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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2001

Evidence of root zone hypoxia in Brassica rapa L. grown in microgravity

A series of experiments was conducted aboard the U.S. space shuttle and the Mir space station to evaluate microgravity-induced root zone hypoxia in rapid-cycling Brassica (Brassica rapa L.), using both root and foliar indicators of low-oxygen stress to the root zone. Root systems from two groups of plants 15 and 30 d after planting, grown in a phenolic foam nutrient delivery system on the shuttle (STS-87), were harvested and fixed for microscopy or frozen for enzyme assays immediately postflight or following a ground-based control. Activities of fermentative enzymes were measured as indicators of root zone hypoxia and metabolism. Following 16 d of microgravity, ADH (alcohol dehydrogenase) activity was increased in the spaceflight roots 47% and 475% in the 15-d-old and 30-d-old plants, respectively, relative to the ground control. Cytochemical localization showed ADH activity in only the root tips of the space-grown plants. Shoots from plants that were grown from seed in flight in a particulate medium on the Mir station were harvested at 13 d after planting and quick-frozen and stored in flight in a gaseous nitrogen freezer or chemically fixed in flight for subsequent microscopy. When compared to material from a high-fidelity ground control, concentrations of shoot sucrose and total soluble carbohydrate were significantly greater in the spaceflight treatment according to enzymatic carbohydrate analysis. Stereological analysis of micrographs of sections from leaf and cotyledon tissue fixed in flight and compared with ground controls indicated no changes in the volume of protoplast, cell wall, and intercellular space in parenchyma cells. Within the protoplasm, the volume occupied by starch was threefold higher in the spaceflight than in the ground control, with a concomitant decrease in vacuolar volume in the spaceflight treatment. Both induction of fermentative enzyme activity in roots and accumulation of carbohydrates in foliage have been repeatedly shown to occur in response to root zone oxygen deprivation. These results indicate that root zone hypoxia is a persistent challenge in spaceflight plant growth experiments and may be caused by microgravity-induced changes in fluid and gas distribution.

long duration↗
NASA NTRS1993

The role of the distal elongation zone in the response of maize roots to auxin and gravity

We used a video digitizer system to (a) measure changes in the pattern of longitudinal surface extension in primary roots of maize (Zea mays L.) upon application and withdrawal of auxin and (b) compare these patterns during gravitropism in control roots and roots pretreated with auxin. Special attention was paid to the distal elongation zone (DEZ), arbitrarily defined as the region between the meristem and the point within the elongation zone at which the rate of elongation reaches 0.3 of the peak rate. For roots in aqueous solution, the basal limit of the DEZ is about 2.5 mm behind the tip of the root cap. Auxin suppressed elongation throughout the elongation zone, but, after 1 to 3 h, elongation resumed, primarily as a result of induction of rapid elongation in the DEZ. Withdrawal of auxin during the period of strong inhibition resulted in exceptionally rapid elongation attributable to the initiation of rapid elongation in the DEZ plus recovery in the main elongation zone. Gravistimulation of auxin-inhibited roots induced rapid elongation in the DEZ along the top of the root. This resulted in rapid gravitropism even though the elongation rate of the root was zero before gravistimulation. The results indicate that cells of the DEZ differ from cells in the bulk of the elongation zone with respect to auxin sensitivity and that DEZ cells play an important role in gravitropism.

NASA Discipline Plant Biology↗
NASA NTRS2000

Mapping the zone of eye-height utility for seated and standing observers

In a series of experiments, we delimited a region within the vertical axis of space in which eye height (EH) information is used maximally to scale object heights, referred to as the "zone of eye height utility" (Wraga, 1999b Journal of Experimental Psychology, Human Perception and Performance 25 518-530). To test the lower limit of the zone, linear perspective (on the floor) was varied via introduction of a false perspective (FP) gradient while all sources of EH information except linear perspective were held constant. For seated (experiment 1a) observers, the FP gradient produced overestimations of height for rectangular objects up to 0.15 EH tall. This value was taken to be just outside the lower limit of the zone. This finding was replicated in a virtual environment, for both seated (experiment 1b) and standing (experiment 2) observers. For the upper limit of the zone, EH information itself was manipulated by lowering observers' center of projection in a virtual scene. Lowering the effective EH of standing (experiment 3) and seated (experiment 4) observers produced corresponding overestimations of height for objects up to about 2.5 EH. This zone of approximately 0.20-2.5 EH suggests that the human visual system weights size information differentially, depending on its efficacy.

