An Analysis of Chlorine Gas Release. KARA BROWN
(University of California San
Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92092)
GEORGE FULTON (Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, 94550)
Chlorine is an
extremely reactive and harmful gas that can cause a myriad of health
problems within seconds of exposure. This report is an analysis of
current chlorine safety regulations in place at Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory for Building 153. It was found that the rapidity
at which usable amounts of chlorine gas could be released into the
main workspace of the building that the emergency response alarm
for a leak needed to remain active. The calculations go through a
series of different possibilities including the concentration of
chlorine gas with multiple size cylinders, the difference that ventilation
makes, and the amount of time it would take the ventilation to get
the concentration of chlorine gas down to different airborne exposure
standards such as the IDLH, STEL, 8-Hour TLV, or Mean Odor Threshold.
Arc Flash. YEVHEN
RUTOVYTSKYY (Three Rivers Community College, Norwich, CT, 6360) SWAPNA
MUKHERJI (Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973)
Analyzing BNL electrical
distribution system. Determine the incident energy, boundary requirements,
and the personal protective equipment necessary tin order to minimize
the possibility of electric shock to personal. All the calculations
are done by using PTW (Power Tools for Windows) software and based
on measured data or information, obtained from the manufactures labels
(such as: operating voltage, breaker size, size of the wire etc.)
After completing this project we expect to come up with a universal
label that will be posted on all electrical equipment that exists
at BNL. New label will contain the name of the panel, warning statement "Arc
Flash Hazard!!!" and category PPE (Personnel Protective Equipment)
Assessing the impact of aerosols on the radiation budget in the Sahel
using the SHDOMPP Radiative Model. NIMISHA GHOSH ROY (University of Washington, Seattle,
WA, 98006) TOM ACKERMAN (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
Richland, WA, 99352)
To understand Earth’s
dynamic climate system, scientists are developing global climate
models. Currently there are various climate models that scientists
are continuously trying to understand and refine. Current difficulties
include the ability to correctly include the effect of aerosols and
clouds in global climate models. The purpose of this project is to
work on calculating the effect of aerosols (particles in the atmosphere)
on the Earth’s radiation budget (the balance of incoming and outgoing
solar radiation). This project focuses on the effects of aerosols
in the Sahel (south of the Sahara Desert) with hopes of refining
the way global climate models currently model the Sahel and similar
regions. The instruments used are part of the Department of Energy’s
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program’s mobile suite of instruments
located in Niamey, Niger. The Sky Radiometer, Total Sky Imager and
Micropulse Lidar were used to identify periods of clear skies on
a time scale of fifteen minutes. Clear sky sets of data were critical
because the presence of clouds in the data set would introduce too
many variables. Various atmospheric properties were collected from
a variety of instruments (also at Niamey, Niger) over the same periods
of clear skies. Data used were from January 1 - 31st, 2006. The data
was put into the SHDOMPP (Spherical Harmonics Discrete Ordinates
Model, Plane-Parallel Version) Radiative Transfer Model. The model
was run with two scenarios: 1) Clear Skies with Aerosols and 2) Clear
Skies without Aerosols. Comparing the SHDOMPP model results with
observed data from ground instruments provides a measure of the accuracy
of the model. Initial results show a 1-5% agreement between modeled
and observed calculations of total down welling shortwave flux. The
two model runs (with and without aerosols) were compared to each
other to understand the effect of the aerosols. Initial results show
the presence of aerosol lowers the total down welling shortwave flux
by 32 - 120 W/m2. Problems with the treatment of some input parameters
have been identified. The next step in developing an understanding
of the effect of aerosols will involve refining the assumptions and
parameters input to the SHDOMPP model.
Development of Charged-Coupled Devices for Precision Cosmology and the Supernova
Acceleration Probe Satellite. JESSICA
WILLIAMSON (University of Alabama
in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL, 35899)
DR. NATALIE ROE (Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory, Berkley, CA, 94720)
Dark energy, which
is believed to be a cosmic energy density that is gravitationally
repulsive and does not appear to cluster in galaxies, has been invoked
to account for the recent measurement that the rate of the universe’s
expansion is accelerating. To better understand these phenomena,
scientists utilize type Ia supernovae as calibrated candles. Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) is developing the Supernova Acceleration
Probe (SNAP), a space-based telescope that will be used to identify
and measure supernovae. The SNAP focal plane will consist of an innovative
camera that integrates two cutting-edge imaging sensor systems, one
of which is the LBNL high purity charged coupled device (CCD) for
the visible light range. We report on the development of a novel
technique for extending the spatial and photometric fidelity performance
of the LBNL CCDs. Presented are our results obtained from measurements
using a 10.5 µm pixel pitch, 1.4k×1.4k format, p channel CCD fabricated
on high-resistivity silicon at LBNL. The fully depleted device is
300 µm thick and backside illuminated. Measurements of the device’s
transverse diffusion of charge carriers, pixel to pixel uniformity
and intrapixel uniformity will be reported. will be reported. Also
presented are new, preliminary results from the first implementation
of CCD Phase Dithering, a novel technique for achieving sub-pixel
spatial resolution in undersampled, pixelated image data as will
be obtained by the SNAP satellite.
