Surface Composition Near the Trailing Hemisphere Apex on Europa: The Manannán Impact Crater and Neighboring Terrain

Science.gov (United States)

Dalton, J. B.; Prockter, L. M.; Shirley, J. H.; Kamp, L.; Phillips, C. B.; Valenti, M.

2012-12-01

The Manannán impact crater and surrounding areas were imaged by Galileo's Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) during the C3 orbital encounter. We have applied a linear mixture model based on cryogenic infrared reflectance spectroscopy to a "despiked" version of this NIMS observation (C3ENLINEA01A) to estimate abundances of sulfuric acid hydrate, hydrated sulfate salts, water ice and brines in surface exposures. Here we supplement our previously reported abundance estimates (Dalton et al., 2011) with additional results from our ongoing investigation. New geologic mapping precisely registered to the NIMS observation allows the extraction of high-quality near-infrared spectra specific to individual geologic units and morphological features. Detailed high resolution geologic mapping indicates the likely presence of extensive deposits of impact melt materials largely filling the crater floor (Moore et al. 2001), together with surrounding continuous ejecta deposits that may have been excavated from Europa's interior. We find that the crater floor and nearby ejecta exhibit low sulfuric acid abundance relative to the surroundings, with the abundance increasing with radial distance. Where the ejecta begins to thin and break up, the spectral mixture resembles a combination of pre-existing, high-acid-content materials and cleaner, excavated water ice. Several geologic units exhibit significantly lower sulfuric acid hydrate than expected for this region near the trailing hemisphere apex, varying from 53-64 wt% over the observation. This suggests that these surface units have received a reduced cumulative radiation dose (electrons and ions) compared to nearby terrain; this in turn implies geologic youth. We will present model compositions for several of Manannán's key stratigraphic units, including the crater floor deposits and the adjacent chaos and linea. We will interpret these results in the context of ongoing investigations of the interplay of exogenic and

Description of climate, surface hydrology, and near-surface hydrogeology. Simpevarp 1.2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Werner, Kent; Bosson, Emma; Berglund, Sten

2005-04-01

This report presents and evaluates the site investigations and primary data on meteorology, surface hydrology and near-surface hydrogeology that are available in the Simpevarp 1.2 'data freeze'. The main objective is to update the previous Simpevarp 1.1 description of the meteorological, surface hydrological and near-surface hydrogeological conditions in the Simpevarp area. Based on the Simpevarp 1.2 dataset, an updated conceptual and descriptive model of the surface and near-surface water flow conditions in the Simpevarp area is presented. In cases where site investigation data are not yet available, regional and/or generic data are used as input to the modelling. GIS- and process-based tools, used for initial quantitative flow modelling, are also presented. The objectives of this initial quantitative modelling are to illustrate, quantify and support the site descriptive model, and also to produce relevant input data to the ecological systems modelling within the SKB SurfaceNet framework.For the Simpevarp 1.2 model, the relevant site investigations include the establishment of one local meteorological station and surface-hydrological stations for discharge measurements, delineation and description of catchment areas, manual discharge measurements in water courses, slug tests in groundwater monitoring wells, and manual groundwater level measurements. In addition, other investigations have also contributed to the modelling, providing data on geometry (including topography), data from surface-based geological investigations and boreholes in Quaternary deposits, and data on the hydrogeological properties of the bedrock. The conceptual and descriptive modelling includes an identification and basic description of type areas, domains and interfaces between domains within the model area. The surface and near-surface flow system is described, including the assignment of hydrogeological properties to HSDs (Hydraulic Soil Domains) of Quaternary deposits based on a

Description of climate, surface hydrology, and near-surface hydrogeology. Simpevarp 1.2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Werner, Kent [SWECO VIAK AB/Golder Associates AB, Stockholm (Sweden); Bosson, Emma; Berglund, Sten [Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co., Stockholm (Sweden)

2005-04-01

This report presents and evaluates the site investigations and primary data on meteorology, surface hydrology and near-surface hydrogeology that are available in the Simpevarp 1.2 'data freeze'. The main objective is to update the previous Simpevarp 1.1 description of the meteorological, surface hydrological and near-surface hydrogeological conditions in the Simpevarp area. Based on the Simpevarp 1.2 dataset, an updated conceptual and descriptive model of the surface and near-surface water flow conditions in the Simpevarp area is presented. In cases where site investigation data are not yet available, regional and/or generic data are used as input to the modelling. GIS- and process-based tools, used for initial quantitative flow modelling, are also presented. The objectives of this initial quantitative modelling are to illustrate, quantify and support the site descriptive model, and also to produce relevant input data to the ecological systems modelling within the SKB SurfaceNet framework.For the Simpevarp 1.2 model, the relevant site investigations include the establishment of one local meteorological station and surface-hydrological stations for discharge measurements, delineation and description of catchment areas, manual discharge measurements in water courses, slug tests in groundwater monitoring wells, and manual groundwater level measurements. In addition, other investigations have also contributed to the modelling, providing data on geometry (including topography), data from surface-based geological investigations and boreholes in Quaternary deposits, and data on the hydrogeological properties of the bedrock. The conceptual and descriptive modelling includes an identification and basic description of type areas, domains and interfaces between domains within the model area. The surface and near-surface flow system is described, including the assignment of hydrogeological properties to HSDs (Hydraulic Soil Domains) of Quaternary deposits based on a

Performance of engineered barrier materials in near surface disposal facilities for radioactive waste. Results of a co-ordinated research project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-11-01

The primary objectives of the CRP were to: promote the sharing of experiences of the Member States in their application of engineered barrier materials for near surface disposal facilities; help enhance their use of engineered barriers by improving techniques and methods for selecting, planning and testing performance of various types of barrier materials for near surface disposal facilities. The objective of this publication is to provide and overview of technical issues related to the engineered barrier systems and a summary of the major findings of each individual research project that was carried out within the framework of the CRP. This publication deals with a general overview of engineered barriers in near surface disposal facilities, key technical information obtained within the CRP and overall conclusions and recommendations for future research and development activities. Appendices presenting individual research accomplishments are also provided. Each of the 13 appendices was indexed separately

Detailed Geological Modelling in Urban Areas focused on Structures relevant to the Near Surface Groundwater Flow in the context of Climatic Changes

Science.gov (United States)

Bach, T.; Pallesen, T. M.; Jensen, N. P.; Mielby, S.; Sandersen, P.; Kristensen, M.

2015-12-01

This case demonstrates a practical example from the city of Odense (DK) where new geological modeling techniques has been developed and used in the software GeoScene3D, to create a detailed voxel model of the anthropogenic layer. The voxel model has been combined with a regional hydrostratigraphic layer model. The case is part of a pilot project partly financed by VTU (Foundation for Development of Technology in the Danish Water Sector) and involves many different datatypes such as borehole information, geophysical data, human related elements (landfill, pipelines, basements, roadbeds etc). In the last few years, there has been increased focus on detailed geological modeling in urban areas. The models serve as important input to hydrological models. This focus is partly due to climate changes as high intensity rainfalls are seen more often than in the past, and water recharge is a topic too. In urban areas, this arises new challenges. There is a need of a high level of detailed geological knowledge for the uppermost zone of the soil, which typically are problematic due to practically limitations, especially when using geological layer models. Furthermore, to accommodate the need of a high detail, all relevant available data has to be used in the modeling process. Human activity has deeply changed the soil layers, e.g. by constructions as roadbeds, buildings with basements, pipelines, landfill etc. These elements can act as barriers or pathways regarding surface near groundwater flow and can attribute to local flooding or mobilization and transport of contaminants etc. A geological voxel model is built by small boxes (a voxel). Each box can contain several parameters, ex. lithology, transmissivity or contaminant concentration. Human related elements can be implemented using tools, which gives the modeler advanced options for making detailed small-scale models. This case demonstrates the workflow and the resulting geological model for the pilot area.

Field Geology/Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Carlton; Jakes, Petr; Jaumann, Ralf; Marshall, John; Moses, Stewart; Ryder, Graham; Saunders, Stephen; Singer, Robert

1996-01-01

The field geology/process group examined the basic operations of a terrestrial field geologist and the manner in which these operations could be transferred to a planetary lander. Four basic requirements for robotic field geology were determined: geologic content; surface vision; mobility; and manipulation. Geologic content requires a combination of orbital and descent imaging. Surface vision requirements include range, resolution, stereo, and multispectral imaging. The minimum mobility for useful field geology depends on the scale of orbital imagery. Manipulation requirements include exposing unweathered surfaces, screening samples, and bringing samples in contact with analytical instruments. To support these requirements, several advanced capabilities for future development are recommended. Capabilities include near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy, hyper-spectral imaging, multispectral microscopy, artificial intelligence in support of imaging, x ray diffraction, x ray fluorescence, and rock chipping.

Outcrops of plastic material on the surface of Venus

Science.gov (United States)

Ksanfomality, L. V.

2015-05-01

The archive data of the television experiment performed by the Venera-14 spacecraft on the surface of the planet Venus in March, 1982, were reprocessed, which significantly improved the image definition quality. An unusual geologic object located relatively near the camera was found, which allowed its details to be analyzed. The object is a low long bank in shape; it is formed by a relatively thin, jagged, almost vertical stratum. The bank contours the oval formation 1.5-2 m across that stands out against the layered surface. The location of the bank suggests that its material is extruded from under the layered plates surrounding the oval formation. A segment of the bank resembling a falling wave is inclined and partly covers the surface by forming the beddings. The object is likely formed by the rocks that remain semisoftened (plastic), when they appear on the surface at the temperature characteristic for the Venusian surface (about 740 K). It is suggested that, from the data on the physical and chemical conditions and the composition of the Venusian surface, the nature of the observed plastic medium can be hypothesized, and it can be even modeled under laboratory conditions.

Near-Surface Engineered Environmental Barrier Integrity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piet, S.J.; Breckenridge, R.P.

2002-01-01

The INEEL Environmental Systems Research and Analysis (ESRA) program has launched a new R and D project on Near-Surface Engineered Environmental Barrier Integrity to increase knowledge and capabilities for using engineering and ecological components to improve the integrity of near-surface barriers used to confine contaminants from the public and the environment. The knowledge gained and the capabilities built will help verify the adequacy of past remedial decisions and enable improved solutions for future cleanup decisions. The research is planned to (a) improve the knowledge of degradation mechanisms (weathering, biological, geological, chemical, radiological, and catastrophic) in times shorter than service life, (b) improve modeling of barrier degradation dynamics, (c) develop sensor systems to identify degradation prior to failure, and (d) provide a better basis for developing and testing of new barrier systems to increase reliability and reduce the risk of failure. Our project combine s selected exploratory studies (benchtop and field scale), coupled effects accelerated aging testing and the meso-scale, testing of new monitoring concepts, and modeling of dynamic systems. The performance of evapo-transpiration, capillary, and grout-based barriers will be examined

Mapping watershed potential to contribute phosphorus from geologic materials to receiving streams, southeastern United States

Science.gov (United States)

Terziotti, Silvia; Hoos, Anne B.; Harned, Douglas; Garcia, Ana Maria

2010-01-01

As part of the southeastern United States SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes) water-quality model implementation, the U.S. Geological Survey created a dataset to characterize the contribution of phosphorus to streams from weathering and erosion of surficial geologic materials. SPARROW provides estimates of total nitrogen and phosphorus loads in surface waters from point and nonpoint sources. The characterization of the contribution of phosphorus from geologic materials is important to help separate the effects of natural or background sources of phosphorus from anthropogenic sources of phosphorus, such as municipal wastewater or agricultural practices. The potential of a watershed to contribute phosphorus from naturally occurring geologic materials to streams was characterized by using geochemical data from bed-sediment samples collected from first-order streams in relatively undisturbed watersheds as part of the multiyear U.S. Geological Survey National Geochemical Survey. The spatial pattern of bed-sediment phosphorus concentration is offered as a tool to represent the best available information at the regional scale. One issue may weaken the use of bed-sediment phosphorus concentration as a surrogate for the potential for geologic materials in the watershed to contribute to instream levels of phosphorus-an unknown part of the variability in bed-sediment phosphorus concentration may be due to the rates of net deposition and processing of phosphorus in the streambed rather than to variability in the potential of the watershed's geologic materials to contribute phosphorus to the stream. Two additional datasets were created to represent the potential of a watershed to contribute phosphorus from geologic materials disturbed by mining activities from active mines and inactive mines.

Importance of 3D Processes Near the Ocean's Surface for Material Transport

Science.gov (United States)

Ozgokmen, T. M.

2014-12-01

There are a number of practical problems that demand an accurate knowledge of ocean currents near the surface of the ocean. It is known that oceanic coherent features transport heat and carry out vertical exchange of biogeochemical tracers. Ocean currents can affect biological primary production, air-sea gas exchanges and global tracer budgets. Ocean currents are also important for the dispersion of substances that pose a danger to society, economy and human health. Examples of such events include algal blooms, the Fukushima nuclear plant incident in the Pacific Ocean in 2011, and repeated large oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico, namely the IXTOC in 1978 and the Deepwater Horizon event in 2010. Such incidents demand accurate answers to questions such as ``where will the pollutant go?", ``how fast will it get there?" and ``how much pollutant will arrive there?", and in some instances ``where did the pollutant come from?". The answers to these questions are critical to the allocation of limited response resources, and in determining the overall impact of the events. We will summarize the efforts by the Consortium for Advanced Research on Transport of Hydrocarbon in the Environment (CARTHE). One of the primary objectives of CARTHE is to improve predictive modeling capability for flows near the air-sea interface. In particular, two large experiments, Grand Lagrangian Deployment (GLAD) and Surf-zone and Coastal Oil Pathways Experiment (SCOPE), coordinated with real-time modeling were instructive on processes influencing near-surface material transport. Findings on submesoscale flows as well as model deficiencies to capture processes relevant to transport will be discussed. Insight into future modeling and observational plans will be provided.

Quantifying Uncertainty in Near Surface Electromagnetic Imaging Using Bayesian Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Blatter, D. B.; Ray, A.; Key, K.

2017-12-01

Geoscientists commonly use electromagnetic methods to image the Earth's near surface. Field measurements of EM fields are made (often with the aid an artificial EM source) and then used to infer near surface electrical conductivity via a process known as inversion. In geophysics, the standard inversion tool kit is robust and can provide an estimate of the Earth's near surface conductivity that is both geologically reasonable and compatible with the measured field data. However, standard inverse methods struggle to provide a sense of the uncertainty in the estimate they provide. This is because the task of finding an Earth model that explains the data to within measurement error is non-unique - that is, there are many, many such models; but the standard methods provide only one "answer." An alternative method, known as Bayesian inversion, seeks to explore the full range of Earth model parameters that can adequately explain the measured data, rather than attempting to find a single, "ideal" model. Bayesian inverse methods can therefore provide a quantitative assessment of the uncertainty inherent in trying to infer near surface conductivity from noisy, measured field data. This study applies a Bayesian inverse method (called trans-dimensional Markov chain Monte Carlo) to transient airborne EM data previously collected over Taylor Valley - one of the McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica. Our results confirm the reasonableness of previous estimates (made using standard methods) of near surface conductivity beneath Taylor Valley. In addition, we demonstrate quantitatively the uncertainty associated with those estimates. We demonstrate that Bayesian inverse methods can provide quantitative uncertainty to estimates of near surface conductivity.

Near field evidence of backward surface plasmon polaritons on negative index material boundaries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuevas, Mauro; Grunhut, Vivian; Depine, Ricardo A.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Electromagnetic scattering from a localized defect on a NIM surface is presented. • The electromagnetic response strongly depends on the SPPs excited. • Near field distribution reveals the forward or backward character of SPPs excited. - Abstract: We present a detailed analysis about the electromagnetic response of a metamaterial surface with a localized defect. The excitation of electromagnetic surface waves leads to a near-field distribution showing a periodic dependence along the metamaterial surface. We find that this periodic pattern provides a direct demonstration of the forward or backward surface wave propagation.

Near field evidence of backward surface plasmon polaritons on negative index material boundaries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cuevas, Mauro, E-mail: cuevas@df.uba.ar [Facultad de Ingeniería y Tecnología Informática, Universidad de Belgrano, Villanueva 1324, C1426BMJ, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) (Argentina); Grunhut, Vivian [Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Austral (Argentina); Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) (Argentina); Depine, Ricardo A. [Grupo de Electromagnetismo Aplicado, Departamento de Física, FCEN, Universidad de Buenos Aires and IFIBA, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón I, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) (Argentina)

2016-12-09

Highlights: • Electromagnetic scattering from a localized defect on a NIM surface is presented. • The electromagnetic response strongly depends on the SPPs excited. • Near field distribution reveals the forward or backward character of SPPs excited. - Abstract: We present a detailed analysis about the electromagnetic response of a metamaterial surface with a localized defect. The excitation of electromagnetic surface waves leads to a near-field distribution showing a periodic dependence along the metamaterial surface. We find that this periodic pattern provides a direct demonstration of the forward or backward surface wave propagation.

Performance of backfill materials in near surface disposal facilities for low and intermediate level radwaste. Appendix 4: China (a)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cunli, G.; Yawen, H.; Zhiwen, F.; Anxi, C.; Xiuzhen, L.; Jinsheng, Z.

2001-01-01

Full text: Backfill material is an important component of a multi-barriered disposal facility for low and intermediate level radioactive waste. This appendix describes the work concerning 'performance study on engineering materials of shallow land disposal of low and intermediate level radwaste'. At the time of the CRP, China had planned to establish five regional disposal sites for low-and-intermediate level radioactive waste. According to the potential distribution of these sites, forty-three sampling points were selected through information survey and table discussion. After field survey and screening, eight of them were selected for further studies in laboratory. Basic physical and chemical properties of each sample were measured in laboratory. The results indicate that no one of the samples can individually function as the backfill material in a multi-barriered near surface facility. Then nine additives for adsorption modification were tested using a static method. Further adsorption tests were conducted: three additives screened out in previous experiment were evaluated using the static method. Results obtained show that the Kd values of mixtures of 90% NW-3 and 10% BC for Co-60, Cs-134 and Sr-85, compared with those of 100% NW-3, are 4.8, 4.6 and 4.7 times higher, respectively. Effects of contact time, pH of tracer solutions and radionuclide concentrations of tracer solutions on Kd values of three samples, NW-3, BC and 90% NW-3 with 10% BC, were also be evaluated using the static method. Column tests were performed to evaluate migration of Co-60, Cs-134 and Sr-85 in NW-3 columns with different densities. The column tests were carried out for 210 days. However, no breakthrough was obtained. Long term performance of backfill materials was assessed through natural analogue. We compared Chinese ancient tombs with near-surface low and intermediate level radioactive waste (LILW) disposal facilities. Both were designed based upon multi-barrier principle. Then three

The potential of near-surface geophysical methods in a hierarchical monitoring approach for the detection of shallow CO2 seeps at geological storage sites

Science.gov (United States)

Sauer, U.; Schuetze, C.; Dietrich, P.

2013-12-01

The MONACO project (Monitoring approach for geological CO2 storage sites using a hierarchic observation concept) aims to find reliable monitoring tools that work on different spatial and temporal scales at geological CO2 storage sites. This integrative hierarchical monitoring approach based on different levels of coverage and resolutions is proposed as a means of reliably detecting CO2 degassing areas at ground surface level and for identifying CO2 leakages from storage formations into the shallow subsurface, as well as CO2 releases into the atmosphere. As part of this integrative hierarchical monitoring concept, several methods and technologies from ground-based remote sensing (Open-path Fourier-transform infrared (OP-FTIR) spectroscopy), regional measurements (near-surface geophysics, chamber-based soil CO2 flux measurement) and local in-situ measurements (using shallow boreholes) will either be combined or used complementary to one another. The proposed combination is a suitable concept for investigating CO2 release sites. This also presents the possibility of adopting a modular monitoring concept whereby our monitoring approach can be expanded to incorporate other methods in various coverage scales at any temporal resolution. The link between information obtained from large-scale surveys and local in-situ monitoring can be realized by sufficient geophysical techniques for meso-scale monitoring, such as geoelectrical and self-potential (SP) surveys. These methods are useful for characterizing fluid flow and transport processes in permeable near-surface sedimentary layers and can yield important information concerning CO2-affected subsurface structures. Results of measurements carried out a natural analogue site in the Czech Republic indicate that the hierarchical monitoring approach represents a successful multidisciplinary modular concept that can be used to monitor both physical and chemical processes taking place during CO2 migration and seepage. The

Geologic considerations for the subsurface injection of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM): A case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ladle, G.H.

1995-01-01

NORM waste consists of naturally occurring radioactive material associated with oil and gas operations as scale deposited in tubulars, surface piping, pumps, and other producing and processing equipment. NORM also occurs as sludge and produced sands at wellheads, transport vessels and tank bottoms. For disposal, NORM scale and sludge are separated from the tubulars and tank bottoms and ground to less than 100 microns and mixed into a slurry at the surface facility for disposal into a deep well injection interval below the Underground Sources of Drinking Water zone. This paper addresses two primary considerations: (1) subsurface geologic investigations which identify specific geologic horizons that have sufficient porosity and permeability to accept NORM slurries containing high total suspended solids concentrations, and (2) surface facility requirements. Generic and specific information, criteria, and examples are included in the paper to allow the application of the geologic principles to other areas or regions

Study on geological environment in the Tono area. An approach to surface-based investigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-12-01

Mizunami Underground Research (MIU) Project has aimed at preparation of basis of investigation, analysis and evaluation of geology of deep underground and basis of engineering technologies of ultra deep underground. This report stated an approach and information of surface-based investigation for ground water flow system and MIU Project by the following contents, 1) objects and preconditions, 2) information of geological environment for analysis of material transition and design of borehole, 3) modeling, 4) tests and investigations and 5) concept of investigation. The reference data consists of results of studies such as the geological construction model, topography, geologic map, structural map, linear structure and estimated fault, permeability, underground stream characteristics, the quality of underground water and rock mechanics. (S.Y.)

Thermal impact of waste emplacement and surface cooling associated with geologic disposal of nuclear waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, J.S.Y.; Mangold, D.C.; Spencer, R.K.; Tsang, C.F.

1982-01-01

The age of nuclear waste - the length of time between its removal from the reactor cores and its emplacement in a repository - is a significant factor in determining the thermal loading of a repository. The surface cooling period as well as the density and sequence of waste emplacement affects both the near-field repository structure and the far-field geologic environment. To investigate these issues, a comprehensive review was made of the available literature pertaining to thermal effects and thermal properties of mined geologic repositories. This included a careful evaluation of the effects of different surface cooling periods of the wastes, which is important for understanding the optimal thermal loading of a repository. The results led to a clearer understanding of the importance of surface cooling in evaluating the overall thermal effects of a radioactive waste repository. The principal findings from these investigations are summarized in this paper

Predictive modeling of terrestrial radiation exposure from geologic materials

Science.gov (United States)

Haber, Daniel A.

Aerial gamma ray surveys are an important tool for national security, scientific, and industrial interests in determining locations of both anthropogenic and natural sources of radioactivity. There is a relationship between radioactivity and geology and in the past this relationship has been used to predict geology from an aerial survey. The purpose of this project is to develop a method to predict the radiologic exposure rate of the geologic materials in an area by creating a model using geologic data, images from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), geochemical data, and pre-existing low spatial resolution aerial surveys from the National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) Survey. Using these data, geospatial areas, referred to as background radiation units, homogenous in terms of K, U, and Th are defined and the gamma ray exposure rate is predicted. The prediction is compared to data collected via detailed aerial survey by our partner National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec), allowing for the refinement of the technique. High resolution radiation exposure rate models have been developed for two study areas in Southern Nevada that include the alluvium on the western shore of Lake Mohave, and Government Wash north of Lake Mead; both of these areas are arid with little soil moisture and vegetation. We determined that by using geologic units to define radiation background units of exposed bedrock and ASTER visualizations to subdivide radiation background units of alluvium, regions of homogeneous geochemistry can be defined allowing for the exposure rate to be predicted. Soil and rock samples have been collected at Government Wash and Lake Mohave as well as a third site near Cameron, Arizona. K, U, and Th concentrations of these samples have been determined using inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and laboratory counting using radiation detection equipment. In addition, many sample locations also have

Biomolecular Nano-Flow-Sensor to Measure Near-Surface Flow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noji Hiroyuki

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract We have proposed and experimentally demonstrated that the measurement of the near-surface flow at the interface between a liquid and solid using a 10 nm-sized biomolecular motor of F1-ATPase as a nano-flow-sensor. For this purpose, we developed a microfluidic test-bed chip to precisely control the liquid flow acting on the F1-ATPase. In order to visualize the rotation of F1-ATPase, several hundreds nanometer-sized particle was immobilized at the rotational axis of F1-ATPase to enhance the rotation to be detected by optical microscopy. The rotational motion of F1-ATPase, which was immobilized on an inner surface of the test-bed chip, was measured to obtain the correlation between the near-surface flow and the rotation speed of F1-ATPase. As a result, we obtained the relationship that the rotation speed of F1-ATPase was linearly decelerated with increasing flow velocity. The mechanism of the correlation between the rotation speed and the near-surface flow remains unclear, however the concept to use biomolecule as a nano-flow-sensor was proofed successfully. (See supplementary material 1 Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11671-009-9479-3 contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Click here for file

Surface Compositional Units on Mercury from Spectral Reflectance at Ultraviolet to Near-infrared Wavelengths

Science.gov (United States)

Izenberg, N. R.; Holsclaw, G. M.; Domingue, D. L.; McClintock, W. E.; Klima, R. L.; Blewett, D. T.; Helbert, J.; Head, J. W.; Sprague, A. L.; Vilas, F.; Solomon, S. C.

2012-12-01

The Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS) on the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft has been acquiring reflectance spectra of Mercury's surface for over 16 months. The Visible and Infrared Spectrograph (VIRS) component of MASCS has accumulated a global data set of more than 2 million spectra over the wavelength range 300-1450 nm. We have derived a set of VIRS spectral units (VSUs) from the following spectral parameters: visible brightness (R575: reflectance at 575 nm); visible/near-infrared reflectance ratio (VISr: reflectance at 415 nm to that at 750 nm); and ultraviolet reflectance ratio (UVr: reflectance at 310 nm to that at 390 nm). Five broad, slightly overlapping VSUs may be distinguished from these parameters. "Average VSU" areas have spectral parameters close to mean global values. "Dark blue VSU" areas have spectra with low R575 and high UVr. "Red VSU" areas have spectra with low UVr and higher VISr and R575 than average. "Intermediate VSU" areas have spectra with higher VISr than VSU red, generally higher R575, and a wide range of UVr. "Bright VSU" areas have high R575 and VISr and intermediate UVr. Several units defined by morphological or multispectral criteria correspond to specific VSUs, including low-reflectance material (dark blue VSU), pyroclastic deposits (red VSU), and hollows (intermediate VSU), but these VSUs generally include other types of areas as well. VSU definitions are complementary to those obtained by unsupervised clustering analysis. The global distribution of VIRS spectral units provides new information on Mercury's geological evolution. Much of Mercury's northern volcanic plains show spectral properties ranging from those of average VSU to those of red VSU, as does a large region in the southern hemisphere centered near 50°S, 245°E. Dark blue VSU material is widely distributed, with concentrations south of the northern plains, around the Rembrandt and

Effects of mass transfer between Martian satellites on surface geology

Science.gov (United States)

2015-12-21

suspected. Published by Elsevier Inc.1. Introduction Several features about the surface geology on the moons of Mars remain poorly understood. The grooves on...Deimos may have an effect on Phobos’ geology ; we shall attempt to estimate the magnitude of that effect in Section 4. For impacts with Mars, Phobos or...global surface geology , particularly in the 100+ Ma since the last Voltaire-sized impact. Therefore we believe it unlikely that the red veneer of

Material Units, Structures/Landforms, and Stratigraphy for the Global Geologic Map of Ganymede (1:15M)

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, G. Wesley; Head, James W.; Collins, Geoffrey C.; Pappalardo, Robert T.; Prockter, Louis M.; Lucchitta, Baerbel K.

2008-01-01

In the coming year a global geological map of Ganymede will be completed that represents the most recent understanding of the satellite on the basis of Galileo mission results. This contribution builds on important previous accomplishments in the study of Ganymede utilizing Voyager data and incorporates the many new discoveries that were brought about by examination of Galileo data. Material units have been defined, structural landforms have been identified, and an approximate stratigraphy has been determined utilizing a global mosaic of the surface with a nominal resolution of 1 km/pixel assembled by the USGS. This mosaic incorporates the best available Voyager and Galileo regional coverage and high resolution imagery (100-200 m/pixel) of characteristic features and terrain types obtained by the Galileo spacecraft. This map has given us a more complete understanding of: 1) the major geological processes operating on Ganymede, 2) the characteristics of the geological units making up its surface, 3) the stratigraphic relationships of geological units and structures, and 4) the geological history inferred from these relationships. A summary of these efforts is provided here.

Structure of the 1906 near-surface rupture zone of the San Andreas Fault, San Francisco Peninsula segment, near Woodside, California

Science.gov (United States)

Rosa, C.M.; Catchings, R.D.; Rymer, M.J.; Grove, Karen; Goldman, M.R.

2016-07-08

High-resolution seismic-reflection and refraction images of the 1906 surface rupture zone of the San Andreas Fault near Woodside, California reveal evidence for one or more additional near-surface (within about 3 meters [m] depth) fault strands within about 25 m of the 1906 surface rupture. The 1906 surface rupture above the groundwater table (vadose zone) has been observed in paleoseismic trenches that coincide with our seismic profile and is seismically characterized by a discrete zone of low P-wave velocities (Vp), low S-wave velocities (Vs), high Vp/Vs ratios, and high Poisson’s ratios. A second near-surface fault strand, located about 17 m to the southwest of the 1906 surface rupture, is inferred by similar seismic anomalies. Between these two near-surface fault strands and below 5 m depth, we observed a near-vertical fault strand characterized by a zone of high Vp, low Vs, high Vp/Vs ratios, and high Poisson’s ratios on refraction tomography images and near-vertical diffractions on seismic-reflection images. This prominent subsurface zone of seismic anomalies is laterally offset from the 1906 surface rupture by about 8 m and likely represents the active main (long-term) strand of the San Andreas Fault at 5 to 10 m depth. Geometries of the near-surface and subsurface (about 5 to 10 m depth) fault zone suggest that the 1906 surface rupture dips southwestward to join the main strand of the San Andreas Fault at about 5 to 10 m below the surface. The 1906 surface rupture forms a prominent groundwater barrier in the upper 3 to 5 m, but our interpreted secondary near-surface fault strand to the southwest forms a weaker barrier, suggesting that there has been less or less-recent near-surface slip on that strand. At about 6 m depth, the main strand of the San Andreas Fault consists of water-saturated blue clay (collected from a hand-augered borehole), which is similar to deeply weathered serpentinite observed within the main strand of the San Andreas Fault at

Near-surface neotectonic deformation associated with seismicity in the northeastern United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, S.S.; Gold, D.P.; Gardner, T.W.; Slingerland, R.L.; Thornton, C.P.

1989-10-01

For the Lancaster, PA seismic zone a multifaceted investigation revealed several manifestations of near-surface, neotectonic deformation. Remote sensing data together with surface geological and geophysical observations, and recent seismicity reveal that the neotectonic deformation is concentrated in a NS-trending fault zone some 50 km in length and 10--20 km in width. Anomalies associated with this zone include distinctive lineament and surface erosional patterns; geologically recent uplift evidenced by elevations of stream terraces along the Susquehanna River; and localized contemporary travertine deposits in streams down-drainage from the inferred active fault zone. In the Moodus seismic zone the frequency of tectonically-controlled lineaments was observed to increase in the Moodus quadrangle compared to adjacent areas and dominant lineament directions were observed that are perpendicular and parallel to the orientation of the maximum horizontal stress direction (N80-85E) recently determined from in-situ stress measurements in a 1.5 km-deep borehole in the seismic zone and from well-constrained earthquake focal mechanisms. 284 refs., 33 figs

Near-surface neotectonic deformation associated with seismicity in the northeastern United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alexander, S.S.; Gold, D.P.; Gardner, T.W.; Slingerland, R.L.; Thornton, C.P. (Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (USA). Dept. of Geosciences)

1989-10-01

For the Lancaster, PA seismic zone a multifaceted investigation revealed several manifestations of near-surface, neotectonic deformation. Remote sensing data together with surface geological and geophysical observations, and recent seismicity reveal that the neotectonic deformation is concentrated in a NS-trending fault zone some 50 km in length and 10--20 km in width. Anomalies associated with this zone include distinctive lineament and surface erosional patterns; geologically recent uplift evidenced by elevations of stream terraces along the Susquehanna River; and localized contemporary travertine deposits in streams down-drainage from the inferred active fault zone. In the Moodus seismic zone the frequency of tectonically-controlled lineaments was observed to increase in the Moodus quadrangle compared to adjacent areas and dominant lineament directions were observed that are perpendicular and parallel to the orientation of the maximum horizontal stress direction (N80-85E) recently determined from in-situ stress measurements in a 1.5 km-deep borehole in the seismic zone and from well-constrained earthquake focal mechanisms. 284 refs., 33 figs.

Titan's methane cycle and its effect on surface geology

Science.gov (United States)

Lopes, R. M.; Peckyno, R. S.; Le Gall, A. A.; Wye, L.; Stofan, E. R.; Radebaugh, J.; Hayes, A. G.; Aharonson, O.; Wall, S. D.; Janssen, M. A.; Cassini RADAR Team

2010-12-01

Titan’s surface geology reflects surface-atmospheric interaction in ways similar to Earth’s. The methane cycle on Titan is a major contributor to the formation of surface features such as lakes, seas, rivers, and dunes. We used data from Cassini RADAR to map the distribution and relative ages of terrains that allow us to determine the geological processes that have shaped Titan’s surface. These SAR swaths (up to Titan flyby T64) cover about ~45% percent of the surface, at a spatial resolution ranging from 350 m to about >2 km. The data are distributed over a wide latitudinal and longitudinal range, enabling some conclusions to be drawn about the global distribution and significance of processes. They reveal a geologically complex surface that has been modified by all the major geologic processes seen on Earth. In this paper, we update the geologic unit map that used flybys up to T30 (Lopes et al., 2010, Icarus, 205, 540-558), representing ~20% of the surface. We find that the overall correlations found previously still hold given more than double the areal coverage. In terms of global areal distribution, both dunes and mountainous terrains (including Xanadu) cover more area (respectively 9.2% and 14.6% of the observed area) than other identified geologic units. In terms of latitudinal distribution, dunes and hummocky, mountainous terrains are located mostly at low latitudes (less than 30 degrees), with no dunes being present above 60 degrees. Channels formed by fluvial activity are present at all latitudes, but lakes filled with liquid are found at high latitudes only (above 60 degrees). Impact structures are mostly located at low latitudes, with no confidently identified craters above 60 degrees latitude, possibly indicating that more resurfacing has occurred at higher latitudes. Putative cryovolcanic features, consisting mostly of flows, are not ubiquitous and are mostly located in the areas surrounding Xanadu. We examine temporal relationships between

Geologic Water Storage in Pre-Columbian Peru

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fairley Jr., Jerry P.

1997-07-14

Agriculture in the arid and semi-arid regions that comprise much of present-day Peru, Bolivia, and Northern Chile is heavily dependent on irrigation; however, obtaining a dependable water supply in these areas is often difficult. The precolumbian peoples of Andean South America adapted to this situation by devising many strategies for transporting, storing, and retrieving water to insure consistent supply. I propose that the ''elaborated springs'' found at several Inka sites near Cuzco, Peru, are the visible expression of a simple and effective system of groundwater control and storage. I call this system ''geologic water storage'' because the water is stored in the pore spaces of sands, soils, and other near-surface geologic materials. I present two examples of sites in the Cuzco area that use this technology (Tambomachay and Tipon) and discuss the potential for identification of similar systems developed by other ancient Latin American cultures.

Tribologically modified surfaces on elastomeric materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rodriguez, N.V.; Masen, Marc Arthur; Schipper, Dirk J.

2013-01-01

As the result of tribological loading, the properties of the surface of elastomeric materials will alter. This effect has been observed using SEM and EDS analysis of the tread of a used car tyre, where differences in structure between the substrate and the area near the surface were found. To study

Southeastern Regional geologic characterization report. Volume 1. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-08-01

This report presents available geologic information pertinent to siting a repository for high-level nuclear waste in crystalline rock in central Maryland; noncoastal Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina; and northern Georgia. For each of the states within the Southeastern Region, information is provided on the geological disqualifying factor and the geologic regional screening variables to be used in region-to-area screening. The geological factor and variables include deep mines and quarries, rock mass extent, postemplacement faulting, suspected Quaternary faulting, seismicity, rock and mineral resources, major ground-water discharge zones, ground-water resources, state of stress, thickness of rock mass, and thickness of overburden. Information is presented on the age, areal extent, shape, composition, texture, degree and type of alteration, thickness, and structural features associated with each rock body or complex. Regional seismic and tectonic information is presented, including patterns of earthquake occurrence, earthquake magnitudes, horizontal ground accelerations, and vertical crustal movements. Also included are discussions of the rock and mineral deposits or mines located within or near crystalline bodies; ground-water resources and regional hydrology; postulated changes in climate and the associated effects; and landforms, surface processes, and surficial materials on or near the rock bodies

Modelling of nuclide migration for support of the site selection for near surface repository in Lithuania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kilda, R.; Poskas, P.; Ragaisis, V.

2006-01-01

Construction of the near surface repository (NSR) for disposal of short-lived low-and intermediate-level waste (LILW) is planned in Lithuania. Reference design of the repository was prepared. Site selection process is going on. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Program and Report were prepared and are under review by regulators. Releases of radionuclides to water pathway and potential human exposure after closure of the NSR have been assessed for support of the site selection for NSR installation. Two candidate sites were taken under consideration. The assessments have been performed following ISAM methodology recommended by IAEA for safety assessments of near surface disposal facilities. The conceptual design of NSR as well as peculiarities of geological and hydro-geological environment relevant to each candidate site is taken into account. The results of the analysis as part of EIA Report are presented in the paper. It is demonstrated that estimated impact of potential radionuclide migration for both candidate sites is below dose constrain established by regulations of Lithuania. (author)

Theory and numerical modeling of the accelerated expansion of laser-ablated materials near a solid surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, K.R.; King, T.C.; Hes, J.H.; Leboeuf, J.N.; Geohegan, D.B.; Wood, R.F.; Puretzky, A.A.; Donato, J.M.

1999-01-01

A self-similar theory and numerical hydrodynamic modeling is developed to investigate the effects of dynamic source and partial ionization on the acceleration of the unsteady expansion of laser-ablated material near a solid target surface. The dynamic source effect accelerates the expansion in the direction perpendicular to the target surface, while the dynamic partial ionization effect accelerates the expansion in all directions. The vaporized material during laser ablation provides a nonadiabatic dynamic source at the target surface into the unsteady expanding fluid. For studying the dynamic source effect, the self-similar theory begins with an assumed profile of plume velocity, u=v/v m =α+(1-α)ξ, where v m is the maximum expansion velocity, α is a constant, and ξ=x/v m t. The resultant profiles of plume density and plume temperature are derived. The relations obtained from the conservations of mass, momentum, and energy, respectively, all show that the maximum expansion velocity is inversely proportional to α, where 1-α is the slope of plume velocity profile. The numerical hydrodynamic simulation is performed with the Rusanov method and the Newton Raphson method. The profiles and scalings obtained from numerical hydrodynamic modeling are in good agreement with the theory. The dynamic partial ionization requires ionization energy from the heat at the expansion front, and thus reduces the increase of front temperature. The reduction of thermal motion would increase the flow velocity to conserve the momentum. This dynamic partial ionization effect is studied with the numerical hydrodynamic simulation including the Saha equation. With these effects, α is reduced from its value of conventional free expansion. This reduction on α increases the flow velocity slope, decreases the flow velocity near the surface, and reduces the thermal motion of plume, such that the maximum expansion velocity is significantly increased over that found from conventional models

The geology and geochemistry of some epigenetic uranium deposits near the Swakop River, South West Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hambleton-Jones, B.B.

1983-10-01

This study comprises a geological and geochemical investigation of the uranium deposits in the region near the Swakop River which extends from the Langer Heinrich Mountain in the east to the end of the Tumas River in the west. The general geology of the basement rocks in the Langer Heinrich region only is discussed. The general geology of the younger duricrust formations is discussed. Analytical methods were developed for the separation of thorium, protactinium and uranium from geological materials using various chromatographic procedures. Alpha spectrometry, neutron activation analysis and delayed neutron counting were the main techniques used. The occurrence of uranium in the region of study follows a unique geochemical cycle, and the geochemistry at each stage in the cycle was examined. The first stage in the uranium-geochemical cycle was the basement rocks. The second stage in the geochemical cycle of uranium was the subsurface water. The third stage in the geochemical cycle of uranium concerns its occurrence in the duricrust deposits. Isotopic disequilibrium measurements showed that uranium is still migrating, and that the age of the carnotite precipitation is 30 000 years, based on the open-system model of uranium migration. In the final stage of the geochemical cycle, the geochemistry of uranium in seawater and the diatomaceous muds is discussed. A classification system for the uranium deposits near the Swakop River, based on genetic relationships, is proposed and described in terms of the geochemical cycle of uranium, the mode of transport and mode of deposition. The relationships between the duricrust uranium deposits and the other uranium deposits of South Africa are compared

Geology of Mars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soderblom, L.A.

1988-01-01

The geology of Mars and the results of the Mariner 4, 6/7, and 9 missions and the Viking mission are reviewed. The Mars chronology and geologic modification are examined, including chronological models for the inactive planet, the active planet, and crater flux. The importance of surface materials is discussed and a multispectral map of Mars is presented. Suggestions are given for further studies of the geology of Mars using the Viking data. 5 references

Neutron activation analysis of geological material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greef, G.J.

1977-05-01

In neutron activation analysis the precision and accuracy of results are often misleading, since only the statistical errors which accompany the measuring of radioactivity are taken into consideration. Several other factors can, however, also influence precision and accuracy. It was found that a geological sample was contaminated with the construction material of the mill in which it had been pulverised. Several geometrical differences which could possibly play a role were also investigated. Impurities in the irradiation containers affect the determination of some elements in the samples; the contamination materials in quarts irradiation tubes were determined. The flux gradients which may effect the relative activities of the samples and standards were measured. Suitable standards are necessary to ensure accurate analyses of geological material. Available natural standards were critically evaluated and several methods were investigated by which synthetic standards may be prepared. In order to accurately determine gallium, lanthanum and samarium by means of neutron activation analysis, sodium first had to be removed. After irradiation the sample was dissolved in a mixture of acids and the soidium absorbed from the solution on a hydrated antimony pentoxide column. Gallium, lanthanum and samarium activities were measured by means of precision gamma-spectrometry

Evaluation of geologic and geophysical techniques for surface-to-subsurface projections of geologic characteristics in crystalline rock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-07-01

Granitic and gneissic rock complexes are being considered for their potential to contain and permanently isolate high-level nuclear waste in a deep geologic repository. The use of surface geologic and geophysical techniques has several advantages over drilling and testing methods for geologic site characterization in that the techniques are typically less costly, provide data over a wider area, and do not jeopardize the physical integrity of a potential repository. For this reason, an extensive literature review was conducted to identify appropriate surface geologic and geophysical techniques that can be used to characterize geologic conditions in crystalline rock at proposed repository depths of 460 to 1,220 m. Characterization parameters such as rock quality; fracture orientation, spacing; and aperture; depths to anomalies; degree of saturation; rock body dimensions; and petrology are considered to be of primary importance. Techniques reviewed include remote sensing, geologic mapping, petrographic analysis, structural analysis, gravity and magnetic methods, electrical methods, and seismic methods. Each technique was reviewed with regard to its theoretical basis and field application; geologic parameters that can be evaluated; advantages and limitations, and, where available, case history applications in crystalline rock. Available information indicates that individual techniques provide reliable information on characteristics at the surface, but have limited success in projections to depths greater that approximately 100 m. A combination of integrated techniques combines with data from a limited number of boreholes would significantly improve the reliability and confidence of early characterization studies to provide qualitative rock body characteristics for region-to-area and area-to-site selection evaluations. 458 refs., 32 figs., 14 tabs

Near-field geologic environment as an effective barrier against radionuclide transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umeki, H.; Sakuma, H.; Ishiguro, K.; Hatanaka, K.; Naito, M.

1993-01-01

A generic performance assessment of the geologic disposal system of HLW in Japan has been carried out by the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (PNC) in accordance with the overall HLW management program defined by the Japanese Atomic Energy Commission. A massive engineered barrier system, consisting of vitrified waste, carbon-steel overpack and thick bentonite buffer, is introduced to ensure a long-term performance of the disposal system considering a wide range of geologic environment. A major part of the total performance of the disposal system is borne by the engineered barrier system given a geologic environment that assures and complements the performance of such engineered barrier system. The performance of the natural barrier system coupled with the strong engineered barrier system was investigated by sensitivity analyses. Two types of conceptual model were considered for the analysis to describe radionuclide transport in geologic media and the range of relevant parameters was given by taking the variation of the geologic environment in Japan into account. The results show that the degree of retardation of radionuclide transport chosen in the geologic media varies significantly depending on the parameter values chosen. However, it is indicated that there are realistic combinations of those geologic parameter values which could provide a sufficient degree of retardation within a range of only a few tens of meters from the engineered barrier system. The relative importance of the near-field geologic environment is also discussed

Site characterization field manual for near surface geologic disposal of low-level radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCray, J.G.; Nowatzki, E.A.

1985-01-01

This field manual has been developed to aid states and regions to do a detailed characterization of a proposed near-surface low-level waste disposal site. The field manual is directed at planners, staff personnel and experts in one discipline to acquaint them with the requirements of other disciplines involved in site characterization. While it can provide a good review, it is not designed to tell experts how to do their job within their own discipline

The Aristarchus-Harbinger region of the moon: Surface geology and history from recent remote-sensing observations

Science.gov (United States)

Zisk, S.H.; Hodges, C.A.; Moore, H.J.; Shorthill, R.W.; Thompson, T.W.; Whitaker, E.A.; Wilhelms, D.E.

1977-01-01

The region including the Aristarchus Plateau and Montes Harbinger is probably the most diverse, geologically, of any area of comparble size on the Moon. This part of the northwest quadrant of the lunar near side includes unique dark mantling material; both the densest concentration and the largest of the sinuous rilles; apparent volcanic vents, sinks, and domes; mare materials of various ages and colors; one of the freshest large craters (Aristarchus) with ejecta having unique colors and albedos; and three other large craters in different states of flooding and degradation (krieger, Herodotus, and Prinz). The three best-authenticated lunar transient phenomena were also observed here. This study is based principally on photographic and remote sensing observations made from Earth and Apollo orbiting space craft. Results include (1) delineation of geologic map units and their stratigraphic relationships; (2) discussion of the complex interrelationships between materials of volcanic and impact origin, including the effects of excavation, redistribution and mixing of previously deposited materials by younger impact craters; (3) deduction of physical and chemical properties of certain of the geologic units, based on both the remote-sensing information and on extrapolation of Apollo data to this area; and (4) development of a detailed geologic history of the region, outlining the probable sequence of events that resulted in its present appearance. A primary concern of the investigation has been anomalous red dark mantle on the Plateau. Based on an integration of Earth- and lunar orbit-based data, this layer seems to consist of fine-grained, block-free material containing a relatively large fraction of orange glass. It is probably of pyroclastic origin, laid down at some time during the Imbrian period of mare flooding. ?? 1977 D. Reidel Publishing Company.

Site selection report basalt waste isolation program near-surface test facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharpe, S.D.

1978-01-01

A site selection committee was established to review the information gathered on potential sites and to select a site for the Near-Surface Test Facility Phase I. A decision was made to use a site on the north face of Gable Mountain located on the Hanford Site. This site provided convenient access to the Pomona Basalt Flow. This flow was selected for use at this site because it exhibited the characteristics established in the primary criteria. These criteria were: the flows thickness; its dryness; its nearness to the surface; and, its similarities to basalt units which are candidates for the repository. After the selection of the Near-Surface Test Facility Phase I Site, the need arose for an additional facility to demonstrate safe handling, storage techniques, and the physical effects of radioactive materials on an in situ basalt formation. The committee reviewed the sites selected for Phase I and chose the same site for locating Phase II of the Near-Surface Test Facility

Seismic-sequence stratigraphy and geologic structure of the Floridan aquifer system near "Boulder Zone" deep wells in Miami-Dade County, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, Kevin J.

2015-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department, acquired, processed, and interpreted seismic-reflection data near the North and South District “Boulder Zone” Well Fields to determine if geologic factors may contribute to the upward migration of injected effluent into that upper part of the Floridan aquifer system designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an underground source of drinking water. The depth of the Boulder Zone at the North and South District “Boulder Zone” Well Fields ranges from about 2,750 to 3,300 feet below land surface (ft bls), whereas overlying permeable zones used as alternative drinking water supply range in depth from about 825 to 1,580 ft bls at the North and South District “Boulder Zone” Well Fields. Seismic-sequence stratigraphy and geologic structures imaged on seismic-reflection profiles created for the study describe the part of the Floridan aquifer system overlying and within the Boulder Zone. Features of the Floridan aquifer system underlying the Boulder Zone were not studied because seismic-reflection profiles acquired near the North and South District “Boulder Zone” Well Fields lacked adequate resolution at such depths.

Near-surface 3D reflections seismic survey; Sanjigen senso hanshaho jishin tansa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakahigashi, H; Mitsui, H; Nakano, O; Kobayashi, T [DIA Consultants Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

1997-05-27

Faults are being actively investigated across Japan since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. Discussed in this report is the application of the 3D near-surface reflection seismic survey in big cities. Data from trenching and drilling is used for the geological interpretation of the surroundings of a fault, and the reflection seismic survey is used to identify the position, etc., of the fault. In this article, when the results obtained from the experimental field are examined, it is found that the conventional 2D imaging reflection survey betrays the limit of its capability when the geological structure is complicated, that the 3D reflection seismic survey, on the contrary, is capable of high-precision imaging and, when augmented by drilling, etc., becomes capable of a more detailed interpretation, and that it also contributes effectively to the improvement of local disaster prevention in big cities. Using as the model the Tachikawa fault that runs near JR Tachikawa Station, embodiment of the 3D reflection seismic survey is reviewed. For the acquisition of data excellent in quality in a 3D reflection seismic survey conducted utilizing the roads in the sector chosen for experiment in the urban area, the shock generating points and receiving points should be positioned by taking into account the parameters in the bin arranging process so that the mid-points will be regularly distributed on the surface. 3 refs., 11 figs., 1 tab.

