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DOE OSTI2024

IEA Wind Task 49: Reference Site Conditions for Floating Wind Arrays

The commercial-scale deployment of floating offshore wind (FOW) projects is expected to take place in a diverse range of sites that may differ significantly from existing fixed-bottom projects. FOW farms are particularly sensitive to the water depth and the meteorological and oceanographic (metocean) and geotechnical conditions at the project site due to the wave-induced system motions and loads as well as the anchoring system constraints imposed by the seafloor conditions. Uncertainty around the site conditions will permeate through all aspects of project design, leading to suboptimal and overly conservative designs, increased costs, and adversely affected performance. As FOW expands into a global industry, metocean and geotechnical conditions will increasingly vary for projects located in different geographic regions or in far-from-shore, deep-water sites. This study represents the outputs of work package 1 of International Energy Agency Wind Task 49, which focuses on the integrated design of floating wind arrays. The primary goal of this study is to establish the type of parameters and constraints required to characterize FOW array reference sites; provide a realistic and publicly available set of reference site conditions to the FOW community as a baseline set of data for individual research projects; identify and categorize any critical gaps in the existing data or methodologies required to define reference site characteristics; and inform and support the design of reference FOW arrays. A building block concept was developed for synthesizing reference sites for the design of FOW arrays. The building blocks include three classes of site conditions focusing on the techno-economic design of FOW projects: metocean conditions, seabed conditions, and coastal infrastructure. All reference site data produced and collected in this study are publicly available.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Heliostat Consortium: Gap Analysis on State of the Art in Wind Load Design

Wind loads are a major driver of heliostat cost. Standardized methods and tools are needed for a more detailed understanding of the static and dynamic loads of a heliostat design. This will enable cost reduction of wind-dependent heliostats to avoid unnecessarily conservative heliostat designs and increase field efficiency and reliability to reduce the risk of component failures due to high-wind events. Gaps related to wind load include lack of site characterization for wind measurements, insufficient critical load cases for heliostat design, insufficient understanding of turbulence impacts on heliostat tracking error, lack of knowledge on wind load under various heliostat array configurations, and underexplored heliostat field wind-load reduction and operating strategies. Recommended pathway forward is to develop wind load and site characterization guidelines for heliostat design and develop heliostat field wind-load models with optical performance impacts.

aerodynamics↗
DOE OSTI2020

Using yttrium as an indicator to estimate total rare earth element concentration: a case study of anthracite-associated clays from northeastern Pennsylvania

Abstract This study demonstrated using yttrium (Y) as an indicator to estimate the total rare earth element and Y contents (REY) in coal-associated samples and to facilitate selection of samples with high REY assays in a fast and inexpensive manner. More than 10 anthracite-associated samples were collected from each of three Pennsylvanian sites (sites B, J and C) based on Thorium gamma ray logging suggesting high REY content. Several samples from each site were analyzed by ICP-MS to determine the rare earth distribution patterns and to establish the site-specific linear equations of Y and REY. The Y contents of the remaining samples were measured by a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer, and the REY values were estimated based on the site-specific linear equation developed earlier. R-squared values above 0.70 were obtained for all the estimation equations from all three sites on both a whole sample basis and an ash basis. Previously, ash content has been widely used as an indicator of high REY content. This may not be applicable for a specific site. Site B in this study is an example where ash contents could not be statistically correlated with REY, so using Y for estimation is more applicable. The demonstrated sample screening process is suitable for samples from sites that share more similar distribution patterns (either MREY or LREY or HREY) as well as for samples from sites that share multiple distribution patterns (LREY/MREY/HREY) depending on the desirable accuracy. The demonstrated process lowers the analytical cost from $70 to 80 dollars per sample to $10–15 per sample while significantly reducing the processing time and acid consumption for ICP digestion. This is particularly true when a relatively large sample size is involved, for example, 100 samples from one site analyzed by ICP-MS/OES.

