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Title: Petrography, age, and paleomagnetism of basaltic lava flows in coreholes at Test Area North (TAN), Idaho National Engineering Laboratory

Abstract

The petrography, age, and paleomagnetism were determined on basalt from 21 lava flows comprising about 1,700 feet of core from two coreholes (TAN CH No. 1 and TAN CH No. 2) in the Test Area North (TAN) area of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). Paleomagnetic studies were made on two additional cores from shallow coreholes in the TAN area. K-Ar ages and paleomagnetism also were determined on nearby surface outcrops of Circular Butte. Paleomagnetic measurements were made on 416 samples from four coreholes and on a single site in surface lava flows of Circular Butte. K-Ar ages were measured on 9 basalt samples from TAN CH No. 1 and TAN CH No. 2 and one sample from Circular Butte. K-Ar ages ranged from 1.044 Ma to 2.56 Ma. All of the samples have reversed magnetic polarity and were erupted during the Matuyama Reversed Polarity Epoch. The purpose of investigations was to develop a three-dimensional stratigraphic framework for geologic and hydrologic studies including potential volcanic hazards to facilities at the INEL and movement of radionuclides in the Snake River Plain aquifer.

Authors:
;  [1];  [2]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (United States). Branch of Isotope Geology
  2. Geological Survey, Denver, CO (United States). Branch of Central Regional Geology
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Geological Survey, Denver, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
Department of the Interior, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
206485
Report Number(s):
USGS/OFR-94-686
ON: DE96003486; NC: NONE; TRN: 96:009190
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: [1994]
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
05 NUCLEAR FUELS; IDAHO NATIONAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY; SITE CHARACTERIZATION; BASALT; PETROGRAPHY; PALEOMAGNETISM; ISOTOPE DATING; VOLCANISM; RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION; HYDROLOGY; AQUIFERS; DRILL CORES; EXPERIMENTAL DATA

Citation Formats

Lanphere, M.A., Champion, D.E., and Kuntz, M.A.. Petrography, age, and paleomagnetism of basaltic lava flows in coreholes at Test Area North (TAN), Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. United States: N. p., 1994. Web. doi:10.2172/206485.
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Lanphere, M.A., Champion, D.E., & Kuntz, M.A.. Petrography, age, and paleomagnetism of basaltic lava flows in coreholes at Test Area North (TAN), Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. United States. doi:10.2172/206485.
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Lanphere, M.A., Champion, D.E., and Kuntz, M.A.. Sat . "Petrography, age, and paleomagnetism of basaltic lava flows in coreholes at Test Area North (TAN), Idaho National Engineering Laboratory". United States. doi:10.2172/206485. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/206485.
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@article{osti_206485,
title = {Petrography, age, and paleomagnetism of basaltic lava flows in coreholes at Test Area North (TAN), Idaho National Engineering Laboratory},
author = {Lanphere, M.A. and Champion, D.E. and Kuntz, M.A.},
abstractNote = {The petrography, age, and paleomagnetism were determined on basalt from 21 lava flows comprising about 1,700 feet of core from two coreholes (TAN CH No. 1 and TAN CH No. 2) in the Test Area North (TAN) area of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). Paleomagnetic studies were made on two additional cores from shallow coreholes in the TAN area. K-Ar ages and paleomagnetism also were determined on nearby surface outcrops of Circular Butte. Paleomagnetic measurements were made on 416 samples from four coreholes and on a single site in surface lava flows of Circular Butte. K-Ar ages were measured on 9 basalt samples from TAN CH No. 1 and TAN CH No. 2 and one sample from Circular Butte. K-Ar ages ranged from 1.044 Ma to 2.56 Ma. All of the samples have reversed magnetic polarity and were erupted during the Matuyama Reversed Polarity Epoch. The purpose of investigations was to develop a three-dimensional stratigraphic framework for geologic and hydrologic studies including potential volcanic hazards to facilities at the INEL and movement of radionuclides in the Snake River Plain aquifer.},
doi = {10.2172/206485},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1994},
month = {Sat Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1994}
}
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Technical Report:
View Technical Report (2.78 MB)
DOI:  10.2172/206485
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  • ; ;
    The petrography, age, and paleomagnetism were determined on basalt from 23 lava flows comprising about 1200 feet of core from four coreholes in the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (ML). The four coreholes are located in the southwestern part of the INEL. Paleomagnetic measurements were made on 192 samples of basalt, and K-Ar ages were measured on 19 basalt samples. All of the samples have normal magnetic polarity and were erupted during the Brunhes Normal Polarity Epoch. Basalt lava flows in ICPP 123 can be satisfactorily correlated with lava flows in the previously studied corehole at Site E, but correlations cannotmore » be made with confidence between ICPP 123 and the other three coreholes studied in this investigation.« less

