Oak Ridge Today

ORNL provides building data that helps hurricane response

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As hurricanes formed in the Gulf Coast, Oak Ridge National Laboratory activated a computing technique to quickly gather building structure data from Texas' coastal counties. (Image credit: Mark Tuttle/Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy)

As hurricanes formed in the Gulf Coast, Oak Ridge National Laboratory activated a computing technique to quickly gather building structure data from Texas’ coastal counties. (Image credit: Mark Tuttle/Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy)

 

Geospatial scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a new computing technique to quickly gather data about building structures to help emergency response teams assessing properties that were damaged by hurricanes Harvey and Irma in August and September.

By coupling deep learning with high-performance computing, ORNL collected and extracted building outlines and roadways from high-resolution satellite and aerial images, ORNL said. As hurricanes formed in the Gulf Coast and the Atlantic Ocean, ORNL activated its technique.

“During devastating weather events, it’s difficult and time consuming to assess damage manually,” said ORNL’s Mark Tuttle. “Our method supports emergency response efforts by providing preliminary building structure data—which can be categorized for residential, multi-family and commercial properties—on the county level, and this has been applied for hurricane-impacted areas of Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. Caribbean territories.” [Read more…]

ORNL approves 204 for voluntary separations as lab reduces workforce

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory Sign

Photo by ORNL

 

Lab managers have approved 204 of the 302 applications submitted for a voluntary separation program that could reduce the workforce at Oak Ridge National Laboratory by up to 350 positions.

The Self-Select Voluntary Separation Program was announced by ORNL Director Thomas Zacharia in an August 8 email to employees. ORNL employees were able to apply for the program from Monday, August 14, to Wednesday, September 27. Applicants were notified October 25 whether their application was approved, according to information provided on Friday by Morgan McCorkle, ORNL media relations manager.

Accepted applicants will leave the payroll by December 31.

Applications were approved from staff who charge to indirect accounts, along with some research staff affected by fiscal year 2017 funding who could not be placed elsewhere in the lab. [Read more…]

Report: Chair of nuclear safety board proposes eliminating it

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Sean Sullivan (Photo credit: DNFSB.gov)

Sean Sullivan (Photo credit: DNFSB.gov)

The chairman of a nuclear safety board that provides recommendations and advice on public health and safety issues at certain federal facilities, including two in Oak Ridge, has proposed eliminating the board, according to an investigative news organization in Washington, D.C.

In its October 19 report, the nonprofit, nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity said it had obtained a June 29 letter from Sean Sullivan, the Republican chair of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, to Mick Mulvaney, director of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget.

The center has posted the five-page letter online along with an attached one-page historical summary of the five-member board, which issues weekly reports for U.S. Department of Energy sites that include Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex, among other activities. In his letter, Sullivan said the board is a “relic of the Cold War-era defense establishment.”

The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board is an independent oversight organization within the executive branch. It was created by Congress in 1988 to provide advice and recommendations to the secretary of energy on public health and safety at the defense nuclear facilities managed by DOE. Those reports are publicly available and posted online, and they have been used by reporters and public interest organizations, among others. The Center for Public Integrity said the DNFSB has helped persuade the federal government to impose tighter safety rules and regulations at most of the eight nuclear weapons sites. [Read more…]

ORNL, City of Oak Ridge partner on sensor project to capture city trends

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UrbanSense passively collects anonymous, open-source data from cellular towers to generate real-time estimates of population density in cities. Insights on how people interact with urban infrastructure helps cities like Oak Ridge, above, assess their needs and plan effectively for future development. (Image by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy)

UrbanSense passively collects anonymous, open-source data from cellular towers to generate real-time estimates of population density in cities. Insights on how people interact with urban infrastructure helps cities like Oak Ridge, above, assess their needs and plan effectively for future development. (Image by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy)

 

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are partnering with the City of Oak Ridge to develop UrbanSense, a comprehensive sensor network and real-time visualization platform that helps cities evaluate trends in urban activity.

