Los Angeles Building Morphology Parameters
132 urban parameters in csv format for 3200m x 3200m tiles of Los Angeles
Sweet-Breu, Levi↗
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Los Angeles Building Morphology Parameters
132 urban parameters in csv format for 3200m x 3200m tiles of Los Angeles
Allen-Dumas, Melissa↗
iButton snow-ground interface temperature measurements in Los Alamos, New Mexico from 2023-2024
Snow/ground interface temperature measurements were collected at two sites in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Data were collected from November 29, 2023 to April 8, 2024 using iButton Link DS1921G-F5# Thermochron miniature temperature sensors (https://www.ibuttonlink.com/products/ds1921g). These sensors are a cost-efficient way to collect snowpack temperatures at a higher spatial resolution than what is normally achieved. iButton data were collected every 3 hours from a total of 19 iButtons. iButtons were placed in pairs, with one iButton placed at the ground surface and another buried 1 - 5 cm below the ground surface. One buried iButton did not successfully collect data, and therefore was excluded from this dataset. Data were collected throughout the snow cover season so that snowpack characteristics could be derived using the temperature data. Specifically, this dataset was used as a validation source for a novel machine learning approach to estimating snow depth (see related publication). Sensors were placed in areas with bare ground or minimal grass coverage, located away from any large vegetation. At Site A (TA51), manual snow depths were collected as validation data. These measurements were taken next to iButtons periodically throughout the winter, and notes on other precipitation types were also recorded. At Site B (TA6 Meteorological Station), a nearby sensor collected snow depths throughout the winter. This dataset contains one *.csv file of snow/ground interface temperatures at two sites, one *.csv file of manually collected snow depths, and one *.kml file of sensor locations. The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic) was a 15-year research effort (2012-2027) to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy’s Office of Biological and Environmental Research.The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska.Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy’s Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
FLUXNET-CH4 US-Los Lost Creek
This is the FLUXNET-CH4 version of the carbon flux data for the site US-Los Lost Creek.
Desai, Ankur R.↗
Los Alamos National Laboratory SAVY-4000 Field Surveillance Plan Update for 2020
The Packaging Surveillance Program section of the Department of Energy (DOE) Manual 441.1-1, Nuclear Material Packaging Manual (DOE 2008), requires DOE contractors to “ensure that a surveillance program is established and implemented to ensure the nuclear material storage package continues to meet its design criteria.” The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) SAVY-4000 Field Surveillance Plan was first issued in fiscal year (FY) 2013. The surveillance plan is reviewed annually and updated as necessary based on SAVY-4000 surveillance findings, as well as results of the lifetime extension studies. Five surveillance plan updates have been issued, one in 2014, one in 2016, one in 2017, one in 2018, and one in 2019. This 2020 update documents what was actually done in 2019 and what is planned for 2020. Deviations from the 2019 surveillance plan were necessary because some of the planned surveillance containers were not available for examination. The goal of the surveillance program is to provide data to: evaluate container component performance over time against the initial baseline qualification; validate the current SAVY container design life; provide data for future design life extensions of components as indicated; identify indications of container degradation early and identify similar containers and/or contents that may need remediation; maintain and continuously improve the surveillance information system that documents the complete life cycle of the containers including the initial production baseline, usage history, surveillance, and disposition; identify container issues related to wear and tear that could indicate the need for a maintenance program for in-service containers prior to the end of the design life.
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
Long-Term Monitoring & Stewardship at Los Alamos National Laboratory [Slides]
Development and implementation of the Institutional Control Evaluation Project will include: Evaluate institutional surface water controls and infrastructure installed by LANL. Implement pilot project in the Los Alamos Canyon Watershed Spring, 2020. Initial evaluations will include canyon bottom controls with plan to expand program as funding allows. This will be a building block for successful Long-Term Monitoring and Stewardship (LTM&S) Program.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Notification of Operational Scope Change for the FTWC Venting Project at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)
This letter is intended to provide you an update on the scope of work for the venting of the Flanged Tritium Waste Containers (FTWCs) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Technical Area (TA-) 54. This project was described in the Application for Pre-Construction Approval 1 ("the Application") that was approved by EPA Region 6 on May 22, 2019. As operational planning for this project has been finalized, the scope of work described in the Application has slightly changed. The project has now determined that each FTWC may be vented multiple times, and these venting activities may take place at more than one location. The original application only discussed a single venting operation for each FTWC at a single location, TA-54. However, the radionuclide inventory and expected air releases remain bounded by the values described in the Application.
