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Management of Commercially Generated Radioactive Waste - U.S. ...

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8.2<br />

Aquitard: A natural rock or soil <strong>of</strong> low permeability which is stratigraphically adjacent to<br />

one or more aquifers and through which water movement is markedly retarded or impeded.<br />

Argillaceous: Containing or pertaining to clay.<br />

Artesian: When pertaining to an aquifer, it is one that is confined so that its hydraulic<br />

head rises above the top <strong>of</strong> the aquifer unit; thus an artesian water body is one that is<br />

confined under hydraulic pressure.<br />

Atom: An electrically neutral particle <strong>of</strong> matter, indivisible by chemical means.<br />

Atomic Number: The number <strong>of</strong> protons within an atomic nucleus.<br />

Atomic Weight: The mass <strong>of</strong> an atom relative to other atoms.<br />

Back End <strong>of</strong> the Fuel Cycle: Includes spent fuel storage, fuel reprocessing, mixed-oxide<br />

fuel fabrication, and waste management.<br />

Background Radiation: The radiation in man's natural and undisturbed environment. It<br />

results from cosmic rays and from the naturally radioactive elements <strong>of</strong> the earth, including<br />

those from within the human body.<br />

Basement Rock: A complex <strong>of</strong> undifferentiated rocks that underlies the oldest identifiable<br />

rocks in the area.<br />

Basin: A depressed area generally having no outlet for surface water.<br />

Batholith: A shield-shaped mass <strong>of</strong> igneous-intruded rock, greater than 100 km 2 in area,<br />

extending to great depth and whose diameter increases with depth.<br />

Bedrock: A solid rock formation usually underlying one or more other loose formations.<br />

Benthic: Refers to the bottom <strong>of</strong> a body <strong>of</strong> water.<br />

Bentonitic: Pertaining to rock containing bentonite, a clay formed from the decomposition<br />

<strong>of</strong> volcanic ash.<br />

Biosphere: The part <strong>of</strong> the earth in which life can exist, including the lithosphere, hydrosphere,<br />

and atmosphere; living beings together with their environment.<br />

Biota: The animal and plant life <strong>of</strong> a region.<br />

Biotite: A complex silicate <strong>of</strong> aluminum, potassium, magnesium, and iron with hydroxyl that<br />

is a widely distributed and important rock-forming mineral <strong>of</strong> the mica group.<br />

Block-Faulting: A type <strong>of</strong> vertical faulting in which the crust is divided into structural<br />

or fault blocks <strong>of</strong> different elevations and orientations.<br />

Boiling Water Reactor (BWR): A reactor system that uses a boiling water primary cooling<br />

system. Primary cooling system steam turns turbines to generate electricity.<br />

Borosilicate Glass: A silicate glass containing at least 5 percent boric acid and used to<br />

vitrify calcined waste.<br />

Breccia: A course-grained clastic rock composed <strong>of</strong> large, angular, and broken rock fragments<br />

cemented together in a finer grained matrix.<br />

Burial Grounds: Areas designated for disposal <strong>of</strong> containers <strong>of</strong> radioactive wastes and obsolete<br />

or worn-out equipment by near-surface burial.<br />

Calcine: Material heated to a temperature below its melting point to bring about loss <strong>of</strong><br />

moisture and oxidation.<br />

Canister: A metal container for radioactive solid waste.

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