The project, initiated by ORNL’s Urban Dynamics Institute, centers on addressing cities’ real-world challenges through applied urban science. Oak Ridge is the first city to test the new technology, which uses open-source, anonymous data from virtual and physical sensors.

“Preparing for urban growth and planning for future infrastructure development and resource demands are global problems, but cities need ways to be proactive on a local level,” said UDI Director Budhendra Bhaduri. “Our goal in bringing science to cities is to put the right tools and resources in the hands of city managers and urban planners so that they can assess local impacts and make strategic decisions to get the best return on future investments.”

UDI researchers Teja Kuruganti and Gautam Thakur from ORNL’s Computer Science and Engineering Division are collaborating with Oak Ridge Director of Administrative Services Bruce Applegate on the design and deployment of UrbanSense.

The prototype designed for Oak Ridge monitors population density, traffic flow, and environmental data including air and water quality, with a total of seven sensors to be installed in the city. “The longer they are in place and the more data they collect, the better the city’s sense of its trends will be,” Thakur said. [Read more…]

Centrus, ORNL contract continues uranium enrichment technology work in Oak Ridge

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American Centrifuge Technology Manufacturing Center

The American Centrifuge Technology Manufacturing Center in south Oak Ridge is pictured above. (Photo courtesy USEC/Centrus Energy Corp.)

 

A $16 million contract signed by Centrus Energy Corporation and and UT-Battelle LLC will continue work on gas centrifuge uranium enrichment technology at Centrus facilities in Oak Ridge, the company announced Monday.

The work is on the AC100, a U.S. gas centrifuge uranium enrichment technology.

UT-Battelle LLC operates Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy.

Enriched uranium can be used in nuclear power plants and in nuclear weapons, as fuel for nuclear naval vessels, and to ensure a tritium supply, which is needed to maintain the effectiveness of America’s nuclear deterrent, officials have said previously.

The new Centrus-ORNL contract is valued at $16 million, with payments made when certain defined milestones are completed, Centrus said in a press release on Monday. The contract runs through September 30, 2018.

“Under the contract, Centrus’ scientists, engineers, and operators will test improvements developed by the company for the AC100 centrifuge machine in specialized facilities in Oak Ridge,” the press release said. “Centrus has worked under contract with ORNL since 2014 to improve the AC100 gas centrifuge technology to support national security and energy security needs.” [Read more…]

Tourassi named top scientist at ORNL’s annual Awards Night

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Georgia Tourassi, Director’s Award winner for Outstanding Individual Accomplishment in Science and Technology at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. (Photo by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy)

Georgia Tourassi, Director’s Award winner for Outstanding Individual Accomplishment in Science and Technology at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. (Photo by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy)

 

Georgia Tourassi of Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Computing and Computational Sciences Directorate has received the ORNL Director’s Award for Outstanding Individual Accomplishment in Science and Technology.

The top scientist award was presented to Tourassi by ORNL Director Thomas Zacharia during Saturday night’s annual Awards Night event hosted by UT-Battelle, the management and operating contractor of ORNL for the U.S. Department of Energy, a press release said.

Tourassi was recognized for advancing the research, development, and deployment of artificial intelligence in data-driven biomedical discovery and medical imaging, including applications for cancer diagnosis and management, the press release said. She was also cited for her support of the missions of biomedical scientific societies and federal agencies and for mentoring students in biomedical science and technology.

