Quarterly Report to the Harry Reid Center

UCCSN-DOE Cooperative Agreement

Task 12: Seismic Monitoring

PI: James N. Brune

UNR Seismological Laboratory

Report Period: 07/01/2001 – 09/30/2001

Progress:

During this reporting period (Jul-Sep 2001), we have maintained seismic operations under the QA procedures which have been established with the HRC. Data collection has been above 97% overall.

The FY01 seismicity report has been revised based on comments of the technical reviewer and the QA reviewer. Significant effort was required to address the QA comments, mostly relating to software. As of the end of September, a concurrence copy has been prepared for review signoff.

At the end of this quarter, we have analyzed the earthquakes in the YM vicinity through September 15, thus leaving a 14-day backlog. This is decrease of 14 days over the delay reported at the end of June but not yet to our objective of 10 days backlog or less. Seismic activity in the YM vicinity has remained unusually low during this reporting period. The data was submitted to the TDMS as “preliminary”, pending final release of the report.

We purchased a RAID disk system at the end of this quarter and will install it shortly. The RAID system is the final piece in making our data collection nearly 100% reliable.

We have resolved the one Deficiency Report issued from our May 2001 audit, and the DR was closed in September.

Preparations were made to investigate the shallow velocity structure of the Yucca Mountain Crest using surface wave dispersion. Scientific Notebook UCCSN-UNR-033 was opened for control and documentation. Portable recorders were obtained to complement in-house recording capabilities. The Field Work Package was completed by the TCO. However, the project is now on hold because of issues related to the purchase and transportation of explosives needed for the seismic source; these issues are beyond NSL control.

Problems:

We are still awaiting the final environmental record of decision from Death Valley National Park regarding the three stations to be installed in the park.

We still have been unable to renew the “Q” badge status of one of our technicians, John Torrisi. We have found out that an “F” badge may be sufficient. Lack of a Q (or F) badge will eventually impact our ability to maintain the seismic network.

Status of Funds:

We anticipate a zero balance on 9/30/2001. All equipment purchases have been made, and final accounting by the UNR system should occur sometime in October.

Plans:

Our FY02 task is waiting for notice of full funding; meanwhile we have been authorized to spend through October 31, 2001 as though we had received full funding of our proposal. We plan to hire at least one individual in the next quarter to address the increased workload.

We plan to start equipment purchases to support our subtasks directed at data gathering in the ESF tunnel and at the site of the proposed Waste Handling Building. We will also be working on assembling a compendium report of NSL work on the seismic parameter kappa.

We will be starting the re-archival of various old data sets in this quarter, and will be making submittals to the RPC of “replacement” data sets made on DVD-ROM media.

Six (6) software programs will be registered with the SCM this quarter. These have been called out in an NCR and will require relatively minor efforts to qualify.

We will prepare the FY01 seismicity report in this quarter. Due to the relatively low level of seismic activity within the monitoring network for FY01, the report will require less effort than for immediate past years.