ML24199A217

FOIA-2024-000186 - Released Record Set

ML24199A217
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Issue date:	07/16/2024
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FOIA-2024-000186
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lnteragency Collaborative for Environmental Modeling and Monitoring (ICEMM)

THE UfllTEO STATES JIUC LEA.fl REGtJLATOft'( COMIAISSION OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY REw.RCH

TiiE LNTED STATES EPMRONMOOAL PROT!CTI~ AGENCY OFFICE Of RESEARCH ANO OMLOPltENT THE lNTEO STATES ll"..PARTMENT OF OEFENs.!

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OflFICE 0, ErMROP'ENTAL. t.wu.GEMENT THE lffll'O STATES DEPARTMENT OF TIE lffTER!Ol!

UfllTEO STAlES GEOlOGICAI. SURYEY

Tl1E ~TJOtlA.t. SCIErtCE FOUNOATION GEOSCIEHCES DiRECTOAATE

RES Hosts the Annual Public Meeting of the lnteragency Collaborative for Environmental Modeling and Monitoring (ICEMM)

Thomas Nicholson On April 24 - 25, 2018, RES hosted the annual public meet ing of the lnteragency Collaborative for Environmental Modeling and Mon itoring (ICEMM).

U.S. Federal agencies are cooper ating in the research, development, and sharing of environmental models, software, and databases through ICEMM. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) facilitates cooperation and coordination among six agencies: National AdaPttdkom.: USG.sOfR Z01 7*l016 Science Foundation, Geoscience Directorate; U.S. Army Corps of Monitoring and model data fusion-the theme for the Engineers (USAGE), Eng ineer ICEMM 2018 Public Meeting.

Research and Development RES Director Michael Weber, who signed the Center; U.S. Department of Energy, Office of MOU on June 7, 2016, provided the we lcoming Biological and Environmental Research; U.S. rema rks for this year ' s meet ing. The meet ing's Environmental Protection Agency, Office of theme was Monitor ing and Model Data Fusion.

Research and Development ; U. S. Geological Fusion involves the active process ing and Survey (USGS); and U.S. Nuclear Regulatory synthesis of data sources into a unified model Commission (USNRC), Office of Nuclea r database with the model inform ing monitoring Regulatory Research. programs as to what, when, where, and how the

ICEMM has been in existence since 2001 and data is to be obtained and translated into a ims to establish working partnerships, reduce modeling assumptions and inputs such as redundancies, and improve common boundary conditions and parameters.

techno logy across Federal agencies. ICEMM The meet ing included two keynote presenta holds a yearly public meeting for attendees to tions: " From Data to Decisions: Framing the share information on scien tific developments and new operat ional initiatives among the Continued on Page 2 participating agencies.

RES Seminar on the NRC Safety Goal Policy Statement Joe Zabel

On Wednesday, February 21, 2018. RES hosted a knowledge management seminar entitled "Development & Implementation of the NRC Safety Goal Policy Statement. "

The seminar began with a presentation on the policy statement by NRC Historian Tom Wellock and recent NRC retiree Gary Holahan. Their presentation was followed by a panel discussion of the history, plant events, and activities leading up to the July 30, 1986, Commission approval of the Safety Goal Policy Statement.

The panel, which was made up of current and former NRC managers and staff, included former Commissioner James Asselstine ( 1982-1987), Commissioner George Apostolakis (2010-2014 ), and former Director of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Tom Murley.

The Safety Goal Policy Statement established qualitative safety goals and quantitative health objectives for nuclear power plant operation. In doing so, the The seminar panel (from left to right): Michael Weber, Director of Nuclear policy statement, for the first time, provided Regulatory Research ; Commissioner George Apostolakis (2010-2014);

the Commission's answer to the question Thomas Wellock, NRC Historian ; Victor Mccree, Executive Director for "how safe is safe enough." The NRC has Operations; Gary Holahan, former Chief Technical Advisor to the EDO been implementing the policy statement (2016-2018); Commissioner James Asselstine (1982-1987) ; and over the past 30 years. Tom Murley, former Director of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (1987-1994).

RES Hosts the Annual ICEMM Public Meeting (Continued from Page 1)

Science and Policy of Coupled Human Future of Water Prediction" by Don Cline, Natural Systems" by Pierre Glynn, Water Associate Director for Water. USGS.

Cycle Branch Chief. USGS and "Earth Intelligence: The Fourth Industrial Revolu Informative presentations and a panel tion, The National Water Model, and the discussion aligned with the meeting theme were provided by speakers from ICEMM Federal agencies and from the U.S. Global Research Program, Consorti um of Universities for Advancement of the Hydrologic Sciences, and University of Dr. Donald Cline, USGS, discusses South Carolina. Reports were delivered the National Water Model.

by the three ICEMM working groups:

Integrated Model Confirmation, Forecast ing Ecosystem Functions and Services, monitoring. This approach requires and Watershed and Surface-Wate r consideration of both human and natural Quality Modeling. NMSS and RES staff dimensions to provide an integrated are active on both the ICEMM Steering understanding for management of the Committee and the ICEMM work groups. world's complex problems (e.g., food, energy, water).

Billy Johnson, USACE, discusses the A primary meeting outcome was that a Nutrient Simulation Module coupled to complex adaptive systems approach is Continued on Page 4 HEC-RAS and HEC-HMS. needed for environmental modeling and

2 2018 Spring RAMP Users Group Meeting

Kerstun Norman The third international Radiation Protection Computer Code and Maintenance Program (RAMP) Users Group Meeting was held on March 25-29, 2018, at the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The meeting was attended by nearly 50 participants w ith staff representing FANR, UAE ' s regulatory body for the nuclear sector, and Nawah Energy Company who will operate and main The 2018 RAMP UAE meeting consisted of ab out 50 representatives from the tain the first nuclear power plant in FANR (regulator) and Nawa h Energy Company (the licensee), an d two RAMP UAE. In addition to NRC staff and members from South Africa and the UK.

contractors, the meeting was attended by RAMP members from Spain, South response dose calculation), SNAP/ collegial atmosphere improved existing Africa, and the United Kingdom. RADTRAD (design basis accident dose professional relationships and forged new The meet ing agenda was tailored to assessment ), and Turbo FRMAC ones. Code discussions were mutually (emergency response automat ion tool). The benefic ial to both the users and the code meet the needs of UAE and featured hands-on training offered users a way to test developers. These code discussions aid four RAMP computer codes. Specifi the codes and their ability to use them while ed in the formulation of recommen d ations cally, RASCAL (emergency response receiving d irect feedback from the code for future RASCA L code changes to e projections), VARSKIN (skin developers. improve the access to and the use o f automated local meteorolog ical data.

Attendees participated in open discussions with developers, pro As a result, a method was created for vided suggestions for code im allowing the international users to provements, and learned more readily download their ava ilab le automat about code upgrades and future ed meteorological data into RASCA L. In releases. Morning primers (i.e., a addition, these code discussions provided 45-minute presentation that pro the RASCAL code developers with vides an overview of a specific international user ' s community needs subject) addressed radiation pro regarding RASCAL output products tection top ics such as the Radio (RASCAL reports).

logical Toolbox and HAB IT com puter codes as well as the Radia Aside from networking and collaborating,

tion Exposure Information and attendees also had the opportunity to In addition to code discussions, training and Reporting System (REIRS) for tour FANR 's Emergency Operations scheduled meetings, four additional radiation workers. Center and the newly opened Louvre meetings with Directo rs were conducted Abu Dhab i.

concerning various radiation protection In ad dition to the training sessions,

issues including the REIRS databas e. the meet ing 's collaborative and Dr. Tom Murley Still Contributing to Public Service Micha el W eb e r On May 16, 2018, Nick DiFrancesco Dr. Murley approached me after the Little did I know then that he had 18 and Tanya Oxenberg joined me in a knowledge management seminar on the archive boxes in stor e for our p ick up.

visit to th of Tom and Safety Goal Policy Statement (see article on ~--------~

(b )(6) o collect information that page 2) and asked me if the NRC might be...,,( b..,,)(=6 ),--------_J..."""' w~h~o~----.

r. ur ey acquired since his retire interested in information that he compiled ment from the NRC in 1994. The over the last 24 ye a rs followin his retire-information consists of reports, papers, ment in 1994. He and b )(6) were information was carefully indexed, and other documents that he comp iled f(b)( 6) land no longer wanted to retain packaged in the boxes, and properly as he cont inued to study and consult the 1nformat1on. I seized the opportunity, labelled for our convenience.

on nuclear safety topics here in the and we began making arrangements. Continued on Page 5 United States and internationally.

3 RES Hosts High Energy Arcing Fault (HEAF) Phase II Public Information Sharing Workshop Thomas A ird

On April 18-19, 2018, the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research ( RES),

Division of Risk Analysis, Fire and External Hazards Analysis Branch (FXHAB) hosted the High Energy Arcing Fault (HEAF) Phase II Public Information Sharing Workshop at NRC HQ and online via webinar. The purpose of this workshop was to inform interested stakeho lders about the status of HEAF testing research and to review public comments received on the Phase II draft test plan.

Additional support for this workshop was provided by Division of Engineering staff. On Wednesday, Tom Boyce and Stanley Gardocki gave an overview of the Generic Issues process as it Nicholas Melly d iscusses HEAF research, NRC 's generic issue programs,

pertains to future HEAF research. Kenn and HEAF-related definitions at the public information sharing workshop.

Miller, ICEEB, presented and contributed throughout the workshop on Netherlands Lab outlining the capabilities In add ition to the 30 participants in the all things electrical. and past work of KEMA Laborator ies. room, over 40 people participated in the onl ine webinar broadcast of this workshop The first day included presentations The second day was primarily devoted to thus enabl ing a w ide range of international from NRC, EPRI, the Chief Electrical addressing comments on the Phase II regu lators, industry representatives, and Engineer from the National Fire draft test plan and soliciting discuss ion on private citizens to cont ribute.

Protection Association (NFPA}, and an Phase II test parameters. This discussion independent testing laboratory (KEMA included ranking parameters such as bus The results and presentations from this Laboratories). NRC staff presented on spacing, arc location, enclosure workshop will be documented in an up past HEAF research, the NRC 's generic configuration, etc. The end result of this coming NUREG/CP. Insights w ill also be issue program, and general HEAF collaboration is a clear path forward for shared with an OECD HEAF meeting tak related definitions. The day concluded the future testing efforts. ing place in Europe during the week of with Bas Verhoeven from KEMA 's April 23, 2018.