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
2019 Results for Avian Monitoring of Inorganic and Organic Element Concentrations in Passerine Eggs and a Nestling Collected from Technical Area 16 Burn Grounds, Technical Area 36 Minie, and Technical Area 39 Point 6 at Los Alamos National Laboratory
In 2019, non-viable avian eggs and one nestling were opportunistically collected at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) near open detonation sites located at Technical Area (TA) 16 burn grounds, TA-36 Minie, and TA-39 Point 6. These samples were evaluated for inorganic elements (mostly metals), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, and furans. A total of 26 western bluebird (Sialia mexicana) and five mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides) egg samples and one non-viable ash-throated flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) nestling were collected among the three locations of interest. Concentrations of inorganic elements observed in this study were compared with the regional statistical reference level (RSRL) which is the upper-level bounds of background concentrations (mean + three standard deviations = 99% confidence interval). Several inorganic elements were not detected in avian eggs and the majority of inorganic elements detected were below the RSRL. The few elements that exceeded the RSRL were below the lowest observable adverse effect level (LOAEL), when available. One nestling collected from TA-16 contained detectable concentrations of some dioxin and furan congeners. Octachlorodibenzodioxin-1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9 concentration exceeded the RSRL, but did not exceed the calculated tetrachlorodibenzodioxin-2,3,7,8 (TCDD) toxic equivalent LOAEL. PCBs were also detected in the nestling sample and were above the RSRL but below the LOAEL. These data suggest that inorganic and organic element concentrations in eggs and nestlings are not of ecological concern. More data are needed to make a robust assessment and to evaluate trends over time.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Meteorological Tower Network Expansion Pilot Project Siting Considerations to Ensure Data Quality and Representativeness of Three New Meteorological Towers at Los Alamos National Laboratory
Associated with the Meteorological Tower Network Expansion Pilot Project by the Environmental Protection and Compliance (EPC) Compliance Programs (CP) Meteorology and Air Quality (MAQ) team, the purpose of this technical report is to establish requisite justification for the siting of three 10-meter high instrumented meteorological towers at three new locations on the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) site. These towers and their associated instrumentation are similar in scope to the existing 10-meter meteorological tower that is collecting meteorological data in Mortandad Canyon (MDCN). The conclusions and recommendations in this technical report will inform LANL management, EPC-CP MAQ staff, and other LANL divisions of the criteria employed for the selection of the final location for siting these three new towers. Meeting such comprehensive criteria will ensure that all data acquired will be spatially representative for meeting the diverse Safety Basis (SB), emergency management, and operations organizations programmatic needs and analytical data input requirements to its codes.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Los Alamos Recapitalization Project Prioritization—Summary Using Generic Project Names
The purpose of this document is to provide a standard method of prioritizing proposals for NNSA’s NA-50 Office of Safety, Infrastructure, and Operations recapitalization projects under the auspices of the Los Alamos Weapons Infrastructure Program Office (WI-PO). The framework described here has the goal of providing a consistent method by which all proposals are ranked from a pre-determined set of criteria. The results of this study are not expected to be definitive but rather provide input for management decisions. The top-ranked projects can be pursued further to become the focus for an appropriate fiscal year NA-50 funding cycle. A recapitalization team of subject matter experts (SMEs) and managers used multi-attribute decision analysis to determine the top priority NA-50 projects for FY2022. Ratings of seven criteria against twelve projects were combined with four weighting perspectives to provide the final results.
