Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

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, …

Time Dependent Mechanical Behavior Of Welded Tuff, Jaak J.K. Daemen, George Danko, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

This part of the Technical Report includes four types of experimental studies: strain rate dependence, uniaxial creep, Brazilian (Indirect splitting) tensile strength and uniaxial compressive strength. These are presented in four chapters. One hundred twenty one specimens have been tested in uniaxial compression. Ninety three of these are included in the strain rate dependence study, presented in Chapter 2. Uniaxial compression strain rates range from about 10~8 to 10~2 s~l. Results of twenty eight tests are presented in Chapter 5, which describes uniaxial compression testing of specimens containing major lithophysal cavities. Fourteen specimens have been tested in uniaxial creep, presented …

Preparation Studies For Secondary Electron Emission Experiments On Superconducting Niobium, Anoop George, Robert A. Schill Jr.

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

Accelerator driven transmutation of waste is one complementary approach to deal with spent nuclear fuel as compared to permanent storage. High-energy protons generated by a particle accelerator collide with a heavy metal target producing neutrons. Long-lived radioactive isotopes interacting with the neutrons transmute into shorter-lived isotopes. To generate the high-energy protons efficiently, linear accelerators use multi-cell superconducting radio frequency (RF) cavities made of niobium. Superconducting niobium cavities have several advantages, including small power dissipation. The high electromagnetic fields present in these cavities may result in undesired field emission from surface imperfections with the probability of generating an avalanche of secondary …

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.

Inside Unlv, Gian Galassi, Carol C. Harter, Kenneth E. Marks

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Drift Scale Test: Analyze And Report, George Danko, Davood Bahrami, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

This report summarizes the results of the in situ thermophysical properties measurements as part of the Drift Scale Test (DST) measurement program at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Thermophysical measurements have been performed with three built-in thermal probes since November 13, 1997 and were expected to continue for three more years until the end of the DST cooling period. The Department of Energy (DOE), under Cooperative Agreement, Number DEFC28- 98NV12081, has funded a research project at the University of Nevada, Reno since November, 1999 titled: "Continuing site characterization and performance verification applications with the REKA method at Yucca Mountain, Task 13." This …

Stress Corrosion Cracking Studies, K. S. Raja, S. Namjoshi, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

This document reports on the activities for Task 17 of the U.S. DOE/UCCSN Cooperative Agreement Number DE-FC28-98NV12081. There are three subtasks in this Task, the experimental results, discussions, and conclusions of which are presented in the following sections. Data Sources and Electronic Data Control The Data Identification numbers for the data, graphs, and tables in this report, as submitted to the Data Management Database, are tabulated below. The table also includes the source files for the said data as well as the corresponding scientific notebooks where the data can be found. All data in the Q section of the report …

The Electrochemical Separation Of Curium And Americium: Quaterly Report January - March 2004, David W. Hatchett, Kenneth Czerwinski

Separations Campaign (TRP)

This research report outlines the current status and progress associated with the electrochemical separation of Curium and Americium.

Data collection and analysis of the Ce³⁺/Ce⁴⁺ redox couple in various supporting electrolytes has continued. All electrolyte systems were investigated at Pt, Au, and Glassy Carbon working electrodes. Analysis of these data was accomplished by performing appropriate background subtractions to reveal net peaks due to Ce redox behavior. Successful identification of the Ce redox couple was achieved with all electrolyte/electrode systems, although a decline in peak resolution was observed with increasing acid concentration. Optimal conditions in this experiment were …

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 …

Modeling Corrosion In Oxygen Controlled Lbe Systems With Coupling Of Chemical Kinetics And Hydrodynamics-Task V: First Quarterly Report 01/12/04-02/29/04, Samir Moujaes, Yitung Chen

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The Lead-Bismuth eutectic (LBE) has been determined from previous experimental studies by the Russians and the European scientific community to be a potential material that can be used as a spallation target and coolant for the TRP proposed application. Properly controlling the oxygen content in LBE can drastically reduce the LBE corrosion to structural steels. However, existing knowledge of material corrosion performance was obtained from point-wise testing with only very sparse experimental data. Scientists have noticed that the concentration of oxygen dissolved in the liquid alloy could control the corrosion rate of steels exposed to Pb or Pb-Bi. At high …

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 …

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.

Southern Great Basin Seismic Network Operations, David Von Seggern, James N. Brune, Rasool Anooshehpoor, Drew Coleman, Don Baepler, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

QAP-3.0 (Scientific Investigation Control) of the University and Community College System of Nevada (UCCSN) Quality Assurance (QA) program requires that, prior to initiating work, a Scientific Investigation Plan (SIP) must be prepared and approved. This SIP is intended to cover the seismic monitoring task performed by the Nevada Seismological Laboratory (NSL). The purpose of this SIP is to describe the high-level planning for the overall task such that it can be referred to by individual scientific notebooks. Due to the continuation nature of this task, this SIP contains language that may be considered generic so that new subtasks …

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 …

Experimental Determination Of Stiffness Of Joints In Welded Tuff, Jaak J.K. Daemen, George Danko, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

Fourteen uniaxial joint compression tests were run to determine the normal and shear stiffnesses of type 1 fracture joints (healed joints filled with vapor-phase mineral deposits) obtained from the Yucca Mountain site. The uniaxial joint compression results show that these joints behave linearly up to over 85% of their loading history. They are stiff with strengths very close to the strength of the intact rock. Five direct shear tests were run on open, separated, joints. Results obtained from the direct shear testing show that the normal stiffness increases with increasing normal stress. Shearing through asperities gives high joint shear stiffness …

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 …

A Fast And Simple Algorithm For Computing M-Shortest Paths In State Graph, M. Sherwood, Laxmi P. Gewali, Henry Selvaraj, Venkatesan Muthukumar

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

We consider the problem of computing m shortest paths between a source node s and a target node t in a stage graph. Polynomial time algorithms known to solve this problem use complicated data structures. This paper proposes a very simple algorithm for computing all m shortest paths in a stage graph efficiently. The proposed algorithm does not use any complicated data structure and can be implemented in a straightforward way by using only array data structure. This problem appears as a sub-problem for planning risk reduced multiple k-legged trajectories for aerial vehicles.

