Quarterly Report to the Harry Reid Center

UCCSN-DOE Cooperative Agreement

Task ORD-FY04-006: Seismic Monitoring

PI: James N. Brune

UNR Seismological Laboratory

Report Period: 01/01/2005 – 03/31/2005

Progress:

During this reporting period (Jan.-Mar. 2005), we have maintained seismic operations with 29 real-time SGBDSN stations under the QA procedures that have been established with the HRC. Network uptime has been 99.9% over the three months (except see below). In addition, we have maintained QA data collection from 9 accelerometers in 3 boreholes on the ESF pad and from 3 acceleometer/seismometer installations in the ESF itself.

Earthquake activity in the network has been notably light during this reporting period, and we are impacted somewhat by the loss of data from 9 stations due to the continuing power outage at Shoshone Peak.

Locations have been finalized for the FY2004 earthquake catalog, and a high-level software qualification SQR is being completed to validate program MLCALC,V3.0 so that we can compute the final magnitudes.

Kappa software QA is proceeding slowly. Validation testing has been completed and minor issues related to it have been resolved. Final documents are being drawn together for resubmission and approval.

Data telemetry through the Skull Mountain site is now enabled, and we can easily check the quality of data being recorded from the ESF pad and the tunnel. Data for these sites is still being collected at the TCO data trailer; at this time, it is retrieved only for QA data checks, for system checks, or for significant events.

The data acquisition and software systems developed for borehole UZ-16 are being bench tested. The unit successfully transmits 64 channels of 200 sps time-stamped data via TCP/IP to an Antelope system. Thus, we have tested the software systems that will be employed at the borehole and ESF pad. Next we will test data communications from a remote location using seismic sensors to confirm system performance prior installation at UZ16.

Strong-motion data was submitted to the TDMS including system check results. No significant earthquakes occurred in the YM area during the reporting period.

Problems:

The mode of delayed funding for the start of FY2005 has impacted us greatly. We just received the full funding allocation on March 31. All equipment purchases for FY2005 have been delayed, pending the full allocation.

The kappa software QA effort is behind schedule and has impacted our delivery schedule for this report (originally 9/30/2004).

The data assessment exercise for the borehole accelerometer report has caused this report to be delayed. The assessment is now only waiting for a signature from one of the assessment team.

The power outage at Shoshone Peak, due to a winter storm, started on January 1, with our batteries finally dieing on January 14. Nine stations of our network are down while we are waiting on Bechtel Nevada to complete repairs to the power line. We strongly believe that a ground-based power line is needed here to prevent reoccurrence.

Environmental permits have been requested for the 3 sites above the 3 ESF tunnel installations but have not been approved. We have already purchased the equipment for these sites.

Status of Funds:

As of 03/31/2004, we had expended $669K of FY2005 funds on Task 6, out of a total FY2005 allocation of $1,705K. This is a substantial underrun at this time, but is largely explained by the delay of equipment purchases, amounting to approximately $200K in our FY2005 budget.

Plans:

We plan to install the recording equipment at UZ-16, hook up geophones in that well, and start continuous recording of 63 channels. We will transmit the real-time data to the TCO data trailer where it will be stored in a 10- to 20-day online buffer area.

We will complete and deliver the report on preliminary findings at the borehole accelerometer array on the ESF pad; this report has been held up for a technical data assessment which is now resolved.

We will finish the preparation of the FY2004 earthquake catalog for the Yucca Mountain vicinity, submit the data, and draft the report to accompany it.

We will purchase the equipment itemized on our FY2005 budget and start the recorder replacement cycle at the 29 stations of the permanent network, perform the upgrade of a few independent strong-motion sites to telemetered recording, and install new computers in our seismic analysis room.