Tourassi, who works in the Computational Sciences and Engineering Division and directs the laboratory’s Health Data Sciences Institute, also received the Distinguished Researcher award. [Read more…]

Y-12 Historian Ray Smith is retiring

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Ray Smith, Y-12 National Security Complex historian and city historian, announces a book published posthumously that was written by Bill Wilcox, a former city historian, former technical director at K-25 and Y-12, and a passionate advocate for historic preservation, including the history of the former K-25 site. Smith announced the book at a ceremony unveiling plans for a K-25 History Center on the second floor of the city-owned fire station at the the former K-25 site, now known as East Tennessee Technology Park on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Ray Smith is retiring as Y-12 National Security Complex historian on Nov. 22, 2017. Smith is pictured above during a ceremony for the K-25 History Center at East Tennessee Technology Park on Thursday, Oct. 19. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Y-12 National Security Complex Historian Ray Smith is retiring. Smith said he has been at Y-12 for 47 years, and he is retiring November 22.

Besides being Y-12 historian, Smith is also City of Oak Ridge historian and history columnist for The Oak Ridger newspaper, where he writes “Historically Speaking.” In 2012, he testified during a U.S. House of Representatives hearing on the legislation to create the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, which includes Oak Ridge; Los Alamos, New Mexico; and Hanford, Washington.

Smith has been Y-12 historian for about 10 years. He has also been a maintenance manager at Y-12.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed it,” Smith said this week.

After an overseas trip in August, Smith said he wants to travel with his wife Fanny.

“Fanny and I went to Switzerland, Austria, and Germany, and that made my decision,” Smith said.

Smith, who is a Vietnam veteran, said he will continue to write and be the Oak Ridge historian. He is vice president of the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, and he was recently appointed to the Tennessee Historical Commission. He is a local leader helping to preserve the city’s history. He was friends with Bill Wilcox, the previous city historian who wrote a history of the former K-25 site that has been published posthumously with help from family members, Smith, and the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association.

[Read more…]

Two ORNL-led research teams receive $10.5 million for quantum computing research

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ORNL’s Pavel Lougovski, left, and Raphael Pooser will lead research teams working to advance quantum computing for scientific applications. (Photo credit: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy)

ORNL’s Pavel Lougovski, left, and Raphael Pooser will lead research teams working to advance quantum computing for scientific applications. (Photo credit: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy)

 

By Scott Jones/Oak Ridge National Laboratory

By harnessing the power of quantum mechanics, researchers hope to create quantum computers capable of simulating phenomenon at a scale and speed unthinkable on traditional architectures, an effort of great interest to agencies such as the U.S. Department of Energy tasked with tackling some of the world’s most complex science problems, a press release said.

DOE’s Office of Science has awarded two research teams, each headed by a member of Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Quantum Information Science Group, more than $10 million over five years to both assess the feasibility of quantum architectures in addressing big science problems and to develop algorithms capable of harnessing the massive power predicted of quantum computing systems. The two projects are intended to work in concert to ensure synergy across DOE’s quantum computing research spectrum and maximize mutual benefits.

ORNL’s Raphael Pooser will oversee an effort titled, “Methods and Interfaces for Quantum Acceleration of Scientific Applications,” part of the larger Quantum Computing Testbed Pathfinder program funded by DOE’s Advanced Scientific Computing Research office. [Read more…]

Congressmen praise consolidated contract at Y-12, Pantex

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U.S. Representative Mac Thornberry, left, a Texas Republican, and Representative Chuck Fleischmann, a Tennessee Republican, are pictured above after an East Tennessee Economic Council meeting on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

U.S. Representative Mac Thornberry, left, a Texas Republican, and Representative Chuck Fleischmann, a Tennessee Republican, are pictured above after an East Tennessee Economic Council meeting on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Two congressmen, one from East Tennessee and other the chair of the House Armed Services Committee, praised the consolidated contract that has been used to manage and operate the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, and the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge for more than three years.

The two sites are managed by Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC. Y-12 and Pantex are involved in nuclear weapons work and nuclear nonproliferation, and providing enriched uranium for naval, research, and isotope production reactors.

