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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

Ecological Monitoring and Compliance Program 2014 Report

The Ecological Monitoring and Compliance Program (EMAC), funded through the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO, formerly Nevada Site Office), monitors the ecosystem of the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) and ensures compliance with laws and regulations pertaining to NNSS biota. This report summarizes the program’s activities conducted by National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec), during calendar year 2014. Program activities included (a) biological surveys at proposed activity sites, (b) desert tortoise compliance, (c) ecosystem monitoring, (d) sensitive plant species monitoring, (e) sensitive and protected/regulated animal monitoring, and (f) habitat restoration monitoring. During 2014, all applicable laws, regulations, and permit requirements were met, enabling EMAC to achieve its intended goals and objectives. Sensitive and protected/regulated species of the NNSS include 42 plants, 1 mollusk, 2 reptiles, 236 birds, and 27 mammals. These species are protected, regulated, or considered sensitive according to state or federal regulations and natural resource agencies and organizations. The desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) and the western yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) are the only species on the NNSS protected under the Endangered Species Act, both listed as threatened. However, only one record of the cuckoo has ever been documented on the NNSS, and there is no good habitat for this species on the NNSS. It is considered a rare migrant. Biological surveys for the presence of sensitive and protected/regulated species and important biological resources on which they depend were conducted for 18 projects. A total of 199.18 hectares (ha) was surveyed for these projects. Sensitive and protected/regulated species and important biological resources found during these surveys included a predator burrow, one sidewinder rattlesnake (Crotalus cerastes), two mating speckled rattlesnakes (Crotalus mitchellii), and several species of cacti. NSTec provided to project managers a written summary report of all survey findings and mitigation recommendations, where applicable. Of the 18 projects on the NNSS, 15 occurred within the range of the threatened desert tortoise. Approximately 2.19 ha of desert tortoise habitat were disturbed. No desert tortoises were accidentally injured or killed by project activities, and no tortoises were killed by vehicles. On 13 occasions, tortoises were moved off the road and out of harm’s way. Six tortoises were found and transmitters attached as part of an approved study to assess impacts of vehicles on tortoises on the NNSS. NSTec biologists continued to monitor 37 juvenile desert tortoises as part of a collaborative effort to study survival and temperament of translocated animals. From 1978 until 2013, there has been an average of 11.2 wildland fires per year on the NNSS with an average of about 83.7 ha burned per fire. There were no wildland fires documented on the NNSS during 2014. Results from the wildland fuel surveys showed a very low risk of wildland fire due to reduced fuel loads caused by limited natural precipitation. Limited reptile trapping and reptile roadkill surveys were conducted to better define species distribution on the NNSS. Sixteen reptiles were trapped representing five species. Combined with data from 2013, 183 road kills were detected, representing 11 snake and 8 lizard species. Selected natural water sources were monitored to assess trends in physical and biological parameters, and one new water source was found. Wildlife use at five water troughs and four radiologically contaminated sumps was documented using motion-activated cameras. As part of the statewide effort to disseminate information throughout the botanical community, NSTec prepared a shape file with site-specific data for all 17 sensitive plants on the NNSS and provided it to the Nevada Natural Heritage Program for inclusion in their statewide database. No field surveys were conducted this year for sensitive plants on the NNSS due to poor growing conditions. Surveys of sensitive and protected/regulated animals during 2014 focused on winter raptors, bats, wild horses (Equus caballus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), desert bighorn sheep (Ovis Canadensis nelsoni), and mountain lions (Puma concolor). Two permanent, long-term winter raptor survey routes were established and sampled in January and February. A total of 27 raptors representing 4 species were observed. The wild horse population increased from 30 to 41, with several yearlings recruiting into the population, possibly due to the death of a mountain lion known to prey on horse foals. Mule deer abundance and density measured with standardized deer surveys was similar to 2013 and appears to be stable. Desert bighorn sheep, including rams, ewes, and lambs, were detected using motion-activated cameras at four water sources. There are plans to conduct helicopter surveys to census the population during September 2015 and then capture and radio-collar up to 20 sheep during November 2015. Over 150 sheep scat samples have been collected for genetic analysis to try to determine how sheep on the NNSS are related to surrounding sheep populations. Information is presented about bird mortalities, Migratory Bird Treaty Act compliance, and a summary of nuisance animals and their control on the NNSS. A total of 93 mountain lion images (i.e., photographs or video clips) were taken during 220,379 camera hours at 16 of 32 sites sampled and another 11,946 images of at least 29 species other than mountain lions were taken as well. A mountain lion telemetry study continued in 2014. NNSS7 was tracked from January 1 to November 15 using a global positioning system satellite transmitter. He consumed 21 mule deer, 17 desert bighorn sheep, 1 juvenile bobcat, and 3 coyotes. Mule deer were primarily taken in the summer and fall. No new mountain lions were captured. A minimum of four adult lions (two males, two females), a subadult male, and three kittens were known to inhabit the NNSS during 2014. Two previously revegetated sites on the NNSS and one on the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) were monitored in 2014. The cover cap on the U-3ax/bl disposal unit, revegetated in 2000, and the 92-Acre Site at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Complex, revegetated in 2011, were the restoration sites monitored on the NNSS. The Corrective Action Unit 407 Rollercoaster RADSAFE site, revegetated in 2000, was the restoration site monitored on the TTR. Plant cover and density were recorded at all sites except U-3ax/bl (qualitative monitoring), and reclamation success standards were evaluated, where applicable.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2017