NASA Discipline Space Human Factors↗
NASA NTRS1998

Analysis of changes in relative elemental growth rate patterns in the elongation zone of Arabidopsis roots upon gravistimulation

Although Arabidopsis is an important system for studying root physiology, the localized growth patterns of its roots have not been well defined, particularly during tropic responses. In order to characterize growth rate profiles along the apex of primary roots of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh (ecotype Columbia) we applied small charcoal particles to the root surface and analyzed their displacement during growth using an automated video digitizer system with custom software for tracking the markers. When growing vertically, the maximum elongation rate occurred 481 +/- 50 microns back from the extreme tip of the root (tip of root cap), and the elongation zone extended back to 912 +/- 137 microns. The distal elongation zone (DEZ) has previously been described as the apical region of the elongation zone in which the relative elemental growth rate (REGR) is < or = 30% of the peak rate in the central elongation zone. By this definition, our data indicate that the basal limit of the DEZ was located 248 +/- 30 microns from the root tip. However, after gravistimulation, the growth patterns of the root changed. Within the first hour of graviresponse, the basal limit of the DEZ and the position of peak REGR shifted apically on the upper flank of the root. This was due to a combination of increased growth in the DEZ and growth inhibition in the central elongation zone. On the lower flank, the basal limit of the DEZ shifted basipetally as the REGR decreased. These factors set up the gradient of growth rate across the root, which drives curvature.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS2007

Al, Ti, and Cr: Complex Zoning in Synthetic and Natural Nakhlite Pyroxenes

Nakhlites are olivine-bearing clinopyroxene cumulates. The cumulus pyroxenes have cores that are relatively homogeneous in Fe, Mg, and Ca, but show complex zoning of minor elements, especially Al, Ti, and Cr. Zoning patterns contain information about crystallization history parent magma compositions. But it has proven difficult to decipher this information and translate the zoning patterns into petrogenetic processes. This abstract reports results of high-precision Electron Probe MicroAnalysis (EPMA) analysis of synthetic nakhlite pyroxenes run at fO2 from IW to QFM. It compares these with concurrent analyses of natural nakhlite MIL03346 (MIL), and with standardprecision analyses of Y000593 (Y593) collected earlier. Results suggest that (1) different processes are responsible for the zoning of MIL and other more slowly-cooled nakhlites such as Y593, and (2) changes in oxidation conditions during MIL crystallization are not responsible for the unusual Cr zoning pattern

McKay, G.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Molecular-dynamics Simulation-based Cohesive Zone Representation of Intergranular Fracture Processes in Aluminum

A traction-displacement relationship that may be embedded into a cohesive zone model for microscale problems of intergranular fracture is extracted from atomistic molecular-dynamics simulations. A molecular-dynamics model for crack propagation under steady-state conditions is developed to analyze intergranular fracture along a flat 99 [1 1 0] symmetric tilt grain boundary in aluminum. Under hydrostatic tensile load, the simulation reveals asymmetric crack propagation in the two opposite directions along the grain boundary. In one direction, the crack propagates in a brittle manner by cleavage with very little or no dislocation emission, and in the other direction, the propagation is ductile through the mechanism of deformation twinning. This behavior is consistent with the Rice criterion for cleavage vs. dislocation blunting transition at the crack tip. The preference for twinning to dislocation slip is in agreement with the predictions of the Tadmor and Hai criterion. A comparison with finite element calculations shows that while the stress field around the brittle crack tip follows the expected elastic solution for the given boundary conditions of the model, the stress field around the twinning crack tip has a strong plastic contribution. Through the definition of a Cohesive-Zone-Volume-Element an atomistic analog to a continuum cohesive zone model element - the results from the molecular-dynamics simulation are recast to obtain an average continuum traction-displacement relationship to represent cohesive zone interaction along a characteristic length of the grain boundary interface for the cases of ductile and brittle decohesion. Keywords: Crack-tip plasticity; Cohesive zone model; Grain boundary decohesion; Intergranular fracture; Molecular-dynamics simulation

Yamakov, Vesselin I.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Fatigue Failure Modes of the Grain Size Transition Zone in a Dual Microstructure Disk

Mechanical property requirements vary with location in nickel-based superalloy disks. In order to maximize the associated mechanical properties, heat treatment methods have been developed for producing tailored grain microstructures. In this study, fatigue failure modes of a grain size transition zone in a dual microstructure disk were evaluated. A specialized heat treatment method was applied to produce varying grain microstructure in the bore to rim portions of a powder metallurgy processed nickel-based superalloy disk. The transition in grain size was concentrated in a zone of the disk web, between the bore and rim. Specimens were extracted parallel and transversely across this transition zone, and multiple fatigue tests were performed at 427 C and 704 C. Grain size distributions were characterized in the specimens, and related to operative failure initiation modes. Mean fatigue life decreased with increasing maximum grain size, going out through the transition zone. The scatter in limited tests of replicates was comparable for failures of uniform gage specimens in all transition zone locations examined.