Application of benchtop micro-XRF to geological materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Flude, Stephanie; Haschke, Michael; Storey, Michael

2017-01-01

Recent developments in X-ray optics have allowed the development of a range of commercially available benchtop micro-XRF (μ-XRF) instruments that can produce X-ray spot sizes of 20–30 μm on the sample, allowing major- and trace-element analysis on a range of sample types and sizes with minimal......, by using a simple type-calibration against a reference material of similar matrix and composition. Qualitative analysis with micro-XRF can simplify and streamline sample characterization and processing for subsequent geochemical and isotopic analysis....... sample preparation. Such instruments offer quantitative analysis using fundamental parameter based 'standardless' quantification algorithms. The accuracy and precision of this quantitative analysis on geological materials, and application of micro-XRF to wider geological problems is assessed using...

Northeastern Regional geologic characterization report. Volume 1. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-08-01

This report presents available geologic information pertinent to siting a repository for high-level nuclear waste in crystalline rock in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. For each of the states within the Northeastern Region, information is provided on the geologic disqualifying factor and the geologic regional screening variables to be used in region-to-area screening. The geologic factor and variables include deep mines and quarries, rock mass extent, postemplacement faulting, suspected Quaternary faulting, seismicity, rock and mineral resources, major ground-water discharge zones, ground-water resources, state of stress, thickness of rock mass, and thickness of overburden. Information is presented on age, areal extent, shape, composition, texture, degree and type of alteration, thickness, and structural features associated with each rock body or complex. Regional seismic and tectonic information is presented, including patterns of earthquake occurrence, earthquake magnitudes, horizontal ground accelerations, and vertical crusal movements. Also included are discussions of the rock and mineral deposits or mines located within or near crystalline bodies; ground-water resources and regional hydrology; postulated changes in climate and the associated effects; and landforms, surface processes, and surficial materials on or near the rock bodies. A discussion is also presented on the relationship between the US Department of Energy (DOE) Siting Guidelines (10 CFR 960) and the geologic disqualifying factor and regional screening variables to be used in the region-to-area screening process

The 3D geological model of the 1963 Vajont rockslide, reconstructed with implicit surface methods

Science.gov (United States)

Bistacchi, Andrea; Massironi, Matteo; Francese, Roberto; Giorgi, Massimo; Taller, Claudio

2015-04-01

The Vajont rockslide has been the object of several studies because of its catastrophic consequences and of its particular evolution. Several qualitative or quantitative models have been presented in the last 50 years, but a complete explanation of all the relevant geological and mechanical processes remains elusive. In order to better understand the mechanics and dynamics of the 1963 event, we have reconstructed the first 3D geological model of the rockslide, which allowed us to accurately investigate the rockslide structure and kinematics. The input data for the model consisted in: pre- and post-rockslide geological maps, pre- and post-rockslide orthophotos, pre- and post-rockslide digital elevation models, structural data, boreholes, and geophysical data (2D and 3D seismics and resistivity). All these data have been integrated in a 3D geological model implemented in Gocad®, using the implicit surface modelling method. Results of the 3D geological model include the depth and geometry of the sliding surface, the volume of the two lobes of the rockslide accumulation, kinematics of the rockslide in terms of the vector field of finite displacement, and high quality meshes useful for mechanical and hydrogeological simulations. The latter can include information about the stratigraphy and internal structure of the rock masses and allow tracing the displacement of different material points in the rockslide from the pre-1963-failure to the post-rockslide state. As a general geological conclusion, we may say that the 3D model allowed us to recognize very effectively a sliding surface, whose non-planar geometry is affected by the interference pattern of two regional-scale fold systems. The rockslide is partitioned into two distinct and internally continuous rock masses with a distinct kinematics, which were characterised by a very limited internal deformation during the slide. The continuity of these two large blocks points to a very localized deformation, occurring along

Thermal impact of waste emplacement and surface cooling associated with geologic disposal of nuclear waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, J.S.Y.; Mangold, D.C.; Spencer, R.K.; Tsang, C.F.

1982-08-01

The thermal effects associated with the emplacement of aged radioactive wastes in a geologic repository were studied, with emphasis on the following subjects: the waste characteristics, repository structure, and rock properties controlling the thermally induced effects; the current knowledge of the thermal, thermomechanical, and thermohydrologic impacts, determined mainly on the basis of previous studies that assume 10-year-old wastes; the thermal criteria used to determine the repository waste loading densities; and the technical advantages and disadvantages of surface cooling of the wastes prior to disposal as a means of mitigating the thermal impacts. The waste loading densities determined by repository designs for 10-year-old wastes are extended to older wastes using the near-field thermomechanical criteria based on room stability considerations. Also discussed are the effects of long surface cooling periods determined on the basis of far-field thermomechanical and thermohydrologic considerations. The extension of the surface cooling period from 10 years to longer periods can lower the near-field thermal impact but have only modest long-term effects for spent fuel. More significant long-term effects can be achieved by surface cooling of reprocessed high-level waste.

Thermal impact of waste emplacement and surface cooling associated with geologic disposal of nuclear waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, J.S.Y.; Mangold, D.C.; Spencer, R.K.; Tsang, C.F.

1982-08-01

The thermal effects associated with the emplacement of aged radioactive wastes in a geologic repository were studied, with emphasis on the following subjects: the waste characteristics, repository structure, and rock properties controlling the thermally induced effects; the current knowledge of the thermal, thermomechanical, and thermohydrologic impacts, determined mainly on the basis of previous studies that assume 10-year-old wastes; the thermal criteria used to determine the repository waste loading densities; and the technical advantages and disadvantages of surface cooling of the wastes prior to disposal as a means of mitigating the thermal impacts. The waste loading densities determined by repository designs for 10-year-old wastes are extended to older wastes using the near-field thermomechanical criteria based on room stability considerations. Also discussed are the effects of long surface cooling periods determined on the basis of far-field thermomechanical and thermohydrologic considerations. The extension of the surface cooling period from 10 years to longer periods can lower the near-field thermal impact but have only modest long-term effects for spent fuel. More significant long-term effects can be achieved by surface cooling of reprocessed high-level waste

Evaluation of the Location and Recency of Faulting Near Prospective Surface Facilities in Midway Valley, Nye County, Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Swan, F.H.; Wesling, J.R.; Angell, M.M.; Thomas, A.P.; Whitney, J.W.; Gibson, J.D.

2001-01-01

Evaluation of surface faulting that may pose a hazard to prospective surface facilities is an important element of the tectonic studies for the potential Yucca Mountain high-level radioactive waste repository in southwestern Nevada. For this purpose, a program of detailed geologic mapping and trenching was done to obtain surface and near-surface geologic data that are essential for determining the location and recency of faults at a prospective surface-facilities site located east of Exile Hill in Midway Valley, near the eastern base of Yucca Mountain. The dominant tectonic features in the Midway Valley area are the north- to northeast-trending, west-dipping normal faults that bound the Midway Valley structural block-the Bow Ridge fault on the west side of Exile Hill and the Paint-brush Canyon fault on the east side of the valley. Trenching of Quaternary sediments has exposed evidence of displacements, which demonstrate that these block-bounding faults repeatedly ruptured the surface during the middle to late Quaternary. Geologic mapping, subsurface borehole and geophysical data, and the results of trenching activities indicate the presence of north- to northeast-trending faults and northwest-trending faults in Tertiary volcanic rocks beneath alluvial and colluvial sediments near the prospective surface-facilities site. North to northeast-trending faults include the Exile Hill fault along the eastern base of Exile Hill and faults to the east beneath the surficial deposits of Midway Valley. These faults have no geomorphic expression, but two north- to northeast-trending zones of fractures exposed in excavated profiles of middle to late Pleistocene deposits at the prospective surface-facilities site appear to be associated with these faults. Northwest-trending faults include the West Portal and East Portal faults, but no disruption of Quaternary deposits by these faults is evident. The western zone of fractures is associated with the Exile Hill fault. The eastern

Evaluation of the location and recency of faulting near prospective surface facilities in Midway Valley, Nye County, Nevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Swan, F.H.; Wesling, J.R.; Angell, M.M.; Thomas, A.P.; Whitney, J.W.; Gibson, J.D.

2002-01-17

Evaluation of surface faulting that may pose a hazard to prospective surface facilities is an important element of the tectonic studies for the potential Yucca Mountain high-level radioactive waste repository in southwestern Nevada. For this purpose, a program of detailed geologic mapping and trenching was done to obtain surface and near-surface geologic data that are essential for determining the location and recency of faults at a prospective surface-facilities site located east of Exile Hill in Midway Valley, near the eastern base of Yucca Mountain. The dominant tectonic features in the Midway Valley area are the north- to northeast-trending, west-dipping normal faults that bound the Midway Valley structural block-the Bow Ridge fault on the west side of Exile Hill and the Paint-brush Canyon fault on the east side of the valley. Trenching of Quaternary sediments has exposed evidence of displacements, which demonstrate that these block-bounding faults repeatedly ruptured the surface during the middle to late Quaternary. Geologic mapping, subsurface borehole and geophysical data, and the results of trenching activities indicate the presence of north- to northeast-trending faults and northwest-trending faults in Tertiary volcanic rocks beneath alluvial and colluvial sediments near the prospective surface-facilities site. North to northeast-trending faults include the Exile Hill fault along the eastern base of Exile Hill and faults to the east beneath the surficial deposits of Midway Valley. These faults have no geomorphic expression, but two north- to northeast-trending zones of fractures exposed in excavated profiles of middle to late Pleistocene deposits at the prospective surface-facilities site appear to be associated with these faults. Northwest-trending faults include the West Portal and East Portal faults, but no disruption of Quaternary deposits by these faults is evident. The western zone of fractures is associated with the Exile Hill fault. The eastern

Evaluation of the location and recency of faulting near prospective surface facilities in Midway Valley, Nye County, Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swan, F.H.; Wesling, J.R.; Angell, M.M.; Thomas, A.P.; Whitney, J.W.; Gibson, J.D.

2002-01-01

Evaluation of surface faulting that may pose a hazard to prospective surface facilities is an important element of the tectonic studies for the potential Yucca Mountain high-level radioactive waste repository in southwestern Nevada. For this purpose, a program of detailed geologic mapping and trenching was done to obtain surface and near-surface geologic data that are essential for determining the location and recency of faults at a prospective surface-facilities site located east of Exile Hill in Midway Valley, near the eastern base of Yucca Mountain. The dominant tectonic features in the Midway Valley area are the north- to northeast-trending, west-dipping normal faults that bound the Midway Valley structural block-the Bow Ridge fault on the west side of Exile Hill and the Paint-brush Canyon fault on the east side of the valley. Trenching of Quaternary sediments has exposed evidence of displacements, which demonstrate that these block-bounding faults repeatedly ruptured the surface during the middle to late Quaternary. Geologic mapping, subsurface borehole and geophysical data, and the results of trenching activities indicate the presence of north- to northeast-trending faults and northwest-trending faults in Tertiary volcanic rocks beneath alluvial and colluvial sediments near the prospective surface-facilities site. North to northeast-trending faults include the Exile Hill fault along the eastern base of Exile Hill and faults to the east beneath the surficial deposits of Midway Valley. These faults have no geomorphic expression, but two north- to northeast-trending zones of fractures exposed in excavated profiles of middle to late Pleistocene deposits at the prospective surface-facilities site appear to be associated with these faults. Northwest-trending faults include the West Portal and East Portal faults, but no disruption of Quaternary deposits by these faults is evident. The western zone of fractures is associated with the Exile Hill fault. The eastern

Near-dome geologic findings - Richton Dome, Mississippi: annual status report for FY 83

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-10-01

Basin Analysis is a study of the regional and local stratigraphic, tectonic, and salt-tectonic conditions that influenced the development of the Mississippi Salt Basin and Richton Dome, an element within that basin. During FY 83, work was concentrated on the local area surrounding Richton Dome and included the writing of the Midyear FY 83 Richton Dome Screening and Suitability Review, input to the Site Characterization Plan that is being prepared by the Southern Region Geologic Project Manager, and initial development of a near-dome geologic model. The geologic model was compiled using information from approximately 300 oil and gas well geophysical logs and 128 line km (80 line mi) of seismic-reflection profiles. In addition to analysis and interpretation of the logs and profiles, stratigraphic data from each were assembled in a computer-based file and were used to produce computer-generated structural contour maps. Major findings from the analyses include a new configuration for the northern end of Richton Dome and improved definitions of near-dome faults and the rim syncline on the northern and eastern flanks of Richton Dome. 4 references, 6 figures

Martian sub-surface ionising radiation: biosignatures and geology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. M. Ward

2007-07-01

Full Text Available The surface of Mars, unshielded by thick atmosphere or global magnetic field, is exposed to high levels of cosmic radiation. This ionising radiation field is deleterious to the survival of dormant cells or spores and the persistence of molecular biomarkers in the subsurface, and so its characterisation is of prime astrobiological interest. Here, we present modelling results of the absorbed radiation dose as a function of depth through the Martian subsurface, suitable for calculation of biomarker persistence. A second major implementation of this dose accumulation rate data is in application of the optically stimulated luminescence technique for dating Martian sediments.

We present calculations of the dose-depth profile in the Martian subsurface for various scenarios: variations of surface composition (dry regolith, ice, layered permafrost, solar minimum and maximum conditions, locations of different elevation (Olympus Mons, Hellas basin, datum altitude, and increasing atmospheric thickness over geological history. We also model the changing composition of the subsurface radiation field with depth compared between Martian locations with different shielding material, determine the relative dose contributions from primaries of different energies, and discuss particle deflection by the crustal magnetic fields.

Barium and radium migration in unconsolidated Canadian geological materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gillham, R.W.; Sharma, H.D.; Reddy, M.R.; Cooper, E.L.; Cherry, J.A.

1981-05-01

This report describes the results of laboratory studies on the distribution coefficients of radium and barium in samples of unconsolidated geologic materials. Graphs of Ksub(d) versus solution concentration for the respective elements showed constant Ksub(d) values in the low concentration range suggesting that, at low concentrations, a distribution coefficient is a valid means of representing the geochemical reactions of both barium and radium. The Ksub(d) values for barium range between 60 and 3500 ml/g. The values appear to be influenced by the amount of barium occurring naturally in the soil materials and thus there is little possiblility of using barium as an analog of radium in laboratory experiments. The Ksub(d) values of radium vary from 50 to 1000 ml/g indicating that a wide range of geological materials have a substantial capacity to retard the migration of radium

Postmortem near surface analysis of beryllium limiter tiles from ISX-B

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuhr, R.A.

1985-11-01

Beryllium is a promising material for plasma-side components in magnetic confinement fusion devices and is being considered for possible use in the Joint European Torus (JET). In order to test beryllium as a limiter material, a collaborative JET/ISX-B experiment was carried out in which the ISX-B tokamak was operated for more than 4000 discharges with a beryllium limiter. At the end of the test period the limiter was removed and the composition of the near-surface region of selected tiles was analyzed as a function of position by Rutherford backscattering. The amount of deuterium retained near the surface was measured by nuclear reaction analysis. Chromium, iron, and nickel were the dominant metallic impurities in the surface with a combined concentration on the order of 10 16 cm -2 . Oxygen surface coverages were generally in the mid-10 16 cm -2 range. A consistent trend in the impurity data was that heavily damaged or melted areas generally incorporated more impurities. The amounts of deuterium trapped in the tiles ranged from 1 to 5 x 10 17 cm -2 over all of the surfaces exposed to the plasma. No deuterium was detectable on surfaces (the protected sides) not directly exposed to the plasma

North Central Regional geologic characterization report. Volume 1. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-08-01

This report presents available geologic information pertinent to siting a repository for high-level nuclear waste in crystalline rock in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. For each of the states within the North Central Region, information is provided on the geologic disqualifying factor and the geologic regional screening variables to be used in region-to-area screening. The geologic factor and variables include deep mines and quarries, rock mass extent, post-emplacement faulting, suspected Quaternary faulting, seismicity, rock and mineral resources, major groundwater discharge zones, groundwater resources, state of stress, thickness of rock mass, and thickness of overburden. Information is presented on age, areal extent, shape, composition, texture, degree and type of alteration, thickness, and structural features associated with each rock body or complex. Regional seismic and tectonic information is presented, including patterns of earthquake occurrence, earthquake magnitudes, horizontal ground accelerations, and vertical crustal movements. Also included are discussions of the rock and mineral deposits or mines located within or near crystalline rock bodies; groundwater resources and regional hydrology; postulated changes in climate and the associated effects; and landforms, surface processes, and surficial materials on or near the rock bodies. A discussion is also presented of the relationship between the US Department of Energy Siting Guidelines (10 CFR 960) and the geologic disqualifying factor and regional screening variables to be used in the region-to-area screening process. 43 figs., 15 tabs

Development of Spherical Near Field Model for Geological Radioactive Waste Repository

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, S. Y.; Lee, K. J.; Chang, S. H.; Lee, K. J.; Chang, S. H.

2012-01-01

Modeling for geological radioactive waste repository can be divided into 3 parts. They are near field modeling related to engineered barrier, far field modeling related to natural barrier and biosphere modeling. In order to make the general application for safety assessment of geological waste repository, spherical geometry near field model has been developed. This model can be used quite extensively when users calculate equivalent spherical geometry for specific engineered barrier like equivalent waste radius, equivalent barrier radius and etc. Only diffusion was considered for general purpose but advection part can be updated. Goldsim and Goldsim Radionuclide Transport (RT) module were chosen and used as developing tool for the flexible modeling. Developer can freely make their own model with developer friendly graphic interface by using Goldsim. Furthermore, model with user friendly graphic interface can be developed by using Goldsim Dashboard Authoring module. The model has been validated by comparing the result with that of another model, inserting similar inputs and conditions. The model has been proved to be reasonably operating from the comparison result by validation process. Cylindrical model can be developed as a further work based on the knowledge and experience from this research

Development of Spherical Near Field Model for Geological Radioactive Waste Repository

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, S. Y.; Lee, K. J.; Chang, S. H. [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, K. J.; Chang, S. H. [Khalifa Univ. of Science/Technology and Research, Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates)

2012-03-15

Modeling for geological radioactive waste repository can be divided into 3 parts. They are near field modeling related to engineered barrier, far field modeling related to natural barrier and biosphere modeling. In order to make the general application for safety assessment of geological waste repository, spherical geometry near field model has been developed. This model can be used quite extensively when users calculate equivalent spherical geometry for specific engineered barrier like equivalent waste radius, equivalent barrier radius and etc. Only diffusion was considered for general purpose but advection part can be updated. Goldsim and Goldsim Radionuclide Transport (RT) module were chosen and used as developing tool for the flexible modeling. Developer can freely make their own model with developer friendly graphic interface by using Goldsim. Furthermore, model with user friendly graphic interface can be developed by using Goldsim Dashboard Authoring module. The model has been validated by comparing the result with that of another model, inserting similar inputs and conditions. The model has been proved to be reasonably operating from the comparison result by validation process. Cylindrical model can be developed as a further work based on the knowledge and experience from this research.

Data-driven exploration of copper mineralogy and its application to Earth's near-surface oxidation

Science.gov (United States)

Morrison, S. M.; Eleish, A.; Runyon, S.; Prabhu, A.; Fox, P. A.; Ralph, J.; Golden, J. J.; Downs, R. T.; Liu, C.; Meyer, M.; Hazen, R. M.

2017-12-01

Earth's atmospheric composition has changed radically throughout geologic history.1,2 The oxidation of our atmosphere, driven by biology, began with the Great Oxidation Event (GOE) 2.5 Ga and has heavily influenced Earth's near surface mineralogy. Therefore, temporal trends in mineral occurrence elucidate large and small scale geologic and biologic processes. Cu, and other first-row transition elements, are of particular interest due to their variation in valance state and sensitivity to ƒO2. Widespread formation of oxidized Cu mineral species (Cu2+) would not have been possible prior to the GOE and we have found that the proportion of oxidized Cu minerals increased steadily with the increase in atmospheric O2 on Earth's surface (see Fig. 1). To better characterize the changes in Cu mineralogy through time, we have employed advanced analytical and visualization methods. These techniques rely on large and growing mineral databases (e.g., rruff.info, mindat.org, earthchem.org, usgs.gov) and allow us to quantify and visualize multi-dimensional trends.5

Selection of a Site for a Near-Surface Disposal Facility: A Joint Report on Characterization of Sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Motiejunas, S.; Cernakauskas, P.

2005-01-01

Report describes general and safety-relevant environmental conditions of investigated sites and provides an overview of information concerning wastes to be disposed of. Safety relevant design aspects are given in the Project Report on Reference Design for a Near-Surface Disposal Facility for Low-and Intermediate-Level Short-Lived Radioactive Waste in Lithuania. This Report summarizes results of investigations performed during 2003-2005 by a number of researchers and evaluated by RATA. The work was performed by the Institute of Geology and Geography, the Lithuanian Energy Institute, Vilnius University, the Institute of Chemistry, UAB Grota, the Lithuanian Geological Survey, Swedish consultants from Geodevelopment, SKB and SKI-ICP, and generalized by RATA

Spectral Signatures of Surface Materials in Pig Buildings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, GuoQiang; Strøm, Jan; Blanke, Mogens

2006-01-01

. In this study, the optical properties of different types of surfaces to be cleaned and the dirt found in finishing pig units were investigated in the visual and the near infrared (VIS-NIR) optical range. Four types of commonly used materials in pig buildings, i.e. concrete, plastic, wood and steel were applied...... and after high-pressure water cleaning. The spectral signatures of the surface materials and dirt attached to the surfaces showed that it is possible to make discrimination and hence to classify areas that are visually clean. When spectral bands 450, 600, 700 and 800 nm are chosen, there are at least two...

Duplex sonography of the near-surface leg veins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mendoza, E.

2007-01-01

The book contains the following contributions: The ultrasonograph, selection of the ultrasonic transducer, anatomy of the near-surface vein system, physiology of the near-surface vein system, varicose status classification, systematics of the duplex sonography of near-surface leg veins, provocational maneuver for the duplex sonographic varicose diagnostics, exploration of vena saphena parva, perforans veins, side branches, phlebitis, sonography for varicose therapy, postsurgical sonography, deep leg veins, examination of near-surface leg veins for the pathology of the deep vein system, differential diagnostic clarification of leg oedema from the phlebologic-lymphological view, diagnostic side features along the near-surface leg veins

Large-area parallel near-field optical nanopatterning of functional materials using microsphere mask

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, G.X. [NUS Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative, National University of Singapore, 2 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Hong, M.H. [NUS Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative, National University of Singapore, 2 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Data Storage Institute, ASTAR, DSI Building, 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608 (Singapore)], E-mail: Hong_Minghui@dsi.a-star.edu.sg; Lin, Y. [NUS Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative, National University of Singapore, 2 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Wang, Z.B. [Data Storage Institute, ASTAR, DSI Building, 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608 (Singapore); Ng, D.K.T. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Data Storage Institute, ASTAR, DSI Building, 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608 (Singapore); Xie, Q. [Data Storage Institute, ASTAR, DSI Building, 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608 (Singapore); Tan, L.S. [NUS Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative, National University of Singapore, 2 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Chong, T.C. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Data Storage Institute, ASTAR, DSI Building, 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608 (Singapore)

2008-01-31

Large-area parallel near-field optical nanopatterning on functional material surfaces was investigated with KrF excimer laser irradiation. A monolayer of silicon dioxide microspheres was self-assembled on the sample surfaces as the processing mask. Nanoholes and nanospots were obtained on silicon surfaces and thin silver films, respectively. The nanopatterning results were affected by the refractive indices of the surrounding media. Near-field optical enhancement beneath the microspheres is the physical origin of nanostructure formation. Theoretical calculation was performed to study the intensity of optical field distributions under the microspheres according to the light scattering model of a sphere on the substrate.

Dust Dynamics Near Planetary Surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Colwell, Joshua; Hughes, Anna; Grund, Chris

Observations of a lunar "horizon glow" by several Surveyor spacecraft in the 1960s opened the study of the dynamics of charged dust particles near planetary surfaces. The surfaces of the Moon and other airless planetary bodies in the solar system (asteroids, and other moons) are directly exposed to the solar wind and ionizing solar ultraviolet radiation, resulting in a time-dependent electric surface potential. Because these same objects are also exposed to bombardment by micrometeoroids, the surfaces are usually characterized by a power-law size distribution of dust that extends to sub-micron-sized particles. Individual particles can acquire a charge different from their surroundings leading to electrostatic levitation. Once levitated, particles may simply return to the surface on nearly ballistic trajectories, escape entirely from the moon or asteroid if the initial velocity is large, or in some cases be stably levitated for extended periods of time. All three outcomes have observable consequences. Furthermore, the behavior of charged dust near the surface has practical implications for planned future manned and unmanned activities on the lunar surface. Charged dust particles also act as sensitive probes of the near-surface plasma environment. Recent numerical modeling of dust levitation and transport show that charged micron-sized dust is likely to accumulate in topographic lows such as craters, providing a mechanism for the creation of dust "ponds" observed on the asteroid 433 Eros. Such deposition can occur when particles are supported by the photoelectron sheath above the dayside and drift over shadowed regions of craters where the surface potential is much smaller. Earlier studies of the lunar horizon glow are consistent with those particles being on simple ballistic trajectories following electrostatic launching from the surface. Smaller particles may be accelerated from the lunar surface to high altitudes consistent with observations of high altitude

Quantitative roughness characterization of geological surfaces and implications for radar signature analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dierking, Wolfgang

1999-01-01

Stochastic surface models are useful for analyzing in situ roughness profiles and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images of geological terrain. In this paper, two different surface models are discussed: surfaces with a stationary random roughness (conventional model) and surfaces with a power...

Assessment of Environmental Factors of Geology on Waste and Engineering Barriers for Waste Storage Near Surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arimuladi SP

2007-01-01

Geological environment factors include features and processes occurring within that spatial and temporal (post-closure) domain whose principal effect is to determine the evolution of the physical, chemical, biological and human conditions of the domain that are relevant to estimating the release and migration of radionuclide and consequent exposure to man. Hardness of radioactive waste and engineer barrier can be decrease by environmental factors. Disposal system domain geological environment factors is a category in the International FEP list and is divided into sub-categories. There are 13 sub-factors of geological environment, 12 sub-factors influence hardness of radioactive waste and engineer barrier, thermal processes and conditions in geosphere can be excluded. (author)

Iapetus: Tectonic structure and geologic history

Science.gov (United States)

Croft, Steven K.

1991-01-01

Many papers have been written about the surface of Iapetus, but most of these have discussed either the nature of the strongly contrasting light and dark materials or the cratering record. Little has been said about other geologic features on Iapetus, such as tectonic structures, which would provide constraints on Iapetus' thermal history. Most references have suggested that there is no conclusive evidence for any tectonic activity, even when thermal history studies indicate that there should be. However, a new study of Iapetus' surface involving the use of stereo pairs, an extensive tectonic network has been recognized. A few new observations concerning the craters and dark material were also made. Thus the geology and geologic history of Iapetus can be more fully outlined than before. The tectonic network is shown along with prominent craters and part of the dark material in the geologic/tectonic sketch map. The topology of crater rims and scarps are quite apparent and recognizable in the different image pairs. The heights and slopes of various features given are based on comparison with the depths of craters 50 to 100 km in diameter, which are assumed to have the same depths as craters of similar diameter on Rhea and Titania.

Human intruder dose assessment for deep geological disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, G. M.; Molinero, J.; Delos, A.; Valls, A.; Conesa, A.; Smith, K.; Hjerpe, T.

2013-07-01

For near-surface disposal, approaches to assessment of inadvertent human intrusion have been developed through international cooperation within the IAEA's ISAM programme. Other assessments have considered intrusion into deep geological disposal facilities, but comparable international cooperation to develop an approach for deep disposal has not taken place. Accordingly, the BIOPROTA collaboration project presented here (1) examined the technical aspects of why and how deep geological intrusion might occur; (2) considered how and to what degree radiation exposure would arise to the people involved in such intrusion; (3) identified the processes which constrain the uncertainties; and hence (4) developed and documented an approach for evaluation of human intruder doses which addresses the criteria adopted by the IAEA and takes account of other international guidance and human intrusion assessment experience. Models for radiation exposure of the drilling workers and geologists were developed and described together with compilation of relevant input data, taking into account relevant combinations of drilling technique, geological formation and repository material. Consideration has been given also to others who might be exposed to contaminated material left at the site after drilling work has ceased. The models have been designed to be simple and stylised, in accordance with international recommendations. The set of combinations comprises 58 different scenarios which cover a very wide range of human intrusion possibilities via deep drilling. (orig.)

A hybrid 3D SEM reconstruction method optimized for complex geologic material surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Shang; Adegbule, Aderonke; Kibbey, Tohren C G

2017-08-01

Reconstruction methods are widely used to extract three-dimensional information from scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. This paper presents a new hybrid reconstruction method that combines stereoscopic reconstruction with shape-from-shading calculations to generate highly-detailed elevation maps from SEM image pairs. The method makes use of an imaged glass sphere to determine the quantitative relationship between observed intensity and angles between the beam and surface normal, and the detector and surface normal. Two specific equations are derived to make use of image intensity information in creating the final elevation map. The equations are used together, one making use of intensities in the two images, the other making use of intensities within a single image. The method is specifically designed for SEM images captured with a single secondary electron detector, and is optimized to capture maximum detail from complex natural surfaces. The method is illustrated with a complex structured abrasive material, and a rough natural sand grain. Results show that the method is capable of capturing details such as angular surface features, varying surface roughness, and surface striations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A shallow subsurface controlled release facility in Bozeman, Montana, USA, for testing near surface CO₂ detection techniques and transport models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spangler, Lee H. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Dobeck, Laura M. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Repasky, Kevin S. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Nehrir, Amin R. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Humphries, Seth D. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Barr, Jamie L. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Keith, Charlie J. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Shaw, Joseph A. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Rouse, Joshua H. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Cunningham, Alfred B. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering; Benson, Sally M. [Stanford Univ., CA (United States). Global Climate and Energy Project; Oldenburg, Curtis M. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Earth Sciences Div.; Lewicki, Jennifer L. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Earth Sciences Div.; Wells, Arthur W. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Earth Sciences Div.; Diehl, J. Rodney [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Earth Sciences Div.; Strazisar, Brian R. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Earth Sciences Div.; Fessenden, Julianna E. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Div. of Earth and Environmental Sciences; Rahn, Thom A. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Div. of Earth and Environmental Sciences; Amonette, James E. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Barr, Jon L. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Pickles, William L. [Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States). Earth and Planetary Sciences; Jacobson, James D. [Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States). Earth and Planetary Sciences; Silver, Eli A. [Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States). Earth and Planetary Sciences; Male, Erin J. [Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States). Earth and Planetary Sciences; Rauch, Henry W. [Univ. of West Virginia, Morgantown, WV (United States). Dept. of Geology and Geography; Gullickson, Kadie S. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Trautz, Robert [Electric Power Research Inst. (EPRI), Palo Alto, CA (United States); Kharaka, Yousif [U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (United States); Birkholzer, Jens [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Earth Sciences Div.; Wielopolski, Lucien [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

2010-03-01

A controlled field pilot has been developed in Bozeman, Montana, USA, to study near surface CO₂ transport and detection technologies. A slotted horizontal well divided into six zones was installed in the shallow subsurface. The scale and CO₂ release rates were chosen to be relevant to developing monitoring strategies for geological carbon storage. The field site was characterized before injection, and CO₂ transport and concentrations in saturated soil and the vadose zone were modeled. Controlled releases of CO₂ from the horizontal well were performed in the summers of 2007 and 2008, and collaborators from six national labs, three universities, and the U. S. Geological Survey investigated movement of CO₂ through the soil, water, plants, and air with a wide range of near surface detection techniques. An overview of these results will be presented.

Adsorbate induced surface alloy formation investigated by near ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nierhoff, Anders Ulrik Fregerslev; Conradsen, Christian Nagstrup; McCarthy, David Norman

2014-01-01

for engineering of more active or selective catalyst materials. Dynamical surface changes on alloy surfaces due to the adsorption of reactants in high gas pressures are challenging to investigate using standard characterization tools. Here we apply synchrotron illuminated near ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron...

Summary and evaluation of existing geological and geophysical data near prospective surface facilities in Midway Valley, Yucca Mountain Project, Nye County, Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibson, J.D.; Swan, F.H.; Wesling, J.R.; Bullard, T.F.; Perman, R.C.; Angell, M.M.; DiSilvestro, L.A.

1992-01-01

Midway Valley, located at the eastern base of the Yucca Mountain in southwestern Nevada, is the preferred location of the surface facilities for the potential high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain. One goal in siting these surface facilities is to avoid faults that could produce relative displacements in excess of 5 cm in the foundations of the waste-handling buildings. This study reviews existing geologic and geophysical data that can be used to assess the potential for surface fault rupture within Midway Valley. Dominant tectonic features in Midway Valley are north-trending, westward-dipping normal faults along the margins of the valley: the Bow Ridge fault to the west and the Paintbrush Canyon fault to the east. Published estimates of average Quaternary slip rates for these faults are very low but the age of most recent displacement and the amount of displacement per event are largely unknown. Surface mapping and interpretive cross sections, based on limited drillhole and geophysical data, suggest that additional normal faults, including the postulated Midway Valley fault, may exist beneath the Quaternary/Tertiary fill within the valley. Existing data, however, are inadequate to determine the location, recency, and geometry of this faulting. To confidently assess the potential for significant Quaternary faulting in Midway Valley, additional data are needed that define the stratigraphy and structure of the strata beneath the valley, characterize the Quaternary soils and surfaces, and establish the age of faulting. The use of new and improved geophysical techniques, combined with a drilling program, offers the greatest potential for resolving subsurface structure in the valley. Mapping of surficial geologic units and logging of soil pits and trenches within these units must be completed, using accepted state-of-the-art practices supported by multiple quantitative numerical and relative age-dating techniques

Challenges in realizing ultraflat materials surfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takashi Yatsui

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Ultraflat surface substrates are required to achieve an optimal performance of future optical, electronic, or optoelectronic devices for various applications, because such surfaces reduce the scattering loss of photons, electrons, or both at the surfaces and interfaces. In this paper, we review recent progress toward the realization of ultraflat materials surfaces. First, we review the development of surface-flattening techniques. Second, we briefly review the dressed photon–phonon (DPP, a nanometric quasiparticle that describes the coupled state of a photon, an electron, and a multimode-coherent phonon. Then, we review several recent developments based on DPP-photochemical etching and desorption processes, which have resulted in angstrom-scale flat surfaces. To confirm that the superior flatness of these surfaces that originated from the DPP process, we also review a simplified mathematical model that describes the scale-dependent effects of optical near-fields. Finally, we present the future outlook for these technologies.

Geology of volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit near Meli ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

VMS) deposit near Meli/Rahwa, northern Ethiopia are presented in the paper. The study area forms part of Neoproterozoic basement of northern Ethiopia and southern part of the Arabian Nubian Shield (ANS). Selected surface rock samples of ...

Geologic mapping as a prerequisite to hazardous waste facility siting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LaMoreaux, P.E.

1993-01-01

The nation's welfare is based on its capability to develop the mineral, water, and energy resources of the land. In addition, these resources must be developed with adequate consideration of environmental impact and the future welfare of the country. Geologic maps are an absolute necessity in the discovery and development of natural resources; for managing radioactive, toxic, and hazardous wastes; and for the assessment of hazards and risks such as those associated with volcanic action, earthquakes, landslides, and subsidence. Geologic maps are the basis for depicting rocks and rock materials, minerals, coal, oil, and water at or near the earth's surface. Hazardous waste facility projects require the preparation of detailed geologic maps. Throughout most of the USA, this type of mapping detail is not available. If these maps were available, it is estimated that the duration of an individual project could be reduced by at least one-fourth (1/4). Therefore, adequate site-specific mapping is required if one is to eliminate environmental problems associated with hazardous, toxic, radioactive, and municipal waste sites

Complementary modelling of radionuclide retention in the near-surface system at Forsmark. Development of a reactive transport model using Forsmark 1.2 data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sena, Clara; Grandia, Fidel; Arcos, David; Molinero, Jorge; Duro, Lara (Amphos XXI Consulting S.L., Barcelona (Spain))

2008-10-15

The Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB) is conducting a comprehensive geoscientific characterization of two alternative sites to allocate a deep geological repository of high level nuclear waste. The Site Characterization Program also includes the near-surface systems, which are expected to constitute the last geological barrier between the repository system and the earth's surface. The evaluation of the retention capacity of the near surface systems is, therefore, very relevant for the site characterization program. From the geological point of view, near-surface systems in the Forsmark area consist of Quaternary deposits that overlay a granitic bedrock. Glacial till is the most abundant outcropping Quaternary deposit (approx75% of surface extension) and the remainder is made up of clayey materials (glacial and post-glacial clays). These types of near-surface sediments show distinctive hydraulic and geochemical features. The main reactive mineral in the till deposits, for the time scale considered in this work, is calcium carbonate (calcite). This mineral is found along with clay minerals (e.g. illite) and Fe(III) hydroxides. In contrast, glacial and post-glacial clays are basically composed of illite with minor amounts of calcium carbonate, and containing organic matter-rich levels (gyttja) which can promote reducing conditions in the system. The assessment of the migration behaviour of selected long-lived radionuclides through the near-surface system of Forsmark was developed in an earlier work, that focused on the evaluation of the capacity of the Quaternary deposits for radionuclide retention. The work reported here is an improvement of the geochemical conceptual and numerical model already presented, based on data available in the Site Descriptive Model v 1.2 (Forsmark). Regarding the geochemical variability of the Quaternary deposits present at Forsmark and its implications on radionuclide mobility through the near-surface systems, a

Review of behavior of plutonium in soils and other geologic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishita, H.

1979-10-01

Available information on the physical and chemical reactions of Pu in soils and other geologic materials is reviewed. The primary intent of this review was to bring together information that may be helpful in assessing the movement and biological availability of Pu in terrestrial environment. The review is divided into two general categories, e.g., studies of chemical reactions of Pu in aqueous solutions and studies of Pu reactions in the more complex systems of soils and other geologic materials. The latter category is further divided into studies of Pu in materials that were freshly contaminated in the laboratory and of Pu in materials that had been contaminated in natural environments and had resided there for varying numbers of years. After the discussion of physical and chemical reactions of Pu, several reported examples of the actual movement of Pu in terrestrial environments are given

Direct detection of near-surface faults by migration of back-scattered surface waves

KAUST Repository

Yu, Han; Guo, Bowen; Hanafy, Sherif; Lin, Fan-Chi; Schuster, Gerard T.

2014-01-01

We show that diffraction stack migration can be used to estimate the distribution of near-surface faults. The assumption is that near-surface faults generate detectable back-scattered surface waves from impinging surface waves. The processing steps

Sandstone uranium deposits of Meghalaya: natural analogues for radionuclide migration and backfill material in geological repository for high level radioactive waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bajpai, R.K.; Narayan, P.K.

2008-01-01

Sandstone uranium deposits serve as potential natural analogue to demonstrate safety offered by geological media against possible release of nuclear waste from their confinement and migration towards biosphere. In this study, available database on geochemical aspects of Domisiat uranium deposit of Meghalaya has been evaluated to highlight the behavior of radionuclides of concern over long term in a geological repository. Constituents like actinides (U and Th), fission products and RE elements are adequately retained in clays and organic matters associated with these sandstone deposits. The study also highlights the possibility of utilization of lean ore discarded during mining and milling as backfill material in far field areas and optimizing near field buffers/backfills in a geological repository located in granitic rocks in depth range of 400-500m. (author)

Radiation effects on materials in the near-field of a nuclear waste repository. 1997 annual progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ewing, R.C.; Wang, L.M.

1997-01-01

'Sheet silicates (e.g. micas and clays) are important constituents of a wide variety of geological formations such as granite, basalt, and sandstone. Sheet silicates, particularly clays such as bentonite are common materials in near-field engineered barriers in high-level nuclear waste (HLW) repositories. This is because migration of radionuclides from an underground HLW repository to the geosphere may be significantly reduced by sorption of radionuclides (e.g., Pu, U and Np) onto sheet silicates (e.g., clays and micas) that line the fractures and pores of the rocks along groundwater flowpaths. In addition to surface sorption, it has been suggested that some sheet silicates may also be able to incorporate many radionuclides, such as Cs and Sr, in the inter-layer sites of the sheet structure. However, the ability of the sheet silicates to incorporate radionuclides and retard release and migration of radionuclides may be significantly affected by the near-field radiation due to the decay of fission products and actinides. for example, the unique properties of the sheet structures will be lost completely if the structure becomes amorphous due to irradiation effects. Thus, the study of irradiation effects on sheet-structures, such as structural damage and modification of chemical properties, are critical to the performance assessment of long-term repository behavior.'

Thomas Hardy, Provincial Geology and the Material Imagination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adelene Buckland

2008-04-01

Full Text Available This essay explores the nineteenth-century traffic and exchange of fossils and natural-historical objects between province and metropolis as represented by two very different geological writers of the period, the fossil collector Gideon Mantell and the novelist Thomas Hardy. The men are connected through Mantell's 'The Wonders of Geology', the sixth edition of which (1848 Hardy read and utilised for his descriptions of the geological past in his third novel, 'A Pair of Blue Eyes' (1873. These two texts demonstrate a powerful investment in determining the meaning of the geological object according to the social and geographical spaces in which it is discovered, displayed, and discussed, so that the scientific object becomes the site around which complex cultural politics coalesce and sit in tension. In its consideration of the relationship between place and meaning in science, and in its focus on scientific material culture, this essay attempts to disrupt the current spotlight on the interrelationships between scientific law and narrative pattern in Victorian literary studies. Instead, it hopes to contribute to a discussion of the ways in which the novel's attention to scientific objects rather than narratives made it an important site of epistemological enquiry into the basis of scientific knowledge and the inseparability of that knowledge from the discourses and spaces which produced it.

Geology of the Spanish part of the Gavarnie Nappe (Pyrenees) and its underlying sediments near Bielsa (Province of Huesca)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lith, J.G.J. van

1968-01-01

A description is given of the stratigraphy and the tectonics of the Spanish part of the Gavarnie nappe and and its underlying sediments near Bielsa. The outlines of the geological map coincide approximately with the frontier of the municipality of Bielsa. This study forms part of geological

Chemical and Physical Interactions of Martian Surface Material

Science.gov (United States)

Bishop, J. L.

1999-09-01

A model of alteration and maturation of the Martian surface material is described involving both chemical and physical interactions. Physical processes involve distribution and mixing of the fine-grained soil particles across the surface and into the atmosphere. Chemical processes include reaction of sulfate, salt and oxidizing components of the soil particles; these agents in the soils deposited on rocks will chew through the rock minerals forming coatings and will bind surface soils together to form duricrust deposits. Formation of crystalline iron oxide/oxyhydroxide minerals through hydrothermal processes and of poorly crystalline and amorphous phases through palagonitic processes both contribute to formation of the soil particles. Chemical and physical alteration of these soil minerals and phases contribute to producing the chemical, magnetic and spectroscopic character of the Martian soil as observed by Mars Pathfinder and Mars Global Surveyor. Minerals such as maghemite/magnetite and jarosite/alunite have been observed in terrestrial volcanic soils near steam vents and may be important components of the Martian surface material. The spectroscopic properties of several terrestrial volcanic soils containing these minerals have been analyzed and evaluated in terms of the spectroscopic character of the surface material on Mars.

Application of near-surface geophysics as part of a hydrologic study of a subsurface drip irrigation system along the Powder River floodplain near Arvada, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Sams, James I.; Veloski, Garret; Smith, Bruce D.; Minsley, Burke J.; Engle, Mark A.; Lipinski, Brian A.; Hammack, Richard W.; Zupancic, John W.

2014-01-01

Rapid development of coalbed natural gas (CBNG) production in the Powder River Basin (PRB) of Wyoming has occurred since 1997. National attention related to CBNG development has focused on produced water management, which is the single largest cost for on-shore domestic producers. Low-cost treatment technologies allow operators to reduce their disposal costs, provide treated water for beneficial use, and stimulate oil and gas production by small operators. Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) systems are one potential treatment option that allows for increased CBNG production by providing a beneficial use for the produced water in farmland irrigation.Water management practices in the development of CBNG in Wyoming have been aided by integrated geophysical, geochemical, and hydrologic studies of both the disposal and utilization of water. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have utilized multi-frequency airborne, ground, and borehole electromagnetic (EM) and ground resistivity methods to characterize the near-surface hydrogeology in areas of produced water disposal. These surveys provide near-surface EM data that can be compared with results of previous surveys to monitor changes in soils and local hydrology over time as the produced water is discharged through SDI.The focus of this investigation is the Headgate Draw SDI site, situated adjacent to the Powder River near the confluence of a major tributary, Crazy Woman Creek, in Johnson County, Wyoming. The SDI system was installed during the summer of 2008 and began operation in October of 2008. Ground, borehole, and helicopter electromagnetic (HEM) conductivity surveys were conducted at the site prior to the installation of the SDI system. After the installation of the subsurface drip irrigation system, ground EM surveys have been performed quarterly (weather permitting). The geophysical surveys map the heterogeneity of the near-surface

Imaging near-surface heterogeneities by natural migration of surface waves

KAUST Repository

Liu, Zhaolun; AlTheyab, Abdullah; Hanafy, Sherif M.; Schuster, Gerard T.

2016-01-01

We demonstrate that near-surface heterogeneities can be imaged by natural migration of backscattered surface waves in common shot gathers. No velocity model is required because the data are migrated onto surface points with the virtual Green

Deformation characteristics of the near-surface layers of zirconia ceramics implanted with aluminum ions

Science.gov (United States)

Ghyngazov, S. A.; Vasiliev, I. P.; Frangulyan, T. S.; Chernyavski, A. V.

2015-10-01

The effect of ion treatment on the phase composition and mechanical properties of the near-surface layers of zirconium ceramic composition 97 ZrO2-3Y2O3 (mol%) was studied. Irradiation of the samples was carried out by accelerated ions of aluminum with using vacuum-arc source Mevva 5-Ru. Ion beam had the following parameters: the energy of the accelerated ions E = 78 keV, the pulse current density Ji = 4mA / cm2, current pulse duration equal τ = 250 mcs, pulse repetition frequency f = 5 Hz. Exposure doses (fluence) were 1016 и 1017 ion/cm2. The depth distribution implanted ions was studied by SIMS method. It is shown that the maximum projected range of the implanted ions is equal to 250 nm. Near-surface layers were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) at fixed glancing incidence angle. It is shown that implantation of aluminum ions into the ceramics does not lead to a change in the phase composition of the near-surface layer. The influence of implanted ions on mechanical properties of ceramic near-surface layers was studied by the method of dynamic nanoindentation using small loads on the indenter P=300 mN. It is shown that in ion- implanted ceramic layer the processes of material recovery in the deformed region in the unloading mode proceeds with higher efficiency as compared with the initial material state. The deformation characteristics of samples before and after ion treatment have been determined from interpretation of the resulting P-h curves within the loading and unloading sections by the technique proposed by Oliver and Pharr. It was found that implantation of aluminum ions in the near-surface layer of zirconia ceramics increases nanohardness and reduces the Young's modulus.

Dynamic simulations of geologic materials using combined FEM/DEM/SPH analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morris, J P; Johnson, S M

2008-03-26

An overview of the Lawrence Discrete Element Code (LDEC) is presented, and results from a study investigating the effect of explosive and impact loading on geologic materials using the Livermore Distinct Element Code (LDEC) are detailed. LDEC was initially developed to simulate tunnels and other structures in jointed rock masses using large numbers of polyhedral blocks. Many geophysical applications, such as projectile penetration into rock, concrete targets, and boulder fields, require a combination of continuum and discrete methods in order to predict the formation and interaction of the fragments produced. In an effort to model this class of problems, LDEC now includes implementations of Cosserat point theory and cohesive elements. This approach directly simulates the transition from continuum to discontinuum behavior, thereby allowing for dynamic fracture within a combined finite element/discrete element framework. In addition, there are many application involving geologic materials where fluid-structure interaction is important. To facilitate solution of this class of problems a Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) capability has been incorporated into LDEC to simulate fully coupled systems involving geologic materials and a saturating fluid. We will present results from a study of a broad range of geomechanical problems that exercise the various components of LDEC in isolation and in tandem.

Clustering and segregation of small vacancy clusters near tungsten (0 0 1) surface

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Guohua; Li, Xiangyan; Xu, Yichun; Zhang, Yange; Jiang, Yan; Hao, Congyu; Liu, C. S.; Fang, Q. F.; Chen, Jun-Ling; Luo, G.-N.; Wang, Zhiguang

2018-01-01

Nanoporous metals have been shown to exhibit radiation-tolerance due to the trapping of the defects by the surface. However, the behavior of vacancy clusters near the surface is not clear which involves the competition between the self-trapping and segregation of small vacancy clusters (Vn) nearby the surface. In this study, we investigated the energetic and kinetic properties of small vacancy clusters near tungsten (0 0 1) surface by combining molecular statics (MS) calculations and object Kinetic Monte Carlo (OKMC) simulations. Results show that vacancies could be clustered with the reduced formation energy and migration energy of the single vacancy around a cluster as the respective energetic and kinetic driving forces. The small cluster has a migration energy barrier comparable to that for the single vacancy; the migration energy barriers for V1-5 and V7 are 1.80, 1.94, 2.17, 2.78, 3.12 and 3.11 eV, respectively. Clusters and become unstable near surface (0 0 1) and tend to dissociate into the surface. At the operation temperature of 1000 K, the single vacancy, V2, 2 V 3 V3 and V4 were observed to segregate to the surface within a time of one hour. Meanwhile, larger clusters survived near the surface, which could serve as nucleating center for voids near the surface. Our results suggest that under a low radiation dose, surface (0 0 1) could act as a sink for small vacancy clusters, alleviating defect accumulation in the material under a low radiation dose. We also obtained several empirical expressions for the vacancy cluster formation energy, binding energy, and trapping radius as a function of the number of vacancies in the cluster.

