Research Areas
Subsurface Science
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is an international leader in subsurface science, which focuses on developing and applying basic understanding of biogeochemical reactions, energy, and mass transfer to predict, assess, mitigate, and design and operate environmental processes. Our expertise includes
- Molecular-to-field- scale biogeochemistry and reactive and multiphase transport modeling
- Laboratory-to-field scale geohydrology, hydrology, and multiphase flow modeling
- Ecological assessment, management, and monitoring
- Human health and environmental risk assessment
- Environmental systems technology development and deployment, such as field-deployable monitoring systems for ultratrace detection of radionuclides in groundwater and a below-ground monitoring method for microbial activity at a uranium mill tailings site.
Our scientists apply their expertise toward the protection of regional water sources and aquatic ecosystems affected by contaminated soils and groundwater, releases from waste disposal units, climate change mitigation, energy development, water use, and hydropower systems operations.
This expertise includes an iterative experimental and modeling approach to contaminant fate and transport at U.S. Department of Energy sites, demonstrating our leadership at the Integrated Field Research Challenge located within the southern tip of the Hanford Site. We also focus our research on molecular-scale biogeochemical processes, field relevant microsites, and transition zones.
Related Highlights
- Creating an Iron Understudy
- New Protein Discovered Gives Insights to Iron's Fate Underground
- Turning Down the Heat for Carbon
- Mother Nature as a Wire Manufacturer
- Plump Up the Clay
- Pinpointing Plutonium Proclivities
- Digging Deeper in the Dirt
- The Preferences of Uranium
- Stories of Discovery and Innovation-
Terminating Toxic Metals