Objective
Among natural analogue objectives. the Oklo site. in Gabon. represents a unique geological environment whcre nuclear reaction products have been naturally introduced and can still be detected in fossil reaction zones. Previous studies have shown good chemical analogies of reaction zone materials to a spent fucl repository. Although the site geology is different from that of a deep repository, Oklo is an ideal location to test predictions relating to rates of movement of various radionuclides. including fission products. However, as for most natural analogue projects. the Oklo data actually used for Performance Assessment only represent a small part of the project's scientific results. More results could be transferred to PA provided uncertainties in the geological evolution of the Oklo environment are solved.
The Oklo-Natural Analogue Phase II project will thus focus on a quantitative assessment of processes Or radionuclide migration/retention within the Oklo basin. Several main questions need to be addressed at Oklo.
regardless of which part of the repositor system is under investigation to eventually provide suitable data t'or performance assessement model: Which fission products and end-products are still present '? Where have they been retained and in which form'? What are the confinement mechanisms and for how long have they been active'? What were the effects of geological or geochemical disturbances on the confinement'.' What is the transport mechanism and for how long has it been active'? The Oklo-Natural Analogue Phase II project is planned as a large scale multiobjective project which has to rulfill several research requirements: to build conceptual models of processes related to radionuclide migration/retention of importance to the evaluation of the performance of disposal systems: processes regarding the repository material (item C.3.7. 1 of thc EU work programme) and processes regarding the radionuclide groundwater transport (item C.3.7.2 of the EU work programme): to test these models against data from a well characterized natural system on a relevant framwork of space and time, to improve the knowledge on the confinement capacity and mechanisms of natural material; to improve data bases to be used in justifying performance assessment results and to identify specific slow transport processes during characteristic time scales of thousands of years.
Based on repository performance assessment criteria. the Oklo system will be subdivided into:
-The near-field (source term) which includes the reactor zone and the altered clay halo surrounding it. The rclcvant processes to be studied are fuel dissolution, element solubility. the behaviour of radionuclides at redox Ironts the e.xtent and effects of radiolysis and the diffusion of radionuclides throug clay and solid graphitic carbonaceous matter.
-The far-field (geosphere) which includes the geological. hydrological and hydrochemical environment around the near-field. The relevant processes to be studied in understanding radionuclide mobility and retardation are advective and dispersive transport. fracture flow. matrix diffusion, flow channeling, complexation, sorption dissolution and precipitation. Also total system behaviour. including heterogeneity effects. can be studied to unterstand flow and transport of fission products.
One of the central objectives in the project is the involvement of performance assessment specialists in addition to field and laboratory scientific groups, in transferring the experimental scientific work into suitable data for PA modelling.
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.