Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Congressional Preferences And The Advancement Of American Nuclear Waste Policy, Rhoel Gonzales Ternate

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The problem of nuclear waste disposal has existed since the time of the Manhattan Project in World War II. Although there exist a number of technological hurdles, the main cause that has consistently plagued a solution to nuclear waste has been the politics behind it. This thesis attempts to add to the political literature behind nuclear waste disposal by examining the nuclear waste disposal preferences of members of the United States House and Senate. It then compares and contrasts those preferences with a report by President Obama's Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future. The hope was to determine if …

Final Report: Nevada System Of Higher Education Quality Assurance Program, Nevada System Of Higher Education

Publications (YM)

The principal purpose of the cooperative agreement was to develop and continue providing the public and the Office of Repository Development (ORD) of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) with an independently derived, unbiased body of scientific and engineering data concerning the study of Yucca Mountain as a potential high-level radioactive waste repository. Under this agreement, the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE), formerly the University and Community CollegeSystem of Nevada (UCCSN), performed scientific and engineering research, and maintained and fostered collaborative working relationships between government and academic researchers. In performing these activities, …

Groundwater Characterization At Yucca Mountain Task 2: Surface Complexation And Solid Phase Sorption, Kenneth Czerwinski, Anthony Hechanova, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

The purpose and scope of this report is to present an overview of the experiments, methods, results, and conclusions from research performed for the project “Groundwater Characterization at Yucca Mountain Task 2: Surface Complexation and Solid Phase Dissolution”. The impact of surface complexation, alteration phase formation, and solution competition with metal ions on the solubility and speciation of actinide elements (U, Pu, Np) will be examined. In particular the role of iron (as Fe2+ and Fe3+) and silicate (as SO3 2-) concentrations on speciation, solubility, sorption, and secondary phase formation of actinides will be investigated. While a large body of …

Basic Research Needs For Geosciences: Facilitating 21st Century Energy Systems, U.S. Department Of Energy, Office Of Basic Energy Sciences, Donald J. Depaolo, Franklin M. Orr Jr.

Publications (YM)

Executive Summary

Serious challenges must be faced in this century as the world seeks to meet global energy needs and at the same time reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Even with a growing energy supply from alternative sources, fossil carbon resources will remain in heavy use and will generate large volumes of carbon dioxide (CO₂). To reduce the atmospheric impact of this fossil energy use, it is necessary to capture and sequester a substantial fraction of the produced CO₂. Subsurface geologic formations offer a potential location for long-term storage of the requisite large …

Precarious Rock Methodology For Seismic Hazard: Physical Testing, Numerical Modeling, And Coherence Studies, Rasool Anooshehpoor, James N. Brune, Amy J. Smiecinski, Raymond E. Keeler

Publications (YM)

The precarious rock methodology used for seismic hazard assessment includes location, age dating, field measurements of the quasi-static toppling acceleration of balanced rocks, and study of their dynamic response to realistic strong motion seismograms using numerical modeling. The work scope is contained in the task description issued by the DOE to the Seismology Laboratory of the University of Nevada, Reno and is itemized in section 2.3 below. In addition, measurement of the coherence of seismic energy at high frequencies, critical to the understanding of the variability of high frequency ground motions at the repository level, will be estimated based on …

Precarious Rock Methodology For Seismic Hazard: Physical Testing, Numerical Modeling And Coherence Studies, Rasool Anooshehpoor, Matthew D. Purvance, James N. Brune, Leiph A. Preston, John G. Anderson, Ken Smith, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

This report covers the following projects: Shake table tests of precarious rock methodology, field tests of precarious rocks at Yucca Mountain and comparison of the results with PSHA predictions, study of the coherence of the wave field in the ESF, and a limited survey of precarious rocks south of the proposed repository footprint. A series of shake table experiments have been carried out at the University of Nevada, Reno Large Scale Structures Laboratory. The bulk of the experiments involved scaling acceleration time histories (uniaxial forcing) from 0.1g to the point where the objects on the shake table overturned a specified …

Extreme Ground Motion Studies, John G. Anderson, James N. Brune, Amy J. Smiecinski, Raymond E. Keeler

Publications (YM)

This project consists of two separate investigations into extreme ground motions due to seismic events. First, it includes field studies of geological formations that should put an upper bound on extreme ground motions that have happened at the site of the formations. The locations are critically selected to provide the most effective constraints possible on the validity of the probabilistic seismic hazard analysis for Yucca Mountain. Second, this project surveys recorded ground motions from around the world, and aims to draw general conclusions from these as to the conditions where extreme ground motions are observed.