The transition to the consolidated contract, one of the most complex in the history of the U.S. Department of Energy, was completed on July 1, 2014. At that time, officials said the contract included a total annual operating budget of $1.5 billion and employment of about 8,000 in Tennessee and Texas. [Read more…]

Did you know? Wheat was famous for its peach orchards

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Wheat Historical Marker Poplar Creek Seminary

A historical marker for the Poplar Creek Seminary is pictured above near State Route 58 in the former Wheat community in west Oak Ridge. The George Jones Memorial Baptist Church is in the background. (Submitted photo)

 

We’ve been thinking recently that maybe we should run an occasional feature called “Did you know?” on Oak Ridge Today that would highlight interesting facts about Oak Ridge that might not be widely known. This could be information that makes the city unique or unusual, but doesn’t normally fit into a news story. Many of these could be history-related facts, but they wouldn’t all have to be.

Here’s an example from the K-25 History Center unveiling celebration last week:

Did you know that the Wheat community in what is now west Oak Ridge was once famous for its peach orchards? The peaches were sold across the country, according to Mick Wiest, president of the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association.

Besides its peaches, Wheat was also famous for its schools and education, Wiest said during a Thursday ceremony for the K-25 History Center at the East Tennessee Technology Park, the former K-25 site. [Read more…]

Workers removing asbestos, reducing risks at former ORNL research reactor

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A worker removes asbestos from Building 7500, a former research reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. (Photo courtesy DOE Office of Environmental Management)

A worker removes asbestos from Building 7500, a former research reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. (Photo courtesy DOE Office of Environmental Management)

 

Note: This is an edited version of a story that was first published by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management in an EM Update on Tuesday, Oct. 24.

Workers recently passed the halfway mark removing asbestos from a former research reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory as part of an effort to remove risks and prepare excess facilities in Oak Ridge for eventual demolition.

The asbestos abatement could continue until early 2018 inside Building 7500, also known as the Homogenous Reactor Experiment facility at ORNL, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management. Crews are pulling out ceiling and floor tile, pipe and vessel insulation, and wall board.

The project further reduces risks after OREM and cleanup contractor URS | CH2M Oak Ridge, or UCOR, cleared all combustible materials and deactivated the heat detection system inside the building earlier this year.

Deactivating the system eliminated the need for personnel to enter the building for periodic inspections, and it allowed for removal of all hazardous energy sources as required before asbestos abatement. [Read more…]

DOE, NNSA deny alleged risk of ‘catastrophic collapse’ of old Y-12 buildings

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Y-12 Building 9212

A low-level aerial shot of Building 9212 at the Y-12 National Security Complex, one of the buildings mentioned in a federal lawsuit filed in July over the proposed Uranium Processing Facility.

 

Note: This story was updated at 8:30 a.m.

The plaintiffs in a civil lawsuit filed in federal court in July alleged that there is a risk of a catastrophic collapse of old buildings containing nuclear weapon components at the Y-12 National Security Complex, possibly due to a large earthquake. A catastrophic collapse “would likely” result in the release of nuclear or toxic materials and place the environment and local residents in “extreme peril,” the plaintiffs said.

But federal officials denied that allegation and others in a response filed in late September.

The 44-page civil complaint, which is related to the planned Uranium Processing Facility at Y-12, was filed July 20 in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. The seven plaintiffs include three public interest organizations—Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance, Nuclear Watch of New Mexico, and Natural Resources Defense Council of Washington, D.C.—and four people who live in Oak Ridge and Knoxville.

The federal lawsuit asked for an environmental review of the new design for the UPF, where design plans have changed from one building to three. The lawsuit alleged that the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration have violated a federal environmental law, the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, as they implement the major design change.

Specifically, the plaintiffs have requested a new supplemental environmental impact statement or a new site-wide environmental impact statement for the revised UPF design. They cited the decision to build several new buildings and the plan to continue using existing buildings that the plaintiffs say have significant structural defects. They want the U.S. District Court to vacate, or void, a supplement analysis and an amended record of decision prepared by the NNSA in 2016. [Read more…]