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.

Oliver Ranch Science School Complex & Wild Horse And Burro Facility: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Ending June 30, 2004, Margaret N. Rees

Oliver Ranch Project

Assist in project coordination between numerous stakeholders such as the Clark County School System, Desert Research Institute, Community College of Southern Nevada, UNR Cooperative Extension, Nevada State College, local museums, state parks, non-profit organizations, federal agencies, and the public to ensure appropriate educational curricular activities and venues are provided for in the conceptual design of the School and the Wild Horse and Burro facility where appropriate as well as assist in the NEPA process as needed. The activities will be conducted at least in part by university faculty, staff and students as part of the university’s research, teaching, and service …

Oliver Ranch Science School Complex & Wild Horse And Burro Facility: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Ending December 31, 2004, Margaret N. Rees

Oliver Ranch Project

Assist in project coordination between numerous stakeholders such as the Clark County School System, Desert Research Institute, Community College of Southern Nevada, UNR Cooperative Extension, Nevada State College, local museums, state parks, non-profit organizations, federal agencies, and the public to ensure appropriate educational curricular activities and venues are provided for in the conceptual design of the School and the Wild Horse and Burro facility where appropriate as well as assist in the NEPA process as needed. The activities will be conducted at least in part by university faculty, staff and students as part of the university’s research, teaching, and service …

Ecological Species Groups Of South Carolina's Jocassee Gorges, Southern Appalachian Mountains, Scott R. Abella, Victor B. Shelburne

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

Ecological species groups, consisting of assemblages of co-occurring plant species exhibiting similar environmental affinities, were developed for ground-flora and tree strata in late- successional forests on a 13,000 ha southern Appalachian landscape. We distinguished 11 ground-flora groups that included 50 species and six tree groups comprised of 19 species. Ground-flora groups ranged from a xeric Vaccinium group (including Vaccinium pallidum, Euphorbia corollata, and Piptochaetium avenaceum) to a mesic Rhododendron group (typified by Rhododendron maximum, Mitchella repens, and Hexastylis heterophylla). Tree groups ranged from a Quercus coccinea group to a Tsuga canadensis group. Consistent with previous research, species groups exhibited a …

Ecology Of Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Humifusa) In Oak Openings Preserve, Northwestern Ohio, Scott R. Abella, John F. Jaeger

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

Opuntia humifusa (eastern prickly pear cactus) is listed as potentially threatened in Ohio, and we examined the characteristics of O. humifusa sites in Oak Openings Preserve in northwestern Ohio’s Oak Openings region in an attempt to provide data that may help protect this species. Opuntia humifusa occurrences were associated with loose sands of the xeric Udipsamment Ottokee and Oakville soil series on sites that had been cleared before the 1940s during failed agricultural attempts. Shading by encroaching canopy trees is a threat to several O. humifusa populations in Oak Openings Preserve, and treatments that reduce canopy cover at these sites …

Tree Thinning And Prescribed Burning Effects On Ground Flora In Arizona Ponderosa Pine Forests: A Review, Scott R. Abella

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

Ground flora is an important response variable to monitor after tree thinning and prescribed burning treatments designed to restore Arizona ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa P.& C. Lawson) forests. This paper reviews published literature on the effects of thinning and burning on ground flora in Arizona ponderosa pine forests in five main categories of research: ground flora biomass, species diversity, plant community composition, population processes, and individual species ecology. Research published to date suggests that thinning and burning generally increase ground flora biomass, whereas other categories of research such as community composition and population processes have been little studied in Arizona …

Public Education And Outreach On Radioactive Waste Management Issues At The Nevada Test Site, Helen R. Neill

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

Colorado College State Of The Rockies Report Card, Walter E. Hecox, F. Patrick Holmes

Publications (SD)

No abstract provided.

Quantization With Knowledge Base Applied To Geometrical Nesting Problem, Grzegorz Chmaj, Leszek Koszalka

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

Nesting algorithms deal with placing two-dimensional shapes on the given canvas. In this paper a binary way of solving the nesting problem is proposed. Geometric shapes are quantized into binary form, which is used to operate on them. After finishing nesting they are converted back into original geometrical form. Investigations showed, that there is a big influence of quantization accuracy for the nesting effect. However, greater accuracy results with longer time of computation. The proposed knowledge base system is able to strongly reduce the computational time.

Radiation Transport Modeling Using Parallel Computational Techniques, William Culbreth, Denis Beller

Reactor Campaign (TRP)

The second year of this project involved modeling several aspects of the LANCSE beam experiments:

• Modeling targets of varying diameter in air, in a vacuum, and in the presence of humid air;
• Modeling various proton beam profiles;
• Modeling the effects of off-axis proton beam impingement on the target;
• Modeling the asymmetry introduced by the steel table below the target;
• Modeling the effect of varying ratios of Pb to Bi and the effect of impurities; and
• Modeling the system, including other structures within the test room.

With the experience gained through modeling these systems, the UNLV researchers plan, with the assistance …

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, …