Gabb, Timothy P.↗
NASA NTRS2022

Launch Complex 34, SWMU Cc054 2021 DNAPL Source Zone Operations, Maintenance, and Monitoring, and Hot Spot 6 Air Sparge System Annual Performance Monitoring Report Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida

This Annual Performance Monitoring Report (PMR) for the Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL) Source Zone (DSZ) and Hot Spot 6 (HS 6) Air Sparge (AS) System presents the results of Year 12 operation of the hydraulic containment (HC) Interim Measure (IM), the results of performance monitoring direct-push technology (DPT) sampling and monitoring well sampling conducted in the DSZ, and the results of operations and performance sampling of the HS 6 AS IM at Launch Complex 34 (LC34), located at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS), Florida. Site-wide biennial LTM sampling was not conducted during this reporting period and is scheduled to be conducted in December 2022. The timeframe for activities documented in this PMR extends from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. LC34 has been designated Solid Waste Management Unit CC054 under the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Corrective Action Program. The objective of the HC IM at LC34 is to contain the DSZ and deep dissolved-phase trichloroethene (TCE) high concentration plume via operation of a hydraulic containment system (HCS). The pre-IM design 300 micrograms per liter (μg/L) TCE groundwater contour was used to establish the deep zone capture area for deep recovery wells, and the shallow zone capture area was defined by the DSZ. The system began operating in 2010, and in 2015, the system was expanded to provide HC for areas within the 300 μg/L TCE groundwater isocontours of HS 3 and 4. In 2018 and 2019, an investigation was conducted to re-characterize the DSZ, which included investigating TCE mass in Layer 7. This data was subsequently used to optimize the pumping rates of the HCS to more adequately capture residual contaminant mass. The operational period for Year 12 of the HCS was from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. Operational runtime for the system was 94 percent during Year 12, with downtime events attributed to planned maintenance, system repairs, and power outages. As of March 31, 2022, a total of 285,712,801 gallons of groundwater containing 84,933 pounds of VOCs have been removed by the HCS. Influent concentrations of TCE have decreased since startup from approximately 280,000 µg/L (January 2010) to 12,000 µg/L (March 2022). During the reporting period, all effluent concentrations from the HCS (aqueous and vapor) were below regulatory reporting limits, indicating the system continues to operate as intended. Performance monitoring was conducted in December 2021 within the DSZ to evaluate TCE contamination. Groundwater samples were collected via DPT at nine locations, consistent with previous events in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. Full vertical profile sampling was completed at each DPT from 8 to 98 ft bls, at 5 foot intervals. The DPT performance monitoring results are summarized in this PMR. The results revealed TCE remains at concentrations greater than 11,000 µg/L in the DSZ (1-percent solubility, indicative of DNAPL) at eight of the nine DPT locations at depths ranging from 8 to 98 ft bls. An overall increasing trend of TCE concentrations was observed in DPT samples during this reporting period, which may be due to several recovery wells that were turned off during the AS Pilot Study in the DSZ that operated from July 2021 to February 2022 (documented separately from this report). The maximum TCE concentration in 2021 was 15,400,000 µg/L in the 58 ft bls depth interval at DPT597 (previous maximum result in 2020 was 1,690,000 at 48 ft bls at DPT596). During the 2021 DPT event, the overall majority of TCE contamination was identified in the 58 ft bls interval (below Layer 4), where in the previous year the majority of mass was observed in Layer 4. This trend appears to indicate continued mass discharge from Layer 4 (fine-grained unit). In addition to DPT sampling, monitoring well samples were collected from deep wells in the DSZ area (Layers 7 and 8) to verify vertical delineation. All monitoring well results were non-detect or below cleanup levels, with exception of one well (IW0162, screened 105 to 115 ft bls, which is below the existing recovery well capture zone) where TCE was identified above cleanup target levels. The HS 6 AS system remained operational during the reporting period covered under this report. The HS 6 AS IM was initiated in 2018 with 160 AS wells, and expanded in 2019 with an additional 140 AS wells. Quarterly performance monitoring was reduced to semi-annual prior to this operational period. The results of the HS 6 system operation and semi-annual performance monitoring are summarized in this report. Semi-annual monitoring results collected in April and October 2021 show concentrations of contaminants of concern (cis-1,2-dichloroethene, trans-1,2- dichloroethene, and vinyl chloride) are generally decreasing and not impacting the surface water drainage canal, indicating the HS 6 IM is meeting objectives. Overall, the tasks associated with Year 12 operation of the HC IM and operation of the HS 6 AS IM were performed in accordance with the recommendations of the 2020 LC34 (Year 11) Operations, Maintenance, and Monitoring Report for DNAPL Source Zone, Site Wide LongTerm Monitoring, and Hot Spot 6 Air Sparging System PMR (NASA, 2021c). Evaluation of results from the HC IM and HS 6 IM show that these systems are operating as designed and meeting performance objectives.