Visualized materials of information on HLW geological disposal for promotion of public understanding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shobu, Nobuhiro; Yoshikawa, Hideki; Kashiwazaki, Hiroshi

2003-03-01

Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) has a few thousands of short term visitors to Geological Isolation Basic Research Facility of Tokai works in every year. From the viewpoint of promotion of the visitor's understanding and also smooth communication between researchers and visitors, the explanation of the technical information on geological disposal should be carried out in more easily understandable methods, as well as conventional tour to the engineering-scale test facility (ENTRY). The images of repository operation, output data of technical calculations regarding geological disposal were visualized. We can use them practically as one of the useful explanation tools to support visitor's understanding. The visualized materials are attached to this report with the DVD-R media, furthermore, background information of each visualized materials was documented. (author)

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3266, Uruzgan (519) and Moqur (520) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Giles, Stuart A.; Johnson, Michaela R.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3464, Shahrak (411) and Kasi (412) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3470, Jalalabad (511) and Chaghasaray (512) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Giles, Stuart A.; Johnson, Michaela R.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3368, Ghazni (515) and Gardez (516) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3162, Chakhansur (603) and Kotalak (604) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3362, Shindand (415) and Tulak (416) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Giles, Stuart A.; Johnson, Michaela R.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3366, Gizab (513) and Nawer (514) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3770, Faizabad (217) and Parkhaw (218) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Giles, Stuart A.; Johnson, Michaela R.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3564, Jowand (405) and Gurziwan (406) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Investigating the Geological History of Asteroid 101955 Bennu Through Remote Sensing and Returned Sample Analyses

Science.gov (United States)

Messenger, S.; Connolly, H. C., Jr.; Lauretta, D. S.; Bottke, W. F.

2014-01-01

The NASA New Frontiers Mission OSRIS-REx will return surface regolith samples from near-Earth asteroid 101955 Bennu in September 2023. This target is classified as a B-type asteroid and is spectrally similar to CI and CM chondrite meteorites [1]. The returned samples are thus expected to contain primitive ancient Solar System materials that formed in planetary, nebular, interstellar, and circumstellar environments. Laboratory studies of primitive astromaterials have yielded detailed constraints on the origins, properties, and evolutionary histories of a wide range of Solar System bodies. Yet, the parent bodies of meteorites and cosmic dust are generally unknown, genetic and evolutionary relationships among asteroids and comets are unsettled, and links between laboratory and remote observations remain tenuous. The OSIRIS-REx mission will offer the opportunity to coordinate detailed laboratory analyses of asteroidal materials with known and well characterized geological context from which the samples originated. A primary goal of the OSIRIS-REx mission will be to provide detailed constraints on the origin and geological and dynamical history of Bennu through coordinated analytical studies of the returned samples. These microanalytical studies will be placed in geological context through an extensive orbital remote sensing campaign that will characterize the global geological features and chemical diversity of Bennu. The first views of the asteroid surface and of the returned samples will undoubtedly bring remarkable surprises. However, a wealth of laboratory studies of meteorites and spacecraft encounters with primitive bodies provides a useful framework to formulate priority scientific questions and effective analytical approaches well before the samples are returned. Here we summarize our approach to unraveling the geological history of Bennu through returned sample analyses.

Near-surface storage facilities for vitrified high-level wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kondrat'ev, A.N.; Kulichenko, V.V.; Kryukov, I.I.; Krylova, N.V.; Paramoshkin, V.I.; Strakhov, M.V.

1980-01-01

Concurrently with the development of methods for solidifying liquid radioactive wastes, reliable and safe methods for the storage and disposal of solidified wastes are being devised in the USSR and other countries. One of the main factors affecting the choice of storage conditions for solidified wastes originating from the vitrification of high-level liquid wastes from fuel reprocessing plants is the problem of removing the heat produced by radioactive decay. In order to prevent the temperature of solidified wastes from exceeding the maximum permissible level for the material concerned, it is necessary to limit either the capacity of waste containers or the specific heat release of the wastes themselves. In order that disposal of high-level wastes in geological formations should be reliable and economic, solidified wastes undergo interim storage in near-surface storage facilities with engineered cooling systems. The paper demonstrates the relative influences of specific heat release, of the maximum permissible storage temperature for vitrified wastes and of the methods chosen for cooling wastes in order for the dimensions of waste containers to be reduced to the extent required. The effect of concentrating wastes to a given level in the vitrification process on the cost of storage in different types of storage facility is also examined. Calculations were performed for the amount of vitrified wastes produced by a reprocessing plant with a capacity of five tonnes of uranium per 24 hours. Fuel elements from reactors of the water-cooled, water-moderated type are sent for reprocessing after having been held for about two years. The dimensions of the storage facility are calculated on the assumption that it will take five years to fill

Detection of defects and evaluation of material deterioration using surface wave technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yokono, Yoshikazu; Yoshiara, Toshikatsu; Suetsugu, Jun; Imanaka, Takuichi

1996-01-01

It is very important to detect surface damage and evaluate deterioration of material surface because of their influences on mechanical properties of materials. In general, magnetic particle testing, liquid penetrant testing and eddy current testing are commonly used for detecting surface flaws. These methods, however, are neither effective for estimating flaw height nor for evaluating material deterioration. In this paper the authors apply surface wave propagating along the test surface for these purposes. The surface wave (Rayleigh wave) propagates only near the surface layer in the order of one wave length. In other words, the lower the frequency, the deeper the penetration depth of the surface wave. Accordingly, they can select the frequency considering the inspection purpose. On the other hand, when surface wave having broad-band frequency propagates along the surface of a specimen, higher frequency ultrasound propagates very close to the surface and lower frequency ultrasound propagates deeper in the specimen. Hence, frequency analysis is expected to be effective for estimating upper edge of flaw. Surface wave is also very sensitive to material surface properties such as existence of voids or micro cracks. Acoustic characteristics such as sound velocity, attenuation and other feature parameters are influenced by the variation of the material properties. Hence, material deterioration can be evaluated by the acoustic features

Studies of cesium and strontium migration in unconsolidated Canadian geological materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gillham, R.W.; Lindsay, L.E.; Reynolds, W.D.; Kewen, T.J.; Cherry, J.A.; Reddy, M.R.

1981-06-01

Distribution coefficients (Ksub(d)) were measured for cesium and strontium in 16 samples of Canadian unconsolidated geological materials. The samples were collected to cover a wide range of grain size, clay-mineral composition, cation exchange capacity and carbonate mineral content. Distribution coefficients ranged between 10 2 and 2.0 x 10 4 ml/g for cesium and between 2.5 and 10 2 ml/g for strontium, indicating that most unconsolidated geological materials have a substantial ability to retard the migration of cesium, while strontium could generally be expected to be somewhat more mobile. The measured K values were not significantly correlated with the measured soil properties, but appeared to be significantly affected by the background concentration of stable isotopes of the respective radionuclides

Groundwater flow modeling for near-field of a hypothetical near-surface disposal facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, H. Y.; Park, J. W.; Jang, G. M.; Kim, C. R.

2000-01-01

For a hypothetical near-surface radioactive disposal facility, the behavior of groundwater flow around the near-field of disposal vault located at the unsaturated zone were analyzed. Three alternative conceptual models proposed as the hydraulic barrier layer design were simulated to assess the hydrologic performance of engineered barriers for the facility. In order to evaluate the seepage possibility of the infiltrated water passed through the final disposal cover after the facility closure, the flow path around and water flux through each disposal vault were compared. The hydrologic parameters variation that accounts for the long-term aging and degradation of the cover and engineered materials was considered in the simulations. The results showed that it is necessary to construct the hydraulic barrier at the upper and sides of the vault, and that, for this case, achieving design hydraulic properties of bentonite/sand mixture barrier in the as-built condition is crucial to limit the seepage into the waste

Determination of noble metals in geological materials by radiochemical neutron-activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, I.; Ahmad, S.; Morris, D.F.C.

1977-01-01

A method for the determination of platinum, palladium, gold and iridium in geological materials following activation with thermal neutrons is described. Radionuclides formed from the elements are separated by a scheme based largely on liquid-liquid extractions. The procedure has been applied to the analysis of US Geological Survey standard rocks and to studies of the distribution of the noble metals in lateritic nickel ores. (author)

Strategies for Detecting Hidden Geothermal Systems by Near-Surface Gas Monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lewicki, Jennifer L.; Oldenburg, Curtis M.

2004-12-15

the near-surface environment include (1) the infrared gas analyzer (IRGA) for measurement of concentrations at point locations, (2) the accumulation chamber (AC) method for measuring soil CO2 fluxes at point locations, (3) the eddy covariance (EC) method for measuring net CO2 flux over a given area, (4) hyperspectral imaging of vegetative stress resulting from elevated CO2 concentrations, and (5) light detection and ranging (LIDAR) that can measure CO2 concentrations over an integrated path. Technologies currently in developmental stages that have the potential to be used for CO2 monitoring include tunable lasers for long distance integrated concentration measurements and micro-electronic mechanical systems (MEMS) that can make widespread point measurements. To address the challenge of detecting potentially small-magnitude geothermal CO2 emissions within the natural background variability of CO2, we propose an approach that integrates available detection and monitoring methodologies with statistical analysis and modeling strategies. Within the area targeted for geothermal exploration, point measurements of soil CO2 fluxes and concentrations using the AC method and a portable IRGA, respectively, and measurements of net surface flux using EC should be made. Also, the natural spatial and temporal variability of surface CO2 fluxes and subsurface CO2 concentrations should be quantified within a background area with similar geologic, climatic, and ecosystem characteristics to the area targeted for geothermal exploration. Statistical analyses of data collected from both areas should be used to guide sampling strategy, discern spatial patterns that may be indicative of geothermal CO2 emissions, and assess the presence (or absence) of geothermal CO2 within the natural background variability with a desired confidence level. Once measured CO2 concentrations and fluxes have been determined to be of anomalous geothermal origin with high confidence, more expensive vertical

CHARACTERIZATION OF GEOLOGICAL MATERIALS USING ION AND PHOTON BEAMS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

TOROK, SZ.B.; JONES, K.W.; TUNIZ, C.

1998-01-01

Geological specimens are often complex materials that require different analytical methods for their characterization. The parameters of interest may include the chemical composition of major, minor and trace elements. The chemical compounds incorporated in the minerals, the crystal structure and isotopic composition need to be considered. Specimens may be highly heterogeneous thus necessitating analytical methods capable of measurements on small sample volumes with high spatial resolution and sensitivity. Much essential information on geological materials can be obtained by using ion or photon beams. In this chapter we describe the principal analytical techniques based on particle accelerators, showing some applications that are hardly possible with conventional methods. In particular, the following techniques will be discussed: (1) Synchrotron radiation (SR) induced X-ray emission (SRIXE) and particle-induced X-ray emission (PEE) and other ion beam techniques for trace element analysis. (2) Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) for ultra sensitive analysis of stable nuclides and long-lived radionuclides. In most of the cases also the possibilities of elemental and isotopic analysis with high resolution will be discussed

Material interactions relating to long-term geologic disposal of nuclear waste glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bibler, N.E.; Jantzen, C.M.

1986-01-01

This review paper systematizes the additional interactions that materials in a geologic repository will impose on the borosilicate glass waste form-groundwater interactions. These materials are the steel canister that holds the glass, the steel overpack over the canister, backfill materials that may be used, and last, the repository host rock. The repository geologies reviewed are tuff, salt, basalt, and granite. The interactions emphasized are those appropriate to conditions expected after repository closure, e.g., oxic vs anoxic conditions. Whenever possible, the effect of radiation from the waste form on the interaction(s) is examined. The interactions are evaluated based on their effect on the release and speciation of various elements including radionuclides from the glass. Repository relevant interactions testing that requires further study before long-term predictions can be made are noted. 62 refs

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3462, Herat (409) and Chishti Sharif (410) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3166, Jaldak (701) and Maruf-Nawa (702) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Giles, Stuart A.; Johnson, Michaela R.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3670, Jurm-Kishim (223) and Zebak (224) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3164, Lashkar Gah (605) and Kandahar (606) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3562, Khawja-Jir (403) and Murghab (404) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral Surface Materials Map of Quadrangle 3268, Khayr Kot (521) and Urgun (522) Quadrangles, Afghanistan, Showing Iron-bearing Minerals and Other Materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Giles, Stuart A.; Johnson, Michaela R.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Review on influences of colloids on geologic disposal of high level radioactive waste. For better understanding of natural colloidal materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanai, Yutaka; Suzuki, Masaya; Kamioka, Hikari; Yoshida, Takahiro; Suko, Takeshi

2007-01-01

Although the influences of colloidal materials on radionuclide transport in geological media are pointed out, their behaviors in natural environment have not yet been well elucidated and therefore their influences on the geologic disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) are not fully estimated quantitatively. This paper reviewed the studies on natural colloids, especially focused on inorganic, organic and biological colloids, and discussed the future works to be carried out. Much attention should be paid to the sampling and analysis. Excellent techniques for in-situ observation, concentration without changing the state of colloid, standard procedure for analysis, are necessary to be developed. More research studies on the behaviors of colloids are required in not only far- and near-fields but also items on effects of the environments and its evolution. (author)

Effects of surface orientation on lifetime of near-surface nanoscale He bubble in tungsten

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cui, Jiechao; Fu, Baoqin; Wu, Zhangwen; Hou, Qing, E-mail: qhou@scu.edu.cn

2017-02-15

In multiscale modeling of the morphological evolution of plasma facing materials in nuclear fusion reactors, the knowledge of the timescales of the involved physical processes is important. In the present study, a new method based on molecular dynamics simulations was developed to extract the lifetime of helium bubbles near tungsten surfaces. It was found that the lifetime of a helium bubble can be described by the Arrhenius equation. However, the lifetime of a helium bubble depends on the thickness of tungsten film above the helium bubble in the substrate and the bubble size. The influence of surface orientations on the lifetime of helium bubbles was also observed, and the performance of helium bubbles on the (1 1 1) surface is very different from on the (0 0 1) and (0 1 1) surfaces. The role of the helium bubble lifetime in other simulation techniques, such as in kinetic Monte Carlo methods and rate theory, is discussed.

Near-surface alloys for hydrogen fuel cell applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Greeley, Jeffrey Philip; Mavrikakis, Manos

2006-01-01

of CO with relatively facile H-2 activation is nearly ideal for this application. We suggest that. as nanoscale materials synthesis techniques improve, it will become feasible to reproducibly prepare NSAs with highly specified surface structures, resulting in the design and manufacture of a wide variety...... facile H-2 activation. These NSAs could, potentially, facilitate highly selective hydrogenation reactions at low temperatures. In the present work, the suitability of NSAs for use as hydrogen fuel cell anodes has been evaluated: the combination of properties, possessed by selected NSAs, of weak binding...... of such materials for use in fuel cells and in an ever. increasing range of catalytic applications. Furthermore, we introduce a new concept for NSA-defect sites, which could be responsible for the promotional catalytic effects of a second metal added. even in minute quantities, to a host metal catalyst....

Construction of the Geological Model around KURT area based on the surface investigations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Kyung Woo; Koh, Yong Kwon; Kim, Kyung Su; Choi, Jong Won

2009-01-01

To characterize the geological features in the study area for high-level radioactive waste disposal research, KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) has been performing several geological investigations such as geophysical surveys and borehole drillings since 1997. Especially, the KURT (KAERI Underground Research Tunnel) constructed to understand the deep geological environments in 2006. Recently, the deep boreholes, which have 500 m depth inside the left research module of the KURT and 1,000 m depth outside the KURT, were drilled to confirm and validate the results from a geological model. The objective of this research was to investigate hydrogeological conditions using a 3-D geological model around the KURT. The geological analysis from the surface and borehole investigations determined four important geological elements including subsurface weathered zone, low-angled fractures zone, fracture zones and bedrock for the geological model. In addition, the geometries of these elements were also calculated for the three-dimensional model. The results from 3-D geological model in this study will be beneficial to understand hydrogeological environment in the study area as an important part of high-level radioactive waste disposal technology.

High Resolution Geological Site Characterization Utilizing Ground Motion Data

Science.gov (United States)

1992-06-26

rough near a service road, in low velocity, unsaturated, unconsolidated 7 sands. Other than native grass, there was no significant vegetation . Surface...literature, demonstrate slll kale field tests. Similar degrees of spatial variability in ground that these stochastic geologic effects pose a potentially

Raw materials for the energy supply of the future. Geology, markets, environmental influences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hagelueken, Christian; Thauer, Rudolf K.; Buchholz, Peter; Gutzmer, Jens; Littke, Ralf; Angerer, Gerhard; Wellmer, Friedrich-Wilhelm

2015-01-01

More and more metals are needed to expand modern energy technologies, but we can not completely dispense with fossil raw materials and biomass in the near future either. Are the incidence of the conversion of energy sources sufficient? The analysis of the academy project ''Energy Systems of the Future'' (ESYS) comes to the conclusion that geologically enough raw materials are available. The challenge, however, is to make the supply safe, affordable and environmentally and socially compatible. The analysis explains the mechanisms of action on the global commodity markets and identifies supply risks. These include, for example, sudden demand on the international markets as well as the unequal distribution of the world's raw material reserves. This is followed by the analysis approaches, in order to recognize warning signals for potential raw material bottlenecks in time, to develop evasive strategies and to secure the raw material supply for the energy turnarounds. For example, the expansion of recycling can help to reduce the dependence on metal imports. In mining, on the other hand, innovative technologies have to be developed in order to improve the exploration and utilization of the deposits. By establishing binding environmental and social standards, the extraction of raw materials could also become more sustainable. The analysis also highlights the importance of bioenergy and fossil raw materials, such as oil and natural gas, for energy generation. The authors describe the advantages and disadvantages of these energy carriers and the measures that can be used to reduce environmental pollution such as greenhouse gas emissions. [de

The Impact of Biofilms upon Surfaces Relevant to an Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste Geological Disposal Facility under Simulated Near-Field Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher J. Charles

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The ability of biofilms to form on a range of materials (cementious backfill (Nirex Reference Vault Backfill (NRVB, graphite, and stainless steel relevant to potential UK intermediate level radioactive waste (ILW disposal concepts was investigated by exposing these surfaces to alkaliphilic flocs generated by mature biofilm communities. Flocs are aggregates of biofilm material that are able to act as a transport vector for the propagation of biofilms. In systems where biofilm formation was observed there was also a decrease in the sorption of isosaccharinic acids to the NRVB. The biofilms were composed of cells, extracellular DNA (eDNA, proteins, and lipids with a smaller polysaccharide fraction, which was biased towards mannopyranosyl linked carbohydrates. The same trend was seen with the graphite and stainless steel surfaces at these pH values, but in this case the biofilms associated with the stainless steel surfaces had a distinct eDNA basal layer that anchored the biofilm to the surface. At pH 13, no structured biofilm was observed, rather all the surfaces accumulated an indistinct organic layer composed of biofilm materials. This was particularly the case for the stainless steel coupons which accumulated relatively large quantities of eDNA. The results demonstrate that there is the potential for biofilm formation in an ILW-GDF provided an initiation source for the microbial biofilm is present. They also suggest that even when conditions are too harsh for biofilm formation, exposed surfaces may accumulate organic material such as eDNA.

Laboratory Reference Spectroscopy of Icy Satellite Candidate Surface Materials (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Dalton, J. B.; Jamieson, C. S.; Shirley, J. H.; Pitman, K. M.; Kariya, M.; Crandall, P.

2013-12-01

The bulk of our knowledge of icy satellite composition continues to be derived from ultraviolet, visible and infrared remote sensing observations. Interpretation of remote sensing observations relies on availability of laboratory reference spectra of candidate surface materials. These are compared directly to observations, or incorporated into models to generate synthetic spectra representing mixtures of the candidate materials. Spectral measurements for the study of icy satellites must be taken under appropriate conditions (cf. Dalton, 2010; also http://mos.seti.org/icyworldspectra.html for a database of compounds) of temperature (typically 50 to 150 K), pressure (from 10-9 to 10-3 Torr), viewing geometry, (i.e., reflectance), and optical depth (must manifest near infrared bands but avoid saturation in the mid-infrared fundamentals). The Planetary Ice Characterization Laboratory (PICL) is being developed at JPL to provide robust reference spectra for icy satellite surface materials. These include sulfate hydrates, hydrated and hydroxylated minerals, and both organic and inorganic volatile ices. Spectral measurements are performed using an Analytical Spectral Devices FR3 portable grating spectrometer from .35 to 2.5 microns, and a Thermo-Nicolet 6500 Fourier-Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectrometer from 1.25 to 20 microns. These are interfaced with the Basic Extraterrestrial Environment Simulation Testbed (BEEST), a vacuum chamber capable of pressures below 10-9 Torr with a closed loop liquid helium cryostat with custom heating element capable of temperatures from 30-800 Kelvins. To generate optical constants (real and imaginary index of refraction) for use in nonlinear mixing models (i.e., Hapke, 1981 and Shkuratov, 1999), samples are ground and sieved to six different size fractions or deposited at varying rates to provide a range of grain sizes for optical constants calculations based on subtractive Kramers-Kronig combined with Hapke forward modeling (Dalton and

Geological remote sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Bishop, Charlotte; Rivard, Benoit; de Souza Filho, Carlos; van der Meer, Freek

2018-02-01

Geology is defined as the 'study of the planet Earth - the materials of which it is made, the processes that act on these materials, the products formed, and the history of the planet and its life forms since its origin' (Bates and Jackson, 1976). Remote sensing has seen a number of variable definitions such as those by Sabins and Lillesand and Kiefer in their respective textbooks (Sabins, 1996; Lillesand and Kiefer, 2000). Floyd Sabins (Sabins, 1996) defined it as 'the science of acquiring, processing and interpreting images that record the interaction between electromagnetic energy and matter' while Lillesand and Kiefer (Lillesand and Kiefer, 2000) defined it as 'the science and art of obtaining information about an object, area, or phenomenon through the analysis of data acquired by a device that is not in contact with the object, area, or phenomenon under investigation'. Thus Geological Remote Sensing can be considered the study of, not just Earth given the breadth of work undertaken in planetary science, geological features and surfaces and their interaction with the electromagnetic spectrum using technology that is not in direct contact with the features of interest.

Technetium getters in the near surface environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krumhansl, James L.; Zhang, Pengchu; Westrich, Henry R.; Bryan, Charles R.; Molecke, Martin A.

2000-01-01

Conventional performance assessments assume that radioactive 99 Tc travels as a non-sorbing component with an effective K d (distribution coefficient) of 0. This is because soil mineral surfaces commonly develop net negative surface charges and pertechnetate (TcO 4 ), with large ionic size and low electrical density, is not sorbed onto them. However, a variety of materials have been identified that retain Tc and may eventually lead to promising Tc getters. In assessing Tc getter performance it is important to evaluate the environment in which the getter is to function. In many contaminant plumes Tc will only leach slowly from the source of the contamination and significant dilution is likely. Thus, sub-ppb Tc concentrations are expected and normal groundwater constituents will dominate the aquifer chemistry. In this setting a variety of constituents were found to retard TcO 4 : imogolite, boehmite, hydrotalcite, goethite, copper sulfide and oxide and coal. Near leaking tanks of high level nuclear waste, Tc may be present in mg/L level concentrations and groundwater chemistry will be dominated by constituents from the waste. Both bone char, and to a lesser degree, freshly precipitated Al hydroxides may be effective Tc scavengers in this environment. Thus, the search for Tc getters is far from hopeless, although much remains to be learned about the mechanisms by which these materials retain Tc

Erosion of surface and near surface disposal facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-06-01

A literature search was undertaken to identify existing data and analytical procedures regarding the processes of gully erosion. The applicability of the available information to the problems of gully erosion potential at surface and near surface disposal sites is evaluated. It is concluded that the existing knowledge regarding gully erosion is insufficient to develop procedures to ensure the long-term stability of disposal sites. Recommendations for further research are presented. 46 refs

Surficial Geologic Map of the Worcester North-Oxford- Wrentham-Attleboro Nine-Quadrangle Area in South- Central Massachusetts

Science.gov (United States)

Stone, Byron D.; Stone, Janet R.; DiGiacomo-Cohen, Mary L.

2008-01-01

The surficial geologic map layer shows the distribution of nonlithified earth materials at land surface in an area of nine 7.5-minute quadrangles (417 mi2 total) in south-central Massachusetts (fig. 1). Across Massachusetts, these materials range from a few feet to more than 500 ft in thickness. They overlie bedrock, which crops out in upland hills and in resistant ledges in valley areas. The geologic map differentiates surficial materials of Quaternary age on the basis of their lithologic characteristics (such as grain size and sedimentary structures), constructional geomorphic features, stratigraphic relationships, and age. Surficial materials also are known in engineering classifications as unconsolidated soils, which include coarse-grained soils, fine-grained soils, or organic fine-grained soils. Surficial materials underlie and are the parent materials of modern pedogenic soils, which have developed in them at the land surface. Surficial earth materials significantly affect human use of the land, and an accurate description of their distribution is particularly important for water resources, construction aggregate resources, earth-surface hazards assessments, and land-use decisions. The mapped distribution of surficial materials that lie between the land surface and the bedrock surface is based on detailed geologic mapping of 7.5-minute topographic quadrangles, produced as part of an earlier (1938-1982) cooperative statewide mapping program between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Massachusetts Department of Public Works (now Massachusetts Highway Department) (Page, 1967; Stone, 1982). Each published geologic map presents a detailed description of local geologic map units, the genesis of the deposits, and age correlations among units. Previously unpublished field compilation maps exist on paper or mylar sheets and these have been digitally rendered for the present map compilation. Regional summaries based on the Massachusetts surficial geologic mapping

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3564, Jowand (405) and Gurziwan (406) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing carbonates, phyllosilicates, sulfates, altered minerals, and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

Kokaly, Raymond F.; King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected carbonates, phyllosilicates, sulfates, altered minerals, and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. The map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Epidote or chlorite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3364, Pasaband (417) and Markaz-e Kajiran (418) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3566, Sangcharak (501) and Sayghan-o-Kamard (502) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other material

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Giles, Stuart A.; Johnson, Michaela R.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3568, Pul-e Khumri (503) and Charikar (504) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

The use of desk studies, remote sensing and surface geological and geophysical techniques in site investigations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mather, J.D.

1984-02-01

The geoscientific investigations required to characterise a site for the underground disposal of radioactive wastes involve a wide range of techniques and expertise. Individual national investigations need to be planned with the specific geological environment and waste form in mind. However, in any investigation there should be a planned sequence of operations leading through desk studies and surface investigations to the more expensive and sophisticated sub-surface investigations involving borehole drilling and the construction of in situ test facilities. Desk studies are an important and largely underestimated component of site investigations. Most developed countries have archives of topographical, geological and environmental data within government agencies, universities, research institutes and learned societies. Industry is another valuable source but here confidentiality can be a problem. However, in developing countries and in some regions of developed countries the amount of basic data, which needs to be collected over many decades, will not be as extensive. In such regions remote sensing offers a rapid method of examining large areas regardless of land access, vegetation or geological setting, rapidly and at relatively low cost. It can also be used to examine features, such as discontinuity patterns, over relatively small areas in support of intensive ground investigations. Examples will be given of how remote sensing has materially contributed to site characterisation in a number of countries, particularly those such as Sweden, Canada and the United Kingdom where the major effort has concentrated on crystalline rocks. The main role of desk studies and surface investigations is to provide basic data for the planning and execution of more detailed subsurface investigations. However, such studies act as a valuable screening mechanism and if they are carried out correctly can enable adverse characteristics of a site to be identified at an early stage before

Geologic setting of diverse volcanic materials in northern Elysium Planitia, Mars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mouginis-Mark, P.J.

1990-01-01

Geologic mapping of high-resolution (30-50 m/pixel) Viking Orbiter images of northern Elysium Planitia has identified seven sites where current problems in martian volcanology, chronology, and stratigraphy can be resolved. These sites, which are discussed in the context of a potential Mars rover/sample return mission, would permit the following investigations: (1) the dating of Lower Amazonian lava flows from Elysium Mons (thereby providing absolute calibration for global crater size/frequency relative chronologies), (2) the petrologic investigation of long run-out lava flows, (3) the geologic interpretation of materials that may either be lava flows or lahar deposits, (4) the analysis of materials believed to be ash deposits produced by explosive eruptions of Hecates Tholus, and (5) the investigation of the stratigraphy of fractured terrain along the boundary between northern Elysium Planitia and southern Utopia Planitia. 63 refs

Surface Modification and Surface - Subsurface Exchange Processes on Europa

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, C. B.; Molaro, J.; Hand, K. P.

2017-12-01

The surface of Jupiter's moon Europa is modified by exogenic processes such as sputtering, gardening, radiolysis, sulfur ion implantation, and thermal processing, as well as endogenic processes including tidal shaking, mass wasting, and the effects of subsurface tectonic and perhaps cryovolcanic activity. New materials are created or deposited on the surface (radiolysis, micrometeorite impacts, sulfur ion implantation, cryovolcanic plume deposits), modified in place (thermal segregation, sintering), transported either vertically or horizontally (sputtering, gardening, mass wasting, tectonic and cryovolcanic activity), or lost from Europa completely (sputtering, plumes, larger impacts). Some of these processes vary spatially, as visible in Europa's leading-trailing hemisphere brightness asymmetry. Endogenic geologic processes also vary spatially, depending on terrain type. The surface can be classified into general landform categories that include tectonic features (ridges, bands, cracks); disrupted "chaos-type" terrain (chaos blocks, matrix, domes, pits, spots); and impact craters (simple, complex, multi-ring). The spatial distribution of these terrain types is relatively random, with some differences in apex-antiapex cratering rates and latitudinal variation in chaos vs. tectonic features. In this work, we extrapolate surface processes and rates from the top meter of the surface in conjunction with global estimates of transport and resurfacing rates. We combine near-surface modification with an estimate of surface-subsurface (and vice versa) transport rates for various geologic terrains based on an average of proposed formation mechanisms, and a spatial distribution of each landform type over Europa's surface area. Understanding the rates and mass balance for each of these processes, as well as their spatial and temporal variability, allows us to estimate surface - subsurface exchange rates over the average surface age ( 50myr) of Europa. Quantifying the timescale

Siting of near surface disposal facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-01-01

Radioactive waste is generated from the production of nuclear energy and from the use of radioactive materials in industrial applications, research and medicine. The importance of safe management of radioactive waste for the protection of human health and the environment has long been recognized and considerable experience has been gained in this field. The Radioactive Waste Safety Standards (RADWASS) programme is the IAEA's contribution to establishing and promoting, in a coherent and comprehensive manner, the basic safety philosophy for radioactive waste management and the steps necessary to ensure its implementation. The Safety Standards are supplemented by a number of Safety Guides and Safety Practices. This Safety Guide defines the site selection process and criteria for identifying suitable near surface disposal facilities for low and intermediate level solid wastes. Management of the siting process and data needed to apply the criteria are also specified. 4 refs

Dark Material at the Surface of Polar Crater Deposits on Mercury

Science.gov (United States)

Neumann, Gregory A.; Cavanaugh, John F.; Sun, Xiaoli; Mazarico, Erwan; Smith, David E.; Zuber, Maria T.; Solomon, Sean C.; Paige, Daid A.

2012-01-01

Earth-based radar measurements [1-3] have yielded images of radar-bright material at the poles of Mercury postulated to be near-surface water ice residing in cold traps on the permanently shadowed floors of polar impact craters. The Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) on board the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft has now mapped much of the north polar region of Mercury [4] (Fig. 1). Radar-bright zones lie within polar craters or along poleward-facing scarps lying mainly in shadow. Calculations of illumination with respect to solid-body motion [5] show that at least 0.5% of the surface area north of 75deg N lies in permanent shadow, and that most such permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) coincide with radar-bright regions. MLA transmits a 1064-nm-wavelength laser pulse at 8 Hz, timing the leading and trailing edges of the return pulse. MLA can in some cases infer energy and thereby surface reflectance at the laser wavelength from the returned pulses. Surficial exposures of water ice would be optically brighter than the surroundings, but persistent surface water ice would require temperatures over all seasons to remain extremely low (Mercury s eccentric orbit, 3:2 spin-orbit resonance, and near-zero obliquity generally do not support such conditions in all permanently shadowed craters but suggest that water ice buried near the surface ( 1 Gy. We describe measurements of reflectivity derived from MLA pulse returns. These reflectivity data show that surface materials in the shadowed regions are darker than their surroundings, enough to strongly attenuate or extinguish laser returns. Such measurements appear to rule out widespread surface exposures of water ice. We consider explanations for the apparent low reflectivity of these regions involving other types of volatile deposit.

Multielemental analysis of geological materials using EDXRF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernández, Zahily Herrero; Santos Júnior, José A. dos; Amaral, Romilton dos Santos; Santos, Josineide Marques do Nascimento; Rojas, Lino A. Valcárcel; França, Elvis Joacir de

2017-01-01

In northeastern Brazil, there are few studies about the metal pollution of surface soils and for the first time it will be studied heavy metals contamination in soils with different cover land. The State of Pernambuco is representative of the Brazilian Northeast region in relation to the variability of climatic conditions, soil types, cover and land use. Based on this, this paper provides information on the determination of metals in soil samples collected in Pernambuco, Brazil. The analysis of Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Si, Sr, Ti and Zn were performed using Energy Dispersive X Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF). The 316 locations studied were specifically selected taking into account the different land use of soil. Analytical curves were obtained by means of the analysis of certified reference materials, for quantify the metals. The regression coefficients of the analytical curves were higher than 0.99. The quality of the analytical procedure was demonstrated at a 95% confidence level. The analysis of diverse geological samples from Pernambuco indicated higher concentrations of Ni and Zn in sugarcane, with maximum values of 41 mg kg -1 and 118 mg kg -1 , respectively and agricultural areas (41 mg kg -1 and 127 mg kg -1 , respectively). The trace element Sr was mainly enriched in urban soils with values of 400 mg kg -1 . According to the results, the EDXRF method was successfully implemented, providing some chemical tracers for the quality assessment of tropical soils and sediments. (author)

ISLSCP II Reanalysis Near-Surface Meteorology Data

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This data set for the ISLSCP Initiative II data collection provides near surface meteorological variables, fluxes of heat, moisture and momentum at the surface, and...

Yet Another Lunar Surface Geologic Exploration Architecture Concept (What, Again?): A Senior Field Geologist's Integrated View

Science.gov (United States)

Eppler, D. B.

2015-01-01

Lunar surface geological exploration should be founded on a number of key elements that are seemingly disparate, but which can form an integrated operational concept when properly conceived and deployed. If lunar surface geological exploration is to be useful, this integration of key elements needs to be undertaken throughout the development of both mission hardware, training and operational concepts. These elements include the concept of mission class, crew makeup and training, surface mobility assets that are matched with mission class, and field tools and IT assets that make data collection, sharing and archiving transparent to the surface crew.

Quantum field theory near surfaces of discontinuity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Onishi, H.T.

1981-01-01

This work deals with the problem of a quantized scalar field propagating near a surface of discontinuity. The proper time formalism is employed to express the Green's function and stress tensor as proper time integrals of a transformation function. The transformation function is calculated by a WKB approximation which exhibits the essential singularities generated by the high frequency behavior of waves propagating near the surface. Two singularities are present, the usual direct singularity and an additional reflected singularity generated by the high frequency behavior of waves reflected by the discontinuity. The stress tensor is calculated by dimensional continuation. The results are employed to analyze energy generated by the surface

Technology and economics of near-surface geothermal resources exploitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Э. И. Богуславский

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The paper presents economic justification for applicability of near-surface geothermal installations in Luga region, based on results of techno-economic calculations as well as integrated technical and economic comparison of different prediction scenarios of heat supply, both conventional and using geothermal heat pumps (GHP. Construction costs of a near-surface geothermal system can exceed the costs of central heating by 50-100 %. However, operation and maintenance (O&M costs of heat production for geothermal systems are 50-70 % lower than for conventional sources of heating. Currently this technology is very important, it is applied in various countries (USA, Germany, Japan, China etc., and depending on the region both near-surface and deep boreholes are being used. World practice of near-surface geothermal systems application is reviewed in the paper.

Revised draft: Southeastern Regional geologic characterization report. Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-11-01

This report presents available geologic information pertinent to siting a repository for high-level nuclear waste in crystalline rock in Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. For each of the states within the southeastern region, information is provided on the disqualifying factor and the screening variables to be used in region-to-area screening. These factors and variables include hydrologically significant natural resources, rock mass extent, postemplacement faulting, suspected Quaternary faulting, seismicity, rock and mineral resources, major ground-water discharge zones, water resources, ground-water salinity, and state of stress. Information is presented on the age, areal extent, shape, thickness of overburden, composition, texture, degree and type of alteration, and structural features associated with each rock body or complex. Regional seismic and tectonic information is presented, including patterns of earthquake occurrence, earthquake magnitudes, horizontal ground accelerations, and vertical crustal movements. Also included are discussions of the rock and mineral deposits or mines located within or near crystalline bodies; groundwater resources and regional hydrology; postulated changes in climate and the associated effects; and landforms, surface processes, and surficial materials on or near the subject rock bodies. A discussion of the relationship between the DOE Siting Guidelines and the geologic disqualifying factor and regional screening variables to be used in the region-to-area screening process is also presented

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3264, Naw Zad-Musa Qala (423) and Dihrawud (424) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3570, Tagab-e-Munjan (505) and Asmar-Kamdesh (506) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3468, Chak-e Wardak-Siyahgird (509) and Kabul (510) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Giles, Stuart A.; Johnson, Michaela R.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3262, Farah (421) and Hokumat-e-pur-Chaman (422) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Shock-Driven Hydrodynamic Instability Growth Near Phase Boundaries and Material Property Transitions: Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peralta, Pedro [Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States); Fortin, Elizabeth [Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States); Opie, Saul [Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States); Gautam, Sudrishti [Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States); Gopalakrishnan, Ashish [Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States); Lynch, Jenna [Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States); Chen, Yan [Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States); Loomis, Eric [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-03-01

Activities for this grant included: 1) Development of dynamic impact experiments to probe strength and phase transition influence on dynamic deformation, 2) development of modern strength and phase aware simulation capabilities, 3) and post-processing of experimental data with simulation and closed form analytical techniques. Two different dynamic experiments were developed to probe material strengths in solid metals (largely copper and iron in this effort). In the first experiment a flyer plate impacts a flat target with an opposite rippled surface that is partially supported by a weaker window material. Post mortem analysis of the target sample showed a strong and repeatable residual plastic deformation dependence on grain orientation. Yield strengths for strain rates near 10⁵ s^-1 and plastic strains near ~50% were estimated to be around 180 to 240 MPa, varying in this range with grain orientation. Unfortunately dynamic real-time measurements were difficult with this setup due to diagnostic laser scattering; hence, an additional experimental setup was developed to complement these results. In the second set of experiments a rippled surface was ablated by a controlled laser pulsed, which launched a rippled shock front to an opposite initially flat diagnostic surface that was monitored in real-time with spatially resolved velocimetry techniques, e.g., line VISAR in addition to Transient Imaging Displacement Interferometry (TIDI) displacement measurements. This setup limited the displacements at the diagnostic surface to a reasonable level for TIDI measurements (~ less than one micrometer). These experiments coupled with analytical and numerical solutions provided evidence that viscous and elastic deviatoric strength affect shock front perturbation evolution in clearly different ways. Particularly, normalized shock front perturbation amplitudes evolve with viscosity (η) and perturbation wavelength (λ) as η/λ, such that increasing viscosity

Surface Exposure Geochronology Using Cosmogenic Nuclides: Applications in Antarctic Glacial Geology

Science.gov (United States)

1994-02-01

in rocks, are particularly promising for directly dating 1 geological surfaces . In 1934, Grosse et al. first suggested that cosmic rays produce rare...and muons produced by cosmic ray irteractions in the atmosphere and in rocks, and spallation by I neutrons produced in muon capture reactions (Kurz...stable isotopes are useful for surface 3 exposure studies because they can act as integrators of cosmic ray exposure on long time scales, potentially up

Surface physics of materials materials science and technology

CERN Document Server

Blakely, J M

2013-01-01

Surface Physics of Materials presents accounts of the physical properties of solid surfaces. The book contains selected articles that deal with research emphasizing surface properties rather than experimental techniques in the field of surface physics. Topics discussed include transport of matter at surfaces; interaction of atoms and molecules with surfaces; chemical analysis of surfaces; and adhesion and friction. Research workers, teachers and graduate students in surface physics, and materials scientist will find the book highly useful.

From the repository to the deep geological repository - and back to the Terrain surface?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lahodynsky, R.

2011-01-01

How deep is 'safe'? How long is long-term? How and for how long will something be isolated? Which rock, which formation and which location are suitable? A repository constructed for the safekeeping of radioactive or highly toxic wastes can be erected either on the surface, near the surface or underground. Radioactive waste is currently often stored at near-surface locations. The storage usually takes place nearby of a nuclear power plant in pits or concrete tombs (vaults). However, repositories can also be found in restricted areas, e.g. near nuclear weapon production or reprocessing plants (WAA) or nuclear weapons test sites (including Tomsk, Russia, Hanford and Nevada desert, USA), or in extremely low rainfall regions (South Africa). In addition there are disused mines which are now used as underground repositories. Low-level and medium-active (SMA) but also high-level waste (HAA) are stored at these types of sites (NPP, WAA, test areas, former mines). In Russia (Tomsk, Siberia) liquid radioactive waste has been injected into deep geological formations for some time (Minatom, 2001). However, all these locations are not the result of a systematic, scientific search or a holistic process for finding a location, but the result of political decisions, sometimes ignoring scientific findings. Why underground storage is given preference over high-security landfill sites (HSD) often has economic reasons. While a low safety standard can significantly reduce the cost of an above-ground high-security landfill as a waste disposal depot, spending remains high, especially due to the need for capital formation to cover operating expenses after filling the HSD. In the case of underground storage, on the other hand, no additional expenses are required for the period after backfilling. The assumption of lower costs for a deep repository runs through the past decades and coincides with the assumption that the desired ideal underground conditions actually exist and will

Mapping urban geology of the city of Girona, Catalonia

Science.gov (United States)

Vilà, Miquel; Torrades, Pau; Pi, Roser; Monleon, Ona

2016-04-01

A detailed and systematic geological characterization of the urban area of Girona has been conducted under the project '1:5000 scale Urban geological map of Catalonia' of the Catalan Geological Survey (Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya). The results of this characterization are organized into: i) a geological information system that includes all the information acquired; ii) a stratigraphic model focused on identification, characterization and correlation of the geological materials and structures present in the area and; iii) a detailed geological map that represents a synthesis of all the collected information. The mapping project integrates in a GIS environment pre-existing cartographic documentation (geological and topographical), core data from compiled boreholes, descriptions of geological outcrops within the urban network and neighbouring areas, physico-chemical characterisation of representative samples of geological materials, detailed geological mapping of Quaternary sediments, subsurface bedrock and artificial deposits and, 3D modelling of the main geological surfaces. The stratigraphic model is structured in a system of geological units that from a chronostratigrafic point of view are structured in Palaeozoic, Paleogene, Neogene, Quaternary and Anthropocene. The description of the geological units is guided by a systematic procedure. It includes the main lithological and structural features of the units that constitute the geological substratum and represents the conceptual base of the 1:5000 urban geological map of the Girona metropolitan area, which is organized into 6 map sheets. These map sheets are composed by a principal map, geological cross sections and, several complementary maps, charts and tables. Regardless of the geological map units, the principal map also represents the main artificial deposits, features related to geohistorical processes, contours of outcrop areas, information obtained in stations, borehole data, and contour

Improving the effectiveness of geological prospecting with neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fardy, J.J.

1984-01-01

Two examples of the use of neutron activation analysis to improve the effectiveness of geological prospecting are examined. The first is application to the direct hydrogeochemical prospecting for gold in surface waters. The second shows how multielement data banks produced by NAA for a geological formation provide a powerful method for the classification of ore bodies and sedimentary materials

Improvement of Safety Assessment Methodologies for Near Surface Disposal Facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batandjieva, B.; Torres-Vidal, C.

2002-01-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Coordinated research program ''Improvement of Safety Assessment Methodologies for Near Surface Disposal Facilities'' (ISAM) has developed improved safety assessment methodology for near surface disposal facilities. The program has been underway for three years and has included around 75 active participants from 40 countries. It has also provided examples for application to three safety cases--vault, Radon type and borehole radioactive waste disposal facilities. The program has served as an excellent forum for exchange of information and good practices on safety assessment approaches and methodologies used worldwide. It also provided an opportunity for reaching broad consensus on the safety assessment methodologies to be applied to near surface low and intermediate level waste repositories. The methodology has found widespread acceptance and the need for its application on real waste disposal facilities has been clearly identified. The ISAM was finalized by the end of 2000, working material documents are available and an IAEA report will be published in 2002 summarizing the work performed during the three years of the program. The outcome of the ISAM program provides a sound basis for moving forward to a new IAEA program, which will focus on practical application of the safety assessment methodologies to different purposes, such as licensing radioactive waste repositories, development of design concepts, upgrading existing facilities, reassessment of operating repositories, etc. The new program will also provide an opportunity for development of guidance on application of the methodology that will be of assistance to both safety assessors and regulators

Reduction of beta-interference in gamma-spectrometric measurements of neutron-irradiated geological material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garmann, L.B.

1986-01-01

The analytical technique for INAA, when applied to geological materials, is improved by introducing an electromagnetic field between sample and detector. This field lowers the bremsstrahlung background intensity in the gamma-spectrum by reducing the number of beta-particles reaching the detector. Thus precision, accuracy and lower detection limit are improved. The technique was used on alkalisyenite and on meteoritic material, rocks containing high quantities of sodium and iron, respectively. After neutron irradiation, the induced nuclides sup(24)Na and sup(59)Fe are responsible for high bremsstrahlung interference, which under normal analyitical conditions would mask any x-ray or gamma-ray peaks of interest. The technique is easily applied to multielement analysis of geological and biological materials. It can be combined with sophisticated spectrum-treating techniques such as spectrum stripping and spectrum smoothing, or coincidence-anticoincidence circuits. (author)

Superresolution Near-field Imaging with Surface Waves

KAUST Repository

Fu, Lei; Liu, Zhaolun; Schuster, Gerard T.

2017-01-01

We present the theory for near-field superresolution imaging with surface waves and time reverse mirrors (TRMs). Theoretical formulas and numerical results show that applying the TRM operation to surface waves in an elastic half-space can achieve

Computer modeling of nuclide adsorption on geologic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, R.J.; White, A.R.; Yee, A.W.

1980-07-01

A computer program, called MINEQL, has been developed and is being tested for use in predicting the distribution of radionuclides between solid and aqueous species for a variety of geologic materials and solution conditions. MINEQL is designed to accept a list of components of a system (electrolytes, solid substrates and radionuclides) and their total analytical concentrations, solve the appropriate set of mass balance and equilibrium expressions, and produce a list of the identities and concentrations of all species formed by interactions among the components and between them and/or water

Imaging near-surface heterogeneities by natural migration of surface waves

KAUST Repository

Liu, Zhaolun

2016-09-06

We demonstrate that near-surface heterogeneities can be imaged by natural migration of backscattered surface waves in common shot gathers. No velocity model is required because the data are migrated onto surface points with the virtual Green\\'s functions computed from the shot gathers. Migrating shot gathers recorded by 2D and 3D land surveys validates the effectiveness of detecting nearsurface heterogeneities by natural migration. The implication is that more accurate hazard maps can be created by migrating surface waves in land surveys.

Dynamic High-Pressure Behavior of Hierarchical Heterogeneous Geological Materials

Science.gov (United States)

2016-04-01

plate-impact experiments. The peak stress, particle velocity, or shock velocity, are measured using point diagnostics employing either stress gauges or...and porous geological materials. In this prior work, they obtained the Hugoniot states for a 60:40 volumetric mixture of ice and sand [8], to...in copper capsule, backed with PMMA. The instrumentation includes two PVDF stress gauges , VISAR, and ToA shorting pins. 44mm ø ~5mm thick sample

Stability of metallic copper in the near surface environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amcoff, Oe.; Holenyi, K.

1992-03-01

The present study was initiated by the National Board for Spent Nuclear Fuel (SKN). It may be regarded as a review of the state of the art of copper stability - copper mobility in a low temperature - near surface environment. In the discussion, we have emphasized geological - geochemical milieus that have a direct bearing on the problem of final storage of spent nuclear fuel in copper canisters. The literature review has concentrated on copper in connection with: a. low-temperature environments, and b. Stability-mobility, with particular emphasis on a chloride-rich, sulphur-rich milieu. The possible influence on the present processes of radiolysis and engineered barriers besides copper is not discussed in this report. In order to faciliate the discussion, a number of examples on copper mineral stabilities and copper solubility etc. are given below, based on thermodynamic calculations. These calculations are simplified to a certain degree and the discussion is based on differences in orders of magnitude rather than on exact figures. The thermodynamic foundation for the calculations is given in an appendix. Conclusions and recommendations are outlined in general terms in a separate report. (59 refs.) (au)

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3466, La`l wa Sar Jangal (507) and Bamyan (508) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Giles, Stuart A.; Johnson, Michaela R.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

An investigation of the repeatability of calibration factors in gamma-ray spectrometry of geological materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mustapha, A.O.; Patel, J.P.; Rathore, I.V.S.; Hashim, N.O.; Otwoma, D.

2004-01-01

A NaI(Tl)-based gamma spectrometer for the analysis of geological materials was calibrated using the IAEA reference materials RGU-1, RGTH-1 and RGK-1. To simulate typical geological samples, two additional standards were prepared from aliquots of the three reference materials. The reproducibility of the instrument calibration factors (CFs) was tested by repeated measurements of the pure IAEA reference materials and the mixed samples in a reproducible counting geometry. The results were analysed using a two-way classification analysis of variance; it was found that the variance in the CFs is significantly higher between standards than it is between measurements. Allowance should be made for this when estimating uncertainties in measurements with the NaI(Tl) spectrometers

Preliminary geologic framework developed for a proposed environmental monitoring study of a deep, unconventional Marcellus Shale drill site, Washington County, Pennsylvania

Science.gov (United States)

Stamm, Robert G.

