Shrnutí

Shrnutí

Popis

The purpose of the Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) Advanced Internet Protocol (IP) Technology Laboratory is to assist the Department of Defense (DOD) successfully migrate to IPv6 while maintaining existing IPv4 interoperability. DOD has tasked the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), JITC's parent command, to ensure that DOD IPv6 fielding is coordinated, does not duplicate efforts within DOD and does not introduce interoperability and information assurance risks. DISA will acquire, manage, allocate, and control necessary IPv6 address space for the DOD. DISA and the Joint Staff, with participation of DOD components and Services, is developing a transition plan leading to full IPv6 implementation by FY 08. Since it has the capability to replicate most strategic and tactical joint architectures, JITC, as the information technology and national security systems testing and certification arm of the DOD/DISA, established the Advanced IP Technology Laboratory. In the Lab, Program Managers, acquisition agents and vendors are provided a matrix of equipment and operating systems to conduct IPv6 research, development, testing and evaluation during joint and combined exercises. Access to the laboratory has encouraged vendors to incorporate interoperability in the transition from IPv4 to IPv6 involving general military applications. As DOD's sole interoperability certification authority, JITC tests all DOD information technology and national security systems for interoperability. Since it has the capability to replicate most strategic and tactical joint architectures, JITC, as the certification arm of the DOD, established the Advanced IP Technology Laboratory. In the laboratory, Program Managers, acquisition agents and vendors are provided a matrix of equipment and operating systems to conduct IP research, development, testing and evaluation in both US-only and coalition architectures. Access to the laboratory has encouraged vendors to incorporate interoperability in the transition from IPv4 to IPv6 involving general military applications.

Shrnutí

Popis

The following facilities, equipment, and capabilities are available in the Aerodynamics Laboratory Facilities and Equipment (1) Subsonic, open-jet wind tunnel with 1.8-meter (m) by-1.8-m (6-foot (ft) by 6 ft) cross section and a 13.4 m/s (44 ft/s) speed range (Figure 1). Figure 1. Subsonic, open-jet wind tunnel. (2)Subsonic, closed-circuit wind tunnel with 25.5-cm by 25.5-cm (10 in by 10 in) cross section and a 40.2 m/s (132 ft/s) speed range. (3)Two-DOF (degrees of freedom), large-scale, active-turbulence generator (computer controlled). (4)Three-DOF motor-driven sensor traverse system (2.4 m by 2.4 m (8 ft by 8 ft), computer-controlled). (5)A three-component, high-frequency, dual force-balance system. (6)A six-component high-frequency (tower) base force-balance system. (7)1.8-m- (6-ft-) diameter, motor-driven turntable (computer-controlled). (8)Two high-speed, pressure-scanning systems with a total of 256 pressure ports. (9)Two high-speed data acquisition systems for lab use (average 64 channels per system). (10)Thermo-Systems Inc. (TSI) hot-wire and hot-film velocity sensors. (11)Pitot-static velocity probes (various configurations) and numerous stand-alone pressure transducers (various ranges). (12)Thirteen non-contact laser transducers to measure displacement. (13)Extensive bridge and highway structures model inventory. (14)Bridge plan and drawings library. (15)Unique wind engineering and bridge aerodynamics reference library. (16)Extensive laboratory and field study data archives. (17)Two parallel rigid test frames for model installation. (18)Several office workstations and laptops for field data analysis. (19)Several portable data acquisition systems. (20)Extensive inventory of wind instruments, accelerometers, strain gauges, and other sensors for field testing and structural monitoring. Capabilities of the Aerodynamics Laboratory (1)Instrument design. (2)Computer simulation and analysis. (3)Structural analysis. (4)Full-scale testing and analysis. (5)Wind tunnel experiments (especially fit for bridge applications). (6)Long-term monitoring of structural and wind conditions.

Shrnutí

Popis

Background: The mission of the DRSN is to provide the National Command Authority (NCA), the National Military Command Center (NMCC), Combatant Commander Command Centers, Warfighters, and other critical DoD and federal activities with reliable, secure, interoperable Command and Control and crisis management capabilities. The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) DRSN Program Manager's Office coordinated with the Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) to establish the DISA DRSN Testbed at the JITC in order to conduct test and evaluation of software, firmware, and hardware for the DRSN community. Other testing is conducted on a space available basis with JITC's expenses reimbursed by the customer. Objectives: Assess contractual compliance Assure network wide interoperability Identify and reduce the number and severity of problems in the DRSN Provide support for DRSN Operations and Maintenance (O&M) training Expert technical support for DRSN community JITC's Effort: Beta and interoperability testing of all new hardware, software and firmware Technical support to operational sites Joint Training Facility On-site assistance as requested by the DRSN PM Support O&M training courses Provide technical assistance as requested Milestones: Enhanced Command Consoles operational with Digital Small Switch and Secure Digital Switch platforms Universal Digital Loop Transceivers Multiplexers (UMUX) now available Testbed modernized with two new deployable Digital Small Switches Twenty-four O&M classes to date have been completed