Yang, Xiaojing↗
DOE OSTI2022

NRAP Recommended Practices for Containment Assurance and Leakage Risk Quantification

This report presents recommendations for quantitatively assessing and managing leakage risk and effective containment assurance at geologic carbon storage (GCS) sites, amidst uncertainty in site characteristics and performance. These recommended practices are a product of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management’s National Risk Assessment Partnership (NRAP)—a multi-year collaborative research effort of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, National Energy Technology Laboratory, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. These recommended practices are organized as a set of conceptual workflows that correspond with the stages of the GCS project lifecycle. They consider aspects of site characterization, quantification of potential leakage, assessing the spatial extent of potential environmental impacts, optimizing monitoring design for detection of potential leakage, evaluation of concordance between monitored and forecasted reservoir response, assessing conformance with expected/accepted performance, and determination of the timeline over which risk of impactful leakage can be expected to abate. These conceptual workflows are intended to aid stakeholders in making risk management decisions at GCS sites and to support development of sound, risk-based justifications for characterizing the subsurface, defining area of potential leakage impact, designing site monitoring plans, selecting leakage risk management/mitigation alternatives, and estimating site closure timelines.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Regulating Catalytic Properties and Thermal Stability of Pt and PtCo Intermetallic Fuel-Cell Catalysts via Strong Coupling Effects between Single-Metal Site-Rich Carbon and Pt

Developing low platinum-group-metal (PGM) catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) remains a great challenge due to the highly demanded power density and long-term durability. Here, this work explores the possible synergistic effect between single Mn site-rich carbon (Mn SA -NC) and Pt nanoparticles, aiming to improve intrinsic activity and stability of PGM catalysts. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations predicted a strong coupling effect between Pt and MnN 4 sites in the carbon support, strengthening their interactions to immobilize Pt nanoparticles during the ORR. The adjacent MnN 4 sites weaken oxygen adsorption at Pt to enhance intrinsic activity. Well-dispersed Pt (2.1 nm) and ordered L1 2 -Pt 3 Co nanoparticles (3.3 nm) were retained on the Mn SA -NC support after indispensable high-temperature annealing up to 800 °C, suggesting enhanced thermal stability. Both PGM catalysts were thoroughly studied in membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs), showing compelling performance and durability. The Pt@Mn SA -NC catalyst achieved a mass activity (MA) of 0.63 A mg Pt –1 at 0.9 V iR-free and maintained 78% of its initial performance after a 30,000-cycle accelerated stress test (AST). The L1 2 -Pt 3 Co@Mn SA -NC catalyst accomplished a much higher MA of 0.91 A mg Pt –1 and a current density of 1.63 A cm –2 at 0.7 V under traditional light-duty vehicle (LDV) H 2 –air conditions (150 kPa abs and 0.10 mg Pt cm –2 ). Furthermore, the same catalyst in an HDV MEA (250 kPa abs and 0.20 mg Pt cm –2 ) delivered 1.75 A cm –2 at 0.7 V, only losing 18% performance after 90,000 cycles of the AST, demonstrating great potential to meet the DOE targets.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Enhanced Surgical Decision-Making Tools in Breast Cancer: Predicting 2-Year Postoperative Physical, Sexual, and Psychosocial Well-Being following Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction (INSPiRED 004)

Background: We sought to predict clinically meaningful changes in physical, sexual, and psychosocial well-being for women undergoing cancer-related mastectomy and breast reconstruction 2 years after surgery using machine learning (ML) algorithms trained on clinical and patient-reported outcomes data. Patients and Methods: We used data from women undergoing mastectomy and reconstruction at 11 study sites in North America to develop three distinct ML models. We used data of ten sites to predict clinically meaningful improvement or worsening by comparing pre-surgical scores with 2 year follow-up data measured by validated Breast-Q domains. We employed ten-fold cross-validation to train and test the algorithms, and then externally validated them using the 11th site’s data. We considered area-under-the-receiver-operating-characteristics-curve (AUC) as the primary metric to evaluate performance. Results: Overall, between 1454 and 1538 patients completed 2 year follow-up with data for physical, sexual, and psychosocial well-being. In the hold-out validation set, our ML algorithms were able to predict clinically significant changes in physical well-being (chest and upper body) (worsened: AUC range 0.69–0.70; improved: AUC range 0.81–0.82), sexual well-being (worsened: AUC range 0.76–0.77; improved: AUC range 0.74–0.76), and psychosocial well-being (worsened: AUC range 0.64–0.66; improved: AUC range 0.66–0.66). Baseline patient-reported outcome (PRO) variables showed the largest influence on model predictions. Conclusions: Machine learning can predict long-term individual PROs of patients undergoing postmastectomy breast reconstruction with acceptable accuracy. This may better help patients and clinicians make informed decisions regarding expected long-term effect of treatment, facilitate patient-centered care, and ultimately improve postoperative health-related quality of life.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Self-diagnosis of model suitability for continuous measurements of stream-dissolved organic carbon derived from in situ UV–visible spectroscopy

