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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

SPRUCE: Peat Core Sample Collection Metadata, Marcell Experimental Forest, Minnesota, August 2024

This data set contains metadata associated with peat core samples collected from the Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Changing Environments (SPRUCE) experiment in August 2024. This sample metadata contains no analytical results and is a reference for analytical datasets. To ensure accessibility and discoverability, each sample was assigned an International Generic Sample Number (IGSN), a persistent identifier, using System for Earth and Extraterrestrial Sample Registration (SESAR). These samples were used for downstream analysis by multiple teams of researchers the results of which will be reported separately. This dataset contains one data file in comma separate (.csv) format. Additional metadata are provided: one data dictionary and a file-level metadata file in comma separate (.csv) format and a user guide in PDF (*.pdf) format. An aliquot of most samples is stored at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and may be available for further analysis. Access this collection event on SESAR https://doi.org/10.58052/IEJ9B00VQ. To inquire about obtaining archived samples for analysis, reach out using the Contact Sample Owner form located on the bottom of the landing page in SESAR. Note: Only dried and ground material from C Cores are available for new analysis.

Birkebak, Joshua [ORNL] (ORCID:0009000955611494)↗
DOE OSTI2019

Tank 22 Settled Sludge Core Sample Characterization and Testing

The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) was requested by Savannah River Remediation (SRR) Engineering (SRR-E) to provide sample characterization and analyses of Tank 22 settled sludge core sample and the supernatant liquids (supernate) in support of Tank 22 re-baseline data, inhalation dose potential/hydrogen generation and suspension/removal of settled sludge from the bottom of Tank 22. The approximately 9.5 inches of intact Tank 22 core sample from SRR-E, after extrusion in the SRNL Shielded Cells, showed three visually different stratification layers or regions of solids in the extruded core material. Part of the initial physical characterization of these three segments of the Tank 22 core sample included density, weight percent total solids, particle size distribution, X-ray diffractions and scanning electron microscope of each segment material. Given the dissimilarity of the three Tank 22 segment materials after the physical characterization results and the fact that there was no clear line of demarcation to indicate where each segment began and ended across the entire length of the core sample, SRNL in conjunction with the SRR-E customer decided to blend all three segments of the material to form a composite Tank 22 core sample for further analysis and characterization without taking into consideration the proportional weight or mass contribution of each segment. This compositing approach assumes that the errors introduced in any characterization of the Tank 22 core sample will be comparable to the errors when the three segments are separated and combined proportionally by weight to form the composite Tank 22 sample. This compositing approach maximized the quantity of composited Tank 22 material needed for radionuclide and other physical characterizations.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2018

Optical Methods for Identifying Hard Clay Core Samples During Petrophysical Studies

X-ray phase analysis of the general mineralogical composition of core samples from one of the West Siberian fields was performed. Electronic absorption spectra of the clay core samples with an added indicator were studied. The speed and availability of applying the two methods in petrophysical laboratories during sample preparation for standard and special studies were estimated.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2015

Rare earth element geochemistry of outcrop and core samples from the Marcellus Shale

In this paper, we studied the geochemistry of the rare earth elements (REE) in eleven outcrop samples and six, depth-interval samples of a core from the Marcellus Shale. The REE are classically applied analytes for investigating depositional environments and inferring geochemical processes, making them of interest as potential, naturally occurring indicators of fluid sources as well as indicators of geochemical processes in solid waste disposal. However, little is known of the REE occurrence in the Marcellus Shale or its produced waters, and this study represents one of the first, thorough characterizations of the REE in the Marcellus Shale. In these samples, the abundance of REE and the fractionation of REE profiles were correlated with different mineral components of the shale. Namely, samples with a larger clay component were inferred to have higher absolute concentrations of REE but have less distinctive patterns. Conversely, samples with larger carbonate fractions exhibited a greater degree of fractionation, albeit with lower total abundance. Further study is necessary to determine release mechanisms, as well as REE fate-and-transport, however these results have implications for future brine and solid waste management applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2026

SPRUCE Peat Core Sample Collection Metadata, Marcell Experimental Forest, Minnesota, August 2025

