Salton Sea Geothermal Field, California, as a near-field natural analog of a radioactive waste repository in salt

摘要: Since high concentrations of radionuclides and temperatures are not normally encountered in salt domes or beds, finding an exact geologic analog expected near-field conditions a mined nuclear waste repository will be difficult. The Salton Sea Geothermal Field, however, provides opportunity to investigate the migration retardation naturally occurring U, Th, Ra, Cs, Sr other elements hot brines which have been moving through clay-rich sedimentary rocks for up 100,000 years. more than thirty deep wells drilled this field produce steam electrical generation penetrate containing concentrated where reach 365/sup 0/C at only 2 km depth. primarily Na, K, Ca chlorides with 25% total dissolved solids; they also contain metals such as Fe, Mn, Li, Zn, Pb. This report describes geology, geophysics geochemistry system prelude study mobility radionuclide analogs within it. aim is provide data assist validating quantitative models behavior use designing evaluating packages engineeredmore » barriers. 128 references, 33 figures, 13 tables.« less