Geostatistical And Stochastic Study Of Radio Nuclide Transport In The Unsaturated Zone At Yucca Mountain, Ming Ye, Amy J. Smiecinski, Raymond E. Keeler

Publications (YM)

The U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board [Cohon et al. 1998] evaluated the technical and scientific validity of activities undertaken by the Secretary of Energy to characterize Yucca Mountain, Nevada, for its suitability as an underground repository in which to store high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel. In the report, the Board pinpointed that the study on groundwater flow and radionuclide transport in the saturated and unsaturated zones below Yucca Mountain should, over the next several years, focus on reducing prediction uncertainty. In its 2002, the Board repeated this concern by stating, “… hydrogeologic processes that affect radionuclide transport …

Results Of Chemical Analyses For Alcove 8/ Niche 3 Tracer Studies, Jeanette Daniels, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

This is the final report detailing the analyses performed under ORD-FY04-011 "Chemical Analyses for Alcove 8/Niche 3 Tracer Studies," The work was performed under The University and Community College System of Nevada (UCCSN) and the Department of Energy (DOE) Cooperative Agreement DE-FC28-04RW12232, This task provided method development and analytical support for the Alcove 8/Niche 3 Tracer Studies in the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF). Concentrations of tracers as well as major anions and cations were reported for samples provided by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and the US Geological Survey (USGS). Samples were analyzed using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and …

Determining The Redox Properties Of Yucca Mountain-Related Groundwater Using Trace Element Speciation For Predicting The Mobility Of Nuclear Waste, James Cizdziel, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

The objective of this task is to determine the principal oxidation state (redox) species of select elements in samples of groundwater in the vicinity of Yucca Mountain (YM), which is being evaluated as a site for geologic storage of the nation’s spent nuclear fuel and high-level nuclear waste. Samples to be analyzed include, but are not limited to, groundwater from wells of the Nye County Early Warning Drilling Program. Elements to be studied include arsenic (As), antimony (Sb), selenium (Se), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), vanadium (V), tungsten (W), rhenium (Re), and uranium (U). The …

Yucca Mountain Saturated Zone Carbon-14, James Thomas, Drew Coleman, Raymond E. Keeler, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

This Scientific Investigation Plan (SIP) provides an overview of the work described in “Yucca Mountain Saturated Zone Carbon-14”, a proposal funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Repository Development under the UCCSN/YMP Co-op in support of the Science and Technology Initiatives. The objective of this work is to provide improved estimates of the time required for ground water to travel from the site of the proposed high-level radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, to the accessible environment.

Impact Of Alteration Phase Formation And Microbial Activity On The Fate And Transport Of The Actinides And Fission Products: Alteration Phase Analysis, James Cizdziel, Klaus J. Stetzenbach, Thomas Williams, Abe Van Luik

Publications (YM)

The study of the behavior and movement of radionuclides in the environment is significant to many projects of interest to Southern Nevada, especially for the proposed Yucca Mountain Repository, as well as to the nation-wide issues of radiological releases from a variety of scenarios. Understanding and predicting the release, transport, and fate of radionuclides, particularly the actinide elements, in the Mojave/Great Basin geology is an extremely challenging, multi-faceted problem. In support of the national program to deepen our understanding of the behavior of radionuclides in the environment and to better predict the performance of a geological repository at Yucca Mountain, …

Characterization Of Microbial Activity, Mark P. Buttner, Patricia Cruz, Klaus J. Stetzenbach, Abe Van Luik, Thomas Williams, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

The overall goal of this study is to investigate the phenomena that affect the fate and transport of radionuclides in the environment. The objective of this task, “Characterization of Microbial Activity”, is to develop a molecular biological method for the characterization of the microbial population indigenous to the Yucca Mountain Project site, with emphasis in detection and measurement of species or groups of microorganisms that could be involved in actinide and/or metal reduction, and subsurface transport. Subtasks consist of QA planning and preparation, and literature review. This task is part of a cooperative agreement between the UNLV Research Foundation and …

Chemical Analyses In Support Of Yucca Mountain Studies, Jeanette Daniels, Klaus J. Stetzenbach, Drew Coleman, Amy J. Smiecinski, Raymond E. Keeler

Publications (YM)

The objective of this task “Chemical Analyses in Support of Yucca Mountain Studies” is to provide the Department of Energy (DOE) with data and reports from comprehensive chemical analyses of waters sampled from the wells of the Nye County Early Warning Drilling Program (NCEWDP), the Inyo County’s Drilling Program, and the Nye county Tracer Test. In addition, this task will be used to provide other laboratory support needs as they arise within the Yucca Mountain Project. This support is provided by the Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies (HRC) at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), which is part of …

Groundwater Flow And Thermal Modeling To Support A Preferred Conceptual Model For The Large Hydraulic Gradient North Of Yucca Mountain, Phil Oberlander, Greg Pohll, Drew Coleman, Raymond E. Keeler, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

This task will create a two-dimensional, saturated zone, vertical cross-section model of groundwater flow and thermal transport through the large hydraulic gradient (LHG). This model is referenced herein as the thermal model. The scope of this study is limited to presenting a postulated hydrogeologic configuration of the LHG. The conceptualization will include the use of postulated hydrogeologic structures and material properties. The thermal model will be spatially limited to the area immediately upgradient and downgradient of the LHG and will not reproduce the many hydrogeologic features of the existing regional and site-scale models. The thermal model will be orientated north …

Long-Term Mechanical Behavior Of Yucca Mountain Tuffs, And Its Variability, Jaak J.K. Daemen, George Danko, Jaime Gonzalez, Amy J. Smiecinski, Raymond E. Keeler

Publications (YM)

We propose to continue the investigation of the long term strength of Yucca Mountain tuffs, with particular emphasis on tuffs from and near the emplacement horizon. We propose to also continue and expand the investigation of the spatial variability of rock strength and stiffness. An intrinsic component of this planned rock testing is the testing of rock joints. Although the emphasis is on tests aimed at determining long term strength, as part of the testing measurements of stiffness also are collected, and will be collected, reported, and analyzed.

Influence Of Lithophysae Geometry And Distribution On Mechanical Properties Of Topopah Spring Tuff, Mohammad Shahidul Islam, Justin Fenton, Moses Karakouzian, Jaime Gonzalez, Amy J. Smiecinski, Raymond E. Keeler

Publications (YM)

The current Site Recommendation study for the proposed high level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain locates the repository emplacement drifts approximately 81% within the lower lithophysal unit of the Topopah Springs Formation (Tptpll), 4% within the upper lithophysal unit of the Topopah Springs Formation (Tptpul), and roughly 15% within the middle, non-lithophysal unit (Tptpmn) of the same formation. A major geomechanical issue facing the Yucca Mountain Project is to understand the thermomechanical behavior of lithophysal tuff, which comprises roughly 85% of the repository host rock.

A Long Baseline Laser Strainmeter For The Exploratory Studies Facility At Yucca Mountain, Frank K. Wyatt, James N. Brune, Drew Coleman, Don Baepler, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

This Scientific Investigation Plan (SIP), for work under the second Department of Energy/University and Community College System of Nevada (DOE/UCCSN) Cooperative Agreement (10/01/03), DEFC28- 04RW12232, is intended to cover the laser strainmeter operation and monitoring task being conducted by the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), under the oversight of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory of the University of Nevada-Reno (NSL/UNR). UCSD has carried out the design, engineering, and installation of the east-west laser strainmeter (LSM) currently in place in the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) at Yucca Mountain.