Shrnutí

Popis

Purpose: The mission of the Coatings and Corrosion Laboratory is to develop and analyze the effectiveness of innovative coatings test procedures while evaluating the durability of new coating systems, especially environmentally compliant materials for the corrosion protection of steel bridges. Description: The Coatings and Corrosion Laboratory tests numerous durable and environmentally compliant bridge coatings using both accelerated laboratory tests and natural outdoor exposure. The laboratory also develops innovative cyclic laboratory test methods for evaluating bridge coating performance and highly reproducible techniques for evaluating coating failures. In addition, it assists State departments of transportation (DOTs) to solve a variety of bridge coating problems and recommends appropriate coatings for different environmental conditions. Special Capabilities: The Coatings and Corrosion Laboratory performs the following types of activities. Produces essential bridge coating performance data for DOTs. Develops reliable laboratory test methods to study the performance of various bridge coatings. Develops rapid forensic analytical techniques for identifying bridge coating type and determining causes of field coating failures. Develops easy-to-use and quantitative methods for measuring coating failures. Measures coating mechanical properties by various physical test methods. Characterizes paint composition using various wet chemistry methods, scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive analysis and other spectroscopic techniques. Performs American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHTO) standard paint tests. Determines toxicities of bridge coatings and their disposal options. Detects early coating failures using microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. Determines chloride concentrations on steel and coating surfaces. Investigates wetting properties of paint materials on substrates using contact angle measurement system. Determines presence and rate of corrosion, and moisture content of coating prior to corrosion using nondestructive electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Services: The Coatings and Corrosion Laboratory performs the following services. Assist State DOTs in selecting durable coatings that perform well in different environmental conditions. Recommend rapid and effective physical and chemical techniques to State DOTs and industries to identify causes for coating failures. Serve on the quality assurance/quality control team for the AASHTO/NTPEP. Serve on task group "Scanning Techniques" in the ASTM D01.25 subcommittee on Evaluation of Weathering Effects. Present up-to-date coating research to the Society for Protective Coatings conference, AASHTO/National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA) Steel Bridge Collaboration meeting, and Transportation Research Board meeting. Assist in solution preparations and sample analyses for other groups within TFHRC.

Shrnutí

Popis

B Plant, T Plant, U Plant, PUREX, and REDOX (see their links) are the five facilities at Hanford where the original objective was plutonium removal from the uranium fuel rods after the rods had been subjected to the nuclear chain reaction in the Hanford reactors.Officially, each of these five facilities was called a "plutonium processing facility" or a "chemical separations plant" because chemicals were required to separate the plutonium from the rest of the irradiated fuel rod. All of these chemical separations plants look similar to one another.They are hundreds of feet in length, with most of them standing about 80 feet high and 70 feet wide.If you were to go inside the main work area of one of these facilities, it's kind of like going into a long warehouse.There's lots of open space with high walls.It's similar to being on the floor of a canyon, where you could look up and see the mountains on either side of you.Because of the similarity to how a canyon looks, the workers who built these chemical separations plants started to call them processing "canyons".Today, these facilities are usually referred to simply as canyons. The five canyons at Hanford are all located in the central part of the Site.Each remains highly contaminated after years of removing plutonium from irradiated fuel rods.Ultimately, all five will be decontaminated and demolished.

Shrnutí

Popis

In 1972, two chemical elements which generate a lot of heat were removed from the high level waste tanks at Hanford. Called cesium and strontium, these elements had to be taken out of single shell waste tanks to reduce the temperature of the waste inside those tanks. Both elements were ultimately placed in sturdy, stainless steel containers which were then put into Hanford's Waste Encapsulation Storage Facility (WESF). WESF is located in Hanford's 200-East Area, and is adjacent to the B Plant processing facility. The containers holding the cesium and strontium at WESF are stored in pools filled with water. The water is needed to protect workers from dangers associated with cesium and strontium, but it also helps to keep these elements cool. Interestingly, the water in these pools glows a color of blue in an effect known as the Cherenkov Glow, as the radioactive cesium and strontium decay and lose their radioactivity to become stable atoms. Within the water pools at WESF, there are currently 1335 containers filled with cesium and another 601 containers that have strontium inside. The Department of Energy will continue to safely store the capsules until they can be safely removed and placed in a national repository.

Shrnutí

Popis

The Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education (CUERE) at UMBC was created in 2001 with initial support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. US EPA has provided ongoing additional support since the initial start-up grant. CUERE's mission is to advance the understanding of the environmental, social and economic consequences of the transformation of the urban landscape through research, conferences and symposia, support of university teaching programs and assistance to K-12 education. CUERE fosters interdisciplinary approaches to environmental science, engineering and public policy. The CUERE research team includes environmental engineers, scientists, and policy analysts. The center's research agenda focuses on relationships among natural and socioeconomic processes that occur in urban environments and their impact on public policy. The center is equipped with meeting facilities; integrated analytical, educational and research laboratories; and state-of-the-art computer and geographic information systems. Research and education programs sponsored by CUERE provide a critical link for state and local governmental agencies to better assess and respond to urban environmental issues.

