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Yucca Mountain Project Document Transmittal/Acknowledgement Record

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Yucca Mountain Project Document Transmittal/Acknowledgement Record I . II PAGE 1 of YUCCA MOUNTAIN PROJECT Y-AD-075 DOCUMENT TRANSMITAL/ACKNOWLEDGMENT RECORD 09/88 TO: STABLEIN N FROM: Science Applications International Corp. NRC/WASHINGTON Document Control Center NORTH ONE WHITE FLINTMS/4 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Suite101 Convention407, Mail StopCenter 517/ Drive T-34 MS/4-H-3 Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 ROCKVILLE, MD 20852-0000 FTS 544-7810 or (702) 794-7810 TRANSMfTTALDATE: April 27, 1990 COPY NUMBER: 1 DOCUMENTTITLE: CHARACTERIZATION OF VOLCANIC FEATURES DOCUMENT REVISION: 0 DOCUMENT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: 8.3.1.8.5.1 DIRECTIONS CONTROL AND ISSUANCE OF THE: CHARACTERIZATION OF VOLCANIC FEATURES YOU ARE NOW ON CONTROLLED DISTRIBUTION FOR THIS DOCUMENT () Destroy of mark obsolete material "Superseded" Return obsolete material with this transmittal record (X) New issue - no obsolete material And''~~~~96&a53/C) /g 7 9ctcK/29 , 7t . SIGN AND DATE BELOW TO CONFIRM THAT THE ABOVE DIRECTIONS HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED. RETURN THIS TRANSMITTAL RECORD, WITH THE OBSOLETE MATERIAL, AS APPROPRIATE, TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS BY: May 11, 1990 Copyholder Signature Date < < FOR DOCUMENT CONTROL CENTER USE ONLY > > > OB SOLETE MATERIAL RECEIVED: ___________7 5)C)Ogl we DCC Personnel Initials Date C 9O5 101~z 9OOcZI ___ ' - 1 1 WASTE D -= ENCLOSURE .- /4010! 1047 -/1 l7wa? 7/ - - Pecved /Ltr Dated . 700 / 6 /g 7 aoR7 ENCLOSURE 1 /Lo c 2-, I A K)j Characterization of Volcanic Features, Revision 0 March 1990 U.S. Departmentof Energy OffNce of Civilian Radoactive Waste Management Washington, DC 20585 Preparedby Los Alamos Ntional Laborutory Study Plan Number 8.3.1.8.5.1 Study Plan Title Study Plan for Characterization of Volcanic Features Revision Number RO Prepared by: Los Alamos National Laboratory. Date: 'March, 1990 Director, Regulatory and Site Evaluation Division I Date Dew, uality Assurance Divisn i Date 4 . YMP-LANL-SP 8.3.1.8.5.1, RO Page 1 of 65 STUDY PLAN FOR CHARACTERIZATION OF VOLCANIC FEATURES B. M. Crowe Los Alamos National Laboratory ABSTRACT Study Plan 8.3.1.8.5.1, Characterization of Volcanic Features, describes the purpose and objectives, the technical rationale, the constraints, and the approach and methods of studies required to characterize volcanic features for the Yucca Mountain Project. The study is divided into five activities: vol- canism drill holes, geochronology studies, field geologic studies, geochemistry of eruptive sequences,'and evolution of basaltic volcanic fields. The volcanism drill hole activity involves exploratory drilling of aeromagnetic anomalies that may represent either buried volcanic centers or intrusive rocks. The geochronology activity will document the chronology of eruptive activity at the Pliocene and Quaternary volcanic centers of the Yucca Mountain region; a second objective is establishing the chronology of post-Miocene silicic volcanism in the Yucca Mountain region. The' field geologic activity will establish the field relations and eruptive history of Pliocene and Quaternary volcanic centers in the Yucca Mountain region and