Post-Closure Environmental Sampling and Inspection at the Amchitka Island, Alaska, Site - 17251

In the 1960's and early 1970's, three underground nuclear tests were conducted on Amchitka Island, Alaska. In 1965, the US Department of Defense-in conjunction with the US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)-conducted the first of these nuclear tests, Long Shot, to provide data that would improve US capabilities for detecting underground nuclear explosions. In 1969, AEC conducted the second test, Milrow, to explore the feasibility of detonating a much larger device. In 1971, AEC conducted the third test, Cannikin, which was the largest underground test ever conducted by the US. The Long-Term Surveillance Plan (LTSP) for the Amchitka, Alaska, Site details how the US Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management (LM) intends to fulfill its mission to protect human health and the environment at and around the Amchitka Island site. The LTSP calls for monitoring to be performed every 5 years, at least during the initial phase of the project. The purpose of the monitoring is to develop a baseline of activity concentrations for selected radionuclides in biota, water, and soil, both on Amchitka Island and at the reference location on Adak Island, approximately 322 kilometers (200 miles) northeast of Amchitka. In addition to the environmental monitoring activities, seven mud pit caps that contain diesel-contaminated soils are inspected. The plan for biological and water sampling (both seawater and freshwater) during the May 2016 sampling event was developed through close coordination with the primary stakeholders, including the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The environmental sampling in 2016 is a continuation of LM's evaluation of Amchitka Island's environment. Previous results from similar monitoring programs in 2004 and 2011 indicate that the environment is not being impacted by radionuclide migration and uptake from the underground nuclear testing conducted beneath Amchitka Island; consequently, subsistence and commercial-catch seafood is safe for human consumption. The collection of biota samples (rockfish, Irish lords, greenling, and rockweed) for cesium-134 ({sup 134}Cs), cesium-137 ({sup 137}Cs), plutonium-239 ({sup 239}Pu), plutonium-240 ({sup 240}Pu), and freshwater and seawater samples for {sup 134}Cs, {sup 137}Cs, and tritium ({sup 3}H) was the primary objective of the 2016 sampling effort. Rockfish, Irish lords, and greenling are resident, nonmigratory fish species that spend their entire life cycle in the marine environment, and rockweed is an inter-tidal species that may concentrate cesium. The seawater samples were collected primarily to determine if leakage from the Long Shot detonation could be detected and, secondarily, to compare with the background seawater samples collected from Adak Island. Cesium isotopes are also being analyzed to better understand the potential impact that the Fukushima-Daiichi release might have on the Amchitka and Adak environments. The target detection limits used for the 2016 sampling are lower than those used in previous studies. The lower detection limits make it possible for LM to delineate background activity levels for the radionuclides of interest. Data from the 2016 sampling event go beyond assessing food safety and focus on detecting leakage from the underground nuclear explosions. Additionally, the baseline activity concentrations obtained for the reference area (Adak Island) will enable identification of quantitative statistical trends in the results of future sampling programs. Sampling programs conducted in 2021 and beyond will have an objective to assess the statistical trends of radioactivity levels in the Amchitka Island environment. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2013