trichloroethene↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Sleep during layovers of different lengths after long-haul flying across multiple time zones in different geographic directions

Introduction: Long-haul pilots experience high levels of fatigue and circadian disruption due to long work hours and trans-meridian travel. The aim of this study was to characterize sleep timing and duration during layovers of different lengths after crossing multiple time zones. Methods: All pilots flying long-haul operations from a single airline were eligible to participate. While following their normal work schedule within airline operations, pilots collected data for ~2 weeks including at least two long-haul rotations, with rest days and layovers. Participants wore an Actiwach (Phillips Respironics) throughout the entire study period and completed a sleep diary (at bedtime and upon waking up). Based on the data, we categorized layovers as follows: layover type 1: 34 h after crossing five time zones in westward direction; layover type 2: of 34 h, no time zone change; layover type 3: 55 h after crossing six time zones in eastward direction. Each flight left the home base at the same time of day (23:00) and the flight duration was between 10.5 and 12 hrs. We calculated descriptive statistics for each category. Results. Forty-four long-haul pilots participated in the study (5 female; mean age 44.25 ± 10.06 yrs; mean flight hours 9834.3 ± 5334.1 hrs). We found that for layover type 1, the mean sleep duration (h) per 24 h was 6.90 (±1.04), mean sleep efficiency (%) was 81.08 (±10.89) and mean Wake After Sleep Onset (WASO, min) was 33.23 (±20.42); for layover type 2, the mean sleep duration (h) per 24 h was 6.91 (±1.06), mean sleep efficiency (%) was 81.71 (±6.80), and mean WASO (min) was 30.10 (±11.00); for layover type 3, the mean sleep duration (h) was 7.07 (±1.32), mean sleep efficiency (%) was 83.93 (±6.04), and mean WAS (min) was 36.94 (±17.95). Conclusion: Our preliminary analyses showed that sleep duration and sleep efficiency were similar for the layovers of same length regardless time zone change. Additional analyses will be conducted to investigate sleep on additional layovers of different lengths and the effects of sleep obtained during layover on the performance and alertness on the return flights.

long-haul↗
NASA NTRS2024

Launch Complex 34, SWMU CC054 2023 DNAPL Source Zone Operations, Maintenance, and Monitoring, Site-Wide Long-Term Monitoring, and Hot Spot 6 Air Sparge System Annual Performance Monitoring and Phase Two Expansion Construction Completion Report Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida

This Annual Performance Monitoring Report (PMR) for the Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL) Source Zone (DSZ), Site-Wide Long-Term Monitoring (LTM), and Hot Spot 6 (HS 6) Air Sparge (AS) System presents the results of Year 14 operations and performance monitoring of the hydraulic containment (HC) Interim Measure (IM), details associated with construction and implementation of the HS 6 AS system expansion (Phase Two), and the results of operations and performance sampling of the HS 6 AS IM at Launch Complex 34 (LC34), located at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS), Florida. The timeframe for activities documented in this PMR extends from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024. LC34 has been designated Solid Waste Management Unit CC054 under the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Corrective Action Program. The objective of the HC IM at LC34 is to contain the shallow and deep DSZ and surrounding dissolved-phase trichloroethene (TCE) high concentration plume via operation of a hydraulic containment system (HCS). The pre-IM design 300 micrograms per liter (μg/L) TCE groundwater contour was used to establish the deep zone capture area for deep recovery wells, and the shallow zone capture area was defined by the DSZ. The system began operating in 2010, and in 2015, the system was expanded to provide HC for areas within the 300 μg/L TCE groundwater isocontours of HS 3 and 4. In 2018 and 2019, an investigation was conducted to recharacterize the DSZ, which included investigating TCE mass in Layer 7. This data was subsequently used to optimize the pumping rates of the HCS and install additional recovery wells in Layer 7 to more adequately capture residual contaminant mass. The operational period for Year 14 of the HCS was from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024. Operational runtime for the system was 94 percent during Year 14, with downtime events attributed to planned maintenance, system repairs, and power outages. As of March 31, 2024, a total of 344,849,634 cumulative gallons of groundwater containing 94,656 pounds of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) have been removed by the HCS. During the reporting period covered under this report, the HCS recovered 31,176,393 gallons and approximately 6,319 pounds of CVOC mass. Total combined influent concentrations of TCE have decreased since startup from approximately 280,000 µg/L (January 2010) to 25,000 µg/L (March 2024). During the reporting period, all effluent concentrations from the HCS (aqueous and vapor) were below regulatory reporting limits, indicating the system continues to operate as intended. Performance monitoring was conducted in January 2024 within the DSZ to evaluate TCE contamination. Groundwater samples were collected via DPT at nine locations, consistent with previous events between 2017 and 2022. Full vertical profile sampling was completed at each DPT from 8 to 98 feet below land surface (bls), at 5-foot intervals. The DPT performance monitoring results are summarized in this PMR. The results revealed TCE remains at concentrations greater than 11,000 µg/L in the DSZ (1-percent solubility, indicative of DNAPL) at eight of the nine DPT locations and at depths ranging from 28 to 98 feet bls. An overall decreasing trend of TCE concentrations was observed in DPT samples during this reporting period, which is a reduction from the previous event (December 2022) and the peak event in December 2021, where TCE percentages appeared to increase in all depth zones because several recovery wells were turned off during the AS pilot study in the DSZ. The maximum TCE concentration in January 2024 was 1,600,000 µg/L in the 53 feet bls depth interval at DPT594 (previous maximum result in 2022 was 1,800,000 µg/L in the 48 feet bls depth interval at DPT599). This maximum concentration in the 53 feet bls depth interval is in the deep capture zone. During the January 2024 DPT event, the largest portion of TCE mass was observed in the 48 feet bls interval above/within Layer 4. This trend remains consistent with previous years and appears to indicate continued mass discharge from Layer 4 (fine-grained unit). In addition to DPT sampling, annual groundwater samples were collected from 11 deep monitoring wells in the DSZ area (Layers 7 and 8) in December 2023 to verify vertical and horizontal delineation. Three of the wells were also sampled biweekly to evaluate operations of recovery well RW21D (screened 86 to 106 feet bls), which was installed in January 2023. Of the Layer 7/8 monitoring sampled only annually, results were non-detect or less than groundwater cleanup target levels GCTLs in December 2023, with the exception of one well, IW45D2, which had a cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cDCE), detection greater than the GCTL. Of the three wells sampled biweekly during the operational period, the well located closest to Layer 7 recovery well RW21D (IW44D2, screened 105 to 115 feet bls) had concentrations of TCE, cDCE and vinyl chloride (VC) greater than GCTLs throughout the operational period, but displayed a decreasing trend since the peak concentrations in September 2023. The maximum TCE concentration during this operational period was 190,000 µg/L at IW44D2 in September 2023, but reduced to 700 µg/L in March 2024, indicating the HCS is still effectively removing mass from the source area. Expansion of the HCS and addition of new recovery wells is ongoing and will continue to be evaluated as the groundwater recovery scheme is optimized. Details of the expansion and optimization will be provided in a future PMR. The HS 6 AS IM was initiated in 2018 with 160 AS wells and expanded in 2019 with another 140 AS wells. An additional expansion of the HS 6 AS IM was completed during the reporting period covered under this report and details of the construction implementation and startup of the expansion are detailed in Section III of this report. The new expansion, referred to as Phase Two, was implemented between August 17, 2022 and August 28, 2023, and included the installation of 190 air sparge wells to treat an additional 11.2 acres. The original configuration (referred to as Phase One) operated until Phase Two came online, then all but 52 AS wells were turned off so the components could be moved and utilized in the Phase Two area. The 52 AS wells that remain on are in a barrier configuration preventing contaminated groundwater from impacting the treated area. The HS 6 AS system (both Phase One and Two) operated normally during the reporting period covered under this report. Semi-annual performance monitoring of the Phase One configuration was conducted in April and November 2023, consistent with previous years. For the Phase Two configuration, 21 new monitoring wells were installed and sampled quarterly, with a baseline event in July 2023, and quarterly events in November 2023 and February 2024 summarized in this report. Semi-annual monitoring results collected in April and October 2023 show concentrations of contaminants of concern (cDCE, trans-1,2-dichloroethene, and VC) have decreased to less than GCTLs in nearly all wells and not impacting the surface water drainage canal, indicating the HS 6 IM continues to meet objectives. The baseline and quarterly sampling for the Phase Two configuration indicate generally decreasing concentrations in wells within and around the perimeter of the treatment area. At least two more quarters of monitoring will be conducted and once those results are evaluated a reduced the sampling frequency may be considered. Overall, the tasks associated with Year 14 operation of the HC IM and operation of the HS 6 AS IM were performed in accordance with recommendations included in the previous 2022 LC34 (Year 13) PMR. Evaluation of results from the HC IM and HS 6 IM show that these systems are operating as designed and meeting performance objectives.