RES Hosts RES Hosts the Annual ICEMM Public Meeting (Continued from Page 2)

In addition, much discussion involved An example of interagency collabo ration data and technology advances in the is the ongoing development of water context of the increasing and models to simulate dynamics of unprecedented speed of technological vegetation, nutrients, and contam inants breakthroughs. These breakthroughs by the USACE 's Hydrologic Engineering incl u ded enhanced capab ilities to mon itor Center (HEC) and the U.S. Bureau of (e.g., crowdsourcing sensors and Reclamation and Department of robotics) and to simulate (e.g., cloud and Agriculture.

supercomputing) ecosystem processes.

Communication with stakeholders was a The importance of standards was recurring important topic, and panelists emphasized for forma t, communication encouraged ICEMM to cons ider "science...._ ___ __,.._ __ ____;:,___.__ _ _

ontology, and metadata to increase -infused adaptive governance " where Tom Nicholson, RES and David Esh,

reusability and reproducibility for open coord inated data and models are tailored NMSS disc uss environmental modeling source, scalable modeling and data to specific challenges such as and monitoring for risk-informed tools. emergency response. performance-based assessments.

4 Dr. Tom Murley Still Contributing to Public Service (Continued from pag e 3)

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Dr. Murley acted as Director of Nuclear Regulatory Research (1979-1980) and served as Director of Nuclear Reactor Regulation from April 1987 until February 1994. I n his leadership positions at the NRC, Dr. Murley also served as Regional Administrator for Region I from 1983 to 1987 and Director of Regional Operations and Generic Requirements Staff in the Office of the Executive Director for Opera tions (1981-1983). He retired from the NRC after 25 years of government service in 1994 and presently consults on nuclear management and safety matters domesti cally and internationally.

Before serving at the NRC, Dr. Murley worked for the Atomic Energy Commission, including assignments as the Assistant Project Manager for the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Project

6) Continued on Page 6 Nick DiFrancesco, Tanya Oxenberg, and Dr. Tom Murley pose beside a car trunk full of reports, papers a nd other documents Dr. Murley compiled on nuclear safety topics since his retirement from the NRC.

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5 RES-EPRI Annual Meeting - a Visit to NIST

Mark Henry Salley, P.E.

On May 29-39, 2018, the Office of Nucl ear Regulatory Research (RES) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) senior managers held their annua l Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) meeting. As an added bonus, the senior managers were able to visit the National Institute of Standards and Technology (N IST) campus in Gaithersburg, Maryland. NIST supports RES in a number technical programs that include fire, concrete, material aging, and external hazards research.

NIST Director Nelson Bryner took the sen ior managers on a tour of the National Fire Research Laboratory, wh ich ~..,

included an opportunity for the ~

group to see current samples of ~ ~ ~ - _

Alkali-Silica Reaction concrete in RES and EPRI senior managers pose outside the Nation a l Fire Res ea rch Laboratory at the materials laboratory. In the 9-11 World Tra de Center (WTC) Memorial. NIST performed the official fire and struc-addition, NIST sc ientists offered tural collapse analysis for the WTC.

presentations to the group on High Wind Research and Electrical Cable New RES Office Director Ray Furstenau at the NRC with these important meetings Aging. was off and run n ing during his first week and laboratory visits.

Dr. Tom Murley Still Contributing to Pub lic Service (Continued from page 3)

(1974-1975) and as Technical Assistant to reflected on his half century career in Commissioner Doub (1972-1974). He nuclear safety. Tom commented that he also worked for the West inghouse Electric did not fully appreciate the importance of Corporation as a senior scientist for Fas t safety culture until he served as the Reactor Design (1966-1968) and the Regional Adm inistrator in Region I. In Ka rlsruhe Nuclear Research Center in headquarters, in RES, and in OEDO, he Germany conducting post-doctoral had focused most of h is attention on research on the physics of fast reactors. confirming the safety of the nuclear power plants as designed. However, when he Dr. Murley received the American Nuclear began visitin g the plants and overseeing Society 's (ANS's) Tommy Thompson their operation, he realized how much the Awa rd for Nuclear Safety (1992) and is a performance of a well-designed plan t Fellow of the ANS. He is a charter could degrade if it was not properly member of the Senior Executive Service maintained and operated by the peop le at (1979) and received two Presidential Rank the plant.

Awards - one from President Ronald Reagan ( 1986) and one from President He also recognized that safety culture George H. W. Bush (1990). He earned starts at the top of an organization and his undergraduate degree in Engineering that leaders-through their words,

Mechanics from the University of Illinois behaviors, and actions - can profoundly (1961) and his doctorate in Nuclear impac t the culture of safety, for better or Eng ineering from the Massachusetts for worse. Many thanks to Tom for h is 25 Institute of Technology (1965). years of government service as a Federal employee and for 24 more years of As we thanked Tom and~fter load service for nuclear safety after retiring ing the documents into m~r. Murley from Federal service.

6 Flood Penetration Seal Testing in Lynchburg, VA Thomas Aird

Du ring the week of August 13, 2018, RES seals were some of the types of seal staff from the Fire and External Hazards materials tested. The penetrants ranged Analysis Branch observed a series of from electrical cables to 4 -inch p ipes to flood penetration seal tests at a tray conduits.

Framatome test facility in Lynchburg, VA.

During one particular test, water pressure This series of tests was part of a research on one side of the seal assemblies was pro ject within the Probabilistic Flood incrementally increased 1 psi every 3 Hazard Analysis research program to m inutes. Very little to no leakage was develop a potentia l test methodology for observed from the seal assembl ies until eva luat ing flood penetration sea ls. the pressure reached about 19 psi and Test Deck 3 prior to te sting.

During these tests, penetration seals one of the seal assemblies abruptly failed.

were subjected to water pressures up to This was proceeded with an aud ib le bang 20 psi, and leakage rates, pressures, and and a giant rush of water out of the test other observat ions were recorded. apparatus. Subsequent pressu re changes and flow rates were captured by The tests were conducted at the data recorders.

Lynchburg facility to va lidate and test a draft test methodology. A proof-of The final product of this research effort concept testing program was developed will be a NU REG document that outlines a to apply the methodology to a variety of suggested methodology for testing flood sea l and penetration types typically found penetration seals incorporat ing lessons at nuclear power plants. Low / high density learned from this laboratory proof-of foam seals, elastomer seals, and boot concept testing program. Test Dec k 1 after testing.

Se al #1.6 was blow n -out du ring pre ssur e testing.

RES Hosts the Federal Subcommittee on Hydrology's Public Meeting on Extreme Precipitation Datasets and Analyses Thom a s Nicholson and Ta mm ie Rivera

On August 20, 2018, RES staff chaired and hosted a public meeting to brief the Federa l Government's Advisory Committee on Water Information ' s Subcommittee on Hydrology (SOH) on a recently completed proposal on E xtreme R ain fa ll Produ ct Nee d s.

The meet ing objective was for the Extreme Storm Events Work Group (ESEWG ) members to provide details on their technical needs and to answer questions on the proposal 's recommenda tions. The four recommendations focused on:

1. Completing, updating, and upgrading NOAA Atlas 14, which provides a computer data server of precipitation RES Dire ctor R ay mond Fur stenau (c ent e r) w elc om e s SOH a g en cy re p resenta depths, durations (1 hour1.157407e-5 days <br />2.777778e-4 hours <br />1.653439e-6 weeks <br />3.805e-7 months <br /> to 60 days),

and frequencies (out to 1,000 year tives, private s e ctor m ete orologist s, and the publi c. Around the tabl e sit SOH recurrence) for the United States. C hair Sia m a k Esfa ndiary, Fe d era l Em e rg en c y M a n a g em ent Ag en c y (far right) w ith Mark Glau demans, Director, Geo-Intelligen ce Div ision, Nation a l W eathe r Service (fro nt right) and Sa nj a Pe rica, NOAA/NWS (front le ft). Also p icture d ar e Continu e d on Page 8 ESEWG Cha ir Tom Nic hol s on, NRC / RES (front left) and Tammi e R iv e ra, NRC /

RES (rea r left).

7 RES Hosts the Federal Subcommittee on Hydrology's Public Meeting on Extreme Precipitation Datasets and Analyses (Continued from Page 7)

2. Completing and maintaining the U.S. Precipitation Database, which provides a source of digital historical storm data including geologic information system data,

and recommending a permanent digital repos itory for all future storm data ana lysis.

3. Updating the HydroMeteorologica l Reports (HM Rs) by the National Weather Service (NWS), which provide probable maximum precipitation (PMP) estimates for the United States..

4. Developing a National Guidance Document to Review Site-Specific PMP estimates by Federal and private sector meteorological consultants. ESEWG members briefing the SOH members and the public on their These recommendations were technical proposal.

presented and d iscussed by Sanja A special presentation by Scott DeNeale Federal agency representatives who Perica, Chief, Hydrometeorological and Sh ih-Chieh Kao, Oak Ridge National participated in person included the Design Studies Center, NWS Laboratory (ORNL) provided comments on Environmental Protection Agency; (Recommendation 1 ); George Hayes, the development of a National Guidance NOAA's NWS and River Forecasting U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Document to Review Site-Specific PMPs. Center; the Federal Emergency Marian Baker, National Oceanic and The ir recommendations were based on Management Agency; FERC ; the U.S.

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/ their experience in reviewing NRC Department of Energy national laboratory, NWS (Recommendation 2); and licensees' flood hazard reevaluat ion and the U.S. Department of Ken Fearon and John Onderdonk, submittals provided in response to a Transportation. Also participating in Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Fukushima-related request for information person were the NRO/EHCOE senior (FERC) and Mark Perry, State of to reanalyze potential flooding effects meteorologist and private meteorolog ical Colorado (Recommendations 3 and 4 ). us ing present-day information. company leaders. Attending remotely via webinar were senior staff and manage ment from the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Geological Survey,

NOAA 's National Centers on Environmental Information, U.S.

Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service, Susquehanna River Basin Commission, State of Colorado Dam Safety Inspection, and private meteorological companies.

During the open discussion period, it was noted that the identified Extreme Rainfall Products Needs would greatly assist in evaluations of dam safety; flood hazard assessments of nuclear facilities; trans portation design and maintenance of high ways, structures and bridges; and FEMA' s delineation of flood plains.

ESEWG members provide details on their technical needs and answer Copies of the ESEWG meeting and the questions on the proposal's recommendations. ORNL presentations are posted on the ACWI/SOH/ESEWG webs i te.

8 RES B ids a Fond Farewell to Mike Weber

Joe Zabel

On July 3, 2018, Mike Weber worked his the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, final day as the Director of Nuclear the Office of Nuclear Security and Regulatory Research and commenced his Incident Response, the Office of the retirement after more than 35 years of Executive Director for Operations, and,

distinguished Federal service. He will be of course, RES.

greatly missed in RES and throughout the agency for his professionalism, exceptional b )(6) leadership, expansive knowledge, end less enthusiasm, and tireless dedication to the welfare of RES, its staff, and its contributions to the agency.

