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Physical processes and effects of magmatism in the Yucca Mountain region

Conference ·
OSTI ID:140873
 [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. MS F665, EES-5, Los Alamos National Lab., Los Alamos, NM (US)
  2. MS J521, EES-13, Los Alamos National Lab., Los Alamos, NM (US)
  3. Geology Dept., Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (US)
+ Show Author Affiliations
Initial studies related to the effects of volcanism on performance of the potential Yucca Mountain radioactive waste repository, and to the general processes of magmatism in the Yucca Mountain region, are described. Volcanism or igneous activity can affect the repository performance by ejection of waste onto the earth`s surface (eruptive effects), or by subsurface effects of hydrothermal processes and altered hydrology if an intrusion occurs within the repository block. Initial, conservative calculations of the volume of waste that might be erupted during a small-volume basaltic eruption (such as those which have occurred in the Yucca Mountain region) indicate that regulatory limits might be exceeded. Current efforts to refine these calculations, based upon field studies at analog sites, are described. In this paper an example of the thermal-fluid dynamic evolution of a small basaltic sill is described, based on numerical simulation. Quantification of eruption conditions can provide valuable information on the overall magmatic system. The authors are developing quantitative methods for mapping pyroclastic facies of small basaltic centers and in combination with two-phase hydrodynamic simulation, using this information to estimate eruption conditions. Examples of such hydrodynamic simulations are presented, along with comparison to an historical eruption in Hawaii.
OSTI ID:
140873
Report Number(s):
CONF-920430--; ISBN 0-87262-891-4
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
HEALTH HAZARDS
MAGMATISM
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RISK ASSESSMENT
SAFETY ANALYSIS
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
VOLCANISM
YUCCA MOUNTAIN
Yucca Mountain Project