Shrnutí

Popis

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within California’s State Waters. The program supports a large number of coastal-zone- and ocean-management issues, including the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) (California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2008), which requires information about the distribution of ecosystems as part of the design and proposal process for the establishment of Marine Protected Areas. A focus of CSMP is to map California’s State Waters with consistent methods at a consistent scale. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interpretation, and visualization of swath sonar data (the undersea equivalent of satellite remote-sensing data in terrestrial mapping), acoustic backscatter, seafloor video, seafloor photography, high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles, and bottom-sediment sampling data. The map products display seafloor morphology and character, identify potential marine benthic habitats, and illustrate both the surficial seafloor geology and shallow (to about 100 m) subsurface geology. It is emphasized that the more interpretive habitat and geology data rely on the integration of multiple, new high-resolution datasets and that mapping at small scales would not be possible without such data. This approach and CSMP planning is based in part on recommendations of the Marine Mapping Planning Workshop (Kvitek and others, 2006), attended by coastal and marine managers and scientists from around the state. That workshop established geographic priorities for a coastal mapping project and identified the need for coverage of “lands” from the shore strand line (defined as Mean Higher High Water; MHHW) out to the 3-nautical-mile (5.6-km) limit of California’s State Waters. Unfortunately, surveying the zone from MHHW out to 10-m water depth is not consistently possible using ship-based surveying methods, owing to sea state (for example, waves, wind, or currents), kelp coverage, and shallow rock outcrops. Accordingly, some of the data presented in this series commonly do not cover the zone from the shore out to 10-m depth. This data is part of a series of online U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) publications, each of which includes several map sheets, some explanatory text, and a descriptive pamphlet. Each map sheet is published as a PDF file. Geographic information system (GIS) files that contain both ESRI ArcGIS raster grids (for example, bathymetry, seafloor character) and geotiffs (for example, shaded relief) are also included for each publication. For those who do not own the full suite of ESRI GIS and mapping software, the data can be read using ESRI ArcReader, a free viewer that is available at http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcreader/index.html (last accessed September 20, 2013). The California Seafloor Mapping Program is a collaborative venture between numerous different federal and state agencies, academia, and the private sector. CSMP partners include the California Coastal Conservancy, the California Ocean Protection Council, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Geological Survey, California State University at Monterey Bay’s Seafloor Mapping Lab, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Center for Habitat Studies, Fugro Pelagos, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA, including National Ocean Service–Office of Coast Surveys, National Marine Sanctuaries, and National Marine Fisheries Service), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey. These web services for the Bolinas to Pescadero Region includes data layers that are associated to GIS and map sheets available from the USGS CSMP web page at https://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/mapping/csmp/index.html. Each published CSMP map area includes a data catalog of geographic information system (GIS) files; map sheets that contain explanatory text; and an associated descriptive pamphlet. This web service represents the available data layers for this map area. Data was combined from different sonar surveys to generate a comprehensive high-resolution bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter coverage of the map area. These data reveal a range of physiographic including exposed bedrock outcrops, large fields of sand waves, as well as many human impacts on the seafloor. To validate geological and biological interpretations of the sonar data, the U.S. Geological Survey towed a camera sled over specific offshore locations, collecting both video and photographic imagery; these “ground-truth” surveying data are available from the CSMP Video and Photograph Portal at http://dx.doi.org/10.5066/F7J1015K. The “seafloor character” data layer shows classifications of the seafloor on the basis of depth, slope, rugosity (ruggedness), and backscatter intensity and which is further informed by the ground-truth-survey imagery. The “potential habitats” polygons are delineated on the basis of substrate type, geomorphology, seafloor process, or other attributes that may provide a habitat for a specific species or assemblage of organisms. Representative seismic-reflection profile data from the map area is also include and provides information on the subsurface stratigraphy and structure of the map area. The distribution and thickness of young sediment (deposited over the past about 21,000 years, during the most recent sea-level rise) is interpreted on the basis of the seismic-reflection data. The geologic polygons merge onshore geologic mapping (compiled from existing maps by the California Geological Survey) and new offshore geologic mapping that is based on integration of high-resolution bathymetry and backscatter imagery seafloor-sediment and rock samplesdigital camera and video imagery, and high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles. The information provided by the map sheets, pamphlet, and data catalog has a broad range of applications. High-resolution bathymetry, acoustic backscatter, ground-truth-surveying imagery, and habitat mapping all contribute to habitat characterization and ecosystem-based management by providing essential data for delineation of marine protected areas and ecosystem restoration. Many of the maps provide high-resolution baselines that will be critical for monitoring environmental change associated with climate change, coastal development, or other forcings. High-resolution bathymetry is a critical component for modeling coastal flooding caused by storms and tsunamis, as well as inundation associated with longer term sea-level rise. Seismic-reflection and bathymetric data help characterize earthquake and tsunami sources, critical for natural-hazard assessments of coastal zones. Information on sediment distribution and thickness is essential to the understanding of local and regional sediment transport, as well as the development of regional sediment-management plans. In addition, siting of any new offshore infrastructure (for example, pipelines, cables, or renewable-energy facilities) will depend on high-resolution mapping. Finally, this mapping will both stimulate and enable new scientific research and also raise public awareness of, and education about, coastal environments and issues. Web services were created using an ArcGIS service definition file. The ArcGIS REST service and OGC WMS service include all Bolinas to Pescadero Region data layers. Data layers are symbolized as shown on the associated map sheets.

