The Science and Technology Program

The Science and Technology Program (S&T) within the DOE Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM), is distinct from, but parallel to, the licensing effort at Yucca Mountain. The role of S&T is to advance technologies not previously considered, to identify new or substantially revised scientific methods or tools, thus providing a better understanding of the repository environment. The S&T program is a well-integrated, focused research and technology program that aims to reduce cost, reduce uncertainty, enhance performance, develop new technologies, and overall greatly enhance the repository system, its performance, and its defensibility during and beyond the License Application defense. The science component of the S&T program is currently organized into three targeted thrust areas:

• Source Term
• Materials Performance
• Natural Barriers

Berkeley Lab's Earth Sciences Division is the Lead for the Natural Barriers Thrust. The goal of the Natural Barriers Thrust is to focus on research that would provide the essential scientific basis and demonstration of large contributions to repository performance by the unsaturated and saturated volcanic rocks at Yucca Mountain. The enhanced understanding of the different processes in the natural system would lead to reduction of uncertainty, as well as obviate the need for overconservatism in Yucca Mountain modeling. The Natural Barriers Thrust funds competitive proposals from universities and national laboratories. Berkeley Lab scientists are currently conducting research pertaining to:

• In-drift processes, integrating thermal-hydrologic-chemical-transport (THCM) models that simultaneously consider source term, corrosion, and the hydrological-chemical environment around waste package processes and conditions—and synthesizing these complex processes into transparent, realistic, and defensible process models
• Near-drift processes, such as found in laboratory, field, and analogue studies, to confirm the drift shadow concept and its ability to delay and sorb radionuclides in the near-drift region
• Processes and conditions that will retard or mitigate flow and transport through unsaturated and saturated volcanic rock.

For more information, please contact:
Jens Birkholzer
Head, Nuclear Waste Program
Earth Sciences Division
Phone: 510-486-7134
Fax: 510-486-5686

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