determine the distribution of post-Miocene silicic volcanism in the southwest Great Basin. Studies of the geochemistry of eruptive sequences at Pliocene and Quaternary'bisalt centers will characterize the geochemical composition of basaltic volcanic nits and model geochemically the processes of derivation and evolution of the basalt magma that formed the Quaternary centers. A second objective of this'activity will be to identify the source of basalt ash exposed in trenches adjacenteto Yucca Mountain. The final activity, evolutionary patterns of basaltic volcanic fields, will examine pat- terns of variation in time, space, eruptive volu'me,effusion rate, and geo- chemical composition of continental basaltic fields. qThis information will pro- vide a perspective for determining if patterns in theNdevelopAental history of volcanic fields can provide insight into the predicted-pat~eerns'"of future vol- canic activity in the Yucca Mountain region. X The information obtained from this study will be used primartly't s the risk of future volcanism with respect to storage of high-level radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain. The strategy for applying this information i'k presented in Study Plan 8.3.1.8.1.1, Probability of Magmatic Disruption-of the Repository, and Study Plan 8.3.1.8.1.2, Effects of Magmatic Disruption of the Repository. K., YM-LANLSP 8.3.1.8.5.1, b Page 2 of 65 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Revision IRN 1.0 PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY 7 1.1 Objectives 7 1.2 Regulatory Rationale and Justification 11 2.0 RATIONALE 13 2.1 Activity 8.3.1.8.5.1.1, Volcanism Drill Holes 13 2.1.1 Technical Rationale and Justification 13 2.1.2 Constraints 14 2.2 Activity 8.3.1.8.5.1.2, Geochronology Studies 15 2.2.1 Technical Rationale and Justification 15 2.2.2 Constraints 18 2.3 Activity 8.3.1.8.5.1.3, Field Geologic Studies 18 2.3.1 Technical Rationale and Justification 18 2.3.2 Constraints 19 2.4 Activity 8.3.1.8.5.1.4, Geochemistry of Eruptive Sequences - 20 2.4.1 Technical Rationale and-Justification 20 2.4.2 Constraints ( 22 2.5 Activity 8.3.1.8.5.1.5, Evolutionary Cycles of Basaltic Volcanic Fields -' 22 2.5.1 Technical Rationale and Justification./ 22 2.5.2 Constraints 23, 24,;Y 3.0 DESCRIPTION OF TESTS AND ANALYSES -24. -.I . ~~/- 3.1 Activity 8.3.1.8.5.1.1, Volcanism Drill Holes i24 . ... 3.1.1 Approach 24 \-- 3.1.2 Summary of Methods 25 3.1.3 Procedures 26 3.1.4 Accuracy and Precision 27 3.1.5 Equipment 27 3.1.6 Data Analysis 28 3.1.7 Representativeness 29 LS07120(04)/020690 I ) Ylh-ANL-SP 8.3.1.8.5.1, . , Page 3 of 65 TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Page Revision IRN 3.2 Activity 8.3.1.8.5.1.2, Geochronology Studies 29 3.2.1 Approach 29 3.2.2 Test Methods 32 3.2.3 Accuracy and Precision 38 3.2.4 Equipment 40 3.2.5 Representativeness 41 3.3 Activity 8.3.1.8.5.1.3, Field Geologic Studies 42 3.3.1 Approach 42 3.3.2 Methods 42 3.3.3 Procedures 44 3.3.4 Equipment 44 3.3.5 Representativeness 45 3.4 Activity 8.3.1.8.5.1.4, Geochemistry of Eruptive Sequences 45 3.4.1 Approach 45 3.4.2 Methods 46 3.4.3 Procedures 47 3.4.4 Accuracy and Precision 47 3.4.5 Equipment 47 3.4.6 Data Analysis 48 3.4.7 Representativeness 'i. , .. 