2018-06-08

completed. This was done for three principal reasons. First, there was an immediate need to know the distribution of the relatively undisturbed surface to near-surface bedrock geology and unconsolidated materials for the collection of baseline surface data prior to drill site development (drill pad access road, drill pad leveling) and later during monitoring associated with well drilling, well development, and well production. Second, it was necessary to know the bedrock geology to support the siting of: (1) multiple shallow groundwater monitoring wells (possibly as many as four) surrounding and located immediately adjacent to the drill pad, and (2) deep groundwater monitoring wells (possibly two) located at distance from the drill pad with one possibly being sited along one of the deviated production drill legs. Lastly, the framework geology would provide the lateral extent, thickness, lithology, and expected discontinuities of geologic units (to be parsed or grouped as hydrostratigraphic units) and regional structure trends as inputs into the groundwater model.This report provides the methodology of geologic data accumulation and aggregation, and its integration into a geographic information system (GIS) based program. The GIS program will allow multiple data to be exported in various formats (shapefiles [.shp], database files [.dbf], and Keyhole Markup Language files [.KML]) for use in surface and subsurface geologic site characterization, for sampling strategies, and for inputs for groundwater modeling.

Multielemental analysis of geological materials using EDXRF

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernández, Zahily Herrero; Santos Júnior, José A. dos; Amaral, Romilton dos Santos; Santos, Josineide Marques do Nascimento; Rojas, Lino A. Valcárcel, E-mail: zahily1985@gmail.com, E-mail: jaraujo@ufpe.br, E-mail: romilton@ufpe.br, E-mail: josineide.santos@ufpe.br, E-mail: linomarvic@gmail.com [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife (Brazil). Departamento de Energia Nuclear; Alvarez, Juan R. Estevez, E-mail: jestevez@ceaden.edu.cu [Centro de Aplicaciones Tecnológicas y Desarrollo Nuclear, Havana (Cuba); França, Elvis Joacir de, E-mail: ejfranca@gmail.com [Centro Regional de Ciências Nucleares do Nordeste (CRCN-EN/CNEN-PE), Recife, PE (Brazil)

2017-07-01

In northeastern Brazil, there are few studies about the metal pollution of surface soils and for the first time it will be studied heavy metals contamination in soils with different cover land. The State of Pernambuco is representative of the Brazilian Northeast region in relation to the variability of climatic conditions, soil types, cover and land use. Based on this, this paper provides information on the determination of metals in soil samples collected in Pernambuco, Brazil. The analysis of Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Si, Sr, Ti and Zn were performed using Energy Dispersive X Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF). The 316 locations studied were specifically selected taking into account the different land use of soil. Analytical curves were obtained by means of the analysis of certified reference materials, for quantify the metals. The regression coefficients of the analytical curves were higher than 0.99. The quality of the analytical procedure was demonstrated at a 95% confidence level. The analysis of diverse geological samples from Pernambuco indicated higher concentrations of Ni and Zn in sugarcane, with maximum values of 41 mg kg{sup -1} and 118 mg kg{sup -1}, respectively and agricultural areas (41 mg kg{sup -1} and 127 mg kg{sup -1}, respectively). The trace element Sr was mainly enriched in urban soils with values of 400 mg kg{sup -1}. According to the results, the EDXRF method was successfully implemented, providing some chemical tracers for the quality assessment of tropical soils and sediments. (author)

UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS FOR RAPID NEAR SURFACE GEOPHYSICAL MEASUREMENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. B. Stoll

2013-08-01

Full Text Available This paper looks at some of the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS options and deals with a magnetometer sensor system which might be of interest in conducting rapid near surface geophysical measurements. Few of the traditional airborne geophysical sensors are now capable of being miniaturized to sizes and payload within mini UAS limits (e.g. airborne magnetics, gamma ray spectrometer. Here the deployment of a fluxgate magnetometer mounted on an UAS is presented demonstrating its capability of detecting metallic materials that are buried in the soil. The effectiveness in finding ferrous objects (e.g. UXO, landslides is demonstrated in two case studies.

Improved Geologic Interpretation of Non-invasive Electrical Resistivity Imaging from In-situ Samples

Science.gov (United States)

Mucelli, A.; Aborn, L.; Jacob, R.; Malusis, M.; Evans, J.

2016-12-01

Non-invasive geophysical techniques are useful in characterizing the subsurface geology without disturbing the environment, however, the ability to interpret the subsurface is enhanced by invasive work. Since geologic materials have electrical resistivity values it allows for a geologic interpretation to be made based on variations of electrical resistivity measured by electrical resistivity imaging (ERI). This study focuses on the pre-characterization of the geologic subsurface from ERI collected adjacent to the Montandon Marsh, a wetland located near Lewisburg, PA within the West Branch of the Susquehanna River watershed. The previous invasive data, boreholes, indicate that the subsurface consists of limestone and shale bedrock overlain with sand and gravel deposits from glacial outwash and aeolian processes. The objective is to improve our understanding of the subsurface at this long-term hydrologic research site by using excavation results, specifically observed variations in geologic materials and electrical resistivity laboratory testing of subsurface samples. The pre-excavation ERI indicated that the shallow-most geologic material had a resistivity value of 100-500 ohm-m. In comparison, the laboratory testing indicated the shallow-most material had the same range of electrical resistivity values depending on saturation levels. The ERI also showed that there was an electrically conductive material, 7 to 70 ohm-m, that was interpreted to be clay and agreed with borehole data, however, the excavation revealed that at this depth range the geologic material varied from stratified clay to clay with cobbles to weathered residual clay. Excavation revealed that the subtle variations in the electrical conductive material corresponded well with the variations in the geologic material. We will use these results to reinterpret previously collected ERI data from the entire long-term research site.

Hydrochemical characteristic of surface and groundwater Lisichansk and Almazno-Marevske geological and industrial districts Nnorth-Eastern Donbas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Udalov Y.V.

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Incorporates a complex of problems accompanying the operation of coal deposits of Donbass. See hydrochemical characteristics of surface and groundwater Lisichansk and Almazno-Maryevskogo geological and industrial areas of the North-Eastern Donbass. Identified the main hydrochemical features of the waste mine waters of the enterprises of the coal industry on the territory of the studies. It is established that the surface waters of the study area exposed to intensive anthropogenic influence. Set content of basic elements-pollutants in surface waters. It is revealed that this pollution is of a complex nature. Identifies key elements contained in the effluent of industrial enterprises. Analyzed that a change of the chemical composition of groundwater has led to increased hardness and mineralization of water in the main water intakes of the research area. Identifies key elements-contaminants in groundwater. It was found that as a result of mine dewatering groundwater level fell over an area of 200km2, far exceeding the area of coal mining. This operational reserves fresh underground waters in the groundwater runoff module 1.2 dm3 / sec. km2 decreased by 200 - 300 m3 / day. Within funnel depression hydraulic connection is created not only a few confined aquifers, but also located near the mine fields. For example, in the area of Stakhanov the Luhansk region in general depression funnel width of about 25 km and a depth of 600-800m were 8 mine ("Central Irmino", "Maximovska" Ilyich, named after I.V. Chesnokov, "Krivoy Rog", 11-RAD "Brjankovsky" and "Dzerzhinsk". The purpose of research is general hydrochemical characteristics and identification of key elements polluting surface and groundwater Lisichanskiy and diamond-Marevskogo geological and industrial areas of the North-East Donbas.

Revised draft: North Central Regional geologic characterization report. Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-11-01

This report presents available geologic information pertinent to siting a repository for high-level nuclear waste in crystalline rock in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. For each of the states within the North Central Region, information is provided on the disqualifying factor and the screening variables to be used in region-to-area screening. These factors and variables include hydrologically significant natural resources, rock mass extent, post-emplacement faulting, suspected Quaternary faulting, seismicity, rock and mineral resources, major groundwater discharge zones, water resources, groundwater salinity, and state of stress. Information is presented on age, areal extent, shape, thickness of overburden, composition, texture, degree and type of alteration, and structural features associated with each rock body or complex. Regional seismic and tectonic information is presented, including patterns of earthquake occurrence, earthquake magnitudes, horizontal ground accelerations, and vertical crustal movements. Also included are discussions of the rock and mineral deposits or mines located within or near crystalline rock bodies; groundwater resources and regional hydrology; postulated changes in climate and the associated effects; and landforms, surface processes, and surficial materials on or near the subject rock bodies. A discussion of the relationship between the DOE Siting Guidelines and the geologic disqualifying factor and regional screening variables to be used in the region-to-area screening process is also presented

Near-field millimeter - wave imaging of nonmetallic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gopalsami, N.; Bakhtiari, S.; Raptis, A.C.

1996-01-01

A near-field millimeter-wave (mm-wave) imaging system has been designed and built in the 94-GHz range for on-line inspection of nonmetallic (dielectric) materials. The imaging system consists of a transceiver block coupled to an antenna that scans the material to be imaged; a reflector plate is placed behind the material. A quadrature IF mixer in the transceiver block enables measurement of in-phase and quadrature-phase components of reflected signals with respect to the transmitted signal. All transceiver components, with the exception of the Gunn-diode oscillator and antenna, were fabricated in uniform blocks and integrated and packaged into a compact unit (12.7 x 10.2 x 2.5 cm). The objective of this work is to test the applicability of a near-field compact mm-wave sensor for on-line inspection of sheetlike materials such as paper, fabrics, and plastics. This paper presents initial near-field mm-wave images of paper and fabric samples containing known artifacts

Near-Surface Geophysical Character of a Holocene Fault Carrying Geothermal Flow Near Pyramid Lake, Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Dudley, C.; Dorsey, A.; Louie, J. N.; Schwering, P. C.; Pullammanappallil, S.

2012-12-01

Lines of calcium carbonate tufa columns mark recent faults that cut 11 ka Lake Lahontan sediments at Astor Pass, north of Pyramid Lake, Nevada. Throughout the Great Basin, faults appear to control the location of geothermal resources, providing pathways for fluid migration. Reservoir-depth (greater than 1 km) seismic imaging at Astor Pass shows a fault that projects to one of the lines of tufa columns at the surface. The presence of the tufa deposits suggests this fault carried warm geothermal waters through the lakebed clay sediments in recent time. The warm fluids deposited the tufa when they hit cold Lake Lahontan water at the lakebed. Lake Lahontan covered this location to a depth of at least 60 m at 11 ka. In collaboration with the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, an Applied Geophysics class at UNR investigated the near-surface geophysical characteristics of this fault. The survey comprises near-surface seismic reflection and refraction, nine near-surface refraction microtremor (SeisOpt® ReMi™) arrays, nine near-surface direct-current resistivity soundings, magnetic surveys, and gravity surveys at and near the tufa columns. The refraction microtremor results show shear velocities near tufa and faults to be marginally lower, compared to Vs away from the faults. Overall, the 30-m depth-averaged shear velocities are low, less than 300 m/s, consistent with the lakebed clay deposits. These results show no indication of any fast (> 500 m/s) tufa below the surface at or near the tufa columns. Vs30 averages were 274 ± 13 m/s on the fault, 287 ± 2 m/s at 150 m east of the fault, and 290 ± 15 m/s at 150 m west of the fault. The P-velocity refraction optimization results also show no indication of high-velocity tufa buried below the surface in the Lahontan sediments, reinforcing the idea that all tufa was deposited above the lakebed surface. The seismic results provide a negative test of the hypothesis that deposition of the lakebeds in the Quaternary buried and

Design and operational considerations of United States commercial near-surface low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Birk, S.M.

1997-10-01

In accordance with the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985, states are responsible for providing for disposal of commercially generated low-level radioactive waste (LLW) within their borders. LLW in the US is defined as all radioactive waste that is not classified as spent nuclear fuel, high-level radioactive waste, transuranic waste, or by-product material resulting from the extraction of uranium from ore. Commercial waste includes LLW generated by hospitals, universities, industry, pharmaceutical companies, and power utilities. LLW generated by the country''s defense operations is the responsibility of the Federal government and its agency, the Department of Energy. The commercial LLRW disposal sites discussed in this report are located near: Sheffield, Illinois (closed); Maxey Flats, Kentucky (closed); Beatty, Nevada (closed); West Valley, New York (closed); Barnwell, South Carolina (operating); Richland, Washington (operating); Ward Valley, California, (proposed); Sierra Blanca, Texas (proposed); Wake County, North Carolina (proposed); and Boyd County, Nebraska (proposed). While some comparisons between the sites described in this report are appropriate, this must be done with caution. In addition to differences in climate and geology between sites, LLW facilities in the past were not designed and operated to today''s standards. This report summarizes each site''s design and operational considerations for near-surface disposal of low-level radioactive waste. The report includes: a description of waste characteristics; design and operational features; post closure measures and plans; cost and duration of site characterization, construction, and operation; recent related R and D activities for LLW treatment and disposal; and the status of the LLW system in the US

Materials interactions relating to long-term geologic disposal of nuclear waste glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bibler, N.E.; Jantzen, C.M.

1987-01-01

In the geologic disposal of nuclear waste glass, the glass will eventually interact with groundwater in the repository system. Interactions can also occur between the glass and other waste package materials that are present. These include the steel canister that holds the glass, the metal overpack over the canister, backfill materials that may be used, and the repository host rock. This review paper systematizes the additional interactions that materials in the waste package will impose on the borosilicate glass waste form-groundwater interactions. The repository geologies reviewed are tuff, salt, basalt, and granite. The interactions emphasized are those appropriate to conditions expected after repository closure, e.g. oxic vs anoxic conditions. Whenever possible, the effect of radiation from the waste form on the interactions is examined. The interactions are evaluated based on their effect on the release and speciation of various elements including radionuclides from the glass. It is noted when further tests of repository interactions are needed before long-term predictions can be made. 63 references, 1 table

Conduct of Geologic Field Work During Planetary Exploration: Why Geology Matters

Science.gov (United States)

Eppler, Dean B.

2010-01-01

The science of field geology is the investigative process of determining the distribution of rock units and structures on a planet fs surface, and it is the first-order data set that informs all subsequent studies of a planet, such as geochemistry, geochronology, geophysics, or remote sensing. For future missions to the Moon and Mars, the surface systems deployed must support the conduct of field geology if these endeavors are to be scientifically useful. This lecture discussed what field geology is all about.why it is important, how it is done, how conducting field geology informs many other sciences, and how it affects the design of surface systems and the implementation of operations in the future.

Near-surface compressional and shear wave speeds constrained by body-wave polarization analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Sunyoung; Ishii, Miaki

2018-06-01

A new technique to constrain near-surface seismic structure that relates body-wave polarization direction to the wave speed immediately beneath a seismic station is presented. The P-wave polarization direction is only sensitive to shear wave speed but not to compressional wave speed, while the S-wave polarization direction is sensitive to both wave speeds. The technique is applied to data from the High-Sensitivity Seismograph Network in Japan, and the results show that the wave speed estimates obtained from polarization analysis are compatible with those from borehole measurements. The lateral variations in wave speeds correlate with geological and physical features such as topography and volcanoes. The technique requires minimal computation resources, and can be used on any number of three-component teleseismic recordings, opening opportunities for non-invasive and inexpensive study of the shallowest (˜100 m) crustal structures.

Geology of the Shakespeare quadrangle (H03), Mercury

Science.gov (United States)

Guzzetta, L.; Galluzzi, V.; Ferranti, L.; Palumbo, P.

2017-09-01

A 1:3M geological map of the H03 Shakespeare quadrangle of Mercury has been compiled through photointerpretation of the remotely sensed images of the NASA MESSENGER mission. This quadrangle is characterized by the occurrence of three main types of plains materials and four basin materials, pertaining to the Caloris basin, the largest impact crater on Mercury's surface. The geologic boundaries have been redefined compared to the previous 1:5M map of the quadrangle and the craters have been classified privileging their stratigraphic order rather than morphological appearance. The abundant tectonic landforms have been interpreted and mapped as thrusts or wrinkle ridges.

Quaternary geologic map of the Austin 4° x 6° quadrangle, United States

Science.gov (United States)

State compilations by Moore, David W.; Wermund, E.G.; edited and integrated by Moore, David W.; Richmond, Gerald Martin; Christiansen, Ann Coe; Bush, Charles A.

1993-01-01

This map is part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States (I-1420). It was first published as a printed edition in 1993. The geologic data have now been captured digitally and are presented here along with images of the printed map sheet and component parts as PDF files. The Quaternary Geologic Map of the Austin 4° x 6° Quadrangle was mapped as part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States. The atlas was begun as an effort to depict the areal distribution of surficial geologic deposits and other materials that accumulated or formed during the past 2+ million years, the period that includes all activities of the human species. These materials are at the surface of the Earth. They make up the ground on which we walk, the dirt in which we dig foundations, and the soil in which we grow crops. Most of our human activity is related in one way or another to these surface materials that are referred to collectively by many geologists as regolith, the mantle of fragmental and generally unconsolidated material that overlies the bedrock foundation of the continent. The maps were compiled at 1:1,000,000 scale. In recent years, surficial deposits and materials have become the focus of much interest by scientists, environmentalists, governmental agencies, and the general public. They are the foundations of ecosystems, the materials that support plant growth and animal habitat, and the materials through which travels much of the water required for our agriculture, our industry, and our general well being. They also are materials that easily can become contaminated by pesticides, fertilizers, and toxic wastes. In this context, the value of the surficial geologic map is evident.

Direct detection of near-surface faults by migration of back-scattered surface waves

KAUST Repository

Yu, Han

2014-08-05

We show that diffraction stack migration can be used to estimate the distribution of near-surface faults. The assumption is that near-surface faults generate detectable back-scattered surface waves from impinging surface waves. The processing steps are to isolate the back-scattered surface waves, and then migrate them by diffraction migration using the surface wave velocity as the migration velocity. Instead of summing events along trial quasi-hyperbolas, surface wave migration sums events along trial quasi-linear trajectories that correspond to the moveout of back-scattered surface waves. A deconvolution filter derived from the data can be used to collapse a dispersive arrival into a non-dispersive event. Results with synthetic data and field records validate the feasibility of this method. Applying this method to USArray data or passively recorded exploration data might open new opportunities in mapping tectonic features over the extent of the array.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangle 3260, Dasht-e-Chah-e-Mazar (419) and Anar Darah (420) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Geology and photometric variation of solar system bodies with minor atmospheres: implications for solid exoplanets.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujii, Yuka; Kimura, Jun; Dohm, James; Ohtake, Makiko

2014-09-01

A reasonable basis for future astronomical investigations of exoplanets lies in our best knowledge of the planets and satellites in the Solar System. Solar System bodies exhibit a wide variety of surface environments, even including potential habitable conditions beyond Earth, and it is essential to know how they can be characterized from outside the Solar System. In this study, we provide an overview of geological features of major Solar System solid bodies with minor atmospheres (i.e., the terrestrial Moon, Mercury, the Galilean moons, and Mars) that affect surface albedo at local to global scale, and we survey how they influence point-source photometry in the UV/visible/near IR (i.e., the reflection-dominant range). We simulate them based on recent mapping products and also compile observed light curves where available. We show a 5-50% peak-to-trough variation amplitude in one spin rotation associated with various geological processes including heterogeneous surface compositions due to igneous activities, interaction with surrounding energetic particles, and distribution of grained materials. Some indications of these processes are provided by the amplitude and wavelength dependence of variation in combinations of the time-averaged spectra. We also estimate the photometric precision needed to detect their spin rotation rates through periodogram analysis. Our survey illustrates realistic possibilities for inferring the detailed properties of solid exoplanets with future direct imaging observations. Key Words: Planetary environments-Planetary geology-Solar System-Extrasolar terrestrial planets.

Enhancing the antibacterial performance of orthopaedic implant materials by fibre laser surface engineering

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chan, Chi-Wai; Carson, Louise; Smith, Graham C.

2017-01-01

to the effort on enhancing osseointegration, wear and corrosion resistance of implant materials. In this study, the effects of laser surface treatment on enhancing the antibacterial properties of commercially pure (CP) Ti (Grade 2), Ti6Al4V (Grade 5) and CoCrMo alloy implant materials were studied and compared...... for the first time. Laser surface treatment was performed by a continuous wave (CW) fibre laser with a near-infrared wavelength of 1064 nm in a nitrogen-containing environment. Staphylococcus aureus, commonly implicated in infection associated with orthopaedic implants, was used to investigate the antibacterial...... properties of the laser-treated surfaces. The surface roughness and topography of the laser-treated materials were analysed by a 2D roughness testing and by AFM. The surface morphologies before and after 24 h of bacterial cell culture were captured by SEM, and bacterial viability was determined using live...

Predictive Modeling of Terrestrial Radiation Exposure from Geologic Materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malchow, Russell L. [National Security Technologies, LLC; Haber, Daniel University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Burnley, Pamela [University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Marsac, Kara [University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Hausrath, Elisabeth [University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Adcock, Christopher [University of Nevada, Las Vegas

2015-01-01

Aerial gamma ray surveys are important for those working in nuclear security and industry for determining locations of both anthropogenic radiological sources and natural occurrences of radionuclides. During an aerial gamma ray survey, a low flying aircraft, such as a helicopter, flies in a linear pattern across the survey area while measuring the gamma emissions with a sodium iodide (NaI) detector. Currently, if a gamma ray survey is being flown in an area, the only way to correct for geologic sources of gamma rays is to have flown the area previously. This is prohibitively expensive and would require complete national coverage. This project’s goal is to model the geologic contribution to radiological backgrounds using published geochemical data, GIS software, remote sensing, calculations, and modeling software. K, U and Th are the three major gamma emitters in geologic material. U and Th are assumed to be in secular equilibrium with their daughter isotopes. If K, U, and Th abundance values are known for a given geologic unit the expected gamma ray exposure rate can be calculated using the Grasty equation or by modeling software. Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport software (MCNP), developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory, is modeling software designed to simulate particles and their interactions with matter. Using this software, models have been created that represent various lithologies. These simulations randomly generate gamma ray photons at energy levels expected from natural radiologic sources. The photons take a random path through the simulated geologic media and deposit their energy at the end of their track. A series of nested spheres have been created and filled with simulated atmosphere to record energy deposition. Energies deposited are binned in the same manner as the NaI detectors used during an aerial survey. These models are used in place of the simplistic Grasty equation as they take into account absorption properties of the lithology which the

The Pilot Lunar Geologic Mapping Project: Summary Results and Recommendations from the Copernicus Quadrangle

Science.gov (United States)

Skinner, J. A., Jr.; Gaddis, L. R.; Hagerty, J. J.

2010-01-01

The first systematic lunar geologic maps were completed at 1:1M scale for the lunar near side during the 1960s using telescopic and Lunar Orbiter (LO) photographs [1-3]. The program under which these maps were completed established precedents for map base, scale, projection, and boundaries in order to avoid widely discrepant products. A variety of geologic maps were subsequently produced for various purposes, including 1:5M scale global maps [4-9] and large scale maps of high scientific interest (including the Apollo landing sites) [10]. Since that time, lunar science has benefitted from an abundance of surface information, including high resolution images and diverse compositional data sets, which have yielded a host of topical planetary investigations. The existing suite of lunar geologic maps and topical studies provide exceptional context in which to unravel the geologic history of the Moon. However, there has been no systematic approach to lunar geologic mapping since the flight of post-Apollo scientific orbiters. Geologic maps provide a spatial and temporal framework wherein observations can be reliably benchmarked and compared. As such, a lack of a systematic mapping program means that modern (post- Apollo) data sets, their scientific ramifications, and the lunar scientists who investigate these data, are all marginalized in regard to geologic mapping. Marginalization weakens the overall understanding of the geologic evolution of the Moon and unnecessarily partitions lunar research. To bridge these deficiencies, we began a pilot geologic mapping project in 2005 as a means to assess the interest, relevance, and technical methods required for a renewed lunar geologic mapping program [11]. Herein, we provide a summary of the pilot geologic mapping project, which focused on the geologic materials and stratigraphic relationships within the Copernicus quadrangle (0-30degN, 0-45degW).

Duplex sonography of the near-surface leg veins; Duplexsonographie der oberflaechlichen Beinvenen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mendoza, E.

2007-07-01

The book contains the following contributions: The ultrasonograph, selection of the ultrasonic transducer, anatomy of the near-surface vein system, physiology of the near-surface vein system, varicose status classification, systematics of the duplex sonography of near-surface leg veins, provocational maneuver for the duplex sonographic varicose diagnostics, exploration of vena saphena parva, perforans veins, side branches, phlebitis, sonography for varicose therapy, postsurgical sonography, deep leg veins, examination of near-surface leg veins for the pathology of the deep vein system, differential diagnostic clarification of leg oedema from the phlebologic-lymphological view, diagnostic side features along the near-surface leg veins.

Derivation of activity limits for the disposal of radioactive waste in near surface disposal facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-12-01

Radioactive waste must be managed safely, consistent with internationally agreed safety standards. The disposal method chosen for the waste should be commensurate with the hazard and longevity of the waste. Near surface disposal is an option used by many countries for the disposal of radioactive waste containing mainly short lived radionuclides and low concentrations of long lived radionuclides. The term 'near surface disposal' encompasses a wide range of design options, including disposal in engineered structures at or just below ground level, disposal in simple earthen trenches a few metres deep, disposal in engineered concrete vaults, and disposal in rock caverns several tens of metres below the surface. The use of a near surface disposal option requires design and operational measures to provide for the protection of human health and the environment, both during operation of the disposal facility and following its closure. To ensure the safety of both workers and the public (both in the short term and the long term), the operator is required to design a comprehensive waste management system for the safe operation and closure of a near surface disposal facility. Part of such a system is to establish criteria for accepting waste for disposal at the facility. The purpose of the criteria is to limit the consequences of events which could lead to radiation exposures and in addition, to prevent or limit hazards, which could arise from non-radiological causes. Waste acceptance criteria include limits on radionuclide content concentration in waste materials, and radionuclide amounts in packages and in the repository as a whole. They also include limits on quantity of free liquids, requirements for exclusion of chelating agents and pyrophoric materials, and specifications of the characteristics of the waste containers. Largely as a result of problems encountered at some disposal facilities operated in the past, in 1985 the IAEA published guidance on generic acceptance

Characterization of subsurface geologic structure for potential water resources near the Villages of Moenkopi, Arizona, 2009--2010

Science.gov (United States)

Macy, Jamie P.

2012-01-01

The Hopi Tribe depends on groundwater as their primary drinking-water source in the area of the Villages of Moenkopi, in northeastern Arizona. Growing concerns of the potential for uranium contamination at the Moenkopi water supply wells from the Tuba City Landfill prompted the need for an improved understanding of subsurface geology and groundwater near Moenkopi. Information in this report provides the Hopi Tribe with new hydrogeologic information that provides a better understanding of groundwater resources near the Villages of Moenkopi. The U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Hopi Tribe used the controlled source audio-frequency magnetotelluric (CSAMT) geophysical technique to characterize the subsurface near Moenkopi from December 2009 to September 2010. A total of six CSAMT profiles were surveyed to identify possible fracturing and faulting in the subsurface that provides information about the occurrence and movement of groundwater. Inversion results from the six CSAMT lines indicated that north to south trending fractures are more prevalent than east to west. CSAMT Lines A and C showed multiple areas in the Navajo Sandstone where fractures are present. Lines B, D, E, and F did not show the same fracturing as Lines A and C.

Investigation of the near-surface electronic structure of Cr(001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klebanoff, L.E.; Robey, S.W.; Liu, G.; Shirley, D.A.

1985-01-01

An angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES) study of Cr(001) near-surface electronic structure is presented. Measurements are reported for energy-band dispersions along the [010] direction parallel to the crystal surface. The periodicity of these band dispersions indicates that the valence electrons experience and self-consistently establish antiferromagnetism in the near-surface layers of Cr(001). We also present highly-surface-sensitive ARPES measurements of the energy-band dispersions along the [001] direction normal to the surface. The results suggest that the surface magnetic moments, which couple ferromagnetically to each other within the surface layer, couple antiferromagnetically to the moments of the atoms in the second layer. Temperature-dependent studies are presented that reveal the persistence of near-surface antiferromagnetic order for temperatures up to 2.5 times the bulk Neel temperature. The temperature dependence of this antiferromagnetic order suggests that its thermal stability derives in part from the stability of the Cr(001) ferromagnetic surface phase

Near-ground cooling efficacies of trees and high-albedo surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Levinson, Ronnen M. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

1997-05-01

Daytime summer urban heat islands arise when the prevalence of dark-colored surfaces and lack of vegetation make a city warmer than neighboring countryside. Two frequently-proposed summer heat island mitigation measures are to plant trees and to increase the albedo (solar reflectivity) of ground surfaces. This dissertation examines the effects of these measures on the surface temperature of an object near the ground, and on solar heating of air near the ground. Near-ground objects include people, vehicles, and buildings. The variation of the surface temperature of a near-ground object with ground albedo indicates that a rise in ground albedo will cool a near-ground object only if the object`s albedo exceeds a critical value. This critical value of object albedo depends on wind speed, object geometry, and the height of the atmospheric thermal boundary layer. It ranges from 0.15 to 0.37 for a person. If an object has typical albedo of 0.3, increasing the ground albedo by.

Bedrock geology Forsmark. Modelling stage 2.3. Description of the bedrock geological map at the ground surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stephens, Michael B.; Bergman, Torbjoern (Geological Survey of Sweden, Uppsala (Sweden)); Isaksson, Hans (GeoVista AB, Luleaa (Sweden)); Petersson, Jesper (SwedPower AB, Stockholm (Sweden))

2008-12-15

A description of the bedrock geological map of the ground surface at the Forsmark site is presented here. This map is essentially a 2D model for the distribution of different types of rock unit on this surface. Besides showing the distribution of these rock units, the bedrock geological map also displays the distribution of some deformation zones that intersect the ground surface. It also presents information bearing on the position and form of outcrops, the location and projection of boreholes drilled during the site investigation programme, subordinate rock types, the occurrence of abandoned mines or exploration prospects, measurements of ductile structures in outcrops, inferred form lines, key minerals, and the occurrence of mylonite and cataclastic rock. Bedrock data from outcrops and excavations, airborne and ground magnetic data and information from the uppermost part of boreholes have all been used in the construction of the geological map. The description has also made use of complementary analytical data bearing on the composition and age of the rocks as well gamma-ray spectrometry and gravity data. Uncertainty in the position of the boundaries between rock units over the mapped area are addressed in a qualitative manner. Four model versions of the bedrock geological map have been delivered to SKB's GIS database (bedrock geological map, Forsmark, versions 1.1, 1.2, 2.2 and 2.3) at different times during the site investigation programme. The Forsmark area is situated along the coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Uppland, Sweden, in a region where the overall level of ductile strain in the bedrock is high. This high-strain region extends several tens of kilometres across the WNW-ENE to NW-SE strike of the rocks in this part of the Fennoscandian Shield. At Forsmark, the coastal region is composed partly of high-strain belts, which formed under amphibolite-facies metamorphic conditions, and partly of tectonic lenses, where the bedrock is also affected by

Bedrock geology Forsmark. Modelling stage 2.3. Description of the bedrock geological map at the ground surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stephens, Michael B.; Bergman, Torbjoern; Isaksson, Hans; Petersson, Jesper

2008-12-01

A description of the bedrock geological map of the ground surface at the Forsmark site is presented here. This map is essentially a 2D model for the distribution of different types of rock unit on this surface. Besides showing the distribution of these rock units, the bedrock geological map also displays the distribution of some deformation zones that intersect the ground surface. It also presents information bearing on the position and form of outcrops, the location and projection of boreholes drilled during the site investigation programme, subordinate rock types, the occurrence of abandoned mines or exploration prospects, measurements of ductile structures in outcrops, inferred form lines, key minerals, and the occurrence of mylonite and cataclastic rock. Bedrock data from outcrops and excavations, airborne and ground magnetic data and information from the uppermost part of boreholes have all been used in the construction of the geological map. The description has also made use of complementary analytical data bearing on the composition and age of the rocks as well gamma-ray spectrometry and gravity data. Uncertainty in the position of the boundaries between rock units over the mapped area are addressed in a qualitative manner. Four model versions of the bedrock geological map have been delivered to SKB's GIS database (bedrock geological map, Forsmark, versions 1.1, 1.2, 2.2 and 2.3) at different times during the site investigation programme. The Forsmark area is situated along the coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Uppland, Sweden, in a region where the overall level of ductile strain in the bedrock is high. This high-strain region extends several tens of kilometres across the WNW-ENE to NW-SE strike of the rocks in this part of the Fennoscandian Shield. At Forsmark, the coastal region is composed partly of high-strain belts, which formed under amphibolite-facies metamorphic conditions, and partly of tectonic lenses, where the bedrock is also affected by

Geological map of the Kaiwan Fluctus Quadrangle (V-44), Venus

Science.gov (United States)

Bridges, Nathan T.; McGill, George E.

2002-01-01

Introduction The Magellan spacecraft orbited Venus from August 10, 1990, until it plunged into the Venusian atmosphereon October 12, 1994. Magellan had the objectives of: (1) improving knowledge of the geologic processes, surface properties, and geologic history of Venus by analysis of surface radar characteristics, topography, and morphology and (2) improving knowledge of the geophysics of Venus by analysis of Venusian gravity. The Magellan spacecraft carried a 12.6-cm radar system to map the surface of Venus. The transmitter and receiver systems were used to collect three datasets: synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images of the surface, passive microwave thermal emission observations, and measurements of the backscattered power at small angles of incidence, which were processed to yield altimetric data. Radar imaging and altimetric and radiometric mapping of the Venusian surface were done in mission cycles 1, 2, and 3, from September 1990 until September of 1992. Ninety-eight percent of the surface was mapped with radar resolution of approximately 120 meters. The SAR observations were projected to a 75-m nominal horizontal resolution; these full-resolution data compose the image base used in geologic mapping. The primary polarization mode was horizontal-transmit, horizontal receive (HH), but additional data for selected areas were collected for the vertical polarization sense. Incidence angles varied from about 20? to 45?. High-resolution Doppler tracking of the spacecraft was done from September 1992 through October 1994 (mission cycles 4, 5, 6). High-resolution gravity observations from about 950 orbits were obtained between September 1992 and May 1993, while Magellan was in an elliptical orbit with a periapsis near 175 kilometers and an apoapsis near 8,000 kilometers. Observations from an additional 1,500 orbits were obtained following orbit-circularization in mid-1993. These data exist as a 75? by 75? harmonic field.

Geologic Map of the Mylitta Fluctus Quadrangle (V-61), Venus

Science.gov (United States)

Ivanov, Mikhail A.; Head, James W.

2006-01-01

INTRODUCTION The Magellan Mission The Magellan spacecraft orbited Venus from August 10, 1990, until it plunged into the Venusian atmosphere on October 12, 1994. Magellan Mission objectives included: (1) improving knowledge of the geological processes, surface properties, and geologic history of Venus by analysis of surface radar characteristics, topography, and morphology, and (2) improving the knowledge of the geophysics of Venus by analysis of Venusian gravity. The Magellan spacecraft carried a 12.6-cm radar system to map the surface of Venus. The transmitter and receiver systems were used to collect three data sets: (1) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images of the surface, (2) passive microwave thermal emission observations, and (3) measurements of the backscattered power at small angles of incidence, which were processed to yield altimetric data. Radar imaging, altimetric, and radiometric mapping of the Venusian surface was done in mission cycles 1, 2, and 3 from September 1990 until September 1992. Ninety-eight percent of the surface was mapped with radar resolution on the order of 120 meters. The SAR observations were projected to a 75-m nominal horizontal resolution, and these full-resolution data compose the image base used in geologic mapping. The primary polarization mode was horizontal-transmit, horizontal-receive (HH), but additional data for selected areas were collected for the vertical polarization sense. Incidence angles varied between about 20? and 45?. High resolution Doppler tracking of the spacecraft took place from September 1992 through October 1994 (mission cycles 4, 5, 6). Approximately 950 orbits of high-resolution gravity observations were obtained between September 1992 and May 1993 while Magellan was in an elliptical orbit with a periapsis near 175 km and an apoapsis near 8,000 km. An additional 1,500 orbits were obtained following orbit-circularization in mid-1993. These data exist as a 75? by 75? harmonic field.

Geologic map of the Pandrosos Dorsa Quadrangle (V-5), Venus

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenberg, Elizabeth; McGill, George E.

2001-01-01

Introduction The Magellan spacecraft orbited Venus from August 10, 1990, until it plunged into the Venusian atmosphere on October 12, 1994. Magellan had the objectives of (1) improving knowledge of the geologic processes, surface properties, and geologic history of Venus by analysis of surface radar characteristics, topography, and morphology and (2) improving knowledge of the geophysics of Venus by analysis of Venusian gravity. The Magellan spacecraft carried a 12.6-cm radar system to map the surface of Venus. The transmitter and receiver systems were used to collect three datasets: synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images of the surface, passive microwave thermal emission observations, and measurements of the backscattered power at small angles of incidence, which were processed to yield altimetric data. Radar imaging and altimetric and radiometric mapping of the Venusian surface were done in mission cycles 1, 2, and 3, from September 1990 until September 1992. Ninety-eight percent of the surface was mapped with radar resolution of approximately 120 meters. The SAR observations were projected to a 75-m nominal horizontal resolution; these full-resolution data compose the image base used in geologic mapping. The primary polarization mode was horizontal-transmit, horizontal-receive (HH), but additional data for selected areas were collected for the vertical polarization sense. Incidence angles varied from about 20? to 45?. High-resolution Doppler tracking of the spacecraft was done from September 1992 through October 1994 (mission cycles 4, 5, 6). High-resolution gravity observations from about 950 orbits were obtained between September 1992 and May 1993, while Magellan was in an elliptical orbit with a periapsis near 175 kilometers and an apoapsis near 8,000 kilometers. Observations from an additional 1,500 orbits were obtained following orbitcircularization in mid-1993. These data exist as a 75? by 75? harmonic field.

Near Surface Stoichiometry in UO2: A Density Functional Theory Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianguo Yu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The mechanisms of oxygen stoichiometry variation in UO2 at different temperature and oxygen partial pressure are important for understanding the dynamics of microstructure in these crystals. However, very limited experimental studies have been performed to understand the atomic structure of UO2 near surface and defect effects of near surface on stoichiometry in which the system can exchange atoms with the external reservoir. In this study, the near (110 surface relaxation and stoichiometry in UO2 have been studied with density functional theory (DFT calculations. On the basis of the point-defect model (PDM, a general expression for the near surface stoichiometric variation is derived by using DFT total-energy calculations and atomistic thermodynamics, in an attempt to pin down the mechanisms of oxygen exchange between the gas environment and defected UO2. By using the derived expression, it is observed that, under poor oxygen conditions, the stoichiometry of near surface is switched from hyperstoichiometric at 300 K with a depth around 3 nm to near-stoichiometric at 1000 K and hypostoichiometric at 2000 K. Furthermore, at very poor oxygen concentrations and high temperatures, our results also suggest that the bulk of the UO2 prefers to be hypostoichiometric, although the surface is near-stoichiometric.

Modeling and Simulation of Long-Term Performance of Near-Surface Barriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piet, S. J.; Jacobson, J. J.; Martian, P.; Martineau, R.; Soto, R.

2003-01-01

Society has and will continue to generate hazardous wastes whose risks must be managed. For exceptionally toxic, long-lived, and feared waste, the solution is deep burial, e.g., deep geological disposal at Yucca Mtn. For some waste, recycle or destruction/treatment is possible. The alternative for other wastes is storage at or near the ground level (in someone's back yard); most of these storage sites include a surface barrier (cap) to prevent migration of the waste due to infiltration of surface water. The design lifespan for such barriers ranges from 30 to 1000 years, depending on hazard and regulations. In light of historical performance, society needs a better basis for predicting barrier performance over long time periods and tools for optimizing maintenance of barriers while in service. We believe that, as in other industries, better understanding of the dynamics of barrier system degradation will enable improved barriers (cheaper, longer-lived, simpler, easier to maintain) and improved maintenance. We are focusing our research on earthen caps, especially those with evapo-transpiration and capillary breaks. Typical cap assessments treat the barrier's structure as static prior to some defined lifetime. Environmental boundary conditions such as precipitation and temperature are treated as time dependent. However, other key elements of the barrier system are regarded as constant, including engineered inputs (e.g., fire management strategy, irrigation, vegetation control), surface ecology (critical to assessment of plant transpiration), capillary break interface, material properties, surface erosion rate, etc. Further, to be conservative, only harmful processes are typically considered. A more holistic examination of both harmful and beneficial processes will provide more realistic pre-service prediction and in-service assessment of performance as well as provide designers a tool to encourage beneficial processes while discouraging harmful processes. Thus, the

Photon management with index-near-zero materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Zhu; Yu, Zongfu [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States); Wang, Ziyu [Department of Foundation, Southeast University, Chengxian College, 210018 Nanjing (China)

2016-08-01

Index-near-zero materials can be used for effective photon management. They help to restrict the angle of acceptance, resulting in greatly enhanced light trapping limit. In addition, these materials also decrease the radiative recombination, leading to enhanced open circuit voltage and energy efficiency in direct bandgap solar cells.

Modelling for near-surface interaction of lithium ceramics and sweep-gas by use of cellular automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimura, K.; Terai, T.; Yamawaki, M.; Yamaguchi, K.

2003-01-01

Tritium release from the lithium ceramics as a fusion reactor breeder material is strongly affected by the composition of the sweep-gas as result of its influences with the material's surface. The typical surface processes which play important roles are adsorption, desorption and interaction between vacancy site and the constituents of the sweep-gas. Among a large number of studies and models, yet it seems to be difficult to model the overall behaviour of those processes due to its complex time-transient nature. In the present work the coarse grained atomic simulation based on the Cellular Automaton (CA) is used to model the dynamics of near-surface interaction between Li 2 O surface and sweep-gas that is consisting of a noble gas, hydrogen gas and water vapour. (author)

Sectoral Plan 'Deep Geological Disposal', Stage 2. Proposed site areas for the surface facilities of the deep geological repositories as well as for their access infrastructure. Annexes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-12-01

In line with the provisions of the nuclear energy legislation, the sites for deep geological disposal of Swiss radioactive waste are selected in a three-stage Sectoral Plan process (Sectoral Plan for Deep Geological Disposal). The disposal sites are specified in Stage 3 of the selection process with the granting of a general licence in accordance with the Nuclear Energy Act. The first stage of the process was completed on 30 th November 2011, with the decision of the Federal Council to incorporate the six geological siting regions proposed by the National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (NAGRA) into the Sectoral Plan for Deep Geological Disposal, for further evaluation in Stage 2. The decision also specifies the planning perimeters within which the surface facilities and shaft locations for the repositories will be constructed. In the second stage of the process, at least two geological siting regions each will be specified for the repository for low- and intermediate-level waste (L/ILW) and for the high-level waste (HLW) repository and these will undergo detailed geological investigation in Stage 3. For each of these potential siting regions, at least one location for the surface facility and a corridor for the access infrastructure will also be specified. NAGRA is responsible, at the beginning of Stage 2, for submitting proposals for potential locations for the surface facilities and their access infrastructure to the Federal Office of Energy (SFOE); these are then considered by the regional participation bodies in the siting regions. The general report and the present annexes volume document these proposals. In Stage 2, under the lead of the SFOE, socio-economic-ecological studies will also be carried out to investigate the impact of a repository project on the environment, economy and society. The present reports also contain the input data to be provided by NAGRA for the generic (site-independent) part of these impact studies. A meaningful

Electronic structures near surfaces of perovskite type oxides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hara, Toru

2005-01-01

This work is intended to draw attention to the origin of the electronic structures near surfaces of perovskite type oxides. Deep states were observed by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopic measurements. The film thickness dependent electronic structures near surfaces of (Ba 0.5 Sr 0.5 )TiO 3 thin films were observed. As for the 117-308 nm thick (Ba 0.5 Sr 0.5 )TiO 3 films, deep states were lying at 0.20, 0.55, and 0.85 eV below the quasi-fermi level, respectively. However, as for the 40 nm thick (Ba 0.5 Sr 0.5 )TiO 3 film, the states were overlapped. The A-site doping affected electronic structures near surfaces of SrTiO 3 single crystals. No evolution of deep states in non-doped SrTiO 3 single crystal was observed. However, the evolution of deep states in La-doped SrTiO 3 single crystal was observed

Superresolution Near-field Imaging with Surface Waves

KAUST Repository

Fu, Lei

2017-10-21

We present the theory for near-field superresolution imaging with surface waves and time reverse mirrors (TRMs). Theoretical formulas and numerical results show that applying the TRM operation to surface waves in an elastic half-space can achieve superresolution imaging of subwavelength scatterers if they are located less than about 1/2 of the shear wavelength from the source line. We also show that the TRM operation for a single frequency is equivalent to natural migration, which uses the recorded data to approximate the Green’s functions for migration, and only costs O(N4) algebraic operations for poststack migration compared to O(N6) operations for natural prestack migration. Here, we assume the sources and receivers are on an N × N grid and there are N2 trial image points on the free surface. Our theoretical predictions of superresolution are validated with tests on synthetic data. The field-data tests suggest that hidden faults at the near surface can be detected with subwavelength imaging of surface waves by using the TRM operation if they are no deeper than about 1/2 the dominant shear wavelength.

Evolution of the global water cycle on Mars: The geological evidence

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, V. R.; Gulick, V. C.

1993-01-01

The geological evidence for active water cycling early in the history of Mars (Noachian geological system or heavy bombardment) consists almost exclusively of fluvial valley networks in the heavily cratered uplands of the planet. It is commonly assumed that these landforms required explanation by atmospheric processes operating above the freezing point of water and at high pressure to allow rainfall and liquid surface runoff. However, it has also been documented that nearly all valley networks probably formed by subsurface outflow and sapping erosion involving groundwater outflow prior to surface-water flow. The prolonged ground-water flow also requires extensive water cycling to maintain hydraulic gradients, but is this done via rainfall recharge, as in terrestrial environments?

Effect of soil erosion on the long-term stability of FUSRAP near-surface waste-burial sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knight, M.J.

1983-04-01

Decontamination of FUSRAP sites could result in the generation of large volumes (in excess of 400,000 m 3 ) of low-activity radioactive wastes (primarily contaminated soil and building materials) requiring subsequent disposal. It is likely that near-surface burial will be seriously considered as an option for disposal of these materials. A number of factors - including soil erosion - could adversely affect the long-term stability of a near-surface waste-burial site. The majority of FUSRAP sites are located in the humid eastern United States, where the principal cause of erosion is the action of water. This report examines the effect of soil erosion by water on burial-site stability based on analysis of four hypothetical near-surface burial sites. The Universal Soil Loss Equation was employed to estimate average annual soil loss from burial sites and the 1000-year effects of soil loss on the soil barrier (burial trench cap) placed over low-activity wastes. Results suggest that the land use of the burial site and the slope gradient of the burial trench cap significantly affect the rate of soil erosion. The development of measures limiting the potential land use of a burial site (e.g., mixing large rocks into the burial trench cap) may be required to preserve the integrity of a burial trench for long periods of time

Atomic absorption spectrometric determination of copper, zinc, and lead in geological materials

Science.gov (United States)

Sanzolone, R.F.; Chao, T.T.

1976-01-01

An atomic absorption spectrometric method is described for the determination of copper, zinc, and lead in geological materials. The sample is digested with HF-HCl-H2O2; the final solution for analysis is in 10 % (v/v) HCl. Copper and zinc are determined directly by aspirating the solution into an air-acetylene flame. A separate aliquot of the solution is used for determination of lead; lead is extracted into TOPO-MIBK from the acidic solution in the presence of iodide and ascorbic acid. For a 0.50-g sample, the limits of determination are 10-2000 p.p.m. for Cu and Zn, and 5-5000 p.p.m. for Pb. As much as 40 % Fe or Ca. and 10 % Al, Mg, or Mn in the sample do not interfere. The proposed method can be applied to the determination of copper, zinc, and lead in a wide range of geological materials including iron- and manganese-rich, calcareous and carbonate samples. ?? 1976.

Understanding wetland sub-surface hydrology using geologic and isotopic signatures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Sahu

2009-07-01

Full Text Available This paper attempts to utilize hydrogeology and isotope composition of groundwater to understand the present hydrological processes prevalent in a freshwater wetland, source of wetland groundwater, surface water/groundwater interaction and mixing of groundwater of various depth zones in the aquifer. This study considers East Calcutta Wetlands (ECW – a freshwater peri-urban inland wetland ecosystem located at the lower part of the deltaic alluvial plain of South Bengal Basin and east of Kolkata city. This wetland is well known over the world for its resource recovery systems, developed by local people through ages, using wastewater of the city. Geological investigations reveal that the sub-surface geology is completely blanketed by the Quaternary sediments comprising a succession of silty clay, sand of various grades and sand mixed with occasional gravels and thin intercalations of silty clay. At few places the top silty clay layer is absent due to scouring action of past channels. In these areas sand is present throughout the geological column and the areas are vulnerable to groundwater pollution. Groundwater mainly flows from east to west and is being over-extracted to the tune of 65×10³ m³/day. δ¹⁸O and δD values of shallow and deep groundwater are similar indicating resemblance in hydrostratigraphy and climate of the recharge areas. Groundwater originates mainly from monsoonal rain with some evaporation prior to or during infiltration and partly from bottom of ponds, canals and infiltration of groundwater withdrawn for irrigation. Relatively high tritium content of the shallow groundwater indicates local recharge, while the deep groundwater with very low tritium is recharged mainly from distant areas. At places the deep aquifer has relatively high tritium, indicating mixing of groundwater of shallow and deep aquifers. Metals such as copper, lead, arsenic, cadmium, aluminium, nickel and chromium are also

Understanding wetland sub-surface hydrology using geologic and isotopic signatures

Science.gov (United States)

Sikdar, P. K.; Sahu, P.