groundwater remediation↗
DOE OSTI2020

Applications of Hyporheic Zone Sampling for Assessing VOC Plume Engineered Remediation and Natural Attenuation Effectiveness - 20414

Determining the efficacy of engineered remedial actions and/or natural attenuation as an acceptable EPA Record of Decision (ROD) must address long-term temporal and spatial variability. Since final plume downslope destinations are aquifers and related surface streams and rivers, hyporheic zone sampling is essential. Comprehensive hyporheic sampling documents plume groundwater remediation prior to upwelling into stream benthic strata and natural attenuation within this dynamic zone itself. Our intensive sampling of the Savannah River Site (SRS) Chemical, Metals, and Pesticides (CMP) Pits VOC plume-fringe from 2005 to 2018 documented PCE natural attenuation and effectiveness of In Situ Thermal Treatment (ISTT). Most plume hyporheic upwelling was delimited to a 20 m inflow reach along Pen Branch. Our study utilized corroborative sampling methodologies: ambient hole-water grab samples: passive diffusion bags (PDB); and hole-core sediment samples to confirm station to station spatial and temporal trends. VOC hot spot detections were confirmed from both groundwater and soil core samples. VOC pathways through the Pen Branch hyporheic zone were assessed at hole-installation using sequential soil samples from augered cores and grab-samples of hole-bottom water. Longer term, composite water samples were collected from PDBs deployed for a minimum two-week equilibration period. Soil samples were collected from the 15 and 65 cm core levels in December 2017 and June 2018 at six stations. Additional core depths of 40 and 85 cm were sampled in June 2018 at the highest VOC station (5DB80). All samples were analyzed in an EPA certified lab by purge and trap GC-MS. Effectiveness of previous ISTT and soil vapor extraction (SVE) for this CMP Pits PCE plume, was clearly documented by significant downward trends in VOC at hyporheic zone stations prior to December 2015. Achieving final stage conversions of PCE daughter products to ethene and CO{sub 2} may be limited depending upon suitable interactions between hyporheic zone sediment morphology, hydrology, and redox conditions. Because declines in VOC daughter products at our hyporheic stations may also be caused by physical actions of dilution and dispersion rather than true biochemical dechlorination, full quantification of natural attenuation requires the use of compound-specific isotope ratio analysis (CSIA) and microbial 16S rRNA with qPCR. To assist these next-phase efforts, a natural attenuation index (NAI) was used to help produce quicker, more cost-effective decision making for locating CSIA and microbial sampling efforts. The NAI used natural logarithm transformed GC-MS results for station VOC degradation compounds versus VOC parent compounds. Wide differences were observed between stations. (authors)

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

Use of an Alternative Conceptual Model of Vadose Zone Heterogeneity to Evaluate Past Tank Leaks and Other Unplanned Releases within a Tank Farm at the Hanford Site - 20061

Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) requested that U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-Office of River Protection (ORP) consider an evaluation of effects of fine-grained thin sediment layers on transport with a separate alternative conceptual model in its evaluation of the potential impact of tank leaks and other unplanned releases within the tank farm at the Hanford Site. For this alternative model, Ecology recommended that the model be developed based on the general framework of fine-grained units identified by a stakeholder group in their interpretations of variability in moisture content data collected in the vicinity of Waste Management Area (WMA) C. In discussions with DOE-ORP, Ecology acknowledged that the underlying data and interpretations of the occurrence and lateral continuity of the fine-grained thin layers identified by a stakeholder group are uncertain. However, DOE-ORP agreed to Ecology's recommendation and has provided support for the requested evaluation that involved development of an alternative model based on the general framework of the unpublished report by the stakeholder. DOE-ORP considered this evaluation to be a hypothetical evaluation of vadose zone heterogeneities at WMA C. General observations from the range of simulation cases examined in the evaluation of the effects of hypothetical vadose zone heterogeneities at WMA C are as follows. - The movement of the center of mass of the simulated plumes was generally vertically downward below the source for all simulations, including those that incorporated the hypothetical fine-grained units. - All simulations that incorporated hypothetical heterogeneity produced additional plume spreading over what was produced in simulations using Equivalent Homogeneous Media (EHM) model(s)a. The spreading resulted in a broadening of the fringes of the plume, resulting in a wider region of low concentration, but lower peak concentrations associated with the center of mass of the plume. - Simulations that used the silty-sand hydraulic properties, suggested by Ecology for the hypothetical fine-grained units, generally produced similar spreading and slightly lower peak mass flux at the water table when compared to the EHM modeling results. a The EHM-based models used at WMA C do not explicitly include small-scale fine-grained heterogeneities used in the model advocated by Ecology. - Simulations that used the silty-sand hydraulic properties, suggested by Ecology for the hypothetical fine-grained units, generally produced less spreading and an earlier arrival of mass flux at the water table when compared to the use of another set of hydraulic properties from a silty-sand sample collected at a nearby disposal facility. - The EHM representation of the vadose zone generally produced higher peak mass flux and an earlier occurrence of peak fluxes at the water table compared to all analyses incorporating additional hypothetical heterogeneity. Results of this alternative model evaluation of past leaks provided some insight into the transport effects of vadose zone heterogeneities at WMA C that helped resolve Ecology's comments and issues related to the effects of vadose zone heterogeneities on past leaks and losses from the WMA C tank farms area. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2021