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗
Analysis of the Frequency of Extreme Precipitation Events at Los Alamos National Laboratory
The Environmental Protection and Compliance (EPC) Storm Water Permitting and Compliance Program is currently updating its stormwater compliance standards for the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Engineering Standards Manual (2015) and is addressing the required current meteorological data needed for storm water applications. Information on the frequency of extreme precipitation events at LANL is needed. In response to this request, LANL Meteorology & Air Quality (MAQ) was tasked to estimate the frequency of extreme precipitation events. An earlier study by Foley (2012) which estimated extreme precipitation rates at LANL for a set of duration periods and average recurrence intervals (return periods) was evaluated. However, it was determined that this study would not be helpful since its technical support documentation was unavailable and the meteorological data and the methodology employed were not well understood. This led to the need to develop a new peer-reviewed methodology. This report documents the development of the new methodology and the application of a temporally representative precipitation dataset from February 1990 through December 2018, monitored at the official LANL meteorological station, Technical Area (TA)-6, to develop the frequency of extreme precipitation events.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Site-wide occupancy assessment using camera traps for seven mammalian species at Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL or Laboratory) is committed to solving national security challenges through scientific excellence and has been serving the nation and northern New Mexico for over 70 years. Being located on the Pajarito Plateau in the eastern flanks of the Jemez Mountains, the Laboratory is surrounded by a rich diversity of plants and animals. It is common to see many different species of wildlife on Laboratory property; however, sometimes interactions with wildlife can be negative. Vehicle accidents with wildlife have become a common occurrence. With the current and ongoing expansion of the Laboratory on the Pajarito Plateau, it has the potential to further impact wildlife movement including large game species. Local agencies and tribal Pueblos rely on large game species and do not want these species to be restricted from moving across property boundaries. Temporal and spatial aspects of where wildlife occur on the site is a phenomena that is either not well understood in uncommon species or needs periodic reevaluation for common species. Estimating the distribution of multiple species across the landscape provides wildlife biologists with crucial information for monitoring and conserving animal populations in a particular area. Utilizing motion activated wildlife cameras, also known as camera traps, to monitor wildlife populations has become an essential tool for biologists. Camera traps are non-invasive and cost-effective and can document multiple elusive or uncommon wildlife species, such as carnivores, simultaneously. Occupancy modeling provides a flexible framework for the analysis of the distribution for multiple wildlife species. It explicitly recognizes whether a species is spatially common or rare (occupancy = ψ) and if that species is easy or hard to detect (detection probability = p ). Multispecies and multi-season occupancy models can detect trends in species occupancy because individual species may vary in seasonal movements, detection probability, and transition rates between habitats. In this study, we assessed the site as a whole to ascertain when and where medium and large mammal species are present. Understanding wildlife patterns at the Laboratory will better inform future management decisions regarding land use and development strategies. We placed motion activated wildlife cameras in a random systematic sampling design and used these data to create occupancy models. We tested for differences in single-species occupancy and detection probability by season of mammal species captured on 20 camera traps placed across the Laboratory in a 40 mi² (103 km²) area. We focus the interpretation of our findings on seven mammal species found during this study. They are Rocky Mountain elk ( Cervus canadensis nelsoni ; hereafter “elk”), mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus ; hereafter “deer”), mountain lion ( Puma concolor ; hereafter “lion”), American black bear ( Ursus americanus ; hereafter “bear”), coyote ( Canis latrans ), bobcat ( Lynx rufus ), and gray fox ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus ; hereafter “fox”).
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
The Road to Trinity: Seventy-five years ago, Los Alamos scientists detonated the world’s first nuclear explosion
With a brilliant hot flash and a loud boom, the giant mushroom cloud with its fiery core filled the predawn sky above the New Mexico desert. The nuclear age had begun. It was 75 years ago on July 16, 1945, that Los Alamos scientists changed the world with the successful detonation of “the Gadget” – the device created to test the Fat Man implosion-type plutonium weapon before it was taken into combat. However, the road to Trinity, as the test was named by J. Robert Oppenheimer, who is thought to have been inspired by a line in a John Donne poem, was a difficult one.