Mike contributed to the NRC 's success as a leader in a number of offices including RES wishes Mike well in his retirement the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and from Federa l Government work and in Safeguards, the Office of the Commission, his bright plans for the future.

Say Cheese! The RES Staff Takes a Family Picture!

Joe Zabel

On Wednesday, June 20th, the RES staff assembled at the front of One White Flint North to pose for a group photograph that was requested by outgoing RES Director Mike Weber. The large staff turnout and the beautiful sunny day made for a nice portrait of our collective office. Flanking Mike on the left is our new RES Director Ray Furstenau and on the right is RES Deputy Director Ed Hackett. Photo credit: Todd Schvaneveldt

9 The Researcher Crossword - Theme: Concrete Tom Nicholson, Jacob Philip, and Jose Pires II a

II II ll a

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A c ros s 2. A measure of stiffness of a member indicated by the product of modulus of elasticity and moment of inertia

3. Small, numerous cracks that develop in hardened concrete. divided by the length of the member.

9. The maximum shearing stress a flexural member can 4. Mixture of hydraulic cement, aggregates, and water, support at a specific location as controlled by the combined with or without admixtures, fibers, or other cementitious effects of shear forces and bending moment. materials.

12. Any of a number of materials that are capable of binding 5. Physical man ifestation of failure of a material (e.g.,

aggregate particles together. cracking, delamination, flaking, pitting, scaling, spalling,

14. Beam cross section consisting of top and bottom flanges and staining) caused by env ironmental or internal autog connected by a vertical web. enous influences on rock and hardened concrete.

15. That property of a material by virtue of which it tends to 6. The bending effect at any section of a structural recover its original size and shape after deformation. element.

16. Acronym for the reaction between the alkalis (sodium and 7. A structural member sub jected primarily to flexure but potassium) in Portland cement and certain siliceous rocks or may also be subjected to axial load.

mine rals. 8. Granular material, such as sand, gravel, crushed stone,

17. Action taken to maintain moisture and temperature conditions crushed hydraul ic cement concrete, o r iron blast-furnace in a freshly placed cementitious mixture to allow hydrau lic slag, used with a cementing medium to produce either cement hydration. concrete or mortar.

18. Concrete of low cementitious mater ia l content. 9. Time to ach ieve either initial setting or final setting.

19. Decrease in either length or volume of a material resu lting 10. Gain of strength and other properties of a cementitious from changes in moisture content or chemical changes. mixture as a result of hydrat ion after final setting.

20. The incorporation of air in the form of microscopic bubbles 11. Compressible material used to exclude water and solid (typically smaller than 1 mm [0.04 in.]) during the mixing of foreign materials from joints.

either concrete or mortar. 13. Heat evolved by chemical reactions of concrete ingredients with water.

Dow n Answers to this crossword puzzle and a list of references

1. Colloquial term for reinforcing bar. may be found on page 5.

10 A Ho dge Po dge of Curious Inform a tion to Con s ide r.-ie1.n Recognize the passive voice.

Ten Words and Phrases that 10 J!Q Is the subject of the sentence Many People Say Incorrectly: a1n,1 v being acted on?

Supposedly, not supposa b ly Does the sentence combine a For all inte n ts a nd purpos e s, A Few Tips for Better Technical form of the verb "to be" with not for all in tensive purposes Writing the past participle of a main verb (e.g., is written, was Regardless, not irregardless Be Clear and Concise decided, has been directed)?

I couldn't care less, not Avoid starting sentences with Does the actor appear in the I co u ld care less There is, There are, It is. sentence? Does the sentence imply that the action was done Espresso, notexpresso Examp le: Th e re a re several by someone or something?

factors that you should consider. C rt a s* e vo,*ce to act,*ve onve p s Iv S p ecifica lly, not p a c ifically voice.

Revised: You should consider Et cetera, not ex cetera several factors. Reverse the object and the I saw it, not I seen it Present ideas in an order that will subject. For example :

make sense to the reader. Passive: A new Regulatory Of utmost importance, not of Gu ide was published.

up most importance In a paragraph, the 1st sentence is where the reader expects to Active: The NRC published a

10. I need to lie down, not I need find the single main idea-the new Regulatory Guide.

to la y down bottom line-of your paragraph.

Delete the past participle main He likes swimming, rowing, verb, leaving the form of "to be" as and skating.

the on ly verb. For example:

Not parallel: He is a man of great Passive: The processing plants capability but little experience.

are located in the north.

Revised: He is a man of great Active: The processing plants are capability but of little experience.

in the north.

Not parallel: His main virtues are Change the verb. For example: that he is sincere and his generosity. SUBMISSIONS Passive: About 300 people are employed in RES. Revised: His main virtues are Send articles and photos to:

that he is sincere and that he is Active: About 300 people work in generous. Jo e Z a b e l RES.

Or: His main virtues are his Express Paraffel Ideas in sincerity and his generosity.

Paraffel Form Use Plain Language joseph.zabel@nrc.gov Like ideas must be expressed in like grammatical form. For example: 0MB defines plain language as Publishing articles in The Researcher is a "concise, simple, meaningful, and great way to educate staff about projects Not parallel: He likes to swim, row-well organized." and major accomplishmen ts.

ing, and skating.

Plain writing avoids jargon and Get your articles and/or photos in by Revised: He likes to swim, to row, contains no unnecessary November 16th to guarantee a spot in the and to skate. complexity. Fall 2018 edition of The Researcher.

11 RES Hosts the 3rd Annual Probabilistic Flood Hazard Assessment Workshop

Tom Aird and Sarah Tabatabai

On December 4-5, 2017, the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES),

Division of Risk Analysis, Fire and External Hazards Analysis Branch (FXHAB) hosted the 3rd Annual Prob abilistic Flood Hazard Assessment (PFHA) Workshop at NRC HQ and online via webinar. The purpose of this workshop was to sha re the latest flood-hazard-related research with internal NRC stakeholders, partner Federal agencies, industry, and the general public. The NRC and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) collaborate on flooding re search under a flooding addendum to PFHA Work shop attendees view the Bur eau of the broader NRC - EPRI MOU on Reclamation technical presentation.

Collaborative Nuclear Safety Research. The workshop began on Monday morning with The PFHA Research Program (ML14274A664) welcoming remarks from RES Director Michael was developed in response to a joint NRO-NRR Weber h ighlighting the current progress a n d User Need Request (ML14274A661 ). The next steps with the PFHA program. Presenta program is a multi-year research effort tions by EPR I (John Weglian) and NRC designed to support the development of (Joe Kanney) prov ided an overview of each regulatory tools (e.g., regulatory guidance, organization's PFHA research program. Over standard review plans) fo r permitting new the course of the first day, 1 O technical presen nuclear sites, licensing new nuclear facilities, tations were given by workshop presenters in and oversee ing operating facilities. the room and remotely via the webinar. These presentations covered a w ide range of topics The 3rd annual PFHA workshop focused on the including climate, prec ipitation, storm surge, riv advancements made during the third year of the erine flooding, flood hazard databases, and PFHA research program. The workshop was paleoflood hydro logy.

o rgan ized by FXHAB staff Tom Aird, Meredith Carr, Mark Fuhrmann, Kenny Hamburger, Joe

• Continued on Page 2 Kanney, and Elena Yegorova.

RES Conducts ilearn Course on Decommission ing Planning Rule Training: Ground-Water Monitoring and Modeling

Tom Nicholson, RES and Jack Parrott, NMSS

On December 13 and14, 2017, RES staff co u rse discussed guidance on survey

- in collaboration with NMSS, NRR, and i Learn 3541so Course ing, monitoring, and assessment of ab TTC staff-conducted an NMSS-requested norma l releases and residual radioactiv training course on guidance for decommisDecommission ing Planning Rule -ity in the subsurface during plant opera sioning inspectors and project managers in tions through to decommissioning. It keeping with the Decommissioning Plan Ground - Wat e r Monitoring and also reviewed basic ground-water flow ning Ru le requirements related to ground Modeling (H-401 ) and transport concepts to provide an water. The ilearn training course understand ing of key transport mecha 10_ 354150 focused on the guidance nisms related to the movement of radio provided in Regulatory Guides 4.22 Course developed in-house by RESINMSSIHRR/TTC nuclides in the subsurface.

" Decommissioning Planning During Opera tions," and 4.25 "Assessment of Abnormal In particular, the course defined the Radionuclide Discharges in Ground Water components of a conceptual site model to the Unrestr icted Area at Nuclear Power Power Plants," which is the industry con (CSM) at a specific site and its im Plant Sites." It also addressed guidance in sensus national standard. portance for estimating radionuclide NUREG-1757, Volume 2, Rev ision 1 transport onsite and offsite. It provided

" Consolidated Decommissioning Guid The ilearn course was held at the Profes information on radionuclide releases to ance: Characterization, Surveys and Desional Development Center with remote the subsurface and geochem ical con termination of Radiological Criteria;" access for Regiona l Inspectors. It providtrols on its transport. It also presented NEl-07-07 the "Industry Ground-Water ed regulatory background on the NRC's instructions on the use of a simple Protection Initiative;" and ANS I/ANS 2.17-Decommissioning Planning Rule (DPR) as 2010 (R) "Evaluation of Subsurface Radio it relates to power reactors and other facil ¢> Continued on P a g e 3 nuclide Transport at Commercial Nuclear ities in decommissioning. In addition, the

RES Hosts the 3rd Annu a l Prob a bilistic Flood Ha za rd As sessment W o rks hop (Co ntin u ed fro m Pa g e 1)

A poster session was also held at the end assessment challenges of the first day. Pa leoflood hydrology (i.e., w ith flood hazards and use of geo logic and botanical evidence to was cha ired by Fernando estimate the magnitude and timing of Ferrante, EPRI. The floods that occu rred before direct human workshop concluded with observation and measurement) was a parpresentations from the ticular highlight of the poster session with NRC (Meredith Carr) and presenters from the U.S. Bureau of Recla EPRI (J ohn Weglian) on mation, U.S. Geological Survey, Mu rray p lans for future research.

State University, Baylor University, and the University of A labama. Other posters ad Over 100 peop le attended dressed storm surge, cool season precipi the workshop, which pre tation, point precipitation frequency esti cipitated the need for an mate conversions to areal estimates, risk overflow room that was Rajiv Pras ad, PN NL ta king a qu estion fro m analysis for dams, an uncertainty quantifiexpertly manned by NRC Fern ando Fe rra nte, EPRI.

cation in hydrologic mod els. staff members during the two-day workshop. About Day two included seven technical presen 50 unique users attended the webinar scribes, visitor escorts, and overflow tations focusing on PF HA frameworks and broadcast of the workshop. This on line room monitors!

on reliability of flood protection and mitiga audience comprised attendees from other tion. In addition to the technical presenta Federal agencies, private research organ The results and presentations from this tions, two panel discussions were held on izations, industry, and internationa l regu PFHA workshop will be documented in the second day of the workshop. The first lators (Korea, Japan, & Canada). an upcoming NUREG/CP. P lans for the five-member panel discussion focused on 4 th Annual PFHA workshop are under flood hazard research from other Federa l Special thanks goes to the workshop facil way with a working date of January agencies and was chaired by Joe Kanney, itator, Kenny Hamburger; additiona l vo lun2019.