48 3.5 Activity 8.3.1.8.5.1.5, Evolutionary Cycles of Basaltic Volcanic Fields 49 3.5.1 Approach a.49 3 5 I' Methndc e 51 3.5.3 Procedures 3.5.4 Accuracy and Precision 11 3.5.5 Equipment 3.5.6 Data Analysis a 3.5.7 Representativeness 53 / N. 4.0 APPLICATION OF RESULTS 5 4 - 5,:, -' 5.0 SCHEDULE 57 5.1 Activity 8.3.1.8.5.1.1, Volcanism Drill Holes 57 5.2 Activity 8.3.1.8.5.1.2, Geochronology Studies 59 5.3 Activity 8.3.1.8.5.1.3, Field Geologic Studies 59 5.4 Activity 8.3.1.8.5.1.4, Geochemistry of Eruptive Sequences. 60 YAr{ANL-SP 8.3.1.8.5.1, R6 Page 4 of 65 TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Page Revision IRN 5.5 Activity 8.3.1.8.5.1.5, Evolutionary Patterns of Basaltic Volcanic Fields 60 6.0 REFERENCES 61 APPENDIX A Method for Rock-Varnish Dating of Geomorphic Surfaces A-1 1.0 PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY A-2 1.1 Purpose A-2 1.2 Use of Results A-3 2.0 RATIONALE A-4 2.1 Approach A-4 2.2 Types of Measurements to Be Made A-4 2.3 Rationale for Choosing Types of Measurements to Be Made A-6 2.4 Constraints A-7 2.4.1 Sampling A-7 2.5 Additional Factors for Consideration A-8 2.5.1 Impact on Site , A-8 2.5.2 Required Accuracy and'Precision and Limits of Methods'* A-8 3.0 DESCRIPTION OF TESTS AND ANALYSES A-9 A. 3.1 Introduction A-9 3.2 Rock-Varnish Studies Of A-11 3.3 Geochronology Studies--Dating of 1.X"-, Rock-Varnished Geomorphic Surfaces A-li \. I. , 3.3.1 Test Methods 3.3.2 Sample Collection 3.3.3 Sample Preparation and Analysis 3.3.4 Equipment A-13' / 3.3.5 Data Reduction and Analysis A-1359 3.3.6 Calculation of Rock-Varnish Age of Deposit (Time of Surface Exposure) A-13 3.3.7 Required Accuracy and Precision A-14 3.3.8 Rationale for Analytic Procedure A-14 Y,l {N-SP 8.3.1.8.5.1, Page 5 of 65 TABLE OF CONTENTS (concluded) Pae Revision IE 3.4 Geochemistry Studies of Rock Varnish and Rock-Varnish Origin A-14 3.4.1 Test Methods A-14 3.4.2 Sample Collection A-15 3.4.3 Sample Preparation and Analysis A-16 3.4.4 Equipment A-18 3.4.5 Data Reduction and Analysis A-18 3.4.6 Required Accuracy and Precision A-19 3.4.7 Rationale for Analytic Procedure A-19 4.0 SCHEDULE A-20 5.0 REFERENCES A-22 APPENDIX B Quality Assurance Support Documentation B-1 go I, . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ \ /K YKY-LANLSP 8.3.1.8.5.1, Q Page 6 of 65 LIST OF TABLES Table Title Page Revision IRN 1 Studies Providing Information on Direct Releases Resulting from Magmatic Disruption of a Repository 12 2 Information Feeds from and Required Informa- tion for Study Plan 8.3.1.8.5.1, Character- ization of Volcanic Features 55 B-1 Applicable NQA-1 Criteria for SCP Study Plan 8.3.1.8.5.1 and How They Will Be Satisfied B-2 B-2 Quality Assurance Level Assignments for Study 8.3.1.8.5.1 B-6 LIST OF FIGURES Figture Title EAU Revision IRN 1 Distribution of Post-Miocene'Silicic and Basaltic Volcanic Rocks of the Southern Great Basin 8 2 Generalized Geologic Map of theDistribu- tion of the Youngest Episodes of Basaltic Volcanism in the Yucca Mountain Region-., 9 3 Milestone Schedule for Characterization4' of Volcanic Features 58 A-1 (K+Ca)/Ti Cation Ratios from Rock Varnish Versus Time for the Espanola Basin \ : and the Yucca Mountain Region A-10 \;(I4 Effective Date: K) Yhr-LANL-SP 8.3.1.8.5.1, D Page 7 of 65 1.0 PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY 1.1 Objectives The Yucca Mountain Project (YMP) is conducting volcanism studies to evaluate the possible recurrence of volcanic activity during the post- closure period of a potential repository located at Yucca Mountain.
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