid content of each fish was determined and compared with the concentration of musks in the whole fish tissue. Enhanced methods were used for water sampling and musk extraction. The data presented here provide insight as to the relationship between concentrations of synthetic musks in the municipal effluent and associated biota. This study confirmed the presence of polycyclic and nitro musk compounds in sewage effluent, Lake Mead water, and …

The Effects Of Gestational Perchlorate Exposure On Development And Behavior In Rats, Sally Ann Hopper

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Pregnant Long Evans rats were exposed to ammonioum perchlorate in their drinking water at doses of 0.8 mg/kg-day and 8.7 mg/kg-day (or at concentrations of 5.0 mg/L perchlorate and 50.0 mg/L perchlorate) from GD 7-GD 21. The offspring were observed for developmental landmarks and tested in a battery of behavior trials. Dams exposed at the 5.0 mg/kg-day perchlorate exhibited delayed or deficient responses in the number of pups per dam, pinna unfolding, negative geotaxis, startle response IP on PND 61, figure 8 maze on PND 21, and a more reactive tactile startle response on PND 21. Pups exposed at the …

Friends Of Red Rock Canyon Quarterly Meeting, Public Lands Institute

Presentations (PLI)

The Public Lands Institute is dedicated to strengthening the national fabric that is essential for the protection, conservation, and management of public lands.

Investigation Of Optical Spectroscopy Techniques For On-Line Materials Accountability In The Solvent Extraction Process, Gary Cerefice, Kenneth Czerwinski

Safeguards Campaign (TRP)

The goal of this project is to examine the potential for using optical spectroscopy techniques, such as UV-Visible Spectroscopy and Laser Fluorescence Spectroscopy, for special nuclear materials accountability applications for the UREX+ and other solvent extraction processes. To increase the inherent proliferation resistance of the solvent extraction process, it is necessary to develop on-line techniques to directly measure the concentrations of special nuclear materials in-process. By providing on-line materials accountability for the processes, the potential for covert diversion of the materials streams becomes much more difficult to implement. On-line monitoring of material streams will also allow for improved plant operation, …

Extraction Of Paleohydrology And Paleoclimate Proxies From Vadose Zones And Paleolake Records In The Southwestern Great Basin, Weiquan Dong

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Thick vadose zones in arid regions recorded past climate changes up to 100 ka, so they are unique archives for continental paleoclimate change and groundwater recharge during the late Quaternary. Despite extensive research on flow and transport in arid regions, the transport properties and general response of arid vadose zones to climate regimes are still not well understood. Some of these issues are addressed with four distinct studies in this dissertation. The first study investigates effects of soil texture, vegetation coverage, and macropores on soil moisture variation at Nevada Test Site (NTS). The simulations show that bare soils have higher …

Characterization Of Dissolved Organic Carbon In Lake Mead, Yixin Wei

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Lake Mead is located in the Mojave Desert and provides water for several states in the southwestern U.S. Although most of the water in Lake Mead originates from the Colorado River, there are several minor sources of water, such as the Virgin River, the Muddy River, and the Las Vegas Wash, that could impact water quality. The principal objective of this study was to obtain new and fundamental information about dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the Lake. This study focuses on the development of concentration methods for aquatic humic substances (HS, major components of DOC), and the characterization of HS …

Trace Element Geochemistry Of Groundwater Flow Systems In Southern Nevada And Eastern California, Xiaoping Zhou

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The Nevada Test Site (NTS) was used for underground nuclear tests before the 1960's. Yucca Mountain in southern Nevada has been proposed as the site for the first high-level radioactive waste repository in the U.S. Because groundwater is a likely medium for transporting radio-nuclides to the accessible environment, determining the nature and path of groundwater movement through the aquifers at the NTS and Yucca Mountain is a critical task for assessing the risks and the future performance of the repository. In this study, systematic investigations of major ion and trace [mainly rare earth element (REE)] element geochemistry were conducted on …

Establishing Uranium Migration Parameters For The Indian Springs Range, Clinton E Abell

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

For the past 24 years, depleted uranium (DU) kinetic energy penetrators used by the US Air Force have been tested and evaluated to develop targeting system algorithms at a site in the Mojave Desert. This two-fold study focused on reducing uncertainties in the environmental parameters used to model DU migration in arid soils through extensive soil characterization; and evaluated potential horizontal migration of DU through close examination of erosion tracts traversing the target area. Model error reduction was achieved by developing site-specific parameters for DU migration on various impacted soil horizons. Parameters determined in this work included distribution coefficients, soil …

Geochemical Interpretation On Groundwater Flow In The Southern Great Basin, Jeremy Edward Koonce

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The study of geochemical processes and integrated water flow can help identify groundwater sources and improve predictions of contaminant fate and transport in groundwater systems. Understanding groundwater flow paths in and around the Nevada Test Site (NTS) is important due to the possible migration of contaminated groundwater to the neighboring communities; Harry Reid Center collected a total of 118 samples from the NTS and surrounding area (e.g., Oasis Valley, Ash Meadows, Death Valley, the Spring Mountains, and Pahranagat Valley) and analyzed for trace elements and major solutes. Cluster analysis and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), along with basic Geographical Information Systems, …

Comparative Analyses Of Residual Stresses In Target Sub-System Materials, Anand Venkatesh

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Recent approaches to residual stress measurements in transmutation target structural materials using destructive and nondestructive techniques have been investigated in this research project. A major emphasis has been placed on the use of the Neutron Diffraction (ND) technique to determine the residual stresses in austenitic and martensitic stainless steels subjected to plastic deformation and welding operations. The resultant data have been compared to those obtained by other techniques including positron annihilation spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction and ring-core methods. Cold-worked (CW), three-point-bent (TPB) and welded specimens of similar and dissimilar materials were tested. ND measurements on CW specimens showed enhanced residual stresses …

University Of Nevada, Las Vegas Transmutation Research Program Annual Report Academic Year 2003-2004, Anthony Hechanova, Elizabeth Johnson, Gary Cerefice

Transmutation Research Program Reports (TRP)

It is my pleasure to present the UNLV Transmutation Research Program’s third annual report that highlights the academic year 2003 – 2004. Supporting this document are the many technical reports and scientific papers that have been generated over the past three years.