Application of high-frequency monitoring of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is difficult in instances where training datasets are challenging to develop (e.g., remote locations) and the relationship between optical features and DOC concentration changes due to environmental or landscape shifts (e.g., climate or land-use change). We developed and compared three partial least squares (PLS) models using in situ water level measurements, conductivity, and UV–Vis spectral attenuation to predict DOC. Two site-specific models were developed using data from a hillslope-dominated forest or a low-relief wetland-pond-dominated stream catchment. The third model, using data from both sites, exhibited the best performance (DOC range = 4–15.5 mg C L −1 , mean = 8.38 mg C L −1 , training RMSE = 0.34 mg C L −1 , internal validation RMSE = 0.50 mg C L −1 , external validation RMSE = 2.43 mg C L −1 ). We further demonstrate using PLS model statistics to monitor performance and elucidate when and how models should be updated. These statistics, Hotelling's T 2 and squared prediction errors, are useful consistency checks for the predictions made and detect underlying inconsistencies that, if undetected, can reduce the robustness of DOC prediction. For example, via the T 2 statistic, we identified the summer–autumn transition as a period when DOC composition differed from what was represented in the training dataset. We also determined that elevated SUVA 254 values contributed to the overall bias observed in predictions made during the subsequent year as part of the external validation. This enabled the application of a bias correction that reduced the RMSE from 2.43 to 0.89 mg C L −1 . The method presented here could be applied to future monitoring programs enabling model updates to monitor DOC fluxes accurately from optical datasets (e.g., attenuance or fluorescence) in the face of developing datasets in remote locations or environmental change. In conclusion, implementation of this approach may also identify possible regime shifts or landscape and hydrologic change associated with climate and other environmental changes relevant to terrestrial to aquatic fluxes.

UV-VIS spectroscopy↗
DOE OSTI2022

Remining and Restoring Abandoned US Mining Sites: The Case for Materials Needed for Zero-Carbon Transition

The electricity generation sector is responsible for 25% of the world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and thus has been the focus of efforts to transition to clean energy and sustainable development in many nations. In the past 20 years, renewable energy sources have been the fastest-growing energy source in the world, comprising almost 29% of the world’s electricity generation in 2020. Renewable energy sources are expected to comprise nearly 95% of the world’s power capacity growth through 2026, with a share of planned capacity expansion of up to 46% in 2026. The rapid development of renewable energy sources and technologies will require an enormous amount of raw materials to replace coal and gas plants and increase in the capacity to handle growing electricity demand because renewable energy sources have a low-power density and intermittent behavior. Accounting for the expected scale of rapidly deploying renewable energy sources that require rare earth elements (REEs), cement, and steel, the mining industry may face a supply problem for the materials critical for clean energy. And, as the exploration and development of new mining sites can be expensive and risky, the mining industry may require economic stimuli to grow supply. The increasing demand for renewable energy resources makes mining a threat to the environment unless proper regulations are established and calls for remining, cleanup, and circular economic development are made. Mining also contributes to environmental injustices related to the exploitation and pollution of lands near communities that are dependent on biodiversity in the area, while not always benefiting from technological advancements provided by the use of renewable energy and technologies. This study explored the opportunity of remining abandoned mining waste to extract metals and minerals essential for the production of renewable energy sources. The authors analyzed materials used in the production of these technologies, materials readily available in the United States, and which materials can be extracted locally in the United States from abandoned mine waste. The authors also studied environmental injustices that populations near mining sites experience and ways to mitigate these injustices, such as providing more control over extraction and cleanup activities, providing more job opportunities in those areas, and offsetting costs associated with cleanup and land restoration projects.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Wabash CarbonSAFE Subtask 4.1 - Application of Policy Frameworks for Improved Carbon Capture and Storage Social Site Characterization & Stakeholder Engagement

Anthropogenic climate change threatens environmental and human health globally. Limiting these threats requires large-scale and innovative greenhouse gas mitigation responses across carbon-intensive energy and industrial sectors. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies present potential opportunities for mitigating climate change while maintaining a diverse energy resource portfolio. Successful development of CCS physical sites requires effective and efficient project management solutions that elicit and incorporate the concerns and perspectives of diverse stakeholders. Due to the urgency of climate change mitigation technology implementation and the costs of CCS development, CCS project developers cannot risk setbacks by poor stakeholder assessment that concern management processes. Thus, this report presents four prominent policy frameworks and associated case studies as opportunities to improve CCS social site characterization and stakeholder engagement. After comparing the relative effectiveness and efficiencies of each framework with regard to CCS, this report concludes that the Advocacy Coalition Framework, Narrative Policy Framework, and Policy Conflict Framework can improve the CCS social site characterization process, while the Collaborative Governance Framework paired with the Q-Methodology provides an ideal framework for direct stakeholder engagement. Overall, this report finds that the Narrative Policy Framework and the Collaborative Governance Framework are most ideally suited for the purposes of CCS social site characterization and stakeholder engagement.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2020