Focal Mechanisms and Stress Axes of Microearthquakes in Southeastern Washington State. STEFANY
SIT (Lawrence University, Appleton, WI, 54911) ALAN ROHAY (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352)
The Hanford Seismic
Network combined with the Eastern Washington Region Network covers
eastern Washington State with forty-one seismograph stations. Routine
analysis monitors and locates local seismic events dominated by shallow
depth microearthquakes. However, regular study does not include investigations
into the mechanisms of earthquakes. This report uses seismograms
from 2000 to 2006 to develop constraints on fault and auxiliary planes
of seismic activity occurring in southeastern Washington State. Through
the proper identification of planes, the principal axes of stress
can then be extrapolated. Using a SUN system and Focal2 software,
focal mechanisms were developed according to the procedure provided
by Oppenheimer (1996). A significant portion of the mechanisms showed
a general maximum compression in the north-south direction with a
low angle of plunge. The axis of minimum compression showed varying
orientations with no conclusive pattern. These results are in agreement
with previous studies done in the area and show no deviance from
the historical pattern.
Inquiry-Based Learning at Its Best. SARAH
BAUM (Lesley University, Cambridge, MA, 2138) MARY CONNOLLY (Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory, Berkley, CA, 94720)
The Lawrence Hall
of Science (LHS) is one of the leading forces in the inquiry-driven,
direct experience approach to science and mathematics instruction
for grades K-12. LHS has developed several inquiry-based curriculum
projects that are used throughout the United States. This public
science center also provides educational exhibits and classes, year-round
outreach programs, as well as diverse summer camp programs for children
of the region. The investigative approach stems from human beings’ natural
curiosity to explore what is seen on a daily basis. This strategy
when applied to a classroom helps students connect concrete ideas
to their own experiences through open-ended investigations and discussions.
My goal throughout the summer was to observe how instructors use
guided inquiry techniques with a variety of age groups to delve into
life, physical, and earth science. My research reflects an exploratory
sample of age groups and content areas. Working alongside LHS instructors
has allowed me to study inquiry-based education by observing, comparing,
analyzing, and applying themes and elements central to the process.
Qualitative Testing of Social Network Analysis Biowarfare Taxonomy: An Analysis
of LLNL Open Source Publications. LIRAN
GOLDMAN (University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093)
DEBORAH YARSIKE BALL AND DALE K. BREARCLIFFE (Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, 94550)
The Dynamic Network
Engineering Group takes a network-centric approach to discover and
characterize organizational expertise and relationships of state
and non-state actors intent on creating and using weapons of mass
destruction (WMD). This approach utilizes a taxonomy that can identify
and extract key actors from large, unstructured data sources. In
this project, a taxonomy was developed and tested on a known entity:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The goal was to discover
and qualitatively describe the results of a specific taxonomy when
combined with the dynamic network analysis methods. The data used
in this test analysis include a list of Livermore Laboratory employees
who have a pager assigned to them, online versions of LLNL’s Science & Technology
Review (S&TR), and a potential biowarfare taxonomy. After the
S&TR issues were downloaded, the data were uploaded and processed
in Automap, a program capable of extracting and analyzing computer
based text by creating links among words then constructing a network.
Next, the words of interest were extracted from the S&TR articles,
and evaluated in Organization Risk Analyzer (ORA), a program capable
of statistically analyzing dynamic networks. The analysis completed
by ORA on this dataset revealed some key findings: the years 2003
and 2004 were prominent for biology related publications. Also, pathogens
and anthrax were consistently the top areas explored. Follow-up analysis
of these results indicates that this process is successful at singling
out pertinent actors, but the results should be viewed with caution.
A few drawbacks include Automap’s failure to extract variations of
words the program is instructed to locate. Additionally, not all
of the relationships established by Automap are valid due to its
inability to distinguish between unrelated, yet adjacent articles.