Shrnutí

Popis

Purpose: To test components of: Defense Switching Network (DSN) Defense Red Switch Network (DRSN) Defense Information System Network (DISN) JITC has a mission requirement to support the directives of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction (CJCSI 6251.01), which mandates that JITC certify/assess Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Satellite Communications (SATCOM) terminals and UHF SATCOM channel controllers to conform to all UHF SATCOM waveform requirements contained within the UHF SATCOM Military Standards, MIL-STD-188-181/182/183/184/185/186 series, to include all MIL-STD revisions, MIL-STD change notices, draft MIL-STD revisions, draft MIL-STD change notices, applicable UHF SATCOM Waveform interface requirement documents, and future UHF SATCOM MIL-STDs under development. The UHF SATCOM Waveforms are: Legacy Demand Assigned Multiple Access (DAMA), Integrated Waveform (IW) Phase 1, IW Phase 2, Common Interactive Broadcast (CIB) Waveform, Legacy DAMA and IW Data Controller Waveform, Legacy DAMA Channel Controller Waveform, and IW Channel Controller Waveform. JITC has established and maintains UHF SATCOM Certification Test Services to support the directives of the CJCSI 6251.01. Upon completion of successful testing of a SATCOM Terminal configuration, JITC issues a Standard Conformance Test (SCT) or Waveform Conformance Test (WCT) Certification letter. If the UHF SATCOM system, channel controller or data controller fails to meet all MIL-STD and waveform requirements, JITC issues a SCT or WCT Assessment letter. These certification and assessment letters are referenced by the Joint Staff (JS), with delegated support from the US Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) and Army Forces Strategic Command (ARSTRAT), to determine eligibility of UHF SATCOM terminals for live access to the UHF satellite constellation and network. Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Military Combatant Commander Other DOD Agencies Commercial Vendors

Shrnutí

Popis

Arguably the second most historic building at Hanford is the T Plant. This facility is historic in that it's the oldest remaining nuclear facility in the country that is still operating with a current mission.However, it is also historic as it's the " canyon" where the plutonium used in both the world's first atomic explosion (the Trinity Test) and in the Fat Man bomb dropped over Nagasaki, Japan in World War II was processed. The T Plant was the first chemical processing and separations plant of its kind in the world.Construction began in 1943, with the plant becoming operational in 1945.Nicknamed the " Queen Mary" since T Plant was long and thin like the well known ocean liner, this facility was used to take the irradiated fuel rods that had been in the B Reactor and expose them to a series of chemical processes.The chemicals were needed to dissolve away the fuel rods themselves, allowing workers to access and then extract the tiny amount of plutonium that was produced when the rods were involved in nuclear chain reactions in the reactors. Once the plutonium had been extracted, the chemicals used to dissolve away the fuel rods became liquid wastes, and were put into the underground waste storage tanks at Hanford.The plutonium was further treated so that it could be used in atomic weapons. Today, T Plant is a decontamination and repair facility where employees treat, verify, and repackage waste, as well as sample gases trapped inside drums of waste which have been removed from burial grounds throughout the Site.Radioactive and hazardous wastes are processed and packaged at the facility to meet state and federal regulations as well as criteria associated with transporting waste to certain specific waste disposal facilities.The T Plant Canyon Building is being evaluated for receiving, storing, and treating the radioactive sludge that has been containerized within the K-West Basin (see K-Basins). T Plant is the only processing canyon at Hanford that remains in operation, although its mission today does not have anything to do with producing plutonium for weapons.The B Plant, S Plant (REDOX), U Plant, and PUREX are the other four processing canyons at Hanford which have long been shut down for all missions.

Shrnutí

Popis

Program Capabilities SJN-DO Pharmaceutical Laboratory is an A2LA/ISO/IEC 17025 accredited National Servicing Laboratory specialized in Drug Analysis, is a member of the Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) and contributed with the chemistry mobile Laboratory. It performs a full range of analyses on human drugs and drug forms, including tablets, capsules, creams, suspensions, sterile solutions, metered dose inhalers, nasal sprays, drug patches, and active pharmaceutical ingredients. The work involves different phases of drug analysis and review, including the following programs: Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) Drug compliance and complaint samples Department of Defense Shelf-Life Extension Program samples Drug surveillance programs Over-the-Counter and fraudulent drug samples Method assessment of compendial drugs Drug Quality Reporting System samples Domestic inspections of pharmaceutical and veterinary drug firms International inspections of pharmaceutical and veterinary drug firms Inspections of contract testing laboratories Specialized Capabilities SJN-DO Pharmaceutical Laboratory also has the capability of screening the quality of drug products using specialized technologies including ultra high pressure liquid chromatography, FTIR microscopy, TLC Scanning, and mass spectrometry. The laboratory ensures proficiency in highly specialized testing methods through the inclusion in the scope of accreditation as follows: LC/MS Poison Screening and GC/MS Poison Screening USP method for Glycerin, Ethylene Glycol, and Diethylene Glycol LC/MS method for erectile dysfunction drugs GC/MS method for melamine GC/MS method for sibutramine and other weight loss medications

Shrnutí

Popis

In 2006 and 2007, the U.S. Geological Survey, in partnership with Louisiana Department of Natural Resources and the University of New Orleans, conducted geologic mapping to characterize the sea floor and shallow subsurface stratigraphy offshore of the Chandeleur Islands in Eastern Louisiana. The mapping was carried out during two cruises on the R/V Acadiana. Data were acquired with the following equipment: an SEA Ltd SwathPlus interferometric sonar (234 kHz), Klein 3000 dual frequency sidescan sonar, and an Edgetech 512i chirp subbottom profiling system. The long-term goal of this mapping effort is to produce high-quality geologic maps and geophysical interpretations that can be utilized to investigate the impact of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and to identify sand resources within the region.