This data set contains metadata associated with peat core samples collected from the Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Changing Environments (SPRUCE) experiment in August 2025. This sample metadata contains no analytical results and is a reference for analytical datasets. To ensure accessibility and discoverability, each sample was assigned an International Generic Sample Number (IGSN), a persistent identifier, using System for Earth and Extraterrestrial Sample Registration (SESAR). These samples were used for downstream analysis by multiple teams of researchers the results of which will be reported separately. This dataset contains one data file in comma separate (.csv) format. Additional metadata are provided: one data dictionary and a file-level metadata file in comma separate (.csv) format and a user guide in PDF (*.pdf) format. An aliquot of most samples is stored in the SPRUCE archive and may be available for further analysis by request. Access this collection event on SESAR https://doi.org/10.58052/IEJ9B05LW. To inquire about obtaining archived samples for analysis, reach out using the Contact Sample Owner form located on the bottom of the landing page in SESAR.

EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > TERRESTRI↗
DOE OSTI2023

Utah FORGE: Well 78B-32 Core Sample Petrographic Analysis Data

This dataset contains an overview of the petrographic, X-ray Diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analyses of core samples from Utah FORGE Well 78B-32 and related data as described in the .zip folder's Description below.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Faulting processes in active faults - Evidences from TCDP and SAFOD drill core samples

The microstructures, mineralogy and chemistry of representative samples collected from the cores of the San Andreas Fault drill hole (SAFOD) and the Taiwan Chelungpu-Fault Drilling project (TCDP) have been studied using optical microscopy, TEM, SEM, XRD and XRF analyses. SAFOD samples provide a transect across undeformed host rock, the fault damage zone and currently active deforming zones of the San Andreas Fault. TCDP samples are retrieved from the principal slip zone (PSZ) and from the surrounding damage zone of the Chelungpu Fault. Substantial differences exist in the clay mineralogy of SAFOD and TCDP fault gouge samples. Amorphous material has been observed in SAFOD as well as TCDP samples. In line with previous publications, we propose that melt, observed in TCDP black gouge samples, was produced by seismic slip (melt origin) whereas amorphous material in SAFOD samples was formed by comminution of grains (crush origin) rather than by melting. Dauphiné twins in quartz grains of SAFOD and TCDP samples may indicate high seismic stress. The differences in the crystallographic preferred orientation of calcite between SAFOD and TCDP samples are significant. Microstructures resulting from dissolution–precipitation processes were observed in both faults but are more frequently found in SAFOD samples than in TCDP fault rocks. As already described for many other fault zones clay-gouge fabrics are quite weak in SAFOD and TCDP samples. Clay-clast aggregates (CCAs), proposed to indicate frictional heating and thermal pressurization, occur in material taken from the PSZ of the Chelungpu Fault, as well as within and outside of the SAFOD deforming zones, indicating that these microstructures were formed over a wide range of slip rates.

Janssen, C.↗
DOE OSTI2018

Assessment of In-situ Proppant Placement in SRV Using Through-Fracture Core Sampling at HFTS

The primary aim of this study was to develop robust methods aimed at detecting and quantifying the subsurface proppant distribution as it relates to the completed wells in both the upper and the middle Wolfcamp formations at the HFTS site. There were two sources of proppant deemed useful for this task. The first source was the actual scrapings from the fracture faces that were collected during the core description work. The second sample source was the scrapings and sludge from the cut core tubes collected during core handling. This study highlights the analysis done on the second set of sludge samples. Apart from developing a method for detection and quantification of proppant and other particles contained within this sludge, the study was aimed at the following broad objectives: Determine the spatial distribution of proppant in the created SRV along the cored interval, including size distribution and proppant concentration. Determine if pay zones of interest are sufficiently propped/ stimulated. Determine if fracture and cluster spacing is optimal for thorough lateral reservoir coverage. Determine if well spacing is optimal based on propped SRV length.

Maity, Debotyam↗
DOE OSTI2023

Methane, ethane, and propane production in Greenland ice core samples and a first isotopic characterization of excess methane

Air trapped in polar ice provides unique records of the past atmospheric composition ranging from key greenhouse gases such as methane (CH 4 ) to short-lived trace gases like ethane (C 2 H 6 ) and propane (C 3 H 8 ). Recently, the comparison of CH 4 records obtained using different extraction methods revealed disagreements in the CH 4 concentration for the last glacial in Greenland ice. Elevated methane levels were detected in dust-rich ice core sections measured discretely, pointing to a process sensitive to the melt extraction technique. To shed light on the underlying mechanism, we performed targeted experiments and analyzed samples for methane and the short-chain alkanes ethane and propane covering the time interval from 12 to 42 kyr. Here, we report our findings of these elevated alkane concentrations, which scale linearly with the amount of mineral dust within the ice samples. The alkane production happens during the melt extraction step of the classic wet-extraction technique and reaches 14 to 91 ppb of CH 4 excess in dusty ice samples. We document for the first time a co-production of excess methane, ethane, and propane, with the observed concentrations for ethane and propane exceeding their past atmospheric background at least by a factor of 10. Independent of the produced amounts, excess alkanes were produced in a fixed molar ratio of approximately 14 : 2 : 1, indicating a shared origin. The measured carbon isotopic signature of excess methane is (-47.0 ± 2.9) ‰ and its deuterium isotopic signature is (-326 ± 57) ‰. With the co-production ratios of excess alkanes and the isotopic composition of excess methane we established a fingerprint that allows us to constrain potential formation processes. This fingerprint is not in line with a microbial origin. Moreover, an adsorption–desorption process of thermogenic gas on dust particles transported to Greenland does not appear very likely. Instead, the alkane pattern appears to be indicative of abiotic decomposition of organic matter as found in soils and plant leaves.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Spatial and temporal baseline of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid retained in sediment core samples from Puget Sound, Washington, USA

Per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of highly persistent synthetic chemicals utilized in many industrial and consumer products, and — most significantly toward introduction to the marine environment — in fire-fighting foams. Recently, PFAS have been linked to adverse health effects, prompting the need to understand transport and fate. Puget Sound’s main basin, hosting densely populated urban and industrial areas, is known to be contaminated with various persistent organic pollutants and provides a central focus for ecosystem monitoring. Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, a manufactured PFAS and biodegradation product, partitions to marine sediments and thus can be used as a primary indicator toward regulatory efforts. The current study offers a spatial and temporal analysis of the Puget Sound from cores collected adjacent, Tacoma and Seattle, WA, as well as cores from central Hood Canal and Carr Inlet.

Per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS),↗
DOE OSTI2019

Diffusive Properties of UNESE Core Samples via Continuously Monitored Mass Spectroscopy

The transport properties of porous geological media are of fundamental importance when modeling the migration of chemical and radiological species in subterranean systems. Due to their relatively high mobility, short-lived noble gas species are of particular interest as detection of these species at the surface is a tell-tale indicator of recent nuclear activity. However, determining the diffusivity of these species is challenging due to their inert and transparent nature, requiring chemically insensitive techniques, such as mass spectroscopy, to quantify noble gas concentrations. The work described herein details recent advances in the methodology for determining diffusivity on porous media and results obtained on samples relevant to the UNESE project.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗
DOE OSTI2023

Diesel Particulate Filter Durability Performance Comparison Using Metals Doped B20 vs. Conventional Diesel Part II: Chemical and Microscopic Characterization of Aged DPFs

This project's objective was to generate experimental data to evaluate the impact of metals doped B20 on diesel particle filter (DPF) ash loading and performance compared to that of conventional petrodiesel. The effect of metals doped B20 vs. conventional diesel on a DPF was quantified in a laboratory controlled accelerated ash loading study. The ash loading was conducted on two DPFs - one using ULSD fuel and the other on B20 containing metals dopants equivalent to 4 ppm B100 total metals. Engine oil consumption and B20 metals levels were accelerated by a factor of 5, with DPFs loaded to 30 g/L of ash. Details of the ash loading experiment and on-engine DPF performance evaluations are presented in the companion paper (Part I). The DPFs were cleaned, and ash samples were taken from the cleaned material. X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) were conducted on the ash samples. Core samples were taken from the cleaned DPF and were subjected to scanning electron microscope energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and XRF analysis. A comparison of the data from the two DPFs is presented. The XRD and XPS analysis showed that the compounds present in the ash from the two DPFs were nearly identical, though differing in concentrations. CaSO4 was the biggest component of the ash from both DPFs. The metals doped B20 fuel resulted in ash with similar characteristics to that deposited by the lube oil and did not appear to have any deleterious physical effects on the DPF substrate (did not penetrate the substrate).

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS,BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Investigation of Thermolytic Hydrogen Generation Rate in Tank 44 Dissolved Saltcake Samples

Saltcake core samples collected from Tank 44 in 2006 were dissolved to provide material for HGR measurements applicable to F-Area dissolved saltcake material. Additionally, characterization was performed on the Tank 44 saltcake material. The following are key results from the Tank 44 saltcake characterization. The Tank 44 Upper Saltcake Composite, corresponding to the 171 to 285 inch tank level, contained by mass approximately 69% sodium nitrate, 11% sodium carbonate, 8% sodium nitrite, smaller amounts of other salts and components, and 9% unquantified (which includes water, water of hydration, oxygen/hydrogen content of oxides and hydroxides, and uncertainty). The Tank 44 Lower Saltcake Composite, corresponding to the 76 to 114 inch tank level, contained by mass approximately 49% sodium carbonate, 18% sodium nitrate, smaller amounts of other salts, at least 8% sludge, and 9% unquantified (see above). The dissolved saltcake contained free hydroxide less than quantifiable (<0.01 M) due to the limited quantity of material that could be removed from the Shielded Cells based on the sample radioactivity. Measurement by pH paper provided an approximate pH of 12. The following are key results from the Tank 44 HGR testing. During boiling at 106.7 °C, HGR for Tank 44 dissolved saltcake without added glycolate was 7.2×10 -8 ft 3 h -1 ga l-1 . During boiling at 106.9 °C, HGR for Tank 44 dissolved saltcake with 1000 mg/L of added glycolate was 8.2×10 -8 ft 3 h -1 gal -1 . ∙ For the test without added glycolate, the first several HGR measurements at 70, 85, and 100 °C gave indication of the release of dissolved hydrogen and should not be used to represent the sustained thermolytic HGR for those temperatures. The measurements at boiling are the best representation of thermolysis in this testing. Carbon dioxide was observed at concentrations up to 6 vol% in the flow-system offgas for the test at boiling. ∙ Methane generation was observed at 100 °C and boiling. Methane concentration in the total gas generated during testing remained well below the lower flammability limit for methane in air. The addition of 1000 mg/L of glycolate did not have a significant impact on the hydrogen generation rates measured during this testing. The low hydroxide concentration in the Tank 44 dissolved saltcake likely influenced the relatively low thermolytic HGR and high carbon dioxide release observations in this testing. Based on the observation that methane was generated or released upon heating SRS radioactive Tank 44 waste samples to 100 °C and above, we recommend gaining a greater understanding of the cause and mechanism of its generation. First, the applicable literature should be reviewed to reveal the thermolytic methane generation mechanisms of possible methane generating species in the SRS CSTF. If warranted, a plan should be developed for simulant tests with methylated siloxanes and other applicable compounds in order to gain a better mechanistic understanding of methane generation in the SRS CSTF.

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

Investigation of Thermolytic Hydrogen Generation Rate in Tank 44 Dissolved Saltcake Samples

Saltcake core samples collected from Tank 44 in 2006 were dissolved to provide material for HGR measurements applicable to F-Area dissolved saltcake material. Additionally, characterization was performed on the Tank 44 saltcake material. The following are key results from the Tank 44 saltcake characterization. The Tank 44 Upper Saltcake Composite, corresponding to the 171 to 285 inch tank level, contained by mass approximately 69% sodium nitrate, 11% sodium carbonate, 8% sodium nitrite, smaller amounts of other salts and components, and 9% unquantified (which includes water, water of hydration, oxygen/hydrogen content of oxides and hydroxides, and uncertainty). The Tank 44 Lower Saltcake Composite, corresponding to the 76 to 114 inch tank level, contained by mass approximately 49% sodium carbonate, 18% sodium nitrate, smaller amounts of other salts, at least 8% sludge, and 9% unquantified (see above). The dissolved saltcake contained free hydroxide less than quantifiable (<0.01 M) due to the limited quantity of material that could be removed from the Shielded Cells based on the sample radioactivity. Measurement by pH paper provided an approximate pH of 12. The following are key results from the Tank 44 HGR testing. During boiling at 106.7 °C, HGR for Tank 44 dissolved saltcake without added glycolate was 7.2×10 -8 ft 3 h -1 gal -1 . During boiling at 106.9 °C, HGR for Tank 44 dissolved saltcake with 1000 mg/L of added glycolate was 8.2×10 -8 ft 3 h -1 gal -1 . For the test without added glycolate, the first several HGR measurements at 70, 85, and 100 °C gave indication of the release of dissolved hydrogen and should not be used to represent the sustained thermolytic HGR for those temperatures. The measurements at boiling are the best representation of thermolysis in this testing. Carbon dioxide was observed at concentrations up to 6 vol% in the flow-system offgas for the test at boiling. Methane generation was observed at 100 °C and boiling. Methane concentration in the total gas generated during testing remained well below the lower flammability limit for methane in air. The addition of 1000 mg/L of glycolate did not have a significant impact on the hydrogen generation rates measured during this testing. The low hydroxide concentration in the Tank 44 dissolved saltcake likely influenced the relatively low thermolytic HGR and high carbon dioxide release observations in this testing. Based on the observation that methane was generated or released upon heating SRS radioactive Tank 44 waste samples to 100 °C and above, we recommend gaining a greater understanding of the cause and mechanism of its generation. First, the applicable literature should be reviewed to reveal the thermolytic methane generation mechanisms of possible methane generating species in the SRS CSTF. If warranted, a plan should be developed for simulant tests with methylated siloxanes and other applicable compounds in order to gain a better mechanistic understanding of methane generation in the SRS CSTF.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2016

Analysis of Monolith Cores from an Engineering Scale Demonstration of a Prospective Cast Stone Process

The primary disposition path of Low Activity Waste (LAW) at the DOE Hanford Site is vitrification. A cementitious waste form is one of the alternatives being considered for the supplemental immobilization of the LAW that will not be treated by the primary vitrification facility. Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) has been directed to generate and collect data on cementitious or pozzolanic waste forms such as Cast Stone. This report documents the coring and leach testing of monolithic samples cored from an engineering-scale demonstration (ES Demo) with non-radioactive simulants. The ES Demo was performed at SRNL in October of 2013 using the Scaled Continuous Processing Facility (SCPF) to fill an 8.5 ft. diameter x 3.25 ft. high container with simulated Cast Stone grout. The Cast Stone formulation was chosen from the previous screening tests. Legacy salt solution from previous Hanford salt waste testing was adjusted to correspond to the average LAW composition generated from the Hanford Tank Waste Operation Simulator (HTWOS). The dry blend materials, ordinary portland cement (OPC), Class F fly ash, and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS or BFS), were obtained from Lafarge North America in Pasco, WA. In 2014 core samples originally obtained approximately six months after filling the ES Demo were tested along with bench scale molded samples that were collected during the original pour. A latter set of core samples were obtained in late March of 2015, eighteen months after completion of the original ES Demo. Core samples were obtained using a 2” diameter x 11” long coring bit. The ES Demo was sampled in three different regions consisting of an outer ring, a middle ring and an inner core zone. Cores from these three lateral zones were further segregated into upper, middle and lower vertical segments. Monolithic core samples were tested using the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 1315, which is designed to provide mass transfer rates (release rates) of inorganic analytes contained in monolithic material under diffusion controlled release conditions as a function of leaching time. Compressive strength measurements and drying tests were also performed on the 2015 samples. Leachability indices reported are based on analyte concentrations determined from dissolution of the dried samples.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