Volcanism studies of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) region are concerned with hazards of future volcanism with respect to underground disposal of high-level radioactive waste. The hazards of silicic volcanism are judged to be negligible; hazards of basaltic volcanism are judged through research approaches combining hazard appraisal and risk assessment. The NTS region is cut obliquely by a N-NE trending belt of volcanism. This belt developed about 8 Myr ago following cessation of silicic volcanism and contemporaneous with migration of basaltic activity toward the southwest margin of the Great Basin. Two types of fields are present in the belt: (1) large-volume, long-lived basalt and local rhyolite fields with numerous eruptive centers and (2) small-volume fields formed by scattered basaltic scoria cones. Late Cenozoic basalts of the NTS region belong to the second field type. Monogenetic basalt centers of this region were formed mostly by Strombolian eruptions; Surtseyean activity has been recognized at three centers. Geochemically, the basalts of the NTS region are classified as straddle A-type basalts of the alkalic suite. Petrological studies indicate a volumetric dominance of evolved hawaiite magmas. Trace- and rare-earth-element abundances of younger basalt (<4 Myr) of the NTS region and southern Death Valley area, California, …

An assessment has been performed of the criticality potential associated with the disposal of spent fuel in a tuff geology above the water table. Eleven potential configurations were defined which cover a vast range of geometries and conditions from the nominal configuration at emplacement to a hypothetical configuration thousands of years after emplacement in which the structure is gone, the fuel pellets disintegrated and the borehole flooded. Of these eleven configurations, four have been evaluated at this time. The results of this evaluation indicate that even with very conservative assumptions (4.5 w/o fresh fuel), criticality is not a problem for the nominal configuration either dry or fully flooded. In the cases where the condition of the waste package is assumed to have severely deteriorated, over long times, calculations were performed with less conservative assumptions (depleted fuel). An assessment of these calculations indicates that criticality safety could be demonstrated if the depletion of the fissile inventory during fuel irradiation is taken into account. A detailed discussion of the calculations performed is presented in this report. Also included are a description of the configurations which were considered, the analytical methods and models used, and a discussion of additional related work which should …

An appraisal was made of the concept of isolating high-level radioactive waste in the vadose zone of alluvial-filled valleys and tuffaceous rocks of the Basin and Range geomorphic province. Principal attributes of these terranes are: (1) low population density, (2) low moisture influx, (3) a deep water table, (4) the presence of sorptive rocks, and (5) relative ease of construction. Concerns about heat effects of waste on unsaturated rocks of relatively low thermal conductivity are considered. Calculations show that a standard 2000-acre repository with a thermal loading of 40 kW/acre in partially saturated alluvium or tuff would experience an average temperature rise of less than 100{sup 0}C above the initial temperature. The actual maximum temperature would depend strongly on the emplacement geometry. Concerns about seismicity, volcanism, and future climatic change are also mitigated. The conclusion reached in this appraisal is that unsaturated zones in alluvium and tuff of arid regions should be investigated as comprehensively as other geologic settings considered to be potential repository sites.

An experimentally oriented program has been initiated to support the NRC analysis and licensing activities related to high-level nuclear waste repositories. The program will allow the NRC to independently confirm key geochemical values used in the site performance assessments submitted by the DOE candidate repository site projects. Key radionuclide retardation factor values, particularly radionuclide solubility and sorption values under site specific geochemical conditions, are being confirmed. The initial efforts are being directed toward basalt rock/groundwater systems relevant to the BWIP candidate site in the Pasco Basin. Future work will consider tuff (NNWSI candidate site in Yucca Mountain) and salt (unspecified ONWI bedded or domal salt sites) rock/groundwater systems. Initial experimental results with technetium have confirmed the BWIP values for basalt/groundwater systems under oxic redox conditions: high solubility and no sorption. Under reducing redox conditions, however, the experimental work did not confirm the proposed technetium values recommended by BWIP. In the presence of hydrazine to establish reducing conditions, an apparent solubility limit for technetium of about 5E-7 mol/L was encountered; BWIP recommended calculated values of 1E-12 or greater than or equal to 1E-14 mol/L. Experimental evidence concerning sorption of reduced technetium species is incomplete at this time. Equilibrium speciation and saturation …

This document contains three parts of a survey of Climax stock intrusive, Nevada by the US Geological Survey. The first contains the results of a conventional survey of the site and an investigation of rock composition. The second contains the results of a gravity survey and the third contains the results of a magnetic aerial survey. Each of the three documents contains a separate abstract.