Shrnutí

Popis

President Obama signed the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act into law on December 19, 2014, authorizing the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. BReactor as the world's first production reactor is a signature facility of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. One of the most historic buildings at Hanford is the B Reactor, code named 105-B during World War II.The B Reactor was the world's first, full-scale nuclear reactor and produced the plutonium used in the "Fat Man" bomb dropped over Nagasaki, Japan, in August of 1945.Five days after that bomb was deployed, World War II ended. B Reactor is an engineering marvel that was built in only thirteen months (1943-1944).As the world's first nuclear reactor, drawings and blueprints were being developed at the same time the reactor was being constructed.It wasn't unusual for crews to be given hand-written notes or sketches to guide them during the construction process.Many of the specialized tools needed for the project hadn't been invented, so Hanford crews often designed and built their own tools.Since there were no computers when the reactor was being built, calculations for the project were done using slide rules or a pencil and paper! In addition, since the construction work at Hanford was taking place as World War II was being fought, all of the work to build B Reactor and the other facilities at the Site was done in secret.While more than 50,000 construction workers were brought to Hanford to build these facilities, very few of them -- less than 1% -- knew exactly what they were building.The crews were told not to discuss their work with anyone.They knew that they were involved with "important war work", but they weren't told anything else.Construction workers knew only their job assignments, and didn't ask questions about the work other workers were doing or developments in other facilities on the Site.Those who did ask were often relieved of their duties at Hanford and sent elsewhere.The Du Pont Corporation was the main contractor during construction of the reactor, agreeing with the United States government to build the reactor - and indeed the whole Hanford Engineer Works -- for costs plus $1.As Du Pont's team completed the project early, they were only paid 67-cents profit for the project! When the B Reactor began operating in September, 1944, about 64,000 rods of metallic uranium, known as fuel elements, were placed inside the reactor's core.For about six weeks, these elements were subjected to a nuclear chain reaction (self-sustaining bombardment with neutrons) wherein some of the uranium changed its composition and yielded a small amount of the element plutonium.After the six weeks, these fuel elements had become very radioactive .They needed to be removed to preserve the plutonium isotope (form) needed for a weapon.The elements were pushed out the back side of the reactor into a pool of water where they cooled and some of the radioactivity decayed away.The fuel elements were eventually taken by train from the B Reactor to the separations processing facilities in the 200 Area where the plutonium was removed from them. Interestingly, when the reactor first began operating in 1944, it didn't work very well.The original specifications called for the reactor to use 1,500 process tubes filled with uranium fuel, but it was discovered that 1,500 process tubes of fuel would not sustain the nuclear chain reaction.With only the 1,500 tubes filled, another element called xenon was "poisoning" the reaction by capturing too many neutrons.This "poison" shut down the reactor prematurely.When crews filled another 504 process tubes in the reactor with fuel, the extra fuel elements made up for the xenon poisoning, and sustained the nuclear chain reaction, thus successfully producing plutonium. There were no moving parts inside the B Reactor, and the only sounds that could be heard during the reactor's operation were the movements of millions of gallons of Columbia River water rushing through the reactor to cool it.The reactor also didn't need many people to operate it, so a typical crew numbered less than twenty. The B Reactor produced plutonium for more than twenty years.It was shut down in February,1968, and was later scheduled to be "cocooned" like the other reactors at Hanford.(Cocooning is a process by which the reactor core is encased in a concrete shell for 75 years to allow the radioactivity to decay away.)However, in August 2008, the United States Department ofthe Interior designated the B Reactor as a National Historic Landmark.The United States Department of Energy now offers public tours of B Reactor.Click on the Hanford Tours Quick Link located on the welcome page of the www.hanford.gov website for more information about visiting the Hanford Site and B Reactor.

Shrnutí

Popis

In 1984, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Office of Marine Geology, launched a program using the Geological LOng-Range Inclined Asdic (GLORIA) sidescan-sonar system to study the entire U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). From December 1990 through February 1991, the USGS and IOS (Institute of Oceanographic Sciences, U.K.) scientists conducted three surveys within the Johnston Atoll U.S. EEZ surrounding Johnston Island. The results of these surveys were 16 digital mosaics of a 2 degree by 2 degree area with a 50-meter pixel resolution.

Shrnutí

Popis

The 700 Area of the Hanford Site is located in downtown Richland.Called the Federal Office Building, the Richland Operations Site Manager and the Richland Operations Federal Project Directors and Managers have offices in the seven-story structure.The Federal Building also houses a United States Courthouse, the local Veterans Affairs Clinic, Senator Maria Cantwell's Central Washington Director, and theInternal Revenue Service office in the same complex. The Office of River Protection Site Manager and the ORP Federal Project Directors have offices at 2440 Stevens Drive in Richland, while the leadership of the Pacific Northwest Site Office have offices in the Environmental Technology Building in north Richland.