2009-07-01

This paper attempts to utilize hydrogeology and isotope composition of groundwater to understand the present hydrological processes prevalent in a freshwater wetland, source of wetland groundwater, surface water/groundwater interaction and mixing of groundwater of various depth zones in the aquifer. This study considers East Calcutta Wetlands (ECW) - a freshwater peri-urban inland wetland ecosystem located at the lower part of the deltaic alluvial plain of South Bengal Basin and east of Kolkata city. This wetland is well known over the world for its resource recovery systems, developed by local people through ages, using wastewater of the city. Geological investigations reveal that the sub-surface geology is completely blanketed by the Quaternary sediments comprising a succession of silty clay, sand of various grades and sand mixed with occasional gravels and thin intercalations of silty clay. At few places the top silty clay layer is absent due to scouring action of past channels. In these areas sand is present throughout the geological column and the areas are vulnerable to groundwater pollution. Groundwater mainly flows from east to west and is being over-extracted to the tune of 65×103 m3/day. δ18O and δD values of shallow and deep groundwater are similar indicating resemblance in hydrostratigraphy and climate of the recharge areas. Groundwater originates mainly from monsoonal rain with some evaporation prior to or during infiltration and partly from bottom of ponds, canals and infiltration of groundwater withdrawn for irrigation. Relatively high tritium content of the shallow groundwater indicates local recharge, while the deep groundwater with very low tritium is recharged mainly from distant areas. At places the deep aquifer has relatively high tritium, indicating mixing of groundwater of shallow and deep aquifers. Metals such as copper, lead, arsenic, cadmium, aluminium, nickel and chromium are also present in groundwater of various depths. Therefore

Influence of material removal programming on ion beam figuring of high-precision optical surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Wenlin; Dai, Yifan; Xie, Xuhui

2014-09-01

Ion beam figuring (IBF) provides a nanometer/subnanometer precision fabrication technology for optical components, where the surface materials on highlands are gradually removed by the physical sputtering effect. In this deterministic method, the figuring process is usually divided into several iterations and the sum of the removed material in each iteration is expected to approach the ideally removed material as nearly as possible. However, we find that the material removal programming in each iteration would influence the surface error convergence of the figuring process. The influence of material removal programming on the surface error evolution is investigated through the comparative study of the contour removal method (CRM) and the geometric proportion removal method (PRM). The research results indicate that the PRM can maintenance the smoothness of the surface topography during the whole figuring process, which would benefit the stable operation of the machine tool and avoid the production of mid-to-high spatial frequency surface errors. Additionally, the CRM only has the corrective effect on the area above the contour line in each iteration, which would result in the nonuniform convergence of the surface errors in various areas. All these advantages distinguish PRM as an appropriate material removal method for ultraprecision optical surfaces.

Towards understanding how surface life can affect interior geological processes: a non-equilibrium thermodynamics approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. G. Dyke

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Life has significantly altered the Earth's atmosphere, oceans and crust. To what extent has it also affected interior geological processes? To address this question, three models of geological processes are formulated: mantle convection, continental crust uplift and erosion and oceanic crust recycling. These processes are characterised as non-equilibrium thermodynamic systems. Their states of disequilibrium are maintained by the power generated from the dissipation of energy from the interior of the Earth. Altering the thickness of continental crust via weathering and erosion affects the upper mantle temperature which leads to changes in rates of oceanic crust recycling and consequently rates of outgassing of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Estimates for the power generated by various elements in the Earth system are shown. This includes, inter alia, surface life generation of 264 TW of power, much greater than those of geological processes such as mantle convection at 12 TW. This high power results from life's ability to harvest energy directly from the sun. Life need only utilise a small fraction of the generated free chemical energy for geochemical transformations at the surface, such as affecting rates of weathering and erosion of continental rocks, in order to affect interior, geological processes. Consequently when assessing the effects of life on Earth, and potentially any planet with a significant biosphere, dynamical models may be required that better capture the coupled nature of biologically-mediated surface and interior processes.

Conceptual and Numerical Modeling of Radionuclide Transport and Retention in Near-Surface Systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pique, Angels; Arcos, David; Grandia, Fidel; Molinero, Jorge; Duro, Lara; Berglund, Sten

2013-01-01

Scenarios of barrier failure and radionuclide release to the near-surface environment are important to consider within performance and safety assessments of repositories for nuclear waste. A geological repository for spent nuclear fuel is planned at Forsmark, Sweden. Conceptual and numerical reactive transport models were developed in order to assess the retention capacity of the Quaternary till and clay deposits for selected radionuclides, in the event of an activity release from the repository. The elements considered were carbon (C), chlorine (Cl), cesium (Cs), iodine (I), molybdenum (Mo), niobium (Nb), nickel (Ni), radium (Ra), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), technetium (Tc), thorium (Th), and uranium (U). According to the numerical predictions, the repository-derived nuclides that would be most significantly retained are Th, Ni, and Cs, mainly through sorption onto clays, followed by U, C, Sr, and Ra, trapped by sorption and/or incorporation into mineral phases

Research Note : Near-surface layer replacement for sparse data: Is interpolation needed?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sun, Yimin; Verschuur, D.J.; Luo, Yi

2017-01-01

Near-surface problem is a common challenge faced by land seismic data processing, where often, due to near-surface anomalies, events of interest are obscured. One method to handle this challenge is near-surface layer replacement, which is a wavefield reconstruction process based on downward

Effect of grinding and polishing on near-surface phase transformations in zirconia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reed, J.S.; Lejus, A.M.

1977-01-01

The transformation of near-surface material on grinding and polishing has been investigated in sintered zirconia of 1 μm grain size and 99 percent density containing 4.5 and 7.0 mole percent Y 2 O 3 . Rough wet and dry grinding transformed about 20 percent cubic phase into 18 percent tetragonal and 2 percent monoclinic in material initially 47 percent cubic and 53 percent tetragonal (4.5 mole percent Y 2 O 3 ) but no change of phase in material that was fully cubic (7.0 mole percent Y 2 O 3 ). Annealing and polishing reduced lattice strain but only polishing reduced the concentration of monoclinic and tetragonal phases. Microhardness studies indicated that lattice strain and the phase transformations increased the penetration hardness to a depth of about 4 μm

ICP-MS applications for the analysis of geological materials and environmental samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bendl, J.

1997-01-01

This work deals with applications of inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry applications for the analysis of geological materials and environmental samples. There are instrumentation, calibration, alternatives of sample introduction, interferences, trace elements analysis, rare earth elements and uranium and thorium, precious metals, isotopic analysis and environmental analysis discussed

A Geology-Based Estimate of Connate Water Salinity Distribution

Science.gov (United States)

2014-09-01

poses serious environmental concerns if connate water is mobilized into shallow aquifers or surface water systems. Estimating the distribution of...groundwater flow and salinity transport near the Herbert Hoover Dike (HHD) surrounding Lake Okeechobee in Florida . The simulations were conducted using the...on the geologic configuration at equilibrium, and the horizontal salinity distribution is strongly linked to aquifer connectivity because

Imaging near-surface heterogeneities by natural migration of backscattered surface waves: Field data test

KAUST Repository

Liu, Zhaolun; AlTheyab, Abdullah; Hanafy, Sherif M.; Schuster, Gerard T.

2017-01-01

We have developed a methodology for detecting the presence of near-surface heterogeneities by naturally migrating backscattered surface waves in controlled-source data. The near-surface heterogeneities must be located within a depth of approximately one-third the dominant wavelength λ of the strong surface-wave arrivals. This natural migration method does not require knowledge of the near-surface phase-velocity distribution because it uses the recorded data to approximate the Green’s functions for migration. Prior to migration, the backscattered data are separated from the original records, and the band-passed filtered data are migrated to give an estimate of the migration image at a depth of approximately one-third λ. Each band-passed data set gives a migration image at a different depth. Results with synthetic data and field data recorded over known faults validate the effectiveness of this method. Migrating the surface waves in recorded 2D and 3D data sets accurately reveals the locations of known faults. The limitation of this method is that it requires a dense array of receivers with a geophone interval less than approximately one-half λ.

Imaging near-surface heterogeneities by natural migration of backscattered surface waves: Field data test

KAUST Repository

Liu, Zhaolun

2017-03-06

We have developed a methodology for detecting the presence of near-surface heterogeneities by naturally migrating backscattered surface waves in controlled-source data. The near-surface heterogeneities must be located within a depth of approximately one-third the dominant wavelength λ of the strong surface-wave arrivals. This natural migration method does not require knowledge of the near-surface phase-velocity distribution because it uses the recorded data to approximate the Green’s functions for migration. Prior to migration, the backscattered data are separated from the original records, and the band-passed filtered data are migrated to give an estimate of the migration image at a depth of approximately one-third λ. Each band-passed data set gives a migration image at a different depth. Results with synthetic data and field data recorded over known faults validate the effectiveness of this method. Migrating the surface waves in recorded 2D and 3D data sets accurately reveals the locations of known faults. The limitation of this method is that it requires a dense array of receivers with a geophone interval less than approximately one-half λ.

Utilizing strongly absorbing materials for low-loss surface-wave nonlinear optics

Science.gov (United States)

Grosse, Nicolai B.; Franz, Philipp; Heckmann, Jan; Pufahl, Karsten; Woggon, Ulrike

2018-04-01

Optical media endowed with large nonlinear susceptibilities are highly prized for their employment in frequency conversion and the generation of nonclassical states of light. Although the presence of an optical resonance can greatly increase the nonlinear response (e.g., in epsilon-near-zero materials), the non-negligible increase in linear absorption often precludes the application of such materials in nonlinear optics. Absorbing materials prepared as thin films, however, can support a low-loss surface wave: the long-range surface exciton polariton (LRSEP). Its propagation lifetime increases with greater intrinsic absorption and reduced film thickness, provided that the film is embedded in a transparent medium (symmetric cladding). We explore LRSEP propagation in a molybdenum film by way of a prism-coupling configuration. Our observations show that excitation of the LRSEP mode leads to a dramatic increase in the yield of second-harmonic generation. This implies that the LRSEP mode is an effective vehicle for utilizing the nonlinear response of absorbing materials.

Separation of interfering elements in the neutron activation analysis of lanthanides in geological materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saiki, M.

1988-01-01

A chemical procedure has been developed for the separation of U, Th, Fe, Sc, Na,Ta, and Mo which interfere in the neutron activation analysis of the lanthanide elements in geological materials. This procedure is based on the solvent extraction of interferents using a solution of tetracycline in benzyl alcohol. The lanthanide elements remaining in the aqueous phase are coprecipitated on calcium oxalate or ferric hydroxide for irradiation and subsequent determination by gamma ray spectrometry. The chemical separation procedure was applied in the analysis of lanthanides in two international geological reference materials GSP-1 (USGS), GS-N (CRPG) and in the analysis of a volcanic rock from Pocos de Caldas, MG, Brazil. The sensitivities for all the lanthanides were determined. (author) [pt

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangles 3668 and 3768, Baghlan (221), Taluqan (222), Imam Sahib (215), and Rustaq (216) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

A state geological survey commitment to environmental geology - the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wermund, E.G.

1990-01-01

In several Texas environmental laws, the Bureau of Economic Geology is designated as a planning participant and review agency in the process of fulfilling environmental laws. Two examples are legislation on reclamation of surface mines and regulation of processing low level radioactive wastes. Also, the Bureau is the principal geological reviewer of all Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements which the Office of the Governor circulates for state review on all major developmental activities in Texas. The BEG continues its strong interest in environmental geology. In February 1988, it recommitted its Land Resources Laboratory, initiated in 1974, toward fulfilling needs of state, county, and city governments for consultation and research on environmental geologic problems. An editorial from another state geological survey would resemble the about description of texas work in environmental geology. State geological surveys have led federal agencies into many developments of environmental geology, complemented federal efforts in their evolution, and continued a strong commitment to the maintenance of a quality environment through innovative geologic studies

NEAR-SURFACE GEOPHYSICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF A HOLOCENE FAULT CONDUCIVE TO GEOTHERMAL FLOW NEAR PYRAMID LAKE, NEVADA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dorsey, Alison; Dudley, Colton; Louie, John [UNR; Schwering, Paul; Pullammanappallil, Satish [Optim

2013-06-30

Linear deposits of calcium carbonate tufa columns mark recent faults that cut 11 ka Lake Lahontan sediments at Astor Pass, north of Pyramid Lake, Nevada. Throughout the Great Basin, faults appear to control the location of geothermal resources by providing pathways for fluid migration. Reservoir-depth (greater than 1 km) seismic imaging at Astor Pass reveals a fault that projects to one of the lines of tufa columns at the surface. The presence of the tufa deposits suggests this fault carried warm geothermal waters through the lakebed clay sediments in recent time. The warm fluids deposited the tufa when they hit cold Lake Lahontan water at the lakebed. Lake Lahontan covered this location 11 ka to a depth of at least 60 m. In collaboration with the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, an Applied Geophysics class at UNR investigated the near-surface geophysical characteristics of this fault. The survey at and near the tufa columns comprises near-surface Pwave seismic reflection and refraction, electrical resistivity tomography, nearsurface refraction microtremor arrays, nine near-surface direct-current resistivity soundings, magnetic surveys, and gravity surveys. The refraction microtremor results show shear velocities near tufa and faults to be marginally lower, compared to Vs away from the faults. Overall, the 30-m depth-averaged shear velocities are low, less than 300 m/s, consistent with the lakebed clay deposits. These results indicate that no seismically fast (> 500 m/s) tufa deposits are present below the surface at or near the tufa columns. Vs30 averages were for example 274 ± 13 m/s on the fault, 287 ± 2 m/s at 150 m east of the fault, and 290 ± 15 m/s at 150 m west of the fault. The P-velocity refraction optimization results similarly indicate a lack of high-velocity tufa buried below the surface in the Lahontan sediments, reinforcing the idea that all tufa was deposited above the lakebed surface. The seismic results provide a negative test of the hypothesis that

Data Qualification Report: Precipitation and Surface Geology Data for Use on the Yucca Mountain Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

C. Wilson

2000-01-01

The unqualified data addressed in this qualification report have been cited in an Analysis Model Report (AMR) to support the Site Recommendation in determining the suitability of Yucca Mountain as a repository for high-level radioactive waste. The unqualified data include precipitation volumes and surface geology maps The precipitation data consist of daily precipitation volumes measured at Yucca Mountain. The surface geology data include identification of the types and surface expressions of geologic units and associated structural features such as faults. These data were directly used in AMR U0010, Simulation of Net Infiltration for Modern and Potential Future Climates, ANL-NBS-HS-000032 (Hevesi et al. 2000), to estimate net infiltration into Yucca Mountain. This report evaluates the unqualified data within the context of supporting studies of this type for the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (YMP). The purpose of this report is to identify data that can be cited as qualified for use in technical products to support the YMP Site Recommendation and that may also be used to support the License Application. The qualified data may either be retained in the original Data Tracking Number (DTN) or placed in new DTNs generated as a result of the evaluation. The appropriateness and limitations (if any) of the data with respect to intended use are addressed in this report. In accordance with Attachment 1 of procedure AP-3.15Q, Rev. 02, Managing Technical Product Inputs, it has been determined that the unqualified precipitation and surface geology data are not used in the direct calculation of Principal Factors for postclosure safety or disruptive events. References to tables, figures, and sections from Hevesi et al. (2000) are based on Rev. 00 of that document

ISLSCP II Reanalysis Near-Surface Meteorology Data

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — ABSTRACT: This data set for the ISLSCP Initiative II data collection provides near surface meteorological variables, fluxes of heat, moisture and momentum at the...

Near-field microwave magnetic nanoscopy of superconducting radio frequency cavity materials

Science.gov (United States)

Tai, Tamin; Ghamsari, Behnood G.; Bieler, Thomas R.; Tan, Teng; Xi, X. X.; Anlage, Steven M.

2014-06-01

A localized measurement of the RF critical field on superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavity materials is a key step to identify specific defects that produce quenches of SRF cavities. Two measurements are performed to demonstrate these capabilities with a near-field scanning probe microwave microscope. The first is a third harmonic nonlinear measurement on a high Residual-Resistance-Ratio bulk Nb sample showing strong localized nonlinear response, with surface RF magnetic field Bsurface˜102 mT. The second is a raster scanned harmonic response image on a MgB2 thin film demonstrating a uniform nonlinear response over large areas.

Mobile Interfaces: Liquids as a Perfect Structural Material for Multifunctional, Antifouling Surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grinthal, A; Aizenberg, J

2014-01-14

Life creates some of its most robust, extreme surface materials not from solids but from liquids: a purely liquid interface, stabilized by underlying nanotexture, makes carnivorous plant leaves ultraslippery, the eye optically perfect and dirt-resistant, our knees lubricated and pressure-tolerant, and insect feet reversibly adhesive and shape-adaptive. Novel liquid surfaces based on this idea have recently been shown to display unprecedented omniphobic, self-healing, anti-ice, antifouling, optical, and adaptive properties. In this Perspective, we present a framework and a path forward for developing and designing such liquid surfaces into sophisticated, versatile multifunctional materials. Drawing on concepts from solid materials design and fluid dynamics, we outline how the continuous dynamics, responsiveness, and multiscale patternability of a liquid surface layer can be harnessed to create a wide range of unique, active interfacial functions able to operate in harsh, changing environments not achievable with static solids. We discuss how, in partnership with the underlying substrate, the liquid surface can be programmed to adaptively and reversibly reconfigure from a defect-free, molecularly smooth, transparent interface through a range of finely tuned liquid topographies in response to environmental stimuli. With nearly unlimited design possibilities and unmatched interfacial properties, liquid materials as long-term stable interfaces yet in their fully liquid state may potentially transform surface design everywhere from medicine to architecture to energy infrastructure.

Delineation of areas having elevated electrical conductivity, orientation and characterization of bedrock fractures, and occurrence of groundwater discharge to surface water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Barite Hill/Nevada Goldfields Superfund site near McCormick, South Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman, Melinda J.; Huffman, Brad A.; McSwain, Kristen Bukowski

2015-07-16

During October 2012 through March 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4, Superfund Section, conducted borehole geophysical logging, surface geophysical surveys, and water-quality profiling in selected wells and areas to characterize or delineate the extent of elevated subsurface electrical conductivity at the EPA Barite Hill/Nevada Goldfields Superfund site near McCormick, South Carolina. Elevated electrical conductivity measured at the site may be related to native rock materials, waste rock disposal areas used in past operations, and (or) groundwater having elevated dissolved solids (primarily metals and major ions) related to waste migration. Five shallow screened wells and four open-borehole bedrock wells were logged by using a suite of borehole tools, and downhole water-quality profiles were recorded in two additional wells. Well depths ranged from about 26 to 300 feet below land surface. Surface geophysical surveys based on frequency-domain electromagnetic and distributed temperature sensing (DTS) techniques were used to identify areas of elevated electrical conductivity (Earth materials and groundwater) and potential high dissolved solids in groundwater and surface water on land and in areas along the northern unnamed tributary at the site.

Impurity control in near-term tokamak reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stacey, W.M. Jr.; Smith, D.L.; Brooks, J.N.

1976-10-01

Several methods for reducing impurity contamination in near-term tokamak reactors by modifying the first-wall surface with a low-Z or low-sputter material are examined. A review of the sputtering data and an assessment of the technological feasibility of various wall modification schemes are presented. The power performance of a near-term tokamak reactor is simulated for various first-wall surface materials, with and without a divertor, in order to evaluate the likely effect of plasma contamination associated with these surface materials

One perspective on spatial variability in geologic mapping

Science.gov (United States)

Markewich, H.W.; Cooper, S.C.

1991-01-01

This paper discusses some of the differences between geologic mapping and soil mapping, and how the resultant maps are interpreted. The role of spatial variability in geologic mapping is addressed only indirectly because in geologic mapping there have been few attempts at quantification of spatial differences. This is largely because geologic maps deal with temporal as well as spatial variability and consider time, age, and origin, as well as composition and geometry. Both soil scientists and geologists use spatial variability to delineate mappable units; however, the classification systems from which these mappable units are defined differ greatly. Mappable soil units are derived from systematic, well-defined, highly structured sets of taxonomic criteria; whereas mappable geologic units are based on a more arbitrary heirarchy of categories that integrate many features without strict values or definitions. Soil taxonomy is a sorting tool used to reduce heterogeneity between soil units. Thus at the series level, soils in any one series are relatively homogeneous because their range of properties is small and well-defined. Soil maps show the distribution of soils on the land surface. Within a map area, soils, which are often less than 2 m thick, show a direct correlation to topography and to active surface processes as well as to parent material.

Control of preexisting faults and near-surface diapirs on geometry and kinematics of fold-and-thrust belts (Internal Prebetic, Eastern Betic Cordillera)

Science.gov (United States)

Pedrera, Antonio; Marín-Lechado, Carlos; Galindo-Zaldívar, Jesús; García-Lobón, José Luis

2014-07-01

We have determined, for the first time, the 3D geometry of a sector of the eastern Internal Prebetic comprised between Parcent and Altea diapirs, combining structural, borehole and multichannel seismic reflection data. The tectonic structure of the Jurassic-Cretaceous carbonate series is characterized by regional ENE-WSW fold-and-thrusts that interact with oblique N-S and WNW-ESE folds, detached over Triassic evaporites and clays. The structural style comprises box-shape anticlines, and N-vergent anticlines with vertical to overturned limbs frequently bordered by reverse and strike-slip faults. The anticlines surround a triangular broad synclinal structure, the Tárbena basin, filled by a late Oligocene to Tortonian sedimentary sequence that recorded folding and thrusting history. The location and geometrical characteristics of fold-and-thrusts may be controlled by the positive inversion of pre-existing Mesozoic normal faults, and by the position and shape of near-surface diapirs composed of Triassic rocks. Therefore, we propose an initial near-surface diapir emplacement of Triassic evaporitic rocks driven by late Jurassic to early Cretaceous rifting of the southern Iberian paleomargin. Thrusting and folding started during the latest Oligocene (∼28-23 Ma) roughly orthogonal to the NW-directed shortening. Deformation migrated to the south during Aquitanian (∼23-20 Ma), when tectonic inversion implied the left-lateral transpressive reactivation of N-S striking former normal faults and right-lateral/reverse reactivation of inherited WNW-ESE faults. We show two mechanisms driving the extrusion of the diapirs during contraction: lateral migration of a pre-existing near-surface diapir associated with dextral transpression; and squeezing of a previous near-surface diapir at the front of an anticline. Our study underlines the value of 3D geological modeling to characterize geometry and kinematics of complex fold-and-thrust belts influenced by preexisting faults and

Hydrogeologic data from the US Geological Survey test wells near Waycross, Ware County, Georgia

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, S.E.; Krause, R.E.

1983-01-01

Two wells were constructed near Waycross, Ware County, Georgia, from July 1980 to May 1981 to collect stratigraphic, structural, geophysical, hydrologic, hydraulic, and geochemical information for the U.S. Geological Survey Tertiary Limestone Regional Aquifer-System Analysis. Data collection included geologic sampling and coring, borehole geophysical logging, packer testing, water-level measuring, water-quality sampling, and aquifer testing. In the study area, the Tertiary limestone aquifer system is about 1,300 feet thick and is confined and overlain by about 610 feet of clastic sediments. The aquifer system consists of limestone, dolomite, and minor evaporites and has high porosity and permeability. A 4-day continuous discharge aquifer test was conducted, from which a transmissivity of about 1 million feet squared per day and a storage coefficient of 0.0001 were calculated. Water from the upper part of the aquifer is of a calcium bicarbonate type. The deeper highly mineralized zone produces a sodium bicarbonate type water in which concentrations of magnesium, sulfate, chloride, sodium, and some trace metals increase with depth. (USGS)

Application of the Fourier descriptors method to the morphological classification of particles in geological materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manzanas Lopez, J.; Santiago Buey, C.

2010-01-01

This study focuses on the use of Fourier descriptors to quantitatively describe the morphology of particles aggregates or pores in geological materials. Firstly, the mathematical fundaments of the method are explained. Then, the Fourier descriptors method is applied to the Krumbein Scale, a system of measuring roundness and sphericity of particles. the analysis of the comparison shows that there is good correlation between the Sphericity parameter at the Krumbein classifications and the value of the modulus of the Fourier descriptor No-1. This good correlation, along with the mathematical precision which allows to prevent subjective valorisations in the morphological description, corroborates the validity of the method to quantify the sphericity elongation of particles in geological materials. (Author) 12 refs.

Imaging near-surface heterogeneities by natural migration of backscattered surface waves

KAUST Repository

AlTheyab, Abdullah

2016-02-01

We present a migration method that does not require a velocity model to migrate backscattered surface waves to their projected locations on the surface. This migration method, denoted as natural migration, uses recorded Green\\'s functions along the surface instead of simulated Green\\'s functions. The key assumptions are that the scattering bodies are within the depth interrogated by the surface waves, and the Green\\'s functions are recorded with dense receiver sampling along the free surface. This natural migration takes into account all orders of multiples, mode conversions and non-linear effects of surface waves in the data. The natural imaging formulae are derived for both active source and ambient-noise data, and computer simulations show that natural migration can effectively image near-surface heterogeneities with typical ambient-noise sources and geophone distributions.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangles 3664 and 3764, Char Shengo (123), Shibirghan (124), Jalajin (117), and Kham-Ab (118) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangles 2962 and 3062, Gawdezereh (615), Galachah (616), Chahar Burjak (609), and Khan Neshin (610) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

Hoefen, Todd M.; King, Trude V.V.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Giles, Stuart A.; Johnson, Michaela R.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

The Cool Surfaces of Binaries Near-Earth Asteroids

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Delbo, Marco; Walsh, K.; Mueller, M.

2008-01-01

We present results from thermal-infrared observations of binary near-Earth asteroids (NEAs). These objects, in general, have surface temperatures cooler than the average values for non-binary NEAs. We discuss how this may be evidence of higher-than-average surface thermal inertia. The comparison of

Integrated evaluation of the geology, aerogammaspectrometry and aeromagnetometry of the Sul-Riograndense Shield, southernmost Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartmann, Léo A; Lopes, William R; Savian, Jairo F

2016-03-01

An integrated evaluation of geology, aerogammaspectrometry and aeromagnetometry of the Sul-Riogran-dense Shield is permitted by the advanced stage of understanding of the geology and geochronology of the southern Brazilian Shield and a 2010 airborne geophysical survey. Gamma rays are registered from the rocks near the surface and thus describe the distribution of major units in the shield, such as the Pelotas batholith, the juvenile São Gabriel terrane, the granulite-amphibolite facies Taquarembó terrane and the numerous granite intrusions in the foreland. Major structures are also observed, e.g., the Dorsal de Canguçu shear. Magnetic signals register near surface crustal compositions (analytic signal) and total crust composition (total magnetic signal), so their variation as measured indicates either shallow or whole crustal structures. The Caçapava shear is outstanding on the images as is the magnetic low along the N-S central portion of the shield. These integrated observations lead to the deepening of the understanding of the largest and even detailed structures of the Sul-Riograndense Shield, some to be correlated to field geology in future studies. Most significant is the presence of different provinces and their limits depending on the method used for data acquisition - geology, aerogammaspectrometry or aeromagnetometry.

Development of Microanaytical Reference Materials for In-situ Anaysis at the U.S. Geological Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, S.

2006-05-01

With the increased use of microanalysis in geochemical investigations comes the need for a reliable and diversified supply of reference materials homogenous at the micrometer scale to assist analysts in element quantification. To meet these requirements, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has undertaken a program to develop a series of reference materials which cover a range of sample types currently being investigated in our microanalytical laboratories. Initial efforts have focused on the development of natural basalt glasses (BCR- 2G, BHVO-2G, BIR-1G, TB-1G, NKT-1G) from a variety of geologic settings. In addition to these natural basalt materials a series of synthetic basalt glasses GSA-1G, GSC-1G, GSD-1G, GSE-1G have also been developed with 65 trace elements at 0, 3, 30, and 300, ppm respectively. The homogeneity of these materials and their use in international microanalytical proficiency studies will be presented. Application of this technology to the development of glass reference materials as part of a USGS/NASA collaborative studies on the development of Lunar Soil Simulant material will also be discussed.

Radiometric Measurements of the Thermal Conductivity of Complex Planetary-like Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Piqueux, S.; Christensen, P. R.

2012-12-01

Planetary surface temperatures and thermal inertias are controlled by the physical and compositional characteristics of the surface layer material, which result from current and past geological activity. For this reason, temperature measurements are often acquired because they provide fundamental constraints on the geological history and habitability. Examples of regolith properties affecting surface temperatures and inertias are: grain sizes and mixture ratios, solid composition in the case of ices, presence of cement between grains, regolith porosity, grain roughness, material layering etc.. Other important factors include volatile phase changes, and endogenic or exogenic heat sources (i.e. geothermal heat flow, impact-related heat, biological activity etc.). In the case of Mars, the multitude of instruments observing the surface temperature at different spatial and temporal resolutions (i.e. IRTM, Thermoskan, TES, MiniTES, THEMIS, MCS, REMS, etc.) in conjunction with other instruments allows us to probe and characterize the thermal properties of the surface layer with an unprecedented resolution. While the derivation of thermal inertia values from temperature measurements is routinely performed by well-established planetary regolith numerical models, constraining the physical properties of the surface layer from thermal inertia values requires the additional step of laboratory measurements. The density and specific heat are usually constant and sufficiently well known for common geological materials, but the bulk thermal conductivity is highly variable as a function of the physical characteristics of the regolith. Most laboratory designs do not allow an investigation of the thermal conductivity of complex regolith configurations similar to those observed on planetary surfaces (i.e. cemented material, large grains, layered material, and temperature effects) because the samples are too small and need to be soft to insert heating or measuring devices. For this

Geophysical logging and thermal imaging near the Hemphill Road TCE National Priorities List Superfund site near Gastonia, North Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Antolino, Dominick J.; Chapman, Melinda J.

2017-03-27

Borehole geophysical logs and thermal imaging data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey near the Hemphill Road TCE (trichloroethylene) National Priorities List Superfund site near Gastonia, North Carolina, during August 2014 through February 2015. In an effort to assist the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the development of a conceptual groundwater model for the assessment of current contaminant distribution and future migration of contaminants, surface geological mapping and borehole geophysical log and thermal imaging data collection, which included the delineation of more than 600 subsurface features (primarily fracture orientations), was completed in five open borehole wells and two private supply bedrock wells. In addition, areas of possible groundwater discharge within a nearby creek downgradient of the study site were determined based on temperature differences between the stream and bank seepage using thermal imagery.

Photoionization microscopy of hydrogen atom near a metal surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Hai-Feng; Wang Lei; Liu Xiao-Jun; Liu Hong-Ping

2011-01-01

We have studied the ionization of Rydberg hydrogen atom near a metal surface with a semiclassical analysis of photoionization microscopy. Interference patterns of the electron radial distribution are calculated at different scaled energies above the classical saddle point and at various atom—surface distances. We find that different types of trajectories contribute predominantly to different manifolds in a certain interference pattern. As the scaled energy increases, the structure of the interference pattern evolves smoothly and more types of trajectories emerge. As the atom approaches the metal surface closer, there are more types of trajectories contributing to the interference pattern as well. When the Rydberg atom comes very close to the metal surface or the scaled energy approaches the zero field ionization energy, the potential induced by the metal surface will make atomic system chaotic. The results also show that atoms near a metal surface exhibit similar properties like the atoms in the parallel electric and magnetic fields. (atomic and molecular physics)

POTENTIAL GEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICATIONS OF CRISIUM BASIN REVEALED BY CE-2 CELMS DATA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. Meng

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Mare Crisium is one of the most prominent multi-ring basins on the nearside of the Moon. In this study, the regolith thermophysical features of Mare Crisium are studied with the CELMS data from CE-2 satellite. Several important results are as follows. Firstly, the current geological interpretation only by optical data is not enough, and a new geological perspective is provided. Secondly, the analysis of the low TB anomaly combined with the (FeO+TiO2 abundance and Rock abundance suggests a special unknown material in shallow layer of the Moon surface. At last, a new basaltic volcanism is presented for Crisium Basin. The study hints the potential significance of the CELMS data in understanding the geological units over the Moon surface.

Surface water-quality activities of the U.S. Geological Survey in New England

Science.gov (United States)

Huntington, Thomas G.

2016-03-23

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collaborates with a variety of Federal, State, local, and tribal partners on scientific projects to provide reliable and impartial water-quality data and interpretation to resource managers, planners, stakeholders, and the general public. The themes related to surface water quality include the following:

Fluctuation diamagnetism near surfaces and twinning planes in superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burmistrov, S.N.; Dubovskii, L.B.

1984-01-01

Fluctuations of the magnetic moment and of the specific heat near surfaces and twinning planes in superconductors are studied. Fluctuations near a surface yield an additional contribution to the effect of the usual bulk fluctuations on the diamagnetic moment. Such an additional contribution has a singularity near a temperature T/sub c/3(H), which is higher than the bulk superconducting transition temperature in a magnetic field T/sub c/2(H). Depending on the strength of the magnetic field, the singularity of the additional contribution to the magnetic moment can be either logarithmic (strong fields) or of square-root type (weak fields). Experiments which could reveal the aforementioned anomalous behavior are discussed in detail

Revised draft: Northeastern Regional geologic characterization report. Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-11-01

This report presents available geologic information pertinent to siting a repository for high-level nuclear waste in crystalline rock in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. For each of the states within the Northeastern Region, information is provided on the disqualifying factor and the screening variables to be used in region-to-area screening. These factors and variables include: hydrologically significant natural resources, rock mass extent, post-emplacement faulting, suspected Quaternary faulting, seismicity, rock and mineral resources, major ground-water discharge zones, water resources, ground-water salinity, and state of stress. Information is presented on its age, areal extent, shape, thickness of overburden, composition, texture, degree and type of alteration, rock mass thickness, and structural features associated with each rock body or complex. Regional seismic and tectonic information is presented, including patterns of earthquake occurrence, earthquake magnitudes, horizontal ground accelerations, and vertical crustal movements. Also included are discussions of the rock and mineral deposits or mines located within or near crystalline bodies; ground-water resources and regional hydrology; postulated changes in climate and the associated effects; and landforms, surface processes, and surficial materials on or near the subject rock bodies

Preliminary concepts: materials management in an internationally safeguarded nuclear-waste geologic repository

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ostenak, C.A.; Whitty, W.J.; Dietz, R.J.

1979-11-01

Preliminary concepts of materials accountability are presented for an internationally safeguarded nuclear-waste geologic repository. A hypothetical reference repository that receives nuclear waste for emplacement in a geologic medium serves to illustrate specific safeguards concepts. Nuclear wastes received at the reference repository derive from prior fuel-cycle operations. Alternative safeguards techniques ranging from item accounting to nondestructive assay and waste characteristics that affect the necessary level of safeguards are examined. Downgrading of safeguards prior to shipment to the repository is recommended whenever possible. The point in the waste cycle where international safeguards may be terminate depends on the fissile content, feasibility of separation, and practicable recoverability of the waste: termination may not be possible if spent fuels are declared as waste

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangles 3666 and 3766, Balkh (219), Mazar-e Sharif (220), Qarqin (213), and Hazara Toghai (214) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

CHUVARDINSKY’S ANTIGLACIAL (GENERALIZED GEOLOGICAL CONCEPTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. K. Skufyin

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Based on the analytical study of V. G. Chuvardinsky’s monographs on the revision of the generally accepted glacial theory, the authors of the review concluded that there was convincing evidence of a fault-tectonic origin of ‘ice-exaration’ relief of the Baltic Shield. Developed by Chuvardinsky, a radically new methodology of boulder prospecting of ore deposits not only refuted the old glacial theory, but also led to the discovery of copper-nickel deposits, a new apatite alkaline massif, promising manifestation of copper-nickel ore, platinum group metals, native gold, chromite and other mineral resources. A thorough drilling of ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica for the international project determined the absence of boulder material over the entire thickness of the ice, only pulverulent and fine particles (mainly volcanic ash were found in the ice. Bottom ice layers are immobilised, their function is preservation of the geological surface. V. G. Chuvardinsky far outstripped western and Russian scientists in the field of Earth Sciences. His field studies on the Baltic Shield not only refuted the mighty glacial theory, but also created and substantiated a new geological concept instead. Professor V. Z. Negrutsa was quite right when he wrote in his review on Chuvardinsky’s work (journal Geomorfologiya, 2003, no. 1, ‘Evidence of Chuvardinsky about tectonic origin of geological and geomorphological features traditionally associated with the Quaternary glaciation is so obvious and reproducible both by field observations and by geological modeling that is presented irrefutable and undeniable in its essence’. In general, assessing the scientific significance of V. G. Chuvardinsky’s works, it can be stated that his work would have done honour to research institutes of geological and geographical orientation according to the level of study of the geological material and the value of his field studies. His books present the material for

Projected change in characteristics of near surface temperature inversions for southeast Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Fei; Evans, Jason Peter; Di Luca, Alejandro; Jiang, Ningbo; Olson, Roman; Fita, Lluis; Argüeso, Daniel; Chang, Lisa T.-C.; Scorgie, Yvonne; Riley, Matt

2018-05-01

Air pollution has significant impacts on human health. Temperature inversions, especially near surface temperature inversions, can amplify air pollution by preventing convective movements and trapping pollutants close to the ground, thus decreasing air quality and increasing health issues. This effect of temperature inversions implies that trends in their frequency, strength and duration can have important implications for air quality. In this study, we evaluate the ability of three reanalysis-driven high-resolution regional climate model (RCM) simulations to represent near surface inversions at 9 sounding sites in southeast Australia. Then we use outputs of 12 historical and future RCM simulations (each with three time periods: 1990-2009, 2020-2039, and 2060-2079) from the NSW/ACT (New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory) Regional Climate Modelling (NARCliM) project to investigate changes in near surface temperature inversions. The results show that there is a substantial increase in the strength of near surface temperature inversions over southeast Australia which suggests that future inversions may intensify poor air quality events. Near surface inversions and their future changes have clear seasonal and diurnal variations. The largest differences between simulations are associated with the driving GCMs, suggesting that the large-scale circulation plays a dominant role in near surface inversion strengths.

Test case for a near-surface repository

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elert, M.; Jones, C.; Nilsson, L.B.; Skagius, K.; Wiborgh, M.

1998-01-01

A test case is presented for assessment of a near-surface disposal facility for radioactive waste. The case includes waste characterization and repository design, requirements and constraints in an assessment context, scenario development, model description and test calculations

Surficial geologic map of the Mount Grace-Ashburnham-Monson-Webster 24-quadrangle area in central Massachusetts

Science.gov (United States)

Stone, Janet R.

2013-01-01

The surficial geologic map shows the distribution of nonlithified earth materials at land surface in an area of 24 7.5-minute quadrangles (1,238 mi2 total) in central Massachusetts. Across Massachusetts, these materials range from a few feet to more than 500 ft in thickness. They overlie bedrock, which crops out in upland hills and as resistant ledges in valley areas. The geologic map differentiates surficial materials of Quaternary age on the basis of their lithologic characteristics (such as grain size and sedimentary structures), constructional geomorphic features, stratigraphic relationships, and age. Surficial materials also are known in engineering classifications as unconsolidated soils, which include coarse-grained soils, fine-grained soils, and organic fine-grained soils. Surficial materials underlie and are the parent materials of modern pedogenic soils, which have developed in them at the land surface. Surficial earth materials significantly affect human use of the land, and an accurate description of their distribution is particularly important for assessing water resources, construction-aggregate resources, and earth-surface hazards, and for making land-use decisions. This work is part of a comprehensive study to produce a statewide digital map of the surficial geology at a 1:24,000-scale level of accuracy. This report includes explanatory text (PDF), quadrangle maps at 1:24,000 scale (PDF files), GIS data layers (ArcGIS shapefiles), metadata for the GIS layers, scanned topographic base maps (TIF), and a readme.txt file.

Surficial geologic map of the Norton-Manomet-Westport-Sconticut Neck 23-quadrangle area in southeast Massachusetts

Science.gov (United States)

Stone, Byron D.; Stone, Janet R.; DiGiacomo-Cohen, Mary L.; Kincare, Kevin A.

2012-01-01

The surficial geologic map shows the distribution of nonlithified earth materials at land surface in an area of 23 7.5-minute quadrangles (919 mi2 total) in southeastern Massachusetts. Across Massachusetts, these materials range from a few feet to more than 500 ft in thickness. They overlie bedrock, which crops out in upland hills and as resistant ledges in valley areas. The geologic map differentiates surficial materials of Quaternary age on the basis of their lithologic characteristics (such as grain size and sedimentary structures), constructional geomorphic features, stratigraphic relationships, and age. Surficial materials also are known in engineering classifications as unconsolidated soils, which include coarse-grained soils, fine-grained soils, and organic fine-grained soils. Surficial materials underlie and are the parent materials of modern pedogenic soils, which have developed in them at the land surface. Surficial earth materials significantly affect human use of the land, and an accurate description of their distribution is particularly important for assessing water resources, construction aggregate resources, and earth-surface hazards, and for making land-use decisions. This work is part of a comprehensive study to produce a statewide digital map of the surficial geology at a 1:24,000-scale level of accuracy. This report includes explanatory text (PDF), quadrangle maps at 1:24,000 scale (PDF files), GIS data layers (ArcGIS shapefiles), metadata for the GIS layers, scanned topographic base maps (TIF), and a readme.txt file.

The dynamics of a non-equilibrium bubble near bio-materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohl, S W; Klaseboer, E; Khoo, B C

2009-01-01

In many medical treatments oscillating (non-equilibrium) bubbles appear. They can be the result of high-intensity-focused ultrasound, laser treatments or shock wave lithotripsy for example. The physics of such oscillating bubbles is often not very well understood. This is especially so if the bubbles are oscillating near (soft) bio-materials. It is well known that bubbles oscillating near (hard) materials have a tendency to form a high speed jet directed towards the material during the collapse phase of the bubble. It is equally well studied that bubbles near a free interface (air) tend to collapse with a jet directed away from this interface. If the interface is neither 'free' nor 'hard', such as often occurs in bio-materials, the resulting flow physics can be very complex. Yet, in many bio-applications, it is crucial to know in which direction the jet will go (if there is a jet at all). Some applications require a jet towards the tissue, for example to destroy it. For other applications, damage due to impacting jets is to be prevented at all cost. This paper tries to address some of the physics involved in these treatments by using a numerical method, the boundary element method (BEM), to study the dynamics of such bubbles near several bio-materials. In the present work, the behaviour of a bubble placed in a water-like medium near various bio-materials (modelled as elastic fluids) is investigated. It is found that its behaviour depends on the material properties (Young's modulus, Poisson ratio and density) of the bio-material. For soft bio-materials (fat, skin, brain and muscle), the bubble tends to split into smaller bubbles. In certain cases, the resulting bubbles develop opposing jets. For hard bio-materials (cornea, cartilage and bone), the bubble collapses towards the interface with high speed jets (between 100 and about 250 m s -1 ). A summary graph is provided identifying the combined effects of the dimensionless elasticity (κ) and density ratio (α) of

Near-surface geophysical characterization of Holocene faults conducive to geothermal flow near Pyramid Lake, Nevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dudley, Colton; Dorsey, Alison; Louie, John [UNR; Schwering, Paul; Pullammanappallil, Satish

2016-08-01

Colton Dudley, Alison Dorsey, Paul Opdyke, Dustin Naphan, Marlon Ramos, John Louie, Paul Schwering, and Satish Pullammanappallil, 2013, Near-surface geophysical characterization of Holocene faults conducive to geothermal flow near Pyramid Lake, Nevada: presented at Amer. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists, Pacific Section Annual Meeting, Monterey, Calif., April 19-25.

Volcano Park Mosenberg near Bettenfeld / Eifel: A new concept of geological renaturation

Science.gov (United States)

Koziol, Martin; Kuhn, Nikolaus J.

2013-04-01

Mining of the lava deposited in the area of the Mosenberg volcano near the village of Bettenfeld in the Eifel ended in 1993. The German mining law calls for an operating plan for a closed mine. In many cases, the mines are simply backfilled and planted. Such filling hides many interesting geological outcrops forever. Geological outcrops are windows into the earth, they tell us fascinating stories about the origin and evolution of the rocks and landscape. Mining the Mosenberg exposed volcanic chimneys filled with solid basalt, lapilli beds of different grain sizes and scoria welded into cinder layers, offering a perfect and large cross-section through a cinder cone. The unique sight at the closed mine at the Mosenberg volcano group was, together with the Meerfeld maar, included in the 2006 list of the 80 best "Geotopes of Germany". In 2000, the community of Bettenfeld, the municipality of Manderscheid and the Maarmuseum Manderscheid started discussions on how to enable access to these pits and open them to geotourism. The "GeoRoute Vulkaneifel around Manderscheid"as well as the "Eifel" and "Lieser" hiking trails pass nearby the former lava mine which facilitated the connection of the outcrops to existing tourism routes. Eventually, the relocation of the "GeoRoute" into the pit and the development of safe pathways there to make the lava pit safe and accessible for visitors, combined with geological information boards was developed. The term of "renaturation" was redefined in the project for the first time and implemented as "Geological renaturation". Subsequently, funds from the European Union and the State of Rhineland-Palatine to support the development of the pit were sought. In 2009, the European Union and the State of Rhineland-Palatinate granted supported for the project as part of their structural development programs (LEADER / PAUL). Their contribution consisted of half of the construction cost. The other half was covered by the municipality of Manderscheid

Surface wind energy trends near Taiwan in winter since 1871

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Zhang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The tropical surface wind speed in boreal winter reaches a maximum near Taiwan. This stable wind resource may be used for future clean energy development. How this surface wind energy source has changed in past 141 years is investigated using the 20th century reanalysis dataset and CMIP5 models. Our observational analysis shows that the surface wind speed experienced a weakening trend in the past 141 years (1871 - 2010. The average decreasing rate is around -1.4 m s-1 per century. The decrease is primarily attributed to the relative sea surface temperature (SST cooling in the subtropical North Pacific, which forces a large-scale low-level anti-cyclonic circulation anomaly in situ and is thus responsible for the southerly trend near Taiwan. The relative SST trend pattern is attributed mainly to the greenhouse gas effect associated with anthropogenic activities. The southerly trend near Taiwan is more pronounced in the boreal winter than in summer. Such seasonal difference is attributed to the reversed seasonal mean wind, which promotes more efficient positive feedback in the boreal winter. The CMIP5 historical run analysis reveals that climate models capture less SST warming and large-scale anti-cyclonic circulation in the subtropical North Pacific, but the simulated weakening trend of the surface wind speed near Taiwan is too small.

The sorption of polonium, actinium and protactinium onto geological materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baston, G.M.N.; Berry, J.A.; Brownsword, M.; Heath, T.G.; Ilett, D.J.; McCrohon, R.; Tweed, C.J.; Yui, M.

1999-01-01

This paper describes a combined experimental and modeling program of generic sorption studies to increase confidence in the performance assessment for a potential high-level radioactive waste repository in Japan. The sorption of polonium, actinium and protactinium onto geological materials has been investigated. Sorption of these radioelements onto bentonite, tuff and granodiorite from equilibrated de-ionized water was studied under reducing conditions at room temperature. In addition, the sorption of actinium and protactinium was investigated at 60 C. Thermodynamic chemical modeling was carried out to aid interpretation of the results

The sorption of polonium, actinium and protactinium onto geological materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baston, G.M.N.; Berry, J.A.; Brownsword, M.; Heath, T.G.; Ilett, D.J.; McCrohon, R.; Tweed, C.J.; Yui, M.

1999-07-01

This paper describes a combined experimental and modeling program of generic sorption studies to increase confidence in the performance assessment for a potential high-level radioactive waste repository in Japan. The sorption of polonium, actinium and protactinium onto geological materials has been investigated. Sorption of these radioelements onto bentonite, tuff and granodiorite from equilibrated de-ionized water was studied under reducing conditions at room temperature. In addition, the sorption of actinium and protactinium was investigated at 60 C. Thermodynamic chemical modeling was carried out to aid interpretation of the results.

Field Investigation of Surface Deformation Induced by the 2016 Meinong Earthquake and its Implications to Regional Geological Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, De-Cheng; Chuang, Ray Y.; Lin, Ching-Weei

2017-04-01

boundary of the coseismic deformation area, indicating accumulated deformation and repeated structural activity in this area. In addition, we found a series of centimeters to meters long, N-S to N-W striking and eastern-side-down surface ruptures with the 4-19 cm heave distributed along the 4-km-long, nearly N-S striking and range-facing scarp with the 4-12 m height at the west of Guanmiao, where locate between the Chungchou anticline and Guanmiao syncline. We interpret these surface ruptures as a sign of the bending-moment fault associated with folding amplified by seismic energy through fluid-rich mud diapirs. Thus, seismic potential in this region needs to be re-evaluated, and the mechanism of seismic-induced amplification through high fluid pressure medium may play a critical role in assessing earthquake hazards in regions with similar geology to SW Taiwan.

Nanoscale Roughness of Faults Explained by the Scale-Dependent Yield Stress of Geologic Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Thom, C.; Brodsky, E. E.; Carpick, R. W.; Goldsby, D. L.; Pharr, G.; Oliver, W.

2017-12-01

Despite significant differences in their lithologies and slip histories, natural fault surfaces exhibit remarkably similar scale-dependent roughness over lateral length scales spanning 7 orders of magnitude, from microns to tens of meters. Recent work has suggested that a scale-dependent yield stress may result in such a characteristic roughness, but experimental evidence in favor of this hypothesis has been lacking. We employ an atomic force microscope (AFM) operating in intermittent-contact mode to map the topography of the Corona Heights fault surface. Our experiments demonstrate that the Corona Heights fault exhibits isotropic self-affine roughness with a Hurst exponent of 0.75 +/- 0.05 at all wavelengths from 60 nm to 10 μm. If yield stress controls roughness, then the roughness data predict that yield strength varies with length scale as λ-0.25 +/ 0.05. To test the relationship between roughness and yield stress, we conducted nanoindentation tests on the same Corona Heights sample and a sample of the Yair Fault, a carbonate fault surface that has been previously characterized by AFM. A diamond Berkovich indenter tip was used to indent the samples at a nominally constant strain rate (defined as the loading rate divided by the load) of 0.2 s-1. The continuous stiffness method (CSM) was used to measure the indentation hardness (which is proportional to yield stress) and the elastic modulus of the sample as a function of depth in each test. For both samples, the yield stress decreases with increasing size of the indents, a behavior consistent with that observed for many engineering materials and recently for other geologic materials such as olivine. The magnitude of this "indentation size effect" is best described by a power-law with exponents of -0.12 +/- 0.06 and -0.18 +/- 0.08 for the Corona Heights and Yair Faults, respectively. These results demonstrate a link between surface roughness and yield stress, and suggest that fault geometry is the physical

Geologic mapping of the air intake shaft at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holt, R.M.; Powers, D.W.

