Geohydrology of Bandelier Tuff
The Los Alamos National Laboratory has been disposing of radioactive wastes since 1944. Environmental studies and monitoring for radioactive contamination started concurrently. In this report, only two mechanisms and rates by which the radionuclides can enter the environment are studied in detail: subsurface transport of radionuclides by migrating water, and diffusion of tritiated water (HTO) in the vapor phase. The report also includes a section concerning the influence of moisture on shear strength and possible resulting subsidences occurring in the pit overburdens. Because subsurface transport of radionuclides is influenced by the hydraulic conductivity and this in turn is regulated by the moisture content of any given material, a study was also undertaken involving precipitation, the most important climatic element influencing the geohydrology of any given area. Further work is in progress to correlate HTO emanation to atmospheric and pedological properties, especially including thermal characteristics of the tuff.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 5575989
- Report Number(s):
- LA-8962-MS; ON: DE82004678; TRN: 82-005141
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
58 GEOSCIENCES
LASL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
LEACHING
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
TUFF
HYDROLOGY
CLIMATES
DIFFUSION
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
GEOLOGY
GROUND DISPOSAL
RUNOFF
TRITIUM
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
DISSOLUTION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
510302* - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Terrestrial Ecosystems & Food Chains- (-1987)
580100 - Geology & Hydrology- (-1989)