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 …

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 …

Precipitation Monitoring At Yucca Mountain, Amanda Brandt, Klaus J. Stetzenbach, Drew Coleman, Donald H. Baepler, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

This work will be conducted under Task ORD-FY04-007, “Precipitation Monitoring at Yucca Mountain”. The objective of this task is to measure, with known accuracy, the accumulation and timing of precipitation around Yucca Mountain using tipping bucket rain gauges. The data are used as part of the overall work supporting the net infiltration modeling Analysis Model Report, Simulation of Net Infiltration for Modern and Potential Future Climates, and the Performance Confirmation Plan. This work is subject to UCCSN QA program requirements. This SIP presents an independent confirmatory study supporting previously gathered information.

Yucca Mountain Climate Technical Support Representative, Saxon E. Sharpe, Dick Reinhardt, Eric Smistad, Don Baepler, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

The principal investigator (PI), Saxon Sharpe, for Task ORD-FY04-012, DOE Cooperative Agreement DE-FC28-04RW12232, will serve as Yucca Mountain Climate Technical Support Representative for the Department of Energy (DOE) in a series of activities related to past, present, and future climate for the Yucca Mountain Project (YMP) climate program.

As stated in the Viability Assessment of a Repository at Yucca Mountain: “Climate and its changes over time directly affect system performance at Yucca Mountain.” Currently, information from climate studies is used in models that support the Total System Performance Assessment and Licensing Application. It is a model component of all key …

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 …

Identification Of Dynamic Properties Of Materials For The Nuclear Waste Package, Brendan O'Toole, Mohamed Trabia, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

Stainless steel 316L, titanium alloy grade 7, and alloy C22 are currently under consideration as candidate materials for use in various components associated with the spent nuclear fuel package, which must be designed to withstand structural deformation caused by static, thermal, and handling loads. In addition, it has to maintain its integrity in case of accidents, where it may be subjected to high loads over a very short period of time. Mechanical characteristics of these three materials under dynamic loading are not well documented. This paper describes the procedures and results obtained from experiments performed over a range of slow …

Task 32 Delayed Hydride Cracking Of Spent Fuel Cladding Under Repository Conditions, Ajit K. Roy, Anthony Hechanova, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

The objective of this quality-affecting task is to evaluate the susceptibility of spent nuclear fuel cladding materials (zirconium alloys) to stress corrosion cracking (SCC), delayed hydride cracking (DHC) and localized corrosion (pitting/crevice) in simulated repository environments. During the first year of this project, major efforts were focused on developing the infrastructure for performing the desired testing involving two highly corrosion-resistant alloys namely, zircaloy-2 (Zr-2) and zircaloy-4 (Zr-4) in simulated concentrated acidic water (SAW) and modified SAW (SAWM). Modification of the SAW chemistry was done by adding hydrochloric acid (HC1) to achieve lower pH. The construction of the "Materials Performance Laboratory …

Isolation And Characterization Of Thermophilic, Calcium-Precipitating Bacteria Form Calcite Deposits At Yucca Mountain, Terry Ann Else, Curtis R. Pantle, Penny S. Amy, Mark P. Buttner, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

Calcite deposits, composed of a mixture of calcium carbonate and silicon dioxide, were found in fractures and small cavities within the welded tuff of Yucca Mountain. This research investigation involves determining the presence of thermophilic, calciumprecipitating bacteria within these deposits. The possible existence of thermophilic bacteria may help to resolve the issue of whether these calcite deposits formed from precipitation of dissolved calcium carbonate in rain water transported from the overlying soil environment or as a result of upwelling of geothermally-heated waters transported from below the mountain. Evidence for microbially-influenced calcite precipitation in these deposits is indicated by the presence …

Preliminary Geochemical Evaluation Of Groundwaters From Wells Of The Nye County Early Warning Drilling Program, Irene Farnham, Klaus J. Stetzenbach, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

As part of the Yucca Mountain Oversight program, the Nye County Nuclear Waste Repository Project Office (NWRPO) has established a groundwater monitoring program to protect groundwater resources for the residents of Nye County in Amargosa and Pahrump Valleys. This groundwater monitoring program, referred to as the Nye County Early Warning Drilling Program (NCEWDP), involves drilling a series of wells down-gradient from Yucca Mountain for long term groundwater monitoring and also to provide much needed geologic and hydrologic information in this area. A comprehensive database of aquifer parameters in the alluvial, volcanic, and carbonate aquifers down-gradient hydrogeologically of Yucca Mountain is …