Charged Wellbore Casing Controlled Source Electromagnetics (CWC-CSEM) for Reservoir Imaging and Monitoring (Final report)

This project addresses the needs of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop advanced monitoring technologies and protocols to track the fate of subsurface carbon dioxide (CO2) plumes for carbon storage. Specifically, the project seeks to develop and test a unique and novel system of technologies consisting of electromagnetic data acquisition, coupled multiphysics imaging, and reservoir model enhancement to understand the migration and long-term distribution of CO2 in the subsurface. The overarching objective is to develop an integrated approach for long term monitoring of carbon storage. The two main components of the project include the methodology development and the test of the method at a field site. The methodology component consists of 1) developing the field procedure and protocol for collecting time-lapse controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) data with source electric current injected into the subsurface through wellbore casings; 2) building of background 3D electrical conductivity utilizing multiple sources of data such as supplemental surface transient EM (TEM) surveys, well-logs, and seismic structural information, for enhancing CSEM signal from reservoir depths; and 3) coupled multiphysics simulations and inversion of CSEM data constrained by production data and by structural information from seismic imaging of the reservoir and overlying formations. The testing component used the field site of Bell Creek Oil Field, which served both as a field laboratory for the method development as well as a test site to evaluate the CSEM signal strengths and the methodology developed in this research project. We have accomplished all the proposed tasks and developed the methodology as planned. These include the procedure for time-lapse CSEM data acquisition, data processing techniques, integration with 3D conductivity model building, fast reservoir simulation for history matching using machine learning, and interpreting CSEM data with coupling to the reservoir modeling. Collectively, the outcome of these tasks form a coherent workflow that can be applied to monitor dedicated carbon storage in saline reservoirs. The testing component evaluated the applicability and limitations of the method, and concluded that the method would be ideal for monitoring dedicated carbon storage sites utilizing saline reservoirs.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (H NMR) of Glycolate in Real Waste: Developing and Testing Analytical Methods for the Savannah River Site Liquid Waste System

In preparation for implementing the NG acid flowsheet for the SRS LWS, analytical methods for determining glycolate at low concentration are desired to support system management and safety. Previous work documented that the IC method performed well for samples with low to moderate ionic strength. That work also included a scoping effort to determine if an alternate analytical strategy using H NMR would complement and extend the capabilities of the IC method. The H NMR scoping results indicated that the method had the potential to expand glycolate analysis in LWS samples to higher ionic strength tanks/solutions. The scope of this work is to develop innovative proton NMR techniques, including demonstrating ion exchange decontamination protocols needed for application of the technique to real waste samples. Part of radioactive waste processing at SRS uses formic acid to reduce oxidized (Hg 2+ ) to more volatile elemental Hg for steam striping, collecting, and disposal. Under acidic conditions found in the Chemical Processing Cell (CPC) at the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF), formic acid has a much higher hydrogen generation rate than an alternative reductant, glycolic acid. Thus, an NG acid flowsheet has been developed utilizing glycolic acid with the benefit of easing the need for headspace monitoring requirements for hydrogen and ammonia at DWPF. Low concentrations of glycolate are conservatively assumed to be in the recycle stream, which will collect in the Recycle Collection Tank (RCT). The DWPF recycle stream collected in the RCT has a distinct pathway to the LWS waste tanks that feed the 2H and 3H Evaporator. This route involves transfer of the DWPF recycle to Tank 22 in the Concentration, Storage, and Transfer Facilities (CSTF) followed by transfer to the LWS tank farm/evaporators.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

Determining Cs-137 Background body burdens for Wild Pigs At Savannah River Site

Savannah River Site (SRS) is a unique U.S. Department of Energy facility in that most of the 310-square miles of land has not be industrialized since operations began in 1953. This has allowed abundant, undisturbed vegetation structure to exists as well as an increase in herd sizes among wildlife populations onsite. Cs-137 is widespread across SRS due to the production of nuclear materials, but is mostly from global atmospheric fallout from nuclear weapons testing. Due to most of SRS being undisturbed land, the concentrations of Cs-137 are higher on site than off site. The SRS began conducting annual deer harvests that were open to the public beginning in 1965. All animals harvested during these hunts are monitored for Cs-137, which is measured using a Sodium Iodide detector. There has been an effective method for calculating the background Cs-137 body burden for the deer population at the SRS, developed by Gaines and Novak using data collected during hunts and gamma overflight data to determine the areas contaminated by site activities. For animals that have a Cs-137 concentration above the established background level, a dose is assigned to the hunter. By applying the same method for wild pigs using data collected from hunts, gamma overflight, and developing a site-specific home range of wild pigs, we were able to calculate the Cs-137 background body burden concentrations of wild pigs on site. Objectives: Develop site-specific home range for wild pigs at SRS; Determine the average concentrations of Cs-137 in wild pigs from background; Use Gaines and Novak method for determining background Cs-137 body burdens wild pigs on SRS. Methods and Materials: Development of site-specific home range of wild pigs was determined to be 2.5 miles using: Four studies conducted between 1969 and 1992 for the SRS wild pig population. (Mayer and Brisbin) The background compartments were determined using: Gamma overflight data showing contaminated areas; Site-specific home range of the wild pigs. Results and Conclusion: All data were generated through the JMP software to provide a histogram and summary statistics. The estimate of an upper tolerance limit for the background contamination with 95% confidence is 1.965 pCi/g for the wild pigs. This means that for wild pigs on SRS from the background compartments are expected to have Cs-137 concentrations of less than 1.965 pCi/g. The current background for the deer is 2.59 pCi/g. For the background compartments Cs-137 concentrations from 2012-2018: Mean: 0.815 pCi/g, Maximum: 2.341 pCi/g, Minimum: -0.704 pCi/g.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

FY 2021 Idaho National Laboratory Site Sustainability Plan

The mission of the Department of Energy (DOE) is to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions. This FY 2021 Idaho National Laboratory Site Sustainability Plan (SSP) was developed to enable and sustain Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL’s) mission to discover, demonstrate, and secure innovative nuclear solutions, clean energy options, and critical infrastructure. The SSP was developed according to the narrative requirements from the “FY 2021 DOE Site Sustainability Plan Guidance” document issued in August 2020. The SSP contains strategies and activities that will lead to continual energy, water, and waste reductions that move INL toward meeting DOE sustainability goals and requirements. The SSP summarizes energy and available fuel use reporting requirements and references criteria for instituting sustainable design. SSP requirements are integrated into each INL contractor’s Integrated Safety Management System and Environmental Management System (EMS). Finally, the Sustainability Program directives, based on this SSP, are integrated into the INL Annual Laboratory Plan Fiscal Year 2020 (INL/LTD-20-59747), and operations and acquisition systems.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2020

Opportunities for an Integrated Web-Based Workbench for Data Access and Analysis - 20244

Management of environmental issues can require integration of multiple types of data and information, conducting data analysis and interpretation, and providing data visualization for effective communications. These data elements are important for site management to support regulator interactions and provide defensibility for remedial decisions. Databases and information repositories are core elements of managing data; however, efficient data access and analysis also enable effective site management. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site is an example of a complex site with a voluminous quantity of environmental data and a need for efficient site management. Different tiers of data and information tools have been developed and deployed to address site needs. These tools are configured for ready access via the web site interfaces and meet the rigorous quality requirements for environmental site management. Evolving efforts are focused on an integrated platform to meet site environmental management needs. In this platform, users can access site information at multiple levels of detail based on their need and permissions, so that data and associated analyses are presented within the context of the site mission and the user's management or technical needs. This concept is not only applicable at individual sites like Hanford but also applicable at other sites within the DOE complex. An integrated web-based architecture that links data visualization, data analytics, and management tools can provide holistic access to large data sets, minimize complexity, and maximize interactivity and technical communication. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2024

Los Alamos National Laboratory Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program (FY22 Annual Progress Report)

Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) helps Los Alamos National Laboratory solve national security challenges through excellence in mission-focused science, technology, and engineering. The DOE Laboratory and Site-Directed Research and Development programs are among the most impactful sources of research and development for our Nation. The heart of the LDRD program is high-risk, high-reward research that creates innovative technical solutions for some of the Nation’s most difficult challenges. The LDRD programs follow strategic guidance derived from the missions of the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and the Laboratory.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Evaluation of Techniques for Vegetation Removal from UAV-Based Photogrammetric DSM near WIPP Land Withdrawal Act Boundary, NM

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is located within New Mexico's karst landscape and is the United States' only deep geologic radioactive waste repository which isolates transuranic waste from defense activities underground in a bedded salt formation. Characteristic karst topography in this region is made up of material (such as limestone) that can be dissolved by water over a long period of time, and includes features such as springs, surface streams, sinking streams, caves, and sinkholes. Karst features can potentially impact the integrity of the waste repository in the future and compromise WIPP's performance, particularly when coupled with incompatible land-use activities within the Land Withdrawal Act (LWA) boundary as well as increased water withdrawals outside the LWA. In order to better capture the ground surface topography to support hydrology modeling efforts, the U.S. DOE has enlisted FIU to develop a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM). In a previous field study, a high-resolution digital surface model (DSM) of an adjacent representative site, Basin 6, was developed by photogrammetry using aerial images captured with unmanned aerial vehicles. The DSM generated was based on point clouds representing the entire landscapes, including points of terrain, vegetation and infrastructure. These above-ground features need to be removed to create a DSM/DEM with good representation of the bare ground. In recent years, many techniques including both pre- and post-processing of DSMs, were developed for vegetation removal with varied success. This research focuses on applying and comparing various vegetation removal methods using point clouds generated of the Basin 6 pilot study area. The 3D RGB-based point cloud classification using Python scripts was a modification of the procedure by Themistocleous (2019). The method using Liblas classifies the point cloud three-dimensionally, whereas the method by Themistocleous (2019) is two-dimensional. The preliminary result of the method using Liblas, however, still had a large amount of vegetation remaining compared to the Pix4D Machine Learning method. The vegetation layer remains highly visible in the DEMs processed using the vegetation indices as opposed to the Pix4D Machine Learning method, which produces a DEM where mostly bare ground is seen. Further modifications to the input parameters are required to improve the vegetation vs. bare ground classification using this approach. The next step will be to improve the method using Liblas and to also test other vegetation removal methods found in the literature review to compare them against the two described here.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2025

The structural basis for the broad aldehyde specificity of the aminoaldehyde dehydrogenase PauC from the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract Despite significant differences in size and formal charge, the aldehyde dehydrogenasePaPauC (PA5312) fromPseudomonas aeruginosaPAO1 efficiently catalyzes the NAD + ‐dependent oxidation of the aminoaldehydes formed in polyamines degradation. We report here thatPaPauC also oxidizes 4‐guanidinebutyraldehyde, formed in one arginine degradation pathway, trimethylaminobutyraldehyde, of unknown metabolic origin, and indole‐3‐acetaldehyde, a precursor of the plant growth‐promoting hormone indoleacetic acid.PaPauC has been proposed as a potential target for combatingP. aeruginosa. However, understanding its structure–function relationships, crucial for developing specific inhibitors, is lacking. Using X‐ray crystallography, we identified the structural characteristics that determinePaPauC broad aldehyde specificity: a spacious aldehyde‐entrance tunnel and six active‐site residues. Docking simulations, site‐directed mutagenesis, and kinetic analyses support the interactions of Lys479 with glutamylated aminoaldehydes; Phe169, Trp176, and Phe467 with amino and guanidinium groups through cation–π interactions and with the indole group via NH–π and CH–π interactions; Asp459 with amino and indole groups; and Thr303 with amide and guanidinium groups. Exploiting the distinctive structural features of thePaPauC active site could aid in developing specific inhibitors to combatP. aeruginosainfections in humans and animals, as well as in preventing its colonization of plants, which are abundantP. aeruginosareservoirs and, therefore, a significant source of human infections.

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology↗
DOE OSTI2026

Lessons Learned from Site Selection Efforts for Deep Geological Disposal

This report discusses international experiences from site selection of deep geological repositories (DGR) for radioactive waste disposal. Based on experiences from three countries with recent or ongoing site selections, the report describes different site selection approaches and summarizes lessons learned. The German and Swiss programs are two slightly different examples of one end of the spectrum of potential siting approaches: Starting with the entire country, a technically based downselection is performed to select the repository site. The Canadian program is an example of the other end of the spectrum: Here, the program started with an extensive engagement program with Canadians to collaboratively develop a socially acceptable and technically sound national approach for the long-term management of used nuclear fuel. This was followed by the launch of a collaboratively developed consent-based siting process designed to seek an informed and willing host with suitable sites, considering both technical and community well-being site requirements.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