Shrnutí

Shrnutí

Popis

Lake Mead is a large interstate reservoir located in the Mojave Desert of southeastern Nevada and northwestern Arizona. It was impounded in 1935 by the construction of Hoover Dam and is one of a series of multi-purpose reservoirs on the Colorado River. The lake extends 183 km from the mouth of the Grand Canyon to Black Canyon, the site of Hoover Dam, and provides water for residential, commercial, industrial, recreational, and other non-agricultural users in communities across the southwestern United States. Extensive research has been conducted on Lake Mead, but a majority of the studies have involved determining levels of anthropogenic contaminants such as synthetic organic compounds, heavy metals and dissolved ions, furans/dioxins, and nutrient loading in lake water, sediment, and biota (Preissler, et al., 1998; Bevans et al, 1996; Bevans et al., 1998; Covay and Leiker, 1998; LaBounty and Horn, 1997; Paulson, 1981). By contrast, little work has focused on the sediments in the lake and the processes of deposition (Gould, 1951). To address these questions, sidescan-sonar imagery and high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles were collected throughout Lake Mead by the USGS in cooperation with researchers from University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). These data allow a detailed mapping of the surficial geology and the distribution and thickness of sediment that has accumulated in the lake since the completion of Hoover Dam. Results indicate that the accumulation of post-impoundment sediment is primarily restricted to former river and stream beds that are now submerged below the lake while the margins of the lake appear to be devoid of post-impoundment sediment. The sediment cover along the original Colorado River bed is continuous and is typically greater than 10 m thick through much of its length. Sediment thickness in some areas exceeds 35 m while the smaller tributary valleys typically are filled with less than 4 m of sediment. Away from the river beds that are now covered with post-impoundment sediment, pre-impoundment alluvial deposits and rock outcrops are still exposed on the lake floor.

Shrnutí

Popis

About 80 percent of the U.S. population lives in metropolitan areas. These urban residents face a number of pressing environmental problems including exposure to toxic chemicals from Superfund sites, landfills, incinerators, leaded paint and gasoline, Brownfields, industrial release, and pesticide use. In this context, EPA Regions 1 and 3 have both identified "Urban Livability" as a strategic priority. Focusing on the upper mid-Atlantic to the Northeast, the mission of this Center is two-fold: (1) to promote a better understanding of physical, chemical, and biological processes for detecting, assessing, and managing risks associated with the use and disposal of hazardous substances in urban environments and (2) to disseminate the results of the research and provide technical expertise to various stakeholders including community groups, municipal officials, EPA, State, and local regulators, and industry.

Shrnutí

Popis

Purpose: The Binder Laboratory studies the flow and deformation of paving materials. The laboratory's primary mission is to characterize the behavior of paving materials properly such as asphalt binder and fine aggregate mastic. Laboratory Description: The Binder Laboratory is equipped to enable evaluation of the strength, stiffness, and ductility of paving materials and emerging test methods and equipment. Work conducted in the laboratory provides the basis for improved material specifications (e.g., the Superpave performance-based binder specifications) that enable improvement of the durability, longevity, quality, and cost-effectiveness of pavements. Laboratory Capabilities:The Binder Laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art rheology instrumentation and the latest asphalt binder test equipment in order to test binders at various conditions and temperatures. Cracking of pavements takes place mostly at intermediate ambient and low temperatures, while rutting (permanent deformation) takes place mostly at high pavement temperatures. Dynamic Shear Rheometers are used for rheological characterization of paving asphalts in the intermediate to high temperatures ranging from 7 degrees Celsius (42 degrees Fahrenheit) to temperatures approaching 100 degrees Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit). The Rotational Viscometer is used to determine the steady-state viscosity of asphalt binders at high temperatures above 100 degrees Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit), such as 115 degrees Celsius (240 degrees Fahrenheit) to 220 degrees Celsius (424 degrees Fahrenheit). The Pressure Aging Vessel is used with the Rolling Thin Film Oven to simulate long-term aging of asphalts and, hence, pavements. Rheological properties of asphalt binders may thus be measured indicative of pavement conditions after years of service. The Ductility Meter DDA-3 Instrument is being advanced to determine the strain tolerance of binders at intermediate temperatures with the Double Edge Notch Test (DENT). The binder strain tolerance in the ductile state has been found to be a good indicator for fatigue performance. The Bending Beam Rheometer and Direct Tension Tester are used both individually and in combination to determine the low-temperature (thermal) cracking temperatures of asphalts. The latest asphalt binder testing equipment, the Asphalt Binder Cracking Device (ABCD), was developed using FHWA's Highways for Life funds. The ABCD is used to determine the low temperature cracking temperature for asphalt binders. The residue of emulsified asphalts for pavement layer bonding tack coats and pavement preservation treatments can be recovered with updated methodologies and characterized with performance grading instruments. The laboratory is accredited by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials for competency in construction materials testing. Laboratory Equipment:Dynamic Shear Rheometers, Bending Beam Rheometer, Asphalt Binder Cracking Device, Ductility Meter DDA-3, Pressure Aging Vessel, Rolling Thin Film Oven, Rotational Viscometer, Evaporative Recovery of Bituminous Emulsions.

