The Paluxy River Footprints Revisited

Field research by the authors at various times between 1982 and 1989 helped expose some of the elongate impressions imbedded in alleged 108 million year old Cretaceous ledges along the Paluxy River near Glen Rose, Texas. These human-like footprints were exposed in the same horizon with theropod dinosaur ichnites, as have prints in river itself over the decades, as reported by the local residents (I, 2). In order to thoroughly document such significant discoveries, several excavations were initiated since the 1986 ICC proceedings in the search for pristine ichnites. The results of these excavations plus the observable results of many previous excavations and the aspect ratio studies of many of the footprints strongly support the hypothesis that humans and dinosaurs coexisted. Furthermore, when radiocarbon dating results are combined with the paleoanthropological studies, the most logical conclusions are that: dinosaur extinction 65 million years ago is a myth; the long ages for sedimentary rock strata formation are non-existent; dinosaur extinction could have been caused by a major worldwide catastrophe happening perhaps only thousands of years ago

A method for evaluating the effectiveness of site characterization measurements

A quantitative approach for evaluating the effectiveness of site characterization measurement activities is developed and illustrated with an example application to hypothetical measurement schemes at a potential geologic repository site for radioactive waste. The method is a general one and could also be applied at sites for underground disposal of hazardous chemicals. The approach presumes that measurements will be undertaken to support predictions of the performance of some aspect of a constructed facility or natural system. It requires a quantitative performance objective, such as groundwater travel time or contaminant concentration, against which to compare predictions of performance. The approach recognizes that such predictions are uncertain because the measurements upon which they are based are uncertain. The effectiveness of measurement activities is quantified by a confidence index, ..beta.., that reflects the number of standard deviations separating the best estimate of performance from the predetermined performance objective. Measurements that reduce the uncertainty in predictions lead to increased values of ..beta... 5 refs., 4 figs

Enabling cleanup technology transfer.

Technology transfer in the environmental restoration, or cleanup, area has been challenging. While there is little doubt that innovative technologies are needed to reduce the times, risks, and costs associated with the cleanup of federal sites, particularly those of the Departments of Energy (DOE) and Defense, the use of such technologies in actual cleanups has been relatively limited. There are, of course, many reasons why technologies do not reach the implementation phase or do not get transferred from developing entities to the user community. For example, many past cleanup contracts provided few incentives for performance that would compel a contractor to seek improvement via technology applications. While performance-based contracts are becoming more common, they alone will not drive increased technology applications. This paper focuses on some applications of cleanup methodologies and technologies that have been successful and are illustrative of a more general principle. The principle is at once obvious and not widely practiced. It is that, with few exceptions, innovative cleanup technologies are rarely implemented successfully alone but rather are implemented in the context of enabling processes and methodologies. And, since cleanup is conducted in a regulatory environment, the stage is better set for technology transfer when the context includes substantive interactions with the relevant stakeholders. Examples of this principle are drawn from Argonne National Laboratory's experiences in Adaptive Sampling and Analysis Programs (ASAPs), Precise Excavation, and the DOE Technology Connection (TechCon) Program. The lessons learned may be applicable to the continuing challenges posed by the cleanup and long-term stewardship of radioactive contaminants and unexploded ordnance (UXO) at federal sites

Assessment of the once-through cooling alternative for central steam-electric generating stations

The efficacy of the disposal of waste heat from steam-electric power generation by means of once-through cooling systems was examined in the context of the physical aspects of water quality standards and guidelines for thermal discharges. Typical thermal standards for each of the four classes of water bodies (rivers, lakes, estuaries, and coastal waters) were identified. The mixing and dilution characteristics of various discharge modes ranging from simple, shoreline surface discharges to long, submerged multiport diffusers were examined in terms of the results of prototype measurements, analytical model predictions, and physical model studies. General guidelines were produced that indicate, for a given plant capacity, a given type of receiving water body, and a given discharge mode, the likelihood that once-through cooling can be effected within the restrictions of typical thermal standards. In general, it was found that shoreline surface discharges would not be adequate for large power plants (greater than or equal to 500 MW) at estuarine and marine coastal sites, would be marginally adequate at lake sites, and would be acceptable only at river sites with large currents and river discharges. Submerged multiport diffusers were found to provide the greatest likelihood of meeting thermal standards in all receiving water environments

Water resources research program. Thermal plumes from submerged discharges at Zion Nuclear Power Station: additional prototype measurements of interacting plumes

