Design and actual performance of J-PARC 3 GeV rapid cycling synchrotron for high-intensity operation

Yamamoto, Kazami; Kinsho, Michikazu; Hayashi, Naoki; Saha, P. K.; Tamura, Fumihiko; Yamamoto, Masanobu; Tani, Norio; Takayanagi, Tomohiro; Kamiya, Junichiro; Shobuda, Yoshihiro; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(9), p.1174 - 1205, 2022/09

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2038301

In the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex, the purpose of the 3 GeV rapid cycling synchrotron (RCS) is to accelerate a 1 MW, high-intensity proton beam. To achieve beam operation at a repetition rate of 25 Hz at high intensities, the RCS was elaborately designed. After starting the RCS operation, we carefully verified the validity of its design and made certain improvements to establish a reliable operation at higher power as possible. Consequently, we demonstrated beam operation at a high power, namely, 1 MW. We then summarized the design, actual performance, and improvements of the RCS to achieve a 1 MW beam.

PSTEP: Project for solar-terrestrial environment prediction

Kusano, Kanya*; Ichimoto, Kiyoshi*; Ishii, Mamoru*; Miyoshi, Yoshizumi*; Yoden, Shigeo*; Akiyoshi, Hideharu*; Asai, Ayumi*; Ebihara, Yusuke*; Fujiwara, Hitoshi*; Goto, Tadanori*; et al.

Earth, Planets and Space (Internet), 73(1), p.159_1 - 159_29, 2021/12

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40623-021-01486-1

The PSTEP is a nationwide research collaboration in Japan and was conducted from April 2015 to March 2020, supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan. It has made a significant progress in space weather research and operational forecasts, publishing over 500 refereed journal papers and organizing four international symposiums, various workshops and seminars, and summer school for graduate students at Rikubetsu in 2017. This paper is a summary report of the PSTEP and describes the major research achievements it produced.

Deexcitation dynamics of muonic atoms revealed by high-precision spectroscopy of electronic X rays

Okumura, Takuma*; Azuma, Toshiyuki*; Bennet, D. A.*; Caradonna, P.*; Chiu, I. H.*; Doriese, W. B.*; Durkin, M. S.*; Fowler, J. W.*; Gard, J. D.*; Hashimoto, Tadashi; et al.

Physical Review Letters, 127(5), p.053001_1 - 053001_7, 2021/07

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.053001

We observed electronic X rays emitted from muonic iron atoms using a superconducting transition-edge-type sensor microcalorimeter. The energy resolution of 5.2 eV in FWHM allowed us to observe the asymmetric broad profile of the electronic characteristic and X rays together with the hypersatellite X rays around 6 keV. This signature reflects the time-dependent screening of the nuclear charge by the negative muon and the -shell electrons, accompanied by electron side-feeding. Assisted by a simulation, this data clearly reveals the electronic - and -shell hole production and their temporal evolution during the muon cascade process.

Biosphere assessment methodology commonly applicable to various disposal concepts

Kato, Tomoko; Fukaya, Yukiko*; Sugiyama, Takeshi*; Nakai, Kunihiro*; Oda, Chie; Oi, Takao

JAEA-Data/Code 2019-002, 162 Pages, 2019/03

JAEA-Data-Code-2019-002.pdf:2.78MB

The radioactive waste generated from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station (FDNPS) accident have features such as wide range of radioactivity level (from low to high) and huge amount etc. It would be necessary for the waste from the FDNPS accident to develop suitable disposal concept and to be disposed safely and reasonably. When considering such appropriate disposal concepts in site-generic phase, it is necessary to appropriately develop models and parameters depending on the disposal concepts, such as disposal depth and specification of engineered barrier. In addition, it is desirable to evaluate the safety of repository with common models and parameters independent on the disposal concepts. In the safety assessment of disposal, it is useful to show the difference in performance of repository with "dose" as an indicator of safety assessment. Biosphere model and parameter set and flux-to-dose conversion factors calculated using them are originally dependent on the disposal concepts. However, the biosphere models and the parameter set in safety assessment of near-surface disposal, sub-surface disposal and geological disposal are prepared in each case, and are different according to the age and purpose of the discussion. In this study, an example of biosphere model and parameter-set of groundwater sceinario commonly applicable to various disposal concepts were shown, to calculate flux-to-dose conversion factors, as common indicators independent to disposal concept. And, a set of flux-to-dose conversion factors was also calculated by using the commonly available biosphere model and parameter set. By applying the flux-to-dose conversion factors, it is possible to compare the performance of disposal concepts to the waste generated from FDNPS accident, focusing on the parts depending on the disposal concepts.

