skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Analysis of fractures in volcanic cores from Pahute Mesa, Nevada Test Site

Abstract

The Nevada Test Site (NTS), located in Nye County, southern Nevada, was the location of 828 announced underground nuclear tests, conducted between 1951 and 1992. Approximately one-third of these tests were detonated near or below the water table. An unavoidable consequence of these testing activities was introducing radionuclides into the subsurface environment, impacting groundwater. Groundwater flows beneath the NTS almost exclusively through interconnected natural fractures in carbonate and volcanic rocks. Information about these fractures is necessary to determine hydrologic parameters for future Corrective Action Unit (CAU)-specific flow and transport models which will be used to support risk assessment calculations for the U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office (DOE/NV) Underground Test Area (UGTA) remedial investigation. Fracture data are critical in reducing the uncertainty of the predictive capabilities of CAU-specific models because of their usefulness in generating hydraulic conductivity values and dispersion characteristics used in transport modeling. Specifically, fracture aperture and density (spacing) are needed to calculate the permeability anisotropy of the formations. Fracture mineralogy information is used qualitatively to evaluate diffusion and radionuclide retardation potential in transport modeling. All these data can best be collected through examination of core samples.

Authors:
; ;  [1]
  1. and others
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Bechtel Nevada Corp., Las Vegas, NV (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
623041
Report Number(s):
DOE/NV/11718-160
ON: DE98052960; TRN: 98:009678
DOE Contract Number:  
AC08-96NV11718
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Sep 1997
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE; NEVADA TEST SITE; SITE CHARACTERIZATION; STRATIGRAPHY; DRILL CORES; GROUND WATER; NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS; UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS; GEOLOGIC FRACTURES; RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION

Citation Formats

Drellack, Jr, S L, Prothro, L B, and Roberson, K E. Analysis of fractures in volcanic cores from Pahute Mesa, Nevada Test Site. United States: N. p., 1997. Web. doi:10.2172/623041.
Drellack, Jr, S L, Prothro, L B, & Roberson, K E. Analysis of fractures in volcanic cores from Pahute Mesa, Nevada Test Site. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/623041
Drellack, Jr, S L, Prothro, L B, and Roberson, K E. 1997. "Analysis of fractures in volcanic cores from Pahute Mesa, Nevada Test Site". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/623041. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/623041.
@article{osti_623041,
title = {Analysis of fractures in volcanic cores from Pahute Mesa, Nevada Test Site},
author = {Drellack, Jr, S L and Prothro, L B and Roberson, K E},
abstractNote = {The Nevada Test Site (NTS), located in Nye County, southern Nevada, was the location of 828 announced underground nuclear tests, conducted between 1951 and 1992. Approximately one-third of these tests were detonated near or below the water table. An unavoidable consequence of these testing activities was introducing radionuclides into the subsurface environment, impacting groundwater. Groundwater flows beneath the NTS almost exclusively through interconnected natural fractures in carbonate and volcanic rocks. Information about these fractures is necessary to determine hydrologic parameters for future Corrective Action Unit (CAU)-specific flow and transport models which will be used to support risk assessment calculations for the U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office (DOE/NV) Underground Test Area (UGTA) remedial investigation. Fracture data are critical in reducing the uncertainty of the predictive capabilities of CAU-specific models because of their usefulness in generating hydraulic conductivity values and dispersion characteristics used in transport modeling. Specifically, fracture aperture and density (spacing) are needed to calculate the permeability anisotropy of the formations. Fracture mineralogy information is used qualitatively to evaluate diffusion and radionuclide retardation potential in transport modeling. All these data can best be collected through examination of core samples.},
doi = {10.2172/623041},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/623041}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1997},
month = {Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1997}
}