In the third year of our program, we experienced infrastructure growth despite a decreasing budget. This past year we continued into the final phases of the initial 16 independent student research tasks started in 2001 and 2002, supporting 45 graduate students and 11 undergraduates in 6 academic departments across the UNLV scientific and engineering communities during the academic …

Fundamental And Applied Experimental Investigations Of Corrosion Of Steel By Lbe Under Controlled Conditions: Kinetics, Chemistry, Morphology, And Surface Preparation: Quarterly Report, Allen L. Johnson, John Farley, Dale L. Perry

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

This project has four components:

(1) the fabrication of a materials test apparatus with unique capabilities,

(2) comparative studies of steel corrosion under gas phase conditions comparable to the Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) oxygen control conditions,

(3) isotope labeling studies, and

(4) collaborative efforts with other workers in the field.

The Effects Of Environmentally Relevant Doses Of Perchlorate (Clo4-) On Rana Pipiens Metamorphosis And Development, Andrea N. Golli

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of perchlorate on the development and growth of Rana pipiens. Ammonium perchlorate is a rocket fuel oxidizer that is known to interfere with the function of the thyroid gland and some of the highest United States surface water concentration exists in the Las Vegas Wash, NV. Perchlorate not only blocks the body’s ability to incorporate iodine into T3 and T4 hormones through the sodium iodine symporter system, but also depletes the thyroid glands’ internal stores of iodine. Many of the steps that regulate metamorphosis in amphibians …

Effects Of Residential Xeriscape Conversions On Property Values: A Baseline Case Study, Andréa E. Baker

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The conversion of grass lawns to xeriscape has become more prevalent in the desert Southwest, including here in the Las Vegas Valley. The purpose of this thesis was to determine whether the conversion of residential landscapes from grass lawn to xeriscape influences the property value of a home. This case study involved the comparison of property values for residential homes that had participated in the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s Water Smart Landscapes rebate program and non-participant homes with similar amenities before and after the landscape conversion. The results of the analysis show that xeriscape dose have a potentially positive impact …

Afci Quarterly Input – Unlv October Through December, 2003, Harry Reid Center For Environmental Studies. Nuclear Science And Technology Division

Transmutation Research Program Reports (TRP)

Quarterly report highlighting research projects and objectives of the Transmutation Research Program at the Nuclear Science & Technology Division, Harry Reid Research Center.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas supports the AFCI through research and development of technologies for economic and environmentally sound refinement of spent nuclear fuel. The UNLV program has four components: infrastructure, international collaboration, student-based research, and management and program support.

Bomb-Pulse Chlorine-36 At The Proposed Yucca Mountain Repository Horizon: An Investigation Of Previous Conflicting Results And Collection Of New Data, Klaus J. Stetzenbach, Fred Phillips, Drew Coleman, Don Baepler, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

Previous studies by scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) quantified ³⁶Cl/Cl to test for the presence of fast pathways at the proposed Yucca Mountain high-level nuclear waste repository. The goal of these studies was to determine whether or not fluids containing bomb-pulse ³⁶Cl/Cl traveled along fast travel pathways and reached the repository horizon, however, the two groups followed somewhat different procedures and produced conflicting results. The objective of this study is to attempt to determine the cause of the conflicting results and to obtain additional data to determine whether or …

Support For The Nye County Early Warning Drilling Program, Irene Farnham, Klaus J. Stetzenbach, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

This final report details the activities completed for Task 8 of the University and Community College System of Nevada (UCCSN) Cooperative Agreement with the US Department of Energy (DOE). Task 8, titled "Support for the Nye County Early Warning Drilling Program" provided for a variety of hydrochemical analyses. The requirements of the University and Community College System of Nevada (UCCSN) Quality Assurance (QA) Program were followed for all work performed on this task. The primary activity performed by the Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies (HRC) for Task 8 was to provide hydrochemical analyses of the groundwater samples collected from …

Inside Unlv, Gian Galassi, Cayrn Key, Carol C. Harter, Patrick Ferrillo

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Precipitation Monitoring At Yucca Mountain From 10/01/2000 Through 06/30/2003, Amanda Brandt, Klaus J. Stetzenbach, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

This report presents precipitation data collected using tipping bucket rain gauges in the vicinity of Yucca Mountain from October 1, 2000 to June 30, 2003. Operation of the tipping bucket precipitation monitoring network was assumed by the Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies at University of Nevada, Las Vegas in March 2001. Previously, it had been operated by the U.S. Geological Survey. The precipitation monitoring network consists of 17 tipping bucket gauges at various locations in the vicinity of Yucca Mountain. During the 2001 water year, rainfall averaged 6.16 inches. The following 2002 water year was much drier averaging 1.11 …