Shrnutí

Popis

Hanford's 300 Area was home to the fuel manufacturing operations at the Site as well as the experimental and laboratory facilities.At one time, six small scale nuclear reactors were located in the 300 Area which is only a few miles from the city of Richland.The 300 Area is adjacent to the Columbia River and is also right next to the main north-south road that takes many Hanford employees from their Tri-Citieshomes to their work locations at the Site. During Hanford's plutonium production mission, hundreds of thousands of tons of raw uranium was sent to the 300 Area to be manufactured into fuel assemblies called "rods". These fuel rods were ultimately placed into the 100 Area reactors wherea nuclear chain reaction would change the chemical properties of the uranium into the plutonium needed for atomic weapons. The 300 Area also served to provide scientists with the laboratory facilities where they could test their theories and conduct experiments on the most efficient ways to transform the uranium into plutonium. Crews also manufactured many tools in the 300 Area for use at Hanford. Since there had never been a nuclear reactor or processing canyon built before these first ones were erected at Hanford, a lot of the materials needed for the construction work hadn't been invented yet. The 300 Area presents unique challenges to workers involved in decommissioning, deactivating, decontaminating, and demolishing the hundreds of facilities in the complex. Due to the many experiments which were conducted at the 300 Area, there are also many contaminated zones associated with it. Crews must take precautions to avoid coming in contact with chemical or nuclear wastes or products created by the experiments, and must also ensure that any waste they do encounter is not released into the air or the soil. Some of the wastes were liquid, which have contaminated some of the groundwater beneath the 300 Area and migrated to the Columbia River but crews are active today in removing and remediating that contamination. Some of Hanford's earliest known solid waste burial grounds are found near the 300 Area and they are also some of the most dangerous. Early records detailing exactly what was dumped in these burial grounds is spotty, and some of the safety measures taken when the burial grounds were being filled were not very good. With so many challenges associated with the cleanup of these burial grounds, extra precautions are taken by workers today so that they can be prepared in case they encounter some material which isn't expected to be there or cannot be immediately identified. Even the buildings associated with the 300 Area present challenges to cleanup teams. These 1940's-era buildings were constructed with asbestos and other materials which we now know can be harmful to humans. When these structures are torn down, the work must be done in accordance with Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies' policies so that no contamination is released into the air or taken in by workers. Due to the 300 Area's proximity to Richland, it is easy for site employees and Richland residents to see the cleanup progress which is taking place. The landscape changes daily as crews using bulldozers and earth moving equipment have already demolished more than 100 structures once needed for plutonium production at Hanford. Officials with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are continuing to use a few of the 300 Area buildings today, but the majority of the complex and its structures are set to be demolished by 2013.

Shrnutí

Popis

Storm Hazard Intensity Level in the coastal zone of Lanai, Hawaii

Shrnutí

Popis

Program Capabilities PHI-DO Pharmaceutical Laboratory specializes in the analyses of all forms and types of drug products.Its work involves nearly all phases of drug analysis and review, including the following programs: New Drug Applications Abbreviated New Drug Applications Drug compliance and complaint samples Department of Defense Shelf-Life Extension Program samples Drug surveillance programs Over-the-Counter and fraudulent drug samples Method assessment of compendial drugs Drug Quality Reporting System samples Domestic inspections of pharmaceutical and veterinary drug firms International inspections of pharmaceutical and veterinary drug firms Inspections of contract testing laboratories In-vitro biopharmaceutical research samples Specialized Capabilities PHI-DO Pharmaceutical Laboratory also has the unique capability of testing pressurized topical aerosols, metered-dose inhalers and propellant-free dry powder inhalers used to aerosolize, or to aerosolize and meter, doses of powder for inhalation. This includes metered-dose inhalers (breath-actuated or dose-metering nebulizers) formulated as suspensions or solutions of active drug in propellants and dry powder inhalers marketed as single- or multi-dose units. High Throughput for Drug Analysis PHI-DO Laboratory has recently increased its mass spectroscopy capabilities to allow for the inclusion of screening for Toxins and Poisons, and PDE 5 Inhibitors using the LCMS and screening for weight loss drugs in dietary supplements using GCMS.