Mechanical Properties of Nominally Ductile and Brittle Zones within the Caney Shale Formation

We present a case study from the Caney Shale, which is an emerging hydrocarbon-bearing formation in Oklahoma. Open hole logs lead to a nominal distinction of five zones in an exploration well, two of which are designated “ductile” and three of which are designated as less ductile “reservoir” zones. Subsequently, a detailed mechanical characterization was carried out on core plugs taken from each of these zones. Results show nominally “ductile” zones are weaker in terms of UCS, tensile strength, fracture toughness, and confined compressive strength. However, by a variety of brittleness indices, it is found the nominal “ductile” regions do not behave as expected. They are weaker, but not consistently more ductile. Furthermore, some brittleness indices lead to contradictory conclusions. For example, zones which would be considered the most brittle according to the proportion of nonlinear stress-strain behavior prior to failure and/or by indices based on elastic properties would be considered the least brittle according to their internal friction angle.

Benge, Margaret↗
DOE OSTI2022

Development of a vadose zone advanced monitoring system: Tools to assess groundwater vulnerability

Performing repeat pore-fluid sampling over long time-scales can provide valuable information on unsaturated zone contaminants and their potential flux to ground water. This information can be used to manage groundwater remedies and identify contaminants that need to be sequestered in the vadose zone to minimize flux to ground water. Pore-water samples are commonly used to obtain contaminant concentrations within the vadose zone, but existing methods are limited as they only provide a single sample at one location and time. The vadose zone advanced monitoring system (VZAMS) has been designed to integrate multiple technologies into a single down-borehole system that allows for sampling of pore fluids (liquid and gas) to provide information about contamination and hydraulic conditions at multiple depths (~0.3-m intervals) within a cased borehole. Testing has been completed at the laboratory scale to verify the sampling elements of VZAMS, including geochemical testing for representative contaminants known to exist at the Hanford Site, located in southeastern Washington State. Physical tests focused on the ability of the sampler to draw fluid under unsaturated conditions. Initial geochemical testing showed that the stainless steel material used with the porous cuff may affect the sampled concentrations of redox-sensitive contaminants under very dry conditions. Additional laboratory testing demonstrated that the VZAMS components are able to collect representative samples for substances of interest under expected field conditions. In this paper, the design and functionality of a novel instrument are demonstrated in support of subsequent testing in the field.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Maximizing oil production from water alternating gas (CO 2 ) injection into residual oil zones: The impact of oil saturation and heterogeneity

Residual oil zones (ROZs) are widespread reservoirs, characterized by oil at residual saturation, either underlying oil fields (brownfield) or lateral (greenfield) to such fields. These reservoirs have the potential to produce volumes of oil sufficiently significant to make appreciable impacts on the US’s oil reserves and associated incidental CO 2 sequestration. The objective of this study is to improve our understanding the impact of heterogeneous and low oil saturations, in brownfield ROZs, on the effectiveness of water alternating gas (WAG) injection strategies. ROZs occur in the Permian Basin and elsewhere, and operators are using CO 2 injection for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in these zones. The consensus model for the formation of ROZs is that they were formed by the effect of faster regional aquifer flow, acting over millions of years. Both the magnitude of oil saturation and the spatial distribution of oil differ from water-flooded main pay zones (MPZs). To explore the most effective injection strategies, we conducted simulations of CO 2 injection into synthetic geologic reservoirs. These simulations focused on injection into reservoirs subject to either man-made waterflooding or long-term natural waterflooding. By exploring the impact of varying: oil saturation; well patterns; reservoir heterogeneity; and permeability anisotropy, we attempt to quantify the factors that most influence the effectiveness of WAG injection. WAG ratios (the ratio of injected water and CO 2 , in reservoir volumes) of interest are those that either minimize the net CO 2 utilization ratios or maximize oil production rates. In general, the most effective WAG ratios for ROZs, are consistently less than those observed undergoing CO 2 injection in the same geologic reservoir models after traditional (man-made) waterflooding. This work demonstrates that most favorable WAG ratios for oil production in ROZs are different from those in traditional MPZs because of oil saturation differences. Therefore, CO 2 injection into both zones or directly copying WAG injection designs from MPZs to ROZs might not maximize oil production.

