A Survey of Department of Energy – Sponsored Geophysical Research for Shallow Waste Site Characterization

shall ship all transuranic waste now located at INEL [INEEL], currently estimated at 65,000 m 3 in volume, Subsurface contamination plagues many USDOE sites and threat-to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant or other such facility ens groundwater supplies. This survey discusses research sponsored designated by DOE, by a target date of December 31, 2015, and in no event later than December 31, 2018. " for geophysical characterization of the vadose zone at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) and In April 2003, an Idaho court ruled that the phrase " all other contaminated sites. Various types of geophysical imaging tech-transuranic waste " includes buried waste. niques are used to characterize the shallow subsurface, including elec-Geophysical imaging will be necessary to locate buried waste and residual contamination in the subsurface. Advanced geophysical characterization techniques de-appear in the research surveyed in this article: (i) the development veloped for the subsurface are emerging from the re-of high-resolution imaging capabilities to capture important details search world ripe for implementation at waste sites. of the heterogeneous nature of subsurface properties and processes, (ii) the coupling of nonintrusive survey geophysical measurements vadose zone characterization developed under auspices (e.g., electrical surveys) with detailed quantitative precise point-sensor of the DOE EMSP, which funds basic science research measurements (e.g., lysimeters and vapor-port systems) or borehole targeted at DOE's most pressing cleanup challenges.These basic science research projects will improve our ments to extend high-precision knowledge away from the borehole, knowledge of subsurface features, properties, processes, and finally (iii) the application of multiple geophysical methods to and contaminant distributions, which in turn leads to constrain the uncertainty in determining critical subsurface physical properties. Laboratory, field, theoretical, and computational studies better decision-making regarding remediation and long-are necessary to develop our understanding of the manner in which term stewardship strategies. contaminants travel through the vadose zone. Applications of geo-The goal of these research projects is to develop high-physical methods to various contaminated areas at the INEEL are resolution measurement and interpretation packages that given. provide accurate, timely information needed to characterize the vadose zone and the contaminants it contains. Accurate characterization of the subsurface beneath B uried waste at the INEEL threatens the health of DOE waste sites, such as at the INEEL, is essential to the aquifer and the people, environment, and economy that depend on it. The buried waste at the INEEL • Assess the inventory, distribution, and movement …