Measurements were made of the thermal plumes from the two submerged discharges of the Zion plant into Lake Michigan during the summer of 1976. The survey results are reported in the form of horizontal isotherm maps at vertical intervals of 1.0 m, from the surface to a depth of 3.0 m, and of selected vertical cross sections. Ambient lake-water temperatures and currents were monitored throughout the study period. Analysis of data from two mappings of double plumes made in 1975 by Argonne at this site had indicated that significant interaction between the plumes from the adjacent discharges occurred in the presence of an ambient current. The interaction resulted in surface areas of the double plumes that were more than ten times the sum of two separate, single-discharge plumes. Comparisons of the results of the present surveys with the previous mappings are limited somewhat because of the difficulties in defining the ambient, or background, water temperature. Temperature data collected in the 1976 surveys exhibited large spatial and temporal variability. Vertical temperature stratification during one of these surveys resulted in entrainment of cooler near-bottom water, greatly reducing plume surface temperatures; and intrusion of a cool-water mass into the site area during the other survey made it possible to define only a range of ambient temperatures. The conclusions from the analysis of the additional double-plume data, constrained by the variability cited above, are that the surface isotherm areas associated with the downcurrent, shielded plume were larger than those of a single plume discharged in the same direction, and that the total double-plume surface isotherm area in one survey appears to exceed that of the sum of two separate, single-discharge plumes

Observation of thermal plumes from submerged discharges in the Great Lakes and their implications for modeling and monitoring. [Zion, D. C. Cook, and J. A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plants]

Measurements of thermal plumes from submerged discharges of power plant cooling waters into the Great Lakes provide the opportunity to view the mixing processes at prototype scales and to observe the effects of the ambient environment on those processes. Examples of thermal plume behavior in Great Lakes' ambient environments are presented to demonstrate the importance of measurements of the detailed structure of the ambient environment, as well as of the plumes, for interpretation of prototype data for modeling and monitoring purposes. The examples are drawn from studies by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) at the Zion Nuclear PowerStation and the D. C. Cook Nuclear Plant on Lake Michigan and at the J. A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant on Lake Ontario. These studies included measurements of water temperatures from a moving boat which provide a quasi-synoptic view of the three-dimensional temperature structure of the thermal plume and ambient water environment. Additional measurements of water velocities, which are made with continuously recording, moored, and profiling current meters, and of wind provide data on the detailed structure of the ambient environment. The detailed structure of the ambient environment, in terms of current, current shear, variable winds, and temperature stratification, often influence greatly thermal plume behavior. Although predictive model techniques and monitoring objectives often ignore the detailed aspects of the ambient environment, useful interpretation of prototype data for model evaluation or calibration and monitoring purposes requires detailed measurement of the ambient environment. Examination of prototype thermal plume data indicates that, in several instances, attention to only the gross characteristics of the ambient environment can be misleading and could result in significant errors in model calibration and extrapolation of data bases gathered in monitoring observations

Radioactive waste isolation in salt: special advisory report on the status of the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation's plans for repository performance assessment

Repository performance assessment is analysis that identifies events and processes that might affect a repository system for isolation of radioactive waste, examines their effects on barriers to waste migration, and estimates the probabilities of their occurrence and their consequences. In 1983 Battelle Memorial Institute's Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation (ONWI) prepared two plans - one for performance assessment for a waste repository in salt and one for verification and validation of performance assessment technology. At the request of the US Department of Energy's Salt Repository Project Office (SRPO), Argonne National Laboratory reviewed those plans and prepared this report to advise SRPO of specific areas where ONWI's plans for performance assessment might be improved. This report presents a framework for repository performance assessment that clearly identifies the relationships among the disposal problems, the processes underlying the problems, the tools for assessment (computer codes), and the data. In particular, the relationships among important processes and 26 model codes available to ONWI are indicated. A common suggestion for computer code verification and validation is the need for specific and unambiguous documentation of the results of performance assessment activities. A major portion of this report consists of status summaries of 27 model codes indicated as potentially useful by ONWI. The code summaries focus on three main areas: (1) the code's purpose, capabilities, and limitations; (2) status of the elements of documentation and review essential for code verification and validation; and (3) proposed application of the code for performance assessment of salt repository systems. 15 references, 6 figures, 4 tables

Planning for the Transition to Long-Term Stewardship at Three U.S. Department of Energy-Chicago Operations Office Facilities

This paper describes a pilot study that resulted in the generation of draft planning documents for the upcoming transition from remediation construction to long-term stewardship at three national laboratories managed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-Chicago Operations Office (CH). The remediation construction work at these facilities is being completed under the DOE's Office of Environmental Management (EM) Program. Once the remediation is complete, the responsibility for long-term stewardship (LTS) of the closed waste sites is expected to be transferred to the DOE organization responsible for managing each of the three facilities (i.e., the site landlord). To prepare for this transfer, an extensive planning effort is required. This pilot study utilized the DOE guidance in effect at the time to (1) develop a series of documents identifying applicable requirements that the LTS Programs will need to satisfy, issues that need to be resolved before the transfer can proceed, and criteria to be used to determine when active remediation is complete and a given site is ready for transfer to the LTS Program; (2) examine alternate structures for possible LTS Programs; and (3) develop draft LTS Implementation Plans. This advanced planning effort yielded a number of observations and lessons learned that are applicable to any facility approaching the end of its remediation construction phase

Radioactive Waste Isolation in Salt: Peer Review of the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation's Reports on Multifactor Life Testing of Waste Package Materials

Two documents that provide the approaches in designing a test program to investigate uniform corrosion of low-carbon cash steel in a salt repository environment were reviewed. Recommendations are made by the Peer Review Panel for improving the two reports