Savannah River Site Environmental Report Summary For 2012

This report's purpose is to: Present summary environmental data that characterize Site environmental management performance, Describe compliance status with respect to environmental standards and requirements, and Highlight significant programs and efforts. Environmental monitoring is conducted extensively with a 2,000-square-mile network extending 25 miles from SRS, with some monitoring performed as far as 100 miles from the Site. The area includes neighboring cities, towns, and counties in Georgia (GA) and South Carolina (SC). Thousands of samples of air, rainwater, surface water, drinking water, groundwater, food products, wildlife, soil, sediment, and vegetation are collected by SRS and analyzed for the presence of radioactive and nonradioactive contaminants. During 2012, SRS accomplished several significant milestones while maintaining its record of environmental excellence, as its operations continued to result in minimal impact to the public and the environment. The Site's radioactive and chemical discharges to air and water were well below regulatory standards for environmental and public health protection; its air and water quality met applicable requirements; and the potential radiation dose to the public was well below the DOE public dose limit.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2017

Seamless Digital Environment – Data Analytics Use Case Study

Multiple research efforts in the U.S Department of Energy Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program studies the need and design of an underlying architecture to support the increased amount and use of data in the nuclear power plant. More specifically the three LWRS research efforts; Digital Architecture for an Automated Plant, Automated Work Packages, Computer-Based Procedures for Field Workers, and the Online Monitoring efforts all have identified the need for a digital architecture and more importantly the need for a Seamless Digital Environment (SDE). A SDE provides a mean to access multiple applications, gather the data points needed, conduct the analysis requested, and present the result to the user with minimal or no effort by the user. During the 2016 annual Nuclear Information Technology Strategic Leadership (NITSL) group meeting the nuclear utilities identified the need for research focused on data analytics. The effort was to develop and evaluate use cases for data mining and analytics for employing information from plant sensors and database for use in developing improved business analytics. The goal of the study is to research potential approaches to building an analytics solution for equipment reliability, on a small scale, focusing on either a single piece of equipment or a single system. The analytics solution will likely consist of a data integration layer, predictive and machine learning layer and the user interface layer that will display the output of the analysis in a straight forward, easy to consume manner. This report describes the use case study initiated by NITSL and conducted in a collaboration between Idaho National Laboratory, Arizona Public Service – Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, and NextAxiom Inc.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
NASA NTRS1983

Satellite sensing capabilities for surface temperature and meteorological parameters over the ocean

Remote meteorological measurements over the oceans have been used extensively for weather forecasting, ship safety, and global-scale studies of climate and sea conditions. A review is conducted regarding the satellite-sensing capabilities for sea-surface temperature and tropospheric marine meteorological mesurements. The tropospheric measurements are concerned with vertical temperature profiles, integrated water vapor and liquid water, rain, aerosols and surface winds. Attention is also given to several environmental-monitoring applications where satellite sensed synoptic data might be combined with ground and airborne chemical measurements to provide improved assessments of regional and global ennvironmental quality and climatology. Special emphasis is given to current satellite measurement accuracies (errors) and to programs involving U.S. technology. Aspects of sea-surface temperature are treated in detail in connection with extensive studies concentrated in this area.