Shrnutí

Popis

Full Capabilities in Basic and Applied Research Samples taken at field locations or those generated in bench, pilot, and demonstration scale experiments require evaluation and may contain combinations of solids, liquids, and gases of organic and inorganic nature. Often, the composition is unknown. Analysis of unknown samples at contract laboratories presents a special problem because contract documents must specify which methods to use, as well as which compounds are to be identified and the detection limit required. Analytical support turnaround time can be crucial when sample analysis is being used to determine and refine experimental operating conditions. Providing Cost-Effective and Timely Analytical Support The Synthetic Biology and Environmental Chemistry Laboratories, located at the ERDC Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL), provide analytical support for US Army research projects and for situations where outside work is prohibitively expensive due to non-routine analyses. Based on these requirements, CERL scientists work in a dynamic and flexible manner in experiment design, method development, and research direction to best analyze and answer research questions. At this facility, CERL scientists use advanced instrumentation to perform basic and applied research at the nexus of chemistry, biology and materials science. This helps address US Army and civilian agency challenges in sensing, synthesis, remediation, energy and restoration, and: Provides timely analyses of crucial samples Performs exploratory analysis of materials of unknown composition Develops specialized sample preparation techniques as required by specific projects Using Advanced Technologies for Superior Sample Analysis The facility's previous research portfolio has supported work in a wide variety of arenas including analysis of wastewater runoff from aircraft washing facilities, oil and particle size analysis of water and soil samples; analysis of industrial wastewater samples, leaching from antifoulant coatings for zebra mussels, corrosion products in drinking water and paint strippers, by-product from advanced oxidation processes, and much more. In addition to these traditional techniques, however, they have expanded their capabilities to include bioinspired, biomimetic and bioengineered directions in their work. The following examples represent only a small cross-section of their recent research activities that demonstrate novel thrust areas: Microscale Energy- Photosynthesis on a Chip: Microscale energy may be used to power microscale or nanoscale devices such as portable sensors, intelligent textiles and coatings and robotics. CERL research is aimed at developing components of a microscale system that mimics the process of natural photosynthesis and oxidizes water in the presence of sunlight into H +. This can be turned into H 2 for use in fuel cell applications and integration into micropower from a microfluidic chip. Cell-Based Sensing- Microfabricated Biomimetic Devices to Replicate Tissues: Development of cell-based sensors for the detection of contaminants in water, including: biomimetic approaches to replicate multiple organ functions on a single microfluidic chip to simulate a "whole body" response to contaminant exposure; encapsulating human cells in hydrogel beads to create three-dimensional (3D) organ mimics by providing a more native-like 3D environment to use as toxicity reporters; and detection of specific biomarkers produced and released by mammalian cells under toxic stress. Hardware Development- SafePort - Handheld, Microfluidics-based Water Analysis System: Developing a platform chassis capable of accepting and automating operation of lab-on-a-chip modules for portable, point of use analytical monitoring. This SafePorthardware interfaces user-selected microfluidic chips to the external world, allowing users to operate complicated chemical analyses with minimal training. While any chip can be made to work with the SafePort system, the Synthetic Biology and Environmental Chemistry Laboratories are currently developing chips for quantitation of perchlorate, quantitation of heavy metals, and cell-based water toxicity screening.This system will provide Army personnel with real time analysis of specific water contaminants, leading to faster decision cycles and actionable answers in the field that reduce analysis costs. Bioinspired Research- Nanosome Containing Insect Bio-Receptors for Vapor Detection: Current methods for the detection and identification of low vapor pressure chemical species (for example, explosives and volatile organic compounds) are inferior to the natural ability of biological sensing elements. An insect's sense of smell is far more sensitive than even the most sophisticated man-made devices and can produce a molecular response at concentrations below the limit of detection of laboratory instruments. The laboratories' work is exploiting the insect olfactory system to identify receptors with specificity for chemical compounds of interest to the Army. Synthetic Biology Synthetic Cells Imbued with Functional Biomolecular Machinery: The laboratories' current research in this area uses polymer-based membrane architecture that supports and orients operational machinery. CERL scientists can choose and exploit cell-based functions a la carte by combining the machinery within a single non-living nanoreactor to reproduce complex biological functions. The research applies both genetic engineering and nanotechnology towards the remediation of perchlorate, which can be readily adapted to applications for emerging contaminants. Specifications (Instrumentation) Analytical support requires a variety of instrumentation, depending on the material composition (organic or inorganic; solid, liquid or gas) and concentration (required detection limits). The following is a list of analytical instrumentation currently available: Chemical and Macromolecular Analysis: Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS); Liquid Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer; High-Pressure Liquid Chromatograph with UV/Vis and Photodiode Array; Conductivity and Light Scattering Detection; Capillary Electrophoresis; Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer; Pyrolysis GC/MS; UV/Vis Absorbance Spectrophotometer Electrochemical Analysis: Picoammeter; Potentiostat; Patch-Clamp Amplifier Microfabrication: Mask Aligner and Spincoater; Micromill; COMSOL; Auto-CAD; Glass Etching Cellular and Synthetic Biology: Biosafety Hoods; Incubators; Gradient and Real-Time Thermocyclers; Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography; Protein and Nucleic Acid Electrophoresis; Microplate Spectrophotometer (UV/VIS, Luminescence, Fluorescence) Microscopy: Zeiss Light Brightfield and Phase Contrast; Olympus Transmitted Light Brightfield and Reflected Light Brightfield/Darkfield; Nomarski Differential Contrast; Simple Polarized Light and Fluorescence; Olympus Inverted System with Spinning Disk Scanning Confocal System and FRET Imaging; Atomic Force Microscopy

Shrnutí

Popis

In 1984, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Office of Marine Geology, launched a program using the Geological LOng-Range Inclined Asdic (GLORIA) sidescan-sonar system to study the entire U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). From 1988 through 1991, the USGS and IOS (Institute of Oceanographic Sciences, U.K.) scientists conducted several surveys within the U.S. EEZ off Hawaii. Nine surveys during that time period focused on the central Hawaii region. The results of these surveys were 24 digital mosaics of approximately a 2 degree by 2 degree area with a 50-meter pixel resolution.