1990-12-01

The air intake shaft (AS) was geologically mapped from the surface to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) facility horizon. The entire shaft section including the Mescalero Caliche, Gatuna Formation, Santa Rosa Formation, Dewey Lake Redbeds, Rustler Formation, and Salado Formation was geologically described. The air intake shaft (AS) at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site was constructed to provide a pathway for fresh air into the underground repository and maintain the desired pressure balances for proper underground ventilation. It was up-reamed to minimize construction-related damage to the wall rock. The upper portion of the shaft was lined with slip-formed concrete, while the lower part of the shaft, from approximately 903 ft below top of concrete at the surface, was unlined. As part of WIPP site characterization activities, the AS was geologically mapped. The shaft construction method, up-reaming, created a nearly ideal surface for geologic description. Small-scale textures usually best seen on slabbed core were easily distinguished on the shaft wall, while larger scale textures not generally revealed in core were well displayed. During the mapping, newly recognized textures were interpreted in order to refine depositional and post-depositional models of the units mapped. The objectives of the geologic mapping were to: (1) provide confirmation and documentation of strata overlying the WIPP facility horizon; (2) provide detailed information of the geologic conditions in strata critical to repository sealing and operations; (3) provide technical basis for field adjustments and modification of key and aquifer seal design, based upon the observed geology; (4) provide geological data for the selection of instrument borehole locations; (5) and characterize the geology at geomechanical instrument locations to assist in data interpretation. 40 refs., 27 figs., 1 tab

Shear-wave seismic reflection imaging and impedance inversion for a near-surface point-bar

Science.gov (United States)

Benton, N. W.; Morrison, M.; Lorenzo, J. M.; Odom, B.; Clift, P. D.; Olson, E.; Gostic, A.

2017-12-01

Imaging and inversion of SH-waves are useful to detect, map, and quantitatively characterize near-surface point-bar strata. We conduct a horizontally-polarized (SH) reflection survey across and along a near-surface (9 - 40 m) downstream point-bar. We invert for shear-impedance profiles and correlate our interpretation to electrical conductivity (EC) logs in adjacent wells to study the internal architecture and lithology of point-bars. We acquire two common-midpoint (CMP) SH-wave seismic reflection lines at False River (Point Coupee Parish, Louisiana). A 104 m long seismic line (L1) is oriented orthogonal (NW - SE) to point-bar strike. A second line (L2) is 48 m long and set parallel to point-bar strike (NE - SW). Two EC wells lie 33 m apart. Both wells are parallel with respect to the L1 survey and offset from it by 15 m. EC log measurements range from 1 - 25 m depth. Interference of Love-waves prevents seismic imaging at depths less than 9 m. The L1 and L2 data sets are inverted for shear-impedance using a model-based band-limited impedance (BLIMP) algorithm that incorporates a low-frequency velocity model. This model is also used for the depthing processing. The L1 cross-section shows coherent dipping reflection events ( 4 - 7º) from 0.15 - 0.35 s (10 - 40 m). The corresponding shear-impedance profile also reveals coherent and dipping impedance contrasts that grow in magnitude with increasing depth. The L2 cross-section shows comparatively less dip ( 1º) as well as sharper and shallower continuity of reflection events (0.1 - 0.28 s TWT or 9 - 25 m). Depth-converted (TVD) seismic amplitudes and impedance values correlate to near-surface point-bar geology via superposition of log data. The first well (W5) shows distinct EC local maxima (+50 - 70 mS/m) at 14.5 and 15.5 m depth that correlate well with the seismic amplitudes and impedance values from both L1 and L2 data sets. The second well (W7) shows comparatively lower local maxima (+40 - 60 mS/m) but at greater

Proceedings of the Workshop on near-field phenomena in geologic repositories for radioactive waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1981-01-01

Prediction of the behaviour of radioactive waste and the geologic host medium is a complex problem, involving an understanding of many chemical and physical phenomena. Topics covered by this Workshop include rock mechanics in stressed and heated conditions; thermally induced groundwater flow in fractured rock; chemical changes to rock surfaces associated with groundwater and changes in the thermal and chemical environment; the chemical solubilities and sorption properties of radionuclides; and the long-term integrity of containers and packaging for radioactive waste.

Zwitterionic materials for antifouling membrane surface construction.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Mingrui; Gao, Kang; Zhou, Linjie; Jiao, Zhiwei; Wu, Mengyuan; Cao, Jialin; You, Xinda; Cai, Ziyi; Su, Yanlei; Jiang, Zhongyi

2016-08-01

Membrane separation processes are often perplexed by severe and ubiquitous membrane fouling. Zwitterionic materials, keeping electric neutrality with equivalent positive and negative charged groups, are well known for their superior antifouling properties and have been broadly utilized to construct antifouling surfaces for medical devices, biosensors and marine coatings applications. In recent years, zwitterionic materials have been more and more frequently utilized for constructing antifouling membrane surfaces. In this review, the antifouling mechanisms of zwitterionic materials as well as their biomimetic prototypes in cell membranes will be discussed, followed by the survey of common approaches to incorporate zwitterionic materials onto membrane surfaces including surface grafting, surface segregation, biomimetic adhesion, surface coating and so on. The potential applications of these antifouling membranes are also embedded. Finally, we will present a brief perspective on the future development of zwitterionic materials modified antifouling membranes. Membrane fouling is a severe problem hampering the application of membrane separation technology. The properties of membrane surfaces play a critical role in membrane fouling and antifouling behavior/performance. Antifouling membrane surface construction has evolved as a hot research issue for the development of membrane processes. Zwitterionic modification of membrane surfaces has been recognized as an effective strategy to resist membrane fouling. This review summarizes the antifouling mechanisms of zwitterionic materials inspired by cell membranes as well as the popular approaches to incorporate them onto membrane surfaces. It can help form a comprehensive knowledge about the principles and methods of modifying membrane surfaces with zwitterionic materials. Finally, we propose the possible future research directions of zwitterionic materials modified antifouling membranes. Copyright © 2016 Acta Materialia Inc

A near-UV-converted LiMgBO3:Dy3+ nanophosphor: Surface and spectral investigations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bedyal, A.K.; Kumar, Vinay; Prakash, Ram; Ntwaeaborwa, O.M.; Swart, H.C.

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Combustion method was employed to synthesize LiMgBO 3 :Dy 3+ nanophosphors. • The phosphor can be efficiently excited by near-UV chips. • XPS was done to investigate the chemical constitution and chemical bonding state of elements in the LiMgBO 3 : Dy 3+ nanophosphor. • The calculated CIE coordinates (0.45, 0.46) were found to be in the white spectrum region. - Abstract: A near-ultra violet (UV) converted LiMgBO 3 :Dy 3+ nanophosphors have been synthesized by the combustion method. The structural, spectral and optical properties were examined by powder X-ray diffraction, fluorescent spectrophotometry and UV–vis spectroscopy. The excitation spectra of the phosphors contain sharp peaks at 294, 323, 348 and 385 nm due to the 4f–4f transition of the Dy 3+ ion. The phosphor is efficiently excited by near-UV chips. Upon near-UV excitation the phosphor emits intense blue and yellow with a weak red band centered at 484, 573 and 669 nm respectively, ascribed to the transition of Dy 3+ ion from 4 F 9/2 → 6 H 15/2 , 6 H 13/2 , 6 H 11/2 . The diffuse reflectance spectra of the phosphors were consistent with the excitation spectra and were used to calculate the band gap of the material, approximated to be 5.4 eV. The calculated CIE coordinates (0.45, 0.46) under 348 nm excitation were found to be in the white spectrum region. For surface investigation, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used which confirms the presence of all the elements on the surface of the material

Matrix effects on the determination of manganese in geological materials by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry under different flame conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Sanzolone, R.F.; Chao, T.T.

1978-01-01

Suppression caused by five of the seven matrix elements studied (Si, Al, Fe, Ca and Mg) was observed in the atomic-absorption determination of manganese in geological materials, when synthetic solutions and the recommended oxidizing air-acetylene flame were used. The magnitude of the suppression effects depends on (1) the kind and concentration of the interfering elements, (2) the type of acid medium, and (3) the concentration of manganese to be determined. All interferences noted are removed or alleviated by using a reducing nitrous oxide-acetylene flame. The atomic-absorption method using this flame can be applied to the determination of total and extractable manganese in a wide range of geological materials without interferences. Analyses of six U.S. Geological Survey rock standards for manganese gave results in agreement with the reported values. ?? 1978.

Study of uranium oxidation states in geological material.

Science.gov (United States)

Pidchenko, I; Salminen-Paatero, S; Rothe, J; Suksi, J

2013-10-01

A wet chemical method to determine uranium (U) oxidation states in geological material has been developed and tested. The problem faced in oxidation state determinations with wet chemical methods is that U redox state may change when extracted from the sample material, thereby leading to erroneous results. In order to quantify and monitor U redox behavior during the acidic extraction in the procedure, an analysis of added isotopic redox tracers, (236)U(VI) and (232)U(IV), and of variations in natural uranium isotope ratio ((234)U/(238)U) of indigenous U(IV) and U(VI) fractions was performed. Two sample materials with varying redox activity, U bearing rock and U-rich clayey lignite sediment, were used for the tests. The Fe(II)/Fe(III) redox-pair of the mineral phases was postulated as a potentially disturbing redox agent. The impact of Fe(III) on U was studied by reducing Fe(III) with ascorbic acid, which was added to the extraction solution. We observed that ascorbic acid protected most of the U from oxidation. The measured (234)U/(238)U ratio in U(IV) and U(VI) fractions in the sediment samples provided a unique tool to quantify U oxidation caused by Fe(III). Annealing (sample heating) to temperatures above 500 °C was supposed to heal ionizing radiation induced defects in the material that can disturb U redox state during extraction. Good agreement between two independent methods was obtained for DL-1a material: an average 38% of U(IV) determined by redox tracer corrected wet chemistry and 45% for XANES. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stress field of a near-surface basal screw dislocation in elastically anisotropic hexagonal crystals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valeri S. Harutyunyan

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In this study, we derive and analyze the analytical expressions for stress components of the dislocation elastic field induced by a near-surface basal screw dislocation in a semi-infinite elastically anisotropic material with hexagonal crystal lattice. The variation of above stress components depending on “free surface–dislocation” distance (i.e., free surface effect is studied by means of plotting the stress distribution maps for elastically anisotropic crystals of GaN and TiB2 that exhibit different degrees of elastic anisotropy. The dependence both of the image force on a screw dislocation and the force of interaction between two neighboring basal screw dislocations on the “free surface–dislocation” distance is analyzed as well. The influence of elastic anisotropy on the latter force is numerically analyzed for GaN and TiB2 and also for crystals of such highly elastically-anisotropic materials as Ti, Zn, Cd, and graphite. The comparatively stronger effect of the elastic anisotropy on dislocation-induced stress distribution quantified for TiB2 is attributed to the higher degree of elastic anisotropy of this compound in comparison to that of the GaN. For GaN and TiB2, the dislocation stress distribution maps are highly influenced by the free surface effect at “free surface–dislocation” distances roughly smaller than ≈15 and ≈50 nm, respectively. It is found that, for above indicated materials, the relative decrease of the force of interaction between near-surface screw dislocations due to free surface effect is in the order Ti > GaN > TiB2 > Zn > Cd > Graphite that results from increase of the specific shear anisotropy parameter in the reverse order Ti < GaN < TiB2 < Zn < Cd < Graphite. The results obtained in this study are also applicable to the case when a screw dislocation is situated in the “thin film–substrate” system at a (0001 basal interface between the film and substrate provided that the elastic constants

Test case for a near-surface repository

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elert, M.; Jones, C. [Kemakta Konsult AB, Stockholm (Sweden); Nilsson, L.B. [Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Co, Stockholm (Sweden); Skagius, K.; Wiborgh, M. [Kemakta Konsult AB, Stockholm (Sweden)

1998-09-01

A test case is presented for assessment of a near-surface disposal facility for radioactive waste. The case includes waste characterization and repository design, requirements and constraints in an assessment context, scenario development, model description and test calculations 6 refs, 12 tabs, 16 figs

Environmental geology and hydrology

Science.gov (United States)

Nakić, Zoran; Mileusnić, Marta; Pavlić, Krešimir; Kovač, Zoran

2017-10-01

Environmental geology is scientific discipline dealing with the interactions between humans and the geologic environment. Many natural hazards, which have great impact on humans and their environment, are caused by geological settings. On the other hand, human activities have great impact on the physical environment, especially in the last decades due to dramatic human population growth. Natural disasters often hit densely populated areas causing tremendous death toll and material damage. Demand for resources enhanced remarkably, as well as waste production. Exploitation of mineral resources deteriorate huge areas of land, produce enormous mine waste and pollute soil, water and air. Environmental geology is a broad discipline and only selected themes will be presented in the following subchapters: (1) floods as natural hazard, (2) water as geological resource and (3) the mining and mineral processing as types of human activities dealing with geological materials that affect the environment and human health.

Nonlinear estimation of weathering rate parameters for uranium in surface soil near a nuclear facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Killough, G.G.; Rope, S.K.; Shleien, B.; Voilleque, P.G.

1999-01-01

A dynamic mass-balance model has been calibrated by a nonlinear parameter estimation method, using time-series measurements of uranium in surface soil near the former Feed Materials Production Center (FMPC) near Fernald, Ohio, USA. The time-series data, taken at six locations near the site boundary since 1971, show a statistically significant downtrend of above-background uranium concentration in surface soil for all six locations. The dynamic model is based on first-order kinetics in a surface-soil compartment 10 cm in depth. Median estimates of weathering rate coefficients for insoluble uranium in this soil compartment range from about 0.065-0.14 year -1 , corresponding to mean transit times of about 7-15 years, depending on the location sampled. The model, calibrated by methods similar to those discussed in this paper, has been used to simulate surface soil kinetics of uranium for a dose reconstruction study. It was also applied, along with other data, to make confirmatory estimates of airborne releases of uranium from the FMPC between 1951 and 1988. Two soil-column models (one diffusive and one advective, the latter similar to a catenary first-order kinetic box model) were calibrated to profile data taken at one of the six locations in 1976. The temporal predictions of the advective model approximate the trend of the time series data for that location. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

Status and development of deep geological repository in Slovak republic from geological point of view

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jozef Franzen

2007-01-01

Full Text Available During the operation of Slovak NPPs, production of approximately 2,300 metric tons of spent fuel expressed as heavy metal (18,654 spent fuel assemblies is expected. In addition, about 5000 metric tons of radioactive waste unfit for near surface repository at Mochovce and destined for a deep geological disposal. The safe and long-term solution of back-end fuel cycle is so highly required.One of the most favorable solutions is Deep Geological Repository (DGR. The site for a DGR, along with repository design and the engineered barrier system must ensure long-term safety of the disposal system.A preliminary set of site-selection criteria for a DGR was proposed in Slovakia, based on worldwide experience and consistent with IAEA recommendations. Main groups of criteria are: 1 geological and tectonic stability of prospective sites; 2 appropriate characteristics of host rock (lithological homogeneity, suitable hydrogeological and geochemical conditions, favourable geotechnical setting, absence of mineral resources, etc.; 3 conflict of interests (natural resources, natural and cultural heritage, protected resources of thermal waters, etc..Based on the previous geological investigations, three distinct areas (five localities were determined as the most prospective sites for construction of a DGR so far. Three of them are built by granitoids rock (Tribeč Mts., Veporske vrchy Mts. and Stolicke vrchy Mts., other consist of sedimentary rock formations (Cerova vrchovina Upland and Rimavska kotlina Basin. Objective for the next investigation stage is to perform more detailed geological characterization of the prospective sites.

Geology of the Harper Quadrangle, Liberia

Science.gov (United States)

Brock, M.R.; Chidester, A.H.; Baker, M.G.W.

1974-01-01

As part of a program undertaken cooperatively by the Liberian Geological Survey (LGS) and the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS), under the sponsorship of the Government of Liberia and the Agency for International Development, U. S. Department of State, Liberia was mapped by geologic and geophysical methods during the period 1965 to 1972. The resulting geologic and geophysical maps are published in ten folios, each covering one quadrangle (see index map). The first systematic mapping in the Harper quadrangle was by Baker, S. P. Srivastava, and W. E. Stewart (LGS) at a scale of 1:500,000 in the vicinity of Harper in the southeastern, and of Karloke in the northeastern part of the quadrangle in 1960-61. Brock and Chidester carried out systematic mapping of the quadrangle at a scale of 1:250,000 in the period September 1971-May 1972; the geologic map was compiled from field data gathered by project geologists and private companies as indicated in the source diagram, photogeologic maps, interpretation of airborne magnetic and radiometric surveys, field mapping, and ground-based radiometric surveys in which hand-held scintillators were used. R. W. Bromery, C. S. Wotorson, and J. C. Behrendt contributed to the interpretation of geophysical data. Total-intensity aeromagnetic and total-count gamma radiation maps (Behrendt and Wotorson, in press a, b), and unpublished data derived from those maps, including the near-surface and the regional magnetic components and aeromagnetic/radiometric correlations, were used in the interpretation.

Preliminary report on the environmnetal geology of the Islamabad-Rawalpindi area, Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, V.S.; Sheikh, I.; Pasha, M.K.; Khan, K.S.A.; Reza, Q.

1994-01-01

Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, is a planned city constructed since about 1960 at the foot of the Margala hills just north of the old city of Rawalpindi. Since then, rapid growth of both Islamabad and Rawalpindi to a combined population of about 1.3 million has caused ever increasing demands for natural resources and adverse effects on the environment. To maintain the quality of the capital, municipal authorities need information on the physical environment to guide future development. Environment concerns include (1) availability of building materials, (2) environmental degradation from extraction and processing of building materials, (3) availability of surface and ground water (4) pollution of water by waste disposal, (5) geological hazards, and (6) engineering characteristics of soil ad rock. This preliminary report summarizes information on the environmental geology of the Islamabad-Rawalpindi area. The information has been collected by a cooperative project of the geological Survey of Pakistan and the U.S. Geological Survey, supported by the United States Agency for International Development. (author)

Photodetachment of H− near a Hard Spherical Surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haneef, M.; Rahman, A.; Ahmad, Iftikhar; Afaq, A.

2012-01-01

The photodetachment of a hydrogen negative ion (H − ) near a hard spherical surface is investigated by using the theoretical imaging method. The surface is oriented in such a fashion that the laser polarization direction is perpendicular to the principal axis of the spherical surface. Analytical expressions are derived for the detached-electron flux and photodetachment cross section. Strong interference patterns are observed in the detached-electron flux, while no visible oscillations are found in the photodetachment cross section. (atomic and molecular physics)

Thermal inertia and surface heterogeneity on Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Putzig, Nathaniel E.

Thermal inertia derived from temperature observations is critical for understanding surface geology and assessing potential landing sites on Mars. Derivation methods generally assume uniform surface properties for any given observation. Consequently, horizontal heterogeneity and near-surface layering may yield apparent thermal inertia that varies with time of day and season. To evaluate the effects of horizontal heterogeneity, I modeled the thermal behavior of surfaces containing idealized material mixtures (dust, sand, duricrust, and rocks) and differing slope facets. These surfaces exhibit diurnal and seasonal variability in apparent thermal inertia of several 100 tiu, 1 even for components with moderately contrasting thermal properties. To isolate surface effects on the derived thermal inertia of Mars, I mapped inter- annual and seasonal changes in albedo and atmospheric dust opacity, accounting for their effects in a modified derivation algorithm. Global analysis of three Mars years of MGS-TES 2 data reveals diurnal and seasonal variations of ~200 tiu in the mid-latitudes and 600 tiu or greater in the polar regions. Correlation of TES results and modeled apparent thermal inertia of heterogeneous surfaces indicates pervasive surface heterogeneity on Mars. At TES resolution, the near-surface thermal response is broadly dominated by layering and is consistent with the presence of duricrusts over fines in the mid-latitudes and dry soils over ground ice in the polar regions. Horizontal surface mixtures also play a role and may dominate at higher resolution. In general, thermal inertia obtained from single observations or annually averaged maps may misrepresent surface properties. In lieu of a robust heterogeneous- surface derivation technique, repeat coverage can be used together with forward-modeling results to constrain the near-surface heterogeneity of Mars. 1 tiu == J m -2 K -1 s - 2 Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer

Groundwater monitoring and modelling of the “Vector” site for near-surface radioactive waste disposal in the Chornobyl exclusion zone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Bugai

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Results of purposeful groundwater monitoring and modelling studies are presented, which were carried out in order to better understand groundwater flow patterns from the “Vector” site for near-surface radioactive waste disposal and storage in the Chornobyl exclusion zone towards river network. Both data of observations at local-scale monitoring well network at “Vector” site carried out in 2015 - 2016 and modelling analyses using the regional groundwater flow model of Chornobyl exclusion zone suggest that the groundwater discharge contour for water originating from “Vector” site is Sakhan River, which is the tributary to Pripyat River. The respective groundwater travel time is estimated at 210 - 340 years. The travel times in subsurface for 90Sr, 137Cs, and transuranium radionuclides (Pu isotopes, 241Am are estimated respectively at thousands, tenths of thousands, hundreds of thousands – million of years. These results, as well as presented data of analyses of lithological properties of the geological deposits of the unsaturated zone at “Vector” site, provide evidence for good protection of surface water resources from radioactivity sources (e.g., radioactive wastes to be disposed in the near-sursface facilities at “Vector” site.

Molecular dynamics simulation of temperature effects on low energy near-surface cascades and surface damage in Cu

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Guo; Sun, Jiangping; Guo, Xiongxiong; Zou, Xixi; Zhang, Libin; Gan, Zhiyin

2017-06-01

The temperature effects on near-surface cascades and surface damage in Cu(0 0 1) surface under 500 eV argon ion bombardment were studied using molecular dynamics (MD) method. In present MD model, substrate system was fully relaxed for 1 ns and a read-restart scheme was introduced to save total computation time. The temperature dependence of damage production was calculated. The evolution of near-surface cascades and spatial distribution of adatoms at varying temperature were analyzed and compared. It was found that near-surface vacancies increased with temperature, which was mainly due to the fact that more atoms initially located in top two layers became adatoms with the decrease of surface binding energy. Moreover, with the increase of temperature, displacement cascades altered from channeling-like structure to branching structure, and the length of collision sequence decreased gradually, because a larger portion of energy of primary knock-on atom (PKA) was scattered out of focused chain. Furthermore, increasing temperature reduced the anisotropy of distribution of adatoms, which can be ascribed to that regular registry of surface lattice atoms was changed with the increase of thermal vibration amplitude of surface atoms.

Molecular dynamics simulation of temperature effects on low energy near-surface cascades and surface damage in Cu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Guo; Sun, Jiangping; Guo, Xiongxiong; Zou, Xixi; Zhang, Libin; Gan, Zhiyin, E-mail: ganzhiyin@126.com

2017-06-15

The temperature effects on near-surface cascades and surface damage in Cu(0 0 1) surface under 500 eV argon ion bombardment were studied using molecular dynamics (MD) method. In present MD model, substrate system was fully relaxed for 1 ns and a read-restart scheme was introduced to save total computation time. The temperature dependence of damage production was calculated. The evolution of near-surface cascades and spatial distribution of adatoms at varying temperature were analyzed and compared. It was found that near-surface vacancies increased with temperature, which was mainly due to the fact that more atoms initially located in top two layers became adatoms with the decrease of surface binding energy. Moreover, with the increase of temperature, displacement cascades altered from channeling-like structure to branching structure, and the length of collision sequence decreased gradually, because a larger portion of energy of primary knock-on atom (PKA) was scattered out of focused chain. Furthermore, increasing temperature reduced the anisotropy of distribution of adatoms, which can be ascribed to that regular registry of surface lattice atoms was changed with the increase of thermal vibration amplitude of surface atoms.

Impact of the shape of geological contact on mining losses in the process of near-contact zone development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Г. С. Курчин

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In Russia development of mineral resources is carried out on a truly grand scale, and mining industry is in its essence a basic sector, supporting and facilitating the development of national economy. It predetermines the need of safe and responsible attitude towards riches of our subsoil – mineral resources. With this in mind, one of the key requirements to extraction technologies is minimization of mining losses and ore dilution.The biggest ore losses in the mining block take place in the process of development of contact areas between the ore body and surrounding rocks, due to differences between development pattern and surface of geological contact. Complexity of the contact between ore and surrounding rocks is traditionally characterized by so called «stochastic contact zone». Technological difficulty of extracting ore from the ore – wallrock contact is determined by volatility of geometric parameters in «stochastic contact zone» in the plane of geological contact.Current paper focuses on the issues of standard-setting for mining losses and ore dilution in the process of near-contact zone development. A method is suggested to estimate standard values of losses and ore dilution in stochastic zones. Authors have developed an algorithm of defining the shape of the contact. In the stochastic zone the contact can have a rectangular, sinusoidal, serrate and straight-line shapes. Research has established a relation between the contact shape and amounts of mining losses and ore dilution, formulas to calculate standard values are presented. Using suggested method, standard values for contact ore losses can be obtained in a quicker and more reliable way.

Basic reactions of osteoblasts on structured material surfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

U. Meyer

2005-04-01

Full Text Available In order to assess how bone substitute materials determine bone formation in vivo it is useful to understand the mechanisms of the material surface/tissue interaction on a cellular level. Artificial materials are used in two applications, as biomaterials alone or as a scaffold for osteoblasts in a tissue engineering approach. Recently, many efforts have been undertaken to improve bone regeneration by the use of structured material surfaces. In vitro studies of bone cell responses to artificial materials are the basic tool to determine these interactions. Surface properties of materials surfaces as well as biophysical constraints at the biomaterial surface are of major importance since these features will direct the cell responses. Studies on osteoblast-like cell reactivity towards materials will have to focus on the different steps of protein and cell reactions towards defined surface properties. The introduction of new techniques allows nowadays the fabrication of materials with ordered surface structures. This paper gives a review of present knowledge on the various stages of osteoblast reactions on material surfaces, focused on basic cell events under in vitro conditions. Special emphasis is given to cellular reactions towards ordered nano-sized topographies.

Near-surface residual stresses and microstructural changes after turning of a nickel-based superalloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schlauer, Christian

2003-07-01

Nickel-based superalloys are precipitation hardened alloys with complex compositions. They are used in aircraft engines and land-based gas turbines in load bearing structural components that are exposed to high temperatures. Failure mechanisms in this environment are high and low cycle fatigue, creep, and corrosion. During manufacturing, residual stresses are often introduced into the material due to inhomogeneous plastic deformations, both intentionally and unintentionally. One such manufacturing process is metal cutting, which introduces residual stresses in the surface layer. The stress state in the near-surface zone of components is of special interest as the surface often experiences peak loads and cracks have their starting point there. In this thesis, near-surface residual stress distributions and microstructural changes are studied in the nickel-based superalloy Inconel 718 for two different turning operations, face grooving and facing. Process variables are in both cases cutting speed and feed that have been varied between (10 and 1200) m/min and (0.01 and 0.5) mm, respectively. The first turning technique face grooving, which gives cutting conditions similar to orthogonal cutting, showed a clear dependency of the residual stresses on the cutting speed. The tensile stress at the surface, the maximum compressive stress below the surface, and the thickness of the affected layer increase with increasing cutting speed. The tensile stresses are constrained to a thin surface layer and compressive residual stresses below the surface dominate the depth profile of the residual stresses. Only at low cutting speed, residual stresses were largely avoided. The second turning technique facing confirmed the dependency of the residual stresses on the cutting speed and revealed a similar dependency on the feed. Microstructural investigations of near-surface cross-sections by means of transmission electron microscopy showed a zone where the grains had undergone plastic

Nearly Perfect Durable Superhydrophobic Surfaces Fabricated by a Simple One-Step Plasma Treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, Jeongeun; Kim, Kiwoong; Park, JooYoung; Hwang, Bae Geun; Ko, YoungChul; Kim, HyunJoo; Han, JeongSu; Seo, EungRyeol; Park, YongJong; Lee, Sang Joon

2017-05-16

Fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces is an area of great interest because it can be applicable to various engineering fields. A simple, safe and inexpensive fabrication process is required to fabricate applicable superhydrophobic surfaces. In this study, we developed a facile fabrication method of nearly perfect superhydrophobic surfaces through plasma treatment with argon and oxygen gases. A polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sheet was selected as a substrate material. We optimized the fabrication parameters to produce superhydrophobic surfaces of superior performance using the Taguchi method. The contact angle of the pristine PTFE surface is approximately 111.0° ± 2.4°, with a sliding angle of 12.3° ± 6.4°. After the plasma treatment, nano-sized spherical tips, which looked like crown-structures, were created. This PTFE sheet exhibits the maximum contact angle of 178.9°, with a sliding angle less than 1°. As a result, this superhydrophobic surface requires a small external force to detach water droplets dripped on the surface. The contact angle of the fabricated superhydrophobic surface is almost retained, even after performing an air-aging test for 80 days and a droplet impacting test for 6 h. This fabrication method can provide superb superhydrophobic surface using simple one-step plasma etching.

Geological characterisation of potential disposal areas for radioactive waste from Risoe, Denmark

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gravesen, P.; Binderup, M.; Nilsson, B.; Schack Pedersen, S.A.

2011-01-01

Low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste from the Danish nuclear research facility, Risoe, includes construction materials from the reactors, different types of contaminated material from the research projects and radioactive waste from hospitals, industry and research institutes. This material must be stored in a permanent disposal site in Denmark for at least 300 years. The latter study was conducted by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) and the aim was to locate a sediment or rock body with low permeability down to 100-300 m below the ground surface. GEUS was given the task to locate approximately 20 potential disposal areas. The survey resulted in the selection of 22 areas throughout Denmark. Six of these areas are preferred on geological and hydrogeological criteria. (LN)

'Kozloduy' NPP geological environment as a barrier against radionuclide migration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antonov, D.

2000-01-01

The aim of this report is to present an analysis of the geological settings along Kozloduy NPP area from the viewpoint of a natural, protective barrier against unacceptable radionuclides migration in the environment. Possible sources of such migration could be an eventual accident in an active nuclear plant; radioactive releases from decommissioned Power Units or from temporary or permanent radioactive waste repositories. The report is directed mainly to the last case, and especially to the site selection for near surface short lived low and intermediate level (LILW) radioactive repository. The main conclusion of the geological settings assessment and of the many years monitoring is that the Kozloduy NPP area offers good possibilities for site selection of LILW repository. (author)

Lunar and Planetary Geology

Science.gov (United States)

Basilevsky, Alexander T.

2018-05-01

Lunar and planetary geology can be described using examples such as the geology of Earth (as the reference case) and geologies of the Earth's satellite the Moon; the planets Mercury, Mars and Venus; the satellite of Saturn Enceladus; the small stony asteroid Eros; and the nucleus of the comet 67P Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Each body considered is illustrated by its global view, with information given as to its position in the solar system, size, surface, environment including gravity acceleration and properties of its atmosphere if it is present, typical landforms and processes forming them, materials composing these landforms, information on internal structure of the body, stages of its geologic evolution in the form of stratigraphic scale, and estimates of the absolute ages of the stratigraphic units. Information about one body may be applied to another body and this, in particular, has led to the discovery of the existence of heavy "meteoritic" bombardment in the early history of the solar system, which should also significantly affect Earth. It has been shown that volcanism and large-scale tectonics may have not only been an internal source of energy in the form of radiogenic decay of potassium, uranium and thorium, but also an external source in the form of gravity tugging caused by attractions of the neighboring bodies. The knowledge gained by lunar and planetary geology is important for planning and managing space missions and for the practical exploration of other bodies of the solar system and establishing manned outposts on them.

A new method for extracting near-surface mass-density anomalies from land-based gravity data, based on a special case of Poisson's PDE at the Earth's surface: A case study of salt diapirs in the south of Iran

Science.gov (United States)

AllahTavakoli, Y.; Safari, A.; Ardalan, A.; Bahroudi, A.

2015-12-01

The current research provides a method for tracking near-surface mass-density anomalies via using only land-based gravity data, which is based on a special version of Poisson's Partial Differential Equation (PDE) of the gravitational field at Earth's surface. The research demonstrates how the Poisson's PDE can provide us with a capability to extract the near-surface mass-density anomalies from land-based gravity data. Herein, this version of the Poisson's PDE is mathematically introduced to the Earth's surface and then it is used to develop the new method for approximating the mass-density via derivatives of the Earth's gravitational field (i.e. via the gradient tensor). Herein, the author believes that the PDE can give us new knowledge about the behavior of the Earth's gravitational field at the Earth's surface which can be so useful for developing new methods of Earth's mass-density determination. In a case study, the proposed method is applied to a set of gravity stations located in the south of Iran. The results were numerically validated via certain knowledge about the geological structures in the area of the case study. Also, the method was compared with two standard methods of mass-density determination. All the numerical experiments show that the proposed approach is well-suited for tracking near-surface mass-density anomalies via using only the gravity data. Finally, the approach is also applied to some petroleum exploration studies of salt diapirs in the south of Iran.

Integrated evaluation of the geology, aero gamma spectrometry and aero magnetometry of the Sul-Riograndense Shield, southernmost Brazil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hartmann, Leo A.; Savian, Jairo F., E-mail: leo.hartmann@ufrgs.br [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRS), Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil). Instituto de Geociencias; Lopes, William R. [Servico Geologico do Brasil (CPRM), Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil). Gerencia de Geologia e Mineracao

2016-03-15

An integrated evaluation of geology, aero gamma spectrometry and aero magnetometry of the Sul-Riograndense Shield is permitted by the advanced stage of understanding of the geology and geochronology of the southern Brazilian Shield and a 2010 airborne geophysical survey. Gamma rays are registered from the rocks near the surface and thus describe the distribution of major units in the shield, such as the Pelotas batholith, the juvenile São Gabriel terrane, the granulite-amphibolite facies Taquarembo terrane and the numerous granite intrusions in the foreland. Major structures are also observed, e.g., the Dorsal de Cangucu shear. Magnetic signals register near surface crustal compositions (analytic signal) and total crust composition (total magnetic signal), so their variation as measured indicates either shallow or whole crustal structures. The Cacapava shear is outstanding on the images as is the magnetic low along the N-S central portion of the shield. These integrated observations lead to the deepening of the understanding of the largest and even detailed structures of the Sul-Riograndense Shield, some to be correlated to field geology in future studies. Most significant is the presence of different provinces and their limits depending on the method used for data acquisition - geology, aero gamma spectrometry or aero magnetometry. (author)

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangles 3360 and 3460, Kawir-e Naizar (413), Kohe-Mahmudo-Esmailjan (414), Kol-e Namaksar (407), and Ghoriyan (408) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Giles, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan.Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines.The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Measuring surface-water loss in Honouliuli Stream near the ‘Ewa Shaft, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i

Science.gov (United States)

Rosa, Sarah N.

2017-05-30

The Honolulu Board of Water Supply is currently concerned with the possibility of bacteria in the pumped water of the ‘Ewa Shaft (State well 3-2202-21). Groundwater from the ‘Ewa Shaft could potentially be used to meet future potable water needs in the ‘Ewa area on the island of O‘ahu. The source of the bacteria in the pumped water is unknown, although previous studies indicate that surface water may be lost to the subsurface near the site. The ‘Ewa Shaft consists of a vertical shaft, started near the south bank of Honouliuli Stream at an altitude of about 161 feet, and two horizontal infiltration tunnels near sea level. The shaft extracts groundwater from near the top of the freshwater lens in the Waipahu-Waiawa aquifer system within the greater Pearl Harbor Aquifer Sector, a designated Water Management Area.The surface-water losses were evaluated with continuous groundwater-level data from the ‘Ewa Shaft and a nearby monitoring well, continuous stream-discharge data from U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging station 16212490 (Honouliuli Stream at H-1 Freeway near Waipahu), and seepage-run measurements in Honouliuli Stream and its tributary. During storms, discharge at the Honouliuli Stream gaging station increases and groundwater levels at ‘Ewa Shaft and a nearby monitoring well also increase. The concurrent increase in water levels at ‘Ewa Shaft and the nearby monitoring well during storms indicates that regional groundwater-level changes related to increased recharge, reduced withdrawals (due to a decrease in demand during periods of rainfall), or both may be occurring; although these data do not preclude the possibility of local recharge from Honouliuli Stream. Discharge measurements from two seepage runs indicate that surface water in the immediate area adjacent to ‘Ewa Shaft infiltrates into the streambed and may later reach the groundwater system developed by the ‘Ewa Shaft. The estimated seepage loss rates in the vicinity of �

Determination of the mechanism and extent of surface degradation in Ni-based cathode materials after repeated electrochemical cycling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sooyeon Hwang

2016-09-01

Full Text Available We take advantage of scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy to investigate the changes in near-surface electronic structure and quantify the degree of local degradation of Ni-based cathode materials with the layered structure (LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 and LiNi0.4Mn0.3Co0.3O2 after 20 cycles of delithiation and lithiation. Reduction of transition metals occurs in the near-surface region of cathode materials: Mn is the major element to be reduced in the case of relatively Mn-rich composition, while reduction of Ni ions is dominant in Ni-rich materials. The valences of Ni and Mn ions are complementary, i.e., when one is reduced, the other is oxidized in order to maintain charge neutrality. The depth of degradation zone is found to be much deeper in Ni-rich materials. This comparative analysis provides important insights needed for the devising of new cathode materials with high capacity as well as long lifetime.

Nature of the "Orange" Material on Vesta From Dawn

Science.gov (United States)

LeCorre, L.; Reddy, V.; Schmedemann, N.; Becker, K. J.; OBrien, D. P.; Yamashita, N.; Peplowski, P. N.; Prettyman, T. H.; Li, J.-Y.; Coultis, E. A.;

Leakage and Seepage of CO2 from Geologic Carbon Sequestration Sites: CO2 Migration into Surface Water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oldenburg, Curt M.; Lewicki, Jennifer L.

2005-01-01

Geologic carbon sequestration is the capture of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and its storage in deep geologic formations. One of the concerns of geologic carbon sequestration is that injected CO 2 may leak out of the intended storage formation, migrate to the near-surface environment, and seep out of the ground or into surface water. In this research, we investigate the process of CO 2 leakage and seepage into saturated sediments and overlying surface water bodies such as rivers, lakes, wetlands, and continental shelf marine environments. Natural CO 2 and CH 4 fluxes are well studied and provide insight into the expected transport mechanisms and fate of seepage fluxes of similar magnitude. Also, natural CO 2 and CH 4 fluxes are pervasive in surface water environments at levels that may mask low-level carbon sequestration leakage and seepage. Extreme examples are the well known volcanic lakes in Cameroon where lake water supersaturated with respect to CO 2 overturned and degassed with lethal effects. Standard bubble formation and hydrostatics are applicable to CO 2 bubbles in surface water. Bubble-rise velocity in surface water is a function of bubble size and reaches a maximum of approximately 30 cm s -1 at a bubble radius of 0.7 mm. Bubble rise in saturated porous media below surface water is affected by surface tension and buoyancy forces, along with the solid matrix pore structure. For medium and fine grain sizes, surface tension forces dominate and gas transport tends to occur as channel flow rather than bubble flow. For coarse porous media such as gravels and coarse sand, buoyancy dominates and the maximum bubble rise velocity is predicted to be approximately 18 cm s -1 . Liquid CO 2 bubbles rise slower in water than gaseous CO 2 bubbles due to the smaller density contrast. A comparison of ebullition (i.e., bubble formation) and resulting bubble flow versus dispersive gas transport for CO 2 and CH 4 at three different seepage rates reveals that

Summary on several key techniques in 3D geological modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Mei, Gang

2014-01-01

Several key techniques in 3D geological modeling including planar mesh generation, spatial interpolation, and surface intersection are summarized in this paper. Note that these techniques are generic and widely used in various applications but play a key role in 3D geological modeling. There are two essential procedures in 3D geological modeling: the first is the simulation of geological interfaces using geometric surfaces and the second is the building of geological objects by means of various geometric computations such as the intersection of surfaces. Discrete geometric surfaces that represent geological interfaces can be generated by creating planar meshes first and then spatially interpolating; those surfaces intersect and then form volumes that represent three-dimensional geological objects such as rock bodies. In this paper, the most commonly used algorithms of the key techniques in 3D geological modeling are summarized.

Preserving Geological Samples and Metadata from Polar Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Grunow, A.; Sjunneskog, C. M.

2011-12-01

description, collector, rock age, formation, section location, multimedia images as well structural data, field observations, logistics, surface features, etc. The metadata are entered into a commercial, museum based database called EMu. The AMGRF houses more than 25,000m of deep-sea cores and drill cores as well as nearly 3,000 meters of rotary cored geological material from Antarctica. Detailed information on the sediment cores including location, sediment composition are available in cruise reports posted on the AMGRF web-site. Researchers may access the sample collections through the online websites (http://www-bprc.mps.ohio-state.edu/emuwebusprr and http://www.arf.fsu.edu). Searches may be done using multiple search terms or by use of the mapping feature. The on-line databases provide an essential resource for proposal preparation, pilot studies and other sample based research that should make fieldwork more efficient.

Near-surface bulk densities of asteroids derived from dual-polarization radar observations

Science.gov (United States)

Virkki, A.; Taylor, P. A.; Zambrano-Marin, L. F.; Howell, E. S.; Nolan, M. C.; Lejoly, C.; Rivera-Valentin, E. G.; Aponte, B. A.

2017-09-01

We present a new method to constrain the near-surface bulk density and surface roughness of regolith on asteroid surfaces using planetary radar measurements. The number of radar observations has increased rapidly during the last five years, allowing us to compare and contrast the radar scattering properties of different small-body populations and compositional types. This provides us with new opportunities to investigate their near-surface physical properties such as the chemical composition, bulk density, porosity, or the structural roughness in the scale of centimeters to meters. Because the radar signal can penetrate into a planetary surface up to a few decimeters, radar can reveal information that is hidden from other ground-based methods, such as optical and infrared measurements. The near-surface structure of asteroids and comets in centimeter-to-meter scale is essential information for robotic and human space missions, impact threat mitigation, and understanding the history of these bodies as well as the formation of the whole Solar System.

The geology of the southeastern Baltic Sea: a review

Science.gov (United States)

Ūsaitytė, Daiva

2000-06-01

The Baltic Sea, particularly its southeastern part, is discussed in the paper. Investigations of regional character as well as specialized studies in the area are reviewed. General historical works are mentioned briefly. Previous surveys since the 1950s are presented by the subject studied. The compilation of geological structure of the SE Baltic Sea bottom and adjacent land of Balticum (Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) is based on considerable amounts of summarized materials. The crystalline basement, sedimentary cover and Quaternary deposits are characterized in the comprehensive survey of geological structure. From a stratigraphical point of view, geological sequence of the platformal cover is comparatively complete: deposits of all geological systems (from the Archean to Cenozoic) are present in the Baltic Syneclise. Considering geotectonical cycles, the sedimentary cover of the syneclise is subdivided into four structural complexes. The thickness and distribution of Quaternary deposits are closely related to the recent bottom relief of the Baltic Sea that in turn is inherited from the Pre-Quaternary surface. Buried palaeo-valleys are characteristic of the Pre-Quaternary surface in the Baltic region and the Baltic Sea bottom. The Quaternary is characterized by layers of various geneses and by sharp changes of their thicknesses.

The U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Collections Management System (GCMS)—A master catalog and collections management plan for U.S. Geological Survey geologic samples and sample collections

Science.gov (United States)

,

2015-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is widely recognized in the earth science community as possessing extensive collections of earth materials collected by research personnel over the course of its history. In 2006, a Geologic Collections Inventory was conducted within the USGS Geology Discipline to determine the extent and nature of its sample collections, and in 2008, a working group was convened by the USGS National Geologic and Geophysical Data Preservation Program to examine ways in which these collections could be coordinated, cataloged, and made available to researchers both inside and outside the USGS. The charge to this working group was to evaluate the proposition of creating a Geologic Collections Management System (GCMS), a centralized database that would (1) identify all existing USGS geologic collections, regardless of size, (2) create a virtual link among the collections, and (3) provide a way for scientists and other researchers to obtain access to the samples and data in which they are interested. Additionally, the group was instructed to develop criteria for evaluating current collections and to establish an operating plan and set of standard practices for handling, identifying, and managing future sample collections. Policies and procedures promoted by the GCMS would be based on extant best practices established by the National Science Foundation and the Smithsonian Institution. The resulting report—USGS Circular 1410, “The U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Collections Management System (GCMS): A Master Catalog and Collections Management Plan for U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Samples and Sample Collections”—has been developed for sample repositories to be a guide to establishing common practices in the collection, retention, and disposal of geologic research materials throughout the USGS.

Planetary Geologic Mapping Handbook - 2009

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, K. L.; Skinner, J. A.; Hare, T. M.

2009-01-01

Geologic maps present, in an historical context, fundamental syntheses of interpretations of the materials, landforms, structures, and processes that characterize planetary surfaces and shallow subsurfaces (e.g., Varnes, 1974). Such maps also provide a contextual framework for summarizing and evaluating thematic research for a given region or body. In planetary exploration, for example, geologic maps are used for specialized investigations such as targeting regions of interest for data collection and for characterizing sites for landed missions. Whereas most modern terrestrial geologic maps are constructed from regional views provided by remote sensing data and supplemented in detail by field-based observations and measurements, planetary maps have been largely based on analyses of orbital photography. For planetary bodies in particular, geologic maps commonly represent a snapshot of a surface, because they are based on available information at a time when new data are still being acquired. Thus the field of planetary geologic mapping has been evolving rapidly to embrace the use of new data and modern technology and to accommodate the growing needs of planetary exploration. Planetary geologic maps have been published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) since 1962 (Hackman, 1962). Over this time, numerous maps of several planetary bodies have been prepared at a variety of scales and projections using the best available image and topographic bases. Early geologic map bases commonly consisted of hand-mosaicked photographs or airbrushed shaded-relief views and geologic linework was manually drafted using mylar bases and ink drafting pens. Map publishing required a tedious process of scribing, color peel-coat preparation, typesetting, and photo-laboratory work. Beginning in the 1990s, inexpensive computing, display capability and user-friendly illustration software allowed maps to be drawn using digital tools rather than pen and ink, and mylar bases became obsolete

Photodetachment of negative ion in a gradient electric field near a metal surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Tian-Qi; Wang De-Hua; Han Cai; Liu Jiang; Liang Dong-Qi; Xie Si-Cheng

2012-01-01

Based on closed-orbit theory, the photodetachment of H − in a gradient electric field near a metal surface is studied. It is demonstrated that the gradient electric field has a significant influence on the photodetachment of negative ions near a metal surface. With the increase of the gradient of the electric field, the oscillation in the photodetachment cross section becomes strengthened. Besides, in contrast to the photodetachment of H − near a metal surface in a uniform electric field, the oscillating amplitude and the oscillating region in the cross section of a gradient electric field also become enlarged. Therefore, we can use the gradient electric field to control the photodetachment of negative ions near a metal surface. We hope that our results will be useful for understanding the photodetachment of negative ions in the vicinity of surfaces, cavities, and ion traps. (atomic and molecular physics)

Near-field Spectroscopy of Surface Plasmons in Flat Gold Nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Achermann, Marc; Shuford, Kevin L.; Schatz, George C.; Dahanayaka, D.H.; Bumm, Lloyd A; Klimov, Victor I.

2007-01-01

We use near-field interference spectroscopy with a broadband femtosecond, white-light probe to study local surface plasmon resonances in flat gold nanoparticles (FGNPs). Depending on nanoparticle dimensions, local near-field extinction spectra exhibit none, one, or two resonances in the range of visible wavelengths (1.6-2.6 eV). The measured spectra can be accurately described in terms of interference between the field emitted by the probe aperture and the field reradiated by driven FGNP surface plasmon oscillations. The measured resonances are in good agreement with those predicted by calculations using discrete dipole approximation. We observe that the amplitudes of these resonances are dependent upon the spatial position of the near-field probe, which indicates the possibility of spatially selective excitation of specific plasmon modes

The effect of different surface materials on runoff quality in permeable pavement systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Haiyan; Li, Zhifei; Zhang, Xiaoran; Li, Zhuorong; Liu, Dongqing; Li, Tanghu; Zhang, Ziyang

2017-09-01

To investigate the effect of different permeable pavement surface materials on the removal of pollutants from urban storm-runoff, six commonly surface materials (porous asphalt, porous concrete, cement brick, ceramic brick, sand base brick, and shale brick) were selected in this study and the research was carried out by column experiments. Except the concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (NH 4 -N), nitrate nitrogen (NO 3 -N), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) in the influent and effluent that were measured, the removal mechanism of pollutants was discussed further. The results indicate that the surface materials influence the removal efficiency of pollutants greatly and have different effects on certain pollutant. Furthermore, the physical interception and adsorption would be the main mechanism for the removal of pollutants from runoff. For example, for all surface materials, the average removal efficiency of TSS is nearly about 90.0% because of physical interception. Due to the amount of iron oxide, the removal efficiency of COD, NO 3 -N, and TN of shale brick was 88.2, 35.1, and 17.5%, respectively. NH 4 -N and TN can be easily removed by porous asphalt due to the high content of organic matter. By lacking of useful adsorption sites, all the surface materials had little effect on the removal of TP from runoff. This research could offer useful guidelines for the better design of permeable pavement system and promote the insight into the removal mechanism of pollutants in permeable pavement system. Graphical abstract Different types of materials for the different types of pollutants in the runoff purification capacity were significantly different, overall, shale brick and porous asphalt Shale bricks and porous asphalt have a better purification effect according to the six kinds of materials.

The potential capability of near-real-time materials accountancy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sellinschegg, D.