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗
Estimating a protection factor from homemade facemasks for Los Alamos radioactive aerosols
The Los Alamos National Laboratory has required usage of facemasks “whenever interacting with or near others." The present document estimates the respiratory protection factor of homemade facemasks to be 1.4 and 1.2 for aerosol particles, below and above 0.3 μm diameter, respectively. This includes an estimated leakage of 70% and 52% for aerosol particles below and above 0.3 μm diameter, respectively.
61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗
Los Alamos National Laboratory Hazardous Waste Facility Permit Community Relations Plan
The requirements of the Hazardous Waste Facility Permit are fulfilled through execution of LANL's fourth strategic goal: “Enabling mission delivery through next-generation facility, infrastructure, and operational excellence.” With input from our stakeholders, we will continue to fulfill those requirements and to improve our waste operations. In 2015, the Laboratory purpose statement focused waste management efforts by directing delivery of mission success through operational effectiveness and scientific excellence. This Plan advances that purpose through community involvement. In the process of achieving our national security mission, Los Alamos National Laboratory generates some hazardous and mixed waste. Hazardous waste is solid waste that is dangerous or potentially harmful to human health or the environment. Hazardous wastes can be liquids, solids, gases, or sludges. They can be discarded as commercial products, such as cleaning fluids or pesticides, or as the byproducts of operations. Specific substances are listed in 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 261: 40 CFR Part 261. Hazardous waste management activities are regulated by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) pursuant to New Mexico Hazardous Waste Act (HWA; Chapter 74, Article 4 NMSA 1978) and regulations under the Act. In 1989, NMED issued the Hazardous Waste Facility Permit (EPA ID Number NM0890010515-1) that established standards for the Laboratory to manage, store, and treat hazardous wastes on-site and to undertake the closure, post closure care, and cleanup as necessary, of permitted waste management units. On November 30, 2010, NMED renewed the Hazardous Waste Facility Permit (the Permit). In June 2020 the Permittees submitted a permit renewal application to the NMED for their review and approval. The Hazardous Waste Facility Permit Community Relations Plan (CRP) describes the scope of public involvement in the activities of the Permit. The CRP is specifically designed to facilitate the community outreach, engagement, and relations activities concerning the Laboratory’s Hazardous Waste Facility Permit and coordinates with but does not include public involvement for other Laboratory programs, initiatives, or environmental activities.
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Criticality Safety: Early Accidents at Los Alamos [Slides]
The results of an experiment can never be considered a failure. Analyses of the results often suggest modifications to theories and procedures to improve the understanding of the underlying principles. In a similar way, observation and analyses of accidents suggest modifications to procedures and behavior to minimize repetition. The lecture covers early accidents at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
Los Alamos National Laboratory Meteorology Monitoring Program: 2019 Data Completeness (Quality Report)
This report summarizes data completeness by tower and by instrument for 2019 and compares that data with the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and the ANSI/ANS-3.11-2015 standard. This report is designed to make data users aware of data completeness and any data quality issues. LANL meteorology monitoring goals include 95% completeness for all measurements. The ANS 2015 standard requires 90% completeness for all measurements. This report documents instrument/tower issues as they impact data completeness.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Transuranic Waste Volume Reduction Methods for Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL, or the Lab) is one of the United States’ (U.S.) weapons complex nuclear security laboratories; it is owned by the Department of Energy (DOE) and operated by Triad National Security, LLC. LANL’s mission is to solve national security challenges through scientific excellence, which includes nuclear deterrence and stockpile stewardship. Such activities generate a variety of radioactive waste types, including transuranic (TRU) waste. The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is under a congressional mandate to produce no fewer than 80 plutonium pits per year by 2030 to meet Department of Defense requirements and support the nuclear deterrent. LANL is responsible for producing at least 30 pits per year by 2026, while the Savannah River Site will produce 50 pits per year by 2030. As of August 2018, the NNSA TRU waste inventory at LANL was at 53% capacity. In order to ensure the nuclear material missions are able to continue uninterrupted, the storage of TRU waste needs to remain below 60% of total capacity. As LANL increases production and prepares to meet the 30 pits per year goal, waste generation will increase substantially. Thus, there is a need to rejuvenate current infrastructure and implement TRU waste reduction methods in the coming years.
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