Structure of active sites of Fe-N-C nano-catalysts for alkaline exchange membrane fuel cells

Kishi, Hirofumi*; Sakamoto, Tomokazu*; Asazawa, Koichiro*; Yamaguchi, Susumu*; Kato, Takeshi*; Zulevi, B.*; Serov, A.*; Artyushkova, K.*; Atanassov, P.*; Matsumura, Daiju; et al.

Nanomaterials (Internet), 8(12), p.965_1 - 965_13, 2018/12

https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8120965

Molecular dynamics simulation of telomeric single-stranded DNA and POT1

Kaburagi, Masaaki; Yamada, Hironao*; Miyakawa, Takeshi*; Morikawa, Ryota*; Takasu, Masako*; Kato, Takamitsu*; Uesaka, Mitsuru*

Polymer Journal, 48(2), p.189 - 195, 2016/02

AA2015-0476.pdf:1.08MB

https://doi.org/10.1038/pj.2015.82

We performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of telomeric single-stranded DNA and POT1 for 100 ns. The distance between (POT1) and O5' (telomeric ssDNA) is calculated to verify the binding system for 100 ns MD. We then calculated the distance between the bases of telomeric DNA ends and the root mean square deviation and gyration radius in single and binding states. We compared the root mean square fluctuations between single and binding states and calculated the number of hydrogen bonds between POT1 and telomeric DNA. There are many hydrogen bonds between Gln94 and the first guanine of the closest TTAGGG sequence in telomeric single-stranded DNA. These Gln94 and the guanine have a large difference in root mean square fluctuation between single and binding states. We found that Gln94 and guanine are important components of the binding system, and they are related to its stability.

Spatial distributions of radionuclides deposited onto ground soil around the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant and their temporal change until December 2012

Mikami, Satoshi; Maeyama, Takeshi*; Hoshide, Yoshifumi*; Sakamoto, Ryuichi*; Sato, Shoji*; Okuda, Naotoshi*; Demongeot, S.*; Gurriaran, R.*; Uwamino, Yoshitomo*; Kato, Hiroaki*; et al.

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 139, p.320 - 343, 2015/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2014.09.010

Impact of carrier lifetime on efficiency of photolytic hydrogen generation by p-type SiC

Miyake, Keiko*; Yasuda, Tomonari*; Kato, Masashi*; Ichimura, Masaya*; Hatayama, Tomoaki*; Oshima, Takeshi

Materials Science Forum, 778-780, p.503 - 506, 2014/02

Occurrence and potential activity of denitrifiers and methanogens in groundwater at 140 m depth in Pliocene diatomaceous mudstone of northern Japan

Katsuyama, Chie*; Nashimoto, Hiroaki*; Nagaosa, Kazuyo*; Ishibashi, Tomotaka*; Furuta, Kazuki*; Kinoshita, Takeshi*; Yoshikawa, Hideki; Aoki, Kazuhiro; Asano, Takahiro*; Sasaki, Yoshito; et al.

FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 86(3), p.532 - 543, 2013/12

https://doi.org/10.1111/1574-6941.12179

Anaerobic microbial activity has a major influence on the subsurface environment, and should be considered in subsurface activities including the construction of radioactive waste repositories. We investigated denitrification and methanogenesis in anoxic groundwater from 140 m depth in two boreholes, where the redox potential fluctuated. The average maximum potential denitrification rates, measured under anaerobic conditions in the two boreholes using an N tracer. Methanogenesis candidates were detected by 16S rRNA gene analysis. Although the stable isotope signatures suggested that some of the dissolved methane was of biogenic origin, no potential for methane production was evident during the incubations. The groundwater at 140 m depth did not contain oxygen, had an Eh ranging from -144 to 6.8 mV, and was found to be a potential field for denitrification.

Excess carrier lifetime in p-type 4H-SiC epilayers with and without low-energy electron irradiation

Kato, Masashi*; Matsushita, Yoshinori*; Ichimura, Masaya*; Hatayama, Tomoaki*; Oshima, Takeshi

Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 51(2), p.028006_1 - 028006_2, 2012/02

https://doi.org/10.1143/JJAP.51.028006

Excess carrier lifetimes in as-grown and low-energy electron irradiated p-type 4H-SiC epitaxial layers were investigated using the microwave photoconductivity decay method. The carrier lifetime increased with increasing excitation density in the epilayers. This results suggests that the dominant recombination center in the epilayers has larger capture cross section for electrons than capture cross section for holes. The carrier lifetime in the epilayer decreased by the low-energy electron irradiation decreases. The decrease in lifetime in the electron irradiated samples showed recovery after annealing at 1000 C.