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Unified cohesive zone model (UCZM) for fracturing and fragmenting solids

Here, a Unified Cohesive Zone Model (UCZM), which inherits most of the advantages while overcoming the shortcomings of existing Cohesive Zone Models (CZMs), is proposed. Similar to the traditional extrinsic CZM approach, UCZM dynamically inserts the cohesive elements into the system based on local material states (e.g., stress, strain). However, the transition from continua to discontinua is smoothly achieved, thereby eliminating the “time-discontinuous” issue seen in the extrinsic CZM. Moreover, within the novel UCZM framework, the point of transition from continua to discontinua is controllable through the introduction of crack initialization criteria. As a result, the UCZM allows any material models (e.g., elastic, plastic, damage models) for continuum solids and for discrete fracture behavior to work together. In essence, both an enhanced extrinsic cohesive zone model and an intrinsic cohesive zone model can be represented by the proposed unified model. The proposed UCZM has been verified through different numerical examples. The work demonstrates that the UCZM is a highly effective approach for modeling fracture and fragmentation processes in solids.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2026

3D seismic imaging of a fracture damage zone controlling reservoir compartmentalization at the Raft River EGS using multi-azimuth walkaway VSP

Accurate imaging of steeply dipping fracture zones in crystalline enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) is critical for constraining permeability architecture and guiding stimulation design. However, such structures remain poorly resolved by conventional surface seismic methods. We present a fully three-dimensional (3D) elastic-waveform inversion-migration workflow applied to multi-azimuth walkaway vertical seismic profiling (VSP) data acquired in a deviated borehole at the Raft River EGS. The workflow integrates first-arrival traveltime tomography, multi-scale elastic waveform inversion (EWI), and elastic least-squares reverse-time migration (ELSRTM) to recover high-resolution compressional-and shear-wave velocity models and to image structural discontinuities in the crystalline basement. The results reveal a laterally continuous low-velocity anomaly, with shear-wave velocity reductions of 25-30%, consistent with fractureinduced mechanical weakening. Two steeply dipping discontinuities bound a 50-80 m wide fracture damage zone. Independent constraints from microseismic clustering and geochemical compartmentalization corroborate the geometry and structural significance of this feature. Synthetic modeling further confirms that structures of this scale are resolvable (~30 m). These findings indicate that the Narrows structure is a distributed fracture damage zone rather than a discrete fault plane. By resolving fracture-zone geometry at the tens-of-meters scale using a single borehole, this workflow provides a practical and transferable approach for improving structural characterization, reducing uncertainty in permeability architecture, and supporting reservoir modeling and stimulation design in fractured crystalline EGS reservoirs.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Spectral induced polarization (SIP) measurements across a PFAS-contaminated source zone

There is a pressing need for the development of field-scale, in situ screening technologies for assessing variations in aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) concentrations in soils at former fire training and storage sites. Field-scale Spectral Induced Polarization (SIP) geophysical measurements were acquired on a transect crossing an AFFF source zone. Soil samples were acquired from ten locations and used to determine variations in poly- and per-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) concentrations in soils and soil texture. These samples were also used to create triplicate soil columns for laboratory-grade SIP measurements. Field and laboratory observations provide evidence that SIP measurements are sensitive to the concentration of AFFF constituents associated with the pore surface in soils. The phase of the SIP measurements on the laboratory samples was linearly correlated with total soil-sorbed PFAS concentration. The phase from the field SIP measurements was highest over the location of maximum PFAS concentration measured on the laboratory samples, although a significant correlation between field-measured phase and laboratory-measured total PFAS concentration was not established. The sensitivity of the SIP response to the removal of soil PFAS using a methanol wash procedure (total PFAS concentration drop of 366 ppb) adds evidence for the case for SIP characterization of AFFF source zones. The results of these studies suggest that SIP might be developed into a field-scale technology for rapid, indirect assessment of AFFF source zones. Such a technology could improve the effectiveness of AFFF source zone characterization at reduced costs.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