Darnell, W. L.↗
DOE OSTI2013

Field Performance of Heat Pump Water Heaters in the Northeast, Massachusetts and Rhode Island (Fact Sheet)

Heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) are finally entering the mainstream residential water heater market. Potential catalysts are increased consumer demand for higher energy efficiency electric water heating and a new Federal water heating standard that effectively mandates use of HPWHs for electric storage water heaters with nominal capacities greater than 55 gallons. When compared to electric resistance water heating, the energy and cost savings potential of HPWHs is tremendous. Converting all electric resistance water heaters to HPWHs could save American consumers 7.8 billion dollars annually ($182 per household) in water heating operating costs and cut annual residential source energy consumption for water heating by 0.70 quads. Steven Winter Associates, Inc. embarked on one of the first in situ studies of these newly released HPWH products through a partnership with two sponsoring electric utility companies, National Grid and NSTAR, and one sponsoring energy efficiency service program administrator, Cape Light Compact. Recent laboratory studies have measured performance of HPWHs under various operating conditions, but publicly available field studies have not been as available. This evaluation attempts to provide publicly available field data on new HPWHs by monitoring the performance of three recently released products (General Electric GeoSpring, A.O. Smith Voltex, and Stiebel Eltron Accelera 300). Fourteen HPWHs were installed in Massachusetts and Rhode Island and monitored for over a year. Of the 14 units, ten were General Electric models (50 gallon units), two were Stiebel Eltron models (80 gallon units), and two were A.O. Smith models (one 60-gallon and one 80-gallon unit).

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2021

Multidecadal Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program assessing human impacts on aquatic ecosystems within the Oak Ridge Reservation in eastern Tennessee, USA

Human activities can be powerful drivers of ecosystem change within catchments. While most long-term catchment studies have been conducted at pristine sites, such studies are less common from sites more impacted by human activity. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP) was developed in the mid-1980s to (1) assess compliance with environmental regulations, (2) identify causes of adverse ecological impacts, (3) provide data for human and ecological risk assessments, and (4) evaluate the effectiveness of remedial actions taken to mitigate the impacts of contaminants in soils, groundwater, and surface water by documenting ecological recovery on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR), a federally owned 33,476-acre site in eastern Tennessee, USA, managed by the U.S. Department of Energy. The ORR is composed of multiple watersheds containing many small to mid-size streams. BMAP uses an integrated approach for determining stream health; its databases include long-term seasonal records of contaminant concentrations in water and biota, data from aquatic toxicity testing, and surveys of macroinvertebrate and fish assemblages from impacted and reference streams. These long-term data provide valuable records of degradation and recovery in catchment ecosystems. Our objective in this work is to describe our study system and data series in order to increase awareness of the availability of these long-term data to the catchment science community.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Applications of GIS and remote sensing in public participation and stakeholder engagement for watershed management

The use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing technologies for the development of water quality management programs and for post-implementation assessments has increased dramatically in the past decade. This increase in adoption has been made more accessible through the interfaces of many popular software tools used in the regulation and assessment of water quality. Customized applications of these tools will increase, as ease of access and affordability of directly monitored and remotely sensed datasets improve over time. Concurrently, there is a need for inclusive participatory engagement with stakeholders to achieve solutions to current watershed management challenges. This paper explores the potential of these GIS and remote sensing datasets, tools, models, and immersive engagement technologies from other domains, for improving public participation and stakeholder engagement throughout the watershed planning process. To do so, an initial review is presented about the use of GIS and remote sensing in watershed management and its role in impairment identification, model development, and planning and implementation. Then, ways in which GIS and remote sensing can be integrated with stakeholder engagement through (1) leveraging GIS and remote sensing datasets, and (2) stakeholder engagement approaches including outreach and education, modeler-led development, and stakeholder-led involvement and feedback, are discussed. Finally, future perspectives on the potential for transforming public participation and stakeholder engagement in the watershed management process through applications of GIS and remote sensing are presented.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Field Performance of Heat Pump Water Heaters in the Northeast

Heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) are finally entering the mainstream residential water heater market. Potential catalysts are increased consumer demand for higher energy efficiency electric water heating and a new Federal water heating standard that effectively mandates use of HPWHs for electric storage water heaters with nominal capacities greater than 55 gallons. When compared to electric resistance water heating, the energy and cost savings potential of HPWHs is tremendous. Converting all electric resistance water heaters to HPWHs could save American consumers 7.8 billion dollars annually ($182 per household) in water heating operating costs and cut annual residential source energy consumption for water heating by 0.70 quads. Steven Winter Associates, Inc. embarked on one of the first in situ studies of these newly released HPWH products through a partnership with two sponsoring electric utility companies, National Grid and NSTAR, and one sponsoring energy efficiency service program administrator, Cape Light Compact. Recent laboratory studies have measured performance of HPWHs under various operating conditions, but publically available field studies have not been as available. This evaluation attempts to provide publicly available field data on new HPWHs by monitoring the performance of three recently released products (General Electric GeoSpring(TM), A.O. Smith Voltex(R), and Stiebel Eltron Accelera(R) 300). Fourteen HPWHs were installed in Massachusetts and Rhode Island and monitored for over a year. Of the 14 units, ten were General Electric models (50 gallon units), two were Stiebel Eltron models (80 gallon units), and two were A.O. Smith models (one 60-gallon and one 80-gallon unit).

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

A Synoptic System for Capturing Ecosystem Control Points Across Terrestrial‐Aquatic Interfaces

Interconnected landscape features such as terrestrial‐aquatic interfaces play an outsized role in biogeochemical cycles as ecosystem control points, but it is notoriously challenging to characterize these. Here, we document a synoptic sensor network design that is (a) flexible to accommodate diverse ecosystem interfaces and gradients, (b) adaptable to monitoring and modeling needs of small and large projects alike, (c) standardized for intercomparability across sites and field experiments, and (d) adequately replicated to capture heterogeneity of each parameter monitored. This real‐time monitoring of surface water, groundwater, soil, and vegetation supports configuration and evaluation of models that span upland, wetland, open water strata, and transitions between them. We established the network at seven sites along the Chesapeake Bay and Lake Erie coastlines, including large‐scale flood manipulation experiments in both regions. A central design element is “one data logger program to rule them all”—a collection of sensor‐specific modules deployed on 40 loggers controlling ∼2,000 sensors, with the goal of streamlining maintenance, debugging, and reproducible data processing. The network generates ∼6 M observations per month, capturing system dynamics at the broad spatial and fine temporal scales needed to initialize and benchmark models; measurement frequency can be modified remotely to capture events. This network design has also revealed behaviors not represented in Earth system models, such as transient groundwater oxygen pulses. Completely documented and open source, this standardized, flexible, and efficient sensor network design can reduce barriers to understanding environmental changes and ecosystem responses across systems and scales.

Ward, Nicholas D. [Pacific Northwest National Labo↗
NASA NTRS1990

Radiometer system requirements for microwave remote sensing from satellites

An area of increasing interest is the establishment of a significant research program in microwave remote sensing from satellites, particularly geosynchronous satellites. Due to the relatively small resolution cell sizes, a severe requirement is placed on beam efficiency specifications for the radiometer antenna. Geostationary satellite microwave radiometers could continuously monitor several important geophysical parameters over the world's oceans. These parameters include the columnar content of atmospheric liquid water (both cloud and rain) and water vapor, air temperature profiles, and possibly sea surface temperature. Two principle features of performance are of concern. The first is the ability of the radiometer system to resolve absolute temperatures with a very small absolute error, a capability that depends on radiometer system stability, on frequency bandwidth, and on footprint dwell time. The second is the ability of the radiometer to resolve changes in temperature from one resolution cell to the next when these temperatures are subject to wide variation over the overall field-of-view of the instrument. Both of these features are involved in the use of the radiometer data to construct high-resolution temperature maps with high absolute accuracy.