  • ;
    A complex sequence of basalt flows and sedimentary interbeds underlies Test Area North (TAN) at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory in eastern Idaho. Wells drilled to depths of at least 500 feet penetrate 10 basalt-flow groups and 5 to 10 sedimentary interbeds that range in age from about 940,000 to 1.4 million years. Each basalt-flow group consists of one or more basalt flows from a brief, single or compound eruption. All basalt flows of each group erupted from the same vent, and have similar ages, paleomagnetic properties, potassium contents, and natural-gamma emissions. Sedimentary interbeds consist of fluvial, lacustrine, and eolianmore » deposits of clay, silt, sand, and gravel that accumulated for hundreds to hundreds of thousands of years during periods of volcanic quiescence. Basalt and sediment are elevated by hundreds of feet with respect to rocks of equivalent age south and cast of the area, a relation that is attributed to past uplift at TAN. Basalt and sediment are unsaturated to a depth of about 200 feet below land surface. Rocks below this depth are saturated and make up the Snake River Plain aquifer. The effective base of the aquifer is at a depth of 885 feet below land surface. Detailed stratigraphic relations for the lowermost part of the aquifer in the depth interval from 500 to 885 feet were not determined because of insufficient data. The stratigraphy of basalt-flow groups and sedimentary interbeds in the upper 500 feet of the unsaturated zone and aquifer was determined from natural-gamma logs, lithologic logs, and well cores. Basalt cores were evaluated for potassium-argon ages, paleomagnetic properties, petrographic characteristics, and chemical composition. Stratigraphic control was provided by differences in ages, paleomagnetic properties, potassium content, and natural-gamma emissions of basalt-flow groups and sedimentary interbeds.« less

  • Cores from 5 drill holes were studied to determine the basalt lava flow stratigraphy at the proposed Safety Research Experiment Facility (SAREF) Reactor site, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL), Idaho. Five flows were identified and correlated in each of the five holes. Three flow units that could not be correlated were identified in three of the holes. This diagram displays the textures and structures of the flows and their correlation in the drill holes. Potassium-argon and radiocarbon radiometric age dating studies were carried out on the five flows to determine the recurrence intervals of basalt volcanism which produced flows whichmore » covered the SAREF site. A description of the mineralogy, texture, and structure of each of the flows is included. (ACR)« less

  • ;
    Test Area North (TAN) was a site of the Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion (ANP) Project of the U.S. Air Force and the Atomic Energy Commission. Its Cold War mission was to develop a turbojet bomber propelled by nuclear power. The project was part of an arms race. Test activities took place in five areas at TAN. The Assembly & Maintenance area was a shop and hot cell complex. Nuclear tests ran at the Initial Engine Test area. Low-power test reactors operated at a third cluster. The fourth area was for Administration. A Flight Engine Test facility (hangar) was built to housemore » the anticipated nuclear-powered aircraft. Experiments between 1955-1961 proved that a nuclear reactor could power a jet engine, but President John F. Kennedy canceled the project in March 1961. ANP facilities were adapted for new reactor projects, the most important of which were Loss of Fluid Tests (LOFT), part of an international safety program for commercial power reactors. Other projects included NASA's Systems for Nuclear Auxiliary Power and storage of Three Mile Island meltdown debris. National missions for TAN in reactor research and safety research have expired; demolition of historic TAN buildings is underway.« less

  • ; ; ; ...
    The laboratory investigation was performed to evaluate the feasibility of utilizing in situ chemical oxidation for remediating the secondary source of groundwater contaminants at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) Test Area North (TAN) Site. The study involved trichloroethene (TCE) contaminated media (groundwater, soil, and sludge) from TAN. The effectiveness of the selected oxidant, potassium permanganate (KMn0(sub4)), was evaluated at multiple oxidant and contaminant concentrations. Experiments were performed to determine the oxidant demand of each medium and the rate of TCE oxidation. The experiments were performed under highly controlled conditions (gas-tight reactors, constant 12C temperature). Multiple parameter weremore » monitored over time including MN0(sub 4) and TCE concentrations and pH.« less