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The California Water Resources RESAC objectives were toutilize NASA data to provide state-of-the-art real-time and forecastinformation (observation and simulation) on hydroclimate, water quantityand quality, and runoff related hazards to water resources managers(e.g., NWS, CA Dept. of Water Resources, USBR), the insurance industry,emergency response agencies, policy decision-makers, and the generalpublic. In addition, the RESAC acts as an umbrella organization fosteringgrowing collaborations and partnerships. It was built on the foundationestablished through the U.S. Global Change Research Program and theNational and California Assessments. It is designed to support theongoing regional and national assessment process by improving ourunderstanding of specific regional features of the climate system and itsimpacts, and facilitating the dissemination of these results throughdata, publications, and outreach.The California Water Resources RESACproduces three types of regional climate products that are enhanced byincorporation of NASA satellite data: (1) short-term (2-3 day) weatherand streamflow forecasts, (2) seasonal hydroclimate, and (3) long-termclimate change scenarios and hydrologic impacts. Our team has built anexcellent record in providing quantitative precipitation and streamflowforecasts to the water resources and weather prediction communities. Wehave been working with scientists from various University of Californiainstitutions and government agencies to improve weather and streamflowpredictions and studies of regional hydroclimate, and its impacts onwater resources, the …

Numerical simulation is an effective and economical tool for optimally designing laboratory experiments and deriving practical experimental conditions. We executed a detailed numerical simulation study to examine the active fracture concept (AFC, Liu et al., 1998) using a cubic meter-sized block model. The numerical simulations for this study were performed by applying various experimental conditions, including different bottom flow boundaries, varying injection rates, and different fracture-matrix interaction (by increasing absolute matrix permeability at the fracture matrix boundary) for a larger fracture interaction under transient or balanced-state flow regimes. Two conceptual block models were developed based on different numerical approaches: a two-dimensional discrete-fracture-network model (DFNM) and a one-dimensional dual continuum model (DCM). The DFNM was used as a surrogate for a natural block to produce synthetic breakthrough curves of water and tracer concentration under transient or balanced-state conditions. The DCM is the approach typically used for the Yucca Mountain Project because of its computational efficiency. The AFC was incorporated into the DCM to capture heterogeneous flow patterns that occur in unsaturated fractured rocks. The simulation results from the DCM were compared with the results from the DFNM to determine whether the DCM could predict the water flow and tracer transport observed …

Successful operation of a continuous caster is based upon control of heat transfer in the mold. The mold slag is a key component in the success of continuous casting; however, the phenomena that occur in the gap between the shell and the mold are largely unknown as until recently there have been no techniques that allowed visualization and quantification of the solidification behavior of liquid slags. This has lead to slag design being an empirical science or art. Recently a new experimental technique, called Double Hot Thermocouple Technique (DHTT), was developed at Carnegie Mellon University that allowed the solidification behavior of a slag to be observed and quantified under conditions that simulate the thermal conditions that occur in steelmaking environments. This technique allows ladle, tundish and mold slags to be characterized under extreme conditions including those found between the mold wall and the growing shell of a continuous caster. Thus, a program is initiated, under this grant, to quantify and describe the phenomena that occur during the solidification of a slag in a steel mill environment. This will allow slag design to become an engineering science rather than an empirical exercise. The project deliverables were as follows: (1) The further …

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a native grass species to much of the US. It has shown great potential for use in production of fuel ethanol from cellulosic biomass (Lynd et al., 1991). Work in Alabama demonstrated very high dry matter yields can be achieved with switchgrass (Maposse et al. 1995) in the southeastern US. Therefore, this region is thought to be an excellent choice for development of a switchgrass cropping system where farmers can produce the grass for either biomass or forage. Another report has shown success with selection and breeding to develop high yielding germplasm from adapted cultivars and ecotypes of switchgrass (Moser and Vogel 1995). In the mid 1990s, however, there was little plant breeding effort for switchgrass with a potential for developing a cultivar for the southeast region. The main goal of the project was to develop adaptive, high-yielding switchgrass cultivars for use in cropping systems for bioenergy production in the southeastern US. A secondary objective was to assess the potential of alternate herbaceous species such as bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.), bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge.), and napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach.) that may compete with switchgrass for herbaceous bioenergy production in the southeast. During the conduct of …

The aqueous cleaning parameter of interest in this series of studies was the pH of the aqueous cleaning solution. A sessile droplet of industrial quench oil was analyzed to determine the effect of varied solution pH its removal from a stainless steel surface.

Effective anomaly resolution in the Mission Evaluation Room (MER) of the International Space Station (ISS) requires consideration of risk in the process of identifying faults and developing corrective actions. Risk models such as fault trees from the ISS Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) can be used to support anomaly resolution, but the functionality required goes significantly beyond what the PRA could provide. Methods and tools are needed that can systematically guide the identification of root causes for on-orbit anomalies, and to develop effective corrective actions that address the event and its consequences without undue risk to the crew or the mission. In addition, an overall information management framework is needed so that risk can be systematically incorporated in the process, and effectively communicated across all the disciplines and levels of management within the space station program. The commercial nuclear power industry developed such a decision making framework, known as the critical safety function approach, to guide emergency response following the accident at Three Mile Island in 1979. This report identifies new methods, tools, and decision processes that can be used to enhance anomaly resolution in the ISS Mission Evaluation Room. Current anomaly resolution processes were reviewed to identify requirements for effective …

Implementation of the work program of Budget Period 2 of the East Binger Unit (''EBU'') DOE Project continues. Significant advances with the reservoir simulation model have led to changes in the program. One planned horizontal well location, EBU 44-3H, has been eliminated from the program, and another, EBU 45-3H, has been deferred, and may be replaced by a vertical well or completely eliminated at a future date. A new horizontal well location, EBU 63-2H, has been added. EBU 74G-2, the one new injection well planned for the project, was completed and brought on production. It will be produced for a period of time before converting it to injection. Performance is exceeding expectations. Work also continued on projects aimed at increasing injection in the pilot area. EBU 65-1 was converted to injection service. The project to add compression and increase injection capacity at the nitrogen management facility is nearing completion. Additional producer-to-injector conversions will follow.

Results were repeatedly obtained that were consistent with a hypothesis proposed at the beginning of this program, i.e., due to Metal-Support Interactions (MSI), unique active sites can be created in the metal-support interfacial region to enhance activity and improve selectivity in certain types of reactions, especially those involving the hydrogenation of carbonyl and unsaturated C=C bonds. Higher turnover frequencies (TOF-molecule/s/site) and increased selectivity for C=O bond versus C=C bond hydrogenation was established in the hydrogenation reactions of: acetone, crotonaldehyde, acetophenone, phenylethanol, acetylcyclohexane, benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, phenylacetaldehyde and citral over Pt/TiO{sub 2} MSI catalysts. Higher rates of hydrogenation benzene, toluene and xylene could be obtained over certain supported Pt and Pd catalysts. Au/TiO{sub 2} catalysts were developed that were active for CO hydrogenation at subambient temperatures. The influence of support and metal crystallite size were established for the adsorption of H{sub 2}, CO and O{sub 2} on families of Pt and Pd catalysts.

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Diet has been associated with varying cancer rates in human populations for many years, yet the causes of the observed variation in cancer patterns have not been adequately explained (Wynder et al. 1977). Along with the effect of diet on human cancer incidence is the strong evidence that mutations are the initiating events in the cancer process (Vogelstein et al. 1992). Foods, when heated, are a good source of genotoxic carcinogens that very likely are a cause for some of these events(Doll et al. 1981). These carcinogens fall into two chemical classes: heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAA) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). There is ample evidence that many of these compounds are complete carcinogens in rodents(El-Bayoumy et al. 1995; Ohgaki et al. 1991). Heterocyclic aromatic amines are among the most potent mutagenic substances ever tested in the Ames/Salmonella mutagenicity test (Wakabayashi et al. 1992). Both classes of carcinogen cause tumors in rodents at multiple sites, (El-Bayoumy et al. 1995; Ohgaki et al. 1991) many of which are common tumor sites in people on a Western diet. An HAA, PhIP (2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine), and a PAH, B[a]P (benzo[a]pyrene), of comparable carcinogenic potency caused mammary gland tumors in a feeding study in female rats (El-Bayoumy …

In this document, we describe the results of radiation damage testing and characterization for specimens that were resintered to re-establish crystallinity. The phases in these specimens have become amorphous from radiation induced damage over the 8 months since sintering.

COEGMA Engineering Corporation (COGEMA), under a contract from CH2M Hill Hanford Group (CH2M Hill), has performed an ultrasonic examination of selected portions of Double-Shell Tank 241-AP-105. PNNL is responsible for preparing a reports(s) that describes the results of the COGEMA ultrasonic examinations.

COGEMA Engineering Corporation (COGEMA), under a contract from CH2M Hill Hanford Group (CH2M Hill), has performed an ultrasonic examination of the knuckle region of Double-Shell Tank 241-AP-101 utilizing the Remotely Operated Nondestructive Examination (RONDE) system (also known as the SAFT/TSAFT system). PNNL is responsible for preparing a report(s) that describes the results of the COGEMA ultrasonic examinations.

It has been recognized that matrix diffusion is an important process for retarding solute transport in fractured rock. Based on analyses of tracer transport data from a number of field tests, we demonstrate for the first time that the effective matrix-diffusion coefficient may be scale dependent and generally increases with test scale. A preliminary theoretical explanation of this scale dependency is also presented, based on the hypothesis that solute travel paths within a fracture network are fractals.

Selective ion exchange is one of the most effective treatment technologies for removing low levels of perchlorate (ClO{sub 4}{sup -}) from contaminated water because of its high efficiency without adverse impacts on the water quality caused by adding or removing any chemicals or nutrients. This report summarizes both the laboratory and a field pilot-scale studies to determine the ability and efficiency of the bifunctional synthetic resins to remove ClO{sub 4}{sup -} from the contaminated groundwater at the Edwards Air Force Base in California. Regeneration of the resins after groundwater treatment was also evaluated using the FeCl{sub 3}-HCl regeneration technique recently developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. On the basis of this study, the bifunctional resin, D-3696 was found to be highly selective toward ClO{sub 4}{sup -} and performed much better than one of the best commercial nitrate-selective resins (Purolite A-520E) and more than an order of magnitude better than the Purolite A-500 resin (with a relatively low selectivity). At an influent concentration of {approx} 450 {micro}g/L ClO{sub 4}{sup -} in groundwater, the bifunctional resin bed treated {approx} 40,000 empty bed volumes of groundwater before a significant breakthrough of ClO{sub 4}{sup -} occurred. The presence of relatively high concentrations of chloride …

The long term goals of this research were to define the substrate oxidation pathways, the electron transport mechanisms, and the modes of energy conservation employed during the dissimilatory oxidation of sulfur practiced by various species of the thiobacilli. Specific adhesion of the thiobacilli to elemental sulfur was studied by electrical impedance, dynamic light scattering, laser Doppler velocimetry, and optical trapping methods. The conclusion is that the thiobacilli appear to express specific receptors that enable the bacteria to recognize and adhere to insoluble sulfur. The enzyme tetrathionate oxidase was purified from two species of the thiobacilli. Extensive structural and functional studies were conducted on adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate reductase purified from cell-free extracts of Thiobacillus denitrificans. The kinetic mechanism of rhodanese was studied.