1983-01-01

The new approach for the application of materials accountancy, called ''near-real-time materials accountancy'', is described and the practical feasibility as well as the possible improvements are discussed in comparison to the conventional approach. In the case of a reference reprocessing facility with an annual throughput of 1000 t heavy material the application of this procedure is simulated and the resulting improvement in detection sensitivity demonstrated. (author)

Near-ground cooling efficacies of trees and high-albedo surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Levinson, Ronnen Michael [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

1997-05-01

Daytime summer urban heat islands arise when the prevalence of dark-colored surfaces and lack of vegetation make a city warmer than neighboring countryside. Two frequentlyproposed summer heat island mitigation measures are to plant trees and to increase the albedo (solar reflectivity) of ground surfaces. This dissertation examines the effects of these measures on the surface temperature of an object near the ground, and on solar heating of air near the ground. Near-ground objects include people, vehicles, and buildings. The variation of the surface temperature of a near-ground object with ground albedo indicates that a rise in ground albedo will cool a near-ground object only if the object’s albedo exceeds a critical value. This critical value of object albedo depends on wind speed, object geometry, and the height of the atmospheric thermal boundary layer. It ranges from 0.15 to 0.37 for a person. If an object has typical albedo of 0.3, increasing the ground albedo by 0.25 perturbs the object’s surface temperature by -1 to +2 K. Comparing a tree’s canopy-to-air convection to the reduction in ground-to-air convection induced by tree shading of the ground indicates that the presence of a tree can either increase or decrease solar heating of ground-level air. The tree’s net effect depends on the extent to which solar heating of the canopy is dissipated by evaporation, and on the fraction of air heated by the canopy that flows downward and mixes with the ground-level air. A two-month lysimeter (plant-weighing) experiment was conducted to measure instantaneous rates of water loss from a tree under various conditions of weather and soil-moisture. Calculations of canopy-to-air convection and the reduction of ground-to-air convection based on this data indicate that canopy-induced heating would negate shadowinduced cooling if approximately 45% of the canopy-heated air mixed with ground level air. This critical fraction is comparable to typical downward mixing

Near-surface thermal characterization of plasma facing components using the 3-omega method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dechaumphai, Edward; Barton, Joseph L.; Tesmer, Joseph R.; Moon, Jaeyun; Wang, Yongqiang; Tynan, George R.; Doerner, Russell P.; Chen, Renkun

2014-01-01

Near-surface regime plays an important role in thermal management of plasma facing components in fusion reactors. Here, we applied a technique referred to as the ‘3ω’ method to measure the thermal conductivity of near-surface regimes damaged by ion irradiation. By modulating the frequency of the heating current in a micro-fabricated heater strip, the technique enables the probing of near-surface thermal properties. The technique was applied to measure the thermal conductivity of a thin ion-irradiated layer on a tungsten substrate, which was found to decrease by nearly 60% relative to pristine tungsten for a Cu ion dosage of 0.2 dpa

Sectoral Plan 'Deep Geological Disposal', Stage 2. Proposed site areas for the surface facilities of the deep geological repositories as well as for their access infrastructure. General report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-12-01

In line with the provisions of the nuclear energy legislation, the sites for deep geological disposal of Swiss radioactive waste are selected in a three-stage Sectoral Plan process (Sectoral Plan for Deep Geological Disposal). The disposal sites are specified in Stage 3 of the selection process with the granting of a general licence in accordance with the Nuclear Energy Act. The first stage of the process was completed on 30 th November 2011, with the decision of the Federal Council to incorporate the six geological siting regions proposed by the National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (NAGRA) into the Sectoral Plan for Deep Geological Disposal, for further evaluation in Stage 2. The decision also specifies the planning perimeters within which the surface facilities and shaft locations for the repositories will be constructed. In the second stage of the process, at least two geological siting regions each will be specified for the repository for low- and intermediate-level waste (L/ILW) and for the high-level waste (HLW) repository and these will undergo detailed geological investigation in Stage 3. For each of these potential siting regions, at least one location for the surface facility and a corridor for the access infrastructure will also be specified. NAGRA is responsible, at the beginning of Stage 2, for submitting proposals for potential locations for the surface facilities and their access infrastructure to the Federal Office of Energy (SFOE); these are then considered by the regional participation bodies in the siting regions. The present report and its annexes volume document these proposals. In Stage 2, under the lead of the SFOE, socio-economic-ecological studies will also be carried out to investigate the impact of a repository project on the environment, economy and society. The present reports also contain the input data to be provided by NAGRA for the generic (site-independent) part of these impact studies. A meaningful discussion

Molecular-dynamics analysis of mobile helium cluster reactions near surfaces of plasma-exposed tungsten

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Lin; Maroudas, Dimitrios, E-mail: maroudas@ecs.umass.edu [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003-9303 (United States); Hammond, Karl D. [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211 (United States); Wirth, Brian D. [Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 (United States)

2015-10-28

We report the results of a systematic atomic-scale analysis of the reactions of small mobile helium clusters (He{sub n}, 4 ≤ n ≤ 7) near low-Miller-index tungsten (W) surfaces, aiming at a fundamental understanding of the near-surface dynamics of helium-carrying species in plasma-exposed tungsten. These small mobile helium clusters are attracted to the surface and migrate to the surface by Fickian diffusion and drift due to the thermodynamic driving force for surface segregation. As the clusters migrate toward the surface, trap mutation (TM) and cluster dissociation reactions are activated at rates higher than in the bulk. TM produces W adatoms and immobile complexes of helium clusters surrounding W vacancies located within the lattice planes at a short distance from the surface. These reactions are identified and characterized in detail based on the analysis of a large number of molecular-dynamics trajectories for each such mobile cluster near W(100), W(110), and W(111) surfaces. TM is found to be the dominant cluster reaction for all cluster and surface combinations, except for the He{sub 4} and He{sub 5} clusters near W(100) where cluster partial dissociation following TM dominates. We find that there exists a critical cluster size, n = 4 near W(100) and W(111) and n = 5 near W(110), beyond which the formation of multiple W adatoms and vacancies in the TM reactions is observed. The identified cluster reactions are responsible for important structural, morphological, and compositional features in the plasma-exposed tungsten, including surface adatom populations, near-surface immobile helium-vacancy complexes, and retained helium content, which are expected to influence the amount of hydrogen re-cycling and tritium retention in fusion tokamaks.

Interpretation of hole-to-surface resistivity measurements at Yucca Mountain, Nevada Test Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daniels, J.J.; Scott, J.H.

1981-01-01

Hole-to-surface resistivity measurements at Yucca Mountain indicate the presence of many near-surface geologic inhomogeneities, with no definite indication of deep structural features. A resistive anomaly near drill hole UE25a-6 is interpreted as a thin, vertical, resistive body that nearly intersects the surface, and may be caused by a silicified, or calcified, fracture zone. A resistive anomaly near hole UE25a-7 is probably caused by a near surface, horizontal, lens-shaped body that may represent a devitrified zone in the Tiva Canyon Member. Many conductive anomalies were detected to the southwest of hole UE25a-4. However, these anomalies are interpreted to be caused by variations in the thickness of the surface alluvium

Surface materials map of Afghanistan: iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

King, Trude V.V.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Dudek, Kathleen B.; Livo, Keith E.

2012-01-01

This map shows the distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of HyMap imaging spectrometer data of Afghanistan. Using a NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) WB-57 aircraft flown at an altitude of ~15,240 meters or ~50,000 feet, 218 flight lines of data were collected over Afghanistan between August 22 and October 2, 2007. The HyMap data were converted to apparent surface reflectance, then further empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap data was compared to the spectral features of reference entries in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, ice, and snow. This map shows the spatial distribution of iron-bearing minerals and other materials having diagnostic absorptions at visible and near-infrared wavelengths. These absorptions result from electronic processes in the minerals. Several criteria, including (1) the reliability of detection and discrimination of minerals using the HyMap spectrometer data, (2) the relative abundance of minerals, and (3) the importance of particular minerals to studies of Afghanistan's natural resources, guided the selection of entries in the reference spectral library and, therefore, guided the selection of mineral classes shown on this map. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated. Minerals having similar spectral features were less easily discriminated, especially where the minerals were not particularly abundant and (or) where vegetation cover reduced the absorption strength of mineral features. Complications in reflectance calibration also affected the detection and identification of minerals.

Enhancement and Tunability of Near-Field Radiative Heat Transfer Mediated by Surface Plasmon Polaritons in Thin Plasmonic Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Svetlana V. Boriskina

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The properties of thermal radiation exchange between hot and cold objects can be strongly modified if they interact in the near field where electromagnetic coupling occurs across gaps narrower than the dominant wavelength of thermal radiation. Using a rigorous fluctuational electrodynamics approach, we predict that ultra-thin films of plasmonic materials can be used to dramatically enhance near-field heat transfer. The total spectrally integrated film-to-film heat transfer is over an order of magnitude larger than between the same materials in bulk form and also exceeds the levels achievable with polar dielectrics such as SiC. We attribute this enhancement to the significant spectral broadening of radiative heat transfer due to coupling between surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs on both sides of each thin film. We show that the radiative heat flux spectrum can be further shaped by the choice of the substrate onto which the thin film is deposited. In particular, substrates supporting surface phonon polaritons (SPhP strongly modify the heat flux spectrum owing to the interactions between SPPs on thin films and SPhPs of the substrate. The use of thin film phase change materials on polar dielectric substrates allows for dynamic switching of the heat flux spectrum between SPP-mediated and SPhP-mediated peaks.

Near surface silicide formation after off-normal Fe-implantation of Si(001) surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khanbabaee, B., E-mail: khanbabaee@physik.uni-siegen.de; Pietsch, U. [Solid State Physics, University of Siegen, D-57068 Siegen (Germany); Lützenkirchen-Hecht, D. [Fachbereich C - Physik, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, D-42097 Wuppertal (Germany); Hübner, R.; Grenzer, J.; Facsko, S. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, 01314 Dresden (Germany)

2014-07-14

We report on formation of non-crystalline Fe-silicides of various stoichiometries below the amorphized surface of crystalline Si(001) after irradiation with 5 keV Fe{sup +} ions under off-normal incidence. We examined samples prepared with ion fluences of 0.1 × 10{sup 17} and 5 × 10{sup 17} ions cm{sup −2} exhibiting a flat and patterned surface morphology, respectively. Whereas the iron silicides are found across the whole surface of the flat sample, they are concentrated at the top of ridges at the rippled surface. A depth resolved analysis of the chemical states of Si and Fe atoms in the near surface region was performed by combining X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) using synchrotron radiation. The chemical shift and the line shape of the Si 2p core levels and valence bands were measured and associated with the formation of silicide bonds of different stoichiometric composition changing from an Fe-rich silicides (Fe{sub 3}Si) close to the surface into a Si-rich silicide (FeSi{sub 2}) towards the inner interface to the Si(001) substrate. This finding is supported by XAS analysis at the Fe K-edge which shows changes of the chemical environment and the near order atomic coordination of the Fe atoms in the region close to surface. Because a similar Fe depth profile has been found for samples co-sputtered with Fe during Kr{sup +} ion irradiation, our results suggest the importance of chemically bonded Fe in the surface region for the process of ripple formation.

Relationship between terrestrial gamma ray dose rates and geology of Awaji Island in Hyogo Prefecture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shibayama, Motohiko; Hiraoka, Yoshitsugu; Ikeda, Tadashi; Terado, Shin

2004-01-01

In order to clarify the relationship between terrestrial gamma ray dose rates and surface geology, measurements were carried out for the entire part f Awaji Island in Hyogo Prefecture. The results of analysis were summarized as follows. (1) The mean value for each geology was nearly the same as that in the whole of Japan. (2) The granitic rocks can be divided into three groups, based on their stages of intrusion (Tainsyo, 1985). the dose rate levels for granitic rocks increased from fast stage over third stage. (author)

Near-surface fault detection by migrating back-scattered surface waves with and without velocity profiles

KAUST Repository

Yu, Han

2016-04-26

We demonstrate that diffraction stack migration can be used to discover the distribution of near-surface faults. The methodology is based on the assumption that near-surface faults generate detectable back-scattered surface waves from impinging surface waves. We first isolate the back-scattered surface waves by muting or FK filtering, and then migrate them by diffraction migration using the surface wave velocity as the migration velocity. Instead of summing events along trial quasi-hyperbolas, surface wave migration sums events along trial quasi-linear trajectories that correspond to the moveout of back-scattered surface waves. We have also proposed a natural migration method that utilizes the intrinsic traveltime property of the direct and the back-scattered waves at faults. For the synthetic data sets and the land data collected in Aqaba, where surface wave velocity has unexpected perturbations, we migrate the back-scattered surface waves with both predicted velocity profiles and natural Green\\'s function without velocity information. Because the latter approach avoids the need for an accurate velocity model in event summation, both the prestack and stacked migration images show competitive quality. Results with both synthetic data and field records validate the feasibility of this method. We believe applying this method to global or passive seismic data can open new opportunities in unveiling tectonic features.

Planetary Geologic Mapping Handbook - 2010. Appendix

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, K. L.; Skinner, J. A., Jr.; Hare, T. M.

2010-01-01

Geologic maps present, in an historical context, fundamental syntheses of interpretations of the materials, landforms, structures, and processes that characterize planetary surfaces and shallow subsurfaces. Such maps also provide a contextual framework for summarizing and evaluating thematic research for a given region or body. In planetary exploration, for example, geologic maps are used for specialized investigations such as targeting regions of interest for data collection and for characterizing sites for landed missions. Whereas most modern terrestrial geologic maps are constructed from regional views provided by remote sensing data and supplemented in detail by field-based observations and measurements, planetary maps have been largely based on analyses of orbital photography. For planetary bodies in particular, geologic maps commonly represent a snapshot of a surface, because they are based on available information at a time when new data are still being acquired. Thus the field of planetary geologic mapping has been evolving rapidly to embrace the use of new data and modern technology and to accommodate the growing needs of planetary exploration. Planetary geologic maps have been published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) since 1962. Over this time, numerous maps of several planetary bodies have been prepared at a variety of scales and projections using the best available image and topographic bases. Early geologic map bases commonly consisted of hand-mosaicked photographs or airbrushed shaded-relief views and geologic linework was manually drafted using mylar bases and ink drafting pens. Map publishing required a tedious process of scribing, color peel-coat preparation, typesetting, and photo-laboratory work. Beginning in the 1990s, inexpensive computing, display capability and user-friendly illustration software allowed maps to be drawn using digital tools rather than pen and ink, and mylar bases became obsolete. Terrestrial geologic maps published by

Effects of Surface and Subsurface Bed Material Composition on Gravel Transport and Flow Competence Relations—Possibilities for Prediction

Science.gov (United States)

Bunte, K.; Abt, S. R.; Swingle, K. W.; Cenderelli, D. A.; Gaeuman, D. A.

2014-12-01

Bedload transport and flow competence relations are difficult to predict in coarse-bedded steep streams where widely differing sediment supply, bed stability, and complex flow hydraulics greatly affect amounts and sizes of transported gravel particles. This study explains how properties of bed material surface and subsurface size distributions are directly related to gravel transport and may be used for prediction of gravel transport and flow competence relations. Gravel transport, flow competence, and bed material size were measured in step-pool and plane-bed streams. Power functions were fitted to gravel transport QB=aQb and flow competence Dmax=cQd relations; Q is water discharge. Frequency distributions of surface FDsurf and subsurface FDsub bed material were likewise described by power functions FDsurf=hD j and FDsub=kDm fitted over six 0.5-phi size classes within 4 to 22.4 mm. Those gravel sizes are typically mobile even in moderate floods. Study results show that steeper subsurface bed material size distributions lead to steeper gravel transport and flow competence relations, whereas larger amounts of sediment contained in those 6 size bedmaterial classes (larger h and k) flatten the relations. Similarly, steeper surface size distributions decrease the coefficients of the gravel transport and flow competence relations, whereas larger amounts of sediment within the six bed material classes increase the intercepts of gravel transport and flow competence relations. Those relations are likely causative in streams where bedload stems almost entirely from the channel bed as opposed to direct (unworked) contributions from hillslopes and tributaries. The exponent of the subsurface bed material distribution m predicted the gravel transport exponent b with r2 near 0.7 and flow competence exponent d with r2 near 0.5. The intercept of bed surface distributions h increased the intercept a of gravel transport and c of the flow competence relations with r2 near 0.6.

Physical characteristics of satellite surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veverka, J.; Thomas, P.; Johnson, T.V.; Matson, D.; Housen, K.

1986-01-01

Both exogenic and endogenic effects have been proposed to explain the major observed characteristics of satellite surfaces. The current view is that the basic properties of most surfaces result from the intrinsic composition of a body and its geologic history. Exogenic effects have, however, played a role in modifying the appearance of nearly all surfaces. The most important exogenic effect is impact cratering, one manifestation of which is the production of micrometeoroid gardened regoliths on airless bodies. On large, silicate bodies the micrometeoroid bombardment can produce an optically mature, dark agglutinate-rich soil; the nature of regoliths on predominantly icy satellites remains uncertain. Direct accumulation of infalling material does not appear to play a major role in modifying most surfaces. Solar wind radiation effects have not altered greatly the optical properties of solar system objects; magnetospheric charged particles may have modified the optical properties of some outer planet satellites (e.g., sulfur ion bombardment in the case of some of the satellites of Jupiter). Other effects, such as aeolian and liquid/solid chemical weathering, may be important on satellites with atmospheres like Titan and Triton

Petrophysical Characterization of Arroyal Antiform Geological Formations (Aguilar de Campoo, Palencia) as a Storage and Seal Rocks in the Technology Development Plant for Geological CO2 Storage (Hontomin, Burgos)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campos, R.; Barrios, I.; Gonzalez, A. M.; Pelayo, M.; Saldana, R.

2011-01-01

The geological storage program of Energy City Foundation is focusing its research effort in the Technological Development and Research Plant in Hontomin (Burgos) start off. The present report shows the petrophysical characterization of of the Arroyal antiform geological formations since they are representatives, surface like, of the storage and seal formations that will be found in the CO 2 injection plant in Hontomin. In this petrophysics characterization has taken place the study of matrix porosity, specific surface and density of the storage and seal formations. Mercury intrusion porosimetry, N 2 adsorption and He pycnometry techniques have been used for the characterization. Furthermore, it has carried out a mineralogical analysis of the seal materials by RX diffraction. (Author) 26 refs.

Corrosion behaviour of container materials for geological disposal of high level radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Accary, A.

1985-01-01

The disposal of high level radioactive waste in geological formations, based on the multibarrier concept, may include the use of a container as one of the engineered barriers. In this report the requirements imposed on this container and the possible degradation processes are reviewed. Further on an overview is given of the research being carried out by various research centres in the European Community on the assessment of the corrosion behaviour of candidate container materials. The results obtained on a number of materials under various testing conditions are summarized and evaluated. As a result, three promising materials have been selected for a detailed joint testing programme. It concerns two highly corrosion resistant alloys, resp. Ti-Pd (0.2 Pd%) and Hastelloy C4 and one consumable material namely a low carbon steel. Finally the possibilities of modelling the corrosion phenomena are discussed

Surficial geologic map of the Heath-Northfield-Southwick-Hampden 24-quadrangle area in the Connecticut Valley region, west-central Massachusetts

Science.gov (United States)

Stone, Janet R.; DiGiacomo-Cohen, Mary L.

2010-01-01

The surficial geologic map layer shows the distribution of nonlithified earth materials at land surface in an area of 24 7.5-minute quadrangles (1,238 mi2 total) in west-central Massachusetts. Across Massachusetts, these materials range from a few feet to more than 500 ft in thickness. They overlie bedrock, which crops out in upland hills and as resistant ledges in valley areas. The geologic map differentiates surficial materials of Quaternary age on the basis of their lithologic characteristics (such as grain size and sedimentary structures), constructional geomorphic features, stratigraphic relationships, and age. Surficial materials also are known in engineering classifications as unconsolidated soils, which include coarse-grained soils, fine-grained soils, and organic fine-grained soils. Surficial materials underlie and are the parent materials of modern pedogenic soils, which have developed in them at the land surface. Surficial earth materials significantly affect human use of the land, and an accurate description of their distribution is particularly important for assessing water resources, construction aggregate resources, and earth-surface hazards, and for making land-use decisions. This work is part of a comprehensive study to produce a statewide digital map of the surficial geology at a 1:24,000-scale level of accuracy. This report includes explanatory text, quadrangle maps at 1:24,000 scale (PDF files), GIS data layers (ArcGIS shapefiles), metadata for the GIS layers, scanned topographic base maps (TIF), and a readme.txt file.

Regime transitions in near-surface temperature inversions : a conceptual model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Wiel, B.J.H.; Vignon, E.; Baas, P.; Bosveld, F.C.; de Roode, S.R.; Moene, A.F.; Genthon, C.; van der Linden, Steven J.A.; van Hooft, J. Antoon; van Hooijdonk, I.G.S.

2017-01-01

A conceptual model is used in combination with observational analysis to understand regime transitions of near-surface temperature inversions at night as well as in Arctic conditions. The model combines a surface energy budget with a bulk parameterization for turbulent heat transport. Energy fluxes

Updated model for radionuclide transport in the near-surface till at Forsmark - Implementation of decay chains and sensitivity analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pique, Angels; Pekala, Marek; Molinero, Jorge; Duro, Lara; Trinchero, Paolo; Vries, Luis Manuel de

2013-02-01

The Forsmark area has been proposed for potential siting of a deep underground (geological) repository for radioactive waste in Sweden. Safety assessment of the repository requires radionuclide transport from the disposal depth to recipients at the surface to be studied quantitatively. The near-surface quaternary deposits at Forsmark are considered a pathway for potential discharge of radioactivity from the underground facility to the biosphere, thus radionuclide transport in this system has been extensively investigated over the last years. The most recent work of Pique and co-workers (reported in SKB report R-10-30) demonstrated that in case of release of radioactivity the near-surface sedimentary system at Forsmark would act as an important geochemical barrier, retarding the transport of reactive radionuclides through a combination of retention processes. In this report the conceptual model of radionuclide transport in the quaternary till at Forsmark has been updated, by considering recent revisions regarding the near-surface lithology. In addition, the impact of important conceptual assumptions made in the model has been evaluated through a series of deterministic and probabilistic (Monte Carlo) sensitivity calculations. The sensitivity study focused on the following effects: 1. Radioactive decay of 135 Cs, 59 Ni, 230 Th and 226 Ra and effects on their transport. 2. Variability in key geochemical parameters, such as the composition of the deep groundwater, availability of sorbing materials in the till, and mineral equilibria. 3. Variability in hydraulic parameters, such as the definition of hydraulic boundaries, and values of hydraulic conductivity, dispersivity and the deep groundwater inflow rate. The overarching conclusion from this study is that the current implementation of the model is robust (the model is largely insensitive to variations in the parameters within the studied ranges) and conservative (the Base Case calculations have a tendency to

Physicochemical Properties, Micromorphology and Clay Mineralogy of Soils Affected by Geological Formations, Geomorphology and Climate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Bayat

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Soil genesis and development in arid and semi-arid areas are strongly affected by geological formations and geomorphic surfaces. Various morphological, physical, and geochemical soil properties at different geomorphic positions are usually attributed to different soil forming factors including parent material and climate. Due to variations in climate, geological formations (Quaternary, Neogene and Cretaceous and geomorphology, the aim of the present research was the study of genesis, development, clay mineralogy, and micromorphology of soils affected by climate, geology and geomorphology in Bardsir area, Kerman Province. Materials and Methods: The study area, 25000 ha, starts from Bardsir and extends to Khanesorkh elevations close to Sirjan city. The climate of the area is warm and semi-arid with mean annual temperature and precipitation of 14.9 °C and 199 mm, respectively. Soil moisture and temperature regimes of the area are aridic and mesic due to 1:2500000 map, provided by Soil and Water Research Institute. Moving to west and southwest, soil moisture regime of the area changes to xeric with increasing elevation. Using topography and geology maps (1:100000 together with Google Earth images, geomorphic surfaces and geologic formations of the area were investigated. Mantled pediment (pedons 1, 3, 7, and 8, rock pediment (pedon 2, semi-stable alluvial plain (pedon 6, unstable alluvial plain (pedon 5, piedmont plain (pedons 9 and 11, intermediate surface of alluvial plain and pediment (pedon 4, and old river terrace (pedon 10 are among geomorphic surfaces investigated in the area. Mantled pediment is composed of young Quaternary sediments and Cretaceous marls. Rock pediments are mainly formed by Cretaceous marls. Quaternary formations are dominant in alluvial plains. Alluvial terraces and intermediate surface of alluvial plain and pediment are dominated by Neogene conglomerates. Siltstone, sandstone, and Neogene marls together with

30 CFR 780.27 - Reclamation plan: Surface mining near underground mining.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Reclamation plan: Surface mining near underground mining. 780.27 Section 780.27 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR SURFACE COAL MINING AND RECLAMATION OPERATIONS PERMITS AND COAL...

Quantification of Hydrogen Concentrations in Surface and Interface Layers and Bulk Materials through Depth Profiling with Nuclear Reaction Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilde, Markus; Ohno, Satoshi; Ogura, Shohei; Fukutani, Katsuyuki; Matsuzaki, Hiroyuki

2016-03-29

Nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) via the resonant (1)H((15)N,αγ)(12)C reaction is a highly effective method of depth profiling that quantitatively and non-destructively reveals the hydrogen density distribution at surfaces, at interfaces, and in the volume of solid materials with high depth resolution. The technique applies a (15)N ion beam of 6.385 MeV provided by an electrostatic accelerator and specifically detects the (1)H isotope in depths up to about 2 μm from the target surface. Surface H coverages are measured with a sensitivity in the order of ~10(13) cm(-2) (~1% of a typical atomic monolayer density) and H volume concentrations with a detection limit of ~10(18) cm(-3) (~100 at. ppm). The near-surface depth resolution is 2-5 nm for surface-normal (15)N ion incidence onto the target and can be enhanced to values below 1 nm for very flat targets by adopting a surface-grazing incidence geometry. The method is versatile and readily applied to any high vacuum compatible homogeneous material with a smooth surface (no pores). Electrically conductive targets usually tolerate the ion beam irradiation with negligible degradation. Hydrogen quantitation and correct depth analysis require knowledge of the elementary composition (besides hydrogen) and mass density of the target material. Especially in combination with ultra-high vacuum methods for in-situ target preparation and characterization, (1)H((15)N,αγ)(12)C NRA is ideally suited for hydrogen analysis at atomically controlled surfaces and nanostructured interfaces. We exemplarily demonstrate here the application of (15)N NRA at the MALT Tandem accelerator facility of the University of Tokyo to (1) quantitatively measure the surface coverage and the bulk concentration of hydrogen in the near-surface region of a H2 exposed Pd(110) single crystal, and (2) to determine the depth location and layer density of hydrogen near the interfaces of thin SiO2 films on Si(100).

KS 20322007 Near-Surface Disposal Radioactive Waste - Code Of Practice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Omondi, C.

2017-01-01

To provide a basis for the near-surface disposal of solid radioactive waste to ensures that there is no unacceptable risk to humans, other biota or the environment. Near-Surface Disposal is the disposal of radioactive waste in below or above the natural ground surface, within app. 30 m. The code deals with management aspects associated with radioactive waste disposal only, and is not intended to cover issues related to the production and use of radionuclides. The objective of waste disposal is to isolate radioactive waste in order to ensure that there is no unacceptable health risk to humans and no long-term unacceptable effect to the environment. Radiation protection annual effective dose for exposure of members of the public should not exceed 1 mSv/year and occupational exposure of 20 mSv/year

Study on geology and geological structure based on literature studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Funaki, Hironori; Ishii, Eiichi; Yasue, Ken-ichi; Takahashi, Kazuharu

2005-03-01

Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) is proceeding with underground research laboratory (URL) project for the sedimentary rock in Horonobe, Hokkaido. This project is an investigation project which is planned over 20 years. Surface-based investigations (Phase 1) have been conducted for the present. The purposes of the Phase 1 are to construct the geological environment model (geological-structural, hydrogeological, and hydrochemical models) and to confirm the applicability of investigation technologies for the geological environment. The geological-structural model comprises the base for the hydrogeological and hydrochemical models. We constructed the geological-structural model by mainly using data obtained from literature studies. Particulars regarding which data the model is based on and who has performed the interpretation are also saved for traceability. As a result, we explain the understanding of degree and the need of information on stratigraphy and discontinuous structure. (author)

Measurements of the near-surface flow over a hill

Science.gov (United States)

Vosper, S. B.; Mobbs, S. D.; Gardiner, B. A.

2002-10-01

The near-surface flow over a hill with moderate slope and height comparable with the boundary-layer depth is investigated through field measurements of the mean flow (at 2 m), surface pressure, and turbulent momentum flux divergence between 8 and 15 m. The measurements were made along an east-west transect across the hill Tighvein (height 458 m, approximate width 8 km) on the Isle of Arran, south-west Scotland, during two separate periods, each of around three-weeks duration. Radiosonde ascents are used to determine the variation of a Froude number, FL = U/NL, where U is the wind speed at the middle-layer height, hm, N is the mean Brunt-Väisälä frequency below this height and L is a hill length-scale. Measurements show that for moderately stratified flows (for which FL 0.25) a minimum in the hill-induced surface-pressure perturbation occurs across the summit and this is accompanied by a maximum in the near-surface wind speed. In the more strongly stratified case (FL 0.25) the pressure field is more asymmetric and the lee-slope flow is generally stronger than on the windward slope. Such a flow pattern is qualitatively consistent with that predicted by stratified linear boundary-layer and gravity-wave theories. The near-surface momentum budget is analysed by evaluating the dominant terms in a Bernoulli equation suitable for turbulent flow. Measurements during periods of westerly flow are used to evaluate the dominant terms, and the equation is shown to hold to a reasonable approximation on the upwind slope of the hill and also on the downwind slope, away from the summit. Immediately downwind of the summit, however, the Bernoulli equation does not hold. Possible reasons for this, such as non-separated sheltering and flow separation, are discussed.

Formation of plasmon pulses in the cooperative decay of excitons of quantum dots near a metal surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shesterikov, A. B.; Gubin, M. Yu. [Vladimir State University (Russian Federation); Gladush, M. G. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Spectroscopy (Russian Federation); Prokhorov, A. V., E-mail: avprokhorov33@mail.ru [Vladimir State University (Russian Federation)

2017-01-15

The formation of pulses of surface electromagnetic waves at a metal–dielectric boundary is considered in the process of cooperative decay of excitons of quantum dots distributed near a metal surface in a dielectric layer. It is shown that the efficiency of exciton energy transfer to excited plasmons can, in principle, be increased by selecting the dielectric material with specified values of the complex permittivity. It is found that in the mean field approximation, the semiclassical model of formation of plasmon pulses in the system under study is reduced to the pendulum equation with the additional term of nonlinear losses.

Effects of temperature and surface orientation on migration behaviours of helium atoms near tungsten surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Xiaoshuang; Wu, Zhangwen; Hou, Qing, E-mail: qhou@scu.edu.cn

2015-10-15

Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to study the dependence of migration behaviours of single helium atoms near tungsten surfaces on the surface orientation and temperature. For W{100} and W{110} surfaces, He atoms can quickly escape out near the surface without accumulation even at a temperature of 400 K. The behaviours of helium atoms can be well-described by the theory of continuous diffusion of particles in a semi-infinite medium. For a W{111} surface, the situation is complex. Different types of trap mutations occur within the neighbouring region of the W{111} surface. The trap mutations hinder the escape of He atoms, resulting in their accumulation. The probability of a He atom escaping into vacuum from a trap mutation depends on the type of the trap mutation, and the occurrence probabilities of the different types of trap mutations are dependent on the temperature. This finding suggests that the escape rate of He atoms on the W{111} surface does not show a monotonic dependence on temperature. For instance, the escape rate at T = 1500 K is lower than the rate at T = 1100 K. Our results are useful for understanding the structural evolution and He release on tungsten surfaces and for designing models in other simulation methods beyond molecular dynamics.

New electron-ion-plasma equipment for modification of materials and products surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koval', N.N.

2013-01-01

the report the processes of electron-beam nanostructurization of material surfaces are considered. In IHCE SB RAS the equipment 'SOLO' of electron-beam treatment of product surface has been developed. By 'SOLO' the processes of electron-beam polishing of metals and alloys surface are realized. Furthermore the processes of superfast surface hardening of materials are developed by 'SOLO'. That leads to nanostructurization of surface layer. In process of electron-beam treatment the pulse electron beam with energy of (5÷50) J/cm 2 , getting on a treated surface, makes superfast heating (10 8 -10 9 K/s) (during pulse duration of ((50÷200) µs) to temperature of melting point of substrate material. Then superfast (10 6 -10 8 K/s) cooling occurs at the expense of heat removal in deeper cold layers of a substrate. As a result of superfast hardening in near-surface layer with thickness of several units to several tens micron the improved structure of treated material is formed. The surface is cleared; fusible impurity is evaporated; in steels hardening submicro- and nanocrystalline structure is formed; surface hardness increases. Besides, in vacuum in a liquid phase smoothing of surfaces relief (polishing) occurs by surface tension force. The essential changes of a structural-phase state of surface layer lead to significant improvement of physical, chemical, and strength properties of the material. That is impossible by traditional methods of surface treatment. In the report the examples of combined processes of surface layers nanostructurization, including perspective electron-beam mixing of coating/substrate systems are demonstrated. The presented equipment and realized processes are a basis of development of new electron-ion-plasma technologies of nanostructurization of material and product surfaces. These methods allow considerably improving physical and chemical, exploitation properties of details and instruments surface. That leads to

Materials and surface engineering in tribology

CERN Document Server

Takadoum, Jamal

2010-01-01

This title is designed to provide a clear and comprehensive overview of tribology. The book introduces the notion of a surface in tribology where a solid surface is described from topographical, structural, mechanical, and energetic perspectives. It also describes the principal techniques used to characterize and analyze surfaces. The title then discusses what may be called the fundamentals of tribology by introducing and describing the concepts of adhesion, friction, wear, and lubrication. The book focuses on the materials used in tribology, introducing the major classes of materials used, ei

Opportunities and pitfalls in surface-wave interpretation

KAUST Repository

Schuster, Gerard T.

2017-01-21

Many explorationists think of surface waves as the most damaging noise in land seismic data. Thus, much effort is spent in designing geophone arrays and filtering methods that attenuate these noisy events. It is now becoming apparent that surface waves can be a valuable ally in characterizing the near-surface geology. This review aims to find out how the interpreter can exploit some of the many opportunities available in surface waves recorded in land seismic data. For example, the dispersion curves associated with surface waves can be inverted to give the S-wave velocity tomogram, the common-offset gathers can reveal the presence of near-surface faults or velocity anomalies, and back-scattered surface waves can be migrated to detect the location of near-surface faults. However, the main limitation of surface waves is that they are typically sensitive to S-wave velocity variations no deeper than approximately half to one-third the dominant wavelength. For many exploration surveys, this limits the depth of investigation to be no deeper than approximately 0.5-1.0 km.

Opportunities and pitfalls in surface-wave interpretation

KAUST Repository

Schuster, Gerard T.; Li, Jing; Lu, Kai; Metwally, Ahmed Mohsen Hassan; AlTheyab, Abdullah; Hanafy, Sherif

2017-01-01

Many explorationists think of surface waves as the most damaging noise in land seismic data. Thus, much effort is spent in designing geophone arrays and filtering methods that attenuate these noisy events. It is now becoming apparent that surface waves can be a valuable ally in characterizing the near-surface geology. This review aims to find out how the interpreter can exploit some of the many opportunities available in surface waves recorded in land seismic data. For example, the dispersion curves associated with surface waves can be inverted to give the S-wave velocity tomogram, the common-offset gathers can reveal the presence of near-surface faults or velocity anomalies, and back-scattered surface waves can be migrated to detect the location of near-surface faults. However, the main limitation of surface waves is that they are typically sensitive to S-wave velocity variations no deeper than approximately half to one-third the dominant wavelength. For many exploration surveys, this limits the depth of investigation to be no deeper than approximately 0.5-1.0 km.

Hydraulic/mechanical modeling of smectitic materials for HMC analytical evaluation of the long term performance of TRU geological repository - 59090

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, Ichizo; Owada, Hitoshi; Ishii, Tomoko

2012-01-01

Aiming at evaluation of the long term performance of transuranic (TRU) geological repositories, the hydraulic/ mechanical/chemical (HMC) analysis method has been studied. In this phase of research (four years) the hydraulic/mechanical modeling of smectitic materials for HMC analyses has been studied. In this paper, new experimental methods for investigation of the hydraulic/mechanical behavior of smectitic materials were developed. For hydraulic modeling, the measurement method of the specific surface area of compacted smectitic materials was developed using X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results of the method were applied to the Kozeny-Carman law. Since the specific surface area represents the microstructure of smectitic materials such as the degree of swelling, it was found that the Kozeny-Carman law using measured specific surface area of compacted smectitic materials was useful in evaluating the hydraulic performance of smectitic materials. Moreover, since the Kozeny-Carman law can take the alteration of content of pore water into consideration by not only a coefficient of viscosity but also by changes in specific surface area, the Kozeny-Carman law will be more suitable to chemical and mechanical couple analyses than the ordinary Darcy's law. For the mechanical modeling, the procedure of one dimensional exhausting compression test was developed. The tests gave the dry density and compression stress relation in the state of full-saturation of smectitic materials with varying water content. The relations between the dry density and compression stress in the state of fully saturation were termed fully saturation lines. The group of iso-grams of degree of saturation and water content were also given with this test. It was found that the fully-saturation line is consistent with swelling deformation-pressure relation in the equilibrium state. The results indicated that the swelling deformation-pressure relation does not depend on the saturation manner, such as the

Evaluation of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical phenomena in the near field for geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chijimatsu, Masakazu; Fujita, Tomoo; Sugita, Yutaka; Taniguchi, Wataru

2000-01-01

, fracture survey, hydraulic test and the measurement of inflow rate into the test pit, which was excavated at the floor of the experiment drift, were conducted. In Chapter 4, hydraulic analyses were conducted using the rock properties obtained by the hydraulic test described in Chapter 3. Analyses were performed by tow kinds of methods; continuum approach and discrete approach. In Chapter 5, the results of in-situ coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical experiment at Kamaishi mine was described. The test pit, 1.7 m in diameter and 5.0 m in depth, was excavated. After the excavation of test pit, the buffer material and heater were set up in the test pit, and then coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical test was started. The duration of heating phase was 250 days and that of cooling phase was 180 days. The heater surface was controlled to be 100degC during heating phase. Measurement was carried out by a number of sensors installed in both buffer and rock mass during the test. In Chapter 6, development of coupled T-H-M model and the validation analyses of model were described. As validation, the analysis of BIG-BEN experiment at Tokai Works in JNC and the analysis of in-situ experiment at Kamaishi mine etc. were performed. In Chapter 7, the coupled T-H-M processes in the near field were simulated with fully coupled model. The material of buffer is bentonite-sand mixture and dry density is 1.6 g/cm 3 . From the results, the following results were obtained; re-saturation time of buffer is strongly dependent on the water pressure in the rock mass. However, it is not dependent on the permeability of rock mass if the intrinsic permeability of rock mass is in the 10 -13 - 10 -18 m 2 range. In the case that the intrinsic permeability of rock mass is approximately 10 -15 m 2 , the initial water content in the buffer does not exert influence on the re-saturation time of buffer. Two dimensional coupled T-H-M analysis in consideration of water drawdown due to the excavation of drift is carried our. As a

Evaluation of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical phenomena in the near field for geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chijimatsu, Masakazu; Fujita, Tomoo; Sugita, Yutaka; Taniguchi, Wataru [Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Inst., Tokai Works, Waste Management and Fuel Cycle Research Center, Waste Isolation Research Division, Barrier Performance Group, Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan)

2000-01-01

, fracture survey, hydraulic test and the measurement of inflow rate into the test pit, which was excavated at the floor of the experiment drift, were conducted. In Chapter 4, hydraulic analyses were conducted using the rock properties obtained by the hydraulic test described in Chapter 3. Analyses were performed by tow kinds of methods; continuum approach and discrete approach. In Chapter 5, the results of in-situ coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical experiment at Kamaishi mine was described. The test pit, 1.7 m in diameter and 5.0 m in depth, was excavated. After the excavation of test pit, the buffer material and heater were set up in the test pit, and then coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical test was started. The duration of heating phase was 250 days and that of cooling phase was 180 days. The heater surface was controlled to be 100degC during heating phase. Measurement was carried out by a number of sensors installed in both buffer and rock mass during the test. In Chapter 6, development of coupled T-H-M model and the validation analyses of model were described. As validation, the analysis of BIG-BEN experiment at Tokai Works in JNC and the analysis of in-situ experiment at Kamaishi mine etc. were performed. In Chapter 7, the coupled T-H-M processes in the near field were simulated with fully coupled model. The material of buffer is bentonite-sand mixture and dry density is 1.6 g/cm{sup 3}. From the results, the following results were obtained; re-saturation time of buffer is strongly dependent on the water pressure in the rock mass. However, it is not dependent on the permeability of rock mass if the intrinsic permeability of rock mass is in the 10{sup -13} - 10{sup -18} m{sup 2} range. In the case that the intrinsic permeability of rock mass is approximately 10{sup -15} m{sup 2}, the initial water content in the buffer does not exert influence on the re-saturation time of buffer. Two dimensional coupled T-H-M analysis in consideration of water drawdown due to the excavation

Electrical properties of polyimides containing a near-surface deposit of silver

Science.gov (United States)

Rancourt, J. D.; Porta, G. M.; Taylor, L. T.

1987-01-01

Films containing a surface or near-surface deposit of palladium, gold or copper metal as well as tin, cobalt, copper, or lithium oxides have been prepared by dissolving appropriate metal salts into poly(amide-acid)/N,N-dimethylacetamide solutions and curing the solvent cast films to temperatures up to 300 C. This preparation technique has been extended to evaluate the thermal, spectroscopic, and electrical characteristics of condensation polyimide films modified with silver nitrate. A near-surface deposit of metallic silver results but the reflective surface has high electrical resistivity (sheet resistivity) due to a polymer coating or overlayer above the metal. Details pertaining to the silver nitrate modified condensation polyimides are presented. Also, the applicability of the structural model and electrical model previously proposed for the cobalt oxide system are assessed.

Lidar-enhanced geologic mapping, examples from the Medford and Hood River areas, Oregon

Science.gov (United States)

Wiley, T. J.; McClaughry, J. D.

2012-12-01

Lidar-based 3-foot digital elevation models (DEMs) and derivatives (slopeshade, hillshade, contours) were used to help map geology across 1700 km2 (650 mi2) near Hood River and Medford, Oregon. Techniques classically applied to interpret coarse DEMs and small-scale topographic maps were adapted to take advantage of lidar's high resolution. Penetration and discrimination of plant cover by the laser system allowed recognition of fine patterns and textures related to underlying geologic units and associated soils. Surficial geologic maps were improved by the ability to examine tiny variations in elevation and slope. Recognition of low-relief features of all sizes was enhanced where pixel elevation ranges of centimeters to meters, established by knowledge of the site or by trial, were displayed using thousands of sequential colors. Features can also be depicted relative to stream level by preparing a DEM that compensates for gradient. Near Medford, lidar-derived contour maps with 1- to 3-foot intervals revealed incised bajada with young, distal lobes defined by concentric contour lines. Bedrock geologic maps were improved by recognizing geologic features associated with surface textures and patterns or topographic anomalies. In sedimentary and volcanic terrain, structure was revealed by outcrops or horizons lying at one stratigraphic level. Creating a triangulated irregular network (TIN) facet from positions of three or more such points gives strike and dip. Each map area benefited from hundreds of these measurements. A more extensive DEM in the plane of the TIN facet can be subtracted from surface elevation (lidar DEM) to make a DEM with elevation zero where the stratigraphic horizon lies at the surface. The distribution of higher and lower stratigraphic horizons can be shown by highlighting areas similarly higher or lower on the same DEM. Poor fit of contacts or faults projected between field traverses suggest the nature and amount of intervening geologic structure

Functional response of a near-surface soil microbial community to a simulated underground CO2 storage leak.

Science.gov (United States)

Morales, Sergio E; Holben, William E

2013-01-01

Understanding the impacts of leaks from geologic carbon sequestration, also known as carbon capture and storage, is key to developing effective strategies for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions management and mitigation of potential negative effects. Here, we provide the first report on the potential effects of leaks from carbon capture and storage sites on microbial functional groups in surface and near-surface soils. Using a simulated subsurface CO2 storage leak scenario, we demonstrate how CO2 flow upward through the soil column altered both the abundance (DNA) and activity (mRNA) of microbial functional groups mediating carbon and nitrogen transformations. These microbial responses were found to be seasonally dependent and correlated to shifts in atmospheric conditions. While both DNA and mRNA levels were affected by elevated CO2, they did not react equally, suggesting two separate mechanisms for soil microbial community response to high CO2 levels. The results did not always agree with previous studies on elevated atmospheric (rather than subsurface) CO2 using FACE (Free-Air CO2 Enrichment) systems, suggesting that microbial community response to CO2 seepage from the subsurface might differ from its response to atmospheric CO2 increases.

Well materials durability in case of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide geological sequestration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacquemet, N.

2006-01-01

The geological sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and hydrogen sulphide (H 2 S) is a promising solution for the long-term storage of these undesirable gases. It consists in injecting them via wells into deep geological reservoirs. The steel and cement employed in the well casing can be altered and provide pathways for leakage with subsequent human and environmental consequences. The materials ageing was investigated by laboratory experiments in geologically relevant P-T conditions. A new experimental and analysis procedure was designed for this purpose. A numerical approach was also done. The cement and steel were altered in various fluid phases at 500 bar-120 C and 500 bar-200 C: a brine, a brine saturated with H 2 S-CO 2 , a mixture of brine saturated with H 2 S-CO 2 and of supercritical H 2 S-CO 2 phase, a dry supercritical H 2 S-CO 2 phase without liquid water. In all cases, two distinct reactions are observed: the cement carbonation by the CO 2 and the steel sulfidation by the H 2 S. The carbonation and sulfidation are respectively maximal and minimal when they occur within the dry supercritical phase without liquid water. The textural and porosity properties of the cement are weakly affected by all the treatments at 120 C. The porosity even decreases in presence of H 2 S-CO 2 . But these properties are affected at 200 C when liquid water is present in the system. At this temperature, the initial properties are only preserved or improved by the treatments within the dry supercritical phase. The steel is corroded in all cases and thus is the vulnerable material of the wells. (author)

Advances in planetary geology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-06-01

The surface of Mars displays a broad range of channel and valley features. There is as great a range in morphology as in scale. Some of the features of Martian geography are examined. Geomorphic mapping, crater counts on selected surfaces, and a detailed study of drainage basins are used to trace the geologic evolution of the Margaritifer Sinus Quandrangle. The layered deposits in the Valles Marineris are described in detail and the geologic processes that could have led to their formation are analyzed

Approximate Seismic Diffusive Models of Near-Receiver Geology: Applications from Lab Scale to Field

Science.gov (United States)

King, Thomas; Benson, Philip; De Siena, Luca; Vinciguerra, Sergio

2017-04-01

This paper presents a novel and simple method of seismic envelope analysis that can be applied at multiple scales, e.g. field, m to km scale and laboratory, mm to cm scale, and utilises the diffusive approximation of the seismic wavefield (Wegler, 2003). Coefficient values for diffusion and attenuation are obtained from seismic coda energies and are used to describe the rate at which seismic energy is scattered and attenuated into the local medium around a receiver. Values are acquired by performing a linear least squares inversion of coda energies calculated in successive time windows along a seismic trace. Acoustic emission data were taken from piezoelectric transducers (PZT) with typical resonance frequency of 1-5MHz glued around rock samples during deformation laboratory experiments carried out using a servo-controlled triaxial testing machine, where a shear/damage zone is generated under compression after the nucleation, growth and coalescence of microcracks. Passive field data were collected from conventional geophones during the 2004-2008 eruption of Mount St. Helens volcano (MSH), USA where a sudden reawakening of the volcanic activity and a new dome growth has occurred. The laboratory study shows a strong correlation between variations of the coefficients over time and the increase of differential stress as the experiment progresses. The field study links structural variations present in the near-surface geology, including those seen in previous geophysical studies of the area, to these same coefficients. Both studies show a correlation between frequency and structural feature size, i.e. landslide slip-planes and microcracks, with higher frequencies being much more sensitive to smaller scale features and vice-versa.

On the computation of the turbulent flow near rough surface

Science.gov (United States)

Matveev, S. K.; Jaychibekov, N. Zh.; Shalabayeva, B. S.

2018-05-01

One of the problems in constructing mathematical models of turbulence is a description of the flows near a rough surface. An experimental study of such flows is also difficult because of the impossibility of measuring "inside" the roughness. The theoretical calculation is difficult because of the lack of equations describing the flow in this zone. In this paper, a new turbulence model based on the differential equation of turbulent viscosity balance was used to describe a turbulent flow near a rough surface. The difference between the new turbulence model and the previously known consists in the choice of constants and functions that determine the generation, dissipation and diffusion of viscosity.

Enhancing the antibacterial performance of orthopaedic implant materials by fibre laser surface engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Chi-Wai; Carson, Louise; Smith, Graham C.; Morelli, Alessio; Lee, Seunghwan

2017-05-01

Implant failure caused by bacterial infection is extremely difficult to treat and usually requires the removal of the infected components. Despite the severe consequence of bacterial infection, research into bacterial infection of orthopaedic implants is still at an early stage compared to the effort on enhancing osseointegration, wear and corrosion resistance of implant materials. In this study, the effects of laser surface treatment on enhancing the antibacterial properties of commercially pure (CP) Ti (Grade 2), Ti6Al4V (Grade 5) and CoCrMo alloy implant materials were studied and compared for the first time. Laser surface treatment was performed by a continuous wave (CW) fibre laser with a near-infrared wavelength of 1064 nm in a nitrogen-containing environment. Staphylococcus aureus, commonly implicated in infection associated with orthopaedic implants, was used to investigate the antibacterial properties of the laser-treated surfaces. The surface roughness and topography of the laser-treated materials were analysed by a 2D roughness testing and by AFM. The surface morphologies before and after 24 h of bacterial cell culture were captured by SEM, and bacterial viability was determined using live/dead staining. Surface chemistry was analysed by XPS and surface wettability was measured using the sessile drop method. The findings of this study indicated that the laser-treated CP Ti and Ti6Al4V surfaces exhibited a noticeable reduction in bacterial adhesion and possessed a bactericidal effect. Such properties were attributable to the combined effects of reduced hydrophobicity, thicker and stable oxide films and presence of laser-induced nano-features. No similar antibacterial effect was observed in the laser-treated CoCrMo.

Geologic hazards in the region of the Hurricane fault

Science.gov (United States)

Lund, W.R.

1997-01-01

common in southwestern Utah where it has damaged roads, canal embankments, and water-retention structures. Several unexplained sinkholes near the town of Hurricane possibly are the result of collapse of subsurface volcanic features. Geologic formations associated with slope failures along or near the Hurricane fault include rocks of both Mesozoic and Tertiary age. Numerous landslides are present in these materials along the Hurricane Cliffs, and the Petrified Forest Member of the Chinle Formation is commonly associated with slope failures where it crops out in the St. George Basin. Steep slopes and numerous areas of exposed bedrock make rock fall a hazard in the St. George Basin. Debris flows and debris floods in narrow canyons and on alluvial fans often accompany intense summer cloudburst thunderstorms. Flooded basements and foundation problems associated with shallow ground water are common on benches north of the Santa Clara River in the city of Santa Clara. Stream flooding is the most frequently occurring and destructive geologic hazard in southwestern Utah. Since the 1850s, there have been three major riverine (regional) floods and more than 300 damaging flash floods. Although a variety of flood control measures have been implemented, continued rapid growth in the region is again increasing vulnerability to flood hazards. Site-specific studies to evaluate geologic hazards and identify hazard-reduction measures are recommended prior to construction to reduce the need for costly repair, maintenance, or replacement of improperly placed or protected facilities.