Geologic repositories for radioactive waste are evolving from conceptualization to the development of specific designs. Estimates of long-term hazards must be based upon quantitative predictions of environmental releases over time periods of hundreds of thousands of years and longer. This paper summarizes new techniques for predicting the long-term performance of repositories, it presents estimates of future environmental releases and radiation doses that may result for conceptual repositories in various geologic media, and it compares these predictions with an individual dose criterion of 10{sup -4} Sv/y. 50 references, 11 figures, 6 tables.

BREAD will process a family of files copied from a data tape made by Hewlett-Packard equipment employed for data acquisition on the Spent Fuel Test-Climax at NTS. Tapes are delivered to Livermore approximately monthly. The process at this stage consists of four steps: read the binary files and convert from H-P 16-bit words to CDC 7600 60-bit words; check identification and data ranges; write the data in 6-bit ASCII (BCD) format, one data point per line; then sort the file by identifier and time.

Pre-test samples obtained from just inside the perimeter of the canister emplacement holes of the Spent Fuel Test-Climax have been characterized by petrographic and microanalytical techniques. The primary quartz monzonite has undergone various degrees of hydrothermal alteration as a result of natural processes. Alteration is most apparent on primary plagioclase and biotite. The most common secondary phases on plagioclase are muscovite and calcite, while the most common secondary phases on biotite are epidote and chlorite. The major alteration zones encountered are localized along filled fractures, i.e. veins. The thickness and mineralogy of the alteration zones can be correlated with the vein mineralogy, becoming wider and more complex mineralogically when the veins contain calcite. 7 references, 10 figures, 4 tables.

The Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigation (NNWSI) project under the Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Program is planning a repository at Yucca Mountain at the Nevada Test Site for isolation of high-level nuclear waste. LLNL is developing designs for an engineered barrier system containing several barriers such as the waste form, a canister and/or an overpack, packing, and near field host rock. The selection of metal containment barriers is addressed. 13 references.

Annual journal of the Texas Archeological Society documenting research and findings of members as well as activities of the organization.

From purpose and scope: The purpose of this report is to present all the previously collected hydrogeologic, geophysical, and hydrochemical data on well J-13, and to reanalyze these data, using newly developed methods of analysis.

Abstract: The report summarizes progress on geologic and hydrologic research related to the disposal of radioactive wastes. The research is described according to whether it is related most directly to (1) high-level and transuranic wastes; (2) low-level wastes, or (3) uranium mill tailings. Included is research applicable to the identification and geohydrologic characterization of waste-disposal sites, to investigations of specific sites where wastes have been stored, and to studies of regions or environments where waste-disposal sites might be located. A significant part of the activity is concerned with techniques and methods for characterizing disposal sites and studies of geologic and hydrologic processes related to the transport and (or) retention of waste radionuclides.

Since the Atmospheric Test Ban Treaty was signed in 1963, the United States has conducted all nuclear weapons tests underground. To meet US treaty responsibilities and to ensure public safety, the containment community must prevent any release of radioactive gases to the atmosphere. In the past two decades we have gained considerable insight into the scientific and engineering requirements for complete containment, but the papers and discussions at the Monterey Symposium indicate that a great deal remains to be done. Among papers included here, those dealing with mature topics will serve as reviews and introductions for new workers in the field. Others, representing first looks at new areas, contain more speculative material. Active research topics include propagation of stress waves in rocks, formation and decay of residual hoop stresses around a cavity, hydrofracture out of a cavity, formation of chimneys, and geologic and geophysical investigations of the Nevada Test Site. Selected papers are indexed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology Database.

Purpose and scope: The primary purpose of the study is to determine if data on infiltration and runoff obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey rainfall simulator, are useful in defining parameters used in the PRMS, which is used to predict runoff from larger watersheds. Incidental to this purpose are determination of the spatial variability of the parameters measured over the simulation plots and over the watershed, and sensitivity of these parameters in predicting runoff.

Daily newspaper from Hereford, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Daily newspaper from Hereford, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

All chemical data for geothermal fluids in Nevada available as of December 1981 are maintained on GEOTHERM, a computerized information system. This report presents summaries and sources of records for Nevada. 7 refs. (ACR)

"This document provides geologic and mineral resources data for the Caliente, Ely, Klamath Falls, Vya and Wells 1 x 2 National Topographic Map Series (NTMS) Quadrangles, located in the Western United States."

Weekly newspaper from White Deer, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with advertising.

Daily newspaper from Hereford, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Dublin, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Student newspaper of the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma that includes national, local, and campus news along with advertising.

Quarterly newspaper from St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas that includes news and information of interest to the alumni community along with advertising.

Weekly student newspaper from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas that includes local, state and campus news along with advertising.