Juang, Jeng-Nan↗
DOE OSTI2025

Evaluation of an Accident Tolerant Fuel Leak in the Advanced Test Reactor

Accident Tolerant Fuels (ATF), which are nuclear fuel sources designed to withstand operational irregularities and incidents, have been a topic of interest in the nuclear industry for several decades. Interest in ATF technology surged following the 2011 accident at Fukushima Daiichi in Japan. At the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), one of Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL) four operating nuclear reactors, the ATF program is a collaborative effort between the national laboratory and various stakeholders within the nuclear industry. This program focuses on the research and development of novel fuel compositions, cladding, and component materials with enhanced accident-resistant properties. During one of ATR’s 60-day operating cycles in 2024, the reactor experienced five unplanned shutdowns. Following the fifth shutdown, radiation monitors detected an increase in radiation levels coming from the loop piping. Subsequent water samples confirmed the cause was a leak of fission products from the ATF experiment, designated as ATF-2C. The source of the leak was identified as the instrumented section of the test train. The primary discussions in this paper are 1) the design of the ATF test train, 2) the operating parameters leading up to and following the detection of the leak, and 3) the quantification and characterization of the released fission products.

Accident Tolerant Fuels↗
DOE OSTI2025

Evaluation of an Accident Tolerant Fuel Leak in the Advanced Test Reactor

Accident Tolerant Fuels (ATF), which are nuclear fuel sources designed to withstand operational irregularities and incidents, have been a topic of interest in the nuclear industry for several decades. Interest in ATF technology surged following the 2011 accident at Fukushima Daiichi in Japan. At the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), one of Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL) four operating nuclear reactors, the ATF program is a collaborative effort between the national laboratory and various stakeholders within the nuclear industry. This program focuses on the research and development of novel fuel compositions, cladding, and component materials with enhanced accident-resistant properties. During one of ATR’s 60-day operating cycles in 2024, the reactor experienced five unplanned shutdowns. Following the fifth shutdown, radiation monitors detected an increase in radiation levels coming from the loop piping. Subsequent water samples confirmed the cause was a leak of fission products from the ATF experiment, designated as ATF-2C. The source of the leak was identified as the instrumented section of the test train. The primary discussions in this presentation are 1) the design of the ATF test train, 2) the operating parameters leading up to and following the detection of the leak, and 3) the quantification and characterization of the released fission products.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Pairing high-frequency data with a link-node model to manage dissolved oxygen impairment in a dredged estuary

High-frequency data and a link-node model were used to investigate the relative importance of mass loads of oxygen-demanding substances and channel geometry on recurrent low dissolved oxygen (DO) in the San Joaquin River Estuary in California. The model was calibrated using 6 years of data. The calibrated model was then used to determine the significance of the following factors on low DO: excavation of the river to allow navigation of large vessels, non-point source pollution from the agricultural watershed, effluent from a wastewater treatment plant, and non-point source pollution from an urban area. An alternative metric for low DO, excess net oxygen demand (ENOD), was applied to better characterize DO impairment. Model results indicate that the dredged ship channel had the most significant effect on DO (62 % fewer predicted hourly DO violations), followed by mass load inputs from the watershed (52 % fewer predicted hourly DO violations). Model results suggest that elimination of any one factor will not completely resolve DO impairment and that continued use of supplemental aeration is warranted. Calculation of ENOD proved more informative than the sole use of DO. Application of the simple model allowed for interpretation of the extensive data collected. The current monitoring program could be enhanced by additional monitoring stations that would provide better volumetric estimates of low DO.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2004

AQUARIUS: A Passive/Active Microwave Sensor to Monitor Sea Surface Salinity Globally from Space

Salinity is important for understanding ocean dynamics, energy exchange with the atmosphere and the global water cycle. Existing data is limited and much of the ocean has never even been sampled. Sea surface salinity can be measured remotely by satellite and a three year mission for this purpose called AquariudSAC-D has recently been selected by NASA's Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP) program. The objective is to map the salinity field globally with a spatial resolution of 100 km and a monthly average accuracy of 0.2 psu. The mission, scheduled for launch in 2008, is a partnership of the United States National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) and the Argentine Comision National de Actividades Epaciales (CONAE).

