Requirements for FRAMES Specification File Viewer Modules

1.0 Introduction

This document describes the default set of specification viewer modules for FRAMES. The following sections describe the purpose of viewers, summarizes their overall requirements, and input, output and mathematical requirements. The viewers are designed specifically as objects for inclusion into FRAMES software, which is a platform that allows for linking of various multimedia modules into complete transport/exposure assessment systems (Whelan et al. 1997). Software engineers and testers can use these requirements to ensure these viewer modules meet needs of clients and users.

2.0 Purpose of Specification File Viewer Modules

The purpose of the default set of specification file viewer modules is to allow FRAMES users to view  default set of file types specified by FRAMES software both in original text format and graphical format. Input to modules consists of each of data file types specified by FRAMES (SCF, AFF, WFF, ATO, WCF, EPF, RIF, HIF, and SUF). Output consists of both a text format and graphical display of data contained in file.  following are nine (9) file types and their respective descriptions.

2.0.1 Soil Concentration File (SCF)

The Soil Concentration File contains concentrations have been spatially averaged throughout volume of soil zone. concentrations are in pCi/mL or g/mL (pCi/Kg or g/Kg in vadose zone) depending on whether constituent is a radionuclide or chemical. These concentration values are instantaneous values at a specified time, not average. 

2.0.2 Atmospheric Flux File (AFF)

The Atmospheric Flux File contains air fluxes have been spatially averaged through exit area into unconstrained air passing by area. exit area is normally defined by physical characteristics of source. In all cases, exit area is area used to define spatial average of air flux. The air fluxes are in pCi/yr or g/yr depending on whether constituent is a radionuclide or chemical. These flux values are instantaneous values at a specified time (i.e. value is not a time-average). 

2.0.3 Water Flux File (WFF)

The Water Flux File contains water fluxes have been spatially averaged through a rectangular plane segment is interface between one waterborne media layer and next. The fluxes are in pCi/yr or g/yr depending on whether constituent is a radionuclide or chemical. These flux values are instantaneous values at a given time not average. 

2.0.4 Atmospheric Concentration File (ATO)

The Atmospheric Concentration File contains air concentrations in kg-s/m3 or Bq-s/m3, deposition rates in kg/m2/s or Bq/m2/s, and external dose in Sv depending on whether constituent is a radionuclide or chemical. These values can be stored in one of two coordinate systems, polar or Cartesian. amount of data can either be a point, multiple points, or a grid of data. 

2.0.5 Water Concentration File (WCF)

The Water Concentration File contains concentrations in pCi/ml or g/ml depending on whether the constituent is a radionuclide or chemical. These concentration values are instantaneous values at given time not average at location specified. 

2.0.6 Exposure Pathway File (EPF)

The Exposure Pathway File contains the concentration of each constituent for a given route and pathway. Exposure concentration are in Bq/kg or Bq/l for radionuclides, mg/kg or mg/l for chemicals, and Sv for external dose. The available exposure pathways are air, indoor air, ground, leafy vegetables, root vegetables, fruit, Grain, beef, poultry, milk, eggs, soil, swimming, boating, shoreline, water, fish, mollusks, crustacea, aquatic plants, showering, and other. The available exposure routes are ingestion, inhalation, dermal contact, and external dose. 

2.0.7 Receptor Intake File (RIF)

The Receptor Intake File contains the chosen receptor's intake of each constituent in Bq, mg/kg/d or Sv depending on whether constituent is a radionuclide or chemical. This information is stored based on constituents exposure pathway and route to receptor. The available exposure pathways are: air, indoor air, ground, leafy vegetables, root vegetables, fruit, grain, beef, poultry, milk, eggs, soil, swimming, boating, shoreline, water, fish, mollusks, crustacea, aquatic plants, showering, and other. The available exposure routes are ingestion, inhalation, dermal contact, and external dose. 