Geological site characterization for the proposed Mixed Waste Disposal Facility, Los Alamos National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reneau, S.L.; Raymond, R. Jr.

1995-12-01

This report presents the results of geological site characterization studies conducted from 1992 to 1994 on Pajarito Mesa for a proposed Los Alamos National Laboratory Mixed Waste Disposal Facility (MWDF). The MWDF is being designed to receive mixed waste (waste containing both hazardous and radioactive components) generated during Environmental Restoration Project cleanup activities at Los Alamos. As of 1995, there is no Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) permitted disposal site for mixed waste at the Laboratory, and construction of the MWDF would provide an alternative to transport of this material to an off-site location. A 2.5 km long part of Pajarito Mesa was originally considered for the MWDF, extending from an elevation of about 2150 to 2225 m (7060 to 7300 ft) in Technical Areas (TAs) 15, 36, and 67 in the central part of the Laboratory, and planning was later concentrated on the western area in TA-67. The mesa top lies about 60 to 75 m (200 to 250 ft) above the floor of Pajarito Canyon on the north, and about 30 m (100 ft) above the floor of Threemile Canyon on the south. The main aquifer used as a water supply for the Laboratory and for Los Alamos County lies at an estimated depth of about 335 m (1100 ft) below the mesa. The chapters of this report focus on surface and near-surface geological studies that provide a basic framework for siting of the MWDF and for conducting future performance assessments, including fulfillment of specific regulatory requirements. This work includes detailed studies of the stratigraphy, mineralogy, and chemistry of the bedrock at Pajarito Mesa by Broxton and others, studies of the geological structure and of mesa-top soils and surficial deposits by Reneau and others, geologic mapping and studies of fracture characteristics by Vaniman and Chipera, and studies of potential landsliding and rockfall along the mesa-edge by Reneau

Geological site characterization for the proposed Mixed Waste Disposal Facility, Los Alamos National Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reneau, S.L.; Raymond, R. Jr. [eds.

1995-12-01

This report presents the results of geological site characterization studies conducted from 1992 to 1994 on Pajarito Mesa for a proposed Los Alamos National Laboratory Mixed Waste Disposal Facility (MWDF). The MWDF is being designed to receive mixed waste (waste containing both hazardous and radioactive components) generated during Environmental Restoration Project cleanup activities at Los Alamos. As of 1995, there is no Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) permitted disposal site for mixed waste at the Laboratory, and construction of the MWDF would provide an alternative to transport of this material to an off-site location. A 2.5 km long part of Pajarito Mesa was originally considered for the MWDF, extending from an elevation of about 2150 to 2225 m (7060 to 7300 ft) in Technical Areas (TAs) 15, 36, and 67 in the central part of the Laboratory, and planning was later concentrated on the western area in TA-67. The mesa top lies about 60 to 75 m (200 to 250 ft) above the floor of Pajarito Canyon on the north, and about 30 m (100 ft) above the floor of Threemile Canyon on the south. The main aquifer used as a water supply for the Laboratory and for Los Alamos County lies at an estimated depth of about 335 m (1100 ft) below the mesa. The chapters of this report focus on surface and near-surface geological studies that provide a basic framework for siting of the MWDF and for conducting future performance assessments, including fulfillment of specific regulatory requirements. This work includes detailed studies of the stratigraphy, mineralogy, and chemistry of the bedrock at Pajarito Mesa by Broxton and others, studies of the geological structure and of mesa-top soils and surficial deposits by Reneau and others, geologic mapping and studies of fracture characteristics by Vaniman and Chipera, and studies of potential landsliding and rockfall along the mesa-edge by Reneau.

Geologic control on the evolution of the inner shelf morphology offshore of the Mississippi barrier islands, northern Gulf of Mexico, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Flocks, James G.; Kindinger, Jack G.; Kelso, Kyle W.

2015-01-01

Between 2008 and 2013, high-resolution geophysical surveys were conducted around the Mississippi barrier islands and offshore. The sonar surveys included swath and single-beam bathymetry, sidescan, and chirp subbottom data collection. The geophysical data were groundtruthed using vibracore sediment collection. The results provide insight into the evolution of the inner shelf and the relationship between the near surface geologic framework and the morphology of the coastal zone. This study focuses on the buried Pleistocene fluvial deposits and late Holocene shore-oblique sand ridges offshore of Petit Bois Island and Petit Bois Pass. Prior to this study, the physical characteristics, evolution, and interrelationship of the ridges between both the shelf geology and the adjacent barrier island platform had not been evaluated. Numerous studies elsewhere along the coastal margin attribute shoal origin and sand-ridge evolution to hydrodynamic processes in shallow water (<20 m). Here we characterize the correlation between the geologic framework and surface morphology and demonstrate that the underlying stratigraphy must also be considered when developing an evolutionary conceptual model. It is important to understand this near surface, nearshore dynamic in order to understand how the stratigraphy influences the long-term response of the coastal zone to sea-level rise. The study also contributes to a growing body of work characterizing shore-oblique sand ridges which, along with the related geology, are recognized as increasingly important components to a nearshore framework whose origins and evolution must be understood and inventoried to effectively manage the coastal zone.

Quaternary Geologic Map of the Lake Nipigon 4 Degrees x 6 Degrees Quadrangle, United States and Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Sado, Edward V.; Fullerton, David S.; Farrand, William R.; Edited and Integrated by Fullerton, David S.

1994-01-01

The Quaternary Geologic Map of the Lake Nipigon 4 degree x 6 degree Quadrangle was mapped as part of the Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States. The atlas was begun as an effort to depict the areal distribution of surficial geologic deposits and other materials that accumulated or formed during the past 2+ million years, the period that includes all activities of the human species. These materials are at the surface of the earth. They make up the 'ground' on which we walk, the 'dirt' in which we dig foundations, and the 'soil' in which we grow crops. Most of our human activity is related in one way or another to these surface materials that are referred to collectively by many geologists as regolith, the mantle of fragmental and generally unconsolidated material that overlies the bedrock foundation of the continent. The maps were compiled at 1:1,000,000 scale. This map is a product of collaboration of the Ontario Geological Survey, the University of Michigan, and the U.S. Geological Survey, and is designed for both scientific and practical purposes. It was prepared in two stages. First, separate maps and map explanations were prepared by the compilers. Second, the maps were combined, integrated, and supplemented by the editor. Map unit symbols were revised to a uniform system of classification and the map unit descriptions were prepared by the editor from information received from the compilers and from additional sources listed under Sources of Information. Diagrams accompanying the map were prepared by the editor. For scientific purposes, the map differentiates Quaternary surficial deposits on the basis of lithology or composition, texture or particle size, structure, genesis, stratigraphic relationships, engineering geologic properties, and relative age, as shown on the correlation diagram and indicated in the map unit descriptions. Deposits of some constructional landforms, such as kame moraine deposits, are distinguished as map units. Deposits of

Technical considerations in the design of near surface disposal facilities for radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-11-01

Good design is an important step towards ensuring operational as well as long term safety of low and intermediate level waste (LILW) disposal. The IAEA has produced this report with the objective of outlining the most important technical considerations in the design of near surface disposal facilities and to provide some examples of the design process in different countries. This guidance has been developed in light of experience gained from the design of existing near surface disposal facilities in a range of Member States. In particular the report provide information on design objective, design requirements, and design phases. The report focuses on: near surface disposal facilities accepting solidified LILW; disposal facilities on or just below the ground surface, where the final protective covering is of the order of a few metres thick; and disposal facilities several tens of metres below the ground surface (including rock cavern type facilities)

Active Surfaces and Interfaces of Soft Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qiming

A variety of intriguing surface patterns have been observed on developing natural systems, ranging from corrugated surface of white blood cells at nanometer scales to wrinkled dog skins at millimeter scales. To mimetically harness functionalities of natural morphologies, artificial transformative skin systems by using soft active materials have been rationally designed to generate versatile patterns for a variety of engineering applications. The study of the mechanics and design of these dynamic surface patterns on soft active materials are both physically interesting and technologically important. This dissertation starts with studying abundant surface patterns in Nature by constructing a unified phase diagram of surface instabilities on soft materials with minimum numbers of physical parameters. Guided by this integrated phase diagram, an electroactive system is designed to investigate a variety of electrically-induced surface instabilities of elastomers, including electro-creasing, electro-cratering, electro-wrinkling and electro-cavitation. Combing experimental, theoretical and computational methods, the initiation, evolution and transition of these instabilities are analyzed. To apply these dynamic surface instabilities to serving engineering and biology, new techniques of Dynamic Electrostatic Lithography and electroactive anti-biofouling are demonstrated.

Surface modification study of borate materials from B K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Kasrai, Masoud; Fleet, Michael E.; Muthupari, Swaminathan; Li, D.; Bancroft, G. M.

The B K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra of two borates with tetrahedrally-coordinated B [[4]B; natural danburite (CaB2Si2O8) and synthetic boron phosphate (BPO4)] have been recorded in total electron yield (TEY) and fluorescence yield (FY) modes to investigate the surface and bulk structure of these materials. The TEY XANES measurement shows that danburite is susceptible to surface damage involving conversion of [4]B sites to [3]B sites by reaction with moisture and/or mechanical abrasion (grinding, polishing, etc.). The bulk of the mineral is essentially unaffected. Commercial boron phosphate powder exhibits more extensive surface and bulk damage, which increases with air exposure but is recovered on heating at 650°C. In contrast to ELNES, the XANES technique is not affected by beam damage and when collected in the FY mode is capable of yielding meaningful information on the coordination and intermediate-range structure of B in borate and borosilicate materials.

Roles of epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) and mu-near-zero (MNZ) materials in optical metatronic circuit networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbasi, Fereshteh; Engheta, Nader

2014-10-20

The concept of metamaterial-inspired nanocircuits, dubbed metatronics, was introduced in [Science 317, 1698 (2007); Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 095504 (2005)]. It was suggested how optical lumped elements (nanoelements) can be made using subwavelength plasmonic or non-plasmonic particles. As a result, the optical metatronic equivalents of a number of electronic circuits, such as frequency mixers and filters, were suggested. In this work we further expand the concept of electronic lumped element networks into optical metatronic circuits and suggest a conceptual model applicable to various metatronic passive networks. In particular, we differentiate between the series and parallel networks using epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) and mu-near-zero (MNZ) materials. We employ layered structures with subwavelength thicknesses for the nanoelements as the building blocks of collections of metatronic networks. Furthermore, we explore how by choosing the non-zero constitutive parameters of the materials with specific dispersions, either Drude or Lorentzian dispersion with suitable parameters, capacitive and inductive responses can be achieved in both series and parallel networks. Next, we proceed with the one-to-one analogy between electronic circuits and optical metatronic filter layered networks and justify our analogies by comparing the frequency response of the two paradigms. Finally, we examine the material dispersion of near-zero relative permittivity as well as other physically important material considerations such as losses.

Surficial Geology of Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Science.gov (United States)

Crandell, Dwight Raymond

1969-01-01

Much of the ground surface around Mount Rainier volcano is directly underlain by loose geologic deposits that veneer the hard rock formations. Examples of these deposits are sand and gravel bars along the rivers, ridges of loose rock debris beside the glaciers, and sloping aprons of rock fragments beneath almost every cliff. Even though they are generally thin and inconspicuous when compared with the rock formations, these surficial deposits are clues to geologic events that have profoundly influenced the shape of the park's landscape. Thus, from the character and extent of glacial deposits one can judge the age and size of former glaciers that carved the cirques and deep canyons of the park; from the mudflows which streamed down nearly every valley one can infer the age and size of huge landslides of the past that helped determine Mount Rainier's present shape; and from the pumice deposits some of the volcano's recent eruptive activity can be reconstructed. The map (plate 1, in pocket) that accompanies this description of the surficial deposits of Mount Rainier National Park shows the location of the various geologic formations, and the explanation shows the formations arranged in order of their relative age, with the oldest at the bottom. The text describes the surficial deposits in sequence from older to younger. A discussion of the pumice deposits of the park, which were not mapped, is followed by a description of the formations shown on the geologic map. Inspection of the geologic map may lead the viewer to question why the surficial deposits are shown in more detail in a zone several miles wide around the base of the volcano than elsewhere. This is partly because the zone is largely near or above timberline, relatively accessible, and the surficial deposits there can be readily recognized, differentiated, and mapped. In contrast, access is more difficult in the heavily timbered parts of the park, and surficial deposits there are generally blanketed by a dense

Modeling of Oblique Penetration into Geologic Targets Using Cavity Expansion Penetrator Loading with Target free-Surface Effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Joe; Longcope, Donald B.; Tabbara, Mazen R.

1999-06-01

A procedure has been developed to represent the loading on a penetrator and its motion during oblique penetration into geologic media. The penetrator is modeled with the explicit dynamics, finite element computer program PRONTO 3D and the coupled pressure on the penetrator is given in a new loading option based on a separate cavity expansion (CE) solution that accounts for the pressure reduction from a nearby target free surface. The free-surface influence distance is selected in a predictive manner by considering the pressure to expand a spherical cavity in a finite radius sphere of the target material. The CE/PRONTO 3D procedure allows a detailed description of the penetrator for predicting shock environments or structural failure during the entire penetra- tion event and is sufficiently rapid to be used in design optimization. It has been evaluated by comparing its results with data from two field tests of a full-scale penetrator into frozen soil at an impact angles of 49.6 and 52.5 degrees from the horizontal. The measured penetrator rotations were 24 and 22 degrees, respectively. In the simulation, the rotation was 21 degrees and predom- inately resulted from the pressure reduction of the free surface. Good agreement was also found for the penetration depth and axial and lateral acceleration at two locations in the penetrator.

Modeling of Oblique Penetration into Geologic Targets Using Cavity Expansion Penetrator Loading with Target free-Surface Effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Joe; Longcope, Donald B.; Tabbara, Mazen R.

1999-05-03

A procedure has been developed to represent the loading on a penetrator and its motion during oblique penetration into geologic media. The penetrator is modeled with the explicit dynamics, finite element computer program PRONTO 3D and the coupled pressure on the penetrator is given in a new loading option based on a separate cavity expansion (CE) solution that accounts for the pressure-reduction from a nearby target free surface. The free-surface influ- ence distance is selected in a predictive manner by considering the pressure to expand a spherical cavity in a finite radius sphere of the target material. The CE/PRONTO 3D procedure allows a detailed description of the penetrator for predicting shock environments or structural failure dur- ing the entire penetration event and is sufficiently rapid to be used in design optimization. It has been evaluated by comparing its results with data from two field tests of a full-scale penetrator into frozen soil at an impact angles of 49.6 and 52.5 degrees from the horizontal. The measured penetrator rotations were 24 and 22 degrees, respectively. In the simulation, the rotation was21 degrees and predominately resulted from the pressure reduction of the free surface. Good agree- ment was also found for the penetration depth and axial and lateral acceleration at two locations in the penetrator.

Geology and geohydrology of the Palo Duro Basin, Texas Panhandle. Report on the progress of nuclear waste isolation feasibility studies, 1978

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dutton, S.P.; Finley, R.J.; Galloway, W.E.; Gustavson, T.C.; Handford, C.R.; Presley, M.W.

1979-01-01

Early in 1977 the Bureau of Economic Geology was invited to assemble and evaluate geologic data on several salt-bearing basins within the State of Texas as a contribution to the national nuclear repository program. In response to this request, the Bureau, acting as a technical research unit of the University of Texas at Austin and the State of Texas, initiated a long-term program to assemble and interpret all geologic and hydrologic information necessary for delineation, description, and evaluation of salt-bearing strata in the Panhandle area. The technical program can be subdivided into three broad research tasks, which are addressed by a basin analysis group, a surface studies group, and a basin geohydrology group. The basin analysis group has assembled the regional stratigraphic and structural framework of the total basin fill, initiated evaluation of natural resources, and selected stratigraphic core sites for sampling the salt and associated beds. Two drilling sites have provided nearly 8000 feet (2400 m) of core material for analysis and testing of the various lithologies overlying and interbedded with salt units. Concurrently, the surface studies group has collected ground and remotely-sensed data to describe surficial processes, including carbonate and evaporate solution, geomorphic evolution, and fracture system development. The newly formed basin geohydrology group will evaluate both shallow and deep circulation of fluids within the basins. This paper, a summary report of progress, reviews principal conclusions and illustrates the methodologies used and the types of data and displays generated

Near-surface temperature gradient in a coastal upwelling regime

Science.gov (United States)

Maske, H.; Ochoa, J.; Almeda-Jauregui, C. O.; Ruiz-de la Torre, M. C.; Cruz-López, R.; Villegas-Mendoza, J. R.

2014-08-01

In oceanography, a near homogeneous mixed layer extending from the surface to a seasonal thermocline is a common conceptual basis in physics, chemistry, and biology. In a coastal upwelling region 3 km off the coast in the Mexican Pacific, we measured vertical density gradients with a free-rising CTD and temperature gradients with thermographs at 1, 3, and 5 m depths logging every 5 min during more than a year. No significant salinity gradient was observed down to 10 m depth, and the CTD temperature and density gradients showed no pronounced discontinuity that would suggest a near-surface mixed layer. Thermographs generally logged decreasing temperature with depth with gradients higher than 0.2 K m-1 more than half of the time in the summer between 1 and 3 m, 3 and 5 m and in the winter between 1 and 3 m. Some negative temperature gradients were present and gradients were generally highly variable in time with high peaks lasting fractions of hours to hours. These temporal changes were too rapid to be explained by local heating or cooling. The pattern of positive and negative peaks might be explained by vertical stacks of water layers of different temperatures and different horizontal drift vectors. The observed near-surface gradient has implications for turbulent wind energy transfer, vertical exchange of dissolved and particulate water constituents, the interpretation of remotely sensed SST, and horizontal wind-induced transport.

The study of sub-surface damage distributions during grinding process on different abrasion materials

Science.gov (United States)

Kuo, Ching-Hsiang; Huang, Chien-Yao; Yu, Zong-Ru; Shu, Shyu-Cheng; Chang, Keng-Shou; Hsu, Wei-Yao

2017-10-01

The grinding process is the primary technology for curvature generation (CG) on glass optics. The higher material removal rate (MRR) leads to deeper sub-surface damage (SSD) on lens surface. The SSD must be removed by following lapping and polishing processes to ensure the lens quality. However, these are not an easy and an efficient process to remove the SSD from ground surface directly for aspheric surfaces with tens or hundreds microns departure from bestfit- sphere (BFS). An efficient fabrication procedure for large aspheric departure on glass materials must be considered. We propose 3-step fabrication procedures for aspheric surface with larger departure. 1st step is to generate a specific aspheric surface with depth less than 10 μm of SSD residual. 2nd step is to remove SSD and keep the aspheric form by using Zeeko polisher with higher MRR pad. Final step is to figure and finish the aspheric surface by using QED MRF machine. In this study, we focus on the 1st step to investigate the residual depth of SSD after grinding process on different abrasion materials. The materials of tested part are fused silica, S-NPH2, and S-PHM52. The cross grinding would be configured and depth of SSD/surface roughness would be evaluated in this study. The characteristic of SSD could be observed after etching by confocal microscope. The experimental results show the depth of SSD below 31.1 μm with #400 grinding wheel. And the near 10 μm depth of SSD would be achieved with #1,000 grinding wheel. It means the aspherization polishing on large parts with large departure from best fit sphere would be replaced. The fabrication of large aspheric part would be efficient.

Planetary geology

CERN Document Server

Gasselt, Stephan

2018-01-01

This book provides an up-to-date interdisciplinary geoscience-focused overview of solid solar system bodies and their evolution, based on the comparative description of processes acting on them. Planetary research today is a strongly multidisciplinary endeavor with efforts coming from engineering and natural sciences. Key focal areas of study are the solid surfaces found in our Solar System. Some have a direct interaction with the interplanetary medium and others have dynamic atmospheres. In any of those cases, the geological records of those surfaces (and sub-surfaces) are key to understanding the Solar System as a whole: its evolution and the planetary perspective of our own planet. This book has a modular structure and is divided into 4 sections comprising 15 chapters in total. Each section builds upon the previous one but is also self-standing. The sections are:  Methods and tools Processes and Sources  Integration and Geological Syntheses Frontiers The latter covers the far-reaching broad topics of exo...

Switchable and responsive surfaces and materials for biomedical applications

CERN Document Server

Zhang, Johnathan

2015-01-01

Surface modification of biomaterials can ultimately determine whether a material is accepted or rejected from the human body, and a responsive surface can further make the material ""smart"" and ""intelligent"". Switchable and Responsive Surfaces and Materials for Biomedical Applications outlines synthetic and biological materials that are responsive under different stimuli, their surface design and modification techniques, and applicability in regenerative medicine/tissue engineering,  drug delivery, medical devices, and biomedical diagnostics. Part one provides a detailed overview of swit

Determination of iridium at low levels (sub ng g-1) in geological materials by neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morcelli, Claudia Petronilho Ribeiro

1999-01-01

The analysis of the platinum group elements (PGE: Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir and Pt) in geological materials is difficult, due to the low concentrations of these elements (ng g -1 or sub ng g -1 ) and their heterogeneous distribution in many geological matrices. The determination of PGE has attracted great interest due not only to the increasing utilization of these elements in modern industry, but also to the information that these elements can provide on mantle processes. The determination of very low amounts of iridium is particularly important on account of some anomalous concentrations of iridium in sedimentary rock samples, related to the impact of an extraterrestrial object responsible for extinctions at the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary. In the present paper, a radiochemical neutron activation method for the determination of iridium in geological materials is presented. The procedure consisted of thermal neutron irradiation of about 500 mg of the sample, followed by sintering with sodium peroxide, precipitation with tellurium and high resolution gamma-ray spectrometry with a hyper-pure Ge detector. The accuracy and precision of the procedure were evaluated by analysis of the certified reference material SARM-7 (South Africa Bureau of Standards) and W-1 (USGS). The detection limit for the analytical conditions employed was 0.004 ng g -1 . The procedure was applied to the reference materials TDB-1 and WGB-1 (CANMET), which present provisional values for Ir, and to the reference materials GXR-3, GXR-5 and GXR- 6 (USGS), which do not present information values for Ir. This work is a contribution to Ir values in these reference materials. As an example of application of the method to real samples, the developed procedure was employed in the determination of iridium in basalts from Parana basin, collected in Bom Guara do Sul, Santa Catarina, provided by the Geosciences Institute of the University of Campinas. (author)

Geology Before Pluto: Pre-encounter Considerations

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, J. M.

2014-12-01

Pluto, its large satellite Charon, and its four small known satellites represent the first trans-Neptunian Kuiper Belt objects populating the outer-most solar system beyond the gas giant planets to be studied in detail from a spacecraft (New Horizons). A complete picture of the solar nebula and solar system formation cannot be confidently formulated until representatives of this group of bodies at the edge of solar space have been examined. The Pluto system is composed of unique, lunar- and intermediate-sized objects that can tell us much about how objects with volatile icy compositions evolve. Modeling of the interior suggests that geologic activity may have been significant to some degree, and observations of frost on the surface could imply the need for a geologic reservoir for the replenishment of these phases. However, these putative indicators of Pluto's geologic history are inconclusive and unspecific. Detailed examination of Pluto's geologic record is the only plausible means of bridging the gap between theory and observation. In this talk I will examine the potential importance of these tentative indications of geologic activity and how specific spacecraft observations have been designed and used to constrain the Pluto system's geologic history. The cameras of New Horizons will provide robust data sets that should be immanently amenable to geological analysis of the Pluto system's landscapes. In this talk, we begin with a brief discussion of the planned observations by the New Horizons cameras that will bear most directly on geological interpretability. Then I will broadly review major geological processes that could potentially operate on the surfaces of Pluto and its moons. I will first survey exogenic processes (i.e., those for which energy for surface modification is supplied externally to the planetary surface): impact cratering, sedimentary processes (including volatile migration), and the work of wind. I will conclude with an assessment of the

Geology Before Pluto: Pre-Encounter Considerations

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Jeffrey M.

2014-01-01

Pluto, its large satellite Charon, and its four known satellites represent the first trans-Neptunian Kuiper Belt objects populating the outer-most solar system beyond the gas giant planets to be studied in detail from a spacecraft (New Horizons). A complete picture of the solar nebula, and solar system formation cannot be confidently formulated until representatives of this group of bodies at the edge of solar space have been examined. The Pluto system is composed of unique lunar- and intermediate-sized objects that can tell us much about how objects with volatile icy compositions evolve. Modeling of the interior suggests that geologic activity may have been to some degree, and observations of frost on the surface could imply the need for a geologic reservoir for the replenishment of these phases. However, the putative indicators of Pluto's geologic history are inconclusive and unspecific. Detailed examination of Pluto's geologic record is the only plausible means of bridging the gap between theory and observations. In this talk I will examine the potential importance of these tentative indications of geologic activity and how specific spacecraft observations have been designed and used to constrain the Pluto system's geologic history. The cameras of New Horizons will provide robust data sets that should be immanently amenable to geological analysis of the Pluto System's landscapes. In this talk, we begin with a brief discussion of the planned observations by New Horizons' cameras that will bear most directly on geological interpretability. Then I will broadly review major geological processes that could potentially operate of the surfaces of Pluto and its moons. I will first survey exogenic processes (i.e., those for which energy for surface modification is supplied externally to the planetary surface): impact cratering, sedimentary processes (including volatile migration) and the work of wind. I will conclude with an assessment of prospects for endogenic activity

Analysis of nitrate in near-surface aquifers in the midcontinental United States: An application of the inverse hyperbolic sine Tobit model

Science.gov (United States)

Yen, Steven T.; Liu, Shiping; Kolpin, Dana W.

1996-01-01

A nonnormal and heteroscedastic Tobit model is used to determine the primary factors that affect nitrate concentrations in near-surface aquifers, using data from the U.S. Geological Survey collected in 1991. Both normality and homoscedasticity of errors are rejected, justifying the use of a nonnormal and heteroscedastic model. The following factors are found to have significant impacts on nitrate concentrations in groundwater: well screen interval, depth to top of aquifers, percentages of urban residential, forest land, and pasture within 3.2 km, dissolved oxygen concentration level, and presence of a chemical facility and feedlot. The effects of explanatory variables on nitrate concentration are explored further by calculating elasticities. Dissolved oxygen concentration level has more notable effects on nitrate concentrations in groundwater than other variables.

Regional and site geological frameworks : proposed Deep Geologic Repository, Bruce County, Ontario

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raven, K.; Sterling, S.; Gaines, S.; Wigston, A. [Intera Engineering Ltd., Ottawa, ON (Canada); Frizzell, R. [Nuclear Waste Management Organization, Toronto, ON (Canada)

2009-07-01

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization is conducting geoscientific studies on behalf of Ontario Power Generation into the proposed development of a Deep Geologic Repository (DGR) for low and intermediate level radioactive waste (L and ILW) at the Bruce site, near Tiverton, Ontario. This paper presented a regional geological framework for the site that was based on a review of regional drilling; structural geology; paleozoic stratigraphy and sedimentology; a 3D geological framework model; a DGR geological site characterization model; bedrock stratigraphy and marker beds; natural fracture frequency data; and formation predictability. The studies have shown that the depth, thickness, orientation and rock quality of the 34 rock formations, members or units that comprise the 840 m thick Paleozoic bedrock sequence at the Bruce site are very uniform and predictable over distances of several kilometres. The proposed DGR will be constructed as an engineered facility comprising a series of underground emplacement rooms at a depth of 680 metres below ground within argillaceous limestones. The geoscientific studies are meant to provide a basis for the development of descriptive geological, hydrogeological and geomechanical models of the DGR site that will facilitate environmental and safety assessments. 11 refs., 3 tabs., 9 figs.

Surface and material analytics based on Dresden-EBIS platform technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmidt, M., E-mail: mike.schmidt@dreebit.com; König, J., E-mail: mike.schmidt@dreebit.com [DREEBIT GmbH, Grossroehrsdorf (Germany); Bischoff, L. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany); Pilz, W. [Dresden University of Technology, Dresden (Germany); Zschornack, G. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany and Dresden University of Technology, Dresden (Germany)

2015-01-09

Nowadays widely used mass spectrometry systems utilize energetic ions hitting a sample and sputter material from the surface of a specimen. The generated secondary ions are separated and detected with high mass resolution to determine the target materials constitution. Based on this principle, we present an alternative approach implementing a compact Electron Beam Ion Source (EBIS) in combination with a Liquid Metal Ion Source (LMIS). An LMIS can deliver heavy elements which generate high sputter yields on a target surface. More than 90% of this sputtered material consists of mono- and polyatomic neutrals. These particles are able to penetrate the magnetic field of an EBIS and they will be ionized within the electron beam. A broad spectrum of singly up to highly charged ions can be extracted depending on the operation conditions. Polyatomic ions will decay during the charge-up process. A standard bending magnet or a Wien filter is used to separate the different ion species due to their mass-to-charge ratio. Using different charge states of ions as it is common with EBIS it is also possible to resolve interfering charge-to-mass ratios of only singly charged ions. Different setups for the realization of feeding the electron beam with sputtered atoms of solids will be presented and discussed. As an example the analysis of a copper surface is used to show high-resolution spectra with low background noise. Individual copper isotopes and clusters with different isotope compositions can be resolved at equal atomic numbers. These results are a first step for the development of a new compact low-cost and high-resolution mass spectrometry system. In a more general context, the described technique demonstrates an efficient method for feeding an EBIS with atoms of nearly all solid elements from various solid target materials. The new straightforward design of the presented setup should be of high interest for a broad range of applications in materials research as well as for

Natural analogue of redox front formation in near-field environment at post-closure phase of HLW geological disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, Hidekazu; Yamamoto, Koushi; Amano, Yuki

2005-01-01

Redox fronts are created in the near field of rocks, in a range of oxidation environments, by microbial activity in rock groundwater. Such fronts, and the associated oxide formation, are usually unavoidable around high level radioactive waste (HLW) repositories, whatever their design. The long term behaviour of these oxides after repositories have been closed is however little known. Here we introduce an analogue of redox front formation, such as 'iron oxide' deposits, known as takashikozo forming cylindrical nodules, and the long term behaviour of secondarily formed iron oxyhydroxide in subsequent geological environments. (author)

Quantifying object and material surface areas in residences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hodgson, Alfred T.; Ming, Katherine Y.; Singer, Brett C.

2005-01-05

The dynamic behavior of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor environments depends, in part, on sorptive interactions between VOCs in the gas phase and material surfaces. Since information on the types and quantities of interior material surfaces is not generally available, this pilot-scale study was conducted in occupied residences to develop and demonstrate a method for quantifying surface areas of objects and materials in rooms. Access to 33 rooms in nine residences consisting of bathrooms, bedroom/offices and common areas was solicited from among research group members living in the East San Francisco Bay Area. A systematic approach was implemented for measuring rooms and objects from 300 cm{sup 2} and larger. The ventilated air volumes of the rooms were estimated and surface area-to-volume ratios were calculated for objects and materials, each segregated into 20 or more categories. Total surface area-to-volume ratios also were determined for each room. The bathrooms had the highest total surface area-to-volume ratios. Bedrooms generally had higher ratios than common areas consisting of kitchens, living/dining rooms and transitional rooms. Total surface area-to-volume ratios for the 12 bedrooms ranged between 2.3 and 4.7 m{sup 2} m{sup -3}. The importance of individual objects and materials with respect to sorption will depend upon the sorption coefficients for the various VOC/materials combinations. When combined, the highly permeable material categories, which may contribute to significant interactions, had a median ratio of about 0.5 m{sup 2} m{sup -3} for all three types of rooms.

The cool surfaces of binary near-Earth asteroids

Science.gov (United States)

Delbo, Marco; Walsh, Kevin; Mueller, Michael; Harris, Alan W.; Howell, Ellen S.

2011-03-01

Here we show results from thermal-infrared observations of km-sized binary near-Earth asteroids (NEAs). We combine previously published thermal properties for NEAs with newly derived values for three binary NEAs. The η value derived from the near-Earth asteroid thermal model (NEATM) for each object is then used to estimate an average thermal inertia for the population of binary NEAs and compared against similar estimates for the population of non-binaries. We find that these objects have, in general, surface temperatures cooler than the average values for non-binary NEAs as suggested by elevated η values. We discuss how this may be evidence of higher-than-average surface thermal inertia. This latter physical parameter is a sensitive indicator of the presence or absence of regolith: bodies covered with fine regolith, such as the Earth’s moon, have low thermal inertia, whereas a surface with little or no regolith displays high thermal inertia. Our results are suggestive of a binary formation mechanism capable of altering surface properties, possibly removing regolith: an obvious candidate is the YORP effect. We present also newly determined sizes and geometric visible albedos derived from thermal-infrared observations of three binary NEAs: (5381) Sekhmet, (153591) 2001 SN263, and (164121) 2003 YT1. The diameters of these asteroids are 1.41 ± 0.21 km, 1.56 ± 0.31 km, and 2.63 ± 0.40 km, respectively. Their albedos are 0.23 ± 0.13, 0.24 ± 0.16, and 0.048 ± 0.015, respectively.

Surface characterization of ceramic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Somorjai, G.A.; Salmeron, M.

1976-01-01

In recent years several techniques have become available to characterize the structure and chemical composition of surfaces of ceramic materials. These techniques utilize electron scattering and scattering of ions from surfaces. Low-energy electron diffraction is used to determine the surface structure, Auger electron spectroscopy and other techniques of electron spectroscopy (ultraviolet and photoelectron spectroscopies) are employed to determine the composition of the surface. In addition the oxidation state of surface atoms may be determined using these techniques. Ion scattering mass spectrometry and secondary ion mass spectrometry are also useful in characterizing surfaces and their reactions. These techniques, their applications and the results of recent studies are discussed. 12 figures, 52 references, 2 tables

Geologic Mapping Results for Ceres from NASA's Dawn Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, D. A.; Mest, S. C.; Buczkowski, D.; Scully, J. E. C.; Raymond, C. A.; Russell, C. T.

2017-12-01

NASA's Dawn Mission included a geologic mapping campaign during its nominal mission at dwarf planet Ceres, including production of a global geologic map and a series of 15 quadrangle maps to determine the variety of process-related geologic materials and the geologic history of Ceres. Our mapping demonstrates that all major planetary geologic processes (impact cratering, volcanism, tectonism, and gradation (weathering-erosion-deposition)) have occurred on Ceres. Ceres crust, composed of altered and NH3-bearing silicates, carbonates, salts and 30-40% water ice, preserves impact craters and all sizes and degradation states, and may represent the remains of the bottom of an ancient ocean. Volcanism is manifested by cryovolcanic domes, such as Ahuna Mons and Cerealia Facula, and by explosive cryovolcanic plume deposits such as the Vinalia Faculae. Tectonism is represented by several catenae extending from Ceres impact basins Urvara and Yalode, terracing in many larger craters, and many localized fractures around smaller craters. Gradation is manifested in a variety of flow-like features caused by mass wasting (landslides), ground ice flows, as well as impact ejecta lobes and melts. We have constructed a chronostratigraphy and geologic timescale for Ceres that is centered around major impact events. Ceres geologic periods include Pre-Kerwanan, Kerwanan, Yalodean/Urvaran, and Azaccan (the time of rayed craters, similar to the lunar Copernican). The presence of geologically young cryovolcanic deposits on Ceres surface suggests that there could be warm melt pockets within Ceres shallow crust and the dwarf planet remain geologically active.

Kinetic model for electric-field induced point defect redistribution near semiconductor surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Gorai, Prashun; Seebauer, Edmund G.

2014-07-01

The spatial distribution of point defects near semiconductor surfaces affects the efficiency of devices. Near-surface band bending generates electric fields that influence the spatial redistribution of charged mobile defects that exchange infrequently with the lattice, as recently demonstrated for pile-up of isotopic oxygen near rutile TiO2 (110). The present work derives a mathematical model to describe such redistribution and establishes its temporal dependence on defect injection rate and band bending. The model shows that band bending of only a few meV induces significant redistribution, and that the direction of the electric field governs formation of either a valley or a pile-up.

Kinetic model for electric-field induced point defect redistribution near semiconductor surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorai, Prashun; Seebauer, Edmund G.

2014-01-01

The spatial distribution of point defects near semiconductor surfaces affects the efficiency of devices. Near-surface band bending generates electric fields that influence the spatial redistribution of charged mobile defects that exchange infrequently with the lattice, as recently demonstrated for pile-up of isotopic oxygen near rutile TiO 2 (110). The present work derives a mathematical model to describe such redistribution and establishes its temporal dependence on defect injection rate and band bending. The model shows that band bending of only a few meV induces significant redistribution, and that the direction of the electric field governs formation of either a valley or a pile-up.

On the limits of the effective description of hyperbolic materials in the presence of surface waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tschikin, Maria; Biehs, Svend-Age; Messina, Riccardo; Ben-Abdallah, Philippe

2013-01-01

Here, we address the question of the validity of an effective description for hyperbolic metamaterials in the near-field region. We show that the presence of localized modes such as surface waves drastically limits the validity of the effective description, and requires revisiting the concept of homogenization in the near-field. We demonstrate, from exact scattering matrix calculations for multilayer hyperbolic structures, that one can find surface modes in spectral regions where the effective approach predicts hyperbolic modes only. Hence, the presence of surface modes which are not accounted for in the effective description can lead to physical misinterpretations in the description of hyperbolic materials and their related properties. In particular, we discuss in detail how the choice of the topmost layer affects the validity of the effective medium approach for calculating the local density of states and the super-Planckian thermal radiation. (paper)

Novel surface coating strategies for better battery materials

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Wen, L

2018-03-01

Full Text Available . Surface-coated cathodes have been demonstrated to be effective in blocking these surface processes and enhancing the electrochemical performance of the materials. For example, the electron-insulating but ion-conducting lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) has been... noticed that most LIB electrode materials have very poor electrical conductivity (e.g. lithium iron phosphate and lithium titanate are almost insulators).22,23 In this regard, surface coating of the electrode active materials with a conductive layer...

Near-Field Spectral Effects due to Electromagnetic Surface Excitations

OpenAIRE

Shchegrov , Andrei ,; Joulain , Karl; Carminati , Rémi; Greffet , Jean-Jacques

2000-01-01

International audience; We demonstrate theoretically that the spectra of electromagnetic emission of surface systems can display remarkable differences in the near and the far zones. The spectral changes occur due to the loss of evanescent modes and are especially pronounced for systems which support surface waves. PACS numbers: 78.20. – e, 05.40. – a, 44.40. + a, 87.64.Xx Spectroscopy of electromagnetic radiation is perhaps the most powerful exploration tool employed in natural sciences: ast...

Spin texture of the surface state of three-dimensional Dirac material Ca3PbO

Science.gov (United States)

Kariyado, Toshikaze

2015-04-01

The bulk and surface electronic structures of a candidate three-dimensional Dirac material Ca3PbO and its family are discussed especially focusing on the spin texture on the surface states. We first explain the basic features of the bulk band structure of Ca3PbO, such as emergence of Dirac fermions near the Fermi energy, and compare it with the other known three-dimensional Dirac semimetals. Then, the surface bands and spin-texture on them are investigated in detail. It is shown that the surface bands exhibit strong momentum-spin locking, which may be useful in some application for spin manipulation, induced by a combination of the inversion symmetry breaking at the surface and the strong spin-orbit coupling of Pb atoms. The surface band structure and the spin-textures are sensitive to the surface types.

Spin texture of the surface state of three-dimensional Dirac material Ca3PbO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kariyado, Toshikaze

2015-01-01

The bulk and surface electronic structures of a candidate three-dimensional Dirac material Ca 3 PbO and its family are discussed especially focusing on the spin texture on the surface states. We first explain the basic features of the bulk band structure of Ca 3 PbO, such as emergence of Dirac fermions near the Fermi energy, and compare it with the other known three-dimensional Dirac semimetals. Then, the surface bands and spin-texture on them are investigated in detail. It is shown that the surface bands exhibit strong momentum-spin locking, which may be useful in some application for spin manipulation, induced by a combination of the inversion symmetry breaking at the surface and the strong spin-orbit coupling of Pb atoms. The surface band structure and the spin-textures are sensitive to the surface types. (paper)

Visualizing Earth Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Cashman, K. V.; Rust, A.; Stibbon, E.; Harris, R.

2016-12-01

Earth materials are fundamental to art. They are pigments, they are clay, they provide form and color. Earth scientists, however, rarely attempt to make the physical properties of Earth materials visible through art, and similarly many artists use Earth materials without fully understanding their physical and chemical properties. Here we explore the intersection between art and science through study of the physical properties of Earth materials as characterized in the laboratory, and as transferred to paper using different techniques and suspending media. One focus of this collaboration is volcanic ash. Ash is interesting scientifically because its form provides information on the fundamental processes that drive volcanic eruptions, and determines its transport properties, and thus its potential to affect populations far downwind of the volcano. Ash properties also affect its behavior as an art material. From an aesthetic point of view, ash lends a granular surface to the image; it is also uncontrollable, and thus requires engagement between artist and medium. More fundamentally, using ash in art creates an exchange between the medium and the subject matter, and imparts something of the physical, visceral experience of volcanic landscapes to the viewer. Another component of this work uses powdered rock as a printing medium for geologic maps. Because different types of rock create powders with different properties (grain size distributions and shapes), the geology is communicated not only as color, but also by the physical characteristics of the material as it interacts with the paper. More importantly, the use of actual rocks samples as printing material for geologic maps not only makes a direct connection between the map and the material it represents, but also provides an emotional connection between the map, the viewer and the landscape, its colors, textures and geological juxtapositions. Both case studies provide examples not only of ways in which artists can

Radionuclide transport from near-surface repository for radioactive waste - The unsaturated zone approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jakimaviciute-Maseliene, V. [Vilnius University (Lithuania); Mazeika, J. [Nature Research Centre (Lithuania); Motiejunas, S. [Radioactive Waste Management Agency (Lithuania)

2014-07-01

About 100 000 m{sup 3} of solid conditioned Low and Intermediate Level Waste (LILW), generated during operation and decommissioning of the Ignalina nuclear power plant (INPP), are to be disposed of in a near-surface repository (NSR) - a 'hill'-type repository with reinforced concrete vaults and with engineered and natural barriers. The northeastern Lithuania and the environment of the INPP in particular were recognized as the areas most suitable for a near-surface repository (Stabatiske Site). The engineered barriers of the repository consist of concrete cells surrounded by clay-based material of low permeability with about the same isolating capacity in all directions. The clay materials must be effectively compactable so that required hydraulic conductivity is reached. The Lithuanian Triassic clay turned out to be sufficiently rich in smectites and was proposed as main candidate for sealing of the repository. When the concrete vaults are filled, the repository cover will be constructed. The surface of the mound will be planted with grass. In this study a computer code FEFLOW 5.0 was applied for simulating the transport of the most mobile radionuclides ({sup 3}H, {sup 14}C, {sup 59}Ni and {sup 94}Nb) with moisture through an unsaturated vault of the near-surface repository in Stabatiske Site. The HYDRUS-1D analysis was used to assess the radionuclide transport in the repository and to estimate initial activity concentrations of radionuclides transported from the cemented waste matrix. Radionuclide release from the vault in the unsaturated conditions after closure of the repository and consequent contaminant plume transport has been assessed taking into account site-specific natural and engineering conditions and based on a normal evolution scenario. The highest peak radionuclide activity concentrations were estimated applying the FEFLOW code. The highest value of {sup 14}C activity concentration(about 1.3x10{sup 8} Bq/m{sup 3}) at the groundwater table

Near-surface facilities for disposal radioactive waste from non-nuclear application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barinov, A.

2000-01-01

The design features of the near-surface facilities of 'Radon', an estimation of the possible emergency situations, and the scenarios of their progress are given. The possible safety enhancing during operation of near-surface facilities, so called 'Historical facilities', and newly developed ones are described. The Moscow SIA 'Radon' experience in use of mobile module plants for liquid radioactive waste purification and principal technological scheme of the plant are presented. Upgrading of the technological scheme for treatment and conditioning of radioactive waste for new-developed facilities is shown. The main activities related to management of spent ionizing sources are mentioned

Observed Near-Surface Currents Four Super Typhoons

Science.gov (United States)

2014-07-16

electromagnetic - autonomous profiling explorer (EM-APEX) floats, Surface Velocity Pro- gram(SVP) (Niiler, 2001) drifters, and acoustic Doppler...summer (Chang et al., 2013). For Fr N 1, the response is baroclinic with a wake consisting of the near- inertial waves as the dominant feature. For Fr b...24–141 km), the linear regressionwas fur - ther conducted under category-5 storms between Uobs (unit: m s−1) on the right side of the storm center (30

Principles of geological substantiation for toxic waste disposal facilities sites selection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khrushchov, D. P.; Matorin, Eu. M.; Shekhunova, S. B.

2002-01-01

Industrial, domestic and military activities result in accumulation of toxic and hazardous waste. Disposal of these waste comprises two main approaches: technological processing (utilization and destruction) and landfill. According to concepts and programs of advanced countries technological solutions are preferable, but in fact over 70 % of waste are buried in storages, prevailingly of near surface type. The target of this paper is to present principles of geological substantiation of sites selection for toxic and hazardous waste isolation facilities location. (author)

Hyperspectral surface materials map of quadrangles 2964, 2966, 3064, and 3066, Shah-Esmail (617), Reg-Alaqadari (618), Samandkhan-Karez (713), Laki-Bander (611), Jahangir-Naweran (612), and Sreh-Chena (707) quadrangles, Afghanistan, showing iron-bearing minerals and other materials

Science.gov (United States)

Hoefen, Todd M.; King, Trude V.V.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Livo, Keith E.; Giles, Stuart A.; Johnson, Michaela R.

2013-01-01

This map shows the spatial distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of airborne HyMap™ imaging spectrometer (hyperspectral) data of Afghanistan collected in late 2007. This map is one in a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan. Flown at an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters (m)), the HyMap™ imaging spectrometer measured reflected sunlight in 128 channels, covering wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 μm. The data were georeferenced, atmospherically corrected and converted to apparent surface reflectance, empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements, and combined into a mosaic with 23-m pixel spacing. Variations in water vapor and dust content of the atmosphere, in solar angle, and in surface elevation complicated correction; therefore, some classification differences may be present between adjacent flight lines. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap™ imaging spectrometer data was compared to the reference materials in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, and other materials. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated, while minerals having slightly different compositions but similar spectral features were less easily discriminated; thus, some map classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as “Goethite and jarosite.” A designation of “Not classified” was assigned to the pixel when there was no match with reference spectra.

Updated model for radionuclide transport in the near-surface till at Forsmark - Implementation of decay chains and sensitivity analyses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pique, Angels; Pekala, Marek; Molinero, Jorge; Duro, Lara; Trinchero, Paolo; Vries, Luis Manuel de [Amphos 21 Consulting S.L., Barcelona (Spain)

2013-02-15

The Forsmark area has been proposed for potential siting of a deep underground (geological) repository for radioactive waste in Sweden. Safety assessment of the repository requires radionuclide transport from the disposal depth to recipients at the surface to be studied quantitatively. The near-surface quaternary deposits at Forsmark are considered a pathway for potential discharge of radioactivity from the underground facility to the biosphere, thus radionuclide transport in this system has been extensively investigated over the last years. The most recent work of Pique and co-workers (reported in SKB report R-10-30) demonstrated that in case of release of radioactivity the near-surface sedimentary system at Forsmark would act as an important geochemical barrier, retarding the transport of reactive radionuclides through a combination of retention processes. In this report the conceptual model of radionuclide transport in the quaternary till at Forsmark has been updated, by considering recent revisions regarding the near-surface lithology. In addition, the impact of important conceptual assumptions made in the model has been evaluated through a series of deterministic and probabilistic (Monte Carlo) sensitivity calculations. The sensitivity study focused on the following effects: 1. Radioactive decay of {sup 135}Cs, {sup 59}Ni, {sup 230}Th and {sup 226}Ra and effects on their transport. 2. Variability in key geochemical parameters, such as the composition of the deep groundwater, availability of sorbing materials in the till, and mineral equilibria. 3. Variability in hydraulic parameters, such as the definition of hydraulic boundaries, and values of hydraulic conductivity, dispersivity and the deep groundwater inflow rate. The overarching conclusion from this study is that the current implementation of the model is robust (the model is largely insensitive to variations in the parameters within the studied ranges) and conservative (the Base Case calculations have a

Quaternary Geologic Map of the Lake of the Woods 4 Degrees x 6 Degrees Quadrangle, United States and Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Sado, Edward V.; Fullerton, David S.; Goebel, Joseph E.; Ringrose, Susan M.; Edited and Integrated by Fullerton, David S.

1995-01-01

The Quaternary Geologic Map of the Lake of the Woods 4 deg x 6 deg Quadrangle, United States and Canada, was mapped as part of the U.S. Geological Survey Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States map series (Miscellaneous Investigations Series I-1420, NM-15). The atlas was begun as an effort to depict the areal distribution of surficial geologic deposits and other materials that accumulated or formed during the past 2+ million years, the period that includes all activities of the human species. These materials are at the surface of the earth. They make up the 'ground' on which we walk, the 'dirt' in which we dig foundations, and the 'soil' in which we grow crops. Most of our human activity is related in one way or another to these surface materials that are referred to collectively by many geologists as regolith, the mantle of fragmental and generally unconsolidated material that overlies the bedrock foundation of the continent. The maps were compiled at 1:1,000,000 scale. This map is a product of collaboration of the Ontario Geological Survey, the Minnesota Geological Survey, the Manitoba Department of Energy and Mines, and the U.S. Geological Survey, and is designed for both scientific and practical purposes. It was prepared in two stages. First, separate maps and map explanations were prepared by the compilers. Second, the maps were combined, integrated, and supplemented by the editor. Map unit symbols were revised to a uniform system of classification and the map unit descriptions were prepared by the editor from information received from the compilers and from additional sources listed under Sources of Information. Diagrams accompanying the map were prepared by the editor. For scientific purposes, the map differentiates Quaternary surficial deposits on the basis of lithology or composition, texture or particle size, structure, genesis, stratigraphic relationships, engineering geologic properties, and relative age, as shown on the correlation diagram and