LeVine, David↗
NASA NTRS2016

On-orbit RNA Purification and qRT-PCR Capabilities of the WetLab-2 System

NASA Ames Research Center’s WetLab-2 system brings new capabilities to the ISS for researchers. The system can lyse cells and extract RNA on-orbit from different sample types ranging from microbial cultures to animal tissues. Our purification method has the advantage of using non-toxic chemicals and does not require alcohols or other organics. The purified RNA can then either be stabilized for return to Earth or can be used to conduct on-orbit quantitative Reverse Transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis without the need for sample return. qRT-PCR reactions are performed by dispensing the RNA into reaction tubes that contain all lyophilized reagents needed to perform the analysis. The system uses a Cepheid® SmartCycler that allows for multiplexing of assays, this can be used to normalize for RNA concentration and integrity and to study multiple genes of interest in each tube. There are a total of 16 independent PCR modules each capable of detecting up to four fluorescent channels. The WetLab- 2 system can downlink data from the ISS to the ground after a completed run and uplink new thermal cycling programs. The ability to purify and stabilize RNA on-orbit can eliminate the confounding effects of reentry stresses and shock acting on live cells and organisms or the concern of RNA degradation of some samples. It also has the benefit of minimizing the needed downmass. Conducting qRT-PCR and generating results on-orbit is also an important step towards utilizing the ISS as a National Laboratory facility. Specifically, the ability to get on-orbit data will provide investigators with the opportunity to adjust experimental parameters in real time without the need for sample return and re-flight. On orbit gene expression analysis can also provide benchmarking prior to sample return. The system can also be used for analysis of air, surface, water, and clinical samples to monitor environmental pathogens and crew health. The validation flight of the WetLab-2 system using E. coli bacteria and mouse liver is scheduled to launch on SpaceX-8 this spring. Pending operations, the preliminary results from the validation flight will be presented. To support the needs of future researchers, we are adapting our system to purify RNA from two additional sample types: fibrous tissue such as muscle and mammalian adherent cells grown on alginate beads. Progress of this work will also be presented. The WetLab-2 Project is supported by the Research Integration Office in the ISS Program.

Parra, Macarena↗
DOE OSTI2013

Wyandotte Neighborhood Stabilization Program: Retrofit of Two Homes

The Wyandotte NSP2 project aims to build 20 new houses and retrofit 20 existing houses in Wyandotte, MI. This report will detail the retrofit of 2 existing houses in the program. Wyandotte is part of a Michigan State Housing Development Authority-led consortium that is funded by HUD under the NSP2 program. The City of Wyandotte has also been awarded DOE EE&CBG funds that are being used to develop a district GSHP system to service the project. This draft report examines the energy efficiency recommendations for retrofit construction at these homes. The report will be of interest to anyone planning an affordable, high performance retrofit of an existing home in a Cold Climate zone. Information from this report will also be useful to retrofit or weatherization program staff as some of the proposed retrofit solutions will apply to a wide range of projects. Preliminary results from the first complete house suggest that the technology package employed (which includes spray foam insulation and insulating sheathing) does meet the specific whole house water, air, and thermal control requirements, as well as, the project's affordability goals. Monitoring of the GSHP system has been recommended and analysis of this information is not yet available.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2013

Wyandotte Neighborhood Stabilization Program: Retrofit of Two Homes

The Wyandotte NSP2 project aims to build 20 new houses and retrofit 20 existing houses in Wyandotte, MI. Wyandotte is part of a Michigan State Housing Development Authority-led consortium that is funded by HUD under the NSP2 program. The City of Wyandotte has also been awarded DOE EE&CBG funds that are being used to develop a district ground source heat pump (GSHP) system to service the project. This report details the retrofit of two existing houses in the program, and examines the energy efficiency recommendations for the homes. The report will be of interest to anyone planning an affordable, high performance retrofit of an existing home in a cold climate zone. Information from this report will also be useful to retrofit or weatherization program staff as some of the proposed retrofit solutions will apply to a wide range of projects. Preliminary results from the first complete house suggest that the technology package employed (which includes spray foam insulation and insulating sheathing) does meet the specific whole house water, air, and thermal control requirements, as well as, the project’s affordability goals. Monitoring of the GSHP system has been recommended and analysis of this information is not yet available.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