2.0.8 Health Impact File (HIF)

The Health Impact File contains the chosen receptor's impact from constituent in Risk or Hazard Index (HI) depending on whether constituent is a radionuclide, chemical carcinogen or chemical non-carcinogen. This determination is based on health impact defined as risk of developing cancer (either as total incidence or fatal incidence), or incidence of severe genetic effects. This information is stored based on constituents exposure pathway and route to receptor. The available exposure pathways are air, indoor air, ground, leafy vegetables, root vegetables, fruit, grain, beef, poultry, milk, eggs, soil, swimming, boating, shoreline, water, fish, mollusks, crustacea, aquatic plants, showering, and other. available exposure routes are ingestion, inhalation, dermal contact, and external dose. 

For radionuclides, health impacts are expressed as risk of developing cancer, either as total incidence, fatal incidence, or incidence of severe genetic effects. 

2.0.9 Sensitivity/Uncertainty File (SUF)

The Sensitivity/Uncertainty File contains a sample set of input variables and calculated output variables for each statistical realization.

    3.0 Summary of Requirements for Specification File Viewer Modules

    This section provides the overall summary of requirements for the specification file text viewer modules along with specific requirements for each of graphical format viewers. Detailed input, output, and mathematical requirements are described in sections follow.

    All text viewer modules will:

    1. be able only to link with appropriate FRAMES modules
    2. be able only to link with one module at a time
    3. allow users to view textual data contained in specification file
    4. check to ensure associated media model was run successfully and alert user if file is not complete
    5. contain a scrolling mechanism to allow users to view multiple pages of file

    All graphical viewer modules will:

    1. be able only to link with appropriate FRAMES modules
    2. be able only to link with one module at a time
    3. allow users to graphically view data contained in specification file
    4. use existing external graphing tools wherever possible (i.e., Excel, Gnuplot, etc.)
    5. have all axis' labeled in a consistent format
    6. have all units called out as part of axis description
    7. display a legend giving a description for curve provided
    8. be consistent with all graphical viewers of same type (i.e., two dimensional, time-varying plots)
    9. reflect correctly data located in specification file to be displayed
    10. check to ensure associated media model was run successfully and alert user if file is not complete

    4.0 Input Requirements for Specification File Viewer Modules

    All text views and most of graphical viewers require only existence of a valid file of appropriate type. Four graphical viewers (ATO, EPF, RIF, and HIF) require additional input from user.

    4.0.1 Input Requirements for Atmospheric Concentration Graphical Viewer

    Atmospheric Concentration Graphical View User Interface input requirements for airborne concentration and deposition graphical viewer are X and Y location for center of waste site (or release location), total time, and time step of interest. 

    4.0.2 Input Requirements for Exposure Pathway Graphical Viewer

    The Exposure Pathway Graphical Viewer User Interface input requirements for exposure pathways are selection display for data filtering hierarchy. The categories for filtering are constituent, exposure pathway, and route to receptor. The available filtering options for exposure pathways are air, indoor air, ground, leafy vegetables, root vegetables, fruit, grain, beef, poultry, milk, eggs, soil, swimming, boating, shoreline, water, fish, mollusks, crustacea, aquatic plants, showering, and other. available filtering options for exposure routes are ingestion, inhalation, dermal contact, and external dose. 

    4.0.3 Input Requirements for Receptor Intake Graphical Viewer

    Teh Receptor Intake Graphical Viewer User Interface input requirements for receptor intakes are selection display for data filtering hierarchy. The categories for filtering are constituent, exposure pathway, and route to receptor. The available filtering options for exposure pathways are air, indoor air, ground, leafy vegetables, root vegetables, fruit, grain, beef, poultry, milk, eggs, soil, swimming, boating, shoreline, water, fish, mollusks, crustacea, aquatic plants, showering, and other. available filtering options for exposure routes are ingestion, inhalation, dermal contact, and external dose. 

    4.0.4 The Input Requirements for Health Impact Graphical Viewer

    Health Impact Graphical Viewer User Interface input requirements for health impacts are selection display for data filtering hierarchy. The categories for filtering are constituent, exposure pathway, and route to receptor. The available exposure pathways are air, indoor air, ground, leafy vegetables, root vegetables, fruit, grain, beef, poultry, milk, eggs, soil, swimming, boating, shoreline, water, fish, mollusks, crustacea, aquatic plants, showering, and other. The available exposure routes are ingestion, inhalation, dermal contact, and external dose.