NRC. The second six-member panel disteers Tammie Rivera, Thomas cussion focused on probabilistic risk Nicholson, Ed O 'Donnell ; and all of the

2 RES Seminar Commemorates the 75th Anniversary of the Chicago Pile Nuclear Reactor

Don Marksberry On December 4, 2017, the Office of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Nuclear Regulatory Research ( RES) today. Dr. Wellock explained how ad organized a seminar to commemorate vances in physics and wor ld events prior the 75th anniversary of the Ch icago to World War II produced a crash pro Pile (CP - 1 ), the world's first nuclear gram in the United States to develop a reactor. nuclear reactor and fission bombs.

Built in a doubles squash court under In 1932, James Chadw ick's discovery of the west stands of the University of the neutron and its subsequent use in Chicago 's football stadium, the CP-1 bombarding atomic nuclei opened up th e achieved the first controlled, self possibility o f releasing the atom's vast sustain ing cha in reaction on December store of energy. In 1934, Leo Szilard, a 2, 1942. The CP-1 kicked off the U.S. Jewish-Hungar ian physicist, first con atomic weapons program under the One of 29 test " piles" to measure the ceived of and patented a design for an Army's World War II Manhattan Project neutron characteristics of uranium atomic reactor while living in Britain as a as well as dreams of the inventors for oxide fuel, graphite moderator, and pile refugee from Nazi Germany. Driven by the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. configurations. his fear that the Germans would harness the a tomic energy for m ilitary purposes, NRC Historian Tom Wellock provided nuclear physics, the rise of the United an historical perspective on the signi States as a technical powerhouse, and the Continued on Page 4 fiance of the CP-1, particularly to safety of civilian reactors regulated by the RES Conducts iLearn Course on Decommissioning Planning Rule Training (Continued from Page 2)

ground-water transport model con tained in RG 4.25 for estimating offsite discharges and for assessing the need for remediation of residual radioactivity in the subsurface at the time of decom missioning.

The ilearn course reviewed EPRl's Groundwater and Soil Remediation Guidelines for Nuclear Power Plants.

The course included lectures and hands-on modeling of var ious release scenarios and CSMs to focus on moni toring networks and their ability to de tect early releases, measure hydraulic gradients, and sample for radionucl ide co n centrations to estimate offsite dis charges.

The course was tailored for NRC headquarters staff and Regional In spectors responsible for reviewing de commissioning records (e.g., 10 CFR reviews and inspections at reacto rs and oth The ilearn course instructors we re:

Part 50.75g) and assessments of re e r complex sites undergo ing decommiss ion sidual radioactivity in the subsurface ing. The ilearn course is part of the H-401

• Thomas Nicholson, Senior Techn ical (e.g., 10 CFR Part 20.1402 and Part curriculum for certification of NRC Health Advisor, RES/ORA 20.1501) for various decommission ing Physicists. The course was videotaped and

• Jack Parrott, Senior P roject Manager, scenarios. The material presented will recorded in GoToTraining to enable other NMSS/DUWP / RDB assist Regional Inspectors and NMSS staff to take at their convenience. Staff from staff respons ible for conducting both NRR, NRO, NMSS, RES, and Regions I, II,

the safety and environmental program and IV were in attendance. Continued on Page 4

3 RES Conduct s ilea rn Cour se on D ecommi ssio ning Plannin g Rule Tra ining (C o ntin ued from Page 3)

• Micheal Smith, Health Physicist, NRR / DRA/ARCB wei 1

• Mark Fuhrmann, Geochemist, RES/

DRA/FXHAB Po int Source of Contaminant

• Thomas H. A ird, Environmental Sci-entist, RES/DRA/FXHAB

Jeff Griffis, Sen ior Health Physicist, Technica l Training Center (TTC), was the training course moderator for the Unsaturated Zone remote access to Regional Inspectors via GoToTraining.

Prior to the ilearn course, the course syllabus, agenda, presentation slides for the seven training modules, and infor mation sources such as RGs 4.22 and 4.25, NE I 07-07 "Industry Ground Water Ground-w a ter tra n sport e xam ple illustrating a bnormal relea se a nd Protection Initiative," ANS I-ANS 2.17 - migr a tion of ra dionuclide s in the subsurface, a nd the use of monitoring 2010 (R2016), NUREG-1301 "Offsite wells to detect releases prior to offsite dis ch a rge.

Dose Calcu lation Manual Guidance:

Standard Radiological Effluent Controls Follow ing the ilearn course, the RES and ilearn v ideo. The ilearn course was also for Pressurized Water Reactors," and TTC staff will post the captioned video in a venue for NMSS and RES staff to NUREG-1757 - Volume 2 were providilearn for future instructional use by the discuss with Regiona l Inspectors develop ed to the ilearn registrants on a special Reg iona l Inspectors and NR C headquarment of gu idance for review ing g round RES SharePo int site: Decomm issioning ters staff. The material in the RES Share water-related DPR requirements and Plann ing Rule Training - Groundwate r Po in t site is being assembled as an implementation of NEI 07-07.

Monitor ing & Modeling. E-Train ing Notebook to accompany the

RES Seminar Commemor a tes the 75th Anniversary of the Chicago Pile Nucle a r Reactor (Continued from Page 3)

Szilard spent the 1930s shuttling between Britain and the United States in sea rch of assistance and the right element to p roduce a cha in reaction.

A turning point came in Decembe r 1938 when Lise Meitner-a refugee from the Nazis living in Sweden - and her nephew, Otto Frisch, correctly interpret ed expe rimenta l results by Germa n scientists as the fission of uranium atoms.

The discovery of fission jolted physicists Chicago Pile No. 1 model-Located at Chica go Pile No. 2--The first worldwide and ga lvaniz ed an the Univers ity of Chic ago ' s Stagg pile w as reas sembled with a exper imenta l collaboration between Field. concr ete shield a t a more Szilard and Enr ico Ferm i, Italy's Nobel remote site in Argonne Prize winn ing physicist who had fled Forest southwe st of Chicago.

Mussolin i's fascist government for Co lumbia University. By the summ er of vigorous efforts in raising the alarm about nat ional sec u rity if Hitler's government 1939, Szilard and Ferm i had worked out the Nazi threat. To get support from the produced an atom ic bomb first. T he Army the basic concept fo r the CP-1, a natura l Federal Government, he en listed the help comm itted funding for experiments at uran ium and graphite-moderated of other J ewish refugee scientists, Albert Colum b ia Un iversity in uranium and reactor. Einstein, and fellow Hungarian physicists graphite "piles." An accomp lished Eugene Wigner and Edward Teller. In Turning the concept into a wo rking 1939, they conv in ced F rank lin Roosevelt ct> Continued on Pa g e 5 design took three years and Szilard 's and the U. S. Army of the danger to

4 FXHAB Celebrates the Publication of NUREG-2218 Thomas Henry Aird

On Friday, February 16, 2018, the Fire performed for the next phase of Interna and External Hazards Analysis Branch tional HEAF testing.

(FXHAB) celebrated the publication of NUREG-2218 in the traditional FXHAB The PIRT exercise took place at NRC manner-with a delicious congratulatory Headquarters in February 2017. An cake! The branch gathered around to international group of nuc lear fire safety share the cake and bask in the glow of experts from five countries participated in accomplishment. this structured, facilitated expert elicita tion.

NUREG-2218, titled, "An International Phenomena Identification and Ranking FXHAB 's Kenneth Hamburger designed Table (PIRT) Expert Elicitation Exercise and led the PIRT exercise and, upon its for High Energy Arcing Faults (HEAFs)," Kenneth Hamburger proudly completion, he wrote the final report.

documents the results of a PIRT exercise displays the NUREG-2218 cake. Great job, Kenny!

RES Seminar Commemorates the 75th Anniversary of the Chicago Pile Nuclear Reactor (Continued from Page 4)

exper imentalist, Fermi guided work at Columbia and later at the University of Chicago.

Fermi recognized that the CP-1 's safety depended on turning the super-human forces and speed of fission into a reaction control lable by humans. He carefully incorporated safety into every (Left) Otto Hahn and Lise Meitner---both communicated by mail of Hahn 's disc overy of aspect of the reactor design with fission in 1938; Meitner and her nephew, Otto Frisch, correctly interpreted experi features common to today's remental results as the fission of ur a nium atoms. (Middle) Leo Szilard wrote the letter to actors. The CP-1 was forgiving President Roosevelt that was h a nd delivered by Albert Einstein (this famous photo of human error, deployed redunwas a re-enactment). (Right) Member s of the Chicago Pile team gathered on December dant shutdown systems, and 2, 1946, to mark the 4th anniversary of the first self-sustained chain reaction. (Fermi is designed slow to react, so slow a t left in the front row ; Leo Szilard is the second from the right; L eo na Woods, the only that the Chicago Pile' s chain re woman collaborator, is next to Szilard.)

action could be easily adjusted without fear of a spike in powe r. locked up tight. A couple months later, it in low-population areas. The term Nevertheless, Fermi added other layers of was moved to a more remote site in the "defense-in-depth" was not invented for safety with several primary and backup Argonne Forest southwest of Chicago. another two decades, but it has always shutdown systems. Dr. Wellock noted, the CP-1 set prece been a feature of reactor safety.

The first line of defense was an automatic dents in the use of test reactors, develop "zip" rod to be inserted-scrammed - into ment of the six factor formula, the purity of Coming soon, the RES Sem inar on the the pile to kill the reaction. In addition, a reactor materials, the use of control and CP-1 will be an ilearn course. Keep backup rod was suspended from a rope to shutdown systems, and, after it was your eyes out for the offic ia l announce be cut with an axe, and staff stood ready moved to Argonne, the siting of reac tors ment in the near future.

w ith bottles of cadmium solution that could poison the reaction. Even with these pre iweuns1 -~H cautions, Fermi included procedural con 9J08 "£~ Al!J9dS\\f

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built in the heart of the Nation 's second 4deJ6owsies "£ da9J8 *5 largest city. With Fermi's command, "Zip uoilenuanv *z 040V\\I *9 in," the chain reaction ended after five Al!A!P9J!O * ~ uo,peJanbn *z minutes. After participants ce lebrated with a toast of Chianti wine, the CP-1 was UMOO

5 LI PAR

Joe Zabel

What says "Happy Holidays " better than a RES annual party brought in the 2017 After lunch, the White Elephant gift ex great lunch, a White Elephant gift holiday season in style. The RES staff change commenced and the bowling exchange, andloadsofseasonalgood enjoyed a fabulous array of entrees for lanes were filled with six RES bowling cheer? The RES Holiday Party featured lunch that included chopped salad, vege teams compet ing for that number one all of this and more, including a few table lasagna, penne ch icken marsala, spot...DE made the coveted number one rounds of bow ling to boot! roasted vegetables, and brownies and place, DSA earned number 2, DRA stole cookies for dessert. The food was deli number 3, and PMDA came in number 4 Held on December 12th at Pinstripes cious, and the restaurant provided ample (with no significant help from yours truly).

restaurant in the Pike & Rose Center, the amounts. A great time was had by all.

b )(6) b)( 6)

Everyone 's seated... then let the holiday feasting begin!

happy holiday season.

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Mindy Landau, Carmen Franklin, and Tammi e Rivera ron-srea, are all smiles. share the joy and camaraderie of the season.

6 LI PAR

Matt Gordon, Jay Wallace and Bruce Kenneth Armstrong, Nate Hudson, Donna Marie Sangimino, Dogan Seber,

Lin wonder when the dessert will be and Kim Webber waiting their turns and Brian Thomas wish everyone served. "'(b..,.,)(=6)----------------, to bowl the perfect game. peace on earth.

b )(6)

Cassandra Cole, Michelle Bales, Nadja White Elephant Gift Exchange.

Houman Rasouli, Marcos Rolon, and lsakovic, and Ruth Spencer share the Chris Regan looking for that strike good cheer.

during the 10th frame. RECOGNITION

b)(6)

Employee of the Month Award Winners

December: Arny Hull January : Joe Kanney Amy Sharp, Pat Santiago, Tina Ghosh, Sergio Gonzalez, and Michelle Gonzalez February : Arny Sharp pose for their official 2018 RES Holiday Party photograph.

7 Go t Alumni? Reach Out!

Cynthia Jones and Joe Zabel

Recent ly, RES 's Dr. Cynthia (Cyndi)

Jones experienced the sensat ion of a lifetime: giving back to her undergradu ate alma mater-the Physics Depart ment at Augsburg Univers ity in Minne apolis, Minnesota. Augsburg had the most impact on shaping her life, leading to a degree and a lifelong passion for physics.

"I have always loved math and actually ~

entered college to become a music ma- & ~

jar planning to pursue a career in classi- ~

ca l clarinet and performance," says Th e in terdisc iplinary H a gfor s Cen ter is des igne d to fo s te r in ters ection s a mo n g Cyndi, RES ' s SLS for Nuclear Safety & a reas o f study, support ac tive learn ing, an d co n n ec t the Univ e rsity to the Analysis. Alas, a nasty fall at a toga c ommuni ty.

party early in Cyndi's sophomore year fractured her left wrist (those darn winter Board meet ing in Minneapolis (yes, score on Saturday TV, cons ider giving sheets somehow go in the way!) and Cyndi still loves the snow!) where the Uniback a bit to those that help shaped your appeared to number her clarinet per versity celebrated the grand opening of a career - the retu rn on investment is forming days at theatres like the Guth new Hagfors Center for Science, Business, p r iceless.

rie. Whi le her arm was in a cast, Cyndi and Re ligion (http://www.augsburg.edu ).

took a class called Physics for the Life Cyndi notes: "T ransitioning from a 123-Sciences that she loved-and subse year-old building to a new one for the sci quently aced. The professors encour ences, business, and religion is an unbe 111 aged her to take more classes, which lievable accompl ishment. The tenacity and led the way to Cyndi switching her ma passion all the Regents demonstrated over jor from music to physics. Although she the past 7 years to raise the $50 million Physics Lab juggled three part-time jobs while at needed for the building of the new Center tending c lasses, Cyndi managed to finwas truly remarkable."

ish her degree in three years to become the third female physics graduate in Cyndi a lso commemorated the new 1981. Physics Lab named Landow 's Photon Shop (inspired after her Dad and maiden Fast forward to 2009 when Cyndi and name Landowski). Its tagline Physics: The fb l(6) I decided to give back Maestro of Science! celebrates the synert..,ndo.v Photon ~hop and "pay 1t forward " to Augsburg Univergies between mus ic, math, and physics. r1w~1cs nie Maestro ol Scwnce!

sity with the establishment of a Physics Scholarship in honor of Dr. Ken Erick So the next time you are looking at old son, one of Cyndi 's physics professors. photos or checking out your alma mater's Cynd i wanted to provide othe r students with some partial help on the tuition to give them the opportunity to exper ience Augsburg Physics at its best. As word grew of the scholarship fund, many of Cyndi's other fellow physics graduates also contributed to it, and now the fund continues to grow on its own to help students in phys ics for years to come.

Last fall, Augsburg University asked Cyndi to re-join its Board of Regents March Regulatory (she was invited as a member in 2010 but needed to resign in 2012 due to her Bethesda North Marriott NRC re-assignment as the Nuclea r H otel & Co,if-erence Center I nformation Safety Attache at the U. S. Mission in Conference l1'.fr,rmnflo11: w,u-iv.11rc.go, 1 Co'J'iference Vienna from 2012-2016). On January 26-27, 2018, she attended Augsburg 's

8 RES Innovation and NUREG Covers

Joe Zabel

Dr. Seuss once wrote, "Think left and think - not the individual authors-issued the right and think low and think high. Oh, the document. Of course, this approach was things you can think up if only you try." In contrary to the long-standing academic the case of NUREG-75/077, one RES au tradition of identifying authors on docu thor certainly thought "outside of the box " The Role of Fission ments for accountability and prestige when developing the document's unique Gas Release in (aka "Publish or Perish" ).

cover design. Reactor Licensing To resolve this situation back in 1975, Recently, while helping her colleague clean NUREG-75/077 author and clever out his office after 42 years of government researcher Ralph Myers worked with service, RES 's Michelle Bales made an C<we Perfonnance Branch the graphics department to develop and interesting discovery. In the process of incorporate an unusual figurative design sorting through volumes of his files to on the cover of the NUREG. As a result check for official documents and important of this crafty tinkering, when the docu information for knowledge management, ment's cover is viewed sideways (in she uncovered a copy of NUREG-75 /077 November197S landscape mode), the design resembles entitled, The Role of Fission Gas Release U. S. Nueleo, Regulatory Commission R.M.-the initials of Ralph Myers.

in Reactor Licensing by the Core Performance Branch. The NUREG was It just goes to show that with a little inno issued in November 1975, and Michelle vative thinking, there is always another was intrigued with the odd graphical design The front cover of NUREG -75/077 way!

she found on the cover. with its unique graphical design.

Or to quote Dr. Seuss: "If you want to get After a little research, Michelle discovered eggs you can't buy in the store, you have that when the NRC was first established, authors of NUREG documents on the to do things never thought of before."

the publications staff decided to not list cover. The concept was that the NRC New Additions to the RES Fold

Joe Zabel

Since the last issue of the Researcher was blessed with healthy kids and future published, two of our RES staff were movers and shakers in the world. I '-(b -)(6_ ) ___________ ___.I

~~ ~~

9 The Researcher Crossword -Theme: Shake, Rattle, and Roll Tom Nicholson, Sarah Tabatabai, and Rasool Anooshehpoor

re esulting fro m e.

Across 10. A sca le used to measure earthquake intensity.

13. A wave with a steep vertical front. A tsunami wave

5. When an earthquake makes stable sediment behave like fluid. may form this as it approaches shore.

8. Boundary between the crust and the mantle. 15. A Japanese term that literally translates to "ha rbo r 9. Slow movement along a fault. wave."

11. Elevation of the highest point of land inundated by a tsunami relative to the mean sea level. References

12. Acronym for the largest change in ground velocity at a given site during an earthquake. National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC)

14. Magnitude sca le developed in 1935 at Cal Tech as a mathematical device to compare the size of earthquakes National Tsunami Warning Center where the magn itude is determined from the logarithm of the amplitude of waves recorded by seismographs. USGS Web site for Earthquakes

16. Measurement of water depth of an undisturbed body of wate r.

17. An area of a fault that is stuck. NUREG/CR-7222 Tsunam i Hazard Assessment Based on Wave Generat ion. Propagation. and Inundation Modeling Down for the U.S, East Coast

1. Focusing of wave energy along the fault in the direction of NUREG/CR-7223 Tsunam i Hazard Assessment: Best rupture propagation. Modeling Practices and State-of-the-Art Technology,

2. Decrease in size or amplitude of seismic waves. December 2016

3. An instrument used to detect and record earthquakes.

4. Sudden slip on a fault and the resulting ground shak ing and USGS Earthquake Hazards Program radiated seismic energy caused by the slip, or by volcanic or magmatic activity, or other sudden stress changes in the earth. Earthquake Glossary 6. Point within the earth' s crust where earthquake rupture starts.

7. Point on the surface of the earth that is directly above the Answers to this crossword puzzle may be found o n focus of an earthquake. page 5.

10 spelling when they issued the "Cybersecurity Nationa l Action Recently a colleague from NMSS Plan" in 2016.

wrote to ask about a certain com Compound Terms pound word that is used a lot these days and how it should be Compounding conveys an idea spelled. The word is by combining two or more words "cybersecurity" -- or is it "cyber to form a thought. The result security?" Apparently, the Na can be:

tional Institute of Standards and Technology and the Department

• Separate Words. One com of Homeland Security both use pounding form is to write the single-word form, but the words in a sequence NRC uses it inconsistently (e.g., without joining them or link OCIO uses the single-word form ing them with a hyphen - if in its communications, but NSIR's this form causes no ambigui "Cyber Security Roadmap " and (GPO does specify compounds ty in sense or sound (e.g.,

NRR's " Effective Practices for using "cyber' ' as single-word ground water, power p lant).

Cybe r Security at RTRs" differ forms). However, most reliable from this form. So... what should sources (i.e., the Associated

• Joined or Hyphenated we do? Press, the Merriam Webster New Words. Often words are World College Dictionary, Techno joined (written so lid) or Unfortunately, the NRG Editorial pedia, etc.) use the "cybersecurity" linked with hyphens to ex Style Guide doesn 't specifically one-word spelling. press ideas that would not identify "cybersecurity' ' or " cyber be as c lear if the words re security" in its chapter on com However, if those experts don't mained unconnected (e.g.,

pound terms although it does reconvince you, the White House decisionmaking, newsprint, fer to the 2016 GPO Style Manual itself (at least the Obama Admin need-to-know, right-of-way).

compounding rules as a guide istration) used the "cybersecurity "

• Derivatives. Derivatives of a that follow the nouns they modify compound usually retain the hyare typically not hyphenated. For phenated or solid form of the example, an NRG-sponsored study origina l (e.g., footnote, footnot (but - a study sponsored by NRC) ;

ing; praiseworthy, praiseworthi an industry-sponsored study (but ness ; cost-effective, cost a study sponsored by industry) ;

effectiveness ). handled on a case-by-case basis (but - handled case by case).

Current language trends lead to closing up many word sets that have Authors should hyphenate unit been associated in readers' minds mod ifiers used as adjectives and through frequent use (e.g., on-line or adverbs that precede a noun (e.g., SUBMISSIONS on line are now on line.) far-reaching effects, performance based incentives, long-lived iso Send articles and photos to:

Unit Modifiers tope). Multiple-word mod ifiers can use multiple hyphens (e.g., loss-of Joe Zab e l Unit modifiers are compound terms coolant acciden t, easy-to-read that modify nouns. Authors fredocument).

quently encounter problems with compound modifiers that immediateWhere meaning is clear and read ly precede the words they modify. ability is not aided, a hyphen is not joseph.zabel@nrc.gov When the words require each other required to form a temporary o r to make sense, the compound is a made compound (e.g., atomic enPublishing articles in The Researcher is a unit modifier and typically is hyphen ergy power, land use program, great way to educate staff about projects ated. public utility plant). Restraint and ma jor accomplishmen ts.

should be exerc ised in forming Part of the confusion for many auunnecessary comb inations of Get your articles and/or photos in by thors is that a compound modifier words used in a normal April 20th to guarantee a spot in the receives different treatment when it sequence. Spring 2018 edition of The Researcher.

follows a word it modifies. Those

11 The NRC Conducts Next Series of Aluminum High Energy Arching Faults (HEAF) Experiments

Mark Henry Salley P.E

During the week of September 10, 2018, the Fire and Externa l Hazards Ana lys is Branch (FX HAB) conducted four full-scale high energy arching fau lts (HEAF) tests w ith switch gear containing alum inum at the KEMA High Energy Testing Laboratory located in Cha lfont Pennsylvania.

T he focus of this test series was to ga in a b etter understanding of the risk posed to plant safety when sw itch gear conta ining aluminum components are involved in a HEAF.

In addition to the FXHAB engineers running the test, the N ational Institute for Standa rds and A group of NRC, EPRI, NIST, SNL, a nd KEMA Techno logy (N IST} and Sandia National High Energy Testing L a boratory personn e l Laborato ries (SNL) pa rtic ipated in the testing to post - test.

he lp collect data. Experts from the Electric Power a n d Research (EPRI) were also on hand to view the testing. The info rmat ion ga ined in this test se ries moved the NRC one step c loser to realistically estimating the impacts of aluminum HEAFs. T h is information w ill be used to better estimate the increased plant risk as P re-Generic Issue 0018 continues to move through the NRC 's Generic Issu e (GI) process.

The next schedu led series of a lum in um HEAF tests is being planned for May 2019. The G I Program is schedu ling a pub lic meeting for the winter 2019 timeframe to share what the NRC Nicholas Melly, the HEAF project lead, has learned to date and the statu s of the issue dis cussed the physical damage to the in the GI program.

e q u ipment post-te st.

Commissioner Baran and RES Director Ray Furstenau Visit the Nat ional Institute of Standards and Technology

Mark Henry Salley P.E On J u ly 23, 2018, Commissioner Jeff Baran and Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) Director R ay F urstenau visited the National Institute o f Standards and T echnology (NIS T ).

The first stop on their visit was the NIST Center for Neutron Research.

This facility was designa ted as a Nuclear Historic Landmark by the American Nuclear Society (ANS) in 2013 for the deve lopment of the first internationally competitive user fac ility for cold neutro n research in the USA.

N ext on the sc heduled visit was the National Fire Research Laboratory. At this facility, the Commissioner learne d about the many fire research pro jects being performed at NIST fo r the NRC.

The Comm issioner was then br iefed on other NRG/ N IST pro jects including Left to right: RES Director Ray Furstenau, Commiss ioner Jeff Baran,

cable aging, high w ind research, and Reactor Technical Assistant Robert Krsek, and NIST Fire Research Alkali Silica concrete research. The Director Nelson Bryner in front of the World Trad e Cent er (WTC) 9-11 visit concluded with a visit to N IST memorial a t the Nation a l Fire Re s earch L a boratory. NIST performed the Director Dr. Walte r Copan. analysis for the 9-11 WTC towers fires and subsequent collapse.

RES Holds the Third Annual NRC Standards Forum Shivani Mehta

On September 11, 2018, the R egulatory Guidance and Generic Issues Branch in R ES/ DE held the third annua l NRC Standards Forum.

T he purpose of the Standards Forum is to help identify needed standa rds within the nuclear indust ry that are currently not be ing addressed by standards development organizations (SDOs) and to collaborat ively accele r ate their deve lopmen t.

Over 70 meeting attende es w ere present, wh ich included representa tives from many SDOs including th e Amer ican Socie ty fo r Testing &

Materials (ASTM), Ame rican Society of Mechan ical Eng ineers (ASME),

Amer ican Nuclear Society (ANS),

¢ Continued on Page 3 From left to right: Oliver Martinez, ASME ; Steven Arndt, NRR ; a n d H eath Dehn,

NFPA add ress the forum attendees.

2 RES Holds the Third Annual NRC Stand a rds Forum (Continued from Page 2)

American Concrete Institute ACI, and agreed to facilitate initial engage Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear Institute of Electrical and Electron ics ments between different SDOs and (GAIN) program. The DOE Office of Engineers (IEEE) as well as representa other stakeholders such as EPRI. Nuclea r Energy supports industry tives from industry including the Nuclear codes & standards development Energy Institute (NE I ) and the Electric

• DOE offered to assist stakeholders in through focused research and Power Research Institute (EPRI). In addi the nuclear power industry to find committee participation by subject tion, several representatives from DOE information to support standards matter experts.

and DOE national laboratories and development, particularly for numerous staff from the NRC offices of advanced non-light reactors, by The next Sta n dards Forum will tentative NRO, NRR and RES attended the Forum. accessing the DOE Gateway for ly be held in September 2019.

The primary outcome of the Standards Forum was the identification of process improvements for standards development.

Examples include :

• Under the auspices of the Forum,

the NRC would facilitate requests by SDOs to change proprietary EPRI reports to non -proprietary so that they can use the information in these reports for standards development.

• NEI volunteered to survey their members to identify and p rioritize standards of interest, th us providing an industry "demand signa l" for standards developers and the NRC.

• SDOs proposed formalizing partner ships and liaisons to the extent needed to ensure that collaborat ion and effective standards development Representatives from standards development organizations, industry, DOE is being conducted. The NRC staff and DOE national laboratories, and NRC staff attended the Forum.

RES Participates in Risk-Informed Thinking Workshop

Tom Nicholson, RES; Donnie Harrison, NMSS; Samson Lee, NRR ; and Dennise Orlando, OCHCO Most NRC regulations and guidance were originally developed using a traditiona l Emtrpn~ Rhk Mdnag<*mrnt deterministic approach that served the NRC, industry, and the p ublic well in ensuring the safety of commercial nuclear facilities. However, since the Three M ile Island accident, there has been a growing recognition that thinking about risks, imple mentation strategies, and traditional deter ministic factors together provides a fuller, more complete, picture of safety. T his holistic approach-often referred to as risk informed decisionmaking (RIDM)-enab les the NRC staff and licensees to focus attention on the more risk-significant areas thereby us ing resources more efficiently and effectively.

Continued on Page 4 Chief Financial Officer Maureen Wylie addresses a recent session of the Risk-Informed Thinking Workshop.

3 RES Participates in Risk-In form ed Thinking Wor ks hop (Co ntinu e d from Page 3)

In 2016, Samson Lee, NRR and Donnie Harrison, NMSS developed a specially designed ilearn training workshop in 2016 to facilitate training in RIDM think ing. The RES staff actively participates in these ilearn Training Course - Risk Informed Thinking Workshops as stu dents, instructors, and mentors.

The workshop objective is to provide students with a hands-on experience in applying the risk-informed decision making (RIDM) framework to NRC licensing examples. The workshop's target audience comprises NRC staff who wish to increase their knowledge in applying R IDM and who are interested in pursuing the Risk-Informed Thinking Workshop a tte nd ees learn to a pply the risk-inform e d Certificate. This one-day ilearn course de c isionma king fra m ew or k to NRC licensing e x ampl es.

has been offered nine times in the PDC. In struct o rs Donnie Harriso n (upper le ft) and Sam Lee (far right).

Each workshop begins w ith a presenta-Photo: J eff Circ le tion by an NRC Office Director or Each scenario focuses on a specific In 2017, the workshop was expanded to Reg iona l Administrator to exp la in how licensing issue previous ly faced by the encompass the Corporate Offices because RIDM has been useful in their mission NRC staff. The RIDM concepts applied to RIDM is a genera l methodology applicab le and activities. For example, at a recent each scenar io are as follows: across the agency. It is open to all NRC workshop in November, Chief Financial staff without any prerequisites, and the Officer Maureen Wylie provided opening How to characterize the issue and Regional staff can participate remotely remarks on "Enterprise Risk Manage

• risk by answering the questions : What through Skype. As of November 2018, ment. " Donnie Harrison, senior can go wrong? How likely is it? What over 325 staff have voluntarily completed instructor, then provides a refresher of are the consequences? the workshop including staff from the risk-informed concepts and provides following offices: Chief Financial Officer licensing examples. He emphasizes (OCFO), OCIO, Enforcement (OE),

how R IDM concepts are used by the

• Define decision options by assessing students in their daily lives and how each option, reviewing the applicab le General Counsel (OGC), Inspector these concepts can assist them in their regulations, and looking at defense in General (OIG), NMSS, NRO, NRR, NS IR,

work at the NRC. The workshop focus depth and safety margins. Public Affairs (OPA), RES, and the is on THINKING" and uses an open Regions. Th is represents broad interest discussion and hands-on format to facili-* Think and address risk assessment from across the agency.

tate the learning experience. and performance monitoring.

In partnership with OCHCO/HRTD, this The Senior Leadership Staff (SLS)

• Integrate assessment of the identified workshop has also been incorporated into present simplified scenarios that options and make recommendation. a certification program that encourages the replicate real-life NRC licensing and (5) Communicate assessment staff to apply what is learned in the work situations. At the November workshop, and recommendation. shop to an activity within their normal wo rk RES Senior Technica l Advisors Tom areas. Further certification can be Nicholson and Nathan Siu provided RES With this workshop experience, students achieved by perform ing a rotation to a risk scenarios on assessment of radioactive can think about applying the R IDM framedivision, which also builds relationships; leaks and spills to the subsurface at work to their work. By the end of the enhancing future collaborat ion between reactor sites, and high-energy arcing workshop, the student is prepared to (1) the risk staff and the traditional engineer faults, respectively. The students discuss how risk information can be used ing disciplin es. RES SLSs have served as worked together in small teams to to complement the traditional evaluation mentors in this certification program, and evaluate the scenarios using the RIDM approaches and to focus the evaluation RES staff have received certificates.

concepts. The SLS instructors facilitatprocess for effectiveness and efficiency, [Please contact Samson.Lee@nrc.gov if ed team discussions of the RIDM and (2) communicate and apply the riskyou wish to enroll in the next Risk thought process and provided back informed decisionmaking process to Informed Thinking Workshop as ilearn ground information when requested by agency work. Course 10_280148 (rev. 1 8/26/2016).]

the teams.

4 RES Launches ilearn Training Courses for Ground-water Monitoring and Modeling at Operating Reactors and Decommissioning Sites Tom Nicholson RES staff working with their colleagues in Site the Offices of Nuclear Reactor Regu lation B oundary and Nuclear Material Safety and I Safeguards developed and conducted the following two ilearn Tra ining Courses at the Professional Development Center:

• ilearn Course 33 1150 Implementation of Regulatory Guide (RG) 4.25 for Groundwater Monitoring and Modeling at Operating Reactor Sites; and

• ilearn Cou rse 354150 Decommis sioning Planning Rule for Ground water Monitoring and Modeling.

Both courses were videotaped for Simple illustra tion of a pot e ntial s ce n ario d e scrib e d in RG 4.25.

archiving in ilearn as self-paced training opportunities. This course presents basic ground-water simplistic ground-water transport model flow and transport concepts to provide an contained in R G 4.25 is demonstrated.

On November 7, 2018, RES and OCHCO understanding of key transport mecha launched the Web -based ilearn Cou rse nisms related to the movement of radio Continued on Page 6 ID_ 437162 RG 4.25 Implementation nucl ides in the subsurface. Conceptual Training Course - Groundwater Monitorsite models a re presented covering such ing and Modeling at Operating Reactor topics as leak/sp ill scenarios in volving Sites. This training is a self-paced, self contaminant releases to backfill from RECOGNITION study course consisting of three aud io su rface and subsurface structures, visual recordings. The recordings were systems and components ; hydrogeology; taken dur ing actual classroom presenta surface-water bodies; perched water tions that are available for viewing in the systems ; contam ina n t pathways; ground training notebook conta ined in the ilearn -water monitor ing wells; and remediation course. The course is 9 hours1.041667e-4 days <br />0.0025 hours <br />1.488095e-5 weeks <br />3.4245e-6 months <br /> in duration. methods. The use and application of a

we ll 1

Point Source of Contaminant

Employee of the Month Award Winners

_______ --.. Unsatura ted Zone ____ _ September: Stephanie Bush Goddard

October: Michelle Gonzalez

November : Lawrence Criscione and Saturated Zone Y es s ie Corr e a

December : Kevin Johnson

Based upon the Conceptual Site Model, a m oni toring strategy is d ev eloped to January: Lauren Killian NingKillianboth detect a nd lat er monitor a bnormal re le a se s prior to migra ting offsite.

5 RES Hosts the 2018 Fall CAMP Meeting

Antony Calvo and Tarak Zaki On December 11-13, 2018, the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, Division of Systems Ana lysis, Code and Reactor Ana lysis Branch hosted the 2018 Fall Code App lication Mainten ance Program (CAM P) meeting at the NRC Headquar ters in Rockvi lle, Maryland. CAMP members attended the meeting from countries including Slovenia, Sweden, Croatia, Germany, Taiwan, Ita ly, South Korea, Canada, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. CAMP meetings are held twice each year - one in the United States and the other abroad.

Durin g the b iannual CAMP meetings, the members have an opportunity to present their technical findings with the NRC. Attend ee s of the 2018 Fall CAMP Meeting in clud e d NRC staff and CAMP More specifically, the members (1) share m embers from Slov enia, Sw e d en, Croatia, Germany, Taiwan, Italy, South experience with NRC thermal-hydraulic Kor ea, Ca n a d a, Sw itzerla nd, a nd the Unit ed Kin g d om.

(T/H) computer codes to identify code errors, perform code assessments, and identify areas for additional exper iments, and code status, (2) membe r country CAMP members present technical model deve lopment, and improvement ; reports, (3) technica l reports, and (4) the reports, and this year's presentations (2) maintain and improve user expertise; technical program committee (T PC). included some of the following: Coupling (3) develop and improve user application TRACE and CFO code with ICOCO ;

guidelines; and (4) share experience in The program and code status section ENEA TRACE App lication in Fission and the use of the codes for resolution of provides status updates and code Fusion field; LBLOCA Uncerta inty safety and other technica l issues (e.g., development from NRC staff to our CAMP Analysis of Maanshan Nuclear Power sca lability and uncertainty). members on TRACE, PARCS, SNAP,

and RELAP5. This year, Dr. Stephen c+ Cont inu e d on Pag e 7 Over the course of three days, the CAMP Bajorek offered a presentation on meeting is broken down into (1) program Applying TRACE to Non-LWRs.

RES L a un c h es iLea rn Tra ining Cours es for Ground-w a ter Monitoring a nd Mod e ling a t Opera ting Re ac tors a nd Dec ommis s io n ing Sites (Continu e d from p a g e 5)

The industry consensus standard, ANSI/ course consisting of two audio-visual Site Models (CSM) and the use and ANS 2.17-2010 (R - 2016) on "Evaluation recordings and an e lectronic training application of a simple ground-water of Subsurface Radionuclide T ransport at notebook. The recordings were taken transport mode l contained in RG 4.25.

Commercial Nuclear Power Plants" that during actual classroom presentations.

was endorsed by RG 4.25 is presented. The presentation slides are also available The course provides instruction on how to The regulatory basis and regulatory for viewing in the training notebook evaluate past abnormal releases of radio guidance along with inspection-related conta ined in the ilearn course. nuclides to the subsurface at nuclear requirements for ground-water inspections facilities using monitoring data and is also presented and contained in the The course, which is 8 hours9.259259e-5 days <br />0.00222 hours <br />1.322751e-5 weeks <br />3.044e-6 months <br /> and 30 modeling. The need for and review of site training notebook. The material presented minutes in duration, presents background remediation methods to meet DPR in this course will assist inspectors on NRC ' s Decommiss ioning Planning requirements are out lined. In addition, responsible for conducting IP 71124.07 Rule (DPR) as it relates to ground-water the course presents the regulatory basis (Radiological Environmental Monitoring assessments of residual radioactivity in and regulatory guidance related to DPR Program) inspections. the subsurface at power reactors and requirements such as RG 4.22 and 4.25 other fac ilities in decommissioning. It and NUREG-1757.

On N ovember 27, 20 18, RES and introduces basic ground-water flow and OCHCO launched the Web-based ilearn transport concepts to provide an underAll NRC staff can take the two courses.

Course ID_ 444163 Decommissioning standing of key transport mechanisms Please go to the ilearn Cata log and enter Planning Rule - Groundwater Monitoring related to the movement of radionuclides ID_ 4 37162 for the first course, and and Modeling at Operating Reactor Sites. in the subsurface. It also presents the iLea rn Co u rse ID_ 444163 for the This training is a self-paced, self-study development and testing of Conceptua l second course.

6 RES Hosts the Fall 2018 CAMP Meeting (Continued from page 6)

Plant with RELAP5 / SNAP and DAKOTA ;

PARCS/ATHLET for SFR Safety Assessment: Recent Developments and Applications; Modelling of well-mixed flow two-phase pressure drop in TRACE ;

Best-Estimate Calculation for LBLOCA Analysis of APR1400 Using TRACE Code ; Multi-Layer Fuel Model Effect on the LBLOCA Case ; Assessment of Condensation Heat Transfer Models of TRACE in a Nearly Horizontal Tube ; and Status of TRACE Model Development and Validation at NPP G6sgen in Switzerland.

The TPC meeting is the culmination of the three-day meeting where NRC staff and CAMP members go over acceptance of minutes from the previous TPC meeting,

review NUREG/IA pub lication status, go over current and future CAMP act ivities, International CAMP members and NRC staff tour the Operations Center discuss proposed in-kind contributions, during the 2018 Fall CAMP meeting at NRC Headquarters.

address technical issues, have final technical discussions and wrap up. CAMP members are able to attend these code and model improvements as well as Not all CAMP activities were exclusively biannual meetings. So to accommodate fostering an environment for open CAMP members and NRC staff interested collaboration and communication to limited to presentations. During the CAMP in participating, the NRC enabled confer address a common internationa l goal: the meeting, the participants had the oppor encing technology to broadcast the CAMP pro liferation of nuclear safety and secu rity tunity to tour the NRC Operations Center meeting live via the Internet to participants worldwide.

and learn how the agency provides residing in the United States as well as prompt feedback to HQ and the regions overseas. The 2019 Spring CAMP meeting will be regarding reported events that require held on May 29-31, 2019, in Valencia,

immediate regulatory attention. Again, as The 2018 Fall CAMP meeting was a great Spain.

is the case with other domestic and success by creating a venue for sharing international CAMP meetings, not all code experience and identifying areas for

General Staff 2019 Speed of Trust Workshops Lisa-Anne Culp

In September 2017, the NRC embarked on And get ready to engage in trust huddles the implemen tation of Franklin Covey 's with your managers and coworkers.

Speed of Trust workshops for general staff Remember: both transformation and and managers with the goal to improve and innovation at the NRC cannot happen sustain a positive, innovative work environ without trust.

ment and to foster a greater climate of Lead ing at the ---

trust. Now the agency is closing in on its Regional and Technical Training Center target of training 50 percent of its staff in workshops will be scheduled and Speed of Trust. seE ED communicated separately by their respective organizations. Time spent Help the NRC meet its goal by signing up TRUST participating in the workshops can be for one of the Speed of Trust workshops charged to training attendance CAC listed below (ilearn 10_ 384156): ZG0106.

Feb. 7 Mar. 19 April 4 May9 For additional informatio n, please visit Feb. 12 Mar. 20 April 24 May 13 the Speed of Trus t Sha rePoint site.

Feb. 20 Mar. 28 April 29 May 29

7 ln1:erna1:llonal Happenlln s

RES Meets with Internat ional Counterparts in France

Donna-Marie Sangimino In December 2018, RES Director and international agree Raymond Furstenau and RES Internaments. Specifically, RES tiona l Group Leader Donna-Marie Director F urstenau and Ms.

Sangimino traveled to France to meet Sangimino met separately with internationa l counterparts in the with counterparts from Organization for Economic Cooperation Spa in, Slovakia, Canada, and Development - Nuclear Energy Czech Repub lic, Germany Agency (OECD-NEA) Comm ittee on and the OECD/NEA the Safety of Nuclear Installations Secretariat. Delegates from (CSNI), Committee on Nuclear Regula the NEA and these tory Activities (CNRA), and the lnstitut countries inquired about de Radioprotection et de Surete their RES international Nucleaire (IRSN). The meetings in agreements and various Paris included the CSNI-CNRA Joint RES programs. They Bureau Meeting, the 64th CSNI Meeting, expressed interest in and the CSNI Bureau meeting. In becom ing more involved in addition, a bilateral meeting was held information exchanges on with IRSN at Fontenay -aux - Roses. various technical topics, Left to right: Do n n a -M a rie San gim ino, Oliv ier lsn ar d, and it was agreed that a a nd R a y Fu rstena u con fer du ring a tour of the IRSN RES Director Furstenau and Ms. video teleconference would Em e rgenc y R espo n s e offices.

Sangimino represented the NRC 's be considered to discuss interests at the OECD-NEA meetings by future collaboration. The RES staff wo rks closely with helping ensure that CSNI focuses on internationa l counterparts at the OECD topics that are useful to the NRC and At Fontenay-aux-Roses, RES Director and bilaterally to exchange information,

are coordinated effectively with Furstenau and Ms. Sangimino met w ith expertise, ope rating exper ience, and CNRA. CSNI contributes to maintaining IRSN (RES counterparts in France) to ongoing resea rch ; to recognize and a high level of safety performance and discuss existing and fu ture areas of respond to emerging technical safety safety competence by identifying Collaboration and the High Energy Arching issues; and to promote best practic-emerging issues through analysis of Fault (HEAF) Phase 2 joint reactor safety es. RES participation in these activities operational experience and research resea rch project and to tour their enables the NRC to influence interna tion results, contribut ing to their resolution, emergency operat ions center. RES has al nuc lear safety research act iv ities and to and, when needed, establishing internabeen collaborating with IRSN for more than minim ize or eliminate unnecessary dup li tional research projects. 20 years. IRSN has been a longstanding cation of effort. It also enables the NRC member of the RES-led thermal-hydraulic to selectively participate in international The NRC also gained valuable perspec and severe accide n t computer code procooperative researc h covering a wide tives from internationa l counterparts on grams and partners with the NRC in sever range of activities and technical the margins through discussions on al multinational reactor safety research disciplines that promotes effective and several multinational research projects programs. efficient use of NRC resources.

HT 401 High Threat Training Course Coming Soon in ilearn Lisa-Anne Culp

The " HT401 High Threat Training be ready for full agencywide implementa here so that your completion of the (HTSOS)" course is a requirement for tion in the next few weeks. If you travel training can be valida ted.

anyone traveling overseas on beha lf of overseas as part of your NRC work, p lease the NRC. This training is valid for five look for the upcoming announcement that If you are unable to locate your certificate, years at wh ich time it must be repeated. will provide a ll deta ils and guidance. e-mail Learncenterhelp@state.gov. In the subject line, please enter "Rep lacement The HTSOS course w ill soo n be For those who have already completed the HT-401 Certificate of Completion" and ava ilable in ilearn. Some staff have training, and to comply with Department of include in the e-mail the user name you taken part in the ilearn course pilot; State requ irements, please upload a copy used when taking the course.

thanks to their efforts, the system will of your comp letion certificate in iTravel

8

• 1n,eerna1alonal Happenlln s

Sylvia Valenc ia Consistent with U.S. policy, the primary Dr. Kung Won Lee Chihiro will pa rticipate in the State-of-the purpose of hosting foreign assignees (FAs) is from South Korea, Art Reactor Consequence Analyses is to transfer NRC office expertise in a Korea Institute of (SOARCA) and uncerta inty-analysis chosen regulatory area to each assignee. Nuclear Safety related activities. She also w ill support FAs are expected to acquire an under (KINS). He started MELCOR Acc ident Consequence Code standing of the NRC regulatory processes his assignment on System (MACCS) verification and valida and the technical bases for the regulatory April 2, 2018. His tion ac tivities while work ing with other requirements in the area covered by the supervisor is Chris AAB staff. Chihiro has been active w ith plan of work. The resultant information Hoxie and Joseph our staff in a few RES office activities exchange will contribute to international Staudenmeier is his such as our International Sip and Snack nuclear safety. alternate supervi Dr. Kung W o n L ee day as well as our RES Holiday office sor. Kung Won is gathering.

The secondary purpose of each assignhere on a one-year assignment and ment involves the transfer or exchange of has brought his wife and two young RES will soon be expertise that benefits the host NRC organ daughters with him to the States. He will hosting another FA, ization. Often, a FA who comes to the complete an assessment of TRACE for Dr. Shlomi Halton of United States can offer fresh insight and separate effects tests. The TRACE code Israel, for up to one advice on U.S. regu lations and procedures. could be run and its resu lts compared to year. Dr. Halfon ' s In addition, during the course of his or her other codes such as MARS-KS or supervisor is Richard work, a FA may provide the NRC staff with RELAP5, wh ile working with other CRAB Lee, and Stephanie further understanding and knowledge of his staff. Bush-Goddard is or her nation 's nuclea r regulatory systems. Ms. Chihiro Suzuki ----- --- acting as his alter-This knowledge often benefits the host is from Japan, nate supervisor while NRC office and contributes to its goal of Nuclear Regulation wor~in~ in the.._D_r_. S-h,-o """m""i-H..;.a_ l_fo_ n improving efficiency and effectiveness. Authority (NRA). Rad1at1on Protection Ms. Suzuki started Branch.

Currently, RES has two FAs, and both are her assignment on hosted by the Division of Systems July 23, 2018, with Dr. Halfon 's work here is to participate as Analysis - Dr. Kung Won Lee with Chris Patricia Sant iago a representative from RES for the revi Hoxie in the Codes and Reactor Analysis as her Branch sion of Regulatory Gu ide 8.39, "Release Branch and Ms. Chihiro Suzuku with JonaChief. She is now of Patients Administered Radioactive than Barr in the Accident Analysis Branch. supervised by L Materia ls" and to participate as a repre Jonathan Barr for M s. Chihiro Su zu k i sentative from RES fo r the revision of up to one year. Regulatory Gu ide 8.36, "Embryo/Fetus Dosimetry" among other items.

9 R. flS *.----~...,..,""'

M'oTo I Q ~~

P@iR~ ~

Joe Zabel This year, the R ES Holiday Party was Fun, food, and activities wer e enjoyed by Activities in c luded a white e lephant held on T u e sday, December 1 1 at a ll. Plenty of pizza was prov ided alo n g w ith exc hange, a corn hole team tournament,

7 Locks Brewing, a nea rby venu e chicken wings, a v egg ie tray, va rious an ove rsized Jenga competition, and soecializin a in oroduction craft b rewina snack foods and dessert other surp rise s RES had a great time11 I...

b )(6) b )(6) b )(6)

I

Nick Difra ncesco, Mmh -Thuy Nguyen, Recent retirees Ed Hackett, Mmdy Re c ent retiree Pat Santiago toas ts the and Christina Leggett celebrate the Landau, and Ed Oklesson enjoy their holidays with Mike Case.

holida season! (b )(6)

• rtv. ~(b..,.)(""6)----------. b )(6)

my gos mo scores Salman Haq op ens his Th e winner of the Ray Furstenau randomly while Jason Thompson white elephant gift as cheeriest holiday outfit:

se lect door prize winners. ponders his next throw. James Corson. Mita Sircar looks on.

b )(6)

The RES s ta ff enjoys good food and camar a derie as it celebrates the commenc ement of the holiday s eason.

10 ambiguity. For example :

"an ti-inflammato ry," "coowner,"

Every once in a while, I'll receive "deenergize," " re-creation " vs.

an e-mail from one of my NRC "recreation, " "multi-ply" vs.

colleagues asking an interesting "multiply, " "pre-position " vs.

grammar question or suggesting "preposition," "co-op," and a topic for me to write about in the "un-ionized " vs. "unionized. "

Editor's Corner. Recently, I received a few suggestions and Acronyms, lnitialisms, and would like to consider them in this Apostrophes

Another colleague suggested When or When not to Use a On the other hand, NRC style that I write about the correct use Hyphen cautions that many exceptions of the apostrophe with exist. You should use a hyphen in abbreviations like acronyms or A reader recently pointed out to certain instances to avoid initialisms. An acronym is a me that the NRC does not mispronunciation or confusion. pronounceab le term (e.g., RIC) generally employ a hyphen when and an initialism is an words begin with " non," " post," For examp le, you should always unpronounceable term (e.g.,

"pre," and many other prefixes. use a hyphen before a proper NRC).

noun, capitalized abbreviation, or This is true... the NRG Editorial number: "pre-Columbian artifacts," When forming a plural for most Style Guide does stipulate that " post-U.S. S.R.," or " pre-2001 acronyms and initialisms, add a most prefixes should be closed security measures." In addition, lower case "s" w ithout an up. For example: " multiplant," use a hyphen with prefixes to apostrophe : 12 NPPs, 10 RGs, "prelicensing," "sem iannual," avoid doubling a vowel or tripling a 2.0 FTEs.

"biwe ekly," "nonsafety, " and consonant, except after co, de, "overpressure" are words that pre, and re. Also, use a hyphen to To form the possessive of an shouldn 't be hyphenated. avoid mispronunciation or acronym or initialism, use an

apostrophe plus "s," just as you symbols when used in text such as would for a normal word : EDO's " percent," "feeUinches," etc.

report, IAEA's May conference, RES'sfunding. The following are some other rules that NRC style stipulates when While we are on the topic of using abbreviations or symbols:

apostrophe "s," the NRG Editorial Style Guide stipulates that words

• Use the same form of an ending in "s" use an additional abbreviation for both the apostrophe "s" to signify possessive singular and plural forms of a (e.g., RES ' s, Congress's, Doris's, unit of measure. SUBMISSIONS Dr. Seuss's, Jesus's, etc.). This rule - 1 m, 3m is specific to NRC style and differs - 1 kg, 5kg Send articles and photos to:

from what you generally find in other style guides includ ing the U. S.

• Omit internal and terminal Joe Zabel Government Printing Office Style punctuation unless its Manual. omission would cause confus ion.

Symbols and Abbreviations - 1 in. (Period avoids confusion with the word " in." ) joseph.zabel@nrc.gov Another reader noted that the NRC - 5 cm style recommends that the word Publishing articles in The Researcher is a 0

"deg rees"-a nd not the symbol -

• Use abbreviations for units of great way to educate staff about projects should be used in text when writing measure only if they are used and ma jor accomplishments.

about temperature. " Degrees" must with numbers.

always be spelled out, unless it used - 200 r/min (but-The test Get your articles and/or photos in by in a table or graph. This same rule would determine the number April 19th to guarantee a spot in the applies to other measurement of revolutions per minute.) Spring 2019 edition of The Researcher.

11