Furthermore, reporters who wrote the publications used in this test
case became part of the data set. Also, the inclusion of projects
and people is not a complete representation of ongoing research at
LLNL. This latter issue is somewhat mitigated when examining external
organizational expertise and relationships because the publications
assessed are usually authored by the researchers themselves. These
matters will be considered when applying this process to other datasets.
The effect of fire on soil carbon storage in a prairie ecosystem: applications
to global climate change and ecosystem-climate feedbacks. RYAN SMITH (California State University Fresno, Fresno, CA, 93740) MARGARET TORN (Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory, Berkley, CA, 94720)
The increasing
concern around the topic of global warming is reason to assure climate
change models be accurate. A potentially important omission from
current models is CO2 feedbacks between climate and soils. Natural
fire and managed fire both play an important role in maintaining
the prairie ecosystem. If warming increases the frequency of fire
it will be important to know the effect fire has on the storage of
carbon in soil. The goal of this project was to investigate the effect
of fire on soil carbon stocks in a prairie of the Southern Great
Plains. Our null hypothesis was: no change in carbon content of grassland
soil due to the fire treatment. The alternative hypothesis was that
carbon content of the soil will decrease due to the treatment of
fire. The USDA Grazing Research Laboratory in Oklahoma collaborated
in this project and provided soil samples for analysis. Ten soil
cores, 1 meter deep, were collected from two adjacent prairie fields
in March 2005. Shortly after collection, the north field was treated
with fire while the south field was left unburned to function as
the experimental control. In August 2005, 10 more cores were collected
from each of the two fields. Each core was divided into 10 cm depth
increments from 0-50 and 25 cm increments below that, to look at
the change in carbon content with depth. One half of the core was
used to determine bulk density. The other half was used to test for
carbonates and determine carbon content. No core tested positive
for carbonates. For carbon analysis, the soil was homogenized and
roots were removed. The carbon analysis showed that the content of
carbon decreased with depth and that the greatest variability among
cores was in the top 10 cm. Between March and August, the south field
(unburned control) lost, 0.31 kg Carbon/m2 (p < 0.14 for the difference).
In contrast, the north field showed an average total carbon stock
loss of 1.1 kg Carbon/m2 after the treatment of fire. The loss of
soil carbon in the burned field was highly significant (one-tailed
p < 0.034) Assuming that the lost soil carbon was released to
the atmosphere as CO2, these results suggest that there could be
a strong positive feedback effect if warming increases fire frequency
in prairie. Continued research on the rates of inputs and outputs
of carbon into the soil-and the effect of fire on them-needs to be
done to make whole conclusions.
The Laboratory Assessment Worksheet—A Risk Comparison of Biological and Chemical
Hazards in the Laboratory. REBECCA
WILLIAMSON (University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22556) GERALD SCHWEICKERT (Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, 94550)
Today’s hazardous
world demands safe work practices. An employee’s risk of injury and
infection increases significantly when he handles sharps. To assess
sharps use and compliance with correct safety controls and practices,
the author generated a survey form. This form was based on current
safety standards and used to conduct face-to-face interviews of Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) personnel who were using biological
materials and sharps in research projects. At LLNL, current safety
standards are summarized in what is known as the Environmental Safety
and Health (ES&H) Manual. Close scrutinization of the ES&H
manual confirmed consistency with the current sharps use standards.
The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) Bloodborne
Pathogens Standard mandates that employers maintain a sharps injury
log. The survey was designed to determine if any discrepancies between
the number of sharps injuries sustained and those reported existed.
However, the LLNL sharps injury log was not currently available but
will be available in the future, and therefore such comparisons were
not performed as part of this analysis. Twenty percent of the facilities
using sharps at LLNL were evaluated. During the assessments, almost
sixty percent of the labs had an observable sharps safety hazard.
These safety breaches fell into one of the following three categories:
improper recapping technique, presence of an exposed or improperly
discarded sharp, or overfilled sharps container. Nearly twenty percent
of the individuals interviewed either had injured himself with a
sharp or knew of someone affiliated with his particular lab that
had been injured. Seventy-five percent of the reported injuries occurred
in a BSL-2 lab. Most researchers at LLNL use scalpels and needles.
Half of the researchers reuse their sharps, a practice that should
be avoided. The statistical results of the surveys alerted safety
personnel to the need for sharps training and further evaluation
of sharps use at LLNL.