      5.0 Output Requirements for Specification File Viewer Modules

      All text viewers are required to display a text view of specified file as output. 

      5.0.1 Output Requirements for Soil Concentration File Graphical Viewer

      The Soil Concentration File graphical viewer must plot time varying concentration curves for soil contamination remaining in source. Information such as usage, location, medium, and constituents displayed should also appear on screen. Each constituent's graph should be clearly label with constituent name.

      5.0.2 Output Requirements for Atmospheric Flux File Graphical Viewer

      The Atmospheric Flux File graphical viewer must plot time varying mass flux curves for contamination leaving source. Information such as usage location, medium, constituents displayed should also appear on screen. Each constituent's graph should be clearly label with constituent name.

      5.0.3 Output Requirements for Water Flux Graphical Viewer

      The Water Flux File graphical viewer must plot time varying constituent mass flux curves for constituent leaving source though a water pathway (i.e., vadose, overland, or saturated zone.). Information such as usage, location, medium, and constituents displayed should also appear on screen. Each constituent�s graph should be clearly label with constituent name.

      Medium release rate.

      5.0.4 Output Requirements for Atmospheric Concentration Graphical Viewer

      Dimensional plot, per time step,

      5.0.5 Output Requirements for Water Concentration Graphical Viewer

      The Water Concentration File graphical viewer must plot time varying constituent concentration curves for constituent leaving source though a water pathway (vadose, overland, or saturated zone). Information such as usage, location, medium, and constituents displayed should also appear on screen. Each constituent's graph should be clearly label with constituent name.

      5.0.6 Output Requirements for Exposure Pathway Graphical Viewer

      The Exposure Pathway Graphical Viewer output requirements for exposure pathways are graphical display of time varying concentration.  The concentrations are expressed as curves associated with data filtering hierarchy selected by user. (in Bq/kg or Bq/l for radionuclides, mg/kg or mg/l for chemicals, and Sv for external dose)  The categories for filtering are constituent, exposure pathway, and route to receptor.

      5.0.7 Output Requirements for Receptor Intake Graphical Viewer

      The Exposure Pathway Graphical Viewer output requirements for receptor's intake are graphical display of time varying concentration.  The concentrations are expressed as curves associated with data filtering hierarchy selected by user. (in Bq for radionuclides, mg/kg/d for chemicals, and Sv for external dose)  The categories for filtering are constituent, exposure pathway, and route to receptor.

      5.0.8 Output Requirements for Health Impact Graphical Viewer

      The Health Impact Graphical Viewer output requirements for receptor's impact are graphical display of time varying Risk or Hazard Index (HI) (depending on whether constituent is a radionuclide, chemical carcinogen or chemical non-carcinogen) curves associated with data filtering hierarchy selected by user. The categories for filtering are constituent, exposure pathway, and route to receptor.

      5.0.9 Output Requirements for Sensitivity/Uncertainty Graphical Viewer

      The Sensitivity/Uncertainty Graphical Viewer output requirements are, for each constituent and variable combination, display of a cumulative distribution function (CDF) and a probability density function (PDF) curve.

      6.0 Mathematical Requirements for Specification File Viewer Modules

      This section describes algorithmic requirements for several of Specification File Viewer Modules. Currently, only ATO and SUF graphical viewers manipulate data beyond basic plotting.

      6.0.1 Mathematical Requirements for Atmospheric Concentration Graphical Viewer

      The mathematical requirements for Atmospheric Concentration Graphical Viewer are conversion from polar format of ATO file to a Cartesian coordinate system. These values are averaged over time, based on user's input of total time and time step.

      6.0.2 Mathematical Requirements for Sensitivity/Uncertainty File Graphical Viewer

      The mathematical requirements for Sensitivity/Uncertainty File Graphical Viewer are sorting, and summation of cumulative distribution function curves to be displayed. 

      7.0 References

      Whelan G., K. J. Castleton, J. W. Buck, G. M. Gelston, B. L. Hoopes, M. A. Pelton, D. L. Strenge, and R. N. Kickert. 1997. "Concepts of a Framework for Risk Analysis in Multimedia Environmental Systems (FRAMES)." PNNL-11748, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington.