A two-dimensional simulation of tritium transport in the vadose zone at the Nevada Test site

Technical Report · Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10189131· OSTI ID:10189131

Ross, W C; Wheatcraft, S W

The site of a 0.75-kiloton underground nuclear explosion, the Cambric event, was selected for the study of radionuclide transport in the hydrologic environment. Water samples from RNM-2S, a well located 91 m from Cambric, have been analyzed for tritium and other radionuclides since the initiation of pumping. Water from RNM-2S flows to Frenchman Lake via an unlined canal. Flume data indicate canal transmission losses of approximately 2m{sup 3}/day/meter of canal. To determine if infiltrating canal water might be recirculated by RNM-2S, and therefore provide an additional radionuclide input to water samples collected at RNM-2S, a two-dimensional variably saturated solute transport computer model (SATURN, Huyakorn et al., 1983) was used to simulate the movement of tritium from the canal to the water table. Results indicate that recirculated canal water has not had a significant effect on the breakthrough of tritium at RNM-2S.

• Research Organization: Nevada Univ., Las Vegas, NV (United States). Desert Research Inst.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC08-81NV10162
• OSTI ID: 10189131
• Report Number(s): DOE/NV/10162-21; ON: DE95001439; BR: 35AR05154/35GB01040
• Resource Relation: Other Information: DN: Publication No. 45098; PBD: Sep 1994
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
TRITIUM
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
S CODES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
GEOLOGY
HYDROLOGY
UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS
RADIOACTIVITY TRANSPORT
GROUND WATER
NEVADA TEST SITE
SOILS
540330
540230
990200
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT
MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTERS